It's impossible to watch a movie directed by Wong Kar-Wai and mistake it for the work of another filmmaker. As he has kept proving over his 32-year career to-date, his work is just that distinctive. And while the opposite isn't true, either — no one will ever confuse a movie helmed by someone else for one of Wong's efforts — his influence on cinema and his peers is evident in every neon-hued tale of yearning, every mesmerising and aching love story that says as much through its imagery as it does with dialogue, and plenty of martial arts fare as well. Wong makes films to luxuriate in — to truly feast your eyes upon — and, unsurprisingly, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and Sydney Film Festival want to celebrate that fact, and his work. Accordingly, they're teaming up to present touring program Love & Neon: The Cinema of Wong Kar-Wai. It showcases 11 of the filmmaker's titles, surveying his entire career, and will screen in Melbourne from Thursday, February 11–Saturday, February 27. And, it'll mark ACMI's big reopening as the first physical film season at the revamped Federation Square venue. In the Mood for Love is on the bill, of course, but it isn't the only movie worth checking out on the silver screen. You can also see his debut feature As Tears Go By; Chungking Express, which is inspired by a Haruki Murakami short story; and the touching Happy Together — plus the rebellious Days of Being Wild, the gorgeous 2046, and Wong's first English-language film My Blueberry Nights. Or, there's also his two martial arts epics: Ashes of Time: Redux and The Grandmaster. You'll be watching restored versions of most of the above, too, including glorious 4K restorations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfbLJh7-hQY
Melburnians, it's finally time to drop it like it's hot again — because Snoop Dogg is coming back to our fair city. For the first time since 2014, the rapper is hitting stages Down Under as part of this new 'I Wanna Thank Me' tour, which'll be playing Rod Laver Arena at 7pm on Saturday, March 4–Sunday, March 5. If this sounds familiar, that's because this tour was initially due to happen in 2022, only to be postponed. Now, Snoop Dogg has locked in the rescheduled dates, complete with an extra show in Melbourne. Clearly, fans of the musician/actor/cook book author/wrestling MC/wine brand owner will be breaking out the gin and juice. Snoop will also be inspiring hip hop aficionados to be the life of the party and, if you can remember his time as Snoop Doggy Dog and Snoop Lion across his career, to ask about his name as well. Yes, you can expect to hear singles such as 'What's My Name?', 'Gin and Juice', 'Drop It Like It's Hot' and 'Snoop's Upside Ya Head', as well as tracks from his last few albums — with his 17th record from 2019, I Wanna Thank Me, sharing its moniker with the tour. Since then, he's also dropped two more albums: From tha Streets 2 tha Suites in 2021 and BODR in 2022, with another, Missionary, also in the works.
Blockbuster effects can't mask bland storytelling, as the execs at Disney dip back into their classic library with less than impressive results. An alternate take on the tale of Sleeping Beauty, the studio's latest sees the cackling, leather-clad sorceress recast as a figure of sympathy. Hard to pronounce and harder to sit through, Maleficent is a movie very much in the same vein as Oz the Great and Powerful or the recent Alice in Wonderland — which is to say that it's heavy on expensive-looking digital wizardry and light on just about everything else. Clumsy voiceover sets the scene, in a run-of-the-mill fairytale forest home to pixies, trolls and a curious winged girl named Maleficent (Isobelle Molloy). Although wary of the human kingdom that exists beyond the forest borders, when Maleficent catches an orphan boy named Stefan trespassing, a fledgling romance seems destined to ignite. But humans are a fickle bunch, and so as Stefan grows older he becomes swept up with ambition, culminating in a brutal betrayal in which he cuts off Maleficent's wings in order to secure a place on the throne. Devastated, a now adult Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) embraces her dark side, swearing vengeance on Stefan and placing a curse on his newborn baby, Aurora — spinning wheel, eternal sleep and all. The idea of a Wicked-style reversal on a classic Disney villain is an interesting idea, but first-time director Robert Stromberg — better known for the production design on films like Avatar and Alice in Wonderland — botches the execution. The sporadic voiceover and muddled editing makes the film seem oddly lacking in structure; much of the first half feels like a prologue, setting up what turns out to be an incredibly short and perfunctory climax. The CGI is admittedly pretty immaculate, but none of the designs are in the least bit distinctive. If one the creatures from Maleficent popped-up in The Hobbit or Snow White and the Huntsman, you wouldn't bat an eye. Angelia Jolie is enjoyable as the eponymous spell-crafter, especially in the one or two scenes where she gets to really lay the villainy on thick. On the other hand, the talented Elle Fanning is seriously underutilised as the teenaged iteration of Aurora, whose insipid purity melts Maleficent's heart while putting audience members to sleep. You could argue that the film deserves some credit for its empowered female characters, although the fact that Maleficent's arc is catalysed by a man does somewhat muddy those credentials. On a sidenote, one could also potentially read the film as a kind of PG rape-revenge narrative. The rawest emotional moment in the film comes when Maleficent awakens from a drug-induced sleep only to realise that her lover has forcibly removed her wings. The allegory is obvious, and Jolie completely sells the agony of violation. Ultimately though, any and all subtext is either mishandled, squandered or lost under a wave of glossily rendered pixels. In other words, it's business as usual for the folks at the Mouse House, who apparently don't even respect their own canon enough to get a reboot right. https://youtube.com/watch?v=w-XO4XiRop0
The folks over at Gelato Messina know how to whip lovers of all things sweet and frozen into a frenzy, and they've done it again, moving their Sydney degustation bar south to Melbourne — this time for the whole month of November. After a five-night stint in August, the Messina Creative Department will once again be setting up shop for 14 nights in a secret room at their Windsor store from November 4-23. An offshoot of the famed gelato parlour, the Messina Creative Department offers an epic seven-course degustation, complete with non-alcoholic drink pairing. Since opening next door to their OG Darlinghurst venue in April to rapturous response, the tiny eight-seater space has proved to be immensely popular, with places booking out almost as soon as they're released. So it's no surprise that their first visit to Melbourne was met with a massive response; Melburnians booked out those $130-per-head spots at the ice cream sorcery table in record time. This time, they'll be here for 14 nights all-up, with three sittings available each night, at 4.30pm, 6.30pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. So there's a much higher chance you'll actually be able to nab a seat this time. And judging by their previous creations, you'll want to. Their Sydney dessert dinners have seen the likes of garlic gelato, a sugar egg filled with delights and an amazing matcha and pistachio cake concoction. One of their recent offerings included a lemon-like globe filled with liquorice gelato, yuzu curd and olive oil pastry accompanied by a muscatel grape, dill and black pepper oil cold pressed juice. It's dessert meets art meets one helluva tastebud adventure. To nab a seat, head to the Messina Creative Department page. We suggest booking stat.
International Women's Day is an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable women who've shaped our world. While there will no doubt be many thought-provoking talks, workshops and networking events focused on platforming powerful female voices happening this year, March 8 is also an opportunity for you to look inward, indulge in a little much-needed TLC and spend some time with the most important females in your life. In partnership with Revlon, we've rounded up some of the most empowering experiences that combine celebration with self-care, so you can honor the day while also prioritising your wellbeing. Start the Day with Stretches, Smoothies and Skincare Samples It's the girlhood holy trinity: yoga, brunch and free beauty products. That's what you can expect from our very own Get Up and Glow events happening in Sydney and Melbourne this International Women's Day. In collaboration with Revlon, we're hosting these early-morning events on Saturday, March 8 which will feature a 45-minute yoga flow, snacks and refreshments, and the opportunity to sample the goods from Revlon's Illuminance range. Spanning both skincare and make up, the Illuminance products are packed with skin-loving ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and squalane, to hydrate and nourish the skin. A makeup artist will be there to help you find your perfect shades and provide help tips and tricks to achieve that coveted lit-from-within look. Our goal is to help you feel empowered and ready to tackle the rest of your weekend. To score passes for you and a mate to the event in your city, enter the giveaway here. [caption id="attachment_985808" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sense of Self[/caption] Zen Out With Your Pals in a Bathhouse If you and your pals just want to escape reality for a little while, visiting a bathhouse may be the answer. This age-old tradition is currently having a big moment with sleek wellness retreats redefining relaxation as a social activity. In Sydney, Capybara is our pick. Taking cues from wellness rituals from around the world, including Japanese onsens and Moroccan hammams, this Surry Hills spot offers a communal mineral bath, hot-stone sauna, steam room,cold-plunge pool and heated bench on which you can try an ice scrub. Melbourne's Sense of Self has many of the same facilities in addition to a Sud & Mud kit, which allows guests to try a self-led hammam-style ritual, and a massage studio. Treat Yourself... With a Tech Twist You've surely heard the many benefits of hot and cold therapy by now — it's said to improve circulation, muscle repair and joint mobility. But recovery science has come a long way and there are plenty more technology-driven services available to trial. With spaces in Coogee, Cronulla, Manly and Martin Place, RCVRI has Australia's first zero-gravity flotation bed, which is said to reduce stress and improve sleep and concentration through a 30 or 60-minute 'weightless' session in a stimulus-free room. RCVRI also has high-tech massage guns and pulsing leg compression therapy to soothe muscles after intense activity and hyperbaric chambers for increased oxygen. In Melbourne, Cure HQ Recovery also offers compression and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, plus IV vitamin drips. Venture into the Forest Truly immersing yourself in nature to relieve stress seems like a bit of a no-brainer. But how often do you actually do it? The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is the intentional act of going into nature and connecting with its sights, smells and sounds — no devices stealing your attention, no thinking about work. You can do this pretty much anywhere you please but if you are seeking some guidance, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne hosts two-hour sessions every Sunday, while Forest Minds in Sydney runs private sessions in Lane Cove National Park, Bobbin Head and the Blue Mountains that end with a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. [caption id="attachment_785510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Helena Dolby[/caption] Seek the Soothing Powers of Salt Water Whether your ailments are of a mental or physical nature, there's no denying salt water has some almost other-worldly effect on them. Of course, Sydney has no shortage of ocean pools to have a splash in but International Women's Day seems as good an excuse as any to visit the dreamy McIver's Ladies Baths in Coogee. This heritage-listed tidal pool is a little sanctuary open to "girls only" making it a safe space for many. In Melbourne? The iconic Brighton Sea Baths is the best place to swim about in the salty sea. If you are seeking a women-only swimming space, Collingwood Leisure Centre hosts a leisure program exclusively for women on Saturday nights (note: it's not saltwater). Make the most of International Women's Day by attending one of our Get Up and Glow events, held in partnership with Revlon. To be in the running to score double passes, click here enter the draw.
Just shy of 18, Fitzroy's Polly Bar is no young'un — though it sure knows how to party as if it were. Head along on Saturday, September 16, and witness those youthful moves first-hand, as the Brunswick Street bar trips back in time to the glory days of 1999 in celebration of its milestone birthday. You're invited to don your finest pre-2000 threads and spend an evening kicking it old-school with '90s tunes and retro cocktails at this local legend velvet-clad bar. Get ready to turn back the clock with liquid treats like the tropical Blue Hawaiian, the froth-topped Fluffy Duck, London's famous Fig Bramble, and even the Screaming Orgasm, which Polly bar staff will be serving over a scoop of neapolitan ice cream. The best part? Prices will be turning back to 1999 as well.
First, the bad news: as announced at the end of February by creator and showrunner Jesse Armstrong in an interview with The New Yorker, HBO's award-winning version of Family Feud — aka Succession — is coming to an end. Now, the good news: in the show's just-dropped full trailer for season four, the squabbles are as sharp as ever, the insults are flying thick and fast, and no one among the Roy family can trust each other. So, it's fiery business as usual for the series' farewell lap. Arriving on Monday, March 27 in Australia and New Zealand — airing week to week — Succession's fourth season will be its last, and will see business titan Logan Roy (Brian Cox, Remember Me) leave his children Shiv (Sarah Snook, Pieces of a Woman), Kendall (Jeremy Strong, Armageddon Time), Connor (Alan Ruck, The Dropout) and Roman (Kieran Culkin, No Sudden Move) with everything, nothing or something in-between. Getting to that conclusion is going to be one helluva ride, as every season of Succession always is. The latest sneak peek includes everything from double-crossing to angry confrontations, plus Shiv's husband Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen, Operation Mincemeat) and Roy-family cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun, Zola) trying to stay relevant — and gossiping to each other, as they always do. It's Greg who utters the trailer's best line, in fact: "it's like if Santa Claus was a hitman," he says of Logan. The more things change for the Roys, the more that volatile underlying dynamic stays the same. No one is happy, the future of the company is in chaos and everyone wants the top job. In season four, that involves Logan's children teaming up with the family's foes, loyal in-house legal counsel Gerri (J Smith-Cameron, Fleishman Is in Trouble) threatening lawsuits, Logan starting rounds of chanting in the office and Roman getting in the face of Lukas Matsson, the tech visionary played by Alexander Skarsgård (The Northman) who Logan wants to sell Waystar Royco to. This is the fourth glimpse at what's in store in Succession season four, following on from an initial sneak peek in a broader HBO trailer in mid-October last year, another in late 2022 when the show's autumn return was confirmed, and one in January that locked in the exact March comeback date. If you need a refresher from season three, Shiv, Kendall, Roman and Connor have banded together to form a rebel alliance against Logan over his move to offload the company — and therefore the jobs, power, and cultural and political influence they always thought they'd inherit — to Lukas. It was back in 2021 when HBO announced that Succession would return for a fourth run, after its Emmy-winning third season proved that exceptional — and popular. Viewers are clearly in for more power struggles and more savaging of the one percent, aka more of what Succession has always done best. This time, however, it's the last go-around, so truly anything can happen. "We're pirates," shouts Logan in the new trailer, after all. Check out the full trailer for Succession season four below: Succession season four starts streaming from Monday, March 27 Down Under, including via Foxtel, Binge and Foxtel On Demand in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Check out our review of season three. Images: Claudette Barius/Macall B Polay, HBO.
Step into the future at the sixth annual Melbourne Knowledge Week, with a lineup of talks and workshops built around the very latest in social and technological innovation. An initiative of the City of Melbourne, this year's program features more than 50 events across 35 different venues, ranging from forums with leading scientists, thinkers and entrepreneurs, to brainstorming sessions with time-travellers Doc Brown and Marty McFly. That last event, hosted by The Carlton Connect Initiative, lets participants pitch their ideas for a Back to the Future movie set in the year 2041. Other highlights of the seven-day ideas festival include talks on wearable tech, virtual reality and gamification, The RMIT Global Futures Forum on the challenges and opportunities facing international business, and Speed Date a Leader, wherein you get to network with some of Melbourne's most successful industry leaders. Who knows — you may even get lucky. For the full Melbourne Knowledge Week program, go here.
Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie are getting the band back together — Flight of the Conchords have announced plans for their first tour in two years. Sure, the plans are only American for now, but we'll take it. Confirming plans in a recent interview with Billboard, Clement said the pair "are planning on touring later on in the year in the States. It isn't very solid yet, but we've been talking about it." It'll be the first time the Hiphopopotamus and Rhymenocerous have toured as FOTC since 2013. The best bit (and the bit we can get excited about over here) is that they'll apparently be unveiling new Conchords tunes on stage. "I really don't like the studio part of music," he says. "I more enjoy playing live and letting others take care of the recording." Clement has been hangin' out at Sundance, promoting his brand new film People, Places, Things, after a year of promoting co-written, co-directed vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows. McKenzie's been knee-deep in film for the past year as well, returning to his Oscar-winning role as music supervisor for 2014's Muppet follow-up Muppets Most Wanted — which Clement popped up in. Fingers crossed for a venture back home to New Zealand and across to Australia so all the ladies can check out their sugalumps For now, one of the finest Conchords moments: 'Jenny'. Via Billboard.
In a year where lots of time was spent tripping in and out of lockdowns, both the ups and downs were plentiful. While stay-at-home orders were a curse we could have all done happily without, we also saw wins like the debut of a much-anticipated citywide arts fest, a suite of clever culinary pop-ups and a joyful post-lockdown music festival descending on the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. What's more, Melbourne scored an abundance of new venues to add to that ever-growing list of must-visits; from glamorous restaurants to suburban brewery bars. We pulled together a shortlist of our favourite new venues and the most exciting events that saw us all through this year's good times and bad as part of Concrete Playground's Best of 2021 Awards. And now, we're presenting the cream of the crop, with both a reader-voted People's Choice award and an overall CP Pick in each of these categories: Best New Restaurant Best New Bar Best Event Best New Space Best Lockdown Pivot So, without further ado, here are your winners for 2021: BEST NEW EVENT [caption id="attachment_752127" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wade Malligan[/caption] CP PICK: PLAY ON VICTORIA On October 30, as we slowly emerged from yet another lengthy lockdown, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl hosted Melbourne's first big event in months: new one-day music fest Play On Victoria. Unsurprisingly a sell-out success, it was held for a solely double-vaccinated audience of 4000 punters, in an effort to test the state's reopening settings in the post-lockdown period. It also gifted us with a long-awaited opportunity to catch some live tunes, after one heck of a musical dry spell. Local music-lovers got right back into the swing of things, as acts like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Baker Boy, Amyl and the Sniffers, Grace Cummings, and Vika and Linda Bull all took to the stage. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: VAN GOGH AT THE LUME After years of hype, Melbourne's new 3000-square-metre, 11-metre-high immersive digital art gallery opened in November, set to project some of the world's most famous artworks in large-scale format. Its inaugural exhibition is currently celebrating the works and life of Vincent van Gogh, allowing you to walk through his famous masterpieces including The Starry Night and Sunflowers. For the latter, there's a dedicated mirror infinity room filled with sunflowers. Elsewhere, expect a reimagined Café Terrace 1888, and a life-size recreation of Van Gogh's The Bedroom. On top of that, a carefully curated fusion of colour, sound, taste and aroma lets you experience the works of the famed Dutch artist like never before. After a stack of time spent cooped up at home, it's no surprise this multi-sensory wonder has been going down a treat with Melburnians. BEST LOCKDOWN PIVOT CP PICK: GOMI RAMEN SHOP Melbourne chefs Ryan Maher and Ben Reardon launched their ramen delivery business back in June 2020, dropping handmade, ready-to-heat soup kits to select suburbs each week under the Gomi Boys label. The orders kept flooding in and the fanbase continued to grow — so much so, that the duo were able to crowd-fund their first bricks-and-mortar venue this year, with Gomi Ramen Bar opening its doors on Sydney Road this month. The 60-seat eatery is serving a range of the guys' cult-favourite ramen varieties, heroing their slurp-worthy hand-made noodles, house-made ferments, preserves and flavour-packed broths. Head in now to find the likes of a niboshi tonkotsu with pork and chicken, and a mushroom miso number, alongside loads of Japanese snacks. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: CA COM BÁNH MÌ BAR When Anchovy co-owners Jia-Yen Lee and Thi Le first started slinging khao jee pâté — the Lao cousin of the Vietnamese banh mi — from a window during last year's lockdown, it was never meant to become a permanent venture. But as the pandemic continued and the street food offering earned itself a loyal following, it became clear the Ca Com pop-up was here for the long run. Now, it's spawned its own standalone shopfront next door. Named after the Vietnamese words for 'anchovy', Ca Com's rotating banh mi menu was exactly the kind of accessible, lockdown-friendly fare the neighbourhood was craving. The pop-up has run on and off through lockdowns, with a hibachi on the window sill used to barbecue proteins. The lineup changes regularly, giving the team a chance to flex their creativity and trial new flavour combinations for its many dedicated Melbourne fans. BEST NEW BAR CP PICK: PEARL DIVER COCKTAIL & OYSTERS Arriving just in time for the festive season and its associated indulgences, Pearl Diver Cocktails & Oysters is a sparkling newcomer from The Speakeasy Group's (Eau de Vie, Nick & Nora's, Mjolner) Alex Boon and Pez Collier. Its focus is on memorable, produce-driven cocktails and oysters sourced from the country's best-growing regions. Libations show respect for individual ingredients and a penchant for creativity, while an oft-changing wine list represents only that which is 'fun' and 'delicious'. Oysters are the kitchen's headline act, served au naturale, dressed (think, creme fraiche and caviar, or a lemon granita) or cooked. Other upscale snacks include the likes of a duck terrine, house-made buffalo halloumi, and comté-topped waffle fries. [caption id="attachment_812442" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tom Blachford[/caption] PEOPLE'S CHOICE: HOPE ST RADIO The new wine bar and kitchen from internet radio station Hope St Radio became a go-to for knock-offs in the inner north. It's an expansive indoor-outdoor space beside Collingwood Yards' central courtyard, decked out with timber booths and mural art by Alice McIntosh. Chef Ellie Bouhadana's food offering heroes after-work snacks and dinner options; best enjoyed alongside local beers and sustainably-produced wines. The menu rotates regularly, though expect plates like lamb rigatoni, marinated sardines, and focaccia with whipped garlic and thyme butter. Unsurprisingly, music is a big part of the bar's DNA, with a custom sound set-up featuring tunes from Hope St's expert curation of artists, and a live broadcast program to keep you buzzing through the end of each week. BEST NEW RESTAURANT CP PICK: ROBATA From the team behind South American eateries San Telmo, Pastuso, Palermo and Asado, comes this playful, neon-heavy restaurant taking its cues from the streets of Tokyo. Robata embraces the art of charcoal grilling, celebrating Japanese techniques and traditions with its custom-built robatayaki grill. An izakaya-style menu is headlined by yakitori and kushiyaki skewers cooked over charcoal; including the must-try chicken meatballs with cured yolk and tare sauce. You'll find various sashimi and small bites, too, alongside larger Japanese-accented plates. Meanwhile, the bar's pouring a strong spread of sake, Japanese whisky and craft brews, backed by clever cocktails like the shochu-infused espresso martini. [caption id="attachment_833161" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brook James[/caption] PEOPLE'S CHOICE: FARMER'S DAUGHTERS This impressive, three-level venue from acclaimed chef Alejandro Saravia (Pastuso) is dedicated to celebrating and showcasing Gippsland's finest produce. On the first floor, a gourmet deli, food store and eatery turns out share-friendly fare like O'Connor beef carpaccio, and crumbed Lakes Entrance fish matched with spring onion hollandaise. Upstairs, the restaurant plates up a more formal celebration of provenance, complete with an open kitchen fuelled by charcoal and wood. It's a sophisticated space of gentle greens and greys, with a seasonal set menu and a Gippsland-focused drinks list. But as the crowning glory, the secluded rooftop cocktail bar is a summertime favourite, delivering innovative, produce-driven sips against a backdrop of native mountain pepper trees. BEST NEW SPACE [caption id="attachment_819111" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tom Blachford[/caption] CP PICK: SOCIETY Opened in the new 80 Collins dining precinct, this much-anticipated venture from Chris Lucas (Chin Chin) is sporting a timeless (and dramatic) aesthetic that fuses elements of art deco, mid-century, art nouveau and brutalist sensibilities. And it's guaranteed to wow. The high-impact look plays out strikingly across its two restaurants — Society Dining Room and Lillian Terrace — plus the upmarket Society Lounge bar and various other private spaces. It's the vision of Melbourne designers Russell & George, who worked closely with Lucas to create something that would have a deep connection to the city. They designed every element from the chairs to the dazzling chandeliers, and the spaces are complemented by a curation of works by Victorian artist David Noonan. [caption id="attachment_773820" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sharyn Cairns[/caption] PEOPLE'S CHOICE: GIMLET AT CAVENDISH HOUSE When it comes to creating smash-hit venues in stunning spaces, it's no secret legendary chef Andrew McConnell has a knack. He's the mind behind favourites like Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co and Marion, to name a few. And it appears he's done it again with Gimlet — a cocktail bar and restaurant in the CBD's 1920s heritage building Cavendish House. While it originally launched in 2020, thanks to lockdowns this is the first year anyone's had much of a chance to experience its magic. Sydney-based architecture and design studio Acme (The Grounds Of Alexandria) is behind the fitout, which nabbed a commendation in this year's Eat Drink Design Awards. It sees the historic space filled with black and gold marble bars, leather booths, geometric tiles and honeycomb chandeliers inspired by famed Italian architect Carlo Scarpa. Congratulations to all the winners. Our city is a better place with you in them.
The biggest horror movie of 2018 kept things muted. We're talking about A Quiet Place, of course, and we mean that in a very literal sense. The blockbuster monster flick tasked a young family with staying soundless, lest they be heard and then killed by giant spider-like creatures — and their efforts to survive became a huge box office hit. A Quiet Place's hushed tones were so successful, they had a flow-on effect. When you watched the film in a cinema, you probably glared whenever someone near you crunched popcorn, crinkled a packet of chips or started talking. Your ears keenly listened out for any noise that could put Lee (John Krasinski, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan), Evelyn (Emily Blunt, Wild Mountain Thyme), Regan (Millicent Simmonds, Wonderstruck) and Marcus (Noah Jupe, Honey Boy) Abbott in jeopardy, and you didn't want some loud person in the next row ruining that viewing experience. The frightful aliens, the hushed tones and Emily Blunt in kick-ass mode — it's all back thanks to sequel A Quiet Place Part II, which hits cinemas Down Under on May 27 more than a year later than originally planned due to pandemic delays. Also returning: hoping that your fellow cinema-goers don't make a sound while you soak in every second of expertly calibrated stillness. Like the first film, this follow-up is directed and written by Krasinski, with Blunt, Simmons and Jupe all returning on-screen. The sequel's cast also welcomes franchise newcomers Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders) and Djimon Hounsou (Guardians of the Galaxy). And while Krasinski is due to pop up among the actors as well, going back and watching the original movie again will remind you of the type of role he'll be playing this time around. As the initial trailer way back in January 2020 showed, and the just-dropped latest sneak peek does as well, A Quiet Place Part II picks up where its predecessor left off. Both suitably unsettling glimpses start with a flashback to the day the monsters initially made their presence known, before jumping to Evelyn, Regan and Marcus' latest attempts to avoid the fearsome creatures. Expect plenty of bumps, jumps and — naturally — silence. Check out the new trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id00Eq1j8M4&feature=youtu.be After being delayed from its original 2020 release date, A Quiet Place Part II will open in Australian cinemas on May 27. Image: © 2019 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved
The Victorian Government will continue the strict enforcement of social distancing and isolation rules until at least midnight on Sunday, June 21, with the government announcing the extension of its COVID-19 State of Emergency. First made in March and due to expire at midnight on Monday, April 13, the State of Emergency was initially extended until Monday, May 11. With the new extension, current restrictions — which came into force today — are now in place for three weeks. The State of Emergency declaration allows the state's authorised officers to "act to eliminate or reduce a serious risk to public health" as directed by Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. That means restricting movement, preventing entry to premises and venues and detaining people — measures that have been in place over the past two months as the state responds to the coronavirus. Announcing the extension, Sutton noted that the continued restrictions are needed to continue to keep slowing the spread of COVID-19. "Victorians have done a great job sticking to the coronavirus restrictions – their actions have saved countless lives," he said. "We know restrictions can be frustrating, but they are working. It's vital we continue to follow these directions to keep our community transmission numbers low and protect more Victorians." https://www.facebook.com/healthgovau/photos/a.991516417558722/3176855505691458/?type=3&theater With new restrictions coming into force today, Monday, June 1, the message has changed from "stay home" to "stay safe". While Victorians can now visit restaurants and pubs, head on regional holidays and gather in groups of up to 20, they're encouraged to continue following social distancing measures, practising good hygiene and avoid crowds. They're also required to continue working from home if possible. You can find out more about what you can and can't do from today over here. Fines are being handed out to folks who breach the restrictions, with Victoria Police issuing 5957 fines since Saturday, March 28, according to The Age. The state's financial penalties span up to $1652 for individuals and up to $9913 for businesses. Under the State of Emergency, people who refuse to comply can also be taken to court, where the fine imposed could reach up to $20,000 for individuals and $100,000 for companies. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria and how to protect yourself, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
Just because you're not surrounded by actual family for the festive season, doesn't mean you can't have the next best thing. Like, say, a big ol' party with some adoptive fam, at Lucky Coq's orphan's Christmas celebration on December 24. The Southside party spot is opening its doors to Melbourne revellers, with a Yuletide shindig that'll run from 4pm until late, taking over the venue's sunny courtyard. And you'll be glad to know there won't be a single dry turkey or bad carol. [caption id="attachment_756091" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jake Roden[/caption] Instead, you're in for a dazzling DJ lineup, featuring sounds from the likes of Matt Bates, Nayzi, Morbs and Tom Leese, with a back-to-back set from Tommy G and Mark Sewell. A festive slew of drinks specials includes $5 tinnies of Mountain Goat Lager and $20 Pimms jugs, and when the usual Lucky Hour rocks in from 4–7pm, there'll also be $6 basics, schooners and wine to have you feeling extra merry. Lucky Coq's usual menu of $5 pizzas rounds out the fun. Images: Jake Roden
Grab your specs, all you book worms and literary nerds out there, because the program for this year's Melbourne Writers Festival has finally been unveiled. Running from August 25 until September 3, this year's festival lineup is packed cover-to-cover with authors, journalists, activists, historians, bloggers, playwrights and more. The festival will begin with an address on Australian Identity by two-time Miles Franklin Literary Award winner Kim Scott. The evening will continue with an opening night party featuring music by Indigenous and Torres Straight Island artists curated by DJ Sovereign Trax. Scott is one of a number of prominent local guests; others include ABC journalist Stan Grant, social commentator and writer Jane Caro, author and journalist Benjamin Law and engineer and author Yassmin Abdel-Magied. Major international guests, meanwhile, include journalist and transgender activist Janet Mock, National Book Award winning author Joyce Carol Oates, young adult writer Angie Thomas and former UN Under-Secretary-General Shashi Tharoor. The festival will wrap up with a talk from Robert Fisk, a journalist for The Independent who has reported from battlefields in Syria, Iraq, Algeria, Afghanistan and Lebanon. Plus, there will be a glorious day filled with free Harry Potter activities, including readings, performances and a Sorting Hat. It says it's "for families" but we doubt they'd kick you out. "Literature has always been a platform for revolutionary ideas and a way to escape the politics of despair," festival director Lisa Dempster said. "Melbourne Writers Festival will explore the darkness of discrimination, oppression and war, but the program is threaded through with hope. We're listening to voices too long shut out, searching for the ideas that can bring us out of dark places and into the light." The Melbourne Writers Festival will take place on August 25 till September 3. Tickets will go on sale at 9am on Friday, July 21. For the full program visit mwf.com.au.
There's going to be another murder in the building. That's the only way to interpret the news that Only Murders in the Building, the murder-mystery comedy series that's been a delight not once but twice now, is officially coming back for a third season. Clearly, New York City's deadliest fictional apartment block will strike again — and residents turned true-crime podcasters Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) will have something else to chat about. Is there a more chaotic place to live in NYC at the moment, at least on the small screen? It doesn't appear so. As for exactly who'll be killed this time, and what the Arconia complex's resident sleuths have to say about it, that hasn't yet been revealed. (Neither has whether season three of Only Murders in the Building will indeed revolve around another murder in the building — but hey, the expected answer is right there in the show's title.) If you're still yet to experience the series' charms, it follows the odd trio of Charles-Haden, Oliver and the much-younger Mabel after they bond over two things: listening to a Serial-style podcast hosted by the show's own version of Sarah Koenig, aka Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva); and a death in their luxe abode. Of course, they did what everyone that's jumped on the true-crime bandwagon knows they would if they were ever in the same situation, starting their own audio series that's also called Only Murders in the Building. That's how season one kicked off — and continued, proving a warm, funny, smart and savvy series at every step along the way, as well as one of 2021's best small-screen newcomers. Now, in the show's second go-around, which is currently streaming week-to-week Down Under via Star on Disney+, Charles-Haden, Oliver and Mabel have another death to investigate. This time, it's someone they're all known not to be that fond of, so suspicions keep pointing in their direction. Again, no further details about season three have been revealed as yet — sorry, armchair detectives — including when it'll return. Considering that there was less than a year between seasons one and two, though, cross your fingers that the show keeps up the same schedule. Similarly yet to be announced: which high-profile names will join the wonderful Martin, Short and Gomez in the next batch of episodes. Both Sting and Amy Schumer have played themselves so far — and Cara Delevingne (Carnival Row) also pops up. Until more information about season three is unveiled, check out the trailer for Only Murders in the Building season two below: Only Murders in the Building's second season is streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+. Read our full review. You can also read our full review of the show's first season, too. Images: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
Having almost faced its final curtain call when a fire ripped through it in May, Carlton's La Mama Theatre is set to be reborn, thanks to a tidy $1 million grant from the Victorian Government. The money will back up the independent theatre's own fundraising efforts as it works to rebuild, as well as an earlier $150,000 rescue package provided by Labor in the wake of the incident. Restoration of the Faraday Street site will involve repurposing as much of the original building as possible, respecting its heritage while also making it fully accessible for the first time and setting it up for future generations. Architect Meg White and local firm Cottee Parker will head up the rebuild, which is slated to begin next year and be completed by 2020. La Mama is a non-profit theatre and stalwart of Melbourne's art scene, having been established back in 1967. Founded by Betty Burstall, the theatre has seen the likes of Cate Blanchett, Judith Lucy and Julia Zemiro pass through it and hosts many alternative and experimental shows. The theatre will continue to operate out of nearby sister venue La Mama Courthouse, until it returns to the city's arts scene in full capacity. If you'd like to lend a helping hand, La Mama is also accepting donations from the public. Image two: La Mama Theatre before the fire.
When Bondi's iconic Icebergs pool shuts for cleaning each Thursday it usually just gets a bit of a scrub. But this week something much more exciting than a high-pressure hose was put into the beachside basin — instead, a giant print of the Amalfi Coast was installed across the entire bottom of the pool. A post shared by Canon Australia (@canonaustralia) on Feb 23, 2017 at 12:46am PST If you're familiar with his work, you have probably already guessed that the print was shot by prolific Bondi ocean photographer Eugene Tan, a.k.a Aquabumps. The umbrella-lined beach print — named Peppermint Fresh and shot on the Amalfi Coast last year — is available to buy on Tan's website, but at a huge 50-metres-wide, this is definitely the most large-scale you'll get to see it. Unfortunately the installation was a one-day-only thing and the pool is back to its normal clear blues today. Nonetheless, it made for a great aerial shot. Top image: Amaury Treguer via Instagram.
If you're in a part of Australia that's sweating through a heatwave right now — Sydney is set to break its record for the most days above 35 degrees in a season — you've probably been visualising trickling streams and cannonballing into a body of water for a few days now. But how about gliding down a waterslide straight into the ocean? A photo posted by Jongkol Palarit (@pookjongkol) on Jan 20, 2017 at 12:23am PST Unfortunately the cooling relief is purely a psychological one, as this slide of slides is located at luxury resort Soneva Jani in Medhufaru (Noonu Atoll) in the Maldives. The moderately-sized waterslide takes guests from the top deck straight into the ridiculously clear blue private waters the resort resides on top of. You can do all this between courses at dinner or drinks on the catamaran nets that are suspended just above the water. The resort, which opened at the end of last year, boasts 25 over-water villas — all of which include their own private outdoor decks, pools, access to the ocean and retractable roofs. If you're already picturing yourself there, note that villas start at a huge $2000 AUD per night, with some even exceeding $10,000 a night. So while going to the Maldives would be a great right about now, we might just have to live in hope that Australia's main swimming spots gets a slide — we can definitely picture one down at Clovelly in Sydney or jutting off the pier at St Kilda.
It's a time-travelling romantic dramedy shot in the desert on the cheap, but what The Infinite Man lacks in size it makes up for in brains and heart. In that way, the film is a lot like its protagonist, the jumpy, obsessive, hopelessly romantic Dean (Josh McConville). A scientist of non-specific genius, Dean wants desperately to give his girlfriend, Lana (Hannah Marshall), the perfect anniversary weekend. Instead, his controlling behaviour ends up driving her back to her ex (Alex Dimitriades). Not to worry though. Dean can just casually invent a time machine and give the holiday another go. And another. And another. And another. Supported by the same South Australian funding initiative that helped pay for 52 Tuesdays, The Infinite Man is the rare sort of film that feels invigorated, rather than hamstrung, by its obvious financial constraints. Limited to just three cast members and a single, isolated location — an abandoned desert motel — first-time writer-director Hugh Sullivan has very few crutches to fall back on, and is instead forced to draw on a deep well of creativity to ensure his movie is a success. And what a success it is. Sullivan's script pulls from all manner of time-travel scenarios, including The Terminator, Back to the Future and a healthy dose of Primer. Each time our hero travels back in time, the situation grows steadily worse, as he finds himself interacting, and them competing, with different iterations of himself. It's not always easy to keep track of which Dean is which, but to be honest that's part of the fun. Sci-fi fans will delight in piecing the puzzle together — and after multiple viewings, we can confirm that the layers line up. Similarly sharp are the film's comedic sensibilities, riffing not just on the paradoxes of time travel but also sex, jealousy and love. McConville is brilliant as Dean, a perpetually insecure 'nice guy' who goes from endearing to pathetic to just plain creepy. At the opposite end of the alpha-male spectrum is Dimitriades, hilarious as Dean's dim-witted, javelin-throwing rival, who can't seem to acknowledge his relationship with Lana is over. Marshall is also great as the movies' perpetual straight-woman, although it's shame she's not given a bit more comedic stuff to do. But what really cements The Infinite Man as special is how it captures what it feels like as a relationship falls apart. To Dean in particular, the intricacies of time travel are nothing compared to the mysteries of the heart. His overwhelming need to recreate what has been lost is a compulsion that nearly everyone can understand. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-P7bQ9fUw7A
Poodle Bar & Bistro, aka The Kennel, is celebrating its 5th birthday in style this Labour Day long weekend. Renowned for its European-style cuisine, moody interiors and stellar cocktail selection, this not-so-old dog is breaking out a few new tricks to ring in the occasion, with the venue's biggest-ever free party. Kicking things off at 2pm, deli-sandwich newcomer Carlito's will be in the house serving hot and fresh Italian sandwiches. As you'd expect, party cocktails will be pouring late into the night, while you can always satiate yourself with Poodle's house-made plonk for a cheaper alternative. Then, make your way upstairs to the first-ever Poodle Private Dining Rave Room with Turbo Thot on the decks – it'll be as debaucherous as it sounds. Every birthday bash needs a killer soundtrack – good thing the DJ lineup is stacked with talent, as DJ Sarah (in2stellar), Pjenné, Yumdoggmillionaire, Myles Mac and DJ Possum guide the tunes across the rest of the venue. Entry is free, but RSVP is required to attend. Just know, you're gonna need some hair of the dog come Monday morning. [caption id="attachment_993580" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Michael Pham[/caption]
It's been a big year for Melbourne's iconic cocktail haunt The Everleigh, first scoring a nomination at The Spirited Awards for Best International Cocktail Bar, and in July unveiling a sleek new look after a much-hyped makeover. So it's only fitting that the world-class bar has some very big things planned for it's sixth birthday party later this month. One and all are invited to join in the fun on Sunday, September 24, as The Everleigh welcomes its sixth year in fine form, with a 1960s Vegas-themed birthday extravaganza. Infused with all the glitz and glamour of this golden era and taking cues from the city's iconic Sands Hotel, it'll be one for the press pages. Prepare yourself for an evening of live performances, show girls, big bands and of course, plenty of exceptional drinks. The Everleigh will be showing off its new-look digs in all their elegant, old-world glory, including the latest addition, The Starling Room. Starting scouting out some worthy party threads now — you'll need to dress to impress Marlene Dietrich and Frank Sinatra, specifically. Image: James Morgan.
First postponed from July to October last year, and then ditching 2020 altogether, Splendour in the Grass has announced today, Tuesday, March 2, that its next event will now be held in spring 2021. The last time the festival updated its plans, it was intending to take place in July 2021; however, it'll now go ahead between Friday, November 19–Sunday, November 21. So, get ready for a much warmer trip to North Byron Bay Parkland than usual. Get ready to see The Strokes and Tyler, The Creator, too. Both acts were originally set to headline the cancelled 2020 fest, and will now hit the stage on the Saturday and Sunday nights, respectively. They'll be joined in the top slot by Gorillaz, who'll do the honours on the Friday evening. Announcing the change of dates via its website, Splendour in the Grass co-founders Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco noted that they "had so hoped to bring you Splendour's 20th anniversary edition this July, but we can't stage the event that you know and love within the current restrictions and international border closures. Since March 2020, not a single festival in Australia has been able to run at full capacity and the industry is currently operating at a fraction of pre-COVID levels." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Splendour in the Grass (@splendourinthegrass) Just who else will be on the bill is still up in the air, but we'll let you know as soon as anything else is announced. If you had already purchased a ticket for SITG 2020, you'll be happy to know that it's valid for the 2021 edition. If you've bought one for this year, for the July dates, it's still valid for November, too. And if you don't have a ticket yet, you can head to the festival's website to nab a pre-loved ticket now. Splendour in the Grass has been postponed again and will now take over North Byron Bay Parkland from November 19–21, 2021. All 2020 tickets and July 2021 tickets are valid for November, with pre-loved tickets currently available via splendourinthegrass.com. Top images: Splendour in the Grass 2018 by Charlie Hardy / Splendour in the Grass 2019 by Dave Kan.
Travelling to and from Queensland is about to become a possibility again, and almost a week earlier than expected. At 5pm today, Monday, November 15, the Sunshine State will start reopening to double-vaccinated visitors. A 14-day stint in home quarantine will still be required if you're coming from a part of the country that's considered a hotspot, but this is the first step in the plan to open Queensland's borders back up — and it's been brought forward after the state hit the 70-percent double-vaccinated mark ahead of schedule. Yesterday, on Sunday, November 14, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the Sunshine State had reached the 70-percent double-dose threshold, which wasn't initially expected until Friday, November 19. Back in mid-October, when the state's roadmap out of border restrictions was revealed, that mark was outlined as the key date for beginning to restart interstate travel. So, today's announcement means that you can now bring forward your travel plans. To travel here, you must return a negative COVID-19 test within the previous 72 hours, have a valid border pass and must complete 14 days of home quarantine at a self-contained dwelling, as long as it has no shared common areas accessible by people outside the household. — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 14, 2021 When 5pm hits today, travellers who've been in a hotspot area within Australia in the past 14 days can enter the state again. They'll need to be double-vaxxed, to arrive by air and to have received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before arriving — and to get a border pass. Also, anyone in this category will need to go into home quarantine for 14 days at a self-contained dwelling that doesn't have any common areas shared with people from outside the household. Obviously, needing to quarantine — even at home — still isn't the best incentive to travel to and from Queensland; however, given that the state hit the 70-percent double-jabbed threshold early, it's hoped that it'll also do the same with the 80-percent double-vaxxed mark. That was originally expected around Friday, December 17, and it's when travellers from interstate hotspots can arrive in the Sunshine State by either road or air, and also won't need to quarantine at all. At today's press conference, the Premier advised that "if these rates continue, that is good news because it may even see our date in December [brought] a little bit forward as well — but that depends on Queenslanders getting vaccinated." Queensland's Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski also advised that the state is "preparing if we need to go earlier as we have this time." BREAKING: We just hit 70% double dosed. Keep it up Queenslanders 💪#GetVaccinated pic.twitter.com/PyznKOjzxW — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 14, 2021 The 80-percent double-vaxxed mark is also when Queensland will ditch capacity restrictions for all hospitality and entertainment venues, and change entry requirements to only allow double-jabbed folks into places such as restaurants, bars, cafes, cinemas, stadiums, festivals, libraries, galleries and museums. So, if the 80-percent double-vaccinated threshold is met ahead of schedule, that requirement could kick in earlier as well. If you're wondering what all of this means for international travel, nothing is changing at the moment — because, under the roadmap, international arrivals are still handled as they have been during the pandemic at the 70-percent double-vaxxed target. But when Queensland hits 80-percent double-jabbed, double-vaccinated overseas travellers will be able to undertake 14 days of home quarantine — if they've also received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before getting to Queensland. And, when the Sunshine State reaches the 90-percent double-vaccinated threshold, all entry rules and quarantine requirements will be ditched for folks who've had both jabs. For the unvaxxed, the 14-day quarantine rule will still be in effect. Queensland will start allowing double-vaccinated domestic visitors back into the state via air from 5pm on Monday, November 15. For more information about Queensland's border policies and border passes, head to the Queensland Government website.
Somewhere between Margaret Preston and that giant plastic island, Australia popped its domestic relationship with nature on the backburner. Chrysanthemum versus bottlebrush? Sorry, we cried, but we have bigger fish to fry (sorry for the fish jokes,Torsten Knorr). That is, unless you have been hanging our around Flinders Lane or Melbourne-based artist Vicki Mason, in which case you will know that our hedgerows are as topical as ever. The New-Zealand born jeweller has taken over Craft's Gallery One with pieces inspired by the front gardens of South-West Melbourne. Vignettes from a Suburban Front Yard is a collection that returns to ideas of private versus public, recurring fashions and suburban house pride with fresh eyes. In fact you might want to ignore what I said earlier about bigger fish, because Mason is taking on a whale with Vignettes — the artist would like to open up a dialogue about the consequences of aspiring to a rural aesthetic within the realities of urban sprawl, and the associated challenges for Australia... And, there goes Wordsworth rolling around in his grave again.
The Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), curated by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin, are annual awards for First Nations artists from across the country. This year, NATSIAA award winners will be announced online — and all Australians can get to know the nominees via a virtual gallery — as well as vote for their favourites in the Telstra People's Choice Award. Each year, the awards celebrates contemporary artworks across a broad range of disciplines. Think paintings, craftsmanship, photography and textile works. There are 65 finalists from across the country, and what makes the awards so special is the diversity in storytelling; there are perspectives from coastal regions, desert towns, cities and everywhere between. [caption id="attachment_776094" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Telstra Bark Painting Award Winner 2019, Noŋgirrŋa Marawili. Photo: Fiona Morrison[/caption] For 37 years, Telstra NATSIAA has represented the art of the nation — culturally, geographically and historically, as well as looking to our future. And long-standing partner Telstra has been part of the awards for almost three decades. For those who plan to visit the Northern Territory, you can also experience the artworks in person at the Telstra NATSIAA Exhibition at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory from Saturday, August 8. And it's good news for those of us who'd usually miss out on the awards ceremony, as this year's presentation (usually held on the grounds of the museum) will be broadcast online. You can join host Brooke Boney on Friday, August 7 to find out which artists have won by visiting the Telstra NATSIAA website from 6pm. While you're there, check out the fully interactive, virtual gallery and chuck a vote in for your favourites.
As part of ACMI’s Spectacle: The Music Video Exhibition and Melbourne Music Week this one-off event sees a panel of Gotye’s collaborators come together to dissect some of the video clips that have defined this artist’s rise from local talent to international star. In 2011, a video clip transformed Wally De Backer into a worldwide phenomenon and household name; two years later Somebody That I Used to Know has clocked up close to 500 million views online. Throughout his career these videos have played an important role in Gotye’s commercial success, but more importantly have offered representations of a visual diversity that reflects the scope of this artist’s own distinctive sonic palette. Like his songs themselves, each one manages to dream up a whole world — whether it’s the fragile wasteland of his early hit Heart’s a Mess or the frantic, full-blown animation of State of the Art. This event will focus on the journey that each video takes from initial concept all the way through to final production, with host Megan Spencer joined by filmmakers Natasha Pincus and Andrew Goldsmith, as well as Ivan Dixon and Greg Sharp from the animation studio Rubber House.
If you weren't listening to Jonathan Boulet in '09 and missed the follow-up boat in 2012, there's a whole new Boulet chapter to wrap your ears around. With riff-heavy tracks that rarely skimp on the gnarl, the Sydneysider's sounds supersede your average post-punk howls — and his latest album Gubba proves he's only getting grimier. Boulet made his way into earholes Australia-wide with his self-titled 2009 LP, before giving hungry fans the highly-praised We Keep The Beat, Found the Sound, See the Need, Start The Heart three years later. Since then, he's shared stages with Mumford and Sons, Tame Impala and Kate Nash, done Splendour, Falls and SXSW, then last year he packed up, jetted off and found a new home in Berlin for a brief hiatus. Now the multi-instrumenalist is back, with a leather-laden Dad on one side and third LP Gubba on the other. The album's already been praised as brutal, sneering and showing new degrees of maturity — not in a "I pay my own rent, dammit," sense, but rather in terms of musical complexity. We had a chat to Boulet ahead of his nationwide tour about Gubba, the evolution of his unique sound and the coolest motorbike gang you might ever see. You've had a super busy 2014 so far with the release of Gubba, what's been a particular high? It's been a pretty good start, I reckon. Pretty energised and elated to have finished another album and have it out so quickly after the fact. I think just having this album released already is the high. It's only downhill from there. No, not really. Touring will be the only thing to trump the joy of having a new release. That and the cocaine. It's been two years since the release of We Keep the Beat, Found The Sound, See The Need, Start the Heart, does that mean Gubba has been a solid two year project? No way. Two years?! My attention span is not that durable. Only after we were completely done touring that last record, I started to consider what may or may not lie in the future. I had already been working on some riff ideas by the time we landed in Berlin, but most of them were thrown out and replaced by younger, tastier and more seductive riffs. Gubba is a hell of a sporadic album — it bounces from grizzly to get-up in a matter of tracks. Why do you think there is such a change of pace in Gubba from your previous works? I think that before I was attempting to write an album entirely consisting of singles. This time I had a lot of fun making small musical things, little ditties and such to help break up the consistently high levels of loudness. Whether they are effective in actually breaking up the album is completely irrelevant. When you started piecing together the tracks, was there any overall style or plan you were working towards? Initially, the plan was simply 'balls to the wall'. Energy. And it began to take shape in a rock context. After a while I learned that for something to sound loud, it needs to be next to something that is quiet. So I sought to introduce more depth, dynamics and points of interest. It all continued to blossom and flourish from there. https://youtube.com/watch?v=FOcziciUnr0 The Hold it Down clip is pretty solid — excellent ratio of leather-to-wrap-arounds. Tell us a bit about filming the clip. Is your dad really the star of the video? My good friend Jack Saltmiras filmed it with a bunch of our mates. And yes, my Dad is the mad dog in charge. He said after shooting the scene where he was doing burnouts and thrashing the bike, it started to run smoother than it ever had before. It's the coolest motorbike crew I've ever seen and I'd give anything to be in a gang like that. How do you think your decision to uproot and head abroad has influenced your music style? Do you think a change of scenery has had a pretty significant effect on this album? I don't think it has much at all to be honest. I think the change of scenery has had an effect on me as a person and therefore possibly that has effected the music. It's hard to say. I think I would have made the same thing whether I was in Australia, Berlin or Antarctica. Although, if I made it in Antarctica the album would be called, Fuck You, Cold. For those who've missed the boat on your other music projects, tell us a little about Top People and Snakeface. Do you have any other projects in the works at the moment? Top People is a project I do with Zacc Abbott-Atchinson (ex-Halal, How Are You? singer). It's basically slow, loud music with hilarious lyrical content. Good fun if you ever get the chance to come to a show, if we ever play another one. And Snakeface is what started as a thrash band that more and more of our friends have become involved in, up until we made the album Oberon. A punk band, with as many varying influences as it does members. If you are of the heavy music persuasion, I implore you to check out both. If you gave Gubba to someone to listen to for the first time, what would you hope they respond to or take away from it? I would hope they would frame the record, dip the framed record in gold, then compress the gold-dipped, framed record into a golden crystal to be worn around the neck and passed down from generation to generation until they forgot what it was actually made of, then pawned it for cash and bought a cheap puppy with the money. Gubba is out now via Popfrenzy. Jonathan Boulet National Tour Dates: Friday 15 August — Northcote Social Club, Melbourne Saturday 16 August — Pirie & Co Social Club, Adelaide Thursday 21 August — Goodgod Small Club, Sydney Thursday 28 August — Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
No matter how cold it gets, Melburnians are never ones to say no to a scoop of ice cream. But the city's newest ice cream treat is undeniably summery — and it's almost too cute to eat. Gracing the menu at South Korean soft serve joint Milkcow for a limited time, this watermelon ice cream sandwich features a juicy wedge of watermelon filled with vegan and dairy-free watermelon ice cream and sprinkled with pink Himalayan rock salt. Even those seeds are edible, made from chocolate chips. Milkcow's version of the frosty treat riffs on the one originally created by Dominique Ansel (of cronut fame) for the Tokyo store, and, more locally, Double Good at Brisbane's Eat Street Markets. A post shared by Dominique Ansel Bakery Japan (@dabjapan) on Aug 22, 2017 at 6:58pm PDT But if you want to get your hands on it now that it's landed in Melbourne, you'll have to be quick — it's only a temporary menu addition, with limited serves sold each day. You can get the watermelon ice cream sandwich at Milkcow, 287 Swanston Street and Level 2, 260 Collins Street, Melbourne. For more information, visit their Facebook page.
No one in Australia expects to feel cold in January. Summer is in full swing, after all. It's prime beach and pool season, obviously — and, even though the festive period is over and everyone is settling back into the year after the holidays, thoughts of lazing around by or splashing around in a body of water aren't ever too far from anyone's minds. Whether you're fond of cooling down with a refreshing dip, or you prefer to escape to the vicinity of the nearest fan or air-conditioner, you might want to put those plans into action across the rest of this week. From today, Thursday, January 21, temperatures are expected to be mighty hot all around the nation, according to the Bureau of Meteorology's latest major cities forecast. As per BOM's city-specific forecasts, some of those temps are due to stick around a bit longer than that, too. After an expected top of 27 degrees on Thursday, Sydneysiders can expect a few sweaty days, with temps staying at 30 or above from Friday until mid-next week. Still in NSW, Newcastle will hit 34 on Sunday, while Wollongong will get to 31. That isn't as warm as Canberra in the ACT, though — with the Australian capital forecast to hit 38 on Sunday and 39 on Monday. Sunday and Monday will be warm in Melbourne, too, with tops of 35 and 37 forecast. They'll come after a 31-degree Thursday, then expected maximums of 26 and 27 on Friday and Saturday. Thankfully, a drop to 22 is forecast for Tuesday. https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1351781371715477504 Brisbane will get to 27 on Thursday, 29 on Friday, and 30 from Saturday–Monday, and 33 on Tuesday and Wednesday — so it'll be warm, but also usual summer weather. In Adelaide, the mercury will rise to 35 on Thursday, dip down to 32 on Friday, then soar to 39 on Saturday and a whopping 41 on Sunday. Also in the centre of the country, Alice Springs can expect its maximum temperature to stay between 35–39 degrees for four days from Thursday, while Darwin's will sit at 32-33 across the same period. In Perth, it'll actually get a tad cooler over the weekend — starting with a 34-degree maximum on Thursday, then going up to 36 degrees on Friday, before dropping to 26 on Saturday and Sunday. And down in Hobart, a top temperature of 27 is forecast for Sunday, with 30 expected on Monday — following other maximums of 22, 23 and 25 in the days prior. Of course, while these are BOM's forecasts as issued at 6.05am on Thursday, January 21, conditions may change — so keep an eye on the Bureau's website for the most up-to-date information. For latest weather forecasts, head to the Bureau of Meteorology website.
Whiplash is a drama about the pursuit of artistic greatness. Its characters push the boundaries in their determination to reach their goal. The film stars Miles Teller as an aspiring jazz percussionist, Andrew Neyman, who becomes so absorbed in his art he overworks himself mentally and physically, making his fingers bleed from overwork on multiple occasions. Starring alongside him is JK Simmons, playing his volatile music teacher, Terrence Fletcher, at a prestigious music academy. Wholly absorbed in a desire to create the best musicians of our time, Fletcher adopts a sort of survival-of-the-fittest teaching method, which borders on sociopathic. Oscillating between cruel mind games, verbal attacks and feigned pleasantness, he continually isolates his students — forcing nothing but the best. The film has won a string of awards, including the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award (US Dramatic) at the Sundance Film Festival, and is so far 96 percent certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Whiplash is in cinemas on October 23 (with sneak previews 17-19 October at select locations). Thanks to Sony Pictures, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our review of Whiplash here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=8J6JH-R-TN0
The National Geographic publishes images of animals all the time, but the ones photographed for their Photo Ark project are a little different. Led by Nat Geo photographer Joel Sartore, Photo Ark aims to document every living species currently living in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries around the world. As well as acting as an archive of biodiversity, Photo Ark is also a travelling exhibition — and it will be coming to Melbourne Zoo for three months from July 1. It's a huge project, and one that Sartore has been working on for a decade now. So far the photographer has visited 250 institutions in 40 countries and captured images of over 6000 species. Many of the animals photographed — including the orange-bellied parrot above — live at Melbourne Zoo or Healesville Sanctuary, which is the reason why this exhibition is coming to our shores. Having travelled around zoos in the US, this will be the first time the works will be seen in the southern hemisphere. Many of the animals featured are critically threatened or endangered, and Photo Ark aims to bring attention to these species and urge humans to help protect these animals for future generations. While Melbourne Zoo is the only confirmed Australian stop for the exhibition, additional venues may be announced at a later date. The National Geographic Photo Ark exhibition will be on display at Melbourne Zoo from July 1 to October 1. Entry to the exhibition is included in the zoo admission price. For more information, visit the website. Image: Orange-bellied parrot shot at Healesville Sanctuary by Joel Sartore.
Japanese and Peruvian cuisines have intertwined for over 100 years, leading to the creation of a new fusion cuisine known as Nikkei. It combines both cultures' produce and cooking techniques to craft new dishes and traditions that are bursting with colour and flavour. To celebrate this unique cuisine and teach Melburnians more about it, Hajime Horiguchi of Warabi and Alejandro Saravia of Farmer's Daughters (and soon-to-open Latin American restaurant Morena) have teamed up to create a ten-course Nikkei degustation as a part of this year's Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. Diners will head to Warabi (one of the best omakase restaurants in Melbourne) in W Melbourne (one of the best hotels in Melbourne) to try this one-off dining experience on Tuesday, March 19. For $300 per person, each guest will get a seat at the omakase bar, where they'll be served ten courses that have been dreamt up by both chefs. Those wanting paired drinks will also be given a few options, starting at $88 per person. Yes, this is not a cheap night out, but both of these chefs are known for serving up incredible food here in Melbourne. We have super high expectations when it comes to this one-off Nikkei collaboration. Top image: Dasha Kud
Ensure this weekend's lockdown dinner is a ducking good one, with a little help from Firebird. On Friday, July 23, and Saturday, July 24, the flame-fuelled Vietnamese restaurant is bringing back its much-loved Mighty Ducks dinner packs for a special cameo appearance. But there's only 50 up for grabs, so you'll need to get in quick to nab one. Celebrating a Viet-style spin on French duck a l'orange, each meal box comes ready to heat and eat, kitted out with a whole roast duck, dressed egg noodles, gai lan, pickled ginger and grilled orange. There's also a serve of Firebird's signature 'excellent sauce' to tie it all together. Each standard pack feeds two to four people for an easy $70. Though you can also add on extra sides and various bottles of wine from Firebird's online store. Order in advance for pick up from the restaurant between 5.30–7pm either day, otherwise delivery is available for addresses within 10 kilometres. [caption id="attachment_764369" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Firebird, by Jana Langhorst[/caption] Top Images: Jake Ellis
If you hadn't heard of Marionette before, chances are you have now. The Melbourne-born drinks label, which makes fruit liqueurs with a distinctly Aussie twist, is fast becoming a staple at bars across the city. Oh, and one of its four local founders was just named Australia's Best Bartender for 2022. But if you're yet to get acquainted with this innovative producer, you'll find the perfect opportunity this winter at Quincy Melbourne's club lounge The Q, as it hosts its Winter Orchard in the Sky. Each Thursday to Sunday throughout July and August, the sky-high hotel bar will be showcasing Marionette's unique fruit-forward creations, which reimagine European classics (think, Cointreau and Campari) with local ingredients like Mildura oranges and Tasmanian blackberries. Not only will you be able to sample the entire range straight or with ice, but The Q will be shaking up a special limited-edition cocktail menu celebrating Marionette's finest. Get set for creations like the Blackberry — fusing the Marionette Mure with JimmyRum Silver, lemon, ginger and Vietnamese mint — and another concoction starring Marionette Cassis with tequila, lime and ginger beer. What's more, if you visit on Friday, July 15, or Saturday, July 30, you'll catch the aforementioned top-ranked bartender Nick Tesar (Bar Liberty) on the tools for a couple of special guest appearances. [caption id="attachment_861330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Q[/caption] Top Images: The Q
There'll be no need to grab snacks before the latest screen-to-stage musical production. As fans of the '90s cult classic well and truly know, Empire Records is certain to give you a sugar high anyway. The beloved flick is heading to Broadway, which means someone is going to be following in Renée Zellweger's footsteps and belting out the Coyote Shivers track 'Sugar High' while standing on a record store rooftop. Expect someone else to sing "oh Rexy, you're so sexy" too, as the tale of a struggling music shop, its motley crew of employees and the washed-up former star making an in-store appearance makes the leap to another format. Rolling Stone is reporting that the movie's original screenwriter, Carol Heikkinen, is adapting her own script, with the show working towards a 2020 premiere date. No word yet who'll be taking on the characters first played by Zellweger, Liv Tyler, Robin Tunney, Rory Cochrane, Ethan Embry and Aussie actor Anthony LaPaglia, rocking out to what's certain to be an ace '90s soundtrack and wearing some top retro fashions. Empire Records joins a long list of films making the jump to the theatre of late, including La La Land, The Devil Wears Prada, Amelie and Moulin Rouge! And, of course, the newest production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which is heading to Australia in 2019. Via Rolling Stone.
Wine is a good time. Whether you're cracking a bottle of bubbly to celebrate something big or sipping a glass of red as you cook a midweek dinner, grape juice is a solid booze option. With so many wineries, grape varieties, styles, vintages, terroirs and tannins, the world of wine is both fascinating and exceedingly overwhelming. At the end of the day, though, you just want a tasty wine that'll suit your current scenario, which is where we come in. For the sake of journalism (and our love of wine), we teamed up with Vivino to chat about the wines we've been drinking, sipping and sinking this season. From juicy pink-hued pét-nats and stone fruit-forward skin contact vinos to zippy whites and inky Aussie reds that pair exceptionally well with spag bol, these bottles are the ones we reach for time and time again — and we reckon you will, too. Need to know even more about the drop you're about to drink? Then take a snap of the bottle in your hand — or simply search for it — in the Vivino app. There, you'll find zero-bullshit reviews, ratings, taste characteristics and prices from more regular wine drinkers. And, if you can't be bothered to track down a bottle IRL, you can also purchase some of them from Vivino, too, and get it delivered straight to your door. 2020 UNICO ZELO ESOTERICO SKIN CONTACT BLEND It's extremely rare that I buy the same wine more than once — I am, after all, an attention span-lacking millennial obsessed with the next shiny new thing. So, for a drop to have a permanent spot in my liquor lineup is a big deal. Enter Esoterico, from Adelaide Hills-based winery Unico Zelo. This amber-hued drop, made from a blend of fiano, zibbibo, moscato giallo, gewürztraminer and greco, is a real all-rounder. It carried me through some pivotal 2021 moments; its decent level of texture and funkiness made all those lockdown loungeroom parties a little more fun. It has notes of citrus and stone fruits, particularly mandarin and apricot, so it was the perfect drop during the picnic era. And it's acidic — almost spicy — so it has served me well over summer, too. Want more reviews? Check them out on Vivino, then buy yourself a bottle. Melanie Colwell, Branded Content Editor [caption id="attachment_833746" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Samantha Teague[/caption] 2020 BODEGA ALBAMAR ALBARIŃO At an early Sunday dinner at recently opened wine bar La Salut, in Sydney's Redfern, I had a delightful glass of albariño from the Rías Baixas region in Spain (an area famous for that particular grape type). This wine is all bright, vibrant, delicate citrus vibes — extremely non-intimidating — and was the perfect bedfellow to the salty flavour-packed Catalan-inspired bites. It's like the white wine equivalent of running through a sprinkler after an innings of cricket on a hot summer day. But with alcohol! You can read more reviews of Albamar Albariño on Vivino. Suz Tucker, Editorial Director 2021 EXPRESS WINEMAKERS L'ORANGE SKIN CONTACT WHITE Hailing from a single vineyard in the deep south of WA, the amber-hued L'Orange from Express Winemakers brings sunshine straight to my hand. The skin contact white — mostly riesling, with a dash of semillon — is bright, juicy and sends off the same vit C vibes that its namesake fruit does. Ryan O'Meara, the young and fun gung-ho winemaker, kept those precious skins on for six days to deliver a tart, textured drop that's everything you'd expect from a skinsy sip. I'm a pét-nat lover at heart, but this white is the perfect go-between. I've got a bottle sitting tight for my upcoming weekender in western NSW, and I'll be pouring an ice-cold glass for my whole gang before we watch that golden sun set and breathe in the fresh country air. Want to nab yourself a glass too? You can purchase it from Vivino. Grace MacKenzie, Junior Staff Writer 2020 ARFION FEVER SKIN CONTACT BLEND Whenever I feel like drinking wine, I like to leave it to the experts. This includes when I'm at my local bottle-o, where most of my interactions with the staff usually go something like this: they see me staring in the skin contact wine section, they sniff out that I'm clueless, they ask me what I like, then they recommend a drop — and they always get it right. A recent delight was the 2020 Arfion Fever from the Yarra Valley. This bright, refined orange wine is a blend of five varieties — pinot gris, chardonnay, gewürztraminer, pinot noir and savagnin — that are fermented on skins, and the result is criminally delicious. It's one of those wines where, after the first sip, my partner and I gave each other an involuntary and knowing nod to say we'd be buying another bottle of this moreish nectar. And that we did — twice. Check out more reviews of Arfion Fever on Vivino. Courtney Ammenhauser, Branded Content Producer 2021 BRAVE NEW WINE NAT DADDY PÉT-NAT Brave New Wine's Nat Daddy pét-nat became my go-to drop for the wave of picnics that hit during that two-week period last year when al fresco hangs were the only way you could see your mates. The fizzy and fruity blend of shiraz and sauvignon blanc basically begs to be drunk on a warm afternoon in the park. Brave New Wine has been producing vibrant, highly drinkable wines out of Western Australia's Great Southern wine region for the past five years. Each bottle is created with minimal intervention, is naturally fermented, and comes adorned with a fun eye-catching label that sets the tone for the light and breezy pét-nat. While variety is the spice of life, I keep coming back to Nat Daddy — and it's sure to feature heavily in my plans throughout 2022. Want to know more about this bottle of bubbly? You can read more reviews of Brave New Wine Nat Daddy on Vivino. Ben Hansen, Staff Writer 2019 GRANT BURGE BAROSSA INK SHIRAZ As the only New Zealand-based team member, I should absolutely be advocating for any of the world-class Kiwi drops. Instead, I'm risking my citizenship and coming in hot with this big, bold South Australian number, which has received cult-like status in recent years (it actually took home the top gong for wines under $25 in Australia's Vivino Community Awards). This wine has been named Ink Shiraz as it's so rich and full-bodied that it almost has a Ribena-like quality, making it the best accompaniment to a giant steak or a table full of Italian food. I know what you're thinking — a rich red, Sarah? In summer? But hear me out. Book in a night to yourself at home, turn the air-con as low it can go, and enjoy a large glass of this with a giant bowl of spag bol and the latest episode of Succession. Instant happiness. So, buy yourself a bottle of Grant Burge Barossa Ink Shiraz from Vivino, stat. Sarah Templeton, New Zealand Editor 2020 KERRI GREENS PINOTS DE MORNINGTON ROSÉ If you're after a vino primed for catch-ups, this unfiltered drop from the Mornington Peninsula's Kerri Greens will definitely be your groove. When it comes to pink wine, the Pinots de Mornington rosé is my go-to. It's dry and moreish, with good texture and creaminess, and a taste that's reminiscent of fresh strawberries and cream. The blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and pinot gris grapes also delivers some fun forest fruit flavours. It's also the kind of sip that stands up well alongside food — a handy trait if you like to snack your way through a Sunday sesh like me. Hot tip: match it with some fresh prawns and you'll be one happy chappy. All up, this drop is essential summer quaffing, and a primo accompaniment to beach picnics, barbecues and park sessions alike — and that's coming from a diehard beer fiend. Sound good? You can read more reviews of Kerri Greens Pinots de Mornington on Vivino, too. Libby Curran, Staff Writer Download the Vivino app and start discovering more ideal summer sips to stock up on — then buy them straight from the app. For more wine inspo, check out this year's Vivino Community Awards. Top image: Winona, Kitti Gould.
'Survival Day', 'Australia Day', and 'Invasion Day': these are just a few of the ways Australia's annual national holiday has been characterised. Holding a public holiday and national celebration on January 26 is understandably controversial: it marks the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, when Indigenous Australians were dispossessed of lands they had inhabited for tens of thousands of years previously. However, it is still a public holiday, so we've put together a list of ways you can spend your day off. ATTEND A RALLY Rallies addressing concerns from the date of Australia's national celebration to broader issues faced by Indigenous Australians, such as the treatment of juveniles in prison, are set to happen in major cities across the country. In Melbourne, an Invasion Day rally has been organised. It will start at 11am on the steps of Parliament House to lay flower in memory of Indigenous ancestors before marching through the CBD. HIT UP A FESTIVAL Belgrave Survival Day is one of greater Melbourne's major January 26 events. Held in Borthwick Park, Belgrave each year, the festival encourages Melburnians to "engage and learn the true the history of this country and its Indigenous peoples". This year marks the festival's tenth anniversary, and will feature a heap of stalls, stories, damper-making workshops, didgeridoo meditation and music, hip hop and dance performances. The alcohol-free event will be on from 12–4.30pm with free entry, and they have a shuttle running from Belgrave Station. Closer to the city, the annual Share the Spirit Festival will once again return to the Treasury Gardens with a whole day of Aboriginal dance, culture and music across two stages. You'll also find a huge food truck and arts festival happening at Coburg Velodrome, with the Hottest 100 countdown, music from local band Vaudeville Smash, and food from Messina, Taco Truck, Pierogi Pierogi and even gluten-free gnocchi truck Ardor. To cap it all off, they'll also be screening The Castle from 8.30pm. [caption id="attachment_607258" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Shimmerlands by Hayley Benoit[/caption] WATCH A CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN FILM Want to watch an Aussie classic on Australia Day? Ozflix, the first video-on-demand service dedicated to Australian films, will launch at 6pm on January 26 with a pay-per-view library of around 250 titles. With approximately 2000 Aussie-made films in existence, the streaming platform aims to become a one-stop-shop for local movies. "We are committed to making each and every Australian feature film available," says Ozflix CEO Ron V. Brown, who has been involved in the Australian screen industry since the 1970s. That includes the first works crafted in the 1900s, the newest releases, and everything from Newsfront to Strictly Ballroom, The Castle, Ten Canoes, Wolf Creek, 52 Tuesdays, Samson and Delilah and The Dressmaker. Of course, Stan and Netflix have their fair share of Aussie content too. Want to get out in that balmy Aussie air and see a newer local blockbuster instead? Moonlight Cinema is showing Red Dog: True Blue, Rooftop Cinema is screening Nick Cave doco One More Time With Feeling, Cameo will show Moonlight and new film Spear — which tells the story of young Aboriginal man Djali and is directed by Bangarra Dance Company's Stephen Page — will be showing at Shimmerlands. [caption id="attachment_607257" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Abbotsford Convent[/caption] FIND THE BEST PICNIC SPOT IN THE CITY Gather your crew or call up your best bud and have yourself a picnic to end all picnics. Melbourne's home to a bountiful array of perfect picnic and balmy barbecue spots, from bays and beaches, national parks to foreshores. Check out these fabulous Melbourne BYO barbecue locations and picnic plots (including Abbotsford Convent above). Australian barbecue is a big deal, and though Aussies may be known for their sizzling cooking technique, we by no means limit ourselves to the standard backyard barbecue nosh. Melburnians are lucky enough to be surrounded by barbecue styles from around the world, from slow-cooked Texan barbecue to Korean-style to Japanese yakitori to Brazilian churrasco — so hunt down a recipe and celebrate Australia's cultural cornucopia of cuisine on your own hotplate. These quick barbecue recipe from Three Blue Ducks might help. BRUSH UP ON YOUR AUSTRALIAN HISTORY January 26 is supposed to be about celebrating Australia, so it's good to know how we got to where we are now. Start your education by visiting the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum — they're currently showing First Peoples, an exhibition that brings together Indigenous stories, culture, identity objects and images. It was created with the Yulendj Group, a group of Elders and community members from across Victoria. If you're feeling more present-minded, check out ABC Radio National's podcast 'The Real Thing', a "podcast in search of the real Australia" highlighting individual people and stories. And if you're feeling in need of a laugh after all that, head to the Malthouse's Reconciliation Comedy Gala. Emceed by Judith Lucy and Uncle Jack Charles, it'll feature a who's who of Aussie comedians raising money for the City of Yarra's Stolen Generations Marker project. Expect plenty of laughs — some of them fairly uncomfortable — as a roster of funny folk tackle the furore around our divisive national day. SEE A BUNCH OF SMUG DACHSHUNDS DRESSED UP We're not sure why January 26 is the day the NGV decided to throw a dachshund fashion parade, but it's supremely welcome all the same. Taking over the NGV's Great Hall from midday, this pup parade is 'technically' for 'kids', but anyone can head along to see the four-legged fashionistas show off their threads for free. The whole dog thing is a homage to three dog-lovers being celebrated in NGV's hottest summer exhibitions — David Hockney (Current), and design duo Viktor & Rolf (Fashion Artists).
As anyone who has booked a flight, had to suddenly change their trip and been stuck paying handsomely knows, travel and flexibility haven't always gone hand in hand. But with the entire idea of making firm and definite plans undergoing quite the shift over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Virgin Australia responded to the uncertain period by scrapping its change fees until January 2021 — and it has just announced that it's extending that plan until the end of June. Make a booking before March 31 for travel between now and June 30 and, if life gets in your way and you need to rearrange your trip before your travel date, you'll be able to make unlimited changes to your booking without being charged extra. It's worth noting, however, that this only applies to the usual change fee — that is, the amount travellers can be slugged with just for the act of altering their itinerary. If changing your flights involves a difference in fare, you will still have to pay any shortfall amount. Need to cancel your airfare completely? You can also do that — before either your travel date or June 30, whichever is earlier — and now receive a credit without getting charged for doing so, too. The motivation for the idea, unsurprisingly, is to continue to encourage Australians to get booking — even knowing that little is certain when it comes to leaving the house, restrictions, interstate borders or just life in general in these coronavirus-afflicted times. "We've seen many travellers' plans impacted by domestic border restrictions and so we're here to give them comfort when booking a Virgin Australia flight that they'll be able to change their travel date if they need to," said a Virgin Australia Group spokesman. When it first announced the fee-free plan last year, Virgin called the move its 'Passenger Promise', which spans a number of other measures designed to make travellers feel safer and more confident about taking to the skies. Also included: contactless check-in, pre-flight health screening questionnaires for all travellers when checking in, staggered boarding as part of social-distancing measures, distancing between passengers onboard where possible and minimising movement during the flight. Passengers will also receive free face masks and hand sanitiser kits, and be asked to scan their own boarding passes to limit their contact with crew, while increased cleaning protocols are also in place. To find out more about Virgin Australia's new change fee policy, visit the airline's website.
In 2024, Doja Cat topped the Triple J Hottest 100 of songs from 2023 and added Coachella headliner to her list of achievements. This year, she's notching up a first touring-wise: the superstar's debut arena gigs in Australia. Come December 2025, the 'Say So', 'Kiss Me More' and 'Vegas' talent will hit Melbourne, playing on Tuesday, November 25 at Rod Laver Arena. Her Aussie (and NZ) shows are part of the rapper's Ma Vie world tour, which also has international stints in Manila, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Bangkok and Kaohsiung locked in for December. The run of dates takes its name from Doja Cat's upcoming fifth album Vie. Expect to hear Jack Antonoff- and Y2K-produced single 'Jealous Type' as part of her set, with new tune first debuted live at San Francisco's Outside Lands Music Festival at the beginning of August. [caption id="attachment_1018453" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dana Jacobs/WireImage[/caption] Vie follows 2018's Amala, 2019's Hot Pink, Planet Her from 2021 and 2023's Scarlet on the Grammy-winner's discography. It's the latter that delivered 'Paint the Town Red' — 2023's Hottest 100 number one, which marked the first time that a female rapper and woman of colour topped the poll.The tune also sat at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks, was the first rap song to reach those heights in 2023 and topped the Billboard Global 200 chart for four weeks in a row, too. [caption id="attachment_1018452" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacob Webster[/caption] Top image: Raph_PH via Flickr.
If there are two things that are helping us through this latest stretch of lockdown, it's good food and good tunes. So, it's an extra win that the two are coming together for one exclusive virtual knees-up on Saturday, September 12. Attica's renowned culinary maestro Ben Shewry is teaming up with local electronic legends The Avalanches to host A Party for Melbourne, streamed live and loud, straight to your living room. They're aiming to send fans a big 'thank you', while blasting away a few of those dreary iso blues. The celebrations kick off early with a series of online 'How To Party' videos released in the week leading up, which'll see Shewry sharing his tips and tricks for whipping up the ultimate shindig. He'll guide you through everything from transforming your house into a disco den to creating game-changing prawn cocktails and sausage rolls. They'll be free to watch over on the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (MFWF) website, as well as Shewry's and MFWF's social channels. On the big night, things will fire up with a set from DJ Soju Gang, before The Avalanches grace your screens with a show of their own, streamed via YouTube. Best make sure you've cleared plenty of room for dancing the night away. Tickets to this house party are free, but you'll need to register over at the MFWF website.
Scream in terror and then sashay away for Tales from the Grave, a frightening performance of drag, burlesque, cabaret and circus. For two nights only on Thursday, October 30–Friday, October 31, Melbourne's legendary queer institution, The 86, transforms into a twisted haven of mischief and unpredictable surprises. If you managed to make it to the widely popular Tales from the Drain last year, then you'll be pleased to know that devilish duo Azcadelia and Pomme de Terror will return for more terrorising antics. Expect a bigger, stranger and more immersive show than last year, with side quests and roving performances around every corner. Throughout the night, enjoy a tipple or two of frighteningly well-priced drinks and Halloween-themed cocktails. And make sure to go all out with your costumes, because there will be a chance to strut your scary stuff and win big prizes. If that's not enough immersion, then we recommend grabbing VIP tickets for an even more unforgettable experience. That includes reserved seating for either one person or groups of four, exclusive performer experiences, a butler escort, and a glass of bubbles or a can of Moondog (for singles) and a bottle of bubbles and mixed tapas (for groups of 4). Crowds went wild for Tales of the Drain's climactic finale, so strap in and get excited for an even more scandalous ending with Tales from the Grave. Tickets start at $36 for early-bird tickets and can be purchased online, with VIP tickets starting at $69. But be quick, because last year's show sold out weeks before Halloween.
October is made for weird, wild and wonderful movies filled with shocks and scares. 'Tis Halloween season, after all. So, the world obliges, including on screens big and small — and, in 2023, via the return of Australia's genre film festival Monster Fest, which is dedicated to flicks of the spooky, dark, twisted, offbeat and out-there variety. Monster Fest doesn't always pop up in the month when everyone is worshipping pumpkins and thinking about costumes; however, the timing obviously couldn't be more perfect. As it always does, it'll run long in Melbourne, where the fest was born back in 2011, then head to Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide for a shorter season in each city all on the same weekend. Melburnians, mark Thursday, October 12–Sunday, October 22 in your calendar for this showcase of strange, surreal, thrilling and chilling pictures at Cinema Nova. Everyone else, you'll want to make a date with Event Cinemas George Street in Sydney, Event Cinemas Uptown in Brisbane, Event Cinemas Marion in Adelaide and Event Cinemas Innaloo in Perth between Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29. On the lineup: the latest and greatest in genre filmmaking, spanning horror, sci-fi, comedies with elements of either and all-round unnerving movies. Standouts titles on the 2023 program include Suitable Flesh, which stars Heather Graham (Extrapolations) as a doctor going mad, takes its inspiration from HP Lovecraft and boasts Joe Lynch (Creepshow) behind the lens; The Last Video Store, a horror-comedy set, yes, in one of the last video stores; and Norwegian flick There's Something in the Barn, about a gnome uprising that plagues an American family (including Party Down's Martin Starr) who've relocated to Scandinavia. Or, there's also sci-fi comedy Time Addicts, Australian slasher Bloodmoon getting a 4K restoration 33 years after its OG release and Trim Season's nightmarish trip to a weed farm. All of the above titles are doing the rounds nationally; however, with its extra days, Melbourne scores a few more highlights. When Evil Lurks and its demonic infection will launch the Victorian capital's leg of the fest. From there, that's also where Red Rooms, which recently won Best Feature at the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal, joins the program. And, so does the kung fu-filled The Invisible Fright, a 4K restoration of Jim Jarmusch's (The Dead Don't Die) Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai and a 30th-anniversary session of ninth Friday the 13th entry Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (screening on the appropriate date, of course). On the doco front, erotic thrillers are thrust into the spotlight in We Kill for Love, Satan Wants You looks back at 80s-era satanic panic and Enter the Clones of Bruce surveys the talents that endeavoured to replicate Bruce Lee after his death. Going all in on Bruceploitation, Monster Fest is also putting on a double of The Dragon Lives Again and Challenge of the Tiger, where Dracula and James Bond are among Bruce's foes. MONSTER FEST 2023 DATES: Thursday, October 12–Sunday, October 22 — Cinema Nova, Melbourne Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29 — Event Cinemas George Street, Sydney Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29 — Event Cinemas Uptown, Brisbane Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29 — Event Cinemas Marion, Adelaide Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29 — Event Cinemas Innaloo, Perth Monster Fest 2023 runs throughout October around Australia. Head to the festival's website for further details.
There are plenty of great dates for the end of the world. Archbishop James Ussher's infamous count ended on October 23, 1997, at midday. The year 2000 was a focus of millenialism, and had the luck to have its Millennium Bug as a weightier side show. Today's so-called end of the world is a similar, numbers thing. The Mayans reach an interesting date today, with rumours going around that their version of December 21, 2012 could be a pretty bad day indeed. So many rumours that NASA has set up a page on why we'll all still be around this time tomorrow. They expect no surprise interplanetary collisions, worldwide blackouts or 180 degree polar shifts arriving in the earth's near future. What is coming is a turned page on the Mayan calendar. The Mayans numbered their years with a calendar system called the Long Count, which started on August 13, 3114BC. For them, that year was 13.0.0.0.0 — 13 baktun (400 years) 0 katun (20 years) 0 years 0 months 0 days. Their creation date started at 13 baktun, but tocked straight from 13.0.0.0.0 back to 1.0.0.0.0, 400 years later. Today the calendar has completed about 5,125 years and is up to 13.0.0.0.0 again, though the evidence seems to suggest that the Maya had no particular plans to start the count again. 400 years from now baktun 14 should arrive, right on schedule. There are probably very few modern Mayans who think the world is coming to an end. If anything, a Mayan world ended centuries ago: when sixteenth century Conquistadors put an end to much of the mesoamerica's way of life. What's happening today is that we're ticking over from 13.0.0.0.0 to tomorrow's 13.0.0.0.1. The numbers are nice, but tomorrow is bound to look a lot like today. Leading image of the Aztec calendar stone by El Commandante.
Sprawling entertainment and food precinct Ella opened in May on the corner of Elizabeth and La Trobe streets with a star-studded lineup of residents, a live music venue, an art gallery and a second hospitality hub and co-working space from Worksmith. Now, it's adding even more hits to its diverse offering. On Monday, July 15, the doors will open to Ella's four newest arrivals. The masters of Japanese food at Jiro will unveil their new spot Sushi Club, while acclaimed French pastry chef Pierrick Boyer will launch his new dedicated dessert bar and cafe Reverie. A new shared space — where you can kick back with eats and drinks from any of Ella's outlets — will also be part of the second phase of launches. Here, there'll be a brand-new CBD outpost of independent wine, beer and cider store Blackhearts and Sparrows. S0, you'll be able to grab a bottle of vino, order some snacks and enjoy a program of live gigs, parties, film screenings and the odd open-deck DJ or BYO vinyl night. We're told they'll even be breaking out the big screen for a series of 'Festival FOMO' parties, live streaming the best-loved music festivals from across the globe. Backing up the hospitality offerings is the first-ever Australian outpost of Chinese eyewear brand AOJO, which offers semi-affordable prescription eyewear turned out in just half an hour. There are even more exciting things to come, too, with hotly anticipated cocktail bar Byrdi from celebrated bartender and founder of Singapore's Operation Dagger, Luke Whearty, set to open its doors here come August. A city outpost for Daylesford's The Fermentary is slated to make its Ella debut later this year, with Axil Coffee Roasters coming to play from early 2020. Current residents include Thai street food eatery The Pad, from the crew behind Collingwood's Son in Law; Korean fried chicken joint Sam Sam; Pick a Stick Chinese Skewers by the Dainty Sichuan team; and Colours Bowls: a new plant-based offering from Atlas young-gun Charlie Carrington. Ella is now open at the corner of Elizabeth and La Trobe streets. Opening hours are 10am–10pm, daily. To check each restaurant's opening hours, head to the website. Images of Reverie Cafe & Desserts
Some of the biggest names in the Melbourne restaurant scene are collaborating, with a new food delivery service bringing gourmet dinners directly to your door. Operating under the watchful eye of ex-Fat Duck chef Matt Germanchis, Endulj replicates and delivers signature dishes from Tokyo Tina, Saigon Sally, Lee Ho Fook and Thirty Eight Chairs, as well as Germanchis' old haunt at MoVida and his current digs at Pei Modern. UberEats, meet your stiff new competition. Unlike typical food delivery services, Endulj is involved in the actual cooking, with each dish created to order in a purpose-built kitchen in Windsor. Current menu items range from snacks, like Tokyo Tina's karaage corn balls, to mains, like Pei Modern's hanger steak with grilled leek and caramelised yoghurt. There's desserts, of course, like Lee Ho Fook's tea custard with burnt caramel. And, they also offer a selection of wines curated by sommelier Ainslie Lubbock. "Most restaurant kitchens are designed to serve 40-50 covers across multiple sittings each evening, with the dishes prepared to be served as soon as they're plated up," said Germanchis. "At Endulj I've designed a kitchen capable of serving a dining room that spans multiple suburbs rather than individual tables, where we only prepare dishes that travel well." Each dish from Endulj is personally endorsed by its restaurant of origin. "The dishes at Lee Ho Fook are incredibly precious to me and to put them in the hands of someone else was a big ask," said Lee Ho Fook co-owner and executive chef Victor Liong. "After a lot of research I felt super confident with Endulj and the team. I think the expectations of people regarding delivery food are getting higher and higher, as are people's expectations in restaurants. It's nice to know there is someone out there who takes this as seriously as we do." Endulj operates between 5:30pm and 9:30pm, 365 days a year, although for the time being they're only delivering within a 5km radius of Windsor. The good news is that they're planning on building additional kitchens around town ASAP. For more information or to place your first order visit www.endulj.com.
With the hustle of a 9-to-5 and the fast pace of modern life, each week can fly by in a way that leaves you feeling exhausted but, paradoxically, as though you haven't achieved anything of substance. Well, enough of that. Each day you can elevate your life by aiming for just one easy win — even small changes to your routine will help boost your week and leave you feeling accomplished. To get you started, we've teamed up with our friends at Coopers to bring you a list of 'easy wins' — small things that will enrich your week and help you balance that delicate trifecta of health, career and social life with greater aplomb than ever before. MONDAY: GET COFFEE WITH A COLLEAGUE You can go for months — years, even — only knowing your colleagues on a superficial level. So, why not take some time out of your Monday to get to know someone from the office a bit better. It's an easy win from both a social and career perspective. If you're shy or not too sure of what to talk about, the best place to start is to simply ask what path your colleague took to reach their current job. If that fails, Netflix chat is always a good back up — people love spruiking their favourite new series. Who knows, you could find a new work bestie. And, once the relationship progresses, you can swap coffee dates for after-work beers. TUESDAY: SPEND YOUR LUNCH BREAK AT A GALLERY Every day we are bombarded with images via our screens — but seeing things IRL is an altogether different, much more impactful, experience. Switch off your phone, head to an art gallery and stimulate your senses the old-fashioned way. It doesn't have to be a full-blown art affair where you spend your entire Sunday traversing one of the major galleries; it can be as easy as popping into a local gallery on your lunch break and doing a quick walkthrough. Add a bit of culture to your work week, and check out Kyle Montgomery's crystal Virgin Mary sculptures at China Heights in Sydney, Honey Long and Prue Stent's divine photography at Arc One in Melbourne or the young artistic talent at the Edwina Corlette Gallery in Brisbane. WEDNESDAY: DO A DIGITAL DETOX Sure, technology has its many benefits, but it can also have some pretty nasty side-effects. Constant connection can be stressful, distracting or, at worst, damaging to our mental health. While a full-on digital detox is off the cards for most of us — y'know work and stuff — design ethicist Tristan Harris has a number of tricks to help us reduce our reliance on smartphones and form more intentional relationships with technology. For starters, download Flux onto your computer (it cuts out the blue light from your screen at night so your melatonin levels are less disrupted), change your iPhone display to black and white (grayscale is less appealing to regularly check than colour) and turn off push notifications on your phone. Now that scrolling is no longer sucking up your time, you can bury your head in a book, catch up with friends, take a walk... the opportunities are endless. THURSDAY: EXPAND YOUR MIND WITH A TALK You know the importance of integrating physical exercise into our weekly routines, but it's easy to forget the need to keep our minds active, too. On any given night you can find a number of scintillating talks across your city on diverse topics like politics, media, art, sexuality and business. Many of these events — held at bookshops like Gleebooks in Sydney, Avid Reader in Brisbane or Readings in Melbourne — are free to attend. You can also check out our Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne event pages to find upcoming talks and classes in your city. FRIDAY: SAVOUR A BOWL OF PHO Wind down the work week with a Friday night pho from the best in the business. The most delicious meals often hail from the most humble looking places — a good noodle-soup discovery will attest to this adage like nothing else. Pho Tau Bay in Sydney's Cabramatta, Pho Hung Vuong 2 in Melbourne's Richmond and The Vietnamese in Brissie's Fortitude Valley all pack a punch with bountiful bowls of pure flavour. To take this easy win a step further, treat yourself to an ice cold beer — beer and pho are bros, trust us. SATURDAY: READ AN ACTUAL NEWSPAPER Yes, they still exist. Head to your local cafe, grabbing a paper on the way, order a flat white and catch up on the news in a slow, laidback way — rather than that frenzied, panicked newsfeed way. Kick leisure goals and expand your mind simultaneously. The Saturday Paper is prime for longer reads, The Australian Financial Review is perfect for the latest in business and politics, while The Age (Melbourne), The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney) or The Courier-Mail (Brisbane) cover the news of your city. SUNDAY: TUCK INTO SOME TACOS You heard it here first, shrimp tacos are the at-home dish of choice for summer 2019 — fresh, zesty, and perfect for warm weather. Close out your week with the biggest of littlest wins, find your preferred recipe on the interwebs and put on a feast for your loved ones. Just add beers and sangria, and you have the perfect Saturday evening made. Kick off your 'easy wins' by enjoying a Coopers Dry, or two, with your mates.
First, Grapevine Gathering locked in its 2022 dates and hosts. Now, the vino-fuelled Australian festival has announced exactly who'll you be watching when you're sipping plonk and dancing in a winery this October. Leading the bill: The Kooks, Peking Duk and The Veronicas, giving music and wine lovers plenty to say cheers to. Also hitting the stage: Ball Park Music, Gus Dapperton and Jack River, as well as Confidence Man, Alice Skye, Nyxen and Becca Hatch. And, as previously revealed, Aussie sketch comedians and Instagram celebrities The Inspired Unemployed are on hosting duties. As they did at the last Victorian Grapevine Gathering, they'll be charged with keeping the audience entertained between musos — and also hitting the decks as well. That's who you'll be seeing over one grape-filled day. As for where you'll be headed, the fest will return to Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, of course — hitting up Sandalford Wines in Swan Valley, Rochford Wines in the Yarra Valley and Roche Estate in the Hunter Valley, respectively. In 2022, for the first time ever, Grapevine Gathering is also debuting in Queensland and South Australia — at Sirromet Wines at Mount Cotton and Serafino Wines in McLaren Vale. Love heading to a scenic spot to dance to live tunes? Adore sipping wine, too? This is clearly the fest for you. Naturally, sipping vino is a huge part of the attraction. As always, attendees will have access to a heap of wine given the fest's locations, plus an array of yet-to-be-announced food options. GRAPEVINE GATHERING 2022 LINEUP: The Kooks Peking Duk Ball Park Music Gus Dapperton Jack River The Veronicas Confidence Man Alice Skye Nyxen Becca Hatch hosted by The Inspired Unemployed GRAPEVINE GATHERING 2022 DATES: Saturday, October 1 — Sandalford Wines, Swan Valley, Western Australia Sunday, October 2 — Serafino Wines, McLaren Vale, South Australia Saturday, October 8 — Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, Victoria Saturday, October 15 — Roche Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales Sunday, October 16 — Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton, Queensland Grapevine Gathering will tour Australia in October 2022. Tickets go on sale from 12pm AEST Thursday, May 26 — with presale registrations open now till 3pm AEST Wednesday, May 25, and presales starting at 6pm AEST that same day. For further information, head to the festival's website.
A quarter-century ago, Christmas changed forever. Sure, the end of the year was filled with plenty of festive cheer before Mariah Carey released 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' — but since 1994, that upbeat ditty has become everyone's go-to seasonal soundtrack. Just last year, in fact, the track topped the US charts. It didn't even achieve that feat back when it was initially released, making it the song that has taken the longest journey ever to the top spot. Carey has re-recorded 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' several times, and it just keeps spreading its festive melody. Yes, we know you now have it stuck in your head just from thinking about it. The singer has several holiday albums to her name, too, which keep prolonging the song's longevity. And if that's all 100-percent okay with you, you'll be particularly excited about her next Christmas-themed project. As announced earlier this year, Apple TV+ is releasing Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special — aka the star-studded festive show you didn't know you had always wanted until now. And if you're wondering just when it'll head to your streaming queue, the company has just revealed that it'll hit come Friday, December 4 — in the lead up to Christmas (obviously). In its efforts to help salvage the trainwreck that is the past 12 months, Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special will feature Carey, of course, alongside a star-studded lineup of other guests. You'll also be seeing Tiffany Haddish, Billy Eichner, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Misty Copeland and Mykal-Michelle Harris take part — and, as co-directed and executive produced by A Very Murray Christmas alumnus Roman Coppola, the special will include not only music and dancing from this list of famous names, but animation as well. It's Apple TV+'s latest big-name project — with Sofia Coppola's new Bill Murray-starring movie On the Rocks also hitting the service this year, and its recent live documentary Beastie Boys Story earning a couple of Emmy nominations. If watching Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special is now all you want from the rest of 2020, you can check out a teaser trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhwdLOYOg-8 And because we already know you're humming it to yourself, you can also check out the music video for 'All I Want for Christmas Is You', too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special will hit Apple TV+ on Friday, December 4.
If rice wrapped in nori is your idea of a perfect meal, then you might have June 18 permanently circled on your calendar. Each and every year, that's when the world's sushi devotees celebrate their favourite food for International Sushi Day. We're not saying that the Japanese dish will taste better on that date, but if you just can't get enough of it, it's definitely time to celebrate. This year, to mark the occasion, ten restaurants across Australia are offering a tasty special — and one that your bank account will like, too. If you live in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide — and on the Gold and Sunshine coasts — you can nab $1 sushi all day long via Deliveroo. Lunch, sorted. Sydneysiders can choose between Sushi Dining DEN Vaucluse and Kokoroya Japanese Sushi Dining, while Melburnians will need to order from SUPERHIRO Japanese Food & Bar by Yoyogi and Wabi Sushi. In Brisbane, Sushi Kotobuki and Sushi Lovers Rosalie are doing the honours, and Adelaide's Kintaro Sushi Brickworks and Kintaro Sushi Kurralta Park are also joining in. You can check out the full list below. To get your fix, all you need to do is jump on to Deliveroo, search for "$1 deals" and order — only on Saturday, June 18. Exactly which varieties you can score for $1 differ per store, but we see everything from teriyaki chicken, prawn tempura and karaage chicken with lettuce to salmon avocado, spicy tuna and chicken schnitzel rolls in your future. There is a $10 minimum order limit, and you can only get three $1 rolls per order — and while stocks last. INTERNATIONAL SUSHI DAY RESTAURANTS SYDNEY Sushi Dining DEN Vaucluse Kokoroya Japanese Sushi Dining MELBOURNE SUPERHIRO Japanese Food & Bar by Yoyogi Wabi Sushi BRISBANE Sushi Kotobuki Sushi Lovers Rosalie GOLD COAST Sushi Doori SUNSHINE COAST Flaming Sushi House ADELAIDE Kintaro Sushi Brickworks Kintaro Sushi Kurralta Park
As one of the world's biggest cities, London sort of has it all. Now they've got scored something most cities most certainly do not have: an urban zip line. Zip World London has this week launched what they say is the world's biggest and fastest urban zip liner, right in the heart of the city. According to the Evening Standard, the adrenaline-fuelled experience will see punters hoisted 35 meters into the air before being pushed down the 225-metre zip line. It's been billed as the "fastest city zip wire in the world" and people will reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour, which is, well, pretty terrifyingly fast. The whole thing takes place right next to the Thames at Archbishop's Park in Lambeth, so — aside from gliding through the sky like Batman for 30 intense seconds — riders will also get to take in some of the best views of London's iconic skyline, Big Ben included. If you're escaping winter for a London summer, you're in luck, because the zip line is open until Sunday, October 1. Adult tickets are £22.50 and can be booked here. Via the Evening Standard.
