Melbourne's Cat Cafe is opening this Wednesday, and already they've had more than a few drop-ins looking to get a sneak peak at the feline residents. Since pasting the Cat Cafe logo on the windows — with the words 'COMING SOON' printed clearly beneath — the reception staff have been inundated with locals, visitors from interstate and international travellers asking to see the furry creatures. They've all been turned away, so we feel pretty chuffed to waltz on in. We've already become acquainted with a few of the furry companions via Facebook, but it's more than time to meet them in person and have a chat with the owner Anita Loughran about getting this highly anticipated project off the ground. We make our way upstairs to where the kitties live and when I enter the room, they're all either fast asleep or are in absolutely no rush to greet me. Typical. Three are comfortably reclining on a fluffy white mat, one hiding in a massive climbing frame, another snuggled in a soft tunnel and another settled in its own cushiony bed. I count six, but I'm told there is at least three to five other sneaky felines hiding in here somewhere. I nervously sit on a couch in fear of accidentally squashing one and being forever banned from the establishment. Five of the cats are from the Geelong Animal Welfare Society, seven are from the Lost Dogs Home. Getting a cat from a rescue shelter is ideal for this sort of project. "You actually get to know what their personality is before you take them home," says Anita. "When you get a cat from a pet shop at a very young age, they haven’t yet developed that personality." The venue will be able to hold up to 15 people per hour. Anita recommends booking online for the first little while to guarantee a visit, but walk-ins are possible. "We really want to provide a relaxing environment that people can de-stress, it helps with high anxiety and depression," says Anita. "I think that’s really important to have a space like that, especially in the CBD. It’s also a great social atmosphere, it just gives you a different environment to socialise with your friends." The cats don't flinch when I walk over to pat them, but as tempting as it may be to give one a cuddle, the cats cannot be picked up without permission. If one happens to wander over and plonks itself on your lap that's a bonus, but there’s no hope of that happening today. I do feel unexpectedly calmer than when I first walked in, and I can certainly see this place being packed out with people looking for a little break outside of work deadlines and overdue university assignments. In short, the Cat Cafe is pretty well adorable and we'll most likely be dropping around more often than a nosy neighbour. It is certainly worth a look even if you're a self-professed dog lover, as it really is a concept that stands alone in the notoriously competitive Melbourne cafe scene. If it works for New York City, why not give Aussie cats a chance? Opening Wednesday, July 30, Cat Cafe can be found at 375 Queen Street, Melbourne.
Online shopping go-to The Iconic has no shortage of sales, but now it has launched a permanent sale in the form of an outlet site. The best part? Discounts start at a whopping 50 percent off. Called The Iconic Outlet and live to shop right now — say goodbye to your plans of a productive Monday at work — the site features heaps of women's, men's and kids' clothes, as well as accessories and shoes, for pocket change. You'll find heels and sandals for under $15, sneakers under $50, tops under $10, dresses under $20, shirts as little as $14 and a whole heap more. All the usual brands are on offer, too, including Nike, Speedo, Tigerlily, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Camilla and Adidas. As well as discounted clothes, The Iconic Outlet is offering a flat-rate delivery fee of $7.95 across Australia and $9.95 across NZ. The site's launch has come at a great time, too, with spring in full swing from tomorrow. So, if you need new bathers, beach shoes, dresses or hats, The Iconic Outlet has got your back. Alternatively, if you're still working from home and those trackies you've been thrashing are looking a little threadbare, you'll find some cheap new ones on the site. The Iconic Outlet website is now live in Australia and NZ. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
You might have heard of Ippudo — perhaps on your travels to Japan, or just when you've been in Sydney. The legendary ramen chain can be found around the world, but it's finally expanded to Melbourne, having just opened up some new soupy digs in the QV building. So start planning some long slurpy city lunch breaks, because there's be a lot to get your stomach around. But first, a little background. Ippudo has long been a reigning global gold standard of the Japanese dish (and a winter go-to the world-over). Since Shigemi Kawahara opened his first humble ramen store in Hakata, Japan in 1985, he's splashed out and launched scores of stores across Japan, the US, and Europe. It arrived in Australia in 2012 with one Sydney restaurant, before adding three more outlets in the same city. And now, six years on, Ippudo has opened two new fronts: one in Perth and Melbourne. So what's happening in the shiny new Melbourne restaurant? The emphasis is on the tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen that has garnered Ippudo legions of fans — but there's also a variety of equally as tasty options for those who want something else. You've got the signature Shiromaru Motoaji, creamy tonkotsu ramen ($15), but you can also opt for Karaka-Men, mixing things up with spicy miso paste topping ($16). If you're not up for ramen (for some reason), you can go for the beef sagari yaki served with fried enoki mushrooms ($17.50) or the grilled eel don for $13.50. Also, don't leave without giving the global best-selling pork buns a red hot go or three ($5 each, or three for $13). The interior is all clean wooden lines, red and white accents and warm, lantern-esque lighting, making your heart feel as warm as your soup-filled belly. The ramen king Kawahara has said that Ippudo just wants to "spread smiles" with his fare — and if this ramen can't do that, nothing can. Ippudo is now open at shop 18, Artemis Lane in the QV building, Melbourne. For more info, visit ippudo.com.au. Interior shots: Simon Shiff.
Tucked away from the polished restaurants of Chapel Street, Eat'aliano by Pino is the homely Italian restaurant you need a pizza of. Bad puns aside, Eat'aliano is the brainchild of restaurateur and head chef duo Alessio Alia and Pino Russo (of La Svolta), and champions vibrant, rich flavours that pay homage to traditional Naples cooking. Expect thin, chewy-crusted pizzas and super fresh pasta dishes. Menu musts include the dreamy, creamy fresh buffalo full milk mozzarella paired with traditional buttery focaccia (both $13). If you want to up your Italian game, try the La Montanara, a deep-fried pizza dough topped with Napoli sauce, D.O.P. Grana Padano cheese and fresh basil. It will have your cheese-loving stomach curdling with happiness. As always, pizzas are made to share, so unless you're particularly greedy (no judgement), you won't need to have your own Sophie's Choice moment trying to decide between the top-notch margherita ($16) and the house-made gnocchi in Napoli sauce ($20). An oozy chocolate Nutella pizza ($18) — topped with banana slices because balance — is non-negotiable for any Eat'aliano visit. Drinks are restrained with a handful of rotating cocktail specials, local wines and Melbourne's favourite beers on tap. Featuring a bright, effortlessly stylish interior, the space boasts a refined warmth ideal for a cosy catch-up or Friday date night. Suspending, hanging plant boxes and exposed industrial roofing gives the interior a laidback ambience, complemented by concrete floors and an open kitchen. Visitors can eye the prized wood-fire pizza oven, which features distinctive tiles with sleek white squares and cooks perfect pizza in under a minute. Staff are friendly, knowledgeable and eager to make suggestions when you're feeling torn between choosing your favourite figurative Italian food children.
It's time to make the pilgrimage to the Supernatural Amphitheatre once again, because Golden Plains has announced its 2019 lineup — and the ballot is still open. Taking place over a long weekend, Meredith's other beloved festival returns from March 9–11, 2019. And heading the bill are beloved acts the Beach House, Four Tet, The Internet and Marlon Williams. As always, all musicians will appear on one stage in the Supernatural Amphitheatre, so no frantic timetabling needed, and Aunty has just released the bulk of her star-studded lineup. Leading you out through the stratosphere is psychedelic soul collective Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO. One of the more obscure acts on the bill, the Japanese rock band is joined by a slew of big names, including American dream pop duo Beach House, New Zealand balladeer Marlon Williams and trailblazing R&B band The Internet. Also on the program is Detroit funk sing Amp Fiddler, electronic musician Four Tet, Brisbane electro pop band Confidence Man and legendary Scottish rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain. Through all these epic sets, Golden Plains is set to be the same festival you know and love — no dickheads, no need to hide your goon sacks, no commercial sponsors. Tickets are $399.30 for everyone, and including camping and parking. If you can't wait until next year, best get yourself a ticket to Meredith in December as well. GOLDEN PLAINS 2019 LINEUP Beach House Happy Mondays Four Tet Confidence Man The Internet The Jesus and Mary Chain DJ Harvey Marlon Williams Magic Dirt Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO Liz Phair Khruangbin Amp Fiddler Rhyne Millú & Pjenné Gregor Hatchie Hieroglyphic Being Honey Raw Humps Horatio Luna DRMNGNOW Flohio The Living Eyes Danny Krivit Shannon & the Clams Golden Plains will take over the Supernatural Amphitheatre in Meredith on March 9, 10 and 11. The ballot for GPXI is open now until 10.13pm on Tuesday, October 23. Visit goldenplains.com.au for details. Images: Theresa Harrison
Bookshops are known for their variety. Everyone should be able to step into any store celebrating the printed word and find something they want to read ASAP. Writers festivals operate under the same principle, bringing together a wide array of authors covering a broad range of subjects and styles — so of course the 2023 Melbourne Writers Festival jumps from viral recipes to beloved movie stars, and also from award-winners to Australian music icons. One huge highlight of this year's MWF program: Alison Roman, whose home-cooking tips you might've followed more than once. Making her first trip to Australia, the Brooklyn-based food writer and chef will chat about her dessert-focused cookbook Sweet Enough, and also all those recipes that've had the internet salivating, plus her general approach to the kitchen. [caption id="attachment_894138" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alison Roman by Chris Bernabeo[/caption] Roman leads a lineup with its commitment to surveying writing in a wealth of forms, and from a swag of scribes, firmly intact — and a festival that hits Melbourne a little earlier in 2023, too. If it feels like the last MWF was just upon us, that's because it happened in September last year. From now on, however, the fest is settling into May dates instead, running from Thursday, May 4—Sunday, May 7 in 2023 at a variety of venues around the city. One such location is Melbourne Town Hall, which'll play host to four blockbuster sessions over two evenings to get MWF 2023 started. That includes an opening night event that asks a cast of writers to reflect upon the fest's theme 'I've Been Away for a While', with Penguin Random House copy chief and author Benjamin Dreyer doing the honours alongside nonfiction writer Bill Hayes, Sweet Country filmmaker and Kaytetye man Warwick Thornton, writer and critic Sarah Krasnostein, and Wiradjuri poet and artist Jazz Money. Also at the same venue that evening: Paul Kelly celebrating words penned by others — and likely not about making gravy — which'll see him perform Shakespeare, Sylvia Plath, Les Murray and more. Jurassic Park favourite Sam Neill is set to do the writers festival rounds, coming to Melbourne to chat about his career and new memoir with comedy star Jane Kennedy before doing something similar in Sydney — and two Booker Prize-winners are hitting both fests as well. So, the Victorian capital can also look forward to the most-recent recipient, with Shehan Karunatilaka emerging victorious in 2022 for The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida; plus Girl Woman Other's Bernardine Evaristo, the first Black woman to ever win the award. Other 2023 highlights include Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow's Gabrielle Zevin exploring the New York Times bestseller; Emma Straub, writer of This Time Tomorrow and owner of Brooklyn bookstore Books Are Magic, getting talking; and Grace Tame chatting about The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner: A Memoir. Or, there's Dreyer doing his 'Guardian of Grammar' thing in-conversation with Richard Fidler — and Fidler himself focusing on his new historical nonfiction publication The Book of Roads and Kingdoms. Stan Grant will discuss his latest The Queen is Dead — on the weekend of King Charles' coronation, no less — and Ellen van Neerven will unpack Personal Score, their examination of sport from a First Nations and queer perspective. Also, aforementioned author and photographer Hayes dives into Sweat, which is about exercise and its history; and actor Heather Mitchell (whose recent credits include Love Me, Blaze and The Great Gatsby) joins the guests with memoirs to unfurl. The festival's events lineup also features the return of the MWF Big Debate, asking 'do books matter more than sport?'; Queering the Canon, which'll see its speakers plunge into the texts that influenced how they think and write about sexuality and gender; and a discussion of the past year in politics. Spanning talks, panels, workshops and other activities, the program keeps turning pages from there — so if you're keen on hearing from Shirley Hazzard's biographer Professor Brigitta Olubas, learning about art and writing from a First Nations viewpoint, exploring where memoirs stand in the search for meaning, pondering how difficult it is to write about your heroes and celebrating the return to travel, that's all on the bill. So is the In the Suburbs series, which takes authors beyond the Melbourne CBD. This year, that includes The Dry writer Jane Harper chatting about Exiles, her final instalment in the Aaron Falk series, in Narre Warren — a handy session to go to ahead of Force of Nature hitting the big screen in August. Melbourne Writers Festival 2023 runs from Thursday, May 4—Sunday, May 7 at a variety of venues around Melbourne. For more information and to buy tickets, head to the festival's website. Top image: Alison Roman by Chris Bernabeo.
Don your red lips, curls and pin-striped suits, and get ready to nestle in to the elegant underground at Melbourne's newest jazz club, Bird's Basement. Located across from Flagstaff Gardens, this music-slash-hospitality venue is a dinner and a show situation — so be prepared to take a seat and make a night of it. Offering a different take on Melbourne's proffered jazz bars, Bird's Basement caters to those more keen on a sit-down affair — which makes for a good chance to take the folks out. Or your partner's for that matter. But it's still nice to know old friends, like Louie, Ella and Miles, can be found waiting for you. The interiors of midnight cyan may scream more blues than jazz, but just wait until the horns start. The musicians, wielding the trumpets, trombones and liquorice sticks, have enough energy to get even those not born with the spirit of jazz running through their veins bouncing in their seats. With two shows held most nights, you can book a 7.45pm dinner or 10pm supper session. The food is Italian, with everything from caprese salads — with thick slices of buffalo mozzarella and roma tomatoes — to four-cheese gnocchi and t-bone steaks. It's good, but not the main event — the jazz is. With a focus on the old, as well as the new, Bird's Basement has seen the likes of Ravi Coltrane and his post-bop sax, the soul and funk tunes of 13-piece Grand WaZoo, and 80s teen star Molly Ringwald come on board as headliners. On the night we visited, the act that had our feet and hearts on fire was Yvette Johansson. This broad created that easy, sassy banter that jazz musicians do so well. And what a remarkable thing to witness a rehearsed scat — those nonsense-slapping syllables — by a professional, rather than your moony Howard friends. If you've rocked up to the earlier session, know that, once the show is winding down, the staff will hustle you to pay. But we suppose that's how jazz clubs roll. And while the food and service may not have been up to the standard of other Melbourne establishments, Bird's Basement delivers a musical feast you can't find just anywhere. Which makes us wonder: maybe there's a gap in the market for more musical supper clubs in Melbourne? If you're keen to find out, fly on in to the Basement, you little jazzy beauties.
Warm fires, candlelight, thick knitwear and curling up in a contented glow amid the winter chill and dark. By now, you're probably familiar with the Danish idea of hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) — it's an exquisite state of perfect cosiness and positive feeling. Well, 'tis the season. As winter draws in, it's high time to harness the power of hygge and treat yourself to the holiday equivalent of hot chocolate and warm fluffy socks. You've earned some Danish-style R&R to beat the cold weather blues, so here are our top picks for cosy country Victorian getaways — complete with suitable red wine pairings to snuggle up with. TWILIGHT COTTAGE A sweet little old-world getaway in the Yarra Valley, the wine-heart of Victoria, Twilight Cottage feels like a fairytale home. In addition to a crackling fire you can cosy up to, there's also a glass ceiling over the bedroom spa bath, so you can watch the stars as you relax — nothing beats the contrast of being hot and toasty down to your very bones, looking out at the chill you're escaping. You won't have to venture out in the morning either. Lay a rug by the fire and enjoy the continental breakfast basket from local caterer Sassafras Providore. And for a bottle to enjoy by the fire, day trip to one of the vineyards nearby — Seville Estate, Elmswood Estate and Six Acres are all less than a 20-minute drive away. CLIFFTOP AT HEPBURN You might not think the words 'luxury accommodation' and 'shipping container' go hand in hand, but allow us to blow your hygge-hungry mind. The Clifftop at Hepburn offers a range of ultra-luxe, ultra-modern getaways. Rustic timber walled shipping containers make for cosy, but surprisingly airy, interiors. Chic fireplaces illuminate intimate corners by night and, in the morning, you can watch the sunrise over native bushland through floor-to-ceiling windows. Clifftop will soon have micro-cabin glamping options, too, for more options to keep you snug as a bug in a rug. And, if the complimentary Champagne isn't a warming enough libation for a winter's eve, make sure to stop by Wine and the Country on your way through and pick up a rich red drop. THE KILNHOUSES Nordic-chic design makes a perfect setting for tapping into hygge, so consider a stay at one of the three Kilnhouse venues. Located at the base of Mount Buffalo, near the town of Bright, these cottages showcase contemporary architecture with new and recycled materials. With rustic interiors of corrugated iron and natural timber, plus window views over a working cattle stud and vineyard, you'll really feel the serenity. Traditional Italian cooking classes are offered through the accommodation — with wine pairings, of course — and take place in Bright or at the Kilnhouse itself, so you don't even have to leave your woodfire cosiness. If you did want to venture out, complete the three-kilometre Bright Canyon Walk, then treat yourself to cake and coffee (or wine) by the fireplace at Ginger Baker, CAMP KULNING Maybe you dream of going off-grid somewhere unexpected, getting away from it all and heading to the woods. Well, we have a funky, unique wildcard option for you — stay in this 1920s tram, which has been converted into a bushland hideaway. You'll love the retro vibe, from the eccentric 60s and 70s decor pieces to the private tiki bar. With an indoor fireplace, outdoor fire pit and barbeque set beneath strings of hanging lights, there's plenty of ways to keep you warm. For a getaway with friends, you can also rent the sweet, rustic neighbouring cottage on-site. You're still conveniently close to town, as well as vineyards such as the Kyneton Ridge Estate, so stocking up on gourmet food and wine is a breeze. All in all, this will probably be the most fun you've ever had in a tram. DULC CABINS For a low-impact, high-hygge housing option, head to Hall's Gap in the Grampians National Park. DULC cabins are spacious and comfortably simple eco-builds designed to blend with the natural environment. Pale, neutral wood tones and floor-to-ceiling windows create a calming, light-filled space and a gas log fire will keep you cosy and content throughout the cold winter night. The Mountain View cabin even has a bathroom skylight so you can bask in mountain solitude and a beautiful vista as you soak in the tub. The Fallen Giants Vineyard is so close, you won't be able to resist dropping by for its boutique cellar door experience. It's been planting shiraz grapes since 1969, so it's really mastered a delicious dry red. ACRE OF ROSES The Miners Cottage at Acre of Roses is a great option for luxury solitude. Built in the 1860s and refurbished in 2018, this historic cottage has every modern convenience — including a rainwater-filled cedar hot tub — with the classic old world charm, including a roaring fire you can enjoy a complimentary glass of port beside. If the wood fire in the stately little home merely whets your appetite for flames (and treats), head down a short way to the Passing Clouds vineyard for a family-style meal cooked over Prometheus, the half-tonne fire-pit. Pit-cooking and pinot noir? Count us in. ROSS FARM CABIN The cabin at Ross Farm in Meeniyan showcases craftsmanship in every aspect. From a restrained design of mingled Danish and Japanese influence to the experimental, locally hand-crafted features, this is a cabin for people who appreciate skill and beauty. A colour palette of soft greens, cypress timber and black matte metal make this a stylish but unassuming cabin, so you'll feel instantly comfortable and at home. In addition to the cosy interior, there's a rustic outdoor stove fire, so you can stargaze in the open fresh air without forsaking the warmth of the indoors. And, be sure to stop by Dirty Three Wines in nearby Inverloch for a tasting. Pick up one of its three specialty pinot noirs, each made from a unique soil type — or go for a blend if you can't decide. [caption id="attachment_724037" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glen Barry[/caption] ILUKA BLUE You'll find this beautiful home in Wye River, along with The Cube and At Wye Eyrie II. All three were rebuilt following fires in 2015, and provide luxurious waterside locations for your next getaway along the Great Ocean Road. The houses can sleep anywhere from six to ten people, so it's perfect for when your ideal hygge requires the loving warmth of company. Oh, and a flickering fireplace, which each of the homes has, of course. Each well-appointed holiday home has spectacular coastal views framed by floor-to-ceiling windows. As you drive out along the Great Ocean Road, make a day trip to one of the exquisite cellar door experiences in the region. Bellbrae Estate has free live music sessions on Sundays — and a delicious syrah worthy of a mention — while Otway Estate boasts both wine and a craft brewery outlet — plus, another wood fire, of course. Top Image: Ross Cabin Farm.
Melbourne isn't the only patch of Victoria that's gaining a new place to celebrate creativity in 2025, and adding something different and welcome to Australia's cultural scene in the process. While the state's capital city is set to become home to the Australian Museum of Performing Arts in December, championing the nation's contribution to music, theatre, opera, circus and dance in a city that's never short on any of those artforms, Halls Gap at the foothills of Gariwerd/Grampians National Park is gaining the National Centre for Environmental Art before winter is out. Again, the venue's focus and its location match perfectly. If you're going to open an Aussie-first gallery that's dedicated to works about the natural world, doing so in stunning surroundings is a must. The National Centre for Environmental Art is the brainchild of the Wama Foundation and, as it hones in on artistic narratives heroing the earth, will form part of the organisation's new art and environment precinct. When it begins ushering patrons through its doors — at a yet-to-be-revealed midyear 2025 date — the National Centre for Environmental Art will launch as stage one of the broader hub, alongside the Gariwerd/Grampians Endemic Botanic Garden, plus new artwork around the grounds. From there, immersing art within the landscape will continue to be a highlight of stage two, which will also boast a sculpture trail. So, you'll be enjoying the site's affection for both creativity and nature indoors and out. Inside, Western Australian artist Jacobus Capone will be in the spotlight at the centre's debut exhibition, with End & Being contemplating the planet's warming, the crisis as a result and the influence that humans have had upon the situation. The Fremantle-based artist creates everything from paintings and video installations to photos and performances — and will take visitors to Bossons Glacier at Mont Blanc in France without leaving Victoria, all by documenting a performance staged above and beneath the icefall. [caption id="attachment_1006306" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Astrid Muller[/caption] "Our program, encompassing new commissions, group exhibitions and nationally touring shows, will be rooted by a spirit of inquiry. Our take on the genre of environmental art is expansive, offering ample space for both playful exploration and deep contemplation," explains Wama Foundation CEO Pippa Mott of the National Centre for Environmental Art's aim. "Jacobus and I are deeply honoured to be part of Wama's inaugural exhibition and to present a project that, like Wama, seeks to foster a dialogue between art, humanity and the environment," added curator José Da Silva, who is also UNSW Galleries' Director and previously was part of the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art's team in Brisbane, including leading the Australian Cinémathèque. "Capone's work, with its profound sensitivity to environmental change and human vulnerability, speaks directly to that mission, and has guided our decisions to present this particular project." [caption id="attachment_1006309" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Astrid Muller[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1006310" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacobus Capone and Moore Contemporary[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1006311" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacobus Capone and Moore Contemporary[/caption] Find the Wama Foundation and The National Centre for Environmental Art at 4000 Ararat-Halls Gap Road, Halls Gap, Victoria, Australia sometime from winter 2025 — head to the Wama Foundation website for more details.
Shane Barrett adores wine. After shopping at specialty supermarket Terra Madre on Northcote's High Street one evening, the co-owner of Melbourne CBD Spanish tapas restaurant and rooftop bar Bomba, was on the hunt for a bottle — but was alarmed when he found no liquor stores in the vicinity. So, he sought to solve the problem himself with longtime Bomba business partners Jesse Gerner, Andrew Fisk and Kelly O'Loghlan. The four have opened a brand new bottle shop which focuses on boutique producers who practice sustainable, organic and biodynamic principals, alongside handpicked international wines. And they've named it for a fellow wine lover, Samuel Pepys. "Samuel Pepys was a naval administrator in London in the 1600s," says Barrett. "He was a diarist who loved good wine and food. If you read any of his entries they're quite entertaining — he was an old day foodie for lack of better words." The interiors (which the boys conceived themselves) are homely, welcoming shoppers with a cluster of suspended plants that overlook wire racks caressing bottles. Various wines are also available to taste, you'll find the daily offerings written on the chalkboard by the counter. "We want people to feel comfortable coming here and spend a bit of town browsing, we have products the general public won't be familiar with," says Barrett. "We all travel to Europe about two times a year and import a lot of wines ourselves," he adds, referring to their distribution company, Armada Imports. The store hosts about 400 wines, a 200 strong spirit list, a full Riedel glassware range and a selection of cigars (la-di-da). Local wines from Patrick Sullivan are available, as are bottles from the Mornington Peninsula's Polperro Estate.
When New Zealand comedy Nude Tuesday hits screens Down Under this winter, it'll be business time. Despite what star Jemaine Clement has sung in Flight of the Conchords, however, few folks on-screen will still be wearing their socks. Birthday suits are the preferred attire here, as made plain in the new movie's name. It does follow an unhappy couple who are gifted a trip to a remote couples' retreat to help save their marriage — a spot where getting in the buff often is recommended — after all. Playing that duo: fellow NZ treasure Jackie van Beek, who co-starred with Clement in What We Do in the Shadows, and Australian The Tourist actor Damon Herriman. And no, the latter isn't portraying Charles Manson, as he did in both Mindhunter and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Laura and Bruno, the pair's characters, find scenic sights awaiting at their mountainside getaway — and also Clement as Bjorg Rassmussen. Laughter workshops, tantric dance, sexual liberation and emotional animals all pop up, too, as does baring all to truly work out how they are. See: the just-dropped and very funny trailer. All that flesh, and that cast, is one reason that Nude Tuesday stands out. The other: it's entirely spoken in a made-up language. The cast improvised gibberish as they filmed, and British comedian and writer Julia Davis (Camping) then came up with the subtitles for the movie afterwards. There was a script behind the narrative, though — penned by van Beek, who also co-wrote and co-directed fellow NZ comedy The Breaker Upperers. Here, van Beek came up with the story with filmmaker Armağan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water), who is on helming duties. New Zealanders will be able to see how it all turns out in cinemas on June 16, while Nude Tuesday hits Australian cinemas on June 23 — and will also stream in the latter via Stan from July 7. In Australia, multiple versions of the movie will make their way to streaming, including one subtitled by Aussie comedians Celia Pacquola and Ronny Chieng. Check out the Nude Tuesday trailer below: Nude Tuesday opens in New Zealand cinemas on June 16, in Australian cinemas on June 23, and will stream via Stan in Australia from July 7.
Stand aside muggles, these are the big boys of magic. Billed as “the most spectacular magic show of all time,” The Illusionists is an over-the-top blockbuster that will command your complete attention. This is not just a show of card tricks and slight of hand, these tricks are larger than life, daring, inventive and truly magical. Hailing from the epicentre of grand magic shows, Las Vegas, each of these master illusionists specialise in their own type of magic. All the classic tricks are represented with levitation, mind reading, disappearance and even a touch of daggy dad-joke comedy. The show is brought to life with some dramatic lighting, tightly choreographed dances in crazy steampunk costumes and a live hip-hop/rock band playing on stage — this is a very slick operation and you won’t feel ashamed to let your inner child out. The Marilyn Manson of magic, Dan Sperry, shows off some bizarre, often shocking and macabre illusions and at one point even plays Russian roulette with broken glass and a member of the audience. Andrew Basso, the Italian escapologist, will have you gasping for air in a tension packed underwater Houdini escape. His performance is a highlight. Then, mad scientist, inventor and Colonel Sanders look-a-like Kevin James performs some breathtakingly elegant and astounding tricks that will leave you in awe as to how they are executed. The latter half of the show featuring Jeff Hobson, the comedy magician and Philip Escoffey, the mentalist (no, not that mentalist), run a touch long, but all is forgiven when the only female illusionist, Jinger Leigh and her partner in crime Mark Kalin pull off a spellbinding disappearance act. The Illusionists have sold out shows all over the world and they mean to do the same in Melbourne. The performance runs for a good two hours with intermission and though it is family friendly, you could easily make it an adults only night out with friends. Even though the over-the-top theatrics are a little gimmicky, you have to admit the show is very entertaining. Even the most cynical will be left puzzled, amazed and believing, if only a little, that magic might really exist.
By this stage, most of us have come to terms with the fact that jetting off to USA or Europe is a seriously long slog, made worse by unavoidable (sometimes long, always painful) stopovers. But that European or American trip could soon become a whole lot more bearable, with Qantas announcing plans to launch direct flights between the east coast and both London and New York, by 2022. While the airline's already revealed it'll run nonstop flights from Perth to London starting March 24, 2018, the extra distance involved with trips from the east coast capitals is something that none of today's planes can handle. Right now, the world's longest direct flight clocks in at just over 17 hours and 14,529 kilometres, running between Doha and Auckland on a Boeing 777-200LR. So, to realise its grand plans for east coast Aussies, Qantas has put the call out to Airbus and Boeing, the world's biggest aircraft manufacturers, to make a plane that can go the distance. In numbers, that's a 20-hour and 20-minute stint between Sydney and London (16,983 kilometres), and an 18-hour and seven-minute journey from Sydney to New York. The airline's done its homework, analysing a decade's worth of wind and weather data to confirm the routes are actually possible. Now, all it needs are the planes to fly it. Via the Australian Financial Review.
The Way, Way Back is the newest piece of cinematic excellence put forth by Oscar winners Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, writers of the acclaimed The Descendants, and is sure to challenge for silverware come award season. The film tells the heartwarmingly awkward tale of Duncan (Liam James) as he struggles to express himself in a world he doesn't feel comfortable in. This is made all the more complex when his recently divorced mother, Pam (Toni Collette), takes him away on a "spring break for adults" vacation with her obnoxious new boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell). Thankfully he befriends Water Wizz water park employee Owen (Sam Rockwell) and finally begins to feel like he belongs — but not without a few hiccups along the way. The comedy is beautifully simple and the all-star cast promises to take us on an emotional roller-coaster as we contemplate the awkward moments of our teenage years and the simple acts of kindness it takes to make someone feel wanted. The Way, Way Back is in cinemas August 1, and to celebrate we have ten double in-season passes — as well as one major prize pack containing a The Way, Way Back drawstring beach bag, towel, sunscreen and a Slip n Slide — to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GiH5wmuexZY
National Fried Chicken Day is just around the corner, and who are we to question its significance? All that matters is that on Sunday, July 6, Windsor's cult-favourite Japanese hangout, Mr Miyagi, is hosting a massive one-day celebration to ring in the occasion. Flowing from the kitchen non-stop from 12–3.30pm, guests can enjoy bottomless buckets of legendary Miyagi Fried Chicken for $19.50 per person. Once the bottom of this bucket is in sight, the team is ready to refill on demand, over and over again. Like all good fried chicken feasts, plenty of cold beer is imperative. Don't stress — Mr Miyagi has got you covered with $5 Sapporo brews served all afternoon. That means going bucket for bucket is made easy with a thirst-quenching beverage on hand. Just know that bookings for this 90-minute sitting are essential, and a minimum of four people are required per table. "Our Miyagi Fried Chicken has been a signature since day one," says Mr Miyagi founder Kristian Klein. "We wanted to go big, and what's bigger than a bottomless bucket of your favourite chicken?"
We're calling it: this summer is the summer of fresh and fruity cocktails in the backyard with as many mates as possible. Nothing is going to ruin the gin-filled summer we know we deserve — not even La Niña. To celebrate the warmer months, we've teamed up with Whitley Neill Gin to bring you five original cocktail recipes that go well beyond your usual G&T. For the uninitiated, Whitley Neill Gin produces handcrafted artisanal gin from the first gin distillery in London, dating back 200 years — and it's still the only gin distillery in London today. Of course, it's got a London Dry gin, but it's also known for its innovative flavoured gins which take cocktails to new heights. So dust off your cocktail shaker, make a spread of your favourite cheeses and call your mates for an afternoon sip session. [caption id="attachment_838645" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Liddle[/caption] MELON PATCH Serves one If you like your cocktails packed with real fruit and with a slight herby twist, the Melon Patch will be right up your alley. This take on a classic G&T features the Whitley Neill Original London Dry Gin which, with its rich juniper notes, citrus and exotic botanicals, pairs well with the fresh watermelon chunks and mint. It's bound to be a winner after a long day at the beach, when your guests roll in sandy-footed and sun-kissed. Ingredients: 30ml Whitley Neill Original London Dry Gin 3 watermelon chunks 120ml Strangelove Coastal Tonic Water Basil Ice (crushed) Method: Add watermelon pieces and gin into the bottom of a tall glass. Add tonic water and top with crushed ice. Garnish with basil. [caption id="attachment_838646" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Liddle[/caption] BRUNCH MARTINI Serves one Think martini, but fit for brunchtime. In this concoction, the grapefruit gin, tonic and lemon complement each other to make a perfectly sweet and zingy cocktail. And there's a dollop of marmalade, which is an interesting addition to impress your pals. Whether a hair-of-the-dog or a summery concoction to start a long lunch, this one will go down a treat. Ingredients: 30ml Whitley Neill Pink Grapefruit Gin 15ml pink grapefruit juice 15ml lemon juice 1 barspoon (or teaspoon) of marmalade 30ml Fever-Tree Aromatic Tonic Ice Method: Shake gin, both juices and marmalade together over ice. Add 30ml Fever-Tree Aromatic Tonic Water to shaker — but don't shake again. Then, simply strain into a cocktail glass. [caption id="attachment_838648" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Liddle[/caption] POMME SPRITZ Serves one It's a universal truth that spritzes are the go-to balmy weather drink. This one features the Whitley Neill Quince Gin, which has a distinctive flavour that's a real winner. Pair that with a dash of cloudy apple juice and a good pour of prosecco for a fun, bubbly finish. Ingredients: 45ml Whitley Neill Quince Gin 60ml Strangelove pear soda 30ml cloudy apple juice 60ml prosecco 3 thin apple slices Cucumber ribbon Ice Method: Build all ingredients over ice in a highball or balloon glass, then garnish with green apple and cucumber. [caption id="attachment_838649" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Liddle[/caption] CRIMSON COCO COOLER Group serve Serve a jug of this cooler on those sticky summer days when the only activity you can carry out without breaking a sweat is walking from pool to freezer. Refreshing coconut water and fizzy cranberry soda make it the perfect arvo cocktail. Plus, it's ridiculously easy to make — just chuck all the ingredients in a carafe with some ice, give it a quick stir and you're good to go. Ingredients: 120ml Whitley Neill Raspberry Gin 250ml Capi cranberry soda 360ml coconut water 30ml lime juice Raspberries (to garnish) Lemon (to garnish) Cucumber (to garnish) Mint (to garnish) Ice Method: Add gin, cranberry soda, coconut water and lime juice into a carafe and fill with ice. Stir to combine. Garnish with raspberries, lemon wheels, cucumber wheels and mint. [caption id="attachment_838650" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Liddle[/caption] ALL SEASONS Group serve This is a drink for those who like their cocktails fresh, fizzy and sweet. It's also perfect when for when you've got your mates over and you need to look impressive while maintaining conversation and effortlessly whipping up a jug of something. If you really want to impress, make sure you have some edible flowers on hand to garnish. Ingredients: 180ml Whitley Neill Rhubarb and Ginger Gin 200ml mango nectar 300ml Strangelove mandarin soda 90ml lime juice Dehydrated citrus (to garnish) Edible flowers (to garnish) Ice Method: Combine gin, mango nectar, soda and lime juice in a carafe and top with ice. Garnish with dehydrated citrus and flowers, and serve. For more information on the innovative Whitley Neill gin range, head to the website. Top image: Paul Liddle
In recent years, Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art has played host to an array of weird and wonderful exhibits. The Hulk's giant bed, a real-life snowman and Patricia Piccinini's otherworldly field of not-quite-flowers have all graced the South Brisbane site's halls and walls, as have David Lynch's inimitable art and a recreation of a real-life riverbed. But between Saturday, November 28, 2020–Monday, April 26, 2021, the cultural institution is heading in a completely different direction. A gallery-wide celebration of motorcycles mightn't be the kind of thing you'd generally expect to find at GOMA; however, that's exactly what'll be on display. Called The Motorcycle: Design, Art, Desire, the Queensland-exclusive showcase explores the two-wheeled vehicle's enduring appeal — from the way it looks and how it has evolved over the years, to the way it's portrayed in popular culture and how it makes people feel. Obviously, the exhibition does so by displaying plenty of motorbikes. Sourced from public and private collections from around the world, more than 100 are riding into GOMA — with some dating back more than 150 years. That'd be the Perreaux steam-powered velocipede from 1871, which is the oldest-known motorbike on the planet. It's joined by a selection of the first Aussie built and designed motorcycles, including one made in Brisbane in 1906; record-breaking bikes, such as the land speed record-breaking 1951 Vincent Black Lightning; and a lineup of super-modern motorcycles that represent the vehicle's future. [caption id="attachment_798484" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Motorcycle - Design, Art, Desire; VIP Preview; GOMA Level 1[/caption] Honing in on the motorcycle's importance not just as a mode of transport, but as an ever-evolving machine, The Motorcycle: Design, Art, Desire also features interactive experiences — so prepare to virtually hop on a 50s Vespa and go riding in real-time through a themed landscape, or build and customise your own bike. And, because there are quite a few motorbike-related movies to choose from, GOMA's Australian Cinematheque is getting into the same gear so you can revved up while watching a film. In March, there's an Up Late program of after-hours parties, too. Installation view The Motorcycle: Design, Art, Desire 28 November 20 – 26 April 21 Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane Photograph: Chloë Callistemon, QAGOMA
Rose Chong Costumes isn't just a shop — it's an institution. Affectionately known as 'Chongworld', the ten rooms are bursting with imaginative and downright ridiculous bespoke costumes like vegetable-stuffed sushi rolls, loud gold bodysuits and sultry nun get-ups that'll have you doing a few Hail Marys later on. Rose Chong has been drawing on her extensive experience in the film industry to frock up Fitzroy's streets for the past 40 years, so even if you don't need an outfit you should still pop in for a stickybeak. You can't miss the leopard print-covered facade with glittery pink lettering. Or, if you're feeling brave, it's the ultimate spot to re-create your favourite movie montage dress up scene. BYO music. Images: Parker Blain.
To mark the return of spring, Bannisters has opened its much-anticipated third NSW hotel in Port Stephens. With two already in Mollymook, the chain's latest outpost is perched on absolute beachfront in Soldiers Point. The brand spanking new luxury digs includes 50 rooms with stunning views (78 in total), four super-luxe suites and, for very special occasions, a penthouse. Depending on where you choose to stay, you'll be looking out at either the tranquil waters of Nelson Bay or dense forest – or both. Wherever you sleep, you can look forward to light-filled spaces, Hamptons-inspired whites, king-sized beds and decadent touches. Among the common facilities are an infinity pool — looking out across the river — and the Terrace Bar, where you can enjoy ocean vista while feasting on light bites, such as steamed bao, fish tacos and an Archie Rose gin and tonic cheesecake. If you're keen to indulge, be sure to book a table at Rick Stein at Bannisters, also on the water. Stein, together with head chef Mitchell Turner, has come up with a menu big on premium seafood – from local king prawns and Sydney rock oysters to sand whiting and snapper. Tuck into the fruits de mer platter, oysters Charentaise or the legendary fish pie. Stein and his wife Sarah have also collaborated with Brokenwood winemaker Iain Riggs AM to create an exclusive wine for the restaurant. Sarah also worked with designer Romy Alwill on the restaurant, whose earthy yet breezy interior is splashed with terracotta, brass, timber, Japanese water colour and Pacific blue. Bannisters Port Stephens is now open at 147 Soldiers Point Road, Soldiers Point, NSW. Standard rooms start at $290 (and the penthouse starts at $740).
Good things not only come to those who wait, but great and downright excellent things do, too — at least where Harvest Rock's 2025 lineup is concerned. Unveiled two days later than initially planned, the full rundown of acts slated to play the two-day Adelaide music festival is a list to get excited about. There's no "someday" about when The Strokes will next be in Australia now: headlining Harvest Rock and doing an Aussie-exclusive show, they're the main event on Saturday, October 25. Harvest Rock has been teasing The Strokes' spot on the bill since it pushed back its lineup announcement. Now, Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Fabrizio Moretti, Nikolai Fraiture and Albert Hammond Jr are indeed locked in. Also taking to the stage on the fest's first 2025 day are The War on Drugs, also doing an Australian-exclusive gig. Vance Joy, M.I.A., Lime Cordiale and Genesis Owusu will be wowing Saturday crowds as well, as will The Presets, The Jungle Giants, Cloud Control, Bag Raiders and more. If you're a fan of Wolfmother's self-titled debut album, you're also in luck: the Australian band will play it in full. Harvest Rock's Sunday, October 26 lineup boasts Jelly Roll as its headliner, followed by Royel Otis, Groove Armada doing a DJ set, Shaboozey, PNAU, Lauren Spencer Smith, Ruel and Sneaky Sound System — and others. The fest's second day is also scoring the Ministry of Sound Classical treatment, aka dance music hits played live by an orchestra. Before August arrived, no one was likely expecting to attend Harvest Rock this year. The travelworthy festival made its debut in 2022 and returned in 2023 for a second spin, but sat out 2024. Then came the welcome news that the event is back on the agenda for 2025, a comeback that not every fest that presses pause for a year manages (see: Splendour in the Grass, which announced its 2024 dates and lineup, then ditched its plans and didn't return in 2025 — and also Groovin the Moo going through the same cycle of reveals and cancellations, and also missing 2025). The venue for Harvest Rock: still Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina. When the event was first born, hailing from the Secret Sounds crew — who were also behind Splendour in the Grass — it not only aimed to get everyone dancing in a park in Adelaide each spring, but also delivered a weekend-long blend of music, food and wine. That's once more the setup. Accordingly, the festival also spans Adelaide's top restaurants and eateries serving up dishes, a culinary-focused stage and wine tastings. In 2025, the Amuse-Bouche Stage is part of the lineup, for instance, bringing together culinary figures, podcasters and comedians — with Ben Harvey and Belle Jackson, Nat's What I Reckon, the Marmalade trio and folks from the music bill also featuring. For a bite and a sip, Wildwoods & Cellar Door by Duncan Welgemoed & Nick Stock, Denny Bradden's Dirty Doris Diner, Regent Thai, Africola Canteen, Anchovy Bandit and Gang Gang are among your options. And, label-wise from the vino selection, so are Ochota Barrels, Yangarra, Basket Range Wines, Murdoch Hill, Grant Nash, Sherrah, S.C.Pannell / Protero, Shaw + Smith / Other Wine Co, Henschke, Les Fruits / Parley, Bloomfield, Stoke Wines, Worlds Apart, Koerner, First Drop, Torbreck, Adelina and Champagne Taittinger. [caption id="attachment_1017207" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jimmy Fontaine[/caption] Harvest Rock 2025 Lineup Saturday, October 25: The Strokes The War on Drugs Vance Joy M.I.A. Lime Cordiale Wolfmother The Presets Skream & Benga Genesis Owusu The Jungle Giants Cloud Control Vacations Bag Raiders (live) Teenage Joans Divebar Youth Sunsick Daisy Oscar The Wild Any Young Mechanic Sunday, October 26: Jelly Roll Royel Otis Ministry of Sound Classical Groove Armada (DJ set) Shaboozey PNAU Lauren Spencer Smith Ruel Sneaky Sound System The Dreggs Drew Baldridge Julia Cole Folk Bitch Trio Mild Minds Anna Lunoe Velvet Trip Towns Coldwave Colter Apollo Amuse-Bouche Stage lineup: Hosted By Ben & Belle Nat's What I Reckon Marmalade Artist Appearances and more to be announced Food: Dirty Doris Diner Regent Thai Africola Canteen Anchovy Bandit Gang Gang & Many More Wine: Adelina Basket Range Bloomfield First Drop Grant Nash Henschke Koerner Les Fruits / Parley Murdoch Hill Ochota Barrels S.C.Pannell / Protero Shaw + Smith / The Other Wine Co Sherrah Stoke Wines Taittinger Torbreck Worlds Apart Yangarra Harvest Rock 2025 is set to take place across Saturday, October 25–Sunday, October 26 at Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide. Head to the festival's website for further details — with presale tickets available from Tuesday, August 19 and general sales from Wednesday, August 20. The Strokes top image: Jim Bennett/Getty Images. Harvest Rock images: Ian Laidlaw / Mitch Lowe / Zennieshia Butts.
No doubt by now you've heard something about the Kony 2012 campaign. I know that I got at least three Facebook invitations to Kony-related events last night alone, and in the past few days the link has been shared on Facebook over 750,000 times, making it one of the fastest trending topics of conversation alongside this crazy weather. For those not quite on top of it yet, Kony 2012 is a viral campaign spearheaded by the humanitarian group Invisible Children, an ambitious attempt of a group of Americans who have been trying for nigh on a decade to get Western governments to pay attention to the injustices occuring in Uganda. Joseph Kony is the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda, a terrorist rebel group active for 26 years, and wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, including the abduction of over 30,000 African young people to be used as child soldiers or sex slaves. He is the world's most wanted war lord. Unfortunately, while some of the most atrocious crimes against humanity occur in Africa, little is done by Western governments to intervene unless they have a direct foreign policy or financial interest in the country. As a consequence people in the Western world have been largely ignorant of the problems in Uganda until about 48 hours ago. The Kony 2012 video, made by US director Jason Russell utilising an appealing soundtrack and the emotional heartstring pull of an adorable blonde child, has been viewed more than ten million times in two days. While the group's motives and plan of attack have been criticised because a high proportion of the donations they receive are spent on travel costs and postage expenses, their attempts at raising public awareness in the navel-gazing West is certainly proving effective. A Facebook event has been planned for April 20, where Sydneysiders are set to cover the city in Kony 2012 posters to help raise awareness of the campaign. Hopefully all the awareness will lead to real action in Uganda itself.
There’s something about Naples and the number three. The soft cool stripes of Neapolitan ice cream come in three. Naples itself is the third largest city in Italy. And now, to bring it all home to Melbourne, the newest and third addition to Johnny Di Francesco's wood-fired pizza franchise is 400 Gradi Essendon. The man himself trained in Naples, which has undoubtedly allowed him to go on to make that award-winning margherita. Perhaps that’s why he went for the restaurant trifecta, adding the Keilor Road restaurant to his Brunswick East and Crown outposts. It seemed only right then, that we gave the ‘third food degree’ to 400 Gradi Essendon with a close interrogation on taste. Every course was under scrutiny. Yet tortuous, it was not. Begin with the antipasti of chickpea battered oysters, fennel and chives ($4.50 each), and follow with the calamari fritti, watercress and almond aioli ($22). You’ll want to order to share with the chums you’ve carpooled there with — streets have limited parking, not to mention you’re environmentally conscious — so relax back into your seat and take in the shades of moss green and deep wooden browns. While waiting for your main, sample a glass of vini bianchi. The Monte Tondo Soave ($12) comes from Veneto in northern Italy; it’s close to chardonnay and finishes light and clean. The crowd will also be treating themselves to post-work aperitifs. It’s a fancy casual affair, with dates and families scattered about. The whole venue seats over 200, while upstairs can cater for private crowds, making it an ideal choice for hosting after-work socials. It would be remiss not to have your secondi feature their wood-fired pizza. It’s what they’re internationally renowned for, after all. By all means, try that world number one margherita, but the ortolano — an eggplant and zucchini-topped vegetarian number ($24) — is moreish and chewy, and comes topped with enough cheese to get bones smiling. Follow with forkfuls of buttery sage, leek and pumpkin ravioli ($24). No scrupulous sampling would be complete without dessert, and their margherita gelato is an experimental must. The lads will tell you it comes infused with basil and sundried tomatoes. Close those astonished mouths, for they’re jesting — and, really, the recipe is a secret (although we did manage to confirm textures of sponge). Those who prefer less savoury inspired temptations can opt for the fig and mascarpone. There are plans to open a gelato store, Zero Gradi, in Carlton sometime soon, but you should still try and sample as many tastes as possible here first. Finish your night with a shot of limoncello ($12), as recommended from your hosts. It’s creamy, it’s smooth — and to refuse would go against what Italian hospitality is all about.
If you're the sort of person who likes to eat meat until you start shaking with the meat sweats and can (m)eat no more, then a festival very relevant to your interests is coming to town. Meatstock Festival, a two-day celebration of all things animal, is setting up its smoky self in the Melbourne Showgrounds on the weekend of March 23 and 25. Not just your regular food festival, bands on the Meatstock lineup include Bob Evans, Henry Wagons, The Sweet Jelly Rolls, Long Johns, Frank Sultana, Cigany Weaver, Mojo Juju, Adrian Eagle, The Little Quirks and Benny Walker. Sure, there'll be less music than there is at Woodstock, but there will be 200 percent more tasty meat-related foods. The food stars of the show are Burn City Smokers, Black Bear BBQ, Rangers Texas BBQ, Fancy Hank's and more. Try some of each, or make your way through all of the food stalls and then fall into a sweaty, cholesterol-heavy heap — don't say we didn't warn you. Finally, for a little old-fashioned rivalry, the festival will be running its Butcher Wars, which will basically be a bunch of hopefully unbloodied people running around competing and wielding various knives. There's also Barbecue Wars too, heating up the grill in more ways than one. What a weekend.
Learn the tricks of the trade when it comes to tequila, as Chin Chin Melbourne's Executive Chef Benjamin Cooper joins forces with Herradura Tequila for a one-day-only cooking class on Sunday, June 22. Expect wall-to-wall agave, as the session kicks off with a lychee paloma — made with Herradura's finest — paired with kingfish ceviche and puffed rice crackers. Next, guests indulge in a tequila tasting and a hands-on Thai margarita and garnish tutorial, where you'll make this delightful cocktail and accoutrements like the best in the business. Suitably boozed up, it's time to head into the kitchen. Watch carefully as Cooper delivers a live cooking demonstration featuring his signature Northern Thai braised beef cheek curry. Follow his instructions to the tee and see if your dish measures up. Once class is complete, the feast doesn't stop. Instead, you'll gather for a post-lesson feed me session, with dishes like barbecue scallops with curry-spiced corn, chilli egg fried rice, and a chocolate and coconut panna cotta sending you home stuffed. Of course, this feast also comes with a tequila cocktail to match.
Flinders Lane has long been a hotbed for some of Melbourne's most creative (and most talked-about) kitchens, from Coda and Cumulus Inc. to Chin Chin and, for those of us with longer memories, the avant-garde Verge. So it makes sense that when Sri Lankan sensation Ministry of Crab was looking for a permanent Melbourne site, the crew looked to the buzzy thoroughfare. The team found a home in the century-old and recently restored Invicta House and, as well as opening the ninth branch of the celebrated crustacean-centred restaurant, it also promised a second restaurant to open in due course. That time is now, with the bold arrival of II.II.VI. Pronounced 'two two six', a riff on the restaurant's street address, the moody, fire-driven restaurant has taken over the basement of Invicta House, with the Roman numerals in the name nodding to the ancient tradition of wood- and charcoal-fuelled fire cooking. [caption id="attachment_1008095" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Sonmez Photography[/caption] A sculptural bull guards the dramatic tunnel that leads into a subterranean dining room that's heavy on the moodiness. Ambient lighting, plush oxblood leather banquettes, deep blue accents and custom art deco-inspired lighting provide a contrast to textures that evoke fire, meat and smoke, as well as the raw industrial bones left over from the building's past life as a silk factory. At the heart of the room, a theatrical open kitchen puts a custom parrilla grill, robata and charcoal oven at centre stage, highlighting the restaurant's 'flame-first' philosophy. Leading the charge in the kitchen are Executive Chef Kerry Lam (Koko at Crown, Calia Group) and Head Chef Haitham Richani (Gradi Group, Barmah Park Restaurant & Cellar Door, Hopetoun Tea Rooms; pictured below). Their menu draws from Japanese robatayaki, South American asado and Basque grill traditions — all delivered through a contemporary Australian lens. For the opening period, only a bar menu is available — this serves as a good hint at what's to come when the full menu launches. The tight, ingredient-focused selection features bites like blistered cast iron bread, smoky skewers and prime cuts of steak from Westholme and Mayura. The main event, however, will be the two- or three-course dining experience still to come, featuring premium ingredients like Abrolhos Island scallops and dry-aged MB9+ wagyu, as well as decadent desserts like a flamed and spiced rum baba. It's food that's both thoughtful and visceral — and a worthy new addition to Flinders Lane. [caption id="attachment_1008096" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Sonmez Photography[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1008094" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Sonmez Photography[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1008092" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Sonmez Photography[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1008091" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Sonmez Photography[/caption] II.II.VI is now open at 226 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. It's open Wednesday–Saturday, 5pm–midnight. For more information, head to the venue's website. Top image: Tim Sonmez Photography.
When Bros turns its attention to Hollywood's past with queer stories, and with gay men on-screen specifically, it doesn't hold back. A film starring and co-written by Billy on the Street, Parks and Recreation and Difficult People's Billy Eichner isn't going to bite its tongue, including about the poor record of LGBTQIA+ inclusion and representation in mainstream cinema. First, Eichner's character Bobby Lieber reflects on being asked to pen exactly the kind of feature that Bros is — a studio-made rom-com with two gay men as its leads, that's honest about queer life and love, and also broad in its appeal — with acerbic and hilarious results. Later, Bros digs into Hollywood's penchant for tragic queer tales, and for Oscar-bait performances by straight actors playing gay. The movie laughs, but it also hits its targets. Blazing a trail, yet being hyperaware that this'd be a better world if it wasn't: that's one aspect of Bros. The first-ever Hollywood rom-com about and starring two openly gay men, it's a film that does what nothing else has before and knows it. That feat is worth celebrating. So is the fact that Bros features an all-LGBTQ chief cast, another mainstream milestone. Just as worthy of praise and affection: that Bros is warmly and candidly entertaining and engaging, while still remaining unflinchingly authentic about the characters and culture it depicts, and clearly knowing that making viewers laugh and cheer is a rom-com's number one aim. It was filmmaker Nicholas Stoller, a veteran of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Five-Year Engagement and the Bad Neighbours franchise, that actually set Bros in motion — and approached Eichner to be involved. The pair had worked together on Bad Neighbours 2 and TV series Friends From College, but Eichner was still skeptical that a movie like this could and would ever happen. Thankfully for audiences, it has. In the process, it also adds a big-screen star turn and a nicely layered performance to Eichner's resume. He doesn't run around the New York City streets yelling about pop culture at people, but he does get opinionated on his character's podcast, and the feature is set in NYC. He does have Debra Messing pop up as well. Plus, Eichner gets to fall for — and also work through a swathe of conflicting feelings about — Luke Macfarlane's Aaron Shepard. The Brothers and Sisters and frequent Hallmark network star is another key part of Bros, and he's no one's mere hunky love interest. This is a pioneering film not just because it's about two gay men and hails from the big end of town in filmmaking circles, but also because it heroes complex gay characters living complicated gay lives. Visiting Down Under for Bros' Australian premiere, Eichner and Macfarlane chatted with Concrete Playground about making gay rom-com dreams come true, never thinking a movie like this could happen, and the rewards of genuinely reflecting their own experiences and community on the silver screen. ON GETTING THE CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY — AND HAVING A STORY TO TELL Billy: "I was shocked that he [Nicholas Stoller, Bros' director and co-writer] wanted to do it with me, and very flattered. And I said yes knowing that it was a huge and very rare opportunity, but also not having any idea if I had the skills to do it, or a story that was worth telling. But as it turned out, once I sat down at my laptop, 20-plus years of being an openly gay man and navigating the world of dating and relationships and all that, I had a lot to say. I didn't even realise it at the time, but I guess I had a lot bottled up that I wanted to get out — and this movie gave me the opportunity to do that in a funny and entertaining way, I hope." Luke: "I was sent a script — and part of the job of being an actor is reading scripts, and sometimes that's a challenge. But reading Bros was a total delight. I really remember laughing out loud, and being a little bit nervous because comedies have not been something I've done a lot of. But also just underneath all the comedy and the jokes, I really understood and responded and connected to this character of Aaron." ON NEVER EVEN THINKING THAT A MOVIE LIKE BROS COULD EXIST Billy: "It wasn't something that I was thinking about. I honestly think I wasn't sure if something like this could happen even. I thought maybe it could happen as an indie film, because historically that's where we were allowed to make movies like this, as independent films. And many of those are great, and we are very lucky to have them — and Bros wouldn't exist without decades of queer indie cinema paving the way for more mainstream queer content. But even so, when Nick [Stoller] and Judd Apatow, who produced it, when they said that they thought that Universal, a major studio, would want to make it, I honestly didn't believe them. I didn't think they were right. I was pleasantly surprised — really shocked — when Universal both wanted to make it and felt strongly that we do it as authentically as possible and with an all-LGBTQ cast. I was really, really surprised by that. And so, it's not really something I thought about because I didn't really think it was possible to produce at this scale." ON SEIZING AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY Luke: "The approach to every job as an actor is that you have to do your absolute best because they will take away the opportunity if you don't. So I can speak simply as an actor, I always try to give the best, but rarely do I connect as deeply with a character." Billy: "I think for all of us, we understood what a rare and unique experience it was, and we all wanted to bring our A game and do the best we can. Nick Stoller, who's directed many movies over the years and has been involved in many TV projects successfully, said he's never been with a cast that showed up to set and was more prepared. You don't sit there and think 'let's shoot a historic scene' or 'oh god, this scene has to be good because, you know, it's the first LGBTQ this or that'. But at the same time, we just all wanted to do a good job because we realised what a rare opportunity it was. And we wanted to give the LGBTQ community a movie that felt authentic to their experience, and give every audience — straight, gay or whatever it was — a movie that would make them laugh out loud a lot, and feel good about life." ON ENSURING THAT BROS IS AUTHENTIC ABOUT GAY LIFE, LOVE AND CULTURE Billy: "It just came down to wanting the movie to be an honest reflection of my life, and the lives of the gay and queer people that I know. Again, we didn't sit down and say 'let's write a historic movie'. You don't even sit down and say 'let's write a gay movie'. We just said 'let's write an honest movie, and a funny movie, and let the chips fall where they may, and hope that regardless of how familiar they might be with the inner workings of gay male dating and relationship culture in 2022, that the honesty would be impactful for all audiences'. And, that you could feel this when you're watching the movie. I think you can tell when a movie is lying to you. And, we wanted to give people something that was uplifting, and feel-good but still grounded and truthful. Honestly, our goal was just to make a laugh-out-loud funny movie. We didn't want to make a gentle dramedy about the gay male experience, and we didn't want it to be sad or tragic. We wanted it to be honest but ultimately a feel-good movie. We wanted it to be laugh-out-loud funny start to finish, and we also wanted to make sure that both of the central characters were multi-dimensional people — that they were both more than meets the eye. When you meet Bobby, when you meet Aaron, you might think they're a certain type of person or a certain type of gay man, but as the movie unfolds you realise there's a lot more for both of them going on underneath the surface — that they both have their moments where they're wrong, they both have moments where they're right, they have moments when they are flawed and hypocritical, they have moments when they are hilarious and triumphant and joyful. I think that reflects real life — that was our goal for the movie, to make sure that it was very rich and complicated and not one-dimensional or two-dimensional. Even if that made it a bit more of a complicated experience for the audience, we weren't just going to give them this kind of easy breezy rom-com that floats by without anything real going on. We wanted to give people a very rich experience." ON THE REWARDS OF MAKING BROS Luke: "You always want to play characters that are complex and multidimensional and have an arc. Just purely from an actor, and being rewarded and challenged by your part, that's exactly what you want — especially when the character is so close to who you are and the life that you live. So, I'm incredibly grateful that this script that was written, that is also very funny, was also very smart and kind of meant for smart audiences." Billy: "There's so much of it that's been so rewarding. We want the movie to be as relatable as possible to all audiences — straight and gay. That said, there hasn't been a tonne of representation in mainstream films for queer characters, for gay men, especially in comedies, and again movies that aren't tragedies, movies that aren't about the suffering of being gay historically, that are about modern gay people and the way we live our lives. And it's been really gratifying to hear and to be getting messages from people, especially queer men, and who in addition to thinking this movie is funny and entertaining, are having a real emotional response to it. It's just very impactful and very moving to see your life, or a version of your life that's at least a little closer than the ones you usually get — and certainly more than a movie about a straight couple might make you feel. As much as we love those movies, there is something unique and powerful about seeing someone from your community, someone that is dealing with the same types of things that you're dealing with on a day-to-day basis, when it comes to love and your own insecurities and vulnerability, seeing that reflected on a big screen especially. I think that's an experience we don't get a lot as gay men, especially in contemporary storytelling. And getting the messages I've received from gay men who've seen it, who've had a really emotional response to it, who said it really moved them in a way that was surprising and they weren't expecting that, has been really gratifying." Bros released in cinemas Down Under on October 27. Read our full review.
Every season, a new cocktail trend rolls into town. Often brightly coloured and served in a frou-frou glass, the excitement of a new-to-you cocktail is enough to whip any of us into a frenzy. But among the cocktails that come and go is one classic that never goes out of style: the highball. The classic whisky-based cocktail is one that everyone should have in their repertoire, and not just because of its simplicity. So, we've partnered with popular premium mixer brand Fever-Tree to give you a a proper rundown on the simple-yet-versatile drink. Better yet, to celebrate Fever-Tree's A-class dry ginger ale, we're spicing things up with a ginger highball recipe, too, so you can whip up one at home, then get reading. [caption id="attachment_743897" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HIGHBALL The exact origin of the highball is hotly contested. However, what we do know is that during the late-19th century, there was a phylloxera (a common insect pest of grapevines) epidemic that wiped out vineyards in Europe. So, wine and spirits like brandy and cognac became less readily available than they had been. This lead the wealthier classes, who used to mix brandy and cognac with carbonated water, to opt for blended scotch whisky with soda instead. And so, most would argue, the highball was born — although the name was yet to come. So, from where does the term 'highball' stem? One story goes that English actor EJ Ratcliffe brought the concept to America in 1894, where a bartender at the Adams House in Boston dubbed it a highball, due to the vessel in which it was served. Others have sworn the name is a throwback to an old American railroad signal. It is also thought that the name's origin could be Irish or British, with the term 'ball' being common for a glass of the amber liquor in Ireland and, more specifically, it served in a tall glass in English golf clubs throughout the late-19th century. As we said, this tasty tipple's history is anything but linear. [caption id="attachment_743100" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] FUN FACTS TO IMPRESS YOUR MATES WITH Two versions of the highball appeared in an American cocktail book called The Mixicologist in 1895. One under the name Splificator, which calls for whisky and naturally sparkling water in a 'medium thin glass'. According to lauded drinks writer David Wondrich, 'splificated' was Irish slang for drunk. The other drink was dubbed the High Ball, made with whisky or brandy and carbonated water. But over the years, the name highball stuck — and the rules for making one vary as much as the story of its invention. To make a highball, some say the whisky and ice needs to be stirred 13.5 times and soda water poured down the arm of the spoon. Others tell you to keep that spoon the hell away from it. Whisky highballs are so popular in Japan that it's become a top choice for punters. It's hardly surprising since Japan is known for its top-shelf whiskies. Plus, the drink's popularity is thought to be due to many Japanese people enjoying a drink with their meal, and sipping straight whisky doesn't have the same appeal as an ice-cold mixed bevvy. HOW TO MAKE A FEVER-TREE GINGER HIGHBALL Half the fun of mixing cocktails is putting your own spin on them. If you'd like to make your highball a bit more zingy, swap soda for ginger ale, which has become a common mixer for the tipple. By doing so you not only complement the whisky, but also add a more refreshing flavour into the mix. You can also look to shake things up by making yourself one of the many riffs on the ginger highball, such as the Whisky Buck and Mamie Taylor — both of which add lime juice into the equation. Whatever you decide, there are two ingredients that remain constant: whisky and ginger ale. Fever-Tree believes if three-quarters of your drink is mixer, you should only use the best. So, this recipe calls for one-part whisky to three-parts Fever-Tree Dry Ginger Ale. However, if you like your firewater more front-of-palate, simply use less mixer. Want to get even more creative? You can trial different garnishes, which means more taste-testing opportunities. INGREDIENTS 45ml Starward Two-Fold Double Grain Whisky (or the whisky of your choosing) 135ml Fever-Tree Dry Ginger Ale Plenty of ice Slice of grapefruit METHOD Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Pour in whisky, then slowly pour in Fever-Tree Dry Ginger Ale. With a bar spoon (or any long-handled spoon), gently stir the concoction. For a bit of extra zing, garnish with a fresh slice of grapefruit. Want to hear top Aussie whisky producers talk about their secrets to mixing up a good tipple? See Fever-Tree's video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itnMTytOJmM Keen to whip up a highball at home? Purchase Fever-Tree Dry Ginger Ale via the Woolworths website and get mixing. Top image: Trent van der Jagt
As Australia's drinks scene has boomed, so has a hardly surprising side effect, with more than a few independently owned breweries and distilleries getting snapped up by the big end of town. In fact, the latest development in this space sees not one, not two, but five indie names make the move to a beer behemoth — with Lion purchasing the Fermentum Group, which includes Stone and Wood, Two Birds, Fixation, Little Dragon and Sunly Seltzer. The sale sees the Byron Bay-based Stone and Wood, Melbourne labels Two Birds and Fixation, boozy ginger beer brand Little Dragon and hard seltzer Sunly Seltzer all join Lion's sizeable alcohol stable. Owned by Japan's Kirin Holdings, Lion also boasts beer labels such as James Squire, Little Creatures, Furphy, White Rabbit, Hahn, Tooheys, James Boag's, Malt Shovel, Eumundi and XXXX to its name — and, since 2019, 50 percent of Healesville-based gin distillery Four Pillars as well. Announcing the news on its website, Lion said that it has "huge respect for what Jamie Cook, Brad Rogers, Ross Jurisich and the team have created; great beer, wonderful brands, spiritual homes in their breweries and tap rooms, an inclusive culture and a commitment to the community. We want to grow what they've started, giving their people and beers even more reach across the country." In their own statement, the Stone and Wood trio of Cook, Rogers and Jurisich said that "earlier this year, we realised that we were approaching a major milestone in the development of Stone and Wood where we knew it was time to build a new brewery. After many months of working through how we were going to begin the next chapter in our story, the founding families decided it might be time to see if there was a custodian for the business who could grow the legacy, its people, its culture, its brands, and continue to drive the business whilst staying true to its purpose." [caption id="attachment_667510" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Two Birds, Simon Shiff[/caption] Part of the sale will see Lion support Stone and Wood, Two Birds and Fixation to go carbon neutral, and to also continue Fermentum's plans to build a new brewery in Murwillumbah. The deal comes nine months after Fermentum bought Two Birds' brewery, tap room and brands, as announced back in January. At the time of writing, the sale of Fermentum to Lion is still subject to regulatory approvals. For more information about Lion's purchase of the Fermentum Group of breweries, visit the Lion and Stone and Wood websites.
When summer arrives in Australia, everywhere becomes a cinema — or so it can seem. After spending winter watching movies indoors, including when festival season is in full swing, film lovers get their pick of outdoor spots to catch a flick. No one should go throwing stones at random but, if you did, it wouldn't be hard to hit an outside picture palace in Sydney and Melbourne when the weather warms up. One such movie-adoring mainstay is Sunset Cinema, which has locked in its return for the summer of 2024–25 (and for the end of spring and beginning of autumn in some locations). This time around, it'll set up its big screen in six places. Bondi Beach is the first — but seasons in Canberra, North Sydney, Wollongong and Abbotsford in Melbourne will also start before the year is out. Then, come January, it's St Kilda's turn. For Sydneysiders keen to watch a film with a beachy backdrop, you'll be heading to Dolphin Court at Bondi Pavilion again between Thursday, November 14–Saturday, December 21. The six-week season is fittingly opening with The Pool, the new documentary about Bondi Icebergs, before screening a mix of new, recent and classic titles Tuesday–Sunday weekly. On the list: Smile 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Gladiator II, Saturday Night and Wicked among 2024 releases; the retro likes of The Princess Diaries, Lords of Dogtown, the OG Freaky Friday, Finding Nemo, 500 Days of Summer, Dirty Dancing and Shrek; and Christmas viewing via Elf, The Holiday, Love Actually and Home Alone. Canberra's run stretches across Thursday, November 21–Saturday, February 22 at Australian National Botanic Gardens, with The Wild Robot, Memoir of a Snail, Paddington in Peru, Moana 2, Better Man and Kraven the Hunter on its lineup, plus festive fare and plenty of the same flicks as Bondi. There's no lineup out yet for Sunset Cinema's return to North Sydney Oval from Thursday, December 5–Saturday, March 15 — or for its Wollongong Botanic Garden stop across Thursday, December 12–Saturday, March 22. Also, there's no program or set location for Abbotsford's Thursday, December 5–Saturday, January 4 season or St Kilda's Thursday, January 9–Saturday, March 8 counterpart. Accordingly, watch this space. Whatever gets the projectors whirring at each site around the country, BYO picnics are encouraged, but the event is fully licensed, so alcohol can only be purchased onsite. Didn't pack enough snacks? There's hot food options, plus plenty of the requisite movie treats like chips, chocolates, lollies and popcorn. Sunset Cinema 2024–25 Dates Bondi Beach, NSW: Thursday, November 14–Saturday, December 21, 2024 at Dolphin Court Canberra, ACT: Thursday, November 21, 2024–Saturday, February 22, 2025 at Australian National Botanic Gardens North Sydney, NSW: Thursday, December 5, 2024–Saturday, March 15, 2025 at North Sydney Oval Wollongong, NSW: Thursday, December 12, 2024–Saturday, March 22, 2025 at Wollongong Botanic Garden Abbotsford, VIC: Thursday, December 5, 2024–Saturday, January 4, 2025, venue TBC St Kilda, VIC: Thursday, January 9–Saturday, March 8, 2025, venue TBC Sunset Cinema's 2024–25 season runs at various venues in New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory from November–March. Head to the Sunset Cinema website for further details.
After nine decades in operation, a disused mental institution in Massachusetts became a public art space as artist Anna Schuleit filled the empty rooms and corridors with thousands of brightly-coloured flowers. The temporary artwork, which was commissioned as a tribute to the building's emotive history, gave local residents a chance to remember and memorialise the work of the medical centre before it will be demolished to make way for new facilities. The artwork, called 'Bloom', filled a former children's psychiatric unit with white tulips, covered the basement floor with vivid green grass, blue African violets in the annex and orange tulips in one of the patients' treatment rooms. [Via This Is Colossal]
First, Lune perfected croissants, so much so that the Australian bakery chain is renowned for its flaky pastries all round the world. Then came giving cruffins, aka croissant-muffin hybrids, a spin. For Easter, the obvious next step followed: hot cross cruffins, for when you want a hot cross bun, but you're also hankering for a croissant and a muffin — and you don't want to have to choose. Lune's hot cross cruffins have been popping up annually for years, but 2025's batch is different. This time, they're made using the acclaimed bakery's signature croissant dough. You can also pick between two varieties this year, too: the OG and chocolate. Can't decide which one, after being unable to select between hot cross buns, croissants and muffins to start with? You can get mixed packs featuring both. The hot cross cruffins hit Lune's shelves at all stores on Monday, April 7 — so at Armadale, Fitzroy and the CBD in Melbourne; South Brisbane and Burnett Lane in Brisbane; and Rosebery and Martin Place in Sydney. You've only got until Easter Monday to enjoy them, however. Lune is open every day across the Easter long weekend from 8am, and will either close at each store's regular time or earlier if everything is sold out prior. Single hot cross cruffins cost $10.50 each — or, you can also order pre-order those aforementioned six packs for $63, but you can only do so until Friday, April 18, and only for collection at Fitzroy, Armadale, South Brisbane and Rosebery. If you're a fruit hot cross bun fan all the way, Lune's hot cross cruffins feature dried fruit, candied peel, mixed spice and brown butter mousseline. For chocolate lovers, you're getting hot cross cruffins made with cocoa choc-chip croissant pastry and chocolate mousseline. Each features a cross on top, of course, but only the chocolate version boasts a cocoa cross. Also worth noting: that Lune has just launched an ongoing loyalty program for pastry fiends. Lune's Easter specials are available until Monday, April 21. Head to the brand's website — or to its stores at Armadale, Fitzroy and the CBD in Melbourne; South Brisbane and Burnett Lane in Brisbane; and Rosebery and Martin Place in Sydney — for more details. Images: Peter Dillon.
Sometimes you just want to get away from it all. Luckily, New Zealand's watery borders are home to around 600 islands that offer a unique blend of peace and tranquility, stunning scenery and adventure too. Make a beeline for one of the accessible island escapes below. Time your visit right to avoid the crowds and you might even manage to have an island practically all to yourself. Here are five islands where you'll find wildlife reserves for spotting kiwi in their natural habitat and island dark sky sanctuaries perfect for stargazing up into the universe. [caption id="attachment_986097" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Matt Crawford[/caption] Stewart Island/Rakiura Off the southern coast of South Island lies New Zealand's third largest island, Stewart Island/Rakiura. Over 85 percent of the island is designated National Park land and unspoiled nature with rare wildlife is what to expect down here. Despite its size, settlement on Stewart Island is sparse and the only place to stay is in Oban (also known as Halfmoon Bay) where you won't ever be too far from the island's pristine natural environment. Getting to the southernmost island of New Zealand is an adventure in and of itself, with ferries serving as one of the main ways to arrive. If the thought of travelling by boat makes you feel queasy, you can always fly in too. [caption id="attachment_986589" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alistair Guthrie[/caption] Bay of Islands Just a three-hour drive or a 50-minute flight from Auckland is the Bay of Islands, a breathtaking destination where you'll discover sleepy towns that roll on to crystal-clear inlets, more than 144 undeveloped islands up for exploration as well as water activities and vineyards to fill your days. Roberton Island (Motuarohia) is a 20-minute boat ride from Paihia or Russell and is best known for its stunning blue water lagoons and snorkelling trail. The luxury Cook's Cove Retreat is one of five houses on the island that can be hired for overnight getaways. The eight-person resort is found in a peaceful private bay. From there you can bushwalk to historic Māori sites, explore underwater marine reserves, or set off via kayak from the private jetty. [caption id="attachment_986579" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott Venning[/caption] Great Barrier Island/Aotea Great Barrier Island (Aotea) is the fourth largest island in New Zealand. A 30-minute flight or four-hour boat ride from Auckland will bring you to the rugged wilderness where spectacular fishing, natural hot springs and first-class surfing spots await. Away from the light pollution of Auckland, the off-the-grid island is also one of four dark sky sanctuaries, and the only officially recognised island dark sky sanctuary in the world. [caption id="attachment_663062" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Miles Holden.[/caption] Waiheke Island An escape to New Zealand's Waiheke Island feels miles away from the bustle of central Auckland, though it's only a quick ferry ride from downtown. It's an island of varying landscape, with the turquoise-blue waters of the coast giving way to rolling green hills inland. This gives visitors endless options, too — from bushwalks and beaches to art galleries and, most notably, the plentiful wineries on offer. The whole island is easily explored by bus or bike, and trips from the vines of one winery to the next take only a traipse through the vineyard. Mudbrick is a standout, with stunning views back to Auckland city and top-shelf wines and dining options.You could spend a week here and still not hit all of the artisanal producers dotting the island. Join an art walking tour, try your hand at archery or distil your own bespoke gin, just to name a few things waiting for you on this wine island. Waiheke is the most densely populated island with over 8000 permanent residents. Kapiti Island This wildlife sanctuary off the Kapiti Coast is home to rare species such as the flightless takahē, white faced heron and kākā. You can visit the island for a self-guided day tour, or spend the night and enjoy local hospitality — while keeping an eye out for kiwi in their natural habitat. Kapiti is home to over 1200 little spotted kiwi, making it one of the most reliable opportunities to see them in the wild. There are three accommodation options including private glamping tents, native timber cabins and a Kiwi-style bach offering ocean views out across Waiorua Bay. Find your very own Aotearoa New Zealand here. Top image: Slipper Island Resort.
Vietnamese chef and restaurateur Kieu Phan has big plans for Australia. She already has eight restaurants scattered about Vietnam but plans to open three new sites in Melbourne and Sydney in the coming years. The first new venture Hoiana opened on Melbourne's Little Bourke Street in late 2023, bringing refined Vietnamese eats and live music to the Victorian capital's CBD. During the launch, Kieu Phan steps into the kitchen as Executive Chef, working alongside Head Chef Dylan McCormack (ex-Red Spice Road). The duo has created a menu that plays with classic Vietnamese dishes and French cooking techniques, culminating in something altogether contemporary and fun. And do expect some spice in these dishes. Phan has made sure not to water down the Vietnamese flavours for Aussie palates. Design-wise, the 80-seater restaurant features art deco stylings, paying homage to the surrounding buildings on Little Bourke Street and Hardware Lane. There's also room for regular live music performances at Hoiana, breathing even more life into the space. Soft jazz tunes can be heard out on the street, welcoming guests into the space. But Hoiana isn't all that Phan is working on. She already has plans to set up a second Melbourne restaurant in 2024. Francis Thuan, winner of this year's Chef of the Year award at the Vietnam Restaurant & Bar Awards, is already on board to run the kitchen at the new site. His restaurant Esta in Vietnam received a Michelin star in Vietnam's first-ever Michelin Guide this year, so big things are expected for this spot. On top of this, Phan is also working on a new Sydney restaurant. But we are yet to get any extra details on this one. In the meantime, Hoiana is the first piece to slot into place in Phan's Aussie restaurant puzzle.
The perpetual re-creation of urbanscapes amounts to copious waste. It's true that an abundance of recycling processes aims at diminishing resource use. However, they're often heavy on the energy consumption front. Consequently, designer Omer Haciomeroglu, in conjunction with Atlas Copco, has come up with 'ERO: Concrete De-Construction Robot'. It's programmed to pull apart reinforced concrete structures, so that they can be re-used in the construction of pre-fabricated concrete buildings. 'Today, operators manually control different sized demolition machines to smash and crash the concrete structure into dusty bits within the demolition location,' Haciomeroglu explains. 'All of these machines consume a lot of energy to operate. Water has to be sprayed constantly over the pulverised surfaces with fire hoses to prevent harmful dust from spreading around. After the work is done, big machines come and scoop the rebar and concrete mixture and transfer them to the recycle stations outside the city. There, the waste needs to be separated manually.' So, Haciomeroglu designed ERO to separate materials during the de-construction process, achieved through Hydro-demolition and Centrifugal Decanter technologies. This means that new concrete blocks can be created onsite. In the 2013 International Design Excellence Award (IDEA), ERO won First Prize in the Student Designs category. Haciomeroglu has studied design at California State University, Istanbul Technical University and the Umea Institute of Design, Sweden. 'As a developing designer I always look forward to being part of design teams that develop projects, concepts and products that will grant us, the humankind, valuable and entertaining vision of a better and sustainable future,' he explains. [via PSFK]
It turns out Melbourne's oldest licensed pub has a few new tricks up its sleeve, as The Duke Of Wellington gets set to unveil its very own rooftop bar next week. The CBD stalwart has expanded upwards with a total top-floor revamp, incorporating sweeping city views against a large-scale artwork by illustrator James Gulliver Hancock. The new sky-high setting is pitched to be a favourite for after-work adventures and weekend wind-downs alike, with its own snack-happy, share-focused menu and broad-ranging drinks lineup. Up here, enjoy bites like the Lygon Street-style lasagne croquettes, coated in garlic breadcrumbs and teamed with aioli — or 'The G' hotdog, best devoured with the stadium itself visible in the background. In a win for late-night snackers, the kitchen is open daily until late. The booze program is packed with a range of tap beers and both local and international wines, though you'll easily be tempted by the crafty seasonal cocktails. Among them, you'll find the Spellbound Smash — made with bourbon, orange bitters, blackberries, sage and thyme — and a spiced tequila and coffee number dubbed Café ala Mexicana. There's also group-friendly booths, plus six big-screen TVs for when a sports-watching session's on the cards. The Duke Rooftop Bar is set to open at 146 Flinders Street, Melbourne, on Friday, July 6. To be among the first to see it, RSVP here for the opening night party. Image Credit: Brook James
They both boast stars. They each look better when there's nothing else in your field of view. Darkness provides them both with their absolute best surroundings, too. We're talking about peering at space and hitting the cinema, two pastimes that are no strangers to combining — as IMAX Melbourne is celebrating with its Spacetember Film Festival. Screening across September 2025, this film fest is all about checking out space flicks on the venue's massive seven-storey-tall screen. On the lineup: classics, recent favourites and this year's releases. Obviously, 2001: A Space Odyssey is one such movie. When you're not communing with Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, whether for the first or 51st time, the IMAX 1570 version of Christopher Nolan's Interstellar is another of the fest's big drawcards — and it's playing with 75-plus minutes of sequences presented in full-screen IMAX. Screening dates and times vary across the fest from Monday, September 1–Tuesday, September 30; however, you can revel in footage from the moon landing with excellent documentary Apollo 11, ponder the heavens with Jordan Peele's Nope, revisit the Oscar-winning Gravity in 3D and hear screams from space courtesy of Alien: Romulus. There's also more extra-terrestrial-centric tales via Arrival, 3D kaiju battles courtesy of Pacific Rim and Bong Joon-ho's Mickey 17, the Parasite director's latest film. Or, go all in on upcoming Bond helmer Denis Villeneuve thanks to sci-fi sequel Blade Runner 2049, plus the spiciest double there is in the Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown)-starring Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two.
Masters of putting unlikely things together, Ikea, have kicked off a smart design initiative to connect thousands of homeless dogs with potential families. Shelters are overcrowded and homestarters want that little extra addition to their pad, so the US-based Animal Lovers League and Singapore's Save Our Street Dogs have teamed up with the Swedish furniture giants for a very simple marketing project. Dubbed Home for Hope, the campaign uses the ol' cardboard cut out routine in the best possible way. Home renovators wander through Ikea displays picturing every thoughtfully-placed item in their own abodes (we've all entertained 'friends' around an Ikea display kitchen once, right?), a state of mind the furniture heavyweights are harnessing with life-size cardboard cut outs of the adoptable dogs merrily chillin' out in the lounge room. Customers visualise themselves 'completing their home' with throw rugs, patterned curtains and kitchen blackboards, then attach the same sentiment to a scruffy little face. https://youtube.com/watch?v=tBka2eF4OAI Ikea's team headed to the involved shelters, photographed the homeless pooches and created life-size cardboard cut outs of legends like Momo, Lady and Pampam. Then the team went to work, perching the 'dogs' on lounge chairs, begging at dinner tables, snuggling at the end of beds. Shoppers can scan the QR codes on the cardboard dogs' collars to register their interest in adoption, with each scruffy mutt having their own bio and individual video on the Home for Hope website (watching dogs have their own photoshoots is actually The Best Thing Ever). Alongside Ikea, Home for Hope will work with other big furniture players like Grafunkt, Foundry, Commune, Journey East and Noden Collective. The idea was borne from a lack of budget and a subsequent need to market the poor pooches creatively. "Home for Hope was borne out of a pressing issue," the foundation says. "With a limited budget, most animal shelters can only afford to voice their messages using social media. Problem is, their followers are pet lovers, and most already own pets. Hence, adoption rates are low." Via Fast Co.Design.
Hop, skip and jump your way down to the National Gallery of Victoria for a first look at the latest installation work from acclaimed American conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner. Inspired by the game of hopscotch, Out of Sight is a 16-metre long participatory artwork built into the floor in front of the NGV's iconic waterwall. Aimed primarily at teenage visitors (because teens love hopscotch, don't you know?), the work is designed to make you think creatively about the direction of your life, and will incorporate the artist's characteristic text-based approach along with a short film featuring local high school students. "We're thrilled to be one of the first galleries in the world to stage Lawrence Weiner's newest work Out of Sight, which will also be presented in cities including New York, Houston, Chicago and Shanghai," said NGV director Tony Ellwood. "Out of Sight will explore the concept of uncertain futures with visitors encountering a number of different phrases and ideas as they move along the hopscotch." Out of Sight will be on display at NGV International from February 10 until April 17. Image: Libraryrachel.
Those cold weather blues don't stand a chance in the face of a hearty cheese meal, especially when it's Baby Pizza's limited-edition 'formaggio' feast. Launched this month, and back for a second year, the cheese-filled menu is here to warm you up (and give you many whacky dreams) over the cooler months. Start off with the likes of Sardinian-style puffed bread, loaded with oozy stracciatella, zucchini and red peppers — or a house-made olive focaccia teamed with a creamy taleggio dip. Further down the menu, you'll find plates of pumpkin and buffalo ricotta ravioli with smoked scamorza mousse and a four-cheese and 'nduja calzone. Oh, and the star attraction: spaghetti cacio e pepe served straight out of a parmesan wheel. It's extra cheesy, extra carby and will make you forget all about the dreary weather, immediately. Dessert gets the cheesy treatment, too, with offerings like a classic cannolo — stuffed with blue cheese, mascarpone, pistachio and honeycomb — and a more share-friendly whole baked wheel of brie with garlic, thyme and herb crackers for dipping. If you're making a night of it — and let's face it, with that menu, who isn't? — you'll also spy a couple of Italian wines, perfect for pairing cheese-heavy meals, including an Artigiano grillo from Sicily and a Montepulciano. The Formaggio menu is available daily to enjoy at your leisure — pop by for a couple of cheesy snacks, or settle in for a lavish dinner and potential cheese coma. Baby Pizza is located at 631–633 Church Street, Richmond. The Formaggio menu is available daily until the end of winter.
Michael Winterbottom and Steve Coogan, the team behind the cult favourites 24 Hour Party People and The Trip, are teaming up on the big screen again, this time presenting a biopic of the infamously rich British entrepreneur Paul Raymond in The Look of Love. Raymond, famous for opening Revue Bar in Soho and cultivating an empire built on the famous message 'sex sells', is portrayed by Coogan, who is perhaps a perfect fit given he once showered a topless model with £5000. The movie does much more than explore his world of erotica though, focusing on the King of Soho's personal relationships with the women closest to him and how he lost them on his way to gaining millions of pounds. The exploration of his life as a professional, husband, lover and father has already garnered acclaim, and whilst not everything Coogan touches recently has turned to gold, he seems to be onto a winner here. The Look of Love hits Australian screens June 27 and we have ten double in-season passes to give away, courtesy of Madman Entertainment. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Staircases are structures which most of us use everyday without a second thought. But like most pieces of design, a healthy dose of intelligence and inventiveness can always be injected. With a little creative flair, staircases can become the focal point of a room, a structure of dual purpose with storage capabilities, or even a type of artistic sculpture, which goes above and beyond and it's simple architectural function. Here are ten of the most innovative and incredible staircases in the world. Jagged Wooden Staircase This staggered staircase is a highly effective use of space as it not only includes storage areas within each step, but the size of the rise is also twice that of the run. Despite appearing somewhat dangerous, these stairs made by Swedish architects Gabriella Gustafson and Mattias Stahlbom are actually both comfortable and safe. Storybook Staircase Adding the spines of your favourite storybook classics to your household staircase is a fantastic and original way to add some flavour to an otherwise boring structure. Share your stair-climbing adventures with Tom Sawyer, Peter Pan or Mowgli to ensure you never have a dull ascent of the stairs again. Lello Bookshop Staircase This beautifully ornate staircase appears in the Lello Bookshop in Portugal. The smooth lines of the stairs and railings glide seamlessly over each other as they part and rejoin and fold over each other to create a magnificent grand staircase. Tate Modern Slide Staircase Carsten Höller is an incredibly unique designer who has undertaken many exciting and interactive projects such as flying machines, frisbee houses, and sliding staircases. The above photo depicts Höller's spiral staircase at the Tate Modern Exhibition in London as part of the Unilever series. Höller is interested in the spectacle of watching people spiral down these 'slides for adults', as well as the 'inner spectacle' one has as they hurtle down the delightful structures. Light Bulb Staircase Captured perfectly by Dennis Fischer, this staircase is a marvel of art, architecture and ingenuity. Bookshelf Staircase This white bookshelf staircase provides the perfect storage space for books and ornaments. Rather than having the awkwardly sized cupboard under the stairs or a wall of wasted space, this bookshelf is a much more effective and aesthetically pleasing solution of what to do with the area beneath a staircase. Void Staircase Chic, clean and seemingly floating in mid-air, this void staircase designed by Guido Ciompi provides a novel way for guests at The Gray Hotel in Milan to ascend and descend stairs. Whilst also providing its functional purpose, the staircase is a pioneering design that is becoming much more popular in residential settings. Spiral Staircase to Nowhere This spiral staircase in Munich goes exactly where its name suggests. Wall Stairs Not only an effective use of space, these wall spaces are also a clever way to block off upstairs areas from unwanted visitors. The disappearing staircase design from Aaron Tang arose when he was asked to 'define what a door was and could be'. Undulating Steel Staircase The fluid strips of hot-rolled steel in the flagship Longchamps store in New York City were designed by Thomas Heatherwick, who is renowned for his unorthodox solutions to architectural problems. Here, he aimed to attract shoppers to the above-street-level store through the striking steel strips flowing smoothly upstairs. Tansu Cabinet Staircase This organic staircase is a seamless integration of functional stairs with a wooden cabinet set. The structure assimilates perfectly to the warm decor of the room, thanks to the inspired design by Dan Morsheim from Dorset Custom Furniture. Flying Roller Coaster Staircase This roller coaster staircase is a a public art sculpture in Duisberg, Germany named 'Crouching Tiger and Turtle'. The intricate structure takes visitors on a wild spin - and pretty intense workout - over and around the steel and zinc construction to take in the sights of the surrounding area. We can thank Ulrich Genth and Heike Mutter for this innovative design, which took eight weeks to assemble.
According to the BucketFeet philosophy, "Art is not meant to hang in an expensive gallery, it is meant to travel and be seen." Why hang paintings on your wall when you can wear them in the street? BucketFeet, a Chicago-based company, sells artist-designed footwear. Every one of their products is a unique piece, envisioned by an artist and realised through ethical production methods. The artists involved collect royalties from every shoe sold. Launched in spring 2011, they're now selling in 12 countries, and the best news is, they've just hit Australian shelves. Co-founders Raaja Nemani (who doubles as CEO) and Aaron Firestein (chief artist) first met in Argentina, where Raaja was escaping the world of finance via extended international travel and Aaron was working as a photographer with a sideline in putting Sharpie to sneaker. "[Aaron] designed a pair of shoes for me that inspired a pair of shoes we later launched with BucketFeet called 'Cuadras', based on the city blocks of Buenos Aires," says Raaja, who went on to wear the shoes across six continents and gather the attention of footwear lovers at every stop. "I think what made the shoes special were the stand out colours he used, which you wouldn't necessarily think go together. They were so unique and original, and while I'm not the craziest dresser, I always like to wear a unique piece — usually a cool pair of shoes or a cool hat. Lately, it's been BucketFeet!" Now launching their SS14 line, they've clocked up more than 100 shoe designs by 70 artists. And those artists are a diverse bunch. "It doesn't matter where you're from or what social class you fit into," says Aaron. "For example, we have worked with artists from the favelas of Rio who work jobs as pizza delivery boys during the day and paint at night, just because they love it so much. We've also worked with people who get artwork commissioned by big companies like Disney, Dr. Pepper or Sony for their marketing campaigns. Art is the unifying factor and, if the person has talent, we want to work with them. Everyone's got a story." The artists involved earn US$250 upfront for their work and then $1 per pair of shoes as well as royalties for as long as the shoes are sold. The payment system is the same no matter how many shoes are sold, or through which channels. "On a global scale, our give-back is substantial," says Raaja. "More than the financial element, we drive awareness and exposure to our artists. We think this is more important than money. There's something to be said about applying artwork to shoes and then having a person walk around in those shoes. The art travels, it is seen by new people, and I think that is what matters most. To get into a pair of Bucketfeet, check out their website or their Australian stockists, Monster Threads.
Sustainability, eh? Everyone's talking about it, the hospitality industry is neck-deep in it, and it's scrutinised in everything from your stool to your salmon. Sustainability has never been more prevalent — or so necessary. We've seen the introduction of the Glacier 51 Toothfish (a regulated, safe way of farming the endangered Patagonian toothfish), free-range eggs from local farms such as Green Eggs become a regular on cafe menus and people like Joost Bakker start a new wave of sustainable design While it seems like every guy who can fry a fish is slapping the sustainable sticker on their offering, there are a few venues going past the first point of call and minimising their environmental impact in big ways. From inner-city rooftop worm gardens to laneway waste dehydrators, we have a look at five of the most sustainable venues in Melbourne. Silo by Joost This is the obvious one to top the list, but only because it's wildly in front of everyone else when it comes to waste minimisation. Eco-designer, entrepreneur and all-round sustainable guy Joost Bakker created Silo (as an offshoot of Perth's Greenhouse) with the intention of creating zero waste. And when he says zero waste, he actually means nothing. Suppliers deliver their goods in re-useable crates (the milk comes in a giant steel pail each morning), produce comes sans packaging and all food scraps are taken to the waste dehydrator that sits out in the back laneway. Silo also mill their own wheat (for fresh baked bread), hand roll their own oats (for maximum nutrition) and make their own yoghurt from scratch (for showing off, mainly). Delve into their processes and it's hard not to be impressed. Every element has been meticulously implemented and translates into one smooth (very sustainable) operation. 123 Hardware Lane, Melbourne, (03) 9600 0588, byjoost.com/silo Mesa Verde You might be familiar with Mesa Verde's tacos, but you probably weren't aware of their darling rooftop garden right next to Rooftop at Curtin House. But don't get too excited, because this garden (unfortunately) isn't for human social fun times — it's for the worms. As well as supplying the Mexican bar restaurant with the necessary herbs and special ingredients, the urban garden is also one of Melbourne's only rooftop worm farms. This ensures nothing goes to waste and you get some home grown coriander in your cocktail. Level 6, Curtain House, 252 Swanston Street, Melbourne, (03) 9654 4417, mesaverde.net Pope Joan Head out of the city to Brunswick East, where 'growing your own' is at the heigh of realisation. Pope Joan has been doing this for a while now, with chef Matt Wilkinson focussing on seasonal produce. Want to know what's going to be on the menu? Have a look at their on-site veggie patches, located in the sweet garden (which doubles as a outdoor dining area) and you can get a general idea. It's a 'paddock to plate' philosophy with a simplicity that makes Pope Joan one of the best. 75-79 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East, (03) 9388 8858, popejoan.com.au The Grain Store Another hidden urban garden can be found on the roof of The Grain Store. The Flinders Lane cafe has always placed emphasis on the importance of sustainable, locally-sourced produce, with much of theirs coming directly from Brunswick's CERES and other local providers. But chef Ingo Meissner also has his own private rooftop garden that he uses to grow cauliflower (for their cauliflower, quinoa and goji berry dish?), tomatoes and herbs. Apparently it's just a couple of vegetable boxes, but it's another notch on The Grain Store's impressive belt of wholesome success. 517 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, (03) 9972 6993, grainstore.com.au Taxi Kitchen They've undergone a re-branding and lost a bit of their fine dining finesse, but Taxi Kitchen (nee Dining Room) is still serving up sustainable food at the centre of town. Still located at the Transport Hotel, their green produce is picked straight from the green slopes of the Fed Square rooftop car park, which has been utilised as a pop up veggie patch for surrounding bars, restaurants and members of the public. So, there you go — even the most man-made thing in Melbourne can be environmentally sustainable. Level 1, Transport Hotel, Federation Square, cnr Swanston and Flinders Streets, (03) 9654 8808, taxikitchen.com.au
These days, it's not like you need much of an excuse to ditch your house, get out of town and do some exploring. But just in case, here's a great one: a luxurious overnight alpine hiking retreat has arrived in Victoria's high country. Combining a guided hiking tour with high-end glamping accommodation, the Get Outside Under The Stars experience is the latest premium offering from local tour crew Get Outside Melbourne. And, while the first run of dates this past March and April sold out quickly, bookings are now open for the next lot, kicking off in September — once the snow season wraps up. The new overnight retreat will see you spend two days hiking through stunning bushland near Mansfield, guided by seasoned experts and covering around 14 kilometres in total. The trails call for moderate fitness levels, with a few steep bits promising to get your pulse up. After the first day's hike, you'll head back to camp to enjoy a chef-prepared feast, matched local wines, and some down-time spent toasting marshmallows and mingling with your group around the fire pit. The rest of your evening is looking pretty luxurious, too, thanks to the plush glamping set-up featuring comfy queen-sized beds, roomy bell tents and proper bathroom facilities. The next morning, a sunrise yoga session will help fire up those muscles, and a fresh breakfast will fuel you up for the next hiking leg, which runs for about four hours. Groups for the Under The Stars experience are capped at a maximum of 14 guests, with prices starting from $539 per person twin share. Get Outside Melbourne started back in 2019, leading one-day hikes around the city — which are still on its agenda, should you feel like a wander without the overnight stay. The next edition of the Get Outside Under The Stars retreat will run from September 18–19. For more information, head over to the Get Outside Melbourne website.
For years, NSW residents looked through jealous eyes at other Australian states enjoying a multitude of extra public holidays that weren't afforded (NSW typically observes just 11 public holidays per year, while other states observe as many as 15), but now the tables have turned, thanks to a calendar loophole. On Sunday, NSW Premier Chris Minns announced that NSW residents are getting an extra public holiday for the next two years. Having announced the intention to explore it last month via press conference, Minns has confirmed that the Monday following ANZAC Day 2026 and 2027 would be a public holiday for NSW. Remembrance services will still fall on Saturday, April 25, 2026 — until this past weekend, only residents in WA and the ACT were being granted a public holiday on Monday, April 27. "NSW has fewer public holidays than other states. Some other states have already moved to having an additional public holiday when ANZAC Day appears on the weekend, and we're going to follow suit for 2026 and 2027," Minns said in a video posted to his social media accounts. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chris Minns (@chrisminnsmp) In the video, Minns acknowledges that this isn't a decision to mark the occasion with celebration, saying "[ANZAC Day] is probably the most important national day that we have". Minns also places faith in NSW to not abuse the holiday and its historical significance, adding, "I think NSW residents can, of course, be trusted with this public holiday in the sense that it won't detract from the solemnity and importance of the 25th of April." The response has been mixed, with RSL NSW members and business owners in particular not fully on board (though the former is still mostly in favour), hesitations acknowledged by the Minns government. Then there's the court of public opinion. One Facebook commenter on Minns' video wrote "NO! ANZAC Day is a day of remembering those who have fought and gave their lives for Australia. It is not just another long weekend." Another commenter added, "it would be a greater sign of respect for us to sacrifice one day of our weekend to remember the ANZACs' sacrifice," while a third pointed out public holidays aren't just a day off for some, asking pointedly, "not thinking about small businesses, families that rely on child care?" No ANZAC Day services will be impacted over the weekend, and for those who may be wondering, two-up will still be illegal on the Monday, and every day in the year other than April 25th and November 11th. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chris Minns (@chrisminnsmp) ANZAC Day will next fall on a weekend in 2032, so NSW residents will have a few years to consider how the changes impacted remembrance around the occasion before another opportunity arises. Hear Minn's full commentary on the new public holiday via his social media accounts. Image: iStock
"Why did you choose pizza? It must've been fate." They're the words of Yoshihiro Imai, a pizza chef in Kyoto, in the trailer for Chef's Table: Pizza — but for anyone who loves pizza, that dialogue could've been plucked out of your own head. No one just likes pizza. No one is just happy with one slice of it, either. If you adore pizza, you're all in. Pizza is dinner. Pizza is lunch. Pizza is breakfast, too. And, pizza is life. You mightn't really eat pizza for every single meal, no matter how much you'd like to; however, if you're fond of orbs of dough stacked with toppings, then baked in an oven, then Chef's Table: Pizza is serving your next streaming feast. The latest addition to the Chef's Table franchise, arriving on Netflix on Wednesday, September 7, it's set to dedicate its entire six-episode run to pizza and the folks who make it. Accordingly, viewers will watch pizza chefs cook up the beloved dish around the world, including in Portland, Phoenix and Minneapolis in the US; in Rome and Caiazzo in Italy; and in Kyoto, Japan. The latter is where the aforementioned Imai comes in, but he's joined by fellow pizza-cooking talents Sarah Minnick, Chris Bianco, Ann Kim, Gabriele Bonci and Franco Pepe. If you're a Chef's Table fan already, you'll know the format. Each episode hones in on a specific chef, and steps through their approach to cooking. The only difference here: everyone featured whips up pizza, whether opting for traditional slices or mixing things up. In the trailer, flowers even feature atop one pizza. Chef's Table: Pizza joins the franchise after five previous seasons focusing on a broad array of chefs — celebrating the stellar kitchen skills of talents such as Massimo Bottura, Francis Mallmann and even Attica's Ben Shewry, for instance — plus a four-episode instalment devoted to French cuisine, a four-chapter run that's all about pastry and another four-episode focus on barbecue. The usual advice applies while watching anything food-related, whether it's this, chef dramedy The Bear or everything in-between: eating beforehand or as you press play is clearly recommended. Obviously, this time you'll want to eat pizza. Already feeling your stomach rumble? Check out the trailer below: Chef's Table: Pizza will be available to stream via Netflix from Wednesday, September 7. Images: Netflix © 2022.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are various interstate border restrictions in place. Up-to-date information on restrictions are available at your state's health websites (click through for NSW, Victoria and Queensland). Of course, even border closures don't mean you can't start dreaming — bookmark this for when you can explore freely once again. It's not exactly news that connecting with nature has all sorts of benefits for your wellbeing. And, given what we've been through over the past year and a bit, there's probably never been a better time to get out and explore the natural beauty of our great land. One solution: pack your tent and sleeping bag, and embark on a multi-day hike. However, leaving the city behind doesn't mean you have to forgo every creature comfort. The new Sonos Roam is designed to take your backcountry adventure to the next level. Sleek, drop-resistant and waterproof, this lightweight, technology-packed speaker slips straight into your swag so you can soundtrack your day, dawn till dusk. [caption id="attachment_812488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] COOLOOLA GREAT WALK, QUEENSLAND Set on the Sunshine Coast between Noosa North Shore and Rainbow Beach, the Cooloola Great Walk spans the entire Cooloola Recreation Area and its wonderful landscapes. With the trek's total distance clocking in at 102 kilometres, you're going to need to set aside around five days to journey from end to end. But this strenuous hike is more than worth it, as you wind through lush rainforests, coastal woodlands and the stunning Carlo Sandblow. With the region's heathlands coming to life with spring wildflowers between August and October, now is the perfect time to start planning. [caption id="attachment_812482" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] YURAYGIR COASTAL WALK, NEW SOUTH WALES Linking a myriad of beaches, sandy tracks, lagoons and rocky outcrops, the Yuraygir Coastal Walk is ideal for those who want to fully appreciate Australia's rugged coastline. Stretching for 65 kilometres and considered around a four- to five-day hike, emu footprint signposts guide the way as you travel from the surfing hotspot of Angourie (pictured above) to the sleepy village of Red Rock, located about 40 kilometres from Coffs Harbour. As well as stunning coastal views for the duration of the hike, you'll also encounter endless opportunities to chill on the beach and listen to tunes in peaceful solitude. Head there between May and November and you'll likely see whales embarking on their annual migration. [caption id="attachment_812474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] TWELVE APOSTLES LODGE WALK, VICTORIA Don't want to embark on a hike that's going to leave you physically exhausted? The Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk is designed to keep you in luxurious comfort as you complete a 40-kilometre trek through the Great Otway and Port Campbell National Parks. Rather than struggling with your tent poles in the cold, you'll be whisked away at the end of each day to a private eco-lodge situated on Johanna Beach. You and your fellow hikers will feast on a sumptuous meal prepared by the live-in chefs, before enjoying a glass of wine in the spa, where you'll rejuvenate your weary legs in style. [caption id="attachment_812490" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] GOLD COAST HINTERLAND GREAT WALK, QUEENSLAND Stretching 54 kilometres from the tiny town of O'Reilly to the Springbrook Plateau, the Gold Coast Hinterland Walk is a stellar way to spend three days off the beaten track. Leaving from the renowned O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat — where we recommend spending a comfy night before you hit the trails. On the hike, you'll explore the species-rich Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area of Lamington and Springbrook Plateaus via the scenic Numinbah Valley, as well as the ancient volcanic landscape of the Tweed Volcano which offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountain range. Upon delving back into the rainforest, you'll be guided into Springbrook via a network of tranquil streams and waterfalls. Celebrate your journey by uncorking a bottle at one of the nearby wineries. [caption id="attachment_812483" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] GIBRALTAR-WASHPOOL WORLD HERITAGE WALK, NEW SOUTH WALES Get amongst New South Wales' Northern Tablelands by completing a challenging 45-kilometre loop that links the Gibraltar Range and Washpool National Parks, part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. With around three full days needed to finish the journey, there's no need to rush your way through eucalyptus forests, granite tors and impressive falls. You're going to want some waterproof footwear as there are marshy streams and hidden waterfalls to navigate throughout the hike. Make sure you also pack some binoculars, as the region is also known for its endangered bird species. [caption id="attachment_812489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] K'GARI (FRASER ISLAND) GREAT WALK, QUEENSLAND Multi-day hikes don't come much more scenic than this 90-kilometre journey across K'gari (Fraser Island). With the full distance taking most people around six to eight days, this relatively relaxed trek exploring the world's largest sand island is punctuated by overnight stops at many of its most beautiful sites, including Lake McKenzie, Lake Wabby and Wanggoolba Creek. You'll want to stay alert as things do get pretty remote when you head deep inside inland tropical rainforests before you eventually return to the pristine coastline at Dilli Village. Along the way, though, you'll be rewarded with incredible scenery and ever-changing landscapes including coastal heathland, mangrove forest, woodland and rainforest along the way. [caption id="attachment_812480" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Don Fuchs; Destination NSW[/caption] NEW ENGLAND WILDERNESS WALK, NEW SOUTH WALES Consider yourself a serious hiker? The New England Wilderness Walk might just be the challenge you've been waiting for. Although it's only 33 kilometres in length, it's regarded as one of the toughest hikes in the region due to its rough, unmarked track, and quad-burning gradient. Best completed across three days, you'll descend over 1000 metres from the lofty New England Tableland down towards the edge of the Bellinger River. Along the way, you'll make several river crossings and wander through long-abandoned farms and stock houses. If you're feeling extra adventurous, you can extend your trek and canoe or kayak down the river from Cool Creek Crossing. [caption id="attachment_812473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] WALLABY TRACK, VICTORIA Rolling countryside, volcanic hills, built heritage and mineral spas — the 52-kilometre Wallaby Track will definitely not bore you. Beginning in artist Norman Lindsay's hometown of Creswick and ending at Lake Daylesford, this three-day hike takes in a variety of terrain and elevations. Make your way through imposing forest and airy farmland, before walking next to an abandoned 19th-century railway track, which is still the longest timber track in the state. The home stretch sees a gradual uphill give way to a sharp descent and then a tough ascent, before you reach the blissful Lake Daylesford. Extend your stay and unwind in one of the restorative mineral spas in the area. Find out more about the new Sonos Roam at the official website. Need some tunes to soundtrack your stroll? Check out the all-Aussie playlist, curated by Concrete Playground, below: Top image: Destination NSW
Look, doo-wop, funk and punk don’t normally go hand in hand at first glance, however somehow King Khan & BBQ Show manage to pull it off in a flurry of fun and sweat. Canada’s Mark Sultan and Arish Ahmad Khan were formally part of Spaceshits, and actually split up King Khan & BBQ Show in 2010 at the Sydney Opera House. Thankfully this wasn't a long-term grudge situation and they have since returned in 2013, releasing their fourth studio album Bad News Boys in March. For something a little out of the ordinary and hip-thrustingly danceable, head along to their Splendour sideshow.
