The local legends behind home-spun Preston bar Hard Rubbish have put out an invitation to all the like-minded aspiring publicans of Melbourne. They're giving away their Plenty Road venue — for free. Having clocked up 6.5 years at the wheel and earned themselves a loyal crew of regulars along the way, owners Charlotte Tizzard, James Tizzard and Katie Smith have decided it's time to pass the baton onto some new faces with the time and energy to steer the bar into its next phase of life. They're not out to make bank off it either. Instead, the trio is offering up their venue free of charge, mainly "because f*ck capitalism", but also so that they and their community can help choose who gets to take the reins from here on out. If you're sitting asking yourself, "what's the catch?", you're probably not alone. So, the Hard Rubbish folk have published a handy guide talking through what they're doing, why they're doing it and exactly how you can apply to be the bar's next head honcho. Basically, while the bar itself is being passed on for free, the new owner will have to take on the payments of its rent, utilities, suppliers and all that jazz, which means demonstrating an ability to handle covering those costs for at least the first few months. It's also a package deal as far as the current staff goes, who the owners describe as being "the reason this place is what it is" — they'll all need to stay on and they'll get a big say in who ends up being their new boss. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hard Rubbish (@hardrubbish_bar) The biggest condition of all, though, is that whoever takes on the task will need to keep this northside drinking destination as cool, laidback and loveable as it always has been. Slick, brightly-lit wine bars and Degani cafes are strictly forbidden. The Hard Rubbish crew are inviting eager prospective bar owners to apply by emailing through a proposal before Saturday, October 15, calling especially on existing regulars and any hard-working folks who have "a cool vision" for the bar's future. Applicants will need to answer a few questions and respond to key criteria to help determine whether they're a good fit, considering things like which direction they'd take the drinks menu in, what hours they'd plan on trading, and what their immediate and long-term vision is for the bar's aesthetic. Shortlisted proposals will then be presented at a Q&A session for locals in November. Find Hard Rubbish at 670 Plenty Road, Preston. If you're keen to be its new owner, check out all the details on the website and email your proposal to Hardrubbishbar@gmail.com.
On the big screen, the Jurassic franchise keeps finding a way. After 1993's page-to-cinemas hit Jurassic Park proved such a smash, more movies were always going to follow. So spawned sequels in 1997 and 2001, then the first three Jurassic World flicks in 2015, 2018 and 2022 — and now there's a fourth of the latter on the way in 2025. But it isn't just on screens that this saga continues to pop up. Welcome to ... your latest reason to be surrounded by lifelike prehistoric creatures in 2024, Melburnians. After roaring into Sydney in 2023, and teasing a trip further south since early this year, Jurassic World: The Exhibition has opened in Brunswick. Head to The Fever Exhibition Hall from Friday, August 2 and you'll feel like you've been transported to Isla Nublar, complete with a walk through the big-screen saga's famed gates. From there, you'll mosey around themed environments featuring life-sized versions of the movie franchise's dinos, including a brachiosaurus, velociraptors — yes, get ready to say "clever girl" — and a Tyrannosaurus rex. Attendees can get roaming while staring at animatronics, including the new ankylosaurus and carnotarus. Also linking in with the animated Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous series, there's baby dinos, such as the show's Bumpy. Now, all that's left is to decide which Jurassic franchise character that you want to emulate (the best choices: Laura Dern's palaeobotanist Ellie Sattler, Sam Neill's palaeontologist Alan Grant and Jeff Goldblum's mathematician Ian Malcolm, of course). And no, when Michael Crichton penned Jurassic Park in 1990, then Steven Spielberg turned it into a 1993 film, they wouldn't have expected that this'd be the result 31 years — and five more movies — later. It's been a great time to fascinated with dinosaurs over the past few years — we've seen two seasons of Prehistoric Planet on streaming in 2022 and 2023, too, and Melbourne is currently temporarily home to the largest and most-complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever seen in Australia. Jurassic World: The Exhibition arrives as part of a global tour, after a showcase with the same name displayed in Melbourne back in 2016; however, the new visit comes after stops everywhere from London, San Diego, Paris and Madrid to Seoul, Shanghai and Toronto. Jurassic World: The Exhibition displays in Melbourne from Friday, August 2, 2024 at The Fever Exhibition Hall, 62 Dawson Street, Brunswick — head to the exhibition's website for tickets. Images: Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment.
Already in 2021, fans of the DC Extended Universe — the interconnected franchise that started with Man of Steel, and also includes Wonder Woman and its sequel, Aquaman and Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) — have sat down to watch an extended new version of Justice League like it's still 2017. Next on the series' viewing list: The Suicide Squad, the confusingly named sequel to 2016's Suicide Squad (because no one has challenged themselves thinking of the upcoming flick's title). Margot Robbie (Dreamland) returns as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman (The Secrets We Keep) does the same as Rick Flag and Australian actor Jai Courtney (Honest Thief) also makes a comeback as Captain Boomerang. As the government agent overseeing this band of world-saving supervillains, recent Oscar-nominee Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) is back as well. But don't expect to see the rest of their original costars this time around. A new group of nefarious folks joins Harley and the gang, including Idris Elba (Cats) as Bloodsport, John Cena (Playing with Fire) as Peacemaker, Peter Capaldi (The Personal History of David Copperfield) as Thinker, Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island) as Blackguard and Sylvester Stallone (Rambo: Last Blood) as the voice of King Shark. Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit) has a yet-to-be revealed role, and Guardians of the Galaxy alums Michael Rooker and Sean Gunn show up, too — which makes complete sense given that GotG filmmaker James Gunn is behind the lens and has also penned the screenplay. By hiring Gunn, DC is clearly looking for his sense of humour, as well as his lively and OTT style. In the just-dropped first trailer for The Suicide Squad, all of the above is on display. So yes, if it feels more in line with goofier Marvel Cinematic Universe flicks than most of DC Comics' big-screen output, there's an obvious reason for that. When the film hits cinemas Down Under on August 5, it'll initially head to Belle Reve prison, where supervillains are kept. Asked by Task Force X to participate in a secret mission in exchange for time out of incarceration, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, Blackguard and their pals are more than willing to help. Their job: travelling to the island of Corto Maltese on a deadly quest. It's dubbed a suicide mission in the trailer, because of course it is. Check out The Suicide Squad trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1EbSXxrZ34 The Suicide Squad releases in cinemas Down Under on August 5.
Once, Ned Kelly and Mark "Chopper" Read called it home. Soon, a microbrewery, pub, 15-screen cinema and apartments will do just that instead. Yes, the times are certainly a-changin' at Coburg's Pentridge Prison, with 2017 marking 20 years since the site stopped its incarceration operations — and also marking the first time they're throwing a two-day festival. What was formerly Victoria's longest running gaol will host an all-ages fest filled live music, market stalls and food trucks on April 8 and 9, in what is hoped will become a yearly event. Attendees keen to get a dose of the facility's past can break up the eating and tunes with hourly tours of the prison's B Division, exercise yards and solitary confinement cells. Music-wise, the lineup features local acts such as Big Words, Cumbia Massive, Billy Davis and Funkalleros, while meals on wheels will be served up by Mr Burger, Beatbox Kitchen, Pasta Face, White Guy Cooks Thai and Billy Van Creamy, among others. Indeed, the fest has lured the likes of Zero 95 and Fancy Hanks to turn into food truck vendors for the event, treating visitors to their tasty fare beyond their usual four walls. It wouldn't be an outdoor food festival without picnic rugs aplenty — with everyone in the vicinity encouraged to hang out on the grass in the Pentridge piazza — or a beer garden bringing some booze to the celebration. Best of all, the event is free. Unlike the site's residents from times gone by, you won't want to leave. Pentridge Festival takes place at Pentridge Prison, Coburg on April 8 and 9. For more information, visit pentridgecoburg.com.au.
The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art keeps on sparking innovation with their latest exhibition, Crescendo. Showcasing seven distinct projects that explore the intersection of film and music, ACCA has reaffirmed its status as one of the country's most daring contemporary institutions. While the form of the works differ, from projection to installation, all pieces on show seem to be somewhat dark and unsettling in their exploration of a distinctly European side of history and humanity. Each creates a claustrophobic and completely experiential world for its audience. In Nummer veertien, home, Dutch artist Guido van der Werve embarks on an epic journey across Europe to bring soil from Chopin's homeland to his grave in Paris. The resulting film is powerful and affecting in its exploration of history, pain and myth. Similar themes are present in Ana Torfs' work Anatomy where she unearths testimonies from the 1919 murder trial of German communist party founders Dr Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg — enlisting the help of young actors, she recreates their final hours and films the performance at Berlin's eerie 18th century Anatomical Theatre. Other international artists whose work is on show include Dorothy Cross, Rodney Graham, Markus Kahre, Hans Op de Beeck, and Julian Rosefeldt. Crescendo will be on exhibition at ACCA till March 2, 2014.
Morris Jones, one of Windsor's popular restaurant-bar hybrids before closing for renovations earlier this year, has thrown open its doors again — as something a little different to what it was before. The restaurant has had a facelift, a full body reconstruction and learnt another language, too — the new version focuses on both Japanese and Californian dining. Founder Hayden Burbank wants Windsor – and the rest of Melbourne – to get to know Morris Jones all over again. "It wouldn't be Morris Jones if we didn't continue to innovate, elevate and keep it fresh," Burbank says. And fresh it is, both in terms of food and fit-out. Morris Jones 2.0 now plays host to three different bar areas – there's the central bar with a sushi station, an open-air courtyard bar and a secretive concealed "attic" bar, to be launched later on in the year. Responsible for the new look is designer Alex Zabotto-Bentley, director of AZBCreative, who has combined marble, black and bone décor with plenty of vines and foliage. Art featured throughout the restaurant is by local and international artists and curated by Zabatto-Bentley together with David Bromley. Now, to food: head chef Matthew Butcher has combined elements of Japanese cuisine with Southern Californian dining. Try crab nachos made with uni (sea urchin) queso and dashi, or a sweet braised short rib with kelp caramel mustard and watercress. Alongside these creative dishes are a range of dumplings and sashimi. Adventurous eaters will do well here, as will sushi lovers – but so will vegetarians (hello, leek, tofu and white soy dumplings). And to wash it all down? Specialty Japanese beers on tap, a whole bunch of tequila, mezcal, sake and cocktails — including he Yuzu Pina Colada, which combines yuzu sake, coconut cream and vodka. All this innovation, Burbank thinks, points to the fact that Melbourne and California share "many parallels". "[Melbourne] isn't afraid of having fun and making a splash," he says about the city. Fun and splashes seem high on the agenda, here – and judging from the sea urchin nachos alone, we think the re-opening will manage both. Morris Jones is now open at 163 Chapel Street, Windsor. It's open Tue–Thu 4pm–11pm and Fri–Sun 12pm–1am. To make a reservation, call (03) 9533 2055. Images: Kristoffer Paulsen
In one of the most significant wins for the Victorian music scene in years, live music venues are about to get the protection they deserve from their neighbours. After long, (in some cases fatal) setbacks for venues, the Victorian Government is going to implement the Agent of Change policy, which will protect venues from the noise complaints and residential development issues that have seen many a beloved spot closed down (even if for a spell, like The Tote). The glorious news comes amongst a swag of new legislative reforms implemented by Victorian Planning minister Matthew Guy this week, as reported by The Age. Minister Guy noted the changes will protect venues from newly-moved-in neighbourly complaints on constantly targeted venues, instead putting responsibility in the hands of these newbies and their property developers to front the cash for soundproofing. Genius. Under the new rules, if you're living within 50 metres of a live music venue in Melbourne, you or your landlord will be responsible for reducing the severity of the noise, not the venue. That again, not the venue. And because the State Government are being total legends, they're putting $500,000 funding toward helping older joints (especially heritage-listed venues) make their set-up that little bit more soundproof. The team at Cherry Bar must be simultaneously stoked and facepalming, after they managed to pull together a whopping crowdfunded $50,000 to cover the soundproofing at their threatened alleyway venue. "This means beloved pubs and clubs that are home to live music in Victoria will not be forced to close due to noise complaints from those in new apartment buildings or new houses next door," said Guy. "This is by far and away the strongest planning regulatory reform in Australia that protects existing live music venues." Apart from the funding and the diversion of responsibility, there's still a best bit. Noise complaints from neighbours can't actually force a venue to close. BAM. Can't do it. Smaller venues (under 500 square feet) who have to wear the same restrictions as the big guns will be covered too, with a few new amendments in the works. Via The Age, Tone Deaf and Pedestrian. Image via The Prince Bandroom.
Before the division, Terry Hooley (Richard Dormer) was a popular man. But then his native Belfast bitterly split along sectarian lines, leaving the gregarious but staunchly apolitical Hooley to his own devices. He's DJing to nobody at a sad bar surrounded by barbed wire and run by the baleful Pat (Dylan Moran) when he finds a kindred soul in outsider Ruth (Jodie Whittaker). Emboldened by the support of Ruth, Dooley then decides on a whim that what his ailing city needs is a record store and he borrows over his head to set up the shop on a street famously known as the most bombed in Europe. Despite its perilous location, Hooley's boundless enthusiasm for the soothing power of music proves infectious and he watches in delight as it becomes a real cultural hub, quickly expanding into a record label as the city's burgeoning punk scene sparks into life. It's hard to think of another film which captures the fervour of discovery of music as thrillingly as Good Vibrations. You'll be won over by this scrappily loveable ode to the energy and abandon of punk rock. Read our full review here. Good Vibrations is in cinemas on June 12, and thanks to Curious Distribution, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=SE17U5ML9dQ
Byron Bay is a standout spot. An iconic holiday destination for Aussies and celebrities alike, the coastal town draws crowds year-round with its gorgeous beaches, thriving wellness scene and bottomless good vibes. Byron does, however, get a bit crowded in the summertime. Escape the summer crowds and embrace the peace and quiet of Byron Bay during winter instead. Enjoy long walks on the beach, scenic hikes in the hinterland, and indulge in a laid-back lifestyle designed to unplug you from the fast-paced nine to five, a lifestyle that makes this town a special spot. We've teamed up with Crystalbrook Byron to give one lucky CP reader and a plus one that very getaway. Embrace the beauty of northern NSW with a stay in the luxurious Crystalbrook Byron — which is offering a special treat for anyone that's in need of a break, an intimate winter getaway for you and a plus one that includes: two nights of accommodation in a luxe suite, daily breakfast in Forest Byron Bay, complimentary bubbles, $500 spa credit in Eléme Day Spa and return flights from your home city. All that comes out to quite a lovely experience in one of NSW's loveliest towns. And if you fancy a return visit, you can join the Crystalbrook Crowd to get 20% off bookings until Saturday, September 30. To enter this giveaway, all you need to do is complete the form below. [competition]904144[/competition]
Beers with ramen. Beers with music. Beers with burgers and board games and bowls. Yes, Good Beer Week is upon us, and, as always, our stein runneth over. Bookended by free parties on opening and closing night, this year's boozy brouhaha features more 270 events at venues all over town. Hope your boss doesn't mind you coming into work with a hangover. Foodies will be enamoured with an array of gastronomic options, including dinners and degustations at such culinary institutions as Le Bon Ton, Fancy Hanks, Babu Ji and Milk the Cow. As it turns out, there isn't much that doesn't go well with an ice-cold beer. Or, preferably, several ice-cold beers. You'll also find plenty of ways to keep yourself entertained, from trivia nights to block parties to a circus show at Hawkers Brewery. We just hope the acrobats stay off the piss. Image: Simon Shiff.
Semi-Permanent is the leading global design event, a creative experience by creatives for creatives. The design world descends on Darling Harbour each year and for 2 days the Sydney Exhibition Centre becomes a showcase for the cream of the world's design, art and media communities. Now in its ninth year of bringing together interesting speakers with interested audiences, this year's speakers are continuing the trend of exceptional local and international speakers, including musician/artist Reg Mombassa, designer Annie Sperling, photographer Corey Arnold and illustrator Kelly Thompson. We're partnering with Semi-Permanent again this year and have 5 x two-day passes to give away (worth $310 each). To win, simply subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. Entries close Tuesday, 10th May at 5pm. You won't want to miss out.
Sydney is currently experiencing a wave of new hotel openings. From the sleek-as-hell Ace Hotel and the lavish Capella Sydney to exciting upcoming openings like the forthcoming W Hotel, the Harbour City is awash with flash new accommodation providers. On top of all of this, a five-star Sydney favourite has just received a multimillion-dollar transformation with heritage CBD hotel Swissôtel unveiling its new look, Euro-influenced rooftop pool and grand lobby bar. Both the bar and pool are located high in the sky, nestled among Sydney's high rises. Enter the hotel from Market Street and head up to level eight to find Arches On Market, a no-holds-barred dining and drinking experience within the building's pre-existing 1930s lobby. A luxurious fit-out has brought new life to the space, and an award-winning chef now heads up the kitchen, serving up a selection of finger food and bar snacks. Take your pick from intimate booths, relaxed lounge seating and the more formal dining space, or take a seat at the eight-metre-long Calacatta marble bar where you can really analyse the cocktail list with the bartenders to determine the beverage your heart truly desires. On the drinks menu, you'll find the signature martini served straight out of the freezer and garnished depending on your preference, as well as sours, cobblers and a twist on an Old Fashioned. Executive Chef John Giovanni Pugliano has pulled together a snack menu that will have you cancelling your dinner reservations elsewhere. Oysters, finger sandwiches, goats cheese and caramelised onion croquettes, prawn cocktails and pork terrine all make appearances alongside caviar and mandarin cheesecake. These vibrant cocktails and stellar eats are all calling to be enjoyed poolside, and hotel guests are in luck with the Arches fare available at the new rooftop pool. This inner-city oasis now boasts built-in cabanas and sun-soaked day beds, as well as booths set up to accommodate a spread of snacks from the lobby bar. Pristine white pool club-style walls surround the timber deck, giving the sky-high swim spot a sense of privacy without shutting it off from the sun and the surrounding skyline. The new-look 369-room hotel and all of its fresh amenities are open now. Rooms start from just over $350 a night and include access to the Ten Stories restaurant, Arches on Market, the rooftop pool and the wellness and spa facilities, all in the heart of the Sydney CBD. Swissôtel Sydney is located at 68 Market Street, Sydney. Restaurant images: Steven Woodburn
The great streaming service rush, when new platforms seemed to appear every few weeks or so, is a few years in the past. Australia might still be scoring another spot to watch TV shows and movies, however — and it's a hefty one. It looks like Max, HBO's own dedicated streamer, is exploring launch Down Under, and soon. In fact, you might be watching The Last of Us, The White Lotus and Euphoria on it when they return for their next seasons. All three HBO hits are due to make a comeback in 2025, which is also when it's suspected that Max will arrive in Australia. At present, the US network's shows largely screen and stream to Aussie viewers via Binge and Foxtel. When the former launched, boasting HBO's catalogue was one of its big selling points. The deal between Binge, Foxtel and Warner Bros Discovery — which owns HBO — was extended in 2023, but it was reported at the time that Max might debut in Australia from 2025. That timing is now popping up again, with Bloomberg noting in early March that "Max will expand into new markets, including France, Latin America and Australia, in the next 18 months". Speaking at the Morgan Stanley 2024 Technology, Media & Telecom Conference also in early March 2024, Warner Bros Discovery CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games JB Perrette mentioned Max expansion plans, naming Australia as a market. "If you think about other markets, like two big Anglo markets — UK and Australia — our content travels extremely well," he said. "We know how well our content does on both existing legacy platforms, and it drives a significant amount of the viewership." "So the demand is there, and there's unquestionably easy access, because ultimately we don't have a huge amount of local originals we have to invest in. There's not a lot of other costs. And so those are markets where we are very confident — we have high confidence we can actually meet the criteria of being successful in a relatively short period of time after we launch," Perrette continued, without referencing a timeframe. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that sources advise that Max could launch in Australia 2025's first three months. Originally named HBO Max, Max debuted in America in 2020, and has been rolling out through Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of Europe since. Moving HBO's catalogue away from Binge and Foxtel would impact a huge number of shows, with the network also behind House of the Dragon and any other Game of Thrones spinoffs that make it to fruition, True Detective, And Just Like That..., The Rehearsal, upcoming The Batman spinoff The Penguin and the also-on-the-way IT prequel series that's currently called Welcome to Derry — to name just a few series that are on their way either back or for the first time. HBO's past original programming spans everything from The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire, Oz, Deadwood, Big Love, True Blood, Big Little Lies, Westworld and Succession to The Larry Sanders Show, Sex and the City, Flight of the Conchords, Bored to Death, Girls, Veep, Barry and Enlightened. Check out HBO's 2024–25 roundup trailer below: Max doesn't yet have a launch date in Australia — we'll update you when any details are announced. Via Bloomberg / Sydney Morning Herald. Top image: Macall Polay/Max.
Amar Singh, the legend behind some of Sydney and Melbourne's most forward-thinking Indian restaurants, has just opened his new eatery Bibi Ji on the Carlton end of Lygon Street. Much like Daughter-in-Law in Chinatown, Bibi Ji is home to Singh's much-loved brand of 'inauthentic' Indian food. Inspired by street food snacks in India, but reimagined for a contemporary Australian audience, Singh's dishes are all about big flavours served up in an easy-to-share manner. To start, for example, you'll find the likes of a vegan chutney platter, spicy chicken bites, zingy dahi puri among a heap of other snacks. You could easily treat Bibi Ji like an alternative sip-and-snack bar, stopping by for a few drinks paired with reimagined street eats. But it would be a shame to miss out on the extensive list of curries. On the menu, you'll find Aussie staples like butter chicken and tikka masala, plus plenty of lesser-known options, most of which are vegetarian. Beyond the curries, tandoori chicken cooked on the bone, lamb seekh kebab, achari prawns and paneer tikka are streaming out of the in-house tandoor oven. A healthy selection of classic and Indian-inspired cocktails and mocktails is available, as well as a long list of beers, whiskies and wines. When it comes to vinos, you can expect an entirely Victorian selection that covers your usual suspects as well as a few natty options. Design-wise, Bibi Ji could not be more different than the space's previous occupant, Cafe Notturno, which was there for an impressive 45 years. Now, the 80-seat Indian diner is fully embracing the more-is-more aesthetic. The ceilings are covered in a kaleidoscope of draped fabrics, the walls are either tiled, mirrored, or covered in bright paintings, a few big birds of paradise plants are dotted around the restaurant, and the bar is a symphony of colourful tiles, marble, and shimmering plastic garlands. It's hard not to crack a smile when first walking into Bibi Ji. And we don't expect you'll lose that grin at any point during the dining experience. You'll find Bibi Ji at 179 Lygon Street, Carlton, open 5pm–late Wednesday–Sunday, and 12–4pm Friday–Sunday. For more information, visit the venue's website. Images: Jana Langhorst
Soaking up Melbourne's dynamic cultural scene and getting on top of your spending can seem at odds. But this balancing act is made a little easier when you make the most of the countless discounts and wallet-friendly hacks that our fair city serves up on the reg. We've teamed up with Great Southern Bank to track down eight surefire ways to save your bucks while you get a big ol' dose of culture. After so many months at home, it's time to rediscover our city — from after-dark art events to raucous drag shows. If you've got big saving goals, Great Southern Bank has a range of clever tools to help you hit that financial figure sooner rather than later. For those who want to live their best lives — and top up their funds — The Boost lets you add to your savings every time you spend, while The Vault helps impulse buyers curb their instincts. So, hit the pavement and experience the city's cultural best — and keep your accounts ticking over — with this budget friendly hit list. [caption id="attachment_821535" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NGV Friday Nights, Ben Swinnerton[/caption] CHECK OUT SOME AFTER-HOURS ART You don't have to spend a fortune to immerse yourself in Melbourne's world-class arts venues. Running over several seasons throughout the year, NGV Friday Nights lets you saunter through the institution's latest exhibitions with a soundtrack to match, thanks to a weekly lineup of local DJs and indie acts. Just be sure to check the NGV website for the latest information to avoid any disappointment. Down the road, the Melbourne Cinémathèque at ACMI presents screenings of acclaimed films and obscure cinema on Wednesday nights. Grab a Mini Membership for $32 and explore the world of film for three consecutive weeks. Or, head to the Immigration Museum after dark. The superb cultural institution highlights fascinating perspectives on our shared humanity, and it costs less $20 for entry. So, hit up one of its regular after-hours events that celebrate Australia's multicultural make-up. To see what's coming up, head to the Museum's website. [caption id="attachment_760381" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Hamer Hall[/caption] BANK ON LAST-MINUTE TICKET DEALS A night at the theatre is a smashing idea, but it doesn't quite fit the definition of bargain hunting. Fortunately, several cut-price ticket sellers specialise in eleventh-hour deals on the city's unmissable shows. TodayTix lists discounts for headline productions like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and performances from The Australian Ballet. Or, you can experience outstanding events at Arts Centre Melbourne venues, including Hamer Hall and Sidney Myer Music Bowl, for $30 thanks to Tixatsix. The ticket platform promises a minimum of 20 discounted tickets per show every single night. Meanwhile, Halftix Melbourne has been helping punters see shows for less since 1983. You can browse a selection of tickets online or head into the store at 208 Little Collins Street post lockdown to secure a last-minute deal. [caption id="attachment_691296" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melbourne Theatre Company[/caption] USE YOUTH TO YOUR FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE Under 30? You can easily save some dough when attending some of Melbourne's leading performing arts institutions. The Melbourne Theatre Company lets anyone aged 29 or under secure premium tickets or a season subscription at a 50 percent discount. People in this age bracket, as well as full-time students, can also soak up the best independent productions at St Kilda's renowned Red Stitch Actors' Theatre for just $29. If incredible sopranos and booming basses are more your thing, under 30s can also catch glass-shattering performances at Victorian Opera for a markdown rate of $30 per ticket — that's up to 70 percent off usual prices. [caption id="attachment_827197" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Comedy Republic (Supplied)[/caption] SIT DOWN AND WATCH SOME STAND-UP Melbourne is home to some of the most celebrated comedy clubs in the country. Whether you prefer one-liners or absurdists, you won't have a problem finding cheap laughs across a variety of top-notch stages. North Melbourne's The Comic's Lounge is perhaps the best known, with nightly showcases of newbies and professionals that you can catch for as little as $15. There's also the newly opened Comedy Republic. Founded by much-loved comics Alex Dyson, Kyran Wheatley and Rhys Nicholson, the CBD venue is purpose-built for intimate stand-up routines, with tickets usually in the $20–30 range. Or, for a New York-style underground space, the Basement Comedy Club takes over the European Bier Cafe on Thursday nights. Head here to see local and international talent for a steal, with tickets for some shows starting at just $10. [caption id="attachment_764005" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Koorie Heritage Trust, Artra Sartracom[/caption] GO ON A CULTURAL TOUR As the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation, Melbourne's city streets are overflowing with cultural significance. You can learn from some wonderfully insightful guides on Koorie Heritage Trust's Aboriginal Walking Tours. Here, you'll be informed about the city's history as a meeting place and have an opportunity to reflect on this deep connection. On the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria's Heritage Walk, a guide will reveal how numerous native plants can be used for food, medicine and tools, as well as teach you about the ongoing connection to Country. Want to venture further afield when you can? Deep in the lush Yarra Ranges, Bullen Bullen Cultural Tours invites guests to take part in a welcome ceremony and appreciate the link between people and Country. CATCH A CHEAP FLICK Catching the latest blockbuster, indie flick or foreign film is a great time. But, if you're a dedicated movie buff, the cost can start adding up quickly. Fortunately, pretty much every cinema in town has a cheap night, which means you either head home with more cash — or have extra to spend on snacks. At Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn, you can score tickets for $12 on Tuesdays. Plus, students can pay just $8 on Wednesdays with a valid ID. If you sign up to a yearly membership (for $21), you can also access a $1 ticket upon signing up or renewing, as well as $8 tickets on Tuesdays. Lido's super-popular rooftop cinema is set to return next month, too, should you wish to catch an al fresco flick. Across participating Palace Cinemas, tickets are $10 on Tuesdays. There's also a free and paid membership program that gives you access to discounted tickets year round at participating theatres around town. You can take advantage of this offer at The Kino Cinema, too, or head to the Collins Street picture house on a Monday to nab tickets for just $8.50. BE DAZZLED AS YOU DINE AT VAU D'VILE DINNER AND SHOW Dinners don't come much more ravishing than at Vau d'vile Drag Cabaret. Head to this Johnston Street spot to dine on delightful tapas as The Vixens, a troupe of some of Melbourne's beloved drag queens, strut through comedy skits, choreographed dances and lung-busting solos. Friday and Saturday nights are the headline evenings, with tickets costing $69, $89 or $115 depending on how glamorous you want to get. There's also a strictly limited number of $37 show-only tickets for those watching their wallet. For a cheaper but just as playful alternative, Bingo a la Vau is on Thursday nights, with tickets starting from $19 per person. The winner takes home tickets for a Friday night show and dinner for two, so prep accordingly. EXPLORE OLD MELBOURNE WITH AN AUGMENTED REALITY WHODUNNIT Think you've got what it takes to solve a century-old crime? This is the premise behind the augmented reality app Eastern Market Murder, which takes users on a 2.5-kilometre journey through the city streets to crack the case. As you visit the actual crime sites involved in the 1899 whodunnit, your smartphone camera will discover 3D scenes and characters on the streetscape, gradually revealing vital evidence and witnesses to question across ten historical CBD sites. Available for iOS and Android for just $4.99, this low-cost activity doubles as a captivating history lesson. Result. Great Southern Bank is empowering Aussies to get clever with their banking. Whether you want to stick to your savings goals with The Boost or hide your house deposit fund from yourself with The Vault, Great Southern Bank helps you get there. For more information on its savings tools and home loan plans, head to the Great Southern Bank website. Top image: NGV Friday Nights
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the alternative music scene that came before is unquestionably better than the scene right now. It's something we've all grown up crowing (no matter if we said the same thing a decade ago). So we know that the tendency towards nostalgia and a willingness to make heroes out of drunken twenty-year-olds who only released two records is damn near irresistible. For the semi-autobiographical film Lucky Them, this kind of nostalgia is both the target and the appeal. Loosely based on the experiences of screenwriter Emily Wachtel in the New York music scene, the film is set in Seattle, the birthplace of grunge, and spends equal time exposing nostalgia and falling right into its trap. Lucky Them tells the story of an aimless music journalist, Ellie Klug (Toni Collette), as she searches for an acclaimed Seattle musician, who supposedly died years earlier. Ellie is initially reluctant to uncover the whereabouts of her former lover and music idol, and she struggles to find closure, while her ex-boyfriend Charlie (Thomas Haden Church) films an amateur documentary about her efforts. While the film supposedly runs close to Wachtel's own personal experiences, in taking on the mythology behind Seattle's music history (where director Megan Griffiths lived for many years), the film manages to feel like a broader story of music nostalgia. The character of the lost musician, Matthew Smith, makes references to the early deaths of Pacific Northwest music idols Kurt Cobain and Elliott Smith, and the whole film is layered with Seattle alt-rock nostalgia. The soundtrack that plays over the sweeping shots of the wet, dreary landscape hints at riffs from Nirvana's 'All Apologies', and memorabilia lent to the film by the iconic local record label Sub Pop line the walls of almost every scene, from original Mudhoney posters to gold records from the Shins and Postal Service. These pleasant hometown references make Seattle feel like an extra character in the film. Alongside this, Church gives an excellent comic performance as the eloquent but music-illiterate Charlie and the fantastic Oliver Platt appears as Ellie's editor Giles, the surprisingly patient, ageing pot-smoker forced to deal with shareholder demands that he boost circulation in a fading print music journalism industry. All this makes it easier to stick with Ellie, whose relentlessly immature decisions, alongside the uncomfortably petulant tone Collette uses, make it difficult to connect with her. Although there's a surprise cameo that manages to be charming rather than distracting from the story, it's a shame that Lucky Them finishes in almost rom-com cliche terrain. It's enough to make you wish you were watching Charlie's fictional documentary instead, like the real nostalgia junkie that you are.
When we take that first sip of our barista-brewed coffee on a workday morning, we often say to ourselves, and our friends, "I can't imagine living without coffee." Well, what about living without a roof over your head or a guaranteed meal? Unfortunately, this is what many homeless people around Australia face each day, but on Friday, August 8, you can help out simply by purchasing a coffee as part of CafeSmart. CafeSmart is an annual event from StreetSmart that raises money and awareness for the homeless and is back for its fourth year running, aiming to build on the $83,950 raised last year. From every coffee purchased at a participating cafe, $1 will be donated towards local projects, so if your cafe is not participating, head to one that is, just for one day. You can also donate at the counter, so if you prefer a hot chocolate, then you can still help out. It's one day when the little things can definitely make a big difference.
The most memorable show we saw at this year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival returns to the stage as part of Melbourne Fringe. In a hilarious and occasionally confronting mix of stand-up and performance art, local comedian Laura Davis sits blindfolded, in her bathers, on top of a ladder, where she ruminates on everything from maple syrup to sexual assault. Marco. Polo. feels extraordinarily, even uncomfortably personal, to the point that it's not always clear whether you're even meant to be laughing. But by the time it's all said and done, you'll know you've just experienced something special.
Supple Fox, the folks behind Dark Mofo's Ferris Wheel of Death, are hitting Melbourne for three weeks. And, thanks to riverside bar and eatery Arbory, they're bringing with them a living art installation. Titled The Ends, it'll be taking over the narrow slip of land between the Yarra and Flinders Street Station between October 5 and 23. Prepare for a steady stream of art, live performance and unexpected happenings on and around the river. Leading the project is the world premiere of artist Shaun Gladwell's latest work. Its star is Maddest Maximus, a new Aussie anti-hero who dresses in black, wears a helmet and floats high above the Tasman Sea. Gladwell's mixed media photographic pieces will be arranged around the site, in conversation with the landscape. Meanwhile, fellow Dark Mofo alumni The Huxleys have been commissioned to create a series of sculptures, which you'll find suspended in palm trees, growing out of roof tops and, every now and again, casually floating by on rowboats. And Melbourne-based performance artist Gabi Barton has choreographed a slew of unpredictable movements and happenings for the space. So, between riverside cocktails, keep an eye and ear out. "We very consciously looked to create something that felt human, breathing, absurd and curious," said Hannah Fox, who co-founded Supple Fox with Tom Supple. "And to directly reject the clean lines and endless triangles of the Melbourne design world." The Ends will happen at Abory Bar and Eatery every evening from 6.30pm till late between October 5 and 23.
If you've been hangin' out down the street again, getting a huge blast from the past from That '90s Show in two ways — as a sequel series to That '70s Show and as a jump back to its titular decade — then you've been enjoying one of 2023's most easy-to-binge new shows so far. And, you can now make a future date to do the same old thing you did over the past few weeks. This follow-up is keeping on keeping on itself, with Netflix renewing That '90s Show for season two. "Going to Point Place last season was a real treat for all of us. We're thrilled to return," said co-creator and executive producer Lindsey Turner to Netflix's Tudum website. "We here in Point Place are thrilled that we're doing a second season," added co-creators and executive producers Bonnie and Terry Turner, who were also behind That '70s Show (and, fitting the multigenerational theme of the ongoing franchise, are Lindsey Turner's parents). "We'd like to thank all of the fans old and new for tuning in. We're truly grateful," they continued. That '90s Show's first season hit Netflix in mid-January, arriving 17 years after its predecessor wrapped up after running from 1998–2006 — and bringing a new take on That '70s Show's Cheap Trick-sung opening theme tune along with it. This time, teenager Leia Forman (Callie Haverda, The Lost Husband) and her friends are the focus, after she decides to spend the summer of 1995 saying "hello Wisconsin!" at her grandparents Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp, WandaVision) and Red's (Kurtwood Smith, The Dropout) house. Accustomed to feeling like she doesn't fit in back in Chicago, Leia — the daughter of Eric Forman (Topher Grace, Home Economics) and Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon, Orange Is the New Black) — finds a much-needed connection during her Point Place stay. That's where the elder Formans' neighbours Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide, Four Kids and It) and Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan, Gabby Duran & The Unsittables) come in, as well as Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher, Vengeance) and Jackie Burkhart's (Mila Kunis, Luckiest Girl Alive) son Jay (Mace Coronel, Colin in Black & White), plus the witty Ozzie (Reyn Doi, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) and Nate's super-smart girlfriend Nikki (Sam Morelos, Forgetting Nobody). While Rupp and Smith are main cast members again in That '90s Show, the bulk of the OG crew — including Wilmer Valderrama (NCIS) and Tommy Chong (Color Out of Space) — only make brief appearances. That '90s Show's overall formula is the same, but it's firmly devoted the new group of high schoolers making the most of the Forman family basement. Netflix hasn't announced when That '90s Show will return for season two but, when it does, the series will be set during the next summer. "We can't wait to return to Point Place for another summer of laughs and surprises. Hello, 1996!," said co-creator, executive producer and showrunner Gregg Mettler. Check out the trailer for That '90s Show below: That '90s Show streams via Netflix. Read our full review of season one. Images: Patrick Wymore/Netflix © 2022.
Seafood lovers, listen up. We've teamed up with our mates at Glen Waverley's The Boiling Crab to offer one lucky Concrete Playground reader a $300 dining voucher. To celebrate the new Melbourne restaurant that launched in March — the first location of the popular US franchise in Australia — you can go in the running to snap up this voucher for you and your mates to enjoy a succulent seafood dinner. If you love seafood and eating with your hands, this one's for you. Yep, no tricks here. Just the chance to enjoy fresh oysters, crabs, prawns, clams and mussels, plus countless side dishes — and to get your fingers covered in cajun spices — on the house. Keen to treat your mates to a seafood feast? Enter your details below to go in the running to win. [competition]811304[/competition]
It's time for another summer of dancing, drinking and good times at Piknic Électronik. The electronic music party series returns for its sixth iteration, bringing openair revelry to Sidney Myer Music Bowl from 10am–10pm one Sunday a month — this is a change from the weekly parties of previous years, to a jam-packed monthly event. Detroit's record label owner, DJ and musician Moodymann will bring soulful sounds to the December event, getting punters moving with his signature blend of techno and house, alongside co-headliner and old-school dance music master Mr G. Also on the lineup is Nastia — one of the biggest names in modern techno, all the way from Ukraine — supported by Melbourne's own Laura King. Piknic has again teamed up with Thick as Thieves to co-present February's festivities, curating sets from Cologne super house duo Andhim, Melbourne's Boogs, Brian Fantana and BINI. The lineup for the final Sunday of the season, March 29, is still being kept under wraps, but you can expect something epic to finish up the summer. In between sets, you can get a drink at the bar, fill up on treats from local food trucks and take a moment to relax in a dedicated chill-out zone. Images: Wade Malligan.
This spring, Yo-Chi stores across Australia are transforming into a Fun House, filled with games, surprises, activities, and prizes to be won. Taking place from Friday, September 19, through to Sunday, October 12, the Fun House is targeted towards kids and teens on school holidays. At the centre of the festivities is the launch of Yo-Chi's new Bestie Testie card game. Packed with questions from your last Google search to your most regrettable social post, it's designed to spark conversation between Yo-Chi enjoyers. You can play in-store or take a pack home for $12. Each venue will also have its own Chi-E-O, who is responsible for running a rotating lineup of activities, including colouring in and Chi Pong. Then, at random points during the day, a secret song will play across every venue nationally, signalling the ultimate froyo treat: Yo-Chi on the house for whoever's inside at that moment. Yo-Chi is also rolling out a limited-edition strawberry and mango swirl, alongside new toppings like rainbow mochi, sour clouds, wafer discs and choc cone bits. So make sure to try the new flavour and toppings while you explore all that the Yo-Chi Fun House has to offer. The Yo-Chi Fun House runs nationwide from September 19 to October 12. Find out more via the Yo-Chi website.
When 2025 hits, 20 years will have passed since Oasis last toured Australia, but that's where the lengthy gap between the band's Down Under shows is ending. There's comeback tours and then there's Britain's most-famous feuding siblings reuniting to bring one of the country's iconic groups back together for a massive world tour — and when Liam and Noel Gallagher start taking to the stage together again, they'll do so at gigs in Sydney and Melbourne. Oasis' reunion tour has been huge news for months, ever since Liam and Noel announced in August that they would reform Oasis — and bury the hatchet — for a run of shows in the UK and Ireland. Since then, they've been expanding their tour dates, also locking in visits to Canada and the US. From London, Manchester and Dublin to Toronto, Los Angeles and Mexico City, the entire tour so far is sold out. [caption id="attachment_975205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oasis Knebworth 1996, Photo by Roberta Parkin/Redferns[/caption] That's the story, morning glory — and expect Australian tickets to get snapped up swiftly for Oasis' two announced concerts, one apiece in Sydney and Melbourne. The Manchester-born band is kicking off their Aussie visit on Halloween 2025 at Marvel Stadium in the Victorian capital, then heading to Accor Stadium in the Harbour City a week later. "People of the land down under. 'You better run — you better take cover ...'. We are coming. You are most welcome," said the group in a statement. [caption id="attachment_975206" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oasis Knebworth 1996, Jill Furmanovsky[/caption] Oasis broke up in 2009, four years after their last Australian tour, and following seven albums from 1994's Definitely Maybe through to 2008's Dig Your Soul — and after drawing massive crowds to their live gigs along the way (see: documentary Oasis Knebworth 1996). If you're feeling supersonic about the group's reunion, you can likely expect to hear that track, plus everything from 'Live Forever', 'Cigarettes & Alcohol', 'Morning Glory' and 'Some Might Say' through to 'Wonderwall', 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Champagne Supernova' when they hit Australia. Oasis Live '25 Australian Dates Friday, October 31 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Friday, November 7 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Oasis are touring Australia in October and November 2025. Presale ticket registration runs until 8am AEDT on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, with Melbourne tickets on sale from 10am AEDT and Sydney tickets from 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, October 15. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Simon Emmett.
This month, Carlton nightclub Colour is switching things up and embracing the al fresco vibes, joining up with some fellow inner north mates to host another massive outdoor celebration of music and good times. Colour Openair Vol. 2 is set to take over Collingwood Yards on Saturday, February 26, held in collaboration with Hope St Radio and Runner Up Rooftop Bar. Across three stages, you'll catch a bumper lineup of local acts set on sending out summer with a bang. The likes of Ruby Savage, Mothafunk and jazz-funk outfit Surprise Chef will grace the main stage, while artists like Moopie and Rona hit the decks at Hope St Radio. And favourites including Milo Eastwood, Zepherin Saint and Midnight Tenderness take over the rooftop stage of Runner Up. Catch some rays, cut some shapes and farewell summer's final weekend in style.
Footscray's small bar scene might be booming, but its patrons have been faced with a little bit of a food conundrum. With most of these drinking dens operating sans kitchen, dinner options are largely limited to whatever nearby eateries are on the bars' delivery radars. Enter, Slice Shop Pizza, the latest offering from Burn City Smokers' Steve Kimonides and Raphael Guthrie. Slinging New York-style pizza by the slice, as well as 18-inch pies, it's the culinary accompaniment Footscray's drinking crowd has been waiting for. You'll find it perched on Nicholson Street, sporting just a few metres of standing room and four stools for those speedy dine-in sessions. Grab a slice to go, or order in from one of the nearby watering holes, including craft beer bar Mr West, which sits just across the street. The owners, both locals, have transformed a former discount supermarket into a laid-back lunch and dinner pit-stop, with a new home-spun fit-out thanks to the pair's own handiwork. Neon Slice Shop signage — in the AFL Western Bulldogs' signature red, white and blue — beckons from the window. The menu rotation runs to around seven core creations, with a daily special thrown in for good measure, and all slices kept to an easy $5. There might be a pork and fennel number — starring Italian sausage, mozzarella and roast peppers — a classic capricciosa or margherita, and maybe a mushroom, thyme and truffle concoction. Vegans will always find a plant-based pizza on offer, too. Glimpses of the duo's other life as barbecue masters shine through the menu every now and then, too, with the likes of Burn City's brisket or some slow-smoked pig's head making the odd cameo appearance. Regardless of toppings, expect chewy, foldable New York slices, crafted on tipo 00 flour and fired in an impressive Italian Moretti Forni oven. This beauty fits ten whole 18-inch pies at once and cooks them in about five minutes flat. Images: Parker Blain.
Since Wednesday, July 22, residents of metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire — which is currently in lockdown — have been required to wear face masks or face coverings whenever they leave their homes. From 11.59pm, on Sunday, August 2, the same rule will apply for all of regional Victoria. The announcement comes as Victoria today, Thursday, July 30, records 723 new COVID-19 cases — the state's highest-ever daily total. While most of the new cases are concentrated in the metropolitan and Mitchell Shire regions, regional Victoria currently has 255 active cases. To help keep these numbers relatively low, Premier Daniel Andrews is making face masks mandatory for all. "We have low numbers in regional Victoria, and we want to jealously guard that," said the Premier. "These are preventative steps, they're an abundance-of-caution approach, if you like. It will be inconvenient for some, but at the end of the day, keeping those numbers very, very low is about protecting public health, protecting vulnerable people, protecting every family, but also protecting the economic benefits that also come from having regional Victorian case numbers very low." Under the new rules, residents in regional Victoria will be required to wear a mask whenever they leave home. There are a small number of exemptions when face masks are not required — such as for children under 12, when doing strenuous exercise and when hosting a live broadcast — which we've broken down in detail over here. If you don't have a mask or covering on, you could be slapped with a $200 fine. https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1288649745309696000 As well as masks, a second restriction is being introduced for six local government areas surrounding the 'Geelong corridor'. From 11.59pm tonight (Thursday, July 30), residents of Colac-Otway, Greater Geelong, Surf Coast, Moorabool, Golden Plains and the Borough of Queenscliffe will no longer be allowed any visitors in their homes, which is down from five. For the metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, the areas under lockdown, the Premier has reiterated that you must stay home if you have symptoms and you must stay home after you've been tested. "Too many people are still going to work when they have symptoms. Too many people are going to work, even some when they have a positive test result," the Premier said. "People that are between having the test taken and getting the results, they are still presenting to work. And for so long as that continues, then we will continue to see numbers go up." The Victorian Government is currently offering both $300 and $1500 hardship payments for workers isolating after a test who won't have any income while they do, and aren't entitled to paid sick leave, special pandemic leave or other income support. For more information about the status of COVID–19 in Victoria, head to the Department of Health and Human Services website.
Not much else compares to the sounds, smells and tastes barbecuing evokes. That sizzle, the smokey aroma wafting from the barbie, that burst of juicy, meaty flavour from the initial bite — good barbecue is something pretty glorious. And luckily, we have plenty of barbecue joints at our disposal. There's Japanese yakitori, Brazilian churrasco, Korean barbecue and, of course, down-home American B-B-Q hailing from the US's southern states. Down past the Mason-Dixon Line (the obsolete boundary that 'divides' the USA's northern states from the south), barbecue is king, and we've tracked down some grade-A American barbecue joints in Melbourne where you can head for some brisket, ribs, wings and more. Get your appetites ready — you're gonna need 'em.
Focusing on products that are recyclable and sustainably created, Post Industrial Design is the place to be when it comes to picking up an eclectic range of products from local designers and artists. Across furniture, jewellery and artwork, the venture has been responsible for brightening up more than a few nearby homes. If you head in-store, something else that'll brighten your day is the attached cafe, Pod. Serving up great coffee, plus breakfast, lunch and sweets, Pod provides a pick-me-up in a relaxed space, for after you've acquired your latest feature piece next door. Images: Parker Blain.
Saint Dreux, a Japanese-inspired coffee and katsu sando bar in Melbourne's CBD, exudes Japanese minimalism. With a concise menu of five sandwiches, castella cakes, pastries and Tokyo's Onibus coffee served in a modern monochromatic fit-out, it's the kind of place that could even spark joy for Marie Kondo. The sandos are cut with laser precision, as are the varying castella (Japanese sponge cakes), packaging is simple and even the ceramics are polished to perfection. Inspired by the vending machines and convenience stores of Japan, the Saint Dreux team, who is also behind Slater Street Bench and 580 Bench, wanted to make the humble katsu sandwich a hero here in Melbourne. "You could get them from vending machines, trains and restaurants. They're absolutely everywhere [and] we became obsessed…" said co-owner Joshua Crasti, who owns Saint Dreux and Bench along with Nick Chen, Frankie Tan and Claye Tobin. While, traditionally, katsu sandos are made with soft (crustless) white bread, cabbage, sweet tonkatsu sauce, kewpie mayo and panko-crumbed pork, the Saint Dreux team has widened the range to include wagyu beef, ebi (prawn), tori (chicken), tamago (egg) and the classic tonkatsu with Kurobuta Berkshire pork. Think white bread sandwiches must equal cheap? Think again. While most of the sandos sit around the $15 mark, the wagyu version will set you back a whole $28 — which might just make it Melbourne's most expensive sandwich. Despite this — or because of it — the sandwiches are selling out pretty early most days, so we suggest swinging by early if you want to snag House-made castella cakes are also available in original, black sesame, matcha and hōjicha (Japanese green tea) flavours, as well as croissants and an assortment of pastries by local Bakemono Bakers. Saint Dreux is the latest vendor to join St Collins Lane's contemporary food hub and sits neatly amongst a range of pan-Asian fare including Sushi Boto (where sushi is delivered to you via boat instead of train), Poke Workshop and Think Asia as well as a couple of espresso bars. Images: Bekon Media. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Sandwiches in Melbourne for 2023
Can we just take a moment to say we are loving the new wave of venues that only do one thing and do it super well? It's a delightful trend because, as it turns out, in this crazy modern world we all want less choices — not more. And if your first choice is a fat, juicy steak sandwich, Empire Steak should be your new go-to. After a short teasing period, the sandwich venue opened on Little Collins Street last week — and it's definitely been worth the wait. As you would expect from a joint that basically just does meat in bread, their menu is simple and features several variations on the steak sarnie. There are vego options too though — just as an FYI for the herbivores out there who want to hang out in a steak restaurant. Our pick is the Lazy Susan, a char siu-glazed steak between perfect steak-sized bread (white or mulitgrain) with slaw, sesame dressing, coriander and pickled cucumber that looks indecently juicy. We're also intrigued by the Fritz, a sandwich that features steak, shoestring fries, butter lettuce and house sauce. And just to clarify, yes, that's fries in the sandwich. What a world we live in. They've decked their CBD shop out in cheerful, retro signage emblazoned with a slogan we can really get on board with: "embrace the drip factor". Thanks for the tip. Empire Steak is open from 10.30am till 9pm Monday to Saturday at 61 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. FOr more info, visit empiresteak.com.au.
Laneway Festival has officially returned for another glorious year, hitting Brisbane and Sydney this weekend and Melbourne the next. Sure, there are some pretty big-name folks on the lineup — Grimes, CHVRCHES, Flume — but true to Laneway form, there's a whole host of artists you might not have wrapped your ears around yet. Laneway's triple j Unearthed lineup sees five new emerging artists hit the big stage. Each band/artist will be appearing in their hometown Laneway Festival in 2016. They're joining a damn good alumni bunch too — Client Liaison, Bad//Dreems, Ali Barter and more count themselves as Unearthed Laneway artists. Since they're playing in their hometown as shiny new discoveries, we thought we'd get each of them to give us a little hometown secret — their favourite hidden gem. Introduce yourself to Australia's new batch of music — you'll find them in these five local go-tos. ESESE (MELBOURNE): RAS DASHEN "Our favourite spot is my parent's Ethiopian restaurant Ras Dashen; not only because it's my rents and the band gets free food, but because you will never eat anything so hangover curing in this city. Since, 50 percent of us are DJing most weekends/weekdays and you know, getting lit goes hand in hand. So, whats better than some injera and Ethiopian coffee to get you back to life." 121 Nicholson Street, Footscray ADKOB (SYDNEY): TOWN BIKE PITSTOP "My local coffee house. I'm not that into the bikes but the food and vibe are both top notch. Try the Julio or the BLT — Swish. I'm a huge of that end of Abercrombie Street, it is still pretty residential but among the terraces are other cool things like the Eveleigh Hotel, the Commercial Gallery, this new organic tea bar and up the road the Redfern Night Markets." 156 Abercrombie Street, Redfern GOOD BOY (BRISBANE): BARBARA "Im not sure how 'hidden' Barbara is but this beautiful bar sits between the loans department and the sales department of the Fortitude Valley Cash Converters. The staff are top notch, the entire establishment is simple, wooden and handsome, and the house beer 'Babs' is incredible. Best nights are Wednesday when you can get a burger from our favourite chicken joint, Lucky Egg, and a Babs beer for 15 dollarydoos and listen to some classic hip hop." 105/38 Warner Street, Fortitude Valley FAIT (PERTH): THE OLD LAUNDRY "The Old Laundry is a favourite local haunt of mine. Gorgeous interiors, good food and friendly service. A great place to sit and watch the world go by." 22 Angove Street, North Perth THE HARD ACHES (ADELAIDE): TWO-BIT VILLAINS There are way too many favourite spots of ours in Adelaide, but let's settle with Two-Bit Villains. It's a kick arse American style diner with amazing food and handmade sodas, all of which are either veg or vegan. Run by great people in a sick location, Plus they do a mean poutine if you ask nicely." - BD. Shop 150 Balcony Level, Adelaide Arcade More about Laneway Festival over here.
It seems Melbourne's love affair with pretty pastries and supremely attractive café spaces still has plenty left in it. Opening last week, South Melbourne café and patisserie, The Crux & Co, is a shiny new neighbour for the ever-stylish Kettle Black, gracing the lower level of The Emerald apartment building across the road. It's the brainchild of Kevin Li (Lights in the Attic, 3Lives), who's teamed up with ex-Brunetti pastry maestro, Louise MK Lee, and kitchen gun Oggie Choi (also of Lights in the Attic) to create Melbourne's newest destination of culinary decadence. The chic space comes courtesy of EAT architects, its '60s-style curves, pastel hues and riot of textures reflected in the array of downright gorgeous cakes, pastries and macarons on display. No sweet tooth? No worries. The savoury offering here is equally as impressive and every bit as pretty; the modern Korean-accented menu runs from artful brunches to pure lunch break gold. Choi might be pushing a few breakfast boundaries — think squid ink garlic toast — though, generally, this is a menu for anyone who gets excited about good food. MK Lee's house-made croissants come filled with smoked salmon and ricotta, while a scotch quail egg, an arancini ball and a falafel team up for one of the most multicultural dishes going around. Some clever hands behind the coffee machine — Yutaro Mitsuyoshi (Addict Food and Coffee) and Ratchanon Theppabutra (Manchester Press) — will be working with Five Senses, offering a "wine by the glass" coffee concept (whatever that means) to round out the Crux & Co experience. This one promises to be nothing short of an all-round sensual feast, so get you sweet tooth — and your iPhone, of course — at the ready.
Isn't it lovely to see big companies doing their bit for the social good. In Google's case, it's not just about donating huge sums of money. Rather, they make essential communications technology accessible to those who promote positive change. Google's recent launch of Google for nonprofits brings together an extensive toolkit for non-profit organisations, including AdWords, special YouTube privileges, Apps and more. Currently, the tools are only available to Google Grant recipients who receive thousands in in-kind advertising from Google. The company realised that gifting the use of AdWords and the like wasn't enough: Goolge also needed to teach non-profits how to maximise the potential of such tools. Instructional videos and the Make-A-Change section will show users how to make the most of the tools to communicate their message; while the Marketplace will connect non-profits with service providers offering free or discounted rates. Google offers grants to approved non-profits in the US only, but the marketing manager of Google for nonprofits Kirsten Olsen Cahill hopes to expand to other nations soon. [Via Mashable]
UPDATE, April 24, 2021: Parasite is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. When writer-director Bong Joon-ho lets two families roam around and unleash their best and worst in an opulent South Korean mansion, he couldn't have placed them in a better spot. The kind of house that anyone would dream of living in, Parasite's main setting is a multi-storey playground filled with wide-open spaces, gleaming surfaces and modernist decor, all opening out onto a grassy, leafy backyard. A real estate agent's fantasy as well, this not-so-humble abode is the bricks-and-mortar pinnacle of success and wealth. As created by production designer Lee Ha-jun to meet Bong's specific vision (a real house that matched the filmmaker's needs simply didn't exist), the labyrinthine structure is a puzzle box, too. Within its walls, mysteries linger. Here, anything and everything could happen. Parasite proves exceptional in every single frame and detail that it flicks onto the screen — but the way that this sprawling central home encapsulates the movie's very essence is a towering feat. Already lauded and applauded, not to mention awarded the top prizes at both the Cannes and Sydney film festivals, Parasite isn't short on achievements. Internationally renowned and beloved as the auteur behind The Host, Snowpiercer and Okja, Bong has crafted a bleak, twisty blend of black tragi-comedy, pulsating thrills and socially relevant horror — a movie that's such a phenomenal example of all that cinema can and should be that you'll want to high-five the filmmaker after watching it. Parasite possesses a pitch-perfect cast of both veteran and up-and-coming actors, all playing their parts with devastating precision. It's scripted, with Okja assistant director turned first-time co-writer Han Jin-won, to tease, mesmerise, infuriate, satirise and amuse in equal measures. And its look and pace, courtesy of the finessed work of cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo (Bong's Mother) and editor Yang Jin-mo (Bong's Okja), is as polished and probing as its all-important setting. When viewers first meet Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho), his wife Chung-sook (Chang Hyae-jin), and their young but grown-up children Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) and Ki-jung (Park So-dam), they're dwelling in a damp, cockroach-infested basement apartment. They're also all out of work. Piggybacking whichever unlocked wi-fi network they can find keeps them going — and, when the streets outside are being fumigated, the family isn't opposed to keeping the windows open to take advantage of the free pest control (health consequences be damned). Combined, their only regular source of income comes from folding pizza boxes, with zero other prospects on the horizon. Then Ki-woo's former classmate Min (Park Seo-joon) asks if he'll fill in at a lucrative private tutoring gig. While Ki-woo doesn't have the requisite university degree such a position usually needs, it's easy to manufacture thanks to Ki-jung's impressive photoshop skills. Taking plenty of cues from this early bit of subterfuge, Parasite could be dubbed the ultimate 'fake it till you make it' movie. Stepping foot inside the film's main setting, Ki-Woo wows not only his new, quickly love-struck teenage pupil Da-hye (Jung Ziso), but her flighty mother Yeon-kyo (Cho Yeo-jeong) too. He's soon part of the household, which also includes tech entrepreneur patriarch Park (Lee Sun-kyun), pre-adolescent son Da-song (Jung Hyeon-jun) and their housekeeper (Lee Jeong-eun). With Ki-woo eager to bring his own family into this rich, luxurious orbit, an underhanded plan emerges. Without spoiling any specifics from this narrative juncture onwards, Bong was inspired to write Parasite after spotting a smudge on his pants. This intriguing tidbit gives very little away, although corrupting an otherwise pristine environment — and pondering whether a splatter of disarray makes supposed perfection and privilege better or worse — is the film's thematic stomping ground. The movie's lush locale draws viewers in, all so that it can shatter the allure. Slippery performances, with seemingly clear-cut characters becoming anything but, do the same. So too does Bong and his crew's exacting craftsmanship, which keeps audiences both immersed and guessing. Add shifting tones and changing genres to the fold as well, because evolution and elusiveness are among the movie's most crucial tools. Indeed, from sets and actors to framing and mood, every element of Parasite is weaponised. More than that, it's all calibrated and wielded for maximum impact. This isn't just a killer picture on all of the standard levels, however. Contemplating society's growing class collisions and inequities, Parasite also makes a killer statement. It shouldn't escape attention that three of the past year's absolute best and most astute works, all from South Korean or Japanese filmmakers, have taken aim at the increasing gap between the haves and the have nots. Or, looking to America as well, that one of 2019's great horror releases plays in the same terrain while also bringing race into the equation. Parasite shares its grifting, struggling family with Hirokazu Kore-eda's Shoplifters, its tonal flips and wiliness with Lee Chang-dong's Burning, and its malevolent tone with Jordan Peele's Us, adding to a blossoming field of urgent, intense and diverse cinema that interrogates the societal status quo with a rightfully scathing eye. That said, there's no mistaking Bong's dark, devious and delightful thriller for any other film — or for anything but a hands-down masterpiece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0KJAzyUJc
Spilling out from World Science Festival, Curiocity Brisbane (22 March–2 April, 2023) takes over the wider city of Brisbane. Art meets STEM in a landscape of experiences and installations designed to challenge and enlighten urban explorers. Use augmented reality to bring memory fragments to life, encounter kinetic art through an intense colour spectrum in a changing parabolic curve, interact with playful cybernetics and help teach AI in real time. Take a free curator tour to take a deeper dive into the meaning behind the artworks, which includes the interactive "sound sculptures" T.H.E.M (that's The Handmade Electric Machines, if you're curious — a collection of six sound and lighting mechanisms brought to life by musicians, artists and designers). The free Curious Conversations program offers discussions on topics such as the future of AI, our role in the natural world and First Nations artists' relationship with history, culture and traditional knowledge. [caption id="attachment_804118" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Curiocity 2021, Markus Ravik[/caption] But, Curiocity Brisbane isn't just for the daylight hours. Art installations will be scattered along the streets and South Bank, disrupting the reverie of the river city with thought-provoking displays and unexpected intrusions, both visual and auditory. Curiocity Brisbane pops up around Brisbane from Wednesday, March 22–Sunday, April 2, 2023.
Throughout much of Ms Marvel, the 2022 TV series' namesake (debutant Iman Vellani) and massive Marvel Cinematic Universe superfan was thrilled and surprised at everything happening to her. Loving the MCU, going to MCU fan conventions, obsessing over Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Just Mercy), then learning that you have superpowers just like your heroes: that's enough to leave you perpetually astonished and overjoyed in tandem, an emotional state that Kamala Khan isn't done with in The Marvels. Ms Marvel was always leading up to this big-screen release, with Vellani returning as Kamala, and teaming up not only with Larson as Carol Danvers, but with WandaVision's Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau as well. The 33rd movie in the MCU, arriving in November following fellow 2023 cinema release Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in May, it's also a sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel — and, as the just-dropped first teaser trailer shows, it's making the most of having three caped crusaders in its frames. Meet the MCU's new superhero team, although this all-female trio have a bit of trickiness to overcome before they can work together. The first look starts with Captain Rambeau at Saber Space Station — well, outside it — while working with the upcoming Secret Invasion's Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey). Then she crosses through the space continuum, becomes Ms Marvel, and a whole lot of trading places keeps occurring. From there, when Ms Marvel uses her powers, too, Captain Marvel switches into her spot. The Marvels' first trailer leans into the chaos that causes — plus Kamala's ongoing exuberance about the whole situation. Importantly, Goose the Flerken also shows up. If you're wondering, Carol has her identity back from the Kree and she's taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence; however, that has consequences, and the universe has become destabilised. So, The Marvels need to team up to do the usual MCU thing: save everyone and everything. As well as Larson, Parris, Vellani and Jackson, The Marvels features Zawe Ashton (The Handmaid's Tale) and Park Seo-joon (Parasite). Behind the lens, Candyman's Nia DaCosta directs, and co-wrote the screenplay with Megan McDonnell (WandaVision), Elissa Karasik (Loki) and Zeb Wells (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law). Check out the first trailer for The Marvels below: The Marvels releases in cinemas Down Under on November 9, 2023. Images: Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.
A sunny afternoon spent hanging out in a historic garden, smashing bubbly and playing petanque — it sounds like something out of some European holiday, but it's a situation you can find under an hour away from Melbourne. Cleveland Winery's lush green grounds are located in Lancefield — and it has views of the vineyard and the Macedon Ranges. On warm days you can eat and drink out of on the deck, or head indoors to the restaurant, which doles out dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, and woodfired pizza on weekend afternoons. Make sure you head down to the winery's famous underground cellar door to smaple some of the winery's shiraz, chardonnay and sparkling pinot noir.
If you're currently working from home, your pet is either loving or hating your never-ending company. Dogs, typically, will be very excited about the possibility of more walks and pats. Cats, on the other hand, are most likely exasperated and wondering why you won't just let them sleep. Either way, if you're spending more time with your pet, you might be thinking it deserves a few new toys. A perch to hide on. A few new balls to chew. A new addition to the fish tank, perhaps. So you can get them more toys and food without having to leave the house, Petbarn has teamed up with Uber to offer same-day delivery across Melbourne. Which is good news for you and your animal. Available seven days a week for orders made before 4pm (and 3pm on Sunday), the delivery will set you back $9.95 and will arrive by 8pm. It's currently available for a heap of Melbourne suburbs, from Frankston in the south to Sunbury in the north, Mooroolbark in the east and Werribee in the west. You can check out the full map here. To help pet parents that are elderly and vulnerable, health care workers or people in mandatory self-isolation due to COVID-19, Petbarn is also giving away 20,000 same-day deliveries. To register, or help someone who needs it register, you can fill in this form over at the Petbarn website. Petbarn same-day delivering is available for $9.95 seven days a week when you order before 4pm (and 3pm on Sunday).
Someone somewhere has dressed up as one of IKEA's coveted blue bags for Halloween, or fashioned an outfit out of them for the eerie occasion. This year, in the lead up to spooky day, you can do that too if you like. Or, you can just wear whatever frightening threads you prefer, or even your normal getup, to the Swedish chain's three-course Halloween dining experience. Yes, two faves are joining forces: IKEA and Halloween. No, you won't just be eating those Swedish meatballs (take children along with you, however, and that is indeed what they'll be tucking into). Happening at the brand's Springvale store in Melbourne, the Halloween feast costs $30 for adults and $25 if you're an IKEA Family member. On the menu: mac 'n' cheese, crispy fried chicken and veggie burgers, as well as pancakes with berry compote and vanilla soft serve for dessert. You'll want to book tickets ASAP — IKEA's food events are always popular — for 6pm on Friday, October 27.
If you've got a penchant for a certain creamy choc-hazelnut spread, then the most fitting place for you to be this coming Tuesday morning, is at Brunetti. The beloved Melbourne institution will be celebrating all things Nutella to mark "World Nutella Day" (it's a thing, we're told), next Tuesday, February 5. From 10–11am, both Brunetti's Carlton and Flinders Lane locations will be doling out stacks of their finest Nutella-infused creations — for free. To take advantage of the offer, you'll need to purchase a coffee and then make the tough decision of which breakfast bite takes your fancy the most — will it be the Nutella bombe (Italian doughnut), the cannoli, or the croissant? The fun continues afterwards, too, with Brunetti's full lineup of choc-hazelnut treats available to buy, including crepes, macarons and an array of biscuits (all filled, topped or stuffed with Nutella, of course). The Nutella croissant, bombe and cannoli will be free with coffee or drink purchase between 10–11am at two Brunetti cafes: 250 Flinders Lane, Melbourne and 380 Lygon Street, Carlton.
Playing host to all-night, pizza-slinging sports bar Holy Moly, legendary party destination Untz Untz and a nifty 24-hour licence, the space at 660A Glenferrie Road is a hotbed of activity at the best of times. So just imagine the buzz it'll see when The Holy Weekender takes over on Saturday, November 18, delivering an all-day, all-night celebration of street art, fashion, food and tunes. A vibrant mingling of the local art and design communities, the free event will feature live art installations from a collection of local artists, a curation of market stalls, dance battles, and eats and drinks from the Holy Moly team. Plus, there will be an after-party where karaoke will be highly encouraged. As well as eating lots of pizza. The market will run from 10 till 5pm and the party from 5pm till late.
It turns out the National Gallery of Victoria's Melbourne Winter Masterpieces has inspired a whole lot more than just gallery hopping and art appreciation. First, there was a chocolate high tea with edible versions of historic Chinese sculptures; now, a one-off brunch set to a live Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) soundtrack inspired by the gallery's current Terracotta Warriors and Cai Guo-Qiang exhibitions. A true feast for the senses, this Brunch with the MSO session takes over Supernormal on Tuesday, July 30, dishing up modern Japanese bites alongside a couple of impressive live performances. Running from 9–11am, it'll see you tucking into plates like an assembly of pickled melon, wagyu bresaola and green chilli; a rice bowl with smoked trout, roe and celtuce (also known as Chinese lettuce) and that Andrew McConnell classic, the New England lobster roll. Meanwhile, MSO cellist Michelle Wood will perform a solo rendition of Pablo Casals' 'Song of the Birds' in response to Cai Guo-Qiang's 10,000 birds installation Murmuration (Landscape) and Australian composer Richard Meale's stunning 'Cantilena Pacifica' is set to be performed by a string quintet. Tickets clock in at $80 a head and include tunes, food and drinks: fresh yuzu soda, single origin filter coffee, Jasmine Dragon Pearls green tea and Champagne. To book your spot, call (03) 9650 8688 or email info@supernormal.net.au. Supernormal image by Nikki To.
UPDATE, November 18, 2022: See How They Run is still screening in Australian cinemas, and is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. As every murder-mystery does, See How They Run asks a specific question: whodunnit? This 1950s-set flick also solves another query, one that's lingered over Hollywood for seven decades now thanks to Agatha Christie. If this movie's moniker has you thinking about mouse-focused nursery rhymes, that's by design — and characters do scurry around chaotically — however, it could also have you pondering the famed author's play The Mousetrap. The latter first hit theatres in London's West End in 1952 and has stayed there ever since, other than an enforced pandemic-era shutdown in COVID-19's early days. The show operates under a set stipulation regarding the big-screen rights, too, meaning that it can't be turned into a film until the original production has stopped treading the boards for at least six months. As that's never happened, how do you get it into cinemas anyway? Make a movie about trying to make The Mousetrap into a movie, aka See How They Run. There's a clever-clever air to See How They Run's reason for existing. The same proves true of its narrative, the on-screen explanation about how The Mousetrap sits at the centre of this film's story, and the way it details those rules around adapting the play for cinema. Voiced by in-movie director Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody, Blonde), that winking attitude resembles the Scream franchise's take on the horror genre, but with murder-mysteries — and it also smarts in its knowing rundown about how whodunnits work, who's who among the main players-slash-suspects and what leads to the central homicide. First-time feature filmmaker Tom George (This Country) and screenwriter Mark Chappell (Flaked) still craft a film that's enjoyable-enough, though, albeit somehow both satirical and by the numbers. Keeping audiences guessing isn't the picture's strong suit. Matching its own comparison to Christie isn't either. But the leads and snappy sense of fun make this a mostly entertaining game of on-screen Cluedo. Was it actor Richard Attenborough (Harris Dickinson, Where the Crawdads Sing), his fellow-thespian wife Sheila Sim (Pearl Chanda, War of the Worlds), big-time movie producer John Woolf (Reece Shearsmith, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) or his spouse Edana Romney (Sian Clifford, The Duke) getting murderous in the costume shop at the backstage party celebrating The Mousetrap's 100th show? (And yes, they're all real-life figures.) Or, was it the play's producer Petula Spencer (Ruth Wilson, His Dark Materials), the proposed feature adaptation's screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris (David Oyelowo, Chaos Walking) or his Italian lover Gio (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, The Queen's Gambit)? They're among See How They Run's other enquiries, which Scotland Yard's Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell, Richard Jewell) and Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan, The French Dispatch) try to answer. After the death that kicks off the film, the two cops are on the case, working through their odd-couple vibe as they sleuth. Naturally, everyone that was in the theatre on the night in question is a suspect. Just as expectedly, convolutions and complications abound. Plus, possible motives keep stacking up — and there's plenty of in-fighting among the stage and screen in-crowd who might've done the deed. In other words, even with equally parodying and paying homage to all things murder-mystery chief among See How They Run's aims (alongside showing off that it thinks it knows the basics as well as Christie), it isn't blind to following the standard formula. The guiding narration, which notes that it's always the most unlikeable character that gets bumped off, takes a ribbing approach; "seen one, you've seen 'em all" it advises, because Köpernick was charged with helming The Mousetrap's leap into movies, wasn't so impressed with the source material, then advocated for violence and explosions to spice up the whole thing. Yes, viewers are meant to see parallels between what he's saying and what they're watching. Yes, being that self-aware and meta truly is a feature-long commitment. The Mousetrap mightn't actually ring a bell for everyone going into See How They Run, however. That's not overly astonishing — Christie not only put her demands regarding a movie version into a contract, thinking it'd only be onstage for a handful of months, but also decreed that each show finishes with the cast getting the audience to promise that they won't give away the play's secrets. As a result, it hasn't enjoyed Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile's broader recognition, and this flick mightn't make you want to seek it out. A rousing advertisement for The Mousetrap, See How They Run definitely isn't. There's an odd feeling to Chappell's gags at the play's expense, which are as thudding as they are superfluous. Thankfully, there's nothing surplus about the central double-act that is Rockwell and Ronan, two consistently stellar actors proving just that again here. While their co-stars do exactly what they need to and no more, he plays fraying and shambling with an attention-grabbing sense of physicality — he doesn't dance, sorry, but movement is still pivotal to building Stoppard as a character — and she sports a keen-as-mustard vibe that could've carried over from her Wes Anderson film appearances. The strongest feeling emanating from See How They Run when it's all over and solved: teaming up Rockwell and Ronan again, and ASAP. If there's room on-screen for multiple middling-at-best recent Hercule Poirot pictures, there's room for movies about a cracking pair inspired by the moustachioed Belgian and the English scribe behind him. That lead casting is pivotal to helping See How They Run weather its excess of nudging — and those ill-thought-out The Mousetrap digs — but the film is still never quite the three things it blatantly wants to be. It isn't up there with Christie's page-turner best, and nor is it as sharp as the smart and slick Knives Out, or what'd happen if Wes Anderson was indeed directing Ronan and his fellow frequent star Brody in an immaculately styled whoddunnit. Looking the part isn't a problem; the delightful aesthetic, with its symmetry, rich hues and ornate detail, shines bright. Just as lively and enticing: the gleaming cinematography by Jamie Ramsay (Mothering Sunday) and the jazzy score by Daniel Pemberton (Slow Horses). But if See How They Run was one of its own characters, it'd be the know-it-all who thinks they've fulfilled their role perfectly, yet doesn't quite. Every murder-mystery has one; this film, while largely engaging to play along with, is one.
Whether you're planning a non-alcohol stint for a cause this July or just looking to cut back on booze in general, you'll find a hefty range of boozeless tipples to shop this month at Preston Market. From Wednesday, June 29–Sunday, July 3, The Drink Swap is hitting the precinct to host its next booze-free pop-up, showcasing an array of non-alcoholic drinks sourced from across Australia and the world. From beer and wine, to spirits and mocktails, and even sangria, you'll have the chance to taste, learn about and buy a whole bunch of new favourites. Expect to find sips from both familiar and emerging labels, including Heaps Normal, Sobah, UpFlow, Plus & Minus Wines and Monday Distillery. The Drink Swap was born out of the pandemic after founder Rianna Chapman made the decision to curb her own booze habits. The business also donates a portion of profits to charities that help keep women safe from family violence, including the McAuley Community Services for Women.
Proving you're never too old for a makeover, the 167-year-old building at 127 Brunswick Street has enjoyed a swift shake-up and hit reset, entering a whole new phase of life. Vince Sofo and Paul Adamo's three-storey site has switched out some former tenants for a couple of brand-new residents and been reborn as the multi-faceted Hotel Fitzroy, featuring an Italian accent and a kitchen headed up by the renowned Maurizio Esposito. Ground floor Japanese restaurant Ichi Ni Nana Izakaya remains, though it'll soon share its street-level space with a public bar and outdoor dining area, slated to open by the middle of the year. As for the level above, it has this week reopened as Cappo Sociale — a 150-seat modern Italian diner, complete with a bar, terrace, lounge and private dining room. As executive chef, Esposito (Cecconi's, Il Bacaro, Esposito at Toofeys, Stokehouse) is steering the contemporary Euro food offering, revamping classic Italian flavours with some modern flair and plenty of local ingredients. [caption id="attachment_801379" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Juan Plazas[/caption] Up here, you'll find yourself snacking on top-quality salumi alongside your after-work vino, or settling in to feast on plates of handmade pasta. An antipasti selection runs to the likes of seared scallops with pumpkin purée, eggplant-stuffed zucchini flowers and grilled quail wrapped in pancetta and sage. Heartier plates might include the likes of a wagyu ragu pappardelle, seared cuttlefish linguine finished with a squid ink crumble or veal cotoletta with baby capers. And there's pizza aplenty, ranging from the margherita-style La Regina to the Roman Love, which is topped with pork and fennel sausage and rosemary potatoes. To match, expect a healthy mix of local and Italian vino, a wide range of brews, and cocktails, both classic and creative. Try and squeeze out a few final summer vibes with the Venetian Sunset, blending Ballantine's, Campari, Antica Formula, orange and orgeat. Also opening its doors this week is the newly reimagined rooftop bar, where you can kick back soaking up city views while enjoying eats and drinks from any of the levels below. And stay tuned for a program of live music, entertainment and local DJ sets, kicking things up a notch on various nights throughout each week. Find Hotel Fitzroy (Cappo Sociale, Ichi Ni Nana Izakaya and The Rooftop) at 127 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. The Hotel Fitzroy Public Bar is set to open by the middle of the year. Images: Juan Plazas
A former gold-mining town, the Victorian High Country town of Beechworth now draws in travellers seeking treasures of a different kind: award-winning wines, sausage rolls made from a family heirloom recipe, orchard-fresh apples and pears, and ethically produced honey. It's a place where you should spend time sampling wines at the cellar doors and dining at local restaurants, but also seek out the historic town's surprises — you can downward dog alongside a bleating baby goat, camp surrounded by gum trees near Lake Catani and venture down a walking track once frequented by the infamous Kelly Gang. Towns like Beechworth are recovering from a summer of bushfire devastation, so it's more important than ever to drop into the area's small businesses to fill up on goat's cheese, locally produced prosecco and Beesting pastries. Travelling from the city? It's an hour-long flight to Albury from Sydney, or it's 2.5 hours from Brisbane, and you can hire a car to drive through some of Victoria's scenic countryside and explore the area. Melburnians can grab their car keys for a three-hour one-way trip to fill up the car boot with produce from a food- and wine-filled wonderland. Here's where to stay and where to explore for the best food and drink. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. While regional holidays within Victoria will be allowed from May 31, some of the places mentioned below may still be closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please check websites before making any plans. [caption id="attachment_763033" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pizzini Winery via Visit Victoria[/caption] EAT AND DRINK For vinous lovers, most of the wineries and cellar doors in Beechworth are by appointment only so make sure you jump onto the vineyards' websites to book an appointment in advance. With 150 years of winegrowing history in the region, it's well worth planning a few visits into your itinerary. First up, the young guns Vignerons Schmölzer and Brown and Sentio Wines are crafting some of the most exciting new wines in the region (both winemakers are classically trained and they're putting a new spin on typical European varieties). Then, make your way to award-winning producers Castagna, which specialises in biodynamically grown fruit, and 36-year-old Sorrenberg (which is also certified biodynamic) has its gamay sell out in record speeds every year — definitely try your luck when you visit as it's worth picking up a couple of bottles to impress your friends with when you return home. With the fires almost decimating this year's crop of fruit (smoke taint means a lot of producers won't make a Beechworth 2020 vintage — but don't worry, things will be back on track for 2021), now's the time to restock your cellar to keep these wineries going until next year. Complete your journey along the King Valley's Prosecco Road (home of Australia's first prosecco vines, planted in 1999) by visiting Brown Brothers, Sam Miranda and Pizzini Wines. The Pizzini family vineyards are a mosaic of Italian varieties (like prosecco, nebbiolo and sangiovese) all of which can be enjoyed in its cellar door, and you can even try your hand at making some traditional Italian dishes — think gnocchi, risotto and pizza — to accompany the wine at Mama Pizzini's Cooking School. Also, make time to pick your own prosecco at Dal Zotto. The winery runs Yoga in the Vines and cycling tours, too. [caption id="attachment_709717" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dal Zotto Winery[/caption] For a fine dining occasion, look no further than The Terrace at All Saints Estate. It has been consistently awarded Good Food Guide hats since 2014 and is a great place to splurge during your northeast Victorian adventure — plus, the heritage-listed castle and shiraz vineyards make it a pretty special setting, too. For those who are all wined-out and in need of a classic country pub feed, head to the Empire Hotel, which also has accommodation available above the pub for that authentic countryside hospitality. Hangovers can be salved with a strong coffee at Beechworth Bakery with a side of its famous Beesting pastries. [caption id="attachment_763026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Beechworth Honey by Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn[/caption] DO Following this summer's fires, Beechworth Honey has created a Bee Rebuild and Recovery Fund to support bees and beekeepers over the next decade as they recover from the bushfire crisis. The generations-old beekeeping company is always worth a visit to stock up on its award-winning honey, honey-based sodas and honeycomb chocolate bars, and to learn about the importance of bees to our agricultural system. It's open daily and, though unstaffed, the Bee School welcomes visitors for drop-in opportunities to learn more buzzy facts. Take a 20-minute drive from Beechworth to Tarrawingee, where you'll find family-run farm store Tolpuddle. It's here you can stock up on delicious chèvre that you can only buy from the estate, and — if you need to work off all the cheese — the farm hosts goat yoga session on the property throughout the year (keep an eye on its Facebook page for dates). If all the yoga made you thirsty, stop by Billson's on the way back into town. It's a one-stop-shop for everything liquid (beer, cider, cordials, spirits and sodas) — and, as you sip you can explore the brewery, historical museum, cafe and speakeasy bar. There's even a barbershop for those needing a quick trim before having a schooner. Come for the lime and coconut soda (made from a secret recipe) and stay to learn about the Billson family and their history in the region. When you're ready to stretch your legs, Beechworth Gorge Walk is a seven-kilometre circuit of the town, which was once a hideout for the infamous Kelly Gang. It's a low grade stroll that provides views over Beechworth and takes around two hours to complete. You'll come across waterfalls and wildflowers, depending on the season, and there are plenty of historical sites such as Rocky Mountain Tunnel, which dates back to the area's mining days. [caption id="attachment_763032" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lake Catani Mount Buffalo by Visit Victoria/David Kirkland[/caption] STAY Accommodation in the Victorian highlands is like a choose-your-own-adventure game. Depending on your budget, you can splurge on boutique accommodation in old castles or camp in luxury in a vineyard. When your top priority is maximising downtime with your road trip companions, book in at Mt Bellevue Lodge in the King Valley. Boasting affordable luxury at only $125 per person, the delightful three-bedroom alpine cottage overlooks the Lodge's high-altitude cool-climate vineyards, where you'll find Mt Bellevue's sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio vines. For those wanting something more off-the-beaten-track, camp at Mount Buffalo National Park. The campground is set alongside Lake Catani and has some of the most picturesque views of the region, which you can enjoy without having to leave your tent. Top image: Visit Victoria.
First in Sydney, then in Melbourne and now in Brisbane, the biggest show in musical theatre this century has finally been sharing its Tony-winning take on 18th-century American politics with Australian audiences. Since 2021, being in the room where it happens hasn't required a trip to the US — but you will need to be in Brisbane in March to be in the room where Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda himself will be in attendance in-person for a Hamilton fan event. For the first time during the blockbuster musical's Australian time — and likely the only time, given that the show will leave the country for a New Zealand run when it finishes its Sunshine State season at QPAC's Lyric Theatre on Sunday, April 23 — Miranda is heading Down Under. The exact date hasn't been revealed, but he'll hit the River City to meet the local company of the production, and also to take part in that event for Hamilton obsessives. [caption id="attachment_773737" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton filmed version courtesy Disney+.[/caption] "I have been waiting such a long time to come to Australia and I can't wait to be with the company down under in-person for the first time," Miranda said, announcing his visit. "I have heard such great things from friends and fans in Australia, it is going to be fantastic to be able to meet them and watch them perform." Just like exactly when in March Miranda will be in Brisbane, where the fan event will happen and what it will entail — and how folks will be able to attend — is yet to be revealed, with further details to come. Still, Brisbanites and Australians keen on a trip to the Queensland capital won't want to throw away the shot to see the man who made the game-changing, award-winning, rightly raved-about Hamilton what it is "Australian fans have been so patient waiting for Lin-Manuel Miranda's visit to Australia and we have something very special in store for them when he gets here," added Australian Hamilton producer Michael Cassel AM. [caption id="attachment_774807" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton filmed version courtesy Disney+.[/caption] The Broadway hit's Aussie production features a cast that currently includes Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton, Martha Berhane as Eliza Hamilton, Callan Purcell as Aaron Burr, Akina Edmonds as Angelica Schuyler, Matu Ngaropo as George Washington, and Victory Ndukwe as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. Sami Afuni plays Hercules Mulligan and James Madison, Wern Mak does double duty as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton, Elandrah Eramiha plays Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, and Brent Hill steps into King George III's robes. Haven't become a Hamilton obsessive yet? Not quite sure why it has been the most-talked about theatre show of the past six years? The critically acclaimed hip hop musical, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. In addition to its swag of Tony Awards — 11 in fact, which includes Best Musical — it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. Until now, Brisbanites eager to see the show had to be content with trips south or watching the filmed version of its Broadway production, which started streaming via Disney+ in 2020 (and yes, it's as phenomenal as you've heard). And yes, the $10 ticket lottery has also hit the River City, offering Hamilton tickets for less than the cost of lunch. [caption id="attachment_870525" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Australian production of Hamilton by Daniel Boud[/caption] Hamilton's Brisbane season runs until Sunday, April 23 at QPAC's Lyric Theatre, South Bank, with tickets available via the musical's website. Details of Lin-Manuel Miranda's fan event are yet to be announced — we'll update you when more information comes to hand. Top image: Hamilton filmed version courtesy Disney+.
No matter where you stand on the Uber vs. taxi debate, there are hefty changes ahead for Victorians if proposed taxi industry legislation comes into effect. Of the back of August's law changes, which saw a $1 levy imposed on all Uber and taxi rides, this next swag of reforms was proposed by the Victorian Government in Parliament yesterday, to be put in place from next year, if passed. The proposed laws are aimed at deregulating the taxi industry and levelling the playing field in the competition between taxis and ride share companies. Here's what's on the table. Taxi service providers would be allowed to set their own fares, giving customers the option to shop around for the best price and to ask drivers for a fare estimate before they hop in a car. As Taxi Drivers Association president Michael Jools told The Age, while this law would certainly boost competition, it could also wreak havoc as taxi drivers fight to offer the cheapest fare and potentially cut into their own earnings. On the upside, taxis setting their own fares could mean better prices for loyal clients, as well as benefits like getting fixed fares to the airport. It'll also mean drivers won't be required to use a traditional meter. On the flip side, this could also mean that there would be no cap to fare prices. Under these proposed laws, taxis could have the freedom to implement surge pricing during busy times, just like Uber. This could see fares going through the roof on Friday nights or after big sporting events. According to The Age, the government will devise a plan to monitor surging fares for people with disabilities that rely on taxis and during a crisis. Taxis, hire cars and ride share companies would all operate under the same rules, with safety cameras installed at all ranks. This would mean more choice for you as a customer, which again boils down to more money in your pocket. It'll also go towards addressing some of the safety concerns you might currently have with taxis and ride share services. Failing to give an accurate estimate or fixed cost at the start of the trip would see drivers lumped with tough penalties, including loss of accreditation for repeat offenders. This one's a big win for anyone who's ever been burned with a massive charge at the end of a ride. Riders will know what they're in for before they hop in the car. The finer details of the legislation are yet to be announced, but are expected to go through parliament later this year. Via The Age. Image: Savio Sebastian via Flickr.
