When you think of crystal shops, you probably imagine a tiny, dark room decorated with purple velvet and cluttered with crystals, incense and fairy figurines — and it's probably the 90s and you're wearing a choker necklace. Delete that mental picture and step into Stoned Crystals, a light and airy space in Elsternwick that is worth a visit for its calming atmosphere alone. Whether you're a seasoned crystal enthusiast, a recent convert or just think they look pretty, Stoned Crystals offers a range of crystal decor, jewellery, self-care products, and raw and polished crystals. Plus, the store's knowledgeable staff host regular workshops to help you get the most out of your purchases.
Honestly, is there anything better than soaking in the Melbourne sun on a lazy afternoon, cocktail in hand, while perched in one of the city's best beer gardens? We certainly don't think so. So, to help you plan your summer of outdoor drinking, we've partnered with Maker's Mark to bring you nine summery courtyards for when you want to catch up with friends before dark. From local hotels to cocktail bars on the Yarra, there's a courtyard to suit your vibe and a drinks list to match it.
The Great Australasian Beer Spectapular — better known as just GABS — returns to the Royal Exhibition Building for its eighth year over the weekend of May 18–20. After humble beginnings right here in Melbourne, the festival has now expanded to cover three cities, two countries, and is rightfully considered by most as the best craft beer and cider festival in the Asia Pacific region. Creators Steve Jeffares and Guy Greenstone (The Local Taphouse, Stomping Ground Brewing Co.) have again wrangled up the best breweries from the region and are offering up over 500 brews in all, including 170 festival beers and ciders. These exclusive and often wacky specialty brews are created just for the event and are generally the festival's main draw, giving attendees the rare chance to try brand-spanking new beers while meeting the brewers behind them. This year's festival brews include ingredients like Great Ocean Road snails, crickets and durian, plus a laksa ale from Brothers Brewing, a whisky sour beer from Wayward and an umami beer with miso, soy and seaweed from Morrison Brewing. We've also noticed a specific increase in the use of herbs and botanicals this year. Apart from beer, the event will also play host to the first Holey Moley pop-up course, along with a cocktail bar by Starward Whisky and Four Pillars gin. The much loved 18-metre-high beer Ferris wheel will make its return, as will the usual wandering performances and local food stalls. The weekend-long event is categorised in five sessions, with the season passes to all sessions already sold out. We wish those ticket holders the best of luck.
There's only one thing wrong with the third season of Reservation Dogs: it's the show's last. After three years and 28 episodes spent with Muscogee Nation residents in Oklahoma — and also on a journey to California and back — this coming-of-age dramedy says farewell as sublimely and soulfully as it's said everything else since 2021. When Reservation Dogs initially arrived, including on Binge in Australia, its debut season delivered one of the best new TV shows of that year. Next, its second spin served up one of the best returning shows of 2022. The show's swansong achieves the same for 2023, and in a ten-episode run that takes many of the series' own messages to heart. There's a skill in recognising when something's time has come, as Reservation Dogs knows. As co-created, executive produced and written by Sterlin Harjo (Mekko) and Taika Waititi (Thor: Love and Thunder), this series is also well-aware that little lasts in life, but anything that's truly great always leaves an imprint and makes an impact. And, the show lives and breathes the idea that doing the best that you can with the time that you have is one of the noblest of purposes. Accordingly, while the teen-centric comedy about restless Indigenous North American adolescents feels like it could (and should) keep telling its stories forever, it wraps up with a season that's a rich and resonant goodbye — and continues to expand its slice-of-life tales, hero its distinctive perspectives and sink into minutiae that's seen nowhere else on television. Waititi gave Reservation Dogs its biggest name when it began with four Okern residents, aka the titular Rez Dogs, stealing a Flaming Flamers delivery truck to try to sell it to raise cash for their dream escape to the west coast. On the filmmaker's resume, it's one of a trio of brilliant half-hour comedies, premiering after the What We Do in the Shadows television spinoff was already a couple of seasons in and preceding pirate rom-com Our Flag Means Death. It's Harjo who is Reservation Dogs' guiding force, however, steering a series that couldn't be more original — and perfect. The casting, the cinematography, the equal parts dry and offbeat humour, the mix of clear-eyed reality and deeply felt spirituality, the thoughtfulness that swells through every touch: episode by episode, including in its masterful last season, these elements combine to make outstanding television. From its first-ever instalment, Reservation Dogs has hung out with its characters as they chase dreams and face truths, and realise that life is all about flitting between the two. So, it has enjoyed Bear (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Fitting In), Elora (Devery Jacobs, Rutherford Falls), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) and Cheese's (Lane Factor, The Fabelmans) company as they learn about the transience of existence at every moment, whether they're striving to see more than the place that they've always called home, grappling with loss or pondering what the future means. Of course moving on was always going to come for this show, then. Of course it's finishing on its own terms, too. And of course its final season is more moving, ruminative and mesmerising than ever. When viewers last saw the Rez Dogs at the end of season two, the OG quartet plus Jackie (Elva Guerra, Dark Winds), their once-rival and now somewhat-reluctant newcomer to the group, had finally made the trip to California that they'd been working towards their entire lives — but with added urgency after the death of their friend Daniel. Season three picks up with the gang still far away from home, and still journeying even when they do return. Elora considers both her past and her future, complete with an excellent guest appearance by Ethan Hawke (Moon Knight) in an episode that Jacobs directed. Bear goes wandering on his own, including through several revelatory encounters (and with the spirit of The Battle of Little Big Horn warrior William Knifeman, as played by another Rutherford Falls alum in Dallas Goldtooth, still popping up). Both Cheese and Willie Jack keep discovering new learnings within their community. All continue to utter and inspire the term "shitass", all while navigating everything from grief to hope. Harjo remains unafraid to depart from his leads along the way, whether sliding into history to explore myths, traditions or horrors inflicted upon Indigenous children; hanging with the Rez Dogs' parents and elders now as well as in their younger days; and taking the revenge-fuelled Deer Lady (Kaniehtiio Horn, Alice, Darling) out of folklore and into a denim jumpsuit. A true portrait of community — and, of it teens embracing what it means to be a part of it — Reservation Dogs finds a story, be it big or small, for everyone within its frames. In season three, Bear's mother Rita (Sarah Podemski, Resident Alien) contemplates a big promotion that'll take her away from Okern, Elora's forever-20 mum Cookie (Janae Collins, Killers of the Flower Moon) still has messages to send as a spirit, and Jackie's aunt Bev (Rutherford Falls lead Jana Schmieding) has a spark with Officer Big (Zahn McClarnon, No Hard Feelings). Indeed, Reservation Dogs floats between characters as skilfully as it jumps between genres, in a series that can be anything in any given episode. During this last stretch, it's a road-trip awakening and an adventurous magical-realist odyssey. Then it dives into horror akin to Jordan Peele's work (see: Get Out, Us and Nope), as well as workplace comedy. Reservation Dogs flirts with 70s-set Dazed and Confused territory after that, plus an Ocean's-esque heist and sincere family drama as well. Harjo and his creative team nail each and every one — and ensure that every turn reinforces the show's survey of Native American life. This is a series that revels in the daily specifics, including the triumphs and joys; honours cultural conventions and how they're passed down; parodies cliches; and never forgets for a moment the plight that First Nations Americans have endured since colonial times. Everyday facts, ghostly visitors, decrying the worst of history, watching the next generation find its own way while balancing tradition and modernity, championing Indigenous talents emerging and experienced (including Killers of the Flower Moon's Lily Gladstone, Dead Man's Gary Farmer, The Last of the Mohicans' Wes Studi and Dances with Wolves' Graham Greene in the latter category): that's the juggling act that Reservation Dogs couldn't handle better. As Atlanta also achieved while similarly musing on race in the US, serving up surprises in every single episode and proving a creative masterpiece, it sees the moment-by-moment scene and the broader view. That both pictures take in the Oklahoma landscape also helps Reservation Dogs look like little else, as well as feel it. The show's legacy is equally pivotal; Bear, Elora, Willie Jack and Cheese especially will be deeply missed, but Woon-A-Tai, Jacobs, Alexis and Factor shouldn't ever be far from screens after this exceptional breakthrough. Check out the trailer for Reservation Dogs season three below: Reservation Dogs streams via Binge. Read our review of season two, too. Images: Shane Brown/FX.
When planning a holiday, hiring a set of wheels is typically not the most exciting part of the itinerary. But what if you could make your Top Gear dreams a reality by borrowing something exciting to get you from point A to point B? When Turo entered the market, the company aimed to offer a service and interface like Airbnb, but for cars. Instead of the expensive and often inconvenient rigmarole of typical car hire, the company lets users pick from a wide range of makes and models available in their desired area. Simply set your location, add your preferred dates, and browse a marketplace of vehicles available for hire — complete with 24/7 roadside assistance. [caption id="attachment_1011618" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Tan — Aquabumps[/caption] From a suped-up convertible to a luxe European sedan, Turo's peer-to-peer model aims to offset the costs of car ownership, while making transportation more convenient, economical and fun. Add vehicles to a wishlist, see trip reviews and add a driver at no extra cost. And best of all (for an additional fee), you can have the car delivered directly and collected by the host when you're done. The app and web-based platform allows guests and hosts to communicate with each other directly. Driving the Great Ocean Road for the weekend? You can ask your host for their restaurant and sightseeing recommendations, too. In addition to making hiring more accessible, Turo gives car owners the opportunity to offset cost-of-living pressures by accessing a secondary income stream. While most hosts typically share one or two cars, the platform also allows auto enthusiasts to manage a fleet of specialised vehicles, complete with their employees. [caption id="attachment_1011623" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Tan — Aquabumps[/caption] Turo is currently available to hosts and users across the US, UK, Canada, France and Australia — so you can plan your next local or overseas road trip to include a hire car that sparks joy. Header image: Eugene Tan — Aquabumps.
Most of us are conscious of the climate emergency the planet is facing and are trying to be more ethical consumers as a result. But how many of us really know where our home furnishings, fashion or lifestyle products come from? It's too easy to go to a chain store and not question the manufacturing process behind many of its goods, but there's often a more sustainable alternative. And while there's an array of brands around the world championing sustainable practices, The Royal Thai Government has committed to positioning Thailand as a world leader in sustainable design. It's recently announced the creation of its BCG (Bio, Circular and Green) Economy to drive economic growth via the production of goods from renewable resources. Want to see how it comes to life? We've found ten Thai innovators who are doing their bit for the planet while still making quality products that are hard to pass up. BOPE When it comes to recycling, plastic is often the planet's real bête noire. It can take around 450 years for a plastic bottle to break down in landfill and every year, the world produces 380 million tonnes of the stuff. Bope is on a mission to do its bit to rescue some of that plastic. Its products — bags, purses, coasters, pots and more — are as stylish as they are practical, coming in a range of eye-catching designs and bright colours. Operating since 2014, this Chiang Mai design studio really knows how to get the best out of plastic. PIN The concept underpinning (pun intended) this award-winning brand is "new life of waste, new life of welder". As well as finding an innovative use for scrap metal, PiN encourages the craftspeople working on its products to take pride and dignity in the work they are doing. Founded by an artist who grew up in a family-owned steel company, PiN takes unremarkable waste metal and transforms it into beautiful homewares and decorations including hanging planters and stunning artworks. PASAYA Luxury and sustainability aren't always two concepts that go together, but Pasaya is looking to change that. Its range of rugs and carpets are high-end, durable and available in a whole host of patterns. Made from upcycled plastic bottles and manufactured using cutting-edge weaving techniques, Pasaya furnishings are made with the warm Thai climate in mind — something which is also ideal for many Australian homes. The company is also committed to reducing waste in all parts of the process including monitoring water utilisation, bacterial digestion and chemical reduction in the creation of its products. TRC TRC has over half a century's experience in stone polishing. The brand incorporates the ethos of sustainability into all it does, not just finished products, with even the moulds the company uses comprising of cement debris that other contractors would throw into a skip. Its signature collection is now made from entirely recycled materials including polished stone tables with bright, geometric patterns created from smashed and repurposed stone samples. CIRCULAR Fashion company Circular is extremely aptly named. Its garments are made of recycled materials, as you may expect, but if you donate your old clothes to Circular, you can also get a 10% discount off your next purchase, thus continuing the loop. Circular doesn't just use pre-loved items — it also sources waste from textile manufacturers, so it's never wholly reliant on generous donations. The brand also make a point of keeping the original colour of any materials used, therefore helping the environment by avoiding the use of harmful bleach or other chemicals. KH EDITIONS As well as a commitment to being eco-friendly, apparel brand KH Editions also has a strong focus on the local community. The company collaborates with locals, garnering ideas and materials, but also creating income and opportunities. What this means for the customer (as well as supporting an ethical brand) is the opportunity to purchase unique items of clothing which celebrate Thai culture made from materials like galangal and banana stem. And the designs are just as innovative as the manufacturing process — KH Editions clothing stands out in the best way. EARTHTONE Using materials like water hyacinth, rice husk and hemp, eco-fashion brand Earthtone's manifesto is to "spread love, not chemicals". Founded by husband-and-wife team Sayuri Okawa and Atthapon Pongsawat in 2019 after observing the degradation of Southern Thailand's coral reefs, Earthtone strives for efficiency, sustainability and spreading the message of conservation through clothing. The brand isn't stopping there, though — it's also looking to expand into home décor. Given its website proudly states the brand has preserved over 400,000 litres of drinking water and avoided over 500 kilograms of carbon emissions through its production methods, you truly want them to succeed. DD PAPER CUPS Many of us are getting better with our keep cups these days, but there are still times when you forget your reusable vessel and can't resist the lure of a barista-made coffee. The number of single-use cups thrown away is truly frightening — and that's where DD Paper Cups comes in. The business produces disposable cups, food containers, lids, tissues (basically any kind of packaging you'd associate with food and drinks to go) that are all environmentally friendly. The coffee cup line is even biodegradable, with the "plastic" that coats the inside made from plant material, meaning they break down within six months and can be used as fertiliser. HIDE & SEEK Let's talk kitty litter. It's usually made of rocks which you have to throw away when your beloved feline friend has done what they need to do. However, Hide & Seek has a new solution: cat litter that's produced entirely from cassava — a South American shrub that's also a staple food in many regions. Cassava has the same liquid and odour-absorbing qualities as the rock ore that most kitty litter is made from, only it's biodegradable, non-toxic and won't clog the pipes if flushed down the dunny. That would be a waste, however, as Hide & Seek cat litter can have a second life as plant fertiliser. KHRAMER You may normally just think of indigo as one of the colours of the rainbow but its origins are as a dye extracted from roots. For generations, people have used indigo root for its medicinal qualities as well as for giving colour to fabric. Khramer seeks to bring this benefit and wisdom to a wider group of people via its range of cosmetics made from indigo roots which is as safe and sustainable as it is effective. The brand's core products are a facial serum and a sunscreen, meaning you can take care of your skin and the planet at once. Keen to explore more sustainable brands? For more information, visit the DITP website, or explore more of Thailand's incredible creative scene here.
Designer stationery company Moleskine are getting into the hospitality game, with the launch of their first ever café, library, retail store and art gallery in Milan. With an aesthetic inspired by the brand's iconic notebook (think clean layout and plenty of neutral colours), the Moleskine Café is split into two levels. The ground floor will be home to the café and exhibition space, along with shared seating areas and an 'experience table' (yeah, alright guys) laden with various Moleskine products. The mezzanine level will be more secluded, featuring private seating and sofas for reading and studying. "We will provide our guests with an innovative retail experience, bringing the socialising dimensions of food, creativity and shopping to a single space designed to reflect the distinctive, clean aesthetics of Moleskine," said Moleskine CEO Arrio Berni. "I believe this vision fully reflects the growing interest people show for retail formats that go beyond the sheer act of shopping and I look forward to validating this concept for global expansion." The café in Milan comes on the back of a trial café in Geneva Airport. The brand is planning to open a number of other locations in major cities around the world, although they're remaining tight-lipped as to exactly which. Via Daily Coffee News and Design Week. Image: Moleskine/Interbrand.
You wouldn't know from looking at it, but the Independent Photography Festival (IPF) is only just entering its second year. Made in joint partnership between the Hard Workers Club, Smalltime Books and The Thousands Melbourne, this small yet impressive festival is becoming home to some of the most appealing and dynamic photographic works in Australia. At least that's what I can tell from their schmick website and killer contributing artists. The festival, which runs from November 2 - 10, can be roughly split into two parts. Firstly, there's the extra fun stuff — the events that get you out, talking, and drinking with beautiful creative people. There's the IPF Photo Prize which will be opening Novemeber 2 at 6pm. Showing over 200 prints from both local and international photographers, this one is definitely worth a lookee as there will be work to cater to all tastes. (Let's be honest, you can't please everyone.) If you are into this mingling business, there will also be Workshop Day on Sunday November 3 for all those that are interested in the making of the art and a Photo Book and Zine Fair on Saturday November 9 for those that enjoy collecting. The other facet of this independent photography festival is probably the most important — the individual displays of photography. Exhibitions from familiar names such as Sean Fennessy and Lauren Bamford will be on show, as well as larger group exhibitions under exciting titles such as Deadbeat Club. Most larger events are being held at the art design space, Magic Johnston, but many of the smaller shows can be found in little nooks around the inner northern suburbs. It may not be the biggest of offerings, but IPF will give you an opportunity to stumble across something special this week, and surely that's what a festival is all about in the first place.
Richmond sometimes feels like a sneaky little devil. It has more than its fair share of hidden gems, but doesn't yell too loud about it. Wine bars, cafes and more pubs than anyone really needs. If you're a fan of Richmond and pubs you've probably heard of Public House, found on the not-so-glamorous corner of Swan and Church Streets. It is a pub — yes indeed — but while they have steak nights and burger nights, they also hold nights for cocktails and share platters. A mature pub, one might say. But for us, the real draw card is the rooftop bar. Again a sneaky one, this roof isn't trying to make any 'Top Rooftop Bars' lists, but it's cute and is open to the air. And that's all you need, really. The menu is doing pretty well for itself as well. Share plates see duck spring rolls served with wasabi, ginger, ponzu and palm sugar dip ($12 for three pieces) while the corn pop chicken bites served with roasted garlic and parmesan aioli ($9) are like grown up chicken nuggets in all the right ways. If you're looking for something a little heartier — or perhaps you're just opposed to sharing — go for the cauliflower gnocchi served with peas, parsley, parmesan and sherry cream ($21), or whole baby snapper served with cherry tomatoes, lemongrass and chilli broth ($27). For the drinkers among us, cocktails like the cinnamon spiced sangria come in jug form ($30), or else there is the Gin Squiz – lemon juice, rosemary, blueberry jam, gin and St. Germain elderflower liqueur ($18) — for those drinking alone. If you're steering clear of spirits, start with a glass of the NV Petaluma Croser from the Adelaide Hills ($12 glass) or perhaps a White Rabbit Dark Ale from Healesville ($9.50). An Australian-heavy wine list and a rather international beer selection rounds things off. Well done Richmond. You seem to have one this round, yet again. Images: Giulia Morlando.
"Think of a powerful memory. Make it the happiest you can remember." They're Daniel Radcliffe's words, uttered in the opening moments of the trailer for Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts — and, just like the title for this HBO reunion special, they say it all. First announced in November, and headed to Binge in Australia on Saturday, January 1 and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand on Sunday, January 2 — to start 2022 off with some magic, obviously — this nostalgic special will celebrate 20 years since the Harry Potter franchise first hit cinemas screens. Yes, HBO is doing with all things wizarding what it did with the cast of Friends earlier this year, in great news for everyone that's been chanting "accio more Harry Potter" for the past decade since the eight-film series wrapped up. Like the Friends special, this one will reteam all of Harry Potter's famous on-screen faces — Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson among them, because it wouldn't be worth going ahead if they weren't involved. Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts won't feature anyone in-character; however, they do indeed head back to everyone's favourite wizarding school, as the just-dropped full trailer for the special also shows. Also taking part is filmmaker Chris Columbus, who directed the franchise's first two movies. Plus, you can expect to spot a huge list of other actors from across the series, including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman and Tom Felton, plus James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch and Ian Hart. You'll notice some missing names — Maggie Smith and Robert Pattinson, for instance, to name just two — but clearly there'll be a whole lot of HP cast members reminiscing about their time in the wizarding world. Whether you're a muggle, a wannabe witch, or someone who spent far too much of their childhood reading the books and watching the flicks, you'll want to mark 7.01pm AEDT / 6.01pm AEST on Saturday, January 1 in your diary in Australia — and 7pm NZST on Sunday, January 2 in your calendar in New Zealand — as that's when the special will hit locally. In the interim, you can check out the full trailer for the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special below: HBO's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special will be available to stream in Australia via Binge from 7.01pm AEDT / 6.01pm AEST on Saturday, January 1, 2022 — and in New Zealand via TVNZ from 7pm NZST on Sunday, January 2. Top image: Binge / Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.
Stuff yourself full of truffles at the Prahran Market this weekend, as chefs and producers from all around town pay tribute to that most flavoursome of fungi. Returning for its second year, the Truffle Melbourne Festival will feature cooking demonstrations, market stalls and truffle tastings galore, celebrating what many call the diamond of the kitchen. Running 10am till 5pm on Saturday and 10am till 3pm on Sunday, the festival promises to be a truffle lovers paradise. Acclaimed local chefs including Paul Wilson, Guy Grossi and Philippe Mouchel will showcase their culinary prowess in a series of live demonstrations, while four-legged truffle hunters Spice and Arrow will be roaming around the market all weekend long. But the real selling point in the mouth-watering festival menu, featuring everything from truffle cheeseburgers to French crepes with truffle butter. There'll also be plenty of truffle products available to purchase, so you can recreate the experience at home. Image: FotoStazione.
Therry Street, on the southern end of Queen Vic Market's Dairy Hall, has become a mini food and drink hub of its own. It recently welcomed a St Ali outpost, Brick Lane Brewery's new site overlooking the market, and the Japanese-inspired brunch spot Operator San. It's a really short street, but more shops are still popping up — most notably, Romanello. This Italian takeaway spot is baking Tuscan-style bread (schiacciata) and pizza by the slice from Tuesday–Sunday. The schiacciata bread is similar to focaccia, but it's thinner, airier and crispier. When used to make loaded sandwiches, it's a whole lot easier to eat and isn't quite as heavy. It's also baked fresh every day on-site. Be sure to watch the bakers do their thing through the street-side windows before heading in. The schiacciata slabs are then sliced up and stuffed with a stack of produce that's mostly sourced from the Queen Vic Market. The cotoletta sanga is a fan-favourite, coming with breaded chicken, creamy red peppers, pistachio pesto, onions, spicy provolone and rocket. The Cheeky Beef is another winner, loaded up with handmade beef carpaccio, stracchino soft cheese, truffle paste and rocket. Then come the pizzas, served on a very similar base to the sandwiches. Instead of being really doughy like your usual pizza, these are on the crispier side (but not super thin). Our favourite has got to be the Mortazza, topped with mortadella, pistachio paste, crushed pistachios and a mini burrata ball — that you rip open yourself. This is so satisfying to eat. Other classic pizza toppings and seasonal creations also grace the cabinet each day. You can grab these bites to go or sit at one of the tables on Therry Street, right across from the busy market. These might be pricier than your $5 market boreks, but these fresh sandwiches and pizzas are generously loaded with top-notch produce. Check Romanello out next time you pass by QVM.
Sometimes an exhibition gets gallery patrons exploring one artist's work. Sometimes it pays tribute to a specific person, heads back to a certain chapter of the past, or fills walls and halls around a theme. A particular object might be in the spotlight, or a movie franchise. Then there's The NBA Exhibition, which will celebrate hoop dreams and all things basketball when it makes its first-ever Australian visit. After premiering in Warsaw, Poland in 2021, The NBA Exhibition will bounce into Brisbane from Thursday, November 9 — and bound through basketball history at the same time. Catnip for fans of Air and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, this sports-focused showcase is big in scope and size, surveying the culture of hopping onto the court and the lifestyle that goes with basketball, too, in a hefty two-level display. Visitors will traverse 1000 square metres and make their way through 20 themed sections. Created with the National Basketball Association, The NBA Exhibition aims to lure in b-ball diehards, casual followers and folks that haven't thought about the sport since their school PE lessons alike — and attendees of all ages. Looking at basketball memorabilia is part of the presentation, but so is throwing a ball around yourself and, thanks to the virtual and augmented reality aspect of the showcase, taking snaps with your favourite NBA players. So, you can get a photo with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, too — aka the coveted prize that each year's NBA Finals' winner receives — and shoot hoops, see how far you can jump and test your reflexes as well. Fancy a picture showing that you can slam dunk, even if you can't? There's a section of The NBA Exhibition for that. Eager to watch NBA highlights using VR goggles? That's also on the agenda. Keen to get surrounded by iconic NBA moments? That's what the infinity room is for. With names like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal obviously featuring — and Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as well — other elements of The NBA Exhibition include a heap of balls and shoes on display; footwear and hand prints from past and present players; art that was commissioned for a pop-up NBA Gallery exhibit in Sydney in 2022, featuring Australian and First Nations artists; and celebrating NBA players that've made the jump from Australia, which is likely to feature Patty Mills, Ben Simmons, Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze and more. Brisbane's Queens Plaza will host The NBA Exhibition's debut Aussie stop — just as it did with The Art of Banksy: Without Limits, which also hails from entertainment platform Fever, earlier in 2023 — with details of any future stints elsewhere around the country not yet revealed. The NBA Exhibition will display at Queens Plaza, 226 Queen Street, Brisbane from Thursday, November 9 — head to the exhibition's website for further details and to join the ticket waitlist.
The realisation that eventually comes to everyone underscores Once My Mother, one that dawned slowly upon filmmaker Sophia Turkiewicz. She grew up listening to stories her mother, Helen, would tell of her life, but could only see as far as the intersection with her involvement. More immediate family history weighed upon Sophia, driving a desire for distance as she grew from a girl into a woman. Unforgiving about time spent in an orphanage, she also demonstrated an unwillingness to look past the emotional scars of her upbringing. It follows that Once My Mother takes a universal process — that of discovering the real personality of our parents, of understanding the true impact of their past not just upon their lives but our own, and of showing compassion for any missteps along the way — and relates it to the audience in the only way possible: as a personal journey. Turkiewicz's documentary is dedicated to dissecting Helen's resilience through decades marked by difficulties of destruction, discrimination and displacement; however, it is also shaped by a daughter's burgeoning awakening to things only age and experience could help her appreciate. Read our full review here. Once My Mother is in cinemas on July 24, and thanks to Change Focus Media, 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=-fos7dm2inE
Joining the likes of Snowpony and Arthur Radley, Mr Hendricks Cafe is the latest addition to the varying expanse that is Whitehorse Road, Balwyn. With this main thoroughfare cutting through the suburb from east to west, only in recent years have locals been able to perch themselves on a decent stool for breakfast, let alone be spoilt for choice when they do so. Proving with it that patience might just be a virtue, Mr Hendricks brings with it an air of quiet confidence. Keep a finger on the pulse and you'll find the space to be completely up-to-the-minute; a Scandi-inspired fit out is replete with gleaming white tiles, opulent gold lettering, wooden tones and brave black accents of detail. On a rainy day, it couldn't look any more like a beacon of warmth — particularly when you've the option to book out the cafe's 'green room', which seats up to ten. Conversely, the secret courtyard is something of a revelation for the area. Big enough to be your backyard but unassuming in its presence, this is a place made for autumn afternoons. Breakfast and lunch is handled with care thanks to a menu full of satisfying fare and unique touches. The coconut porridge with almonds and berry compote ($11) is a homely sweet option, whilst, come lunchtime, an impressive array of baguettes ($9) adorn the glass servery. Coffee is by Padre and is consistently nutty, smooth, and one of the standouts in the suburb. If you're stuck in the mindset that Balwyn is a haven for the ageing and the wealthy, think again. Mr Hendricks Cafe is proving that good food, great coffee and well designed spaces can attract a crowd. Regardless if you're a lady who likes to lunch, have got the kids in toe after Saturday morning sport, or are hankering for a quiet spot of midweek relief, Mr Hendricks Cafe has it all under control.
If 11-time world champion surfer Kelly Slater wants to catch a wave, but doesn't feel like going to the beach, he can hop on a board at his inland surf ranch in Lemoore, California. Next time the surfing champ is in Australia, he'll be able to hang ten at a second facility on the Sunshine Coast. While no dates have been announced, the second surf ranch is set to open in Coolum, a 90-minute drive from Brisbane. It'll sprawl over a 510-hectare site, with 75 percent of the space dedicated to wetlands, public areas and lakes — although the surf ranch is clearly the main attraction. Like the Californian spot, the Sunny Coast's surf ranch will use the Kelly Slater Wave System — which, after taking ten years to develop, is crucial to the whole concept. It creates "repeatable man-made waves that convincingly deliver the power and shape of ocean waves most sought after by accomplished surfers, including a hollow barrel allowing for long tube rides". It was the impressiveness of these man-made waves that convinced surfing's governing body World Surf League (WSL) to acquire a majority stake in the Kelly Slater Wave Company (which created the wave technology and owns the Lemoore ranch) back in 2016. Opening more surf ranches was always part of WSL's plans — and, thankfully for us, it's launching the next one in Australia. [caption id="attachment_747864" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kelly Slater surfing at World Surf League's surf ranch in Lemoore, California.[/caption] As well as serving up all of the waves and none of the rips, unpredictable conditions and not-so-friendly sea creatures, the $1.1 billion development surrounding WSL's first Aussie ranch will also feature an eco-resort, a hotel, shops, a 'farm to plate' restaurant, serviced apartments, a sports centre, a school and houses. That means that you can head by for a surfing vacation or, if you're super-dedicated and have always wanted an excuse to pretend that you're in Point Break, you can move into the residential area. Like the Lemoore facility, the surf resort will be used for both competitions and coaching purposes. And if you're wondering why WSL has Queensland on its radar, the reasons are twofold. Firstly, surfing is set to become an Olympic sport at the Tokyo games next year. Secondly, the Sunshine State is contemplating putting in a bid for the 2032 Olympics. Australia already has a few man-made surfing spots for the public in the works, with Urbnsurf Melbourne launching this summer, and a Sydney location due to open next year. An outfit called Surf Lakes has also built a prototype spot at Yeppoon in regional Queensland, but it's only for testing — although the ultimate hope is that commercial versions will follow. WSL Surf Ranch is set to open in Coolum, Sunshine Coast. We'll let you know when exact dates are announced. Images: WSL Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California.
So, you've binged on The Jinx and Making a Murderer, and now you need another outlet for your factual film and television fix. Well, we predict you're about to get excited about the newest addition to Australia's film festival circuit: Hot Docs. Hot Docs isn't just your small-scale local documentary festival. Screening more than 200 films, it's North America’s largest doco-focused showcase, and has been running for 23 years. Given that it's also known as the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it is limited to the borders of the nation in its name; however, when it makes the leap to Australia in June this year, that'll no longer be the case. Thanks to the folks at Palace Cinemas — including the artistic director of the Australian offshoot, Richard Moore — this brand new doco onslaught will be shown on Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra screens this June and July. Indeed, Palace just keeps building their annual calendar of events, with this revelation following the announcement of a new festival dedicated to American independent cinema, which will kick off in May. The move is certainly timely, and is just the latest link between the festival's main Toronto base and our sunny shores. This year, the Canadian run has selected Australia as its special country of focus. And for its Aussie debut, it will screen a curated selection of festival hits and audience favourites, spanning premieres of both local and international content. Hot Docs will screen at Sydney's Chauvel Cinema from June 21 to July 3, Melbourne's Palace Westgarth from June 14 to 26, and Canberra's Palace Electric from June 15 to 26. For more information, keep an eye on the Palace Cinemas website and Hot Docs Oz Facebook page.
For a fortnight each May, one French city becomes the centre of the film world. If you're not lucky enough to be there, then you're likely to have a huge case of cinephile envy. Stars, scandals, movies that are applauded, flicks that half the theatre walks out on — that's the Cannes Film Festival each and every year. And, of course, 2018 didn't prove any different — even for those watching from afar. Indeed, taking place from May 8 to 19, this year's fest was filled with off-screen highlights. Firstly, the stacked main jury was led by Australia's own Cate Blanchett — alongside Kristen Stewart, Blue Is the Warmest Colour star Léa Seydoux, A Wrinkle in Time director Ava DuVernay and Blade Runner 2049 filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, among others. Then there was the 82-woman march, protesting the paltry number of female filmmakers who've had titles selected in the festival's competition (if you're wondering, 1866 movies directed by men have made the cut over Cannes' 71 years). Finally, Melancholia and Nymphomanic auteur Lars von Trier was allowed back after famously being banned in 2011, only to make a flick that caused throngs of people to leave. Oh, and Netflix was shut out and people weren't allowed to take selfies on the red carpet. That's all well and good, but it's what's on the festival's screens that really matters — and this year's program boasted plenty of movies to add to your must-see list. Some are definitely headed our way, with release dates already set, like Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman. And some will show up at Sydney Film Festival this month (three on this list, in fact), with others bound to be announced in the Melbourne International Film Festival full lineup. Others we might have to cross our fingers for, including Jean-Luc Godard's Image Book. With all of that in mind, here's our top five to look out for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwcb5ki1f-4 SHOPLIFTERS One of Japan's most prolific and consistent filmmakers of late, Hirokazu Kore-eda is also one of the country's best — and he has the resume to prove it. His last movie, The Third Murder, only premiered at the Venice Film Festival last year and then went on to win six awards at Japan's version of the Oscars. His newest, Shoplifters, premiered at Cannes and is now this year's Palme d'Or winner. Well known for his thoughtful, emotionally resonant explorations of family life in films such as I Wish, Like Father, Like Son, Our Little Sister and After the Storm, he's up to his usual, wonderful tricks in Shoplifters, which tells of a family of small-time crooks who take in a young girl they find on the streets. Kore-eda's works always challenge their scenarios in unexpected ways, and by all reports, this applauded effort delivers. This film will screen at Sydney Film Festival 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwgUesU1pz4 UNDER THE SILVER LAKE It has been four years since David Robert Mitchell creeped everyone out with his smart, unsettling take on the horror genre. If you followed It Follows into Aussie cinemas, you'll want to follow his latest flick, Under the Silver Lake, there as well. This time around, the writer/director spins a Los Angeles-set mystery about a directionless 33-year-old (Andrew Garfield) suddenly caught up in the disappearance of his attractive neighbour (Riley Keough). If that doesn't intrigue you enough, then the fact that It Follows composer Disasterpiece will make another appearance should. As demonstrated in his last film, Mitchell knows how to nod to his influences but still deliver his distinctive sense of mood and tone, so seeing how he does just that with LA noir is certainly enticing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij9C3Ej5CaE HAPPY AS LAZZARO Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher has already starred in one of the best movies doing the rounds of the international festival circuit this year, thanks to the Berlinale-bowing Daughter of Mine. Now, with Happy as Lazzaro, it seems like she might've featured in another. This year's winner of Cannes' best screenplay award — tying with 3 Faces — it was written and directed by her sister Alice Rohrwacher. And while the story might seem straightforward, the film has a few twists up its sleeves. The feature steps into the life of its titular character (Adriano Tardiolo), a peasant, who forms a bond with Tancredi (Tomasso Ragno), a nobleman. If you're keen on movies that start out one way and end up as something different, this sounds like it'll be right up your alley. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=85&v=wi6Kw7V8gXk BURNING Plenty of films won plenty of awards at this year's Cannes, as always, but Burning seems to have won the most hearts. It also took home the festival's FIPRESCI prize, which is awarded by a panel of film critics — so that should tell you how widely it was loved. Directed by South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong (2010's Poetry, a best screenplay winner at Cannes) and featuring The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun, the slow-building effort focuses on three characters connected in different ways, with a romance between former neighbours only part of the ambiguous, enigmatic narrative. Plus, Burning is based on a Haruki Murakami short story — and while it also clocks in at 148 minutes, it'll be worth it. This film will screen at Sydney Film Festival 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNp0jlfbgqM CLIMAX Everyone has an opinion on Gaspar Noé. Indeed, his movies are nothing if not divisive. Irreversible, Enter the Void and Love all have their passionate fans and their avid haters, and Climax is bound to fall into the same camp. The French-based Argentinian filmmaker was reportedly annoyed that not enough people walked out of his latest picture, which featured in one of the Cannes Film Festival's sidebars, Directors' Fortnight. Its clearly provocative title aside, the movie has been called Noé's best, so perhaps that's why most of the audience stuck around. The Sofia Boutella (Atomic Blonde)-starring effort also been praised for the director's typically vivid visuals, in a film that's an ultra-violent dance movie as well as a lurid horror flick. It features acid-spiked sangria, which says plenty, really. This film will screen at Sydney Film Festival 2018.
In cinemas, 2024 will feature fewer superheroes than normal. Marvel is only releasing Deadpool & Wolverine, while DC is taking the year off as it prepares to start its franchise anew. On the small screen, there mightn't be as many Marvel Cinematic Universe TV shows, either. But if you like your caped-crusader fix to be as chaotic as possible — and if you have a big dose of superhero fatigue with the usual sprawling sagas — you'll be pleased to know that The Boys will be back in your streaming queue midyear. After college-set spinoff Gen V arrived in 2023, earning a season-two renewal in the process, The Boys itself will return for season four from Thursday, June 13, 2024. The exact release date comes after a first trailer for the new season was dropped in December, teasing plenty of mayhem — to the utter lack of surprise of viewers of 2019's first season, 2020's second effort and 2022's third go-around. When The Boys makes its comeback, it'll see the world dealing with Homelander (Antony Starr, Guy Ritchie's The Covenant)-versus-Starlight (Erin Moriarty, Captain Fantastic) factionalism, and just being ready to tear itself apart in general. Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) is getting closer to the Oval Office, too, with Homelander pulling the strings. Also on the way: no-nonsense Brit Billy Butcher (Karl Urban, Thor: Ragnarok) dealing with the fact that he's only got months left, and that he's no longer leading The Boys — aka the eponymous ragtag team intent on bringing down Vought International, Homelander, and the company's caped-crusader industry and dominance. And, there's a new face, with Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead) joining the cast, adding another Supernatural link after Jensen Ackles did the same in season three. The Boys focuses on a group of caped crusaders, like most things seem to these days; however, in a world where viewers have been conditioned to lap up narratives about powerful folks who are supposedly better than most, this series both satirises and questions that very idea. Here, superheroes work for Vought. They're still the main form of entertainment, but they're real, the most famous celebrities there are and inescapable in daily life, too. The absolute top talent is known as The Seven, but most are hardly role models when the public isn't looking. That has made quite the change from the usual cinematic universes as the Prime Video show has kept notching up the seasons, all coming to the small screen after being adapted from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's comic book series of the same name. As well as Starr, Moriarty, Doumit and Urban, Jack Quaid (Oppenheimer), Jessie T Usher (Smile), Laz Alonso (Wrath of Man), Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl), Tomer Capone (One on One), Karen Fukuhara (Bullet Train), Colby Minifie (I'm Thinking of Ending Things) and Cameron Crovetti (Goodnight Mommy) will all return — with Susan Heyward (Hello Tomorrow!) and Valorie Curry (The Lost Symbol) also set to be season four newcomers. Check out the first trailer for The Boys season four below: The fourth season of The Boys will start streaming via Prime Video from Thursday, June 13, 2024. Read our reviews of The Boys season three and Gen V.
Victorians, it's holiday time. After a year largely spent staring at your own four walls, you probably don't need much motivation to head out of town, but the State Government is giving you some anyway. In an effort to encourage everyone to take a getaway within the state, it's handing out $200 vouchers for regional travel. The idea has two obvious aims: enticing Victorian residents to go venturing throughout the state, and helping support regional pubs, hotels, wineries and small businesses. The move was first announced back in mid-November — as part of a $465 million Victorian Tourism Recovery Package — but today, Thursday, December 10, the exact details of what you can spend the money on, when you can spend it and exactly how you can get your hands on the vouchers have been unveiled. The vouchers will be released in three 40,000 batches, with the first lot available to apply for from tomorrow, Friday, December 11, followed by subsequent rounds on Wednesday, January 20 and Tuesday, March 30. This first round can used for travel between December 12–January 22, and additional rounds for travel between January 27–April 1 and April 6–May 31, respectively. [caption id="attachment_704120" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cleveland Winery[/caption] The vouchers can be spent on accommodation, tourism attractions and tours in regional Victoria, the Yarra Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula. But, there's a hefty list of things you can't spend them on, including gaming, alcohol, fuel, food and drinks (unless it's part of a winery tour, for example), groceries, personal items (such as clothing) and transport (such as rental cars and public transport). So, you can't just use the voucher to road trip to a pub, but you can use it to book accommodation at the pub, then spend your own money on food and drinks — which will still make your trip away significantly cheaper. There are some additional caveats, too: the vouchers are limited to one per household (not per person) across the entire scheme; you must first provide evidence of spending $400 on accommodation, attractions or tours before getting your $200; and you must pay for a minimum of two nights accommodation in regional Victoria. Which means, at most, half of your expenses will be covered — but, that's $200 that you won't have to fork out yourself. Yes, it's a little complicated — but the Vic Government has broken it down in more detail over here. It has also given some more examples of what you can use the vouchers on, including holiday parks, camping sites, cottages, farm stays, private holiday rentals, houseboats (yes, houseboats), winery tours, adventure tours and entry fees to regional attractions, such as. museums, water parks and adventure parks. You can apply for the first round of 40,000 $200 travel vouchers from 10am on Friday, December 11 at business.vic.gov.au/travelvouchers. Subsequent rounds will open on Wednesday, January 20 and on Tuesday, March 30. Top image: Otway Fly Treetop Adventures
Whether she's behind the camera or in front of it — or both — a movie that involves Miranda July in some shape or form is instantly worth everyone's attention. The same applies to the American talent's recordings, art and books, too, because displaying at the Venice Biennale and hitting the New York Times bestsellers list are also on her resume. July's filmography is small but impactful. She's packed a punch by opting for quality over quantity so far, and viewers have been able to reap the rewards. Case in point: the phenomenal Kajillionaire, which hit screens nine years after her previous film before that; instantly proved distinctive, empathetic and engaging; and was also one of the absolute best movies of 2020. Accordingly, it's no wonder that Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image is spending more than a week between Thursday, June 5–Monday, June 16 paying tribute to July as part of RISING 2025. Kajillionare is screening, and so are the July-directed Me and You and Everyone We Know and The Future. You can also see her on-screen in the exceptional Madeline's Madeline and hear her give voice to volcanologist documentary Fire of Love. A compilation of July's early shorts, including a music video for Sleater Kinney, is on the lineup as well — as is a session of factual works that explore how she goes about making art.
It was a groaning, grimacing Timothy Spall who won the Best Actor Award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, for a role in which his face is frequently scrunched, his posture is constantly hunched, and his voice is guttural when heard. His applauded performance leaves a lasting imprint, yet as primal as it proves, it only scratches the surface of a character and a film both called Mr Turner. Beneath the physicality sits a portrayal and a biopic that finds underlying beauty in brutality, while never equating both traits as opposite extremes. Such an approach matches the 19th-century subject, the titular J.M.W. Turner, who made his name painting vistas of land and sea. Some of his oil and watercolour pieces showed pastoral elegance, but for all his praised use of light, increasingly his pictures were tinted with the destruction and violence of nature. His command of technique remained untouched; however, the tone of his canvases evolved over the course of his career. This professional progression, venerated now, wasn’t well received during his lifetime. In Mr Turner, Spall inhabits the hulking figure of a reclusive and eccentric man in what amounts to slices of his existence over his final quarter-century. In his personal affairs, his ailing father (Paul Jesson), his dutiful housekeeper (Dorothy Atkinson), and his secret landlady turned companion and confidant (Marion Bailey) all influence this last difficult chapter, one also marked by the former mistress (Ruth Sheen) and daughters (Sandy Foster and Amy Dawson) he refuses to publicly acknowledge. Writer/director Mike Leigh is known for his fondness for and feeding off of the improvisation of his cast. His films — recently, Happy-Go-Lucky and Another Year – are a cooperative act between the auteur and his actors. Accordingly, his overarching narratives can be driven by the whims of individual scenes, as is strongly the case here. In Mr Turner, Leigh has crafted a pieced-together story that showcases the very best of everyone involved. Spall’s every action may monopolise the frame, but in this feature as in all of the filmmaker’s offerings, there isn’t a bad performance to be found amongst the sprawling yet subtly brushed tale. Indeed, it is with a painter’s touch that Leigh guides his cast, and that his actors enliven their characters, constructing the film layer by layer. The exquisite visuals by Cannes award-winning cinematographer Dick Pope perform the same creative task, further perfecting the feature’s evocation of its central vocation. From sequences following Turner traversing the countryside, to quiet conversations stolen indoors, every image tumbles from artistry – whether glimpsed alone or considered as a whole. As Mr Turner finds the humanity within the harshness of a life of winding down and of an extraordinary talent housed within a complex man, Leigh and his collaborators on-screen and off turn the corresponding account into its own masterly work.
We're understandably sceptical about most tech things that are promised to us. Australians are always the last to get blockbuster films and critically-acclaimed television shows, we're geo-blocked from most great things online, and we pay depressingly more than the rest of the world for all our tech and entertainment goodies. It's a tough hand we've been dealt; one so bad we've taken to just skirting the system completely and either sneakily paying for overseas services like Netflix or becoming all-out pirates. But here's some good news: it looks as though the latest streaming service being shoved in our faces won't completely suck. Joining the iffy selection of commercial Australian streaming services like Quickflix and Foxtel's Presto, Fairfax and Channel Nine's new venture looks like a winner. Launching in February 2015, it's been announced the service will offer on demand viewing with no ads and no contract, it will have a fixed fee of about $10 per month, and it'll be exclusively airing the much-anticipated Breaking Bad spin-off, Better Call Saul at the same time as the US. High fives all 'round, people. This is all every sneaky Australian Netflix user has ever wanted. In fact, to put some icing on the already spectacularly delicious cake, this new platform will also have all five seasons of Breaking Bad in its catalogue and will be revealing one more awesome show every week 'til its launch next year. If there's one thing that's holding it back, it's the name. Though it was previously referred to as StreamCo, today it was announced that this new platform will officially be called Stan. That's right, your new favourite late-night best bud/ultimate time waster will share a name with a melodramatic late '90s rap collaboration from Eminem and Dido. "[We wanted a name] that consumers could actually associate with and actually have a character with," said CEO Mike Sneesby. "Stan is not going to be a character in itself but a brand that will build its own character in being truly Australian." Regardless of that ridiculous logic, this is still a service we can get behind. Though details of the Australian Netflix launch have not yet been announced, at $10 a month Stan would actually be competitive with the US version of Netflix which Australians currently (somewhat dubiously) access for around $9. These price points are also well below the $29.99 fee Quickflix users fork over monthly. So really, it's not so bad. It's not so bad.
Whether you use them for cleansing, decompressing or just some well-earned R 'n' R, spas have been a ubiquitous part of the tourism industry since the Ancient Greeks and Romans set them up all over Europe. Yet that hour of spa-induced tranquility you spent on your last weekend away often represents millions of dollars of investment and some seriously big returns, with hotels and getaway locations increasingly competing to come up with the most extravagant and unique means of relaxation. By combining experimental remedies such as red wine baths, snake massages and bird poo facials with some seriously beautiful locations and a whole lot of steaming hot water, these ten unusual spas promise tourists some bizarre and truly once-in-a-lifetime relaxation experiences. Floating Garden Spa, Amsterdam Resembling something between the Garden of Eden and an LSD fantasy, Amsterdam's Floating Garden Spa is an entire island created for the very purpose of tourist requiescence. Designed by Dutch architects Studio Noach and Anne Holtrop, the island's lush greenery is covered with healing baths, saunas, and various treatment rooms and populated by ecosystems of birds and butterflies. The island is not only a relaxation paradise but a truly remarkable architectural feat, constructed from recycled polystyrene that allows the island to float and continually regulate its own temperature. Healing Salt Caves, Chicago Chicago's Healing Salt Caves are just about the closest you can get to experiencing what it would be like to wander into an underwater palace. These shimmering pink caves attempt to imitate the healing effects of the Black Sea, with salt from the iodine rich Chicago area artificially crystallised to produce an authentic ocean microclimate. Ada Barak's Carnivorous Plant Farm & Spa, Israel Not for the squeamish nor the weak of heart, Israel's most famous spa uses perhaps the most unorthodox of relaxation techniques: snake massages. While it may sound like something out of an Indiana Jones film, the spa's founder, Ada Barak, swears by her collection of non-venomous king snakes, claiming they relieve stress and muscle-tension. If this isn't enough, the spa is also home to an exotic range of carnivorous plants that munch on everything from small mammals to schnitzels, providing a suitably freaky backdrop for the massages, which include up to six snakes slithering on your face and back at any one time. Shizuka Day Spa, New York If snakes aren't your cup of tea, perhaps New York's famous Shikuza Day Spa will sound more appealing. Their specialty: facials made from nightingale excrement. The treatment has been employed for hundreds of years by Japanese Geisha girls, who would use the enzymes in the pungent face mask to cleanse their skin. Shizuka has now perfected the recipe, sanitising the droppings with UV rays and condensing it into a fine powder and costing their many celebrity clients upwards of $180 for a single session. Hakone Kowakien Yunessun, Japan Hakone Kowakien Yunessun costs its many clientele a small fortune to bathe in everything from green-tea, sake, coffee and, most popularly, Beaujolais Nouveau red wine. Since the Japanese resort opened in 2005 it has become a bit of a local phenomenon with the red wine allegedly having a rejuvenating effect on the body and mind. Geometric Mountain Wellness Center, Switzerland Buried within the Swiss Alps this striking structure combines first-class spa treatment with the tranquility of the mountain setting to provide clients with an escapist fantasy. The remarkable design, modeled by architect Mario Botta on the shapes of trees and vegetables, uses enormous glass windows to light the four floors of the Wellness Center and unite its clientele with the serenity of the surrounding village and the epic mountain landscape. Underwater Tropical Spa, The Maldives Located in the soothing and sensual context of a room entirely submerged by water, the Underwater Spa at Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives is a massage experience like no other. This luxurious spa features the rhythmic melody of the ocean gently caressing the windows of the underwater spa room, tropical aquatic life swimming only inches away from you and soft cushions and fabrics resembling the marine life surrounding the room. If this massage and spa doesn't revitalize the soul, we don't know what would. The Blue Lagoon, Iceland There's a reason the Blue Lagoon in Iceland was voted the 'best medial spa' worldwide by Conde Nast Traveller and has been awarded the Blue Flag environmental recognition five years in a row. This natural wonder holds a massive 6 million litres of geothermal seawater, which originates from depths of 2,000m below the Earth's surface, where the temperatures are 240°C and the pressure is 36 times greater than it is on the Earth's surface. The resulting 37-39°C water, which is high in silica and salinity and contains no common bacteria, is renowned for it magnificent natural rejuvenating and healing powers found only at the Blue Lagoon. Geomagnetic Vortex Desert Spa, Mojave Desert A fusion of the awesome power of the Mojave Desert's geomagnetic vortex with the architectural perfection of this UFO-like dome, the 'Integratron' transforms sound into an incredible spiritual and physical healing tool. The 60-minute sonic healing session held inside this acoustically perfect, resonant high-energy dome is described as 'kindergarten naptime for grown-ups in a sound sphere'. Throughout the sound bath, quartz crystal singing bowls are played out to induce heightened awareness and intense rejuvenation and introspection. The Hershey's Chocolate Spa, Pennsylvania Rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit with chocolate at the Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania. We don't simply mean by eating it though - we mean taking a bath or rubbing your face in it. Hershey's method of spa and massage treatment may be somewhat peculiar, yet it is a delightfully decadent way to pamper yourself and try something new in the process. With options ranging from the Chocolate Bean Polish, to the Fondue wrap, the Whipped Cocoa Bath or the Cocoa Facial Experience, there's sure to be a charming chocolate experience to suit everybody's taste.
Good Beer Week is giving Melburnians a legit excuse to head out to Geelong on a Tuesday night when two of the city's best businesses team up at this highlight event. Blackman's Brewery is turning its bar and restaurant over to The Hot Chicken Project's Aaron Turner, who will serve up a menu of his signature Nashville-style treats alongside the launch of a seasonal produce-inspired brew. An award-winning chef, Turner has come into more specific spotlight since opening nearby high-end restaurant Igni in 2016. It focuses on small growers and regional produce, with a menu that changes by the day. This ethos pairs nicely with Blackman's brew, which uses seasonal produce to create a beer that is truly a taste of Geelong. This local-as event will give patrons a chance to meet both brewers and chefs, learn a thing or two about seasonality, and of course tuck into some fried chicken and craft beers.
How do you follow up a festival that boasted Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker, plus Australian icons Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts, all talking about their experiences in film and television — and the world-premiere of a documentary about The Wiggles, too? That's the task at hand for the screen-focused side of SXSW Sydney, which is currently in the process of compiling exactly that lineup for its second run. The event's October 2024 dates are still months away, but it keeps dropping details, including Australian filmmaker Warwick Thornton and composer Jed Kurzel newly joining the lineup. The director behind Samson & Delilah, Sweet Country and The New Boy, Thornton will take to the stage to give audiences a live director's commentary of one of his features. Which movie it'll be — he's also helmed The Darkside and documentary We Don't Need a Map — hasn't yet been revealed. Kurzel's filmography doesn't just include his brother Justin's Snowtown, Macbeth, Assassin's Creed, True History of the Kelly Gang and Nitram, but also everything from The Babadook and The Nightingale to Alien: Covenant and Dev Patel's directorial debut Monkey Man. He'll be doing a live commentary as well, talking through how he scores opening sequences. [caption id="attachment_861204" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Rogers[/caption] Thornton and Kurzel are two big names in Australia's film industry — and they have impressive company in the latest round of SXSW Sydney 2024 announcements, as the fest's Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 dates get closer. From Margot Robbie's production company LuckyChap Entertainment, Barbie executive producer Josey McNamara will chat about the organisation's recent flicks, which also spans Promising Young Woman and Saltburn. And Mark Andrews, who co-helmed Pixar's Brave, will discuss his work at independent animation studio Floating Rock. With Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid already on the lineup, plus Heartbreak High star Ayesha Madon on the music bill, and also Westworld and Bosch & Rockit star Luke Hemsworth — albeit the latter hosting the session Better Than a Hollywood Movie: The Highs, Lows, Epic Moments and Colossal Steps Forward in Bringing Back the Tasmanian Tiger, so not talking about his screen career — the 2024 fest's roster of big movie and TV names just keeps growing. SXSW Sydney has just added a heap of other talks, too, covering Floating Rock's origin story, women in VFX and animation, film distribution in Australia and what it means to have your work screen at the OG SXSW in Austin. Keen for a crash course in the industry? That's where 90-Minute Film School will come in, debuting with a focus on five aspects of filmmaking. A screen mentorship program will also join the Sydney program for the first time. [caption id="attachment_967878" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] There's no new word on what will be getting projectors rolling, however, so watch this space if you're keen to glue your eyes to the the latests flicks and TV shows. As part of its many lineup drops so far — a first batch came in May, then a second round in June, then two others earlier in July — the festival has already revealed that documentary The Most Australian Band Ever! about the Hard-Ons sits on the roster. So does S/He Is Still Her/e: The Official Genesis P-Orridge, which is executive produced by Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace — and also Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara, about thrash metal in the Māori language. Firmly a must-see from past announcements: Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts. The latest documentary from Barbecue and We Don't Deserve Dogs' Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker, who are no strangers to SXSW in Austin, it sees the Australian-born, Brooklyn-based duo explore the US today through former Pizza Hut buildings. [caption id="attachment_967880" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_967879" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953711" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953720" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katje Ford[/caption] SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Top image: Jami Joy.
Next time you slather your hands with sanitiser, you could be covering them with your favourite booze as well. With alcohol a crucial ingredient in the now-essential product — especially sanitiser that's effective against COVID-19 — distilleries and breweries are doing their part to help boost supplies. To the delight of rum lovers, that now includes Queensland's iconic Beenleigh Rum and Bundaberg Rum. While gin aficionados can splash their digits with Manly Spirits Co's gin-infused hand sanitiser — and plenty of other boozy outfits are jumping on the trend, too — fans of fermented and distilled sugarcane juice can look forward to freshening their fingers with their preferred tipple. Well, in a way. Australia's oldest distillery, Beenleigh Rum is whipping up its own sanitiser and selling it online; however, the end product doesn't feature any of its branding. Still, if you order a carton of Wheel & Barrow hand sanitiser, you'll be ordering sanitiser made by Beenleigh Rum — with online orders available now, by the carton, for delivery from Friday, March 27. Beenleigh Distillery owner Angelo Kotses originally just planned to start making sanitiser to keep the company's own workers safe, but decided to pump out more when asked by the Queensland Government. The distillery will also provide the state with a supply of the product for schools and frontline workers. If you're a Bundaberg Rum devotee, the Coral Coast-based operation is focusing on producing ethanol for use in hand sanitiser. It won't be making sanitiser itself — so you won't see bottles all over the place with Bundy Rum's bear logo — but it is donating 100,000 litres of ethanol to the Queensland Government to be used in making sanitiser, which will produce around 500,000 bottles. Although there's no word yet on how the government will be using the Bundy-infused sanitiser, fingers crossed that it'll be made available to the public — given how much Bundy Rum is drunk across the state, it's certain to be popular. To buy Beenleigh Rum-produced hand sanitiser, visit the distillery's website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
Among Australia's most applauded movies of 2023, Warwick Thornton teaming up with Cate Blanchett, a thrilling horror debut and an extremely personal story about resilience have topped the nominations for the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards. On TV, a stellar media drama, excellent page-to-screen hit, glorious rom-com and the latest from The Kates have achieved the same feat. Yes, it's been a good year on screens big and small Down Under. That means that The New Boy (12 nominations), Talk to Me (11), Shayda (nine), The Newsreader (15), The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (12), Colin From Accounts (ten) and Deadloch (ten) all lead the way at Australia's annual accolades for the best movies and TV shows of the past year. The winners will be revealed in 2024, on Thursday, February 8 and Saturday, February 10, 2024 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast, in tandem with a brand-new four-day festival also celebrating Aussie film and television. Previously called the AFI Awards, the AACTA Awards have spread the love to a heap of other productions, giving the aforementioned titles a heap of company. In the Best Film field, Of an Age, Sweet As and The Royal Hotel are up against Shayda, Talk to Me and The New Boy. Also on the big screen, the Best Indie Film category spans A Savage Christmas, Limbo, Monolith Streets of Colour, The Rooster and The Survival of Kindness. Among TV's big hitters, Best Drama Series spans Bay of Fires, Black Snow, Bump, Erotic Stories, Love Me and The Newsreader — and Best Narrative Comedy Series features Colin From Accounts, Deadloch, Fisk, Gold Diggers, Upright and Utopia. And, for shows that only run for one season, Best Miniseries covers Bad Behaviour, In Our Blood, Safe Home, The Clearing, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart and While The Men Are Away. Need something to watch over the holidays? You can also consider the 2023 AACTA Award nominations a list of must-see homegrown movies and TV shows, with everything from tender queer coming-of-age tales, outback thrillers and noir-ish detective stories to family-focused comedies, relationship dramas and jumps to the past covered. Among the highlights, the Best Director field overflows with talent, including Jub Clerc for Sweet As, Kitty Green for The Royal Hotel, Noora Niasari for Shayda, Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou for Talk to Me, Goran Stolevski for Of an Age and Warwick Thornton for The New Boy — but the same can be said for every category. And yes, the Matildas even earned some love, as they have been everywhere in 2023, this time for engaging documentary series Matildas: The World at Our Feet. Here's a selection of this year's major AACTA nominations, ahead of the awards' ceremonies on Thursday, February 8 and Saturday, February 10, 2024 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast — and you can check out the full list on AACTA's website: AACTA NOMINEES 2023: FILM AWARDS: BEST FILM Of an Age Shayda Sweet As Talk to Me The New Boy The Royal Hotel BEST INDIE FILM A Savage Christmas Limbo Monolith Streets of Colour The Rooster The Survival of Kindness BEST DIRECTION Jub Clerc, Sweet As Kitty Green, The Royal Hotel Noora Niasari, Shayda, Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou, Talk to Me Goran Stolevski, Of an Age Warwick Thornton, The New Boy BEST LEAD ACTRESS Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Shayda Shantae Barnes-Cowan, Sweet As Cate Blanchett, The New Boy Julia Garner, The Royal Hotel Sarah Snook, Run Rabbit Run Sophie Wilde, Talk to Me BEST LEAD ACTOR Elias Anton, Of an Age Simon Baker, Limbo Thom Green, Of an Age Phoenix Raei, The Rooster Aswan Reid, The New Boy Osamah Sami, Shayda BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Alex Jensen, Talk to Me Deborah Mailman, The New Boy Tasma Walton, Sweet As Mia Wasikowska, Blueback Ursula Yovich, The Royal Hotel Selina Zahednia, Shayda BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Mojean Aria, Shayda Eric Bana, Blueback Wayne Blair, The New Boy Rob Collins, Limbo Zoe Terakes, Talk to Me Hugo Weaving, The Rooster BEST SCREENPLAY Kitty Green, Oscar Redding, The Royal Hotel Noora Niasari, Shayda Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman, Talk to Me Goran Stolevski, Of an Age Warwick Thornton, The New Boy BEST DOCUMENTARY Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story Harley & Katya John Farnham: Finding the Voice The Dark Emu Story The Giants The Last Daughter This Is Going to Be Big To Never Forget BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Carl Allison, Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism Sherwin Akbarzadeh, Shayda Aaron McLisky, Talk to Me Katie Milwright, Sweet As Warwick Thornton, The New Boy BEST EDITING Dany Cooper, Carmen Katie Flaxman, Sweet As Geoff Lamb, Talk to Me Michelle McGilvray, Matt Villa, Courtney Teixera, Scarygirl Nick Meyers, The New Boy BEST SHORT FILM An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It Ashes Finding Addison Jia Mud Crab Not Dark Yet TELEVISION AWARDS: BEST DRAMA SERIES Bay of Fires Black Snow Bump Erotic Stories Love Me The Newsreader BEST NARRATIVE COMEDY SERIES Colin From Accounts Deadloch Fisk Gold Diggers Upright Utopia BEST MINISERIES Bad Behaviour In Our Blood Safe Home The Clearing The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart While The Men Are Away BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Tim Draxl, In Our Blood Travis Fimmel, Black Snow Joel Lago, Erotic Stories Sam Reid, The Newsreader Richard Roxburgh, Bali 2002 Hugo Weaving, Love Me BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Kate Box, Erotic Stories Aisha Dee, Safe Home Bojana Novakovic, Love Me Teresa Palmer, The Clearing Anna Torv, The Newsreader Sigourney Weaver, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart BEST ACTING IN A COMEDY Celeste Barber, Wellmania Kate Box, Deadloch Patrick Brammall, Colin From Accounts Harriet Dyer, Colin From Accounts Kitty Flanagan, Fisk Nina Oyama, Deadloch Helen Thomson, Colin From Accounts Julia Zemiro, Fisk BEST COMEDY PERFORMER Tom Gleeson, Hard Quiz Jim Jefferies, The 1% Club Luke McGregor, Taskmaster Australia Rhys Nicholson, RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Nina Oyama, Taskmaster Australia Charlie Pickering, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Natalie Tran, The Great Australian Bake Off Cal Wilson, The Great Australian Bake Off BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Alycia Debnam-Carey, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart Marg Downey, The Newsreader Michelle Lim Davidson, The Newsreader Heather Mitchell, Love Me Leah Purcell, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart Brooke Satchwell, Black Snow BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Tim Draxl, Erotic Stories Alexander England, Black Snow William McInnes, The Newsreader Bob Morley, Love Me Hunter Page-Lochard, The Newsreader Guy Pearce, The Clearing BEST DIRECTION IN A DRAMA OR COMEDY Ben Chessell, Deadloch (episode one) Emma Freeman, The Newsreader (episode four) Glendyn Ivin, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (episode one) Matt Moore, Colin From Accounts (episode six) Trent O'Donnell, Colin From Accounts (episode three) BEST DIRECTION IN NON-FICTION TELEVISION Katie Bender Wynn, Matildas: The World at Our Feet (episode two) Stamatia Maroupas, Queerstralia (episode one) Josh Martin, Adam and Poh's Great Australian Bites (episode one) Rachel Perkins, Dylan River, Tov Belling, The Australian Wars (episode one) Henry Stone, Aaron Chen: If Weren't Filmed, Nobody Would Believe BEST SCREENPLAY IN TELEVISION Patrick Brammall, Colin From Accounts (episode six) Harriet Dyer, Colin From Accounts (episode three) Kate McCartney, Kate McLennan, Deadloch (episode one) Adrian Russell Wills, The Newsreader (episode four) Lucas Taylor, Black Snow (episode one) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN TELEVISION Sam Chiplin, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (episode one) Earle Dresner, The Newsreader (episode four) Aaron Farrugia, Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe (episode one) Tania Lambert, Erotic Stories (episode two) Katie Milwright, Deadloch (episode one) BEST EDITING IN TELEVISION Peter Bennett, Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe (episode one) Danielle Boesenberg, Colin From Accounts (episode three) Angie Higgins, Deadloch (episode one) Angie Higgins, The Newsreader (episode four) Deborah Peart, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (episode one) Deborah Peart, Dany Cooper, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (episode six) BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM Dancing with the Stars Eurovision Song Contest 2023 Lego Masters: Grand Masters Mastermind The 1% Club The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition BEST COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM Hard Quiz RocKwiz Taskmaster Australia Thank God You're Here The Cheap Seats The Weekly with Charlie Pickering BEST FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM Alone Australia Gogglebox Australia Kitchen Cabinet Old People's Home for Teenagers Take 5 with Zan Rowe Who The Bloody Hell Are We? BEST DOCUMENTARY OR FACTUAL PROGRAM Matildas: The World at Our Feet Ningaloo Nyinggulu Queerstralia The Australian Wars War on Waste Who Do You Think You Are BEST CHILDREN'S PROGRAM Barrumbi Kids Beep and Mort Bluey Crazy Fun Park The PM's Daughter Turn Up the Volume BEST STANDUP SPECIAL Aaron Chen: If Weren't Filmed, Nobody Would Believe Celeste Barber: Fine, thanks Hannah Gadsby: Something Special Jim Jefferies: High & Dry Lizzy Hoo: Hoo Cares!? Rhys Nicholson's Big Queer Comedy Concert BEST LIFESTYLE PROGRAM Adam and Poh's Great Australian Bites Gardening Australia Grand Designs Australia Love It or List It Australia Selling Houses Australia The Great Australian Bake Off BEST REALITY PROGRAM Australian Survivor: Heroes v Villains FBOY Island Australia Hunted Australia MasterChef Australia Real Housewives of Sydney RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under BEST ONLINE DRAMA OR COMEDY Appetite Latecomers Me & Her(pes) Monologue The Disposables The Future of Everything
The start of the Tour de France is just around the corner, with the peloton soon leaving behind Lille bound for the Champs-Élysées. Returning for the 2025 race, Bobbie Peels will be there every pedal of the way, pouring premium wines by the glass and serving classic French dishes as each stage is screened late into the night over the three-week event. Held from Saturday, July 5–Sunday, July 27, the Tour de Vino sees the North Melbourne pub curate its wine selection depending on the French region that the peloton is passing through. Making for a dynamic spectator-meets-dining experience, noteworthy wines pair with late-night action and the charming countryside footage that cycling fans know and love. With the Tour de France commencing in Lille, aka the beer capital of France, Bobbie Peels has teamed up with Bentspoke Brewing for the very first time, tapping four special brews to enjoy across the three weeks. Meanwhile, premium importer Enoteca Wines has worked closely with the pub to source stage-winning drops produced across several acclaimed regions. To eat, guests can enjoy a rotating selection of French-inspired dishes, like French onion soup, coq au vin and crème brûlée. "Just like the athletes we see on the bikes, the winemakers we are featuring are true masters of their craft," says Bobbie Peels co-owner Phil Gijsbers. "It will be a pleasure to provide the vinous accompaniment to the world's most prestigious race."
So many places to visit, only so much cash in the bank. When Australia starts to reopen its borders both domestically and internationally, that's the situation we'll all face. So, if you're looking to save some money on airfares once you can start heading off on holidays again, that's understandable. Enter Bonza, the new Aussie low-cost airline that's set to launch early next year. An exact date hasn't been revealed as yet, but sometime in 2022, you'll have another choice when it comes to flying across this country of ours. The new independent carrier will focus on local flights with low fares — and on opening up routes to more of regional Australia. "Bonza's mission is to encourage more travel by providing more choices and ultra-low fares, particularly into leisure destinations where travel is now often limited to connections via major cities," said Bonza founder and CEO Tim Jordan, who comes to the airline with 25-plus years experience in low-cost carriers such as Virgin Blue, Cebu Pacific in The Philippines and central Asia's FlyArystan. While the airline's list of destinations hasn't yet been announced yet either, the aim is to service "regional communities by providing new routes and greater travel opportunities," Jordan continued. The airline will base its headquarters in a yet-to-be -revealed part of regional Australia, too. Wherever it ends up heading, Bonza will fly Boeing 737-8 aircraft. Fare prices and inclusions — such as baggage, meals and snacks, and selecting your own seat — haven't been mentioned as yet, with the airline still working through the regulatory process. When it launches, the carrier will take to the skies with the backing of US private investment firm 777 Partners, which also has a hand in Canada's Flair Airlines and the Southeast Asian-based Value Alliance. And yes, this now means that your 2022 Aussie holidays just got a whole lot cheaper — and that, alongside Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia, you'll have more airline options. Bonza is set to start flying sometime in 2022. For more information, head to the airline's website.
When the first images of Lily James playing Pamela Anderson in new miniseries Pam & Tommy dropped, they captured an astonishing transformation. The Pursuit of Love star didn't just look like herself dressed up as the famed Baywatch actor; thanks to the show's hair, makeup and costuming teams, she appeared as if she'd leapt into Anderson's body Being John Malkovich-style. That feeling only grew as several trailers arrived. In the finished product, her performance borders on uncanny. It needs to, and not merely to ensure that James never just seems like she's simply slipping into a red swimsuit for an easy impersonation. Now streaming on Disney+, with its first three episodes hitting the platform at once and the remaining five set to drop weekly going forward, Pam & Tommy focuses on Anderson's marriage to Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan, The 355) in the 90s. It's all about the pair's sex tape as a result, because that intimate recording was the pop-culture scandal of the 90s, and it's impossible to step into Anderson and Lee's romance without it. Indeed, the show knows that it's spinning a wild story, even by celebrity terms. It's well aware that everyone watching will hit play with their own ideas already formed about the incident, and about the central duo's larger-than-life public personalities as well. Pam & Tommy leans into that exact certainty to begin with — talking penis and all — but, as James' performance demonstrates, it never sees the tale it's telling as a joke. [caption id="attachment_841923" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erin Simkin/Hulu[/caption] First, that chattering genitalia. After meeting Anderson at a club, clicking instantly and enjoying a boozy night, Lee is smitten — and his junk (voiced by Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Jason Mantzoukas) audibly helps him talk through his feelings. It's an attention-grabbing moment, and one that Pam & Tommy will always be known for; yes, this is now and always will be the prattling package show. But the immediately memorable scene also serves up the risqué with a side of heart, and makes one of its OTT subjects — as Anderson and Lee have long been regarded in the public eye, at least — more human in the process. It's even a little cheesy: he's a guy falling for a girl and working through his excitement by talking to himself, as plenty of rom-coms have lapped up over the years. Pam & Tommy is both a romance and a comedy at times. Crucially, though, it's a piece of recognition that Anderson and Lee's plight isn't quite the narrative it's been immortalised as for the past quarter-century. It isn't a coincidence that Australian-born director Craig Gillespie helms some of the series' episodes, because he unpacked a sordid real-life story that solidified a famous woman's reputation in I, Tonya, too. That's the real point of focus here, although the fact the series went ahead without Anderson's approval undercuts its aims more than a little. Still, on-screen, there's no doubting Pam & Tommy's quest to expose how unfairly Anderson was treated after carpenter Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogen, An American Pickle) stole footage of private moments with her then-husband. [caption id="attachment_841925" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kelsey McNeal/Hulu[/caption] Lee might get to converse with his dick — with Stan playing that scene, and his entire role, with as much commitment as James displays over and over again (and with as much helpful TV styling) — but he's also painted as a dick as first. Gauthier is one of the contractors helping build the ultimate bedroom for Lee's newly wedded bliss, and the rocker is a jerk of a customer. He keeps changing his mind about what he wants, blaming everyone else and, when he decides he's unhappy, refuses to pay or return Gauthier's tools. So, the disgruntled ex-employee hatches a plan to make off with Lee's safe, not knowing what it holds inside. When he finds the tape along with guns and cash, he's still so eager to get revenge on Lee that he enlists porn-producing pal Miltie (Nick Offerman, Devs) to help make it public, which he sees as his new payday. Pam & Tommy wants you to side with mullet-wearing Gauthier initially — including when Lee pulls a gun on him while he's just trying to get his work equipment back — but its real allegiance lies with Anderson. Its tender heart, too, something that the show shares with Lee and his chatterbox of an appendage. As it charts the path that Anderson and Lee's tape takes from their safe to Gauthier to eagerly paying customers, and then to the internet in online porn's early days, the series keeps returning to the fallout for the Baywatch and Barb Wire star. As she explains to Lee and to their lawyers more than once, things aren't the same for a man caught getting intimate on camera as they are for a woman, and the way that this true tale has already played out IRL has made that plain several times over. Come for the scandal, for the talking penis that everyone's babbling about, and for a show that always knows it's a rollicking ride, but stay for a far more thoughtful retelling and interrogation of a tabloid-fodder incident that changed multiple lives — and one more than most — weaved in, too. Also stay for the series' eagerness to spend time with its eponymous duo exposed as real people, and as victims of a crime, rather than as pop-culture punchlines. Stay for the magnificent performances by James and Stan as well, with both actors investing remarkable depth into figures who've rarely been allowed to be seen as such. And, obviously keep sticking around for the dripping 90s nostalgia in the process, including the outfits and soundtrack (because Yellowjackets isn't the only new show revelling in the decades' tunes). Check out the Pam & Tommy trailer below: The first three episodes of Pam & Tommy are currently available to stream via Disney+, with new episodes dropping each Wednesday. Top image: Erin Simkin/Hulu.
Political art can often feel too blunt or on the nose. Nicholas Mangan's creation of an operational coconut-oil refinery accompanied by copper etching replicas of photographs and newspapers might seem obscure at first, but a cursory glance over Progress In Action's historical context reveals the direct nature of Mangan's exhibit. Therein lies the beauty of the work — propelled to ask what coconut oil and copper have to with anything, the viewer moved to do some investigating of their own will unravel a story of greed, murder and civil war just a stone's throw away from Australian shores. Progress In Action centres around a fascinating moment in history: the establishment in 1964 of the Panguna mine in Bouganville, a small autonomous country within Papua New Guinea. The digging of the mine was an enormous economic investment by Australian mining company Rio Tinto, as the copper-rich island yielded enough profit to make up over 20% of the nation's total GDP. Interesting, then, that the local population saw only 0.5% of those profits. By the late '80s Bouganville's local population, who had long been protesting the mine's devastating environmental impact as well as its extreme social implications (a state of Apartheid was imposed on the island, separating white workers from the native citizens) militarised into the Bouguanville Revolutionary Army (BRA) and began to wreak havoc upon the mine. In response, the PNG government sent in its own troops and in a diabolical move, completely blockaded the island, sealing the BRA in with the mine and shutting them off from medical supplies and food imports. With all external resources denied them, the Bouganvillian population resourcefully improvised various tactics to survive, the most ingenius of which was to use coconuts as fuel. With no petroleum available, they instead refined coconut meat to power generators and engines, running their cars and power systems off the island's plentiful natural resource. They continued to fight back and the mine was eventually shut down in 1989. This is where outsider Mangan enters the scene. Through Progress In Action, Mangan has replicated the MacGyvered oil refinery system, producing enough coconut fuel to power a video artwork about the continuing environmental struggles in Bouganville. Progress in Action may lack much in the way of striking spacial composition and breathtaking craft, but the exhibition's simply and effectively communicated, compelling back story makes it difficult to fault as a political arts experience. It's so rare to find visual art that inspires and encourages the viewer to further explore and research its subject, but Mangan provides an exception that shows us how art can be more than just a pretty picture. Image credit Nicholas Mangan, Progress In Action
For some, it's an essential meeting place. For others, it's just a patch of concrete in the middle of the city. Whatever your thoughts on Federation Square, the Melbourne site has weathered a tumultuous few years. After being named as the location for Apple's first global flagship store in the southern hemisphere back in 2017, those plans received considerable council and public backlash — including a campaign to buy the space back — before being canned. Along the way, Fed Square received temporary and then permanent heritage protection, and the Victorian Government also asked Melburnians just what should be in the site's future. Now, the sprawling spot has been earmarked for a facelift, with a $20 million makeover on the agenda. As revealed in a statement on Saturday, August 22, the government has committed to giving Fed Square its biggest upgrade in its history — which, among other new additions, will see the site become home to a Regional Experience Centre, highlighting and showcasing the state's food, wine, music and culture. Also part of the revamp: new lighting designed to improve safety, as well as highlight Fed Square's famous architecture; and upgrades to the Deakin Edge theatre and some of the public venue's other spaces, to help them better support events. The makeover will also see improvements made to signage, and to making Fed Square more accessible. [caption id="attachment_764006" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Federation Square, Visit Victoria, Robert Blackburn[/caption] The government also revealed the findings from its Federation Square Review, too, which received more than 1800 contributions. While the City of Melbourne's proposal to build a new public library at Fed Square, as submitted earlier this year, doesn't earn a mention, the review recommended a number of outcomes — which have been accepted by the government, who'll now work to implement them. Topping its list is ensuring greater recognition and celebration of First Peoples culture, and of Indigenous Australians' continuing connection to the site, in the space. The review also notes that Fed Square should focus on a community-driven vision, and on having a cultural and civic impact, including in the programming of events and experiences at the venue. Actively embracing the river, and better connecting with adjacent arts and sports precincts, is also highlighted — and, in terms of any physical changes to the site, so is ensuring that they "aspire to match the quality of the original", as overseen by a design advisory board. And, the review also recommends "a refreshed retail and hospitality offering" — although just how and when that could come info effect hasn't been noted. To find out more about Federation Square's upgrade, read the Victorian Government announcement. For more details about the findings from the Federation Square Review, visit the Engage Victoria website.
If you're the type of traveller who chooses their hotels for the perks and extra inclusions, then you'll be particularly excited about an upcoming new addition to Melbourne's accommodation offerings. Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer is set to launch sometime this May, marking the Swiss brand's second site in Australia, after Mövenpick Hotel Hobart opened earlier in the year — and if either the chain's name or its country of origin have you thinking of sweet treats, yes, they're part of the hotel's menu. For starters, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne will be celebrating chocolate hour every afternoon. Going on the Hobart setup, that's when you'll receive a free dessert — such as an eclair, brownie or truffle — when you purchase a chocolate-flavoured cocktail, mocktail or affogato. Mövenpick's hotels all serve the brand's line of food and beverages as well, which means that Mövenpick ice cream is also available. The menu doesn't just cater to your sweet tooth, though. At breakfast, guests can choose to enjoy juice-blended energy shots, along with a range of health-focused and nutritious options available to eat in or grab-and-go. One of more than 80 of the brand's accommodation sites worldwide and run in collaboration with Accor, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne will boast 172 guest rooms housed within the new 78-storey Premier Tower development on Spencer Street. It's decked out with boutique interiors, and comes complete with a 25-metre swimming pool, sauna and gym. The new hotel will also be home to a southeast Asian restaurant and bar, which'll rock a contemporary fitout courtesy of design agency Greymatters. It's slated to plate up traditional Asian grill and barbecue dishes, and will open daily for lunch and dinner. Find Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer at 160 Spencer Street, Melbourne, from May 2021. Head to the Accor website for bookings and other information. Images: artists impressions of Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer.
So, you spent all the money during silly season last year and now feel the need to be frugal this month — cooking at home and spending most social time out in parks or at the beach. We are all for this, but you can still dine out this month without spending big. Thanks to the crew at Marameo, you can have your cake (well, pasta) and eat it too. Throughout January, the team at this CBD Italian restaurant is pumping out its famed cacio e pep for just $15 at both lunch and dinner. That's a proper bargain, with bowls of pasta often soaring well over $30 these days. Since opening its doors five years ago, Marameo has served over 26,849 bowls of its signature cacio e pepe, and the team plans to get that over 30,000 by the end of January. Why not help them get there? Images: Kristoffer Paulsen.
UK-born Michael Lambie (ex-Stokehouse, Circa, The Prince and Taxi Kitchen) has been a big player in Melbourne's restaurant scene ever since he landed here back in the late 90s. He's worked at some of the city's top restaurants and even co-founded Lucy Liu — before selling it in 2020 and running off to Queensland for a short break. But now he has returned and is ready to take on the CBD with a new venture: Juni. Opening on Thursday, November 28, you can now drop by Juni to find a menu full of contemporary twists on Southeast Asian fare — designed by both Lambie and Head Chef Hendri Budiman (ex-Coda). The menu is built around the concept of 'Fire and Spice', so you can expect all kinds of heat. Kick things off with snacks like the seared tuna tataki with ginger and wasabi dressing; half-shell scallops with spicy tom yum brown butter; crayfish dumplings with ginger and green onion, and togarashi-spiced cauliflower with sesame and tofu and walnut furikake. You've then got more substantial dishes like Juni's dry-aged Chinese duck with cucumber, pickled daikon, spicy hoi sin and pancakes; steamed barramundi fillets with black beans, ginger flower and leeks; and vegan Japanese pumpkin and eggplant red curry with lychee and hot mint. The full menu is available across the main dining room, front bar and mezzanine-level events space — although the bar is expected to have more of a sip-and-snack feel (for after-work or pre-theatre sessions). And when it comes to the sipping side of things, you can expect a playful cocktail menu, a decent wine list, and an all-important sake selection. Carlton-based studio Techne has designed the 140-person venue, which features a bright colour palette that blends bold reds and pinks with soft green and maroon hues. Glass, metal and concrete finishes are also used throughout, softened by a smattering of cushioned leather banquettes. Lambie shared, "I'm thrilled to be back cooking in Melbourne – it's become my hometown – and I've wanted to open up a restaurant here again for a long time." You'll find Juni at 136 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, open every day of the week from 12pm–late. For more details, you can check out the venue's website. Images: Dylan Kindermann.
Yes, Melbourne's scored another rooftop cinema. But while the openair aspect might be new, this outdoor venture comes from a fixture of the city's film scene. Elsternwick's Classic Cinema has been screening movies since 1911 — but this is the first time it's done it on its rooftop. Located on the fourth level, the rooftop not only has its own bar and tiered seating, but views across the southeast to the city. The summer series will kick off on Thursday, December 19 with seven consecutive screenings of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and continue until April 2020 with a mix of new releases and cult classics. You'll be able to check out Taika Waititi's World War II satire JoJo Rabbit and the new weird rendition of Cats as well as harking back to 10 Things I Hate About You and Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing. Movies start at sundown every night of the week and tickets are $25.
Waking up and not knowing who you are or where you are has become a Hollywood staple. Source Code takes the formula and flips it. Army helicopter pilot, Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up on a train bound for Chicago fully aware of who he is. Problem is, he is in the body of another man. Within minutes, a bomb goes off, destroys the train and Stevens is dead. And thus kicks off this new science fiction mystery thriller. From director Duncan Jones, son of David Bowie and director of 2009's BAFTA Award winning Moon, Source Code has received widespread critical and audience applause as well as drawing comparisons with Memento and Inception. As it happens, we have 10 double passes to screenings of Source Code to giveaway thanks to Hopscotch Films. 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 Friday, April 22. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_3QkJ_a1nlw
Summer means long days, beach outings and lively nights, but when the heat makes it unbearable to even venture outside, create your own slice of paradise in the comfort of your home. With the festive season around the corner and no sign of the cost-of-living crisis slowing down, turn your balcony into a vibrant destination for leisurely catch-ups over home-cooked spreads and refreshing tipples. With the help of Weber, we've pulled together five ways to elevate your outdoor living space, so you can while away the hot summer days without working up a sweat. The Weber Lumin A good barbecue is a quintessential summer experience, but it's often too tricky to turn that dream into a reality when you're stuck on an apartment balcony. Legendary barbecue brand Weber has you covered with the Lumin — a compact electric barbecue designed to be set up in smaller spaces. Don't let its size or lack of gas fool you. The multi-functional Lumin packs a punch and is able to deliver a range of cooking methods, from grilling to steaming and smoking. Simply plug the barbecue into any electrical outlet and you're ready to don your apron, crack open a cold one and get barbecuing. Pillow Loungers If you're living in the vicinity of the city, it's unlikely that you'll have space for anything bigger than a single recliner (if you're lucky). But you can still bring the beach to your balcony with Business & Pleasure Co's pillow loungers. Crafted from UV and weather-resistant Pleasuretex fabric, the Reclining Pillow Lounger boasts five adjustable settings and is easily transportable for any picnic, pool or beach needs. If you have a little more room to play with, the Modular Pillow Stack is the versatile hero to solve all your outdoor comfort needs. Arrange the pillows to suit any occasion, whether it's a cosy sofa, reading nook, sun-bathing deck or additional seating for guests. Both loungers come in a variety of sunny colours to bring a dash of Euro summer to your home and can be folded flat for storage. Cocktail Trolley Between cooking and lounging, you won't want to make the long trek back into your apartment for drinks. Round out your outdoor set-up with a cocktail trolley, which can double as storage, a counter for meal prep or a display shelf. Brighten up your aperitivo hour with Fenton & Fenton's all-weather aluminium and powder-coated outdoor bar cart, or keep things fresh with the Heller Alfresco Cooler from Temple & Webster. The latter comes complete with an 80-litre capacity for ice and drinks, as well as a drainage plug and tube for easy cleaning. To really impress your guests, we'd even recommend grilling or smoking fruit on your Lumin to create a seasonal cocktail with a smoky twist. Outdoor Rugs An outdoor rug might seem counterintuitive, but Ruggable's garden and patio rugs are a colourful way to tie your space together. The outdoor range is stain, water, fade, mould and mildew-resistant. The best part? Your rug can be thrown into the washing machine when it inevitably gets a little dirty. Whether you're looking to create a Mediterranean escape, jungle oasis or coastal haven, there's a print and style to suit every aesthetic. Greenery Experience the great outdoors, no matter your outdoor dimensions. Make even the smallest balcony feel ever-so-slightly bigger with some lush greenery. Don't have any semblance of a green thumb? Opt for artificial plants, like these click-and-fix artificial turf tiles from IKEA, luxe faux botanicals from Pottery Barn, or smaller hanging plants from The Plants Project. You won't ever have to worry about killing a fiddle leaf again. Find out more about the Lumin at the Weber website.
The Melbourne International Film Festival will donate a portion of proceeds from this year's closing night gala to charity, in honour of late Indigenous music icon Dr G Yunupingu. MIFF organisers had previously announced that the festival would close with a screening of a documentary about Yunupingu's life, but temporarily halted ticket sales following the musician's tragic passing late last month. Dr Yunupingu's family has asked that the media refrain from sharing his full name or image, raising questions over whether the closing night film should be changed. However, the documentary makers have since sought the advice of senior Gumatj elder David Djunga Djunga Yunupingu, and on his direction have confirmed that the screening will go ahead, with ten percent of ticket sales going to Dr Yunupingu's foundation, which supports Indigenous youths in remote communities around the country. David Djunga Djunga Yunupingu will introduce the screening alongside director Paul Williams. MIFF's closing night screening of the documentary of Dr G Yunupingu's life will take place on the evening of Saturday, August 19. To book tickets, go here.
One of the world's most iconic paintings has come to Australia, as part of a cultural exchange with the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. Painted by James McNeill Whistler in 1871, Portrait of the artist's mother, otherwise known as Arrangement in grey and black no. 1 or more commonly as Whistler's Mother, is on display at the National Gallery of Victoria, forming the centrepiece of an exhibition about the painting's social and historical impact. "Alongside Da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Munch's The Scream sits Whistler's Portrait of the artist's mother as one of a handful of artworks which enjoy universal recognition and admiration," said NGV Director Tony Ellwood in a statement that accompanied the announcement in January. The exhibition marks the first time the painting has travelled to Australia. In return, the NGV will loan the Musee d'Orsay Pierre Bonnard's 1900 work Siesta. The NGV exhibition, which will run until June 19, will aim to explore Whistler's iconic work from a number of different perspectives, chronicling its initially poor reception at the Royal Academy in London, its rise in popularity over the subsequent decades, and its influence on countless prominent artists including many here in Australia. It will also delve into the life of both the artist and his mother, Anna, who is depicted in the painting. The gallery has produced a short film about the significance of the work, and will also present a number of related public programs including a floor talk series and an illustrated panel discussion. Just whatever you do, when you're visiting the exhibition... try not to sneeze. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWqVoaYxgRs Image: Brooke Holm.
Melbourne is best known for its ever-changing weather — but even so, we're often caught off-guard when it rains for more than 15 minutes. But, this shouldn't be an excuse to hide in bed under your doona all day. Our city is teeming with wet weather-friendly activities, so don't let a bit of drizzle keep you from making the most of Melbourne. Here are some ideas to keep you entertained and sufficiently dry — binge-watching Netflix not included. HOLE UP IN A COSY BAR At the first sign of threatening weather, gather your best group of drinking buddies and head straight for your local watering hole. Nab a cosy corner, order a few rounds and stay put until the skies clear. Quality booze, food and friends are really all you need, but to take your rainy day pub game up a notch, choose somewhere with games and activities, like any of these spots. For the coziest vibes on a rainy afternoon, try tiny Collingwood 70s-themed pub-come-wine bar Gum, or get comfy down in the hidden drinking den at State of Grace. GET CULTURED IN A NICE DRY GALLERY A rainy day is the perfect opportunity to finally catch that exhibition you've been meaning to see. Escape the elements and step into a haven of vibrant and colourful artworks that will surely take your mind off the wild weather. Some of our go-to inner Melbourne galleries include the NGV, Gertrude Contemporary, Anna Schwartz Gallery and ACCA. If you haven't yet ventured to The Lume, Melbourne's new 3000-square-metre, 11-metre-high immersive digital art gallery, now is the time as it features giant projections of the works of Vincent van Gogh. Why battle the outdoor elements when you could walk through artworks like The Starry Night and Sunflowers while listening to a classical music score? Outside of the city, the TarraWarra Museum of Art has two new exhibitions opening on Saturday, December 4: Sidney Nolan: Myth Rider and Heather B. Swann: Leda and the Swan. Spend all day browsing the talent and leave with some newfound inspiration to pick up a paintbrush. [caption id="attachment_664322" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tinny Tang[/caption] SNUGGLE INTO A CINEMA SEAT Is there anything better on a rainy day than snuggling up to watch a movie, popcorn in one hand and a glass of wine in the other? The next time it starts to drizzle, swap Netflix for a new release at one of Melbourne's boutique cinemas. The art nouveau theatre and adjoining bar at Thornbury Picture House make it the perfect place to while away a rainy afternoon. You can chase a film with Aussie spirits, local beers from the likes of Stomping Ground and Hawkers, a tidy selection of independent wines and batch brew coffee by Padre. Of course, there's plenty of homemade popcorn to round out the moviegoing experience. Carlton's Cinema Nova reopened in October after months of closure with a whopping 37-movie lineup, so if you've been saving any of them for a rainy day, the time has come. CURL UP IN A CAFE One of the best places to be on a rainy day is in a window seat at a cozy cafe, where you can watch the rain from a safe, dry distance. Add a cup of steaming coffee (or a glass of wine), a hearty meal and a good book, and you're all set for a delightful day indoors. With Melbourne's cafe scene constantly expanding, there's no shortage of options to choose from, but our list of best cafes for working or studying in should help you out. Key requirements include lots of natural lighting, a chilled-out soundtrack and friendly staff. If they're also serving all-day breakfast, you know you've found a winner. Or get away from the grey skies into a brighter atmosphere into Carnegie newcomer Major Mitchell — the bright pink interior will have you walking on sunshine in no time. HAVE A SPA DAY Treating yourself every now and then is essential for your health, so use the next rainy day as an excuse to sneak off to the spa for a little dose of zen. Relax and rejuvenate with a facial and massage, or even rope your significant other in for a couple's treatment. Melburnians are spoilt for choice when it comes to spa experiences, so take your pick from the best. Nothing is more luxurious than spending the day wrapped up in a robe, with cucumbers on eyes to complete the experience, of course. BOOK YOURSELF INTO THE THEATRE There's a certain element of romance to the theatre, which always seems to heighten on a drizzly night. The next time it's forecast to rain, book tickets to a show and you'll see what we mean. Whether you prefer the classics or are a fan of more contemporary productions, there's bound to be a theatre with shows suited to your tastes. Our favourites include Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Red Stitch and Theatre Works but they're not the only theatre companies worth checking out. Broadway hit Moulin Rouge! The Musical is having an almost sell-out run at the newly-renovated Regent Theatre. If you're more classically inclined, the Australian Ballet's Celebration Gala is bound for Arts Centre Melbourne in December, and it is set to be a sensation. BE A BIG KIDULT Don't let the rain put a dampener on your spirit. Take a break from your busy week of adulting and let your inner kid run wild for a day with some of the best kidult activities in Melbourne. Surely you can't resist a friendly game of laser tag or a visit to Timezone that will inevitably stir up some nostalgia (yep, Timezone still exists). If you're in need of exercise but can't face the gym, Bounce is your go-to for a decidedly more thrilling workout that happens to involve trampolines, dodgeball and a half-pip trampolining wall.
If George Clooney can float around in space in Gravity and Matt Damon can get stranded on Mars in The Martian, then Brad Pitt can race buggies on the moon in Ad Astra. Another Ocean's 11 star, another intergalactic movie — and another big-screen sci-fi spectacle, obviously. Pitt plays Roy McBride, an Army Corps engineer who is determined to soar into the stars and beyond, all to follow in his father's (Tommy Lee Jones) footsteps. His dear old dad went missing on his own space mission in mysterious circumstances, and if Christopher Nolan's Interstellar taught us anything a few years ago, it's that searching for family and blasting out of this world seem to go hand-in-hand. Donald Sutherland, Liv Tyler and Loving's Ruth Negga also feature, with Ad Astra marking the latest release from The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z filmmaker. The latter is definitely cause for celebration, with the director's previous movies proving thoughtful, detailed, exquisitely performed dramas. Take all that to space — in a film that's been delayed a few times due to the extensive visual effects work required — and hopefully it'll soar. For a while, it's been a good time to watch great movies about big-name stars in space; just this month, Robert Pattinson blasts off in High Life, too. But if you're a Pitt fan, the next few months are shaping up to be particularly exciting — before he rockets to the outer edges of the solar system in Ad Astra, he'll be stepping back to the 60s in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Watch the first trailer for Ad Astra below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm3h6iWmIEw Ad Astra releases in Australian cinemas on September 19.
Grab a bite, hunt down a bargain or sit back under the twilight sky and enjoy a show. The Southside’s favourite market-cum-cultural festival is back for another year. Starting at 5.30pm on January 15 and running every Thursday evening for the following seven weeks, The South Melbourne Night Market features dozens of merchants and stalls selling clothes, crafts and everything in-between. There’s also a plethora of dining options, with many of Melbourne’s favourite food vendors including Chingon Taco Truck, Nem N Nem Vietnamese and 196 Below Ice Cream setting up shop along the Coventry and Cecil Street strips. Each week will also feature a different live music act. First up is the La Ramba Flamenco Band along with local singer-songwriter Sarah Carnegie. Other standouts include Geelong funk-rockers The Kite Machine, Queensland folk singer Davy Simony and home-grown indie kids The Black Harrys.
When it comes to creating smash-hit venues, legendary chef Andrew McConnell knows what's what. He's the mind behind favourites like Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co, Supernormal and Marion, to name a few. And now, Melbourne's set to score another, with news McConnell's planning a new restaurant, to open in the 1920s heritage Cavendish House building at 33 Russell Street in the CBD. It'll be his first new project in five years. The restaurant is yet to be named, though McConnell has dropped some clues as to what we can expect. "The inherent design of the room made me think of a clubby European bistro that manages to be familiar and elegant at the same time," he said in a statement. Part of the space will be home to a cocktail bar, so you'll be able to pop in for an after-work or pre-dinner drink and snack combo, too. Sydney-based architecture and design studio Acme will be heading up the build, charged with creating 'a sensory experience' through a mix of marble, brass, linen and leather. The space will feature a dining area decked out with booths and banquettes, and a separate cocktail bar. Considering the studio is responsible for highly Instagrammed venues like The Grounds Of Alexandria, Charlie Parker's and Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, you can expect it to be very impressive. As for the food, we're told to expect elements of French, Spanish and Italian cuisine, with a few flavours from the British Isles thrown in for good measure. The building — which was previously a fancy flagship for Bang & Olufsen — is located on the corner of Flinders Lane and Russell Street, only a short walk from McConnell's Supernormal and in the middle of the Flinders Lane dining action. Andrew McConnell's next restaurant will open at 33 Russell Street, Melbourne in early 2020. We'll let you know when we have more details and an opening date. Image: Google Maps.
When season five of Stranger Things arrives, it'll bring with it a big ending, wrapping up the Netflix hit for good after the next batch of episodes. Yes, everything from Succession to Barry is also saying farewell these days, but Stranger Things won't be completely dropping off the radar — it has spinoffs to slip into your streaming queue, including a just-announced new animated series. Back in 2022 when Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer revealed that their sci-fi show was working towards its endgame, they also said that they had more stories to tell in this fictional — and sometimes Upside Down — realm. Instantly, we all knew what that meant. Netflix doesn't like letting go of its hits easily, after all, so the quest to find a way to keep wandering through this franchise was about as surprising as Jim Hopper's (David Harbour, Violent Night) usual gruff mood. "Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you'll soon see for yourselves — we are now hurtling towards our finale. Season four will be the penultimate season; season five will be the last," the Duffers said at the time. "There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things; new mysteries, new adventures and unexpected heroes," the Duffers continued. Cue the upcoming Stranger Things cartoon, which doesn't yet have a name, but will boast the Duffer brothers as executive producers. Obviously, it's headed to Netflix. "We've always dreamed of an animated Stranger Things in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realised has been absolutely thrilling," the siblings said, announcing the new show. There's no word yet on when the animated series will arrive, what it'll focus on and who'll be among its voices. If you're devoted to the OG cast, start crossing your fingers that some or all of Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes 2), Finn Wolfhard (Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio), Noah Schnapp (Waiting for Anya), Winona Ryder (The Plot Against America), Charlie Heaton (The Souvenir: Part II), Joe Keery (Free Guy), Gaten Matarazzo (The Angry Birds Movie 2), Caleb McLaughlin (Concrete Cowboy), Sadie Sink (The Whale), Natalia Dyer (Things Seen & Heard) and Maya Hawke (Do Revenge) are involved. Netflix did just reveal that it's getting the Scott Pilgrim vs the World cast back together to voice an anime continuation of that beloved flick, after all. There's no sneak peek at the animated Stranger Things series as yet, either, but you can check out the trailer for season four below: The Stranger Things animated series doesn't yet have a release date, but we'll update you when one is announced. You can the OG series via Netflix. Read our review of season four. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
Road trips are an idealised summertime activity. If you do it right, you come away with good friends and esoteric stories which will never be understood properly by people who weren't there. But it's equally possible for road trips to turn hellish and monotonous. That's not what you want - that's not what anybody wants. So Concrete Playground has compiled a list of tips to help you on your way and make sure you have the kind of road trip which will remind you of the wind and sunshine in your hair, shared memories and in-jokes. Some of it might seem like common sense, but common sense can sometimes be what first deserts you when somebody suggests driving ten hours across the country to go to a music festival or a particularly nice beach. 1. WheelsSo this seems a superfluous point, but if you're going to go on a road trip you need a car, and if you don't have one then you've got yourself a problem. Once you've got the car, make sure it's one that everybody knows how to drive. Nobody likes being the only manual driver in a car full of stricken automatic-only drivers. You should also do all the practical things like get the oil, tyres and water checked before you leave, and make sure you've got back-ups in case of emergency, especially if you're trying to look like you know your stuff about cars. Bigger cars are better for road trips, especially if you've got friends with ample hips or ridiculously long legs. And for the love of God make sure the car has air con. Otherwise everybody is going to be sweaty, sunburnt and have a mouth full of insects every time you drive through a field. 2. A Worthwhile DestinationJumping in a car and heading nowhere might sound very Kerouac-esque for an hour or so, but in the end you're going to want to be heading somewhere. Holiday houses and camping grounds are all good, although there's a high likelihood a music festival might be your destination this summer. If that's the case, be patient and anticipate that you will have to wait in a queue for six hours on a backed up country road and be forced to pee in the bushes in direct view of many headlights. However, the best destination of all is a beach, one of the pristine and near unpopulated ones which grace our fair coast. 3. MapsGetting lost is not half the fun. The person who claims this needs to be ejected immediately from the vehicle. You probably have a GPS, but bear in mind that the GPS is not infallible. Let me present you with an example: on a road trip last year, we in the car got bored with the standard GPS and, just outside the Gold Coast, switched our guide to a New Zealander named Paul. All was going well until Paul started sabotaging our trip with his crafty non-instructions and we ended up taking a two hour detour through peak-hour Brisbane. Paul was not our friend after that and shameful slurs against New Zealand ensued. In these situations you need a map. A map in this instance is defined as a proper map you purchase from anywhere good maps are sold, not a scrawled set of lines copied from Google Maps your barely literate friend drew on the back of phone bill. 4. CrewBe wise and consider precisely which of your friends and loved ones you're going to enjoy being in a cramped confined space with for potentially several days. There's nothing more tedious and depressing than realising you can't stand the people you're friends with. It's also a good idea to make sure there's not going to be anybody overly-familiar with their sense of personal space, particularly if they have personal hygiene issues. Once you've got that down, make sure that there's not going to be any major conflict before you start, because there's nothing more awkward than finding yourself on a road trip with a couple who have recently broken up and still have unresolved issues. Solve all those problems, and you're cool. 5. ConversationOnce you've exhausted your witty high school stories, politics, childhood traumas and the ever-fascinating subject of who's having sex with whom, complex philosophical questions are always a good bet. Questions such as 'which of your legs could you do without' and 'would you rather punch Kyle Sandilands or Miranda Devine in the face' are good starting points. For those who are not on driving duty and decide the time has come to pilfer beers from the esky, be aware that the designated driver will soberly wish for your death if you do anything crazy-drunk like throw up, sing repetitively for more than ten minutes or attempt to give a ride to a stranger with no shoes. 6. MoneyMoney is a general necessity in all areas of life, but when we say 'money' here we mean the multi-coloured pieces of paper marked with numbers the ATM is wont to dispense. This is crucial because ATMs can be scarce on the ground in the bush, and on a road trip sharing is of the utmost importance. Assign the most organised member of your group the job of keeping an account of how much petrol and food everybody is paying for, and bear in mind that if you haven't chipped in for all the Tim Tams then you do not deserve to eat all the Tim Tams and then subsequently complain about a sore stomach. 7. SnacksIt's a given that everyone is obliged to bring a lot of sugar on a road trip. Minties, Snakes and all things that once delighted you in children's birthday party bags are right and necessary when on the road. Hop chips with tomato sauce sold by old ladies with facial hair in country towns are also awesome. Eating options on the highway tend to be a choice between Maccas or Maccas, so if that's going to bother you, pre-make some delicious healthy things which won't spill too badly and stop every hour or so to picnic. Otherwise, it's uncanny how the shops saying 'Best Pies in Grafton' actually do sell the best pies in Grafton. Moreover, if you're going a long distance you're going to be in dire need of caffeine. Somebody could be really organised and bring instant coffee, a saucepan, a makeshift stove and water, or you could just take a thermos. 8. MusicIf you've got one of those whatsits that plug your iPod into the car's stereo system, you're sweet. If you don't have one of those, however, you're going to want a couple of good mixtapes, or, more accurately, mix CDs. The person in charge of making mixtapes should keep in mind what everyone else will like, what is easiest to sing along to, and attempt not to impress others with their obscure tastes because it never works out as well as you'd hope. Sixties pop songs, eighties power ballads and nineties rap should all be considered in the choice of music. Most importantly, don't make too many tapes. Fifteen hours worth of music is just tiring. You want to have songs that are going to remind you of the trip for years to come, an underlying theme for your future reminiscing, if you will. Anything more and you may as well just put the radio on. 9. Ridiculous ApparelQuestionable fashion choices are a mandatory on the road. Nothing makes you feel more alive than climbing out of the car at a truckstop wearing something outrageously fluoro and swaggering inside to get yourself a rainbow Paddlepop. Furthermore, there is no more appropriate occasion for a man to sport short shorts. Stupid sunglasses and hats are fun, but bear in mind they might enrage Mick Taylor-types on the roads. And remember that while no shoes are alright in the car, you don't want anything on the floors of country rest stops and bathrooms touching your bare skin. 10. SunscreeenOften overlooked when in the relative shelter of a moving car, sunscreen is necessary for anybody with an arm in close proximity to a window. You don't want to get sunburnt, and unevenly sunburnt at that, while sitting in the car. More to the point, nothing will ruin your holiday more than being so sunburnt you have to wear shapeless kaftans with long sleeves and not being able to sleep at night because it hurts so bad.
It may have been violent, sexist and brainless, but when Sin City hit theatres in 2005, it was like nothing we'd ever seen before. Adapted by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez from Miller's pulpy anthology comic-book series, the lurid homage to hard-boiled noir stories was one of the first Hollywood movies to fully embrace digital technology — the directors filmed in front of a green screen using high-def digital cameras before converting to black-and-white in post-production. The content was still tasteless and juvenile of course, but at least it was interesting to look at. Nine years later, they've gifted us with a follow-up. Subtitled A Dame to Kill For, this part prequel, part sequel is certainly a fitting companion piece; equally stylised, equally sadistic and equally dumb. And had it come out in 2006 or 2007, it probably would have been embraced. But it didn't. Revolutionary a decade ago, digital cinematography and effects are now the norm, as are slavish graphic novel adaptations full of manufactured grit. Sin City 2 isn't a particularly inferior film to its predecessor. It's just that, after all this time, the novelty is no longer there. It also doesn't feel as though either Miller or Rodriguez have any interest in pushing the envelope further. Fleeting flashes of colour punctuate the vivid monochrome frame, looking every bit as striking as they did the first time. But the duo never attempts to really build upon the aesthetic of their original — and without the element of surprise on their side, the results are inevitably diminished. The same goes for script, again steeped in sex and vengeance but never actually covering any new ground. In the longest story, Mickey Rourke returns as brutish good guy Marv, who along with two-bit private eye Dwight (Josh Brolin), gets caught up in the machinations of a murderous femme-fatale (Eva Green, unfortunately camp). Then there's Johnny (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a smooth-talking card-shark with a grudge against the vicious Senator Roarke (Powers Boothe). Roarke is also the antagonist in the final vignette, one that sees exotic dancer Nancy (Jessica Alba) out to avenge the honest cop who saved her life. It should go without saying that the stories are all varying degrees of stupid. If you're not willing to suspend your disbelief every time Johnny gets dealt an impossible poker hand, or when Nancy takes out an entire battalion of body guards, then the movie falls apart before it even begins. What's harder to accept is Miller's flaccid dialogue. Gordon-Levitt is an immensely talented actor, but no-one can make the word 'ambidextrous' sound cool. There's also no skirting around the movie's attitude towards women, which is unfortunately misjudged at best and flagrantly misogynistic at worst. There is not a single named female character in A Dame to Kill For who isn't either a stripper or a prostitute — and despite what Miller apparently thinks, giving a hooker a bazooka doesn't really mean she's empowered. For the most part, the film is just immature in a boring way. On this issue specifically though, it's genuinely quite unpleasant. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6iFdPcx0W2w
Young Melbourne funnyman Simon Taylor was whisked away from the city’s comedy circuit after a chance run in with Jay Leno led to a regular gig writing for The Tonight Show. When he’s not coming up with gags for Jay he keeps busy with his original webseries Make It Gourmet — somehow he’s found time for a set of homecoming shows that stretches out over the course of the whole Melbourne Fringe Festival. Read the rest of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Fringe Festival here.
