From family classics like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to hard-hitting documentaries in the league of Camp 14 – Total Control Zone to black comedies such as Invasion, this year's Audi Festival of German Film promises the bravest, brashest and most bizarre in German film. There'll be panel discussions, Q&As, special cultural programs and parties. The selection for opening night, Georg Maas' Two Lives, makes it clear the festival is seeking the cutting edge, new generation of German filmmaking. It's a 2012 post-Berlin wall spy thriller about the exercise of state control over individual identities. Another highlight is This Ain't California, a Cannes winner that explores the development of skateboard culture in East Germany during the 1970s and 1980s. With over 20,000 people expected to attend, representing a 37 percent growth in popularity over the past six years, this year's festival is set to be the biggest on record. The festival is on in May around the country: Sydney: April 30 to May 14, Chauvel Cinema and Palace Verona Melbourne: May 1-15, Palace Cinema Como and Kino Cinemas Brisbane: May 3-9, Palace Centro Thanks to the Audi Festival of German Film, we have 15 double passes, valid for any screening throughout the festival, to give away in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8noDewE16iM
A half-acre worth of art is coming to rural Victoria. For one weekend only, the old Woodend Saw Mill in the Macedon Ranges will be transformed into a temporary gallery, featuring work by close to 100 different street artists. Part of the Macedon Ranges Sustainable Living Festival, Art of the Mill is presented by No Fixed Address Gallery. Created in partnership with Alex McCulloch Art consultancy and Ken McGregor of the Australian Street Art Festival, the show will welcome a number of prominent graffiti artists, including Makatron, Adnate, Unwell Bunny, Kid Silk, Phibs, Facter and Ohnoes. "This vast warehouse complex breaks down the division between gallery art and street art, with a mix of finished pieces and art-in-progress bringing the audience different moments of creativity," said McCulloch. The free exhibition will be open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28. The Saturday will also feature live painting, bands and DJs all day, along with an art auction. 20 percent of all proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network, which operates shelters in the area for injured bush animals. UPDATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 2 After a successful weekend, Art of the Mill have decided to extend the exhibitionand will open it from Thursday, March 3 to Sunday, March 6. For more information about Art of the Mill, go here. Images: David Russell
My yoga studio has a basketball court below it. During a calming session of yoga, it is not uncommon to hear the piercing screech of a whistle, frequent cheering and the intermittent shrieks of "Great shot Mike!". One time, I kid you not, there was a marching band procession going down, and the instructor had to calmly try and talk over the incessant drumming. Quite un-zen. Flow After Dark Silent Disco Yoga seeks to give yoga enthusiasts the exact opposite experience. How exactly does one silent disco yoga? Quite easily with the introduction of wireless headphones. These bad boys give participants a one-on-one with instructor, Flow Athletic co-founder Kate Kendall, while simultaneously pumping out beats from Sydney DJ James Mack. Also, they're neon. This one-off, 90-minute Vinyasa yoga session will see a whopping 700 yogis come together at Melbourne Park Function Centre. It's probably your best (possibly only) chance to show off your best warrior pose while simultaneously jiving to some seriously smooth music. Silently.
UPDATE: Wednesday, September 8 — This event has moved from Saturday, September 11 to Saturday, September 18. The article has been updated to reflect this. Have you been feeling a little languid lately? Have the long days in lockdown taken a toll on your wellbeing? If you're looking for something to help pull you out of hibernation and bounce you right into spring, this one's for you. On Saturday, September 18, you can join Naomi Ingelton from Beechworth's Farmacy Co Clinic for Home Herbalist, a 90-minute, interactive natural remedy workshop. Ingelton has a background in organic horticulture and is a qualified Ayurvedic lifestyle practitioner and herbalist. In this workshop, she'll show you how to make an elderberry tonic that helps to support the immune system, a 'focus tea' to promote sleep, digestion and reduce stress, and a 'cooling tea', too. To make sure you've got everything you need to create these concoctions, Farmacy Co Clinic will send you a remedy kit with all the essentials. Inside the pack you'll find 20 herb sachets, an apothecary bottle, two apothecary jars, herb function information, apple cider vinegar and more. All you need to add are some household items including saucepans, a teapot, colander, mixing bowl, four jars, honey and some water. Sound like the the lift you need to get you through lockdown? Home Herbalist with Farmacy Co will kick off at 4.30pm on Saturday, September 18. For more information and to book, visit the website.
Melbourne is doing everything it can to retain its label as world's most liveable city, with a pair of green spaces set to spring forth in the CBD. As outlined in the City of Melbourne's 2017-18 draft budget, both Elizabeth Street and Southbank Boulevard are facing significant redevelopment, in what Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has called "a once-in-a-generation project." The draft budget allocates $11 million to a three-year $35 million project that will see an entire lane of Southbank Boulevard, along with adjoining Dodd Street, transformed into an open space featuring greenery, public art spaces, 'green' tram tracks and 1.2 kilometres of bike lanes. "The new public space planned for the front of the ABC alone would be roughly the same size as the City Square," said Doyle. "Dodds Street will be remade into a public space that can cater for everything from street performances to farmers markets and medium scale music festivals at the doorstep of the Victorian College of the Arts." "Dodds Street will be redesigned into a public space that can cater for everything from street performances to medium scale music festivals at the doorstep of the Victorian College of the Arts," he added. Meanwhile, $1.5 million will be used to revitalise the southern end of Elizabeth Street between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane. The southbound traffic lane will be closed in order to make way for new paving, lighting, street trees and drainage works that will in turn improve pedestrian access to Flinders Street Station. "Elizabeth Street is one of Melbourne's most significant civic spines but it's fallen behind and it needs an upgrade," said Doyle. "It's crucial that we make this area more pedestrian-friendly to cater for Melbourne's booming population." Updated: July 13, 2017.
Beloved camping music festival Beyond the Valley returns to its regular programming this year, set to ring in the new year at Barunah Plains, west of Melbourne, from December 28, 2022–January 1, 2023. And it's got a stacked lineup to celebrate, too, headlined by none other than the legendary Nelly Furtado — the Canadian singer behind 'I'm Like a Bird', 'Turn Off the Light', here for a one-off Aussie-exclusive performance. Joining her on the eclectic bill: Denzel Curry, Dom Dolla, Kaytranada, BENEE, Yeat, Flight Facilities, Honey Dijon, Lime Cordiale, Patrick Topping, Charlotte De Witte, Diplo and more. That includes Bicep, which'll come as no surprise if you saw the video earlier in the year announcing the fest's return, which was set to the sounds of 'Glue'. The fest's sprawling new Barunah Plains home comes complete with a 100,000-square metre-natural amphitheatre, playing host to its three usual stages (main stage, dance tent and multi-level dance spot Dr Dan's), as well as a new podcast stage featuring live and interactive recordings. The 2022 instalment will also include a beach club for swims; a small space that's only accessible via secret entrance called Schmall Klüb; and the Poof Doof 'pride patrol'; plus speed-dating, yoga, pilates, meditation, open mic sessions and a fortune teller. Beyond the Valley has released a range of ticketing options, including single-day passes and multi-day entry — though you'll want to be quick as they're all expected to sell out. [caption id="attachment_866660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mackenzie Sweetnam[/caption]
Perhaps your 2023 is off to a gorgeous start. Maybe you've broken your resolutions already. Whichever fits, a ray of sunshine is coming your way if you like Gelato Messina's decadent specials, the chain's frosty treats in general and all things red velvet. Behold Messina's new red velvet hot tub, aka its latest OTT creation — which is arriving just in time to add something sweet to your Valentine's Day. Messina's hot tubs are the brand's extra-special, always limited-edition treats. No, the word 'hot' doesn't reflect the required temperature. Indeed, in this case, the tub comes with layers of cream cheese gelato with red velvet cake and red velvet fudge, all to be eaten cold. On top: toasted red velvet cake crumbs, plus piped cream cheese chantilly. While the dessert is timed for the supposedly most romantic day of the year, who you share it and your Messina love with is up to you. Grab a spoon with your significant other, go all in for Galentine's Day instead, or treat yo'self to multiple days of pink- and red-hued gelato, cake and fudge — the choice is obviously yours. Tubs cost $40 each, and you'll need to place your order online on Monday, January 30. Because Messina's specials always prove popular, the brand now staggers its on-sale times — so folks in Queensland and the ACT are able to purchase at 9am, Victorians at 9.15am, and New South Wales customers are split across three times depending on the store (with tubs from Bondi, Miranda, Randwick, Circular Quay and Surry Hills on sale at 9.30am; Darlinghurst, Brighton Le Sands, Parramatta, Tramsheds and Manly at 9.45am; and Darling Square, Newtown, Norwest, Rosebery and Penrith at 10am). Wherever you live, you can then pick up the red velvet hot tubs between Saturday, February 11–Tuesday, February 14. Fans of Messina will know that the gelato fiends are quite fond of making these kinds of indulgent — and supremely tasty — specials, after previously serving up everything from its the chain's take on the Viennetta, Iced Vovo gelato and lamington sticky scrolls to a scoopable Ferrero Rocher flavour, Basque cheesecake gelato and fairy bread cookie pies. Gelato Messina's red velvet hot tub will be available to order from on Monday, January 30, from 9am local time in Queensland and the ACT, 9.15am in Victoria and between 9.30–10am in New South Wales.
Last week we discovered a new site called Posse. Posse pitches itself as a social search engine that'll help you find the favourite places of your friends and friends of friends, no matter where you are in the world. Imagine if you're travelling to Berlin, for example; you'd normally have to think through which friends have been there before and email or call them to ask for recommendations for the best bars, restaurants, clubs, shops and places to hangout. Posse is really useful because it guides you via social network on the fly without actually having to ask anyone. I used it on Saturday to find a breakfast spot in Manly, and ended up going to In Situ on Sydney Road. I hadn't heard of it before, but they did great coffee and was a real find. Posse is pretty creative in the way it works. When you join, you get your own 'street' to list your five favourite places in the world. The site creates a hand-drawn depiction of your favourite shops, then if you zoom out, you discover a whole town that's made up of the streets of your Facebook friends. When you comment on your friends' places, you earn bonus spots to add more favourite places to your street. We also like Posse because it's such a positive community. People only add places that they really love so the recommendations are top notch. The retailers that you add are notified; sometimes, they send little gifts through the site to thank people for listing them. So you never know, you might end up with a bottle of wine, or a dinner from one of your favourite restaurants. We think Posse is an awesome idea and here at Concrete Playground we've all made our ultimate streets. Check out our CP editor Rima's street here, our music editor Hannah's street here, and some of my favourite hangouts on my street here. Posse are giving you the chance to win a $300 night out for you and your posse at The Victoria Room. To enter the competition, login at www.posse.com and nominate your 4 favourite restaurants, bars, spas or shops.
For one night only Melbourne’s art spaces and galleries will stay open well into the wee hours, so visitors can experience art after dark. Nite Art 2015 will include the contemporary artwork of 75 artists, in 30 different locations, spanning over three city precincts. The first precinct is the Arts Precinct, including buildings like Hamer Hall and ACMI, where work such as Fly By Night by Melinda Hetzel & Co. looks particularly interesting. Moving further into the CBD you will arrive at the City Central Precinct, where you will gain access to atypical art spaces such as the Russell Place Substation and the Athenaeum Library. Finally you’ll come to The University of Melbourne Precinct with everywhere staying open from The Ian Potter Museum of Art to Melbourne School of Design. While there is sure to be an excitable buzz coursing through the night's events, we do suggest you still rug up and wear some sensible footwear if you plan to visit all three precincts throughout the night – a mission which we highly recommend.
If we were to play the world association game with Instagram hashtags and I said "South Wharf Promenade", it would be normal for one to respond with: #flossy, #theglamorouslife, #cocktailswiththegirls or #richkidsofinstagram. What might not immediately present is #artinaction, or rather, #melbourneartiststakeovercargosheds. On Sunday that all changed, as some of Melbourne's finest emerging artists began what will be a just-shy-of-a-month-long residency in a group of vacant window boxes on the Yarra River and Duke's Walk, for the eyeballing pleasure of the public. Between them, the whipper snippers have produced work for ROOKIE magazine and Kimbra, modelled for Kinki Gerlinki, and exhibited everywhere from the Melbourne Art Fair to Chapter House Lane. Renee Cosgrave, Minna Gilligan, Andrzej Nowicki, Nick Ryrie, Raphael Rizzo and Rhys Mitchell are their names, making South Wharf better one cargo container at a time is their game (I'm trying ok).
True to form, classy cocktails are high on the agenda at Eau de Vie for NYE. A cheeky $100 ticket gives you entry into the main bar, the always-appreciated glass of bubbles, three of EDV's celebrated signature cocktails and canapes to boot. If you're looking to kick it up a notch, the team are also offering a degustation dinner with matching cocktails for $175, including a five-course meal paired with those raveworthy concoctions made by Eau de Vie's award-winning bartenders. Doors open at 6pm, and booking as far in advance as possible is highly recommended.
As winter enters its darkest weeks, Victoria's picturesque coastal town of Queenscliff launches its second incarnation of Low Light Queenscliff — a boutique fringe festival bringing the finest international and local arts, music and culinary talents in a celebration to stimulate the senses. Low Light will run across consecutive weekends in May and June, showcasing immersive art, performances and more. Think of it like Queenscliff Music Festival meets Dark Mofo (plus a bit of Burning Man). The town's public spaces, galleries, cafes, bars and restaurants will play host to a dazzling array of fringe-style art exhibitions (including Melbourne installation and miniature street artist Tinky), film premieres and screenings (like A Boy Called Sailboat, with the soundtrack played live by the Grigoryan Brothers at the Bellarine Lighthouse on Friday, June 28), spoken word and literary readings and eclectic musical performances. The pièce de résistance will be the planned, simultaneous burning of sculptures in the main streets on Saturday, June 22 — Winter Solstice Night. Other highlights will include the Queenscliff Music Festival concerts, featuring Dan Sultan, Archie Roach, Jen Cloher and Clare Bowditch, popular music documentary Her Story Her Sound screening, Winter Wonderland (a Queenscliff Harbour pop-up ice skating rink) and a winter-warming Japanese whisky masterclass at the Queenscliff Brewhouse. Degustation menus featuring locally foraged ingredients will be available to ease the bracing seas breezes as you explore a side of Queenscliff never seen before. And at just a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, Low Light can be enjoyed as a day trip, long weekend or returning adventure. Low Light events feature every Friday through Sunday across May and June. To view the full program and book tickets, visit the website. First image: Cameron Robbins.
While most people think of Hollywood as the movie capital of the world, in reality that title belongs to Mumbai. With an output of more than 1,000 feature films a year, India’s big-screen industry dwarfs its American counterpart, churning out comedies, dramas, action flicks and — of course — musicals, the best of which will be showcased in Australia as part of the third annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. Held at Hoyts Cinemas in Melbourne Central and Chadstone, this year’s festival will begin with a special 3D restoration of the 1975 action epic Sholay, introduced in person by its legendary star Amitabh Bachchan. From there the festival splits into four streams: Hurrah Bollywood focuses on the years’ biggest commercial hits, while Beyond Bollywood draws attention to smaller films produced outside Mumbai’s studio system. The New Voices section highlights independent works by fledgling directors, including Ritish Batra’s international festival favourite The Lunchbox. Lastly, From the Subcontinent features a collection of films from India’s neighbours in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. In addition to the movies, the IFFM 2014 program contains a host of special events, including filmmaking masterclasses, guest Q&As and free screenings at Fed Square, plus a live Bollywood dance contest with a free trip to India for the winner. For the full IFFM program, visit the festival website.
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are finally back together on the big screen. Whilst they may not be crashing weddings, they are still making everyone laugh, this time as 'dinosaur' salesmen torpedoed by the digital age. When they're forced to compete against the younger generation of brains for a prestigious position at Google, hilarity ensues (with Quidditch even appearing at one point). The Internship also stars John Goodman and Rose Byrne, and they are not the only big names involved; Google has played a large role. The film features a range of Google products as well as a cameo from co-founder Sergey Brin himself. It looks to have been a smart PR move from the internet giant, which must have learned from the hard lesson taught to Mark Zuckerberg when he opted not to be involved in the creative process of The Social Network. Thanks to Twentieth Century Fox, we have three double passes to give away to the Melbourne premiere on June 11 at Village Crown, which Vince Vaughn is attending. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. The Internship is in cinemas June 13.
It's no exaggeration to say that The Everleigh is home to some of Melbourne's best cocktails, and therefore some of the city's most excellent bartenders. To prove their high-skill level and impressive imagination, this week they're asking you to give them a real challenge. In groups of 1-6 people, you can bring along your own spirits and they'll make a big ol' bunch of surprise cocktails for you. Set up in the Elk room, the bartenders will make drinks over two hours at your table, using a selection of citrus, syrups, liqueurs, bitters, ice and garnishes. To shake things up a bit, they'll also call a half time break, where guests can choose to switch their bottle with another party. Spaces are limited so you’ll need to pre-book for this iron chef battle of the bartenders. Hot tip: the more obscure the bottle you bring, the better.
Winemakers of Rutherglen have been doing good things with grapes for a while now out in northeast Victoria. But, luckily for us, they've decided to come city-side again this September for a two-day wine event, Rutherglen in the City. The pop-up bar will situate itself inside The Atrium at Federation Square. Seventeen winemakers will take over the high-ceilinged space, transforming it into an inner city 'winery' — so you can forget you're sandwiched between Flinders Street and the MCG and dream of open plains and vineyards. For $5 you'll be able to sample the best of the region's wine varieties: durif, a red, and muscat, a white that will also be served in two cocktails at the bar. The winemakers themselves will also be on-hand for a chat, and, if something takes your fancy, you can even order a few bottles from them direct. Full glasses of wine and other drinks can be purchased from the bar, and Beatbox Kitchen and Happy Camper Pizza will provide the nosh. The best thing about it is you won't even have to drive home — thanks to trams and trains, you can have as many wines as you like. The pop-up will be open Saturday from 12–8pm and Sunday from 12–6pm.
Based on Leslye Headland's play, Bachelorette is a comedy that tells the story of three best friends from high school turn bridesmaids. Their less-attractive friend, Becky (Rebel Wilson), is getting married, and the competitive Regan (Kirsten Dunst) accepts her role as maid of honour. Gena (Lizzy Caplan) is on a mission to confront her high school ex after he left her bitter with a broken heart, whilst Katie (Isla Fisher), the last of the bridesmaids, adds some extra laughs with her sometimes ditzy personality and impulsive sass. Bachelorette combines humour, drunken romance and the dynamic of female relationships in a raunchy and intoxicated weekend that these women will certainly never forget. The film will be released in cinemas November 1. Thanks to Hopscotch, Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway. To go in the running just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
South Melbourne Market is bringing the heat for ten days this April with A Chilli Affair. In a spectacular showcase of our fiery friends, vendors will be incorporating chillies from Australia and abroad into special dishes exclusively available to try in a self-guided food tour. Starting off in the expert hands of Georgie Dragwidge, of Georgie's Harvest, you'll learn of the nuances between chilli species and the historic origins of the fruit — as well as receive your map and stamp card. After consolidating your knowledge, make your spicy pilgrimage however leisurely you like (stopping for massages, retail breaks or to simply enjoy the wonder of the flavour-filled space). You'll be stamping off each stop as you go. At Bambu, the resident masters of Asian street eats, you can slurp delicate chilli prawn dumplings with ginger and soy; and at Simply Spanish, where curbside paella reigns champion, there will be chilli con carne empanadas. Ensuring you sip the spice too, a Habanero Mule (which can be made sans-booze if you fancy) is on offer from the plant-powered kingdom of Marko. And for sweet offerings, there's boundary-pushing scoops of chilli chocolate gelato from Fritz, and dark chocolate and chilli cannoli from That's Amore Cheese's Cannoleria. Not a fan of the fire? No fear, the exciting eats have been made to suit all tastebuds. This is the foodie tour that's sure to ignite newfound pepper-appreciation — and at-home recipe experimenting — in all who attend. There's plenty more eats included in your $70 ticket too, plus a goodie bag stocked up with recipes, chillies and a jar of Melbourne hot sauce from the South Melbourne Market Grocer. A Chilli Affair will run from Friday, April 22 to Sunday, May 1, with an 11am and 2pm time slot each day. To kick start your chilli expedition, head to the website.
Earth Hour is a symbolic action. Although there is carbon saved by turning things off, the point is the unmissable demonstration that a huge chunk of the world's population caring about the same thing at the same time. If we can manage this for Earth Hour, why not for grander environmental things? The Hour started in Sydney in 2007, and has become an international event in the years since. There are Earth Hour events in Kenya, India and Ireland these days, but you don't need to travel so far afield to find a way to join in this time around. At its simplest, all you need to do is stay home and turn off the lights. But if you'd like to have a more social darkened moment, you can head to a candlelit restaurant or one of a raft of other lights-off events.
Los Angeles duo Electric Guest are heading to Australia for Splendour in the Grass, fresh from touring around the world. The band appeared in MTV's Artists to Watch in 2012 list and have recently released music videos for popular tracks 'American Daydream' and 'This Head I Hold'. Their album, Mondo, which was produced by Danger Mouse, has been dubbed "a seamless fusion of Motown, '70s daytime radio funk lite, indie rock and '60s French pop". In addition to playing at Splendour, Electric Guest will play sideshows in Sydney on July 31 at Oxford Art Factory and in Melbourne on August 1 at the Northcote Social Club, and Concrete Playground has some tickets to give away. To go in the running to win a double pass to see Electric Guest at Sydney's Oxford Art Factory, just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
It's that wonderful time of year when all good boys and girls (no d!ck#e@ds) get to pack their gumboots, have a pink flamingo, and head to the Supernatural Amphitheatre for Meredith 24. Aunty Meredith has done it again, with an exceptional lineup that includes The Lemonheads, De La Soul, The War On Drugs, Ghostface Killah, and Cloud Nothings. The Australian artists playing this year are also an exceptional and eclectic mix headed up by Augie March, Mia Dyson, The Harpoons and Jagwar Ma to name a few. Furthermore, offensive costumes are banned. BANNED. Looking at you headdress-wearers. They're part of Aunty's banned things list: No offensive signage, slogans, clothing, costumes. Unfortunately, tickets have all sold out so you'll have to hope a friend has some spares. Ticket scalpers and trespassers have been warned in advance, so bad luck if that was your plan. The playing times have been released and the amphitheatre is ready, all you have to do is decide where to reside. HINT: Bush Camp fills up quick, so if that's where you want to be, you have get up early. Anything else you need to know can be found out at their website, or you can even e-mail Aunty if need be. See you in the Sup'! Meredith Music Festival 2014 Lineup: The War On Drugs Ty Segall The Skatalites Mark Lanegan De La Soul Augie March Sleep James Holden (Live) Cloud Nothings The Lemonheads Ghostface Killah Phosphorescent The Bombay Royale Factory Floor Painters and Dockers Mia Dyson Tiny Ruins The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra Blank Realm Misty Nights Teeth & Tongue Vakula Marlon Williams Dr Phil Smith Hard-Ons Jagwar Ma Jen Cloher The Harpoons Sun God Replica Krakatau Silence Wedge The Town Bikes City of Ballarat Municipal Brass Band Karen Leng Fee B2 Etta and Tilly Bennis DJ People Breaking & Entering Image: MMF.
Short of physically volunteering your time, there aren't many ways you can help those in need over lunch. But Sydney-based social enterprise food company Two Good is looking to change that, with their buy-one, give-one lunch delivery model. Having just expanded from Sydney to Melbourne this week, Two Good are delivering delicious salads through Deliveroo — and for every one sold, a meal is donated to domestic violence shelters in both cities. They're not just any old salads either. The Two Good guys — Rob Caslick and Cathal Flaherty — have worked with the most loveable man in the international food world Yotam Ottolenghi and renowned Melbourne chef Andrew McConnell to create two options that far surpass any soggy salad you were planning on making in your office's kitchenette this afternoon. Ottolenghi's creation is a poached chicken salad with chargrilled zucchini, sorrel, capers and pine nuts, while McConnell looks after the vego option with a cracked wheat and freekeh salad with preserved lemon and berries. The salads — available to order for lunch through Deliveroo — are $14 and $13 respectively, which is a pretty standard price for a salad in this town. And, considering for each salad you order the legends at Two Good will donate a meal to a domestic violence shelter in your city, it's an incredibly low cost way to food yourself and help someone who needs it. Meals are donated to ten shelters around NSW and to The Safe Futures and St Mary's House of Welcome in Victoria. What's more, Two Good also employ women from the shelters they work with in NSW, and are looking to do the same in Victoria in the next three months. If you want to buy a salad, you can place an order through Deliveroo from 11.15am in Melbourne and Sydney. For more information on Two Good, go to twogood.com.au.
When the news dropped earlier this year that Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck was coming to Melbourne, every local foodie quite rightly lost their mind. Packing up a three-Michelin starred restaurant and transporting it to the other side of the world for six months is no small feat. And, while Melbourne is treated to a great spectrum of culinary talent, the food wizardry of this sound-cooking, bacon ice cream-making legend really is next level. But, the question remained: how to secure a seat? After the announcement came in March this year, Crown received upwards of 40,000 requests to book a table. We'll give you a minute to let that number sink in. With a proposed service of 50 diners per night, and the space in operation for a mere six months, The Fat Duck would only be able to accommodate a third of those that enquired nearly a full year in advance. That's huge. "We were totally overwhelmed with the response, it's been unbelievable ... [it shows] just the complete, utter food obsession that has happened over here," Blumenthal said in a press conference this morning. Now, to cope with the astronomical interest (and to save the receptionists at Crown a world of trouble), a booking system has been decided. To eat at The Fat Duck, you will have to enter a ballot. Open from October 8 until October 26, the ballot will be run in a similar way to Meredith Music Festival (though we really can't say it will have the same no dickheads policy). Punters can register their ravenous interest, an independent third party will randomly select the successful diners, then both confirmations and rejections will be sent out on November 10. It's not yet clear whether you can pick the date and time of your reservation. Honestly, it seems unlikely. Unsurprisingly, the seat also won't come cheap. Dinner will be served as a set menu of 12–15 courses and will set you back a cool $525 (before drinks). This may well be the only lottery where the prize is a huge bill, but when we think about that bacon ice cream we can't help but feel it's worth it. The Fat Duck opens on February 3, 2015, but more importantly the ballot opens on October 8 at 9am. Via Good Food.
With Baby Driver, writer/director/music lover Edgar Wright takes a guy, a girl, gangsters, guns and getaway cars, and sends audiences on quite the ride. The filmmaker behind Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World doesn't exactly seek to sell audiences on the high-stakes, heist-pulling lifestyle. In fact, his protagonist Baby (Ansel Elgort) desperately wants to drive away from crime. But there's one thing that brightens up this speedster's obligation to underworld boss Doc (Kevin Spacey), and it's something we can all relate to: that fantastic feeling of hearing the right song at the right time, boosting your mood and changing how you see the world around you. Whether he's hurtling through the streets or sitting in a booth at a diner, one of Baby's ever-present old school iPods always has the goods to improve any situation. His personal soundtrack makes dealing with bank-robbing thugs like Griff (Jon Bernthal), Bats (Jamie Foxx), and lovers Buddy (Jon Hamm) and Darling (Eiza González) bearable. It also makes meeting waitress Debora (Lily James), who enters his orbit literally crooning his name, all the more special. Baby is turning a routine into a dream with the right MP3s, and Wright wants viewers to lap up every second of it. Cue Queen, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and the kind of deep cuts the term 'deep cuts' was coined to describe. With Wright stylishly weaving his music choices into the fabric of both the film and its title character, there's barely a minute that passes by without the right audio accompaniment. There's singing and dancing and in-sync editing and cinematography — although Baby Driver isn't a musical. Rather, it's a playlist paired with glossy, kinetic pictures that delivers its story in video clip-length doses. Unsurprisingly, the film was actually inspired by Wright's music video for Mint Royale's 'Blue Song', which makes a blink-or-you'll-miss-it appearance here. And yet, while Baby himself might avoid lulls in his flow of sounds (at one point, we even see him time the start of a job to a specific ditty) even the liveliest of mixtapes can run out of steam. Perhaps that's why Baby Driver entertains in the moment yet can't quite maintain momentum, and why a sense of repetition eventually sets in. Recognisable refrains begin to echo across scenes, while nods to similar flicks about heists, souped-up vehicles and lovers-against-the world — including Drive, The Driver, Point Break, Wild at Heart and A Life Less Ordinary — grow increasingly obvious. Still, as you watch the cast revel in Wright's music-filled world, it's easy to enjoy much of the drive. Baby Driver's rush of attitude doesn't just ooze through its lovingly selected tunes. It's also present in Elgort and James' clear chemistry, and in the way Spacey, Hamm and González's embrace their shady supporting players. Baby's story gets dark and bloody at various points, but the film remains a light and playful dose of high-octane crime-romance hijinks. Think of it as the movie equivalent of a disposable toe-tapping pop song: mostly pumping, thumping fun, but it just can't play on forever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT7xtCrhwD0
If Shania Twain's 'Man! I Feel Like A Woman' is your karaoke go-to, you'll want to head over to Carlton on Thursday, November 29 when the Shania Choir takes over The Curtin with its a cappella country pop covers — and, this time, its encouraging the crowd to join in. Created in 2017, the leopard-crazed choir group has toured Australia — hitting up Melbourne in late-September — with its full-length show and received endless requests from fans wanting to join the choir along the way. Now, for $15 a pop, you can do just that. For one night, punters will have a go at the choir's four-part harmonies in two Shania hits, as well as a chance to sing along during a group performance. Of course, you'd want to have a decent voice to get on stage, but there's no real requirements on that front. So go on and belt it out like it's 1997 again. Image: Amanda Humphreys
We know it's Thursday morning and you're just thinking about how you can get through to Friday, but take a little lunch break today. Maybe take the tram down Swanston Street. If you do, you might be lucky enough jump on one that's full of pups. To mark the year anniversary of Docklands' Dialogue in the Dark experience, a team of furry Guide Dogs ambassadors will be on-board for a 'pat and chat' until around noon today. Just look out for the Guide Dogs tram (it's #3532 if you want to put it into Tram Tracker) running between Flinders Street and Melbourne Uni. Dialogue in the Dark is an initiative that allows the public to experience one hour in pitch darkness, guided by a person with vision loss. So even if you don't get to the tram in time, you Plus, if you're keen to sign up to become a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs Victoria after your cuddles, head over here.
We normally associate Boxing Day releases with feelgoodery, dogoodery, comedy and special effects. Which is why it seems sort of hilarious when a film like Short Term 12 pops up at that time of the holiday season, determined to make its quiet realism heard. The SXSW Film Festival winner was number one on Buzzfeed's list of 'movies you probably missed in 2013 but definitely need to see', so if you get in quick, you can make it the no.1 movie you outsmarted Buzzfeed on instead. Short Term 12 is the kind of film that feels like a well-edited version of real life — though probably not a life that is familiar to you, if you grew up in safe, loving circumstances. Compulsively watchable and super emotional, it revolves around the kids and their barely adult supervisors at a temporary foster care facility. The plot is nebulous, but the anchor is social worker Grace, played by Brie Larson, who you probably remember from United States of Tara and who puts in an incredible, name-making performance here. Short Term 12 is funny, heartbreaking and brave filmmaking. Writer and director Destin Cretton is able to leap tall towers of everyday humour and humanity and then drop you into a pit of total, gut-wrenching sadness in a single bound. A definite must-see — so you may as well see it on us. Short Term 12 is in cinemas on December 26, and thanks to Madman Films, 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 https://youtube.com/watch?v=rETaWDZ57v0
Hip hop used to be associated with overt displays of machismo, but there has been a steady evolution since those days. Arguably, this advancement and modernisation is represented nowhere better than with the rise to prominence of Cakes Da Killa. Originating on New York's queer rap scene, Cakes Da Killa has earned plaudits for his fusion of hip hop, house and dance over the last decade, alongside acts such as Mykki Blanco and Le1f. With the beats from his latest album, Killa Essentials (2021), in tow, the game-changing creative's impending trip to Sydney is sure to bring an unforgettable evening to Oxford Art Factory. Images: Ebru Yildiz
Melbourne's summer festival calendar just scored a wild and wonderful new addition, celebrating our boundary-pushing urban art scene. Dubbed Can't Do Tomorrow, it's set to take over the warehouses of Kensington's famed underground space The Facility, dishing up a dynamic festival of contemporary culture from February 20–29, 2020. A melting pot of creativity, music, discussion and art, the ten-day fiesta promises to be immersive, eclectic and entirely thought-provoking. A lineup of more than 100 artists, galleries, crews and collectives will transform the former wool stores into a large-scale smorgasbord of urban art for you to feast on, interact with, experience and even buy. We won't find out exactly which talent is on board until later in the year, though you can expect just about everything from sculpture, photography and murals to stencil, video production and monumental immersive installations. Organisers are even describing it as "an outlandish Eden", as they set out to show people a new way of consuming, or being consumed by, art. [caption id="attachment_729368" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex Jovanovic[/caption] Can't Do Tomorrow's offering will be split into three main parts, backed by a program of live music, workshops, performances and talks. 'Unleash' will act as a modern art show of sorts, where you'll be able to browse and buy works from over 80 independent artists. Next, 'Unlock' will feature a series of solo shows and group exhibitions from some of Melbourne's established galleries and collectives, throwing together both new and significant older works. Then, 'Unlimited' will take the form of an escapist realm, filled with mind-bending installations, imagined dreamscapes and site-specific murals by some of the scene's big guns. Names like Kaff-eine, Alex Lehours, Georgie Seccull and Ben Frost are set to work their magic on this one. While that's all the info we have at the moment, the festival is looking for artists to submit their works and ideas. If you think that's you, you can get in touch here. Can't Do Tomorrow will take over The Facility, at 2R Chelmsford St, Kensington, from February 20 to 29, 2020. The full program is slated to drop in November — we'll let you know when it does. Images: Mayonaize and Camscale by Alex Jovanovic
Over the coming months, new rooftop spot Heroes will really be living up to its name, celebrating some of Melbourne's culinary champions with a new series of monthly yum cha parties, kicking off on Sunday, October 14. The venue, from the same minds behind barbecue joint Fancy Hank's and its rooftop counterpart Good Heavens, has fast earned a reputation for its exciting menu of Singaporean hawker-style barbecue fare. Now, each of the yum cha events will see Head Chef Alicia Cheong teaming up with another Melbourne kitchen hero, with both chefs whipping up a signature meat and vegetarian dish. First up, Cheong is joining Fancy Hank's head chef Daniel Inzuza, to deliver a menu of bites like crisp soy pork belly with puffed pork rind, charred okra and jicama salad and smoked beef short rib with a glaze of sweet cola and fermented beetroot. For $45, you'll get your pick of two dishes, matched with classic yum cha sides — including steamed chive dumplings, congee and deep-fried sambal buns — and two hours of bottomless beer, sparkling and mimosas to wash it all down. Other chefs joining in the yum cha fun include Rice Paper Scissors' Ross Magnaye on November 4, and Jerry Mai of Annam kicking off summer on December 2. Book your spot via the website. Exterior shot: Eugene Hyland.
It's said we make 35,000 decisions a day. The weight of these choices varies greatly, but often it's the small decisions we make that can have the greatest impact, particularly on a global level. From bringing a reusable cup to the coffee shop to buying high-quality threads, there are plenty of small changes you can make to reduce your carbon footprint and still make an impact. Sustainability is not a buzzword; it's something that should be at the forefront of our day-to-day decision making. For Australian menswear brand M.J. Bale, moving towards a more sustainable future drove the decision to launch a new range of single-source garments from a low-impact farm in Tasmania. To celebrate the Kingston Collection, we've partnered up with M.J. Bale to give you five simple tips to help you make more sustainable choices in your daily routine. BUY LESS AND BUY QUALITY Although nabbing a fast-fashion bargain seems like a good idea at the time, after a couple of washes it will probably look a little worse for wear. Why? Because these trend-driven pieces aren't designed to last. Investing in higher-quality items means you'll have a closet that'll stand the test of time as well as reduce your impact on the environment; clothes manufacturing has a pretty dire impact on the environment, so the less often you buy, the better. M.J. Bale is just one Australian fashion house that favours timeless, well-made threads over seasonal trends — although it is always sartorially suave. "We don't believe in trends at M.J. Bale," says founder and CEO Matt Jensen. Furthermore, the new Kingston Collection range heroes sustainable wool. For Jensen, traceability was key to his decision to partner with Simon Cameron — a sixth-generation farmer of the environmentally low-impact Kingston Farm. "The wool in these Kingston suits comes from this exact farm," explains Jensen, "and this is the grower who produced it, and this is how well he treats his merino sheep, and this is how he takes care of the land." Head into your nearest M.J. Bale store and make the conscious effort to ditch the fleeting trend-based fashion cycle and create a timeless wardrobe with premium pieces that'll serve you for years to come. [caption id="attachment_710930" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW.[/caption] WALK OR CYCLE TO WORK Getting to the office doesn't have to include a crowded commute or circling the block for hours trying to find a park. Boost your step count and hit the pavement or hop on your bike and cycle to the office. Not only will you get the blood pumping but walking and cycling also help to reduce your carbon footprint. Plus, you'll skip the congested city traffic making for a much calmer start to your day. If walking, set yourself up for success by starting small. Aim to get off a couple of bus stops earlier than usual or try walking home a couple of afternoons each week. Get creative and find ways to maximise this time by tuning into a good podcast, crafting a killer playlist or scheduling a phone call with one of your out-of-town mates. If you're cycling, you're likely to get home faster rather than sitting in the evening car crawl after work. BRING YOUR OWN CUP TO YOUR COFFEE RUN For the caffeine addicts among us, our day doesn't start until we have a coffee in hand. But our love for a cup of joe shouldn't cost the earth. As most notably brought to light by the War on Waste, it is estimated that Australians throw away 50,000 disposable cups every half hour. That's roughly 2.7 million a day, or one billion each year. In Sydney alone, we discard approximately 100 million annually. And that's mostly all into landfill. Nabbing yourself a re-usable coffee cup is a no-brainer in 2019. It's one simple change to your morning routine that can make huge strides towards reducing unnecessary waste. Plus, these sturdier cups make for a damn good drinking experience, with sealable lids and thermal insulation designed to keep beverages hot all the way to your desk. Taking things up a notch, Sydney has just launched Green Caffeine — the city's first free re-usable coffee cup sharing network. If a city can take this simple sustainable step on board, so can you. [caption id="attachment_698391" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carriageworks by Jacqui Manning.[/caption] PREP YOUR LUNCHES WITH LOCAL FARMER'S PRODUCE No one really wants to spend their Sunday night slaving over the stove, but hear us out. Meal prepping is one of the best ways to save yourself some extra dosh each week and means you'll avoid splurging on pricey UberEats orders when you're too busy to grab lunch. Plus, by going to some local markets, you can turn your grocery shop into a delightful weekend jaunt. Who doesn't want to spend a morning patting pooches, grabbing a coffee (using your keep cup, of course) and soaking in some sunshine all while smashing out the weekly grocery shop? Farmers' markets have fresh, sustainable and often organic produce from nearby farms. Not only does eating local help support grass-roots farmers, but it also lowers the distance produce has to travel to arrive from paddock to plate, meaning fewer carbon emissions polluting the environment. Sydneysiders, head to Marrickville Organic Food Market every Sunday morning from 9am, Carriageworks Farmers Markets each Saturday from 8am or Erskineville Farmers Market every Saturday from 9am. GO DIGITAL AND SAY NO TO UNNECESSARY OFFICE PRINTING Let's face it, office printers are the pits. They're constantly jammed, out of ink or running low on paper. And don't get us started on scanning. Next time you mindlessly hit Command + P, think again. What are you about to print? How long will you use this hard-copy? Could you work from the digital version instead? Take a moment to question your decisionmaking and consider ways to reduce the number of runs you make to the printer. Sure, there are some cases where you can't escape printed documents, but making a start by not printing unnecessary emails or files will help limit that churn through huge quantities of ink and paper. Top image: M.J. Bale Kingston suits by Jamie Azzopardi.
Winter isn't usually the most fun time to be outdoors in Melbourne. Sure, it's nice when the local pub starts serving mulled wine in the beer garden, but when your favourite activities include sunny brunches, outdoor cinemas and going to the beach, grey skies and arctic winds are not your friends. But we've found at least one reason to celebrate the chilly weather: a pop-up ice skating rink right in the middle of Fed Square. Located on River Terrace overlooking the Yarra, River Rink will be open seven days a week, from July 1–23. Open until 8pm Sunday to Wednesday and until 10pm Thursday to Saturday, the rink will be lit up in a multitude of colours at night. Tickets to River Rink cost $24.50 for adults, and include skate hire. Those of you without much skating experience or general coordination can also hire a plastic penguin and/or seal, which essentially serve as ice skating training wheels. Full disclosure though: you're probably still going to wake up the next day covered in bruises.
After three years of envelope-pushing dishes and rule-breaking dinner degustations, Carlton's small-but-mighty Nora is gearing up for its last-ever service. Owners Sarin Rojanametin and Jean Thamthanakorn have announced they'll shut the doors to their Elgin Street eatery in three weeks, drawing the curtains on one of Melbourne's most innovative food offerings of recent years. 2018 will find the pair venturing back to their roots, tapping into new inspirations and setting their sights on fresh challenges. Nora first opened its doors as an experimental, Thai-inspired cafe back in 2014, hitting reset in 2016 to reopen as degustation restaurant, giving the owners more scope to flex their creative muscles. We hope to see a new venture from them in the near future. Nora will open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday up until the end of December, 2017. Book now and head in for a final farewell at noramelbourne.com.au.
For the past eight years, the annual MPavilion design commission has gifted Melbourne with a rotation of unique, architect-designed temporary structures, which each then play host to a summer-long festival of free events. This year, after 2020's COVID-related diversion from the norm, MPavilion will return to its usual setting at the Queen Victoria Gardens from December 2 — and it's kicking off a jam-packed five-month appearance to celebrate. Titled The LightCatcher, the new-season commission is the work of Venice's MAP Studio. It takes the form of an urban lighthouse, featuring a network of steel tubes and light-reflecting mirrored panels that appear to float above the earth. The structure will get quite the workout, too, playing host to a program of over 250 free talks, workshops, performances and installations, running until April 24, 2022. Each month will focus on a different theme, but there are events to delight music-lovers, design fiends, art nerds and everyone in between. Read on to get a preview of the fantastic program. [caption id="attachment_831152" align="alignnone" width="1920"] An event at MPavilion 2019[/caption] There'll be design-focused conversations with a swag of local and international names, from MAP Studio's Francesco Magnani and Traudy Pelzel with Grand Designs Australia's Peter Maddison, to globally-renowned design collective Space Saloon. MPavilion's supporting program of residencies, MProjects, will include the launch of Patricia Piccinini's hot air balloon sculpture Skywhalepapa, the return of Indigenous architecture forum BLAKitecture: The Manifesto, and a deep-dive into 'the salon', featuring a pop-up nail bar. The program's sonic delights include a slew of Melbourne Music Week events, as well as a series of meditative morning performances by Deborah Cheetham AO, and talks and DJ sessions led by Andee Frost. [caption id="attachment_831156" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erik Yvon's uniform design, captured by Marie Luise Photographer[/caption] Elsewhere in the program, you can catch a seating installation by Castlemaine furniture studio Like Butter; experience author Monique Grbec's reinterpretation of Pink Floyd's iconic rock opera The Wall through an Indigenous lens; and learn about the ancient practice of astronomy within Indigenous Australian Nations in a chat with Gomeroi astrophysicist and host of 3RRR's Indigenuity, Krystal de Napoli. Plus, the MPavilion Wedding Day will host ceremonies for three lucky couples whose previous wedding plans have been smashed by COVID-19. Throw in a masquerade ball, a DJ program, and collaborations with the likes of Melbourne Fringe, TarraWarra Museum of Art and Melbourne Theatre Company, and your MPavilion calendar is looking very full indeed. And, with no detail left to chance, the specially-commissioned staff uniforms are the work of local fashion designer Erik Yvon. Find 'The LightCatcher' at Queen Victoria Gardens, Domain Parklands, St Kilda Road, Melbourne, from December 2–April 24. The supporting MPavilion program will feature alongside these dates, with an additional offering of online events from Tuesday, November 23. Head to the website to check out the full program and learn more about this year's commission. Top Image: Render of 'The LightCatcher' by MAP Studio, MPavilion 2021. Deborah Cheetham AO, by Wayne Quilliam.
Things are about to get existential at the Malthouse, with Fraught Outfit’s production of Persona opening this week. An adaptation of a classic Ingmar Bergman film, the show premiered at Theatre Works last year, getting an enthusiastic reaction from critics, including three gongs' worth of enthusiasm from the Green Room Awards. The original film, a regular on "best ever movies" and "see before you die" lists, is a masterpiece of 1960s Swedish weirdness about a nurse caring for an actress who has withdrawn entirely from her life to the point of never speaking. The nurse's interactions with the omnipresent but perpetually disengaged woman create a haunting rumination on identity and the ways people can be dehumanised by roles placed upon them. Working from an English translation of the screenplay, director Adena Jacobs has sought to create a uniquely theatrical version of this strange journey into the psyche. Judging by the reception the show got on its first run, the result is something remarkable. We recommend you see it for yourself, though we take no responsibility for any existential quandary or blowing of mind you may incur as a result.
I'm no kidnapper. I've never tried and, unless this film critic thing really falls through, I hopefully never will. That said, were I to give it a crack, I can't help but think the overarching guideline for a successful 'grab' must be that my victim isn't dead by the time I get him. But look, I'm getting ahead of myself here. To the movie... In 2013 the world found itself subject to a ridiculous 'White House Being Taken Over By Terrorists Only To Be Saved By One Gritty Muscled Dude' genre battle between Olympus Has Fallen and the far superior White House Down. Now, three years later, we get London Has Fallen – the sequel to the former nobody was calling for. Starring Gerard Butler as Secret Service agent Mike Banning, London Has Fallen chronicles a devastating series of attacks throughout London on the morning of a state funeral, with the goal of assassinating world leaders and kidnapping the US President (Aaron Eckhart). Ah. There we are again. Kidnapping. I guess I'm just saying I'd be reluctant to use explosives near my target because of the potential for hurting him. I probably wouldn't, for example, instruct one of my generic 'international terrorist' henchmen to spend several minutes simply lobbing rocket-propelled grenades directly at the President's car. Or his hiding spot. Or his face. Anyway, minor side point. London Has Fallen boasts arguably the most outstanding supporting cast of Academy Award winners and nominees asked to do nothing but stare at a screen. Morgan Freeman, Jackie Earle Haley, Melissa Leo and Angela Bassett all shine for the several seconds that they're given in the White House Situation Room, and... Sorry. Not to get sidetracked again, it's just – they shoot his helicopter down. The President's helicopter. While he's in it. From an aviation safety standpoint alone, statistically that's a huge risk to take when you want to capture him alive. It's like using a nuke to get the toy out of a Kinder Surprise. As for the script, the terrorists speak in advertising slogans like "Vengeance must always be profound, and absolute", while Butler's hero Banning consistently spouts racist gems like "why don't you go back to Fuckheadistan or wherever it is you came from?" In fact, London Has Fallen is so astoundingly jingoistic and overtly xenophobic, you half-expect the credits to conclude with "Paid for by Trump 4 President". Plus...they just shoot at the President all the time. Especially when he's in cars. And then they ram those cars with garbage trucks, even before they know whether or not he's wearing a seatbelt. And it's not as though seatbelts are a guarantee of survival in a major collision... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AsOdX7NcJs
Hong Kong is almost close enough (an eight-hour plane trip) to justify a long weekend away. Doing it cheap isn't easy, and what would particularly be the point? As one of the world's most expensive cities, especially for hotels, it's all about bling. Eating out can be more affordable than the top end of Australian restaurants, with obviously superior Cantonese dining options, but drinking in the hipper bars will set you back $10 a beer. If you want cheap, go to Thailand. If you want style, go to Hong Kong. The main socialising districts are Hong Kong Island, traditionally where it's all happening, and Kowloon across the harbour, its less glamorous cousin, although that's changing. Italian and French dining is in vogue at the moment, with Caprice and Pierre the top-dollar and high-rise favourites. Further down the cheap food chain are the Canto picks. The Chairman and Fook Lam Moon offer traditional Chinese cooking with a modern flair, rejecting the MSG of the local diners. The owner of The Chairman, Danny Yip, owns three Chairman restaurants in Canberra and prides himself on an organic approach to crab and dumpling feasts. Spring Moon is an upmarket 1920s-style teahouse bang in the middle of a five-star hotel, with ornate surroundings. If you want more exclusive surroundings, Yard Bird does take bookings and is the hot new place to be seen by local celebrities. Drinking is synonymous with views of the harbour, with most bars perched on top of swish hotels. Among the most popular are Hutong, which is a faux traditional restaurant with an indoor mezzanine bar above the private dining rooms and red lanterns overlooking the skyscapers of Hong Kong Island. For outdoor boozing, head to Eyebar (level 30, 63 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon) for a vertigo-inducing vista, Ozone, apparently the highest bar in the world, or Sugar in the East hotel. More down-to-earth reveling can be found at the Kee Club, a members-only den with private rooms decorated like libraries and it hosts open club nights on the weekend. It's near Lan Kwai Fong, the main drinking area for visiting drunkards, which is open to the early hours and home to all-night clubs. It's not particularly cheap, but Hong Kong does offer expensive memories.
First it was the smartphone game no one could've guessed they'd get addicted to. Now it's a film that spins a story around a flightless flock of feathered friends, their unhappy attitude, and a posse of porky interlopers. We're talking, of course, about Angry Birds, an animated effort that not only brings the must-have app of 2009 to the big screen, but also comes up with an origin tale to explain its feuding characters. When we first meet Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis), he's certainly far from chirpy, preferring to live on the outskirts of his island community. Despite working as a clown, he's more likely to incite rage than inspire laughs — and after doing just that at a hatch-day party, he's sent to anger management. There, alongside the speedy Chuck (Josh Gad) and explosive Bomb (Danny McBride), he's taught to control his temper, or at least try to. But then a ship bearing green pigs arrives, with their leader Leonard (Bill Hader) attempting to charm the birds with parties and presents. Instantly suspicious, Red soon discovers that his anger has other uses. Although there's certainly a message about accepting the good with the bad bundled into The Angry Birds Movie, if you're looking for a nuanced look at the emotional spectrum, you'd be better off sticking with Inside Out. This is a bright and busy effort that sticks to the usual all-ages recipe: slap together a breezy narrative, throw in a wealth of pop culture references to everything from The Shining to 50 Shades of Grey, add a soundtrack that's designed to appeal to ironic Rick Astley lovers as much as pre-teen Demi Lovato fans, and keep things moving as fast as humanly possible. Indeed, as questionable as making a movie out of Angry Birds may seem, its source of inspiration isn't the feature's main problem. A lack of energy and enthusiasm is — though given that the film remains bouncy and bubbly from start to finish, it might not initially appear that way. Alas, as The LEGO Movie proved, there's a difference between shoehorning in the required brand elements and demonstrating a true understanding of why people like the original product. Directors Fergal Reilly and Clay Kaytis don't concern themselves with that; they're content to plaster on the movie equivalent of a fake smile, and try not to make too much of a flap. That leaves the eye-popping visuals, along with a voice cast that includes Keegan-Michael Key, Maya Rudolph and Sean Penn, to do too much heavy lifting — and while everything looks and sounds the part, it also feels quite hollow. Perhaps two of writer Jon Vitti's past credits sum up the feature's fortunes best, with the scribe's background including episodes of The Simpsons along with a couple of the Alvin and the Chipmunks films. Sadly, The Angry Birds Movie has much more in common with the lazy cheesiness of the latter than the clever comedy of the former.
If you're looking to host a house party soon, you might want to enlist the help of Behringer. The German electronics company has just revealed the iNuke Boom - a 700 pound, four-foot tall, eight-foot long dock and speakers for the iPod. While these speakers are wildly disproportionate to the device, they'll have a sound to match their size, with the capability of cranking out 10,000 watts. They are being released in January and will set you back a cool $30,000. The iNuke Boom is unusual given that electronic companies are constantly trying to make everything more minuscule and compact. Behringer are reminding everybody that size does matter. Dust off your old Snoop Dogg and NWA records, upload them onto your iPod and see how the old classics sound coming out of this absolute beast. Just keep your fingers crossed that the bass power doesn't cause the iNuke Boom to collapse and crush somebody. [via Gizmodo]
If you thought the ballet was already a magical experience, just wait until you catch those arabesques and pirouettes by moonlight, when The Australian Ballet takes its popular Ballet Under the Stars session to regional Victoria to the very first time. The company will bring its full-length starlit production of Giselle to Gippsland's Lardner Park on Saturday, October 26. It'll be hosted by ARIA Award-winning Australian songstress Megan Washington and, best of all, it's free. Be swept up in the romance of Giselle's timeless love story, worlds away and decades after it first hit the stage in Paris in 1841, telling the tale of a young rural girl and a Count who disguises himself as a peasant to win her heart. Recreated for The Australian Ballet by Maina Gielgud in 1986, it's a whirlwind story of love, heartbreak, death, revenge and forgiveness. You can't BYO booze, but you there'll be plenty of snacks, meals and alcohol available to purchase from a range of food stalls, including local wines, cheeses, Gippsland Diary tiramisu and Baw Baw Organics hazelnut brownies. Hampers for $50 are also available to pre-order. While the performance is free, capacity is limited, so you'll want to register on the waitlist to be sure to nab a spot. 'Giselle' Images: Kate Longley
An artist turned filmmaker, Julian Schnabel largely specialises in films about visionary artists, however he can't be accused of settling into a comfortable niche. Whether he's focusing on American painter Jean-Michel Basquiat in Basquiat, exploring the life of Cuban poet and playwright Reinaldo Arenas in Before Night Falls, or examining the experiences of French writer Jean-Dominique Bauby in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Schnabel does more than present straightforward biographical dramas. Rather, his pictures are dedicated to channelling their subject's mindsets with every stylistic touch — to steeping viewers in each real-life figure's perspective as deeply and immersively as possible. There's no formula at play, just an unflinching dedication to capturing each artist's essence. And with the writer-director turning his attention to Vincent van Gogh, At Eternity's Gate hits the mark perfectly. To many, van Gogh's name inspires three well-known details: his Sunflowers still-life paintings, the moody blue swirls of The Starry Night and the liberation of his ear from his head by his own hand. All three rate a mention in At Eternity's Gate, though they're hardly the most crucial aspects of the film. With Willem Dafoe plays the artist with urgent, revelatory intensity (and earning a much-deserved Academy Award nomination for his troubles), Schnabel seeks to understand rather than faithfully chronicle. As written with Jean-Claude Carrière and co-editor Louise Kugelberg, his movie happily draws upon not only van Gogh's personal letters, but on fiction, myths and speculation, including about the artist's death. A suitably post-impressionist portrait of the iconic Dutch post-impressionist, At Eternity's Gate recounts van Gogh's final years — a period of challenge, pain and immense productivity. Feeling adrift in the Parisian art scene, where galleries remain uninterested and his art-dealer brother Theo (Rupert Friend) can't sell his work, van Gogh decamps to the French town of Arles upon the advice of fellow artist Paul Gauguin (Oscar Isaac). But if van Gogh hovered on the fringes of his chosen community in the city, he's an outright pariah in his new small-town setting, with his drinking, temper-driven outbursts and psychological unravelling grating against the locals. While Theo arranges for Gaugin to join his sibling's sojourn, the solace of good company proves merely a temporary fix to van Gogh's inner woes. It would've been a revolutionary move, but Schnabel could've trained the camera solely at Dafoe for At Eternity's Gate's entire running time, and he still would've crafted an exceptional film. There's such power to the actor's performance — the power that springs not from force, or from seeing every ounce of effort, but from so convincingly stepping into someone else's shoes. van Gogh's work has always seethed with both passion and fragility. In every stroke, even in his most striking compositions, it seems as if he's feverishly exorcising the visions that are haunting his mind. In the movie's finest accomplishment, its commanding leading man gives flesh, heart and soul to that sensation. Although Isaac is memorable as Gauguin, and both Mathieu Amalric and Mads Mikkelsen make an impression as a doctor and a priest, respectively, Dafoe conveys both the emotional delicacy and the damning turmoil that made van Gogh who he was — and made his art so astonishing. Of course, Schnabel doesn't just train the camera at his star, and his film is all the better for it. How the filmmaker composes At Eternity's Gate's frames is as important as what's within them, with cinematographer Benoît Delhomme wielding the lens almost as if it's a paintbrush. There's rarely a still moment, with the image swirling, roaming and playing with focus in the same way that van Gogh's artwork does. The movie also borrows the artist's use of colour, particularly when gazing upon the French landscapes that he frequently committed to canvas. And yet, Schnabel never forgets that film is an audio-visual medium. His potent visuals say plenty about his complicated subject, but so does his layered soundscape. Staring into Dafoe's penetrating blue eyes, peering at every fleck of dirt and grass that marked van Gogh's life, and marvelling at the painter's pieces only feels complete when the artist's words float like the wind — and when the wind itself conjures up his deep-seated struggle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcPLAz1LG1U
Good times are coming Down Under in October, and disco-soul hit 'Good Times', too. As well as locking in spots at 2023's Harvest Rock in Adelaide and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Nile Rodgers & Chic are doing their own headline tour. Ah, Melburnians, get ready to freak out at their headlining gig on Sunday, October 29 at the Forum — with tickets on sale at 11am on Thursday, September 28. Not only 'Good Times' but also 'Le Freak' is certain to get a whirl when the one and only Rodgers takes to the stage with the group that he co-founded more than five decades ago. Also on their recent setlists: Chic tracks 'Everybody Dance', 'Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)' and 'I Want Your Love'. [caption id="attachment_916215" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex Marshall via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Mention Chic and Rodgers instantly springs to mind; however, as a guitarist, the latter is in a league of his own. You'll also know his work on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, including single 'Get Lucky'. And as a writer and producer, he's had a hand in everything from David Bowie's Let's Dance album to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin'. Accordingly, Nile Rodgers & Chic gigs are known to bust out tracks from across Rodgers' career beyond Chic. Cue 'Get Lucky' and its earworm of a guitar riff, both 'Let's Dance' and the always-delightful 'Modern Love' by Bowie, and also a Madonna double of 'Like a Virgin' and 'Material Girl'. Because Rodgers and late, great fellow Chic member Bernard Edwards were involved in writing, composing and/or producing them, Diana Ross' 'I'm Coming Out' and 'Upside Down' also get a spin, plus Sister Sledge's 'He's the Greatest Dancer' and 'We Are Family'.
Tasmania is an evocative place. The tiny island state is easily one of Australia's most diverse landscapes, featuring everything from white, sandy beaches and the inspiring peaks of Cradle Mountain to hidden wonders like Little Blue Lake. But it's not just the terrain that offers up surprises; Tasmania is also a haven for the unconventional. With Hobart's globally renowned Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), the large botanical mazes and rural towns turned into openair galleries, Tasmania knows its way around the weird and wonderful and isn't afraid to revel in it come rain, shine or snow. With that in mind, we've created a jam-packed winter guide to Tassie's most eclectic cultural and artistic experiences. So strap yourselves in (and put on your warmest winter woollies), it's going to be a strange ride. [caption id="attachment_498713" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).[/caption] THE MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART — HOBART Affectionately referred to as the 'museum of sex and death', MONA isn't your stock-standard cultural institution. Instead, it's more like a sprawling underground playground that could easily double as a Bond villain's home (just look at its imposing void-like entrance and spiral staircases). Each exhibition has been specially curated to provoke — from James Turrell's permanent, mind-bending light installations in the newly minted Pharos wing to the bold, ever-changing seasonal shows like Greg Taylor's famous vaginal sculptures. As MONA is the host of Australia's most sinister festival, Dark Mofo, winter is the ideal time to visit, with numerous artists and works freshly displayed within the museum's walls as well as sprawled across Hobart. And once you've finished expanding your mind, you can also expand your stomach at one of MONA's many eateries. The combination of Faro's Spanish and Greek tapas (try the martini garnished with pig eyes if you're brave), waterfront views and stark architecture is fantastic. [caption id="attachment_719412" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Jonathan Wherrett.[/caption] CASCADES FEMALE FACTORY — HOBART History often dwells on the lives of men rather than women, but that's not the case at the Cascades Female Factory, located at the foothills of Mount Wellington. Built in 1828, the factory was once a women's only convict facility and workhouse, so it seems fitting that it's now one of the only sites in Australia that is fully dedicated to highlighting the trials and tribulations of female convicts. Daily tours offer a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of the thousands of women and children that once lived and worked on the factory grounds. Or, if you love a little drama, make sure you're bundled up for the outdoors and catch the spooky two-person theatrical tour Her Story that takes place across the factory's grounds every day at noon. [caption id="attachment_719424" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Diane and Lindsay Stockbridge.[/caption] SHEFFIELD MURALS — SHEFFIELD If there's one thing that you can always rely on in Tasmania, it's that the small island knows how to exceed expectations, particularly when it comes to art. So it's no surprise that the town of Sheffield is a totally normal rural Tasmanian town, except for the fact that it also doubles as the most impressive openair gallery. Covered in murals from head to toe — or from sheds to churches, to be more accurate — the 'Town of Murals' is a colourful wonderland that is well worth the one-hour drive from Launceston. Plus, each winter there are new murals to see, with the annual mural fest occurring at the end of April. [caption id="attachment_719427" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.[/caption] THE SHIP THAT NEVER WAS — STRAHAN Whoever said history had to be boring? Certainly not the people behind Australia's longest-running play, which turned 25 earlier in 2019. Filled with cheeky convicts and comedic tragedy, The Ship That Never Was immerses you in the true story of the great escape from Sarah Island. Intrigue, twists and laughter abound in this hilariously dramatic tale that manages to impart some interesting historical facts about the convict settlement of Macquarie Harbour while keeping the audience endlessly entertained. So get snug with one of the blankets and heat packs provided (you'll need it) and settle in for some educational entertainment. [caption id="attachment_719429" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.[/caption] QUEEN VICTORIA MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY — LAUNCESTON If you've come to Tasmania, then chances are you're at least a little bit intrigued by the state's interesting past. If that's the case, then the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery should be your first stop during a trip to Launceston — or stops, rather. Split into two locations — the QVMAG Museum at Inveresk and QVMAG Art Gallery at Royal Park — this arty institution is a great way to get up close and personal with Tasmania's heritage and culture. Plus, both spots are great indoor options if the weather is just a bit too chilly. An exhibition by local artist Angela Casey that's full of dark sentiments and sinister depictions, The Enquiring Light will be showing throughout winter alongside the permanent archaeological exhibition, which includes life-size dinosaur replicas. Get ready to live out all of your Jurassic Park fantasies. [caption id="attachment_719414" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.[/caption] TASMAZIA AND THE VILLAGE OF LOWER CRACKPOT — PROMISED LAND Get lost. No really, do it — but not just anywhere. Do it at the self-proclaimed 'largest maze complex in the world'. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Mount Roland, the strange tourist site that is Tasmazia is actually pretty fantastic. There are eight mazes to lose yourself (and your mind) in, plus the Village of Lower Crackpot. The miniature town's charming exterior hides a darkly subversive humour that is slowly revealed through hilarious nods to the absurd — like its monument to whistleblowers and its School of Lateral Thinking. Our favourite is the Lower Crackpot's Correctional Centre, which is filled with plush guillotines and fake punishments. [caption id="attachment_719954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Derwent Valley.[/caption] THE WALL IN THE WILDERNESS — HOBART Staring at walls isn't generally considered a stimulating activity, but the Wall in the Wilderness isn't your average roof-holder. Using a series of timber panels, artist Greg Duncan has hand-carved a 100-metre-long depiction of the history of Tasmania's central highlands, creating a wall like no other. From the area's Indigenous people to the early pastoralists and hydro workers, the astounding artwork commemorates the people that lived in the harsh region. It has been critically compared to Michelangelo's painting of the Sistine Chapel — so you know it's worth the trip. Top image: Faro at MONA by Jarrad Seng.
Whether you're the type of news junkie that's always abreast of current affairs, or you're more familiar with big international events in passing, Italian-made financial thriller Devils should feel familiar. It's set in 2011, in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, and it plunges inside the toxic investment trading and banking world — bringing Guido Maria Brera's 2014 novel I Diavoli to the small screen. Here, Massimo Ruggero (Alessandro Borghi) heads the trading team at a hugely influential investment bank. But when his mentor Dominic Morgan (Patrick Dempsey) promotes one of his colleagues, Massimo is far from happy. That's just the beginning of this slick series' wheeling, dealing, dramas and thrills, with real-life details weaved into its many subplots. And yes, Devils is also the latest series to star the always-watchable Dempsey, if you've been missing his face from your screen.
Music is becoming just as important as art at the NGV these days. Even when the walls are covered in works from Monet, Caravaggio and a relative stampede of local talent, you can't help but itch for the latest announcement of who'll be playing Friday Nights in the Great Hall. Well itch no more, the latest group of musos have arrived and they're exciting enough to rival Jean Paul Gaultier himself. Friday Nights this season will kick off on October 24, when The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk is already in full swing. Though the lineup is characteristically packed with young local talent, the first two acts are both from the US — and more specifically, the '90s. Lead singer of MEN, one-third of Le Tigre and bona fide feminist legend JD Samson will be first up. Samson is then quickly followed by iconic world music duo Cibbo Matto. Known for their collaborations with the likes of Yoko Ono and Michael Gondry, these ladies will feel right at home inside a gallery setting. From November onwards the lineup is dominated by an exciting though familiar list of Triple J darlings. Young artists like Remi and Elizabeth Rose will be gracing the stage as well as more established Aussie acts like Touch Sensitive and The Bombay Royale. In fact, of all the 14 artists announced, Kate Miller-Heidke is probably the only one you would have heard on commercial radio. Of course, this isn't a bad thing — it shows the NGV is all up for supporting local talent and alternative terrain. To add to this exciting atmosphere, the Friday Nights series will also present fashion talks and pop-up food and drink offerings. Each performance will even be accompanied by a crew of street artists from Everfresh Studio creating new work on stage. And they better be feeling confident — the final night of the series will be tied up with a performance by the legendary Chicks on Speed. Aside from pioneering art pop before Lady Gaga was even a thing, in the past they've collaborated with the likes of Douglas Gordon, Karl Lagerfeld and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. No pressure or anything. Full lineup: October 24 — JD Samson (USA) October 31 — Cibo Matto (USA) November 7 — Saskwatch November 14 — The Bombay Royale November 21 — Cumbia Cosmonauts November 28 — Nun December 5 — Touch Sensitive December 12 — Remi December 19 — Elizabeth Rose January 9 — Kate Miller-Heike January 16 — Frikstailers (ARG) January 23 — HTRK January 30 — Rat & Co February 6 — Chicks on Speed (AUS/EUR)
A much-loved corner cafe with a Turkish and Middle Eastern edge, Babajan has been a Carlton North staple for the past four years. Now, it's spreading the love a little further, opening the doors to a pint-sized pop-up store just up the road in Brunswick East. This latest addition to the Babajan family is set to be a hot-spot for locals on the move, stocked with a hefty range of the restaurant's signature grab-and-go goodies. You'll find a swag of fresh salads, takeaway breakfast options and plenty of those famed pastries, from boreks to pides and haloumi pies. But you won't find chairs — it's strictly takeaway-only here, so if you don't want to go home, pack a blanket and head for a picnic at Methven Park (a short five-minute walk away). [caption id="attachment_759293" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Christensen[/caption] Grazing platters are also sorted, thanks to a range of house dips, Turkish bread and simit (a sort of Turkish-style bagel). A window cabinet is stocked with sweet treats — including brownies and the restaurant's famed Persian love cakes — while one wall is brimming with a retail selection of pantry staples, preserves and more. You can swing by for a Proud Mary coffee in batch brew format, though the store's also pouring traditional Turkish coffee and iced teas. And Babajan will even take care of all that dinner drama, with a cracking range of homemade, ready-to-eat meal options. Babajan Pop-Up is open 10am–6pm Tuesday–Saturday. Images: Ben Christensen
Melbourne Museum's after-hours parties have become a firm favourite for local culture vultures and music lovers — and the next themed instalment is coming in hot. On Friday, March 10, Nocturnal is serving up a special, super-stylish edition of its after-dark sessions, teaming up with PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival's Fashion Culture Program. Nocturnal x The Fashion Edition is set to kick off from 7pm, launching with the experimental pop stylings of Sui Zhen. Following her set, you'll catch psychedelic sounds from masked Melbourne act Glass Beams and a lively set by dance-friendly nine-piece Ausecuma Beats, before Cut Copy's Dan Whitford hits the decks to deliver a tasty serve of synth-pop guaranteed to get the room moving. [caption id="attachment_891745" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ausecuma Beats[/caption] Beyond the dance-floor, you can explore Future/History — a pop-up exhibition by Mob in Fashion and Melbourne Fashion Festival, showcasing pieces by acclaimed First Peoples designers Cassie Leatham, Lillardia Briggs-Houston and Delvene Cockatoo-Collins (showing until Sunday, March 12). Elsewhere, check out a curation of snaps from Museums Victoria's impressive fashion collection, then drop by the button badge-making workshop to whip up some stylish creations of your own. Entry to the evening is $39, with concession tickets at $35. [caption id="attachment_888093" align="alignnone" width="1920"] J Not Jay[/caption] Top image: Cesur Sanli
One of the key events on Australia's film festival calendar will swashbuckle its way into 2024, with the next Alliance Française French Film Festival set to open with The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan. Mark your calendars not just for one big night at the movies, but plenty of them. While the François Civil (A Place to Fight For)-, Vincent Cassel (Liaison)-, Romain Duris (Final Cut)-, Pio Marmaï (Daaaaaali!)- and Eva Green (also Liaison)-starring version of Alexandre Dumas' famous novel will take pride of place to launch AFFFF's 35th year, the event's full lineup is always hefty. The complete details haven't been unveiled as yet, but the fest has locked in its 2024 dates and the first eight titles that'll be gracing its screens. The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan is part one of a two-part saga from filmmaker Martin Bourboulon (Eiffel), with part two The Three Musketeers: Milady also on the bill. As it always does, the Alliance Française French Film Festival will return in autumn, taking its celebration of Gallic cinema — the world's biggest outside of France, in fact — around the nation in March and April. Viewers in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide will be treated to around a month of French movies. In Byron Bay, cinephiles will score an almost three-week stop. Other than the two Three Musketeers flicks — which are the first French takes on the tale in more than three decades — the program so far also boasts French icon Catherine Deneuve (The Truth) playing Bernadette Chirac in The President's Wife, as set in 1995 when Jacques Chirac was elected President. The Taste of Things is another of the event's big-name titles, with Juliette Binoche (The Staircase) starring in the cookery-fuelled romance, and filmmaker Tran Anh Hùng (Norwegian Wood) winning the Best Director award at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Also first debuting at Cannes: The Animal Kingdom, which sees Duris pop up again. Here, he plays a father in a future where humans are starting to become animal hybrids. Jeanne Du Barry also premiered on the Croisette, in the opening-night slot, with writer/director Maïwenn (Polisse) starring as the mistress of King Louis XV. Rounding out the picks so far are All Your Faces, focusing on France's Restorative Justice program, and Iris and the Men, the reunion of Antoinette in the Cévennes filmmaker Caroline Vignal and actor Laure Calamy (The Origin of Evil). As for the full bill, which usually includes 30-plus movies, it'll drop in early February. ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2024 DATES: Tuesday, March 5–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace James St and Palace Barracks, Brisbane Tuesday, March 5–Tuesday, April 9 — Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, The Chauvel, Roseville Cinema and Cinema Orpheum Cremorne, Sydney Wednesday, March 6–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace Como, Kino Cinema, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Pentridge Cinema, The Astor Theatre and Palace Penny Lane, Melbourne Wednesday, March 6–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Luna Leedeerville and Windsor Cinema, Perth Thursday, March 7–Wednesday, March 27 — Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay Thursday, March 7–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace Electric, Canberra Thursday, March 21–Tuesday, April 16 — Nova Prospect and Palace Nova Eastend, Adelaide The Alliance Française French Film Festival will tour Australia in March and April 2024. For more information, visit the AFFFF website. Check back here on Wednesday, February 7 for the full program.
Master sommelier Madeline Triffon describes Pinot Noir as 'sex in a glass', while winemaker Randy Ullom calls it 'the ultimate nirvana'. One of the most challenging grapes in the world of vinification, it's also one of the most surprising and rewarding. No wonder Bottle Shop Concepts — the good folk who bring Game of Rhones our way — are coming back to town with Pinot Palooza, an epic travelling wine festival celebrating all things Pinot Noir. For just one day, Melbourne wine connoisseurs will have the chance to sample more than 100 drops, direct from the Southern Hemisphere's best producers. Think Ata Rangi, Curly Flat, Marlborough's Greywacke, Yabby Lake, Shaw + Smith, Mount Difficulty — and that's just the first few leaves on the vine. Whether you're a newbie who wants to start with something light and inviting, or a Pinot pro ready for the biggest, most complex mouthful on the menu, there'll be an abundance of selections at either end — and plenty along the spectrum, too. You'll even be able to vote for your favourite. If, at any point, you need to take a pause in your tasting adventures, you'll be catered for. There'll be food from Burn City Smokers, Ladro, Belles Hot Chicken and Meatsmith, beer from Sample, and the epic Burgundy Bar – a kind of Pinot Noir mecca where you'll be able to sample some seriously good (and spenny) bottles at cost price. Expert sommeliers will also be on hand to help you make selections. What's more, those keen to fuel their brains (as well as their tastebuds) can spot $95 for a VIP pass. For that you'll get pre-event access (two hours before those pesky crowds), a food voucher, a tasting at the Burg Bar and a one-on-one with one of the event's sommeliers, who will personally curate your Pinot experience for you. Pinot Palooza will hit Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday, October 15. Tickets are $60, which includes tastings and a take-home Plumm Vintage glass.
