A man walks into a bar. Ouch. When it comes to comedy, some people have it and others simply do not. The good news is you'll only (mostly) find the first kind on the jam-packed program at this year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Striding into its third decade with all the energy of a clown on their first day of college, MICF is one of the largest annual collections of jokesters, satirists and goofballs on the face of the earth. Running for three and a half weeks from March 23 to April 17, this year's program is once again packed with a plethora of talent from both home and abroad. You've got returning favorites like Rich Hall and Ross Noble, festival debutants such as Hal Cruttenden and Penny Arcade, and local legends like Hannah Gadsby and Celia Pacquola, all of whom will be trotting out their best material in an attempt to bring some laughter into our cold, miserable lives. Also, Dave Hughes will be there.
Sticky Institute, Melbourne's staunch defenders of independent zine culture, have four huge days of entertainment lined up for Paper City, a festival celebrating everything in and around the joys of printed matter. If heartfelt, handcrafted mini-mags on any number of niche topics sounds like a riot, this is the event for you. The opening night party at Yah Yah's on Thursday features underground rap/noise stars Brothers Hand Mirror with supports in the folk and indie vein, as well as a complement of DJs. Friday the festival kicks off proper, with events all day at Sticky's underground Degraves Subway space, with a band t-shirt party and a split-zine launch among the day's lo-fi but high energy activities. Saturday brings some zine-world heavy hitters with the launch of the second issues of both the ethical eaters' recipe book Veganistan, and the much-needed Sex Industry Apologist. Then Sunday is the main event: a zine stall at Melbourne Town Hall, for all your zine needs. Get amongst it!
Weren't lucky enough to wrangle an overseas summer holiday this year? Never mind – South Yarra is set to score its own sky-high paradise replete with European vibes, when the hotly anticipated Tetto di Carolina opens its doors this month. The luxe rooftop cocktail bar will be the newest addition to Joe Mammone's celebrated stable (Bar Carolina, Il Bacaro, Sarti), as the restaurateur joins forces with Joey Dee and James Sutherland. In the same vein as its siblings, Tetto is a study in sophistication, the intimate Chris Connell-designed space decked out with terrazzo tiling, warm polished timber and an impressive, six-metre-long walnut bar. Deep leather banquettes are nestled throughout, while an openair terrace overlooks the South Yarra rooftops. There's an Italian lean to the food and drinks, the booze selected by award-winning cocktail bartender, Alex Dyzart of London's Bar Three. You'll spy a stack of champagne and sparkling iterations, a tight range of wines from across Australia and Europe, and plenty of crafty signature cocktails like the Copacabana Fizz — starring aged rum, fig leaf and clarified almond — and the gin and and fennel flower Florence Revival. [caption id="attachment_732520" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kristoffer Paulsen[/caption] From the kitchen comes a smart lineup of plates designed to be enjoyed beside a drink. Think Italian-style fried chicken with fennel slaw on brioche, pine-smoked mussels in a sweet vermouth and butterbean sauce, savoury cannoli filled with duck liver parfait and Sicilian doughnuts crafted with chestnut flour and roasted hazelnuts. To round out your European adventure, there'll even be a program of live performances, headlined by some of Melbourne's most respected jazz musicians. Find Tetto di Carolina at Level 1/48 Toorak Road, South Yarra, from Wednesday, July 31. Images: Kristoffer Paulsen UPDATE: July 22, 2019 — The opening of Tetto di Carolina has been delayed by one week until Wednesday, July 31. The above article has been updated to reflect this.
When SBS's new free-to-air 24-hour World Movies channel arrives in July, it'll boast plenty of reasons to get cosy on your couch, ignore the world and settle in for your own stay-at-home film festival. In fact, you might want to cancel your weekend daytime plans for the month — because you'll be spending every Saturday and Sunday watching a non-stop Studio Ghibli marathon. From 6am–7.30pm each weekend during July, the new channel will work its way through a heap of the studio's beloved flicks, including Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, The Secret World of Arrietty, Tales From Earthsea, The Cat Returns, The Castle of Cagliostro, From Up on Poppy Hill, The Wind Rises and When Marnie Was There. If that's not enough delightful Japanese animation for you, a couple of other films will be thrown into the mix — such as The Red Turtle, a gorgeous Ghibli co-production directed by Dutch animator Michaël Dudok de Wit; the lively Mary and the Witch's Flower, which was made by animators who previously worked at Studio Ghibli; and The Boy and The Beast and Summer Wars, which both hail from rightfully acclaimed filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wf57f5F09c SBS has also revealed what else will be screening on World Movies throughout its first month, and it's a hefty list that includes box office hits, festival favourites and plenty of familiar faces. Get teary over Lion's Oscar-nominated real-life reunion tale, start pondering the afterlife in A Ghost Story (aka the film where Rooney Mara devours a pie and Casey Affleck stands under a sheet), or check out the moving, banned-in-Kenya lesbian romance Rafiki. Elsewhere, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem team up for the second time in as many years in Loving Pablo, which follows a journalist who falls for Pablo Escobar, while applauded Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke unveils a sprawling crime epic in Ash Is the Purest White. If you're looking for something to do on a Tuesday, the channel is devoting the night to French actor Romain Duris (Heartbreaker, The New Girlfriend), while Thursday evenings will be all about women in film. SBS World Movies launches on Monday, July 1 on channel 32. For its full lineup, visit the SBS TV guide.
Since 2011, DJ Tom Loud's travelling dance party Hot Dub Time Machine has ripped up stages the world over, offering a rolling crossfade of the last six decades of pop-music. And two years ago he launched Wine Machine, a series of al fresco get-togethers on some of the country's most-loved wine regions. The Wine Machine events were a success and the tour will be returning to Yarra Valley's Rochford Wines for a third year on on Saturday, April 6. The boutique event will run from early afternoon through to after dark, and feature a hand-picked smorgasbord of Australian talent, including The Presets, Hayden James and Confidence Man. This will all lead into one of Hot Dub's signature sets, which will see audiences dancing their way from 1954 to today, as the DJ mixes best-known song from each year. Backing up the tunes, expect a tasty lineup of eats, craft beer and, of course, some sensational vino from these Australian wine regions. Safe to say, it's probably the rowdiest event these wineries will host all year.
There's a decaying ballroom in Flinders Street Station. Really. Once used as a lecture theatre, a dance hall and even a private boxing ring, the ballroom is hidden up the western end of the station’s third story. You'd be forgiven for missing it, the whole site's been closed to the public since 1985. But now, Premier Daniel Andrews has announced a facelift for Flinders Street Station, with $100 million allocated to upgrades and repairs — and the crumbling ballroom. Speaking on 3AW radio this morning and reported by The Age, Andrews stated that work on the refurbishment would begin as soon as possible, with areas of focus including upgrades to the platforms, information displays and toilets, as well as repairs to the iconic clock tower and crumbling ballroom. The restoration is expected to take between four and five years, and includes plans to accommodate additional commercial tenants. So what's to become of the grand ol' ballroom? The government plans to have chats with the private sector and universities to find new uses for the ballroom, as well as various other vacant rooms within the 110-year-old station which are currently in a state of disrepair. Previous proposals for the station’s upgrade have included a railway museum, an art gallery, as well as bars, cafes and retail spaces. "It needs to be restored to its former glory," said the premier, whose government has already scrapped his predecessor's plan for a costly (and rather hideous) redesign. "This is not a design problem, this is a disrepair problem," Andrews said. Our money's on the art gallery. Via The Age.
Obelix & Co is where all your cheese, meats and condiment dreams can come true — in Fitzroy North, at least. Uniting French classics with Australian produce, chefs Lachie McCallum and Kirsty Laird have created a space for all those who know they're a cut above a Bunnings snag on a Sunday; the pair impressively makes is own range of charcuterie, sausages terrines and pâtés. The shop is a larder, too, and sells crispy baguettes, cheeses and some lush tangy relish to top them off with. Perfect for when you need snacks to tide your guests over while you cook up an ambitiously fancy meal for them.
When Super Mario Kart first rolled onto Super Nintendo consoles back in 1992, it came with 20 inventive courses and endless hours of fun. 26 years later, and the game isn't just speeding through desert tracks and rainbow roads — but onto the real-life streets, and now Google Maps. Because zooming Mario Kart-style through Tokyo wasn't enough, or bringing the IRL concept to Australia either, you can now spend the next week getting navigational directions from everyone's favourite cartoon plumber. Plus, he'll not only pop-up on the app, but as you drive along the road, he'll drive along with you on Maps — in celebration of Mario Day, which is March 10 (or MAR 10). [caption id="attachment_659698" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Google Maps[/caption] Anyone keen to take a drive with Mario simply needs to update their Maps app, then look for a question mark-shaped box that resembles a block from Super Mario Brothers. That's all there is to it — and it's not quite as fun as being able to actually play Mario Kart on Google Maps, like their Pac-Man April Fool's Day update a few years back, but it'll probably make you look up directions more often than you actually need over the next seven days. It goes without saying, but you you should still be watching the road as you drive — and not Mario on your phone, as cute as the gimmick may be. How else are you going to keep your eyes peeled for bananas, shells or gold coins? Via Google Maps.
Retail addicts rejoice, for The Creators Market is back. This homegrown event aims to bring together some of the cleverest designers and small business owners in Melbourne. Whether you're on the hunt for jewellery, clothes, beauty products, stationery or just want something to snack on, you're sure to find plenty of tempting items to separate you from your hard-earned cash. Pick up some sweet treats from Once Upon a Pie, new threads from Fujinella and a terrarium from Panda Bearium. All up, there'll be close to 40 different stallholders on-site, and doors open 10am and close 3pm. This first Creators Market of the year will be held at Prahran Town Hall on Saturday, February 25. Pick up some sweet treats from Once Upon a Pie, new threads from Fujinella and a terrarium from Panda Bearium. In all there'll be close to 40 different stallholders on-site, and doors open 10am and close 3pm. Can't make it? Future markets are set for May 27, August 26 and November 18.
No need to dig for pocket change at this chocolate shop. All you need to surrender is a little piece of your generosity. Danish chocolatier Anthon Berg created his one-day pop-up sweet shop 'Generous Store' because he believes that "there is not enough generosity in people's lives". Adorned with numberless 'price tags' that specified good deeds, the store's chocolate boxes could be taken home for the cost of a promise. Shoppers had to promise to complete the good deed, sanctifying their pledge by sharing it on Facebook via the store's iPad. If they failed to hold up their end of the bargain, their Facebook friends would be aware to hold them accountable. Chocolates were exchanged for the promise to serve a loved one breakfast in bed, to speak nicely to one's mother, and to complete a variety of other deeds, proving that chocolates aren't the only thing that makes life sweet. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_cNfX3tJonw [via GOOD]
For your next Netflix binge, the streaming platform isn't simply suggesting its latest must-see series — it's also telling you what you should be eating. Crack out the tortillas, start marinating some meat and whip up a bit of guacamole, because it's taco time. No mere mortal can sit down to watch a show about this Mexican dish without devouring a whole plate of them, after all. Called Las Crónicas del Taco in Spanish and Taco Chronicles in English, the new series fittingly stems from Netflix's Latin American division. Also unsurprisingly, the show is an ode a meal that's beloved not only in its country of origin, but the world over. Expect to learn more about the versatile tortilla, including its immense cultural significance. And expect to start craving the many different varieties of tacos, too, such as pastor, carnitas, canasta, asada, barbacoa and guisados. Ample gushing about the dish is part of the package — this is a show made for taco lovers, by taco lovers — as is a feast of taco visuals. As any fan of food-focused documentaries already knows oh-so-well, viewing this multi-part effort on an empty stomach is not recommended. Taco Chronicles does boast Javier Cabral among its behind-the-scenes team, with the culinary writer acting as an associate producer and 'taco scout'. The series' English-language trailer is only available on Netflix itself, but if you can speak Spanish — or fancy looking at a whole heap of tacos anyway — Netflix Latin America's unsubtitled clip is below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2qist_IxZI The first season of Taco Chronicles is now streaming on Netflix. Updated: August 12, 2019.
Nearly two years ago, the Village Belle Hotel — a St Kilda institution built in 1890 — announced that it was gearing up for a mega makeover. That process, conducted to the tune of $15 million, is now done and dusted. And the results are open for business. Given that the hotel is heritage-listed, many of its features are protected, but there have been a few significant additions. Next time you head in for a drink, look out for the Garden Bar, the Balcony Bar, the Public Bar and the Doulton Lounge, which is open until late. In the kitchen, you'll find Mat McCartney (The Lake House, Daylesford, Chateau Yering) in charge. He's been busy sourcing local and sustainable produce to create a refreshing and ever-changing, yet accessible, menu. Current dishes include eggplant tofu with goats curd, ash bread, crispy kale and grilled vegetables; handmade pumpkin tortellini with sage beurre noisette, Persian fetta, spinach and pine nuts; and crema Catalana, which is like a crème brûlee, but with a thinner crust and a dash of extra zing, thanks to addition of orange rind. There's also a new cocktail menu to mark the revamp. Among the signature concoctions are the vanilla margarita, the belle-ini (with white peach reduction and sparkling wine) and the lemon meringue cocktail (with house-made lemon curd and meringue infused with Licor 43 and Agwa). The Village Belle Hotel is at 202 Barkly St, St Kilda. Opening hours are Monday to Wednesday, 9am to 1am; Thursday to Saturday, 9am to 3am; and Sunday, 10am to 12am. For more information, visit the pub's website.
This Saturday, February 6, a moving sculpture will travel across the Melbourne CBD. And no, we're not talking about those guys who paint themselves silver. Conceived and assembled by London-based performance company Station House Opera with the assistance of hundreds of local volunteers, Dominoes consists of thousands upon thousands of oversized breezeblock dominoes all lined up in a row. And at 5pm on the dot, the first one will be knocked down. The subsequent chain reaction will travel along Swanston Street from Melbourne Town Hall to St Paul's Cathedral, before crossing the road and continuing down Flinders Lane and Degraves Street. After running beneath the Flinders Street Station underpass, it will then cross the Yarra via the pedestrian bridge, chart a course through Southbank Shopping Centre and Hamer Hall, before finishing up in front of the Arts Centre spire. In all it'll run two kilometres and is expected to take about 25 minutes to get from beginning to end.
It's that time of year, somehow. Christmas is fast approaching, winter has well and truly fallen by the wayside, and you're probably thinking about your summer shenanigans. While jetting overseas still isn't an option for Australians at the moment, you can make plans to roam around much of this country we all come home now that borders are reopening — and, if you'd like to head up to the Northern Territory, its government wants to give you an extra incentive. As part of the NT Summer Sale campaign — which launched at the beginning of October — the NT Government and its tourism body are offering discounts on trips to Australia's red centre and top end. To all of the Northern Territory, actually. For each $1000 you spend up to $5000, you'll receive a $200 discount. It maxes out at $1000 off, but that's still 20-percent off the price. The discounts are available for a number of things too — covering plenty of essential elements of every holiday. You can use them on flights, accommodation, tours and attractions, and vehicle hire. You will need to both book and travel between now and March 31, 2020, however. The other big stipulation: you'll need to book through one of Tourism NT's campaign partners to score the discount. They include retailers such as Holidays of Australia, Helloworld Travel & Viva Holidays, and Flight Centre. [caption id="attachment_785574" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tourism Australia[/caption] If you've always been meaning to make the trip — and you've had both Uluru and its incredible Field of Light installation on your must-see list for ages — here's a mighty fine excuse to put those dreams into action. Border-wise, the NT currently doesn't require interstate visitors to quarantine unless you've been in a declared hotspot in the 14 days prior to your arrival — which, at the time of writing, only covers a number of Local Government Areas in Victoria. It's best to keep an eye on the NT Government's coronavirus hub, though, for any future changes, For further details about the NT Summer Sale campaign — which is available for travel between now and March 31, 2020 — head to the Tourism NT website. Top image: Field of Light: Bruce Munro. Photo by Mark Pickthall
The Melbourne Museum is staying up late, giving you extra time to walk with the dinosaurs from the smash-hit Jurassic World exhibition. The museum will operate with extended hours on Friday nights throughout June, when the dinos will be joined by local DJ Jess McGuire and bartenders serving prehistoric cocktails. The blockbuster exhibition — which features jaw-dropping animatronic dinosaurs courtesy of special effects wizards Creature Technology — has been a big hit for the museum, receiving more visitors in its opening month than any exhibition before it. And honestly, once you've seen the life-size T. rex up close, it's easy to see why it's been so popular. Assuming you're one of the few people who has yet to check it out, this nocturnal program is your perfect chance to do so. Tickets can be booked in advance via the Melbourne Museum website. The bar opens at 6pm.
So there's a play called Mein Kampf. A comedy, in fact. Undoubtedly someone’s outraged already, just reading that. Adolf Hitler's notorious manifesto certainly seems like unusual fodder for comedy, but the play has been a perennial success since its first staging in Vienna in 1987. Written by Hungarian-born Jewish playwright George Tabori, who was himself an exile from the Third Reich, it casts the young Hitler in a farcical role as a penniless and pitiful wannabe artist. While staying in a seedy hostel, young Hitler strikes up a friendship with an old Jewish man, who becomes his inspiration for everything from the title of his book to his style of moustache. Despite the play's lasting popularity, this will be the first time it's been performed in Australia. Both a fast-moving lampoon and an exploration of the origins of evil, Mein Kampf promises to be outrageous in every sense of the word.
Little Ones Theatre, fresh from rocking Midsumma with Psycho Beach Party earlier this year, are now bringing their rendition of Oscar Wilde's Salome to the Malthouse. Salome, if you don't know your Bible tales, is the Old Testament lady who demanded John the Baptist's head on a plate as reward for doing a saucy dance for her stepdad, King Herod. Wilde's dramatisation, which deepens the undercurrent of sexual tension in the story, was banned in England for decades after it was written but has been an influential rendering of the tale. The Little Ones Theatre version will be far from any expectations you may have garnered from either the Bible or your likely introduction to Wilde by your local am-dram company's version of The Importance of Being Earnest. Presented with an air of camp extravagance, featuring matadors, New Wave music and drag ball style crossdressing, it promises copious amounts of both humour and eroticism. One suspects Oscar himself would heartily approve.
Whether you're an architecture nerd, a history buff, or simply fancy getting up close and personal with your city, you'll catch a fresh perspective at the Melbourne City DNA exhibition. Currently on display at North Melbourne's Meat Market as part of Melbourne Knowledge Week 2018, this innovative, eye-opening exhibition takes a deep dive into the city's past, present and future. And it does so with the help of some pretty nifty technology, through a week-long program of interactive exhibits, augmented reality, 3D visualisations and virtual reality experiences. You'll have the chance to 'wander' around greened-up versions of Melbourne's streets and laneways via a pair of VR goggles, enjoy the view from above with a huge 3D model and projections of Swanston Street, and even trip back in time through a simulation of Melbourne in the days before European settlement. As Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood explained, the 13-exhibit program "shows how our data can be used creatively to tell the story of what Melbourne is, has been and will be". Other exhibition highlights include an exploration of Melbourne's history using iPads and augmented reality, and a glimpse of the future, through 3D visualisations of what the cityscape could look like in the coming years. Jump over to the MKW website for more details and to grab tickets.
Whether you're suffering from full-blown insomnia or just have trouble winding down after a big day, everyone knows the feeling of lying in bed, praying for sleep but failing to drop off. If counting sheep isn't working — or any number of other snooze-inducing tips, because there are plenty — then perhaps you need to listen to a list of Swedish furniture names. While a hefty walk around any IKEA store usually helps make anyone sleepy (and the crowds, decisions and meatballs too), the huge retailer thinks that the sounds of its product titles will really do the trick. Enter the IKEA Sleep Podcast. It simply features two company employees rattling off words such as sommaraster (a quilt cover), leirvik (a bed frame) and hidrasund (a spring mattress), plus everything else in the Australian catalogue's current bedroom and storage range. Two versions are available, so you can choose between hearing Sara Eriksson utter product monikers — and their English descriptions — or opt for her husband Kent Eriksson. Each under 30-minute podcast also offers a brief introductory explanation about the philosophy behind IKEA's furniture names, should you be wondering why a fyresdal (day bed) or pax (wardrobe) have the titles they have. The podcast's release is timed to coincide with the end of daylight savings in many Australian states, as well as across New Zealand — aka a time when our usual rest patterns are disrupted. Whether you'll dream about letting loose in an IKEA store, walking around a huge warehouse or kitting out your bedroom with new sheets and curtains — and whether you'll wake up with a burning desire to buy new furniture — well, that's something you'll only discover by listening. To listen to the IKEA Sleep Podcast, visit the IKEA website.
Writer Daniel Keene and director Ariette Taylor are joining forces after nearly a decade apart for the Australian premiere of their production Dreamers. Having previously collaborated on more than 47 productions with the Keene Taylor Theatre Project from 1997-2002, this duo are nothing if not experienced. Quite rightly, this latest work will see them tackling the big issues: isolation, prejudice and intolerance. Lead character Anne who is in her 60s has begun a relationship with a much younger man who has recently moved to Australia. He is trying to establish himself in a new country, and the struggle against exclusion appears to be one battle after another. With issues that are both timeless and more pertinent than ever, this will be a memorable work — one that is especially relevant for those in need of a place or person to call their own. Interestingly, the cast of eight includes four original members of the Keene Taylor theatre company, such as Helen Morse, Paul English, Marco Chiappi and Jonathan Taylor. This work has been a long time coming. Get in quick before their hardcore fans book out the whole theatre. Photo: Jeff Busby.
Ah, googly eyes. Such an expressive medium for the Millennial epoch, almost on par with the emoticon. There's something about the vacant, perpetually stunned and/or confused gaze that really captures our time. As you would know from this handy video, Christopher Walken uses googly eyes for protection. This is a helpful master text for us because as Walken explains, googly eyes help you to know where you stand with someone (or, in the case of his plants, something). Now artist Aiden Glynn has taken the guesswork out of relating to inanimate objects with the addition of a few well-placed teeth, tongues and eyes to the local urban terrain of Liberty Village, Toronto. As we all know, the world is full of anthropomorphic beings like this drunk octopus who wants to fight. Of a sunny afternoon Glynn likes to unveil monsters with queasy smiles and stunned expressions all over town, as a kind of public service. His adorable googly-eyed creatures include mustachioed intercoms and cigarette disposal chutes waiting to chomp your hand off. And who's that on the median strip? Why, it's Big Bird with a disproportionately large beak. Glynn's inventions don't come from nowhere: he's an animator by trade. Much like Michelangelo, who could look upon a block of marble and see the exquisite sculpture inside waiting to be revealed, Glynn can see the sensitive, drooling monster inside a garbage can. His blog Pizza and Pixels has many more cute and whacky characters for you to enjoy. Via Colossal.
Let's just admit it: landscape painting can be boring. The English countryside is great and all, but if you've seen one painting by John Constable, you've seen them all. There are few artists that can make them interesting, and when they do, it invariably looks like an acid tip. Lookin' at you, Van Gogh. But James Yuncken has found a way to imbue the style with newfound life. All his paintings in the upcoming exhibition Places Nearby document just that: places that are really, really, really nearby. Painting the nooks and crannies of the inner north and north-east, Yuncken has created works that strike a chord for locals. With an intricate, matte style each painting looks like an old Polaroid hidden deep within an old photo album — the kind you take on your first day in a new neighbourhood. To get the full experience, we recommend heading along on Saturday, September 6. From 10.30am, the artist is leading an intimate walking tour around the sites in his work. Meeting at the iconic Black Cat on Brunswick Street, Yuncken will guide you through the laneways, shopfronts and streets that inspired him. This "show and tell" will also include a tour of his personal studio. See here for more information.
Historic Melbourne cinema The Astor is hosting their Great Astor Spooktacular again this year, which means nine movies will be shown in a 13-hour-long horror marathon — right in time for Halloween. Directed by "the devil" and featuring a cast of "hell itself", some of the films include The Amityville Horror — the original 1979 supernatural horror film that inspired the 17-film franchise — as well as 1988 slasher film Child's Play (you know, the super creepy and murderous doll), and cult film Night of the Comet, a 1984 film about the survivors of a comet that killed (or zombified) almost all of humankind. The historic cinema, known for its presentation of classics and cult films, is the perfect venue for the all-right horror marathon. It all kicks off at 8pm on Friday, October 28 and runs overnight. Needless to say, this one isn't for the faint of heart.
Autumn is shaping up to be a seriously dog-friendly affair here in Melbourne and we aren't complaining one bit. Next up on the calendar of pup-filled events is the Stomping Hounds and Sours mini beer fest, descending on The Ascot Lot this Saturday, April 6. Kicking off at midday, it's a celebration of Collingwood brewery Stomping Ground's latest batch of sour beers, dubbed the Smash Series. A dedicated tinnie bar will be slinging all three lip-puckering flavours — watermelon, guava and the brand-new passionfruit (grab all three for $20) — while other Stomping Ground classics will be pouring on tap. Adventurous beer drinkers can even wet their whistle with a range of Smash-infused slushies and sour beer cocktails. A fresh lineup of vendors will ensure that humans will have food options galore, and four-legged guests are sure to go barking mad for the free doggy treats, cleverly crafted from Stomping Ground's spent grain. Both humans and doggos are welcome to join in the day's festivities, with bookings available if you're quick enough.
When it comes to originality, place Violent Night on cinema's naughty list: Die Hard meets Home Alone meets Bad Santa meets The Christmas Chronicles in this grab-bag action-comedy, meets Stranger Things favourite David Harbour donning the red suit (leather here, still fur-trimmed) and doing a John Wick impression. The film's beer-swigging, sledgehammer-swinging version of Saint Nick has a magic sack that contains the right presents for the right person each time he reaches into it, and screenwriters Pat Casey and Josh Miller must've felt that way themselves while piecing together their script. Pilfering from the festive canon, and from celluloid history in general, happens heartily and often in this Yuletide effort. Co-scribes on Sonic the Hedgehog and its sequel, the pair are clearly experienced in the movie version of regifting. And while they haven't solely wrapped up lumps of coal in their latest effort, Violent Night's true presents are few and far between. The main gift, in the gruff-but-charming mode that's worked such a treat on Stranger Things and in Black Widow, is Harbour. It's easy to see how Violent Night's formula — not to mention its raiding of the Christmas and action genres for parts — got the tick of approval with his casting. He's visibly having a blast, too, from the moment his version of Santa is introduced downing drinks in a British bar, bellyaching about the lack of festive spirit in kids today, thinking about packing it all in and then spewing actual vomit to go with his apathy (and urine) from the side of his midair sleigh. Whenever Harbour isn't in the frame, which occurs more often than it should, Violent Night is a far worse picture. When you're shopping for the season, you have to commit to your present purchases, but this film can't always decide if it wants to be salty or sweet. Harbour's Kris Kringle: saltier than a tub of beer nuts. Still, after his sloshed pub stint, he keeps grumpily doing his job, because Christmas Eve isn't really the time to quit. Then, at the Lightstone abode, aka "the most secure private residence in the country" as viewers are told, more booze and a massage chair calls him — and that butt-vibrating rest sees him unwittingly caught up in an attack on the property. As wealthy matriarch Gertrude (Beverly D'Angelo, Shooter) lords over her adult children and their families, mercenaries storm in with their sights set on the mansion's vault. What the self-described Scrooge (John Leguizamo, The Menu) and his interchangeable colleagues aren't counting on, of course, is a formidable Father Christmas skulking around. He's trying to get away more than initially save the day, but he'll happily dispense season's beatings to do both. Just as the John Wick films, then Atomic Blonde, then Nobody all knew — Bullet Train director David Leitch has either helmed or produced them all, doing the latter with Violent Night — there's visual poetry and visceral thrills to be found when someone super-competent at holding their own dispenses with nefarious foes. That's the case even when they're battling scenery-chewing, "bah humbug"!-spouting, Hans Gruber-wannabe antagonists like Scrooge, plus his flimsier henchmen. As that's happening, and frequently, Violent Night ticks off many a movie's wishlist, but that's only part of the premise here. Those Lightstone offspring include Jason (Alex Hassell, Cowboy Bebop), who has his ex Linda (Alexis Louder, The Terminal List) and seven-year-old daughter Trudy (Leah Brady, The Umbrella Academy) in tow, and wants this Christmas jaunt to be a permanent reunion. That's a layer of drama Violent Night doesn't need, adding nothing but filler, just like Jason's sister Alva's (Edi Patterson, The Righteous Gemstones) Succession-esque clamouring for the family company. There's usually never a bad time to eat the rich, but Violent Night's efforts are a half-chomp at best — the gun-toting crew of intruders trying to rip off millions of dollars are always the real bad guys, after all. Casey and Miller haven't penned a movie with much in the way of depth, and attempting to pretend otherwise proves as clunky as it sounds. The saccharine side that Trudy's presence brings is similarly just a way to take up time; Bad Santa's bad Santa has a pint-sized offsider, which means this flick's does as well, apparently. Trudy has also just watched Home Alone and screams about it (yes, the nods are that blatant). The sizeable scene that puts her fandom to good use, nails, bowling balls, sabotaged ladder rungs and all, is among Violent Night's most entertaining, though. The film knows how to make its familiar parts gleam when it wants to, but that isn't often enough. Director Tommy Wirkola must've been a simple hire for the job, however, thanks to Dead Snow and its sequel, plus Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. The filmmaker has stuffed his stocking with high-concept this-meets-that flicks, the exact type of movie that Violent Night is from go to whoa to ho-ho-ho. Unsurprisingly, he fares best when his picture is letting loose and living up to its enticing idea, complete with kinetic fight choreography, blood and gory deaths, and everything from icicles to lit-up star tree-toppers used as weapons. In pure action terms, there's an around-the-world sleigh ride's worth of mileage in a literally killer Santa Claus turning slasher not in a horror-flick fashion (despite its many borrowings from elsewhere, this isn't a Silent Night Deadly Night do-over), but to play hero. Comedy isn't Wirkola's strength, or the feature's — see: the laboured attempts at laughs around Alva's actor spouse Morgan (Cam Gigandet, Without Remorse) and aspiring-influencer son Bert (Alexander Elliot, The Hardy Boys) — which is why all those nods to Gremlins, The Ref, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and more land with the hollow thud of an empty box. Holiday schmaltz and reminders that there's more to the festive season than material aren't highlights either, and Casey and Miller haven't stretched themselves in trying to come up with either amusing or heartfelt dialogue. Even with a The Northman-style backstory part of Violent Night's take on the jolly man, that leaves Harbour with a heap of heavy lifting in the film's first two thirds. He's up to the task — again, it's an ace premise with ace lead casting — but he's never walking audiences through an ultra-violent Christmas movie wonderland.
It's not every day you come across a robot movie that stars swashbuckler Hugh Jackman and weirdos Die Antwoord, but that's exactly what's happening right now. The South African hip hop group step onto the silver screen for the new movie from their fellow countryman Neill Blomkamp, the filmmaker behind two of the most interesting and well-received sci-fi films of recent times, District 9 and Elysium. Jackman? He's the bad guy for once. Chappie begins when a robot created for law enforcement (to help bring down Johannesburg's notoriously high crime rate) is programmed with a brand new piece of AI software that allows it to develop feelings and opinions. To start with, he's as innocent and curious as a child, though even more quick to learn. Under the care of Yolandi and Ninja (the Die Antwoord duo play gangsters but keep their names) but exposed to the conflicts of the world, the lessons he gets are sometimes good, sometimes bad. Whatever happens, you know you're in for an original two hours of cinema. As Tom Huddleston writes in the Time Out London review, "This hugely entertaining oddity could never be mistaken for the work of any other filmmaker." Chappie (© 2015 Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved) is in cinemas on March 12, and thanks to Sony Pictures Releasing Australia, we have 20 double in-season passes to give away in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and 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
Most Melburnians have walked past the Nicholas Building dozens if not hundreds of times. The 90-year-old edifice is a Swanston Street institution, home to artists, makers, designers and local businesses from all around town. For one night only, you can take in everything it has to offer, from its art deco arcade on up. From 5–9pm on Thursday, June 20, A Night at the Nicholas invites punters to explore the historic building (with a drink in hand) and get to know its eclectic tenants. Stop by the band room for three house of uninterrupted improv, join a sing-along (and get some free singing tips) at a voice training company, try out an exciting new VR system and explore a large-scale audiovisual installation. There will also be lots of creative work from local jewellers, milliners, artists, fashion designers and architects on display. Entry will be by gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to the Nicholas Building Association. You'll also be able to purchase cocktails on the night. A Night at the Nicholas will run from 5–9pm. Image: Visit Victoria.
Imagine waking up, and the first thing you saw was this wall decal. There is just no way you could ever start the day in a bad mood. Broken up with your girlfriend? Kermit is there to remind you it's much harder being green than single. Missed out on that job you really wanted? Who cares? You can imagine yourself making popcorn with the Swedish chef and all will be well again. Buy one to psyche yourself up for the release of the Muppets movie in Janurary, 2012. It's got to be the best way to make it through what seems to be a not-so-cheery summer. To find out what else you can look forward to seeing over summer, have a squiz at our Summer Film Guide.
You don't need an excuse to visit the Adelaide Hills and spend the weekend sampling local wines and regional food — but this free three-day festival makes a convincing case for planning a trip over the January long weekend. Crush is a family-friendly event that features long lunches in the sun, wine-matched degustation dinners, live music from local bands and DJs, plus kids' entertainment, art and theatre. It all takes place in Adelaide Hills — and the festival runs shuttle services from Adelaide CBD from $32–43 per person if you don't want to be designated driver. The 2020 festival program features lots of cool climate wines to taste at more than 30 wineries, a 'Friday Knockoffs' event that's all about lounging on the grass with live music and lawn games. On Saturday and Sunday (11am–6pm), food truck Syrian Mobile Disco will be serving up Syrian-inspired street snacks as you sample local wines and beers. The Lane Vineyard is hosting 'Hamptons in the Hills' (Sat, Sun 10am–5pm), which is a chance to enjoy frosés on the terrace with food by the hatted restaurant on site. Plus, the biggie — Alfresco Tomato Crushing — is when you get to squelch your way to fresh pasta sauce in advance of a long lunch on Saturday or Sunday. General entry is free, but you'll want to pick up a Spiegelau or Riedel wine glass for $10 to make the most of the ample wine pours. Some events are ticketed, so check the festival's website for the full program closer to January. Images: Nick Lawrence.
When That's Not Me begins, it's with a black screen and an Oscar speech — and then a toilet and a can of air freshener. Polly Cuthbert (Alice Foulcher) is practicing for the acclaim and awards she hopes will come, but it's clear the aspiring actress still has a way to go. But hey, she's determined. Working at a cinema, turning down soap operas, and waiting to audition for Jared Leto's new HBO show are part of her slow-and-steady approach to carving out a serious career. And it might've worked, if her identical twin sister Amy hadn't started living out Polly's wildest acting fantasies instead. That's Not Me is more than just the title of this smart, funny and perceptive Australian comedy from writer-director Gregory Erdstein and writer-star Foulcher. It's also what Polly finds herself telling her sibling's fans when they start accosting her wherever she goes. Moreover, in a movie that explores the reality that lifelong dreams don't always work out as planned, it offers audiences a clever reminder: there's nothing wrong with not having the life and job you thought you would when you were a kid. Call it a quarter-life-crisis portrait, a faking-it-without-making-it character study, or a not-quite-slacker story. Whichever label you choose, they all fit the bill. As familiar as all of that may sound, the film also deserves to be described as earnest, astute, insightful and thoroughly amusing. Brimming with well-observed scenarios, characters and emotions, it's the kind of movie that makes you feel like you might've seen it all before, only to delight you as you realise you haven't. Frankly, it's the type of flick you could easily imagine remade around an unhappy New Yorker. And yet despite that, it wears its local-and-proud-of-it heart on its sleeve — even while making jokes about the stereotype that no one watches Aussie films. Indeed, this is a movie that is both universal and unmistakably Australian – and that's just one of many delicate balancing acts that That's Not Me achieves. Gags about Jared Leto and the superficial nature of the film industry sit alongside jabs at Neighbours and Home and Away, as well a brief appearance from Andrew O'Keefe. It takes a similar amount of skill to plot a story filled with highs and lows, while maintaining an awareness that life usually exists somewhere in between. The movie's look and feel further blends a variety of elements, from a fond but never rosy view of Melbourne, to music that leans towards the '80s without wallowing in nostalgia, to pacing that feels brisk but never rushed. Of course the biggest juggling task sits with Foulcher, and not just because she's playing twins. Rather than filling the movie with sisters in the thick of sibling rivalry, this is really a flick about Polly's unrealised dreams, and Foulcher gives her character all of the dimensions you'd expect — plus some you might not. Her character's not always sympathetic, but she's certainly relatable, with the actress delivering an immensely likeable and layered turn. If there's any justice, this gem of a film will be remembered in the exact same way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C-78QW3xq8
Buckle up, beach goers, because it's that time again — the sand delivery has arrived and Section 8 is transforming into tropical beach paradise. The outdoor CBD bar's annual Urban Oasis Beach Party series is back for four night this January, and the lineup is killer. Along with a few tonnes of sand, each night will be a unique selection of beats and beers, curated by a rotating cast of party posses who are bringing all their own DJs with them. Wax'o Paradiso take the helm on the Thursday night, kicking the weekend off with a strictly vinyl event (records, that is — dress code remains normal). On Friday, ONE PUF drop the grime with their own brand of UK garage, before the party comes to a head on Saturday, when Cumbia Massive are taking over, throwing a huge tropical bash that brings the beach that little bit closer. After all that, the crew at Good Manners will be spinning discs through Sunday night so you can not think about work for at least an extra few hours. Images: Duncographic.
Victorian distilleries have made quite the splash at the 2021 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards, claiming half of the trophies handed out at this year's award ceremony, held overnight at the Melbourne Showgrounds' Victoria Pavilion. An impressive nine trophies were awarded to local makers at the prestigious ceremony on December 1, while McLaren Vale's Never Never Distilling Co took out the top gong, awarded Champion Australian Distiller. It's been a rough couple of years, but testament to the industry's fighting 'spirit', this year's awards saw a hefty 765 entries from 191 distilleries, with 90 gold medals handed out and hundreds more silver and bronze. Among the Victorians to claim victory was Eltham's Naught Distilling, whose Australian Dry Gin scored both the Champion New World/Contemporary Gin and Champion Victorian Gin trophies. The Mornington Peninsula's Jimmy Rum was named Champion Victorian Distillery, while its Jimmy Rum Silver nabbed the brand-new award for Champion Cane Spirit. North Melbourne's Cap & Bells earned gongs for its Marionette bitter orange curacao and dry cassis, and an exciting cask collaboration from Chief's Son and Mornington Peninsula Brewery was awarded Champion Australian Small Batch Spirit. Never Never — whose name you might recognise from the recent oyster shell gin collaboration with Lucas Group restaurant Society — also took out the trophies for Champion Navy Gin (the Juniper Freak) and Champion London Dry Gin (Triple Juniper Export Strength Gin). [caption id="attachment_761553" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archie Rose's Rye Malt Whisky[/caption] Unsurprisingly, the New South Wales spirits scene also represented, with big wins for Archie Rose's Rye Malt Whisky, Regal Rogue's Lively White vermouth, and Mobius Distilling Co's Apple Pie Liqueur and 38 Special Vodka. Meanwhile, fresh trophies for Bundaberg and South Australia's Ginny Pig Distillery now offer a few extra incentives for that boozy interstate trip you've been plotting. Running since 2015, the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards is the country's largest national spirits competition. They're hosted by not-for-profit organisation Melbourne Royal, and judged by some of Australia's top distillers, booze retailers and spirits writers. For the full list of 2021 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards winners, check out the website. Top Image: Jimmy Rum, by Chris McConville
Students from the University of Adelaide have created an odd new two-wheeled vehicle that seeks to solve inner city transport problems. The 'Edward', or Electric Diwheel With Active Rotation Dampening, looks like something out of an eco-friendly sci-movie. It also happens to share a resemblance with South Park's It, which Mr. Garrison created as an alternative mode of transport to airplanes for those willing to try anything but. The Edward can reach 40 kilometres per hour and at a mere incline of 12 degrees, and is the first diwheel vehicle (a vehicle with two wheels on the same axle with a cabin mounted between them) that uses stabilising technology that stops the driver from being rocked back and fourth as the vehicle moves. The vehicle is battery powered, meaning that it is incredibly environmentally friendly and also almost silent. Not to mention that its size would make it ideal for parking and driving down crowded and busy city streets. And while it may not be roadworthy just yet - the South Australian Transport Department recently rejected an application for the Edward to be driven on the streets - this contraption provides an interesting solution to the problems associated with traveling by car in inner city areas. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Uf6Gh-hPDeo Via [Fast Company]
Loving Melbourne is easy — the high-calibre coffee, the burgeoning food and wine scene, the motley street art and those famous laneways. It's a city which hooks you with its effortlessly cool edge, which makes it mighty hard to leave. But, we're here to tell you, Victoria's culinary and cultural scene extends well beyond this buzzing metropolis. In fact, there's a multitude of exciting events happening far outside of Melbourne's perfect grid. To help you out, we've curated a list of the very best things to eat, see and do in regional Victoria this spring. Take it from us — the air is crisp, the undulating hills mighty relaxing and this lineup of events is super enticing. From blockbuster art exhibitions to food and wine festivals of mammoth proportions, you'll easily find your happy space away from the bustling city streets. So, jump in the car, chuck on your regional Vic Spotify mix — be sure to include Cut Copy, The Avalanches, Crowded House and other Victorian musicians — and get ready to discover a different side of this wonderful state.
Melbourne's scored itself a new multi-sensory live music experience. Welcome to Seasons, a series of seasonal immersive events that draw inspiration from the world around us. Each edition promises something new and unique for Melbourne audiences, with local label Good Manners programming the tunes and visual treats by creative studio John Fish, whose work has previously wowed at the likes of Strawberry Fields, Pitch Music Festival and Melbourne Music Week. We're told to expect plenty of other surprises thrown into the mix as well. First out of the gates is Season's launch edition, Autumn, which descends on Rubix Warehouse on April 24, for a fittingly huge ANZAC Day Eve debut. Heading up the starting bill, there's The Australian Music Prize-nominated Darcy Baylis, genre-bending electronic act Alta, and Melbourne duo Shouse, as they serve up a live fix of their euphoric house cuts. R&B and house specialist Shelley will be dishing up the goods in between sets, with daring DJ Brooke Powers closing out the night with a hard-hitting set of her own.
From its awe-inspiring scenery to its hefty brew tours and the 200 sprawling wineries that call it home, the Margaret River region has become one of Australia's top destinations for those looking to escape the city in style. Situated about three hours from Perth, this bustling coastal setting offers surf beaches, lush forests and ancient underground cave systems all in one spot — which is especially exciting if you're looking for a bit of variety on a weekend trip this winter. With a landscape as diverse as this, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Margaret River is also home to incredible outdoor experiences that are ready and waiting for you to enjoy. There's a lot to choose from, but who doesn't love being spoilt for choice? To help, we've put our heads together with Virgin Australia to come up with the very best activities to make your getaway unforgettable. There'll be wine. There'll be beaches. And, of course, there'll be adventures. [caption id="attachment_719648" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Phil Whitehouse via Flickr[/caption] EXPLORE THE LIMESTONE CAVES OF LEEUWIN NATURALISTE RIDGE When you're viewing it from ground level, the Margaret River region is rather spectacular — but heading underground also reveals incredible sights. Formed around a million years ago, there are over 100 limestone caves throughout Margaret River. They're considered some of the most extraordinary in Australia. The Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge is where you'll find many of them, with this expansive system featuring alluring crystal formations aplenty. Across a variety of guided and self-led tours, you can follow staircases and boardwalks that'll take you right into the depths of the earth. And if you only have time to visit a select few caves, don't miss your chance to see Lake Cave's imposing entrance or Jewel Cave, with its collection of stalactites that are over five metres tall. ABSEIL DOWN THE SEASIDE CLIFFS WITH MARGARET RIVER CLIMBING CO Rising 40 metres above the Indian Ocean, the Wilyabrup Sea Cliffs are among the most picturesque in the Margaret River region, stretching along the rugged coastline for a half-kilometre. If you enjoy a bit of death-defying action to go with your holiday, hook yourself into these towering red granite cliffs with the Margaret River Climbing Co — and step off the edge as you abseil your way down the sheer rock face. There's no need to worry if it's your first time. There are plenty of sections that are suitable for beginners, while experienced abseilers will still find a difficult challenge. Hanging from the cliff face presents you with pretty unbeatable ocean views, naturally. Our tip: keep an eye out for the pods of whales and dolphins that are often seen swimming amid these coastal currents. TREK THE CAPE NATURALISTE TO SUGARLOAF ROCK WALK The Cape to Cape Track is one of the most impressive treks you can complete in the Margaret River region. While you'll likely be a little busy indulging in the local food and wine to make the entire 140-kilometre journey, the Cape Naturaliste to Sugarloaf Rock section offers a pleasant introduction to the outstanding landscape. Setting off from the popular Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, this relaxing three-and-a-half-kilometre stretch will have you stepping along a mix of gentle walking paths and timber boardwalks as you soak up the peaceful coastal views. To get the ideal experience, aim to reach Sugarloaf Rock just as the sun begins to set. Sitting just off the coastline in the Indian Ocean, this majestic rock formation is lit up daily by quite the striking colours as the sun dips below the horizon. TAKE A SUNSET CANOE RIDE ALONG THE MARGARET RIVER Sticking with the sunset theme, the Sunset Canoe Tour is your chance to float down Margaret River in complete serenity as the day draws to a close. You'll drift upstream flanked by wildflowers and forest — and it won't be long before you spy soaring limestone cliffs. Next, you'll watch as the late afternoon light sets the rock faces alight with a radiant glow, before continuing onwards in search of a secluded beachfront. Once you hit the sand, listen out for the chorus created by the local wildlife. It'll provide the perfect soundtrack as you rest on the beach with a glass of wine, a delicious canapé and a view of the last light as it disappears over the Indian Ocean. SEE THE REGION FROM ABOVE DURING A SCENIC HELICOPTER FLIGHT Make the most of your time by getting high above the Margaret River with a scenic helicopter ride. This part of the world provides a wealth of amazing natural wonders, so why not encounter the vast ocean and coastal landscape from the air? From farmland to forests to golden brown cliffs, you'll also hover above the boutique wineries and their seemingly endless rows of grapes — the ones that have helped put Margaret River on the map. Among the highlights, you'll also get to see Rivermouth, Surfer's Point, the Ellenbrook House and Cape Mentelle Vineyards, one of the oldest and most attractive wineries in all of Margaret River. If you're now eagerly planning a visit to Margaret River, check out Virgin Australia's holiday packages — which offer everything from chilled-out cottages to massive resorts.
As a generation, we've watched the internet emerge from its fledgling beginnings to its modern state, where nearly a third of Earth's population is logged on. In mere decades, the internet has gone from nonexistent to a necessity. We are a population obsessed. And then came Facebook. The ever-expanding social network debuted in 2004, turning us all into Facebook-stalkers and using up any free time we had left. It's hard to remember the internet before Facebook, let alone any of the computer technology of yesteryear. Squirrel Monkey's video tutorial, which imagines Facebook if it had been designed in the 1990s, will bring you right back to the horrendous colour graphics and primitive Windows versions of the technology's start. The video, a humourous how-to, takes a new user through the nuances of "the Facebook". The concept of Facebook, set against the simplistic '90s graphics, suddenly seems very ridiculous. And perhaps that is just the point. The subsequent videos, which imagine Twitter in the '80s and Draw Something as an old PC game, similarly put social media into perspective, reminding us not to take our status updates and tweets all too seriously. https://youtube.com/watch?v=xrYRH3PYYT0 [via Flavorwire]
Is there any better way to spend summer than with an ice-cold gin cocktail in hand? The folks at Auburn Hotel certainly don't think so — and they've transformed the beer garden into a botanical oasis to prove it. Grab a friend or loved one and pop down to the bustling pub in the heart of Hawthorn to treat yourself to a GinBrella package ($110). Packages are designed for two — but additional guests (up to four guests) can be accommodated for an additional $55 per person. As you kick back and relax on your very own daybed, you'll be served all the goods necessary for a luxe summer afternoon: two Hendrick's cocktails (or a jug to share) and a decadent seafood platter featuring mini crab tarts, oyster yuzu and gin shots, swordfish skewers and more. And for dessert, there's a gin sorbet or gin and blueberry ice cream to choose from. If you're not up for the package, you can still beat the heat with the range of gin cocktails and gin-infused snacks on offer — the Hendrick's Gin popsicle ($6) is a must in this department. The Botanical Garden is open every day until the end of February, giving you plenty of time to plan that gin-soaked session in the sun. Bookings are essential and can be made through the website.
Purrfect news, feline fans: everything a dapper doggo can do, a cute cat can as well. While that's an accurate statement in general, as anyone who has ever shared their life with both a pooch and a kitty will know, it's also the thinking behind Australia's latest animal event. From the folks behind the Dog Lovers Show comes the mouser equivalent: the Cat Lovers Show. If you wear the 'crazy cat person' label as a badge of honour, stop to pat every moggie you meet while you're walking down the street or spend your all of your spare time watching cat videos (or all of the above), then you'll want to block out September 8 and 9, 2018 in your diary. And, if you live elsewhere, you'll want to head to Melbourne. The Victorian capital first boasted the country's first cat cafe, and now it'll host the first Cat Lovers Show. Expect Carlton to come alive with the sounds of meows, with the event taking place at the Royal Exhibition Building on Nicholson Street. On the agenda: feline-focused education and celebration. Before you go thinking about adorable kitties wearing glasses and sitting at desks, or popping streamers and wearing party hats (awwwwwwwww), it's humans will be doing the learning and rejoicing. Really, what's more informative and exuberant than entering the Pat-A-Cat zone and getting cosy with cats of all shapes and sizes — and possibly taking one home with you? Watching a cat talent show in the Pet Circle Colosseum comes close, obviously. If that doesn't tickle your whiskers, attendees will also be able to take a purrfect match quiz to find out which type of cat suits them best, meet different breeds, listen to talks by experts, browse more than 120 stalls and snap selfies with Instagram cat stars. Plus, a cat-inspired food menu will also be on offer, because everyone wants to eat chicken 'cat'cciatore or chocolate 'meow'sse. Just remember: there'll be plenty of mousers in the Cat Lovers Show house, so you'll need to leave your own moggie at home.
Queer theatre company The Sisters Grimm have displayed their trashtastic aesthetic in shows with names such as Fat Camp and Cellblock Booty. Now they're marching into the heartland of Australian history, and into the heart of the Melbourne arts precinct in the MTC theatre, with The Sovereign Wife. It sounds like a classic enough tale — the story of a plucky Irishwoman who comes with her husband to the Ballarat Goldfields and under the rigours of colonial life becomes hardened, morally compromised and ultimately transformed. In the hands of the Sisters Grimm, this saga of frontier struggle become a wild romp, an exuberant parody of historical melodrama, with a bent sense of humour that underscores every element of the production. Gags fly thick and fast and contemporary pop culture intrudes at will. The design has a cobbled-together homespun feel, while the performances are outrageous. There are dances, songs and (naturally) a rave sequence. Gender, race and age are completely fluid. There are girls in fake beards and men in frocks. A Chinaman is played by a white guy, a black man by an Asian woman, a white woman by a black man. Cultural stereotypes are appropriated, then blurred and jumbled into a risible mess that mocks the very concept of stereotyping. There’s hilarity galore but underscoring it is a fiercely intelligent interrogation of the Australian identity. All the gender-switching and jumbling of racial stereotypes serves a purpose. Identity is presented as a muddled construct and the symbolic connection to the national psyche is clear. This is at its most salient in the character of the Sovereign Wife herself, who is played by a different performer in each of the three acts, the changes in casting reflecting the development of her character through time and hardship. For all the madcap trappings, for much of the show the story arc is that of classic tragedy and there is considerable narrative force keeping the circus moving. The vision of Australia that forms is unsettling, too uncomfortably close to the bone to be presented in any form other than comedy perhaps. The script, by head sisters Declan Greene and Ash Flanders (who also appears in the play, including one act as the Wife) has lavish helpings of wit and not a skerrick of shame. The diverse and energetic cast give the performance everything. If camp’s your thing, you’ll love the pants off it. If it’s not, well the Sisters might yet win you over. However, it is a very long show. By the third act, it’s starting to run out of storyline and some of the later scenes become stretched to the point of self-indulgence. It never fails to be amusing, though, and ultimately pulls together for an exuberant finale. The Sovereign Wife is also the finale to the NEON festival and it’s exactly the brash, outlandish, fabulous bang the festival deserves to end on. Hurrah, Sisters Grimm, hurrah!
When Sofia Coppola won this year's best director prize at Cannes, it was only the second time a woman had claimed the category in the festival's 71 outings. Nominated for the same award at the 2003 Oscars, she became only the third female to even get a nod (Kathryn Bigelow's history-making win for The Hurt Locker was still six years away). As a female filmmaker – even one who is part of a Hollywood dynasty – Coppola exists a world where women are trapped by circumstances beyond their control, but remain determined to break free of their confines. It's little wonder that her movies concern characters doing the same, depicting their struggles in astute, impassioned, eye-catching fashion. Inquisitive minds and longing hearts striving to shatter gilded cages: this is Coppola's cinematic specialty. It proved true with The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, Somewhere and The Bling Ring – indeed, if someone once told Coppola to show what she knows, it would appear that she took their advice and ran with it. With The Beguiled, she adds the inhabitants of a civil war-era girls school to her growing squad of ladies seeking something other than the life they've been saddled with. To her resume, she adds a handsome period piece that doubles as a scathing satire. In the second big screen version of Thomas P. Cullinan's novel A Painted Devil (following a 1971 Clint Eastwood vehicle), the violence of the civil war finds the women of Miss Farnsworth's Seminary for Young Ladies left to their own devices. Headmistress Martha (Nicole Kidman) runs a tight ship, with teacher Edwina Morrow (Kirsten Dunst) assisting, giving pupils such as Amy (Oona Laurence), Jane (Angourie Rice) and Alicia (Elle Fanning) life and needlework lessons. Then wounded Union soldier Corporal John McBurney (Colin Farrell) wanders into the school grounds, forcing the group to reluctantly do the Christian thing by letting him rest and recuperate before they turn him in. The expression "a fox in the henhouse" might seem to apply here, as stereotype-reinforcing as it can be. But Coppola doesn't let a predator loose; rather, she uses an outsider as a catalyst to show just what lurks inside her dollhouse. That said, the eyebrow-arching Kidman, yearning Dunst and flirtatious Fanning are much, much more than mere playthings for the film and their gentleman guest, although that doesn't stop him from trying to worm his way into their hearts and nightgowns. Beneath the school's meticulous veneer, the women react to the sudden male presence in their midst, with desire cutting both ways (sometimes literally). The result is a smart, savvy exploration of lust and power in the long-running battle of the sexes. It's also a film that refuses to conform to expectations, just like its protagonists. While every inch the Coppola movie (complete with music by Phoenix), The Beguiled is as much a genre flick about the interplay of sex and violence as it is a nuanced drama about restraint, a textured character study of its fenced-in figures, and a razor-sharp comedy of manners. Within her candle-lit, painterly frames springs a feature that couldn't be more alluring yet tenacious and rebellious, nor more appropriately so. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxUXvbqgdN0
Sometimes, the whole sit-down dinner thing is just a bit too much. When you're settled in with a few after-work wines, battling some serious snack cravings, or scouting out a memorable late-night feed, it's the bar menu that becomes your best mate. Luckily, Melbourne's got that whole caper nailed, with top-notch culinary lineups to suit any kind of appetite. We teamed up with Samsung to find the best bar menus that'll have you snacking in style this winter. We also brought along the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ with its tip-top low light camera to get some snaps of said bar menus to show you what's in store. NATURAL HISTORY, CBD One of the most anticipated openings of 2018 gave us the taxidermy-filled Natural History. Here, Morgane McGlone has put together a hefty menu of US-style steakhouse fare to match the 350-seat space — although it's certainly not a case of "go large, or go home". Those after instant gratification or a late-night fix will find plenty to like about the bar menu, a smooth-talking assembly that runs from freshly shucked oysters and chicken liver parfait to a hearty cajun fish sandwich. If beef's your craving, you'll even spy a minute steak, teamed with cafe de Paris butter and shoestring fries, and available (like the rest) until 1am. BUILDERS ARMS, FITZROY While the main restaurant at The Builders Arms made the leap into Chinese territory (as Ricky & Pinky) a couple of years back, the public bar offering's stayed true to its roots — refined pub fare with a slight British accent. It's just as perfect for snack-happy pub sessions as for that lazy lunch feed, with a price tag that'll keep you coming back. Here you can graze your way through small plates like the addictive whipped cod roe dip and a crunchy serve of school prawns, or fill up the tank with a lamb and tarragon pie or generous veal cutlet parma. MAYFAIR, CBD When your midnight snack leanings call for sophisticated French bistro fare over greasy kebabs, Mayfair dishes up the goods. Here, while white-clothed tables and twinkling chandeliers pull an elegant sort of dinner crowd, the supper menu proves just as well suited to a laidback session in the moodily-lit bar, midnight Negroni in hand. On offer from 10:30pm–12:30am, this 'night owl' selection boasts a handful of gems from the regular lineup; some dainty, some hearty, all chic. Knockback fresh oysters in a mignonette dressing, share a serve of smoked duck liver parfait or battle a wild midnight appetite with the classic steak frites. ARLECHIN, CBD The Grossi family's crack at the laneway small bar has proven an instant hit, what with its Insta-worthy designer digs, dazzling wine selection and menu of clever drinking fare. When dinner's off the cards or the snack cravings take hold, Arlechin's culinary lineup is a doozy, especially given it's up for grabs until as late as 3am. Head in, pull up a seat and get acquainted with the now iconic 'midnight spaghetti' — pasta tumbled with tomato, chilli and capers. Other hits include lightly fried calamari with squid ink and an almost-too-pretty-to-eat Clarence River King prawn. LONGSONG, CBD At Little Bourke Street's hot new addition Longsong, the acclaimed David Moyle is making magic with his custom-built woodfire stove and grill. To enjoy the spoils, you could nab a spot in the no-bookings dining space, but it's even more fun settling in at one of the funky resin-topped bar tables, as you amble your way through both wine list and snack menu. The bar food here is big on flavour and primed for sharing – its main stars are the wood-fired skewers, rocking flavours like beef with smoked peanut satay. Round a few of those out with small bites like the native pepper kangaroo jerky or Wapengo Rocks oysters, and who even needs dinner? Instead of spending your winter nights on the couch this year, hit all the after-dark happenings in your city here — and don't forget to document it all on the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, designed especially for low light. Images: Cole Bennetts.
Now in it's third year, MTV Beats & Eats returns November 18 to take over Wollongong's Stuart Park. Just steps from North Wollongong beach, the festival brings live music and food lovers together for one big ol' party that will satisfy both your belly and your soul. Themed 'Space Fantasy', the festival encourages attendees to come in fancy dress as whatever their space fantasy may be. Astronauts, martians, space cowboys, alien unicorns — whichever costume you choose, you could win $2,000 for best dressed, $1,000 for second and $500 for third best dressed. Plus you'll look awesome. With past acts including Savage, PACES, Tigerlily and DJ Steve Aoki, you can expect an even bigger roster of local and international acts this year. Plus, in between sets, fill up on a range of eats from food vendors from the region, along with a few Sydney imports expected to dish out some top-notch barbecue, burgers and pizzas. And, though you probably don't need another excuse to get a ticket, your attendance will also go towards a good cause. With every ticket sold, MTV Australia will donate $1 to headspace, the national youth mental health foundation.
Keep watching the skies, folks — drones are a-coming. They can ferry sushi, burgers, slurpees and pizza to your face. They can help you take killer selfies and spirit you away to places you can't get to. And, with Amazon and Australia Post among the companies trying to integrate them into their businesses, they're also shaping up to become the parcel delivery mechanism of the future. In Amazon's case, they want to take things a step further. From offering one-hour booze delivery to making the jump from their massive online operations to opening bricks-and-mortar stores — with their supermarkets rumoured to be headed to Australia — they're not known for doing things by halves, after all. After successfully completing their first fully autonomous drone delivery on December 7, 2016, they're thinking about where they're deploying their flying robotic helpers from. That's why they've filed a patent for flying warehouses that will house and dispatch drones. Known as "airborne fulfilment centres" or AFCs, and covered in an application first lodged in 2014, the vessels in question are zeppelin-like airships that will house a contingent of stock. From there, drones that can reach altitudes of 14,000 metres will glide down to deliver the goods in question to their intended destination. And to keep the AFCs' shelves filled and ready to go, shuttles will bring supplies, drones and possibly even people up from the ground below. Yep, some actual humans will probably need to work in the sky to help things run smoothly. https://twitter.com/zoe_leavitt/status/814212767041331202 Festivals and sporting events, aka activities that usually filled with people wanting to buy things but don't always boast the best access, were mentioned as potential sites for Amazon's AFC-dispatched drone deliveries. Sure, it's just an idea in a patent application for now, but keep watching this space (and the space above your head, of course). Via Tech Crunch / Dezeen.
It's possible to wish that I'll Be Gone in the Dark told its story in another way, and to still find yourself captivated by every single thing the six-part series serves up. In fact, there's no way to watch this immensely personal true-crime docuseries and not wish that author Michelle McNamara was a part of it in a very different way. She's the reason the show exists, and her obsessive work investigating the Californian murderer known as the Golden State Killer helped keep the case alive. She even wrote a book that shares this program's name, but she died from an accidental overdose in 2016, before it was published. I'll Be Gone in the Dark charts McNamara's quest to expose the man who committed at least 13 murders and 50 rapes between 1973–86, but it also intertwines McNamara's own story — including interviews with her husband Patton Oswalt. If you think you've seen every spin on the true-crime genre there is, you'll change your mind when you watch this highly detailed and also intimately personal series.
As anyone who's ever ridden a bike that's too big or too small for them knows, it inevitably ends in bruises and/or some kind of chronic knee problem (and you just look kinda silly). The problem is that, unlike clothes, bikes usually operate on a two-size scale — so if you don't fit into the pre-defined categories of small or large, you're going to have a bit of a problem finding an affordable two-wheeled baby to comfortably ride around in. To combat this problem, Hungarian designer Tamás Túri has come up with the 3BEE: a bicycle that can be fully customised to your body and its abilities. By using a 3D printing technique, he's able to personalise the bike to your height, measurements, age and physical abilities. So it's made just for you. And before we forget to mention it, this bike is bloody beautiful. It's sleek like a racing bike, but operates as a functional fixie commuter. Its frame is actually hollow, so it's super lightweight, and the curved design means it's easy to pick up and put over your shoulder if you need to carry it inside or up some stairs.
Playwright, poet and performer Inua Ellams is on his way to Melbourne – and he's bringing his critically acclaimed one-man show with him. In Black T-shirt Collection, Ellams plays two brothers named Mathew and Muhammed. Matthew is Christian and straight. Muhammad is Muslim and gay. For a time, they find success in their native Nigeria with a t-shirt business, until they're forced to flee their homeland when Muhammed is outed by a journalist. The story that follows hits on big issues from religion and homophobia, to migration and family, to consumerism and globalisation. Ellams will perform the show on-stage at Arts Centre Melbourne from September 5–10. He'll also take part in an audience Q&A session following a daytime performance on September 6. Photo: Franklyn Rodgers.
One of controversial director Lars von Trier's most famous films Melancholia has been adapted for the stage — and will play at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre until Sunday, August 12. If you haven't seen it, the story spans a woman, Justine, who is just about to be married and is suffering a mental breakdown that happens to coincide with the end of the world. Yeah, certainly not the cheeriest of films, but engrossing nonetheless. The 2011 film version starred Kirsten Dunst as Justine and is a sprawling cinematic epic, rife with all kinds of loaded imagery and visual motifs. It's an ambitious work to turn into a play, especially given the film's abstract nature, but we have faith. It's in the hands of director Matthew Lutton and has been adapted for stage by Declan Greene — both are more than qualified to bring this apocalyptic drama to life on stage. It will show at the Malthouse from July 13 till August 12, with previews in the first week and opening night on Wednesday, July 18.
In Wunderkammer, acrobats catapult themselves from one side of the stage to the other in fantastically creative and awe-inspiring ways. Human bodies become skipping ropes, hands become just another pair of feet to walk on, and the physically impossible looks effortless. All at once you feel wooden and inflexible in your theatre chair, realising that, for all your wishful thinking, your flesh is fundamentally unwilling to bend, flex and twist in on itself like a pretzel. The Circa troop are circus 'freaks' in the truest sense, fizzing with effervescent energy and carnivalesque camaraderie, flipping from hula hoop hijinks to high-voltage tumbling to aerial striptease to burlesque routines. They tease and titillate the audience, gleefully flaunting their phenomenal bodies and shared fetish for spike-heeled red patent heels. They will make you believe that they can fly as they flirt with aerial suspension — and hey, why limit themselves to flight alone; why not explore aerodynamics while they're up there? A 'wunderkammer' is, according to Wikipedia, a cabinet of curiosities or a chamber of rarities, a collection of wonders whose categorical boundaries have yet to be defined. This description fits the Circa crew perfectly. While you may feel corporeally frustrated after the show and think 'damn, my neck is sore', it's a staggeringly sexy display of strength and skill that is simply unmissable. https://youtube.com/watch?v=pbY9yvWsmHc
