Cinderella, Mary Poppins and Beauty and the Beast have all taken to Australia's stages in recent years, bringing beloved narratives that everyone associates with Disney movies from the cinema to the theatre. For the next show that falls into that category, no one needs to grow up. The inhabitants of Neverland, where Peter and the Starcatcher is set, certainly aren't known to. A five-time Tony Award-winner for its 2012 Broadway season, the production earned theatre's coveted accolades for its costumes, sound design, scenic design and lighting, and for Best Featured Actor in a Play — but the version that's coming to Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane comes with a twist. For Peter and the Starcatcher's long-awaited Aussie debut, Dead Puppet Society (The Wider Earth, Ishmael) is reimagining the stage favourite, which is a prequel to JM Barrie's Peter and Wendy. Accordingly, from October 2024, expect puppets helping to spin a tale that features more than 100 characters, as well as live tunes. Originally based on Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's novel Peter and the Starcatchers, then adapted for the stage by Rick Elice (Jersey Boys), the play heads to Neverland before Peter Pan visited — before Captain Hook inspired terror, too. So, it's an origin story, complete with an island, a moustachioed pirate, an orphan without a name and Wendy's mother Molly. "The initial production of Peter and the Starcatcher was a passion project — just a great group of artists and high expectations. To see the play come to life over and over again around the world is a joy I never expected," said Elice. "And to witness the marriage of this humble piece with the vast imagination and ingenuity of Dead Puppet Society is more than a joy, it's a privilege — and, for this playwright, an inspiration." [caption id="attachment_930290" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott Barton[/caption] "Nearly everyone knows the tale of Peter Pan, but Peter and Wendy's origin story has been a much more closely guarded secret. Rick Elice's incredible play takes the characters we know and love and charts the course they take to Neverland and into the classics when a group of lost orphans, moustachioed pirates, and Wendy's mother Molly collide over a trunk full of Starstuff, the most powerful substance on earth," added Dead Puppet Society's Creative Director David Morton. "This lightning-paced, whimsical show was a mega hit on Broadway. To have the opportunity to bring an all-new production to Australian audiences, reimagined with Dead Puppet Society's approach to design-led theatre and stagecraft, is both an honour and a dream come true." "Ultimately this is a story of villains finding their heroes, of timeless friendships and fates that can't be avoided. But don't be fooled... this isn't just a show for young people, it's for the young at heart, and anyone else who never wanted to grow up." PETER AND THE STARCATCHER AUSTRALIAN DATES: From Tuesday, October 15, 2024 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra From Friday, November 8, 2024 — Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne From Thursday, January 9, 2025 — Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide From Friday, January 31, 2025 — Capitol Theatre, Sydney From Friday, March 14, 2025 — QPAC, Brisbane Peter and the Starcatcher will tour Australia across 2024–25 — head to the production's website for tickets for Melbourne now, tickets for Canberra from Wednesday, December 13 and to join the waitlist for other cities.
In news as exciting as a slice of Wensleydale cheese, the minds behind the world's favourite dairy-eating man and his dog are coming to Melbourne. With the Australian Centre for the Moving Image hosting an exhibition dedicated to Wallace & Gromit, Aardman Animations, and their broader catalogue of film and TV highlights, company co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton are heading our way for a series of events and workshops. If you're keen, make like a chicken and run to grab tickets. In town to launch Wallace & Gromit and friends: The magic of Aardman, the duo will ensure that attendees don't just have a grand day as they peruse more than 350 Aardman items, and celebrate over 40 years of close shaves and wrong trousers — they'll have a grand evening too. The appropriately titled A Night Out with Aardman on June 30 is the main attraction, with the Lord and Sproxton (Aardman's creative director and executive chairman, respectively) taking audiences through their careers, chatting about highlights, showing clips, sharing stories and revealing what inspires them. If you're in the industry, they'll also take part in a claymation-focused masterclass on June 29, hosted by Aussie Mary and Max and Harvie Krumpet animator Adam Elliot, while Lord will also oversee a hands-on workshop for 25 emerging animators on July 1. And, for those that really fancy their chances of following in their footsteps, ACMI is putting together an Inventors of Melbourne event on August 5 for everyone with innovative ideas. Lord and Sproxton won't be there — they'll be back home chasing were-rabbits and mischievous sheep named Shaun by then — but plenty of inventors, entrepreneurs and researchers will be. The four-month exhibition also includes a complete cinema retrospective of Aardman's features, so expect to get Flushed Away, get festive with Arthur Christmas and take to the seas with The Pirates! Band of Misfits too. Lord wrote the former and directed the latter (and wrote and directed Chicken Run as well), and Sproxton produced the lot. Forget popcorn — bringing your own slab of cheddar seems like the right thing to do. Wallace & Gromit and friends: The magic of Aardman will be showing at Melbourne's ACMI from June 29 to October 29. To buy tickets to the exhibition or any of the special events, visit the ACMI website.
When Yo came out we thought it was totally ridiculous. A single use app that just sends the word 'Yo' to your friends, it seemed like another sign of the world going app crazy — a new age equivalent of the creepy and superfluous Facebook poke. (Seriously, that thing was solely used by your grandparents and first-time flirters). But, despite our cynicism, the app took off in a big way and has now led the way for something even better. Working in exactly the same as Yo, but bearing a different message, Beer?! has been born. Finally saving your text-tired thumbs from making six separate motions on the keypad, Beer?! allows you to assemble your drinking buds with a single effective motion. There's no ambiguity; no unique invitation to be carefully crafted. Beer?! is as simple as it gets. It's about drinking beer. Soon. Possibly with you. With no emojis, no timestamps and no awkward 'seen' messages, single use apps like Beer?! have a strangely alluring appeal. As people become increasingly confounded with their smartphone's latest fandangled features and constantly evolving uses, simplicity like this is looking pretty good. Available now from the app store, it helps that the service is both free to download and free to use. It also comes with a surprising endorsement from Portugal The Man. So, that's something. Of course, to use the app properly you'll have to arrange some details in advance. Your friend is only able to communicate with the word 'Beer?!' so you'll need to figure out if a reply equals confirmation, and if so, where you'll be heading. There's never been a better time to adopt a pub as your local. We'd advise you to just call them, but really, that would defeat the whole purpose. Via PSFK. Photo credit: Daveybot via photopin cc.
The residents of Box Hill should be very pleased with themselves. Not only do they have some of Melbourne's best Cantonese food (among other cuisines) on their doorstop, but they've also just landed a brand new, insanely cute café — and we're already planning a pilgrimage to try it out. After operating as a takeaway coffee pop-up in the area, The Penny Drop last week opened a permanent 100-seat cafe-restaurant in the newly refurbished ATO building on Whitehorse Road. And hot damn is it good looking. We can't decide which part we like more — the experimental menu or the Pinterest-worthy interior, which has been seriously decked out by interior designers We Are Huntly. It manages to find a balance between minimalism and warmth (with the help of some pastel pink tones) and has a large circle feature that reminds us of The Kettle Black. But let's talk about the menu. At first glance it may look like your standard offering, but that's the charm — the menu puts an Asian-inspired take on your favourite staples. Breakfast dishes like plain old pancakes sound like heaven (buttermilk pancakes with coconut foam, black sesame and pistachio dukkah, raspberry compote and palm sugar caramel), and don't even get us started on the potato and garlic chive waffle with poached eggs, ham, hollandaise and wakame. Some dishes don't fit any breakfast stereotype but still make our mouths water, like the tea-smoked salmon with spring onion pancake, bean shoot salad, avocado and son-in-law eggs. The lunch menu (available from 11.30am till 3pm) is sparser, but burgers are prominent — the soft shell crab burger with Kewpie tartare, coriander, cucumber and lime takes our fancy — but the dinner menu (available after 5.30pm) really sparkles. Try the fried chicken wings with mandarin sauce and sesame ($13) or the coconut beef short rib with sweet fish sauce, pomelo and soft herbs ($39) and drift away to dream land. The Penny Drop is open for brekkie, lunch and dinner all week as well as servicing all your takeaway coffee needs. Another cute, tasty reason to spend more time in the 'burbs. The Penny Drop is located at 913 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill and is open 7am till 10pm Monday to Saturday and 7am till 3pm on Sunday. For more info, visit thepennydrop.com.au.
In his guise as Benoit Blanc in both 2019's Knives Out and 2022's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Daniel Craig has pointed the finger at an array of well-known faces. With third film Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery officially on the way, that list is set to grow. The first three folks joining it: Andrew Scott (Ripley), Josh O'Connor (Challengers) and Cailee Spaeny (Civil War). If you weren't already excited about Blanc's next case, which is set to arrive on Netflix in 2025, then you should be now. The news that Wake Up Dead Man is on its way still relatively fresh, with the sleuthing saga's writer and director Rian Johnson announcing it via social media on Saturday, May 25 — and casting details have started arriving mere days later. [caption id="attachment_868527" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.[/caption] As reported by Variety, there's no word yet as to who Scott, O'Connor and Spaeny are playing opposite No Time to Die's Craig. But joining Wake Up Dead Man's suspect pool comes in a big year for fans of all three Down Under, with Scott's All of Us Strangers, O'Connor's La Chimera and Spaeny's Priscilla all reaching screens this year — plus the aforementioned Ripley, Challengers and Civil War, too. With the third Knives Out flick locking in a date with the small screen next year, the series continues its three-yearly pattern. Who else the filmmaker that also brought audiences Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Looper, Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi and TV's Poker Face (which has been renewed for a second season) will get Blanc investigating hasn't been revealed, and neither has much else about the movie. "I love everything about whodunnits, but one of the things I love most is how malleable the genre is. There's a whole tonal spectrum from Carr to Christie, and getting to explore that range is one of the most exciting things about making Benoit Blanc movies," Johnson did note. [caption id="attachment_951454" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Challengers, Niko Tavernise © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.[/caption] Exactly when in 2025 the flick will hit, and also whether it will reach cinemas before arriving on Netflix, also hasn't been announced. But, the streamer is teasing that this will be Blanc's "most dangerous case yet". So far, Johnson has plunged his detective into a familiar scenario twice, but always ensured that the end result was anything but routine. His trusty setup: bring a group of people together in a family home, mode of transport or lavish vacation setting, then watch on when one thing that always occurs in a whodunnit happens. That'd be a murder, in a formula that Agatha Christie also loved, as book-to-film adaptations Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile and A Haunting in Venice have shown. The author's play The Mousetrap and recent flick See How They Run, which riffs on it, make the same point. And, so does this clearly Christie-inspired franchise. [caption id="attachment_936946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Priscilla[/caption] The cast across Knives Out and Glass Onion has been impressive. Chris Evans (Pain Hustlers), Ana de Armas (Ghosted), Jamie Lee Curtis (Haunted Mansion), Michael Shannon (The Flash), Toni Collette (Mafia Mamma), Don Johnson (The Collective), Lakeith Stanfield (The Changeling), Christopher Plummer (Departure), Katherine Langford (Savage River) and Jaeden Martell (Mr Harrigan's Phone) all featured the first time around. In the second flick, Edward Norton (Asteroid City), Janelle Monáe (Antebellum), Kathryn Hahn (Tiny Beautiful Things), Leslie Odom Jr (The Exorcist: Believer), Jessica Henwick (The Royal Hotel), Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Kate Hudson (Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon) and Dave Bautista (Dune: Part Two) all co-starred. If you saw either — or any murder-mystery involving a motley crew of characters brought together in one location when someone turns up dead — then you'll know how this movie series works from there. There's a standout setting, that big group of chalk-and-cheese folks, threats aplenty and just as much suspicion. Check out the title announcement video for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery below: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will release sometime in 2025 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced. Read our reviews of Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Via Variety. Top image: All of Us Strangers, photo by Chris Harris, courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures.
Flicking through channels seems sort of passé, seeing as, y'know, not as many people use an actual TV for watching TV anymore. It's more probable that we're scanning through ABC iView, SBS On Demand, 9Now, tenplay and/or 7 Live, which doesn't necessarily have the same effect (plus, what if you forget to check Channel Ten and don't realise Survivor is on?). Well, to save you from multiple tab hell, Freeview has announced that it will be launching a new mobile streaming app later this year, where you can stream all Australia's free-to-air networks from the one place. Dubbed Freeview FV, this new all-encompassing app will bring 15 or so free-to-air channels together in a beautiful harmony of many, many hours of television. As well as live streaming the networks' broadcasts, they'll also offer catch-up functionality, a guide which will show you everything that's on and reccommendations (much like Netflix) when it launches in November. They're also putting a big focus on watching TV "on the go", so the app sounds like it will be pretty sophisticated on mobile. It's the first time globally that the free-to-air industry has come together to create one unified TV experience, says Freeview CEO Liz Ross. "Freeview FV will deliver fantastic choice and convenience in one place, it is simple and-easy to-use, and it will meet the needs of audiences wherever they may be," she says. "From live streaming news and current affairs during the morning commute to catching-up on a favourite TV program on the way home, Freeview FV will completely revolutionise access to the free-to-air TV offering in Australia." This is pretty huge news for the Australian free-to-air industry, especially after Foxtel just bought out streaming subscription service Presto from Seven West Media and will proceed to kill it at the end of the year. Freeview FV is set to launch in November, with more details to be released shortly.
From February 5 to March 5, Gertrude Contemporary is hosting a solo exhibition of artist and filmmaker Amy Amos Gebhardt. The exhibition, named There Are No Others, is being displayed on multiple screens and explores the lives of people who live outside the confines of traditional gender binaries. The portraits show naked forms in extreme slow motion floating against clouds to represent the fluid, free-form nature of gender. Gebhardt collaborated with a team of musicians and cinematographers to pull together the ambient film series, which has recently been shown at Mona in Hobart. Showing alongside There Are No Others are two exhibitions also work a looky-loo: Jamie O’Connell's More day than Beyonce, and Urska Mindre's Slide. The opening night of There Are No Others is on February 5 from 6-8pm, and the exhibition will continue to show for one month afterwards.
May the force be with your streaming queue over the next few months, with not one but two new Star Wars series heading to Disney+. Both follow the same format, too, taking a character from the films, then spinning a whole show around parts of their backstories — and slotting in either before or between the tales that viewers have already seen. The first such program, Obi-Wan Kenobi, starts streaming today, Friday, May 27. The second, Andor, just dropped its first trailer today as well. On the agenda for the latter: not only a prequel to 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but bringing espionage thrills to a galaxy far, far away. As its name makes plain, Andor focuses on its namesake — Cassian Andor, again played by Diego Luna (If Beale Street Could Talk). Star Wars fans have already seen him as a Rebel captain and intelligence agent, and also watched how his story ends, hence the show's need to jump backwards. The focus: following Andor as he discovers how he can play a part in fighting the Empire. Indeed, charting the rebellion, and how people and planets joined in, is the series' whole remit. The moody and shadowy just-dropped first sneak peek ends with telling words, after all: "that's what a reckoning sounds like". In fact, it's filled with statements like that, setting the tone for an intrigue-filled first season — which'll start streaming on Wednesday, August 31. Alongside Luna, Andor sees filmmaker Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Legacy) — who co-wrote the screenplay for Rogue One — return to the Star Wars franchise as the series' creator and showrunner. And, on-screen, Luna is joined by the Genevieve O'Reilly (The Dry) — who is also back as Mon Mothma — as well as Stellan Skarsgård (Dune), Adria Arjona (Morbius), Denise Gough (Monday) and Kyle Soller (Poldark). Oh, and a cute-looking new robot that's seen scurrying around in the trailer, although how big a part it'll play is yet to be revealed. Andor is set to span two seasons, both running for 12 episodes each and adding to Disney+'s ever-expanding array of Star Wars programming. Also on its way: the third season of The Mandalorian, which'll arrive in February 2023; and the just-announced Skeleton Crew, which'll star Jude Law and hit streaming queues sometime next year as well. Check out the first trailer for Andor below: Andor will start streaming via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 31.
A new player is stepping up to bat in the Australian hospitality scene, and in Melbourne. Introducing The StandardX, scheduled to open in Fitzroy in February 2024. The StandardX is the latest brainchild of Standard International, known for its lifestyle hotels in cosmopolitan hotspots like New York, Miami and London. But The StandardX is set to be a new direction for the brand, with the Fitzroy concept acting as "a rebellious younger sibling" of The Standard Hotels across the globe, distilling The Standard experience to its "x factor", and going for a more minimalist and cool approach. It seems that Fitzroy is the perfect location for the new concept. Melbourne's own Hecker Guthrie has infused the hotel's 125 rooms and public spaces with a contemporary yet unpretentious aesthetic. As for the food, don't expect the standard hotel restaurant. Led by Executive Chef Justin Dingle-Garciyya, the rooftop dining area will be exclusive to hotel guests, offering an array of Medellin-inspired dishes, including tacos and ceviche. The rooftop bar will be the perfect spot to enjoy a cocktail after dinner, or before a night out, or at 10am — it's a hotel after all. With panoramic city views and the privacy that comes with exclusivity, it's set to be a pretty nice spot to have a sip and take in the majesty of the Melbourne skyline for locals and tourists alike. For those after a more casual bite, the all-day Thai diner and The Box, a retail concept offering on-the-go snacks and drinks, will ensure you're never far from curing a rumbling belly. With room rates expected to hover between $250–350, The StandardX is positioning itself as a premium choice for travellers and Melburnians looking for a unique hotel experience that blends luxury with Fitzroy's artistic and cultural heritage. Nick Cave, Ollie Olsen, Stuart Grant and Rowland S. Howard are even among the hotel's inspirations. The StandardX is set to open in February 2024 at 62 Rose Street, Fitzroy — head to the hotel's website for further details.
Feel the grass beneath your feet and the breeze on your face, as the silver screen lights up at Victoria's latest outdoor cinema. After springing to life in Portsea last summer, Barefoot Cinema is ramping things up for its 2017-18 season, with two additional locations in Arthur's Seat and Elsternwick. It all kicks off a couple of days after Christmas. First stop is Point Nepean National Park in Portsea from December 27 through to January 8. Films on offer include some of 2017's biggest hits, including Atomic Blonde and Baby Driver, along with older fare such as Wedding Crashers and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Next it's off to the Seawinds Gardens in Arthurs Seat, where movies like Monsters Inc, Rocky and Wonder Woman will screen from January 12-27. Finally, Barefoot Cinema will arrive at Elsternwick's Rippon Lea Estate with a lineup of yet to be determined titles from February 1-16. In addition to movies, Barefoot Cinema will feature live music, food trucks, a candy bar, local wines, and craft beers from Gage Roads. For more information about Barefoot Cinema, go here.
Whether you can't get enough of Euphoria, are a Succession stan or adore True Detective, streaming HBO's hits in Australia has meant making a date with Binge since 2020. The platform launched as an offshoot of pay TV service Foxtel — following past platforms Presto — with the slate of shows from the beloved US network as its number-one drawcard. Back then, it was Game of Thrones, Westworld, Chernobyl, Veep and Big Little Lies luring in subscribers; now, it's House of the Dragon, The Last of Us and The White Lotus, too. Whichever HBO series you adore — and how many of them are on your must-watch list — you'll be making a date with Binge for the foreseeable future. Or, with Foxtel if you still prefer. Either way, Warner Bros Discovery, which owns HBO, has just made a new deal with Foxtel and Binge to keep its series on those Aussie services. The Foxtel Group will remain the home of HBO, Max Originals, Warner Bros and Discovery programming as part of a multi-year partnership extension — and the only place you'll be able to see shows like all of the above. Other series involved include set-to-return programs such as Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Perry Mason, And Just Like That..., The Sex Lives of College Girls and Peacemaker. And, the deal covers newcomers like The Idol, political drama White House Plumbers, the Robert Downey Jr- starring The Sympathizer, The Palace with Kate Winslet and The Batman spinoff The Penguin. Plus, when they make their way from cinemas to streaming, upcoming flicks such as Dune 2, Barbie, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom and other DC Extended Universe movies will also hit Binge and Foxtel. "This landmark partnership cements our position as the partner of choice to the world's largest entertainment studios. We are delighted Warner Bros Discovery chose us as we continue our long-standing partnership together with optionality at its core. A unique business model like ours that covers multiple platforms and brands means we can partner for the long term and together we will continue to entertain millions of Australians every day for years to come," said Foxtel Group CEO, Patrick Delany, announcing the deal. "Foxtel Group are a long-term, historic partner for Warner Bros Discovery in Australia, and we are thrilled to deepen this strong collaboration with a renewed agreement that reflects the scale and opportunity of Foxtel Group's growing suite of products and customer base," added James Gibbons, Warner Bros Discovery President and Managing Director, Western Pacific. In America since 2020, and rolling out through Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of Europe since, HBO streams its lineup of shows via its own platform, HBO Max, which hasn't yet made it to Australia. Based on the new deal with Foxtel and Binge, doesn't look set to anytime soon. "As we look to drive strategic growth of our business across all platforms locally, this deal also provides optionality for future collaboration, including for our future streaming service, that will ultimately offer Australians greater access to the world-class storytelling and much-loved brands Warner Bros Discovery is renowned for," said Gibbons. The Australian Financial Review reports that HBO Max won't make its way Down Under until at least 2025. For more information, head to the Binge and Foxtel websites. Top image: HBO.
When Iron Man, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Captain America and their fellow caped-crusader pals all cross paths on-screen, they do so within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When it's Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman's turn, they populate the DC Extended Universe. But these kind of big-screen franchises aren't just the domain of superheroes. In the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, for instance, a number of Spider-Man supervillains are getting their own interconnected movies. First came 2018's Venom, starring Tom Hardy (Dunkirk) as a journalist who is forced to share his body with an alien symbiote. Next year — delayed from 2020 — Morbius will see Jared Leto (The Little Things) play a figure also known as the "Living Vampire". In-between the two, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is also hitting screens. The initial flick about Hardy's Eddie Brock and his parasitic pal did ridiculously big business at the box office, so it was always going to get a sequel. Due to hit cinemas Down Under in September — and just releasing its first trailer overnight — Venom: Let There Be Carnage signals its other main point of focus in its title. This time around, Venom isn't the only formidable figure that Brock has to deal with, with Woody Harrelson (Zombieland: Double Tap) joining the cast as Carnage. For those who haven't dived deep into Spider-Man's comic book history, Carnage is another of the web-slinger's adversaries. Inhabiting the body of a serial killer called Cletus Kasady, he's also Venom's nemesis. And while Eddie's life isn't all that straightforward when the Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer begins — as seen during a peek at his attempts to find a way to live in harmony with Venom, including their complicated breakfast routine — things get a whole lot more chaotic when Carnage enters the scene. As these two villains face off, here's hoping that Venom: Let There Be Carnage gives Michelle Williams (Fosse/Verdon) more to do than the first Venom movie did, with the four-time Oscar-nominee returning as Eddie's ex-fiancée. Also seen briefly in the trailer: Naomie Harris (The Third Day) as yet another Spider-Man villain, Shriek, plus Stephen Graham (The Virtues) as Detective Mulligan. And, behind the lens, Lord of the Rings actor-turned-Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle filmmaker Andy Serkis directs. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USAsr2i4jiQ&feature=youtu.be Venom: Let There Be Carnage opens in Australian cinemas on September 16.
If you commute to work by train, you're looking at having a frustrating autumn. Well, at least a frustrating April. The Victorian Government has announced that sections of nine Melbourne train lines will be closed from April 1–23 to complete more work on the South Yarra side of the Metro Tunnel and make way for a shiny new fleet of high-capacity trains. What does that mean? Replacement buses. If you travel on any of the lines that service the southeast suburbs, you'll most likely have to switch from the train to a bus at some point on your commute. Plus, in the north, part of the Mernda line will be closed at the same time for a level crossing removal. If you were impacted by the train closures back in January, it's likely that'll you'll probably have your commute stuffed around again this autumn. According to The Age, the works will affect more that 1.5 million Melburnians. https://twitter.com/ptv_official/status/1106094153795096576 The lines that'll be impacted across the Easter holiday period are Cranbourne, Pakenham, Frankston, Sandringham, Glen Waverley and Mernda, as well as the Gippsland and Geelong/Warrnambool V/Lines. Here's what we know so far about what's happening on each of the affected lines. Frankston: Buses will replace trains between Mordialloc and Frankston stations from April 1–3, between Flinders Street and Caulfield stations from April 6–23, and between Flinders Street and Moorabbin stations from April 13–14 and April 19–21. Cranbourne and Pakenham: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Caulfield stations from April 6–23, and between Caulfield and Westall stations from April 13–14, and between Flinders Street and Westall from April 19–21. Glen Waverley: Buses will replace trains between Burnley and Darling stations from April 13–14. Mernda: Buses will replace trains between Thornbury and Epping stations from April 3–9, and between Clifton Hill and Merda stations from April 13–14. Sandringham: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Sandringham stations on April 6, and between Flinders Street and Sandringham stations from April 13–14 and April 19–22. Plus, V/Line services will be affected as well. Coaches will replace trains on the Warrnambool and Geelong line from April 6–21. Something to keep in mind if you're travelling home or out of the metro area over the holiday period. The Gippsland line is also expected to be affected, but passengers will, once again, receive free travel. You can find the full details on line closures here. The free tram zone will also be extended for games at the MCG throughout April — but sports fans are told to allow extra time for travel. The State Government is advising commuters to leave an extra 60 minutes for travel in the case of delays, so it's advisable that you plan your trip carefully. For up-to-date info, your best bet is to check the disruptions map on the government's Big Build website. Image: Josie Withers for Visit Victoria. Updated: March 29, 2019.
UPDATE, February 12, 2021: The Big Sick is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies and Amazon Video. On paper, The Big Sick sounds like the standard kind of rom-com that's been made countless times before. Guy meets girl, sparks fly, only for roadblocks to get in the path of true romance... yep, we all know how that story goes. Not only that, but given the film depicts star and writer Kumail Nanjiani's real-life courtship with his co-scribe and now-wife Emily V. Gordon, we actually know how this specific story ends as well. Still, there's plenty to like about the sweet, sincere and heart-swelling details and detours that this emotionally insightful gem offers up along the way. When we first meet Kumail, he's a standup comic slogging it out in Chicago. Fame remains a distant dream, as does making a living out of comedy, but at least his set strikes a chord with grad student Emily (Zoe Kazan). While neither of them are really looking for love, their one-night-stand soon becomes something more. There are one or two complicating factors, however. For starters, he can't bring himself to tell her that his Pakistani parents expect him to have an arranged marriage, any more than he can bring himself to tell them he's fallen for an American. But that's just a minor speed bump compared to the mysterious condition that renders Emily comatose for much of the movie's second and third acts. The Big Sick isn't being poetic or ironic with its title, even if a heady dash of romance can feel a bit like an illness. Instead, it's an accurate description of the film, which largely revolves around Emily's sickness, and the uneasy dynamic between Kumail and her parents (the always excellent Holly Hunter, and a surprisingly great Ray Romano). That it manages to make a thoughtful and earnest rom-com out of some of the worst experiences a person can go through is a testament to the movie's success. Life is chaotic, bodies fail, relationships are hard, and this film does't shy away from any of it. Truth be told, the further that Nanjiani and Gordon's script gets into the tumultuous early days of their romance, the messier and more surprising everything becomes. Crucially, director Michael Showalter (one of the creative forces behind Wet Hot American Summer) manages to layer cultural, generational and interpersonal clashes with dating banter, medical drama, family tensions and twenty-something existential dilemmas. In his hands, a film that could have come across like a Judd Apatow-produced version of '90s Sandra Bullock vehicle While You Were Sleeping instead proves a textured, multifaceted example of rom-coms at their very best. It's also worth giving The Big Sick credit for getting the best out of its leading lady, even while she spends much of the film's running time in a coma. Though Emily's illness stems from reality, it still could have easily felt like a cheap ploy – a way to keep the focus on the male protagonist. Yet that's never the case here, in large part because Kazan makes such a lasting impression when her character is conscious. This may be Nanjiani's life story, but his performance wouldn't feel nearly so honest — or the movie so authentic — without Kazan making sure we're all as enamoured with Emily as he is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO5fXEczlGQ
If you, like us, have binged every episode of the renowned crime podcast Serial, are still following the news roller-coaster on Adnan Syed's case from season one and are counting down the days until the HBO series airs — take a deep breath, because there's finally more where that came from. Serial will return for its third season on September 20, having been dormant since season two aired back in 2015. Season three will focus on the entire criminal justice system in the US — more specifically on the inconsistencies and failures of the courts in Cleveland, Ohio. "What does season one tell us about the criminal justice system?" asks host Sarah Koenig in the season's trailer. She concludes that instead of using Syed's extraordinary case to examine the system from the inside, she must use many ordinary cases. Koenig and her crew spent one year in the Cleveland courts, where they recorded not only in courtrooms but also in judge's chambers, prosecutors office and back hallways, plus outside the courthouse in family member's houses, streets and prisons. In the season three trailer, Koenig mentions one case in particular — that of Greg Rucker, whose prison recordings include an admission of guilt. Yet, in just this one trial, Koenig is witness to an onslaught of court offences, including extra charges, pressure to plead guilty, shabby police work, "eleventh hour" evidence, dozing jurors and judge — all ending with an outsized prison sentence. But, since Rucker is guilty, should we even care? This is a question that Serial will explore throughout the season. Again, the story will unfold week-by-week. To listen to the season three trailer or catch up on past seasons, check out the Serial website. The first two episodes of Serial season 3 will be released on the morning of Thursday, September 20 — Eastern Daylight Time (New York). No exact time has been announced, but past Serial episodes have dropped around 9.30am EDT, which corresponds to about 11.30pm in Australia and 1.30am in New Zealand. So, you can either stay up late on Thursday and listen, or wait until your Friday morning commute to work. One new episode will be released each Thursday thereafter. Image: Moth Studio, mural by Adam Maida
Everything is a multiverse these days, or so it increasingly seems. Marvel has one, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is currently in cinemas to remind us all of that fact if we somehow forgot after Spider-Man: No Way Home. Rick and Morty loves them as well. Even if the term isn't mentioned explicitly, everything from French delight Petite Maman to The Matrix franchise flirts with similar territory. And yes, the list goes on — but nothing else is quite like Everything Everywhere All At Once. Don't know why that's the case? There's a vast array of reasons, including star Michelle Yeoh getting to play multiple versions of the same character, earning a far worthier showcase of her talents than the likes of Boss Level and Gunpowder Milkshake have provided of late, and also working in a nod to her Crazy Rich Asians-era IRL self as well. Plus, there's the wonderful return to cinema by Ke Huy Quan, aka Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom's Short Round and The Goonies' Data, who makes a fantastic double-act with Yeoh. Also a highlight: a world where everyone has hot dogs for fingers; another where Ratatouille is real, but with raccoons; and another still that's a sparse realm where life only exists in sentient rocks. Weird, wild and wonderful from its first frame to its last, Everything Everywhere All At Once stands out in a heap of ways — and, if you haven't seen it yet or you're keen to give it a revisit, you can now watch one of the best films of 2022 so far from your couch via digital platforms from Thursday, May 26. Fast-tracking flicks big and small to digital is our new pandemic-era reality, and this gem is the latest to make the leap — while it's still showing in cinemas, too. It looks fabulous on the big screen, but if the ease of checking it out at home suits you better, that's also now an option, as it also has been with The Batman, West Side Story, Dune, The Matrix Resurrections and more in the past few months. Written and directed by the Daniels, aka Swiss Army Man's Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All At Once really does take its name seriously. Here, almost anything that can happen does, all while laundromat owner Evelyn (Yeoh) just wants to get the tax office off her back, save the family business and make the most of her dad's (James Hong, Turning Red) visit from China. In the middle of a punishing audit by IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis, Halloween Kills), and already feeling chaotic after her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) brought her girlfriend Becky (Tallie Medel, The Carnivores) home, Evelyn learns that the fate of the universe is at stake. Of course, only she can save everything — and while that setup might sound familiar, this funhouse of a feature never takes the expected path. Check out the trailer for Everything Everywhere All At Once below: Everything Everywhere All At Once is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream online via video on demand — including via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review.
Summer is coming — and it's about damn time we got back to living that rooftop-drinking, riverside-dining life. To celebrate the oncoming good weather, the friendly folks at Aperol are giving away 100,000 spritzes for the next two months. Yes, that's the correct number of zeroes. To help you take full advantage of this huge offer, we've rounded up the top sun-soaked spots in Melbourne where you can get your Aperol Spritz on the house. Whether you're in the CBD or partying it up at Fitzroy, the list below includes a carefully curated selection of bars that serve both great bevs and delectable dishes — guaranteeing you won't go home hungry (or wake up hungover) after spending the day drinking with your mates. PRINCE ALFRED HOTEL, CARLTON Carlton stalwart the Prince Alfred Hotel features a bar, beer garden, restaurant and function rooms where you can enjoy a chill catch-up session with friends. The menu is updated seasonally and sources some of the best local produce. In terms of its beverage offerings, the list boasts a selection of beers, cocktails, spirits and quality wines from Australia and New Zealand. But don't forget to try out some of the specials throughout the week: a classic pub roast on Sundays, half price pizzas on Mondays, $20 local dishes on Tuesdays, $18 parmas on Thursdays and happy hour from Monday to Wednesday. HOPSCOTCH, SOUTHBANK Hopscotch is all about the good vibes. Nestled in Southbank's urban backyard, the bar provides a plethora of beers on tap — 36 kinds to be precise — ranging from pale, stout, dark, lager, kolsch, wheat and more. But if beer isn't your thing, there are four taps dedicated to cocktails — and you can ask the bartender to try some out before you set your mind on one. You can also expect live music on the weekends, as well as sport on the big screens, as you soak up the last of the day's sun. HER ROOFTOP, CBD HER is an experience like no other. Conceptualised by the Arbory Crew — the brains behind Arbory and Arbory Afloat — HER Rooftop presents four floors of fun that will make you feel like you're in a different dimension. Start by dining in the Parisian-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar or the Thai canteen. Afterwards, you can make your way up to the music room for a little boogie. And you can end your evening at the rooftop garden bar, which stuns with spectacular views of the CBD. Aesthetically speaking, this one is an absolute stunner. We could certainly think of worse places to get an Aperol Spritz on the house. JOHNNY'S GREEN ROOM, CARLTON We all love a rooftop moment, especially during the warmer seasons, so be sure to pay Johnny's Green Room a visit for a gorgeous 360-degree view of the Carlton and the inner north. Located on the third floor of King and Godfree, Johnny's serves an impressive line-up of drinks such as classic and house cocktails, beer on tap and local and international wines. Conclude your night by indulging in a range of elevated bar bites, from pizza and burgers to gelato and cheese. This is an easy win. THE PROVINCIAL HOTEL, FITZROY Situated in the heart of Brunswick Street, The Provincial Hotel is a bit of a local institution — and a perfect spot to unwind after a hard day's work. Our tip: head straight for the rooftop, which offers impressive sunset views. If you're feeling peckish, order yourself a parma, burger or pizza to share with your mates while you try out some of the bar's classic cocktails, beers and wines. Other than happy hour, The Provincial Hotel has a $10 pizza and trivia night on Mondays, $15 burgers on Tuesdays, karaoke and $15 parmas on Wednesdays and 50-cent wings on Thursdays. Deals, deals, deals across the board. TETTO DI CAROLINA, SOUTH YARRA Take your tastebuds on a trip to London or Rome at Tetto di Carolina. Sip on an expertly made cocktail on the terrace or savour your glass of white or red wine in the breezy dining area. Commence your dinner plans with freshly shucked oysters, then opt for the 200g O'Connor grass-fed steak with peppercorn sauce. Dessert is also a must. Try the cannoli served with sweet ricotta, milk chocolate or pistachio or tuck into the famous tettomisu. For now, Tetto di Carolina is also extending a few promotions such as $3 Oysters and $18 Taittinger on Wednesdays and a $20 Sando and Americano combo on Fridays — seriously, how can one refuse? For more ways to elevate your summer with Aperol, head to the website.
If the new season's put you in the mood to spring clean your thinking and soak up some fresh ideas, The Wheeler Centre's latest offering is one to add to your calendar. The literary hub's new celebration of words and ideas, Spring Fling, is coming our way from Wednesday, November 2–Friday, November 11. And it's got a sparkling lineup of local and international authors, artists, musicians, comedians and thinkers in tow. Joining the bill for the inaugural event series, you've got UK literary legend Natasha Brown (Assembly), acclaimed Aussie writer Helen Garner (Monkey Grip, Everywhere I Look), Pulitzer-winning US novelist Andrew Sean Greer (Less, Less Is Lost), musicians Vika & Linda, and breakout star of the new Heartbreak High reboot Chloé Hayden. [caption id="attachment_871605" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Natasha Brown[/caption] The festival program is set to dish up more than 20 events, hitting venues like Melbourne Town Hall, The Capitol, Testing Grounds and Fed Square eatery Big Esso. You can catch the hilarious Shaun Micallef chatting life, tv and comedy; ponder how arts and activism can spurr positive environmental change with music icon Peter Garrett; and explore the intersection of music and thought at an inspirational talk by British neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield, complete with a special performance by artist and producer Sui Zhen. Also on the bill: beloved broadcaster Myf Warhurst delving into the impact music's had on her life; a panel of culinary favourites chatting multiculturalism and Aussie food culture over a lunch heroing Indigenous ingredients; an exploration of friendship led by bestselling author Kamila Shamsie; and a special drag storytime featuring artists like Aysha Buffet, Stone Motherless Cold and Dandrogyny. The Wheeler Centre's Spring Fling runs from November 2–11, at venues across Melbourne. Catch the full program and buy tickets over at the website.
Melburnians, if you're currently reading this from somewhere dry, warm and cosy, we suggest that you keep it that way for the rest of the day. After two days of wet weather that's caused flash flooding across the city, the rain is set to stick around. And not just any old wet weather, either. The Bureau of Meteorology is reporting that intense storms are on their way to Melbourne, and "heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding is likely". A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued not only for Melbourne, but for most of Victoria. https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1073789720168140800 Like the huge downpour earlier in the week, wild weather is a result of tropical cyclone Owen moving across the country, creating a low-pressure system. Stay dry out there. And remember to check Vic Roads, PTV and BOM for warnings and updates.
From food to puppies to cricket umps, we'll never cease to be amazed by what Uber decides to deliver next (until they start delivering babies, that is). But their latest service offering is set to take things to literal new heights. At TechCrunch Shanghai over the weekend, Uber China announced it will soon give users the option to request not only cars, but hot air balloons and boats as well. The new services — aptly names UberBalloon and UberBoat — will come under the new Uber + Travel umbrella, which will roll out across China later this year. The ride-sharing company also announced UberLife, a sort of in-app magazine that will feature local events and attempt to make users spend more time in the Uber app while in the car/boat/hot air balloon. At the moment UberBalloon will only be available in China. According to TechCrunch, this is an attempt to move more services into the Uber app to help it properly compete with popular all-in-one app WeChat, which allows you to message, call, shop, make payments and play games. Desperate times call for desperate measures — and when you're Uber (and you're trying to take the Chinese ride-sharing market), those measures apparently include hot air balloons. Via TechCrunch. Image: ellehem.
With the fifth and final season of the much loved cult series Broad City on its way, Melburnians are getting a very special surprise when co-creator and yas queen Ilana Glazer heads to Melbourne's Hamer Hall for a one-hour stand-up gig on Saturday, June 9 — and tickets are on sale right now. If you've already left this page to book, we understand. Glazer's hilarious portrayal of Ilana Wexler on Broad City has launched her into comedic fame since the show first aired back in 2014. Since then, you may have also have seen her alongside Scarlett Johansson and Demi Moore in Rough Night, as well as recognised her voice in the Netflix animated series BoJac Horseman. Most recently, Glazer has been busy on an 11-city comedy tour with comedian Phoebe Robinson, who hosts the podcast Sooo Many White Guys (also produced by Glazer). This means her stand-up act will be well primed for her one-off Australian gig. Presented by the Arts Centre Melbourne and Penny Drop, Glazer is the headline act of MEL&NYC, a new winter program of multi-disciplinary events that showcase the influence that New York City has on the Melbourne arts and culture scene. The program will take over the city's best cultural venues from June through August and see leading New Yorkers and Australians share their everyday experiences in a series of conversations, music, performances, educational talks and community outreach events. Other gigs include shows by Regina Spektor and Exo-Tech featuring Kimbra and Sophia Brousa, plus a live-to-film performance of West Side Story and a John Cameron Mitchell musical performance. Broad City's Ilana Glazer is performing stand-up at Melbourne's Hamer Hall for one night only on Saturday, June 9 at 8pm. For tickets, or to check out more events in the MEL&NYC program, head over here.
Everyone has at least one piece of IKEA furniture in their house, and likely more than that. Maybe you also own some of the Swedish retailer's Lego storage boxes, too, or a bucket hat made out of the same material as its iconic blue bags. You could've whipped up outfits for your dog using said shopping carriers, and even cooked up its famed meatballs during lockdown. Something that even the brand's biggest Australian devotees won't own, however, is an IKEA t-shirt, tote or key ring — yet, that is. In 2020, IKEA launched its first-ever merchandise line, kicking off in Japan before releasing in Singapore, Thailand and Korea as well. Now, come Thursday, May 13, it's Australia's turn to get decked out in the brand's clothing and accessories — so get ready to don its hoodies, sip from its water bottles and wipe yourself down with its towels, too. The range is called Efterträda, and it nods to the company's popular products in a variety of ways. You'll find its recognisable blue and yellow logo on everything, for instance, as well as a minimalistic look in general. Oversized barcodes feature as a key design element, mimicking the type seen on its products — and, because they line oh-so-many walls, the Billy bookcase barcode has been given pride of place. Plus, the towels and water bottles come in either yellow or white, while the key rings have a blue option. Prices range from $4 for a key ring up to $49 for a hoodie, with water bottles costing $6, totes coming in at $10, t-shirts priced at $19 and towels costing $22.50. And, to answer the two questions that have probably just popped into your head: no, you don't have to assemble them yourself, or use an Allen key. IKEA's Efterträda collection will be available in Australian stores from Thursday, May 13. For further details, head to the Swedish retailer's website.
The days are shorter, the cold winds stronger and we can be sure of one thing: winter is here. While in Australia that may not have the dramatic effect it does in Game of Thrones, we can be sure that a plethora of dark and delicious beers are coming into their own now that the colder months are upon us. Here follows, in no particular order, a guide to the top ten brews to help you through the wintry season. MODUS OPERANDI BREWING, FORMER TENANT RED IPA Mona Vale's finest, Modus Operandi Brewing, is known for its big, bold, hop-driven beers and this glorious red IPA is no exception. Expect big fruity notes of passionfruit and mango, owing to the liberal dry hopping with Galaxy and Mosaic hop varieties, giving way to a burst of bittersweet red grapefruit flavour. Underpinning this maelstrom of hops is an incredibly well-balanced malt base with notes of earthy caramel and biscuit. The finish is piney and botanical, giving just a hint of the beer's namesake — the 'former tenant' of the brewery's site was a marijuana grower — which makes this beer a complex and rewarding brew from the first to last sip. $14.50 for a 500ml can or $48.99 for a four-pack at Beer Cartel. PHILTER, CARIBBEAN STOUT Philter has something of a knack for busting out surprisingly different beers with each new release. Having already nailed an XPA, a session red ale and a lager, it's no surprise that its latest offering is something to get excited about. Though the name might indicate some sort of coconut-infused-rum-barrel-aged craft beer experiment, the flavour is far more approachable, drawing inspiration from the tradition of fruitier stouts common in the Caribbean and surrounding areas. Weighing in at an impressive 7% ABV this beer pours midnight black with rich notes of cocoa, dried fruits and a hint of nuttiness. $10 for a 375ml can or $33.99 for a four-pack at Beer Cartel. BATCH BREWING CO, ELSIE THE MILK STOUT Milk stouts continue to grow in popularity among Australian beer drinkers, and once you've had a glass of Elsie, it's not hard to see why. Combining a complex malt bill, flaked barley, rolled oats and lactose, this beer offers a balance of sweet and roasty notes such as chocolate and coffee with a beautiful creaminess. Coming in at an approachable 4.3% ABV this is a great beer for those looking to cross over to the dark side this winter. $12.50 for a 640ml bottle at Beer Cartel. YOUNG HENRYS, MOTORCYCLE OIL HOPPY PORTER Brewing powerhouse Young Henrys continues to impress with the latest addition to its taps and tinnies. In keeping with the tattooed-up, beard sporting-style it's known for, the charmingly titled Motorcycle Oil is at once in your face, yet reserved, well balanced and approachable. The initial flavour is roasty with delicate hints of chocolate, coffee and a touch of caramel, giving way to a big hop character featuring citrus and medium pine notes. Sitting at 5.8% ABV it offers big flavours but in a balanced and welcoming beer — sure to please lovers of hops and malt alike. $8.99 for a 500ml can or $29.99 for a four-pack at Dan Murphy's. FRENCHIES, ASTROLABE RED BIÈRE DE GARDE Based on a style that originated in Northern France, bière de gardes are bound by a common malt-accented flavour, but, beyond that, each brew offers a wealth of idiosyncrasies. Frenchies Astrolabe pours a beautiful ruby colour with plenty of caramel malt up front followed by notes of cherry and berries with hint of pear. Finishing with a moderate bitterness, this beer is dangerously sessionable, masking its 7.4% ABV with ease and charm. $12 for a 440ml can or $40.99 for a four-pack at Beer Cartel. WAYWARD BREWING CO, FURIOUS GNOME ESB The name alone should be enough to win people over. But coupled with Wayward's reputation as one of Sydney's finest breweries, it's a must-try this season. Furious Gnome pays homage to classic British ESBs like Fuller's and Old Speckled Hen through its caramel and toffee dominated palate, with a biscuity dryness and rounded out by an earthy and ever so lightly spicy hop bitterness at the end. A great malt-accented interpretation of the style — sure to please thirsty expats and newcomers to the style alike. $11.50 for a 640ml bottle at Bucket Boys. MORNINGTON PENINSULA BREWERY, MORNINGTON BROWN ALE A classic English-style brown ale, this moreish brew from Mornington Peninsula Brewery offers an enticing aroma of toffee and dried fruits (think sultanas, raisins and dates) owing to the imported English malts that make up its base. On the palate, expect toffee and chocolate notes with a balanced sweetness and a slightly nutty finish. At 5% ABV, it's perhaps a little stronger than the beers which inspired it, yet is still supremely sessionable and well matched with nutty cheeses like gouda, as well as roasted meats. $3.99 for a 330ml bottle, $23.94 for a six-pack at Dan Murphy's. BRIDGE ROAD BREWERS, CELTIC RED IRISH RED ALE A longtime staple from the old hands at Bridge Road Brewers down in Beechworth, the Celtic red ale is a wonderfully delicate balance of caramel malts with a light roastiness and a dryer finish that you'd expect for the style. Pouring a deep amber, this beer is initially sweet with toffee and burnt sugar notes, followed by a subtle kick of noble hops to bring you back for another sip. At 5.3% ABV, it's a wonderful Aussie interpretation of a true Irish-style red, malty and sweet but wonderfully well balanced. $4.19 for a 330ml bottle or $15.49 for a four-pack at Dan Murphy's. STAVES BREWERY, ARDENNES TABLE BEER BELGIAN PALE ALE Named after a yeast strain sourced from the Ardennes region of Belgium, this delicate and well-balanced beer from the Glebe's charming Staves Brewery is not to be missed. Opening with lightly sour fruity notes, coupled with a gentle spiciness from the yeast, this Belgian-style beer is the perfect brew for when the sun is out, but the wind has an edge to it. The Glebe brewpub also features live music and comedy, whilst owner Steve Drissell is often found manning the taps, ready to share a laugh and his impressive beer knowledge with the punters. Ardennes Table Beer can be purchased in store at Staves Brewery, 4-8 Grose Street, Glebe. BADLANDS BREWERY, DRAUGHTY KILT SCOTCH ALE Scotch ale is a style not often replicated on Aussie shores, yet a handful of flattering imitators of the malt-driven Scottish style exist. And Orange's Badlands Brewery has long been at the forefront. Copper red in colour with toffee and caramel notes and a hint of vanilla giving way to a light burst of candied orange and date, this beer features a restrained bitterness that really allows its rich malty flavours to shine. At 5% ABV it's relatively light for a Scotch ale, but that just means you can enjoy more of it. $11 for a 500ml bottle at Beer Cartel. For alternative stockists in your city, check the breweries' websites. Top image: Frenchies
Heading on holiday, looking for a place to stay, but aren't keen on the usual hotel experience? Thanks to Airbnb and a growing array of similar platforms, finding somewhere different to bunk down is now easier than ever. Whether it's an apartment, a campervan or an architecturally significant home, there's a service for it — and now there's a site that specialises in letting you kip in the luxe digs owned by your friends, or friends of friends. If you've ever visited a pal's place and thought that you'd like to holiday there, or heard stories about a mate of a mate's gorgeous pad in a far-flung spot, Stay One Degree is here to help. It operates like other house-sharing platforms, but puts trust, recommendations from those you know and good ol' fashioned vouching for others at the centre of its transactions. As such, users can only rent from people they already know — such as family, friends or work colleagues — or people who know someone they know. The idea came to founders and friends Thomas Bennett and Jorge Munoz during their own frequent travels. The duo realised something that everyone does at some point during a trip — that, even though there's no place like home, actually staying somewhere that feels like home comes close. After testing out the concept themselves and discovering that only renting from people they were already connected to still took a lot of planning, they decided to start a service that simplified the process, and that anyone could use. After launching at the beginning of 2018, Stay One Degree now boasts hundreds of properties all around the world — including two in Australia and 19 in New Zealand at the time of writing, should you be looking to stay close to home. And, as well as offering travellers the chance to hang out in a friend's ace digs, it obviously also works the other way around — helping folks fill their empty house with someone they know (or someone that someone they know knows) while they're away. For more information, visit Stay One Degree. Image: Stay One Degree.
Last last year, US Tex-Mex chain Taco Bell quietly opened a test store in Annerley, Brisbane. Now, it's planning to rapidly expand across Australia with a slew of new stores. Taco Bell's parent company Collins Foods, which also operates 28 Aussie KFC restaurants and the 13 remaining Sizzler venues, announced last week that after receiving positive feedback from its test store, it would be opening more Taco Bell outposts before the end of the year. Managing Director and CEO Graham Maxwell suggested locals have embraced the brand wholeheartedly. "We are pleased with the acceptance of the Taco Bell brand by Australian consumers," he explained. This is, however, Taco Bell's third attempted foray into the Australian market. The chain tried to launch here in 1981 (and was then taken to court by Sydney store Taco Bell's Casa) and again in 1997 — but both attempts were unsuccessful and the brand withdrew. As part of Collins Foods' expansion, Real Commercial reported that the company would be rebranding its Sizzler restaurants as Taco Bells, as the US fast food giant makes its most-recent attempt at taking on the Aussie market. In the company's end-of-financial-year summary, it reported that its Sizzler restaurants were underperforming and one more had closed. Currently, you'll find 13 Sizzler restaurants across Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales, though it's unclear how many of these could soon be swapping the salad bar and cheese toast, for burritos and quesadillas.
If you're going to run an annual genre festival, then you're also going to want to push some boundaries. Opening with a controversial film that has already caused fainting and walkouts overseas, this year's Monster Fest is challenging its audience right from the get-go — or catering to their extreme horror tastes, perhaps? In fact, if you have an interest in film festivals — or can't help stumbling across headlines about strange things happening in cinemas — then you might've already heard of Julia Ducournau's debut Raw. As well as inspiring buzz and picking up an award in Cannes in May, the French director's first film garnered plenty of attention in Toronto just this week. There, paramedics were called to a midnight screening after multiple people reportedly passed out while watching. Whether the reaction was genuine or a publicity stunt has already been questioned; however if you're not a fan of gory flicks, a coming-of-age effort about a young vegetarian participating in a carnivorous activities after enrolling in veterinary school just might cause you to feel a little queasy. Raw, which is set for a general release around Australia in March 2017, joins already-announced, similarly out-there closing night offering The Greasy Strangler as a high-profile highlight of this year's Monster Fest. The event will also host a selection of movies directed by veteran helmer Ted Kotcheff, including classic Aussie outback thriller Wake in Fright and dead body comedy Weekend at Bernie's, with the filmmaker attending the festival in person. A program of events and screenings focused on genre narratives made for the small screen will also feature — complete with a Nightmare VHS Board Game Party, much to the delight of anyone who grew up in the '90s — with the full lineup set to be revealed in the coming weeks. Monster Fest 2016 runs from November 24 to 27 at Melbourne's Lido Cinemas. For more information, visit the festival's website.
We all know Britain's iconic red phone booths — they're as British as Queen Lizzie or a chicken tikka curry. So what happens when the service they offer becomes redundant? You turn them into smart phone repair workshops. British phone repair company Lovefone is in the process of renovating 35 phone booths across Britain, transforming them into stations where people can get their smartphones and tablets fixed. The results of their efforts are going to come in very handy after you've drunk a pint too many and dropped your electronic goods into the loo. The revamped booths will also offer free charging stations and wifi, as well as an underfloor safe that protects electronic goods while they await pick-up. A similar but definitely not as cool idea has been in place in Australia for a while, with Telstra equipping their pay phones with routers to give their customers wifi access when they're nearby. Unfortunately, this service is only available to certain Telstra users — but it does pave the way for other networks to run with the idea in the future. Other countries around the globe have come up with their own novel ideas for repurposing phone booths. One phone booth in New York has been revitalised with the addition of shelves, converting it into a library. Citizens donate unwanted texts, with the book exchange working on a honesty-based policy. We're thinking that there has to be a market for this in Australia. Back in the UK, the Red Kiosk Company allows you to rent and run your own business from a phone booth. A number of cafes now lease phone booths as their cafe shopfronts — and one guy even opened up his own phone booth salad store. So take note entrepreneurs: your dreams of opening up your own quirky cafe might be just around the corner, literally.
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.
If you're already panicking at the prospect of winter, don't. Make plans to warm up instead — here's one to get you started. On Saturday, May 18, a stack of ace musicians, who've been charting mega hits and touring around the planet in the last year or so, will be converging on Darwin for BASSINTHEGRASS 2019 festival. Now in its 17th year, the one-day shindig is about to hit the northern coast for the first time. More specifically, you'll find it at Mindil Beach, a dreamy stretch of sand just a 20-minute walk from downtown Darwin. In between catching your favourite artists, you can gaze out at the Timor Sea and forget that winter is waiting for you back home, as you soak up bucketloads of Top End sunshine. Before (or afterwards), there are plenty of Darwinian adventures to add to your musical ones — from cuddling crocodiles at Crocosaurus Cove to checking out local Indigenous art at The MAGNT. Check out the full lineup below. BASSINTHEGRASS 2019 All Day Amy Shark Ball Park Music Broods Caiti Baker DZ Deathrays Hermitude Hilltop Hoods Hot Dub Time Machine Karnivool Mallrat Meg Mac Nick Murphy (formerly known as Chet Faker) PNAU Ruel Six60 Tasman Keith The Lunar Society BASSINTHEGRASS 2019 will take place from 11am–11pm on Saturday, May 18. For the full lineup and to purchase tickets, visit the website.
There's an astonishing story at the heart of I, Daniel Blake, the latest film from veteran director Ken Loach, and the winner of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival. After suffering a heart attack while standing on scaffolding on a building site, the titular character (Dave Johns) seeks government assistance. Alas, despite his doctor's advice that he needs rest to recover, a series of bureaucrats deem him fit to work, and refuse to listen to his pleas about his health. His situation isn't unique; at the local benefits office, he meets a single mother, Katie (Hayley Squires), similarly battling an uncaring system. Exposing the punitive barriers those in need are forced to face when they're looking for help, the movie has been garnering a strong reaction as it travels around the world. However, there's another incredible tale driving I, Daniel Blake. Lead actor Johns is a stand-up comedian who has appeared on British panel TV shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 Out of Ten Cats, and now makes the leap to film to star in his first feature at the age of 59. His is a devastatingly naturalistic performance in a heartbreaking piece of social realist cinema, and one that lingers long after viewing. With I, Daniel Blake releasing in Australian cinemas after playing at the British Film Festival, we chatted with Johns about making his first movie, receiving the script page-by-page as shooting progressed, and the responsibility of making a film that hits so close to home for so many people. ON MAKING THE JUMP FROM STAND-UP TO STARRING IN A KEN LOACH FILM "I was aware of Ken's work — and just to meet Ken, I said to people, friends of mine, 'If I could just get in and do the improv with him, that'd just be a great experience'. So I never dreamt that I would be offered the part. We shot it for ten weeks up in the northeast of England, around the area where I was brought up as a kid. And I remember the first day, I mean, I'd done plays and stuff like that, but I hadn't walked on set and seen the enormity of what I'd taken on. 'Oh my god, I'm the lead of this film,' I remember thinking. 'Oh, have I bitten off too much?' And now people say to me, 'You know, what's it like, your first film?' — and I go 'Well, if it's my first film and it's won the Palme d'Or, I think I've set my bar a little too high'. Now I'm up for best actor at the European Film Awards this year in Poland. I'm up for best actor and best newcomer and the British Independent Film Awards. Variety magazine in America have tipped me as number 20 to win an Oscar behind Jake Gyllenhaal and Colin Farrell, so it is pretty surreal. I think your career should be a bit of an adventure. And if you do one thing in your life that you can be proud of, to be in a Ken Loach film that has made such an impact and won the Palme d'Or, I'm very proud and very honoured to be in this position." ON DISCOVERING THE STORYLINE AS HE WENT "The thing with the way Ken works is he doesn't tell you much about the film. You don't get the full script, you only get a couple of pages each day — and he shoots chronologically, so basically you are thrown into this life where you're just living this life everyday. And you don't really know what's coming until you get the two or three pages of script in the evening that you go away and learn and bring in the next day. I think that's so you don't have that sort of [situation] where you and the other person you're doing the scene with, you can't look at page 26 of the script, and go, 'Oh look, this is our big scene'. Ken doesn't want you to pre-empt what's going to happen. He wants it all to be in the moment. A lot of people think there's a lot of improvisation in Ken's films — I mean all that script is all scripted, it's just that Paul Laverty [Loach's long-time screenwriter] and Ken, they give you the chance to own the words. That's how it comes across. And because he shoots chronologically, and because he has no closed sets — he puts you in real situations — it has that gritty, real feel about it." ON REACTING TRUTHFULLY RATHER THAN ACTING "I think you rely on truth. You rely on your true emotions, and you actually respond truthfully. You don't have any chance to pre-empt how you're going to feel. The first day, Ken said to me on set, 'When you're in scenes with Hayley, when you're in the scene together, if you just listen to each other and you find the truth, it will look like that on the screen'. So that's the notes I got, so I just took that on board. Just basically, like, he would say to me, 'You're getting a phone call today on set'. And I'd go, 'All right, who's it from?' And he'd go, 'You'll find out when you get the phone call'. It's a very fascinating process. It makes you rely more on your gut reaction rather than any technique you might have as an actor, I would imagine. In any of the scenes I had with the kids or the neighbours or with Hayley, I think I was reacting to and responding to how she was playing it to me, you know. I think it was just being honest if something touched you, and then you brought the honest emotion to it. I think that's the only way you can do it when it's like that." ON FORGETTING THAT HE'S MAKING A MOVIE "The way Ken shoots, he doesn't have loads of people on set. There's no makeup touching you up before the scene, there's no checking your costume before every take, it's basically, you leave the unit and that's it. And basically, if we were in my flat, it'd just be the camera in the corner of the room — he never tells you what lens he's got on the camera, so you don't know how close the shot is. And there were times when in scenes I forgot I was in a film, really. I was just reacting to what Katie, the character, was telling us. And that was a pretty amazing feeling, when there were times when you forgot you were making a film and you were just talking with this person." ON THE REALITY BEHIND THE FILM "The first thing Ken said to me when we did preparations — I had to learn how to carve the wooden fish, did a little woodwork course, just a couple of days — and then he said to me, 'Fill that 52 page assessment form in.' And I was like, 'What?' And I came back and went, 'I can't do this, this is insane'. And then it got me thinking, imagine if you were sick, and you had to fill that in, and if you filled it in wrong. And so it was revealed to me how unjust the system is. And I think it is because it is a system that is spread by this austerity which has been played around the world. I mean, every film festival — I took the summer off to go to film festivals with this — and at every film festival I went, at Locarno in Switzerland, in Spain, in Italy, in Slovakia, everywhere we went with this film, people came up afterwards and said 'This is happening in our country as well'. Because of the big banking crash and because of the finances, the way globalisation is going, you see the poorest and the less able are taking the biggest burden. And that's what's happening with the welfare system. I think they've lost sight of the person and they are just trying to save money, and it is bureaucracy, and it is outsourced to a company, and these questions are insane." ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PLAYING A PART THAT HITS SO CLOSE TO HOME FOR SO MANY PEOPLE "You can't just do this film and go, 'Well, that's it, I'm done.' You go on and you do other work, but you still come back to it because you do feel a responsibility to it. I mean, I spoke at the Labor party conference this year — I've never done that in my life before, you know. So I do feel a bit that we have to see this film through, you know, and I don't think it is the sort of film that is going to go away. I think it's going to change things, because people here are angry, and people in America. People have said it will speak to the working poor who're in America. And it has already been mentioned in the House of Commons here by the opposition to Theresa May, so it is having an effect. I'm very pleased for Ken and for Paul, who, you know, thank the heavens that we have people like Paul Laverty and Ken Loach who are still making films that give a voice to people who don't have one." I, Daniel Blake is now screening in Australian cinemas. You can read our review here.
Australia is certainly not wanting for exceptional food and drink regions — and epic festivals that show them off. But one area that has flown under the radar for much too long is the Sunshine Coast. And it's high time we celebrated all of the culinary goodness that's being served up north. That's exactly what's on the docket when The Curated Plate launches its inaugural season on Thursday, August 8. Across four days, the brand new food and drink festival will see the region's best chefs and producers joined by Australian and international industry legends in a series of long lunches, degustations, food markets, tours and much more. The region's multifaceted ecosystem and rich volcanic soil makes its produce some of the best in the country — and that produce will be on display like never before. Here are our picks for the five happenings that you just cannot miss. [caption id="attachment_712502" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Stone, Oakridge Wines[/caption] AUGUST 9: WILD FORAGE DINING The Sunshine Coast's bountiful native produce is centre stage for Wild Forage Dining — an intimate beachside dinner that will bring together three chefs for an evening of sustainable eating. The four-course feast includes wine pairings and a one-of-a-kind experience to boot. The lavish four-hour dinner is hosted by some seriously heavy-hitting chefs starting with special guest Zaiyu Hasegawa, who runs Toyko's two Michelin-starred restaurant Den (which was awarded the number two spot on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2018). Cooking alongside Hasegawa is Sydney's hatted Chase Kojima (Sokyo) and Matt Stone, who is currently the executive chef of Yarra Valley's hatted Oakridge Wines. Tapping into a big culinary trend, and showcasing some the region's best wild ingredients, the trio will go foraging, then let the local produce that they gather dictate the menu on the night. Wild Forage Dining will take place at Mooloolaba Beach from 5.30–9.30pm on Friday, August 9. Tickets cost $350 per person and can be purchased here. [caption id="attachment_712503" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dan Jarrett, Spicers Den[/caption] AUGUST 10: SPICERS DEN If you miss out on the Wild Forage dinner — or just can't get enough of Michelin-star chef Zaiyu Hasegawa's cooking — you have another chance to taste his famed kaiseki-style (multi-course haute cuisine) at Spicers Tamarind Retreat in Maleny. For this dinner, Hasegawa is teaming up with executive chef Daniel Jarrett at the exquisite hinterland restaurant within Spicers Tamarind Retreat. The duo will be joined by Gelato Messina's Donato Toce, and together they'll whip up a five-course degustation. Each dish will be based around 'hyper-local' seasonal fruits and vegetables and paired with a locally produced wine. Spicers Den will take place from 6.30pm–9pm on Saturday, August 10. Tickets cost $290 and can be purchased here. And, if you just can't bear to leave your luxurious surrounds, Spicers is also offering special villa accommodation packages during the festival. [caption id="attachment_712505" align="alignnone" width="4932"] Troy Rhoades-Brown, Muse Dining[/caption] AUGUST 8: SEASONAL STARS Seasonal fare will be on full display at Mooloolaba Beach when one of the world's finest chefs comes to town for Seasonal Stars. Lauded chef Raymond Blanc OBE runs the highly acclaimed Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxford, UK, which has retained its two-Michelin stars for a whopping 34 years. As a result, Blanc is one of the most respected chefs in the UK, having also been appointed an honorary Order of the British Empire (OBE), which recognises his services to the British food industry. Joining this show-stopping chef in the kitchen is some serious Australian talent — namely Sunshine Coast's own Alejandro Cancino (Lola's Pantry, ex-Urbane) and Hunter Valley's Troy Rhoades-Brown (Muse Dining). All three chefs are known for their commitment to regional and seasonal produce, hence the event's name. Together, they will dish up a decadent four-course dinner with an oyster amuse-bouche and matched wines, too. Seasonal Stars will take place on Mooloolaba Beach at 5.30pm on Thursday, August 8. Tickets cost $350 per person and can be purchased here. AUGUST 9–11: THE FOOD FAIR AT BLACK SWAN PARK Maroochydore's Black Swan Park will be taken over by an abundance of culinary delights for three days straight during The Curated Plate festival. The Food Fair will offer up the best local produce in the region, with the Sunshine Coast's makers and producers in tow for a chat, too. Eat your way through pop-up restaurants, tastings and food workshops. There'll also be roving entertainers aplenty expected across the weekend. For more information, keep an eye on this space, as the full lineup will be announced in early May. The Food Fair will run from 4pm–late on Friday, August 9 and Saturday, August 10, and from 12.30–9.30pm on Sunday, August 11. Entry is free as long as you pre-register. Pre-registration will open in May. AUGUST 8–11: THE BEACH CINEMA Moffat Beach's Eleanor Shipley Park will get its own Curated Plate treatment as a beach cinema pops up nightly across the festival period. This al fresco cinema will, of course, be food-themed, with specialty burgers, brews and even Gelato Messina on offer — the gelateria is collaborating with local producers on exclusive sweets for the candy bar. Plus, you'll have the added benefit of enjoying the breathtaking sunset views across the ocean. The film lineup and food menu are due to be announced in May — keep an eye out to be the first to snag seats. The Curated Plate will take place on the Sunshine Coast from Thursday, August 8 to Sunday, August 11. Tickets are on sale now. For the full program and to register, head here. Top Image: Troy Rhoades-Brown, Muse Dining
Air out that mouldy tent, start rounding up the GoPros, Falls Festival have announced their 2014 lineup. With Byron now extended to a four-day program, Falls Festival is returning to its three sites (Lorne, Marion Bay and North Byron Parklands) for its annual New Year's Eve hootenanny. So who's on the bill? Returning with a Mercury Prize and a million debut album copies sold under their belt, Leeds foursome Alt-J are sure to be one of the packed sets this year. Scandinavian super besties Röyksopp and Robyn are locked in for an epic two hour set of combined releases. There'll be ass everywhere with the presence of the unmissable Big Freedia. The sublimely talented SBTRKT is set to play a huge live set (one of Laneway Festival's best sets to memory), while the formidable Jamie XX will keep the basslines well up in grill. Fresh from Glastonbury, George Ezra is set to be one of the festival highlights, with the debut set from the legendary Todd Terje, house monarchs Tensnake, Sydney trio Movement and San Francisco's Tycho sure to send everyone on a synthy, beats-fuelled odyssey. Altanta's favourite 'flower punk' band The Black Lips are in. Confirmed after a leak in Cleo, UK's Glass Animals are confirmed to get sultry. Festival favourites Cold War Kids return with their latest album's material (and a few oldies), while Australia's own ARIA-winners The Temper Trap return to the live circuit with material from their upcoming third record. Rap fans have some gleeful squealing to get to, with Brooklyn's Pro Era whiz Joey Bada$$, Killer Mike and El-P's Fool's Gold super-collab Run the Jewels, Melbourne's own Remi locked in. 'Stolen Dance' fans will have plenty to jig about with the first Australian tour of Milky Chance, Sydney's Bluejuice are playing their last round, London's Wolf Alice are sure to generate some buzz, and Canberran trio SAFIA are also buzzworthy inclusions. There's a few Splendour returns: Britpop-loving Sydney dudes DMAs, newbie hip hop firecracker Tkay Maidza, Sydney dance legends The Presets, electronic whiz kid The Kite String Tangle, returning rock heavyweights Spiderbait, singalong starters Sticky Fingers and Riptider Vance Joy. Falls will also see a kickass 'Boogie Nights' program featuring none other than the ever-kickass hip hop legends Salt n Pepa, Melbourne's best-dressed duo Client Liaison, Sydney partystarter Alison Wonderland and Canada's Badbadnotgood. THE FALLS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL 2014 LINEUP (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER): ALT-J BIG FREEDIA THE BLACK LIPS BLUEJUICE COLD WAR KIDS DMAs GLASS ANIMALS GEORGE EZRA JAGWAR MA JAMIE XX JOEY BADA$$ JOHN BUTLER TRIO KIM CHURCHILL THE KITE STRING TANGLE MILKY CHANCE MOVEMENT THE PRESETS REMI RÖYKSOPP & ROBYN RUN THE JEWELS SAFIA SBTRKT (LIVE) >SPIDERBAIT STICKY FINGERS THE TEMPER TRAP TENSNAKE TKAY MAIDZA TODD TERJE (LIVE) TYCHO VANCE JOY WOLF ALICE + MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED. BOOGIE NIGHTS LINEUP (DEC 28 LORNE, DEC 29 MARION BAY, DEC 31 BYRON): ALISON WONDERLAND BADBADNOTGOOD CLIENT LIAISON SALT N PEPA + MORE. EVENTS: Dec 28, 2014 to Jan 1, 2015 in Lorne, VIC (est. 1993) 18+ event Dec 29, 2014 to Jan 1, 2015 in Marion Bay, TAS (est. 2003) All ages Dec 30, 2014 to Jan 3, 2015 in Byron Bay, NSW (est. 2013) 18+ event The ticket ballot is now open via the festival’s website and will be closing on Monday August 25. Enter the ballot here. Most of the event tickets are allocated to sales through the ballot process, starting at 9am on Thursday August 28; however, for those who miss out, there will also be a small allocation of tickets set aside for general public sales starting at 9am on Wednesday September 03. Image: Paul Smith
Hell hath no fury like a Netflix user with a dodgy internet connection trying to watch the end of Stranger Things. Presumably Netflix has felt the wrath of this fury, and has today introduced a new feature that will allow Netflix subscribers to download selected TV shows and movies to their mobile devices to watch offline. Just like Spotify's download button, Netflix's new feature will let users download shows to their mobile device through their iOS or Android app. It won't cost anything extra — you just need to update your Netflix app. The new feature will certainly help make long-haul flights and train trips a little less painful, and be super useful for people who live in countries where mobile internet is limited or expensive. If you already use the Netflix mobile app, it'll probably save you some dollars too as you can subtly download entire seasons on your work's Wi-Fi. However not every show will be able to be downloaded straight away — to start, it'll just be Orange is The New Black, Narcos and The Crown.
Checking into holiday accommodation, scouring every inch of your new home away from home and savouring your temporary scenic sights is part of everyone's vacation ritual — and most of us have the photos to prove it. And, while the jaw-dropping sensation that stems from peering over a beachside balcony is all well and great, it's certain to pale in comparison to the feeling you get when you stay in a volcano. At Wilderness Safari's Bisate Lodge in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, visitors can check into one of six thatched forest villas that are located within a volcano, and near even more towering peaks. Lava won't be flowing in the accommodation, of course, with the cosy dens built within the amphitheatre of an eroded volcanic cone. For those after some fiery action, the Bisoke volcano lurks close by, with the site featuring views towards the active land rupture, as well as of the inactive Karisimbi and dormant Mikeno mountains. With the individual lodges fitted out with luxurious furnishings, huge fireplaces and private decks, the 42-hectare site doesn't just offer volcanic thrills, but forms part of an eco-minded trip. Bisate acts as a base for tourists keen to enjoy a gorilla conservation experience, which includes morning treks to view the creatures, tree planting in the massive reforestation nursery, nature walks and more. Unsurprisingly, holing up here for a night or several doesn't come cheap, starting at around AU$1400 per night. Images: Wilderness Safaris.
Whether you're staycationing, vacationing or travelling for work, there are many reasons to pick a particular hotel over others — and how your temporary home away from home looks is right up there. Do you covet open, airy and minimalistic spaces? Sleek lines aplenty? The kind of modern elegance that catches your eye, but still looks functional? That's the remit of design-driven Marriott brand AC Hotels, which has just made its way to Australia. Despite launching in 1999 — first in Spain under hotelier Antonio Catalan, then teaming up with Marriott in 2011 — the chain hadn't yet set up shop Down Under. Now, its sleek-looking first Aussie site is open for business at Southbank in Melbourne. Featuring 205 rooms within a sculptural tower that's marked by its geometric glass façade (and, by night, its shining LED lights), the new spot joins the brand's 195-plus hotels in more than 27 countries and territories worldwide. Popping up against the Fishermans Bend skyline, the towering exterior hails from DKO Architecture in collaboration with Capital Alliance — and views, both over the Melbourne CBD and the Yarra, are a big drawcard for guests. As for where patrons will be slumbering, accommodation options span both rooms and suites, all decked out in neutral tones and boasting streamlined (but not restrained) design. Think: greys, whites and natural hues, stone tiling, textured timber floors, metal detailing, open closets and integrated bathrooms. The inspiration: the brand's Spanish heritage, and also South Melbourne's industrial warehousing. Also, some rooms are pet-friendly — as long as your pooch is under 20 kilograms. Part of the just-launched spot as well: co-working space AC Lounge, which'll also serve tapas at night; restaurant Sorolla, with an open kitchen for chef-watching while you eat; and Triana Bar, which goes heavy on soaking in the scenery. Drinks-wise, there's also a gin and tonic experience — a speciality cocktail that is served in a custom glass by sculptural glass artist Adam Walmon, and has "been scientifically developed to heighten the taste, aroma and palate experience for the drinker" — which is available in all of the hotel's dining and bar spaces. For sips by the infinity pool — which runs the width of the building — head to Bar de Buceo. As well as drinks, it does al fresco dining. And, the usual range of hotel amenities are covered, too, including a 24-hour fitness centre, plus a meeting and event space. Find AC Hotel Melbourne Southbank at 201 Normanby Road, Southbank. For more information, or to make a booking, head to the hotel's website.
Bored, retired American goth rock star Cheyenne (Sean Penn) is living in an enormous mansion in Dublin with his carefree wife of 35 years, Jane (Frances McDormand). When he learns of the death of his estranged father, Cheyenne returns to America, at which time he begins to find out information about himself and his family that he never knew. When asked about his father things begin to unravel. Cheyenne is told a story of an SS Officer who humiliated his father in Auschwitz, and who may still be living in America. This is where Cheyenne embarks on a journey across his homeland, now foreign to him, on an expedition of reconciliation where encounters with people and situations allow him to find himself. With a nod to The Cure's Robert Smith, Penn plays the complex character of Cheyenne as softly spoken and kind in a convincing and unique performance. The film draws charm and originality to the forefront with a stunning cast and compelling storyline, not to mention a remarkable soundtrack with music and lyrics by David Byrne and Will Oldham. This Must Be The Place is in cinemas April 5. You can read our full review here. To win one of ten double passes to see This Must Be The Place, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Three months have passed in 2023, but Marvel fans have only enjoyed one chance to get their caped-crusader fix so far. The ever-sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe is reportedly set to keep spreading at a slower rate from now on, in fact; however, both Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Secret Invasion are on their way — and soon. The latter joins the MCU's small-screen slate, alongside WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms Marvel and She-Hulk. The focus: Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury. The Director of SHIELD and creator of the Avengers Initiative acted as the connective tissue between most of the big-screen franchise's early instalments — if Jackson didn't show up in a Marvel movie back then, was it really a Marvel movie? — but it's taken 15 years since first appearing in the post-credits scene of the original Iron Man for him to gain the spotlight in his own adventure. Secret Invasion itself has been in the works for some time, after first being announced back in 2020, and also dropping a debut trailer in 2022. Now, it finally has a release date: Wednesday, June 21. Mark your diaries, then get excited by checking out the show's latest trailer, which goes heavy on the looming war. The six-episode show will reteam with Fury as a battle is imminent with the shapeshifting Skrulls, Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders, How I Met Your Mother) keeps asking help and his popularity within the MCU is waning. Plenty of other familiar faces pop up, too: Australia's own Ben Mendelsohn (Cyrano) returning as Talos after Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home, Don Cheadle (The Wonder Years) as War Machine and Martin Freeman (Breeders) as the CIA's Everett Ross. Will their characters really show up? Or will we really be seeing Skrull impersonators? Obviously, that'll only be answered when Secret Invasion arrives. Because every actor ever has to fit into the MCU at some point, the above cast is joined by a few other huge names as well: Olivia Colman (Empire of Light), Emilia Clarke (Last Christmas) and Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami). The story clearly ties into Captain Marvel, which is proving a launching pad for more than a few recent and upcoming MCU chapters, such as streaming's Ms Marvel and big-screen release The Marvels — which teams up Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Just Mercy), Ms Marvel (Iman Vellani) and WandaVision's Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, Candyman), and also arrives this year, in November. Fury, and therefore Jackson, did appear in two episodes of the Agents of SHIELD TV show in 2013 and 2014, so this isn't the character's first small-screen outing. Behind the scenes, Kyle Bradstreet (Mr Robot) created Secret Invasion, and writes and executive produces. Check out the latest trailer for Secret Invasion below: Secret Invasion will stream via Disney+ from Wednesday, June 21. Images: Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
When politicians start talking about public transport again, it's safe to say a state election is in the works. And, while the usual spiel is about the benefits of Myki (lol) and the inherent evilness of fare evaders, this morning's announcement is actually something to get excited about. Premier Denis Napthine today announced that if re-elected in November, his government will make trams in the CBD free of charge, and all zone 2 tickets will be capped at zone 1 prices. Better yet, Opposition leader Daniel Andrews backed the move, stating that if Labor takes office, the proposed changes will go ahead as planned. In conclusion, no matter who you vote for, this is actually happening. The changes are especially welcome news for commuters in the outer suburbs whose ticket prices will be dropping by $4.96 a day, equating to savings of around $1,200 per year. This will undoubtedly make a big difference to those struggling to keep up with Melbourne's rising cost of living — we are now ranked as the sixth most expensive city in the world. The news of free trams is even more explosive. No longer do you need to watch your back while hitching a ride from the State Library to Fed Square (seriously, I once got a $212 fine for this three-block trip); trams in both the CBD grid and Docklands will be unpoliced and free to ride from January 1. The free area will include everything between Flinders Street, La Trobe Street, and Spring Street with the added inclusion of Queen Victoria Markets. However, once you pass these zones you will have to touch on (and I'm sure the likeable folks of Public Transport Victoria will be waiting with open arms). Though the move will cost the state government upwards of $100 million, it's a win for a number of reasons. Firstly, it will ease congestion and speed up CBD travel with no one incessantly tapping their Mykis on and off, and the tourism industry will also flourish as visitors will no longer need to purchase non-refundable Myki tickets or forlornly wait for the slow and ineffective City Circle tram. However, concerns have been raised about the repercussions of such changes. Tony Morton, President of the Public Transport Users Association told The Age, ‘‘We absolutely believe that what this will do is increase fares overall." "When zone 3 tickets were abolished, any saving that there was from that was more than clawed back with increases to zone 1 and 2 fares,’’ he said. For the moment, we're remaining cautiously optimistic. Any changes that endorse and strengthen our public transport system are obviously a step in the right direction towards long-term sustainability. But at the same time, we've been burnt in the past. Via The Age. Image credit: Michael Aulia.
It's that time again, film fans. Cannes time. The red carpet has been rolled out on the French Riviera, everyone from famed Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar to famed fresh prince Will Smith are sitting on the jury, and one of the biggest film festivals of the world is officially underway. That means one of two things between May 17 and 28: if you're actually there, lines, more lines, even more lines, star-spotting and seeing a heap of eagerly anticipated movies. If you're not, you're crossing your fingers and toes, and praying to whichever filmmaker you consider your own personal cinema deity, hoping that all of the flicks showing will make it to Australian screens sooner rather than later. Some are already headed our way — thank the Sydney Film Festival for bringing us Happy End, Sofia Coppola's anticipated remake of The Beguiled, Okja, Wind River, Napalm, In the Fade and Sea Sorrow in June, for example. One, in the form of documentary David Stratton: A Cinematic Life, has already released in cinemas here. As for the rest, here's our wishlist of the movies we can't wait to see on our screens as soon as possible. THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER Whether you loved The Lobster or didn't, one thing is certain: the absurdist, dystopian look at romance and coupling isn't the kind of movie that the likes of Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz and John C. Reilly star in every day. Actually, scratch that for Farrell, as he's in director Yorgos Lanthimos' next effort too, and this time he has Nicole Kidman and Alicia Silverstone for company. The Killing of a Sacred Deer tells of a charismatic surgeon, a teenage boy and sacrifices — and if that sounds mysterious, that's because most of Lanthimos' films do. Come for the cast. Come for the concept. Come for a director riding the Greek New Wave to make movies (and soon, TV shows) like no one else. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYzSXWukOWA WONDERSTRUCK The last time Todd Haynes made a film, he directed a love story for the ages in the form of Carol. The last time one of Brian Selznick's books was adapted to the screen, the cinematic love letter that was Hugo was the end result. Combine the two, and you get Wonderstruck, a tale of two children longing for different lives that sounds like a match made in movie heaven. Pete's Dragon's Oakes Fegley and first-timer Millicent Simmonds play the kids, while the adult cast includes Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams. YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE Did We Need to Talk About Kevin unnerve you? It has been six years since director Lynne Ramsay made everyone think twice about procreating, and now the Scottish filmmaker is back with something completely different, subject-wise, in You Were Never Really Here. Joining forces with acting powerhouse Joaquin Phoenix, the film dives into the weighty subject of sex trafficking. It's Ramsay's fourth feature, and also her fourth film to premiere at Cannes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVyGCxHZ_Ko GOOD TIME He has played a quidditch captain, a sparkly vampire, Salvador Dali, a snapper of James Dean and someone who might've played a hand in the fictionalised rise of fascism. Next up, Robert Pattinson turns bank robber in Good Time, and is forced to flee dangerous criminals on the streets of New York. RPatz isn't the only attraction though, with the film also starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Captain Phillips' Barkhad Abdi, and marking the latest effort from brothers Benny and Josh Safdie. The latter were responsible for festival hit Heaven Knows What back in 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04U_qUJkZG0 THE DAY AFTER AND CLAIRE'S CAMERA It's safe to say that no filmmaker today works harder than Hong Sang-soo. In the past year, the South Korean director has premiered four — yep, four — new features, with Cannes boasting two. With that in mind, we're not cheating by including both in our list. We just can't separate them. Competing for the Palme d'Or, The Day After follows a woman starting work for a publishing company, while the Isabelle Huppert-starring Claire's Camera is set at Cannes itself. Expect amusing slices of life filled with plenty of booze, as is Hong's custom. And as for the other two flicks we mentioned, Yourself and Yours popped up at the Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival last year, and On the Beach at Night Alone screened at the Berlinale. Image: Honourable mention — The Beguiled.
Ever dreamed about ditching your stressful life for a three-day stay in a remote glass cabin in the Swedish wilderness? Well, that adventure has just become a reality for five international guests, who participated in a Swedish case study called The 72-Hour Cabin, a project designed to highlight and measure the positive effects of the Swedes' nature-loving lifestyle. Developed by a pair of researchers from Stockholm's Karolinska Institute, the study saw a diverse group getting up close and personal with Sweden's nature, leaving behind typically stressful jobs for a 72-hour stint in a glass cabin and an itinerary of activities like fishing, swimming and cooking. The lucky participants included a Parisian taxi driver, a New York events coordinator, a police officer from Munich and a broadcaster and a travel journalist, both from London. Each guest had their wellbeing monitored as they kicked back in their gorgeous, secluded digs on Henriksholm Island in the country's west, getting a taste for what the study explains is a "special bond Swedes have with their natural environment". The project's results will be published next month and, if it's thought to be a success, those cabins could soon be available to any visitor keen for a Swedish-style de-stress session. Until then, try and get a booking at one of NSW's own tiny off-grid wilderness cabins.
A Danish designer by the name of Mads Johansen has cooked up a Hobbit-sized campervan. Officially named the 'Wide Path Camper', it's roomy enough to sleep 2.5 adults and folds up so that you can hook it to your bicycle and take it with you — everywhere you go. Well, maybe not exactly everywhere. Just how far you'll be able to tug this uber-cute creation will depend on your thigh power. Weighing in at 40 kilograms, it's lightweight considering how much space is included, but dragging it up hills might be challenging. That said, it's certainly quite the kit-up for flat terrain cycling adventures. Ride across the Nullarbor, anyone? Altogether there's more than 300 litres of storage space, as well as two beds that can be converted into seating areas. The windows are fitted with curtains for privacy. A couple of optional add-ons are possible, including a solar cell, which can be used for recharging your smartphone; an outdoors kitchen area; and an awning. At this stage, the Wide Path Camper is still in prototype mode. But, if all goes to plan, it'll be up for sale by 2015, with a price tag of about US$2500 (around AU$2880). Via Gizmag.
Sometimes really shitty weather has its upside. Pulling a solid Community Chest card, London is about to open its very first board games-centric cafe in Hackney this September. Sure, plenty of eateries, pubs and existing cafes have a smattering of Scattergoric fun times already stashed in the bookshelves, but Draughts intends to bring games to the forefront — already proven successful by Adelaide's Hungry Hippo and Oxford's Thirsty Meeples. Serving up an impressive 500+ range of old school fun inducers, Draughts will stock both your favourite table toppers like Cluedo, Monopoly and Scrabble alongside weird and wonderful niche releases like Hanabi and one apparently called Chicken Cha Cha Cha. Board game purists will be able to engage in intense bots of chess, checkers and (of course) draughts, while the cafe serves as a perfect loud group outing option (if Boggle is your style). Draughts will function as an all-day cafe, counting freshly made coffee, cakes, milkshakes and sandwiches on the menu before fuelling rambunctious rounds of Risk with ciders and lagers in the chilly London evenings. If you're into the Game of Life, you'll appreciate a few pints. Remember that family member who insisted on reading out the rules, one by one, even after everyone had given up and left them flying solo at the table? Chances are they now work at Draughts, ready to help you out with any Monopoly rule rifts, help you set up the painstaking Mouse Trap board or get you started on something you might never have tried — big fingers crossed for 13 Dead End Drive or The White Unicorn. Just trust me. Draughts know their board games so well, they decided to create a London Tube map to help you out when you're picking: Via Guardian. Photo from The Hungry Hippo.
Love might be blind, but deaf it is not. Just ask anyone who’s fallen madly for a snorer. Like Anthony Burgess wrote, “Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.” No amount of moonlit serenading, Shakespearean declarations of passion or Lindt chocolate can make up for harrowing nights next to your own personal Boeing-747. But how to deal with it? Entire national websites are dedicated to the problem. Surgery to remove parts of the snorer’s mouth and throat? Implants to harden up their palate? Sticking tape to their nose and chin? Approaching an ear plug company for sponsorship? The Crowne Plaza Hotel chain has trialled “snore absorption” rooms in Europe and “snore monitors” in the UK. The latter patrol a hotel’s “quiet zones”, knocking on the doors of snorers who are audible from the corridor. Hammacher Schlemmer, supplier of “unexpected gifts”, has now introduced a 'Snore Activated Nudging Pillow' to the market. A tiny inbuilt microphone picks up on the sonic vibrations caused by snoring. As they escalate, an internal bladder fills with air, causing the would-be marriage wrecker to shift position. It’s possible to adjust the mic according to the user’s velocity and set the inflation level at anywhere between 7 and 17 centimetres. A contoured shape and 100 percent polyurethane filling aim to make the pillow as comfy as possible and the 100 percent polyester removable cover is machine-washable. Valentine’s Day might have come and gone, but if you don’t mind spontaneously splashing out on your favourite unbearably noisy bedfellow, US$149.95 will buy a Snore Activated Nudging Pillow. Via PSFK.
First, the great news: come July, beef sandwiches will be back on the menu. Watching season two of one of the best new shows of 2022, and a Golden Globe-winner at that, will be as well. On Wednesday, July 19, The Bear is set to return Down Under with its latest episodes, taking viewers back to Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto's (Jeremy Allen White, Shameless) Chicago sandwich shop — one that, based on the teasers and trailers for this new serving, is undergoing plenty of change. Disney+ will drop all ten episodes of season two at the same time, ready for prime mid-July binge sessions. Obviously, you know what you should be eating while you watch. But, if you don't want to know what happens in advance, you might want to avoid the internet until then. This Thursday, June 22, American audiences will get the full season, saying "yes chef!" to The Bear's return a month before Australian and New Zealand viewers. Of course, more of The Bear is still more of The Bear, no matter it arrives. Also, Australia and NZ experienced a delay when season one premiered in 2022 as well. Then, however, the show was new and untested — now, it's one of the most-anticipated streaming meals of 2023. From its sneak peeks so far — and from where season one left off — season two sees Carmy take a new path with the family eatery that he returned to run after his brother's (Jon Bernthal, We Own This City) death. This new round of intense kitchen and interpersonal chaos will see its head chef keep dreaming of levelling up the humble beef-slinging business. Trying to bring a fine-diner's level of meticulous to The Original Beef of Chicagoland didn't go smoothly in season one, though, and endeavouring to completely transform the restaurant was always going to be peppered with mayhem in season two. Get ready to devour requests for cash, tight timelines, constant construction noise, cooking experiments, visits to culinary school, awkward interviews and t-shirt typos. And, of course, an array of dishes being whipped up and instantly whetting appetites off-screen. The show's full season two trailer also adds Shiva Baby and Booksmart's Molly Gordon to the cast — and, although he hasn't been seen in an early glimpses, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul great Bob Odenkirk will also be guest starring. Gordon and Odenkirk join not only the exceptional White, but the rest of The Bear's impressive roster of talent, such as Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Dropout) as Richie, aka Cousin, aka Carmy's brother's best friend; Ayo Edebiri (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) as sous chef Sydney; Abby Elliott (Indebted) as Carmy's sister Natalie, aka Sugar; and Lionel Boyce (Hap and Leonard), Liza Colón-Zayas (In Treatment) and Edwin Lee Gibson (Fargo) among the other Original Beef staff. If you missed the first season, it jumped into the mayhem after Carmy took over the diner. Before returning home, the chef's resume spanned Noma and The French Laundry, as well as awards and acclaim. That's just the beginning of the story, in a series that truly conveyed what it's like to work in the hospitality industry — including navigating a restaurant kitchen's non-stop pressures. Yes, the mood is anxious from the outset, with The Bear's creator Christopher Storer (who also has Ramy, Dickinson and Bo Burnham: Make Happy on his resume) starting the series as he definitely meant to go on, but still expertly managing to balance drama and comedy. Check out the US trailer for The Bear season two below: The Bear season two will stream via Disney+ Down Under from on Wednesday, July 19. Read our full review of season one.
Everyone has petty feuds. That's one of the truths behind Beef, which brought squabbling strangers into everyone's streaming queues in 2023 and became one of the best new shows of the year in the process. So, although the series was initially meant to be a once-off, plenty more people could disagree, argue and hold grudges on-screen — and, soon, more might. Netflix hasn't renewed Beef for season two yet, but word keeps circling that more could be on the way. And if the Golden Globe-, Emmy-, Gotham, Screen Actors Guild Award-, Independent Spirit Award and Producers Guild Award-winner does make a comeback, Jake Gyllenhaal (Guy Ritchie's The Covenant), Anne Hathaway (Armageddon Time), Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla) and Charles Melton (May December) could be taking over from Steven Yeun (Nope) and Ali Wong (Paper Girls). [caption id="attachment_849830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ambulance[/caption] Deadline is reporting that all four actors are being circled for the Beef's second season, making the show an anthology series by switching to a completely different storyline. The plot favoured is about two feuding couples — and that's it in terms of details so far, other than that Netflix and A24, which are behind the program, are keen for the season two to start shooting before 2024 is out. Gyllenhaal and Hathaway would reunite not only after Love & Other Drugs, but also Brokeback Mountain. Spaeny and Melton are fresh off spectacular performances in the aforementioned Priscilla and May December, with both shock omissions from 2024's Oscar nominees. [caption id="attachment_936946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Priscilla[/caption] If you missed season one of the Lee Sung Jin (Dave)-created Beef, it followed Danny Cho (Yeun) and Amy Lau (Wong) after they got in a fender bender, then neither handled it well. Cue a feud that they can't shake, infiltrating their lives and relationships. If their quest for revenge each other just fizzled out, there obviously wouldn't be a series. Part of Beef's ongoing beef in season one stemmed from a comedy staple: putting opposites together and seeing what springs. Danny is struggling as a contractor and isn't happy about it, while Amy lives a seemingly idyllic life thanks to her success as an entrepreneur. They both share a need to get back at each other, though — and to see through their clash to the end. Check out the trailer for Beef season one below: Beef season two hasn't been officially announced, and doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when more details are locked in. Beef season streams via Netflix — read our review. Images: Netflix. Via Deadline.
BrewDog might be best known for its yeasty ales and lagers; however the Scottish beer outfit has earned plenty of attention for its other activities. It boasts the world's first craft beer hotel to its name, as well as the world's first craft beer airline — and then there's the decision to make Brisbane its base for its first Australian brewery. Now, BrewDog is doing something that was always destined to, given the company's choice of canine-friendly moniker. Its latest beer is called Subwoofer IPA — and yes, it's 100 percent made for thirsty doggos. No strangers to dog-friendly events — you can take your four-legged buddy to stay in its Ohio hotel, for example — BrewDog has whipped up some hooch for pooches that uses the same wort (aka malted barley and hot water) that goes into their regular IPA. For canines, the brew also has a meaty element to get doggo tongues wagging, as well as B vitamins and probiotics. It's described as possessing "a a malt backbone and a 'hoppy' overtone from citrus", which sounds just like many a beer for humans. Crucially, Subwoofer IPA is alcohol-free, doesn't actually contain any hops and is also non-carbonated. BrewDog is calling it the first craft beer for dogs, although other breweries have made similar tipples for humankind's best friend. Earlier this year, Brisbane's Archer Brewery did just that, while brands like Snuffle, Bark Brew and Dawg Grog have been doing the same for a while. Served in 250ml bottles — and then in your dog's chosen bowl, obviously — Subwoofer IPA is only available in the UK at present. Fingers and paws crossed that it makes the jump down under when BrewDog's Brisbane brewery opens its doors. Image: BrewDog.
In an era of technology firsts, it's hardly surprising that a computer is now capable of mirroring human intelligence. Over the weekend, a computer programme known as 'Eugene Goostman' proved itself capable of imitating the living when it was the first ever programme to pass the Turing Test. Eponymously named for its designer, British mathematician and cryptographer Alan Turing, no previous competitor had passed the test in its 65-year existence. Needless to say, passing the Turing Test is no easy feat. To prove successful, at least 30 percent of the judges must be convinced that the competitor is human. During the Turing Test 2014 Competition over the weekend, one-third of the panel deemed Eugene Goostman just that. Entered under the guise of a 13-year-old boy from the Ukraine, Eugene Goostman competed against 25 humans and other fellow programmes. The team behind Eugene Goostman comprised of one Russian and two Ukrainian programmers. Endowed with particulars that seemed just odd enough to qualify as human (a pet guinea pig, a gynecologist father), the long-awaited winning programme is actually a chatbot developed in 2001. The ingenue in this case is found in the simplicity of approach. Rendering their entry ignorant by diminishing his supposed age, the chatbot’s programmers acknowledge their surprising strategy. One of Eugene Goostman’s creators, Vladimir Veselov revealed in a statement, "Our main idea was that he can claim that he knows anything, but his age also makes it perfectly reasonable that he doesn't know everything. We spent a lot of time developing a character with a believable personality." Someone who claims to know it all but, in truth, knows little? No wonder they thought he was human. Via The Guardian and PC World.
Mates are great. They're there for all the highs and lows throughout our lives, from popping champagne when we land a promotion to bringing us ice cream in the middle of the night after a bad break up. With 2020 being such a dud, we've come to realise even more how important those close to us are. So, as Christmas is just around the corner, it's time to show your friends a big fat thanks for all their love and support this year. In partnership with Square, we've searched through Victoria's independent shops to help you do just that. Why? Because your pals deserve the world, not yet another book or pair of socks you picked up in a hurry. And, because we don't want you to go breaking the bank over these, we've put together a list of ten cracking gifts that each cost under $100. Plus, you'll be buying from local legends who, after a pretty tough year, need your support. If you are a small business owner, Square has the tools you need to take payments and maximise your sales, including an ebook with tips to help you get started this holiday season. BUCKET HAT, SECOND STITCH ($55) Social enterprise Second Stitch employs refugee and asylum seeker workers in its Coburg studio. As well as making a heap of cotton face masks during lockdown, it also peddles non-COVID-related accessories such as giant scrunchies, bags, cushions and purses. Now that the sun is coming out to play, we're sure your mate will want to spend as much time outdoors as possible. So, perhaps a fun bucket hat is the perfect way to say thanks and, in turn, have their back this summer. After all, nobody likes a sunburnt scalp. Second Stitch's hats come in four different colours — black, navy, khaki and blue check — so you're able to get them a hat that'll suit their style, too. Add in $8 for shipping, or pick up in store. HER BEST FRIEND PUZZLE, OKAY LADY ($79) If your mate sent you a bunch of fun activities to help you pass the time during lockdown (and lockdown 2.0), then it might be wise to return the favour. Chances are you have at least one friend who developed a penchant for puzzles this year and, if that's the case, a pressie from online jigsaw puzzle company Okay Lady will be a winner. Okay Lady puzzles champion Aussie women illustrators and come in environmentally friendly packaging — no plastic in sight. If you're gifting this to your bestie, get this super-cute 400-piece jigsaw by Queensland artist Sophie Beer that features two besties and some adorable pups. Shipping is free across Australia. 'STEAL THE LIGHT', THE CAT EMPIRE, COTTONMOUTH RECORDS ($37) If you've got a muso mate, there's no question a record makes for a great gift. But, with taste in tunes being such a personal thing, it can be hard to pick a piece of black gold. Enter Sydney's Cottonmouth Records. Sure it may be across the border, but you don't need to live nearby to take advantage of owner Zachery Williams' eclectic vinyl collection. Its online store has everything from the Pixies and New Order to Groove Armada and Action Bronson. If your friend is a fan of joyous, trumpet-laden tunes, we think a record by Melbourne-based musicians The Cat Empire will be a hit. We've picked the band's sixth studio album Steal the Light not only because it has some great tracks, but the cover art by Graeme Base is pretty sweet, too. Shipping is $15, or free for orders over $100. ONE-LITRE CANIMAL, THE MILL BREWERY ($15–22) We all know someone who loves a good craft brew. The one who plans the perfect brewery crawls, orders strange brews even at your local and scoffs at the idea of a schooey of VB. Luckily, Melbourne has craft breweries aplenty, so finding a top-notch tipple for them isn't all that hard. If you don't know where to start, though, The Mill Brewery is a great port of call. Mostly known for its ales, the Collingwood brewery sells one-litre tinnies of its brews for those wanting more than a stubby but less than a growler. Cheekily called Canimal, the one-litre can can be filled with any tap brew. If you're planning on ordering a few, shipping is a flat rate of $19.95, otherwise swing by and pick it up in person. ARC VESSEL SMALL, MILK WORKSHOP ($65) Milk Workshop is a small ceramic studio in Melbourne by a former fashion and graphic designer, so you can bet these wares are as beautiful as they are functional. It produces everything from planters to plates, mugs and vases, with every piece hand-built. Expect minimalist clean lines, organic textures and subtle detailing across Milk's products, including this beautiful (and watertight) vessel that's ideal for holding flowers. If you really want to show your friend how much you love them, you can pick up a teeny-tiny bunch of blooms to accompany this sleek ceramic vase, too. Shipping is a flat rate of $10, or you can drop by the workshop and pick it up for no extra cost. MAISON BALZAC LE BOIS CANDLE, THE PLANT SOCIETY ($70) French-born and Sydney-based Elise Pioch had the right idea when she created Maison Balzac: she wanted to develop a product that would take her right back to her childhood. Short of creating a time machine, she achieved that goal with her wonderfully fragrant candles, as well as colourful retro-chic homewares like wine goblets, tableware and vases. If you want to throw your support behind a local business, you can purchase her perfumed candles through The Plant Society's online store. Our pick is Le Bois, with notes of cedar wood, leather and smoke. The Plant Society offers free local shipping for orders over $50, too, or you can pick it up in store. COCKATOO CUSHION IN ROSE, COCKATOO COLLECTION ($69) Melbourne-based brand Cockatoo Collection is a one-stop-shop for cute, colourful homewares, from tea towels and trays to cushions and candles, that combine simple Scandinavian design aesthetic with bold Australiana nods. Most pieces are designed and made in Melbourne by the brand's owners Helena and Katarina, while the rest comes from other Aussie designers, illustrators and creators. Everything the brand touts is pretty cute, but we reckon your supportive soul mate will love a cushy pillow sporting a cockatoo, naturally, and available in pink, aqua and grey. Shipping is free for orders over $25. THE OG BLO BRUSH, BLO BRUSH ($89.95) For all the sophisticated glamour queens in your life, look no further than this three-in-one hair styling wonder from Blo Brush. Part-hairdryer, part-straightener and part-volumiser, this nifty machine lets you recreate a salon blow-dry at home in a fraction of the time. And, it's pretty portable, too. So grab it for your pal who is constantly on the go, but loves to look chic day and night. You can even opt to have it boxed in Christmas-themed packaging. Orders are shipped via express post, so it'll be on your mate's doorstep in a matter of days. ONE FINE SUNDAY TOWEL, THE SHEARER'S WIFE ($55) It's summer, which means there are many beach days on the horizon. If you've got a mate who's beach towel is looking a little threadbare, gift them a brand new one like this chic number from Aussie brand One Fine Sunday. Available in an array of colours and patterns, including mustard green, beige and white stripes and charcoal stonewash, these Turkish towels are made from high-quality cotton, traditionally loomed and hand tied in Turkey. Not only will your mate tout it at the beach, but it also makes for a great picnic blanket. Shipping costs $10 around Australia or you can pick up from The Shearer's Wife in Cooma. SCALLOP TASSEL LARGE, SEASHELLS & CO ($60) If you don't want to turn up empty handed at Christmas lunch with friends, these hand-painted scallop shells from Seashells & Co make for an excellent pressie. The decorative shells will liven up any interior, so perhaps nab one for your mates who'll be WFH for the foreseeable future. They're made in sunny Port Douglas and come individually gift wrapped, so you don't have to worry about picking up wrapping paper either. Find out how Square is supporting small businesses with the tools they need to grow, here. If you are a small business owner, Square has guidance on how best to maximise sales in the run up to the Christmas holiday period in its ebook, found here.
For Queenslanders, Bundaberg Rum is the nectar of the gods. To its most devoted admirers, it is known as 'sugarcane champagne', a colloquial fan term that Bundy has now officially co-signed in a new 'sparkling' beverage the distillery is releasing in partnership with Uber Eats. The creation is called Maison de Bundy's Blanc de Cane, a faux-pretentious riff on champagne house nomenclature, and is an alcoholic ginger beer made with white Queensland cane spirit and Bundaberg Ginger Beer. Not to be confused with the Dark 'n' Stormy, this drop doesn't actually contain rum per se — rather, white cane spirit is the base spirit used to make rum. The resulting beverage is super sweet, extremely easy to drink (4% ABV) and is best served cold on ice with a squeeze of lime. The good news for rum fans and Bundy collectors: They're giving the stuff away for free. This Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 at Leonards and Dawn in Brisbane, The Civic Hotel in Sydney and The Sporting Globe in Melbourne (the Richmond location), you can turn up, show bar staff the Uber Eats app on your phone along with proof of ID and you'll get a free 640ml bottle. The bad news? Maison de Bundy's Blanc de Cane comes in an extremely limited run of one thousand bottles so you'll want to set your alarm. It will be available in the aforementioned venues from 5pm on Friday until they're all gone. There are people out there who will line up for these like BTS fans lining up for concert tickets. One thousand Maison de Bundy's Blanc de Cane will be available across selected Australian venues. Just show your Uber Eats app and proof of ID to claim a 640ml bottle this Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11.
For fans of distressed denim, the more unique the method of wearing them down the better. But these guys have taken things next level. A denim company in Japan has decided to outsource their distressing work to lions, tigers and bears for their latest collection. Before you get on a soapbox about any sort of animal exploitation, it’s only for a limited run of four pairs of jeans and it's all in the name of charity. Oh my! Zoo Jeans is an initiative by the Mineko Club of zoo volunteers who have partnered with Japan's Kamine Zoo in Hitachi City. The jeans will be auctioned off online and you'd better get in quick as the bidding started on Monday. Funds raised from the jeans will go towards the World Wildlife Fund and to the revitalisation of the Kamine Zoo. The favourite playthings of the bears, tigers and lions — rubber balls and tyres – were covered with sheets of denim and left in their enclosures for them to gnaw at, tear and generally muck around with. When the animal crew decided they’d had enough, the toys were retrieved and the denim — or what is left of it was removed. The denim was not altered further, except to be cut and sewn into jeans. At the time of writing this the current bid for the T1 Jeans (designed by tigers) stands at ¥121,000, which is roughly $AUD1,267. The two pairs of Lion Jeans, one women’s and one men’s, are currently sitting at ¥50,000. If fashion for you hinges around being the central topic of conversation, you’d be a hard one to beat in these threads. Via GQ and Zoo Jeans.
