Canberra's legendary music, art and food festival Spilt Milk is set to return for its fourth edition this summer, though this year, the ACT's not the only place that'll be getting a taste of the action. Regional Victoria is also coming to the party, as the festival expands and adds a second Ballarat outing to its bill. Yep, the one-dayer is doubling in size, hitting Canberra's Commonwealth Park on Saturday, November 23, before making its southern debut at Ballarat's Victoria Park on November 30. That should mean twice as many festivalgoers get to join in the fun, which is a win given Spilt Milk tickets have sold out in under 30 minutes every year. If you're interstate and have missed out previously, this could be your chance to score a look-in. And, in even more exciting news, the festival's jam-packed lineup has just dropped. Heading the bill is American R&B star Khalid, who'll be heading Down Under fresh off the back of releasing his chart-topping debut album, Free Spirit. Khalid has also previously collaborated with the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish — and he's only 21. He'll be joined by fellow international artists, Scottish synth-pop trio Chvrches and Chicago rapper Juice Wrld. There's also plenty of homegrown goodness on the menu, with the likes of indie rock band Middle Kids, Triple J Hottest 100 winners Ocean Alley, electro trio Mansionair and Adelaide rapper Allday all set to take the Spilt Milk stage. But the musical lineup's not to be outdone by the rest of the program, with a ripper serve of visual art, tasty eats and pop-up bars on the cards. As well as mojitos on tap, there'll be eats from the likes of Belle's Hot Chicken, Bluebonnet BBQ, Mr Burger and Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteak. [caption id="attachment_724817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Khalid[/caption] In the meantime, here's what you came for — the full lineup for Spilt Milk 2019. SPILT MILK 2019 LINEUP Allday Arno Faraji Bene Choomba Chvrches Confidence Man Dom Dolla Dune Rats G Flip Godlands Golden Features Groove City Illy Juice Wrld Khalid Kota Banks Lastlings Lime Cordiale Mansionair Middle Kids Ocean Alley Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Rat!Hammock (Ballarat only) Running Touch Sippy Teen Jesus & the Jean Teasers (Canberra only) Tones and I Winston Surfshirt SPILT MILK 2019 DATES Canberra — Commonwealth Park, Saturday, November 23 Ballarat — Victoria Park, Saturday, November 30 Spilt Milk 2019 pre-sale tickets are released at 8am on Wednesday, June 12 (you can sign-up for those on the website) with general tickets going on sale at 8am on Thursday, June 13. Top images: Jordan Munns and Billy Zammit.
From Thursday, October 6–Sunday, October 23, Melbourne Fringe Festival is returning with a bang, celebrating its 40th anniversary with what's set to be its heftiest program yet. The independent arts festival will this year dish up over 450 events from talent both established and emerging, covering dazzling performances, participatory art, groundbreaking theatre and everything in between. All speaking to the theme: 'It's About Time'. Fringe even has some brand new goodies in store, including Runaway Festival Park — a new pop-up art park at Queen Victoria Market serving a program of comedy, cabaret, circus and drag performances headlined by Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett. Fringe-goers can also look forward to the return of an old favourite, as the Fringe Parade and Lygon Street Block Party descends on Carlton for a big, bold, inclusive shindig, complete with two outdoor stages and roving performers. The rest of the program is packed with creative delights for all tastes; from a mesmerising contemporary dance installation in Docklands called Pendulum, to an all-night Meatloaf-themed communal karaoke session. Matthias Schack-Arnott's Groundswell takes the form of a giant percussive rain drum that passersby can 'play' by walking upon its surface. Meanwhile, Prahran Square plays host to a unique live music event, which sees unedited words from three local contemporary writers presented in four-part harmony by a mass choir. [caption id="attachment_823767" align="alignnone" width="1920"] YUMMY Deluxe, Melbourne Fringe Festival 2019, by Theresa Harrison[/caption] Food-meets-art creatives Long Prawn will host a live yabby fishing experience; free participatory public artwork Hexadeca will bring an installation of spinning musical bucket seats to Fed Square; and you can join in a four-hour line dance marathon at Coburg RSL. And of course, gracing stages throughout the festival will be a mega lineup of acts doing what they do best, including Geraldine Quinn, YUMMY, Jude Perl, Kween Kong (Drag Race Down Under), The Chaser's Andrew Hansen, Jordan Barr, Lou Wall and Sarah Ward. [caption id="attachment_867928" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Multiply', Melbourne Fringe 2020, credit Gregory Lorenzutti[/caption] Top Image: Duncan Jacobs.
Wearable technologies seem to be at a bit of an impasse. We vaguely recognise that they're the way forward but haven't quite got the design down. Do we want to draw pictures in the air with a ring a la Minority Report, or are we actually going to embrace the clunky computer-faced chic of Google Glass? Presumably neither. New technologies always start in the dorkiest way possible. But with Google's latest release of Android Wear — and, more specifically, a smartwatch that isn't at all ugly — the future of wearable technologies is looking a little more bright. Android Wear is basically a wrist-sized version of Google's already released Now software. The service, which is surely putting actual personal assistants out of business, is a nifty little program that self-organises information from your email, calendar, maps and apps to create appropriately timed reminders and messages on your smartphone. Yes, it's got that familiar brand of Skynet creepiness, but it sure is helpful all the same. As a smartwatch, this service appears a lot less intrusive. There won't be a million windows popping up on your phone and the miniaturised, clean aesthetic allows for brevity and concision. Also, as the video shows, you now have the opportunity to say "OK Google" into your wrist like a freakin' special agent. The watches are set to be released by Motorola and LG sometime in the next few months so keep an ear out for the no-doubt exorbitant prices and stockists. A bit further down the track, the plan is to team up with fashion labels, starting with Fossil, to produce watches fitted with the operating system. Via The Verge.
This year, Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens clocks up a huge 175 years. And to mark this milestone birthday, it's inviting punters along for an in-depth glimpse at some of its most iconic landscapes. A new series of free Garden Gathering events kicks off on Saturday, February 20, each one focused on celebrating a different aspect of the historic 38-hectare precinct. First up, is a deep-dive into the newly completed arid garden, and surrounding elements like the eucalypt lawn and Guilfoyle's Volcano. This little pocket of the gardens features a whopping 3000 arid plants, including a vibrant array of striking cacti and succulents that'll have you plotting your next plant shop visit, stat. Bring along a picnic lunch, and settle in for an afternoon of nature appreciation and knowledge. Running from 10am–3pm, each Garden Gathering event will deliver a fresh program of guided tours, curator talks and self-guided activities, along with a series of creative workshops designed to inspire some green thumb action of your own.
If there's one way to get cosy this October, it's with a steaming bowl of 29-cheese gnocchi inside Cucinetta's 29-square-metre space. This is the dish's ninth appearance, driven by insanely high popular demand. The name is no misnomer. There truly, really, are no fewer than 29 cheeses in the 29-cheese gnocchi. We can't list them all here. But we can tell you they include burrata, truffle caciotta, ricotta delicata, smoked bocconcini... and another 25. In case you're wondering where all the cheese is coming from, you should know Cucinetta's not-so-secret source is That's Amore Cheese. Founded by Sicilian-born Giorgio Linguanti in 2008, it now supplies restaurants across Melbourne and has won tons of awards. Priced at $36 per serving, the 29-cheese gnocchi is on the menu every day in October for lunch and dinner, alongside the rest of Cucinetta's dishes. Be sure to book soon — when we last saw it in April this year, tables were snapped up fast.
Like the sound of a power reformer strength class? Always wanted to try hot pilates? Absolutely pumped to sweat, smile, and soak up all the good vibes? Upstate's annual Open House Weekend is back, and you're invited. With 290 free classes cranking across 12 studios in Melbourne and regional Victoria, this event – which takes place on Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23 – offers two days of electrifying workouts, as well as awesome prizes and offers. To celebrate, Upstate is giving you an exclusive 50% discount on their 30-Day intro offer. Plus, there's a chance to win a 12-month membership – just share a photo or video during the weekend and tag @upstate_studios on Instagram. Whether it's yoga or heavy-hitting boxing that takes your fancy, Upstate's no-strings, no-catches classes are an excellent way to challenge yourself, have fun and meet new people. They'll take place across all Upstate locations, including Richmond, Fitzroy, South Yarra, South Melbourne, Balaclava, Ascot Vale, Geelong, Newtown, Torquay, Ocean Grove and Ballarat. Ready to go? Simply download the Upstate app and reserve your free classes. Saturday sessions run from 6am-4pm and Sunday session from 7am-7pm – but don't forget to check the schedule for exact times. Whatever your vibe, Upstate is ready for you.
Know what's brilliant? Extending a work trip into a long, playful weekend in Sydney, full of food, wine, culture and revels. In this case, you might want to stay in Darling Harbour, because it's home to the Sydney Convention Centre — but it also makes a great jumping-off point for exploring the city. You've got some of Sydney's best restaurateurs working their magic right in front of you, the new cultural precincts of Barangaroo and Darling Square to explore, water views everywhere you turn, and the ferry wharf enabling easy day trips across the harbour. Here's how to get a luxury winter weekender out of Darling Harbour. EAT AND DRINK To experience some of the most exciting cooking being done in Sydney, you'll want to follow the waterfront around to Barangaroo. The precinct only began opening its first completed sections in 2015, and already there's more life here than you might expect from a masterplanned development. Mainly, people come for the food and drink. At the fancier end of the spectrum, there's seafood-focused Cirrus Dining, the new offering from local food scene celebs Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt of Bentley. It's the spot for a quintessential Sydney blow-out lunch of oysters, trevally tartare and roasted king prawns with koji butter. Lotus Dumpling Bar and Turkish joint Anason are two more casual options that still wow. Alternatively (or afterwards), head to 12-Micron, a contemporary-Oz affair that stands out for its focus on dessert. They even offer a three- or five-course dessert degustation, with flavour combinations like Pyengana Cheddar, milk chocolate, plum and honeycomb all bundled together into one dish. Also note their use of native ingredients on every plate — it's something you don't see often enough in Australia. Follow all this up with some appropriately refined drinking. One luxe spot in this area is small bar Solera, with it's lush decor (think green velvet couches and flashes of marbles). Another good option is Banksii, where the specialty is vermouth and everything just sings. Back in Darling Harbour proper, Sofitel Darling Harbour's Champagne Bar is perfect for an indulgent nightcap after a long day of exploring. Over 20 different types of Champagne are on offer, from Carnard-Duchene and Pol Roger to a 2009 Louis Roederer vintage in collaboration with artist Philippe Starck. If you prefer brews over bubbles, Pumphouse has one of the best beer selections in the city, from easy-drinking lagers to heavy-going stouts. In this area, you'll also find one of Sydney's most well-known fine-diners, Sepia. This is still a great special-occasion spot, where your dinner looks like a procession of miniature landscapes and sculptures. A more casual option in this area is the Ternary at the Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour, a crowd-pleasing bar and restaurant with three distinct offerings: Grill Kitchen, Asian Kitchen and Wine Bar. They know how to do winter too — they've scheduled a five-course, whisky-paired degustation on Thursday, August 30 for $189 per head. If dining isn't the headline act for this evening, drop by the newly launched Pier St Kitchen at the Novotel Sydney Darling Square. They offer a pre-theatre menu of one or two courses with matching wines from $30 — a good call given major venues like the International Convention Centre and The Capitol and State Theatres are a short stroll away. Or, take a stroll along The Goods Line to the new Darling Square food precinct Steam Mill Lane — here, you'll find a bevy of casual food options including famed Melbourne burger joint 8bit and poké place Fishbowl. DO You're in Sydney's theatre district right now, so you might as well make the most of it. The critically acclaimed and audience-adored British touring production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is on at the Roslyn Packer Theatre, just up from Barangaroo, until the end of July. After that there's Ruth Park's great Australian novel The Harp in the South, given a new adaptation by Kate Mulvany. Meanwhile, Capitol Theatre down in Haymarket begins its run of Jersey Boys at the end of August. Or, head in the other direction and into Pyrmont, where big musicals land at the Lyric Theatre. This winter, that's The Book of Mormon — the Broadway hit that also manages to be hugely offensive to just about everyone. There's a treat for lovers of high fashion in this part of town too. The Powerhouse Museum is hosting Reigning Men, the world's biggest exhibition of men's fashion, with garments pulled from aristocrats of the 18th century as well as the runways of today. Divine. If you don't mind doing a little learning on your mini break, stop by the Australian National Maritime Museum, which is currently hosting James Cameron: Challenging the Deep. This immersive exhibition centres on the filmmaker's oceanic explorations. You will be able to virtually explore the Titanic and Bismarck shipwrecks and see props from Cameron's films, including the Heart of the Ocean diamond. Your final foray in Darling Harbour should be to Barangaroo wharf, where you can catch a ride on the F3 ferry to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cockatoo Island. It used to be a penal colony, then a dockyard, and the mix of natural beauty and industrial ruin here is quite special and poetic. It's a great spot to just wander around and photograph — though there's also a haunted night tour if you just have to get intense about it. SLEEP Back to the mainland, where you've been smart enough to book yourself more deluxe lodgings. The Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is pure 5-star indulgence, with an infinity pool infinity pool offering stunning views of the Sydney skyline and the aforementioned Champagne Bar. If you're celebrating on this trip, get a Luxury Room with Darling Harbour view, where you can enjoy harbour views from your freestanding bathtub through floor-to-ceiling windows. Another option is the home of the aforementioned Ternary restaurant, the 4.5-star Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour. Its rooms have just been refreshed, with dark feature walls, light wood accents and oversized art creating a contemporary yet cosy feel. Go for the executive rooms and suites if you want to bask in those city panoramas. The 4.5-star Novotel Sydney Darling Square, meanwhile, is comfortably situated equidistant from the ICC and Chinatown, making it a good option if you're partial to a mid-afternoon nap before heading out into the action again. Go to the AccorHotels website to book your stay in Darling Harbour, and to discover more of NSW, check out Visit NSW.
There's a scene in the recently released 20,000 Days on Earth where Nick Cave claims he's genuinely jealous of Warren Ellis for having a piece of Nina Simone's used chewing gum. No ordinary piece of gum, this was what she chewed just before launching into the show of a lifetime. She stuck it on the piano in front of her, wiped her head with a ratty old towel and delivered a performance so phenomenal that its memory captivates Cave and Ellis more than a decade on. In an act of hardcore fandom Ellis grabbed both the towel and gum after her set. Inspired by these small pieces of sentimental memorabilia, Nick Cave and the creators of this semi-fictional documentary are currently curating an online Museum of Important Shit. Composed of user-submitted photographs, the museum documents the small keepsakes and trinkets that stay with us over the years. Whether that be a Polaroid photograph of a high school sweetheart, a lucky charm from your childhood or, on the more disgusting end of the spectrum, an old piece of gum wrapped in an old sweat rag. Validating hoarders all over the world, the collection really romanticises and unpacks the magic of these items. Dealing in "humble signifiers of huge significance," the museum's objective is to "catalogue the things that remind us of those transformative moments that make us who we are, and unlocks the stories connected to them." Comprised of over 200 items, the site currently displays receipts, drawings and a cigarette butt that once belonged to Tom Waits. For those who have seen 20,000 Days on Earth, the museum should come as no surprise. A bizarre blend of fiction and fact, the film is so centred upon the nature of memory that in many ways it emulates one — built on a shaky foundation of small moments and half-remembered stories. In one scene Cave narrates his memories through old photographs and collectables archived now as historical resources. "I've been a great collector of stuff from the start, you know, as a child, with my marbles and bits of string in my pocket," said Cave. "To this day, I keep the writing and photographs and the random ephemera, that over time, unexpectedly, collects meaning and significance. That stuff seems to be a kind of buttress that supports the soft tissue of my life. It feels connected to my soul in some kind of way. These physical things that define particular periods of my life, hold great importance to me. That stuff can unexpectedly reduce you to tears, because unexpected memory has that capacity. We all do it, I suppose, collect stuff, we all have our totems and touchstones that anchor us to our past. Stupid shit, in a way, but important shit." This important shit will be curated in the coming weeks by various actors and creative types including Richard Ayode (of The IT Crowd and recent directorial fame). And, while it may be hard for them to find a similarly profound meaning in all our trinkety junk, it's nice to know we're not the only ones collecting it. Via Wired.
One of the best directors to ever step behind the camera. Two of the absolute top living actors. An unnerving true tale. A Cannes-premiering film. That's a helluva combination — aka Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, events in the 1920s in Osage County in Oklahoma and Killers of the Flower Moon. And, if you're not already excited, a third trailer for the soon-to-release movie has just been unveiled. Every Scorsese film is worth waiting for, but Killers of the Flower Moon has been decades in the making. The nonfiction book that the acclaimed director's latest film adapts also steps a century back, detailing a time when members of the Osage Nation became wealthy through oil, then targets for white interlopers. To bring this real-life story to the screen, the filmmaker has finally united DiCaprio and De Niro in one of his full-length flicks, too, after spending decades working with both separately. The end result, and Scorsese's first feature since 2019's The Irishman, premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in May. Next, it's headed to cinemas Down Under in October and then Apple TV+ after that. De Niro and DiCaprio have been in so many of the legendary director's movies that it's rare for any of his titles to not include one or the other. The former's run gave viewers gangster masterpieces such as Mean Streets, Goodfellas and Casino; also spans the iconic Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The King of Comedy; and covers musical New York, New York and thriller remake Cape Fear, too — and, of course The Irishman. The latter began leading Scorsese's films in the early 2000s, kicking off with Gangs of New York, then starring in The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island and The Wolf of Wall Street. That's a mighty impressive resume for both actors, and for their favourite helmer. Killers of the Flower Moon is actually the second time that De Niro and DiCaprio have joined forces for Scorsese, but the first time in one of his features, with the pair playing themselves in the director's 2015 comedy short The Audition. The actors also have a past on-screen beyond that thanks to the non-Marty helmed This Boy's Life in 1993, back when DiCaprio was still a teen. Its main talents aside, Killers of the Flower Moon has looking backwards on its mind as well. As seen in the initial teaser in May, then the first full trailer and now this just-dropped next sneak peek, the film jumps into a series of real-life of murders. DiCaprio (Don't Look Up) and Certain Women standout Lily Gladstone play Ernest Burkhart and Mollie Kyle, a couple that gets caught up in the investigations surrounding the mounting killings — with Burkhart facing off against his scheming uncle William Hale (De Niro, Amsterdam). The deaths start when oil turns the Osage Nation into some of the richest folks on the planet, and quickly, which attracts the wrong kind of notice — attention fuelled by greed and envy, and resulting in manipulation, extortion and homicide. Killers of the Flower Moon surveys that story through Burkhart, Kyle and their romance, while also taking in the bitter resentment (and worse) expressed by Hale. Scorsese also co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Roth (Dune, and an Oscar-winner for Forest Gump), adapting David Gann's 2017 non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. And, movie co-stars Jesse Plemons (Love & Death), John Lithgow (Sharper) and newly minted Best Actor Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser (The Whale). Oh, and Scorsese himself, albeit in a small part. Check out the latest trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon below: Killers of the Flower Moon releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 19, and will then stream via Apple TV+ at a later date — we'll update you with streaming details when they're announced.
Every Friday night, you'll find Bibo Wine Bar's Head Sommelier Louella Mathews drinking wine with her regulars. COVID-19 hasn't gotten in the way of this tradition, either, with Mathews now recreating the experience for fans of the Double Bay bar via Zoom — with the help of some Bibo-like virtual backgrounds, of course. To help keep staff employed while the wine bar is closed to dine-in customers, Mathews and the Bibo team have launched Bibo at Home. Like many Sydney restaurants and bars, Bibo is currently offering takeaway and delivery meals — including an eight-course chef's menu for a very reasonable $50 — as well as wine and cocktails to go. But, Mathews has taken the at-home wine bar experience a step further and is now offering personalised wine boxes paired with one-on-one Zoom consultations. Called Sommelier's Choice, the personalised wine boxes with bonus human interaction were launched by Mathews in response to her "withdrawal from connecting with customers on the restaurant floor". Once you've connected with Mathews via Bibo, she'll set up a Zoom meeting (or phone call, or interview — "whatever they feel comfortable with") and "we'll have a chat about the weather, the current pandemic crisis and then, of course, to what wine they would enjoy". "The process is very natural and as if you were ordering wine in a restaurant", says Mathews. "I don't have one set of criteria, but a few basic questions include what they generally like to drink and how adventurous they would like to be." Once you've had a chat, Mathews will put together a box of six wines with tasting notes and food pairing suggestions, which you can either pick up from the wine bar or have delivered if you live within five kilometres from Double Bay. All of this will set you back $200 — about $33 a bottle. Much cheaper than you'd be paying if you were to drink six bottles at the wine bar itself. And you get access to one of Australia's brightest wine minds, too. Mathews, before working at Bibo, managed the wine list and 4000-bottle cellar at Sydney's Rockpool Bar & Grill, and is currently studying for the Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced (that's just one level under Master Sommelier, which is the focus of Netflix's Somm). What you'll get in your box, depends on your tastes, of course, but Mathews says it'll be like "taking a trip around the world, but without the fuss of border patrol". In the current COVID-19 crisis, travelling via your tastebuds doesn't sound like a terrible idea. It's been a month since bars, restaurants and cafes were forced to close their doors to dine-in customers as part of the government's non-essential indoor venue closure, and, while it looks like some restrictions could be relaxed in another month, one expert says hospitality venues are unlikely to be open again until September. Jobkeeper allows businesses to pay eligible employees a fortnightly wage, but does not cover some casual employees and those on a temporary worker visa. This has led to businesses looking for new ways to stay connected with customers and make money, such as delivery booze services, virtual happy hours and cooking classes. For customers looking for other ways to help their locals, Mathews suggests, as well as the obvious buying a meal or wine, to leave them a five-star review on the likes of Google, Facebook and Tripadvisor and to 'share, like and comment' on their posts on social media. "Small business can't afford — especially now — PR or marketing companies," she says. "So little things really do help and only take a second of your time." When it's all over though, get ready for a massive party at Bibo "to celebrate that we survived this mess". To order food, wine or cocktails from Bibo Wine Bar, head to the website. To find out more about the Sommelier's Choice box and set up a Zoom meeting, email louella@bibowinebar.com.au.
It's that time of year again. We've farewelled daylight savings, the temperature is getting nippier and the calendar is about to tick over to May 8 — otherwise known as the unofficial annual celebration of Moon Dog's much-loved pale ale, the Old Mate (or Old 'May8', if you will). As has become tradition, the Melbourne-born brewery will be marking the occasion with a good ol' party, complete with plenty of beery giveaways. Only this year, the fun will be going down not at its Abbotsford HQ, but its sprawling Preston venue Moon Dog World. [caption id="attachment_811004" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Samantha Schultz[/caption] To get involved, grab your bestie and head to the giant brewpub from 3pm on Monday, May 8. If you're one of the first 50 pairs of buds through the door, simply flash some ID, chuck staff a friendly "maaaaate!" on arrival, and you'll both score a free six-pack of the iconic orange-labelled beer. Of course, you're welcome to stick around to enjoy a nice Monday-night mate date — hanging out by the indoor lagoon, sipping brews and seltzers from the hefty 72-strong tap lineup, and digging into some of the kitchen's contemporary pub fare. [caption id="attachment_744580" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moon Dog World, Kate Shanasy[/caption] Images: Samantha Schultz
When you've got something big to celebrate, an extravagant dinner out is the default solution — and for good reason, too. Getting the gang together for a night of good food, good booze and good vibes is one of the best ways to splash that hard-earned cash. But, we have to acknowledge the minefield of awkward moments that needs to be navigated when organising a dinner, from balancing social calendars to conflicting budgets. The latter is where the magic of banquet menus come in — everyone knows exactly what they're paying for so they can kick back, relax and focus on stuffing themselves with delicious food. Together with Melbourne's ridesharing app DiDi, we've hunted down five of the best banquet menus in Melbourne. Whether you're celebrating a big win at work or taking your partner on a romantic date night, any of these set menus are bound to hit the mark. Oh, and every single one is under $100 a head — talk about bang for your buck. Plus, in more good news, DiDi is also focused on keeping things affordable so, after you've rolled out of the restaurant full and happy, your ride home is equally stress-free on the 'ol hip pocket.
Named after a resilient but completely unremarkable variety of fish, there's nothing standard about this Seddon cafe. Common Galaxia is an airy, contemporary space that pairs wooden accents beside stark, exposed cinderblock walls. The all-day seasonal menu changes regularly to offer visitors the freshest possible flavours. To name just a few highlights, the toasted Reuben sandwich on rye with pastrami is a low-key favourite, while avocado served with ruby grapefruit and marinated goat cheese puts a new spin on a Melbourne cafe classic. Meanwhile, Common Galaxia's coffee is some of the best in the west, with Seven Seed's Golden Gate blend available, plus a range of milkshakes, smoothies and cocktails. Images: Parker Blain.
They're the scenes every dog owner pictures when they leave their beloved pooch home alone. Maybe their loyal canine sits by the door, pining for human company. Maybe the crafty critter jumps on the furniture and makes a mess. Maybe it does a bit of both. With an excellent understanding of the bond between people and their furry companions, The Secret Life of Pets turns these imaginings into an animated adventure. If Toy Story swapped kids' playthings for the dogs, cats, birds and bunnies (and assorted other animals) that people of all ages adore, this highly entertaining movie would be the end result. Terrier Max (voiced by Louis C.K.) is the apple of his owner Katie's (Ellie Kemper) eye. Or least he is, until she brings him home a shaggy rescue mutt as a brother. Not only is Duke (Eric Stonestreet) bigger, he's determined to take Max's bed, his food bowl, and – the smaller dog worries – his place in Katie's heart. Before long, the tussle between the unhappy new housemates spills onto the streets during their daily walk, with the duo soon finding themselves scooped up by dog-catchers. Enter former magician's rabbit Snowball (Kevin Hart) and his motley crew of discarded beasts, who not only prove skilled at escaping to their secret underground lair, but are also plotting to overthrow humanity. There's knowing humour in everything Despicable Me director Chris Renaud and his co-helmer Yarrow Cheney assemble in this jovial animal jaunt, with the script from fellow Despicable alums revelling in anarchic but endearing comedy that trickles down to the smallest details. And it really is the little things that help The Secret Life of Pets showcase its modest charms, as demonstrated by the supporting characters. Both nodding to and twisting stereotypical traits and behaviours, the film features everything from a hamster (voiced by Renaud) who can't find his way out of a building's vents, to a pampered Pomeranian (Jenny Slate) who turns feisty when she discovers that Max is in trouble. More quirky creatures pop up, sporting recognisable celebrity tones, including Lake Bell as a cat, Hannibal Buress as a dachshund and Albert Brooks as a grumpy hawk. Each inspires a few funny sequences and sight gags, in a film that's otherwise content with the usual pop-friendly soundtrack, pop culture references and riffs on other movies. Indeed, with an action-packed homewards trek that's reminiscent of Finding Dory, and a wiener-oriented musical number that's better than anything in Sausage Party, much about The Secret Life of Pets feels familiar. There are no Zootopia-like musings about diversity and acceptance here — but there is a whole lot of awww-inducing love. Such fuzzy feelings will no doubt help viewers in overlooking the film's flaws. This is a movie that's as swift as a dog chasing a ball, as light as a budgie fluttering around an apartment, and as cute as an over-fed cat lounging in the sun. And, for its brief 87 minutes, that's mostly enough. Just make sure you leave time to visit a pet store after the movie, or scurry home to hug the four-legged friends you already have.
An exploration of an exiled poet. The Australian premiere of legendary filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky's latest feature. An effort that's being called Peru's first bona fide horror movie. They're just three of the films in first-ever Cine Latino Film Festival lineup, as Australia's first national fest dedicated to showcasing the best in Latin American cinema tours the country in August. While the complete program features more than 30 movies from Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Cuba, Uruguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Guatemala and Puerto Rico, there's a reason that the first of the flicks mentioned above, the Pablo Larraín-directed, Gael García Bernal-starring Neruda, has been plucked straight from Cannes to open the festival. The last time the filmmaker and actor worked together, the excellent No was the end result, so expect another insightful look at Chilean politics from their second collaboration. Jodorowsky's Endless Poetry should rank among the festival's just-as-eagerly-anticipated titles, especially by fans of the director's '70s cult classics El Topo and The Holy Mountain and his most recent effort The Dance of Reality — or anyone who marvelled at what could've been when they watched the entertaining documentary Jodorowsky's Dune. And while The Womb doesn't come with quite the same pedigree, it does boast a chilling storyline involving one of the horror genre's favourite topics: motherhood. Elsewhere, a chronicle of the pop star known as the 'Mexican Madonna', an insight into current state of a formerly luxurious Havana hotel, and more than a couple of soccer-themed efforts all feature among the feast of Spanish and Portuguese-language fare, as do Peruvian road movie Solos and Venezuelan beauty queen black comedy 3 Beauties. Just perusing the program is enough to make you want to jump on a plane for Latin America, however for those who can't enjoy an overseas holiday at the moment, immersing yourself in the films of the region really is the next best thing. [competition]583085[/competition]
Docklands boasts a strong cultural side, thanks not only to its history as an important dock but also to recent urban renewal projects that have championed creativity in all its forms. The area is home to internationally renowned public art as well as a number of contemporary design landmarks. What's more, it's just a short stroll to several of Melbourne's cultural icons, including the NGV, the Arts Centre and the South Melbourne Market. Here are the ten best spots to get your cultural fix in the area. PARK CINEMA How better to take advantage of those balmy Melbourne evenings than with a spot of open-air cinema? This summer 2018, Docklands' Buluk Park plays host to a series of free, family-friendly film screenings, featuring time-honoured selections from the noughties through to today. The movie usually starts rolling at dusk, around 8.30pm, but you can take your picnic rug over early, grab some eats from one of the nearby vendors and settle in for a pre-movie feast. Catch it on Fridays in 2018 from January 26 to March 2. EVENTS AT KNOWLEDGE MARKET Acting as a hub for sharing ideas about urban living, The Exchange at Victoria Harbour's Knowledge Market is a collaborative effort between Lendlease and RMIT's School of Architecture and Design and School of Media and Communication. With a curated program of workshops, discussions, exhibitions and events, it's a place where the community can be inspired as they engage with themes like social diversity, zero-carbon futures, digitally enabled infrastructures and urban memory and imagination. Venture in to get those mental cogs whirring. LIBRARY AT THE DOCK Welcome to the library for the new age. Worlds apart from historic counterparts like the State Library of Victoria, the Library at The Dock is a contemporary gem, featuring a swag of modern offerings and claiming the title of Australia's first six-star Green Star-rated public building. Crafted from engineered timber and reclaimed hardwood, it's become an icon of sustainable architecture. Inside, you'll find both traditional and digital book catalogues, performance and gallery spaces, creative editing suites and even a recording studio. It also plays host to a lineup of events and activities, from free tai chi and table tennis sessions through to workshops and regular 'laughter club' meetings. JAZZ SHOWS AT THE LIBRARY Need a few live tunes to help jazz up the end of your work week? The Library at The Dock's Jazz Brew Cafe series should be music to your ears. On the second Friday of each month, the space plays host to a different local musician for an intimate performance, usually kicking off at around 4pm. Taking the stage over the coming months will be the smooth sounds of Tamara Murphy, Monique Dimattina and Cristian Barbieri. Best of all? It's free. DOCKLANDS ART TRAIL There's little doubt that Docklands is alive with creative endeavours. It's currently home to an impressive 36 public artworks across its parks, promenades and architecture. And discovering them is a cinch, thanks to Development Victoria's downloadable guide and walking tour. This free resource is jam-packed with information about each of the Docklands works and their creators. The walk will take you about a couple of hours if you plan on digging in deep. Prepare to be inspired by the likes of Duncan Stemier's orbiting Blowhole, Mikala Dwyer's huge mirrored IOU and Guan Wei's Feng Shui mural. Some pieces, like the neon-lit Slipstream, are best appreciated during a nighttime visit. VICTORIA POLICE MUSEUM From convicts and bushrangers to the underworld figures of more recent times, Melbourne's got quite the criminal history. And some of the most intriguing tales of the city's crime and policing are awaiting your discovery at the Victoria Police Museum. Uncover sordid stories, see evidence from real crimes and gain a newfound appreciation for the men and women keeping our city safe. The museum is home to a diverse collection including original Kelly Gang artefacts, an array of police photographs and over 1000 prisoner records from throughout history. It's open to the public from 10am–4pm weekdays. NGV As the country's oldest and most visited gallery, the National Gallery of Victoria is a necessary addition to your cultural hit list, with a world-renowned program of exhibitions and events that are as diverse as they come. It's set across two central sites — the NGV International on St Kilda Road and NGV Australia in the heart of Federation Square. Kicking off December 2017 is the ambitious NGV Triennial, a huge free exhibition pulling together art and design from more than 100 creatives across 32 countries. For part of the year, the NGV will also host a Friday Night live music series, complete with eats, drinks and after-dark gallery access. SOUTH MELBOURNE MARKET Having recently notched up 150 years and still going strong, the South Melbourne Market is one of the city's grand dames and well worth a visit. Ever abuzz, it's a beloved destination for eating, drinking and shopping, trading Wednesdays, Fridays and across each weekend. Visit for a bit of retail therapy and to load up on fresh local produce, being sure to make a pit stop at Padre Coffee for a caffeine hit. It's also home to the SO:ME pop-up hub, featuring wares from a rotation of the city's best young talent, an on-site cooking school and a Thursday night market series every January and February. BULUK PARK AT NIGHT FOR THE LIGHT HOUSE Victoria Harbour's Light House installation illuminates a 15-storey facade with moving lights, as dictated by the weather forecast. Running on the hour from dusk until midnight, the installation reads information from the Bureau of Meteorology in real-time, then displays different moving light patterns to depict various weather events for five minutes. For the rest of each hour, abstract light movements are used to reflect the way the weather feels, as sensed by a weather station on the building's roof. It's even more spectacular during one of the curated light shows for Christmas, New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year. Artist Bruce Ramus was inspired to create it based on just how much Melburnians talk about the weather. GASWORKS ARTS PARK You'll find no shortage of ways to get your cultural kicks at Gasworks in nearby Albert Park — a dynamic arts hub set across four hectares, on the site of a former gas plant. Incorporating grassy stretches of parkland, two theatres, a trio of gallery spaces and an on-site cafe, it always has something great to sink your teeth into. Catch a performance, exhibition or outdoor film; pick up new skills and inspiration at a workshop; or spend the morning cruising the farmers' market, which happens on the third Saturday of each month. Surround yourself with everything Docklands has to offer at the new 883 Collins Street development. Top restaurants, cafes, bars and activities are just a stone's throw away.
In January, Australia scored a brand-new local airline, with low-cost carrier Bonza finally hitting the skies after first being announced in 2021 but only securing regulatory approval this year. The fresh face in the Aussie aviation scene isn't just about cheap tickets, but also opening up routes to more of the country's regional destinations, flying 27 routes to 17 locations. And, it'll fly to some of those spots from Melbourne from the end of March. Bonza boasts two bases: the Sunshine Coast, where it's been soaring out of since January; and Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport, which joins the list in autumn. Planes departing from the Victorian HQ will fly 12 routes to 11 destinations, with a trip between the airline's two main sites the first to take off from Melbourne on Thursday, March 30. Yes, if you're heading out of the Victorian capital — or to it, depending on where you're departing from — your 2023 getaways just got cheaper. One-way fares start at $49, which will get you from Melbourne to Mildura, with flights now on sale. Among the other options, flights to Tamworth cost $59, or you can get to Port Macquarie from $69. The fare from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast comes in at $79, as does a trip to Toowoomba. And, there's a heap of destinations available for $89: Bundaberg, Gladstone, Mackay and Rockhampton. Different legs will enjoy their maiden voyages from Melbourne on different dates throughout March, April and May. At present, flights are on sale right through to the end of October. To book, you'll need to download the airline's app. For travellers who have already done so, the carrier advises that you will need to delete it and then reinstall the latest version to get access to reserve flights. App-only reservations are one of Bonza's points of difference, unless you're booking via a registered local travel agent. Another: an all-Australian in-flight menu, spanning both food and craft beer. Passengers will get soaring in planes given names as Aussie as the carrier's itself: Bazza, Shazza, Sheila and Malc, with the latter based in Melbourne. The quartet are taking passengers to places they mightn't otherwise been able to fly to, too, with Bonza noting that 93 percent of its routes aren't currently served by any other airline — and 96 percent of them don't presently have a low-cost carrier. The airline has launched with the backing of US private investment firm 777 Partners, which also has a hand in Canada's Flair Airlines and the Southeast Asian-based Value Alliance. Bonza's fares don't include baggage and seat selection, which you need to pay extra for — and it is cheapest to do so when you make your booking, rather than afterwards. Bonza will start flying from Melbourne on Thursday, March 30, with flights on sale now. For more information, and to buy fares, head to the airline's website, or download its app for Android and iOS. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
What happens when some of Melbourne's most beloved burger bosses go head to head? Well, you can find out, when the likes of Benny Burger, Mr Burger, Skipping Girl Take Away, Leonard's House of Love and more all descend on the Welcome to Thornbury lot for this year's annual Burger Invitational. This year the event will span two days instead of one and entry will be free. It'll a weekend of fierce foodie competition as each vendor vies for burger glory — plus, one lucky burger fan will score a $300 voucher to spend at the food truck park. The goods — from Skipping Girl Take Away's fish 'n' chip shop-style burgers to Shannon Bennett's creations to ice cream sandwiches from Bluebonnet Barbecue — will be available at regular prices on the day.
Having impressed Sydneysiders since early 2015, Newtown's cult favourite Turkish ice creamery Hakiki is finally coming to Melbourne. Two stores will open in Richmond and Fitzroy, and are slated to launch this spring and in early 2019 respectively. If Sydney's response to Nev and Zeyneb Bagriyanik's exotic Turkish treats is anything to go by, Melburnians should expect to battle crowds from day dot. The original store has earned quite the reputation for its traditional Maras-style ice cream — which is smooth and creamy, yet drip-free and melt-resistant, until the second it hits your mouth. The signature serve is so thick, it's best tackled with a knife and fork. The ingredient that gives the ice cream this unusual texture is an orchid root grown in southern Turkey. Alongside classic Anatolian treats like baklava, Turkish delight and rich Turkish coffee, the Bagriyaniks are whipping up a range of traditional and innovative ice cream flavours, from old favourites like pistachio and hazelnut, to the ever-popular baklava and moreish tahini. There's even an unlikely, but delicious, combination of melon and feta. The new stores are a result of Hakiki partnering with franchise and consulting firm DC Strategy. While only two Melbourne stores are confirmed for now, there are plans in the pipeline to open additional stores throughout the rest of Australia, too. We'll keep you posted about Hakiki's new Melbourne stores as they near launch date. In the meantime, you can find Sydney's Hakiki at Shop 1, 63-71 Enmore Rd Newtown.
The line for the inaugural Flour Market in October last year could have been mistaken for a Beyonce meet and greet. So frenzied was the rush for specialty baked goods that the place was cleared of every last crumb within two hours. So popular was this super bake sale the first time around that early bird tickets were introduced (and sold out) for the keenest of beans to get first dibs before the crowds descended. Mark Free is one of the masterminds behind the wildly successful Flour Market, a project he created to showcase the best of Melbourne's unrepresented emerging, artisan and underground baking community. With an impressive skillset including music making, party throwing, word doing and caffeine knowing, Free is somewhat of a jack (or in this case, Mark) of all trades, and as friendly as the nicest teacher from primary school. One third of the dream team behind Collingwood's beloved Everyday Coffee (along with co-owners Joe Miranda and Aaron Maxwell), Free knows how to please a crowd. Their caffeine-focused cafe serves up some of Melbourne's best coffee along with delectable, special sweet treats to a strong crowd of loyal locals, 365 days a year. While Everyday provides an outlet for a variety of bakers to sell their goods, Free recognised the need for a greater platform to bring together a much larger, relatively unknown baking community, and thus, the Flour Market was born. Joining forces with the ever-fresh Seb Godfrey and Charlie Lawler of creative studio Open Season; endlessly hilarious, chronic doer-of-things Sarah Booth; and many others, Free built the Flour Market team into a tour de force of design, collaboration and puns (as good as the buns), supported by some of the most talented creatives in this city. We spoke to Mark before he gets baked at Flour Market's third instalment this Sunday, April 13, at Fitzroy Town Hall. Both of the previous Flour Markets sold out in a flash! Did you expect such an overwhelmingly positive response? I don't really know what we expected. We just crossed our fingers, closed our eyes and hoped for the best. How did you initially connect with the emerging, artisan, underground baking community, The Flour Market champions? We searched high and low for the best of the best cakes and pastries when we opened Everyday Coffee, and as we met more and more of these specialist bakers I began to notice an emerging community. Now that Flour Market is established, lots of new talent seems to be coming out of the woodwork and contacting us, which is great. What have you found the most challenging about the process of establishing the Flour Market? Keeping up with demand while trying to remain true to our values. Both Everyday Coffee and the Flour Market are known for collaborating with other local creatives. In general, how important is celebrating the local talent and community to you? Collaboration is crucial. I believe there is strength in numbers when it comes to creativity. Melbourne's creative community has an almost small town feel to it. Everybody seems to know each other whether they're a painter, baker, barista, dancer, DJ or whatever, and each of us have a role to play in keeping this city vibrant. What's the *perfect* coffee snack? This is tricky, because I like to tackle my treats one at a time, but a blueberry bagel and a sharp African coffee is a strong combo. What goodies will you be taking home from the Flour Market this time? That's if they make it home! All the vendors are amazing so it's hard not to sample one of everything. I think there will be a lot of Easter-themed goods, which I can't wait to sink my teeth into. I've asked the bakers to hot cross everything. Each Flour Market has been bigger than the last; it obviously has the potential to continue evolving and expanding. What's next? The sky's the limit! New York, London, the Southside … We've got heaps of great ideas that we can't wait to put in action. We'd love to take Flour Market to new places and connect with new communities. We'd also love to present some masterclasses to bring out the baker within for some home enthusiasts. I could go on all day; suffice to say, we're very excited about where Flour Market is heading. The Flour Market Easter Bake Sale is this Sunday, April 13, at Fitzroy Town Hall, 201 Napier Street, Fitzroy. From 9am till sold out. Entry is by gold coin donation.
Tim Rogers likes to keep it clean. So clean in fact that his squeaky sparkles have garnered their own moment in the spotlight. It may seem almost unfathomable — especially considering he has spent around 20 years touring with what he describes as a "grubby rock band" — but everyone has their all-consuming passions and off-centre obsessions. Just look at Beyonce, an avid consumer of crime novels. Or take Johnny Depp, a man known for collecting pig skeletons. For Rogers, he admits it ain't easy being a clean freak in the world of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Running as part of The Wheeler Centre's short daytime series You Don't Know Me, these free 30-minute talks uncover the surprising passions of high profile figures who are well known for something else entirely. Between a Rock and a Hard Scrub will see Rogers answering the interminable question: is cleanliness close to rock godliness? It may well be for Rogers, for, as it turns out, this icon of Australian indie rock music is a demon with the Scotch-Brite. The You Am I frontman will discuss his enthusiasm for scrubbing, mopping and dusting — a passion he has nurtured quietly and doggedly under trying circumstances for years. We just hope the wild man chucks in some other dirty secrets too.
From September 5-8, the Melbourne Exhibition Centre will transform into a yoga-lovers' haven for lululemon's warehouse sale. There'll be live DJs, fitness and yoga demos and a steady caffeine supply streaming from Dreux & Ghisallo (roasted by Monk Bodhi Dharma). At 11.30 every morning and 3.30 every afternoon, shoppers panicking about anything — from nabbing the right bargain to their latest personal drama — will be able to ease their minds by participating in a session of anxiety yoga. Starting at 10am daily, the event will finish up at 6pm on Thursday and Saturday, 8pm on Friday and 5pm on Sunday. Remember to pack light, as mandatory bag and coat checks will be happening at the door, and bring either cash or credit/debit card (Visa and Mastercard only) to make payments. If you have a question to ask, a comment to make, or simply want to keep up-to-date with developments as they unfold, there's an open invitation to join the party @lululemonausnz. The lululemon athletica warehouse sale is on from September 5-8 at the Melbourne Convention Centre. For more information, see their Facebook event.
If the memory of last weekend's hangover(s) is still fresh in your mind, it's probably safe to say the experience was somewhat brutal. We've all been there — the throbbing skull, the queasy guts, the wild proclamations about never touching another drop of vodka, ever. Well, soon enough, us Southerners will be able to put an end to the horror in 30 minutes, courtesy of hangover.clinic's new Melbourne pop-up. The controversial Sydney-born venture specialises in intravenous hangover cures, whereby patients can hook up to an IV for a dose of vitamins and fluids, helping them to speedily quash the aftermath of last night's partying. Now, due to high demand, the company's set to launch summer pop-up clinics in other states. Seems you'd best start saving your pennies, though – the treatment might do wonders for the old noggin, but with packages starting at $135, there's little hope for your bank account's hangover. This is the same crew that opened Australia's first hangover clinic in Surry Hills, in December last year. Right now, it's also the only one, with sole competitor iv.me forced to shut up shop in February, after one of its clients wound up hospitalised. hangover.clinic has distanced itself from other players, confirming all of its treatments are given by docs that are fully qualified, licensed, insured, and registered on the Register of Medical Practitioners. Appointments will be open soon.
This July sees the return of a packed IRL program from Open House Melbourne, after a two-year switch to the digital realm. If you're not familiar with the annual event, it opens up some of the city's most iconic buildings, new structures and urban environments for the public to explore and appreciate. And this year, it's back to regular programming, hosting a slew of in-person events, tours, exhibitions and talks, from Saturday, July 30–Sunday, July 31. You're invited to scope out architectural gems from across the Melbourne region, as the festival digs into the theme 'Built/Unbuilt'. This year's tour program will afford punters a rare stickybeak into spaces like the new Victorian Pride Centre, Collingwood Yards, the Melbourne Quakers Centre, the newly-rebuilt La Mama Theatre and the grand expanse of Studley Park's Villa Alba — an 1880s Italianate mansion bearing some of this country's most significant examples of late nineteenth-century decoration. [caption id="attachment_855968" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melbourne Quakers Centre, Nervegna Reed Architecture and pH architects, captured by John Gollings[/caption] You'll also have the chance to explore the recently completed Melbourne Holocaust Museum, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects, and to walk through the site of the new library planned as part of the Queen Vic Market precinct's Munro development. Meanwhile, new exhibition Take Hold of the Clouds transforms the city into a gallery, with a curation of responsive works displayed across seven sites, each sharing their own stories about the urban landscape. Elsewhere, you'll hear from some of our leading spatial and creative practitioners as they hit The Capitol to share their ideas for speaker series This Is Public, architect and housing advocate Tania Davidge leads a series of events exploring the issues around affordable housing in Australia, and you can catch a short flick celebrating the life and work of award-winning architect Peter Elliott. [caption id="attachment_775300" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Villa Alba Museum by Russell Winnell[/caption] Top Image: Collingwood Yards, by Stefan Postles
Want to bunker down in Bunker Bay with easy access to the ocean, spa treatments, infinity pools – and, of course, nearby wine regions? The Pullman Bunker Bay Resort is ticking quite a lot of those boxes and others, as it serves as a mighty luxurious base for exploration of the Margaret River Wine Region. A bit of a drive from Perth, Bunker Bay is worth the petrol for the clear waters alone, and the rest of Margaret River's attributes additionally. From here, you can head out on a group tour of the region's more than 150 cellar doors — famous wineries in the area include Xanadu, Cape Mentelle, Voyager and Leeuwin Estate — or get your own car or bike and follow an itinerary of your invention. Several of the estates also boast restaurants, so you're guaranteed to be both well fed and watered. On the other side of Margaret River's rolling hills, you've got that inviting ocean and a brilliant coastal walking track that will take you past Cape Leeuwin and its Instagram-ready lighthouse. The Mediterranean climate means there's never a bad time to holiday here, but come between June and November if you've always wanted to try a spot of whale-watching. Humpback, southern right, minke and even blue whales have been known to migrate past this coastline each year. Back in the comfort of the Pullman Bunker Bay Resort, studio or bungalow-style villas house guests here, and all villas have lake or garden views and a boardwalk to the beach, so it's an easy stroll towards fulfilling your holiday hit-list. Vie Spa occupies the side of your vacation that is "lying down and utterly relaxing", with their beachfront location and couples suites a very valid option for honeymooners. Kinks in your back all worked out? You can head to the Bunker Bay Resort's restaurant – Other Side of the Moon is its name, and utilising fresh and sustainable local produce in share plates is its tasty game. Eat well but don't forget to explore the wines too – you're in the Margaret River region after all.
Fitzroy's Poodle Bar and Bistro is gearing up for a buzzy event next weekend to commemorate the launch of its recently renovated courtyard. Renowned winemaker and award-winning journalist Mahmood Fazal will be taking over the restaurant's wine list for a one-off lunch banquet on Saturday, April 27. Fazal's debut shiraz will be available, among other excellent vinos. The superb wines will be paired with a delicious $65 lunch, featuring torched bonito, the terrine du jour, a grilled black heart and guanciale skewer, and a hanger steak with pepper jus and fries. This special event takes place from 1pm–late on Saturday, April 27 at the bistro's new patio. Book your spot while tickets are still available at the website.
As Melbourne plots its emergence from yet another lockdown, the city has also got a new major arts festival to look forward to this year. As announced this week, disability arts festival Alter State is set to make its debut this spring, celebrating a diverse program of contemporary art and live performance by artists from across Australia and New Zealand. Alter State will host a launch event this coming November, before returning for its full festival appearance in September 2022. Presented in conjunction with Arts Centre Melbourne and Arts Access Victoria, the festival aims to highlight the fierce talent of local artists with disabilities and to share and celebrate a diverse array of stories. It's hoped it will also ignite some fresh conversations that'll help to shape the future of accessibility in the Australian and New Zealand arts space. [caption id="attachment_820804" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Gambino[/caption] The festival's foundation artists include celebrated names like dancer and performer Rodney Bell, writer and appearance activist Carly Findlay OAM, and experimental performance artist Joshua Pether. "I don't see the festival as only being a platform to showcase performances by artists with a disability," said Pether. "But rather, and importantly, a place where we can have conversations and spark dialogue about what we want to see for the future in our community." More details about November's launch event will be revealed in the coming months, though it's set to include two significant commissions: one presented in collaboration with the Metro Tunnel Arts Program and another as part of the UK/Australia Season initiative (a joint project by the British Council and the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). Alter State will debut with a launch event in November 2021, with a full festival program to take place in September, 2022. Further details are set to be revealed in the coming months — keep an eye on the website for the latest. Top Image: 'Meremere' by Movement of the Human, captured by Tom Hoyle
No longer just the realms of year three excursions where your mum came as chaperone, Melbourne Zoo Twilights — the after-hours live music series that boasts perhaps one of the best summer nights out, as well as lots of adorable animals — has proven they've got some real cred when it comes to hosting outdoor gigs in the past few years. After all, they got José González to headline the series last year — and this summer, they're back with a brand new lineup playing spesh live sets every weekend from Friday, January 27 through Saturday, March 11. Considering it includes the likes of Kurt Vile and Tegan and Sara and then Killing Heidi and george, it's probably their most diverse yet. Yep, this year there's a definite throwback to late '90s/early '00s Australian music, with both Killing Heidi and george playing reunion shows, and The Living End playing a 'stripped back' show with a string quartet. Random. In a complete 180, Kurt Vile will casually grace the stage on March 4, Warpaint will herald their new album on a Friday night, and Canada's Tegan and Sara are sure to draw some hardcore fans. Also taking over the lawns of Melbourne Zoo's fully-licensed lawns will be the likes of The Rubens, Martha Wainwright, Ball Park Music, The Jungle Giants and The Specials. Plus, you can dag it up with ABBA tribute act Bjorn Again, who will be once again returning due to popular demand after the last two years. The feathered, furred and finned have plenty to choose from this summer. Plus, all proceeds from Zoo Twilights go back into Zoo Victoria's ongoing conservation work to help fight the extinction of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot. Picnic-bringing is encouraged, but there'll also be handy gourmet hampers available on-site, as well as a slew of food trucks to choose nosh from. Either way, it's actually the one of the best dates in Melbourne — lock those tickets down. MELBOURNE ZOO TWILIGHTS 2017 LINEUP Friday 27 January – JO JO ZEP & THE FALCONS and THE SPORTS Saturday 28 January – PETER GARRETT & THE ALTER EGOS and KEV CARMODY Friday 3 February – HOODOO GURUS with special guests Saturday 4 February – THE RUBENS supported by Bec Sandridge Friday 10 February – BALL PARK MUSIC and THE JUNGLE GIANTS Saturday 11 February – BJÖRN AGAIN Friday 17 February – PAUL DEMPSEY supported by Melody Pool Saturday 18 February – george supported by Felix Riebl (Cat Empire) Friday 24 February – WARPAINT (US) supported by Big Thief (US) Saturday 25 February – KILLING HEIDI supported by Abbe May Friday 3 March – THE LIVING END 'TWANGIN' AT TWILIGHT' featuring special guests, supported by Gabriella Cohen Saturday 4 March – KURT VILE (US) supported by Mick Turner Wednesday 8 March – TEGAN AND SARA (CAN) with special guests Friday 10 March – MARTHA WAINWRIGHT (CAN) supported by Margaret Glaspy (US) Saturday 11 March – THE SPECIALS (UK) with special guests Melbourne Zoo Twilights will return to Melbourne Zoo from January 27 until March 11. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, October 25 at zootwilights.org.au. By Lauren Vadnjal and Shannon Connellan. Image: Ian Laidlaw.
Midsumma Festival returns to Melbourne in the new year, bringing together the LGBTQI+ community and artists from across the state for its annual queer arts and cultural festival. It spans from January 19 through February 9, with 194 events taking place in venues all over Melbourne. The massive program kicks off with a bang at the Midsumma Carnival, on Sunday, January 19, in Alexandra Gardens. There'll be 11 hours of live music and entertainment on the main stage, heaps of food stalls and bars, plus the return of the ever-popular Midsumma Dog Show. Once the sun starts to set, the park is transformed into one enormous dance floor, with DJs and artists performing well into the night. And it's 100 percent free. The festival continues with a heap of talks, performances, installations, exhibitions and parties, all aimed at celebrating the diverse stories of the queer arts scene. In the 2020 major project, Queen Unsettled, unheard voices and marginalised communities are front and centre in a multidisciplinary attack on colonisation. Attend a Lunar New Year Disco with Drag Race Thailand stars after hours at Melbourne Museum; hear from Pacific womxn of colour and Indigenous femmes in BLOW and FAMILI; and be entranced by The Sky After Rain, a video installation exploring three queer Iranian diasporas. Other Midsumma highlights include the Midsumma and Australia Post Art Award exhibition, a music festival of queer women and non-binary musicians, the Midsumma Extravaganza showcase at Hamer Hall, and the 25th annual Midsumma Pride March on Sunday, February 2. Images: Midsumma Carnival, Jackson Grant/Suzanne Balding.
Maybe it's a budget thing. Perhaps you can't get time off work. Your diary just mightn't be able to spare a whole three days in Byron Bay, plus travelling there and back. Can't make it to Splendour in the Grass in 2023? There are plenty of reasons why that might be the case, but the festival's official sideshows are here to help cure your FOMO. This year, everyone from Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Lewis Capaldi to Little Simz and Tove Lo are hitting stages around Australia outside of their Splendour sets — and Loyle Carner, Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Noah Cyrus as well. Keen to see your favourite act do their own show? They might be on this list, albeit with the usual Sydney- and Melbourne-heavy focus. As is almost always the case with sideshows to Byron-based fests, Brisbane doesn't get a look in. If you're located in the Sunshine State and you're keen, Splendour or a trip to the New South Wales and Victorian capitals is in your future. Sam Fender's only sideshow is in Perth, however, and Lewis Capaldi's already on-sale sideshows only have tickets remaining for his Perth stopover. For folks in Adelaide, Loyle Carner is coming to South Australia, and Capaldi as well, but his solo gig is already sold out. That said, Secret Sounds, the crew behind Splendour, is also bringing its winter festival Spin Off back to the City of Churches, complete with SiTG acts Hilltop Hoods, Pnau, Tove Lo, BENEE, iann dior and Noah Cyrus. Yeah Yeah Yeah's sideshows come after the band was meant to make the trip to Australia for 2022's Splendour, complete with their own concerts, but had to drop out. Lizzo's Australian arena tour isn't on this list given that it was announced before Splendour, but that's another way to see the fest's talent without a trip to Byron. SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2023 OFFICIAL SIDESHOWS: YEAH YEAH YEAHS With Automatic Thursday, July 20 — MCA, Melbourne Monday, July 24 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney SAM FENDER Thursday, July 20 — HBF Stadium, Perth LITTLE SIMZ Wednesday, July 19 — MCA, Melbourne Friday, July 21 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney TOVE LO With Blusher Wednesday, July 19 — Forum, Melbourne Tuesday, July 25 — Roundhouse, Sydney LOYLE CARNER Saturday, July 22 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Tuesday, July 25 — Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide Thursday, July 27 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne IANN DIOR Wednesday, July 19 — 170 Russell, Melbourne Saturday, July 22 — Metro Theatre, Sydney RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE Thursday, July 20 — Metro Theatre, Sydney Friday, July 21 — 170 Russell, Melbourne NOAH CYRUS With PJ Harding Sunday, July 9 — Metro Theatre, Sydney Sunday, July 16 — 170 Russell, Melbourne SUDAN ARCHIVES Saturday, July 22 — Liberty Hall, Sydney Tuesday, July 25 — 170 Russell, Melbourne DEL WATER GAO Friday, July 21 — Howler, Melbourne Saturday, July 22 — Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney LEWIS CAPALDI (on sale now) With Noah Cyrus Friday, July 7–Saturday, July 8 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney — SOLD OUT Tuesday, July 11 — RAC Arena, Perth Thursday, July 13 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide — SOLD OUT Friday, July 14–Saturday, July 15 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — SOLD OUT Splendour in the Grass will take over North Byron Bay Parklands from Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23, 2023. The festival's sideshows are popping up across Australia in July, with tickets on sale from 9am, Tuesday, May 9 — and presales from Monday, May 8.
When global media giant Condé Nast Traveler releases its annual Readers' Choice Awards lineup, it's usually guaranteed to instantly have you dreaming of far-flung holiday destinations. But this year's award winners, which were unveiled yesterday, might just foster a newfound appreciation for what's in your own backyard, with both Melbourne and Sydney ranking among the world's top ten in the Best Cities in the World list. The awards are significant as they always pull a high number of votes — this year, 429,000 readers participated. n fact, they scored so much feedback that the Best Cities list has been split into two. For the first time, the list covers the top 20 small cities, as well as their top 20 'big city' counterparts. Chalking another win in the indulgent age-old Melbourne vs Sydney debate, the Victorian capital ranked third best big city in the world — coming in behind Tokyo and Kyoto (first and second, respectively). The Condé Nast team described Melbourne as having "all of the traits you'd want in a friend" (naww), praising its arts scene, giving a thumbs up to both Heide and Gertrude Contemporary, and advising a daily flat white to take advantage of its reputation for banging coffee. We just hope no one flies in especially for the Urban Scrawl street art tour mentioned in the article, as it's currently on hiatus. In the latter, Sydney took out the number six position, praised as "an ideal getaway no matter the season". The magazine suggests visitors hit the beach during summer and explore the arts scene in the cooler months, specifically giving a shout-out to Paddington, Manly and the "cool kid 'hood" of Surry Hills. In all, this probably won't make the two cities any more affordable — they both rank as some of the most expensive cities in the world — but this ranking might help ease Melbourne's insecurity about losing its top place as the most liveable city in the world.
If a rollicking rooftop party is on your NYE wish-list, but you'd rather not go up against the hectic CBD crowds, here's one to put on your radar: a good-times extravaganza at Carlton haunt Johnny's Green Room. From 7pm on Saturday, December 31, the rooftop bar is wrapping up 2022 with an openair fiesta full of great tunes, snacks and drinks — plus, top-notch views across the city and those fireworks. Guests can kick things off with two hours of free-flowing canapes and bevs (8–10pm) included with their $130 ticket; from beer and vino, to spirits and house-made pizza. Further drinks can then be bought from the bar. Meanwhile, the tunes will be thumping, courtesy of an expert lineup of selectors curated by the legends at Hope St Radio, with the party kicking on until the wee hours of 2023. Best of all, with limited tickets available, you won't be fighting huge crowds just for a peek at the NYE fireworks — consider Johnny's your rooftop party haven. [caption id="attachment_883029" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sarah Pannell[/caption] Top Image: Sarah Pannell
With the threat of increasing noise complaints hanging over Melbourne’s live music scene, campaigners, venue owners, musicians and councils have been taking action. In early September, the implementation of Agent of Change laws put the responsibility for soundproofing firmly on the shoulders of residential developers. And now, the City of Yarra is offering financial assistance to venues, to help them with acoustic-related works. All in all, the Council has plans to serve up $25,000 worth of funding under the banner ‘Live Music Venues Grants’. Each successful venue will receive an independent grant of $2,000 or a matching grant of $5,000. Of the 500 licensed premises in the City of Yarra, about 50 host live music regularly. “Of concern to all has been the increasing tension between residents living in dense housing close to major activity centres, and licensed venues disturbing the peace with loud music and noisy patron behaviour,” states the Council’s website. “There is also a growing appreciation of the Live Music Industry and the contributions it makes to the economy and to the cultural fabric of the community.” To be eligible for grants, venues must be situated in the City of Yarra and must adopt the Best Practice Guidelines for Live Music Venues, which were created by the Live Music Roundtable in collaboration with the Victorian Government. Applications are open now. Via Music Feeds.
This month, Swanston Street live music venue The Toff In Town is dishing up a big dollop of diversity, with a series of Wednesday night showcases starring musicians who don't identify as male. Each week local grassroots community Melbourne Music Girl Gang will host Girl Gang Wednesdays, promising to get you dancing to a huge variety of local artists. You've got two more chances to catch the girl power in action this month, with tickets just $10 on the door. Gracing the stage on Wednesday, December 20, will be electronic pop act Emah Fox, indie rocker Freya and the baroque pop stylings of Wroclaw, while on December 27, the residency wraps up with performances by trip hop producer Sault, four-piece Hoi Polloi and future soul act Maya.
At Concrete Playground, we know the makings of a great trip when we see one. Our team of writers and editors is made up of hardcore travel enthusiasts — myself included. We're the ones who make detailed spreadsheets of recommendations for friends heading to a destination we've visited. Day-to-day for work we cover the best new hotels, travel-worthy experiences, and carefully craft itineraries and guides to the most fantastic places in Australia and abroad. Now, we're translating that passion and experience into a brand new travel inspiration and commerce platform called Concrete Playground Trips. From there, you can purchase trips that are exclusively curated by our editorial team, featuring experiences you genuinely can't find anywhere else, exclusive deals to places you hadn't considered, and trips that do justice to the spots that have long been on your bucket list. We do the groundwork so you don't have to. You just book and go. First up is an incredibly luxe (and fun) trip to Auckland to coincide with dance music festival Spring City, headlined by Groove Armada. You'll get exclusive VIP access and stay in New Zealand's hottest hotel with a couple of extraordinary dining and drinking experiences in the mix. Take in the full itinerary here. There's so much more to come and we're thrilled to get it out into the world and, hopefully, inspire your next great adventure. Happy trails. Discover more at Concrete Playground Trips. Image credit: Pietro de Grandi
Ever thought your yoga class would be more entertaining if there was some good dance music cranking? Maybe you've been dissatisfied with a night clubbing because you felt disconnected from your chakras? Either way, this yoga class come dance party has all your unspoken prayers answered. That's right — it's a yoga dance party. Punters are advised to come dressed in lycra, stretch valour and the same colour clothing as your star sign (just go with it), and all other instructions will be given at the door. Though no yoga or dance experience is necessary, participants should be willing to let loose in the LED mayhem. After all, what is a yoga dance party if not the perfect place to relax? This event originally appeared as one of our top picks for the 2014 Next Wave Festival. See the full list here.
Rough and tumble Sydney label R.I.P. Society have been hand delivering you the grungiest garage rock, darkest experimental fuzz and DIY post-punk electronica for five whole years — so they've got a few birthday toasts to give. Fronting up a chock-a-block lineup to The Studio, the beloved label has invited some of Australia's best to party down, with some iconic neighbours on top. New Zealand's legendary trio The Dead C will arrive for an exclusive Sydney headlining spot, along with label buds Feedtime, Bed Wettin' Bad Boys, Woollen Kits, Native Cats, Rat Columns, Cured Pink, Holy Balm, Ghastly Spats, Housewives, Constant Mongrel, Half High and Wallaby Beat DJs. Kicking off from 5pm on May 24, this is sure to be one rambunctious afternoon-to-midnight affair at the House. To celebrate the countdown to Vivid LIVE week, R.I.P. Society founder Nic Warnock has put together a solid playlist to kickstart your week and gear you up for the gig; from Melbourne's dark and stormy Constant Mongrel to Sydney's garage electro favourites Holy Balm with some wise words from Warnock himself. Crank it to 11 and bring your birthday wishes to the party. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-v_TibqZYRU Constant Mongrel — New Shapes "Constant Mongrel are redefining the rules of cool. Once, it was a huge indie music no-no to wear your own band's t-shirt while performing. Now, it's all the rage in some progressive Melbourne fashion circles thanks to Tom Ridgewell. New Shapes, new styles and later this year there will be a new 7" EP from Constant Mongrel on R.I.P Society records." Rat Columns — Another Day "A new addition to the R.I.P Society family is Rat Columns, the project of David West who's also the man behind the chic electronic project Lace Curtain and one of the three guitarists in Total Control. While this label has generally been moving towards the darker or the weirder side of the Aussie underground, Rat Columns play earnest, unashamed guitar pop. That's the type of life balance I wanna promote. Their first Sydney show is at the Sydney Opera House, lucky ducks." https://youtube.com/watch?v=mAram_OVcb4 Feedtime — I Wanna Ride "Feedtime are a band that feels like rock 'n' roll whilst creating a sound that's pure and unique to them. Feedtime sound fuckin' tough and but there's also a real depth and sensitivity to their music. 'Avant-garde pub rock' people have described them as, but it's not macho caricature stuff or in any way kitsch or whacky. Their songs are precise yet profound articulations of real life stuff, heavy stuff and everyday stuff. Hearing Feedtime for the first time, reading about their existence in Sydney, as well as how Aberrant operated as a record label was really inspiring." https://youtube.com/watch?v=DJg1h-3HPf8 Holy Balm — Holy Balm Theme "Holy Balm have been a staple in my experience of Sydney music. Through a do-it-yourself attitude and not being afraid to experiment and evolve in an organic manner they've become a empowering, positive experience both live and recorded. A great intersection of DIY post-punk and dance music." https://youtube.com/watch?v=so67hFjgv-A The Dead C — Outside "This is one of my favourite songs ever. Kind has a similar quality to Brian Eno's 'Here Come The Warm Jets', although much more crude and deconstructive. Still, I think this song is really beautiful. The Dead C's music shows that experimental music can be as emotive and invigorating as your standard three minute pop ditty." Catch the R.I.P. Society crew blasting amps at the Sydney Opera House Studio from 5pm on May 24. More details and stubs over here.
As part of developer Lorenzo Grollo's promise to revitalise that notoriously sketchy stretch of King Street, a former strip club has been reincarnated as a sprawling live music venue, now dubbed Geddes Lane Ballroom. First announced back in September and opening properly to the public this week, the revamped 170-year-old bluestone building makes just enough reference to its past. Downstairs, it's all heavy timber, chandeliers and red carpet, with a couple of the building's old stripper poles still intact in front of the public bar. The lofty space above has been transformed into a 400-capacity band room, complete with its own bar, rows of booths and a stage that hasn't changed too much since its past life. The music lineup is in excellent hands, helmed by Ben Thompson and Ashlea O'Loughlin — the duo behind such hit live music venues as 170 Russell, the Corner Hotel and the East Brunswick Club. A swag of shows are already in the diary and selling fast, including two performances by indie pop rockers Augie March in late November, and a Melbourne Music Week Live Music Safari featuring Krakatau and Fabulous Diamonds. Back downstairs, renowned Vue De Monde chef-owner Shannon Bennett is heading up the food side of things, which includes classic Vue snacks like hot pretzels, Asian fried peanuts and BBQ spiced popcorn, and his own Benny Burger food truck slinging buns in the front entrance laneway. Stay tuned also for special custom vending machines imported from Japan — as a quirky touch, they'll be serving made-to-order 'fast food' options. To match, there's a hefty lineup of beers, both on tap and in the fridge, a tight, largely Aussie wine selection, and bottled cocktails by Vue's Lui Bar. Find Geddes Lane Ballroom at 46 King Street, Melbourne.
SOPA and PIPA are two bold acronyms have been flashed consistently over media channels for the past few days, and yet many of us have little to no idea what they actually mean for us as global citizens. The Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect Intellectual Property Act are two bills that are currently being discussed in Congress in the United States. As their names suggest, these bills attempt to prevent piracy by granting Intellectual Property owners greater powers against copyright-infringing websites. It does this by attacking a website's appearance on search engines and hyperlinking through other websites, as well as its advertising and payment methods, which largely fall within the country's jurisdiction. This is an attempt by the US government to gain some substantial control on foreign websites which have transgressed legal boundaries rapidly. Piracy and online media sharing have completely overturned traditional revenue streams within the music and film industry, and this is why such legislation is receiving so much support from major labels and companies within these arenas. However, many argue that these bills are a great threat to free speech and innovation, as the Internet has become the greatest forum for global communication and access to information. Therefore, they are seen as a direct threat to the democratic ideals which underpin our society. Indeed, how are larger websites going to ensure that none of their content is hyperlinked to another website that supposedly breaches the bills? Unsurprisingly, many of the world's largest and most influential websites have expressed concern over the SOPA and PIPA propositions. Here are some of our favourite online reactions to the world's most controversial bills. Wikipedia Blackout The world's most useful website shocked users when it underwent a blackout for 24 hours. A link on Wikipedia has highlighted the mammoth effect of this relatively short shutdown, as it became the subject of 7,200 articles on Google News. Furthermore, SOPA has accounted for 250,000 tweets every hour after the blackout began. Indeed, Wikipedia have highlighted how this United States legislation will have an enormous global effect. It is estimated that a further 7,000 to 10,000 websites also jumped in on the blackout bandwagon. Buzzfeed's "25 Angry Kids Who Can't Do Their Homework Because of the Wikipedia Blackout" Wikipedia has become a mandatory initial source of information for pretty much any topic in life, and nothing highlights this more than this great compilation from the guys over at Buzzfeed. Collecting the tweets of numerous pissed off primary schoolers and teens, this is a nice summary of how we all felt when we couldn't extract some basic facts from our favourite online encyclopedia. Highlights include a tweet from @JetSetAmbee_, which reads "I'm tryna tell y'all if they take away Wikipedia, I'm gonna fail hella classes. No bullshit." Google's Censored Logo By now we're all used to Google's themed banners, but this time it wasn't as cute as the Christmas cartoons we usually see wrapped around the logo every year. In support of the claims that these bills would effectively amount to a censorship of the World Wide Web, the logo's familiar colourful letters were hidden behind a black bar that had been slapped on top. They say a picture tells a thousand words, and this definitely made its point. David Drummond of Google explained the dangers of SOPA and PIPA in this blog post. Free Bieber This website is actually about S. 978, another bill concerning copyright, but it has gained further attention in wake of the SOPA and PIPA bills. It argues that if it is passed, someone as harmless as Justin Bieber could go to jail because he initially gained fame through uploading YouTube videos of himself singing copyrighted tracks. A banner of the website proclaims that "Justin faces 5 brutal years in prison." You can even purchase Free Bieber t-shirts and stickers, and also fake tattoos that should be applied on your face and/or neck for that true inmate feel. Behind all the laughs there is an online petition for you to stop these bills. CloudFare's Stop Censorship App This app is to be added to your own personal website, and censors every word that is longer than five letters upon initial visit from a browser. As you can probably imagine, this makes for a very frustrating experience. When you click on a censored word a pop-up box appears which tells you about the effects of SOPA and PIPA. From there, the box allows you to tweet about it or even get the contact details of your local Senator to lodge a complaint. Furthermore, this app only takes under a minute to take effect on your site. Update: SOPA shelved
The ingredients you will need The dough250g flour12g waterPinch of table salt Pork mince filling1 thumb sized portion grated ginger3 pieces green shallots100ml water300g Chinese cabbage300g pork mince2 tbsp soy sauce1 tbsp sesame oil1 tsp sugar2 tsp corn flour How to make the dough Mix water, flour and salt together to form dough then knead for 3 minutes or until firm and elastic. Spray or drizzle with vegetable oil and cover with plastic. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Ideally, the dough should be thinker in the centre and thinner around the edges. When you fold the edges together it shouldn't be too think. The Chinese usually roll the dough individually by dividing it into smaller portions. It is generally easier, however, to roll the dough out with a pasta machine or rolling pin to 2mm thick before cutting it with a round pastry cutter on a floured workbench. How to make the filling Grate the ginger and finely chop the shallots. Mix these ingredients into 100ml water and rub the shallots between your fingers to extract the juice. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. Blanch the cabbage leaves for 1 minute in boiling water then strain. Dice the cabbage. Mix cabbage, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, corn flour and the ginger shallot mixture into pork mince. To finish Put 1 full teaspoon of filling in the middle of the portioned dough and wet edges with water to prevent sticking. Fold the dough working outwards in. Dust dumpling with flour to prevent sticking. To cook, simply boil for 5 minutes. Serve hot with combination of vinegar and soy sauce. This recipe is based on the traditional Jiao-zi dumpling originating in northern China, interpreted by Zachary Ng. Image: Andrea Nguyen.
Asking someone what they're going to do at Good Beer Week is sure to elicit one unanimous answer: drink beer, man. But there are so many ways to drink beer and enjoy it that the answer, my friends, is never simple. Certainly not when it's Good Beer Week and you can do everything from downing a pot on the Colonial Tramcar to licking liquid nitrogen beer ice cream from the schooner (if this is a thing, can someone get N2 onto this?). So how do you go about planning for Good Beer Week? If you've picked up a copy of the program you'll notice that there is a lot happening and, as always, the more popular events have been sold out to people more organised than you. Running from May 17-25, it's a week of enjoyment and discovery of our favourite golden drink and we aren't going to let it pass by without a few ales passing through our lips. Here's our guide to the best of Good Beer Week. Add beer to your cocktail A good friend of mine once ordered me a beer cocktail that featured, amongst other things, the tangy taste of tabasco and Maggi beef noodle seasoning. Things have never been the same since. That's why I recommend — if you're willing to go down the road of the beer cocktail — being inaugurated by the experts. Join the guys at 1806 for a Beer Cocktail Degustation and for $50 you'll get a three-course medley of food bites, beer cocktails and a bit of insight into how they're put together. Don't want to go the whole hog? Try one out at Lily Blacks, who will be serving special beery cocktails throughout the week of the festival — just let them know what you like and hopefully Maggi doesn't make an appearance. Beer Cocktail Degustation, various dates during the week, 7.30pm, $50, 1806, 169 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, goodbeerweek.com.au Head to your local As well as a load of special events, Good Beer Week also infiltrates into a large list of pubs and bars — your local is probably one of them. The Grace Darling's Tap Takeover will see the local boutique brews on tap matched with food and live music in the band room. Beers and a band make so much sense, this night out is just a little more curated. As well as this, Little Creatures will be turning their Fitzroy dining hall into a leafy hops farm and a tonne of other venues such as Cookie, The Tramway Hotel, The Local Taphouse and Two Row are holding weeklong specials and stocking boutique brews. The Terminus Hotel in Fitzroy North is the official GBW Hub, and will host pop up events and be open late every night. Tap Takeover, week long, 12pm-late, $10, The Grace Darling Hotel, 114 Smith Street, Collingwood, goodbeerweek.com.au Taste all the beer Whether you know your beer like a boss or just know that you like drinking beer (no sweat), a beer tasting is a good way to develop your taste for the stuff and work out what you like. Plus, you get to drink, like, four beers minimum. Take the chance to head into The Kelvin Club (a members only bar) for an evening to taste a selection of boutique beers with matched canapes, play billiards and maybe even get your hair cut (there's an in-house barber). The Penny Black in Brunswick is also offering a three sample tasting paddle and a 10" pizza for $10 all week. Behind Closed Doors, Friday 23 May at 6pm, $25, The Kelvin Club, 14-30 Melbourne Place, Melbourne, goodbeerweek.com.au Learn something Make up for all those brain cells you're losing by learning something at Good Beer Week, too. And by something, I mean how to make beer yourself so you don't even have to leave the house to buy it. The Preston Shire Hall are holding a free workshop, teaching beer enthusiasts how to brew beer in a bag. A bag! This might not exactly set you up to start your own microbrewery, but if you can make beer in a bag, you're basically self sufficient. Brew in a Bag Workshop, Saturday 17 May at 12pm, free but bookings essential, Preston Shire Hall, 286 Gower Street, Preston, goodbeerweek.com.au Party with booze, tunes and burgers After you've done the civilised stuff (learning, listening, sipping politely out of shot glasses), it's time to get a bit loose. Micro brewery Doss Blockos are celebrating their Pale Lager being on tap for the very first time at Trunk and are throwing a party: taste test their brew in 1 litre take-home bottles, devour Trunk's wagyu burger and enjoy the beer garden's live street artists and DJ's. The following week, Howler are hosting a night of Kooinda craft beer and music, with sets from Total Giovanni, Banoffee, Martin King, Speed Painters, Two Bright Lakes and Andras Fox. Big Trunk, Sunday 18 May at 2pm, $33, Trunk, 275 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, goodbeerweek.com.au Howler & Kooinda Brewery Presents, Sunday 25 May at 7pm, $20, Howler, 7-11 Dawson Street, Brunswick, goodbeerweek.com.au Image credits: Jess Shaver and Moving Pixels
It's that time of year when sweet tooths unite to pay homage to the holiest of treats. Yep, National Doughnut Day is upon us and one northside food precinct is celebrating the occasion with one heck of a giveaway. On Friday, June 3, Preston Market's famed Hot Jam Donut Van will be handing out free doughnuts to the masses — over 800 free doughnuts, to be exact. The signature sweet treats will be up for grabs from 8am until they've all been snapped up. And what a great accompaniment to your weekly grocery shop, right? If you miss out on a freebie, it's not all bad news. You'll still be able to enjoy a doughnut-filled day, with those hot, jammy, cinnamon-dusted balls available to buy by the half-dozen for an easy $6.50.
Many of us default to basic or monochromatic homewares when it comes to everyday use items, but having statement pieces that stand out with colour and form are brilliant for entertaining or simply to have on display in your home as functional works of art. The FAZEEK team champions this through their range of vibrant glassware, cutlery, tablecloths and ceramics. And all of these will be up for grabs at rare bargain prices when the brand holds its annual warehouse sale. The exclusive sale will be running for one weekend only from Friday, March 22–Sunday, March 24. Make your way over to FAZEEK's Northcote warehouse to snap up some of its vibrant wave coupes, vases, platters, linens and more with discounts of up to 70%. This sale is not online so if you want to seize the unique opportunity to inject some of these vibrant designs into your home, you'll need to visit the warehouse in person.
Whether you're into the whole loved-up Valentine's Day stuff or not, chocolate is always a good idea. And a creamy chocolate gelato cake that pays homage to a classic Italian dessert? Well, that's even better. So, Piccolina Gelateria is sure to win hearts with its latest limited-edition creation: a giant frozen 'baci'. The Bacio di Piccolina is a nod to the original Baci, featuring a ball of lush handmade hazelnut and chocolate gelato crowned with hazelnut praline and toasted hazelnuts. The whole thing has a base of rich chocolate fudge and comes covered completely in smooth dark chocolate. And the silver foil wrapping even hides a cute love note, in case you're gifting the dessert to a (sweet-toothed) someone special. Or, for a little self-love infusion while you're scoffing the V-Day present you bought yourself, of course. Clocking in at $20 each, the Bacio di Piccolina's designed to serve two — though we're sure that's just a rough guideline. The Bacio di Piccolina is available at to order online and at Piccolina's Collingwood, Hawthorn and St Kilda stores until sold out.
Shelly is a normal girl. Normal enough, that is, until she finds herself starting to become more and more fish-like every day. Staying true to her piscine transformation, she takes refuge in the sea, alone. But the sea is no place for a human girl — even a scaly, gilled amphibian-type one who's taken a liking to blowing bubbles. The Sound of Waves is a fictionalised account of performer Jodie Harris' true story of losing her hearing and getting a cochlear implant. Written bespoke for her to perform solo by Gareth Ellis, the production is a whimsical, affirming tale six years in the making. Harris, a deaf actor, admits she was worried about performing it. But the oh-so-precious, encouraging words of the Weedy Seahorse — one of her multitudinous characters in the play — got her through that: "I can do this, and that — check it out! I can do this."
It's the kind of coastal getaway everyone dreams of: ocean views as far as the eye can see, decadent suites climbing 48 storeys into the sky, and five on-site restaurants manned by world-class chefs. Throw in an Asian street-style food market, a rooftop open-air cinema, more than a couple of bars and even karaoke, and it's shaping up to become Australia's new must-visit place to stay. Meet the Gold Coast's next drawcard, and Australia's first six-star beachfront hotel. The as-yet-unnamed site is slated to join the Queensland tourist spot's abundance of accommodation options, with Aquis Australia lodging a development application with the local council for the $440 million project. If approved, construction is slated to start in 2018. Taking over the space at 3464 to 3466 Main Beach Parade, Surfers Paradise, and designed by architects Woods Bagot, the new hotel will also include 580 rooms, an atrium lobby spread over three levels, and a $2.5 million custom art installation. And, if swimming somewhere other than the adjacent seaside takes your fancy, it'll boast a glass bottom pool that can be viewed from within the hotel. Plus, it's the only new, large-scale south-east Queensland hotel that isn't linked to an integrated resort or casino. And yes, we know what you're wondering — just what makes a six-star hotel so special? It's a fair question, particularly given that anything above five isn't officially recognised; however the key is the level of indulgence on offer. "Our goal was to create a hotel that would become a destination in itself, something that is instantly recognisable and synonymous with luxury," says Aquis Australia chairman Tony Fung. "We will be targeting travellers that want to experience the best restaurants, the best beaches, the best accommodation away from the hustle and bustle".
Melburnians are pretty darn adventurous when it comes to food. They'll eat crickets on a salad, try salt-flavoured soft serve and even broccoli lattes. But, the city's new dumpling house takes things a few steps further. Setting up shop on Bourke Street, the neon-drenched Drumplings is the brainchild of Deon St. Mor, the mind behind beauty brand MOR Cosmetics and the now-closed rooftop glamping hotel St Jerome's. And it has more than a few surprises in store for local dumpling lovers, with a menu filled with some pretty wild, globally-inspired inventions. Here, classic Chinese creations like prawn and chive har gow, and soup-filled xiao long bao, sit alongside dumplings stuffed with fillings riffing on chilli con carne, cheeseburger, truffle mushroom and beef rendang. A chicken laksa version features braised meat, lemongrass, tamarind and coconut; while the 'fish n chips' number lists hoki, roasted chips, beer batter and vinegar salt among its ingredients. Team yours with a craft beer or alcoholic icypole, as you soak up the vibe of the equally bold space — think, palm fronds, hot pink floors and loads of high-energy prints. Drumplings is open at 227-229 Bourke St, Melbourne from 11am–8pm Monday–Wednesday, 11am–10pm Thursday–Saturday and 11am–6pm on Sunday.
Richmond's The National Hotel is giving you an excuse to change up your average Thursday night drinks with mates. The longstanding pub has once again invited The Plant Whisperer to host a tipsy terrarium workshop. Throughout the 1.5-hour class, the host will walk you through the creation of a mini plant world, providing tips on plant selection and design, as well as soil composition and layering techniques. All terrarium materials are included in the ticket price — expect an array of tropical plants to choose from, plus a glass bowl, stones, soil, moss and figurines. And all experience levels are welcome, whether you entered the class a pro or are a repeat offender black thumb. The bar will also be slinging all its usual bevvies throughout the workshop (to help provide some liquid creativity) — along with its Thursday night $6 Cass and Korean fried chicken special ($15 for half a chook plus pickles and bao). Plenty of other bar chow is up for grabs, too, including steamed prawn dumplings, pork belly bao and five spice soft shell crab sliders. The 1.5 hour class will cost $80, with drinks and food at the bar purchased separately. Bookings are a must. UPDATE: OCTOBER 4, 2019 — With the first two workshops selling out promptly, a third one has been added on Wednesday, October 23. If you want to go, get tickets pronto.
Joey Scandizzo Salon has long been an iconic feature of Toorak Road, its gorgeous black facade inviting every passerby to peek through the windows and see what magic is happening beyond. Inside, you will find it is equally luxurious and beautiful — both in its innovative design and its consistently gorgeous hair results. The Joey Scandizzo team all strives to work with highly individualised care, not following the latest trends, but instead working with clients to find something that works for their personal needs. Personal consultations are part of the experience with every client, ensuring everyone leaves the salon feeling like the best version of themselves. Blow-dries start at $80, while up-dos start from $150 depending on the style and stylist. The best part? First-time visitors get $25 off the service of their choosing — just head to the website to redeem the offer.
