Last year, Scotland's BrewDog created the world's first craft beer hotel and launched the world's first craft beer airline, letting beer lovers drink more of its cold ones in more places. Basically, the boozy flight is an ideal way to get to the brand's Ohio holiday spot, however it's not a regular service. But after the first return trip took to the skies earlier in 2019, two more flights have been announced. Aptly named BrewDog Airlines by the beer fiends— and yes, it's all about downing craft brews at 30,000 feet — the repeat trip will take eager drinkers from London to the company's Columbus facility and back. Want to mosey the other way? A second flight will also soar through the heavens while serving its passengers plenty of brews, leaving the US to head to Scotland for some beer- and whisky-sipping. If you're keen to make either journey, the London-to-Ohio leg departs Britain on Thursday, October 31, making the return leg on Tuesday, November 5, while the Ohio-to-Edinburgh trip leaves Columbus on the same departure date and heads back on the same return date as well. As was the case with the airline's maiden voyage, you'll also need to be one of BrewDog's Equity Punks, which is what it calls its shareholders — and pay between £1350–1450 per person (or £2550–2750 for two people sharing a room). Starting to pack now? Happy to make your own way to either start point? Then here's what else is in store. Boarding a Boeing 767, passengers will enjoy a spot of beer tasting, tuck into a BrewDog-inspired menu that's paired with matching beers, watch the brewery's BrewDog Network — its own streaming platform — and receive a branded eye mask and blanket. More brews will be served during the flight, obviously. And, once the plane lands, you're in for a tour of either BrewDog's Columbus or Ellon facilities, as well as relevant boozy trips in Ohio and Scotland. To ensure the flight goes smoothly — or boozily, really — BrewDog has also created its own beer that tastes better at a flying altitude. If you hop on board its airline, you'll get to enjoy more than a few sips. Cathay Pacific also did something similar back in 2017, launching a bottled beer that was made to taste as great in the air as it does on the ground. With BrewDog also opening an Australian base in Brisbane in 2019 — albeit without a hotel — here's hoping it brings this idea with it. Image: BrewDog.
For the past 30 years, the country's professional Aussie Rules competition has called itself the Australian Football League, reflecting the growing spread of top-level teams across the nation. In 2020, it'll make good on that name in a way it never has before: by hosting the AFL grand final outside of Melbourne for the first time. Come the night of Saturday, October 24, whoever earns the right to compete in this year's decider will be doing so at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, aka the Gabba. They'll be playing in front of at least 30,000 fans, too, with the Queensland Government's successful bid for the game allowing the ground to be filled to almost three-quarter capacity. Announcing the news today, Wednesday, September 2 — and revealing that the Gabba beat out Sydney's ANZ Stadium, Perth's Optus Stadium and Adelaide Oval in South Australia — AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said that it was a difficult decision. He noted that a number of factors came into play, including the "safety and the best environment for all" and "integrity and the need for uncompromised games". And, he advised that if needed due to coronavirus social-distancing requirements, the capacity could be reduced — or, as a backup if cases surged in Brisbane, the game moved to Adelaide Oval. https://twitter.com/AFL/status/1301002487789281287 In its date and timeslot, the grand final will also buck tradition — because shifting venues isn't the only huge change in 2020. Usually, the AFL's ultimate game of the year is held on the last Saturday in September; however, due to COVID-19 shutdowns from late March–mid June, the whole season has been pushed back and compressed. When the ball bounces to kick things off that evening (with the exact time to be revealed closer to the match), the game will also become the first grand final to take place at night as well. It's all thoroughly unsurprising news given that every single AFL team has been based in Queensland for some part of the 2020 season, that the majority of the season has been played in the Sunshine State, and that hosting the big game with a crowd at its usual home — the MCG — is off the cards due to Melbourne's current coronavirus situation. That said, it really shouldn't have taken three decades for a competition that's not only named after the entire country, but changed its moniker in 1990 to reflect the fact that it was no longer just about Victoria, to host the decider in another city. The game has actually been played at venues other than the MCG before — but still in Melbourne. The first four grand finals, between 1898–1901, rotated between locations, before settling into the Melbourne Cricket Ground from 1902 onwards. During World War II, from 1942–1945, it was staged at Carlton's Princes Park and St Kilda's Junction Oval while the MCG was in use for the war effort. And, in 1991 when the ground's southern stand was under construction, it took place at Waverley Park in Mulgrave. Back when that 1991 match took place, the AFL only had four non-Victorian teams — and all four were less than a decade old or had only been based out of the state for that period. Now, eight out of 18 teams are from Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, and nine out of 18 (including Geelong) are based outside of Melbourne. So, again, it's really about time the code shared the love around when it comes to the big game. This year's move to the Gabba looks to be a once-off, though, at least for now. The MCG is still contracted to host the grand final for a significant period after this year — with its contact originally running through until 2057, and now extended until 2058 as part of the agreement to allow the game to be played elsewhere in 2020. And, if you're a Victorian who has been missing the footy this year, you will still get the usual pre-grand final public holiday even with the game being played in Brisbane, as Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed last month. The 2020 AFL Grand Final will take place at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on the evening of Saturday, October 24, with the exact kickoff time still to be announced. Details regarding ticketing released closer to the game. Top image: Your Next Kid via Wikipedia.
Abbotsford's Aviary Hotel are again teaming up with the folks from Young Henrys for their latest Backyard Boogie – and this one looks like a doozie. Kicking off at 3pm in the venue's sunny beer garden, this epic Sunday sesh will see PBS' Rick Howe, Mohair Slim and Miss Goldie serving up "the best and rarest reggae-blues-soul-rocksteady-funk-titty shakers you've ever heard". Now that's a hell of a promise. In additional to the tunes, there'll be all sorts of drinks specials, including $6 pints of Young Henrys Newtowner and $5 tinnies of Young Henrys Cloudy Apple Cider, plus 2 for 1 espresso martinis to keep you dancing. The backyard barbecue will also be firing, because you deserve to make the weekend last as long as it possibly can.
It might just be Australia's brightest festival, and it's returning to light up Alice Springs once again. That'd be Parrtjima - A Festival In Light, which delivers its fourth and most expansive annual program so far between Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 14 — a shift from the event's previous timeslot, moving from spring to autumn. The nation's first indigenous festival of its kind, Parrtjima announced its shift of dates earlier this year, as well as its continued focus on dazzling light installations. Now, the free ten-day public celebration of Indigenous arts, culture and storytelling has started to reveal its lineup. In 2019, as well as a closing night performance by Baker Boy, the festival will feature seven luminous displays gracing both Alice Springs Desert Park Precinct and Alice Springs Todd Mall. While Alice Spring's CBD will light up with new installations and events, just out of town, tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park will also come alive with the festival's main attraction. Once again, a huge artwork will transform a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, showering it with light from 6.30–10.30pm each night of the festival — and featuring an audio track voiced by Aussie acting legend Aaron Pedersen. Visitors will also be able to immerse themselves in art and storytelling as part of the returning Ahelhe Itethe – Living Sands (Grounded), where installations are projected onto the earth accompanied by a striking soundscape. While Parrtjima's returning slate is strong, new additions to this year's lineup include an illuminated tunnel that'll greet attendees as they enter the festival space, called Angkentye Anpernirrentye-kerte – The Language of Kin; an array of over-sized sculptures that'll relay the social history of First Nations station workers and their language of the land, dubbed Angkentye Stockmen Mape-kenhe – The Language of Stockmen; and a series of sculptured large-scale moths, badged The Language of Moths, which'll brighten up Todd Mall. There'll also be a huge maze for kids and a set-up of three bush taxis displaying works by First Nations artists. As 2019 is the UN's Year of Indigenous Languages, the festival will also have a linguistic edge — as many of the light installations' names make plain. With a theme of 'Language Expressions', the full program will feature many talks and workshops focused on Central Australia's many Indigenous languages, with details to be announced in the coming weeks. Also on the bill is jam-packed program of dance, music, workshops and talks, sharing stories and celebrating First Nations' culture. It's a nice supplement to the area's Field of Light installation, which has been extended until 2020. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs from April 5–14, 2019 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: James Horan.
When it comes to renting, things are rarely positive. But, in some good news for renters — which may or may not make up for all the times your landlord has refused to fix your broken shower head — the Victorian Government has just passed a swathe of rental reforms. And they look like they could make renting a fairer playing field for Victorians. After initially announcing the reforms back in October last year and putting them before parliament this month, Premier Daniel Andrews has now — in the lead-up to the November state election, no less — passed more than 100 reforms through both houses of parliament that will aim to increase renters' rights and protect tenants in vulnerable positions. According to the government, it is the most substantial change to the Residential Tenancies Act since it was introduced over 20 years ago. The reforms will see updates to existing legislation to better reflect the current market and make it easier for people to enter into it — a problem that isn't just exclusive to first home buyers. Anyone who's recently had to fork out a small fortune to pay bond will be happy to know that, under the changes, bond amounts will be capped at four weeks' rent and landlords will be prevented from hiking up your rent more than once a year, too. The Andrews Government's reforms would also give you more freedom to make a house into a home — you'll be able to make small modifications such as nailing hooks into the wall. Though minor, perhaps nothing says "this feels like home" than finally being able to hang up that festival poster you've been hanging onto since 2011. And it's now way harder for landlords to ban pets, too — they'll have to get an order from VCAT, so you'll be able to add a fur baby to your fam if you so wish. And, on recommendation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence, tenants will be able to terminate rental agreements in a situation of domestic or family violence, with victims not being held liable for debts that aren't their own. According to the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2018, the new legislation will come until affect by July 1, 2020. We'll keep you updated if it looks to happen any sooner. Image: Donaldytong via Wikimedia Commons.
I’m watching Oscar Wilde eat what may be his last meal before police drag him away on charges of sodomy and I’m wondering if he has the right cutlery for lobster. This probably shouldn’t be what’s on my mind at this point. The first act of David Hare’s The Judas Kiss is a set up that should be bursting at the seams with tension. Wilde (Chris Baldock), having failed to quash accusations of sodomy with a defamation case against his male lover’s outraged father, faces imminent arrest. His friends are urging him to flee the country. Wilde however has holed himself up in a hotel room, paralysed with despair and the desire to be near his beloved, the dissolute Lord Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas (Nigel Langley). Yet, as the first act comes to its finale, with a mob outside the hotel and fear running high, I’m thinking about table settings. Somewhere here the drama’s not doing it’s job. The Judas Kiss is a play with a somewhat chequered history. It was reportedly a flop when first performed in England in 1998, while its Australian debut the following year drew sell-out crowds, protest and police attention for its onstage nudity and simulated sex. This production by Mockingbird Theatre doesn’t seem set to be as explosive. After the initial (and to be fair to the prudes of the '90s, really quite gratuitous) cunnilingus scene, the first act falls into a kind of surly drawing room drama groove. Baldock’s Wilde is blustery and pompous and his friends all fret and shout a lot, mostly about action happening off stage involving characters you won’t meet. It doesn’t feel very Wilde at all, even as a depiction of the man in extremis. While Hare’s script does a decent job of mimicking the poet’s acid tongue, emotional nuance is lacking in the performances, which oscillate from twee to raging with no shades between. Bosie’s odiousness is so transparent he is hard to credit as a plot-driving love interest and it all becomes a bit of a slog. The second act, which takes place after Wilde’s imprisonment, when he and Bosie are living in impoverished exile in Italy, is substantially better. The drama is more immediate and personal, being driven by onstage action rather than events off stage, the characters are shown in a more complex light and the nudity, while even more louche this act, is at least justified by the story. While a certain lack of chemistry between the leads remains a problem, Baldock works much better as the broken man Wilde is by this stage and the act builds to a satisfying emotional climax. At two and a half hours, the show is pretty long, especially as it tends to revisit the same emotional territory. You’ll also probably get more out of it if you brush up on Wilde’s biography beforehand, as it does somewhat rely on assumed knowledge. Both the script and the delivery could be tighter but it is still an interesting work which offers a novel and poignant view of the man himself.
Gather an eclectic group of people in an intriguing place, spill a few secrets, commit a few crimes and watch sparks fly. It's an approach that's worked for Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and even the board game Cluedo, and it works a treat for Bad Times at the El Royale. Contrary to the film's moniker, you can expect a rollicking good time with this mystery-thriller, which has devilish fun taking both its sharp narrative and its motley crew of characters on a twist-filled ride — and taking the audience along too, for that matter. On a sunny 1969 day that's soon to turn stormy, Lake Tahoe's El Royale Hotel welcomes four guests to its distinctive surroundings. Checking into the spot smack-bang on the border of California and Nevada are smooth-talking vacuum salesman Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm), jobbing singer Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo), man of the cloth Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges) and a woman who writes "fuck you" in the ledger instead of her name (Dakota Johnson). Strangers crossing paths for the first time, each has their own reasons for being there, not that anyone is forthcoming. As they assemble in the lobby beneath photos of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and other bigwigs who've stayed on the premises, the young, distracted manager Miles (Lewis Pullman) gives them the spiel: they can slumber in either U.S. state, but rooms in California cost $1 extra and you can't drink in the Nevada lounge, or gamble either since it lost its gaming license. The hotel's divided layout aside (and yes, a line literally runs right through the middle), much about Bad Times at the El Royale initially feels familiar. The basic setup, the use of title cards, the shifting perspectives and fractured timelines, and the air of foreboding in a fading abode all could've stepped out of countless other movies. Thankfully, derivation isn't the name of the game here, although there's one particular film that writer-director Drew Goddard owes a debt to. It's his own last big-screen release, The Cabin in the Woods — and while the filmmaker isn't trying to make the same flick twice by any means, he approaches this slightly over-long 90s-style crime throwback in the same way as his hit horror movie. Both share a sense of playfulness that's highly engaged with their chosen genres, neither follows the routine path, and each comes packed with an energy that's thoroughly infectious. Chris Hemsworth plays a part in both films, although just how the star and his frequently bare chest fit into Bad Times at the El Royale's narrative is best discovered by watching. But, by re-teaming with Goddard, he's once again immersed in an engrossing story that's spun around a fantastic setting — complete with shooting, spying, scandals, bank robbers and cults. While treating a movie's location like one of its characters might be commonplace to the point of cliche, this lively, pulpy and often amusing noir-esque picture wouldn't be anything without its central lodge. From the diorama-like opening scene that buries a secret beneath the floorboards, to roving camerawork that stalks every hidden nook and cranny of the place in a striking fashion, the El Royale proves a slick visual playground for blood-splattered revelations and reversals. Along with cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (The Greatest Showman), roaming the hotel's halls is a well-chosen group of actors, helping to overcome what could've been the film's greatest flaw. Casting can often be a movie's biggest spoiler, instantly signalling that a high-profile name is destined for a more sizeable role than their seemingly small part first indicates — but even when that remains true here, talent such as Bridges and Johnson craft fascinating characters who are more than the sum of their flaws, failings and deceptions. Firmly and delightfully in Kurt Russell-meets-Patrick Swayze mode, Hemsworth is charming to watch in a more straightforward part, however it's Erivo who's having the best time of all. Turning in a performance as powerful as the soulful tracks she's often singing, the Tony and Grammy winner only made her cinematic debut at the Toronto International Film Festival last month. With Bad Times at the El Royale, Erivo checks in to a darkly entertaining affair, and certain big-screen stardom as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7wzBVARwaU
You'd expect plenty of shenanigans to occur in a brewery. When you're crafting tasty brews, something fun has to happen — right? Whatever beverage-sipping visions might pop into your head when you're pondering what would be most folks' dream workplace, circus probably isn't one of them. Let Hawkers Beer show you otherwise. After turning their Reservoir site into a Brewery Cinema for last year's Good Beer Week, they're taking inspiration from the big top for their 2017 event. A host of Melbourne circus artists will take over the space from 7pm on May 13, serving up a showcase of tumbling, flipping, flying and juggling antics. Yes, the latter will involve throwing beer into the air. As well as the once-off display by performers who have worked with Cirque Du Soleil, Circus Oz, Circa, NICA and NIDA, Hawkers will wander around sculptures, grab a bite to eat from an array of food trucks — and knock back brews, of course. Tickets cost $130 per person, but this really isn't the kind of thing that you see every day. A bit of advice: just don't have a few drinks and try to bust out some tricks of your own. Image: Fiona Brook.
Here's your chance to thank a major enabler of your binge TV habit. The man responsible for bringing you 3720 hours of glee, revulsion, frustration and satisfaction, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, is coming to Australia. He'll be making one exclusive appearance at the Sydney Town Hall as part of the Sydney Writers' Festival (an early part; he's here May 1 while the rest of the festival kicks off May 19). The discussion will zero in on Gilligan's creative process and presumably provide a platform for all your Better Call Saul-related questions. Even though Gilligan might be the most 'read' writer at the festival, there's plenty else in the program announcement to warrant attention and ticket-getting. Big international names include that other confounding New Zealand prodigy, 2013 Booker Prize winner for The Luminaries Eleanor Catton (who is, we're constantly being reminded, 28). There's also right-of-passage author Irvine Welsh, journalist/press freedoms fighter Jeremy Scahill, Super Sad True Love Story writer/famous blurbist Gary Shteyngart, and Eimear McBride, who in 2013 threw out the laws of grammar and emerged with the bizarrely comprehensible A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing. Artistic director Jemma Birrell doesn't appear to be trying to reinvent the wheel or tweet the wheel or performance art the wheel; the 2014 Sydney Writers' Festival is geared towards solid programming that mixes interesting minds. "Over 400 writers will bring their insight and knowledge, their creativity and contemplation, to help us see life from a different perspective," she says of the festival. Bondi Beach and Bowral are new venues, and there's a fun-looking series putting the spotlight on Literary Friendships (it generously counts siblings as friends, so writers Benjamin and Michelle Law are included). Now a fixture of the festival, the Chaser-run Festival Club is where things will get relaxed and sweary at the end of the day. The Sydney Writers' Festival is on May 19-25 (apart from lone wolf Vince). Tickets are on sale from 9am on Friday, April 4, via the festival website.
Sunny Frankston has proven itself to be quite the seaside destination in recent years, with a surge in popularity led by what Melburnians love most: hospitality and culture. The seaside is a backdrop, albeit a very pretty one, against vibrant dining and art scenes. That's why Frankston is the annual host of The Big Picture Fest, a celebration of local and international artists set to a week of live painting, music and more. The 2024 event is pulling eleven world-class artists together to paint mural projects across Frankston, with free events occurring alongside them from Monday, March 18, to Sunday, March 24. So what's worth your time, who are these artists you're looking for, and where can you stop to refuel along the way? Let's find out. The eleven talented artists The Big Picture Fest has a lot of drawcards but the main attraction is the artist program. Eleven artists, six of whom are Australian, are taking part in the festival. Eight of the artists will paint murals across Frankston, while others lead exhibitions and special events. Of the talent, there's US-based JEKS, a specialist in hyper-realistic mural portraits; pioneering Dutch graffiti artist and muralist GOMAD; Peruvian-born colour specialist BRONIK; Dutch-born post-graffiti muralist URSH and Spanish experimental artist DEMSKY. The rest of the roster includes globally leading contemporary artist Vexta; photorealistic muralist Calum; Melbourne's local miniaturist Tinky; tattoo artist and fine muralist Kitt Bennett; graffiti and street artist Danny Legs and Adelaide-baed digital artist Fraz the Wizard. The free events across town It's possible to enjoy the festival with just a map and your own two feet, but if you'd prefer a bit more insight into the artworks you can book a free street art walking tour. These tours will run every hour on the hour between 10am and 7pm from Friday, March 22—Sunday, March 24. Many of the boutique events in the program are taking place at Cube 37, a local gallery that frequently hosts art events from local and visiting talent alike. For The Big Picture Fest, the gallery will be hosting an installation by visiting artist DEMSKY, plus the People's Choice Award exhibition of the festival's artists. Here's where you can explore the studio work of all eleven artists and place your vote for a featured artist to be showcased at next year's Big Picture Fest. Out and about, keep your eyes peeled for the miniaturist works by Tinky, who has two miniature dioramas in the Frankston Library and Cube 37 Gallery and eight more scattered around the laneways and streets of Frankston for the whole week. Oh, and there's the biggest art and music street party to hit Frankston all year… The Block Party The culmination of The Big Picture Fest is taking place on the evening of Friday, March 22 with The Block Party, a free event spread across Park Lane and Park Row from 4.30pm to 10.30pm. After a week of celebrating Frankston's arts and culture scenes, it will be time to loosen up with bands, street performers, food trucks, drink vendors and live painting. The music lineup is impressive, with the starring artists including local dance-punk group Gut Health, the exotica-style beats of Bananagun, art-pop-synthesiser soloist Milku, indie pop rock band Tamara and The Dreams, and DJ Obliveus on the decks. Keep an eye out for roving performances by theatre troupe Born In A Taxi, and Block Party exclusive projections of digital art by Fraz the Wizard. The precinct will also be welcoming food trucks and alcohol vendors to keep you fed and watered and lounge areas to hang out in. The local gems worth finding No matter if you're headed to Frankston for the full week of The Big Picture Fest or just the busy weekend, you need to explore the big picture of the area. You'll find exposed brickwork, neon lights and a menu meant to be shared at Hotel Lona, modern seafood and pub feeds at Humdinger, sun-soaked beach cocktails at Oliver's Corner, cool craft beers at relaxed bar and bottle-o hybrid The Hop Shop, and delicious plant-based meals at Nature Cafe Bar. And should you still need an additional art fix beyond The Big Picture Fest's brightly-painted walls and installations, there's always more to discover. Thanks to Frankston City's long-term commitment to all things art, you can find well over 70 gorgeous murals throughout Frankston — from past Big Picture Fests and other city art programs alike. There's also a concentrated experience to be found at McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery, a beloved local gallery set in 16 hectares of native bushland. From indoor exhibitions to openair sculpture tours and experiences led by the multiple community groups that operate on its grounds, you'll almost certainly find something to connect with here. Big Picture Fest 2024 runs from Monday, March 18 to Sunday, March 24. For more information on the event artists or to download an event map, visit the website.
If you've been to Eggslut in the States, you'll understand the hype. Lines snake around LA's Grand Central Market — and Las Vegas's Cosmopolitan — from the moment the stores start frying up eggy burgers and jars of 'slut' (coddled eggs with potato). Now, the hype is heading Down Under, with founder Alvin Cailan coming to Melbourne for a one-day burger pop-up. Cailan (who also hosts The Burger Show) is teaming up with Collingwood's own Easey's for a one-off collaboration, which will take over the Easey Street joint from 8–11am on Saturday, August 10. Collaborating with Truff Hot Sauce as well to celebrate the truffle-infused sauce's Australian launch, there'll be two delicious bites on the menu — and whichever one you choose, your tastebuds will thank you. Fancy some Eggslut action? That calls for The Beverly, complete with soft scrambled eggs, chives, a potato cake from Easey's, cheddar cheese, caramelised onions, the sauce in the spotlight sauce and mayo, all on an Eggslut-inspired bun. Prefer a burg? The Truff cheeseburger is here to help, layering an Easey's smashed patty, caramelised onions, egg, garlic and dill pickles, American cheese, Truff sauce and mayo on a potato bun. Tickets cost $50, which includes your choice of the above sandwich or burger, a bottle of Truff sauce and a bloody mary made with the spicy condiment — all while Cailan is on the Easey's premises. That's your Saturday breakfast sorted, but you will need to book in for a 20-minute timeslot in advance.
Northsiders, prepare to lose your collective minds (and begin a heated debate about the values of coriander) because Prahan's beloved Vietnamese restaurant, Hanoi Hannah, is coming to Carlton for the month of July. At Yo-Chi, of all places. Hanoi Hannah is moving in to the frozen yoghurt bar's palatial digs on Faraday Street from Tuesday, July 5. The culinary couple's collab name is 'pho-yo' — but before you freak out about hybrid foodstuffs, rest assured they won't be serving pho-flavoured frozen yoghurt. "No, no that would be disgusting," laughs Simon Blacher, co-owner of Hanoi Hannah. "But we're doing a collaborative flavour with Yo-Chi, a Hanoi Hannah-inspired frozen yoghurt." The HH crew will also be serving up signature dishes like their yellowfin tuna and wasabi rice paper rolls and fresh chargrilled chicken and BBQ pork banh mi with pickled carrot, daikon, cucumber and coriander with crispy shallots. "It's quite a simple set up [at Yo-Chi] so we can't do any elaborate cooking, but it'll be enough to serve up a good lunch and dinner," Blacher says. "Plus, the food we're known for — like pho and bahn mi — isn't complicated, just done well." Yo-Chi will also be serving up a bespoke dessert menu as well as their regular self-serve fro-yo and toppings. You can grab the decadent (and hilariously named) Lava'Nother (a chocolate mud cake with a ganache centre, vanilla frozen yoghurt, fresh strawberries and chocolate soil) to accompany your Vietnamese feast. Blacher also revealed they'll be offering delivery after the pop-up gets settled in, so you won't even have to leave the house to indulge. No word, however, on whether northside will be getting their own permanent Hanoi Hannah, but we're hopeful. When asked, Blacher won't give anything away. "It may be true…who knows. We're always looking for new venues but nothing concrete at the moment". Here's hoping Hannah finds a permanent home north of the Yarra at some point in the future — but in the meantime, we'll settle for bahn mi, pho and fro-yo in the warm, wooden interior of Yo-Chi.
Bright lights, performances around the city and interesting chats aren't the only things on Vivid Sydney's lineup when it pops up in the middle of each year. Since 2023, Vivid Food has also been its own festival within the broader festival, putting all things culinary in the spotlight. It's heaven for your tastebuds, and it's coming back for the second time in 2024 — and, based on the just-dropped program, you'll have plenty of must-attend events to choose from. At the top of the list: visits from acclaimed international chefs, all showing the Harbour City their gastronomical prowess. Manoella Buffara of Brazil's Manu Restaurant will get cooking in Sydney from Friday, May 24–Sunday, June 2 for Vivid's annual residency, with Ploós on the Vivid Sydney Light Walk set to showcase her focus on local produce and sustainability. This'll be the first time that 2022's Best Female Chef in Latin America hops into the kitchen Down Under, working with the Ploós team to put on two fine-dining menus: a nine-course tasting dinner which'll cost $420 and a seven-course lunch option that'll set you back $320. "I'm incredibly excited to be part of Vivid Food in Sydney, an event that highlights the importance of cuisine in our culture. As the culinary capital of Australia, Sydney becomes a hub for vibrant flavour exchanges, bringing together top chefs and local producers to create memorable food experiences," said Buffara about her impending visit. "In the heart of this bustling city, I will launch a pop-up that showcases my love for high-quality ingredients and authentic flavours. Sharing my cooking and stories with Sydney is a true honour, and I look forward to being part of this amazing food event that Vivid Food offers." Michelin-starred chefs Sally Abé, Ivan Brehm and Max Coen are on their way to Sydney as well, thanks to the Vivid Chef Series. Abé from The Pem in London is teaming up with Billy Hannigan at The Charles Brasserie & Bar, serving up three lunches and dinners that mix British cuisine with European influences. From Nour in Singapore, Ivan Brehm has a date with AALIA for two dinners that'll pair Middle Eastern cuisine with global flavours, working alongside the Sydney spot's Paul Farag. And Coen from London's Dorian is joining forces with Ben Greeno from Fred's to hero wood-fired grilling, farm-to-table ingredients and being hyper-seasonal. When the bulk of the 2024 Vivid lineup dropped in March, unveiling its theme of "humanity" and outlining most of what's occurring in Harbour City for 23 nights between Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15, the fest detailed a few Vivid Food elements. So, the fact that Vivid Fire Kitchen will go big on barbecue in its new location at The Goods Line isn't new news; however, it is exciting, and the event has also dropped its own roster of talent. Fire sculptures and flame shooters will help set the mood, as will fire drums — and Firedoor's Lennox Hastie will be among the folks putting on demonstrations. He'll be joined by chef and author Christine Manfield, the World Food Championships' Seafood Champion John McFadden, Karkalla owner Mindy Woods, the Texas-based Jess Pryles, Niklas Ekstedt from Sweden's Ekstedt at The Yard and Shalamar Lane from My Father's Barbeque in Los Angeles, for starters. Also a Vivid Food standout: the nostalgic Messina Milk Bar, where the beloved gelato chain will be giving classic desserts and chocolates its own twist. A warm Milo fudge sundae is just one of the dishes to look forward to. As announced previously, Vivid's 2024 program also spans Kyiv Social's Plates with Purpose: A Taste of Ukraine, a ten-course degustation that will make you feel like you're sat at a Ukrainian family's table; the VividPlace Food Trail, which'll turn Sydney Place and Bulletin Place's laneways into a night food market each night of Vivid; and Our Shared Humanity at Refettorio OzHarvest, with Manfield, Darren Robertson, Mitch Orr and more whipping up three-course vegetarian menus using rescued produce And, there's also Aurorae at Bennelong Bar, Bennelong's pop-up snack and cocktail bar — and A Culinary Canvas by Danielle Alvarez celebrates women in the Australian food and wine scenes in Sydney Opera House's Yallamundi Rooms. [caption id="attachment_898138" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] [caption id="attachment_898139" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Vivid Sydney runs from Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15 at various locations around Sydney. Head to the festival website for further details and tickets. Top image: Destination NSW.
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is making an offer you can't refuse. For two nights only, renowned conductor Shih-Hung Young will lead the MSO in a rendition of the gorgeous score from The Godfather, as part of a live concert screening at Hamer Hall. If you've never seen the film, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. If you already have, then you won't need convincing that it's worth doing so again. Widely heralded as one of the greatest films ever made, Francis Ford Coppola's crime epic follows the reluctant rise of Michael (Al Pacino) up the ranks of the notorious Corleone crime family. Full of countless iconic lines and award-worthy performances, the film is also remembered for Nino Rota's haunting orchestral score: a melancholy waltz tinged with an elegant darkness that lingers long after the movie comes to an end. Leave the gun. Take the cannoli. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9vA7L8H4nc
Make a comic-book blockbuster, then make a smaller-scale but still star-studded comedy: that's been Taika Waititi's formula of late. The first time that he jumped into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Ragnarok, he followed it up with Jojo Rabbit, an "anti-hate" comedy mocking Hitler that won the New Zealand filmmaker an Oscar. Now, after returning to the MCU with Thor: Love and Thunder, he's turning a true tale about American Samoa's soccer team into his next flick. If Next Goal Wins sounds familiar, there's a few reasons for that. Firstly, it's already the title of a documentary from 2014 about the national football squad and their efforts to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Also, Waititi's dramatised version of that story has been in the making for four years, both beginning and wrapping initial production pre-pandemic — before doing reshoots in 2021. And, of course, the details themselves might ring a bell if you're a fan of the world game and you remember the American Samoan team's big 2001 defeat. Playing Australia in a qualifying match two decades back, the squad lost 31–0. Cue the hiring of Dutch American coach Thomas Rongen, who Michael Fassbender (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) plays in Waititi's movie. As the just-dropped trailer for Next Goal Wins 2.0 shows, Rongen has just lost his job when he gets the new gig in the South Pacific. From there, Waititi and the film are in classic underdog sports-film territory, but stepping through events that genuinely happened. There's another important part of this story, too, with American Samoa squad member Jaiyah Saeluathe first non-binary player to compete in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. The doco made for rousing viewing, which the latest flick overtly aims to ape — mixed with the brand of comedy that Waititi has established in everything from Eagle vs Shark and Boy to What We Do in the Shadows to Hunt for the Wilderpeople before he hit the MCU. And yes, to answer the immediate question that any trailer for one of the writer/director's pictures inspires, Waititi does indeed pop up on-screen. Alongside the filmmaker and Fassbender, the latter of which hasn't made a movie since 2019, Next Goal Wins also stars Oscar Kightley (The Breaker Upperers), Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale), Will Arnett (Murderville), Uli Latukefu (Young Rock), Rhys Darby (Our Flag Means Death), David Fane (Duckrockers), Lehi Falepapalangi (Doogie Kamealoha, MD), Semu Filipo (The Justice of Bunny King), Rachel House (Heartbreak High), Angus Sampson (Bump), Beulah Koale (Dual) and more. Check out the trailer for Next Goal Wins below: Next Goal wins releases in cinemas Down Under on January 1, 2024.
New Zealand is known for high quality produce, but because the Southern Island of Aotearoa is home to barely over one million people, we think they might need some assistance in consuming all that can be foraged from its land, air and sea. Here are some of Concrete Playground's best gastronomic reasons to head across the Cook Strait. Land Even in drier months the landscape in New Zealand is a lush green. The abundance of grass for four legged animals means that the human animal at the end of the chain ends up with a healthier and tastier meal. It starts with lamb. It has to. Although current statistics show that the person to sheep ratio in New Zealand has dropped to 7:3, that still works out as more than 32 million sheep. When driving around the South Island it is easy to spot numerous woolly winter bottoms peaking out from the green terrain. New Zealand is, of course, one of the largest exporters of lamb in the world. Carnivores will also enjoy the strong flavoured venison provided by the fields of delicate looking deer. At Wanaka’s Botswana Butchery you can start with a Southland Venison Carpaccio followed by a slab of Fiordland Venison Top Side. Other wintery game meats include rabbit and hare. Air Then there are the birds. There are foreigners such as ostrich and pheasant. One of the New Zealand natives however is the Titi, also known as the mutton bird. The Rajuira Maori have rights to gather these birds from the southernmost region of New Zealand - their bounty being served in only a spattering of restaurants. Queenstown’s Fishbone Bar and Grill serves them pan roasted with kumara chips when they’re in season. The dark meat of the seabird retains the flavour of its fish filled diet. Even after soaking and boiling the flesh in fresh water a strong salty anchovy taste lingers. Sea With nearly 6,000 km of coastline the choice of salt water fish is immense. The ocean sourced Hapuka and Blue Cod are also joined by fresh water counterparts. The Akaroa Cod is cooked to perfection at the Pegasus Arms bar in Christchurch. It is served with a homemade aioli and a super intense tomato sauce for chip dipping. As the cool winters defrost into the spring months of September and October the whitebait season begins. It demands regular roadside stops to fill up on whitebait fritters. You’d hope for one with minimal egg to just bind together a generously fish-packed patty. Housed in a little stall near the end of Fyffe Quay in Kaikoura, the Kaikoura Seafood BBQ offers a delicious version along with a great variety of whatever other fresh seafood could be found in the ocean that morning. It seems even those guarded by shells are not safe from hungry seafood lovers. The coastal town of Kaikoura is named after its famed crayfish. Kai (‘eat’) Koura (‘crayfish’) is an order that only seems fair to obey when visiting the seaside settlement. One can also choose from the monstrous Green Lipped Mussels and the Paua, the abalone whose pearly opal shell is valued as much as its mushroom-like flesh. The Green Dolphin Restaurant & Bar in Kaikoura has a hearty seafood stew giving you a chance to try a whole variety of seafood in one, huge, meal. The plump New Zealand Bluff oysters are widely regarded as the world’s best. Developing in the pristine cold waters of the Foveaux Strait they are large creamy mouthfuls of the ocean. Each year the seaside town of Bluff, from which the oysters take their name, has a festival to celebrate and enjoy the delicacy. With South Island dining establishments including the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year 2011, Riverstone Kitchen in Oamaru, as well as one of Rick Stein’s favourites, Fleur’s Place in Moeraki, its world class produce is sure to be used to its full potential. The waistline may shudder but at least the conscience is clear – you’re simply there to help out after all.
Collingwood has quite a few streetwear stores tucked amidst its back alleys but there's one place in particular that stands out from the crowd. Focusing on small independent labels and tough-to-find limited runs, Spares stocks a broad selection of menswear and unisex items, from labels you've never heard of, to favourite streetwear brands like Carhartt, Patagonia and Passport, as well as its own in-house collection. The store also hosts bi-monthly exhibitions of local and international artists in its gallery space, and has a curated selection of zines and books to flick through.
If you're a fan of sports, you'll love what Darebin International Sports Centre has on offer. The expansive athletic facility is located within the John Cain Memorial Park and is home to the State Lawn Bowls Centre, the State Cycling Centre and the State Football Centre. As such, there's usually something going on here — whether it's lawn bowls on one of the four international-standard greens (the venue was the site of the lawn bowls competition at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games), a soccer match on one of the three synthetic pitches, or a thrilling race around the impressive 250-metre indoor velodrome. Images: Julia Sansone
Standing in a bar, being forced to make small talk with a stranger: we've all been there. Hearing from your parents more frequently than you have time for, despite your best intentions: many of us have experienced that as well. In Toni Erdmann, both scenarios combine in a way that might well give you nightmares. Just imagine if the person accosting you while you try to enjoy a drink turned out to be your dad in a bad wig and false teeth. At its simplest, that's the idea behind writer-director Maren Ade's 162-minute comedy, which has been garnering acclaim since it premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, and remains the favourite to win his year's Oscar for best foreign-language film. A German consultant living in Bucharest, Ines (Sandra Hüller) is irritated when her practical joke-loving, divorced and lonely father Winfried (Peter Simonischek) arrives for an unexpected visit. But that soon gives way to unbridled horror when his alter ego Toni starts following her around. Once is odd, twice is annoying, and three times… well, that's something else. Then again, one of the basic elements of life is repetition, which Toni Erdmann demonstrates disarmingly well. First, you'll cringe. Then you'll laugh. Before long, you may find yourself crying. Those are the stages audiences cycle through while watching Ade's film, and it's no accident. The mastery evident in ensuring that every detail of the movie imitates life can't be underestimated. The naturalistic camerawork and astute commentary on the importance of humour is not unlike Toni's ridiculous headpiece: it's just what's visible on the surface. With all the buzz around the film in the lead up to the Oscars, it's hardly surprising to learn that we'll soon be getting an American remake (starring Jack Nicholson and Kristen Wiig). Why the world needs an English-language version is a question Hollywood is happily ignoring, but its high-profile cast certainly have huge shoes (and wigs, and false teeth) to fill. As Toni keeps ramping up his antics and Ines keeps struggling to contain her reactions, Hüller and Simonischek prove the film's most important pieces, ensuring their characters are not just likeable, but thoroughly believable as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0uwi5EPnpA
The dockless bike sharing phenomenon hasn't exactly proved a roaring success here in Australia, with rogue bikes clogging up footpaths, or winding up broken and abandoned in dangerous locations, and oBike withdrawing from Melbourne entirely. And still, yet another company is keen to give the concept a whirl locally — this time, featuring electric scooters. Aussie start-up Scootie has announced it'll launch a trial program of its ride share service in November this year, giving locals in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth the chance to be the first to road-test its fleet of electric scooters. Punters keen to get involved are invited to sign up now to Scootie's mailing list. Riffing on the scooter systems that have been going gang-busters over in the USA, the local company is still nailing down its technology, with plans to launch the pilot program in St Kilda, before rolling out across CBD areas. At this stage, riders will simply locate a scooter, scan and pay via the Scootie smartphone app, before jetting off on their two-wheeled adventure. According to Scootie spokesman Troy Taylor, details about specific scooter deposit zones and charging stations are yet to be confirmed, though there will be a bond taken to help deter people from damaging or abandoning the scooters. Trip costs are also in the process of being finalised, with Taylor suggesting they'll start at around 20-40 cents per minute. So, for example, a 40-minute journey would cost between $8 and $16. Scootie's trial program is slated to launch in November and run for several weeks. You can sign up to be a part of it here.
We don't know what you have to do to be considered a 'beach expert', but after Australia's best beaches were revealed over the weekend, we're sure we need to become one. The 2017 list details 101 of the country's most stunning beaches, but the beach that's come out as number one isn't Bondi or Jervis Bay — it's Cossies Beach. Where the bloody hell is Cossies Beach, you say? It's located on Direction Island, which is part of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands about a four and a half hour flight from Perth. It's closer to Jakarta than Perth, which makes the logistics of your escape to the exquisite blue water paradise extremely difficult — but perhaps that's why it's so coveted. Now, the 'best' beach is obviously a hard one to quantify, but Brad Farmer has done a pretty thorough research job. He's the aforementioned beach expert, and for the release of the first edition of 101 Best Beaches he visited, documented and rated a whole heap of beaches alongside coastal geomorphologist Professor Andy Short, who has personally visited every single beach in Oz (there's 11,761 of them, by the way). Eventually the pair landed on the remote Cossies Beach as number one. It's so remote in fact that it didn't even have a name — while conducting his research, Farmer named it after after Australia's 26th Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, after seeking permission from locals. It's obviously insanely beautiful, and the pair have noted it as the best beach of them all due to its shallow water creating a brilliant blue colour, its 300-metre white sand strip, great snorkelling and shade from coconut palms. Other top beaches are ones you probably haven't heard too much about either — Moonee Beach on the Coffs Coast, Turquoise Bay in WA and Dolly Beach on Christmas Island all make the list. Tourist spots Burleigh Heads and Apollo Bay get a look in as well. Have a look at the top ten below. BRAD FARMER'S BEST BEACHES IN AUSTRALIA 2017 1. Cossies Beach, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean 2. Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island, Far North Queensland 3. Moonee Beach, Coffs Coast, NSW 4. Turquoise Bay, Coral Coast, WA 5. Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Queensland 6. Maslin Beach, Adelaide, SA 7. Dolly Beach, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean 8. Shelly Beach, Nambucca Coast, NSW 9. Boat Harbour Beach, North West Coast, Tasmania 10. Apollo Bay, Great Ocean Road, Victoria Images: Rik Soderlund via 101 Best Beaches.
Of course the Scandinavian Film Festival takes place in winter. When it's frosty across Australia, watching films set in snowy Nordic climes just feels appropriate. As many a cultural film fest offers, it's the next best thing to jumping on a plane and heading to the top of the world (it's also much, much cheaper). Now enjoying its fourth outing, the 2017 festival gets the Scandi celebrations started with international festival hit The Other Side of Hope, then works through the best flicks that Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden currently have to offer. Odes to real-life figures, heart-stirring dramas, explorations of indigenous plights, brooding murder mysteries and the politics of war are all included — and all make our top five picks of this year's program. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxPRRzZkpus TOM OF FINLAND How does someone become known simply by their first name and homeland? Tom of Finland has the answer. The biographical film delves into the story of, yes, Tom of Finland, aka Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen. A pseudonym became another became a legend for the man who survived World War II, struggled to be himself in a country where homosexuality was illegal, and then became an emblem for sexual freedom. Director Dome Karukoski relays his tale with passion, as does Pekka Strang, as well as shining a bigger spotlight on Tom of Finland's provocative output. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O15-xYqBDZU A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH Nordic noir is the genre that keeps on giving, be it on the page, on TV or in cinemas. Jumping from books to films, Denmark's Department Q series continues to sit at the centre of the Scandinavian-set crime wave — and, the great thing about adapting a multi-tome effort is the multiple movies that follow. Fans of previous Scandinavian Film Festival titles The Keeper of Lost Causes and The Absent One will be ready and waiting to chart detectives Carl Mørck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) and Assad's (Fares Fares) latest exploits, while newcomers can still jump right into the procedural action. As the title gives away, this time faith plays a big part in their new mystery, and how they approach the case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIolgEvMAJ8 HEARTSTONE When Heartstone premiered at the Venice Film Festival last year, it was a debut effort exploring the connection between two childhood pals against a stunning Icelandic backdrop. Now making its way to Australia, it's an international film fest smash. Of course, the former still rings true, as told with intimacy, precision and overwhelming sincerity. Here, best friends Thor and Christian work through the conflicts of growing up, going after love and not always getting what they want — or understanding their bond with each other. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o2FkppwDoU SAMI BLOOD In the 1930s, teenage reindeer herder Elle Marja (Lene Cecilia Sparrok) is removed from her family. The reason? She's Sámi, a member of the area's indigenous people. Taking children from their culture in an attempt to assimilate them into Swedish life was common practice at the time — and yes, that kind of oppression should sound familiar to Australian audiences. Sámi director Amanda Kernell steps through a stirring tale that proves revelatory in more ways than one, while also making a star out of Sparrok, a reindeer herder herself. Sami Blood screens in Sydney and Brisbane only. Melbourne movie buffs — watch this space. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNtu-bCGi18 THE KING'S CHOICE Shortlisted in this year's foreign-language category at the Academy Awards, and based on real events, World War II effort The King's Choice finds a personal way to tell an epic story. Two nations face off, with Germany invading Norway, but one man has to find a way forward. Sure, he's the democratically elected monarch, but that doesn't make his complicated decision any less involving. Taking its time to piece its parts together, his experiences make for the kind of drama that builds towards a stirring resolution. The Scandinavian Film Festival tours the country between July 11 and August 6, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street and Palace Verona from July 11 to August 2, Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay and Palace Westgarth from July 13 to August 2, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks from July 20 to August 6. For the full program, visit the festival website.
This winter will see the return of The Westin Melbourne's ever-popular, cheese-themed high tea series. Aptly dubbed High Cheese, this brie-lliant culinary situation is yours to enjoy daily (11am–8pm) in the hotel's Lobby Lounge, from June 4–August 31. For $98, you'll sit down to an elaborate spread by celebrated cheesemonger Anthony Femia (of Maker & Monger) and Westin Executive Chef Michael Greenlaw. Expect the likes of a baked le Duc Vacherin with specialty sourdough for dipping, alpine cheese scones teamed with Gippsland jersey butter, and the L'Artisan Grand Fleuri brie layered with sautéed mushrooms and leeks in Oloroso sherry. Dessert-style treats include straciatella paired with a Four Pillars negroni marmalade, and walnut praline madeleines filled with whipped comté and fresh honeycomb. To match, there'll be free-flowing Jing teas, Vittoria coffee and hot chocolates. Plus, there's a curation of vino from South Australian winery Bird in Hand, if you'd like to accompany that cheesy feast with something a little stronger. Rather not leave the house? This year, High Cheese can also be enjoyed from the comfort of home, in the form of a high tea hamper delivered via Providoor.
Do you ever find yourself at a bar, watching the bartender flip bottles, throw pestles and shake things dramatically while making your cocktail, and wonder, "is this guy legit or is he just trying to channel Tom Cruise in Cocktail for fun"? Wonder no longer. The team behind Patrón (your fave 'treat yo'self' premium tequila) are hosting a competition on Saturday, October 14 to find Australia's best cocktail mixologists. The whole affair is going down at Whitehart, an industrial, two-storey CBD bar built from repurposed shipping containers — and yes, it will involve plenty of luxe cocktails. So, what makes an award-winning cocktail master? Is it just the drinks they create? Or the showmanship? The customer service? Or knowing that three olives are always better than two in a dirty martini? Whatever it is, you'll soon find out. The Patrón Perfectionists Australian Finals is a seriously exclusive event that will gather the most promising bartending talent from around the country and let them demonstrate their very best skills for a panel of industry experts. Successful drinks will be visually appealing, delicious and, of course, created with Patrón as the hero ingredient. Also, points will be awarded for the mixologists' performances and audience engagement, so you can almost guarantee some Tom Cruise-esque flair to go down. The winner of the final will then go on to represent Australia at the Global Patrón Perfectionists final at the Hacienda Patrón distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. If you think the event sounds like the tequila heaven you've always dreamed of, then you'll be stoked to know that we have 25 exclusive double passes to give away — it'll just be you winners and the creme de la creme of Australia's cocktail scene. Even better, entry to the event includes free cocktails (you know they'll be good) and free canapés all night long. Prepare to learn more about cocktail mixing than you ever thought you would. [competition]638006[/competition]
What a difference fleshed-out characters and a committed cast can make. This shouldn't really be news, but plenty of movies seem happy to overlook both — especially in the popular sub-genre that is the big night out comedy. "Who needs more than stereotypes when everyone's drinking, partying and acting like a lunatic?" appears to be the usual line of thinking. "And why bother with good performances when the script is a bundle of cliches?" The answer to both questions is on display in Girls Trip, a genuine and largely entertaining film that'll help wipe Rough Night and the recent Hangover sequels from your brain. As certain as it's a fact that no good can come from drinking absinthe, Girls Trip follows a tried-and-tested path involving four friends, a raucous weekend away and a crazy amount of alcohol. It's not hard to predict what will happen as self-help guru Ryan (Regina Hall), gossip columnist Sasha (Queen Latifah), single mother Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) and wild child Dina (Tiffany Haddish) head to New Orleans for the annual Essence festival. Once close college pals dubbed the Flossy Posse, they've lost touch of late, becoming caught up in their own lives and troubles. A lavish vacation and a let-loose attitude might be just what they need. We're not going to reveal exactly what the gang gets up to, since that would spoil the fun. The point is, the details don't really matter. Viewers have seen most of it before and director Malcolm D. Lee knows it — although to their credit, writers Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver still find a few unique inclusions. Even so, Girls Trip is unmistakably the latest in the recent string of ladies-behaving-badly flick (think Bridesmaids, Bad Moms and Fun Mom Dinner), and it doesn't do much differently, plot-wise. If anything, one of the reasons that the movie stands out is because it isn't pretending to tell a new story. Rather, it's happy evoking laughs while also feeling authentic. And it's that authenticity that's key. Plenty of the gags swing and miss, and some are downright cringeworthy. How much you'll chuckle in certain parts of the film might depend on your threshold for gross-out humour, while other scenes definitely overstay their welcome. Yet there's an energy and intimacy to Girls Trip that's inescapable. As silly, crude and debauched as the antics get, the warmth and joy surrounding the four protagonists continually sets the movie apart from its predecessors. These gals are written and played like real women who are actually friends, instead of bland female figures being humiliated to prove they're just as unruly as men. Kudos, too, to Hall, Latifah, Pinkett Smith and Haddish. Depicting characters who not only seem like they want to hang out with each other, but that audiences want to spend time with, isn't as easy as it sounds. Doing it within a bawdy comedy is all the more difficult still. The quartet repeatedly hit the mark, with Pinkett Smith a particular delight as the tightly wound mum learning to be herself again, and Haddish not only stealing every scene she's in but putting her stamp all over the film. To say that her delivery of bedroom tips will stick with you is definitely an understatement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnqkPpSn94Y
Flinders Lane bar The Mill House is getting a head-start on spring, this week launching a brand new Thursday night Gin Club off the back of its new G&T menu. Each week, punters will have the chance to sample bespoke gin creations from just $10, while bi-monthly events will see The Mill House team up with some of the most celebrated craft gin producers from across Australia and the world. Helping to kick things off this Thursday, August 31, is Yarra Valley distillery Four Pillars, who've planned an evening made for gin-thusiasts. The Mill House kitchen will plate up a selection of canapés either inspired by or infused with Four Pillars gin — think prawn crackers topped with gin-cured salmon and roe, and Manchego cheese and corn croquettes with pickled pumpkin — while Four Pillars ambassador Samuel Ng will host tastings of the label's core gins and exclusive releases. The bar will also be whipping up an array of signature gin drinks, like the Flinders Lane Fling — a blend of dry gin, brandy and lemon juice, with honey water, soda, absinthe and rosemary — while resident DJs keep the party going well into the evening. Future co-hosts include the likes of Sydney distilleries Archie Rose and Poor Toms, and Brunswick newcomer Patient Wolf. To celebrate this week's launch, The Mill House is giving out complimentary G&Ts from 6pm this Thursday. To score one, you'll have to be one of the first 100 people through the door to use the code phrase 'get together, come undone'. GIN CLUB LINEUP August 31: Four Pillars (Melbourne) September 7: Archie Rose (Sydney) September 21: The Botanist (Scotland) October 5: Poor Toms (Sydney) October 12: Patient Wolf (Melbourne) October 19: Pinkster (England) November 2: Rogue (New Zealand) November 30: Hippocampus (Perth)
More than 80 years after it was first sung and heard, Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit' still isn't easily forgotten. Drawn from a poem penned to protest lynchings, it's meant to shock and haunt. It's designed to galvanise and mobilise, too, as drawing attention to the extrajudicial killings of Black Americans should. Indeed, so vivid is the song in its language — "Black bodies swingin' in the southern breeze" describes the third line — US authorities demanded that Holiday stop performing it. She refused repeatedly, so there were repercussions. Concerned that the track would spark change, inspire Holiday's fans to fight for civil rights and justice, and perhaps motivate riots against against oppression and discrimination as well, the US Treasury Department's Federal Bureau of Narcotics went after the musician for her drug use. If it couldn't get her to cease crooning the controversial tune via other means, such as overt warnings and a prominent police presence at her shows, it'd do whatever it could to keep her from reaching the stage night after night. So tells The United States vs Billie Holiday, the latest Oscar-nominated biopic to step through its namesake's life. Back in 1972, Lady Sings the Blues loosely adapted Holiday's autobiography of the same name, enlisting Diana Ross to play the singer — but, in taking inspiration instead from Johann Hari's non-fiction book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, this latest big-screen vision of the music icon's story adopts its own angle. Holiday's troubled childhood and youth has its part in this tale, which is scripted for the screen by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. Her addiction, and the personal woes that she tried to blot out, clearly don't escape filmmaker Lee Daniels' (The Butler) attention, either. But The United States vs Billie Holiday also falls in alongside Seberg, MLK/FBI and Judas and the Black Messiah in interrogating bleak truths about mid-20th century America. That includes the misplaced priorities of its government during multiple administrations, and the blatant determination shown by an array of agencies under various presidents to undermine, persecute and silence those considered a supposedly un-American threat to the status quo. Framed by a late 50s interview between Holiday (Andra Day, Marshall) and a gossip journalist (Leslie Jordan, Will & Grace), Daniels' film flits back and forth through the former's life. Her career heyday takes pride of place, but complexity seethes through every facet of her existence — whether she's ignoring commands not to sing 'Strange Fruit' in the 40s, being sentenced to prison for narcotics towards the decade's end, making a sold-out comeback at Carnegie Hall, cycling through relationships with several abusive men or peering back at memories of her unhappy upbringing. The narrative anchor: Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes, Moonlight). Tasked by crusading Federal Bureau of Narcotics head Harry Anslinger (Garrett Hedlund, Dreamland) to infiltrate Holiday's inner circle, he becomes a pal, a lover and also one of the key figures responsible for her incarceration. He's regarded warily by Holiday's dutiful entourage, which spans her best friend Roslyn (Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Kajillionaire), stylist Miss Freddy (Miss Lawrence, Star) and saxophonist Lester Young (Tyler James Williams, Detroit). And yet, Holiday consistently warms to Fletcher, including both before and after he starts questioning his real purpose. Holiday's status as a legend will never be diminished. Despite the US Government's concerted efforts otherwise, 'Strange Fruit' has cemented its place in history, too. But even given The United States vs Billie Holiday's iconic point of focus, her vitally important song, and the crucial and committed approach taken to both, the film that results here often feels little more than standard. It adheres to the biographical drama playbook, and uses Anslinger as a cartoonish villain. Its arrival on-screen in such close proximity to the aforementioned Seberg and Judas and the Black Messiah also imparts an unshakeable air of familiarity. The United States vs Billie Holiday is often rousing and moving. It tells an essential story, and tracks the tragedies and the triumphs alike. But it remains forcefully wedded to convention, to the extent that almost every second of the narrative plays out as expected, and every filmmaking choice as well — regardless of whether viewers already know the minutiae of Holiday's life intimately or are learning it anew. That well-worn sensation applies to most areas of the movie, except one. Day took her stage name from Billie Holiday's nickname, with Young dubbing the icon Lady Day — and in her first lead role, the 'Rise Up' singer turns in an absolute powerhouse performance. A Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama has already come her way, along with a Best Actress Oscar nomination, because this is an intense, impassioned, career-defining portrayal. Even when the feature itself becomes unfocused, including through Daniels' erratic stylistic flourishes, Day is simply mesmerising. She sings Holiday's songs flawlessly, and she also conveys the lifetime of struggle that lingers behind every word. She mirrors the star's presence, too; when she's centre stage, or placed in the centre of cinematographer Andrew Dunn's (The Children Act) frame, everything else seems to fade away. Day's rendition of 'Strange Fruit' isn't easily forgotten, fittingly; however, neither is anything about her performance. The raspiness of her voice expresses Holiday's pain, even when just uttering a single word. The fixed gaze her character continually directs Fletcher's way manages to be equally withering and melting, and the complicated rapport she shares with the also-excellent Rhodes makes for many of the movie's best moments. But if Day constantly vividly and memorably honours the woman she's playing — and she does, especially when she's belting out her songs — The United States vs Billie Holiday can't always claim to do the same. No one's life story should feel like it's ticking boxes, and Holiday's certainly didn't, but Daniels seems to forget that more often than anyone should. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGLmTd8q3Ec Image: Takashi Seida.
So, you've been hanging out for some proper Korean eats, but a takeaway-heavy lockdown's left you with absolutely zero patience for soggy fried chicken or lukewarm bibimbap. Well, a group of CBD-based Korean eateries have banded together to create a new finish-at-home meal delivery service that'll solve your conundrum in a snap. With the newly launched Market Seoul Soul, punters can enjoy some of the restaurants' best-loved dishes at home, with just a little bit of prep work needed to bring the feast to life. Noodle joint Guksu, tofu house Dooboo, street food specialists Oppa Kitchen and Sam Sam Chicken have teamed up to offer fans a food experience that's as close as possible to what you'd get dining in. They're delivering meal packs right across Melbourne three days a week, filled with the ingredients you'll need to assemble your chosen dishes at home. Expect fresh vegetables and garnishes, along with slow-cooked house broths, handmade noodles, seasonings and secret signature sauces. There's even a series of online video tutorials and tips to help you nail it. The menu is a hefty one, too. Pick from the likes of Dooboo's classic beef bulgogi, a traditional dumpling soup called myeong-dong kalguksu or even a fiery kimchi jjigae (stew) laced with pork, onions and tofu. Meats like pork jowl and beef shabu shabu come cut and ready to barbecue, a range of sushi-style 'gimbap' rolls are made fresh each morning, and there's a DIY kimchi kit that's a breeze to assemble and keeps in the fridge for up to three days. If you've got an air-fryer, there are also a couple of Korean fried chicken options to try, including packs of crispy wingettes and drumettes, and serves of saucy boneless chook from Sam Sam. Currently, Market Seoul Soul's making deliveries to a stack of Melbourne suburbs every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Order cut-off is 4.30pm the day prior to delivery. Find Market Seoul Soul's full menu and delivery options over at the website.
Feeling Women's World Cup withdrawals? That's understandable. After a glorious month of stellar football across Australia and New Zealand — the globe's best women soccer players all playing in our time zones, too — the competition is over for 2023. Want to keep the Matildas love going after the squad's historic fourth placing? You can watch a rousing docuseries about the team, get excited about Brisbane's upcoming statue commemorating their efforts and throw Sam Kerr some love to win the Goal of the Tournament. The Matildas won four of their seven games across the series, but you already know which one was home to the squad captain's nominated strike: the semi-final loss to England. And, we know that you saw it, because that match became the most-watched Australian TV event since 2001 and likely ever (ratings body OzTAM's records don't go back that far). Kerr is Australia's only nominee for the Goal of the Tournament, competing against nine other ace strikes. The winner is decided by public vote, which is where you come in. Get clicking, keep spreading the green-and-gold joy — it's that easy. Voting is open until Tuesday, August 29, via the FIFA website. If you're a Matildas supporter, you'll rightly think that there's no other goal as stunning among the contenders — but Kerr does have some impressive company. England's Lauren James, Japan's Mina Tanaka, Spain's Aitana Bonmati and The Netherlands' Esmee Brugts are all vying for the prize as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CommBank Matildas (@matildas) FIFA clearly know what Kerr's strike means to Australia, describing it as "the goal that made a nation erupt" and "a dream realised, the physical, tangible embodiment of hope". No, adults sadly can't enrol at Kerr's just-announced football academy for Aussie kids — girls and boys — to follow in her footsteps, but we can do our part to give our hero this accolade. .@samkerr1's out-of-this-world strike 🚀🌏#Matildas #FIFAWWC #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/CRvBO1PonE — CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 16, 2023 To vote for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Goal of the Tournament until Tuesday, August 29, head to the FIFA website.
If nothing says romance to you like a classic movie, a picnic and a night under the stars, then we've found your February plans: a week of romantic films at Moonlight Cinema. The summertime event in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth unveils its lineup in batches each season, with the flicks for next month freshly announced — including swooning over 10 Things I Hate About You, Twilight and The Notebook, plus a preview screening of Force of Nature: The Dry 2 among the broader program. Consider this your latest piece of motivation to sit on a bean bed under the evening sky while feasting your eyes on the big screen and filling your stomach — with your special someone if that's how you'd like to mark Valentine's Day. The Ryan Gosling (Barbie)- and Rachel McAdams (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret)-starring tear-jerker will do the honours on Wednesday, February 14, capping of a run of love-focused pictures that also features A Cinderella Story, The Princess Diaries, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Anyone But You. Away from getting hearts aflutter, Moonlight's February bill also spans Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins, animation Migration, plus Wonka and Ferrari in all cities — and that sneak-peek session of Force of Nature is happening everywhere as well. In Sydney and Melbourne only, All of Us Strangers with the internet's boyfriends Paul Mescal (Foe) and Andrew Scott (Fleabag) is back on the lineup. And in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, so is wrestling biopic The Iron Claw. Sydney will also host a Mamma Mia pride celebration screening. Other films doing the rounds, depending on the city, range from Poor Things, Barbie and Dicks: The Musical to Priscilla, Saltburn and the Joel Edgerton-starring The Boys in the Boat. Folks in Brisbane and Adelaide, take note: this is your last chance to head along for this summer, with the Queensland season in Roma Street Parklands ending on Sunday, February 18 and the South Australian stint wrapping up on Wednesday, February 14, 2024 in Botanic Park. The lineup always varies per place, as do the dates, and the films and the setting are just two parts of the Moonlight Cinema setup. Also on offer: an official Aperol spritz bar, which is new for 2023–24. Nosh-wise, the event lets you BYO movie snacks and drinks (no alcohol in Brisbane, though), but the unorganised can enjoy a plethora of bites to eat onsite while reclining on bean beds. There's also a VIP section for an extra-luxe openair movie experience, plus a platinum section that levels up a night at the movies even further in Sydney and Melbourne. A beauty cart is handing out samples, too. And, dogs are welcome at all sites except Perth — there's even special doggo bean beds, and a snack menu for pooches. MOONLIGHT CINEMA 2023–24 DATES: Brisbane: until Sunday, February 18, 2024 in Roma Street Parklands Sydney: until Sunday, March 24, 2024 in Centennial Parklands Perth: until Sunday, March 24, 2024 in Kings Park and Botanic Garden Adelaide: until Wednesday, February 14, 2024 in Botanic Park Melbourne: until Saturday, March 30, 2024 in Royal Botanic Gardens Moonlight Cinema runs through until March 2024, with dates varying per city. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the cinema's website — and we'll update you with further program details when they're announced.
With music videos becoming ever more complex and expensive, entrepreneurs in India are providing aspiring musicians with film clips at a reduced cost. One such musician is Drew Smith, who recently outsourced the video services to a dancing school in Bangalore, India. With a distinct Bollywood feel and guys in Hindu masks, it's quite bizarre but certainly interesting and unique. Smith stated that he turned to India after realising that "the last thing the world needed was another low-budget singer songwriter video." Furthermore, he received the video after just a few emails and phone calls. If you're looking for your big break and sick of recording videos on your iPhone and webcam, India might be your next option for some stimulating visuals. Take a look at Smith's finished product below and see if it caters to your musical style. https://youtube.com/watch?v=DkurGf0e5MU [Via PSFK]
The Corner’s Soul-A-Go-Go nights are by far some of the most fun evenings you’ll spend in this great city if soul music, dancing, and generally great times float your boat. This August there’ll be a very special guest amongst the PBS DJs; the Bamboos leading lady, Kylie Auldist. With one of Australia’s most iconic soul voices, Auldist will perform live with her five piece funk soul outfit, playing tunes from her upcoming album Family Tree. Also appearing for the evening’s festivities is PBS’ Pierre Baroni (Soulgroove 66), DJ Manchild (The Breakdown), Miss Goldie (Boss Action), Richie 1250 (Stone Love), Matt McFetridge (Jungle Fever) and Vince Peach (Soul Time). Although Soul-A-Go-Go is on the first Saturday of every month, this is a very special line up indeed that should not be missed. Grab some tickets quick sticks.
2016: the year that officially sucked, and the year that we lost some of our dearest. Fergus Edward Miller was among them, and the Melbourne music scene is a poorer place for it. Fergus — aka Bored Nothing — was not just an incredibly talented songwriter and musician but in general a fantastic bloke, and the friends who have survived him want to make sure nobody forgets this. They're doing this by holding a special Sunday afternoon event in his honour, The Fergst of Times. The tribute will be held at the Northcote Social Club, and will be played at by his bandmates, as well as outfits such as HABITS, Del Boca Vista, and Claws & Organs. Head down to celebrate his life and the lives of all of those who've been lost to their own battles with depression — all proceeds will go towards the fight against the black dog. If you are feeling sad or alone or struggling with mental health issues, there is always someone to talk to. Lifeline is at 13 11 14 at all times of the day.
If you've been meaning to make plans to head down the rabbit hole at ACMI's new Alice in Wonderland exhibition, consider putting your plans off for a few hours, having a bite to eat first and then rolling up on a Friday night once the sun has gone down. Wonderland Late Nights will be a series of monthly nighttime escapades that will accompany Alice's adventures at ACMI. First up in May is Nai Palm, describe by Pitchfork as a "wildling rock star" and also claiming the title of being one quarter of jazz-funk-soul quartet Hiatus Kaiyote. Her solo album Needle Paw was released last year, she'll provide her captivating voice and stage presence as a counterpoint to the Alice business going on inside. The next four nights are locked in already too, and include sets from Melbourne's own Habits, local producer duo Saatsuma, rock band Liars and queer disco slingers Honcho Disko. Cocktails, live art performances and a DJ decks will top off a solid weekend night for you. Tickets cost $30 and include entry to the exhibition as well. WONDERLAND LATE NIGHTS LINEUP Friday, May 25 — DJ Mz Rizk, Nai Palm Friday, June 29 — Habits, Jay Boogie Friday, July 27 — Saatsuma Live, Isaak and Marcus Friday, August 31 — Honcho Disko, The Huxleys, Rachel Burke Friday, September 28 — Liars, Go Get Mum, Muma Doesa
It might come as a surprise, given Australia's questionable internet speeds, but Melbourne has claimed the ranking of tenth smartest city in the world, with Sydney snapping at its heels in spot number 12. Headed up by international parking app company Easy Park, the 2017 Smart Cities Index analysed 500 cities worldwide, ranking the top 100. Other Australian cities that made the cut were Perth at number 41 and Adelaide at number 61. The key factors used in the study looked at digitalisation (including 4G connectivity, access to Wi-Fi hotspots and high smartphone usage) and knowledge-based mobility and transport (considering the prevalence of ride-share apps, smart parking and traffic sensors). Sustainability, online access to government services, and significant levels of citizen participation were also taken into consideration. Over 20,000 urban planning and technology experts were then asked to provide opinions about their own cities. Melbourne scored highest of all the countries for 4G connectivity, with Sydney and Perth making up the rest of the top three. Melbourne and Adelaide also ranked especially well when it came to citizen participation. Unsurprisingly, no Australian cities broke the top 20 for internet speed. While San Francisco topped the class with a perfect score of 10, Melbourne ranked number 26, with Sydney at 29 and Perth clocking in at 31. See the full table of results for the 2017 Smart Cities Index here. Photo via Wikimedia.
Just when you thought you couldn't fit any more markets into your calendar, along comes Cat Stuff. Really, the concept sells itself: all things cat in one place, by some of Australia's most adorably intended artists, for you to spend every last dime on. What are you even pretending to wait for? Hosted by Tinning Street, Cat Stuff features works by many local artists, including Melbourne card making darlings Able and Game, adorable fluffy things from Cat-Rabbit and presumably amazing cat-centric items from all of your favourite crafties. Embrace your inner Dolores Umbridge and furnish your entire house in cat things before the week is out. Check out the Cat Stuff artist lineup on the Facebook page and head down to Brunswick ASAP. Image: Cat-Rabbit.
As plant-based eating has become increasingly normalised (just ask these top chefs), it can be difficult to begin when it comes to incorporating more plant-based meals into the home. This probably shouldn't be all that surprising — with so much to work with, rather than just the standard protein and three veg many of us grew up with, there really is a whole world of delicious, nutritious and, yes, even indulgent ingredients that can easily be transformed into meals that are as good for you as they are for the planet. To make things a little easier for you, we've teamed up with Vegkit to showcase seven easy-to-make plant-based dishes that'll please even the pickiest of eaters, from entrée right through to dessert. HERBED MUSHROOM AND LENTIL SAUSAGE ROLLS Whether it's a playful entrée or a game-night staple, sausage rolls are always a no-brainer when you've got guests over. This plant-based version is an umami-laden treat, packed with mushrooms, lentils and a host of fragrant herbs and spices. They're a cinch to make, too — especially when you let a food processor do the heavy lifting — but also make it look like you've gone to more effort than you probably have. That's what we call a win-win, folks. ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CRANBERRY AND ALMOND SALAD Take the humble brussels sprout from supporting player to headline act with this delicious salad. This hearty dish is just as good as part of a lazy weekend spread as it is to elevate a quick weeknight dinner, thanks to its minimal prep time and abbreviated list of ingredients (most of which you probably already have on hand). Less definitely means more in this case, though, with well-balanced flavours that seriously pack a punch. One more reason to add this dish to the rotation: with the cooler months approaching, brussels sprouts are back in season. TOMATO FILO TART WITH PESTO This golden, flaky tart looks more difficult to make than it is — and when it looks this good, that's really saying something. We reckon this all-rounder would go down well at any time of the day, whether it's for a plant-based brunch or an easy weeknight dinner. You can use any tomatoes you like, and the recipe also calls for a homemade pesto, so it's a great fridge-clearer that you can graze on all day. EASY CHEESY CAULIFLOWER BAKE The clue is in the name with this one, folks (maybe not the 'cheesy' bit though, to be fair) — it's an easy-as, warming AF bake that we think could become a new weeknight favourite. Think of this like mac and cheese's sophisticated sibling, with florets of cauliflower topped with a creamy (in consistency only, we assure you) garlicky cashew mix and crunchy golden breadcrumbs. Your favourite comfort dish just got a wholesome upgrade. MUSHROOM AND LEEK PIE Pie time to upgrade your baking game? Start here. This very doable — and very smashable — plant-based pie is comfort food at its finest, with a golden filo ceiling giving way to a luxuriously gooey mushroom and leek filling that's lifted with onions, garlic and a hum of cracked pepper. You can also add a whack of protein by adding cubed tofu (smoked tofu works particularly well here) to the white sauce when you stir the veggies through it. APPLE BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE What looks like a pie, smells like a pie, even tastes like a pie, but is a whole lot easier to make than a pie? This fragrant, colourful beauty. Just ten minutes' prep and 15 minutes of oven time is all you need to serve up this rustic, indulgent apple blueberry crumble. While the cinnamon-laced fruit is an umami-packed delight, the real highlight here is the homemade crumble, a buttery, toasty mix of oats, wholewheat flour, maple syrup and coconut oil. Top with a generous scoop of vegan ice cream or thick vanilla-flavoured coconut yoghurt to take this dessert to the next level. MANGO, LIME AND COCONUT SWIRL POPSICLES The only difficult thing about making these summer-ready mango, lime and coconut swirl popsicles will be waiting for them to set. These sticks feature all your favourite summer flavours, and are the perfect treat at any time of the day — and surely one of these would count as one of your five-a-day, right? The recipe for these bad boys calls for just four ingredients, but we'd suggest a cheeky fifth if you're making them for grown-ups: a splash of rum. Piña colada popsicles, anyone? To discover even more plant-based dining and recipe inspiration, head to the VegKit website, or check out MasterChef Australia's Simon Toohey's three favourite plant-based breakfasts to get your day started. Don't feel like cooking tonight? Try our picks of the best date spots with plant-based menus in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
It's the most obvious Game of Thrones line to quote. It's also been uttered more times than anyone can count over the past 11 years. When it comes to the arrival of the show's keenly anticipated new prequel series House of the Dragon, it rings oh so true if you live Down Under, too. Yes, winter is coming, as it does every year. In 2022, however, before the frosty season ends in Australia and New Zealand, this House Targaryen-focused new series is coming as well. Fans already knew that House of the Dragon would hit HBO at some point this year, but now the US network has dropped an exact date: Sunday, August 21 in the US, which is Monday, August 22 Down Under. Obviously, the show will hit locally at the same time, on Foxtel and Binge in Australia and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand — it's one of the biggest series of the year, after all. When that date rolls around, expect to spend more time with flame-breathing scaly creatures and the family that adores them. If you thought the Targaryens were chaotic already, delving into their history — and their love of using dragons to wage wars and claim power — is certain to cement that idea. We all know what happened to the last surviving members of the family in GoT, including Daenerys and her boyfriend/nephew Jon Snow; however, House of the Dragon, like Fire & Blood — the George RR Martin book that it's based on — jumps back 300 years earlier. Cast- and character-wise, House of the Dragon stars Emma D'Arcy (Misbehaviour) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the first-born child of King Viserys; Matt Smith (His House) as Prince Daemon Targaryen, the King's brother; Rhys Ifans (Official Secrets) as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King; Olivia Cooke (Pixie) as Alicent Hightower, Otto's daughter; and Steve Toussaint (It's a Sin) as Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka 'The Sea Snake', a nautical adventurer from a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. These Westerosi folk will all grace a tale that harks back to Aegon I Targaryen's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms — which is what started the hefty 738-page first volume in Fire & Blood's planned two-book series — and then works through the family's history from there. Aegon I created the Iron Throne, hence the returning favourite's prominence. And you don't have to be the Three-Eyed Raven to know that this tale involves plenty of GoT's staples: fighting, battles for supremacy and bloodshed. Also set to pop up on-camera: Paddy Considine (The Third Day) as King Viserys, Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon and Sonoya Mizuno (Devs) as Mysaria, Prince Daemon's paramour. Behind the scenes, Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal are acting as the series' showrunners. Sapochnik has a hefty GoT history, winning an Emmy and a Directors Guild Award for directing 'Battle of The Bastards', helming season eight's 'The Long Night', and doing the same on four other episodes. As for Condal, he co-created and oversaw recent sci-fi series Colony, and co-wrote the screenplay for the 2018 film Rampage. House of the Dragon's arrival has been a long time coming. Game of Thrones finished three years ago, and given how successful it proved for HBO — even after its eighth and final season caused plenty of uproar — the on-screen world inspired by Martin's books was never going to simply disappear. Indeed, before GoT even finished, there was chatter about what would come next. So, the network first announced that it was considering five different prequel ideas. It then green-lit one to pilot stage, scrapped it and later decided upon House of the Dragon. Next, it opted to give novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg the TV treatment, too, and to work on an animated GoT show. And, it's been reported that another three prequels are also under consideration. Now, after all that, House of the Dragon's ten-episode first season creeps closer and closer. Mark your diaries this instant — you've got a dance with dragons come August. Check out the first teaser trailer for House of the Dragon below: House of the Dragon will start airing on Monday, August 22 Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand. Images: Ollie Upton/HBO.
Outdoor cinemas are usually reserved for balmy summer nights once the season officially changes over to summer. But this year, American Express Openair Cinema is hitting Melbourne early for a special spring season at Yarra Park right next to the MCG. From Wednesday, October 9 until Sunday, November 3, you'll be able to catch one of many box office hits on the pop-up cinema screen. If you haven't seen it yet, pencil in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood for opening night; otherwise, you might want to book in a date to see the just-released Downton Abbey film. The program also gives you the chance to sneakily catch up on some of this year's most hyped films, including Rocketman, The Lion King, 2040 and the must-see Adam Goodes doco The Australian Dream. Fitzroy's Ladro will once again be slinging its woodfired pizza, and a bar, serving Urban Alley brews, Giesen wines and Pimm's will keep your thirst quenched all night long. Oh, and it's a dog-friendly space, so you don't need to leave part of your family at home. Plus if you're an Amex user you'll get 15 percent off select tickets, plus a lounger and bites for the movie.
One is best known for its refined American barbecue fare, the other for its menu of modern Chinese plates, plump buns and juicy dumplings. But despite their differences, Fancy Hank's and Oriental Teahouse are teaming up for a special one-off feasting experience, this Wednesday, October 23. The five-course dinner is set to take over the South Yarra restaurant, inviting guests on a smoke-driven, East-meets-West flavour journey. With food clocking in at $65 a head, clever collaboration dishes include the likes of sticky char siu pork ribs — smoked, fried and served with spring onion and peanuts — buns with filled with 14-hour smoked brisket and fried boudin sausage dumplings teamed with Fancy Hank's signature peach and jalapeño sauce. There's even a riff on the classic xiao long bao, here crafted with pulled pork and black apple vinegar. Fancy pairing it all with a few crisp brews? For an extra $20, you can team your feed with 90 minutes of free-flowing beer from the bar.
Summer is almost here and that means it's getting time to whip out the sunscreen and shades and get on the group chat to organise some al fresco hangs in the sunshine. Whether you've got a huge backyard, a compact garden or a decked out balcony, there are lots of ways you can transform your openair space for parties. Think makeshift performance spaces, themed dining where everyone pitches in a plate, or active games to get everyone into the summer spirit. To help you make the most of your outdoor space, we've partnered with Jim Beam to bring you a guide to transforming your backyard for parties and hangouts to remember this summer. [caption id="attachment_789655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cottonbro[/caption] CREATE A MAKESHIFT OUTDOOR CINEMA Each summer brings with it a new selection of romance, comedy and holiday flicks to catch at the cinema, but when you're looking to entertain your friends at home, there's a lot to be said for the old classics that bring us together. Impress your friends by upping movie night and transforming your outdoor space with a makeshift outdoor cinema. All you need is a good projector — which you can buy online or at most tech stores — and then set it up to shine on a wall or vertical flat surface away from other light sources, such as streetlights. Then, grab a cold one and some popcorn, and settle in for a night of quote-alongs and nostalgia bonding. [caption id="attachment_786454" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] HOST AN AROUND-THE-WORLD FEAST Just because you can't travel around the world right now doesn't mean you can't transport yourself elsewhere through the medium of food. Host an 'around the world' picnic where each of your guests brings a dish based on world cuisine. Think bratwurst from Germany, lasagne from Italy, sushi from Japan, chow mein from China, barbecued meats from the US and dosas from India. Then set up the food in different areas around the outdoor space and 'travel' from place to place with your tastebuds. You can even take it a step further and bring drinks from different countries too — for the US, try a Jim Beam with peach iced tea and soda, for example. [caption id="attachment_789656" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jake Ryan[/caption] INVITE YOUR MUSO FRIENDS TO PERFORM Every friendship group has a mate who loves to show off their skills on the guitar and can play a steady rotation of Oasis, John Mayer and Jason Mraz numbers. So why not take advantage of your mates' talents and invite all your muso friends to perform some classic sing-a-longs? They could even show off some originals, if they're that good. String up some coloured lights and get the drinks flowing and it'll feel like a real gig (just like old times). And, because it's your backyard, you get to mingle with the main act afterwards. HOST A MINI OLYMPICS Make up for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and channel the spirit of our finest green-and-gold athletes by hosting a mini version in your backyard. Get each of your guests to bring over a variety of games, including solo sports and team games — such as frisbee, cricket, bocce, basketball, table tennis and putt-putt — and arrange a tournament in your yard. You can even set up an obstacle course if you're feeling super energetic. Don't forget to provide some snacks for fuel and some drinks for good measure — then, let the games begin. After all, who doesn't love healthy competition between friends? [caption id="attachment_790604" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] SET UP YOUR OWN TINY BAR There's no better summertime classic activity than getting the mates round for a drink or two. Now imagine upping the game and playing bartender to your pals in a decked out tiny bar in the backyard. To help out in this endeavour, the global bourbon brand Jim Beam is currently running a competition to give away a fully stocked Jim Beam Tiny Stillhouse, worth over $20,000. The stillhouse includes bluetooth speakers, a mini fridge, four bar stools, an esky, bar mats, a Jenga set, a case of Jim Beam and Cola and a bottle of Jim Beam White Label. Enter here before Sunday, November 22 to get the party going. Top image: Cottonbro via Pexels
Did you wake up this morning with a pounding headache, a few Instagram selfies of you and a beardy blur that looks like Zach Galifianakis, and a strange number in your phone? Good news! Your horrible life decisions are actually not your fault at all — it's science! Or at least that's what we'll tactfully choose to deduct from the latest research out of Spain. Researchers at the University of Granada have recently published a study that scientifically proves the existence of beer goggles. Proving that the eye actually suffers a significant deterioration in optical quality after alcohol consumption, these boozing brainiacs figured out that ethanol from the alcohol you consume makes its way into your tear ducts and clouds the outermost layer of your tear film. This affects the quality of the image you see and, when drinking at night, it increases the perception of luminous circles — halos — around the objects you view. Giving an entirely new meaning to a certain Beyonce song, this new phenomenon manifests itself best at night and ends up looking a little something like this: Pouring various quantities of prize-winning Spanish wine into their 67 subjects — who knew science was so glamourous? — the researchers deducted that these halos were most prevalent in the volunteers whose breath alcohol limit exceeded the legal driving range of 0.25mg/litre. As if we needed more evidence that you shouldn't drive under the influence, this gives some physical proof to why drunk drivers are dangerous behind the wheel. But it also has important implications for your romantic life. Picture this: you're in a dim-lit underground bar with romantic candles perched around some snug booths and a dance floor. You've partaken in a certain 2-for-1 cocktail special and followed it up with a selection of shots named after 1950s movie stars (because, what can you say, you're classy like that). A man approaches, all bearded and stylish with an effortless Joaquin Phoenix-style strut. The music's too loud and you can't really hear what he says, but you feel somewhat compelled to mush your lips on his face, slip him your number, or some smooth combination of the two. With scientific fact in hand, maybe now you can think twice before trusting your Grey Goose-laden eyes. Via Science Daily. Photo credits: katie coleslaw via photopin cc and Juan Castro/University of Granada.
"I hope it scares the shit out of you!" declared both Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe at the Sydney premiere of The Mummy, confirming that this was indeed to be a darker, more adult take on the successful movie franchise – a horror film harking back to the heady days of Val Lewton and the 1930s Gothic monster flicks that helped put Universal Studios on the map. Only...The Mummy is also peppered with comedic moments, meaning it's really better described as a horror comedy in the vein of Shaun of the Dead or Cabin in the Woods. However, its leading man Nick Morton (Cruise) is also a special forces recon soldier whose opening scene sees him dropping hellfire missiles on Iraqi insurgents. So really it's a horror comedy action film. Also, right after that opening scene we meet Cruise's on again off again love interest and globe-trotting archaeologist Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis). Horror comedy action romance? Of course this all happens after we've already seen the Universal icon transform into the 'Dark Universe' logo, establishing The Mummy as the studio's opening salvo in the expansive, world-building game heretofore occupied by Marvel and DC. That makes this a horror comedy action romance franchise-founder. Ugh. No wonder it all gets a little lost in the details. In short, The Mummy is a movie guilty of overreach. Whether by studio interference or filmmaker miscalculation, it tries to achieve an impossible number of simultaneous feats, peppering you with character cameos (Crowe plays Dr Henry Jekyll and the other guy as well) and breadcrumbs for future franchise instalments (Bride of Frankenstein is next in line, followed by The Invisible Man, Dracula, The Wolfman and all the other Gothic-era classics). All this, while also trying to tell a story of its own. That it feels like it happens in that order of priority is perhaps the movie's biggest problem, because on its own the actual mummy stuff is pretty darn solid. In the title role we find this time a female mummy, Ahmanet, portrayed by the wonderful Sofia Boutella (Star Trek Beyond). After her assured reign over Egypt is suddenly wrenched from her by the birth of a baby brother, Ahmanet forms a pact with Set, the God of Death and embarks upon a killing spree before being entombed alive and erased from history. Erased, that is, until Cruise and his sidekick Chris (a clumsy, unnecessary turn by New Girl's Jake Johnson) stumble upon the sarcophagus and awaken the beast from her twenty centuries of stony sleep. From that moment on, The Mummy is a film with an identity crisis. Its mummy affairs are entertaining, action-packed and even occasionally scary, particularly through the employment of zombie henchmen reanimated by Ahmanet after she's sucked out their life force. The comedy doesn't really fit with Cruise's performance, and he has zero chemistry with Wallis, but at least the film delivers engaging set-pieces – more so than, say, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2. Unfortunately, the Dark Universe stuff proves far more problematic. So much is mentioned yet left unexplored, and not in a way that can simply be excused as foreshadowing. As the Marvel superhero movies have repeatedly demonstrated, a single 10 second shot at the end of a film's credit sequence can capably tease all that is to come in future films without detracting from the story being told in the present. Left to its own devices, The Mummy might well have soared as a classic monster movie from a bygone era. Instead, it's a confused jumble of scenes and characters that undermine and trip each other up at every possible turn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzorZUuZqEI
Celebrate the work of local musicians at the second annual Stony Creek Music Festival. Hosted at McNish Reserve in Yarraville's Cruickshank Park, this Australia Day showcase of home-grown talent eschews the big names getting airtime on triple j and instead favours a much more local sound. You can see Nick Barker, Rebecca Barnard and The Painters & Dockers live on stage, and grab dinner from a convoy of waiting food trucks. So bring your picnic rug and as many mates as you can muster. And for your own sake, don't forget the sunscreen.
The family-friendly suburb of Bentleigh East isn't exactly booming in the breakfast business, but Astroluxe might be changing that. The odd kid out on dilapidated Chesterville Road, Astroluxe is delivering unpretentiously refined dishes for an area in dire need of fresh faces. The interior is by design firm Robson Rak Architects, who — usually well-known for high-end residential work —have made this their first foray into hospitality. As such, Astroluxe features sleek, custom-designed steel lights that sit above the cafe's open kitchen, vintage woollen couches and upmarket marble benchtops, and bring the space together nicely. It's warm, yet polished, and there are plans for an outdoor garden in time for spring. The menu itself reflects what co-owners Adam Nicholl and Stu and Tanya Billard enjoy eating. With a strong focus on local produce (meat and vegetables are sourced from the butcher and grocer on the same shopping strip) the offering incorporates a refreshingly mismatched range of flavours. American, Asian and Middle Eastern-inspired dishes all make cheeky appearances throughout. The menu rotates seasonally, but at the moment highlights include a vibrant Asian soba noodle salad with sliced pan-fried flank steak, shredded cabbage, sprouts, basil, roasted macadamia nuts and a hint of chilli and lime ($19.50). For early morning sweet tooths, fluffy buttermilk pancakes with caramelised banana, French crème patisserie, raspberry, toasted coconut, pistachios, dark chocolate and honey cardamom syrup should more than satisfy ($18). Coffee is by Five Senses and tea comes from Larsen & Thompson. Smoothies, plump milkshakes and a range of organic drinks are also on offer. Plus, Cobb Lane doughnuts on weekends means everyone will be kept astro-nomically happy.
If your interest in gardening is for the purposes of home-beautification, Mr Kitly in Brunswick is the shop for you. Hidden away in an upstairs studio, it's a mecca for plant people, boasting a large range of rare and reasonable indoor plants alongside darling ceramics, chic plant stands, weird crafts and beautiful artwork. Owner and operator Bree Claffey has even written a book named Indoor Green: Living with Plants (punctuated by beaut photography by Lauren Bamford), so you can trust that the Mr Kitly crew know their stuff.
If you're big on making coffee and tea at home, Assembly is your heaven-sent special place. They've handpicked the best coffee and tea blends from around the country (and the world), and sell them alongside a whole heap of professional-level equipment. They've got everything from AeroPresses to filters to fancy kettles and teapots — basically, enough to make any coffee nerd squeal in caffeinated delight. Plus, it's also a cafe, so you can sit in and see (and taste) how it's done by the pros.
Victoria's strict rules surrounding social distancing and public gatherings have been extended until at least midnight on Sunday, August 16, with the government announcing the extension of its COVID-19 State of Emergency. First made in March and due to expire at midnight on Monday, April 13, the State of Emergency has already been extended until May 11, June 20 and July 19. With the new extension, the state's current restrictions — which include a new mandatory requirement to wear masks and facial coverings in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, areas that are also presently under stay-at-home requirements — will now be in place for four more weeks. The move comes after an ongoing rise in Victorian coronavirus case numbers over the past few weeks, with "the majority of our outbreaks are now coming from settings where people are working closely together," the government said. The State of Emergency declaration allows the state's authorised officers to "act to eliminate or reduce a serious risk to public health" as directed by Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. That means restricting movement, preventing entry to premises and venues, and detaining people — measures that have been in place over the past four months as the state responds to the coronavirus. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1284383562125410304 Announcing the extended State of Emergency in a press conference today, Sunday, July 19, Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos noted that it was necessary "given that we continue to see rising case numbers, increasing numbers of people being hospitalised and sadly also increasing fatalities". Fines continue to be handed out to folks who breach the restrictions, with the state's financial penalties spanning up to $1652 for individuals and up to $9913 for businesses. Under the State of Emergency, people who refuse to comply can also be taken to court, where the fine imposed could reach up to $20,000 for individuals and $100,000 for companies. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria and how to protect yourself, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
