When the cinema powers-that-be finally decided to turn long-running and immensely popular stage musical Cats into a movie, they probably felt like the cat who got the cream. But once the film actually came into existence — once its first trailer hit, really — they likely felt more like they'd made a huge mess in the litter box. Thanks to awful CGI, terrible performances and a completely silly concept that was never going to work going to work on the big screen, Cats doesn't equate to movie magic. It certainly doesn't ascend to cinema's Heaviside Layer, either. And now the Tom Hooper-directed flick has the industry's least-wanted gong to show for it, plus a few extra not-so-shiny trophies. From its nine nominations at this year's Golden Raspberry Awards — the event's 40th ceremony — the musical picked up six prizes, including Worst Picture of the past 12 months. The Razzies also coughed awards Cats' way for Rebel Wilson for Worst Supporting Actress, James Corden for Worst Supporting Actor, Tom Hooper for Worst Director, and both Hooper his co-writer Lee Hall for Worst Screenplay. As for the singing moggy-focused movie's sixth gong, it was given for Worst Screen Combo for "any two half-feline/half-human hairballs/cats". Also recognised were John Travolta for Worst Actor for both Trading Paint and the Fred Durst (yes, that one)-directed The Fanatic; plus Hilary Duff for Worst Actress for The Haunting of Sharon Tate — none of which hit cinemas Down Under. Rambo: Last Blood picked up the award for Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel, as well as another in the new category for 2019: Worst Regard Disregard for Human Life and Public Property. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws1YIKsuTjQ The Razzies doesn't just point out everything terrible in cinema from the past year — it also gives a Redeemer Award, too. Someone who once won a Golden Raspberry gets a prize for turning things around, and this year that that someone is Eddie Murphy. He's a Razzie favourite, winning Worst Screenplay in 1990 for Harlem Nights; Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actress and Worst Supporting Actor for Norbit; and Worst Actor of the Decade in 2010 for The Adventures of Pluto Nash, I Spy, Imagine That, Meet Dave, Norbit and Showtime. Now, he has the Redeemer Award for his excellent performance in Dolemite Is My Name as well. Check out the full list of nominees and winners below: GOLDEN RASPBERRY NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2019: WORST PICTURE Cats The Fanatic The Haunting of Sharon Tate A Madea Family Funeral Rambo: Last Blood WORST ACTOR James Franco, Zeroville David Harbour, Hellboy (2019) Matthew McConaughey, Serenity Sylvester Stallone, Rambo: Last Blood John Travolta, The Fanatic and Trading Paint WORST ACTRESS Hilary Duff, The Haunting of Sharon Tate Anne Hathaway, The Hustle and Serenity Francesca Hayward, Cats Tyler Perry (as Medea), A Madea Family Funeral Rebel Wilson, The Hustle WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR James Corden, Cats Tyler Perry (as Joe), A Madea Family Funeral Tyler Perry (as Uncle Heathrow), A Madea Family Funeral Seth Rogan, Zeroville Bruce Willis, Glass WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Jessica Chastain, X-Men: Dark Phoenix Cassi Davis, A Madea Family Funeral Judi Dench, Cats Fenessa Pineda, Rambo: First Blood Rebel Wilson, Cats WORST SCREEN COMBO Any two half-feline/half-human hairballs in Cats Jason Derulo and his CGI-neutered "bulge" in Cats Tyler Perry and Tyler Perry (or Tyler Perry) in A Madea Family Funeral Sylvester Stallone and his impotent rage in Rambo: First Blood John Travolta and any screenplay he accepts WORST DIRECTOR Fred Durst, The Fanatic James Franco, Zeroville Adrian Grunberg, Rambo: First Blood Tom Hooper, Cats Neil Marshall, Hellboy (2019) WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF or SEQUEL X-Men: Dark Phoenix Godzilla: King of the Monsters Hellboy (2019) A Madea Family Funeral Rambo: First Blood WORST SCREENPLAY Cats, screenplay by Lee Hall and Tom Hooper The Haunting of Sharon Tate, written by Daniel Farrands Hellboy (2019), screenplay by Andrew Cosby A Madea Family Funeral, written by Tyler Perry Rambo: First Blood, screenplay by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone WORST RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY Dragged Across Concrete The Haunting of Sharon Tate Hellboy (2019) Joker Rambo: First Blood RAZZIE REDEEMER AWARD Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name Keanu Reeves, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum and Toy Story 4 Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers Will Smith, Aladdin
First Melbourne hosted Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck, then Sydney got the upper hand by coaxing Rene Redzepi to bring his world-renowned restaurant Noma to Barangaroo for a few months. But then, in a serious move of one-upmanship, Melbourne took back the culinary crown (for now, anyway), nabbing the rights to host next year's World's 50 Best Restaurants awards earlier this year. Further to the announcement — which was made back in June ahead the 2016 awards in New York — the World's 50 Best Restaurants have just released the finer details of the huge event. The ceremony that, well, ranks the world's best restaurants from 1-50 will take place on Wednesday, April 5 and the Carlton's Royal Exhibition Building. It's a pretty big deal for little ol' Melbourne (and Tourism Australia) as it's only the second time the awards will be held outside of London. But that's just the start of it. The ceremony will be just one part of a seven-day program of events, which will bring some of the world's best chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers and other people of food influence to Melbourne. Running from April 1-7, the program will coincide with 2017's Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and include a series of masterclasses, the Chef's Feast (just for chefs though, sorry) and a smattering of satellite events. The chefs — which might well include the likes of Modena's Massimo Bottura, D.O.M.'s Alex Atala and the brothers from El Celler de can Roca — will be treated to a week of Australia's best food too. "After 14 years hosting the awards event in London, we decided to take The World's 50 Best Restaurants on a global tour, kicking off in New York in June 2016," said World's 50 Best Restaurants group editor William Drew. "Now we could not be more thrilled to be moving to Melbourne, one of the great food cities of the world, in 2017. Come April next year, Australia will undoubtedly be the place to be for those passionate about great food and inspired restaurants." Well, shucks. If you're not familiar with the awards, they're the ranking that everyone uses when talking about the best restaurants in the world. This year Italy's Modena was awarded the number one spot, while Noma has been a former list-topper multiple times. 2016 gave special mention to Melbourne's Attica and Brae (number 33 and 65, respectively), as well as Sydney's Quay (number 98), which probably has a lot to do with why they've decided to come Down Under in 2017.
Shokuiku on High Street in Northcote know a thing or two about the natural side of foods. The drinks list alone is health craziness. In a good way, of course. You can go for the Ultimate Smoothie ($25) if you're feeling rich: it includes coconut water, coconut meat, berries, hemp, cacao nibs, goji berry, ashwagandha, astragalus, MSM, camu camu, fulvic acid, reishi, maca, marine phytoplankton, mega hydrate, vanilla, and lakanto. Phew. The dinner menus change monthly and feature things like coconut cream and lime soup with zucchini noodles for entree, layered vegetable bake with vegetable mince and marinara sauce for main, and a banana cream tart with cacao truffle slice for dessert. They also offer custom-made raw cakes, a range of granolas and supplements to take home with you to continue your raw journey. It honestly feels like an adventure. Give it a try.
50 years might have passed, but you're still going to need a bigger boat if you're sitting down to watch Steven Spielberg's classic film JAWS. Actually, maybe a boat's a bad idea, what with all the killer sharks in the water, how about watching it on the beach? That's the thinking behind this exclusive beachside screening, The Baths x Brooksy Films Presents JAWS. Where better to watch the genre-defining thriller that made a whole generation scared to go in the water than metres from the waves? At least the sharks can't reach you there. Probably. If you've been living under a rock these last 50 years, or have somehow never heard of the first killer shark flick: JAWS is based on the 1974 novel of the same name, which tells the story of Amity Island, a coastal town beset by a series of attacks from a killer great white shark — forcing the local sherrif, a marine biologist and a grizzled shark hunter to set sail in the infamously small boat to catch and kill the animal before it can strike again. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1fu_sA7XhE[/embed] Taking over The Baths Middle Brighton's private beach for one night only — Friday, November 21 — it's the perfect way to watch (or rewatch) the film in celebration of 50 years since its original release, and no matter how immersed the setting makes you, you'll be far, far away from Amity. Your $25 ticket guarantees you a spot, but it's BYO bean bag, picnic rug or blanket to save you from sitting on just the sand. Alcohol is strictly prohibited, as is entering the water. If you're a BBHC member, you can inquire about gold class tickets to the deck Downstairs at The Baths. [caption id="attachment_1043968" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] The Baths x Brooksy Films Presents 'JAWS' - Cinema on the Beach will take place on Friday, November 21. Doors open at 6.30pm and the film commences at 7.45pm. Visit the website for more information or to get tickets.
Pakistani activist and history's youngest Nobel Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai is heading Down Under, for two exclusive talks in Sydney and Melbourne this December. She'll appear as part of The Growth Faculty's thought-provoking Women World Changers speaker series — the same event that brought Hillary Clinton to Australia and New Zealand in May this year. Yousafzai was just 11 when she first launched her campaign to promote education for girls, penning a blog from her home city in Pakistan's Swat Valley. At 15, she survived an attack by the Taliban, and in 2014, went on to become the youngest person ever awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Her remarkable story continues, as she sticks with the fight for education rights for every girl in the world. The activist co-founded the Malala Fund and currently studies at the University of Oxford. Now, for the first time, the inspirational 21-year-old will share her experiences with Australian audiences, speaking at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday, December 11.
More and more Australians are reassessing their drinking choices, and choosing to ditch or simply limit the booze. In response, clever bartenders, winemakers and beer brands across the globe have been busy dreaming up new and creative alcohol-free beverages to make that no-booze night out a satisfying option. And, there's now one Melbourne haunt that'll leave teetotallers more spoilt for choice than ever before — with the Brunswick Aces Bar, the city's first dedicated non-alcoholic cocktail lounge, now open. From Saturday, May 1, local distillery and booze-free gin producer Brunswick Aces is welcoming patrons into its much-anticipated Brunswick East watering hole, which also marks the first of its kind in the country. The 150-person Weston Street space is not only a temptation-free drinking destination for the teetotaller or sober curious, but also just a neat spot to hang and imbibe when alcohol's simply not on your night's agenda. The bar's rocking a look best described as industrial baroque, with lots of plush furniture covered with velvety textiles, walls filled with gilded frames and moody floral arrangements trailing from the ceiling. While Brunswick Aces does make regular gin, it's perhaps best known for its range of sapiir — a non-alcoholic distilled drink crafted on botanicals. The brand uses aromatic ingredients like lemon myrtle, pepperberry, wattleseed and that all-important juniper to create a concoction that's akin to a gin, sans booze. And in this new bar, you've got a front-row seat to the sapiir distilling operations, while you sip the spoils just metres from where they're made. The menu might be short on alcohol, but it's sure not wanting for choice. In fact, there's more than 100 booze-free options available. You can expect to find an ever-evolving range of crafty cocktails, led by boozeless takes on the classics such as a negroni and an espresso martini. There's be a focus on local ingredients, too, with appearances from some premium international labels and regular product features. And, alongside the cocktails sits an impressive lineup of non-alcoholic beers and wines sourced from all over the world, as well as mixed drinks made on booze-free spirits and sapiirs. While you're there, you can browse and buy some hangover-free tipples in the country's first physical non-alcoholic bottle shop. This retail section will be slinging local brands including Heaps Normal, Ovant and Songbird Wine, as well as international offerings like the Netherlands' Vandestreek Playground IPA. [caption id="attachment_801275" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brunswick Aces' signature sapiir.[/caption] If you're hanging for the real deal, that's okay, too. In the spirit of inclusivity — and celebrating Brunswick Aces' other pursuits — the bar will be serving a single alcoholic option: a gin and tonic, made on the brand's own Spades and Hearts gin blends. Find The Brunswick Aces Bar at 124 Weston Street, Brunswick East, from Saturday, May 1. It's open Thursday–Saturday 3–11pm, with the bottle shop open Monday–Saturday 11am–5pm. Top images: Griffin Simm
Two quintessential Aussie summertime treats are coming together in delicious harmony — and if you're quick, you can taste-test the clever fusion for free. The gelato maestros at Messina have once again teamed up with celebrated wine label Brown Brothers, this time creating both a limited-edition strawberries and cream moscato, and a gelato flavour inspired by the new wine. The new scoop captures all the same fruity dessert notes of the vino, featuring vanilla clotted cream gelato that's mingled with chunks of strawberry pound cake and layers of strawberry purée. The end result is a cooling, creamy gelato blend that's primed for a balmy summer's day. And, since the gelato itself has no alcohol content, it's a treat everyone can enjoy. But like most Messina creations, this beauty is here for a good time, not a long time. If you're keen to get your mitts on the moscato gelato, you'll find complimentary scoops being handed out at Westfield Doncaster only from 12pm this Saturday, February 18. Free tastings of the new wine are also on offer for visitors over the age of 18. Missed out on your freebie? The strawberries and cream moscato gelato will be available to buy from all Messina stores nationwide from Saturday, March 4–Friday, March 10 (or until sold out). Images: Phoebe Powell.
There's a reason this exhibition's title references a whole different world. Once you step inside the signature blue and white striped archways of the entry, you become enveloped in an alternate reality. Like stepping inside the mind of the infamous designer, you are now in the realm of spectacle, ferocity, drama and glamour. No matter what you're wearing, prepare to feel wildly underdressed. Featuring 140 garments, this exhibition is both a celebration of the ornate and original craftsmanship of the legendary French designer as well as a celebration of his outlandish philosophy in style. Separated into seven sections including The Boudoir, Muses, and Metropolis, The Fashion World gives you a thematic history of Gaultier's iconic work and his varied influences. You don't need to be a fashionista to appreciate it either. The world of JPG is entrenched in pop culture, film, celebrity, humour and eroticism. Because of this diversity, the exhibition feels a lot more like a regular art exhibit than a fashion show. There are fairytale dresses made out of nothing but pink silk ribbon. There's a tartan and leather clad section dedicated to the punk scene of Paris' outer suburbs. One dimly lit room is even set up as Amsterdam's infamous red light district — all velveteen and dirty. With such stark differences striking you on each section of the journey, the experience is much less didactic than you might imagine. There's a lot of history to be gleaned, of course, but the story is not so much about the man who made the clothes, but the worlds he created. Even if you know nothing of the fashion, you'll find significant touchstones in the way of celebrities. As you enter the space, you'll be greeted by wall-scale portraits of Cate Blanchett, Kylie Minogue, Andreja Pejic and Gemma Ward by local street artist Rone — some of the designer's most influential Australian muses. A chorus of 32 custom mannequins are among the first works on display. Using incredible projection technology, the faces speaking to you are recognisable as JPG himself and Melissa Auf der Maur of The Smashing Pumpkins. Drawing on his friends in the art world, some of the photography on display also includes work by Cindy Sherman and Andy Warhol. "I think the way people dress today is a form of artistic expression," reads a Warhol quote on display. "Art lies in the way the outfit is put together. Take Jean Paul Gaultier. What he does is really art." Like always, Warhol is right. JPG is a master. But, instead of oil paints and landscapes he deals in feathers, cone bras, and bejewelled pubic hairs.
If we're to believe any film about pirates, famous shipwrecks or Pixar fish, there are a lot of secret treasures to be found on the ocean floor. But surely, none as grand as this. English sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has just laid to rest one of his finest works in the Bahamas. Measuring in at over 5 metres tall and weighing a whopping 60 tonnes, this enormous and serene lady is officially the world's largest underwater sculpture. Though it's hard to imagine that dumping 60 tonnes of foreign material in the ocean can be a good thing, this work, entitled Ocean Atlas, actually doubles as an artificial reef for marine life. The sculpture is made of long-lasting, pH-neutral marine cement and was created in consultation with the Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation. "[The work shows] the vital role the local community and especially the younger generation have in conserving the islands' natural resources," said the artist. The artwork's name makes similar allusions to such environmental responsibilities. In Greek mythology, Atlas was condemned to hold the sky on his shoulders — an idea beautifully represented in the hunched female figure just below water level. As the tide draws in and out, locals are reminded of her constant watchful presence off their coastline. Though Sydney in particular is familiar with sculptures by the sea, the idea of underwater sculpture is a bit of a novelty for us. But this artist has been pioneering the concept for nearly ten years; he now has hundreds of sculptures to be found all over the world's most idyllic beaches. His underwater sculpture park in Mexico even features over 400 life-size works — a glorious incentive to take diving lessons. 'Ocean Atlas', on the other hand, is a special case. She is so large she in fact had to be lowered into the ocean in separate portions. Being face to face with this work would be a completely unique experience. Even more so as she gathers spooky seaweed and marine life. Don't be alarmed if you don't hear from us. We're booking flights to the Bahamas and stocking up on snorkelling gear ASAP. Via Forbes and Daily Mail. Photos via Jason de Caires Taylor.
When Andy Warhol's Jewish Geniuses exhibition was first shown in 1980, people got pretty mad. Though his trademark pop art style was well known by then, critics just couldn't deal with it being used to depict important intellectuals and Jewish luminaries. A critic from The New York Times labelled the show "tawdry" and "offensive". Now, for the first time ever, this beautiful tacky mess is coming to Australia. Featuring ten portraits of 20th century icons such as Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud and Franz Kafka, Jewish Geniuses will be on show at the Jewish Museum of Australia from November 20 until May 24 next year. On loan from the Jewish Museum of Vienna, the artworks will also depict actress Sarah Bernhardt, philosopher Martin Buber, judge Louis Brandeis, composer George Gershwin, literary great Gertrude Stein, ex-Israeli prime minister Golda Meir and The Marx Brothers. Accompanying Jewish Genuises, the museum will also host a larger series of events called Warhol Now. Partnering with the Jewish International Film Festival, the National Gallery of Victoria, Midsumma Festival and the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival next year, Warhol Now will combine trivia nights, artist talks and a "Warhol-inspired dining event" to examine the artist's importance and influence on art today. It's all a little ironic, really. Warhol was not Jewish. He didn't have any particular passion for Jewish issues. In his diary he allegedly wrote that he created these portraits "[because] they're going to sell", now they tour Jewish museums all over the world with new meanings and importance. That being said, Warhol had a strange kind of wisdom about him too. "Don't pay any attention to what they write about you," he said. "Just measure it in inches." Touché. Andy Warhol's Jewish Geniuses will be on show at the Jewish Museum of Australia from November 20, 2014 until March 24, 2015. See the website for more details.
With its cheesy slices and hearty bowls of pasta, Matteo's Pizza Parlour has become one of Highett's dinnertime go-to's. But now, the restaurant is turning its attentions to the lunchtime crowd, with a new daytime takeaway window popping up at the Railway Parade venue. Open 11am to 2pm, Thursday through Sunday, Matteo's Sandwich Shop is slinging an Italian-leaning menu of hefty sambos, salads and calzone. You might find yourself sinking those teeth into a soft ciabatta filled with crisp porchetta, broccolini, chilli and asiago; the panko-crumbed chicken cotoletta on a soft milk bun; or, perhaps, a salt and pepper calamari panini finished with kewpie mayo and iceberg. Meanwhile, calzone are fried to order, made on Matteo's signature three-day fermented Neapolitan-style dough. There's a vegan-friendly mix of endive, olives, capers, chilli and pinenuts, and another layered with mozzarella, ricotta and casalingo salami. You can grab a lunchtime coffee, to, courtesy of Co-Owner Matt Ward's own roastery, These Days Coffee Roasting. Under stage four restrictions, only one person per household can leave the house, once a day, to get essentials within five kilometres. So, this pop-up is just for those who live nearby. Matteo's Sandwich Shop is open from 11am–2pm Thursday–Sunday.
On-screen, Ali Wong doesn't let go of grudges easily, at least in Beef. In rom-com Always Be My Maybe, she's also been romanced by Keanu Reeves. Tuca & Bertie had her voice an anthropomorphic song thrush, while Big Mouth sent her back to middle school. The American actor and comedian's next project: her current stand-up comedy tour, which has just locked in Down Under dates. Wong is presently working her way across the US and Canada, has also hit up London and Paris, and will head to Australia and New Zealand in July 2024. She's announced four dates, kicking off in Auckland, then jumping over to Melbourne. From there, she'll work her way up the east coast, next hitting up Sydney before wrapping up in Brisbane. Bringing her Ali Wong: Live tour this way comes after a massive 12 months for Wong. It was back in early April 2023 that Beef arrived, getting audiences obsessed and sparking plenty of accolades coming Wong's way. She won Best Actress Emmy, Golden Globe, Film Independent Spirt and Screen Actors Guild awards for playing Amy Lau, who has a carpark altercation with Danny Cho (Steven Yeun, Nope) that neither can let go of — and that changes both of their lives. The series itself, on which Wong was also an executive producer, has earned just as much love — including the Emmy for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series; Golden Globe for Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television; Gotham Award for Breakthrough Series under 40 minutes; Film Independent Spirt Award for Best New Scripted Series; and PGA for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television. [caption id="attachment_893741" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023[/caption] Behind the microphone, Wong's comedy career dates back almost two decades, including three Netflix stand-up specials: 2016's Baby Cobra, 2018's Hard Knock Wife and 2022's Don Wong. And, as an author, Wong also has 2019's Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life to her name. [caption id="attachment_946689" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Always Be My Maybe[/caption] Ali Wong: Live Tour Dates — Australia and New Zealand 2024: Monday, July 8 — The Civic, Auckland Thursday, July 11 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne Friday, July 19 — ICC Theatre, Sydney Monday, July 22 — Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Ali Wong is touring Down Under in July 2024, with presale tickets available from 9am on Wednesday, March 20 and general sales from 9am local time on Friday, March 22 — head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023.
Sports fans of all ages and stripes will delight in a trip to this museum showcasing the proud history of the loveable AFL underdogs of Melbourne's west. After some ups and downs in recent years, the Western Bulldogs have managed a strong start to the 2021 season, so there's a chance you might even see a shiny new premiership cup on display on your next visit here. Outside of current achievements, this museum also boasts a number of displays detailing the club's rich history, dating back to the first reports of the code being played in Footscray in the mid-1870s. There are also trophies from past victories, club photos and more displayed across 12 themed cabinets on the ground floor of Whitten Oval. You'll also see a collection of art and memorabilia, as well as the Hall of Fame celebrating key club figures over its many years.
The Emerging Writers' Festival this year looks to be stuffed to the brim with great minds, events, and ideas. Taking place from June 19–29, many different disciplines and venues will to unite to host the voices of the Australian writing world, both established and emerging. For just a few bites of what's on offer, there will be masterclasses and intensives on everything from poetry to podcasting; a dinner 'speakeasy' on money, sex and death; Pan Afrikan Poets, which will bring Afrikan artists and First Nation and Pasifika artists together in conversation; and Translation Nation, a roaming look through different disciplines and languages exploring ways of saying. The National Writers' Conference will take place during the weekend, bringing together ambassadors such as Isobelle Carmody, Michael Mohammed Ahmad and Ellen van Neerven to share their experience and advice, while also allowing emerging writers to pitch to industry professionals. It's not all serious stuff, though — there are parties on the agenda, too. Amazing Babes is a constant favourite of the festival, and will again celebrate the women who uplift and better others (aka, babes that are amazing) at Northcote Town Hall. The Queer Icons Party will be a big ol' bonanza celebrating queer stories and lives, and Further from the Sun is the winter solstice party featuring words, dance and song at the Footscray Community Arts Centre. More than 50 percent of the program is free – best start booking yourselves in. More information and full program here.
Dig out those once-a-year novelty gumboots, Groovin the Moo has unveiled its 2018 lineup. Taking the large-scale music festival out of the city and into regional centres for another year, GTM will kick things off on Friday, April 27 in South Australia and travel through Maitland, Townsville, Bendigo and Canberra before finishing up in Bunbury on May 12. This year sees local talent new and established taking the stage, with the lineup spanning up-and-comers like Alex Lahey, Baker Boy and Winston Surfshirt right through to favourites Flight Facilities and Australian legend Paul Kelly. International talent like Portugal. The Man, Royal Blood and Duke Dumont will make their way to the Moo too. Here's the full lineup. GROOVIN THE MOO 2018 LINEUP Alex Lahey Aminé (USA) The Amity Affliction Baker Boy Ball Park Music Claptone (Ger) Confidence Man Cosmo's Midnight Dean Lewis Duke Dumont (UK) Flight Facilities Grinspoon Lady Leshurr (UK) Mallrat Ocean Alley Paul Kelly Portugal. The Man (USA) Public Service Broadcasting (UK) Royal Blood (UK) Sampa The Great Skegss Superduperkyle (USA) Tkay Maidza Vera Blue Winston Surfshirt GROOVIN THE MOO 2018 DATES & VENUES Friday, April 27 — Wayville (SA) Saturday, April 28 – Maitland (NSW) Sunday, April 29 — Canberra (ACT) Saturday, May 5 — Bendigo (VIC) Sunday, May 6 – Townsville (QLD) Saturday, May 12 — Bunbury (WA) Pre-sale tickets for GTM will go on sale at 9am local time on Wednesday, January 31. All other tickets for Wayville, Maitland and Canberra will go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, February 6, and Bendigo, Bunbury and Townsville will be released the day after at 9am on Wednesday, February 7. For more info, go to gtm.net.au. Image: Jack Toohey.
Four teenage boys divulge their relationships with pornography in a long overdue conversation at Malthouse Theatre. Conceived and created by St. Martins Youth Arts Centre director Clare Watson based on candid interviews with boys aged 12 to 18, Gonzo divulges in frank, uncensored terms just how ubiquitous X-rated content has become, while also exploring the shame and moral panic that seems to go along with it. On stage from September 21 until October 1, Gonzo will see actors Ari Maza Long, Sam Nugent, Jack Palit and Sol Rumble perform the words of Watson's anonymous teenage subjects, revealing the effects their consumption of 'adults only' material has had on their lives. "Gonzo aims to promote inter generational conversation and demonstrate that the children have the capacity, literacy and eloquence to lead this conversation," says Watson. "We just need to be prepared to listen."
The average person spends eight hours a day looking at a screen. That's not just your laptop or television set but also the time you spend on your phone. Observe the number of people thumbing their smart phones on the evening bus, and it's easy to believe that a lot of people exceed that average eight hours on a regular basis. Now, instead of waxing poetical about how grim this is, and imploring you to run into the streets, pick wildflowers, and dance barefoot (all thoroughly recommended pursuits), it might be better to think about how to get the most out of your time spent with a screen. Because a lot of the time we read, and look, at crap: think of the number of times you’ve heard about Kate Middleton's boobs in the past couple of weeks, or watched a Gangnam Style parody (you know you have). Last year, Eli Pariser gave a TED talk in which he pointed out that web companies like Facebook and Twitter, in trying to tailor their services to you and your tastes, end up blocking out the information they think you don't want to know about. That means you get trapped inside what he calls a 'filter bubble'. If Facebook knows you're passionately involved in campaigning for gay marriage, for instance, you won't get information that's going to expose you to other arguments in your news feed. By the same token, if Facebook thinks you only want to hear about pop culture, you're not going to end up hearing much about asylum seekers. This means that, ultimately, because we never get information that challenges our worldviews, we end up in a bubble in which we hear the same messages and information over and over again. Unless we go looking elsewhere. These are the tips we discovered while trying to get out of our media ghetto and into the bright lights of the big media city. Tidy up your RSS feed and bookmarks If you use Google Reader, go through and see how many of those subscriptions add value to your life. Balance out what you get from The Sartorialist by subscribing to The Huffington Post, Jezebel, or McSweeney's. Thinking about spreading out your information — so it's not all stories from America — is also a good way to go: you want to know what’s happening around the corner as much as you want to know what’s happening in New York this weekend. (As people who keep an eye on what's happening locally, we unabashedly recommend subscribing to us.) Buy a newspaper or a magazine One of the best things about these old-fashioned things is that, while you can skim and skip pieces, what's inside them is curated by an editor. They also offer work that people have been paid to write, and that often produces more interesting and well-researched content. Aside from your average copy of the Sydney Morning Herald or the Age, and high-brow magazines like the Monthly and the New Yorker, magazines like Fantastic Man or The Gentlewoman offer quality journalism mixed in with the pretty pictures. Mag Nation is a good place to browse. Explore Filtering Services Filtering services like Prismatic and Bottlenose collate information from your social media activity and provide you with a unique and personal newsfeed. These things are great because they expand your horizons beyond just giving you what you want to hear. The top stories in my Prismatic feed, for instance, cover the US presidential election, architecture inspired by mathematics, and (I don't know what this says about me) a guide to the top 10 hipster neighbourhoods in the US. None of which I would have stumbled across all on my lonesome. Monitor Yourself Setting limits about how long you spend on networks is really important. You can leave Facebook or Twitter open all day, but that doesn't mean life will get any more interesting. Set rules for yourself about how long you're prepared to sit monitoring a feed. Wired has a pretty awesome graphic showing how you might spread out your screen time, but I would also recommend going for a walk or baking a cake to give your square-eyes a rest. Broaden Your Horizons We’re long past the days when social media meant Facebook alone. It's not uncommon now to meet somebody who would never dream of having a Facebook account but will actively encourage you to follow them on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram at once. Different mediums offer different things. Checking out sites like Pinterest and Reddit might broaden your horizons in ways you've never thought of before. Explore Overlaps Sometimes the lowbrow and the highbrow blend together in a beautiful dance. Superficial stories can blend in with serious issues. The most recent example of this is Chris Brown's new tattoo. While everyone can marvel over its similarity to that beaten-to-a-pulp image of Rhianna, it provokes more serious discussions about domestic violence and might elevate your thinking about the subject beyond the initial "oh no he didn't!". Upworthy Eli Pariser, the same guy who gave the aforementioned TED Talk, has since started a site designed to make important and compelling things as viral as videos of people planking. Designed to give you the tools and knowledge to make yourself a better and more aware human being, Upworthy is still in it's early stages but definitely worth checking out.
Melbourne, take a bow — you've just made one little yellow dwarf star very happy. Well, the Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D'Ambrosio has, anyway, by announcing that the tram network will soon be powered entirely by solar power (pan out to the sun high-fiving itself). D'Ambrosio announced this morning that Victoria's first large-scale solar plant will be operational by the end of 2018 and half the output (around 35 megawatts) will go towards running the tram system. The plant will also create 300 jobs in Melbourne's north-west. It's a part of the master plan to bring Victoria's emissions down to net-zero in 2050. To be clear, though, the current plan is to offset the electricity used by trams with renewable energy certificates, not to directly power the trams with solar power. Hooray investment in solar energy, not hooray for ambiguous, bureaucratic offset plans that don't directly use our fine, home-made solar energy. So, while there's still room for improvement we're definitely getting there. If any of you happen to specialise in building large-scale solar plants, today is your lucky day, because they're accepting tenders in early 2017. Get on it. Via The Age. Image: Liam Davies.
Every dog loves the beach, but perhaps your pet pooch would like to do more than just paddle by the shore and sprint along the sand? Did you ever think about that? Well VetShopAustralia certainly have, and to get them on the board, they're holding their annual Surfing Dog Spectacular in Noosa this weekend, March 5-6. If you've ever dreamed of hanging ten with your four-legged bestie, this is your chance. So, do you actually need to know how to surf in order to teach your dog to do the same? Nope. In a free, Saturday morning clinic designed to teach pet owners how to get fit, have fun and strengthen their bond with their beloved canine, former tandem surfing world champion and professional dog trainer Chris De Aboitiz will teach you everything you need. Plus, if you don't have a hound of your own, you can even take to the waves with one of his rescue animals. If watching rather than participating is more your style, then head along on Sunday afternoon instead. That's when you can witness the best of Australia's surfing dogs in action, showcasing new manoeuvres and competing for the grand VetShopAustralia Surfing Dog Spectacular title. Part of the Noosa Festival of Surfing, the event celebrates its fifth year in 2016. If you've skipped it previously, don't make the same mistake again. Just think: if you can get your furry friend to stand on a surfboard, you're one step closer to making an all-dog remake of Point Break a reality. The VetShopAustralia Surfing Dog Spectacular takes place from March 5-6 at The Spit and First Point, Noosa. For more information, visit their website.
Aakash Nihalani takes the stationery store to town. Creating 3D images on two-dimensional surfaces, the New York-based artist uses an unlikely medium to create his street art — tape. Immediately identifiable by his signature style of bright, bold lines, look-twice illusions and meticulous repetition, Nihalani conjures movement by playing with your expectations. Hailing from Little India, Jackson Heights in Queens, the artist grew up in Jersey and returned to NYC around 2004 to dive headfirst into art school. Now, Nihalani's works are highly recognised from NYC to Vienna — he's even done a residency at the De Kooning estate in the Hamptons. Nihalani's work is created using cardboard, tape and a whole bunch of accuracy. Not one to shy away from experimenting with materials, Nihalani found his magic thread by chance. "I stumbled upon using tape by accident," he told Design Boom. "I was using a painter’s roll to attach some screen prints to the wall for a student exhibition. There was a pedestal in the space that was casting a cubic shadow on the floor that matched the shapes I was using in my prints, so I outlined the shadow with the tape. It all made sense in that moment." Dotted around NYC, the perspective-warping works range from epic installations like Platforms, Drop and Dominos, attached to concrete walls and best posed in front of; to the most recent shirt-attached Landline series (which would be unbelievably cred-prompting worn to a party as a pair). Budding artists, looks like it might be time you ditched Eckersley's for Officeworks. Via Lost at E Minor and Design Boom. Images from the artist's website, Eye Scream Sunday.
Are you the type to spend hours and days before a meal studying the menu and mentally preordering? Us too. So, it can be a nice change of pace to commit to a night out without knowing any details — even where it's happening. Enter The Signet Speakeasy. Maker of mighty smooth whisky, Glenmorangie, is collaborating with fine dining restaurant Vue de Monde and its in-house cocktail joint, Lui Bar, to create an immersive pop-up bar this June. This speakeasy will celebrate the fine amber liquor (which is the first in the world to use roasted chocolate malt barley) in a very Melbourne way — via a secret warehouse transformation. The location will remain a secret until a few days before the event begins. Head along to the swingin' speakeasy to sample Glenmorangie Signet — neat or in cocktail form courtesy of Lui — alongside some pretty lavish snacks by the Vue De Monde crew. Also on the agenda are smooth jazz vibes and 'theatrical surprises', so bring an open mind, an empty stomach and perhaps some sensible shoes, just in case. Hosted by Glenmorangie's head of maturing whisky stock, Brendan McCarron, the event will lead you on a physical journey through the different spaces of the warehouse, from a candlelit lobby to the speakeasy bar, then onto a decadent mandarin grove. Each space will represent one of the signature notes of Signet: chocolate, espresso and mandarin. Tickets cost $85 per person and include one neat Signet, three cocktails and three different food offerings, alongside your guided wander. The tour should take you about an hour to complete, but you're welcome to hang out in the mandarin grove afterwards — there'll be more drinks, snacks and acoustic music to enjoy. The Signet Speakeasy will run from 6–10pm across Thursday, June 27–Saturday, June 29. To purchase tickets, head this way.
James Batchelor — the recipient of Chunky Move's 2017 Next Wave Commission — has created a new dance piece that explores the unknown. Redshift will premiere on November 23 and incorporates ideas of human treatment of the unknown, why we chase it, and how we recognise and capture it. Time and space are stretched; elements of surrealism and humour make their way in. The ambitious project comes from a creator whose recent experiences have ventured into the unknown too — Batchelor joined a team of scientists, students, artists and crew in 2016 on an expedition to the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands. His experiences there led him to the creation of Redshift. Resulting from a continued collaboration with visual artist Annalise Rees and sound designer Morgan Hickinbotham, the work aims to explore these encounters of the body with the universe, and how we go about mapping them and the greater unknown.
Welcome to Thornbury will accommodate both your stomach and your flaming sinuses at the day-long event that is the Hot Sauce and Chilli Festival. If spice is your mate and you think you can handle some of the hottest chilli situations Melbourne can throw at you, now's your time to prove your mettle. Some you'll even have to sign a waiver to taste, so you know they'll be life-affirming. There'll be sauce offerings from stalls such as Melbourne Hot Sauce, Hells Breath and Blair's Death Sauce. If you've come for the actual food side of things, you're in luck, too — Mr Burger, The Brunswick Mess Hall and Satay Truck will set up shop, among others. And drinks? Well, the bar team will be serving 'hot pocket' shots. That's what you'll need a waiver for (and maybe some milk, too). Head along from 12–10pm on Saturday, April 27.
If you've ever had a sneaky little go with some small person's Lego blocks once they're all tucked up in bed, LEGOLAND sees you, tips you their hat… and raises you an adults-only night at their Melbourne Discovery Centre. It's not just any evening for more mature Lego fans, but a LEGOLAND birthday party to mark the centre's second year of operation. With no children to get in the way (or outdo your creations), you'll be able to have free reign of LEGOLAND to check out the 4D cinema, hop on the rides rides and build to your heart's content in the brick pits. Challenge yourself by taking on the master builder or a speed build and vie for the prizes up for grabs — there'll even kids' party games, a treasure hunt, balloon animals and face painting, so you can go full inner child mode. BYO shameless excitement, taste for glory, and bustling creativity, as well the eagerness to wear a birthday hat and devour a Lego cupcake. The party takes place from 7pm on Thursday, April 4, with doors opening from 6.30pm. Tickets cost $32.50 — and because it wouldn't be a birthday party without heaps of snacks, there'll also be mini hot dogs, mini burgers, mini donuts, milkshakes and spiders, some of which might just be Lego-shaped.
This Halloween, the sound of chainsaws will echo through the Palais Theatre — plus plenty of screaming, demonic spirits and unhinged mayhem, too. To celebrate every horror fan's favourite occasion, the St Kilda venue is playing host to a ghoulish movie-and-music combination like no other. Not only will Sam Raimi's 1981 splatter classic The Evil Dead hit the big screen, but an ensemble of musicians from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will play a reimagined version of the scary flick's score. The latest in the MSO's growing series of film-focused live performances, this show is extra special, with the score's original composer Joe LoDuca also making an appearance. Nearly four decades since he first whipped up the perfect soundtrack for a chilling vacation in the woods, he'll hit the keyboards to revisit the movie that first brought him to fame — and helped make stars out of Raimi, actor Bruce Campbell and then-assistant editor Joel Coen (yes, one of the Coen brothers) as well. The Evil Dead has spawned two Raimi-directed sequels, a 2013 remake and Campbell-starring TV series Ash vs Evil Dead, because it really is impossible to destroy the Necronomicon — even when you're toting a trusty boomstick. But the original film remains an absolute horror delight in its own right, as does its tale of five holidaying college kids who head up to a secluded cabin, only to find themselves unexpectedly facing off against evil. Relive the carnage from 8pm on Thursday, October 31, with tickets on sale now.
When you've been in the movie-slinging game for a three decades and you're eager to mark that milestone, how do you go about it? By screening films, naturally. Obviously, that's what Carlton's Cinema Nova does each and every day, so it's turning its Celebrating 30 Years of Nova festivities into an extra-special celebration — by revisiting big-screen highlights from over its history. Starting on Thursday, August 25 and running through till Wednesday, August 31, this retro program is filled with standouts. Donnie Darko, Muriel's Wedding, The Lobster and Parasite — they're all on the bill. So are Bend It Like Beckham, The Piano, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Call Me By Your Name, spanning a heap of not only the venue's favourites, but everyone's. Dates and times vary per movie, but your list of blast-from-the-past choices goes on — including Life Is Beautiful, The Dressmaker and The Square, as well as Margaret, Samson and Delilah and Jojo Rabbit. Two flicks stand out, though, because they're just that apt. Firstly, The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish is one of the first two films that Nova showed when it opened its doors in 1992. Secondly, of course Lygon Street: Si Parla Italiano was going to be on the lineup. Head along on Monday, August 29, and there's an extra bonus — $5 tickets for all sessions.
The party is set to restart in Collingwood this week with iconic club venue New Guernica reopening in a brand new location — and it's putting on free bevvies to celebrate. The original New Guernica held the hearts and livers of many a Melbourne raver for over 12 years in its original CBD location, before shutting its doors in September thanks to lockdown pressures and a proposed area redevelopment. Owners Steve Costa, Dominic Lococo, Jaff Tzaferis and Kyle Bush hunted for a new location in the following weeks, and just last month announced they had found the perfect address in a historic venue on the corner of Smith and Langridge Streets. The storied site was the previous home to much-loved Foresters Beer and Music Hall, but its history dates back to 1868. View this post on Instagram A post shared by New Guernica (@newguernica) This week is set to hold the opening night festivities, and it's fair to say if you've missed a boogie with music pulsing under your feet this year — this will be the place to re-enter the fold. Seven-metre high ceilings, a balcony high above the dance floor to both see and be seen, and a world class lighting setup are all promised in the new locale. The best part? The chance for free drinks for excited partiers on Thursday. Those keen on a few Guerns Ales and Moon Dog Fizzer Seltzers — as well as being the first to party in the new space — just need to sign up on the official website. In coming weeks, the club's 12-year-running regular rave will continue on Thursday nights, with Friday night parties being hosted by independent organisers. Basically, it will be the place to be all weekend. "We can't wait to welcome Melbourne to our new home and to bring back the parties we've become known for, as well as to launch our new events," said co-owner Kyle Bush in a statement. "It's been a long, difficult 18 months, but the future is bright at New Guernica once more!" For more information about the newly reopened New Guernica, including how to win the chance of free drinks on Thursday night, visit the club's website.
Ophelia, the charming all-day Westgarth diner from the Yolk Group (whose stable also includes Tinker, Terror Twilight and Convoy), is officially turning nocturnal. From Tuesday, June 17, the High Street corner spot will dim the lights and welcome guests for dinner and drinks on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It's the first time the Yolk crew has taken one of its venues into after-dark territory, but the move has been on the cards from the start. "We've always loved the idea of a place that evolves throughout the day and shifts gears as night rolls in," says co-owner Kieran Spiteri. "Ophelia's got a laidback moodiness about her that's made for an evening operation, and is something locals have been asking us for." Much like the venue's daytime offer, Ophelia by night lets you choose your own adventure, whether you're popping in for a light snack-and-sip session or settling in for a relaxed dinner. Whatever you decide, you'll be in good hands — nights at Ophelia will be led by Yolk's newly appointed Executive Chef Mitchell Velo (ex-Cumulus Inc. and Marion) (pictured below) and new Venue Manager Heidi Modra (formerly of Pinotta). The approachable, European-leaning menu doesn't veer too far from the tried-and-true wine bar formula — the result is a smartly pared-back yet creative list that spotlights seasonal produce, including fresh fruit and veg from Collingwood supplier Natoora. On the list, you'll find the likes of dates stuffed with nduja, pancetta and olive, pickled mussel toast with aioli and Aleppo pepper and hot-smoked trout rillette served with crisps and caperberries. You can pair your plates with a selection from the chalkboard wine list, featuring Australian and European labels, or one of the evening-exclusive cocktails. Swing by on a Tuesday night when, from 6pm, you can take your pick from a tight weekly rotation of house-made pasta dishes for $20 a plate. Spiteri is hopeful it'll be the start of a new local tradition: "Westgarth Theatre slings its own Tuesday special just across the road, so we're hoping a budget-friendly flick and feed will become a midweek ritual for locals and beyond," he says. Fridays and Saturdays will see Ophelia invite local vinyl selectors to soundtrack Pour and Play sessions, where snacky small plates will do the rounds. And while dinner service doesn't start until 6pm, you can pop in for aperitivo from 4pm to enjoy roaming snacks and cocktail specials. Plus, with wine dinners, guest chef collabs and private events also in the works, Ophelia's night-time chapter is only just beginning. Ophelia will be open on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 4pm for aperitivo and from 6pm for dinner, from Tuesday, June 17. Find it at 85 High Street, Northcote. For more information, head to the venue's website.
There's never a bad time for gelato. There's never a special occasion that couldn't use it, too. That's all in Gelato Messina's wheelhouse, with the chain mighty fond of releasing limited-edition treats to make holidays even tastier. The latest example: its Easter 2023 offering, which brings back its gelato-filled chocolate eggs. Dessert heaven? This is it. Also, if you've always wanted to smash open a Messina Easter egg, that's on the menu as well. Either way, you'll be tucking into an egg handmade out of Messina's milk chocolate — and it'll be filled with frosty, creamy goodness or six rocher balls. First, the gelato-packed eggs, aka a dream for gelato and chocolate lovers alike. That's tasty news as it is but, in even better news, these goodies come in a trio. So, you'll get the Ménage Egg Trois, as Messina has dubbed it, all for $95. The gelato chain says the three eggs can feed between six and ten people, but it's obviously up to you how much you share them On the menu: a custard and shortbread gelato number, with the chocolate egg also featuring strawberry jam yolk, and then dipped in strawberry white chocolate; and an egg packed with vanilla and coconut gelato, mango sorbet, mango gel yolk and baked cheesecake, then encased in white chocolate and desiccated coconut. And, rounding out the pack is a pretzel and milk chocolate-coated egg featuring chocolate gelato with peanut fudge, chocolate brownies and peanut butter caramel. Your tastebuds might already remember that Messina did gelato-free chocolate Easter eggs in 2022, too. This year's version sprinkles its shell with chopped roasted hazelnuts, and boasts two waffle cone and white chocolate rocher balls (filled with waffle cone cream), two 65-percent dark chocolate and salted peanut rocher balls (filled with peanut cream), and two milk chocolate and hazelnut rocher balls (filled with Messinatella cream) inside. That'll set you back $70, and apparently will keep two-to-four people (or just you) very satisfied. As a bonus, Messina is also making golden versions of both Easter sets — and the difference isn't just in the appearance. If your milk chocolate gelato-filled eggs happen to be gold on the outside, you've won a year's worth of Messina. If your giant chocolate egg has a golden rocher inside, same deal. You will need to take a photo, then email hello@gelatomessina.com to claim your prize. Messina's Easter kits can only be ordered online on Monday, March 20 for collection over Easter — of course — between Thursday, April 6–Sunday, April 9. Messina now opens its orders at various times for various places, so you'll want to hop online at 9am for Queensland and Australian Capital Territory stores, 9.15am for Victorian shops, and at either 9.30am, 9.45am or 10am depending on where you are in New South Wales. Gelato Messina's Easter eggs are available to order from Monday, March 20 for pick up between Thursday, April 6–Sunday, April 9 — head to the Messina website for further details.
Those of you who believe that heaven is a beef patty and munching through a juicy double (cheeseburger) with onion rings is a way of communing with a higher power, hear this proclamation. A new place of worship has been erected by faithful servants in Maribyrnong and behold, it is good. St. Burgs, named after the patron saint of burgers (probably), has thrown its door wide for saints and sinners alike and they are not messing around. Established by burger zealot Dan Soto, St. Burgs has been set up in an apartment block on Edgewater Boulevard and has nailed the clean, understated decor that says, "We’re just here to make burgers, people." The menu reflects this simplistic philosophy — it's pretty basic (in a good way) and like all great foodie establishments, makes the choosing part easy. You can get a beef burger (the ‘Durger’), double beef burger (the ‘Double D’), chicken burger (the ‘Western Fried Chicken’) or the mushroom burger (the ‘St. Shroom’). As that cartoon meerkat would say, "Simples." However St. Burgs diverges from the pack by rejecting the hipster burger staple, the brioche bun, and replacing it with something a little less sickly: a milk bun with an egg base (hey, we only said it was a little less sickly). You can also pick up a side of Filipino-style wingettes with slaw or a sinful salted caramel milkshake (*drools until dehydrated*). Amen. Find St. Burgs at 41-45 Edgewater Boulevard, Maribyrnong. Open Tuesday – Friday 6pm-9pm, Saturday – Sun 12pm – 7pm (or until sold out). Closed Mondays.
Bloody excellent news, gin lovers: Four Pillars' bloody season is back for 2023. Since 2015, the Healesville-based distillery has turned its winter sip into one of the most coveted tipples of the year, and this year is no different. But, instead of just one limited-edition wine-infused concoction, there's two on offer: the cult-favourite Bloody Shiraz Gin and new sibling Bloody Pinot Noir Gin. Spirits fiends familiar with the shiraz version will know that it is ridiculously popular for a reason. Also, it's gin infused with shiraz grapes. That blend gives the drop its cerise hue, and provides sweet undertones — but means that it avoids a higher sugar content. It is boozier, though, with an alcoholic content of 37.8 percent (compared to an average 25 percent in regular sloe gin). Initially it came about when Four Pillars came into possession of 250 kilograms of Yarra Valley shiraz grapes, did some experimenting, and bet that steeping those grapes in its OG Rare Dry Gin for eight weeks — then pressing the fruit and blending it with the gin — would end tastily. The 2023 Bloody Shiraz Gin follows that process again, while the Bloody Pinot Noir Gin sees Four Pillars try another grape variety. If the distillery is bottling it and selling it, clearly it turned out well, too. This newcomer also sources its fruit from Yarra Valley again. The end result is softer and lighter but with a heavier gin taste, and with aromas of rose petals, strawberries and cherries. Both gins go on sale on Saturday, June 10 for $88 each at the brand's website, and from Thursday, June 1 if you're a Four Pillars subscriber. The shiraz version will also be available at the Four Pillars Healesville Distillery and Four Pillars Sydney Lab, plus selected bottle-os. Bloody Shiraz Gin fans over the years will also know that it always comes in a limited-edition bottle, with year's featuring artwork by Australian illustrator Luke Lucas. Plus, the full bloody range includes gin and tonic cans and a Bandwagon booze-free shiraz option — so even if you're not partaking in alcohol, you can still enjoy a drink. Also bloody brilliant: to celebrate not one but two bloody gins, and bloody season overall, Four Pillars is hosting a midwinter gin fest. Running from Thursday, June 1–Sunday, July 31 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the festival is actually 15 events, offering each city something a little different (while always heroing the two tipples in the spotlight, of course, and getting everyone saying "bloody" over and over). In Sydney, the Four Pillars Lab will celebrate World Gin Day with a weekend-long party filled with drinks, snacks, DJs, workshops and free tastings. The venue is also doing a Golden Century BBQ takeover, teaming pork, duck and dumplings with Bloody Shiraz Gin drinks; putting on a big feast with North Bondi Fish; popping up at North Sydney's Rafi and the Harbour View Hotel; and bringing back the Gin & Film Fest at Golden Age Cinema with a focus on slasher sirens. [caption id="attachment_902042" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wes Nel[/caption] In Melbourne, the Healesville distillery is doing comparable World Gin Day festivities, and also hosting a Fireside Festival that's all about hot cocktails. Also, Yakimono is doing a feast, there'll be takeovers at Dessous and Goldilocks, and the Gin & Film Fest is back at Thornbury Picture House. Last but not least, Brisbane gets a feast as well at Newstead's Stratton. And, the venue is hosting a month-long takeover with a special Bloody Shiraz Gin drinks menu. [caption id="attachment_851598" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anson Smart[/caption] The 2023 Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin and Bloody Pinot Noir Gin will go on sale around the country on Saturday, June 10, or on Thursday, June 1 if you're a Four Pillars subscriber. Head to the Four Pillars website to make a purchase — or hit up the Four Pillars Distillery at Healesville, Victoria and the Four Pillars Lab in Surry Hills, Sydney. Four Pillars bloody range images: Benito Martin.
The black parade is coming back to Australia — eventually. After their last attempt to head to our shores in 2020 was thwarted due to the pandemic, the reunited My Chemical Romance announced earlier in 2021 that they'd tour the country's east coast in 2022. However, those gigs have now been pushed back to 2023 — but extra shows have also been added. Hopefully the third time will prove the charm for Gerard Way and co, and for music lovers eager to grab their eyeliner, don every black piece of clothing in their wardrobe, relive their angsty emo teenage years and let out three cheers. The new tour will mark more than a decade since MCR last came to our shores for the 2012 Big Day Out — and comes after the US group went their separate ways in 2013, then reformed in 2019. Fans will be pleased to know that MCR are headlining their own shows on this tour, too, rather than leading a festival bill as they were slated to do in 2020. And, they'll now be playing two gigs at each of their stops in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney — with their rescheduled 2023 tour doubling down on stints at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Rod Laver Arena and Qudos Bank Arena. While waiting an extra year to see MCR isn't quite the end-of-2021 development anyone wanted, being able to snap up tickets to new shows if you missed out in the first round is clearly much better news. Back in late 2019, when MCR announced that they were literally getting the band back together, they sold out their first reunion gig in Los Angeles quick smart — and tickets to their Australian gigs have already proven mighty popular. The group has been trying to take its new show on the road ever since they reformed, but, thanks to the pandemic, that has obviously proven much trickier than anticipated. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE 2023 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Monday, March 13 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane — NEW SHOW Tuesday, March 14 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane — SOLD OUT Thursday, March 16 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — NEW SHOW Friday, March 17 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — SOLD OUT Sunday, March 19 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney — SOLD OUT Monday, March 20 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney — NEW SHOW My Chemical Romance will tour Australia's east coast in March 2023. For further information — and for pre-sale tickets for the just-announced new shows from 3pm on Tuesday, December 14, and general tickets from 12pm on Wednesday, December 15 — head to the tour website. Top image: My Chemical Romance performing by NBSTwo via Flickr.
The Beta version of Google's long rumoured music service, Google Music, was released on Wednesday. The service lets you to upload your music collection directly to the service from CDs, iTunes or Windows Media Player, allowing you to access your music using any browser anywhere. Utilising Cloud technology, the service allows much simpler devices to run at much more complicated levels of output by an outsourcing of technology requirements, in this case memory storage. Although very similar to the recently released Amazon Cloud service, the Google variant is a lot easier to use, with the user interface simplified drastically and the typeface very similar to the older Google applications. Although free and accessible, the program is still within the testing phase, with early reports suggesting annoying long load times when starting the program and uploading music. Although not the first of its kind, simply being equipped with the Google brand will ensure this program gets a lot more attention, deserved or not. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZrNhKcxBbZo [Via Mashable]
A new opera penned by Damon Albarn (frontman of Blur and Gorillaz) will premiere as part of the English National Opera's 2011/2012 season. Doctor Dee, Albarn's second opera, follows the life of 16th Century advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, John Dee, whose claim to fame includes dalliances with alchemy, astrology and espionage. Albarn's debut opera, Monkey: Journey To The West, was an adaption for the stage of a 16th Century Chinese novel. This year, despite a recent funding freeze from Arts Council England, the ENO is treating its audiences to 11 new productions, four of which are by living composers. https://youtube.com/watch?v=XT0tBKB2_PA
No, it's not a crazy quilt stitched by a mad granny. These are bird's eye views of Holland's tulip fields, blooming into life just in time for the annual Tulip Time festival. Throughout winter, tulip bulbs lie dormant in the freezing ground. When the first few blooms poke their coloured heads through the earth for a breath of sunshine, everyone knows that spring has very much sprung. The festival runs from May 7-14 and celebrates Dutch heritage, culture and hundreds of varieties of the tulip. Over one billion tulips are exported internationally from Holland every year, so you can see what the fuss is all about. Plus these rainbow flower formations are pretty damn gorgeous to boot. [Via Lost At E-Minor]
Stranger Things is wrapping up with its fifth season, and with one final battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower, Emmanuelle) in a Hawkins where the Upside Down is no longer just an otherworldly realm. The mood, then, as captured in the just-dropped official teaser trailer for the show's last run: "wherever this blood leads, I need you to fight one last time". A reverberating metal tune (Deep Purple's 'Child in Time'), explosions, a town under military quarantine, a hunt for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, The Electric State), Terminator franchise icon Linda Hamilton, tears, hearty embraces, huge stands: this sneak peek at Stranger Things season five has them all. As the trailer demonstrates, it also possesses a sense of occasion. Audiences should already be feeling it, given that this is goodbye to the series, but the show's characters clearly are as well. Yes, Netflix is going big on finales of late, with Squid Game coming to a conclusion in June, too. With Stranger Things, Down Under viewers will be tuning in not once, not twice, but three times for this farewell trip to Indiana — starting in November 2025, then checking in again in December this year, then finally on the first day of 2026. On Thursday, November 27 in Australia and New Zealand, the first four-episode volume of season five will drop. Then, come Friday, December 26, you can mark Boxing Day with the second three-chapter volume. Finally, Thursday, January 1, 2026 will kick off with the last Stranger Things episode ever. Back in June, Netflix also dropped a clip teasing the show's swansong — one filled with looks backwards at the tale that Stranger Things has told so far, which means peering at how young the cast was when the show premiered in 2016, as well as glimpses forward. Accordingly, from what's in store, fans already know that comas, bedside vigils, exploring via torchlight, shaking floors and a key piece of advice — "run" — all feature. Season five makes finding and killing Vecna its main aim, all Eleven has been forced into hiding. The year: 1987. The time: autumn. That's a jump forward from the fourth season's spring 1986 timing. And one way or another, the residents of Hawkins that viewers know and love will have their final experience with the eeriness that's been plaguing their town for years. That's the promise that bidding adieu to Stranger Things, of course, even if the hit Netflix show's end won't be it for the franchise's broader universe. If it feels like there's been a lengthy wait for more — even with the series no stranger to long delays between seasons — that's because there has been. When November rolls around, it will have been almost three-and-a-half years since season four, a gap extended due to 2023's Hollywood strikes. Before that, just under three years elapsed between seasons three and four, and just under two between the second and third seasons. The 13-month gap between seasons one and two seems positively short, then. Late in 2024, Netflix revealed the titles of Stranger Things' eight season-five episodes. If you feel like obsessing over the monikers for clues, you've had eight hints for a while, then. The season will kick off with 'The Crawl', then deliver 'The Vanishing of ...', 'The Turnbow Trap' and 'Sorcerer'. Next comes 'Shock Jock', 'Escape From Camazotz' and 'The Bridge', before it all ends with the enticingly named 'The Rightside Up'. Alongside Brown and Bower, season five brings back all of the other usual faces, too — so Winona Ryder (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), David Harbour (Thunderbolts*), Finn Wolfhard (Saturday Night), Gaten Matarazzo (Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain), Caleb McLaughlin (The Deliverance), Noah Schnapp (The Tutor), Sadie Sink (O'Dessa), Natalia Dyer (All Fun and Games), Charlie Heaton (The Souvenir: Part II), Joe Keery (Fargo), Maya Hawke (Inside Out 2), Priah Ferguson (The Curse of Bridge Hollow), Brett Gelman (Lady in the Lake) and Cara Buono (Things Like This). As for more Stranger Things-related antics after season five, when creators Matt and Ross Duffer revealed that their sci-fi show was working towards its endgame back in 2022, they also said that they had more stories to tell in this fictional realm. Instantly, we all knew what that meant. Netflix doesn't like letting go of its hits easily, after all, so the quest to find a way to keep wandering through this franchise was about as surprising as Jim Hopper's (Harbour) usual gruff mood. Check out the teaser trailer for Stranger Things season five below: Stranger Things season five will arrive in three parts, streaming in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, November 27, 2025; then on Friday, December 26,2025; and finally on Thursday, January 1, 2026. You can watch the first four seasons now via Netflix — and read our review of season four. Images: courtesy of Netflix © 2025.
Boasting a storied past, and home to a melting pot of people and subcultures, Richmond has to be one of inner-city Melbourne's most eclectic pockets. And the suburb's newest accommodation offering gives a wholehearted nod to that diversity. Introducing The Motley, a five-star boutique hotel that's made its home on bustling Bridge Road and is unafraid to show off its colourful side. With 80 rooms across its eight floors, this stylish urban escape draws inspiration from the most famous of the building's former residents — a well-loved seamstress and theatrical costumier named Ms Mary Parker. The site has been developed by Amber Property Group and will be managed by La Vie Hotels & Resorts. The Motley's considered interiors come courtesy of leading design studio Chada, paying homage to Richmond's multifaceted culture and history. You'll spy nods to sporting icons, references to the arts and, inspired by the area's long ties to the textiles and design industries, an abundance of rich textural elements incorporated throughout. Accents of brass, terrazzo, leather and stone are played against bold patterns and playful hues, with an enviable collection of statement artworks gracing the walls. Five room styles are currently available, with a collection of individualised Motley Heritage Rooms launching soon — including one beauty decked out in animal print known as the Tiger Room. Meanwhile, the ground floor plays host to colourful eatery Ms Parker, which is slinging coffee and cafe fare by day, transitioning into a fine-diner from 5pm each night. Earlybirds can tuck into the likes of wattleseed sourdough, 'nduja shakshuka with dukkah, and even a brekkie pavlova paired with coconut sorbet. Dinner plates up elevated dishes like duck liver parfait profiteroles, a dagwood dog reimagined with crab and 'nduja, rainbow trout done with roe and a beurre blanc, and bone marrow paired with miso brûlée and fermented daikon. Find The Motley at 205 Bridge Road, Richmond, with bookings now open online. Ms Parker is open from 6.30am–12pm weekdays, 7am–12pm weekends and 5.30pm–late daily. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
On a hot summer's day, a sweet frozen treat will always hit the spot. A new brand has just launched in Australia that's providing a dairy-free solution to your sweet summer cravings. Originating in Thailand, Buono has created 100 percent plant-based frozen desserts that are vegan, gluten-free and contain no artificial colours or flavours. Buono has two types of frozen treats available in Australia currently. The first, Buono Boru Boru, is a tub of bubble tea-inspired ice cream. It's vegan, of course, made using coconut milk and containing flavour-filled balls reminiscent of the those you get in bubble tea. The Buono Boru Boru comes in two different flavours: classic Thai tea and genmaicha, which combines the flavours of green tea and roasted rice. The second range of dessert goodness Buono has created are called Mochi Ice. Made with coconut milk, these ice cream-filled mochi balls are a great bite-sized snack, but, be warned, you might find yourself returning to your freezer multiple times a day to grab one. They come in a range of flavours including strawberry, black sesame, vanilla, mango, coconut, chocolate and Japanese green tea. If you find yourself craving a cold creamy treat this summer, the Buono range is available at Coles and Woolworths stores nationally — and can be delivered to your door via Coles Online. Buono's range of plant-based desserts are available to order online or at select Coles, Woolworths and specialty stores nationwide. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
If you're a movie-loving Australian resident, and you're also constantly dreaming of overseas getaways, odds are you have the country's annual film festival lineup to thank. In March, the French holiday cravings kick in courtesy of the relevant cinema showcase. Then, it's time for Spanish fantasies beamed down from the silver screen. A trip to Germany comes next, followed by a whole heap of Scandinavian vacation cravings — and, when September hits, prepare to start wishing you're in Italy. Yes, it's Italian Film Festival time again, and it's doing the rounds with quite the lineup — including everything from Italian box office hits and Sophia Loren-starring classics through to a documentary about a shoemaker to the stars helmed by Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria's Luca Guadagnino. As the fest always does, it's touring its just-announced program around the country, kicking off in Sydney, then heading to Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Byron Bay, all between Tuesday, September 13–Sunday, October 16. This year's IFF will open with Belli Ciao, which did huge box office business in Italy. It both stars and is co-written by comic duo Pio D'Antini and Amedeo Grieco, who play once-inseparable friends who went their own ways after high school — Pio leaves for Milan, Amedeo stays in their hometown — and now reunite, complete with a north-versus-south culture clash. Among there, highlights include The Hummingbird, an ensemble drama with Nanni Moretti (Three Floors) and Berenice Bejo (Final Cut), which hits IFF fresh from premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival; drama Lord of the Ants, about the controversial 1960s trial of intellectual Aldo Braibanti, which screens direct from its Venice Film Festival competition debut; and The King of Laughter, which features Toni Servillo (The Hand of God) as actor and playwright Eduardo Scarpetta. From the documentary selection, two big titles stand out. The aforementioned Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams focuses on Salvatore Ferragamo, while Ennio — The Maestro sees director Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) pay tribute to legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone (The Hateful Eight). Elsewhere on the bill, there's rom-com Breaking Up in Rome, homecoming drama Nostalgia, play-to-screen adaptation The Great Silence, the fairground-set Swing Ride and prison The Inner Cage — the latter of which also features Servillo. In fact, he pops up again in Casanova's Return, as an acclaimed Italian director making his last movie about Casanova. More than 25 films grace the full lineup — including blasts from the past, such as closing night's Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni-starring Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. To celebrate the centenary of filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini's birth, three of his iconic movies — all adaptations of literary works — will screen as well, with The Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights and The Decameron all getting big-screen showings. ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: Tuesday, September 13–Wednesday, October 12 — Palace Central, Palace Norton St, Palace Verona and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney Wednesday, September 14–Wednesday, October 12 — Palace Electric Cinema, Canberra Thursday, September 15–Wednesday, October 12 — Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema, The Astor and Cinema Nova, Melbourne Wednesday, September 21–Sunday, October 16 — Palace Barracks and Palace James Street, Brisbane Wednesday, September 21–Sunday, October 16 — Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Thursday, September 22–Sunday, October 16 — Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema, Perth Friday, September 23–Sunday, October 9 — Palace Byron Bay The 2022 Italian Film Festival tours Australia between Tuesday, September 13–Sunday, October 16. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Tucked between Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Ipswich, and sprawling around the towns of Beaudesert and Boonah, southeast Queensland's Scenic Rim region is home to scenic sights, national parks, mountains and plenty of other reasons to head outdoors. Come October, it'll also boast another attraction luring visitors into the area's the natural surroundings — a 55-kilometre walking trail, complete with eco-cabins. Dubbed Spicers Scenic Rim Trail, just approved by the Queensland Government and expected to take six months to complete, the new route will start at the existing Spicers Hidden Vale Retreat and venture through Mt Mistake, up to Spicers Peak Nature Reserve and through parts of Main Range National Park. Extending existing walking tracks, it'll trek through sub-tropical rainforests, eucalypt forests and mountain heathlands over five days. And if the frequent name-dropping didn't give it away, the venture is being spearheaded by the Turner family, who founded the Spicers Retreats chain, to the tune of $10 million. The Turners are building two new sustainable eco-camps along the path, both within Main Range National Park. The first, Spicers Amphitheatre, will feature light coloured cabins perched above the floor of the forest, surrounded by gum trees, decked out with king-sized beds and adjacent to an observation deck. As for the second site, Timber Getters Eco Cabins, the structures will take on a darker hue. Both will include six sleeping pods, two wash pavilions and impressive views. As well as bunking down for the night, the full walk itinerary includes a visit to the Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre, a 4WD trip to a private nature reserve, and hiking along the Scenic Rim's Main Range. Weekly journeys will depart on Sundays from October, costing $3190 per person twin share with all accommodation, meals and beverages included, while the 2020 season will run from March to November. The venture comes in response to a state initiative to increase ecotourism in Queensland's national parks, with Main Range National Park featuring one of 42 reserves that comprise the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area (GRAWHA). For those planning a visit to the area in general, without booking in for the official trail, the project will also include improvements to public camping and hiking facilities. Spicers Scenic Rim Trail and eco-cabins are slate to open by October, with bookings now open. For more information, visit the trail website. Images: Spicers Retreats and Spicers Scenic Rim Trail.
When it comes to pizza, people often joke that bad pizza is still pretty good. And while that may be true, we have done a little hunting to ensure you never have to eat bad pizza ever again if you don't care to. We have rounded up ten of our favourite places to grab a slice, with both newcomers and authentic, familiar faces featuring on the list. Buen appetito. 1. Ladro Ladro has been dishing up delicious pizzas to the masses, north (Fitzroy) and south (Prahran), for many years now. Authentic thin crust pizzas are topped with delicious good quality ingredients and delivered in record time. The fit-out for both restaurants, designed by owners and design duo Sean and Ingrid, is sleek and sophisticated. New Italian-born chef Niko is bringing more seafood to the table of late, while Zia is hand-making pasta daily for both venues. The Badabing pizza with tomato, provolone, pork sausage, chilli, and basil is crowd favourite. Ladro Gertrude - 224 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy; (03) 9415 7575 and Ladro Greville -162 Greville Street, Prahran; (03) 9510 2233; www.ladro.com.au 2. La Svolta La Svolta has been in Hampton winning over pizza lovers for years, but just recently they spread their wings and opened a second restaurant in Prahran — cue applause. When it comes to pizza, these guys are seriously qualified. They have been accredited by the Associazione Versace Pizza Napoletana. This is only given to those who are making pizzas to strict standards as set out by the AVPN. Yep, we told you they were qualified. Think thin and slightly chewy bases topped simply, just as the Italians like it. We love their Bufala pizza with prosciutto di Parma. Hampton - 450 Hampton Street, Hampton; (03) 9521 8990 and Prahran - 3-5 Cecil Place, Prahran; (?03) 9510 3001; www.lasvolta.com.au 3. D.O.C Pizza and Mozzarella Bar What happens when a pizzeria and a mozzarella bar come together? Greatness, that's what happens. Thin crust authentic pizzas are topped with some of the highest quality buffalo mozzarella going around. When it comes to D.O.C., we can't go past the margarita. The ingredients speak for themselves and there is no need to mess with perfection. 295 Drummond Street, Carlton; (03) 9347 2998; www.docgroup.net 4. + 39 Pizza Tucked into the bottom end of Bourke Street, this slice of Italy comes from six Italian friends with a love of food. Don't be surprised if you have to wait for a table here, they're as busy as their pizzas are good. Try a classic Capricciosa Italiana, which is topped with tomato salsa, Fior Di Latte, leg ham, olives, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms. 362 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne; (03) 9642 0440; www.plus39.com.au 5. Cantina Centrale Cantina Centrale is the latest venture from the guys that brought us Cafe Bedda in Northcote. They are serving up the same pizzas, but this time with a full wood-fired oven giving them crisp, chewy bases. Things are just getting better, folks. If you like pumpkin, we also suggest ordering a serve of their savoury pumpkin doughnuts to start. 11 Hamilton Street, Mont Albert; (03) 9890 4836; www.cantinacentrale.com 6. 400 Gradi So here we have another well-qualified pizzeria. Johnny Di Francesco, 400 Gradi’s chef, was the first Australian to be trained in Naples to the Accociazione Verace Pizza Napoletana VPN rules. He even travelled back to Naples in 2012 to compete in the World Pizza Olympics; no, we didn’t know they existed either. This means you can expect authentic pizza down to the letter. True to authenticity, they have a marinara originale, which is simplicity at its best — san marzana tomato, garlic, and oregano. 99 Lygon Street, Brunswick East; (03) 9380 2320; www.400gradi.com.au 7. Supermaxi Rita Macali is what sets Supermaxi apart from other pizza restaurants in Melbourne. Once at Ladro, now here, she knows the ins and outs of good pizza like no one else. Home-style pizzas and pastas make up a large part of this menu, with a few Italian-style mains on offer like the crumbed veal cotoletta with coleslaw. 305 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North; (03) 9482 2828; www.supermaxi.com.au 8. Moors Head Moors Head are not making what comes to mind when you think authentic pizza; they are actually aiming to make 'inauthentic pizza'. These inauthentic pizzas come in the form of pides and manoushes. It's pizza given a Lebanese twist and it's good folks, it's really good. Try the Sultan Mehmet, a pide filled with tomato, lamb ma’anek, red pepper, feta, and black olives. 2/774 High Street, Thornbury; (03) 9484 0173; www.themoorshead.com 9. Shawcross Pizza Shawcross are the new kids on the block in the pizza scene, and they are bringing us a little slice of New York City — pun intended. These are the gents behind Phat Brats the gourmet hot dogs, so they are tried and tested in taking something old and making it new again. Pizzas are available by the whole pizza (12") or by the 'slice' (from a 22" pie). The Fat Tony is a classic, with tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil, while the Bloody Vegans is hummus, spinach, tomato, red onions, green olives, and lemon. 'Kick-ass' salads see the carb-conscious diners among us sigh with relief with well, due to combinations like chicken, spinach, edaname, avocado, red onion, and quinoa. 324 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy; www.acebook.com/ShawcrossPizza 10. Baby If you haven’t heard of Chin Chin, you are probably living under a rock. Baby Pizza is the new one from Chris Lucas and his gang. They are sticking to the usual Italian offering, but when it comes to their pizzas, they are putting their stamp on things with their fried and grilled specialty range. Try a pan-fried Burrata of shredded fresh burrata, caramelised cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. They are also open all day, every day, so pop in for breakfast in you're in the area. 631-633 Church St, Richmond; (03) 9421 4599; www.babypizza.com.au Shawcross photos by Sofia Levin. View all Melbourne Restaurants.
When was the last time you took a close look at a painting? We're not talking about taking it in, hypothesising about what it means, then moving on. We mean really stopping, looking, and letting yourself move through the painting. Sound impossible? Not when you watch VAN GOGH, MONET & DEGAS 3D: LASTING IMPRESSIONS, exclusive to IMAX Melbourne, from Thursday, November 28. [caption id="attachment_981231" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Monet: Sun Setting on the Seine at Lavacourt[/caption] This isn't your regular theatric blockbuster; rather, it's an immersive transformation of some of the world's most famous paintings into a cutting-edge art and music experience. It brings the likes of Van Gogh's starry nightscape, Monet's water lilies, Degas' ballerinas and more to moving life in a brand new way. Instead of being shown as typical depictions of paintings, they're expanded upon with 3D Motion Sculpting Technology, filling the entirety of IMAX Melbourne's seven-storey screen. You'll feel as if you're soaring, floating and dancing through the paintings, seeing the details come alive with motion that the canvas could never recreate. The soundtrack is just as classic, with works from classical maestros like Debussy and Ravel synced to the motion of the art on-screen. It's a feast for the eyes and ears that you won't find anywhere else. If only the artists could see. VAN GOGH, MONET & DEGAS 3D: LASTING IMPRESSIONS will be screened at IMAX Melbourne from Thursday, November 28. Visit the website for more information or to get tickets.
You might not ever learn all the secrets of the universe, but you sure will be inspired to try when Berlin-based contemporary artist Camille Henrot hits NGV International with her latest showcase of compelling works. Running from June 25–January 30, the free exhibition Camille Henrot: Is Today Tomorrow embraces the artist's signature playful approach to asking and answering life's big questions, centred on the idea of what it means to be a private individual and a global subject, simultaneously. Among the featured works, you'll find Henrot's large-scale installation The Pale Fox 2014 — an accompaniment to the artist's 2013 short film Grosse Fatigue, which won the Silver Lion at the 55th Venice Biennale. The room-sized work features a sprawling collection of over 500 artefacts, including photos, books, Henrot's own art projects, and bits and pieces from Ebay, as a reflection on how we use objects to help make sense of the world. Elsewhere, an interactive collection of telephone sculptures will have you answering quirky questions — be prepared for probing questions about your sex life — from an unknown caller. And you'll also discover a newer series of works on paper that have never been exhibited before. [caption id="attachment_763889" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Camille Henrot, The Pale Fox (2014). Collection of the artist, New York. Copyright Camille Henrot. Courtesy of the artist and kamel mennour, Paris/London; König Galerie, Berlin; Metro Pictures, New York. Photo by Andy Keate[/caption] Image one: Camille Henrot, Bad Dad & Beyond from the Interphone series (2015). Copyright Camille Henrot. Courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures, New York. Image two: Camille Henrot, The Pale Fox (2014). Collection of the artist, New York. Copyright Camille Henrot. Courtesy of the artist and kamel mennour, Paris/London; König Galerie, Berlin; Metro Pictures, New York. Photo by Andy Keate.
Melbourne's skyline is looking up, with the city set to gain another huge tower that'll become both the Victorian capital's and Australia's tallest building. Proposed by the Royal Society of Victoria and designed by Decibel Architecture, the structure is planned for the corner of La Trobe and Victoria streets in the CBD where the RSV is currently based — and as well as reaching high into the sky, it'll also catch the eye with its super skinny appearance. Named Magic, the building will feature 60 storeys soaring more than 330 metres high, with one document listing the skyscraper as 362 metres tall. While it'll primarily feature apartments, the site will also enable the RSV to upgrade its heritage-listed home, add a science engagement centre and cafe, and create a science precinct. The organisation has described its plans as "dedicated to science and the spirit of the Royal Exhibition Buildings World Heritage Precinct". Indeed, celebrating Melbourne's science prowess is at the heart of the project, which architect Dylan Brady states "will demonstrate ingenuity, cutting edge sustainable technologies and be an iconic marker to Melbourne". Magic's lofty status will join eclipse the city's current tallest building, the 297.3-metre tall Eureka Tower, as well as the in-progress 319-metre Australia 108 residential tower at Southbank and the 323-metre-tall One Queensbridge tower slated for the Crown precinct. Around the rest of the country, the Gold Coast's Q1 presently reaches 332.5 metres, with the new 328m Orion Towers in Surfers Paradise in development.
If you're still sitting here thinking veganism meant foregoing all the fun stuff, it sounds like you're the one that might be missing out. Primo example: this month, Melbourne will play host to a downright fabulous all-vegan hip hop high tea. The event is the next iteration of Belleville's popular DJ-soundtracked high tea sessions. This one on May 26 is being headed up by Melbourne-based DJ and radio presenter MzRizk, who'll be working her magic on the decks, paying homage to the best of 90s hip hop and R&B. Groove along to those old-school throwbacks while feasting your way through a serious spread of all-vegan high tea fare. Belleville's head chef Jarrod Moore will be plating up an assortment of savoury bites and sweet treats, to match organic sips from local teahouse and apothecary Beit e'Shai. Tickets cost $70 and vegan drinks will be available to purchase too.
Sydney Airport's next public art installation is a colourful reminder of Australia's roots, in a place where cultures and people from all across the globe converge daily. The work United Neytions by Kamilaroi artist Archie Moore will set a pretty striking scene, hung from the 17-metre-high ceiling of T1 International Terminal's Marketplace. Featuring 28 distinctive flags to represent the diversity of our country's Aboriginal cultures, the piece was chosen by The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) and Sydney Airport for their latest art commission, edging out works from seven other leading Aussie artists. According to MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE, the work, by "one of our nation's most important contemporary artists", is a fitting one to be shared with the 15 million passengers that flow through this part of the airport annually. "Archie Moore has approached this exciting opportunity with great flair and his visually striking installation will no doubt intrigue, engage and capture the imagination of the millions of passengers passing through the airport's International terminal every year," she said. Moore himself explained that the flags would help draw attention "to the histories, voices and presence of local Indigenous people on which land the airport – an international zone/'no man's land' – lies, but also the passages of cultures, pasts, territories, ages and cultural knowledges that airports foster." United Neytions is set to be completed and unveiled at Sydney Airport in 2018.
Theatrical masterpiece This Is Our Youth will undergo another celebrity makeover when the play hits the Sydney Opera House this March. Michael Cera will lead the cast in an unconventional departure from his high-profile role in television series Arrested Development and films such as Juno and Superbad. He will be joined by Golden Globe nominee Kieran Culkin and AFI Award winning actress Emily Barclay. Having directed the world premiere of This Is Our Youth in 1996 and sophomore season in 1998, Mark Brokaw returns to the director role in his debut Australian showcase. The script was written by Kenneth Lonergan, who went on to pen Gangs of New York. This Is Our Youth follows a tumultuous day in the lives of three New Yorkers in 1982, and explores their contemplations and sense of confinement in the Big Apple. Painting a bittersweet image of a discontent generation lost in a society undergoing rapid change, the play takes Australian audiences to a time and place that may not be so different from our everyday lives. Although it explores American society in the Reagan-era, the play's sheer bluntness and honesty has garnered worldwide appeal and acclaim. Its popularity with theatre enthusiasts has been reflected in stars such as Matt Damon, Colin Hanks and Jake Gyllenhaal all playing roles in previous seasons. The Australian performance is set to uphold the play's celebrated status. This Is Our Youth will run from March 14-25, 2012 at the Sydney Opera House. Tickets are available from February 10.
Launceston's Cataract Gorge is no stranger to dazzling displays, especially when Mona Foma rolls around. But when the Museum of Old and New Art's (MONA) key summer event returns in January 2022, the natural landmark will host something particularly spectacular: a 2.4-tonne sculpted block of ice that'll hang over the gorge. If you're after jaw-dropping displays that make a statement, THAW by Legs On the Wall is it. When it's dangling between Friday, January 21–Sunday, January 23, it'll task one daring performer with standing atop that big chunk of ice for eight hours a day, all as the frozen block of water melts. The installation comes to Tasmania after hitting up Sydney Festival first, and it's certain to be a stunning sight in both locations. That's not all that Mona Foma has in store for its next fest, with MONA announcing a jam-packed program that'll run in Launceston across those aforementioned dates, and then arrive in Hobart from Friday, January 28–Sunday, January 30 — after the event confirmed back in November that it was definitely going ahead in 2022. On the bill across the whole lineup: lasers, monster trucks, Midnight Oil, sonic sculptures, the return of the festival's beloved morning meditations and more. While Launceston gets ice, Hobart will see lasers blast over the city thanks to Beacon by Robin Fox. Other highlights from the entire two-weekend program include Midnight Oil's shows in both cities, and cement mixers turned into monster trucks that'll rove around the two locales. Also, Kartanya Maynard will collaborate with Vernon Ah Kee on site-specific text and sound installations in each spot, pondering assimilation, displacement and Tasmanian Aboriginal protests. Plus, the Mofo Sessions will host nightly concerts in Launceston's Royal Park and on the Mona Lawns, with Gwenno, Mo'Ju, The Chills, Danny Healy Quartet, DENNI and Jason Whatley Quartet all on the bill. And, if you've ever wanted to see two dancers on a brutalist pile of concrete for more than four hours, that'll be part of Fertile Ground. In Launceston, musicians Karlin Love and Jon Addison will play tunes inspired by Cataract Gorge's ecosystems in the gorge itself; the Midland Highway will host Trawlwoolway artist, writer and curator Julie Gough's The Missing, which muses on the area's colonial history and treatment of Indigenous Australians; video work Pacific Sun by German artist Thomas Demand will take over the National Theatre; and Quandamooka artist Megan Cope will create sonic sculptures out of discarded mining relics, geological samples and piano strings that'll be used in live performances. And, in Hobart, you can also check out AQI2020, which sees New Zealand performance and installation artist Alicia Frankovich turn a transparent sulfur-hazed box into a live show. It'll house performers, mimic the look and atmosphere from Australia's 2019–20 bushfire season and, unsurprisingly, comment on climate change. Or, attendees can also see 70s-era organs rescued from the tip and given a last whirl in DJ TR!P and Scot Cotterell's Organ Donor; check out a huge, loss-inspired, computer-generated work by Albanian artist Anri Sala at Princes Wharf 1; and witness a series of pieces that pay tribute to and farewell Australia's video shops. [caption id="attachment_835603" align="alignnone" width="1920"] THAW. Photo credit: Shane Rozario. Image courtesy of the artists and Mona Foma.[/caption] Top image: Atrium, Alicia Frankovich. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona Foma.
Hey boy, hey girl — we've got some news. Pioneering electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers is heading Down Under — for its first Aussie tour in six years. Off the back of dropping its ninth studio album No Geography just last month, the pair has just announced it'll be taking a new live show (also called No Geography) around the world this year. Stops include the UK, US and Mexico — and, luckily, also Australia. If you've been lucky enough to catch The Chemical Brothers live before, you'll know its shows aren't your average stand-behind-the-decks-and-play performances. They feature strobe lights, lasers and mind-bending images projected onto huge screens. It's sort of like a trip, without the LSD. If you haven't seen one before, take a peek at one of the psychedelic shows below. As well as new hits off the new No Geography album, including 'Free Yourself' and 'MAH', we're hoping the duo will add some throwbacks to its live performances — the late-90s and early-2000s hits 'Hey Boy, Hey Girl' and 'Galvanize' would be particularly welcome. As an added bonus, the duo will be touring the country with a big-name local: The Avalanches. The Melbourne-born electro group will be playing a live DJ set at all The Chemical Brothers' shows. If you don't know them, you'll definitely know their song 'Since I Left You'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tri7gjlmfdk THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS NO GEOGRAPHY LIVE 2019 DATES Brisbane — Thursday, October 31, Brisbane Riverstage Sydney — Saturday, November 2, The Dome, Sydney Showground Melbourne — Tuesday, November 5, Melbourne Arena The Chemical Brothers No Geography Live pre-sale tickets start at 10am on Tuesday, May 7 with general tickets going on sale at 10am on Thursday, May 9. For more information, and to sign up for pre-sale access, head to the Frontier Touring website.
This post is sponsored by our partners, lastminute.com.au. It's hard to fathom how to tackle our nation's biggest state. Flights to Perth are easy enough, but what to do from there? The seemingly uncharted wilderness is huge and menacing, and you don't even remember how to apply mosquito repellant, let alone set up a tent. Don't worry, we've got you covered. Whether you're going for just the weekend or the better part of a month, here's the low-down on everything from swimming with whale sharks to kicking back in a brewery. If you're spending the weekend If you're only around for a couple of days it's going be hard to get too far out of Perth. This is by no means a bad thing though! For great cafes and kindred spirits, check out Leederville, Subiaco or Northbridge, and if ever in doubt, make a beeline straight to Fremantle. While there, you can catch the Fremantle Dockers play a game on home soil, and follow it up with a trip to the Little Creatures Brewery. After you've eased your way into the local custom, your next stop is the beaches. Just a short drive west of the CBD, Cottesloe is one of the best beaches in the entire country — why not take advantage with some swimming or paddle boarding? Once you've lounged around there for awhile, it'll be time to stretch your legs out to Rottnest Island. Bikes are your best bet for getting around, and if you've still got some energy by the end of it all, take advantage of that clear water with some snorkelling. Extending it to a week If you've seen all Perth has to offer and you're curious about the rest, the first pitstop is Exmouth. This place is so surreal you will think the two-hour flight from the city has transported you to an alternate dimension. Fittingly, your first task is to swim with some whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef. This World Heritage Listed marine park stretches over 300 kilometres and is home to more than 500 species of fish, as well as turtles, dugongs, dolphins and humpback whales — most of which you are welcome to swim with. Who knew the sea could be so much better than Seaworld? After Exmouth, we recommend hiring a car and driving to Monkey Mia. It'll take ten hours and there is the option to fly, but again, the coasts of WA are a destination in themselves. The coast at Monkey Mia is particularly excellent because it has the added benefit of being populated by dolphins. Each morning, hundreds of bottlenose dolphins come right up to the shoreline and say hi, and you'll definitely want to be there when they do. Alternatively, if sealife just ain't your thing, head to the Pinnacles — one of the many geographical wonders WA is naturally blessed with. In for the long haul All this is only brushing the surface. If you really want to have the full WA experience, jump in for more than a week. When a state is the size of Queensland and New South Wales combined, you need a bit of time to get your head around it. You'll also need some extra time to venture up to Broome. Here, you'll find a beautiful little community and an endless summer, but more importantly, camel rides on the beach. If that's not dramatic enough, check out the Kimberley — Baz Luhrmann's inspiration for Australia. Get grubby in the outback with a day trip to Karijini National Park, Koolpin Gorge or the Bungle Bungle Range, then balance it out the next day with a sojourn to Margaret River. Known best for its wineries, this south-west gem will have you eating and drinking all day with some of Australia's premier winemakers, and expending your leftover energy with leisurely bike rides. Last, but certainly not least, make time for the sightseeing. Whether it be an amazing natural sediment formation such as Wave Rock, or a city that's a spectacle in itself. The town of Esperance will take you straight along WA’s South Coast Highway — the perfect position for spotting whales and wildflowers, and an opportune place to pop off to the beach and rest your muscles in the sparkling water. This is a holiday after all. Book your next WA escape now at lastminute.com.au.
