At the start of 2023, Cate Blanchett scored her seventh Oscar nomination for conductor drama Tár. Next, she'll be towering over Melbourne. The Aussie acting giant will grace a historic space built in 1867, across a film installation spanning an array of huge screens, and in one mighty impressive 360-degree display. As part of RISING, Melbourne's major annual arts festival, Blanchett features in her latest starring role for artist and filmmaker Julian Rosefeldt. The duo reteams for Euphoria after working on 2015's stunning installation Manifesto together. Taking over Melbourne Town Hall from Friday, June 2–Sunday, June 18, their new multichannel work doesn't just focus on the acclaimed Australian actor playing multiple parts, however, instead honing in on the weighty topic that is capitalism. The Berlin-based Rosefeldt tackles his current topic — aka two thousand years of greed and the effect that unlimited economic growth has — via a spiral of screens that'll sit throughout the venue. On the ground floor, 24 screens will showcase a life-sized choir of Brooklyn Youth Chorus singers, while five jazz drummers will duel on the screens above them. There'll also be five theatrical vignettes looping above, too, which is where Blanchett playing an anthropomorphic tiger stalking supermarket aisles comes in. Those drummers? They include Grammy Award-winning drummer and composer Antonio Sánchez, who also composed the score for 2014 film Birdman. And those vignettes? They'll also feature Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul favourite — and recent Kaleidoscope star — Giancarlo Esposito among a cast that'll speaking thoughts penned by economists, writers and thinkers like Warren Buffett, Ayn Rand, Angela Davis and Snoop Dogg. As well as Blanchett as a jungle cat, RISING's first major international commission — which hits this year's fest as an Australian exclusive, and enjoyed its world premiere at the Park Armory in New York back in November 2022 — features homeless men chatting about economics, executives getting acrobatic in a bank lobby, and an all-round unpacking of capitalism via its own excess. Paired with it, Euphoria's original score by Canadian composer Samy Moussa and British saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi goes big on jazz, the tunes sung by the children's choir and those uttered ideas. Befitting the theme, the installation will run with a pay-as-you-can pricing model, and welcome in visitors for free on Fridays during its season.
Everyone knows that SXSW is a haven for music, including unearthing new talent. The festival's screen side, showcasing your new favourite movies and TV shows, is just as famous. So is the fact that all manner of well-known names take to its stages to get chatting — plus the event's all-round focus on tunes, tech, innovation, films, television, games and culture, as Sydney first experienced in 2023. SXSW's Down Under leg also lets the community get behind the microphone, via a part of its conference programming called Session Select. More than that, it allows you to choose what makes it into this portion of the fest's lineup. All you need to do is vote, which is now open for 2024. [caption id="attachment_923287" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] It was in late 2023, after the inaugural SXSW Sydney proved a hit — and featured everyone from Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker and Chance The Rapper to Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb and Nicole Kidman onstage — that the Australian event confirmed that it'd be back in 2024. If you're wondering who'll be on the bill from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20, nothing else has been announced so far. But make your picks among the Session Select candidates and you can help shape the conference portion. You'll be choosing from proposed sessions from over 1000 organisations and folks, hailing from 35 countries. Whether you're interested in hearing more about and from Concrete Playground, TikTok, Reddit, Aussie airlines Qantas and Virgin Australia, Getty Images, or a bunch of Australian and international universities, you've got options. That's obviously just the start of a list that also spans Google, Meta, Leonardo.ai, Canva, Xero, Tourism Australia, the Australian Human Rights Commission and plenty more. [caption id="attachment_923316" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul McMillan[/caption] Whatever earns your vote, topics set to feature at the conference cover AI, the future of work, climate and sustainability, food, lifestyle and beauty, and the creator economy, for starters. In total, there's 23 tracks, all picked to reflect what's garnering conversation right now. The chosen sessions will start being announced from this month. Early-bird tickets to SXSW Sydney 2024 have also gone on sale, including platinum badges, which gets you into all SXSW Sydney events in the conference, and at the games, music and screen festivals; tech and innovation badges; and music, screen and game festival badges. There's also a new Under 25s option for the latter two — tech and innovation, plus music, screen and game — which offers a discount if you fit that age group. [caption id="attachment_923286" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] 2023's SXSW Sydney notched up 287,014 attendances from 97,462 unique attendees. Those figures came from 34,975 total tickets, with folks from 41 countries heading along to 1178 sessions. Among its wealth of highlights, last year's SXSW Sydney featured Brooker chatting about his hit series and technology's future; Chance The Rapper talking about 50 years of hip hop; Coachella CEO Paul Tollett discussing his own fest; Kidman exploring her work as a producer on the likes of Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Undoing and Love & Death; the Australian premiere of Kitty Green's The Royal Hotel; and the world premiere of The Wiggles documentary Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles. The full lineup spanned a 700-plus strong bill of talent, covering over 300 sessions, and featuring more than 300 gigs across 25 venues. From talks and concerts to films, TV shows and games, there was no shortage of things to see. That's all in store again in 2024. SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details, tickets and to vote for Session Select conference sessions. If you're be interested in attending Concrete Playground's panels, please visit the voting pages for New Rituals: The State of Socialising and Hospitality and Appetite for Distraction: Youth, Information and the Digital Age in 2024 to show your support. Voting closes on Monday, April 22, 2024. Images: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney.
News of an extended lockdown might have left a bitter taste in your mouth, but here's something to help sweeten the deal: two of your culinary favourites are joining forces for one mouthwatering partnership this weekend. From Friday, July 23–Sunday, July 25, Sydney-born cake maestros Black Star Pastry are landing at Bentleigh's Good Times Milk Bar to sling some of their most-loved creations from a special pop-up window. Bayside-based sweet tooths — and anyone else within a five-kilometre radius — will be able to get their mitts on a selection of Black Star signatures, including the Insta-famous Strawberry Watermelon Cake, the multi-layered Chocolate Mirage and the Raspberry Lychee Cake. Also making an appearance is the elaborate Japanese Forest cake, sporting layers of umeshu-infused cream, hojicha (roasted green tea) sponge and confit ume fruit. Single-serve slices will be going for $10 a pop, available until sold out each day. Pre-orders for these are available online, along with pre-orders for larger portions of the Strawberry Watermelon Cake (to serve four, six or ten people). And of course, Good Times will have the other element of your coffee-and-cake session sorted, pouring its usual lineup of caffeinated treats. Images: Simon Shiff
At Little Prince Wine, there's one food-and-drink match that reigns supreme, and that's the perfect pairing of cheese and vino. So it's only fitting the St Kilda wine bar is getting into the spirit of International Wine and Cheese Day — yep, it's a thing, July 25 — with some extended festivities involving special offers and treats of both the grape and dairy variety. From Friday, July 22–Monday, July 25, you can mosey on in and get your fix with a freshly made serve of cacio e pepe, loaded with lashings of parmesan and pecorino. The limited-edition special's going for just $30 a pop, and the team reckons it's best paired with a glass (or two) of soave. [caption id="attachment_789784" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Little Prince Wine, by Jana Langhorst[/caption] Also on offer across all four days is a curation of wine and cheese pairings, digging into Little Prince's 4000-strong collection of rare, unique and interesting drops. Pick a wine, then have it paired with one, two or three cheeses, as selected by the expert staff. Prices start at an easy $24 per pairing, so you might as well settle in and try a few different matches. For practice's sake, of course.
After hosting a sellout weekender in 2024 to celebrate its 15th birthday, Strawberry Fields is turning sweet 16 in 2025 with another three-day festival filled with impressive acts hitting the decks and the stage, all on the banks of the Murray River. When you're not catching Detroit Love featuring Carl Craig and Moodymann, Gilles Peterson, Chaos in the CBD and Interplanetary Criminal at Tocumwal in regional New South Wales this November, you'll be seeing Tommy Holohan, Malugi, Lady Shaka and ISAbella. They're a mere few of the 80-plus DJs and live acts on the lineup. Other names on the bill across Friday, November 21–Sunday, November 23 include KOKOROKO, WITCH, and Circle of Live featuring Albrecht La'Brooy, Move D and Sebastian Mullaert — plus Dita, Wax'o Paradiso and Horse Meat Disco. Or, for more than three hours, Mama Snake, DJ Scorpion and Andy Garvey will play B3B. Aurora Halal, DJ Sweet6teen, Fafi Abdel Nour, DJ PGZ B2B Yikes and Karen Nyame KG are on the roster, too. Strawberry Fields is among the Australian music festivals that aren't just about who's providing the soundtrack, even though it clearly doesn't skimp on talent. This fest boasts a setup and setting worth spending a weekend enjoying no matter which acts are on the bill, with its location is a hefty drawcard all by itself. Having multiple stages pumping out tunes in leafy surroundings, and also a bush spa for a soak between sets, will do that. Folks lucky enough to nab a ticket can look forward to epsom salt baths, plunge pool sessions and sauna trips, then, plus hanging out in the festival's Mirage Motel space again, and hitting up an expanded range of workshops and talks — alongside onsite glamping and camping. Strawberry Fields 2025 Lineup DJ Afrodisiac Anu Aurora Halal Ayebatonye Baby J Bella Claxton Chaos In The Cbd Dameeeela Detroit Love (featuring Carl Craig and Moodymann) Dita DJ Friday B2B Sweetie Zamora DJ Pgz B2B Yikes DJ Sure DJ Sweet6teen Fafi Abdel Nour Gene On Earth Gilles Peterson Horse Meat Disco Interplanetary Criminal ISAbella Jenny Cara Josh Caffé Karen Nyame Kg Kirollus Kuzco B2B Quicksticks Kyle Hall Lady Shaka Malugi Mama Snake B3B DJ Scorpion B3B Andy Garvey Mazzacles Messie Mismeg Move D Myles Mac B2B DJ Possum Naycab Neptunes Trident Poli Pearl Regularfantasy Roka Sampology B2B Frank Booker Slothboogie Super Flu THC Tommy Holohan Toni Yotzi Vanna Wax'o Paradiso Wolters B2B Ned Bennett Zalina Live Asanti Beats Becca Hatch Bumpy Circle of Live (featuring Albrecht La Brooy, Move D, Sebastian Mullaert) Close Counters Corto.Alto D.D. Mirage Devaura Drifting Clouds Drmngnow / Bricky B Ella Haber Ella Thompson Empress Ferrari Party Flewnt Inkabee Jerome Thomas Juman Kokoroko Mathew Jonson Minyerra Moontide No News Rodriguez Jr. Serebii The Pro-Teens (MF Doom Tribute) Waari Wilson Tanner Witch Wrong Way Up Xpress Point Images: Duncographic / Will Hamilton-Coates / Max Roux.
Five years after shutting up shop — and 95 years after originally opening — The Capitol Theatre is back in business. As initially announced in 2018, the historic spot has been turned into a multi-purpose space by owners RMIT, welcoming Melburnians through the doors once again from Monday, June 3. Visitors to the revamped theatre can expect a mix of old and new. Originally designed by Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin (who also designed the city of Canberra), the same Chicago Gothic-style architecture remains, including eye-catching lighting design, the venue's standout foyers and detailed ceilings that'll make you look up. But the site's facilities have had an upgrade, with the 580-seat theatre now boasting surround sound, digital projection and a retractable cinema screen. A new 150-person salon space is also available for events and exhibitions and the lounge and foyer areas have enjoyed a makeover. And, yes, there's both a level-one coffee and candy bar and a second-floor wine bar. [caption id="attachment_724595" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tatjiana Plitt[/caption] RMIT intends to use the landmark venue for more than just a cinema, too. There are plans for it to host everything from virtual reality to gaming and video art through to live theatre, talks, conferences and lectures. It will also play host to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image's programme, while the museum's Federation Square home undergoes its own transformation. You can read more about ACMI's multimillion-dollar renovation over here. Come Thursday, June 20, The Capitol will start up its projectors and kick off its film screenings with a series of ACMI films. Christening the space is Carlos Reygadas' new movie Our Time on June 20 and a Viva Varda retrospective — a celebration of trailblazing filmmaker Agnès Varda, who passed away earlier this year — running from June 21–30. With ACMI not expected to reopen until 2020, the screen museum will settle in to The Capitol for at least nine months. Find The Capitol at 113 Swanston Street, Melbourne. It will begin screenings from Thursday, June 20. To checkout the full lineup and buy tickets, head to the website. Images: Tatjiana Plitt.
This November, you can score a bottle of vino for as little as $8.50 a pop thanks to Vinomofo's epic Black Friday Sale. Running from 10am Thursday, November 26 till 10am Monday, November 30, the sale will see up to 70 percent off a heap of local and international wines — and it'll all get delivered straight to your doorstep for free. If you haven't already heard the word, Vinomofo is an online wine-slinger for those who love wine, but without all the pretension that sometimes comes with viticulture. The Melbourne-based company delivers wine to thousands of people around the world — so it's safe to say it knows what it's doing when it comes to grape juice. The sale will include more than 100 wines, with Vinomofo adding additional daily wine deals over the weekend, too. Think delicate pinot noir, easy-drinking rosé, celebratory bottles of sparkling and full-bodied shiraz for a steal. And, to top it off, shipping for all orders purchased in that time period will be free. Score epic wine deals via Vinomofo's Black Friday Sale — for a limited time only.
Physical navigation tools might've largely gone the way of landlines, cassette tapes and eating meals without taking a photo first, but one company has come up with a tasty alternative. You mightn't be able to navigate your way through London, New York or Tel Aviv with one of Tamtik's chocolate city maps, but you will have quite the eye-catching dessert, gift or both. A collaboration with online marketplace Nisnas Industries, the artisan creations combine three things everyone loves — aka travel, confectionery and art — into a melt-in-your-mouth package that proves the ultimate edible souvenir. Inspired by the geometric-shape heavy traditional Arabic patterns often seen in architecture, known as mashrabiya, the chocolates feature stylised designs depicting the streets of their chosen locations. And, lest you think they're too abstract, landmarks such as the Thames River and Central Park stand out among the curved lines of dark cacao. Indeed, to ensure that each map accurately reflects each city's landscape, they're made by local artisans. Tamtik are currently running a Kickstarter campaign to spread their wings to another city, with participants able to vote for their preferred destination. Rewards not only include chocolate, obviously, put copies of the moulds should you want to whip up your own at home. Alas, before you go dreaming about breaking a representation of an Australian or New Zealand city into chocolatey pieces, Tamtik only ship to the US, Canada, the UK and Israel at present. That said, just as they're planning to add more maps to their lineup, they're also planning to deliver to more areas in the future. Via My Modern Met. Images: Tamtik.
This January, the sun is shining and music is in the air — with the latter courtesy of the team at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Now, technically, this year's festival isn't set to take place until June. But to tide you over until then, they've programmed five unique summer sessions, featuring an eclectic mix of musicians from around the world. The sessions begin on the evening of Saturday, January 9 at the Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, with a performance by the Vince Jones Quartet. Next up is improvised jazz trio Swooping Duck in Shebeen's Bandroom on Thursday, January 14, before the program heads back to Bennetts for a night with trailblazing Ethiopian jazz performer Hailu Mergia on Friday January 15. A group of local musicians will pay tribute to recently deceased Australian saxophonist David Ades on Saturday, January 16, before the program concludes with an evening of collaboration between Japanese duo Kaze and French collective Muzzix on Sunday, January 17. Starting times vary. For more information on the summer sessions, visit melbournejazz.com. Image: Kaz Harada.
The first half of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby is every bit its director, and is to be endured rather than enjoyed. Set during America's economic boom of the 1920s, the action is cartoonish, the dialogue is almost devoid of nuance and the lavish parties appear dull despite all the sparkles in the world — a regrettable triumph of impeccable style over substance. Apologists may argue this merely reflects Gatsby's time and theme: a shallow, superficial facade to reflect its characters and their unapologetic opulance, but that is too convenient. Simple regard to Luhrmann's history reminds us that exaggerated spectacle is every bit his custom, not a carefully chosen device, and his fondness for juxtaposing period drama with modern music (the soundtrack was produced by Jay-Z) proves more distracting than entertaining. Matters improve immeasurably, however, in the second half when Luhrmann begins to explore his favourite theme of forbidden love twixt star-crossed lovers. Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom and Romeo & Juliet all hit their highest notes when the pagentry gave way to the intimate, and Gatsby is no exception. The stolen moments between its protagonist Jay (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Daisy (Carey Mulligan) are appropriately tender but ominous, presided over with a mix of fascination and regret by the film's narrator Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire). To borrow from Fitzgerald, these few quiet moments are — compared to the 'rotten crowd' of the first hour — worth more than the lot of them put together. From a performance standpoint, the women definitely come out on top. Mulligan is utterly charming as Daisy, consistently allowing her character's fragility to worm its way to the surface before masking it with a disarming smile, and Isla Fisher is unrecognisable as the mistress of Daisy's husband Tom (played by Joel Edgerton in yet another impressive turn). Most captivating of all, however, is the statuesque Elizabeth Debicki, who commands the eye in every frame of film she occupies. In terms of the men, Maguire's doe-eyed exuberance is endearing enough, though at times it strays almost to the point of clowning, and Jason Clarke provides a nice cameo as Fisher's dim-witted husband. In the role of Gatsby, DiCaprio looks every bit the man whose smile "was one of those rare [ones] with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you come across four or five times in life", yet his performance feels largely wooden and unnatural. It's as if the words and accent are not his own, particularly in the first half where they seem so apart from his body as to invoke uncomfortable memories of Tom Hardy's Bane. Ultimately, it's far from the disaster indicated by some of its early reviews, particularly those that labelled it a 'two-hour music video', and there's no denying Luhrmann has a flair for engaging the senses with his extraordinary vision. That said, The Great Gatsby largely departs from the memory almost as quickly as it arrives, an impermanent and largely uncritical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's beloved take on the infirmity of the American Dream. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ozkOhXmijtk
In case we didn't have enough endangered phenomena to worry about, what with the encroaching extinction of the Black Rhino, the disappearance of the Barrier Reef, and the centralisation of indie culture, the United Nations has thoughtfully added a new category to the list. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has this week released a fresh batch of the world's endangered 'intangible cultural traditions'. French-style horse back riding, Chinese shadow puppetry, and poetic dueling in Cyprus were amongst the newly endangered traditions added to the 250-strong list compiled last year. The new additions encompass rituals and art forms passed down orally from generation to generation, lacking any formal documentation system. Recipes and food preparation methods can also be found amongst the UNESCO's list of disappearing acts, including the Japanese ritual of transplanting rice, and the ceremonial Turkish meat dish, Keskek. Those recipe books brimming with scrawled post-it notes and hand-written recipes born of the mind of your Great Great Grandmother just got even more precious. These 'intangible' traditions provide the cultural glue for some of the world's smallest communities, encouraging unity in a world of increasing globalization and cultural dilution. Hopefully awareness generated by the UNESCO list will stop these traditions from pulling a Houdini any time soon.
Home of arty and romantic sleepovers in Australia's capital city since 2013, Canberra's Hotel Hotel has been sold. Owners Molonglo Group recently handed over the keys to Ovolo, an independent hotel company with digs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hong Kong. The Sydney outpost occupies a sizeable chunk of Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf, where designer rooms overlook the Harbour. If you're a fan of Hotel Hotel and its steady program of experimental cultural happenings, you'll be pleased to know that the staff won't be going anywhere when the venue officially becomes an Ovolo on 1 March. Unless, of course, they're keen to work for the company in another city. "We are proud to bring our signature concept to the Australian capital," said Ovolo Hotels CEO Girish Jhunjhnuwala. "We believe this venture is the perfect alignment and are delighted to be associated with this property." Meanwhile, the Molonglo Group — which is both a property developer and a production house — has a bunch of Australian and international adventures coming up, involving architecture, design and culture. "We wanted to do something special in both Canberra and Australia; I think we've achieved that," said Molonglo Group director Nectar Efkarpidis,. "Hotel Hotel was the physical manifestation of ideas that we had been exploring for several years about architecture, design, objects and furniture, and how they can help us to evolve and expand Canberra's civic sense of itself with others." Back in August 2017, several of Australia's other arty hotels fell under the ownership of a major international company, when Mantra bought the Art Series for a cool $52 million. Images: John Gollings / Tom Roe.
Don't let anyone ever tell you that audiences aren't fond of kick-ass women doing spectacular things. And, if someone ever dares to try, refer them to the two biggest phenomenons in Australia right now: Barbie and the Matildas. In cinemas, the former has been busting records both locally and worldwide. On TV, the national women's soccer team has been making history, too. The latter has also being doing the same on the field, as everyone knows — because we've all been watching the Sam Kerr-led team, helping their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup matches kill it in the ratings. When Australia played France on Saturday, August 12, Australia's eyeballs followed every move from the first whistle through to the 7–6 penalty shootout in the Matildas' favour. How many eyeballs? Every single one belonging to more than 7.2-million people according to the Seven Network's ratings data. The Matildas' Women's World Cup games are available to watch via the Seven Network and 7plus, and also Optus Sport, so exact figures get a bit tricky — and also OzTAM, which captures broadcast audience numbers, doesn't factor in folks watching in pubs, clubs, sports venues, at AFL grounds before Aussie rules matches and at other out-of-home venues. Plus, at the time of writing, OzTAM hasn't yet covered the game's 30 minutes of extra time or penalty kicks, thanks to the nil-all draw when regulation time was up. Still, Seven has made an educated estimation, starting with the fact that an average of 4.17-million people watched the match either via its free-to-air station or its streaming service. Thanks to the latter, the network also advises that the game was the country's biggest streaming event ever. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CommBank Matildas (@matildas) To put the Matildas' TV feat in context, 2022's AFL and NRL grand finals didn't hit the 4.17-million figure — or come close. Last years' AFL numbers? 3.06-million viewers nationally. Unsurprisingly, as the ABC reports, Australia's quarter-final defeat of France enjoyed the biggest TV audience of the year. The Guardian notes that it was likely the biggest audience since Cathy Freeman's iconic 400-metre race at the 2000 Olympics. All up, Seven advises that its coverage of the Women's World Cup so far has reached 11.9-million broadcast viewers, then another 2.3-million folks via 7plus — all while the bulk of the tournament's games, especially those that don't feature the Matildas, are only on Optus Sports. How many people will watch the Australia v England game at 8pm on Wednesday, August 16? We're a competitive nation — surely we want to not only beat the Lionesses, but smash the France match's ratings as well. The Matildas' 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup games are available to watch via the Seven Network and 7plus, and also Optus Sport — with select other games also on Seven, and the entire tournament streaming via Optus Sport. The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 runs from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, August 20 across Australia and New Zealand, with tickets available from the FIFA website. Top image: Liondartois via Wikimedia Commons.
If you're looking to kick off this next turn around the sun with a healthy session of live tunes and a good old-fashioned New Year's Day boogie, be sure to put Coburg Velodrome on your radar. The northside's legendary openair party destination will launch into 2020 with a brand-new music festival offering, fittingly dubbed Sun Cycle. The respected music heads at Crown Ruler (Duke Street Block Party, Freedom Time) and WAT Artists have teamed up to deliver a very tasty start to the new year, featuring a top-notch gathering of local and international acts, across three stages. Helping ring in the new decade with a bang will be US rapper Freddie Gibbs, UK electronic star Floating Points and our own Sampa The Great. Meanwhile, DJ sets come courtesy of a slew of dance-floor favourites including CC:Disco!, Jayda G, DJ Seinfeld, Andras, Elle Shimada Collective and 6AM At The Garage. Sun Cycle Festival will run from midday–10pm. Image: Freedom Time by David Smiley
It has been six months since Melbourne welcomed cheery new Euro-style food store, Morning Market, in Fitzroy. Locals quickly embraced its offering of groceries, sandwiches and gourmet pantry items in a flurry of post-lockdown enthusiasm. Now, southside Prahran fans have scored their own edition of this store concept — the latest from renowned chef Andrew McConnell (of Cumulus Inc, Builders Arms Hotel, Cutler & Co). Morning Market's new outpost has made its home in a bright corner spot on High Street, stocked with the same tight curation of culinary goodies that have walked out the door of its sibling venue. On-the-go diners will find seasonal options like an autumn poached chicken salad with lemon-dressed freekeh, heirloom carrots and tahini dressing; bacon and egg buns starring Martin's potato rolls; and fat leg ham and comte cheese toasties on Baker Bleu sourdough. Coffee comes courtesy of a house-blend by Single Origin, which you can enjoy to-go, or perched at one of the sidewalk tables. There's plenty more of cult-favourite Baker Bleu bread available to purchase, with fresh country-style loaves, ficelle and bagels sitting alongside a hefty range of pastries and sweet treats. You might be tempted by some pistachio-dusted escargot, orange and almond cake, or the house-made rum and vanilla caneles. [caption id="attachment_809443" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Morning Market Prahran[/caption] Those stocking their pantries will also find themselves spoilt for choice here, thanks to a top-quality selection of locally sourced fresh produce, gourmet staples and specialty food items — from organic dry goods and artisan pasta, to fancier things in cans and tins. Last-minute dinners are sorted, with Morning Market's signature range of ready-to-heat meals, as well as a selection of meat cuts, snags and charcuterie from sibling store Meatsmith. Elsewhere, you'll find a selection of food-related gifts and homewares, plus an abundance of freshly-cut blooms from local grower Guy McDermott. And soon enough, the offering will be completed by a curated bottle-shop range, handpicked by none other than the sommelier and wine buyer for McConnell's entire Trader House group, Leanne Altmann. Find Morning Market at 579 High Street, Prahran. It's open from Monday–Saturday 8am–6pm. Images: Jo McGann
A season change is as good a reason as any to restock that wine collection with some new goodies — and if you ask Bendigo's renowned Balgownie Estate, it's a pretty great excuse for a wine-fuelled party, too. On Sunday, September 18, the award-winning winery is embracing the new season by hosting its inaugural Spring Fair, featuring food, fresh produce, live tunes and a whole lotta wine. Specifically, there'll be a clearance sale slinging all the past vintages and bin-end wines your heart could desire, at discounts of 20-percent and more. As well as stocking up on vino, you'll be able to shop an array of produce, craft, jewellery, pantry goodies and other artisan wares at a pop-up market devoted entirely to local makers and retailers. On top of that, there'll be barbecue eats courtesy of the Maiden Gully Marong Lions Club, plus live tunes on the deck. Loving the vino? You'll find long-time winemaker Tony Winspear manning the Balgownie cellar door, should you fancy tasting a few pours throughout the day. And of course, if you're keen for a sleepover, you can spend the night under the stars with a stay in the winery's glamping retreat.
If you're a Harry Potter fan keen to relive the wonder of your favourite book-to-film series, you don't need to cast a spell or wind your time turner to get some wizarding fun. Pottermore, Fantastic Beasts spinoffs and The Cursed Child might've followed the original franchise, but JK Rowling's boy-who-lived and his pals are never far away from a big screen — or a concert hall. After doing the honours with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, it's hardly surprising that this piece of prime movie and music magic for muggles has now turned its wand to the third flick in the series. Across November 8–10, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will be heading to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the film screening while the score is played live by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Prepare for John Williams' Oscar-nominated music to echo through your ears as you watch Harry, Hermione, Ron and company meet Sirius Black, realise that they shouldn't believe every dark tale they hear, learn something new about their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and tussle with Peter Pettigrew. That means dogs, wolves, rats and Dementor's Kisses are all part of the action, plus Buckbeak the hippogriff, and trips to The Leaky Cauldron and the Shrieking Shack. It's arguably the best movie in the series, as directed by a pre-Gravity Alfonso Cuarón, and it's certain to prove even more enchanting with live music. We've said it before and we'll say it again — will sell like pumpkin pasties, so get in quick or spend eternity griping about it like some Moaning Myrtle-type character. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ — in Concert will run from Thursday, November 8 to Saturday, November 10. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit the MSO website.
Shocking. Controversial. Bleurgh. These are just some words you will need to describe the films you'll watch during World Movies presentation of Films That Shocked The World. This week of outrageous cinema features five of the most contentious films of all time that have been banned globally, resulted in arrests or court cases, or caused an uproar defending morality (or all of the above). For five nights from Monday, 19 August, you can watch them from the sanctuary of your own home free from judgement thanks to World Movies, the only channel in Australia sanctioned to show R18+ films on national television. So if you've been warned against these films, it is time to take a bold step into the unknown and be amazed and horrified. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0piFZXT8Zxo The Human Centipede (2009) Tom Six's disturbing modern horror classic is a perfect film to commence this confronting week, somehow being both repulsive and beautiful. Despite the centipede technically being a few legs short, the film was claimed to be "100 percent medically accurate", which makes it considerably more terrifying given its scientific merits. The genre-redefining story of a demented German surgeon who kidnaps three tourists before joining their gastric systems to form a 'human centipede' more than deserves to be on this list — but be warned: it is not for the faint hearted and will cause countless viewers to watch from behind the safety of their fingers. Monday, 19 August, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=Myzec1dgSqc Kids (1995) It is no surprise that Larry Clark's first feature film was deemed shocking in 1995 given it details the unrestrained behaviour of adolescents towards sex and substances. Written by Harmony Korine (Spring Breakers), its controversial subject material is matched by its directing of teenage sex, explicit dialogue and physical and sexual violence that makes anyone watching feel at least uncomfortable. Be prepared for a confronting tale of modern immorality that was released without classification in the US. Tuesday, 20 August, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=cZ-Xp6VC7RQ Cannibal Holocaust (1980) Cannibal Holocaust would be shocking purely for its depiction of graphic murders and execution of live animals during filming. However, the added mystery of whether it was a snuff film in which the actors had been allegedly murdered on screen for authenticity caused the film to be almost immediately banned internationally and its director Ruggero Deodato to be arrested for murder — of which he was later acquitted after the actors were proved alive. This is controversial with a capital C. Wednesday, 21 August, 9.30pm Deep Throat (1972) Whilst the film gained notoriety for being one of the premier pornographic films featuring a (ridiculous) plot of obscenity and relatively high production values, its true shock value derives from the later claims of sexual abuse that linger over the film. Leading lady Linda Boreman (also known as Linda Lovelace) initially claimed the film was sexually liberating but later revealed her lack of consent to many of the sexual acts in the film, only being coerced into them by her abusive then-husband Chuck Traynor. If you decide to watch knowing this information, then apparently you can see the bruises on Boreman's body throughout the film. Thursday, 22 August, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=hRubuJki4Mk Baise-moi (2000) Concluding the week of controversial cinema is perhaps the most shocking film of all, Baise-moi. The French favourite about two female prostitutes on a road trip towards retribution for their raping still cannot be shown here in its entirety today given the original features a close-up shot of penetration during rape and a scene showing a gun being pressed into a man's anus before being fired. However, World Movies will still be showing the R18+ cut, which is still many adjective levels above shocking that I would get fired for writing here. Friday, 23 August, 9.30pm
Parks in urban places are often considered sacrosanct. They are a haven where one can escape from the mass urbanisation and technological transformations surrounding them. Development remains outside whilst nature dominates the metropolitan Eden. Until now. Invisible Structures, a London-based design and engineering company, is transforming this train of thought into a train of innovation as it seeks to integrate public parks and the modern technologically developed city in an attempt to enhance the environment, rather than harm it. The implements for this idea are ingenious biophilic structures constructed from a creative combination of sustainably sourced timber 'ribs' and a range of eco-friendly 'skins'. They use elements found in nature to create constructions that camouflage into their surrounds. These organic architectural works thus mimic the natural world and Invisible Works hopes to plant them in Central London parks in the upcoming summer, pulling people out of urbanity and into nature. "The idea, in a simple way," Invisible Structures owner Edward Shuster says in an interview with Fast Company, "is that they'd look like they'd grown there." Shuster and Claudia Moseley, the other half of the team behind Invisible Structures, hope to create a new interactive space within London, with the structures housing an ampitheatre, an exhibition space and dining 'seeds', amongst other things. Moseley and Shuster believe the semi-permanent structures will improve the interaction between urban populations and nature as they provide unique arenas to enhance artistic performances. "The fundamental problem that we think we're tackling is the lack of how people who live in cities are able to interact with green spaces and interact with nature," says Shuster. They are hoping the project resides in London for 10 years. If not, though, the structures can also be easily dismounted and flat-packed to move to new cities and shared around the world, transforming the way humans interact with nature. Via PSFK.
Not content with hosting the Brisbane Comedy Festival, queer culture fest Melt, and a jam-packed calendar of other events all year every year — and just adding a new outdoor venue, too — Brisbane Powerhouse is gifting music and art fans a brand-new boundary-pushing celebration of sound, tunes and performance. Meet ΩHM (pronounced "ohm"), a fresh venture that's all about getting adventurous. The New Farm venue has dubbed the event a "festival of other music", with a growing lineup that includes Peaches, Future Islands and Hear My Eyes doing Pan's Labyrinth to back up that statement. Across February and March 2023, ΩHM will take over the riverside spot with a program curated by Room40's Lawrence English alongside Brisbane Powerhouse Arts Program Director Brad Spolding, serving up a mix of big-name international headliners and emerging local acts — and gigs, cutting-edge shows and immersive installations. Peaches does the honours while she's in the country for Mona Foma, and Future Islands hits the fest as part of their first Aussie tour since 2017. Those two impressive headliners are part of ΩHM's previously announced first lineup drop, which also spans Monolake + Electric Indigo and The Chills, as well as Kae Tempest, Nakhane and black midi. There's more where that list of acts came from, too, with ΩHM turning its second program announcement into its big launch. Just announced today, Tuesday, November 29, ΩHM is screening Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth like viewers have never seen it before — with a brand-new live score by Sleep D. This premiere performance marks Hear My Eyes' return to Brisbane, and continues its spate of stunning film-and-music combos (see: its take on Chopper in 2022 in Sydney and Melbourne, plus past tours of No Country for Old Men with Tropical F*ck Storm and Suspiria with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard). Also joining the bill are audiovisual artist Robin Fox, Los Angeles-based composer Yann Novak and Iranian sound artist mHz, who'll serve up a triple bill of audiovisual performances. ΩHM will host the Australian premiere of Fox's Triptych straight from UNSOUND KRAKOW, featuring three RGB laser projectors working in synchronicity. If you've seen his past works — Night Sky for Brisbane Festival, Aqua Luma for Mona Foma 2021, BEACON for Mona Foma 2022 and MONOCHORD for Rising Festival 2022, for instance — you'll know you're in for something special. As for Novak, he'll be using sound and light to explore how both can focus one's awareness on their experiences, as informed by his partial colour blindness and dyslexia. And, New Zealand-based Iranian sound artist mHz will take inspiration from material and architecture to hone in on sound and light production. [caption id="attachment_880277" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robin Fox, Single Origin, Diego Figueroa.[/caption] Also, Swiss artist Zimoun will present two installations, both Australian premieres and exclusive to Brisbane. His ΩHM berth marks his debut exhibiting to Aussie audiences in general, and will showcase his work with everyday and industrial materials to mix sound and architecture. "Works like Zimoun's kinetic sound sculptures, Robin Fox's expansive audiovisual laser environments and Hear My Eyes: Pan's Labyrinth x Sleep D exist at a special nexus of sight, sound and space," said English, announcing ΩHM's new additions. "These dynamic pieces capture intensity and energy matched with a fearless sense of focus. The works are simply mind-blowing." ΩHM runs throughout February and March at Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm. For more information and to buy tickets, head to the Powerhouse website. Top image: Hadley Hudson.
Set in the heart of Hawthorn, Lulo Bar & Grill is quietly one of Melbourne's best late-night dining spots. Chef Matt Waldron named the space for his Colombian-born wife Michelle (Lulo is Colombian slang for an attractive woman) and the menu also reflects his love. South American flavours feature in all of the large and small share plates, with notable highlights including the melt-in-your-mouth ceviche and the crispy skin pork belly with mushroom ponzu, guava and hibiscus — although we're also pretty partial to the sweet and salty Colombian churros filled with quince jam and dulce de leche being served up for dessert.
Name a movie made in the 90s, any movie, and odds are that it already has or is about to get a 2020s remake or sequel. Hocus Pocus, The Craft, Interview with the Vampire, A League of Their Own — they're just a handful of recent examples from a list that keeps growing. Indeed, within months, they'll be joined by the initially Woody Harrelson- and Wesley Snipes-starring basketball flick White Men Can't Jump. This time around, 31 years after the OG film had Harrelson and Snipes bouncing and hustling, Jack Harlow is turning actor to lead the movie. As the just-dropped first teaser trailer for White Men Can't Jump circa 2023 shows, the musician is joined by Nanny's Sinqua Walls — and as well as shooting hoots, they're arguing about America's greatest living director. Harlow's character votes for Boogie Nights and Licorice Pizza's Paul Thomas Anderson, while Walls shows BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods' Spike Lee some love. Neither filmmaker helms this do-over, though, with Calmatic doing the honours after also directing a House Party remake — yes, another 90s flick — and stepping behind the lens on a heap of music videos, including winning a Grammy for Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road'. The new White Men Can't Jump's sneak peak so far is more about vibe than story, as soundtracked by Skee-Lo's 1995 track 'I Wish'. So, as Harlow and Walls banter, dribble and pit themselves against whoever will take their bet, the lyrics "I wish I was a baller" echo. Penned by Black-ish's Kenya Barris and Doug Hall, 2023's White Men Can't Jump will head straight to streaming in the US via Hulu on May 19, with Down Under release details yet to be revealed — but given it's a 20th Century Studios production, Disney+ seems its likely destination. If you're new to all things White Men Can't Jump, as well as the street court action it featured a significant Jeopardy!-related storyline. The trailer for the new movie doesn't show any signs of bringing that back, sadly. Check out the first teaser trailer for White Men Can't Jump below: White Men Can't Jump will be available to stream in the US on May 19 via Hulu — we'll update you with a release date Down Under when one is confirmed.
When David Fincher does crime, glorious things happen. From Se7en to Zodiac, plus The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl and Mindhunter as well, the filmmaker loves the genre — and audiences have rightly adored and downright obsessed over the end results. So, making an assassin thriller sounds like Fincher 101. Of course, as the just-dropped first trailer for his new movie The Killer demonstrates, there's no such thing as a standard project from the Fight Club, The Social Network and Mank director. Back in January when Netflix unveiled its new slate of films for 2023, The Killer was the number-one most-anticipated title on the list — and the sneak-peek footage that was revealed then now has company in this newly released glimpse. Michael Fassbender stars in the titular role, marking his first movie since 2019's X-Men: Dark Phoenix. And the murderer-for-hire he's playing has a ruthless approach to his work, and also a new battle. Story-wise, the film tells of its namesake facing off against his employers after a near-miss, sparking an international manhunt. The Killer hails from the French graphic novel series of the same name by Alexis Nolent and Luc Jacamon, and comes to the screen with Fincher's Se7ven screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker scripting — and the pair collaborating for the first time since that serial-killer masterpiece. Doing the score, as viewers can instantly guess from the very moment that it kicks in during the trailer: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, of course, as they also did on Fincher's The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl and Mank. Will this team up earn them another Oscar, like The Social Network did? Or even a nomination, as Mank delivered? The Killer does have a perfect awards-season release date, hitting cinemas in October, then streaming via Netflix from Friday, November 10. The film will premiere at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival in September first, before arriving on the big screen elsewhere and streaming queues everywhere. As well as Fassbender, The Killer stars Tilda Swinton (Asteroid City), Charles Parnell (Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One), Arliss Howard (a Mank alumni) and Sophie Charlotte (All the Flowers). Check out the first teaser trailer for The Killer below: The Killer will release in select cinemas in October, then stream via Netflix from Friday, November 10. Images: Netflix © 2023.
To watch mother! is to watch Jennifer Lawrence's housewife protagonist, and to see the world through her eyes. As she remains confined to her sprawling country abode, which she's restoring for her poet husband (Javier Bardem), the camera remains largely fixed on either her face or her perspective. When she awakens to an empty bed, the film looks on. When outward politeness masks internal horror following the arrival of an unexpected guest (Ed Harris), viewers switch between witnessing her dismay and sharing her cautious gaze. Her despair heightens further when the man's wife (Michelle Pfeiffer) arrives, followed by their feuding adult sons (Brian and Domhnall Gleeson). And as her sense of anxiety grows, so too does writer-director Darren Aronofsky dive deeper and deeper into the character's inner turmoil. The idea of a woman not quite coping with a change to her home life might sound fairly standard, even old-fashioned. Run-of-the-mill dramas, clichéd comedies and scary flicks have been there and done that before. But mother! doesn't fit into those categories. It's not your usual unwanted visitor tale. Nor is it the Rosemary's Baby riff that's hinted at during its ominous first half. Never one to colour within the filmmaking lines (see Black Swan, Noah and Requiem for a Dream), with mother! Aronofsky serves up his boldest work to date – an ambitious, unnerving, immersive exercise that defies all sense of expectation. From walls that beat like a heart when they're touched, to a freewheeling third act that has to be seen to be believed, mother! is a movie driven by emotions and experiences. Lawrence's unnamed figure reacts to the ups and downs of her existence, and the film responds in turn. As destruction grows, life-changing decisions are made, and one woman's wants and needs are routinely ignored, it's not so much what happens that really matters. Rather, what's crucial is how it all makes the protagonist feel, and how Aronofsky aligns the audience with her mindset. Disgust, fear, frustration and sadness provide the film its palette, layered on top of its distinctive grey-hued colour scheme. Likewise, in a movie without music, the silence of hurt, confusion, neglect, betrayal and disappointment takes the place of a conventional soundtrack. There's no evading anything that Aronofsky throws at his viewers, as he makes it almost impossible to hold onto one's bearings. With the lens trained on Lawrence in close up for more than half of the movie's running time, the sense that you can't grasp onto anything else is clearly by design. She's the fraying canvas that all these swirling sensations converge upon — and, amidst the inescapable chaos, she plays her part to near-perfection And still the question remains: what exactly is mother!? Ultimately, there are many answers. At its most basic level, it's a tense psychological thriller built on domestic and social unease, spiralling into the disorder caused by humanity's worst urges, and touching upon everything from biblical parallels to a savage reflection of our current cutthroat society. It's also an exploration of a woman forced to ponder her place and purpose, with Lawrence's central character saddled with the duties of the caring, supportive, devoted spouse as Bardem's writer gets increasingly enamoured with his own fame. Indeed, in a movie that stays intimate in its focus but universal in its escalating mayhem, Aronofsky applies that line of thinking to all women subjected to the control and demands of men – a thematic fascination seen in many of his earlier films. On top of all of that, mother! is a fever dream of a cinema experience, audacious and utterly unique. Be warned: you'll either love it or hate it. We fall gleefully into the first category. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXy6aD_m-gk Image: Paramount Pictures
Solar power. Who needs it? Well, we do — and pretty desperately. To generate it though, we need those pesky black solar panels to be fitted to people's roofs and properties and anywhere we can find a space for them. This can be a little hard without overtaking natural environments and farmland. But France have found thousands of kilometres of space perfect for solar panels: their roads. After researching and testing the idea in carparks over the past year, the country has unveiled its first solar-powered road — and the world's. Stretching over a one kilometre expanse in Tourouvre-au-Perche in Normandy, the trial site features 2,880 panels and will be used by 2,000 motorists a day, generating 280 megawatts of energy per year. Ideally, that'll be enough to keep the town's street lights glowing during the two-year test run. The road is made from a silicon-coated surface called the Wattway system, which is comprised of 7mm photovoltaic panels stuck on top of existing road surfaces. Both its thinness and ease of application to existing roads make it the best option of its type, with the idea of paving roads with solar panels first floated by Scott and Julie Brusaw via a crowdfunding campaign to pave American parking lots with the things in 2014. The French project is a collaboration between transport infrastructure company Colas and France's National Institute for Solar Energy, as sanctioned by France's Agency of Environment and Energy Management. If the Normandy installation goes to plan, they're hoping to bring solar power to 1000-kilometres of roads in the country over the next five years. They're also promising to try out the idea around the world, with other trials planned inNorth America, Europe, Africa, and Japan. Here's hoping they're all successful, and that the project makes its way over here. As anyone who's stood barefoot on asphalt on a hot day knows, that stuff stores a lethal amount of heat. Via: Mental Floss. Image: COLAS – Joachim Bertrand. By Lauren Vadnjal and Sarah Ward.
After the disrupted and predominantly domestic-only ski seasons in 2020 and 2021, thrill-seekers from both sides of the ditch could be hitting New Zealand's pristine slopes from as early as June. That means it's less than 70 days until some of our major fields, including Coronet Peak and The Remarkables in Queenstown and Canterbury's Mount Hutt, are up and running for winter. If you're making the trip across the ditch, you're in luck: there's plenty set for this season, including new trails and night-skiing events. Mount Hutt is set to be the first to open from Friday, June 10 until Sunday, October 16. It will be open seven days a week, with capacity on the mountain having increased thanks to the last year's recently opened Nor'west Express eight-seat chairlift. With a ride time of only two minutes, the lift has the capacity to carry up to 3000 skiers per hour. It also features a loading carpet to assist those who are new to using chairlifts. The field's full moon skiing event will also return on Saturday, June 11. [caption id="attachment_849337" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NZSki[/caption] Coronet Peak will be open from Friday, June 17 right through until Sunday, September 25. The ski field plans to operate its popular after-hours night skiing nights every Wednesday and Friday from June 22 onwards. The 48th dog derby is also on the cards. Fellow Queenstown favourite The Remarkables will be open every day of the week from Saturday, June 18 through to Sunday, October 16. The mountain's Sugar Bowl development includes two recently opened trails and a new snowmaking system, which means better snow coverage on the Serpentine side of the mountain. [caption id="attachment_849335" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NZSki[/caption] Cardrona Alpine Resort's Olympic-sized superpipe will be open from Saturday, June 11 until Sunday, October 16. The ski field also added another chairlift to its network last year, which opened up a new major section of skiable terrain on the southern face. Sibling ski field Treble Cone is scheduled to open from Saturday, June 25 until Sunday, September 25, and for cross-country skiers and snow-shoers, Cardrona's Snow Farm is intending to open for the 2022 winter from mid-June — dates are yet to be confirmed. The largest ski area in the nation, Mt Ruapehu, is preparing to open its Happy Valley (Thursday, June 23), Turoa (Saturday, July 9) and Whakapapa (Friday, July 8) fields, too, which will give skiers and snowboarders access to the mountain's natural pipes, steep chutes and a vertical drop of 722 metres. The alpine village says the opening will be subject to snow conditions. With the borders set to open, quarantine-free, to Australian tourists from Tuesday, April 12, this ski season will definitely see a rise in visitor numbers across all the country's fields. Tourists will be required to test negative for COVID-19 with a PCR or RAT before leaving for New Zealand, then provide negative tests on day one and day five of their stay. If you need a refresher on the rules, check out the Government's COVID-19 website. All ski field 2022 season plans are dependent on snow conditions, as well as COVID-19 guidelines and expectations set out by the New Zealand Government. Images: NZSki.
Tea Tree Hill Beach Shack was created with all the important creature comforts in mind — it's by the beach, plus it has an indoor (and outdoor) fireplace and an outdoor bath. Set in stunning Venus Bay, this little spot is surrounded by stellar secluded beaches and coastal landscapes but also features luxurious amenities and top-quality furnishings to lounge on. It's perfect for those who want to ensconce themselves in the worlds of fishing, stand-up paddleboarding and staring at a fire contemplating life. Plus, Wilsons Prom is just an hour or so away, so you can easily head out for a day trip. And upon your return, you can get cosy beside the fire with a complimentary whisky or port in hand. [caption id="attachment_770395" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @danielgangur.photo[/caption] Top image: Riparide
If you weren't already astoundingly excited about The Rocky Horror Show's return to Sydney from March 2024, listen closely for the production's latest huge news: Dylan Alcott will take to the stage as The Narrator. The cult-favourite show will do the rounds once more after making its Australian comeback in 2023, with the tennis champion and presenter starring opposite Jason Donovan in the Harbour City. Hitting Theatre Royal Sydney from Sunday, March 31, The Rocky Horror Show's second Sydney season in two successive years also marks a repeat date for Donovan, who slips back into Frank N Furter's fishnets to do the 'Time Warp' again. During 2023's season, Spicks and Specks' Myf Warhurst played The Narrator, which she'll also do in Newcastle in January. When the production makes its return visit to Melbourne from February, Joel Creasey will do the honours. [caption id="attachment_931971" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Robenstone[/caption] "Super pumped to join this incredible production of the iconic The Rocky Horror Show. Couldn't think of a better opportunity for my first theatre production, feeling very grateful. Can't wait to get to work and rock it out on stage in Sydney!" said Alcott. The Rocky Horror Show joins the disability advocate's ever-growing resume, which already includes completing both the Golden Slam and Grand Slam in tennis, being a Paralympian, getting named Australian of the Year in 2022, starting Ability Fest, hosting ABC's The Set and winning a Logie. The hit musical first made its Aussie comeback in 2023 to celebrate half a century of the Richard O'Brien-created production, and unsurprisingly wowed crowds with its trademark sci-fi/horror musical madness. On offer: the tale that theatre audiences have loved for five decades — and movie-goers as well, thanks to 1975's iconic big-screen release The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For the uninitiated, the story involves college-aged couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss getting a flat tyre, then wandering over to an old castle to ask for help. That's where they discover an extra-terrestrial mad scientist from the galaxy of Transylvania, plus his staff and his Frankenstein-style experiments. The second Sydney season will also feature fellow returnees Ellis Dolan (School of Rock) as Eddie/Dr Scott, Darcey Eagle (Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical) as Columbia, Deirdre Khoo (Once) as Janet and Henry Rollo (Jagged Little Pill the Musical) as Riff Raff. Since initially premiering in London in June 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has played in more than 30 countries — and over 30 million people have seen songs like 'Science Fiction/Double Feature', 'Dammit, Janet!', 'Sweet Transvestite', 'Over at the Frankenstein Place' and 'Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me'. If you haven't been before — and missed the live broadcast from Sydney back in March — this is your turn to join in. THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW 2024 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: From Friday, January 12 — Civic Theatre, Newcastle. From Friday, February 9 — Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne From Sunday, March 31 — Theatre Royal Sydney The Rocky Horror Show's 2024 Australian tour will kick off in January 2024, with tickets on sale now via the production's website. Dylan Alcott image: Dylan Alcott at Ability Fest. Rocky Horror images: Daniel Boud.
We've made it to the end of the year, and to celebrate Falls Festival has just gifted us with one helluva lineup. Helping to ring in the art and music festival's 26th year is a pretty buzzworthy gang of musical mates headlined by American rapper Anderson .Paak. He'll be taking the stage with his band The Free Nationals, and performing hits off his Grammy Award-nominated album Malibu and maybe a tune or two off his highly anticipated third album, Oxnard Ventura. He's joined on the bill by big names like UK foursome Catfish and The Bottlemen, who'll be debuting some fresh new material at their only Aussie show; Australia's own Vance Joy; Scottish synth-pop trio Chvrches, who'll also be here for NYD celebration Field Day; Interpol, fresh off the back of their new album release, Marauder; and Toto. Toto. Yes, the American rock band behind the masterpiece that is 'Africa' is heading to Falls. While you're feeling nostalgic, you'll also be able to hit up Hilltop Hoods — call dad. True to form, the Falls 2018 local lineup is equally exciting, and every bit as broad. Homegrown acts hitting the stage include the dance-ready Flight Facilities, Melbourne's psychedelic King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Sydney producer Touch Sensitive, Gold Coast native Amy Shark and Heaps Gay DJs & Friends back for another year. This year, too, an impressive 48 percent of acts performing have female artists and, while it's not quite half — and there are still lots of other minority groups that are underrepresented — it's a start. As always, the tunes are backed by a colourful curation of art events, performances, pop-ups, markets, wellness sessions and gourmet eats. It's all happening over New Years at the usual spots in Tassie's Marion Bay, Lorne in Victoria, the North Byron Parklands and the Fremantle Oval Precinct, WA. FALLS FESTIVAL 2018 LINEUP Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals Catfish and The Bottlemen (no sideshows) Vance Joy Chvrches Hilltop Hoods Toto Interpol 88Rising Feat. Rich Brian, Joji, Niki & August 08 (no sideshows) Flight Facilities Amy Shark DMA's Kind Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Golden Features First Aid Kit (no sideshows) Ocean Alley Hockey Dad Cashmere Cat (no sideshows) The Vaccines Cub Sport Ruel Jack River Bishop Briggs Mallrat Briggs Touch Sensitive Tkay Maidza Dermot Kennedy Tired Lion Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers Soccer Mommy Banks Triple One Alice Skye Heaps Gay DJs & Friends + More to be announced
It's been a long (long) time coming, but a rail line from Melbourne's CBD to Tullamarine Airport is finally in the works, with the Victorian government confirming construction on the link will start within the next ten years. As reported by The Age, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will today announce that building of the airport line will kick off before the opening of the $11.3 billion Metro rail tunnel in 2026. And it's set to improve more than just the airport run, with plans for the connection also designed to help speed things up on the overcrowded Geelong and Ballarat train lines. The Federal and State governments have committed $30 million to conducting a planning study for the infrastructure, which is likely to include extra train lines between Southern Cross Station and Melbourne's western suburbs. Rather than just being a funnel for tourists and business travellers, the connection could see travel times between the CBD and Geelong slashed to just 40 minutes too, which Mr Andrews says is as important as improving airport accessibility. According to Andrews, it could "transform the way people live, work and travel across Victoria" and "unlock western and northern Victoria". Well, about time. Sydney and Brisbane already have airport rail links, and Perth is currently in the process of building its own. Maybe this will finally kill or clarify that myth around the airport's secret underground 'station' as well. Via The Age. Image: Image: Global Panorama via Flickr.
If there's ever going to be any more Indiana Jones movies following this year's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, bringing Ke Huy Quan back as Short Round should be the number-one mission. For now, Disney — which is behind the Indy flicks — is enlisting the Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner in another of its big franchises. And, it's plunging him into more multiverse madness. When Loki finally returns for it second season this spring, Quan will join the cast as OB, who works for the Time Variance Authority. In the just-dropped full trailer for the show's long-awaited comeback, he isn't surprised when the Marvel Cinematic Universe's God of Mischief is glitching. In fact, he's on hand to help. Continuing Loki's small-screen exploits two years since the show that bears the Tom Hiddleston (The Essex Serpent)-played character's name first debuted in 2021 — when it was just the third MCU series to hit Disney+ after WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier — this second season grapples with the aftermath of that initial batch of episodes. Cue a fight for the TVA, alongside Mobius M Mobius (Owen Wilson, Marry Me), Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku, Black Mirror) and more. Also set to pop up: Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain), Judge Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Summerland) and Miss Minutes (Tara Strong, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3). As also seen in the trailer, Jonathon Majors (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) makes an appearance. Calendars out: after Secret Invasion aired in June and July, Loki will start streaming via Disney+ from. Friday, October 6, making good on the "Loki will return in season two" promise. Also joining the MCU's TV ranks this year is newcomer Echo, a Hawkeye spinoff, which will arrive on Wednesday, November 29 — and enjoy a first for the MCU on streaming. Disney+ usually drops a few episodes at once for each show, then unfurls the rest weekly afterwards; however, this series about Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) will arrive all at once on the same day. Check out the trailer for Loki season two below: Loki season two will premiere on Disney+ on Friday, October 6. Top image: © Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
They call it Tina — The Tina Turner Musical, oh Tina — The Tina Turner Musical — and it's finally coming to Australia. After premiering in London back in 2018, this stage ode to the music icon that's had Aussies dancing to 'Nutbush City Limits' for decades is making its way Down Under, locking in its first local stint in Sydney from May 2023. No, it isn't taking to the stage in a church house, gin house, school house or outhouse — or on highway number 19, either. But Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will obviously have Theatre Royal Sydney enjoying Turner's greatest hits in one massive show. The list of musical numbers includes 'Nutbush City Limits', naturally, as well as everything from 'River Deep, Mountain High' and 'Proud Mary' through to 'Private Dancer' and 'What's Love Got to Do with It?'. Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will open on Thursday, May 4, 2023, heading our way after also playing Hamburg, on Broadway, and in Utrecht and Madrid — and touring North America in 2022. Penned by Tony Award-nominee and Pulitzer Prize-winner Katori Hall, plus Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, and directed by fellow Tony-nominee Phyllida Lloyd, Tina — The Tina Turner Musical clearly has quite the story to tell. The show steps through Turner's life and fame, including growing up in Nutbush, Tennessee, the hard work that led to her career, all of those aforementioned hits, her 12 Grammy Awards, her volatile time with Ike Turner and her huge solo success. If you're a fan, Turner herself summed it up — yes, it's simply the best. Images: Daniel Boud.
Visitors to the Sydney Opera House might soon be able to stay the night, under a bold new plan being considered by NSW state authorities. According to The Guardian, the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment is currently mulling over a proposal that would see certain sections of the Opera House — including the Utzon Room, the Board Room, the Joan Sutherland Theatre and the Concert Hall — temporarily transformed into luxury accommodation on a small number of nights throughout the year. Under the proposal put forward by the Sydney Opera House Trust last year, the Opera House could be utilised for "two types of experiential events". The first would offer "up to two nights' accommodation for a maximum of five guests, offered five times per year". The second would offer "up to two nights' accommodation for a maximum of 100 guests, offered on a single occasion per year". According to the proposal, the activation would "provide a unique opportunity for the community to experience the iconic Sydney Opera House in new and innovative ways", while allowing corporate partners to "promote their support of the Sydney Opera House". The idea sounds cool in theory, but has caused some controversy, particularly in relation to the Opera House's corporate partnership with Airbnb. In a submission to NSW Planning, a former Opera House employee called the plan "bold and brazen marketing" and described the partnership with Airbnb "evil genius". Speaking to The Guardian, a spokesperson for the Opera House said that they did not intend to charge visitors for an overnight stay, but would instead utilise the accommodation for "ballots, visitor experiences, competition prizes or promotional activities". It doesn't sound too dissimilar to the types of competitions that accommodation sites Airbnb and HomeAway have run overseas, which have included overnight stays. It doesn't sound too dissimilar to the types of competitions that accommodation sites Airbnb and HomeAway have run overseas, which have included overnight stays in the Eiffel Tower, the catacombs in Paris and Dracula's Castle. And while it could prove a handy option if the Opera House decides to run its all-night Bingefest this year, we'll wait and see if the proposal gets the final sign-off. Via The Guardian. Image: Frances Gunn.
The Kid LAROI hasn't locked in exact dates for his rescheduled Down Under shows for 2024 as yet, after his first-ever Down Under stadium tour was postponed from February, and will now take place in October instead. You can still spend time with the Australian singer-songwriter before summer is over, however, thanks to the just-announced Kids Are Growing Up — because The Kid LAROI is getting the feature-length documentary treatment. Directed by Michael D Ratner, the film features interviews with The Kid LAROI, obviously, as well as Justin Bieber, Post Malone and more. Fans will know the general story that the doco follows, exploring how Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard became a teenage star with global fame. But, as it charts not just the successes but also the pressures along the way — especially for someone Howard's age — this is a behind-the-scenes story. Arriving on Prime Video worldwide on Thursday, February 29, Kids Are Growing Up started filming before 'Stay' became a huge hit, and also covers Howard navigating his mentor Juice WRLD's death. The path from being an unknown talent to selling out arenas is also covered, as is mental health, love, and getting ready for The Kid LAROI's first studio album The First Time and corresponding world tour — plus the quest for happiness along the way. "I can't wait for audiences to see this behind-the-scenes portrayal of my journey, which perfectly encapsulates some of the most rewarding and challenging years of my life and career so far," said Howard, announcing the documentary. Director Ratner also helmed 2021's Justin Bieber: Our World, and founded OBB Pictures, the production company behind both Bieber's and now The Kid LAROI's films. There's no word yet when the 'Without You', 'Thousand Miles', 'Love Again' musician's Down Under shows will lock in their new dates, after they were postponed so that Howard could confirm a "really big surprise and special guest" — alongside ONEFOUR, who will also be on the bill — and also due to "a bunch of other logistical stuff". In the interim, he's touring Europe in April. Kids Are Growing Up will be available via Prime Video from Thursday, February 29. Top image: Adam Kargenian.
Everyone's got their Thing. Electrical engineer Scott Brusaw and his partner Julie are passionate about solar panels. If they had it their way, they’d cover every single concrete/asphalt surface on the Earth with them – including major roads. However, before taking on Highway One, they’re starting with more modest aspirations: parking lots. And they’re looking for crowd funding support to get things moving as quickly as possible. Over the past eight years, the Brusaws have devised a modular system named ‘Solar Roadways’. With the help of US Federal Highway Administration funding and an Indiegogo campaign in the works, they’ve developed panels that can handle traction, loading and impact resistance. In other words, you can drive all over them to your heart’s content. A prototype parking lot has been tested and now the Brusaws are ready to go into production. Not only does a Solar Roadway parking lot enable the nearest buildings to come off the grid, it also provides a clean energy source for the recharging of all-electric vehicles. Plus, there’s enough heat to melt ice and snow — salting the streets will be a chore of past grumbling teenagers. Each panel is fitted with LEDs, reducing the danger of night blindness, as well as enough intelligence to warn drivers of unexpected obstacles, such as wandering animals. No more deer in the headlights. What’s more, the inclusion of special ‘Cable Corridors’ means two things. On one hand, they’re an easily accessible home for open air cables and fibre optic internet. On the other, they enable the storage, treatment and redirection of storm water. So many wins. Solar Roadways have already won the blue ribbons around town. The road received First Prize in GE’s 2010 Ecoimagination Grid Challenge for 'Powering the Grid' and First Prize in GE’s 2011 Ecoimagination Challenge for 'Powering the Home'. The Brusaws' Indiegogo campaign, running until May 31, is hoping to raise $1 million. [via PSFK]
Across its stable of renowned Italian eateries, mozzarella bars and delis, the DOC Group (including DOC Pizza & Mozzarella Bar Carlton and Sydney, plus DOC Espresso Carlton) has earned a solid reputation for many things. That includes its signature pizzas and top-quality salumi selection; however, those classics are taking a backseat at the team's latest addition — a new restaurant dedicated to food that is entirely vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. Bio by DOC has taken over the Carlton site once home to The Town Mouse, where long-time collaborators Studio Strom have added a refresh. Think: locally made custom furniture, a new green-coloured bar, a leafy back courtyard and some clever splashes of neon. In the kitchen, veteran DOC Group chef Tomaso Bartoli is steering the new culinary concept, carefully intertwining the brand's trademark Italian sensibilities, but with all vegan and vegetarian ingredients. Not only is it a reminder that meat needn't be the cornerstone of a great food offering, but impressively, the entire menu is also gluten free. Snacks include the likes of mini eggplant parmigiana ($12) matched with burrata and a black cabbage pesto, plus a vegan-friendly tartare of grilled vegetables ($15) finished with capers, mustard and truffle paste. You can get your pasta fix with plates like the charcoal spaghetti ($26); a beetroot casarecce finished with mushrooms and truffle paste ($31); and a vegan lasagne layered with spinach pasta sheets, lentil ragu and bechamel ($27). There's more plant-based fun to be had over on the dessert list, too — expect dishes like a classic tiramisu reworked with cashew cream ($14), and sweet potato pancakes with popcorn ice cream ($16). From the drinks lineup, the vegan cocktail offering features sips like a Japanese twist on the negroni, plus the Oasis — which uses rum, coconut water and a pineapple shrub. There's also a considered wine selection, showcasing both Italian vino and locally-grown varietals from the likes of Merli and Heathcote's Vinea Marson.
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. And this autumn, you can keep both your go-to medical practitioner and your tastebuds happy, with a trip out to pick your own crunchy, crisp apples, straight from the tree. Family-run Yarra Valley orchard Sanders Apples is celebrating the start of the new fruiting season by inviting punters to harvest its own red kanzi apples every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from March 12. Bring a reusable bag and you can pick up to two kilos of ripe apples to keep for $12.50. Couples can score entry and two kilos of apples for $15, while groups of up to four will pay $25 for their entry and four kilos of fruit. Tickets are available at the gate. In amongst the picking action, guests can also enjoy a BYO picnic in the orchard (just remember not to bring in any outside fresh fruit or veggies), while tractor rides can be booked in advance here. Kanzi U-Pick is open from 2–6pm on Friday, 10am–6pm on Saturday and 10am–4pm on Sunday.
Despite St Edmonds' garish exterior brickwork, entering the inner sanctum just off Greville Street, Prahran, is the complete opposite. Quiet, refined and welcoming, St Edmonds handles their space with an unassuming surety, especially in an age where new cafes pop up wherever there is room for a coffee machine. For a diner, there is nothing better than feeling at ease in your experience and knowing you'll be at liberty to let your mind wander or get caught up in conversation. Sit across the bar to inhale the selection of pastries ($5-6) on offer, or at one of the spacious tables. Either way, you'll be granted a slice of undisturbed privacy amongst fellow diners. Service is consistent and friendly, if unremarkable. The upside? Regardless of how long you spend seated you will remain undisturbed, such is the genuine, relaxed presence of St Edmonds. If you just want to dine in the presence of good company, this is certainly the place to do it. With an offering that expands to all-day eating, St Edmonds' menu is comprised of a cleverly created selection of enticing flavour combinations. The souffled omelette with smoked tomato, jamon serrano, basil and goats curd ($18) satisfies any salty cravings on hand, and in the opposite direction, the ricotta and honey pancakes with toasted pistachios, strawberry and pomegranate ($17, add bacon $20) is a decadently sweet choice. For something lighter, the seasonal fruits with honey and orange blossom ($11) finishes off a well-rounded brunch. Serves are generous and well proportioned, with a very clear emphasis on sourcing the freshest produce. Come later in the week and things become livelier; Thursday night is St Edmonds' famous burger night, and Happy Hour from 4-7pm every Thursday and Friday also provides a nice selection of vodka, wine, champagne and schooners ($5). St Edmonds is a reliable, unassuming edition to an area littered with dining options. A solid offering makes it the ideal place to while away a few wasted hours, although the enticing menu does permit just the right amount of fancy for a particular special occasion. Sleek and affable, let the food do the talking.
Open at Melbourne Holocaust Museum from Tuesday, November 17, 2024 until Sunday, March 30, 2025, Underground: The Hidden Archive of the Warsaw Ghetto displays rare artefacts from the Hidden Archive of the Warsaw Ghetto from the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, Poland. The artefacts on display have never been seen before in the Southern Hemisphere. During the Holocaust, historian Emanuel Ringelblum, who was imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto, enlisted a group of academics, journalists, and activists to create a secret archive. Over a two-year period, they created a comprehensive archive that chronicled life and death in the ghetto. The archive was secretly buried within the ghetto. After the war, miraculously, a portion of the archive was retrieved from underneath the rubble where the ghetto once stood. The full archive consists of over 35,000 documents, and right here in Melbourne, you can see 12 key documents and one of the metal boxes they were carried in. The exhibition offers a rare insight into the personal experiences of those incarcerated within the ghetto – showcasing items such as drawings, posters, letters, songs, poems, plays, and even lolly wrappers. The exhibition also offers a uniquely Melbourne perspective with artefacts and first-hand accounts from survivors who immigrated to Melbourne after the war. More than 8,000 Polish-born Holocaust survivors immigrated to Australia within the first decade after WWII. Most settled in Melbourne, including approximately 2,000 from Warsaw. This exhibition is unlike many—you will be immersed in this harrowing but intimate attempt to tell the story of the Holocaust from the perspective of its victims. A series of public programs including behind-the-scenes tours, lectures and film screenings also launched alongside the exhibition and can be booked via the museum's website. Opening hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday 10am to 5pm. Book your tickets here. Images: Supplied.
Throw on your winter coat and head out into the night as the Glow Winter Arts Festival returns to Melbourne's southeast for its fifth year. Hosted by the City of Stonnington over four chilly nights, this after-dark arts fest celebrates the best that local creatives have to offer, with plenty of dazzling light projections to tempt you out into the cold. This year, the program is shorter but still just as solid, with Malvern East's Central Park oval set to be lit up with lasers, projections and neon flamingos — it's the east's answer to Fitzroy's Gertrude Street Projection Festival and Footscray's West Projections. If you rock up to the park between 6pm and 10pm, you'll be able to wander through a maze of lights and glowing installations. Thousands of green lasers will cover you and your surrounds in The Laser Garden, while another area will be scattered with all things neon — flamingos, umbrellas and trees included. Between the Trees lets you 'play' the trees in the garden to create a sonic nature experience, while S1T2's Revive the Reef work will make you feel as though you're underwater. Best of all? It's all free to attend.
How bloody great is summer? The sun is shining (most of the time), the nights are balmy and there are plenty of places around town to perch outside with a beer and while away an afternoon with friends. As summer kicks into full swing, there's no shortage of killer events happening around Melbourne. With a little help from our friends at Sunglass Hut, we've put together five things to do that are perfect for when you want to get outside and embrace the day. Crank out the linen shirt, make sure your water bottle is full and and pop on some shades to face your summer.
Over the past few years, Melbourne's famed floating bar has become a summer staple — because soaking up the warm weather and sipping cocktails on the Yarra clearly go hand-in-hand. Thankfully, that won't change in 2020, with Arbory Afloat set to return once more. Arbory Afloat, which made its debut in 2015, is set to reclaim its prime position in front of on-shore sister venue Arbory Bar & Eatery on the Yarra from Monday, October 26, when it's expected metro Melbourne will move into step three of the roadmap and outdoor dining at restaurants and bars will be allowed. As part of its annual revamp, the temporary bar and restaurant is taking inspiration from beach houses in our own backyard, which means lush greenery, wicker furniture, lime-washed timber and lots of blues and greens. To complete the picture, the 69-metre floating venue has two bars, an upper deck and an undercover dining area — so plenty of space to social distance. And, if that's not enough, the onboard swimming pool will also be making a triumphant return. [caption id="attachment_754392" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Simon Shiff[/caption] Chef Nick Bennett has again designed the menu, which will be packed full of local ingredients and inspired by all things Mediterranean. And would it be a visit to the floating bar without cocktails? We think not. Luckily, there'll be plenty. As well as Four Pillars pink gin, there'll be craft beers, wine and six cocktails on tap. Despite the return of the bar, summer in Melbourne isn't going to be all business as usual. So, expect there to be limited capacities, bookings and plenty of ticketed, seated events. Arbory Afloat is set to open at Flinders Landing from Monday, October 26, with opening hours from 11am–1am daily. Images: Simon Shiff
In an era of technology firsts, it's hardly surprising that a computer is now capable of mirroring human intelligence. Over the weekend, a computer programme known as 'Eugene Goostman' proved itself capable of imitating the living when it was the first ever programme to pass the Turing Test. Eponymously named for its designer, British mathematician and cryptographer Alan Turing, no previous competitor had passed the test in its 65-year existence. Needless to say, passing the Turing Test is no easy feat. To prove successful, at least 30 percent of the judges must be convinced that the competitor is human. During the Turing Test 2014 Competition over the weekend, one-third of the panel deemed Eugene Goostman just that. Entered under the guise of a 13-year-old boy from the Ukraine, Eugene Goostman competed against 25 humans and other fellow programmes. The team behind Eugene Goostman comprised of one Russian and two Ukrainian programmers. Endowed with particulars that seemed just odd enough to qualify as human (a pet guinea pig, a gynecologist father), the long-awaited winning programme is actually a chatbot developed in 2001. The ingenue in this case is found in the simplicity of approach. Rendering their entry ignorant by diminishing his supposed age, the chatbot’s programmers acknowledge their surprising strategy. One of Eugene Goostman’s creators, Vladimir Veselov revealed in a statement, "Our main idea was that he can claim that he knows anything, but his age also makes it perfectly reasonable that he doesn't know everything. We spent a lot of time developing a character with a believable personality." Someone who claims to know it all but, in truth, knows little? No wonder they thought he was human. Via The Guardian and PC World.
Think of all the best things in life: the beach, beats and booze. They're all essential to a pre-game beach party (and, coincidentally, all start with B for some reason). So last weekend we teamed up with Sonos and got a pretty little beach house in Byron, loaded up on Stone & Wood beers, set up Banoffee on the balcony and got her to sing out towards the bay. It was Concrete Playground's own Beach Break. Duo-to-watch Kllo were there too, and we got to listen to their sweet electronic tunes with the Saturday arvo sun sky-high over Byron Bay. While Banoffee played 'Let's Go to the Beach' — and we basked in the glory of the fact that we were indeed already at the beach — we sipped on wines from Jacob's Creek and Stoneleigh Wild Valley and G&Tea cocktails made with Four Pillars gin, Earl Grey tea and Fever Tree soda. Also being shaken and stirred was Baron Samedi spiced rum punch and an Aperol and watermelon concoction that made it feel like summer all over again. Here's some snaps we took of the festivities. We're keeping these on-hand for gloomy days stuck in the office. Video: Andy Fraser.
Planning a Japanese getaway, or dreaming about eventually planning one? You can take one thing off of your to-do list: packing. Instead of carefully researching all possible weather conditions, obsessively trying to predict what you'll want to wear and then trying to jam it all into your suitcase, you can now simply rent whatever you need when you arrive at your destination. Luggage-free travelling comes courtesy of a new service called Locarry, which lets you hire everything from clothes to costumes to cameras — and sporting equipment, strollers and more — from residents on the ground, rather than taking your own. Prices are set by those leasing out the goods, with no fees charged by the sharing platform itself. The service can be used by friends to arrange to lend items to other friends as well. There are a few restrictions, understandably. While users can rent things out individually or as a collection (that is, a pack of objects that you might need if you're going sight-seeing in Tokyo or wandering through cherry blossoms in Kyoto, for example), they can't hire out food, drinks, booze, medicines, animals or a number of other items. And — as you'd completely expect — underwear is off the table as well. Of course, the idea of hopping on a plane without your own outfits won't appeal to everyone. Still, packing lighter than usual, being able to nab a raincoat if the weather turns or pick up a camera to use while you're away just might. For more information, visit Locarry's website.
Some things never change, like packing a suitcase full of everything you think you might need on holiday, only to discover when you get to your destination that you've forgotten a crucial item. We've all been there, and more than once. When jetting overseas for a getaway becomes a reality again — and international travel returns in a big way, rather than just via quarantine-free bubbles — we all have that to look forward to. Even after Australia's borders have been closed for so long, that kind of thing isn't going to stop happening. But, if you're flying with Qantas and Jetstar, you will also need to add something new to your travel routine. Over the past 18 months, Qantas has responded to the pandemic in a number of ways. The carrier has sold off its fully stocked bar carts, done the same with its pyjamas and launched an athleisure wear range. It announced new routes for domestic getaways, released a gin and floated the idea of only allowing vaccinated passengers to travel. And, it ran a trial of digital health passports, in the hopes of using an app to facilitate safe travel when the global tourism market does reopen — which it has now announced it'll definitely put to use when it is able to resume international flights. The airline will work with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to use its digital Travel Pass app. The same pass was also assessed by Air New Zealand, which tested it on its Auckland to Sydney routes back in April. The big drawcard: enabling travellers to verify their COVID-19 vaccination information and test results with border and health officials, as well as with airline staff. While the final app is still in development, it'll connect customers to certified testing labs, which is how your test results will be accessed. So, it'll allow you to show proof that you've tested negative before your flight — and to show that you have a vaccine certificate also. Handily, the IATA Travel Pass will cross-reference your health details against the entry requirements for the country you're heading to as well, providing specific information for your exact trip. Announcing the news, Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully said that "we want to get our international flights back in the air and our people back to work and a digital health pass will be a key part of that. Many governments are already requiring proof of vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test result for international travel. Even if it wasn't a government requirement, Qantas has always been a leader in safety and we have a responsibility to our customers and crew." Last November, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce first advised that the airline was "looking at changing our terms and conditions to say, for international travellers, that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft". He continued: "certainly for international visitors coming out and people leaving the country, we think that's a necessity". For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Health website.
What do Parks and Recreation, Wellington Paranormal and Ted Lasso all have in common? They're all stellar examples of kind-hearted TV comedies that are an utter delight to watch, especially in chaotic times. Like a balm for frazzled nerves, these types of sitcoms focus on nice and caring people doing nice and caring things, even while their characters navigate all manner of ups and downs. Michael Schur-created favourite Brooklyn Nine-Nine also fits the category, because it too celebrates people who support each other, are always there for each other and form heartwarming bonds as a result. That's what these instantly likeable programs perfect again and again — and do so to not just an entertaining but to a soul-replenishing degree. By now, three of the aforementioned shows have already established a legion of fans, and deservedly so. Ted Lasso, the fourth series named above — and a 2020 newcomer — definitely belongs in the same company even just based on its ten-episode first season, plus the first two instalments of its second season so far. Starring a gloriously optimistic, already Golden Globe-winning Jason Sudeikis, the comedy first introduces its titular character during a period of transition. A college-level American football coach, Ted is hired by struggling English soccer team AFC Richmond, despite having zero knowledge of the sport. Ted is recruited for the role by the club's new owner, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham, Game of Thrones), who received the organisation in her divorce settlement and is determined to tank it to spite her slimy ex (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Stewart Head). And, she knows that her new hire will face more than a few issues in his unlikely job. The ravenous British media write Ted off instantly, the club is in a spot on on-field bother, and veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle) and current hotshot Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, Judy) just can't get along. And yet, this American in London's upbeat attitude does wonders — as aided by his laconic offsider and long-time friend Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt, Bless This Mess), and the team's kit man-turned-assistant coach Nathan Shelley (Nick Mohammed, Intelligence). For much of his career, Sudeikis has excelled at playing thorny, jerkish characters (see: the terrific Colossal) who initially appear otherwise. He's exceptional at showing how arrogance can lurk behind a nice-guy demeanour, and he's proven that multiple times. Ted Lasso is never mean-spirited, however — and that applies to both the series and its main figure. Sudeikis is fantastic here as the genuinely caring coach just trying to do his best, and attempting to bring out the best in others. Yes, the series he's in is just as spot-on, as are his impressive cast members. In Ted Lasso's second season, which has just started streaming on Apple TV+, Ted faces a new challenge. The team has just added psychologist Dr Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles, I May Destroy You) to its ranks and, while Ted may be all positivity, all the time, he's not fond of Dr Fieldstone's profession — and finds her an unsettling presence. This is a series about working through those kind of roadblocks, though. It's one where Rebecca has moved on from just trying to use the club to annoy her ex, and is now thoroughly invested in its fortunes — and where her friendship with model, media darling, Jamie's ex-girlfriend and Roy's current partner Keeley Jones (Juno Temple, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) is never framed as competitive, as would likely be the case elsewhere. Consequently, exploring this storyline in a meaningful and positive way just adds to Ted Lasso's strengths. Viewers definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this show's ongoing charms, to adore its determination to value banding together and looking on the bright side, and to love its depiction of both male tenderness and supportive female friendships. Those traits keep building episode by episode, as does fondness for its underdog team both on and off the pitch, and its ability to make Roy's love of swearing constantly both smart and hilarious. It's no wonder that Ted Lasso picked up a whopping 20 Emmy nominations this year, for its first season alone, including acting nods for pretty much every main actor involved in the show. In fact, this is the best sitcom currently in production. Check out the trailer for Ted Lasso's second season below: The first two episodes of Ted Lasso's second season are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly — and all of the show's first season is also available via the streaming service.
Fittzroy's OKO Rooftop and Cafe is best known for serving up Med-inspired brunch and incredible meatball subs, but for one night in September, the team is championing all things Sudanese. OKO's Chef and Co-Founder Seb Pasinetti has teamed up with social enterprise Welcome Merchant, and Sudanese artist and activist Bakri Mahmoud to host a three-course dinner on Sunday, September 29. Your feed will include Sudanese-style falafels with a side of peanut butter salad, yoghurt dip and bread; okra stew with aseeda and chilli dip; plus a sweet treat to finish. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are also available, while booze can be purchased from the bar. There'll also be a bunch of raffle prizes up for grabs during the night, including artwork, jewellery, cookbooks and skincare products. The dinner will cost a cool $70, and all ticket proceeds will go to Khartoum Aid Kitchen and the Sudanese American Physicians Association. OKO is a fairly small venue, so tickets are highly limited. Be sure to nab them quickly. [caption id="attachment_973110" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bakri Mahmoud[/caption]
If you've been walking around Sydney in the last week, you may have noticed the fancy new plaques at most street crossings. But what you probably didn't know is that these signs now make up the most comprehensive network of braille and tactile signs in the world. That's right: the entire world. Thanks to the major effort by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the signs were officially launched on Monday, July 4, with more than 2100 braille and raised-letter signs installed at pedestrian crossings in the city. The aluminium panels, which denote street names and building numbers, have been placed next to push buttons at crossing areas. These plaques improve signage and accessibility for the blind and vision impaired, and will allow them to navigate the city streets much more easily. A champion for the vision impaired, Moore is aiming to make Sydney more accessible for both locals and tourists. "The signs make it easier and safer for people who are blind or have low vision to use their city — to have the freedom and the independence of movement that most of us can take for granted," she told Concrete Playground. Basically, she rules. Both Vision Australia and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT are giving this act two thumbs way up and were integral in the program launch. "The design and installation arose from extensive consultation with the community and on-site testing with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and Vision Australia," says Moore. "My sincere thanks to them for their help in this significant step towards an even more open and inclusive city." Making sure Sydney is accessible to the vision impaired is becoming increasingly important by the year — it is estimated that around 100,000 people suffer from non-correctable vision loss in NSW alone, and that number is predicted to increase by more than 20 percent by 2020. We've been truly impressed with Sydney's initiatives of late – like the fact that we're getting our own entrepreneur school and a permanent School of Life. This new braille network is a massive leap forward for the city's planning and an overall ace move. Nice one, Sydney. Image: Clover Moore via Instagram.
