Love quirky facts? Spent your life amassing the kind of details that will probably never come in handy? Consider yourself a whiz at every trivia night around town? If so, you're probably a QI fan — and an avid listener of No Such Thing As a Fish. The former is, of course, the long-running British comedy panel quiz. The latter is the popular, award-winning podcast hosted by four of the show's researchers, aka the folks putting in the hard yards to come up with amusing pieces of information you didn't know you needed to know. Series staffers Dan Schreiber, James Harkin, Anna Ptaszynski and Andrew Hunter Murray aren't just finding tidbits for a raft of English comedians, or spending their spare time sharing the most bizarre facts they've come across over the last seven days, however. Come May 2018, they're also coming to Australia to shower our shores with trivia morsels. The live version of the podcast will include a live recording, so your laughter might be immortalised forever, plus a round up of the most astonishing things the team have discovered from the year's news. It has been a busy couple of years for the group, with their last UK and European tour proving a sell-out, and their 187 episodes to date scoring more than 55 million downloads. As Schreiber explains, "we started as four dorks sitting around a single microphone trying to make each other laugh. Things have changed a bit since we started — we now have four microphones — but it's a thrill to know there are hundreds of thousands of other people who love the same wild and hilarious facts that we do."
Presented at Melbourne CBD's West Space, Every Second Feels Like a Century sees a range of local artists from a host of creative backgrounds explore concepts of utopia and dystopia, survival and apocalyptic worlds. The exhibition suggests that objects have the power to reflect our histories, journeys and stories, and are clear "remnants of ideas, tools and thoughts scattered throughout cultures and time". The eight exhibiting artists investigate this notion, with the presented works considering what's important to cultures and society, as civilisations and ways of life become lost to time. Curated by Hannah Presley and Debbie Pryor, the exhibition showcases works by John Brooks, Nicholas Hovington, Alterfact, Vito Bila, Sarah Mary Chadwick, Angela Thirlwell, Adam Ridgeway and Jasmine Targett, who utilise mediums such as video art, 3D-printed sculpture, glass and metal works and more. Image: Jasmine Targett, Thirst Knows No Season
Kicking off with a light-hearted caper, ending with happy tears — that's what we look for in an Italian jaunt. And even if you're not heading over to Europe anytime soon, sitting in a cinema this September might be the next best thing, in the form of the 2017 Italian Film Festival. Marking its 18th year, Australia's annual celebration of Italy's filmmaking finest will kick off with screwball effort Let Yourself Go!, which won the 2017 Italian Golden Globe for best comedy, stars The Great Beauty's Toni Servillo, and follows a tightly wound psychoanalyst's dalliance with an upbeat personal trainer. Bookending the festival is a 20th anniversary screening of Roberto Benigni's bittersweet Life Is Beautiful, an Academy Award winner for best foreign language film. One of the more popular film events in Australia, IFF's 28-film, six-week national tour features brand new highlights, excursions off the beaten track, jaunts all over the country and an ode to coffee. Yes, there really is a film called Coffee in the program, which intertwines three tales about everyone's favourite caffeinated brew, and was inspired by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 2006 Oscar-winner Babel. As for the rest of the fest, highlights include the tender portrait of conjoined twin sisters that is Indivisible (the festival's centrepiece), to Sea Girls Dreaming, a documentary about carefree grandmothers living in the tiny Italian mountain village of Daone. Plus, Italian movie buffs can also enjoy romantic comedy Emma, which comes to Australia straight from the Venice Film Festival, and the based-on-a-true-tale Sicilian Ghost Story, about the disappeared teenage son of a Mafia informant. There's more where they came from, including Roman ex-cons attempting to start a new life, broad Christmas comedies and topical accounts of ex-terrorists fleeing extradition — and a special guest and a new initiative. This year's festival will welcome Australian-Italian actor Greta Scacchi, who'll attend screenings of her latest effort Tenderness, and sit on IFF's first jury. The Looking for Alibrandi star will help pick the festival's best from a six-film competition, with help from The Space Between's Ruth Borgobello, actor Daniela Farinacci, actor Damian Walshe-Howling and Radio National's Jason di Rosso.
When the much-anticipated second season of Stranger Things hits Netflix next week, you could simply watch it from the comfort of your couch. Or you could mark the occasion with a proper spooky knees-up at Stomping Ground Brewery's Stranger Things '80s-themed Halloween party. On Tuesday, October 31, the Collingwood brewpub will be tripping back in time, with retro arcade games, '80s-style snacks and a soundtrack of vintage tunes to jam to. You'll even enjoy old-school drink prices, with your first beer costing just $1.65 — about the same as it would have back in 1985. To celebrate the arrival of a fresh batch of binge-worthy Stranger Things goodness, episodes of the show will be showing up on the big screen, including season two's long-awaited first episode. Enjoy it while you sip themed creations like Stomping Ground's one-off release Black Demoggorgan gose and the Upside Down brown ale.
Hophaus Bavarian Bier Bar Grill is hosting its annual charity dachshund race once again this September — and, frankly, you shouldn't need any more information to understand why that's a thing you should care about. Returning to the Southbank German restaurant, the teckelrennen is an Oktoberfest tradition, and will see sausage dogs from far and wide pumping their stubby little legs for gold and glow. The first heat kicks off at 11am on Saturday, September 23, with the grand champion expected to be crowned later that afternoon. There'll also be a costume competition, because the only thing better than dachshunds is dachshunds in tiny adorable outfits. It isn't just all for the fun of it though — all money raised from entry fees paid by competitors will be donated to Dachshund Rescue Australia. Over the last two years the event has raised over $6000. https://player.vimeo.com/video/139814129
If seasonal change has left you in a dizzy headspin of brand new colours and fabrics and prints and jackets — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is coming back to Melbourne for three days this October. The name pretty much says it all. This thing is big. You'll find lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from over 20 cult Australian and international designers, both well-known and emerging, including Stella McCartney, Missoni, Karla Špetić, Studio Elke, Christopher Kane, Benah, Marni and more. With discounts of up to 80 percent off, this is one way of upping your street cred with designer threads that'll leave your bank balance sitting pretty too. Prices this low tend to inspire a certain level of ruthlessness in all of us, though, so practise that grabbing reflex in advance. This is every man and lady for themselves. The Big Fashion Sale will be open 9am till 7pm Friday, 10am till 6pm Saturday, and 10am till 4pm Sunday.
Dance meets activism at Off the Grid 2017, an all-day party where the environment is on the agenda. Featuring an eclectic mix of local and international DJs, musicians and performance artists alongside speakers and environmentalists, this "solar-powered celebration" promises some 14 hours of eating, drinking, dancing and discussion. The fun begins at 9am on Friday, December 22 in the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art forecourt. The music lineup includes Jay Daniel, Chee Shimizu, Krakatau, KAIIT, Two Steps on the Water, Ben Fester and Dianas. Importantly, the sound system will be run off solar power, while proceeds from the event will be invested in solar projects around town. Guest speakers, meanwhile, include Alison Rowe from the Moreland Energy Foundation, Amy Roberts of organic basics label Vege Threads, and Erin Rhoads, brains behinds the eco-lifestyle website The Rogue Ginger. Image: Austin Fassino.
Further cementing its status as a hot-spot for musicians and music fans alike, the City of Port Phillip is gearing up for the return of its Live N Local Festival, from August 19–26. The eight-day celebration of live, local sounds brings with it a cracking line-up of big-name talent, free gigs hosted in unexpected venues and an extensive artist development program of workshops and talks. Join in the fun as the newly relaunched Acland Street Plaza kicks things off with an August 19 'pop-up' party, featuring a record fair, live broadcast from PBS DJ Emma Peel and a brass-filled performance from Horns of Leroy. Looking deeper into the festival, Southside Twang and Soul at Starward Distillery will see the whisky makers team their signature cocktails with live tunes from La Bastard and Vasco Era's Sid O'Neill, local artists will add some rhythm to your morning rush with a series of Commuter Carols pop-up sessions and St Kilda's Sacred Heart Church will play host to a female-focused showcase of singer-songwriter talent with Women of Song. There's even a full program dedicated to events where music and eats combine, and with the festival kicking off at Starward, it's only fitting to close it out with an after party at Melbourne Moonshine Distillery featuring acts by local garage, rock and punk bands. Live N Local Festival returns to the City of Port Phillip from August 19–26. Jump over to the Live N Local website to check out the program and start planning your festival hit-list.
Throw on your winter coat and head out into the night as the Glow Winter Arts Festivaal returns to Melbourne's southeast for its fourth year. Hosted by the City of Stonnington over 11 chilly nights, this after-dark arts fest celebrates the best that local creatives have to offer, with everything from comedy acts to dazzling light projections to tempt you out into the cold. With a solid progra m of free and ticketed events stretching from Windsor to Malvern, figuring out an itinerary is no easy feat. Following on from Fitzroy's Gertrude Street Projection Festival and Footscray's West Projections, Glow will employ lights, projection art and lots of neon to bring the area to life once the sun goes down. Malvern East's Central Park oval will become Alice's Garden with surreal larger-than-life flowers, mushrooms and rainbows, while Greville Street will be lit up from 6pm each night. Punters will have plenty to discover on a little wander, with guerrilla opera taking over Greville on August 19 and Helpman Award-nominated theatre If These Walls Could Talk..? showing over at Chapel Off Chapel for two nights. For the complete Glow Winter Arts Festival program, go here. Images: Phoebe Dunn.
For the second instalment of the annual Small Works group exhibition, more than 60 local and international artists have come together to present their best works under 25cm². Held at Brunswick's BeinArt Gallery, Small Works 2017 showcases art from numerous much-loved and established artists, as well as relative newcomers to the art world. From oil paintings to acrylic, embroidery works and illustrations, Small Works 2017 has brought together a rich and diverse range of artists. Highlights include Miles Johnstone's distorted pencil drawings, Johnson Tsang's Class Series of porcelain babies, and "sculptural oddities" by Mahlimae. The exhibition is open now and runs until Sunday August 20 at BeinArt Gallery and provides the perfect opportunity to pick up some fantastic pint-sized artworks for your collection.
Having worked with a who's who of actors, athletes and entertainers, American photographer David LaChapelle is known as one of the forefront fashion photographers of our time. Never before seen in Australia, the Art Gallery of Ballarat will host a major exhibition of LaChapelle's most famous portraits, fashion shoots, and fine art projects. Getting his start for Andy Warhol's Interview Magazine at just the age of 17, throughout a hugely successful career, LaChapelle has photographed the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Pamela Anderson, David Beckham and Madonna. Having retired from the fashion industry in 2006, LaChapelle underwent a period of self-discovery, emerging inspired to return to fine art and commentate on social issues facing the world today. This period has seen LaChapelle produce cutting-edge photography that explores consumerism, atonement and salvation, while highlighting themes around contemporary art practice and history. Showcasing more than 90 of his works, David LaChapelle headlines the Ballarat International Foto Biennale and runs from Saturday, August 19 until Sunday, September 17. Image: David LaChapelle, Last Supper (2003).
The life and times of Joseph Merritt will play out on the Malthouse stage in Tom Wright's The Real and Imagined History of The Elephant Man. Running from August 4–27, the new play tells the story of Merrick, a young man whose unique deformities made him a subject of fascination in late 19th century London. Having previously been brought to life on stage by the likes of Mark Hamill and David Bowie — and in film by John Hurt in a performance that scored him an Oscar nomination — here Merrick will be played by acclaimed local actor, dancer and filmmaker Daniel Monks in his Malthouse debut. "Joseph Merrick has been a role that I have dreamt of playing for many years," said Monk. "As a young disabled person, Joseph and his story had a huge impact on me, as I know he has had on many others, and I feel honoured to be part of sharing his powerful story with new audiences."
The weirdest, wildest and most innovative video art around is coming to town as part of the third Channels Festival. Taking over a number of venues around Melbourne including ACMI, The Substation in Newport and the Centre for Contemporary Photography, this year's festival will consist of 14 unique events, and will draw on the talents of more than 90 artists from around Australia and the world. Standouts on the program include Video Visions, a two-and-a-half hour screening of curated video art culled from more than 470 submissions; Flygirl, a solo green-screen dance installation from Sydney-based artist Caroline Garcia; and FutureClown, an "alternative viewing" of Donald Trump's inauguration from LA artist Rachel Mason. The festival will also feature a number of commissions, including new works from Melbourne-based South Sudanese artist Atong Atem and Wakka Wakka and Yargel artist Hannah Brontë. For the full Channels Festival program visit their website
James Batchelor — the recipient of Chunky Move's 2017 Next Wave Commission — has created a new dance piece that explores the unknown. Redshift will premiere on November 23 and incorporates ideas of human treatment of the unknown, why we chase it, and how we recognise and capture it. Time and space are stretched; elements of surrealism and humour make their way in. The ambitious project comes from a creator whose recent experiences have ventured into the unknown too — Batchelor joined a team of scientists, students, artists and crew in 2016 on an expedition to the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands. His experiences there led him to the creation of Redshift. Resulting from a continued collaboration with visual artist Annalise Rees and sound designer Morgan Hickinbotham, the work aims to explore these encounters of the body with the universe, and how we go about mapping them and the greater unknown.
Looking to add some structure and purpose to your otherwise laissez-faire Sunday daytime drinking habits? Good news: The National Hotel in Richmond is hosting a pan-Asian bottomless brunch every Sunday afternoon this summer. From noon every weekend the bar will be serving up three hours of bottomless sparkling cocktails and bloody marys along with an Asian tapas plate for a very reasonable $50 per person. If you book ahead of time, you get 10 percent off. Drinking during the day offers the unique advantage of letting your hangover hit Sunday night rather than Monday morning when you're at work — at least, that's what you can tell yourself three Bellinis in. To kick the whole bottomless brunch season off — and to celebrate the arrival of summer — The National Hotel is throwing an afternoon beer garden party on Sunday, December 3 featuring DJs and special drinks. Book a table by emailing functions@thenationalhotel.com or calling (03) 9429 8811.
"Goodbye Christopher Robin," announces the title of this treacly biopic. Goodbye subtlety and and emotional nuance, too. A true tale about Winnie-the-Pooh author AA Milne, his son, and the loveable bear that made them both famous, this is a movie that doesn't trust its audience to laugh or cry without being told when and how much. Eeyore's constant moping and Tigger's bouncy zest seem almost restrained in comparison. The handsomely staged effort sets its sights on a shell-shocked Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) in the wake of the First World War. He's rattled by London life following his experiences on the battlefield, much to the dismay of his socialite wife Daphne (Margot Robbie). A move to the country doesn't seem to help matters either — or at least it doesn't until a stint in the surrounding forest without Daphne or live-in nanny Olive (Kelly Macdonald), when the writer and his eight-year-old son Christopher Robin (Will Tilston) imagine a whole new world with the help of some stuffed toys. If it worked for Peter Pan and Mary Poppins, then it can work for Winnie-the-Pooh. Or at least, that's what director Simon Curtis (Woman in Gold) appears to think. Indeed, as Finding Neverland and Saving Mr. Banks did before it, Goodbye Christopher Robin presents itself as a behind-the-scenes origin story, but soon proves more interested in riding an easy wave of affection. Given that everyone's favourite fictional bear is involved, there's ample love flowing, of course. Alas, though the movie's approach is well-intentioned, the end result remains noticeably heavy-handed. An overwrought score, uninspired cinematography and pacing that pauses for impact every time something notable happens are just a few of the film's particularly grating elements — although arguably the biggest problem is the mismatch between the script and the way it's been executed. Screenwriters Frank Cottrell-Boyce (The Railway Man) and Simon Vaughan aren't afraid to take the narrative to darker corners, touching on the trauma of war, the difficulties of marriage and motherhood, the struggle of having your childhood suddenly opened to the public, and the distance that can grow between a father and a son. Sadly, Curtis would rather skip nostalgically past the bleaker material, or wring it to inspire easy waterworks. Filmmakers underestimating their viewers isn't new. Nor is spoon-feeding plot developments and signposting sentiment, pairing a cute kid with a grumpy adult, or leaning on pop culture commodities. Goodbye Christopher Robin is guilty of all of the above — but, more than that, it's guilty of squandering its potential. As the great performances from young Tilston and the suitably conflicted Gleeson both show, there's plenty of emotion and drama to be found in the Milnes' story without smothering it in honey. As Winnie himself would say: "oh bother." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb6gC-G2-6c
Over two days this week discover the hidden masterpieces of artists living and working in Melbourne's inner west with Maribyrnong City Council's Open Studios in the West. Through a self-guided tour, you'll be able to wander in and out of the studios, galleries and workshops of some of Melbourne's most interesting artists, performers and designers in Footscray, Yarraville, Maidstone and Braybrook. These artists will welcome you into their studios — be it their backyard shed, a warehouse, or even their own lounge room. It's a great opportunity to experience the inspiration and working spaces of a diverse range of the city's creatives. Alongside the artistic wandering, the Maribyrnong City Council will be hosting a number of events, including an illustration exhibition by artist-in-residence Serene Lau, artist talks at Footscray Library and drawing workshops at The Art Room in Footscray. For the full program, visit the website.
The chefs at Richmond's Kong are showing off their char grill skils, with the launch of their new weekly Sunday BBQ set menu. Starting off with pork on Sunday, November 5, the restaurant will be rotating meats and focusing on a different protein. After pork comes lamb, then chicken, then seafood, then Christmas ham for the holiday season and duck in the new year. To give you a bit more of an idea of what to expect, this Sunday's dishes will feature baby back pork ribs with Kong's Crazy Horse chilli or a soy and sesame glaze. For lamb week, you can expect BBQ miso lamb shoulder with charred lemon. And the week after, chicken will be roasted with gochujang and lemon butter. Vegetarians will also be catered for with options such as the wood-roasted pumpkin and edamame salsa with sweet soy and chilli. Another reason to check out this feast is Kong's banana split of caramelised banana, miso honey ice cream, peanuts and sesame praline – which will be available every week. Kong's Sunday BBQ will be available for lunch and dinner on Sundays, for a minimum of two diners at $40 per head. For more information and to book a table visit www.kongbbq.com.au/bookings.
Ben Stiller is having a very good year. The actor has only made two movies, and neither have really proven to be a stretch for him, but when it comes to middle-aged malaise in soul-searching comedy-dramas, he well and truly knows what he's doing. The furrowed brow, the frustrated gaze, the constant passive-aggression streaming towards everyone his characters interact with: if you've seen Greenberg, While You're Young or this year's The Meyerowitz Stories, then you definitely know the type. And while Brad's Status mightn't reach quite the same heights as any of those titles, it still demonstrates Stiller doing what he does best. Playing the eponymous Brad, Stiller gets ample chances to show off his world-weary on-screen persona. Running his own non-profit organisation, married to the laid-back Melanie (Jenna Fischer) and about to see his son Troy (Austin Abrams) off to college, Brad still finds himself unhappy with his lot in life — purely because he hasn't done as well as his former friends. Nick (the film's writer-director Mike White) is a Hollywood hotshot, tech wiz Billy (Jemaine Clement) has retired to Hawaii with stacks of cash, and Jason (Luke Wilson) has a high-powered hedge fund job, a wealthy wife and a growing family. Meanwhile, the last time Brad saw author and TV political commentator Craig (Michael Sheen), he asked for a favour and didn't hear back. White's script, his third this year after The Emoji Movie and Beatriz at Dinner, uses a trip to Boston to stoke Brad's anxieties about his status. It's not really a surprising development; he's touring college campuses with Troy, and thinking about who he was when he was a student, who he is now, and the difference between his youthful dreams and his current reality. Just as Stiller isn't flirting with anything particularly fresh, but still knocks his performance out of the park, White does much same behind the camera. Having previously directed Year of the Dog and TV's Enlightened, the filmmaker is no stranger to pondering how people see their place in the world — and their reactions when they contemplate making a change. Here, of course, White has rich material to mine, especially in today's social media-obsessed world. Brad's Status shows Brad scrolling through his old pals' Facebook and Instagram feeds and fantasising about the glamorous lives he's sure they're living. Sound familiar? Far from simply serving up a Generation X riff on Ingrid Goes West, however, White also unpacks Brad's sense of entitlement as a perfectly comfortable white guy living in Sacramento (#firstworldproblems). On top of that, he probes the envy that can spring when a parent thinks their child might grow to eclipse them. It's an ostensibly straightforward, emotionally dense scenario, albeit one that overplays Brad's inner monologue a tad. There's an interesting balancing act at work here, one that Brad's Status aces more than it might initially appear. While the film's warm visuals might seem to clash with its pointed score, they encapsulate a movie that's both affectionate towards its flawed protagonist and painfully aware of his many faults. That, if nothing else, is something you don't see every day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43jt74GwBmk
UPDATE, April 16, 2021: Brigbsy Bear is available to stream via iTunes and Amazon Video. In Brigsby Bear, a grown man finds himself unable to let go of his childhood obsession. No, it's not a documentary. While farewelling beloved franchises, characters and TV shows is an increasingly rare occurrence in today's remake-, revamp-, reboot- and resurrection-centric popular culture, this sweet, insightful and genuinely moving comedy doesn't simply chronicle an adult fanboy suffering from a severe bout of arrested development. Brigsby Bear's furry heart beats with more than easy nostalgia. For the shy and awkward James Pope (writer and star Kyle Mooney, best known for his work on Saturday Night Live), his love of Brigsby Bear Adventures and its eponymous animal hero isn't driven by a wistful yearning for a past long passed. The television series might look like a relic – with its cheap sets, stilted acting and kid-friendly life lessons – and yet a new episode arrives like clockwork on VHS every week. James devours each instalment with wide-eyed enthusiasm, in his room packed wall-to-wall with Brigsby merchandise. Having spent the bulk of his life in a homely underground bunker with just his parents (Mark Hamill and Jane Adams) for company, it's literally the only escape he knows. It's also his only experience of the world beyond his contained existence. Directed by Dave McCary and co-written by Kevin Costello (two of Mooney's primary school pals), Brigbsy Bear follows James' reaction when he's thrust out of his comfort zone, forced to interact with reality and confronted with the realisation that his favourite program isn't quite what he thinks. The precise nature of the revelation is best discovered by watching, though it's not a spoiler to say that his post-Brigsby life comes as quite a shock. As he endeavours to cope, the film couldn't be more earnest or astute in exploring why we become so attached to shows and movies, or the cathartic role they play in shaping how we approach the world. Sure, it might sound like the kind of quirky concept that Mooney could satirise in an SNL skit, but empathy rather than parody proves the guiding principle here. Steeped in warmth as well as melancholy, while also flirting with darker territory, Brigsby Bear is the type of film that's cute yet never cloying, heartfelt but not schmaltzy, and amusing without resorting to caricature. It's a big bear hug of a movie, but one that ultimately makes it clear that even the most eager embraces can't last forever. Thanks to McCary's DIY-esque aesthetic, Brigbsy Bear offers viewers quite a cosy visual cuddle as well, reminiscent of Be Kind Rewind and YouTube fan films. Hey, if you're going to make a film about undying '80s-style passions, you have to make it look the part. Throw in Mooney's impressively deadpan central performance, and this is a flick that excels in hitting the right notes — in its images, its themes and its emotions alike. And, like the fictional show at its centre, it also imparts a lasting message: we're more than the things we love, but we wouldn't be who we are without them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MdrGM27yQ8
When you're celebrating Irish cinema in Australia, there's nothing like a movie made in the former with talent from the latter to connect the two together. And, if it involves one of the stars of beloved Aussie comedy Muriel's Wedding, even better. Last year, Toni Collette was in the spotlight at the Irish Film Festival, but this year it's Rachel Griffiths' turn. She's absolutely compelling in intimate drama Mammal, one of the five features on the eight-film program. Screening at the CBD's Kino Cinema from April 6–8, this year's festival boasts everything from a comedy based on a true crime tale (The Young Offenders) to a documentary about the troubles of oil and fishing at the sea narrated by actor Brendan Gleeson (Atlantic), plus plenty in between. That includes a relationship drama that tackles unplanned pregnancy with sensitivity (Twice Shy), plus a heartwarming account of two young people with learning disabilities falling in love (Sanctuary). Plus, for those who missed it at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, the festival kicks off with the charming love and friendship-focused A Date for Mad Mary, complete with a breakout performance from Irish talent Seána Kerslake. Throw in docos about Bobby Sands' famous hunger strike (Bobby Sands: 66 Days) and two friends selling mattresses (Mattress Men), and you've got yourself a short but sweet feast of Ireland's finest filmmaking.
First it was the Cheese Festival. Then it was the Sausage Fest. Finally, Prahran Market completed the holy trio of meats, cheese and chocolate with — you guessed it — a chocolate festival. After a delicious start in 2016, the Wicked Chocolate Festival returns for another year on Sunday, May 7. As well as on-stage talks about the stuff, a kitchen where you can see how it's made and tasting events, Melbourne's finest will be pulling out their best chocolate creations at the Pop-Up Chocolate Precinct. This will include — are you ready for this? — chocolate doughnuts from Doughboys, a chocolate dessert pizza from 400 Gradi, a chocolate butter bar from King Valley Dairy, and a caravan bar serving chocolate cocktails. There'll be everything from hot chocolate to cold chocolate (read: ice cream), and rich chocolate mousse to choc salted caramel lollipops. Want more? There'll also be a chocolate fountain. The market is known for their decidedly delicious events, and this one is set to be just as epic and coma-inducing — especially if you enter the chocolate eating competition. The Weiss Chocolate Eating Comp will see seven contestants pitted against each other to see who can eat the most chocolate in two minutes. They'll win a $250 prize pack, which includes market goodies and — you guessed it — more chocolate. Contestants will be selected by ballot — so to enter, just email your name, age and phone number through to chocolate@prahranmarket.com.au before April 24. In the meantime, we suggest you start practicing with some blocks of Cadbury Dairy Milk and a few rounds of The Chocolate Game. Fingers crossed you roll a few sixes.
Once, Ned Kelly and Mark "Chopper" Read called it home. Soon, a microbrewery, pub, 15-screen cinema and apartments will do just that instead. Yes, the times are certainly a-changin' at Coburg's Pentridge Prison, with 2017 marking 20 years since the site stopped its incarceration operations — and also marking the first time they're throwing a two-day festival. What was formerly Victoria's longest running gaol will host an all-ages fest filled live music, market stalls and food trucks on April 8 and 9, in what is hoped will become a yearly event. Attendees keen to get a dose of the facility's past can break up the eating and tunes with hourly tours of the prison's B Division, exercise yards and solitary confinement cells. Music-wise, the lineup features local acts such as Big Words, Cumbia Massive, Billy Davis and Funkalleros, while meals on wheels will be served up by Mr Burger, Beatbox Kitchen, Pasta Face, White Guy Cooks Thai and Billy Van Creamy, among others. Indeed, the fest has lured the likes of Zero 95 and Fancy Hank's to turn into food truck vendors for the event, treating visitors to their tasty fare beyond their usual four walls. It wouldn't be an outdoor food festival without picnic rugs aplenty — with everyone in the vicinity encouraged to hang out on the grass in the Pentridge piazza — or a beer garden bringing some booze to the celebration. Best of all, the event is free. Unlike the site's residents from times gone by, you won't want to leave.
The publishing collective Heavy Time is back at it again, this time launching their new venture, The Heavy Time institute. The Institute is a community building exercise, based in Collingwood for now, that will build workshops, exhibitions and presentations around social and creative themes. They've got a sweet line-up of events coming up in next few months to pencil into your calendar, starting with the This Is a Song exhibition curated by Benedict Brink, which is showing at the RVCA Corner Gallery until April 9. Their residency in the space will also feature a temporary bookshop featuring a curated selection of mags, zines and pieces from local folk. If you're in the neighbourhood, stop by and check out the raw and real group exhibition while it's still there.
UPDATE, March 26, 2021: Raw is available to stream via Stan, Binge, Shudder, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Cinematic explorations of teen sexuality are fairly common. So is finding the horrific side of adolescent desires and urges. Indeed, there are plenty of scary big screen stories about teens battling their feelings as well as a deadly figure or force, with the filmmakers practically yelling "METAPHOR!" at the audience. But pairing such tales with cannibalism? That's something a little more unusual. Here's hoping that your stomach is empty, because Raw offers quite the filling meal. First, the rotting carcass in the room. When Julia Ducournau's debut feature screened at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, an ambulance had to be called to look after fainting movie-goers. Raw isn't actually the wall-to-wall gore-fest you might have been led to believe, but red bodily fluids do flow freely, severed limbs certainly feature, and downing rabbit kidneys with vodka is one of the more tame occurrences to fill the film's frames. Basically, the film isn't recommended viewing for those who easily get queasy. Thanks to its far-from-standard take on the savagery of growing up, however, it's absolutely vital viewing for everyone else. When the quiet and studious Justine (Garance Marillier) is dropped off at veterinary school by her vegan vet parents, she's awash with both excitement about what's to come and reluctance about leaving her old existence behind. Marillier delivers an astonishingly astute and fluid performance, and you can see both emotions swirling behind her expressive doe eyes. The look remains when Justine is dragged out of bed in the middle of the night as part of a hazing ritual, and when she's forced to attend a raucous, rave-like subterranean party. It flickers strongly when she's told, despite her protests, to eat meat, receiving absolutely no assistance from her older sister Alexia (Ella Rumpf) who also attends the same college. And, when Justine breaks out in a rash soon after gulping back her first mouthful, it positively beams from her gaze. With a ravenous appetite for dissecting what it means to chew upon adulthood when you're still just a teenage girl — one that aptly matches her protagonist's new craving for human flesh — Ducournau slices through the typical cliches to create a film that is both thought-provoking and a sensory feast. Saying that the movie is meaty might seem a little bit easy, but as its writer-director cooks up a distinctive platter of body horror musings – taking inspiration from genre king David Cronenberg while carving out her own space – such an adjective really couldn't be more fitting. To put it simply, if you have the constitution for it, you're going to want to consume every last morsel of Ducournau's film. Your eyes will drink in the visceral thrills that come from the bites and the splatter. Your ears will soak in a score that knows when to keep things simple and when to season with pounding pressure. Finally, your brain will hunger for more as it gnaws upon the onslaught of emotional and physical carnage. Bon appétit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDiVGDmgsFY
These days, Easter promises a whole lot more than just generic choccy eggs and old-school hot cross buns. Bakeries, chocolate brands and dessert shops across the city are getting more inventive with each passing year, whipping up all sorts of creative treats worthy of a spot in your own personal Easter hunt. Here, we've rounded up some of the coolest grown-up goodies to seek out, from decadent booze-filled Easter eggs to hot cross bun-inspired bao and a choc-forward Easter-themed beer. Which of these creations will the Easter bunny be bringing you this year? DIY EASTER EGG COCKTAILS FROM COCKTAIL PORTER Ready for the ultimate adult riff on the classic choccy egg? The dessert maestros at Gelato Messina have teamed up with drink delivery service Cocktail Porter to offer a new DIY cocktail kit with a very Easter twist — these boozy concoctions are served not in glasses, but in chocolate eggs. Each pack contains all the cocktail ingredients, including some of Messina's legendary dulce de leche, plus Baileys, cold-drip coffee and Mr Black Coffee Liqueur. You'll also score Easter eggs for serving and salted caramel popcorn for a garnish. The kits are available here for delivery Australia-wide, with two sizes to choose from — the smaller option has ingredients to make five drinks ($80), while the larger makes 12 ($140). MORK X BUNS FROM MORK CHOCOLATE These hot crossed creations from Mork Chocolate are fast becoming an annual favourite, reimagining the humble Easter bun as an orange-scented Swedish-style cinnamon roll. The Mörk X Buns are sticky and buttery, crammed full of the kitchen's secret spiced fruit blend, along with extra hits of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Best enjoyed warmed up, the signature treats are available now to pre-order and pick-up from the North Melbourne Brew House. But you'll want to be quick to nab yours — over 600 of the buns have been flying out the door each day and as soon as Easter wraps up, they'll be gone for another year. HOT CROSS BAO FROM DIN TAI FUNG The dumpling masters at Din Tai Fung are celebrating Easter with a multicultural mash-up that's sure to delight any sweet-toothed folk — these rather charming hot cross bun-inspired bao. A nod to the traditional Easter bun, the pillowy little beauties are made with steamed bread and filled with oozing molten chocolate, each one finished with a sweet white cross. Available for a limited time on the menu at Din Tai Fung's Emporium restaurant, they'll set you back $5.80 for a serve of two. Otherwise, you can extend the Easter vibes well into April by stocking up on a bag of three frozen hot cross bao, delivered to your door for $8. HOT CROSS DOUGHNUT FROM SHORTSTOP One of Shortstop's best-loved seasonal treats is the one that makes an appearance every Easter — the smash-hit hot cross doughnut. A hole-y riff on the traditional bun, it's made using a spiced dough that's spiked with plenty of brandy-soaked fruit, with each doughnut dunked in a sweet honey glaze and topped with the telltale cinnamon sugar cross. As always, these return favourites are here for a good time, but not a long time, with the ovens churning out fresh batches on the daily, only until Monday, April 5. Stock up in-store, or head to the website to pre-order a few for pick-up or home-delivery. LOADED EASTER BROWNIE FROM BURCH & PURCHESE Not surprisingly, Easter is a favourite time of year for the creative minds at Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio. And among the latest batch of limited-edition desserts they're whipping up, you'll find this stunner — a supersized, finish-at-home brownie. It's fudgy and indulgent, and can be delivered to your door (or picked up in-store), ready to pop straight in the oven. With it, you'll also score a whole stack of fun toppings, just waiting for you to unleash your inner cake-decorating genius and impress your Easter guests. We're talking lush chocolate sauce, free-dried berries, crispy pearls, bunny-shaped biscuits, honeycomb chunks, vanilla marshmallows, choc-coated choc chip cookies and more. GELATO EASTER EGG FROM PICCOLINA This Easter, Piccolina Gelateria is doing what it does best — marking the occasion with a new line of limited-edition gelato treats. Available now in-store and online, you'll find three varieties of the gelato Easter egg (Uova di Pasqua), each hand-crafted, hand-wrapped and presented in a cute Piccolina tin. Choose from the white chocolate and pistachio Colomba, featuring a gooey caramel centre; the Tiramisu, blending boozy Savoiardi sponge with mascarpone gelato and coffee crema; and the Ferrerolina — a decadent assembly of Nutella-inspired gelato, puffed rice crunch and gianduja ganache, encased in dark chocolate and roasted hazelnut. Each egg clocks in at $25 and is designed to feed two to three people. If you can manage to share, that is. HOT CROSS BITES FROM KOKO BLACK Renowned Aussie chocolate brand Koko Black has some serious game when it comes to dreaming up Easter treats, with a hefty assortment of sweet delights on offer each year. But one that's earned a particularly loyal following is its inventive riff on a classic — the signature hot cross bites. They're miniature bundles of cinnamon and Easter spice, double-coated in chocolate and loaded into a big jar to be enjoyed (read: scoffed) by the handful, no toasting necessary. And if you prefer a more indulgent kind of packaging, there's the pimped-out version, featuring 200g of these tasty morsels housed in a big milk chocolate half-egg. B'EASTER EGG IMPERIAL CHOC ALE FROM DAINTON Fancy a choccy fix you can sip by the glass? Melbourne-based craft brewery Dainton has taken those familiar Easter egg flavours and transformed them into a rich, full-bodied beer, with a big, sweet finish. The B'Easter Egg imperial choc ale is as hearty as the name suggests, clocking in at nine percent ABV, though the addition of lactose helps counteract that booziness with a creamy, silky finish. A can of this will more than satisfy your Easter chocolate cravings, though it's only around for a limited time — grab yours from Dainton's online store, sample it at the Carrum Downs taphouse, or keep an eye out at your local bottle shop. HAPPY HOPPIN' CARAMEL POPCORN EGGS FROM HEY TIGER The minds at Hey Tiger have a knack for whipping up fun and innovative chocolate bar recipes, their repertoire including crafty flavour combinations like caramel and cracker crumb, and the birthday cake-inspired Glitter Kitten. And you can bet they're throwing around plenty of sweet ingenuity this Easter. Right now, you can get your mitts on a range of mini eggs and specialty bars, housed in colourful cardboard packaging that's designed to be upcycled into your next craft project. For a supremely scoffable Easter fix, hit the online store to try the Happy Hoppin' eggs, featuring smooth milk choccy bites with puffs of caramel sea salt popcorn at their centre.
The past two months have been big for Melburnians, and for Victoria as a whole as well. The state has now clocked up 23 consecutive days without any new COVID-19 cases, and restrictions keep relaxing — with even more set to ease tonight, Sunday, November 22. When Premier Daniel Andrews announced the last coronavirus roadmap changes back on Sunday, November 8, he also outlined plans for the next stage, which comes into effect at 11.59pm this evening. Of particular interest: rules around venues and gatherings, so prepare to spend some more time in more places with more people. In the hospitality sector, bigger venues will be able to welcome in up to 100 people indoors and 200 outside (with one person per four square metres), up to a cap of 300 in total. Smaller venues, under 200 square metres of floor space, will be have up to 50 people at once (with a less-strict density cap of one person per two square metres). And, regardless of size, all venues will need to use QR codes to track patrons. Both seated and non-seated entertainment venues (such as cinemas and galleries) will be able to welcome in up to 150 people per space. For larger sites, such as the National Gallery of Victoria, they'll be able to operate at a density up to 25-percent of their capacity. Drive-in cinemas won't have any caps, and community venues and libraries will be allowed 150 people inside and 300 people outside. Public outdoor gatherings will increase to 50 and private gatherings — so, folks coming over to your house — will increase to 15 from any number of other households. The latter is a daily limit, however, so you can only have 15 people over across one whole day, even if they come at different times in various-sized groups. Also, travel-wise, you'll be able to head out of town in line with the private gathering cap (so in groups of 15 people from any number of other households). https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1330294526653685760 Gyms and fitness studios will increase to a maximum of 150 people per venue in groups of 20 people, with one person per four square metres. Indoor pools can have 150 people, while outdoor pools can host 300 people. And religious gatherings will be able to have 150 people indoors and 300 outdoors. Weddings will also be able to have 150 people in attendance. Regarding masks, the rules are changing there as well. You'll need to keep wearing them indoors and on public transport, and also where you're unable to maintain social distancing. Otherwise, if you're outdoors and you can keep a safe distance, masks will no longer be compulsory. Premier Andrews also announced a few future dates of importance — and revealed what's in store on each date. The first, on Monday, November 30, is when office staff can start heading back to working onsite. That's capped at 25 percent of workers, and only applies to the private sector, with public sector employees continuing to work from home. On Sunday, December 6, the next stage of eased restrictions will be unveiled, getting the state closer to the step it's calling 'COVID-normal'. But it has already been revealed that, from 11.59pm on Sunday, December 13, Victorians will be able to host more people in their homes. Yes, it's timed for Christmas gatherings — and the cap will go up from 15 to 30. Again, that's a daily limit, so you can only have 30 people over across one whole day, even if they come at different times. Running through all of the above, Premier Andrews noted the enormous change in Victoria's COVID-19 situation in the past few months. "Three months ago, Victoria had 4293 active cases. Today we have one. It's an incredible achievement. And the clearest evidence there is of our determination to not only get on top of this virus – but to squash it." For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health and Human Services website — and for further details about Victoria's steps for reopening, head to the roadmap itself. Top image: Kate Shanasy.
Salty, sour, just sweet enough and refreshing; the classic margarita ticks multiple flavour boxes and it's synonymous with fun bars, holidays and sunshine. And now is the perfect time to head to your favourite tequila watering hole to order a salty-rim marg in celebration of National Margarita Month, running throughout February. The key to a moreish margarita is to use high-quality ingredients, like 100-percent agave tequila. We've partnered with Herradura, one of the longest running tequila makers in Mexico, to dive into the detailed history of the humble drink, to bring you fun facts to impress your mates with, and to give you an easy recipe for a Horseshoe Margarita to make at home. A BRIEF HISTORY OF MARGARITAS Though simple and short on its ingredients, the margarita's origin story is not so simple or short. There are many varying stories of its conception, such as the tale that it was invented especially for a showgirl in Tijuana, who was allergic to all alcohol except tequila. She didn't like the agave-based spirit straight, so restaurant owner Carlos 'Dann' Herrera whipped her up a lime and tequila-based cocktail and the rest is history. Or perhaps not. Some say the cocktail could have evolved from a now-forgotten 1930s gin or bourbon and citrus cocktail dubbed the Daisy, which eventually morphed into the margarita as we know it (the word 'margarita' is Spanish for 'daisy' so it's convincing). There are also tales of a Texas socialite Margaret 'Margarita' Sames popularising the drink (though recipes for the cocktail were around before she was), and in the 1937 book Café Royal Cocktail Book there's a tequila, Cointreau and lime juice concoction called a Picador, which is also cited as an early margarita. Origins aside, the drink has continued to develop through the decades, from slushie versions, mango, coconut or passionfruit takes, and hundreds of other permutations. We like it traditional — no matter where that original recipe came from. [caption id="attachment_761450" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Abel S García[/caption] FUN FACTS TO IMPRESS YOUR MATES WITH Ever heard of a jimador? They're Mexican farmers who harvest agave plants and are skilled at identifying ripe agave. Agave plants (the core of which is the base for tequila) are a type of succulent. Frozen margaritas were popularised after the creation of a custom machine invented by Mariano Martinez in the 70s. The drink became so in-demand that staff (especially the blenders) couldn't keep up with demand, and so Martinez took an old soft serve machine and tinkered with the frozen recipe until it was the perfect consistency for the machine. The original machine is now part of the collection at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, in Washington. Casa Herradura (where Herradura tequila is made) is the last tequila-producing Hacienda on the planet. RECIPE: HORSESHOE MARGARITA This classic margarita recipe showcases the smooth, distinctly sweet taste of agave and the subtle oak notes of Herradura tequila. Produced in the small town of Amatitàn in the heart of Mexico's tequila region, Herradura grows millions of blue agave — and has done for 150 years. These are harvested by jimadors, and the piñas (the plant's heart) are cut out and then slowly steamed to convert the starch into sugars. This is then milled in order to extract the sweet agave nectar, before being distilled to make the final premium tequila. But leave this complex and traditional process to the professionals and get ready to enjoy the fruits of Herradura's labour of love with this simple and elegant Horseshoe Margarita recipe. INGREDIENTS 60ml Herradura 30ml fresh lime juice 15ml agave syrup Sea salt Lime slice to garnish METHOD Pour Herradura tequila, lime juice and agave syrup into ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously. Run a lime wedge around the rim of a glass, and dip the glass in sea salt (optional). Pour your mix into an ice-filled tumbler. Easy! Celebrate Margarita Month in Melbourne at Campari House, Fifty Five, Fitzroy Beer Garden, Fonda, Go Go Bar, Hecho en Mexico, Hotel Jesus, Howler, Katuk, Little Hop, Los Hermanos, Lower Plenty Hotel, Maeve Fox, Mamasita, Ponyfish Island, Royal Derby Hotel, SiBar, Spice Market, Stolberg Hotel, TGI Fridays, The Blacksmith, The Bottom End, The Emerson, The Espy, Workshop Bar.
Whenever a part of the country goes into lockdown due to the pandemic, businesses are hit hard. Even if the return to stay-at-home conditions is brief, cafes, restaurants and bars can't trade as normal, and neither can retail stores that aren't deemed essential. Suppliers who work in the events industry and accommodation providers are all impacted as well — including small- and medium-sized businesses, plus sole traders. When the state last went into lockdown back in February, the Victorian Government announced a $143-million support package designed to help businesses impacted. Now that another seven-day lockdown is in effect, it has launched a new $250.7 million offering. This time, the funds are designed to help around 90,000 businesses, with the new plan split into three different initiatives. More than doubling the amount allocated in February, the Business Cost Assistance Program will receive an extra $190.01 million in funding. It'll cover one-off payments of $2500 for businesses operating in industries that can't operate under the circuit-breaker restrictions — and can't work remotely. Also receiving more funding: the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund, an initiative that has been providing financial support to licensed venues impacted by COVID-19 restriction since late 2020. It'll receive $40.7 million in this new round, and offer $3500 grants per premises. And, $20 million will go to providers in the events industry, specifically to cover losses incurred as a result of the current restrictions. Exactly how the Victorian Events Support Package will work hasn't been revealed as yet, however. While accommodation providers were covered by the Victorian Accommodation Support Program back in February, this time they're asked to apply for the aforementioned Business Cost Assistance Program alongside restaurants, cafes and non-essential retailers. Event suppliers are also eligible for the latter scheme, in addition to the targeted Victorian Events Support Package. Hoping to help a Victorian business by scoring another travel voucher? This time, you aren't in luck. No announcements have been made there, either — and whether the announced Melbourne Money rebates for CBD dining will go ahead as planned from Friday, June 11 will obviously depend on whether lockdown extends beyond its current end date of 11.59pm on Thursday, June 3. The Victorian Government has announced a $250.7 million support package designed to assist businesses impacted by the state's current circuit-breaker lockdown. To find out more, head to the Business Victoria website.
The start of winter means another truffle season has arrived with a bang. Cue all sorts of innovative truffle dishes being dreamed up and making their way onto menus across Melbourne. Plenty of chefs will be taking this high-end ingredient to soaring new heights, working it into everything from cocktails to soul-warming mushroom risottos. Forget about those winter blues and get set for truffle-centric banquets, wine-matched feasts and of course, the return of Truffle Melbourne's free festival weekend, descending on Queen Victoria Market on June 22 and 23. The luxury fungus is here for a good time, but not a long time – here's our pick of memorable truffle creations to get acquainted with this season. [caption id="attachment_725607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Houston[/caption] TRUFFLE GNOCCHI, THE TRUFFLE TRUCK Truffle Melbourne's roving Truffle Truck is setting up shop at the Queen Victoria Market on market days (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) all throughout winter, dishing up its latest truffle-infused menu to the city's fungus fiends. Proof that a truffle habit needn't cost you a bomb, this lineup is delightfully priced and packed with dishes that are easy to scoff on the move, in between browsing those market stalls. If you fancy easing into the concept, there's the truffle shuffle fries ($9), featuring hand-cut potato chips loaded with gruyere cheese and a generous sprinkle of truffle salt. Bolder still are bites like the truffle-infused scrambled eggs matched with truffle hash browns, and a decadent fresh mushroom gnocchi featuring truffle cream, parmesan and herbs ($12). TRUFFLE DUMPLINGS, NEW SHANGHAI This season, New Shanghai is getting well into the spirit of the truffle, offering a reimagined menu of Chinese favourites at both its Emporium and Chadstone outposts. A swag of the classics have been given their own truffle twist, including the black truffle xiao long bao ($12.9 for four), which boast dramatic jet black dumpling wrappers. These little beauties have that same soup dumpling taste you know and love, only elevated with a distinct truffle flavour. Other limited-edition hits include a truffle and mushroom wonton soup ($14.9), black truffle pot stickers ($16.9 for five) and truffle-infused fried rice ($19.9). We reckon you should aim for truffle overload and order the lot. New Shanghai Chadstone is dishing up the whole menu, while the Emporium store has the dumplings and the fried rice — catch them now until the end of truffle season. TRUFFLE FIG COCKTAIL, STOKEHOUSE It turns out chefs aren't the only ones getting crafty with truffles this season. Swing by St Kilda's Stokehouse from June 14 to 20 and you'll also see what happens when the famed fungus is given the bartender treatment. This beachside venue is whipping up a signature truffle cocktail for its annual truffle dinner on Thursday, June 13, though the limited-edition sip will also be sticking around on the drinks list for the following week. Dubbed the Truffle Fig, it's a heady blend of fig gin, Melbourne-made aperitif Forager 1, mezcal and lemon, spiked with a dash of truffle. Indulge in one for $20 from the bar. TRUFFLE AND FOIS GRAS GELATO, GELATO MESSINA HQ July is the perfect time to get acquainted with Gelato Messina's Creative Department in Windsor— the ever-innovative gelato masters are adding truffles to all of their dishes for a ten-day series of eight-course gelato degustation dinners. Head chef Remi Talbot has sourced elite perigord black truffles from NSW's Parkesbourne Produce farm, which boasts a similar climate and primo truffle-growing conditions as Frances's Perigord region. The Messina menu slips cleverly from savoury to sweet, featuring the likes of brioche and foie gras gelato with black truffle sauce; pistachio and black truffle gelato with matcha and white chocolate fudge; and grilled kumquat sorbet with koji cream, wattleseed and black truffle. An equally creative non-alcoholic drink is matched to each dish, with sips including a lemon myrtle and macadamia bubble tea, and a sparkling fusion of pineapple, white soy and shiitake. The degustation will only be available in Melbourne from July 18–27 and tickets are $160 per person. These dinners are known to sell out remarkably quickly — with only eight seats per night — so grab yours here. [caption id="attachment_725693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tipo 00's truffle tortellini from 2018.[/caption] TRUFFLE RISOTTO, TIPO OO Tipo 00 might be best loved for its stand-out pasta dishes, but it's also doing justice to another Italian classic, the humble, yet hard-to-nail risotto. And come winter, the return of the kitchen's long-running favourite truffle risotto is always cause for celebration among Melbourne's food scene. This one's crafted using Feron Vialone nano rice and a rich, house-made mushroom stock made from field mushrooms that have been dried for 24 hours to intensify the flavour. The base is finished with lashings of butter and parmesan cheese, and elevated with a healthy hit of fresh truffle. It's earthy, indulgent and only around for a hot minute – get in quick if you want to see what all the fuss is about. TRUFFLE CHICKEN, PHILIPPE True to form, CBD restaurant Philippe is giving this season's truffles a chic French twist, with the return of its ever-popular truffle chicken. Starring truffles from Manjimup in Western Australia, as well as locally sourced varieties once they've arrived, it's a share-friendly dish designed for two, plated up across two sophisticated courses. First up, tender chicken breast is teamed with a creamy, truffle-infused mashed potato, then the whole leg is served with seasonal vegetables and a rich truffle jus. Both courses are finished with extra shavings of fresh truffle for good measure. It's a luxury two-person feast that'll set you back $130 for the whole chook – now that's date night, done right. It's recommended you order 24-hours in advance.
Whether you regularly take advantage of its open spaces, simply rush across it while you're walking through the city or just occasionally frequent some of its sites, if you're a Melburnian, you probably have some thoughts on Federation Square. The Flinders Street spot has become a significant part of the city since it first opened back in 2002 — and, as it nears the end of its second decade, the Victorian Government is asking for input about the space's future. As part of a review that was launched earlier this year, interested parties can supply their thoughts, wants, hopes and dreams for Fed Square during the now-open community consultation process. And, given recent events, it's likely that plenty of folks have some pretty strong views. It was only back in April that the site's planned big revamp — the controversial construction of Apple's first Australian flagship store, which would've involved the demolition of the Yarra Building — was canned after vocal backlash. [caption id="attachment_685146" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Federation Square[/caption] Fed Square will still be undergoing a significant change anyway, thanks to the $11 billion Metro Tunnel. One of the project's new stations, at Town Hall, will include an entrance at Fed Square's northwest corner — as well as an underground pedestrian connection to the site and Flinders Street Station. Taking planned developments into consideration, the current review is seeking specific feedback on how Federation Square functions as a public space and meeting place. The government is pondering opening the site up with more public space, as well as providing a better connection to the Yarra River. If you have a burning idea, you have until the end of September to complete the Federation Square Review online survey.
Lobster has long been the fancy champagne of the seafood world. For most of us, it's the kind of dish that you can only justify having when you really feel like going all out and treating yo'self — but, for the next few weeks, the indulgent crustacean-based meal is gracing Betty's Burgers' menu. Combining fresh lobster meat, the chain's special mayonnaise, shallots, chives, lemon and spice, Betty's new lobster roll is now on offer at all of its 22 Australian stores. If your stomach is already rumbling, you can tuck into one for $19 — or combine it with fries and a glass of wine for $29. You'll need to get in quickly, though, with the lobster roll only available for a limited time. Just how long you'll be able to nab one for hasn't been revealed, but it's expected to only last a few weeks. Known for its Shake Shack-style burgs and frozen custard desserts (called concretes), Betty's is making a foray into lobster to celebrate its beachy roots. While you can now grab a Betty's burger at six Sydney outlets, four Melbourne spots, four Brisbane outposts, one Toowoomba eatery and one location in Adelaide, the company first began in Noosa, and then expanded to the Gold Coast. Betty's Burgers' lobster roll is available at all 22 Australian stores for a limited time. For more information and to find your nearest store, visit Betty's Burgers' website.
These days, Melburnians are pretty much spoilt for choice when it comes to sipping beers straight from the source, as craft breweries pop up all over town. But you'll be hard-pressed to find beer much fresher than the stuff at the soon-to-open Burnley Brewing, which will be poured right from the brewery's Brite tanks within days of when it's crafted. Slated to open its doors this December in the space currently home to Romulus and Remus, this might just be the brewpub of your dreams (if you regularly dream about drinking from a tank of beer). Not only are owners Renton Carlyle-Taylor (Milton Wines, The Alps), Phil Gijsbers (Pedro Espresso, Small Print Pizza Bar) and Neil Mills (Small Print Pizza Bar, Pedro Espresso) promising what's likely Richmond's freshest beer, the bartenders serving it are all Cicerone certified, having completed industry-recognised specialist beer training. There'll be ten taps pouring a range of seasonal house beers, running from fruit-driven sours, to hoppy US-style ales, to gutsy, barrel-aged Russian imperial stouts. Meanwhile, the minds behind wine lists at Toorak Cellars and Milton Wine Bar have curated a selection of artisanal Aussie wines with a focus on natural drops, to sit alongside the food lineup. Some old favourites from the Romulus and Remus menu will be making a comeback (think, pulled pork and beef lasagne, and hand-rolled pasta dishes), rounding out a selection of American-inspired drinking snacks and late-night, vegan-friendly fare. Burnley Brewing will open at 648 Bridge Road, Burnley from December. For updates, check burnleybrewing.com.au.
No plans for Valentine's Day and no interest in making any? You're in luck. Go about your usual business this Wednesday — that is, as far as humanly possible away from red roses, schmultzy songs and pashing pairs — and you could still be in for a nice little surprise. That's because Penguin Random House is planning on helping you to escape — by setting you up with a book, instead of a person. After all, books can't talk back and, if they end up being not what you thought they were, you can always put them back on the shelf. Said books will be dropped in bundles on trains and at various sites all over Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this Valentine's Day. There's no way of knowing where you'll find them and what you might find yourself reading. The idea is to do away with pre-conceived ideas, promoted by particular genres, authors and cover art. The publishing house is scattering the books in partnership with Street Library, Sydney, and Books on the Rail, which launched in Melbourne in early 2016 and regularly circulates books on Melbourne's public transport. If you find one, take it home and read it — just remember to pop it back on the train when you're done.
There's never a bad time for Italian cuisine, whether you're tucking into a breakfast jaffle filled with truffled pecorino and Tuscan kale, treating yourself to a salumi plate for lunch, or devouring a hearty dish of eggplant and almond ravioli for dinner. They're all on offer at Melbourne's newest Mediterranean eatery, Lello Pasta Bar, which spreads its regional cuisine across its all-day menu. Setting up shop in Flinders Lane, Lello proves a case of familiar site, new focus, in what the venue is calling an evolution Yak Italian Kitchen. Head chef and co-owner Leo Gelsomino is now taking inspiration from the wealth of dishes Italy has to offer, blending it with a homely vibe and serving up the kind of fare likely to make you dream about a European holiday. Early morning offerings from breakfast chef Julie Touma (ex-Swing Bridge Café in Lorne) include stracciatella with roast pumpkin, poached egg, pumpkin seed granola and a grilled baguette; coddled eggs with house smoked ocean trout, kohlrabi remoulade and toasted sourdough; and herb and parmesan frittata topped with brown mushrooms. Grab a Heart Starter Pear Tree martini to go with them, with the blend of pear-infused vodka, St Germaine Elderflower liquor, lime juice, angostura bitters and cinnamon recommended with breakfast. Gontran Cherrier pastries, takeaway baguettes with daily-changing fillings and Atomica Coffee are also on offer, as well as English muffins with buffalo ricotta and wellington honeycomb. Those stopping by for a midday or evening spread will find five types of antipasto, such as stuffed calamari with mussels and warm artichokes with liquorice brioche, eight homemade pasta dishes, and both fish and chef's plates of the days. Given the eatery's name, it should come as no surprise that their pastas will tempt your tastebuds — think potato gnocchetti served with scallops, asparagus, peas and vermouth; a veal, pork and spinach traditional lasagne that hails from the Ferrara region; and slim candele tubes with chickpea, homemade spicy pork liver and orange sausage. Desserts range from wild fennel ice cream to sweet cannoli to the old favourite that is tiramisu. Find Lello Pasta Bar, at 150 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Head to their website for more information. Images: Eugene Hyland.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Melbourne. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week get some culture — test your film trivia, relax to the dulcet tones of jazz and head to a good ol' fashioned drive-in. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Melbourne. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, sip a vegemite milkshake (if you dare), learn to navigate around without sight and eat burgers in a train in the sky. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Melbourne, rejoice. No longer will your late-night pho cravings go unsated. The team behind Hochi Mama is opening Australia's first ever 24-hour pho joint in the CBD. Pho real. Set to open on Russell Street in the heart of the CBD, the team at Twenty Pho Seven sets out to deliver exactly what their name suggests. Pho. 24/7. Whether it's a breakfast broth or a substitute for that 4am kebab, these guys have you covered. In addition to promising "the best pho in Melbourne", Twenty Pho Seven also serves up an array of Vietnamese entrees, including rice paper rolls, spring rolls and banh mi. It will also have a number of Asian-inspired cocktails on offer, served in bubble cups. Best part? It'll only be closed on December 25 over the Christmas and New Year period. Otherwise, it's all systems pho. Twenty Pho Seven is now open all the time 138 Russell Street, Melbourne. For more information, visit twentyphoseven.com.au. Images: Eugene Hyland.
A mainstay of the city's cinema scene for more than half a century, and the only place within inner Melbourne where you can still watch a big-screen movie from your car, the Coburg drive-in has been put on the market. Listed for public tender by JLL Melbourne, the Newlands Road landmark is expected to fetch more than $11 million — so if you have a rather large sum of cash sitting idle in your bank account for some miraculous reason, take note. Also featuring a retro diner, kid's playground and ticketbooth with an old yellow Holden on top, the 8.16-hectare site is being sold by current owners and operators Village Roadshow Theatres, who run the three-screen drive-in. As part of the sale, the company would like to lease the space back and continue operating the outdoor cinema on a ten-year lease. And while that sounds like good news for the city's cinephiles, the sale listing does also note the spot's "multitude of future redevelopment options". "Given the high underlying land value component, the sale price could go a lot higher," said JLL's Adrian Rowse in an article on the listing agent's website. "There are plenty of future options... and it's also likely to suit an e-commerce user, subject to council approval." Accordingly, although it seems as though the drive-in will stick around for the next ten years, what happens after that — or of that will really prove to be the case — will be up to the purchasers. Melbourne was actually home to the first drive-in in Australia, with a now-closed site at Burwood opening in 1954. Originally including just two screens, the Coburg site first opened back in 1965, and was closed between 1984–7 before re-opening. It's now one of just three left in the Melbourne area, alongside the Lunar Drive-in at Dandenong and the Dromana Drive-in at Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. Via The Age. Images: Brook James.
Melbourne has scored a serve of 80s French-chic flair, with the opening of Garçon Paris Steakhouse last month. Taking over the space previously home to the CBD outpost of Entrecôte, the restaurant is a trendy take on the classic Parisian bistros and steakhouses of yesteryear — with white tablecloths, walls lined with bottles of wine, cosy booths and orb-like lights hanging from the ceiling — and your new inner-city go-to for oysters, Champagne and some really good beef. The menu, designed by chef Matt Franklin, previously at Geelong's Le Parisien, pays homage both to the classic and the contemporary — and heroes top cuts of grass-fed Aussie meat. Go for the classic steak frites, which stars a 250g Cape Grim porterhouse with café de Paris butter, or try the lunchtime mitraillette — an elevated steak sandwich, teamed with herb butter and loaded onto a fresh baguette. Other French favourites include the signature steak tartare, a twice-baked goats cheese soufflé, and escargots — bien sûr. Oysters come shucked to order, with shallots and an aged red wine vinaigrette, and there's a host of proper French bubbly to match. A coffee window caters to the fly-by crowd, while after-work visitors will be all about the daily 4–6pm happy hour, offering $13 glasses of Heidsieck Champagne, $2.50 oysters and a chic snack menu. Find Garçon Paris Steakhouse at 6 Alfred Place, Melbourne.
If your commute to work usually involves a bus, we're sorry. Melbourne bus drivers with transport outfit CDC Victoria will today — Tuesday, July 10 — strike for 24 hours as part of their negotiations with the Transport Workers Union, leaving many routes delayed or just not running at all. The main areas to bear the brunt of the strike are the city's west, inner east and southeast. Services running in Ballarat and Geelong will also be impacted. The industrial action will run from the last bus on Monday, 9 July until the first bus Wednesday, 11 July, which will see crowding on alternative transport such as trains, trams and bus drivers. Public Transport Victoria has assured that metropolitan and regional trains, trams and bus services not operated by CDC will be running as normal, with the company saying it is working to maximise the number of alternative services available for passengers. These are the metropolitan bus routes affected. For more details, impacted regional routes and updates, check the Public Transport Victoria website. 150 151 153 160 161 166 167 170 180 181 190 191 192 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 414 415 417 418 419 421 423 424 425 439 441 443 461 494 495 496 497 498 601 605 606 612 623 624 625 626 630 To keep up-to-date with service times, visit the PTV and CDC Victoria websites. Image: CDC Victoria.
If you commute to work by train, you're looking at having a frustrating autumn. Well, at least a frustrating April. The Victorian Government has announced that sections of nine Melbourne train lines will be closed from April 1–23 to complete more work on the South Yarra side of the Metro Tunnel and make way for a shiny new fleet of high-capacity trains. What does that mean? Replacement buses. If you travel on any of the lines that service the southeast suburbs, you'll most likely have to switch from the train to a bus at some point on your commute. Plus, in the north, part of the Mernda line will be closed at the same time for a level crossing removal. If you were impacted by the train closures back in January, it's likely that'll you'll probably have your commute stuffed around again this autumn. According to The Age, the works will affect more that 1.5 million Melburnians. https://twitter.com/ptv_official/status/1106094153795096576 The lines that'll be impacted across the Easter holiday period are Cranbourne, Pakenham, Frankston, Sandringham, Glen Waverley and Mernda, as well as the Gippsland and Geelong/Warrnambool V/Lines. Here's what we know so far about what's happening on each of the affected lines. Frankston: Buses will replace trains between Mordialloc and Frankston stations from April 1–3, between Flinders Street and Caulfield stations from April 6–23, and between Flinders Street and Moorabbin stations from April 13–14 and April 19–21. Cranbourne and Pakenham: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Caulfield stations from April 6–23, and between Caulfield and Westall stations from April 13–14, and between Flinders Street and Westall from April 19–21. Glen Waverley: Buses will replace trains between Burnley and Darling stations from April 13–14. Mernda: Buses will replace trains between Thornbury and Epping stations from April 3–9, and between Clifton Hill and Merda stations from April 13–14. Sandringham: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Sandringham stations on April 6, and between Flinders Street and Sandringham stations from April 13–14 and April 19–22. Plus, V/Line services will be affected as well. Coaches will replace trains on the Warrnambool and Geelong line from April 6–21. Something to keep in mind if you're travelling home or out of the metro area over the holiday period. The Gippsland line is also expected to be affected, but passengers will, once again, receive free travel. You can find the full details on line closures here. The free tram zone will also be extended for games at the MCG throughout April — but sports fans are told to allow extra time for travel. The State Government is advising commuters to leave an extra 60 minutes for travel in the case of delays, so it's advisable that you plan your trip carefully. For up-to-date info, your best bet is to check the disruptions map on the government's Big Build website. Image: Josie Withers for Visit Victoria. Updated: March 29, 2019.
Finding a designated driver on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve is not an easy feat — nan is stuck into the boozy pud, dad has pulled a dusty one out of the cellar and you don't really want to carpool with that weird uncle. And no one's putting their hand up to find a park near the fireworks on December 31. Public Transport Victoria understands, and is easing the pain of commuting on the two big days (slightly) by offering all public transport for free. Over Christmas Day, all trains, trams, buses and V/line services will be free from 3am on Tuesday, January 25, till 3am on Wednesday, January 26. Most public transport services will be running to a Sunday timetable, and there will be limited V/Line coaches to regional cities. There will, however, be no Night Buses, Trams, Trains, so if you do spend too much time sipping sherry with your aunt, you might have to try your luck with a taxi or Uber. A few days later, over New Year's Eve, the same public transport services will be free from 6pm on Monday, December 31 until 6am on Tuesday, January 1. As there will most likely be hordes of people flocking to get home after the fireworks, metro trains will be running every ten minutes from midnight till 1.30am, trams running every five-to-ten minutes until 2am and 905, 906, 907 and 908 buses every 15 minutes till 2am. You can check out a comprehensive rundown of New Year's Eve services at the Public Transport Victoria website. For those located regionally, the first V/Line service to each regional destination on New Year's Day will also be free. If you do want to check out the midnight fireworks, they'll be four spots to catch them: Docklands, Flagstaff Gardens, Treasury Gardens and Kings Domain. The City of Melbourne has created this handy map pinpointing the closest train stations, too: To use the free public transport you just need to rock up, and you don't need to be carrying a valid Myki. Find more information on the free travel periods here and check for updates on the PTV website.
Four Pillars continues to help push Melbourne's gin scene into exciting new places, flexing its creative muscles even harder with every new release drop. Now, just weeks after the Healesville distillery launched the latest annual edition of its Christmas Gin, it's unveiled another boozy wonder — this time paying homage to legendary local haunt, The Espy. Fittingly dubbed Sticky Carpet Gin, the new creation's been crafted in celebration of the historic pub's much-hyped reopening, infusing all of the venue's big personality and colourful past into one vibrant sip. With this drop, Four Pillars co-founder and distiller Cam Mackenzie set out to capture the spirit of a venue that's meant many different things to different people. To lend an unmistakable pub feel and give a malty edge, the gin uses local Watts River roasted dark stout in its base. On top of that, some roasted barley and Cascade hops push the beer flavour a little further, mingling with other botanicals like juniper, coriander, green pepper, honey and cassia, and a fresh hit of lemon peel and ginger. The result is a little bit deeper and darker than your usual gin of choice, aptly described by Cam as "a gin for beer lovers". Even the Sticky Carpet Gin's packaging gives a firm nod to The Espy, with old band posters recovered from the venue used on the underside of the labels. Unfortunately, the bottle isn't available for purchase, so you can only sample the new collaboration gin exclusively at The Espy, where it's being worked cleverly into a range of signature sips. Find it mingling happily with ginger syrup, lemon juice and a frothy pale ale top for the Hawksmoor Shaky Pete Ginger Brew, or perhaps in the more delicate 500 Days of Summer: a blend of Sticky Carpet Gin, elderflower, strawberries, mint leaves and ginger beer. Images: Lauren Bamford.
If you've partied on the Mornington Peninsula sometime in the past couple of decades, chances are you'll know 'The Conti' — the big limestone boozer overlooking Sorrento's Main Street, that has played host to many a sweaty, smoky late-night dance floor sessions, especially in those summer months. But the The Continental Hotel's future is steering down a very different path. Melbourne developer Steller plans to transform the heritage site into an $80 million luxury accommodation, entertainment, wellness and dining destination. Work has already kicked off on what will be Sorrento's biggest ever tourist investment, with the 140-year-old hotel set to score some impressive restorations helmed by Six Degrees Architects, as well as three new interconnecting buildings. The Continental 2.0 will be unveiled in two stages, with the first slated to be up and running by September 2019. This initial offering will include a marble-clad Champagne bar, a new public bar and bistro — named Coppin's, after the building's famous founder George Coppin— and a fine dining restaurant dubbed 1875, in a nod to the year the building opened. They'll be followed by a wellness centre, with a day spa and gym, five-star hotel, cafe and wine bar, and assortment of event spaces — all yet to be approved, but with a forecast launch date somewhere in spring 2020. The Continental Hotel is located at 1/21 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento. Its bar, bistro and fine diner are slated for opening in September 2019.
Shannon Bennett already boasts Vue de Monde, Benny Burger and Iki-jime to his name, and is set to open music venue Geddes Lane Ballroom in the coming months. There's no rest for the chef, however, perhaps thanks to his latest caffeine-fuelled endeavour — a CBD cafe. Opening on Tuesday, October 9, Barista by Vue is the next addition to Bennett's growing portfolio, and it's taking over a familiar location. Find the coffee spot at 430 Little Collins Street, in the space that previously housed the Café Vue servery. Yes, that means it's in very close proximity to both Benny Burger and Iki-jime. The familiar elements keep on coming, with the new venture a collaboration with long-term Vue Group employee Todd Gatehouse.Vue Group executive chef Justin James will oversee the menu, executive pastry chef John Demetrios — the figure responsible for Iki-jime's dessert degustations — is on pastry and dessert duty, and the cafe has paired up with Vue's coffee regular Five Senses to create its own Vue Blend. As a result, Melburnians can expect a deli-style range of sandwiches and salads, plus a selection of sweet options that have been designed to go with coffee. And as far as grabbing a cuppa is concerned, the custom Five Sense blend will be joined by limited-release single-origin brews, special pours and bulletproof coffee. Wary of the environmental footprint that cafes can cause, Barista by Vue is also doing its part for the planet in a variety of ways. The space is decked out with as much recycled and excess materials as possible, including timber from the old Bar 20 that Bennett is currently turning into Geddes Lane Ballroom. It'll also be recycling and composting its used coffee grinds. And, in excellent news for war on waste-conscious customers, the cafe will also offer a cup exchange. You'll be able to pick up a non-single-use cup for a fee, or bring in your own. Do the latter on opening day, and you'll also nab a coffee for $1. Find Barista by Vue at 430 Little Collins Street, Melbourne from Tuesday, October 9.
You've now got a tasty new excuse to make that Yarra Valley road trip, with the arrival of Graceburn Bistro — a weekend-only dinner offering from local winemaking legend Mac Forbes and chef Erik Koel. It's a new direction for the Healesville venue, which has been operating for the past three years as a daytime wine bar and cellar door. "We have this fantastic wall of wine, a chef who we've successfully collaborated with on special events in the past and a beautiful little space in the centre of town," explains Forbes. "I think both locals and visitors are going to love our take on an intimate, modern bistro." In the kitchen, Koel is celebrating simplicity with a one-page menu of unpretentious fare. It's seasonal, produce-driven and made to be shared. Forbes' own award-winning drops will headline the wine list, joined by a curated selection of bottles from both overseas and closer to home. The space itself is intimate, with room for just over 30 diners, though it packs a punch in the design department at the hands of architect Zenta Tanaka (whose work you've seen at the likes of CIBI and Mina.no.ie). Graceburn Bistro is open for dinner from 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays and from 11am for Sunday lunch at 11a Green Street, Healesville. Images: Lizzie Halloran. Updated: July 29, 2018.
Stomp and cheer, Melburnians: Moulin Rouge! The Musical is returning to the Regent Theatre for a second spin. It's the first Australian-produced show to win the Tony Award for Best Musical. It's based on an adored Baz Luhrmann-directed, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor-starring film. With its tale of star-crossed lovers set to a toe-tapping soundtrack, it's been a Broadway sensation. And, it's heading back to where its Australian season began from Sunday, August 20. If you're as infatuated with all things Moulin Rouge! as its central duo are about each other (and about professing their affection through song), then you might remember that the musical initially hit Melbourne in 2021. And, you might also recall that nabbing a cheap ticket was on the bill, too, thanks to the TodayTix lottery. In spectacular spectacular news, that's back for 2023 as well. As has happened with everything from The Book of Mormon and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to Hamilton and Mary Poppins, this chance to score discounted Moulin Rouge! seats is all about entering a weekly draw, then crossing your fingers. If you're successful, you'll get a ticket for just $30. Yes, that figure is accurate. This is your opportunity to see the acclaimed screen-to-stage musical for less than the price of a dinner. To take part in the lottery, you will need to download the TodayTix app — which is available for iOS and Android — and submit your entry each week for the next week's performances. The lottery goes live at 12.01am every Thursday morning, with winners drawn after 1pm on the following Wednesday. If your name is selected, you'll have an hour to claim your tickets from when you receive the good news. If you need a reminder, you can also sign up for lottery alerts via TodayTix, too. Moulin Rouge! The Musical brings to life the famed Belle Époque story of young composer Christian and his heady romance with Satine, actress and star of the legendary Moulin Rouge cabaret. Set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, the show is known for its soundtrack, celebrating iconic tunes from across the past five decades. The film was, too; however, the stage version backs up the movie's tracks with even more hit songs that have been released in the two decades since the feature premiered. Usually, tickets will set you back $69–598 a pop — so the $30 lottery really is an absolute bargain. Moulin Rouge! The Musical returns to Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Sunday, August 20. To enter the Today Tix $30 lottery, download the company's iOS or Android app, and head to the company's website for more information — and to set up an alert. Images: Michelle Grace Hunder.
