Thanks to Taronga Zoo, you can already spend your days staring at capybaras, seals, meerkats, otters, sumatran tigers, lions and elephants, all without leaving your home. With Sydney back in lockdown, the famed venue has relaunched its online TV channel, where it livestreams its adorable critters all day and all night. All those animals are all well and good. They're great, and they're very easy to spend too much time staring at, actually. But if you'd like to scope out some penguins as well, now you can. Yes, penguin cam is now part of Taronga's live-stream lineup, with its 45 little penguins and four Fiordland penguins being caught on camera 24/7. Melbourne's zoos have been live-streaming their penguins during the pandemic also, so this isn't the first time you've been able to gawk at black-and-white creatures while they go about their business — but when it comes to watching animals, the more the merrier, obviously. There's your background viewing sorted. Popping the stream on in the background while you work from home suits these kinds of feeds, in fact, because sometimes the critters in the spotlight aren't in view. The online television station was established by Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo in 2020, and it is back now for obvious reasons. Taronga is also releasing regular videos across its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels, and making keeper talks and other clips available online as well. Or, you could always take a peak at its new Southern hairy-nosed wombat joey via our own website. It's just as adorable as you'd expect, naturally. To check out Taronga TV, head to the channel's website — or keep an eye on its videos on its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages. Top image: Rick Stevens
Over the past year, The Griswolds have scored every Australian band's dream trifecta: a gig at Parklife, a successful European tour and a global record deal. "It feels like a dream come true," they said in an April interview with FBi, "but to be honest, it's been a really trippy twelve months, and we still can't believe what is happening." As you're reading this, the Sydney-based group's cheeky lyrics, fine-tuned harmonies and idiosyncratic percussion are hitting airwaves in the Northern Hemisphere, via the US release of their debut EP. The boys themselves, however, have been on home soil of late, recording a new track with 2012 Unearthed Artist of the Year nominee Chance Waters. Having done their time in the studio, they're now about to hit the road together on a lightning-fast, four-date east coast tour, More than Just Friends. https://youtube.com/watch?v=58iSZlM_8hY
Summer is right around the corner, and we're looking for every excuse we can find to spend our weekends outdoors. So when we heard that this Sunday was The Rose Hotel's annual street party, you can imagine we were pretty excited. Food, friends, music and beverages in the sun. What more could you possibly desire? For those not in the know, The Rose Hotel Street Party is something of a tradition. Every year, this iconic Fitzroy pub pulls out all the stops to raise money for a local community project. This time, they're hoping to help build the kids at Fitzroy Primary a new playground. So really, it's your duty to get drink. Think of the children! The fun starts at 11.30am and stretches on until dinner time. Expect live music, raffles, charity auctions and good vibes all day long.
In celebration of National Reconciliation Week, Melbourne Quarter will be showcasing the work and stories of First Nations creatives, businesses, and individuals. From May 30–June 1, the lobby at One Melbourne Quarter will play host to a market stall pop-up showcasing threads and homewares from celebrated First Nations businesses, retailers and creatives. Meanwhile, the lobby at Two Melbourne Quarter will feature a captivating lobby installation of remarkable weaving pieces curated in partnership with Ngali, a First Nations fashion retailer. Some of the woven pieces were recently been featured at Afterpay's Australian Fashion Week in Sydney. Be immersed in the art of weaving led by First Nations artists. These three weaving workshops delve into the diverse applications of First Nations' weaving, including jewellery making, headwear, and basket weaving. This series offers limited spaces, so be sure to register on the website. Experience the transformative power of art at Gunpowder Walk, where the work of Alinta Koehrer takes centre stage with this year's art mural. Alinta, an up-and-coming artist and young Woi-Wurrung Wurundjeri and Yorta Yorta woman infuses the space with her unique artistic vision — her mother, Simone Thomson, contributed to the National Reconciliation Week art mural for Melbourne Quarter in 2022. Sergy Boy will be recognising National Reconciliation Week by offering First Nations beverages during its happy hour specials on June 1, from 4–7pm. Explore the flavours of Jarrah Boy, brewed on Kabi Kabi country in Queensland by founder Dale Vocale, a proud Monero Ngarigo man from East Gippsland, Victoria. Or sip on Sobah Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Australia's first non-alcoholic craft beer company founded by Dr Clinton Schultz, a proud Gamilaraay man from Queensland. Live music will enhance this vibrant atmosphere. Join Melbourne Quarter in celebrating National Reconciliation Week, as it honours the rich tapestry of First Nations cultures and contributions that enrich the community. Images: Melbourne Quarter
This weekend as part of their ongoing showcase of the sick, the sinister and the surreal, Cinema Nova invites audiences to a twisted game of big-screen one-upmanship, one that poses the simple, arresting question: how far would you go for the right amount of cash? A smart, disturbing, thriller-cum-morality play with excellent performances and liberal lashings of dark humour, EL Katz’s Cheap Thrills is a rare genre film that delivers on all the shock and horror of its premise, while also providing far more brains than its title might initially suggest. Pat Healy plays Craig, a mild-mannered husband and father in dire straits after being “downsized” out of a job. Drowning his sorrows in a bar, Craig happens across Vince (Ethan Embry), a long-lost buddy from high school. They get to talking, but are soon interrupted by Colin (Anchorman’s David Koechner), a coked-up, middle-aged party-animal with a bored young wife (Sara Paxton) and more money than he knows what to do with. Before long, Colin starts offering his new friends cash in exchange for dares. At first its little things: $100 to provoke a woman at the bar into slapping them, for example. But as the night goes on and the amount of money increases, so too do Colin’s challenges grow more and more extreme. Katz relies heavily on his actors, none of whom let him down. Koechner, in particular, seems to relish the chance to work with darker material than his normal comedic roles, shifting from overbearingly friendly one moment to cold and calculating the next. As his wife, Sara Paxton likewise subverts our expectations, her stunning looks and air of amused indifference soon giving way to something far, far more intense. Embry and Healy, meanwhile, capture the confusion and turmoil of two very different men, both driven by desperation to lengths they never thought possible. Indeed, Katz’s script contains a delightful sense of escalation, as he slowly pushes his two unsuspecting protagonists into increasingly twisted territory. At the same time, even the film’s most outlandish and repellent moment possess an uncomfortable plausibility. As Craig and Vince demean themselves for the amusement of their wealthy benefactors, one can’t help but sense the spectre of the global financial recession. Ultimately, for all its moments of depravity and violence, the most shocking thing about Cheap Thrills may be the realisation as to where we would draw the line for ourselves. Cheap Thrills screens as part of Cinema Nova’s late night Cultastrophe stream and will be introduced by Katz and Healy via video. Other highlights on the current program include New York underground curio The Telephone Book and an Easter inspired, family friendly screening of the 60s stop motion classic Mad Monster Party.
Remember back in the '90s when people went crazy for Tamagotchis? They'd take them around in their backpack, forget about them for a couple of hours only to be greeted with a screen full of faeces and a terribly unhappy looking electronic friend. The Domsai is like a Tamagotchi for your desk, minus the annoying electronic beeps and constant need for attention. Designed and created by Matteo Cibic, each Domsai has its own personality. Handmade, blown and individually created to suit your aesthetic needs, they come in both white and gold, and are available for adoption now. Although they will set you back €100, the cactuses within require practically no upkeep and are so Art Deco right now.
In an age of MacBook Air and SmartCars, the most recent exhibition at Fehily Contemporary comes with a fitting brief. All artworks on display have be made within a space constraint. 30cm by 40cm to be precise. Up against the spectacularly huge work on display at NGV's Melbourne Now, this is quite novel — a welcome readjustment of our perspective that allows us to take in the smaller details or hidden gems. That being said, there are lots of familiar artists' work on display, many of which actually have pieces you may have seen in Melbourne Now. Ash Keating has been getting a lot of press recently for his amazing large-scale work with the use of paint-injected fire extinguishers, but with his name on the lineup for this exhibition it will be interesting to see what he comes up with under the brief. Other work you may recognise includes the photography of Georgia Metaxas who is well known for her Mourners' series, and Abdul Abdullah who had work in Next Wave's fundraising exhibition last week. The responses to the brief include photography, sculpture, drawing and tapestry, and all are conveniently priced under $2,000 for those that want to take the pieces home. For a full list of participating artists and further examples of work on display, check out the website.
Mary Eats Cake celebrates the timeless tradition of pairing a nice cuppa with some delicious small bites, calling it a "high tea" and making you feel just that little bit fancy. With two teahouses — one in Brunswick and one in Montrose — Mary has hosted countless high teas, and now she's upping the ante by serving them alongside plenty of gin. Running on six spring Saturday afternoons between October 5 and November 9, the gin-fuelled high teas will be hosted in collaboration with Yarra Valley distillery Four Pillars. They're happening at the Montrose venue, over a two-hour period between 4–6pm. The gin high tea will set you back $74 a head and $78 if you have dietary requirements (with Mary's catering for vegetarian, vegans, gluten free, gluten free and vegan, halal, nut free and pregnant people). Your indulgent afternoon out includes a gin and tonic on arrival, a full high tea menu of sweet and savoury treats matched to two more Four Pillars gin cocktails, and teas designed by a tea sommelier. And, in perhaps the most important news, you'll also have access to unlimited scones with endless jam and cream. Four Pillars Gin High Tea runs from 4–6pm.
If you're a fan of Chinese-Australian artist Zhong Chen, here's some good news. As of November 2017, you'll be able to sleep with his works. The Art Series Hotel Group has just announced their latest venture and it's a five-storey, 100-room number dedicated to him. Named The Chen, the hotel is in Box Hill, 14 kilometres east of Melbourne, within Whitehorse Towers, which, at 36 storeys, is the tallest development outside of the Victorian capital's CBD. Architects Peddle Thorp have taken care of the design, inspired by Chen's King Fu series and, as you'd expect, fun, bold, bright colours rule. There's a bunch of digital archival fine art editions of Chen's works, as well as a stack of originals, including Rooster, fitting because Chen was born in the Year of the Rooster (1969) and the hotel will open in the Year of the Rooster (that's this year). There'll be four in-hotel spots for eating and drinking, including a yum cha restaurant, as well as a gym, events space and rooftop pool. You can also count on the Art Series' usual arty facilities and activities, including tours, libraries, television channels and documentaries, as well as Art Series-branded smart cars and Lekker bicycles available for guests. "I have lived and worked in Box Hill for nearly a decade," said Chen. "I am passionate about my community and its emergence as a cultural powerhouse outside of Melbourne. To have a hotel of such significance, opening in the year of my birth sign, is a true honour. I look forward to meeting guests and seeing how they interact with the hotel and my artworks. It is sure to be a surreal experience." The Chen is due to open in November 2017.
Doing your bit for the environment has never looked quite so good as it does with Frank Green's colourful range of reusable cups. The durable containers are not only helping to quash Australia's single-use coffee cup waste problem, they're also super stylish and beautifully designed. And you've got the perfect excuse to add a couple to your collection (or someone else's) with Frank Green's Virtual Warehouse Sale, offering up to 50 percent off a heap of Frank Green products. From Thursday, March 18 until Sunday, March 21 you'll be able to treat yourself, a friend or your family to a stylish and sustainable cup on the cheap. Head to the website to browse all the sale items and find the best deals. Frank Green is best known for its reusable cup and bottle range featuring the brand's recognisable pastel colour palette and in-built tap-to-pay feature, but its range of stylish and sustainable goods doesn't stop there. The brand also produces homewares like ceramic reusable containers, tea, coffee and stylish ceramic french presses, as well as Disney and Minions-inspired cups and bottle for kids. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Already one of the most scenic areas in Australia, the Whitsundays is giving visitors something else to look at: an installation of underwater and inter-tidal art. As part of the Whitsundays Reef Recovery and Public Art Project, six artists have created six artworks that sit beneath the sea, with the first four sculptures now in place. If you're heading to Blue Pearl Bay, Manta Ray Bay or Langford Spit, you can now check out the new attractions, as created by artists Brian Robinson, Col Henry and Adriaan Vanderlugt. Set up on Manta Ray Bay, Robinson's Migration of the Mantas is made from concrete and stainless steel, spans four metres by six metres and depicts six large manta rays, while Henry's Turtle Dream fashions a hawksbill turtle out of 15 tonnes of stainless steel at Langford Spit. As for Vanderlugt, he has two pieces in place: Maori Wrasse, which towers nearly four metres high in Blue Pearl Bay, and Manta Ray in Manta Ray Bay featuring indigenous markings from the Ngaro people, the Whitsundays' traditional owners. They'll soon be joined by another sculpture from Robinson, called Bywa, with the intertidal piece retelling a Dreamtime story about the reef, creation and marine life. It'll be put in place in Horseshoe Bay in Bowen later this month. Completing the set is a collaboration by Caitlin Reilly, Jessa Lloyd and Kate Ford, from the Arts Based Collective. Dubbed Anthozoa and headed to Blue Pearl Bay by late September, it "not only performs aesthetically in its sculptural form, but importantly doubles as a site for reef restoration," Lloyd explained when their piece was commissioned last year. "As the underwater form matures, visitors snorkelling and diving the site will see a sculpture festooned with a myriad of coral species, tentacles encrusted with soft and hard corals, marine animals sheltering in and peeking from small holes." [caption id="attachment_631230" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Lauren Vadnjal[/caption] Selected from 73 expressions of interest, the sculptures all sit in spots accessible to snorkelers and scuba divers — should you need something else to look at, other than marine life, on your next underwater adventure. Other than celebrating creativity, the Whitsundays Reef Recovery and Public Art Project aims give the region a new attraction, unsurprisingly. "This artwork will provide a new experience for people travelling to the Whitsundays and will help the marine tourism industry recover after Cyclone Debbie," said Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones in a statement in 2018. "Around the world — from the Caribbean, to the Maldives, Spain, Bali and Australia's west coast — underwater art has been used to lure visitors." Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland.
First it was toilet paper. Next up was flour. Then, Australian panic-buyers found a new object of affection: seedlings. With restrictions starting to ease and new COVID-19 cases dropping, the country's hoarding days are hopefully behind us — but, that doesn't mean you should give up on your new veggie patch. To help with this endeavour is a new stall at the Queen Vic Market. Robbo & Sons Seedlings is selling fresh veggie seedlings — including broccoli, cauliflower, celery, silver beet and boy — for a bargain: five seedlings for just $10. Whether you want to start a small edible garden on your balcony or fill every inch of your backyard with fruit, vegetables and herbs, Robbo will be able to help you out. It's, conveniently, located in the I Shed opposite The Eggporium and American Doughnut Van — incase you want to grab something to eat right now while you're there. Shopping for food and other essentials is a valid reason to leave your home under Victoria's stay-at-home restrictions, but if you'd like to avoid as much interaction as possible, the Queen Vic Market is also offering a preorder and pick up service from over 40 different traders. Just head over to the website, order your cheeses, croissants and cookbooks, pay and then choose what time you'd like to pick it all up. Pickup is available from 8am-2pm on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and from 8am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday. The Queen Vic Market is open from Tuesday–Sunday. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria and the current restrictions, head to the Victorian Government website.
From its little pocket in The Rocks in Sydney, Maybe Sammy has been making some big noise. The innovative cocktail bar is not just a regular on the World's 50 Best Bars list, but is currently Australia's highest ranked, last year coming in at number 22. And now, this legendary drinking spot is shaking and stirring its way down to Melbourne, for a one-off takeover of W Melbourne's cocktail bar, Curious. From 5pm on Tuesday, July 12, you'll catch three of Maybe Sammy's finest mixologists descending on the glam hotel bar, whipping up five of their signature sips as they show off their theatrical flair. [caption id="attachment_860285" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Maybe Sammy team[/caption] To match, expect carefully paired tunes courtesy of W Melbourne's Music Curator Rachel Phillips, aka DJ Minx. Plus, Curious' usual high-quality snack offering will also be up for grabs — think, tuna tataki, tempura bugs, scallop tostadas with truffle ponzu and ssamjang lamb tacos. Entry to the takeover is free, though you'll need to book a table online to secure your spot. [caption id="attachment_799205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Curious[/caption]
We've all seen films where star-crossed lovers ride the rollercoaster of romance. And we've all seen films where aspiring artists weather the ups and downs of chasing their dreams. Starting with a series of awkward encounters, and focusing on a struggling actress and a jazz pianist, La La Land offers both. But the thing that makes writer-director Damien Chazelle's musical follow-up to his breakout hit Whiplash shine isn't the familiar path it wanders down. Rather, it's how it takes audiences on that journey. When Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) first meet on the streets of Los Angeles, they're hurling ire at each other in traffic. When they finally get the chance to chat at a party, there's teasing in the air, with a romantic connection soon blooming. As their relationship continues, Sebastian inspires Mia to break free of the soul-crushing audition cycle and write her own one-woman play. In turn, he keeps working towards opening a jazz club, while also taking up the opportunity to pursue something more lucrative and concrete. So far, so straightforward. But all isn't fair when you're simultaneously trying to find love, seek your chosen career and carve out a fulfilling life. While it might not feature J.K. Simmons screaming "not my tempo" a la Whiplash, Chazelle's latest effort certainly doesn't shy away from the costs and consequences of trying to succeed. Nor does the film pull its punches when personal and professional matters fail to align. Instead, erupting with gorgeous colour and energetic choreography one moment, then taking time to brood and contemplate the next, La La Land offers a delicate balance of dreaming big while realising that not every wish can or will come true. Moreover, it does so while celebrating the Hollywood musical genre, and at the same time fashioning its trademarks and style into something bittersweet and melancholy. The traditions of grand song-and-dance flicks gets their time in the spotlight, though in truth they're only one part of the story. As characters shuffle through the streets and float through the air in '50s-style numbers, churn out '80s covers, play contemporary jazz, and croon mournful ballads, audiences will find themselves swept along the entire musical and emotional spectrum. For that, a fair share of the credit should go to co-stars Stone and Gosling. In their third on-screen pairing after Crazy, Stupid, Love and Gangster Squad, both are in stellar, swoon-worthy form. Whether they're belting out a tune, tapping their toes, or quietly expressing the feelings that lurk beneath, the duo navigate the melange that comprises La La Land with the same flair and thoughtfulness as their director, while sharing in his not-to-be-underestimated task. After all, at the heart of the luminous and lively film sits a stark truth: fantasising is easy, but embracing reality is hard. It's no surprise that the movie that results is clearly crafted with this in mind as it soars high but dives deep, evoking affectionate wonder, heartfelt tears and the knowledge that life usually lurks somewhere in between.
Unlike the movie, we'll keep this short and to the point. A Million Ways To Die In The West is not a good film. Not unless, that is, you're a 15-year-old boy, in which case, it's the best goddam movie you've ever goddam seen! Consider the ingredients. This is 116 minutes of hot girls talking about sex and their 'great tits', fart sound effects aplenty, semen finding its way onto faces, characters swearing like it's going out of style and Neil Patrick Harris's character emptying his gastro-afflicted bowels into a stranger's hat for a full 45 seconds, before then farting some more and repeating the deed into another man's hat. Soiler Alert: he then kicks it over so that you get to see the liquid faeces in all its comedic glory. The man behind it all is Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, whose voice is the median strip between Brian and Peter Griffin, and whose last (and first) film Ted was a surprise hit. Here, he's upped his involvement. A lot. MacFarlane wrote, directed, produced and starred in A Million Ways To Die in the West, and to say he's overreaching is beyond generous. This is pure self-indulgence, particularly given the extraordinary amount of screen time he occupies despite having a top-shelf cast around him (Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Amanda Seyfried and, of course, Doogie). The most frustrating thing is that scattered throughout the film are pockets of oustanding comedy. Early on, MacFarlane and Ribisi 'assume the position' and pretend to fight during a bar brawl so as to discourage anyone else from coming their way in what is a terrific moment, and a recurring gag about nobody smiling in the newly invented 'photo' experience is as amusing as it is astute. The problem is, these moments are so scarce than can be counted on one hand. Like, a leprous hand...with two fingers, and maybe a thumb stub. There's no denying MacFarlane's talents, but here they were stretched beyond their means. The supporting cast does its best to do exactly that, but can do only so much with so little screen time and a script that requires more cursing than acting. Again, this is not a good film. Save your money — even if you're a 15-year-old boy. https://youtube.com/watch?v=2sOa-2EhbTU
In a week where sweet treats are already on everyone's mind, one of Melbourne's much-loved pastry heroes has gone and stoked the fire, announcing it's adding to the family with a brand-new store. And we don't have to wait too long at all for a first taste. Black Star Pastry is set to open the doors to its third Melbourne outpost on Drivers Lane this Saturday, April 8, even coinciding the arrival with the launch of a new line of signature treats. The Sydney-born brand best known for its cult Strawberry Watermelon Cake has settled into the former Money Order Office, where it's playing the building's heritage features against a gleaming futuristic store design by Studio MKZ. You'll recognise the designers' work from other Black Star stores including St Kilda and Sydney's Newtown. Venture down the laneway and into a bright, bold hideaway, with a minimalist fitout that takes an unapologetic departure from its historic setting. There's a giant, halo-like light installation hanging above, a central island counter made of stainless steel, big custom fridges showcasing the goods, and a colour palette heavy on silver and white used throughout. In honour of the shiny new space, Black Star has unveiled a new range of creations to be showcased here before anywhere else. Head on in to be among the first to try the pina colada croissant loaded with a creamy blend of caramelised pineapple and coconut, the petal-topped rose and pistachio croissant, and a chocolate and hazelnut number that's filled with a rich whipped ganache and garnished with delicate chocolate stars. There's also a couple of savoury newcomers: the matcha ceremony with its kintsugi-style gold decorations and layered matcha filling, and the umami brioche that fuses punchy flavours of miso, bechamel and mushrooms. Of course, all the usual sweet suspects will be getting a run here, too, gracing the cabinets alongside grab-and-go options like Japanese-style chicken pies, and ham and cheese croissants. Find Black Star Pastry Melbourne CBD at Shop 4, 8 Driver Lane, Melbourne, from Saturday, April 8. It'll open 8am–6pm Monday–Thursday, 8am–7pm Friday, 9am–7pm Saturday and 9am–6pm Sunday.
It's hard to say where and when the whisky highball was first invented. The story goes that English actor E.J. Ratcliffe brought the concept to America in 1894, where a bartender at the Adams House in Boston dubbed it a 'highball'. The recipe — whisky and sparkling water in a tall glass — appeared in a book called The Mixologist in 1895, under the name 'Splificator'. But over the years, the name highball stuck — and the rules for making one vary as much as the story of its invention. Here to shake up the whisky highball this spring are two of Melbourne's leading bartenders: Darren Leaney from cosy Carlton bar Capitano and Michael Madrusan, bartender and owner at late-night haunt Bar Margaux. Each bartender is working with Johnnie Walker to take the well-loved drink to a new level — with twists like leatherwood honey or a dash of absinthe. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HIGHBALL During the late 19th century, there was a phylloxera epidemic that wiped out vineyards in Europe — and wine and spirits like brandy and cognac were not as readily available as they had been. The wealthier classes, who used to mix brandy and cognac with carbonated water, instead opted for blended scotch whisky with soda. And the whisky highball was born. To make it, some say the whisky and ice needs to be stirred 13 and a half times and soda water poured down the arm of the spoon, while others tell you to keep that spoon the hell away from it. What's not debatable is the tall glass, ice, whisky and carbonated water. [caption id="attachment_743080" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy.[/caption] Artisans of the craft know there are countless combos and garnishes available, from adding mint to a smoky whisky or introducing a lemon twist when you want to highlight the citrus notes. It's designed to have a refreshing taste, to accompany a nice meal and to bring out the flavours of the whisky. Today, Blended Scotch Whisky has become an increasingly popular base for the highball — thanks largely to its diverse flavour notes. Johnnie Walker Black Label, for example, has layers of vanilla and dried fruits with a subtle smoky finish. That's because Johnnie Walker has 29 distilleries in Scotland, producing roughly 11 million casks of whisky from which they make their blends. It makes it the perfect starting point for a whisky highball as there's a variation that suits lots of people's palates. WHO'S SHAKING THINGS UP? [caption id="attachment_743115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy.[/caption] Capitano, the cosy Carlton bar from the folks behind Bar Liberty, is working with that concept to create a whisky highball that complements the killer pizzas it serves. Innovative bartender and all-round hospo legend Darren Leaney has teamed up with Johnnie Walker to take the well-loved drink to a new level. The Leatherwood Highball ($18) is made with leatherwood honey, barley tea, saline, soda and Johnnie Walker Black Label. And every night from 5.30–6.30pm you can pair a classic cheese or tomato pizza with the Leatherwood Highball for $30. [caption id="attachment_743081" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy.[/caption] Over at the French-inspired, late-night Bar Margaux, co-owner and bartender Michael Madrusan has come up with a deluxe, bespoke take on the classic whisky highball. It's a balanced blend of Johnnie Walker Black Label, Pommeau de Normandie (apple aperitif), lemon and a cheeky dash of absinthe. And the name? Madrusan is calling it the Tall, Dark and Then Some. To match Madrusan's creation, British-born head chef Daniel Southern has chosen panisse (chickpea fries) that'll bring out the flavours of the drink. Head to Bar Margaux between 4–6pm or after midnight on any day of the week to order a Tall, Dark and Then Some with panisse for just $20. Far from being just a scotch and soda, the highball is surprisingly versatile, creative and has a refreshing taste. Head to Capitano and Bar Margaux to try the creative takes on this classic drink. Top image: Kate Shanasy.
Just because you're not heading to the snow for the first weekend of ski season, doesn't mean you have to miss out on all the fun. St Kilda's Pontoon Bar is bringing the mountain vibes to you, with its annual Snow Party, this Sunday, June 9. The beachside hot-spot is set to heat up the long weekend, as it transforms into a cosy winter chalet, complete with powdered snow, all-you-can-eat paella and a swag of food and drink specials to warm those cockles. You can kick things off early from 12pm, with $25 per person bottomless paella from the venue's new Basque-inspired menu on offer throughout the day (bookings essential). Otherwise, roll in from 3pm, nab a spot by the crackling outdoor fire and settle in with some well-priced drinks — there'll be $5 wines and pots, $10 espresso martinis and mulled wines, and a cosy Cherry & Cinnamon Sour, also for just a tenner. Throw in half-price tapas and some DJ tunes and you've got yourself a pretty good antidote to those winter blues. Entry is free, though if you RSVP via Pontoon's website, you'll be in with a shot at winning a Mt Buller lift pass for two.
When a band is just starting out, with just one album to its name, you're treated to most — if not all — of it live in the early days. To get the full-record experience again, though, you normally have to wait for big anniversaries. Bloc Party are celebrating two on their 2025 tour of Australia: two decades of the group and the same since their debut album Silent Alarm. Hitting up Melbourne's John Cain Arena on Sunday, August 3, Bloc Party will play Silent Alarm from start to finish. 'Banquet', 'Helicopter', 'This Modern Love', 'Like Eating Glass': yes, they'll all be on the setlist on this seven-city trip. The band aren't leaving their other tunes out, though, with the tour featuring not just Silent Alarm's tracks but the group's greatest hits. They do have five other albums to their name, after all: 2007's A Weekend in the City, 2008's Intimacy, 2012's Four, 2016's Hymns and 2022's Alpha Games. If you're a fan, you'll know that it has been more than 20 years since the band first formed, and since the British group scored some hefty approval in 2003 via Franz Ferdinand's lead singer Alex Kaprano — but 20 is a nice round number to commemorate. This makes two Aussie tours in a row now with a point of difference for Bloc Party, after 2023 trip with Interpol. Before that, they last rocked Aussie stages in 2018. Supporting Kele Okereke and company this time are Young The Giant, who'll be playing Australia for the first time in 14 years. Live images: Bruce Baker via Flickr.
Haven't had time to check out Copper Pot Seddon yet? How about Luxsmith? Well, this Tuesday, July 12, you'll have the opportunity to tick the two much talked-about Seddon venues off your list as they collaborate for a one-off feast. Because it's far too hard to get to every new opening in this town, the two westside restaurants are teaming up for a four-course progressive dinner. The first two courses will be served at one of the two eateries, before you get moved on to the second venue for the third and fourth. How they'll seamlessly merge Copper Pot's European menu with the Asian fare at Luxsmith is a mystery to us — but we trust that they'll pull if off. A place at the table will cost you $95 per person, which quite reasonably includes four courses with matched wines. Whether you live in the area or on the other side of town, it's a great way to get a gobful of Seddon's burgeoning dining scene. Plus, we gave Copper Pot a five star review.
What would you say to pinot noir with a possum? Shiraz with a snake? Or cabernet sauvignon with a cockatoo or two? If you'd like your next wine experience to be a little wilder, Healesville Sanctuary has a Queen's Birthday weekend (Saturday, June 8– Monday, June 10) treat for you. The annual Wine & Wildlife event will see the best vino producers in the Yarra Valley gather for three days of food, wine and good times amid the stunning sanctuary's bushland and fauna. Whether you're a serious gourmet foodie, wine enthusiast or dedicated koala fan, this is the perfect opportunity to get away from any winter woes with a mini-retreat unlike any other. Plus, we're giving away a VIP experience at Wine & Wildlife. Your prize will include entry to Wine & Wildlife (including general admission entry to Healesville Sanctuary) for you and three mates. You'll also score four passes to a kangaroo close-up encounter, giving you the chance to personally meet some of Australia's finest native animals. THE FINEST WINES IN THE VALLEY The Yarra Valley is renowned for a number of stand-out wines and top-notch vineyards. This long weekend will be a wine lover's paradise, with select wineries offering an all-day tasting selection included as part of the event. You can sample a drop (or few) from a range of celebrated wineries such as De Bortoli, Boat O'Craigo, Oakridge and the award-winning Rob Dolan vineyard, as well as unique low-intervention producers Payten & Jones. Whether you know your terroir from your tannins or you just like that magical grape juice, these passionate creators will happily talk you through their products and processes — or, if you'd prefer, just pour you a glass and let the wine do the talking. WILDLIFE (NATURALLY) Of course, the attendance of the furred, feathered and scaled residents of Healesville Sanctuary is the really special (creature) feature that makes this wine and food event a cut above your regular weekend tipple. Over this three day mini-fest, keepers will be roving among the guests with animal pals in tow. It's an opportunity to get up close and personal with various native fauna, as keepers chat about Healesville Sanctuary's animals and programs. In addition to being an adorable and delightful photo op, it's also a chance to ask questions and to learn, much like the wine tasting. MULLED, MIXED AND CRAFTY BEVS It's not all shiraz and chardonnay. If you prefer something steaming to warm you from the inside out, a mulled wine and gin bar will have just the tonic to cure a chill. The sweet mulled wine will chase away the cold and leave you rosy-cheeked and warmed through and through. For those who want to keep it cool, it'll also be slinging the refined garden party staple, the G&T. Be sure to also swing by the stalls of Yarra Valley beer and cider producers such as St Ronan's Cider and Napoleone brewery. Cherryhill Orchards is also offering an array of beverages, with its cherry wine, cherry porter and cherry cider. AN EPICUREAN DELIGHT OF FOOD POP-UPS All those spontaneous wildlife encounters will surely build up an appetite, so the on-site cafe, Sanctuary Harvest, will be cooking up a storm. Banish the winter shivers with hearty dishes such as a rich beef bourguignon, pork burgers, barbecue ribs and sausages, with all meats from local supplier K&B. Vegetarians aren't forgotten either, with jackfruit burgers, soup and some luxuriously loaded potatoes on offer. If you'd prefer to graze, they'll also be serving up steamed buns and dim sum as well as hot buttered corn. With food this good, you can satisfy your hungry bellies and highly-attuned gourmand taste buds all in one go. INDULGENT TASTINGS TO RAISE YOUR CHOC-APPRECIATION GAME For dessert, head straight to the Kennedy & Wilson chocolate bar. It's been crafting artisanal chocolate in the Yarra Valley for 25 years now — the longevity a testament to Kennedy & Wilson's skill and quality. Sample a range of unique-flavoured varieties or stick to its award-winning couverture, including a 48 percent milk chocolate which is rich enough to compete with that bold shiraz you picked up. You'll still be discussing texture, mouthfeel and aftertaste, but also melt, snap and gloss — qualities you can only judge in freshly made chocolate of the highest quality. Word of warning: after flavours like this, you'll never go back to supermarket chocolate again. PICNIC BY A FIRE You probably can't spend the whole time chowing down on gourmet goodies and drinking fine wine (joking — you can). And maybe you even need a break from interacting with fuzzy animal friends (again, joking — who could get tired of koalas?). For a bit of downtime, you can set up a picnic rug on the grass and cosy up by one of the roaring fires, melting away the June chill. If a convivial campfire isn't enough to keep you occupied, there will also be some live (non-wildlife-based) entertainment, with acoustic musical performances taking place throughout the afternoon. A HEART-WARMING GOOD CAUSE If you need a delightful winter's day out that also warms your soul, look no further. All proceeds from the Wine & Wildlife long weekend go towards saving the Tasmanian devils. Tassie devils are officially an endangered species and are facing a dangerous decline in numbers due to the devastating devil facial tumour disease and road mortality. There is already an 80 percent reduction in devils being sighted across Tasmania — so we could end up losing these special critters forever. Healesville Sanctuary is part of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, which includes a captive insurance and breeding program that raises healthy little devils for eventual release into disease-free wild locations. When the cost of your ticket can help save one of our native pals, the delicious food and local wine are really a wonderful bonus. Wine & Wildlife will take place across Saturday, June 8–Monday, June 10. To purchase tickets, visit the website.
While its doors remain shut through another extended lockdown, celebrated South Melbourne restaurant Lume is helping to add some fine dining flair to your at-home routine. Famed for its innovative, seasonal fare, it's just launched a new ready-to-eat take-home menu on offer every Thursday through Sunday, for as long as the current lockdown continues. Give yourself a break from the stuck-at-home rut by whipping out the good tablecloth and diving into clever dishes like house-baked sourdough with black artichoke butter, the wild venison short loin teamed with homegrown kimchi and thrice-cooked veggie chips, and a salted kelp caramel cheesecake. Each multi-course shared feast for two comes in at $240, including a 200-millilitre pour of sommelier-selected wine from Lume's cellar. There's also a full plant-based set menu on offer, starring the likes of a whole-poached globe artichoke with desert lime mayo, and a roasted millet risotto finished with pumpkin and wild garlic. The same menus will run for the next few weeks, though with some small tweaks depending on what seasonal ingredients the kitchen gets their hands on. Lume Take-Home is available for both click-and-collect and delivery each week — order here. [caption id="attachment_824056" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Duncographic[/caption]
This December, you can score a bottle of vino for as little as $8.50 a pop thanks to Vinomofo's Boxing Day Sale. Running from Friday, December 25 till Thursday, December 31, the sale will offer up to 70 percent off a heap of local and international wines — and it'll all get delivered straight to your doorstep for free. So, get ready to stock up on vino to help ring in the New Year. Vinomofo is an online wine company for those who love wine, but without all the pretension that sometimes comes with it. 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 Boxing Day sale will see some of the biggest price drops from Vinomofo yet and will include more than 100 wines. It'll be adding additional daily wine deals over the week, too. Think celebratory champagne, epic-value prosecco and plenty of summer-suitable rosé, plus a huge range of white and red varieties — all 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 Boxing Day Sale — for a limited time only.
We're about to farewell winter and jump right into another season — and if that's put you in the mood for a wardrobe shakeup, well, you're in luck. The treasure trove of vintage threads that is the Round She Goes Fashion Market returns to Melbourne this month, taking over Coburg Town Hall on Sunday, August 28. This time around, the ever-popular market is treating shoppers to over 55 stalls heaving with quality pre-loved designer fashion, vintage pieces and retro accessories. And these wares start from just $10. Get your stylish self along from 10am to score covetable finds from big-name labels ranging from Carla Zampatti to Christian Dior, and from Balenciaga to Bianca Spender. Grab yourself some Gucci, pick up some Prada, and splash out on some Romance Was Born, Jean Paul Gaultier or Gorman. There'll be specialty coffee and baked treats from Coffee on Cue to fuel your rummaging, too.
Most of us associate printers with ink and paper, but a new 3D printer has more to do with chocolate cupcakes and other delicious desserts. Using syringe technology, the Imagine 3D printer from Essential Dynamics can be filled with a vast array of elements, including plastics, silicone, concrete, and most importantly, chocolate. A representative from the company claims that a cupcake can be made before your eyes in one minute. If you're more of a savoury type, never fear. The Imagine 3D printer can also be filled with cheese. Regular fondue parties will seem tame when compared to the wonders you can create with this. 3D printing has undergone a rise in popularity in the last decade, but I predict that this revelation will soar it into supstardom. Standing at $3000, the Imagine 3D Printer will soon accompany the fridge and the stove as a quintessential kitchen applicance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_27rOWq61hk [vis PSFK]
Do you live in a dog-friendly house? Do you have some spare time on your hands? Do you fantasise about hanging around at dog parks with an actual dog? The good folk at Seeing Eye Dogs Dogs Australia need you. They have 50 puppies running around the place at the moment, and they're in need of volunteers to raise them. In other words, they're giving away puppies — but you will need to give them back. If you put up your hand to become a puppy carer, you'll get a puppy for about a year — from around its eight-week birthday to when it turns turns between 12–15 months old. During that time, you'll be responsible for introducing the sights, sounds and smells it'll meet when it starts working as a seeing eye dog (and giving your new friend heaps of cuddles). Of course, it's not all just fun, games and cuteness. You'll have to be responsible enough to take care of regular grooming, house training and exercise, and be available for regular visits. A fenced-in backyard is mandatory, too. In return, the organisation provides a strong support network, and all food, training equipment and vet care. You'll also need to be home most of the time — so you won't be leaving the puppy alone for more than three hours a day — and to be able to put effort into training and socialising the pup. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Seeing Eye Dogs Australia (@seeingeyedogsaustralia) Seeing Eye Dogs Australia is looking for people in several Melbourne areas: in Kensington, Flemington, North Melbourne, Ascot Vale and West Melbourne; in the east to the Yarra Ranges (anywhere south of the eastern freeway); and southeast to Portsea (anywhere south of the eastern freeway). They're also looking in the Bendigo region and surrounding suburbs, too. In Queensland, the Sunshine Coast and north Brisbane are the priority areas. Once the pups reach 12-15 months old, they'll return to Seeing Eye Dogs Australia — and complete their journey to become four-legged companions for people who are blind or have low vision. Keen? You can apply online — and, at 10.30am on Friday, April 23, you can also virtually peek behind the scenes at one of Seeing Eye Dogs Australia's puppy centres. For more information about Seeing Eye Dogs Australia's puppy carers, and to apply for the volunteer roles, head to the organisation's website.
Everyone needs a holiday to look forward to. With 2025 now officially into its second month, and everyone's Christmas breaks feeling like a lifetime ago, planning your next getaway is a self-care essential. Fancy heading overseas, but not too far, to either laze around on a beach or see some mountainous sights? Enter Virgin's latest sale, which focuses on short-haul international flights. Trips to Bali, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and New Zealand this year just got cheaper — and you've got five days to grab a bargain. So, get your suitcases ready and book that annual leave. Fares start at $439 return, and are available until midnight AEST on Friday, February 7, 2025, unless sold out earlier. The cheapest option is Melbourne–Queenstown return, but you can also head there and back from Sydney for $469. Next comes Brisbane to Port Vila in Vanuatu from $479, while trips to Bali from Melbourne start at $499 and kick off at $509 from the Gold Coast. Or, get to Queenstown and back from Brisbane from $549 — or to Fiji from Sydney for $569, from Brisbane for $589 and from Melbourne for $599. Other deals include Sydney–Bali from $619, Brisbane–Bali from $659 and Brisbane–Samoa from $689. This sale began at 12.01am AEST on Monday, February 3, 2025, with prices covering Virgin's Economy Lite option. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, these deals are for periods between Monday, February 17, 2025–Friday, December 12, 2025, with all dates varying per route. As always, inclusions also differ depending on your ticket — and, as usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Virgin's February 2025 international flight sale runs until midnight AEST on Friday, February 7, 2025 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Boozy brunches in Melbourne are hugely popular. But the later-in-the-day bottomless lunch is on the up and up. These are for those of us who don't necessarily want to down a heap of mimosas with breakfast while surrounded by hen's parties. Sometimes we just prefer to eat a more grown-up meal paired with a good wine, beer or spritz. Enter NOMAD, one of the best restaurants in Melbourne. Here, the crew is showing us exactly what the boozy lunch should look like with its latest Lunch & Linger experience. Every Saturday and Sunday, from 12.30–2.30pm, starting Saturday, April 6, lunchtime diners in the CBD can get a selection of mezzes and a dessert paired with 90 minutes of free-flowing booze for $110. The exact dishes will change each week, but it will include a loaded platter of the restaurant's famed Middle Eastern snacks — think dips, falafels, stuffed zucchini flowers, its signature woodfired flatbread and a bunch of meats. Prefer to pass on the alcohol? All good. The option remains to simply get the mezze platter for $65 per person and order non-alcoholic bevs throughout the arvo. But those who do get on the booze will be treated to unlimited house red, rose and white wine as well as beer and spritzes. We all know bottomless drinks can get messy, but at a place like NOMAD we expect patrons will be fairly well-behaved…
Good news, North Melbourne locals, the old Courthouse Hotel is back, and it's been lovingly restored by four hospo pros who actually know what they're doing. You'd be forgiven for forgetting about The Courthouse. It was a popular pub in the early 2000s, with celebrated chefs like Zoe Birch and Stephen Burke running the restaurant pass. But popularity kind of waned over the years, and COVID put the final nail in the venue's coffin. But now, the Courthouse is officially back, having quietly reopened earlier in May. The new team are the same minds behind Parkville's Naughtons Hotel: Ryan Moses and Rusty Sturrock, along with Ryan and Laura Berry. And we have to say, these guys have really nailed the refurbishment. The Courthouse hasn't been gutted, just lovingly restored, bringing the venue up to modern gastro pub standards. Architect Alana Cooke and Blueprint Commercial handled the refurb, and they've managed to keep the old wooden panelling — stripped and sanded by hand — the floorboards, and the classic art deco features. The result is North Melbourne's hottest new pub, and it's fair to say locals are stoked. "Some of us remember eating at The Courthouse in the mid-noughties when it was serving some of the best gastropub fare in Melbourne," says Moses, who just signed a whopping 30-year lease. "We hope to recapture some of the essence of what made it special. Apart from the fond memories, we have fallen in love with the character and charm of the place, and Alana has gone to great lengths to preserve this in the refurbishment." So what about the food? Well, Rusty Sturrock has designed the menu, and he cut his teeth in some of London's finest gastro pubs, so expect UK classics with a Euro-Australian twist: Lancashire hotpot with lamb shoulder and Brussels sprouts, whole-roasted leatherjacket, Coq au Vin, kangaroo carpaccio and an excellent crowd-pleasing wiener schnitzel with chips. The guys have even installed an old-school hand pump behind the bar, which will be pouring English-style ale from Two Metre Tall and Love Shack. Aussie beer fans, don't worry, they've also got Hop Nation and CBCo brews on tap. The cherry on top? The crusty old rooms upstairs have been transformed into two boutique hotel rooms, so you can now stay overnight at The Courthouse. Prices start at $325 per night. You can find The Courthouse at 86-90 Errol St in North Melbourne, open seven days a week from 12pm. If in doubt, just follow the crowd of hungry punters. Images: Supplied
Being a sports fan involves taking every opportunity you can get to show your love for your chosen team. Attending matches, nabbing all the merchandise, decking yourself out in the appropriate hues: they're some of the easy ways to go about it. If you're particularly dedicated, so is naming a pet after your favourite player or squad. We can't all call a koala joey Matilda, however, like the folks at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have to celebrate the 2023 Women's World Cup. Over the past few weeks, the fortunes of Australia's national women's soccer team have been the best conversation topic there is. How is Sam Kerr's calf? How many goals can Hayley Raso kick? How stunning was that game against Canada? Here's the latest question: how cute is this Gold Coast koala that now shares the Matildas' name? The answer: very. Matilda the koala is now 12 months old, about 25 centimetres in size and has been given her moniker to honour the Aussie squad. "The real Matildas are achieving great things, and many of the staff and volunteers at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have been following their journey closely," said Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Koala Specialist Sarah Eccleston. "When discussing a name for the newest addition to our Koala nursery, Matilda was a clear favourite and seemed very fitting." "Matilda is very sweet but also a bit cheeky. She is already making herself known in the nursery, just like the Matildas in the FIFA Women's World Cup tournament," Eccleston continued. At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Matilda was born from the breeding and conservation program, and will soon join it to help the endangered species' future. The wildlife haven is home to more than 50 of its own fluffy-eared marsupials, which visitors can see on a trip to the park or via a daily behind-the-scenes tour, breakfast with koalas sessions five days a week and regular grazing experiences in its koala habitat. [caption id="attachment_912105" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shiftchange via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Find Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary at 28 Tomewin Street, Currumbin — head to the venue's website for further information. The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 runs until Sunday, August 20 across Australia and New Zealand, with tickets available from the FIFA website.
From fine dining to boozy brunches, the past 18 months have seen plenty of classic culinary experiences turned on their heads and swiftly reimagined to suit the eating-at-home schtick. While hot and smoky Korean barbecue (fondly known as KBBQ) might seem like an ambitious couch experience at first, thanks to new local venture Kravin Korean — you can now enjoy this culinary endeavour with a click of a button. Just remember to open a window. Kravin Korean is the work of civil engineer David Le; and Korean restaurant owner and head chef Dong Hyuck Kim. The niche food delivery service was born out of nostalgia for the inimitable smoky KBBQ experience during last year's lockdown. "I remember talking to a friend during lockdown and we were asking each other, 'what is the first thing you would go [out to] eat when lockdown lifts?' — and we both said Korean BBQ," explains Le. "It was at that point I was thinking: 'Why can't we just bring KBBQ to [the people]?'" Since launching in February this year, Kravin Korean has been busy sating barbecue cravings by delivering its signature meal kits across Melbourne. The kits are designed to feed two or four diners, each stocked with four 'banchan' (side dishes), three different meat cuts, a trio of sauces and loads of veggies. If needed, you can even rent out a portable gas stove and grill, which you simply leave on your doorstep the next day for contactless collection. [caption id="attachment_824034" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Jess Moses[/caption] On the menu, expect a curation of Korean classics; from ready-to-grill meats like pork belly and soy beef bulgogi, to sides including spicy fish cake and corn salad. House-made dipping sauces include a traditional ssamjang, sesame oil and a special soy creation. But of course, as fans will know, the KBBQ experience goes beyond just the food — and Le and Kim are keen to help diners recreate all those other key aspects, too. Each kit comes with a QR code that scans through to a series of how-to guides and videos showing you how to set up and prepare your Korean feast authentically. You'll get access to a curated K-Pop playlist to groove to while you eat, mirroring the bold tunes that would normally soundtrack a meal out at your local KBBQ restaurant. And those keen to really bump up the party vibes will find fun, easy-to-follow tutorials for a selection of popular Korean drinking games — stock up on some soju and make a night of it. There's an extra win here for the planet, too. Mindful of the mountains of waste and packaging that can often go hand-in-hand with food delivery services these days, Kravin Korean's owners have opted to use only sustainable biocompostable and reusable products to package their kits. Kravin Korean is delivering at-home KBBQ kits to a (growing) range of suburbs every weekend, with order cut-offs at 5pm each Thursday. Head to the website to learn more and place an order. Images: Jess Moses and Levi Andrew Momo
With interstate borders now almost all reopened, it's not like you need much of an excuse to get out of town and scratch that travel itch. But if you've got your newly broadened sights set on the Mornington Peninsula, you will find a pretty strong reason to lock in a visit to the renowned Pt Leo Estate. The property's ever-evolving sculpture park has just scored a very high-profile new addition: a 5.5-metre-tall work by acclaimed New York artist KAWS. Not too long after the much-hyped KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness exhibition wrapped up at the NGV earlier this year, KAWS has unveiled a new bronze-cast figure gracing the manicured grounds of Pt Leo Estate. Titled SHARE 2020, the artwork features a towering figure imagined in the Brooklyn-based artist's distinctive style, though this time he's used a muted colour palette of grey and brown that's contrasted by the backdrop of verdant lawn and blue ocean. The main figure holds a smaller, bright blue character or BFF, dangling by one hand. [caption id="attachment_641337" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pt Leo Estate by Anson Smart[/caption] Making its home in the foyer, overseeing the route to the cellar door, is a second new acquisition for the estate, titled Shrive II. This one's a new piece by Turner Prize-winning UK sculptor Antony Gormley, whose renowned works pull inspiration from the human form. Of course, there's plenty more to keep you busy on a visit to this 134-hectare estate, including the Pt Leo Estate Restaurant, the cellar door and wine shop, and the full sculpture park. The site's Wine Terrace and fine diner Laura currently remain closed, but are expected to reopen their doors soon. Find Pt Leo Estate and its new sculpture works at 3649 Frankston-Flinders Road, Merricks.
It sure is tough to farewell another stretch of daylight savings — even if it does mean getting a bonus hour of sleep when those clocks turn back on Sunday morning. Thankfully, one St Kilda spot will help soothe any Monday morning fragility by handing out free coffee for an excellent cause. The Prince Hotel is teaming up up with Niccolo Coffee to run the caffeinated pop-up, serving up complimentary coffees from its Acland Street entrance from 7–11am next Monday, April 8. The coffee cart will be sticking around the rest of the working week, too, offering two-buck coffees up until Friday, April 12. All of the profits from these will be heading to Sacred Heart Mission's St Kilda Dining Hall, which dishes up over 400 hot and nutritious meals daily to those experiencing disadvantage and homelessness — people for whom the end of daylight savings means even tougher times ahead.
He was one of the youngest cast members in Saturday Night Live's history. During his eight-season run on the iconic US sketch-comedy series, he riffed on his own life aplenty, then did the same in The King of Staten Island on the big screen, plus in streaming series Bupkis. If you've caught Pete Davidson's comedy specials, you'll know that the same applies when he's onstage, too — which Melbourne audiences can witness live in September 2025. Davidson has locked in an Aussie leg on his latest stand-up tour, playing three cities: Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The whirlwind trip will see him perform three gigs three nights in a row, with a date with Palais Theatre on Tuesday, September 30 smack-bang in the middle. Beyond SNL and otherwise fictionalising his own experiences in cinemas and on TV — and beyond his Pete Davidson: SMD, Pete Davidson: Alive From New York and Pete Davidson: Turbo Fonzarelli specials as well — Davidson has rarely been far from screens over the past decade. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Trainwreck, Big Time Adolescence, The Suicide Squad, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, Dumb Money: they're all on his resume. Davidson's 2025 Aussie dates come just after his latest film, heist comedy The Pickup co-starring Eddie Murphy (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F), drops on Prime Video in early August.
What's better than catching waves at Urbnsurf, Melbourne's man-made surf park? Hopping on a board and living out your Point Break dreams, then watching Point Break on Urbnsurf's big screen afterwards. That's on the agenda this summer, with the Tullamarine spot announcing its first-ever outdoor cinema series. And yes, seeing Keanu Reeves play a surfing FBI agent trying to hunt down bank-robbing beach-lovers is definitely on the bill. The best surfing-themed action movie that's ever been made — the 1991 original, not the awful 2015 remake — is part of a six-film, six-night lineup that kicks off on Friday, November 26 and runs through until Saturday, December 11. This outdoor movie setup really couldn't proceed without it; Point Break does famously end in Victoria, after all. If you're keen to hang ten and watch a flick, you'll want to head by on Friday and Saturday nights — and you can even make a day of it from 2pm. That's when the food and beverage offering starts, including Gage Roads' brews and bites from Three Blue Ducks. Live music kicks off at 6pm each night, with the movie screening straight after sunset — so at around 8.30pm. Excellent Australian surfing documentary Girls Can't Surf will start the program, with iconic fellow surfing doco The Endless Summer also a big highlight. Or, you can see She Is the Ocean, Reckless Isolation and Andy Irons — Kissed By God, with tickets costing $30, or $20 if you're an Urbnsurf member. To get you in the mood, check out the trailer for Point Break below: Urbnsurf's first outdoor cinema series comes just over a month after the venue started pumping out waves again following Melbourne's latest lockdown. Indeed, it's been a chaotic couple of years for the surf park, after it made its grand debut in January 2020, only to endure a ping pong match of closures and reopenings ever since thanks to the pandemic. Located just 16-kilometres north of the CBD, the two-hectare space can thrown out up to 1000 waves per hour — day and night — with the waves coming from an 85-metre pier running down the centre of its lagoon. A series of pistons located on the pier push the water to the left, then to the right, to create the waves. Being ability to create waves means that the park is built for both pros who are looking for steep, barrelling waves and novices looking for a safe place to get their start in the surf. Urbnsurf's first outdoor cinema series kicks off on Friday, November 26, and will run on Friday and Saturday nights until Saturday, December 11. For further details, head to the Urbnsurf website.
It's a dilemma as old as walls themselves. Do you use the space to hang something stunning? Or put in shelves to hold your books and gewgaws? Finally there is a solution that allows for both form and function. Riveli art shelves are a brilliant idea, formed of modular shelf units that can fold up against the wall, revealing the artwork on the underside. Even better, you can customise it with your own works and change them with your moods as you can slide your own images in and out, or attach them with magnets. And if you're the sort of person who always favours function over form, you can insert other materials, like mirrors or white boards to create a supremely functional set of shelves... or just use them to play an elaborate game of noughts and crosses. [via Core77]
On the big screen, Beetlejuice has already made a comeback, with a sequel hitting cinemas in 2024. The original 1988 film is rarely far from cinemas anyway, proving a staple at retrospective screenings. But watching the ghost with the most sing and dance onstage? That's a brand-new experience for Australian theatre audiences. Start chanting three times: seeing the Beetlejuice musical Down Under is a reality in 2025. Penned by the nation's own Eddie Perfect and debuting on Broadway in 2019, this take on Beetlejuice still focuses on the character from Tim Burton's beloved 80s flick, of course — just with songs and dance routines. Cinema's famous 'bio-exorcist' haunts Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Saturday, May 17, 2025 for its Aussie-premiere run, with Perfect starring. You don't need a Handbook for the Recently Deceased in your ghostly hands to head along, but you will spend time with a couple with one: Barbara and Adam Maitland. And, you'll see what happens when they start to suspect that they're no longer alive, a new family moves into their house and they decide they need that bio-exorcist. In the Beetlejuice musical's Aussie debut, audiences are also in for an acclaimed production directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge! The Musical), and with a book by Emmy-nominee Anthony King (Broad City) and Scott Brown (Sharp Objects) — plus Perfect's Tony-nominated original score, of course. The show picked up a whopping eight Tony nominations in 2019, and won Timbers a Drama League Award for Excellence in Directing, plus both Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nods for set design. Images: Matthew Murphy, 2022.
Yabun Festival is an annual event held on January 26 at Victoria Park in Camperdown, on Gadigal Land. It's the largest one-day celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in Australia. This year's festival will be a closed event due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions. Despite this, it'll be more accessible than ever, as it will be live streamed online, allowing people from across Australia and the world to tune in. This year, Yabun (which means "music to a beat" in Gadigal language) is taking place across three venues. The Yabun Stage, located at the Seymour Centre, will host performances from 12–5pm, featuring the likes of Vic Simms, Barkaa, Emma Donovan and Kobie Dee. As well as being live streamed, the event will have a small crowd in attendance — tickets can be won in the lead up to the event via Koori Radio. At its usual home of Victoria Park, Corroboree will feature a Welcome and Smoking Ceremony, as well as dance performances from groups Gawura, Koomurri, Buuja Buuja, Gomeroi Dancers and Ngaran Ngaran. It'll be live streamed from 11am–4pm. The Speak Out stage will be live streamed from the New Law Building at the University of Sydney from 12.30–4.30pm. Speak Out will host three panel discussions on themes of love, justice and success, with panelists including Pastor Ray Minniecon and Lynda June Coe. Another core part of the annual festival is the market stall, which have been taken online, too. Here, you can shop for art, jewellery, food and drink from storeowners that would usually set up within the festival. You can also shop for merchandise from the past three years of Yabun and support the festival and Koori Radio by donating to help ensure both continue to operate for years to come. To access the live-stream, head to yabun.org.au. Top image: Yabun Festival 2017
Dine With Heart is a whole month devoted to raising funds for the Sacred Heart Mission's meals program — and you can do your bit by eating out at some of Melbourne's best restaurants. The campaign brings Melbourne's food community together with a worthy goal: providing free, hot meals to those experiencing homelessness or social disadvantage, by way of food experiences and meals at participating restaurants, bars and cafés. After kicking off with a gala fundraising dinner at the Palais Theatre this week, the rest of the month will involve pasta masterclasses, pizza and op shop pop-ups, and a whole bunch of participating food and drink venues that are getting involved too. Each venue will be offering something different — for example, St Ali will donate all proceeds from each plate of pancakes sold during May, The St Kilda Burger Bar will give $2 from every Dine With Heart burger, and Park Street will be donating $1 from every bloody mary too. Take a look at the full list here. Of course, you can get even more proactive and bring Dine With Heart into your workplace — run an activity like a bake sale to raise awareness — or volunteer to host an event in your own home to raise some funds for Sacred Heart. This year, the aim is to raise $150,000 to help people in need gain access to hot meals and support systems. Every meal the Sacred Heart provides costs $4, so it goes without saying that just throwing a dinner party for some mates could do a whole lot of good for a whole lots of people. Here's a full list of participating restaurants: Añada | Fitzroy Babu Ji | St Kilda Bella Cosi | Port Melbourne Big Mouth | St Kilda Coppersmith Hotel | South Melbourne Derby Thai | St Kilda Dog's Bar | St Kilda Dr Jekyll | St Kilda Elsternwick 48h Pizza & Gnocchi Bar | Elsternwick Elsternwick Hotel | Elwood Fitzrovia | St Kilda Fork & Fingers | Ascot Vale Frankies Top Shop | St Kilda Fuji Tei | St Kilda Grill'd | Windsor Icon Coffee Shop | St Kilda Love and Dysfunction | St Kilda Lord Newry Hotel | Fitzroy North Mountain Goat Brewery | Richmond Parish of Sacred Heart & St Columba | St Kilda Park St Dining | North Fitzroy Pasta Classica | Melbourne Pelican | St Kilda Pint on Punt | Windsor Radio Mexico | St Kilda Republica Lord | St Kilda Saluministi | Melbourne CBD South Yarra 48h Pizza & Gnocchi Bar | South Yarra St Ali | South Melbourne St Kilda Burger Bar (The Grosvenor) The Craft & Co | Collingwood Uncle | St Kilda Union Club Hotel | Fitzroy West Beach Bathers Pavillion | St Kilda West Wine 1160 | Armadale Dine With Heart will run throughout May. Find more information about how to register here.
This very galaxy's next spell in the Star Wars universe is on its way, and it's teasing adventure, alliances, battling the dark side, and giving warrior, outcast, rebel and Jedi Ahsoka Tano her due. After dropping its first sneak peek back in April, Disney+'s aptly named Ahsoka has finally unveiled its full trailer ahead of its August streaming arrival. The attitude: "once a rebel, always a rebel". Since Disney got its lightsabers out again with Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, this franchise has rarely been far from screens. That includes at home, where the force has proven particularly strong across three seasons of The Mandalorian, 2021–22's The Book of Boba Fett, and also 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor. Now, it's Ahsoka's turn to hit the queue, with Rosario Dawson (Clerks III) returning as the limited series' titular figure after playing the part in both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. If you're new to the character, she was Anakin Skywalker's padawan before he became Darth Vader — and, here, she's an ex-Jedi Knight who is determined to battle a threat to the post-Empire galaxy. "Anakin never got to finish my training," she notes in the new trailer. "I walked away from him." When it hits Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23, Ahsoka will follow animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the TV series it spawned, too, plus fellow animated show Star Wars Rebels — because yes, this saga just keeps spreading far and wide. From the latter series, Star Wars aficionados will spot rebel crew member Hera Syndulla and former bounty hunter Sabine Wren. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) plays the former in Ahsoka, while Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Guns Akimbo) steps into the latter's shoes. Also among the familiar characters: fellow Jedi padawan Ezra Bridger from Star Wars Rebels, with Eman Esfandi (King Richard) doing the live-action honours — and Grand Admiral Thrawn, too, as played by Lars Mikkelsen (The Kingdom). Ahoska's cast includes Ray Stevenson (RRR) and Ivanna Sakhno (The Reunion), plus David Tennant (Good Omens). Also, reports have been bubbling for years about Hayden Christensen returning as Anakin, as he did in Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is Disney+'s first series focused on a female Jedi; indeed, as a character, Ahoska has long been one of the few women among the franchise's Jedi ranks, dating back to 2008. Off-screen, The Mandalorian writer/director/executive producer Dave Filoni writes and executive produces Ahoska, with Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, and Carrie Beck also doing the latter — all seasoned Star Wars veterans. Check out the trailer for Ahsoka below: Ahsoka will stream via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23. Images: ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Those Wachowski siblings certainly know what they like. Building intricate worlds, diving into stylised sci-fi, and exploring capitalism and control are at the top of their list, served up with dashes of action and a sense of humour. The Matrix trilogy, their Speed Racer manga-to-TV-to-film adaptation and the period-spanning Cloud Atlas all followed this pattern. Now, with their passion at its most dazzling, it’s Jupiter Ascending’s turn. Once more, Andy and Lana Wachowski write and direct a tale of an innocent learning that life isn’t quite what they think. Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) is a house cleaner unhappy with her lot yet unprepared for her destiny, particularly when a medical procedure for cash is interrupted by an attack by otherworldly creatures. Ex-military fighter and human-wolf hybrid Caine Wise (Channing Tatum) saves the day but also delivers strange news. It seems Jupiter is the key to a family feud over property and resources between wealthy, greedy, wannabe-immortal alien beings, courtesy of genetic reincarnation. That can’t be good. If the narrative sounds a bit messy, that’s because it is. Storytelling is far from Jupiter Ascending’s strong point, despite relying upon staple themes and familiar plot points. Though they remain masters of their own universe, the Wachowskis aren’t afraid to nod to other movies and classic tales, mashing up The Fifth Element, Star Wars, Dune, Brazil, Cinderella and more. It’s an awkward mix of imitation and originality, and it shows. The filmmakers certainly don’t take the most direct route in making everything plain, either, clearly relishing the chance to spend as much time in their brightly coloured realm as possible. In keeping with their back catalogue, they throw everything they can into Jupiter Ascending: bees that can detect royalty, an extended bureaucracy gag, an over-the-top wedding and an unrelated — but no less goofy — romance included. Narrative coherence be damned. Of course, part of the joy of watching a Wachowski-made movie comes from seeing them run with their particular brand of indulgent, existential fantasy on a grand scale, which they do here with aplomb. Marvelling at the scenery and the style is a given, and while spectacular special effects-driven sights, chaotic choreography and more than a few frenetic flights and fights can’t patch over the clumsiness of the story, they certainly help. Luckily, the cast knows exactly what kind of film they are in, and play their parts perfectly in tone, if not polish. Content to drift around a space soap opera, Eddie Redmayne is worlds away from Oscar nominations, but he’s clearly having fun as the pouting, sneering bad guy. Tatum does his usual beefy, brooding but slightly comic thing (sometimes without his shirt off), and though Kunis has to play it blank and straight in contrast, her transformation from doe-eyed to determined works. Even a stern-faced Sean Bean looks like he’s having a good time — and if you’ve seen how his film and TV appearances tend to turn out, you’ll know that’s rare. Perhaps, just like the audience should be, he’s just happy going with the Wachowskis' sometimes silly, always fascinating flow.
If you're the kind of person who scoffs oysters like they're going out of fashion and you don't mind a well-crafted tipple or two, then get ready to meet your new favourite watering hole. Pearl Diver Cocktails & Oysters has opened its doors on Little Bourke Street, freshly shucked from the minds of The Speakeasy Group's (Eau de Vie, Nick & Nora's, Mjolner) Alex Boon and Pez Collier. The focus here is memorable, produce-driven cocktails and oysters sourced from the country's best growing regions. Steering the former is renowned bar gun Boon, whose menu of libations is filled with his signature respect for individual ingredients and penchant for creativity. Expect deceptively simple-looking drinks packing loads of complexity. Pull up a seat at one of the plush banquettes or at the bar, and admire the elegant space while getting acquainted with his art. Among the lineup are sips like the Coconut + Yuzu — a blend of coconut-washed pisco, yuzu verjuice, vanilla, passionfruit and pink peppercorn — along with the ocean-inspired namesake Pearl Diver, and a reworked sazerac built on the classic pairing of peanut butter and jelly. [caption id="attachment_835087" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Pearl Diver cocktail[/caption] An oft-changing wine list has been carefully chosen to represent only that which is 'fun' and 'delicious', with a good 50 varieties pouring at any one time and a deep respect for terroir throughout. Meanwhile in the food corner, oysters are the headline act. You'll find them showcased in three different ways, served au naturale, dressed (think, creme fraiche and caviar, or a lemon granita) or cooked. Of course, no matter how you like to slurp them, you've also got to sample the signature creation, the Drunken Oyster: an icy-cold fusion of natural oyster and house Pearl Diver martini. A less bivalve-focused section of the food menu features bites like a wagyu Philly cheesesteak, salt cod beignets with garlic butter and waffle fries served beneath a mountain of comté. Grilled buffalo haloumi is made in-house, steak tartare is matched with artichoke and an oyster cream, and a mandarin trifle stars on the dessert list. And if you're after something extra fancy for your end-of-year catch-ups, see the private dining room, complete with an oyster well running down the length of its giant table. Find Pearl Diver Cocktails & Oysters at 56 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. It's open 5pm–12am Tuesday–Thursday, and from 3pm–12am on Fridays and Saturdays.
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Celebrate the long weekend and the last days of Melbourne Fringe in style. And by style, we mean wrapped in double denim getting down to the fly tunes of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, Backstreet Boys and B*Witched. That's right party people, the glorious '90s are back with a vengeance at the Fringe Club in North Melbourne. Hosted by dance master Anna Go-Go and musician Talei Wolfgramm, 1992-1-Oh! is shaping up to the biggest blowout this side of Y2K. Doors open at 10pm and won't close until the early hours of the morning, giving you plenty of time to dust off your heaps rad '90s dance moves. There'll be Britpop, boy bands, grunge, nu metal and plenty of early R&B, along with a conveyor belt of one-hit-wonders that history has tried to forget. Cowabunga dudes.
There are many key components to a great Christmas movie and music is often one of them, no matter how you feel about the usual carols. Who hasn't had the Home Alone music stuck in their head since the 90s? No one who's ever watched it. Who doesn't know all the words to Love Actually's 'Christmas Is All Around'? Again, the same category applies. It's that fact that helped make Love Actually in Concert screenings a) a thing and b) a huge hit, but that isn't the only festive favourite that you can see on the big screen with a live score this December. In Melbourne, at 7pm on Friday, December 16 at Hamer Hall at Arts Centre Melbourne, a three-decade-old gem is getting the same treatment: The Muppet Christmas Carol. It's time to play the music, light the lights and see Charles Dickens' classic play out in felt — and with Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge — accompanied by a live score. This is the first time that the film will play in Australia this way, after debuting in the UK last year. Sure, you might've watched it a thousand times when you were a kid, but you obviously haven't seen it like this before. The movie follows Dickens's tale, with the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge given a change of perspective by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come. Here, however, Jim Henson's beloved creations join in, with Kermit the Frog playing clerk Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit, Gonzo narrating the story as Dickens (with help from Rizzo the Rat), Fozzie Bear as Fozziwig and Robin the Frog as Tiny Tim. Other Muppets show up, because of course they do. The live orchestra will perform the feature's original score as composed by Miles Goodman (Little Shop of Horrors), with songs by Oscar-winning songwriter Paul Williams ('Rainbow Connection').
Catching public transport can be frustrating at the best of times, but there could be even more painful commutes ahead as Victoria's public transport union gears up for a big ol' strike. The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) has voted to proceed with industrial action, with 99 percent of members in favour of the strike, in response to ongoing, failed negotiations with Metro Trains. A strike could see frontline and back-of-house Metro staff taking industrial action for up to 48 hours, refusing to wear uniforms, check Myki cards, make announcements or alter timetables — which could lead to some serious train chaos. There's no word yet on when this would happen, though it'd likely take place in the next 30 days. And, if you're a public transport regular, you'll know for sure it won't be pretty. https://www.facebook.com/RTBUVic/photos/a.486088274788960/2522016437862790/?type=3&theater The RTBU has been negotiating a new wage deal with Metro Trains for months, and have been gunning to improve working conditions and achieve a wage increase that's better aligned with the current cost of living. According to the Age, Metro Trains wants a two percent annual wage increase, whereas the RTBU is asking for a six percent pay rise. Rail workers and the Metro Trains are also at odds over pay for extra hours worked and wages for station staff. We'll keep you updated if and when the strike goes ahead. Image: Josie Withers for Visit Victoria
It's not like you ever need much of an excuse to flee the city for a couple of days filled with top-notch wine, regional eats and entertainment. But hey, that's exactly what's calling you to jump in the car and head a few hours northwest of the city this weekend. Long-running flavour fest Grampians Grape Escape returns to Halls Gap Recreation Reserve from Friday, May 5–Sunday, May 7, dishing up yet another jam-packed program to mark its 30th instalment. Your tastebuds are certainly in for a treat as you spend your days sampling hundreds of local craft beers, ciders and wines, and sinking your teeth into a huge array of food stalls slinging everything from wood-fired pizza to paella. [caption id="attachment_711262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tony Evans[/caption] You can pick up some new skills at one of the weekend's many masterclasses, and learn culinary secrets at cooking demos led by the likes of Miguel Maestre, Khanh Ong and toastie king Tim Bone. Vino-obsessed comic Merrick Watts will also be hitting the stage for a wine-tasting-meets-comedy-gig. There'll be loads of live tunes to groove to across all three days, plus market stalls brimming with artisan wares. You can even round up some mates and dig your toes in at a grape-stomping competition for the chance to win a helicopter picnic flight or wine tour. Admission costs vary depending on which day(s) you'd like to visit, starting from $50 online. Bus transfers and local glamping options are also available. Making a weekend of it? Here's a lineup of gorgeous Airbnbs you can book in the Grampians region right now.
Its name might be a playful reference to its Brunswick East location, but that's not stopping long-running locals' haunt The B.East from expanding the family and opening a second outpost, this time in the heart of Fitzroy. Launching this Tuesday, February 18, The B.East of Brunswick Street is the latest venture from hospitality crew Cast of Falcons, who also brought you hits like Section 8, Globe Alley and Radar. It's set to dish up the same burger-heavy food offering and raucous, rock 'n' roll vibes as its sibling, though with a few twists and surprises to suit its new northside home. Taking over the two-storey corner space most recently home to short-lived vegan joint Henry's, this new edition of The B.East will be serving up a hefty lineup of burgers and sides, with plant-based options galore. You'll spy fan favourites like the southern fried chicken-loaded Clint Beastwood and the Filthy — a beef smash patty teamed with cheddar, house-made chilli paste, pickles and jalapeño aioli — alongside a handful of exclusive new creations. Vegan burger fiends can get excited for the likes of the mock fried chicken Bam Bam Buffalo number, and the Ad-Rock, featuring a Moving Mountains patty, maple facon, vegan cheddar, mustard and hickory barbecue sauce. The food is backed by a lineup of craft beers, local wines and fun cocktails. While the OG Lygon Street venue boasts a jam-packed program of live tunes, the music focus at Fitzroy will instead be DJ-driven. Regular crowd-pullers like trivia nights and competitions are also on the cards, with more details to drop later. We're crossing our fingers that new The B.East venue lasts a little longer than its Brunswick Street predecessors — in the space of just a few years, the site has been home to San Churro, US-inspired burger bar Chiquito & Co and Henry's, to name a few. Find The B.East of Brunswick Street at 275 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, from Tuesday, February 18. It'll be open from 11am–11pm daily. It's also kicking things off in style with some hefty opening weekend celebrations from February 20 to 23. Swing by for guest DJs, food and drink specials, giveaways and even a beer pong tournament. Top images: The B.East Brunswick East
If you A) live east of the city, B) love a good glass of vino and C) have creative flair here's the news for you. On Saturday, October 15, Frida's Sip n' Paint is celebrating the opening of its brand-new Camberwell studio. Starting with a red-carpet welcome, you'll meet your host, bust out the BYO drinks and nibbles and get settled in for a luxe painting experience. Painting is a beautiful thing, but not all of us have the confidence to create art with no assistance. Classes can be dull. Some of us prefer to learn by doing — and maybe have a cheeky bevvy while doing so. Don't fret, because that's what Frida's is all about. A memorable experience that's all about fun art, not fine art. Your talented host will take the group through a featured artwork, brush by brush, with no painters left behind. After 2.5 hours well spent, you will be the creator of a bona fide masterpiece to take home. There is no experience required for the classes, and you are in the hands of skilled instructors, so you might even uncover a hidden talent. To get involved, you can either book tickets to the grand weekend opening or follow these steps to go in the running to win your way into an exclusive VIP night. Frida's Sip n' Paint Camberwell opens its doors on Saturday, October 15. You can book a seat in one of two opening sessions, running 2–4.30pm or 6.30–9.30pm. Tickets and more information can be found on the website.
Your favourite band of merry parapsychologists is hitting the big screen once again — only for this special event they'll be backed live in concert by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Yep, the MSO will perform the musical score to cult hit flick Ghostbusters, live to picture, across three Hamer Hall screenings this April. You'll be able to revisit all the spooky fun of Ivan Reitman's award-winning 1984 title, following the adventures of three ghost-catching heroes, as played by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. And we promise it'll prove even more captivating than the other 367 times you've watched it, with Elmer Bernstein's Grammy-nominated movie score captured perfectly by a full, live orchestra. Just imagine all those spooky, slimy moments made extra thrilling and Ray Parker Jr's chart-topping theme song, 'Ghostbusters', given the live and loud treatment. Hamer Hall will host just two nighttime performances and one daytime session, so get in quick if you want a piece of the slime-filled, ghost-hunting action. 'Ghostbusters' Live in Concert with the MSO will take place at 7.30pm on Friday, April 26 and 1pm and 7.30pm on Saturday, April 27. To purchase tickets, visit the MSO website.
