The duo behind Thornbury's Casa Nata, Ruben Bertolo and Nelson Coutinho, have gone south and opened a pop-up shop filled with creamy pastéis de nata. Located along Toorak Road, the shop is open from Thursday-Sunday from 9am — until sold out. So, we suggest you head in as early as you can. If you haven't yet been acquainted with Casa Nata's tarts, you'll want to, quick smart. Each tart takes three days to produce and the recipe is kept firmly under wraps. Both children of Portuguese parents that migrated to Australia in the 80s, the pair is more than familiar with the custard-filled pastry, but felt it wasn't being properly represented here on Aussie shores. So, they decided to do something about it, got cracking on perfecting a recipe and opened the doors to Casa Nata in April this year. The menu is a testament to the idea of quality over quantity, featuring nothing more than Atomica Coffee alongside just one version of the signature dessert. Casa Nata Toorak Village Pop-Up is open from 9am–sold out Thursday–Sunday.
Take a number of similar events, link them together, then get everyone turning hitting them all up into an event itself. To paraphrase the late, great Carl Weathers in Arrested Development: baby, you've then got a crawl or tour going. Pub and bar crawls do it, as do wine walks. Now, so is Australia's first Art Grand Tour, which is popping up to celebrate a heap of exhibitions and art events taking place in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide across the first half of 2024. This is the first time that the Biennale of Sydney, Adelaide Biennale of Australian Art and PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography in Melbourne, all three of which are free to attend, have teamed up in such a way. The idea is encourage not only folks in each event's own city to attend, but to spark multi-stop getaways based on seeing the trio. [caption id="attachment_927824" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Felicity Jenkins[/caption] A range of fellow exhibitions and events have also joined in, so the full tour includes Melbourne Art Fair, NGV Triennial and MPavilion 10 by Tadao Ando in Melbourne; Adelaide Festival in South Australia; and the Louise Bourgeois exhibition at Art Gallery New South Wales, plus projections on the Sydney Opera House. Think of it as your go-to itinerary for exploring the best art that's on show across Australia's southeast, whether you want to check out famous towering spider sculptures, architectural installations or a room-sized ode to plants. The three key events are reason enough to head to Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide anyway — or to play tourist in your own town if you live there. The Biennale of Sydney is celebrating its 50th-anniversary year, embracing the theme "ten thousand suns" and featuring pieces by 88 artists and collectives from 47 countries. And, it's opening White Bay Power Station to the public for the first time in over a century as part of the event, which runs from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10. In SA, the 18th Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art is focusing on the human condition, complete with 24 artists and poets featured. You can head along from Friday, March 1–Sunday, June 2. PHOTO 2024 marks its third edition from Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 24, with "the future is shaped by those who can see it" the theme tying together 100 free installations and exhibitions, including work by 150-plus artists. [caption id="attachment_940260" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view: Troy-Anthony Baylis: Nomenclatures by Troy-Anthony Baylis, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; photo: Saul Steed.[/caption] Announcing the Grand Art Tour, Biennale of Sydney Chief Executive Officer Barbara Moore dubbed it "an exciting celebration of the power of art to connect, share and bring joy". Art Gallery of South Australia's Director Rhana Devenport described it as "an extraordinary art adventure" and "a rare opportunity to experience these exemplary gatherings of art that push boundaries, and alter your perceptions, and create new memories". [caption id="attachment_940262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] J Forsyth[/caption] For PHOTO Australia Founder/Artistic Director Elias Redstone, it's set to "inspire audiences with immersive art experiences that celebrate human connection as society faces uncertain futures". While the Art Grand Tour has tour right there in its name, there's nothing formal about it — so there's no ticketing packages and the like. Instead, it's a self-guided affair, so make your own schedule and travel plans accordingly. [caption id="attachment_938006" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marie-Luise Skibbe[/caption] Art Grand Tour 2024 Events: Sydney Until Sunday, April 28 — Louise Bourgeois: Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day?, Art Gallery of New South Wales Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10 — Biennale of Sydney, various venues Ongoing — Badu Gili: Celestial, Sydney Opera House Bennelong Sails Adelaide Friday, March 1–Sunday, June 2 — Adelaide Biennale of Australian Art, Art Gallery of South Australia Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 17 — Adelaide Festival, various venues Melbourne Until Tuesday, April 7 — NGV Triennial, NGV International Until Monday, March 29 — MPavilion 10 by Tadao Ando, Queen Victoria Gardens Thursday, February 22–Sunday, February 25 — Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 24 — PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography, various venues [caption id="attachment_936840" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lillie Thompson[/caption] Australia's first Art Grand Tour encompasses events in Sydney and Adelaide until June, Melbourne until March. Head to the tour's website for more information. Top image: PHOTO 2022, Will Hamilton-Coates.
If you’ve ever wanted to dip a toe into the world of classical music or maybe you’re already a convert, you’ll be pleased to hear that the world-renowned classical music festival BBC Proms is heading to Melbourne in 2016 for a limited debut season between April 13-16. BBC Proms has never ventured outside of the UK before, so it’s kind of a big deal they're hitting our side of the pond. They’ll be setting up shop in Hamer Hall for a series of performances across a broad range of styles and genres, including a show by Aussie beatboxer Tom Thum (who’ll perform a hybrid beatbox/orchestral piece) and a show based around excepts of David Attenborough’s landmark BBC series Life Story with accompanying footage. The Proms is steeped in egalitarian ethos — they began as a series of cheap standing concerts held in London and designed to bring classical music to the masses. Tickets to their season at Hamer Hall will start from $79.
Dust off your sombreros, amigos. The latest international excuse for a good time to reach our shores is Cinco de Mayo — a celebration of all things Mexican (which, if we’re being nit-picky, is really more of an Americanisation than anything but shh, let us party). In celebration, the folks at Corona and Beach Burrito Company Fitzroy are putting together a fiesta, complete with face painting by local street artists and the first ever Taco Time Trials Eating Contest. For the less competitively inclined but equally taco-happy, Cinco de Mayo falls conveniently on a Tuesday, and Beach Burrito Co’s regular $3 taco deal applies, so your pesos’ll stretch further. With what you’ve got left, you can sip salt-rimmed margaritas, down trays of tequila shots (not recommended) or share a bucket of ice-cold Coronas. And, of course, come prepared to smash and whack your way to glory, because they wouldn’t be doing Mexico right without pinatas.
At Little Prince Wine, there's one food-and-drink match that reigns supreme, and that's the perfect pairing of cheese and vino. So it's only fitting the St Kilda wine bar is getting into the spirit of International Wine and Cheese Day — yep, it's a thing, July 25 — with some extended festivities involving special offers and treats of both the grape and dairy variety. From Friday, July 22–Monday, July 25, you can mosey on in and get your fix with a freshly made serve of cacio e pepe, loaded with lashings of parmesan and pecorino. The limited-edition special's going for just $30 a pop, and the team reckons it's best paired with a glass (or two) of soave. [caption id="attachment_789784" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Little Prince Wine, by Jana Langhorst[/caption] Also on offer across all four days is a curation of wine and cheese pairings, digging into Little Prince's 4000-strong collection of rare, unique and interesting drops. Pick a wine, then have it paired with one, two or three cheeses, as selected by the expert staff. Prices start at an easy $24 per pairing, so you might as well settle in and try a few different matches. For practice's sake, of course.
Chair design might seem simplistic to the amateur eye but, in reality, there are hundreds of years of evolution and thought behind this everyday object. Paying homage to the humble piece of furniture, Germany's Vitra Design Museum has spent the past 20 years building up a collection of precise miniature replicas and has transformed it into a world-renowned touring exhibition. And for the very first time, it's touching down in Australia. Presented by Living Edge, Vitra 100 Miniatures features tiny versions of chairs created by legendary designers including Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier and Otto Wagner. These miniature versions are all presented precisely in 1:6 scale of chair designs from distinct periods in history — from art nouveau to Bauhaus, postmodernism and the trends of the present day. They also stay true to the originals in every conceivable way, including construction, materials and colour. Showcasing 100 classic examples, the exhibition illustrates the importance of the chair and how it has become a marker of progress within the wider field of industrial design. To complement the Vitra 100 Miniatures exhibition, there's also an impressive range of photographs, sketches and assorted documents that explore the importance of the medium. The exhibition is presented at the Living Edge Melbourne Showroom from Friday, December 21 to Thursday, January 31. It's open Monday to Friday between 9am–5pm, Saturday between 10am–4pm and Sunday from 11am–4pm. For more information, visit Living Edge's website.
When you're taking your pet pooch to the park in the cooler months, you want your four-legged friend to look its best and be warm. Yes, all puppers are adorable anyway, because that just comes with the territory. But your furry little woofer is certain to dial up its natural cuteness in a piece from Big W's new winter pet range. Whether your dachshund would look dapper in a cosy knitted vest, your jack russell terrier needs a faux fur-trimmed jacket or your shih tzu could do with an 'Always Snackin' sweater, you'll find it on offer in this new line. It's super-affordable, too, with sweaters starting from $9 and jackets from $15. More than 100 items are currently available (including various sizes and colours), spanning collars, harnesses and leads, as well as cable-knit jackets, tartan jumpers and novelty beds. Yes, if you and your pooch are looking to to go on an 'indoor camping adventure' — we've been WFH for a while now — you can get them a teepee: The fashion and accessory line will add further items throughout the year, too, because even your doggo's wardrobe can change with the seasons. While Big W has dubbed the line its 'petwear', so far it's all for dogs. That said, if you can somehow manage to get your cat into a vest or sweater, then you're well-equipped to slip them into something from this range. Big W's petwear is currently available to purchase online, with contactless home delivery and pick up available.
Today, one month after the unmitigated frenzy that was the iPhone 6, Apple have unveiled their latest tech offerings to the world. Without quite as much fanfare, they've gifted us with the new iMac, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3. Unlike the latest iPhone, there isn't a huge list of new features to jump up and down about. But there is this one thing — the screens of both the iPad Air and iMac are thinner than a freakin' pencil. Gone are the days of the bulky and obnoxiously colourful iMacs that we knew and loved from the mid-2000s. The screen on the latest iMac measures in at a mere 5mm and the iPad Air isn't much larger on 6.1mm. This is a size reduction of around 18 per cent from the last models (which was 20 per cent thinner than the ones before that). We know live in a time when technology has beaten the cliche of being "pencil thin". Aside from putting everything on a serious diet, Apple has given the new iPads faster processors and better cameras. The iPad Air now has all the latest updates we've seen in the iPhone 6 including an 8 megapixel camera. It will also have less glare with a new coating reportedly reducing reflections by 56 per cent, and the same TouchID fingerprint sensor that enables you to use the nifty (and only slightly scary) Apple Pay. Speaking of things which sound somewhat daunting, Apple has given the latest iMacs "5K retina display". While it sounds a lot like something to do with 5,000 lasers shooting into your eyeballs, it actually just means a really, really good image quality. Over 14 million pixels will now be shimmering around your desktop's 27-inch screen finally giving crystal-clear definition to all your Youtube cat videos. All in all, there's nothing to be too excited about unless you've been trying to jam your iPad into inconceivably small cases all year. People just love to kick up a fuss about Apple because they makes us feel like we're living in the future. If tiny, tiny technologies are really your thing, you can pre-oder these new gadgets from tomorrow. The new iPad Air will cost you between $619-1,019 depending on how tricked out you want it to be; the iPad Mini will be $499-899; and the iMac will fluctuate wildly between $2,999-5,279. Just wait and see how expensive it is once they perfect a design the same thickness as a piece of paper. And no, in case you wanted to keep your new iPad in your pocket, Apple aren't afraid of them bending. Via Wired and SMH.
It's December, so summer has been steaming up Australia for a week now. It's also predicted to be a particularly warm and wet season. So, you might think that snow is off the agenda for a few months. That's a reasonable view to hold. It's sensible, in fact. But it seems that the weather has other ideas, with New South Wales and Victoria's alpine regions getting more than a little frosty this week. Yes, it has been snowing in places such as Perisher and Mount Hotham. The former got down to -0.8 degrees overnight last night (as Monday, December 7 became Tuesday, December 8), as recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology. It's also forecast to hit a -1-degree minimum on Wednesday, December 9. At the latter, the mercury is only tipped to hit 7 degrees maximum on Tuesday, December 8, while Weatherzone reports that it got down to -1.4 degrees overnight. Numbers are all well and good, but if you want on-the-ground details — and images — a number of places in both areas have you covered. Perisher Resort and Hotham Alpine Resort have each posted videos to their social media showing the conditions. If you haven't seen snow in summer before, well, consider that a new 2020 achievement. https://twitter.com/PerisherResort/status/1336068906327318528 https://twitter.com/_hotham/status/1336079287091269632 As the Bureau of Meteorology in both NSW and Victoria have reported, wintry conditions are indeed on the cards in both state's alpine regions this week. Perisher is expected to have minimums between -1–3 degrees until Monday, with maximums between 9–17. At Mount Hotham, the corresponding ranges span -1–7 in terms of lows and 7–17 degrees in top temps. https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1335690118133321729 https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1335766642475880456 As for Sydney and Melbourne, it won't be anywhere near that frosty, unsurprisingly. But Sydney's maximums are due to stay mild, between 22–25, for most of the week. In Melbourne, the city isn't predicted to top 18 degrees either today or Wednesday — although temps will rise over the weekend, leading to a 32-degree maximum on Monday, December 14. Top image: Mount Hotham, Rob Blackburn.
Film festival lineups are only ever truly complete when the event is over for the year, because new movies and sessions can join the program right up until the curtains fall. 2025's Sydney Film Festival runs in June, for instance, and unveiled the bulk of its its roster to start May — but it still keeps expanding, including by scoring the Australian premiere of Ari Aster's Eddington. Fresh from announcing that DEATH STRANDING and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has joined the 2025 program to get chatting with Mad Max and Furiosa director George Miller, SFF has now revealed that one of this year's most-anticipated movies — that wasn't already on its bill — is also heading to the Harbour City across Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15. Eddington joins the fest's straight-from-Cannes contingent, with the news coming just days after the film debuted at the prestigious French festival. "With Eddington, Ari Aster turns his razor-sharp gaze to the fractured heart of America, and perhaps the world, in a film that is provocative, urgent and completely gripping. This is a compelling work that speaks to the chaos and contradictions of our times — and one that will spark passionate conversation," said SFF Festival Director Nashen Moodley, announcing the movie's addition to SFF's 2025 program. "We are delighted to present its Australian premiere at Sydney Film Festival and offer Sydneysiders the chance to be some of the very first people in the world outside of Cannes to see this incendiary film." Arriving two years after Aster first stressed out Joaquin Phoenix in Beau Is Afraid, Eddington has more tension and chaos in store for the Oscar-winning actor. The pair reunite for a trip back to 2020, to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the movie's eponymous New Mexico location as it attempts to cope with the abrupt change to life as its citizens know it. Phoenix (Joker: Folie à Deux) portrays the small town's sheriff — with Emma Stone (Kinds of Kindness ) as his wife, Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) as the loyal mayor and Austin Butler (The Bikeriders) as the charismatic Vernon Jefferson Peak. The storyline: putting Joe and the mayor on a collision course, which unsurprisingly causes ripples throughout Eddington, in a tale that's set to see townsfolk clash in a period that we all know couldn't have been more heightened. Aster is back cultivating unease, then, as he did so expertly in Hereditary in 2018, then Midsommar in 2019, then Beau Is Afraid in 2023. If you can't see Eddington at SFF, it releases in Australian cinemas on Thursday, July 24 — the same day as the also Pascal-starring Fantastic Four: First Steps. Check out the trailer for Eddington below: Sydney Film Festival 2025 takes place from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website.
Back in 1988, when John Waters wrote and directed Hairspray, he couldn't have known what'd follow. The cult filmmaker's flick was a modest hit to begin with, but really became a sensation on home video in the early 90s. The film's star Ricki Lake, who made her big-screen debut playing 60s teen Tracy Turnblad, also became one of the decade's big talkshow hosts. That's a wild path for any movie to take, but Hairspray's story doesn't end there. A theatre adaptation followed in 2002, as did eight Tony Awards. Then came a new 2007 movie based on that stage musical. Yes, Hairspray has lived many lives — and in its latest, it's heading to Melbourne. In its on-stage, all-singing, all-dancing guise, it'll spin the dance-loving Turnblad's tale of teen dreams and making a difference at Melbourne's Regent Theatre from August. Turnblad has one specific fantasy, actually: to dance on The Corny Collins Show. And when she makes it, it changes her life — but she has more change to fight for, too. The story unfolds in 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland, where racial discrimination is an everyday part of life. So, Turnblad uses her newfound fame to advocate for a different future for everyone. When Hairspray plays Melbourne — with its exact August premiere date yet to be revealed — it'll do so with a local staging of the original Broadway production, and with director Jack O'Brien (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots) guiding show. Only one cast member has been announced so far: Shane Jacobson. He'll swap Kenny's overalls, his numerous TV hosting gigs and appearing in seemingly every Australian movie made over the past decade for the role of Edna Turnblad, Tracy's mother, which was played by the inimitable Divine in Waters' movie, Harvey Fierstein on Broadway and John Travolta in the 2007 film. When tickets will go on sale hasn't been announced yet either, but you can check out a clip from the US tour below in the interim: Hairspray will open at the Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne, in August — we'll update you with exact dates when they're announced. In the interim, you can join the show's ticket waitlist by heading to its website. Top image: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic via Getty Images.
After first setting up shop in Brisbane last year, and then announcing plans to open more Australian stores last month, Taco Bell has revealed the location of its second Australian outpost: Robina on the Gold Coast. The US Tex-Mex chain is headed to a spot adjacent to Robina Town Centre later in 2018, with construction currently underway on its new digs. While the exact opening date hasn't yet been revealed, fans of burritos, quesadillas, nachos and, of course, tacos, can expect to start munching away before summer hits. Taco Bell's Queensland expansion will come as no surprise to anyone who's seen the lines at the company's existing Annerley store, and it doesn't look as though the company is done with the region yet — with job listings presently open for not only Robina, but for Brisbane and the surrounding suburbs. In good news for those eager for a Mexican-inspired bite in Sydney and Melbourne, more Australian shops are planned by the end of the year. It'll be a case of out with the old and in with the new, actually, with previous reports indicating that Taco Bell will take over old Sizzler spots. Find Taco Bell at a to-be-confirmed Robina location near Robina Town Centre later this year. We'll keep you updated on the opening.
Love a good glass of red? Well then, you're in luck. Following a series of pop-ups and bottling parties, people-powered urban winery Noisy Ritual have gone and found themselves a permanent home. Located on Lygon Street in Brunswick East, the new venue will pull triple duty as a cellar door, wine bar and event space, suitable for everything from weddings to exhibitions. "Noisy Ritual will be a haven for people interested in wine, winemaking, food and music," reads a statement on the winery's website. "Stop by for a glass of wine in the bar, or take a bottle home. Sign up for a winemaking experience, come to one of our special events, or hire the space for your own occasion." Not a bad turn of events for a business that began with fermenting grapes in a Thornbury backyard. Turns out if you offer people the chance to stomp, press and bottle their own vino, they'll turn out in droves. Incidentally, 2017 Noisy Ritual memberships are currently available, and get you entry to three winemaking workshops, three barrel tasting sessions and six bottles from your very own vintage. Plus, you'll be able to go into the Noisy Ritual bar and order a glass of the wine you made with your own two hands (and feet).
When 2023 arrived, it marked two decades since composer Stephen Schwartz and playwright Winnie Holzman took a book inspired by The Wizard of Oz, put it to music and turned it into one of Broadway's biggest hits of the 21st century. Now that 2024 is, it's giving Melbourne musical theatre fans their latest chance to see that very show right here at home — because Wicked is flying into the Victorian capital from Saturday, March 2. Even if you haven't seen the blockbuster show before, including on its past Aussie run from 2008–11, then you've likely heard of it. Following the Land of Oz's witches — telling their untold true tale is the musical's whole angle, in fact — Wicked has notched up more awards than you can fit in a hefty cauldron over the years. That includes three Tonys from ten nominations, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and six Drama Desk Awards. Also huge: its worldwide footprint, playing in 16 countries around the globe since its 2003 debut. And, when it makes its way to the Regent Theatre for its second stop on its current Aussie run, following its present Sydney season, it'll do so after enchanting itself into fourth place in the list of longest-running Broadway shows ever — even surpassing Cats. Story-wise, Wicked starts before The Wizard of Oz and continues its narrative after Dorothy Gale lands, adapting Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The text itself has sold 5.5 million copies, including five million since the musical first opened. Here, before Dorothy blows in, two other women meet in the Land of Oz: Elphaba and Galinda. One will later be known as the Wicked Witch of the West, while the other will become Glinda the Good Witch. Exactly why that happens, and how, and the pair's relationship from rivals to unlikely friends to grappling with their new labels, fuels the show's tale. Popping on your ruby slippers, clicking your heels three times and defying gravity at the Melbourne stage show means seeing Courtney Monsma in her debut lead role as Galinda/GLinda, Sheridan Adams as Elphaba, Robyn Nevin as Madame Morrible and Todd McKenney as the Wizard — plus Liam Head as Fiyero, Adam Murphy isasDr Dillamond, Shewit Belay as Nessarose and Kurtis Papadinis as Boq. Wicked has been brought back to Australia by John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia, Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B Platt and David Stone — and is taking to the stage again before the in-the-works two-part film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo (Pinocchio) as Elphaba and Ariana Grande (Don't Look Up) as Galinda, and directed by Jon M Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians), is due to start reaching cinemas in 2024. Images: Jeff Busby.
It's a hidden gem usually reserved for hotel guests, but come January 19, the sun-drenched rooftop pool above Holiday Inn Melbourne on Flinders will open to the public for a one-off summer splash session. Kicking off at noon, the hotel's sky-high astroturfed terrace and adjoining pool will play host to the sort of classic Aussie pool party you don't often find in the heart of the CBD. Punters will be able to switch between taking dips and lounging in the sun, while enjoying free-flowing beer, wine, cider and soft drinks, all included in the ticket price. A sausage sizzle will be doling out yet more pool party staples, while the soundtrack's set to feature a fun-loving mix of classic summer jams and new favourites. Best of all, a ticket to the two-hour rooftop party will set you back just $40.
There's a decaying ballroom in Flinders Street Station. Really. Once used as a lecture theatre, a dance hall and even a private boxing ring, the ballroom is hidden up the western end of the station’s third story. You'd be forgiven for missing it, the whole site's been closed to the public since 1985. But now, Premier Daniel Andrews has announced a facelift for Flinders Street Station, with $100 million allocated to upgrades and repairs — and the crumbling ballroom. Speaking on 3AW radio this morning and reported by The Age, Andrews stated that work on the refurbishment would begin as soon as possible, with areas of focus including upgrades to the platforms, information displays and toilets, as well as repairs to the iconic clock tower and crumbling ballroom. The restoration is expected to take between four and five years, and includes plans to accommodate additional commercial tenants. So what's to become of the grand ol' ballroom? The government plans to have chats with the private sector and universities to find new uses for the ballroom, as well as various other vacant rooms within the 110-year-old station which are currently in a state of disrepair. Previous proposals for the station’s upgrade have included a railway museum, an art gallery, as well as bars, cafes and retail spaces. "It needs to be restored to its former glory," said the premier, whose government has already scrapped his predecessor's plan for a costly (and rather hideous) redesign. "This is not a design problem, this is a disrepair problem," Andrews said. Our money's on the art gallery. Via The Age.
Elizabeth Richter is used to expounding the benefits and tastiness of vegan food, having run her vegan meal delivery service, The Veggie Chef, for quite a few years now. Her next venture builds on what she loves — she has opened a vegan cafe called Ubuntu on Hawthorn's Burwood Road. Richter opened Ubuntu in response to feedback she was getting from her Veggie Chef customers, who would complain that there was no tasty, nutritious vegan fare in their area. The cafe has a compact menu of sweet and savoury dishes, and plenty of gluten-free options. While the menu makes mention of many 'cheeses' and 'meats', Richter promises that everything is strictly vegan and plant-based. Dishes include french toast with berry compote, pistachios and maple syrup; a croque madame with vegan bacon and 'cheese'; loaded sweet potato fries; and a triple cheeseburger with tempeh and 'haloumi' on a charcoal bun. Richter has also done a bit of experimenting when it comes to the 'eggs', too — there's a hyper-realistic vegan egg on the go, which yolks just like a real yolk; an impressive feat. Accompanying the food, and not to be forgotten, is the colourful superfood latte menu. The point of interest here is the butterfly pea flower latte. A teal-coloured coffee alternative that uses monk fruit (a fruit native to southern China and northern Thailand) juice, dates and cinnamon as natural sweeteners, it looks just as pretty on your table as it does on your Instagram feed. Richter says opening the restaurant hasn't been easy — she jokes that she has been sleeping at the cafe at night – but that it will pay off, as she's bringing Hawthorn something a little different (even if the eggs do look just like eggs). Ubuntu Vegan Cafe is open at 460 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, from 7am–4pm Tuesday through Sunday.
The beloved Cameo Cinema will once again showcase some of the summer's most talked-about films on its magnificent outdoor movie screen under the stars. From December 1, 2017 until April 2018, audiences will get the chance to nestle down in deckchairs and beanbags, with craft beer, homemade choc-tops and freshly popped popcorn in hand. If that's not worth the drive out to Belgrave, then we just don't know what is. The Cameo Outdoor Cinema summer program has us pretty excited — with February to April titles set to be revealed at a later date. The season might get into the swing of things a couple of weeks before Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi releases, but it'll celebrate the occasion with a midnight, moonlight screening — and 11 days of sessions afterwards. Remember: if you don't come dressed as a jedi or wookiee, you're doing it wrong. Other titles include predicted Oscar contenders Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Shape of Water, Guy Pearce and Kylie Minogue in Swinging Safari, ace Aussie western Sweet Country, Meryl Street and Tom Hanks teaming up in Steven Spielberg's The Post, and what's certain to prove an impromptu sing-along session or three of Pitch Perfect 3. Animal lovers will also be pleased with a pair of Bring Your Pet showings, of Paddington 2 and Coco. And for those after a little retro fun, Garden State, Labyrinth, Muriel's Wedding, The Lion King, The Goonies and A Night at the Roxbury are also on the bill. It doesn't hurt that the Cameo concessions are a cut above what you'll find at your local shopping centre multiplex. They've got craft beer and boutique wines, edamame, and lollies from The Sassafras Sweet Co., to name but a few. Alternatively, you can bring a picnic of your own — this is one cinema where you won't have ushers pestering you about bringing in outside food.
Beloved camping music festival Beyond the Valley returns to its regular programming this year, set to ring in the new year at Barunah Plains, west of Melbourne, from December 28, 2022–January 1, 2023. And it's got a stacked lineup to celebrate, too, headlined by none other than the legendary Nelly Furtado — the Canadian singer behind 'I'm Like a Bird', 'Turn Off the Light', here for a one-off Aussie-exclusive performance. Joining her on the eclectic bill: Denzel Curry, Dom Dolla, Kaytranada, BENEE, Yeat, Flight Facilities, Honey Dijon, Lime Cordiale, Patrick Topping, Charlotte De Witte, Diplo and more. That includes Bicep, which'll come as no surprise if you saw the video earlier in the year announcing the fest's return, which was set to the sounds of 'Glue'. The fest's sprawling new Barunah Plains home comes complete with a 100,000-square metre-natural amphitheatre, playing host to its three usual stages (main stage, dance tent and multi-level dance spot Dr Dan's), as well as a new podcast stage featuring live and interactive recordings. The 2022 instalment will also include a beach club for swims; a small space that's only accessible via secret entrance called Schmall Klüb; and the Poof Doof 'pride patrol'; plus speed-dating, yoga, pilates, meditation, open mic sessions and a fortune teller. Beyond the Valley has released a range of ticketing options, including single-day passes and multi-day entry — though you'll want to be quick as they're all expected to sell out. [caption id="attachment_866660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mackenzie Sweetnam[/caption]
While technically in the neighbouring suburb of Kingsville, Olive Oil & Butter is a stone's throw from the beating heart of Footscray and is well worth a visit. This family-run business is one of those credited with kicking off the resurgence of Greek eateries in Melbourne's west, harking back to its Hellenic roots to create Greek-inspired dishes for breakfast, brunch and lunch. The menu covers all bases, with everything made fresh in-house and from scratch. Plates range from the excellent straptsada, a traditional village recipe of scrambled eggs, feta, tomato, oregano and spring onion served with sourdough, to the vegan Kalamboki with roasted corn and sage polenta, grilled avo, tomatoes, shallots and gigantes beans. If you're not full already, there are traditional Greek pastries in the display cabinet — the galaktoboureko here is one of the best in town. There's also a well-stocked larder of imported Greek groceries if you fancy trying your hand at an at-home recipe.
You've gotta love a garage sale brimming with great goodies for unbelievable prices. And the creators of Rag Trade feel the same way. Matilda and Lil, friends who both previously had stalls at the Camberwell market and collectively ran the Carlton Eclectic Vintage & Design Market for one year, decided to start Rag Trade to essentially re-create the Camberwell market in the city of Melbourne. Held on the first Saturday of every month from noon-5pm at the Clyde Hotel, Rag Trade brings together drinking, music and a little bit of treasure hunting, and who doesn’t want to spend a Saturday doing all three of those things? Stalls feature a wide variety of vintage clothing from the '50s-'80s as well as the wares of local emerging Melbourne designers. With the new beer garden and lounge that was finished in early 2013, the Clyde has become the perfect spot for a market. Rag Trade is on at the Clyde Hotel on the first Saturday of every month. You can also check it out on the third Saturday of every month at 1000 £ Bend.
Two of our favourite things — good food and fantastic film — are coming together at Caulfield Racecourse this March. After a sold-out debut season last year, Gourmet Cinema will return for two weeks starting on Thursday, March 2 to pair menus from some of Melbourne's top restaurants with a critically-acclaimed film. So bring your picnic blankets, but leave the baskets at home. Each film on the program has been matched to a corresponding restaurant. Lost in Translation should go quite nicely with poke and pork belly bao from Tokyo Tina, while Slumdog Millionaire seems better paired with one of Horn Please's much-loved samosas. Alternatively, you can 'find yourself' in a salumi pizza from Baby during Eat Pray Love, watch Frida with a fish tacos from Fonda, or revisit Amélie with a croque monsieur and a plum tart from L'Hotel Gitan. Other vendors on the list include Kong, Saigon Sally, Meatmaiden and The Atlantic. While each restaurant will present a specific screening, you don't have to worry about picking your favourite, as each night a rotating roster of five restaurants will be slinging film-friendly foods. You won't have to line up for it either — you can just have it delivered to your picnic blanket via Deliveroo. Gourmet Cinema will run for 11 consecutive days, and will this year include two matinee screenings. For all the others, gates open at 6pm with the film set to commence around 8pm. Tickets are $22 (plus booking fee) for adults, or you can shell out $35 for a reserved deck chair.
Your Sunday lunch plans are sorted thanks to the slow cookin' team at Fancy Hank's. Starting this weekend, the Bourke Street barbecue joint is teaming up with acclaimed local chefs for a series of collaborative lunches on select Sundays throughout 2017. To kick things off, they're teaming with Embla's sous chef Charley Snadden-Wilson. Diners will be treated to Snadden-Wilson's take on modern Australian cuisine, cooked using Hank's two-tonne smoker Buffing Billie. That means glazed whole smoked goat along with sides such as smoked ceviche, salt-baked vegetables, scotch eggs and roasted apricots. The lunch is $60 for three courses plus snacks. "These collaboration lunches are such a great way to celebrate other venues and some amazing chefs at the top of their game," said Fancy Hank's executive chef Mike Patrick.
Is it about time to book your next nature retreat? Don't limit yourself to camping, glamping and remote cabins, Melburnians, you've now scored a tiny new solar-powered house to visit in the Yarra Valley. Tiny Stays is run by brother-sister duo Ben and Aimee Stanton, who opened their first off-grid accommodation to the public last month. It's set in a remote plot in the Yarra Valley wilderness and provides boutique accommodation with all the trimmings — and the added benefit of complete seclusion. At only 12-square-metres in size, the quaint, azure blue house manages to pack it all in — in style. It's equipped with a queen sized bed, ensuite, two-burner stove, refrigerator and fully stocked kitchen, with breakfast bits and cooking essentials included. That's not to mention windows offering views aplenty. Outside, there's a barbecue, lounge area, hammock and fire pit circle to boot. For those wanting to unplug, books and board games are provided, too. Plus, optional grazing platters of local produce and wine packages can be organised for your arrival, so you can rock up without an esky. [caption id="attachment_710546" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Stanton[/caption] Privacy-wise, you won't need to see a single person for your entire stay if you so choose, with the remote location only revealed after booking and self check-in included. Once (or if) you're ready to explore further than your personal slice of paradise, there's Healesville Sanctuary only a ten-minute drive, as well as easy access to many of the region's vineyards. As far as Tiny Stays goes, more locations are planned across Melbourne in the coming year, before the brand expands to other cities as well — so, if you're into this ever-expanding style of luxury retreat, keep an eye on this space. Bookings at Tiny Stays Yarra Valley start from $179 a night. For more information and to book your stay, head to tinystays.co. Images: Ben Stanton.
The Mulberry Group made its impact on Melbourne's cafe scene when it opened smash-hit brunch spots including The Kettle Black, Top Paddock and Higher Ground. And now, six months after selling those original venues, the group is at it again with a brand new CBD venture, Liminal. Unlike the group's previous venues, this one isn't just a cafe — it's also a wine store, events space and marketplace that caters more to a business crowd. It's also located in the foyer of an office building. You'll find it in the T&G Building on the corner of Collins and Russell streets, which was recently refurbished and now houses a heap of new retail and dining spots, including Lune's CBD outpost. Design studio The Stella Collective has worked wonders on the space, creating a space of comfortable curves, olive-green banquettes and light timber accents to help you forget you're a stone's throw from your desk and emails. In the kitchen, Executive Chef Martin Webster — who has previously headed up kitchens at Jackalope and Montalto on the Mornington Peninsula — has devised a nice and simple offering of breakfast and lunch fare. The lunchtime lineup of salads and sandwiches is set to revolve around each day's market haul, a rotisserie will be busy turning out hot chickens and porchetta, and a raft of daily specials is sure to tempt local office-bound regulars. We're told there'll be plenty of takeaway options for office workers who don't have time to spare, too. Meanwhile, a private boardroom offers something a little extra for corporate lunches, product launches and meetings. And, come knock-off time, the Liminal wine store promises yet more fun, showcasing a selection of almost 200 different drops, from largely local small-scale producers. Pick up a bottle on your way home, or settle in for a quick after-work tipple — the bar will be open and pouring until 6pm, Monday to Friday. Find Liminal on the ground level of the T&G Building, 161 Collins Street, Melbourne from this Wednesday, May 1. It will be open weekdays from 7am–6pm. Images: Carmen Zammit.
Here's one for all of you culture-loving night owls — Melbourne Museum's famed after-hours parties are making their anticipated comeback this month, promising a suitably huge headline act in Aussie hip hop star Tkay Maidza. On Wednesday, November 30, Nocturnal returns for its first outing since 2020, set to transform the museum's exhibition spaces into a music-fuelled after-dark playground. Kicking off a fresh series of monthly summer sessions (further dates TBA), this next after-hours shindig is happening in conjunction with Victoria's statewide music program Always Live, and national hip hop and R&B radio platform CADA. [caption id="attachment_722270" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cesur Sanli[/caption] Gearing up the crowd for a big night of tunes will be acts like Western Sydney DJ Carolina Gasolina, and Melbourne's own Dijok and Soju Gang, before Maidza hits the stage from 9pm, promising to have the dance floor jumping. And as always, more after-hours revelry will come in the form of pop-up bars, tasty bites, hands-on workshops and curator talks. Plus, guests will have the rare chance to explore Melbourne Museum's latest exhibitions and installations by night — the current lineup includes newly launched exhibition Naadohbii: To Draw Water, interactive storytelling showcase Tyama (separate tickets required), and Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs.
When it comes to pizza, people often joke that bad pizza is still pretty good. And while that may be true, we have done a little hunting to ensure you never have to eat bad pizza ever again if you don't care to. We have rounded up ten of our favourite places to grab a slice, with both newcomers and authentic, familiar faces featuring on the list. Buen appetito. 1. Ladro Ladro has been dishing up delicious pizzas to the masses, north (Fitzroy) and south (Prahran), for many years now. Authentic thin crust pizzas are topped with delicious good quality ingredients and delivered in record time. The fit-out for both restaurants, designed by owners and design duo Sean and Ingrid, is sleek and sophisticated. New Italian-born chef Niko is bringing more seafood to the table of late, while Zia is hand-making pasta daily for both venues. The Badabing pizza with tomato, provolone, pork sausage, chilli, and basil is crowd favourite. Ladro Gertrude - 224 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy; (03) 9415 7575 and Ladro Greville -162 Greville Street, Prahran; (03) 9510 2233; www.ladro.com.au 2. La Svolta La Svolta has been in Hampton winning over pizza lovers for years, but just recently they spread their wings and opened a second restaurant in Prahran — cue applause. When it comes to pizza, these guys are seriously qualified. They have been accredited by the Associazione Versace Pizza Napoletana. This is only given to those who are making pizzas to strict standards as set out by the AVPN. Yep, we told you they were qualified. Think thin and slightly chewy bases topped simply, just as the Italians like it. We love their Bufala pizza with prosciutto di Parma. Hampton - 450 Hampton Street, Hampton; (03) 9521 8990 and Prahran - 3-5 Cecil Place, Prahran; (?03) 9510 3001; www.lasvolta.com.au 3. D.O.C Pizza and Mozzarella Bar What happens when a pizzeria and a mozzarella bar come together? Greatness, that's what happens. Thin crust authentic pizzas are topped with some of the highest quality buffalo mozzarella going around. When it comes to D.O.C., we can't go past the margarita. The ingredients speak for themselves and there is no need to mess with perfection. 295 Drummond Street, Carlton; (03) 9347 2998; www.docgroup.net 4. + 39 Pizza Tucked into the bottom end of Bourke Street, this slice of Italy comes from six Italian friends with a love of food. Don't be surprised if you have to wait for a table here, they're as busy as their pizzas are good. Try a classic Capricciosa Italiana, which is topped with tomato salsa, Fior Di Latte, leg ham, olives, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms. 362 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne; (03) 9642 0440; www.plus39.com.au 5. Cantina Centrale Cantina Centrale is the latest venture from the guys that brought us Cafe Bedda in Northcote. They are serving up the same pizzas, but this time with a full wood-fired oven giving them crisp, chewy bases. Things are just getting better, folks. If you like pumpkin, we also suggest ordering a serve of their savoury pumpkin doughnuts to start. 11 Hamilton Street, Mont Albert; (03) 9890 4836; www.cantinacentrale.com 6. 400 Gradi So here we have another well-qualified pizzeria. Johnny Di Francesco, 400 Gradi’s chef, was the first Australian to be trained in Naples to the Accociazione Verace Pizza Napoletana VPN rules. He even travelled back to Naples in 2012 to compete in the World Pizza Olympics; no, we didn’t know they existed either. This means you can expect authentic pizza down to the letter. True to authenticity, they have a marinara originale, which is simplicity at its best — san marzana tomato, garlic, and oregano. 99 Lygon Street, Brunswick East; (03) 9380 2320; www.400gradi.com.au 7. Supermaxi Rita Macali is what sets Supermaxi apart from other pizza restaurants in Melbourne. Once at Ladro, now here, she knows the ins and outs of good pizza like no one else. Home-style pizzas and pastas make up a large part of this menu, with a few Italian-style mains on offer like the crumbed veal cotoletta with coleslaw. 305 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North; (03) 9482 2828; www.supermaxi.com.au 8. Moors Head Moors Head are not making what comes to mind when you think authentic pizza; they are actually aiming to make 'inauthentic pizza'. These inauthentic pizzas come in the form of pides and manoushes. It's pizza given a Lebanese twist and it's good folks, it's really good. Try the Sultan Mehmet, a pide filled with tomato, lamb ma’anek, red pepper, feta, and black olives. 2/774 High Street, Thornbury; (03) 9484 0173; www.themoorshead.com 9. Shawcross Pizza Shawcross are the new kids on the block in the pizza scene, and they are bringing us a little slice of New York City — pun intended. These are the gents behind Phat Brats the gourmet hot dogs, so they are tried and tested in taking something old and making it new again. Pizzas are available by the whole pizza (12") or by the 'slice' (from a 22" pie). The Fat Tony is a classic, with tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil, while the Bloody Vegans is hummus, spinach, tomato, red onions, green olives, and lemon. 'Kick-ass' salads see the carb-conscious diners among us sigh with relief with well, due to combinations like chicken, spinach, edaname, avocado, red onion, and quinoa. 324 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy; www.acebook.com/ShawcrossPizza 10. Baby If you haven’t heard of Chin Chin, you are probably living under a rock. Baby Pizza is the new one from Chris Lucas and his gang. They are sticking to the usual Italian offering, but when it comes to their pizzas, they are putting their stamp on things with their fried and grilled specialty range. Try a pan-fried Burrata of shredded fresh burrata, caramelised cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. They are also open all day, every day, so pop in for breakfast in you're in the area. 631-633 Church St, Richmond; (03) 9421 4599; www.babypizza.com.au Shawcross photos by Sofia Levin. View all Melbourne Restaurants.
The morning work run could soon be a whole lot speedier for commuters across the city, as the Victorian Government starts work on both its hefty redevelopment of Flinders Street Station and multi-million dollar upgrades to the City Loop. To help stamp out congestion issues in the Elizabeth Street subway tunnel, the iconic station will score a new fully accessible entrance, running directly from Southbank's Riverside Walk onto Platform Ten. It's slated to open by April this year, with Acting Premier James Merlino saying that "Flinders Street is the heart of our train system and the heart of our city – we're restoring it and making it more accessible, safe and user friendly for passengers." Another project the government is forking out the big bucks for is a series of upgrades for the City Loop. It's investing $134 million on the 32-year-old rail circuit, which includes $70 million in much needed improvements to the City Loop's fire safety systems. The planned upgrades will also incorporate a new alarm system with extra CCTV cameras, which will give operators immediate notifications if anyone ventures onto the tracks. With over 111,000 people riding the City Loop each day, this upgrade alone is expected to reduce delays and help boost the network's reliability. This is in addition to the build of the new Metro Tunnel, which will see nine-kilometre twin tunnels and five underground train stations added to Melbourne's inner city. These new stations will create a new path into the city that doesn't rely on (but connects to) the City Loop. The idea is that it will ease congestion in the City Loop and allow more trains to be getting in and out of the city. Construction on all this is expected to be completed is 2026.
If we're to believe any film about pirates, famous shipwrecks or Pixar fish, there are a lot of secret treasures to be found on the ocean floor. But surely, none as grand as this. English sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has just laid to rest one of his finest works in the Bahamas. Measuring in at over 5 metres tall and weighing a whopping 60 tonnes, this enormous and serene lady is officially the world's largest underwater sculpture. Though it's hard to imagine that dumping 60 tonnes of foreign material in the ocean can be a good thing, this work, entitled Ocean Atlas, actually doubles as an artificial reef for marine life. The sculpture is made of long-lasting, pH-neutral marine cement and was created in consultation with the Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation. "[The work shows] the vital role the local community and especially the younger generation have in conserving the islands' natural resources," said the artist. The artwork's name makes similar allusions to such environmental responsibilities. In Greek mythology, Atlas was condemned to hold the sky on his shoulders — an idea beautifully represented in the hunched female figure just below water level. As the tide draws in and out, locals are reminded of her constant watchful presence off their coastline. Though Sydney in particular is familiar with sculptures by the sea, the idea of underwater sculpture is a bit of a novelty for us. But this artist has been pioneering the concept for nearly ten years; he now has hundreds of sculptures to be found all over the world's most idyllic beaches. His underwater sculpture park in Mexico even features over 400 life-size works — a glorious incentive to take diving lessons. 'Ocean Atlas', on the other hand, is a special case. She is so large she in fact had to be lowered into the ocean in separate portions. Being face to face with this work would be a completely unique experience. Even more so as she gathers spooky seaweed and marine life. Don't be alarmed if you don't hear from us. We're booking flights to the Bahamas and stocking up on snorkelling gear ASAP. Via Forbes and Daily Mail. Photos via Jason de Caires Taylor.
Rocco's Bologna Discoteca was one of the silver linings during Melbourne's lockdown last year, popping up for just a couple of short stints in the Gertrude Street space that normally houses Poodle. But now, the much-loved sandwich joint is making a cameo appearance for one festive night as part of Good Food Month. Swing past on Tuesday, June 22, to indulge in an Italo-accented feast that trips from the likes of rice-stuffed mussels and mini pine mushroom pizza pockets, to braised rabbit with cannellini beans and serves of handmade pasta caccio e pepe. There'll be mini versions of Rocco's legendary meatball sub doing the rounds, too, alongside a forward-thinking curation of vino from award-winning sommelier Giorgio De Maria (121BC, Rootstock Sydney). And you'd best bring your dancing shoes since the evening's lineup of Italo-disco DJs will be spinning tunes until late. The night's food and festivities clock in at $69, with wines available to purchase as you go. [caption id="attachment_774766" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Poodle[/caption]
When Skrillex and Four Tet took to the Coachella stage back in April, they did so to help plug a gap left by Frank Ocean dropping out of the Californian festival's second weekend. When they make the trip Down Under this spring, however, they won't be filling in for anyone, headlining 2023's lineup for electronic-meets-hip hop festival Listen Out. Back for another year — after 2022 marked its first gigs since 2019 — this fest will do the rounds throughout September, including hitting up Caribbean Gardens in Melbourne on Friday, September 29. This is the first time that Skrillex will play gigs in Australia since Listen Out 2018 and, as well as Four Tet, the DJ and producer will have plenty of company. [caption id="attachment_900829" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josef W[/caption] Also on the bill: Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Piri, venbee, Mallrat and Jyoty, as well as Marc Rebillet, Metro Boomin and Kenny Beats, with Ebony Boadu will be on hosting duties. 2023's fests around Australia mark Listen Out's tenth birthday, and will bring curated stages to its four stops. So, The Atari Stage is primarily about hip hop artists, while 909 Stage features major dance acts. Then, over on the Prophet Stage, you'll enjoy cutting-edge electronic and house acts. LISTEN OUT 2023 LINEUP: Arrdee Coi Leray Four Tet Friction Ice Spice Jbee Jpegmafia Jyoty Kenny Beats Lil Uzi Vert Mallrat Marc Rebillet Metro Boomin Piri Skrillex Spinall Venbee Wongo B2B Little Fritter Young Franco Yunè Pinku Ebony Boadu as host 1TBSP Ayebatonye Donatachi Handsome Kobie Dee VV Pete Willo Plus triple j Unearthed artists to be announced + more Top image: Leo K.
Spoil your mum, or the mother figure in your life, this Mother's Day by taking them to the riverside restaurant Ludlow Bar in Southbank. Upon arrival, you'll be greeted with a glass of Chandon NV Brut which will set the mood of the lavish lunch ahead. The feast begins with a tapas platter of shucked oysters, grilled chorizo, bruschetta and tortilla. Then, choose from a seafood paella loaded with tiger prawns, snapper, loligo squid and green-lipped mussels or a 12-hour slow-braised lamb banjo with rosemary kipfler potatoes and confit garlic vichy carrots for mains. To finish, there's an indulgent dessert platter on offer or, if mum prefers, a cheese board. Spots are $79 per person — children can dine from the al la carte menu — and can be booked anytime from 11am on Sunday, May 9. Bookings are essential so head here to lock in your lunch. Plus, every online booking will go in the draw to win a Chandon Hamper valued at $500, which will be drawn on the day.
As if the first announcement wasn't kickass enough, OutsideIn have announced the second part of their festival lineup. Locked in to be held over three levels at Manning Bar in the University of Sydney, the boutique music festival cooked up by Sydney touring and management agency Astral People and record label Yes Please returns for its third instalment on Saturday, November 29. Forecast to sell out like its 2012 and 2013 events, OutsideIn will spread its super solid lineup over three stages. Joining an already solid lineup featuring '90s US hip-hop legends The Pharcyde, Sydney's beloved electronic trio Seekae, Germany's Pantha Du Prince, America's Giraffage and Melbourne duo Client Liaison is legendary Chicago house DJ/producer Roy Davis Jr and US R&B/housemaster Brenmar, alongside Melbourne’s Noise In My Head, Adelaide’s Late Nite Tuff Guy, and Sydney's own Collarbones, Chris Barker and Basenji. With a host of both local and international artists yet to be announced, OutsideIn is back for another year of beats-you-may-have-missed and downright shindigging. OUTSIDEIN 2014 SECOND LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT: Roy Davis Jr (US) Basenji Brenmar (US) Late Nite Tuff Guy Collarbones Noise in My Head Chris Barker FULL 2014 LINEUP: The Pharcyde (US) Seekae Pantha Du Prince (GER) Giraffage (US) Roy Davis Jr (US) Client Liaison Basenji Brenmar (US) HNNY (SWE) DJ SPINN (US) Tornado Wallace Collarbones Late Nite Tuff Guy Wookie (UK) Rome Fortune (US) Fishing Jubilee (US) Guerre Black Vanilla Retiree Sui Zhen Noise In My Head Preacha Andy Webb Moriarty Ariane Chris Barker OutsideIn is happening at Manning Bar, University of Sydney on November 29. General admission is $80 +bf. All tickets are available through Oztix. Photo credit: Voena.co
You mightn't usually be the kind of person who yells at the TV when you're watching something. In fact, you may have never exclaimed aloud during a streaming binge. But all bets are off when Curb Your Enthusiasm is on — because Larry David, playing a heightened and fictionalised version of himself, constantly behaves in a manner that'll make you shout an exasperated but still amused "Larry!?!?!?!" more than once. Across ten seasons since 2000, the series has followed the Seinfeld co-creator's life after that huge hit, including both his personal and professional ups and downs. Over that time, he's gotten the Seinfeld gang back together for a reunion, fallen asleep during Hamilton and starred in a Broadway production of The Producers — all within the show, that is. Larry isn't particularly fond of following social conventions, which is the source of much of Curb Your Enthusiasm's awkward comedy. There's no one better at it, actually, and much of the dialogue is improvised, too.
Watching a man painstakingly recreate an oil painting doesn't exactly sound like the basis for a winning documentary. Yet in the hands of popular TV double act Penn and Teller, that's exactly what it turns out to be. Told in clear, accessible terms that laymen can understand, Tim's Vermeer is a lively, intriguing look at the line between artist and inventor, one that challenges the very notion that the distinction should be made at all. Johannes Vermeer was a 17th-century Dutch artist, best known these days for Girl with a Pearl Earring. His paintings have been lauded for their photorealistic look. Various theories exist as to how he was able to achieve such detail, one of which suggests that he made use of optical aids — mirrors, curved lens and so on. One subscriber to this theory is San Antonian inventor Tim Jenison. Despite having no artistic training, Jenison believes that by following what he thinks were the Dutchman's methods, he'll be able to produce similar results. An unassuming project about an unassuming man, this film is an ode to quiet determination. Jenison pours years into his hobby, teaching himself the skills to build a life-size replica of Vermeer's studio, and even finagling a private viewing in Buckingham Palace of the piece he wishes to recreate. His painting technique, which involves matching colour to an image reflected in an elevated mirror, is rather difficult to do justice in writing. Rest assured though that it's fascinating to behold. Penn provides the narration — his verbosity and humour helping viewers follow the science behind the art. Teller, meanwhile, does solid work in the director's chair, keeping the movie moving at a reasonably rapid pace. If the film has an issue, it's that it leaves little room for viewpoints other than its own. Apparently the optics theory is quite controversial in the art world, but everyone in the movie dismisses the sceptics out of hand. Then again, it's rather hard not to be convinced by Jenison's hypothesis, particularly when you see what he's able to put on the canvas. Whether or not his was the same technique that Vermeer used, the final product is certainly remarkable. At the end of the day, that may be more important. This film doesn't work because you care about Vermeer. It works because you care about Tim. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cxVxti5Fnf8
This year, the heart of all the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival action can be found at The House of Food and Wine, a laneway haunt decked out with lounge areas, dining rooms, and even a gallery space. Across all ten days of the festival, this little spot will play host to a lively program of sit-down dinner feasts, rollicking parties, and tasting sessions. Meanwhile, as artist-in-residence, designer-illustrator of Good Food Crap Drawing, Anna Vu, will be plating up a feast for the eyeballs, showcasing her food drawing style, and each day adding a new work inspired by the festival dishes she's eaten. And of course, expect all kinds of culinary goodness from the on-site bar, which will open daily from midday until late. Here, chef Morgan McGlone (Belles Hot Chicken) will be dishing up a range of small plates that nod to some of the past festivals' food legends, while sommelier Mark Protheroe (The Recreation) has curated an all-Victorian wine list, including a couple of Patrick Sullivan low-intervention wines, crafted especially for this year's MFWF.
Almost every trip to Japan features visits to FamilyMart, 7/11 and Lawson — ubiquitous convenience stores, or konbini, stocked with surprisingly good food, functional clothing and services for paying bills and printing documents. If you're lucky enough to have experienced them yourself, whether you knew it at the time or not these chains are at the heart of Japan's konbini culture, where these round-the-clock, one-stop shops play a crucial role in modern Japanese life. Taking inspiration from konbini, newly opened Suupaa offers the efficiency of a Japanese konbini with the refinement of Melbourne's contemporary dining scene. Tucked into Cremorne's 65 Dover Street precinct (also home to Baker Bleu), Suupaa boasts a dynamic setup that's part convenience store, part casual eatery, and serves as a thoughtful homage to the 56,000 or so konbini found throughout Japan. Suupaa is led by Stefanie Breschi and Alex Boffa, the brains behind Richmond's Future Future, and they're bringing a similar kind of lens to their latest Japanese-inspired venture. The kitchen is helmed by head chef Atsushi Kawakami, who brings a wealth of experience working in Tokyo's dining scene and some of Melbourne's top Japanese restaurants, including Izakaya Den and Hihou. Though speed is a factor when it comes to Suupaa's food, don't assume it equals compromise — here, you'll find Japanese staples reimagined with a distinctly local edge. On the menu: a range of grab-and-go onigiri, spanning a range of traditional and less traditional flavours — mortadella, anyone? — as well as donburi and sashimi. There's also a wide range of ekiben-style dishes — the boxed bento meals like those you'd find in a sprawling Tokyo train station — with options like wagyu beef, chargrilled chicken and kimchi rice. Suupaa is also open for dine-in lunch and, on Thursdays and Fridays, dinner. If you're planning on an extended visit, you can the likes of umami-packed black garlic tan tan men, udon bolognese with parmesan cream and crispy pork loin tonkatsu with a Vegemite-powered house-made sauce. On the drinks front, you'll find punchy $16 cocktails to get around, including a wasabi margarita and mango negroni. There's also a fun self-pour counter, where Good Measure's Max Allison has crafted a series of signature drinks like matcha Milo and banana cold brew. A concept this considered needs the space to match, and on this front, delivers in spades. Designed in collaboration with IF Architecture (the studio behind Marion and Culter & Co.), the inviting space features deep red hues and bold navy accents contrasted against soft furnishings and polished stainless steel surfaces. As is befitting of a venue inspired by konbini culture, Suupaa also boasts a curated retail offer. Take a moment to explore design-forward tableware from brands including KINTO, HAY and Niko June, magazines and books from cutting-edge publishers like Popeye and Luncheon, as well as a range of house-made condiments. Suupaa is now open Monday–Wednesday and Saturday from 11am–3pm and Thursday–Friday from 11am–9pm at Shop 1, 65 Dover Street, Cremorne. Head to the venue's website for more information. Images: Pier Carthew.
Easily spooked by things that go bump in the night? Can't bring yourself to sing "I ain't afraid of no ghosts" whenever you're belting out the Ghostbusters' theme? Not so fond of the concept of mortality? If so, you might want to stay away from Melbourne's next pop-up. Coming to Hawthorn's Glenferrie Road for four days only, A Ghost Store has one thing on its hangers: an outfit that will last an eternity. From July 27 to 30, customers will enter the shop, complete a questionnaire about their garment requirements and get kitted out in a minimalist, one-size-fits-all piece of cloth made to last for centuries (and supposedly suitable for inter-dimensional apparitions operating on parallel planes). If that hasn't given the game away, then the fact that the item of clothing in question comes in three colours (white, ivory and bone) might — yep, this store is offering up good ol' fashioned sheets so that you can get your ghost on in the afterlife. The store's moniker also gives away just why this pop-up is coming a-haunting right now — it's actually an inventive marketing idea to promote the David Lowery-directed, Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara-starring A Ghost Story, which hits Australian cinemas this week. In the film, which the trio shot in secret before it premiered at Sundance earlier this year, Affleck spends most of his screen time decked out in ghostly attire. To say more would be to say too much — but no, this isn't a comedy. Visitors to A Ghost Store can expect an interactive experience, though it comes with words of warning: "the transition from active participant to passive observer can be a difficult one", its website cautions. If you're keen on more details, Indiewire spent some time in the US version. Or, if you'd like getting fitted out for what comes next to remain a mystery — appropriately — just show up and try your luck. A Ghost Story releases in Australian cinemas on July 27. Melburnians can find A Ghost Store at Shop 12, 673 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn from 5pm to 10pm on July 27 and 28, and 12pm to 10pm on July 29 and 30.
Songkran is the national holiday celebrating Thai New Year in mid-April each year. And while you might not be jetting off to Thailand to partake in the 2022 festivities IRL, you can enjoy some Thai New Year fun right here in Melbourne. Throughout April, buzzy Southbank restaurant Ging Thai is getting into the festive spirit and marking the occasion with a raft of Songkran-inspired food and drink specials. Head in from 3–5pm every Thursday to Sunday until the end of April, and you can tuck into a range of tasty street food and cocktails for just $12 a pop. The lineup includes snacks like salt and pepper silken tofu, crispy school prawns with lemongrass and curry leaves, and a chicken gai yang salad. Wash it all down with some punchy $12 cocktails, including a Muay Thai Mule and the Spicy Tom — a fusion of lemongrass, chilli and sparkling wine.
The black parade is coming back to Australia — eventually. After their last attempt to head to our shores in 2020 was thwarted due to the pandemic, the reunited My Chemical Romance announced earlier in 2021 that they'd tour the country's east coast in 2022. However, those gigs have now been pushed back to 2023 — but extra shows have also been added. Hopefully the third time will prove the charm for Gerard Way and co, and for music lovers eager to grab their eyeliner, don every black piece of clothing in their wardrobe, relive their angsty emo teenage years and let out three cheers. The new tour will mark more than a decade since MCR last came to our shores for the 2012 Big Day Out — and comes after the US group went their separate ways in 2013, then reformed in 2019. Fans will be pleased to know that MCR are headlining their own shows on this tour, too, rather than leading a festival bill as they were slated to do in 2020. And, they'll now be playing two gigs at each of their stops in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney — with their rescheduled 2023 tour doubling down on stints at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Rod Laver Arena and Qudos Bank Arena. While waiting an extra year to see MCR isn't quite the end-of-2021 development anyone wanted, being able to snap up tickets to new shows if you missed out in the first round is clearly much better news. Back in late 2019, when MCR announced that they were literally getting the band back together, they sold out their first reunion gig in Los Angeles quick smart — and tickets to their Australian gigs have already proven mighty popular. The group has been trying to take its new show on the road ever since they reformed, but, thanks to the pandemic, that has obviously proven much trickier than anticipated. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE 2023 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Monday, March 13 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane — NEW SHOW Tuesday, March 14 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane — SOLD OUT Thursday, March 16 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — NEW SHOW Friday, March 17 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — SOLD OUT Sunday, March 19 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney — SOLD OUT Monday, March 20 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney — NEW SHOW My Chemical Romance will tour Australia's east coast in March 2023. For further information — and for pre-sale tickets for the just-announced new shows from 3pm on Tuesday, December 14, and general tickets from 12pm on Wednesday, December 15 — head to the tour website. Top image: My Chemical Romance performing by NBSTwo via Flickr.
Red Gum BBQ — the biggest craft beer and barbie destination in Australia — is bringing its Independence Day bash back for yet another year. Swing by on Friday, July 4, for 12-hour-smoked hog, peach margaritas, line dancing and live Americana. Doors open at 5.30pm, and an hour later, pitmaster Martin Goffin will carve the whole beast in front of your eyes. Pile your plate with as many slices as you can handle, along with sides galore, from mac 'n' cheese and pit beans to slaw, pickles and rolls. Then tuck into dessert: homemade s'mores pie. With all that keeping you fuelled, you'll be ready to power through line dancing lessons and a live Americana band. Need a little motivation to get your toes tapping? Head to the bar for July 4th-inspired cocktails, including a Kentucky Apple Pie and peach margaritas. Tickets, which include snacks, dinner and the band, are $59. Take the kids along for the ride at $29 a pop.
It can be hard to keep up with the latest 'thing', but that's where we come in. Keeping you up-to-date with the best and most unique happenings in art, culture, design and technology is what makes us tick. And now we want to celebrate some of the people making these exceptional things happen — so we've partnered with Miller Genuine Draft to create the Miller Design Lab. Across six special nights, the Miller Design Lab will showcase projects from a bunch of creatives at Chapel Street's SoHigh Gallery, with food, beer and live music also on offer — and it's all completely complimentary. We're kicking it all off with an epic launch event on Thursday, March 21. At 5pm, world-renowned designer, creative genius and Miller Design Lab global curator Jeff Staple will begin proceedings with a special panel discussion, The Future of Design and Technology. He'll be joined by all of our featured creatives — artist Buff Diss, collective Dreamcatchersdreamtime and Think Positive Prints, Pitch Studios' director Christie Morgan, Brisbane artist Meagan Streader and Melbourne designer Nana Judy — so you can expect a pretty lively, and informative, discussion. The party will kick into gear at 6.30pm, with tunes from hip hop DJ Yo Mafia, R&B singer-songwriter Mojo Juju and Melbourne club fixture DJ Sunshine. Later, things will carry on deep into the night as Sunshine returns for the after party at The Emerson Rooftop Bar and Club. To RSVP for the after-party, head this way. The Miller Design Lab Launch Party is entirely free — but invite-only. For a chance to get you and a mate spots on the guest list, enter with your details below. And if you want to check out the rest of the Miller Design Lab events, head this way. [competition]709842[/competition] Follow @millergenuinedraftaus for more details.
If you're Melbourne's NGV International and you've spent the summer filling your walls and halls with fashion by Coco Chanel, how do you follow up come winter? By dedicating your next blockbuster exhibition to Pablo Picasso and the artists, poets and intellectuals he crossed paths with. The iconic Spanish painter, sculptor and printmaker's pieces will sit alongside works by everyone from Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse to Marie Laurencin and Gertrude Stein at The Picasso Century, which'll take over the St Kilda Road gallery from Friday, June 10. A world-premiere showcase developed exclusively for the NGV by the Centre Pompidou and the Musée national Picasso-Paris, and displaying until Sunday, October 9, The Picasso Century won't skimp on its namesake. From Picasso alone, more than 70 works will be on display. But it'll also surround his pieces with over 100 others from more than 50 of his contemporaries, with the latter sourced from French national collections and the NGV Collection. That means that art lovers will be able to gaze at 170-plus works of art, and chart Picasso's career via his paintings, sculptures, drawings and ceramics in the process — and also see how it developed through his engagement with his peers. And, when it comes to other talents showcased, the hefty list also covers Guillaume Apollinaire, Georges Braque, Alberto Giacometti, Françoise Gilot, Valentine Hugo, Dora Maar, André Masson and Dorothea Tanning. By placing the artist's pieces in context with the works of others around him, The Picasso Century examines the connections that helped make him who he was, and explores how his creations rippled throughout the world. Accordingly, art by Natalia Goncharova, Julio González, Wifredo Lam, Suzanne Valadon and Maria Helena Vieira da Silva will also feature, all talents who've rarely been exhibited in Australia. And, other artists included span André Breton, Georges Bataille, Aimé Césaire and Alberto Giacometti, as well as Kay Sage, Max Ernst and Giorgio de Chirico — plus Francis Bacon and Willem de Kooning as well. Didier Ottinger, a scholar of 20th century painting and Deputy Director of the Musée national d'art moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris, has curated the exhibition, which obviously steps through Picasso's distinct artistic periods: his blue period, cubism and surrealism, for instance. In total, The Picasso Century will explore 15 thematic sections that chart the course of Picasso's seven-decade-plus career. If you're fond of his surrealist period, however, it'll be particularly packed with works from then. [caption id="attachment_857196" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of 'The Picasso Century', on display 10 June 10–October 9, 2022 at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Jeremy Kees.[/caption] Top Images: Installation view of 'The Picasso Century', on display 10 June 10–October 9, 2022 at NGV International, Melbourne. Image 1, photo: Peter Bennetts. Image 2-4, photo: Sean Fennessy.
Ebay's Museum of Authentics, a three-day extravaganza dedicated to the world's rarest sneaks, is headed for Melbourne this weekend. Running from Friday, April 29 until Sunday, May 1 at Neon Parc in Brunswick, this free exhibition will give sneakerheads a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the most coveted sneakers in the world — as well as mingle with like-minded fans, of course. Attendees will be able to get up close and personal with the very Air Jordans worn by Michael Jordan during games in the 80, worth an estimated AU$745,000. Also on the lineup are an extremely limited edition Back to the Future-themed pair signed by the late Kobe Bryant, a sneaker collab between Pharrel, Chanel and NMDs from 2017, and the College Dropout Bapestas that Kanye West designed in 2007 before Yeezys were even a thing. And if you're a sucker for that 'just out of the box' smell, you'll want to be one of the first 100 visitors in line. That will see you gifted a candle developed to smell like brand new sneakers (supposedly), with notes of "soft leather" and "a touch of glue". Doors open daily at 10am, but if sneaker shop queues are anything to go by, we'd recommend getting up a little earlier.
Launceston's Cataract Gorge is no stranger to dazzling displays, especially when Mona Foma rolls around. But when the Museum of Old and New Art's (MONA) key summer event returns in January 2022, the natural landmark will host something particularly spectacular: a 2.4-tonne sculpted block of ice that'll hang over the gorge. If you're after jaw-dropping displays that make a statement, THAW by Legs On the Wall is it. When it's dangling between Friday, January 21–Sunday, January 23, it'll task one daring performer with standing atop that big chunk of ice for eight hours a day, all as the frozen block of water melts. The installation comes to Tasmania after hitting up Sydney Festival first, and it's certain to be a stunning sight in both locations. That's not all that Mona Foma has in store for its next fest, with MONA announcing a jam-packed program that'll run in Launceston across those aforementioned dates, and then arrive in Hobart from Friday, January 28–Sunday, January 30 — after the event confirmed back in November that it was definitely going ahead in 2022. On the bill across the whole lineup: lasers, monster trucks, Midnight Oil, sonic sculptures, the return of the festival's beloved morning meditations and more. While Launceston gets ice, Hobart will see lasers blast over the city thanks to Beacon by Robin Fox. Other highlights from the entire two-weekend program include Midnight Oil's shows in both cities, and cement mixers turned into monster trucks that'll rove around the two locales. Also, Kartanya Maynard will collaborate with Vernon Ah Kee on site-specific text and sound installations in each spot, pondering assimilation, displacement and Tasmanian Aboriginal protests. Plus, the Mofo Sessions will host nightly concerts in Launceston's Royal Park and on the Mona Lawns, with Gwenno, Mo'Ju, The Chills, Danny Healy Quartet, DENNI and Jason Whatley Quartet all on the bill. And, if you've ever wanted to see two dancers on a brutalist pile of concrete for more than four hours, that'll be part of Fertile Ground. In Launceston, musicians Karlin Love and Jon Addison will play tunes inspired by Cataract Gorge's ecosystems in the gorge itself; the Midland Highway will host Trawlwoolway artist, writer and curator Julie Gough's The Missing, which muses on the area's colonial history and treatment of Indigenous Australians; video work Pacific Sun by German artist Thomas Demand will take over the National Theatre; and Quandamooka artist Megan Cope will create sonic sculptures out of discarded mining relics, geological samples and piano strings that'll be used in live performances. And, in Hobart, you can also check out AQI2020, which sees New Zealand performance and installation artist Alicia Frankovich turn a transparent sulfur-hazed box into a live show. It'll house performers, mimic the look and atmosphere from Australia's 2019–20 bushfire season and, unsurprisingly, comment on climate change. Or, attendees can also see 70s-era organs rescued from the tip and given a last whirl in DJ TR!P and Scot Cotterell's Organ Donor; check out a huge, loss-inspired, computer-generated work by Albanian artist Anri Sala at Princes Wharf 1; and witness a series of pieces that pay tribute to and farewell Australia's video shops. [caption id="attachment_835603" align="alignnone" width="1920"] THAW. Photo credit: Shane Rozario. Image courtesy of the artists and Mona Foma.[/caption] Top image: Atrium, Alicia Frankovich. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona Foma.
Lighting up the Goldfields region this spring is Town Folk Festival — a one-day music bonanza taking over Djaara/Castlemaine, on Saturday, November 15. Now entering its fourth edition, this year's event is presented across three dynamic venues — The Bridge Hotel, Boomtown Winery and Shedshaker Brewery — alongside the main stage situated amid the green expanse of Sunken Oval. In 2025, the top-billed act is Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory. Returning to Australia for the first time since 2022, the much-loved singer-songwriter will perform her recently released seventh album, this time made in collaboration with her backing band, alongside a host of her crowd-pleasing indie hits. Also on the lineup is genre-defying phenom Meg Washington, Yolngu surf-rock powerhouse King Stingray, and cult Zambian psychedelic rockers WITCH. For a special treat, legendary Indigenous Australian band The Pigram Brothers will journey from Broome to Victoria for their first shows in the state in 15 years. Meanwhile, Dan Kelly's Regional Crisis, JAZZPARTY, and Jenny Don't and the Spurs serve up everything from narrative-driven grooves and eight-piece soul-psychedelic bangers to rowdy honky-tonk tunes. With all stages within close proximity, catching all the music is simple. Heading to Town Folk Festival is also hassle-free from Melbourne, with the festival operating express bus services from Thornbury, Richmond or Brunswick to Castlemaine and back again. If the late-night ride home doesn't appeal, you're welcome to pitch a tent amid the scenic surrounds of Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve or book a local hotel for the night. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, May 30, so don't wait to get your crew organised.
A half-acre worth of art is coming to rural Victoria. For one weekend only, the old Woodend Saw Mill in the Macedon Ranges will be transformed into a temporary gallery, featuring work by close to 100 different street artists. Part of the Macedon Ranges Sustainable Living Festival, Art of the Mill is presented by No Fixed Address Gallery. Created in partnership with Alex McCulloch Art consultancy and Ken McGregor of the Australian Street Art Festival, the show will welcome a number of prominent graffiti artists, including Makatron, Adnate, Unwell Bunny, Kid Silk, Phibs, Facter and Ohnoes. "This vast warehouse complex breaks down the division between gallery art and street art, with a mix of finished pieces and art-in-progress bringing the audience different moments of creativity," said McCulloch. The free exhibition will be open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28. The Saturday will also feature live painting, bands and DJs all day, along with an art auction. 20 percent of all proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network, which operates shelters in the area for injured bush animals. UPDATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 2 After a successful weekend, Art of the Mill have decided to extend the exhibitionand will open it from Thursday, March 3 to Sunday, March 6. For more information about Art of the Mill, go here. Images: David Russell
If the insanely beautiful Field of Light installation had you ready to blow two months' wages on flights to Alice Springs, the latest addition of light-focused cultural events in the outback might just nudge you over the line. For the first time, Parrtyeme - a Festival in Light will illuminate Alice Springs for ten nights this September. Announced by the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory Adam Giles this week, Parrtyeme — which comes from the Arrernte word parrtma meaning 'light up' or 'lighting up' — will be the first Indigenous festival of its kind. Featuring both contemporary and traditional indigenous artworks, the festival will also be Australia's biggest light installation, covering 2.5 kilometres of the MacDonnell Ranges. Among the works, you can expect to see a series of large illuminated 1950s-style circle skirts based on the watercolour artwork of Lenie Namatjira, who's the granddaughter of artist Albert Namatjira. Vivid eat your heart out. The festival will run for ten nights later this year in the Alice Springs Desert Park (about a ten minute drive from the centre of Alice Springs), from September 23 till October 2. It's a collaboration between the NT Government, AGB Events (who are known for their work on Vivid) and local Aboriginal artists. And if all goes well, they hope that the Parrtyeme will become an annual event. Parrtyeme will take place from September 23 until October 2, 2016. To register your attendance, visit parrtyemeaustralia.com.au.
