It's always a good time for bagels, and with newcomer Hank's bagelry landing on Beatty Avenue, there are even more reasons to indulge in a weekly holey treat. Hank's comes from the minds behind Armadale favourite Mammoth and Copycat bar and restaurant in Elsternwick, promising authentic New York-style bagels and other breezy takeaway options. "A piece of my heart lies in New York, and every time I'm there I find myself heading for one of the city's iconic bagel shops, which serve them up fresh from the oven with a range of delicious fillings. I wanted to have that same experience right here in Melbourne," says co-owner and co-founder Nick Beerens. There are five bagel options to choose from: plain, seeded, onion, challah and gluten-free. Hungry patrons can DIY with Nutella, cream cheese, peanut butter or housemade jam, but we recommend looking towards the loaded options. Classic salmon and cream cheese is done up with red onion, herbs and fresh beetroot, while the No 4 combines pastrami, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, pickles and swiss cheese. Other options run to the likes of grilled mortadella and provolone with mustard mayo and pickles, or a vegetarian harissa-roasted pumpkin topped with almond feta, hummus and rocket. Pickles and crisps, as well as crinkle-cut hot chips, are available as sides, while homemade cookies and loaded shakes in peanut butter and jelly, malteser or biscoff can be ordered to wash everything down. For coffee lovers, filter coffee is just $2 with any bagel purchase. Hank's is open at 13 Beatty Ave, Armadale, 6.30am–4pm Monday–Friday, 8am–3pm Saturday–Sunday. Images: Griffin Simm.
Every year, So Frenchy So Chic asks Sydneysiders and Melburnians a question: do you fancy prancing through a field laced with the charm of provincial France, but without needing to book a flight? If your answer is yes, which it should be, then you'll be pleased to know that that exact setup is just casual summer weekendery when the fest rolls in each January. The ever-popular French celebration will bring the can-can back to Melbourne's Werribee Park Mansion and, for the first time, to Sydney's Centennial Park — a new venue for 2024. The dates: Sunday, January 14 in Victoria and Saturday, January 20 in New South Wales. For newcomers, expect an entire afternoon of French-inspired niceties, including (but not limited to) gourmet picnic hampers, très bon crepes and steak frites sandwiches, and supremely good wine — all set to a blissed-out French soundtrack. So Frenchy So Chic hinges on an eclectic lineup of artists, both taking cues from the classic sonic stylings of France and showcasing top-notch French talent. On the 2024 bill: La Femme, Marlon Magnée and Sacha Got's psych-punk rock group; Kill The Pain, aka Australian singer and songwriter Phoebe Killdeer with French vocalist Mélanie Pain; Laure Briard, fresh from releasing album Ne pas trop rester bleue; and the Serge Gainsbourg- and Angus and Julia Stone-loving Malo'. As always, the wine and food will flow just as easily as the tunes, headlined by an abundance of bubbly courtesy of Champagne Lanson, one of France's oldest champagne houses and a So Frenchy So Chic favourite. Eateries such as Frederic's, Hotel Gitan, Loulou and Bouillon Entrecôte will be doing the culinary honours, going big on French favourites in the process. So, expect oysters, croque monsieurs, duck liver parfait, mussels, chocolate eclairs, macarons and cheese upon cheese. [caption id="attachment_917827" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christophe Crenel[/caption] Of course, there'll be plenty of French beer, cocktails, and rosé, red and white wines, too, no matter what you choose to snack on throughout the day. For groups of ten, this year's festival also includes a $199-per-person option that gets you your own prime spot with low-seated wooden tables decorated with flowers, rugs and cushions to make things comfy, two bottles of champers, a shady umbrella, and two charcuterie hampers and two cheese hampers. If you've got kids, you'll be happy to know that the whole thing is very family-friendly, with children's tickets starting from $25 (and entry free for kids under 12). [caption id="attachment_917828" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Taylor Kezia, Smith Street Agency[/caption] SO FRENCHY SO CHIC 2024 AUSTRALIAN DATES: Sunday, January 14 — Werribee Park Mansion, Melbourne Saturday, January 20 — Centennial Park, Sydney SO FRENCHY SO CHIC 2024 AUSTRALIAN LINEUP: La Femme Kill The Pain Laure Briard Malo' So Frenchy So Chic hits Sydney and Melbourne in January 2024. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the event's website. Top images: Liz Sunshine and Tekni.
Everyone has different ideas of the perfect holiday - lying on a tropical beach until you're as brown as Giorgio Armani might be your thing, or maybe you dream of walking the El Camino Del Ray. But you would be hard-pressed to find someone that doesn't have a trip to Italy on their bucket list. Who could possibly not love a land of the best pizza and ice cream you will ever eat? Italy is not just about the food though, as the folks at Mr & Mrs Smith know. Their website offers reviews of the most unique and stylish hotels from all over the world, for those who are looking for an alternative to the bland monotony of Holiday Inns. They've now created a beautiful coffee-table-worthy travel guide of Italy, including, of course, 32 of the country's coolest boutique hotels from the grand, baroque kind to the sweet and rustic and hidden coastal retreats. Also included is an insider lowdown of what to do in each destination, including restaurant recommendations, what to pack and tips like which deli sells the best prosciutto or which vineyard to visit for the most romantic day. A perfect Christmas present for someone who's been talking about doing the Italy trip for far too long. To win one of five books by Mr & Mrs Smith, make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au (for Australia) or auckland@concreteplayground.co.nz (for New Zealand) by Wednesday 7 December, 2011 at 5pm. Winners will be notified by email soon after.
Like Crazy is a romantic drama about the hopelessness and heartbreak of love, exploring the challenges a couple faces both by being together and being apart. The film is written and directed by Drake Doremus, and was the winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Anna (Felicity Jones), a British college student, falls in love with her classmate Jacob (Anton Yelchin) and they embark on a passionate journey that soon becomes life-changing after Anna overstays her student visa to spend the summer with Jacob. When forced into a long distance relationship are placed in a situation that tests the love they have for each other. Like Crazy opens in cinemas March 1, and Concrete Playground has twenty double passes to giveaway. To win, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au by Wednesday, February 29. https://youtube.com/watch?v=r-ZV-bwZmBw
Over the coming months, new rooftop spot Heroes will really be living up to its name, celebrating some of Melbourne's culinary champions with a new series of monthly yum cha parties, kicking off on Sunday, October 14. The venue, from the same minds behind barbecue joint Fancy Hank's and its rooftop counterpart Good Heavens, has fast earned a reputation for its exciting menu of Singaporean hawker-style barbecue fare. Now, each of the yum cha events will see Head Chef Alicia Cheong teaming up with another Melbourne kitchen hero, with both chefs whipping up a signature meat and vegetarian dish. First up, Cheong is joining Fancy Hank's head chef Daniel Inzuza, to deliver a menu of bites like crisp soy pork belly with puffed pork rind, charred okra and jicama salad and smoked beef short rib with a glaze of sweet cola and fermented beetroot. For $45, you'll get your pick of two dishes, matched with classic yum cha sides — including steamed chive dumplings, congee and deep-fried sambal buns — and two hours of bottomless beer, sparkling and mimosas to wash it all down. Other chefs joining in the yum cha fun include Rice Paper Scissors' Ross Magnaye on November 4, and Jerry Mai of Annam kicking off summer on December 2. Book your spot via the website. Exterior shot: Eugene Hyland.
If you've even the smallest creative bone in your body, Django Unchained will tickle it. Wildly creative, funny, and frightening, true to form yet never predictable, this is one of those films that makes you want to write one of these kinds of films. Set two years before the start of the American Civil War when slavery was still rampant in the south, it's tempting (if also stupid) to think of Django Unchained as some sort of bizarre prequel to Spielberg's Lincoln. Initially the eponymous Django (Jamie Foxx) walks wearied and defeated in a chain gang until he's unexpectedly freed by the eccentric dentist Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). This mannerly yet murderous bounty hunter then offers Django the chance to both exact revenge and make his fortune by murdering white outlaws in exchange for money. With the crosshatched scars of countless lashings on his back a daily reminder of such men's cruelty, Django leaps at the chance and soon proves a natural in the business. His wife, however, remains the property of vile plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), a character so heinous and sadistic that Tarantino subsequently deemed him 'beyond redemption', and hence a rescue plan takes form. It's perhaps no surprise, then, that this Tarantino tale of slavery and vengeance dials the violence up to 11 from almost the opening scene and never looks back. It does occasionally border on 'look-away' levels of horror; however — just as it was with Inglourious Basterds — this 'revenge porn' sub-genre of cinema uncomfortably satisfies through its savagery. Moreover, Tarantino's preparedness to brutally kill off any (and, often, all) his principal characters without even a moment's notice lends every scene an undercurrent of unpredictable tension that commands your attention. Traditionally, Tarantino's main shortcoming as a director has been his fondness for playing with form in a manner that denies his audiences the opportunity to entirely immerse themselves in the experience. Whether through unexpected soundtrack choices, mid-movie title sequences or just direct conversations with the audience, you're aware you're watching a movie and hence sit entertained but not always engrossed. Those same elements are at play again in Django, but for the first time since Kill Bill, they advance and enhance the plot rather than specifically (and jarringly) draw your attention to it. In short, it's a delightful return to form. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_iH0UBYDI4g
It's been an amazing six months for gelato in Melbourne. Not only were we treated to the work of those artisnal stalwarts at Messina, but we also had the treat of meeting Pidapipó — a test lab run in Carlton run by the gelato pro Lisa Valmorbida. But all good things must come to an end, and it's with a heavy heart we say, today marks the last day of business for Pidapipó's Faraday Street store. But they're sure as heck not going out quietly. In glorious everything-must-go style, Pidapipó is offering free gelato tonight from 9pm-11pm. In what they call The Last Lick, this much-loved gelateria will be slingin' free scoops while partying with DJs (and, let's be honest, a million local ice-cream lovers). If you haven't yet tried out this Carlton gem, there's no better time (and no available alternative) than the present. With wall decor designed by local artist Esther Stewart, Pidapipó is a hub of summery good times. Bright colours create a visual feast and provide a suitably vibrant background for gelato flavours like pistachio (imported from Italy), swirled raspberry coulis, lavender and lemon sorbetto and ouzo and Vietnamese mint. But don't fret just yet. Pidapipó's Faraday Store may be closing, but it was always just a test lab for something larger. Lisa Valmorbida will in fact be bringing the store back into a permanent location this September. In the interim, Valmorbida will be heading overseas to do more gelati research (the absolute best kind of research). The permanent store should be an exciting combo of everything she learnt while attending Carpigiani Gelato University in Italy, as well as things picked up over the last year. If that was all a little TL;DR, here's the abridged version: free gelato tonight from 9pm-11pm at Pidapipó. Bid the team a fond farewell but don't worry, it's not the last you'll be seeing of them. Pidapipó is located at 222 Faraday Street, Carlton (near the corner of Lygon Street). We highly recommend getting there on time.
The latest addition to the ‘rom-con’ genre by writer/director duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid Love), Focus is a surprisingly enjoyable film in spite of its flaws. With the audience guided early on by the Grifter’s Mantra — "Never break focus. Die with the lie." — it’s one where you’re persistently trying to anticipate the next twist and deconstruct every line to reveal its true meaning, only to find yourself constantly (and refreshingly) wrong. Fronting the film is Will Smith in a role that at last plays to his strengths of charm and wit rather than the physical kind (like so many of his recent, ill-conceived outings). Smith plays Nicky, a lifelong conman at the top of his game who one night finds himself the target of the aspiring but guileless gonif Jess (Margot Robbie). Sensing her potential, however, Nicky shows Jess the ropes and invites her to join his crew in New Orleans as they take on the unsuspecting hordes during Superbowl week. From then on, Focus buffets you with twists, deceptions and double-crosses with such marked regularity that you’re never quite sure where you stand. Key to its appeal is the chemistry between Smith and Robbie, simmering deliciously back and forth between master and apprentice, lover and temptress. Robbie’s sex appeal is undeniable, but here — unlike in The Wolf of Wall Street — it’s treated as a playful trait rather than her raison d’etre, even going so far as to make her character spectacularly bad at the art of seduction. It’s a refreshing angle and one that allows Robbie to showcase her genuine acting chops. Solid performances from Smith and Robbie notwithstanding, it’s the secondary characters, however, who ultimately prove the scene stealers (or should that be grifters?). Rodrigo Santoro (Love Actually) makes for a convincing billionaire playboy come Formula 1 team owner, BD Wong is almost unrecognisable as a cashed-up gambler with a near-sexual response to wagers, and Adrian Martinez delivers a laugh a line as Smith’s long-time accomplice ‘Farhad'. The highlight, though, is Gerald McRaney (House of Cards) in a role that very much channels his iconic Major Dad character from the early '90s. Playing Santoro's interminably suspicious bodyguard, he at one point delivers a sublime rant on today’s youth, covering off everything from lazy Sundays to panini and — best of all — “Sarcasm: another pillar of your generation. If you don’t like somebody’s jacket, don’t say ‘Hey nice jacket’, say ‘Fuck off’”. Overall, Focus might not match the sophistication of Ocean’s Eleven or the passion of The Thomas Crown Affair, but it’s an enjoyable enough distraction whose only real major letdown is an unnecessarily twisty ending.
Iconic filmmakers dropping huge films: thanks Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, Michael Mann's Ferrari and Ridley Scott's Napoleon, that's the current cinema story. The latter picture also sees the director reteam with Joaquin Phoenix, step into history and make an epic. And yes, the last time they did that turned out well for the pair. Back in 2000, exploring a brutal (and fictionalised) slice of the past brought both Scott and Phoenix both Oscar nominations. Repeating the feat 23 years after Gladiator, they might be hoping for the same outcome — or better. In Napoleon, Phoenix (Beau Is Afraid) is on a campaign to rule France as the movie's namesake, and Scott (House of Gucci) also returns to a period he dived into in his debut feature The Duellists back in 1977. [caption id="attachment_922708" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aidan Monaghan[/caption] The focus this time is clearly all there in the title, charting Napoleon Bonaparte's rise to French Emperor, then fall from the post. No, ABBA's 'Waterloo' doesn't feature in either the film's first sneak peek or in the just-dropped trailer. Present instead is a whole lot of wars being waged in a quest to first fight for and then to hold onto power, as well an examination of Napoleon's relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais (Vanessa Kirby, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One). The hat, the determination, the military and political scheming, battle scene after battle scene: they all get a look in the Napoleon trailers, too, in a movie that's being touted by distributor Sony as boasting "some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed". Also accounted for: lines of dialogue, as scripted by All the Money in the World's David Scarpa, establishing Napoleon's arrogance. "I'm the first to admit when I make a mistake. I simply never do," Phoenix notes in the initial glimpse. When Napoleon hits cinemas Down Under in November, Phoenix and Kirby will be joined on-screen by everyone from Tahar Rahim (The Serpent) as Paul Barras and Ben Miles (Hijack) as Caulaincourt to Ludivine Sagnier (Lupin) as Theresa Cabarrus — plus Catherine Walker (House of Gucci) as Marie-Antoinette, whose fate is seen in the two trailers. After a silver-screen date, the movie is also headed to Apple TV+, just like Killers of the Flower Moon. Check out the latest trailer for Napoleon below: Napoleon releases in cinemas Down Under on November 23, 2023. Images: courtesy of Sony Pictures/Apple Original Films.
Online dating can be exhausting, boring and fruitless. But, if you want to spice up your dating life and meet some new people in a casual environment, you can do it while supporting an effort to end world hunger. How? Well, September brings the return of CitySwoon's famous in-person events, kicking off with the Singles Party to End World Hunger. The night is the perfect opportunity for singletons of any age, gender and sexual orientation to mingle with potential love interests. Plus, if Cupid gets you good, you can dance long into the night. Hightail Bar in Collins Square is set to welcome all eligible lovers on Saturday, September 10. After securing a ticket (which includes two drinks), you'll get paired with up to six dates who've been matched to your profile. Hosted in collaboration with The Hunger Project, all proceeds of the night will be put towards efforts to end world hunger by 2030 and break the poverty cycle. Early bird tickets start at $59 and are available now. It's the perfect opportunity to get out, meet new people and do some social good. For more information or to secure your ticket, head to the website. Or, if you can't make that date, Cityswoon offers plenty of other speed dating opportunities to meet your match.
Step into the neon-signed, mural-adorned Mama Manoush and let Mama herself feed you a week's worth of authentic Lebanese food in one sitting. At the insistence of her kids, Elizabeth Kairouz opened her restaurant in Fitzroy in 2014, before moving to a bigger space in Brunswick East in 2017 — now everyone can try her perfectly smooth hummus, baba ganoush and labneh, skewers of charcoal-grilled meats, bowls of tabouli and fattoush, and crispy falafel and sambousik. Mama's banquet is $45 a head for a generous selection of her best dishes, including dips with traditional pickles and bread, salads, rice pilaf, charcoaled meats and more, plus Lebanese coffee and baclava to cap it all off. If you're really hungry, the mega banquet is $60 per person for an extra couple of dishes from the mezza and grill menus. Out the back in Mama's Garden, there's a smaller selection of wraps, snack packs and sides, where you can fill up for 20 bucks. There is also a full menu of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and desserts. Try the Mama Bell with Zubrowka bison grass vodka, peach liqueur, clowdy apple, passionfruit and lime juice ($18), a white chocolate, cookie and brandy dessert cocktail served with a baclava finger ($18), or a ginger beer, cinnamon and lime mocktail ($9). Desserts run from the traditional cheese-filled baked pie kanafeh ($18) and mouhalabieh (a custard-like pudding, $10) to choc-hazelnut ice cream served with popcorn and chocolate sauce ($12).
Built in 1974 by a group of likeminded artists, the Footscray Community Arts Centre has long provided a safe and encouraging space for progressive works that balance social justice issues with creativity. The Centre has a collection of spaces that host various artistic programs, offering a platform for the Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, migrant, refugee and disabled communities that make their home in the west. The art ranges in style and medium but you can expect to see anything from sculpture to performance, plus collaborative projects and events, all aimed at stirring community involvement. The space itself encompasses a series of different heritage-listed buildings and open-air sites spread along the Maribyrnong River, and plays host to a diverse array of classes, workshops and exhibitions all year round.
Update Thursday, October 29: Stormzy has cancelled his Australian and New Zealand tours and will be replaced on the Spilt Milk lineup by Steve Lacy. This article has been updated to reflect this. Originally a flagship event in Canberra, Spilt Milk has now expanded to a three-show tour across Australia with stops in Ballarat and the Gold Coast — and it's finally making its return at the end of 2022. For its grand comeback, the festival has pulled together a world-class lineup geared towards heaving dance floors and big sing-a-longs. Leading the charge: Flume, Steve Lacy and The Wombats. Homegrown hitmaker Flume nabs one of the headliner slots fresh from playing Coachella, while California indie-pop singer-songwriter Steve Lacy has joined the lineup following a huge 2022. He's replacing Stormzy, who was originally on the lineup but has cancelled his entire run of Australian tour dates. Rounding out the headline slots in beloved British rockers The Wombats, who keep proving a hit on our shores — with 15 slots in Triple J's Hottest 100 over the years to prove it. Also on the bill: Ninajirachi, FISHER, G Flip, Genesis Owusu, Mallrat, Spacey Jane, A.GIRL and PEACH PRC, among others — and, from the art lineup, a heap of talent from long-running Spilt Milk partners Studio A. Also, because this fest is also about food, there'll be bites to eat from Firepop, Burger Head and more. Popping up in Victoria Park, Ballarat will be the second stop off on Spilt Milk's 2022 tour after kicking off in Canberra on Saturday, November 26. From there it'll be wrapping things up on Sunday, December 4 at Doug Jennings Park up in the Sunshine State. [caption id="attachment_851188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] SPILT MILK BALLARAT 2022 LINEUP: A.GIRL Beddy Rays Billy Xane Fisher Flume G Flip Genesis Owusu Hayden James King Stingray Kobie Dee Latifa Tee Little Fritter Mallrat Mansionair Ninajarachi PEACH PRC Spacey Jane Stand Atlantic Steve Lacy Telenova The Wombats YNG Martyr Young Franco 1300 Guilty Pleasures by DJ Levins Coastal Jam DJs Gangz Lashes Mason Flint Sweat Dreams DJs Food: Firepop Blackbear BBQ Birdman Burger Head Empire Pizza Ryan Gozleme and more Art by Studio A: Emily Crockford Greg Sindel Katrina Brennan Jaycee Kim Meagan Pelham Thom Roberts Top image: Jordan Munns
Well, Melbourne, there's no more denying it — those temperatures are dropping and soup season is quickly barrelling towards us. Luckily, new CBD restaurant Wonder Bowl has landed on the scene just in time for the chilly season, and it's coming to the party with free noodle soup for 250 lucky punters. From May 14 to 18, the Little Lonsdale Street eatery is celebrating winter's arrival with a generous giveaway, offering the first 50 customers each night a bowl of its Chinese-style noodle soup, on the house. Wonder Bowl's already en route to becoming a firm CBD favourite, thanks to a menu of signature soups that combine thick rice noodles, rich seafood broth and Chinese rice wine. Current menu hits include a seafood combination noodle soup and a version featuring drunken chicken. Be quick off the mark next week and you can probably try them both for free. The restaurant opens at 6pm.
Get ready for a wing extravaganza at BEAST City this week. On Friday, May 24, from 3pm–5pm, the Swanston Street spot will be dishing out up to six free wings to all guests. Yep, that's half a dozen crispy Southern-fried chicken wings on the house. You can also add on sauces like buffalo, pickles and ranch, or BEAST City's signature HOT AS F**K sauce for $1–$2 each. Can't make it for the free wings? The diner slings wings for $1 every Wednesday. Claim your share of free wings by signing up at the BEAST City website.
Urban design experts and Melburnians are gathering for the first-ever public session on the groundbreaking Greenline Project hosted by the City of Melbourne. The 2024 Melbourne Conversations series will feature talk From High Line to Greenline, which aims to shed light on this new venture for the north bank of the Yarra River/Birrarung. Panellists include Dr Erin O'Donnell, a water law expert and member of the Birrarung Council; Julian O'Shea, an award-winning designer; Kirsten Bauer, an ASPECT Studios landscape architect; and Lord Mayor Sally Capp. The program will explore the Greenline Project's master plan and compare it to well-known urban redevelopment initiatives like New York City's High Line. The discussion, led by Russel Howcroft, takes place ahead of planned changes at Birrarung Marr Precinct. Companies such as TCL and ASPECT Studios, along with a coalition of organisations, are involved in the initiative, which is expected to generate thousands of jobs and $1.2 billion in economic benefits. The Greenline Project intends to reshape Melbourne's landscape for years to come by combining parks, promenades, native plantings and cultural spaces along the river. Visitors can register for walking tours with the Greenline Project and peruse an on-site pop-up library on the day. Free tickets for From High Line to Greenline must be reserved through What's On Melbourne. Head to the City of Melbourne website for more information.
Hidden down Hardware Lane is the last place you'd think to find East China Trading Co, but you'll be glad you did. Melbourne's (relatively) new kid on the block, the cocktail, dumpling and rum bar is inspired by the trading companies of old world Shanghai — think commodities like coffee, tea, spices and sugar. The venue plays with stripped back walls and contrasts its low-key vibe with pops of colour and bright cocktails dotted around intimately sized table. The Ananas Chilli Fizz cocktail, which features cold press pineapple juice and pineapple vinegar topped with shredded angel hair chilli, is a popular choice among revellers. Oozing with an honest and accessible sophistication, the cocktail menu offers non-alcoholic old fashioneds, martinis and sours, giving non-drinkers the choice to order more than just a lemon lime and bitters. On the food menu you'll find your favourite Chinese dim sum selections. Everything from barbecue pork bao to xiao long bao soup dumplings, paired perfectly — albeit untraditionally — with one of the 200 rums the bar showcases on its shelves. With vegan and vegetarian options available, you can tailor your basket to suit everyone at the table. As you enjoy a drink and chat with friends, you'll feel the subtle, vivacious hum of ECTC's sister bar below. Golden Monkey has been a nightlife destination on Lonsdale Street for over 12 years and has recently undergone an exciting facelift. Wander downstairs into the basement to find a dark, opium den-styled hotspot for cocktails, live bands and DJs Thursdays through to Saturdays. Red, moody lights illuminate a lively bar and cosy booths nestled away in each corner. Opened by life-long friends Adam Ong and Michael Chen, ECTC combines an appreciation and knowledge of cocktail making with a cheeky playfulness, inviting people in to escape from the laneway and have a night to remember (or to forget). Images: Julia Sansone
Each of Australia's capital cities has a different shtick. Melbourne's just happens to be a 24-hour culture — or, at least, the closest Australia has to it. It's got all-night public transport on weekends, late-night opening hours for the National Gallery of Victoria's new Triennial and the city's White Night festival will return for its annual all-nighter in 2018. If you haven't been down to White Night before, here's how it works. From 7pm, much of Melbourne's CBD is closed to cars. From then on, the streets give way to pedestrians, who are free to wander between temporary installations, live music and on-street projections — as well as in and out of galleries and cultural institutions — up until the sun comes up at 7am the next day. It's the Australian version of Nuit Blanche, which was founded in France in the 80s. Next year's festival — which will shut down the city for 12 hours on the evening of Saturday, February 17 — features work from a tonne of both local and international artists. Expect to see neon pups, two Burning Man installations and one laneway covered in snow. There are far too many works to list, but here are a few highlights you'll want to look out for. A giant shimming silver net that will hover above Federation Square for White Night (and two weeks afterwards). Drag queens singing from balconies above Collins Street. A laneway filled with virtual neon 'dogs' and another filled with falling 'snow'. A tree that lets you write temporary messages on it with the light from your phone Two installations straight from Burning Man: a fire-breathing serpent outside Melbourne Museum and a giant mechanical insect that doubles at a DJ booth. Mini gigs performed from multiple balconies above Swanston Street. A 360-degree dome in Alexandra Gardens that will feature mesmerising projections. Stories from Australian detention centres projected onto the NGV's façade. White Night will also head out to Victoria's regional centres. It will return to Ballarat on March 17 for a second year, and will take to the streets of Bendigo and Geelong for the first time later in 2018. White Night 2018 will take over Melbourne from 7pm on Saturday, February 17 until 7am on the morning on Sunday, February 18. For more information, visit whitenight.com.au/melbourne.
Each year we anticipate the arrival of December 25. Because of the day off, the promise of an afternoon spent dozing in a hammock — and the arrival of Messina's annual Christmas cake. And while the gelato chain last year went for a festive response to Sydney's lockout laws in the form of Santa trying to fit down a chimney, it's decided to take on a quintessential Australian dessert for 2017: the trifle. Enter The Christmas Coma. This epic ice cream creation will feature layer upon layer of everything that is good about Christmas — but instead of being soggy and slightly regrettable, this one will have you licking the glass bowl. So what's in it? The trifle will be layered with — here we go — vanilla custard gelato, whipped cream, peach jellies, raspberry marsala jelly, raspberry meringue, sherry-soaked jam rolls and bloody peach sorbet. Plus, it'll be garnished with white chocolate and cherry truffles and come with Messina brandy custard and chocolate-coated nuts to douse all over the mess. The trifle, which serves 18–20 (or less if you really commit), costs $120 and can be ordered for pickup between December 22 and Christmas Eve. In Sydney you can pick one up from Rosebery, Darlinghurst, Bondi, Miranda, Penrith, Tramsheds and Parramatta. If you're in Melbourne, you can get one from the Fitzroy or Windsor outposts — and the South Brisbane store will be making them too. Hopefully nan won't take it personally. The Christmas Coma is available to order at gelatomessina.com from 9am on Tuesday, December 5.
This month, much-loved Melbourne restaurateur Morgan McGlone will kick off an enticing new series of chef collaborations, which'll see a handful of Aussie kitchen legends put their own spin on his famed Belles hot chicken. First up, catch Restaurant Shik's chef-owner, and former Belles sommelier, Peter Jo in the kitchen at Belles' Fitzroy headquarters on July 29. The innovative Korean chef — best known as Kimchi Pete — will deliver a one-off menu featuring Secret-Style Chicken Ribs, his signature kimchi and a crafty cocktail of pear, ouzo and soju to round out the fun. Jo's creative offerings will be available for one day only, between 3–7pm. A selection of wines from Victorian winery Momento Mori will also be on offer for the event. If you haven't had a chance to try these funky, natural wines, this is the perfect opportunity to do so as winemaker Dane Johns will be on hand to walk you through them. Later in the series, Monty Koludrovic, from Bondi's Icebergs, will shake up the kitchen at Belles Hot Chicken Darling Square on August 26, and Shannon Martinez of Smith & Daughters taking over Belles' Tramsheds outpost on November 4. More Rules of The Roost collaborations are set to be announced — keep an eye on the website for updates. Images: Nikki To
Here's your latest excuse to stop dreaming about a holiday and start booking: a flight sale by new Australian low-cost airline Bonza. Soaring through the local skies since January, the carrier is already all about cheap fares, but now it's doing 20-percent off all of its routes and destinations for a five-day start-of-spring frenzy. New to Bonza? The local outfit was initially announced in 2021, then secured regulatory approval this year, launching its first flights shortly afterwards. It boasts two bases so far: the Sunshine Coast, where it's been soaring out of since January; and Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport, which joined the list in March. From November, the Gold Coast will become its third home. [caption id="attachment_916931" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tennis Australia/ Fiona Hamilton[/caption] This fresh face in the Aussie aviation scene isn't just about more-affordable tickets all year round, but also opening up routes to more of the country's regional destinations. On its list so far: 18 destinations and 34 routes. They're all getting the 20-percent-off treatment — and you've got from 10am on Thursday, September 7 up to 11.59pm on Monday, September 11 to book. As for where you can travel, Bonza's coverage includes the Whitsunday Coast, Cairns, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Bundaberg, Gladstone and Toowoomba — and also Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Albury and Mildura. Prices start at $39.20. The caveats: you'll need to want to travel this year, specifically from Tuesday, October 10–Wednesday, December 6. Also, you'll need to use the promo code LETSGO when you book. And, that discount is only applicable to the actual fare. So, any costs for bags, seats and payment fees aren't getting cheaper. With the code, if you don't use it at the time of booking, you'll miss out — you can't go back and apply it later. To book during the Bonza sale, you'll need to download the airline's app or hit a registered local travel agent. App-only online reservations are one of the carrier's points of difference. Another: an all-Australian in-flight menu, spanning both food and craft beer. Bonza's flight sale runs from 10am on Thursday, September 7–11.59pm on Monday, September 11. For more information, and to buy fares — using the using the promo code LETSGO — head to the airline's website to download its app for Android and iOS. 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.
Trivia nights usually mean teaming up with your mates, enjoying a few beverages and trying to convert your respective stores of knowledge into glory. At this particular trivia night, you can do all that — just virtually, from your own (possibly orange) couch. And, you can do so while celebrating 90s TV series Friends, which is in the spotlight at this online battle of pop culture tidbits. If you think you know everything there is to know about the show that caused viewers to agonise over whether Ross and Rachel would get together, wish that Joey and Chandler lived next door, and get their hair cut like Jennifer Aniston, here's your chance to prove it. Play along from 7.30pm AEST on Friday, April 24, with a live host overseeing the live-streamed Friends Virtual Quiz — and tickets costing $10, There'll be prizes, and if you want to break out those 90s and early 00s fashions while joining the fun from home, absolutely no one will stop you. No one told you that watching endless television reruns could turn out this way — or binging on episodes on Stan, either, if you you want to boost your knowledge with a marathon in the lead up to the quiz. Images: Friends via Stan.
Using a combination of photography and paint, New Zealand native Monique Barnett presents Famesque — a warped interpretation of celebrity that challenges existing, idealised associations with fame. She navigates the shiny waters of the high-gloss celebrity aqueducts to offer a unique view, one that plays with both eyes and ideas. Large-scale pieces draw the viewer in to Barnett's world, only to find that this unfamiliar territory is in fact a distorted mirror of our own making. Nameless, yet recognisable faces inhabit the space, allowing the viewer to question what these people truly represent. Discourse is encouraged, meaning this could be your chance to brush shoulders with Gaga! Image by Monique Barnett.
Whether you're hankering for lunch at the start of the working week, in need of a sweet treat come hump day or hungry for a snack late on a Friday night, if you while away your time in the Melbourne CBD, you've probably been overcome by a familiar sensation. Feeling like you've eaten from everywhere there is to eat while simultaneously feeling like you're spoiled for choice is the kind of experience that there really should be a specific term to describe, but isn't. Between Monday, May 13 and Friday, May 17, Menulog is here to help. It's making the choice for you, all thanks to those two words that everyone loves: free food. Across the week, the company is setting up a green lounge room area at Flinders Street Station and delivering a heap of meals at set times. Unsurprisingly, it's a first in, first served kind of deal. Kicking off the week is a spread of poké bowl from Poked, which'll be on offer from 12–1pm on Monday, while Nosh's tacos will fill your stomach from 5–6pm on Tuesday. Wednesday brings baklava from Stalactites between 2.30–3.30pm, breakfast by Ba'get is on the menu on Thursday between 8–9am, and Hella Good's souvlakis will be on making their way to your stomach from 11pm–12am on Friday evening. [caption id="attachment_721239" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Nosh[/caption] In total, there'll be more than a thousand meals served up for free. Of course, that means more than a thousand Melburnians clamouring for freebies, probably. Find Menulog's Green Lounge Room at Flinders Street Station in the Melbourne CBD between Monday, May 13 and Friday, May 17. Top image: Hella Good.
Sometimes, we all need to get a little lost. We need to leave our comfort zones — and the homes we've spent so much time in during the pandemic — and go wandering through an otherworldly realm. We need to play with echo light chambers, bound our way into giant bubbles, wander between shimmering digital vines and take a leap into a three-metre abyss, too, and just completely forget about our day-to-day troubles while we're moseying around a multi-sensory installation. If all of that sounds like your idea of heaven at the moment, it's about to become a reality in Melbourne again from Friday, November 12. That's when Imaginaria is bringing its immersive playground for kidults and children alike back to The District Docklands, and setting up shop until the end of January. If you weren't one of the 100,000-plus people who caught Imaginaria's last Melbourne season late last year and early this year, here's your chance to head along. And if you did make the trip last time, there's plenty to tempt you back for a return wander, including new installations and a collaboration with French filmmaker Thomas Vanz. This time, that aforementioned echo light chamber will respond to your movements — and you can jump into that three-metre cosmic abyss. The giant bubble will be filled with Vanz's hypnotic imagery, or you can recline on a seven-metre rotating bean bag perched underneath a light and sound constellation. In general, you can soak up an ambient soundscape that's designed by Alexander Albrecht and Nico as well. All of the above will still fall within a space that's made up of different structures, each filled with lights, sounds and smells. And yes, you'll still take your shoes off first, before exploring Imaginaria's new otherworldly realm. Melbourne's second dance with Imaginaria will be a choose-your-own-adventure kind of experience again, so you can spend 15 minutes skipping through or take your time. Open to all ages, it'll also have capacity limits and strict hygiene measures, with tickets starting at $29.95 a pop for adults. Imaginaria will set up at The District Docklands from Friday, November 12–Sunday, January 30, with tickets on sale now.
New year, new set of holiday plans? If that's how you celebrate December flipping over to January every 12 months, then you're probably already scoping out where to head when 2023 becomes 2024. Here's some inspiration: Hamilton Island, Bali, Fiji and Tokyo, aka places that Virgin is slinging cheap fares to in its latest sale. This new batch of discounted flights spans more than 500,000 fares for both domestic and international legs. Prices start low, at $45, which once again gets you from Sydney to Byron Bay — the normal cheapest fare in any flight sale — and vice versa. From there, the domestic side of the sale covers everywhere from the Sunshine Coast and Hobart to Canberra and Broome. Fancy a trip to the Gold Coast, Cairns, Launceston, Alice Springs or Darwin instead? They're also on the list. This excuse to book a getaway runs until midnight AEST on Monday, October 23 — unless sold out earlier, with fares to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide also covered. That means paying $59 one-way from Melbourne to Launceston, $69 from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast and $109 from Brisbane to Hamilton Island. Also among the local fares: Sydney to Hobart from $85, Melbourne to the Gold Coast from $109, Sydney to Adelaide from $125, Brisbane to Melbourne from $129 and Perth to Broome from $189. Internationally, you'll need to go via Cairns if you're keen to head to Tokyo, starting at $699 return. Among the other global return options: Bali (from $449 from Adelaide or the Gold Coast, $559 from Brisbane, and $629 from Melbourne or Sydney), Fiji ($509 from Brisbane, $529 from Sydney and $579 from Melbourne), Vanuatu ($569 from Brisbane) and Samoa ($579 from Brisbane). And, Queenstown is also on the agenda, with both one-way and return legs. One-way from Sydney starts at $259 and return from $445, Melbourne at $265 and $425, and Brisbane $295 and $515. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, the fares cover select periods between Tuesday, January 16–Thursday, August 29, 2024, with all dates varying per route. Inclusions also differ depending on your ticket and, as usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick if you're keen to spend some, part or all of next year anywhere but home. Virgin's latest sale runs until midnight AEST on Monday, October 23 — 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.
Hell hath no fury like a Netflix user with a dodgy internet connection trying to watch the end of Stranger Things. Presumably Netflix has felt the wrath of this fury, and has today introduced a new feature that will allow Netflix subscribers to download selected TV shows and movies to their mobile devices to watch offline. Just like Spotify's download button, Netflix's new feature will let users download shows to their mobile device through their iOS or Android app. It won't cost anything extra — you just need to update your Netflix app. The new feature will certainly help make long-haul flights and train trips a little less painful, and be super useful for people who live in countries where mobile internet is limited or expensive. If you already use the Netflix mobile app, it'll probably save you some dollars too as you can subtly download entire seasons on your work's Wi-Fi. However not every show will be able to be downloaded straight away — to start, it'll just be Orange is The New Black, Narcos and The Crown.
Behold a mystical race of Golden Age Hollywood stars-come-slug people. Springing from the allied imaginations of a mother-daughter duo, these hand-drawn portraits ingeniously wed the most mesmeric of faces to the most spazzy of Tyrannosaurus Rex stump arms. Proving that great and surprising art is often born from unlikely collaborations, illustrator Mica Angela Hendricks initiated the project in an accidental kind of way because her four-year-old always sets her beady eyes on her mum's luxe art supplies. When Hendricks recently tried to reserve a flashy new sketchbook for her own use, her crafty daughter Myla retaliated by appropriating classic mummy-language: "If you can't share, we might have to take it away if you can't share." Reluctantly, Hendricks allowed the wily kid to add a body to the elegant female head she'd just drawn. The result, a magnificent dino-woman, is rightly described by Hendricks on her blog as "carefree". A series of mother-daughter collabs followed, creating a funny little world of amoebic slugs and astronaut beavers with high-society noggins which somehow come across as believable beings. (I am fondly reminded of a young nephew who once claimed he had an imaginary friend called 'Prawn-Egg' with "the head of a prawn and the body of an egg". It would be great to see that illustrated.) Hendricks' blog post about the project reveals the amusing creative competitiveness between Myla and her, and how the activity has taught her to be less rigid in creative undertakings: "Yes, some things (like my new sketchbook) are sacred, but if you let go of those chains, new and wonderful things can happen. Those things you hold so dear cannot change and grow and expand unless you loosen your grip on them a little ... Most importantly, I learned that if you have a preconceived notion of how something should be, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE DISAPPOINTED. Instead, just go with it, just ACCEPT it, because usually something even more wonderful will come out of it." The logical next step would be to invent backstories for these characters with details supplied by both artists, to produce a very original book that would inspire kids and adult artists alike. See more of Mica and Myla's images on Mica's blog. Via Colossal.
More totes, less plastic: that's been the motto of supermarkets and state governments around the country over the past few years, as plastic shopping carriers have been phased out by stores and the authorities alike. But if you're the kind of shopper who always leaves their own bags at home, you might've simply swapped the thin, single-use plastic variety for their thicker, reusable counterparts. Now, Woolworths and Big W are ditching those nationally as well. Announced to celebrate World Environment Day on Sunday, June 5, the two chains will phase out all of its remaining plastic shopping bags — which includes 15-cent versions at Woolies, and both 15-cent and 45-cent versions at Big W. The move also covers bags not only in stores, but for online orders as well. Exactly when they'll stop being available depends on the brand, with Woolies gradually making the move over the next year, and Big W committing to scrapping them completely by the end of June 2023. Those two timelines are very similar, though — so, by July 2023, you won't be buying reusable plastic bags if you've forgotten your own totes. Woolies will still keep its recycled paper carriers on offer, however, saving you from lugging out your purchases in your arms if you gone shopping without bags. And, Big W is introducing additional bag options alongside its existing printed totes and other fabric bags. Western Australian Woolies stores have already made the switch, since back in March. South Australia and Northern Territory will follow from September 2022, with other states doing the same afterwards — with exact dates for New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT yet to be announced. Yes, that means that your shopping will help do the environment a solid — although, there'll still be plastic bags available for fruit and vegetables, but the supermarket is exploring more sustainable options for those as well. Woolworths will start phasing out reusable plastic bags over the next year, while Big W will ditch them by the end of June 2023. For further information, head to the Woolworths and Big W websites.
Maybe viewing old episodes of Aerobics Oz Style helped you stay active during 2020's first long lockdown. Perhaps you've been obsessed with the now-iconic Key & Peele aerobics meltdown sketch for years, as everyone should be. Or, you might've watched the excellent Kirsten Dunst-starring On Becoming a God in Central Florida and got bitten by the water aerobics bug. Whichever fits — or even if none of the above applies to you — leotards, exercise and all things 80s haven't been far from our screens in recent years. And, they'll feature again in a big way in Apple TV+'s new ten-part dark comedy series Physical. Set in the decade that's always going to be synonymous with leg warmers, Physical sees Rose Byrne make the leap from hanging out with talking CGI rabbits in terrible book-to-screen adaptations to getting hooked on aerobics. She plays Sheila Rubin, a San Diego housewife who has always played her dutiful part as expected, but struggles with her self-image and her sense of self in general. Then, the only form of exercise that TV shows and movies seem to think that anyone did back in the 80s suddenly enters her life. Cue a journey that brings Sheila success, sees her forge her own path beyond being a wife and mother, and also turns her into a lifestyle guru. As seen in both the first sneak peek last month and the just-dropped new trailer, she obviously won't be posting about her daily life on social media — but this show is set in the peak VHS era, so expect videotapes to play a part in the story. Physical is set to start streaming on Friday, June 18, and will drop its first three episodes in one hit before releasing the rest weekly afterwards. Naturally, big hair and spandex are set to play a huge part in the supremely 80s-looking series. Alongside Byrne, the show stars Rory Scovel (I Feel Pretty), Dierdre Friel (Second Act), Della Saba (Ralph Breaks the Internet), Lou Taylor Pucci (American Horror Story), Paul Sparks (The Lovebirds) and Ashley Liao (Fuller House). Desperate Housewives and Suburgatory's Annie Weisman created, wrote and executive produced Physical, and serves as its showrunner, while Cruella's Craig Gillespie, Dead to Me's Liza Johnson and Love Life's Stephanie Laing all enjoy stints in the director's chair. Check out the latest trailer trailer below: Physical starts streaming via Apple TV+ on Friday, June 18.
If you're a diehard cheese fan, you've probably devoured your fair share of cheese wheel pasta. But now, it's time to get acquainted with its cousin — cheesy risotto, served straight out of a big ol' wheel of pecorino. A version of this decadent dish has just hit the menu at Port Melbourne eatery Nonna's Cucina and it's available to warm up your winter nights from now until August 31. Just imagine a classic creamy risotto, infused with five Italian cheeses – fior di latte, pecorino romano, taleggio, pecorino sardo and gorgonzola, in case you're wondering – all tossed together in a cheese wheel and served right to your table. If that's got you drooling, you best start plotting your next visit to Nonna's Cucina, stat. To wash it down, there's a wine list packed full of Italian drops, or you can BYO something from home. Clocking in at $29 per person, the cheese wheel risotto is available Tuesdays to Sundays from 5.30pm until late. You'll need a minimum of two diners to take part, so lock in a mate and book yourselves a table before it all wraps up in five weeks.
Dig out your tassels and practise your Charleston. The Gatsby Party is about to begin — high tea-style. On a Friday evening, Mary Eats Cake will host a 1920s extravaganza, where you'll be able to dress your fanciest, dance your best and feast to your heart's content. At the heart of the event is the launch of Mary Eats Cake's new summer cocktail list. Based on the blending of spirits and tea, the menu includes several celebration-worthy creations, including Mary's Teapot (vodka, lemongrass, Earl Grey tea, gin, apple and lime) and the Mild Spiced Negroni (a smoked blend of Aperol and juniper pepper ginger tea). In between sampling these, you'll be treated to free-flowing sparkling wine and beer — complete with a suitably over the top Champagne tower — and bottomless high tea in the form of both roaming canapés and a dessert buffet. Meanwhile, live band Brooks and Bakers will provide the soundtrack and expert dancers will get the dance floor started. The Gatsby Party will take place at Mary Eats Cake Brunswick on Friday, November 30. A second party will also run at its Montrose location the following night.
When it came time to get rid of my break up shoes (the ones my ex bought for me as he dumped me, a misguided attempt to soften the blow) to avoid wearing any more evidence of my heartache, I (anti-climactically) threw them in the bin. But what are you meant to do with everyday objects that remind you of lost love? Where do the gifts, love notes and left-behind odd socks end up? In 2006, Croatian-based artists and exes Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić found themselves with a number of physical reminders of their broken relationship. What started as 'what do we do with all this crap?', grew into the Museum of Broken Relationships — first a travelling exhibition, then a permanent museum in Zagreb, Croatia, with an outpost in Los Angeles and a virtual collection online. Now, as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival's love-themed 2019 program, the cathartic exhibit has set up camp in the CBD's No Vacancy Gallery for the month of September. After a call for submissions, Vištica and Grubišić have curated a selection of items evoking memories of heartbreak and healing donated by Melburnians, which appear alongside favourites from the museum's permanent collection. Each piece is presented with a story — some simply a few words, others long tales of another time and place — and reflects how we love, and how we cope with loss. The exhibition will be open in Melbourne until the end of September — here are the highlights. [caption id="attachment_740627" align="alignnone" width="1920"] "Marie, I am getting a flat for myself, I will be back here Sunday night to sort my things out."[/caption] DECEMBER 25, 1975, AUSTRALIA The 1970s equivalent of getting dumped by text: ending a ten year relationship with a note. In just a couple of sentences, Marie conveys the hollow feeling we've all felt when disappointed by someone we loved. Did she keep this in a shoe box under the bed, forgotten about for four decades? Did she get it out occasionally and think back on the man she married, who left her for his secretary on Christmas Eve, just months after they found out she was unable to have children? With Marie's parting line we sense how heartache heals over time: "No signature. How dare he assume I would know who it was from." JUNE, 2006–DECEMBER, 2007, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA The owner of a dozen duct-tape roses says, looking back, they serve as a reminder that difficult things pass. Made by a high school girlfriend for Valentines Day many moons ago, the roses are a symbol of the carefree spirit of young love, kept gathering dust for more than a decade, long after that love fizzled out, because it just didn't seem right to throw away a gift made with so much skill, time and patience. MAY, 2016–FEBRUARY, 2018, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Amid hundreds of artefacts in the museum's worldwide collection, revenge and vindication are pretty common themes — from the axe used to hack an exe's furniture to pieces, to a toaster taken across the country ("how are you going to toast anything now?"), to voodoo dolls made from shirts belonging to former lovers. Sometimes our methods of coping with pain are more productive than others. These buttons were cut from the clothing of a Melburnian's cheating ex before his possessions were given back to him. The story reads, "I found this act incredibly cathartic in itself, apart from knowing it would annoy him immensely. Sometime later, I sent him some buttons. Not necessarily the right ones." THIRTEEN YEARS, HELSINKI, FINLAND If we're looking for themes among the artefacts, infidelity sure is up there — a universal experience felt from Melbourne to Helsinki. In 2012, a wife sat on the floor of her hallway, cutting a small plastic figurine into pieces, waiting for her husband to come home so she could confront him about his affairs. His response to being caught out in his lies? To take the postcards of two American silent film stars, which his wife had said reminded her of them, from their place on her dressing table mirror, and tear them to pieces in front of her face. AUGUST, 2003–MAY, 2006, SAN FRANCISCO, USA A belt left on the back seat of a lover's car, a mere week before a move away brought the passionate relationship to a stuttered end. Under the anonymity of the museum's format, the belt's accidental owner speaks candidly of watching meteor showers, naked, in a playground: "Kinkiness on a park bench underneath a blazing sky, there was more on fire than just those shooting stars." The item is donated as a way of saying thank you to the man that made them feel alive: "I never got the chance to tell him that I love him, but at least everyone who reads this will know." SUMMER, 1993, ZAGREB, CROATIA Pieces in the museum aren't all representative of tumultuous, decades-long marriages ending in tears. We all have so many relationships throughout our lives — with family, friends, our bodies, fleeting romances and brief encounters — and the collection has become a space for saying goodbye to absent parents, lost limbs, and people we knew for just a little while. From in the middle of the Croatian War of Independence, a first sexual experience is remembered with a little yellow flag from the ship that witnessed it. The Museum of Broken Relationships is at No Vacancy, Melbourne, from September 1–29. Entry is free and the gallery is open Tuesday–Friday, 12pm-6pm, and Saturday–Sunday, 12pm–5pm. Images: Tracey Ah-kee.
In 2013, 300 people danced to Kate Bush's' 'Wuthering Heights' in a field — and in 2017, the idea is back and bigger than ever. Yes, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever is happening in Melbourne on Saturday, July 15. Yes, everyone should be dressed as Kate Bush, complete with a red dress, red stockings and black belt (men, that means you as well). On the day, a clowder (that's the collective noun for Kate Bushes, just FYI) will descend upon the park and copy Bush's swaying, kicky dance in unison just for the pure joy of it. Support for this weird and wonderful outing has been widespread, and Kate Bush fans from around the world have been inspired to create events in their home cities. So get your gear together (dressmakers are being flooded with orders for the day, check it out here) and ready yourself to roll and fall in green, out on the wily, windy moors of Kings Domain. Registration is by donation.
Luke Mangan already has an impressive portfolio of Sydney restaurants under his belt, but he's making a long-awaited homecoming by setting up a new restaurant in his hometown of Melbourne this June. Located on the corner of Flinders Lane and Spencer Street — a somewhat neglected corner of the CBD — Bistrot Bisou will be serving up contemporary takes on classic French fare. It's no secret that the local hospitality industry is struggling right now, so sticking to a tried-and-tested restaurant formula — the French bistro — makes a whole lot of sense. It's a relatively safe bet, plus Managan really knows his way around French cuisine. He trained under renowned Chef Michel Roux at Michelin-starred London restaurant Waterside Inn and has several successful French eateries in the Harbour City. At Bistrot Bisou, diners can expect to find classics like steak frites, twice-baked gruyere souffle and apple tartin alongside plenty of dishes cooked over the woodfired grill — slow-burning ironbark and hardwood charcoal will be used to add depth and a little smokiness to the whole affair. "Melbourne has a real European feel to it — especially as we come into the cooler months — and French fare is having a moment, so I can't wait to share my take with diners," Mangan says. All of this will be executed and managed by Bistrot Bisou's Head Chef Rory Kennedy (ex-Vex Dining and Bar Romantica), who you'll see running things from the open kitchen's pass. An international wine list will complement the food offering, focusing on Aussie and French varietals. Cocktails will also be on the docket, an there are plans in the works for a cocktail hour for local workers. Guests can drop by for drinks and snacks at the Parisian-style front bar or stick around for longer sessions in the main dining room. Bistrot Bisou is slated to open in early June in Hotel Indigo, 575 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. It will open for lunch from Wednesday to Friday, and for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. For more details, head to the venue's website.
There are very few names in world cinema today as exciting as Xavier Dolan. Bold, prolific and monumentally talented, the Montreal-born prodigy already has five critically acclaimed features under his belt, including I Killed My Mother, Heartbeats and the recent Cannes Jury Prize Winner, Mommy. It's a resume that would make any veteran filmmaker proud. For Dolan, aged just 25, it borders on the revolting. Tom at the Farm is technically Dolan's fourth film, made in between the epic length transgender love story Laurence Anyways and the yet-to-be-released Mommy (we caught the latter at the Sydney Film Festival and can confirm it's a bona fide masterpiece). An adaptation of Michel Marc Bouchard's play Tom a la Ferme, at first glance the film seems to be a significant departure for the French-Canadian director; a gripping, single-location thriller more heavily indebted to the works of Alfred Hitchcock than his own earlier romantic dramas. Look a little closer though, and you'll have no trouble locating Dolan's signature thematic hang-ups. Twisted love. Sexual prejudice. An uncomfortable obsession with his mother. Dolan himself plays the Tom of the title, a young copywriter who travels out to rural Quebec for the funeral of his boyfriend Guillaume. When he arrives, however, Tom discovers that no-one in Guillaume's family knew that he was gay, save for his hyper-masculine brother Francis (Pierre-Yves Cardinal), who will do anything to keep his grief-stricken mother (Lise Roy) from finding out. Trapped on the family's dairy farm, Tom is forced to help maintain the fiction of Guillaume's life while resisting Francis's twisted mental games. But as the days slowly pass and Tom learns more about the family, the dynamics on the farm begin to change. The isolated locale proves the perfect backdrop for the film, one that plays simultaneously like a psychological horror story and an examination of abusive relationships, homophobia and gay self-loathing. The film's sparse colour palette — mud browns, fog greys and dead cornfield yellows — evokes a stomach-lurching sense of menace and unease. Likewise, the Bernard Herrmann-inspired score from Oscar-winner Gabriel Yared, full of gorgeously eerie string compositions that foreshadow danger at every turn. The introduction of a fourth character late in the second act diffuses some of the film's claustrophobic tension. Like everything in Dolan's filmography, Tom at the Farm works less as a narrative and more as an exercise in crafty emotional manipulation. In this case, that emotion is disorientating dread. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GLOJpY6DfAE
He's back! It's been eight long years since we first heard Thom Yorke's glitchy solo grooves in The Eraser now, out of nowhere, he's dropped a sneaky surprise album overnight. Tomorrow's Modern Boxes sees Yorke return to his trademark sound with a full LP of sneaky sneakster electronica. But you won't find this album in stores just yet. As always, Yorke has something else in mind. Similar to the release of Radiohead's In Rainbows where fans could pay whatever they wanted for an online download, Tomorrow's Modern Boxes has been released via BitTorrent. It's a bold move. Seeking alternative methods of distribution, Yorke has chosen to embrace the technology the music industry struggles with the most. The album, in fact, is the world's first paygated BitTorrent bundle. "It's an experiment to see if the mechanics of the system are something that the general public can get its head around," reads a statement on the Radiohead website. "If it works well it could be an effective way of handing some control of internet commerce back to people who are creating the work." By releasing the music direct to the public, artists are able to keep a much larger share of the profits. For each album sold, BitTorrent reportedly takes a 10 per cent cut and Yorke gets the remaining 90. This combined with the savings on production and publicity means they are able to set the price at a mere US$6. Score. "It it works, anyone can do this exactly as we have done," the statement reads. "[This would enable] those people who make either music, video or any other kind of digital content to sell it themselves. Bypassing the self elected gate-keepers." BitTorrent's CCO Matt Mason told Mashable that this is a system many artists will soon be employing. And, why not? Unless you work at a record company, it seems like a win-win situation. Tomorrow's Modern Boxes is available for download via BitTorrent now. You can listen to the first single 'A Brian in a Bottle' prior to downloading. But don't be stingy, give this legend his $6 for the full thing.
In August 2023, Wicked will unleash its spin on The Wizard of Oz — and one of Broadway's biggest hits of the 21st century — upon Sydney, in what's set to be one of the Harbour City's theatre highlights of the year. But fans of faraway realms, yellow brick roads and toe-tapping songs in Melbourne can get their fix right here at home, all thanks to a new stage production of the show that started it all. This winter, from Thursday, June 29–Sunday, July 9, consider the Victorian capital's National Theatre somewhere over the rainbow. You'll be off to see the wizard there, too. There's never a bad time to pop on your ruby slippers, and hasn't been for the past 84 years since the page-to-screen hit first reached cinemas — including when theatre outfit Theatrical give The Wizard of Oz a whirl. More than 30 performers will tread the boards, led by Lyla Digrazia — a veteran of Theatrical's Freaky Friday — as Dorothy. Kael D'Alterio (Matilda) plays Scarecrow, Ashley Wilsnach (Spring Awakening) gets shiny as Tin Man and Leigh Roncon (Chicago) will seek courage as the Cowardly Lion. Also in key roles: Keyanna Burgher (Into the Woods) as the Wicked Witch, Isobel Smart (also Freaky Friday) as both Glinda the Good Witch and Aunt Em, and Jason Fabbri (Beauty and the Beast) stepping behind the curtain as the Wizard. As they act out the storyline for director Kim Anderson, audiences will also hear all of the tracks that everyone has stuck in their head forever, including Oscar-winner 'Over the Rainbow', 'We're Off to See the Wizard', 'Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead', 'If I Only Had a Brain' and 'The Merry Old Land of Oz'. But, this show isn't without changes, including moving the action forward in time. "The Wizard of Oz is a delightful classic, a musical I have directed once before. For this new production, we are shifting from the traditional look of the show, and making our female characters grounded and fiercely independent," said Anderson, announcing the production. "We will be setting the story in a time period not too far off into the future from our own. It's a bit steampunk; think of a cross between 1930s dustbowl and Jules Verne. The heartwarming story, loveable characters and iconic songs remain, woven into a new fantasy world." For those who've somehow missed the 1939 classic flick so far, it adapts the 1900 novel The Wonderful World of Oz by L Frank Baum. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy Gale (played by Judy Garland in the movie) and her little dog Toto are whisked off from her Kansas farm to the titular realm, where she needs to avoid the Wicked Witch of the West — and find the eponymous wizard to make it home. To locate the latter, a stroll down a certain golden path with the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion is on the agenda. Check out the trailer for the film below: The Wizard of Oz plays Melbourne's National Theatre from Thursday, June 29–Sunday, July 9, with tickets on sale now.
If you've ever had a sneaky little go with some small person's Lego blocks once they're all tucked up in bed, Legoland sees you, tips you their hat… and raises you an adults-only night at its Melbourne Discovery Centre. And, because it's the time of year for it, the venue is throwing in some Halloween shenanigans as well. With no children to get in the way (or outdo your creations), you'll be able to have free rein of Legoland to check out the 4D cinema and rides, then build to your heart's content in the brick pits. Challenge yourself by taking on the master builder or a speed build, and vie for the prizes up for grabs — there'll even be a scavenger hunt so you can go full inner-child mode. This adults-only evening will be getting spooky, too, given the occasion. Fancy going monster hunting through Lego? This is your chance for that as well. Wearing a frightful costume is encouraged, too — so, having the full kidulting experience. It all takes place from 6–9pm on Friday, October 27 — and BYO shameless excitement, taste for glory and love of Halloween.
Based out of the architecturally textured Albury Library Museum, Write Around the Murray (WAM) is now celebrating a decade of reading, writing and storytelling. The five-day festival will return from September 13 through 17 and with it comes over 30 events featuring authors from around the country. This year's featured events include a Poetry Slam Bootcamp for a crash course in performance prose and Designing Stories For Games, a look at narrative for all you gamers out there. There will also be book sales and launches, round tables and even fabric painting classes for kids. The festivities aren't limited to reading and writing, either. Expect festival dinners and literary lunches to accompany poetry slams, workshops, author talks, performances, panel discussions and writing competitions.
Melbourne has just scored a sparkly new beachside day party, where the headline act is none other than 'inclusivity' (and Seth Troxler). The charmingly named All Sorts is one big, vibrant celebration of diversity, set to grace the beachfront at Riva St Kilda for the first time on Sunday, January 27. It's run by the team behind Melbourne's beloved gay rave Poof Doof, along with Untitled Group — who's organised hits such as Beyond The Valley, Ability Fest and Pitch Music & Arts — which should give you some hint of the multi-sensory, inclusion-focused fun to come. A dance-worthy All Sorts music lineup is headed by US DJ Seth Troxler, along with the likes of Robin S — yep, the songstress behind that classic 90s jam 'Show Me Love' — Poof Doof resident DJs Casey Leaver, Argonaut, Gay Roberto and Ben Renna, Ministry of Sound favourite John Course, and Sydney legend DJ Sveta. But this event is about much more than just the tunes, too, also dishing up a dazzling lineup of performances by some of the country's best-loved LGBTQI+ artists. You'll catch drag superstar Art Simone, award-winning cabaret act Yummy, performance art duo The Huxleys and even an appearance by Poof Doof's own drag hostess crew, Doofettes. All Sorts will take place at Riva, St Kilda on Sunday, January 27. Pre-sale tickets are available from 6pm Thursday, January 17, and you can sign-up for them here. Images: Poof Doof and Beyond the Valley.
2016: the year that officially sucked, and the year that we lost some of our dearest. Fergus Edward Miller was among them, and the Melbourne music scene is a poorer place for it. Fergus — aka Bored Nothing — was not just an incredibly talented songwriter and musician but in general a fantastic bloke, and the friends who have survived him want to make sure nobody forgets this. They're doing this by holding a special Sunday afternoon event in his honour, The Fergst of Times. The tribute will be held at the Northcote Social Club, and will be played at by his bandmates, as well as outfits such as HABITS, Del Boca Vista, and Claws & Organs. Head down to celebrate his life and the lives of all of those who've been lost to their own battles with depression — all proceeds will go towards the fight against the black dog. If you are feeling sad or alone or struggling with mental health issues, there is always someone to talk to. Lifeline is at 13 11 14 at all times of the day.
For proof that Australia's cocktail game is world-class, look no further than the calibre of the international mixology stars lining up to play on our turf. In 2015, it was New York's famous speakeasy Please Don't Tell, taking over the bar at Fitzroy's acclaimed cocktail haunt The Black Pearl. Then Sydney Bar Week 2016 saw The Everleigh in Melbourne and Sydney's Henrietta Supper Club each play host to pop-ups by Asia's best bar, 28 Hongkong Street. Now it's time for one of the world's most famous hotel bars to make its way Down Under. The American Bar, which is located at London's Savoy Hotel, will take over The Black Pearl on October 15–16 and Darlinghurst's own cocktail gem Eau de Vie from October 18–19. As England's longest surviving cocktail bar, The American Bar has quite the pedigree — in the last year alone, it's scooped the title of Best Bar in Europe at the World's 50 Best Bars awards and seen its team voted Best International Bar Team by Tales of the Cocktail. Backed by the creators of local coffee liqueur Mr Black (who are behind the Espresso Martini Festival in Sydney and Melbourne), this Aussie adventure gives The American Bar the opportunity to showcase some of its own caffeinated mixology magic. At the helm will be senior bartender and World Coffee In Good Spirits champion Martin Hudak, as he treats local audiences to American Bar signatures like the Green Park, the Black Diamond and the Hanky Panky. It's not a ticketed event, so you'll have to be there when the doors open at 6pm each night for the best chance of scoring a seat. The American Bar takes over The Black Pearl, at 304 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, from 6pm on Sunday, October 15 and Monday, October 16. Then, it'll land at Eau de Vie, 229 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, on Wednesday, October 18 and Thursday, October 19.
Under normal circumstances, when a new-release movie starts playing in cinemas, audiences can't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the pandemic forcing film industry to make quite a few changes over the past year — widespread movie theatre closures will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you're in lockdown. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here's nine you can watch right now at home. THE SPARKS BROTHERS "All I do now is dick around" is an exquisite song lyric and, in Sparks' 2006 single 'Dick Around', it's sung with the operatic enthusiasm it demands. It's also a line that resounds with both humour and truth when uttered by Russell Mael, who, with elder brother Ron, has been crafting art-pop ditties as irreverent and melodic as this wonderful track since 1969. Sparks haven't been dicking around over that lengthy period. They currently have 25 albums to their name, and they've taken on almost every genre of music there is in their highly acerbic fashion. That said, their tunes are clearly the biggest labour of love possible, especially as the enigmatic duo has always lingered outside the mainstream. They've had some chart success, including mid-70s hit 'This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us', Giorgio Moroder collaboration and disco standout 'The Number One Song in Heaven', and the supremely 80s 'Cool Places'. They're beloved by everyone from Beck and 'Weird Al' Yankovic to Jason Schwartzman and Mike Myers, too. They're the band that all your favourite bands, actors and comedians can't get enough of, but they're hardly a household name — and yet, decade after decade, the Maels have kept playing around to make the smart, hilarious and offbeat songs they obviously personally adore. Everyone else should love Sparks' idiosyncratic earworms as well — and, even for those who've never heard of the band before, that's the outcome after watching The Sparks Brothers. Edgar Wright, one of the group's unabashed super fans, has turned his overflowing affection into an exceptional documentary. It's the Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Baby Driver's first factual effort, and it's even more charming and delightful than the films he's best known for. That said, it'd be hard to mess up a movie about Sparks, purely given how much material there is to work with. Russell and Ron, the former sporting shaggier hair and the latter donning a pencil-thin moustache rather than the Charlie Chaplin-style top lip he's brandished for much of his career, are also heavenly interviewees. That's the thing about these now-septuagenarian siblings, every Sparks tune they've ever blasted out into the world, and this comprehensive yet always accessible film that's instantly one of 2021's best: they're all joyously, fabulously, eccentrically fun to an infectious and buoyant degree. The world has always needed more Sparks on a bigger stage; now, to the benefit of everyone that's ever loved them and anyone just discovering them, it's stopped dicking around and is finally delivering The Sparks Brothers is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. LITTLE JOE Pipes blow gently. The camera swirls. Rows of plants fill the screen. Some are leafy and flowery as they reach for the sky; others are mere stems topped with closed buds. Both types of vegetation are lined up in boxes in an austere-looking laboratory greenhouse — and soon another shoot of green appears among them. Plant breeder Alice (Cruella's Emily Beecham, who won the Cannes Film Festival's Best Actress award for her work here) is cloaked in a lab coat far paler than any plant, but the symbolism is immediately evident. Audiences don't know it yet, but her shock of cropped red hair resembles the crimson flowers that'll blossom in her genetically engineered new type of flora, too. "The aim has been to create a plant with a scent that makes its owner happy," she tells a small audience. She explains that most research in her field, and in this lab, has revolved around cultivating greenery that requires less human interaction; however, her new breed does the opposite. This species needs more watering and more protection from the elements, and responds to touch and talk. In return, it emits a scent that kickstarts the human hormone oxytocin when inhaled. Linked to parenting and bonding, that response will make everyone "love this plant like your own child," beams Alice like a proud parent. So starts Little Joe, which shares its name with the vegetation in question — a "mood-lifting, anti-depressant, happy plant," Alice's boss (David Wilmot, Calm with Horses) boasts. She's borrowed her own teenage son's (Kit Connor, Rocketman) moniker for her new baby, although she gives it more attention than her flesh-and-blood offspring, especially with the push to get it to market speeding up. The clinical gaze favoured by Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner (Amour fou) is telling, though. The eerie tone to the feature's Japanese-style, flute- and percussion-heavy score sets an uneasy mood as well. And, there's something not quite right in the overt eagerness of Alice's lab colleague Chris (Ben Whishaw, Fargo), and in the way that Planthouse Biotechnologies' other employees all instantly dismiss the concerns of the one naysayer, Bella (Kerry Fox, Top End Wedding), who has just returned to work after a mental health-induced sabbatical. Making her first English-language feature, Hausner helms a disquieting and anxious sci-fi/horror masterwork. Like many movies in the genre, this is a film about possibilities and consequences, creation and its costs, and happiness and its sacrifices — and about both daring to challenge and dutifully abiding by conformity — and yet it's always its own beast. There are aspects of Frankenstein at play, and The Day of the Triffids, and even Side Effects also. But as anyone familiar with Mary Shelley's iconic work knows, combining familiar elements can result in an intriguing new entity that's much more than just the sum of its parts. Little Joe is available to stream via Google Play and YouTube Movies. Read our full review. STREAMLINE Chasing a dream can feel like swimming through cool water on a hot summer's day — gliding, splashing and laidback paddling all included — with each refreshing stroke propelling you closer towards your own personal finish line. That's when everything is going well, of course, and when whatever your heart and mind desires seems as if it's waiting at the end of the pool. Otherwise, when you're bogged down by everyday minutiae and nothing seems to inch forward, working towards a set goal can also resemble treading water. It can mirror repetitively doing laps, too, when your destination seems out of sight despite all the hard work you're putting in. And, if you're tired and fed up with all the effort needed to even keep afloat — and when your heart is no longer in it — it can feel like floundering and drowning. In Streamline, all of these sensations and emotions bubble up for 15-year-old Benjamin Lane (Levi Miller, A Wrinkle in Time), as he pursues a professional swimming career, a spot in a prestigious squad in Brisbane and, ideally, an Olympics berth and all the glory that goes with it. Indeed, one of the delights of this Australian movie, which boasts Ian Thorpe as one of its executive producers, is how evocatively it sprinkles these swashes of feelings across the screen. Written and directed by feature first-timer Tyson Wade Johnston, Streamline is a sports drama as well as a small town-set family drama — and it's also a portrait of that time when you're expected to dive headfirst into adulthood, and into knowing what you want to do with the rest of your life, but you're also inescapably wracked with uncertainty and apprehension. Teenage awkwardness and angst aren't simple states to capture on-screen, although enough coming-of-age movies have been buoyed by both; however, Streamline opts to plunge deep into the existential stress that goes beyond feeling out of place with your peers or being annoyed at your parents. Its protagonist, who everyone just calls Boy, only really connects with his girlfriend and best friend Patti (Tasia Zalar, Mystery Road) at school. And, he's definitely mad at his mother and father. He resents his single mum Kim's (Laura Gordon, Undertow) efforts to keep him focused, which he sees as controlling rather than nurturing. He's doing tumble turns internally over his dad Rob (Jason Isaacs, Creation Stories), who's just been released from prison and has never been a positive influence in his life. Boy is also furious at his surrogate father figure, Coach Clarke (Robert Morgan, The Secrets She Keeps), for all the cajoling that coaches tend to give. But, mostly the swimming prodigy is unsure — about what he wants, what he's been told he wants and what to do next. Streamline is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. THE SUICIDE SQUAD New decade, new director, new word in the title — and a mostly new cast, too. That's The Suicide Squad, the DC Extended Universe's new effort to keep viewers immersed in its sprawling superhero franchise, which keeps coming second in hearts, minds and box-office success to Marvel's counterpart. Revisiting a concept last seen in 2016's Suicide Squad, the new flick also tries to blast its unloved precursor's memory from everyone's brains. That three-letter addition to the title? It doesn't just ignore The Social Network's quote about the English language's most-used term, but also attempts to establish this film as the definitive vision of its ragtag supervillain crew. To help, Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn joins the fold, his Troma-honed penchant for horror, comedy and gore is let loose, and a devil-may-care attitude is thrust to the fore. But when your main aim is to one-up the derided last feature with basically the same name, hitting your target is easy — and fulfilling that mission, even with irreverence and flair, isn't the same as making a great or especially memorable movie. Indeed, a film can be funny and lively, use its main faces well, have a few nice moments with its supporting cast and improve on its predecessor, and yet still fall into a routine, unsuccessfully wade into murky politics, never capitalise upon its premise or promise, keep rehashing the same things, and just be average, too — and right now, that film is The Suicide Squad. Mischief abounds from the outset — mood-wise, at least — including when no-nonsense black-ops agent Amanda Waller (Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) teams up Suicide Squad's Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman, The Secrets We Keep), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney, Honest Thief) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie, Dreamland) with a few new felons for a trip to the fictional Corto Maltese. Because this movie has that extra word in its title, it soon switches to another troupe reluctantly led by mercenary Bloodsport (Idris Elba, Concrete Cowboy), with fellow trained killer Peacemaker (John Cena, Fast and Furious 9) and the aforementioned Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian, Bird Box), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior, Valor da Vida) and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone, Rambo: Last Blood) also present. Their task: to sneak into a tower on the South American island. Under the guidance of The Thinker (Peter Capaldi, The Personal History of David Copperfield), alien experiment Project Starfish has been underway there for decades (and yes, Gunn makes time for a butthole joke). In this movie about cartoonish incarcerated killers doing the US government's dirty work, Waller has charged her recruits to destroy the secret test, all to ensure it isn't used by the violent faction that's just taken over Corto Maltese via a bloody coup. The end result is silly and goofy, fittingly — and yet, even when a supersized space starfish gets stompy (think: SpongeBob SquarePants' best bud Patrick if he grew up and got power-hungry), this sequel-slash-do-over is never as gleefully absurd as it should be. Again and again, even when Gunn's gambit works in the moment, that's how The Suicide Squad keeps playing out. The Suicide Squad is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. REMINISCENCE The look is all Blade Runner. The idea owes a few debts in that direction, too. In Reminiscence's vision of the future, androids don't dream of electric sheep; however, humans do escape into memories while they slumber in a tank of water, reliving and interacting with cherished moments from their past as if they're happening again right that instant. The mood takes a bit of the aforementioned sci-fi classic's tone, and Blade Runner 2049's as well, but then doubles down on the noir, and on some of the plot twists. Playing a veteran of a post-flood war that's seen Florida split into the haves and the have-nots, and also a man in possession of the technology and know-how to let paying customers reminisce, Hugh Jackman (Bad Education) isn't ever told "forget it Nick Bannister, it's Miami". Given that Reminiscence often feels like it wants to be a futuristic take on Chinatown, that wouldn't phrase feel out of place in the slightest, though. This is a film that lets its influences flicker to the surface that forcefully. It trades in memories, too, conjuring up a long list of smarter fare. And while it gives Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy a new outlet for many of the themes that've always hovered through the hit HBO show — primarily humanity's increasing disconnection with each other, and the growing yearning to find solace in either artificial or nostalgic settings, or both — she gleefully treads in her own footsteps. Or, the writer/director gives the ideas she's clearly fascinated with a different appearance and atmosphere than she's been working with on TV, but still largely enjoys the same toys. Perhaps Joy just gets comfort from the familiar, just like Bannister's clients. That might ring with more truth if Reminiscence didn't primarily use its intriguing underlying concept — a notion with plenty of promise, even as it nods to sci-fi gems gone by — to wrap up a romance in a mystery in a flimsy fashion. The hard-boiled Bannister has settled into his routine guiding people through their personal histories, with assistance with his ex-military colleague Watts (Westworld's Thandiwe Newton), until the film's femme fatale walks through the door asking for help. Singer Mae (Rebecca Ferguson, Doctor Sleep) has lost her keys, wants to use Bannister's tech to find them and ends up earning his besotted affection in the process. Then bliss turns to heartache when she disappears suddenly. Bannister is as obsessed with tracking her down as he is with her in general when they're together, but secrets about the woman he realises he never really knew keep being pushed to the fore as he searches. Also prominent: dialogue that feels like it's parodying all the movies that Reminiscence is copying, which drags the feature down word by word. Thankfully, Jackman, Newton and Ferguson's performances exceed the trite phrases that they're repeatedly forced to utter. The film's look and feel gleam and haunt by design, even though they also shine with and are haunted by the greats of a genre Joy clearly loves; however, this ends up being a movie about revelling in the past that happily plays it safe instead of striding into the future. Reminiscence is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. SOME KIND OF HEAVEN If you didn't know that Some Kind of Heaven was a documentary, you might think that it was a skit from I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. The same kind of social awkwardness that makes the Netflix sketch comedy such an equally savage and hilarious watch is present in this factual look at the retirement community also dubbed "god's waiting room": The Villages, Florida, the world's largest master-planned, age-restricted locale of its kind, and home to more than 120,000 people. This is a place for folks aged over 55 to live in multiple senses of the world. Couples tend to move there, then sign up for some of the thousands of activities and clubs that get them out dancing, kayaking, cheerleading, swimming and more. If a resident happens to be on their own — usually after their partner's passing — they can get involved in the local singles club, too. Around since the early 80s, and also described as "Disney World for retirees", this community is meant to be a dream. It was specifically designed to resemble the kinds of small towns its inhabitants likely grew up in, right down to the shop-filled main street and the large town square, and locals aren't ever meant to want to leave. But as Some Kind of Heaven follows four folks who've made The Villages their home — including one ex-Californian import that's just squatting — it demonstrates the reality that lingers behind the busy facade and glossy sales pitch. Requiem for a Dream's Darren Aronofsky is one of the doco's producers and, while Mother!-style horrors never quite pop up, this isn't a portrait of bliss by any means. Many of The Villages' residents are clearly happy. In his first feature-lengthy documentary, filmmaker Lance Oppenheim trains his gaze at people who aren't likely to appear in any of the community's brochures, however. Every shot lensed by cinematographer David Bolen (1BR) and boxed into the film's square frame is scenic and striking — Some Kind of Heaven sports an exquisite eye for visual composition — but much of what the movie depicts feels like stepping into a surreal alternative realm. (In one sequence, the camera meets a room filled with women called Elaine, all of whom introduce themselves one after one — and it's a scene that could've come straight out of any one of David Lynch's visions of suburban horror.) Approaching their 47-year wedding anniversary, Reggie and Anne think they've found the place for them. That's what they're both saying, at least, but The Villages means different things for each of them. Reggie has used the move to embrace his love of drugs and doing whatever he wants, and Anne has once again been forced to stand by his side, including when he's sent to court and admonished for his rudeness while representing himself. Then there's Barbara, a widow from Boston who didn't ever plan to live in Florida alone. She still works full-time, a rarity among her fellow residents, and she yearns for the company she thinks a margarita-loving golf cart salesman might bring. Rounding out the interviewees is the sleazy Dennis, an 81-year-old living in his van until he can find an attractive and rich woman to marry. Some Kind of Heaven doesn't judge him, or anyone else in its frames, but it lets these stories speak volumes about a place positioned as a fantasy land and yet really just bringing out the chaotic teenager inside everyone. Some Kind of Heaven is available to stream via Docplay. WEREWOLVES WITHIN The last time that filmmaker Josh Ruben trekked to a snowy mountainous locale and tracked the characters stranded in its midst, Scare Me was the end result, with the entertaining horror-comedy combining cabin fever chaos with creepy tales. Accordingly, it's easy to see how he's jumped from that Sundance hit to Werewolves Within, which shares the same kind of setting and setup — but with lycanthropes and a whodunnit twist. Forest ranger Finn (Sam Richardson, Promising Young Woman) has just arrived in the remote town of Beaverfield as the weather turns and the strange attacks start. He's barely been given a tour by fellow outsider Cecily (Milana Vayntrub, This Is Us), the local mail carrier, when the village's generators are found destroyed and the bodies start piling up. Finn has already established that he's surrounded by eccentric characters, including an oilman (Wayne Duvall, The Trial of the Chicago 7) trying to build a pipeline through the foliage, a store owner (Michaela Watkins, Search Party) obsessed with her dog, a constantly arguing couple (No Activity's George Basil and Barry's Sarah Burns) with a fondness for skirting the law, and a pair of ex-city slickers (What We Do in the Shadows' Harvey Guillén and Saved by the Bell's Cheyenne Jackson); however, he's soon forced into close quarters with his new neighbours as they all try to work out who's transforming into a ravenous creature and indulging their hunger. If it all sounds a bit like Cluedo but with werewolves, there's a reason for that; the 2016 virtual reality game that Werewolves Within is based on also matches that description. Adapted into a movie, the narrative aims for Knives Out with claws — but, while overflowing with one-liners, sight gags and a healthy sense of humour to a not just jam-packed but overstuffed degree, the end result is never as funny as it should be. It's never quite as fun, either, even though the concept is a winner on paper. Comedian-turned-screenwriter Mishna Wolff spends far too much time trading in the glaringly apparent, not to mention the predictable. Hell is other people here, and the fact that a seemingly quaint and friendly small town can be filled with deceit, duplicity and disaster is hardly a new observation (and neither is the musing that the sniping within the community just might be worse than the supernatural threat they're now facing). That almost every character remains purely one-note doesn't help, and nor do the over-amped performances given by all of the film's supporting players. Richardson is a delight, though, as he has been in everything from Detroiters to Veep. Indeed, he makes the case not just for more work, but for more leading roles. Vayntrub sinks her teeth into her part, too, and her rapport with Richardson is one of the movie's highlights. Also engaging: the off-kilter tone that Ruben adopts throughout, again aping his previous — and better — feature. Werewolves Within is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. THE ICE ROAD They're called ice road truckers and, between 2007–17, they earned their own reality TV series on the History Channel. They're the folks who don't just drive while it's frosty, but steer big rigs onto frozen lakes and rivers in Alaska and Canada — using routes obviously only available in winter to haul freight from one point to another. And, they're the focus of The Ice Road. In his latest stock-standard action flick following Honest Thief and The Marksman in the past year alone, Liam Neeson joins the ice road trucking fraternity, although his character only does so as a last resort. A seasoned long-haul driver, Mike McCann has had trouble holding down a job ever since he started caring for his Iraq War veteran brother Gurty (Marcus Thomas, The Forger), who came home with PTSD and aphasia, and is also a gifted mechanic. The pair have just been fired from their latest gig, in fact, when they see Jim Goldenrod's (Laurence Fishburne, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) callout for help driving gas wellheads to a remote Manitoba site where 26 miners have been trapped by an explosion. It's a dangerous task, and one that calls for three trucks making the distance as quickly and carefully as possible. Mike and Gurty set out in one vehicle, Jim in another, and Native American driver Tantoo (Amber Midthunder, Roswell, New Mexico) and mining company insurance agent Tom Varnay (Benjamin Walker, The Underground Railroad) hop into the third rig, but transporting their cargo and saving the buried workers is a tense and treacherous mission. Much about The Ice Road will sound familiar to anyone who's seen Sorcerer, William Friedkin's stellar 1977 thriller about trucking volatile dynamite along a rocky South American road — which adapted 1950 French novel The Salary of Fear, a book that first reached cinemas via 1953's Cannes Palme d'Or-winning The Wages of Fear. This isn't an acknowledged remake, but icy, however. It'd be far better if it was, because the tension that ripples from simply driving along the titular route is The Ice Road's strongest element. In the feature's first half, after setting the scene for both the McCanns and the miners, writer/director Jonathan Hensleigh (Kill the Irishman) stresses the perils of trucking down frozen rivers. Bobbleheads placed on dashboards wobble whenever the ice threatens to become unstable, pressure waves shimmer and action-movie stress bubbles within the film's gleaming white images. That'd be enough to sustain the movie, but Hensleigh believes otherwise, which is where predictable double-crossing on the ice, among the stranded miners and back at company headquarters comes in. Even Neeson can't make the long list of cliches that fill The Ice Road's script entertaining, not that he seems to be trying all that hard. He's gruff and grizzled, and he yells, punches and fights for what's right, but he also just makes viewers wish they were watching him confront wolves in excellent survival thriller The Grey, or drive a snowplough in the average Cold Pursuit. Unsurprisingly, the rest of the cast fare just as badly, including the thoroughly wasted Fishburne and Midthunder, and Mindhunter's Holt McCallany as one of the miners. The Ice Road is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS More than once in Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, a supporting performance stands out — and not for the right reasons. Overdone and obvious, these portrayals leave audiences with no doubt that the corresponding characters are part of the game that this franchise has been playing for two movies now. The overall premise of this series sees ordinary folks receive invites that lead them into a maze of escape rooms. These are literal life-and-death spaces, and the body count grows room by room. This time around, Zoey (Taylor Russell, Words on Bathroom Walls) and Ben (Logan Miller, Love, Simon), the sole survivors of 2019's series starter, are trying to track down the villains responsible for the death traps. Of course, they're soon stuck in another one, alongside four fellow winners (In Like Flynn's Thomas Cocquerel, Follow Me's Holland Roden, Queen & Slim's Indya Moore and Step Up: High Water's Carlito Olivero) from other games. There's supposed to be a sense of anxiousness about where the escape rooms begin and the outside world ends, and vice versa, but that's completely stripped out of this second effort. Throughly unsubtle bit-part performances, even for a movie this blatant at every turn, will do that. Escape Room: Tournament of Champions is still tense when Zoe, Ben and their fellow pawns are trying to sleuth their way to safety, thankfully, but that's largely a result of giving them twisty puzzles to solve at an urgent pace. Watching people trying to problem-solve quickly comes with innate tension. Will they succeed? Won't they? The seesawing between those two extremes is inherently suspenseful. That, and the rooms themselves, are two of Escape Room: Tournament of Champions' three highlights. The third: Russell, who is capable of so much more — as seen in Waves, for example — and gives her part here more depth than is written on the page. But, as much as returning director Adam Robitel (Insidious: The Last Key) tries to spin something memorable out of the nervous tone, elaborate spaces and Russell's presence, the repetition and overtness gets tiring fast. While individual scenes may be tense, the overall film never is. It's always apparent where the narrative is headed, even when the six credited writers (Mortal Kombat's Oren Uziel, Hand of God's Daniel Tuch, Counterpart's Maria Melnik, The Hive's Will Honley, Invincible's Christine Lavaf and Wildling's Fritz Böhm) think they're serving up surprises; thought has clearly gone into the minutiae of each escape room, and yet little seems to have been afforded the bigger picture. Visually, and in its soundtrack, every stylistic touch paints by the numbers, too. Also much too predictable: that the film is a setup for yet more to follow. The Final Destination franchise has ratcheted up five instalments so far, so the Escape Room series, the closest thing it has to a successor, can obviously keep milking its setup for several more formulaic movies to come. Escape Room: Tournament of Champions is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. THE MISFITS Imagine Robin Hood meets Ocean's Eleven meets the Fast and Furious franchise, but helmed by the filmmaker behind Deep Blue Sea, and somehow starring the unlikely combination of Pierce Brosnan (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga), Tim Roth (Luce) and rapper/comedian/TV presenter Nick Cannon (Chi-Raq). Then, picture a film set in the fictional Jeziristan, because appropriating a particular culture and applying it to a made-up place is apparently okay by this flick's powers-that-be — and also envision a movie so blatant with its Islamophobia at every turn that Cannon's character is almost constantly making fun of Middle Eastern accents and Arabic names, citizens of this part of the globe are largely depicted as terrorists or psychopaths, a group of villains is called the Muslim Brotherhood, but all the gloss and glitz of Abu Dhabi, where the movie is shot, is leered at (as are the scantily clad women seen in its hotels, too). No one wants to visualise this flick, but unfortunately it exists. And yes, The Misfits is as atrocious as it sounds. Director Renny Harlin (who also has Cliffhanger and The Long Kiss Goodnight to his name) seems like he's simply trying to recreate shots, looks and scenes he likes from far better films, but badly. And, the fact that co-screenwriter Kurt Wimmer also has the atrocious 2015 remake of Point Break on his resume makes a huge amount of sense, because this bag of tripe just stitches together plot points from almost every other heist feature there is (as exacerbated by dialogue as bland and cliched as every aspect of the narrative). A big contender for the worst movie to reach Australian cinemas this year, and a film that surely wouldn't have ever gotten the chance if the pandemic hadn't upended the theatrical release slate, The Misfits brings together a ragtag gang of well-meaning criminals. They anoint themselves with the movie's moniker after ruling out 'motley crew' for obvious reasons, if you're wondering how stupid and inane this feature gets — and quickly. Bank robber Ringo (Cannon) usually flexes his light-fingered skills to rip off the wealthy and give back to the poor, so obviously he's keen to form a makeshift family with martial arts expert Violet (Jamie Chung, Lovecraft Country), who likes punishing terrible men; explosives-obsessed Wick (Thai popstar Mike Angelo), who blows up nasty businesses; and 'the Prince' (Rami Jaber, Tough Love), who may or may not be royalty in another made-up country. Their next target: a vault of gold hidden inside a maximum-security Jeziristan jail overseen by nefarious businessman Warner Schultz (Roth). Their latest recruits: UN-employed humanitarian Hope (Hermione Corfield, Sea Fever) and, if she can convince him, her conman dad Richard Pace (Brosnan), who of course has a history with their mark. Much that happens is nonsensical, which also applies to the messily staged and shot action scenes. The movie's sexism goes hand in hand with its blatant racism, too. Daddy issues, second chances, car chases, slow-motion explosions, pointless visual tricks — that's all part of this hideous package as well, alongside absolutely zero subtlety or enjoyment. The Misfits is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Check out our lists of movies fast-tracked from cinemas to streaming back in May, June, July and August. You can also take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows.
At Prahan's French gastropub L'Hotel Gitan, Monday nights are raclette nights — and that fact couldn't make us happier. Available now through September 24, you can chase away those cold Monday blues with chef Jacques Reymond's take on this classic French dish. The special includes that ooey-gooey cheese you can't get enough of, served with steamed potatoes, a mixed leaf salad, three types of charcuterie, cornichons and a fresh baguette. It'll cost you $28 on your own, or $48 shared between two — so grabbing a dinner date will save you some cash, but we don't blame you for wanting that hot melted cheese all to yourself, either. Who needs company when you have cheese, really? Head in anytime from 5.30pm to close, but don't forget to book ahead of time.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a better winter feasting situation than an all-you-can-eat pizza banquet, downing as many cheesy slices as you can handle. And that's exactly what awaits you at award-winning pizza joint 400 Gradi, from now until the end of August. The Brunswick, Eastland and Essendon outposts are dishing up a new bottomless feed, available every day from 4pm. You'll spend just $45 to enjoy a two-hour free-flowing feast of 400 Gradi's top-notch pizza and booze. Tuck into unlimited slices of margherita or vegan marinara pizza, matched to all-you-can-drink wine, cider, Peroni and cocktails. There's a classic Aperol spritz, along with a black mule, passionfruit business, G&T and vodka and tonic. Bookings are a must, with sessions from 4–6pm, 5–7pm and 6–8pm Monday to Thursday, and from 4–6pm Friday to Sunday. Bottomless Gradi is available at the Brunswick, Eastland and Essendon 400 Gradi stores. First image: 400 Gradi Essendon.
A staple of Melbourne's cultural calendar for 80 years and counting, the Sidney Myer Free Concerts are back for another year. Held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the latest of this long-standing favourite will, as always, feature a trio of performances from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Whether you're a classical music buff or just want to stretch out with a picnic on the grass, there's a good reason these concerts have become a summertime tradition. After kicking off on Friday, February 8, and keeping the fun going on Saturday, February 16, Melburnians can enjoy the last evening in the series on Wednesday, February 20. The first night will feature a series of famous songs by American composer George Gershwin, while Tchaikovsky and Debussy will star on the Saturday. A Symphonic Celebration will round out the free performances with fantasy-themed pieces, such as Dukas' 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice'. Drinks and snacks will be available to purchase, but you can also BYO — just make sure you pack plastic cups. Performances begin at 7:30pm; however, gates are open at 4:30pm so be sure to arrive promptly with your picnic basket in hand.
The Tan is a familiar track to most Melburnians, and the Tan Ultra its annual runners event. In 2013 it features 100km, 50km, 42km, 30km, 12km and 4km distances, each with a maximum of 50 runners. It's a trailplus event, which supports Canteen and raises awareness of young people living with cancer. With our partners The Athlete's Foot, we're putting one of our team to the test, giving her four weeks to find her fit with running and participate in the TanUltra (12km) on August 11. Follow her ups, downs and diversions here, in her #ididit diary. And for all of you out there looking for some extra motivation to join in? The Athlete’s Foot are giving away a pair of running shoes each week to their favourite #ididit photo during the running season. The Runner: Hilary Simmons, 29, Comeback Kid I'm a runner coming back from injury. I sprained my ankle in the catacombs of Paris at midnight. My physio in Melbourne says I probably fractured it; either way, I haven't been running for over six months. I grew up in country NSW, riding horses and competing in orienteering events, despite a lamentable lack of navigational skills. I wear orthotics in my shoes to correct the fallen arches in my feet and go stir-crazy if I stay inside for too long. By day, I work in a creative illustration agency. By night, I wrestle with words, bake experimentally, and listen to music that holds it all together. I tend to walk everywhere, my head high in the clouds, and seem to have a complete inability to say 'no' to a challenge. The Tan Ultra is actually an example of this. I've signed up this week and have three weeks to train. I'll build up my training slowly but surely, come rain, hail or shine — knowing Melbourne, it will probably be a combination of all three. I like red wine, bad puns, enthusiastic laughers and warm woollen coats from fallen Russian aristocracy. Saturday, July 20, 1.38pm Saturday, July 20, 2pm Hilary: First run in a year, at Princes Park. That painful first 10 min, then my feet finding their rhythm. #ididit http://t.co/N1IOFIdvda — Concrete Playground (@PLAYGROUNDnews) July 21, 2013 Hilary: 3 runs in 3 days and my body is confused. Had to play good cop/bad cop to get out of bed. #ididit #tanultra http://t.co/N1IOFIdvda — Concrete Playground (@PLAYGROUNDnews) July 22, 2013 Sunday, July 28, 2.30pm Friday, August 2, 9.12am In some ways, my training has been going well. In other ways... uh, no. I have steadfastly been getting out of bed every other day to brave the bad streets but with the exception of one windy afternoon when (fuelled by caffeine and an earlymark from work) I ran all the way from Princes Park to Abbotsford Convent and back, my runs haven't exceeded 40 minutes. It's genuinely harder to fit longer runs in as someone who works full-time and freelance hours, and maintains a justifiable fear of the cold biting dark. The good thing is that apparently 'muscle memory' does exist and my body is loving running again. I am fairly sure that surrounded by other runners on the day, it will know what to do. Bonus — due to the omnipresence of cake in my life, carb-loading won't be a problem the night before. Hilary: Have the #deathflu. Limited my runs to half an hour otherwise I will fall off my chair at work. #ididit http://t.co/N1IOFIdvda — Concrete Playground (@PLAYGROUNDnews) August 7, 2013 Saturday, August 10, 8.30pm The sticking-my-head-in-the-sand form of preparing for the Tan Ultra has reached its inevitable conclusion with me spending a quiet Saturday night in and hoping that my lack of hangover will miraculously enable me to run 12km. I know I can do at least half of that, no hassles, but I think if I were to nut out a training "schedule" again, I would actually have developed one. Complaints aside, I'm looking forward to tomorrow. The weather was incredible today, one of those mid-August days where the sky is so brilliant that everything appears lilted in the blue. It's been so long since I've done a fun-run and I love the buzz as everybody gets briefed . I'm going to run without headphones this year and just try to enjoy the track. Tuesday, August 13, 11.24pm It was possibly the most perfect weather you could imagine for the Tan Ultra on Sunday. Bright sun, light breeze; everything so fresh and unspoiled. What really surprised me as I made my way to my mid-morning starting line is how many runners weren't competitors, but happily running alongside and joking with the people who wore race numbers. There is something really lovely and community minded about running. All the people at the registration desks were volunteers and everyone laughed and chatted warming up. 12km is three times around the track and some of the ultra-marathoners there were doing 100km. That's 26 times round! They had been there since early that morning and one old man I jogged beside for 100m or so told me that he was looking forward to having a nice cup of tea after. Cute and inspiring in equal measures. From my own perspective, my ankle injury didn't bother me at all and I ran a clean, full three laps in around 70min or so. The endorphin rush lasted throughout the slight stiffness in my muscles the next day and at this point (almost midnight on a Tuesday evening), I'm planning to go running tomorrow morning.
It's Friday, the sun's a-shining, and Pidapipo's doing you a solid, giving out a stack of free gelato in the CBD from 12pm today. The cult favourite gelateria is celebrating the launch of its new Degraves Street store, off the back of its first two sweet successes in Carlton and Windsor. The new store's set to showcase Pidapipo's current range of traditional flavours and inventive signature creations, from the dreamy dulche de leche to the black sesame. And in exciting news for city-based gelato fans, it'll also be home to a few exclusive, CBD-only additions, including four granitas in flavours like raspberry and blood orange. We know you're already thinking about after-work snacks. But if you fancy checking out the new digs and enjoying a sweet treat for free, we'd recommend a lunchtime visit today — Pidapipo's city store is handing out those free scoops of gelato between noon and 3pm. The new Pidapipo is located at 8 Degraves Street, Melbourne. The free gelato will be available from 12–3pm, and the store is open from 12–11pm daily. For more info, visit pidapipo.com.
