If there's a greater joy in life than strolling through gentle hills intermittently snacking on wine and cheese, we don't want to know. The Morning Peninsula Winery Walk is a morning walk along a historic railway. First stop: Red Hill Epicurean for some sparkling wine and a bite to eat. Then you'll be stopping in at Paringa Estate and Willow Creek Wines for a drop of Chardonnay and some canapés. Then push onto a private vineyard to try some Allie's Wines Pinot and some Red Hill Cheese produce. If you can possibly fit more food and wine in, you'll head down to Merricks General Wine Store and then jump on a bus back to Lindenberry, happy and full. At $25, this might be one of the best value events in the whole festival, so get excited.
On Wednesday, July 2, buzzy izakaya Yakimono is stepping out of the city and firing up the grill at Club Chin Chin, bringing its high-octane energy and flame-licked fare to the neon-lit GMHBA Stadium venue for a one-night-only takeover. Part of the Tastes of Greater Geelong festival, this exclusive event will see Yakimono Head Chef Daniel Wilson and his team serve up a four-course feast of some of their restaurant's greatest hits. For $95, you can tuck into a curated lineup of bold, playful dishes cooked over fire, with starters like tuna tartare on tapioca nori crackers and juicy negi chicken skewers dusted with chicken salt and spring onion oil. Larger share dishes include barbecued king salmon finished with a soy glaze, jalapeño and pickled cucumbers, and a richly marbled wagyu zabuton steak with karashi and fried enoki, while Yakimono's signature rocky road bombe alaska rounds the menu out. There's also the option to level up with tasty extras like pork and ginger gyoza, charcoal-roasted edamame, and oysters with finger lime ponzu. You can also choose to elevate the experience with a paired drinks menu, which begins with a zingy tequila, yuzu, miso and jalapeño-anchored cocktail on arrival. There's also a matched wine for each course and a dessert cocktail featuring bourbon, sesame and fino. If you'd rather choose your own adventure, Club Chin Chin's full drinks list of wine, beer and cocktails will be available throughout the evening. Spots for this smokin' hot regional collaboration are limited, so early bookings are highly recommended.
Thanks to various lockdowns and restrictions, 2021's Father's Day celebrations are probably going to look a little different from previous years. While Melbourne's current lockdown is scheduled to end on September 2, we all know by now that it's best to be prepared for any scenario. Of course, even if you can't catch up with your father figure IRL or take him out for a proper feast with the family, it doesn't mean you can't spoil him with a bit of lockdown-friendly, virtual Father's Day love. Especially if the way to his heart is via his stomach. Whether you're celebrating with your dad, the father of your kids, or a treasured paternal figure, we've rounded up a few choice options to treat your old man on September 5. You could have a decadent barbecue feast delivered to his door, a weekend's supply of artisan doughnuts, or grab him a tipple (or three) from his favourite local brewery. No one knows what our lockdown status might be, but at least you can safely secure dad's affections with something from this tasty lineup. THE NON-TRADITIONAL FATHER'S DAY LUNCH Restaurant lunches and family barbecues might not be a sure bet this year, but whatever happens, you can still ensure dad's treated to a celebratory feed with just a few clicks. No matter where his culinary leanings lie, Melbourne's got a home-delivered food offering to suit. For example, David's is doing a limited-edition yum cha feast for two, available for both delivery and click-and-collect via Providoor. It stars classic dishes like chilli pork dumplings and peking duck. Meanwhile, Panda Hot Pot is offering an at-home version of its legendary hot pot experience, designed to feed two to six depending on the size. The barbecue-loving dad will be pretty chuffed sitting down to a finish-at-home family feed from Fancy Hanks; especially if you've added one of the signature hot sauce or seasoning packs to your order. Both meat and vegetarian variations are on offer daily. And for an at-home high tea that'll score you serious brownie points, try the Stables of Como. While the venue's gorgeous grounds remain closed, it's packaging up its famed high tea offering for delivery via UberEats, DoorDash and Deliveroo — after all, what dad wouldn't love to dig into a delightful spread of sweet and savoury goodies? SOME LAZY GRAZING Even if you're not making an appearance yourself, you can give dad the gift of brekkie in bed or a fun backyard picnic by ordering a curated hamper dropped straight to his doorstep. South Yarra's Lulu White is doing at-home boozy brunch boxes packed with a choice of three signature dishes, plus bubbles and jarred cocktails. Hospitality social enterprise Streat has its own breakfast hamper — starring house-made sourdough and house-roasted coffee, no less — as well as a chic picnic pack filled with the likes of mini sausage rolls, smoked salmon paté and bite-sized quiches. Plus, Middle Eastern bakery Oasis is slinging a stunning assortment of deli boxes, grazing packs and entertainer's kits over on its online shop, with delivery Victoria-wide. And if dad's partial to an Italian-style spread of cheese and salumi with his afternoon vino, try the experts at King & Godfree. The venue's got an impressive lineup of antipasti boxes, deli packs and mix-and-match products available for delivery five days a week, along with a special Father's Day brekkie box. THE SWEET STUFF Sweet-toothed dads might be a breeze to buy gifts for, but this is the year to really outdo yourself. For example, Doughboys Doughnuts is slinging a special-edition Lockdown Box, filled with half a dozen signature holey delights that are sure to win pops over. Flavours include glazed vanilla bean, raspberry old fashioned and a decadent chocolate peanut cream — and they're delivering up to 10 kilometres from the CBD. Meanwhile, the chocolate masters at Mork are doing $5 home-delivery on online orders over $26 — right now, hit the website to shop dreamy things like the twice-baked chocolate cake, packs of choc malt cookies and some of the finest drinking chocolate in town. Or, if he's the kind of guy who likes to try a little bit of everything, treat him to one of Bibelot's Gourmandise Boards, starring a colourful assortment of bite-sized sweet creations for $35. [caption id="attachment_803631" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Handpicked Wines, by Nastia Gladushchenko[/caption] SOME LOVELY LOCKDOWN LIBATIONS The next best thing to actually joining dad for a Father's Day tipple is to set up his fridge or home bar with some top-notch goodies he can enjoy in your absence. Whilst he marvels at your supreme gift-buying skills, of course. Any craft beer aficionado will be stoked to open their door to a delivery from Carwyn Cellars, especially if it's the 2021 edition of the bottle shop's famed Dad Pack. Available for shipping and local delivery, this one comes stocked with a slew of crafty tins, merch and vouchers from favourites like Hop Nation, Bodriggy and Hawkers, for $50. Melbourne-based Brick Lane Brewing also has a range of dad-worthy beer packs over on its online store. If he's more of a whisky man, Starward's locally-made drops are a primo choice — the distillery's online selection is brimming with options for delivery across Australia, including this gift pack with three different signature sips. For the gin-obsessed dad, the Yarra Valley's Rochford is slinging a special gin and wine hamper which also includes access to a guided virtual tasting on September 3. And for the wine-lovers out there, try the likes of a Shiraz and cheese box, or a pack of all-Victorian vino and nibbles courtesy of Handpicked Wines' online range. The label's currently doing same-day delivery from its Melbourne CBD cellar door. COFFEE FOR CHEER Why not put a little pep in his step by stocking the cupboard with some locally-made caffeinated treats? Over on its website, renowned roaster Market Lane is slinging a wide array of beans, grinds, equipment and gift packs to suit at-home coffee-sippers of all persuasions. Right now, there's also free delivery for orders over $50. Seven Seeds' online shop is also stocked with a healthy offering of coffee and brew gear, as well as a Father's Day pack featuring beans, a nifty mug and some single-origin Birdsnake chocolate. The brand's also currently offering a free upgrade to express delivery on all orders, in case you like to leave things to the last minute. And Padre's got lots of its own coffee-related goodness available to shop online, including the fittingly named Daddy's Girl espresso blend. Free shipping is available for orders over $55. [caption id="attachment_765411" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hello Botanical[/caption] NON-FOODIE TREATS If F-Day lunch is already sorted, or his passions lie somewhere beyond the world of food, there's a raft of other goodies you can get delivered to dad's door. A lush dose of greenery never goes astray, so hit up local plant gift delivery service Hello Botanical for some leafy treats. These guys are selling a wide range of indoor plants and plant-related care packages, plus you can even wrangle a same-day drop-off. Meanwhile, sporty souls will always appreciate some new activewear — try this dad-friendly edit from Echt (with free express shipping on orders over $100) or get him moving with some Max Gawn-approved threads from Lululemon. And of course, there's always the failsafe option of some big, vibrant blooms to make dad feel extra special. Head over to LVLY to shop a colourful range of standalone bouquets, along with flower packs featuring extras like coffee, chocolates and beer.
There's nothing quite like hearing someone tell their own tale. The nuances of their voice, their choice of phrase, and the spaces left by their silence can all say as much as their actual words. That's one of the reasons that the recent spate of celebrity-focused documentaries — think Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, Listen to Me Marlon and Amy — worked so well. Hearing Cobain, Brando and Winehouse offer candid insights into their lives, loves, hopes and dreams via old tapes and videos didn't just serve up the usual biographical information. It also gave audiences a genuine glimpse into their minds. Courtesy of audio recordings made in 1993 as part of an oral history project that endeavoured to preserve the stories of AIDS-afflicted Australians, Remembering the Man makes use of a similar method. Directed by Nickolas Bird and Eleanor Sharpe, the documentary charts the relationship of Timothy Conigrave and John Caleo. Yes, their names should sound familiar. Actor and writer Conigrave already shared his thoughts and experiences in his best-selling memoir Holding the Man, which was then turned into an acclaimed theatre production, as well as a tear-inducing film of the same name. Boasting Conigrave's warm, impassioned tones as its centrepiece, Remembering the Man revisits familiar details — how he met Caleo at their Catholic high school, the ins and outs of their 15-year romance, and the impact of their respective HIV diagnoses. Yet nothing about the retelling feels repetitive or tired. Even the most well-worn tidbits come to life through Conigrave's frank remembrances, accompanied by a moving collage of photographs and archival footage, and fleshed out by to-camera interviews with many of the duo's friends. The use of Conigrave's voice aside, it may sound like a fairly typical documentary — and, in many ways it is. And yet even when the movie is simply cutting between talking heads and clumsy re-enactments, there's no denying the intimacy and emotion on display. That's not just a result of the over-emphasised score that stresses every powerful moment, either. If Holding the Man recounted the official version of Conigrave and Caleo's time together, Remembering the Man is more akin to hearing off-the-record bits and pieces, warts and all. Of course, as anyone already familiar with their tale will know, their story isn't theirs alone. Shining a light on the difficulties and prejudices of '80s-era Australia as it reacted to the AIDS epidemic is as much a part of the couple's legacy as their undying affection for each other. Accordingly, the film becomes a record not only of Conigrave's testimony and the enduring love that shaped his life, but also of a devastating moment in Australian history. Remembering its titular figure through his own words isn't Remembering the Man's only feat; remembering the many tragedies of the time proves just as powerful.
It's been an impressive four years since the father-daughter duo behind Brogan's Way opened their gin distillery and tasting bar in the heart of Richmond. Which of course means it's time to party hard with some gin-fuelled birthday festivities. You're all invited to join in the fun from 1pm on Saturday, October 8. Importantly, you'll be able to get acquainted with the full range of signature drops with free guided tastings every hour — from the Everyday Salvation Gin to the Milk & Honey Vodka. And for in-between sips, you'll find the entire drinks list slashed to half-price, should you fancy kicking back with the likes of a negroni, a Citrus Gin Spritz or the Strawberry Smash. DJ sets will be lending the vibes, while the bar's usual all-day food menu (think, big bowls of mussels and Alsatian-style tarte flambée) will be backed by a lineup of specials, including pot stickers, chicken karaage bao and Vietnamese rice paper rolls. Entry is free and limited walk-ins are available, but you can also book a spot on one of the communal tables for up to two hours, over on the website.
That most undervalued of art forms, the humble postcard, gets its time to shine at the latest edition of the Postcard Show at Linden New Art in St Kilda. Now in its 27th year, this unique exhibition showcases hundreds of small-format contemporary artworks submitted by professional artists and local amateurs alike. And why wouldn't you contribute something when there's more than $10k up for grabs? This year's exhibition kicks off on October 21 and runs until January 29. A number of previous winners have submitted new works, including Kelly Sullivan whose piece Boy With The Pearl Earring (pictured) pays tribute to his royal badness, the late great artist formerly known as Prince. Entry into the exhibition is free, while this year's winners will be decided by a trio of judges from the Castlemaine Art Museum, the Horsham Regional Art Gallery and the La Trobe University Museum of Art. Image: Boy With the Pearl Earring, Kelly Sullivan (2016).
After introducing its cookie pies to the world last month, followed by serving up an OTT red velvet one, Gelato Messina is bringing the decadent dessert back for a third round with the OG chocolate chip flavour. Hang on, a cookie pie? Yes, it's a pie, but a pie made of cookie dough. And it serves two–six people — or just you. You bake it yourself, too, so you get to enjoy that oh-so-amazing smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through your kitchen. These pies are now available for preorder — so if you missed out last time, here's your chance to get yourself a piece of the pie. On its own, the indulgent choc chip pie will cost $20. But to sweeten the deal, the cult ice creamery has created a few bundle options, should you want some of its famed gelato atop it. For $28, you'll get the pie and a 500-millilitre tub, while with a one-litre tub or a 1.5-litre tub, it'll cost $34 and $39 respectively. The catch? You'll have to peel yourself off the couch and head to your local Messina store to get one. You can place your preorder now via Bopple, with pick up times available between Thursday, May 14 and Sunday, May 17. You can preorder a Messina cookie pie via Bopple to pick up from all NSW, Vic and Queensland Gelato Messina stores (except The Star) from May 14–17.
The latest slate of films from the chilly Nordic north is headed to a Palace Cinema near you. Returning for just its second year, the Scandinavian Film Festival will showcase 22 movies from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway. Expect kitchen-sink dramas, edge-of-your-seat crime stories and a road movie about a struggling furniture salesman who hatches a plan to kidnap the founder of Ikea. That last one is actually Norwegian, not Swedish, but should make for a fun watch on opening night. Other comedies in the lineup include oddball Icelandic film Rams, which won the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes earlier this year; as well as the middle-aged rom-com Hello Hello, which proved an audience favourite at festivals in its native Sweden. Those after something a little bit more serious can check out Danish police procedural The Absent One or drug-fuelled Finnish thriller They Have Escaped, among numerous others. The festival comes to a close with a documentary about Ingrid Bergman, the Swedish actress who went on to become one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. Image: Young Sophie Bell.
Crown Ruler and Wax'o Paradiso present Freedom Time #2, and they’re bringing out the big guns with Sam Shepard, aka Floating Points. Known for his expansive DJ sets that incorporate vinyl-only sessions of jazz, soul, disco, Brazilian and electronica, Floating Points is following in the footsteps of his contemporaries Caribou and Four Tet, while at the same time forging his own path. Other DJs performing on the night include include Wax'o Paradiso, J'Nett, Miss Goldie, Ben Taaffe and Heartical Hi Powa. This is the first music event to play out in the Coburg Velodrome, which only makes this outdoor gig even more exciting. If you missed out on a Meredith ticket and are keen to get a dose of Floating Points, you can't possibly pass this up.
Small and independent Melbourne breweries never stop dreaming up new beers. Brewers at these joints are given the freedom to play — they're not just asked to keep bashing out the same lager over and over. To shine a light on all this creativity, Brunswick's Co-Conspirators Brewpub is hosting a one-off winter beer festival with eight other Victorian breweries on Saturday, July 6. Expect to find brewers from Noodledoof Beer, Stomping Ground Brewing Co, Sailors Grave Brewing Co and Bright Brewery, among others. Expect to find heavier brews at this winter festival, from stouts and spiced-up numbers to extra hoppy IPAs and barrel-aged beers. During the two sessions (1pm and 4pm), each of the breweries will be giving out tasters of their special winter releases, with Beard Street BBQ on-site to serve up American-style barbecue eats. The $35 tickets include a 150ml taster from each of the eight visiting breweries, as well as a sample of Co-Conspirators' 2024 The Don Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout. You can also purchase other samples and merch for an additional fee. Images: Libby Curran.
For the last decade or so, Luke Cornish, aka ELK, has been taking his street art into the gallery to great acclaim. For his latest exhibition, entitled Zero To The Left, Cornish was inspired by a recent journey to war-torn Syria, where he taught art to the local children and hoped to provide a positive impact to those caught in the middle of a terrible conflict. Producing lifelike works using stencils, aerosol paint and sublimation prints, Cornish shows the endless destruction and daily struggles of those living with an uncertain future. Cornish is one of Australia's most acclaimed street artists routinely completing large-scale works and exhibits. Back in 2012, Cornish was the first stencil artist to be a finalist in the Archibald Prize — Australia's most prestigious portrait award — with his multi-layered portrait of the ever-popular Father Bob Maguire and has since continued to show his art extensively around Australia and the world. Zero To The Left is on display at Metro Gallery from Monday, July 10 until Saturday, August 5. In addition, Father Bob Maguire will join Cornish for a free talk at Metro Gallery on Saturday, July 15 at noon.
If you fancy getting into the spirit of Cinco de Mayo with a Mexican-inspired feast and a couple of cheeky lunchtime cocktails, you're in luck. To mark Mexico's historic cultural day this Sunday, May 5, legendary Mexican spot Mamasita is joining forces with southern American-style smokehouse masters Bluebonnet BBQ, to deliver the ultimate Tex-Mex food fest. For $55 per person, you'll get a five-course lunch that packs plenty of punch in the flavour department. We're talking cuttlefish enchiladas matched with poblano and squid ink; tostadas topped with brisket burnt ends, avocado and crispy shallots; and a smoked lamb dish starring tomatillo purée, barbecued red onion and ancho wild rice. And for dessert, you'll get a tres leches cake with mandarin candy and berries. If you're thirsty, you can add on matched wines for an extra $40, or embrace the weekend with a $45 cocktail match lineup. Get excited for drinks such as chipotle and tamarind Sangritas and a pink lemonade blending mezcal, Ancho Verde (a spicy Mexican liqueur made from ancho and poblano chillis), hibiscus and lime. There are two sittings on offer: noon and 2.30pm. To make a booking, head to the website.
After throwing a series of after-hours pop-up shindigs in 2018, Melbourne Museum is partying until late once again — and for its first soiree of the new year, the venue is teaming up with the Midsumma Festival. Once again welcoming you into a venue that's usually only when daylight is blazing, Nocturnal x Midsumma will serve up a summery showcase of queer and pan-African culture. Expect talks, performances and plenty of music, all from 7pm on Friday, February 1. On the lineup are four diverse artists, including South African performer Nakhane, who's heading to Australia for the very first time. He's joined by Sydney-based vocalist Okenyo, who you might know from Elefant Traks, plus cabaret show The Cocoa Butter Club, which is all about people of colour and first peoples performers. And then there's Candy Bowers, who has curated an evening of spoken word poetry and storytelling — with seven folks on the bill, all responding to the museum's Mandela My Life exhibition. Attendees will also find pop-up bars ready to quench your thirst, and staff delivering chats and presentations throughout the building. Tickets range from $20 for members, $25 if you nab an early bird special and $35 otherwise.
If the 2019 Good Food Month program is anything to go by, those stretchy pants are set to come in very handy this June. Melbourne's annual month-long food fiesta is back for a jam-packed few weeks of culinary fun, featuring top Aussie chefs, food-focused parties and unique dining experiences to impress just about every palate. Heading up an impressive lineup of culinary icons is the legendary Marco Pierre White, joined by homegrown stars including Andrew McConnell, Oakridge Wines' Matt Stone, Tipo 00's Andreas Papadakis and Lulu La Delizia's Joel Valvasori-Pereza. Taking the reins from 2018's Palm Springs-inspired Fed Square pop-up, South Melbourne warehouse space Canvas House is set to host this year's Good Food Month Restaurant, coming alive for its own program of exciting feature events. The fun here kicks off on Wednesday, June 5, with a stunning four-course feast hosted by White, which sees the acclaimed Phil Wood (Pt Leo Estate and Laura) reworking some of the UK chef's classic dishes. Then, Andreas Papadakis, Joel Valvasori-Pereza and White will team up to host a pasta party. Elsewhere in the program, you'll catch two of Australia's food sustainability champions working their magic at The New Vanguard, a dinner by Joost Bakker protégé Matt Stone and Paul Iskov, of Fervor in Perth. On June 9, the traditional Sunday roast gets a revamp at the hands of White and good mate Andrew McConnell (Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co), who'll deliver a contemporary family-style feast matched with wines and James Squire brews. Later that week, celebrity chef Adam Liaw will team up with Keita Abe from one of Sydney's favourite ramen and yakitori spots, Chaco Bar, for a one-off dinner. Good Food Month's Let's Do Lunch — a series of $45 lunches at Melbourne's hatted restaurants — will also return. This year, you can score a discounted lunch at opulent South Yarra restaurant Matilda 159, Middle Eastern hot spot Maha, CBD French diner Noir, elegant fine diner Ezard and sustainable seafood restaurant Sardine. A slew of other restaurants will be serving up great offers and limited-edition deals throughout the month, too, including a $40 tapas and sangria deal at Asado, $15 chicken ribs at Gingerboy and a one-off winter feast at Fatto. Second image: Matilda 159 by Tim Grey. Updated May 31, 2019.
The next time a date night dumpling session is on the cards, there's one spot that should definitely be on your romance radar. Teahouse, retail store and restaurant Oriental Teahouse is encouraging patrons to get extra steamy this winter, unveiling a new supercharged edition of its board-game-meets-dining experience 'Dumplings for Dating'. Available to all bookings made from July 13 onwards at both its CBD and South Yarra outposts, the dine-and-play offering is suited to groups of two to four and is filled with flirty questions designed to bring out your cheeky side. Oriental Teahouse first launched the concept in 2018, but this latest version is pegged to be the sauciest yet. Dumplings for Dating is a four-stage game that clocks in at $82 per person, and includes both drinks and a slew of shared dishes for your table. You'll roll dice and make your way around the game board, answering fun — and often revealing — questions throughout the various rounds, which feature names like 'Break the Ice', 'Foreplay', 'Deep and Meaningful' and 'Happily Ever After'. While your table bonds over embarrassing confessions and shared stories, you can also feast on an array of signature dishes — think, handmade dumplings stuffed with the likes of lemongrass chicken, chilli wagyu beef, or pork and chive, plus dreamy sides and the kitchen's white chocolate dumplings for dessert. Matching cocktails promise to help calm any jangly nerves — you'll get both the lychee-infused Pink Panther and the Hello Vera concoctions, as well as a choice of beer, wine or bubbly. Got a date with dietaries? The Dumplings for Dating menu caters to vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free requirements. Dumplings for Dating 3.0 is now available to play at both Oriental Teahouse outposts: 455 Chapel Street, South Yarra, and 378 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. Reservations are a must and you'll need to mention Dumplings for Dating when you book your table.
The Smith in Prahran, usually known for its delicate share plates, is clearing out the tables and turning the restaurant into a seafood marketplace for one night in September. An array of seafood bites will circulate the restaurant, and will go down nicely with a selection of Australian wines and a glass of French champagne or two. Think freshly shucked Oysters, panko crumbed crab cakes, kingfish sashimi and kataifi wrapped scallops, as well as seared calamari and Atlantic salmon. If you like your seafood fresh, and perhaps with a glass of wine, this one looks like it could be a lot of fun.
Music, photography and crime weave a delicate web as City of Shadows — A Song Cycle of Murder, Misfortune and Forensics takes the stage in Melbourne. On a backdrop of forensic and police photography, a string quartet and vocals deliver a collection of songs that honour the images of the forgotten, all the while making you step back and think. Think about those who’ve committed such crimes, those that could, and the human capacity for weakness. The graphic images come from the Justice and Police Museum’s photography collection and tell tales of mystery and danger. Conceived, written and directed by Rachel Dease, this one is set to be hauntingly beautiful.
Brighter Later is the coming together of songwriters Jaye Kranz and Virginia Bott, and their music is some of the most hauntingly beautiful indie sounds to come out of Melbourne in a while. Their debut album The Wolves, released earlier this year was described as 'dreamy brilliance' and gathered local and international praise including recognition from Martha Wainwright who later brought them on as her support act when touring Australia. The duo will be joined by Brite Fight and Simon Bailey (Pony Face) for their final headline show in Melbourne. The eight piece group will no doubt deliver their mesmerising sound in the intimate space that is Northcote Social Club.
Moon Dog recently shared its detailed plans to build a new 800-person wild west-themed Footscray brewery bar, but it has also quietly announced two additional locations that are in the works. Doglands, an enormous 1,500-person bar, will be coming to the Marvel Stadium concourse sometime soon, hopefully breathing some life into the oft-forgotten Docklands. [caption id="attachment_844719" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Schultz[/caption] We are yet to know the theme and exact layout of the new brewery bar, but if it is anything like Moon Dog World or Moon Dog Wild West, it will be big, fun and full of beer. Also on the cards, is a waterside site in Frankston. For this new venture, we have no information yet other than the fact it will be in Franga but you can guarantee the team will be pouring a heap of their award-winning beers and much-loved seltzers from each spot. [caption id="attachment_850486" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moon Dog World in Preston[/caption] For more information about Moon Dog's upcoming bar openings, keep an eye out on the venue's website. Top image: Moon Dog World by Kate Shanasy and construction at the new Moon Dog Wild West site by Sam Schultz.
Find sweet treats and vintage trinkets at a three-day pop-up tuck shop in the Melbourne CBD. Running from October 13-15 at Square on Little Collins Street, this cashless pop-up will feature products — both edible and otherwise — from some of Melbourne's best-loved makers and small businesses. Open 10am till 4pm, the Square Pop-Up Tuck Shop will be stocked to the brim with a host of mouthwatering treats – including amazing doughnuts from Candied Bakery and Cobb Lane, raw cookies from Ace Cookies and Milk, chocolates from Hunted and Gathered, cakes from Miss Molly's Cakes and God-only-knows what kinds of sugary concoctions from the enablers at Butter Mafia. Bargain-hunters will also find a range of handmade accessories, including jewellery from Tinka the Label, stationery from Knick Knack, and other items from home-grown businesses yet to be announced.
The late, great Jim Henson gave the world many things, including the Muppets in general, Sesame Street's loveable puppet characters, Kermit the Frog's memorable voice and all things Fraggle Rock. He also turned filmmaker three times, creating three of the great puppet movies of the 1980s — The Great Muppet Caper, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. While Labyrinth still earns plenty of attention for plenty of reasons — David Bowie being one of them, obviously — The Dark Crystal also deservedly holds a place in fans' hearts. Co-directed with his Muppets colleague Frank Oz, the fantasy-adventure flick follows a Gelfling called Jen, who is trying to bring back balance to his own world by finding and returning a broken shard from a powerful gem. Henson and Oz also worked their puppeting magic on the movie, of course. Over the years, a sequel has been mooted more than once, including one with Australian Daybreakers, Predestination and Winchester filmmakers Michael and Peter Spierig at the helm. No follow-ups have ever come to fruition, but Netflix has done the next best thing, reviving the beloved film for a ten-part series. Set to release at the end of August, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a prequel to the movie — and yes, it uses puppets for its protagonists, not CGI, as the just-dropped first teaser shows in stunning detail. Seemingly picking up where the film left off, it's based on Dark Crystal companion novels Shadows of the Dark Crystal and Song of the Dark Crystal. Age of Resistance also boasts quite the cast, with Rocketman's Taron Egerton, Glass' Anya Taylor-Joy and Game of Thrones' Nathalie Emmanuel voicing three elf-like Gelflings. They're joined by a hefty list of names, so prepare to hear the vocal tones of Helena Bonham Carter, Natalie Dormer, Eddie Izzard, Theo James, Toby Jones, Shazad Latif, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mark Strong, Alicia Vikander, Mark Hamill, Jason Isaacs, Keegan-Michael Key, Simon Pegg, and Andy Samberg as well. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KYLwTGx7uU The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance hits Netflix on August 30.
We Steal Secrets is the story of Wikileaks, and from the outset it fast becomes apparent how little you know of an organisation dedicated to transparency and the sharing of information. Directed by Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room), the documentary mirrors the real-world by focusing on two key individuals: Wikileaks' Australian founder Julian Assange and Bradley Manning, the US soldier whose disclosure of classified documents thrust Assange onto the world stage. The stories of the two men are told with surprising sensitivity, particularly in the case of Manning, who — on account of his ongoing incarceration — is represented exclusively by typed words on a screen. Sent over the course of his deployment in Iraq, the catalogue of Manning's brief online exchanges with various hackers reveals an extraordinarily lonely soul unable to reconcile serious questions about both his own identity and what he perceived to be the ongoing cover-up of atrocities by the US Government. "I want people to see the truth," he wrote, just before leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents to Assange. "It affects everyone on earth." The altruistic tone of Manning's narrative seems entirely genuine, particularly when set against the supposedly similar motivations driving Assange. The now infamous 'hacktivist' refused to be interviewed for the film unless he was paid $1 million; however, his willingness to jump in front of cameras over the preceding years provided Gibney with more than enough material with which to paint a fascinating portrait of the Wikileaks founder. Coupled with interviews from the organisation's supporters, employees, detractors and pursuers, Assange emerges as a largely paranoid narcissist, championing free speech whilst doing everything he can to ensure no one speaks freely about him. And yet, as is pointed out during the film, Assange's paranoia isn't necessarily always unjustified. The rhetoric (and hypocrisy) of the US Government's condemnation of him is at best fascinating and at worst quite concerning. Both the New York Times and the Guardian collaborated on the publication of the leaked documents, yet neither of those organisations' editors have been indicted or even publicly criticised. In all, We Steal Secrets achieves a fine balance in its depiction of two men whose lives became inextricably linked and, thereafter, changed almost certainly for the worse. Assange sits seeking political asylum within a small room inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, and Manning's trial has only now just begun in the United States. In attempting to justify his impending leak, Manning ultimately wrote: "I...care?" This documentary will compel you to do the same, though where you'll fall in your opinion will depend on who you choose to believe. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SdezJrNaL70
For the past decade, spy films have been Matthew Vaughn's caper, thanks to Kingsman: The Secret Service, Kingsman: The Golden Circle and The King's Man until now. With Argylle, he's still being playful with a genre that he clearly loves but isn't precious about, and he's also approaching espionage antics from another angle. 80s action-adventure comedy Romancing the Stone, which isn't about secret intelligence operatives, is one of this page-to-screen effort's blatant inspirations. Something that both do have at their centres: writers caught up in scenarios that would usually only happen on paper. 2022's The Lost City took the same route — but Argylle throws in a touch of North by Northwest, and also gets meta about its own origins. And no, Taylor Swift didn't write the source material. For his eighth feature, which hits 20 years after he made his directorial debut with the Daniel Craig (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)-starring Layer Cake, Vaughn adapts the novel that gives Argylle its name; however, the specifics aren't quite that simple. The IRL title is only being published as the flick hits cinemas, starting a franchise on the shelf. That said, the film — which is similarly aiming to begin a series — jumps to a later as-yet-unreleased book. Those tomes are credited to Elly Conway, which is the name of the movie version of Argylle's protagonist. In the feature, Elly is also an author who has written a saga about spies. Back in reality, who she really is has sparked a frenzy, hence the theories that she could be one of the world's biggest pop stars amid a massive world tour and a huge concert film. Again, despite Swifties' dreams, that speculation needs to be shaken off. To recap, this is the spiel: Vaughn directs a picture from a book saga that's just reaching shelves, doesn't kick off with the initial tome and works in an iteration of its mystery author. Within the movie, Elly (Bryce Dallas Howard, Jurassic World Dominion) isn't an unknown but she is happiest out of the limelight, as turning down a date for an evening at home writing with her Scottish Fold cat Alfie illustrates early. Her in-film novels are already smashes, with just one problem. As she discovers after penning the draft of her fifth book just after readers get their hands on the fourth, and much to her surprise, her plots bear more than a little resemblance to reality. So informs actual agent Aidan Wilde (Sam Rockwell, See How They Run), who also advises that a villainous espionage outfit called The Division is after her because her texts are so prophetic. To add another layer to the Argylle trifle, Elly sees her fictional agent — the eponymous Argylle (Henry Cavill, The Witcher) — beyond her imagination. He's a Bond-type right down to the bar altercation with a femme fatale (Dua Lipa, Barbie). He's also a Mission: Impossible-style sort thanks to the team around him, including a trusty offsider (John Cena, Freelance) and tech guru (Ariana DeBose, Wish). With towering flat-topped hair, Argylle is a knowing spoof in a self-aware comedy, too. He's the stereotypical dashing vision of the undercover world, as juxtaposed with Aidan, who is introduced all scruffy and beardy on a train, blending in and earning Elly's incredulity when he says that spying is his gambit. The more that she gets pulled into the covert world, Argylle is also a blatant contrast to the writer herself; that there's more than one type of hero thrums within screenwriter Jason Fuchs' (Wonder Woman) script. More twists, more reveals, more zigzagging here and there (and, of course, everywhere) slip into a narrative that's unique in a way that's rare of late, especially when it comes to spies, action and big-budget big-screen fare. Argylle might be reaching screens with that did-Swift sheen and seemingly everyone that Vaughn knows in the cast — Cavill was in Stardust, Howard in the Vaughn-produced Rocketman, and Sofia Boutella (Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire) and Samuel L Jackson (The Marvels) both have a place in the Kingsman realm — but it isn't an already-known property. That said, there's a game of connect the dots at work for anyone who has seen any action flicks this century, spotting familiar parts. Still, with the visual flair that he's been known for since making the switch from solely producing (including Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch), Vaughn leans into the fun and spectacle of it all. This strives to be a just-go-with-it affair, putting its audience in the same situation as Elly as she tries to stay alive, outwit The Division, and work out what's going on and why. Howard, Rockwell, Catherine O'Hara (Pain Hustlers) as Elly's mother and Bryan Cranston (Asteroid City) as the head honcho overseeing the quest to capture the author: they all help make Argylle easy to spend time with. Rockwell, though, is the feature's mood ring. He's having a ball with the looseness that made him such a captivating performer long before he had a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and he nails Argylle's aimed-for vibe. His Confessions of a Dangerous Mind casting two decades back also comes to mind. Yes, he dances as he adores to, multiple times. He's always giddily entertaining. That Argylle doesn't earn the same label consistently is partly down to its running time: it might've more often if there wasn't 139 minutes of it. If the whole film all seems gleefully OTT, with its winks, nods, parodies, nesting-doll setup, more-is-more embrace of extravagant fights and frays — and kinetic chases and confrontations as well — and unconvincing CGI around the cat, Vaughn and his wife Claudia Schiffer's own, that's also been Vaughn's caper for even longer than he's been playing with spooks. In bringing Kick-Ass to the screen from Mark Millar's comic, then the latter's Kingsman afterwards, plus helming X-Men: First Class in the middle, the filmmaker hasn't been one for the grounded approach. It doesn't always pay off for him. The first Kingsman was undone by its ending, the second a subpar carbon copy and the two pictures' prequel thoroughly superfluous. But the energy of the cast, the Romancing the Stone throwback, plus standout setpieces involving skating through oil on knives and pirouetting through a gunfight amid rainbow-hued smoke grenades, prove both a lot and mostly enough to start off Vaughn's latest espionage franchise.
Heading to the cinema has never just been about staring at a big screen. That's one key — and glorious — part of the equation, but discovering new things while being transported to different corners of the globe is just as important. It's pivotal at Melbourne's Human Rights Arts and Film Festival, in fact, with the long-running event taking the medium's eye-opening potential as seriously as it can. On the fest's lineup each year: flicks that engage with human rights issues, alongside a lineup of art, music and talks that does the same thing. From Thursday, April 28–Saturday, May 7, HRAFF will start unfurling its 2022 program — and, spanning 21 events across seven venues during its ten-day run, it's quite the lineup. It all kicks off with opening-night pick Dear Future Children, a documentary focused on activists from Hong Kong, Uganda and Chile who are fighting to improve — and save — their futures. From there, highlights include Oscar nominees, New Zealand standouts, simmering Aussie docos and much more. Among those must-sees sits Writing with Fire, a contender for Best Documentary Feature at this year's Academy Awards, which hones in on the journalists behind India's all-female news network Khabar Lahariya; three-time Oscar nominee Flee, a stunning animated documentary about an Afghan refugee's life story; Eva Orner's searing 2021 doco Burning, which doesn't hold back in its scorching examination of Australia's 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires; and fellow homegrown effort River, a lyrical look at the planet's sprawling waterways as narrated by Willem Dafoe. There's also: NZ duo Cousins and Night Raiders, the former about the nation's history of removing Indigenous people from their land and culture, and the latter a dystopian sci-fi executive produced by Taika Waititi; the Bronx-set Queen of Glory, about a Ghanian American academic dealing with the fallout from her mother's passing; and the first Tunisian film to be nominated for the Oscar for Best International Feature, wild art-world satire The Man Who Sold His Skin. And, closing out the film program is Fanny: The Right To Rock, about one of the first all-female bands to release an album in the US. Other key parts of the festival include interactive storytelling and cooking sessions, several lineups of shorts — homegrown, feminist and flicks about interconnection — and a photography event that links in with international photography festival PHOTO 2022. Everything on the bill ties in with four themes — bodies, environment, ancestors and distance — as curated by HRAFF's new Program Director Ayesha Mehta and Festival Director Sophie Parr. The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival runs from Thursday, April 28–Saturday, May 7 at various venues around Melbourne. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
Being a teenager is universally difficult, especially when it comes to confronting the grieving process for the first time. Playwright Kit Brookman's Heaven, winner of the 2012 Philip Parson’s Young Playwright’s Award, explores this innately depressing subject matter in an unexpected, comedic format. After his school friend Angela Farsworth is killed in a freak accident, Max must deal with the scary and confusing thing that is death. How does he go about it? Unable to accept what has happened, he decides to get a group of his teenage friends together to bring her back from the other side. Spend some time contemplating loss and the age old question of whether some things are best left undiscovered, all while having a laugh or two – what else can you do in the face of adversity, after all? Image via La Mama Theatre.
Since 11.59pm on Tuesday, September 28, Melburnians under the state's sixth lockdown have been able to venture a little further from home. That's when a new travel radius came into effect, allowing you to head 15 kilometres away to shop for essentials, exercise and enjoy outdoor social interaction with your mates. So, you now have more room to play with. And, you'll want to get quickly acquainted with that 15-kilometre bubble — and your friends' bubbles, too. Because hanging out with your pals outdoors is permitted as long as it's just you and one other person, or up to five adults from two households (plus their dependents) if you and your friends are fully vaxxed with both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, you'll need to work out where these bigger bubbles overlap as well. Thankfully, there's an easy way to calculate exactly where you can partake in those government-approved picnics, thanks to the familiar COVID five-kilometre overlap finder website. Just change the radius to 15 kilometres, and it'll remain a saviour, as it has during past lockdowns — and under the five-kilometre and ten-kilometre rules during this one. The website remains simple but effective, promising pain-free planning of those meet-ups. Simply plug in your home address and that of your mate, and it'll display each of your 15-kilometre radiuses highlighted on the map. And, the all-important crossover zone shows all the places where you're allowed to meet up. Just don't forget to abide by all the other rules in effect. To work out where you and your mate can exercise together, head to the COVID overlap finder website. For more information about the rules currently in place in Melbourne, head to the Victorian Department of Health website.
With its aqua waters, vibrant underwater world, remote white sand beaches and wild jungles, the Philippines is a globetrotter's dream. But given its unscathed and rugged terrain — a mix between Jurassic Park and The Beach — this is not a holiday for lounging by the pool. It's a time for exploring the great outdoors. And, since there are more than 7000 islands to choose from, you're truly spoiled for choice on holiday here. To ensure you stretch your legs someplace fantastic, we've teamed up with Cebu Pacific Air to round up the top five outdoor adventures to plan on your next trip to this Southeast Asian wonderland. It's easy as to hop from island-to-island with the airline, which flies to 36 airports around the Philippines, including Cebu, Manila, Coron, Bohol (Tagbilaran) and Siargao. What's more, it offers affordable international flights from Sydney and Melbourne to get you there, so all you really have to think about is what's on the cards when you land. Go canyoning through a waterfall, hike an active volcano, wreck dive into World War II battleships, zipline over ancient karsts and surf a world-famous wave, all on one trip. While many of these activities require a guide, you'll find that Filipinos are some of the friendliest and most knowledgeable locals. So get your hiking boots on, the Philippines is calling. HIKE AN ACTIVE VOLCANO IN THE NORTHERN PHILIPPINES Though Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines, many western travellers never make it past Manila. But outside of the country's city, the island is also home to some of the best attractions in the Philippines, including the rare opportunity to hike an active volcano like Bulkang Taal, located around 1.5 hours south of Manila. The second most active volcano in the Philippines, it's an easy day tour from Manila, costs around 1500 pesos ($40) per person and offers one of the most incredible views in the country. As the volcano is surrounded by a lake, you'll first take a 30-minute outrigger ride to the volcano's base. Once on the two-kilometre trek, expect sand-filled trails, volcanic steam vents and views of the nearby lakes and mountains. After reaching the summit, descend into the sulfuric crater lake, where you can swim in its natural hot springs. DIVE THE WRECKAGE OF WWII BATTLESHIPS IN CORON From Manila, hop a flight to Coron to explore some turquoise-tinted history. Coron Bay in Palawan is known for its iridescent blue-green lagoons, lime karsts, pristine islands and — for some brave adventurers — its wreck diving. The bay is considered to be the best wreck diving in Southeast Asia and some of the best in the world. Coron Bay is also the site where a series of Japanese supply fleets were sunk during WWII — namely the Akitsushima, Okikawa Maru, Olympia Maru, Kogyo Maru and The Iraku. The majority of the battleships sunk in close vicinity to Apo Reef and have been well preserved — we're talking 170-metre-long ships with passageways, lower levels and engine rooms to explore. Most of the accommodation options on Coron Island will organise a dive trip for you, and the dive shops also run certification courses for those who are new to the sport. ZIPLINE OVER THE CHOCOLATE HILLS IN BOHOL Jump on a flight to Bohol to catch one of the Philippines most mysterious attractions: the Chocolate Hills, a cluster of over 1000 hills in the centre of the island. Despite the name, this formation is not made of chocolate, but of limestone that holds an array of marine fossils like coral, molluscs and algae — meaning these puppies formed underwater and were pushed above the sea by tectonic activity. Nature, hey. While the hills are impressive on foot, a more extreme option is to view them from above, specifically, while suspended from a 200-metre-high zipline. For just 350 pesos (around $9) per person at The Danao Adventure Park, you'll be strapped into the cable harness horizontally so you're in a flying position and left to glide along the 480-metre long zipline, gazing at the massive gorge below. As you whizz past, take in the vast hills, mountains and jungle all around you. The ticket takes you there and back, so if you're too scared to open your eyes the first time, you'll get a second chance to catch it all. And, if you're adrenaline is still buzzing afterwards, you can also rent ATVs and traverse the hills on four wheels. Oh, and the name? It comes from the grass covering the hills that turns brown during the dry season. GO CANYONING THROUGH A WATERFALL IN CEBU The Philippines is replete with unbelievably picturesque waterfalls, but a straightforward hike isn't the only way to get to them. Instead, head to Cebu via its namesake airline and have a go at canyoning through the Kawasan Falls in Badian. Travellers can reach the falls via the towns of Moalboal or Alegria, where local guides will be waiting for you. A local tour costs around 1500 pesos (around $40) per person and includes lunch. If you prefer a pre-booked tour, Planet Action offers an international alternative at 2190 pesos (around $58) per person. During the four-to-five hour trek to Kawasan, you'll wade through impossibly turquoise waters and a series of crystal-clear pools at the canyon's base. Be prepared for multiple high water jumps (20 metres or more) and natural waterslides along the way, as well as a tree swing that dangles high above the Kawasan falls at the peak of your trek. If you're after a more difficult experience, opt for a tour of nearby Montaneza or Tison Falls, which requires abseiling, rappelling and climbing, too. SURF A WORLD-FAMOUS WAVE IN SIARGAO Siargao Island is the most sought-after surf spot in the Philippines and is famous around the globe, with its 'Cloud 9' wave ranked as one of the top ten in the world. Plus, the Siargao City airport is a cheap and quick 40-minute flight from Cebu on Cebu Pacific. With 27 kilometres of coastline exposed to swell, these islands are considered the 'surfing capital of the Philippines' for good reason. While some waves at Stimpy's and Tuason Point are for experts only, Siargao can also be a place for first-timers. Lanuza in Surigao del Sur is specifically known for its numerous surf camps that cater to beginners, so even newbies can hang ten. International surfing competitions also take place on Siargao Island throughout the year — with the most popular being the Siargao Cloud 9 Surfing Cup that takes place at the end of September each year. Ready for an adventure to the Philippines? Book with Cebu Pacific Air to get you there with affordable international flights from Melbourne and Sydney. Plus, Cebu is the largest airline in the country, offering the best inter-island connectivity in the Philippines, so you can easily fly to more fun.
BeerFest has become permanent fixture on Australia's summer events calendar — and, while it's not coming to Melbourne in 2019, it is returning in February 2020. The festival is set to descend on St Kilda's Catani Gardens on Saturday, February 29, in a heady blaze of music, comedy, food and, of course, beer. For this year's Melbourne event, BeerFest will round up over 40 artisanal breweries and deliver hundreds of craft drops, all alongside a stack of great ciders, cocktails and wines. You'll kick off the season with tastings, food and beer matchings, and free, brewer-led masterclasses showcasing one-off creations. While the brewer list is yet to be announced, last year's event featured Melbourne's Henry Street Brewhouse and Urban Alley Brewing, Sydney's Young Henrys and Sauce Brewing Co, and the ACT's BentSpoke. What's more, this little shindig also packs a serious punch in the entertainment department — and while it's yet to drop the full bill there as well, Art vs Science will be headlining the whole thing. They'll also team up with Burnley Brewing and CryerMalt to create their own one-off beer, which you'll obviously be able to drink at the festival. There'll be plenty of laughs to be had, too, with the BeerFest Melbourne comedy stage also set to return. The on-sale date for tickets is yet to be announced; however expect entry to the festival to range between $20–50.
Not quite ready for summer to be over? Well, you can't do much about stopping time in its tracks, but you can keep those balmy vibes kicking on just a little longer. And here to help you do just that, is the Rooftop at QT, which has teamed up with craft brewery and ginger beer masters Matso's to extend your summer experience. Happening daily up until Friday, March 25, Sunset Sessions at the Rooftop see the skyhigh space transformed into a holiday-worthy oasis, all palm fronds, tropical prints and sun-drenched lounges. In keeping with those lush aesthetics, the bar is slinging vibrant summer sips in abundance, while the kitchen has you sorted with a menu of tropical-inspired snacks. And DJs are bringing the tunes every Sunday arvo from 2pm. To quench your endless summer thirst, expect a couple of frozen cocktail varieties, signature sips like the Sharks Tale — Four Pillars Chaos Gin with white cacao, pineapple, coconut and Matso's Hard Lemon — and a range of Matso's bevs on tap and in tins. Team it with some satay coconut prawns or the crispy wings with pineapple salsa, and summer's yours for the taking. [caption id="attachment_844228" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Piers Fitton[/caption] Images: Piers Fitton
If winter has left you unimpressed by the current state of your wardrobe — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is back. Usually, it's a physical affair that takes place in Sydney and Melbourne; however like plenty of other events at the moment, the shopping extravaganza has hopped online — and gone national — for its current outing. The name pretty much says it all. Happening from Monday, August 31, this thing is big. You'll find a hefty array of lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from a huge lineup of cult Australian and international designers, both well-known and emerging — including Romance Was Born, Alexander McQueen, Isabel Marant, Max Mara, Kenzo, Ellery and more. With discounts of up to 80 percent off, and more than 700 items on offer, this is one way to up your count of designer threads while leaving your bank balance sitting pretty, too — whether you're keen on clothes, shoes, swimwear or accessories. The Big Fashion Sale's latest online sale kicks off on Monday, August 31 on the event's website.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Bombay Sapphire. It's not unusual to be a little lazy in the summertime. Work is slow, the sun is out, and everything seems to take a lot more effort — who needs gourmet entertaining when there's the ever-so-tasty option of fish and chips on the beach? And, though we're big fans of the humble potato cake and all, it can be nice to occasionally kick things up a notch. There are summer parties to host; friends to impress! Don't stress. This year, we've got you sorted. From November 19 until December 6, Bombay Sapphire are opening a dedicated gin bar in North Melbourne. Pioneering the art of 'ginstronomy' Project Botanicals will be offering 10 gin cocktails from Raj Nagra paired with 10 summery dishes from Masterchef's Gary Mehigan. And, though it's going to be well worth the evening out, they've been kind enough to offer some take home advice. If you can't make it along (or just want to impress your friends with your secret Masterchef know-how), here's a cheeky guide to ramping up that G&T into a full-blown cocktail and adding a little pizazz to a basic chicken roll. Summer sesh: sorted. Crunchy Chicken Sliders Don't let the Australian cricket team fool you: KFC is not cool. We guarantee you can make something much more delicious from the comfort of your own home that won't send you into a vicious shame spiral. In fact, it will do just the opposite — once you master these crunchy chicken sliders from Gary Mehigan you'll be able to hold your head up high with pride. This is fried chicken done right. What you'll need: 12 soft slider or torpedo buns 500g boneless chicken thighs 1 tbsp cinnamon powder 1 cup buttermilk 1 pinch sea salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper 3/4 cup panko crumbs 3/4 cup cornflakes 3/4 cup poha flakes (rice flakes) 1/3 cup of rice flour 1/4 white cabbage, finely shredded 2 golden delicious apples 1 lemon juice and zest 3 tbsp lemon mayo 1 b/c watercress washed 2 litres vegetable oil for frying 1 handful lavender flowers How to: Cut the chicken into small cubes (around 2cm) and chuck them into a bowl. Pour over the buttermilk, add the cinnamon powder — trust us, it will be delicious — and a pinch of flaked salt and pepper. Mix it all up, cover in cling film and place in the fridge for a minimum of two hours (if you're patient enough, overnight would be better). Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy-based deep saucepan and heat to 180 degrees. Mix the rice flour, poha, cornflakes and panko crumbs together and season with a little salt and pepper. Drain the chicken from the buttermilk goodness and press the dry mix firmly onto all sides of the chicken making sure all the pieces are well coated. Set aside. Shred the apple into thin strips and drench in lemon juice and zest. Add the finely shredded cabbage, season with salt and pepper and add a few dollops of lemon mayo (see below) to make a slaw. Working in batches, lower 6-8 pieces into the hot oil for about 4 minutes or until golden, crisp and cooked through, then drain onto a tea towel. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Cut into the sliders and load them up with a spoonful of apple slaw, a few sprigs of watercress and 3-4 pieces of the crispy chicken — or more, we won't judge. Finally add a sprinkle of lavender flowers to thoroughly impress everyone. DIY lemon mayo: Mix 1 free-range egg with a pinch of sea salt, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and the juice and zest of 1 lemon in a blender until light and frothy. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil and blend until creamy. Add another 1/3 cup and blend until pale and creamy. Chuck in the last 1/3 of that cup and blend until thick and smooth. This will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks. Cubeb Berry Fizz When you're making chicken rolls garnished with lavender, you'd better hope your drinks game is up to scratch. Do you think Gary's plating up his Masterchef best next to a cold tinnie? Doubtful. Project Botanicals is all about matching dishes like this to equally delicious gin creations, but there's no reason you can't recreate the magic at home. Go beyond the classic G&T and pair your slider with this fancy slice of ginny bliss. What you'll need: 45ml Bombay Sapphire 15ml lavender syrup 10ml vanilla syrup 30ml lemon juice 2 dashes lavender bitters 15ml egg white 30ml soda water How to: Add the non-carbonated ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake hard — seriously, unless you feel like getting drenched, keep the soda water out. Add some ice cubes and shake again, then strain into a small highball glass. Finish with a splash of soda water and garnish with a lavender stem. Easy! If this seems like too much trouble, Project Botanicals will be open every Wednesday-Sunday evening to do the work for you. For just $35 per person, you'll be treated to two cocktails and matching tapas style dishes. Book your tickets here.
Meet your mates under the palm trees at this year's instalment of the St Kilda Twilight Market. Returning to the picturesque O'Donnell Gardens this summer, you'll find the very best in locally-made arts, crafts, clothing and accessories — as well as gourmet food and live music at this weekly evening market in the shadow of Luna Park. Running every Thursday from 5pm to 10pm through to the end of February, the market features dozens of stalls selling everything from vintage wear to hand crafted jewellery. They'll also welcome some of Melbourne's favourite food vendors, including Hoy Pinoy, Senor BBQ and Jerry's Vegiburgers, plus sweet French praline from Chooh La La. Whether you're looking for a bargain or just want to chill out by the sea, this is the southside summer spot for you.
Melbourne's love affair with food trucks continues. Get down to Queen Vic Market after work on Friday and immerse yourself in the smells of sizzling Asian street food. Every Friday night throughout October and November, QVM will welcome Melbourne's favourite Asian food trucks to park along Therry Street and fire up their grills. Our recommendation: don't even bother with lunch. Vendors on site will include Let's Do Yum Cha, Hoy Pinoy Filipino BBQ, Nem N' Nem Vietnamese Hawker Kitchen, White Guy Cooks Thai and The Korean Fried Chicken Truck. Basically, whatever your preferred Asian cuisine, Stir Fridays have got you covered. Should go quite nicely with a few after-work drinks. QVM are also promising an array of live entertainment, including the team from Gyoza Records spinning the decks.
Aussie artist and doughnut inspiration Spenceroni is back, baby, and more awe-inspiring than ever with his new solo show at No Vacancy Gallery. Spenceroni, or Spencer Harrison as his birth certificate can attest, is still working in his signature style — pop colours, cold, geometric shapes and perfectly balanced compositions — but his new works are a bit, shall we say, sexier. Starting on Tuesday, January 31, Intimate Encounters looks set to get more intimate than the Australian artist has before, exploring the human form and the lover's gaze alongside his pop aesthetic. For the new show, he's branched out into the realm of sculptures; his Instagram hints at sculptural pieces that bring his prints and patterns into the third dimension. The exhibition will run from January 31 to February 12 (with opening night on February 2), and Harrison will be giving a free talk on February 8 (reserve your tickets here).
"Look, I don't want to take up a ton of your time, but I'm gonna kill myself," Nadine Franklin (Hailee Steinfeld) announces to her history teacher, Mr Bruner (Woody Harrelson), at the beginning of The Edge of Seventeen. Whether she's making over-dramatic statements in class or bickering with her mother (Kyra Sedgwick), a definite mood is established: Nadine is not only awkward, opinionated and sarcastic, but she's also bitterly unhappy. Actually, as flashbacks from her childhood show, she has always been less than content. Now that she's watching her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) hook up with her brother Darian (Blake Jenner), she's even more miserable than usual. First-time writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig charts the fallout as Nadine tries to cope with this change to her status quo, a development made all the more devastating given her outsider status and lack of other friends. The Edge of Seventeen is packaged as a peppy coming-of-age comedy with humorous yet realistic banter and a soundtrack full of new and retro tracks to match. But it's not just about relaying a story. As Nadine wallows, rebels, chases the hot older guy (Alexander Calvert) and is courted by the shy aspiring filmmaker (Hayden Szeto), the film also interrogates the narrative that Nadine keeps telling herself. Everyone watching should be able to relate, with even the most perky and positive among us telling themselves a tale about their existence as it is unfolding. Moreover, if you've ever felt like an outsider, the story you've spun probably hasn't always been all that positive. Thoughtful and wise, The Edge of Seventeen understands this. By the time it works through the usual checklist of adolescent antics — think boys in cars, drinking too much, fights between BFFs and run-ins with authority — the film won't just have imparted life lessons to the characters, but to everyone in the audience as well. That's one of the things that separates a great teen flick like this one from the pack. Even as it follows the same basic formula, Craig's film boasts an abundance of insight and genuine emotion. It also helps that Nadine defies easy categorisation, thanks to a savvy script and a raw yet robust performance from one-time Oscar nominee Steinfeld. She thinks she's a put-upon loser, but her loud-mouthed tantrums often paint Nadine as a petulant brat. If this was Mean Girls, she'd be both Lindsay Lohan's Cady Heron and Rachel McAdams' Regina George. Not everything about The Edge of Seventeen hits the mark. Some of its jokes try a little too hard, some of its performances fade into the background, and on the whole you shouldn't have much trouble guessing where the story is going. Even so, as you're laughing at Steinfeld and Harrelson's rapport, cheering for Szeto's wannabe love interest, and coming to the same realisations as Nadine, odds are these small issues won't bother you.
Come April, the eyes of the sporting world will turn towards the Gold Coast, with the Queensland city hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games. That's great news if you're a fan of athletes and nations vying for glory — and, while it might not initially seem like it, it's great news for arts and culture lovers too. As well as the expected competitive endeavours, the event will also feature a huge multi-arts festival, called Festival 2018. First announced last year, Festival 2018 mightn't boast the most exciting name, but it does promise a plethora of exciting programming across 12 days. Taking place from April 4 to 15, the fest will feature more than 1000 arts and cultural experiences, complete with 1440 artists from 50 countries, and including 35 world premieres and 15 Australian premieres. From the just-revealed full program, highlights include the inflatable labyrinth that is Arboria, which will take over Broadbeach's Kurrawa Park; plus Circa's world-first take on The Rite of Spring, but in circus form; and Dancenorth's 360-degree dance performance Surge. Elsewhere, Yothu Yindi and The Treaty Project will kick off the music offerings, while an evening of African tunes will mark what would've been Nelson Mandela's 100th year, and Courtney Act will host a celebration of LGBTQI pride. Also on the bill is the Gold Coast's own Amy Shark; the all-female Electric Lady, bringing together Aussie female-fronted acts; Hot Dub Time Machine 's latest stint; the seven-metre-wide, floating moon sculpture that is Museum of the Moon; and Holoscenes, the performance artwork which comes to Australia for the first time after wowing crowds in New York City's Times Square. Or, attendees can take part in a participatory dance performance featuring hundreds of people; and sing karaoke as they've never experienced it before — via a field of microphones on Surfers Paradise beach. Other standouts include a Champagne party, an extensive food program at Helensvale's NightQuarter, a silent disco tour, a seaside meditation zone and open-air short film screenings showcasing talent from across the Commonwealth. As previously announced, Kate Miller-Heidke, The Jungle Giants and Mau Power will also feature, as part of a lineup of art, music, theatre, dance and more spanning from from Coomera to Coolangatta. To deliver the massive event, The Festival has joined forces with the existing Bleach* Festival — and will also include satellite events held across the state. For Brisbanites not heading to the Goldie, that includes free music from Regurgitator, The Preatures, Bob Evans, Kev Carmody, Cheap Fakes, Airling, Major Leagues and more at South Bank's Cultural Centre Forecourt, a screening of Warwick Thornton's Aussie flag-focused doco We Don't Need a Map and the return of La Boite's refugee production The Village. Festival 2018 takes place from April 4 to 15 across the Gold Coast and other parts of Queensland. Visit the festival website for further details. Image: Dancenorth, Amber Haines
Across one big spring weekend, Werribee Park's Victoria State Rose Garden blooms bright for the annual State Rose & Garden Show. But this is a whole lot more than just a festival of flowers. While the sprawling six acres of rose gardens come alive with a riot of colour and over 5000 different floral displays, there'll also be pop-up nursery stalls selling a wide range of plants, pots and homewares. You can even hone your green thumb with a program of guided tours and plant care demonstrations. In between exploring the blooms, you'll be treated to live tunes, eats and drinks, courtesy of a couple of brand-new State Rose & Garden Show pop-ups. On Saturday, head to the beer garden for American-style smokehouse fare from Bluebonnet Barbecue and sweet treats from the Scone Sampler, matched with a selection of wine, craft beer, cider and Chirping Bird Wines' spritzers. Sunday follows with a rose-inspired high tea from the High Tea Mistress. You'll need to book into a 60-minute session at 10.30am, 12.30pm or 2.30pm (for either $30 or $45) if you're keen. Expect, refreshing sips from Mrs Bakers Gin and the Prosecco Van, cushy vintage lounges and a parade of sweet and savoury bites, all enjoyed al fresco. Entry is free to the rose show, though any gold coin donation goes to supporting the garden's hard-working volunteers. State Rose & Garden Show is open from 10am–4pm.
Richmond's National Hotel invites you to swap your classic Australia Day feast for an Asian street food party, as it ditches the kitchen in favour of an outdoor BBQ to celebrate the public holiday eve this Thursday, January 25. The pub will be firing up the long weekend with an al fresco session in its lantern-lit beer garden, complete with a grilling station serving Japanese binchōtan-style charcoal BBQ, and a menu filled with pan-Asian street eats. There'll be sizzling skewers featuring combinations like caramelised pork belly, cucumber and chilli vinegar, alongside a tempting veggie dish of crisp carrot and radish cakes with chilli jam and kewpie mayo. Matched to a tidy assortment of drink specials — think $6 Hanoi beers and $12 lychee mojitos — and tunes from resident DJ Loz Newy, this is one way to get the year's first long weekend off to a very solid start.
When we heard the Melbourne Recital Centre was turning a vacant lot in Southbank into a music festival for four weekends during summer, our ears pricked up. The Garden Party will, like the centre itself, be home to artists across countless genres and, we are hoping, many a warm summer evening. Tim and Alix Design had the giant task of taking the space behind the recital centre and making it Garden Party ready. While it started very sterile and cold, it is promising to be reminiscent of long summer days spent on tree-lined streets running through sprinklers. It's an homage to summer in the 'burbs, and that ain't bad. Each night — Friday through Sunday — will feature a number of bands and DJs from Australian and international shores. Expect indie, electro, and soul, with some of the headlining acts including The Bamboos, Van She, Art of Sleeping, Husky, Jonti, Jens Lekman, and many more. If you want to sip a tipple while you dance, there will be a bar onsite where you can buy drinks in exchange for tokens (available inside), and Soul Kitchen, Gumbo, and Yogadiction will be serving up food to the masses. The Garden Party opens Friday, January 25, with headliners The Bamboos, and they will be throwing a free Australia Day party on Saturday, January 26.
God or the atom. Science versus faith. It's one of the great ongoing debates in human history; a conflict inextricably connected with the meaning of life itself. It's also the foundation for the tedious new film by writer-director Mike Cahill. Contrived and pretentious from title card to end credits, watching I Origins is like being trapped in a room full of undergrad philosophy students. It's got no shortage of interesting ideas; it just lacks the maturity to see them develop. At his best when playing on the fringes of insanity, actor Michael Pitt is uncharacteristically stiff as bow-tied hipster biologist Ian Gray. An unreserved atheist, Ian believes he can disprove religious doctrine through his research into the evolution of the human eye. Against all odds, he also finds himself caught up in a whirlwind romance with the more spiritually inclined Sofi, played by French actress Astrid Berges-Frisbey. It's a pretty unconvincing pairing to be honest, one that feels more like the result of a screenwriter's scribbling than it does proof of the adage that opposites attract. In any case, the bulk of the film's thematic conflict — at least initially — plays out in arguments between the two. However thin their romantic connection, the roots of the film's problems lie more in Cahill's dialogue, which is a fatal combination of self-important and dumb. "I believe in proof," says Ian, condescendingly. "Just because you can't see something doesn't mean it isn't there," Sofi responds. Cahill is obviously aiming for a sense of intellectual and spiritual ambiguity. Instead, his characters just sound like children, and fairly annoying ones at that. A couple of unexpected plot turns see Ian's faith in reason start to falter, as the film shifts from relationship drama to pseudo-scientific thriller. The second half of I Origins is a hell of a lot more engaging than the first, even if it's built on a string of ridiculous coincidences. Or hey, maybe it's divine intervention? Again, the problem isn't so much the narrative mechanics, but the painfully pompous manner in which they're presented. Plot bombs meant to blow the audience's minds are far more likely to result in groans, or possibly sniggers. Of course, that's assuming you haven't already been put to sleep. https://youtube.com/watch?v=sEGppIgwKf0
It took a while but summer is finally here and the warm westerly breezes are infused with sweet juniper, bitter tonic and a hint of lemon. That's right, it's gin season and we couldn't be happier about it. The long, scorching days and gloriously warm, fragrant nights demand to be paired with gin. To make sure you don't miss a sight, sound or sip this summer, we've partnered with Tanqueray to bring you an itinerary of gin-based activities to get into this summer. Welcome to the season of balmy rooftop bars, lazy picnics and cultural richness. [caption id="attachment_700220" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Simon Shiff.[/caption] DISCOVER A NEW SUMMER HANGOUT Melburnians know that when those late-30s, early-40s scorching days roll in, the best place to be isn't on the beach, roasting in the sun. It's adjacent to the beach, in the shade, sipping something cool. And the new Espy in St Kilda is the perfect oasis for days when all bets are off. Head over for lunch and grab a cool spot inside, among the emerald green booths, or head for the sunny atrium or balcony. The Espy is the kind of place where you can while the day away, flitting from one room to the next to discover the incredibly designed 12 bars, two restaurants and three live music stages it holds. The new venue has also introduced an arts program, so keep an eye out for creative happenings throughout the summer. Grab a house-bottled, barrel-aged negroni made with Tanqueray and settle in for a day of exploring — and taking in the waterside views. WANDER THE BOTANIC GARDENS WITH POETRY AS YOUR GUIDE Connect with the season by immersing yourself in nature poetry at the park. Throughout summer, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Red Room Poetry run an amazing initiative called New Shoots: A Garden of Poems. The self-guided tour will take you meandering around the gardens, reading the poetry that was written specifically for the ground you're standing on and the environment you're seeing. Once you've worked up an appetite, head to Richmond a few suburbs over and prepare for a summery feast. The Palm Royale do a mean gin and tonic. Pull up a chair to reflect on the poetry over a G&T, and if the mood strikes, decide to submit your own poetry about the day to the New Shoots program. SIP A SUMMER SPRITZ WHILE WATCHING SHAKESPEARE Shakespeare was a man of the people and we suspect he'd be tickled pink to see a crowd of lazy picnickers, drink in one hand and a hunk of brie in the other, reclining in the park and watching his plays under the stars. This summer, two of his most entertaining works are showing in the openair theatre in the Botanic Gardens. For an evening of dramatic twists, book in for Macbeth, or for something a bit more light-hearted (and for any She's the Man fans), there's Twelfth Night. Pack a rug and picnic basket (complete with all the ingredients you need for a summer spritz), and settle in as the sun sets over Billy's classic hits. GO BACK IN TIME TO SEE HOW TABLEWARE HAS EVOLVED Tableware may not be something you've ever given a seconds thought, but you'd be amazed by the vast and intricate history of the tableware industry. Head over to the NGV to check out A Modern Life, its free exhibition on the evolution of everything tableside: a history wrapped up in politics, feminism, war and economic machinations. If the unexpected spiciness of tableware has you parched, jump on the 86 tram from Bourke Street and head to The Everleigh in Fitzroy for a digestif cocktail. It's a truly atmospheric venue that will transport you back to the glamour of yore (tableware and all). We recommend ordering the Debutante for a little sugar hit. It's Tanqueray gin, pomegranate, lime and orange bitters and will go down a treat. [caption id="attachment_697481" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Westoby.[/caption] EXPERIENCE THE MESMERISING CLOCK The last exhibition to hit ACMI before its renovations, Christian Marclay's internationally renowned film exhibition The Clock is showing at ACMI between January 23 and March 10 and it's definitely worth your time. To paraphrase, it's a collection of iconic moving image snippets of timepieces that run for a whopping 24 hours (don't worry though, you don't have to stay the whole time). Head over and enjoy ACMI (and it's powerful AC) one last time before it closes up shop for renovations. And once you're ready to clock out, head north on Swanston for a few blocks and turn right into Bourke Street, direction Madame Brussels. Climb the stairs and grab a table on the rooftop terrace; it's time to discuss what you've just seen at ACMI. Order a Gin Garden cocktail and watch the hot, balmy city pass by below you. Celebrate the return of summer with a Tanqueray tipple in hand at home or around your city. Top image: The Espy, Alex Drewnik..
Most people head to Healesville to get a taste of the Yarra Valley's famous wine, but those in the know always make sure to include a stop at the TarraWarra Museum of Art for an arts and culture fix. And throughout the gallery's Open Weekend 2019 showcase on Saturday, March 30 and Sunday, March 31, you'll get to experience all of it and more for free. Welcoming newcomers and locals alike onto its lush grounds, the out-of-town museum will play host to a Makers' Market — featuring the arts and crafts of 25 local designers and creative — and popular Melbourne painter Ash Keating, who'll drop-by to create a colourful 10-metre artwork live. You'll also get free access to the TarraWarra's latest exhibitions by Tracey Moffatt and Katie West, and have a chance to attend free landscape sketching sessions, creative workshops. A selection of food trucks and drinks to enjoy if you forgot to pack to the picnic basket. Open Weekend runs from 11am–5pm each day.
Much-loved nerdy white guy and Seth Cohen-endorsed musician Ben Folds is bringing his upbeat brand of piano pop back to Australia. Though you might remember his music best from the battered walkman you rocked in the late '90s, rest assured that this talented US Adelaide enthusiast is still a force to be reckoned with. And nothing proves this more than the fact that his backing band will be the nation's best symphony orchestras. From mid-November, Folds will be touring all of Australia's major cities (except Brisbane, oddly enough) performing with each state's respective orchestral talents. Taking both excerpts of his new Concerto for Piano and Orchestra as well as jazzed up versions of his old pop hits, this dynamic musician will be creating an exciting and unique show in some of the nation's best venues. Of course, this is a tour Folds is familiar with. He's performed with some of the world's best orchestras over the past decade, and before he gets to our shores this year, he'll be taking the Ben Folds Orchestra Experience all around Europe. Hardcore fans might even remember that Australia was the site of his first orchestral work — this performance with the Western Australia Symphony Orchestra was immortalised on film in 2005. But you don't need to know all that to enjoy the show. Whether you have a long history with 'Brick' and the rest of his early work, or just really like that Triple J Like A Version he did of 'Such Great Heights' — this is a show not to be missed.
When Martin Scorsese says a film is worth seeing, you damn well better pay attention. With a directing career that spans more than five decades and includes the likes of Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Raging Bull and The Departed, he's undoubtedly one of the greatest filmmakers to have ever walked the earth, and, as The Wolf of Wall Street showed us, every bit as edgy and vital in his 70s as he was in his 30s and 40s On top of all that, Scorsese is also a major player in the preservation and restoration of classic cinema, having helped establish both The Film Foundation and The World Cinema Foundation. His latest passion project is a showcase of classic Polish Cinema, which will be presented at ACMI over three weeks in October. Spanning from the '50s to the '80s, Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema features 13 seminal works, including Krzysztof Kieslowski international breakthrough A Short Film About Killing and Andrzej Wajda's WWII film Ashes and Diamonds. The latter entry is one that Scorsese considers among the greatest motion pictures ever made. For the full Masterpieces of Polish Cinema program, visit the ACMI website.
It's 29 years since Queen last had Aussie crowds belting out their favourite lyrics at a live show. In that time, the Brit legends have endured the tragic loss of Freddie Mercury and struggled to find a replacement. In fact, since his death in 1991, no fewer than eleven singers have made appearances with the band, including David Bowie, Annie Lennox and Robbie Williams. However, it's 2009 American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert who's made the grade for this year's world tour. Before heading to Australia, he'll front Queen over the course of nineteen dates throughout the US. "The thought of sharing the stage for a full set in Australia is so beautifully surreal," Lambert said. "I'm honoured to be able to pay my respects to Freddie's memory. He's a personal hero of mine and I am deeply grateful for the chance to sing such powerful music for fans of this legendary band." The tough part, of course, will be getting your hands on a ticket. New shows have been added but the seats have been pretty much snapped up quicker than you can say "Yeah, I'm smelling like a dried fish bone." https://youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwLmgM
Treat yourself to a fab and fiery afternoon packed with delicious food and show-stopping entertainment at Mejico's first-ever Smash & Slay brunch. The glamorous Beverly Kills will host the event on Saturday, May 4, at the vibrant Mexican eatery. All brunch packages include two hours of bottomless drinks and three courses of Mejico's popular dishes. You'll start with a fresh guacamole smashed table-side with crunchy plantain chips. Next up, choose from the chilaquiles, the decadent huevos rancheros taco, the breakfast torta with eggs and chorizo, or the souffle pancakes with dulce de leche and horchata ice cream. Remember to save room for the addictive churros, which are smothered with cinnamon sugar and accompanied by chocolate sauce and vanilla custard for your dipping pleasure. The one-day-only event takes place from 11:30am–2pm on Saturday, May 4. Packages start at $99 per person and can be booked at the website.
As difficult as is it to name more than a handful of sequels that improve upon their predecessor, it's almost impossible to name a trilogy that gets progressively better from the first film to the third. After much contemplation, only two contenders spring to mind: Richard Linklater's Before trilogy, and Disney Pixar's Toy Story – each of which began from an incredibly strong position and yet somehow built upon and enriched each subsequent experience rather than draw out, repeat or simply ruin that which came before. Now, however, we can add a third series to the list. Beginning in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes and followed up by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes three years later, this remarkable and consistently surprising franchise has saved its best entry until last with the thoughtful and deeply moving third installment: War for the Planet of the Apes. And it is a war film, although not in the conventional sense. With soldiers' helmets emblazoned with slogans like 'Bye Bye Bonzo' and 'Monkey Killer', there's a definite Full Metal Jacket vibe among the human characters. Yet this is a war film more in the vein of Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line. Emphasising visuals over dialogue and backed by a sumptuous orchestral score, the movie largely eschews combat sequences in favour of exploring internal conflicts, as well as the absurdity of observing 'rules' to govern the means by which two peoples might slaughter one another. It is at once a summer blockbuster and a poignant tragedy, which is no mean feat given it involves machine-gun wielding apes that can talk and ride on horseback. There's not a moment in this film, from the opening frame to the last, where you question what you're seeing. The very name for what makes that possible, 'special effects', seems entirely insufficient to capture the extraordinary wizardry at play here. Pile all the transforming robots and world-destroying aliens together and you'll still get nothing as remotely impressive as what writer-director Matt Reeves and his team have delivered with this film. "My god, your eyes, they're almost human" exclaims Woody Harrelson's antagonist. Whatever flaw he sees, the audience cannot. These apes aren't simply special effects; they're characters, as real and as complex as any human standing opposite or beside them on screen. This brings us to Andy 'Who Needs A Face To Act?' Serkis. Truly, the man could play a dilapidated gate on an abandoned farm and still imbue it with more pathos than most of his contemporaries. To say he's overdue for an Oscar is an entirely overplayed record, but until it happens or he stops turning in performances of such astounding nuance and tenderness, we'll keep on resetting the needle. Alongside his fellow motion-cap actors Terry Notary, Karen Konoval and Michael Adamthwaite, Serkis's Caesar is the heart of the film. He's the reluctant general; a gentle soul whose only reason for fighting is to save his fellow apes and family from extinction. Like Pacino's Michael Corleone in Godfather Part III, Caesar's efforts to secure peace instead find him drawn further into darkness, imperilling those he loves and condemning his own soul to ruin. On the human front, each film in the Apes trilogy has featured fewer than the one before it, and in War there are only two of note: Harrelson's ruthless Colonel and an orphaned girl named Nova played by the captivating Amiah Miller. They are, in many ways, the best and the worst of us – tormentors and saviours whose interactions with Caesar shape his every decision throughout the film. We are unquestionably compelled to side with the apes in this, the final stage of the trilogy, which is an intriguing sensation given we're barracking for the very creatures responsible for wiping us out. Again, it's down to the remarkable work of the team behind the film, whose storytelling and performances have given us a Shakespearean tale full of heartache, betrayal, courage and redemption. War for the Planet of the Apes is an instant classic and a fine conclusion to a spectacular saga. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDcAlo8i2y8
It's television's greatest tragedy, and one that's been more than a decade in the making. Watching Better Call Saul, it's impossible not to think about the route its protagonist takes through Breaking Bad. We already know how Saul Goodman's (Bob Odenkirk) story ends, so as we explore his pre-Walter White life — when he was known by his birth name of Jimmy McGill and genuinely wanted to be a legitimate lawyer — the feeling is bittersweet, to say the least. The same sensation applies to former cop Mike Ehrmantrout (Jonathan Banks), whose Breaking Bad fate is also already known. Before getting caught up with Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito), he first crossed Jimmy's path as a car park attendant at the Albuquerque court house — and Better Call Saul tells his tale as much as its namesake's For four seasons since 2015, the Breaking Bad prequel has stepped through the earlier existence of these two characters, as well as others in their orbit — such as Jimmy's successful older brother Chuck (Michael McKean), his girlfriend and fellow lawyer Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn), and Mike's widowed daughter-in-law Stacey (Kerry Condon) and granddaughter Kaylee (Abigail Zoe Lewis). As the episodes pass, the two central figures slowly start inching towards their Breaking Bad lives. Familiar faces, such as Fring and Hector Salamanca (Mark Margolis) also pop up. The result: a series that's as excellent as its predecessor, and one that provides another excuse to spend more time in Breaking Bad's world. After last airing episodes in 2018, it's returning for a fifth season this year — and if you can't wait until February 24 to see what comes next, a pair of sneak peeks have dropped. The teasers are incredibly brief, as proved the case when glimpses of 2019's El Camino — A Breaking Bad Movie first started releasing. Still, they show what we all knew was coming: that Jimmy McGill is slipping further away — and Saul Goodman is emerging. Check out the teasers below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULZVGONrfuw&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqopNXmg3x0 Better Call Saul's fifth season starts streaming on Stan from Monday, February 24.
There's a reason that ramen is one of Japan's most famous culinary creations. With its steaming, flavoursome broth, slender noodles and servings of thinly sliced pork — if you're keeping things traditional — it's a tasty, hearty dish that aficionados could easily eat each and every day. While slurping down a bowl like you're under doctor's orders may seem like a foodie fantasy, one one particular restaurant wants to make that all-ramen, all-the-time dream a reality. Behold, the ramen subscription service. At Tokyo's Yaro Ramen from November 1, patrons can fork out a flat monthly fee, visit a store daily and get their fix. Yes, it's really that simple — and, it's also ridiculously affordable. Launched as part of the brand's new app, the subscription feature costs 8,600 yen, or less than AU$100. A bowl of regular tonkotsu ramen usually costs 780 yen, or around AU$9, so signing up for a daily bowl pays off pretty quickly. Ramen lovers can choose between three different types, including one that comes sans broth if you're just in the mood for meat, veggies and noodles, from 15 different locations around the city. Other than needing to be in Tokyo to take advantage of the service, you do have to be fall between the ages of 18 and 38 to quality, in a deal targeted towards students and singles. Coming hot on the heels of the country's new unlimited road trip pass for visiting travellers, you now have yet another reason to head to Japan — and, if you're jet-setting on a budget, your next holiday just got a whole lot cheaper. Via Japan Today.
