Unfortunately this event doesn't quite warrant the use of 'I'M ON A BOAT', but it does take place on a rooftop, giving you ample Instagram bragging rights. Replicating Vietnam's Nha Trang Yacht Club, Saigon Sally and Hanoi Hannah are hosting an afternoon of Vietnamese snacks, coconuts and St Kilda sunsets. As well as the familiar rice paper rolls and beef cigars, chef Adrian Li will be preparing a range of seafood dishes — perfectly complemented by drinking coconuts and a crisp, cold lager. Your $35 will get you entry and a coconut, with other food and drinks available for purchase. Unfortunately due to unfavourable weather conditions the Nha Trang Yacht Club event this coming Sunday March 16th has been postponed. Sally Sally and Hanoi Hannah will be contacting all tickets holders this week regarding refunds. For any enquires please call Simon at Hanoi Hannah on 03 9939 5181 (ext 1). This event appeared as one of our top ten picks for the 2014 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. See here for the full list.
The name says it all, doesn't it? Shit-Faced Shakespeare features a cast of actors performing Shakespeare...only one of them is always absolutely plastered. A sell-out smash for years in the US and UK, the show is heading to Australia for the very first time. And what better play to perform for their local debut that The Bard's greatest love story: Romeo and Juliet.
The warmer weather can only mean one thing for Melburnians: Sunday sessions with plenty of barbecued food and cold bevvies. And, here to satisfy that need is Harlow Bar, who is slinging a series of boozy, bottomless barbecue lunches — so you don't have to warm up the barbie yourself. Harlow's new offer is available every Sunday this summer between 1–3pm, from Sunday, November 3. For $59, you can snack on endless hot, smoky meats and sides, plus knock back plenty of cold ones. Food-wise, expect drunken lamb ribs, smoked kranskys and beer-brined chicken wings. Load up your plate with sides of potato salad, curried cauliflower salad, mac and cheese and pineapple hot sauce slaw. Plus, there'll also be plenty of VB-drenched onions and fat stacks of white bread to complete your meal. You won't go thirsty either, as you'll get an esky full of beers on arrival, then your choice of selected beers, house wine and spritzes after that. And no Sunday barbecue would be complete without some tunes. There'll be a DJ spinning music all arvo to keep the good times going. Grab your mates and book your spot to make sure you don't miss out.
There's a particular texture to Los Angeles after dark that suits stories of crime and self-interest to a tee. A desolate urban badland of freeways and fast food joints, there's this eeriness; this unnaturalness; this inescapable sense of menace; that seems to creep out of the concrete and set your nerves on edge. You can feel it in Michael Mann's Heat, or in Collateral a decade later. You can feel it in sections of Nicholas Winding Refn's Drive. And you can feel it in Nightcrawler, from writer-director Dan Gilroy, as it glides out of the darkness and seizes you by the throat. Always at his best when playing characters gripped by obsession — Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain, Robert Graysmith in Zodiac, or Detective David Loki in last year's masterful Prisoners — Jake Gyllenhaal is in career-best form as Lou Bloom, Gilroy's unsettled protagonist, and our tour guide through the sordid LA underbelly. Inspired after witnessing a car accident, Lou decides to carve out a career as a 'nightcrawler', videotaping crime scenes and selling them to a local TV station for broadcast on the 6am news. As a portrait of the ratings-driven news industry, Nightcrawler is scathing, and brutally unsubtle. "Think of our newscast as a screaming woman, running down the street with her throat cut." That's the advice of Nina (Rene Russo), Lou's tough-as-nails contact at Channel 6 News. The fact that LA crime stats are actually going down is of little concern to her. In fact if anything, it makes Lou's footage ever more valuable. Watching the two of them negotiate the price of video from a triple homicide scene is so sickeningly callous that you may find yourself driven to laugher. To that end, it's tempting to call Nightcrawler a satire; a pitch black comic exaggeration of reality. And yet you can't help but wonder just how exaggerated it really is. Likewise, it's frightening to consider whether or not people like Lou actually exist. In an era in which film producers and marketing executives stress 'likability' above everything else, Nightcrawler strides boldly in the other direction. It's hard to remember the last film featuring a protagonist as flat-out sociopathic as Mr. Bloom. Hell, even Travis Bickle had good intentions. Full of wisdom cribbed from online self-help guides, Lou's wide grin and friendly demeanour is a bad approximation of humanity; a mask that hides a monster incapable of compassion or remorse.
As much as we love catching a movie under the stars, outdoors cinemas are usually more of a balmy night activity. After all, it's sort of hard to focus on the story when your extremities are going numb. Enter Hot Tub Cinema Club. Coming back to to a secret Melbourne location for two weeks this October, this novelty nickelodeon works exactly the way you think it does: you and your mates strip down to your togs and enjoy a flick from the comfort of a bubbling tub. Melbourne has already tried the concept last year, and after a season in Sydney, the club is coming back down south for eight sessions between October 15 and 24. The program focuses on old crowd favourites rather than new releases, including Mean Girls, Lion King, Dirty Dancing and Anchorman. Seems like a missed opportunity to include Jaws or Splash, really. Tickets aren't cheap at around $54 for an individual spot or $220 for a whole hot tub that fits five people. Tub service is included in the ticket price though, so you don't have to hop out of the tub if you don't wanna.
Get ready rock fans, for the Arctic Monkeys will be returning to Australia and New Zealand next year. The British band will embark on their biggest down under tour to date this autumn for their latest album, AM. The album, which was released this past September, is the band's fifth consecutive number 1 in the UK and also debuted at the top spot in the ARIA Albums Chart. So, Aussie and Kiwi fans, get stoked because you'll soon have the chance to hear their awesome collection of new jams, including chart toppers such as 'R U Mine?' and 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?' Original fans needn't worry, because the Monkeys never forget to pay tribute to their old school favourites. You'll probably still get your chance to belt out 'Fluorescent Adolescent's, "Oh the boy's a slag / The best you ever had / The best you ever had." Arctic Monkeys 2014 Tour Dates: Auckland: May 2, Vector Arena Wellington: TSB Arena Sydney: May 6, Entertainment Centre Brisbane: May, Entertainment Centre Melbourne: May 9, Rod Laver Arena Adelaide: May 10, AEC Theatre Perth: May 13, Perth Arena Tickets go on sale December 11 https://youtube.com/watch?v=6366dxFf-Os
Before Stranger Things returns for its fifth and final season sometime in 2025, Finn Wolfhard has some slasher things to deal with. Movie lovers in Sydney can see how that pans out at Fantastic Film Festival Australia's 2025 run. With Hell of a Summer, the actor also turns co-director and co-writer with his Ghostbusters: Afterlife, When You Finish Saving the World and Saturday Night co-star Billy Bryk, with the pair giving the summer-camp masked-killer horror subgenre their own spin. Helping out on-screen: Gladiator II and The White Lotus' Fred Hechinger, plus Reservation Dogs' D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai. That's how Fantastic Film Festival Australia is opening this year, with a meta horror-comedy. From there, this celebration of boundary-pushing pictures has 26 more features on its lineup, 16 of the rest brand-new and then ten others must-see classics. Melburnians can get their fix at Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn across Thursday, April 24–Thursday, May 15, plus at Thornbury Picture House from Tuesday, April 29–Monday, May 5. If you haven't been to FFFA before, the event is marking its fifth iteration in 2025 — and one of its hallmarks, the nude screening, is back for the occasion. Get ready to say "yeah, baby" to watching a movie sans clothes, with Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery this year's flick to watch while wearing nix (following on from past sessions of nudist camp-set comedy Patrick, The Full Monty, Zoolander and The Naked Gun). Another highlight of 2025's program: the retrospective dedicated to Scottish writer/director Lynne Ramsay. Her filmography might only span four features since 1999, all of which are showing at FFFA, but it's a resume that any fellow helmer should envy. For audiences, getting the chance to see Ratcatcher, Morvern Callar, We Need to Talk About Kevin and You Were Never Really Here on the big screen — whether for the first time or as a revisit — is a cinephile's dream. Among the fest's new fare, The Second Act hits the lineup after opening the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, with Rubber and Deerskin's Quentin Dupieux enlisting Léa Seydoux (Dune: Part Two), Louis Garrel (Saint-Exupéry) and Vincent Lindon (The Quiet Son) for his latest absurdist satire. Or, catch Tár's Noémie Merlant in The Balconettes, which she co-wrote with her Portrait of a Lady on Fire director Céline Sciamma; see what happens when The Wild Boys and After Blue's Bertrand Mandico combines two film essays in one split-screen presentation in Dragon Dilatation; and head back to 1999 while journeying into teen antics 3000 light years away in Escape From the 21st Century. Viewers can get a dose of eerie puppetry via Monkey's Magic Merry Go Round, too, then watch Crispin Glover (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) as a magician in Mr. K and undergo a unique animated musical-comedy experience with Spermageddon. Back with FFFA's 2025 blasts from the past, John Woo's (The Killer) gun-fu great Hard Boiled is the festival's closing-night pick, including screening in 35mm in Sydney. If you're keen on a movie marathon, Umbrella-Palooza will get you watching three films about technological nightmares, all courtesy of Australian distributor Umbrella Entertainment — starting with 2002's Cypher, then heading back to 1990's vision of cyberpunk in Hardware, before the OG Japanese Pulse unleashes its presence. Supporting homegrown efforts, the fest has 1977 psychological thriller Summerfield among its retro component, alongside four newcomers: the Super 8-shot A Grand Mockery; the Pedro Almodóvar (The Room Next Door)-inspired Salt Along the Tongue; Pure Scum, which is set amid Melbourne's private-school culture; and Sword of Silence, as shot completely under a full moon. Aussie talents are also in focus in the Melbourne Shorts screening.
The beautiful Domain House in the Botanic Gardens often plays home to contemporary art exhibitions you'd happily contend with Punt Road traffic to get to — and its new exhibition Border Lines is no different. With Linden New Art calling the house home while their Acland Street space gets a reno, the exhibition brings together a collection of celebrated painters from the Papulankutja and Warakurna art communities, as well as the fibre artists of the Tjanpi Desert Weavers. The exhibition focuses on the artistic foundations of the tri-state border of WA, SA and the NT and explore themes of country, community and culture — it's a reminder of the gravity and importance of indigenous art within Australian (and international) contemporary art. A meet the curator event will also be held with Juliette Hanson on August 24, where she will give a guided tour and talk in detail about the art centres of the tri-state area. Images: Courtesy of Linden New Art, shot by David Marks Photographer.
If you've ever picked up a loved one at the airport, sometimes you might get caught up in the sheer beauty of the moment and simply not know what to say. Those in Amsterdam don't have to worry about becoming a stuttering emotional wreck anymore, as the Schiphol Airport Bannerxpress now allows people to print welcome home signs from a vending machine at the airport. The machine has been under development for the past three years, and recently made its debut at Schiphol Airport. Vending machines now house much more than your standard soft drink, as you can customise these signs with different sizes, fonts, artwork and themes. Depending on how fancy you banner is, this will set you back between 4 and 15 Euros. Depending on the popularity of the machine, Bannerxpress co-founder Thibaud Bruna says that there are plans to place the machines at sporting events and concerts. [via Trendhunter]
They say everything in moderation, but not this month. How can you keep things in check when Melbourne's got a region-wide food celebration, 18 nights of noodle markets and not one, but two festivals dedicated to cheese? You can't. So lean in and get amongst it. Have your cake (and your camembert and chicken nuggets) and eat it, too.
If Moor's Head's Middle Eastern-meets-Italian pizza is one of your staples, but you wish you didn't have to trek to Thornbury for a fix, then we have some good news — especially if you live in Carlton. The popular pizza joint has opened the doors to a new outpost on Drummond Street. "People living closer to, and in, the city will now find it easier and more convenient to drop in or grab takeaway pizzas," says co-owner Joseph Abboud. "We particularly love that it is a stone's throw from Cinema Nova." The kitchen's bigger than the one at Thornbury, which brings a few new surprises to the menu, including haloumi fries with pomegranate-pepper sauce and 'turkamisu', a Middle Eastern take on tiramisu, with cardamom coffee, pistachio and green walnut liqueur. On the drinks list, look out for a bunch of local craft beers, boutique wines and arak, an anise-based spirit popular in the Middle East. Moor's Head has taken over the Drummond Street space once home to Markov and it's a location Abboud had been eyeing for quite a while. At one point, he was in talks with Markov's owners, Joseph and Guy David, about moving in next door. "We've been friends for a long time and often discussed how we could work together, so this opportunity seemed like a right fit at the right time," said Guy. Moor's Head Carlton is now open daily from 6pm till late at the rear of 350 Drummond Street, Carlton. For more info, visit themoorshead.com.
If you missed Gelato Messina's degustation bar the last three times, you're in luck because the gelato team is coming back to Melbourne this November. Messina's Creative Department is returning to the secret room behind its Windsor store to serve up seven-course degustations for eight nights. So what kind of gelato creations can you expect this time round? Spring flavours including seasonal fruits, herbs and Japanese aromatics. One course might see you testing your tastebuds with a savoury black garlic gelato while another might have you digging in to a strawberry-shaped sorbet mound with red wine and hibiscus jelly. Tickets are $130 per person and, with just eight seats available at each sitting, you can book for groups of two, four, six or eight of your gelato-loving mates. The dinners will run at 6.30pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and at 4.30pm, 6.30pm and 8.30pm on Saturday between November 1–11. And based off of previous events, you'll want to grab your tickets ASAP before Melburnians book out the event (most probably in record time again). Head to the Messina Creative Department page to nab a seat.
Take a seat. Please, I insist, just so that you can jump out of it and celebrate in true headbanging style at the news that Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age are heading Down Under in 2014 for a co-headline tour. Okay, now take a seat again and continue to read on. Two of the biggest acts in alternative rock are set to arrive on our shores in March next year. This is glorious news to Oceania fans who haven't seen Nine Inch Nails since 2009 and Queens of the Stone Age since 2011. Both bands have teased since May about heading this way, when Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme told triple j's Tom and Alex, "Everybody who knows me knows that Australia is my home away from home. I also think it's time that we come and tell our own stories, so we're gonna skip the round of festivals and see you in your fall." Nine Inch Nails lead Trent Reznor then revealed his band's intentions to head down under when they turned down Soundwave in favour of a "better scenario" for fans. Well, there is no better scenario than seeing them combine with QOTSA for a tour that is sure to go down in legend. The tour comes on the back of Nine Inch Nails' and QOTSA's recent respective releases, the much-heralded Hesitation Marks and ...Like Clockwork, and they will be joined on stage by Australian-born Brody Dalle, Mrs Josh Homme, of The Distillers and Spinnerette fame. Which one of the two bands will play first each night? That will be left to a flip of the coin. Seriously.
Just how many finished cigarettes have been stamped out on the footpath, or casually flicked into the gutter? According to Greenbutts, no less than 4.5 trillion annually. And while these trillions of cigarette butts (typically made from cellulose acetate) are technically biodegradable, they take between 10 and 15 years to decompose. In 2006, cigarette butts amassed to 24.7% of the rubbish collected during the International Coastal Cleanup. Greenbutts has introduced a 100% natural alternative to traditional, chemical-laden cigarettes. Greenbutts' cigarette filters are composed of plant seeds, natural flax, cotton and de-gummed hemp, all bound together by natural starch and water. When covered by a thin layer of soil, discarded Greenbutts will sprout into flowers: a much lovelier and eco-friendly sight than a squashed butt. [Via Lost At E Minor]
It's not that we'd generally encourage you to follow in the footsteps of Frank Underwood, House of Cards' Machiavellian White House manoeuvrer, but we can't begrudge you stopping to admire his footwear. And watch. And navy Burberry suiting. And the fearsome structural shifts and well-cut Tom Fords gathered around him. Here's your chance to get the coolly minimal House of Cards style, while boning up on all the manipulations, intrigues and usurpations of season two. Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has brought on board stylists and personal shoppers A Good Man to help you dress like a total boss (however you define it). The men of A Good Man are James Gallichio and Julian Burak, who have been shopping for men's clothes every day for four years now. They know how to put together ensembles that are sleek and professional while incorporating modern, creative touches — and they know how to help others feel comfortable doing so. They can even explain layering with a gif. With the ethically dubious but sartorially excellent men of House of Cards as their starting point, they'll take the lucky winner of this competition on the shopping trip to end all shopping trips, no matter the budget. Now is the time to revisit (or finally get acquainted with) Netflix's groundbreaking, David Fincher-directed, Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated series. The second season DVD comes in schmancy collectible packaging (from JB Hi-Fi and Sanity only) along with five bonus featurettes, including one exploring the differences between the original '90s British miniseries and the reinvented binge-watch hit of today. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright reprise their roles as the mercilessly ambitious Frank and Claire Underwood, with Frank ascending to the coveted vice-presidency. But hey, why stop there? See more of A Good Man on their Facebook page. House of Cards season two is out on Blu-ray, DVD and DIGITAL with UltraViolet on June 19. Thanks to Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, we're giving one reader the chance to win House of Cards seasons one and two on DVD, plus a two-hour 'Quick Shop' styling session with A Good Man, who'll show you how to shop like a boss whether you're on a budget or keen to indulge your expensive tastes. Fifteen runners up will receive House of Cards season two on DVD. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au
It's not just a tour. It's a mega-tour, starring three singer-songwriters and 29 dates. In October, Mia Dyson, Liz Stringer and Jen Cloher will depart their Melbourne homes for what's shaping up to be one really long road trip. They've released an EP on Milk Records to mark the occasion, of which only 500 hard copies (all signed) are available. Between them, the trio count ARIA Awards, several shortlistings for the Australian Music Prize and eleven albums in their collection. Dyson is still witnessing the impact of the international release of her 2012 album, The Moment; Cloher recently launched her third LP, In Blood Memory; and Stringer's just returned from a European tour on the back of Warm In the Darkness. "This is a once in a lifetime experience for me — touring with the finest songwriter-musicians who are also my best mates!" Dyson said. "I get to back them up while they sing and play their hearts out and they do the same for me. The road will not be tough and lonely on this tour."
The flavours of South America are showcased through local produce at this beautiful restaurant and event space on Ryrie Street. The buzzing, dimly lit space — which features deep green banquette seating and artwork-adorned walls — is great for both a vibey date night or a levelled-up lunch. On the menu, you'll find a great selection of small and large sharing dishes, desserts, dessert-style cocktails and digestifs. The drinks program showcases mostly Australian and South American wines, and also has an extensive beer list.
What do you get when you combine two restaurants that love fresh food, funky wines and Asian fusion? You get K-Town Shik, which will take over Supernormal Canteen on Sunday November 25. For this one night dinner, Supernormal Canteen's head chef Tim Stapleforth will join forces with Restaurant Shik's owner, chef and sommelier Peter Jo (Berta, Momofuku Seiobo, Belles Hot Chicken) — better known in the industry as 'Kimchi Pete'. The seven-course feast focuses on the Korean flavours that Jo is known for. Expect a party atmosphere, pumped up tunes and a menu that features seasonal, produce-driven dishes. Think raw bar items, hibachi-fired ssam chilli sauce and, as expected, heaps of kimchi. Alongside the meal, patrons can purchase low intervention and one-off natural wines that are the custom at both Restaurant Shik and Supernormal Canteen. It'll cost you a relatively reasonable $85 per person, with sittings from noon–8pm. Spots can be reserved online — but this event isn't one for those with dietary restrictions, so be sure to call ahead if you have any questions on that front. Image: Kate Shanasy.
There is something fun-sucking about the classic 'white cube' gallery space. Pristine, freshly painted walls with evenly spaced photographs or paintings or little sculptures dot the walls, everyone slowly walking clockwise around the room and spending just the right amount of time looking at each work. Occasionally, it's nice to shake it up. Smokescreen's number one priority is fun; aka excitement, interest, joy. As thousands of foam beanbag balls fill the air around you, creating an artificial snowstorm, you may wonder why every exhibition isn't this awesome. A collaboration between Elizabeth Pedler and Jeremy Eaton, Smokescreen is a place to not only release your inner child and see something fresh and fun, it's also an example of great art that will leave you wanting more.
Can you skip stones further than anyone else? Does your sleeping position, coffee preference, cholesterol level, morning erection or the way you wear your pants make you a better man? For six Greek men on a yacht in the Aegean Sea, the answer is a resounding yes. When they become bored with the usual holiday pastimes, the characters in Chevalier devise a tournament to test their masculine prowess. Points are awarded, with the overall champion receiving the titular ring as a symbol of their supremacy. Strange, unsettling hilarity soon ensues. In her follow up to Attenberg, writer-director Athina Rachel Tsangari begins her film with a spot of fishing, followed by the pals posing for a photo to display their catches. They haven't yet conjured up their contest, but they're already posturing, just as they are when they later turn a dinner chat about which different objects they'd each be into a game. When their heated conversation leads to the idea of battling it out to determine which of them is "the best in general", it's a natural extension of their testosterone-fuelled antics. Before long, literally everything becomes a competition. It's a concept that straddles the gap between ridiculous and painfully real — an exaggeration of the way men often act, mined for twisted comic effect. Along the way, Tsangari lays bare the group's vanity and insecurity. Most play along, desperate to emerge victorious, except the overweight Dimitris (Makis Papadimitriou). He knows he can't succeed — although, as the film makes plain, there are other ways that a man can be a winner. Tsangari co-wrote Chevalier with Efthymis Filippou, who also penned Dogtooth, Alps and The Lobster, making the film very much a part of Greece's recent big screen 'weird wave'. Indeed, dissecting human behaviour and the state of national affairs have gone hand in hand in Greek cinema for almost a decade. But Chevalier, in particular, is at once savage and insightful. If it feels as though the film is holding you at an arms length, it's likely intentional. Great performances invest each on-screen figure with the requisite depth, but Tsangari and Filippou are more interested in understanding what makes the characters tick – and what that means about masculinity and our male-dominated society – than they are in eliciting empathy from the audience. This feeling of analytical distance is reflected in Tsangari's visuals, which are drained of colour, often captured from afar, and peppered with telling shots of the ocean. Frankly, while verbal exchanges and disagreements are crucial to the story, Chevalier would be almost as amusing, feel almost as scathing, and leave nearly as great an impact without any words at all. Let's face it: you don't need dialogue to understand that a literal dick-measuring contests is both hilarious and profoundly sad.
Contemporary art featured in galleries around the world will be on display at The Hotel Windsor this week, as part of the fifth annual Spring 1883. Returning to the iconic Spring Street venue in August, the free collaborative event is spread over the hotel's four floors and is part the Melbourne Art Fair. Open to the public from noon until 7pm August 2 to 4, this year's event will boast art from more than two dozen galleries. Head in after 8pm on Friday, August 3, and join the artist party, where there'll be live music and a bar. Among the international contingent you'll find work from Dutton gallery in New York and Wellington's {Suit}, while local players include Sydney's Roslyn Oxley9 and Alaska Projects, and Melbourne's Murray White Room. The pieces on display promise to be similarly diverse, ranging from photography to ceramics to portraiture and more. In one room you may find In Bloom — Cecilia Fox's floral-themed artwork and flower installation — and in another, an inflatable installation by Cindy Sherman.
Cut through the crap with Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, in an hour long presentation designed to help you tell fact from fiction. The latest in a series of 'secular sermons' organised by The School of Life, Dr Karl on Misinformation will see the beloved science broadcaster hold court on the lies and misconceptions that have become part of everyday life. Doors open at Fitzroy Town Hall at 10.45am. The event will begin with a musical performance at 11am, before Dr Karl takes the stage at 11:30am. Covering everything from antioxidant supplements to the correlation between mobile phone use and cancer, the good doctor will explore how misinformation affects the way we think and behave, while also demonstrating practical ways to fight back when bullshit rears its ugly head. Prepare to question everything you thought you knew about the world. Honestly, it's probably for the best. Image credit: Gronk Oz
Add another huge festival to your calendar, and thank Norwegian DJ Kygo in the process. Not only is the 'Stole the Show', 'Here for You', 'Stay' and 'It Ain't Me' talent one of the headliners at Palm Tree Music Festival when it makes its Australian debut in 2023 — the former bedroom producer is also behind the whole shindig, creating it with his manager Myles Shear. Until now, the fest has played The Hamptons, New York, Cabo, Mexico and Croatia, and proven a hit in the process. Next year, it'll add a trip Down Under to its itinerary for the first time ever, rolling into Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in mid-March. While Kygo brings the fest some sizeable star power, he's not its only high-profile DJ doing the honours for the event's maiden Aussie run. Also hitting the decks is Tiësto, aka one of the biggest names in electronic music in the world for the past couple of decades. From initially getting mainstream attention back in 2000 with his remix of Delerium's 'Silence' through to his 2020 hit 'The Business' and 2022's Charlie XCX collaboration 'Hot In It' — and plenty in-between — the Dutch DJ will have quite the back catalogue of tracks to mix into his set. With its holiday-friendly name, it should come as no surprise that Palm Tree Music Festival takes inspiration from Kygo's stints touring the world. Expect a cruisy vibe set to EDM's greatest and latest, too. Also joining the bill so far, heading to Showgrounds Dome in Sydney, Brisbane's Riverstage and Melbourne Showgrounds: Lost Frequencies, Sam Feldt and Frank Walker. A lineup of local talent will be announced at a later date. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Palm Tree Music Festival (@palmtreefestival) PALM TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 AUSTRALIAN LINEUP: Tiësto Kygo Lost Frequencies Sam Feldt Frank Walker PALM TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 AUSTRALIAN DATES: Friday, March 10 — Showgrounds Dome, Sydney Saturday, March 11 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, March 12 — Melbourne Showgrounds Palm Tree Music Festival heads to Australia in March 2023. Tickets presales start at 11am AEDT on Friday, October 14, with general sales from 10am AEDT on Thursday, October 20. For more information, head to the festival promoter's website. Top image: Ss279 via Wikimedia Commons.
Combining tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice, a classic margarita isn't all that complicated. But, this beloved cocktail can also be rather versatile. If you've grabbed a meal and a drink at El Camino Cantina, you've probably tasted one or several non-traditional varieties. And if you head by the lively Tex-Mex chain's Fitzroy between Tuesday, March 2–Sunday, May 30, you'll be able to sip a few beloved types. After running a Hottest 100 Rita poll — and receiving more than 3000 votes — El Camino has announced exactly which varieties Aussies love. Prepare to drink your way through mango, watermelon, passionfruit and grape Nerds flavours over the next three months. All four are available cadillac-style, which means they come with a float of Grand Marnier. You'll pay $20 for a 15-ounce drink and $24. Prefer El Camino's signature strawberry margarita? It also remains on the menu. Images: Michael Gribbin.
Italy, eat your heart out. According to the experts, our fair city is home to the best pizza in the world. To get your hands on the faultless stuff, make your way to 400 Gradi, where the man who won the 2014 World Pizza Championships serves up his award-winning fare to the Melbourne masses. Expect light, yeasty bases cooked to perfection and topped with delights like creamy buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, or marzano tomato. Simplicity is king here, though, with the margherita coming out tops. Follow up your feast with gelato at sister spot Zero Gradi, where classic flavours like pistachio and espresso are served alongside seasonal options. Produced in store daily and topped with whipped cream, this is Italian gelato at some of its most delicious.
Whether you're a skier, snowboarder or hiker, New South Wales' Snowy Mountains are an adventure-lover's playground. But if you're fond of traversing the rocky region on two pedal-powered wheels, the Thredbo Valley Track has just upped the ante. While the beautiful mountain biking trail has long been one of the area's most scenic features, the Kosciuszko National Park spot is now more than twice as long thanks to a new extension. Increasing in length by 18.4 kilometres — to 35.1 kilometres in total — the lower Thredbo Valley Track extension winds from Bullocks Flat to Gaden Trout Hatchery. Mountain bike enthusiasts can now ride through mountain gum forests, pass by woodlands filled with snow gums, and cycle along open grasslands. In the process, you'll cross six bridges, enjoying alpine views and soaking in the splendour of this gorgeous patch of the country. Now open and welcoming mountain bikers from November to May each year, the extension connects to the existing 16.7-kilometre track at Bullocks Flat, with the original leg starting at Thredbo Alpine Village. Traversing tight bends, climbs and descents, the new section is particularly suited to experienced riders. In total, the whole thing should take around eight hours to complete one-way. [caption id="attachment_755080" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Robert Mulally, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service[/caption] Folks eager to take it easier will find milder sections of the total trail around the two tracks' midpoint at Bullocks Flat. And, whether you're up for the more manageable parts or the entire thing, guided tours are also available. Prefer rambling through the region on your own two feet? Come 2022, the Snowy Mountains will also be home to the Snowies Iconic Walk, 44-kilometre multi-day trail spanning from Thredbo to Lake Crackenback. The Thredbo Valley Track is open from November to May yearly. For further information, visit the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service website. Images: Robert Mulally, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Local craft beer lovers have a tasty new pop-up to cosy up to this winter, with the launch of Central Beer District at the Queen Victoria Market next month. Taking over the market's A-Shed every Saturday and Sunday, from August 4 until September 9, the pop-up beer bar is out to celebrate some of the best drops our local craft beer scene has to offer. Headed up by emerging act Brick Lane Brewing Co, the event will hero a different guest brewery each week, with appearances by Hop Nation, Two Birds Brewing, Stomping Ground, Brewmanity and Coldstream Brewery already locked in. Punters will be able to meet the brewers, have beer-related chin wags, and of course, sample a stack of tasty drops, from old favourites, to experimental new creations. To match, there'll be musical delights from the likes of retro rockers Jukebox Racket and Chicago-style blues act Jules Boult, and a barbecue-heavy menu courtesy of food truck Digging For Fire. Dishes like a 12-hour pulled pork with lime mayo and a barbecue chilli chicken burger with harissa and fennel yoghurt promise to work a treat alongside those crafty brews.
Thirteen years after Stephen Chbosky wrote his endearing best-seller The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the writer-turned-director has adapted his modern coming-of-age classic for the silver screen, starring Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller. Set in Chbosky's hometown of Pittsburgh in the early '90s, the story follows 15 year-old Charlie (Lerman) as he navigates the social minefield of a new high school. The introvert freshman is used to living life as a wallflower. Taken in by two seniors, the beautiful and enchanting Sam (Watson) and her step brother Patrick (Miller), Charlie finds out what it really means to live, love and to enjoy being a misfit. Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see The Perks of Being a Wallflower. To be in for a chance to win a double pass, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground's weekly newsletter, then email your name and postal address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
A new year means a new season of whichever sport takes your fancy, including all of the unexpected thrills that come with it. For anyone fond of a pint while watching a game, race, match or the like, Brunswick Street has a few surprises of its own — namely, the now-open bar The Roy, from the team behind cocktail-slinging stalwart Polly. Of course, the new watering hole came as less of a surprise to owner Casey Gordon and manager Chris Hinds, who put in a solid two-year stint of renovations, shaping an unused nook at the back of Polly into a cosy drinking den. The result is what the pair describe as a laidback 'local's local', accessed via a rear laneway, decked out with a big screen for watching sport, and with a vibe that's a few notches more casual than its older sister. Here, you'll settle in for a brew or whisky while enjoying the on-screen action, in a space where decent drinks and sport go hand-in-hand. Indeed, expect the same attention to detail and boozy prowess as Polly, with the sibling venue's years of expertise shine through in The Roy's drinks offering. Taking care of your thirst is a six-strong tap rotation running from the classic to the crafty, a broad lineup of wines by the glass, and a hefty spirits collection to top it all off. The Roy is now open at the rear of 401 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. For more information, visit theroy.com.au.
Melbourne burger joint Royal Stacks launched three years ago. Since then, it has expanded interstate — and overseas, opening outposts in both Beijing and Chongqing. To celebrate the opening of its new Chinese stores, it's inviting a Mandopop star to come say hi to fans at the original Collins Street spot. Oh, and it's giving away free burgers, too. Five-hundred free burgers, to be exact. From midday on Saturday, March 16, the good people at the CBD's Royal Stacks will give away 500 of the eatery's signature Single Stack — that's an Aussie beef patty topped with tomato, lettuce, American cheddar, secret sauce and pickles. They're limited to one per-person, however, so if you're super hungry you'll have to pay up for a second. You could, alternatively, order one of the eatery's other signature dishes: it's concrete mixers. The super-thick frozen custard is available in a slew of flavours like Ferrero Rocher, cookie dough, Nutella and the new Twix and biscotti. While you're there, scoffing burgers and concrete mixers, you'll be able to chat to Bruneian singer and actor Wu Chun. Previously a member of famed boy bond Fahrenheit, Chun has also appeared in several Taiwanese TV shows, such as Tokyo Juliet and Sunshine Angel, and movies. Royal Stacks will be giving away 500 free burgers from midday–2pm.
Didn't manage to squeeze quite as much wine tasting and vineyard hopping into your Christmas break as you'd have liked? Fear not, because two local producers have teamed up to bring the cellar door experience to the heart of the city. From Friday, January 12, and running through to March, Number One Bourke Street will be transformed into the ultimate summer pit-stop for The Tap Project urban cellar door pop-up. It's being headed up by celebrated Mornington Peninsula winemakers Quealy and young gun Footscray brewery Hop Nation, with each producer set to showcase a rotation of four signature drops poured fresh from the taps. Visit to try the likes of Quealy's 2017 pinot noir and 2016 pinot grigio, alongside Hop Nation favourites like Australian IPA The Fiend. You'll even be able to grab a bottle of your favourite to take home for later. Backing up the liquid treats, there'll be funk, soul and disco tunes as curated by Wax'o Paradiso's Simon TK, and a Mediterranean-leaning menu of vegetarian plates from Cian Fenaughty (formerly of Cutler & Co. and London's Dinner By Heston). Highlights include the likes of a fried mixed veg pickle teamed with gorgonzola sauce, and a 'jerked' eggplant taco starring kimchi cucumber. The Tap Project will be open Monday to Saturday — head in from 4.45–10pm weekdays and 3–10pm on Saturdays.
In Japan there is a deep appreciation for the iconic cherry blossom (sakura) tree. The prevalence of the tree in the Japanese landscape signifies the commencement of spring, and is worthy of a national celebration. Festivities commonly include parties and picnics under the cherry blossoms. In Australia, it's Sake Restaurant and Bar that's leading the appreciation for the cherry blossom, the spring season and a bit of Japanese feasting. For the month of September, they have organised a special food and drink menu and exclusive events. The festival includes executive chef Shaun Presland's signature spring menu ($88 for the likes of salmon sashimi with ponzu, steamed 'Glacier 51' black cod, and crispy salt and pepper bug tails with yuzu kosho mayonnaise), a shorter spring lunch menu ($38) and a $15 sake flight with suggested food matches. Try the special cocktail, The Kimono Doll ($17), which shows off the tantalising flavours of ichiko shochu, cherries and coco. The highlight of the month, however, may be the Harajuku Pop-Up Bar, a fun and casual incarnation of the restaurant happening on Friday, September 26. The Sake space will be temporarily taken over by DJs, Harajuku girls serving izakaya dishes ($12-18) and sakura-inspired exclusive cocktails. Nab your spot on the guestlist here.
It's one of the most recognisable spots in Melbourne — and, until December this year at least, Federation Square has been granted temporary heritage protection. If the interim move is extended, it also could thwart one of the city's most controversial new projects: Apple's plans to build its first Australian flagship store. Courtesy of an interim protection order issued on August 21, no work can take place on the site until December 21 without Heritage Victoria's approval. Given that construction on the Apple store wasn't slated to start until next year, the move won't have a significant impact at present. That said, The Age reports that the order is being taken as a sign that permanent heritage protection could be sought for the inner-city space, despite the fact that it's only 16 years old. Giving Fed Square ongoing heritage status would obviously have wider-reaching consequences — including when it comes to pulling down existing buildings. After being announced late last year, Apple's proposed Fed Square store has received considerable community backlash, with new designs revealed in July in response. The opposition to the store isn't just about how it looks, though, but the fact that it'll tear down and replace the existing Yarra Building, and also displace the Koorie Heritage Trust in the process. Contentiously, it'll also see public land sold off to a commercial retailer. Regardless of how Fed Square's permanent heritage status pans out — and if indeed it has any impact upon the Apple store — the current temporary order could slightly stall the other big change taking place in the vicinity, the Metro Tunnel. Fed Square's visitor centre is set to be demolished to build an entry to the tunnel, with work due to begin next month. To proceed according to schedule, contractor Cross Yarra Partnership will need to apply for a permit or exemption to go ahead — something it is expected to do this week, according to the Herald Sun. Via The Age / Herald Sun.
For one week each September, Brisbane becomes Australia's live music capital — even if a Melbourne survey generally claims otherwise. When BIGSOUND hits the city, it seems like every venue in Fortitude Valley is packed to the rafters with bands, industry folks and music-loving punters, all enjoying the latest and greatest the country's music scene has to offer. And given this year's complete lineup, expect that to be the case once again. After unveiling its first 76 acts for 2019 last month, BIGSOUND has revealed who else it'll play host to between September 3–6. As always, it's a hefty bunch. Mojo Juju, These New South Whales, Adrian Eagle, imbi the girl and Cry Club join a bill that already includes the likes of Bad//Dreems, Electric Fields, SCABZ, Outright, Milan Ring, LOSER, Tones & I and Tasman Keith, plus yergurl, EGOISM, Stevan, Laura Imbruglia and Concrete Surfers. Yes, the list goes on, with 147 artists gracing the event's stages in total. BIGSOUND has also announced its full range of venues, reaching 18 all up, all across Fortitude Valley. Attendees can expect to get cosy in smaller spaces including Black Bear Lodge and Heya Bar, tap their toes at big stages like The Zoo, The Brightside, and Crowbar, and enjoy the night air at outdoor spots such as The Valley Drive In, The Elephant Hotel and Ric's Big Backyard. As previously revealed, this year's talking heads will include keynote speaker Terry McBride, CEO and co-founder of Nettwerk Music Group, which includes Canada's largest independent record label, artist management and music publishing company; and British TV and radio presenter Abbie McCarthy, from BBC Music Introducing, Radio 1 & 4 Music, and Good Karma Club. This is a conference as well as a festival, after all — although, you can choose to hear wise words of wisdom, dance all night, or both. [caption id="attachment_636255" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bec Taylor[/caption] Past BIGSOUNDs have showcased everyone from Gang of Youths, Flume, Tash Sultana and Courtney Barnett to San Cisco, Violent Soho, Methyl Ethel and The Jungle Giants, so its program is usually a very reliable bellwether of current and up-and-coming talent. Even better — the festival's four-night $85 (plus booking fee) Rainbow Pass nabs you access to 270 music showcases at the 18 venues. To view the full BIGSOUND 2019 lineup, visit the event's website. BIGSOUND 2019 runs from September 3–6 at various venues around Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. For further details or to buy tickets from 9am on Monday, June 27, visit bigsound.org.au. To discover what to do, see, eat and drink while visiting Brissie for the annual event, check out our weekender's guide to Brisbane during BIGSOUND. Top image: Kult Kyss at BigSound 2018.
Do you have eyes? Do you have eyes for what looks good? Are you the kind of person who knows their way around a camera, and how to use it well? Live in Sydney and love it with a passion? Then we might have an opportunity to tweak your interest. Concrete Playground and Olympus have teamed up to offer you the chance to score a particularly excellent PEN E-P1 camera with 17mm kit (valued at $599), and at the very same time land the chance to become a Concrete Playground photographic contributor. Our photographers document Sydney's cultural life minus the boring social snaps - we don't care what you're wearing, only that you're having a good time. Now we have a brand new galleries section, we're looking for someone with an incredible eye to help us share those moments that make this city the ever-changing, never-boring place it is to be. If you think you're the right person for the gig, shoot us an email over to hello@concreteplayground.com.au with a photo you've taken that you think captures something special about Sydney. We'll upload the best snaps to an album on our Facebook page, and invite people to vote for the picture they like best. If your photo gets the most 'likes', the camera and a place in the Concrete Playground family shall be yours. Entries close May 13, 2011 at 5pm.
If you like filling your house with Swedish furniture and homewares, then an IKEA voucher is probably high on your Christmas list. Or, you could treat yo'self in the lead up, because buying yourself a few presents is always perfectly acceptable — and also get your festive shopping done, listen to Christmas tunes and tuck into a three-course Christmas dinner. Yes, two faves are joining forces, again — and this time, instead of Halloween, IKEA is embracing Christmas. Yes, you can eat those Swedish meatballs; however, there's more on the menu, including either a Swedish seafood tasting plate or vegetable ball falafels for starters. From there, there's roast turkey with cranberry and orange stuffing, herb-crusted baked salmon, Christmas plum pudding with berry compote, DAIM cake and berry gelato cake. Happening at the brand's Springvale and Richmond stores in Melbourne, the Christmas feast costs $30 for adults and $25 if you're an IKEA Family member. You'll want to book tickets ASAP — IKEA's food events are always popular — for 6pm on Thursday, December 8 at Springvale, and the same time on Tuesday, December 13 at Richmond.
Whether it's a television series or a movie, when a beloved pop culture entity comes to an end these days, fans rarely have to say goodbye forever. We live in a time of remakes, reboots, revivals, sequels and prequels, after all — and stage adaptations and film-to-TV leaps, too — so usually we're just pressing pause on our favourites, rather than farewelling them permanently. Given how successful Game of Thrones proved for HBO — even after its eighth and final season caused plenty of uproar — the on-screen world inspired by George RR Martin's books was never going to simply disappear. Indeed, before GoT even finished, there was chatter about what would come next, with the network first announcing that it was considering five different prequel ideas. It then green-lit one to pilot stage, scrapped it and later decided to adapt Martin's House Targaryen-focused Fire & Blood for the small screen as a show called House of the Dragon. Next, it opted to give novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg the TV treatment, too, and to work on an animated GoT show. And, it's been reported that another three prequels are also under consideration. Of course, all of the above announcements have been happening for so long that it's easy to forget that new GoT-related shows will eventually grace the small screen — and that we won't just merely be talking about them. In House of the Dragon's case, it's actually due to release its ten-episode first season in 2022, so you now know what to look forward to watching next year. Expect to spend more time with flame-breathing scaly creatures and the family that adores them. If you thought the Targaryens were chaotic already, delving into their history — and their love of using dragons to wage wars and claim power — is certain to cement that idea. We all know what happened to the last surviving members of the family in GoT, including Daenerys and her boyfriend/nephew Jon Snow; however, House of the Dragon, like Fire & Blood, jumps back 300 years earlier. Cast- and character-wise, House of the Dragon stars Emma D'Arcy (Misbehaviour) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the first-born child of King Viserys; Matt Smith (His House) as Prince Daemon Targaryen, the King's brother; Rhys Ifans (Official Secrets) as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King; Olivia Cooke (Pixie) as Alicent Hightower, Otto's daughter; and Steve Toussaint (It's a Sin) as Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka 'The Sea Snake', a nautical adventurer from a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. And if you're wondering how they all look, HBO has also just released its first official images from the series. These Westerosi folk will all grace a tale that harks back to Aegon I Targaryen's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms — which is what started the hefty 738-page first volume in Fire & Blood's planned two-book series — and then works through the family's history from there. Aegon I created the Iron Throne, so you'll probably get to see one returning favourite. And you don't have to be the Three-Eyed Raven to know that this tale involves plenty of GoT's staples: fighting, battles for supremacy and bloodshed. Also set to pop up on-camera: Paddy Considine (The Third Day) as King Viserys, Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon and Sonoya Mizuno (Devs) as Mysaria, Prince Daemon's paramour. Behind the scenes, Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal are acting as the series' showrunners. Sapochnik has a hefty GoT history, winning an Emmy and a Directors Guild Award for directing 'Battle of The Bastards', helming season eight's 'The Long Night', and doing the same on four other episodes. As for Condal, he co-created and oversaw recent sci-fi series Colony, and co-wrote the screenplay for the 2018 film Rampage. House of the Dragon is due to start airing on HBO sometime in 2022. When and where it'll be available to watch Down Under hasn't yet been revealed — we'll update you with further details when they're announced. Images: Ollie Upton/HBO.
Don your communist red, grab a megaphone and possibly swipe some rotten fruit on your way there — this is exactly what it sounds like. Brought to Fringe by Joshua Ladgrove (AKA Dr Neal Portenza), this simple but genius work involves pinning a picture of the maligned Federal Treasurer to the front wall of the theatre, letting in a bunch of pissed off people, and watching the beautiful and inevitable unfold before your eyes. It's a concept he's tried before. At last year's Fringe, Come Heckle Christ appealed to the filthy heathens among us and made for quite the show. This one understandably has a broader appeal. As Ladgrove himself states, it's really for "anyone not earning $500,000 or more". This event was chosen as one of the top ten things to see at this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival. See the full list here.
Do you ever find yourself tuning in to your favourite podcast and then tuning back out again because you're fantasising about being on the podcast? Laughing along with the host, practising your hot takes on controversial topics, and, of course, planning your humble-brag post for when you announce it on social media? Come on, we all do it. If you're that passionate about your podcasts, you should consider turning that passion into a profession. Plus, it'll bring you one step closer to an invitation to speak on the podcast of your dreams. Sure, launching into unknown career territory can be daunting, but it can also be rewarding. Luckily, Open Universities Australia (OUA) helps you find a degree to fit your goals, and study it online. So, no matter your physical proximity to the university running the course, or your life commitments, you can make it happen. Whether you're a first-time student, an aiming-to-finisher, or just looking to extend your career options by adding another notch to your belt, we know that half the battle is figuring out what you actually want to study. So, why not use the hours you've already dedicated to your favourite podcasts? Chances are your favourite genre might give you a pretty good clue as to what you're into. Read on to discover eight possible careers based on what you love to listen to. TEACHER'S PET Consider studying: Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice with Griffith University or Bachelor of Criminal Justice with University of South Australia. First up: excellent taste in podcast. Secondly: you're not alone in your ghoulish interest in murders and whodunits. This Aussie crime podcast has taken the world by storm — we seem to be morbidly fascinated in murder, assault and a bunch of gory details. Basically, Teacher's Pet gives you an insight into humanity's dark side. And if that presses your buttons, it could make you a great candidate for criminology or a criminal justice degree. If you're into uncovering bloodthirsty crimes, consider studying a criminology or a criminal justice degree online through OUA. It'll open you up to career opportunities in areas such as policing, correctional services or intelligence analysis. 7AM Consider studying: Bachelor of Communication with Griffith University or with University of South Australia. This news and current events podcast, produced by the crew behind publications The Monthly and The Saturday Paper, is a surefire way to know what's up. If you're an avid listener, it's likely that you're keen to keep up with what's going on in the world. Plus, if you're drawn to its punchy interviews and alternate analysis of news events, then you should strap in for a wild ride in communications and journalism. You'll learn all the tools you need to hold your own in interviews and produce stories that are engaging and that matter. And, when you study online through OUA, any previous relevant work experience you have may be counted, too. SCIENCE VS. Consider studying: Diploma in Science with University of New England. If you were the kid who debunked Santa Claus with cold, hard reasoning, you probably now listen to Science Vs. And, if you get riled up by the hosts debunking science's greatest myths and fads, pitting them against scientists to get to the facts straight, then you should be firing up the bunsen burner. Or, you could start by studying a Diploma in Science. Studying will give you a broad understanding of all things science but, more importantly, train you to think with scientific reasoning. Once you've got that down pat, every day will be like an episode of Science Vs. And, when you enrol through OUA, you can get started on your tertiary path even if you don't have an ATAR or any relevant work experience. STARTUP Consider studying: Bachelor of Business or a Master of Business Administration (MBA), available from a range of universities. Longtime listeners of Startup will be able to appreciate that running a business is not as easy as having a good idea — it takes an amazing amount of grind, too. Sure, there are office ping pong tables, nap pods and fridges full of beer (sometimes). But when working at one, you'll often need to wear a lot of hats. From HR issues and strategic planning one minute to thinking outside of the box and crunching numbers the next, the roles in newer companies are often blurred, so finding the right hat stand can be hard. But, if you're serious about joining a startup or building something of your own, a great place to start is with a Bachelor of Business. Or, you can level-up and undertake a Master of Business Administration. Plus, if you study through OUA, you'll be studying online, which means more time for you to work on your main hustle: building your very own startup. TRAVEL WITH RICK STEVES Consider studying: Language subjects with Australian National University or a Graduate Certificate in TESOL with Bond University. We're very visual creatures — now more so than ever before. So, you wouldn't think a travel podcast would have a hope in hell of hitting 500-plus episodes, let alone have a huge following. But Rick Steves' unambiguously titled podcast, Travel with Rick Steves, tells such rich, practical and linguistically driven stories that virtually transport you to another country instantly. It's also far more informative (and interesting) than envying your mate at Yacht Week via Instagram. So, if this podcast gives you itchy feet, consider planning a more immersive travel experience by learning another language. Or, if you're a native language wiz, consider studying a Graduate Certificate in TESOL so you can help others learn English. Not only will you be able to teach English as an additional language in Australia, but it may also open up teaching jobs around the world. STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW Consider studying: Bachelor of Education in Primary, Secondary or Early Childhood Education with Curtin University. Stuff You Should Know has been around for a while now. Investigating everyday topics and ideas, it teaches you a lot. If you've been tuning in to this podcast, chances are you're a keen learner — and you know a bunch of stuff. So, why not apply all this knowledge by educating the future generation. Your mates are probably bored of you monologuing at them about esoteric topics by now anyway. That said, you'll need a degree to be a teacher. You can undertake a bachelor degree in primary, secondary or early childhood education and, if you struggle to decide between them, enrolling through OUA allows you to study single subjects and make up your mind once you've completed a few. GASTROPOD Consider studying: Bachelor of Food and Nutrition with La Trobe University. Hey, you. Yeah, you over there. The one listening to Gastropod while scrolling through food-based Instagram accounts and eating a cronut. Your love for food is commendable. Not only are you probably able to justify splashing some serious cash at a new restaurant or breaking the bank on your weekly grocery run, but there are also so many career avenues that food can lead you to — think careers in nutrition, public health, agriculture or government. To get there, you can start by studying a Bachelor of Food and Nutrition with La Trobe University online through OUA. Also, studying online means you're not bound to eat at an on-campus cafeteria, which can only be a good thing. Explore hundreds of degrees from leading universities, available online through Open Universities Australia. You could have a new skill by the end of the year. Hop to it.
The urge to explore can be a little tricky to satisfy in this day and age, but the desire to find something new, go somewhere different and get an adrenalin hit along the way remains. Silent UK tells the stories of urban explorers, an emerging (and international) subcultural group dedicated to delving into closed, unknown and abandoned city spaces— the derelict buildings and the drainpipes we walk past everyday. In a new short film that takes viewers into London's underground tube network, the explorers talk frankly about what motivates their adventures — the appeal of unknown places, the beauty in what others may deem ugly, and the photographic opportunities. Mostly the explorers just do it because it's fun. That, and the fact that there is also a real risk of danger, something you should give some serious thought to if you find yourself eyeing off your local drainpipe.
If your commute to work usually involves a bus, we're sorry. Melbourne bus drivers with transport outfits Transdev and CDC Victoria will go on strike on Thursday, August 16 — for 24 hours, as part of their latest negotiations for better working conditions. The second strike in the last month, the move will leave many routes delayed or just not running at all — and, because two companies are involved, it's set to have a wider impact across the city. Services running in Ballarat and Geelong will also be impacted. Public Transport Victoria has advised that metropolitan and regional trains, trams and bus services not operated by Transdev and CDC will be running as normal. These are the metropolitan bus routes affected. For more details, a rundown of impacted regional routes and updates as they happen, check the Public Transport Victoria website. 150, 151, 153, 160, 161, 166, 167, 170, 180, 181, 190, 191, 192 200 ,207, 215, 216, 219, 220, 223, 232, 234, 235, 236, 237, 246 250, 251, 270, 271, 273, 279, 280, 281, 282, 284,285, 293, 295 302, 303, 304, 305,309, 318, 350, 364, 370, 380 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 414, 415, 417, 418, 419, 421, 423, 424, 425, 426, 439, 441, 443, 461, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498 600, 601, 605, 606, 612, 623, 624, 625, 626, 630 901, 902, 903, 905, 906, 907, 908, 922, 923 To keep up-to-date with service times, visit the PTV website. Image: CDC Victoria.
Contrary to popular belief, Melbourne is a great place to while away the colder months. Firstly, we get to watch the trees turn from gold to orange to brown and then jump in the giant piles of leaves in the park. Secondly, Melbourne becomes very cosy in the cold. Establishments are closing their shutters, stoking the fire and shifting to a stew-based menu. But the best part is getting reacquainted with the cultural delights you've been neglecting for months in lieu of hitting the beach. Summer is becoming a hazy memory and now it's time to bunker down, gather your friends close, and enjoy some indoor activities. We've teamed up with Tanqueray to hunt down some of the best autumnal things to do this season — all to be experienced with a gin in hand, of course. BOOK IN SOME GOOD BELLY LAUGHS AND POST-SHOW COCKTAILS The most wonderful time of the year isn't actually Christmas; it's Melbourne Comedy Festival season. The halls are decked with funny people from around the world and the city becomes an all-night laugh riot. Book in to see your favourite comedy acts, and once you've recovered from the belly laughs, seek out the extra advantages MCF has to offer. For two heady weeks over March and April, you'll find bars across the city packed full of performers and post-show audience members. Head to State of Grace if you want to rub shoulders with some funny people. Once there, we recommend the Little Hell cocktail — an oddly savoury and sweet combo of gin, Campari, apple, blood orange and rosemary — to give you the Dutch courage to try your own stand-up routine out on your friends. PLAN YOUR OWN STREET ART TOUR THROUGH FITZROY You can't swing a gourmet croissant in Melbourne without hitting a piece of beautiful, political street art. Fitzroy is the perfect street art hub as there's much more wall space to investigate. Don your comfiest sneakers and set off on a walking street art tour (the most Melbourne activity in the most Melbourne suburb). While wandering, make sure you look up (especially on Argyle Street) to see some stunning murals floating four storeys above you. The suburban back streets between Collingwood and Fitzroy are dense with little pieces of unintentional art too — shrines around forgotten soft toys, DIY front door murals, installation art in gardens — all flanked with colourful autumnal plane trees. Post-arty wander, try another beloved local: a cocktail at Little Odessa on Brunswick Street. Grab a classic negroni, a plate of pierogi and sit out at the street to observe the greatest street art of all: the people of Fitzroy. WRITE LOVE LETTERS TO EARTH AND THROWBACK A FEW DOZEN OYSTERS BY THE SEA It's been 50 years since Apollo 8 launched and ScienceWorks is commemorating the event with a cute initiative called Write a Love Letter to Earth. Head to the ScienceWorks website to scribe your fondest earth sentiments and prepare to tell the little blue marble how you feel. A selection of submissions is on display at ScienceWorks as part of its Museum of the Moon exhibition. So check to see if your admiration gets featured, and once you've fully taken in all of earth's wonders, taste her best work: oysters. Head to Sebastien Beach Grill and Bar close by in Williamstown, and have yourself a merry little feast as you watch the stars wheel overhead. Wash it down with a gin and tonic or two and conversations about the vastness of space. GET BOTANICALLY INSPIRED AT THE FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW Don your gardening gloves and prepare for some serious botanical inspiration at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in Carlton Gardens. It's a huge show, with so much more than just plants for sale. You'll find floral fashion, art and sculpture stores, live music, flower arranging contests and, of course, both surreal and achievable garden displays. Once you've stocked up on rare orchids, stroll over to Black Pearl in Fitzroy for a tipple in its cosy confines. The Pearl is known for moody, atmospheric drinking nooks and a rich cocktail menu. We recommend the Bandersnatch, made with Tanqueray, manzanilla, pear and a healthy dash of Cocchi Americano. Decompress with a botanical cocktail in hand as you contemplate how you'll arrange your new flowering botanicals at home. FIND YOUR INNER PEACE AT A JAPANESE BATHOUSE IN THE CITY If you're dying to go to Japan but can't quite make it work this season, bring a cosy little slice of Nippon to you. Book in for a relaxing spa session at Onsen Ma in the city. You can opt for a self-guided, self-reflective onsen experience in the public baths or go the whole hog and zen out with a private bath, massage and steam, too. Once you're sufficiently warmed and unwound, glide across the city toward the other side of the spectrum of Japanese experiences: intense and mind-blowing food adventures. Supernormal needs no introduction and you can probably guess what we recommend: the famous peanut butter parfait. However, before you get to dessert you'd better eat some veggies. Try the tomato, white nectarine, yuzu and mozzarella for some fresh, original flavour combos, and you can't go past the classic New England lobster roll. Wash it all down with a Revival cocktail to bring you back to reality: gin, cherry, lemonade, and anise. Celebrate the return of autumn with a Tanqueray tipple in hand at home or around your city.
When it opened in May 2007 in the heart of Elwood village, The Leaf Store set out to help locals 'eat better and feel better'. This friendly neighbourhood grocer has all the weekly grocery essentials, seasonal produce, specialty items from local suppliers and a bunch of ready-to-eat meals that are actually healthy. With its own range of meal boxes and an online shop with home delivery service, Leaf is like a supermarket chain but better. Dips from Fresh Fodder (Orange, NSW), fresh lasagne and pizza bases from Coburg's Take Me Home, Ridiculously Delicious Peanut Butter made from nuts grown in Queensland, Melbourne Hot Sauce, Bramble and Hedge Confectionary, Schulz Organic Dairy — these are just some of the products and labels you'll find on the shelves of The Leaf Store.
Fine dining luxury in Rural Victoria. Bounty from a kitchen garden on a 20-hectare estate. The majestic Mt Sturgeon. Chef, Dan Hunter. The Royal Mail Hotel plates up intelligent food from a serious kitchen in the 'middle of nowhere' – the kind of Dunkeld 'nowhere' both national and international foodies justify as worth the pilgrimage. Brainchild of multi-millionaire barrister and pastoralist Allan Myers, the Royal Mail Hotel is a prodigious example of a restaurant built on plenty of money; a restaurant that is more like a mountain escape compound complete with hotel rooms and cottages. But hey, we're not complaining. We want you to meet Chef Hunter. He's a fine dining rockstar. After four years in Spain, two of which were spent heading up one of the world's top restaurants, Maugaritz in the Basque Country, Hunter returned to the motherland and was too experienced and thus 'unemployable'. It was back then, in 2007, the Royal Mail Hotel beckoned. Now we're going to be upfront about this. The Mail experience is not for everyone. It's not for those with conservative food tastes and it's definitely not for those seeking out a mindless dining experience. The restaurant is more than a three hour drive from Melbourne and the 13 course degustation will set you back $170 a head or $285 with matching wines. But let us say this, everything about this place, in our opinion, is totally worth it: the unrivaled service, best produce, and stunning surrounds. Enough with the justifications. We started with rice paper, finger lime and salmon roe. The dish was texturally exciting and offered a balance of sweet and sour. Rainbow trout, coffee, black treacle was next followed by chicken crisp. At this stage we were still indulging in the 1996 Pol Roger Cuvee Reserve, Epernay France. The pancetta and spanner crab, rye cream and candied radish was a highlight as was the 1996 Crawford River Riesling, Henty Victoria. The delicacy of the nutty cream combined with the richly meaty pancetta and silky crab was hearty, intense in flavour and completely satisfying. The eel and bone marrow, eggplant and pickled vegetables was probably what I was thinking about when I spoke of the Mail not being for those with conservative food tastes. Smoked eel sits atop a heavy bone marrow, alongside pungent eggplant puree. Then there's those miniature pickled vegetables to provide the pop and crunch effect. 2005 Pio Cesare, Barbaresco Italy, has gone down a treat. Hunter's Fallen Fruit examples his fondness of nature. Bite into the crisp apple, that has been treated with calcium hydroxide, to discover a gooey inside. The almond, caramel and chamomile additions welcomed an extra sweetness to this dessert as did the 1999 Dr Loosen, Mosel Germany. For the dairy intolerant, it's likely the Mail will treat you to a quince macaroon - delectably light and fruity. So is it worth the trek? Most certainly. Hunter's food is respectful of flavours and textures. The ornate aesthetic of his menu matches perfectly the delicacy ingrained within each dish. His food is clever, attitude persevering, and hospitality unmatched.
During 2020's lockdown, Gelato Messina served up plenty of tasty specials to keep our tastebuds occupied at home — including cookie pies in choc chip, red velvet, choc-hazelnut, and peanut butter and jelly varieties, as well as 40 of its best gelato flavours — and one of them proved particularly popular: Iced Vovo tubs. Now, the gelato fiends are bringing back the gelato version of everyone's favourite childhood biscuit for another limited round. Wondering what exactly Iced VoVo gelato entails? It combines toasted coconut gelato with pieces of shortbread biscuit, then tops it with marshmallow, raspberry puree and desiccated coconut. And yes, the end result looks like the bikkies you know and love — but in a scoopable form. Available as part of Messina's 'Hot Tub' series, the Iced VoVo gelato can only be ordered online on Monday, January 18, with a one-litre tub setting you back $30. You can then go into your chosen Messina store to pick up your tub between Friday, January 22–Sunday, January 24. The tubs are available to order from all Aussie stores except The Star and Coolangatta. Gelato Messina's Iced VoVo gelato tubs will be available to order from 10am on Monday, January 18, for pick up between Friday, January 22–Sunday, January 24 — keep an eye on the Messina website for further details.
Whether you're a big nature nerd or err on the indifferent side to the science of it all, chances are you've seen at least some of Sir David Attenborough's Blue Planet. The BBC nature documentary series — narrated by the man himself and accompanied by an epic score from Hans Zimmer — first aired back in 2001, and its follow-up second season, Blue Planet II, was released just last year. But the bits you've seen on TV or YouTube are sure to be belittled when the BBC brings the live show to Australia this April. Like the performances of Harry Potter and Star Wars we've seen in recent months, Blue Planet II Live in Concert will see the documentary screened in all its glory accompanied by a live orchestra. And it's a big score. The music for Blue Earth II was composed by none other than Hans Zimmer (responsible for epics like The Lion King, Gladiator, The Dark Knight Rises and Inception) alongside Jacob Shea and David Fleming. In Australia, the score will be performed by three of the country's leading orchestras and, in lieu of Attenborough, Ab Fab's Joanna Lumley will be narrating in real time. The show will travel around Australia in March 2019, visiting Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney for just three shows all up. Tickets go on October 15. In the meantime, you can watch ehe first season of Blue Planet on Netflix. BLUE PLANET II LIVE IN CONCERT TOUR DATES March 8, 2019— Sydney Theatre, International Convention Centre, Sydney (with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra) March 9, 2019 — Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) March 11, 2019 — Great Hall, Convention and Exhibition Centre (with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra) Blue Planet II Live in Concert will tour Australia from May 8–11, 2019. Presale tickets will go on sale on Monday, October 15. For more info, visit blueplanet2live.com.au. Image: Hugh Miller, copyright BBC NHU (2016).
For the first time, Darling Harbour's Tumbalong Park is getting in on the Vivid Sydney action with the introduction of Tumbalong Nights. From Wednesday to Saturday throughout the festival, you can enjoy performances from the very heart of the Light Walk. From rising Aussie starlets like Stevan and Elsy Wameyo to established acts like Haiku Hands and Donny Benét — and long-time festival favourites like Hot Potato Band — there's a diverse array of musical talent at Tumbalong Nights in 2022, plus short film screenings on offer too. What's more, every single one of these events is completely free. Music will start at 8pm on Wednesdays and at 7pm from Thursday to Saturday. Plus, head down with your minis a bit earlier on Saturdays for some of Australia's best acts for children as part of Vivid Kids at Tumbalong from 5pm.
Music panel shows weren't invented when Spicks and Specks and Rockwiz started airing in Australia back in 2005, but the two series became Aussie icons quickly. Seemingly everyone watched one, the other or both, with the pair earning a devoted following by realising a pivotal fact: as well as seeing musicians live, audiences also love watching them banter, bust out their smarts and just generally connecting over music. Also taking that idea and running with it is Georgia Mooney's Supergroup, which originally debuted in Sydney in 2019 and is now taking its live variety show on the road. It's inspired by Spicks and Specks and Rockwiz, obviously; focuses on stellar songwriters; and also includes live music and interviews as well. If that sounds like your kind of night out, music fans in Sydney will get to rediscover Supergroup's wonders at the Factory Theatre from Saturday, August 13–Sunday, August 14, with an impressive lineup that includes Tim Minchin, Hannah Joy from Middle Kids and Ziggy Ramo on the first night, then Josh Pyke, Ngaiire and Martha Marlow on the second. But before that — and for the first time ever — Supergroup will also head to Brisbane and Melbourne for two shows in each city. In Queensland, from Wednesday, July 27—Thursday, July 28 at The Triffid, Ball Park Music's Sam Cromack will do the honours with Elizabeth and Seja, as will Jeremy Neale, Hope D and Evil Eddie from Butterfingers. In Victoria, Brunswick Ballroom will play host to Ruby Gill, Bob Evans and KYE on Thursday, August 4, and then to Mo'Ju, Maple Glider and Ryan Downey on Friday, August 5. Here's how it works: on each evening, the guests come together to form a band, with support from the Supergroup House Band. They'll only play together for that one night, with each high-profile songwriter taking turns to perform songs while their colleagues join in. And it's all spontaneous — with no rehearsals and absolutely zero prior planning. That means that guests get an experience that's never been seen or heard before, and won't ever happen again with the same songwriters and tunes, either. "There is something quite magical about it," says All Our Exes Live in Texas' Mooney. "It is communal and whimsical and musical in the purest sense. I have a feeling this tour will take that to a new level. It's going to feel incredibly poignant to connect again in this way, after the two years we've all had." SUPERGROUP 2022 TOUR DATES: Wednesday, July 27: The Triffid, Brisbane — with Sam Cromack (Ball Park Music), Elizabeth and Seja Thursday, July 28: The Triffid, Brisbane — with Jeremy Neale, Hope D and Evil Eddie (Butterfingers) Thursday, August 4: Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne — with Ruby Gill, Bob Evans and KYE Friday, August 5: Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne — with Mo'Ju, Maple Glider and Ryan Downey Saturday, August 13: Factory Theatre, Sydney — with Tim Minchin, Hannah Joy (Middle Kids) and Ziggy Ramo Sunday, August 14: Factory Theatre, Sydney — with Josh Pyke, Ngaiire and Martha Marlow Georgia Mooney's Supergroup tours Australia in July and August — head to Georgia Mooney's website for further information and to buy tickets.
Despite the relentless challenges that came with 2021, Melbourne's bar scene has continued to grow and flourish. Against every odd, new watering holes and drinking destinations have popped up all over the city — opening everywhere from the residential streets of the southeast to sparkling 14th-storey CBD rooftops. To celebrate the freshest entrants to Melbourne's hospitality scene, we've rounded up six of our favourite new bars that opened their doors in 2021, including a sleek brewery taproom, a three-level social club and an elegant 14-storey rooftop hideaway.
