Korean dessert shop Bingsoo is opening its first Melbourne CBD store on Saturday, August 10, and is celebrating by giving away a stack of its signature dishes. Bingsoo is best known for serving bingsu — a Korean shaved ice dessert packed with different fruits, syrups and toppings — but it's championing the rest of its menu with freebies. Those who visit the store from 12–3pm on its opening day will get either a free corn dog or gilgeori thick toast sandwich. But these aren't your basic corn dogs and sangas. The deep-fried Korean corn dogs can be decked out with all kinds of toppings, including sugar, ketchup, mayo and mustard. And the thick toast sandwiches have even more options. These come chock full of fillings, from scrambled eggs and maple beef bacon to Nutella, Biscoff and taro. Like all of its menu items, they're also stunning to look at. If you're curious about — or already obsessed with — Bingsoo's bites, you're not going to want to miss this giveaway. Just be aware that the offer only lasts until the corn dogs and gilgeori are sold out. Be sure to get in early to avoid disappointment. Images: Pete Dillon.
A few decades ago, marijuana becoming legal in parts of the western world while cigarettes were banned in public venues would have seemed unthinkable. Now, who knows what the future holds for drugs? In this panel discussion, psychoactive medicines are unpacked by Australian experts. Professor Iain McGregor and Dr Samuel Banister work in the field of medicinal cannabis and will be drawing on the findings of their investigations into the changing stance of big pharma. The pair will be joined by Dr Margaret Ross, who is currently running the country's first clinical trial using psilocybin (found in magic mushrooms) and has views that challenge conventional medical perspectives. Chairing the session is journalist and drug advocate Jenny Valentish, so prepare to have your horizons widened.
Cinemas in Melbourne have been given the go-ahead to reopen, but that doesn't mean that you need to farewell that groove in your couch — or, if you're located elsewhere in Australia, that you need to miss out on one of the Victorian capital's top film festivals. After its physical event for 2020 fell victim to March's COVID-19 lockdowns, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival is returning with MQFF Interrupted, a largely online fest that's streaming nationally from Thursday, November 19–Monday, November 30. Film buffs around the country can look forward to 17 features and 40 shorts, all telling lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer stories. And it's an impressive lineup — whether you're keen on Aussie teen rom-com Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt), haunting British thriller Make Up, trans drama Lingua Franca, American vampire comedy Bit or Georgian romance And Then We Danced. Melburnians can also attend an in-person event, thanks to a Coburg Drive-In screening of Happiest Season. It stars Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis as Abby and Harper, a couple who head to the latter's parent's place for Christmas dinner — but said folks don't know that Harper is gay, let alone about Abby. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxx76RnyVIo&feature=emb_logo
Okay, you've planned a date with your special someone or a potential new flame, but you only have a $50 in your wallet. You can't go over budget — you're trying this new thing called 'being an adult and paying rent on time' — but you do want to foot the bill and seem generous, tasteful and fun. Fear not, Melbourne has many amazing date options that will make you appear to be discerning, cultured and very in-the-know. To show that you don't have to spend big to make a big impression, we've pulled together a list of spring date ideas that'll cost you just a pineapple or less, while our friends at CommBank have rounded up some top tips for living 'money smart' while you're dating or coupled up. That $50 can go a long way if you know how to spend it. So, plan one of the below and stick to your budget — your landlord will thank you for it. Split the bill easily on your next date in under a minute using a PayID (which uses the Osko payment service). Find out more here. CREATE AN EPICUREAN PICNIC Pack a picnic rug and head to Carlton, the land of culinary delights. Just off Lygon Street, you'll find Market Lane — a hole-in-the-wall iteration of the restaurant chain that serves extraordinary coffee. Order two cups of joe, then duck next door to Baker D. Chirico; it's an overwhelming experience — the smells, the treats, the stunning interior design — but keep calm and order some goodies. We recommend the almond croissants, cheese scones, bombolone and prosciutto ficelle. If you're feeling a little cheeky and have some leftover change, head around the corner to Brunetti and grab a few eclairs to complement your spread. Once your arms are laden with treats, head towards Carlton Gardens and find a nice shady patch to lay your blanket, spread out your treats and let the magic happen. [caption id="attachment_622464" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brook James.[/caption] SEE A MOVIE AT THE COBURG DRIVE-IN Nestled out in Coburg, there's a retro relic from times gone by. No, it's not a Blockbuster video shop (RIP), it's a drive-in movie theatre. Load up your car with blankets and head out north for a nice old-fashioned date night. The Coburg Drive-In occasionally shows foreign films, but the main output is blockbuster new releases, shown on a 33-metre screen. In this setting, a slapstick comedy is perfectly acceptable as it gives you a chance to chat and show off your commentary skills. Actually, Johnny English Strikes Again is surprisingly funny and a 33-metre-tall Mr Bean is sure to impress your date —or at least make 'em giggle. Two tickets will set you back $39 — make sure you book ahead of time to avoid looking silly in front of your date — which leaves just enough change for popcorn and ice cream. INDULGE THE KIDULT IN YOU AT SCIENCEWORKS If an afternoon spent at Scienceworks was your idea of heaven as a kid, why not revisit it as an adult and take a nostalgic trip back in time? Scienceworks in Spotswood is the perfect place for an afternoon of child-like anarchy, learning and wonder. Pack a picnic and head there during the week to avoid the hordes of kids, and make a beeline for the lightning sphere where you can feel like Thor for a hot sec. And, when you come to the 'Are you faster than Cathy Freeman' sprint challenge, let your date win — trust us on this one. Tickets cost $15 each, and we recommend throwing in the planetarium addition for something a bit special — but more so you can show off your cheesy space-themed compliments, "Do you live on Mars? 'Cause you look out of this world". There's also a 16-metre-high dome on which you can watch immersive and spectacular projections. HAVE A PIZZA PARTY FOR TWO Look, we know that all anyone wants on a date is a good pizza — right? So, if you're tired of trying to impress, do away with the over-the-top nonsense and just head to Lazerpig in Collingwood. You'll find the best, juiciest, most flavoursome pizza this side of the Yarra, which'll surely melt away any first date jitters (or any iciness leftover from that mini tiff you had over who took out the bins last). We recommend ordering the holy trinity: a large Italian Stallion, a euro salad and a side of house-made pickles. Or if you simply must get more bang for your buck, suggest a lunch date — between 12–3pm from Monday to Friday, you can grab a large pizza and a beer for only $15. LAZE THE DAY AWAY AT THE HEIDE Make sure the weather is favourable, and head out to the Heide Museum in Bulleen for a day of art, sculpture and lazing in the grass. Depending on your predilections, you have a few options for how to spend your time and money. If you're a fan of the art scene, pack some sandwiches and save your moolah for passes to the show. Grab two tickets at $20 a pop and treat your date to a coffee before you stroll through the museum. If you're more of a lie-in-the-grass-and-eat kinda person, save your dosh for a luxurious picnic and spend the day wandering the grounds. Entry is free and you can roam through the sculpture park at your leisure, so you still get to look like an art buff even if you don't step foot into the gallery. What's even better than paying $50 or less on a date? Getting us to pick up the bill. Enter our comp for a chance to win $250 so you can try every idea on the list. Top image: Heide Museum of Art by Jeremy Weihrauch.
In the wake of the dubious election of Donald Trump to the office of President of the United States of America, the world took a shocked breath, flabbergasted that an openly misogynistic and accused perpetrator of numerous sexual assaults could be elected to such an important position. For some, however, that shocked breath was immediately followed by plans to take action against an open enemy to women's rights and gender equality. As a result, the Women's March on Washington was born. The march aims to provide a show of power on the first day of Trump's term with the goal of demonstrating that "women's rights are human rights", according to the official website of the organisation. As a show of solidarity to the women, men, and children who will march on the U.S. Capitol, over 170 sister marches are planned to take place on the January 21 all over the world, including the Women's March on Melbourne, which will start at the State Library at 1pm on Saturday. The marches are not only to protest the systemic repression of women, but the unfair treatment of marginalised populations in general. According the Women's March On Melbourne Facebook page, the march is "against misogyny, bigotry and hatred". It is a researched fact that furthering the cause of women's rights leads to greater social growth for all demographics, and these marches are examples of the fact that policy decisions need to tackle the gender inequality that still so blatantly exists in our societies. Aside from the fact that gender inequality is a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — or just, y'know, repressing more than half the population — ignoring women's rights is detrimental to the rest of society as well, as spending time and money on women's health and rights has a multiplier effect than benefits society as a whole. The March on Washington is due to draw crowds that will rival that at Trump's inauguration, and almost 2000 people are expected to attend the march in Melbourne. Image: Kimberley Low.
We don't need no hateration, holleration in this dancerie, because Mary J. Blige is bringing her unique blend of hip hop, rhythm, blues, and soul to Melbourne in April. As part of her trip to our great southern land with Bluesfest, one of the most notable figures in the scene is hitting up Hamer Hall on April 12. Blige has played her part in redefining the genre of rhythm and blues since the early nineties, with her twelve albums since 1992's What's The 411? selling over fifty million copies. Her second release, My Life, has been rated one of the greatest albums of all time. Aside from the records and accolades that all come tumbling down at her feet, Blige's mixture of rich, soulful vocals and sharp lyricism with slick hip hop beats defines her as one of the true greats of the R'n'B genre. Rather than becoming just a trip down memory lane, Blige continues to record new tunes, cementing her status as royalty. Her latest single, U + Me (Love Lesson), is an absolute certified banger that blends old school sound with modern production techniques that lends a fresh life to her style, so get down to watch a legend of the game Work That. Catch Mary J. Blige at Bluesfest 2017 in Byron Bay, or at her Melbourne sideshow at Hamer Hall on Wednesday April 12.
Bell Shakespeare artistic director Peter Evans has teamed up with Australian stage and screen actor Kate Mulvany to bring to life one of the most manipulative, dastardly and downright evil characters ever to stand before the footlights. Mulvany will play the notorious woman-hater and generally tasteless gent, which will undoubtedly lead to some tasty additional layers in the play and a fresh look at this gem of theatre and literature. Shakespeare's classic play explores King Richard III's Machiavellian acquisition of power and has essentially served as a textbook for most politicians from Henry Kissinger to… well, you can draw your own conclusions. The themes of power, deceit and malevolence amongst the ruling elite that are central to the play, have been echoed throughout the ages. If you're keen to get more out of House of Cards, this is a good place to start. Image: Pierre Toussaint.
People travel from around the globe to see Uluru. In 2023, the Northern Territory landmark was even named one of the best places in the world to visit by The New York Times. Folks head to the Red Centre from all across Australia, too, of course — and if visiting the large sandstone formation has always been on your travel bucket list, and you're in Melbourne or Brisbane, making that trip is about to get easier. Virgin has announced new direct flights to the heritage site. From June 2024, the Aussie carrier will start two routes, which will mark the airline's first-ever legs to Uluru from Melbourne and Brisbane. The flights from the Victorian capital will begin first, on Thursday, June 6, 2024, but Queenslanders will only have to wait a day later, until Friday, June 7, 2024. After both routes kick into gear, Virgin will fly between Melbourne and Uluru four times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The carrier will zip between Brisbane and Uluru three times a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. Virgin is partnering with the Northern Territory Government and Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia — which runs Ayers Rock Resort — on the new services to get more people to the middle of the country. And it's aiming to send quite a few more tourists in that direction, with 62,000-plus seats a year on offer thanks to the two new legs. "Uluṟu is a special place in Australia and a cultural landmark that identifies this wonderful country to the world. We look forward to once again connecting Australians and international tourists alike to the spiritual heartland of Australia," said Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka. "We are also proud to be offering direct flights to Uluṟu from Melbourne and Brisbane for the first time. The forecast demand from these cities, coupled with excellent connectivity from our international airline partners, will provide a much-needed tourism boost to the region. Greater competition in the market and more seat capacity to Uluṟu will also provide travellers with more choice and value next time they fly to the Red Centre." [caption id="attachment_905928" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Salty Travellers[/caption] "Whether it's still on the bucket list or a much-loved destination, visiting Uluṟu is a must-do for international and Australian travellers alike," added Matt Cameron-Smith, CEO of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. "Demand to visit Uluṟu is incredibly strong — driven by a wealth of amazing cultural experiences including the world-first $10-million cultural drone and storytelling experience Wintjiri Wiru — and we can't wait to roll out the red carpet for Virgin Australia's return to the Red Centre." How is Virgin celebrating announcing its new routes? With a flight sale, which is obviously great news for your wallet. Until midnight AEST on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, fares start at $129 one-way in economy, as long as you're keen to travel between Thursday, June 6–Thursday, September 12, 2024. For accommodation, Ayers Rock Resort is doing $150-per-night Lost Camel Hotel stays as well. Virgin's Melbourne–Uluru services will commence on Thursday, June 6, 2024, and its Brisbane–Uluru services on Friday, June 7, 2024. The airline's Red Centre sale is slinging flights from $129 until midnight AEST on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 — head to the Virgin website for more details.
Sydney's rambunctious leotard-loving lads, Bluejuice, are calling it a day. The beloved pop/rock/dance/errrthang ratbags Jake Stone, Stavros Yiannoukas, Jamie Cibej and James Hauptmann are embarking on their final greatest hits national tour to wrap everything up by the end of 2014. "After 13 years of broken bones, broken hearts, sore heads, passive aggression, regular aggression, several arrests, questionable skin infections, and a busload of infuriated tour managers, Bluejuice are announcing they are calling it quits at the end of 2014," says the Bluejuice reps. Since 2001, the beloved Sydney outfit have had one heck of a ride, keeping the chin of Australian music up with three celebrated albums (Problems, Head of the Hawk and Company) on the shelf and still holding the position of most played track on triple j ever ('Vitriol'). Bluejuice have decided to part ways to test the waters in other projects, with the sad intention of giving those leotards a rest. Before they take their final bows, the team will release a big ol' greatest hits album — a retrospective ride dubbed Retrospectable, with all your favourite mid-2000s sticky-floored party go-tos, best bits from their three albums, extra rare content and new single 'I'll Go Crazy', produced by Dann Hume (Sticky Fingers/Alpine). Bluejuice will kick it on their final national tour this September/October. Starting at Adelaide's Uni Bar, the pair will meander through the capitals and rural centres before finishing up where it all started — Sydney (at the Metro Theatre, where many a drunken Bluejuice escapade has roamed before). In one of the most emotionally-charged press releases we've ever seen, Bluejuice's legacy is laid down. "They shall leave behind a body of work of which they are all very proud, and they look to the future with a mix of hope and fear of starvation, not unlike the chick at the end of Children Of Men." Top notch. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ldBhDmvWFXE
You can never have too many occasions to eat cheese; however Melbourne's newest celebration of everyone's favourite dairy product isn't just keen to shower cheese fiends with creamy goodness. A collaboration between Bottle Shop Concepts and Bruny Island Cheese Co cheesemaker Nick Haddow, Mould: A Cheese Festival wants dairy-lovers to explore and devour the mild, hard and soft bites that Australia's best cheese wizards have to offer. Corralling 20 local producers together, and showcasing more than 80 different varieties, the festival with paint North Melbourne's Meat Market yellow from 11am to 6pm on September 2. Yes, it'll make everyone discover just how many times they can say the word cheese before it starts to sound strange — but, it'll also feature flavoursome fare from Yarra Valley Dairy, Holy Goat Cheese, Woodside Cheese Wrights, Pyengana Dairy Company, Shaw River Buffalo Cheese, That's Amore, Grandvewe and more. Think of it as a cheese tasting trip around Australia without leaving Blackwood Street. Of course, snacking on samples and purchasing slices and slabs to take home with you are just two ways to enjoy cheese. Don't worry, Mould: A Cheese Festival has other cheese-tastic fun in store as well. In fact, the fest will boast cooking demonstrations and masterclasses so you'll know just how to make the best cheesy wonders, as well as everything from grilled cheese sandwiches and 'flaming Reubens' to raclette and cheese-flavoured gelato. You can thank Maker & Monger, Harper & Blohm and Pidapipó for all of that, with Tivoli Road Bakery joining in to serve up that cheese-accompanying staple: bread aplenty. It wouldn't be a cheese festival without beverages to wash it all down with, so expect a bar serving Aussie tipples such as Patrick Sullivan and Pennyweight wines, Starward whisky, Stone & Wood beer and Napoleone cider — and expect to spend plenty of time trying to pair your cheeses and your pints oh-so-perfectly. Tickets cost $45, which includes tastings, classes, one free glass of vino and a PLUMM wine glass to keep (and cheese dreams later, obviously). Mould: A Cheese Festival takes place from 11am to 6pm on September 2 at Meat Market, 5 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne. For more information, head to the fest's website and Facebook page.
Even if you've never been, Healesville Sanctuary is probably your happy place — it's full of adorable fluffy creatures, protects some of our important native Australian species and is located in a very peaceful part of the world. In news to make your heart swell even more, the sanctuary is hosting its very first Hop Fest on the Melbourne Cup long weekend of November 3–6. The festival will celebrate the standout craft beers and ciders being brewed int the Yarra Valley, with local brewers pouring tastings of their best drops. The whole thing will take place amongst the native flora and fauna with live music happening throughout the weekend. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to meet some of the animals — like hip-clinging koalas — which will be out and about with their keepers. There'll be a menu of street food-style snacks like sticky ribs and pulled pork tacos to help keep you going throughout the day. And, if you've outbeered yourself, head to the Chandon bar where a new classic Champagne cocktail will be poured each day. The zoo opens at 9am and drinks will flow from 11am right through to 4pm. One-day tickets are going for $49, and include all your beer and cider tastings and unlimited pats of the sanctuary's cute creatures. All proceeds will go towards Zoos Victoria's efforts to save the nearly-extinct brush-tailed rock wallaby. Drinking for four days straight has never been for such a good cause.
Lockdown is done and dusted, the weather's getting balmier and picnics are having a serious renaissance. And this summer is set to give us all a new appreciation for the humble park hang, as well as for those eats and drinks best enjoyed on grassy turf. Of course, a juicy burger is right up there on the list of ideal park accompaniments, which is why we've teamed up with Betty's Burgers & Concrete Co. to pull together this list of top Melbourne parks for an impromptu burger picnic. These rolling lawns and sun-drenched gardens are all within easy strolling distance of one of its restaurants. [caption id="attachment_754320" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] FLAGSTAFF GARDENS In the heart of the CBD, Flagstaff Gardens is a winning option for that lunchtime picnic feed. It offers the chance to bask in some greenery without chewing up too many precious lunch break minutes. Here, in the city's oldest park — established way back in 1862, you'll find plenty of huge, shady Moreton Bay figs under which to park yourself, as well as neat, sun-drenched stretches of lawn framed by footpaths and fragrant rose gardens. What's more, it's located metres from Queen Victoria Markets, making it an ideal spot for catch-ups after the weekly grocery shop. It's also conveniently close to Elizabeth Street's Betty's Burgers, for when you crave a feast without having to prep anything yourself. SCHRAMMS RESERVE Verdant lawns, shady trees and newly revamped facilities — this popular neighbourhood park has it all. Located just a few streets east of Doncaster Westfield Shopping Centre, and Betty's Burgers found inside, the 8.5-hectare Schramms Reserve has grassy areas in abundance. You'll rarely have to battle it out for a patch of turf to call your own. Plus, it's home to a couple of sports fields if you fancy watching cricket or footy with your al fresco feast. You'll also find playgrounds to keep any littlies entertained, as well as off-leash areas for those four-legged guests. [caption id="attachment_792852" align="alignnone" width="1920"] City of Stonnington[/caption] VICTORIA GARDENS The lush and leafy Victoria Gardens makes for an idyllic outdoor dining destination, offering a slice of tranquility just off Prahran's bustling High Street. Over 135 years old, this historic park was designed by the same landscaper behind the likes of Rippon Lea Estate and the Daylesford Botanic Gardens, so you know it's going to be pretty to look at. There are scores of shady spots to throw down your rug out of direct sunlight, too, and it has diverse tree varieties planted throughout. Pooches can roam free and happy in the designated off-leash area while you tuck into your park lunch, which you can pick up from Betty's in Windsor. [caption id="attachment_702339" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS The famed lawns of the Royal Botanic Gardens are brimming with primo picnicking spots. And, at 38 hectares, the park isn't short on space for everyone — consider yourself spoilt for choice, no matter what time or day you visit. Here, there are open stretches of green space, secluded nooks sheltered by trees and a couple of picturesque lakes for those keen to dine with water views. Plus, the grounds has kilometres of walking tracks, in case you find yourself in need of a post-feed digestive stroll. [caption id="attachment_794846" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Creative Commons[/caption] JELLS PARK With its sprawling parkland spaces, endless trails and scenic waterfront stretches, Jells Park offers a proper break from all that city hustle and bustle. Unfolding over 127 lush hectares in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, it has picnic spots for days, including some particularly idyllic areas overlooking Jells Lake. Throughout the precinct, you'll find scores of dedicated picnic facilities for those times you prefer a table over turf, while the kilometres of walking and cycling tracks come in handy when a leg stretch is on the cards. What's more, the park's booming bird population promises some top-notch wildlife-spotting opportunities, as well as a sweet soundtrack to any al fresco lunch, which you can pick up from Betty's at The Glen Shopping Centre. Find your nearest Betty's Burgers & Concrete Co, here.
It's time to get that old jester suit out of Mum's costume box and read up on how to make mead because the next instalment of Underground Cinema will be of the medieval fantasy genre. Thy kingdom will open its Royal Court to its subjects (you) while providing delicious era-appropriate snacks (cheese and wine) for seven appointments (nights in July). If you haven't been to an Underground Cinema show before, know that it's much more than just a cinema — they use actors, sets and costumes to immerse the audience in the film (to be revealed on the night) and make them part of that world. We're sure this time round will no exception, and you'll be summoning your dragon instead of an Uber to take you home. The location is secret for now with more details upon ticket purchase, and the only instructions are a) to bring your will to conquer, and b) be valiant — so you can assume you're in for something that'll have you wishing you lived in Westeros and played the lute. Tickets sell fast and some nights have already sold out, so get in quick sticks, lords and ladies.
Last year was hot. We sweltered through Australia's warmest summer on record, a hotter-than-standard autumn, a warmer-than-usual winter and a spicy spring as well. To the surprise of no one, the next few months look set to continue the trend. This week, BOM released its climate outlook for the March to May period, revealing that most of the country is in for warmer days and stickier nights than we usually see at this time of year. Yep, the soupy weather is set to continue. In fact, across the majority of Australia, there's a 60–80 percent chance autumn temperatures will be a whole lot warmer than the median. To give an idea of exactly what that all means, the average daily maximum temperature for March sits at around 23.9 degrees in Melbourne, 24.8 in Sydney and 28 in Brisbane. In May, it's around 16.7 degrees for Melbourne, with 19.5 for Sydney and 23.2 for Brisbane. The BOM is forecasting that we'll see warmer than that across the three months. Unfortunately for farmers, parts of Queensland are looking to struggle through drier-than-average autumns, too. Elsewhere, it's likely rainfall will be relatively average. While recent heavy rainfall across NSW and southeast Qld has helped ease the dry in some areas (and increase Sydney's water storage by a whopping 30 percent), BOM is saying some regions require "several months of above average rainfall" to bring them out of drought — which doesn't look likely to happen this autumn. The recent spate of heavy rain has also helped — thankfully — to ease some of the catastrophic bushfires that have been burning across the country, with the NSW RFS today announcing that for the first time this season all bush and grass fires in NSW are now contained. While that is unquestionably great news, it might not be the case for long, with BOM saying the warmer-than-average days and nights predicted over the next four months will increase the chance of heatwaves and elevate bushfire risk. Image: Kenny Lover by Julia Sansone
It's hard to believe we've been rustling around the trinkets and goodies at 1000 £ Bend for three years now. This Sunday, Bend and Snap Market celebrates its third birthday with another stellar showing of local creative talent. Pick up some cheap designer threads, a ornately crafted necklace, or a one-of-a-kind artwork. This is still one of our favourite places in the city to stumble upon unique treats and potential presents. From 11am-4pm, 1000 £ Bend will be hosting the diverse wares of a bunch of creative folks. Grab some specialty candles in beautiful glass jars from Elizabeth & Mary, some very cutesy curio from RunRabbit, or celebrate Bend & Snap's birthday in gluttonous style by feasting on the latest creations from Mille & B. Prepare yourself for this one: they make cakes out of a zillion (20) layers of delicious crepes. Your choices include Nutella Hazelnutella Banan, Sweet Salted Caramel, Balsamic Strawberry, and Oreo Oreo. If you need us, we'll be shamefully cramming crepe cake into our mouths in the corner. See you there.
Explore the role of women in the creation of the modern Australian city at a free talk in the Queen Victoria Gardens' MPavilion. Presented by Parlour, an advocacy group committed to expanding the opportunities for women in Australian architecture, Women Transforming the City will feature some of the foremost architectural experts in the country. Together, they discuss the incalculable contribution of women in the development of the nation's urban spaces. Join Parlour founder Justine Clarke, urbanist Jane Jose, architect Shelly Penn and historians Renate Howl and Karen Burns as they chronicle the ways in which female activists, architects, philanthropists and politicians have helped shaped Australia as we know it today. The discussion begins at 6pm at MPavilion opposite the Arts Centre, and is one of numerous talks in the MTalks program, which will be hosted in the pop-up culture hub over the next four months.
If an evening spent scoffing cheese, quaffing wine and mastering the art of ceramics sounds like your kind of lockdown situation, then you'd best clear all other weekend plans. The cheese experts at Maker & Monger have joined forces with The Pot Dispensary ceramics studio and created the boredom-busting iso kit you've been waiting for. Designed for two-to-four people, the new Cheese, Wine & Pottery Pack ($190) is a jam-packed evening of fun in a box, which you can have sent directly to your doorstep. Inside, you'll find all the bits and pieces needed to whip up a few pottery masterpieces: five kilograms of stoneware clay, a cotton work surface, a ceramics toolkit and a step-by-step guide. Plus, there's plenty more expert guidance over on The Pot Dispensary's Instagram IGTV channel, with a series of easy-to-follow video tutorials for making bowls, incense holders and more. While you flex all that creative muscle, you can enjoy some hard-earned vino. The box comes with your choice of Mosaique wine, either the Clotilde Davenne Crémant de Bourgogne fizz, or a 2019 Domaine Raphael Chopin gamay. They're both French and they both pair well to the kit's other star additions — a trio of cheeses and accompaniments, as chosen by Maker & Monger's Anthony Femia. Dig into the likes of a Marcel Petite comté, gorgonzola with honeycomb, the Delice de Bourgogne triple cream brie, Bonilla a la Vista potato crisps, fresh grapes and quince paste. Pick up is available from the Prahran Market, or you can arrange delivery to select suburbs for an additional fee. Images: Kate Shanasy
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.
Mary, Queen of Scots is a film steeped in two time periods, yet firmly of the times. A historical drama set in the 16th century as two female monarchs battle for supremacy, it's also a movie that could've only been made today. The true tale itself has graced the screen before, but the angle favoured by this interpretation of the story is straight out of the #MeToo era. As much as Mary, Queen of Scots tells of its titular ruler (Saoirse Ronan) and her conflict with her cousin Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), it also explores the forces pitting them against each other and putting them in their places. When Mary returns to Scotland after a childhood spent in France, she regains her throne and sets her sights on her other birthright. The only legitimate child of King James V, she boasts a claim to England, even if Elizabeth already wears that crown. What follows is a quest for sovereignty by two relatives as different as they are alike. Mary is a teenage Catholic open to love, life and birthing a successor to both kingdoms, while Elizabeth is a Protestant who refuses to marry and isn't expected to bear an heir. But they're each headstrong, intelligent and passionate, and determined to fight for what's theirs regardless of the obstacles in their path. In a movie filled with men unhappy about serving the fairer sex, including Mary's disapproving half-brother (James McArdle), a scare-mongering religious leader (David Tennant) and Elizabeth's duplicitous chief advisor (Guy Pearce), there's no doubting how cruel the world can be to a woman in power. While political manoeuvring and machinations drive Mary, Queen of Scots' plot, confident first-time director Josie Rourke works with screenwriter Beau Willimon (House of Cards) to focus on the bigger picture. Behind both queens stands a line of wolves in sheep's clothing, complying with their rulers to the bare minimum and trying to push their own agendas. If the male posturing and plotting didn't ring so true, it might've felt like a forced, convenient modern revision designed to highlight that women still struggle to be taken seriously, even if their troubles are finally getting more attention. Sadly, men attempting to tear down female leaders hasn't gone out of fashion in the past five centuries. A veteran of the London stage before this, Rourke knows where the strength of the story lies. Although her handsomely mounted picture is based on the biography Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart and clearly favours the Scottish monarch over her cousin, Mary's struggles are deepened by the comparison to Elizabeth. Indeed, through skilled, fluid cross-cutting, the film convincingly closes the gap between two women who only actually share one scene. Their face-to-face, when it comes, is climactic, emotional and memorable (not to mention strikingly staged by Rourke and her team), but Mary, Queen of Scots places them face-to-face from start to finish, in a manner. History branded Mary and Elizabeth competitors; this version of history sees them as kindred spirits. Still, for all of Mary, Queen of Scots' successes, it ultimately mirrors the plight of its protagonists: striving for greatness, and to make an impact, yet often weighed down. It's a fine, meaningful film that could've been stellar, but sometimes makes its minutiae feel routine and elongated. After a while, the letters back and forth, the scheming and strategies, and the fears and the threats all bleed into each other, even for those already familiar with the details. Thankfully, the same can never be said of 2018 Oscar nominees Ronan and Robbie, each worlds apart from their respective acclaimed roles in Lady Bird and I, Tonya. One is plucky and idealistic, the other fierce yet silently fraying, and both are tinged by exhaustion and frustration — not from squaring off against each other, but from simply fighting to exist. Any movie would be lucky to have them, and their equally timely and timeless vision of women holding their own. Mary, Queen of Scots is lucky to have both. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEC-F8cBD9s
Conveniently (and fittingly) located next to Gardenvale train station, Think Blooms offers freshly cut flowers, indoor plants and impressive floral arrangements. The store is owned and operated by founder Emily, who has been interested in floristry from a young age. Her passion shows in the Brighton store where she produces floral arrangements for weddings, corporate events and small-scale personal gifts. In addition to seriously beautiful flower arrangements (check it out on Instagram), Think Blooms sells a variety of floral-inspired artwork and general giftware. If you're wanting to shop like a local while in Brighton, Think Blooms should be on your list.
Thanks to a certain chest-bursting franchise that first hit screens more than four decades ago, Ridley Scott has long been synonymous with science fiction. So when the veteran filmmaker jumps onboard a sci-fi TV series — featuring androids again, but no aliens this time around — it's definitely something worth paying attention to. That show is Raised by Wolves, which is set in a dystopian future in the 22nd century, when the earth has been destroyed by war. Two androids, known only as Mother and Father, head to the planet Kepler-22b with two human embryos in their care, with the obvious aim of restarting civilisation. While it's immediately apparent that little will go as planned — that's just not human nature — don't go thinking that you'll be able to pick this striking, big-thinking series' every twist and turn.
One of Australia's most beloved film critics is coming to a cinema near you — and she's bringing some of the greatest movies ever made along for the trip. Co-curated by Margaret Pomeranz, the Hollywood Retro Film Festival will showcase 22 classic titles from the 1930s to the 1960s, many which have not been seen on the big screen in decades. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Trying to narrow down the program into a list of highlights is all but impossible — after all, there's not a single weak film on there. The Searchers, Spartacus and Gone with the Wind should please fans of historic drama, while lovers of film noir can catch Sunset Boulevard and The Maltese Falcon. If you want something a little lighter, try It's a Wonderful Life, or tap your toes along to Singin' in the Rain. And if you're really undecided, perhaps try Citizen Kane. We hear that one's meant to be pretty solid. See the full Hollywood Retro Film Festival program here.
Go to the cinema in India and you’re in for a real show — answering the blower at pivotal narrative moments and launching into loud, unbridled conversation, heavy jostling, impromptu sing-a-long's minus the bouncing red ball and throwing betel nut in particularly involving sequences are all common practice. Amidst all this lively commotion it’s easy to lose sight of the real action taking place onscreen, a crying shame considering the vividly crafted, infectiously emotive hyper-realities for which the Indian film industry has become world famous. This May, the second annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, which fortuitously falls on the 100 year anniversary of Indian films, brings a broad selection of more than 60 of India and the wider sub-continent’s best cinema to local Hoyts and ACMI theatres. Highlights include ACMI’s 100 Years of Indian Cinema program, pure sequin encrusted escapism via Hurrah Bollywood and the counter-balancing Beyond Bollywood, a collection of experimental, art house films that suggest a deeper side to the industry, beyond much appreciated heaving bosoms and random explosions of song. Those wishing to become part of the action, a la the aforementioned Indian fondness for audience participation, can partake in the Bollywood Dance Competition at Fed Square on May 4, or attend one of multiple corresponding masterclasses, hosted by Bollywood’s finest throughout the festival. BYO bindi. Image via Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2013
Lost in Space, Loosely Speaking and Royalty are three new exhibitions at the ever-experimental Gertrude Contemporary, Melborne's first and best executed combined gallery and studio complex. Dan Moynihan's Lost in Space is an exhibition within an exhibition. Without descending into Matrix-style lingo, Moynihan devises a fantasy art gallery within the front space in which to live out an alternative version of his artistic career. This installation leads all those who enter his faux space into fictional scenarios inspired by his previous art residencies, train station encounters and artistic angst. Loosely Speaking is a collaborative effort between Ruth Buchanan, Sarah Crowest and Adele Mills. It considers the slippery logic of language and the inconsistencies of social expectations. The three women use sound, video and sculpture to gently point out how easily words and gestures can fall into the gap between understanding and misunderstanding. Reko Rennie's Royalty puts urban Aboriginal issues up in neon lights. As a Gertrude Contemporary studio artist, he draws upon local graffiti and streetscapes to feed his enduring passion for exploring contemporary Aboriginal identity via spray paint, installation and projection. While each exhibition is unique, they are all linked by a desire to recreate the spaces we move through unthinkingly, the interactions we crave automatically, and the city we take for granted.
Part bar, part performance venue, Loop provides a space for artists, film makers and live audiovisual performers (and fans of all the above) to share their creative energies — over a pizza and pot of beer. With an event calendar that offers something different almost every night of the week, expect film festival screenings, performances of buzzing electro-pop and DJs every weekend. Loop is also a pillar of the local filmmaking community, presenting Comfortable Shorts each month — a series of short films from local and international creatives.
It seems a pretty hard task to follow Hannah Gadsby's international smash-hit show, Nanette. After all, the one-woman stand-up performance copped serious praise on its 18-month travels across Australia and the UK, even scooping the top honours at both the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It also spawned its very own Netflix special. And when Gadsby used the show to announce she was quitting comedy for good, we thought that was it. But indeed, the beloved Aussie comedian is set to give the follow-up a red hot crack when she returns to the stand-up stage with her latest work, Douglas, named after her own pet pooch. While Nanette pulled apart the concept of comedy itself, dishing up an insight into Gadsby's past, Douglas promises to deliver a serve of "very new ideas", collected during her recent travels around the planet. This show will mark Gadsby's first-ever US tour, though us locals are getting first dibs, as Douglas makes its world debut with an Arts Centre stint for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Hannah Gadsby: Douglas tickets will go on sale at 10am AEDT on Wednesday, February 13. You can sign-up for pre-sale access here. First image: Jim Lee.
You might consider yourself a dumpling aficionado, but how many nations have your dumpling adventures taken you to? It's easy enough in downtown Melbourne to get your mouth around a xiao long bao from Shanghai or a prawn gow gee, but dumplings from other places — like Canada or Nepal — are not so easy to come by. Luckily, South Yarra's Oriental Teahouse wants to help you seriously expand your global experience — all in one night. As part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, the eatery is hosting the United Nations of Dumplings. Happening on Monday, March 19 and again on Wednesday, March 21, it'll give you the chance to sample 16 dumplings from as many countries. Get ready for Nepalese turkey momos with tomato cilantro sauce, Polynesian crab Rangoon fried wontons, maple syrup dumplings direct from Quebec and another 13 parcels of wonder. Dumplings alone will set you back $58 and you can add matching drinks for an extra 40 bucks.
They don't make them like Nicholas Alexander Gray anymore. Besides having a name that sounds like an Oscar Wilde character, Gray is an artist, arts therapist, antiques buyer, grape picker, puppet maker, graphic designer and book collector. He's also working on an English translation of a series of seminal Buddhist texts, making a could be portrait of Nicholas Gray very intriguing indeed. Collingwood's House of Bricks gallery is hosting an enormous art book sale filled with over 2000 aesthetically inclined page turners acquired by Gray on the aforementioned crazy journey he calls life. Running alongside the sale is a collection of Gray's paintings and sculptures, also available for viewing and purchase. On Tuesday May 28 from 6pm-8pm the event opens with drinks and a performance by Gray's choir (yes, he has a choir). Image via House of Bricks.
It’s hard to write about art. How to even attempt to effectively communicate and quantify something so imaginative and indefinable that the person who made it probably doesn’t even use lined paper to scrawl their notes because they’re just so darned creative that even their shopping lists can’t exist within confines. You know what’s harder than writing about one exhibition? Writing about five. I throw my hands up, I have been defeated — West Space’s next wave of exhibitions, opening this Thursday night, can speak for themselves. In the front space Jessie Bullivant’s Giving away something that is free could be a reference to the generosity of West Space’s (free or heavily discounted, I’m not sure) bar policy. In actual fact it’s about the relationship between the size of an action and it’s weight, that other idea is just a conspiracy theory and happy coincidence. Elsewhere, Scott Mitchell’s Object Therapy obsessively explores the nature of…stuff, Pulp Fictions by Jonas Ropponen and Andy Hutson showcases a papier-mache exchange program (the best kind of exchange program), Andie Tham’s Inherited and Borrowed reimagines the grandiose and the mundane in cardboard silhouettes and Risa Sato’s Spaceship ‘Kari-nui’ sees an inflatable spaceship touch down, all the way from Yokohama via Pluto, Saturn and Mars. I could try and draw connections between this big old smorgasbord of art, but I’d be clutching at straws. Get down there to forge your own associations, whilst enjoying the high quality people watching always on offer at a West Space opening. Image credit Scott Mitchell.
It's time to live out all your Tony Hawk Pro Skater dreams from 1998. Converse Australia — those perennial titans of street cred — are bringing you a bunch of free skate workshops and assorted cool dude-ery. Over the course of two weekends, Converse are giving you the chance to learn off experts like Kenny Anderson, Nick Trapasso, Mike Anderson, and Andrew Brophy for the ever-convenient price of free. From 12-5pm on Saturday, June 8 you can get some hands-on experience making ramps and other handy skate obstacles out of wood, then follow it up the next day with a crash course in concrete. The following weekend will be one for the show-offs. From 12-5pm on Saturday, June 14, Andrew Peters and Bryce Golder will be leading a course on skate photography. Hot tip: anything shot with a fish eye lens is automatically cool. If that's not enough, skate video producer Su Young Choi will be leading a videography workshop the very next day. All the workshops are free of charge, but get in quick. Once the sk8r bois of Brunswick and Fitzroy get wind of this, places won't last long. Book your place here. Photo credit: Chris H.B. Rogers via photopin cc.
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.
We're in the thick of a glorious summer of festivals and you might be feeling the pinch in your pocket book (then again, who uses a pocket book anymore?). But don't you worry little darlings, we've got just the ticket — literally. We have a pretty darn sweet giveaway in our hot little hands which includes two tickets to Sugar Mountain festival which is happening on January 23 at the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Arts Precinct. Thanks to the legends at Thinking Loud, Bacardi and Sugar Mountain, your weekend is now sorted. Importantly, this killer prize is for those of you who aren't afraid of a kick-on, because you'll also be getting two tickets to the official afterparty Hot Wax: Sugar Mountain Friends and Family Party presented by Bacardi Fuego. It's kicking on the next day, Sunday, January 24, at the Curtin House rooftop bar and the lineup includes Noise In My Head, Tom Trago and Andy Hart. It’s an exclusive guestlisted event from 12pm-3pm and where you can rub shoulders with the Sugar Mountain crew and from 3pm the doors are open to the public. You’ll actually save a whole heap of money because the prize pack includes complimentary drinks at both events — both events. And the best part? Free Boiler Room t-shirt, yesssss. Sugar Mountain is happening January 23 and Hot Wax — Sugar Mountain Friends and Family Party presented by Bacardi Fuego is on January 24. Final release tickets for the festival are $119, but thanks to Thinking Loud, Bacardi and Sugar Mountain, here's what you can score. Prize includes two Sugar Mountain tickets, two tickets to Hot Wax — Sugar Mountain Friends and Family Party, complimentary drinks at both events, a Boiler Room tee. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us at win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
If anything's going to bring some much-needed classiness to your lockdown, it's a little dose of Japanese fine dining elegance. And that's exactly what's being served up by acclaimed kaiseki restaurant Ishizuka as part of its new at-home food offering. While its dining room remains closed, the tiny 16-seater is whipping up a selection of its intricate fare for takeaway and delivery. And among the mix is one of the most indulgent bento boxes we've ever seen. The Single Layer Master Bento comes in at $135, brimming with a neat array of high-end inclusions to put even your most adventurous lockdown cooking forays to shame. We're talking seafood delicacies like baby abalone, snow crab, salmon roe and kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), alongside high-end meats such as premium A5 Kagoshima wagyu and duck. Other top-quality additions might feature the likes of kōhaku namasu (a daikon carrot pickle), braised eggplant with wintermelon, candied cumquats and house-made mochi. The offering changes up regularly depending on the produce in the kitchen — helmed by Michelin-starred chef Masahiko Yomoda. Order via the website's reservations page by 5pm for next-day delivery (between 3–5pm) or collection from the restaurant. [caption id="attachment_697864" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ishizuka, by Felix Forest[/caption] Top image: Eve Wilson
Do you love ice cream? Of course you do. But do you feel like you could love it just that little bit more? If so, you might want to attend a Helados Jauja Ice Cream Appreciation Masterclass. Run by the team at the Helados Jauja on Lygon Street, these two-hour sessions will reveal the secrets of their Argentinean-style ice cream, made by hand with not a single artificial flavour in sight. Of course, in order to fully understand the ice cream making process, you'll need to sample the product for yourself. Ticketholders will be taken through an 'indulgent degustation' of the Helados Jauja ice cream cabinet, where you'll find flavours such as eggnog, blood plum and shortbread, and peanut butter Nutella. Once the class is finished, you'll also get a complimentary take-home pack full of your three favourite flavours. Just make sure you get in quick — tickets to their first two sessions for the year are already close to selling out. For more information, and to keep up to date with future classes, visit heladosjauja.com.au.
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
Indoor plants brighten up just about any space. That's precisely why the founders of Pop Wilder decided to start the business in the first place — they discovered how much happier they were with a bit more greenery in their lives. Featuring seasonal plants that are robust against Australia's climate — and your forgetfulness — its range includes plenty of popular choices, plus a few that can be tough to come by on your own. The store is something of an airy jungle, so pop in and see what inspires you. And if you can't, Pop Wilder is more than happy to come directly to your home if you 's prefer. Images: Tracey Ah-kee.
Having established itself as a summer favourite across the country over the last few years, the Royal Croquet Club will return to Melbourne. Back for a third year, the outdoor festival is set to take over Birrarung Marr from December 8. The 16-day event promises all the fun and flavour of previous years, offering up a buffet of live entertainment, experiential arts, food, drink, and — of course — more than a few games of croquet. The al fresco festival will see revellers of all ages and skill levels hitting the central croquet pitch, with some of Sydney's best food on hand for refuelling in between games. Expect noms from St Kilda's POW Kitchen, 8bit burgers, and barbecued things from Hoy Pinoy and Up in Smoke. Gelato Messina will once again bring back their ice cream creations in Campbell's Soup-like tins. And the fun continues away from the mallets too, with a lineup of local and international artists dishing up live tunes, including Jarryd James, Hayden James, Touch Sensitive and, randomly, Angus Stone as Dope Lemon. This year they'll also be adding The Parlour, a 70-seat pop-up theatre that will showcase acts from Adelaide Fringe. Previous years have seen as many as 60,000 people rock up, and this time 'round you can expect just as many. Entry is $20 on Friday and Saturday nights after 6pm, but free at all other times.
Op art, the playful successor to pop art, is reminiscent of the eye-fatiguing Magic Eye craze of the '90s. It never really took off in Australia, but one little-known Oz exponent of op art, John Vickery (1906-1983), was a major fan. He worked primarily as a commercial artist but in his spare time enjoyed the optical dazzle of alternating stripes and undulating patterns. A selection of Vickery's most optically outrageous paintings are on display at the Victorian College of the Arts until March. This is the person whose artistic legacy and altruistic bequest led in 2003 to the establishment of the John Vickery Scholarships, which provide two third-year students with financial support to assist in the often costly practice of producing work for final assessment. A man who created visual magic and is remembered through the act of helping struggling young artists make ends meet — surely, worth a look in. Go play with your own sensory perception and enjoy the oscillating black and white stripes as they come alive between your eyes.
Along with Glastonbury, Coachella is one of the biggest, most famous and highly coveted music festivals in the world — the type of fest that everyone wishes they could nab a ticket to at least once. While this year's festival has been postponed — from April till October — come next week, you'll be able to relive highlights from its 20 year history. Hitting YouTube at 5am AEST on Saturday, April 11 (12pm PT Friday, April 10 — when the 2020 festival was scheduled to start), Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert will feature behind-the-scenes stories, never-before-seen footage, interviews and performances from some of the world's most famous musicians. While Coachella hasn't announced exactly what performances will make it into the doco, its website does tease some highlights from every year. Jane's Addiction 2001 reunion show, MIA asking fans to storm the stage; Daft Punk debuting their pyramid stage; Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg performing with a hologram of 2Pac; Beyoncé famous 2018 show; and Amy Winehouse, Jay-Z , Björk, Tame Impala, Kendrick Lamar and so many more big-names hitting the stage. With music festivals across the world — and Australia — cancelled and postponed, and people self-isolating and social-distancing, the doco will be a great way to escape — virtually. And, if you've ever wanted to head to the Cali festival, but haven't been able to snag tickets or afford to go, it's free way to experience it. While you wait for Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert to drop, you can watch Netflix's Homecoming — a doco about that Beyoncé set — and eyeball the trailer below: https://youtu.be/pflR5xxx0bQ Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert hits YouTube at 5am on Saturday, April 11 AEST.
Contemporary art featured in galleries around the world will be on display at The Hotel Windsor this week, as part of the third annual Spring 1883. Returning to the iconic Spring Street venue this week, the free collaborative event will go ahead despite the cancellation of the 2016 Melbourne Art Fair, to which it was originally attached before the latter's untimely demise. Open to the public from noon until 6pm August 18 through 21, this year's event will boast art from more than two dozen galleries. Among the international contingent you'll find work from KANSAS Gallery in New York and Southard Reid in London, while local players include Sydney's Gallery 9 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.
Whether you're trying to find your way around your a far-flung holiday destination, a part of your own city you're not so familiar with or your own neighbourhood, Google Maps has probably helped you out of a bind more than once. Over the years, you've been able to play everything from Pac-Man and Mario Kart to Where's Waldo and Snake via the online service, too — so using it for a global Easter egg hunt really isn't too far out of the ordinary. Because it's almost that time of year, and because Cadbury wants to remind us all to eat chocolate, the brand has teamed up with Google Maps for the second year in a row to create a virtual way for you to hide and search for Easter eggs. It's all digital, though, so it does mean that you won't actually be eating any choccies. If you want to dive into your own stash while you're clicking and scrolling away, though, absolutely no one is going to stop you. Here's how it works: you head to the worldwide Easter egg hunt website, sign up and then get hiding. Once you've picked your spot — somewhere of significance to you and the person you're hiding it for — you'll write a clue, which'll then get sent to your chosen person. For those on the receiving end, it's up to you to decipher the details and find the virtual egg. If it's too hard, that's all down to whoever enlisted you in the hunt — so, if you can't find your digital egg, you might want to ask them for more hints. You can only hide one egg at a time, and only send the corresponding clue to one person. But, you can repeat the process as many times as you like. While there is a physical component, it sadly doesn't involve racing around the world, the city or even the house actually trying to get your hands on chocolate. Instead, you can arrange to send one of seven Cadbury products to someone in Australia, including tins and hampers. Staying virtual doesn't cost a thing, however, if that better suits your budget. To take part in the worldwide Easter egg hunt, head to the Cadbury website.
Move over Babe, Piglet, Porky and Peppa. Thanks to monochrome-hued documentary Gunda, cinema has a brand new porcine star. Or several, to be exact; however, other than the eponymous sow, none of the attention-grabbing pigs in this movie are given names. If that feels jarring, that's because it breaks from film and television's usual treatment of animals. Typically on-screen, we see and understand the zoological beings we share this planet with as only humans can, filtering them through our own experience, perception and needs. We regard them as companions who become our trustiest and most reliable friends; as creatures who play important roles in our lives emotionally, physically and functionally; as anthropomorphised critters with feelings and traits so much like ours that it seems uncanny; and as worthy targets of deep observation or study. We almost never just let them be, though. Whether they're four-legged, furry, feathered or scaly, animals that grace screens big and small rarely allowed to exist free from our two-legged interference — or from our emotions, expectations or gaze. Gunda isn't like any other movie you've seen about all creatures great and small, but it can't ignore the shadow that humanity casts over its titular figure, her piglets, and the one-legged chicken and paired-off cows it also watches, either. It's shot on working farms, so it really doesn't have that luxury. It features animals destined to play their parts in the food chain, a fact that can't be avoided. But, surveying these critters and their lives without narration or explanation, this quickly involving, supremely moving and deeply haunting feature is happy to let the minutiae of these creatures' existence say everything that it needs to. The delights and devastation alike are in the details, and the entire movie is filled with both. Filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky (Aquarela) looks on as Gunda's namesake gives birth, and as her offspring crawl hungrily towards her before they've even properly realised that they're now breathing. His film keeps peering their way as they squeal, explore and grow, and as they display their inquisitive, curious and sometimes mischievous personalities, too. Sometimes, this little family rolls around in the mud. At other times, they simply sleep, or Gunda takes the opportunity to enjoy some shut-eye while her piglets play. Whatever they're doing, and whenever and where, these pigs just going about their business, which the feature takes in frame by frame. In one of the documentary's interludes away from its porcine points of focus, the aforementioned chook hops about. Whether logs or twigs are involved, it too is just navigating its ordinary days. In the second of the movie's glimpses elsewhere, cattle trot and stand, and their routine couldn't seem more commonplace as well. It doesn't take a particularly observant person to notice the tag through Gunda's ear, or the fencing surrounding her and her fellow cast of creatures. No one need listen intently, their own ears figuratively pricked, to discern the noise of the human world beyond the sounds of nature. Evidence of people — even without even the slightest glimpse of a single one — is always there for viewers to see and hear, with Kossakovsky's engrossing and meditative documentary presenting it as plainly as it does everything else throughout its duration. The audience knows that these stories won't end happily as a result. It's well aware that humankind's intended use for the film's animals will trump the critters' own urges, desires and clearly apparent emotions. Indeed, Gunda screams its abhorrence of eating flesh without saying a word; to the surprise of no one who saw his Golden Globes and Oscars speeches in 2020, Joaquin Phoenix is one of its executive producers. Everyone finds their own meaning in every movie, but patient, dialogue-free, near-hypnotic documentaries like Gunda enhance that sensation several times over. Staring at its intimate visuals — at the stunning, resonant and evocative sights it presents again and again — sparks a shower of thoughts, threads and questions, and, sans guiding words dictating what to focus on and why, each individual viewer will veer in their own direction. Some will be struck by the act of watching life come into the world, then shaken by knowing its ultimate purpose. Others might be shocked by the way that even the simplest trace of routine connects every living thing. Others still could come to think differently about their diet choices. All three and more are options here, because Gunda ensures that its audience isn't just seeing its pigs, chicken and cows in a strikingly realistic, authentic and compassionate fashion, but is also confronting and challenging their own personal choices around animals at the same time. Gunda is an immensely empathetic film — director/co-writer/co-editor/co-cinematographer Kossakovsky was inspired by his own childhood experience, when he had a pig for a best friend — and also a work of astonishing skill. So seamless are Kossakovsky and fellow writer/editor Ainara Vera's (Aquarela) efforts that it's impossible to guess that Gunda and her piglets' lives in Norway are interspliced with scenes from British and Spanish farms. Every shot seen on-screen is so gorgeously framed and lit by the filmmaker and his co-director of photography Egil Håskjold Larsen (When Man Remains), and so vivid and textured in its inky black-and-white colour scheme, that avoiding the lure of its imagery is unimaginable. It's no wonder that taking in the documentary's every second feels like an act of surrender — visually, intellectually and emotionally, and to its layered and immersive soundscape as well. This isn't just a nature doco; it's a poetic musing on what it means for every creature to be alive and an examination of humankind's display of force over the natural world, and it's as staggering as it is stirring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilNHPfOOeIs
It might not feel like it somedays in Melbourne, but winter is done and dusted for another year. With that in mind, Victoria's High Country is celebrating spring with the first-ever Festival of Short Walks. Visitors are invited to spend a week exploring the area on foot, with a bunch of walking tours taking place in and around the quaint towns of Beechworth, Chiltern, Yackandandah and Rutherglen. The festival's program is stacked with more than 30 guided tours and 40 self-guided walks, each one mapped out, timed and graded on how hard it is, so you know what you're committing to from the get-go. Don't stress if you're not super fit as the walks cater to everyone from adventurous explorers to nature lovers just wanting to escape the city — even those of us who only go for walks if there's food at the end of it. Some of the guided tours will cost you a small fee (it's $26 for Disco Dee's silent disco walking tour of Beechworth — worth it), but there are plenty that won't cost you a penny, leaving more coin to put towards cute accommodation for the weekend or dinner at Bridge Road Brewers. If you're keen to make the most of being in some of Victoria's best wine country — and don't mind spending a few more dollars — there are a couple of ticketed foodie events. Wine producers from Lake Moodemere Estate will be taking punters on a walking tour through their vineyards before serving up a three-course meal with matched wines ($175), while the 1500 Pound Party will set you back $100 for a hidden shindig with drinks, nibbles and tunes — a reward for the rocky trail hike it will take you to get there. All the info you need, including tour sign-ups, tickets, maps and tips for where to stay and eat while you're in town, can be found here.
Godzilla might loom over a hotel and cinema complex in Tokyo, and Studio Ghibli might be one of the happiest places in the country; however there's more to Japanese filmmaking than giant lizards and heartwarming animation. To demonstrate that fact, every year the Japanese Film Festival rounds up a diverse array of the nation's latest movies, sends them Australia's way and tours the country. Running this November and December in Sydney and Melbourne, this year's festival couldn't make that case with a more eclectic range of offerings, with everything from historical martial arts epics to creepy murder mysteries to cats — always cats — on the lineup. Picking just one flick to see from is always a struggle, so we're here to help. Add these six to your must-see list, pair your movie with a bowl of ramen, and you're in for quite the Japanese feast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dxKD1bhf4Y SNOW WOMAN Japan might be known for thrilling fare that American filmmakers can't stop remaking, but this interpretation of ghostly folklore isn't your usual J-horror affair. Moody, purposeful and graceful with its deliberate pacing, non-linear narrative and black-and-white imagery, Snow Woman tells of a hunter's altercation with a mysterious spirit, his promise to never breathe a word and the identical-looking beauty who soon arrives in his village. He's entranced, they're entranced — and so will everyone watching director Kiki Sugino's hypnotic film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiUFEm55DLg BEFORE WE VANISH From directing Japanese horror effort Pulse, to helming Cannes prize-winning ghostly romance Journey to the Shore, filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa might be drawn to haunting stories — but he never makes the same film twice. After last year's one-two punch of bad neighbour flick Creepy and French-set Gothic tale Daguerrotype, he's tussling with aliens in Before We Vanish. In this invasion-focused movie, no one actually notices the extra-terrestrials gathering information while hiding out among humanity, in a They Live-like concept that speaks to the busy, self-absorbed nature of modern life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQYrbqO0d48 HER LOVE BOILS BATHWATER Of the plethora of flicks Japan could've chosen to represent the country at next year's Oscars, it went with Her Love Boils Bathwater. Whether it'll progress in the hotly contested best foreign-language film category is yet to be seen, but it's a moving contender — and a fine example of the nation's dramatic chops. At the centre of the movie sits a dying single mother trying to make sure her bullied adolescent daughter will be able to cope without her, and resurrecting her family's bathhouse in the process. Delicately handled, with both keen insights and warm humour oozing through, this isn't mere movie-of-the-week territory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lDMdzwMm6c NEKO ATSUME HOUSE How many hours have you spent playing the addictive cat collecting game that is Neko Atsume? There's only two answers: too many to count (for avid fans), or every waking moment from this point forward (for anyone just discovering this time-filler right now). Well, Neko Atsume House turns all that fun into a movie. Enough said, really; however if you want more details, it follows a struggling novelist who gets his groove back after not only encountering a cat, but subsequently transforming his backyard into the kind of space any kitty — plenty of kitties, in fact — would go crazy for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNtnTCAK5-w KISEKI - SOBITO OF THAT DAY Dentists by day, pop group by night — it sounds like something straight out of an offbeat, upbeat, larger-than-life movie, doesn't it? While the story of Japanese band GReeeeN has been turned into a flick in Kiseki - Sobito of That Day, it's actually a true story. Yes, really. The chart-toppers formed in dental school a decade ago, sung their way to success and managed to maintain their fame by doing something very dentist-like: not showing their faces in public. They say that truth is stranger than fiction, and this tale definitely proves that statement and then some. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kczb7IJJg0g IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD Think Japanese animation, and Studio Ghibli instantly comes to mind thanks to their gorgeous visuals, expert handling of story and emotion, and all-round enchanting vibe. In This Corner of the World isn't a Ghibli film, but saying that it feels like one really is the highest praise we can muster. Indeed, writer/director Sunao Katabuchi was an assistant director on Kiki's Delivery Service, however, his latest effort is all his own. Exploring the life of a teenager wed to a young naval clerk in Hiroshima, the World War II-set movie is as poetic as it is perceptive as it combines a coming-of-age tale with a personal account of times of combat. The 2017 Japanese Film Festival screens at Sydney's Event Cinemas George Street from November 16 to 26, and Melbourne's Hoyts Melbourne Central from November 23 to December 3. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Forget socks and jocks this holiday season. This year it's all about experiences. So why not give the gift of local travel and send your friends and family on an enviable journey that sets them up for a stellar 2022? Plus, you'll be helping Australia's tourism industry get back on its feet. It's a win-win. If you know someone who's itching to reunite with big adventure travel experiences, you can stock up on multi-day hike vouchers or surprise them with a whale shark swimming adventure. In partnership with Tourism Australia, we've pulled together a list of thrilling experiences to help you pick the perfect present for the adrenaline seeker in your life.
Described as a cinema without the film, French artists Romain Bermond and Jean-Baptiste Maillet's Dark Circus sees the duo project striking silhouettes onto the big screen. Dark Circus tells the story of an "unhappy circus" – one where the human cannonball meets his demise and the lion tamer has the tables turned on him. Bermond and Maillet expertly interweave light, shadow and negative space – along with a light-hearted funk and soul soundtrack – to create a deeply tongue-in-cheek performance that seemingly brings a story to life out of nothing.
We all love a good Polish dumpling, but who knew the humble pierogi actually had a patron saint? His name is Saint Hyacinth and he even has a day of feasting dedicated to him. And to celebrate, your mates at Pierogi Pierogi are hosting a good ol' dumpling fundraiser. As it turns out, Saint Hyacinth was famed for feeding homemade pierogi to Krakow's poor, needy and destitute, and these locals are marking the occasion by doing something similar. At the Pierogi Pierogi stall at Queen Victoria Night Market on Wednesday, August 14 the team is giving out free plates of Polish dumpling to the first 100 people that donate to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) tins, which will be located out the front of the stall. The fundraiser is a nod to the Poles who were welcomed into Australia when they fled the communist regime in the 40s and 80s. If you miss out on free dumplings, you'll still be about to eat some and donate (and feel warm and fuzzy for two reasons). On the menu there'll be ruskie dumps (filled with potato and white cheese), kapusta version (with 'shrooms and sauerkraut) and mieso ones (with beer and vegetable). The stall will be open from 5–10pm but you better get in early if you want to snag a free (with donation) plate of pierogi.
Get your fill of the best vegan food in town at the Vegan Day Out. Come March 9 and 10, The Cruelty Free Shop is putting together another walking tour of vegan cafes, restaurants and retailers, many of which will be offering discounts, deals and free samples to anyone who stops by. For Saturday and Sunday, socially conscious eaters can stop by The Cruelty Free Shop on Johnston Street, and grab a map outlining their route. From there, it's all about making your way to to plant-based delights aplenty — and making a day (or two) of it. Whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool vegan or just curious to give it a go, you'll find a whole world of retailers catering to animal-free eating, offering meal deals, two-for-ones, coffee, wine tastings and savings on vegan groceries. The Cruelty Free Shop will also be running its own tastings throughout the day, as well as offering discounts on some of its 3000+ products. The Vegan Day Out runs from 9am–5pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday.
