Residents of Melbourne, here's some good news to buoy you in these dark times. Barkly Square in Brunswick has announced they'll be running a pop-up cinema throughout December and January. It'll go down in the laneway of the shopping centre and unlike other outdoor cinemas that have recently been announced — like Moonlight and Sunset — this one has a difference: it's silent. Kind of like when you go to the drive-in and attach the speaker to your car, they'll be transmitting the film's audio through dedicated headphones. The best part is that all proceeds from the event will be donated to the Victorian Deaf Society. And even better, tickets are only a tenner. Take that Hoyts. There's only 60 seats per screening though, so be sure to book early — especially for the spesh Christmas screenings. On the whole, the lineup is pretty decent and eclectic, with everything from Donnie Darko to Home Alone to Whiplash. BARKLY SQUARE OPENAIR CINEMA PROGRAM 2016-17 16 December — Home Alone 23 December — Elf 6 January – Whiplash 7 January – Amy 13 January – The Big Lebowski 14 January – Amelie 20 January – Guardians of the Galaxy 21 January – Dogtown and Z-Boys 27 January – Hunt for the Wilderpeople 28 January – Donnie Darko The Barkly Square Openair Cinema will take place at Barkly Square, 106 Sydney Road, Brunswick. Films start at 8.30pm and are preceded by live entertainment. Find out more and book tickets here.
When the end of the week rolls around it's always worth a tiny celebration — heck even if there are 52 of them, you made it through another one! It's easy to fall back on going to the pub around the corner, or the closest bar to your office, but isn't it about time you did something a little different, and even a bit special? We've done the leg work for you and found seven great bars that will shake you a sublime cocktail, and add in something a little special. Round up your mates and pick one of these from a hat — we can guarantee they will take your Friday night drinks to another level of decadence, deliciousness and double taps. Whether you've hit your targets at work, or been kicking goals at the gym, you deserve to treat yourself for the small wins and milestones. The world's finest French vodka, Grey Goose, celebrates its versatility and commitment to quality ingredients as it allows bartenders to create incredible cocktails that upgrade any summer occasion — starting with those Friday night drinks. Here's where we think you should go — and what you should order as your first, premium cocktail of the night.
On Wednesday, July 2, buzzy izakaya Yakimono is stepping out of the city and firing up the grill at Club Chin Chin, bringing its high-octane energy and flame-licked fare to the neon-lit GMHBA Stadium venue for a one-night-only takeover. Part of the Tastes of Greater Geelong festival, this exclusive event will see Yakimono Head Chef Daniel Wilson and his team serve up a four-course feast of some of their restaurant's greatest hits. For $95, you can tuck into a curated lineup of bold, playful dishes cooked over fire, with starters like tuna tartare on tapioca nori crackers and juicy negi chicken skewers dusted with chicken salt and spring onion oil. Larger share dishes include barbecued king salmon finished with a soy glaze, jalapeño and pickled cucumbers, and a richly marbled wagyu zabuton steak with karashi and fried enoki, while Yakimono's signature rocky road bombe alaska rounds the menu out. There's also the option to level up with tasty extras like pork and ginger gyoza, charcoal-roasted edamame, and oysters with finger lime ponzu. You can also choose to elevate the experience with a paired drinks menu, which begins with a zingy tequila, yuzu, miso and jalapeño-anchored cocktail on arrival. There's also a matched wine for each course and a dessert cocktail featuring bourbon, sesame and fino. If you'd rather choose your own adventure, Club Chin Chin's full drinks list of wine, beer and cocktails will be available throughout the evening. Spots for this smokin' hot regional collaboration are limited, so early bookings are highly recommended.
Thanks to various lockdowns and restrictions, 2021's Father's Day celebrations are probably going to look a little different from previous years. While Melbourne's current lockdown is scheduled to end on September 2, we all know by now that it's best to be prepared for any scenario. Of course, even if you can't catch up with your father figure IRL or take him out for a proper feast with the family, it doesn't mean you can't spoil him with a bit of lockdown-friendly, virtual Father's Day love. Especially if the way to his heart is via his stomach. Whether you're celebrating with your dad, the father of your kids, or a treasured paternal figure, we've rounded up a few choice options to treat your old man on September 5. You could have a decadent barbecue feast delivered to his door, a weekend's supply of artisan doughnuts, or grab him a tipple (or three) from his favourite local brewery. No one knows what our lockdown status might be, but at least you can safely secure dad's affections with something from this tasty lineup. THE NON-TRADITIONAL FATHER'S DAY LUNCH Restaurant lunches and family barbecues might not be a sure bet this year, but whatever happens, you can still ensure dad's treated to a celebratory feed with just a few clicks. No matter where his culinary leanings lie, Melbourne's got a home-delivered food offering to suit. For example, David's is doing a limited-edition yum cha feast for two, available for both delivery and click-and-collect via Providoor. It stars classic dishes like chilli pork dumplings and peking duck. Meanwhile, Panda Hot Pot is offering an at-home version of its legendary hot pot experience, designed to feed two to six depending on the size. The barbecue-loving dad will be pretty chuffed sitting down to a finish-at-home family feed from Fancy Hanks; especially if you've added one of the signature hot sauce or seasoning packs to your order. Both meat and vegetarian variations are on offer daily. And for an at-home high tea that'll score you serious brownie points, try the Stables of Como. While the venue's gorgeous grounds remain closed, it's packaging up its famed high tea offering for delivery via UberEats, DoorDash and Deliveroo — after all, what dad wouldn't love to dig into a delightful spread of sweet and savoury goodies? SOME LAZY GRAZING Even if you're not making an appearance yourself, you can give dad the gift of brekkie in bed or a fun backyard picnic by ordering a curated hamper dropped straight to his doorstep. South Yarra's Lulu White is doing at-home boozy brunch boxes packed with a choice of three signature dishes, plus bubbles and jarred cocktails. Hospitality social enterprise Streat has its own breakfast hamper — starring house-made sourdough and house-roasted coffee, no less — as well as a chic picnic pack filled with the likes of mini sausage rolls, smoked salmon paté and bite-sized quiches. Plus, Middle Eastern bakery Oasis is slinging a stunning assortment of deli boxes, grazing packs and entertainer's kits over on its online shop, with delivery Victoria-wide. And if dad's partial to an Italian-style spread of cheese and salumi with his afternoon vino, try the experts at King & Godfree. The venue's got an impressive lineup of antipasti boxes, deli packs and mix-and-match products available for delivery five days a week, along with a special Father's Day brekkie box. THE SWEET STUFF Sweet-toothed dads might be a breeze to buy gifts for, but this is the year to really outdo yourself. For example, Doughboys Doughnuts is slinging a special-edition Lockdown Box, filled with half a dozen signature holey delights that are sure to win pops over. Flavours include glazed vanilla bean, raspberry old fashioned and a decadent chocolate peanut cream — and they're delivering up to 10 kilometres from the CBD. Meanwhile, the chocolate masters at Mork are doing $5 home-delivery on online orders over $26 — right now, hit the website to shop dreamy things like the twice-baked chocolate cake, packs of choc malt cookies and some of the finest drinking chocolate in town. Or, if he's the kind of guy who likes to try a little bit of everything, treat him to one of Bibelot's Gourmandise Boards, starring a colourful assortment of bite-sized sweet creations for $35. [caption id="attachment_803631" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Handpicked Wines, by Nastia Gladushchenko[/caption] SOME LOVELY LOCKDOWN LIBATIONS The next best thing to actually joining dad for a Father's Day tipple is to set up his fridge or home bar with some top-notch goodies he can enjoy in your absence. Whilst he marvels at your supreme gift-buying skills, of course. Any craft beer aficionado will be stoked to open their door to a delivery from Carwyn Cellars, especially if it's the 2021 edition of the bottle shop's famed Dad Pack. Available for shipping and local delivery, this one comes stocked with a slew of crafty tins, merch and vouchers from favourites like Hop Nation, Bodriggy and Hawkers, for $50. Melbourne-based Brick Lane Brewing also has a range of dad-worthy beer packs over on its online store. If he's more of a whisky man, Starward's locally-made drops are a primo choice — the distillery's online selection is brimming with options for delivery across Australia, including this gift pack with three different signature sips. For the gin-obsessed dad, the Yarra Valley's Rochford is slinging a special gin and wine hamper which also includes access to a guided virtual tasting on September 3. And for the wine-lovers out there, try the likes of a Shiraz and cheese box, or a pack of all-Victorian vino and nibbles courtesy of Handpicked Wines' online range. The label's currently doing same-day delivery from its Melbourne CBD cellar door. COFFEE FOR CHEER Why not put a little pep in his step by stocking the cupboard with some locally-made caffeinated treats? Over on its website, renowned roaster Market Lane is slinging a wide array of beans, grinds, equipment and gift packs to suit at-home coffee-sippers of all persuasions. Right now, there's also free delivery for orders over $50. Seven Seeds' online shop is also stocked with a healthy offering of coffee and brew gear, as well as a Father's Day pack featuring beans, a nifty mug and some single-origin Birdsnake chocolate. The brand's also currently offering a free upgrade to express delivery on all orders, in case you like to leave things to the last minute. And Padre's got lots of its own coffee-related goodness available to shop online, including the fittingly named Daddy's Girl espresso blend. Free shipping is available for orders over $55. [caption id="attachment_765411" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hello Botanical[/caption] NON-FOODIE TREATS If F-Day lunch is already sorted, or his passions lie somewhere beyond the world of food, there's a raft of other goodies you can get delivered to dad's door. A lush dose of greenery never goes astray, so hit up local plant gift delivery service Hello Botanical for some leafy treats. These guys are selling a wide range of indoor plants and plant-related care packages, plus you can even wrangle a same-day drop-off. Meanwhile, sporty souls will always appreciate some new activewear — try this dad-friendly edit from Echt (with free express shipping on orders over $100) or get him moving with some Max Gawn-approved threads from Lululemon. And of course, there's always the failsafe option of some big, vibrant blooms to make dad feel extra special. Head over to LVLY to shop a colourful range of standalone bouquets, along with flower packs featuring extras like coffee, chocolates and beer.
Nineties kids, Disney fans and everyone who's ever cried over a lion cub that just couldn't wait to be king, it's time to climb onto a rock and yell your lungs out. The circle of life has struck again, and The Lion King is back. It's in live-action form this time around, and the first full trailer for the new movie has just dropped. Releasing in July, the film will once again tell the tale of Simba, who's set to take over the pride from his father Mufasa, only for his malicious uncle Scar to get in the way. You know where it goes from there — and you'll be hearing the voices of Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as his childhood pal Nala, and James Earl Jones as his dad. Yes, the latter is reprising his role from the original film. Other big names attached include Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, John Oliver as Zazu, and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa. Elton John is back working on the soundtrack with Tim Rice, as they both did on the first film. They'll reportedly have some help from Beyoncé, naturally, while The Jungle Book's Jon Favreau is in the director's chair for the entire production. If you're anxious about how it might turn out, it's worth taking Timon and Pumbaa's advice at this early stage — although this initial look should help get rid of your worries for the rest of your days. Now, grab the tissues and watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TavVZMewpY The Lion King hits Australian cinemas on July 17, 2019.
It’s difficult to imagine, in the age of online media, that a blossoming new art style could have stirred up that much controversy. But Lurid Beauty: Australian Surrealism and its Echoes, the new exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, will be exploring exactly that: the rise of sexual, psychological and controversial surrealist art on the Australian scene since 1930. Lurid Beauty will span many different mediums including installation, fashion and poetry. And prepare your psyche for representations of warped sexuality and perverseness, as surrealism was inspired by the theories of Sigmund Freud, which involves a fair whack of embedded misogynistic gender roles and Dali-esque dream madness. The exhibition will feature works from James Gleeson, Max Dupain, Albert Tucker, James Cant, Roy de Maistre, Peter Ellis, Tim Schultz, Julie Rrap, Pat Brassington, Clifford Bayliss, Rosslynd Piggott and many more.
There's nothing quite like hearing someone tell their own tale. The nuances of their voice, their choice of phrase, and the spaces left by their silence can all say as much as their actual words. That's one of the reasons that the recent spate of celebrity-focused documentaries — think Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, Listen to Me Marlon and Amy — worked so well. Hearing Cobain, Brando and Winehouse offer candid insights into their lives, loves, hopes and dreams via old tapes and videos didn't just serve up the usual biographical information. It also gave audiences a genuine glimpse into their minds. Courtesy of audio recordings made in 1993 as part of an oral history project that endeavoured to preserve the stories of AIDS-afflicted Australians, Remembering the Man makes use of a similar method. Directed by Nickolas Bird and Eleanor Sharpe, the documentary charts the relationship of Timothy Conigrave and John Caleo. Yes, their names should sound familiar. Actor and writer Conigrave already shared his thoughts and experiences in his best-selling memoir Holding the Man, which was then turned into an acclaimed theatre production, as well as a tear-inducing film of the same name. Boasting Conigrave's warm, impassioned tones as its centrepiece, Remembering the Man revisits familiar details — how he met Caleo at their Catholic high school, the ins and outs of their 15-year romance, and the impact of their respective HIV diagnoses. Yet nothing about the retelling feels repetitive or tired. Even the most well-worn tidbits come to life through Conigrave's frank remembrances, accompanied by a moving collage of photographs and archival footage, and fleshed out by to-camera interviews with many of the duo's friends. The use of Conigrave's voice aside, it may sound like a fairly typical documentary — and, in many ways it is. And yet even when the movie is simply cutting between talking heads and clumsy re-enactments, there's no denying the intimacy and emotion on display. That's not just a result of the over-emphasised score that stresses every powerful moment, either. If Holding the Man recounted the official version of Conigrave and Caleo's time together, Remembering the Man is more akin to hearing off-the-record bits and pieces, warts and all. Of course, as anyone already familiar with their tale will know, their story isn't theirs alone. Shining a light on the difficulties and prejudices of '80s-era Australia as it reacted to the AIDS epidemic is as much a part of the couple's legacy as their undying affection for each other. Accordingly, the film becomes a record not only of Conigrave's testimony and the enduring love that shaped his life, but also of a devastating moment in Australian history. Remembering its titular figure through his own words isn't Remembering the Man's only feat; remembering the many tragedies of the time proves just as powerful.
Whether robots will inherit the earth is yet to be seen, although science fiction keeps telling us they will. Until that becomes a reality, they're going to keep pitching in to help make our lives scarier easier. Take food deliveries, for example. Here we were, just getting used to UberEATS helping us eat from a wider arrange of restaurants without leaving home — aka ferrying meals from places without their own delivery service — and now machines are taking over. Welcome to the future. Yelp and robotics company Marble have joined forces to start delivering food orders on the streets of San Francisco, with a small number of four-wheeled bots transporting meals in the city's Mission and Potrero Hill neighbourhoods. The robots "use advanced sensors and high-resolution 3D city maps to efficiently and politely navigate busy urban environments", in case you were wondering. Yep, they'll bring you your food and they'll be nice about it. If you saw Marble's machines in person, you'd definitely notice. Built from the base of an electric wheelchair, and featuring swappable cargo bays to ensure that goods of various sizes can be stored and moved in the most efficient manner possible, they measure just over four metres in height and travel at a pace of three to four miles per hour. For the current trial, they'll venture short distances of around one mile over a six to eight-hour shift, accompanied by living, breathing people to make sure everything runs smoothly. Good to see that humanity still has a use. As for those doing the ordering, they'll simply sit back and wait — and, after receiving a text message with a customised code, unlock the bot when it gets to their door. Expect more robotic food delivery to follow. It was just last year that Dominos unveiled an autonomous vehicle built for the sole purpose of delivering pizza. And, shortly afterwards, the company completed the world's first-ever pizza deliver drone. Via CNet. Images: Marble.
When an actor adds new movies to their resume quickly — popping up in new flicks every couple of months or so, and never proving far from their next film — there's a chance they might run out of worthy on-screen opportunities. The one actor that'll never apply to: Nicolas Cage. He's prolific, he stars in far too many terrible flicks, when he's at his best he's downright brilliant, and he always has something interesting around the corner. In 2021 alone, he's shouted expletives from Netflix, battled demonic animatronics and teamed up with one of Japan's most out-there filmmakers. He also played a truffle hunter on a quest for revenge after his pet pig is stolen, in the aptly named Pig, which is one of the year's definite movie highlights. The latter saw him turn in one of the best performances of his career, in fact, but Cage has been preparing his entire life to play his next part: himself. Yes, we've seen Cage break out of Alcatraz, sing Elvis songs, run around the streets convinced that he's a vampire, let his long hair flap in the wind and swap faces. He's voiced a version of Spider-Man, driven fast cars, fought space ninjas and stolen babies as well. Staying in his own shoes stands out, though, which is exactly what The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent will serve up in April next year. Announced earlier in 2021, and just dropping its first trailer now, the movie will follow the on-screen, fictionalised Cage as he accepts an offer to attend a super fan's birthday. Getting paid $1 million is just too much to pass up. He needs the money, but he also has to save both himself and his loved ones along the way. Yep, that sounds about right. As well as Cage playing Cage — not to be confused with his work in Adaptation, where he played two characters — The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent features Pedro Pascal (Wonder Woman 1984) as the aforementioned Cage devotee, and also Tiffany Haddish (The Card Counter), Sharon Horgan (This Way Up) and Neil Patrick Harris (It's a Sin). Are We Officially Dating? filmmaker Tom Gormican sits in the director's chair, because if there's anything this story needs, it's the director of a Zac Efron and Michael B Jordan-starring rom-com pivoting to total Cage worship. And yes, whether this'll be one of Cage's undeniable delights or pure cinematic chaos won't be discovered until the film hits cinemas — but he's clearly having a ball based on this sneak peek, and seeing him play and parody himself really does demand everyone's eyeballs. Check out the trailer for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent below: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent will release in Australian cinemas on April 21, 2022.
For the second year running, Formula 1 cars won't race around Melbourne's Albert Park during the Australian Grand Prix, with the event cancelled once again in 2021. It was scrapped in 2020, too, after it was initially due to take place just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit Australia. This year, the race had already been postponed from March to November, but now it won't be held at all. Announcing the news today, Tuesday, July 6, the Victorian Government advised that the event has fallen victim to the pandemic — and to Australia's slow vaccination program and new caps on international traveller numbers specifically — as has this year's Australian MotoGP on Phillip Island. The Formula 1 race was due to take place on November 21, and the MotoGP on October 24; however, the state was unable to give the sports' governing bodies assurances that both would be permitted to proceed. As a result, the organisers of the two events have chosen to move on with their 2021 seasons without stops in Victoria. Both races are expected to return in 2022, though. "The Victorian Government understands the need for Formula 1 management and MotoGP controller Dorna Sports to confirm their schedules, and the decision not to proceed in 2021 was mutually agreed with those bodies," said the Victorian Government in a statement. https://twitter.com/ausgrandprix/status/1412275229800292353 The big Formula 1 race has hit Melbourne every year since 1996 — every year until last year, that is. At present, it's contracted to return to Albert Park between 2022–25. The MotoGP's history on Phillip Island is very similar, with the event first held there in 1997, and contracted to continue until 2026. Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said that "it's very disappointing that these much-loved events can't proceed but this is the reality of the pandemic — but until we get much higher vaccination rates we cannot return to more normal settings." He continued: "we are getting to work on plans for 2022 immediately and can't wait to welcome the world's best drivers and riders and all motorsport fans back to Albert Park and Phillip Island." Whether Melbourne's other big international sporting event, the 2022 Australian Open, will also be impacted by Australia's sluggish vaccine campaign and our traveller caps — and the fact that anyone heading here from overseas needs to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival — is obviously yet to be seen. The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and Australian MotoGP will no longer go ahead in 2021. For more information about the cancellation, head to the Victorian Government website and the Australian Grand Prix website.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it both, in a way? Next time you see something hovering in the sky in southeast Queensland, the answer to that last question could be yes. Not content with simply serving up fried chook on land as it's done for decades, KFC has taken to the skies to pilot a new delivery method — ferrying its finger-lickin'-good chicken pieces, burgers, nuggets and fries around select suburbs via drone in an Australian-first for the chain. If you've always wanted your lunch or dinner to swoop in from above, to feel like you're living in the future or to take the whole pandemic-era contactless purchasing setup literally to another level, you'll need to live in the SEQ suburbs of Kingston, Logan Central, Slacks Creek, Underwood and Woodridge to get your flying KFC fix. And, you'll also have to download the Wing delivery app, too, with the fast-food chain teaming up with the on-demand drone delivery service on its new way to get chicken direct to your door. Where your chicken is going, it doesn't need roads. And no, it isn't yet April 1, so this is genuinely happening. KFC has also set up a dark kitchen just to cater to drone orders — which it's calling a 'cloud kitchen', but obviously still sits on the ground — and says that some deliveries might arrive within minutes. Here's how it works: once you place your order, the drone will fly to the KFC kitchen to pick it up, and will then head back up to flying altitude to get to its delivery destination. With packages of up to 1.5-kilograms, it can travel more than 110-kilometres per hour. When it arrives at your house, it'll slow down, bring itself to a delivery height of about seven metres above the ground, and lower your food on a tether — which'll automatically release. You don't need to unclip anything, and the drone doesn't need to land, either. Wing advises that on-demand drone deliveries have proven quite popular in Logan over the past year, with more than 100,000 deliveries made in 2021, if you're wondering why it was chosen for this trial. If you're a Brisbanite who doesn't live in any of the pilot suburbs but resides nearby, KFC and Wing are also gradually planning to expand the delivery radius to neighbouring spots sometime in the future — but exactly where and when hasn't been revealed. For fried chicken lovers elsewhere, cross your fingers that your next zinger or three-piece feed will be taking to the air sometime in the future. To order KFC via drone if you live in Kingston, Logan Central, Slacks Creek, Underwood and Woodridge, download the Wing delivery app.
It's been an impressive four years since the father-daughter duo behind Brogan's Way opened their gin distillery and tasting bar in the heart of Richmond. Which of course means it's time to party hard with some gin-fuelled birthday festivities. You're all invited to join in the fun from 1pm on Saturday, October 8. Importantly, you'll be able to get acquainted with the full range of signature drops with free guided tastings every hour — from the Everyday Salvation Gin to the Milk & Honey Vodka. And for in-between sips, you'll find the entire drinks list slashed to half-price, should you fancy kicking back with the likes of a negroni, a Citrus Gin Spritz or the Strawberry Smash. DJ sets will be lending the vibes, while the bar's usual all-day food menu (think, big bowls of mussels and Alsatian-style tarte flambée) will be backed by a lineup of specials, including pot stickers, chicken karaage bao and Vietnamese rice paper rolls. Entry is free and limited walk-ins are available, but you can also book a spot on one of the communal tables for up to two hours, over on the website.
That most undervalued of art forms, the humble postcard, gets its time to shine at the latest edition of the Postcard Show at Linden New Art in St Kilda. Now in its 27th year, this unique exhibition showcases hundreds of small-format contemporary artworks submitted by professional artists and local amateurs alike. And why wouldn't you contribute something when there's more than $10k up for grabs? This year's exhibition kicks off on October 21 and runs until January 29. A number of previous winners have submitted new works, including Kelly Sullivan whose piece Boy With The Pearl Earring (pictured) pays tribute to his royal badness, the late great artist formerly known as Prince. Entry into the exhibition is free, while this year's winners will be decided by a trio of judges from the Castlemaine Art Museum, the Horsham Regional Art Gallery and the La Trobe University Museum of Art. Image: Boy With the Pearl Earring, Kelly Sullivan (2016).
After introducing its cookie pies to the world last month, followed by serving up an OTT red velvet one, Gelato Messina is bringing the decadent dessert back for a third round with the OG chocolate chip flavour. Hang on, a cookie pie? Yes, it's a pie, but a pie made of cookie dough. And it serves two–six people — or just you. You bake it yourself, too, so you get to enjoy that oh-so-amazing smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through your kitchen. These pies are now available for preorder — so if you missed out last time, here's your chance to get yourself a piece of the pie. On its own, the indulgent choc chip pie will cost $20. But to sweeten the deal, the cult ice creamery has created a few bundle options, should you want some of its famed gelato atop it. For $28, you'll get the pie and a 500-millilitre tub, while with a one-litre tub or a 1.5-litre tub, it'll cost $34 and $39 respectively. The catch? You'll have to peel yourself off the couch and head to your local Messina store to get one. You can place your preorder now via Bopple, with pick up times available between Thursday, May 14 and Sunday, May 17. You can preorder a Messina cookie pie via Bopple to pick up from all NSW, Vic and Queensland Gelato Messina stores (except The Star) from May 14–17.
For most of us, bringing the outdoors inside is interior decorating speak for putting a few plants around your apartment. For artist Doug Wheeler, it has been a life-long ambition. Growing up in Arizona and spending time standing in the US state's vast desert landscape, he conceived of an idea for a group of installations that would mimic that experience — and, almost five decades after he put his plans down on paper, one has finally become a reality. Inside New York's Guggenheim Museum, Wheeler has transformed the gallery into an abstract synthetic dessert. Don't just take our word for it — PSAD Synthetic Desert III is the name of the piece. After moving through a number of chambers that can only be unlocked by staff, visitors walk into a room filled with sound-absorbing foam pyramids as far as the eye can see. A platform sits in the middle, ensuring everyone who enters is surrounded by the eye-catching structure, with lighting and sound design also crafted to make the space as immersive as possible. Indeed, because Synthetic Desert "is best experienced with as few extraneous sounds and distractions as possible," according to the Guggenheim website, only five people can enter the free exhibition at any one time. Visits are limited to either ten or twenty minutes of gazing into the sea of white shapes and ponder space, landscape and whatever else pops into your mind when you're sitting in silence in a room filled with foam spikes. After first turning his vision into sketches back in 1968, and spending much of his career contemplating light and space, Wheeler piece aims to "produce a hermetic environment based on a radical reduction of optical and acoustical sensation" in order to "heighten our understanding of perceptual experience." Anyone that happens to be in New York between now and August 2 is advised to book in advance, with entry free with museum admission, because this unique and beautiful installation is certain to be popular. Via Artnet. Image: David Heald
Do the truffle shuffle down to Estelle by Scott Pickett in Northcote, where for two nights only you can wolf down fabulous fungi like it's going out of style. On Wednesday, August 17 and Thursday, August 18, chef Scott Pickett will prepare a five-course truffle dinner, complete with snacks and matching wine. Excuse us for a second — we're just wiping the drool off our keyboard. At $185 per person, this particular dinner ain't cheap – but you only have to look at the menu to appreciate why that is. From sea urchin and black truffle brioche to white rocks veal with truffle and almond, and parmesan and black truffle risoni to Great Ocean Road duck with blood orange and truffle jus, this decadent degustation smells like a truffle hog's delight. The vino, meanwhile, will come courtesy of a trio of ACT vineyards, in Helm Wines, Collector Wines and Ravensworth.
Chef Kam McManamey has a fist full of chilli and, as we've previously seen at the kitchens he's manned at Botherambo and BangPop, he's not afraid to use it. McManamey's focus at new South Yarra restaurant Rock Sugar is on the street food of Isaan and Chiang Mai. Having eaten his way through through northern Thailand, his menu reflects the mouthwatering flavours of the region — and they're quite distinct from the Thai we might be used to. So don't bother looking for pad Thai. Instead, embrace 12-hour lamb spring rolls with massaman coconut cream ($14) or a jungle curry with pork belly, snake bean, corn and banana chilli ($29). But be warned: the jungle curry is really hot. This is excellent food to share and, as you work your way down the menu, the only problem you'll face is the FOMO as you have to leave one dish behind in order to try another. But to help you out, we recommend you tease your tastebuds with a starter of light and crispy rice cakes with turmeric nam prik (a standard Thai chilli sauce). The single bites add another little mouthful of flavour; morsels like smoked ocean trout come served on betel leaf with kaffir lime, scud chilli, coconut and roe ($5 each). Be careful not to inhale as you eat, though — the scud chilli has quite a kick, and using your fairy floss martini as an extinguisher is just a waste. Beef short ribs are best shared with one other — they come with tamarind nam jim, pickles and chilli salt ($17) and just fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. For a larger group, the whole baby snapper served on a fermented yellow bean sauce ($29) is a good pick. It looks as though it's been caught mid-swim, but seems fairly okay about having its caramelised flesh scraped from the bone and pulled through the slightly tangy and delicious sauce. On paper, the turmeric, kaffir lime, coconut crème caramel with blood orange, spiced rice paper and cool mint ($12) sounds like a lot of elements on one small plate, but manages to be rich without being overpowering. It's smooth and velvety, and the perfect way to end the meal. The drinks list contains the usual range of beers, an excellent selection of wine and a collection of exotic 'rocktails', which are as pretty as they are full of flavour. The pandan chilli ginger swizzle ($16), for example, is bound to get the party started. In an age where we need hashtags to guide us, the addition of #rockingthai at the top of the Rock Sugar menu is fitting for both its contents and the interior. The dining room is all exposed brick and the green tiles of the central bar almost glow with a light of their own while the neon pink rock on sign on the wall blesses us as you eat. Rock Sugar has only just opened, and, while owner Nikon Souphan may well still be getting used to having people dine in what used to be his bedroom (the Malvern Road site was once his family home), he doesn't show it. Just remember, you can't eat it all. But there's always next time — Rock Sugar is a place to go back to.
Television has delivered many great characters over the decades, but Leslie Knope is the best there is. As played to perfection by Amy Poehler, she's the determined, passionate and persistent local government employee and later politician — not to mention a huge fan of waffles and Joe Biden, too — that we all wish really existed. Where The Office turns a regular paper company's operations into must-see comedy, Parks and Recreation weaves the same magic with the titular department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. Creators Mike Schur and Greg Daniels worked on both shows, but P&R evolves into its own overwhelmingly good-natured, heartwarming, hilarious creation. If you wanted to call it literally the best TV comedy of the 21st century, Chris Traeger-style, we'd wholeheartedly agree with you. And yes, with Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott and Rob Lowe among its cast, it's the show that just keeps giving.
Get a glimpse into the production of an intriguing adaptation of Oscar Wilde's savage fairytale The Nightingale and the Rose. Co-directed by two-time Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton and filmmaker Brendan Fletcher, the 14-minute animation — which won the award for Best Australian Short Film at last year's Melbourne International Film Festival — will screen as part of a three-month exhibition at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Featuring the voice talents of Mia Wasikowska, David Wenham and Geoffrey Rush, as well as a unique score by singer-songwriter Sarah Blasko, the film provides the backbone for Del Kathryn Barton: The Nightingale and the Rose. Running until mid-September in ACMI's Gallery 2, the exhibition will take visitors behind the scenes of Barton's creative process, incorporating never-before-seen paintings, props from production, and a rare 1913 edition of the Oscar Wilde anthology in which the story first appeared. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkHzTsFJ73I
A Secret Service agent-turned-bodyguard falls for the superstar singer he's been hired to protect. It's pegged as one of cinema's most iconic love stories, with Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner first tugging at our heartstrings back in 1992. And now, The Bodyguard is set to come alive for the Australian stage, with producers David Ian, Michael Harrison and John Frost today announcing they'll be bringing their award-winning musical show Down Under next year. Set to kick off in Sydney in April 2017, this local production of The Bodyguard — which follows the just-as-awesome news that Moulin Rouge! will finally be made into a stage show — comes off the back of a wildly successful and star-studded run in London theatres, and record-breaking UK tour, which commenced in February this year. Based on the eponymous Warner Bros. film and adapted for the stage by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris, The Bodyguard musical features all those epic Houston tracks that audiences fell in love with the first time around. According to co-producer Frost, the emotionally-charged storyline, along with those "soaring ballads" — like 'Queen of The Night', 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' and the legendary 'I Will Always Love You' (you know the ones) — were simply destined for the stage. The album is still the biggest selling movie soundtrack of all time. Yep. Still. The Bodyguard The Musical will come to Australia in 2017, and will start its national tour in Sydney. More details, including tour dates and additional cities, will be released soon. If you're a keen bean, a waitlist for priority tickets is now open at thebodyguardmusical.com.au.
Freak out, losers and cosmic girls — you've got the number-one song in heaven to dance to. Adelaide music festival Harvest Rock has just announced who'll be hitting its stages in 2023, and the jam-packed lineup is overflowing with legends. Jamiroquai's only Australian show, Beck doing the same, the absolute icons that are both Nile Rodgers & Chic and Edgar Wright's favourite band Sparks: they're all headed to the South Australian capital in October. A two-day blend of music, food and wine — well, it is in SA — Harvest Rock debuted in 2022 and instantly proved a success, attracting 15,000 attendees per day. This year, the festival will return for another stint of tunes, bites and beverages at Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 28–Sunday, October. Whether or not you live in the City of Churches, the event has amassed a killer roster of talent worth planning a weekend around. Jamiroquai will play an exclusive Aussie performance filled with classics like 'Canned Heat', 'Virtual Insanity', 'Little L' and, yes, 'Cosmic Girl', in what'll be the Jay Kay-fronted British band's first show on our shores in more than a decade. Will there be hats? Here's hoping, with audiences set to find out when the group headlines the Saturday. Beck was last in Australia earlier in 2023, playing Bluesfest and doing an acoustic tour, but this time the Californian great will return with his full band to headline Harvest Festival's Sunday roster. It's almost been three decades since he came to fame with 90s anthem 'Loser', and he's kept making ace tunes from there — 'Where It's At', 'Devil's Haircut' and 'Sexx Laws' all included, across 14 records since his 1993 debut album Golden Feelings. 'Le Freak' and 'Good Times' will get a whirl when the one and only Rodgers takes to the stage with his band Chic, which was first formed more than 50 years ago. As a guitarist, Rodgers is in a league of his own (see also: his work on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, including single 'Get Lucky'). As a writer and producer, he's had a hand in everything from David Bowie's Let's Dance album to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin'. Sparks will draw upon a whopping 57 years of making ridiculously catchy and smartly funny tunes, including 'The Number One Song in Heaven', 'This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us' and latest single 'The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte'. In a glorious move, they've been beginning their recent sets with 'So May We Start' from Annette, too, which won them the Best Composer award at Cannes. The rest of Harvest Rock's lineup is no slouch. Santigold, Chromeo, Bright Eyes and Ladyhawk join the international contingent, while Flight Facilities, Baker Boy, Julia Jacklin, Chet Faker, Ocean Alley, Bad//Dreems, Thelma Plum and Vera Blue are among the Aussie names. And, back on legends, Paul Kelly will also take to the stage, as will The Rolling Stone Revue featuring Adalita of Magic Dirt, Tim Rogers of You Am I and Tex Perkins — yes, all teaming up to play The Rolling Stones' greatest hits. Dubbed Harvest Rock II and hailing from Secret Sounds, the crew behind Splendour in the Grass, the returning spring fest will feature Adelaide's top restaurants and eateries serving up food at the Feastiville precinct, onsite eatery Wildwood led by arkhé's chef and co-owner Jake Kellie, a culinary-focused stage and wine tastings as well. Plus, there's a wellness centre doing tarot readings and massages, and mini festival Little Harvest for kids. If you're keen to make a weekend of it, you can grab a VIP ticket package including accommodation from Concrete Playground Trips. HARVEST ROCK II LINEUP: Bad // Dreems Baker Boy Beck (Australian exclusive) Bright Eyes Built to Spill Chet Faker Chromeo Flight Facilities — Decades DJ set Jamiroquai (Australian exclusive) Julia Jacklin Ladyhawke Nile Rodgers & Chic Ocean Alley Paul Kelly Sam Barber Santigold Sparks The Lemon Twigs The Rolling Stone Revue Thelma Plum Vera Blue Warpaint Harvest Rock 2023 will take at Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 28–Sunday, October 29, 2023 — with tickets on sale from 9am AEST on Wednesday, August 9. Head to Concrete Playground Trips for a VIP package for two, including tickets and accommodation.
Best known for its dedicated exhibition space, Craft Victoria is a little treasure trove of art and design right in the heart of the CBD. While its gallery space is always full of nifty creations and happenings, the gift store next door is equally as compelling. Most items in store are produced by local artists including ceramics, homewares, jewellery and textiles. With everything offered at a surprisingly fair price, Craft is the perfect place to go if you're ever in need of a creative kickstart (or a really great gift).
Playing an Australian freshly arrived in Florida in Rough Night, Kate McKinnon bafflingly calls everyone's favourite Italian meal "pizzer". When she's hungry, she pulls a jar of Vegemite out of her bag. And for some unexplained reason, she asks for toilet tissue rather than toilet paper. These are three things likely to make Aussie audiences cringe. And yet despite this, they're actually attached to the best part of the film. Much as she was in Ghostbusters, Masterminds and Office Christmas Party, McKinnon is in Rough Night a downright comic delight, the best part of an ensemble cast that also includes Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer and Zoe Kravitz. If only the material matched her skills. Unfortunately this unremarkable comedy proves to be little more than a blend of Very Bad Things, The Hangover and Weekend at Bernie's, with a few familiar, sentimental musings about female friendship thrown in. Indeed, writer-director Lucia Aniello and her co-scribe Paul W. Downs — both Broad City alum — are happy sticking to a formula. If their script simply read "women behave badly, then hug", we wouldn't be surprised. You already know exactly how this film is going to play out: aspiring state senator Jess (Johansson) and her pals Alice (Bell), Blair (Kravitz), Frankie (Glazer) and Pippa (McKinnon) converge on Miami for 55 hours of drinking, partying, penis-shaped paraphernalia and selfie-worthy raucousness. That's all well and good, until they hire a male stripper and then accidentally kill him. Following in the footsteps of Bridesmaids and Bad Moms, it's great that female-led comedies are finally hitting cinemas in increasing numbers, albeit slowly. It's also great that Rough Night is helmed and co-scripted by a woman and features five ace ladies in the lead roles. Still, we can't help but wish that the film delivered more than just by-the-book observations and stereotypical characters. Sensible, envious, posh, feisty, kooky Aussie: the women here have about as much dimension as members of a '90s girl band. Outside of McKinnon, the biggest chuckles stem from cutaways to Jess' fiance's bachelor party, which involves a civilised evening of wine tasting rather than knocking back shots and snorting drugs. Of course, the fact that more amusement stems from the men in the movie than the women is an enormous problem. With most of its great ladies sadly underused, Rough Night feels like a wasted opportunity. What the world wants is more smart, funny, female-led flicks. What the world didn't need is lazy gender-swapped hijinks packaged as girls-gone-wild fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlDvkRYrIlU
The Mornington Peninsula has quickly shaped up to become the ultimate relaxation destination for bathing enthusiasts and wellness fiends this summer. Already, we had the OG, Peninsula Hot Springs, followed a few months ago by stunning newcomer Alba Thermal Springs & Spa. And now, the region's scored another gem, with the final phase of the much-anticipated Aurora Spa & Bathhouse opening within the Continental Sorrento this week. A new flagship for the award-winning Aurora Spa Group, the site is set to make a huge splash with this cutting-edge, 500-square-metre bathhouse — a luxe indoor wellness precinct boasting numerous mineral pools and one of the largest saunas in the southern hemisphere. Inside, award-winning design studio Woods Bagot (W Melbourne, Barlow) has created a stylish coastal-inspired sanctuary filled with neutral tones, sandy terrazzo tile and oak panelling, aligning to their design notes in the adjacent hotel. Offering a modern take on traditional bathing practices, Aurora is kitted out with a suite of state-of-the-art facilities and experiences for you to explore. Along with that Nordic-style sauna, you'll find features like an icy plunge pool, an aromatherapy steam room, the 36-degree sky-lit Daydream Pool, a reflexology pool and a suite dedicated to halotherapy — a treatment that involves breathing in salty air. You can take a beat to revel in your newly rejuvenated state in the Centella Thermal Lounges, beneath a striking hand-sculpted copper art installation. And for a bracing, Finnish-style experience, hit the custom-designed Glacial Mist Room — a chamber that's dialled into between 6 and 10 degrees, and recreates the elements of wind, rain, mist and ice. Meanwhile, the adjoining spa is offering treatments ranging from holistic facial therapies and massages, to algae body wraps and botanically-charged scrubs. And of course, you can mix and match spa offerings and bathing rituals to really maximise your bliss. If you're after some guidance, Aurora has a suggested 10-step bathing ritual designed to optimise your time in the bathhouse, or you can luxuriate at your own leisure. Prices start from $95 for a 90-minute weekday visit. Find the newly completed Aurora Spa & Bathhouse in The Continental Sorrento, 23 Constitution Hill Road, Sorrento. The bathhouse is open daily from 9am–9pm. Images: Nikole Ramsay
All the young'uns know by now that the smiley-dreadlocks-guy in Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky' music video has a long and venerable history of bringing feelgood vibes to the discotheque. That's because he's Nile Rodgers of Chic, legendary hitmaker, and he'll be headlining the 23rd Meredith Music Festival. Chic was formed in 1976 and at 60, Rodgers is still at the centre of the music biz. After recently rocking Glastonbury with Daft Punk and moving Golden Plains Sixxx to the core last year (prompting Nile to say, "Every show we've had a special connection to the crowd but oh tonight was spiritual"), Chic will get the crowd grooving at the Meredith Supernatural Theatre with their epoch-defining tunes, as well as classics produced by Nile for other colossal artists. 'Le Freak', Good Times, 'Everybody Dance', 'Let's Dance', Like A Virgin, 'Original Sin': are you sensing a theme here? A theme of awesome? Two hours of mirrorball-spinning sounds will ensue. If you can't make it to Meredith, fear not — Chic is touring Australia and will perform at the Sydney Opera House on December 7, sure to be a sultry Saturday night, as part of the Music at the House program. Meredith Music Festival runs over three days from December 13–15. To go in the ballot for tickets, visit the festival website and subscribe before 11.23pm on August 12.
For someone so pivotal to the story of Jesus, it's surprising how few films have told the tale of Mary Magdalene. The biblical figure has been played by Barbara Hershey, Debra Messing, Monica Bellucci and even PJ Harvey over the years, but she's usually a mere supporting character. More than that, she's frequently painted as a sinner at the very least, and often as a prostitute. Neither proves the case in Mary Magdalene, a contemplative, humanist drama that casts Mary (Rooney Mara) as a woman of determination, devout faith and devotion. In fact, the film proposes that she was Jesus' 13th apostle. An early line gives a clear indication of the movie's focus: "I can't marry," Mary tells her father; "I'm not made for that life." What follows is an account of someone defying convention, sticking to her own path, and finding strength and solace when Jesus of Nazareth (Joaquin Phoenix) comes to town. With her dad and brothers preferring to exorcise her convictions away rather than respect her choices, it doesn't take long for Mary to warm to Jesus' caring and charismatic presence. But his existing offsiders are far from welcoming, with Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) especially wary. In fact, it's Judas (Tahar Rahim) who's actually more accepting. As such, Mary Magdalene depicts a strong woman breaking free from the shackles of her patriarchal fishing village, and from the expectation that matrimony and motherhood are all she should hope for. The film watches on as she finds a supportive and inspirational companion in Jesus, and as she bears witness to not only his deeds and perspective, but to his worries as well. Still, for all of its ambition — for all of its attempts to recast Mary as a feminist hero while the usual Jesus tale plays out — the movie can't quite decide if it's championing the titular character, or getting lost in her affection for the preacher and religious leader. Of course, you can't tell her story without him, but the balance isn't always right. More often than not, it appears as though Mary Magdalene wants the audience to understand Mary's connection to Jesus more than it seeks to understand Mary herself. Thank whichever deity you please for Mara, then. As she demonstrated so emphatically in Carol, she's one of the best actresses of her generation when it comes to conveying a whole world of emotion without saying a word. Her eyes flicker as Mary reacts to Jesus, her posture shifts, and viewers can grasp not only what the character sees in him but how that makes her feel. Phoenix is also impressive, his mumbling take on Christ in keeping with the film's down-to-earth air. This isn't a movie that looks to the heavens to find spiritual meaning, but to people, their actions and the impact their deeds can have. It's a fitting approach, particularly with Australian filmmaker Garth Davis (Lion) in the director's chair. While a religious tale seems quite the departure from his acclaimed debut, both prove intimate dramas about lost souls searching for fulfilment. Both also share stirring scores and scenic imagery — courtesy of the late, great composer Johann Johannsson (Arrival) and Icelandic cellist Hildur Guðnadóttir, and cinematographer Greig Fraser (Lion), respectively — but movie magic doesn't strike twice. Instead, Mary Magdalene is an intermittently convincing film about belief, rather than a film to believe in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH6A_YDafBw
Rachael Archibald’s current exhibition Carnate (in-pinking) on show at Paper-Thin is a tactile, textured, surreal wonderland — after all, that's kind of her thing. But the most intriguing point of difference is that Paper-Thin is a gallery that exists solely online. It's a unique new exhibition platform for digital artists who work on the threshold between material and virtual. You’ll have to install a few plugins to enter the gallery, but when you do, it’ll feel like the new-age art version of the Windows '98 3D maze screensaver. You can check out Archibald’s work from the comfort of your couch (or sneakily from work when your boss is distracted) as well as the work of fellow digital artists Alan Resnick, Hunter Jonakin, Daniel Baird and Haseeb Ahmed and Hugo Arcier. At this virtual gallery, you can stroll through the surreal white gallery space (using the forward and back arrows) and interact with the displays in a way they would never allow at the NGV. Check out Paper-Thin here.
When word arrived in 2021 that Australia was getting a new European-focused film festival, it couldn't have been better news for movie lovers. Europa! Europa is all about showcasing flicks from across the whole continent, so you can see the latest and greatest titles from France, Spain, Italy, Romania and more all at the one event — and, ahead of its February debut in Sydney and Melbourne, the fest has just revealed its full inaugural 2022 program. In total, 43 features from 42 countries will grace the festival's screens during its runs in both capitals, which'll kick off on Friday, February 4 and play through until Sunday, February 27 — at Sydney's Ritz Cinemas in Randwick, and Melbourne's Classic Cinemas in Elsternwick and Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn. If you can't wait till the nation's country-specific fests arrive later in the year, such as the standalone French and Italian events, or until Sydney Film Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival roll around for 2022, there's plenty to tempt you into a darkened theatre this summer. Opening the lineup is The Souvenir Part II, sequel to 2019's exceptional The Souvenir — which means that Europa! Europa is launching with the new team-up between rising star Honor Swinton Byrne and her mother Tilda Swinton. The follow-up picks up where the first movie left off, with Swinton Byrne's aspiring filmmaker attempting to cope with the tragic events of the last flick, all while she shoots her next project. Once again directed by British helmer Joanna Hogg, it'll start the festival in sublime form. (And if you're keen to see the original, it's on the bill as well.) Also bookending the fest: closing night's France from inimitable writer/director Bruno Dumont (Joan of Arc, P'tit Quinquin). A satire of the media industry, it stars No Time to Die and The French Dispatch's Léa Seydoux as a journalist forced to navigate the aftermath of injuring a pedestrian in a traffic accident. Other standouts include 13 films that were submitted as their country's entries for this year's Best International Feature Film Oscar, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina's social-realist fairytale The White Fortress and North Macedonia's Sisterhood, which is about toxic friendships — and a number of titles that wowed last year's Cannes Film Festivals, like Norwegian supernatural thriller The Innocents and the Before Sunrise-esque train-set love story Compartment No 6. Or, there's also Andrea Arnold's (American Honey) Cow, aka the most gripping and moving documentary portrait of a dairy cow's life that you're ever likely to see; Earwig, the English-language debut of acclaimed French director Lucile Hadžihalilovic (Innocence, Evolution); Vortex, which sees Climax filmmaker Gaspar Noé swap his usual wild fare for an Amour-style look at ageing; and No Fucks Given, starring Blue Is the Warmest Colour's Adèle Exarchopoulos as a flight attendant for a low-cost airline. And yes, if you've spotted more than a few high-profile European directors mentioned above, that's because highlighting the best filmmakers the continent has is also one of Europa! Europa's big aims. Europa! Europa will screen in Sydney and Melbourne between Friday, February 4–Sunday, February 27. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
Sometimes, we take the little things for granted, and we don’t get a chance to stop and smell the roses. While roses should be around for a little while longer, artist Catherine Young has worked in collaboration with Swiss perfume company Givaudan to create a collection of fragrances that we may lose due to climate change. The Ephemeral Marvels Perfume Store (or TEMPS for short) features eight perfumes in the scent of Coasts, Coffee, Honey, Wine, Eucalyptus, Peanuts, Ice and Hardwood Trees. Young approached Givaudan with the smells that she wanted to capture and the feelings or memories that she wanted to evoke, and the scientists went from there. The perfumes are held in beautiful glass bottles, each with a hummingbird on the label. "Because of its speed, the hummingbird is known as a messenger and stopper of time," writes Young on her website. "It is also a symbol of love, joy and beauty. The hummingbird is also able to fly backwards, teaching us that we can look back on our past. This could be the saddest perfume collection ever produced. And while it's not likely to flip the Ian Plimers of the world into acting on climate change, there's no denying it is a poetic way to communicate the message. Scent is renowned for its ability to transport us back to a past memory. Think of all the things we stand to forget if we can no longer visit them via olfactory highway. Unfortunately, the scents are not for sale. TEMPS is part of Young’s solo exhibition The Apocalypse Project, held at the Mind Museum in the Philippines. This is also not the first time that Young has used scents as part of her artistic work. In graduate school Young created a book called An Olfactory Memoir of Three Cities: Manila, New York, Barcelona, which featured smells from three cities Young had previously lived in. Via Fast Company.
The latest slate of films from the chilly Nordic north is headed to a Palace Cinema near you. Returning for just its second year, the Scandinavian Film Festival will showcase 22 movies from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway. Expect kitchen-sink dramas, edge-of-your-seat crime stories and a road movie about a struggling furniture salesman who hatches a plan to kidnap the founder of Ikea. That last one is actually Norwegian, not Swedish, but should make for a fun watch on opening night. Other comedies in the lineup include oddball Icelandic film Rams, which won the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes earlier this year; as well as the middle-aged rom-com Hello Hello, which proved an audience favourite at festivals in its native Sweden. Those after something a little bit more serious can check out Danish police procedural The Absent One or drug-fuelled Finnish thriller They Have Escaped, among numerous others. The festival comes to a close with a documentary about Ingrid Bergman, the Swedish actress who went on to become one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. Image: Young Sophie Bell.
Crown Ruler and Wax'o Paradiso present Freedom Time #2, and they’re bringing out the big guns with Sam Shepard, aka Floating Points. Known for his expansive DJ sets that incorporate vinyl-only sessions of jazz, soul, disco, Brazilian and electronica, Floating Points is following in the footsteps of his contemporaries Caribou and Four Tet, while at the same time forging his own path. Other DJs performing on the night include include Wax'o Paradiso, J'Nett, Miss Goldie, Ben Taaffe and Heartical Hi Powa. This is the first music event to play out in the Coburg Velodrome, which only makes this outdoor gig even more exciting. If you missed out on a Meredith ticket and are keen to get a dose of Floating Points, you can't possibly pass this up.
Scienceworks' new exhibition Museum of the Moon takes a close-up look at the moon. It features a seven-metre sculpture of the celestial body, complete with NASA imagery on its surface. While it's technically designed for teenagers, you'll still find it fun if you're into the cool stuff that science Even more adult-friendly is the accompanying Party Beyond event that is happening on Saturday, April 27. With Scienceworks open late and the event only open to those over the age of 18, attendees can get a hit of adult science along with their glass of adult drinks (suck it, kids). Food and drinks will be available to purchase, and you won't be mulling over whatever you've just learnt about the moon — performances by singer and activist Mama Alto, afro-futurist Cumbia Cosmonauts, electro-pop artist Geryon and keyboardist Waterfall Person will be featured throughout the six exhibition spaces. Take a look at the unseen (like gravitational waves) in the Beyond Perception installation while Rebel Yell performs her industrial techno tunes — or party inside the Planetarium with multi-instrumental musician Synthotronica. Plus, DJ Biscotti will be spinning everything from 70s French boogie to Nigerian disco at the Admissions counter. Image: Museums Victoria/Benjamin Healley.
Small and independent Melbourne breweries never stop dreaming up new beers. Brewers at these joints are given the freedom to play — they're not just asked to keep bashing out the same lager over and over. To shine a light on all this creativity, Brunswick's Co-Conspirators Brewpub is hosting a one-off winter beer festival with eight other Victorian breweries on Saturday, July 6. Expect to find brewers from Noodledoof Beer, Stomping Ground Brewing Co, Sailors Grave Brewing Co and Bright Brewery, among others. Expect to find heavier brews at this winter festival, from stouts and spiced-up numbers to extra hoppy IPAs and barrel-aged beers. During the two sessions (1pm and 4pm), each of the breweries will be giving out tasters of their special winter releases, with Beard Street BBQ on-site to serve up American-style barbecue eats. The $35 tickets include a 150ml taster from each of the eight visiting breweries, as well as a sample of Co-Conspirators' 2024 The Don Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout. You can also purchase other samples and merch for an additional fee. Images: Libby Curran.
What could be better than a Saturday afternoon wrapped up on a picnic rug among the dogs wagging their tails and the kids tossing balls watching the local footy team in Edinburgh Park? The answer is a perfect spot to soothe your aching cold limbs when the sun goes down afterwards. And guess what? We've found it. If you're ready for a no-nonsense grown up glass of red, Underwood is your date for the evening. Nestled between the antique shops and grand homes of Fitzroy North, you'll find this gem showering all the best buzz words over their restrained and well thought through bar and drinks menus. The beers, ciders and wine seem to be exclusively Australian, including plenty of blossoming Melbourne born-and-bred breweries. The boys here really know their stuff, so if you're not a wine connoisseur, just let them know what you're in the mood for. They'll help you choose something that suits. The food menu also champions the real locals, including perfectly cooked duck rillettes ($15) from deli Obelix & Co which is just a stone's throw away. We loved the cheese board which changes weekly and comes adorned with a delicious quince and rosewater jam, as well as various breads. A large blackboard and open shelving combined with simple wooden furniture and soft lighting creates a lovely laid-back environment, perfect for afternoon or evening. A cracking spot to impress on a first date or hang out during the week with a group of mates, we'd venture north of the main Fitzroy drag for this park-side treat again in a heartbeat. Photos by Sarp Soysal.
It's never too cold to party. At least, that's what the guys behind Snowtunes say. And for its third year, this Snowy Mountains music festival is coming back even bigger — twice the size actually. With the addition of a second night of festivities, the party people have also added a second stage so punters can enjoy live music at one and dance it out at the other, dedicated to EDM. Mark your calendars, snag some tickets and find some snow gear, because September 1 and 2 are fast approaching. Who's expected to take to the stage? There'll be plenty of Aussie-born talent to set your weekend's soundtrack after a day on the slopes, including L D R U, Gang of Youths, Nina Las Vegas, Mashd N Kutcher and Tigerlily. New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Mitch James and French DJ Klingande will bring some tunes from abroad into the mix, too. Really, it's a slam dunk of a lineup. And in between sets you'll be able to grab a drink at this year's Bag Jump Adventure Park, a VIP champagne bar, as Lake Jindabyne gets transformed into the ultimate party snow globe. Stay tuned for any updates and announcements on Snowtunes here.
If you tend to take out your stress and anxiety on your innocent writing utensil, then it's about time you chomped on something a little less plastic-flavored and a lot more delicious. Feast your eyes upon the edible pen. Dave Hakkens was one of those nervous pen-chewers, leading him to invent this tasty ballpoint. He wanted a pen that he could chew on without making it dirty or, for lack of a better word, gross. After realizing that the only essential part of any pen was the ink, Hakkens set about designing a pen that he could entirely eat, and that he did. The body of the pen is made out of 22 pieces of sugary candy, similar to those in candy necklaces, which enclose edible ink. The only part that cannot be consumed is the small tip, which can be thrown away or transferred to another refill once the whole pen is eaten. The best part? The candy is made so it won't melt in your hands or stick to anything. Hakken's first prototype was peppermint flavoured, but the edible pen now comes in five other fruity flavours. As well as being a treat for your sweet tooth, an edible pen makes ecological sense when you consider all the ballpoints that get binned every year.
This quirky, bright blue store has been on Brunswick Street for over 20 years now. Founded in 1993 by furniture makers Jeremy Wilkins and Stephen Kent, Wilkins and Kent was conceived as a workshop for custom-made bookcases, cupboards and chests. Now it's a fully-fledged boutique of not only furniture, but homewares of all kinds. While you can still find yourself a specialty-made desk or tallboy, you can also pick up terrariums, alarm clocks, kitchen goods, and bedspreads — anything that makes your home just that little bit brighter. You can also find Wilkins and Kent in the city at 372 Lt Bourke Street, Melbourne.
Purchasing a pair of Dejour jeans is a rite of passage for every Melburnian. But this isn't any mere pop-in, pop-out trip to the store — each item is personally altered for you on site by owner Nam Huynh. Once you've chosen from a range of cuts and colours in store, Dejour will properly fit and pin your garment in place to make that good pair of jeans great. Though it seems tedious, Huynh and his team have got this down to a science sometimes sewing up your purchase while you wait. Better yet: it'll only set you back around $40. Cheap Mondays don't look so cheap anymore, do they?
For the last decade or so, Luke Cornish, aka ELK, has been taking his street art into the gallery to great acclaim. For his latest exhibition, entitled Zero To The Left, Cornish was inspired by a recent journey to war-torn Syria, where he taught art to the local children and hoped to provide a positive impact to those caught in the middle of a terrible conflict. Producing lifelike works using stencils, aerosol paint and sublimation prints, Cornish shows the endless destruction and daily struggles of those living with an uncertain future. Cornish is one of Australia's most acclaimed street artists routinely completing large-scale works and exhibits. Back in 2012, Cornish was the first stencil artist to be a finalist in the Archibald Prize — Australia's most prestigious portrait award — with his multi-layered portrait of the ever-popular Father Bob Maguire and has since continued to show his art extensively around Australia and the world. Zero To The Left is on display at Metro Gallery from Monday, July 10 until Saturday, August 5. In addition, Father Bob Maguire will join Cornish for a free talk at Metro Gallery on Saturday, July 15 at noon.
If you're a fan of iconic late-90s/early-00s high school-set dramedies, big-name Hollywood comedies, entertainingly twisty mysteries and TV shows about teenage witches, then SXSW Sydney 2025 is doing you a simple favour: Paul Feig, the director, writer, producer and actor who created Freaks and Geeks, helmed Bridesmaids and A Simple Favour, and co-starred in the OG Sabrina the Teenage Witch, is heading Down Under for this year's event. Not only is Feig the 2025 SXSW Sydney Screen Festival keynote speaker and also the filmmaker in the spotlight at the fest's big-screen retrospective, but he's also being celebrated with a brand-new accolade. When the event runs between Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19, 2025, it'll debut the SXSW Sydney Screen Pioneer Award, and Feig is its inaugural recipient. If you're a fan of The Heat, Spy, Last Christmas and this year's Another Simple Favour, too — and also Feig's excellent 2018 Ghostbusters with an all-female spirit-hunting team — then this keeps proving great news. Exactly which titles among those flicks will be among SXSW Sydney's screenings is yet to be revealed, however. The same is the case with whether the Feig-helmed Unaccompanied Minors, The School for Good and Evil and Jackpot! might pop up. Here's something to cross your fingers for, though: The Housemaid, Feig's latest movie, is due to make its way to cinemas at the end of 2025. So, while there's absolutely no word yet that it'll be playing SXSW Sydney before its general release, you can start hoping that the Sydney Sweeney (Echo Valley)-, Amanda Seyfried (Long Bright River) and Brandon Sklenar (Drop)-starring film might score a spin when Feig makes the trip Down Under to get chatting. "I'm so honoured to receive the first-ever Screen Pioneer Award from SXSW Sydney. SXSW is my favourite festival in the world because they are committed to entertaining audiences. They've been supporters of mine for so many years and to have my work celebrated in this way, and to be able to share it with Australian audiences through this retrospective, is incredibly special. I look forward to the conversations, the Q&As, and the Tim Tams come October!" said Feig. Added Fenella Kernebone, Head of Conference Program, "Paul Feig's films have reached huge audiences — from Bridesmaids, The Heat and Spy to Ghostbusters and A Simple Favour, his career has been defined by genre-shaping stories that put powerful, complex and hilarious women front and centre. Paul has spent his career breaking moulds, challenging industry norms, and proving that female-led films can be both critically acclaimed and wildly successful. We're thrilled to welcome him to SXSW Sydney and can't wait to hear his insights from a career built on visionary storytelling, sharp comedy and a deep commitment to elevating others." Also big: SXSW Sydney's Screen Festival has announced its first six features beyond the Feig retrospective, so get excited about seeing By Design, $POSITIONS, Dead Lover, Zodiac Killer Project, The Last Sacrifice and Bokshi. Among that group, body-swap effort By Design features Juliette Lewis (The Thicket), Mamoudou Athie (Kinds of Kindness) and Robin Tunney (Dear Edward); horror-comedy Dead Lover is a SXSW Austin award-winner; Charlie Shackleton (The Afterlight) digs into a famed serial killer; and everything from comedy to folk horror features. Shorts Stomach Bug and Chasing the Party have a date with the fest as well, among other titles, with the former a BAFTA-nominee and the latter boasting Sam Rockwell (The White Lotus) as a producer. The new round of SXSW Sydney announcements for 2025 — following its dates, that its free programming is expanding, plus a few batches of speakers and music artists — also span Slo Mo podcast host and former Google X Chief Business Officer Mo Gawdat, Google Maps co-founder Lars Rasmussen, Passes founder Lucy Guo and MIT Technology Review Executive Editor Niall Firth as fellow speakers across the rest of the technology, music, film and gaming event. Signal President Meredith Whittaker is already on the keynote list from past program drops. The initial 50 Conference Program sessions and the first 40 titles at the Games Festival Showcase have been revealed, too, which is ace if you're keen to learn more about exploring space, sustainable design, the creator economy, people living in the ocean, writing true stories for TV, indie game marketing, cutscenes, cyber intelligence, digital sovereignty and AI ethics — or to mash a whole heap of buttons. SXSW Sydney 2025 runs from Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Top image: Frank Micelotta.
If spending your days indoors has you feeling nostalgic, that's understandable. As the world reacts to the COVID-19 pandemic, pining for happier times gone by is a completely natural response. So far, you've probably adjusted your viewing — lapping up plenty of retro animated favourites, such as Studio Ghibli's back catalogue. And, thanks to San Churro, you can now send your tastebuds back to a simpler, rosier era as well. The nationwide chain has just launched a new 'throwback edition' range of churro snack packs, which combine its eponymous dish — aka those long, thin, fried-dough pastries — with a number of retro dessert staples. Think churros with fairy bread, churros with chocolate crackles, and churros sprinkled with strawberry and grape Nerds. Each pack comes with mini churros, its chosen nostalgic dessert, your choice of drizzled white, dark or milk chocolate, and either ice cream or strawberries. The fairy bread pack features speckles and white chocolate ice cream, for example, while the chocolate crackle pack keeps the theme going with chocolate ice cream — and the Nerds pack drops its sugary lollies over the pinkest of fruits. If you're not already getting playground flashbacks, San Churro is also hosting 'throwback Thursdays' throughout May, with its snack packs on offer at 90s prices every Thursday from 4–8pm. That'll reduce a $17 snack pack down to $11, with packs available for takeaway, or for delivery via DoorDash, Menulog, Deliveroo and Uber Eats. And, for those who prefer going retro with a warm, milky beverage instead, 'throwback edition' hot chocolates are also on the menu. Yes, that means that you can sip a hot choccy topped with fairy bread, chocolate crackle pieces or Nerds — or choose honeycomb pieces instead. San Churro's 'throwback edition' range of snack packs are available in-store now, with 'throwback Thursday' pricing available every Thursday from 4–8pm until Thursday, May 28. For further information, visit the chain's website.
If you fancy getting into the spirit of Cinco de Mayo with a Mexican-inspired feast and a couple of cheeky lunchtime cocktails, you're in luck. To mark Mexico's historic cultural day this Sunday, May 5, legendary Mexican spot Mamasita is joining forces with southern American-style smokehouse masters Bluebonnet BBQ, to deliver the ultimate Tex-Mex food fest. For $55 per person, you'll get a five-course lunch that packs plenty of punch in the flavour department. We're talking cuttlefish enchiladas matched with poblano and squid ink; tostadas topped with brisket burnt ends, avocado and crispy shallots; and a smoked lamb dish starring tomatillo purée, barbecued red onion and ancho wild rice. And for dessert, you'll get a tres leches cake with mandarin candy and berries. If you're thirsty, you can add on matched wines for an extra $40, or embrace the weekend with a $45 cocktail match lineup. Get excited for drinks such as chipotle and tamarind Sangritas and a pink lemonade blending mezcal, Ancho Verde (a spicy Mexican liqueur made from ancho and poblano chillis), hibiscus and lime. There are two sittings on offer: noon and 2.30pm. To make a booking, head to the website.
After throwing a series of after-hours pop-up shindigs in 2018, Melbourne Museum is partying until late once again — and for its first soiree of the new year, the venue is teaming up with the Midsumma Festival. Once again welcoming you into a venue that's usually only when daylight is blazing, Nocturnal x Midsumma will serve up a summery showcase of queer and pan-African culture. Expect talks, performances and plenty of music, all from 7pm on Friday, February 1. On the lineup are four diverse artists, including South African performer Nakhane, who's heading to Australia for the very first time. He's joined by Sydney-based vocalist Okenyo, who you might know from Elefant Traks, plus cabaret show The Cocoa Butter Club, which is all about people of colour and first peoples performers. And then there's Candy Bowers, who has curated an evening of spoken word poetry and storytelling — with seven folks on the bill, all responding to the museum's Mandela My Life exhibition. Attendees will also find pop-up bars ready to quench your thirst, and staff delivering chats and presentations throughout the building. Tickets range from $20 for members, $25 if you nab an early bird special and $35 otherwise.
If the 2019 Good Food Month program is anything to go by, those stretchy pants are set to come in very handy this June. Melbourne's annual month-long food fiesta is back for a jam-packed few weeks of culinary fun, featuring top Aussie chefs, food-focused parties and unique dining experiences to impress just about every palate. Heading up an impressive lineup of culinary icons is the legendary Marco Pierre White, joined by homegrown stars including Andrew McConnell, Oakridge Wines' Matt Stone, Tipo 00's Andreas Papadakis and Lulu La Delizia's Joel Valvasori-Pereza. Taking the reins from 2018's Palm Springs-inspired Fed Square pop-up, South Melbourne warehouse space Canvas House is set to host this year's Good Food Month Restaurant, coming alive for its own program of exciting feature events. The fun here kicks off on Wednesday, June 5, with a stunning four-course feast hosted by White, which sees the acclaimed Phil Wood (Pt Leo Estate and Laura) reworking some of the UK chef's classic dishes. Then, Andreas Papadakis, Joel Valvasori-Pereza and White will team up to host a pasta party. Elsewhere in the program, you'll catch two of Australia's food sustainability champions working their magic at The New Vanguard, a dinner by Joost Bakker protégé Matt Stone and Paul Iskov, of Fervor in Perth. On June 9, the traditional Sunday roast gets a revamp at the hands of White and good mate Andrew McConnell (Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co), who'll deliver a contemporary family-style feast matched with wines and James Squire brews. Later that week, celebrity chef Adam Liaw will team up with Keita Abe from one of Sydney's favourite ramen and yakitori spots, Chaco Bar, for a one-off dinner. Good Food Month's Let's Do Lunch — a series of $45 lunches at Melbourne's hatted restaurants — will also return. This year, you can score a discounted lunch at opulent South Yarra restaurant Matilda 159, Middle Eastern hot spot Maha, CBD French diner Noir, elegant fine diner Ezard and sustainable seafood restaurant Sardine. A slew of other restaurants will be serving up great offers and limited-edition deals throughout the month, too, including a $40 tapas and sangria deal at Asado, $15 chicken ribs at Gingerboy and a one-off winter feast at Fatto. Second image: Matilda 159 by Tim Grey. Updated May 31, 2019.
Both big air and big bands are on the agenda for Australia's newest festival offering. This August, the global Air + Style Big Air Competition is set to make its southern hemisphere debut, descending on The Domain for three huge days of snow sports, live music, culture and fashion. And it's being headlined by none other than Irish/Scottish alt-rockers Snow Patrol and US artist Flo Rida, each heading to town for their first Aussie shows in over five years. From August 3 to 5, the 34-hectare space on the edge of Sydney's CBD will be sporting a very different look than what locals are used to, featuring a 16-storey snow-covered ramp and multiple music stages. More than 60 of the world's best snowboarders and skiers will land here, to compete as part of the 2018 Air + Style Global Tour. Plus, the event has quite the pedigree — three-time Olympic gold medallist and all-round champion snowboarder Shaun White has been the majority shareholder since 2014. But let's not forget about the equally tempting music component. Previous incarnations of Air + Style in the likes of Beijing, Los Angeles and Austria's Innsbruck have drawn big-name artists such as Flume, Major Lazer, Portugal. The Man and Kendrick Lamar. The Sydney outing promises to follow in their footsteps, with Snow Patrol and Flo Rida just the first of many acts to be announced. Both single day tickets and multi-day passes are available, starting at $150. The Air + Style Big Air Competition comes to The Domain, Sydney from August 3-5. Head to the festival website for tickets and further information.
Over the past 25 years, director Glenn Elston’s Australian Shakespeare Company has entertained a staggering half a million punters across the country. Most well known for what is now a deeply ingrained tradition in the city – Shakespeare in the Royal Botanic Gardens (which returns for its latest season on December 30) — Elston recently received a prestigious 2014 Melbourne Award for his service to open-air theatre. So how did we go from begrudgingly powering through plays in high school English to excitedly spending summer days with the Bard? "When I was studying, I was working with a fantastic director from America, and I got to do all sorts of things ... lighting, playing music, acting," Elston says. "It was just such a wonderful experience that I started to explore it more and more, and then the whole idea of doing it outdoors just seemed to fit really well, the whole marriage of art and nature was just a great combination that was inspiring, and off it went from there." Guy Pearce, Tim Minchin and Nadine Garner are just some of the notable Australian performers who’ve since joined the casts of Elston's open-air productions since he founded the ASC in 1988. In that time, he and his company have weathered their share of mishaps while touring around the country. Bushfires, floods and storms have been the main offenders, followed closely by occasional marriage proposals in the audience, and stage invasions from spotlight-hungry possums. But Elston believes the unique kind of performance setting achieved in the open air more than makes up from any unforeseeable distractions. "The main thing is the easy accessibility for the audience and to the play — in this environment, the actors, the audience, and the story all become joined together much more easily than you do in a traditional theatre space. Because people are much more relaxed, they’re really much more willing to just go along with the story and enjoy the contact with the actors, they can walk offstage and into the audience; they can participate. Everyone is readily available. Surrounded by nature — by the open air, the birds, the breeze — everything is stimulating, and that makes it enjoyable." Australian audiences' enthusiasm for Elston's brand of Shakespeare has remained undiminished over the years; if anything, it has grown stronger over time. "We see more people coming back. It becomes something that gets passed on. What we have is an experience, more than just being a play. What has grown and grown over the years is people's appreciation of what it’s like to inhabit this kind of environment while being able to engage with Shakespeare’s text.” Elston’s next production is a new version of the music-heavy satire As You Like It featuring ASC regulars such as Charlie Sturgeon and Claire Nicholls as well as newcomers like Louisa Fitzhardinge. The character of Rosalind and the play’s unique combination of romance, humour and insanity within Shakespeare’s canon makes the text one of the director's favourites. "It’s a wonderful celebration of renouncing hatred for love and a story that rejoices in feminine strength, wit and comedy," he says. And with the sun out in full force and everyone giddy off the unavoidable Christmas craziness, a madcap day in the gardens is looking better than ever. The Australian Shakespeare Company’s production of As You Like It runs from December 30 until March 14, and appears as part of Melbourne’s first SummerSalt Festival. Tickets are available here.
