Doing the environment a solid, British MPs have called for a compulsory fee on disposable takeaway coffee cups. Proposed by the UK parliament's Environmental Audit Committee, the suggested 'latte levy' would charge customers an extra 25 pence, as part of a bid to reduce waste and encourage caffeine fiends to switch to reusable containers. More than 2.5 billion cups are used in the UK every year, with half a million becoming litter each and every day. While they're difficult and expensive to recycle thanks to the plastic lining, it's not impossible. With less than one percent of cups being recycled, at present most are incinerated, exported or end up in landfill. "The UK's coffee shop market is expanding rapidly, so we need to kickstart a revolution in recycling," said committee chair Mary Creagh. "We're calling for action to reduce the number of single use cups, promote reusable cups over disposable cups and to recycle all coffee cups by 2023." Fees collected would be invested into recycling facilities, and as the recycling rate for coffee cups improves, it's anticipated that the charge could be lowered. The proposal also suggests increasing the price of the cups for producers, if they're made from materials that are hard to recycle; improving labelling so that customers know if their one-off cup will be recycled by the store, stating "not widely recycled" and "recyclable in store only"; and banning disposable cups outright if the 2023 target isn't reached. In Australia, the move towards reusable cups is growing. A Sydney cafe stopped using single-use cups last August, while two Melbourne cafes gave away free coffee to anyone with their own container. Throw in creatives making adorable ceramic keep cups and the company recycling coffee waste into environmentally friendly cups, and there's a definite push to minimise waste in the local coffee scene, where an estimated one billion disposable cups are used annually.
When the Mr Black Festival of the Espresso Martini first hit Melbourne in 2016, caffeinated cocktail lovers rejoiced — and forgot all about sleep for a few days. It's far from surprising that the fest is back for another round of chilled coffee and vodka. Best get some rest now because you won't in November. After last year's event expanded from one to three days due to demand, the 2017 iteration knows it'll need to spread out its buzzing boozy fun from the outset. Taking over North Melbourne's Meat Market from November 3 to 5, it'll serve up six different bar areas, a range of workshops and classes, food aplenty, live music from Australian musicians and, yes, the drink in question. Thanks to the fine folks at NSW cold-pressed (and damn fine) coffee liqueur brand Mr Black, attendees can try espresso martinis topped with doughnuts, other variations on the tasty cocktail and even white russian slushies. A garden tiki bar and hidden speakeasy will also boast their own range of special tipples, while a gin and tonic bar will offer a reprieve from the coffee — if that's what you feel you need. Holgate Brewing's beer will also provide a non-espresso option. With Fancy Hank's, Zeus Street Greek Food, That Arancini Guy, Toasta & Co and Butter Mafia on food duties, there'll be a range of eats to help line the stomach (and soak up the caffeine). Tickets start at $30 + booking fee, with multiple sessions running each day. Entry includes a Mr Black tasting on arrival, and if you head along to the brunch slot from 10.30am until 2pm on November 4, you'll also get brunch and your first espresso martini included. The Mr Black Festival of the Espresso Martini takes place from November 3 to 5 at Meat Market, 5 Blackwood Street, Melbourne. For more information or to buy tickets, head to espressomartinifest.com.
A weekend at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre is the ultimate way to start the summer. One stage, two nights, three days: that's the setup when the regional Victorian town that gives both the venue and Meredith Music Festival its name welcomes the warm weather. For more than three decades now, this event has become a tradition — and it'll be back in 2024 to do it all again. When Meredith returns across Friday, December 6–Sunday, December 8, it'll celebrate its 32nd festival. Who'll be helping, aka the lineup, hasn't yet been revealed. But something just as important is on the cards already: the ticket ballot opening as at Wednesday, July 17. Book that long weekend now, pop your name in the running, then cross your fingers that you'll be spending three days at The Sup. Meredith has long stopped being the kind of festival where attendance is dictated by whoever is taking to the stage. Whatever the bill holds, it's a must-attend event anyway. So, now's your chance to attempt to nab your ticket. To obtain a pass to the beloved three-day BYO camping festival, you've got until 10.32pm AEST on Monday, August 12 to enter the ballot. And as for the lineup, anything could happen. 2023's festival featured Kraftwerk, as well as Caroline Polachek, Alvvays, Alex G, Eris Drew & Octo Octa, Flowdan, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Sneaky Sound System, No Fixed Address and Souls of Mischief — and more. In 2022, Meredith's first festival since 2019 due to the pandemic, Caribou, Yothu Yindi and Courtney Barnett led the roster. The full lineup is usually announced in mid-August. We'll update you when details drop. Meredith Music Festival will return to Meredith from Friday, December 6–Sunday, December 8, 2024. To put your name in the ballot to get your hands on tickets, head to the festival's website before 10.32pm AEST on Monday, August 12. Images: Chip Mooney, Ben Fletcher, Chelsea King and Steve Benn.
The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix is always a momentous weekend on the calendar. And the electric atmosphere doesn't end when the final chequered flag waves on Sunday afternoon. Just a short walk from Gate 10, St Kilda's famous Fitzroy Street will come alive on March 16 from 5pm with the sounds of music as a heap of iconic venues host free performances by renowned local bands and DJs. Plus, as you're hopping from gig to gig, keep an eye out for the roving street performers along The Esplanade and Fitzroy Street. [caption id="attachment_994383" align="alignnone" width="1920"] DJ Eden[/caption] Harvey's Sports Bar Just five minutes from the Gate 10 exit, Harvey's Sports Bar is an obvious first pick for your post-race fun. Wind down from the (hopefully drama-filled) finish with a pint — there are 17 beers on tap to choose from — and snacks from the woodfired smoked barbecue menu (think wagyu beef brisket, buffalo cauli bites and mac 'n' cheese croquettes). Between 5.30-8.30pm, local Melbourne solo artist Olly Coombs will use loops and funky beats to provide a playful, upbeat set. Between 8.30-10.30pm, rock duo Sam + Sam will perform popular rock covers and originals before DJ Eden keeps the tunes going until 1.30am. St Kilda Sports Club A little further down Fitzroy Street, alt-country rock band Brooke Taylor & The Poison Spitting Gin Queens is kicking off the festivities at 7pm at legendary bowlo (aka St Kilda Sports Club). From 8.15pm, local country rock quartet Murrays Bay Country Club will hit the stage before the vibe shifts to fiery all-girls rockers Hot Machine from 9.30-10.30pm. Some more good news? The greens are kept open until 8pm so if the Formula 1 has left you feeling a little competitive, you can challenge your mates to a friendly match before the sun goes down. The Fifth Province You can always expect a good time (or 'craic') at St Kilda's legendary Irish pub, The Fifth Province, and that includes post-Formula 1 with old-school rock cover band The Day Drinkers hitting the stage from 6.30-9.30pm. The pub also serves up a stellar roast on Sundays so you can pair those classic tunes and a pint of creamy Guinness with striploin or roast chicken with gravy and all the trimmings. Freddie Wimpole's Fried chicken and beer are a staple game-day diet and we reckon that extends to Formula 1, too. Skip up to late-night bar Freddie Wimpole's, located in the historic George Hotel building, to indulge in an eight-piece bucket, served with soft potato rolls, pickles, house-made ranch and spicy mango habanero sauce. Wash it down with a craft brew from the rotating tap list or opt for a tipple from the cocktail menu. While you're eating and drinking, soak in the free folk tunes from alt-country singer Clint Wilson (6.30-7.30pm) before rock 'n' roll band Willie J's 6V6s amps up the energy. George Lane Also housed within the old George Hotel building, George Lane is a cool space that regularly hosts intimate live music performances. On Sunday, March 16, the lineup starts at 8.20pm with Melbourne artist and Wiradjuri woman, Ruby Mae, an indie country singer-songwriter set to release her first album Baby in April. From 9.10pm, Georgia Rodgers will treat you to her soothing blues, rock and soul stylings before renowned funk and soul artist, Kylie Auldist, takes to the stage at 10.10pm. 29th Apartment Designed to feel like a cosy New York apartment, 29th Apartment is the perfect place to unwind after a big day with a cocktail in hand. There are board games if you want to take things easy or you could have a boogie with Nitida & The Hottiehotstuffs between 6-8pm. As they're performing, work your way through the innovative cocktail list which includes the Spicy Donkey, with chilli-infused tequila, guava liquor and spicy ginger beer, and the Mysterious Artichoke, featuring Scottish spiced rum, sweet vermouth and cynar, an Italian liquor made from artichokes. St LuJa Continuing down Fitzroy Street, St LuJa will be pairing its buzzy atmosphere, classic cocktails and delightful bar snacks with free tunes from Dave Larkin. The guitarist of Aussie alt-rock legends Dallas Crane will be crooning from 7.30-9.30pm. Plus, if you want something a little more substantial to snack on, the bar allows you to order in pizza from nearby Topolino's. Ellora Sitting pretty on the corner of Fitzroy Street and The Upper Esplanade, Ellora is a go-to in the area, particularly for its excellent views of the St Kilda Beach and Catani Gardens. Post-Formula 1, perch yourself on the newly renovated beachside balcony and watch the sun go down while listening to the groovy blend of Italian music with rock, country and jazz influences from Lorenzo and the Spaghetti Connection between 5.30-8pm. The tapas-style menu will refuel you after a long day with the likes of truffle fries, pumpkin arancini, prawn ceviche and fried halloumi on offer. Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron Salute the day (and summer) that was with a visit to the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, positioned right on the boardwalk and boasting excellent views of St Kilda Beach and city skyline. Your free soundtrack for the evening, between 8-10pm, will be the smooth sounds of yacht-rock band, The Yachtski Brothers. Watching the dapper eight-member crew perform is like witnessing a time capsule from the late 70s opening so get ready to groove to classic tunes like Toto's 'Africa' and 'Hold the Line'. For more about Last Lap Live and what's on in Melbourne's Southside, head to What's On St Kilda and Southside.
Premier Daniel Andrews has taken to Twitter this morning to announce the decided names for Melbourne's five new Metro Tunnel stations. But if you were gunning for some of the more lighthearted options, like Shane Warne, Vegemite or Bunnings Sausage, we're sorry to tell you you're about to be a tad disappointed. Sydney might have managed to pass in the name Ferry McFerryface for their new ferry earlier this month, but the naming game has proved a little more serious down here in Melbourne, after an eight-week competition which saw the general public throw over 50,000 suggestions into the ring. The results? The station beneath City Square will be named Town Hall Station, the one under St Kilda Road and by The Shrine of Remembrance will be dubbed Anzac Station, and below Franklin Street in the CBD we'll have State Library Station. Further north, Parkville has been picked for the station near Melbourne Uni and the one at Arden is being called North Melbourne, with the original North Melbourne station set to be renamed West Melbourne. Which is sure to be a little confusing at first. Everyone who had a submission selected as one of the new station names will this week go into a random draw, with a winner from each station scoring a behind-the-scenes tour of the worksites and tunnels. To catch you up, the Metro Tunnel will see two new nine-kilometre twin tunnels and five underground train stations added to Melbourne's inner city. These new stations will create a new path into the city that doesn't rely on (but connects to) the City Loop. The idea is that it will ease congestion in the City Loop and allow more trains to be getting in and out of the city. Construction on all this is expected to begin next year and the target completion date is 2026.
What features Jay and Silent Bob dancing, the Quick Stop opening and hockey being played on the roof? There's more than one answer to that question. The response right now: the trailer for Clerks III, which is a real thing that's headed to US cinemas in September. Feeling like you've just jumped back 28 years comes with the territory with this threequel — and the film well and truly knows it. Trust Jason Mewes (Loafy), playing Jay yet again, to state the obvious in the just-dropped sneak peek at Kevin Smith's third Clerks flick. "That's how we did it in the 90s, son!" he exclaims. Naturally, that's just the beginning of Clerks III's meta leanings. In fact, winking and nodding is one of the main reasons that this movie seems to exist — because the titular twosome, aka Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson, Zack and Miri Make a Porno) and Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran, On Your Own), are making their own movie. As the trailer shows, Randal has a heart attack on the job, realises he's living on borrowed time and decides that he'll finally make a film rather than just watch them. "Everything in the script is something either me or someone I know said," he explains — followed by Our Flag Means Death's Fred Armisen, Buffy the Vampire Slayer icon Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Smith's Mallrats and Chasing Amy star Ben Affleck uttering "I'm not even supposed to be here today". No, snoochie boochies, nothing in pop culture ever really dies or ends. Yes, there's always a new movie or TV show popping up to prove how that's the case. All things Star Wars keeps on keeping on, after all — and, given that Smith both writes and directs Clerks III, as he did 1994's Clerks and 2006's Clerks II, you bet that sci-fi space opera gets a mention in his latest flick. If you're new to Clerks, aka the franchise that kickstarted Smith's career both behind and in front of the camera — playing Silent Bob, of course — the OG black-and-white movie followed Quick Stop Groceries employee Dante and his video rental store worker pal Randal going about an ordinary day. Famously, Dante wasn't even supposed to be working. The first sequel then picked up ten years later, checking in on the pair's lives. In that film, they've made the move to fast food, with Rosario Dawson (DMZ) playing their manager. Dawson features in Clerks III, too, as do other familiar franchise faces that are best spotted by watching the trailer yourself — or seeing the film, although it doesn't yet have a release date Down Under. Given how many times that Smith has busted out Jay and Silent Bob now — this makes the ninth View Askewniverse film so far, and they've appeared in other flicks like Scream 3 as well — you can probably expect that he'll be palling around with Mewes on-screen until he's at least 90. The Tusk and Yoga Hosers filmmaker also has a sequel to Mallrats in the works, so add that to the list. Check out the trailer for Clerks III below: Clerks III will release in the US from September 4, with Down Under release dates yet to be confirmed — we'll update you when local details are announced.
Fancy staying in a room that takes inspiration from Pinot or Grigio wines? Or one that looks like a French log cabin? How about bunkering down in a space that a spy might book for the night? Or a nautical-themed abode? Maybe you'd like a room styled after Tavi Gevinson? The list really does go on. Plus, more than that, do you fancy picking from 39 unique rooms yourself? That's the concept at Sydney's newest hotel, The Collectionist. Yes, the Camperdown place is so keen on the whole 'choose-your-own-adventure' idea that it lets guests select their own rooms upon check-in. Billed as the city's "first authentic custom designed hotel", The Collectionist pushes the concept of individualised patron experiences to a whole new level, letting them nab a favourite from the assortment of designer suites on offer. Here, instead of being allocated a random suite, guests at The Collectionist will suss out the available rooms at check-in and choose exactly where they want to spend their stay. Access codes are sent via email and SMS, in another change to the standard process — and from 4–8pm, the hotel hosts welcome drinks for all patrons. Now open in a former warehouse space, the rooms are the product of seven designers from four design studios, plus 13 artists, who spent teamed up to create the unique spaces. It's a concept Collectic Hotels co-founder Daniel Symonds likens to browsing works of art, and no two two rooms are the same, with each boasting its own unique colours, textures and style. It's a great idea if you're in the mood to choose, but probably less than ideal when you're crashing hard after a long-haul flight. Or if all the rooms have already been taken by people who arrived earlier than you. Unsurprisingly, The Collectionist has also done away with the usual room number caper, in favour of eclectic names like the Queenie Fah Fah, Cloud Runner and La Chamber Noir. Just don't expect them all to be your cup of tea. "I would be surprised — and a little disappointed, to be honest — if there weren't some divided opinions on the rooms designs," said Symonds. "We have purposely set about creating rooms that will challenge the 'norms' on hotel room design." The Collectionist Hotel is now open at 9–13 Marsden Street, Camperdown. Visit the hotel website for bookings and further details.
Back to the Future Part II promised us many things. Hoverboards, video calls, instant pizza, the Chicago Cubs winning the world series, Jaws 19 — the list goes on, but only some of these have actually come true to date. While the rest of us have been wishing we could jump in flying cars, however, one researcher has taken inspiration from Marty McFly's self-lacing shoes. In the spirit of tech-infused wearables, Associate Professor Jayan Thomas from the University of Central Florida has developed solar-powered textiles that can be turned into clothing. "If you can develop self-charging clothes or textiles, you can realize those cinematic fantasies – that's the cool thing," said Thomas. That's not the only impressive part of his research, though. Not only can the copper ribbon filaments at the centre of his breakthrough capable of harvesting and storing energy from the sun, but they might then be able to be used to power other electronic devices, such as mobile phones. Imagine never having to worry about your smartphone's battery levels while you're out of the house, no matter how much time you spend snapping photos and posting them to Instagram. Imagine being able to charge your laptop, tablet or e-reader just by sticking it in your bag. Imagine being free from portable chargers, cables and taunting on-screen power indicators. We're not quite at that stage yet, but that's one of the uses Thomas envisages for his new technology, alongside electric cars. It's enough to make you exclaim "great Scott!" several times over. Via Tech Times.
Say hello to my little friend, Australia. Academy Award winning Director Oliver Stone, the maestro behind such influential films as Scarface, Midnight Express, Platoon, Wall Street, Natural Born Killers, JFK, Nixon, and The Doors, is coming to Australia, appearing exclusively at Vivid Sydney. The highly respected director will join the Vivid Ideas Game-Changer talks series (already featuring street art icon Shepard Fairey), and join the Semi Permanent lineup while he's at it. Not one to veer away from controversial subjects, Stone will be joining equally no-bullshit Australian legend Margaret Pomeranz AM on stage at City Recital Hall on Sunday, May 28 for a rare, behind-the-scenes insight into Stone's career and his polarising films. "Interviewing Oliver Stone?" says Pomeranz. "One of the most significant filmmakers of the past 40 years to trawl through our political and cultural history! It's intimidating, exciting and absolutely unmissable. If I weren't on the stage with him I would be in the audience." Stone will also be speaking 'in conversation' at Semi Permanent at Carriageworks on Friday, May 26 — you'll need a full-day festival pass for that. "Semi Permanent is excited to welcome iconic filmmaker and storyteller Oliver Stone to our extraordinary line up for 2017 in Sydney," said Semi Permanent founder and director Murray Bell said. "The Academy Award winning writer and director is one of the most prolific of our time, making films that profoundly capture pivotal moments in our recent history – a lifetime spent creating entertaining and provocative works." Semi Permanent's 2017 event will take over Carriageworks from Thursday, May 25 to Saturday, May 27 and features a cast of players so influential in the modern design game that while this event's in motion, the world will become a very desolate and tacky place. Speakers include Museum of Contemporary Art Australia director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, Katherine Keating publisher VICE Impact, Nike design director Meirion Pritchard and Nike EMEA brand director Gary Horton, Jacqueline Bourke from Getty Images, animation studio Moth Collective, Design Studio's Paul Stafford, Frog Design and Australian designers David Caon, Henry Wilson and architect Kelvin Ho. In the meantime, we'll be playing Smokey Robinson all day: Oliver Stone will appear at Semi Permanent at Carriageworks on Friday, May 26 and The Vivid Ideas Game-Changer talk will be held on Sunday, May 28 at City Recital Hall. Tickets are on sale now at vividsydney.com and semipermanent.com. Image: Getty Images.
There's plenty of people who go around collecting art and putting it in their house. But how about turning your home itself into an artwork? That's exactly what Aussie-born, New York-based artist Ian Strange will be doing this weekend in Richmond. For this Saturday and Sunday only, he's projecting a site-specific illumination onto a family home on Clifton Street. Passersby will see a huge red dot covering the doorway, framed by concentric circles: a bit like an interpretation of the eye of a dartboard. Titled OPEN HOME, the work aims to explore ideas of suburban isolation. On one hand, the home appears as a shelter — on the other, it is vulnerable and at risk of demolition. The piece is one of many by Strange investigating the meaning and architecture of the buildings in which we live. While creating the illumination on Monday, October 2, Strange documented the process in detail. The result is a collection of photographs titled Twenty-Five, which will be on display in the home's front bedroom, next to another series called Forty-Eight. Meanwhile, spread across the other bedrooms, bathroom and living room, you'll find Shadows, a group of photographs and videos that Strange created in Western Australia during 2015 and 2016. The former explore changes to post-war red-brick dwellings, while the latter document Strange at work in the light of dawn. Rounding out the exhibition are two sculptures. Elliot Terrace (2013) features a cut from a New Jersey home that's since been demolished, while Framework (Kenyon 3) (2017) is from a series of site-specific installations that explore the role of frameworks and architectural drawings in the creation and imagining of homes. OPEN HOME is located at 25 Clifton Street, Richmond and will be open from 10am – 6pm on Saturday, October 7 and Sunday, October 8. For more info on the series, visit ianstrange.com.
Forget Christmas carols — when the end of the year hits, one song stands above the rest in Australia. Maybe you just find yourself singing it as December 21 approaches. Perhaps you make an annual pilgrimage to see Paul Kelly play it, given he usually tours at that time of year for good reason. Or, you could celebrate gravy day by, well, making gravy. The recipe's right there, after all. The song we're talking about: Kelly's Christmas classic 'How to Make Gravy', which was first released in 1996 on an EP of the same name. More than a quarter-century on, it's as intertwined with the festive season Down Under as prawns and street cricket — and it's being turned into a movie. As first reported by Variety, How to Make Gravy will hit screens thanks to Warner Bros. Australia and Speech and Drama Pictures — the latter of which is run by musician Megan Washington and writer/director Nick Waterman — who've locked in the rights to make the song into a film. As anyone who knows the words by heart and is currently singing them right now while they're reading this is well aware, Kelly's tune tells a story, starting with a prisoner called Joe who writes to his brother Dan. Presumably, Stella, Frank and Dolly will all also feature, and Rita, Roger, Mary and her new boyfriend. Junior Murvin will have to pop up on the soundtrack, of course. Also, the words "and give my love to Angus" better get uttered — or would it really be a How to Make Gravy movie? It's far too early for announcements regarding casts and release dates, but you could probably put money on it hitting screens — big or small, whichever it heads to — on December 21. Whether that'll be this year or next also hasn't been revealed, but you're about to get a new gravy day tradition either way. (And, given the character of Joe also pops up in other Kelly songs such as 'To Her Door' and 'Love Never Runs On Time', cross your fingers that we're about to get a PKCU — Paul Kelly cinematic universe — too.) How to Make Gravy, the movie, doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when further details are announced. Via Variety.
If you've binged your way through The Afterparty already this year, and watched Death on the Nile as well, then you might be in the market for a new murder-mystery fix. Here's one puzzle that's easy to sleuth, because the answer is set to arrive via Disney+ — thanks to the return of instant 2021 favourite Only Murders in the Building. One of last year's surprises and delights — one of last year's best new shows, in fact — this gem weaves true-crime podcasting into the mix, too, all via a very funny murder-mystery comedy. And, thanks to the latest sneak peek at its second season, following other teasers and trailers back in March and May, Only Murders in the Building looks set to continue as it left off. We're never too far away from a new murder-mystery in some shape or form, of course, and Only Murders in the Building's new batch of episodes knows it, tasking its central trio of NYC neighbours-turned-sleuths (and true-crime podcasters) with investigating a second killing. This time, though, the three key residents of the fictional Arconia in New York are suspects, as well as subjects of a competing podcast. Only Murders in the Building focuses three New Yorkers: actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), theatre producer Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and the much-younger Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die). They're all addicted to a podcast hosted by the fictional Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva), and find themselves unexpectedly bonding over it, in fact. And, when someone turns up dead in their building, they decide that they can sleuth their way through the case by getting talking themselves. That's how the first season panned out. Now, in season two, Charles-Haden, Oliver and Mabel are weathering the fallout. Complicating their efforts are a trio of factors: their public implication in the death in question; that new podcast about them and this murder; and the suspicions of their neighbours, who think they're guilty. Exactly how that'll play out won't be unveiled until Tuesday, June 28, when Only Murders in the Building returns — but you don't need to be an amateur detective to know that it's bound to be both amusing and twisty. Whatever happens, both Cara Delevingne and Amy Schumer are involved, with the pair joining the cast as guest stars. And, as the new sneak peek shows, Fey is back as well. Check out the latest trailer for Only Murders in the Building season two below: Only Murders in the Building's second season will start streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+ on Tuesday, June 28. Read our full review of the show's first season. Images: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
The Hoddle Grid is set to score its first new public park in almost four decades, with plans unveiled for a 1900-square-metre open space around the much-hyped Collins Arc development. That's the $1.3 billion precinct at 447 Collins Street — the one that looks like a pair of pants — that will house residential apartments, retail shops and an indulgent W Melbourne hotel when it launches in 2020. When development plans were first announced by property development group Cbus in 2016, we were promised, in exchange for a hefty 41-storey building, a new park in the CBD. Now, as the development gets closer to its late-2019 completion date, the designs have been revealed to the public. The proposed park takes over the discontinued stretch of Market Street, and boasts new seating, wide bluestone paths to accommodate plenty of pedestrians, improved access to public transport options and space for hosting public events. A new bike lane would be incorporated along the eastern side of Market Street, connecting it to Queensbridge Street so cyclists can travel up or down the Yarra or on to South Melbourne. The other side would become public space, and the rest split between a single-lane carriageway, parking and more bike access. A variety of tree plantings have also been proposed in an effort to reduce stormwater run-off. These plans now stand to be considered by the City of Melbourne's Future Melbourne Committee, which will meet on September 18. But while new public space sounds like a win, some Melburnians have criticised the development as the new park will be smaller than the original public plaza. The Age has pulled out some of its readers' responses to the plans — some call out the designs as being simply a fancy foyer space for the development, with others questioning whether the space is really enough of a 'park' to be labelled so. It seems likely that the plans will be approved by the committee next week as the Collins Arch development is well under way. While the park may err on the side of a few glorified patches of grass, the new greenery and trees will certainly make a difference and be a welcome change to the block as it stands now. We'll keep you posted on the status of the park once we know if the plans have been approved.
If you're a fan of whatever huge HBO hit happens to be airing at any given time, Monday public holidays Down Under are an extra-special joy. They mean watching whichever series is currently showing at the earliest moment possible, and also not having to spend your workday avoiding spoilers. Tuning in to see Succession on Easter Monday wasn't just a normal viewing experience, however. So, if you're now wondering what happens after the award-winning show's monumental third episode in its fourth and final season, HBO has dropped a midseason trailer to tease the series' endgame. This sneak peek comes with the biggest of spoiler alerts, obviously. If you aren't up to date on Succession, you shouldn't even be reading this article. But if you're dying to know where the Roy family saga goes from here, you'll obsess over all two minutes and 13 seconds of this glimpse at the show's last-ever seven episodes. "I just didn't see it coming," says Roman (Kieran Culkin, No Sudden Move) to start off the clip. He isn't alone, although Shiv (Sarah Snook, Pieces of a Woman) is swiftly chatting about "coronation demolition derby". Trust cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun, Zola) to pop up, try to stay relevant as he always does, and stress that he's sad — yes, while also attempting to secure his position in the family. Everyone has an opinion on how to handle things, including Waystar Royco's CFO Karl (David Rasche, Swallow) and general counsel Gerri (J Smith-Cameron, Fleishman Is in Trouble) — and, of course, executive and Shiv's estranged husband Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen, Operation Mincemeat). Plenty of stern words are spoken, complete with how "the naysayers might frame it". And the deal to sell the firm to Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård, The Northman) looks shaky. Kendall (Jeremy Strong, Armageddon Time) is floating in a body of water again, while Connor's (Alan Ruck, The Dropout) bid to become the US President sees him polling well in Alaska — and laughing at the suggestion that he should do what's right for the good of the republic. As for the rest, as always in this high-stakes drama about who'll take over business titan Logan Roy's (Brian Cox, Remember Me) multinational corporation, it's best discovered by watching. "Let the games begin!", as Kendall announces. Check out Succession season four's midseason trailer below: Succession streams via Foxtel, Binge and Foxtel On Demand in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Check out our review of season four. Images: David Russell/Macall B Polay, HBO.
Throwing a lavish dinner party? Trying to up your bartending game? Or just tired of dropping $20 per cocktail at the bar? Enter Cocktail Porter — it has you covered on all three counts. Australia's new online subscription service for at-home cocktail making is now delivering to door's across the country. While it's not the first of its kind in the country — with The Mixery delivery all the non-booze cocktail ingredients you'll need — it's the first delivering the spirits, too. It's founded by Sydney-based Cameron Northway, who also co-owns Rocker in Bondi with Three Blue Duck's Darren Robertson. He's joined by a team of renowned Australian hospo vets, including former Bartender of the Year Tim Phillips (owner of Bulletin Place and Dead Ringer). The subscription works similarly to most DIY food delivery services, except with booze. Fixings for a different drink will be delivered each month, along with a recipe card and pre-measured ingredients and premium spirits. This element of convenience will cost you $135 per month, which can be a lot to fork up at once — though it'll make 14–18 cocktails (about a tenner each), so it's a big saving for regular spenders at the bar. Each month will feature a different cocktail, curated by world-class bartenders and based on global drinking trends. At the moment, there's the Treacle Old Fashioned with sweet Italian vermouth, burnt orange-vanilla syrup and cacao-macadamia bitters; a classic gin martini with your choice of flavoured vermouth; and a bloody mary with turmeric vinegar. Coming up, November's two-in-one Spring Cup Spritz offers the options to make both Tanqueray and Ciroc spritzes in one box, along with sparkling wine, elderflower cordial and lemongrass and ginger sparkling water accompaniments. December will see a classic espresso martini box complete with Ketel One, coffee liqueur, cold drip coffee and grated dark chocolate. The fresh ingredients, garnishes and glassware are not included in the box, though the recipe card will tell you exactly what else you'll need, along with some at-home hacks if you want to avoid buying expensive tumblers, jiggers and shakers. If a month subscription is just too much, there are one-off orders and gift options, too, which are delivered within three-to-five working days — so not too much planning is needed if you want to amp up your next soiree. Cocktail Porter is now delivering across Australia.
It's one of the most recognisable spots in Melbourne — and, until December this year at least, Federation Square has been granted temporary heritage protection. If the interim move is extended, it also could thwart one of the city's most controversial new projects: Apple's plans to build its first Australian flagship store. Courtesy of an interim protection order issued on August 21, no work can take place on the site until December 21 without Heritage Victoria's approval. Given that construction on the Apple store wasn't slated to start until next year, the move won't have a significant impact at present. That said, The Age reports that the order is being taken as a sign that permanent heritage protection could be sought for the inner-city space, despite the fact that it's only 16 years old. Giving Fed Square ongoing heritage status would obviously have wider-reaching consequences — including when it comes to pulling down existing buildings. After being announced late last year, Apple's proposed Fed Square store has received considerable community backlash, with new designs revealed in July in response. The opposition to the store isn't just about how it looks, though, but the fact that it'll tear down and replace the existing Yarra Building, and also displace the Koorie Heritage Trust in the process. Contentiously, it'll also see public land sold off to a commercial retailer. Regardless of how Fed Square's permanent heritage status pans out — and if indeed it has any impact upon the Apple store — the current temporary order could slightly stall the other big change taking place in the vicinity, the Metro Tunnel. Fed Square's visitor centre is set to be demolished to build an entry to the tunnel, with work due to begin next month. To proceed according to schedule, contractor Cross Yarra Partnership will need to apply for a permit or exemption to go ahead — something it is expected to do this week, according to the Herald Sun. Via The Age / Herald Sun.
Sorry, music lovers — you won't be making the pilgrimage to the Supernatural Amphitheatre in 2022, because Golden Plains has just announced that it won't be returning next year. Meredith's other beloved festival (the one that isn't literally called Meredith Music Festival), it was hoping to return in March; however, in a statement released today, Friday, November 19, organisers have advised that that won't be possible. "We tried incredibly hard to make it happen. Turned every stone a hundred times. Looked at it from every possible, and impossible, angle. We allowed as much time and space as we could," the Aunty team announced. "In the end, there wasn't any one single thing that knocked it out. More a seriously sizeable series of things which proved — at this particular moment in time, for our particular circumstances — insurmountable for Golden Plains to take flight." Catering to 12,000 punters each year across three days and two nights — when it goes ahead, that is — the fest has long proven a favourite for its one-stage setup, which skips the need for frantic timetabling. And, like sibling festival Meredith, Golden Plains is also known for the Aunty crew's star-studded lineups. In good news for that other fest, however, Meredith is still set to take place in December 2022 — after sitting out this year, just as it did in 2020. It's obviously far too early for lineup details but, when it returns, it'll be celebrating its 30th fest. And, as for Golden Plains, mark March 2023 in your diary now. If that'll leave a gap in your 2022 festival schedule, a heap of other music fests around Victoria have been locking in their plans for the new few months — including Boiler Room x Sugar Mountain, So Frenchy So Chic, For the Love, new touring fest Summer Camp and Beyond the City. Golden Plains won't return in 2022, with further details available via the festival's website. Images: Steve Benn / Theresa Harrison
It's already been a big year for Andrew McConnell's CBD diner Gimlet, which in July took out a spot in the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards' annual 51-100 list, becoming the only Aussie restaurant to do so. But it just got even bigger, with news the renowned chef-restaurateur has a sibling project in the works — a cosy new cocktail bar moving into the CBD site at 165 Flinders Lane. The venue will be located just a few doors up from Gimlet, in a corner space flanking the iconic Hosier Lane. Details are scarce, given the team's only just signed the lease, though we do know they're aiming for a launch date sometime early next winter. [caption id="attachment_773819" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gimlet, by Sharyn Cairns[/caption] Also confirmed: the as yet unnamed bar will feature a fitout led by Sydney design studio ACME, which is the same crew behind Gimlet's stunning interiors. While we've still got a wait ahead of us before we're sitting in that bar, sipping and snacking, it's a good excuse to reacquaint yourself with some of McConnell's other wining and dining gems — Supernormal, Bar Marion, Cutler & Co and the Builders Arms, included. [caption id="attachment_879626" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gimlet's Sidecar, by Jo McGann[/caption] More info to come. Gimlet's new cocktail bar sibling is set to open at 165 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, at some stage in winter, 2023. Stay tuned and we'll share more info as it drops. Top Images: Jo McGann
The next email you receive from Netflix mightn't be telling you what to watch. Instead, beginning Wednesday, May 24, the streaming platform is contacting all of its Australian customers about its new password sharing rules. Promised for a few years now, and originally expected to kick in by the end of March this year, the service is cracking down on letting people from different households use the same account — effective immediately. Accordingly, if you've been enjoying someone else's Netflix subscription to get your Stranger Things, Squid Game and Wednesday fix or work your way through its hefty slate of movies — or letting your mates or siblings use your logins — your current streaming situation is changing. The password-sharing functionality will still exist; however, it'll come at an extra cost, involving paying $7.99 per month to add an extra member to your account. Netflix now advises that "a Netflix account is meant to be shared by people living together in one household" — and you can set up and define your household in the platform's settings. If you don't set one yourself, it'll do so for you based on your IP address, device IDs and account activity, which is what it'll also use to monitor if someone is using your details from elsewhere. That said, for folks who don't actually watch Netflix via a TV, you won't need to worry about the household requirement, but the password-sharing change still applies. To add people outside your household to your account, you'll buy an extra member slot. The caveats: they have to be activated in the same country where the account owner created their account, and you can't add them to ad-supported plans (or Netflix-included packages or third-party billed accounts). So, if you've opted for the service's cheaper option since it rolled out in late 2022, your pals won't be able to share — but they can transfer their profile on your account to their own new account. That transferring functionality applies to everyone who decides to sign up themselves after sharing someone's password, and will port over recommendations, viewing history, My List, saved games and settings. Clearly, the main motivation is to increase subscriptions. The new password-sharing block was called "paid sharing" by Netflix in a letter to shareholders, after all. "Today's widespread account sharing (to 100 million-plus households) undermines our long-term ability to invest in and improve Netflix, as well as build our business," the company states in that shareholder letter, which is dated January 19, 2023. "While our terms of use limit use of Netflix to a household, we recognise this is a change for members who share their account more broadly. So we've worked hard to build additional new features that improve the Netflix experience, including the ability for members to review which devices are using their account and to transfer a profile to a new account. As we roll out paid sharing, members in many countries will also have the option to pay extra if they want to share Netflix with people they don't live with." Of course, logging into your Netflix account from a place outside of your own household doesn't automatically mean you're sharing your password. You might be travelling and still want to get your streaming fix. Initially, needing a temporary access code was floated — but at the time of writing, the platform simply says that you can still "use Netflix as usual to watch on your portable devices — like a tablet, laptop, or mobile phone — or sign into a new TV, like at a hotel or a holiday rental" without explaining if or how the new password rules will have an impact. The company does specify that if you have a second home or frequently travel to the same location, you'll need to connect to the internet and open the Netflix app on your mobile device in both the main spot you watch the service and in the second location Netflix's password-sharing crackdown is coming into effect in Australia from Wednesday, May 24. Head to Netflix for more details.
For the past 14 years, the seedy side of Albuquerque, New Mexico has never been far from screens, first courtesy of Breaking Bad and then via its prequel spinoff series Better Call Saul. A Breaking Bad Netflix movie, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, also popped up in 2019, because viewers just haven't been able to get enough of Walter White (Bryan Cranston, Your Honor), Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul, Westworld), Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk, Nobody), Mike Ehrmantrout (Jonathan Banks, The Commuter) and Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito, The Boys). Soon, however, this almost decade-and-a-half run of all things Breaking Bad-related will hit an end, with Better Call Saul about to air its last episodes. Perhaps more spinoffs will come. Fingers crossed that's the case. American network AMC, which airs both shows, has said it is open to it. But unlike when the OG series ended, viewers don't have a confirmed new date with the Breaking Bad universe in their future. That means that a big goodbye is coming audiences' way, and soon — and the trailer for the second half of Better Call Saul's sixth and last season knows it. The just-dropped 52-second clip is filled with familiar places from Saul Goodman's life (and from his time as Jimmy McGill, when he was using his birth name, too), all given the black-and-white treatment that the series has reserved for its flashes forwards and backwards over the years. Check out the trailer below: The locations featured have all played a big part in the story so far — and the melancholy mood certainly sets the tone for the episodes to come. After the first seven instalments in season six started airing back in April, the final six will begin showing weekly from Tuesday, July 12 in Australia and New Zealand. No one should've been expecting a happy ending anyway. We already know where Saul's story takes him next, because we've seen Breaking Bad. Indeed, Better Call Saul remains television's greatest tragedy, because it makes its viewers desperately hope that things turn out better for its eponymous figure than we know they will — so we watch his dreams crumble, his ethics slide, and his full transformation from earnest and legitimate lawyer to happily getting shady. The new trailer doesn't tease much in the way of narrative, but it does also feature Saul saying "let justice be done till the heavens fall". One time only. #BetterCallSaul pic.twitter.com/QmBFBbUENS — Better Call Saul (@BetterCallSaul) June 28, 2022 If you're keen on a few more sneak peeks at the end of season six — which'll see the return of Walt and Jesse in some capacity — Better Call Saul has also been dropping teasers via social media. There's a lot to wrap up, given that former cop-turned-private investigator, fixer, cleaner and hitman Ehrmantrout, Los Pollos Hermanos owner Fring and drug kingpin Hector Salamanca (Mark Margolis, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2) are also key parts of Better Call Saul's story — and Saul's partner and fellow lawyer Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn, Veep), too. Exactly how the latter's tale will end is the biggest source of tension, given that Kim wasn't ever in Breaking Bad. And after the way Better Call Saul's first seven season-six episodes played out, that stress definitely hasn't subsided. Take the oath. #BetterCallSaul pic.twitter.com/Cs2y0BLkFi — Better Call Saul (@BetterCallSaul) June 14, 2022 The second half of Better Call Saul season six starts streaming in Australia via Stan and New Zealand via Neon from Tuesday, July 12. Images: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television.
Gender bias is, unfortunately, a thing that people identifying as women (i.e. 50 percent of the population) deal with on a regular basis. A lot of the time it's so culturally ingrained, it goes mostly unnoticed — so one of the ways gender equality activists and groups often raise awareness about the issue is by pointing out the small, every day inequalities and making the population think about them. Like when you're standing at the traffic lights waiting for the little man to turn green. But if you're in Melbourne today — look up. For International Women's Day, ten of the CBD's pedestrian crossing traffic lights will not depict the standard male sign, but a female one. The project — which will see ten pedestrian crossing lights around the Swanston and Flinders intersection change from male to female representation — has been led (and funded) by local business and community non-profit organisation the Committee for Melbourne. "The idea is to install traffic lights with female representation, as well as male representation, to help reduce unconscious bias," committee chief executive Martine Letts told ABC News. Though a small change — and one that is largely symbolic, particularly on International Women's Day — the symbols are supposed to be a meaningful way to give women more ownership over public space. The aim of the committee, says Letts, is to get one-to-one male and female representation. Of course, not all female-identifying people wear skirts or necessarily feel represented by what is a traditional sign used to symbolise the split between male and female. Nonetheless, seeing a little green woman as you cross Flinders Street is a bit of a novelty — and one that could stick around for a while. The project is apparently supported by the Victorian Government and will remain in place for a 12-month trial. Via ABC News. Image: Committee for Melbourne/Twitter.
Brisbane's BlackMilk Clothing is well known for its pop culture-themed attire, releasing everything from Star Wars outfits to Harry Potter activewear in the past. Unsurprisingly, anything designed around the Boy Who Lived always proves popular — so much so that the company is launching another collection, this time specifically inspired by Hogwarts' houses. Whether you're keen to deck yourself out in red Gryffindor tartan pants, don a Slytherin letterman jacket with a snake embroidered on the back or pop on some blue Ravenclaw leggings, you'll be able to do just that. You'll be able to opt for some gold-hued Hufflepuff pieces, too, of course. Spanning trousers, dresses, leggings, crop tops and coats — including pants for both men and women, sports jersey-style shirts and hoodies as well, and overalls adorned with Harry Potter-themed patterns — it's a fresh treasure trove of items for wizarding fans to spend their galleons on. It's the real, official deal, with the School's Out range also featuring other pieces that won't make you feel like you're in training for the Triwizard Tournament, such as sheer and skater tunics in appropriately enchanting prints. A full preview of the collection is available on the BlackMilk website, with the magical selection going on sale at 7am on Tuesday, August 20. Items are available until sold out — and, yes, that often happens quickly. For more information about BlackMilk Clothing's Harry Potter School's Out range, head to their website.
We've all heard the jokes about how many folks it takes to change a lightbulb, but here's a new situation to ponder: how many people are needed to turn your overhead light fixtures into a gorgeous mini hanging garden? The answer involves designer Richard Clarkson, possibly someone to help you install a new light (depending on how handy you are), and your plant-loving self. Clarkson has come up with the ultimate way to add a dash of greenery to any room courtesy of Globe, the terrarium lamp. It's as simple as it sounds, involving a suspended handblown glass ball with an intergraded LED light source. And, it's as visually spectacular too, coming complete with a thin power cord that makes the orb look like it's floating, as well as a dimmer letting you control the level of brightness surrounding your new ball of nature. The Globe comes in two sizes — diameters of 12" and 8" — and Clarkson's website also includes instructions about the best types of plants, how to layer everything in the best way, and watering recommendations. While they were designed as a hanging terrarium, with the shape of the glass magnifying the greenery inside to provide a new viewing perspective, they can also be filled with water. Prices range from US$210 - $460, and they ship internationally. Via: inhabitat. Images: Richard Clarkson Studio.
Crustless finger sandwiches, tiny ornate cakes, buttery scones, bottomless tea, sparkling wine: we all know and love the classic high tea experience. But the folks at Balgownie Estate in the Yarra Valley have teamed up with Mary Eats Cake to level up the whole high tea affair for two days this summer. On Saturday, January 13 and Sunday, January 14, diners can hit up the Balgownie Estate to try out a seafood-focussed high tea under a marquee by the rolling vineyards. Gorgeous. Guests will sit around a large shared table on the estate's grounds while DJs set the vibes for a summery day of indulgence. Mary Eats Cake has designed a not-your-average high tea menu featuring oysters with chimichurri and lime, a tuna sashimi tart and a mini prawn loaf alongside a series of desserts — think a fruit-laden pav and freshly baked scones. The $189 per person high tea will also include unlimited tea and two specialty cocktails made with the vineyard's wine. Get around the cuvée limoncello and rosé iced tea during the afternoon. A private bar will also be set up in the marquee for those choosing to sample more of the estate's wines.
Hollywood loves an awards ceremony, and boasts a regular lineup of statuette-bestowing occasions to prove it. Stellar television shows and the folks who make them can win everything from an Emmy and a Golden Globe to a Screen Actors Guild Award and a BAFTA — and more — because cinema isn't the only screen format that likes rewarding its best and brightest at glitzy occasions with lengthy speeches and shiny trophies. Awards ceremonies are also a handy source of information for TV fans. They're fun to watch, but they can also help you work out what else you should be watching. So many television shows vie for everyone's eyeballs each year, so knowing that something has scored a few gongs (or even more than a few) might help rocket it to the top of your must-see list. Streaming platform Binge features quite a number of award-winners in its catalogue, for example, if you're not quite sure what you should marathon your way through next. In collaboration with the service, we've taken a look and picked five of our accolade-receiving favourites that you can check out now — including via a 14-day free trial for new customers.
This review was written about the Sydney run of Beautiful One Day at Belvoir St Theatre in November 2012. Beautiful One Day shows that devised theatre still has a unique power to bring people together for true sharing, collaboration, and storytelling. With the support of Belvoir, leading Indigenous theatre company Ilbijerri and documentary performance maestros Version 1.0 went and tested the waters at the Aboriginal community of Palm Island. When their suggestions for a project weren't rebuffed, they developed the work with the residents, three of whom join the seasoned performers on stage. Palm Island is a place we've mainly seen in snippets on the news — not anybody's best angle. It captured headlines in 2004, after the death in custody there of Mulrunji Doomadgee, whom the coroner found to have massive internal injuries. After the autopsy report was made public, there were demonstrations that turned to rioting. This event, still a trauma and a focus for the people of Palms, is at the chronological centre of the play, although in this version of the story, it is part of a continuum of acts of violence committed by white Australia for which there has never been justice. At the same time, the island has a continuous history of asserting its rights, including through large strikes in 1957 against the Aboriginals Protection Act, which had Aboriginal people under state control since 1897. As mentioned, this is devised theatre without writer or director, so linear story is not its strength — though nor its intention. Instead, the Beautiful One Day team — performers Magdalena Blackley, Kylie Doomadgee, Paul Dwyer, Rachael Maza, Jane Phegan, and Harry Reuben, plus additional devisors Sean Bacon, Eamon Flack, and David Williams — build layer upon overlapping layer of story, context, and meaning. A big success is that they set up an atmosphere of chattiness with the audience from the get-go, creating a feeling of lightness and inclusion. They use a Version 1.0-influenced toolkit of multimedia (presented, not excessively, across three screens), interviews, transcripts of historical and legal documents, and fictionalised scenes to build a picture of Palms. A nod to the 'telling their own stories' trope has the performers actually reading and acting out memoirs from books literally printed and bound, a nice little kick in the pants for anyone who thinks Aboriginal history is sidelined mostly because it's oral in form. The scenes about Mulrunji's death can't match the breadth and discovery of Chloe Hooper's award-winning book on the subject, The Tall Man, which is among the great works of creative non-fiction produced in this country. If the story of what happened to Mulrunji and in the subsequent trials and inquests appears more damning in this viewing, it is because the facts are condensed into a smaller space, in which it is impossible for the officers of law and justice involved to hide. It seems a pity, though, that in some moments, the police are portrayed cartoonishly, as a means to a joke. Even if it doesn't bring new facts to the conversation, Beautiful One Day certainly brings a new feeling. In trying to get a view of Palm Island from Palm Island, rather than of Palm Island from the mainland, the picture they conjure is one of hope. The island has seen conflict and absurdity, but looked at up close, there's at least an equal share of normalcy and paradise. There'll be more once its people can truly say they're no longer "living under the act".
Here's what just might be the tastiest food challenge there is: hunting down Frankenstein's monster-style dessert mashups and tasting them all. Gelato Messina's various ice cream flavours and special treats often fall into this category, frequently turning another beloved dish into gelato. So do plenty of Lune Croissanterie's pastries. Often Krispy Kreme's doughnuts make the cut as well. Actually, right now you can grab a Krispy Kreme doughnut that owed a huge debt to another dessert: the Maxibon doughnut. After proving a hit in 2018, this collaboration with Peters Ice Cream is back for a limited — and tasty — time. And yes, it's a Maxibon in doughnut form. Back when Krispy Kreme joined forces with Reese's for a peanut butter-heavy doughnut earlier in 2023, there were multiple versions available. With the Maxibon doughnut, there's just one. You will still need to be able to eat nuts, though, because this one comes with a hazelnut and vanilla biscuit crumb. So, what makes up a Maxibon doughnut? A Krispy Kreme doughnut filled with Maxibon vanilla kreme, then covered in that crumb over chocolate, plus a chocolate Maxibon bikkie on top. You'll find the Maxibon doughnut on offer from Tuesday, August 1 at Krispy Kreme, 7-Eleven and selected Woolworths stores for a limited time. Trying to pick between ice cream and fried pastries just got a bit easier. We're betting that when Maxibons were first whipped up as a blend between a biscuit and everyone's favourite cold and creamy dessert, no one anticipated this happening as well. Krispy Kreme's Maxibon doughnut is available from Krispy Kreme, 7-Eleven and selected Woolworths stores for a limited time.
View the work of this year's Linden Art Prize finalists on display at the Linden New Art Gallery starting Friday, March 4. Encompassing painting, sculpture, photography, video and a number of other mediums, the two-month exhibition at the Acland Street gallery will showcase the talents of six postgraduates competing for the award, which comes with a specially tailored mentorship and a $10,000 top prize. This year's finalists cover a wide array of disciplines and backgrounds. Ink prints pressed using the metal from road signs, an installation made of misshapen knitted jumpers, and a series of camera-less photographs are just a few of the works you'll see on display from artists Emma Coulter, Simon Crosbie, Jenny Peterson, Julie Shiels, Deborah White and Elizabeth Wallace. The winner will be announced on the first night of the exhibition, which will remain open until Sunday, May 1.
There's never been a better time to be a political comedian, and the UK's Andy Zaltzman is one of the sharpest in the business. Best known as the voice of the satirical news podcast The Bugle — which he used to co-host with Last Week Tonight's John Oliver — Zaltzman will put despots and dictators to the sword with the help of some alternate facts and a few well-placed puns. Actually, it'll probably be a lot of well-placed puns. He'll also record the first ever live Bugle, featuring "live guests, people on screens, freshly-hewn satire, lies, puns and high-grade bullshit" as far of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Docklands' winter forecast is looking very warm and toasty, as the annual Firelight Festival returns to the precinct from Friday, June 28 till Sunday, June 30. The festival's third outing promises to totally eclipse the others, featuring a sprawling program of events and activities, and some particularly lavish celebrations. Victoria Harbour is set to be transformed into its biggest, brightest self, playing host to nightly fireworks displays, 40 roving performers, flame jets, fire cauldrons, water and light shows and striking installations. You'll even catch two giant fire sculptures of a phoenix and a deer set ablaze on New Quay Promenade and Victoria Esplanade, as well as giant bonfires along Harbour Esplanade. Local and international entertainers will also descend on the festival's three live performance spaces. Expect to see everything from Bollywood dancers to Mariachi bands. The festival, which coincides with the winter solstice — the shortest and darkest day of the year — will have a hefty food lineup, too. Warming and smoky will be the order of the day with local favourites Limp Brisket, the Soup Factory and Frencheese all making an appearance. Firelight Festival will run from 5–10pm with nightly fireworks expected to start at 8.45pm. Image: Grace Petrou.
First, the City of Melbourne introduced free untimed CBD parking back in August 2020, during the city's stage four COVID-19 restrictions. Then, parking remained free but time limits were reinforced from last October. The free offer was next extended over the Christmas and New Year period, ending in early January. So, over the past eight months, Melburnians have become quite accustomed to heading into the city and parking their cars without paying a cent. Although free parking isn't still in place across the board, it is returning for three and a half days over the upcoming March long weekend to coincide with the Moomba Festival. Accordingly, you'll be able to park for free from 12pm on Friday, March 5–11.59pm on Monday, March 8, all in areas with green signs. The temporary move only applies within those dates and times, and you'll still need to abide by the time limit listed for your car park of choice. Also, as well as parking time limits, disabled parking restrictions, clearways and no standing zones will still be in effect — and so will residential permit restrictions. Still, given that on-street parking within the central city usually costs $7 an hour (and $4 an hour outside the central city), your wallet will thank you. Announcing the news, Councillor Roshena Campbell said "we want people from regional Victoria and across Melbourne to park in the city for free and enjoy some of the world's best bars, restaurants, shops, galleries and theatres". While Moomba and the long weekend rank among the prime motivations for the free parking, the move is designed to get folks into the city to shop, eat and drink, and to support retailers, eateries and bars that've done it tough over the past year. Free Melbourne CBD parking will run from 12pm on Friday, March 5–11.59pm on Monday, March 8 in areas with green signs. Head over to the City of Melbourne website for more information.
Tarantino fans, it's the moment you've all been waiting for — and it just might be even better than the world-famous Jackrabbit Slim's twist contest. In a massive overnight movie marathon (dusk till dawn included), The Astor is showing its love for the filmmaker responsible for making everyone think twice about Madonna's 'Like A Virgin', Royales with cheese, getting sword-wielding vengeance and getting caught in Minnie's Haberdashery during a snowstorm. With more enthusiasm than the man-in-question's fondness for rapid-fire dialogue, retro soundtracks and paying homage to every film he's ever seen, Tarantino Fest will train the Chapel Street cinema's projector on some of QT's finest from 6pm on February 10. The next 19 hours or so will be filled with flicks helmed by Tarantino, written by Tarantino and/or starring Tarantino. On the agenda: Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, From Dusk till Dawn, both volumes of Kill Bill and The Hateful Eight (in its 70mm roadshow presentation), in that order. Breaking out your best yellow jumpsuit, bathrobe, Hawaiian shirt, daggy tee and shorts combo, or flight attendant's uniform is heartily recommended, obviously. $5 shakes will also be on offer — hopefully in Martin and Lewis, or Amos and Andy styles — as will themed food trucks. And with The Astor also promising some K-Billy-style super sounds, if you want to dance to 'Stuck in the Middle with You' or 'Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon' in the foyer, we're guessing that no one will stop you.
A brand new restaurant has cropped up in inner west Sydney that looks poised to take the Australian food scene by storm. Nestled in the heart of Camperdown, the menu at The Corner is jam packed with fashionable dining options, from lentil and eggplant salad to roast Moroccan chicken breast, tomato and bocconcini Caprese salad to...Wait a minute, are those McNuggets? Yes, Sydney's hottest new eatery turned out to be a Maccas in disguise. Described by the fast food giant as a 'learning lab', the site will be used to trial a bunch of new menu options, presumably in a bid to combat their flagging sales. Which is all very well and good, but come on. Brioche McMuffins? Pulled pork Quarter Pounders? What kind of twisted bait and switch is the Hamburglar trying to pull? Of course, the reality is that a bit of sneaky rebranding is de rigueur for companies like these. McDonald's isn't the first chain to try and capture a trendier market share, and it certainly won't be the last. Here are four other examples of mass producing omnicorps attempting to cash in on foodie culture. YOUR FAVOURITE CORNER COFFEE JOINT TURNED OUT TO BE A STARBUCKS No self-respecting coffee lover would ever be caught dead in Starbucks. That is, unless they didn’t know it was a Starbucks. In an attempt to raise sales in the wake of the global recession, the massive coffee chain started to revamp a number of its US and European locations in 2010, removing all traces of the company name save for a nauseating caveat that the 'new' stores were 'inspired by Starbucks'. The good news is that Australia's coffee snobbery has already killed close to three quarters of the Starbucks locations down under, so our chances of being hoodwinked are fairly slim. That is, unless they just said they were closing all those stores. Maybe it was just a trick. Maybe they never left at all. BURGER KING TRIED OUT 'SODA PAIRINGS' It's common knowledge that certain wines go better with certain foods. All Burger King tried to do was apply that same basic principal to soft drink in 2014. Taped half-heartedly to the side of a soda fountain, their pairings seem somewhat arbitrary to me, but then again I'm no sommelier. After a hearty Angus Burger and onion rings, who's to say that a 'crisp, clear bodied' Sprite doesn’t sit better on the palate than a Diet Coke? Honestly, this feeble attempt at classing up the joint isn't so much insidious as it is really, really lame. That being said, nothing goes well with Dr. Pepper. YOUR AVERAGE BP SERVO SANDWICH WENT ALL 'ARTISAN' When they're not too busy pumping oil into the ocean, it turns out BP make freshly baked artisan bread. And brew 100 percent organic coffee. And build rescue shelters for injured puppies. Okay fine, so I made up that last one. But the other two are apparently staples of Jack & Co., self-described as "the freshest convenience stores in the world". The original store was fused to a BP service station in 2012, but recent openings in Taree, NSW have evolved into their own faux-gourmet, corporate guilt-alleviating entities. YOUR KFC ZINGER COMBO WILL HAVE CRAFT BEER FOR THE DRINK Face it: if Mickey D is targeting hipsters, this lot were never far behind. Kudos to the Colonel for at least having the giblets to keep the initials — not that KFC actually stands for anything anymore. In any case, Parramattans will soon be able to get beer and cider with their original recipe, when 'KFC Urban' is granted a liquor licence later in 2015. Like McDonald's, KFC has been falling behind in the fast food arms race, losing younger customers to chains like Nandos and Grill’d. Rather than serving up a kale burger, their solution is apparently to just get everybody sloshed. Frankly, I have absolutely no problem with that. Images: The Corner, Fast Company, Imgur, Jack & Co., KFC.
The first rule of film club is you don't talk about film club. But we're going to make an exception — if only so we can talk about it here. Besides, we're super excited about the NGV's latest initiative, a monthly movie discussion night hosted by local film expert Ben Buckingham. The talks will take place in the NGV Members Lounge, although they're open to non-members too. Each film up for discussion will tie in with a current exhibition at the gallery. Case in point: as part of the current Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei exhibition, their first film club screening is Billy Wilder's 1959 comedy Some Like It Hot, starring cultural icon Marilyn Monroe. Enjoy a drink (or several) with your fellow crazed film lovers, delve into the themes of the movie, its history and its impact. Tickets are $16 for NGV members and $20 for non-members.
If sitting in darkened rooms watching movies on the big screen is your favourite way to fill your spare time, the past couple of years have been trickier than usual, with cinemas closing temporarily and film festivals moving online due to the pandemic. But here's one wonderful silver lining to emerge from the recent chaos: not one but two Sydney Film Festivals in a mere eight months. 2021's fest went ahead in November, after being postponed from June and August. Now, 2022's event is fast approaching, with the event slotting back into its usual midyear timeslot. Following the bumps of the last couple of years, this upcoming festival — SFF's whopping 69th iteration — is set to return to business as usual. That means catching 200-plus movies on silver screens all around Sydney between Wednesday, June 8–Sunday, June 19 (including at the glorious State Theatre, of course). Overseen by Festival Director Nashen Moodley for the 11th time, this year's SFF unveiled its first 22 movies back in April, and has announced a few other details since — such as a retrospective focusing on the documentaries of American filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, plus Pacific First Nations anthology We Are Still Here in the coveted opening night slot. But that was only a taste of the just-dropped entire lineup, which is hefty and impressive as always, and spans 101 features, 53 documentaries and a whole heap of short films from 64-plus countries. (And 27 world premieres as well.) Highlights include the entire Official Competition lineup, aka the movies vying for SFF's big cash prize for films that are "audacious, cutting-edge and courageous". That's where you'll find this year's Berlinale Golden Bear-winner Alcarràs, a family drama from Spain; Blaze, a blend of live-action, puppetry and animation directed by acclaimed Aussie artist Del Kathryn Barton; and supernatural witch flick You Won't Be Alone, which stars Noomi Rapace (Lamb). And, it's home to a number of titles arriving straight from playing Cannes, too — such as Godland from Icelandic filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason (A White, White Day); Close, a teen-focused drama by Girl filmaker Lukas Dhont; and All the People I'll Never Be, about a French woman's quest to discover her Korean roots. Other big-name inclusions across the rest of the program span New Zealand comedy Nude Tuesday, which'll enjoy its world premiere at SFF; Australia's own Seriously Red, a SXSW hit about a Dolly Parton impersonator; One Fine Morning, from acclaimed French filmmaker Mia Hansen-Løve (Bergman Island); the Dakota Johnson (The Lost Daughter)-starring rom-com Cha Cha Real Smooth, which earned plenty of fans at Sundance; and Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, where Emma Thompson (Cruella) plays an older women who hires a sex worker — with 52 Tuesdays and Animals filmmaker Sophie Hyde behind the lens. Or, there's queer comedy Fire Island, about a group of friends on a wild summer holiday; Aubrey Plaza (Best Sellers)-led heist film Emily the Criminal; Cannes 2021 Jury Prize-winner Ahed's Knee, the latest from Synonyms' director Nadav Lapid; time-travel romp Incredible But True, as directed by Rubber and Deerskin's Quentin Dupieux; and One Year, One Night, which features Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Noémie Merlant. Also on the must-watch list: Norwegian action movie The Burning Sea; Finnish thriller The Man Who Didn't Want to See Titanic (which, yes, focuses on a film buff); Hommage, a South Korean mystery starring Parasite's Lee Jeong-eun; Japanese folklore-glam-rock-musical-anime epic Inuh-Oh; and Millie Lies Low, a NZ caper about impostor syndrome. Plus, from the documentary slate, there's Sundance Audience Award-winner Navalny, about the Russian opposition leader poisoned with a nerve agent; Lynch/Oz, which takes a yellow brick road through David Lynch's filmography; Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, a step inside New York's iconic Chelsea Hotel; and stranger-than-fiction effort My Old School, where Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!) lip-synchs to audio recordings of Scottish con-artist Brandon Lee. SFF's full lineup also covers the usual returning favourites among its strands — so its ten-film focus on female directors from Europe is back, as is its selection of movies about music, its weird and wonderful horror and genre flicks, a range of family-friendly fare, a celebration of filmmaking talent with disability, and twelve titles from First Nations creatives. The latter includes all six episodes of Mystery Road: Origins, the new prequel series that focuses on Indigenous police officer Jay Swan, which is one of the fest's massive local highlights. Another: a big-screen showing of the newly restored 4K version of Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom, arriving just before his new movie Elvis reaches cinemas. The program still goes on, so if you're keen on seeing Park Chan-wook's Oldboy on the big screen again, or the nine Aussie docos competing for the annual Documentary Australia Award, you're in luck. Whatever's now on your must-see roster, you'd best soak in all the sunshine you can during May — because you'll be spending most of June in a cinema. The 2022 Sydney Film Festival will run between Wednesday, June 8–Sunday, June 19 at the State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street, Dendy Newtown, Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne, Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and Art Gallery of NSW. To check out the event's full program, or to buy tickets (from 9am on Wednesday, May 11 for flexipass holders and 12pm for single tickets), head to the festival's website.
Fear, dread, tension, apprehension, just being creeped out — they're all strong emotions. They're also exactly the types of reactions that Darkfield and Realscape Productions trade in. The two companies have been teaming up for a couple of years now, with UK creators Darkfield first collaborating with the Melbourne-based Realscape Productions on Seance, Coma and Flight, those eerie shipping container installations that have popped up around the country. Then, when the pandemic hit, the pair pivoted to at-home audio experiences. If you've listed along to Double, Visitors and Eternal as part of the Darkfield Radio series, you'll know that putting people on edge is firmly on the agenda here. With their latest Darkfield Radio project, Darkfield and Realscape aren't messing with their successful formula. So, audiences can expect another unsettling experience designed to be listened to at home. But this duo never serve up the same thing twice, even if their current works all spin nerve-jangling tales and unfurl creepy audio experiences. With Knot, which is currently running each Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Sunday, September 30, you don't just sit in one place, don your headphones and listen attentively, for instance. Initially you need to head to a park bench to listen in — still wearing those headphones, of course — and you'll want to sit in a car after that. For the last section of this three-part experience, you'll then get comfy in a room in your house. To get the full experience, you need to work through all three of Knot's sections in one evening — untangling them in your head, naturally. Darkfield and Realscape always keep the minutiae of their shows close to their chests, so that audiences experience them for themselves while listening, but they have released one clue for Knot: "Here I am, I have come from nothing, created in this moment, as your brain improvises me into existence, improvised into existence... but with no hidden depths." "Season one exposed audiences to the mysterious and supernatural inside their homes, magnified by Darkfield's signature 360 degree binaural sound,", said Realscape Productions Amy Johnson. "We're looking forward to getting audiences outside of their homes for Season two — in COVID-safe settings of course — and pushing them out of their comfort zones even more." Images: Empty Bottles Media.
Your regular commute is now an immersive art experience thanks to Melbourne Art Trams, which has returned for its sixth year as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival. The moving exhibition sees eight trams transformed into moving, public works of art, with seven new commissions and one reproduction of a classic 80s piece. And the first one hit the tracks just this morning. Designed by Gunditjmara woman Hayley Millar-Baker, who hails from southwest Victoria, the train's monochromatic art explores personal and collective connections to country, land, flora and fauna. If you'd like to catch it, you'll find it rolling along the 11 (West Preston to Victoria Harbour Docklands) and 86 (Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City Docklands) routes. The project is a revival of Transporting Art, a program which, between 1978 and 1993, saw 36 hand-painted trams launch across Melbourne. Among the most memorable was a W-Class tram by the late expressionist artist David Larwill, created in 1986 as part of the United Nations International Year of Peace. This year, it has been faithfully reproduced, with the help of digital photography and adhesive. This one will hit the tracks tomorrow, Friday, October 5. The remaining six trams will be rolled out over the rest of the month. They'll boast art from psychedelic street artist Oli Ruskidd; Year 9 student Valerie Tang; Nick Howson (best known for Richmond's Tigerland mural); creator of Fitzroy's Pool Parade, Stephen Baker; Oslo Davis, whose weekly cartoon Overheard has been amusing readers of The Age for longer than a decade; and Troy Innocent, whose interactive tram design will become animated when viewed through a mobile phone with an augmented reality app. Images: James Morgan
In 2019's Skint Estate, Cash Carraway told all; A memoir of poverty, motherhood and survival completes the book's full title. Penned about working-class Britain from within working-class Britain, Carraway's written jaunt through her own life steps through the reality of being a single mum without a permanent place to live, of struggling to get by at every second, and of being around the system since she was a teenager. It examines alcoholism, loneliness, mental illness and domestic violence, too, plus refuges, working at peep shows, getting groceries from food banks and hopping between whatever temporary accommodation is available. It's unfettered and unflinching, especially about how difficult it is to merely exist in London if you're not wealthy — and it's in that same spirit that Rain Dogs follows. An eight-part dramedy hailing from HBO and the BBC, and streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand, Rain Dogs isn't a direct adaptation of Carraway's text. It doesn't purport to bring her experiences to the screen exactly as they happened, or with slavish fidelity to the specific details. "It isn't autobiographical, but it definitely has firm roots in the chip on my shoulder!", the author advises about the series that she also created and wrote. This addition to 2023's new HBO highlights alongside The Last of Us remains not only raw, rich, honest and authentic but lived in as it tells the same basic story charted in Skint Estate's pages with candour, humour, warmth and poignancy. Slipping into Carraway's fictionalised shoes is Daisy May Cooper — and she's outstanding. Her on-screen resume includes Avenue 5 and Am I Being Unreasonable?, as well as being a team captain on the latest iteration of Britain's Spicks and Specks-inspiring Never Mind the Buzzcocks, but she's a force to be reckoned with as aspiring writer, recovering alcoholic, child-abuse survivor and mum (to Iris, played by debutant Fleur Tashjian) Costello Jones. When Rain Dogs begins, it's with an eviction. Cooper lives and breathes determination as Costello then scrambles to find somewhere for her and Iris to stay next. That's a constant battle, in fact, with the pair laying down their heads everywhere from cars and closets to palatial country houses and women's refuges in the search for somewhere to feel safe, settle in and truly belong. Costello knows that her heart resides in London; keeping it there is another matter. Working full-time isn't enough, and neither is taking odd jobs whenever she can — such as cleaning the apartment of artist Lenny (The Young Ones legend Adrian Edmondson) while he watches on and pleasures himself — to supplement her income. But she's adamant about attempting to do her utmost for Iris as she tries to pen her own memoir ("basically Oliver Twist but with big tits"). Among Rain Dogs' many unblinking truths, how tricky it is to make it in creative fields when you don't have the fiscal luxury of interning, working for exposure and accepting wages impossible to survive on even without a cost-of-living crisis — and if you also lack a well-to-do network of contacts to help get your foot in the door — echoes strongly. This isn't just Costello and Iris' tale, as devastatingly well-written and -performed as both characters are. This isn't just a story of a mother and daughter doing it tough, either, and facing more tragedies and heartbreaks than hard-earned joys. Rain Dogs is those things, but it's also an exploration of the complicated and imperfect support systems that spring beyond the bonds of blood. Enter Florian Selby (Jack Farthing, Spencer), alongside the aforementioned Lenny and Costello's best friend Gloria (Ronke Adekoluejo, Alex Rider). Each is as flawed and chaotic as Costello — Gloria is first met waking up in a phone booth with last night's party outfit on and no memory of how she got there, for instance — because Rain Dogs directs the clearest of eyes towards everyone. In episode one, when Costello's phone rings, "SELBY — DON'T ANSWER" gleams across her screen. They'll be chatting before episode two arrives, with Selby an inescapable part of Costello and Iris' existence, but the reason for her caution makes itself known quickly. A companion since Costello's university days and the closest thing to a father that Iris has, he completes their unconventional and dysfunctional family. That said, the self-described "classical homosexual" is as privileged as he is self-destructive, tussles with his mental health, and re-enters Costello and Iris' life after a year in prison for assault. He's devoted to them, relishing helping financially when he can — and he usually can — but, while he's Costello's platonic other half, toxic doesn't even begin to describe their relationship at its worst. Carraway has dubbed Rain Dogs as "an off-beat rom-com between Costello and Selby" and "a love story told from the gutter". On-screen, she poses the pair as soulmates caught in a storm of striving (to be better, and to give Iris they best they can), self-sabotaging and stark realities. One particularly excellent episode sees the trio live out a moneyed fantasy, yet it's tainted from the outset. They're not leaving London voluntarily. Rather, they're decamping because Selby's mother (Anna Chancellor, Pennyworth) has cut him off and banished him to their holiday home. Iris has never enjoyed such luxury, and Costello can't remember such stability — but, as months pass, Selby and Costello also can't stop their usual dynamic from flaring up. HBO isn't shy about confronting the vast economic inequality that's an infuriating fact of life today, usually in satirical portraits of the one-percent such as Succession and The White Lotus. Indeed, the US network is exceptional at making such shows smart and savvy must-see viewing. In Rain Dogs, it spends more time among the have nots than the haves — and it spies how everyday human nature is considered damning when you're poor but eccentric when you're rich. With a firm sense of humour, it pokes fun at the journalist that says she wants to unearth a new voice but twists Costello's words into poverty porn, the school mums claiming to sport liberal attitudes but quick to shame, and the photographer so turned on by playing poverty tourist that he climaxes early. With a steely gaze, it spots how easily Selby keeps coming back from his many missteps, and how widely and repeatedly Costello is punished for hers. Watching along with Rain Dogs is a revelatory rollercoaster, and it's stunning. Check out the trailer for Rain Dogs below: Rain Dogs streams via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Images: Simon Ridgway, James Pardon and Gary Moyes/HBO.
The Yarra River is about to become home to some very special, albeit temporary, marine visitors. In a spectacular showcase of lights and technology, SEA LIFE Melbourne is hosting a drone display on Tuesday, January 16 at 9pm. And the best part? It's absolutely free. This one-of-a-kind event marks the launch of the aquarium's newest $9-million overhaul exhibit Night on the Reef. Imagine sharks, rays and a kaleidoscope of sea creatures, all glowing with bioluminescence as they swim through the night sky, courtesy of some skilled drone artistry. For the best views, you'll want to snag a spot along the banks of the Yarra near the aquarium. The display kicks off at 9pm, transforming the space opposite Crown Casino into an underwater realm. So, grab your mates, family or that special someone, and head down to the Yarra on a Tuesday night. After all, it's not every day that sharks swim up the Yarra — even if they are just drones.
Our Melbourne comrades are doing it especially tough right now, currently pushing through the fourth long week of their current stage four lockdown. But if you know a southerner who could use a distraction from their 8pm curfew and five-kilometre travel restrictions, you can now send them a little sweet relief courtesy of Uber Eats. This week, the delivery service is allowing interstate mates to send Victorian friends free dessert or ice cream, via its new #lockdownlove offer. From today, Monday, August 31, to Friday, September 4, you can surprise your Melbourne mate with a free Uber Eats dessert delivery, up to the value of $20 (including delivery fee). There are 1000 of the freebies available each night, starting from 8pm. To share the love, simply plug your friend's address into the app, order from one of their local dessert venues and enter that day's promo code (it's 'mondaylove' for Monday, 'tuesdaylove' for Tuesday and so on). Once you've ordered, you can click 'Share This Delivery' at the top of the app and your pal will be able to track their sweet treat on the move. Brighten their day with some Pidapipo gelato, send some Greek doughnuts from Lukumades, or maybe treat them to a wedge of cheesecake courtesy of the iconic Brunetti. If you're a sweet-toothed Melburnian who could do with some free dessert, we just send this article to an interstate friend — as a very unsubtle hint. [caption id="attachment_687498" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Doughnuts by Shortstop[/caption] Top image: Lukumades
Let's face it: plastic is a major problem. A petroleum-based, entirely man-made substance, plastic is the super-villain extraordinaire in the fight against pollution. Despite our recycling efforts, a lot of plastic tends to end up in the ocean, causing enormous wastelands such as the Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific where plastic to marine life ratios have reached 6:1. You'd think by now we'd have come up with an alternative. In 2009, Coca Cola released a sustainable plastic bottle of which a ground-breaking 30% was made with raw bio materials. Not good enough for PepsiCo, who announced yesterday the successful development of a 100% plant-based bottle. The prototype is made of switch grass, pine bark and corn husks, and the company plans to use orange peel, oat hulls and potato in future versions. The bottle retains a similar molecular structure to plastic, meaning it looks and feels the same – minus the environmental impact. It's a major step forward in the future of sustainable packaging. Pepsi plans to test the logistics of mass-producing the bottle in 2012, and if all goes well they'll make the switch. Let's hope they share the idea so the phase-out of plastic production can begin. [Via Fast Company]
If you love your fried chicken, brace yourself, because Prahran's DesiNental is now serving up some of Melbourne's best Indian fried chicken. This is owner Guvrinder Sandhu's version of classic Korean fried chicken, complete with a spicy Indian twist. Expect succulent drumettes, Maryland fillets and wings, which are fried crispy and smothered in your choice of sticky sauce: butter chicken, tangy clarified butter, or DesiNental's signature date and tamarind, spiked with sweet Indian jaggery. Your grandma's fried chicken, this stuff is not. But if you like your Indian cuisine more on the experimental side, this might be your kind of restaurant. You can pair your IFC with DesiNental's house-made masala fries, served with cumin and plum aioli or a Vindaloo-spiked Louisiana hot mayo. Deeper into the menu, you'll find the likes of loaded lamb Keema fries topped with Kadhai lamb mince, cheese, sour cheese, diced tomato and spring onion, as well as a range of Indian fusion burgers. A Delhi Tikka burger pairs fried chicken with Tikka Masala sauce, along with roasted cumin and plum chutney aioli, while the Desi Masala Beef Chopped Cheese is a playful, spicy take on the original New York version. For dessert, save some room for DesiNental's homemade Kulfi, which comes in several flavours, including raspberry, pistachio and cardamon, and mango and rose. You'll find DesiNental on 475 High Street in Prahran, just down from Williams Road. It's open from 5pm–11pm Tuesday through to Fridays, 1pm-11pm Saturdays and 12pm-7pm Sundays. Images: supplied.
As the NSW bushfire tragedy continues, a number of articles have appeared discussing the various ways a home may be fireproofed. There are miraculous treatments such as this fire-retardant gel, but how do you build for the bush? It's certainly possible. Incredibly, in the 1970s Sydney architect Glenn Murcutt designed a house so safe that its owner moved many actual drums of petrol from the garage into it before a bushfire surrounded the property. In the States an extremely old, fire-safe construction method is currently trending: the rural Japanese tradition of shou-sugi-ban. Roughly translated as 'burnt cedar board', shou-sugi-ban supposedly dates back to the 1700s, when it was used primarily to safeguard against fire and to preserve the wood against rot. So how does shou-sugi-ban work? The reasoning goes, if wood has already been charcoaled, it's unlikely to catch fire a second time. Similar in principle to the weathering of steel, where oxidisation creates a protective barrier, wood is first scorched with a controlled method of burning then brushed with a stiff broom to remove excess soot. Next it's washed and dried, and finally treated with an oil like Penofin Verde. It just happens to look fantastic, with many shades and finishes achievable, depending on how long the wood is burned. Usually a paint or a stain is required to darken wood to an attractive chocolate hue with rustic texture, and both methods are subject to fading and degradation. But not shou-sugi-ban. Apart from providing resistance to flames, the charred wood also repels insects and rot. This makes it durable and long-lasting. A standard cedar might decay after five years, whereas the owner of a low-maintenance shou-sugi-ban wall or fence could expect 30 years without decay, which is a pretty dramatic difference. For this reason, as well as its visual attractiveness, lately it's appearing in many restaurants around the Bay Area in California. Companies like Shou-Sugi-Ban in the UK and Delta Millworks in Austin, Texas (a land where it is said that cowboys mingle with punks) have mastered how to artfully scorch reclaimed wood for beautiful and practical built spaces. We hope to see more of it popping up on our shores. Via PSFK
When it comes to a fried chicken burger, Colonel Sanders has nothing on the chefs of Melbourne, who, lucky for us, know just how to prepare a damn fine piece of poultry between bread. Across the city, you'll find tender pieces of chicken coated in a variety of herbs and spices, and drizzled in sauces from blazing hot to garlic and herb-filled ranch. Whether you're after a 2am snack, a hangover cure of salty protein or just a big ol' bite to fill your hunger needs, some moments call for a deep fried bit of bird. We've journeyed everywhere from Chapel Street to East Brunswick, to put together this list of the best of the bunch. Sometimes, there's nothing that can fill your belly quite like a chicken burger.
Chinese Architecture is renowned for being highly avant-garde and unorthodox, but some designs can only be described as outright peculiar. From fish shapes, to huge bottle of alcohol, giant rings and God-sculpture-buildings, Chinese structures cover a lot of bases on the quirky scale. These odd designs attract a large amount of tourism to the various regions of China and are also an important aspect of the Chinese history and culture, while simultaneously demonstrating their radical modern shift in architectural design. Ranging from company headquarters to hotels, or watchtowers, here are ten of the quirkiest and most outrageous building designs throughout China. Fushun Shen Fu New Town 'Circle of Life' This 50 floor panoramic structure fitted out with 12,000 LED lights and with a diameter of 157m took a massive 3000 tons of steel and a casual billion dollars to make. Despite remarks that the dome is a ridiculous and unnecessary, the local government maintains that it is a unique and distinctive architectural design. Center of Bashu Culture Art Found in Chongqing at the Guotai Art Center, this quirky structure with needle-like protrusions is set to be finished later this year. Yichuan Northern Gate Another expensive and obscure construction, the Northern Gate currently under construction will provide a gate to the city of Yichuan in the Henan province. Although it has been likened to a belt, a trap and a bow, the gate is hoped to be a welcoming door to guests from afar with beautiful curves and rich ties to the region's history, spirituality and culture as well as being representative of Yichuan's economic development. Beijing Olympic Watchtower Consisting of five 'pins' of varying heights, this unorthodox tower is located in China's capital and is still yet to complete construction. With the highest point reaching 244.35 metres, this foreboding structure is not your average Olympic watchtower. Fangyen Mansion This building appears in the Shenyang Finance and Trade Development Zone, and attempts to resemble a coin, for fairly obvious reasons. Unfortunately the design didn't go down too well with the CNN, who in January of this year placed in the top ten ugliest buildings in the world because it apparently tries to unsuccessfully merge Western and Eastern style. Cuiping Wuliangye, Yibin city Believe it or not, this giant bottle is a Chinese liquor-producing company's factory located in Sichuan Province. Hotel of the Emperor At 41.6 metres high this hotel in Hebei, Yinjiao features in the World Guinness Book of Records as the 'largest pictographic building', aka the largest structure in the world which is both a building and a sculpture. The hotel showcases three Ancient Chinese Gods Fu, Lu, and Shou, who are known as the three wise men, symbolizing happiness, prosperity, and longevity. Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort This unique, idiosyncratic building will open its 321 rooms on the first day of the new year in 2013. Located on the edge of the stunning Lake Taihu in Zhejiang, this upmarket hotel will provide a relaxing yet unconventional stay for those bedding within its walls. Linda Hai Square The design of the Linda Hai Square on Dongsi Ring mirroring the shape of a fish was not all that well received by the Chinese people. Perhaps this one slightly overstepped the border from eccentric to just plain weird. Phoenix Island Real Estate Situated in the prime location of Sanya, Hainan Island, apartments on this corner of the world will set investors back almost $14,000 per square metre. You'd surely expect some spectacular waterfront views at a price like that.
In a stark change from last year, 2021 is shaping up to be quite the magical time for Australian musical theatre fans. The country is finally getting a shot to see Hamilton right now, everyone will be able to swoon over Moulin Rouge! from August and making a date with one of popular culture's most famous masked men, The Phantom of the Opera, is on the cards from September. And, as just announced, Cinderella will be riding a pumpkin carriage into Sydney when November hits, too. First premiering back on Broadway in 2013, this version of the beloved fairy tale features music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, a couple of the best-known names in musical theatre history. The pair actually wrote their songs for a 1957 television production, which starred a pre-Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music Julie Andrews. (If you've seen the 1997 TV movie with Brandy and Whitney Houston — which remade that original small-screen flick — then you've already seen a version based on Rodgers and Hammerstein's original efforts.) Now, the Broadway production is finally making the jump Down Under, debuting locally at Sydney's Capitol Theatre at a yet-to-be-revealed date in November, as presented by Opera Australia and the Gordon Frost Organisation. The two organisations recently teamed up on The King and I, another Rodgers and Hammerstein hit, but this time they're all about glass slippers and masked balls. Whether Cinderella will make its way to other Aussie cities hasn't yet been announced either. Don't expect the exact same story you're used to, though — as you read as a kid, and saw in Disney's classic animated film and its live-action remake. Here, Cinderella is a contemporary figure, but living in a fairytale setting. She's still transformed from a chambermaid into a princess; however, the tale has been given a firmly modern spin. Just who'll be starring in the show when it makes its way to Sydney hasn't yet been revealed, but they'll be working with a production penned by playwright Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, Sister Act) based on Hammerstein's work — which was, of course, adapted from the fairy tale about a young woman dreaming of a better life. The Broadway production was nominated for eight Tony Awards and won one, for Best Costume Design. In the US, Carly Rae Jepsen played Ella for a stint, while The Nanny's Fran Drescher also took on the role of Madame, Ella's stepmother, for a period. If you're wondering how the musical works its magic, check out a clip from the original Broadway show below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypPkiBW1Z4 Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella will hit the stage at the Sydney's Capitol Theatre in November 2021, with exact dates yet to be announced. Tickets will go on sale on April 30, with pre-sales from April 26 — for further details, or to join the waitlist, head to the musical's website. Top image: Original Broadway production of Cinderella by Carol Rosegg.
Next Wave Festival hasn't even started yet and we're already reaping the spoils. As part of their Emerging Curator's Program, Next Wave and the Centre for Contemporary Photography have teamed up to bring this young Sydney photographer's work to the fore, and we couldn't be happier about it. Raw, lo-fi and Tumblr-friendly, Mannix's photography is beautiful and relatable. Exploring his own life and those around him — a young couple, a sex worker, and numerous club kids — Mannix takes photographs that look like realistic American Apparel ads. While the subjects are all young and beautiful, there's something gritty and personal about the images that render them much more interesting. It's easy to imagine each in the collection of a past lover or close friend and as you stare at each, a shared intimacy is created. As the exhibition title would suggest, there's something precious to be savoured in the small art of the snapshot.
Everyone has a New York bucket list, filled with must-visit places throughout the busy city. And, we're betting that The Metropolitan Museum of Art features on most of them. Founded in 1870, presenting over 5,000 years of art from around the world and considered one of the top museums in the world, it's a iconic site for many reasons, including the pieces within its walls, its exhibitions and its annual gala. Another reason The Met is a favourite for visitors? For the past 50 years, a pay-as-you-wish scheme operates regarding the entry price. The suggested admission for adults is $25, but walking through the door for free is perfectly acceptable. That'll change on March 1, but it'll only impact folks who aren't New York State residents or students from New Jersey and Connecticut. In short, if you're from anywhere else in the world and you're keen to wander through The Met, you'll now pay the $25 fee. The mandatory full-priced admission tickets will be honoured for three days at the museum's three locations, however, so out-of-towners can make the most of their money. The news comes after The Met welcomed over seven million visitors in 2017, and put on 60 exhibitions. In a statement on the museum's website, Met president Daniel Weiss said the change was needed "in order to sustain its mission for future generations and to remain an accessible source of inspiration to all." It's expected that mandatory admissions will affect around 31 percent of their annual visitors. Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Not once, not twice, but at least 17 times, Robert Pattinson (The Batman) dies in Mickey 17. In the just-dropped full trailer for the new science-fiction film, his character is not too happy about it, either. But when you've signed up to be an 'expendable', as Mickey has in this adaptation of Edward Ashton's book Mickey 7, you've agreed to kick the bucket over and over and over for a living. On the page, the lead character is the seventh version — thank human printing — working as part of an effort to to colonise an ice world and soon finding himself trying to fend off the eighth. Mickey 17 has clearly upped that to the 17th version of its lead character. And, with Korean director Bong Joon-ho writing and directing, making his long-awaited first feature since Parasite, it's leaning heavily on comedy as well. Mickey 17 has been in the works for years, even dropping an initial teaser trailer at the end of 2022. Back then, the flick was targeting a March 2024 release date; however, that changed early this year, with the movie now hitting cinemas in January 2025. Thanks to everything that the last few years have served up, 2019, when the Palme d'Or-, Sydney Film Festival Prize- and Oscar-winning Parasite released, seems like a lifetime ago. So, waiting for anything since that innocent pre-pandemic time feels like waiting forever. But a new Bong movie has always been worth it so far, as his impressive cinematic resume attests. He's also the filmmaker behind stunning crime procedural Memories of Murder, creature feature The Host, dystopian thriller Snowpiercer and the offbeat Okja, after all. Mickey 17 looks set to mark the filmmaker's third movie mostly in English after Snowpiercer and Okja, with Pattinson leading a cast that also includes Steven Yeun (Beef), Naomi Ackie (Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody), Toni Collette (Mafia Mamma) and Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things). Science-fiction fans will spot that the premise alone gives off big Moon, Sunshine and Voyagers vibes — and brings High Life, RPatz's last exceptional sci-fi flick, to mind. That said, Bong isn't a filmmaker to follow in anyone else's footsteps. How he makes this concept his own already looks like a treat to see based on the two sneak peeks so far. Mickey 17 is a return for Pattinson, too, given that he hasn't been seen on-screen since his debut turn as Bruce Wayne — although he could be heard in the English-language version of Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron, adding a movie by another iconic director to his filmography. Check out the full trailer for Mickey 17 below: Mickey 17 releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
