Snapping a few selfies over Christmas, and then sharing them with the world? Aren't we all. In this selfie-taking, uploading, sharing and Instagram-filling age, the days of only being able to spy your own image in a mirror or reflective surface are long gone. But, what if you could see it on a cookie, cupcake or even on top of your iced coffee? That's what New York's Selfee promises — and they can place your likeness on cold beverages and other baked goods as well. They've been holding pop-up events for the past six months, and are currently running a crowdfunding campaign to open their own store. At the time of writing, they've raised $23,516 towards their $30,000 goal with six days remaining. https://www.instagram.com/p/BOQBxEVAIgu/?taken-by=selff.ee How does it work, you're probably wondering? Flavourless, FDA-certified edible inks hold the key to feasting on food boasting your own picture — or another snap of your choosing. So does a quick printing method that happens as you watch, which gives it an advantage over existing methods of decorating food with your own image (such as cake transfers that have topped bakery fare for years — or online photo-printed marshmallow ordering service Boomf, which is co-owned by James Middleton, the brother of the Duchess of Cambridge). The New York shop will produce selfie-adorned cold-brew iced coffee, iced green tea, cupcakes, cookies, marshmallows and milkshakes, while an online store will ship cookies across America. Add it to your must-try list if you're heading to the US any time soon, or keep your fingers crossed that something similar pops up in Australia. (If you're heading to Asia, Selfie Coffee has proven popular in Singapore)> For more information about Selfee, visit their website.
This post is presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan. The best urban adventures are not only beautiful, stimulating and stacks of fun; they're fresh. They put you ahead of the curve. They make you one of the testers and connoisseurs. And they probably give you the Instagram coup of the day. There's plenty of fun to be had in this city each week, but there's only a small handful of these intrepid moments. We've partnered with Toyota to find the very best shiny-new experiences in Melbourne. Presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan, these are our picks to put you on the road to a life of goodtimes. Now your only challenge is getting to them all. Eat: The Tippler & Co Tucked into a small but well-designed space in East Melbourne, this new bar/restaurant boasts a clean, wood-based aesthetic, and a detail-oriented selection of food and drink that somehow feels both innovative and unpretentious all at once. Instead of a formal dining experience, staff on the floor offer relaxed table service to anyone who so desires and will cheerfully run through the short menu with you. What could at first be overlooked as a small bar menu is in fact a nuanced and varied offering of ornate dishes with both vegan and gluten free options. Our top pick is the beef short rib. Served with sesame spinach, apple and daikon slaw, and edamame (S$22, L$26), the meat in this dish was so tender it just fell off the bone. What more could you want? 58 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne Drink: Nieuw Amsterdam Nieuw Amsterdam is a sophisticated new late-night bar and restaurant full of natural light, dark wood, exposed bricks and an air of class without any of the pretense. Operating over two levels — a light filled restaurant upstairs and a dimly lit bar downstairs, perfect for those late night drinks — this venue is set to become a new favourite. The cocktail menu in particular is vast and inviting, full of inventive twists on the classics and some unusual and tasty original concoctions. The menu is separated into categories such as sweet and sour, stiff, spritz'd (all sparkling) and an entire section featuring drink formulas from some of the best bartenders and bars around the city, including The Alchemist and Polly. There is also an impressive collection of 12 local and imported beers on tap and some well-curated bottled ciders and beer. 106–112 Hardware Street, Melbourne See: New14 Each year the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art offers up some of the country's brightest emerging talent on a platter, commissioning a series of original work that captures the diversity of contemporary practice. Now that ACCA have given such an enormous amount of support to these young artists we get to swoop in and reap all the benefits with a fantastic free showing of all their work. For the exhibition, Danae Valenza is creating a colour organ out of a grand piano and coloured lights, with accompanying photographic 'portraits' of the performances played on it, while Kenny Pittock will showcase a large number of drawings and videos of Melbourne passengers in transit. Get along and spot yourself looking bored on the 112 tram. March 15 to May 18, ACCA, 111 Sturt Street, Melbourne Do: Festival of Live Art Good things are coming in big packages these days. White Night devoured the CBD whole last month, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is right around the corner, and in the meantime we've been offered up the very first Festival of Live Art — a behemoth of a thing bustling with new and exciting work that closes the increasingly ambiguous gap between art and theatre. In a joint venture between Arts House, Theatre Works and Footscray Community Arts Centre, the festival will take place at multiple venues over the two-week period, and better yet: most events are free. Take a look at the program and plan your full experience, or drift in and out of our top ten picks. March 14-30, all around Melbourne
While we love watching our mates' attempt to grow facial hair (with varying degrees of success) for Movember every year, we especially love that's it's for a good cause: raising funds for mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. And if your inability to grow a mo has stopped you from getting involved yourself, we've got news for you. Move for Movember is a Movember challenge, supported by major partner Lululemon, and there's still time to get involved. Move encourages participants to cover 60 kilometres across the course of a month by either walking or running. That distance was chosen to represent the 60 men that are lost to suicide every single hour across the world. Let's not beat around the bush(-y moustache) — 60 kilometres is some ground to cover in a month. So, if bushwalks bore you or you don't have the time (or the inclination) to smash out a few multi-day hikes, we've come up with a list of more creative ways to hit you that step count goal this month. And it's super easy to get started. Just register to Move via the Movember website or download the app, start collecting donations from your friends and family, pop your comfiest pair of shoes on and get moving. Oh, and make sure you have a smartwatch or your phone on you to make sure every step is counted. DO A BREWERY CRAWL The glorious spring weather already makes a brewery crawl an excellent way to spend a Saturday, but when the crawl counts towards your monthly goal? Even better. The obvious location for your beer hop is the inner north, which has about ten breweries to hit up, including Moon Dog and Stomping Ground. To get you started, we've mapped out a route of some of our favourites, which will total five kilometres of stomping. Just remember the two golden rules. First: pace yourself. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You want to get to the end so those kilometres count towards your goal. And second: despite what your mates at uni used to chant, eating is not cheating. PLAY A FEW ROUNDS OF GOLF Some may say golf is a good walk spoiled. But if what you're looking for is a way to break up the monotony of a long walk with short bursts of action and some friendly banter with your mates, then a session on the green is the answer. Across a standard 18-hole course, players will walk an average of nine kilometres, which is a pretty sizeable chunk of your target — and you could clock up even more if your ability to stay on the fairway is, ahem, lacking. Encourage your friends to walk the course with you and donate the money they would've spent on cart hire to your Movember Move challenge instead. And don't worry if you don't know anyone with a club membership. Melbourne has plenty of public courses that you can access, stretching from Sandringham in the southeast to Albert Park near the CBD. [caption id="attachment_788439" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Visit Victoria[/caption] TURN WORKING INTO WALKING You probably already spend way too much time sitting down or certainly have over the last few months. And, if you're still working from home, it's even more likely since all the incidental walking you'd normally do throughout the day — commuting, popping out for lunch and heading to meetings — isn't happening as much. Whatever your situation, it can't hurt to inject a little more movement into your working day, so use this month's goal as an excuse. This could mean using what used to be your commuting time to complete a run — we suggest using the app Runhunters, founded by running coach and Lululemon ambassador Matty Abel, to explore suitable run routes within your 25-kilometre radius, so you're not covering the same ground every day. Another popular option is to implement walking meetings if the conversation doesn't require a laptop, or it could be a simple as standing up and pacing around the room every time you take a phone call. CHALLENGE YOUR MATE TO A TENNIS MATCH While many sports facilities are still closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, tennis courts were given the green light to reopen a few weeks ago. Whether you play tennis all the time or you haven't picked up a racquet since school, a couple of heated matches with a mate are sure to get those kilometres ticking over. It may be hard to believe, but all that zigzagging on the court really does add up — according to IBM data analysts who tracked player performance at the 2019 Wimbledon tournament, Novak Djokovic (who is currently the top-ranked men's tennis player) ran 2.24 kilometres during his winning grand final match against Philipp Kohlschreiber. So, you may not be focused on running in a straight line for a long time, but those kilometres will tick over without you noticing. TAKE THE STAIRS Not only has incidental exercise disappeared from your routine in the past few months, but more intense workouts probably have as well with gyms still closed. But you can still work up a sweat outdoors by using some of Melbourne's existing infrastructure to your advantage. And that includes stair climbs. It is important to know where you have the option to do them as many building stairwells are understandably only accessible for emergencies. Luckily the website Stair Climbing Australia has curated some of the stair climbing spots around the city, from train stations to parklands, to help you take your cardio workout to the next level. There's still time to sign up to Move for Movember, and change the face of men's health. To learn more or register to complete 60 kilometres, visit the website. Top image: Visit Victoria
Just when you thought Melbourne's festival calendar couldn't get any more packed, Summersalt springs into town. From January 23 -February 21 next year this monumental outdoor arts festival will be bringing you giant inflatable whales, artsy bouncy castles, roving street theatre, artworks exclusively for dogs and more. With all events taking place around Southbank and most being completely free, it's safe to say, your summer is looking just that little bit more sunny. Summersalt is the baby of all our best cultural institutions. MTC, Malthouse, ACCA, Melbourne Recital Centre, Arts Centre, VCA, Chunky Move, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, The Australian Ballet and the NGV will all be involved and it's the first kind of Melbourne event that has such high levels of collaboration. The recently announced Sugar Mountain Festival will be run in collaboration with the festival as will next year's White Night. Though the full lineup is yet to be released, what we've seen so far is definitely exciting. If you didn't catch Architects of Air's much-loved EXXOPOLIS at the Glow Winter Arts Festival, it will be back in town after its run at MONA FOMA, or you can opt to get cosy in the belly of a whale or check out the biggest human puppet in the world if you're up for something new (and slightly terrifying). This interest in large-scale, outdoor works is no coincidence — the whole aim of the festival is to draw in new audiences. Come for the giant inflatable whale, stay for the art. Some theatrical favourites from the past year will also be making a welcome return in the form of Malthouse's Blak Cabaret and MTC's Cybec Electric series of cheap play readings. The highly-acclaimed, intimate Cherry Cherry (A Dining Room Tale) will also be back in action as Neda Rahmani invites you over for a BBQ. This theatrical program is looking much stronger than the musical offerings; aside from the glorious Sugar Mountain Festival, not much has been released aside from the always beautiful MSO sessions at Sidney Myer Music Bowl. There are also a couple of odd, miscellaneous works which really stand out from this first round of events. Asking audiences to sleuth through the city and hunt down clues, Sour Times is a wholly interactive work that leads you along secret trails with the help of a special smartphone app. Or, if you'd rather bring along a furry friend, Anastasica Klose will be setting up the Farnsworth Republic for Dogs in the ACCA Forecourt. An off-leash play area of activities and luxury dog beds, the site will complement Menagerie, her new exhibition inside exploring the connection between humans and dogs. Get your calendar out now and start counting down the days. Not only is the start of the year going to be beautiful and sunny, it's going to be full of roving dogs and giant puppets. Bring it on. Summersalt Outdoor Arts Festival will run from January 23 - February 21. Read more at their website.
UPDATE Thursday, June 29: Ocean Alley have now been announced as the replacement for Lewis Capaldi. Find the full 2023 Splendour in the Grass lineup and set times at the festival website. Splendour in the Grass is just weeks away from its 2023 festival, and two new artists have just been added to the lineup, with one more major announcement still set to come. Danny Brown and Thelma Plum have both joined the bill as replacements for Slowthai and Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Plus, Splendour has confirmed that a replacement for Lewis Capaldi is coming, after the Scottish singer-songwriter advised that he would be taking a break from touring to focus on his health. Eccentric US rapper Danny Brown will join the lineup as an Australian exclusive, playing his first Australian show in over five years. He'll head up the Mix Up Stage on the Friday night, bringing his catalogue of experimental rap hits including his highly acclaimed recent collaborative project SCARING THE HOES with Jpegmafia (who you can catch at this year's Listen Out). Thelma Plum also joins the lineup of musicians that'll will arrive at North Byron Parklands from Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23, alongside the likes of Lizzo, Flume, Mumford & Sons and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs — the latter of which were slated to headline 2022's Splendour in the Grass lineup, but cancelled in the leadup. Plum was a highlight of the festival back in 2019, and was also scheduled to play at the 2020 edition before it was cancelled due to the pandemic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YgxQlS2054 Along with the new acts, the annual winter event has also just unveiled its set times and maps, so you can start planning your weekend and prepare for set clashes if you've nabbed tickets. The schedule reveals an hour-long gap on the Amphitheatre stage between Ruel and J Balvin where festivalgoers can expect Capaldi's replacement to pop up. Just last week, Splendour added a heap of new talent to the weekend, including powerhouse Russian punk group Pussy Riot and a heap of names for its Forum, Science Tent, Comedy Club and Forum Live Podcasts programs. These additions included a talk with Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova, everyone's favourite ex-AFL player-turned-sports newsreader Tony Armstrong, The Betoota Advocate, Dr Karl, Brooke Boney, and comedians such as Deadloch star Nina Oyama and Michael Hing. [caption id="attachment_907565" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stephen Booth[/caption] SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2023 MUSIC LINEUP: Danny Brown (Australian exclusive) Thelma Plum Ocean Alley Joining Lizzo Flume (Australian exclusive: ten years of Flume) Mumford & Sons (Australian exclusive) Yeah Yeah Yeahs Hilltop Hoods J Balvin Sam Fender Idles Little Simz Tove Lo 100 Gecs (Australian exclusive) Arlo Parks Ball Park Music Iann Dior King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 070 Shake Pussy Riot Pnau Ruel Loyle Carner Benee Marlon Williams Hooligan Hefs Peach PRC Palace Dune Rats Tkay Maidza Noah Cyrus Skegss Sudan Archives Cub Sport Meg Mac X Club. Claire Rosinkranz Jack River The Smith Street Band Lastlings Jeremy Zucker Young Franco Sly Withers MAY-A The Vanns Telenova Vallis Alps Jamesjamesjames Kaycyy RVG Teenage Dads Balming Tiger Automatic Harvey Sutherland Gali Del Water Gap Royel Otis Shag Rock Big Wett Mia Wray Memphis LK Gold Fang Milku Sumner Forest Claudette Full Flower Moon Band William Crighton Hellcat Speedracer Triple J Unearthed Winners Mix Up DJs: Tseba Crybaby Latifa Tee Foura Caucasianopportunities Luen Mowgli DJ Macaroni Crescendoll Splendour in the Grass will take over North Byron Bay Parklands from Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23, 2023 — head to the festival website for further details and tickets.
The time-honoured Italian tradition of aperitivo has been embraced by Australians. Across the country, heaps of bars and restaurants offer aperitivo specials — but have you ever tried throwing your own aperitivo hour at home with family and friends? Classic Italian apéritif brand Aperol is here to help you do just that. It has launched a series of Aperol Spritz @ 6pm experiences, which are hosted by some of the country's top chefs, musicians and artists. With these, you can try out new recipes, partake in virtual art classes and learn how to create the perfect playlist for your (socially distant and responsibly sized) get together. Keen to pair your spritz with some snacks? Saké Restaurant & Bar has shared three of its signature recipes that'll seriously impress your mates during your aperitivo hang. Learn how to whip up kingfish sashimi, karaage chicken with yuzu mayo and salmon hand rolls via an easy to follow video. Or, you can log on for a cooking class with Fratelli Fresh's culinary director Gabor Denes, who'll demonstrate how to make the restaurant's famous lasagna, as well as pappardelle, linguini and farfalle from scratch. There's also a music mixing session with DJ Niki Dé Saint — a musician who's played at Fashion Week Sydney and Paris, Melbourne's F1 Grand Prix and Vivid — who'll also share her top playlists to set the mood for your aperitivo, and a sunset-inspired painting class with artist and photographer Danielle Cross. There are a heap of prizes up for grabs, too, including $150 vouchers for Saké Restaurant & Bar in NSW, Queensland and Victoria, and an Aperol Spritz cocktail pack — with Aperol, prosecco, Fever Tree soda water, Aperol Spritz glasses and a jigger — delivered straight to your door. The cocktail pack competition is running weekly until July 12, and to enter you need to post a pic of you and your mates having a spritz on Instagram or Facebook and tag @aperolspritzau and #SpritzAt6. You can check out all the details over here. To check out all of the Aperol Spritz @ 6pm experiences and enter the competition, head on over to the Aperol website. Remember to Drinkwise. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
The Victorian Government has only just outlined its plans to facilitate an outdoor dining boom for Melbourne, in an effort to help the city's bars and restaurants recover post-lockdown. But, one local business started preparing for the al fresco-focused hospitality scene early, with Sister of Soul already unveiling its parklet plans. The St Kilda eatery has announced plans to transform a stretch of its streetside car parking into an outdoor dining zone, complete with table dividers, roof panels and planters filled with greenery. Owner Daniel Clerici approached the City of Port Phillip Council with the bones of this idea a few months ago, predicting there'd be extra demand for outdoor dining as Melbourne's hospitality industry navigated future pandemic restrictions. In the case of his own venue, Clerici wanted to minimise the impact of potential density limits and improve pedestrian access between Acland Street and the beach, alongside the restaurant. After a speedy response from the Council, the two groups got busy plotting a solution for the site. And, with some design work by Jon Lyons from Rightside Creative Solutions, the parklet plans were born. The project scored official Council approval this week, with construction expected to kick off in the coming days. [caption id="attachment_710001" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sister of Soul by Kate Shanasy[/caption] While the 21-metre-long seating platform is designed to free up footpath space so passersby can maintain social distancing, there are further plans to install extra bike racks and to boost pedestrian safety by widening part of the adjoining Acland Street and Shakespeare Grove intersection. Rightside's parklet design is set to be built from a mix of ply and cypress timbers, featuring a row of eight booths separated by 1.2-metre-high dividers. There'll be artificial grass along the floor, planter boxes around the sides and angled roof panels providing some shade. All up, the structure has capacity for 50 people, which would help Sister of Soul counter any strict caps imposed on its indoor dining space. Previously, the restaurant could seat up to 90 patrons inside, with capacity for another 30 outside. The parklet build is expected to cost around $25,000, which'll be covered by Sister of Soul. The council will pay for the bike racks, protective bollards and expanded pedestrian zone. Construction of Sister of Soul's new parklet is expected to begin late-September, to be completed in time for the restaurant's anticipated October reopening. Find it on the Shakespeare Grove side of 73 Acland Street, St Kilda.
There are more reasons than ever to make the three-hour journey west to visit Dunkeld's Royal Mail Hotel. Not only will you discover one of regional Australia's best restaurants, but you can now admire the soaring beauty of the Grampians National Park (Gariwerd) from a recently added outdoor wellness suite. The hotel has put together a tempting Spring Wellness Package to encourage your visit, available for bookings until Sunday, November 30. So, now might be the perfect time to slide into its spacious magnesium-salt hot tub or sweat it up in a Finnish-inspired cedar wood sauna. Following a hike in the surrounding hills, there's nowhere better to soothe your weary limbs. Priced from $1610 per couple for a midweek booking, the package includes a two-night stay in the hotel's mountain view room, offering a stunning Gariwerd vista, a private balcony and a gourmet minibar. You're also invited to a degustation dining experience at Wickens at the Royal Mail Hotel, an acclaimed culinary journey brimming with ingredients plucked from a sprawling kitchen garden. What's more, you'll indulge in a seasonal sharing menu lunch or dinner at the Parker St Project — the Royal Mail's more casual dining venue. Then, a chef will help you get to know Australia's largest restaurant kitchen garden on a guided tour. Finally, soak up a 90-minute session in the outdoor wellness suite, featuring uninterrupted views of Mount Sturgeon.
It's hump day, which means it's time to start thinking about the weekend (if you're not already). And, excitingly, the weekend coming up is a long one. With all states, territories and capital cities copping an absolute scorching over the past couple of weeks, we thought we'd take a look at what's on the menu for the Australia Day long weekend. Our capital is going to be bearing the brunt of the heat with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting Canberra will remain in the near-40s from Friday through Saturday, with Sunday dipping to 35 with 30 percent chance of rain. We suggest hitting the sand in the early morning before it gets too hot (and before the UV peaks). Down the coast in Melbourne, Friday is expected to be a fiery 41 — luckily this all-vegan gelateria is giving out 1000 free ice creams to make it slightly more bearable — but Saturday's only hitting a max of 26, with 40 percent chance of showers. Sunday and Monday will also hover around the mid-20s, with minimal showers predicted, so it'll be perfect weather for a hike or splash around in a body of water. There'll be no near-40 temperatures in Sydney, instead just mid-to-low 30s across the board, with little chance of rain. Our mates at BOM are predicting extremely high UV during the day on Friday and Saturday, so do cover up (with clothes, zinc or sunscreen) if you plan to head outdoors to the beach or to Yabun Festival, an all-day celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Brisbane is expected to be equally subdued, with 33 degrees predicted all weekend. If this sounds like perfect gin-drinking weather to you, you'll be happy to know that two juniper-heavy parties will, in fact, be taking place across the weekend, as well as GABS' much-hyped top 100 craft beer countdown. Across the country, Perth is expected to be dry and balmy, sitting in the mid-20s, while Darwin should expect rain and thunderstorms every day for the next week. Adelaide folk will be cranking their air-cons with 45 predicted tomorrow, before it eases off to the mid-30s for the rest of the week. Hobart will be ten degrees cooler, with mid-20s expected across the weekend. To help you plan your beach trips, we've rounded up our favourite ten spots in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Images: Lorne by Robert Blackburn; Manly by Paros Huckstepp; Currumbin via Flickr.
It's the movie that was always going to be made, the re-enacted version of one of the most heartbreaking small-town murder mysteries and biggest miscarriages of justice the United States has seen. It's also the movie that never should have been made, for the devastating true tale as told in four documentaries now — the Paradise Lost trilogy, and West of Memphis — can't be embellished, fictionalised or bested. Yet exist Devil's Knot does, a cinematic facsimile of the originals, albeit with an ample dose of star power. Though the potency of the facts remains, the sensationalist and the sentimental combine in an attempt to craft a cautionary case of tragedy crippling a community not just in its initial appearance but in the way it is then handled. Two trios drive the story: eight-year-old schoolboys who meet a gruesome fate, and teen outsiders marked for their difference. In the wake of the crime that rocked Arkansas, panicked locals start braying for the blood of Damien Echols (James Hamrick), Jason Baldwin (Seth Meriwether) and Jessie Misskelley Jr (Kristopher Higgins). For private investigator Ron Lax (Colin Firth), discrepancies complicate the reported information. As grief-stricken mother Pamela Hobbs (Reese Witherspoon) watches on, the untimely demise of her son becomes a circus fuelled by a determination to convict and a disregard for competing theories. Alas, though dead children, blamed adolescents and bureaucratic bungling make for strong material, Devil's Knot places its emphasis on Lax and Hobbs, unconvincing figures of focus rendered as observers, not participants. Their sympathetic access point isn't needed given the strength of what lies beneath, nor are Firth and Witherspoon's overplayed performances. Another issue plagues the adaptation of Mara Leveritt's 2002 text of the same name: only relating part of the puzzle. Many real-life developments occurred after the book's publication; that the outcome is relegated to the film's endnotes robs it of its conclusion. With a wealth of data to draw upon, something had to give, and the problem of recreating oft-seen scenes was always going to be difficult to overcome. Director Atom Egoyan and his writers — Deliver Us From Evil duo Paul Harris Boardman and Scott Derrickson — just can't strike the right balance, indulgent in what they include and troubled by what remains absent. What emerges in Devil's Knot is an unfortunate example of the right pedigree and intentions making the wrong moves, on a subject so scrutinised that any missteps would always stand out. With an auteur's eye on an inflammatory case, and with well-known actors wringing importance from the situation, the film wants to exemplify the kind of haunting deliberation of complexity the story demands, but its lingering gaze — narratively, emotionally and aesthetically — remains superfluously tied to its surface. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ofkn4zYrF5U
It's a dream everyone has shared since 1993 — or, since you first saw Jurassic Park. Who hasn't wished that they could see dinosaurs up close at a theme park (albeit without having to evacuate an island afterwards)? Yep, author Michael Crichton and filmmaker Steven Spielberg have a lot to answer for. Or, we can thank them for not only letting us live out this fantasy on the page and screen, but inspiring other dino-themed attractions to pop up. Sure, America's Moab Giants Dinosaur Park doesn't offer living, breathing versions of the prehistoric creatures; however it does let you wander around 60 acres of desert and view more than 100 life-sized renderings. Opening back in September 2015 but finishing their final exhibit just last month, the Utah establishment is just what dinosaur fans have hoped for — as long as they've hoped to see these giant critters in dry, rocky surroundings, that is. When you're not literally following in their footsteps along a half-mile-long trail, you can get a 3D glimpse of what the area looked like when dinos roamed the earth, add two extra dimensions courtesy of virtual reality to explore the world of ancient sea beasts, pretend you're in a paleontologists' camp and even try to dig up some fossils. Sounds like the closest you're probably getting to visiting Jurassic Park, doesn't it? Aka, it sounds pretty dino-tastic. Think of it as your ideal dinosaur-oriented getaway, in case the Gold Coast's rumoured next theme park doesn't ever come to fruition — or, an overseas alternative to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs in Winton in central outback Queensland. Via AWOL.
Hold your boots up high as Golden Plains festival celebrates its ten year anniversary. Returning once more to the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre on Labour Day long weekend, this beloved festival will welcome a plethora of local and international music acts for three straight days of good music and good times. Performers tapped for this year's festival include Emma Donovan & The Putbacks, Black Cab, Sleater-Kinney, Violent Femmes, Gold Class, Natalie Prass, Songhoy Blues, Seun Kuti, The Necks, Sampa The Great and local legends Eddy Current Suppression Ring, who'll break a six year hiatus for a one night only performance on the Sunday night. You can find the complete lineup and set times for the festival, which kicks off on Saturday, March 12, by following this link right here.
It was the decade that gave us Magic Eye pictures, the Macarena, Pokemon and Tamagotchi, too. We're talking, of course, about the 90s. The decade might've come to an end exactly 20 years ago now, but it's easy to get nostalgic about — especially in a hectic year where we're all thinking about how simple life once was. The easiest way to indulge that nostalgia? You can pop on a flannelette shirt or some Hypercolour if you like, or you can head back in time via your viewing choices. Press play on one of the big hits of the decade, and you'll be transported back to a period when a group of mates sat on an orange coffee shop couch, and when the Dude also abided. To help plan out your ultimate retro watch list, we've teamed up with streaming service Binge to highlight five beloved TV shows and movies that'll take you back to the 90s faster than a DeLorean — including via a 14-day free trial for new customers.
Heading the NGV's autumn/winter program this year is a world-premiere exhibition Pierre Bonnard, created in collaboration with famed Parisian museum the Musée d'Orsay. It offers a glimpse into the life and work of acclaimed 20th-century French artist Bonnard through a sprawling collection of pieces on loan from the likes of London's Tate and The Museum of Modern Art in New York, along with other renowned French museums. A close friend of the legendary Henri Matisse, the artist is best known for his stylised decorative works evoking scenes of everyday domestic life. [caption id="attachment_747306" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Coffee (1915), Pierre Bonnard, Tate, London, presented by Sir Michael Sadler through the NACF 1941.[/caption] The exhibition will see Bonnard's recognisable designs brought to life even further, with the help of famed Iranian-Egyptian-French architect and designer India Mahdavi. Mahdavi — who has designed eye-catching spaces like London's Red Valentino store and the famous all-pink Gallery at sketch — will use her signature colour palettes and love of textures to create an immersive, life-size version of one of Bonnard's domestic scenes. Image: The Gallery at sketch designed by India Mahdavi, London, 2014, photo by Thomas Humery.
If you live in Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs, then you've probably been waiting for the Mernda Rail Extension. It extends the existing line from Epping to South Morang, with a new rail line from South Morang to Mernda — and after announcing it was ahead of schedule earlier in the year, the Victorian government has opened the line to passengers. The $600 million project launches six months ahead of original plans. As part of the new line, three new stations are open at Mernda, Hawkstowe and Middle Gorge. They're expected to service up to 8000 commuters a day, easing road congestion in the area. In addition, a new shared pedestrian and bike path links the stations. Plus, new community spaces and a new skate park have been built around each of the three spots, located immediately south of Mernda Station, immediately north of Hawkstowe Station, and at The Parkway, adjacent to Mernda Park Primary School. While landscaping works will still need to be finalised around the stations in the coming months, commuters can start accessing new services from today, with 982 services connecting to the city every week from Mernda Station. To ensure that locals can access the new rail line, two new and seven realigned bus routes will also take passengers to the three new stations.
If farewelling winter has put you in the mood to skip town and head out to see some beautiful blooms, Victoria is leaving you spoilt for choice this season. You've probably already got the famed Tesselaar Tulip Festival and Cherryhill Orchards' Blossom Festival on your radar. And here's another — Bendigo's Annual Tulip Display is set to bring the regional town alive with a sea of vibrant flowers from Saturday, September 14–Sunday, October 6. [caption id="attachment_843475" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] Bendigo's Pall Mall and Conservatory Garden will be blooming bright as they play host to an eye-catching showcase of more than 43,000 tulips, courtesy of the region's Park and Natural Reserves crew. The display's been carefully curated with a mix of flower colours, sizes and blooming schedules, so you're in for something different each time you visit. As always, the tulips will be free to wander through at your leisure, and there'll be a program of curator talks for anyone looking for inspiration to create their own tulip-filled backyard paradise. Plus, from Friday, September 20–Sunday, October 6, there'll be a special Bloom After Dark event that sees the tulip beds illuminated by colourful light projections. Image: Visit Victoria.
It's a scenario that every Australian can relate to: it's summer, the temperature has reached scorching levels and you can hear the sounds of someone splashing around in a cool, refreshing pool. Alas, those noises aren't emanating from your own pool, because you don't have one — and you don't know your neighbours well enough to just pop by for a dip. And, maybe your local swimming spot is too far away, you don't live near the beach or the nearest public pool is closed for the day. Add all of the above together, and you're stuck trying to cool down in the bath or under the fan. Enter Swimply, a service that's operational in nearly 20 American states, just launched in Toronto in Canada, and is set to head to Australia by summer, according to Lonely Planet. Like every other service that's popped up in today's sharing economy, it's all about renting out something that one person has and doesn't use all of the time, to another person that has a short-term need. In this case, it lets folks with pools lease out their backyard swimming spots when they're not in use, and lets folks without pools find a place for a splash. If you fall into the latter category, you can look for a spot by the day or for a weekend. If you're after a pool with specific facilities and inclusions — such as a changing area, lounge chairs, wifi, a shady spot to sit under and heated waters — you can do that too. Prices aren't particularly cheap, hovering around the US$40 mark for a day, but if you're planning a dip with your pals and can split the cost, it's much more affordable. Add Swimply to the list of Airbnb-like ventures popping up — services that let you stay in architecturally significant houses, the homes of friends of friends, camping grounds, and caravans and campervans; rent out your spare room to refugees; find a music studio; and take care of your luggage needs overseas. This one sounds particularly enticing, however, especially as the warmer weather starts to hit. For further details, visit Swimply's website and Facebook page.
UPDATE: MARCH 24, 2020 — Melbourne's dedicated cookie shop is now delivering its chunky, gooey handmade doughy boys. Available within ten kilometres of the Windsor store, the delivery offering includes eight different flavours ($5–6 each): classic, triple choc, vegan, Nutella, churros, pistachio, peanut butter and raspberry. Orders are for a minimum of six and can be made by emailing deliverycookiebox@gmail.com. Got a cookie obsession that just won't quit? Prepare to unleash the monster on Windsor's new dessert destination, The Cookie Box, where chunky, gooey handmade cookies reign supreme. The family-run brand has already proved a hit in Perth, where it launched in 2017, and now Melbourne's scored a decadent outpost of its own. The Chapel Street store is dishing up nine permanent flavours from a classic peanut butter to Nutella and a fruit-laced raspberry number. You can also sink your teeth into the monthly-changing experimental creation. All of the treats are rolled by hand, rested for 48 hours and baked fresh daily, crafted only on top-quality ingredients including free-range eggs and smooth Belgian chocolate. A solo cookie will set you back as little as $5. Otherwise, get a little adventurous with one of the cookie bowls, teaming a classic cookie with topping combinations like black forest — ice cream and Italian amarena cherries — or banoffee: banana, ice cream and lashings of caramel sauce. The Cookie Box officially opens on Saturday, February 15, and it's celebrating by handing out a stack of freshly baked cookies — on the house. Be one of the first 250 punters through the doors at 10am on February 15 or 16 and you'll score yourself one of the shop's classic cookies for free.
Over the past few years, Gelatissimo has whipped up a number of creative flavours, including frosé sorbet, ginger beer gelato, Weet-Bix and fairy bread varieties, hot cross bun gelato and even gelato for dogs. For its latest offering, the Australian dessert chain is taking inspiration from an extremely popular drink: bubble tea. Yes, bubble tea is now a thing you can eat, not just drink, thanks to Gelatissimo. Launching this Friday, July 24, the brown sugar bubble milk tea flavour is made from a combination of organic assam tea and black tea, which are infused in creamy gelato and mixed with a swirl of brown sugar syrup. As it wouldn't really be a bubble tea without pearls, each cup or cone comes topped with chewy brown sugar tapioca pearls. If you order a takeaway tub, pearls come packed separately. Prefer sipping on your bubble tea rather than scooping it? Gelatissimo is also whizzing the limited-edition flavour into gelato shakes. As Victoria is in lockdown and NSW residents have been advised against non-essential travel, Gelatissimo is bringing the gelato to you and offering delivery through UberEats, DoorDash and Deliveroo. Gelatissimo's brown sugar bubble milk gelato flavour is available from all 43 stores nationwide for a limited time.
The Environmental Film Festival returns this October to celebrate its 15th birthday with a week-long program spanning 23 titles — including 14 premieres — alongside cine-art talks under the theme "Environment is Everywhere." From Thursday, October 16 to Thursday, October 23, cinemas across Melbourne will host feature films, shorts, documentaries and discussions celebrating the intersection of art, activism and the environment. Leading the program is Documerica, Self-Portrait of a Nation on the Brink, a recollection of an American natural photo survey undertaken in the 1970s, The People's Tree, a story of the impacts of environmental legislation on tree trimmers in India and These Sacred Hills, an insight into the culture and history of the Rock Creek Band of the Yakama Nation, who's sacred sites are threatened by a proposed green energy project. [caption id="attachment_1028468" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The World According To My Dad, directed by Marta Kovářová[/caption] Let's not forget The World According To My Dad, a heartwarming documentary about director Marta Kovářová's physicist father, who dreams of putting a stop to climate change with bold ideas — or No More History Without Us, a manifesto documentary by two Amazonian filmmakers on the falsehoods invented by European colonisers about the Amazon rainforest and its many peoples. This is just the tip of the program's iceberg, and you can find the full offering on the website. Beyond the screen, there'll be some in-person events, including the festival's 15th birthday soiree serving plant-based bites, and a community beach clean on Elwood Beach. Freyja Gillard, Co-Director of Environmental Films Australia, said: "This year's program is really unique for us, focusing on the idea that the environment is indeed everywhere; it's not an 'other', separate from us, only available in the 'wild'. The vast majority of humans live in urban spaces and cities and this year's selection really showcases what that looks like in an environmental-sense, exploring the interconnection between people and place, what our environments mean to us, and what we mean to our environments." The Environmental Film Festival will run at cinemas and venues around Melbourne from Thursday, October 16 to Thursday, October 23. For tickets or more information, visit the website. Header: 'No More History Without Us', directed by Priscilla Brasil. Images courtesy of Environmental Film Festival
Brad Pitt almost unrecognisable as Henry Spencer from Eraserhead. Ryan Gosling as The Invisible Man. Viola Davis as Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. If this has you intrigued, you're going to love the video exhibition that the New York Times Magazine has put together, directed by Alex Prager. In part an homage to the greatest villains from film and a showcase of some of the most talented actors we see on our screens today, each vignette is a carefully crafted moment exploring the darker side of these wicked characters. No actor speaks in the vignettes, but repetitive, spine-tingling music plays, reflected in the sinister, depraved look in each character's eyes. The camera creeps up Kirsten Dunst's body as she holds a green apple close to her lips; Glenn Close is a mysterious, almost ghostly version of Theda Bara, the silent film star. If you're a budding movie director, this could well serve as inspiration for your next horror short... See the exhibition, A Touch of Evil, here and the mood board that inspired it.
From the team who brought you northside favourites Wide Open Road and Heartattack and Vine comes Bedford St, an all-day eatery and the newest addition to your Merciful Gods, We MUST Eat Here list. And, to the delight of the Carlton cafe and wine bar's avid fan base, there isn't even a wait time — Bedford St is already open. Sitting in the old Heart of Europe space on Johnston Street, the bar will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. It's a joint venture between Wide Open Road and Heartattack and Vine proprietors Hootan Heydari and Jono Hill, their long-time employee Mark Jacobson and chef Daniel Dobra, who's magicked up a menu described as contemporary Australian with a twist. But don't think this means sub-par pub grub covered in pork floss. Dobra's (ex-Brutale, The Beaufort) menu is very twisty indeed, with dishes like a gourmet peameal bacon sandie with house-made sauce on white bread, a taco salad, and mac and cheese pancakes (with a side of maple syrup and bacon, of course). They'll also offer the standards of any good 2016 establishment: fried chicken (for which Dobra is famous) and burgers. Thanks to the full kitchen, the team have been able to expand on the all-day Heartattack and Vine concept in an ambitious way at Bedford Street, says Heydari. "You can come in for breakfast, for a snack or come back at nighttime and have a full meal," he says. "They're very simple dishes, but with the amount of detail that goes into it, you get a very simple dish that's out of this world." Speaking of out of this world, dessert includes indulgent options like a salted caramel lamington, toasted Wagon Wheel pie (!!) and toffee apple fritters served with crème fraîche. These guys aren't messing around — they're serving grown up versions of your childhood faves and it sounds goddamn delightful. The space looks pretty delightful too. Heydari says that, when it came to dressing up the interior with architect and collaborator Nicky Adams, they let the space inform the design. Their inspiration? The '90s neo-noir classic Blade Runner. "It's a step away from what Heartattack is," says Heydari. "We don't want to rehash the same thing — we want to be a bit more ambitious with this one. It's a beautiful space." Yep, you really have to pay the venue a visit now. So while you shouldn't expect a carbon copy of Heartattack and Vine, you can expect Bedford St to be equally as considered, elegant and off-centre. They've opened this week — just in time for the weekend. Bedford St is located at 11-13 Johnston Street, Collingwood. It's open Monday to Friday from 7am till 11pm and Saturday to Sunday 8am till midnight. For more information, visit their Instagram.
It takes just over 50 seconds for the Cat Person trailer to get Margot (Emilia Jones, CODA) uttering nine glaringly accurate words: "this is the worst life decision I've ever made". She's talking about dating Robert (Nicholas Braun, Succession), a regular at the cinema where the 20-year-old college student works — and she's speaking a line that everyone read in 2017, in the viral short story to end all viral short stories from the past decade. Six years back, when the December issue of The New Yorker arrived, Kristen Roupenian's tale of a nightmare relationship instantly went viral. That's where the world first met Margot and Robert, and stepped into this wild story. Cat Person was then printed as a book, and of course Hollywood came calling as well. The movie that's resulted debuted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier in 2023, has locked in an October 26 release in Australia and also just dropped its trailer. There are bad dates, and then there's this bad date, as Jones and Braun bring to the screen in the film's first sneak peek. "Listen, concession stand girl, why don't you give me your number?" Robert asks while Margot is slinging popcorn. From there, a flurry of texts springs, then terrible kissing, then massive discrepancies that become evident the more time that the pair spend together IRL. And, when Margot decides to break things off, in comes a change in his behaviour. As Cat Person sinks its claws into modern dating, the role that technology now plays and the gender divide, Susanna Fogel (the director of The Spy Who Dumped Me and one of Booksmart's writers) helms, Michelle Ashford (Operation Mincemeat) and adapts Roupenian's text. Featuring on-screen alongside Jones and Braun: Geraldine Viswanathan (Miracle Workers), Isabella Rossellini (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), Hope Davis (Asteroid City), Fred Melamed (Barry), Liza Koshy (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) and Michael Gandolfini (Beau Is Afraid). "Like the short story that stirred so much controversy, Cat Person will call upon you to reflect on romantic encounters you've had in the past, and to question the role (or multiple roles) you may have played," said Fogel about the film. "We've all been the victim in some narratives and the villain in others, and I hope you'll walk out of this film with a strong opinion, ready to debate." Check out the trailer for Cat Person below: Cat Person will release on October 26, 2023 Down Under.
The island of Lombok is Bali's equally magical (but considerably less crowded) neighbour. Here, you get long white sand beaches, deep forests hiding waterfalls and small villages filled with friendly locals. Yes, Bali has all this too. But Lombok is significantly quieter and cheaper. Experienced travellers come here for all the luxury trimmings at beachside or mountaintop villas but at a fraction of the price. Read on to find our favourite places to stay in Lombok, all of which can be booked through Concrete Playground Trips. HOTEL TUGU LOMBOK This luxury Lombok hotel is full of character. One of the dining rooms sits under an enormous wooden pavilion filled with locally made furniture. The bar is located within a traditional hut decorated with a smattering of artworks and sculptures. And the uniquely designed rooms include features like private rooftops, lotus ponds, outdoor baths, plunge pools and more. Add the private beach and spa facilities and you're left with the total wellness package. Plus, it's only a short boat ride away from the famous Gili Islands — so your day trips are sorted. BOOK IT NOW. KU VILLAS This small resort has a few different accommodation types, ranging from individual rooms and suites (with or without a plunge pool) to larger villas with private gardens and larger pools. Modern simplicity is also key when it comes to design and amenities — expect large open rooms with classic wooden furniture and crisp white linens. The in-house spa and small restaurant both make spending entire days by the pool all too easy. We're so impressed with KU Villas that we've teamed up with them to bring our readers one massive island holiday deal. Guests will get a three-night stay, an hour-long massage, a personal chauffeur, a $200 food and beverage voucher for the nearby SIWA Clubhouse and daily breakfast for only $455 — an absolute bargain by anyone's standards. BOOK IT NOW. SELONG SELO RESORT AND RESIDENCES These villas and studios feel more like luxury homes than travel accommodations. Guests have their own modern kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms as well as private balconies with barbecues and private plunge pools. And the views — well, they are just serene. Whether you're sitting in your room or dining by the main pool and restaurant, you'll have uninterrupted sea views framed by wide-open plains and dramatic mountains. Plus, with the option to book a seven-bedroom villa, Selong Selo Resort and Residence is great for large groups of travellers. BOOK IT NOW. RINJANI BEACH ECO RESORT This rustic eco-resort has all the essentials required for having a super comfortable holiday on a tropical island — but it's the location and long list of adventure experiences that make it one of the best places to stay in Lombok. The resort's team will organise snorkelling and diving trips and hikes up to the Rinjani volcano where you'll see large emerald-green lakes and hidden waterfalls. What else is on the menu? Day trips to the nearby Gili Islands, massages at the spa and the opportunity to watch turtles hatch on the beach. Head here to immerse yourself in nature. BOOK IT NOW. JEEVA BELOLAM BEACH CAMP Now, this is the ultimate glamping destination. The off-the-grid recycled wood and alang alang beachfront lodges combine elements of Robinson Crusoe with East Indonesia aesthetics to create a boutique beach camp experience. When staying here, you'll feel totally removed from the outside world. Jeeva Beloam's 11 rooms lie within a 55-hectare nature forest preserve, facing the Timor Sea from a sand dune above a quiet 250-metre-long white sand beach. This Lombok paradise is made for true escapism. BOOK IT NOW. HARMONY VILLAS LOMBOK Is minimalism your vibe? If so, you've got to check out these beautifully designed villas in Kuta, Lombok. On the property, you'll find just five boutique villas (painted stark white inside and out) set around a luxurious lagoon-style swimming pool. It's gorgeous and calming — especially thanks to its adults-only policy. You won't find little kids running around this joint, disturbing your relaxing holiday. BOOK IT NOW. NOVOTEL LOMBOK RESORT AND VILLAS This is a stellar middle-of-the-budget resort on Lombok. You're not spending a heap of money, but you still get to stay right on the beach — free from crowds — getting all the top luxury resort inclusions. You've got large air-conditioned rooms by the water, free daily activities, three outdoor pools and a great restaurant and bar. Tick, tick, tick. It has it all. BOOK IT NOW. THE OBEROI BEACH RESORT This beachside resort is made for chilling out. Spend your days jumping from the pool to the beach and then to the bar — all before starting the rotation again. Sure, you can go on one of its snorkelling trips or have a private dinner on the shore, but you've got to take your time just hanging at the property too. That's especially true of you book the enormous luxury villa that has its own pool and private courtyard. BOOK IT NOW. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Selong Selo Resort and Residence
Having spent a solid decade celebrating modern Greek fare in its role as George Calombaris' Hellenic Republic, the site at 434 Lygon Street has gone and done a bit of culture swapping. After closing before Christmas, it's now home to Crofter Dining Room & Bar, the latest venture from UK-born chef Matt Wilkinson (Pope Joan, The Pie Shop), dishing up modern Australian eats with a healthy dose of British influence thrown in for good measure. In a nod to sustainability, vegetables are given the role of headline act at this Brunswick 80 seater, with meat and seafood dishes stepping in as the support. This seasonal lineup of 'flora' might feature plates like a Keralan-style, wood-fired spicy cabbage salad, zucchini matched with a parmesan clotted cream, or scoffable potato gems laced with curry sauce and paired with gin salt. A vegan menu is also on offer. Local octopus, skate and cuttlefish star alongside capers in a side-serve marinara, while an 'old cow' kofta is teamed with pickled vegetables. Christmas-worthy free-range ham is carved to order and sided with mustard, and you'll find two styles of house-baked bread and dips to kick it all off. Of course, the Brits' beloved pudding gets a generous look-in, too, with a whole swag of desserts including an Eton mess-inspired pavlova roll. [caption id="attachment_757931" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The potato gems[/caption] The drinks offering is a hefty one, with reasonably priced drops for all occasions. Expect a considered mix of local and international wines from the likes of Pennyweight, Crawford River and Mac Forbes, along with sherries and a slew of house-made digestifs. Wilkinson also happens to be the creative director of Four Pillars offshoot Made from Gin, which turns spent botanicals from the distillation process into gin-based products like chocolate and even cheese. Thanks to this little collaboration, you'll find Four Pillars' full range of gin offerings behind the Crofter bar, along with two of the distillery's signature cocktails, dubbed Tan Lines and Pub Squash. A grapefruit-driven concoction designed by Wilkinson himself is also in the works. Find Crofter Dining Room & Bar at 434 Lygon Street, Brunswick East. It's open from 5.30pm–late Tuesday to Friday, and from 11.30am Saturday and Sunday.
"I didn't want to simply be a socialite," Jep Gambardella (Toni Servillo) tells us. "I wanted to become the king of socialites." He has succeeded grandly in this most empty of ambitions; his life seems an endless parade of high-society gatherings, fashionable soirees and art gallery openings. A louche writer resting on the laurels of his lone novel and the occasional magazine piece, Jep has turned recently turned 65 and is shaken from his decadent torpor when he learns that his first love has died. The news acts as a reminder of his own looming mortality and is a chance to reflect on the gradual decline of Rome, the city he came to as a young man, at once drawn to its vibrancy and seemingly determined to be unimpressed with it. The film begins with an elaborately staged, gloriously shot party and doesn't reveal its immaculately dressed, glamorously jaded protagonist for several minutes, an approach in keeping with its interest in the colourful characters who inhabit his world. It is peopled with eccentric characters like Jep's combative editor, a spirited stripper who becomes involved with Jep, a centurion nun who eats only roots and a cluster of society wives, conmen and vacuous social climbers. Dispensing acidic observations a la Truman Capote, Jep surveys scenes of debauchery and hedonism with an air of slightly tired amusement. At times he seems the ultimate cynic — when he responds to a friend's taunt about his work and she calls him a misogynist, he corrects her: he is actually a misanthrope. Yet there is something melancholy about the character and the milieu he inhabits, something increasingly desperate about their pretensions and endless search for novelty, a sense that they live in the shadow of the city's great history. Writer-director Paolo Sorrentino's last film was the somewhat divisive little gem This Must Be The Place; this is a much more elaborate affair, stuffing dozens of vignettes of city life into its 142-minute running length. It evokes comparison with his great countrymen Federico Fellini and feels like a belated companion piece to La Dolce Vita, in its ambition, sweep and affectionate but pointedly warts-and-all portrait of a decaying, decadent metropolis. Filmgoers who like a sturdy narrative will likely be frustrated by The Great Beauty's structural looseness and epic sprawl, but those who can tap into its kaleidoscopic approach will find a dazzling, intoxicating feast of colour and life. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Dyt430YkQn0
Dig out those once-a-year novelty gumboots, because Groovin the Moo has unveiled its 2019 lineup. Taking the large-scale music festival out of the city and into regional centres for another year, GTM will hit Bendigo on Saturday, May 4. This year sees local talent new and established taking the stage, with the lineup spanning up-and-comers like Jack River, G Flip and Haiku Hands right through to recent Hottest 100 top tenner Billie Eilish, Aussie favourites Nick Murphy and Thelma Plum, Australian hip hop legends Hilltop Hoods and rockers Regurgitator. International talent like Coolio — who'll you'll most likely recognise from his hit track 'Gangsta's Paradise' — Danish pop singer MØ and American rapper A$AP Twelvyy will make their way to the Moo, too. Groovin the Moo is also moving its ACT festival to Exhibition Park for the first time as it conducts its second pill testing trial. Pill testing is still a much-debated topic around the country with five people recently dying from suspected overdoses in as many months and the NSW Government remaining staunchly opposed to the idea of pill-testing, despite international research and the success of last year's pill-testing venture at the Canberra fest. Here's the full lineup. GROOVIN THE MOO 2019 LINEUP A$AP Twelvyy (USA) Angie McMahon Aurora (Nor) Billie Eilish Carmouflage Rose Coolio (USA) Crooked Colours DMA's Duckwrth Fisher Flosstradamus (USA) G Flip Haiku Hands Hermitude Hilltop Hoods Holy Holy Jack River Just a Gent MØ (Dnk) Nick Murphy Nicole Millar Regurgitator Rejjie Snow (Irl) Sofi Tukker Spinderella Thelma Plum TOKiMONSTA (USA) Trophy Eyes Images: Daisy Hofstetter.
If things fall through with the whole politics schtick, President Obama has a future in stand-up. The lovable leader let the gags loose at the Annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner over the weekend, beginning his address with a video spoof in which Steven Spielberg announced plans for a follow-up to Lincoln titled Obama. The president then pretended to be Daniel Day-Lewis reflecting on the difficulties of personifying Obama, beginning with the challenges of affixing oversized fake ears — "I don't know how he walks around with these things." The lolocoaster continued as the ultimate Renaissance man cracked jokes about his past as a "strapping young Muslim socialist", suggested the opposition should funnel funds into bribing him to drop out of the presidential race rather than spend money on negative advertising ("Michelle would have taken it. You think I'm joking") and even busted a move to DJ Khaled's 'All I Do Is Win'. Why can't Julia spend more time wining and dining the likes of Psy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Kevin Spacey? Via BBC News.
Sometimes artists appear to be larger than life, but in this case they actually are. For almost 20 years, Melbourne-based artist Sandra Bridie has been creating 'fictional artists' — a thought-provoking experiment considering the journey of artists, as well as posing a series of "what if?" questions on Bridie's own career. Eight Fictions presents eight make-believe artists across mediums of photography, performance, sculpture, conceptual art, crafting, curatorship and text works, and with each artist said to be born into a different Melbourne art-world eras and at various stages of their career. Rather than tricking the audience into thinking these artists are real, Bridie makes it clear that she's the creator behind each artist's work. This allows for the audience to discuss the work with a unique context and consider the lives of the artists at their varied levels of success and hardship. Sandra Bridie (b 19--): eight fictions is on display at Blindside Gallery from Wednesday, November 15 until Saturday, December 2. Image: Sandra Bridie, Sandra Bridie, b.1952. Walking Meditation, Santiago, Spain. Video still compilation of walking performance, 2015. Courtesy the artist.
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.
Last month felt particular steamy and uncomfortable (even for Australian summer) and it was — January was Australia's hottest month ever recorded. The Bureau of Meteorology this morning released its monthly climate summary, reporting that, for the first time ever in Australia, the mean temperature for a month exceeded 30 degrees. NSW, ACT, Victoria and the NT all had their hottest Januarys ever recorded, while other states had unusually hot weather and very little rain. If you're currently sitting at your desk — after running through rain in Sydney, waking up to 14 degrees in Melbourne or commuting in low-20s in Brisbane — and thinking, it didn't seem that bad, here's a quick summary of some of the weather we endured last month. The year kicked off with a country-wide heatwave, with the mercury hitting the 30s in every capital city and Canberra sweltering through four days of 40-degrees. By mid-January, the heatwave was causing record-breaking high temperatures across the country — including 48.9 in SA and high-40s across Victoria's North — with Sydney's west copping dangerously high levels of ozone gas. And, just last week, Melbourne survived its hottest day in ten years. Here's how hot our country looked at one point: https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1084218154782478337 Phew. We're sure you're happy to see the back of January. According to the BOM's senior climatologist Dr Andrew Watkins, the unprecedented heat was due to a "a persistent high pressure system in the Tasman sea which was blocking any cold fronts and cooler air from impacting the south of the country." Dr Watkins also said in a statement that Australia looks to continue getting hotter, too. "The warming trend which has seen Australian temperatures increase by more than 1 degree in the last 100 years also contributed to the unusually warm conditions." Unfortunately for our farmers, last month was also extremely dry. In NSW, where 100 percent of the state has been in drought, the northeast experienced one of the driest Januarys on record, while most of Victoria and Brisbane received less than 20 percent of their average January rainfall. Tasmania had its driest Jan on record and SA, which experienced some of the highest temperatures, also had very little-to-no rain — the Bureau's Adelaide city site recorded no rainfall for the month for the first time since 1957. So far, it looks like February is going to be less spicy. But if you'd rather not risk it, it might be time to book a trip to the northern hemisphere. Image: Visit Victoria.
Lyndon Kubis and Mark Nelson have proven they can really deliver when it comes to the wine bar-bottle shop concept, having nailed the formula at the likes of Toorak Wine Cellars and Milton Wine Shop. But this pair's also not afraid to break the mould a little, as you'll discover at their latest venture The Moon. Setting up shop at the bottom of a Collingwood apartment building, this marks the duo's first foray into the northside bar scene, the result a touch moodier and a little more refined. The wine offering, though, is as good as any of them, with a focus on small producers across the board and a curation that that reflects places and regions, rather than processes and technique. A hefty by-the-glass selection celebrates locals and foreign finds in equal measure, alongside two craft beer tap options and a rotating bottled range of boutique brews. There's a serious retail collection sitting pretty along one wall — you can grab a bottle to enjoy then and there, or pick something up on your way home. Foodwise, the menu's all about things you can feast on with just one hand. Keep the other firmly on that glass of Patrick Sullivan 'Gypsy Juice' Pinot Noir, while you tuck into a brisket and jalapeño toastie, chilli-doused pork ribs, or your pick of cheese and charcuterie. The north might be, as Nelson says, "a hard nut to crack", but it sure looks like The Moon is up to the challenge. The Moon is located at 28 Stanley Street, Collingwood and is open daily. For more info, visit themooninmelbourne.com.
Melbourne Cup not really your thing? If you'd rather be outdoors than cooped up inside going bonkers over a horse race, take advantage of the public holiday to get your nature fix with a ride along the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail. Pack a picnic, some water, and your bike, and drive over to this iconic 40km path that will have you testing the gears on your bike (and the muscles in your calves) as you climb and fly from mountain to valley to river. Following the historical railway, the trail winds through the vineyards of the Yarra Valley, over quaint bridges, and through lush forests, before finishing at the picturesque little town of Warburton.
There are a few different holy experiences you could choose to indulge in over the Easter break. But only one of them will find you getting good and weird with live tunes and party vibes in the central Victorian countryside. From April 19–21, Boogie festival returns to its Tallarook farm digs for edition number 13, where it'll again deliver a three-day extravaganza of eats, drinks, music and shape-throwing. The just-dropped artist lineup is better than any Easter egg you'll unwrap, the one stage playing host to a truly mixed bag of musical goodies. There'll be all-American sets from Kurt Vile and his band the Violators, and folk artist Nathaniel Rateliff. Local bands The Chats, Goons of Doom and Hexdebt are just a few acts on the rest of the lineup. Of course, the tunes are just one part of the festival fun, backed by a tidy array of pop-up bars and food vendors to ensure your boogie games stays strong across the long weekend. BOOGIE 13 LINEUP Kurt Vile and the Violators Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats The Chats Jade Imagine Shogun and the Sheets Goons of Doom Leah Senior Spiral Stairs Laura Imbruglia Fulton Street Van Duren The Smallgoods Hexdebt Constant Mongrel Grinding Eyes Bunny Racket
Here's the headlines: Drake has announced Australian and New Zealand gigs for 2025; it'll be his first trip this way since 2017; and you're now going to have 'Hotline Bling', 'Too Good', 'Passionfruit', 'Nice for What', 'In My Feelings', 'One Dance' and 'Laugh Now Cry Later' stuck in your head again. The Canadian artist is bringing his Anita Max Win tour Down Under, locking in seven shows in four cities. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland, this is what's next. The five-time Grammy-winner will head this way in February and March, kicking off on Sunday, February 9–Monday, February 10 at Rod Laver Arena in the Victorian capital. The following week, it's the Harbour City's turn at Qudos Bank Arena across Sunday, February 16–Monday, February 17. After that, Drake will play the Brisbane Entertainment Centre and Spark Arena in Auckland on Friday, February 28–Saturday, March 1. The Degrassi: The Next Generation star last took to the stage in this neck of the woods on his Boy Meets World tour, and eight years will have passed between those shows and his 2025 visit. The platinum-selling singer is fresh off his 2023–24 It's All A Blur Tour, which saw him chalk up over 80 soldout shows in North America. On that last visit, Drake had four studio albums to his name: 2010's Thank Me Later, 2011's Take Care, 2013's Nothing Was the Same and 2016's Views. He's doubled that since, so expect tunes from 2018's Scorpion, 2021's Certified Lover Boy, 2022's Honestly, Nevermind and 2023's For All the Dogs, too. The Anita Max Win tour's announcement isn't new news if you've been paying attention to Drake's social media, where he's been teasing details — but now consider it all officially locked in. And yes, there's plenty of space between his 2025 Aussie and NZ shows — a great sign if you're worried about a huge demand for tickets, because there's room for more concerts to be announced. Drake's 'Anita Max Win' Tour 2025 Australian and New Zealand Dates Sunday, February 9–Monday, February 10 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Sunday, February 16–Monday, February 17 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Monday, February 24 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Friday, February 28–Saturday, March 1 — Spark Arena, Auckland Drake is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2025, with various ticket presales from Tuesday, December 2, 2024 at various times — and general sales from 12pm local time on Friday, December 6, 2024. Head to the tour website for more details. Images: The Come Up Show via Flickr.
For someone so pivotal to the story of Jesus, it's surprising how few films have told the tale of Mary Magdalene. The biblical figure has been played by Barbara Hershey, Debra Messing, Monica Bellucci and even PJ Harvey over the years, but she's usually a mere supporting character. More than that, she's frequently painted as a sinner at the very least, and often as a prostitute. Neither proves the case in Mary Magdalene, a contemplative, humanist drama that casts Mary (Rooney Mara) as a woman of determination, devout faith and devotion. In fact, the film proposes that she was Jesus' 13th apostle. An early line gives a clear indication of the movie's focus: "I can't marry," Mary tells her father; "I'm not made for that life." What follows is an account of someone defying convention, sticking to her own path, and finding strength and solace when Jesus of Nazareth (Joaquin Phoenix) comes to town. With her dad and brothers preferring to exorcise her convictions away rather than respect her choices, it doesn't take long for Mary to warm to Jesus' caring and charismatic presence. But his existing offsiders are far from welcoming, with Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) especially wary. In fact, it's Judas (Tahar Rahim) who's actually more accepting. As such, Mary Magdalene depicts a strong woman breaking free from the shackles of her patriarchal fishing village, and from the expectation that matrimony and motherhood are all she should hope for. The film watches on as she finds a supportive and inspirational companion in Jesus, and as she bears witness to not only his deeds and perspective, but to his worries as well. Still, for all of its ambition — for all of its attempts to recast Mary as a feminist hero while the usual Jesus tale plays out — the movie can't quite decide if it's championing the titular character, or getting lost in her affection for the preacher and religious leader. Of course, you can't tell her story without him, but the balance isn't always right. More often than not, it appears as though Mary Magdalene wants the audience to understand Mary's connection to Jesus more than it seeks to understand Mary herself. Thank whichever deity you please for Mara, then. As she demonstrated so emphatically in Carol, she's one of the best actresses of her generation when it comes to conveying a whole world of emotion without saying a word. Her eyes flicker as Mary reacts to Jesus, her posture shifts, and viewers can grasp not only what the character sees in him but how that makes her feel. Phoenix is also impressive, his mumbling take on Christ in keeping with the film's down-to-earth air. This isn't a movie that looks to the heavens to find spiritual meaning, but to people, their actions and the impact their deeds can have. It's a fitting approach, particularly with Australian filmmaker Garth Davis (Lion) in the director's chair. While a religious tale seems quite the departure from his acclaimed debut, both prove intimate dramas about lost souls searching for fulfilment. Both also share stirring scores and scenic imagery — courtesy of the late, great composer Johann Johannsson (Arrival) and Icelandic cellist Hildur Guðnadóttir, and cinematographer Greig Fraser (Lion), respectively — but movie magic doesn't strike twice. Instead, Mary Magdalene is an intermittently convincing film about belief, rather than a film to believe in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH6A_YDafBw
It's considered one of the greatest whodunnits of all time. Or rather, one of the greatest whodidn'ts. Penned by Agatha Christie back in 1934, and first adapted into a film in 1974, Murder on the Orient Express takes a train full of passengers, kills one of them off, then asks "probably the greatest detective in the world" to find the person responsible. Naturally, everyone's a suspect, especially to the famous Hercule Poirot. He's soon slinging questions and making deductions, in a story full of mystery and suspense. At least, that's how it played out both in the book and the initial film. But try as it might, Kenneth Branagh's new version doesn't quite manage the same feat. The British actor and filmmaker stars, directs and fills his locomotive with high-profile performers including Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad and Daisy Ridley. And yet despite their efforts — and the fine work of Pfeiffer and Ridley in particular — the end result is far from an engaging or intriguing journey, or even one worth taking. We first meet Branagh's arrogant (and ludicrously moustachioed) Belgian investigator as he's fussing over eggs at the Wailing Wall, before showing off his prowess in a case that involves a priest, a rabbi and an imam. Once the job is done, Poirot is eager for a break, but duty calls even when he's mid-railway trip. After the discovery of a body with a dozen stab wounds, our hero sets to work. Among the potential culprits caught in his gaze: a princess and her servant, a count and a countess, a nun, a doctor, a governess, a professor, a car dealer, a divorcee, a butler and a secretary. Working with cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (Denial, Cinderella), Branagh approaches the tale with aesthetic flair — shot with the same 65mm cameras used on Dunkirk, Murder on the Orient Express is a feast of roaming shots, inventive angles and visual detail, with the production and costume design teams also putting on a show. There's little sign of the same texture or care in the rest of the movie, however, with the director himself the main offender. As depicted on the screen by everyone from Orson Welles to Alfred Molina, Poirot has always been a bundle of quirks, but here he's as pompous and self-satisfied as he is eccentric — while also being presented as a genius and a source of laughs. Christie herself grew tired of the character after he appeared in more than 80 of her stories. Watching Branagh's performance, you probably will as well. Perhaps we've just seen too many brilliant masterminds of late, considering the number of Sherlock Holmes adaptations we've all sat through. Or perhaps there's simply more to portraying a famous character than wearing ridiculous facial hair, acting smug and leaning on an accent. Also hindering the film is the obvious and easy way that Poirot pieces everything together, and Branagh's failure to properly utilise his ensemble cast. If the film's protagonist can join the dots faster than he can brush his moustache, audiences aren't likely to be enthralled. And sticking a heap of well-known faces in the same frame isn't the same as giving them all something to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFDGjNdRqTk
Change is coming to The Witcher, with Henry Cavill (Zack Snyder's Justice League) set to relinquish Geralt of Rivia's icy locks after Netflix's hit fantasy series' upcoming third season. Before that big switch — which will see The Hunger Games, The Dressmaker and Independence Day: Resurgence's take over the role — fear is coming first, as the just-dropped first trailer for the show's next batch of episodes teases. "Now, for the first time, I understand real fear," growls Geralt to kick off the debut sneak peek at The Witcher season three — complete with his sword at the ready. Elsewhere, Ciri (Freya Allan, The Third Day) has ghost cavalry on her tail, while Yennefer (Anya Chalotra, The ABC Murders) has her own scares to deal with. Need a refresher on the story so far? Haven't watched the first two seasons yet? If The Witcher's name sounds familiar, that's because it's based on the short stories and novels of writer Andrzej Sapkowski — and, as well as being turned into comics, it was adapted the video game series of the same name. A Polish film and TV show also reached screens in the early 2000s, although they were poorly received. In the Netflix series, Cavill plays the witcher of the title. Geralt of Rivia is a monster hunter who prefers to work — aka slay beasts — alone in a realm called The Continent. But life has other plans for the lone wolf, forcing him to cross paths with powerful sorceress Yennefer and young princess Ciri. When it tosses a coin to its witcher again, season three will take its cues from Time of Contempt, the second book in Sapkowski's series. The new batch of episodes will hit streaming queues this winter Down Under, featuring eight instalments split into two parts. Volume 1 arrives on Thursday, June 29, with Volume 2 following on Thursday, July 27. One of Netflix's big successes, The Witcher has been renewed for a fourth season, too, which happened back in 2022 long before its third had a trailer or a release date — something that also occurred with season three before season two dropped as well, and with season two before season one debuted before that. But instead of Cavill as Geralt, Hemsworth will replace him, as also announced in 2022. The Witcher franchise doesn't just include the show itself, but also animated flick The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which hit Netflix in 2021. And, there's 2022 prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin, which takes place 1200 years before Geralt's time, spans four episodes and stars Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh. Check out the first teaser trailer for The Witcher's third season below: The Witcher's third season will hit Netflix in winter 2023 Down Under, releasing in two parts — with Volume 1 arriving on Thursday, June 29 and Volume 2 on Thursday, July 27.
Love Leunig? Chances are if you’re a Melburnian, the anwer’s a warm-hearted yes. Our city’s Cartoonist Laureate - to coin a title for the special role Michael Leunig and his curly-headed creations plays in our city consciousness - is this weekend doing live shows at the Melbourne Recital Centre. He will, naturally, be cartooning, his live drawing projected onto a screen, accompanied by melodies from former pop starlet turned soulful songstress Gyan. Gyan - one of Australia’s original reality TV stars (having gained notice on Star Search in the '80s) recorded a whole album using Leunig’s poetry for lyrics, titled Billy the Rabbit, in 2006. She and Leunig have performed it together as a song-plus-cartoon cabaret several times since its launch at the Melbourne Writers Festival that year and they won a Sydney Theatre Award for it in 2007. It’s back for two shows only, so catch this rabbit while you can.
If you'd like to kick-start your year partying amongst the farm animals, you'll want to get a moo-ve on and nab tickets to Melbourne's freshest New Year's Eve fest. From the folks behind Carlton nightclub Colour and rooftop bar Runner Up, When Pigs Fly is the new one-day music party set to take over Collingwood Children's Farm on Saturday, December 31. In a grassy farm setting that feels miles further from the city than it actually is, the festival will be sending out the old year with the help of 14 local and international acts, working their magic across two stages. [caption id="attachment_871568" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Black Jesus Experience[/caption] You'll be grooving to the likes of Chicago house sensation Sadar Bahar, funk and hip-hop nine-piece Black Jesus Experience, psychedelic-jazz outfit Mildlife and the genre-blending Close Counters. Plus, the likes of Emma Volard, MzRizk, Zepherin Saint and Feign Jima, carrying you through until 1am. Meanwhile, you'll be fuelled by food from Polly's, and sips by Bodriggy and Iggy Seltzer. [caption id="attachment_871569" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mz Rizk[/caption]
Buy this for a dollar: a history-making gay rom-com that's smart, sweet, self-aware and funny, and also deep knows the genre it slips into, including the heteronormative tropes and cliches that viewers have seen ad nauseam. Actually, Billy Eichner would clearly prefer that audiences purchase tickets for Bros for more that that sum of money, even if he spent five seasons offering it to New Yorkers in Billy on the Street while sprinting along the sidewalk and yelling about pop culture. Thinking about that comedy series comes with the territory here, however, and not just because Eichner brought it back to promote this very movie. Starring and co-written by the Parks and Recreation and The Lion King actor — with Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the Bad Neighbours franchise's Nicholas Stoller directing and co-scripting — Bros both presents and unpacks the public persona that helped make Billy on the Street such a hit: opinionated, forceful and wry, as well as acidic and cranky. No one person, be it the version of himself that Eichner plays in the series that helped push him to fame or the fictional character he brings to the screen in Bros — or, in-between, his struggling comedian and actor part in three-season sitcom Difficult People, too — is just those five traits, of course. One of Bros' strengths is how it examines why it's easy to lean into that personality, where the sheen of caustic irritability comes from, the neuroses it's covering up and what all that means when it comes to relationships. The movie does so knowingly as well. It's well aware that Eichner's fans are familiar with his on-screen type, and that even newcomers likely are also. Accordingly, when Bros begins, Eichner's in-film alter ego is shouting about pop culture and being adamant, grumpy and cutting about it. In fact, he's on a podcast, where he's relaying his failed attempt to pen a script for exactly the kind of flick he's in. A mainstream, studio-produced gay romantic comedy that starts out riffing on the difficulties of making a mainstream, studio-produced gay romantic comedy? Yes, that's Bros. ("Am I going to be in the middle of some high-speed chase and all of a sudden fall in love with Ice Cube?", Eichner asks as the feature's protagonist Bobby Lieber.) A film about a gay man known for a biting and droll disposition, starring a gay man similarly known for that type of biting and droll disposition? Yes, that's Bros as well. It's also a movie that makes fun of Hallmark rom-com schmaltz while featuring one of the US network's go-tos — that'd be Sense, Sensibility and Snowmen, A Shoe Addict's Christmas, Christmas in My Heart and The Mistletoe Promise's Luke Macfarlane — and a flick blasting Schitt's Creek some scorn while charting a comparable queer storyline. So, it's a feature that wears its obviousness and its contradictions in tandem, purposefully and proudly. Eichner's Bobby is 40, just received an LGBTQIA+-community Best Cis Male Gay Man award and has a dream gig setting up America's first national queer history museum. Rom-com logic, which Bros heartily subscribes to, means he has to discover his seeming opposite in a memorable way: a gay dance party where he complains to shirtless probate lawyer Aaron Shepard (Macfarlane) and finds sparks flying. How Stoller and Eichner handle this scene says plenty about the film, and the authentic view of gay romance, dating and sex it's committed to. Neither man — Grindr-swiping, emotionally unavailable, hardly content as they both are — is anything but himself. For Bobby, that means awkwardly flirting, getting furious when Aaron disappears mid-conversation, tracking him down and telling him about it, but also being non-committal and even angry for being attracted to him. For Aaron, it involves continuing to breeze around the party like nothing out of the ordinary has happened; "I'm supposed to fuck him and his husband later," he tells Bobby about two other buff, sweaty guys on the dancefloor as they're chatting. Even when the genre isn't giving the world the first romantic comedy about two gay men to be released by a major Hollywood studio — the first romantic comedy both written by and starring an openly gay man as well, and also one with an entirely LGBTQ+ main cast — rom-coms adore Bros' basic scenario. In the broad strokes, there's plenty that's universal in the overarching storyline about opposites attracting, the chaos that springs, and the risks and vulnerabilities it takes to love someone. Still, even when it's nodding to Meg Ryan's filmography and also managing to be a Christmas flick as well — and when it's brightly shot and bouncily paced, which is always — this is never a movie where its leads just happen to be gay. A straight couple couldn't just be subbed in with zero changes, and the chief aim is never to show that the same stock-standard struggles plague everyone in matters of the heart regardless of sexuality. Instead, Bros is brimming with detail specific to being a gay man today. That's true in the throuples, group sex and "must see pic of ass" dating-app requests that spark a hunt for ring lights and razors, and in the commentary about tragedy-heavy mainstream queer movies that typically catapult heterosexual actors to Hollywood awards. And, it echoes in the short but hilarious gag about a fictional new app called Zellweger, "for gays who want to talk about actresses and go to bed". Bros spans further, however, examining how Bobby has internalised a lifetime of homophobia directed his way, how that's shaped the persona he projects to the world, its influence over his romantic outlook and his underlying self-criticism. When the film also ponders why he's so conflicted about Aaron, and so acerbic and cynical towards parts of queer culture and its stereotypes, it digs into the same ideas — with a joke always mere seconds away, but with both thoughtfulness and heart. Bros remains unashamedly frothy, although never syrupy or saccharine. It's predictable, even if you've somehow only ever seen one rom-com before now. It runs on charm, care, warmth and insight, though — and more than enough eagerness to make the most of making history. There's just as much willingness, too, to add weight and heft to the picture's gay take on rom-com conventions, all amid Debra Messing appearances, Cher gags, Fire Island's Bowen Yang having all the fun as a rich investor, and the savvy bickering between Bobby's museum colleagues about the infinite shades of the rainbow gleaming in the LGBTQIA+ community. Crucially, there's an engaging and heartfelt boy-meets-boy story at the core of it all, as brought to the screen with two well-matched and affecting performances, in a movie that's determined to be equally honest, pioneering and entertaining.
Bingo. Rave. Two ends of the spectrum of fine holiday fun and finally — finally — together as one. Bongo's Bingo is a games night like you've never seen before. Part club, part rave, and, of course, part bingo night, this unlikely fusion event has been wildly popular in the UK since 2015. Now, they're taking the show on the road and launching in Australia this June. In partnership with Wats On Events, Bongo's Bingo Down Under is throwing a massive bingo rave at Collingwood Town Hall on June 29. Patrons can expect all of the debauchery of the original British version of Bongo's Bingo, including rave intervals, dancing on tables and a loose kind of bingo that you definitely never played with your nan (well, maybe you have). The victorious players can win everything from big cash prizes to a Hills Hoist, with a range of some absolutely ridiculous surprises on offer. If you're not sure what you're in for, check out this video for a better sense of this crazy night out: The Melbourne launch event will be presided over by founder and comic ringleader Jonny Bongo who, as one would expect, is a character in the truest sense of the word and even holds the world record for the biggest ever pub quiz. Australia is the second international location for Bongo's Bingo, which recently launched in Dubai as well and, based on popularity, we imagine the event will continue to expand around the globe. Venues, guest lineup and DJ hosts will be announced in coming weeks, and tickets will go on sale at 6pm on Wednesday, May 17. Tickets are $40 and include six games of bingo. Keep an eye on this space for further updates and brush up on those bingo-break down skills in the meantime.
Unable to make a big trip overseas this year, but nonetheless keen to expand your coffee bean horizons? Bureaux, a Cremorne-based collective dedicated to coffee roasting, has organised an event called Taste Of with you in mind. Over a series of evenings, the team will be introducing you to boutique, small-batch and interesting coffees from all over the world. Each event will be dedicated to a particular city or region, from Seoul and Tokyo to Portland and San Francisco. Among the globally adored brews you should keep an eye out are Counter Culture, Fritz Coffee Company, Heart and The Coffee Collective. Taste Of will kick off on Thursday 8 March with a focus on Oslo, Norway. For just a few dollars, you'l get to sample coffees from a bunch of Scandinavian experts, including Tim Wendelboe, Solberg and Hansen, Kaffa, Supreme and Kaffebrenneriet. "We didn't want to create a stuffy, industry-only cupping event, as they can be pretty intimidating; the idea is that anyone with an interest in coffee can come along," said Tim Varney who co-founded Bureaux alongside business partner Tim Williams. All proceeds will go to Fare Share, a Melbourne-based charity dedicated to providing meals to people in need.
Whether it's in the insect-dappled heat of an outdoor cinema or in the sweet smack of an airconditioned theatre, summer is the season of movies. We just have more time for leisure this time of year, and not all of it can be spent running and swimming around. Many of the year's biggest releases are coming out in the next three balmy months. These are the ones you should start getting excited for now. https://youtube.com/watch?v=wceaLzbtuDY The Spectacular Now Out: Now A teen movie about a cool guy and a dorky girl falling in love that's somehow real and honest? It's a Christmas miracle. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WRY2ogQpbvg Kill Your Darlings Out: Now Daniel Radcliffe kills off the memory of Harry Potter with a convincing portrayal of US beat poet Allen Ginsberg for which he has a heady trinity of straight sex, gay sex and self-sex. https://youtube.com/watch?v=h5Cb4SFt7gE American Hustle Out: December 12 Clearly knowing he was on to a good thing, Silver Linings Playbook director David O. Russell reunites Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper and adds Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Robert De Niro and Louis CK. Other good omens: this screenplay once made the famous 'Black List' of unproduced screenplays and used to be more blatantly titled 'American Bullshit'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Elczv0ghqw0 Anchorman 2 Out: December 19 If that maxim about the strength of the marketing being inversely proportional to the quality of the film holds true, Anchorman 2 will be the worst movie ever. Still, we've got our fingers crossed for this sequel ten years in the making. https://youtube.com/watch?v=OPVWy1tFXuc The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Out: December 26 There's nothing like Boxing Day tradition, and Peter Jackson and Warner Bros. Pictures are hoping that yours only grows stronger with a fifth year of epic Tolkien adventure. It's a no brainer. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ksrkKXoEJbM The Railway Man Out: December 26 The combination of Colin Firth and Burning Man director Jonathan Teplitzky make The Railway Man worth seeing. It's also the go-to Boxing Day film for people who like crying and catharsis around the holidays. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0XBPEUXMtMw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Out: December 26 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is Hollywood at its best. Deeply funny, optimistic, life-affirming and full of pretty pictures, the film follows a quiet LIFE magazine staffer, played by Ben Stiller, who learns to seize the day. Kristen Wiig is in it, too, so yay. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rETaWDZ57v0 Short Term 12 Out: December 26 Hot for: This is all a bit deep and wounded for a Boxing Day release, but try it, okay? With one of those hard-to-summarise plots centring around the kids and their barely adult supervisors at a temporary foster care facility, it's compulsively watchable and super emotional. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rD8f9kn7D2U Philomena Out: December 26. On the one hand, Philomena looks a bit fusty and British. On the other, it's written by Steve Coogan, directed by the indomitable Stephen Frears (The Queen, High Fidelity, Dangerous Liaisons, etc etc), stars Dame Judi Dench and will probably kick arse if you give it a chance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=9Hd_uO72h1s August: Osage County Out: January 1 This may look like blatant Oscar bait, but it's too fucked up for that. Which isn't to say it won't win anyway, with incredible performances from Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, among a star-studded ensemble cast. Based on probably the best play of the last decade, it's genius-level hilarious. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6dRuGwS1gWU The Book Thief Out: January 9 Your favourite adorable Nazi Germany bibliophilic bildungsroman has been made into a film. Now with extra adorableness thanks to the girl child from Monsieur Lazhar. Saving Mr Banks Out: January 9 Disney engages in a spot of personal myth-making with a story about the meeting of Walt Disney and PL 'Mary Poppins' Travers. A bit off-putting, but it involves Emma Thompson being excellent as the steely Travers. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ne6p6MfLBxc Her Out: January 16 Anticipation is through the roof for this, the dystopic love story from cult filmmaker Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are, Being John Malkovich). Joaquin Phoenix is the brooding protagonist, and Scarlett Johansson is the operating system he falls in love with. https://youtube.com/watch?v=fmyglO2Zr0E Inside Llewyn Davis Out: January 16 You can't not pay attention to a Coen Brothers release. It's not heavy on plot, but proceedings definitely include a '60s folk singer, a cat and Carey Mulligan. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A The Wolf of Wall Street Out: January 23 If you thought Leonardo DiCaprio was draped in obscene riches in Gatsby, you ain't seen nothing yet. This three-hour Martin Scorsese comedy, of sorts, is based on a real person's memoir of pre-recession fraud and fun times. The Great Beauty Out: January 23 On the one hand, this is an unassuming Italian number about a one-hit wonder novelist coming down to earth in a beautiful way. On the other, it's made a lot of international critics' top ten lists for the year, so we're all ears. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1bQSOBJCPQE Grudge Match Out: January 30 We're not necessarily recommending you should see this. But you should most definitely be aware that a movie exists in which Sly 'Rocky' Stallone and Robert 'Raging Bull' De Niro fight each other. https://youtube.com/watch?v=z02Ie8wKKRg 12 Years a Slave Out:January 30 Splashed on best-of lists the globe over, 12 Years a Slave is the third film from the unflinching director of Hunger and Shame, Steve McQueen. The wonderful Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in this surely harrowing slavery story you just have to sit through. https://youtube.com/watch?v=xPLSpmAtc1Q Robocop Out: February 6 Look, this could go either way. It's summer, so let's be optimists. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GAglZjX3HOk Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Out: February 6 Reviews haven't been all positive, but it can only be worthwhile spending time with such an incredible life story. Universally praised at least is Idris Elba's performance in the lead role. https://youtube.com/watch?v=U8utPuIFVnU Dallas Buyers Club Out: February 13 Matthew McConaughey gets skinny and gives a performance that no one can pay him out for. His Ron Woodroof, an '80s cowboy diagnosed with AIDS who takes to smuggling the pharmaceuticals he wants, has some cut-through lessons about the medical profession. https://youtube.com/watch?v=s4bqeT5edbs Wolf Creek 2 Out: February 20 It's been nearly ten years since the first instalment of this Australian 'torture porn' flick. And because its iconic status just seems to keep on building, we may as well have another. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UT5tqPojMtg Nebraska Out: February 20 You can tell it's the end of summer, because, like the fashion, the movies get more monochrome. Nebraska is the latest from Alexander Payne, director of The Descendants and Sideways, and follows a quirky father-and-son road trip.
The First Time just keeps proving a fitting album title for The Kid LAROI. The just-released record is the Australian singer-songwriter's first studio album. Now, it also lends its name to his first-ever Down Under stadium tour. Big star, big record, big tour news: that's The Kid LAROI story right now. Mere days after The First Time dropped, the tour of the same name has been announced for a six-city Australian and New Zealand run in February 2024. Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard will kick things off at Melbourne's AAMI Park on Friday, February 2, before heading across the ditch to play Auckland's Spark Arena on Monday, February 5. Then it's back to Australia, where Perth's HBF Park awaits on Friday, February 9; Adelaide's Coopers Stadium on Tuesday, February 13; Sydney's Commbank Stadium on Friday, February 16; and finally CBUS Super Stadium on the Gold Coast on Sunday, February 18. The Kid LAROI's debut studio album might be a brand-new arrival, but he's been releasing music since 2018 — solo, and also teaming up with everyone from Juice WRLD and ONEFOUR to Justin Bieber. Accordingly, fans can look forward to hearing 'Stay', 'Without You', 'Thousand Miles', 'Love Again' and more this summer. The stadium tour follows The Kid LAROI's first headline Australian tour back in 2022, which sold out arenas across the country, sparking the addition of more dates. The First Time tour has only announced one show per city so far, but they're all spaced out enough that adding extra gigs due to demand won't come as a surprise if it happens. "I'm so excited to be coming back home in February! I felt so much love from the fans on last year's tour — it's something I'll never forget. I can't wait for you to all see this new show — we've taken things to a whole new level," said The Kid LAROI, announcing the Australian leg of the tour. "I can't wait to play New Zealand in February! I've always wanted to visit and I'm so excited to bring this new show to the NZ fans. I promise it'll be worth the wait! I love you all and I'll see you very soon," he added about his Spark Arena concert. THE KID LAROI THE FIRST TIME TOUR 2024 DATES: Friday, February 2 — AAMI Park, Melbourne Monday, February 5 — Spark Arena, Auckland Friday, February 9 — HBF Park, Perth Tuesday, February 13 — Coopers Stadium, Adelaide Friday, February 16 — Commbank Stadium, Sydney Sunday, February 18 — CBUS Super Stadium, Gold Coast The Kid LAROI is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2024, with presales starting from Thursday, November 16 and general sales on Monday, November 20 — head to the Australia and New Zealand ticketing sites for more information. Top image: Adam Kargenian.
Whether you're keen to have a small crack at playing winemaker, or simply want to sip some top-notch local vino while listening to live tunes, Noisy Ritual is the place to be this weekend. On Sunday, November 20, Brunswick East's community-powered urban winery is wrapping up a big year with a bottling party — and everyone's invited. From 3–4pm, you'll have the chance to help out on the hand-bottling line, packaging up some of the 20-plus new wines Noisy Ritual crafted throughout the year. Meanwhile, the bar will be pouring some of the winery's latest spring drops, alongside a few guest beers and booze-free options. Time your visit to coincide with happy hour (3–5pm) if you like the sound of $10 glasses of pet-nat, $12 spritz and $8 Stingrays Draught by Bodriggy. Rounding out the fun, the kitchen will be whipping up a special menu of snacks and shares — think, creamy burrata with olive XO sauce and sourdough, and croquettes paired with fermented chilli mayo — while local acts the Collingwood Cassanovas and Partner Look take care of the entertainment side of things.
Not only is Troye Sivan one of Australia's brightest pop stars, he's also a Queer icon with a strong perspective on diversity and inclusion. At Town Hall, he'll be in conversation with Lillian Ahenkan — AKA Flex Mami, the multidisciplinary Sydney-based creative — to discuss "beauty, art and fluidity" as part of Vivid Sydney's Global Storytellers series. Despite being only 26 years old, Sivan has been in the eye of the public since his teens — performing on TV and online from 2006 — and has spoken out about his discomfort around being singled out while also wanting to be a voice for the Queer community. This layered experience forms a unique standpoint, with the creative force sure to have some fascinating insights to share in this intimate event.
Don't have the time (or money) to hit the French Alps this year? Ne t'inquiète pas, because Fed Square is transforming into a French alpine village with the all-new Fondue Chalet takeover. Held for six weeks from Thursday, May 15 to Sunday, June 22, this immersive and oh-so-cosy experience is your chance to feast on traditionally prepared cheese fondue and mulled wine in a private chalet, but from the heart of Melbourne. Brought to town by BBR Group Australia — the same team behind 2023's hugely popular Raclette Igloo Experience — this city-bound après-ski encounter will see 18 private wooden chalets, accommodating six to eight guests, dotted throughout Fed Square. Each chalet boasts its own fire pit, which you and your pals can sit around and prepare your own fondue knowing there'll be plenty to go around — the team has imported two tonnes of from France for the experience. You'll be tucking into a rich blend of alpine cheese from a recipe crafted in collaboration with French cheesemongers, including comté, beaufort, emmental and vacherin. They'll be melted down in a bubbling combination of white wine, kirsch and spices and served alongside a generous charcuterie board. Be sure to save room for dessert — you'll be treated to chocolate fondue, created from top-quality Belgian chocolate and served with seasonal fruits and other sweet treats. "Fondue Chalet is all about bringing people together," says Vincent Hernandez, founder and managing director of BBR Group Australia. "It's an authentic French winter tradition to share a fondue with your loved ones after a day in the mountains. After seeing how much Melbourne fell in love with our Raclette Igloo Experience, we decided to take it a step further by importing chalets and alpine cheeses from France to recreate this unique melted cheese experience from the Alps, right here in Fed Square." Meanwhile, Fondue Chalet couldn't replicate a true après-ski experience without the presence of a fully stocked bar. Exclusive to fondue ticket holders, the Ski Bar will be shaking up French winter cocktails and pouring fine French wines and other hot drinks, ideal for keeping warm on a chilly night. If you really want to lean into the French way, order a digestif to help settle your fondue feast. Designed for maximum winter warmth, you might think the only thing missing from this alpine-inspired adventure is falling snow — but they've got that covered, too. Tickets are available for $99pp, or $109pp for the cheese and chocolate experience. Fondue Chalet is taking place from Thursday, May 15 to Sunday, June 22 at Federation Square. Head to the event website for more information.
Like the scent of jasmine in the air or the overwhelming urge to Marie Kondo your home, the promise of Arbory Afloat reopening is a signifier that spring is well and truly approaching. The Yarra River's floating bar and restaurant has become a Melbourne summer staple, and as of September it will return for its eighth iteration, this time sporting a whole new persona as the newly minted 'Afloat Viva Mexico'. After having drawn inspiration from the Balearic Islands last year and Turkey's Turquoise Coast in 2021, the Arbory team has now spun the compass in the direction of Mexico, with nods to Oaxaca, Tulum, and Mexico City that will bloom to life across the interiors, the food and drinks menus, and music and entertainment throughout the warmer seasons. While the full program for Afloat Viva Mexico is still under wraps, Executive Chef James Gibson promises a menu that "will be fun, fresh and spice centric, curated with bold and complex flavours from across Mexico." Meanwhile, the drinks list promises an extensive selection of cocktails highlighting mezcal and tequila, all designed to match with the menu or simply refresh your parched throat in the summer sun. An exact opening date is yet to be announced but will be revealed in the coming weeks. Find Arbory Afloat at 2 Flinders Walk, Melbourne. Keep an eye on upcoming activities via Instagram.
