For the second year running, Formula 1 cars won't race around Melbourne's Albert Park during the Australian Grand Prix, with the event cancelled once again in 2021. It was scrapped in 2020, too, after it was initially due to take place just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit Australia. This year, the race had already been postponed from March to November, but now it won't be held at all. Announcing the news today, Tuesday, July 6, the Victorian Government advised that the event has fallen victim to the pandemic — and to Australia's slow vaccination program and new caps on international traveller numbers specifically — as has this year's Australian MotoGP on Phillip Island. The Formula 1 race was due to take place on November 21, and the MotoGP on October 24; however, the state was unable to give the sports' governing bodies assurances that both would be permitted to proceed. As a result, the organisers of the two events have chosen to move on with their 2021 seasons without stops in Victoria. Both races are expected to return in 2022, though. "The Victorian Government understands the need for Formula 1 management and MotoGP controller Dorna Sports to confirm their schedules, and the decision not to proceed in 2021 was mutually agreed with those bodies," said the Victorian Government in a statement. https://twitter.com/ausgrandprix/status/1412275229800292353 The big Formula 1 race has hit Melbourne every year since 1996 — every year until last year, that is. At present, it's contracted to return to Albert Park between 2022–25. The MotoGP's history on Phillip Island is very similar, with the event first held there in 1997, and contracted to continue until 2026. Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said that "it's very disappointing that these much-loved events can't proceed but this is the reality of the pandemic — but until we get much higher vaccination rates we cannot return to more normal settings." He continued: "we are getting to work on plans for 2022 immediately and can't wait to welcome the world's best drivers and riders and all motorsport fans back to Albert Park and Phillip Island." Whether Melbourne's other big international sporting event, the 2022 Australian Open, will also be impacted by Australia's sluggish vaccine campaign and our traveller caps — and the fact that anyone heading here from overseas needs to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival — is obviously yet to be seen. The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and Australian MotoGP will no longer go ahead in 2021. For more information about the cancellation, head to the Victorian Government website and the Australian Grand Prix website.
Dig a little deeper into the art of food and wine pairing at this eye-opening Good Food Month tasting event with Rob Dolan Wines. On June 11, 12 and 19, and July 17, the Yarra Valley winery's barrel room will be the backdrop for your transformation into a wine pairing pro. Master of Wine and renowned wine judge Meg Brodtmann kicks things off by guiding guests through a hands-on lesson on how to taste wine and how various drops interact with different foods. Armed with your newfound skills and a glass of Rob Dolan's White Label pinot noir, you'll then sip and taste your way through a table of common ingredients on the hunt for the wine's best flavour matches. The group's top picks will be used as the star ingredients for the day's fresh pasta entree, whipped up by two-hatted chef Tyson Bertoncello in front of your eyes. After tucking into this customised course, the food pairing fun continues — you'll enjoy a slow-braised beef cheek main that's been carefully designed to complement the Signature Series cabernet sauvignon, followed by a sumptuous finale featuring Stone + Crow cheese (made on-site) teamed with Rob Dolan's Two Barrel Batch muscat. [caption id="attachment_813453" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chef Tyson Bertoncello and Master of Wine Meg Brodtmann[/caption]
How do we view the world? How does the world view us? Do we behave as expected, or as we really are? If we were to catch ourselves in a truly unguarded moment, what would we see? While these are more profound questions than I generally like to ask myself on a Friday night, such notions of inner conflict and self-awareness are the themes of Chunky Move’s latest contemporary dance piece, 247 Days. I guess there's always next Friday night for an uplifting salsa class? Part of Melbourne’s Dance Massive program, 247 Days is a complex and conceptual piece, exploring notions of inner conflict, self-discovery and reflection in an incredibly emotive work conceived by artistic director, Anouk van Dijk. A moving set of mirrors by Michael Hankin combined with lighting by Niklas Pajanti creates a backdrop of kaleidoscopic reflections and looming shadows, adding both aesthetic and symbolic value. Along with Marcel Wierckx’s clever and beautifully composed sound design, these supporting elements drive the piece, as much as the dancers themselves. Leif Helland, Lauren Langlois, Alya Manzart, James Pham, Niharika Senapti and Tara Soh are undeniably masters of their genre, showcasing commanding solo moments alongside the ability to almost melt into one another as an ensemble. Their energy moves through the audience in electric waves, with more than one audible “holy shit” having escaped from my own mouth mid-performance. While undeniably enhanced by the music, set and lighting, what makes this piece so profoundly affective are the unguarded, unrelenting bodies of the performers. At times manic and always dynamic, moments of high tension are tempered by stillness, providing balance and finding a place of equilibrium. There’s something very powerful about watching a person give everything they have and the matted, sweaty hair and glistening forms visible at the end of the performance are testament to this. As a bright-eyed and bushy tailed 20-something just trying to make it in this crazy, messed up world, perhaps I relate so easily to this emotional rollercoaster because the ideas and themes are specifically relevant. But I think it is more a human similarity, a universally relatable sense of inadequacy and self-consciousness that basically gets inside your gut and twists hard. Whatever is bubbling down inside you will surely be extracted during 247 Days. Image by Jeff Busby.
Located in the heart of the bustling city centre, Le Charme is filled with long teal banquettes and lotus flower-shaped light fittings hanging from the ceiling. Matching teal shutters keep the restaurant's interior sheltered from the frenetic foot traffic outside its doors. It's inside this seemingly serene — and definitely charming — restaurant that you'll enjoy executive chef Gary Lau's extensive and affordable menu. It's filled with lots of pescatarian and vegetarian options, too, so everyone can get in on the action. The $9.90 lunch menu features generous bowls of beef pho and bun bo hue, while its $11.90 menu is filled with hits like spicy chicken laksa, stir-fried beef with rice and mapo tofu. During your midday feed, you can also add a drink — including tea, soft drink and Vietnamese coffee imported directly from Hanoi — to your meal for an extra $2. Head here at night and you'll find an a la carte that pulls its inspiration from across Asia. There's a Hong Kong-style soft shell crab with black beans ($11.90), dumplings ($6.90–7.90) — served steamed or pan-fried — chicken mee goreng ($14.9) and a lineup of popular Vietnamese noodle soups and cold vermicelli dishes. But for the best bang for your buck, order the $30 'feed me' menu (for a minimum of two people), which includes a whopping six dishes: four entrees, one main and a dessert. While exactly what you'll get changes regularly, expect the likes of crunchy wasabi prawns, pan-fried chicken and prawn dumplings, chicken san choy bao and a rich Saigon curry with beef brisket, potato and okra. For dessert, you'll get banana fritters and coconut ice-cream. There's a vego option available for meat-free folk, too The Chinatown diner also has a range of Asian-inspired cocktails and mocktails on offer, with standouts being the opulent salted caramel espresso martini ($19) — made with Kahlua, Baileys and a Nutella rim — and the fruity Royal Rose Fizz ($20). A tidy lineup of beers, ciders and wines are available, too. Images: Julia Sansone.
Live music and heaving dance floors have been scarcer than normal these past two years, but this weekend, Red Bull invites you to dive right back in the deep end. They're teaming up with some of Melbourne's favourite venues, club nights and programmers to deliver an epic ode to local nightlife, held across one huge weekend. From Friday, March 25–Sunday, March 27, Red Bull Melbourne Unlocked will descend on Kensington's multi-level creative hub The Hoi Polloi with a stacked program of gigs, activations, food pop-ups, mini raves and other nightlife experiences — all under one roof, with free entry. You'll catch an immersive rave room from Novel and Glamorama; a gaming precinct by Ballers Clubhouse; a pop-up edition of the Palais Theatre hosting performances and other fun courtesy of Poof Doof and Chasers; and even a spin-off version of Madame Brussel's famed roof terrace. Pawn & Co, 29th Apartment and Storyville will reimagine their signature offerings as a raucous indoor boat party, while Laundry makes an appearance via an onsite hip hop and rap club. Across these activations, you'll catch a jam-packed lineup of gigs and performances, from artists like Cassettes For Kids, Nina Las Vegas, Tornado Wallace, Amyl & The Sniffers and Elsy Wameyo. The fun starts from 6pm each night and it's free to head along, though you'll have to RSVP online to secure your spot. [caption id="attachment_847325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hoi Polloi[/caption] Top Images: Cherry Bar, Poof Doof
Let's face it: nothing beats Mum's cooking. That is, unless she delivers up fresh, comforting, 'good for you' meals to your door and cleans up afterwards. In which case, give her break. There's an alternative. (And, for the record, you should always be doing the dishes anyway.) Youfoodz is a new healthy food delivery service that, quite simply, delivers yum, nourishing food to your door. Without you having to lift a finger — other than placing the order, of course. The Brisbane startup is all about fostering a healthy lifestyle by creating cleaner alternatives to Aussie favourites, such as their bacon and egg bagel and superseed-crusted fish and sweet potato chips. The 45 meal options are promised to stay fresh seven to nine days in the fridge, and the delivery turn around time is as little as 12 hours. As if healthy, prepared meals delivered fast aren't good enough, Youfoodz also makes sure you won't go broke, with most meals priced at $9.95 each. Cheap and healthy don't generally go hand-in-hand — especially for Sydneysiders who are accustomed to paying $19 for a salad — but healthy, fresh and cheap food for under a tenner? That sounds like a pretty sweet deal. From brekkie to dinner and all the snacks and drinks in-between, Youfoodz have all the bases covered. The menu may use all of the buzzwords — chia seeds and quinoa get a mention — but also means that everyone can get in on the fun. Even if you're dairy or gluten free. They're now spreading their wings beyond Brisbane to deliver to the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as major grocers across Australia. So go ahead and tuck into their new summer menu, which includes meals like the sesame pork summer salad and the pesto and pumpkin chicken salad. Mum would most definitely approve. Concrete Playground readers can get their first Youfoodz meal for free by entering the code YF-FreeMeal at checkout. To order your meal and view the full menu, head to youfoodz.com.
Over the past few weeks, racially motivated discrimination, oppression and injustice has been in the global spotlight. It's a subject that always demands action and attention, both worldwide and within Australia. Lately, however, it's been particularly thrust to the fore due to the Black Lives Matter movement, and protests over the death of American George Floyd at the hands of a police officer — as well as, at the local level, the ongoing fight to end the systemic mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by law enforcement, and to stop Indigenous Australian deaths in custody. This isn't a new topic. The quest to end racial prejudice and inequality isn't new either. Centuries of history can attest to that fact beyond the current news headlines — and so can a wealth of powerful documentaries on the subject. Some recent films chart the American civil rights movement. Others explore the lives and impact of Indigenous Australian musicians. And, with examples from both categories, five such docos are now available to watch for free on YouTube for the entire month of June. All five films are distributed by Australian company Madman Entertainment, and all have previously screened in cinemas and/or at film festivals. They're all vital viewing, too — and, at present, doing so doesn't involve any cost or require a subscription to a streaming platform. The documentaries are now up on Madman's YouTube channel, as embedded into the company's website. Leading the bill are a trio of movies with a local angle, and with a particular interest in Indigenous music. Viewers can watch Gurrumul, the immensely moving portrait about the chart-topping late Indigenous talent from Elcho Island off the coast of Arnhem Land; then check out Murundak: Songs of Freedom, which focuses on Aboriginal protest music, specifically following The Black Arm Band and other Indigenous Australian musicians on tour; then view Westwind: Djalu's Legacy, about Yolngu elder and master Yidaki (didgeridoo) player Djalu Gurruwiwi and his efforts to pass on his culture's ancient Songlines. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_USf1UQIAYg Those docos are joined by two films that examine race and injustice in America, and prove particularly relevant to current US protests. 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets chronicles the 2012 murder of 17-year-old high school student Jordan Davis — who was shot at a Florida gas station after an argument over loud music — as well as trial that followed, and the media coverage and resulting protests also. Then there's Raoul Peck's potent and affecting Oscar-nominee I Am Not Your Negro, which tackles racism in America from a historical perspective. That's conveyed through the words of novelist, poet and activist James Baldwin — words written in the mid-70s, but sadly still applicable today — with Samuel L. Jackson serving as the documentary's narrator. In sharing the five films, Madman is encouraging everyone to not only watch, but to learn, listen, and talk about them with friends and family. It's also suggesting that viewers donate to support relevant causes, naming a worthy organisation — and, in some cases, multiple organisations — for each documentary. To watch Gurrumul, I Am Not Your Negro, Murundak: Songs of Freedom, Westwind: Djalu's Legacy and 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets for free until the end of June, head to the Madman website. Top image: I Am Not Your Negro.
Summer is almost over, and what better way to welcome the cooler months than with wine season at Hyatt Centric Melbourne's Langlands Restaurant & Bar? In fact, the venue is serving up an exclusive six-course dinner paired with some of Tar & Roses' finest reds, whites and sparklings to see you happily sipping through autumn. Starting at 6pm on Friday, April 12, Tar & Roses is slinging serves of its curated wine list with picks such as pinot grigio, pinot noir, chardonnay, and more. At $200 per head, not only will you get the best grapes, but you will also be offered flavour-packed dishes ranging from fresh oysters to a Southern Ranges beef cheek. If you're still feeling peckish, don't worry: the menu includes a lemon sorbet paired with prosecco, as well as cheesy locals to go with your rosé. Only 20 slots are available for this one-night occasion. Head to the website to secure your ticket.
The suburbs are twinkling. Yes, it's that time again: the merriest time of the year. If December to you means luminous festive decorations — November as well, or basically the second that Halloween is over — then simply driving through your neighbourhood can be jolly enjoyable. Wherever you look, there just might be a glowing set of Christmas lights sharing its seasonal merriment and brightening up the suburban streets. Of course, these lit-up displays really shouldn't cause such a fuss. They pop up everywhere every year, after all, and we're all well and truly aware of how electricity works. But glowing bulbs are just so hard to resist when it's the happiest portion of the calendar. Keen to scope out the best and brightest seasonal-themed houses and yards? An Australian website called Christmas Lights Search is likely to pique your interest, especially given that it has been updated for 2024. [caption id="attachment_882324" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Donaldytong via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Christmas Lights Search is as nifty and handy as its name suggests, covering festive displays all around the country. To locate all the spots that you should head to, it's as easy as entering your postcode or suburb — or those of places nearby — and letting the site deliver the relevant options. Plus, it also rates the lights displays, if you want to either go big or stay home. It's constantly being updated as well, so, like the best combos of glowing trees, sparkling bulbs and oversized Santas, you might want to check it out more than once. When you pick an individual address listed on the site, you'll be greeted with some key information, too. The level of detail varies per listing, but expect to potentially peruse photos, the ideal hours to swing by, a date range and a description of what's on offer. All that's left is to get searching, plot out where you'll be heading every night between now and Christmas Eve, and get ready to see oh-so-many reindeer, candy canes and snowmen. Putting up your own Christmas lights for the neighbourhood to see? Spotted something in your travels that you think everyone else would like to check out? You can add both to Christmas Lights Search as well. [caption id="attachment_882325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] To find festive displays near you, head to the Christmas Lights Search website.
If there was ever a year to see if you could stream every film and television show ever, it's the one that we've just lived through. We've all heard the jokes about 'finishing Netflix', which have felt particularly accurate in 2020. But, en masse, Australians have been gravitating to the same movies and TV programs over the past 12 months — and Netflix has just revealed the 17 most popular titles. The streaming platform hasn't detailed them in order, so no one flick or series tops the list. But it has broken down 2020's huge hits by genre, naming a film and show in each — except in the reality TV field, for self-explanatory reasons. The big trends: stars and twists. Famous faces and thorny stories feature prominently, as you probably noticed all year based on Netflix's in-platform top ten feature. So, what were we all watching? In the action genre, Aussies feasted their eyeballs on Chris Hemsworth vehicle Extraction and Karate Kid spinoff Cobra Kai. We went light and fluffy in the comedy category, thanks to Holidate and Emily in Paris. In the horror realm, IT: Chapter Two and The Haunting of Bly Manor emerged victorious — and if you're wondering about the former, which first hit cinemas in 2019, Netflix counts anything that debuted on the platform across 2020. When it came to drama, Aussies couldn't get enough of Enola Holmes and The Queen's Gambit (if you've been scoping out chess sets for Christmas, you know that's true). Spenser Confidential and The Sinner: Jamie were the top thrillers, The Kissing Booth 2 and Dash & Lily the most popular romances, and Pokémon: Detective Pikachu and Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous the kid-friendly hits. Too Hot to Handle took the reality TV crown, while, doco-wise, everyone watched American Murder: The Family Next Door. And Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, of course, because no one can now remember a time when we didn't know who Joe Exotic was. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acTdxsoa428 Netflix didn't announce any figures to go with this list, so we don't know just how many people watched any of the above. And, obviously, popularity isn't the same as quality. Some of the above hits are great, and some are downright terrible. If Extraction and the Mark Wahlberg-starring Spenser Confidential didn't release in March and April, when the world was going into lockdown, maybe they wouldn't have attracted so many eyeballs, for instance. Australian-made shows and movies didn't score their own category, but the streaming platform did note that Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun spent almost two weeks in the local top ten. In other trends, Aussies watched 60 percent more flicks and series in languages other than English compared to 2019, doubled our viewing of Korean dramas and checked out more than twice as much anime as well. For more information about Netflix, or to stream any of the above shows and films, head to the streaming platform's website. Top image: Phil Bray/Netflix.
Lebanese charcoal chicken joint Henrietta is serving up something new for autumn, and it involves an 'All-You-Can-Eat Charcoal Chicken' menu. Starting Saturday, April 13, guests can indulge in 90 minutes of unlimited succulent charcoal chicken paired with traditional sides for just $48 per person. [caption id="attachment_949146" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Jiwon Kim[/caption] You can expect hot chicks, crispy chips, creamy toum, fattoush salad, Henrietta's signature hummus, and pickles. "The 'All-You-Can-Eat Charcoal Chicken' offer is for loyal guests who are obsessed with our chicken or for those who are new to Henrietta and simply want to gather round the table and enjoy the true spirit of Middle-Eastern hospitality," says Ibby Moubadder, ESCA Group's co-founder. Of course, an all-you-can-eat wouldn't be complete without some booze. Patrons have the option to go for a bottomless upgrade on select wine and beer for an additional $35 per person. Head over to Henrietta Charcoal Chicken at 75 Chapel Street in Windsor for the new 'All-You-Can-Eat Charcoal Chicken' menu, available during lunch hours on the weekend. [caption id="attachment_949148" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Jiwon Kim[/caption]
Melbourne seems to be following the pattern of another day, another new development. But instead of completely decimating the environment around it, Melbourne's newest mini suburb development in the city's inner-northeast looks like it might the most sustainable yet. It's set to become the world's first 'Tesla Town', with Tesla Powerwalls built into every home along with solar panels and electric car recharging points. The new 2500-home development is called YarraBend, and it will border Alphington, Ivanhoe and Kew in Melbourne's northeast. It's being developed by local property group Glenvill, who, on the YarraBend website, have billed the new residential space as "a world-first Tesla suburb" which is "designed to achieve the highest level of sustainability and quality of life". So what exactly does having a Tesla Powerwall in each home mean? Well, quite a lot. A Tesla Powerwall is a battery that not only powers your home but one that stores power for when you need it. It's designed to hook up with your power source, which is either solar power, or the grid, where most people get their electricity from. And it's really smart, because depending on which power source you have, the Powerwall will either store the solar energy for later or charge itself from the grid in off-peak times. This not only saves you and your household some cash, but it's a step away from Australia's reliance on dirty coal and fossil fuels for power, and means that we can move towards cleaner energy like solar, wind and geothermal. Plus, with Australia only getting its first shipment of the batteries earlier this year, this will be the first large-scale project to utilise them. According to the Urban Development Institute of Australia, YarraBend will be one of the most environmentally sustainable developments in the country. "This development leads the way in sustainability," the UDIA's Danni Addison told the Heidelberg Leader. "Some areas that are a standout include water reduction of 43 per cent, landfill reduced by 80 per cent and the potential to reduce energy use by 34 per cent." Along with the Powerwalls, solar panels will also be a standard on houses in YarraBend. Making it even more futuristic, residents will also be connected through their own app and have access to a complimentary tech-concierge, who'll be on hand to help when your internet goes down. Which, if your internet connection's anything like ours, is all the goddamn time. Via Heidelberg Leader.
Regal drama fans, it's time to give The Crown a rest and direct your streaming queue towards a different take on the UK monarchy. The Emmy-winning hit Netflix series isn't the only on-screen source of royal intrigue of late, and you'll find plenty of the same bases covered in Spencer — 90s-era chaos and tension galore, especially — as well as Kristen Stewart doing career-best work playing Princess Diana. KStew just got nominated for an Oscar for the part, in fact, and it's easy to see why. Saying that Spencer director Pablo Larraín (Jackie, Ema) has cast his Diana well, pitch-perfect head tilt and all, is a royal understatement. And, although the film only hit cinemas Down Under in late January, it's doing what many flicks do recently — including Dune, The Matrix Resurrections, The French Dispatch and The 355 in just the past month — and jumping to streaming while it's still showing on the big screen. Your next royal date arrives on Friday, February 18, which is when Spencer will be available to watch with Prime Video subscriptions. Obviously, heading to the cinema will always be the most glorious way to see a movie, but having options regarding when and where you can watch is always welcome. In the bold and enthralling slice-of-life biopic, the year is 1991, the time is Christmas and the place is the Queen's (Stella Gonet, Breeders) Sandringham Estate, where the Windsors converge for the holidays (yes, Spencer is now prime seasonal viewing). As scripted by Peaky Blinders and Locked Down's Steven Knight, the choice of period puts Diana (Stewart, Happiest Season) in one of the most precarious situations of her then decade-long married life, with her nuptials to Prince Charles (Jack Farthing, The Lost Daughter) turning into an "amicable separation" within 12 months. Spencer's focus is on three days, not all that defined the People's Princess' existence before or after, but she can't stop contemplating her past and future. The Sandringham grounds include the house where Diana was born, and those happier recollections — and time spent now with her children (debutants Jack Nielen and Freddie Spry) — give her a glow. Alas, all the monarchical scrutiny simmers her joy to ashes, unsurprisingly. Timothy Spall (The Last Bus), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) and Sean Harris (The Green Knight) also feature, but Stewart is obviously the star of the show. With two-plus decades as an actor to her name, she hasn't spent her career as a candle in the wind, with her flame both blazing and flickering since her first uncredited big-screen role in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas — but, by Elton John's definition, she's always known where to cling to. After jumping from child star to Twilight heroine and then one of the savviest talents of her generation, she's gleaned where to let her haunting gaze stare so piercingly that it lights up celluloid again and again, too. Spencer joins Stewart's resume after weighty parts in Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper, Certain Women and Seberg, and has her do something she's long done magnificently: let a world of pain and uncertainty seep quietly from her entire being. Check out the trailer for Spencer below: Spencer is still showing in cinemas Down Under, and will be available to stream via Prime Video Australia and New Zealand from Friday, January 18. Read our full review. Top image: Pablo Larraín.
Want to get your long weekend off to a cracking start? How does this sound: a night spent dancing up a storm to DJ tunes in a huge brewery, while sipping on a few boozy slushies. That's the situation that awaits you at Moon Dog World's free Good Friday Eve party, kicking off from 6pm on Thursday, April 14. The giant Preston brewpub is serving up a big dose of long weekend musical goodness — not only is legendary electro duo Close Counters headlining the evening's soundtrack, but they'll be backed by local favourites MzRizk and DJ Be Kind To Other People. And it'll all be spinning until 1am. As always, Moon Dog's 72-tap bar will have a host of good stuff to quench your thirst and fuel your best dance moves, including cocktails, craft brews and some special slushies made on their signature Fizzer seltzers.
It's time to get excited about dinosaurs again, not that anyone ever stopped being fascinated with the planet's ancient creatures. Come May, one of 2022's best new shows is making a return for 2023 with a brand-new season filled with dino love — yes, David Attenborough's spectacular Prehistoric Planet is returning. Apple TV+ has just announced the roaringly great news, and will again air the show's second season as a five-part nightly event. So, across Monday, May 22–Friday, May 26, one instalment will arrive each day, serving up more stunning dinosaurs, more informative insights voiced by the one and only Attenborough, and more of Hans Zimmer's soundtrack. "The award-winning first season of Prehistoric Planet brought dinosaurs back to life in a way global audiences had never seen before," said Jay Hunt, Creative Director, Europe, Apple TV+, announcing the news. "Collaborating with the brilliant Jon Favreau and our fantastic partners at the BBC, we are thrilled that viewers will once again have the opportunity to be immersed in our world as it was 66 million years ago and to experience even more weird and wonderful creatures." This time around, the team at BBC Studios Natural History will be using photorealistic visual effects by MPC — the kind that Favreau used in his versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King — to focus on new dinosaurs, habitats and scientific discoveries. So, you'll spend time with the Tarchia, one of the largest Ankylosauri, for instance. That said, the Tyrannosaurus rex will be back among other dino favourites. Of course it will. What's better than one of the Attenborough siblings marvelling over our planet's ancient creatures? None other than David following in his brother Richard's footsteps, of course, just as it was in 2022. While the latter showed dinos some love back in Jurassic Park — with the now-late actor and filmmaker even uttering the iconic words "welcome to Jurassic Park" — his broadcaster, biologist and natural historian sibling largely surveyed the rest of the earth's living creatures in his iconic documentaries before Prehistoric Planet. With its first season, the show instantly earned its place among David Attenborough other doco highlights — a list that spans The Living Planet, State of the Planet, The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet II, Our Planet, Seven Worlds, One Planet, A Perfect Planet and Green Planet, as well as Planet Earth and Planet Earth II, plus documentary David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet), just to name a few. There's no trailer for Prehistoric Planet's second season yet, but you can revisit the season one trailer below: Prehistoric Planet season two will hit Apple TV+ across Monday, May 22–Friday, May 26, with a new episode available to stream each day. Read our full review of Prehistoric Planet season one.
The King has risen. Head out to Parkes in January and you would be forgiven for thinking you're in Graceland — if there's anything this town is known for (apart from the iconic Dish, of course) it's the Parkes Elvis Festival. Pull on your blue suede shoes and get ready to find yourself a hunk, a hunk of burning love. The festival takes place over five days during the second week of January to coincide with the King's birthday (January 8, as if you didn't already know). Over 25,000 visitors flock to the town to see international and national Elvis tribute artists battle it out to be named the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist. There's also a Miss Priscilla competition, rock 'n' roll dancing, busking, a midnight show and a finale concert. The Parkes Elvis Festival is officially endorsed by the King's estate, Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc., so you know it's legit. Stop talking about it, and just do it this year. A little less conversation, a little more action.
If you're partial to a big, cheesy serving of gnocchi, you'll by happy to know that Mamma's Boy Trattoria is dedicating the month of September to bottomless bowls of it. The Brunswick restaurant is dishing up endless gnocchi feasts until the end of the month. Head in for lunch between Friday–Sunday or dinner from Tuesday–Saturday, and you can tuck into unlimited helpings of the classic pasta dish for a tidy $30. With the gnocchi lineup, all palates are covered. There are traditional bolognese and napoli numbers, a four-cheese version (with fior di latte, gorgonzola, taleggio and grana padano) and a buttery mushroom and spinach bowl. With a two-hour time limit up your sleeve, you should be able to sample them all, no problems. If you'd like to finish on a high note, Mamma's cannoli will be available, too, for extra. Bottomless gnocchi is available from Tuesday–Saturday 5.30–7.30pm and Friday–Sunday midday–1pm
Australia mightn't be home to any of the globe's top restaurants for 2023, but love is pouring out for our wineries. Among the many lists of the world's best — which also includes bars and steak joints — the World's Best Vineyards ranking names the planet's top wine destinations. Earning a spot this year: three South Australian winemakers. From the Aussie contingent, McLaren Vale's d'Arenberg nabbed the highest placing, coming in at 17th. Sprawling around a giant cube might've helped. That five-storey square is quite the centrepiece, but the Osborn family's organic and biodynamic tipples score plenty of attention on their own. The awards also praised the vineyard for living "up to its billing as 'more than just a cellar door'". Next on the list: Henschke in Eden Valley, which boasts a vineyard that was planted more than 150 years ago, and nabbed 26th spot. Then comes Magill's Penfolds Magill Estate, which dates back to 1844 and is particularly known for its shiraz, in 44th place. None of these wineries were anointed the best in Australasia, however. That honour went to New Zealand's Rippon, in Central Otago, which also sits in 11th spot in the top 50. The awards heaped praise onto the Southern Alps favourite for producing "a highly lauded range of pinot noir from this magnificent landscape and its biodynamically farmed vineyards". While Down Under was well-represented among the Best 50 Vineyards, 23 vineyards in this year's list hailed from Europe. France alone scored nine spots, the highest number for any single country. That said, the top placing went to Argentina's Catena Zapata, which also won overall South American vineyard. Next came Europe's first listing, for Spain's Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal, followed by Chilean vineyard VIK in third, Creation in South Africa in fourth, and France's Château Smith Haut Lafitte in fifth. Completing the top ten: Bodega Garzón in Uruguay, Montes in Chile, Germany's Schloss Johannisberg, and both Bodegas Salentein and El Enemigo Wines in Argentina. If you plan your getaways around vino, consider this list a handy piece of travel inspiration. If you're just interested in the drops, consider it a guide for your next trip to the bottle shop. The World's Best Vineyards also names a 51–100 list, which saw New Zealand's Craggy Range come in at 58th, Man O' War at 77th and Kumeu River Wines at 81st, plus Australia's Seppeltsfield Barossa at 98th. To check out the full World's Best Vineyards Top 50 and 100 lists, head to the awards' website. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Julie — the hatted bistro in the Abbotsford Convent — is getting a helping hand through the cold weather. Each month in winter, a different chef is taking over the restaurant, bringing unique and, most importantly, comforting dishes to the menu. In May, Canadian chef Emmanuelle Leftick was in charge. Now, it's Diana Desensi, who'll be running the show throughout June. She's worked with a bunch of Melbourne's top chefs, including Karen Martini and Matt Wilkinson, and was a key player in the opening of Saint George in St Kilda. At Julie, Desensi is bringing a five-course feast to the table. Start with house-made ricotta and agrodolce alongside fresh focaccia, before moving onto bacalao croquette and Zio's salumi with persimmon relish. Next comes Desensi's favourite — the pasta — in the form of cacio tortelli with radicchio and milk sauce. The main is lamb abbacchio with Reggiano, served with sides of Roman beans with olive and lemon, and garden leaves dressed in anchovy and lemon. Finish up with amarena cherry and chocolate torte. Desensi will be at Julie from Thursday, June 5–Sunday, June 29th. In July, chef Harriet Tomlinson will take the reins. Top image: Marie-Luise.
Late night walks along the 86 tram route are about to get a whole lot more colourful. For ten straight nights, the Gertrude Street Projection Festival will light up Fitzroy, as walls, shopfronts, footpaths and even tree trunks are transformed into eye-catching works of art. The festival runs July 10-19, with projections on display from 6pm to midnight. More than 35 sites along the street will be illuminated, from Smith Street to the Carlton Gardens. As you stroll up and down the block, keep your eyes peeled for works by Arika Waulu, Robert Jordan and Jemila MacEwan, as well as a roving live performance piece from the team at Uprising Theatre. You’ll also be able to catch live music, video installations, industry panels and more indoors at The Catfish, which for the third year in a row will play host to the Projection Festival Hub. It’ll also be the site of both the opening and closing night parties, the latter of which happens to be robot-themed. And yes, homemade costumes are encouraged. For more information about the Gertrude Street Projection Festival, visit www.gspf.com.au Images: Chris Phutully via Wikicommons and Gertrude Street Projection Festival.
UPDATE: NOVEMBER 6, 2019 — We knew that ABC's perennially popular music quiz show Spicks and Specks was making a comeback with the OG crew, and now we have an air date. It has been announced that the first of four specials will hit small screens at 7.40pm on Sunday, November 24, as part of the network's Ausmusic Month celebrations. The other three will drop sometime in 2020 — we'll let you know when dates are announced for those, too. What's better than watching a heap of top Australian talent sit around and talk about music? Watching them do all of the above while answering questions, competing for points and just generally being funny, too. That's the concept behind ABC TV show Spicks and Specks, which took a few cues from the UK's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, pit Aussie musos and comedians against each other, and has proven a hit several times over. A weekly favourite when it first aired between 2005–2011, it just keeps coming back — and is about to do so again for four brand new specials. When the program was first revived back in 2014, it returned with a new host and team captains. This time, it's going back to the original lineup. That means that Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough will all step back into the quiz show realm yet again. When the trio did just that back in 2018, for a one-off reunion special, it became the ABC's most-watched show of the year. Unsurprisingly, that huge response played more than a small part in inspiring this new comeback. If you're already eager to show your own music trivia knowledge and play along — we all know that's as much a part of the Spicks and Specks fun as seeing the on-screen stars unleash their own skills (or lack thereof) — then look out for the first special this November. It'll air on Sunday, November 24 as part of the ABC's network-wide celebration of Ausmusic Month, and it'll naturally focus on all things local. Then, at some point in 2020, three more specials will hit the airwaves. The Spicks and Specks crew obviously hope you're feeling suitably retro, with each show focusing on a different decade — the 90s, then the 00s and finally the ten-year period we've all just lived through. And, if you need a refresher, this comedic chat about a Star Wars Christmas album will do the trick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KNMtDu7TAY Spicks and Specks will return to ABC TV on Sunday, November 24 at 7.40pm and then again in 2020. We'll keep you updated with exact dates when they come to hand.
Baker Bleu started life as a tiny Elsternwick storefront in 2016, but its long-fermented sourdough bread and seasonal pastries helped it quickly rocket to cult status. Now, it's one of the best bakeries in Melbourne, boasting sites in Caulfield North, Prahran and Sydney's Double Bay. Its bread and pastries are also carted off to a heap of Melbourne cafes every day. Having nailed the whole grab-and-go bakery situation, the crew's next venture will be an all-day cafe in Cremorne — slated to open this spring. Its much-loved baked goods will all be up for grabs here, but there's going to be so much more available. For one, folks can dine in, either inside the fresh new digs designed by IF Architecture (who've worked on luxe spots like Marion, Attica and Etta) or out on the street. Its savoury game will also be amped up. Expect a heap more freshly made sangas, plus a selection of sourdough pizzas. "We're thrilled to be opening a store in Cremorne," says baker and owner Mike Russell. "It's a slightly different market for us and marks an exciting new chapter for Baker Bleu, it's something bigger than anything we've done before." Baker Bleu's new cafe will be found at 65 Dover Street, Cremorne. We don't have an exact opening date yet, but we will be sure to keep you updated as soon as we find out more. In the meantime, feel free to head to the venue's website for additional information.
With Lacoste tennis dresses donned, twee baked goods in hand and Famous Friend bingo card at the ready, we checked into Wes Anderson’s newest and wildly anticipated new pop-up book of a cinematic endeavour, The Grand Budapest Hotel. Murder, art theft, pastry and Adrien Brody's moustache — Anderson serves up his most diabolical, zany undertaking yet, using every trick in his own book. FUTURA IS DEAD Looks like Anderson has relinquished his hold on his longtime minimalist typeface go-to Futura, handing the reins to Lorde and Vampire Weekend and opting for a more weighted, slab serif font called Archer. Often featured in credits sequences of old Italian films, Archer is described by developers Hoefler & Co. as "sweet but not saccharine, earnest but not grave, Archer is designed to hit just the right notes of forthrightness, credibility, and charm." Film schools worldwide will undoubtedly be mass-installing the new typeface immediately. POLITENESS GETS YOU EVERYWHERE, EVEN OUT OF JAIL Sporadically reciting romantic poetry, giving lectern-delivered philosophical orations to the hotel staff about guest rudeness, serving up mush in prison with five-star finesse, Ralph Fiennes solidifies himself as downright godly in his role as M. Gustave, the flamboyant, charming and silver-tongued concierge of The Royal Budapest Hotel. Winning as many friends as he makes enemies, Fiennes sees Gustave balancing art theft, jailbreaks and cologne appreciation with breezy, theatrical conviction. Goes to show, a little complimentary affection will get you everywhere, darling. CELEBRITY BINGO MEANS A TOPNOTCH CAST A well-known fact, Anderson has accrued quite the crew of illustrious buddies simply by sticking with familiar faces all career long. Zissou-Tenenbaum-Rocket leads Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman have stepped back from the top spots for cheer-inducing pop-ins and supporting roles, making way for the new Wanderson Posse of Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton and Adrien Brody. Prompting constant outbursts of “Ohhh, it’s that guy!” from cinemagoers, we’ve come to actually wait for Anderson’s flurry of crafty cameos. Once again, Anderson’s cohort of well-liked celebs play dress up and wear All The Moustaches, with every screen guru from Tom Wilkinson to Jude Law and Harvey Keitel making their fleeting moments count. Now with added newbies Lea Seydoux and Saoirse Ronan, being in a Wes Anderson cast is now the hottest bill around. JEFF GOLDBLUM MAKES LEGAL JARGON SOUND UNBELIEVABLY EROTIC Jur-is-diction. Ex-ec-u-tor. If Jeff Goldblum wasn’t mystical and unnervingly alluring enough, he’s gone and landed himself one of his most potentially meme-worthy roles to date, with circular, thick-rimmed spectacles to boot. Using flashcards to describe a murder scene without taking one eye off the camera, dumping his dead Persian in a trashcan and being chased through an art museum by Willem Defoe aren’t nearly as exhilarating moments as Goldblum simply reading the contents of a last will and test-a-ment. IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT Meticulously premeditated and artful mise en scene, idiosyncratic scripting, perfectly flawed and outlandishly eccentric characters and a ukulele-fuelled soundtrack have become a formidable formula for Anderson, slowly developing into an extreme form of his own genre. After being royally reprimanded by critics for Moonrise Kingdom being a little too cute for their liking (heartless bums), TRBH sees the Twee King back on form with all the artful weirdness of The Royal Tenenbaums peppered with The Life Aquatic’s epic storybook set detail and The Fantastic Mr. Fox’s jolly good humour. With super zooms, painted landscape backdrops, frontal character portraits, horizontal tracking shots and whole lot of font, Anderson seems more settled in his own style than ever. And that’s quite alright, darling. The Grand Budapest Hotel opens April 10.
As Melbourne emerges from Lockdown 6.0, the Adelphi Hotel is launching an elevated high tea series on its rooftop, complete with free-flowing fizz and luxe city views. From Thursday, October 28–Sunday, October 31, the aptly named Bottomless Sky Tea will see guests living it up beside the pool, indulging in two hours of sweet and savoury bites with unlimited Veuve Clicquot Champagne. Expect a spread including chicken and leek vol au vent, confit duck waffle cones stuffed with foie gras, and dainty sandwiches layered with egg, jamón and truffle. Sweet treats will also flow, along with a premium selection of other booze and non-alcoholic sips on offer. Two Sky Tea sessions will run each day (12pm and 2.30pm), with tables available to book for groups of three, four, six and eight diners. Tickets are sold per table, working out to $210 a head. Hey — if ever there was a time you deserved a ritzy rooftop session, it's now. To book your table for Sky Tea on the Adelphi Rooftop head here.
A new year has begun, and for us that means one thing — it's time to book new travel destinations for 2020. This time around, instead of searching for things like 'best beaches' or 'best cities', plan your travel from a different angle. An arts and culture angle, that is. Planning your calendar around the world's many festivals is a fun way to change up your regular trip routine. Think a biennale in India, a mountain burning festival in Japan and one celebrating 24-hours-of daylight in Russia. Here are seven lesser known arts/culture festivals to travel overseas for this year. [caption id="attachment_757197" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jirka Matousek via Flickr.[/caption] PINGXI LANTERN FESTIVAL, PINGXI DISTRICT, TAIWAN Taking place just outside of Taipei, the Pingxi Lantern Festival marks the end of Chinese New Year with one stunning illuminated display. Visitors write a message and place it inside a paper sky lanterns, then set it aflame and release it into the night — alongside thousands of others. It's an impressive sight that holds an air of magic around it. While the lanterns float overhead, the streets are filled with folk performances, street carnivals and contests. The annual festival has been taking over Taiwan for over 2000 years, having begun during the Xing Dynasty. We can't think of a better way to ring in the (lunar) new year. When? February 1–8, 2020 KOCHI-MUZIRIS BIENNALE, FORT KOCHI, INDIA Every two years, the charming seaside town of Fort Kochi becomes a mecca for all things art in India. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale showcases contemporary Indian and international art in heritage properties around the city — this year includes a townhouse, project space, art cafe and converted warehouse. Each biennale is curated by an artist who is chosen by a committee of artists, scholars and collectors. Now in its fifth edition, the 2020 curator for the festival is artist and writer Shubigi Rao. She was born in India but is based in Singapore, and is known for her layered installations across mediums like books, etchings, drawings and puzzles. The festival runs for over three months each year, so you have a good window in which to book your trip, too. When? December 2020 – March 2021 [caption id="attachment_757203" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nwhitely via Flickr.[/caption] WAKAKUSA YAMAYAKI, NARA, JAPAN For one seriously fiery sight, make sure you're in Nara, Japan on the forth January of the year. An ancient version of Burning Man festival, the Wakakusa Yamayaki festival sees the dead grass on Mount Wakakusayama set on fire — and that's followed by one big ol' fireworks display. No one quite knows the origin of the festival, leaving it shrouded in mystery. Some accounts claim the mountainside burning began due to boundary conflicts between the Kohfukuji and Todaiji Temples. Others claim the fires are meant to scare away wild boars, and even ghosts. Regardless of the origin, it's an impressive sight. The blazing mountain can be seen from any point in the city — with Nara Park being the best lookout. When? January 25, 2020 [caption id="attachment_757204" align="alignnone" width="1920"] This Is Edinburgh via Flickr[/caption] HOGMANAY, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh really knows how to ring in the new year. While parties happen all over the world on New Year's Eve, no one does it quite like the Scots — their celebration runs for two full days and features street parties, carnival rides, Christmas markets and a full on music festival to boot. The multi-stage festival takes place on December 31 straight into the new year, with at least five bands playing simultaneously. Alongside the festival is a torchlight procession on December 30. Also on the docket is an ice rink, ferris wheel, polar bear plunge in icy waters (dubbed he Loony Dook race) and even an arts festival that takes over nine unusual venues across the city. When? December 30, 2020 – January 1, 2021 ART FAIR PHILIPPINES, MANILA PHILIPPINES The Philippines' vibrant art scene is on full display each February when Art Fair Philippines transforms The Link carpark into a cultural marketplace. The weekend-long festival was only just founded in 2013, and has since become the top art event in the country. A wide range of contemporary art is available to view and purchase, ranging from paintings and sculptures to photographs and more experimental installations. All of the artists are on hand alongside their work, so you can chat to the makers of your favourite pieces. If you're travelling with a friend or partner, it's also a fun way to start out the evening — the exhibition stays open until 9pm each night and there are heaps of food and drink vendors available, so you can peruse with bubbly in hand. And entry tickets cost just a tenner. When? February 21–23, 2020 [caption id="attachment_757202" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sandra Cohen-Rose and Colin Rose via Flickr.[/caption] WHITE NIGHTS FESTIVAL, ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA While images of Russia's picturesque city of St Petersburg often depict a blanket of snow, the summer months actually see nearly 24 hours of daylight here. And the city celebrates these long days for three full months each year — specifically from mid-May through mid-July. Stars of the White Nights is a massive collection of arts and culture events spanning music, film, ballet and opera premieres (including at the Mariinsky Theatre, pictured above) and outdoor festivities. Many of the city's top museums stay open overnight during this period, too. Or simply wander along the River Neva, where gypsy bands, jugglers, fire eaters and other carnival acts can be seen performing all night long. When? May 22 – July 21, 2020 ART BASEL, MIAMI BEACH, USA Started over 40 years ago, Art Basel is considered to be the premiere art event of the year by many. It's held annually across Hong Kong, Basel, Switzerland and Miami Beach. The USA instalment takes place over three days in December and features works from over 250 leading galleries across North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and even Australia. It showcases masterpieces from modern and contemporary artists, alongside exhibitions by emerging artists — and this year has partnered with KickStarter specifically to support up-and-comers. Art forms span paintings, sculptures and photographs, as well as large-scale installations films, and editions from master artists. And you have the added benefit of being next to one of the States' best beaches, too. When? December 3–6, 2020 Top image: Jirka Matousek via Flickr.
A raw and defiant portrait of femininity through movement, Sara Pheasant's No Punchline immediately jumps out as one of the most intriguing circus shows at this year's Melbourne Fringe. Combining rope, pole and trapeze work with an "evocative soundscape" and the intense physicality of boxing, the hour-long show features six circus performers alongside Oceania Bantamweight Champion Bianca 'Bam Bam' Elmir. 'Bam Bam', incidentally, might be the most perfect boxing nickname we've ever heard. Get ready to rumble. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Check out the other nine here.
A critical darling and the winner of numerous awards at festivals around the country, Yana Alana is used to baring her body as part of her daring cabaret performances. But this year at Melbourne Fringe, she's baring her soul instead. Yana Alana Covered will see Alana take to stage fully clothed with her regular band The Paranas, singing songs made famous by the likes of Shirley Bassey, Gnarls Barkley, the Scissor Sisters and Nina Simone. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Check out the other nine here.
This Saturday, February 8, Melbourne Recital Centre is turning five and they're throwing you a pretty sweet party to celebrate. From 10am-6.30pm, this beautiful goliath will be opening its doors for a full day of performances, talks and tours. The vacant lot next door will even be converted into a multi-purpose space to relax in featuring food trucks, local bands and miniature horses for kids (or everyone) to play with. Both the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Chamber Orchestra will be filling up the Elisabeth Murdoch Hall alongside local folk, indie, and jazz outfits. The Salzer Suite will be the intellectual heart of the operation with lectures, Q&As and panels with the industry professionals such as Gillian Howell, Richard Mills, and Benjamin Woodroffe. Then, from 4.30pm Jonathon Welch will be directing a 1,200-person choir to bring the day to a grand and extravagant close. For more information and a full timetable of events, check the website.
The last few months have seen Melbourne caught in the throes of David Bowie fever – so it's little wonder that the Fringe Festival is getting in on the action. Complimenting the massive David Bowie Is exhibition at ACMI, this late night party at the Fringe Club in North Melbourne is the perfect excuse to whip out the face paint and dance. Musician, comedian and Bowie fanatic Geraldine Quinn will headline a long list of guest performers, in a psychedelic celebration of all things Ziggy Stardust. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Check out the other nine here.
Pitch Music & Arts Festival is back for 2020, this time with an even bigger lineup of electronic acts and visual art on display. The event will again take over Mafeking — about three hours northwest of Melbourne — from Friday, March 6 to Tuesday, March 10. The BYO camping festival is brought to you by the team behind Beyond the Valley, who will set up a satellite community out in the bush and invite festival-goers to pitch a tent — camping is included in your weekend ticket, or splash out extra for a glamping setup — then fully immerse themselves in the weekend's festivities. Expect a bunch of house, techno and disco tracks over the four days, with 47 music acts on the bill. The international 2020 lineup features Russia's Nina Kraviz; Berlin-based DJ Objekt; Midland (UK); South Korea's cosmic disco DJ Shubostar; Aurora Halal (US) who'll be playing a live set; Canadian techno pioneer Richie Hawtin; Ben UFO (UK); and genre-defying selector Hunee (The Netherlands) of Rush Hour Recordings; and new label Lifetones. Local names like Kllo, Moopie, Hiatus Kaiyote, Fantastic Man, Collarbones and Late Nite Tuff Guy are also on the docket. On the art side of things, you can expect CGI, spacial design and light installations from a host of local and international artists and creative companies, all of which are arranged to interact with the festival at large. Images: Duncographic.
The name Knowles may be synonymous with Beyoncé — AKA Kween Bey— but her li'l sis Solange isn't standing in any shadows. The singer, songwriter, actress, model and fashion icon has won a Grammy, starred on the front covers of magazines and released a chart-topping album — and now she's coming to Sydney. It was announced this morning that Solange will be headlining Vivid LIVE 2018, performing four shows on June, 1, 2, 3 and 4. They will be her only Aussie performances this time round. This will be her first Australian performance since she toured back in 2014 (aside from a one-off performance at H&M in 2015). And she has released a tonne of sweet tunes since — including her award-winning album A Seat at the Table, which hit number one in the charts in late 2016. So, in June, expect to hear Solange belt out hits such as 'Don't Touch My Hair' — the lyrics of which the London Evening Standard's editors probably should've heeded — and 'Cranes in the Sky', which won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance. To get your hands on tickets, you'll need to enter a ticket ballot. To do so, head to the Opera House's website between now (Monday, February 26) and midnight on Sunday, March 4 and register. Successful applicants will be notified on Thursday, March 8. No other live music acts have yet been announced for Vivid LIVE 2018 — with the rest of the lineup expected to be announced in the upcoming weeks — but if it continues anything like it has started, this year is going to be a banger. Solange will perform four shows at Vivid LIVE 2018 at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall between June 1–4. Registrations for the ticket ballot are now open.
Ask just about any international visitor and they'll tell you how it is: Australia is packed full of creepy crawlies that are all dangerous and mostly deadly. We locals know the situation's not quite as sketchy as all that, but that there are plenty of native snakes, spiders and insects you probably wouldn't want jumping on your face. Well soon, you'll be able to determine the nasty ones from the nice ones with just a quick snap on your smartphone camera, thanks to new app Critterpedia. Currently in the beta testing phase with an artificial intelligence training platform being developed with CSIRO, Critterpedia is the brainchild of a regular Aussie mum and dad, Nic and Murray Scarce. The idea was spawned after fielding continuous questions from visiting British friends and family regarding our scary local wildlife population. So, how does this creature-identification app work? You simply use your device to take a photo of any snake or spider, then Critterpedia will call on its trained algorithm system to classify the beast, also offering details on its family, genus or species. It's designed to educate and raise awareness about our much-maligned Aussie creatures, while removing some of that fear factor. While Australia is home to more than 2000 species of spiders of 170 species, many of them don't pose a serious threat. As you can imagine, there's been a stack of AI work behind Critterpedia's hefty catalogue of info, with hundreds of thousands of images fed to the platform to help train its speedy identification function. CSIRO's digital specialist arm Data61 is collaborating on a special machine-learning engine that can sort through the masses of data to accurately classify species in just moments. While the app is in this development stage, users can do their bit to help train up the algorithm by submitting their own photos of local snakes and spiders. The extra imagery will assist in fine-tuning the platform's recognition systems in the lead-up to its launch. The Critterpedia app is currently in development. You can sign up here to become a tester and contribute photos to help train its algorithm.
From dead characters to killer plants, M Night Shyamalan's films are known for veering off in out-there directions, as everything from The Sixth Sense and The Village to The Happening and Split has shown. So, when a trailer for one of his movies drops, you can expect that it'll tease a strange twist. That's what the first sneak peek at Old did back in February, with the feature's new full trailer now fleshing out a few more details. As already established in the first 30-second clip, Old follows a family led by Gael García Bernal (Ema) and Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread) as they head off on a beachside holiday. Finding a particularly secluded spot online, they lap up their scenic surroundings — even when a few more people show up. But then a dead body is spotted floating in the water, putting everyone on edge. Next, the couple's kids disappear behind a few rocks, only to return looking much older than they did mere seconds ago. There's an eerie tone to both the initial sneak peek and the new trailer, unsurprisingly. If you're wondering where Shyamalan will take the concept from there, you'll have to wait until the thriller releases in cinemas in July. The filmmaker has penned the movie's script, too; however, he's based it all Pierre Oscar Lévy and Frederik Peeters' graphic novel Sandcastle. Hoping that it turns out more like Unbreakable and less like The Visit is understandable. As well as Bernal and Krieps, Old has amassed a hefty cast, including Rufus Sewell (The Father), Alex Wolff (Hereditary), Australian actors Abbey Lee (Lovecraft Country) and Eliza Scanlen (Babyteeth), and New Zealand's Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit) — the latter of whom will be hitting our screens a few times this year, given that she also stars in Last Night in Soho. If you're already getting big Lost vibes, Ken Leung (Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens) also features. And no, neither him nor any of his co-stars say "I see old people" in the new trailer. Hopefully that'll remain the same in the movie itself. Check out the new trailer below: Old opens in Australian cinemas on July 22. Top image: Universal Pictures.
They're two celebrated Melbourne chefs who probably couldn't be much more different and whose styles are worlds apart. But vegan maestro Shannon Martinez (Smith & Daughters, Smith & Deli) and Euro-focused Ian Curley (The European, Kirk's Wine Bar) are set to prove that unlikely pairings really can work a treat, when they launch their new collaborative venture next month. The powerhouse duo is embracing the world of plant-based fare, together heading up the culinary offering at new vegan and vegetarian bar and eatery, Lona Misa. Taking over a warm Luchetti Krelle-designed space within the new Ovolo South Yarra hotel, the 90-seat venue is set to be an all-day affair that'll cruise happily from lunchtime to those after-dinner drinks. Here, the two chefs have been busy creating a vegan- and vegetarian-focused menu designed to shake up all your preconceptions of plant-based dining. Vibrant and unapologetic, it's a share-friendly lineup that'll bear both the marks of Martinez's signature rebellious stylings and touches of Curley's fine dining flair. [caption id="attachment_802683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shannon Martinez[/caption] As with the eats, Lona Misa's drinks offering will see the pair heroing seasonal ingredients from their favourite local producers. Expect sips including house-made sodas, a range of innovative cocktails, and an adventurous wine selection featuring a healthy spread of natural, organic and carbon-neutral drops. All up, it sounds like a fittingly bold choice of resident for Ovolo's new South Yarra hotel — a 123-room, dog-friendly stay featuring 70s-glam styling and rockstar suites named after iconic musicians. The launch of Lona Misa also ties in with the hotel group's 'year of the veg' move, which has seen the full suite of bars and restaurants at its Australian and Hong Kong sites go plant-based for an entire year, starting from October 2020. Find Lona Misa within the Ovolo South Yarra, at 230 Toorak Road, South Yarra, from April 2021.
Melbourne Skydeck is no stranger to breathtaking experiences. This New Year's Eve, it's taking the party to another level — literally. If you're over the standard NYE party and are looking for a countdown worth telling your grandkids about, then you might want to snap up a ticket to Disco in the Sky — the hottest (and highest) New Year's Eve party in town. This NYE, the southern hemisphere's highest observation deck will transform into the ultimate dance floor. Melburnians will strut into 2024 with glittering lights, fun beats courtesy of DJ Baitz, and a breathtaking view that quite simply cannot be beat (in this hemisphere, at least). Picture making your way to the 88th floor, New Year's buzz in the air, the lit-up Melbourne skyline stretches before in all directions. You grab a drink, maybe you grab two, perhaps you're there with your favourite person, maybe you have the New Year's kiss of all time high in the sky. Wouldn't that be just the best? And while you wait for that magic moment, live life on the edge as you step out onto the glass platform that extends from the building, daring you to look down through the glass floor. Or immerse yourself in a world of wonder with state-of-the-art VR in the downstairs Voyager Theatre. Tickets to the Disco in the Sky include a drinks package with beer, wine and bubbles. Ticket holders also get gourmet canapés prepared by Eureka 89, access to the Voyager Theatre from 8pm to 9:30pm, access to The Edge from 8pm to 11pm, and a commemorative photo booth to capture the magic. No New Year's Eve party is complete without cocktails, and Bar 88 delivers the goods. Enjoy a selection from classic espresso martinis and cosmos to bespoke cocktails of the month. Although they aren't included in the package, cocktails can be purchased all night from the bar. Tickets to Disco in the Sky are available to purchase on the website.
The Makers and Shakers Market will visit Melbourne again this April, bringing with it the whole kit and caboodle of bespoke ceramics, homewares and jewellery (as well as tasty food to rejuvenate you when you get the oh-no-I-just-spent-all-my-money sweats). Kick things off at 10am with a coffee, spend a few hours browsing, and then chow down on a toastie, cannoli, doughnut or meringue. The market gives space to local makers to sell their handmade wares, with everything from resin rings to tomato chutney to be found. Stallholders this time round include designer soaps from Fazeek, flowers from Little Jar of Happiness, granola from Humble Homies, whimsical lamps from Upswitch and linen homewares from Olioko Designs. And that's just the crust of the pie — there are many more to choose from when you take a full bite, and a free paper craft workshop as well. Images: Alana Dimou.
The Rochester Hotel, much loved provider of live music, trivia and oysters, will transform its upstairs space into a juke joint and furnish it with smooth blues sounds once a month. From September 1 there'll be finger pickin' and wailin' on the first Friday of every month. The inaugural night will be headlined by Rattlin' Bones Blackwood, a one-man band who boasts a kick drum and a guitar. Supports will be Dan Dinnen, Frank Bell and Jess Parker rounding off a night of old-style rollicking blues. The whole shebang will be fuelled by beer from nearby Bodriggy Brewing Co. and whiskey, so you'll be hearing and tasting the south — expect Deep South cocktails and a whale of a time. It kicks off from 7.30pm and entry is only five bucks.
If it wasn't for Violet Crumbles, the world wouldn't have quite a few things. Firstly, we wouldn't have the pleasure of biting into those chocolate-honeycomb bars themselves, and tasting that delicious flavour combination. We also wouldn't have the slogan "it's the way it shatters that matters", which is up there with the catchiest advertising lines of all time. And, Bertie Beetles wouldn't exist, because the showbag favourite was initially created to use the pieces of honeycomb left over from making — you guessed it — Violet Crumbles. Thankfully, no one needs to live in a world without either Violet Crumbles or Bertie Beetles — or, thanks to your next must-try cocktail, without Violet Crumble espresso martinis, too. The latter has just hit the market thanks to the Melbourne-based Feminaè Beverage Co, and it is indeed exactly what it sounds like. Now it's the way your caffeinated boozy tipple shatters that matters, too. Sold in hefty two-litre ready-to-drink casks, the VC espresso martinis are made with cold-drip coffee, vodka and Australian cream, and then infused with Violet Crumble honeycomb, caramel and chocolate flavours. A box will set you back $79.90, and includes 24 standard drinks — for parties, or just to keep in the fridge for when the urge strikes. You'll also get a Violet Crumble bar to shatter over the cocktails — or just to eat if you'd prefer. (Let's face it, if you're keen on this kind of espresso martini, you're already a fiend for the chocolate bar itself.) Feminaè is only releasing a limited run, which means ordering sooner rather than latter is recommended — and they're already shipping the casks out. The company also has a passionfruit and pavlova cosmo in its range — now sold out, sadly — if you're already thinking about what other sweet treats deserve to be turned into cocktails. Our suggestion: Bertie Beetles, naturally. Feminaè Beverage Co's Violet Crumble espresso martini casks are available to buy online for $79.90 while stocks last.
After a jam-packed summer, MPavilion is launching into the final month of its hefty five-month season. And to celebrate, it's throwing a good ol' party in the park, complete with live tunes and free vino. Don your dancing shoes and head along from 5pm to catch sounds and performances from the likes of DJ Brontesaurus Sex, hip hop act Roya the Destroya, hula-hooping troupe Marawa and The Majorettes, and master of illusions Kozo Kaos. Then, kicking you on into the evening will be the supremely danceable tunes of Imperial Leather and DJ JNETT. Along the way, expect plenty of dazzling costumes, roving performers and interactive hula hooping sessions. What's more, to help you limber up those hips, the folks from Shadowfax Wines will be pouring a selection of their local drops on the house. [caption id="attachment_835351" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Gollings[/caption]
It's that glorious time of year again, when cherries are ripe for the pickin'. The Victorian cherry season has hit, which means that your next few months can be spent cruising through picturesque orchards and indulging in a diet of cherry-based everything. It's also the time when CherryHill Orchards hosts its annual cherry-picking festival, running from Sunday, November 10– late December at its Coldstream location, and from Monday, November 25 until early-January at its OG Wandin East orchard. Booking in for a cherry-picking timeslot means getting two hours to pick and eat your fill of delicious fruit straight from the tree, with any extra take-home haul charged by the kilogram. You can pack your own picnic to enjoy onsite, or let Mary Eats Cake take care of you with its high-tea picnic packs. Also hitting the orchard through the festival will be a rotation of food trucks and a program of live tunes, which you can enjoy alongside scoops of CherryHill's famed cherry ice cream. Looking to amp up your experience? CherryHill has teamed up with nearby Rochford Wines to offer a wine-tasting, cherry-picking and lunch package — and with Yarra Valley Dairy to bring fine cheese into the equation. Adult tickets clock in at $21.50 on weekdays, and $25 on weekends and public holidays, with packages and extras available to add on at the time of booking.
Australia's oldest public library is one of the many venues that has had to close again in a bid to contain COVID-19. So, you can't check out its new $88.1 million transformation, but you can still access its 4.1 million digital items, including books, music, photos, magazines and more. Part of that collection are the State Library of Victoria's 19,000 ebooks. The likes of Maxine Beneba Clarke's Growing Up African in Australia and Stranger Country by Monica Tan are available to read online or download for seven days for free — all you need to do is sign up for a free library membership over here. Once you've done this, you can also take part in the library's Instagram bookclub #SLVBookClub, where you'll find staff tips and book recommendations. Those interested in Victoria's history will find hours and hours of entertainment in the library's digital image pool. It's home to 170,000 historical pics, including some serious (such as Ned Kelly and architecture), some adorable (good dogs) and some hilarious (moustaches). Elsewhere on the library's website, you'll find online galleries, archival videos, family history research tools, music and magazines. Sign up to become a State Library of Victoria member over here and explore its digital collection. Top image: State Library Victoria Ian Potter Queens Hall by Patrick Rodriguez Updated July 9, 2020.
If the Scream franchise can make another comeback — and, come January 2022, it will again — then another late 90s horror series can pop up again, too. Both Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer were penned by the same screenwriter, they each followed slashers terrorising teens and, on-screen, they pushed Party of Five cast members to the fore. Now, as Scream already did between 2015–19, I Know What You Did Last Summer is heading to the small screen. We know what you'll be doing this spring, clearly. Once again, Lois Duncan's 1973 novel of the same name will come to life — and yes, a car accident will play a pivotal part here as well. This time, the show's group of teenagers find themselves being stalked by a killer a year after their graduation night turned bloody. You know how it goes from there, with I Know What You Did Last Summer's central characters forced to try to stay alive while they're also still attempting to hide their secret — and they need to work out who's swinging weapons their way, obviously. To flesh out the underlying concept over the course of the series, this version of the story is set to ponder everything else that lurks in the key figures' seemingly perfect town, so it's taking a few more cues from Scream there as well. On-screen, Madison Iseman (Jumanji: The Next Level), Bill Heck (Locke & Key), Brianne Tju (47 Metres Down: Uncaged), Ezekiel Goodman (Dragonfly), Ashley Moore (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping), Sebastian Amoruso (Solve), Fiona Rene (Underwater), Cassie Beck (Joe Bell) and Brooke Bloom (The Sinner) will be endeavouring to survive — or, maybe one of them is the killer? Australian director and horror genre hitmaker James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw, Insidious) executive produces the series, while Sara Goodman is in the writer's chair. Amazon Prime Video will start airing I Know What You Did Last Summer from Friday, October 15, with new episodes dropping weekly until Friday, November 12. The streaming platform has also just dropped an initial teaser trailer, if you're wondering how the premise shapes up almost a quarter-century after the original film. And no, there's no word if Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe or Freddie Prinze Jr will make cameos in the series. Check out the first teaser trailer below: I Know What You Did Last Summer starts streaming via Amazon Prime Video on Friday, October 15.
Serving up high tea in Melbourne for over a century, The Hotel Windsor is a true institution, complete with elegant, delicate ribbon sandwiches. Served out of its restaurant One Eleven Spring Street, the space is adorned with glittering chandeliers, velvety chairs and stretches of Victorian-style carpet. It's a brilliantly traditional space where you can sample cakes, scones, savoury bites and some of the many speciality teas — think peppermint and lavender herbal teas and The Hotel Windsor's famous afternoon blend. If you're there outside of that time between lunch and dinner and want to have, well, lunch or dinner (or breakfast), the restaurant also has an a la carte menu and a pre-theatre menu to order from. The Spring menu includes French sparkling wine on arrival, mushroom tarts with truffle oil, lamb and rosemary sausage rolls and a braised beef cheek tart with mashed potato. When it comes to the sandwiches, you'll experience smoked salmon with capers, curried eggs with aioli and a classic chicken Waldorf. For something sweet at The Hotel Windsor, you'll enjoy honeydew melon, milk chocolate mousse, lemongrass ganache and blueberry-baked cheesecake. Finish it all off with strawberry jam and cream scones, and feel like royalty.
Last year the State Government announced some ambitious (and unprecedented) plans to expand Melbourne's rail network — ones that we were, admittedly, unsure whether to get too excited about. But it's happening. The long-debated $11 billion Metro Tunnel project has been funded and the Andrews Government has just revealed who will design and build the project, along with a first look at what it will all look like. Just to catch you up, the Metro Tunnel will see two new nine-kilometre twin tunnels and five underground train stations added to Melbourne's inner city. These new stations will be located in Parkville, North Melbourne, CBD North, CBD South and the Domain, and create a new path into the city that doesn't rely on (but connects to) the City Loop. The idea is that it will ease congestion in the City Loop and allow more trains to be getting in and out of the city. In a media release published yesterday, the Andrews Government announced that, after an extensive tender process, they've created the Cross Yarra Partnership to build and design the tunnel and stations. This partnership will involve a number of companies, led by Lendlease Engineering, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital. Along with the announcement, the first station designs have been been revealed too. They look a hell of a lot different to the inside of Melbourne Central, with first renders showing a preference for arches and what most underground stations lack: natural light. At street level, some of the new stations will also add public space. Here's a quick look at the five stations. ARDEN If you're travelling via Footscray, you'll bypass North Melbourne to get onto the Metro Tunnel, and this will be your first stop. This new station will be located in the largely industrial area of North Melbourne on Laurens Street and will service the growing residential population there. Plans for Arden show lots of natural light and bike parking at street level. PARKVILLE This station will provide an easy connection to the Royal Melbourne, Children's and Women's Hospitals, as well the University of Melbourne — at present, people looking to get here either have to get a bus from North Melbourne Station or a tram from the CBD. Parkville Station will sit on Grattan Street. CBD NORTH Located at the north-end of Latrobe Street, this new station will provide an alternative for Melbourne Central, but will still be linked via underground walkways if you do need to change lines. The new entrance at Franklin Street will also include this new green space. CBD SOUTH CBD South Station will be located just near Flinders Street Station, and you'll be able to access it from City Square, Federation Square, Swanston Street and the Degraves Street underpass. If you need to access Flinders Street Station, you'll apparently be able to do so through an underground connection. Lots of white arches planned for this one DOMAIN This station will be a gamechanger for anyone who currently has to deal with the mayhem that is changing trams at Domain Interchange. And all with a floating timber canopy on top of it. Trains from here will continue to Pakenham and Cranbourne. Construction on all this is expected to begin next year and the target completion date is 2026. We'll keep you updated on any new plans for the Metro Tunnel. Images: Metro Tunnel.
If blitzing the ARIAs and taking out the number one spot in this year's triple Hottest 100 wasn't enough for Sydney producer Flume, he's just landed himself a Grammy. The 25-year-old has just won Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards for his runaway May 2016 success Skin, beating Jean-Michel Jarre, Tycho and Louie Vega to the trophy. It's the first Grammy win for Flume, aka Harley Streten, who was also nominated for Best Dance Recording, for triple j Hottest 100 winner 'Never Be Like You', but was pipped to the post by The Chainsmokers with their popular single 'Don't Let Me Down'. Watch Flume's delightful acceptance speech here, which includes a mad shout out to Australian music: Check out Flume's exclusive anthem for Keep Sydney Open here. Image: Cybele Malinowski.
He's had his heart broken during a lusty Italian summer, romanced Saoirse Ronan in a Greta Gerwig film not once but twice, spiced up his life in a sci-fi saga and sported a taste for human flesh. The next addition to Timothée Chalamet's resume: a sweet time worshipping chocolate. Get ready for a big Timmy end of 2023, with Dune: Part Two hitting cinemas Down Under in November, then Wonka giving Roald Dahl's famous factory owner and candy man a Chalamet-starring origin story. First gracing the page almost six decades back, in 1964 when Charlie and the Chocolate Factory initially hit print, Willy Wonka has made the leap to cinemas with Gene Wilder playing the part in 1971, then Johnny Depp in 2005. The difference this time: not just Chalamet plunging into a world of pure imagination, but a film that swirls in the details of Wonka's life before the events that've already been laid out in books and filled two movies. As the just-dropped first trailer for Wonka shows, the picture's main man has a dream — and, after spending the past seven years travelling the world perfect his craft, he's willing to get inventive to make it come true. Starting a chocolate business isn't easy, especially when the chocolate cartel doesn't take kindly to newcomers. "You can't get a shop without selling chocolate, and you can't sell chocolate without a shop," the bright-eyed Willy is told early in the debut sneak peek. From there, brainwaves, optimism, determination and life-changing choices all spring, plus big vats of chocolate, chocolate that makes you fly — "nothing to see here, just a small group of people defying the laws of gravity," comments a police officer — and Willy's dedication to making "the greatest chocolate shop the world has ever seen". Also accounted for: a mood of wonder, and not just due to the umbrella-twirling dream sequences and cane-whirling dance scenes, or the leaps through fairy floss and chats with Hugh Grant (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) as an Ooompa-Loompa. Indeed, the magical tone doesn't just fit the tale; it's exactly what writer/director Paul King and his co-scribe Simon Farnaby have become known for on the Paddington films. King helmed and penned both, while Farnaby also did the latter on the second (and acted in each). The duo also worked together on wonderful and underseen 2009 film Bunny and the Bull, and on The Mighty Boosh, of which King directed 20 episodes. On-screen, Wonka's cast is as jam-packed as a lolly bag, with Chalamet and Grant joined by Farnaby (The Phantom of the Open), as well as Olivia Colman (Secret Invasion), Sally Hawkins (The Lost King), Keegan-Michael Key (The Super Mario Bros Movie), Rowan Atkinson (Man vs Bee), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey: A New Era) and Natasha Rothwell (Sonic the Hedgehog 2). Yes, you'll want a golden ticket to this. Check out the first trailer for Wonka below: Wonka releases in cinemas Down Under on December 14, 2023.
If you've done your dash with the dalgona coffee and all those failed attempts at sourdough, here's a little culinary project that might just revive your kitchen-weary soul. The minds over at global sauce company Heinz have released recipes for a series of unconventional ice creams — dubbed Creamz — starring some of the brand's most iconic condiments. Yep, mayo ice cream is a thing and it can be on the menu at your house this weekend. Over on its UK website, Heinz is now selling a range of ice cream-making kits, filled with all the ingredients and equipment needed to whip up a batch of these frozen 'Creamz', crafted on the likes of its salad cream and barbecue sauce. Unfortunately, the DIY packs are only available to UK locals, but the recipes themselves are free to download from anywhere in the world. Basically, all you'll need to do is stock up on milk, double cream and sweetened condensed milk, grab an extra bottle of your favourite Heinz condiment, and jump in the kitchen to give those crafty folk at Messina a run for their money. You can have a crack at variations like the Ketchup Creamz — which apparently works a treat topped with meringue and raspberry coulis — and a mayo-infused edition they reckon pairs well with apple and blackberry compote. Or perhaps the barbecue sauce number is more your speed, garnished with some maple syrup and crispy bacon bits. Wherever your sauce obsession lies, we recommend you clear some space in your freezer — things are about to get a little crazy. You can find all five of Heinz's Creamz recipes over at the website.
If you weren't aware, loveable hitmaker Post Malone has his own rosé. Created with award-winning Provence winemaker Alexis Cornu alongside music manager Dre London and Global Brand Equities' James Morrissey, Maison No. 9 is a classic Provencal pink wine, sporting a name inspired by Post Malone's favourite tarot card the Nine of Swords. The wine is crisp, dry and savoury, and comes in a sleek minimalist bottle sporting a tarot-inspired sword with a rose wrapped around it. The bottle also mirrors the theme of swords and knights, with a solid-glass cap shaped into battlements reminiscent of a historic medieval castle that's located near the vineyard where the wine is made. "Rosé is when you want to get a little fancy," says the diamond-certified, Grammy-nominated pop star. Following successful launches in the US and the UK that saw immense popularity — the wine sold 50,000 bottles in its first 48 hours in the UK — Malone has brought Maison No. 9 to Australia for a limited run of just 10,000 bottles. So, you're going to have to act quick if you want to get your hands on a bottle. Currently, the only way to order the rosé in Australia is through Dan Murphy's website, where you can nab a bottle for $42.99. Accompanying the Australian release of the wine is a line of merch available through the Maison No. 9 website. T-shirts sporting an image of Post Malone with the wine are available, as well as hoodies, crewneck jumpers, wine glasses, dog toys, socks and beanies, all with the wine's logo and signature sword printed on them. While you're at the website, you can also find recipes for a series of cocktails that you can make with the wine, including sangria, spritzes, rosé bloody marys and rosé palomas. 10,000 bottles of Post Malone's Maison No. 9 are available now via Dan Murphy's online.
If you're bored of holidays spent idling by a pool, sunbaking on a beach and ambling in a park, step up your holidays with these next-level adventures. With Intrepid Travel, we have selected six adventures that will take you to the planet's most extreme corners, from Antarctica's pristine icy beauty to the Himalayas' rugged peaks. Whether you seek the roar of cascading water or the silent majesty of remote landscapes, prepare to be immersed in experiences that redefine the meaning of epic. Antarctica There's nowhere on the planet quite like the extreme icy desert that is the unspoiled Antarctic wilderness. Spy penguins, whales and seals (oh my), snowshoe to the best viewpoints and learn from the talented expedition team. Start your adventure at the world's southernmost city, Ushuaia, Argentina, before boarding a vessel to the ends of the earth. Cross the infamous and unpredictable Drake Passage — it can be calm as a lake or rough and turbulent. Experience the temperature falling as you reach the Antarctic Peninsula. Daily excursions will take you to Anvers Island, Deception Island and the South Shetland Islands. Explore the icy wilderness, with backdrops of towering icebergs, impressive glaciers, imposing snow-capped peaks, and waters dotted with ice flats. Mt Everest If bushwalking and hiking are your usual weekend activities, take your excursions up a notch (or 50) with a trek to the highest peak on our planet. Tick the mighty Mt Everest off your bucket list with an expedition to Base Camp. This trip of a lifetime to Mt Everest Base Camp will take you past unfathomably high peaks, stunning alpine lakes, icy glacial plains, unforgettable vistas and to the limits of your strength. Hiking the mighty Himalayas is no walk in the park. This trip includes 12 days of hiking for up to eight hours a day, reaching altitudes of over 5000 metres. Are you up for the challenge? Iceland What's more extreme than a hike to the highest mountain? How about an island created by volcanic eruptions? Iceland is a geographical marvel — but there's more to this island than ice (and Björk). This Nordic island nation is defined by its dramatic landscape of actively rumbling volcanos, scenic fjords, natural hot springs, gushing geysers, massive glaciers and gigantic waterfalls. Iceland is frequented by volcano-loving tourists who love to take a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon, gasp at the giant Skogafoss and Detifoss waterfalls and spy the aurora borealis as they circumvent this North Atlantic island. Madagascar Madagascar isn't just a lush jungle island overloaded with cartoon characters who like to move it, move it. This lush island nation has white sand beaches, steamy, humid jungles and numerous lemur species. Connect with nature as you travel down bumpy roads bordered by baobab trees and explore the national parks, reserves and lush rainforests. This adventure isn't for those who love to watch wildlife from the comforts of sleek bedsheets and spa baths. This is for wildlife lovers who want to get up close and personal with local animals in the rainforest. Scotland Embarking to the Orkney Islands promises a captivating adventure through untamed landscapes and rugged beauty. Located off the tip of Scotland in the North Sea, these islands boast an otherworldly charm, where ancient history collides with the raw forces of nature. The Orkneys are a haven for wildlife enthusiasts, offering a sanctuary for diverse bird species, seals, and other marine life. As you traverse the untamed terrain, be prepared to witness dramatic sandstone cliffs, windswept beaches and ancient Neolithic sites, all contributing to the untamed allure of the archipelago. From the mysterious standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar to the ancient village of Skara Brae, the Orkneys tell a story of a wild, resilient landscape shaped by natural forces and its inhabitants' resilient spirit. Central Asia Kyrgyzstan's rugged mountainous terrain, including the formidable Tian Shan range, beckons adrenaline seekers with challenging trekking opportunities and high-altitude landscapes. Uzbekistan captivates with its ancient mosaic-tiled ancient cities and arid deserts. Explore both on the trip to these contrasting landscapes, encountering nomadic traditions in Kyrgyz yurt camps and exploring Uzbekistan's historic cities like Samarkand and Bukhara. Witness where the past meets the present, offering an unforgettable journey for those seeking a blend of adventure and history. Get out, explore, dive into adventure and find your WOW with Intrepid Travel. Find out more on the website.
The mercury is slowly rising again as summer nudges closer, Daylight Savings has kicked into gear and people's moods are altogether cheerier. Which means it's almost time for Melbourne to get its noodle on once again. Yep, the Night Noodle Markets are gearing up for another season, whipping Birrarung Marr into a frenzy of sounds, smells and street food from November 7 to 24. The markets' 2019 edition is dishing up a jam-packed culinary program that's as big as ever and with that comes with an eye-watering array of choice. If you're feeling a bit daunted by all that decision-making and wondering how best to navigate the smorgasbord of eats, we've got your back. Avoid any bouts of indecisiveness and squeeze the best out of your Night Noodle Markets visit with our lineup of top food picks worth checking out. Get excited for attention-grabbing noodle dishes, cloud-like soufflé pancakes and fried chicken buns that'll require both hands and a whole stack of napkins. THE BIG BOSS FLYING NOODLES, THE FLYING NOODLE Is it magic? Is it a feat of aerodynamics? No, it's simply the show-stopping signature dish from The Flying Noodle. Featuring a serve of chopsticked noodles suspended mysteriously in the air, this menu hit is designed to be devoured with your eyes, as well as your mouth. There are three gravity-defying variations on offer at this year's Night Noodle Markets, including The Big Boss, which teams those cascading egg noodles with seasonal veggies and marinated chicken in a rich red wine sauce. How do they do it? You'll just have to order one and find out. CHEESEBURGER PUFFLE, PUFFLE Everyone loves a quirky, cheesy food creation and this one's as fun to say as it is to eat. A return favourite from last year's markets, and a riff on the egg waffles you'll find at street stalls in Hong Kong, Puffle is a kind of savoury waffle cone crafted from cheese and filled with various flavour combinations. This month, Puffle is out to win you over with two different decadent versions of its dish, including the cheeseburger — an assembly of chopped bulgogi-style beef and extra melted cheese, finished with lashings of sweet and spicy ketchup, mustard and Japanese mayo — and a KFC option with spicy Korean-style fried chicken. But, whichever filling you opt for, just know you're in for a crunchy, oozy and delightfully messy ride. EYE OF THE THAI-GER, GELATO MESSINA Seventeen years on and national sweetheart Gelato Messina continues to throw down inventive frozen treats left right and centre. The purveyors of weird and wonderful dessert concoctions will be showing off their latest designs at this year's Night Noodle Markets and each is a modern reworking of some classic Thai flavours. For a tasty frozen snack you can hold in one hand, try the Eye of the Thai-ger — which looks a bit like a fluffy dessert taco. It's a satisfyingly creamy fusion of Thai milk tea gelato and cheesecake mousse cradled in a layer of tea sponge. The dessert is then dunked in soft meringue and finished with a healthy dusting of coconut. We doubt you'll want to stop at just one. CRÈME BRÛLÉE SOUFFLE PANCAKE, KUMOKUMO Master of airy-light, fluffy, Japanese-style soufflé pancakes, Kumokumo is gearing up to launch its first permanent Aussie stores soon. But Melburnians can score themselves a sneak preview when the brand descends on the Night Noodle Markets, slinging a selection of its decadent dessert creations. For a multi-textural hit, you'll want to get stuck into the crème brûlée soufflé pancake. This one stars those signature cloud-like pancake rounds, crowned with soft custard and a layer of crisp caramelised sugar, and served with a healthy splodge of mixed berry compote. KFC, BAO BROTHERS Food truck crew Bao Brothers has made a name for its clever Asian eats — namely its pillowy bao buns that come loaded with flavour combos like honey prawn and sriracha, and chicken katsu with curried egg mayo. The team's heading to this year's Night Noodle Markets with an equally creative menu in tow, slinging bites to delight vegans, meat-lovers and everyone in between. For a plant-based feed that packs a big flavour punch, see its riff on KFC: Korean-style fried cauliflower. Cauliflower florets are slathered in a Korean chilli glaze, fried till golden and crispy, and finished with a hit of lime and toasted sesame. No meat? Definitely no worries. The Melbourne Night Noodle Markets are happening at Birrarung Marr from Thursday, November 7, to Sunday, November 24. Check out the full food lineup here. Top images: Kimberley Moore
