She's already sporting a diverse lineup of eateries, a program of live tunes, art installations and even a boutique bottle shop. Now, Melbourne's new CBD food and entertainment precinct Ella has added to the family again, this time with a venue that's sure to impress the city's cocktail aficionados. Cocktail bar Byrdi is the latest venture and first Aussie project for Luke Whearty and Aki Nishikura — the bartending masterminds responsible for Singapore's multi award-winning Operation Dagger. Given the venue has claimed a spot among the World's 50 Best Bars for four years running (and currently sits at number 30), we're expecting Byrdi to bring some pretty exciting things to the party. At the bar, seasonality and locality aren't just passing flings — they're at the heart of absolutely everything Whearty and Nishikura do. Expect a constantly evolving cocktail list that showcases local ingredients sourced at their peak, with no two visits to be the same. Native botanicals are set to star throughout, while the 40-seat space itself heroes sustainable materials like bluestone and coconut husk flooring. [caption id="attachment_748355" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] Right now, you'll find sips like the In Bloome — a mix of freshly hand-picked jasmine, gin, Applewood's Red Okar, lavender tincture, mandarin vinegar and a house-made pear blossom liqueur. There's a handful of house-fermented creations, too, including a take on the much-loved Weis Bar with fermented Northern Territory mango, Gippsland cream and mango vinegar — along with highballs and a tight rotation of local craft beers and wines. The funky drops get plenty of airtime here, as do ingredients like strawberry gum and smoked davidson plum. The food lineup is concise, but clever, also built around local, seasonal goodies. Find the likes of tempura salt and vinegar green beans, grilled tiger prawns teamed with finger lime and broccolini matched with a fortified macadamia cream. Tired of decisions? Settle in with the three-course ($75) or five-course ($120) food and drink pairing menu. Byrdi joins Ella's ever-growing collection of food and drink haunts, alongside the likes of Chilli Everest, Lomah, Sam Sam and Reverie. Find Byrdi at Ella, corner Elizabeth and La Trobe streets, Melbourne. It's open from 10am–1am daily. Images: Kate Shanasy
Somehow, entirely inexplicably, we're already thinking about Christmas. This year, skip the typical department stores and instead pick out unique gifts for your family and friends at The Big Design Market. Coming to Melbourne for the eight time on the first weekend of summer, the three-day independent designer extravaganza features over 250 stallholders selling furniture, fashion, homewares, textiles, and much more. With such a wide range of products, you're sure to find something for even the pickiest people on your list. The Big Design Market always commissions an impressive installation, and this year illustrator Marc Martin will fill the Exhibition Building with a flock of colourful birds. You can also expect a smorgasbord of food options from local favourites like Gelato Messina, All Day Donuts, Q le Baker and 5 & Dime Bagels, plus cocktails from Sydney gin distillery Archie Rose and bottled negronis from The Everleigh. Each year the market also puts together a showbag of goodies from some of Melbourne and Sydney's best designers, including Erika Harder Jewellery, Kester Black, Danica Studio and Leif. A limited number will be available to purchase for $25 ($120 value). So prepare your bank account, and get ready to have your Christmas shopping done earlier than you ever have before. The market will be open from 10am–9pm on Friday, 10am–7pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday.
When Hans Zimmer composes a film score, audiences remember it. His list of credits is as massive as his love of music, spanning everything from Dune, Top Gun: Maverick and No Time to Die through to Prehistoric Planet, Wonder Woman 1984 and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run in just the past three years alone. Also on the German composer's resume: helping put the bounce in The Lion King's score — both versions — and the droning in Inception's memorable tunes, plus Thelma & Louise, Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, Blade Runner 2049 and more. We could keen naming titles — flicks like Hidden Figures, The Boss Baby, Dunkirk, Widows, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, 12 Years a Slave, Sherlock Holmes, Mission Impossible II and Pearl Harbour, for instance — but all movie lovers know that the best way to appreciate the the Oscar-, Golden Globe-, Grammy- and Tony-winning talent is to listen. And, that's exactly what the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra wants you to do on two big winter nights, thanks to its upcoming The Music of Hans Zimmer performances at Hamer Hall at Arts Centre Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_724809" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hans Zimmer[/caption] Sadly, especially if you caught his 2019 Australian tour, Zimmer himself won't be there. But Australian conductor and composer Nicholas Buc will lead the charge as the SSO plays through a selection of Zimmer's work, focusing on The Dark Knight, Gladiator, Inception, Interstellar, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lion King. Buc is no stranger to Zimmer's tunes, after conducting the world-premiere live concert for The Lion King. And, he's no stranger to this kind of event in general, with doing the same for Beauty and the Beast, and just leading live film concerts around the country and the world, also on his resume. Taking place on Wednesday, May 3 and Thursday, May 4, The Music of Hans Zimmer will also feature The Art of the Score podcast hosts Andrew Pogson and Dan Golding talking audiences through the music with Buc.
Some events are worth locking into your diary regardless of who's playing and what's brightening up the place, and Parrtjima — A Festival In Light is one of them. An annual favourite in Alice Springs, the Indigenous arts, culture and storytelling festival just might be Australia's most luminous event, as attendees will learn when it returns from Friday, April 7–Sunday, April 16. Parrtjima announced its 2023 dates last year, and also outlined its theme — 'Listening with Heart' — plus some of the light-heavy artworks that folks can look forward to. Now, it has dropped two further details: the list of musicians taking to its stages, as well as a sneak peek at what this year's installations will look like. The music bill overflows with First Nations talent, including Docker River Band, Eastern Reggae Band, Emily Wurramara, JK-47, KAIIT, Karnage and Paul Ah Chee. They'll be joined by Radical Son, Richard J Frankland, Discovering Leerpeen Mara, Rowdy Birds, The Andrew Gurruwiwi Band and The Merindas across the ten days — and with a range of dazzling backdrops. "Parrtjima is a unique experience of large-scale light installations combined with a fascinating program of not just music but also talks, workshops and film," said Northern Territory Major Events Company CEO Suzana Bishop, with the organisation delivering the event on behalf of the Northern Territory Government. "As well as being visually stunning, Parrtjima offers so many other experiences, and the chance to see some of Australia's leading Indigenous artists perform. Combined with the unique tourism offerings available in the Red Centre, Parrtjima is not to be missed." Parrtjima's 2023 theme is inspired by the artwork surrounding the Statement from the Heart. That piece depicts Uluru-Ku Tjukurrpa, the Uluru story of connection, and was created by a group of artists from Multijulu as led by Maruku artist Rene Kulitja. So, Kulitja will work with other of artists for Parrtjima to turn the Statement from the Heart artwork into a large-scale immersive light and sound installation. That means that Parrtjima attendees will find themselves plunged in the world of the Aṉangu people of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands surrounding Uluru. The idea is to feature ancient songlines, plus Indigenous viewpoints on Country, as well as connecting to First Peoples' strong links with the land, water and sky. Two things that'll also be on the bill: two of the festival's regular annual attraction, aka a huge artwork that transforms a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic, 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival; and Grounded, the installation projected over the red dirt at tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park. Free to attend, Parrtjima is just one of Northern Territory's two glowing attractions in 2023, with Australia's Red Centre lighting up in multiple ways. The festival is a nice supplement to Bruce Munro's Field of Light installation, which — after multiple extensions — is now on display indefinitely. PARRTJIMA — A FESTIVAL IN LIGHT 2023 MUSIC LINEUP: Docker River Band Eastern Reggae Band, Emily Wurramara JK-47 KAIIT Karnage (DJ) Karnage n Darknis Paul Ah Chee Radical Son Richard J Frankland Discovering Leerpeen Mara Rowdy Birds (DJ) The Andrew Gurruwiwi Band The Merindas Parrtjima – A Festival in Light will run from Friday, April 7–Sunday, April 16, 2023 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival 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.
You screamed for it, and now Lisa Valmorbida of Pidapipo Gelateria is giving you your goddamn ice cream, Melbourne. Maxing out demand at her wildly popular Carlton gelato shop, Valmorbida is moving south of the river and opening a second one on Chapel Street, Windsor today, Friday, April 8. A new Pidapipo was never going to open quietly, but they've made sure they'll throw open their doors to an absolute furore this afternoon — they're offering free gelato. Uh huh. They'll be giving out free scoops of the stuff to punters from 4pm, when they officially open the Windsor store. Our advice? Get there early. Pidapipo will join a whole cohort of Windsor noms, including Hawker Hall, Tokyo Tina and Gelato Messina, which just opened on the strip last year. So now you can have their insane out-of-this-world pistachio no matter what side of the city you're on. Pidapipo Windsor will open at 4pm on Friday, April 8 at 85 Chapel Street, Windsor. For more info, visit their Facebook page. Via Good Food.
Add another huge festival to your calendar, and thank Norwegian DJ Kygo in the process. Not only is the 'Stole the Show', 'Here for You', 'Stay' and 'It Ain't Me' talent one of the headliners at Palm Tree Music Festival when it makes its Australian debut in 2023 — the former bedroom producer is also behind the whole shindig, creating it with his manager Myles Shear. Until now, the fest has played The Hamptons, New York, Cabo, Mexico and Croatia, and proven a hit in the process. Next year, it'll add a trip Down Under to its itinerary for the first time ever, rolling into Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in mid-March. While Kygo brings the fest some sizeable star power, he's not its only high-profile DJ doing the honours for the event's maiden Aussie run. Also hitting the decks is Tiësto, aka one of the biggest names in electronic music in the world for the past couple of decades. From initially getting mainstream attention back in 2000 with his remix of Delerium's 'Silence' through to his 2020 hit 'The Business' and 2022's Charlie XCX collaboration 'Hot In It' — and plenty in-between — the Dutch DJ will have quite the back catalogue of tracks to mix into his set. With its holiday-friendly name, it should come as no surprise that Palm Tree Music Festival takes inspiration from Kygo's stints touring the world. Expect a cruisy vibe set to EDM's greatest and latest, too. Also joining the bill so far, heading to Showgrounds Dome in Sydney, Brisbane's Riverstage and Melbourne Showgrounds: Lost Frequencies, Sam Feldt and Frank Walker. A lineup of local talent will be announced at a later date. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Palm Tree Music Festival (@palmtreefestival) PALM TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 AUSTRALIAN LINEUP: Tiësto Kygo Lost Frequencies Sam Feldt Frank Walker PALM TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 AUSTRALIAN DATES: Friday, March 10 — Showgrounds Dome, Sydney Saturday, March 11 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, March 12 — Melbourne Showgrounds Palm Tree Music Festival heads to Australia in March 2023. Tickets presales start at 11am AEDT on Friday, October 14, with general sales from 10am AEDT on Thursday, October 20. For more information, head to the festival promoter's website. Top image: Ss279 via Wikimedia Commons.
While Australians are practising social distancing in a bid to contain COVID-19, Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan wants people to "binge on study" rather than "bingeing on Netflix". And the government is helping you do just that by slashing the prices of some online short-course degrees and diplomas. Hosted by "world-class universities and private providers", the reduced-price courses will start in early May and run for six months. They'll allow unemployed Aussies to retrain in "national priority areas", such as nursing, teaching, health, IT and science — areas in which the country is going to to need trained workers "as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic", Tehan said in a statement. The price of the courses will be cut significantly, too, with Tehan telling SBS that "the cost of these courses has been reduced by over 50 percent, and in some instances up to 74 percent." In an interview with ABC Radio on Monday, April 13, Tehan revealed that six-month courses in nursing, teaching, counselling, English, maths, foreign languages and agriculture will be $1250, while allied health, other health, IT, architecture and building, science engineering, medical science and environmental studies will set you back $2500. Similarly to other university courses, you'll be able to get a HELP loan, which you'll then repay when you start earning above a certain threshold. There'll be two types of short-courses available, according to Tehan: graduate certificates with some prerequisites and diploma certificates that require no prior learning. "You could either use them to reskill, or you can use them to change careers, or just to start learning," Tehan said in the interview. To enrol in one of these six-month courses, you'll need to apply directly to a university — but you may need to wait a couple of weeks. As Tehan told ABC Radio, "courses [are] being developed as we speak, which will be ready to go in the early weeks of May". Swinburne University, which already has a range of online teaching courses, says in a statement on its website that it's "working with the Federal government and developing short courses in the priority areas of teacher education, health, mental health and counselling, aged care and information technology" and more information will be available in coming weeks. The cheap courses are part of the Federal Government's higher-education relief package, which also includes $18 billion in domestic student payments (regardless of enrolments) and $100 million in regulatory fee relief and six-month exemptions of loan fees associated with Fee-Help and VET Student Loans for students. In NSW, TAFE has already begun offering 21 fee-free short courses to help people diversify their skills during COVID-19. Six-month online courses in 'national priority' areas are to be offered at public and private universities across the country from early May. To enrol, you'll need to apply directly to a university.
In 2011's Le Havre, Aki Kaurismäki explored Europe's refugee crisis in his trademark way: with empathy, a droll sense of humour and a bittersweet outlook. He tackles the same subject with the same approach in The Other Side of Hope, although you could never accuse the Finnish filmmaker of simply retracing his own footsteps. Rather, the writer-director steps from a tale of transition to one of acceptance. It's a shift that not only reflects global events over the past seven years, but also comes with a much-needed message. What the world needs now is compassion, Kaurismäki posits — an idea that applies when asylum seekers arrive in prosperous nations searching for better lives. The Other Side of Hope begins when Syrian refugee Khaled (Sherwan Haji) hops off a boat in Helsinki. Looking for a new home far from Aleppo, he just wants the chance to start afresh, however Finland proves far from welcoming. Meanwhile, leaving his wife and his old salesman life behind to enter the restaurant trade, Waldemar Wikström (Sakari Kuosmanen) requires help getting his new business going. Both men are fleeing their respective pasts, but Wikström's plight can't compare to Khaled's, and the film doesn't claim otherwise. Instead, after Wikström spies Khaled hiding behind his eatery, the movie shows how an act of kindness shapes their intertwined fortunes. In other hands, a parade of cheesy cliches would ensue, but Kaurismäki isn't any other filmmaker. There's a reason that he's considered Finland's best living auteur, and why his movies receive widespread international attention. While they're the kind of plaudits that every director dreams of, no one views the world quite like Kaurismäki. He fills his frames with characters that wear their eccentricities on their sleeves, yet couldn't be more relatable. He shows people struggling with all types of problems, both commonplace and more extreme, while still banding together because it's the right thing to do. Further, he charts life's ups and downs without avoiding its sorrows, but never removing optimism from the equation either. Indeed, there's a word that sums up his work perfectly: humane. Another word springs to mind: absurd. It's evident when a fight quickly turns into a job offer and when salted herring is served up as sushi, two of the movie's wry, hilarious developments. From its deadpan humour to its rockabilly soundtrack, The Other Side of Hope is often offbeat, albeit in a very specific way. Kaurismäki isn't trying to make an over-the-top comedy — instead, his film recognises how odd everyday existence really can be. It's why his cast turn in portrayals that seem naturalistic as well as a little detached, whether the world-weary Kuosmanen is grimacing through a poker game or the scene-stealing Haji is relaying Khaled's background with a calm demeanour. Lensed by Kaurismäki's regular cinematographer Timo Salminenn, the movie's visuals operate in the same manner as the performances. Every shot overflows with lifelike detail, with smoke hanging in the air and pain oozing from a stranger's glare, yet every image feels like it has been meticulously arranged. It's the same sensation that great still-life paintings evoke: of not only capturing reality, but capturing the artist's unique perspective along with it. Of course, The Other Side of Hope isn't a static image frozen in time. Observed with the same compassion it champions, and proving as earnest as it is amusing, the film is an intricately composed portrait brimming with melancholy, sincerity and worldwide relevance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asR1B7NrhQQ
Hold onto your hats because things are about to get fizzy. On Saturday, February 22, The Prosecco Festival returns for its eighth annual edition, transforming Abbotsford Convent into an oasis of effervescence. Needless to say, bubbles will be the order of the day as leading prosecco producers from Australia and Italy show off their finest fizz across two sessions (11am–3pm, 4.30–8.30pm). Tickets start from $65, which gets you entry, a tote bag and a reusable tulip-shaped glass, plus four hours of unlimited tastings. You'll sample over 50 different proseccos from locals like Pizzini, Dal Zotto, Brown Brothers and Vino Intrepido; and Italian labels including Bandini, Calneggia, Rigoni and Divici. Even Kylie Minogue's signature prosecco rosé will be pouring. Other fizz-related delights will include local craft brews, cider and a spritz menu from the Van Di Vino prosecco van, plus Edenvale Wines will offer a range of alcohol-removed vinos. Meanwhile, an Italian-accented food offering is set to feature bites like arrostocini, arancini, Milawa cheese and desserts by The Pav Queen. Feeling festive? Nab a $120 VIP ticket and you'll also enjoy an additional snack-matched tasting masterclass led by The Prosecco Queen Melissa Brauer. And for the first time ever, the Oratory is hosting kick-ons for The Prosecco Festival, playing 90s bangers from 8.45–10.30pm ($30 entry).
Take Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and add it to the rare list of sequels that transcend their predecessors. Picking up the story around ten years after Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the opening titles paint a bleak picture of a world brought to the brink of extinction via the so-called 'Simian Flu'. Brink of extinction for humanity, that is, because the apes, by contrast, have flourished. Under the strict yet compassionate leadership of Caesar (once again made inconceivably lifelike thanks to Andy Serkis's performance and the remarkable team at WETA), the apes have now adopted a number of human traits and habits: communication through sign language, horse riding, spear wielding and even the establishment of some rudimentary written rules — chief amongst which is: APE NOT KILL APE. Given the descent into murderous anarchy by the scattered human survivors of the virus, that proclamation is intended as a critical point of difference for Caesar, a mark of pride and proof of primate primacy. It's also, unfortunately, delusory, and it is in that realm of 'innocence lost' that Dawn spends most of its time. With rivalries and jealousies brewing between both father and son and leader and lieutenant, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is something of a modern-day Richard III. What makes it so compelling is that none of the villains — ape or human — are without their justifiable reservations and prejudices. Koba, for example, is Caesar's unfailingly loyal friend and bodyguard, yet he bares the scars of cruel human testing and holds no affection for the survivors. On the human side, the leader of the survivors' colony (Gary Oldman) sees only the faces of his dead wife and children whenever confronted by apes, and his determination to restore power to the city has no room for the kind of simian compassion shown by his lieutenant (Jason Clarke). Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is smaller in both scale and ambition than Rise yet feels so much bigger and more satisfying. It's an 'us and them' tale, a prelude to war where neither side is as unified as they might think. The direction by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) is technical and delicate, aided by sumptuous cinematography and special effects that are nothing short of exquisite, with even the most intense closeup failing to betray even the tiniest flaw in design. If anything, the CGI apes outperform the humans in almost every scene in which screen time is shared. Tender, tense, intelligent and morally complex, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is an outstanding film and a genuine contender for blockbuster of the year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3sHMCRaS3ao
Chocoholics and fans of Sydney's resident macaroon maestro Adriano Zumbo will no doubt be titillated to learn that the popular patissier has created three limited edition Tim Tam flavours about to hit stores. The collaboration celebrates the 50th birthday of Australia's iconic biscuit (which, incidentally, we as a nation consume over 45 million packets of annually). The new Tim Tam flavour combinations are pretty tame for Zumbo, but they're exciting in supermarket-aisle terms: salted caramel, choc brownie and raspberry white choc. Coles, Woolies and selected independent grocers will start selling "treat packs" of them in March. For those who just can't wait till then, Zumbo will be holding two preview tasting events in Sydney and Melbourne. It's a first-in, best-dressed kind of thing, so get in early if you want the chance to sample the new Tim Tams and try some Tim Tam-inspired treats (Tim Tam Zonut?) “It was an honour to personally develop my own range of Tim Tam biscuits. I grew up on the iconic Aussie bikkie and it’s a joy to be able to put my own twist on it,” said Zumbo. Sydney preview tasting: Wednesday, February 19, 4-8pm, Shop 1, Cafe Court, The Star, 80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont Melbourne preview tasting: Thursday, February 20, 7am- 7pm, Zumbo Patisserie, 14 Claremont Street, South Yarra
If you're thirty-plus (either chronologically, or in terms of your musical tastes) and finding triple j increasingly unsuitable to your aural palette, then you're probably going to love the ABC's latest move. Yesterday afternoon, the broadcaster announced that, as of 5pm, digital music channel Dig had come under triple j's management. Essentially, the plan is to revamp Dig as a 'triple j for over-thirties'. In other words, the program will be shaped by the types of artists that originally informed the triple j ethos. Think Tex Perkins, Eskimo Joe, Nick Cave and their musical progeny. About 75 percent of the playlist will be comprised of new music (triple j's is about 90 percent that way) and the other 25 percent will be made up of classics familiar to '70s and '80s babies. Each week, there'll be a minimum of four pre-recorded, guest-programmed segments. Anticipated curators include Billy Bragg, Sarah Blasko, Adalita, Missy Higgins, Bernard Fanning, Tex Perkins, David Bridie, Eskimo Joe, Clare Bowditch and Moby. During the next six months, Dig is asking listeners to let the station know exactly what they want to hear, and how they want it presented. The channel will be officially launched in its new format in April 2014. "Over the last few years, there have been many voices calling out for a station like this," commented Dig Music's content director Meagan Loader, "and the input of those voices during this initial stage is hugely valuable. We are so excited to be able to evolve with our listeners and create something truly unique." Dig Music is available online at www.digmusic.net.au, on mobile phones via the ABC Radio App, and through both digital radio and television.
Pablo Picasso jammed plenty of creativity into his 91-year life, including paintings, sculptures, prints, ceramics, stage design, plays, poetry and more. During the 1930s, he also etched and engraved a set of 100 pieces, in a series that was named after the art dealer who commissioned them: The Vollard Suite. Produced over an eight-year period, the collection takes inspiration from stories, tales and myths, as well as the human form, his mistress and politics at the time. In other words, it proves an artistic overview of his favoured themes and fascinations, while also offering an autobiography of sorts. It's the kind of intimate work that gives fans an insight into the Spanish master beyond his more famous pieces. As it happens, Canberra's National Gallery of Australia is one of the few institutions in the world to boast a complete set, and it's being so kind as to send the collection down our way for a spell. You'll be able to catch The Vollard Suite at the Ballarat Art Gallery for two months from February 22, 2019. Image: Pablo Picasso, Spain 1881 - France 1973, Minotaure aveugle guidé par une fillette dans la nuit. [Blind minotaur led by a little girl at night.] between 3-7 December and 31 December 1934, or 1 January 1935 from the Vollard Suite (97). Etching and scraper, printed in black ink. National Gallery of Australia. ©Succession Picasso. Licensed by Viscopy, 2017.
A brand new restaurant has cropped up in inner west Sydney that looks poised to take the Australian food scene by storm. Nestled in the heart of Camperdown, the menu at The Corner is jam packed with fashionable dining options, from lentil and eggplant salad to roast Moroccan chicken breast, tomato and bocconcini Caprese salad to...Wait a minute, are those McNuggets? Yes, Sydney's hottest new eatery turned out to be a Maccas in disguise. Described by the fast food giant as a 'learning lab', the site will be used to trial a bunch of new menu options, presumably in a bid to combat their flagging sales. Which is all very well and good, but come on. Brioche McMuffins? Pulled pork Quarter Pounders? What kind of twisted bait and switch is the Hamburglar trying to pull? Of course, the reality is that a bit of sneaky rebranding is de rigueur for companies like these. McDonald's isn't the first chain to try and capture a trendier market share, and it certainly won't be the last. Here are four other examples of mass producing omnicorps attempting to cash in on foodie culture. YOUR FAVOURITE CORNER COFFEE JOINT TURNED OUT TO BE A STARBUCKS No self-respecting coffee lover would ever be caught dead in Starbucks. That is, unless they didn’t know it was a Starbucks. In an attempt to raise sales in the wake of the global recession, the massive coffee chain started to revamp a number of its US and European locations in 2010, removing all traces of the company name save for a nauseating caveat that the 'new' stores were 'inspired by Starbucks'. The good news is that Australia's coffee snobbery has already killed close to three quarters of the Starbucks locations down under, so our chances of being hoodwinked are fairly slim. That is, unless they just said they were closing all those stores. Maybe it was just a trick. Maybe they never left at all. BURGER KING TRIED OUT 'SODA PAIRINGS' It's common knowledge that certain wines go better with certain foods. All Burger King tried to do was apply that same basic principal to soft drink in 2014. Taped half-heartedly to the side of a soda fountain, their pairings seem somewhat arbitrary to me, but then again I'm no sommelier. After a hearty Angus Burger and onion rings, who's to say that a 'crisp, clear bodied' Sprite doesn’t sit better on the palate than a Diet Coke? Honestly, this feeble attempt at classing up the joint isn't so much insidious as it is really, really lame. That being said, nothing goes well with Dr. Pepper. YOUR AVERAGE BP SERVO SANDWICH WENT ALL 'ARTISAN' When they're not too busy pumping oil into the ocean, it turns out BP make freshly baked artisan bread. And brew 100 percent organic coffee. And build rescue shelters for injured puppies. Okay fine, so I made up that last one. But the other two are apparently staples of Jack & Co., self-described as "the freshest convenience stores in the world". The original store was fused to a BP service station in 2012, but recent openings in Taree, NSW have evolved into their own faux-gourmet, corporate guilt-alleviating entities. YOUR KFC ZINGER COMBO WILL HAVE CRAFT BEER FOR THE DRINK Face it: if Mickey D is targeting hipsters, this lot were never far behind. Kudos to the Colonel for at least having the giblets to keep the initials — not that KFC actually stands for anything anymore. In any case, Parramattans will soon be able to get beer and cider with their original recipe, when 'KFC Urban' is granted a liquor licence later in 2015. Like McDonald's, KFC has been falling behind in the fast food arms race, losing younger customers to chains like Nandos and Grill’d. Rather than serving up a kale burger, their solution is apparently to just get everybody sloshed. Frankly, I have absolutely no problem with that. Images: The Corner, Fast Company, Imgur, Jack & Co., KFC.
When you feel like hitting the water, you don't need to head straight for the sea. Instead, hook up the boat and take a cruise to one of Australia's many serene inland lakes or rivers that offer everything you need for an incredible boating trip with your closest mates. Keep yourself entertained on the water by loading up some fishing rods and snorkelling gear. You can also throw in the new ultra-portable Sonos Roam — it features a drop-resistant design and waterproofing technology — to make sure your on-water getaway comes with your very own soundtrack. [caption id="attachment_813546" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pittwater, Destination NSW[/caption] PITTWATER, NEW SOUTH WALES Pittwater is ideal for those looking for a quick escape from Sydney. Situated about an hour's drive from the CBD, this 18.4-square-kilometre estuary boasts a remarkably diverse landscape and incredible scenery. You can spot everything from mangrove wetlands and salt marshes to sand flats and seagrass meadows. While the waterway features plenty of nooks and crannies that are well worth dropping anchor to explore, the expansive, grassy lands of The Basin offer opportunities for fishing, swimming and beachfront barbecues. It's also home to one of the area's only campgrounds. [caption id="attachment_813653" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jack van Tricht, Unsplash[/caption] LAKE SOMERSET, QUEENSLAND Situated about a 1.5-hour drive from Brisbane, Lake Somerset is a prime destination for Queensland boating enthusiasts. This picturesque spot is one of the state's top places for water sports, so don't be surprised to find dozens of people ripping up the freshwater lake with jet skis and speedboats. There are a number of private campgrounds, holiday houses and retreats dotted around the 42.1-square-kilometre lake, too, if you're looking to make a trip out of it. Prefer to indulge in some peaceful fishing away from the crowds? Nearby Lakes Wivenhoe and Atkinson are worth a visit. [caption id="attachment_813549" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nelson Bay, Destination NSW[/caption] PORT STEPHENS, NEW SOUTH WALES As far as marine playgrounds go, Port Stephens is undoubtedly one of Australia's most impressive. The Great Lakes Marine Park consists of an estimated 980 square kilometres of waterways that provide virtually limitless offshore adventures. If you're coming from the city (or Newcastle, from which Port Stephens is about a 40-minute drive north) you don't have to worry about bringing up your own boat, with a number of boat hire shops dotted around the estuary that makes exploring every corner of the region easy. Popular pitstops include the Karuah and Myall Rivers, which are perfect for a relaxing cruise through beautiful national parks. [caption id="attachment_813554" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mildura, Visit Victoria[/caption] MURRAY RIVER, VICTORIA/NEW SOUTH WALES You won't find many inland boating trips quite as special as cruising down the mighty Murray River. Stretching over 2500 kilometres, this winding waterway is the third-longest navigable river in the world and stretches from the alpine Snowy Mountains, along the Victorian border and into the Great Southern Ocean via South Australia's Lake Alexandrina. You're welcome to climb aboard a throwback paddle steamer or even rent a houseboat if you want to complete the journey in style with riverfront towns like Mildura, Swan Hill and Renmark making for outstanding stops along the way. [caption id="attachment_813720" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Patrick Ryan, Unsplash[/caption] GOLD COAST WATERWAYS, QUEENSLAND Weaving in and around the Gold Coast is a labyrinth of waterways that ensures boaties can see every side of the city from the water. With so much space to cover, knowing which direction to point your vessel is no mean feat. Runaway Bay is a fine place to start, as you can calmly sail along the wide waterways and tie up at one of the restaurants or cafes lining the local rivers and canals. Further along, the Coomera River is another great pick, with Sanctuary Cove's Marine Village offering a selection of high-end eateries and boutiques well worth the stop. [caption id="attachment_813563" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] LAKE MACQUARIE, NEW SOUTH WALES As Australia's largest coastal saltwater lake, Lake Macquarie has everything you need for a top-notch boating adventure. Locals here love the water, so you'll find lavishly appointed marinas, yacht clubs and jetties in the towns around the lake to make your trip a smooth one. Keen anglers won't be disappointed in Lake Macquarie — the region was zoned as a Recreational Fishing Haven in 2002, so you can while away the hours at your leisure. Plus, there's a high chance of spotting a much-loved dolphin that has made Marmong Point its home for the last few years. [caption id="attachment_813552" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josie Withers, Visit Victoria[/caption] GIPPSLAND LAKES, VICTORIA The largest network of inland waterways in Australia, the Gippsland Lakes are bursting with things to see and do. There's no shortage of remarkable places to dock, but Barrier Landing's jetty and lagoon are especially rewarding for those who love fishing and wildlife spotting. If you're on the lookout for something a bit more heart-pumping, the waters surrounding Raymond Island are the go-to spot for water skiing. The island itself is also one of the best places in Victoria to get up close with koalas in their natural habitat. Further south, consider mooring at Ninety Mile Beach for a delightful picnic on the sand and a chance to spot humpback whales migrating along the coast. Connecting Ninety Mile Beach with Gippsland Lakes is the relaxed town of Lakes Entrance. Probably the region's headline destination, the popular beachfront town is perfect for experiencing the glistening waters in relative peace. [caption id="attachment_813734" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ezykron, Wikimedia Commons[/caption] LAKE BOONDOOMA, QUEENSLAND Drive through the flourishing wine region of South Burnett and you'll arrive at Lake Boondooma. Since being dammed in 1983, the area has transformed into a popular water sport and fishing destination, attracting visitors from across the state eager to spend a tranquil day on the water. Situated deep within the Queensland backcountry, Lake Boondooma offers a great chance to switch off and enjoy the serenity for a couple of days. Once you've finished carving up the lakefront, pitch a tent at one of the nearby campgrounds or book a cabin for the night. Find out more about the new Sonos Roam at the official website. Top image: Unsplash
When it comes to Melbourne's greenest inner city patches, the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria tops the list. The South Yarra site stretches across 38 hectares, features more than 8500 plant species, and lets Melburnians wander past grassy lawns, sprawling lakes and oh-so-many trees, ferns and other plants. From Thursday, November 19, it'll also be home to a brand new area, with the venue opening a sizeable 'arid garden'. As the name suggests, this section of the site is all about resilient and hardy plants that can survive in arid conditions. Yes, that means cacti and succulents. There'll be more than 3000 of them, in fact, spanning 400 different species — so you won't just be peering at the kinds of potted green babies you've already got on your shelves at home. Cacti and succulents come in a huge array of colours, flowers and textures, all of which will be on display here. And they're all arranged in a striking way, too. From a bird's eye view, the arid garden has been plotted out to resemble the molecular structure of an aeonium succulent. You won't get that vantage while you're wandering through its criss-crossing pathways, of course, but that's an impressive design feature nonetheless. Something you definitely will see: huge plants from South America and Arizona. Some of the arid garden's inclusions weigh up to 250 kilograms — and some are also more than 80 years old. Best access by entering via gate C, the arid garden is just one of the Royal Botanic Gardens' planned new additions, with its 2020–2040 Melbourne Gardens Master Plan outlining a heap of proposed changes — including a including a new nature and science precinct with an underground vault and herbarium building that'll be able to house the State Botanical Collection 1.5 million-specimen collection, a performance amphitheatre, and a new Birrarung Gate that celebrates the Aboriginal landscape. Find the new arid garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra — entering via gate C.
It's no secret that Adelaide's live music scene is one of the most thriving in the country — though this is probably not a surprise when you consider the city has given the world artists like Jimmy Barnes, Sia, Hilltop Hoods and Paul Kelly. When it comes to live music festivals though, the cities in the east tend to get the biggest acts. Until this November, that is, when brand-new festival Harvest Rock will take over Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina for two massive days. Headlining the bill is Jack White (pictured below), with The White Stripes frontman playing his only Australian show at Harvest Rock. And he'll be joined by plenty more international talent — The Black Crowes, Khruangbin and Groove Armada are all on the roster, as are The Lumineers, Hot Chip and Sam Fender. We reckon that's a lineup worth planning a weekend in Adelaide for. From the local contingent, Crowded House will bring a hefty dose of nostalgia, while The Avalanches, Courtney Barnett, You Am I and Tones And I will also take to the stage. Hailing from Secret Sounds, the crew behind Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival, Harvest Rock's two-day run will also place a big focus on the other part of its moniker: food. That'll include a dedicated stage for chef and bar stars to showcase their skills, a marquee serving up curated bites by chef Jake Kellie (arkhé, Burnt Ends) and a food-truck park. Plus, the bar lineup is being curated by Australian wine critic Nick Stock, and features Archie Rose Distilling Co pouring spirits, wine tastings at a cellar door pop-up, a beer hall and a champagne bar. One watering hole will be a LGBTQI+ space, too, and there'll also be a booze-free bar for anyone keen on avoiding a post-fest hangover. Harvest Rock will take over Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, November 19–Sunday, November 20. Tickets are on sale now. For more details and to purchase tickets, head to the Harvest Rock website.
The Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road boast scenic sights as far as the eye can see, but that's not their own attraction. Both areas are also home to a combined chocolaterie and ice creamery. Exploring the countryside, snacking on hand-crafted chocolates, licking your way through an array of gelato flavours — what's not to love? Come Wednesday, December 26, the Mornington Peninsula will also join its regional counterparts, welcoming its very own purveyor of sweets. It's the third venue for Ian and Leanne Neeland, who've created a petite-sized sibling to their Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road stores. As well as serving up chocolate and ice cream in the seaside town of Flinders, their new location will also feature a brownie bar. Taking over the space formerly occupied by Mornington Peninsula Chocolates on Cook Street, the similarly named but Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery will combine a bit of the old and the new — although, regarding which is which, it depends on how you look at it. The store will continue to make truffles in flavours made popular by the site's previous owners, such as chilli and tequila, blood orange and tonka beans, and tangy lime caramel. Indeed, it'll focus on truffles in a big way. And, it'll sell 180 unique chocolate varieties made by Belgian and French chocolatiers Thomas Wierinck and Anna Guinet, who also provide the sweets for the Neelands' other spots. Among the chocolate range, nut clusters, rocky road, giant chocolate freckles, and choc-coated ginger, honeycomb and nougat will all be on offer. At the ice creamery, 16 styles of Italian gelato will be available, too. And as for the brownie bar, it'll bake up a revolving menu that includes triple choc, mint, Cherry Ripe, Nutella and Baileys varieties. Milkshakes, hot chocolates and barista-made coffee will also be on the menu. If you're super keen on chocolate (who isn't?), you'll also be able to enjoy a 20-minute hosted tasting session, which'll take place at 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm each day. Or, you can book into a chocolate discovery class, where you'll not only taste a few choccies — you'll also make some. Find Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery at 45 Cook Street, Flinders — open Monday to Sunday from 9am–5pm.
Television has delivered many great characters over the decades, but Leslie Knope is the best there is. As played to perfection by Amy Poehler, she's the determined, passionate and persistent local government employee and later politician — not to mention a huge fan of waffles and Joe Biden, too — that we all wish really existed. Where The Office turns a regular paper company's operations into must-see comedy, Parks and Recreation weaves the same magic with the titular department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. Creators Mike Schur and Greg Daniels worked on both shows, but P&R evolves into its own overwhelmingly good-natured, heartwarming, hilarious creation. If you wanted to call it literally the best TV comedy of the 21st century, Chris Traeger-style, we'd wholeheartedly agree with you. And yes, with Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott and Rob Lowe among its cast, it's the show that just keeps giving.
In what's proving to be a huge year for new places to stay in Brisbane, Fortitude Valley has just welcomed its next addition: The Calile Hotel. Two years in the making — as anyone that spotted the constant construction site on James Street will know — the seven-storey, 175-room spot is calling itself 'Australia's first urban resort'. Yes, that means that going for a splash in the central pool, lazing around in cabanas or on a sun lounge, and eating on the hotel's outdoor deck are all on the agenda. So is hanging out at the spa, which is also open to the general public, and just making the most of Brissie's climate. The white brick design, by architects Richards and Spence, certainly highlights the tropical side of things. Think open-air spaces and breezeways, natural ventilation and plants aplenty, as well as a cool, soothing colour scheme. Inside the rooms, guests will find oak furniture, cork floors and sisal matting in the bathrooms, day beds for afternoon naps, linen robes and a mini bar stocked from local suppliers. Recognising how sunny the city gets, every room is also fitted with motorised blackout blinds. If you need to escape the glow, the in-suite Chromecast and sound bar will help as well. Rooms start from just over $200, with The Calile also featuring nine suites and two premier suites, complete with poolside and terrace-style balconies as well as two private rooftop terraces — for when you're feeling like splashing some cash around. Operated by TFE Hotels Collection, other drawcards include the all-day Lobby Bar, the opening of Hellenika's first Brisbane digs — bringing the Gold Coast's favourite Greek eats to town — and meeting and function rooms that can cater for up to 500 people, including an outdoor amphitheatre. The Calile joins W Hotel Brisbane, the Ovolo Inchcolm Hotel in Spring Hill, the Novotel in South Bank, the new Emporium (also in South Bank) and the revamped Ovolo in Fortitude Valley among the fresh staycation spots opening their doors across the city in 2018. It will boast one unique highlight, too — Ada Lane, a micro-precinct filled with five bars and eateries, that's set to open later this year. Find The Calile Hotel at 48 James Street, Fortitude Valley. Images: Sean Fennessy.
A European beach club-inspired pop-up has arrived in QV Melbourne, offering up two temporary bars throughout summer. QV Club will run until March, offering visitors the option to unwind with a drink in hand or swing by on weekends for live music and DJ sets. The two pop-up bars that have made their home at QV Club are run by Father's Office who will deliver food over to you in the QV club if you're looking for a bite to eat. The shipping container bar is pouring beers, while those looking for something a bit stronger can head over to the cocktail caravan to try out its special Aboslut Watermelon cocktail the QV Club Watermelon Smash. Also on offer: Aperol spritzes, frozen margs, pina coladas, a selection of beer and wine, and 750ml bottles of Mumm champagne for $69. Those heading to the CBD for weekend drinks can start at QV Club, which will host DJ sets every Friday and Saturday from 5pm, with live bands making appearances on select weekends.
One of the UK's most versatile and interesting directors, Michael Winterbottom, is a hard man to pigeonhole. Teaming again with Steve Coogan, whom he collaborated with on 24 Hour Party People and the wonderful The Trip, his latest is a biopic of Paul Raymond, the controversial figure who became the 'King of Soho', pulling crowds with risque theatre at his nightclub and successfully branching out into the world of magazines with his bestselling lad's mag, Men Only. The action opens with a shaken Raymond (Coogan) pondering tragic events involving his daughter and driving around the district of London he rules with a small child, pointing out the business he owns, markers not just of his great wealth but also his striving for respectability. His rise was marked by his audacity and knack for turning setbacks to his advantage — when a newspaper condemns one of his theatrical productions for including "arbitrary displays of naked flesh", he slaps the quote on the promotional poster as a selling point. After leaving his family for his mistress, Richmond finds himself on the wrong end of an expensive divorce settlement ("I think you'll find it's the most expensive divorce settlement in UK history" he corrects reporters), but remains focused on empire building. Along the way he reconnects with his daughter Debbie (an excellent Imogen Poots), whose ambitions of stardom are not accommodated by the public and whose frail confidence is boosted by lashings of champagne and cocaine. Moving from the swinging sixties to the darker onset of disco, Raymond continues to show an unerring sense for what the public want and gleefully pushes the boundaries with his magazines and live shows. He intuited what the public wanted was a taste of his hedonistic, womanising lifestyle. Yet behind the glamorous facade, there was a melancholy underside to his life, with Raymond's inability to let go of his humble beginnings and his unusual relationship with his daughter forming the wounded heart of this impressive biopic. Impeccable in its period detail and scored by the sweeping melodrama of Burt Bacharach songs, The Look of Love gives the always watchable Coogan meaty, complex material to wrestle with. Some will be disappointed at the way it brushes over the darker corners of his porn empire; Raymond had a way of deflecting difficult questions that the film also uses. Whether Raymond deserves such a sympathetic biography is debatable, but there is no questioning the aplomb with which Coogan and Winterbottom have brought this contradictory and ultimately quite sad figure to life. https://youtube.com/watch?v=t3OxrgrD0VI
The National Gallery of Victoria has today revealed its summer centrepiece: a bold new world premiere exhibition pairing the work of Dutch artist M.C. Escher and Japanese design studio Nendo. Much like the NGV's 2016's Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei show, Between Two Worlds celebrates two very different creators, bringing them together in an assembly of immersive art and design. More than 150 of Escher's prints and drawings created between 1916 to 1969 have made their way to Melbourne from the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague for the artist's first ever major exhibition in Australia. Optical illusion is what he's best known for — his intricate pieces use patterns and design to warp space and perception. You'll need to take second, third and fourth looks at pieces like Day and night and Drawing hands. To really mess with your mind, Nendo — led by designer Oki Sato — has created an immersive gallery space that's just as trippy. The studio has taken inspiration from Escher to manipulate geometry and space to warp perception, giving you an imagined sense of what it would be like to enter Escher's mind boggling world. Expect lots of mirrors, shrinking corridors and projections that will mess with your brain (in a good way). The exhibition will officially open tomorrow with the gallery's exclusive black tie NGV Gala. Then it opens to the public on Sunday, December 2 and will run until April 2019 alongside a public program of talks, workshops and the NGV's Friday night parties. Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds will run from December 2 until April 2019 at NGV International. Images: Eugene Hyland and Sean Fennessy.
Much-loved travelling wine festival Pinot Palooza is making its anticipated return this October. But since last year's postponement left us all waiting an extra long time between drinks, the fest's organisers have a little surprise to tide over Australia's pinot-lovers until spring. The all-new Pinot Palooza Unplugged Sunday sessions are set to heat up winter with a trio of chilled-out tasting parties dedicated to everyone's favourite cool climate red. Taking over the Timber Yard on May 30, July 4 and July 25, each five-hour event will hero a different one of Victoria's leading pinot-producing regions: the Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland and Geelong, respectively. A $35 ticket gets you entry to your session of choice, a Revel wine glass to keep, and all of your day's wine tastings. In-between sips, you'll get to chat to the producers — think, Quealy, Pt Leo, Montalto and Red Hill Estate kicking things off for the Mornington Peninsula. And, as always, there'll be plenty of great food and tunes to keep you entertained on the day.
In spicy news for animal-lovers, St Kilda's Babu Ji restaurant is about to add an all-you-can-eat vegan feast to its weekly calendar. Every Tuesday from 19 June, you'll be able to settle in for as much curry and cumin-infused rice as you can handle — for just 25 bucks. Babu Ji's plant-based offerings will vary from week-to-week. Among the dishes you're likely to find are dal makhani — a mix of black lentils, ginger, garlic and garam masala that's cooked for 12 hours — and aloo baingan, an eggplant and potato curry with roasted pine nuts and raisins. As well as being vegan, it's all gluten-free — including the naan (just ask for the GF version). Apart from the obvious deliciousness, owner Mani Waraich hopes the vegan menu will showcase a new side of Indian cuisine. "We're launching vegan Tuesdays, not only because we should all be eating less meat, but because Indian food has so many vegan options that are so naturally tasty and nutritious," he says. Your $25 includes all the vegan curry and cumin-infused rice you can eat, as well as a papadum. Plus, all proceeds raised on the first vegan night will go to Sacred Heart Mission.
Cult favourite Aussie basics label Bassike is hosting a big online warehouse sale this month, selling its items from both its past season collections and its archive at significant discounts off the regular price — with pieces starting at $30. Both men's and women's fashion will be up for grabs for five days from 8am on Thursday, July 9 till midnight on Monday, July 13. Expect to find everything from swimwear and footwear to accessories, denim, cotton jersey pieces and lots of quality basics. If you're struggling with the winter cold, you'll (thankfully) be able to find warm clothing here, too. While exact prices have not yet been announced, previously physical warehouse sales have seen denim from $90, tees from $30 and jackets for $120 — no, these aren't basement bargains, but they are reasonable prices for these fine organic pieces. Spend more than $100, and you'll score free shipping, too. Bassike's online warehouse sale will run from 8am on Thursday, July 9 till midnight on Monday, July 13.
Ice skating is one of those idyllic winter time activities that goes hand in hand with hot chocolates, sitting around a fireplace, and rugging up in coats, gloves and scarves until you're feeling like a big walking ball of wool. With all of that in mind, you can hit a ten on the winter feels scale these cold months with Winter Fest, a fiesta of coldness coming to Moonee Valley in June. First up, take a spin on the Moonee Ponds ice skating rink, which runs from June 29 to July 14. It'll be open from 10am–8pm daily and bookings are necessary, and each session will run for 45 minutes — and when you leave the ring, you'll feel like an ice dancer ready for the 2022 Winter Olympics. There's a whole host more on offer too, like a giant ice slide in Essendon North from July 6–13, free knitting workshops, a moving five-course winter feast on July 10 and a pop-up after-dark light show. Bright Lights Winter Nights will takeover Pridham Plaza from July 5–7 with nightly neon art installations, fire twirlers and roving performers. There'll also be a coinciding winter marketplace, so you can explore the art with a hot chocolate or jam doughnut in hand.
With a PM whose foot seems permanently lodged in his mouth and an opposition leader who has less personality than a drawer full of mismatched spoons, Australian federal politics is in desperate need of new blood. Enter Tom and Sam, a pair of ambitious, forwarding-thinking, all-singing, all-dancing candidates looking to bring some much needed pizzazz to Parliament House. Like House of Cards but with more accordions, this two-man musical production picked up the People’s Choice Award at Sydney’s Short + Sweet Cabaret Festival.
Next time you visit the National Gallery of Victoria, you'll find yourself immersed in fish, farm animals and skyscrapers. Why? Because Julian Opie has moved in. In his first major Australian exhibition, Julian Opie, the London-born artist has brought together more than 60 of his most-famous works. He's transformed the NGV water feature into an aquarium filled with virtual carp and Federation Court into a mini-metropolis, crowded with 13-metre high skyscrapers. Head into the Grollo Equiset Garden to meet a menagerie of sheep, horses and crows and into the foyer to find city slickers on their way somewhere or other. Meanwhile, the NGV moat is now home to a version of the Manneken Pis, the famous statue of a little boy weeing in Brussels, Belgium. Images: Tim Ross, courtesy of the NGV International.
When The Fast and the Furious took Point Break's premise and swapped surfing for street racing, it seemed like one of those easy Hollywood knockoffs that would speed into cinemas and then race right out of viewers' memories. Eighteen years, seven sequels, plenty of Coronas and a whole lot of talk about family later, we all now know that wasn't the case. It's the high-octane franchise that just keeps tearing up tyres and tearing across silver screen, and it has yet another new addition. The first Fast and Furious spinoff, Hobbs & Shaw reunites two of the series' newer players: Dwayne Johnson's Luke Hobbs, the government agent who has been a F&F staple since 2011's Fast Five, and Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw, the villain from Furious 7 who starts buddying around the gang in 2017's The Fate of the Furious. Directed by John Wick and Atomic Blonde's David Leitch, it's basically an excuse to put the two action heroes in the same movie again, watch as they bicker and banter like a muscular odd couple, and throw in the usual world-saving, car-racing antics. It also sounds like box office catnip. Because two of today's biggest stars isn't enough for this initial foray outside of the main F&F stable, Hobbs & Shaw also features Idris Elba as the flick's villain — plus Helen Mirren reprising her role as Shaw's mother, and The Crown's Vanessa Kirby joining the fold as his sister. Johnson reportedly wanted Hobbs to have some family, too; however bringing Aquaman's Jason Momoa on board didn't work out due to scheduling conflicts. Fans of Vin Diesel and the original gang, don't worry. Ninth and tenth F&F films are due in 2020 and 2021 respectively, so Dominic Toretto and company will be back to live their lives a quarter mile at a time once more. Also on the agenda is a female-focused spinoff focused on the ladies of the franchise, because this series remains furious about stretching out its run for as long as possible. Watch the trailer for Hobbs & Shaw below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lxu75r3-kI Hobbs & Shaw opens in Australian cinemas on August 1.
Gone are the days when gin was simply a clear spirit that tasted good with tonic. It still is, but it now comes in so many varieties that you could dedicate an entire liquor cabinet just to juniper-based beverages. Shiraz gin, chardonnay barrel-aged gin, spiced Christmas gin, pink gin made from cherries and raspberries, green ant gin and even non-alcoholic gin — they're just some of the recent types tempting your tastebuds. And if most of the above sound great for an Australian summer, then consider Bass and Flinders' truffle-infused gin your new winter go-to. Returning for 2018, the limited-edition truffle gin blends fresh Australian Black Perigord truffles — sourced from Red Hill farms, where possible — with a vapour-infused mix of juniper, angelica root and calamus root. Like all of the distillery's tipples, it also uses Bass and Flinders' grape-based eau de vie spirit, which creates a particularly smooth texture. "It is a standalone gin that's wonderful neat, or alongside creamy sauces and strong cheeses," says head distiller Holly Klintworth — or, you could opt to make your own truffle martini. Whichever way you'd like to drink it, the truffle gin is available from Friday, July 13 from Bass and Flinders' cellar door in Victoria's Red Hill, as well as via the distiller's website. If you happen to be in the vicinity of the former on Saturday, July 14, you can also take part in a truffle hunt, which includes truffle gin tastings plus cocktails with cheese platters.
Lonely for you only might be a sad sentiment for those leaving alone at the end of the night, but, for the most part, the highly photographed neon sign at GoGo is as iconic as the bunny upstairs. Giving the bar its deep red glow, the sign is imperative not just to its recognisability, but also to the moodiness of the den-like venue. It seems to enjoy its status as the dark horse — sitting underneath the bright and bustling Chin Chin, it's become an unassuming mainstay within the Chris Lucas empire. Securing a seat at the in-demand Thai diner became decidedly more endurable with the addition of the basement bar, but GoGo has proven to be more than just a holding room for those desperate for a table at the restaurant upstairs. If you want some pork on your fork (as they say) without joining the perpetual post-5pm queue snaking out of the main entry, duck around to Higsons Lane and descend into the darkness directly. It makes sense that the interior is deep, dark and sexy — an inversion its famous upstairs tenant. The long, communal tables serve the after-work crowd, couples occupy smaller tables towards back, and rounded booths — if you can get one — squeeze in bigger groups. The exposed lighting gives just enough light for you to study the pages of the 'Little Black Book'. Perhaps not as scandalous, but definitely as engrossing, this black book lists cocktails according to season — choose something fresh, crisp and fruity for summer, or rich, warm and spiced for winter. The Far East Side (gin, kaffir lime, fresh pressed lemon and palm sugar with a floating Thai basil leaf; $16.50) has a kick like no other, and a jug of V. M. Punch (vodka, Vietnamese mint, kaffir lime limoncello, fresh lemon, club soda; $35) is perfect for two. There's also a selection of local and international wine, beer, cider and sake. There is no time spent lamenting the clinking of cutlery upstairs as GoGo offers a taste of Chin Chin without the wait, or the formalities. The bar menu incorporates the best from the coveted hawker-style Thai menu and recreates it as easy-to-eat snack food — no need to look past the pulled pork sliders ($8.50 each). Indeed, some of the larger options, such as the Chinook salmon wrapped in banana leaf ($26), are meals in themselves and can even be topped off with dessert, including the palm sugar ice cream sundae with salted honeycomb and lime syrup ($14) everyone's eating upstairs. Capitalising on being mere metres from one of the best kitchens in town, GoGo is slowly becoming more than a stopover for those desperate for a table at Chin Chin. Its impressive fusion of gourmet bar food, cocktails and that neon sign have made GoGo a bar worth visiting in its own right. Images by Lois Romer.
If you fancy getting into the spirit of Cinco de Mayo with a Mexican-inspired feast and a couple of cheeky lunchtime cocktails, you're in luck. To mark Mexico's historic cultural day this Sunday, May 5, legendary Mexican spot Mamasita is joining forces with southern American-style smokehouse masters Bluebonnet BBQ, to deliver the ultimate Tex-Mex food fest. For $55 per person, you'll get a five-course lunch that packs plenty of punch in the flavour department. We're talking cuttlefish enchiladas matched with poblano and squid ink; tostadas topped with brisket burnt ends, avocado and crispy shallots; and a smoked lamb dish starring tomatillo purée, barbecued red onion and ancho wild rice. And for dessert, you'll get a tres leches cake with mandarin candy and berries. If you're thirsty, you can add on matched wines for an extra $40, or embrace the weekend with a $45 cocktail match lineup. Get excited for drinks such as chipotle and tamarind Sangritas and a pink lemonade blending mezcal, Ancho Verde (a spicy Mexican liqueur made from ancho and poblano chillis), hibiscus and lime. There are two sittings on offer: noon and 2.30pm. To make a booking, head to the website.
UPDATE, June 3, 2022: Kajillionaire is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. When Evan Rachel Wood played a troubled teen in 2003's Thirteen, the then 16-year-old received a Golden Globe nomination. For her work in Westworld since 2016, she has nabbed multiple Emmy nods. So when we say that the actor puts in her best performance yet in Kajillionaire — the type of portrayal that deserves several shiny trophies — that observation isn't made lightly. Playing a 26-year-old con artist called Old Dolio Dyne, Wood is anxious but yearning, closed-off yet vulnerable, and forceful as well as unsure all at once. Her character has spent her entire life being schooled in pulling off quick scams by her eccentric parents Robert (Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water) and Theresa (Debra Winger, The Lovers), who she still lives with, and she's stuck navigating her own street-wise brand of arrested development. Old Dolio knows how to blend in, with her baggy clothes, curtain of long hair and low-toned voice. She also knows how to avoid security cameras in physical feats that wouldn't look out of place in a slapstick comedy, and how to charm kindly folks out of reward money. But she has never been allowed to truly be her own person — and, from the moment that Wood is seen on-screen, that mournful truth is immediately evident. Kajillionaire introduces Old Dolio, Robert and Theresa as they're falling back on one of their most reliable swindles: stealing packages from post office boxes. Old Dolio bobs and weaves like a ninja to avoid prying eyes, while her parents watch on from a safe distance, a formula that most of their other small-time rackets also rely upon. They're not trying to strike it rich and live ultra glamorous lives, although they do like entering competitions. As Robert lectures on one of his many musings about their chosen lifestyle, they don't want to be kajillionaires like everyone else in America seems to. Rather, they're merely endeavouring to maintain their offbeat existence — including keeping a low profile, staying off the grid and away from the government's prying eyes, and holing up in the basement level of an abandoned office building. In the aforementioned vacant structure the Dynes call home — which is still filled with cubicles, office furniture and stationery — big waves of pink suds seep down from above multiple times a day. That's an absurdist detail, even just to look at; however, it says more about the film's characters, the feature itself and the approach favoured by writer/director Miranda July than a simple description can convey. As the latter demonstrated with Me and You and Everyone We Know and The Future, she's fond of both surveying the routines of everyday life and using surreal and whimsical flourishes to lay bare the emotions lingering underneath. Vivid to watch but considered a chore in the movie, those soapy bubbles are a classic July touch. They also reflect the blend of eccentricity and repetition that marks this unconventional family's days, and share much in common with Old Dolio specifically. Never treated like a child or allowed to celebrate her birthday, and trained to split every score she makes with her parents since she was a kid, she has long been taken for granted — but, for those willing to actually take notice, she's far more than just the third part of a trio. Narrative-wise, Kajillionaire tracks this realisation within Old Dolio herself, as sparked by two developments. Firstly, to make a quick $20 to help cover overdue rent, she agrees to attend a parenting class for someone she meets on the street, and is struck by how far removed its teachings are from her own experiences. Secondly, on a return flight back to Los Angeles from New York as part of a travel insurance grift, her parents meet and befriend lively optometrist's assistant Melanie (Gina Rodriguez, Annihilation). So accustomed to playing the role dictated to her by Robert and Theresa, and never deviating from it, Old Dolio isn't prepared for the emotions stirred up by both changes to her status quo. But July's poignant and perceptive movie — a film that's a quirky heist flick, a playful but shrewd exploration of family bonds, and a sweet love story — is perfectly, mesmerisingly equipped to navigate her protagonist's efforts to reach beyond the only loved ones and the only type of life she has ever known. That Wood and July make a delightful actor-filmmaker combo really can't be stressed enough. Old Dolio finds herself searching for the kindness she didn't know she'd been missing, Kajillionaire's director regards everything about the character with affection and understanding, and the result is one of the most distinctive, empathetic and engaging movies of the year. The film doesn't gloss over any of its key figures' flaws or struggles, of which there are many, or the fact that little about these scammers can be wholly trusted even by each other. And yet, July knows that the best way to tell Old Dolio's tale — and Robert, Theresa and Melanie's too — is to jump on their wavelength. Ultimately, this is a movie shaped as much by its mood, tone and rhythms as its plot and themes, although it does an intuitive and insightful job of demonstrating how consumption-driven lives, 21st-century living in general, and the supposed be all and end all that is the American Dream can prove empty and limiting. To answer the question that's on everyone's minds from the moment that Old Dolio's name is uttered, yes, Kajillionaire offers an explanation. Yes, it's as idiosyncratic and revealing as the rest of the movie. It's rare for a film to feel so rich, so unique and so completely the sum of its parts, but July's third feature manages that feat in everything from its bright but never postcard-perfect lensing of LA and its off-kilter episodic antics to its tender appreciation of an individualistic young woman whose initials literally spell out ODD. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-fxRXzfi0U
Like the idea of heading out bush to spend an evening kicking back beneath the night sky, stargazing, feasting and being entertained with live tunes? Well, that's all on the cards if you nab a ticket to A Night Under the Stars in Buchan this month. This star-filled adventure will take place amongst the rolling hills of The Stockmans Camp farm stay on Saturday, April 22, designed to enchant astronomy enthusiasts of all ages. Kicking off from 5.30pm, guests will enjoy a two-course country-style dinner followed by a cosy gathering around a roaring campfire, sipping hot chocolate, toasting marshmallows and soaking up the sweet sounds of Gippsland local Olivia Lay. [caption id="attachment_896484" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott Kingman[/caption] But the night's main event will centre on what's happening above, as the Astronomical Society of Victoria guides punters on one of its sky tours, sharing the celestial secrets of the night sky and pointing out all of its major features. The team will even be bringing along a bunch of telescopes so you can get a next-level view of all those nebula, constellations and planets. You can drop by just for the event, with adult tickets priced at $65. Or, if you want to make a getaway of it, The Stockmans Camp has a range of onsite camping and cabin options available, starting from $20. [caption id="attachment_896487" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Stockmans Camp, by We Are Explorers[/caption] Top image: Scott Kingman
Stay tuned. More info coming soon.
Let's be honest, interstate trips are the perfect budget-friendly breather. You get all your well-deserved downtime, without the fuss of long-distance flying and complicated international travel requirements. These Airbnbs are perfect for just that — with breathtaking views of cities across Australia for the perfect getaway. If you're eagerly planning day trips, weekend getaways and luscious week-long vacations, check out some of the best Airbnbs for the perfect vacation — or staycation — across Australia. Tamarama Panorama, Sydney In keeping with the beachside neighbourhood's "glamarama" reputation, the views from this home's floor-to-ceiling windows are dazzling. You can walk down your outdoor staircase to the beach, or just lay out on the balcony chairs and enjoy the ocean views from up above. From $700 a night, sleeps six. Harbour Hideaway, Sydney The views from this beachfront apartment and its gorgeous porch are hard to beat. If viewing the golden sand and blue water from above wasn't quite enough, the pad also has beach access. From $500 a night, sleeps two. Opera House Views, Sydney Whether you've lived in Sydney your whole life or you're just popping in for the weekend, this condo's jaw-dropping outlook over the city skyline will make you feel like you're seeing it for the first time. From $258 a night, sleeps four. Bondi Beach Ocean View, Sydney Only steps away from Sydney's most famous beach, this condo is close to not only Bondi Beach but also many nearby restaurants, bars and cafes. But its views will probably have you wanting to stay in. From $400 a night, sleeps two. Single-Bedroom Luxury Apartment, Melbourne Perfectly positioned near The Crown in the heart of Melbourne, you can take in pretty much all of the CBD from the floor-to-ceiling windows in this high-rise apartment. From $160 a night, sleeps two. Melbourne Spaceship Penthouse, Melbourne With windows on the walls and ceilings resembling a spaceship cockpit, enjoy an unmatched 270-degree view of Melbourne. From $258 a night, sleeps two. Breathtaking CBD Views, Melbourne Also conveniently located in Melbourne's CBD, the views from this apartment's bedroom are absolutely breathtaking. From $143 a night, sleeps four. Stylish Waterfront Apartment, Melbourne With utilities such as a gym, swimming pool and BBQ area all available, this property is a peaceful waterfront oasis — and only a free tram ride from Melbourne's bustling city centre. From $150 a night, sleeps two. Million Dollar Views, Brisbane Surprisingly, the real selling point of this high-rise apartment isn't its central location or its nice interior finishings, but the view from the apartment complex's rooftop pool. From $221 a night, sleeps four. Stylish One Bedroom, Brisbane Centrally-located and modern, the skyline views from this apartment and its roof will make even Brisbane locals feel like they're on a luxury vacation. From $189 a night, sleeps two. Riverview 29th Floor Apt, Brisbane Located in the heart of South Brisbane, treat yourself to stunning city views from the apartment, balcony, or rooftop infinity pool. From $205 a night, sleeps three. City View, Perth Slide open the glass doors after a long day exploring the city and enjoy the sunset over Perth from your living room. From $200 a night, sleeps two. Cottesloe Beach View, Perch Just steps from one of the most popular beaches in Western Australia, the ocean views are the star of this apartment. From $410 a night, sleeps four. French Farmhouse, Perth Craving a nature immersion? This pad is for the traveller whose ideal vacation involves forgetting about the outside world altogether. With a foliage-covered courtyard outside its windows, this rustic townhouse will help you forget about the existence of the city centre a mere five minutes away. From $200 a night, sleeps four. Glenelg Beachfront Apartment, Adelaide With arguably the best waterfront views on this list, this apartment gets up-close and personal with Glenelg Beach. But, just in case you get tired of the unrestricted views, there is plenty to do nearby in Adelaide's CBD. From $405 a night, sleeps four. Pearl, Adelaide A cosy and bright beachfront cottage, this recently renovated designer property boasts a sea view that can be enjoyed from the open lounge and kitchen or stone patio that leads directly onto the dunes. From $336 a night, sleeps four. Asri Garden Studio, Adelaide For secluded garden views, check out this tranquil studio inspired by Japanese and Balinese design. It's all about nature: nestled into a secluded garden and designed to incorporate natural materials and natural light. From $200 a night, sleeps two. View Studio, Hobart The best way to end an action-packed day in Hobart? Taking in the epic views of the city's lights from the bath in this Airbnb's master suite. From $235 a night, sleeps two. Tiny House Tasmania, Hobart For those looking to experience the tiny home craze, a trip to Hobart may be the perfect opportunity. This home overlooks the Derwent River and notably features an outdoor bathtub perfect for a relaxing evening after a day spent exploring. From $195 a night, sleeps two. Mountain View Retreat, Hobart If you prefer to get your outdoor fix in the mountains, this cosy mountainside retreat is only minutes away from Hobart — but has stunning views. From $140 a night, sleeps two. Marina Views, Darwin Enjoy this property's stellar view of the marina from its all-day shaded balcony, to keep you out of Darwin's heat. From $180 a night, sleeps four. Harbourfront Escape, Darwin This apartment right on Darwin's harbour will give visitors the perfect taste of Darwin's coastal life: explore during the day — or night — and then returning to the complex's outdoor pool and sunset views. From $189 a night, sleeps two. Opulent Ocean View Townhouse, Darwin Nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac, this townhouse boasts waterfront views in a prime location in Darwin's Stuart Park. Suitable for families or for a private getaway, you can switch off in this spacious stay and soak in the gorgeous sunrises — or sunsets — by the pool. From $481 a night, sleeps eight. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: courtesy of Airbnb
Starting out as a late-night snack stop for nightclub punters in Perth, Pretzel has just opened the doors to its first two Melbourne outposts making baked-to-order pretzels loaded with tasty toppings. The biggest and brightest of the two is in South Yarra — and you definitely won't miss this vibrant store as you make your way down Chapel Street. Pink from floor to ceiling, the colour blocked shop plays with velvet chairs, neon signs and numbered doors with a wall of retro motel-style keyrings (that, yes, you can purchase). Inside, you'll see staff swiftly rolling dough and shaping them into pretzels that are cooked to order and topped with the likes of cheese, bacon, chilli and chocolate (thankfully, not together). After making pretzels for five years, owner and founder Brittany Garbutt decided to venture out and expand the flavour horizons of this humble snack. [caption id="attachment_758354" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] While the classic cinnamon is a crowd favourite, flavours like The Lot with three cheeses, pepperoni and bacon ignite the taste buds in a similar way to a cheesy pizza, but with the added layer of enjoying it on more soft, doughy pastry. Those looking for something slightly more adventurous can try the Chipotle & Cheese pretzel loaded with a jalapeños and a smoky chipotle sauce. Or, if sweet is more your thing, order the salted caramel, coconut or mint slice glazed numbers. [caption id="attachment_758364" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] If you're thinking these salty, doughy numbers would go down a treat after a beer or two (or ten), you'd be right. And, thankfully, they're available late, with the shop opening till 2.30am on Friday and Saturday. While pretzels are popular food overseas, the team at Pretzel say they hope to popularise the oft-forgotten-about soft pretzel here in Australia. If you're not down south side often, Pretzel also has a newly opened store in ELLA Melbourne Central. Find Pretzel at 397 Chapel Street, South Yarra. It's open from 10am–9pm Monday, 10am–10pm Tuesday–Thursday, 10am–2.30am Friday–Saturday and 10am–10pm. Images: Julia Sansone
Surfing and gig-going have always been two of Australia's best-loved pastimes, and now we've scored a festival celebrating the best of both worlds. Debuting this autumn, The Drop festival will cruise around the country as it follows the Aussie leg of the World Surf League Championship Tour and it's bringing a banging little lineup of musical gold along for the ride. Surfing the festival wave for 2018 are Canberra favourites Safia, Indie pop darlings San Cisco and Brisbane rockers Dune Rats, along with other local legends Holy Holy and Ruby Fields. Held on the first weekend of each area's surfing event, The Drop's set to grace some of the Australia's most iconic surf spots, each outing featuring a locally-focused offering of food, drink and culture, to match the tunes. Catch it at Tweed Heads' Ebenezer Park on March 17, Torquay Common in Torquay on March 31 and then on April 14 at Margaret River's Three Oceans Winery. First release tickets for The Drop are $75, available here for Tweed Heads and Torquay, and here for Margaret River. For more info, visit thedropfestival.com.au.
The What We Do in the Shadows franchise shows no signs of dying, with the American TV comedy spinoff from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's hilarious movie still going strong. But one part of this saga did say goodbye, with fellow television sitcom Wellington Paranormal running for four seasons between 2018–2022. Been missing its comic take on Cops? It's now living on with a companion podcast. Back before Wellington Paranormal initially arrived, Waititi described it as "Mulder and Scully but in a country where nothing happens". With the brand-new podcast — which is called The Wellington Paranormal Podcast — the actors behind those fictional New Zealand police officers are chatting through the show. So, get ready to spend time with Karen O'Leary (Red, White & Brass) and Mike Minogue (My Life Is Murder), who played officers Karen O'Leary and Mike Minogue, as they dive into the making of the hit series. On TV, O'Leary and Minogue were Wellington's trusty paranormal investigators, with help from the always-eager Sergeant Maaka (Maaka Pohatu, Our Flag Means Death) and Officer Parker (Tom Sainsbury, Loop Track). That meant not only trying to keep the city safe from not only vampires and werewolves, but also from ghosts, aliens and more, in a show that was equally funny and silly — and never afraid to enlist familiar faces. As podcast hosts, O'Leary and Minogue will also be bringing in guests, including Pohatu and Sainsbury. Other actors will also feature, plus writers and directors, with exactly who else will be popping up left as a surprise. Listeners can tune into the end results from Thursday, November 23, with new episodes available weekly, via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps. Definitely present from the get-go: O'Leary and Minogue's familiar banter. "Karen and I are excited to be bringing this podcast to our fans all around the world. They'll both be thrilled," said Minogue about The Wellington Paranormal Podcast. "We're looking forward to dissecting each episode as well as talking to both the people who created the show, and celebrity fans who, correctly, think Wellington Paranormal is the greatest thing to ever appear on screen." The Wellington Paranormal Podcast starts streaming from Thursday, November 23, with new episodes available weekly, via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps.
There's nothing quite like hearing someone tell their own tale. The nuances of their voice, their choice of phrase, and the spaces left by their silence can all say as much as their actual words. That's one of the reasons that the recent spate of celebrity-focused documentaries — think Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, Listen to Me Marlon and Amy — worked so well. Hearing Cobain, Brando and Winehouse offer candid insights into their lives, loves, hopes and dreams via old tapes and videos didn't just serve up the usual biographical information. It also gave audiences a genuine glimpse into their minds. Courtesy of audio recordings made in 1993 as part of an oral history project that endeavoured to preserve the stories of AIDS-afflicted Australians, Remembering the Man makes use of a similar method. Directed by Nickolas Bird and Eleanor Sharpe, the documentary charts the relationship of Timothy Conigrave and John Caleo. Yes, their names should sound familiar. Actor and writer Conigrave already shared his thoughts and experiences in his best-selling memoir Holding the Man, which was then turned into an acclaimed theatre production, as well as a tear-inducing film of the same name. Boasting Conigrave's warm, impassioned tones as its centrepiece, Remembering the Man revisits familiar details — how he met Caleo at their Catholic high school, the ins and outs of their 15-year romance, and the impact of their respective HIV diagnoses. Yet nothing about the retelling feels repetitive or tired. Even the most well-worn tidbits come to life through Conigrave's frank remembrances, accompanied by a moving collage of photographs and archival footage, and fleshed out by to-camera interviews with many of the duo's friends. The use of Conigrave's voice aside, it may sound like a fairly typical documentary — and, in many ways it is. And yet even when the movie is simply cutting between talking heads and clumsy re-enactments, there's no denying the intimacy and emotion on display. That's not just a result of the over-emphasised score that stresses every powerful moment, either. If Holding the Man recounted the official version of Conigrave and Caleo's time together, Remembering the Man is more akin to hearing off-the-record bits and pieces, warts and all. Of course, as anyone already familiar with their tale will know, their story isn't theirs alone. Shining a light on the difficulties and prejudices of '80s-era Australia as it reacted to the AIDS epidemic is as much a part of the couple's legacy as their undying affection for each other. Accordingly, the film becomes a record not only of Conigrave's testimony and the enduring love that shaped his life, but also of a devastating moment in Australian history. Remembering its titular figure through his own words isn't Remembering the Man's only feat; remembering the many tragedies of the time proves just as powerful.
For some, the best thing about winter is the cosy indoor opportunities to escape the cold. Who can deny the almost spiritual joy of snuggling down next to a wood fire or cuddling up inside thick sandstone walls while the weather outside seems a world away? And if there's a glass or two of vino going, so much the better. If this sounds like a heavenly way to spend a winter's day — and you're ready for a seasonal switch from tannin' to tannins — put these five exquisite Tasmanian wineries at the top of your winter to-do list. We've tracked down a winery from nearly every corner of Tassie that'll warm the cockles of your heart — whether you're after biodynamic and sustainable practices, premium tastes in heritage buildings or a glass of red with the comfort eats of an Italian osteria. You are about to fall in love with a whole cool-climate wine culture — you'll never sip a pinot noir the same way again. [caption id="attachment_719342" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chris Crerar.[/caption] MOORE'S HILL — TAMAR VALLEY How many wineries come with their very own dog? Well, Moore's Hill does; the loveable Otto is a regular fixture by the fireplace in winter. Located in the lush Tamar Valley, a 40-minute drive from Launceston, you'll come upon this boutique vino-producing estate that happens to be Tasmania's first 100-percent solar-powered winery. The fireplace at the cellar door is always lit for the chilly season, so you can drop by any day from 10am–5pm for a cosy guided tasting of current release wines (which are free for groups smaller than ten, too). Moore's Hill also offers a wine and chocolate tasting, as well as a whisky tasting, should you need a little something extra to really warm the soul. [caption id="attachment_719279" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Nick Osborne.[/caption] POOLEY WINES — COAL RIVER VALLEY Make sure to add Pooley Wines to your winter getaway. It's a vineyard with pedigree — three generations of winemakers have brought forth this nectar, producing some of the finest pinot noir, chardonnay and riesling on the island. Located in the Coal River Valley, it's proudly the first fully accredited environmentally sustainable vineyard in Tasmania. The cellar door (open 10am–5pm daily) is snuggled within the thick sandstone walls of the stately 19th-century Belmont House on the Butcher's Hill estate. With a swag of awards to its name, particularly for its pinot noir and riesling, Pooley will ensure you're sipping premium drop after premium drop. STEFANO LUBIANA — DERWENT VALLEY Stefano Lubiana Wines is an exceptional winery, being Tasmania's first and only biodynamic vineyard. This family-run winery opens its cellar door to wine-lovers from 11am–4pm Wednesday to Sunday. Sample the six-taste offering — including the bright and delightful Primavera pinot noir or a biodynamic reserve merlot — at $5 per person, or sit down for a structured tasting of exclusive museum and flagship wines for $35. The vineyard also distils its own grappa brandy, which is the perfect nip for a nippy Tassie winter. And then there's Stefano Lubiana's on-site Italian eatery, Osteria, that blends rustic food tradition with fine dining. The menu is fresh and seasonal, with locally sourced ingredients. Stay for an expertly paired meal and wine to taste the terroir and the country produce all in one go. [caption id="attachment_719278" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pete Harmsen.[/caption] DEVIL'S CORNER — EAST COAST For some seriously cool architecture to match your cool-climate wines and the surrounding cool temps, you'll have to hit the east coast and check out Devil's Corner. En route to Freycinet National Park, Devil's Corner is a winery with a wild edge. Looking down to Moulting Lagoon and the Hazards mountain range, the vines are exposed to the elements, which creates a unique, intense flavour. In the winter, the cellar door opens daily from 10am–4pm from June to September and tastings are free for groups of up to seven (larger groups pay $5 per person). With regular music sessions and both a seafood restaurant and pizza cafe, this is a winery that can keep you toasty warm as you enjoy views over the wintry landscape. And in even more reasons to visit, Tassie's Festival of Voices will host a gig at the winery on Sunday, June 30. FROGMORE CREEK — COAL RIVER VALLEY If you don't want to stray far from Hobart but yearn for that country vineyard experience, Frogmore Creek offers the best of both worlds. After just a 20-minute drive from the CBD, you'll reach a vineyard prestigious enough to draw celebrity visitors such as Margot Robbie. Within the expansive homestead of blue-grey timber, you'll find an award-winning cellar door experience. What's more, from July 1, the barrel room here features an open fire on weekends (and the occasional weekday) all throughout winter. Open from 10am–5pm daily, the cellar door offers samples from the different wine series for you to sip around the fire. The featured offering focuses on boutique harvests, reserve wines or minimal intervention drops. Away from the roaring fire, Frogmore Creek has spectacular grounds. But if it's too chilly for exploring, you can appreciate the sweeping valley vistas from the cellar door and restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows. Top image: Moore's Hill by Chris Crerar.
Thanks to various lockdowns and restrictions, 2021's Father's Day celebrations are probably going to look a little different from previous years. While Melbourne's current lockdown is scheduled to end on September 2, we all know by now that it's best to be prepared for any scenario. Of course, even if you can't catch up with your father figure IRL or take him out for a proper feast with the family, it doesn't mean you can't spoil him with a bit of lockdown-friendly, virtual Father's Day love. Especially if the way to his heart is via his stomach. Whether you're celebrating with your dad, the father of your kids, or a treasured paternal figure, we've rounded up a few choice options to treat your old man on September 5. You could have a decadent barbecue feast delivered to his door, a weekend's supply of artisan doughnuts, or grab him a tipple (or three) from his favourite local brewery. No one knows what our lockdown status might be, but at least you can safely secure dad's affections with something from this tasty lineup. THE NON-TRADITIONAL FATHER'S DAY LUNCH Restaurant lunches and family barbecues might not be a sure bet this year, but whatever happens, you can still ensure dad's treated to a celebratory feed with just a few clicks. No matter where his culinary leanings lie, Melbourne's got a home-delivered food offering to suit. For example, David's is doing a limited-edition yum cha feast for two, available for both delivery and click-and-collect via Providoor. It stars classic dishes like chilli pork dumplings and peking duck. Meanwhile, Panda Hot Pot is offering an at-home version of its legendary hot pot experience, designed to feed two to six depending on the size. The barbecue-loving dad will be pretty chuffed sitting down to a finish-at-home family feed from Fancy Hanks; especially if you've added one of the signature hot sauce or seasoning packs to your order. Both meat and vegetarian variations are on offer daily. And for an at-home high tea that'll score you serious brownie points, try the Stables of Como. While the venue's gorgeous grounds remain closed, it's packaging up its famed high tea offering for delivery via UberEats, DoorDash and Deliveroo — after all, what dad wouldn't love to dig into a delightful spread of sweet and savoury goodies? SOME LAZY GRAZING Even if you're not making an appearance yourself, you can give dad the gift of brekkie in bed or a fun backyard picnic by ordering a curated hamper dropped straight to his doorstep. South Yarra's Lulu White is doing at-home boozy brunch boxes packed with a choice of three signature dishes, plus bubbles and jarred cocktails. Hospitality social enterprise Streat has its own breakfast hamper — starring house-made sourdough and house-roasted coffee, no less — as well as a chic picnic pack filled with the likes of mini sausage rolls, smoked salmon paté and bite-sized quiches. Plus, Middle Eastern bakery Oasis is slinging a stunning assortment of deli boxes, grazing packs and entertainer's kits over on its online shop, with delivery Victoria-wide. And if dad's partial to an Italian-style spread of cheese and salumi with his afternoon vino, try the experts at King & Godfree. The venue's got an impressive lineup of antipasti boxes, deli packs and mix-and-match products available for delivery five days a week, along with a special Father's Day brekkie box. THE SWEET STUFF Sweet-toothed dads might be a breeze to buy gifts for, but this is the year to really outdo yourself. For example, Doughboys Doughnuts is slinging a special-edition Lockdown Box, filled with half a dozen signature holey delights that are sure to win pops over. Flavours include glazed vanilla bean, raspberry old fashioned and a decadent chocolate peanut cream — and they're delivering up to 10 kilometres from the CBD. Meanwhile, the chocolate masters at Mork are doing $5 home-delivery on online orders over $26 — right now, hit the website to shop dreamy things like the twice-baked chocolate cake, packs of choc malt cookies and some of the finest drinking chocolate in town. Or, if he's the kind of guy who likes to try a little bit of everything, treat him to one of Bibelot's Gourmandise Boards, starring a colourful assortment of bite-sized sweet creations for $35. [caption id="attachment_803631" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Handpicked Wines, by Nastia Gladushchenko[/caption] SOME LOVELY LOCKDOWN LIBATIONS The next best thing to actually joining dad for a Father's Day tipple is to set up his fridge or home bar with some top-notch goodies he can enjoy in your absence. Whilst he marvels at your supreme gift-buying skills, of course. Any craft beer aficionado will be stoked to open their door to a delivery from Carwyn Cellars, especially if it's the 2021 edition of the bottle shop's famed Dad Pack. Available for shipping and local delivery, this one comes stocked with a slew of crafty tins, merch and vouchers from favourites like Hop Nation, Bodriggy and Hawkers, for $50. Melbourne-based Brick Lane Brewing also has a range of dad-worthy beer packs over on its online store. If he's more of a whisky man, Starward's locally-made drops are a primo choice — the distillery's online selection is brimming with options for delivery across Australia, including this gift pack with three different signature sips. For the gin-obsessed dad, the Yarra Valley's Rochford is slinging a special gin and wine hamper which also includes access to a guided virtual tasting on September 3. And for the wine-lovers out there, try the likes of a Shiraz and cheese box, or a pack of all-Victorian vino and nibbles courtesy of Handpicked Wines' online range. The label's currently doing same-day delivery from its Melbourne CBD cellar door. COFFEE FOR CHEER Why not put a little pep in his step by stocking the cupboard with some locally-made caffeinated treats? Over on its website, renowned roaster Market Lane is slinging a wide array of beans, grinds, equipment and gift packs to suit at-home coffee-sippers of all persuasions. Right now, there's also free delivery for orders over $50. Seven Seeds' online shop is also stocked with a healthy offering of coffee and brew gear, as well as a Father's Day pack featuring beans, a nifty mug and some single-origin Birdsnake chocolate. The brand's also currently offering a free upgrade to express delivery on all orders, in case you like to leave things to the last minute. And Padre's got lots of its own coffee-related goodness available to shop online, including the fittingly named Daddy's Girl espresso blend. Free shipping is available for orders over $55. [caption id="attachment_765411" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hello Botanical[/caption] NON-FOODIE TREATS If F-Day lunch is already sorted, or his passions lie somewhere beyond the world of food, there's a raft of other goodies you can get delivered to dad's door. A lush dose of greenery never goes astray, so hit up local plant gift delivery service Hello Botanical for some leafy treats. These guys are selling a wide range of indoor plants and plant-related care packages, plus you can even wrangle a same-day drop-off. Meanwhile, sporty souls will always appreciate some new activewear — try this dad-friendly edit from Echt (with free express shipping on orders over $100) or get him moving with some Max Gawn-approved threads from Lululemon. And of course, there's always the failsafe option of some big, vibrant blooms to make dad feel extra special. Head over to LVLY to shop a colourful range of standalone bouquets, along with flower packs featuring extras like coffee, chocolates and beer.
Viewing overload may be a thoroughly modern dilemma, but it's one that we can all relate to. And, it doesn't just apply to the sheer volume of options these days — across cinema releases, film festivals, regular television, pay TV and the growing number of streaming platforms, for example — but also to the types of stories told. If you're feeling a little like you've seen every superhero flick, upbeat rom-com tale, cop procedural and bromance buddy comedy ever made, then the SBS Short Film Festival is here to deliver a huge dose of diversity. The new three-day event's main aim: to showcase not only different subjects, topics and formats, but work made by creators who are typically underrepresented in the screen industry. Dropping on SBS On Demand across Friday, September 13 and Sunday, September 15, the festival will feature 14 shorts, all from Australian talents — including folks from multicultural and Indigenous backgrounds, members of the LGBTIQ+ community and those living with disabilities. Different shorts will hit the free platform each day, recreating the real-world film festival experience. Of course, to enjoy this event, you just need a TV, laptop or smartphone. Highlights include the Aaron Pedersen-starring Out of Range, which sees the acclaimed actor plays a father trying to reconnect with his estranged son on the road; Amar, about the groom-less wedding of a Muslim woman with Down syndrome; and Bananas and Flavour Swap, each exploring the bonds of food and culture. On the documentary front, Limited Surrender focuses on an artist's plight after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, while Lost Daylight examines the stolen generation from a personal perspective, through the tale of a woman who was placed in the Sisters of Mercy convent at Brisbane's All Hallows' school in 1950s and 60s. Other titles include The Loop, hailing from Lorcan Hopper, a first-time television director with Down syndrome; Deafinition, which crafts its sights and sounds through the perspective of someone who is profoundly deaf; and the three-part Monsters of Many Worlds, a combination of live-action and animation on the topic of mythical creatures. The SBS Short Film Festival stems from the Short-Form Content Initiative, which is committed to increasing opportunities for Australian creatives from diverse communities. The 14 films were shot across Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, with funding assistance from Film Victoria, Screen Queensland, Screenwest, South Australian Film Corporation and Screen Tasmania. Check out the festival trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ex32L9dC9k The SBS Short Film Festival hits SBS On Demand between Friday, September 13 and Sunday, September 15. Images: The Small Town Drifter, Michael O'Neill, Blur Films / Out of Range, Ryan Alexander Lloyd / Amar, Zahra Habibullah / Deafinition / Flavour Swap, Amy Brown / Lives In Action, Jurban Botany.
A new year isn't the only reason to book a vacation. Any excuse will do, including a new season. Not everyone can escape Australia's winter by swapping it for a European summer, but a trip closer to home might still be on the cards — and if so, Virgin's latest round of cheap fares wants you to spend time in Hamilton Island, Byron Bay, Cairns, Hobart, Darwin, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and more. This new batch of discounted flights spans more than 300,000 domestic fares. Prices start low at $45 one-way, which once again gets you from Sydney to Byron Bay — the normal cheapest fare in any Australian flight sale — and vice versa. From there, everywhere from the Alice Springs and Emerald to Canberra and Mackay is also covered, with no starting prices over $300. This getaway-inspiring sale only runs for two days, until midnight AEST on Saturday, June 8 unless sold out earlier, with fares to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide also covered. That means paying $79 one-way from Melbourne to Hobart, $69 from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast and $109 from Brisbane to Hamilton Island. Also among the local fares: Sydney to Cairns from $115, Melbourne to the Gold Coast from $79, Sydney to Perth from $119 and Brisbane to Launceston from $109. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, these deals are all about winter breaks for select periods between Monday, July 1–Saturday, August 31, 2024, with all dates varying per route. Inclusions also differ depending on your ticket and, as usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick if you're keen to spend most or part of this winter anywhere but home. This sale is separate from the carrier's other round of discounts to Uluru, which runs until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, June 8, 2024, to celebrate the launch of direct flights to the Northern Territory landmark from Melbourne and Brisbane. Virgin's latest domestic sale runs until midnight AEST on Saturday, June 8, 2024 — unless sold out earlier. 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.
It's been one heck of a tough year for the country's bar industry, as venues spent months navigating lockdowns, restrictions and, more recently, capacity limits. But despite all the craziness, Australia has still managed to make a splash at this year's edition of the World's 50 Best Bars Awards. Four local drinking establishments each nabbed themselves a spot among the 51–100 top bars in the world, as announced last week. Those voted in the top 50 will be revealed at a separate virtual awards ceremony held on Thursday, November 5. All four Aussie bars to make the 51–100 list are located in Melbourne, which has just lived through some of the world's toughest COVID-19 restrictions as part of its second-wave lockdown. Fitzroy bar The Everleigh snagged the 73 spot, while newer CBD haunt Byrdi came in at 80. Petite Collingwood bar Above Board followed not too far behind at number 84 and the long-running Black Pearl — which has scooped a spot in the Top 50 list numerous times throughout the award's 12-year history — was voted in at 98. [caption id="attachment_748362" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Byrdi by Kate Shanasy[/caption] Elsewhere on the list, London's Scout (by the now Sydney-based bartender Matt Whiley) came in at 51, while the USA had seven bars in the lineup, including The Dead Rabbit in NY and San Francisco's Trick Dog. The annual awards are voted on by over 540 bar industry experts from around the world, including bartenders, consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists. Australia will now wait to see if any more local venues make it into the World's 50 Best Bars list later this week. Last year's one–50 lineup featured just one Aussie bar, with Sydney's Maybe Sammy taking out position 43. Check out the full World's 50 Best Bars Awards 51–100 list at the website. The one–50 list will be revealed at 3pm UK time on Thursday, November 5, via Facebook and YouTube. Top image: The Everleigh by Gareth Sobey
