In need of some perspective? Spend a weekend with your head in the clouds at Sky High Mount Franklin. This next-level luxury holiday house is perched atop a ridge just next to Mt Franklin and affords 360-degree views of rolling paddocks and forests, backdropped by spectacular mountains. The sunsets are off the charts. During the day, plan a hike and picnic atop Mt Franklin, a (now extinct) volcano, and come evening, take in the stunning sunset from your outdoor saltwater plunge pool. If you'd rather get cosy, snuggle into your king-sized bed and enjoy the show via epic floor-to-ceiling windows. The home is located just a stone's throw from Daylesford, so you can indulge your lush side even further on a trip into town.
Located in the heart of the bustling city centre, Le Charme is filled with long teal banquettes and lotus flower-shaped light fittings hanging from the ceiling. Matching teal shutters keep the restaurant's interior sheltered from the frenetic foot traffic outside its doors. It's inside this seemingly serene — and definitely charming — restaurant that you'll enjoy executive chef Gary Lau's extensive and affordable menu. It's filled with lots of pescatarian and vegetarian options, too, so everyone can get in on the action. The $9.90 lunch menu features generous bowls of beef pho and bun bo hue, while its $11.90 menu is filled with hits like spicy chicken laksa, stir-fried beef with rice and mapo tofu. During your midday feed, you can also add a drink — including tea, soft drink and Vietnamese coffee imported directly from Hanoi — to your meal for an extra $2. Head here at night and you'll find an a la carte that pulls its inspiration from across Asia. There's a Hong Kong-style soft shell crab with black beans ($11.90), dumplings ($6.90–7.90) — served steamed or pan-fried — chicken mee goreng ($14.9) and a lineup of popular Vietnamese noodle soups and cold vermicelli dishes. But for the best bang for your buck, order the $30 'feed me' menu (for a minimum of two people), which includes a whopping six dishes: four entrees, one main and a dessert. While exactly what you'll get changes regularly, expect the likes of crunchy wasabi prawns, pan-fried chicken and prawn dumplings, chicken san choy bao and a rich Saigon curry with beef brisket, potato and okra. For dessert, you'll get banana fritters and coconut ice-cream. There's a vego option available for meat-free folk, too The Chinatown diner also has a range of Asian-inspired cocktails and mocktails on offer, with standouts being the opulent salted caramel espresso martini ($19) — made with Kahlua, Baileys and a Nutella rim — and the fruity Royal Rose Fizz ($20). A tidy lineup of beers, ciders and wines are available, too. Images: Julia Sansone.
With the holidays just coming to an end, we're all now emerging from prime binge-watching season. So, if you feel like you've glued your eyes to every possible TV show and movie there is recently, that's completely understandable — but the great thing about streaming is that there's always something else popping up, demanding your attention and helping you maintain that comfy groove in your sofa. Returning series releasing their latest seasons, brand new shows that haven't been on your radar, recent favourites that you mightn't have seen, retro classics that are always worth a revisit, flicks that'll keep you talking — they're some of the fresh additions to the streaming world recently, and they're all ready to add to your 2021 watch list. If you're wondering where to start, we've teamed up with streaming platform Binge to pick five must-sees that'll help you start the year with some top-notch viewing. You can view them all on the Australian service, including via a 14-day free trial for new customers.
To celebrate the latest drop in its Bonded series, Triple Mash, Jack Daniel's is hosting a series of immersive whiskey tastings dubbed Triple Mash Medley. It promises to be a sensory session like no other, featuring whiskey (of course), country music compositions crafted for the tasting, cocktails and canapes. It's landing in Melbourne at the returning rooftop bar Blue Diamond on Monday, October 7. The Bonded Series is named for The Bottled in Bond Act of 1897, which stipulates that the whiskey must be from a single distillery, a blend of whiskies from a single distilling season, aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years and bottled at 100 proof (American parlance for 50 percent ABV). The Triple Mash meets these requirements as a blend of three straight bottled-in-bond whiskies made in Lynchburg, Tennessee. It is 60 percent Jack Daniel's Straight Rye Whiskey, 20 percent Jack Daniel's American Malt Whiskey and 20 percent Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey. Triple Mash is a bold whiskey ideal for sipping. Its dried fruit aromas, warm, rounded mouthfeel, and honeyed sweetness are balanced by subtle grain spice and a spicy finish. It also serves as a rich base for complex whiskey cocktails. Triple Mash is best enjoyed with soothing country music, which is exactly why the Jack Daniel's crew is curating a series of sonically immersive tastings in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. The Melbourne event is happening at the soon-to-be reopened Blue Diamond, a luxe rooftop bar perched 15 floors above the CBD. Boasting decadent cocktails and excellent views, the Blue Diamond is set to be the go-to spot in the city. Music is a big game here, with beats from resident DJs and international acts. Now, Jack Daniel's is bringing a country element. At the tasting, guests will be invited to put on headphones — but rest assured, this isn't a silent disco. They'll be guided through a one-of-a-kind sensory journey, listening to tracks created by Professor Charles Spence, a leading sensory expert from the University of Oxford, alongside award-winning musicians from String Musicians Australia. These tracks pair classic country sounds — acoustic guitar, fiddle and double bass — with the whiskey tasting and experience how the music can bring out tasting notes like grassy herbs, peppery spice, rich toasted oak and deep caramel to enhance the whiskey's flavours. If you're a whiskey lover, get yourself to the Blue Diamond. Book your spot via the link. Please drink responsibly.
Holed up above Swanston Street for over a decade now, this second-hand goliath is one of the largest vintage stores in the country. With racks packed full of one-of-a-kind fabrics cut into new fashionable styles, old leather boots and bags at bargain prices, and a huge collection of band t-shirts, Retrostar is a destination in itself. It's easy to lose an entire afternoon trying on countless outfits, flipping through the styles of yesteryear and swiping free lollipops from their friendly service counters. Bonus: they also regularly host warehouse sales with thousands of pieces priced at just $5. Be sure to get their early to avoid the carnage.
Melbourne's much-loved pop-up wine festival Into The Vines is heading back to The Rochester Hotel (The Rochey) for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival with a special Iberian-themed edition. Head over to the Johnston Street pub on Thursday, March 27, where you'll get to meet winemakers and try an excellent selection of wines. There will be locally-grown Iberian varieties alongside wines from some of Victoria's top wine importers that are often only found in restaurants, providing a unique opportunity to compare old world and new. Whether you're new to the world of wine or a seasoned connoisseur, there'll be the chance to upskill your wine knowledge with a glossary of wine terms and a card to rank and score wines you sample over the course of the evening. To give you an idea, expect drops from local wineries like Sutherland Estate, Steels Gate Wines and Muto Wines, alongside Tasty Things Wines and Soul Wines, imported from Portugal and Spain, respectively. Tickets cost $38 a pop, and they include a heap of tastings and a $10 voucher that you can use to purchase bottles of your favourite vinos. This is the perfect excuse to fill your fridge, cellar or bar cart with special drops to last you through the year. You've also got the option to preorder an Iberian-inspired dinner on the night; Chicken ragu canelones with squid ink, corn butter sauce, and fermented chilli. You'll be buying these drops directly from the winemakers, so expect great prices and that warm fuzzy feeling that comes with supporting a small local business. Moreover, some of these wines are only available on-premise at Melbourne's wine bars and restaurants, so it's a great way to shop them at a more affordable price. You're also guaranteed to love what you get because you'll have tried it already. But if you're after more, you can get around the special masterclass (an additional $20) run by wine expert Jay Bessel — who's highly regarded and sought after for curating wine lists in many of Melbourne's top dining establishments. Sample and talk through one wine from each of the producers paired with bites from the region prepared by chef Ian Ho. Bessel will be on hand to explain why the pairing elevates both the food and the drink, the terroir the wine is best produced in, and how to compare locally made to its native origin. Into The Vines' regular inner-city wine festivals are always hugely popular and sell out, so make sure you lock in your tickets ASAP for this special Iberian-edition evening.
In the just-dropped full season-three Only Murders in the Building trailer, Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) asks Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated) a key question: "who are we without a homicide?". When you're characters in a murder-mystery comedy who make a podcast about murders in your building, death comes with the territory. So does chatting about it — and both are covered in this latest and lengthiest sneak peek at the show's new batch of episodes. This time, it's actor Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) who has shuffled off this mortal coil — and at opening night of theatre producer Putnam's latest Broadway show. Of course Mora, Putnam and Savage are going to get sleuthing again, as they did with past murders in season one (aka one of the best new shows of 2021) and season two (one of the best returning shows of 2022). And of course scrambling to save Putnam's career is also part of the storyline. Season three stars not only Gomez, Martin, Short and the ageless Rudd, but also the one and only Meryl Streep (Don't Look Up) as it add another bit of murder, a new mystery to solve and plenty of laughs to the winter streaming lineup. The show returns on Tuesday, August 8 with its main trio spending plenty of time on Broadway trying to work out who is responsible for Gilroy's death, and why, with help from Streep as his co-star Loretta Durkin. "Is this really happening again?" asked Putnam in the first teaser trailer for the new batch of episodes. Yes, yes it is. So is the series fondness for big-name guest stars, as viewers will know from both season one and two. Tina Fey (Girls5eva) has been a significant presence, Sting and Amy Schumer have played themselves, and Cara Delevingne (Carnival Row) has also popped up. If you're yet to experience Only Murders in the Building's charms, it follows its central odd trio after they bond over two things: listening to a Serial-style podcast hosted by the show's own version of Sarah Koenig, aka Cinda Canning (Fey); and a death in their luxe abode. Of course, they did what everyone that's jumped on the true-crime bandwagon knows they would if they were ever in the same situation, starting their own audio series that's also called Only Murders in the Building. That's how season one kicked off — and continued, proving a warm, funny, smart and savvy series at every step along the way. In the show's second go-around, another death needed investigating. That time, it was someone the main trio were all known not to be that fond of, so suspicions kept pointing in their direction. Check out the full trailer for Only Murders in the Building season three below: Only Murders in the Building's third season will start streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+ from Tuesday, August 8. Season one and two are currently streaming. Read our full review of season two — and of the show's first season, too.
Throw those GoPros, bubble bottles and novelty gumboots in your rucksack, Splendour in the Grass is returning to North Byron Parklands for another year of festival merriment. As usual, rumours have run wild in anticipation of the lineup announce, but the details for Splendour 2017 are finally here. And we're happy to report that some of the rumours were true. As announced by triple j, there's no Lorde or Frank Ocean, but LCD bloody Soundsystem will be Splendouring — it will be the reunited band's first return to Australia since they played Big Day Out back in 2011. The lineup also doesn't state that Splendour is their only show, so stay tuned for news of a national tour (hopefully). It also seems that, happily, the predictions for The xx and Queens of the Stone Age were correct too. Joining them is one heck of a lineup that includes HAIM, RL Grime, Banks and Two Door Cinema Club, along with Future Islands and LA hip hip artist Schoolboy Q, who will be doing one-off Australian shows at the festival. Australian artists on the bill include Tash Sultana, King Gizzard, D.D Dumbo, Dune Rats, A.B Original, Big Scary and more. Anyway, we know what you're here for. We'll cut to the chase. SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2017 LINEUP The xx Queens of the Stone Age LCD Soundsystem Royal Blood HAIM Sigur Rós ScHoolboy Q (only Aus show) Vance Joy Two Door Cinema Club Peking Duk RL Grime Bonobo Father John Misty Catfish and the Bottlemen Tash Sultana Paul Kelly Stormzy King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard George Ezra Future Islands (only Aus show) Banks Bernard Fanning Dune Rats Cut Copy Ásgeir Allday Meg Mac Rag 'N' Bone Man Thundamentals Lil' Yachty San Cisco Client Liaison Real Estate Dan Sultan Vallis Alps D.D Dumbo Maggie Rogers Tove Lo POND Big Scary The Smith Street Band Oh Wonder A.B. Original Dope Lemon The Kite String Tangle Young Franco Julia Jacklin Kingswood Amy Shark Luca Brasi The Lemon Twigs Vera Blue Slumberjack Bad//Dreems Bag Raiders Topaz Jones Middle Kids Ocean Grove Confidence Man Bishop Briggs Late Nite Tuff Guy Julien Baker Kilter Lany Hockey Dad Kirin J Callinan Airling Cosmo's Midnight Gretta Ray Moonbase The Peep Tempel Tornado Wallace The Murlocs Mallrat Luke Million The Wilson Pickers Romare Jarrow Good Boy Kuren Oneman Winston Surfshirt Set Mo HWLS Harvey Sutherland and Bermuda CC:Disco! Enschway DJHMC Nite Fleit Alice Ivy Willow Beats Willaris. K Mookhi Plus... Swindail Dena Amy Andy Garvey Planète Sam Weston Super Cruel Christopher Port Lewis Cancut Kinder plus triple j Unearthed winners Splendour will return to North Byron Parklands on Friday 21, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July. Onsite camping will once again be available from Wednesday, July 19. Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 6 at 9am sharp AEST. More info will soon be available at the official Splendour In The Grass site. Image: Bianca Holderness.
With the last film finally released, the Harry Potter juggernaut has finally ground to a halt. No more books. No more films. For many fans it marks the end of childhood and for a few people, it will thankfully mean the end of acting careers. Sure, JK Rowling has moved the empire online with Pottermore, but for many, the magic is gone. If you find life a little empty without Hogwarts perhaps you should give quidditch a try. The muggle version is a little like lacrosse or handball, but with broomsticks, and an extra person dressed in yellow playing the role of the snitch. Some Australian universities have founded teams, and there's talk of a trans-Tasman competition. All eyes will soon be on the 5th annual quidditch world cup, contested by American colleges and teams from around the world, being held in New York in November. The event has been described by Fox sports as "a cross between the superbowl and a medieval festival" and although people might dress up to go along, the competition on the field is fast-paced and hotly contested.
In these cutthroat days of citizen journalism, a single tweet can obliterate a career. Just ask all these people. That which has been posted — and shared 20,000 times — cannot be unposted. And whether you were drunk, feeling sorry for yourself, on some kind of weird ego trip (Anthony Weiner = Carlos Danger?), really bad at conveying irony, genuinely misunderstood or just plain stupid when you penned the fatal line, excuses aren’t likely to get you out of hot water. Precedent suggests that neither your employer nor the angry mob is likely to be too easily persuaded. But if your most ill-thought-through posts are still buried deep in your feed, rather than across the front page of the Daily Mail, there’s hope. A new app by the name of Clear can burrow into your social media past, analyse your history and flag posts that seem inflammatory or offensive. Based on a mix of miraculous algorithms and Watson, a supercomputer created by IBM, the app works on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Clear’s creator is a man who’s name you might have seen in the headlines. Earlier this year, EthanCzahor was working on a campaign for Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida and possible 2015 presidentialcandidate, when a flurry of old tweets appeared out of thecyber-ether. One read, “Most people don’t know that Halloween is German for ‘night that girls with low self-esteem dress like sluts.’” And another, “When I burp in the gym I feel like it’s my way of saying, ‘sorry guys, but I’m not gay’.”Czahor lost his job within 48 hours of starting, which was a huge blow for a 31-year-old who’d spent his twenties pursuing a career in politics. From the get-go, Ethan maintained that the tweets were jokes, the meaning of which had become skewed. “I was telling jokes with my friends and they were completely tongue-in-cheek and completely harmless,” he told Time. “But years later after I had forgotten about them, they’d been pulled out of context and it looked terrible.” “You exist in a lot of places on the Internet,” he said. “And I just feel that you have the right to at least know what’s out there, and to take care of it.” Via Mashable and Time.
From a new $1.3-million Richmond rooftop to talk of a rooftop bar at Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne's high spots have been getting more and more attention of late. One of the more recent additions is QT Melbourne's secret rooftop garden, which has just reopened for summer. Not that the space, dubbed Secret Garden, hasn't existed before now. It was established as a garden while back by an executive chef of QT's Pascale Bar and Grill, but opened to the public for the first time in 2018. Now, the 40-person bar is run in collaboration with Healesville gin experts Four Pillars. So, you can expect exceptional G&Ts, alongside two gin-spiked cocktails: the Spiced Negroni spritz and the Bloody & Lemon, the latter of which is made with Four Pillars' cult-favourite Bloody Shiraz gin. Neither of those tickle your fancy? You can also create your own cocktail, using herbs from the garden to mix with the gin of your choice. You'll be drinking these surrounded by native river mint, fruit salad sage and blue lilly pillys, while looking out across the city skyline. The bar will also be hosting masterclasses and tasting sessions throughout the summer, before it closes with the end of the season. Secret Garden Bar is open 3–9pm Thursday and 3–11pm Friday–Saturday. Images: Kate Shanasy
Situated just across the street from the Sun Theatre, Cornershop in Yarraville is something of an institution in the west. Lively staff, vintage tables and a pastel green counter with a wooden top greet you when you walk in, and a menu filled with mouthwatering standouts like the zesty coconut dahl with poached eggs ($16.50) and the moreish bacon and egg butty with HP sauce ($15) makes it difficult to choose what to eat. Local roasters Profile provides the coffee, which is served with milk from Fitzroy's Saint David Dairy (or alternatives from Bonsoy and Milklab). It tastes just that little bit better when sipped on a sunny day in the Cornershop courtyard.
He turned the world's most famous shipwreck into one of biggest movies in history and reinvented 3D filmmaking to make another box office behemoth — and now James Cameron is bringing the ocean's depths to Sydney. Making its world premiere at Sydney's Australian National Maritime Museum from May 29, 2018 until January 30, 2019, James Cameron – Challenging the Deep will dive deep into the Titanic and Avatar director's rather expensive hobby: deep-sea exploration. When you make a movie about a necklace called the Heart of the Ocean, becoming obsessed with the sea is understandable, and Cameron has quite the array of artefacts, specimens, underwater recordings, inventions, cinema-scale projections, and film props and costumes to prove it. They'll all be on display, in a showcase that examines the filmmaker's passion for understanding and wading through our oceans. According to the The Sydney Morning Herald, Cameron himself will be in attendance to open the exhibition — taking a break from making four (yes, four) Avatar sequels. And if you're wondering why he's launching his latest project here, it could have something to do with his custom-built Deepsea Challenger submersible, which was made in Sydney. Back in 2012, Cameron piloted the vessel to the Mariana Trench, a cool 10,994 metres below the sea and also the deepest part of the ocean, becoming the first person to venture there solo. You might've seen a documentary about his efforts, 2014's Deepsea Challenge 3D, which is just one of the many movies to chart his fascination with what lurks beneath. After kicking things off with 1989's The Abyss, he not only sent Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio running around the RMS Titanic, but made his own documentary about exploring its real-life ruins, aka 2003's Ghosts of the Abyss. Expect The Abyss and Titanic to feature heavily in the exhibition. James Cameron – Challenging the Deep will display at Sydney's Australian National Maritime Museum from May 29, 2018 until January 30, 2019. For more information, visit the exhibition website. Image:NOAA/Institute for Exploration/University of Rhode Island via Wikimedia Commons.
Here's one way that 2025 is certain to dazzle: with Lightscape and its luminous path through the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne making a comeback this winter. Walking through stunning lights as far as the eye can see, moseying beneath a canopy of glowing multi-coloured trees, wandering between ribbons of flashing beams, taking the most lit-up route through nature that you can imagine — you'll be able to do all of this again, just like in 2022, 2023 and 2024. If you attended in past years, this fourth Lightscape stint does have surprises in store. 2025's event will feature 20-plus stunning new installations. So, no matter whether you're a veteran or a newcomer, you haven't seen this. Exactly what'll be on offer hasn't been revealed as yet, but it'll be on display from Friday, June 20–Sunday, August 10. Lightscape first hit Australia in 2022 after initially taking over gardens across the United Kingdom and the United States. Developed by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK, it has understandably proven a huge success — and more than two-million people wandered along its glowing trails in a season overseas. 2024's Melbourne event featured the return of the popular Winter Cathedral, which is made out of glowing bulbs — and also the vibrant Laser Garden. Also included last year: Submergence, letting patrons move through suspended — and colour-changing — lights by the thousands, for instance, and Lili with its glowing three-metre-tall flowers. Whatever is on the agenda in 2025, prepare to see the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne illuminated by immersive and large-scale pieces scattered along that lengthy walking route, including sparkling trees, shimmering walkways and bursts of colour that look like fireworks. Prepare to feel like you're being bathed in radiance — and ample neon — as well. Pop-up food and drink stalls are usually a feature, too, as scattered throughout Lightscape — selling, we always hope, mulled wine to keep hands warm in the thick of winter.
Jacob Elordi returning to Australia. Snowtown, True History of the Kelly Gang and Nitram director Justin Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant reteaming. Richard Flanagan's Booker Prize-winning novel making the leap to the screen. A cast that also includes Belfast's Ciarán Hinds, Olivia DeJonge (Elvis) and her The Staircase co-star Odessa Young (My First Film), Limbo and Boy Swallows Universe's Simon Baker, Heartbreak High's Thomas Weatherall, Love Me's Heather Mitchell and Tokyo Vice's Show Kasamatsu. Combine all of the above and Prime Video's five-part miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North is the end result — and if you hadn't already scheduled it in for a couch date in April, you will after watching its just-dropped trailer. "Are you a gambling man?" Elordi's Dorrigo Evans is asked at the beginning of the series' sneak peek. "Occasionally, yeah" is his response — before wagering on the chances of making it through the year alive. Set to hit your streaming queue on Friday, April 18, 2025, The Narrow Road to the Deep North tells a tale of love and war, and of Evans' journey from a prisoner of war as a Lieutenant in World War II, working on the Thailand-Burma Railway, to becoming an acclaimed surgeon. Elordi shares the show's lead role with Hinds, playing the younger version of the character in a tale that jumps between different time periods — and includes a life-changing stint of falling in love with Amy Mulvaney (Young). DeJonge and Baker feature with Elordi and Young, plus Weatherall and Kasamatsu, in the show's 40s-era timeline, while Hinds hops in when the series gets to the 80s, which is where Mitchell pops up as well. Initially announced a couple of years back, then premiering at this year's Berlinale, The Narrow Road to the Deep North brings its star back to the small screen three years after the second season of Euphoria in 2022 — and a likely a year before the HBO favourite's third season arrives. He's been busy on the big screen since, though, courtesy of Saltburn, Priscilla, Deep Water, The Sweet East, Oh, Canada and On Swift Horses, before what's set to be prime Easter long-weekend viewing drops. Prior to all of the above projects, and also before the three Kissing Booth films helped boost his career first, Elordi scored his first on-screen acting credit beyond short films in Aussie movie Swinging Safari. Since then, however, the Brisbane-born talent has largely focused on working overseas. So The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a rarity of late on his filmography, with the actor heading home to make the drama. Charles An (Last King of the Cross), Essie Davis (One Day), William Lodder (Love Me), Eduard Geyl (Born to Spy) and Christian Byers (Bump) are also among the cast. Check out the trailer for The Narrow Road to the Deep North below: The Narrow Road to the Deep North will stream via Prime Video from Friday, April 18, 2025. Images: Prime Video.
The beloved Cameo Cinema will once again showcase some of the summer's most talked-about films on its magnificent outdoor movie screen under the stars. Kicking off for the 2021–22 season the moment it can — that'd be on Friday, October 22, when Melbourne comes out of lockdown — and screening through the rest of spring and summer, this outdoor film-watching spot will give cinema lovers the chance to relax in deckchairs and beanbags, with craft beer, homemade choc-tops and freshly popped popcorn in hand. If that's not worth the drive out to Belgrave, then we just don't know what is. Featured on the big screen will be a selection of new flicks, starting with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Free Guy, Nitram and The Last Duel — and throwing in a Halloween session of Candyman, too. From there, you can look forward to Marvel's Eternals, new Bond instalment No Time to Die and Disney's latest animated effort Ron's Gone Wrong. More flicks, both recent and classic, are set to be added to the lineup as well as spring and summer go on. It doesn't hurt that the Cameo concessions are a cut above what you'll find at your local shopping centre multiplex. It has craft beer and boutique wines — and dogs are welcome here, too. In line with current COVID-19 restrictions, masks are mandatory and capacities are limited.
Ever wish you could teleport out of the office and into, say, the idyllic surrounds of the Versailles Palace? Well, that need no longer be the stuff of dreams. Using Street View technology, Google has launched the World Wonders Project, an initiative that aims to bring the world's most breathtaking heritage sites directly to you. In a virtual experience like no other, users will be able to access high resolution photographs, 3D imagery and YouTube videos of up to 132 landmarks and architectural sites from 18 countries around the globe. Partnering with Getty Images and UNESCO among others, the World Wonders Project is part of Google's mission to preserve ancient and modern heritage sites, and to make these cultural landmarks accessible for future generations in an ever-expanding digital archive. Whether you're an avid traveller or average procrastinator, Google's highly interactive application is designed to virtually transport you into new, exciting worlds from the convenience of your desk. The Project site has a range of user-friendly functions to navigate your chosen destination. To embark on your virtual globe-trotting experience, you can access information compiled about the site, flick through albums of stunning photos, or for the more adventurous - click on the 3D modelling option and experience the wonders of navigating your dream location in all its 360 degree, street-level glory. Visit Google World Wonders
When it comes to an island filled with dinosaurs, humanity just won't learn. Since Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park hit bookstores in 1990, spawning not only Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster film, but two direct sequels and the recent Jurassic World spin-off trilogy, people just keep clamouring to share the same landmass as re-animated prehistoric beasts. Now they're about to do so all over again in a just-announced animated Netflix series. Headed to the streaming platform in 2020, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous will hail back to the events of 2015's initial Jurassic World flick — and to the franchise's familiar setting, Isla Nublar. This time, six teenagers have been chosen to attend a new adventure camp on the other side of the remote deathtrap. If you've seen the movie, you already know that the dinos break loose (of course they do), which'll leave the plucky youths fighting to survive. Executive produced by Spielberg — as well as Jurassic World executive producer Frank Marshall, plus two-time series director Colin Trevorrow — the show will help fill the gap until the live-action Jurassic World 3 releases in 2021. It's being overseen by Scott Kreamer (Pinky Malinky) and Lane Lueras (Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny), and forms part of Netflix's family slate, so you can probably expect less scares than usual (although the teaser below is a little creepy). Given that it's aimed at all ages, you can probably expect more (albeit friendlier) dinosaurs, however. Just who'll be voicing Camp Cretaceous' characters has yet to be revealed. The same remains true for everyone's two burning questions: whether a few familiar Jurassic World talents will pop up, and if any of the old-school Jurassic Park gang will lend their vocals. Our wish, and it's an obvious one, is for more Jeff Goldblum. If you're keen for the briefest of sneak peeks of Camp Cretaceous, check out the first teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkFrNm5M_Ck Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous doesn't have an exact release date as yet, but it's expected to hit Netflix in 2020. We'll keep you updated with specific timing when it comes to hand.
It's hard to think of a wrong way to prepare the humble chicken — but of all the various methods, frying might be our favourite. Juicy pieces of poultry, coated in flour, salt, herbs and spices, cooked piping hot and served with tangy sauce and a cold glass of James Squire: it doesn't get much better than that. We Melburnians are spoiled for choice when it comes to this particular bird — in fact the hardest thing about putting together this list was trying not to drool over the pictures. From classic culinary contenders to some lesser-known gems, here are the best fried chicken joints Melbourne foodies should flock to. GAMI Forefather to Melbourne's Korean Fried Chicken craze, the Gami chain is now pumping out poultry at four locations (three in the CBD and one in St Kilda). While there's a small invitation of dumplings and side dishes, it's important to stay focused and keep that stomach space free for the real reason you came: fried bird bits. Honestly, there's not a great deal of decision making that needs to happen here; you either want your chicken with bones or boneless, with or without sauce. As for beer, you can get it on tap, in jugs or — our preference — in a mini keg that sits on the edge of your table. It's also advisable to request extra napkins. You'll thank us later on this one, when the sticky sweet-soy-garlic sauce drips from your fingers to your elbows, and you begin to regret the fact you brought a Tinder date along. Shop G, 535 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne (and various other locations); (03) 9670 3232; www.gamichicken.com.au DA RIN If all three of the city Gami venues are at capacity (and they often are), give newcomer Da Rin a shot. They recently entered the gauntlet by offering a similar fried chicken menu (available with or without bones, in original, sweet and spicy, and honey and garlic flavours), but stepped up the competition by throwing in a few wildcard menu contenders. Get adventurous with the dakmoraejip (a stir fry of veggies and spicy chicken giblets) or the egg tang (a savoury egg custard made with pengi mushrooms. It's better than it sounds on paper, promise). 169 Bourke Street, Melbourne; (03) 9639 0721 BELLE'S HOT CHICKEN If you're one of many seeking out the best battered chook in the city, it's hard to go past Belle's Hot Chicken, where their sole focus is just that. Chose your cut of meat (wings, tenders or dark meat), your spice level (mild, medium, hot, really hot or 'really fucking hot') and your favourite side (like coleslaw, potato salad or mac and cheese). It all comes with complimentary pickles and a slice of bread to soak up the oozing spices. This is Fitzroy's take on Nashville comfort-eating, and it's damn, damn good. 150 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy; (03) 9077 0788; www.belleshotchicken.com ROCKWELL & SONS Advance bookings are essential if you want in on Rockwell & Sons' popular fried chicken night, which only happens on Wednesday evenings. It's often booked out weeks in advance. testament not only to Melbourne's affection for a food craze but to the restaurant's ongoing success (this is no pop-up operation — they've been going strong for years). Order your bird at least three days ahead, because preparation starts early in the week with a slow-brine process, after which the poultry is slathered in buttermilk and gently tickled/served with whatever traditional accompaniments are being offered that day (such as coleslaw, mac and cheese or biscuits). 288 Smith Street, Collingwood; (03) 8415 0700; www.rockwellandsons.com.au CHICK-IN Chick-In serves similarly sticky, crowdpleasing fried favourites to Gami, albeit among more contemporary settings (rather than canteen-style decor, they've gone with a look that more closely resembles a Fitzroy single origin cafe). While the fried chicken itself is similar to that of its competitor, a major point of difference lies in the Korean-Western fusion-style accompaniments like kimchi fries, as well as the single serve, non-sharing options which cater to solo lunchtime diners during the middle-of-the-day trough-feed. Assuming you're in no hurry to return to work, try knocking back one of their soju mojitos, or relax with a bottle of One Fifty Lashes. G23/620 Collins Street, Melbourne; (03) 9973 6244; www.facebook.com/chickinmelbourne LEONARD'S HOUSE OF LOVE You'd be forgiven for thinking that Chapel Street was a rather long way away while spending some time in Leonard's House of Love. Leonard's vibe is log cabin-meets-houseparty, with an American-style menu jam packed full of poultry. You can grab original or spicy tenders, popcorn chicken, a southern fried chicken burger or a chicken and gravy roll. Even the sides are chook-based, with charcoal chicken fries and charcoal chicken nachos both totally legitimate options. 3 Wilson Street, South Yarra; 0428 066 778; www.facebook.com/leonardshouseoflove KODIAK CLUB It's said that Kodiak serve the most authentic American buffalo wings in Melbourne. Whether this is a factual claim is inconsequential — you should come here to eat, not to argue. It's an all-round pleaser of a plate, containing just enough heat to satisfy fans of vinegary hot sauce without isolating those with a lesser-trained heat palate. Order by the dozen (forget the small serve, trust us on this); your wings will arrive with wads of napkins, wet wipes, blue cheese sauce and a few stumps of celery sticks that are intended purely for garnish, not for filling up on. Don't make that rookie mistake. 272 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy; (03) 9417 3733; www.thekodiak.club HOT STAR Setting up dispensaries at several hole-in-the-wall city shopfronts, the Hot Star chicken franchise comes co-located with those takeaway tea shops that always have offensive queues sprawling outside them, blocking peak hour Swanston Street foot traffic. But one can overlook such tiny faults in return for a fillet of fried chicken as big as a human head. Nobody knows what part of the bird comes shaped this way, nor do they understand exactly what goes into that addictive, crunchy coating. But after a bite, you'll probably decide it's best not to ask questions and just run with it. 231 Swanston Street, Melbourne; www.hotstarchicken.com.au FRYING COLOURS According to its website, Frying Colours is a 'Korean Eating Place', presumably for chicken you put in your mouth using your hands. But it's more than that — the restaurant's menu extends further than other Korean chicken joints that specialise in throwing just one type of animal into the deep fryer, offering a full grill service as well as traditional bibimbap, bulgogi, hotpots and dumpling dishes. A whole chook will cost $32, which seems like about the average market rate for Korean Fried Chicken in Melbourne's current economic climate. The meat is miraculously moist without succumbing to sogginess — but if you need further lubrication, the BYO policy will hold you in good stead. 520 Macaulay Road, Kensington; (03) 9939 9679; www.fryingcolours.com.au FRIED AND TASTY Sometimes, a name says it all. The birds at Fried and Tasty are just that: fried and tasty. The acronym F.A.T is probably fairly appropriate as well, given how often we chow down at this Brunswick East chicken coop. In addition to boned chunks, tenders and BBQ wings, Fried and Tasty have a whole host of different chicken burgers and a yummy selection of sides. To be honest though, if you're not ordering buttermilk waffles with chicken, vanilla ice cream and Canadian maple syrup, you're probably doing it wrong. 360 Lygon Street, Brunswick East; (03) 8560 3328; www.friedandtasty.com JUANITA PEACHES Juanita is certainly not your standard lass, with a logo that resembles the sort of tattoo you might acquire from a trip you don't remember to Surfer's Paradise. But all in all, she's got the goods, and she's worth trying. With a small menu on offer, the fried chicken — crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle — definitely tops the list of things to order at this establishment. The burros were a little on the dry side but still tasty, and with a lick of hot sauce, all ills are remedied. All the usual sides are at the party too, including chips and a zingy slaw to cut through that chicken grease. 12 Edward Street, Brunswick; (03) 8060 6664; www.facebook.com/juanitapeaches Words by Veronica Fil, Laura Dawson, Tagen Davies and Tom Clift.
East Brunswick Village — home to Rumi, The Rocket Society, Bridge Road Brewers, Bellboy Cafe and FoMo Cinemas — is throwing a huge block party on Sunday, November 10, from 11am–5pm. Triple R's resident DJ Small Fry will be playing tunes throughout the day, while the precinct's food and drink venues will be slinging one-off dishes, signature creations and limited-edition craft beers. Bridge Road Brewers is providing beer for the occasion — made just for the Village Feast — plus, they'll be plating up epic house-made Bavarian soft pretzels loaded with jalapenos, olives, spring onion and cheese sauce, or smoked ham, hot pickles and cheese sauce. [caption id="attachment_977709" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tacoya's nori tacos[/caption] Rumi's chefs will be serving their famous HSP, and its sibling venue The Rocket Society will be pumping out homemade falafels with an optional natty wine pairing. You can also get around prawn and crab rolls from Bellboy Cafe, beer and wine from Blackhearts & Sparrows, and special sweet popcorn from FoMo Cinemas — featuring mini marshmallows, chocolate chips and crushed graham crackers. To top it all off, you'll also find a small makers market where over ten local artisans will be spruiking their wares, competitions, raffles and kid-friendly entertainment. It's all about the community feels at the Village Feast. [caption id="attachment_972176" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bridge Road Brewers[/caption]
[Via Mashable]
'Do one thing and do it well' used to be a mantra of many successful businesses. Google did search. Car makers made cars. Hotels gave you a place to sleep. But now, following the diversification model others have set, Vibe Hotels are releasing music. Vibe: The Chillout Suite is the fourth in the series featuring local talents such as Angus & Julia Stone, Lior and Washington, as well as international acts like Florence + The Machine and Gomez. There's even room for a few classics like Mazzy Star's Fade Into You and Jeff Buckley's Last Goodbye. To celebrate the launch of the album, Vibe are offering one lucky Concrete Playground reader a chillout accommodation package valued at $490 including a one night stay for two people at any of their hotels in Sydney, Melbourne or the Gold Coast, including buffet breakfast, a copy of Chillout Suite, and a late check-out so you can really relax. To enter, just make sure you're a CP subscriber then email us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au by 5pm on Friday, July 8.
Don't go saying that you don't have anything to watch between Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24. In cinemas around the Victorian capital, for 18 movie-filled days, 2025's Melbourne International Film Festival boasts a program more than 275 flicks deep. This year's MIFF is where The Chronology of Water, the feature directorial debut of Kristen Stewart (Love Lies Bleeding), will screen for the first time Down Under — and where Urchin, which notches up the same feat for Babygirl's Harris Dickinson, will as well. Both are heading to Melbourne fresh from their Cannes premieres. MIFF will also give the city its initial chance to see early pandemic-set western Eddington from Ari Aster (Beau Is Afraid), celebrate a music icon with the world premiere of Jimmy Barnes: Working Class Man, enjoy the full Norwegian Sex trilogy that culminated with 2025 Berlinale Golden Bear-recipient Dreams (Sex Love), get unsettled by Daisy Ridley (Cleaner)-led Australian found-footage horror We Bury the Dead, take the family to animated sequel The Bad Guys 2 based on Aussie author Aaron Blabey's books, pay tribute to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and much, much more. If I Had Legs I'd Kick You starring Rose Byrne (Physical) is the fest's opening-night pick, Parasite composer Jung Jae-il is coming to Australia to conduct the movie's score live in an Aussie exclusive and Cannes Palme d'Or-winning It Was Just an Accident by Jafar Panahi (No Bears) is on the lineup, too — and so is The Passion of Joan of Arc with a new score by Julia Holter performed live. Richard Linklater's (Hit Man) Blue Moon with Ethan Hawke (Leave the World Behind), Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Andrew Scott (Ripley) is just one of two of the director's features on the bill. The other: Nouvelle Vague, with the American helmer bringing the French New Wave to life. Her Smell's Alex Ross Perry is another filmmaker with two titles on the lineup. With Videoheaven, a movie essay solely comprised from movie and TV clips, he pays tribute to the video-store era — and with Pavements, he focuses on the band Pavement via an experimental blend of documentary, narrative, musical and more. The director is among MIFF's 2025 guests as well, including as a juror for its Bright Horizons award, the fest's $140,000 official competition for filmmakers that was introduced back in 2022. After Aftersun screened in the comp's debut year, its filmmaker Charlotte Wells is this year's jury president. The aforementioned Urchin and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You are in the running for 2025's Bright Horizon prize, as are the likes of Cannes hit Sound of Falling, Un Certain Regard award-winner The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, the Bangkok-set A Useful Ghost, and Matthew McConaughey (Agent Elvis)- and Kurt Russell (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters)-starring crime-thriller The Rivals of Amziah King. It isn't hard to find more standouts across the complete MIFF program, such as dramedy Sorry, Baby, which has had the film festival circuit talking since Sundance; Left-Handed Girl, with first-time director Shih-Ching Tsou boasting Anora Oscar-winner Sean Baker as her co-writer and editor; legal drama Two Prosecutors; and Kelly Reichardt's (Showing Up) Josh O'Connor (Challengers)-led The Mastermind. Others include O'Connor again in the small town-set Rebuilding, coming-of-age story Enzo from BPM (Beats Per Minute)'s Robin Campillo, Wagner Moura's (Dope Thief) Cannes-winning performance in The Secret Agent, Bi Gan's (Long Day's Journey Into Night) Resurrection, the surveillance culture examination of documentary The Perfect Neighbor, 1000 Women in Horror's cinematic celebration, Aussie animation Lesbian Space Princess, the true crime-focused Zodiac Killer Project, Peter Dinklage (Wicked) as The Toxic Avenger and horror-comedy Zombucha! with Jackie van Beek (Audrey). The festival's retrospectives titles are always a highlight, and 2025's picks are no different — whether you're keen to mark 25 years since Looking for Alibrandi reached the screen via a 4K restoration; also see Sweetie, the debut feature from Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog), get the same restored treatment; flash back to BMX Bandits; or work your way through MIFF's largest-ever tribute to a single director via the 27-film Chantal Akerman: Traces strand. From Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31, MIFF Online is also back so you can watch along from your couch.
A huge taste of Bavaria is coming to Melbourne's west next month, as Oktoberwest takes over Seaworks for a lively local riff on Germany's famed annual celebration of beer. Don your best dirndl or lederhosen and join 4000 festive punters raising steins, shouting 'prost' and polishing off pretzels. Just like the real deal, there'll be long communal tables filled with people sipping their way through a menu of imported German brews, beneath blue and white banners repping the colours of the Bavarian flag. Local Bavarian-style craft beers will be flowing just as freely, as will bubbly from the dedicated champagne bar. Steins will be sunk as you soak up the sounds of the day's live acts, including Furnace & The Fundamentals, 19-Twenty and The Black Curtains — plus oompah bands aplenty, of course. As always, German food stalls will be slinging classics ranging from bretzels to bratwurst; and in between bites, you can try your luck at traditional Oktoberfest games including the Pretzel Pass, the Barrel Roll and a Schuhplattler (a style of folk dance) competition. General admission tickets start from $45, with VIP tickets at $105.
Whether you're a big nature nerd or err on the indifferent side to the science of it all, chances are you've seen at least some of Sir David Attenborough's Blue Planet. The BBC nature documentary series — narrated by the man himself and accompanied by an epic score from Hans Zimmer — first aired back in 2001, and its follow-up second season, Blue Planet II, was released just last year. But the bits you've seen on TV or YouTube are sure to be belittled when the BBC brings the live show to Australia this April. Like the performances of Harry Potter and Star Wars we've seen in recent months, Blue Planet II Live in Concert will see the documentary screened in all its glory accompanied by a live orchestra. And it's a big score. The music for Blue Earth II was composed by none other than Hans Zimmer (responsible for epics like The Lion King, Gladiator, The Dark Knight Rises and Inception) alongside Jacob Shea and David Fleming. In Australia, the score will be performed by three of the country's leading orchestras and, in lieu of Attenborough, Ab Fab's Joanna Lumley will be narrating in real time. The show will travel around Australia in March 2019, visiting Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney for just three shows all up. Tickets go on October 15. In the meantime, you can watch ehe first season of Blue Planet on Netflix. BLUE PLANET II LIVE IN CONCERT TOUR DATES March 8, 2019— Sydney Theatre, International Convention Centre, Sydney (with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra) March 9, 2019 — Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) March 11, 2019 — Great Hall, Convention and Exhibition Centre (with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra) Blue Planet II Live in Concert will tour Australia from May 8–11, 2019. Presale tickets will go on sale on Monday, October 15. For more info, visit blueplanet2live.com.au. Image: Hugh Miller, copyright BBC NHU (2016).
Whoever said bouncy castles were just for kids clearly never encountered The Monster. Clocking in at 270-metres and boasting 30 different obstacles, this thing takes the title of the world's largest inflatable obstacle course. Oh, and it's just casually coming to Melbourne in January 2018, as part of its own three-day 18+ festival of fun. Taking over the Grand Pavilion at Melbourne Showgrounds across the Australia Day long weekend, The Monster is the bouncy castle experience of your wildest kidult dreams. Punters are invited to run, jump, dance and scramble their way through the course, with sessions running from noon–10pm each day. It'll likely take you somewhere between five and 20 minutes to complete, depending on speed, coordination and how indulgent your festive season was. What's more, the fun extends beyond the final bounce, with the festival also pulling together a program of DJs, street food vendors and pop-up bars to see you sticking around long into the night. Melbourne's just the first stop on The Monster's soon-to-launch Aussie tour, with organisers TEG Life Like Touring expected to announce more cities next year.
Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp and Beyonce and Jay Z have all done it — and now it’s your turn. To own your own island, that is. A slice of paradise off Tassie’s north coast has gone up for sale through Ray White Southern Tasmania. And offers of $5 million or more are most welcome. You’ll find this pristine utopia, called Waterhouse Island, just three kilometres north of the Waterhouse Conservation Area, which is just 30-kilometres from Bridport on the mainland. The island is about 4.5-kilometres long, one-kilometre wide, and spans about 710 acres. So there are thousands of metres of land, sea and surf for exploring, swimming, snorkelling, relaxing and fishing. Meanwhile, your accommodation is all taken care of thanks to a light, airy colonial home, with three bedrooms and an open plan kitchen-dining area. Your new home is set up to tread gently on the environment; both buildings are self-sufficient, with rainwater tanks and solar power. Reckon your mates might want to visit? Shack them up in the waterfront guest house, where there’s room for four sleepers. Or just build your dream home. You can do whatever the hell you want when you own an island. On top of all this gloriousness, Barnbougle Golf Course isn’t far away either. So, on weekends, you can jump in your private boat – or plane – and get working on your par. Flight time is just ten minutes, and you'll have your own airstrip on the island. Now, it’s just a matter of scraping together a lazy five mill. Images: Ray White Southern Tasmania
Street art already has a magical quality about it. It pops up in laneways, on buildings, and on forgotten street corners every night; in a single sleep your city can be transformed. But now, one artist has taken things a step further. Spanish photographer and motion designer A.L. Crego enriches these creations with even more intrigue — he brings them to life. Utilising the almighty power of the GIF, Crego expertly animates the street art he finds on his daily travels. In an attempt to boost the meaning of each work, he spends between a couple of hours and two days creating each animation. "Some of them are easier than others because the painting was made with a few elements, but other ones were made with a lot of techniques and elements," he told Pixable. Though GIFs are usually there to be laughed at or shared in addictive listicles, over the past few years they've really taken off as a legitimate art form. There are a number of artists using the medium in incredible and unexpected ways. Far from their most common use as vehicles for Lena Dunham quotes, GIFs (or cinemagraphs, if we're being fancy) can actually be quite beautiful. Take a stroll through A.L. Crego's collection below. Your imagination will thank you for it. Via My Modern Met and Pixable.. All images: A.L. Crego.
One of the only cities in the world where all the colours of the rainbow can be ordered in the form of a hot drink, Melbourne is obsessed with bright-coloured lattes. Rather than a standard latte made from boring old coffee beans, we're now seeing the hot milky (or, sorry, mylky) drinks being made with anything from beetroot to ground tea leaves to algae. If you don't understand how blue algae could possibly be made into a drinkable substance — you're not the only one. To help you navigate this brave new world where ordering a latte doesn't necessarily mean you're ordering a coffee, here's your guide to Melbourne's non-coffee lattes. [caption id="attachment_587733" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The blue algae latte at Matcha Mylkbar.[/caption] THE BLUE ALGAE LATTE We predicted algae would be a think this year, and Melbourne has proven us right. The blue algae latte — which is most recognisably served up by St Kilda's Matcha Mylkbar — is lovely shade of Smurf blue thanks to the addition of active blue algae. Like other superfoods of its kind, algae is said to support immunity and health. To turn algae into liquid form, MM convert it into powder and mix with ginger, lemon and warm frothed coconut milk. It's definitely an acquired taste. Real Food Organic also do a similar algae-based pale Blue Majik Latte. Where to get it: Matcha Mylkbar, Real Food Organic. [caption id="attachment_587747" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The golden latte at Serotonin Eatery.[/caption] THE GOLDEN (TURMERIC) LATTE There are several ways to approach golden latte making, from using juiced turmeric root to boiling dried turmeric and straining it to create what some health nuts refer to as liquid gold. Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, so these golden mugfuls are good for settling tummies. Over at Organica Cafe, they use an organic blend to create a mild, Indian-spiced flavour — they also sell their latte blend so you can try your hand at making it at home. Street Organics in Malvern make a turmeric latte, which boasts plenty of aromatic, immunity-boosting ginger, while part-gym, part-restaurant, Serotonin Eatery infuses their coconut milk-based golden turmeric with ginger, cinnamon and black pepper. Where to get it: Organica Café, Street Organics, Serotonin Eatery. [caption id="attachment_587752" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Beetroot lattes at Happy Place.[/caption] THE BEETROOT LATTE Made from beetroot juice or powdered beetroot derived from the dried vegetable, these neon lattes are famed for their high antioxidant properties — so it's a perfect order if you can feel a cold coming on. You can get one at healthy haven Happy Place and, over at Abbotsford's Kitty Burns, they do an epic red velvet beetroot cacao latte. It's a sweet, healthy alternative for those who prefer their lattes caffeine-free. Where to get it: Kitty Burns, Le Petite Prince, Happy Place, Matcha Mylkbar. [caption id="attachment_587754" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The red latte at Fresh Organic Goods.[/caption] THE RED LATTE No, the flavour is not actually 'red' — these concoctions are actually made from ground rooibos tea. At Prahran's Fresh Organic Goods, their red lattes are a slightly sweet, slightly bitey version of your morning coffee, but with a whole slew of vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron and potassium. Where to get it: Fresh Organic Goods. [caption id="attachment_587756" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The matcha latte at Matcha Mylkbar.[/caption] THE MATCHA LATTE Go rogue on your usual local with Melbourne's favourite non-coffee order: the matcha latte. Matcha is a finely ground powder of green tea leaves and has sort of transcended the health food hysteria to become a part of normal, everyday fare. One of the best places to find it? Little Rogue. Tucked behind a vintage blue door on Drewery Lane, they serve up an addictively rich, gloriously green matcha latte — and in summer they do smooth iced matcha lattes. SMAK Food House's thick and creamy matcha soy latte is also a front-runner in Melbourne's green scene, while Trei Café was also one of the first to serve some much-needed winter-warming green tea lattes in Glen Waverley. Where to get it: Little Rogue, SMAK Food House, Trei Café, Matcha Mylkbar. [caption id="attachment_587757" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The rainbow latte at Too Many Chiefs. @butterbingmelb via Instagram.[/caption] THE RAINBOW LATTE This one's a little ridiculous. At Brighton's Instagram-famed Too Many Chiefs, they don't like to restrict your colour choices. Their rainbow coffee is a mixture of their four other non-caffeinated choices – beetroot, matcha, turmeric and blue algae. If you're looking to hit peak rainbow, this is where to go. Where to get it: Too Many Chiefs
While gifts are a splendid way to spoil mum this Mother's Day, the most meaningful gesture is clearing your calendar and spending quality time together. Throw in a share-worthy feast and a glass (or bottle) of bubbles, and you have yourself a memorable Mother's Day. Whether you're celebrating your mum, you're a new mum yourself, or you're looking for a way to treat the incredible women in your life this May, we've teamed up with G.H. Mumm, Perrier-Jouët, and Mumm Terroirs to round up eight of the best champagne-fuelled specials in Melbourne. Commons Collective If your mum prefers a glamorous high tea with bottomless bubbles over a hearty lunch, Commons Collective in Melbourne is an ideal spot to celebrate your mum. This Mother's Day, treat your mum to an indulgent high tea in the Commons Collectives light-filled Conservatory or moody prohibition-style Bar Moubray. Toast to your mum with a festive spritz on arrival before devouring a lavish array of sweet and savoury bites, like mini prawn and Marie rosé sauce brioche buns, rhubarb and strawberry lamingtons, and freshly baked scones. At just $99 per person, including two hours of unlimited Mumm sparkling, it's a fabulous way to show your appreciation this Mother's Day. Reserve your table here. Flour Child Instead of the standard Mother's Day flowers and candles, why not give an experience your mum can enjoy with you? Beloved Italian pizza bar Flour Child, with venues in both Richmond and St Kilda, offers three types of memorable masterclasses your mum is guaranteed to adore: pasta, cheese, and Pinsa pizza. Plus, if you book a table this Mother's Day, Flour Child is offering generous discounts across all Mumm pours, including $10 flutes and $60 bottles of Mumm Marlborough, as well as $16 flutes and $99 bottles of Mumm GV French Champagne. And finally, Flour Child's regular bottomless brunch will also include a complimentary glass of Mumm Marlborough. Secure a masterclass and table here. Hotel Nacional Is your mum a free spirit who loves to let her hair down? Then Hotel Nacional on Hardware Lane is the perfect spot to kick back and spend some quality time together over a few feel-good drinks. On the big day, for just $80 per person, you can treat your mum to 90 minutes of bottomless flutes of Mumm Marlborough and margaritas, paired with a gourmet feast of Mexican bites under the city skyline. Secure a booking here. Left Bank Devoted to making your Mother's Day extra special this year, Left Bank is serving up a glamorous and gourmet $99 three-course lunch with a glass of Mumm Marlborough on arrival. Plus, every mum will receive a 375ml bottle of G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge to take home. To elevate your Mother's Day long lunch and make it even more memorable, you'll have the opportunity to surprise your mum with a complimentary professional family portrait on the day. Simply head to the cocktail bar during your lunch to capture a family photo. Reserve your table here. Lollo Blending contemporary Italian flair with relaxed elegance, W Melbourne's flagship eatery, Lollo, offers a beautifully elevated setting to spoil your mum. This Mother's Day, enjoy a complimentary flute of Mumm Marlborough on arrival before diving into an unforgettable feast overlooking Flinders Lane. Expect an indulgent share-style menu of delicate tuna crudo, succulent picanha steak, whole King George Whiting, and Lollo's signature melt-in-your-mouth tiramisu for just $95 per person. There's also the option to kick it up a notch with exclusive Mumm Marlborough and rosé specials. Or keep the festive vibes flowing with a limited-edition Strawberry Bellini, crafted with Mumm Marlborough and playful strawberry pearls. Book your table here. Loop Rooftop For a slice of urban oasis this Mother's Day, celebrate with a charming picnic hamper on Melbourne's award-winning rooftop garden, Loop. For just $65 per person, enjoy a flute of G.H. Mumm on arrival before diving into a hearty hamper brimming with tasty bites like classic prawn cocktail, chicken katsu burgers, southern fried cauliflower bites, fries, and New York cheesecake with blueberries. For an additional $35, you have the option to elevate it to a bottomless hamper, with flowing Moon Dog beer, Loop prosecco, sauvignon blanc, and soft drinks, or deluxe bottomless with unlimited tap beer, red and whine wine, and sparkling rosé for an extra $60 per person. Or, you can always show Mum just how special she is with an upgrade of G.H. Mumm champagne for $165. Reserve your table here. Mirror Mirror Southside this Mother's Day? Mirror Mirror, located atop south Melbourne's Clarendon Hotel, is an ambient, sun-drenched rooftop bar that's perfect for a laidback family affair. Relax into an à la carte-style afternoon with bites like homemade dips, fried prawns, pea arancini, and a selection of charcuterie, and surprise mum with a free flute of Mumm Cordon Rouge on arrival. Plus, enjoy special Mumm pricing across the day with $17 glasses or $100 bottles. Secure a booking here. Mother's Day is just around the corner. Be sure to indulge your mum this May by treating her to a glass of G.H. Mumm, Perrier-Jouët, and Mumm Terroirs at any of these Melbourne restaurants and bars. By Elise Cullen
It seems like only yesterday that we were freaking out over their Indiegogo campaign. Now, Australia's first cat cafe has officially stolen the hearts of the nation, raised sufficient funds, and set up a home on Queen Street, Melbourne ahead of their launch early next month. If a week or two is simply too long to wait, here's a teaser of what's to come. Meet Sherlock, Lotti, Lynx, Lopez, Waldo, and Braveheart — aka your new furry best friends. All adopted from the Geelong Animal Welfare Society, these beautiful bundles of pure happiness are the first cats to call the cafe home. Having only been in the city a mere day or two, Cat Cafe Melbourne have posted a little information about each on Facebook ahead of their upcoming launch. Pictured above is the youngest — and in our opinion, best named — kitten Braveheart. Not only is he the cutest little thing we've ever seen, he's also a bit of a battler. At just five months old, he's already suffered a bad infection that led to his right eye being removed. As the cat cafe owners rightfully point out, at least now "he gives a great wink!" From youngest to eldest, this is Lynx. A sedate seven-year-old, he's the type to snuggle up and relax with after a big ol' lunch. "He won't put up with the young ones," the Cat Cafe claim. "If you pick him up beware! He gives a big hug and smooches your face. You may require help to remove him." Then there's Lotti. Though she looks a whole lot like Braveheart, she's a little older and apparently gets a bit jealous of the attention afforded to others. "She is very demanding for affection ... and has an amazing purr that will melt your heart," the owners say. Of course the best thing about this place is that there's just too many cats to keep track of. Lopez, Waldo and Sherlock are the rest of the bunch that are currently slinking around the unopened space, but you won't know too much about them 'til you meet. Cat Cafe Melbourne doesn't have an official opening date yet, though the owners have stated it will be sometime in early July. The cats will also be separated from the official cafe space due to food safety regulations — no one wants a hairball in their latte, after all. If you want to jump in and have a play after your coffee, it'll cost you $10 for the first hour, then $5 for every additional 30 minutes. Stay tuned for an update on their opening, it's bound to be the purrfect cure to your winter blues. All photos via Cat Cafe Melbourne.
Shanghai Village is one of Melbourne's favourite dumpling houses. It's a cult favourite, where the styling is low-key, the pace is whirlwind and the drinks are BYO. Sample some of their prized dumplings and you'll quickly understand why its status as a local food hero is well-deserved. Brave the queues and the bustling dining room to reward yourself with a late-night banquet of cheap and cheerful Chinese fare. That should leave you and your comrades sufficiently fuelled for an evening spent belting out jams at one of Chinatown's many lively karaoke haunts. Image: loololoo8 via Instagram.
With its next big streaming series, Apple TV+ is managing to tick a heap of must-see boxes all at once. A dark comedy led by Anchorman co-stars Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell? Check. An adaptation of a hit podcast? Check again. A twisty true tale dramatised? Yep, check once more. Throw in WandaVision's Kathryn Hahn in a key supporting role (before she gets her own Marvel spinoff series), as well as Wet Hot American Summer's Michael Showalter behind the lens, and The Shrink Next Door just keeps giving you reasons to add it to your streaming queue. The eight-episode limited series will drop on Friday, November 12, making its first three episodes available then before releasing new instalments week by week afterwards — and, based on the just-released trailer, it's going to tell quite the story. Last seen on streaming in Netflix's Living With Yourself, Rudd plays Dr Isaac 'Ike' Herschkopf. He's a psychiatrist with to Ferrell's Martin 'Marty' Markowitz, and he amasses quite the sway over his patient. In the sneak peek clip, Ike doesn't hold back when it comes to dispensing life advice — and Marty, wanting to improve himself and his factory, listens to every word. But Ike just keeps pushing, which sends the doctor–patient relationship in unsettling directions. If you listened to the Wondery podcast of the same name, you'll know where The Shrink Next Door is headed. If not, expect to watch Ike charm his way even deeper into Marty's existence — including moving into Marty's home, and also nabbing the president slot of his business. Clearly, it's one of those stories that can only spring from truth. And no, no one reads the news here. As for Hahn, she co-stars as Marty's younger sister Phyllis, while Casey Wilson (Happy Endings) features as Ike's wife Bonnie. And yes, if you're looking for something to fill the Apple TV+ void now that Ted Lasso's second season has wrapped up, this just might be it. Check out the trailer for The Shrink Next Door below: The Shrink Next Door starts streaming via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 12, dropping three episodes to begin with and then releasing new instalments week by week afterwards.
This week, enter the charming little dream world of Lucy Folk and make her covetable candy-hued cocktail clutches and wearable works of art yours. And all for a fraction of the price, because the Melbourne-based jewellery designer is hosting a sample sale from April 19–21. Huzzah! Older styles, past collections and samples will be available at a reduced price. So does this mean we'll find those peppercorn earrings and caviar rings from the 2014 food-inspired Appeteaser collection? We sure hope so. Plus, even though it's a sample sale, there's no need to worry about being sample sized, because we're talking eyewear, clutches and jewellery. Double huzzah. The sale will run from 8am–7pm on Thursday and Friday, and 10am–5pm on Saturday at the Lucy Folk studio in Windsor. As we move into cooler weather and shorter days, future you will thank Lucy Folk (and your shopping habits) for adding a little bit of colour to your everyday Melbourne black.
The Exchange has a monopoly on cosiness and is perhaps the pick of the bunch in Port Melbourne where you can get all snuggly and watch the game. An inviting facade, warm interior and fireplace coupled with a whole heap of meal specials means you won't want to leave — also, a $20 Sunday roast never goes astray. A proud feature of the Exchange is showing AFL games live so you can rest assured it's got your best interests at heart. Apart from its cosy interior feat. fireplace — the Exchange also boasts soul-warming lunch specials. The $18 lunch special runs from Monday to Friday between 12pm and 3pm, so there's plenty of time to head over for a lengthy mid-week lunch. On Wednesdays, it's pie day — they're served with mash and veggies — and there's nothing that gets you past hump day better than a tasty pie, that's packed with enough goodness to get you through the next 20 hours of the work week.
Whether you believe in fate or chance, coincidental city encounters can often blow your mind. The latest work from innovative Melbourne dance company Chunky Move, Depth of Field explores the nature of chance meetings against the backdrop of a shifting urban landscape. It's one of a multitude of performances taking place around the city, as part of this year's Dance Massive dance festival. Presented by Malthouse Theatre, Depth of Field sees its world premiere on Friday, March 6. Performed at the end of the day in the theatre's openair forecourt, the show aims to take advantage of the outdoor space, with the changing evening light coinciding with the themes of Anouk van Dijk's choreography and direction. Dancers James Vu Anh Pham, Niharika Senapati and Tara Jade Samaya are all Chunky Move regulars, and previously collaborated with van Dijk on the critically acclaimed 247 Days back in 2013. For more information on Depth of Field, head here. For the entire Dance Massive program, wander over here.
If you want to revolutionise the art world, what better way to do it than take it to the people? This September, a trans-American train will journey from New York City to San Francisco over the course of three weeks, showcasing art at nine stops along the way. Organised by artist Doug Aitken and sponsored by Levi's, the project, titled Station to Station, 'will connect leading figures and underground creators from the worlds of art, music, food, literature, and film for a series of cultural interventions and site-specific happenings.' Participating artists include Dan Deacon, Ariel Pink, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Urs Fischer, Kenneth Anger and Carsten Holler. The train itself will function as a mobile, kinetic light sculpture, as visible in the above photograph. Funds raised through donations and ticket sales will be given to seven partner museums in various parts of the US, to support innovative, non-traditional programming. Aitken, born in California in 1968, is no stranger to colossal projects. He has repeatedly drawn international attention for his groundbreaking installations, which draw on film, sound, photography, architecture and sculpture. In 1999, his work Electric Earth won the International Prize at the Venice Biennale, and his 2007 exhibition at MoMA turned a whole city block into 'an expansive cinematic experience'. [via Springwise]
UPDATE Monday, November 1: Immigration Museum has reopened following the latest lockdown, with tickets available now. For more details on Victoria's current restrictions, see the Department of Health and Human Services website. It's something of a universal truth: growing up can (and probably will) be awkward as hell. But even if those days are far behind you, a big dose of comfort comes from the fact that everyone else has been through it, too. You can dive into a whole bunch of these real-life coming-of-age tales at the Immigration Museum's new Becoming You: An Incomplete Guide exhibition. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll probably experience plenty of vicarious mortification, as a diverse group of 72 Aussies share their own stories of growing up and making the leap into adulthood. It's a nostalgic trip back in time, as well as a moving celebration of shared humanity. Discover compelling tales and angsty memories from everyday folk, and also from a cast of well-known identities — including AFL footballer Jason Johannisen, writer Alice Pung, comedian Osamah Sami, drag queen Karen from Finance, fashion designer Jenny Bannister, model Andreja Pejic and more.
The best documentaries have a way of transcending their subject matter, of using particular stories to explore significant human themes. Such is the case with All This Mayhem, the first theatrical effort from director Eddie Martin. Although ostensibly set in the world of professional skateboarding, the film is in fact a deeply personal portrait of brothers Tas and Ben Pappas — the Melbourne-born siblings who helped reinvigorate the sport, only to fall victims to the perils of their spectacular rise to fame. "This is the challenge, getting people [to] realise that it's not just a skate film," Martin told us. "For us, it's a story about brothers that just happens to be set in the world of skating. They're Greek boys, and it is like a Greek tragedy in a sense." The film begins with the siblings as teenagers, and chronicles their journey from a skate ramp in Prahran, Melbourne to becoming the two highest ranked skateboarders in the world. But with the success came money, and drugs, and soon the two brothers began throwing their good fortune away. Martin intercuts archival footage with a series of interviews with Tas, who speaks with devastating candour about the duo's fall from grace — one that culminated in his younger brother's tragic suicide in 2007 and his own incarceration for drug smuggling the following year. Now, after successful screenings at local film festivals, along with a recent UK premiere at the prestigious Sheffield Doc/Fest, All This Mayhem has hit Australian cinema screens. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8wDiszmA2o8 Just getting on camera was a huge act of trust "As a teenager I used to skate at Prahran Skate Park, and that's where I first met the boys," remembers Martin. "Then I stopped skating and we parted ways, but I still saw Ben around socially … then when he passed, that was obviously a huge shock for everyone. No one saw that coming." After Ben's death, the Pappas family was approached by a group of documentary filmmakers, but Tas wasn't happy with the direction they wanted to take the film. "They had approached Tas, who had said no, but they were still moving forward, and it just felt really exploitative," says Martin. "So we got ourselves motivated to go and talk to Tas, to try and do it properly." "Tas and Ben are incredible characters," Martin continues. "They've got a lot of heart and a lot of humour, and I knew Tas had the presence to carry the film. Obviously he had trust issues because of what had happened with that project … so it was just a process of making sure that everyone felt comfortable and that we were all on the same page and doing it for the right reasons." They don't shy away from rock bottom Since his release from prison, Pappas has slowly returned to skating, while steering clear of the temptations of his former life. As he tells it, part of his reason for wanting to do the documentary was as a way of reaching out to his estranged children in the United States. "I had to bear my soul, so my kids could see who I truly am … hopefully they'll see it one day and want to come find me," Pappas says. "Eddie's been a godsend. He's very understanding. He knows how sensitive the material is." Despite their friendship, Martin doesn't pull any punches when depicting the depths the brothers fell to. "We lived like pirates," says Pappas, looking back. "I didn't think about tomorrow. I didn't think about it [as a] career, or that my days were numbered … once I became number one, it was the best time in the world, but I remember thinking 'now what?' So then I really got right stuck into the drugs. I tried for years to get off them, but then I'd end up back on them even harder every time I relapsed." "It's like ripping open old wounds," he continues. "Sometimes I can watch the doco and it means nothing. And then other times I'll watch it and I'll find I'm depressed for days afterwards. Watching my little brother go all gaunt and then die … it wasn't really my brother, in the end." Mercy is the message "We've been blown away by people's response to the film," says Martin. "The response from the exhibitors has been so strong in the UK that they're going to bring it out on 30 screens, which is huge for an Australian film, let alone a doco." When asked about the positive response, Pappas says it feels "undeserved." At the same time, he's pleased by the prospect that his story might help others. "I've got a lot of regret, and I don't really esteem myself too highly with a lot of the stuff that I've done," he says. "But people seem to be forgiving. God is merciful, I've started learning that. If I've been shown this much mercy, I sort of have to try and help some kids who are going the wrong way." All This Mayhem opens on July 10 exclusive to Cinema Nova in Melbourne and Dendy Newtown in Sydney. Read our review here.
A group of mates who've worked at some of Melbourne's top hospitality spots — think: Supernormal, Lilac Wine Bar, The Kettle Black, Bluebonnet Barbecue and Blackhearts and Sparrows — have opened a new bar on Brunswick East's Lygon Street. Unlike the Carlton end of Lygon Street (best known for its slew of Italian restaurants), this stretch of pavement covers a more eclectic group of places to eat and drink. Each spot also caters more to locals rather than uni students and travellers, so you can expect a proper community feel as well. With this in mind, Maggie's Snacks and Liquor seems to be perfectly placed. This small bar is located within a Victorian-era building that's been totally gutted and decked out with mid-century modern furnishings. It has some vintage charm to it, with the fireplace and intimate courtyard out back simply adding to those cosy vibes. Drinks-wise, the new Melbourne bar is focusing on seasonal cocktails that champion local ingredients. For summer, the team has done away with the Aperol and Campari, instead creating their own signature spritz — the rockmelon spritz — made with poached rockmelon, wax flowers, sparkling wine and Aussie-made Okar Tropic amaro. You'll also find a fruity vanilla slice milk punch that's been made with passionfruit, burnt vanilla, brioche, whisky and clarified milk. The ten-page wine list is also a marvel in itself, championing small Australian and French winemakers while also featuring eight different magnum bottles for those celebrating big. A huge range of Aussie spirits, beers and ciders round out the extensive booze offerings. Food at Maggie's is all about a farm-to-table ethos, led by Executive Chef Scott Blomfield, who is deeply passionate about creating produce-led menus that are a bit fun and experimental. The dishes are mostly slanted towards the grazing side of dining, made for those days when a quick drink with a mate eventually rolls into a big night out without you even noticing. Munch on a duck and pickle corn dog, fried bread with pickled mussels and chorizo, or a crispy chicken skin sanga before launching into larger share plates. These include everything from ceviche and lamb ribs to an epic snapper pie topped with scallop mousse and roasted bone cream. These aren't your average bar snacks. And Maggie's doesn't seem like just your average neighbourhood bar, either. Find Maggie's Snacks and Liquor at 98 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, operating 4pm–midnight Wednesday–Thursday, 12pm–1am Friday–Saturday and 12pm–midnight on Sundays. For more information, head to the venue's website.
Red Bull Flying Bach is a serious clash of cultures, a performance where Bach meets breakdancing, two things most would never dare to put together. But hey, as well as wings, Red Bull gives you crazy ideas for collaboration and, from all of the reviews this show has received to date, it also gives you an incredible artistic spectacle. When you look past the preconceptions that say this show shouldn't work, it is really no surprise it has been so successful; it features music from arguably the greatest composer of all time (who happens to be German) expressed physically by four-times breakdancing world champions Flying Steps (who are also German). No coincidence, just a collaboration that shatters the suggestion that breakdancing and Bach don't blend and thrusts the cohesion of the classic and the contemporary into the present. Set against Johann Sebastian Bach's 'Well-Tempered Clavier' — led beautifully by opera director Christoph Hagel — the breakdancing troupe create something truly memorable that challenges conventional constrictions placed on cross-era and cross-cultural collaboration.
Located in the heart of Melbourne's southeast, Murrumbeena Wine Bar is the kind of top-quality neighbourhood joint you wish was your local. And you've just scored a stack of new reasons to pay a visit, as the venue kicks off its fresh series of artisan-led Sunday sessions. Soulful Sundays are all about local makers and producers — not just celebrating them, but also inviting punters along for an in-depth exploration of what they're doing. On select Sundays, the doors will be closed to the public and the entire venue thrown over to a different local business for an immersive afternoon of artisan appreciation. The lineup is diverse, spanning winemakers, distillers, artists, cheesemakers and a whole lot more. And there'll be plenty of opportunity to unleash your own creative spark, too. Coming up on April 23, you've got Seaford distillery That Spirited Lot with a guided tasting and cocktail soireé, while a Mother's Day session on May 14 will see you creating a masterpiece at a paint-and-sip session led by a local artist. On May 28, Mrs. Baker's Stillhouse hosts a hands-on gin-blending class, and on June 4 and August 20, indoor plant boutique The Plant Whisperer will teach you the art of creating decorative terrariums. Also on the bill: cheese tastings, candle-making workshops, jewellery-making, speed-dating and more — check out the website to see what's coming up next.
When winter hits in 2021, Sydneysiders can prepare to be ensconced in projections once again. After taking a year off in 2020, Vivid Sydney's annual festival of light, music and ideas will transform the city over 23 nights with a jam-packed lineup of cultural events, pop-ups and activations. Public spaces across Sydney will be treated to Vivid's beloved light installations — including the previously announced Cockle Bay light walk and Customs House's 3D visual storytelling project, and the freshly revealed activation Fall, a multi-sensory experience in The Rocks playing off the heritage area's leaky drains as a comment on our collective water consumption. The program's lineup will sprawl across iconic Sydney buildings and open spaces in Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour. [caption id="attachment_761801" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] In Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House's sails will light up with a digital rendition of Yarrkalpa (Hunting Ground), a stunning painting created by the Martu Artists of the Pilbara region. Inside and in front of the iconic harbourside venue, Vivid Live will feature an array of boundary-pushing and fan-favourite musicians from Australia and New Zealand. Across the three-week festival, music fans can catch the world premiere of Sampa the Great's new stage show, a tenth anniversary showcase of Sydney record label Astral People, rock and jazz legends Gareth Liddiard (The Drones), Jim White (Dirty Three) and Chris Abrahams performing together, plus sets from Golden Features, Flight Facilities, Hermitude, Gordi, G Flip, Miiesha and Connan Mockasin. [caption id="attachment_813276" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Vivid Sydney, 2019[/caption] English actor and The Good Place star, Jameela Jamil will appear as part of Vivid Ideas, discussing body positivity, social media, diet trends and mental health via a virtual talk with Australian author and podcast host Jamila Rizvi. Elsewhere on the Vivid ideas program, Magda Szubanski will discuss the importance of art and laughter, and Briggs will be joined by YouTuber Nat's What I Reckon to discuss mental health while discussing food and music they've been loving. Author of Honeybee Craig Silvey will also be in attendance with screenwriter, performer and multi-disciplinary "trans queen" Glace Chase to talk gender fluidity and representation. Away from the Sydney Opera House, cultural events will activate across the city. Carriageworks will play home to a Cantina OK! pop-up, featuring food and cocktails from the CBD bar, a roster of DJs and performances from King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and Amyl & the Sniffers. LGBTQIA+ party collective Heaps Gay will bring its Kween's Ball to Luna Park, while FBi Radio will invite audiences into their studio for performances from local musicians. The UTS Great Hall will host a series of talks, seminars and film screening, and the Australian Museum, Parliament House, MCA, the Powerhouse Museum and Maritime Museum will all continue with their after-dark culture series Up Late. [caption id="attachment_809934" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Destination NSW, an artist's render of a Vivid installation.[/caption] Vivid will run from Friday, August 6 until Saturday, August 28. You can check out the full program via Vivid's website.
If you've been looking for a true treat yo'self food experience, you'll find it happening on the lawns of Treasury Gardens next week. The Sheraton Melbourne Hotel is descending on the site with a few big-name chef mates in tow, to deliver a luxe long lunch for the local edition of Taste of Sheraton. On Friday, March 4, you're invited to sit down to an al fresco feast, spanning four courses and including a signature dish from each guest chef. Out to impress your tastebuds are meat maestro and Good Chef Bad Chef presenter Adrian Richardson (La Luna Bistro), French-Australian cooking star and TV regular Manu Feildel, and Colin Fassnidge of Sydney's Banksia and the two-hatted Four in Hand. The fun will kick off with bubbly and canapes, before you sit down to dive into plates like free-range porchetta, local artisan cheese, a watermelon salad with fennel and pea, and creamy almond blancmange. Tickets come in at $250, though that'll also see you enjoying high-end wines matched carefully to each course. And of course, that gorgeous openair setting makes for another primo pairing. [caption id="attachment_844250" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Adrian Richardson, Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge[/caption]
If seeing movies and TV shows you love pick up shiny trophies is your preferred form of sport, congrats — awards season is here for another year. We're never too far away from Hollywood's latest opportunity to celebrate itself, given that the Emmys were only a couple of months back. But the period between December and March tends to be the entertainment industry's version of Christmas (or until April in 2021, given that the Oscars happened later than usual). Accordingly, it's that time of year for the Golden Globes, which has just announced its latest batch of nominees. That said, if you're keen to actually watch a heap of people collect their accolades come Monday, January 10, Australian and New Zealand time, think again — the ceremony won't be televised due to multiple controversies surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organisation behind the awards, and whether it'll stream somewhere (and if any celebrities will actually show up) hasn't yet been revealed. The list of films and series competing still spans plenty of 2021 favourites — covering both the big and small screens, because the Globes likes to have it both ways. Among the cinema fields, Jane Campion's phenomenal western The Power of the Dog leads the charge with seven nods, a feat only matched by nostalgic Kenneth Branagh-directed drama Belfast, which was inspired by the filmmaker's own childhood. And in the TV categories, Succession picked up five nominations, Ted Lasso and The Morning Show nabbed four, and a heap of shows — including Squid Game — picked up three. The Power of the Dog received Australian funding — and from New Zealand, too — so there's a local tie to this year's nominees. Campion also scored a nod for Best Director for the film, and Aussie actor Kodi Smit-McPhee earned a spot among the Best Supporting Actor nominees. Still staying local, Nicole Kidman is a Best Actress in a Drama contender in the cinema fields for playing Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos, while Succession's Sarah Snook scored a Best Supporting Actress nomination in the TV categories. A heap of other excellent flicks and shows earned some love as well — including a Best Drama nod for Dune, a Best Comedy nomination for Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza, acting recognition's for the latter's first-timers Alana Haim (yes, of Haim) and Cooper Hoffman (son of the Philip Seymour Hoffman), plus a trio of nominations for The Great, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building. Other highlights span the Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical nod for Annette's Marion Cotillard, Lupin's two showings, and Jennifer Coolidge's recognition for The White Lotus. Plus, after making history in 2021 for nominating three women for Best Director for the first time ever — after only ever nominating seven other female filmmakers in the Golden Globes prior 77-year run — the awards have given not only Campion but also The Lost Daughter's Maggie Gyllenhaal some love this time around. If you're wondering what else is in the running, here's the full list: GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Belfast CODA Dune King Richard The Power of the Dog BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos Lady Gaga, House of Gucci Kristen Stewart, Spencer BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Mahershala Ali, Swan Song Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog Will Smith, King Richard Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Cyrano Don't Look Up Licorice Pizza Tick, Tick … Boom! West Side Story BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Marion Cotillard, Annette Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza Jennifer Lawrence, Don't Look Up Emma Stone, Cruella Rachel Zegler, West Side Story BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Leonardo DiCaprio, Don't Look Up Peter Dinklage, Cyrano Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick … Boom! Cooper Hoffman, Licorice Pizza Anthony Ramos, In the Heights BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED Encanto Flee Luca My Sunny Maad Raya and the Last Dragon BEST MOTION PICTURE — FOREIGN LANGUAGE Compartment No. 6 Drive My Car The Hand of God A Hero Parallel Mothers BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Caitríona Balfe, Belfast Ariana DeBose, West Side Story Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard Ruth Negga, Passing BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Ben Affleck, The Tender Bar Jamie Dornan, Belfast Ciarán Hinds, Belfast Troy Kotsur, CODA Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter Steven Spielberg, West Side Story Denis Villeneuve, Dune BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Adam McKay, Don't Look Up Aaron Sorkin, Being the Ricardos BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE Dune Encanto The French Dispatch Parallel Mothers The Power of the Dog BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE 'Be Alive', King Richard 'Dos Orugitas', Encanto 'Down to Joy', Belfast 'Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)', Respect 'No Time to Die', No Time to Die BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Lupin The Morning Show Pose Squid Game Succession BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Uzo Aduba, In Treatment Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show Christine Baranski, The Good Fight Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale MJ Rodriguez, Pose BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Brian Cox, Succession Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game Billy Porter, Pose Jeremy Strong, Succession Omar Sy, Lupin BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY The Great Hacks Ted Lasso Reservation Dogs Only Murders in the Building BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Hannah Einbinder, Hacks Elle Fanning, The Great Issa Rae, Insecure Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish Jean Smart, Hacks BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Anthony Anderson, Black-ish Nicholas Hoult, The Great Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Dopesick Impeachment: American Crime Story Maid Mare of Easttown The Underground Railroad BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jessica Chastain, Scenes From a Marriage Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision Margaret Qualley, Maid Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Paul Bettany, WandaVision Oscar Isaac, Scenes From a Marriage Michael Keaton, Dopesick Ewan McGregor, Halston Tahar Rahim, The Serpent BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick Andie MacDowell, Maid Sarah Snook, Succession Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Kieran Culkin, Succession Mark Duplass, The Morning Show Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso Oh Yeong-su, Squid Game The 2022 Golden Globes will be announced on Monday, January 10 Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website. Top image: The Crown, Des Willie/Netflix.
About halfway through Atomic Blonde, enterprising MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) slinks her way into a Berlin cinema. Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker shrouds the room in both light and gloom, but settling in for a dose of existential Russian sci-fi isn't on the spy's agenda. Instead, she's simultaneously running from and dispatching with her many enemies, with their frenetic fighting infecting every nook and cranny of the theatre and eventually bursting through the screen. As well as providing a visually arresting example of movie's fluid action style, the propulsive, precisely choreographed fray sends a strong message to viewers. Goodbye classics of yesteryear, hello kick-ass entertainment. It's 1989, and the Berlin wall is just about to fall, but tensions remain as heated as the aftertaste of Broughton's favourite vodka. Sent in by her British handler (Toby Jones) and his CIA counterpart (John Goodman), Broughton endeavours to locate a stolen list of Her Majesty's finest undercover agents, whisk a former Stasi officer turned asset (Eddie Marsan) to safety, and work out just what her cavalier on-the-ground contact (James McAvoy) and a seductive French newcomer (Sofia Boutella) are up to. Oh, and she's also trying to survive the onslaught of foes and not-quite friends trying to kill her along the way. Apologies to Bond, Bourne and John Le Carré adaptations, but when it comes to slick spy flicks, this blonde really does have much more fun. Adapted from Antony Johnston's graphic novel The Coldest City, Atomic Blonde takes a familiar story, adds a stellar stroke of casting, and throws in all of the neon-hued images and '80s-pop songs an audience could want. From a narrative perspective, the film doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel – you'll notice the been-there, seen-that double-crossing and the familiar use of flashbacks. But when it's wrapped up in packaging this vibrant, odds are you just won't care. Indeed, to witness Atomic Blonde in action is to watch a masterclass in action, but that's far from surprising given the film's two driving forces. Let's start with the star no one will be able to stop watching — if Prometheus, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Fate of the Furious hadn't already proved Theron's genre credentials, then this film leaves absolutely no doubt. The Oscar-winner throws a mean fist, but, crucially, her platinum-tressed protagonist is soulful as well as tough. Presenting a hard-as-nails exterior with just enough of a beating heart inside, the talented actress makes it clear that Broughton's emotions are as bruised and battered as her black-and-blue flesh. And make no mistake: this is a bruising piece of cinema. An uncredited co-director on John Wick, stuntman turned filmmaker David Leitch knows how to execute action — whether he's asking his heroine to beat her way out of trouble using household items, or crafting a stunning stairwell sequence that might just be the best fight scene of the year. And it's not just the set-pieces that Leitch gets right. Berlin bars and industrial architecture help give the film a glowing grittiness, while a soundtrack featuring everything from Bowie to George Michael to '99 Luftballons' ups the toe-tapping factor as well. As much of a blast as its name suggests, Atomic Blonde leaves all future espionage action flicks with big stilettos to fill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu7fAD5zJpc
Here's some tasty news for anyone who's been mourning the loss of Pope Joan since the cafe shut its doors a little over six months ago: Matt Wilkinson's Brunswick East legend lives again, this time in the form of a two-month CBD pop-up. The favourite neighbourhood eatery is setting up shop in the Collins Street space most recently home to The Mayfair, which suddenly closed its doors just last weekend, plating up its signature sandwiches and mod-Aus fare all day, every weekday, from February 4 through to April 18. "Ever since we closed Pope Joan in Brunswick East, I've been missing cooking (and eating) the food," said Wilkinson, who also runs Brunswick East's Pie Shop, in a statement. "In my mind, it didn't feel like that chapter had fully closed." So now, the Pope Joan story continues, with a showcase of old favourites and clever new dishes. A revamped breakfast offering sits classics, including the rice pudding and boiled eggs with soldiers, alongside newer plates like fried eggs teamed with hummus and pickled red kraut. The beloved Pope Joan sandwich lineup returns in all its original glory, too, albeit with a couple of newcomers — expect to find the Cornish, the Cuban and the Reuben, as well as the debut Club Salad (with whipped cheese and optional mortadella) and the Turkish Delight, pairing harissa carrot, hummus and grains. On the lunch and dinner menu, you'll spy star carryovers — including the sardines on toast and mussels in smoked tomato romesco — mingling with the likes of fish matched with spinach, capers and butter, and a hanger steak done with tomato and mustard. Four new salads are available to enjoy solo or as part of a combo plate, in iterations like miso pumpkin, wakame and golden sesame seeds, and burnt cabbage with rice vinegar, soy and parmesan. Meanwhile, a new cake trolley is sure to prove a hit when those sweet tooth cravings strike, loaded with pastries and wedges of cake, though you can also opt for a hearty serve of ice cream from Pope Joan mates Sundae School. Pope Joan will open 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, from Monday, February 4 until Thursday, April 18. Find it at 45 Collins Street, Melbourne (in the Sofitel driveway). Images: Annika Kafcaloudis. Exterior shot of the Mayfair: Kristoffer Paulsen.
Every hotel tries to offer visitors a home away from home. At Melbourne's new luxe spot, however, that's the entire concept. Opening in June, United Places endeavours to blend the best of both — a hotel and a home — across its 12 roomy suites. And, like everyone's dream house, it also features plenty of greenery. The rampant plant life comes courtesy of United Places' location, situated opposite the Royal Botanic Gardens in South Yarra. As well as views over the parklands, the hotel's three two-bedroom suites boast city vantages from their sunken bathtubs. Nine one-bedroom suites will also be available. Further ramping up the comfort, United Places will provide personalised butler service 24 hours a day, plus curated in-room breakfasts by chef Scott Pickett (Estrelle, Saint Crispin). Daily hampers will stem from onsite restaurant Matilda, Pickett's latest venture, which'll focus on open fire and hot coals. While it'll be open to the public for lunch and dinner seven days a week, and for weekend brunch as well, the eatery will also give hotel guests priority seating. Design-wise, architects and interior designers Carr Design Group have opted for velvet drapes, hardwood floors and charcoal bathroom pods, with each suite also featuring a kitchen and terrace. And as a striking focal point upon entry, artist Laura Woodward has created a specially commissioned piece for United Places' foyer, playing with water, light and movement and interacts against the hotel's monochromatic hallways. If all of the above sounds particularly luxurious, that's the entire point. Unsurprisingly, it also comes with a hefty price tag, with rooms starting at $650 per night. Find United Places Botanic Gardens at 157-159 Domain Road, South Yarra from June. Keep an eye on the hotel's website and Instagram feed for further details. Image: Moritz Marquardt via Flickr.
A slew of new Melbourne rooftop bars opened or underwent major refurbs this summer (including but not limited to Mirror Mirror, Skinny Dog Hotel and Johnny's Green Room). But there's still stacks of sky-high real estate out there just waiting to be transformed into a new bar or restaurant. The Preston Hotel is Melbourne's latest spot to put its rooftop space to good use as it prepares to launch its new sun-soaked cocktail haunt, Lulu Bar, on Friday, February 9. Compared to the old-school boozer and sports betting space downstairs, the new bar is significantly more flash and set to draw in a younger crowd. The two spaces are a perfect representation of how Preston is changing. But while Lulu Bar is more refined than The Preston Hotel proper, it is still leaning into distinctly laidback rooftop vibes. Local artist Sebastian Fransz has designed a colourful mural as a backdrop for the casual sofas and short timber tables on which to rest your drinks. The setup's pretty minimal, although you really don't need to overdo it when you've got such banging city views. Those wanting more intimate, cool cocktail bar energy will likely be pleased by the indoor space, fitted out with plenty of artwork, matte rouge walls and leather couches. A bit more love has gone into this part of Lulu Bar. Same goes for the food. Chef Pras is running the kitchen, serving up tapas-style share plates like chicken and corn croquettes with peri peri mayo and sticky pork ribs. House-made pizzas will also feature for those after something more substantial. Pair the crowd-pleasing eats with bespoke seasonal cocktails (leaning into the spritzes and boozy slushies this summer), local wines and craft beers. The Lulu Bar team also plans to host DJs, rooftop cinema events and wine tastings throughout the year, so do keep an eye out on its Instagram page for updates. The crew isn't reinventing the wheel here, just giving Preston a chill rooftop bar where the drinks will be flowing. Find Lulu Bar at 635 High Street, Preston. It will open on Friday, February 9, operating 3pm–late on Thursdays and 12pm–late from Friday to Sunday.
Injecting a little sparkle and shine into otherwise dull neighborhoods, these architectural designs celebrate all that glitters. Gilded in gold, sequins, crystals, and more, each structure looks fit to house a disco party, or perhaps a drag-queen. Peruse 10 of the world's most blinged-out buildings, and indulge in a little decadence, dahhhling. 1. Maison Martin Margiela @ Beverly Hills, US 2. Golden House @ Nuweiba, Egypt 3. 8 Woningen Kettingstraat @ The Hague, Netherlands 4. Zaha Hadid’s proposal for a new gold Lego-covered courtyard building at The Louvre @ Paris, France 5. Theresa Himmer's 'Glacier #01' @ Reykjavik, Iceland 6. Swarovski flagship store @ Tokyo, Japan 7. Copper sulphate crystal-covered abandoned housing estate @ London, England 8. Theresa Himmer's 'Volcano #01' @ Reykjavik, Iceland 9. Theresa Himmer's 'Waterfall #01' @ Reykjavik, Iceland 10. The Visionary Art Museum @ Baltimore, US [via Flavorwire]
