With the cost-of-living crisis still hitting Melburnians, places that offer unlimited food and bottomless booze experiences are gaining popularity. People still want to go out with mates, but they don't want to leave hungry after splashing a decent amount of cash. Jumping on this trend is W Melbourne's Culprit. But it's not just offering one kind of booze- and food-filled experience like you find at most Melbourne bottomless brunch spots. It's got three, running every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5–7pm. Tuesdays are the most luxe, with the team serving up unlimited oysters and sparkling wine for just $50 per person. This is a pretty epic deal, as you can get through quite a lot of oysters within two hours. And if you are feeling a little fancy, there's an option to upgrade to premium Aussie bubbles for an additional $39 a head or to French champagne for an extra $79. Come Wednesdays, it's all about bottomless margaritas and margheritas. For $50 per person, you can down as many pizzas and margs as you can. And on Thursdays, Culprit patrons get access to a huge cheese buffet and bottomless wine for $69. Park yourself right up at the cheese station, snacking the two hours away while drinking sparkling, rose, red or white vino. These have got to some of the best after-work food and drink deals in Melbourne right now. If you're in the area, seriously consider getting around to W Melbourne's Culprit for a proper feed.
It's been an unusual year for Melbourne's music scene across the board, but one of its most iconic live music venues now looks set to face its biggest change yet. The legendary Festival Hall has been snapped up by Christian superchurch Hillsong, earmarked to become the new city location for Hillsong Melbourne. As reported by The Age, the new owners forked out a cool $23 million to acquire the historic site, whose stage has played host to a roll call of musical greats including The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Hillsong announced the new via YouTube video over the weekend, with Global Senior Pastor Brian Houston telling viewers: "by God's grace, we've been able to purchase Festival Hall." He explained that a new entity called Community Venues had been set up to acquire the site and that Hillsong would be the anchor tenant. "In other words, every Sunday night, or Sunday morning, or whenever we have church, to be honest, it will be our venue," he says. "But we're going to continue running it as a community venue, it's to reach the community." According to Houston, the purchase had been in the works for a while and was made using designated funds that were planned ahead of the pandemic. Hillsong also revealed plans for a complete renovation of the inner city building in the near future, though it won't have free rein. Any future works would have to be keeping with Festival Hall's permanent heritage protection status, which was granted back in 2018. Originally constructed in 1915, then rebuilt after a fire in 1955, the hall has enjoyed a colourful history. As well as its many famed musical guests, the space has hosted its fair share of significant boxing matches over the years, and even held a number of events during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Festival Hall is located at 300 Dudley Street, West Melbourne. We'll let you know when more dates and details of the renovation are announced.
There's never been a show on TV quite like Kevin Can F**k Himself — or on streaming, where the series is now available in Australia via Amazon Prime Video. But, there have sadly been far too many programs over the years that resemble one half of this clever and cutting dark comedy. Even if you aren't a fan of the fare this newcomer riffs on, you know the type. For too long, screens have been littered with sitcoms about families, and about specific kinds of couples and their kids. Accordingly, a different one probably springs to mind for each of us. You might've started thinking about Home Improvement, or Everybody Loves Raymond — or, thanks to Kevin Can F**k Himself's title, you could've just remembered all the shows starring Kevin James. Kevin Can F**k Himself's moniker does indeed conjure up the words many of us have thought to ourselves after stumbling across awful sitcoms led by James. Here, Kevin McRoberts (Eric Petersen, Sydney to the Max) is the obnoxious manchild of a husband, while Allison (Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek) is his put-upon wife — and whenever they're together, generally at home, she's clearly in a sitcom. The lights glow brightly, her house resembles every other cosy abode in similar shows about comparable characters, and multiple cameras capture their lives. Also, canned laughter chuckles whenever something apparently amusing (but usually just cringeworthy) occurs. And, that source of terrible humour tends to be Kevin, who skates through his days with the arrogance and obliviousness of a white thirty-something man who has always been told he can do no wrong. Helping to reinforce that mindset, he always has his ever dimwitted best pal and neighbour Neil (Alex Bonifer, Superstore) by his side, gushing over his every move. Also frequently hovering around: Neil's one-of-the-guys sister Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden, The Righteous Gemstones) and Kevin's own ever-present dad (Brian Howe, Chicago Fire). We've all seen this setup before, and Kevin Can F**k Himself's creator Valerie Armstrong — who also worked on the excellent, underrated, cancelled-too-soon Lodge 49 — definitely knows it. She isn't trying to recreate these abysmal sitcoms for fun, though. Instead, she knows that Allison and the women who've been in her place are devastatingly miserable, and she's determined to give them their time in the spotlight and explore what happens when they're not supporting player to a man they don't even want to be with. That's where the twist comes in, and it's oh-so-savvily handled. (It's also laid bare in the show's first episode, because it's that important to the series' premise.) So, whenever Kevin Can F**k Himself's leading lady is blissfully free of her horrible hubby, her life becomes a premium cable drama. Murkier tones and a much more realistic vibe kick in, just one camera films her struggles, and no one is giggling. Also, Allison starts trying to do something about her soul-crushing marriage. The visual and tonal contrast between the show's two halves is big, stark and obvious. It hits you over the head. It's meant to. On paper, the creative decisions behind Kevin Can F**k Himself stem from a high-concept gimmick, and purposefully so — but the show's central idea is also exceptionally smart. This series needs to be as blatant as it is in contrasting Allison's time with Kevin with her experiences whenever he's not around. It needs to make flagrant moves to illustrate how the world still sees marriages like theirs as bright and inviting, even when Allison endures a grim struggle. Subtlety isn't usually the best way to make a statement, after all, and that applies when you're calling out how an entire genre of TV has long treated women; that its instantly recognisable toxic tropes have become not just accepted, but imitated; and that real-life relationships based on this dynamic aren't healthy or happy. These notions bubble away throughout Kevin Can F**k Himself, including when over-lit scenes of Allison putting up with Kevin segue into dark-hued shots as soon as she's out of his presence. Usually, the change kicks in because she's walked into the kitchen and left him on the couch with his pals, or she's gone to work while he gets up to standard sitcom-style hijinks; however, Allison is desperate to make a permanent change. The series follows not just her efforts to leave Kevin, but her quest to ensure that she'll be free of him forever. You could say that she breaks bad, but she's doing good — just for herself for once. Allison's path forward is messy, naturally, and only gets more chaotic the more she commits to achieving her Kevin-free new life. Her high-school crush Sam (Raymond Lee, Made for Love) moves back to town, too, while Patty becomes an unexpected ally. Soon, the two women have a police detective (Candice Coke, Indemnity) snooping around their lives as well. Everything Allison faces could've easily fuelled a drama that didn't include sitcom-savaging segments, but the show is all the better for embracing its gimmickry. It pulls back the curtain on the glossy way that its protagonist's existence is presented to the world, exposes the reality and finds ample ways to interrogate why this sitcom fantasy has proliferated for so long. Thanks to weighty key performances by Murphy and Inboden, it also dives deep into the internalised miseries that women who've been caught in the orbit of men like Kevin keep navigating — and, episode by episode, it grows and fleshes out the pair's complicated friendship as well, and unpacks the "cool girl" archetype Patty initially represents. In the process, amidst all of its layers and switches, Kevin Can F**k Himself quickly becomes one of the best new shows of 2021. Thankfully, it has already been renewed for a second season, too, so more of its incisive charms and astute social commentary — and Murphy and Inboden's stellar work — awaits. Check out the trailer for Kevin Can F**k Himself below: The first four episodes of Kevin Can F**k Himself's first season are available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, with new episodes dropping weekly. Images: Jojo Whilden/AMC.
Few festivals in Australia have the energy and dynamism of Next Wave. Even though it has just hit 30 years of age, the festival is still bouncing around in fluoro lycra, staying out in galleries all night, and finding the best emerging artists from home and abroad. This year Next Wave boasts a lineup of 239 artists over a month-long program in locations all across the city. And, with a real life fight club and a yoga dance party, the work on show is unlikely to disappoint. Themed 'New Grand Narrative', festival director Emily Sexton defines this year's offering as "a rallying call". "Many institutions that operated throughout the 20th century are cracking," she says. "These institutions have deep, deep flaws, and in this time of transition – to what, we don't know – we offer this festival and these artists, as a series of potent visions for a new world, and the relationships within it." Accordingly, much of the work on show is concerned with outsider stories. From the festival's keynote initiative Blak Wave to a puberty-themed games arcade made by transgender artist Jackson Fydim Stacy — Next Wave tackles the big issues with thoughtful detail and a little bit of a cheeky grin. The Testosterdome Puberty is a time of our lives often wilfully forgotten. The hormones, the hair, the social awkwardness and general awfulness... the mental scars rival the ones left over from our acne. But with this work, Sydney artist Jackson Fydim Stacy asks us to reexamine the maligned rite of passage in the best way possible. In the simplest terms, Testosterdome is a puberty-themed video games arcade. Instead of Dance Dance Revolution, Stacy gives us Sad Boy Hoop Shooter — a game in which we "slam dunk our repressed emotions"; the obligatory race-car game is transformed to a way of chasing girls. All of this does however come with a message. Stacy is a queer transgender artist who described the process of coming out and taking hormones a kind of "second puberty" — a complex time of transition that's not as easy to forget as teenage wet dreams. Fort Delta, May 1 - 11, Free Article 14.1 Next Wave Director, Emily Sexton, once described this artist's work as having an "eloquent politics", and this latest offering is no exception. From March 1 - 11, Phuong Ngo will be living in plain sight at No Vacancy Gallery with the same rations his parents had on their 10-day boat journey to Australia in 1981. In an act with obvious but important political implications, Ngo invites audience members to sit with him during the work and fold origami boats out of bank notes while listening to narrative recordings of other Vietnamese refugees. On the final night these boats will be burned in a huge, ritualistic fire. No Vacancy Gallery, May 1 - 11, free A Wake: Kids Killing Kids This show is a bit of an anomaly. In 2011, four young Australian writers travelled to Manila to collaborate with local artists from the Sipat Lawin Ensemble on an adaptation of the famous novel Battle Royale. The show attracted huge crowds as each performance birthed a cultish and worrying following. Then the writers decided to translate their experience to the stage in last year's Fringe hit Kids Killing Kids. This new show will tell the same story from the perspective of their Filipino collaborators. Is it overkill (for lack of a better word)? Time will tell. Either way, this is what it looks like when theatre-makers go full-on Inception. Arts House, May 1 -4; 7-11, $18 - $23 Maximum This latest work from Natalie Abbott is all about extremes. Big and small, toned and flabby — for something so diverse, it's nothing short of amazing that our bodies all operate in much the same way. In Maximum, Abbott is set to explore these differences and push them into the extreme. Joined on stage by a bulky male body-builder, this small lithe dancer will investigate the universal nature of the body and test its limits via the oh-so-gruelling medium of physical movement. Featuring dance, posing, lifts and even fake tan, Maximum seems more like a durational live art piece than a formal show. This is exacerbated by the fact it has nearly 10 performances in under two weeks. Yikes. Our muscles are hurting already (but we can't wait to see the results). Arts House, May 1 - 4; 7 - 11, $18 - $23 The Blaktism Part of Next Wave's Blak Wave program, this work by Megan Cope tells the true story of the artist obtaining her 'Certificate of Aboriginality' and the concerns which this process raised. "After discussing with an Elder about the procedure, the thought of being legitimately certified suddenly cast a dark shadow of doubt across my mind and left me wondering if I was Aboriginal enough," said the artist. This seven-minute film screening daily at Screen Space expounds that journey through satire and wit, and questions the relevance of such bureaucracy. Through caricatures of Australian racism and tradition, Cope interrogates the frameworks of power and assimilation that still lay in place today. Screen Space, May 1 - 14, free Deep Soulful Sweats Ever thought your yoga class would be more entertaining if there was some good dance music cranking? Maybe you've been dissatisfied with a night clubbing because you felt disconnected from your chakras? Either way, this yoga class come dance party has all your unspoken prayers answered. That's right — it's a yoga dance party. Punters are advised to come dressed in lycra, stretch valour and the same colour clothing as your star sign (just go with it), and all other instructions will be given at the door. Though no yoga or dance experience is necessary, participants should be willing to let loose in the LED mayhem. After all, what is a yoga dance party if not the perfect place to relax? Northcote Town Hall, April 24, $15 Can We Please Play the Internet? New media artworks about "the internet" and "the Facebook" and the "total lack of privacy in our networked society leading to a enormous cultural and artistic shift in our generation" can often be a bit naff. Everything always leads to Skynet references and inevitable doomsday predictions. What's refreshing about this show is its light tone. Can We Play the Internet is a joint exhibition at West Space featuring the work of Janine DeFeo & Paul Zaba (pictured), Andrea Buren & Eleonora Sovrani, Angus Tarnawsky & Nathan Liow and Ilya Milstein. If you've ever wanted to see Google Image search results printed and mounted on all four walls of a white room, this is the show for you. West Space, April 11 - May 11, free Smell You Later The best thing about these festivals is that art pops up all over the place. A drink with friends at the festival club can easily turn into a makeshift audience for a roaming performer; at the Fringe club I was even pulled into a closet for an intimate one-on-one performance. But Next Wave is going one step further and taking art to the corridors, stairwells and lobbies of venues all over the city — furthermore, it's art you can't even see. From May 1 - 11, artists will be hiding distinctive aroma diffusers around their shows, capitalising on the strong link between scent and memory. Two weeks after your festival experience you'll smell an apple and cinnamon pie and suddenly feel compelled to talk about a particular artwork. Magic! Various loactions, May 1 -11, free Altertruism Technology, hedonism, and performance seem like the making of a great party, but the work of Brisbane collective Golden Solution is a little more complex than that. From May 2 - 10, Michael Candy, Kiah Reading and Andrew McLellan will be confronting their audience with some particularly trying social experiments. Hosting Shower Party at Goodtime Studios on May 2, the group have crafted a system where guests can serve themselves cocktails, but each drink adjusts the correspondent water level in a giant martini-shaped goldfish tank. To induce further guilt, both the lighting and music are also controlled via motion detectors in the tank. Other happenings include a drones hovering over your head at BUS Projects, and a public symposium "for the future automation of our civil life". Goodtime Studios, May 2 - 10, free The Club 3.0 This is a real life fight club. I repeat: a real life fight club. The work is brought to us by one of the festival's few international commissions — Dutch collective, New Heroes — and it looks to be every bit as gritty, dark and political as both the seminal 1996 Palahniuk novel and subsequent David Fincher film. "This is not a play," the event reads. "It's a fight club in which people can fight, talk, blow up ideas and rebuild them again. This is a club where you search for your role in society." Covering topics as dense and diverse as climate change, asylum seekers and the economic crisis, New Heroes will be calling upon willing audience members to let out frustration via their fists. But don't worry — although we may have just broken the first rule — if this is your first time at fight club, you don't have to fight. Arts House May 1 - 4 & 7 -11, $18 - $23 For a full program of events including ticketing information, check the Next Wave website.
When the Godzilla franchise first started rampaging through Japanese cinemas almost 70 years ago, it was in response to World War II and the horrific display of nuclear might that it unleashed. That saga and its prehistoric reptilian monster have notched up 38 movies now, and long may it continue stomping out of its homeland (the American flicks, which are set to return in 2024, have been hit-and-miss). In such creature-feature company, the films of Makoto Shinkai may not seem like they belong. So far, the writer/director behind global hits Your Name and Weathering with You, plus The Place Promised in Our Early Days, 5 Centimetres per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices and The Garden of Words before that, sadly hasn't applied his talents to good ol' Zilly, either. But Japan's animators have been musing on and reflecting upon destruction and devastation for decades, too — stunningly and heartbreakingly so. In Studio Ghibli's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Grave of the Fireflies and The Wind Rises — in Howl's Moving Castle, Porco Rosso and From Up on Poppy Hill as well — conflict lingers in a variety of ways. In 2016's gorgeous and affecting In this Corner of the World, war is utterly inescapable. And in Shinkai's recent work, it's another catastrophe that casts a shadow: the Great East Japan Earthquake and the resulting Fukushima nuclear disaster. He's made his past three movies, including his latest beautiful and heartfelt effort Suzume, with that incident clearly in mind. Indeed, although it hops all over Japan, acting like a travelogue in magnificently realistic animated form, this new tale about a teenage girl, matters of the heart and the earth, supernatural forces and endeavouring to cancel the apocalypse firmly has its soul in the part of Honshu that forever changed in March 2011. Suzume meets its namesake (Nanoka Hara, Guilty Flag) on Kyushu, Japan's third-largest island, where she has lived with her aunt Tamaki (Eri Fukatsu, Survival Family) for 12 years. More than that, it meets its titular high schooler as she meets Souta (SixTONES singer Hokuto Matsumura), who catches her eye against the gleaming sea and sky as she's cycling to class. He's searching for ruins, and she knows just the local place — an abandoned onsen, which she beats him to. There, Suzume discovers a door standing mysteriously within a pool of water, then opens said entryway to see a shimmering sight on the other side. That's an ordinary act with extraordinary consequences, because Shinkai adores exactly that blend and clash. To him, that's where magic springs, although never while spiriting away life's troubles and sorrows. Every single door everywhere is a portal, of course, but this pivotal one takes the definition literally. Suzume can't walk through the opening; instead, she's left peering at the enticing evening-hued realm lurking within its frame. That said, she does unwittingly unleash a monster that Souta and his family have spent generations trying to contain. The worm lives up to its moniker, sprawling high into and across the sky, and sending its red tendrils far and wide. As his grandfather was, plus a long line of other relatives before that, Souta is a closer, which means he's tasked with shutting the doors that pop up at Japan's abandoned places — including a school and an amusement park — to keep the worm away and humanity safe. Sometimes, he needs a keystone to do so; however, the one in Suzume's hometown turns into a cat when she picks it up. Also transforming, but not by choice: Souta himself, who swiftly takes the form of a three-legged yellow chair that his new pal has owned and loved since she was a pre-schooler. What's a girl, a walking-and-talking seat and a tiny white kitty — Daijin, aka that metamorphosed keystone, which can also speak (as voiced by newcomer Ann Yamane) — to do? The latter cutely but quickly scampers, unsurprisingly attracting ample social-media attention, while Suzume and Souta follow as fast as they can. Most road trips don't involve attempting to save the planet, but Suzume's is as scenic as any cross-country jaunt by ferry, scooter, van, train and car thanks to one of Shinkai's ever-reliable hallmarks: his breathtaking visuals. Whether or not any member of the film's audience has been to Japan themselves, watching this spectacular affair feels like stepping right into Miyazaki, Shikoku, Kobe, Tokyo and more. Once again, as he did with Your Name and Weathering with You as well, Shinkai brings the Japanese capital to the screen with detail so gloriously lifelike that it makes for simply exquisite animation. That gift is shared with everywhere that Suzume, Souta and Daijin visit, mesmerisingly so. It's both a fitting and knowing touch to get Suzume's heroine residing in the city that shares its name with Studio Ghibli great Hayao Miyazaki. By the watching world, Shinkai has been anointed the Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro filmmaker's successor frequently since Your Name proved such a delight and smash — and so stirring, melancholy and dazzling — and, while thoroughly earning those comparisons yet another time, he leans in. Whisper of the Heart, which is similarly about a teen chasing a cat, gets a direct (and lovely) shoutout. Nods to Kiki's Delivery Service also ripple, again thanks to the crucial adorable feline. As its characters tumble through episodic adventures sparked by that fateful first door, Suzume adds references elsewhere, starting with Alice in Wonderland. It's easy to see the thematic trilogy it's happily forming with Shinkai's last two movies, too. There's a mythic air and a determination to make something meaningful and with a message that's oh-so Ghibli always, though; like the animation house, Shinkai crafts films as devoted to getting viewers marvelling at the planet, life on it and the relationships forged as they are committed to entrancing the eyes with their radiant sights. Already the fourth-grossing Japanese film of all time globally — Your Name is third, and Weathering with You ninth — Suzume is vivid in every moment. Aided by its music from Shinkai regulars Radwimps and composer Kazuma Jinnouchi (Star Wars: Visions), it's rousing in all the fashions that a feature can be, in fact. Its guiding light makes cosmic romances, fantastical voyages and supernatural disaster flicks as well, plus contemplations of growing up and taking care of nature, and ensures that they swell and swirl with all the emotions that they demand. In a national cinema industry so well-known for confronting the country's past that it turned part of it into a giant stalking lizard, Shinkai keeps finding bewitching and sensitive methods to achieve that feat, and wonderfully. Here, as Suzume battles her own hulking force, she faces life-changing heartache that no one can ever truly get over, still learns how to go on but never lets her history slip away. It's no surprise that Suzume is as sweet and swoonworthy as Shinkai's work comes, and as earnest, intricate, intelligent, involving and enchanting.
It has been two short weeks since Banksy pulled what might be the artist's greatest prank yet — ripping one of his own paintings to shreds the very moment it was sold at auction. And if you just can't get enough of the stunt, Banksy has released a new extended video that peers behind the scenes as it all goes down. Called Shred the Love: The Director's Cut, the nearly three-minute clip is available on the artist's website, and reveals not only what went down when Banksy's Girl with Balloon artwork self-destructed as the hammer fell on the winning bid, but what was supposed to happen. Alongside the bidding at London's Sotheby's auction house, footage of someone pressing a button on a remote to start the shredding process, and the shocked mayhem afterwards, Banksy reveals that the entire painting was supposed to be cut to pieces. "In rehearsals it worked every time," the video notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxkwRNIZgdY Understandably, the stunt has sparked plenty of chatter both in the art world and in general over the past fortnight, including suggestions that the work has now gone up in value. The Telegraph reports that the collector with the winning £860,000 (AU$1.6 million) bid has decided to keep the piece, which has been retitled Love is in the Bin — although if Banksy had gotten his way, only torn strips of the painting would remain. The new video expands upon the original clip that Banksy posted in the immediate aftermath of the October 5 prank, showing a shredder being secretly built into the artwork, with an explanation that this was done a few years ago "in case it was ever put up for auction". Sotheby's has repeatedly advised that it had no knowledge of the prank before it happened. "It appears we just got Banksy-ed," Alex Branczik, head of contemporary art for Europe, told The Art Newspaper. Of course, whether Banksy is building the world's most depressing theme park, crafting a dark tourism ad for Gaza, opening a Bethlehem guesthouse with a view of the Israeli-Palestinian border or spray painting his pieces all over the globe, the artist's work tends to make a statement. The latest stunt certainly does continue Banksy's fascination with both creation and destruction, which has long been a theme at the centre of the street artist's work. Images: Olga Rozenbajgier, The Art of Banksy / Banksy.
It's been winning over fans since opening its OG pasta and wine bar in Highett in mid 2020. But Abbiocco is about to earn itself a whole swag of new loyal followers, as it adds to the family with a second outpost, this time in the heart of St Kilda. Abbiocco 2.0 has set up shop on Barkly Street, its light-filled space paying homage to its sibling with a mix of olive green tones, terrazzo flooring and timber slatting throughout. The name references an Italian phrase that loosely translates to 'food coma', hinting at the kind of generous feasting situation that awaits you here. Familiar Italian flavours are given a creative, contemporary refresh and, while the menu shares a similar feel to that of its Highett counterpart, it's also a treasure trove of new additions, too. Pasta is the hero, made fresh in-house each day. You might be in for prawn tortelli starring fennel and lemon thyme butter, pumpkin gnocchi with gorgonzola and wattleseed, or a pork sausage campanelle finished with chestnuts. A strong antipasti lineup includes the likes of preserved lemon and baccala arancini, veal carpaccio matched to a rocket gremolata and black garlic, and even Abbiocco's own mortadella, served with veneti peppers and pistachios. There's a hefty t-bone for those looking beyond a pasta fix, and revamped classics like mandarin bomboloni and lemon myrtle cannoli beckon from the dessert list. Meanwhile, the wine offering celebrates Aussie drops alongside plenty from the homeland, with an impressive range pouring by the glass — you can just as easily match your after-work snacks with a Yarra Valley savarro by Soumah, as with the Caprili Rosso Di Montalcino sangiovese out of Tuscany. A collaboration lager made with Bad Shepherd headlines a solid craft beer lineup, while cocktails sport a distinctly Euro lean; from the blood orange negroni, to a limoncello and grapefruit spritz. Find Abbiocco's new outpost at 173 Barkly Street, St Kilda. It's open from 5.30–11pm Wednesday to Friday, 12–2.30pm and 5.30–11pm Saturday, and from 12–2.30pm and 5.30–10pm Sunday.
It has won 11 Tony Awards and is one of the Obamas' favourite musical, and now Lin-Manuel Miranda's game-changing musical Hamilton is finally coming to Australia. The critically acclaimed hip hop musical, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. As well as its 11 Tony Awards, which include Best Musical, it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. After hitting Broadway in 2015, then West End in 2017, and beginning its third tour of the US earlier this year, Australians can finally catch Hamilton — when it makes its Southern Hemisphere premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in March 2021. While this is not new news, with the musical heading Down Under first announced back in May 2019, the fact that it's still planning to go ahead in seven months despite the global pandemic is. And, Aussies keen to head along will be able to snag tickets in just a few weeks. Those who've signed up to the waitlist — or do so before Sunday, August 23 — can get pre-sale tickets from 10am on Monday, August 24. General public tickets will then go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, September 1. Tickets will set you back $70–250 a pop — but there'll be a limited number going for just $10, available as part of the Hamilton lottery. We'll be sure to let you know more details about that when they're announced. [caption id="attachment_731122" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joan Marcus[/caption] There's no word yet on whether it'll head to other Aussie cities later on — it's possible, other big musicals, such as The Book of Mormons, have. But, if you don't want to risk it, those located interstate should to start planning a trip ASAP — we think it'll be more than worth it. Of course, if you're hoping to make the journey to NSW from interstate, you'll be keeping your fingers crossed that all the internal borders will finally be open by next March. It's not Miranda's first musical to hit Australia, either, his take on the classic 200s film Bring It On: The Musical hit Melbourne in 2018 and quadruple Tony Award-winning In The Heights just finished a short season at the Sydney Opera House last year. In the meantime, you can watch the filmed version of Hamilton with the original Broadway cast on Disney+ — yes, it's as phenomenal as you've heard. Hamilton will make its Australian premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from Wednesday, March 17–Sunday, August 1, 2021. You can sign-up for pre-sale tickets now before they are released at 10am on Monday, August 24 via Ticketmaster. General public tickets will then go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, September 1. Image: Hamilton, Broadway. Photo by Joan Marcus.
The bad news: Melbourne's NYE fireworks will not be going ahead. It's not an unexpected announcement — with the annual event usually attracting 400,000 people to the city (a number that certainly doesn't scream 'COVID-safe') — but it's a little sad nonetheless. The good news: instead of fireworks, the city is getting a new two-day food and wine celebration run by the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (MFWF) team together with the City of Melbourne. New Year Street Feasts, as the new dining experience has been dubbed, will see the city filled with 11 food precincts inspired by Europe's piazzas and squares. More than 50 venues will be involved, with precincts popping up across Little Bourke Street, Little Collins Street, Lonsdale Street, Springs Street, Russell Street, as well as AC/DC, Hardware, Flinders and Market lanes, and Docklands. As well as being exciting news for the food-loving citizens of Melbourne, it's also great news for the city's hospitality venues, with bars, cafes and restaurants restricted to takeaway-only for the better part of seven months. It's been a particularly difficult seven months for venues in the CBD, too, as many Melburnians continue to work from home. According to a July survey by the City of Melbourne, 15 percent of the city's hospitality businesses were unlikely to reopen after lockdown. Some big-name venues have already announced their permanent closure. One of the first was Chinatown's 30-year-old Shark Fin House, which saw an 80 percent drop in customers back in February; and Ezard, with the Flinders Lane restaurant departing after 20 years. Little Bourke Street stalwart Longrain also announced it was shutting up shop for good back in May, but then Chef Scott Pickett swooped in and revived the restaurant. The MFWF itself was impacted by this year's pandemic, first postponing, then cancelling its March festival. [caption id="attachment_744121" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The NYE fireworks will not go ahead this year.[/caption] When announcing the new event, Lord Mayor Sally Capp mentioned the difficult year it has been for the industry. "This has been an incredibly tough year and we want to mark its end by celebrating and supporting Melbourne's wonderful cafes, bars and restaurants," the Lord Mayor said in a statement. "We are tailoring a program to safely encourage more patrons into our incredible and deserving hospitality businesses that have struggled through lockdown restrictions." While the events are under wraps for now, you can expect some pretty exciting announcements, if MFWF's 2020 program is anything to go by. The OG lineup included a tongue-tingling Sichuan Snack Fair, a party dedicated to hot chips and an homage to 40 years of The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book. We'll let you know as soon as they're announced. New Year Street Feasts will run from Thursday, December 31–Friday, January 1 at more than 50 venues across Melbourne. Tickets will go on sale to the public from Monday, November 23. More info will be available at melbournefoodandwine.com.au. Top image: MFWF by Daniel Mahon
What do you get when you combine two restaurants that love fresh food, funky wines and Asian fusion? You get K-Town Shik, which will take over Supernormal Canteen on Sunday November 25. For this one night dinner, Supernormal Canteen's head chef Tim Stapleforth will join forces with Restaurant Shik's owner, chef and sommelier Peter Jo (Berta, Momofuku Seiobo, Belles Hot Chicken) — better known in the industry as 'Kimchi Pete'. The seven-course feast focuses on the Korean flavours that Jo is known for. Expect a party atmosphere, pumped up tunes and a menu that features seasonal, produce-driven dishes. Think raw bar items, hibachi-fired ssam chilli sauce and, as expected, heaps of kimchi. Alongside the meal, patrons can purchase low intervention and one-off natural wines that are the custom at both Restaurant Shik and Supernormal Canteen. It'll cost you a relatively reasonable $85 per person, with sittings from noon–8pm. Spots can be reserved online — but this event isn't one for those with dietary restrictions, so be sure to call ahead if you have any questions on that front. Image: Kate Shanasy.
This quirky, bright blue store has been on Brunswick Street for over 20 years now. Founded in 1993 by furniture makers Jeremy Wilkins and Stephen Kent, Wilkins and Kent was conceived as a workshop for custom-made bookcases, cupboards and chests. Now it's a fully-fledged boutique of not only furniture, but homewares of all kinds. While you can still find yourself a specialty-made desk or tallboy, you can also pick up terrariums, alarm clocks, kitchen goods, and bedspreads — anything that makes your home just that little bit brighter. You can also find Wilkins and Kent in the city at 372 Lt Bourke Street, Melbourne.
If you're citybound and missing out on New Year's Eve festivals like Falls and Beyond The Valley this year, don't fret. Let Them Eat Cake is your inner city solution to satisfy those festival urges. Held on New Year's Day at Werribee Park, LTEC is not only great for the music, but also plays host to installation art, openair exhibitions and some killer food offerings. But back to what you're all here for: the music. This year's lineup is headed by UK electro powerhouse Jon Hopkins, who's worked with everyone from Coldplay to Brian Eno. On the program, you'll also find Chicago house icon Honey Dijon, Scottish up-and-comer Denis Sulta and underground electro musician Tom Trago. The lineup's local contingent includes funk and soul performer Harvey Sutherland, well-known dancefloor starters Wax'o Paradiso and rising star Adi Toohey. While you're there — shaking off your hangover — you'll also have the chance to dance to HAAi, Tokimonsta and Madam X. Have your cake and eat it too, guys — you've earned it this year. LET THEM EAT CAKE 2020 LINEUP Adi Toohey Cinthie Denis Sulta HAAi Harvey Sutherland Honey Dijon Jon Hopkins Madam X SAM Shigeto Sosupersam Tokimonsta Tom Trago Wax'o Paradiso + more to be announced Let Them Eat Cake 2020 tickets go on sale to the general public at 9am on Thursday, September 19. Images: Duncographic
Australia’s oldest, largest and most celebrated queer film festival is back for another year, showcasing the very best of LGBTQ cinema from all around the world. With screenings at ACMI and Hoyts Melbourne Central, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival is the premier event for queer cinema in Australia, with dramas, comedies, documentaries, shorts and now, in its 24th year, a lesbian werewolf movie with a cameo by Kylie Minogue. There will also be speed dating, gay bingo and a 20th anniversary screening of that quintessential Australian queer film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, complete with an audience costume competition. With such a variety of films to choose from, compiling a top five list is nearly impossible. Honourable mentions go to award-winning South Australian drama 52 Tuesdays which will be released in cinema in May, as well as the heartbreaking American documentary Valentine Road, about a transgender high-school student shot by his classmate, which placed second in the audience award poll for Best Documentary at last year’s MIFF. Shout-out also to the entire short film program, especially the Oz Shorts selection. BAD HAIR One of the festival’s Centrepiece Presentations, Venezuelan drama Bad Hair has drawn comparisons to 2012 festival favourite Tomboy for its honest portrayal of pre-teen sexual identity. Young actor Samuel Lange plays Junior, a nine-year-old boy whose desire to have his hair straightened for his yearbook photo seems to confirm his working-class single mother’s worst fears. A commentary not just on homophobia and youth sexuality, but also Venezuela’s grim socio-political situation, Bad Hair won the gong for Best Film at the San Sebastian Film Festival, and has been pointed to by MQFF director Lisa Daniel as one of the highlights of the program. BRIDEGROOM When Tom Bridegroom’s life was cut short in a tragic accident, it was only the beginning of the heartbreak for his long-term partner Shane Bitney-Crone. Without any protection from marriage laws, Bitney-Crone was ostracised by Bridegroom’s conservative family, prohibited from even attending his loved-one’s funeral. Linda Bloodworth-Thomason’s documentary recounts the relationship between the two men, while also shining further light on the importance of marriage equality. The film won the audience award at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival in New York, where it was introduced by former US President Bill Clinton. Bitney-Crone is expected to be in attendance at the MQFF screening. TEST A favourite at last year’s Outfest in Los Angeles where it was awarded the Grand Jury Prize for Outstanding US Dramatic Feature, Test takes place in 1985 San Francisco, when the AIDs crisis was at its peak. Scott Marlowe plays Frankie, the newest member of an up-and-coming dance troupe, who is agonising over the decision as to whether to take a blood test that will reveal if he’s infected with the disease. Set in the same era as Oscar-nominated AIDs drama Dallas Buyers Club, the film has been praised for its life-affirming approach to an obviously dark period of history. VICKY – THE GAY GENE COMES TO MELBOURNE Chosen by Barack Obama to deliver the invocation during the inaugural weekend of his presidential election, Gene Robinson is the world’s first openly gay Bishop. From director Sasha Hadden, this Australian-made documentary chronicles Robinson’s recent trip to Melbourne, where he butted heads with Reverend Fred Nile of the Christian Democrats Party. Released at a time when Australian politicians are coming under increased pressure from gay rights activists, the film explores the role religion has to play in reversing existing prejudices, for which religion is itself partly responsible. WHO’S AFRAID OF VAGINA WOLF? The last film on this list brings with it some much-needed frivolity, in the form of the award-winning comedy Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf? Described by one critic as a lesbian blend of Edward Albee’s title-inspiring play and the raucous adult humour of Judd Apatow productions like Bridesmaids and This is 40, the film tells the story of Anna, played by writer-director Anna Albelo, a single lesbian filmmaker in the midst of a mid-life crisis. The semi-autobiographical comedy is another favourite of festival director Lisa Daniel, who describes it in the program notes as a movie “not to be missed.” For the full festival program and to pre-book tickets, visit www.mqff.com.au.
When Westworld finally returns for its third season next month, it's time for a big farewell and a few huge hellos. Firstly, say goodbye to the futuristic show's status quo, with the series finally stepping outside of everyone's favourite android amusement park. Then, prepare to watch a heap of series newcomers — including Aaron Paul. Yes, the Breaking Bad actor is joining Westworld for its next batch of episodes. As seen in the initial trailer for the third season, his new character was promised a better world, but this dream hasn't come true so he's now searching for something real. In the just-dropped full trailer, we see him join forces with Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood), who is free from the theme park's confines, well aware of what she is and undertaking a similar justice-fuelled search herself. When it comes to newcomers, Paul is joined by Vincent Cassel (Black Swan), Lena Waithe (Master of None), Scott Mescudi (How to Make it in America), John Gallagher, Jr (The Newsroom) and Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy) — with Cassel playing a mysterious figure who isn't too fond of Dolores' plans. Obviously, plenty of familiar faces are returning for the third season as well, including Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris and Luke Hemsworth. If you feel like you've been hanging out for new Westworld for years, that's because the show's second season aired back in 2018. If that seems like a long time between android dramas, remember that the first season of the show arrived 43 years after the Michael Crichton-directed movie that it's based on, and 40 years after the film's sequel Futureworld. If you haven't done so already, both are worth viewing while you're waiting for the TV series to return. Check out the full trailer for Westworld's third season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDJbFA32_QY Westworld's third season will air from Monday, March 16 — screening in Australia on Foxtel.
The increasing rise of streaming platforms could mark the death of movie-going as we know it, or so says the popular line of thinking that's been floating around for years. We're fairly certain that online services won't completely kill cinemas, however, even as huge companies like Apple and Disney try to battle it out with Netflix. There's a simple reason, and it's all about the spectacle. If the big screen dies out, all of those huge superhero battles will lose a bit of their sheen — and so will nerve-wracking creature features. It's a truth universally acknowledged that there's nothing quite like watching savage critters attack while you're sat in a darkened theatre, where nothing can disrupt the tension and a whole room of people are reacting to the on-screen horrors. That's one of the reasons Steven Spielberg's Jaws proved such a hit, after all, with the movie credited with inventing the mid-year blockbuster season. Since the 1975 thriller, plenty of films have tried to follow in its footsteps, both seriously and comedically. Crawl is the latest, slinging killer crocodiles at Skins and Maze Runner star Kaya Scodelario — because, well, why not? Directed by Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D) and produced by Sam Raimi (the original Evil Dead trilogy, Drag Me to Hell), Crawl takes place in Florida, just as a huge hurricane hits. Scodelario's Haley is told to evacuate, but she wants to find her missing dad (Barry Pepper) first — and he's injured and stuck in the crawl space of their family home. So far, so unfortunate. But then floodwaters rise, the storm keeps belting down and something with teeth is lurking below the water. If you're not fond of jumps, scares and snapping foes, this won't be for you. If you are, check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4WuVXo_XAM&feature=youtu.be Crawl releases in Australian cinemas on July 11. Image: Sergej Radović. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All rights reserved.
Busy scenes at St Kilda Beach and its surrounds over the weekend have led two local councils to unleash strong warnings for those ignoring public health directives. After crowds gathered beachside to take advantage of the warmer weather, with some reportedly ignoring social distancing guidelines, City of Port Phillip has come out swinging, taking to Facebook to warn the rule-breakers. "Unfortunately, if we have large crowds of people doing the wrong thing, then we will have no choice but to close the beach or park as a last resort," Council CEO Peter Smith explained in a post yesterday. "We are extremely disappointed by the number of people who breached the Victorian Chief Health Officer's orders," he said, labelling the crowd's behaviour as "unacceptable" and warning that such actions could delay Melbourne's reopening efforts. The mayor of Bayside Council Clarke Martin echoed this sentiment in a statement to The Sunday Age, saying, "my message to Bayside residents and anyone who wants to come down to the beach is not to. Please, just stay away for another two or three weeks and let this virus eat itself out." https://www.facebook.com/cityofportphillip/posts/3497330073666492 A Victoria Police spokesperson said that while the "vast majority of Victorians" had displayed good behaviour over the weekend, there were still some who'd flouted the rules, "with a number of arrests made and infringement notices issued". The spokesperson reminded Melburnians that police will continue to be out in force patrolling popular public spots and handing out fines. Meanwhile, City of Port Phillip is currently working on finalising its Play It Safe summer management plan, with a few of the key measures also trialled over the busy weekend. They include the installation of social distancing circles — similar to the ones that have popped up in Prahran — at South Beach Reserve. The St Kilda markers range between three and four metres in diameter, with the larger ones designed to cater for group exercise. They're spaced 1.5 metres apart, in keeping with the DHSS's social-distancing guidelines. The Council also says it's bumped up policing of the sites, having put additional Local Laws officers on the ground and "worked closely with the police to ensure an increased police presence". As it implements further measures in the coming months, expect to also see new pedestrian areas and expanded footpath dining precincts. You can check out all of metropolitan Melbourne's current restrictions over at the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website. Top image: St Kilda Beach by Matteo Artizzu via Flickr.
Checking surf conditions is a thing of the past for Sunshine Coasters, there's a multi-million dollar wave pool on its way. Best part is, you choose the size of the waves and customise how long they roll for. Really. The hugely-anticipated Webber Wave Pool has found a spot to make its own, snapping up a 24 hectare piece of land in Glenview — a colossal corner of fun right near Australia Zoo and the Big Kart Track. Developer Waterplay Pty Ltd is behind it all, the water-happy brains behind Malaysia's Sunway Lagoon and Wadi Adventure Park in the United Arab Emirates. Surrounded by waterslides, a 120-room hotel, canoeing rapids and a holiday village, the epic wave pool is the premier focus of the park. Pumping out consistently perfect and regulated waves, grommets and old hats alike will be able to choose their level of difficulty surfing the waves. Purists might be severely facepalming right now, but honestly, this is some pretty badass technology. Webber's drive system, according to their website, allows control over the hull speed, draft and trim angle of the wave. "These additional controls will transform our ability to change the wave shape during the ride," they say. "As a result, we will be able to make the wave angle and wave size shape change in a similar way as happens in nature." If you're bored of a particular set-up (yeah, if you're bored of your predictable ol' wave), just tweak a few details and you're riding a totally different beast. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZA4PoRBVY-M Webber's shiny new systems also allow the team to create waves of different sizes in the same pool at the same time. The coolest part? Your settings are saved on your wrist. "When linked to the profile of each patron by their RFID wristband, the software driving the new drive system will immediately adjust the ratio of the wave sizes to match with the changes in demand during the day." Rad. The Waterplay team hope to have you carving things up within a few short years, with the wave pool first on the to-do list. "All things going well, our team hopes to begin work next year and have the first Sunshine Park guests splashing, surfing and sliding on what will be Australia's latest waterpark during 2016," Waterplay spokesperson David Baird, told the Courier Mail. Fine, I guess we'll just have to surf in the real beach until then, whatever. Stupid, unruly, natural waves. Via Queensland Blog.
When Anchovy co-owners Jia-Yen Lee and Thi Le first started slinging khao jee pâté — the Lao cousin of the Vietnamese banh mi — during last year's lockdown, it was never meant to become a permanent venture. But as lockdowns and restrictions continued, and the duo's street food offering earned itself a loyal following, it became clear the Ca Com pop-up was here to stay. Now, it's spawned its own standalone shopfront next door. Named after the Vietnamese words for 'anchovy', Ca Com first made an appearance at the front window of Anchovy in May 2020. The restaurateurs were keen to keep busy while Anchovy was closed to dine-ins, and a rotating menu of banh mi was exactly the kind of accessible, lockdown-friendly fare the neighbourhood needed. The pair have been running the pop-up on and off ever since, using a hibachi on the window sill to barbecue proteins and ramping up opening hours whenever Melbourne goes into a snap lockdown. The concise banh mi menu changes regularly depending on the availability of meat cuts and other ingredients, giving the team a chance to flex their creativity and test out new flavour combinations for its dedicated Melbourne fans.
Bendigo Art Gallery will honour one of the most influential fashion icons of all time when the Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion exhibition opens on August 17. A pioneering 20th century designer hailing from Spain, Cristóbal Balenciaga was considered one of the leaders of haute couture — and hundreds of his designs are making their way to Australia this winter. For this exclusive exhibition, Bendigo Art Gallery has collaborated with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Expect over 100 garments and hats designed not only by Balenciaga, but also by his 30 contemporaries and apprentices at the design house — who include the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Hubert de Givenchy. Along with the designer pieces — including pieces worn by actress Ava Gardner, mononymous 50s model Dovima and 60s fashion icon Gloria Guinness — visitors will gain access to Balenciaga's house through archival sketches, fabric samples, photographs and fashion show footage. This is the gallery's latest fashion-focused installation, with past exhibitions including Melbourne's own Toni Maticevski in 2016, golden era Hollywood designer Edith Head in 2017 and, most recently, an exhibition on Finnish textile icon Marimekkoin June 2018. The art gallery is located about two hours' drive northwest of Melbourne. Instead of flying into Melbourne, out-of-towners can opt to take a newly operating Qantas direct flight from Sydney to Bendigo — and August would certainly be the time to do it.
Two of our favourite things — good food and fantastic film — are coming together at Caulfield Racecourse again for 2018. Gourmet Cinema will return for the third time on Thursday, March 1 to pair menus from some of Melbourne's top restaurants with a critically acclaimed film. So bring your picnic blankets, but leave the baskets at home. Six of Melbourne's top-notch restaurants will feature throughout the festival — four food stalls will operate at each session, with one restaurant showcasing a menu matched to the movie on the screen. Luke Hammond from Hotel Jesus will pair a Mexican menu with a viewing of Chef (even though the film features Cuban sandwiches), and you'll have one of Shannon Bennett's Benny burgers in your hand as you watch Top Gun. Other vendors in 2018's highly anticipated culinary lineup will include Jimmy Grants, Uncle, Hellenic Republic and Mamasita. Gourmet Cinema will run for eight nights, from Thursday to Sunday, for two consecutive weeks. Gates open at 6pm with the film set to commence around 8.15pm. Tickets are $22.50 for adults, or you can shell out $35.50 for a reserved deck chair and blanket hire.
This month at Richmond's Charles Nodrum Gallery, Melbourne-based artist David Harley will exhibit his large-scale abstract works, which he creates through a mix of new and old technology. These floor-to-ceiling digital paintings stretch the full length of the gallery's walls and present Harley's complex and radiant works in their fullest possible glory. Having been painting abstract works for decades, Harley has, since the 1990s, increasingly incorporated new technology into his work, including large-format printing, virtual three-dimensional constructions and projected animations. Harley works closely with each gallery he exhibits — going as far as creating visual models of the space to shape his paintings to the walls — to reflect the architecture of the gallery, creating an immersive experience for the audience. Alongside numerous solo exhibitions, Harley has recently completed two commissions for Deakin University's Burwood campus, and another for National Australia Bank. David Harley: free-form propositions #2 is on display now until Saturday, June 17. Image: Christo Crocker.
Writers' festivals are getting more and more 'with it' these days. People wear shirts with hashtags on them, you're encouraged to live-tweet questions for authors on panels, and the events are no longer held at local library reading rooms, but cool back-alley warehouse spaces. The kind of place where everyone's wearing black-rimmed glasses and talking about Tao Lin. All this is old news now however, as the Emerging Writers' Festival has just announced the creation of the world's first exclusively online writers' festival to take place in February 2014. While writers' festivals once lamented the damning effects of the internet and digital technology on the written word, the Digital Writers' Festival will be a 12-day celebration of it. Digital publishing, eBooks, alt lit, fan fic, webcams and Twitterbots — the publishing industry and the nature of writing itself has transformed dramatically in even the past few years, and DWF is going to be a dedicated space in which to examine it. This also has a huge impact on accessibility. Do you live in the Northern Territory and always feel jealous when you see pictures of the Melbourne Writers' Festival? Maybe you live in Melbourne, but never felt quite cool enough to head along to the events. Perhaps you tried, but got lost looking for the event down a laneway? The DWF will be the first truly accessible festival for a vast array of people all over country, and more than that, the world. Admittedly it could all be a little confusing though. We talked to the new DWF Director, Connor Tomas O'Brien about what the festival will be and how it will all work. We talked on Twitter because that's what the cool kids do now, right? Right? The full DWF program of events and artists will be released in January 2014.
For residents of the Greater Brisbane area, plus folks who spent some of your Christmas and New Year break in the region, 2021 has gotten off to a hectic start. The city's Grand Chancellor hotel cluster sparked six COVID-19 cases — all of the new, more contagious B117 coronavirus strain — resulting in a three-day lockdown, increased local restrictions, and changes in domestic border rules between states as well. The cluster also saw Prime Minister Scott Morrison declare Greater Brisbane a COVID-19 hotspot at the commonwealth level — a decision that came out of the first Australian national cabinet meeting for 2021, and covered the Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands local government areas. Now, just over a week later — and 14 days since local transmission is thought to have occurred — Australia's Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly has announced that the hotspot status has been revoked. That new status became effective at 12.01am today, Sunday, January 17. "This hotspot was declared out of an abundance of caution because we saw for the first time a case of this new more transmissible strain in the community," said Kelly. "Like so many instances throughout the pandemic, we've now seen another success story in our response." When Greater Brisbane was deemed a federal-level hotspot, every state and territory across Australia implemented border restrictions with the area — and in some cases, the entire State of Queensland. As the situation has settled, those rules have been changing again. In New South Wales, folks who had been in the Greater Brisbane area since January 2 were required to isolate during the Queensland region's lockdown. Now, however, there are no restrictions in place. Victoria closed its borders to Greater Brisbane, and implemented a new traffic light-style system to cope with domestic outbreaks and corresponding restrictions on entering the state in general. Greater Brisbane was initially classed as a 'red zone', which meant anyone who had been in the area couldn't head to Victoria. As at 6pm on Saturday, January 16, it became an 'orange zone' instead — so entry is now allowed after applying for a permit, then self-quarantining, getting a coronavirus test within 72 hours of arrival and remaining in isolation until a negative test result is received. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1350229906488102913 Tasmania declared the Greater Brisbane region a high-risk area. Anyone who had arrived in Tasmania after spending time in Greater Brisbane since January 2 had to immediately self-isolate, while anyone who had been in the area and wants to travel to Tassie isn't allowed to enter without an exemption. That's still the case, although the rules will be reviewed and updated on Monday, January 18. In the Northern Territory, a hotspot declaration meant that anyone entering the NT from Greater Brisbane area had to go into quarantine for two weeks. That declaration was revoked on Monday, January 11. South Australia brought in a quarantine requirement, too, requiring arrivals from Greater Brisbane to to isolate for two weeks. That was revoked at 12.01am on Sunday, January 17, although anyone entering SA from the area must now have a COVID-19 test on day one, five and 12 of their trip to the state. The Australian Capital Territory required anyone who had been in the Greater Brisbane area since January 2 to go into isolation for 14 days from when they were last in the area; however, that was revoked at 2pm on Monday, January 11. Over in Western Australia, a hard border has been brought back in with all of Queensland, with WA closing to anyone who has been in the Sunshine State since January 2. That's still in effect — so anyone who receives an exemption to still enter WA has to go into quarantine for 14 days, and undertake COVID-19 testing within 48 hours of arrival and again on day 11 of their quarantine. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Health website.
Get a glimpse into the production of an intriguing adaptation of Oscar Wilde's savage fairytale The Nightingale and the Rose. Co-directed by two-time Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton and filmmaker Brendan Fletcher, the 14-minute animation — which won the award for Best Australian Short Film at last year's Melbourne International Film Festival — will screen as part of a three-month exhibition at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Featuring the voice talents of Mia Wasikowska, David Wenham and Geoffrey Rush, as well as a unique score by singer-songwriter Sarah Blasko, the film provides the backbone for Del Kathryn Barton: The Nightingale and the Rose. Running until mid-September in ACMI's Gallery 2, the exhibition will take visitors behind the scenes of Barton's creative process, incorporating never-before-seen paintings, props from production, and a rare 1913 edition of the Oscar Wilde anthology in which the story first appeared. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkHzTsFJ73I
Walking from one end of Brunswick to East Brunswick can well and truly take more than an hour — so it's no wonder that a bounty of bars have blossomed to quench the thirst of foot-weary travellers and locals alike. There's practically something for every night of the week: karaoke, sharp-shooting on a round pool table, Afro jazz for sweating out the Sunday blues, or mid-week cheeseboards to impress your date. So leave the car at home, and make sure to hop the best of Sydney Road and Lygon Street's bars.
One of the main events of Chinatown's annual Lunar New Year festivities, the Dragon Parade is truly a sight to behold. At 11.30am on Sunday, February 14, the Dai Loong ("big dragon") will emerge from its home at the Chinese Museum and make its way through the streets of Melbourne, heralding the New Year and the beginning of the Spring Festival. There'll be dancing and drumming and colourful costumes as far as the eye can see. And if all the parading leaves you feeling peckish — well, you'll be in Chinatown now, won't you? Image: Chris Phutully via Flickr.
Weary of Westeros? Want a new formula to Breaking Bad? Zoned out of Walking Dead? Okay, perhaps not yet, but soon these shows will be over for the season (or *gulp* for good), and we'll be in the mood for something new. To pre-empt this moment, we've found five shows that might even top the hits we worship now. Here are the soon-to-air, highly anticipated television shows that are a must-see (and that we hope are fast-tracked on some Australasian network soon, but don't hold your breath). 1. American Gods Airing: late 2013/early 2014 Length: Six seasons of 10-12 episodes Based on Neil Gaiman's award-winning novel American Gods, the upcoming HBO series of the same name is expected to grab the attention of TV lovers worldwide. The series, written by Gaiman and produced by Playtone productions, is based on the idea that the gods of ancient mythology do exist in modern America and are kept alive by the people that believe in them. The main character, Shadow Moon, is an ex-convict recently released from prison. Unimaginable events begin to unfold in Shadow's life and he begins to question his perceived conceptions of the modern world. Producers have confirmed that the show will air for six seasons, so get ready to lose days to any binge watching you choose to get into. 2. Under The Dome Airing: June 24, 2013 Length: 13 episodes A television series brought to you by Steven Spielberg and Stephen King? That already sounds like a huge success. Under the Dome, a CBS series due to air June 24, has a star-studded cast and producing team, including actors Mike Vogel, Rachelle Lefevre and Colin Ford and comics king Brian K. Vaughan. Based on the novel of the same name by King, who is also executive producer of the show, Under the Dome follows what happens to a town when they are cut off completely from the rest of the world. In Chester's Mill, Maine no one can come in and no one can go out. With 2000 people trapped under an invisible barrier, things are bound to get scary fast. 3. Family Tree Airing: May 12, 2013 Length: Eight episodes HBO, in collaboration with BBC2, just released its first teaser for the coming series Family Tree. The show, which stars the beloved Bridesmaids and IT Crowd actor Chris O'Dowd, is a single-camera, improvisational, documentary-style comedy series that follows the life of 30-year-old Tom Chadwick (O'Dowd) as he investigates his strange family lineage, travelling from the UK to Los Angeles. The series was created by Christopher Guest, one of the original mockumentarians who brought us This Is Spinal Tap, and frequent collaborator Jim Piddock and could well revive a flagging genre. 4. Masters of Sex Airing: September 29, 2013 Length: 12 episodes in season one confirmed so far Based on Thomas Maier's 2009 biography Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, Masters of Sex is a drama series set to premiere on September 29 on the always-impressive Showtime network. Starring Michael Sheen as William Masters and Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson, the show follows the bizarre lives and romance of the real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality and leaders of the sexual revolution, Dr William Masters and Virginia Johnson. While not much else has been released about the series, this tidbit is enough to grab our attention. 5. True Detective Airing: Soon? Length: Eight episodes in season one With a superb, show-stopping cast, the new HBO series True Detective is without a doubt a show to look out for in the coming months. The series recently went into production and hopes to bring the contemporary crime underworld back to HBO. Starring talented doppelgangers Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, the eight-episode drama series has been in production since late 2012 but still no official word on when it will premiere. The series will follow an anthology vein comparable to the hit series American Horror Story, meaning the next seasons (if the first season is successful) will feature a whole new cast and a different storyline.
The planned construction of anything 'bold, provocative and edgy' seems innately destined for failure — the aforementioned buzzwords, particularly when used in quick succession, conjure up images of middle-aged, fat-cat executives chain smoking cigars around a boardroom table or, worse still, mid-life crisis Mum trying with thinly veiled desperation to shake it with her 20-something-year-old daughters. In short, not an uplifting portrait. It could be argued that SBS2's recent youth-targeted makeover, which saw the digital channel relaunch on April 1 in a bid to ensnare a specific 16-to-39-year-old demographic, is destined to go the way of other 'cool, hip' initiatives that sadly end up being neither of the two. What Even Is Emerging Culture? By attempting to reach 'young people' as an isolated bracket, SBS2 have been criticised for assuming that age is an effective means by which to categorise and target the behaviours of viewers. Admittedly, if shows like Network Ten's Being Lara Bingle and The Shire are indicative of what Gen-Y supposedly wants, it would appear that young people people are in fact the dullest, worst kind of viewer and, more widely, human. What's different about SBS2's approach is the diversity of their programming — already popular offerings like US comedy series Community and gritty drama Skins feature alongside A-League football coverage, Japanese game shows and documentaries on everything from the truth about smoking marijuana to a history of controversial sex in cinema. The breadth of subject matter covered suggests that SBS2 is not targeted at some imagined, specific breed of young person with a narrow, mundane sphere of interest; it's an attempt to engage a younger but no less intelligent consumer in a meaningful way. Facilitating Your Binge A particularly interesting component of the new SBS2 is the Back 2 Back feature, where after the first episode of a series has screened on free to air, viewers can watch the entire season of some shows via SBS On Demand. A response to what Tony Iffland, SBS's director of TV and online content , calls 'binge watching' the feature allows viewers the kind of total control over their viewing habits that most of us have been enjoying since we learnt how to illegally download content (everybody does it but nobody talks about it). While the idea of huddling around the box once a week for a single episode of one's personal brand of entertainment crack might provide great fodder for water-cooler banter the next day at the office, in today's fast-paced media landscape the notion seems as quaint and outmoded as listening to the wireless, yet most traditional TV networks still privilege this lost model, for lack of another way. News for the Attention-Challenged Another of SBS2's responses to changing media consumption habits is the addition of a 15-minute news bulletin with 30-second headlines, which offers a time-poor alternative to the increasingly archaic traditional news bulletin. Although this opens up a contentious debate about the dangers of pandering to rapidly shrinking attention spans, it seems that regardless of such protestations, behavioural and attitudinal changes are inevitable. If this is the case, fast news is still better than none at all, right? SBS Is Your Friend Where, as a 'young person' your natural reaction might be to boldly and feverishly reject any initiative that attempts to examine, categorise and subsequently cater to your complex needs and desires in a collective way, it's important to remember who the one doing the talking is. SBS isn't he dreaded man — they're an independent, underfunded TV channel, committed to providing high-quality, culturally relevant media to all Australians regardless of geography, background, language skills and, indeed, age. Seven billion stories and counting, only now some of those are digital, on demand and ready for your binging pleasure, 'bold, provocative and edgy', or otherwise.
Asghar Farhadi is not yet so passe, because the latest release to come from the Iranian director, The Past (or original title Le Passé to le snobs) looks as good as his 2012 Academy Award-winning A Separation. Dubbed an engrossing psychological drama about choice and responsibility, the critically acclaimed French film features Bérénice Bejo (The Artist), awarded Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival for her work in this film. The Past follows Bejo's Marie and her children, who are deserted by husband Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa) when he returns to his home in Iran. But in his absence, Samir (Tahar Rahim from The Prophet) hits the screen and, despite protests by her teenage daughter, Maria requests a divorce and Ahmad finds himself with renewed love for his estranged wife. The Past is in cinemas on February 6, and thanks to Madman Films, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Australia will soon get to see The Wind Rises (Kaze tachinu), the supposedly final work from Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro), who based the film on his own manga comic of the same name. Set in Japan pre-WWII, the critically acclaimed animated drama follows the life of a young flight-obsessed engineer who designs Japanese fighter planes, a plot inspired by the real-life creator of the Mitsubishi A5M and A6M Zero, Jiro Horikoshi. As the highest grossing Japanese film of 2013, The Wind Rises also took out the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. It sounds like a must-see for Studio Ghibli fans and aviation nerds, plus those keen to experience what sounds like the last film from a truly legendary animator. The film will play in Japanese and English, with respective subtitles. Its English language cast includes Joseph Gordon Levitt, Elijah Wood and Emily Blunt. The Wind Rises is in cinemas on Thursday, February 27, and thanks to Madman Films, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
While Melbourne's outdoor cinemas have started reopening under the city's latest stage of eased COVID-19 restrictions, seeing a movie indoors isn't permitted just yet. But if you'd still like to head to a particular Carlton picture palace, sit down in its onsite eatery, tuck into dinner and sip drinks — and grab some popcorn and a choc top, too — Cinema Nova has thrown open the doors to its Bar & Kitchen, and its candy bar as well. Now open every evening for dinner from 5pm, the Lygon Street venue is offering up a menu that includes cauliflower arancini, spiced calamari, slow-cooked braised beef, and both chicken parmigiana and eggplant parmigiana bites. You can opt for a cheeseboard, too, and wash it all down with wine, beer and cocktails. And, for dessert, there's choc tops — of course. If you're just hankering for a cinema-style snack rather than yearning to spend time at the cinema, you can stop by the candy bar during the same window each night — and grab not only those chocolate-covered ice cream cones, but also popcorn and drinks. [caption id="attachment_788042" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Google Maps[/caption] Those choosing to dine are advised to book, with reservations available until 9pm each night. In line with the current restrictions on indoor hospitality, Nova's Bar & Kitchen can cater to 20 patrons. Seating is socially distanced, contact tracing is in place, payments are cashless and hand sanitiser is available for patrons as well. And if you're wondering when the projectors will start whirring again, the Victorian Government hasn't yet announced when indoor cinemas will be allowed to operate. They're not currently able to open, and they haven't been listed so far in the next phase, due to come into effect on November 8, either. Find Cinema Nova at 380 Lygon Street, Carlton — open daily for dinner from 5pm, with bookings recommended.
Today, Eric Bana is a world-renowned film and TV star with a resume that spans Australian and Hollywood fare. Black Hawk Down, Hulk, Troy, Munich, Star Trek, Hanna, Aaron Falk movies The Dry and Force of Nature: The Dry 2, US television shows Dirty John and Untamed: they're all on the Aussie actor's resume. At the beginning of 2000, however, he had a part in The Castle as his sole big-screen appearance, alongside his small-screen sketch comedy work in the likes Full Frontal, plus a few episodes of medical drama All Saints. Then came Chopper. Ever since Bana portrayed Mark 'Chopper' Read in the exceptional Andrew Dominik (Blonde)-directed flick, it's been one of the first roles that springs to mind whenever anyone thinks about the Australian talent. Well-deserved accolades came his way, including Best Actor at the Australian Film Institute Awards (which have since become the AACTAs). If you need a reminder of why his performance demanded such praise — and the film, too — catching a 25th-anniversary cinema screening of the iconic feature will do the job. To celebrate a quarter of a century since Chopper first hit Aussie picture palaces, the film is returning to local big screens for a limited season from Thursday, August 21, 2025. As well as the movie itself — one of the finest Australian entries in the true-crime genre, and a stunning feature debut from Dominik — audiences will also see 13 minutes of bonus behind-the-scenes footage, chats with Bana, Dominik and Read among them. How does Bana look back on the role that made him an international movie star, and tells one of the most-infamous crime tales in Aussie history? "Chopper was an incredibly unique and distinctive character. Getting the chance to play someone like him is rare. It's always a treat if a film holds up over time, and I'm proud of its space in the Australian film landscape," he advises. This isn't Chopper's first return to the big screen — it also enjoyed 20th-anniversary sessions, pops up on retrospective programs and received the Hear My Eyes treatment at MIFF 2022 — but it's always worth watching in cinemas. Marking the leap from making music videos to features, the movie also helped catapult Dominik's career, too, with The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Killing Them Softly and Blonde all following, plus episodes of Mindhunter, and Nick Cave-focused documentaries One More Time with Feeling and This Much I Know to Be True. Check out the 25th-anniversary trailer for Chopper below: Chopper is returning to Australian cinemas from Thursday, August 21, 2025.
When Iron Man, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Captain America and their fellow caped-crusader pals all cross paths on-screen, they do so within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When it's Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman's turn, they populate the DC Extended Universe. But these kind of big-screen franchises aren't just the domain of superheroes. In the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, for instance, a number of Spider-Man supervillains are getting their own interconnected movies. First came 2018's Venom, starring Tom Hardy (Dunkirk) as a journalist who is forced to share his body with an alien symbiote. Next year — delayed from 2020 — Morbius will see Jared Leto (The Little Things) play a figure also known as the "Living Vampire". In-between the two, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is also hitting screens. The initial flick about Hardy's Eddie Brock and his parasitic pal did ridiculously big business at the box office, so it was always going to get a sequel. Due to hit cinemas Down Under this October — after being delayed from its September release date — Venom: Let There Be Carnage signals its other main point of focus in its title. This time around, Venom isn't the only formidable figure that Brock has to deal with, with Woody Harrelson (Zombieland: Double Tap) joining the cast as Carnage. For those who haven't dived deep into Spider-Man's comic book history, Carnage is another of the web-slinger's adversaries. Inhabiting the body of a serial killer called Cletus Kasady, he's also Venom's nemesis. And while Eddie's life isn't all that straightforward as seen in both the original Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer and the just-dropped new sneak peek — living in harmony with Venom is about as easy as it sounds — things get a whole lot more chaotic when Carnage enters the scene. As these two villains face off, here's hoping that Venom: Let There Be Carnage gives Michelle Williams (Fosse/Verdon) more to do than the first Venom movie did, with the four-time Oscar-nominee returning as Eddie's ex-fiancée. Also seen briefly in the trailers: Naomie Harris (The Third Day) as yet another Spider-Man villain, Shriek, plus Stephen Graham (The Virtues) as Detective Mulligan. And, behind the lens, Lord of the Rings actor-turned-Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle filmmaker Andy Serkis directs. Check out the latest trailer below: Venom: Let There Be Carnage opens in Australian cinemas sometime in October — we'll update you when an exact date is announced.
Modern day love dramatically differs from the romance of yesteryear due to courtship via digital means. While this is certainly not the case for everyone and their relationships, social media and hook-up apps undeniably play a huge part in navigating today’s love landscape. A new publication, created by Clara Bradley, looks to explore how digital communications have affected the way we love with a little help from some talented folk. A collection of artists, photographers, writers and designers have contributed to Tenderness Journal. Producing a tangible piece of print media that explores the implications of digital media is interesting in itself; perhaps the old ways are the best? We’ll soon find out. Along with the book launch there will also be an exhibition of the artists’ photographs at Fitzroy’s latest venue dedicated to the arts scene, Grey Gardens Projects. Contributors to Tenderness include James Andrews, Kiah Pullens, Kirrilee Bailey, Clara Bradley, Benjamin Chadbond, Hugh Coldwell-Ross, Mim Connell, Melissa Edwards and many others.
If you're someone who loves coffee and the odd cocktail or two, chances are you're a fan of espresso martinis. After all, they're a great way to kick off a night out. But not paying for them? Tell us we're dreaming. To make that dream a reality, we've partnered with coffee liqueur label Mr Black, so you — and your mates — can get your boozy caffeine fix without spending a cent. Who's dreaming now? Born out of the belief that good coffee should be had at any time of day, Mr Black's cold brew liqueur sure gets a party started. So, should you win this prize, you'll be heading to a local bar for a free round of espresso martinis. And, after months of at-home happy hours, we bet you're keen to hit the town. To top it off, you'll be sipping away at one of the top watering holes in Melbourne. You can pick from one of the participating CBD bars such as the super-popular Arbory Afloat, container bar Whitehart, Southbank's Waterslide Bar and underground small bar Beneath Driver Lane. Over in the inner north, you can stop into the likes of Collingwood's Above Board or Bad Frankie, Bar Liberty and Black Pearl, which are all located in Fitzroy. If you're a southside local, you can head to moody cocktail bar Lover on Chapel Street or go-to wine bar Ugly Duckling over in Cremorne. And, there's a one-in-ten chance you'll win, so make like early 2000s P!nk and get the party started by entering below. To enter, see details below. [competition]799625[/competition]
These days, Pokémon GO might just be another unused app on your phone; however the game's cute little pocket monsters aren't staying confined to a small screen. Animated Pokémon movies have been around for almost as long as the animated Pokémon television series, but now the game-to-TV-to-cinema franchise is getting a distinctive new addition: a live-action flick featuring a particularly realistic-looking Pikachu, who happens to be voiced by Ryan Reynolds. While playable Pokémon titles date back to 1996's Pokémon Red and Green for Game Boy, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is based on the 2016 game of the same name — where, as the title suggests, everyone's favourite yellow, furry creature solves mysteries. He also talks, exclaiming more than "pika!"; is addicted to caffeine, like most of us; and has arrived to help former Pokémon trainer Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) track down his missing dad. The result: basically a Pikachu-and-human buddy cop movie, jam-packed with other Pokémon, of course. Two trailers have been released so far, and if you've spent to much of your childhood catching 'em all when it comes to Pokémon — and, thanks to Pokémon GO, plenty of your adult years as well — you'll be in heaven watching the newest sneak peek, which just dropped this week. As well as lending his acerbic attitude and vocal talents to what's certain to be the world's most adorable detective, Reynolds performed the role via motion-capture, and is joined by Kathryn Newtwon, Suki Waterhouse, Omar Chaparro, Chris Geere, Ken Watanabe and Bill Nighy among the cast. The first live-action Pokémon flick, Detective Pikachu is directed by Robert Letterman, who has Shark Tale, Monsters vs Aliens, Gulliver's Travels and the first Goosebumps film to his name. Catch the Pokémon: Detective Pikachu trailers below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8CKgQFo5U8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzvbzYoQE5o Pokémon: Detective Pikachu opens in Australian cinemas on May 9. Image: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
Come October, the $20 notes you'll be stuffing in your wallet will look a little different — a new design for the lobster has just been release, and it's hitting tills around the country in just eight months. Australia's banknotes have been getting a makeover since September 2016, when a different $5 note started doing the rounds. It was followed by a revamped $10 in 2017, then $50 in 2018 — and now a sparkling fresh $20, which will hit the streets in October 2019. The upgraded design will celebrate Mary Reibey, an Australian convict-turned-merchant, shipowner and philanthropist, as well as John Flynn, the founder of what is now known as the Royal Flying Doctor Service. They're both recognised in several ways on the new notes, with not only their portraits displayed prominently, but with images one of Reibey's Port Jackson schooners and Flynn's aircraft leaving a Broken Hill homestead, as well as microprint featuring an excerpt from Flynn's book The Bushman's Companion. As well as changed artwork (albeit keeping the same colour scheme and same celebrated Australians as old notes), the new $20 boasts the same improved security features as the new $5, $10 and $50 notes, which are largely aimed to stop counterfeiting. A clear window running from top to bottom is the most obvious, and contains a number of features such as a reversing number and flying kookaburra. And, in great news for the vision-impaired, the new series of legal tender has a tactile feature to help distinguish between different denominations. As happened with the other denominations, the rollout will happen gradually, as will the withdrawal of old $20s — which you can obviously still keep using. And as for the final Aussie banknote yet to receive a revamp, the new $100 is due to be released in 2020.
The motto at Big Boy BBQ is 'Slow Food… Fast', meaning that the meat is generously rubbed with spices and slow-cooked for up to 16 hours — but the crew can still dish them out quick sticks once orders start coming in. The Caulfield South restaurant had an overhaul in 2019 and this new concept, Southern Grace Diner, is an homage to the traditional 'meat and three' eateries that are dotted all over the US deep south. The menu is straightforward enough. First, choose between juicy smoked meat or ribs, then select up to three sides to enjoy with it — think salads, fries, coleslaw, crackling, vegetable gratin, mash and gravy or mac 'n' cheese. Be sure to save room for sweet potato pie for dessert, too. This spot offers BYO beer and wine for only $5 surcharge per person, and if you fall in love with the addictive southern-style barbecue sauces, glazes and vinegar dips, the restaurant sells takeaway jars for $13. Southern Grace Diner offers BYO beer and wine.
As its name suggests, Second Home is the kind of place where you can get comfortable and unwind. Housed within a recently renovated mid 1970s building created by architect Alistair Knox, the beauty of the space is all within the details: vast skylight windows, gum trees, lush furnishings and an open fireplace. Second Home is one of the newest additions to Jason M Jones' empire (joining Entrecôte, Bancroft Brewers, The Stables of Como, Porgie and Mr Jones), so it makes sense that this space has been established with comfort in mind. Located down a quiet backstreet in Eltham and surrounded by warehouses, it's somewhat of a sanctuary in an unlikely place. So, in escaping from the everyday, it might be fair to say that locals and visitors flock to the cafe just to observe that lived-in feeling in a home away from home. Humans — we're an odd bunch. Fans of Jones will recognise familiar items off the menu, which is split into Beautiful Brunch and Lovely Luncheon — particularly, his famous golden folded eggs ($15.90), which continue to be a crowd pleaser. A comprehensive list of options extends to also include an on-trend almond milk chia pudding ($14.90) and robust breakfast burger featuring grilled Hopkins River beef ($17.90). The standout remains the hearty Ploughman's Lunch ($18.90), which varies in its selection of terrines, cheeses and pickled vegetables. Come weekends, the libations trolley is also sure to soothe (or aggravate) any headaches, with a Bloody Mary, Bellini or Aperol Spritz ($12.90-13.90) amongst many friends at the ready. A north-facing courtyard has recently opened which is sure to extend the sitting time at Second Home. In addition, a rotating selection of art available for purchase also creates a gallery amongst the gumtrees. With all of this, the Eltham cafe covers every staple needed in creating the living room you never had, but always needed.
Docklands' winter forecast is looking very warm and toasty, as the annual Firelight Festival returns to the precinct from Friday, June 29. The festival's second outing promises to totally eclipse the first, featuring a sprawling program of events and activities, and some particularly lavish celebrations across the opening weekend. Victoria Harbour is set to be transformed into its biggest, brightest self, playing host to nightly fireworks displays, roving performers, fire drums, flame jets and striking installations. You'll even catch three huge wooden sculptures, designed by local artist Christian Patton, set ablaze as they float along the Harbour. Throughout the month, a diverse live music lineup ranges from jazz, to gypsy, to a New Orleans brass outfit, and special guest Jo Stanley heads up a family-friendly Fireside Storytelling session, sharing tales from her literary series Play Like a Girl. Of course, foodies and booze buffs will also find plenty here to keep them off the couch and out of hibernation, including long-table feasts at Collins Square's Chiara, a program of workshops and progressive dinners exploring some of Docklands' finest food spots, and the 1930s-inspired Speakeasy Series, which descends on the area's top watering holes. Image: Grace Petrou.
Three Michelin stars. Two hats. One of the biggest culinary names in the world, one of Australia's best-known chefs as well, plus another Aussie wiz in the kitchen. Throw in a famed London restaurant and a top Sydney fine-diner, and you get you get one of 2023's biggest food events in Australia: Restaurant Gordon Ramsay coming to Aria. For three nights this autumn, from Monday, May 8–Wednesday, May 10, Gordon Ramsay's eponymous restaurant will hit up the Harbour City for one-of-a-kind residency — because it's never been done before. This is the first time that the London venue has popped up anywhere outside of the British capital. On the menu: a dining experience curated by Ramsay and Matt Moran, naturally. While the pair are joining forces to oversee the residency, Australian chef Matt Abé will be in the kitchen with the Aria team. Dubbed 'Restaurant Gordon Ramsay comes to Aria', the hot culinary ticket capitalises upon a hefty history between Ramsay, Moran and Abé. Ramsay and Moran have been friends for more than a quarter-century, while Abé got his first culinary job at the age of 17 at Aria — and now, 21 years later, he's chef patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. On offer: a seven-course menu for $495 per person, plating up signature Restaurant Gordon Ramsay dishes, but with British produce replaced with Australian ingredients. The menu hasn't been revealed; however, it's likely that shellfish raviolo and a pecan praline dessert will feature. And, Aria's wine program will be doing a premium vino pairing on top for another $295 a head. "What an absolute honour to have Restaurant Gordon Ramsay do their first residency outside London at Aria. Gordon is one of my closest mates, and Abé spent five years cooking with me in the Aria kitchen before moving to London where he has cemented his place as one of the world's finest chefs. These three nights will be a real highlight in the 23 years of Aria; I can't wait," said Moran. "Collaborating with my dear friend Matt Moran, and talented chef patron Matt Abé at Aria, with its magnificent views across Sydney harbour, and creating a menu that utilises Australia's incredible local produce whilst delivering the finesse of our three-star Michelin menu, is a dream come true," added Ramsay. "I'm so excited to be heading back to the restaurant where my love for fine dining began. It means so much to be coming home as the first and only three-star Australian chef, to showcase what I have learnt over the years of working for Gordon. It really is an honour to be stepping back into the kitchen at Aria, a place where I first met Gordon, and to show my earliest mentor and friend, Matt Moran, the chef I am today," noted Abé. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay's stint at Aria joins the growing list of high-profile Sydney culinary pop-ups in 2023, with France's Mirazur just finishing a three-week stay at The Gantry at Pier One Sydney Harbour at the end of March — and three Michelin-starred English restaurant L'Enclume, from British chef Simon Rogan, making Balmoral Beach's Bathers' Pavilion its home away from home in July and August. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay comes to Aria takes place from Monday, May 8–Wednesday, May 10, costing $495 per person with a wine pairing from $295 per person — with tickets on sale from 9am on Thursday, April 13 via the Aria website.
While Australia can sometimes feel a little disconnected from the rest of the world, much of the globe can relate to our ongoing refugee situation. It's these widespread geopolitical and migration crises that world-renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei is shining a spotlight on with his New York public art exhibition, Good Fences Make Good Neighbors. After running a crowdfunding campaign to fund the project back in August and September, the Chinese creative's latest installation is up and running from today until February 2018. The powerful showcase features a series of large-scale works throughout the entire city, as Ai Weiwei highlights the role of the security fence in dividing people, the immigration and border control practices and policies that go along with these physical barriers, and the current global rise in nationalism. https://www.instagram.com/p/BaHLa7Rn9hh/?taken-by=publicartfund Spanning more than 300 sites across five boroughs, the artist's huge fence-inspired works can be found at places like Central Park and Greenwich Village's Washington Square Arch, as well as on top of and between private buildings. He has also created a collection of flagpole-mounted works, sculptures around bus shelters and two-dimensional lamppost banners. Meanwhile, traditional advertising spaces at bus shelters, LinkNYC kiosks and newsstands will display images taken during Ai Weiwei's time researching at refugee camps across the world. Good Fences Make Good Neighbors stems from his own experiences with displacement and detention, combined with his recent research surrounding the global refugee crisis. If you can't make it to New York to see the installation in person, Instagram has you covered. For more of Ai Weiwei's exploration of the topic, Human Flow, his latest documentary, is due in Australian cinemas in March 2018. Images: Ai Weiwei studio via Kickstarter.
Melburnians, it's time to step away from your streaming queue (and from that groove you've made in your couch) and start watching movies on the big screen instead. When the city's sixth lockdown ends and the next stage of eased restrictions kicks in at 11.59pm on Thursday, October 21, outdoor cinemas can restart their projectors — and a number of openair, rooftop and drive-in cinemas around town have announced when they're kicking into gear again. The Lido and Cameo's outdoor cinemas had already slated a Tuesday, October 26 reopening date, but now that stay-at-home conditions are coming to an end earlier than expected, both sites will welcome in patrons at the earliest moment they can. So, from Friday, October 22, you can head to Lido on the Roof to see wild tweet-to-screen flick Zola, or to Cameo to go the Marvel route with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Between them, the two sites will also be showing the Ryan Reynolds-starring Free Guy, where he plays a non-playable video game character who becomes self-aware; and Australian drama Nitram, the Cannes Film Festival Best Actor-winner that depicts the days leading up to the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. There's also Adam Driver, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon-led medieval drama The Last Duel, too — and the excellent new Candyman movie, which'll screen on Halloween (obviously). Wondering about the third openair cinema run by the team behind these two venues, aka Classic Cinema's Rooftop Cinema? It's set to reopen again a little later, as its screen needs to undergo some maintenance first. It'll relaunch its rooftop bar on Friday, October 22 for drinks, so you'll be able to stop by from 4–8pm on weeknights and 2–8pm on weekends. And, movie-wise, it'll give that revamped screen a workout from Thursday, November 11 — from 12.07am on that date, in fact — to show new Bond flick No Time to Die as soon as it possibly can. Over at the beloved Village Cinemas Coburg Drive-In, movies will begin gracing its under-the-stars setup again from Friday, October 22 — and it has quite a few films on the bill. As well as the aforementioned Candyman, Free Guy and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, that's where you'll be able to see The Suicide Squad, Space Jam: A New Legacy and new James Wan-directed horror flick Malignant. Capacity-wise, Victoria's roadmap allows outdoor entertainment venues to reopen with a cap of 50 people at the 70-percent fully vaxxed mark, which is where the state will be when lockdown ends on Thursday night. That number will increase when the state hits the 80-percent double-jabbed threshold, which is expected around Tuesday, November 2. For more information about Melbourne's reopening openair, rooftop and drive-in cinemas, or to buy tickets, head to the Lido, Cameo, Classic and Village Cinemas Coburg Drive-In cinemas websites. Top image: Brook James.
Victorians, if you're under the age of 40, Premier Daniel Andrews has just revealed some great news. As announced at the state's daily COVID-19 press conference today, Tuesday, August 24, Victoria's COVID-19 vaccination rollout will open up doses of the Pfizer jab to folks aged between 16–39 — at state-run vaccination hubs effective from Wednesday, August 25. Accordingly, under 40s across the state will be able to get booking from 7am tomorrow — and ahead of the nationwide rollout date for Pfizer to this age group — for appointments at more than 55 state-run centres. As announced last week, this specific jab is set to become available to everyone between the ages of 16–39 across the entire country from Monday, August 30, but Victoria is now getting in early. At present, there'll be about 450,000 first-dose Pfizer jabs available to this age group in Victoria. This isn't enough to cover everyone, the Premier advised, but it'll still start the Pfizer rollout to this age range. Also, if you're under 40 and you already have an AstraZeneca appointment booked — because it has been just over two weeks since Victoria broadened its vaccination campaign rollout and started administering the AstraZeneca COVID-19 jab to people aged between aged 18–39 — you'll now get asked if you'd like Pfizer or AZ when you turn up. So, you don't need to cancel your existing appointment and rebook, or do anything other than show up to your existing time slot. One other caveat: if you're over the age of 18, you can get either jab, but 16- and 17-year-olds are only eligible to get the Pfizer vax. The Pfizer vaccination is the recommended COVID-19 jab for all Australians under the age of 60, but the country's vaccination rollout has been targeting high-priority and high-risk groups first, and then working backwards in terms of age range. So, before now, Victorian residents under 40 who'd prefer the Pfizer vaccine have needed to fall into a specific group to access it. That means that adults aged up to 39 haven't been eligible to get the Pfizer vaccination unless you're of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent; work in quarantine, border or healthcare roles; work or live in an aged care or disability facility; work in a critical and high-risk job such as defence, fire, police, emergency services and meat processing; have an underlying medical condition or significant disability; are pregnant; or participate in the NDIS, or care for someone who does. Victoria's Pfizer vaccination rollout will open to all Victorians aged between 16–39 from Wednesday, August 25. For further information about Victoria's vaccine rollout, head to the Victorian Department of Health website.
Summer might have returned with a vengeance, but so has the Adelphi Hotel's newly revamped pool deck and you'll be hard-pressed to find a more worthy rooftop haunt for the balmy days to come. Fresh from an extensive winter reno, the Flinders Lane space is bigger and better than ever. That famed pool has been amped up to a length of 13.5 metres — and yes, one end still extends impressively over the laneway below. With space for about 70 guests, the new-look deck's been styled by the team at Gloss Creative, with chic al fresco furnishings from the likes of Grazia & Co. chosen to complement those sweeping city views. Visitors can now order eats and drinks from Adelphi's new poolside menus, and have them delivered right to their deck chair, so as not to miss a second of quality lounging time. The best part? You don't even need to be staying at the hotel to enjoy this little slice of poolside paradise. Non-guests can access the pool outside of events for a tidy $35, including towel hire. Which is really not that huge of a price to pay when the world is burning at street level. Keep it in mind for Melbourne's next 40-plus-degree day. Find the pool deck on the top level of The Adelphi Hotel, 187 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. It's open from 6am until 10pm daily.
Yoda? Cartoon characters? Pamela Anderson emerging in slo-mo from the surf, flicking her hair to the Baywatch theme? Such are the visions that come to mind when viewing the high-speed photographs of violently shaking dogs, shot by Carli Davidson for her new book, Shake. With plenty more flabby skin and saliva at their disposal, our furry friends put human jowlers utterly to shame. Davidson appears to be a bit of a badass known for her wildlife photography, and according to her bio, was "raised on a secret volcano island by cheetahs". (Her biopic is recommended viewing). She first began photographing animals while working at the Oregon Zoo. The shake project was inspired by her pet dog Norbert (a name which I choose to interpret as an Angry Beavers reference), whose drool Davidson is apparently obliged to scrub from the walls of her home with some frequency. In Shake, she shares 130 high-speed photos of 61 dogs from a range of pedigrees, including a Chinese Crested, that exquisite breed famed for its tendency to win the World's Ugliest Dog competition each year. Different textures of fur coat and jowl surface area contribute to the extremity of 'shake', floppy ears and eyelids flying in opposing directions with a majesty comparable to that of hawks swooping above the Far Northern tundra. One can only imagine the sheer volume of drool lopped onto Davidson's bystanding studio assistants, who by the end must have resembled the victims of some terrible slug fight. The resulting portraits truly inspire — buy them singly as prints, ideal for your stylish home or super tasteful office wall. If that's just not sufficient, order the book on Amazon to be reminded of just how cute and demented doggies really are. The video below, created in conjunction with Variable, is an instant mood-lifter, as all kinds of puppies rattle and roll to an appropriately sentimental soundtrack. Via Colossal.
Whether you're searching for budget skincare solutions, are stuck in a makeup rut or have never quite figured out how to apply eyeliner properly, YouTube has long been a beauty vlogging haven. But what if you're trying to stay glam after nuclear winter decimates the earth, wipes out life as we know it and forces the mutated remnants of humanity deep underground? Only Sarah's Channel can show you how to dazzle in that literally nightmarish situation — and how to make homemade lipstick out of saliva, clay, blood and what seem to be glow-in-the-dark mushrooms. It's set two centuries after a world-ending disaster and, after initially dying along with the vast majority of the population, Sarah (Claudia O'Doherty) has been reanimated. She's supposed to help the planet's waning survivors grow crops, overcome illnesses, restart civilisation and avoid being eaten by a giant monster called Quahmork — just everyday things, really — but the beauty vlogger, influencer, brand ambassador and author would rather keep doing what she knows. In her original life, Sarah had more than 3.5 million subscribers across her various social media platforms, and she's not going to let them down. They're all dead, but what's the point of saving the few not-quite-people left if no one looks their best? That's the idea behind the ABC's hilarious new satirical series, with Sarah's Channel taking amusing and astute aim at influencer culture and manufactured authenticity — all while its eponymous host dispenses beauty advice in a bleak, post-apocalyptic future, of course. Now available on both ABC iview and YouTube, the first season's six five-minute episodes cover everything you need to know if you're having #dystopianworldproblems, including Sarah's favourite products, her daily routine living in a fortified bunker and how to give a makeover to a slimy subterranean creature who has evolved from humanity. If you loved Australian actor and comedian O'Doherty in Netflix's Love — if you thought she was the best thing about the romantic dramedy, in fact — then you'll feel the same about her turn as the relatable yet oblivious Sarah. She stars alongside Sarah's Channel writer/director Nick Coyle (stage production Feather in the Web), who plays terrified mole person Justin. Sarah's Channel is the smart end-of-the-world parody and scathing takedown of online behaviour that you didn't know you needed. Watch the first episode below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deLiDLkQzio The entire six-episode first season of Sarah's Channel is now available to watch on ABC iview and YouTube.
Making its drinks in a nod to Chinese tradition, Xing Fu Tang is a go-to for that authentic bubble tea fix. It's only a recent addition to Melbourne, but the Taiwanese brand is already earning a reputation for its quality liquid fusions, many showcasing the brown sugar boba pearls that are handcrafted in-store daily. It's easy to see why the brown sugar boba milk is the hero drink of the menu, with its dramatic marbled look and rich flavours. But you'll find plenty of other sips to tempt, too, from the colourful pearl-infused matcha and milk concoction, to the milk teas and lively fruit-driven drinks.
