Summer might be in full swing on both sides of the ditch, but it's never too early to start thinking about your music festival plans for the year ahead, as well as how to spend the frostier months. One solution that ticks both boxes: Queenstown winter music festival and ski trip Snow Machine, which is returning in September 2023 for its huge second year. It's the hottest festival for the colder months, packed with five snow-filled days of music and adventure at two mountain-topping ski resorts this year. On the just-dropped lineup sits a heap of must-see names, including Art vs Science, Hayden James, Hilltop Hoods, The Jungle Giants and Peking Duk, all helping give Snow Machine's winter wonderland a thumping soundtrack. After launching in Japan in 2020, the festival was actually supposed to make its arrival in Aotearoa in September 2021 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. It finally debuted in September 2022, and now makes a comeback from Tuesday, September 5–Sunday, September 10, 2023. Attendees will be treated to action-packed days on the slopes, après ski events on both Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, and a hefty roster of international acts against the idyllic backdrop of New Zealand's adventure capital. Also dropping in to share the stage will be Benee, Broods, Coterie, Danny Clayton, Jacotène and Jimi The Kween, as well as Kate Fox, Neil Frances, Northeast Party House, Pete Murray, Set Mo, Shapeshifter, Stace Cadet (doing a DJ set), Sweet Mix Kids and Zahn Walker. Other than the wintry backdrop, one of the things that sets Snow Machine apart from other music fests is being able to book your entire getaway with your ticket. Packages span both five and seven nights of accommodation, and include a four-day festival ticket and five-day ski pass. If you'd rather make your own way or pass on the skiing, there are 'ticket only' options — and VIP packages if you really want to do it in style. Festival goers are also encouraged to immerse themselves in the adventure capital by adding on heli-skiing, jet boating, bungy jumping, canyon swinging and skydiving — and that's on top of Snow Machine's huge welcome party, and vintage retro day dedicated to old-school ski suits. Also returning in 2023: the second annual Polar Bare, which endeavours to set a world record for the most amount of people heading down the slopes their swimwear. SNOW MACHINE 2023 LINEUP: Art vs Science Benee Broods Coterie Danny Clayton Hayden James Hilltop Hoods Jacotène Jimi The Kween The Jungle Giants Kate Fox Neil Frances Northeast Party House Peking Duk Pete Murray Set Mo Shapeshifter Stace Cadet (DJ set) Sweet Mix Kids Zahn Walker Tom Tilley and Hugo Gruzman present First Base Snow Machine will be held from Tuesday, September 5–Sunday, September 10, 2023 in Queenstown, New Zealand. Presale tickets go on sale from 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, January 17, with general tickets available from 12pm AEDT on Wednesday, January 18. For more information, visit the festival's website. Images: Pat Stevenson/Ben Lang. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The beginning of a new year isn't solely about deciding how you'd like to change your life for the better. That's just one January tradition. Another: plotting out where around the world you'd like to travel to across the 12 months to come. Arriving mere days into 2024, The New York Times' annual '52 Places to Go' list is a handy guide for inspiration — including for Down Under spots earning global recognition. After 2023's list included Auckland, Kangaroo Island and Australia's Red Centre to soak in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park's wonders, 2024's counterpart features New Zealand by train, the entire state of Tasmania and Queensland capital city Brisbane. Experiencing Aotearoa's charms by rail placed fourth, while the Apple Isle came in at 29 and Brissie took 39th spot. The NYT gave a 17-day journey across NZ some love for being "a simpler and more sustainable way" to see the country, calling out stops at "transcendent sites like the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park and Te Papa Tongarewa Museum" to begin with. Also earning a mention: getting the ferry to the South Island, then taking "a ride through world-class vineyards and along the jagged coast", plus whale- and dolphin-watching in Christchurch, before hitting the Southern Alps for "views to white-capped peaks, rushing rivers and alpine lakes". Tasmania earned its placing for enabling visitors to get out in nature via guided walks, celebrate Indigenous culture and focus on local produce. Taking a three-day trek across Bruny Island, foraging for wattle seeds and pepperberries, and chef Analiese Gregory's wild-cooking dishes all scored a specific callout. Brisbane keeps popping up on lists like this lately — see also: travel guide Frommer's, which also named the city one of 2024's best spots to visit; TIME, which put it on its world's greatest places list for 2023; and the World's Best 50 Hotels, which picked The Calile as its only Australian and Oceanic entry in its inaugural countdown in 223 — and the obvious reason was called out in the NYT's first sentence. Yes, that'd be hosting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Queen's Wharf precinct and its towering Sky Deck, restaurant Agnes and the Brisbane Powerhouse — including eating dinner hanging off the side of the building at vertical dining experience Vertigo, and the upcoming Melt OPEN queer arts fest — all were singled out. So was The Calile, which is clearly Brissie's most-famous hotel. [caption id="attachment_921654" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] Topping the '52 Places to Go' rankings for 2024: North America's path of totality, where a total solar eclipse will be take over the skies in April, followed by Paris — the host of the 2024 Olympics — and Yamaguchi in Japan. Maui in Hawaii rounded out the top five, while Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni in Arizona (the sacred Indigenous land around the Grand Canyon), Singapore, O'Higgins in Chile, Ladakh in India and Geneva in Switzerland filled the rest of the top ten. Across the full 52 picks, Manchester in England, Negombo in Sri Lanka, Morocco, Lake Toba in Indonesia and Ireland's Waterford also featured. So did Mustang in Nepal, Vienna in Austria, the Albanian Alps and Flamingo in Florida — and plenty more spots to instantly put on your must-visit list. For The New York Times' full 52 Places to Go list for 2024, head to the publication's website. Top image: Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
It's true of every great arts festival lineup: pick three highlights from the program at random and a clear snapshot of the event's diverse array of experiences emerges. For a trio of picks from Sydney Festival's just-announced 2025 bill that does exactly that, turning the Harbour City's Town Hall into the wild west, exploring a true-crime case in an IRL courthouse, then getting Avatar, Titanic, The Terminator and Aliens filmmaker James Cameron chatting about shipwrecks all paint a clear picture. As it has done for 49 years now, this fest adores having something for everyone on offer. Just two years after Sydney Town Hall became an indoor beach complete with 26 tonnes of sand for the festival, the venue will transform into a pioneer settlement for Dark Noon, which builds its setting in real time as the audience watches on. A hit at Edinburgh Fringe, playing Australia exclusive to Sydney Festival and heading Down Under after a run in New York, the production from Danish director Tue Biering explores the power dynamics, race relations and colonial impacts inherent in its chosen chapter of history, all by subverting the wild west tropes established by cinema over the years — and with a South African cast. [caption id="attachment_977489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Teddy Wolff[/caption] Also a standout on the full program, which'll pack Sydney with more than 130 shows and events from Saturday, January 4–Sunday, January 26, 2025: A Model Murder at the Darlinghurst Courthouse. Playwright Melanie Tait (The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race) and director Sheridan Harbridge (44 Sex Acts in One Week) aren't just recreating model Shirley Beiger's trial for shooting her cheating boyfriend — they're staging it at the same spot where it took place seven decades ago. For something completely different, one of the biggest names in blockbuster cinema is also on the Sydney Festival lineup, with James Cameron's experience in the water — including diving to earth's deepest point — the topic of conversation on the talks section of the bill. Or, still thinking about the sea, a giant whale is popping up in Bondi, courtesy of Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. The fest's 23-day run has a date with 43 different locations around town, ensuring that every corner of Sydney gets in on the action. One such location: Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, where The Thirsty Mile is returning as a hub featuring much to see by day and night. Think: free live music across 12 evenings, yoga classes, a heap of productions, public art and, for a beverage, the Moonshine Bar, where artist Telly Tuita is decking out the joint — as he's also doing with the SS John Oxley and via ten-room 'Tongpop' installation Colour Maze. Blak Out joins the favourites making a comeback, this time with Sydney Festival's Creative Artist in Residence Jake Nash curating the program. With Barangaroo Reserve as its base, this pivotal part of the fest includes Belvoir Theatre's Jacky, album launches for DOBBY and Radical Son, a woven canopy that'll host conversations, a celebration of Redfern's 70s-era National Black Theatre and more. [caption id="attachment_977492" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tashi Hall[/caption] From there, the world premiere of Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera, Sophocles' Antigone reimagined on the edge of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and a twist on Shakespeare via Cliff Cardinal's As You Like It or The Land Acknowledgement should get your eyes glued to the stage. Also in the same category: Back to Back Theatre's Multiple Bad Things at Sydney Opera House, Opera Australia taking on Cendrillon (Cinderella), Christie Whelan Browne exploring her childhood. First Nations drag performer Miss Ellaneous honouring a simply-the-best icon with Tina — A Tropical Love Story and Greek mythology-inspired dance piece AFTERWORLD. Elsewhere on the bill, Rufus Wainwright is heading to town, William Yang's Milestone marks his 80th birthday, Katie Noonan is paying tribute to Jeff Buckley's Grace for its 30th anniversary, Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden is hosting five gigs, the Future Frequencies bill is all about music up and comers such as Yaya Bey and Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, Sydney Symphony Under the Stars is back and audiences can take part in interactive dance piece Cowboy. [caption id="attachment_977485" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dahlia Katz[/caption] "Sydney Festival has long held summer's cultural pulse and this year is quite the heartbeat. Stories of Oceania, destiny and what we leave behind through to bold explorations of utopia and dystopia, Sydney Festival 2025 promises an exhilarating and thought-provoking journey through the arts with exceptional talent at the reins," said Festival Director Olivia Ansell, announcing her fourth — and final — program. "This January, immerse yourself in a summer of unforgettable performances, groundbreaking new works, and exclusive experiences that reimagine the world around us." There's clearly a wealth of reasons to head along, whether you're a Sydneysider making the most of your own town or you're planning an interstate trip to kick off 2025 — and the fact that the fest is also doing $49 early-bird tickets across the entire program until early December is yet another. [caption id="attachment_977488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Lindberg[/caption] [caption id="attachment_977486" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeff Busby[/caption] [caption id="attachment_977487" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bill Cooper / Royal Opera House / ArenaPAL[/caption] Sydney Festival 2025 runs from Saturday, January 4–Sunday, January 26 at venues across the city. For further details and to buy tickets from 9am AEDT on Wednesday, October 30, visit the Sydney Festival website.
Ichi, ni, san — SAKE BOMB! Remember how that night ended? Me neither. Or maybe you prefer some kind of lychee-infused-sake cosmo situation. But the elusive Japanese speciality of sake is more than capable of standing alone, as Black Market Sake co-owner Matt Young explains to Concrete Playground. Young and co-owner Linda Wiss started the groundwork for Black Market Sake some five years ago while they both worked at Sydney's Aria. Today they import from about 16 Japanese producers and have a standout reputation. And Australia's having a burgeoning love affair with sake; we are now the second largest sake importer, behind the United States, and can boast an impressive annual growth rate of 12 percent in the market. But let's set the figures aside and get you brushed up ahead of Melbourne's next drinking trend. What is sake? C'est simple! It is a Japanese alcohol brewed from specifically grown rice, water, yeast and koji-kin. But, in the great tradition of Peking duck and Mumbai vs. Bombay, we have a few things to clear up. Firstly, sake just means booze in Japanese, and while that was once near-exclusively what we call sake, in the modern era of Japanese whisky, beer and wine the locals call it Nippon shu, meaning Japanese drink. Our next erroneous assumption is rice wine — this Western shorthand ignores that being brewed from a grain not from fruit makes sake closer to beer than wine, and its booze content puts both to shame, with most sakes coming in just under the 20 percent mark. Wait, koji-kin? Koji-kin is the magical ingredient, which is very unique to Japan and it is what helps break the starch in the rice down into sugar — so the sugar is then fermented into alcohol. It is also used in the production of many other products, notably soy, mirin miso and so on. It is a kind of mould, but the good kind, Young is quick to explain, "like the kind you find in cheese". He even likens the glossy texture koji-kin gives the rice to Camembert cheese. Is it big in Japan? Sake consumption within Japan has steadily decreased over the last hundred years; the number of breweries has halved since the 1970s to about 1500 today, and it did the same from the 1930s to the '70s. "The consumption in Japan has been on the slide for a long time. The younger generation got into beer and whisky and gave up on sake as an old man’s drink." Does sake exist outside of Japan? Production of rice-wine started in China and — along with Korea — it is still made today. However, in both instances large quantities of additives and distilled alcohol go into the product. “So, Japan has the most refined drink — although you can trace it back to the Chinese.” What's in a name? Sake menus have an anxiety causing reputation amongst even the most seasoned diners, and a lot of that is due to their lengthy naming system, but the truth is all the information you need is right there in front of you. "The more words that are on the label the less has been done to the product — so no charcoal filteration (muroka); not-pasteurised (namazake) that sort of stuff is always on the label, but if they do it than there won't be anything on the label,” says Young. Here are a few keywords to help you unlock a sake list, first up: junmai. This is your producer telling you that they have made a pure sake, i.e. no distilled alcohol or flavour additives went into the brewing process. Some 80 percent of sake made in Japan fail this first test and are categorised as futsu-shu, which is essentially an inferior, cheaper drink. The next consideration is how much they polished the rice, in layman terms: as you remove more of the grain; the more expensive the sake becomes. “The more you polish away the more aromatic it will be, the less you polish away the more kind of palate weight (it will have) and (the more) textural it will be.” The most polished sake is called daiginjo, where at least 50% of the rice has been removed and then ginjo comes in at least 60%. (For a full list of common sake terms check out the glossary on the Black Market Sake website.) How do I spot a good sake? "Quality for me in sake is balance and complexity on the palate," says Young. "Often you'll see sake that is quite fragrant and elegant and pretty, but it doesn't have a lot of texture or weight on the palate, and coming from a wine background I prefer that more textural sake. So something that has lovely balance a little bit sweetness and something that finishes dry — evenness when you taste it.” Characteristics he finds more dependent on the skill of the toji (master-brewer) and the quality of the ingredients than whether 70% or 60% of the grain has been removed. Hiroshima, Kyoto and Chiba are all top sake-producing regions. Which cuisines match well with sake? Other than the obvious, "French techniques have a lot in common with sake," says Young. So, consommes and broths are easily matched, while more robust sakes (ask for spice and high levels of acidity) stand up to heavier dishes like braised pork. But, if you want to hear Young wax a little lyrical, mention the marriage of cheese and sake. To spite the well-worn tradition of cheese and wine, this sommelier pairs Swiss mountain cheeses, parmesan and other hard cheeses with the Japanese beverage (to apparently elating effect). Also, try a dark chocolate match, as per Young's suggestion. Hot or cold? “The Japanese believe that every sake has a sweet spot, and that could be chilled, room temperature or warmed," says Young. "And when we say warmed, we mean gently warmed, 'cause you don't want to boil it but heat it to body temperature, essentially.” That being said, there are two reasons heating sake became popular. Quick warning: it is embarrassing if you never guessed reason A. Japan is a cold country, and sake breweries are generally about 4-5°C (brewing often takes place in winter — fun fact), so sake brewers would heat up their knock-off sake to heat them up. Similarly, when sakes have had alcohol, sugars and enzymes added to them (remember that is 80% of sakes), there's nothing like a bit of gentle heat to mask the inferiority of the product. For those playing at home, that means futsuu sakes are likely best served warm, while unpasteurized sakes are almost always best chilled. When is sake traditionally drunk? The short answer is all the time, but Young notes that in Western culture it has garnered a reputation as an aperitif (that's before the meal, guys). Where to enjoy sake in Melbourne? The best thing about sake is that it's made to enjoy with good Japanese food — and we have a lot of that. Toshi Maeda has curated a stellar sake list at Smith Street's Pabu Grill & Sake, Misuzu's in Albert Park still has over 40 varieties to choose from, and old favourites Hihou and Izakaya Den have you covered too. If you're looking to buy a bottle (or two) of the stuff, Chef's Armoury Sakeshop lets you choose you kind of sake based on complexity, intensity, umami and even chuggability. You can shop online or get educated at their Richmond store. Top image, What is sake image, Koji-kin image, How do I spot good sake? image and What's in a name image courtesy of Black Market Sake.
Music lovers Down Under are accustomed to bands only playing in parts of Australia and New Zealand, sparking fan travel plans to other cities. When Coldplay brought their Music of the Spheres world tour this way on Saturday, November 18–Sunday, November 19, it did so only at an exclusive Perth leg of the tour that marked their only stop in this neck of the woods for 2023. Start getting excited about 2024, however — because Coldplay already have. It'll be all yellow in Melbourne for two October dates next year, then in Sydney for a pair of November shows — and also in Auckland for a one-night visit the same month. The Chris Martin-fronted band will play Marvel Stadium on Wednesday, October 30–Thursday, October 31, then Accor Stadium across Wednesday, November 6—Thursday, November 7, before heading to Eden Park on Wednesday, November 13. Coldplay's current tour kicked off in March 2022, meaning that the band will have been on the road for almost three years when they make their return to Australia and Aotearoa. Packed stadiums have also been awaiting; every show between now and October 2024 has already sold out, with the group playing Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok, Athens, Bucharest, Budapest, Lyon, Rome, Düsseldorf, Helsinki, Munich, Vienna and Dublin before their return trip Down Under. So far, over nine million tickets have been sold since the beginning of the tour. When they take to the stage in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, the British band will play their first shows in each city since 2016. Fans can look forward to a setlist that covers Coldplay's 26-year history — 27 by the time those October and November 2024 dates roll around — including everything from 'Clocks', 'Fix You' and 'Sparks' to 'A Sky Full of Stars', 'Viva la Vida' and 'The Scientist. PinkPantheress and Emmanuel Kelly will be on supporting duties — and the tour's infinity tickets will be back, releasing at a later date and letting fans attend for $32 per ticket. COLDPLAY 'MUSIC OF THE SPHERES' WORLD TOUR AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND DATES 2024: Wednesday, October 30–Thursday, October 31 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Wednesday, November 6—Thursday, November 7 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Wednesday, November 13 — Eden Park, Auckland Coldplay will tour Australia and New Zealand in October and November 2024, with pre-sale tickets available from 10am local time on Wednesday, November 29 and general sales from 10am local time on Friday, December 1. Head to the Coldplay website for further details and to register for the pre sale. Images: Anna Lee.
In a characteristically M.I.A. move, the iconoclastic 'Bad Girls' singer has ingeniously tapped Versace knock-offs in Power Up, a new design collaboration with Versace itself, launching online on October 16. It's admirable just how consistent M.I.A.'s self-branding moves are. She's been wearing Versace around for a while now, and after the likes of her 'XXXO' music video, the trashy glitz of the label seems perfectly tailored to her. The 19-piece Versace Versus X MIA collection has all the trappings you'd expect from both M.I.A. and the prestigious design house, with a decidedly ghetto-bling set of gold medallions and classic Medusa heads emblazoning leggings and tops alike. The shapes channel sportswear while the colour palette is dominated by black and white and kooky shades of green, gold and pink. Sanskrit-inspired script mingles with blocky geometrics, lotus blossoms and the trademark angular Greek border, all combining in prints so bold it's pretty much guaranteed that the rest of your outfit will fade into obscurity. But it's the source of the designs — Versace rip-offs touted for cheap on the grimy streets of East London — that take this particular collab to the next level. M.I.A. told WWD: "Versace's designs have always been copied, now it's Versace that copies the copies, so those that copy must copy the copies. So this will continue." Indeed, M.I.A., what a house of mirrors you allow us to inhabit. Any passerby in the know is forced to acknowledge the Power Up wearer's subversive, high-low culture, pro-yet-anti-yet-pro-capitalist fashion statement as he or she steps out in authentic, expensive imitations of imitations. Fully aware of MIA's game, photographer Jaime Martinez shot the collection's campaign on the mean streets and in front of cheapo clothing stalls. The final lookbook is, appropriately a series of souped-up, lo-fi gifs. We doff our hats to the collection. Via PSFK.
This article is sponsored by our partner, Toshiba. Acclaimed around the world for its delicate complexity, Japanese cuisine has an attention to detail that is exquisite. No wonder it’s seen as an art form to many. Consequently, the dining scene is equally as impressive, in every sense of the word. Yes, they have 32 Michelin-starred restaurants in the country, but it's not all fancy, elegant and expensive. Think complete opposite to fine dining. Think of cafes where you can pat owls, restaurants where you throw your rod out of the boat and fish for your dinner, and cafes where French maids serve you chicken katsu and write ‘love’ on it. These places will literally change your notion of what is possible in the culinary showground. For a seriously Japanese experience that's a little closer to home, check out Toshiba's Pop-Up Zushi Roller-Coaster, a totally free and fantastic dining set-up on for a limited time only. Dine with a furry friend Created by a Finnish artist back in 1945, the Moomins are a fairytale family of white, roundish hippopotamus-like creatures that live in Moominvalley. We all know that Japan has paved the way for these kinds of things, with Hello Kitty cafes left, right and centre, so it’s only natural that a Moomin cafe exists in Tokyo. And Moomin fans will hit the roof. From the cutlery right through to your food, everything is in the shape of Moomin, and if you're a solo patron, you can even dine with a giant stuffed Moominpapa as your companion. It’s Moomin madness. Don’t be surprised if you end up talking like Thingumy and Bob. "Hmmmm….this yushi is really summy", etc. Dine with a feathered friend Cat cafes are so 2013. The quirky hangout craze in Japan now is places where you can drink your coffee with some friends — of the feathered sort. Owl cafes have become quite the hoot (excuse the pun) since Fukuro no Mise in Tokyo gained popularity in 2012. And we’re talking real owls here. Here you can eat your owl-inspired food while patting a barn owl. Understandably, this is not normal interaction for owls and humans, so there are strict guidelines to follow once you’re inside, such as washing of hands, not talking too loudly and having a staff member present should you want to hold one. The queues can get lengthy due to number restrictions, so make sure you don’t get too excited once you're in; it could send them into a flutter. Fish for your Food Like the idea of fishing for tea, but not hanging out in a dinghy for hours in the hopes of catching a feed? Zauo restaurants in Tokyo are taking fresh seafood to the next level. Ushered to a seat in the boat-shaped area, you can then request a fishing rod and some bait and commence fishing for your dinner from the moat beneath, swarming with various kinds of fish. The rule is that once you’ve caught it, you’ve bought it. So be careful should you be the adept trawler — you better hope that ¥16,000 ($170) lobster you snagged is tasty. There is fun in this though; the whole restaurant cheers you on if you’ve had success. Furthermore, the chef can prepare it however you like. Alternatively, if your patience is wearing thin and you feel like a floundering angler, simply order direct from the menu and beat the others to it. Dine on a cute, fake train Railway enthusiasts, unite! Little TGV is one of Tokyo’s distinctively themed cafes, with train-themed decor and booth seating similar to that of a railway carriage. A model railway chugs around the eatery, and as well as train-shaped food, the menu is inspired from railroads and trains all over the country. A cross between an izakaya and a maid-cafe, this place runs along the same lines, with waitresses dressed in train conductor uniforms. This, however, doesn’t mean it’s solely male clientele; Little TGV is popular with both local and foreign patrons wishing to soak up some of the cutesy/randomness of Japanese culture. High-speed sushi No longer do you have to wait five minutes till that California roll glides past you again. The high-tech sushi train at Uobei is all about delivering dishes via a high-speed chute. Customers place their order from the computer touch screen from their bench and within 60 seconds the high-speed rail sends the sushi careening down the chute, stopping right in front of you. After you’ve taken the plates (maximum three on one rail at a time), a simple press of a button sends the dishes flying back to the kitchen. Not quite sure how your green tea could fare at this speed, but that is what we call fast food.
The really great thing about summer is that entertaining flies no matter what time of day. Whether a lazy picnic, a barbeque lunch or a knockout dinner party is your fancy, you can do it on the cheap and cheerful if it's summertime. We’ll take you through a day of dining to delight the senses and suit the budget. Day: PICNIC Two words: Potluck Picnic. We love gatherings we don't have to organise ourselves nearly as much as we love impressing each other with our innovative/shameful/purchased dishes. If you want to divvy up the dishes (salad, sweets, nibbles, etc), do that, but it's even better if you can cover the bases yourself and let others fill in the blanks. For food, sort out a frittata, some dips and pull apart bread, and a good old fashioned barbecue chook for plate fillers. Some hearty salads are a must — think rice salad, pasta salad and a simple garden. Pack everything into a cooler and don't forget the bag of ice. Food storage containers are a lifesaver — if the picnic's going as great as you hope it will, you'll be distracted by the fun and games while the ants and insects* are gorging themselves on your camembert. Serve everything buffet style. Picnics are all about the bits and pieces. Some pointers: forget paper plates, paper napkins and plastic cutlery — clunky and causes loads of wastage. A set of linen napkins from a budget store are super cheap and they look fancy. Likewise, platters are good value, last forever, and quick and easy to clean. If you've got plastic KeepCups, use those for drinks. Don't forget the rug and think about music: jazz is great any time of day and a little Bill Evans goes a long way. If you're planning on your humble picnic rolling into the sunset ,just make sure your playlist can go the distance. *be a hero and bring a whopping citronella candle. Afternoon: BURGER BARBEQUE Barbeques are great because they’re all about the BYO. You can use your crockery and cutlery and get the dishwashers happening or a couple of eager beavers on the dishes to minimise cleaning up. For nibbles, forget bags of chips and packets of dips and cheese: it all adds up to dollars and a spoilt appetite. Make a batch of tortilla chips using a bag of flat bread sprinkled with oil and salt and rubbed with garlic. Cut into triangles and pop in the oven. A quick guacamole using full cream yoghurt to mix will help you out, or else one of those inexplicably excellent layered Mexican dips that still make the odd appearance at suburban baby showers. For food, hamburgers all the way — but they don't need to be boring. It's all about what you add to the mince to make it a treat. Chop up a bunch of parsley, sauté some onions, tear up some fresh bread — you want small chunks, not those fine little breadcrumbs — crack a couple of eggs and add some fresh chilli or flakes, salt and pepper. You're good to go. Grab some good buns or a good loaf of crusty bread; forget those trendy mini buns, you want something to sink the teeth into. Grilled onions and tinned beetroot are must-haves, along with chopped tomatoes and iceberg lettuce. Think bacon, cheese and pineapple for extras, or consider a homemade garlic bread. And dessert? Pavlova is super cheap to make: get a good recipe, some seasonal fruit, a nice thick cream whipped with a little caster sugar and vanilla essence, and you're everyone's best friend. Night: MOROCCAN SUMMER PARTY This summer, let's head to Morocco. There are loads of yummy vegetarian dishes which are always cheaper than meat — keeps everyone happy as long as it's delicious. Start with dips. Making your own is way cheaper and a great point of conversation. If you don't have a food processor, borrow one for the occasion. Serve hummus and capsicum dip with sprigs of coriander and fresh, bright vegetables for dipping. For drinks, do a Moroccan-style sangria by adding loads of fresh mint. Serve in whatever you’ve got — plastic coloured cups are just as good as tall glasses. If you're skint, have guests each bring a cheap bottle of red. Then all you're forking out for is a bit of white rum, tea and fruit. Dinner is a Moroccan vegetable tagine — so easy and time effective. It looks like pumpkin, sweet potato, zucchini and carrots boiled up and combined with a homemade harissa paste. Make sure you add sauteed onions, garlic and chilli; whack in a few tins of tomatoes and some lemon juice; and then let it all cook up so it forms a nice sauce. Have a bunch of small bowls laid out on the table filled with finely sliced almonds, mint and coriander for sprinkling on top. Serve the tagine on a bed of quinoa (or if the budget is super low, couscous). Dessert is spicy poached pears in red wine. Skin your pears, chop them up into quarters, fill a saucepan up with red wine, chuck in a couple of sticks of cinnamon and some brown sugar and a couple of cloves, and cook for around 40 minutes. Spend what you've saved on economical cooking on a snazzy carton of vanilla ice cream. Presentation-wise keep this one simple; the load of fresh, colourful, tasty food and drink carries the evening alone. If you do want to tizz the place up, it's all about loud, bright accessories — red napkins, a loud tablecloth and bunch of bright flowers in the middle of the table for the win. Picnic image by Lindsay Smith.
In the on-screen sea that is the never-ending list of films and television shows constantly vying for eyeballs, Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby have frequently proven gem-dappled treasure islands. When the immensely funny New Zealand talents have collided, their resumes have spanned four of the most endearing comic hits of the big and small screens in the 21st century so far, aka Flight of the Conchords, What We Do in the Shadows, Wellington Paranormal and Hunt for the Wilderpeople — and now, with HBO Max pirate parody Our Flag Means Death, they've given viewers another gleaming jewel. The brainchild of writer, showrunner and executive producer David Jenkins (People of Earth), this show was always going to swashbuckle its way into streaming must-see lists — and into comedy-lovers' hearts — based on its concept alone. The inimitable Darby stars as Stede Bonnet, a self-styled 'gentleman pirate' and a great approximation of Flight of the Conchords' Murray if he'd existed centuries earlier. Meanwhile, Waititi dons leather, dark hues aplenty, an air of bloodthirsty melancholy and a glorious head of greying hair as Edward Teach, the marauder better known to the world as Blackbeard. While the latter is a household name — pop culture has been inserting him into stories for decades: Ian McShane played him in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Hugh Jackman did the honours in Pan, for instance — Bonnet will be a new discovery to most of Our Flag Means Death's audience. Also a real-life figure, he left his life of wealth, privilege and comfort to rove the oceans. That's a scenario that this ten-episode comedy has plenty of fun with, complete with Bonnet's onboard library decked out with classics and summer linens-filled auxiliary wardrobe. In its first three episodes, Our Flag Means Death establishes its fish-out-of-water situation — or its tale about a ruffled shirt-wearing aristocrat seemingly out of his depths while sailing across treacherous waters, to be more accurate. Bonnet is not one for the usual pirate stereotypes, and that takes some adjusting to by his crew. Among those with him on the Revenge: Lucius (Nathan Foad, Bloods), his righthand man and official scribe; Buttons (Ewen Bremner, First Cow), a seasoned seafarer and source of advice; Black Pete (Matthew Maher, Marriage Story), who constantly claims to have worked with Blackbeard; the fire-obsessed Wee John Feeny (Kristian Nairn, aka Game of Thrones' Hodor); and the initially secretive Oluwande (Samson Kayo, Truth Seekers) and Jim (Vico Ortiz, The Sex Lives of College Girls). Scene-setting and ensemble antics abound in the series' opening instalments, including a run-in with a British navy captain (Rory Kinnear, No Time to Die) with ties to Bonnet's past, and another a fellow pirate captain-turned-bar owner (Leslie Jones, Death to 2020) and one of her husbands (Fred Armisen, Los Espookys). But then Blackbeard arrives, taking over the Revenge with his first mate Izzy (Con O'Neill, The Batman) — and Our Flag Means Death starts becoming a rom-com. From the outset, it's already a gloriously inclusive and emotionally astute comedy. Bonnet wanting his crew to be in touch with their feelings, rather than simply solve everything with swords and violence, is one of the aforementioned ways that he bucks expectations. But that trend deepens and grows as its two key swashbucklers gravitate towards each other, riding the waves from adversaries to co-captains to potentially something more. From its first trailer, Our Flag Means Death delivered answers to questions that no one knew they had, such as "what'd happen if Waititi and Darby played pirates?" and "what if Waititi and Darby played pirates alongside Spud from Trainspotting and Hodor?". Now that the results have played out across an entire season — all of which is available to stream in Australia via Binge and in New Zealand via Neon — it's sweeter than a bottle of rum to a buccaneer (or oranges to fend off scurvy, which definitely get a mention in the show). Smartly, Our Flag Means Death doesn't just satirise pirate archetypes. It isn't content with finding easy laughs at the whole 'gentleman pirate' caper, either. Instead, it's a comedy about plundering one's own depths to find out who you really are, where you truly belong and who should comprise your chosen family — whether you've been set up for a life of luxury, you're the world's most fearsome scourge of the seas or you're simply roving the oceans with them. When Waititi's Blackbeard steps into the story, meet-cute and all, less of its focus resides upon its other supporting characters. When you've got comedic greats such as Waititi and Darby bouncing off of each other — as they do from episode four onwards, and with pitch-perfect comic chemistry — you let them have the spotlight. Still, subplots that flesh out the remainder of the Revenge crew's histories wholeheartedly link in with Our Flag Means Death's focus on reinvention and rediscovery, and its open heart. Relationships are laid bare, and secrets, too. In the process, cliches are dismantled, correct pronouns are used, and everyone helps build a thoughtful and sincere comic caper. Indeed, add Our Flag Means Death to the list of delightful sitcoms that beam with warmth, even when it's soaking cat flags (yes, that's a pirate banner adorned with a feline) with blood. Stellar talent doesn't always equate to a must-see, something special or both, of course; however, Our Flag Means Death ticks all of those boxes — and the who's who that is its guest and supporting cast also includes fellow Conchords alum Kristen Schaal, Big Mouth's Nick Kroll, Arrested Development's Will Arnett, and Aussies Claudia O'Doherty (Sarah's Channel) and Angus Sampson (Bump). With Waititi also helming the pilot and executive producing, his winning ways with TV comedies continue, too, after a top-notch few years that've included the What We Do in the Shadows television spinoff and Reservation Dogs as well. Ahoy, streaming lovers — let Our Flag Means Death sail into your queue right now. Check out the full trailer for Our Flag Means Death below: Our Flag Means Death's first season is available to in Australia via Binge and in New Zealand via Neon. Images: Aaron Epstein/HBO Max.
Already in 2024, one huge Australian music festival that calls Byron Bay home has shut up shop, hopefully only temporarily. After Splendour in the Grass announced its dates for this year, then its lineup, only to swiftly cancel mere weeks later, another event that's synonymous with the coastal New South Wales spot is now also taking itself off the town's calendar. Bluesfest is bidding farewell — and its plans to say goodbye are definitely permanent — but it will host a final hurrah in 2025 on its way out. So, the sad news: once Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20, 2025 passes, Bluesfest will be no more. The silver lining is that last fest, a four-day event that'll mark the Easter long-weekend mainstay's 36th year. [caption id="attachment_969990" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joseph Mayers[/caption] "After more than 50 years in the music business, Bluesfest has been a labour of love, a celebration of music, community and the resilient spirit of our fans. But after the 2025 festival, as much as it pains me to say this, it's time to close this chapter," advised Festival Director Peter Noble in a statement. "As I said earlier this year at Bluesfest 2024, next year's festival will be happening and it definitely is, but it will be our last," Noble continued. "To my dear Bluesfest family, I want to make it the most unforgettable experience yet. If you've been thinking about it, now is your last chance to experience our beloved festival." [caption id="attachment_969986" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] There's no word yet on who'll be gracing the stages at Bluesfest's swansong, following on from 2024 headliners Tom Jones and Elvis Costello. Since 1990, everyone from Bob Dylan, BB King, Mavis Staples, Robert Plant, Paul Simon, Bonnie Rait and Santana to Kendrick Lamar, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Mary J Blige, Beck, Midnight Oil and Crowded House have played the fest. And even if you've only ever been to one Bluesfest, you've likely seen Jack Johnson and/or Ben Harper on the bill. The last few years have been tumultuous for the Byron Bay event. 2023's fest lost a number of acts, including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Sampa the Great, after Sticky Fingers were added to the bill. Bluesfest ultimately dropped the controversial band. And while the fest went ahead in 2022 after two years of pandemic cancellations (and a thwarted temporary move to October for the same reason), it showcased a primarily Australian and New Zealand lineup. [caption id="attachment_969988" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roger Cotgreave[/caption] Bluesfest calling time follows Mona Foma doing the same after its 2024 event — plus a lengthy list of festivals beyond Splendour that've ditched their plans this year, sometimes also without announcing their intentions for the future. Just two years after debuting, Adelaide's Harvest Rock has scrapped its 2024 fest as well. Spilt Milk cancelled its 2024 festivals, while Groovin the Moo did the same after announcing its lineup. Summergrounds Music Festival, which was meant to debut at Sydney Festival 2024, also pulled the plug. As announced in 2023, Dark Mofo took a breather in 2024. Yours and Owls has postponed its next fest until 2025, too, but is hosting a pre-party in October this year. [caption id="attachment_969989" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_969987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_867504" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kurt Petersen[/caption] Bluesfest 2025 will run from Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20 at Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah. Early-bird tickets are on sale now — for further information, head to the Bluesfest website.
They can't all be treats. That's true each time October 31 hits, sending children scurrying around the streets in search of sweets, and it's true of the film franchise that owns the spookiest time of year. Since debuting 43 years ago, the Halloween series has delivered both gems and garbage — and off-kilter delights such as Halloween III: Season of the Witch — but its latest and 12th entry carves a space firmly in the middle. Halloween Kills ticks plenty of boxes that a memorable Halloween movie should, and is also a horror sequel on autopilot. Somehow, it's also a Halloween movie lacking purpose and shape. It has The Shape, of course, as Michael Myers is also known. But it's more an exercise in spending extra time in Haddonfield, in its boogeyman's presence and in world inhabited by franchise heroine Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis, Knives Out) than a compelling slasher flick on its own. After giving the Halloween realm its second-best chapter in 2018, it's easy to see why returning writer/director David Gordon Green (Stronger) and his frequent collaborator Danny McBride (The Righteous Gemstones) have taken this approach. When you've just made a classic follow-up to a stone-cold classic — again, only John Carpenter's iconic franchise-starter is better — you keep on keeping on. That's not quite how Halloween Kills turns out, though. It picks up immediately where its predecessor left off, lets Michael stab his way through small-town Illinois again, and brings back Laurie's daughter Karen (Judy Greer, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) and teenage granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak, Son) from the last spin. It also pads things out with a vengeance storyline that endeavours to get political, yet proves about as piercing as a butter knife. In the last film — called Halloween, like the flick that started it all — Laurie faced the man who turned her into a victim back when she was a 17-year-old babysitter. She unleashed four decades of rage, fear and anxiety during a moment she'd been preparing for across all of that time, and it proved cathartic for her and for viewers alike. This saga was always going to add another sequel, however. As the second part of a trilogy under Green and McBride's guidance, Halloween Kills will also gain its own follow-up in a year's time. When it arrives in 2022, Halloween Ends won't actually live up to its name. No horror movie lover would want it to. Still, it already haunts Halloween Kills — because, like the townsfolk that the latex mask-sporting, overall-wearing Michael just keeps stalking, it feels uncertain about where it should head. First, Halloween Kills sends its three generations of Strode women to hospital, riffing on 1981's Halloween II. Sadly, it also replicates one of the latter's missteps, leaving Laurie there as her nemesis keeps slicing — and splitting its attention around Haddonfield. Here, both Karen and Allyson have also had enough of Michael's nonsense. So has Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall, The Goldbergs), one of the kids that Laurie babysat on that fateful night all those years ago. So, he rallies a mob and transforms the grieving and scared locale into a haven for vigilante justice; "evil dies tonight!" is their cheer. Evil won't die tonight, which isn't a spoiler. Again, Halloween Ends is coming — and evil won't end there, either. As this franchise has kept looping, twisting and constantly resetting its prior timelines every few films or so, the fact that its source of evil keeps slashing in movie after movie has been one of its strongest thematic weapons. Indeed, Halloween circa 2018 keenly understood that trauma such as Laurie's doesn't fade. It festers; its survivors might learn to cope beneath their PTSD, but their lacerations still pulsate with pain. Halloween Kills tries to expand the idea by focusing on communal rather than individual wounds, and on its setting's shared past; however, thanks to heavy-handed insurrection-style imagery, it plays less as a musing on its underlying suburban nightmare and the distress rippling from it, and more as a weak comment on America today. They can't all slay, obviously — Halloween movies, that is. Michael clearly can and does keep slaying, his body count rising swiftly. When it comes to his murders, Halloween Kills is gory, bloody and gruesome, with Green at his best when he's honing in on the mechanics of its masked maniac's reign of terror. It'd be repetitive if it wasn't so effective, even if it's packaged with smaller doses of tension and suspense. The OG Halloween spawned a spate of imitators for a reason, and still does, but this latest successor lacks its slasher elegance and economy — because Green also enjoys getting flamboyant with Halloween Kills' kills for the sake of it. Perhaps he's trying to make up for sidelining his star, the white-haired Curtis, for so long. Steely as ever, she remains the film's undisputed highlight in the screen time she has, but Halloween Kills doesn't feel like Laurie's story. Or, perhaps Green is trying to distract from the bold move he didn't make. Even in a franchise that plays so fast and loose with its continuity, not managing to bring back Paul Rudd, aka Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers' version of Tommy, is a huge missed opportunity. Halloween Kills re-enlists other familiar faces, spanning both 1978's and 2018's Halloween flicks. It adds backstory all over the place, much of it filler. It gets Carpenter, his son Cody and godson Daniel Davies to rework the synth and piano-heavy tunes that've served the series so well, after they did the same last time around. Like its predecessor, it slinks and stalks with unease. It pushes women to the fore again, too — women who refuse to simply be mere final girls. But it's also the jack-o'-lantern of Green's trilogy within the broader Halloween franchise: there's enough light flickering in its carved-out pumpkin eyes, but there's also an inescapable by-the-numbers emptiness as well.
Here's the headlines: Drake has announced Australian and New Zealand gigs for 2025; it'll be his first trip this way since 2017; and you're now going to have 'Hotline Bling', 'Too Good', 'Passionfruit', 'Nice for What', 'In My Feelings', 'One Dance' and 'Laugh Now Cry Later' stuck in your head again. The Canadian artist is bringing his Anita Max Win tour Down Under, locking in seven shows in four cities. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland, this is what's next. The five-time Grammy-winner will head this way in February and March, kicking off on Sunday, February 9–Monday, February 10 at Rod Laver Arena in the Victorian capital. The following week, it's the Harbour City's turn at Qudos Bank Arena across Sunday, February 16–Monday, February 17. After that, Drake will play the Brisbane Entertainment Centre and Spark Arena in Auckland on Friday, February 28–Saturday, March 1. The Degrassi: The Next Generation star last took to the stage in this neck of the woods on his Boy Meets World tour, and eight years will have passed between those shows and his 2025 visit. The platinum-selling singer is fresh off his 2023–24 It's All A Blur Tour, which saw him chalk up over 80 soldout shows in North America. On that last visit, Drake had four studio albums to his name: 2010's Thank Me Later, 2011's Take Care, 2013's Nothing Was the Same and 2016's Views. He's doubled that since, so expect tunes from 2018's Scorpion, 2021's Certified Lover Boy, 2022's Honestly, Nevermind and 2023's For All the Dogs, too. The Anita Max Win tour's announcement isn't new news if you've been paying attention to Drake's social media, where he's been teasing details — but now consider it all officially locked in. And yes, there's plenty of space between his 2025 Aussie and NZ shows — a great sign if you're worried about a huge demand for tickets, because there's room for more concerts to be announced. Drake's 'Anita Max Win' Tour 2025 Australian and New Zealand Dates Sunday, February 9–Monday, February 10 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Sunday, February 16–Monday, February 17 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Monday, February 24 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Friday, February 28–Saturday, March 1 — Spark Arena, Auckland Drake is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2025, with various ticket presales from Tuesday, December 2, 2024 at various times — and general sales from 12pm local time on Friday, December 6, 2024. Head to the tour website for more details. Images: The Come Up Show via Flickr.
Saving your loved ones from medical emergencies, reuniting with school friends, using AI in filmmaking, revisiting memories: whether or not you've ever wondered how these situations could turn into technological nightmares, you're about to find out how Charlie Brooker thinks that they can. When the seventh season of Black Mirror arrives, all of the above scenarios will feature across its six episodes, which viewers can check out from Thursday, April 10, 2025. Also included: sequels to season four's Star Trek-riffing USS Callister and choose-your-own-adventure movie Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Grabbing everyone's attention with one shiny promise, then delivering something else as well: if you've ever watched the dystopian franchise, then you've seen that exact situation play out several times. Soon, you're about to again. And yes, that does apply to the fact that following up USS Callister has long been promised, but doing the same with Black Mirror: Bandersnatch only started being teased in March when the first glimpse at season seven dropped. Netflix has now unveiled another trailer, which also includes episode titles. If you need more information on what's ahead, the streaming platform has revealed more details about each chapter in the new season as well. 'Common People' with Rashida Jones (Sunny), Chris O'Dowd (The Big Door Prize) and Tracee Ellis Ross (Candy Cane Lane) is where that life-saving storyline comes in, for starters, while 'Bête Noire' features Siena Kelly (Domino Day) and Rosy McEwen (Apartment 7A) in a tale of an unnerving reunion. To dive into the impact of artificial intelligence of making movies, you'll be watching Issa Rae (American Fiction), Awkwafina (Jackpot!), Emma Corrin (Nosferatu) and Harriet Walter (Silo) in 'Hotel Reverie'. Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers) and Patsy Ferran (Mickey 17) star in 'Eulogy', about a man looking back with photorealistic detail. Then there's 'Plaything', where Bandersnatch's Will Poulter (The Bear) and Asim Chaudhry (Industry) return — this time joined by Peter Capaldi (Criminal Record) and Michele Austin (Hard Truths). In USS Callister sequel USS Callister: Into Infinity, Cristin Milioti (The Penguin), Jimmi Simpson (Pachinko), Billy Magnussen (The Franchise), Milanka Brooks (The Windsors), Osy Ikhile (All American) and Paul G Raymond (Deadpool & Wolverine) are all back and stuck dealing with another problem. The latest episodes in Brooker's can't-look-away take on how humanity's use of gadgets and innovations can go devastatingly awry are hitting two years after 2023's sixth season, which is a short gap in Black Mirror terms given that there was a four-year wait after season five. Season seven's batch of Black Mirror episodes is also bigger than the past two seasons, thanks to its six instalments — which only season three and four have done in the past. Check out the latest trailer for Black Mirror season seven below: Black Mirror season seven will stream via Netflix from Thursday, April 10, 2025. Read our review of season six, and our interview with Charlie Brooker.
Mondays tend to be a day of rest for most restaurants in the Los Angeles area. But for friends Aliza Miner, Savita Ostendorf and Marjory Garrison it's the busiest night of the week. A few months ago the three girls combined their skills as a chef, graphic designer and PR activist for non-profits, respectively, to create Closed on Mondays, a business that hosts fundraiser dinners for charity at empty restaurants on Monday nights. They offer a fixed price menu at $35, hire waitstaff from the host restaurant and serve customers on a first come, first serve basis from 5 to 9p.m. The profits go directly to local food initiatives or community projects. They don't force-feed their guests with information about the charities, they just want people to come and eat. Better yet, the dishes offered will leave your taste-buds begging for more, with choices like Yucatan pulled pork, wild Mexican shrimp with pumpkin seed sauce and stuffed poblanos, kabocha squash and chihuahua cheese in romesco (each served with homemade tortillas). Yum. The first three dinners were hosted at L.A's Canele, which raised $7000 for the Micheltorena School Garden community project in Silver Lake. Although the girls realize that they still have a long way to go to build up the non-profit, other chefs in the area have already approached them about bringing Closed on Mondays to their restaurants. Mondays are soon to be the biggest night out of the week for good food and a good cause.
Perhaps it's because we watch them in our homes, and in our lounge rooms and bedrooms where we're at our comfiest. Maybe it's because spending hours getting to know on-screen characters makes us feel like we know them. Either way, a beloved TV show is like an old friend — we miss them when they're gone and we can't wait for them to return. In 2022, including after hefty pandemic-related delays in some cases, the small screen welcomed back a lengthy list of already-proven hits. Some served up second seasons as ace as their first. Others have several years worth of past ace episodes under their belts (or in their coffins). And, because all good things really do come to an end, a few said goodbye. Whichever category fits whichever show, the past year hasn't been short on excellent TV among repeat players, spanning everything from crime dramas and savvy comedies through to mind-bending animation and playful murder-mysteries. Midyear, we rounded up our standout shows between January and June. A number held their place in our hearts over the full year — but they have new company. Ready for end-of-year catch-ups and 2023 revisits, here are the best 15 returning TV shows that hit television and streaming across 2022. BETTER CALL SAUL The best show on television for the past seven years — other than the one-season return of Twin Peaks — came to an end in 2022. Viewers knew this was coming but it's still monumental, especially given that Better Call Saul is the spinoff to an also-phenomenal series. Alas, unlike when Breaking Bad wrapped, there's no future immediately in sight for this excellent franchise. Perhaps that's fitting; everything has to fade away at some point, including the canny and resourceful run of an Albuquerque-based lawyer born Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk, Nobody), nicknamed 'Slippin' Jimmy' during his early con-artist days and rebadged Gene Takavic when he flees for a Cinnabon-serving new Nebraskan life. Of course, this franchise best knows him as Saul Goodman after he leans into shady criminal law with well-oiled charm, becoming a charismatic but shifty defence attorney aiding Walter White (Bryan Cranston, Your Honor) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul, Westworld). Thanks to Breaking Bad and its gripping New Mexico-set crime-drama antics, we knew where Saul's choices were heading. Better Call Saul's sixth season reckons with that knowledge. It interrogates it, toys with it and expands upon it as well. But in the first trailer for the show's swan song, which was broken into two parts — the first started in April, the second returned in July — fellow Breaking Bad favourite-turned-Better Call Saul key player Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks, The Comey Rule) might've said it best. "Whatever happens next, it's not gonna go down the way you think it is," the ex-cop advised. How true that proved as creator Vince Gilligan chronicled life's bleak and heartbreaking realities via a meticulous and twisty character study, including the fates awaiting Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn, Veep), Salamanca family footsoldier Nacho Varga (Michael Mando, Spider-Man: Homecoming), and Hector Salamanca's (Mark Margolis, Snowpiercer) alluringly crafty nephew Lalo (Tony Dalton, Hawkeye). TV rarely gets any better than this, and didn't in 2022. Better Call Saul streams via Stan. Read our full review of season six. THE WHITE LOTUS Lives of extravagant luxury. Globe-hopping getaways. Whiling away cocktail-soaked days in gorgeous beachy locales. Throw in the level of wealth and comfort needed to make those three things an easy, breezy everyday reality, and the world's sweetest dreams are supposedly made of this. On TV since 2021, HBO's hit dramedy The White Lotus has been, too. Indeed, in its Emmy-winning first season, the series was a phenomenon of a biting satire, scorching the one percent, colonialism and class divides in a twisty, astute, savage and hilarious fashion. It struck such a chord, in fact, that what was meant to be a one-and-done limited season was renewed for a second go-around, sparking an anthology. That Sicily-set second effort once again examines sex, status, staring head-on at mortality and accepting the unshakeable fact that life is short for everyone but truly sweet for oh-so-few regardless of bank balance — and with writer/director/creator Mike White (Brad's Status) still overseeing proceedings, the several suitcase loads of smart, scathing, sunnily shot chaos that The White Lotus brings to screens this time around are well worth unpacking again. Here, another group of well-off holidaymakers slip into another splashy, flashy White Lotus property and work through their jumbled existences. Another death lingers over their trip, with The White Lotus again starting with an unnamed body — bodies, actually — then jumping back seven days to tell its tale from the beginning. Running the Taormina outpost of the high-end resort chain, Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore, Across the River and Into the Trees) is barely surprised by the corpse that kicks off season two. She's barely surprised about much beforehand, either. That includes her dealings with the returning Tanya McQuoid-Hunt (Jennifer Coolidge, The Watcher), her husband Greg (Jon Gries, Dream Corp LLC) and assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson, After Yang); three generations of Di Grasso men, aka Bert (F Murray Abraham, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities), Hollywood hotshot Dominic (Michael Imperioli, The Many Saints of Newark) and the Stanford-educated Albie (Adam DiMarco, The Order); and tech whiz Ethan (Will Sharpe, Defending the Guilty) and his wife Harper (Aubrey Plaza, Best Sellers), plus his finance-bro college roommate Cameron (Theo James, The Time Traveller's Wife) and his stay-at-home wife Daphne (Meghann Fahy, The Bold Type). The White Lotus streams via Binge. Read our full review of season two. RESERVATION DOGS One of the best new TV shows of 2021 returned for a second season in 2022 — and it quickly cemented its spot on this list. That series: the gloriously heartfelt and perceptive Reservation Dogs, which may riff on a Quentin Tarantino movie with its moniker, and also started with a heist when it first hit the screen, but proves dedicated to diving deep into what it's like to be an Indigenous North American teenager today. Bear (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Beans), Elora (Devery Jacobs, Rutherford Falls), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) and Cheese (debutant Lane Factor) are those restless Oklahoma adolescents, and they've shared a California dream since the show began. But when the first season wrapped up with a tornado, as well as a figurative storm of hard truths and buried feelings, the gang's relocation fantasy didn't play out as expected. The lure of family and culture remained strong, as did holding onto a past that's brought happiness as well as pain (getting a fresh start after losing a friend is a big motivation for their escape plan). That said, Elora still attempts to go anyway. In season two, the more things change, the more they stay the same — until they don't. For Bear, Willie Jack and Cheese, staying on the reservation requires facing life on the reservation. For Elora, being on the road with enemy-turned-travelling companion Jackie (Elva Guerra, Dark Winds) gets tumultuous. Made with such an evident commitment to minutiae, and to feeling lived-in at every moments, Reservation Dogs spins both its episodic stories and its long-running coming-of-age arcs, themes and emotions into something wonderful again and again. Co-creator/executive producer/writer Sterlin Harjo (Mekko) deserves all the kudos that can be showered his way, and so does Taika Waititi as one of the series' fellow creators, executive producers and writers. There are many reasons to be thankful for the New Zealand filmmaker as his resume keeps attesting (including fellow recent sitcom Our Flag Means Death); however, using his fame to help bring this insightful gift into the world is one of them. Reservation Dogs streams via Binge. Read our full review of season two. BARRY Three seasons into the sitcom that bears his name, all that Barry Berkman (Bill Hader, Noelle) wants is to be an actor — and to also no longer kill people for a living. That's what he's yearned for across the bulk of this HBO gem, which has given Saturday Night Live alum Hader his best-ever role; however, segueing from being an assassin to treading the boards or standing in front of the camera is unsurprisingly complicated. One of the smartest elements of the always-fantastic Barry is how determined it is to weather all the chaos, darkness, rough edges and heart-wrenching consequences of its central figure's choices, though. That's true of his actions not only in the past, but in the show's present. Hader and series co-creator Alec Berg (Silicon Valley) know that viewers like Barry. You're meant to. But that doesn't mean ignoring that he's a hitman, or that his time murdering people — and his military career before that — has repercussions, including for those around him. One of the most layered and complex comedies currently airing, Barry's third season is as intricate, thorny, textured and hilarious as the first two. Indeed, it's ridiculously easy to see how cartoonish its premise would be in lesser hands, or how it might've leaned on a simple odd-couple setup given that Anthony Carrigan (Bill & Ted Face the Music) plays Chechen gangster Noho Hank with such delightful flair. But Barry keeps digging into what makes its namesake tick, why, and the ripples he causes. It does the same with his beloved acting teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler, The French Dispatch) as well. With visual precision on par with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, it's also as phenomenal at staging action scenes as it is at diving deep into its characters — and, as every smartly penned episode just keeps proving, it's downright stellar at that. Barry streams via Binge. Read our full review of season three. MYSTERY ROAD: ORIGIN Origin stories: everyone's getting them. Caped crusaders like Batman and Spider-Man have several; Hercule Poirot's moustache even has its own. Originally played by Aaron Pedersen on both the big and small screens, Mystery Road's Jay Swan doesn't particularly need one, given that plenty about why he's the man and detective he is, and the balancing act he's forced to undertake as an Indigenous cop as well, has already been teased out. But Mystery Road: Origin isn't jumping on a trend, repeating itself or prolonging a long-running saga. It isn't trying to justify having someone else play Swan, either. Rather, this latest entry in Australia's best crime saga leaps backwards because this franchise has always danced with history anyway. It has to; you can't explore the reality of life in Australia today, the racial and cultural divides that've long festered across this sunburnt country, and all that Swan encounters and tussles with, otherwise. In Mystery Road: Origin, it's 1999 — and, when its six episodes begin, Swan isn't quite a detective yet. He's already a man of weighty thoughts and few words, though, and he's played by Mark Coles Smith (Occupation: Rainfall), who couldn't do a more impressive job of stepping into Pedersen's (High Ground) shoes. The series initially spies Swan as he's driving along sweeping salt plains. His destination: Jardine, his Western Australian home town, population 1000. Resident sergeant Peter Lovric (Steve Bisley, Doctor Doctor) welcomes Swan back eagerly, but his return isn't all cheers, especially when he stumbles across a robbery en route and gets cuffed by senior constable Max Armine (Hayley McElhinney, How to Please a Woman). Tensions also linger with Swan's estranged dad Jack (Kelton Pell, The Circuit), the town's old rodeo hero, and with his hard-drinking elder brother Sputty (Clarence Ryan, Moon Rock for Monday). Indeed, that early stickup, the crimewave waged by culprits in Ned Kelly masks that it's soon a part of, and those persistent family struggles will all define the detective's homecoming. Mystery Road: Origin streams via ABC iview. Read our full review. ATLANTA You can't escape yourself. As Atlanta sent Earnest 'Earn' Marks (Donald Glover, Guava Island), his cousin and rapper Alfred 'Paper Boi' Miles (Brian Tyree Henry, Bullet Train), their Nigerian American pal Darius (Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah) and Earn's ex Vanessa (Zazie Beetz, also Bullet Train) around Europe in the show's third season — and first of two in 2022 — that truth became inescapable, too. Hopping everywhere from Amsterdam to Paris and London, the group saw the daily reality of being Black Americans linger with them at every destination — and their personal ups and downs as well — no matter how wild, weird, bleak or hopeful the circumstances they were in. Arriving mere months later, season four kicked off by also exploring that point, including in a debut episode that sees Atlanta, the city, haunt the show's main players. They're back home and there's no way they couldn't know it, whether they're on scavenger hunts, stuck in carparks or being chased. Across its ten-episode run, Atlanta's fourth season also examines another truth that's always sat at the core of the show: that for better and for worse, there's no place like home. That applies to the physical location, but also to the homes we make with other people — family, friends and everything in-between. Earn and Van gravitate closer together, but their relationship has always ebbed and flowed. Al keeps pondering what success really means, too, and Darius does the same with reality. In the process, Glover's superbly smart, blistering and often-surreal unpacking of race relations lays bare the nation it usually calls home, as it did so incisively in its first two seasons, while never failing to challenge, surprise and swing big. That the show's final season also clearly muses on legacies obviously couldn't be more fitting — and ending in a thoroughly unpredictable and yet also ridiculously apt way, it'll always be a great on Glover, Henry, Stanfield and Beetz's resumes. Atlanta streams via SBS On Demand. Read our full review of season three. KEVIN CAN F**K HIMSELF Not once, not even jokingly, does Annie Murphy utter the words "ew, David" in Kevin Can F**k Himself. She's never ever just a little bit Alexis, either. Murphy is just as exceptional and awards-worthy here, however, in a superb show that's a clever and cutting dark comedy — and, perhaps more accurately, offers a clear-eyed unpacking of what sitcoms usually mean (Schitt's Creek excluded, obviously) for women. In its first season in 2021, Kevin Can F**k Himself cast its star as Allison Devine-McRoberts, wife to the manchild of a titular figure (Eric Petersen, Sydney to the Max), and clearly in the kind of TV show about obnoxious husbands and their put-upon spouses that've been a small-screen mainstay for far too long. In those segments of the series, the lights glow, the McRoberts home looks like every other abode in every other program of its ilk, multiple cameras observe the action and viewers can be forgiven for expecting Kevin James to show up. Also, canned laughter chuckles — always unearned. Consider the above setup Kevin Can F**k Himself's starting point, though, because the show itself does. From there, creator Valerie Armstrong (Lodge 49) exposes what life is truly like for Allison — who is considered Kevin's wife first and foremost by almost everyone around her — including by switching looks, hues and camera arrangements whenever its namesake isn't around. The visible change is smart and effective, with this two-season show keeping digging into Allison's bleak situation from there. In the spirit of the series' title, she's trying to rid herself of her horrible marriage, including with help from neighbour Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden, The Righteous Gemstones). Alas, as this second and sadly last batch of episodes shows — as its first did as well — nothing is ever that easy. In a better world, Kevin Can F**k Himself would've had more time to unfurl and interrogate its story, but in this world it doesn't put a foot wrong with the time it's been given. Murphy and Inboden make one of TV's best duos, too; fingers crossed that someone reteams them again sometime soon. Kevin can F**k Himself streams via AMC+. Read our full review of 2021's season one. WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Live life long enough and anything can happen. Enjoy an undead existence for hundreds of years and that feeling only multiplies, or so the wealth of movies and TV shows that've let vampires stalk through their frames frequently remind viewers. A sharehouse-set mockumentary focused on bloodsucking roommates who've seen more than a few centuries between them, What We Do in the Shadows embraces that idea like little else — as a Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi-starring movie, aka one of the funniest New Zealand comedies of this century, and then as a hilarious American TV spinoff. The premise has always been ridiculously straightforward, and always reliably entertaining. A camera crew captures the lives of the fanged and not-at-all furious, squabbles about chores, a rising body count and avoiding sunlight all included. Their domesticity may involve sinking their teeth into necks, blood splatters aplenty, sleeping in coffins and shapeshifting into bats, but it also covers arguing about paying bills, keeping the house clean and dealing with the neighbours. The TV version's stellar fourth season picks up after a climactic end to the show's prior batch of episodes, which only finished airing back in October 2021. Its bloodsucking roommates were all set for their own adventures, but a year has passed in the show, bringing them back together. Nandor (Kayvan Novak, Cruella) returns from exploring his ancestral homeland, and he's more determined than ever to find a wife. He also thinks that one of his many from the Middle Ages could be the one again; bringing back a Djinn (Anoop Desai, Russian Doll) to grant his wishes helps. After a stint in London with the Supreme Vampiric Council, Nadja has big ambitions, too, setting her sights on opening a vampire nightclub. As for her beloved Laszlo (Matt Berry, Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown), he's still taking care of the baby-turned-boy that burst its way out of energy vampire Colin Robinson's (Mark Proksch, The Office) body. For the fourth time around, nothing about this delight sucks, not for a second, with season four as wonderful as ever. What We Do in the Shadows streams via Binge. Read our full review of season four. GIRLS5EVA When it first hit streaming in 2021 with an avalanche of quickfire jokes — as all Tina Fey-executive produced sitcoms do, such as 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Great News and Mr Mayor — Girls5eva introduced viewers to its eponymous band. One-hit wonders in the late 90s and early 00s, their fame had fizzled. Indeed, reclaiming their stardom wasn't even a blip on their radars — until, unexpectedly, it was. Dawn Solano (Sara Bareilles, Broadway's Waitress), Wickie Roy (Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton), Summer Dutkowsky (Busy Philipps, I Feel Pretty) and Gloria McManus (Paula Pell, AP Bio) had left their days as America's answer to the Spice Girls behind, barely staying in contact since the group split and their fifth member, Ashley Gold (Ashley Park, Emily in Paris), later died in an infinity pool accident. But then rapper Lil Stinker (Jeremiah Craft, Bill & Ted Face the Music) sampled their single 'Famous 5eva', and they were asked to perform backing vocals during his Tonight Show gig. Jumping back into the spotlight reignited dreams that the surviving Girls5eva members thought they'd extinguished long ago — well, other than walking attention-magnet Wickie, who crashed and burned in her attempts to go solo, and was happy to fake it till she made it again. That's the tale the show charts once more in its second season, which is filled with more rapid-fire pop-culture references and digs; the same knowing, light but still sincere tone; and a new parade of delightful tunes composed by Jeff Richmond, Fey's husband and source of music across every sitcom she's produced. One of the joys of Girls5eva — one of many — is how gleefully absurd it skews, all while fleshing out its central quartet, their hopes and desires, and their experiences navigating an industry that treats them as commodities at best. The comedy's sophomore run finds much to satirise, of course, but also dives deeper and pushing Wickie, Dawn, Summer and Gloria to grow. Obviously, it's another gem. Girls5eva streams via Stan. Read our full review of season two. STARSTRUCK It's official: after a dream of a first season, Rose Matafeo's rom-com sitcom Starstruck worked its magic a second time. In season two, it makes viewers fall head over heels for its 21st-century take on dating a famous actor all over again. It's also official for Matafeo's (Baby Done) Jessie, who is now dating Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral), the celebrity she had a one-night stand with on New Year's Eve, then navigated an awkward will-they-won't-they dance around every time they ran into each other in London. But this next batch of six episodes poses a key question: once you've enjoyed the wild meet-cute, ridden the courtship rollercoaster and been bowled over by a grand romantic gesture (see: Starstruck's The Graduate-style season-one finale), what comes next? It's the stuff that rom-com movie sequels might cover, except that for all of Hollywood's eagerness to rinse and repeat its most popular fare, this genre is sparse in the follow-up department. Season two picks up exactly where its predecessor left off, with Jessie and Tom's bus ride segueing into a WTF realisation — as in "WTF do we do now?". That's a query that Jessie isn't ready to answer, even though she's made the big leap and missed her flight home. So, she avoids even tackling the situation at first, and then eschews fully committing even when she's meant to be in the throes of romantic bliss. Basically, it's messy, and the kind of chaos that rom-coms don't show when they end with a happily-ever-after moment. Like everyone, Jessie and Tom endure plenty. In the process, this gem of a show's second season is light but also deep, a screwball delight while also sharp and relatable, and still filled with fellow romantic-comedy references. And, as well as continuing to showcase Matafeo at her best, it remains a rom-com that's as aware of what relationships in 2022 are really like as it is about how romance is typically portrayed in its genre. Starstruck streams via ABC iView. Read our full review of season two. RAMY In the dramedy that bears his name, Ramy Youssef (Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot) is a quintuple threat. He created Ramy, plays Ramy, executive produces, and also frequently writes and directs — and, in a show about a Queens-born first-generation American Muslim raised in New Jersey to Egyptian parents, as Youssef himself is, there's no doubting that the stories he's telling are personal. There's a difference between bringing your own exact existence to the screen and conveying the truth behind your experiences, however, with Ramy falling into the second category as it charts its eponymous figure's struggles as his faith conflicts with his lifestyle. Since its first season in 2019, the series has always been so deeply steeped in the lived reality of feeling torn between two cultures, and so specific in its details, too. And yet, it's also so universal and relatable in its emotions and insights. None of the above changes in season three, welcomely so, in what's one of Ramy's finest moments yet. In this ten-episode third run, the lives of Ramy and his loved ones are rarely blessed with fine moments — and Ramy Hassan, Youssef's on-screen alter-ego, keeps threatening his own heart, mind and soul with his choices. Season two ended with a short-lived marriage and the fallout still lingers, but Ramy has thrown himself into making his Uncle Naseem's (Laith Nakli, Ms Marvel) diamond business a success as a distraction. He has money, his own place and, soon, his own jewellery outfit, although that doesn't herald happiness. For his sister Dena (May Calamawy, Moon Knight), nor has striving hard to take the bar exam, especially when her parents Maysa (Hiam Abbass, Succession) and Farouk (Amr Waked, Wonder Woman 1984) are open about how differently they see her and her future to Ramy. As the elder Hassans also grapple with Farouk being out of work, plus decades of feeling like they're treading water, Ramy remains a stunningly perceptive and engaging exploration of the battle to remain true to oneself — and one's hopes, dreams and religion — while also proving a rich, poignant and devastatingly well-acted comedy. May more come. Ramy streams via Stan. Read our full review of season three. UNDONE Returning for its second season three years after its first — which was one of the best shows of 2019 — the gorgeously and thoughtfully trippy multiverse series Undone is fixated on one idea: that life's flaws can be fixed. It always has been from the moment its eight-episode initial season appeared with its vivid rotoscoped animation and entrancing leaps into surreal territory; however, in season two it doubles down. Hailing from BoJack Horseman duo Kate Purdy and Raphael Bob-Waksberg, it also remains unsurprisingly concerned with mental illness, and still sees its protagonist caught in an existential crisis. (The pair have a type, but Undone isn't BoJack Horseman 2.0). And, it deeply understands that it's spinning a "what if?" story, and also one about deep-seated unhappiness. Indeed, learning to cope with being stuck in an imperfect life, being unable to wish it away and accepting that fate beams brightly away at the heart of the show. During its debut outing, Undone introduced viewers to 28-year-old Alma Winograd-Diaz (Rosa Salazar, Alita: Battle Angel), who found everything she thought she knew pushed askew after a near-fatal car accident. Suddenly, she started experiencing time and her memories differently — including those of her father, Jacob Winograd (Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul), who died over 20 years earlier. In a vision, he tasked her with investigating his death, which became a quest to patch up the past to stop tragedy from striking. Undone didn't necessarily need a second season, but this repeat dive into Alma's story ponders what happens in a timeline where everything seems to glimmer with all that its protagonist has ever wanted, and yet sorrow still lingers. Once again, the end result is deeply rich and resonant, as intelligent and affecting as sci-fi and animation alike get, and dedicated to thinking and feeling big while confronting everyday truths. Undone streams via Prime Video. Read our full review of season two. HACKS In 2021, Hacks' first season quickly cemented itself as one of 2021's best new TV shows — one of two knockout newbies starring Jean Smart last year, thanks to Mare of Easttown as well — and it's just as ace the second time around. It's still searingly funny, nailing that often-elusive blend of insight, intelligence and hilarity. It retains its observational, wry tone, and remains devastatingly relatable even if you've never been a woman trying to make it in comedy. And it's happy to linger where it needs to to truly understand its characters, but never simply dwells in the same place as its last batch of episodes. Season two is literally about hitting the road, so covering fresh territory is baked into the story; however, Hacks' trio of key behind-the-scenes creatives — writer Jen Statsky (The Good Place), writer/director Lucia Aniello (Rough Night) and writer/director/co-star Paul W Downs (The Other Two) — aren't content to merely repeat themselves with a different backdrop. Those guiding hands started Hacks after helping to make Broad City a hit. Clearly, they all know a thing or two about moving on from the past. That's the decision both veteran comedian Deborah Vance (Smart) and her twentysomething writer-turned-assistant Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, North Hollywood) had to make themselves in season one, with the show's second season now charting the fallout. So, Deborah has farewelled her residency and the dependable gags that kept pulling in crowds, opting to test out new and far-more-personal material on a cross-country tour instead. Ava has accepted her role by Deborah's side, and is willing to see it as a valid career move rather than an embarrassing stopgap. But that journey comes a few narrative bumps. Of course, Hacks has always been willing to see that actions have consequences, not only for an industry that repeatedly marginalises women, but for its imperfect leading ladies. Hacks streams via Stan. Read our full review of season two. ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING Born out of the world's recent true-crime and podcasting obsessions — and the intersection of the two in the likes of Serial — Only Murders in the Building boasts its own version of Sarah Koenig. In this marvellous murder-mystery comedy, she's called Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva). As viewers of the show's impressive and entertaining first season know, though, she's not the main focus. Instead, Only Murders in the Building hones in on three New Yorkers residing in the Arconia apartment complex — where, as the program's name makes plain, there's a murder. There's several, but it only takes one to initially bring actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), theatre producer Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and the much-younger Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) together. The trio then turn amateur detectives, and turn that sleuthing into their own podcast, which also shares the show's title. In season two, the series returns to the same scene. Yes, there's another killing. No time has passed for Only Murders in the Building's characters — and, while plenty has changed since the series' debut episode last year, plenty remains the same. Viewers now know Charles, Oliver and Mabel better, and they all know each other better, but that only makes things more complicated. Indeed, there's a lived-in vibe to the program and its main figures this time around, rather than every episode feeling like a new discovery. Among the many things that Only Murders in the Building does exceptionally well, finding multiple ways to parallel on- and off-screen experiences ranks right up there. That applies to true-crime and podcast fixations, naturally, and also to getting to know someone, learning their ins and outs, and finding your comfort zone even when life's curveballs keep coming. Only Murders in the Building streams via Disney+. Read our full review of season two. EUPHORIA From the very first frames of its debut episode back in June 2019, when just-out-of-rehab 17-year-old Rue Bennett (Zendaya, Spider-Man: No Way Home) gave viewers the lowdown on her life, mindset, baggage, friends, family and everyday chaos, Euphoria has courted attention — or, mirroring the tumultuous teens at the centre of its dramas, the Emmy-winning HBO series just knew that eyeballs would come its way no matter what it did. The brainchild of filmmaker Sam Levinson (Malcolm & Marie), adapted from an Israeli series by the same name, and featuring phenomenal work by its entire cast, it's flashy, gritty, tense, raw, stark and wild, and manages to be both hyper-stylised to visually striking degree and deeply empathetic. In other words, if teen dramas reflect the times they're made — and from Degrassi, Press Gang and Beverly Hills 90210 through to The OC, Friday Night Lights and Skins, they repeatedly have — Euphoria has always been a glittery eyeshadow-strewn sign of today's times. That hasn't changed in the show's second season. Almost two and a half years might've elapsed between Euphoria's first and second batch of episodes — a pair of out-of-season instalments in late 2020 and early 2021 aside — but it's still as potent, intense and addictive as ever. And, as dark, as Rue's life and those of her pals (with the cast including Hunter Schafer, The King of Staten Island's Maude Apatow, The Kissing Booth franchise's Jacob Elordi, The White Lotus' Sydney Sweeney, The Afterparty's Barbie Ferreira, North Hollywood's Angus Cloud and Waves' Alexa Demie) bobs and weaves through everything from suicidal despair, Russian Roulette, bloody genitals, unforgettable school plays, raucous parties and just garden-variety 2022-era teen angst. The list always goes on; in fact, as once again relayed in Levinson's non-stop, hyper-pop style, the relentlessness that is being a teenager today, trying to work out who you are and navigating all that the world throws at you is Euphoria's point. Euphoria streams via Binge. Looking for more viewing highlights? We also rounded up 15 excellent new TV shows of 2022 that you might've missed. Plus, we've kept a running list of must-stream TV from across the year, complete with full reviews. And, you can check out our regular rundown of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly.
There are so many rankings in the culinary world! It was only a couple of months ago we were showering praise on Attica for being the best restaurant in Australia as per the rankings in Restaurant magazine. Then, earlier this week, Gourmet Traveller weighed in on the debate and reaffirmed Ben Shewry's Melbourne restaurant as the best. Now the Weekend Australian and their annual 'Hot 50 Restaurants' ranking have deemed Neil Perry's Rockpool as the greatest in all the land. We don't know what to believe, but we do know that having too much delicious food everywhere can hardly be a bad thing. The poll, self-described as "Australia's most honest snapshot of the national restaurant scene," was released this weekend. Rockpool Sydney took out the top gong and various other awards were divvied up across the nation. The titles of both 'Hottest Regional' and 'Hottest Victorian' restaurant was awarded to Dan Hunter's Brae in Birregurra. Wasabi was named the best in Queensland. Martin Ben from Sydney's Sepia was named 'Hottest Chef'. And Melbourne's Stokehouse, rebuilt this year after a devastating fire, was named 'Hottest Classic' without a hint of irony. Editor of the Weekend Australian Magazine Christine Middap had endless praise for both Sydney, Melbourne and South Australia in her published list, though openly derided the restaurant scene in Canberra, Brisbane and Perth. "An almost obsessive, market-driven surge in informality too often has translated to slackness [in these regions]," she said. Foodie cattiness aside, the list itself proves some interesting reading. While some Melbourne and Sydney favourites — Attica, Chin Chin, Momofuku and Rockpool — are regulars to the yearly ranking, 28 of the 50 restaurants included are new additions from last year. Chances are you'll be able to comb the list and find something new near you. However, all that depends on how much money you're willing to fork out. Though they do award a 'Hottest Value' title — Adelaide's nose-to-tail eatery Daniel O'Connell — the rest of the list is bound to set you back a few clams. Maybe save these ones for a special occasion and stick to Concrete Playground's advice for the rest of your trips out. It is The Australian after all. Via The Australian. See the full published list of restaurants here.
Having tackled southern American fare with their Greville Street original White Oaks Saloon, and recreated the Southern Cali taphouse experience for follow-up Silverlake Social. Now, brothers Nicholas and Thomas Welch are trekking across the border for their latest hospitality project, Prahran's Casa N.O.M. Bar y Restaurante. Sitting just across the road from its oldest sibling, this mezcaleria and restaurant is dishing up an authentic taste of Latin America, with a focus on fine booze offerings from all across the region. Here, a diverse lineup of mezcal reigns supreme, while strong collections of tequila, rum, pisco, aguardiente and cachaça showcase Latin America's broad-ranging spirits offering. You'll also spy an impressive rotation of imported craft beers and lots of cocktails such as the Jamaica Crush — a blend of hibiscus, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and lime. And the Welches have a good game when it comes to the boozy stuff, having spent the past few years scouting out countless interesting international drops through their importing business, High Spirits Beverages. They've even named this newcomer after the Norma Oficial Mexicana (Official Mexican Standard), which refer to the guidelines and standards for mezcal and tequila production in Mexico. The food menu is also replete with traditional Latin flavours, kicking off with punchy snacks like loaded blue corn chilaquiles, and Yucatan-style croquettes stuffed with plantain and raisins. Larger plates include Colombian-style black bean arepas served with spring pea guacamole, quesadillas filled with mushroom, asparagus and leek, and fried globe artichokes starring the house chipotle mayo. Dulce de leche-loaded alfajores headline the dessert lineup, and you'll find a swag of great weekly specials, including Wednesday's $20 quesadilla and beer deal, and $15 margaritas each Sunday. Find Casa N.O.M Bar y Restaurante at 110 Greville St, Prahran. It's open from 5pm–midnight Tuesday–Friday, and from 12pm–midnight on Saturday and Sunday. Images: Griffin Simm
If you're after beaches with fewer footprints in the sand, seaside wilderness escapes and untouched national parks, then set your sights on the New South Wales Sapphire Coast. Spanning from Eden to Bermagui, the region offers exhilaration and tranquillity in equal measure. When fishing, scuba diving, wildlife encounters and even roller coasters are on the list of potential holiday activities, you're sure to find fun that'll suit you within this gem on the NSW far south coast. The region is perched on the border of NSW and Victoria, and those driving from either Melbourne or Sydney will arrive here in around six hours. There is also now a direct flight from Melbourne to Merimbula. Wherever you're coming from, consider these ten incredible Sapphire Coast experiences for your holiday itinerary. Please stay up to date with the latest NSW Government health advice regarding COVID-19. [caption id="attachment_809679" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hallie Heeg, Unsplash[/caption] EXPLORE UNDERWATER SEASCAPES Whether you're an intrepid deep sea diver or have only just bought your first set of flippers, there's a diving experience to suit your under-the-sea skills on the Sapphire Coast. Dive Eden offers scuba diving certification courses, boat dives, free diving sessions and snorkelling tours. The sparkling waters of the NSW far south coast are home to all manner of aquatic life. So, you can expect to meet weedy seadragons, cuttlefish, octopuses and even seals and dolphins above the rainbow coral beds, depending on where you dive. If you're staying a few nights in Eden while you get scuba certified, check out the Eden Beachfront Holiday Park for family-friendly accommodation right by the shoreline, or Snug Cove Villas for views over Eden's wharf. [caption id="attachment_807164" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Light to Light Walk, Destination NSW[/caption] HIKE ALONG COASTAL CLIFFS ON A MULTI-DAY TRAIL The Light to Light walk is an epic 30-kilometre expedition that runs between two historic lighthouses — Boyds Tower and Green Cape Lighthouse — and should be tackled over two or three days, staying overnight at Saltwater Creek and Bittangabee campgrounds. The path is relatively easy but covers remote and constantly evolving terrain, so come prepared with sturdy shoes, plenty of water and swimmers for cooling ocean excursions. Along the route, you can expect vast cliffside grasslands, deserted beaches, banksia woodlands, regular whale sightings, towering red rock formations and seabird companions. If you're walking solo, you'll want to stock up on supplies at Eden and start out from Boyds Tower. This way you can finish the trip with a night or two at the heritage Green Cape Lightstation Keepers' Cottages or the rustic Telegraph Station Bunkhouse. Otherwise, there are fully catered walks with local guides offering varying levels of camp luxury along the trail. [caption id="attachment_809681" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Potoroo Palace, supplied[/caption] MEET RARE NATIVE WILDLIFE Continue your wildlife tour at Potoroo Palace, a sanctuary and conservation centre in the undulating hills of the Bega Valley. The creatures you'll meet here are of much smaller stature than the Sapphire Coast's sea giants, but are equally endearing. The star is, of course, the native long-nosed potoroo. These adorable fuzzy fellows are the size of a small cat and have pointed noses which they use to sniff out grubs and truffles (their favourite snacks). The sanctuary houses other native critters including kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, echidnas, bandicoots, flying foxes, emus and more. Want to spend more time around animals? Book a stay at Bumblebrook Farm Motel, a stunning farm stay near Candelo that is home to highland cows, sheep and ducks. [caption id="attachment_807437" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Magic Mountain, supplied[/caption] CHASE THRILLS AT AN OUT-OF-TOWN AMUSEMENT PARK Roller coasters and wild water slides might not feature on many Sapphire Coast postcards, but locals will insist you spend a day on the rides at Magic Mountain. This beloved amusement park sits just outside Merimbula and offers hours of old-school family fun. Adrenaline junkies can brave thrilling twists and turns on the Doom Tube water slide, then test their Tarzan skills at the treetop ropes course. There's mini golf, jumping castles and go-kart racing for holidayers who prefer to stay at ground level, and plenty of space and facilities for a barbecue or cafe lunch. Be sure to check operating hours before planning a Magic Mountain adventure, as this can change seasonally. That night, rest your weary head in an oceanside bungalow at NRMA Merimbula Beach Holiday Resort. [caption id="attachment_795687" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bermagui Blue Pool, Destination NSW[/caption] SPY SEALS AS YOU BATHE IN AN OCEAN POOL This renowned ocean rock pool juts out from the cliff face along Bermagui's Scenic Drive and provides a protected spot to swim and snorkel. Go on a sunny day dip at low tide and you'll see the crystal waters reflecting the blue of the sky — this spectacular colouring earned the swimming hole its name. Along with glorious views of the headlands, you may also be able to spot whales and dolphins frolicking in the waves and, if you're lucky, watch seals dive off rocky outcrops while you float in Blue Pool. There are steps down to the water and bathroom facilities on-site. If you want to stay in the seaside town of Bermagui, the historic Bermagui Beach Hotel is perfect for country pub fans and only an eight-minute stroll to the ocean pool. Other charming accommodation options include the colourful Seaview Beach Houses and the pet-friendly cabins and caravans at Reflections Holiday Park. [caption id="attachment_808123" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Valentina, supplied[/caption] RECLINE AND DINE BY THE BAY After a day of exertion in the surf and sun, Valentina is an ideal spot to recuperate while you taste some of the region's finest produce for lunch or dinner. This calming space perched on the edge of Merimbula Lake has ceilings draped with linen and lit by a soft glow from smoothly carved wall sconces. Lay claim to a luxuriously cushioned window bench or curved booth and order from the seafood-focused menu. Pair the region's famed oysters with grilled octopus and a serve of stracciatella with figs. Cool down at the end of your meal with honey ice cream, served with fresh mango, macadamias and tapioca. This oasis is in the heart of Merimbula, and the nearby Coast Resort provides sophisticated accommodation to match your Valentina dining experience. [caption id="attachment_807165" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Montague Island Lightstation, Eurobodalla Coast Tourism[/caption] BECOME A LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER You'll need to travel nine kilometres off the Narooma coastline to reach this secluded gem. Barunguba (aka Montague Island) is part of a nature reserve and can only be visited on a guided tour or if you're staying at the island accommodation. To get the island (almost) all to yourself, you can book a stay at the Montague Island Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage, which sleeps up to twelve people, or the Assistant Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage, which sleeps seven. While you're there, you can walk around the tiny island spotting seals, dolphins, whales and the resident penguins. [caption id="attachment_658207" align="alignnone" width="5760"] Carl Heyerdahl, Unsplash[/caption] KAYAK INSIDE A TOWERING GORGE About an hour's drive inland from Bermagui you'll find the snaking waterways of the Brogo River. This little corner of the Sapphire Coast is perfect for a peaceful paddle. Start your journey at Brogo Dam, where you can alight on a BYO canoe or kayak from the boat ramp, or hire a vessel from the nearby Brogo Wilderness Canoes. As you cruise along under the willow trees you can spot water dragons, goannas and occasionally a shy echidna. If you paddle out to Nelsons Creek, simply sit back and take in the towering walls of the gorge. You're right on the edge of a national park here, and there isn't much in the way of eateries or amenities, so come prepared with a riverside picnic, water and any other necessities. Meanwhile, Rock Lily — a 100-acre bushland retreat with a one-bedroom mudbrick cottage — is where you'll want to spend the night. [caption id="attachment_797057" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matthew Lejune, Unsplash[/caption] SHUCK A SEA FEAST Oysters are a bit of a Sapphire Coast speciality – there are five different oyster estuaries along this section of coastline, each subtly imbuing different flavours in their sea treats. While many local haunts serve up these salty bivalves exquisitely, the Oyster Barn by Merimbula Gourmet Oysters is something rather special. This family-run producer offers fresh oyster takeaways straight from the farm, or you can enjoy seafood dining on its deck. You'll soon be feeling like a local as you gaze out over Lake Merimbula while slurping a local sea bounty. [caption id="attachment_807194" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fishpen Charters[/caption] CHARTER A BIG GAME FISHING VESSEL If you simply can't get enough seafood, it might be time to catch some for yourself. The Sapphire Coast is abundant with prime fishing real estate, whether you cast from the shore or a boat. If you're in it for a prize catch, you can charter a big game fishing vessel. Fishpen Charters has been running boats from Mitchies Jetty in Merimbula for three decades and can help steer you towards bountiful seas. Jump on the three- or five-hour fishing trips, or book a private session for up to ten people. Round out your trip by cooking up your catch and toasting to the Sapphire Coast. Start planning your great escape to New South Wales this season by visiting the Visit NSW website. Top image: Light to Light Walk, Destination NSW
When festival-goers converge on Woodford at the end of December for the southeast Queensland town's annual folk festival, they'll find a brand new addition at the event's Woodfordia location. Each year, the spot 75-minutes north of Brisbane by car turns into a thriving pop-up community for six days; however from this point onwards, it's also the site of a permanent new lake. Called Lake Gkula — a name that refers to the region's traditional owners, the Jinibara people, and specifically references spokesperson Uncle Noel Blair, whose indigenous name is Gkula — the body of water is now Australia's largest all-natural conservation and recreation lake, too. The man-made spot is also teeming with fish and plant life. More than 400 species of native freshwater fish are swimming in its waters, while over 4000 plants have been planted in and around the lake to date, with more planned. Crucially for both the lake's biodiversity and for human swimmers, the entire body of water is chemical-free, using pumps and injectors to keep both a constant water flow and high levels of oxygen. The water is pushed through two wetlands, which act to purify the lake while also encouraging microorganisms to thrive. If you're eager to go for a splash, it'll only be open to season campers during the 2019–20 fest, although swimming privileges will also given to artists and volunteers. Season campers will need to pay a ticket fee of $4 for adults, which'll help recover the costs of building the lake — and they'll also need to book in advance, with 50-minute slots available between 6am–6.30pm. For those who don't fall into those categories, you'll still be able to peer over the water at the lakeside bar, which'll be running during the festival and open to all Woodford patrons. At this stage, the lake will only welcome swimmers during the festival, but founder of Woodfordia, Bill Hauritz, sees Lake Gkula as a hotspot for the Moreton Bay hinterland area, so perhaps watch this space. "Groups and organisations outside our own are already expressing a keen interest in using this stunning new feature," he advised in a statement. "We know Lake Gkula will be an attraction; it's that beautiful." Costing more than $1.5 million to build, including funding from the Queensland Government, Woodford's new addition has sourced all of its water from onsite dams and a bore, with festival organisers aware that they're opening a watering hole in drought conditions. It's also partly powered by solar energy, and the Woodford team is working towards running the lake wholly on 100-percent renewable sources. The 2019–20 Woodford Folk Festival runs from Friday, December 27, 2019–Wednesday, January 1, 2002. For more information about Lake Gkula, visit the Woodford Folk Festival website.
Little Andorra is where editors go to relax and unwind over the multitudes of text they need to pore over. There are many charms to this casual wine bar that rests on a sleepy corner of Nicholson Street: awning-covered alfresco seating out front, a leafy bricked-in courtyard to the rear, and a long wooden wrap-around bar inside that's ideal for sharing quips with the staff. Banter is a third arm to the crew here, and the lip-smacking bites — like mussels with 'nduja, burrata-laden pappardelle and house-made porchetta — that match the extensive list of wine doesn't hurt either. The bar opens from 2pm daily, and the light that shines through that yonder window should be enough to call you in, if the aforementioned hasn't done the job already.
Melburnians are getting a nightmarish dose of Christmas spirit this festive season as Bar Humbug pops-up along North Melbourne's Queensberry Street this December. This is not your regular PG Christmas-themed installation — it's more like a bar from Bad Santa. Christmas tunes will be on loop as you wander through a range of themed rooms. You can sit on Santa's lap in the Grotty Christmas Grotto, kiss your loved one (or a stranger) in the Mistletoe Corner and sip on 'naughty' and 'nice' cocktails from the bar. Expect lots of (bad) singing along to Mariah Carey — as well as lots of tinsel, candy canes and shiny Christmas paper chains. Most importantly, there will be a full bar and dress-ups to take your Christmas debauchery up a notch. The bar will be open Thursday and Friday nights from 5pm, and from midday every Saturday and Sunday up until the weekend before Christmas. The bar is hosting a heap of Christmas functions, though — so best to check that it's not closed for one before you head along. If that's not enough festivity for you, you can also head along to the Bottomless Bubbles and Baubles on Saturday, December 14. For $59, you'll get two hours of endless prosecco and beers as well as all-you-can-eat pizza. These tickets will go quick, so snag one ASAP over here.
Last week, Robert Pattinson popped up on our screens in the trailer for upcoming Netflix movie The Devil All the Time. At present, he's also starring in cinemas in Tenet, which is finally earning a release. And, right this instant, he's stepping into a very well-known character's shoes (and cape and mask) — as seen in the just-dropped first trailer for The Batman. Yes, as well as featuring in a Christopher Nolan-helmed movie, Pattinson is playing a character that Nolan helped bring back to cinemas 15 years ago. This time around, Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes filmmaker Matt Reeves is in the director's chair, overseeing a new take on Batman that actually stands completely apart from the most recent Ben Affleck-starring DC Extended Universe version of the character. Basically, what DC Films and Warner Bros. Pictures did with Joker in 2019 — serving up a grimmer, grittier iteration of the infamous figure that has absolutely nothing to do with the rightfully hated Jared Leto version — they're doing for Batman now, too. Also following the same playbook: enlisting a top-notch star in the lead role. Remember, it was only earlier this year that Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for playing the clown prince of crime. The Batman isn't slated to hit cinemas until more than 12 months away — at the end of September 2021 in Australia — however, as this first sneak peek shows, it's shaping up to be a suitably dark and brooding affair. And, as well as Pattison as the titular character and his alter-ego Bruce Wayne, it stars Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as the Riddler, Colin Farrell as the Penguin, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth. For those keeping count, Pattinson is the third actor to play the Dark Knight on the big screen in the 21st century, after Christian Bale and Ben Affleck. He also joins a long list of actors who've donned the outfit, including Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney. Check out The Batman trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLOp_6uPccQ The Batman is currently due to release in Australian cinemas on September 30, 2021.
The First Time just keeps proving a fitting album title for The Kid LAROI. The just-released record is the Australian singer-songwriter's first studio album. Now, it also lends its name to his first-ever Down Under stadium tour. Big star, big record, big tour news: that's The Kid LAROI story right now. Mere days after The First Time dropped, the tour of the same name has been announced for a six-city Australian and New Zealand run in February 2024. Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard will kick things off at Melbourne's AAMI Park on Friday, February 2, before heading across the ditch to play Auckland's Spark Arena on Monday, February 5. Then it's back to Australia, where Perth's HBF Park awaits on Friday, February 9; Adelaide's Coopers Stadium on Tuesday, February 13; Sydney's Commbank Stadium on Friday, February 16; and finally CBUS Super Stadium on the Gold Coast on Sunday, February 18. The Kid LAROI's debut studio album might be a brand-new arrival, but he's been releasing music since 2018 — solo, and also teaming up with everyone from Juice WRLD and ONEFOUR to Justin Bieber. Accordingly, fans can look forward to hearing 'Stay', 'Without You', 'Thousand Miles', 'Love Again' and more this summer. The stadium tour follows The Kid LAROI's first headline Australian tour back in 2022, which sold out arenas across the country, sparking the addition of more dates. The First Time tour has only announced one show per city so far, but they're all spaced out enough that adding extra gigs due to demand won't come as a surprise if it happens. "I'm so excited to be coming back home in February! I felt so much love from the fans on last year's tour — it's something I'll never forget. I can't wait for you to all see this new show — we've taken things to a whole new level," said The Kid LAROI, announcing the Australian leg of the tour. "I can't wait to play New Zealand in February! I've always wanted to visit and I'm so excited to bring this new show to the NZ fans. I promise it'll be worth the wait! I love you all and I'll see you very soon," he added about his Spark Arena concert. THE KID LAROI THE FIRST TIME TOUR 2024 DATES: Friday, February 2 — AAMI Park, Melbourne Monday, February 5 — Spark Arena, Auckland Friday, February 9 — HBF Park, Perth Tuesday, February 13 — Coopers Stadium, Adelaide Friday, February 16 — Commbank Stadium, Sydney Sunday, February 18 — CBUS Super Stadium, Gold Coast The Kid LAROI is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2024, with presales starting from Thursday, November 16 and general sales on Monday, November 20 — head to the Australia and New Zealand ticketing sites for more information. Top image: Adam Kargenian.
The Apple iPod has been nipped and tucked since its original version to become the compact, nearly paper-thin music-playing masterpiece that it is today. We now have room for thousands of songs and videos on a piece of metal that's smaller than a playing card and lighter than a feather. Just when we thought there was no more improving the little guys, technology went ahead and proved us wrong. Scientists from Georgia University of Technology, lead by Dr. Zhong Lin Wang, are in the experimental stages of developing nanotechnology that will create self-generated energy that could power portable devices like iPods. In presenting their findings to the American Chemical Society, Dr. Wang explained that the devices would have a microchip made of zinc oxide nanowires (500 of them could fit on a human hair) that generate energy at any body movement, even just the beat of a heart. So far the human-powered technology has been used to power LCD screens and store radio signals. These advances may seem small, but Dr. Wang believes that the team's development of the microchip is a significant milestone in the creation of power that isn't battery-operated or plugged into an electrical outlet. "Their potential is only limited by one's imagination," he said. We're certainly looking forward to listening to beats powered by heartbeats. [via The Telegraph]
Vegetarians craving the bloody mess that is a medium-rare beef burger, you're no longer in danger of caving. Biochemist and Impossible Foods startup founder Patrick Brown is leading the charge for veggie burgers that not only taste like meat, but legitimately simulate the characteristics — let's plainly call it 'meatiness' — of meat. The secret? 'Plant blood'. Making vego-friendly meat isn't a new idea by any means, with epic tofurkeys, fakon (fake bacon) and Suzy Spoon's sausages dotting the plates of yearning vegos for years. But Brown's scientific approach to medium-rareness suffuses the patties with bioengineered substance from a molecule called heme, found in hemoglobin — the thing that makes blood red and makes it taste all metal-like. So the particular type of vegetarian who leaves meat out for ethical reasons but yearns for a medium-rare shindig can have their burger and eat it too. Brown's not doing too shabbily either, a 60-year-old Stanford University professor turned first-time entrepreneur with a cheeky $75 million in venture capital under his belt — including cashola from Bill Gates, who's gotten right into meatless meat of late backing startup Beyond Meat, "the first plant protein that looks, feels, tastes, and acts like meat." Google Ventures are even on board with Impossible, starting production on the $20-a-pop patties now. With Silicon Valley companies seriously getting behind projects like Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat and Modern Meadow ($10 million funded, 3D-printed meat), the world's obsession with meat could be one step closer to being sustainable and death-free. "Livestock is an antiquated technology," Brown told the Wall Street Journal. A small win for cowies. Via WSJ, Gigaom and Grub Street.
Since he first hit the big screen in two wildly different 1995 movies, Clueless and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, the seemingly ageless Paul Rudd has spent time in plenty of imaginations. Who hasn't filled seconds, minutes or hours thinking about how Baz Luhrmann chose him as the unwanted romantic alternative in Romeo + Juliet, or how nothing Wet Hot American Summer-related would be the same without him? Who hasn't pondered how Rudd was ideally cast as Ant-Man, and also in both Parks and Recreation and Only Murders in the Building, too? Given how far the actor's resume stretches on around all of those projects, there's always a reason to have Rudd on the brain. Writer/director Alex Scharfman initially met him after penning a screenplay called The Cats of Baxley, then had a Rudd-centric idea pop into his head: the extremely likeable actor killing a unicorn. Getting one of the most-beloved actors currently working to slay one of the most-cherished mythical creatures there is: now that's quite the concept for anyone's mind to conjure up, and also quite the unique way to start a film. That movie is Death of a Unicorn, the A24-backed genre mashup that kicks off with a widowed father and his college-aged daughter — Elliot and Ridley Kintner, played by Rudd (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) and Jenna Ortega (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) — stunned that they've accidentally hit one of the titular creatures. They're also in shock that such a critter is real. The pair are meant to be on a business trip to the Canadian Rockies, to the estate owned by Elliot's boss, who is in pharmaceuticals and loaded as a result. Elliot sees the getaway as way to boost his career; Ridley would rather be anywhere else. A unicorn encounter isn't something that can just be shaken, though — especially if a billionaire can monetise it, and if nature isn't fond of being messed with. Scharfman's debut feature is a monster movie about unicorns, so a film firmly in the horror-comedy mould. It's an eat-the-rich satire, too. Death of a Unicorn plays with viewer expectations of a picture with Rudd at its core, getting someone so adored for so long portraying a man who constantly makes terrible decisions. Equally, it tasks Ortega with being the film's emotional and empathetic centre as the person instantly attuned to the unicorns, and to the fact that every choice being made around her is wrong (and driven by chasing cash and power). With a killer cast that also spans Richard E Grant (The Franchise) as pharma company head Odell Leopold, Téa Leoni (Madam Secretary) as his wife Belinda and Will Poulter (Black Mirror) as their son Shepard — as well as Anthony Carrigan (Barry) and Jessica Hynes (Am I Being Unreasonable?) among the clan's hired help, plus Sunita Mani (Fantasmas) and Steve Park (Mickey 17) as scientists — it's also a playful creature feature that digs into unicorn lore alongside class structures and hierarchies, commodifying nature, plus capitalism, colonialism and imperialism. That all sprang from the flick's first scene materialising in Scharfman's imagination, then from the filmmaker's deep dive into the mythology surrounding the fabled one-horned animals — and realising what those stories say about society, not merely centuries back but also now. The picture works The Unicorn Tapestries from the Middle Ages into the plot prominently, courtesy of Ridley studying art history; however, as the Leopolds, especially the dying Odell, focus on potential miracle cures and the big bucks that their wealthy peers would pay for them, that's just one of the director's touchpoints. As always evident to Death of a Unicorn's audience, Scharfman has followed the path that his unicorn research has taken him down— through tales typically "about a lord, it's about a king, a nobleman, sending out their court, all their servants, the people who have no choice in the matter, the people who have to do it, and sending them out into nature to capture the uncapturable, so that this this object of purity, this resource, can be owned and possessed and commodified", he tells Concrete Playground — and found modern-day parallels in the pharmaceutical realm. He's interrogating commodification not just of nature and animals, but resources, knowledge, medicine, health and life-saving treatment, and tearing into the imbalance in access that comes with it. That said, never forgetting the type of movie that he's crafting, Scharfman has equally gleaned inspiration from a wealth of films and TV shows, resulting in a mix of Jaws, Jurassic Park, Succession, ET the Extra-Terrestrial, The Creature From the Black Lagoon, Evil Dead, The Rules of the Game, John Carpenter flicks, Korean cinema and more as clear influences. Before dreaming of Rudd dispensing with unicorns, and before turning that idea into a cinematic reality in a SXSW-premiering picture, Scharfman started solidifying his filmmaking voice by writing and directing his own shorts — and also producing features. Keep the Lights On, Selah and the Spades, Resurrection, House of Spoils: they're just some of the projects that he's been involved in. How did that background assist with Death of a Unicorn? Did Scharfman ever imagine a version of his directorial debut without Rudd? How crucial is Ortega in grounding the feature's chaos, and how pivotal is the scene-stealing Poulter in helping set the comedic tone? We chatted to Death of a Unicorn's guiding force about all of that, coming up with the initial concept, his research, that huge lineup of inspirations and more. On Conjuring Up the Concept for the Film — and for Starting It with Paul Rudd Killing a Unicorn "The first thing I thought of in the movie is the opening sequence. A family kills a unicorn, and a father and daughter specifically, then need to put it out of its misery — for lack of a better turn of phrase. So that was always the initial intention, and that was where the movie started for me. Then it grew out of that seed and that premise and that idea, not knowing where it was going to go, and it took the shape that it did hopefully organically. And I also wrote that role for Paul. So they were both always the plan. Paul is incredibly likeable. And Paul is, frustratingly — he's likeable as a performer, and he's frustratingly likeable as a person, too, because you want to find something wrong with him and he doesn't have it. He's just an incredibly at-peace, generous, kind person. And there was something that I thought was interesting on a narrative level of making him unlikeable, because I think he has this inherent likeability, and that we could tolerate a lot of bad behaviour from him and wait until he comes around, or hope that he comes around, to become the Paul Rudd who we love. So I think there was something that was interesting to me about veiling that Paul Rudd we know and love, and shrouding him in anxiety and stress at the beginning of the movie — and telling you 'he's going to become the Paul Rudd we love by the end of the movie, but he's not going to be that guy at the beginning of the movie', and to give him an arc to become that. And I think that came through, I hope, in this sense of this character who's had some misfortunes — the universe has thrown him some curveballs, and he's gotten some bad luck along the way — and what that might do to someone to start ratcheting up their anxiety with financial, personal, otherwise, in a way where they're always trying to look ahead at what might go wrong. The real Paul Rudd has had an incredibly blessed life and is a really sweet person, and is totally present and in the moment and wonderful. And the thought was 'well, how we get the opposite of that to that place?'. And so, yeah, I thought it was an interesting challenge to weaponise Paul Rudd's likeability." On Always Imagining Rudd in the Lead — and the Journey That That Key Piece of Casting Takes Audiences On "The hope was to understand why he's making bad decisions, and to understand his moral compromise and the perspective of moral relativism that he's had to adopt as a means of coping with the world, navigating his way through the world, and also providing for his daughter — who I think he's taken a very literal approach to 'how do I be a good parent?'. It's 'I provide for her and that's what I'm supposed to do, and as long as I have amassed enough financial security, then anything that comes our way, we'll be able to tackle and address as best we can'. Because they've had, as I said before, he's been kicked in the teeth from the universe before. Things have happened to him that were no one's fault that just sort of happened, and that happens to people. And I think that that gave him a certain kind of limp, that's an invisible limp that he walks with for the rest of his life until the events of this movie — and he hopefully shakes that limp. But in terms of 'was it ever anyone else?', no. I always liked the idea of it being this morally compromised lawyer, because I think something interesting about lawyers is that's a skillset that could be applied in any direction. And there's something interesting about the nature of the legal system and that everyone's entitled to representation, even guilty people. There's a certain moral vacuum. That's literally what they refer to it as, lawyers: the moral vacuum, a place where you don't make a moral judgment. And I thought that was always an interesting perspective to have for a protagonist. And usually I feel like the lawyer in Jurassic Park was killed quite unceremoniously, and I thought it would be interesting to say 'what if that guy was the hero?'. Or I thought a lot about the actress who's married to Kenneth Lonergan [Manchester by the Sea], who played Gerri in Succession, who's so great: J Smith-Cameron [Hacks]. I was like 'oh, what if she was the lead of a movie, that character?'. And so was it ever not that? I always hoped it would be Paul. I certainly entertained 'well, what if Paul says no'. And I thought about other people in the role if I had to, but thankfully he said yes and I never had to." On the Wide Range of Influences, From Succession and Jurassic Park to ET and Korean Cinema, That Helped Inspire Death of a Unicorn "I wish I could say that the tone was something I thought about and meditated on for a long time. It always felt like that was just the expression of the movie to me. I think unicorns are, in our consciousness, magical, in a way that they're not just monsters. You can't treat a unicorn like a xenopmorh, because I don't think then you're treating a unicorn — you can make a horror movie that features unicorns that isn't a unicorn horror movie, if that makes sense. You want to be true to the emotional associations that we all have with unicorns, to make sure that you're doing justice to that for all the unicorn lovers out there and for everyone who has a passive understanding of a unicorn that has a certain magical association. And so that sort of conjured, in my mind, a certain Amblin kind of magic — you know, that ET kind of way. And The Abyss also has that in spades, certainly. But then I also thought about subverting that, and that led me down a road of the Alien and Aliens and Evil Deads of the world. And An American Werewolf in London, certainly, too. So there was a lot of that hybridisation. But then at the end of the day, I was also thinking 'well, I don't think you could do a unicorn movie with a total straight face, as a unicorn horror movie. You have to be funny'. I think there has to be some awareness of the absurdity in that. I think if you just did that with a straight face, it would get real boring real fast. And so it kind of presented itself in this way, that it was like 'well, it's a monster movie' so it has to have these things like Jaws and Alien and Aliens, and those sort of movies — and Creature From the Black Lagoon and so forth. But then we have all this warmth associated with them. And so that brings in the ETs of the world. And there's a great Val Guest movie, The Abominable Snowman, which is wonderful and has these benevolent yeti monsters that are really interesting. And The Abyss, also again, to go back to that one, has these benevolent monsters, that it's on us not to fuck with them, you know? Like, they will decimate us if they decide to, but it's our prerogative to make sure they don't want to. So anyhow, these influences all coalesced, and I think it became clarified through a certain Korean sensibility — thinking about The Host or Train to Busan, or Thirst, which is a very different movie. But there's something about those movies, and I think a general Korean sensibility, is that they aren't afraid to combine influences and to swing, and to say 'we're going to be funny here and absurd, and then we're going to be scary over here, and then this emotionality is going to be building underneath all of that'. The Host is such a favourite movie of mine. It opens with Song Kang-ho [Cobweb] doing these brilliant pratfalls and physical comedy, and then it ends with this tragic loss at the end of the movie that's really heartbreaking. And then through the middle, it's almost like The Royal Tenenbaums on a monster hunt. It's this dysfunctional family of adult estranged siblings. And you're going 'wait, what? This movie does all of these things?'. And it has this anti-American, -colonial, -capitalist satire threaded through all that. And yet somehow I watch that movie and I'm like 'what a perfect movie'. My hope was when you watch those kind of movies — and Train to Busan is another one that contained zombies, action and high-concept, but also is a commentary about selfishness and self-interest, and then also this father-daughter story that makes me cry every time I watch it. There's something about that that's like, I don't know, somehow that has a spine that allows it move through all these zones. And I think if you commit to it, hopefully that's okay. So that's sort of what I was aspiring to do, I suppose." On Connecting Unicorn Lore and Mythology to Class Structures, Commodifying Nature, Colonialism and Capitalism "I outline a lot, so I try to accrue a lot of information and thoughts and research and material. John Houston has this great quote where he said 'don't start writing till you can't stop', and so I try to do that. So what I end up doing is, I end up thinking about things a lot. I very early on got to unicorn mythology, and I zeroed in on the Middle Ages — because I think the tapestries are brilliant, and I love them, beautiful pieces of art, but that's sort of when unicorn narratives became really cohesive and codified, in a way. Before that, there were unicorns, but they weren't in a traditional structure. And then in the Middle Ages, the hunt narratives became quite, not formulaic per se, but that was the archetypical unicorn story, it was about a unicorn hunt. And when I realised that, I was like 'oh, well this provides a basis for a parallel to a creature-feature structure', in the sense of those kind of James Cameron-y or Spielberg-y monster movies where very often they're on a hunt. That's what most of that second act of Alien is about. And same with almost the entirety of Aliens, that is about a monster hunt. And so that made a lot of sense to me. And again, that Val Guest Abominable Snowman, that's a monster-hunt movie. The Creature From the Black Lagoon: monster-hunt movie. There's a very traditional structure. But then when I started thinking about medieval unicorn mythology in a contemporary context, it also invites a lot of thought about class structure, and those are very much stories about social hierarchy. It's about a lord, it's about a king, a nobleman, sending out their court, all their servants, the people who have no choice in the matter, the people who have to do it, and sending them out into nature to capture the uncapturable, so that this this object of purity, this resource, can be owned and possessed and commodified. And so when I was like 'okay, well I'm updating unicorn mythology, unicorn myth', that's what the lore is. It's like, well, how could it not be about those things? And when you realise that unicorns were prized for their curative properties, it naturally invites a conversation with healthcare and pharmaceuticals. And so it's funny. How I like to write is just to find a string and start pulling and see where it leads me, and it seems like the story presented itself as being about class, about the social structures that we live in today and also about pharmaceuticals. And so it naturally provided this context to consider an oligarchic, industrialist family as if it was a former nobleman or noble lord's family with their fiefdom, but their fiefdom is an industry." On Enlisting Jenna Ortega to Be the Film's Emotional Centre, Audience Surrogate and Voice of Wisdom "I wrote the role and figured out the characters based on what the story was asking for and what their dynamics were, and then I got to the end of that process and we were like, with the studio, with A24, they're like 'let's start casting the movie'. And I realised, I was like 'holy shit, what have I done? Who can play this role?'. Ridley is such a challenging role because, yeah, she's the vehicle of exposition. She's the character who the audience identifies with. She's the most — I try not to write anyone as like a straight man, I think comedies are most fun when everyone has their own weird game that they're playing, but she's certainly among the most-grounded, probably. I think her and Anthony's character are the most grounded in terms of their perspective. And so, yeah, it's a really hard role to figure out. And I'm so fortunate, we only offered the role to one person and she said yes, and that person is Jenna Ortega. She's an absolutely just knockout performer. Every take is great. So I don't know, what did I have to do? I had to get lucky. I wrote Jenna a letter and I asked her to please be in my movie and save it. And she did. And so I just showed up every day and we'd talk about things a lot, but the truth is Jenna's just an incredible performer. She's so good. She's just one of those actors that you just point the camera at her, she's going to do it." On the Importance of Will Poulter's Comic Timing, and Ability to Lean Into His Character's Privilege and Obliviousness, to Help Set the Comedic Tone "Shep's voice was one that came off the page pretty early in the writing process, where it was hard not to keep writing for his voice. He's one of those characters that — and Will figured it out so beautifully — it's just a character that you just want to keep giving him stuff to say. You just want him to react. He's in a great position, too, as far as comic structure, in that he gets to react to a lot of things. He doesn't have to drive a lot of things. The scenes, he gets to just be present in them and be arrogant and lack any self-awareness. But Will totally landed it and nailed, I think, the tone. And did this amazing feat — that's a very heightened character that he somehow found an emotional centre for, and he grounded that character in a sense of, I think, inadequacy, and bravado around that inadequacy. And wanting to be told that he's enough as a person, trying to earn his parents' love and respect. And I think he, in doing so, built a character that's both heightened and yet grounded, and so both villainous and yet I kind of sympathise with him. I look at that character and I'm like 'oh, man, you've got into a bad situation where psychologically you've been put in this position that your parents have really done a number on you, and there's nothing you can do about it because it's all it's too late now, it's all locked in'. The dark humour of the movie and the pace of the jokes and dialogue all lives in the performance, and the Leopold family really gets to let that rip. They get to be unmoored. And Will totally got it. And Téa and Richard are also comic geniuses, I think, and totally understood the commitment to the bit. And I'm just so lucky they all chose to be in the movie." On How Scharfman's Experience as a Producer for Over a Decade Helped Him Make the Leap to Directing His First Feature "It was invaluable. I've worked as a producer for a long time. And it built up a comfort level on set. To be honest, when I started working in film, I wanted to be a writer and a producer, and I was a little bit scared of directing. It's a really daunting task, and I had, I hope, a respect for it, a reverence for it, that I don't think I could have — I didn't want to go out and be directing at the outset of my career, and I think I only gained that perspective over time, and the desire to do it as well, as I got more comfortable on set. So I would say producing the features that I have just built up my comfort level with the apparatus, of the machine, of a film set, which is such a specific working environment — and understanding how to problem-solve in that kind of context, how to be creative in that context, how to create the right environment. And that trickles into the writing in invisible ways, just the choices you make. I've seen filmmakers make great choices and I've seen filmmakers make choices they regret later. And not that any of those films that I made were dry runs or anything like that, those are films that I'm all proud of, but you just gain experience by being around an apparatus like that, by making movies and by being part of it. And I think I've gained a lot of experience. I've worked as a professional screenwriter for several years as well, not quite as long as I've been a professional producer, but you learn a tremendous amount by working in development on other scripts and by developing your own scripts simultaneously. So I like to think that it's just a holistic perspective. It's hard to isolate an experience that like 'this experience taught me that' — it's just all cumulative to become who you are and the lens through which you see the world. So I don't know exactly how, but I know it's helped me. I know I felt more comfortable on a set, and I know I've been around enough practical effects and stunts and things like that that I felt it was within my capacity to execute an execution-dependent film like this as my first feature. There's a lot to bite off in the film, but I don't think I would have been capable of doing that if I hadn't been building towards this over the course of over a decade of just learning about the filmmaking process." Death of a Unicorn opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
Fresh from being named the Festival of the Year for the fourth time at the 2025 Queensland Music Awards, The Big Pineapple Festival has announced the news that every fan of dancing in the shadow of a giant piece of tropical fruit wants to hear. Come spring, the beloved event will return. Not only has the fest locked in its date, but organisers have also revealed that this'll be a big tenth-anniversary celebration. Diaries out: Saturday, November 1, 2025 is when you'll be hitting Pineapple Fields in Woombye. There's no lineup details as yet, or an exact timeline outlining when the fest's acts will be announced, but The Big Pineapple Festival crew is promising a "blockbuster event" — and its usual Aussie focus. "When we started this festival years ago, our goal was to put Australian artists front and centre, and create an unforgettable experience for fans," said Mark Pico, The Big Pineapple Festival's Founder and Festival Director. "To be here over a decade later with the festival stronger than ever and even earning industry awards again ... is incredibly humbling. It's a testament to the amazing community of artists, attendees and partners who have believed in The Big Pineapple Festival from the start." On Australia's list of big things, the Big Pineapple is among the most famous. It's big. It's a pineapple. It's heritage-listed Queensland icon. It's surrounded by pineapple fields. Basically, what's not to love? It's not merely a reason to head to Nambour to gawk at over-sized fruit, though. Back in 2013, it also became home to a music festival, which ran annually until taking a break in the early years of the pandemic — as every similar fest did. The Big Pineapple Festival's COVID-19 hiatus came to an end in 2024, with help from The Amity Affliction, Tones And I, Bliss n Eso and Peking Duk. In years prior, everyone from Violent Soho, The Veronicas, Rufus Du Sol, Hayden James, Example, Alison Wonderland, Birds of Tokyo and Grinspoon have taken to the event's stage, as have Vera Blue, Ball Park Music, Illy, Dune Rats, John Butler Trio and Ocean Alley. While waiting for this year's lineup, fans can start getting excited now about one new part of the fest in 2025: a performance by whoever wins the Rising Star award at this year's debut Sunshine Coast Music Awards. The Big Pineapple Festival will return on Saturday, November 1, 2025. We'll update you with more details when they're revealed — keep an eye on the fest's website, Facebook and Instagram in the interim. Select images: Claudia Ciapocha / Charlie Hardy.
A collaboration that's immersed in colour and vibrancy, Sydney-based visual artist Dreamcatchersdreamtime, aka George Barnes, regularly teams up with the brains behind Think Positive Prints, Emilie Cacace. And they'll be doing so again for another iteration of the Miller Design Lab — an innovative event series we're hosting with Miller Genuine Draft at the SoHigh Gallery, featuring some of the most exciting contemporary artists and musicians Australia has to offer. Here, we speak with Barnes and Cacace about creative inspirations and their latest project that brings a colourful, experimental spectacle to the Miller Design Lab on Saturday, March 23. Want to see their work come to life — all while enjoying complimentary eats and Miller Genuine Draft? RSVP to the free event here, and read on to learn more about this artistic duo dedicated to vibrant colour and design. George Barns and Emilie Cacace are more than just artistic collaborators. They're also partners outside of work, having recently turned their duo into a trio, with the arrival of son Louie, who has become a helpful source of inspiration. "I'm generally working on a few projects at once," says Barnes. "I always have creative chats with Emilie, talk about dream projects with my friends, and our son Louie always keeps me feeling inspired." As Dreamcatchersdreamtime, Barnes constructs powerful narratives that explore the universe through art, culture, lifestyle and ideas, all while he moonlights as the senior textile designer for much-loved Australian fashion label Sass & Bide. These collaborations between him and Cacace are something of a match made in heaven; she plays a leading role at Think Positive Prints, an internationally renowned digital printer specialising in ultra high-coloured and detailed fabrics. "I've been working with digital printing for the past 12 years, and I want my next major thing to be figuring out how to bring new life into the industry," explains Cacace. "I still want to create beautiful textiles and products, but treat them differently and not so literally." Since the pair has lived and worked together over the last nine years, they find great satisfaction whenever they have the chance to combine their skills."I watch George working on creative projects every night, dreaming up his next creation and collaboration — it's exciting to be able to print what he comes up with," explains Cacace. So for their latest collaboration, the Sydney-based duo is turning to a variety of unconventional fabrics to produce a spectacular array of new textures and patterns. They'll take over the SoHigh Gallery on Saturday, March 23, hosting a Miller Design Lab event that's set to stimulate audiences with intense music, light projections and flickers of gold. "Emilie and I are producing two large-scale textile pieces that will be integrated into the space down in Melbourne," says Barnes. "I think they're going to look really wonderful — rippling moire textures meet high-gloss, golden goodness!" Outside of their own work, the duo finds much artistic inspiration all over the world. Some of their favourites include the large-scale resin installations by Sterling Ruby, the environmental works of Olafur Eliasson and Jedda-Daisy Culley's spirited paintings. They also have a few regular Melbourne spots that they often gravitate towards whenever they need to recharge. "Baker Bleu has the best bread in Australia," says Barnes. "But we also love heading to Supernormal for a dope snack or Bar Americano for one of their next-level cocktails. And if we're after something a bit fancy, there's great French cuisine and vino at France-Soir." Despite all their successes, neither Barnes nor Cacace are thinking about slowing down. Soon, the pair are moving their creative practices to the United States. However, in the meantime, they have a range of projects to finish up in Australia. Undoubtedly an exciting time for the young family, they offer some advice for any hopeful artists out there: "do what you love doing deep down," says Barnes, before Cacace adds, "Start somewhere, grow and be proud of each stage. Experience is everything, so give it your all and talk, collaborate and get involved." Images: Kitti Gould.
Getting some shuteye or even slightly comfortable on a long-haul can be tricky. With its new 17-hour non-stop Auckland to New York service on the horizon, Air New Zealand is hoping to put economy travellers to sleep with a new prototype that features six lie-flat pods. The Economy Skynest is the result of three years of research and development at its Hangar 22 innovation centre in Auckland. Each bunk bed-style Skynest, measuring 200 by 58 centimetres, will have room for six sleepers. While still yet to be confirmed, it is intended that each pod will include a full-size pillow, sheets and blanket, ear plugs along with privacy curtains and lighting designed for sleep. The airline says it is exploring other features such as separate reading light, personal device USB outlet and ventilation outlet. Air New Zealand Chief Marketing and Customer Officer Mike Tod says that the development of the Economy Skynest is a direct response to economy travellers inability to stretch out on long-haul flights. It's not the first time the carrier has put energy into making economy passengers more comfortable; the Economy Skycouch allows travellers to book an entire row and transform it into a makeshift bed, while last year saw the introduction of inflight exercise videos to enhance wellbeing. The airline today filed patent and trademark applications for the Economy Skynest. It will make a final decision on whether to operate the service next year after it has assessed the performance of its Auckland to New York operations. For more information about the Economy Skynest, visit airnz.co.nz.
The expert green thumbs behind online plant store and travelling pop-up The Plant Runner are taking a little break over winter. But before they get stuck into hibernation mode, they're having one last hurrah, heading bayside for a huge indoor plant sale. This Saturday, April 10, The Plant Runner is set to take over the car park at Hampton Bowls Club with its travelling greenhouse Fern in tow, creating a lush plant oasis where you'll be able to browse and buy a stack of new plant babies. Head in from 1.30pm to shop a wild array of indoor plant varieties, including lots of rare and unique flora. What's more, they'll be going cheap, with everything marked down by a hefty 20 percent to help clear out the stock before winter. Company founders Dominic Hooghuis and Duncan Hilder will be there to dish out some of their expert horticulturalist advice, in case you've got any burning questions. And if you're in the market for some products to help your plants live their best life, there'll also be a range of The Plant Runner's specialty potting mixes, oils and plant care items for purchase. [caption id="attachment_806718" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Plant Runner's Dominic Hooghuis and Duncan Hilder by Samee Lapham[/caption]
If you Google 'Michael Jackson's legacy', you'll find the following pearls of pop culture wisdom: he made R&B the sound of pop, he made music videos an 'event', he made dancing a prerequisite to any occasion, he was instrumental (no pun intended) in developing the celebrity charitable-industrial complex, and his 1977 book The World Guide to Beer created the modern concept of beer styles that underpins the craft beer movement to this day. That last fact may come as a surprise to devoted fans of the King of Pop, but probably not to craft beer aficionados who are well aware that there's more than one Michael Jackson in the firmament. When it comes to craft beer, the 'real' Michael Jackson was an English writer, journalist and TV presenter, and not a moonwalking, anti-gravity-leaning, crotch-grabbing singer. Although it's easy to see how confusion could arise. The book explored the wide and wonderful world of craft beer styles — from porter to pilsener and everything in between. It elucidated their history, discerned their characteristics and uncovered unique (and decidedly roguish) facts about each type. Almost 40 years on, thanks to the work of Michael Jackson and other craft beer evangelists like James Smith, more people are aware of the beer varieties available to them. But what do the different styles mean and how does sampling them introduce you to a whole world full of flavour? Let us explain. Porter Brewed from brown and dark coloured malts, this moderately hopped beer became popular in 18th century London. Sharing similarities with stout, it descended from brown ale. Expect a complex, interesting beer with flavours of chocolate and coffee. Many tall tales have been told about the origins of this style of beer. No one can be certain which is true, which only adds to the porter's mystique and appeal. India Pale Ale (IPA) Also originating in the 18th century, this strong, hoppy (yet also light, bright and sparkling) beer was brewed specifically to last the journey from England to India in the days of the British Raj, so that the thousands of ex-pats living there could still enjoy their creature comforts. On arrival in India, IPA was said to be watered down before being given to the rank and file British troops, meaning only the officers got to enjoy it in all its glory. American-style Pale Ale Typified by strong citrus and fruity hop aromas, American pale ales were developed in the 1980s and take their name from the use of American hops such as Cascade. The style has since been adapted to embrace hops from around the world, while retaining the key taste characteristics and a good balance of malt and hops. Anchor Liberty Ale is regarded as the first modern American pale ale. It was first brewed in 1975 to mark the start of the American War of Independence, when the US colonies effectively said 'up yours' to their British overlords. Golden Ale Combining elements of pilsners and wheat beers, golden ales are technically part of the broader pale ale family. Noted for their alluring colour, golden ales are light, refreshing and highly drinkable, with a restrained bitterness and dry finish. Often called 'summer ales', this is the fastest-growing style of beer in the UK, charming drinkers away from the heavily promoted lager brands. Pale Ale Originating in northern England (Burton upon Trent, to be precise, a town blessed with plenty of rich, hard water, which helps with clarity and enhancing the hop bitterness), the term stems from the practice of using coke to dry-roast malts, resulting in a lighter-coloured beer. Pale ales tend to be fruity and hoppy, and can vary in colour from amber to golden. Craft beer fans around the world have innovative chemist CW Vincent to thank for identifying the calcium sulphate content in the Burton water that first allowed for hoppy beers to be brewed. The act of adding gypsum to water is now known as 'Burtonisation' and now allows the likes of the Malt Shovel Brewery (home to the James Squire craft beer range) to bring out the flavours of the hops. Copper Ale Named after their distinctive colour (which perhaps isn't the most creative approach, but at least you know what you're getting), copper ales can vary in taste from mild to bitter. In the US, copper ales are classed as American amber ales and originated on the West Coast, home to various counter culture movements and alternative, individualistic approaches. Amber Ale Another member of the pale ale family, and another named after its colour, amber ales tend to be balanced, rich and effortlessly flavoursome. Coloured malts such as Crystal are used to create the rich amber colour. Amber ale was the first craft beer brewed in the James Squire range. Now known as Nine Tales Amber Ale, it tells James Squire's remarkable life story in a toffee-caramel nutshell. Pilsner Also (and more correctly) spelt pilsener, this pale lager takes its name from the Bohemian city of Plzen (or Pilsen) where it was first brewed. There are now three main styles of pilsner: Czech — golden, earthy and bitter; German — colourful, light and foamy, European (mainly Dutch and Belgian) — sweeter. Josef Groll, the brewer who invented pilsner, was a Bohemian in every sense of the word, from his revolutionary approach to brewing to the manner of his death — of natural causes while happily telling stories at the regulars' table in his favourite pub. Australian lager Synonymous with Australian beer, lagers are European in origin (the word comes from lagern, meaning 'to store' in German). The fundamental difference to ales comes from the type of yeast used (bottom-fermenting as opposed to top). Lagers tend to be clean and crisp, and often have grassy characteristics. In the US, lagers brewed before Prohibition were often crafted with a high percentage of corn. Coincidentally, James Squire also brewed beer from corn in Australia's earliest days — which perhaps makes 'necessity is the mother of invention' the rogue's motto. Photo credits: Daveybot, Jaryl Cabuco | Fitted.Life, Keithius, Claudio Brisighello, Speed-Light, Matthew Black, blondinrikard, and martingarri via photopin cc.
Once fairly short on applaudable dining destinations, the northside suburb of Preston has been busy steadily carving out a different story. Now it boasts neighbourhood food gems aplenty and is welcoming more to the fold each year. The area's multicultural community has helped spawn a diverse lineup of top-notch dining offerings, too, from modern Australian burger joints packed every night of the week, to pizza-slinging cocktail bars to cheery noodle houses dishing up an array of authentic eats. If you're not a local and haven't ventured beyond that Dundas Street-Plenty Road junction in a while, it's time to head north and embrace this suburban pocket's many culinary charms.
It seems Melbourne could be over its Asian food obsession and circling back to its European roots. In the last few months alone we've welcomed Italian joint Mr Ottorino to Fitzroy, seen A25 expand to the CBD and French bistro Ôter open up in Flinders Lane. Furthering that trend, chef Joseph Vargetto has launched his new classic Italian restaurant, Massi, on Little Collins Street. Opening last month, the venue is the little sibling of Kew favourite Mister Bianco, and offers a similar mix of coffee, cakes, cold meats and antipasti as well as pastas and Sicilian-style mains. Named after the acclaimed chef's youngest son, the restaurant is located at 445 Little Collins, between Williams Street and Queen. Open Tuesday to Friday for breakfast, lunch and dinner (on Mondays they'll be open until 6pm), the space can seat up to 50 people, and is described by Vargetto as "comfortable and welcoming". Diners looking for a quick bite can pay a visit to the "crudo antipasto corner", where they can watch chefs slice up a selection of salumi and terrines. Those after something heartier can opt for steak or pan-fried barramundi, or choose from a number of appetising pasta options such as black spaghettini with virgule, blue swimmer crab, garlic and chilli. Dessert is designed to be shared – because why would you choose between mascarpone panna cotta and orange cake with ricotta cream when you can just order both? Massi will also welcome the city's post-work drinks crowd, with Aperitivo Hour kicking off at 4.30pm each day. Behind the impressive marble bar you'll find a great selection of beer, wine and Prosecco. Alternatively, you can take your booze home with you from their fully licensed bottle shop.
Hardware Lane's Shanghai-inspired cocktail bar Golden Monkey is welcoming the Year of the Rat with a tune-filled Chinese New Year party. The basement space will transform into A Night in Old Shanghai, on Saturday, January 25. Prepare to be entertained by the night's traditional lion dance performance, before local acts Jourdain & Jack, and Amy and Deborah Kwong have you grooving along to a dose of live R&B. You can get comfy in one of the booths, and match those tunes with some top-notch food and drink specials — Golden Monkey's known for its house cocktails and classic Chinese dishes ranging from fluffy bao to handmade dumplings. If you're with a group of mates, we suggest you order one of its giant, shareable punches served in Chinese metal steamboats. Image: Julia Sansone
If you're not one for decision-making, best look away now. But if you love being spoilt for choice at meal time, we reckon you'll be pretty chuffed with North Melbourne's newest culinary addition. Launching on Saturday, September 3, EziStreat is the suburb's sprawling new food hall, and is set to serve a globe-trotting array of eats every day of the week. Opening in a former Macaulay Road warehouse, the 600-square-metre food precinct is a riff on the hawker halls of Asia, showcasing a diverse lineup of food vendors and celebrating cuisines from all corners of the world. Founder Seyun (Yun) Kim set out to offer local food entrepreneurs a creative new platform to sling their wares, built on the concept of a shared economic model. He's joined at the helm by Tomoya Kawasaki (owner of Chotto Motto and Wabi Sabi Salon), Bae Juice's Tim O'Sullivan and Jeff Chew of Hunter's Roots. EziStreat's exterior has been decked out in vibrant artworks by Jeswri; inside, it's all food stalls, narrow walkways and communal tables, reminiscent of a buzzy Southeast Asian market. More murals come courtesy of TWOONE and Shawn Lu, and there's a pet-friendly outdoor beer garden, too. In the starting lineup, you'll find coffee and Japanese baked goods from Taiyo Sun; Jymannuel's Southern Taiwanese hawker food; bento boxes and gourmet groceries from Japanese pantry Konbini; and Korean snacks, beer and soju courtesy of Sinjeon. [caption id="attachment_867680" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sinjeon[/caption] Drop by King of Mussels for a taste of midye dolma (a Turkish dish of stuffed mussels), swing past Shimbashi for gluten-free soba noodles and sate your craving for saucy Italian fare at Etto Pasta. The Parco Ramen team also have a home here at EziStreat, slinging their famous lobster ramen. And there'll be one stall operating as an incubator, hosting various pop-ups and emerging businesses on rotation. Meanwhile, the precinct's bar is pouring a range of brews by Colonial Brewing, alongside locally-focused cocktails by drinks startup Home Grown to match your street food feast. EziStreat will kick things off with grand opening celebrations on Saturday, September 3, featuring DJs, a creatives' market, a 'meet the artist' session with Shawn Lu and a Colonial pop-up bar. [caption id="attachment_867679" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shimbashi[/caption] Find EziStreat at 275 Macaulay Road, North Melbourne, from Saturday, September 3. It'll open 5–8pm Monday and Tuesday; 12–8pm Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; and 12–10pm Friday and Saturday. The cafe will be open each morning from 7.30am–2.30pm on weekdays, 8am–2.30pm on Saturdays and 8am–2pm on Sundays.
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.
With borders closed and overseas family reunions still on hold, many of us are craving the taste of home. That's largely what spawned the arrival of Barry Susanto and Erwin Chandra's new Indo-inspired sandwich joint Warkop, which opened its doors in Richmond last month. The two Indonesian mates met working together at Duke's Coffee Roasters in Windsor, sparking initial plans to open their own establishment. Fuelled by a touch of homesickness, some lockdown experimentation and a desire to offer locals a broader, more authentic taste of the duo's homeland — that plan is now a reality. Named after the classic streetside coffee stalls you'll find dotted throughout Indonesia, the 15-seat venue embraces the 'casual, but done well' mentality. The sandwich menu is short and sweet, but has already earned some big ticks of approval — Susanto first road-tested many of his creations on some very discerning fellow staff during his time as sous chef at Julian Hills' Navi. In line with the overall theme of the venue, the sandos are simple but well-executed, with plenty of subtle nods to Susanto's fine dining experience. "It's a bit radical to put our (Indo) food into sandwiches," he explains. "I tried to do things that haven't been done before." Bread styles have been carefully chosen to best complement the flavours sandwiched within — beef pastrami comes teamed with cheese, pickled cucumber and a rich rendang sauce on light rye; while sourdough's been used to house the chicken sandwich, its meat marinated in classic Taliwang spices. Another option reworks the familiar flavours of gado gado into a turkish roll, marrying tofu, tempeh, bean sprouts, lettuce and a peanut sauce, and there's a daily rotating salad to match. The sandwich lineup has been selling out most days, so don't put that lunchbreak on hold for too long. Given Chandra's background working with the likes of Duke's and Market Lane, coffee here is also set to impress — expect a Duke's blend on the roster, with both espresso and filter options available. There's a selection of pastries and cakes from Ned's Bakery in South Yarra, but for a true taste of the guys' homeland, you'll want to try their version of kaya toast — a much-loved sweet breakfast starring a rich coconut jam. Warkop's kaya uses a long-held family recipe from Chandra's own mother, who taught the pair to make it via video chat from Indonesia. Susanto's jazzed it up a little using puffed rice and plump, buttery brioche rolls, though the dish still heartily embraces its roots. "I'm doing this because I always miss home and I always miss home food," explains Susanto. "When I first moved here, I couldn't speak English and the Indo food I ate here really helped me, to heal me from missing home. So I've always wanted to do this." Find Warkop at 12 Risley Street, Richmond. It's open weekdays, from 7am–3pm. Images: Ed Sloane Photography
We're still a week out from December 25, but you won't have to wait quite that long for a visit from the jolly man in red. Santa's getting a jump-start on this year's rounds and popping by nostalgia-fuelled ice creamery Kenny Lover this Sunday, December 22. And he's got plenty of treats in store for kids both big and little. From 3–6pm, he'll be dishing out free scoops of his favourite flavours from the Kenny Lover lineup — milk ice cream spiked with chunks of freshly baked choc chip cookie, and a frozen riff on the classic Christmas pudding. Santa's also bringing a sack full of 200 free presents to hand out to those on his 'nice' list, ranging from toys for littlies to some sweet Kenny Lover merch for the grown-ups. [caption id="attachment_755696" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] What's more, the big guy's even agreed to sit for some classic Santa snaps while he's there. Grab a festive photo with your bestie, your kid or your fur baby, and it'll be turned into a true-blue Aussie Christmas card on the spot. Santa will be at Kenny Lover from 3–6pm. Top image: Kenny Lover.
Everyday Coffee's Collingwood cafe has long been a stomping ground for the northside's laptop set, its two-room space often brimming with regulars tapping away on keyboards and downing very good coffee, most on a first-name basis with staff. Now, owners Mark Free and Aaron Maxwell are continuing the tradition with a slight trek west, teaming up with a couple of longtime customers to open their fourth space, over in Carlton. The new cafe has made its home in the front room of these former regulars' Queensberry Street design studio, offering a multi-faceted space for working, caffeine-fuelling and shopping alike. The espresso machine's pumping out Everyday's own All Day blend, batch brew options rotate through seasonal filter roasts, and the cabinet is stocked with a tidy selection of pastries, cookies and sweet treats courtesy of sister bakery All Are Welcome. And when you're ready to leave, you'll find a range of retail coffee to take home, as well as a great lineup of design tomes from fellow tenant Perimeter Books. Find Everyday Coffee's new space at 225 Queensberry Street, Carlton. It's open 7.30am–4pm, Monday–Friday. Images: Tom Ross
Korean dessert shop Bingsoo is opening its first Melbourne CBD store on Saturday, August 10, and is celebrating by giving away a stack of its signature dishes. Bingsoo is best known for serving bingsu — a Korean shaved ice dessert packed with different fruits, syrups and toppings — but it's championing the rest of its menu with freebies. Those who visit the store from 12–3pm on its opening day will get either a free corn dog or gilgeori thick toast sandwich. But these aren't your basic corn dogs and sangas. The deep-fried Korean corn dogs can be decked out with all kinds of toppings, including sugar, ketchup, mayo and mustard. And the thick toast sandwiches have even more options. These come chock full of fillings, from scrambled eggs and maple beef bacon to Nutella, Biscoff and taro. Like all of its menu items, they're also stunning to look at. If you're curious about — or already obsessed with — Bingsoo's bites, you're not going to want to miss this giveaway. Just be aware that the offer only lasts until the corn dogs and gilgeori are sold out. Be sure to get in early to avoid disappointment. Images: Pete Dillon.
Melbourne's leading queer arts experience Midsumma Festival is back for another turn around the sun, descending on close to 100 venues across the city from Sunday, January 19 to Sunday, February 9, 2020. And, this year, it's set to deliver one of its heftiest programs yet, featuring a whopping 194 events across 22 days of festivities. Unveiled last night, the supercharged Midsumma 2020 offering will dish up a diverse celebration of local and international LGBTQ+ communities, through a lineup of exhibitions, installations, talks, dazzling performances, captivating cultural events and more. Over 5000 movers, shakers and makers are involved, from both overseas and closer to home. One of this year's highlights is major project Queer Unsettled, with its own program deep-diving into themes of colonisation. Unearth stories of queer Iranian life in The Sky After Rain, celebrate Indigenous femmes through Famili's mix of movement and music, and discover a Chinese New Year party complete with some very special Thai drag guests at Melbourne Museum's Nocturnal x Midsumma: Lunar New Year Disco. Midsumma Carnival kicks the whole thing off on January 20 with over 110,000 revellers expected to head to Alexandra Gardens for the free party, while the famed Midsumma Pride March hits St Kilda on February 2, wrapping up with a rollicking after party on the foreshore of Catani Gardens. [caption id="attachment_626875" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nocturnal at Melbourne Museum[/caption] Midsumma 2020 also features return appearances from a slew of fan favourites, including Midsumma Extravaganza — this time, showcasing legends like Kirsty Webeck, Tom Ballard, Bob Downe, Dolly Diamond and Drag Race Thailand's Pangina Heals — and the renowned Midsumma and Australia Post Art Award exhibition. The Queer Playwriting Award Showcase will feature works from four Aussie finalists and a two-night festival of queer music Power will take over Chapel on Chapel. Such a big, wide-ranging program calls for more than just one festival hub and indeed, this year there are seven: Theatre Works, Hare Hole, Arts Centre Melbourne, Gasworks Arts Park and Chapel Off Chapel, with special family programs at The Melba Spiegeltent and Midsumma Westside. Midsumma Festival will run at venues across the city from Sunday, January 19, to Sunday, February 9, 2020. You can check out the full program on the website. Images: Midsumma Carnival by Jackson Grant
Scienceworks is probably number one on your list if you want to discover things, with it being chockablock full of cool facts and interactive displays about science, technology, health and just general stuff. The museum is also hosting its AstroLight Festival this Saturday, September 8, which is perfect for everyone from wannabe astronomers to those who just really like Star Wars. Throughout the evening, scientists, astronomers and artists will present talks, performances and hands-on activities in every nook and cranny of the museum and its grounds. Learn about how Australia's First Nations people incorporate the night sky into their storytelling traditions from Kamilaroi woman Krystal De Napoli, take an astronomy photography class for beginners or sink into one of the Planetarium's comfy seats for an immersive space show. Of course, there will also be stargazing if the weather is good. Plus, a bar, cafe and food trucks will cater your night sky discovery journey.
Almost every bakery in town is spruiking their limited-time Easter creations, so making the best choice for your long weekend won't be easy. If you're weighing up the (many, many) options, just know that Penny for Pound has years of form in this area, having served up in-demand hot cross buns to huge fanfare for nearly a decade. However, in 2025, the bakery is taking things up a notch, with a full range of limited-time goods on its Easter lineup. Hot cross bun fanatics will be happy to know that Penny for Pound's sought-after versions will be available until April 20. There are a two flavours on offer: a dressed-up take on the classic which sees earl-grey soaked raisins, currants and sultanas elegantly balanced with orange zest and cinnamon and a triple-chocolate bun that packs decadent dark chocolate chunks into every bite. But the fun begins with Penny for Pound's new Easter inventions — the hot cross-ant and the hot cross cinnamon scroll. For the former, co-owners Matilda Smith and Ben Wilson put their clever and creative heads together to create a genius mash-up, where flaky croissant meets classic hot cross bun flavours. Filled with cinnamon, orange-spiced almond frangipane and the traditional fruit, these treats are available fresh in-store or as convenient bake-at-home frozen packs. Plus, they're topped with the classic Easter cross. Meanwhile, the hot cross cinnamon scroll features a light, fluffy scroll dough infused with spiced brown sugar, cinnamon and plump sultanas. Glazed with vanilla sour cream and topped with a cinnamon cross, these special edition baked goods are bound to give your Easter long weekend a sweet lift. Founded in 2018, Smith and Wilson have expanded beyond Penny for Pound's original Richmond location, with bakeries now thriving in Camberwell and Moorabbin. Renowned for its intricate and inventive cakes and handcrafted baked goods, the bakery has become a go-to for pastry fans seeking a sweet, flaky bite to kickstart their weekday morning or weekend ritual. Penny for Pound's limited-time Easter treats are available in-store until April 20 at Richmond, Camberwell and Moorabbin locations. Head to the bakery's website for more information.
Sunny al fresco spaces are hot property coming out of lockdown, so there's never been a better time for waterfront pop-up Pétanque Social to make its anticipated return for 2021–22. Joining Crown Melbourne's riverside precinct from November 5 till the end of autumn, the open-air bar is inspired by the Tuscan countryside this year. While there'll be none of the namesake pétanque as part of this new incarnation, there will be lots of red cushioned day beds to unwind on, plenty of terracotta hues and a striking mural by local artist Melina McGough. Here, you can kick back on cushy communal lounges and pretend you've been whisked far from home, as you sip summery cocktails and ice-cold brews, and listen to the roster of live DJs. Meanwhile, snacks rule the food offering, which celebrates some of Crown's best-loved kitchens — expect everything from Nobu's wagyu taco to 400 Gradi's famed pizza. The bar's also showing off a renewed focus on sustainability this year, with an onsite kitchen garden, a rainwater collection system, solar panels and a series of 'energy bikes' that allow guests to charge their phone batteries using pedal power. Pétanque Social will launch on Friday, November 5, opening from 4–11pm Thursdays, and 12–11pm Friday–Sunday.
For wannabe wizards and witches, the most magical place in Australia right now is located in Victoria. After boasting the country's only run of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, then playing host to a natural history exhibition based on the Fantastic Beasts films, the state is now temporarily home to a new Harry Potter-themed experience. This time, you can walk around an illuminated woodland filled with nods to the Wizarding World, with Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience finally arriving Down Under. Accio joy, clearly. Think: Lightscape, which is returning to Melbourne in 2024, but all about the world that's sprung up around the Boy Who Lived on the page, screen and stage. So, with Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience taking over The Briars Community Forest in Mount Martha until mid-July, attendees can enjoy a nighttime stroll an hour out of Melbourne. Entering the Forbidden Forest is clearly the big attraction, as lit up with dazzling lights, all while also spying creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies. A hippogriff features, as do nifflers and unicorns. You also have the chance to pose for a photo mid-wand duel, and to summon up a patronus spell as well. Accordingly, visitors here aren't surrounded by all things Wizarding World after dark in a forest; they can be join in like every aspiring Hogwarts student has always wanted to. Sounds and special effects also help bring the experience to life, as aided by award-winning behind-the-scenes folks. Expect to spend around 90 minutes being immersed in the all-ages event — plus however long you need at the onsite shop afterwards buying merchandise. That's part of the village at the end of the trail, where you'll also be able to grab a bite and something to drink. Wands crossed for butterbeer, obviously. Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience has hit Australia after seasons in the UK, Europe, the US and Singapore, with Warner Bros behind it just like the films and upcoming Harry Potter TV series.
Founded in Helsinki in 1951, Marimekko has since become one of the world's most beloved design houses. Alongside many likeminded businesses, the brand's Melbourne outlet is located on Chapel Street, where you can explore a bold collection of timeless textiles, clothing, accessories and homewares. Sprawling across 200 square metres of space, Marimekko is a stylish maze of bright items that have been designed specifically to give your home a comfortable atmosphere. If you need another incentive to take a peek, most of Marimekko's range is sustainably produced from ethically sourced materials. Images: Parker Blain.
This Just in: Beachside beauty Pipi's Kiosk is setting up a second outpost this summer; however, it's not sticking around for long. Open now until the end of February, Pipi's North is bringing the team's signature seafood offering all the way to Fitzroy. Pipi's Kiosk is a hidden gem along Melbourne's generally underutilised foreshore. The picturesque restaurant, which sits unassumingly on the Albert Park waterfront adjacent to Kerferd Road Pier, is changing the way Melburnians perceive seaside dining — for the better. Self-described as a contemporary Australian Kiosk, the refined beachside diner is the work of co-owners Jordan Clay and Tom Hunter, both with decades of hospitality experience. Now Hunter (Director and Head Sommelier) and Clay (Executive Chef) will take over the former Alta Trattoria site on Brunswick Street, bringing a taste of the seaside to the North. Inspired by the sun-soaked tapas bars of the Basque Coast, the relaxed space will serve snacky bites made for easygoing sharing. Pipi's Kiosk Head Chef will join the pop-up, bringing with him his sensible approach to sustainable Australian seafood. The seafood-focused sharing menu features a few of Pipi's favourites, including the flatbread and salt-and-pepper squid. You'll also find moreish mouthfuls, such as mini crab crumpets, prawn tempura, and swordfish belly skewers, alongside more substantial offerings, such as a fresh seafood tower. While seafood may take centre stage, drinks are certainly no afterthought. Hunter has curated a concise, approachable list of small-batch Australian producers. Don't miss the Salty Sips special, which includes 30ml samples of coastal-inspired delights such as Laphroaig and oyster shots, tomato leaf spirit, and Pipi's Seaside Salad Gin with Fino sherry. Head to the pop-up for its Half Shucked Happy Hour, available from 4 to 6pm daily, featuring $4 oysters, $16 Melbourne Bitter long necks, and $50 half bottles of wine. "We're looking to bring some seaside vibes north of the river over summertime – hot nights, cold drinks and lots of fresh seafood. Pipis North is relaxed, fun and very much about popping in for a drink and a bite – whether that's a quick skewer and oyster or settling in for the night." Images: Supplied. Pipi's North will run from Saturday, January 17, until the end of February. It will be open from Wednesday to Friday from 4pm until late, and from Midday on the weekends. Check out the best seafood restaurants in Melbourne while the sun is still shining.
A fun-loving new contender has crashed Melbourne's pastry scene and it's out to woo the sweet-toothed masses with its plant-based treats, party-ready attitude and late-night hours. Fittingly dubbed Weirdoughs, the CBD spot has quite the crew behind it, marking a collaboration between the co-founders of legendary vegan fast food joint Lord of The Fries, Mark Koronczyk, Amanda Walker and Sam Koronczyk, and the two brothers — Mark and Attil Filippelli — who brought you fellow plant-based heroes Matcha Mylkbar and Mark & Vinny's. One-hundred-percent vegan, with a clear appetite for fun, Weirdoughs has set up shop on Flinders Lane, its fit-out of psychedelic colours and novelty mirrors heralding good times every day. The store's even open until the wee hours on Fridays and Saturdays, with DJs serving up a sparkly mix of hip hop and electronica to match. Here, the pastries are all about teaming traditional technique with innovative flair. The kitchen, helmed by former Vue Group Executive Pastry Chef Kane Neal, is out to smash those preconceptions and prove that butter's no longer a necessity for flavour-packed baked goods. It's swapping out the dairy for a special blend of cashew, macadamia and coconut oil. By day, expect a selection of sweet and savoury creations, like a custard 'Weirdoughnut', oozing golden turmeric custard and smothered in rhubarb sherbet sugar, a cube-shaped take on the croissant and even an all-vegan version of the humble ham and cheese croissant. Meanwhile, catering to Melbourne's weirdest and most wonderful late-night cravings, Weirdough's After Dark menu features left-field bites like an Aperol spritz doughnut with champagne custard, blood orange sugar and popping candy, and a rotation of 'Weird-I-Screams', that'll see croissant cones filled with some very unlikely flavours. The drinks list is equally unapologetic, with the likes of flavoured chais, fudgy cacao hot chocolates infused with peanut butter, and a special St Ali coffee blend designed specifically for dairy-free milk. Find Weirdoughs at 241 Flinders Lane, Melbourne from November 14. It's open 7am–4pm Monday to Friday and 8am–2pm Saturday and Sunday. Weirdoughs After Dark is open from sunset till late on Friday and Saturday. Images: Kate Shanasy.
When St Kilda's Prince Public Bar reopened its doors in January, showing off an impressive, multi-faceted makeover, its adjoining boutique wine bar Little Prince Wine was expected to follow suit and launch fairly soon afterwards. Of course, that was before 2020 did its thing, putting plans on hold and serving up roadblocks left, right and centre. But now, this final piece of The Prince Hotel's four-year refurbishment has finally made its proper debut. After operating as a takeaway coffee bar, grocer and wine store during lockdown 2.0, Little Prince Wine is now living its best life, as a sophisticated wine bar and cellar with a European edge. Look for the bright green awning on Acland Street and enter to find a chic space filled with custom zinc-and-timber communal tables and bottles from a 4000-strong wine collection lining the walls. Curated over the space of a decade by The Prince Hotel sommelier Laurent Rospars, it's an impressive range featuring plenty of rare and hard-to-find drops sourced from both near and far. [caption id="attachment_789778" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jana Langhorst[/caption] The snacking situation is equally grand, headlined by a deli cabinet heaving with cheese and charcuterie options. There is a menu of Euro-style small bites and drinking fare for grazing as you sip your way through the wine list. And one floor down, a moody underground cellar space is available to book out for private dinners. Little Prince Wine's lockdown-era bottle shop and grocery offering will remain, with a range of booze, deli items, gourmet groceries and ready-to-heat meals available both for takeaway and delivery through Providoor. Find Little Prince Wine at 2 Acland Street, St Kilda. It's open from 11am until late daily Images: Jana Langhorst
