It's been eight years since Trevor and Steve Simmons launched their first Industry Beans coffee roastery and cafe in the backstreets of Fitzroy. It would quickly become a landmark of Australia's coffee scene, growing to encompass a seven-strong stable of venues across Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. In 2021, the brand embraced one of its biggest changes yet, moving from its OG northside digs to a grander space just around the corner, accessed via Westgarth Street. The current site boasts extra room to house an expanded offering — complete with a larger dining space, onsite coffee roastery and dedicated retail area. Guests are greeted with a fitout that fuses familiar Industry Beans elements with some new, modern twists. Similarly, the ever-innovative coffee menu features a mix of signature favourites like the Fitzroy Street blend alongside new seasonal creations to enjoy with the roaster's top-notch rotation of caffeinated delights. There are also variations of iced drinks on offer, including the bubble coffee range — which features coffee-soaked tapioca pearls. Or, you can take your pick from a range of teas and juices. For a bite to eat, you can opt to pair something light with the sip of your choice — the honeyseed slice and peanut butter brownie are house-baked Fitzroy specials, and the winter sponge combines the limited-edition coffee blend with dessert for a seasonally-inspired sweet treat. For a heftier selection, peruse the all-day dining menu. Think house-made golden granola with rosewater-compressed watermelon, a pandan bubble waffle with blueberry gelato or the chilli barramundi folded eggs paired with coffee togarashi. Or, for a more experimental lunch, try the coffee-rubbed wagyu burger. You can also opt for the evergreen omelette, buckwheat and broccolini bowl or the basil and truffle gnocchi for more familiar dishes. Pair your meal with a side of polenta chips or an heirloom tomato salad and you've secured yourself a delicious meal. Plus, you can head home with an Industry Beans blend of your own or coffee equipment for your home brewing if you're ready to splash some extra cash at the end of your visit. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Coffee in Melbourne
We all know that video piracy is a crime and that we should pay for the music we are listening, too, but just how far we have come from 20th-century entertainment is not always present in our minds. Enter photographer Julia Solis and her new book Stages of Decay — a feat that took her across Europe and the US over a period of years to document over 100 disused and dilapidated theatres that once housed The Who, witnessed the cinematic events of their eras and were symbols of popular culture, cultural hubs and signifiers of Western affluence. The images tiptoe along that enticing line between nostalgia, beauty, decay — actually it is all very Tintern Abbey — and all those butterfly feelings that come up when we dream of days long gone. Solis sees the images as more experiential, as she told Flavorwire: "You want a one-on-one encounter with it, to open secret closets and fondle plaster and play with rusted machinery without your parents' interference. In a society that's increasingly controlled, monitored and publicised, a wild space like that can't help but have an incredible allure." Be sure to note the cars parked underneath the ornate ceiling of the old Michigan Theatre, and for the trivia buffs, it is now the parking lot for the new cinema. Circle of life?
After eight years in business, Footscray's Hop Nation Brewing Co is giving its taproom a major makeover. The new space, which opens on Thursday, September 28, will feature a spacious open-plan brewhouse, room for events with up to 50 people and a new purpose-built kitchen helmed by ex-Figlia Pizzeria chef Alex Addams Williams. Called Good Pizza, the kitchen will focus on woodfired pizzas using a long-ferment dough process, with both thin and thick crust options available. Addams Williams and Hop Nation encourage you to get creative with your order, as they reckon that everyone has their own idea of a "good pizza" — so loading up with wild ingredients isn't frowned upon, but actually encouraged (just please leave the pineapple on pizza debate in 2012 where it belongs). Hop Nation closed its doors on Sunday, August 27 to allow for the renovation — but fans of the Hop needn't fret, as it is still around for takeaways in the interim. The revamp itself is being handled by Studio Y, with "Brooklyn warehouse-meets-Melbourne brewery" the ultimate vision. The made-over taproom will have 17 beers on tap, including seasonal brews such as Grapefruit West Coast IPA and Guava, Dragon Fruit & Toasted Coconut sour, as well as a few hard seltzers. Punters can also enjoy the newly released Footscray Draft, created to pay image to the brewery's home suburb. And of course, the full Hop Nation core range will also be available. Hop Nation's revamped taproom will also host a number of events, including a party on the AFL Grand Final (which falls nicely on opening weekend). Footy fans needn't worry about a subpar viewing experience either, as the game will be projected onto the walls. Other events to look forward to include a Oktoberfest-style shindig that will feature three European-style beers, such as a limited release Kellerbier and Czech pilsner. Regular events span new limited-release beers on tap every fortnight and "Hoppy Hour" drinks every Thursday and Friday from 3–6pm. "We can't wait to welcome our neighbours, beer lovers and pizza aficionados to the newly renovated Hop Nation Taproom for some good pizza, good times and obviously some damn good Hop Nation beer," says co-founder Sam Hambour. Hop Nation was founded by two former winemakers, Duncan Gibson and the aforementioned Hambour, with the pair releasing their first beer in 2015. When the brand took over a brewing site in Mornington in 2020, too, it created more room for renovations to occur in the Footscray taproom. Find Hop Nation Brewing Co at Unit 6/107–109 Whitehall Street, Footscray. It will reopen on Thursday, September 28, operating 3–9.30pm Thursday–Sunday
UPDATE Tuesday, July 20: Yarra Valley visits are off the cards for now, but you can get a taste of the region delivered to your door with Rochford Wines' lineup of covetable hampers. There are booze packs, cheese-and-charcuterie kits, and at-home feasting options galore — including a three-course dinner starring hickory-smoked beef ribs and a bottle of Rochford wine. Melbourne deliveries will arrive within two business days of placing your order, which you can do here. For more details on Victoria's current restrictions, see the Department of Health and Human Services website. Arguably one of the Yarra Valley's best-known wineries, Rochford boasts a stunning lakeside cellar door, restaurant and some seriously great pizza. The rolling green expanse of the property is pretty much heaven for greenery-seeking humans and their pups (the winery is dog friendly). If you visit earlier in the year during the harvest, you can go on a guided tour of the vineyard, sampling the as-yet unharvested grapes straight from the vines or head straight to final produce at the cellar door where you can sample the vintages before settling on your take-home bottle or, for a more relaxed experience, set yourself up with a tasting flight at the on-site Isabella's Restaurant. Opt for some charcuterie including nduja, fennel and garlic salami or the terrine with rhubarb jam to pair, or if hunger has truly set in, go for one of the medium, large or 'enormous' dishes, each offered with the sommelier's wine recommendation. What's suggested? Can you really go past a 16-hour oyster blade of beef with the 2017 single vineyard 'Garrigue' Heathcote syrah or the saffron and orange-glazed chicken with the 2017 single vineyard 'Dans les Bois' chardonnay — both of which we're sure your pooch will enjoy a scrap or two from. If you'd prefer pizza though, head over to Il Vigneto, which is located on the Rochford property. Here, it's all about the dreamy, authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas and top-notch serves of pasta. A range of antipasto, sides, desserts and cocktails rounds out the fun.
If you spent a few days this winter attending a Twin Peaks-inspired ball and seeing a giant teddy bear with laser eyes — watching a stunning new take on Dante's classic examination of hell, purgatory and paradise, too — then you went to Dark Mofo's 2023 run. Organised by Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, the winter arts festival fills Hobart with all manner of weird and wild surprises every year. In 2024, however, it's pausing its usual sprawling event to plan for the future. The fest's team has announced that it'll largely sit out next year, after celebrating its tenth year this year. Apart from its beloved Winter Feast and Nude Solstice Swim, Dark Mofo will take a break in 2024 in order to work out what the next decade looks like for the fest. "Dark Mofo has always been dedicated to enriching and transforming lives through ambitious art and ideas. We want to make sure that we have a festival that continues to deliver incredible art and artists, that continues to expand its artistic boundaries and remains a beacon of creativity, innovation and cultural significance," said Dark Mofo Artistic Director Chris Twite. "While this was a tough decision, it ensures we move forward in a viable manner. The fallow year will enable us to secure the future of Dark Mofo and its return at full force in 2025." The moves comes after a hit year that saw Dark Mofo smash it with attendances and at the box office — notching up record figures, in fact. Despite the most event's success, the crew behind it will now work towards "a more sustainable model for a full return in 2025, and set the foundation for the next ten years", taking rising costs and other changing elements into consideration. So, no full Dark Mofo is the not-so-great development for your winter 2024 plans. That the culinary-focused Winter Feast and the frosty Nude Solstice Swim will still take place next year even without the broader festival around it is better news. "We are excited that in June 2024 — amidst the rebirth and renewal of Dark Mofo — that Tasmanians and visitors alike will still be able to meet and commune around the fires of Winter Feast and cast off the weight of another year at the Nude Solstice Swim once more," said Twite. This year's Winter Feast was headlined by Chef's Table alum Ana Roš from two-Michelin-starred Hiša Franko, cooking up fare inspired by her homeland but made with Tasmania's top seasonal produce with help from The Agrarian Kitchen's Stephen Peak and Rodney Dunn. Exact details for the 2024 food-centric event, and for the next chance to bare all and brave the cold while taking a dip, are yet to be announced. Dark Mofo won't take place in 2024 — apart from the Winter Feast and Nude Solstice Swim — with plans to return in full from 2025 onwards in Hobart, Tasmania instead. Head to the festival's website for further details. Winter feast images: Jesse Hunniford, 2023, courtesy of Dark Mofo 2023. Nude Solstice Swim images: Rémi Chauvin, 2023, courtesy of Dark Mofo 2023.
This August, Melbourne's iconic Fed Square is shaking up its usual offering to deliver a dazzling program packed full of installations, activities and one-off events as part of its first Anything But Square Festival. One of these will see guests embark on a futuristic bunker feasting adventure, dubbed Sensory Underground. This mysterious dinner is being hosted by modern Japanese favourite Tokyo Tina across a series of 90-minute sittings from July 31 to August 11. And it will be anything but normal. First, you'll enter the space through Platform 13 at Flinders Street Station and make your way through to an unforgettable subterranean space deep below Fed Square. There, you'll be served up a four-course dinner, with each future-leaning dish inspired by current food forecasts for the year 2045, crafted around sustainable food practices, minimal energy use and seasonal, local produce. Think casual dining crossed with Blade Runner. While you're tucking into your innovative feast, you'll also be treated to a program of multisensory experiences, from some of Melbourne's hottest creative talent no less. There'll be lighting installations by artist Kit Webster, virtual reality elements from PHORIA Studio's Trent Clews-de Castella and Joseph Purdam, and visual delights from the team at Studio SPGD. Tickets to the dinners clock in at $120, including food, a welcome drink and all that sensory fun. Sessions will run at 6.30pm and 8.30pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and at 6pm, pm and 9.45pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Situated amid South Melbourne's renowned Coventry Street shopping precinct, Pomegranate by Mr Darcy is one of the most-loved stores on the strip and has been providing visitors with homewares and gifts since 1999. Close by the famous South Melbourne Market and surrounded by restaurants, Pomegranate hosts a wealth of charming products that reflect the store's vibrant sense of travel, excitement and hidden possibilities. Once you've checked out Pomegranate by Mr Darcy, head further along Coventry Street and you'll soon come across the ladies' clothing and accessories of Mr Darcy, while Little Darcy showcases the brand's range for children. Images: Tracey Ahkee.
If you indulge in a little dog-spotting when wandering the streets, it won't be long until a greyhound, aka the longest of long boys, crosses your gaze. That's in no small part due to the Greyhound Adoption Program's (GAP) enduring work, with the organisation now gearing up to celebrate its 30th birthday. Taking over the Abbotsford Convent from 8am on Monday, March 16, this major milestone honours all those who have adopted, fostered, volunteered or just followed the work of the Greyhound Adoption Program over the years. For those heading along to this free event, expect meet-and-greets with GAP greyhounds and the chance to mingle with fellow long boy lovers. Meanwhile, Nova 100's Street Team will be elevating the moment with live music and giveaways. Alongside coffee, treats and activities for the whole family, there's one more happening worth sticking around for. That'd be a much-loved Aussie TV personality adopting GAP's 20,000th greyhound — a fitting landmark as you navigate the many long noses and wagging tails in attendance.
In Love Lies Bleeding, a craggy ravine just outside a dusty New Mexico town beckons, ready to swallow sordid secrets in the dark of the desert's starry night. Tumbling into it, a car explodes in flames partway through the movie, exactly as the person pushing it in wants it to. There's the experience of watching Rose Glass' sophomore film emblazoned across the feature's very frames. After the expertly unsettling Saint Maud, the British writer/director returns with a second psychological horror, this time starring Kristen Stewart in the latest of her exceptionally chosen post-Twilight roles (see: Crimes of the Future, Spencer, Happiest Season, Lizzie, Personal Shopper, Certain Women and Clouds of Sils Maria). An 80s-set queer and sensual tale of love, lust, blood and violence, Love Lies Bleeding is as inkily alluring as the gorge that's pivotal to its plot, and as fiery as the inferno that swells from the canyon's depths. This neon-lit, synth-scored neo-noir thriller scorches, too — and burns so brightly that there's no escaping its glow. When the words "you have to see it to believe it" also grace Love Lies Bleeding — diving into gyms and in the bodybuilding world, it's no stranger to motivational statements such as "no pain no gain", "destiny is a decision" and "the body achieves what the mind believes" — they help sum up this wild cinematic ride as well. Glass co-scripts here with Weronika Tofilska (they each previously penned and helmed segments of 2015's A Moment in Horror), but her features feel like the result of specific, singular and searing visions that aren't afraid to swerve and veer boldly and committedly to weave their stories and leave an imprint. Accordingly, Love Lies Bleeding is indeed a romance, a crime flick and a revenge quest. It's about lovers on the run and intergenerational griminess. It rages against the machine. It's erotic, a road trip and unashamedly pulpy. It also takes the concept of strong female leads to a place that nothing else has, and you do need to witness it to fathom it. Stewart is Love Lies Bleeding's shaggy mullet-wearing heartthrob, a surly and oft-silent type who knows what she wants and doesn't. In the first category for the gym-managing Lou: a life free of abuse for her sister Beth (Jena Malone, Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire), who has scuzzy and vicious husband JJ (Dave Franco, Day Shift) lurking about; nothing to do with the shooting range-owning, gun-running, insect-obsessed, ponytailed Lou Sr (the scene-stealing Ed Harris, Top Gun: Maverick); and, from when she first sets eyes on her, muscular and permed out-of-towner Jackie (Katy O'Brian, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania). It's 1989, Lou is unwilling to be anyone but herself — iron-pumping patrons try and fail to insult her with "grade-a dyke" — and she's also introduced knowing how to clean up a mess and navigate amorous complications. Glass initially finds one of her protagonists with a hand deep in a backed-up toilet, and with local hang-about and past fling Daisy (Anna Baryshnikov, Dickinson) pleading for a date. More muck and more relationship chaos are in store for both Lou and for Love Lies Bleeding. Breezing in en route to a bodybuilding championship in Las Vegas, Jackie reciprocates her affections, then moves into her house — but the day before they meet, she's sleeping with JJ for a job at Lou Sr's. That's just some of the shit, metaphorical rather than literal, that Lou will have to get more than elbow-deep in. The FBI agents hovering around asking questions fall into the same camp. Alongside gleefully subverting the usual take on powerful women characters on-screen, Glass carves into idyllic perceptions of love. Love Lies Bleeding's central romance is urgent, instant, sweaty and horny, and also opportunistic, perilous and thorny. The idea that discovering your special someone is transformative also receives a stunning spin, and far beyond the fact that bulging biceps and doing everything on steroids — sometimes literally there — are rarely far from returning Saint Maud cinematographer Ben Fordesman's lens. It isn't merely Glass, Fordesman, editor Mark Towns (another Saint Maud alum), composer Clint Mansell (Sharper) and the meticulous team of sound designers who go all in on crafting Lou and Jackie's plight as an evocatively visceral and squelchy fever dream, heated sex scenes, an onslaught of gore and brutality, and an eagerness to get weird all included. Almost every time that she rolls out a new performance, Stewart is in never-better form again and again, which is true once more in this phenomenal portrayal. The anxiety, tension and vulnerability that's pulsating through Lou is evident in a look, a line reading and posture alone, as is determination, devotion, grit and complexity. Stewart masters something that's only matched by the electric O'Brian, as Glass demands: mesmerising viewers, and making them fall as head over heels for this chemistry-dripping pair and the movie they're in as they do with each other. For O'Brian, who also has The Mandalorian and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as well as Westworld and The Walking Dead on her resume, has studied martial arts since childhood, takes part in bodybuilding contests off-screen and was previously a cop, it's a star-making, can't-look-away turn. Add obsession to the forces pumping ravenously through Love Lies Bleeding, which befits its filmmaker; this isn't her first picture about transformation and connection. The links between Saint Maud and Love Lies Bleeding mirror Lou and Jackie, with the two duos as much kindred spirits as opposites. Glass relishes the magnetic clash, then revels in it. What it truly means to change, and why, and the motivations to try; attempting to abandon old and forge new habits; what a person can and can't find in another; where faith and trust kick in: they all throb through both flicks. But jumping from a claustrophobic British setting to the expansive American west, plus from ailing bodies to musclebound figures, is also Glass' journey. Contrasts abound within Love Lies Bleeding itself, which is intimate but sprawling, raw and tender, sweet and savage, gets love and sex butting heads with carnage and death, grim but blackly comedic, and also dark and distressing yet swoonworthy and romantic. In her two features so far — a helluva debut, then this astounding follow-up — Glass has also proven herself a builder, but not of the bodies that her second movie peers at with as female a gaze that cinema is capable of. There's no watching Love Lies Bleeding and not spying its influences, as was the case with Saint Maud. That said, that both take those inspirations as foundations to construct something else entirely is equally inescapable. These are no one's copies. True Romance, Wild at Heart, Lost Highway, Thelma & Louise, Showgirls, Badlands, Paris, Texas, Raising Arizona, Bonnie & Clyde, Natural Born Killers: consider them all Love Lies Bleeding's siblings. So are Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive, Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon, as spied in the intoxicating hues that dance across the screen. Although it similarly only reached cinemas in 2024, Ethan Coen's Drive-Away Dolls would make a glorious double with one of the standout movies of the year. For a burning, bulging, blistering and brilliant plunge into filmmaking at its most exhilarating, however, Love Lies Bleeding stands and shines fiercely atop its own cliff.
The Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance has been working hard to queer up the Australian Open ever since it ran its first Glam Slam tournament in 2019. The team works in partnership with Tennis Australia to bring in LGBTQIA+ tennis players from around the world — providing a safe space for them to compete in their own tournament while also throwing a three-day party. And this year is just as big as ever — with 260 players from around 30 countries participating in the 2025 Glam Slam, which runs from Friday, January 24–Sunday, January 26. Players of all gender identities are welcome to join and play against others with similar skill levels. Moreover, to increase women's participation, the Glam Slam also has a women's division that's open to anyone who identifies as a woman. The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tournament to run an event like this, which actively gives LGBTQIA+ tennis players a space to compete. Sport has traditionally been a space where queer people don't feel safe or included (and that is still the case in many sports), but this event is working hard to challenge that in the world of tennis — by creating a welcoming and inclusive event that's also a heap of fun to attend. Glam Slam Founder Rowen D'Souza commented, "Inclusion can go much further than just raising the pride flag. For an event to be truly inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community, it needs to have our community participate. The Glam Slam does this for the AO." To watch the Glam Slam games, punters simply need to purchase Australian Open ground passes and then find the matches on the outside courts. [caption id="attachment_986024" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grey Goose Courtside Bar[/caption] But it's not just about the competition. There's also a heap of special entertainment running across the three days, which lines up with the AO Pride Day on Friday, January 24. You'll find drag queens and kings, face painting and glam stations, DJ sets, and plenty of rainbow flags around the grounds. From 2pm on Sunday, January 26, you can even drop by the Grey Goose Courtside Bar at Court 6 to watch the Glam Slam finals as well as a celebrity match featuring Luke and Sassy Scott and a bunch of professional players. This is usually a time of the Australian Open when the outside courts are empty — as most games in the final few days are played in the arenas. Letting the Glam Slam team take over these outer courts and the surrounding spaces is a damn great way to use the space and keep the festivities going. The 2025 Glam Slam is running from Friday, January 24–Sunday, January 26, and can be accessed by purchasing Australian Open ground passes. For more information, check out the tournament's website.
You could soon be the proud owner of your very own tram, thanks to the Andrews Government's new Retired Trams Strategy, revealed today. The plan's designed to give the city's old vehicles a new lease on life, allowing Victorians to apply to acquire their own tram for free. Expressions of interest will open on Monday, May 28, and run until July 6. They're not just giving them away to anyone, though — if you're keen to add one of the historic vehicles to your collection, you'll have to explain how you'll plan to restore, repurpose and maintain it, so it's preserved for future generations. Priority will be given to applicants who plan to keep the vehicles accessible to the public and of benefit to the community. The best part is that the trams will be completely free for Victorian community organisations, museums and not-for-profits. But those wanting to use the tram for commercial purposes (like accommodation or hospitality) will need to pay, as will interstate residents. There are 134 W-Class trams (the old rattly green and yellow ones) up for grabs, following a recent careful examination of the state's 237-strong retired fleet. Currently, they're sitting in storage at the Newport Railway Workshop. "Over the years, trams have transported millions of Victorians, connected our communities and are an integral part of our rich heritage," Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan explained. "If they're not going to be used on the network, we want to keep these trams accessible to the community." Expressions of interest can be made via the VicTrack website.
Drive two hours northwest of Melbourne and you'll arrive in the town of Lexton. Perched in Victoria's Pyrenees region, this tiny township is surrounded by outstanding wineries and outdoor adventures, ensuring a visit here will be jam-packed with unforgettable experiences that'll live long in the memory. Whether you prefer to roam grand pictorial gardens or scale the Pyrenees mountains, finding the experience you crave is almost guaranteed. To give you a head start, we've teamed up with Wild Turkey to highlight the activities that'll keep the good times flowing for you and your crew on your next out-of-town adventure. [caption id="attachment_846008" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arianna Leggiero[/caption] STAY IN A CONVERTED CHURCH Considering the immense beauty of Victoria's Pyrenees, booking yourself into some suitably snug accommodation is the best way to spend the night. Arguably the top spot in the area is Grayling's Gift, an immaculate 19th century church rejuvenated with luxurious furnishings and amenities. Inside, the antique decor includes an elegant clawfoot bathtub, a vintage chesterfield lounge and a wood fireplace that elevates the cosiness factor to the extreme. While breakfast is provided during your stay, there's also a compact kitchen to use — we suggest using it to put together a grazing platter with local produce to enjoy during a star-gazing session in the expansive fields on your doorstep. [caption id="attachment_844023" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elliot Kramer[/caption] TREK THROUGH THE RAINFOREST Situated on the edge of the Great Dividing Range, Lexton is home to mind-boggling natural beauty. To experience the variety of landscapes in one place, a 30-minute drive to Mount Buangor State Park is your best bet. With its 15 kilometres of interconnected trails, this is the place to explore mountain peaks or delve deeper into the valley floor. If you're looking for a low-intensity hike, the Waterfalls Nature Walk trail should be at the top of your to-do list. Taking just 45 minutes to complete, this return journey sees hikers wander through blue gum forests on their way past three waterfalls, including the stunning Ferntree Falls and the Cascade Falls. [caption id="attachment_844026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] EXPLORE WINE COUNTRY It might seem a little on the nose, but this part of Victoria does indeed get its name from the Pyrenees region stretching between France and Spain. Our Pyrenees wine region dates back to the 1960s, so expect your visit to this thriving food and wine country to be overflowing with delicious flavours. More than 40 cellar doors provide ample opportunity to sample the local varieties, and Blue Pyrenees Estate is considered one of the best. Head to this sprawling estate on the outskirts of Avoca for tasting tours and a refined cafe that overlooks the vineyard. In nearby Moonambel, Summerfield Wines offers an equally delectable experience, featuring world-class vino and woodfired pizzas. ROAM HISTORICAL GARDENS AND HARVEST FRESH PRODUCE Despite its location in the heart of the Goldfields region, Lexton didn't quite have the same luck as its neighbours when it came to buried treasure. However, that didn't stop several great estates from being established in the area. For example, the Mount Mitchell Homestead serves as a lasting symbol of Victoria's pre-federation history. Founded in 1838, this sprawling home offers ten acres of pristine gardens from which to admire the Pyrenees Mountains that rise to the west. Stop in to stroll through the beautiful gardens and working farm, where you can pick up fresh produce like eggs from the resident hens, catch yabbies and fish from the property's lake and pick your own fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs from the orchard and kitchen garden. [caption id="attachment_844028" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt (Flickr)[/caption] HIT UP PARMA PALACE When you roll into any country town, a good pub meal is often one of the first things to seek out. Lexton's Pyrenees Family Hotel isn't afraid to put its reputation on the line, with the self-appointed nickname of the 'Parma Palace'. There are 12 plate-sized varieties of the pub classic to choose from here, with each one bound to leave you very satisfied. The pub also features the hallmarks of any classic country pub: there's a top-notch beer garden where you can enjoy a crisp lager beneath the shade of a mulberry tree, a pool room and jukebox. Plus, if you stop by on a Friday night you can even try your luck at winning a meat tray. [caption id="attachment_844031" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elliot Kramer[/caption] TEST YOUR BUSHWALKING SKILLS There's stellar bushwalking to be found all over the Pyrenees region, but you can quickly access some of the best with a short drive to Beaufort. Here, you'll find the challenging Ben Nevis Walk – a 9.6-kilometre circuit that kicks off with a seriously steep climb up an old 4WD track. As the terrain levels out, you'll have the energy to admire the wildflowers and panoramic views that adorn this landscape. Although this adventure will definitely put even the fittest bushwalkers through their paces, the views from the peak make this journey supremely worthwhile. [caption id="attachment_844032" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Francesco Vicenzi (Flickr)[/caption] EXPERIENCE A NEXT-LEVEL BUSH DOOF Bush doofs don't come much bigger, or more colourful, than the annual Rainbow Serpent Festival. Launched in 1998 in the dusty fields surrounding Lexton, this hedonistic playground presents a global showcase of electronic music, ranging from psytrance to minimal techno. With the pandemic and bushfires quashing recent years, a return is on the cards for Easter 2023. Alongside the mind-melting tunes and sparkling outfits, the festival invites you to explore your spiritual side through immersive art installations, workshops and otherworldly experiences. If that sounds up your alley, get your pals together for a metaphysical reawakening. Just be sure to take a few days off to guarantee your recovery. Find out more about Wild Turkey's Discovery Series at the website. Top image: Elliot Kramer
If your New Year's resolution for 2026 is to travel more, your ideal excuse to stop wishing, dreaming and romanticising and to start planning, booking and doing is right here. If you're hankering for an adventure in Asia or an oceanic paradise, or even a luxe staycation here in Australia, IHG Hotels is offering the discount you need to turn inspiration into action. The 'Your Year of Travel' sale, which is on now until Wednesday, February 4, is offering a 20% discount on bookings made directly on IHG channels (and 25% for IHG One Members) for stays at more than 270 participating hotels until Monday, August 31. Said participating hotels include Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental, Vignette, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, voco hotels, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Garner hotels across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Micronesia, Southeast Asia, South Korea, and the Pacific Islands. So, by the time autumn rolls around and brings its typical cold and wetter weather to Australia, you could be jetting off to chase the warmth by the sea in Fiji, Koh Samui or The Maldives, getting a cultural fix in Osaka or Japan's tropical Okinawa Islands, travelling with your tastebuds in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore — or just enjoying a luxurious stay in your home city if you can't quite afford the flights just yet. If you're not already an IHG One Member, this might be the ideal time to sign up. New members receive 500 points on registration, add that to the 25% discount on bookings during the sale period, and the math checks out for maximising the value on a maximum-relaxation holiday. IHG Hotels 'Your Year of Travel' sale runs from now until Wednesday, February 4, on bookings for select hotels and stays up until Monday, August 31. T&Cs apply, visit the website for more information. Images courtesy of IHG Hotels.
Victoria's newest luxury spa destination doesn't require a jaunt down the coast or a road trip all the way out to Daylesford. In fact, full-body bliss now awaits you just 10 kilometres from the CBD, at Ivanhoe's new urban retreat and spa Relinque. It's the brainchild of osteopaths Dr Michelle and Dr Adam Wilson, who set out to create a holistic wellness destination specialising in tailored experiences. The space itself is the kind of serene, soothing setting you'll happily escape to for a few hours of indulgence, decked out with modern interiors by Richmond's Studio Tate. Relinque's treatment offering is built on the founders' decades of osteo experience, carefully tuned to help refocus, rebalance and restore that pandemic-weary body. Guests can choose from four signature 'journeys' or treatment packages, sitting at between 80 and 170 minutes of pampering. In the mix, there are body scrubs, massages, hand and foot treatments, wraps and facial therapies, with individualised combinations also available. If you're seeking some additional rejuvenation, you can soak up the benefits of hot and cold contrast therapy here in Melbourne's only privately-owned steam and ice room. The gig involves alternating between a steamy 45-degrees and the frosty temperatures of an ice fountain, to take advantage of the practice's healing, regenerative properties. Products used at the retreat include the full line of organic, botanically-charged products from leading Aussie skincare brand LaGaia, whose experts have personally trained all Relinque staff. And if you'd like to make this your new one-stop wellness shop, there's also a calendar of regular yoga and pilates classes to come. Find Relinque Urban Retreat and Spa at 19 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe.
When your relationship kicks off with a flashed nipple and an injured dog, it clearly doesn't start smoothly. When Colin From Accounts returns for its second season, the romance between Ashley (Harriet Dyer, The Invisible Man) and Gordon (Patrick Brammall, Evil) is set to continue as it began. The titular canine is still a key part of their connection — and they're trying to get him back — but so is couple banter about each others' past, and just the general kind of chaos that rom-coms can bring. It was back in 2022 that Colin From Accounts won audiences over as quickly as a cute pooch, and became one of that year's best new TV shows. When it debuted, Colin From Accounts had everyone bingeing their way through a tale of an awkward but memorable meet-cute, which began when a medical student and a microbrewery owner crossed paths in Sydney, then went from strangers to pet co-owners almost instantly. The series starts dropping its second season from Thursday, May 30 — but this time, however, it will be releasing its episodes weekly on Binge instead of in one batch. If you're new to Colin From Accounts, which won Best Narrative Comedy Series at the 2024 AACTAs and a trio of Logies — Most Outstanding Comedy Program, Most Outstanding Actor and Most Outstanding Actress — in 2023, it's the latest collaboration between real-life couple and No Activity stars Dyer and Brammall. Story-wise, the first season of Colin From Accounts charted what happened after Gordon was distracted by Ashley one otherwise ordinary morning, then accidentally hit a stray dog with his car. The pair took the pooch to receive veterinary treatment, then committed to look after him — and, yes, named him Colin From Accounts — causing their lives to intertwine. In season two, Ashley and Gordon are now living together, which brings its own mess — including the quest to get Colin From Accounts back from his new owners. A heap of fresh faces are joining the series for its second date, such as Celeste Barber (Wellmania), Virginia Gay (Mother and Son), Justin Rosniak (Wolf Like Me), Lynne Porteous (Frayed), John Howard (Bump) and Aunty Donna's Broden Kelly (Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe). Check out the trailer for season two of Colin From Accounts below: Colin From Accounts season two will stream via Binge from Thursday, May 30, 2024. Read our review of season one. Images: Lisa Tomasetti.
When Disney+ made its way into the world back in 2019, it gave viewers — including folks in Australia and New Zealand — access to a huge range of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic movies and shows. What it didn't do is bring Hulu, which the Mouse House owns the majority stake in, to audiences Down Under. And, with Disney+ focused on family-friendly fare, it didn't deliver the kinds of series and films that Hulu screens, either. Hulu still isn't heading our way. But, come Tuesday, February 23, Disney+ is expanding to include a new section that's basically an international equivalent of Hulu. It's called Star and, when it was first announced late in 2020, film and TV fans were advised that it'd screen "an additional 1000 unique titles... in the first year". Wondering exactly what that'll include? Well, now Disney has revealed which series and flicks will be available when Star launches. Prepare to add 159 TV series and 447 movies to your streaming options — with four of those television shows falling into the 'Star Originals' category, meaning that they'll be brand new to viewers Down Under. Three of the four newbies are Hulu shows, too, so if you've been wanting to watch Love, Victor (the spinoff from 2018 movie Love, Simon), Helstrom (which forms part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) or Solar Opposites (an animated sitcom co-created by Rick and Morty's Justin Roiland), then you'll be able to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh-IaEaEdE0 From Star's big list of classics, plenty of titles stand out. Among the film selection, you'll find the Alien, Planet of the Apes, Die Hard and Omen franchises, plus the Predator and Taken flicks as well. And, you can also pick between older movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Fly, Never Been Kissed, Office Space, Pretty Woman and Moulin Rouge, or more recent fare such as Black Swan, Eddie the Eagle, Logan, The Favourite and Jojo Rabbit. A heap of Wes Anderson films, including Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, are also featured. On the television front, you'll be able to binge your way through every episode of Angel, Alias, 24, Felicity, Firefly and Glee — or opt for New Girl, Prison Break, Scandal and The X-Files instead. The list goes on and, like the existing Disney+ range, you'll find a hefty focus on older shows over new titles. Star draws upon Disney's studios, such as Disney Television Studios, FX, 20th Century Studios, 20th Television and Touchstone. And it doesn't everything that Hulu does, because plenty of Hulu's series and films pop up elsewhere Down Under — like The Handmaid's Tale, for instance. That said, it's safe to expect that some of the rights deals that deliver Hulu content to other networks and streaming platforms in Australia and might change after Star's hits, moving where you can catch certain flicks and programs in the process. As you might've already guessed, Disney+'s expansion to include Star comes with a price increase. Australian subscriptions will go up to AU$11.99 per month or AU$119.99 per year, while New Zealand subscriptions will go up to NZ$12.99 per month and $129.99 per year. If you're already a subscriber, the new price won't kick in for six months, though — so whenever your next renewal hits after August 22. Star joins Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, February 23, with Disney+ subscriptions costing AU$11.99 and NZ$12.99 per month or AU$119.99 and NZ$129.99 per year from that date.
If I were to present you with a map and ask you to direct me somewhere, you'd say something along the lines of "Huh? Where's the GPS on this piece of paper?" I am universally acknowledged as being useless when it comes to directions. I will frequently ask people to turn left, then yell "no! I meant the other left!" For this reason my friends forbid me to offer any form of direction on any means of transport and have been known to resort to violent swearing. I use Google Maps every day. But never have I been lost and resorted to an actual map. Google Maps rules the field of location and direction these days. People Finders connect you with others during times of disaster, Street Art View allows you to tag art from around the world, and with a new and improved view you can take a virtual stroll through the streets of Stockholm and Mexico City. An oversized and confusing piece of paper simply can't compete. Now, a series of collages entitled Map Works by American artist Matthew Cusick have taken what has essentially become a dead medium and turned those maps into beautiful and intricate collages. By rescuing them from the landfill and thrusting them into the retro-chic realm of cassette tapes and typewriters, it's work like this which will make us appreciate old-fashioned maps in years to come.
Tavi Gevinson, the precocious pixie editrix, is finally manifesting her person on our shores. As a hugely successful teen blogger and founder of Rookie magazine, her entrepreneurial chutzpah is something of a phenomenon. She'll be giving a keynote address at the Melbourne Writers Festival, as well as stopping by the Opera House in Sydney. She's an old hand at public speaking, too, having already given a TED talk. Awash as the internet is with kids promoting their #personalbrands, it's cool to see someone so young found a publication like Rookie, a surprisingly down-to-earth and intellectual voice in the teen zine scene. Launched in 2011, it's festooned with the Tavi aesthetic, which, since her solo blogging days as a 13-year-old, has channelled '90s pop-goth and pretty pastels, movies like Ghost World and all the quirkiest developments of the fashion world. But it's Tavi's self-awareness and feminism that make her a compelling fashion commentator: never glossing over the fact that this is an industry which fetishises youth, she's all for female empowerment. We're looking forward to hearing her speak on a local stage.
Some actors have a type. The films change, and the names of their characters as well, but it can feel as if they're always playing a variation of the same person. That sensation doesn't apply to Jackie van Beek's work. Many movie lovers discovered her on-screen as Jackie, the human familiar to a Wellington sharehouse-dwelling vampire in What We Do in the Shadows. In the decade since the hit comedy, she's helped end romances in The Breaker Upperers, which she also co-wrote and co-directed with Deadloch star Madeleine Sami — and then disrobed for Nude Tuesday, this time penning the script solo, alongside portraying a woman who attempts to reignite the spark in her marriage by heading to a couples' retreat where clothes are often optional. Now arrives Audrey, a delightfully dark Australian comedy from first-time feature director Natalie Bailey (Bay of Fires, Joe vs Carole, Run) and screenwriter Lou Sanz (The PM's Daughter, 6 Festivals) that enlists van Beek as a former star. Decades after her Logie-winning heyday, Ronnie Lipsick hasn't given up on her showbiz dreams. The world beckoned when she was at the top of the acting game, but then she had her first daughter and settled into married life; however, she still knows what she wants. Her focus after 18 years of being a mum: ensuring that the movie's eponymous figure (Josephine Blazier, Fires) makes it big as well, whether she likes it or not. Nothing is going to stop Ronnie in this quest — not even Audrey falling into a coma. There's regular second chances, and then there's Ronnie's path. When Audrey can't follow the route to fame and fortune that's been plotted out for her, Ronnie impersonates her instead. There's endeavouring to cope with tragedy, and then there's the Lipsick family's response to Audrey's plight as well — including on Ronnie's husband Cormack (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Force of Nature: The Dry 2) and younger daughter Norah's (Hannah Diviney, Latecomers) parts. As keeps proving the case across van Beek's filmography, no one will mistake Audrey for any other movie. After debuting at SXSW in Austin, the blackly and sharply hilarious feature now hits Australian cinemas in what's been a busy year for its lead. Off-camera in 2024, the New Zealand talent was one of the driving forces behind the Australian version of The Office, and also directed an episode of Time Bandits. Audrey appealed to van Beek's love of dark comedy, she tells Concrete Playground. Unsurprisingly, Ronnie stood out as the kind of character that isn't a standard fixture on-screen. When The Breaker Upperers released in 2018, she chatted with us, alongside Sami, about creating roles for the two that didn't exist otherwise. Now, van Beek advises that when she was reading Audrey's script, she thought "oh, she's delicious. She's so challenging to like. I thought as an actor, it'll be such a great kind of joy to try, and to try to pull her off with some degree of charm." "When I read Lou Sanz's script, Ronnie Lipsick is a morally ambiguous, very career-driven kind of obsessive mother, and I just thought 'what a delight'. Because you don't come across these characters — especially as a female — you just don't come across these characters very often. Well, I hadn't," van Beek notes. "I love dark comedy. I think I was probably told the premise, I imagine by Lou or the producer Michael Wrenn before I read the script. So as soon as I heard the premise, I was like 'ooh, this sounds perfectly dark for me'. I love comedy, but I do really like the edginess of this premise. I think someone who prioritises resurrecting her career over nursing her daughter back to health is a very interesting character to play." Also built into Audrey: recognition that being a mother shouldn't mean giving up on your own journey, an adult coming-of-age tale and a woman's quest, albeit by highly questionable means such as pretending to be her teenage offspring, to reclaim her own sense of self. We discussed all of the above with van Beek, too, alongside what she drew upon to play Ronnie, portraying such a tricky character in a heightened story, what gets her excited about a new project, what you learn making a movie like Audrey and more. On the Film's Ability Not Only to Rally Against Traditional Visions of Womanhood and Motherhood, But to Take That Idea to a Comedic Extreme "It was an interesting take, because I think we've seen a lot of films, dramas and comedies, about women who are struggling, as a lot of us do — women who are struggling with that work/life balance, being being pulled one way as a mother, being pulled another way by their career. And I think we're quite used to those stories. I think this film, obviously what I love, really pushes it to a comedic extreme. I mean, I find Ronnie kind of delusionally adorable, but also abhorrent. I hope that I'm a very different woman to her. But it was delightful to play, because pushing the idea that women aren't born simply to reproduce or mother, but are born to bring about your hopes and dreams, through a career or what have you, is fun. I did find Ronnie Lipsick to be quite mentally unhinged, and in need of some professional help, I would say. She's really spinning off the planet. She's such an egotist. She's so vain. And she's really lost sight of what's important in life. But I do love this idea, to the extreme in Lou's script, that she absolutely prioritises her career over her over her daughter's health." On Finding Inspiration to Play Ronnie — and Always Trying to Win the Audience Over "I'm a mother myself. I have three children, so obviously I was able to easily draw on my own life for the harried mum aspect of the character — organising the pickups, all the logistics with the husband, wanting them to do well. So I've drawn on a lot of that. In terms of her being dangerously delusional, I didn't have much to go on from my real life. So what I did was, I came up through theatre, I was in theatre for like 20 years before I got into TV and film, and a lot of my training was about trying to win the audience over. So whether or not you were a hero or a villain, you try to charm the audience so much that you can have them onside. I really thought that would be a fun game to play, just for myself, over the course of production, to see — by finding vulnerability or delusion or asking the audience to sympathise with me in any way — whether or not I could win the audience over to my side, so they would, I guess, forgive Ronnie for some of the choices she made." On Ensuring That Depth Shines Through When You're Playing Such a Tricky Character in a Heightened Story "It was hugely important for me to navigate a truth for the character throughout the story. And, in some scenes that was harder than harder than others, because it is a very heightened story, and a very heightened reality that we were playing within. Natalie Bailey, the director, was fantastic at helping me navigate that — as was Lou, the writer, who was on set the whole time, which was incredibly useful. But it was really important to me that I could feel truth in every single scene. And so some of the more heightened ones, I really had to lean into Ronnie's delusion, I guess — so that I thought if I, as Ronnie, can actually believe what I'm saying, even if it seems ridiculous to everybody else in the scene and in the audience, as long as I can believe it, it should feel like a real human being that's going on a journey. But some scenes are more tricky than others. That's a fun challenge. I love reading a role where I go 'ooh, this is going to be quite tricky'. And it was. It was such a fun challenge to take on that part." On Adult Coming-of-Age Stories Blossoming as a Genre — and Tales of Women Aiming to Reclaim Their Identities "I'm not sure why it's coming up more now. Maybe because more adults have access to therapy and so people are reflecting on these things? Definitely on my to-do list is to carve out time to go to see therapists. I haven't quite managed to do it yet. But I'm really enjoying the stories coming out at the moment, especially with female protagonists, about women around my age — I'm 48 — who have realised that they've lost a sense of self and they are really struggling to find a way to reclaim an identity. I think what interests me is a lot of people, they don't go deep enough, and try to just reclaim their youth through surgery or affairs or whatever. I'm really fascinated by that. I think all women that I know have just read Miranda July's All Fours, which I think is an incredible examination of that kind of reclaiming that sense of self. It's a fascinating subject." On Audrey, the Australian Version of The Office and Time Bandits All Reaching Screens Within Months of Each Other "The momentum of that is quite strange because, of course, these projects all happened at quite different times and it really is coincidence, I think, that everything lands in the same few months. It all depends on how long the post-production is or the distributor. But it's exciting to have things come out. I'm always someone who really itches to get a project in front of an audience to get that response. But I'm also someone who doesn't really dwell on the response, because I've always moved on to a million other things. But I love it — as I said before, I came up through theatre, so it was all about working as hard as you can and then opening night, the curtains open and you give the projects to an audience, you share that. So it's always a relief for me when something finally is out there and you're like 'oh good, okay, actually it's opening night, the curtains are parting, and people can actually now watch it and respond'. I think I do find it hard when you're in development for a number of things, and nothing's on-screen or you're not delivering anything to an audience. You just feel like you're working in this weird, insular bubble, and what's the point if nobody is able to see this thing you're working on and respond to it. And then, of course, with every response you learn so much about what we've created. And I then I take that onto my next projects. I'm very invested in learning, I guess." On What Gets van Beek Excited About a New Project at This Stage of Her Career "The most-exciting element for me with new projects is the team on it. There are so many people from all around the world, of all different levels of experience, that I'm just dying to work with. And so for my own projects, I of course seek these people out to collaborate with — actors, directors, writers. I think that is the driving force. Second to that, well, actually shooting location is quite important for me because I have three kids and my youngest is still only 12. So I am always trying to prioritise projects like Time Bandits that can be made here in New Zealand, so that I don't have to be away from the kids and my family for too long. And then, of course, the project itself — I'm very drawn, and always have been, to projects which will potentially polarise. I kind of find it thrilling to take on a project or be a part of a project that I think could go either way. The Office, for example, it did seem so silly to create the 13th version of The Office. But, of course, I leapt at the opportunity knowing it was going to be the first version with a female lead, and I knew that was quite high-risk because people are so besotted with the UK and the US versions. But it was that risk that really thrilled me. And the same with when I get involved in some local low-budget films here in New Zealand, sometimes it's the project that draws me, like it's something that I've never kind of seen before or they're taking a big risk on something. And I'm like 'ooh, I'd love to be a part of that because I like the thrill of it'. I'm not really drawn to something that feels quite kind of tried and true, I guess." On What van Beek Learned Starring in Audrey "It's interesting. I think when I'm acting in other people's films or projects, I learn a lot about writing and directing. And then I feel like when I'm writing and directing my own projects, I learn a lot about acting. I think I learn a lot from the other people that are surrounding me. And I really enjoy jumping between acting, writing and directing for that. So I'm constantly shifting roles and having these experiences from both sides. But I think with Audrey, I'm a real believer in 'if you say yes to a project, then you really are giving yourself over to that writer and especially to the director'. So once I say yes to something, I'm pretty much like 'what do you want me to do?' — like 'here I am, what do you want me to do? I'll do anything.'. I don't say yes to a project unless I unless I'm prepared to offer up everything." Audrey opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, November 7, 2024.
Australia has lost an icon, with news of Olivia Newton-John's death sadly announced on Tuesday, August 9. Across more than half a century in the entertainment industry, the British Australian singer and actor helped give the world everything from Grease to Xanadu — and songs such as 'I Honestly Love You' and 'Physical', too. There are plenty of ways to pay tribute to Newton-John. Singing 'You're the One That I Want' and 'Hopelessly Devoted to You' all day counts. Rewatching Grease for the billionth time does as well. And, so does getting 'Xanadu' or 'Magic' stuck in your head. Or, you can truly take the star's advice and get physical at Retrosweat's tribute sessions. The aerobics outfit is dedicating two sessions this week — its regular classes at 7pm on Tuesday, August 9 and at the same time on Thursday, August 11 — to the Aussie legend. Each one runs for 60 minutes, and dressing like you're stepping out of Newton-John's 'Physical' clip (or even wearing anything Grease or Xanadu-themed that doubles as workout attire) is recommended. Sydneysiders can head along at 242 Young Street in Waterloo on Tuesday — and 525 Crown Street in Surry Hills on Thursday. Fancy joining in at home or from outside of Sydney? Retrosweat livestreams its classes, including these two, if you join its Retrosweat Home Video service. In preparation for the classes — and just to bask in Newton-John's 80s-era glory — you can revisit the 'Physical' music video below:
If you're planning to spend 12 days in the Harbour City's cinemas this winter, Sydney Film Festival's full 2025 slate of movies won't be revealed until early May, ahead of the annual big-screen celebration's Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 dates. A handful of flicks from the lineup will be named in April first, but Vivid Sydney's 2025 program announcement comes bearing gifts even earlier: a few SFF events that fall within the citywide arts, light, music, food and ideas celebration as well. A celebration of Warren Ellis was always going to be huge news. There's two parts to it: a screening of Justin Kurzel (Nitram)-directed documentary Ellis Park, about the iconic musician establishing an animal sanctuary to protect endangered species in Sumatra, then An Evening with Warren Ellis at City Recital Hall. At the first, at the State Theatre, audiences will obviously see the film. Afterwards, its subject — a Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds collaborator and Dirty Three founder, as well as a pivotal force in movie scores, including on The Proposition, The Road, Far From Men, Mustang, Hell or High Water, The Velvet Queen, The New Boy, Back to Black, Kid Snow and newly minted Oscar-winner I'm Still Here — will chat about the doco, and also put on a short musical performance. SFF and Vivid are teaming up on a second event, too: Planet City: Live. Courtesy of designer and director Liam Young, the speculative fiction experience takes attendees to a different future — one where humanity has responded to the environmental destruction of the planet in a decisive fashion. Young's film is set at a time where there's just one city, which is where everyone on earth resides, with the rest of the globe left to rewild. At SFF, Young will provide live narration for the film, while Forest Swords will play its score live as Planet City screens. "Sydney Film Festival has always been a place for bold and innovative storytelling, and we are delighted to join forces with Vivid Sydney to present these two unique cinematic experiences. These events push the limits of film, sound and imagination, offering audiences something truly unforgettable," said SFF Festival Director Nashen Moodley, announcing the fest's collaboration with Vivid 2025. "The partnership between Vivid Sydney and Sydney Film Festival represents a powerful fusion of artistic vision that embodies the spirit of creative innovation we champion and allows us to connect with audiences in meaningful new ways. These immersive film events perfectly amplify our 2025 theme of 'dream' by inviting audiences to explore alternative realities through the intersection of cinema, music and live performance," added Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini. Sydney Film Festival x Vivid Sydney 2025 Events Sunday, June 8 — Ellis Park screening at the State Theatre and Ellis Park: An Evening with Warren Ellis at City Recital Hall Tuesday, June 10 — Planet City: Live at City Recital Hall Sydney Film Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at cinemas across Sydney. Hit up the festival website for further information and tickets — and check back in with Concrete Playground in April for more films from the program, and on Wednesday, May 7 for the full lineup. Vivid Sydney 2025 runs from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14 across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information.
Keen for an escape? The Kittawa Lodge strikes the ideal combination of rugged, remote bliss and immense luxury. Set on 96 pristine acres amid King Island – perched in the choppy waters between Tasmania and the Victorian mainland – this dramatic retreat offers a premium stay amongst the windswept dunes, perfect for when you need to add some more tranquility to your life. This lavish off-grid accommodation is stepping things up throughout winter with the return of its acclaimed Guest Chef Series. Making the trip to King Island are renowned culinary talents, Rosheen Kaul (Etta) and Stephen Nairn (Omnia, Yugen Dining, Yugen Tea Bar). Expect a three-night foodie retreat, as these experiences blend luxury, adventure and world-class dining in the heart of Tasmania's wild beauty. With a maximum of eight guests taking part at a time, this is your chance to indulge in ultra-exclusive dining in absolute peace. Featuring a menu designed by Kaul and Nairn, breakfasts, gourmet picnics and intimate dinners will spotlight local produce alongside Tasmanian wine pairings, signature snacks and curated cocktails. As the former Head Chef of Etta, not to mention an award-winning writer and food personality, Kaul has long been an influential name on the Australian culinary scene. Celebrating her Asian heritage through Australia's seasonal produce, her first cookbook, Chinese-ish, took home a prestigious James Beard Media Award. Meanwhile, Scottish-born Nairn is the current CEO and Culinary Director of LK Hospitality, where he plies his experience gathered in respected European kitchens and New York City's three Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park. The return of the Guest Chef Series arrives on the back of a new launch – the Kittawa Retreat – representing a significant expansion to the Lodge's accommodation offering. Designed for shared trips without compromising privacy, this new two-bedroom stay is ideal for families, friend groups or even couples that want a little more space to spread out. Luxe inside and out, amenities include an open-air hot tub with panoramic ocean views and a private cellar stocked with top-quality tipples. Guests can also book bespoke experiences, from guided yoga to private four-course dinners. "Our vision for Kittawa Retreat was to create an experience that feels both deeply personal and uniquely Tasmanian. Every detail, from the curated artwork to the plush, layered interiors, has been designed to immerse guests in comfort, beauty, and the raw natural splendour of King Island," says Kittawa Lodge owners Aaron Suine and Nick Stead. If you decide to make the trip to King Island, there's no shortage of optional extras, like 60-minute in-lodge treatments and guided meditation sessions. If it's more adventure you seek, you can book in for a guided expedition to the south of the island or even rent an AWD vehicle to curate your own remote escape. The Kittawa Lodge Guest Chef Series runs across various dates from Wednesday, May 28–Tuesday, August 5. Head to the website for more information. Images: Oscar Sloane / Gareth Sobey.
With almost every new Kristen Stewart-starring movie that has reached screens since her Twilight days, a distinctive feeling radiates. It was true with Clouds of Sils Maria, Certain Women and Personal Shopper, and then with Happiest Season, her Oscar-nominated role in Spencer and also Crimes of the Future as well: each of these films are exactly the types of flicks that one of the most-fascinating actors working today should be making. Then arrived Love Lies Bleeding, which partly sprang from that very idea and couldn't perfect it better. This revenge-driven, blood-splattered, 80s-set romantic thriller about a gym manager and a bodybuilder who fall in love, then into a whirlwind of sex, vengeance and violence, was written with Stewart in mind. As Saint Maud writer/director Rose Glass must've imagined while putting pen to paper, she's stunning in it. Love Lies Bleeding casts KStew as Lou, whose days overseeing the local iron-pumping haven — well, unclogging its toilets and scowling at meathead customers from beneath her shaggy mullet — are shaken up when female bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O'Brian, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) enters her remote New Mexico hometown. This is a girl-meets-girl tale, but it's also about the chaos of finding the person who best understands you, dealing with a lifetime's worth of baggage and trying to start anew. Here, amid neon hues and synth tunes, that means navigating Lou's gun-running dad (Ed Harris, Top Gun: Maverick) and abusive brother-in-law (Dave Franco, Day Shift), trying to protect her sister Beth (Jena Malone, Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire), chasing Jackie's competitive dreams and attempting to leave complicated pasts in the rearview mirror. Co-writing with Weronika Tofilska (a director on His Dark Materials and Hanna), Glass didn't just conjure up Lou with Stewart as her ideal lead; she also leapt into a helluva sophomore project that follows quite the experience with Saint Maud. The 2019 movie, Glass' feature directorial debut, marked her as one of the next exciting filmmakers out of Britain. But little about getting the psychological thriller to audiences, and to adoring acclaim, was straightforward. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival as all very well and good. So was A24 coming onboard afterwards. The timing of Saint Maud's original April 2020 US release date says everything, though. The early days of the pandemic might've derailed getting the picture to viewers, but it didn't stop it becoming one of the standouts of the past five years. "The release was very odd, because we went down well at festivals, and then 24 picked us up," Glass tells Concrete Playground. "And they'd been planning on doing this whole wide cinematic release in America, and everyone kept saying to me 'oh my god, this never happens with a debut, this is incredible'. And I said, 'oh wow, okay, amazing'. It didn't quite feel real anyway, and then we're literally days away from getting on a plane to come out to America to do a whole fancy press tour, which felt so surreal in and of itself, and then lockdown. Obviously, we all know what happened next." "I'd been nervous about bringing the film out into the world, and people's reactions, but I think a global pandemic certainly helps put things in perspective. It certainly helped to not take it too seriously, I think," Glass continues. Before that, writing Saint Maud was "very stressful and got very unpleasant, because you're plagued by so much uncertainty about whether it's actually going to happen," she shares. Then, "making it was wonderful and just very collaborative — it was just a massive relief that it was actually happening". Consider Glass' Saint Maud journey fuel for Love Lies Bleeding; the filmmaker herself does. The latter veers in an array of vastly different directions from its predecessor; compare Saint Maud's claustrophobic focus on a highly religious carer who becomes obsessed with saving her latest patient's soul versus Love Lies Bleeding's frantic lovers-on-the-run antics. And yet, as much as Love Lies Bleeding can play like a heel-turn response to Saint Maud, they also boast more than a few things in common, such as a fascination with transformation, a deep willingness to push boundaries and, of course, an uncompromising vision. We chatted with Glass about being motivated to make Love Lies Bleeding after her Saint Maud experience, how the idea for her second feature came about, the difference between writing a part for KStew and getting her to actually play it, finding IRL bodybuilder and former cop-turned- The Mandalorian and Westworld actor O'Brian as Jackie, the film's wild ride and more. [caption id="attachment_804112" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saint Maud[/caption] On Glass' Approach to Love Lies Bleeding After the Response to (and Chaotic Release for) Saint Maud "I'm sure it lights a fire under the arse, or whatever the expression is. I mean, it's wonderful. It definitely exceeded anything any of us were expecting or hoping to happen on the film, so that was very cool. And I think maybe because also it happened during lockdown, so I was getting a sense that people were responding to it well, and it was going down well, but because it was all basically just through [online] — I wasn't used to doing everything over Zoom at that point — it all felt very removed. I was just in my house with my flatmates in lockdown like everyone else, so it sort of felt like it wasn't happening. [caption id="attachment_804111" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saint Maud[/caption] But, in a way, because we didn't get to do the proper release then with the film, it did mean there was a pent-up frustration, which probably spilled over into making this next one, I think. It definitely gives you a confidence and a fearlessness, which I hadn't really felt before. And definitely there's this feeling of 'oh, wow, I get to make another one — I don't know if I'll get to do another one again after that', so you treat it as if it's the last one. I think maybe also Saint Maud's kind of uptight, obviously, and quite insular and claustrophobic — so I think maybe that combined with lockdown, probably this when I was like 'let's do something bombastic and a bit more extroverted, and try something risky and irresponsible and see what we can get away with'." On Coming Up with the Idea and Story for Love Lies Bleeding "Initially, it was just wanting to do something about a a female bodybuilder. That seemed psychologically and visually exciting territory. And I guess I feel like I'm probably the polar opposite of a bodybuilder — and the obsessive level of discipline is something I can only be fascinated by and aspire to myself, but never quite achieve. So maybe, maybe that's how it became a two-hander between a bodybuilder and a woman who's basically just 'oh, my god, you're amazing'. But I decided that I wanted to try co-writing. I had this initial germ of an idea about a bodybuilder who kind of loses her mind while she's training for a competition. And then I teamed up with my co-writer Weronika Tofilska, who I've been friends with for years. Then, so the rest of the story, all the twisty-turny rest of it, we basically came up with together just bouncing back and forth." On Having Kristen Stewart in Mind While Writing "She's just, I think, a very natural fit for the character. I guess it was just a quite instinctual thing. I like the idea of her playing a moody heartthrob in loose, boyish way — like she's playing someone who's kind of an asshole but you kind of really like her as well. Kristen, she's actually, in person, she's very twinkly and energetic and stuff, but there's I think a more famous version of her which is much more held back and a bit aloof, all this kind of thing, which I think is really what the character needs. She's kind of an enigma, like a mystery — she keeps a lot held back, and then hopefully throughout the film you pick her apart a bit. I just thought she'd be a really hot, moody heartthrob." On Getting Kristen Stewart Onboard as Lou "I couldn't believe it. I met her for the first time — we had an awkward blind date kind of thing, and it was the morning after they'd released Spencer in the UK, I think, so she'd had a late night. I was basically suddenly very starstruck and quite nervous, and just as far as I saw it, I just waffled at her incoherently for an hour, and she went 'mmmm'. But then, luckily, afterwards she sent me a really lovely message, and then I sent her the script. It's weird and awkward having a meeting where you don't actually have something specific — because I hadn't shared the script with her then, it was this awkward thing where I was told that I wasn't actually allowed to, even though I wanted to offer the her the role outright. It was more of like a temperature check. So it's much nicer to have a conversation when you're actually talking about a specific script, and she's agreed, and there's none of this weird awkwardness. Anyways, she basically said she really likes Saint Maud. She's said in interviews since then that she was up for doing whatever I wanted to do next — which is very obviously a very lovely feeling and takes the pressure off a little bit, because I thought I did a really bad job of pitching it to her. But anyway, she was all in." On Finding Katy O'Brian to Play Love Lies Bleeding's Pivotal Female Bodybuilder "Katy's just — I think both her and Kristen, just on a basic level, they're just incredibly charismatic and incredible to look at. They're two people that I'm like 'I would love to watch these two people falling in love with each other'. A lot of the film just has to play on you being like 'oh, these people are amazing'. But with Katy specifically, it's the duality. On the surface, she's obviously got this incredible physicality and a very imposing physical presence, or can be. And so this more steely action-hero stuff comes very easily to her. But actually naturally, in terms of how she is and as a person, you scratch just underneath that and she's incredibly warm and soft. She's described herself as like a snuggle bear. And also, her character goes on a pretty tumultuous up and down, and does some pretty terrible things, but ultimately is still the innocent of the film. There's a naivety to her. Katy is just so incredibly empathetic, I think, which the character needs — because otherwise she'd just lose her and it'd just be 'oh, it's just this crazy woman doing crazy things'. But Katy just makes you so care for her so much. Given it was her first big lead dramatic performance — she's acted before, but more as supporting roles, normally previously in roles which have mostly been requiring her just to do the physical kind of stuff — she jumped into this. We cast like two weeks before we started shooting, and then a few weeks later she's doing all these quite tricky scenes with Kristen. I immediately would just completely forget that it's the first time she's doing a role like this." On Making a Film That Feels Like It Can Go Anywhere and Everywhere, Even While Building in Familiar Elements "In terms of the surrealism, and some of the weird combinations of things, I think it's what comes naturally. Me and Weronika, when we were writing it, we were playing with a lot narrative and character tropes. There's quite a few formulaic elements in the story, which probably are quite familiar to people, which hopefully we then take off course into somewhere a bit more surprising. There's definitely a framework in this. I think there's a lot of elements in the film which are very recognisable and which will probably feel familiar in some way. So hopefully it's setting up an expectation of something to happen — and then, because you know what the expectation is, it's easy to go 'let's go the other way'." On Taking Love Lies Bleeding in the Opposite Direction to Saint Maud in So Many Ways, But Still Finding Connections Between Them "It's kind of intentional. I mean, I think there are quite a lot of things which do connect the films. But each film, you spend a few years of your life just obsessively thinking about that — so I think after several years of just thinking about one particular tone and style of story, it's definitely, I think, a natural instinct to want to mix things up a bit. So yeah, the idea of wanting to do something which was more extroverted and bombastic than Saint Maud was definitely a deliberate, instinctual kind of thing. And I guess also Saint Maud was kind of about loneliness, so in a way this one was like 'oh, if you think being lonely is hard, try being in a relationship'." Love Lies Bleeding released in Australian cinemas on Thursday, March 14, 2024, and opens in New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Read our review. Images: Anna Kooris.
Ivan Pavlov was a Nobel Prize winning Russian physiologist who studied the digestion of dogs in the 1800s. The name Pavlov's Duck, however, is completely random — Pavlov never owned a duck. Randomness aside, the name is intriguing enough to attract customers inside this Smith Street cafe. And Pavlov's Duck is set to put casual Sri Lankan fusion meals on the Melbourne map. From the moment you walk through the monster glass door, the establishment's eclecticism is thrust upon you. Exposed brick walls surround sporadically placed wooden ducks. The cafe has tossed out boring sugar caddies and serves sugar out of wooden coconuts — another subtle way of paying homage to Sri Lanka. Its coffee however is not from Sri Lanka, as the beans come from Padre Coffee (Daddy's Girl blend). What separates Pavlov's Duck from other brunch spots is its impressive integration of South-Asian ingredients and spices. But be prepared — the food is hefty. Chillies and poached plums give a rich twist to what would be ordinary dishes. The cafe has managed to twist a regular croissant into what is called the 'Lankan Frenchy': a croissant filled with coconut, chilli, parsley and a boiled egg ($11). For those who go out for breakfast but secretly feel like lunch, the 'Pol' roti ($16) is perfect, with homemade coconut roti, spiced red lentils, onion relish and a boiled egg. Nothing screams innovation louder than the specials. The blueberry French toast with bacon crumb mascarpone, lychees and chocolate three ways ($17) gives a new name to the timeworn classic. And yes, it works. If it's diversity you're after, the pumpkin and chia seed pancakes with lentil salad, coconut sambol (a relish made of desiccated coconut and chillies), chorizo and pickled chilli ($18) may be the one for you. After a year of trading, the cafe have extended their hours into the evening; on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, they're serving up a tight menu of Sri Lankan snacks and meal. Head in after 4pm and you'll find traditional thosai (dosa) with sambar and green sambol ($15.50), roti and hoppers, which are bowl-shaped crepes filled with egg and dahl and other delicious things ($15.50). Pavlov's Duck also has desserts lined up for post-meal sugar craving. Raw white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake ($7) and a salted caramel slice ($6.50) are two sweethearts on the menu. Parents, the chocolate crackles ($3.80) made with buckinis (activated buckwheat) are a healthy dessert option for the kids. The best part? All of these are gluten-free, sugar-free and organic. So you can be cheeky at Pavlov's — but not too cheeky.
If good things come in small packages — Tiny Away's newest rural addition is one of the better things to come out of the start of this year. The quaint studio space dubbed Little Sprout is only 155-square-feet in size, but the real treat is its location. Situated on an idyllic 60-acre olive grove in regional Victoria with a regenerated eucalyptus forest as its backyard, Little Sprout has got to be set in one of the most secluded spots in Gippsland. The charming, eco-friendly tiny house is perched atop the rolling hills of Bass Coast Hinterland and on the grounds of The Grove Gippsland. Little Sprout is equipped with a queen-sized bed, ensuite, kitchenette, air-conditioning and heating — because we all know how temperamental Victoria's weather can be. The bathroom facilities follow ecologically sustainable principles, including a waterless eco-friendly compost toilet, hand basin and gas heated shower. It's around a 90-minute drive from central Melbourne to the tiny house, but with self-guided bush walks, olive groves and a sculpture park, you'll have plenty to explore on the whopping 60-acre property. At the moment The Grove's restaurant is temporarily closed, but ordinarily, guests at Little Sprout can treat themselves to an immersive food and nature experience with the restaurant and winery located within an easy walking distance. A four-course dinner for two ($180) that features a seasonal menu with plenty of the local produce — often harvested straight from the garden — will be one of the options available when The Grove reopens. Alternatively, The Grove also offers takeaway options — think big bowls of fresh pasta with potato focaccia — or picnic hampers full of local cheeses and charcuterie. Bookings at Tiny Away's Little Sprout start at $179 a night. For more information and to book your stay, head to the Tiny Away website.
Located on the corner of bustling Bay and St Andrews Streets is Brighton's 'heart of fine wine and craft beer'. Brighton Bay Cellars is a small bottle shop with a big heart. Offering a great selection of craft beers, local spirits and unusual wines, Brighton Bay Cellars is well known as one of the best in the area. Indecisive shoppers can have a chat to the friendly staff — their expert knowledge means they'll find the perfect bottle for you in no time. Whether it's for a special occasion, a quiet night in or you simply want to check out the selection, Brighton Bay Cellars has you sorted.
Northeastern suburbs retail hub Westfield Doncaster has just unveiled its newest addition: a $30-million rooftop food and entertainment precinct. The extensive revamp has seen the centre's second level transformed into an 5000-square-metre indoor-outdoor setting, complete with a sun-drenched internal laneways. And its home to 14 retailers, including a multicultural mix of both familiar names and newer players, promising something for all appetites. In exciting news for fans of Japanese fare, the centre is home to the second Aussie outpost of Dohtonbori, following the launch of its debut in The District Docklands. The eatery is known for its teppanyaki menu, as well as a DIY okonomiyaki offering where you can cook your own custom savoury pancakes at an in-table grill. Plus, there are three all-you-can-eat options (starting from $39.90 a head). Meanwhile, Betty's Burgers has come to the party with its range of signature buns and frozen custard desserts and Perth's all-pink pretzel store Pretzel continues its Melbourne expansion with another playful venue. Also on the lineup, Asian fusion tapas spot and beer garden Pocha Pocha, a sushi train from Sushi Jiro and Thai street food at Little Bangkok Thai. Noodle bar Lanzhou Beef Noodles, bubble tea spot Teaser Tea and Yeosin Korean BBQ round out the slew of newcomers, while existing venues TGI Fridays and yum cha restaurant Secret Kitchen have both reopened, each sporting a new look and revamped offering. Two more eateries are set to join in the coming weeks, too: Woodstock Pizzicheria — a third-generation Sicilian restaurant group with 35 years under its belt — and The Sporting Globe, which sees big screens paired with American-style eats. Find Westfield Doncaster's new-look level 2 food and entertainment at 619 Doncaster Road, Doncaster. For individual restaurant opening hours, head to the shopping centre website.
What do you get when you cross a wine bar with a pub and slot it into a cosy shopfront on Johnston Street? Well, for Chris Wright and Jonathan Reisacher, the result looks a lot like their new Collingwood venture, Gum — a glam 70s-themed boozer heroing hot pies, tap brews and vintage cocktails. It's the first foray into hospitality for these two best mates, though, as music industry veterans, they're confident they've frequented enough bars in their time to know what works. Here, the winning formula involves a nostalgic 70s rock-chic fit-out by Brunswick designer Bianca Sciuto, imagined with the help of retro wallpaper prints, orange laminate table tops and plenty of curves. Yet more Aussie nostalgia shines through the food offering, which runs to a simple lineup of pies from Footscray's Pie Thief — expect varieties like the Big Mac pie and a vegan spaghetti bolognese number — plus sausage rolls and a classic vanilla slice. Eat them in, or grab a takeaway pack to-go. [caption id="attachment_790772" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rubin Utama[/caption] Meanwhile, the drinks list serves up a tight, but diverse array of sips, featuring mostly Aussie wines and a range of around 20 craft tins from favourites like Fixation, 3 Ravens, Kaiju and Stomping Ground. A cocktail offering is full of flashbacks — think, banana cream daiquiris and a riff on the mai tai — alongside new-school creations like the vodka-infused Grapple starring green tea and apple boba. And if summer's got you feeling extra thirsty, there's a trio of shared cocktail jugs for $45, including The Aperoyal with its blend of prosecco, Aperol and rosé apple cider. Gum is also keen to help pack out your activities calendar, with local DJs now playing every Thursday to Saturday night and regular trivia sessions, games nights and Sunday barbecue parties also in the works. Images: Rubin Utama
Summer in Melbourne pretty much screams for a crisp, gin-infused tipple, enjoyed in the sunshine, overlooking some water. And once again, local gin festival Juniperlooza is setting you up for success, taking over South Wharf's Boatbuilders Yard on Saturday, February 9, for its 2019 edition. The gin-soaked revelry will be in full swing, with 21 boutique producers from both overseas and Australia gathering to show off their wares. Locals Cedar Fox, Ink Gin, 4 Pillars, Patient Wolf and Archie Rose have already been announced, as well as the UK's Chase Distillery. The folks at Strangelove will be heading up the party's tonic situation. Gin-thusiasts will have the chance to meet the producers, sip G&Ts accented with carefully matched garnishes, and sample specialty gin cocktails from each brand. A series of Talk & Taste sessions will also be available to pre-book before the event. Meanwhile, the Boatbuilders Yard kitchen will be supplying a parade of bites designed to be downed with a gin in hand, roving performance artists will be doing the rounds and the DJ tunes will be spinning right through the afternoon. Early bird tickets ($39) to Juniperlooza are on sale from 10am, November 15 until November 30 or sold out. Then, $49 tickets will be available from December 1.
A cafe, bar, film developing studio and gallery space all in one? Why not? Tucked away in Cuzens Place, Analogue Academy is a perfect spot to while away a morning in a creative and comfortable atmosphere. Drop off your film (it offers colour development daily and black and white once a week), and sit back with a cup of excellently brewed Malani coffee. Or, browse the collection of vintage cameras, old-school video games and vintage bicycles. If you're feeling inspired, you can also purchase film and a camera here, too, to create your next masterpiece. Images: Julia Sansone
From the minds behind Terror Twilight and Tinker comes this homage to great coffee, food and tunes. A new arrival from Kieran Spiteri and Ben Argentino, Hi Fi is a modern riff on the neighbourhood deli, delivering a winning combination of crafty sandwiches and old-school vinyl. Bread-based goodies headline the menu at the takeaway-only lunch destination, with a concise yet curated lineup starring a panko-crumbed fish burger on a steamed potato roll ($15) and a wickedly stretchy mushroom and taleggio toastie ($16). A toasted milk bun comes stuffed with folded eggs, American cheese and green pepper ($12) and sides include the likes of curly fries ($6) and slaw ($4.50). Plus, you can throw back to your childhood with one of the next-level shakes: think choc sea salt, ginger malt or salted caramel, with a shot of espresso if you're feeling a bit grown-up. Hi Fi's own contract-roasted coffee heads the list of caffeinated options, with a batch brew and cold brew offered alongside a milk blend and a single origin. As for the tunes, they speak to the owners' shared love of great music, running to an eclectic, oft-changing rotation of vinyl. As Argentino says: "Music is a big part of our hospitality group's tapestry. We're all about good tunes. Our intention was always to make Hi Fi a real muso hang out".
The folks over at Gelato Messina know how to whip lovers of all things sweet and frozen into a frenzy, and they've done it again, announcing that their Sydney degustation bar will be venturing south to Melbourne. The Messina Creative Department will be setting up shop in a secret room at their Windsor store for five nights only, from August 23-27. An offshoot of the famed gelato parlour, the Messina Creative Department offers an epic seven-course degustation, complete with non-alcoholic drink pairing. Since opening next door to their OG Darlinghurst venue in April to rapturous response, the tiny eight-seater space has proved to be immensely popular, with places booking out almost as soon as they're released. So it's no surprise that the announcement that Messina would be bringing their Creative Department to Melbourne has already seen a massive response. With three sittings per night (at 5.30pm, 7.30pm and 9.30pm) and just eight seats available per sitting, Melburnians booked out those $130-per-head spots at the ice cream sorcery table in record time. And judging by their previous creations, it's not hard to see why. Their Sydney dessert dinners have seen the likes of garlic gelato, a sugar egg filled with delights and an amazing matcha and pistachio cake concoction. Their latest offering included a lemon-like globe filled with liquorice gelato, yuzu curd and olive oil pastry accompanied by a muscatel grape, dill and black pepper oil cold pressed juice. It's dessert meets art meets one helluva tastebud adventure. If you didn't manage to get your sticky gelato fingers on a ticket, be sure to keep your eyes on the Messina Creative Department page and hope like hell they release some more sittings. But, either way, you can leave your details on the waiting list.
Before Dolly Parton's own musical about her life makes its theatre debut, premiering on Broadway in 2026, always loving the music icon on stage is easy thanks to Here You Come Again. Telling the story of a massive fan of the legend and their imagined version of a star like no other, this fellow song-fuelled production is filled with Parton's tunes. It has her stamp of approval, too, and it's coming to Australia in 2025. Here You Come Again has locked in stops in six cities, starting with Melbourne, playing at the Comedy Theatre from July. From there, it'll enjoy a stint at Theatre Royal Sydney from September, before touring to Perth, Newcastle, Canberra and Adelaide at yet-to-be-announced dates. There's no Queensland season so far, but cross your fingers that one gets added. At each of its Aussie destinations, get ready to hear 'Jolene', '9 to 5', 'Islands in the Stream' and 'I Will Always Love You', among other tracks, as the show's protagonist navigates the ups and downs of life with his own fantasy of Dolly by his side. Playing that pivotal part, so slipping into the rhinestones and blonde hair, is Here You Come Again co-creator Tricia Paoluccio — and yes, she's also a Dolly fan. "I've loved Dolly my whole life and have been singing her songs since I was a little girl. It's been my dream to create a musical comedy that celebrates her music while imagining how she might help someone in a real-life way," said Paoluccio, who conjured up the show with Emmy Award-winning comedy writer and songwriter Bruce Vilanch, plus director Gabriel Barre. "Having Dolly's personal stamp of approval on this piece makes it even more special, and I can't wait to bring this production to Australia!" In the US and UK, Here You Come Again has played soldout seasons — and expect it to prove popular Down Under, too. Alongside Paoluccio, Australian Dash Kruck (Little Shop of Horrors, Jesus Christ Superstar) stars, with the local run also set to feature an all-Australian ensemble, plus a live band helping to bring Parton's music to life. Here You Come Again Australian Tour From Thursday, July 10, 2025 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne From Friday, September 12, 2025 — Theatre Royal Sydney, Sydney Dates TBC — Perth Dates TBC — Newcastle Dates TBC — Canberra Dates TBC — Adelaide Here You Come Again starts touring Australia from July 2025, with ticket presales for Melbourne and Sydney from 9am on Wednesday, March 12 and general sales from Friday, March 14 — head to the production's website for more details, and for waitlists for other cities. Images: UK production, Hugo Glendinning.
Next time you're on Easey Street, you'll have a front row seat to a brand-new large-scale artwork. Painted by ten of Melbourne's best street artists, the 11-metre-tall, 30-metre-wide mural is a colourful tribute to Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, who's works are, fittingly, currently on show at the National Gallery of Victoria. The world-first Crossing Lines exhibition, which runs until April 2020, has brought together 200 works from the two legendary 80s NYC art figures, who were both friends and creative rivals. As well as commenting heavily on society and politics in their works, both artists used distinctive signs, symbols and lines — some of which are echoed in the huge new Collingwood mural. [caption id="attachment_755024" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat mural. Photo by P1xels.[/caption] Two central black and white portraits of Haring and Basquiat by artist Heesco are surrounded by abstract, vivid line work by Conrad Bizjak and Chehehe. Graffiti writers Ling, Dvate, Phibs, Sabeth and Duke have also contributed pieces at the bottom of the mural. A collaboration between the NGV, photographer Dean Sunshine and local artist P1xels, the artwork also nods to Haring's two 84 Melbourne murals, which he painted on the NGV's Water Wall and at the Collingwood Technical School. You can find the Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat mural at 46 Easey Street, Collingwood. Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines is on show at the NGV International until April 13, 2020. Images: Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat mural in Collinwood. Photo by P1xels.
If your resolutions for 2023 involve being your best self in the kitchen, this year keeps bringing folks Australia's way who can definitely help. First, Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi made his way around the country on a speaking tour. In May, Britain's Marco Pierre White will do the same. And, that month as well, the one and only Nigella Lawson will enjoy her latest visit Down Under. Dubbed An Evening with Nigella Lawson, this two-stop tour will see the television and cookbook favourite spend two nights chatting through her culinary secrets — and food in general, her life and career, and more. 2023 is proving an impressive year for famous names hitting Aussie stages to dive into their expertise and experience, in fact, given that everyone from Barack Obama to Mary Trump is also doing it. If you're the kind of person who starts plotting your next meal before you've even finished the last, or loves eating more than anything else, Lawson's visit will help get right to the guts of your food obsession. And, the two events — one in Melbourne, one in Sydney — will also feature a Q&A component so that you can ask Lawson whatever you've always wanted to yourself. Even when she isn't answering audience questions, Lawson will have plenty to cover — she has a hefty pile of cookbooks to her name, starting with 1998's How to Eat: Pleasures and Principles of Good Food and including 2020's Nigella's Cook, Eat, Repeat. When she hasn't been filling our bookshelves with recipes, she's been whipping through them on TV, too, on everything from Nigella Bites, Nigella Feasts, Nigella Kitchen and Nigellissima through to Simply Nigella and Nigella: At My Table. And, she's been popping up on Top Chef, MasterChef Australia and My Kitchen Rules as well. AN EVENING WITH NIGELLA LAWSON 2023: Friday, May 19 — Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne Sunday, May 21 — State Theatre, Sydney Catch An Evening with Nigella Lawson in May 2023, with ticket pre-sales from Tuesday, March 7 and general sales from 12pm AEDT on Thursday, March 9 via the tour website.
Before social media, the local milk bar was usually where youngsters went to socialise. Though there's still a few of them about (including 2223 in Sydney and Rowena Corner Store in Richmond), they're fast becoming a thing of the past. That's why Melbourne-based artist Callum Preston has gone to painstaking lengths to recreate one, detail by detail. You'll find his incredibly realistic, immersive artwork Milk Bar in Hamilton Gallery, from Wednesday, August 15 though Sunday, September 16. Walking in, it'll be easy to imagine you're in a bona fide corner shop. But take a closer peek and you'll notice the chocolate bars, magazines and soft drink cans aren't what they seem. They're pretend versions of themselves — more than 500 of them — that Preston has created by hand. "For most of us, these simpler times might have passed," Preston said. "Sure, the memories may be a little blurry now, but it's my hope that when all the elements are recreated you can be transported right back to 'when going down the shop' was an experience of pure joy." To meet Preston, head along to the exhibition's opening party at 2pm on Wednesday, August 15, where he'll be hosting a talk and a free workshop. This isn't Preston's first venture into nostalgia. In 2015, he revisited Back to the Future via his artwork Bootleg to the Future, which featured a life-sized replica of a DeLorean. And late last year his Milk Bar exhibited at the RVCA Corner Gallery in Collingwood.
Not only is Lunar New Year one of the biggest celebrations in the Asia Pacific region, it's easily also one of the most delicious. If you're not celebrating it already, your palate is missing out. Cue family feasts — friends are also more than welcome — and a table stacked with all the greatest hits. The biggest at-home celebration of LNY typically happens on Lunar New Year's Eve and usually takes the form of a dinner that's not unlike Christmas lunch. The best part about the celebration is that the dishes you'll typically find are surprisingly simple to prepare and come together in no time at all. Whether the celebrations are taking place in Hanoi or Hong Kong, Singapore or Sydney, everyday dishes tend to land on Lunar New Year's Eve dinner tables. There are regional differences when it comes to must-have Lunar New Year dishes, but dumplings and fish or seafood are mainstays in most places where Lunar New Year is celebrated. You'll find them at LNY dinners and enjoyed as ordinary meals throughout the year. The enduring appeal of these dishes is just how easily they can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. And that's before we even factor in how delicious they are. [caption id="attachment_987199" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Mullins[/caption] After some inspo for an authentic festive spread that's easy enough for everyday meals but seriously impressive for a celebratory gathering? Look no further. In partnership with Oriental Merchant, we've called in chef Jason Chan, owner of newly opened pan-Asian restaurant Rice Kid, for two recipes he turns to when it's time to ring in Lunar New Year at home. XO Pipis [caption id="attachment_987205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Mullins[/caption] Seafood is a staple ingredient in many quintessential Lunar New Year dishes. The festivities are a reason to shell out on premium seafood to celebrate the special occasion. For Chan, Lunar New Year is the time to "have all those special dishes that you don't really get to eat every week." And it doesn't get more impressive or mouth-watering than XO pipis, which — despite being known as a restaurant special — is a surprisingly straightforward dish that can be replicated at home. In Chan's recipe, half a kilo of fresh pipis transform into a delectable showstopper that packs an umami punch thanks to the sauce trifecta of XO, soy and oyster. Ingredients: 500g fresh pipis (if you can't find live pipis, you can substitute with prawns or any other seafood to your liking) 100g Lee Kum Kee XO Sauce 50ml Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce 50g Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Sauce 100ml Shao Xing cooking wine 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp salt 1 tsp chicken powder 1L water 50g shallot rondelle Coriander for garnish Slurry: 50g corn starch or potato starch 100ml water Method: Use a wok or pan on high heat and add Lee Kum Kee XO Sauce and cook for 5–10 secs, deglaze with Shao Xing cooking wine, add water and bring it to the boil. Once boiling, add pipis and cook until they are completely open. Discard any unopened pipis. Add Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce, Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Sauce, sugar, chicken powder, salt and shallot rondelle and cook for a further minute to infuse all the flavours into the pipis. Mix slurry and pour into the XO pipis to thicken. Garnish with coriander or shallot rondelle. [caption id="attachment_987287" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Mullins[/caption] Moreton Bay Bug and Prawn Siu Mai or Wonton [caption id="attachment_987203" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Mullins[/caption] Dumplings are another dish which sit proudly on dinner tables — particularly in northern China — during Lunar New Year festivities. Traditional dumplings are said to resemble ancient Chinese money and are symbolic of prosperity. Today, all kinds of dumplings and wontons make the festive cut. Whether they're crescent-shaped dumplings, wontons or siu mai, this is a dish that is great for everyday dinners as well as during Lunar New Year. For an elevated everyday wonton or siu mai (the only difference is how you wrap them), this recipe is as fun as it is delicious. Finesse your folding skills by wrapping your parcels of seafood yourself, or get the whole dinner crew involved before sitting down to celebrate. Ingredients: 250g fresh or frozen prawn meat 250g Queensland Moreton Bay bug meat 25ml Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce 25ml Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand soy sauce 10g minced garlic 10g coriander root finely sliced (use stems for extra aroma) 5g lime zest 20g sugar 25g potato starch 50ml garlic oil (canola oil can be substituted) 1 packet of wonton skin Method: Place prawn and bug meat in food processor and slightly pulse 4–5 times. Ensure the prawn and bug meat retain small chunky pieces for texture. Take out the processed prawn and bug meat and place in bowl. Add in Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce, Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Sauce, minced garlic, coriander, sugar, garlic oil and mix until everything is combined and bound together. Add in the remaining ingredients: potato starch and lime zest. CHEF'S TIP: You don't want the starch to form clumps, do not skip step 3 with step 2! Place filling in fridge for 30 minutes. Once it is set, you can begin making the dumplings. Blanch wontons for about 5–6 minutes or until they float. To serve, place blanched wontons in a bowl and garnish with shallot and a few drizzles of sesame oil. Dip into preferred sauce (see below for sauce options). [caption id="attachment_987286" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Mullins[/caption] Simple Dipping Sauce for WontonAdd Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Style Chilli Oil, soy sauce, sesame oil and black vinegar. Season to taste. Simple Dipping Sauce for Siu Mai Add Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Style Chilli Oil and soy sauce. Season to taste. Experience the flavours of Lunar New Year everyday with Oriental Merchant authentic Asian ingredients.
Fans of things between bread will be familiar with the bright red Saul's Sandwiches drive-thru that graces Kings Way. Well, this month, that beacon of bread is taking a walk on the sweet side as it plays host to a three-day takeover dedicated to a different kind of sanga — Maxibon's new waffle-inspired ice cream sandwich. Dubbed the Maxibon Waffle On, the new sugary spinoff sees the treat's usual biscuit end reimagined with a couple of golden waffle pieces. It's around for a good time, but not a long time, so if the new creation sounds like your jam, you'd best hit the Waffle On Drive-Thru from Friday, August 12 to Sunday, August 14 to nab a freebie. The pop-up will be handing out thousands of free Waffle Ons to everyone who drives through across the weekend, as well as exclusive Maxibon merch for those who get in quick each day. I mean, ice cream sandwiches totally count as a breakfast food if there's waffles involved, right? The Maxibon Waffle On Drive-Thru will be open 12–10pm on August 12 and 13, and 10am–4pm on August 14.
When summer comes, it's important to get away. At least for a few days. Sometime between December and March there inevitably comes a time when your house is insufferably hot, your office is way too air conditioned or you just need a break from the sweaty tram commute. And because sometimes the Fitzroy Pool just doesn't cut it, here's our pick for the best summer getaways — from the Peninsula to the Twelve Apostles to inland waterfalls — all comfortably driveable from your pocket of the city. RYE See: At Rye, it's all about the beach. And being located in a central position on the Morning Peninsula, Rye is a sweet spot from which to explore all the best bits. Jump off the pillars into clear blue water at Mount Martha, indulge in lunch by the bay down at Portsea or head to the back beaches for a look at the surf. (Our pick is Bridgewater Bay.) Plus, this summer Uber are down the Peninsula too, so you can get around even without a set of wheels. Stay: They say once you go glamping, you never go back. It's easy to see how that would be true. Organise a week or a weekend with Happy Glamper, and all you have to do is book your camping site at the Tyrone Foreshore — they'll set up your luxe bell tent, complete with a real bed, chairs and bunting before you arrive. Drink: The one thing you do have to remember, however, is the alcohol. Especially if you want to be sipping on a Mary Pickford outside your tent when the sun goes down. This Havana-inspired cocktail blends pineapple, rum and sweetness into the perfect peninsula drink. Combine 60ml Appleton V/X, 45ml un-sweetened pineapple juice, 5ml Maraschino liqueur and 5ml grenadine into a cocktail shaker with ice, then shake and strain into an ice-filled glass and top with a Maraschino cherry. GIPPSLAND LAKES See: If you don't associate Gippsland with soft sand and crashing waves, that's okay, neither did we. But then we found that Gippsland's beautiful lake district is about so much more than green and marshy land — in fact, the three lakes are separated from the ocean by only a thin arm of coastal park. Sail along the calm waters of Lake Victoria, head to Ninety Mile Beach for some beach action, and be sure to stop at Paynesville for a coffee and some lunch on the water. Stay: Rent a boat and sail the days away like you're on the Whitsundays — and chances are, you'll be so relaxed you won't even notice the difference. None of your mates have a boat licence? Not even a problem. Because the lakes are free from tides, rocks and nasty ocean weather, anyone can hire a boat from Riviera Nautic. They'll teach you how to handle the boat, and will be on-call 24 hours a day in case you need any assistance when traversing the waters of Gippsland's calm lakes, rivers and waterways. Drink: Off land it seems only fitting to be swilling rum. After you've moored your vessel, it's time to break out the brown liquor and put together a traditional rum punch. Just as the British sailors did while travelling back through East India on their way home, you too can enjoy the Planters' Punch on the high sea. Combine 15ml of fresh lime juice, 30ml of sugar syrup (or 15ml of grenadine and 15ml of sugar syrup), 45ml of Appleton V/X, 60ml of water and a dash of Angostura bitters into a punch bowl, add your ice and garnish with slices of lime. BENDIGO See: Sometimes you need a beach holiday, and sometimes you just need to get out of Melbourne and your old terrace house that's holding the heat of four 35 degree days. For these times, Bendigo, less than two hours from the city, is a prime destination. You can get on the Calder for an easy drive, or take the air-conditioned V/Line. A weekend is the perfect amount of time to visit the Bendigo Art Gallery, brunch at Percy and Percy or go for dinner and a drink down View Street. Stay: You're coming to Bendigo for city comfort in a country setting, so there's really no better place to stay than the Schaller Studio: the Art Series Hotel that opened just last year. The rooms are called 'workspaces', the linen features positive affirmations and everything feels just right. Drink: You're in a hotel, you're feeling the high thread count sheets, and you're feeling a little fancy. All you need is a fancy cocktail. Try a Treacle. As a take on a traditional Old Fashioned, this drink is smooth, a little sweet and full-bodied. Add 60ml Appleton 8yr old, 10ml sugar syrup, two dashes of Angostura bitters and ice slowly to the serving glass a little at a time, constantly stirring. Float 15ml freshly pressed apple juice over the drink and add orange zest for garnish. Perfect for sipping while in-robe. JOHANNA See: Camping at Johanna — one of the lesser known beaches between Lorne and Warrnambool — allows you to wake up with the sound of waves crashing into shore and go to sleep with the smell of salt on your skin. If you're a surfer, this is the place for you. If not, take in your surroundings and walk to neighbouring beaches or explore the Great Otway National Park. Stay: The Johanna campsite sits up on the cliffs looking out over the beach. If you get in early, you might even be able to nab a spot with an ocean view. Even so, the beach is only a quick walk away — perfect for sunrise and sunset swims alike. You can book here. Drink: Camping at Johanna is simplicity at its best, and all drinks should be the same: easy to mix and smooth to drink. A Dark & Stormy will do the trick — with only three ingredients, you'll only need a glass and something to stir it with (note: can be your finger). Combine 60ml Appleton 8yr Old, 90ml ginger beer and 15ml lime juice into the glass with ice, stir and serve. Image credit: Rob Young via Flickr DAYLESFORD See: Summer isn't all about salty water and sandy skin — it's just as much about golden country landscapes, shady gum trees and cool earth. In Daylesford, there's a lot of this. You can find solitude in the hills, walk around the lake, read a book in Wombat Hill Gardens or grab a coffee at Larder. If you're looking for a body of water though, you don't have to go searching very hard — head to Hepburn Springs, Trentham Falls or even Turpins Falls just outside of Kyneton. Stay: For optimum solitude, rent a luxury tent in the Hepburn Hills. More like a B&B than a campsite, Cosy Tents supplies the tents, beds, 1200 thread count linen, lighting and outdoor seating. There's even hot water to shower and somewhere to charge your phone — although, we recommend skipping that last luxury. Drink: Feel like you're living in a novel? Sink even deeper into the fantasy with a literary classic, the Hemingway Daiquiri. Initially made for Hemingway while he was living in Havana during the early 1920s, this daiquiri was made sans-sugar at his request. It's full of citrus, and perfect as a pre-dinner cocktail at camp. Combine and shake 60ml Appleton V/X, 15ml maraschino liqueur, 20ml lime juice and 15ml grapefruit juice in a cocktail shaker with ice, strain into a cocktail glass and top with a Maraschino cherry. WILSONS PROMONTORY See: There's so much to see at the Promontory that you're going to have to accept that you won't see it all in a weekend. But if you only have a few days? Squeak on down to the stunning Squeaky Beach (pictured above) for a surf or swim, hike up Mount Oberon for some amazing views, get amongst some rainforest on the Lilly Pilly Gully walk, hope to see a wombat. Stay: The Prom's all about camping. Most people camp at the Tidal River campsite, and if you're looking for an easy spot to access the National Park, you'd be best to as well. They even offer cabins for up to six people if you're looking for a step up from slumming it. Grab a group of mates, take supplies for a cook up, and you've got a perfect weekend on the Prom. Drink: Warm nights sitting around a campsite call for one thing: rum. Or rum punch, more specifically. Fish House Punch was first created in 1732 in a Philadelphia fishing club, and for summer, this fruity punch is spot on for any time of the day. Mix up a batch for the team and settle in for the night. Shake 45ml Appleton 8yr, 15ml cognac, 5ml peach brandy, 20ml lemon juice, 45ml water and 10ml sugar syrup and strain over ice in a short glass. If you would like to make a punch bowl to share, simply multiply everything by 10, and adjust the lemon, water and sugar syrup to taste. Image credit: Colin J via Flickr. DUNKELD See: Without venturing in to camp in the Grampians National Park, Dunkeld is pretty much as close as you can get to this beauty of an area. If walking's your go, take the Picaninny trail up to the summit and look back over the town, or drive further north and trek to Mackenzie Falls or climb The Pinnacle. Don't feel like exerting yourself? The charming town has an art gallery, a cute bakery and views wherever you stand. Stay: Got some extra cash in your piggy bank from an over-generous relative at Christmas? Need some serious time out before you go back to work for a whole other year? If you want your piece of rural paradise this summer, stay in one of the Mt Sturgeon Cottages. Situated at the bottom of the mountain, you'll feel secluded as part of the landscape. Oh yeah, and the cottages are part of The Royal Mail Hotel, so save some of the dosh for a fancy meal while you're at it. Drink: When staying in a 19th-century cottage, you've got to drink the classics. The Hurricane was first concocted when New Orleans locals would take shelter from the impending hurricane in a bar, and while you probably (hopefully) aren't sheltering from any major weather threats, the Hurricane seems perfect for the setting. Combine 60ml Appleton V/X, 20ml passionfruit puree, 30ml orange juice, 15ml lime juice, 5ml grenadine and 5ml sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker with ice, then shake and strain straight into an ice-filled glass. TORQUAY See: The first stop along the Great Ocean Road, Torquay is one of those amazing spots that you don't even have to go searching for. Sure, it gets busy over summer, but there's plenty of good stuff to go round. The surf, for example — there's more of it than you know what to do with. Find a decent cup of coffee and brunch at Pond just on the Esplanade and fill up on supplies at Torquay Larder. They even have a mini Wholefoods. Stay: Getting a house with some friends should be no problem if you organise in advance, but if you're looking for something a little bit spesh, spend a few nights at The Woolshed. An old converted woolshed, this provincial place sleeps up to six — and there are hens outside who might just lay your eggs for breakfast. Drink: Nothing is quite as satisfying as a big ladle of punch after a day in the sea — particularly if someone else is mixing it up for you. So bring a blender and get a mate to whip this one up. There's a lot of components, but the end result is worth it. It'll keep you going all weekend. Put 30ml Appleton V/X, 30ml Appleton 8yr old, 25ml lime juice, 15ml grapefruit juice, 45ml unsweetened pineapple juice, 7.5ml Falernum, 10ml Maraschino, 5ml grenadine, 2 dashes Angostura bitters and 2.5ml Pernod into a blender with a cup of ice and blend at high speed until the ice is crushed. Pour into glasses, add extra ice cubes, and garnish with pineapple, orange, cherries and mint. Image credit: Michael Coghlan via Flickr PHILLIP ISLAND See: The penguins, duh. But when you're done with that take a walk along the magnificent boardwalks at The Nobbies and take a head down to Cape Woolamai for a swim in Phillip Island's loveliest beach. The island has so many nooks and crannies to explore, and the best part is, you can easily travel from corner to corner by car. Stay: Cape Paterson Caravan Park's Beach View Villas would probably have to be one of the best value ocean views in the state. Not only do you get a great view of the waves crashing below, there's a covered outdoor deck and a barbecue. Prawns at sunset? Yep. Drink: As it was born on the sands of Tahiti, this short and sharp rum sour is best digested with a killer ocean view. Hence, the Mai Tai is just the poison for picture perfect Phillip Island. Mix 30ml lime juice, 15ml orange Curacao, 7.5ml sugar syrup, 7.5ml orgeat, 30ml Appleton V/X and 30ml Coruba dark together, shake and strain into a short glass filled with ice. Garnish with lime and a sprig of mint. Image credit: Abir Anwar via Flickr ST ANDREWS See: St Andrews beach — across the other side of the Mornington Peninsula from Rye — is one of the less-frequented beaches of the area, affording a bit of seclusion and quiet. Similarly, neighbouring Gunnamatta Beach is much the same. Take the opportunity to go horse riding along the beach, while away the afternoon at lunch in Flinders or soak at the Peninsula Hot Springs. Stay: Find yourself at Big Blue Backyard and things have — unsurprisingly from the list of activities above — turned a little romantic. It's your own private cabin (seemingly) in the middle of nowhere, with an adorable courtyard and prime posi right next to the beach. Drink: The sun's going down, you're sitting in your romantic little yard — you need a drink that's easy to throw together but still completely classy at the same time. That's pretty much how the Daiquiri came to be, so enjoy this three-ingredient cocktail for its simplicity and sweetness. Add 60ml Appleton V/X, 40ml fresh lime juice and 20ml Sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake very hard and strain. Drink up.
Your favourite summertime dessert is about to get a wild revamp at the hands of some talented, innovative local chefs. For the next eight weeks, the much-loved Piccolina Gelateria is handing over the reins, inviting a group of kitchen heroes to take over the specials board and deliver their own signature gelato creations. The Piccolina Gelato Project will once again see eight Melbourne chefs each have a crack at impressing the masses with their gelato game. A different name will step up to the plate each week, teaming up with Piccolina's Sandra Foti to create three special flavours that capture the spirit of their respective restaurant — along with a healthy dose of personal flair, of course. From Wednesday, February 16 until Tuesday, April 12, roll into any Piccolina outpost to find inventive desserts from the likes of Peter Gunn (Ides), Thi Lee (Anchovy), Zach Furst (Bar Liberty), Hugh Allen (Vue de Monde) collaborating with Sharon Brindley (Jala Jala), Rosheen Kaul (Etta), Almay Jordan (Neighbourhood Wine and Old Palm Liquor) and Jo Barrett (formerly Oakridge Wines). Kicking things off is Khanh Nguyen of Sunda and Aru fame, who for the first week will be serving up a clever fusion of native ingredients and Southeast Asian flavours. Think, condensed milk gelato topped with a Vietnamese coffee caramel and wattleseed honeycomb. Following Nguyen's stint, Le will churn out a toasted jasmine rice gelato with banana and rum jam; Jordan will draw on her South African heritage for a riff on apricot brandy pudding with custard; Barrett will transform red wine lees into a vibrant sorbet; and Allen and Brindley will get crafty with native ingredients to deliver a cantaloupe and green ant gelato. And that's just a taster of what's to come. [caption id="attachment_815925" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Khanh Nguyen has kicked off the series (photo by Kristoffer Paulsen)[/caption] 8 Chefs in 8 Weeks flavours will be available at all six Piccolina locations.
Melbourne's wintry temperatures are in full force right now, but we know one place where you can revel in some balmy summer heat whenever you feel like it. What's more, it's thought to have a whole swag of benefits for your body, not just your mood. Nestled within Swanston Street's Century Building, Pure Wellness Studio is thought to be the CBD's first dedicated infrared sauna studio. These aren't your standard saunas, either — rather, state-of-the-art Sunlighten pods that use direct infrared heat to penetrate deep into your body's tissues, unlocking a range of health benefits in the process. Infrared therapy offers the same kind of warmth you get from natural sunlight, only minus those damaging UV rays. It's also a much more bearable heat than the kind you get from regular saunas, meaning you can comfortably kick back in that little room for up to 45 minutes — none of that getting instantly hot and bothered, and looking for an immediate escape. The increasingly popular therapy is earning a big name for its detoxification powers — able to remove up to more than six times as many toxins from the body as a regular sauna — as well as its effectiveness at burning calories. It's also thought to be great for boosting collagen production, reducing inflammation, and improving blood flow and circulation. Pure Wellness boasts three different styles of infrared sauna rooms, including one with a cushy bed that envelops you with full surround heat while you're lying down, relaxed to the max. Prices start from $55 for a 45-minute session, with membership options available. For those looking to treat those muscles even further, the studio also offers relaxation, deep-tissue and hot stone massages, and a menu of facial treatments. You can even combine therapies for an indulgent two-, three- or four-hour pamper session. Find Pure Wellness Studio at Suite 604, Level 6, 125 Swanston Street, Melbourne. It's open from 3–7pm Tuesday, 10am–7pm Wednesday to Friday, and 10am–5pm Saturday.
Call it self-isolation, quarantine or lockdown — whichever label you choose, your daily routine has changed drastically over the past few months. Everyone's baking and cooking more. You probably now have a sizeable stash of jigsaw puzzles and/or Lego to play with. You might've mastered the indoor workout, including revisiting Aerobics Oz Style. And, you've likely spent more than a little time watching old-school flicks from back in the day. Yes, nostalgia is very definitely in the air at present, as we all stay home and reminisce about different times. And, when you're next feeling retro — and feeling extra comfy inside your house, too — you can now build yourself an old-school pillow fort. Of course, you can always do that anytime and anyway you like; however IKEA Russia has just released a range of instructions that detail how to construct your own cosy hideaway using the company's products. Feel like building a house out of a table and a sheet? Or some chairs and whatever material you have handy? Prefer not one but two different styles of tent? Perhaps you were always a "throw a blanket over the back of the couch to make a cave" kind of kid — or you might have a way with rearranging the couch cushions. Six different designs are available, as created by IKEA and creative agency Instinct. They're designed for children — or, for adults to build with their children — but, let's be honest, they're also perfect for kidulting at home. You're never too old to turn your with flatpack furniture into forts, after all. And, if you want to whip up IKEA's famed Swedish meatballs first, the company has also released its recipe. Via IKEA Russia.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from July's haul. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL NOW THE BEAR The more time that anyone spends in the kitchen, the easier that whipping up their chosen dish gets. The Bear season two is that concept in TV form, even if the team at The Original Beef of Chicagoland don't always live it as they leap from running a beloved neighbourhood sandwich joint to opening a fine-diner, and fast. The hospitality crew that was first introduced in the best new show of 2022 isn't lacking in culinary skills or passion. But when chaos surrounds you constantly, as bubbled and boiled through The Bear's Golden Globe-winning, Emmy-nominated season-one frames, not everything always goes to plan. That was only accurate on-screen for Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White, Shameless) and his colleagues — aka sous chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson), baker-turned-pastry chef Marcus (Lionel Boyce, Hap and Leonard), veteran line cooks Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas, In Treatment) and Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson, Fargo), resident Mr Fixit Neil Fak (IRL chef Matty Matheson), and family pal Richie aka Cousin (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, No Hard Feelings). For viewers, the series' debut run was as perfect a piece of television as anyone can hope for. Excellent news: season two is better. The Bear serves up another sublime course of comedy, drama and "yes chef!"-exclaiming antics across its sizzling second season. Actually make that ten more courses, one per episode, with each new instalment its own more-ish meal. A menu, a loan, desperately needed additional help, oh-so-much restaurant mayhem: that's how this second visit begins, as Carmy and Sydney endeavour to make their dreams for their own patch of Chicago's food scene come true. So far, so familiar, but The Bear isn't just plating up the same dishes this time around. At every moment, this new feast feels richer, deeper and more seasoned, including when it's as intense as ever, when it's filling the screen with tastebud-tempting food shots that relish culinary artistry, and also when it gets meditative. Episodes that send Marcus to a Noma-esque venue in Copenhagen under the tutelage of Luca (Will Poulter, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), get Richie spending a week learning the upscale ropes at one of Chicago's best restaurants and jump back to the past, demonstrating how chaos would've been in Carmy's blood regardless of if he became a chef, are particularly stunning. The Bear season two streams via Disney+. Read our full review. THEY CLONED TYRONE Jordan Peele's Get Out and Us would already make a killer triple feature with Boots Riley's Sorry to Bother You. For a smart and savvy marathon of science fiction-leaning films about race in America by Black filmmakers, now add Juel Taylor's They Cloned Tyrone. The Creed II screenwriter turns first-time feature director with this dystopian movie that slides in alongside Groundhog Day, Moon, The Cabin in the Woods, A Clockwork Orange, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and They Live, too — but is never derivative, not for a second, including in its 70s-style Blaxploitation-esque aesthetic that nods to Shaft and Superfly as well. Exactly what drug dealer Fontaine (John Boyega, The Woman King), pimp Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx, Spider-Man: No Way Home) and sex worker Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris, Candyman) find in their neighbourhood is right there in the film's name. The how, the why, the specifics around both, the sense of humour that goes with all of the above, the savage satire: Taylor and co-writer Tony Rettenmaier perfect the details. Ignore the fact that they both collaborated on the script for the awful Space Jam: A New Legacy, other than considering the excellent They Cloned Tyrone as a far smarter, darker and deeper exploration of exploitation when the powers that be see other people as merely a means to an end. On an ordinary day — and amid vintage-looking threads and hairstyles, and also thoroughly modern shoutouts to SpongeBob SquarePants, Kevin Bacon, Barack Obama, Nancy Drew and bitcoin — Fontaine wakes up, has little cash and doesn't win on an instant scratch-it. He chats to his mother through her bedroom door, tries to collect a debt from Slick Charles and, as Yo-Yo witnesses, is shot. Then he's back in his bed, none the wiser about what just happened, zero wounds to be seen, and going through the same cycle again. When the trio realise that coming back from the dead isn't just a case of déjà vu, they team up to investigate, discovering one helluva conspiracy that helps Taylor's film make a powerful statement. They Cloned Tyrone's lead trio amply assists, too, especially the ever-ace Boyega. Like Sorry to Bother You especially, this is a comedy set within a nightmarish scenario, and the Attack the Block, Star Wars and Small Axe alum perfects both the humour and the horror. One plucky and persistent, the other oozing charm and rocking fur-heavy coats, Parris and Foxx lean into the hijinks as the central threesome go all Scooby-Doo. There isn't just a man in a mask here, however, in this astute and inventive standout. They Cloned Tyrone streams via Netflix. GOOD OMENS Since 2019, witnessing David Tennant utter the word "angel" has been one of the small screen's great delights. Playing the roguish demon Crowley in Good Omens, the Scottish Doctor Who and Broadchurch star sometimes says it as an insult, occasionally with weary apathy and even with exasperation. Usually simmering no matter his mood, however, is affection for the person that he's always talking about: book-loving and bookshop-owning heavenly messenger Aziraphale (Michael Sheen, Quiz). With just one term and two syllables, Tennant tells a story about the show's central odd-couple duo, who've each been assigned to oversee earth by their bosses — Crowley's from below, Aziraphale's from above — and also conveys their complicated camaraderie. So, also since 2019, watching Tennant and Sheen pair up on-screen has been supremely divine. Good Omens, which hails from Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's award- and fan-winning 1990 novel Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, was always going to be about Aziraphale and Crowley. And yet, including in its second season, it's always been a better series because it's specifically about Sheen as the former and Tennant as the latter. In this long-awaited return, neither Aziraphale nor Crowley are beloved by their higher-ups or lower-downs thanks to their thwarting-the-apocalypse actions. Season one saw them face their biggest test yet after they started observing humans since biblical times — the always-foretold birth of the antichrist and, 11 years later, cosmic forces rolling towards snuffing out the planet's people to start again — and saving the world wasn't what their leaders wanted. One fussing over his store and remaining reluctant to sell any of its tomes, the other continuing to swagger around like Bill Nighy as a rule-breaking rockstar, Aziraphale nor Crowley have each carved out a comfortable new status quo, though, until a naked man walking through London with nothing but a cardboard box comes trundling along. He can't recall it, but that birthday suit-wearing interloper is the archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm, Confess, Fletch). He knows he's there for a reason and that it isn't good, but possesses zero memory otherwise. And, in the worst news for Aziraphale and Crowley, he has both heaven and hell desperate to find him — which is just the beginning of season two's delightful chaos. Good Omens streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. FULL CIRCLE Whether on screens big and small, when an audience watches a Steven Soderbergh project, they're watching one of America's great current directors ply his full range of filmmaking skills. Usually, he doesn't just helm. Going by Peter Andrews and Mary Ann Bernard — aliases from his parents' names — he shoots and edits as well. And he's prolific: since advising that he'd retire from making features after Side Effects, he's directed, lensed and spliced nine more, plus three TV shows. Among those titles sit movies such as Logan Lucky, Unsane, Kimi and Magic Mike's Last Dance; the exceptional two seasons of turn-of-the-20th-century medical drama The Knick; and now New York-set kidnapping miniseries Full Circle. The filmmaker who won Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or at 26 for Sex, Lies and Videotape, earned two Best Director Oscars in one year for Traffic and Erin Brockovich, brought the Ocean's franchise back to cinemas in 2001, and eerily predicted the COVID-19 pandemic with 2011's Contagion is in his element with his latest work. Six-part noir-influenced thriller Full Circle reunites Soderbergh with Mosaic and No Sudden Move screenwriter Ed Solomon, boasts a starry cast, involves money and secrets and deception, and proves a twisty and layered crime tale from the get-go. Full Circle starts with a murder, then a revenge plot, then a missing smartphone. These early inclusions all tie into an intricate narrative that will indeed demonstrate inevitability, cause and effect, the repercussions of our actions, and decisions looping back around. The pivotal death forms part of a turf war, sparking a campaign of retaliation by Queens-based Guyanese community leader and insurance scammer Savitri Mahabir (CCH Pounder, Avatar: The Way of Water). She enlists freshly arrived teens Xavier (Sheyi Cole, Atlanta) and Louis (Gerald Jones, Armageddon Time) to do the seizing under her nephew Aked's (Jharrel Jerome, I'm a Virgo) supervision; one of the newcomers is the brother of the latter's fiancée Natalia (Adia, The Midnight Club), who is also Savitri's masseuse. The target: Manhattan high-schooler Jared (Ethan Stoddard, Mysteries at the Museum), son of the wealthy and privileged Sam (Claire Danes, Fleishman Is in Trouble) and Derek Browne (Timothy Olyphant, Daisy Jones & The Six), and grandson through Sam to ponytailed celebrity chef Jeff McCusker (Dennis Quaid, Strange World). Savitri is convinced that this is the only way to stave off the curse she's certain is hanging over her business — a "broken circle", in fact. But, much to the frustration of the US Postal Inspection Service's Manny Broward (Jim Gaffigan, Peter Pan & Wendy), his go-for-broke agent Melody Harmony (Zazie Beetz, Black Mirror) is already investigating before the abduction. Full Circle streams via Binge. Read our full review. WHAM! "If you're gonna do it, do it right," sang Wham! on their 1985 single 'I'm Your Man'. When it comes to living the dream of becoming international pop sensations in your twenties, and with your childhood best friend by your side, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley took those lyrics to heart. Wham!'s rise wasn't perfect, as the documentary that shares the group's name surveys, but the group's brief existence in the 80s saw them make their mark on history — and release quite the array of earworms. The songs, the ska band that Michael and Ridgeley formed first, the doubts, the struggles: documentarian Chris Smith (Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal) steps through it all, including Michael's difficult decision to keep his sexuality closeted. The early club gigs to drum up a fandom, the big-break Top of the Pops appearance, catapulting to fame, becoming the first Western pop group to play China: that's all featured as well. And shorts — so, so, many shorts donned by both the man who'd become a massive solo star once Wham! split and the pal who volunteered to show him around on his first day at Bushey Meads School long before their Wham! success. Smith crafts an affectionate and insightful film that's unashamedly a tribute, celebrates all things 80s from the hair and the outfits to the aura of excess, but makes clear that the band was never just Michael's launching pad — even if it did cement his talents not just as a singer, but also as a writer and producer. A fast-paced array of archival footage tells the tale visually, aided by scrapbooks kept by Ridgeley's mother that chart their careers; candid interviews with Michael before his death and Ridgeley now fill in the details. Also echoing: Wham!'s hits from 'Wham Rap!' and 'Young Guns' to 'Club Tropicana' and 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go'. Each gets their engaging origin story, although none more so than the still-astonishing 'Careless Whisper', which record executives dismissed when they ignored the group's very first demo four decades ago. The behind-the-scenes material is relaxed and intimate, the live clips electrifying, and the joy on Michael's face while playing Live Aid with the likes of Freddie Mercury and David Bowie is genuine (even as he talks of his fears that he didn't belong in their company). Watching means getting Wham!'s catalogue stuck in your head, of course — yes, 'Last Christmas' as well. Wham! streams via Netflix. THE HORROR OF DOLORES ROACH It takes place in New York, not London. The era: modern times, not centuries back. Fleet Street gives way to Washington Heights, the demon barber to a masseuse nicknamed "Magic Hands", and pies to empanadas. There's still a body count, however, and people end up in pastries as well. Yes, The Horror of Dolores Roach namedrops Sweeney Todd early, as it needs to; there's no denying where this eight-part series takes inspiration, as did the one-woman off-Broadway play that it's based on, plus the podcast that followed before the TV version. On the stage, the airwaves and now via streaming, creator Aaron Mark asks a question: what if the fictional cannibalism-inciting character who first graced penny dreadfuls almost two centuries back, then leapt to theatres, films and, most famously, musicals, had a successor today? Viewers can watch the answer via a dramedy that also belongs on the same menu as Santa Clarita Diet, Yellowjackets and Bones and All. Amid this recent feast of on-screen dishes about humans munching on humans, The Horror of Dolores Roach is light yet grisly, but it's also a survivalist thriller in its own way — and laced with twisted attempts at romance, too. That knowing callout to Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street comes amid an early banquet of knowing callouts, as The Horror of Dolores Roach begins with a play based on a podcast that's wrapping up its opening night. Newspaper clippings in actor Flora Frias' (Jessica Pimentel, Orange is the New Black) dressing room establish that the show takes its cues from a woman who got murderous in the Big Apple four years prior, and helped get unwitting NYC residents taking a bite out of each other. Meet the series' framing device; before the stage production's star can head to the afterparty, she's face to face with a furious Dolores (Justina Machado, One Day at a Time) herself. The latter isn't there to slay, but to haunt the woman spilling her tale by sharing the real details. Two decades earlier, Dolores was a happy resident of Lin-Manuel Miranda's favourite slice of New York, a drug-dealer's girlfriend, and a fan of the local empanada shop. Then the cops busted in, The Horror of Dolores Roach's namesake refused to snitch and lost 16 years of her life. When she's released, gentrification has changed the neighbourhood and her other half is nowhere to be found. Only Luis Batista (Alejandro Hernandez, New Amsterdam) remains that remembers her, still in the empanada joint, and he couldn't be keener on letting her stay with him in his basement apartment below the store. The Horror of Dolores Roach streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. HUESERA: THE BONE WOMAN The sound of cracking knuckles is one of humanity's most anxiety-inducing. The noise of clicking bones elsewhere? That's even worse. Both help provide Huesera: The Bone Woman's soundtrack — and set the mood for a deeply tense slow-burner that plunges into maternal paranoia like a Mexican riff on Rosemary's Baby, the horror subgenre's perennial all-timer, while also interrogating the reality that bringing children into the world isn't a dream for every woman no matter how much society expects otherwise. Valeria (Natalia Solián, Red Shoes) is thrilled to be pregnant, a state that hasn't come easily. After resorting to praying at a shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in desperation, neither she nor partner Raúl (Alfonso Dosal, Narcos: Mexico) could be happier, even if her sister Vero (Sonia Couoh, 40 Years Young) caustically comments that she's never seemed that interested in motherhood before. Then, two things shake up her hard-fought situation: a surprise run-in with Octavia (Mayra Batalla, Everything Will Be Fine), the ex-girlfriend she once planned to live a completely different life with; and constant glimpses of a slithering woman whose unnatural body movements echo and unsettle. Filmmaker Michelle Garza Cervera (TV series Marea alta) makes her fictional narrative debut with Huesera: The Bone Woman, directing and also writing with first-timer Abia Castillo — and she makes a powerfully chilling and haunting body-horror effort about hopes, dreams, regrets and the torment of being forced into a future that you don't truly foresee as your own. Every aspect of the film, especially Nur Rubio Sherwell's (Don't Blame Karma!) exacting cinematography, reinforces how trapped that Valeria feels even if she can't admit it to herself, and how much that attempting to be the woman Raúl and her family want is eating away at her soul. Solián is fantastic at navigating this journey, including whether the movie is leaning into drama or terror at any given moment. You don't need expressive eyes to be a horror heroine, but she boasts them; she possesses a scream queen's lungs, too. Unsurprisingly, Cervera won the Nora Ephron Award for best female filmmaker at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival for this instantly memorable nightmare. Huesera: The Bone Woman streams via Shudder. NIMONA Bounding from the page to the screen — well, from pixels first, initially leaping from the web to print — graphic novel-to-film adaptation Nimona goes all in on belonging. Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal) wants to fit in desperately, and is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it. In this animated movie's medieval-yet-futuristic world, there's nothing more important and acclaimed than being part of the Institute for Elite Knights, so that's his aim. Slipping into armour usually isn't possible for someone who grew up on the wrong side of this realm's tracks, as he did, but Ballister has been given a chance by Queen Valerin (Lorraine Toussaint, The Equalizer), who says that anyone can now be a hero. Alas, just as he's about to have his sword placed upon his shoulder with all the world watching, tragedy strikes, then prejudice sets in. Even his fellow knight-in-training and boyfriend Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang, Star Wars: Visions), who boasts family ties to legendary monster-slaying heroine Gloreth (Karen Ryan, Under the Banner of Heaven), believes that Ballister is responsible. His only ally? Nimona's namesake (Chloë Grace Moretz, The Peripheral), a shapeshifter who offers to be his sidekick regardless of his innocence or guilt. Nimona usually appears as a human girl, but can change into anything. The shapeshifter also wants to belong — but only by being accepted as she is. Unlike Ballister's feelings of inferiority about being a commoner, Nimona is happy with morphing from a kid to a rhinoceros, a whale to a shark, then between anything else that she can think of, and wouldn't give it up for anyone. Indeed, when Ballister keeps pestering her for reasons to explain why she is like she is, and asking her to remain as a girl, she's adamant. She already is normal, and she rightly won't budge from that belief. Animated with lively and colour animation that sometimes resembles Cartoon Saloon's Song of the Sea and Wolfwalkers, Nimona is a family-friendly adventure and, as penned as a comic by ND Stevenson (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power), also a clear, impassioned and sincere allegory for being true to yourself. As a film, directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane (who also teamed up on Spies in Disguise) and screenwriters Robert L Baird (Big Hero 6) and Lloyd Taylor (another Spies in Disguise alum) ensure that it remains a thoughtful delight. Nimona streams via Netflix. RETURNING FAVOURITES TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK FUTURAMA Good news, everyone: Futurama keeps getting thawed out. The small screen's powers that be love defrosting the animated sci-fi series, and viewers should love watching the always-funny results. Not once but twice in the past quarter-century, Matt Groening's other big sitcom has been cancelled then respawned years later. It was true back in 2007 when the show was first reanimated, and it's true again now: whenever Futurama flies across the screen after a stint in stasis, it feels like no time has passed. Groening first spread his talents beyond The Simpsons back in 1999, riffing on Y2K excitement and apprehension, and also leaping forward in time. Futurama's 20th-century pizza delivery guy Philip J Fry (voiced by Billy West, Spitting Image) didn't welcome the 21st century, however; he stumbled into a cryogenic chamber, then awoke to greet the 31st. After tracking down Professor Hubert J Farnsworth (also West), his only living relative, he was soon in the delivery game again — but for intergalactic cargo company Planet Express, in a show that that satirises every vision of the future previously committed to fiction, and with one-eyed ship captain Turanga Leela (Katey Sagal, Dead to Me) and shiny-metal-assed robot Bender Bending Rodríguez (John DiMaggio, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) by his side. Futurama's initial run lasted four seasons, four years and 78 episodes. Then, the show reappeared in 2007 as a direct-to-DVD movie, followed by three more, which were then turned into episodes for the show's fifth season. Alas, another trio of seasons later, Futurama said goodbye again. Thankfully, when a series not only peers at and parodies the next millennia, but takes an anything-goes approach that's brought everything from robot Santas and soap operas to human-hating alien news anchors and talking celebrity heads in jars, there's always room for a new spin. Still, getting the Planet Express soaring yet again does pose one difficulty: how do you undo a perfect finale? When the prior season ended in 2013, it wrapped up Fry and Leela's on-again, off-again romance in a smart, sweet and widely loved bow. The new instalments pick up exactly where that swansong left off, then unleash a "massive disruption in the flow of time" to move everyone to 3023, then restore the usual status quo. So, Fry, Leela, Bender, the Professor, Jamaican accountant Hermes Conrad (Phil LaMarr, Craig of the Creek), Martian intern Amy Wong (Lauren Tom, Dragons: The Nine Realms) and lobster-esque alien doctor Zoidberg (also West) resume their workplace sitcom antics — in vintage form. Futurama streams Disney+. Read our full review. WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Following in Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's footsteps isn't easy, but someone had to do it when What We Do in the Shadows made the leap from the big screen to the small. New format, new location, new vampires, same setup: that's the formula behind this film-to-TV series, which is now in its fifth season. Thankfully for audiences, Matt Berry (Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown), Natasia Demetriou (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) and Kayvan Novak (Cruella) were enlisted as the show's three key bloodsuckers in this US spinoff from the New Zealand mockumentary, all in roles that they each seem born for. The trio play three-century-old British aristocrat Laszlo, his 500-year-old creator and partner Nadja, and early Ottoman Empire warrior Nandor, respectively, who share an abode and the afterlife in Staten Island. In cinemas, the film already proved that the concept works to sidesplitting effect. Vampire housemates, they're just like us — except when they're busting out their fangs, flying, avoiding daylight, sleeping in coffins, feuding with other supernatural creatures and leaving a body count, that is. On TV, What We Do in the Shadows has been illustrating that there's not only ample life left in palling around with the undead, but that there's no limit to the gloriously ridiculous hijinks that these no-longer-living creatures can get up to. It was true as a movie and it's still true as a television show: What We Do in the Shadows sparkles not just due to its premise, but when its characters and cast are both as right as a luminous full moon on a cloudless night. This lineup of actors couldn't be more perfect or comedically gifted, as season five constantly demonstrates via everything from mall trips, political campaigns, pride parades and speed dating to trying to discover why Nandor's long-suffering and ever-dutiful familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillén, Werewolves Within) hasn't quite started chomping on necks despite being bitten himself. Berry's over-enunciation alone is the best in the business, as is his ability to play confident and cocky. His line readings are exquisite, and also piercingly funny. While that was all a given thanks to his Toast franchise, Year of the Rabbit, The IT Crowd, Snuff Box, The Mighty Boosh and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace history, What We Do in the Shadows is a group effort. Demetriou and Novak keep finding new ways to twist Nadja and Nandor's eccentricities in fresh directions; their characters have felt lived-in since season one, but they're still capable of growth and change. What We Do in the Shadows streams via Binge. Read our full review. THE AFTERPARTY When The Afterparty arrived on Apple TV+ in 2022, riding a wave of revived murder-mystery comedy love that Knives Out and Only Murders in the Building had helped wash over screens big and small, it made one big risky move. Throwing a motley crew of characters together, then offing one? Tried, tested and a favourite for a reason. The ensemble cast attempting to sleuth its way through a shock death? Flawless. The genre-bending setup that saw each episode in the season parody a different style of filmmaking? Perfectly executed. Having the words "how great is this party?" uttered over and over again? That's what could've proven dicey if The Afterparty wasn't in fact great; thankfully, it very much was. There's a reason that phrase kept being uttered, because superfluous detail isn't this show's style: as in all great whodunnits, everything happens, is mentioned or can be spotted with cause. Creator Christopher Miller and his fellow executive producer Phil Lord, a duo with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, and The Lego Movie on their resumes as co-directors, know the format they're working with. Crucially, they know how carefully their audience will scrutinise every clue and element. And, in the show's first season and now the second season — they also know how to equally honour and spoof. Fittingly, The Afterparty feels like a murder-mystery comedy party as a result. Adoring, irreverent, willing to get loose and shake things up: that's the vibe and approach. In season one, the series' title was literal thanks to a high-school reunion with fateful post-soiree hijinks. In season two, a wedding brings a disparate group together — and, following the nuptials and reception, The Afterparty's moniker comes into play again. To the horror of the returning Aniq Adjaye (Sam Richardson, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) and his ex-classmate, now-girlfriend Zoe Zhu (Zoe Chao, Party Down), another body then puts a dampener on the festivities; however, this second go-around doesn't get a-solving just in one night. Aniq and Zoe have recovered from their last confrontation with a killing at a celebration by diving into their romance, but it's the latter's younger sister Grace (Poppy Liu, Dead Ringers) who's getting hitched. Her groom Edgar (Zach Woods, Avenue 5) sports both family money and a cryptocurrency-aided bank-balance boost, he's an all-work-no-play socially awkward type as a result and, when he's alive, he's more fond of his pet lizard than most humans. Then he's found face down after the afterparty, déjà vu arrives and so does the also-returning Danner (Tiffany Haddish, The Card Counter) to sift through the suspects. The Afterparty streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review, and our interview with Sam Richardson. MINX A full-frontal embrace of feminism, penises and 70s porn for women greeted audiences when Minx instantly cemented itself among 2022's best new TV shows. The setup: Vassar graduate and country club regular Joyce Prigger (Ophelia Lovibond, Trying) makes her dream of starting her own magazine come true, but for pornography publisher Doug Renetti (Jake Johnson, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse). Created by Ellen Rapoport (Clifford the Big Red Dog) and executive produced by Paul Feig (Last Christmas), the show wasn't shy about the industry it dived into, even if its protagonist initially was. It wasn't afraid to push the strait-laced Joyce out of her comfort zone, see the empowering side of erotica for the fairer sex and champion the female gaze, either. The end result: a savvy, smart and breezy series that was as layered as it was astute and funny — and, yes, one that happily filled its frames with male genitalia. The show was quickly renewed, but also then cancelled in December 2022 during production as part of David Zaslav's cost-cutting measures at Warner Bros Discovery. Then, fellow American network Starz stepped in to save it. Watching Minx's bigger, richer and deeper second season, it's mindboggling to think that it almost didn't make it to screens. "Minx is back and better than ever," announces Doug with his usual shambling brand of swagger — the kind that Johnson long-perfected in New Girl, and also in film roles in Drinking Buddies and Win It All — and he isn't wrong. Of course, he's talking about the series' eponymous erotic mag, not the series itself, but he's on the money. First, though, the again vibrantly shot, styled and costumed show has season-one finale fallout to deal with, after Joyce and Doug ended their tumultuous working relationship. The former goes looking for a new publisher, with boardrooms overflowing with men dropping compliments and promising money awaiting. Then billionaire and ex-shipping industry titan Constance Papadopoulos (Elizabeth Perkins, The Afterparty) shows an interest in the magazine, in supporting and mentoring Joyce, and in having Doug involved — and the Minx gang, including former model Bambi (Jessica Lowe, Miracle Workers), photographer Richie (Oscar Montoya, Final Space), Doug's girlfriend and ex-secretary Tina (Idara Victor, Shameless), and Joyce's sister Shelly (Lennon Parham, Veep), are back together. Minx streams via Stan. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May and June this year. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream shows from this year as well — and our best 15 new shows of 2023's first six months, top 15 returning shows over the same period and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies from January–June 2023, too. Top image: Parrish Lewis/Netflix.
"What do we want?" "Time travel!" "When do we want it?" "It's irrelevant!” And so it is that the Terminator franchise rediscovers its sense of humour. As for everything else, well, the ground’s a little less resolute. Somewhat appropriately, Terminator: Genisys is either the fifth film in the franchise, or the third, depending on your perspective. James Cameron, who wrote and directed the first (and best) two, openly declared both Rise of the Machines and Salvation to be blips on the radar that are best ignored, meaning — at least in his view — Genisys now rounds out the unofficial trilogy (cue joke about a director from the future going back in time to terminate inferior sequels). Certainly, Genisys goes out of its way to fit solidly within the original movie's timeline, at least to begin with. In fact, it’s worth re-watching Terminator beforehand, if only to appreciate the lengths to which director Alan Taylor and his production team have gone in painstakingly recreating some of the film's signature moments (right down to casting a Bill Paxton lookalike for the then-unknown actor’s punk cameo). The reason for the cinematic fidelity quickly becomes apparent, too, when those well-known moments from the original are hugely turned on their head. It’s difficult to explain without revealing giant spoilers, but suffice it to say Sarah Connor (played with remarkable likeness to Linda Hamilton by Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke) no longer needs rescuing back in 1984 by Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney), and Arnie isn’t the first Terminator to be sent back there. Everything’s changed, and therein lies both the film’s strength and weakness. As a positive, switching everything up was a sensible and necessary move to breathe new life into a franchise already guilty of retelling the same story with merely cosmetic differences. John Connor (Jason Clarke) undergoes a dramatic amendment in Genisys, and Schwarzenegger’s T-800 (easily the film’s shining light) has noticeably aged, explaining “I’m old, not obsolete”. Going back to 1984, too, is a clever device because — at least for fans of the original — as soon as the first difference becomes apparent, it raises a lot of questions that help drive the story forward. The downside, however, is that making those changes requires some serious amendments to one of the more established and analysed lores in film history, and unless you’ve got rock solid explanations to back them up, gaping potholes quickly reveal themselves. In Genisys, some are answered via hastily mumbled lines about 'nexus points’ and parallel timelines, but the more critical ones — like how terminators ended up in the timeline long before 1984, who sent them there and why — remain unanswered. It’s a clear setup for a sequel, but mostly just lazy film-making, failing to tell the story it promises. When the credits roll on Genisys, you soon realise you’ve no idea what it was actually about. 2015 is proving itself the king of the reboot, with Jurassic World already destroying box office records, and new entries for Mission Impossible, James Bond and Star Wars all to follow. Terminator: Genisys will likely find itself somewhere towards the bottom of that list, mostly because — while it’s a lot of fun — it fails to ‘wow’ us like its predecessors. The terminators’ technology is largely the same, the action sequences are again mostly variations on a theme, and somehow the phenomenal special effects of 1991’s Judgment Day still remain more jaw-dropping than most things that have come since.
Melbourne's Chapel Street is already one of the most colourful and lively precincts in town, but with the return of PROVOCARÉ Festival of the Arts the area is set to explode with confronting creativity as some of the most thrilling and unapologetic artworks and performances of 2018 take place. Running from July 5–15, the second edition of PROVOCARÉ will be headlined by world-renowned American photographer Spencer Tunick. Best known for his massive-scale nude photos, captured throughout many of the world's big cities, Tunick is set to shoot another provocative artwork in the Chapel Street Precinct. Tunick will be joined by a host of leading local and international artists, performing steamy cabaret shows, vodka-fuelled plays and much more. There'll also be a host of activities — such as blindfolded dinner parties — to partake in, too. To help make your scheduling a little easier, we've picked out seven sensational events taking place across the two jam-packed weeks. SPENCER TUNICK RETURN OF THE NUDE Spencer Tunick's PROVOCARÉ installation will be his third on Australian shores, after first shocking audiences Down Under in 2001 — with confronting photographs set on the banks of the Yarra — before returning in 2010 to capture another iconic series on the steps of Sydney Opera House. The artist has described Chapel Street as reminiscent of "East Village in New York, Sunset Strip in LA, and San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury, but all combined into one juggernaut". Before Tunick can transform Chapel Street into a sea of nude bodies, he needs (lots of) nude bodies. He is seeking hundreds of courageous volunteers of all shapes, ages, races, genders and abilities to get their kit off and brave the wintery conditions to feature in the two-day installation. If you'd like to participate in his latest work, head to the PROVOCARÉ website to register your interest (you'll be rewarded with a limited edition print of the artwork). Return of the Nude will be shot over two days between July 7 and 10 in the Chapel Street Precinct. REUBEN KAYE To give you an insight into Reuben Kaye's reputation, he's been described as "the evil love child of Liza Minnelli and Jim Carrey" and "the quintessential cabaret performer". That sets the bar rather high, but Kaye's not one to disappoint — or bore. After stunning audiences in Australian and abroad, Kaye's performance for PROVOCARÉ Festival of the Arts comes hotly anticipated. Having held residencies at London's historic Savoy Hotel and Café de Paris, while also gracing stages in Berlin, Stockholm and everywhere in between, Kaye will perform his award-winning one-man show — that's equal parts song, dance and comedy — for seven nights only. Reuben Kaye will be performing between July 7–15 at Chapel Off Chapel. Tickets: $30. THE DEATH OF WALT DISNEY One of Australia's most celebrated local theatres, MKA: Theatre of New Writing presents a daring and comical production of New York playwright Lucas Hnath's A Public Reading of An Unproduced Screenplay about The Death of Walt Disney. A highly fictionalised portrayal of the American figure, whose impact on pop-culture is matched by few others, the play explores the relationship between Walt Disney, his brother Roy and one of his daughters. Led by three actors supported by a pack of cigarettes and a litre of vodka, the play features the character of Walt Disney reading his own screenplay, written about himself and on his own impending death. The Death of Walt Disney will run from July 11-14 at the MC Showroom. Tickets: $20. ARTWALK Following up from 2017's inaugural festival, PROVOCARÉ will once against host an artwalk that'll lead you through many of Chapel Street's most loved art icons, while also delving into the rich creative history of the area. Winding through Windsor, Prahran and South Yarra, Artwalk will begin at the rooftop sculpture park of MARS Gallery — which features a wind-powered sculpture by Australian artist Cameron Robbins — before heading inside to explore the gallery's latest exhibition Liquid Candy by the acclaimed Bonnie Lane. The walk will provide insight into some of the cultures behind the areas' street art, explaining why they have become such notable attractions both locally and internationally. Artwalk will take place on Saturday, July 7 and 14, and Sunday, July 8 and 15, from 3–5.30pm. Tickets: $29. DINNER IN THE DARK Art and food intersect at this surprise-filled dining experience. Held in a secret location, Dinner in the Dark features three courses of food (and wine) prepared by local chefs Garen Maskal of Shukah and Daniel Natoli of Neptune Food & Wine. After following cryptic clues to a Chapel Street location, that you'll be given 24-hours earlier, you'll be blindfolded and seated in a private dining room. Each course is created to maximise the impact on your senses (well four of them), leaving you guessing as to what delightful flavour combinations you're consuming. Dinner in the Dark will take place in a secret location on Friday, July 6. Tickets: $90. DAVID BROMLEY WHATEVER YOU DREAM Rolls Royces, Mercedes-Benzs and Jaguars aren't your typical canvases, but David Bromley isn't your everyday artist. A free open-air exhibition at PROVOCARÉ, Whatever You Dream sees Bromley take luxury cars destined for the junkyard and transform them into masterful works of art. The co-founder of leading Chapel Street design studio and shop Bromley&Co, David Bromley is one of Australia's most in-demand contemporary artists working today. Best known for three long-term series Boys Own adventure, the Female Nude series, and Butterflies, for his newest exhibition – running July 5-15 – Bromley adds his unique styling to the opulent cars, employing a host of pop culture references, found images and bold colours to explore themes of nostalgia and the lost and found. Whatever You Dream will take place from July 5–15 on Oxford Street, South Yarra. CLUB PROVOCARÉ The theme of burlesque, circus and cabaret continues with a lineup of steamy international performers at Club PROVOCARÉ. The nightly show will be hosted by multi-award winning performer Bernie Dieter, AKA the Queen of Kink. Admired around the world for her sensational voice and sharp wit, Dieter brings along an all-star cast of self-described nocturnal freaks and misfits. The kooky lineup includes Belgian burlesque superstar Laurie Hagan, Australian 'boylesque' duo Tom Worrell and Karl Kayoss, the unmistakable 'Queen of Corporate' Karen from Finance, and Japan's high-flying and pyro specialist Yusura. Club PROVOCARÉ will be an erotic and high-octane experience like nothing else you've seen. Club PROVOCARÉ will show nightly during the festival at the David Williamson Theatre, Melbourne Polytechnic. Tickets: $33. For the full lineup, visit PROVOCARÉ Festival of the Arts and keep an eye on their Facebook @provocareonchapel and @chapelstreetprecinct for more event announcements.
Whether you're in full lockdown mode, are only leaving the house to buy groceries or still have to venture out regularly because you can't work from home, no one is moseying far in these COVID-19 times. Everyone wants to, though. That's just human nature. Even if you're a homebody whose idea of a perfect vacation is getting cosy on the couch with your partner and your streaming queue, we're betting you're currently craving something — anything — to look at beyond your own four walls. Being cooped up in the house and experiencing a hefty dose of wanderlust go hand-in-hand, unsurprisingly — and you can cope in two ways. If you're itching to travel the globe the second you're able to, you can spend all your new spare time planning the trips you'll take when you can finally leave isolation behind. Or, if you're happy to simply pretend that you're somewhere far, far away, you can enter the world of travel live streams. You've virtually toured museums, galleries and landmarks already. Now it's time to while away as many minutes, hours or days as you like staring at a live webcam feed that's capturing life in another country right at this moment. Maybe you want to see what's going on in some of the places you've already been to. Perhaps you're keen to view stunning sights that you've always wanted to visit. Either way, here are seven travel live streams that you can watch from your couch at this very instant. A hint: pop one on in the background while you're working from home, and your day will instantly seem brighter. Also, a word of warning: they're rather addictive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwriDd8STdI&feature=emb_logo THE NORTHERN LIGHTS, CHURCHILL, CANADA The northern lights, aka aurora borealis, are one of the world's great natural wonders — the type of phenomenon that you need to see with your own eyes to truly appreciate. Caused by solar winds, the lights beam an array of colours across the evening sky, emitting a show that luminous events like Vivid only wish they could emulate. And, for everyone who needs that kind of magic in their lives at the moment, they're being live-streamed via Explore.org's dedicated webcam. You'll obviously need to tune in at the right time; however the middle of the night in Churchill, Canada (where the camera is stationed) coincides with late afternoon Down Under. And, even when you can't glimpse the main attraction, you can still peer at a scenic sky above an expanse of snow, all on the other side of the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpZAez2oYsA CANAL OF CANNAREGIO AND PONTE DELLE GUGLIE, VENICE, ITALY Perhaps it's the centuries-old architecture. Maybe it's the glistening water. Or, it could be the entire idea of a city built on a group of 118 small islands, all separated by canals and linked by bridges. Whichever one fits, Venice boasts a particular kind of magic — and, in good news, that remains the case if you're watching on via live stream. Peering at the Ponte delle Guglie over the Canal of Cannaregio, the webcam setup at Hotel Filù is one of the best. Also, while you're viewing, you'll be doing so from a camera inside a building that dates back to the 800s. Those interested in more of Venice's distinctive sights can choose from a range of other cams, too, including a rolling live feed that switches between various scenic vantages. SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE CROSSING, TOKYO, JAPAN It has been featured in everything from Lost in Translation to Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift — and, during normal circumstances, it's one of the busiest places in one of the busiest cities in the world. That'd be Shibuya's famous scramble crossing, where hordes of people usually cross the intersection all day, everyday. Whether you've been to Tokyo plenty of times or you've always wanted to take a trip, this bustling site is on everyone's must-visit list. For now, though, you can simply watch. Shibuya Community News' web cam peers down at the four-way crossing non-stop, as the few folks who are still out and about in Tokyo go about their business. If you've ever walked across the road yourself, the sparse sight is quite surreal. If you haven't yet had the chance, get ready to start people-watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnNrd-VjLsQ WAIMEA BAY, HAWAII, USA Who doesn't wish that, right about now, they were sunbathing on a beach with nothing but sunscreen, sand and the crash of the waves to worry about? We all know the feeling — and while Australia's beaches have been closing over the past few weeks, all in an effort to enforce the country's current social-distancing requirements, you can check out Hawaii's Waimea Bay instead. If you find looking at the surf and listening to the roar of the ocean soothing at the best of times, you'll undoubtedly feel the same in today's far-from-usual predicament. This is a live stream you'll want to turn the volume up for, too, so you can make the very most of every sound from the scenic O'ahu spot. THE EIFFEL TOWER, PARIS, FRANCE Live stream network Earthcam.com has access to cameras in a huge number of places; however there's nothing quite like staring at one of the world's most famous tourist attractions while you're sat on your couch. If you time your peek just right — aka, you have a look when it's evening in Paris but daytime Down Under — you'll see the Eiffel Tower lit up against the night sky, perhaps even with the moon in the background, too. And, if you'd like to see how the iconic structure looks at various times of the day and under different conditions, you can scroll through the site's extensive image gallery, checking out how the tower appeared over the past hours, days, weeks and months. YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA, USA There's no shortage of magnificent natural land formations to see in California's Yosemite National Park. While no one can lock their peepers on them in person at present, anyone eager to get a glimpse can still do so online. And, thanks to Yosemite Conservancy and the US National Park Service, there are multiple options — peering at multiple sights, too. If it's a live webcam feed you're after, then take a gander at Yosemite Falls, one of the world's tallest waterfalls. Watching water stream down from almost 740 metres up is quite the vision to behold. For those who'd rather peer at the Yosemite High Sierra, the Badger Ski Pass Area or Half Dome, or vicariously live out their Free Solo dreams at El Capitan, you can do so via static live images that refresh every 60 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zUmDtZAd28&feature=emb_logo LOCH NESS, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND You could spend your days in isolation learning a few new skills, catching up on a heap of movies, watching everything from theatre to opera, getting your sweat on and cooking up a storm. Or, you could keep your eyes peeled for a famous critter: the Loch Ness Monster. Thanks to the Nessie on the Net live stream, a webcam is trained at the body of water in the Scottish Highlands all day and night. If anyone is ever going to spot the creature — if it does even exist — now seems like the perfect time for it. You'll want to check out the stream when it's daytime in Scotland, otherwise you'll just see darkness. And, monster or no monster, the lake and the surrounding countryside still looks idyllic either way. Top image: Shibuya scramble crossing, Benh Lieu Song via Wikimedia Commons.
When Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement decided to don fangs, embrace the undead and make a mockumentary about vampire housemates, What We Do in the Shadows was the sidesplittingly funny end result. And when the pair decided to expand the concept on the small screen, utterly delightful things followed, including NZ television show Wellington Paranormal — which stuck with the movie's movie's cops as they kept investigating the supernatural — and the American TV series also called What We Do in the Shadows. That US television offshoot also boasts a killer cast, all playing an ace roundup of vamps. For the uninitiated, this iteration of What We Do in the Shadows is set in Staten Island — but no, Pete Davidson doesn't show up. Instead, the series focuses on a household where Nandor (Kayvan Novak, Cruella), Laszlo (Matt Berry, Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown) and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) all live. Energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch, The Office) and Nandor's familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillen, Werewolves Within), the latter of which comes from a family of slayers, have also staked a claim in the story. Given that this What We Do in the Shadows has been running for four seasons now, with a fifth on the way, that basic premise is just the beginning. Plenty of supernatural mayhem has followed Nandor and company, and long may it continue. Indeed, in the just-dropped trailer for season five, everything is as wonderfully chaotic as ever — and yes, "bat!" gets yelled and Matt Berry is as glorious as ever. Visits to shopping malls, getting into politics, hosting news shows, saucy rendezvous, the return of other familiar faces: they're all glimpsed in this sneak peek, which doesn't just herald the return of TV's best vampires, but of the best on-screen universe there is. Fingers crossed that just like bloodsuckers, this small-screen take on What We Do in the Shadows will never die. For now, its fifth season has locked in a mid-July return date in the US, which hopefully means that it will hit Australia via Binge and New Zealand via Neon at the same time. Check out the trailer for What We Do in the Shadows season five below: What We Do in the Shadows' fifth season arrives in the US on July 13, with Australian (via Binge) and New Zealand (via Neon) return dates still to be confirmed — we'll update you when they're locked in.
Prepare yourself for a night of whimsy, wonder and a weird, scaly, hermaphroditic fish man named Old Gregg. Noel Fielding, the androgynous co-lead of the surreal British comedy series The Mighty Boosh, is bringing his live show, An Evening with Noel Fielding, to a capital city near you. Combining stand-up comedy with animation and original music, as well as special appearances from some of Fielding's most beloved and baffling characters, including Fantasy Man and The Moon, the April 2015 show marks Fielding's first time in Australia since his sold-out tour in 2012. This time he'll also be joined by his younger brother Michael, best known for his recurring role on The Mighty Boosh as Naboo the Enigma, an alien shaman from the planet Xooberon. Fielding previously played the part of Richmond in The IT Crowd, appeared as a team captain on the music comedy panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and helped create the comedy sketch program Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy. He is also a member of the band Loose Tapestries along with Kasabian guitarist Sergio Pizzorno, whose music will be featured in the tour. Tickets to An Evening with Noel Fielding go on sale at 9am on Wednesday, December 17. The show begins in Auckland on Monday, April 6, following by Wellington on Friday, April 10, and Christchurch on Sunday April 12. Fielding then crosses the ditch, first to Melbourne on Wednesday April 15, then Adelaide on Friday April 17 and Canberra on Monday April 20. He'll be at the State Theatre in Sydney on Wednesday April 22, before finishing up with Perth on Friday April 24 and Brisbane on Monday April 27.
Two icons of Australian creativity will combine in the country's newest opera, which sees Opera Australia take on the life of famous Aussie artist Brett Whiteley. Called Whiteley, the production will come to the Sydney Opera House across July 15–30, 2019, exploring and honouring not only the celebrated, two-time Archibald Prize-winning painter, but his wife and muse Wendy. And, as well as turning their tale into a song-filled drama, the opera will feature a digital backdrop that'll incorporate the artist's iconic pieces onto huge LED screens. The set design will be Dan Potra's domain — and if you saw any of the Handa Opera shows on Sydney Harbour, or even just saw pictures, then you'll know you're in for a visual treat. As for the rest of the talent behind this take on an Aussie talent, it'll be directed by David Freeman, with music composed by Elena Kats-Chernin and libretto by Justin Fleming. The opera will mark the second time that Whiteley's story and works have made the jump to another medium in just a few short years, following on from the 2017 documentary also called Whiteley — but so far, this latest effort is exclusive to Sydney as part of Opera Australia's packed 2019 season. While a slate of Melbourne productions have also been announced for next year, Whiteley isn't taking the trip down south yet. That means art fans should schedule a mid-year getaway, or cross their fingers that Whiteley will feature among the company's touring productions down the track. Whitely comes to the Sydney Opera House from July 15–30, 2019. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the Opera Australia website. Image: Photo courtesy Brett Whiteley (Australia; England, b.1939, d.1992). Self portrait in the studio 1976. Oil, collage, hair on canvas, 200.5 x 259 cm. Art Gallery of New South Wales. Photo credit: AGNSW, Chritopher Snee.
