Melbourne Design Week is back for 2025, and for its ninth edition, the city's biggest celebration of design and design thinking will be bringing over 350 events to locations statewide. Taking place between Thursday, May 15–Sunday, May 25, the event will present both high-concept ideas and hands-on experiences across architecture, lighting, furniture, publishing, sport and beyond. Most events are free to enter — meaning that whether you're a design die-hard or just keen for something interesting to do on the weekend, you'll have the opportunity to explore the city in a whole new way. Highlights include 100 Lights, which will see North Melbourne's Meat Market Stables be transformed into a glowing gallery of contemporary lighting by 100 artists and makers, with table lamps, pendants and wall lights that showcase both function and cutting-edge form. [caption id="attachment_1001833" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Sibling Architecture[/caption] Another fascinating display is Sibling Architecture's Deep Calm, a thought-provoking exhibition that explores how design can support neurodivergent people with a soothing showcase of weighted sofas and tactile rugs. Elsewhere, the Boyd Baker House in Bacchus Marsh will host A New Normal, which presents ideas by 12 Melbourne architects that aim to make the city self-sufficient by 2030. The program also includes must-see retrospectives by two legends of Australian design: lighting designer Volker Haug and furniture designer Trent Jansen, who are both marking 20 years in the game. Melbourne Design Week 2025 also features exhibitions exploring the sustainable reuse of timber from urban trees, typography shows, memorial-making workshops, curated book pop-ups, and, as part of Open House Melbourne, a two-day symposium that delves into the architecture, places, issues and practices associated with the end of life. Meanwhile, the NGV will be the focal point of Melbourne Art Book Fair, with over 100 publishers setting up in the Great Hall with a special focus on Southeast Asian designers. There'll also be free kids' storytime sessions led by local children's book authors under Yayoi Kusama's towering Dancing Pumpkin sculpture in Federation Court. [caption id="attachment_1001839" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Volker Haug, Fire Trees[/caption] And if you've ever wanted to shoot hoops with a furniture designer, you're in luck — this year's program includes a two-on-two basketball tournament for designers and design enthusiasts at a Reko Rennie-painted court in Cremorne. [caption id="attachment_1001872" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peter Bennetts, March Studio x Reko Rennie[/caption] Top image: Alex Lark.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your text trip. In this instalment, we take you to Wollemi Wilderness Cabins in the Blue Mountains, where Lionel Buckett has constructed the Secret Treehouse overlooking two National Parks and a World Heritage listed rainforest. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? You'll spend a few nights in your own uniquely designed treehouse looking out over 600 acres of Australian wilderness. It's escapism on stilts. THE ROOMS The private treetop cabin comes with the lot. You have a kitchenette, Queen bed, fireplace and floor to ceiling windows looking out over the Blue Mountains. But our favourite feature has to be the in-floor spa bath. It sits in the corner of the treehouse and has retractable doors all around it so you can decide to either let nature in, or just look out at it from the warmth of your room. We could spend the whole day getting pruney in here. But they only have one treehouse, which fits two guests – and it's pretty damn popular. If you can't book the treehouse, don't be scared off. These guys do have other accommodations on site. They have a few large wooden cabins (and a tipi accommodation) with impressive views over the surrounding area. They aren't adult-sized treehouses, but they are still great for nature lovers. FOOD AND DRINK The treehouse is set up with its own little kitchen so you can be fully self-sustained here. BYO groceries and booze, and cook up a storm. But, we get it, sometimes you just want to be taken care of by someone else when you're on holiday. That's when Caroline comes in. Caroline is a local who runs her own catering company called Come by Chance. All you need to do is ask the accommodation's hosts for some brekkie or dinner — and they'll get Caroline on the case and she'll cook and deliver great meals to your room. Expect a classic chicken parma, tea and scones, or a full English breakfast spread. THE LOCAL AREA Come here to marvel at some classic Aussie bush landscapes. All the cabins are located within Wollemi National Park, which is the largest wilderness area in NSW. Forming part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area - Wollemi is made up of a consort of canyons, cliffs, watering holes and undisturbed forest. And it's only an hour drive from Sydney. Winner! THE EXTRAS But you don't have to spend your whole visit up in the treehouse. There are stacks of things to do around here. First off, there are hikes galore, of course. The hosts will direct you to the nearby trails where you can also go mountain biking, or to the nearby river for canoeing. Pampering is also big here — although it's done in true Aussie fashion. They have a few of their own hot mud baths available. Sit in an old tub, surrounded by bushlands, and let the in-house therapist guide you through a relaxing, muddy ritual. It's great for your skin, plus its loads of fun. You're already in a treehouse, so why not embrace your inner child even more with this experience? Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world. Images by Jochen Spencer
You've entered the workforce. You enjoy where you work and what you do. Congrats, you've successfully adulted. But, seeing as your career will likely span upwards of 40 years of your life, you'll want to be in a position where you can actually get the most out of your job. How? We have one word for you — upskill. By taking a course or studying a single subject related to your career goals, you'll expand your realm of knowledge beyond any original training you've done, keep up to date with the latest research and methodologies in your field and show your present (and prospective) employers your ambition and drive for self-improvement. And, you don't even need to put your career (or life) on hold to do so. Senior manager of marketing Rhiannon Farrar is one of the thousands of Aussies who have studied online through Open Universities Australia (OUA). She got her degree — maintaining a healthy study-work-life balance in the process — and she's now kicking some serious career goals. This is how she did it. DON'T PACK YOUR BAGS Forget Hollywood's idea of the university experience — moving across the country, living on campus and going to frat parties. For a lot of people, pausing life to study for a period of time is just not feasible. But, luckily, you don't need to. OUA partners with universities all across Australia to bring over 290 degrees and 1500 subjects to students studying remotely. Sydney-based Farrar went straight into the workforce after high school, starting out as a casting agency talent booker before taking on a front of house role at a Sydney advertising agency. So, when it came to studying, moving wasn't really an option — she already had her foot in the door in Sydney. Instead, she undertook her preferred degree — Griffith University's Bachelor of Communication (majoring in Public Relations) — online through OUA. FIT STUDY AROUND YOUR LIFE (NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND) Life can be unpredictable, which makes locking yourself into a degree feel completely daunting. But, one of the biggest drawcards of studying through OUA is the flexibility. OUA lets you select the number of subjects you complete per study period, semester or trimester (depending on the qualification). So, if in one study period, life gets busy, you want to travel or complete an internship (like Farrar did with the Sydney Kings basketball team), you can scale back to one subject — or take off a semester altogether. You can then take on an extra load in the following block to catch up if you like. On top of the industry-specific knowledge that Farrar gained, she notes that this flexible style of studying also improved her work style — from learning how to manage her time to working independently and feeling confident asking for help when necessary. USE WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING STRAIGHT AWAY Chances are, you only remember a fraction of what you learned in high school (Pythagoras theorem, we're looking at you) and the same can happen with uni, too. If you're not thinking about it on a daily or weekly basis, some information just doesn't stick after a certain period of time. When you're working and studying simultaneously, you get to implement what you're learning in real time. Similarly, everyone likes a shortcut — and earning credit for the work experience you have under your belt already is a surefire way to fast track your degree. Just five years on from her graduation, Farrar now oversees the marketing strategy for the entire Asia Pacific region for Rakuten Marketing. She partly credits her quick rise through the ranks to being able to put what she was learning into practice immediately — and vice versa. "Working in adland and studying PR, there were a lot of overlaps between what I was learning and what was happening at work," says Farrar. "My studies helped me get a greater understanding of the industry, and my work helped me to make practical sense of what I was learning." FIND YOUR PERFECT MATCH You may not be interested in a full degree right now. Perhaps you've identified a knowledge gap or want to specialise to future-proof your job (and make yourself more attractive to potential employers). OUA also offers a heap of post-graduate single subjects that you could study in your lunch break, commute or after work. It's a minimal commitment (aside from sacrificing a few hours at the pub or watching Netflix) for maximum return. From learning how to code with RMIT to a subject on Innovative Business Practice with Swinburne University through OUA, there are plenty of subjects that will get you up-to-date in your field and supercharge your career. Take it from Farrar: "We live in a competitive world where new trends and technology are constantly coming into play. Keeping yourself upskilled is so important to ensuring career development and growth." Start looking at all the subjects on offer online from leading Australian universities through Open Universities Australia and you could have a new skill by the end of the year. Hop to it.
Australia's First National Pet Show will return to Melbourne Showgrounds this weekend, promising an even better and larger event. Expect a multi-zone examination of dogs, cats, fish, birds, reptiles, and tiny animals, as well as over 250 experts and exhibitors. Managing Director Cameron Just is hoping for large crowds after the show sold out in 2023. "Perfect for those who are already proud pet parents or looking for a new pet but unsure of where to start, The Pet Show is all about education, entertainment and the latest in products for pets from scales to tails and everything in between," he says. The Pet Show offers the latest goods and professional guidance to inform and amuse existing and potential pet owners. Presenters include Dr Lisa Chimes, a veterinarian and TV host, veterinarian Dr Katrina Warren, wildlife expert Ben Dessen, and Kelly Gill, owner and trainer at the Wonderdogs. Keep an eye out for the Dog Arena demonstrations, a Scales & Tails touch zone, face painting, food trucks, a kid's agility course, and more. Attendees may also enjoy entertainment from the popular children's show Bluey and Bingo. Wander through exhibitions from organisations including Refuresh, Kitty Rescue Squad Aus, and Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs. A portion of the online ticket sales will be donated to RSPCA Victoria. The Pet Show kicks off in Melbourne on Saturday, 12 April and Sunday, 13 April, with daily tickets ranging from $30 per adult to $70 for a family. Later the show makes its way to Adelaide in May, Brisbane in June, and Sydney in November. Stay tuned for more updates.
School's back, even if it's been years — or a decade or more — since you last stepped foot in a classroom. Come April, Netflix's Heartbreak High revival will return for its second season, after its initial comeback in 2022 proved more popular than the 3pm bell. When new episodes will drop was announced earlier in the year; now it's time for the trailer for season two, giving viewers a sneak peek at Hartley High's new term. Everyone who can remember their high-school days knows that chaos is always part of the experience — and the debut glimpse at Heartbreak High's second season stays true to that idea. Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect) is back to being hated, and understandably isn't thrilled about it. Also part of the season: picking a new school captain, the impact of a few new arrivals among the students and staff, sporting mayhem and a love triangle. When Heartbreak High first arrived on television from 1994–99, it became one of Australia's classic teen series. When it returned more than two decades later, the new version also had everyone turning up. Accordingly, after its first season proved a huge smash, 2020s-era Heartbreak High was promptly renewed for season two — as you'd expect of an International Emmy-, AACTA- and Logie-winning show. Also on the returning crew in the revival's second season, character-wise: Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman), Darren (screen first-timer James Majoos), Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud), Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), Malakai (Thomas Weatherall, Troppo), Spider (Bryn Chapman Parish, Mr Inbetween), Ant (debutant Brodie Townsend), Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC) and Missy (fellow newcomer Sherry-Lee Watson) — as well as teachers Woodsy (Rachel House, Our Flag Means Death) and Jojo (Chika Ikogwe, The Tourist). As announced previously, they have some fresh faces for company. Sam Rechner (The Fabelmans) plays country boy and classic cinema fan Rowan Callaghan. Kartanya Maynard (Deadloch) joins the Hartley crew as Zoe Clarke, who has big thoughts on celibacy — she's in favour — as part of a gang of Puriteens. And Angus Sampson hops from Bump to Heartbreak High as Head of PE Timothy Voss. Season one started with Amerie becoming a pariah at Hartley after a big revelation — an "incest map" plotting out who's hooked up with who throughout the school — and also struggling with a sudden rift in her friendship with bestie Harper. Attempting to repair her reputation, she called on help from her new pals Quinni and Darren, all while working through her crush on Dusty and developing feelings for Malakai. And that's just the start of the Heartbreak High revival's season one story. In season two, everyone is back for a second term after doing some growing up over the holidays, and Hartley is now the lowest-ranking school in the district. Netflix has also been teasing that threesomes, chlamydia and burning cars will be distant memory for the gang — but there'll still be a whirlwind of teen antics, of course, or this wouldn't be Heartbreak High. It was in 2020 that Netflix initially announced that it was bringing the series back — and yes, it sure is a 2020s take on the Aussie show, including everything from friendship fights, yelling about vaginas from the top of a building and throwing dildos at walls through to consent, crime, drugs and police brutality. The original Heartbreak High was a massive deal, and was filled with now-familiar faces, such as Alex Dimitriades, a pre-Home and Away Ada Nicodemou, and Avengers: Endgame and Mystery Road's Callan Mulvey as Drazic. It painted a multicultural picture of Australia that was unlike anything else on TV at the time. And, for its six-year run across two Aussie networks, the Sydney-shot show was must-see television — not bad for a series that started as a spinoff to the Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid, too. Check out the trailer for the Heartbreak High revival's second season below: Heartbreak High season two will arrive on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The show's first season is available to stream now via Netflix. Read our full review.
Calling all extreme Nirvana fans, this has to be one of the most intensely freaky fan-out Airbnb stays yet. You can now stay the night in Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love's '90s rented Los Angeles apartment, where Cobain penned 'Heart-Shaped Box' in the bathtub. Cobain and Love rented the 1500 square-feet '20s-built space from 1991-92, when Love was expecting little Frances Bean and Cobain wanted more songwriting and painting time — he did both in the apartment. Owned by a lucky dude called Brandon Kleinman, the Fairfax/Melrose area space has been cleaned up since the Cobain/Love days (thank god) and gets rented out a few times a year by super fans. So this: And this: Has been cleaned up by Kleinman to look like this: And this: For about US$250 a night, you'll have wifi, two bedrooms and take baths in the 'Heart-Shaped Box' bathtub. But apparently the listing has now been viewed 1000 times this week, so this price could very well go up. Keen for more of a sticky beak into Cobain/Love life? Check out Brett Morgen’s documentary Montage of Heck (one Sundance film we're hoping makes it to Australia.) Via Vulture. Images: Vinnie Zuffante/Getty, NY Daily News, Airbnb.
Kicking off a new side hustle or small biz idea can be a challenging quest, but with the right connections and resources it doesn't have to be. In partnership with Fiverr, we're spotlighting budding entrepreneurs who are getting their businesses off the ground in style. Like most of us, Amy Silver vowed to use her time in lockdown productively. But unlike most of us, Amy actually followed through, launching The Dough Co with her dad, Mark. The pair's successful side hustle serves up ready-to-bake cookie dough to people living in and around Melbourne and, after numerous on-again off-again lockdowns, the business is one sweet win that's come out of the pandemic. Amy is in her sixth year of a double degree — Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts — at Monash University, and works as a paralegal one day a week. Mark, on the other hand, runs a corporate catering company that services businesses located in Melbourne's inner suburbs. When the pair suddenly found themselves with more time on their hands, they passed long days at home devouring books and podcasts about successful entrepreneurs and startups. The idea for The Dough Co was sparked when Amy, inspired by the home baking craze that swept the globe (and social media), found her local supermarket shelves devoid of packet bread and DIY cookie mixes. "I came home and said to my dad, 'I've got it! Let's make cookie dough," Amy told Concrete Playground. [caption id="attachment_817446" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark and Amy Silver. Photo: Melanie Desa[/caption] While it's no Betty Crocker (yet), Amy and Mark had all the right ingredients to put this half-baked idea into action — the business concept, a captive audience in locked-down Melburnians and, as it happens, a commercial kitchen staffed with chefs. It was a rare opportunity, and one they used to funnel their time and resources into developing their chocolate chip cookie dough recipe. "The chefs started experimenting with the cookie dough and, every night, Dad and I would bring it home… We'd all stand around — me, my dad, my mum and my brother — and taste the cookies, then circle back the next day with our feedback," Amy told CP. "By the time we came out of [lockdown], we had everything ready to go for the launch." Amy's foray into baked goods is rather ironic, describing her own baking abilities as "quite hopeless". But, making a fresh batch of baked deliciousness from packet-mix brands — and having that sweet scent wafting through the house — was something she enjoyed between online classes and exams. She figured other people were probably seeking the same kind of pastime — and comfort food. She figured right. Launched just three months ago, The Dough Co already has hundreds of Melburnians placing orders for ready-to-bake dough through its e-commerce platform, or purchasing in-person at farmers markets around Melbourne. And, after "a lot of really good feedback [and] a lot of return customers", The Dough Co is, much like a perfect soufflé, on the rise. [caption id="attachment_817445" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melanie Desa[/caption] It's fortunate, then, that The Dough Co is supported by a $5000 grant from Fiverr as part of a competition run by Monash University, which Amy won through her participation in The Validator program run via Monash University's central startup hub, The Generator. Hold up, Fiverr? For those not yet in the know, Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that connects experts from a range of disciplines with businesses requiring their services. Its user-friendly design and global database of freelancers makes it simple-as to get started and give your side hustle a leg up. Thanks to the grant, Amy scored thousands to put towards her and her dad's biz. When The Dough Co was still baking in the proverbial oven, Amy did all the marketing herself. "I have next to no business experience… and obviously my degree is very different to business — and cooking," says Amy. Now, the business plans to use Fiverr's grant — and its network of freelancers — to "completely overhaul" its website and merchandise offering, as well as improve discoverability and attract even more cookie-loving customers. "A big problem we had when we first started was that we were on the third page of Google, so we had to pay to advertise at the top. Getting an SEO specialist will definitely help." On top of that, Amy and Mark have got a freelance videographer/animator working on an animated, step-by-step video of how to make The Dough Co cookies, and, in the future, hope to get someone designing some sweet merch. [caption id="attachment_817435" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melanie Desa[/caption] Currently, The Dough Co has four flavours: classic choc chip, chocolate orange, choc mint, and white chocolate and raspberry. The OG is the fan favourite but, if you're struggling to pick just one, you can opt for The Dough Co's bundle pack and taste 'em all. And, with the more nitty gritty side of things now covered thanks to Fiverr, Amy and Mark are busy developing new cookie dough flavours, along with vegan and gluten-free options. Sure, many Aussies share Amy's affinity for fresh-baked cookies. But there aren't many people her age with a law degree and a burgeoning small business under their belts. With her dad's support, she plans to defer her degree to focus on The Dough Co full-time for the first half of 2022, although still has ambitions to get qualified and work as a lawyer in the future. Her long-term plan? Establish The Dough Co as a self-sufficient business so she can focus on the most important part: "I'd like to stick to being the taste-tester." Have your own booming side hustle — or need a hand getting it off the ground? Check out the Fiverr website and connect with freelancers around the world, all just a click away. Images: Melanie Desa
Taco Bell, Wahlburgers, Five Guys and Wendy's all did it. Now, Chuck E Cheese is as well. Big-name American food chains keep making the leap to Australia, with this US restaurant-slash-entertainment centre brand first announcing its Down Under plans in 2024, and now backing it up by confirming that it'll launch in 2025. Yes, Charles Entertainment Cheese is heading this way, ready to delight kids, families and Australian adults who've always wanted the Chuck E Cheese experience. The children's birthday-party go-to is set to open its first Aussie venue in the coming months, in Perth. Exactly where in the Western Australian capital will be revealed in April. Chuck E Cheese's jump Down Under is a result of the WA-based Royale Hospitality Group signing a master franchise partnership for the country, adding to a stable that also includes Outback Jack's and Milky Lane. It's helping extend the chain as it closes in on five decades of existence — launching in 1977 — and as Asia and Europe also become a global focus. On offer: the place to eat slices, play games and watch animatronics that's been parodied in the likes of Five Nights at Freddy's and Willy's Wonderland, but obviously without the horror. And yes, that spans the company's characters. Yes, Charles Entertainment Cheese is Chuck E Cheese's mouse mascot's full name. Patrons can look forward to pizza, arcade games, climbing walls, an interactive dance floor and other play areas, plus VIP birthday party rooms and a space for parents to kick back sans kids. On the menu, smoothies and milkshakes will also be a feature, as will healthy options. "Perth has a strong culture for family entertainment, so bringing Chuck E Cheese to Australia is incredibly exciting — we can't wait for families to experience the fun, games and great food that have made it famous around the world," said Royale Hospitality Group General Manager Christian Beaden, announcing that Perth will play host to the chain's first Aussie store. If you live elsewhere around the nation, you'll need to keep waiting to find out when you'll be able to take your nieces and nephews to Chuck E Cheese in other Australian cities. Chuck E Cheese will start opening in Australia in 2025, starting in Perth, but exactly when and where hasn't yet been revealed — keep an eye on the chain's website, and we'll update you with more details when they're announced.
Russell Street isn't shy of neon-hued, small eateries boasting soups, noodles and dumplings – and those with all three on the menu – but Shujinko is easily one of its best. Known for its expansive opening hours and a favourite with late-night soup-seekers, Shujinko is a goldmine of Tokyo-style ramen, dishing up steaming bowls to those wanting a quick meal – which is, seemingly, a lot of Melbourne. Surely at one point or another you've either squeezed past the long queue always lined up resolutely outside the place, or joined on the end of it. There's been many a time when you could barely get in at all without setting up camp for half an hour or more: the place is ever-popular, day and night, with those wanting a hot bowl of goodness for under $15. Any wait in the cold is well warranted, because the ramen will have you crying chargrilled pork-flavoured tears of joy — the bowl is big, the pork belly smoky, the broth thick and your stomach happy. There's a variety of ramen available, as well as other Japanese favourites like gyoza ($8.50), takoyaki ($10.50) and karaage ($9.50), but there's no beating the traditional Shujinko Ramen ($15.50). Drinks-wise, you're looking at Japanese beers (Kirin, Asahi) or sake, washing down that bowl of warming pork broth with another nod to Tokyo. Take a scarf and prepare to wait it out – there's no going back to packet noodle soup after this. Images: Julia Kingma, Visit Victoria
It's no secret that martinis are having a bit of a moment. But if you want to sip one that's genuinely different, you'll want to seek out Haku Vodka. Made from polished Japanese white rice and crafted by the House of Suntory, Haku Vodka is basically everything a martini lover dreams of. This winter, it's being poured at some of the best bars in the country as part of a limited-time experience pairing bespoke Hakumai Martinis with rice-inspired dishes. We're talking Bar Sumi, Icebergs Bondi, The Roosevelt, Prefecture 48, Aster, Island Radio, Letra House, Toko Restaurant and Moku in Sydney. In Melbourne, there's also The Blacksmith Bar, La La Land, Bar 1806, Warabi, Curious, Rossi, Ugly Duckling, Kushiro, Bar Jayda, Le Bar Supper Club, Holy Grail and Yugen Dining to check out. To celebrate, we're giving four lucky winners a $200 voucher each to enjoy the full experience for themselves. To go in the running, just tell us in 25 words or less: What's your ideal martini — and why? For the full details, see the comp form below. T&Cs apply. [competition]1016425[/competition]
First, Grapevine Gathering locked in its 2022 dates and hosts. Now, the vino-fuelled Australian festival has announced exactly who'll you be watching when you're sipping plonk and dancing in a winery this October. Leading the bill: The Kooks, Peking Duk and The Veronicas, giving music and wine lovers plenty to say cheers to. Also hitting the stage: Ball Park Music, Gus Dapperton and Jack River, as well as Confidence Man, Alice Skye, Nyxen and Becca Hatch. And, as previously revealed, Aussie sketch comedians and Instagram celebrities The Inspired Unemployed are on hosting duties. As they did at the last Victorian Grapevine Gathering, they'll be charged with keeping the audience entertained between musos — and also hitting the decks as well. That's who you'll be seeing over one grape-filled day. As for where you'll be headed, the fest will return to Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, of course — hitting up Sandalford Wines in Swan Valley, Rochford Wines in the Yarra Valley and Roche Estate in the Hunter Valley, respectively. In 2022, for the first time ever, Grapevine Gathering is also debuting in Queensland and South Australia — at Sirromet Wines at Mount Cotton and Serafino Wines in McLaren Vale. Love heading to a scenic spot to dance to live tunes? Adore sipping wine, too? This is clearly the fest for you. Naturally, sipping vino is a huge part of the attraction. As always, attendees will have access to a heap of wine given the fest's locations, plus an array of yet-to-be-announced food options. GRAPEVINE GATHERING 2022 LINEUP: The Kooks Peking Duk Ball Park Music Gus Dapperton Jack River The Veronicas Confidence Man Alice Skye Nyxen Becca Hatch hosted by The Inspired Unemployed GRAPEVINE GATHERING 2022 DATES: Saturday, October 1 — Sandalford Wines, Swan Valley, Western Australia Sunday, October 2 — Serafino Wines, McLaren Vale, South Australia Saturday, October 8 — Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, Victoria Saturday, October 15 — Roche Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales Sunday, October 16 — Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton, Queensland Grapevine Gathering will tour Australia in October 2022. Tickets go on sale from 12pm AEST Thursday, May 26 — with presale registrations open now till 3pm AEST Wednesday, May 25, and presales starting at 6pm AEST that same day. For further information, head to the festival's website.
Just a few years ago, US sports didn't resonate much with Australians. After all, we're already footy, rugby and cricket tragics. Yet the biggest day on America's calendar — sporting or otherwise — is now pulling in record viewers on our shores, with 2.6 million of us tuning into last year's broadcast. Whether you're a diehard pigskin fan, need something to chat about around the watercooler, or just care about the half-time show — reggaetón superstar Bad Bunny is headlining — there's no shortage of venues getting behind Super Bowl LX in 2026. That means tailgate parties, all-American food and drink, and merch giveaways before, during and after the NFL's championship game. Keen to watch? Live and direct from Santa Clara, California, the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks, with a massive global audience watching all the tackles and touchdowns. Kick-off is set for 10.30am on Monday, February 9, so tell the boss you're feeling crook, and catch all the action on the jumbotron at your nearest local listed below. CENTRAL Hickens Hotel – Melbourne The Waterside Hotel – Melbourne The Duke of Wellington – Melbourne Natural History Public Bar – Melbourne Good Heavens – Melbourne The Imperial Hotel - Melbourne NORTH The Laurel Hotel – Ascot Vale Prince Alfred Hotel – Carlton Le Bon Ton – Collingwood The Catfish – Fitzroy The Provincial – Fitzroy Terminus Hotel – Fitzroy North EAST The Sporting Globe – Frankston The Hawthorn – Hawthorn Harlow – Richmond The Sporting Globe – Richmond The Bridge Hotel – Richmond SOUTH Mount Erica Hotel – Prahran High Street Hotel – Prahran Hopscotch – Southbank Bells Hotel – South Melbourne The George Hotel – South Melbourne Esplanade Hotel – St Kilda WEST The Wharf Hotel – Docklands The Vic Hotel Footscray – Footscray The Timber Yard – Port Melbourne Stags Head Hotel – Williamstown Super Bowl LX takes place from 10.30am on Monday, February 9, with pre-match coverage starting from 9am via ESPN on Foxtel, Kayo and Disney+.
Whether he's co-writing and starring in sketch comedies, directing two of the best horror films of the past few years, producing an Oscar-nominee or reviving a science-fiction classic, Jordan Peele has amassed an impressive resume. So, whenever he adds a new project to the lengthy list, it's worth paying attention. After Key & Peele, Get Out, Us and The Twilight Zone — and producing BlacKkKlansman, too — he's now lending executive producing skills to upcoming Amazon Prime Video series Hunters. It stars Al Pacino, it's about hunting down Nazis in the 70s and it's inspired by real events. As first glimpsed in the show's initial teaser back in November and now explored in further detail in its just-dropped first full trailer, Pacino plays Meyer Offerman, the leader of a group of Nazi hunters who are intent on stopping a Fourth Reich taking hold in America. They've discovered that hundreds of escaped Nazis are not only living in the US, but have genocidal plans — and Offerman and his vigilante pals plan to thwart this conspiracy by any means necessary. Expect violence, tensions, action, thrills, and a fight between good and evil. Not just calling out oppression, injustice and hatred, but tackling it through film and television is firmly in Peele's wheelhouse, as his filmography shows. Accordingly, Hunters slots in nicely, with a ten-episode first season due to drop on February 21. Fresh from his excellent turn in The Irishman — his first collaboration with Martin Scorsese, somehow — Pacino is in less theatrical, more nuanced mode here. He's also joined by a well-known roster of co-stars, which includes Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Carol Kane (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother), Lena Olin (Vinyl) and Australian actress Kate Mulvany (Lambs of God) as a kick-ass nun. Check out the full trailer for Hunters below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBGkjmfIzAw Hunters will hit Amazon Prime Video on February 21.
While travelling far away for a vacation may seem tempting, there's no reason not to embrace all those primo travel destinations located right here in Victoria. And, if sun, sand and water are top of your post-lockdown holiday wish list, you don't need to look any further than the popular coastal stretch of East Gippsland. Just three hours east of Melbourne, this regional gem is primed for that warm weather getaway you've been dreaming of, filled with idyllic waterfront retreats offering the ultimate antidote to city life. We've done the hard work for you and rounded up 10 of the most blissful waterfront stays you can book in East Gippsland. Pick a favourite, pack those fishing rods and lock in some much-needed time lakeside. Recommended reads: The Best Glamping Sites in Victoria The Best Pet-Friendly Stays in Victoria The Best Places to Stay Along the Great Ocean Road The Oar House, Metung Surrounded by breathtaking nature, this coastal-chic stay is picture-pefect. Enjoy the sunny deck, pet-friendly yard and private walkway down to the beach. From $322 a night, sleeps six. Locanda, Paynesville Perched right on the canal, this roomy retreat boasts its own jetty, modern features throughout and some primo outdoor living spaces overlooking the water. From $259 a night, sleeps seven. Lakescapes, Metung At this high-set coastal escape, you're in for blissful 180-degree lake views. The minimal cottage comes complete with an expansive deck for those sunset cocktails. From $205 a night, sleeps four. Captain's Hideaway, Paynesville A modern coastal getaway, overlooking the bay. This pet-friendly beach house features all the amenities you could desire, plus generous outdoor living and yard. From $357 a night, sleeps ten. Anchored, Paynesville Sleek and spacious, this waterfront beauty is sure to impress. Enjoy light-filled open-plan living, jetty access, and a stunning canal-side deck and barbecue. From $786 a night, sleeps ten. Amazing Views, Metung This revamped beach cottage will delight you with its water views, leafy setting and modern fit-out, all located just across the road from the jetty. From $250 a night, sleeps seven. The View at Captain's Cove, Paynesville Find this modern self-contained townhouse perched right on the canal, offering a blissful outlook, primo location and smart coastal styling throughout. From $289 a night, sleeps six. The Loft, Paynesville A modern waterfront gem, complete with private jetty and pool. Expect generous, bright living areas, with space to sleep the whole gang. From $325 a night, sleeps ten. Mallacoota Magic, Mallacoota Enjoy a well deserved recharge on this three acre property overlooking Mallacoota Inlet. The cozy cottage includes an outdoor campfire, deep tub and incredible views. From $440 a night, sleeps four. Teulu House, Nungurner Based on an eastern European courtyard style, this modern lakeside ranch provides sufficient seclusion while offering a stunning view the Gippsland Lakes. From $235 a night, sleeps four. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Barossa Valley has a new winemaker in town and they're classing up the humble goon sack. Tote Wines is taking a distinct turn from the cheap plonk receptacles we're used to and introducing premium bagged wines into the Australian market — picked, produced and packaged in the Barossa Valley, no less. Developed for "active Australians", Tote Wines is geared toward those who love to bring a bit of wine on an outdoor adventure, but don't want to bring glass bottles along for the ride. Their lightweight and break-proof packaging acts as a practical alternative to accompany a hiking, camping or boating trip. Each 1.5L pouch comes complete with a tap (not of the lay-back variety), has a shelf life of up to twelve months prior to opening and remains fresh for four weeks once opened. Positioning themselves as an eco-friendly, high quality alternative, the recyclable pouches also produce one fifth the carbon footprint during the manufacturing process than glass bottles. For now, they're only producing a Barossa Valley Shiraz and Eden Valley Sauvignon Blanc out of their brand new facility in the heart of the Barossa Valley. Their wine specialists are focused on sourcing the best grapes for each wine, so drinkers should be getting a much tastier experience than one would usually associate with drinking wine from a bag. All Tote Wines are available purchase the on their website, but only by the carton of six ($179.70) — so some commitment to the idea is a must. Tote Wines are supremely confident though and promise a 100 percent discount (minus shipping) for any unsatisfied customers. While drinking wine from a plastic tap still brings back some fond and somewhat deplorable uni memories for us, it will be interesting to see how these wines hold up in a market of such world-class winemakers and to see if the goon bag mentality can be replaced by this classed-up affair.
No nation did Beatlemania quite like we did. Perhaps that's because we had just one chance to express our adoration. The Fab Four's only tour of Australia started with 1,000 fans, 100 journalists and a rainstorm at Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport on the morning of June 11, 1964 and finished up with John Lennon's summation, "It was good", on July 1. For two weeks, the country demonstrated a never-before-seen capacity for obsession (with the possible exception, of course, of '60s "egg man" Bob Katter). Fifty years later, we're invited to relive the fervour via The Beatles in Australia exhibition. Both Sydney's Powerhouse Museum and Melbourne's Art Centre are to be transformed into sites of Beatlemania. There'll be rare objects sourced from fans, collectors and museums; newsreels; television footage; radio excerpts and press clippings, exploring the before, during and after of the visit that, according to some, altered the Australian cultural landscape forever.
Part of the crew that brought you the much talked about Armadale cafe Mammoth have unveiled their latest hospitality venture, opening the doors to Gilson, an all-day diner overlooking the Royal Botanic Gardens on Domain Road. Just as Mammoth pushed the envelope with edgy café fare (like the doughnut lobster burger), Gilson is going about things a little differently to most, with owners Loren and Jamie McBride eschewing modernity and "of the moment" in favour of something much more timeless. The couple are involved in Mammoth and Northcote's Barry, and have most recently opened pizza place Primo. Open from 6am until midnight daily, Gilson is a riff on those deeply engrained, old-world European cafes; it's been built in the hopes of becoming a neighbourhood stalwart, right from the get-go. And, given it's slinging fresh flowers on weekends, offering take away pizzas, and hosting aperitivo sessions in the afternoons, there's little doubt Gilson will win over its South Yarra locals pretty darn quickly. A classic bistro menu — put together by chefs Emma Jeffrey and Pippa McLeod — has been crafted around local, seasonal produce, and the star of the show, Gilson's custom-built wood oven. This beaut works its own magic on the masses, turning out creations like wood-fire pizzas, and peach tarte Tatin. A brunch menu is also available until 3pm before the evening offering kicks in, which includes the aforementioned pizzas as well as a selection of sandwiches, small plates and dishes like spaghetti and meatballs and lamb osso bucco. Meanwhile, the enduring fit-out comes courtesy of Projects of Imagination, who've previously left their stylish mark on such foodie faves as Chin Chin and Supernormal. With their prime location across from the gardens, it's a prime posi to sit on the sidewalk with a spritz this summer. Images: Emily Weaving.
What do Byron Bay, Busselton, Bali and Bangkok all have in common? Alongside everywhere from Launceston, Newcastle, Uluru, Cairns, Darwin, The Whitsundays, and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts through to Singapore and Phuket, you can nab a cheap flight there and back as part of Jetstar's latest sale. This time around, fares start at $33. The one catch: you'll need to be a Club Jetstar member (but you can sign up now to get in on the bargains). There always seems to be an airline sale popping up, but this one has a heap of discounts on a huge number of fares, with 100,000 flights on offer. You do need to get in quick, however, as it's running for just 48 hours. The cheapest domestic price, $33, gets you between Sydney and Ballina/Byron, but Launceston–Melbourne is only $43, Brisbane–Whitsunday Coast and Newcastle–Melbourne are both $49, Gold Coast–Sydney is $50, Sunshine Coast–Sydney starts at $52 and Hobart–Melbourne begins at $58. To get from Brisbane to Cairns, you'll pay $76 — and from Sydney to Uluru is $105, Melbourne–Busselton / Margaret River is $135 and Darwin–Sydney is $156. The list goes on, including for overseas jaunts, where the Perth–Singapore route starts at $139, Melbourne–Singapore begins at $189, Adelaide–Bali is $215, Sydney–Phuket kicks off at $279 and Brisbane–Bangkok starts at $285. If you're keen, the sale runs from 12pm AEDT on Wednesday, March 19–11.59am ADST on Friday, March 21, 2025 — or until sold out, if snapped up earlier. And yes, if you're eager for a holiday at reduced prices, you'll want to get in quick. Travel periods vary, but you should find dates betwen late-March 2025–early-February 2026 across the full spread of specials. You'll pay extra for checked baggage if you need it, however, or you'll want to travel super light. Club Jetstar membership costs $65 a year, which you can join online while making a flight booking, and also gives you 20-percent off checked bags and seat selection. [caption id="attachment_976497" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Shaw Photography[/caption] The Club Jetstar March member-only sale runs from 12pm AEDT on Wednesday, March 19–11.59am ADST on Friday, March 21, 2025 — or until sold out, if snapped up earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Hang out on Puffing Billy this winter and you'll be treated to something extra special — an immersive, illuminated light show spearheaded by the team that has led projections for White Night and VAMFF. Running from Friday, June 24 to Sunday, July 10, the historic steam train will be transformed with a first-of-its-kind light show, projected directly onto the Wright Forest. Dubbed Train of Lights, passengers will be immersed in colours, patterns and native wild animal projections that spectacularly leap from Puffing Billy onto timber trestle bridges, into trees and onto the distant open countryside. The Puffing Billy team has partnered with Resolution X to deliver the unique light projections. The acclaimed lighting company's little black book of clients includes White Night, Vivid events and Melbourne Fashion week runways. One of the best-preserved steam railway lines in the world, Puffing Billy departs Emerald Lake Park on a 24-kilometre journey through the Dandenong Ranges to Gembrook, before returning to Lakeside. A photographic art exhibition, visitor's centre and Railway Cafe are all available from the departure point if you want to extend your trip. 'Train of Lights' will run from Friday, June 24–Sunday, July 10. There are a limited number of tickets available, with many dates already sold out. Head to the Puffing Billy website to book a spot.
Tokyo is a city of extremes. It has the physicality of a big city, which it is, yet the people are personable and warm. The toilets sing, the streets are immaculate and everything from dentist's surgeries to street signs is adorned with a cartoon character. This bite-sized whirlwind guide to Tokyo is here to give you a snapshot of what you should add to your trip list. Whether you're going to experience the breathtaking blooms of the cherry blossom season, to shop till you drop or to consume your weight in ramen, half the fun of exploring a new city is discovering your own favourite locations. Armed with a guide to Tokyo, you'll be set up to scratch the surface and carve out your own perfect-sized Tokyo trip. First, some general tips: walk everywhere (sneakers a must), explore a new district each day and do not commit to using a toilet unless you're 100% confident you know how to flush it. Trust us. ACTIVITIES Street Go-Karting What better way to explore this vibrant city – especially for Mario Kart lovers – than on a street go-karting experience? Discover downtown Tokyo including Asakusa, Ueno, the sky tower and more. Just don't forget your driver's licence. Top points on Nintendo won't count for squat when you're on the ground in the city. District: Akihabara Mori Tower Take in panoramic views of Tokyo from the Roppongi Hills Observation Deck in Mori Tower. This place is also home to contemporary art gallery Mori Art Museum — located on floors 52 and 53 — where exhibitions are varied and world-class. Head up high and take in both the art and spectacular views. District: Roppongi Cherry Blossoms You cannot think of Japan without the cherry blossoms — they are truly iconic and an absolute must-see if you're there. If you are lucky enough to be in Tokyo during cherry blossom season, there's everything from petal-filled festivals to optimal viewing spots in the city. So, no matter what you feel like doing in sakura season, you will be spoiled for choice. District: all over Shibuya Crossing There are countless things to see and do in Tokyo, but one of the greatest pleasures can be those brief moments when you are doing nothing but sitting and watching the crowds of fantastically dressed locals walk by. If you're after some truly spectacular people watching, head to the renowned Shibuya Crossing, and wonder at the flashing neon lights as throngs of people come and go. Want a bird's eye view? Head to Shibuya Sky and take in the city from the Sky Edge, the rooftop deck with glass railings. theLet the lights absorb you as you become one with the energy of Tokyo. District: Shibuya [caption id="attachment_893096" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tsukiji Fish Market.[/caption] EATING Food Courts Apart from the toilet flushing thing, the other best practical Tokyo tip we can share is to explore the food courts below all major department stores. Descending into the midst of what is the most plentiful display of every food item ever created is akin to what it probably felt like for Augustus Gloop at Wonka's Factory. You can buy a salad and it can come with a mini ice pack to keep it cool. Pure genius. Hit up Tokyu Foodstore if you're near Shibuya Station, but you will find one of these food courts in the basement of any department store. District: all over Fish Markets Lovers of Japanese cuisine should not pass up the chance to visit one of the largest food markets of its kind and explore Tokyo's food culture and culinary history at the Tsukiji Fish Market and Toyosu fish market. Toyosu is the new inner market located in central Tokyo. Weave your way through the stalls, hear stories from the stall holders, and taste the authentic and fresh sushi. District: Tsukiji, Toyosu Izakaya Ism Izakayas have a casual bar-like atmosphere and also serve food. There are thousands of them in Tokyo. With a distinctly local vibe and with the addition of English menus, the food here is brilliant, the atmosphere energetic and the sake flowing. District: Shimokitazawa [caption id="attachment_893088" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tokyo.[/caption] SHOPPING T-Site Tucked away in dreamy Daikanyama is T-Site, the architecturally stunning Tsutaya bookstore that demands hours of attention. A beautiful place to spend the afternoon pouring over the never-ending shelves of books that cover every conceivable topic, this huge double-storey space houses an incomparable selection of both English and Japanese titles. There's also a cute cafe on the second floor where you can rest your weary eyes. District: Daikanyama Dover Street Market Joined at the hip with the Uniqlo store in snazzy Ginza, Dover Street Market is an absolute must. Renowned for being the Comme des Garçon's mothership, IRL it's kind of like six super beautiful boutiques stacked on top of each other stocking many trendy designer labels (like Jacquemus, Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens and the entire Comme des Garçons range). District: Ginza Loft You cannot make it to the end of your trip without purchasing a sparkly sticker, glitzy notepad or wacky highlighter. Brighten up your office supplies at the stationary floor of Loft, where all your wildest kawaii organisation dreams become realities. Countless pens, stickers and colourful folders await you here. Multiple locations 1LDK Be the most well-tailored version of yourself at 1LDK, an amazing clothing and lifestyle store with locations in trendy Aoyama and Nakameguro. Stocking brands like Maison Margiela, Bless, COSMIC WONDER Light Source and Orphic, it's a real haven for high-quality everyday wear in a minimalist, timber-fitted space. District: Nakameguro, Aoyama Parco If you've come to Tokyo to indulge in some retail therapy, a great one-stop shop is Parco. The one-stop shop features all the classics, like Frapbois, Issey Miyake and Comme des Garçons, as well as a range of pop-ups and event stalls that can change overnight. Grab an onsite iced coffee to give you the energy boost you need to continue your Tokyo adventure. District: Shibuya Once you've booked your trip to Tokyo, Klook will ensure the rest of your trip is easy, affordable and full of all the highlights. To start planning, head to the website.
It's no secret that Melbourne is home to some seriously good pizza. But, it's always nice to score some validation on an international stage. Michele Circhirillo and Fabio Biscaldi of 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar have come through with the crusty goods, taking out the title of Best Pizzeria In Oceania in the 2021 edition of the 50 Top Pizza awards last week. The esteemed online guide awards the world's best pizzerias each year, with a team of expert 'inspectors' judging venues based on their pizza quality, service, ambiance, interiors, waiting time and drinks list. Pizzerias across Italy and the rest of the world were anonymously visited and ranked, with our own 48h reigning victorious against all others in the Oceania region. It's not the first time this particular crown has been claimed by a Melbourne pizzeria, with 400 Gradi taking out the regional title three years in a row, in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Of course, 48h is no stranger to scooping awards itself, with its Di Parma pizza famously named Australia's Best Pizza at the Campionato Mondiale Della Pizza (World Pizza Championships) in 2019. [caption id="attachment_827048" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Hi Sylvia[/caption] The top 10 list for the Oceania region also included fellow Melbourne venues SPQR Pizzeria in the CBD and Seddon's Mozzarella Bar. Sydney had two contenders in the lineup — Verace Pizzeria and Queen Margherita of Savoy — while Brisbane's Tartufo represented Queensland's sole top 10 ranking. With five 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar outposts located around Melbourne, local pizza fiends won't face too much of a challenge seeking out some award-winning slices. The South Yarra and Elsternwick pizzerias are currently open for takeaway, with other pop-up locations at Grazeland, Rocco's Deli in Yarraville, and Werribee's Wheelers Food Trucks and Bar. To find your nearest 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar location or to learn more about the award, see the website. Images: 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar and Hi Sylvia.
It's a family affair at Ormond Road boutique Obdressed, where the team of a mother and her two daughters select every piece on the racks. Among fashion bearing the store's own label, customers will find staple pieces from Assembly Label, knitwear from Nikel and Sole, Rollie shoes, jewellery by Jolie & Deen and The Following, Sancia handbags, and skin and beauty products from Theseeke and Salt by Hendrix. The Obdressed team prides itself on presenting a carefully curated selection of local and international brands, and delivering friendly customer service to help everyone that walks through the door leave feeling great. Images: Tracey Ah-kee.
There's something really inviting about Pallino. Maybe it's the warm, modern European fit-out filled with marble, dark wood and brass features. Maybe it's the inviting courtyard (complete with astro turf and Bocce games in summer), or maybe it's the humble drinks list (five regulars on tap plus a couple of rotating specials, modest and largely local wine list, and standard cocktail offerings). Or it could be the welcoming bar staff who stand at the divine marble bar and ask you how your day's been? Whatever it is, the longstanding Pallino attracts a friendly, yet trendy local crowd and strikes the perfect (and oft misplaced) balance between sophistication and neighbourhood warmth.
Morgan Hipworth, founder of Bistro Morgan bakehouse and star of Dessert Masters, is set to launch his latest venture, Maven, in December. Hipworth will be joined by co-head chef Daniel Neytha (Lona Misa) to set up Maven on Fitzroy's famed Brunswick Street. The duo has worked together to create a contemporary Australian menu that covers brekkie, lunch and dinner. For Hipworth, "Maven is the culmination of every kitchen experiment, every lesson from my mentors, and every feedback from patrons. It's where age-old traditions meet modern flavours. From the aromatic first brew in the morning to the very last bite of our signature desserts at night, Maven encapsulates my journey, lessons and aspirations as a chef." In true pastry chef style, Hipworth will make sure desserts are a big feature of Maven, stocking up the cake cabinet daily with tarts, croissants, muffins and cakes. We're also hoping to see his famed doughnut creations make an appearance. Much of the savoury breakfast, lunch and dinner options will come via Neytha, whose Colombian heritage is set to be seen throughout the menu. This will be blended with other South American flavours and contemporary Aussie sensibilities. Expected highlights include duck waffles, roast chicken and crispy pork sandwiches. You'll be able to pair both the savoury and sweet sides of the offerings with local wines and cocktails — and coffee will be available throughout the breakfast, lunch and dinner services. Maven is set to open in December 2023 at 402 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. For more info, check out the venue's website.
Feel like startin' something? Now's the time to finally perfect your moonwalk—a celebration of Michael Jackson's unique artistry has hit Australia in the form of multiple Tony Award®-winning MJ the Musical, with the Australian Premiere now playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. The global touring musical's Sydney stint is brought to you by director and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, supported by Destination NSW. [caption id="attachment_991797" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied.[/caption] Centred around the making of The King of Pop's 1992 Dangerous World Tour, MJ the Musical offers a rare look at the creativity and collaborative spirit that landed Jackson legendary status. You'll be out of your seats in no time. The musical features 25 hits, including all your favourites like Beat It, Billie Jean and Bad, plus plenty more. If you want the full VIP experience, why not go in the draw to win a bunch of epic experiences? Lucky winners will score four A-reserve tickets to a performance of MJ the Musical on select nights from Sunday, March 9 onwards, two nights of accommodation at Novotel Darling Harbour for a group of four, and a pre-theatre dinner at the Ternary for four people on one night. Winners will also get their hands on the official MJ Program and Merchandise pack and be treated to a backstage tour and meet and greet with some of the cast. Not in Sydney? No worries. We will hook you up with return flights from the nearest capital city. The competition is only open to those in Victoria, Queensland, ACT and New South Wales, and all prize elements are subject to availability. [competition]991802[/competition] Images: Original Broadway Cast, supplied. For more information on MJ the Musical, visit the website.
This High Street spot does what it says on the tin: quality souvas in a lively setting. Starting life as a roaming food truck around some of the city's busiest markets and foodie hotspots, this bricks-and-mortar site may be one of the best places in town to tuck into a hearty gyro. There's no reinventing the wheel here, with a selection of meat or veg-based wraps in fluffy pita bread, finished with tomato, red onion and chips and either mustard, house tzatziki or both depending on your choice of filling. The kitchen also plates up skewer platters, as well as Greek-style chips (chunky, deep-fried sticks of potato topped with oregano, feta or both), as well as a range of salads.
The next New Yorker cover will feature a Brooklyn hipster, though one whose inspiration comes via Surry Hills, after its 2013 Eustace Tilley Contest was won by Sydney illustrator Simon Greiner. The annual contest challenges entrants to come up with a new twist on its iconic top-hatted mascot, Eustace Tilley, who graced the cover of the magazine's first issue in an illustration by Rea Irvin. The entries reflect the toll that contemporary values and current affairs may have taken on the fictional figure, and Greiner chose to focus on the symmetry he saw between Eustace and today's Williamsburgians. "The New Yorker mascot Eustace is a dandy," Greiner told us, "and in order to update him to a contemporary setting I just took dandyism to its logical modern equivalent — hipsterism — Brooklyn being one of the centres for this cultural force in the states." It's a big win for the 31-year-old, who has been living in New York for the last year and a half. His striking design has now been printed on the anniversary issue of what may be the world's most venerable magazine, and he's presumably spending some time strutting around Park Slope blaring 'Empire State of Mind' while actually relating to Jay-Z's lyrics. "New York is an awesome place, but it can be hard starting out," he says. "I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity, especially since the magazine is such an icon in this city. I kind of feel I've been skipped ahead a couple of spaces on the board — it's very exciting." If Greiner's visual wit and bold line seem familiar, you may recognise them from local lit journal Ampersand, of which he is resident illustrator, or his Dr Suess sex ed parody, Now That You're Big. Greiner's cover is below, along with a selection of other entries. This year's prevailing themes were more pop cultural than political, with Instagram, emoji, and Don Draper all making appearances. Brooklyn's Eustace by Simon Greiner Eustace-gram by Jin Suk. Readers' choice winner. Dandy Men by Jeff Weyer. Readers' choice winner. Eustace in Gangnam Style by Alex S. C. Hsu. Readers' choice winner. Eustace Emoji by Fred Benenson. Tilley Submerged by Robert Linn. Want more Eustace? See how he's been portrayed through time in the New Yorker's gallery.
Lavish locations just screaming to fill Instagram feeds, wealthy clientele whiling away their hours in luxury, a significant chasm between the haves and the have nots: that's the setup behind two star-studded new miniseries that've hit streaming queues in the past month. Indeed, with The White Lotus just wrapping up its first season, Nine Perfect Strangers' arrival couldn't be better timed. TV fans can farewell the former's Hawaii-set dramas — and its biting sense of humour, savage insights into class disparities and spot-on dissection of societal inequities — and then step into this Byron Bay-shot thriller on Amazon Prime Video. Saying goodbye to the familiar and welcoming all things new sits at the heart of Nine Perfect Strangers, actually. That's because the same notions linger at the core of the wellness industry, too. In a field that's all about helping people find their bliss, any hard-earned sense of contentment tends to stem from letting go of baggage, moving past previous traumas and appreciating yourself for who you are — and often doing so in the types of spaces that'll make you forget the real world exists anyway. That's why Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman, The Prom) has established Tranquillum House, and why the eponymous group of newcomers have sought its sprawling expanse. Each of the latter wants to break free of their troubles, and the former and her offsiders Delilah (Tiffany Boone, Hunters) and Yao (Manny Jacinto, The Good Place) are eager to assist. But there's a reason that this eight-part series keeps gazing at brightly coloured smoothies quite often, and it isn't just because that's what's on Masha's menu. Tranquillum House carefully curates each intake of paradise-seeking customers. In the case of school teacher Napoleon Marconi (Michael Shannon, Knives Out), his wife Heather (Asher Keddie, Rams) and their 20-year-old daughter Zoe (Grace Van Patten, Under the Silver Lake), Masha is even willing to drastically reduce the fee. She's mixing in the right ingredients — people who arrive broken and ready to be swirled around — and trying to perfect the recipe for everyone. Also arriving with this cohort: best-selling novelist Frances Welty (Melissa McCarthy, Thunder Force), who is having both personal and professional crises; Tony Hogburn (Bobby Cannavale, Superintelligence), who doesn't like having his pills taken away from him; and influencer Jessica Chandler (Samara Weaving, Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins) and her husband Ben (Melvin Gregg, The United States vs Billie Holiday), whose marriage could use a new start. Then there's the newly divorced and still bitter Carmel Schneider (Regina Hall, Breaking News in Yuba County), plus exposé-courting journalist Lars Lee (Luke Evans, Crisis). Masha has brought all of these strangers together to talk out their problems, laze by the pool and soak in the natural splendour — with Byron Bay doubling for California — but it's immediately obvious that her intentions aren't quite that straightforward. Nine Perfect Strangers draws out its mysteries; however, it also lets its audience start guessing from the outset. Casting Kidman as a Russian-accented wellness guru who wades in and out of her clients' days at random, and also happens to be getting death threats via text messages, will do that. Complete with ice-blonde locks, it's a part she inhabits well, in her latest TV performance following Big Little Lies and The Undoing, and her third project after those two fellow miniseries with writer/showrunner David E Kelley. Playing a character first penned on the page by Liane Moriarty, the author behind Big Little Lies as well, it's a showcase performance — and here, her reliably inscrutable expression conveys magnetism, power and a succeed-at-all costs level of determination. Nine Perfect Strangers is an ensemble piece, however — and, when it comes to the narrative, thankfully so. It's the time spent with its full suite of characters that makes the series gripping, even though it's the thriller elements that keep viewers instantly wanting to press play on each new episode. As the show keeps teasing what Masha is really up to, who's after her and what's in her past, it finds just as many questions within Tranquillum's other residents, because that's just how humans tick. Everyone has their subplots, and their pasts, and the script by Kelley and John-Henry Butterworth (Ford v Ferrari) is all the more compelling when it's unpacking as many stories as possible stories. Everyone seeks bliss, too, even when they're not paying through the teeth to do so, and everyone has struggles and secrets holding them back. Kidman perfects her central role, but three of her big-name co-stars are just as impressive — and often more so. Shannon's usually forceful energy jostles behind an everyman exterior, giving Napoleon's affable air an always-perceptible edge. It's a stellar stroke of casting, especially given that the Marconis have sought Tranquillum's services to help cope with heartbreaking grief. McCarthy turns in her best work since her Oscar-nominated performance in the phenomenal Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and layers the distress of someone whose life keeps taking unwanted turns over Frances' flowing wardrobe. She's at her strongest opposite the impeccably haunted Cannavale, unsurprisingly. Now working on their fourth collaboration following the aforementioned Thunder Force and Superintelligence, and also Spy, the pair cycle from antagonism and comfort via everything in-between, and give Nine Perfect Strangers its most compelling double act. Directing every episode, filmmaker Jonathan Levine (Long Shot, Snatched, The Night Before) lets his stars play to their strengths, and it works. As lensed by cinematographer Yves Bélanger (another Big Little Lies alum), he also sees the show's glitzy setting with the eye of someone who appreciates how it glimmers, and how brightly, but isn't willing to lose themselves to that shine shine. That's Nine Perfect Strangers' approach overall — it doesn't sink its teeth in as firmly as The White Lotus, but it isn't here to just to play along with its chosen world either. And, in the process, it knows how to lure its audience in and keep them watching. Check out the trailer below: The first three episodes of Nine Perfect Strangers are available to stream via Amazon Prime Video from Friday, August 20, with new episodes dropping weekly afterwards. Images: Vince Valitutti/Hulu.
A decade ago, Melburnians gained a new spot to see a movie. Elsternwick's Classic Cinemas and Belgrave's Cameo Cinemas also scored a sibling venue in Hawthorn. When Lido Cinemas opened in mid-2015, it did so by resurrecting the space that was home to the Glenferrie Theatre six decades prior, leaning into the boutique experience and also looking upwards, with sky-high setup Lido on the Roof showing films under the stars when the weather is warm. Lido Cinemas launched by offering $5 tickets for a day, too. Consider the picture palace's just-announced ten-year celebrations a blast from the past, then. To mark a decade of screening flicks to film fans, the Glenferrie Road venue is doing discounts, bringing back that $5 deal for a whole week. If you catch a movie between Thursday, August 7–Wednesday, August 13, 2025 — other than attending special events — that price is all that you'll pay. More discounts apply if you're keen for something to eat or drink: there'll be $5 choc tops, plus $10 medium combos featuring popcorn and a drink. That means that you can get your film and snacks covered for less than the cost of a ticket at Lido's regular prices. If you're thinking that it's the cinema's birthday but film lovers are the ones getting the presents, you're right. Here's another: a ten-year anniversary retrospective season across the week that's fittingly playing ten films from the past decade that Lido has been operating, all of which will only cost $5 to see (and every one of them is exceptional). 2015 is the year that not only Lido launched, but that the world gained the Australian sci-fi/action spectacular that is Mad Max: Fury Road, so of course George Miller's fourth title in the franchise — and the movie that sparked 2024's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga — is on the lineup. Then, 2016's pick covers a feature that will always be remembered for its Oscars glory, no matter the mixup announcing its win as Best Picture: Moonlight from director Barry Jenkins (Mufasa: The Lion King). From 2017, the program boasts a yearning dose of Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), and its first of two Luca Guadagnino (Queer) flicks, via Call Me By Your Name. 2018's selection goes with horror thanks to Ari Aster's (Eddington) unnerving debut Hereditary, while 2019's Portrait of a Lady on Fire from Céline Sciamma (Petite Maman) is another title on the program to swoon over. Rachel Sennott (Saturday Night)- and Molly Gordon (The Bear)-starring comedy Shiva Baby is 2020's choice, then Joachim Trier's (Sentimental Value) Renate Reinsve (Presumed Innocent)-led The Worst Person in the World from 2021. Paul Mescal (Gladiator II) makes an appearance on the lineup thanks to Charlotte Wells' Aftersun, the film that earned him a Best Actor Oscar nomination, as 2022's pick. Finally, two very different love triangles — 2023's Past Lives from Materialists' helmer Celine Song, and 2024's Challengers starring Zendaya and helmed by Guadagnino — round out the bill. [caption id="attachment_1014611" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gavin John[/caption] Find Lido Cinemas at 675 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn — with the cinema's tenth-birthday celebrations, including its $5 tickets and ten-year anniversary retrospective season, running from Thursday, August 7–Wednesday, August 13, 2025. Head to the venue's website for tickets and more information. Top image: Gavin John.
If you were to round up three friends, hit up a chain of bars that are also mini-golf joints, play a couple of games and earn a $20,000 cash prize for your efforts, how would you react? Exclaiming "holy moly" might be the tamest response. You'll probably say those words — well, Holey Moley, to be specific — at least once just by signing up for this putting contest, however. Meet the Holey Moley Open, as hosted by the venues that first launched in Brisbane in 2016. At seven Queensland locations, nine spots in New South Wales, seven more in Victoria, four in Western Australia, and one apiece in South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, Holey Moley welcomes in mini-golf lovers to get tap, tap, tapping their way through pop culture-themed courses — including over cocktails if that's what takes your fancy. That's been the setup for almost a decade now. With the Holey Moley Open, the same is still on the agenda, but in a tournament that'll whittle down the contenders to 25 teams in each state, and then send one from each to hit the national finals. Here's how it works: first, you need a team of four, and also you all need to be over the age of 18. Then, you're required to register online between Saturday, February 1–Wednesday, February 12, 2025. The Holey Moley crew will select the best entries for the state finals, which'll take place at the OG Holey Moley in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane, Alexandria in Sydney, Crown Casino in Melbourne, Northbridge in Perth, and at the Adelaide and Canberra venues on Tuesday, February 25. If you win on home soil by achieving the lowest combined score, you're then off to Darlinghurst, Sydney on Tuesday, March 11 to vie for the $20,000. And yes, your flights and accommodation there from outside of the Harbour City will be covered by Holey Moley. Seasoned Holey Moley patrons knows that hitting the greens here means playing your way around everything from windmills and clowns to whatever other theming that the venues have dreamed up — usually inspired by movies and TV shows. At the grand final, there'll also be a string quartet providing tunes, champagne to drink, caddies helping the players, live commentary, and a food spread featuring mud cake, sausage rolls and party pies. If you want in on the fun without entering the contest, that's also on option across February — including a nine-hole round for $10 all month with the code TEEOFF. To enter the Holey Moley Open, register a team of four between Saturday, February 1–Wednesday, February 12, 2025 — with state finals set to be held on Tuesday, February 25 and the grand final taking place in Darlinghurst, Sydney on Tuesday, March 11. Head to the event's website for more details.
Winter might not be your favourite Melbourne season, but it doesn't have to be all gloom, doom and nights spent hibernating on the couch. Once again, a collection of bookable private igloos are popping up at bars and pubs across town, inviting you to embrace the chilly season in style. Making their home at four Australian Venue Co haunts across the cooler months, the Winter Igloo Gardens feature a series of translucent domes, with each pod decked out like a dreamy winter wonderland. With space for up to six or eight diners (depending on igloo sizing), they're kitted out with snuggly furnishings and twinkling fairy lights, offering a cosy private space for a romantic winter date or that group catch-up over dinner and drinks. Menus and packages vary between the four Igloo Gardens, though whichever you choose, all food and drink orders are made via the Mr Yum app, so you can avoid pesky trips to the bar and stay happily ensconced in your private winter cocoon. So where can you find these domed winter oases, you ask? The first batch has already landed beside the Yarra at Studley Park Boathouse in Kew, where they're available to book for two hours at a time. On offer here is a winter high tea, serving an assortment of sweet and savoury bites with unlimited tea or coffee for $52 per person. You can even add on bottomless spritzes and mimosas for an extra $25. Over in Footscray, the Station Hotel has unveiled its own Igloo Garden, taking two-hour bookings for groups of two to six. Here, you can settle in over a three-course feed — think, wagyu tartare with truffle and black garlic mayo, and a 150-gram scotch fillet with lashings of bearnaise — matched with a welcome drink for $75. [caption id="attachment_854426" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Station Hotel[/caption] From Saturday, May 21, the CBD's Wharf Hotel is joining the igloo party, with its pods boasting views across the river. This one's ideal for snackers and grazers — you can order a loaded share platter (meat or plant-based) teamed with the likes of mulled wine or a couple of hot toddies, for $59 per person. And Hawthorn's Auburn Hotel will unveil its igloos from Tuesday, May 24, serving specialty winter cocktails and a shared menu option. $69 will get you a three-course spread, a cocktail to kick things off, and exclusive use of your igloo paradise for 2.5 hours. Find the Winter Igloo Gardens at Studley Park Boathouse in Kew, the Station Hotel in Footscray, the Wharf Hotel in the CBD (from May 21), and the Auburn Hotel in Hawthorn (May 24). For further details and to book, see individual venue websites.
Life-changing meals aren't just found in the hottest restaurants. Whether you're travelling on a budget or just want to find out what dishes locals actually hold nearest and dearest, looking beyond the standard menu ensures you encounter something a little more exciting. Luckily, taking your next culinary adventure off the beaten path is just a matter of opening yourself up to kaleidoscopic street food markets and tucked-away joints. Together with Intrepid, we've curated a list of epic food experiences that you can enjoy that aren't in a restaurant. Monjayaki You've probably heard of okonomiyaki, but what about its lesser-known cousin? Monjayaki sees fresh ingredients like cabbage, corn, kimchi and cod cooked on a piping-hot griddle, then shaped into a doughnut as rich dashi broth is poured into the middle. Once mixed and fried, it's similar to okonomiyaki, just with a runnier texture and more delicious caramelised bits fused to the bottom. Synonymous with Tokyo's Tsukishima district, monjayaki is the ideal Japanese street food to try on your next trip. Cao Lau Vietnamese staples like pho and banh mi are deservedly adored, but it's not every day you can enjoy a hot bowl of cao lau. The most beloved dish in Hoi An — a fascinating port city shaped by its merchant past — what makes this local meal so special is how its noodles are prepared. Soaked in wells where water is mixed with wood ash collected from the Cham Islands, this gives the noodles a smokey flavour and firm texture. Typically served with thinly sliced pork, greens and bean sprouts, plan your trip to Hoi An to experience the dish. Bindae-Tteok Travelling to South Korea means you're bound to encounter a myriad of mazey markets bursting with sumptuous dishes you won't likely find on any restaurant menu. In Seoul, the go-to destination is Gwangjang Market — a sprawling gastronomic haven made even more popular by Netflix's 'Street Food' series. Across 5,000 stalls, flavours that tantalise your tastebuds are around every corner, including the wonders of bindae-tteok. This street food favourite sees mung bean batter combined with cabbage, kimchi and pork, then deep-fried to perfection and served with condiments like soy sauce and vinegar. Chiles En Nogada Finding authentic Mexican cuisine in Australia can be tricky. So, if you're planning a real food adventure to experience the good stuff, setting your sights on the country's national dishes is a smart way to get your palate up to speed with what's what. Native to Puebla, chiles en nogada bursts with bright flavours, featuring stuffed chillies covered in creamy walnut sauce. Best eaten when pomegranates are freshest from August to October, the dish's patriotic red, white and green ingredients give every bite a little extra zeal. Medfouna Influenced by cultures from Europe to Asia, traditional Moroccan food is the amalgamation of countless flavours. Yet for a dish beloved for hundreds of years by the country's nomadic Amazigh people, medfouna ensures you discover the taste of High Atlas cuisine. Nicknamed 'Amazigh pizza', medfouna is a stuffed flatbread set atop hot stones and buried beneath the red sand to cook. Loaded with meats, nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices, it's soon dug up and cut into slices, resembling pizza as you've never seen before. Ambul Thiyal Every Sri Lankan food extravaganza needs an abundance of hoppers, sambal and lamprais. Yet being a tropical paradise, overlooking the region's seafood is a mistake. Ambul thiyal, a sour fish curry, is one dish that elegantly balances the cuisine's intense spices with tangy goodness. Commonly made with fresh tuna, a fragrant mix of aromatic spices brings this beloved curry to life with black pepper, cinnamon, pandan and turmeric adding more and more flavour. Served with rice, the secret ingredient is goraka — a tiny tropical fruit loved for its tartness. Baccala Mantecato Italian cuisine is found worldwide for good reason — it's fresh, fun and made to share. However, it's best not to lump the country's cuisine together as a monolith. When you're chasing the best Italian flavours, the region-to-region, town-to-town variations make all the difference. An essential Venetian dish, baccala mantecato, or salted cod, is a stellar example of this local heritage. Brought to Venice from Norway by 15th-century traders, the cod is soaked and whipped, then served on toasted bread or polenta — perfect when sipping on an aperitif. Malai Ki Sabzi It's hard to imagine food more flavourful than Mughlai cuisine. Renowned for its rich, colourful dishes, much of what you'll taste is packed with potent ingredients like saffron, cardamon, cream and butter. Malai ki sabzi is a traditional meal that captures the magic. Local vegetables are cooked with cream and given a pungent boost with the full-flavoured combination of garlic, turmeric, coriander and green chilli. Take a food adventure to India to learn how to make this incredible dish with help from a cook specialising in Mughlai cuisine. Pachamanca Based upon centuries of colonial rule and immigration, Peruvian cuisine is a melting pot of global influences. In fact, two of the country's most popular cuisines — 'nikkei' and 'chifa' — showcase how local flavours have merged with Japanese and Chinese culinary ideas. The cuisine emerging from atop the Andes mountains is just as special. Meaning 'earth pot', pachamanca is the ideal introduction, with scorching hot rocks used to cook pork, lamb or chicken seasoned with black mint and broad beans. Journey to Cusco to get a taste. Francesinha Toasties are still enjoying time in the culinary sun, so why not feast on the Portuguese version of a croque monsieur? Almost every cafe in Porto has its own version, but a tried-and-true francesinha sees layers of beef, ham and sausage stacked between two thick slices of toast. This decadent creation is next draped in melted cheese from top to bottom, then drenched in a traditional sauce made from tomato and beer. Served alongside a big portion of fries, a Portugal food tour will highlight how the 'little French sandwich' is really a fully-fledged meal. Get out, explore, dive into adventure and find your WOW with Intrepid Travel. Find out more on the website. Top Images: Gwangjang Market, Mike Swigunski
We're teaming up with Intrepid for a season of adventure throughout 2024, and we need your help to put it all together. If you've got a craving for a food-fuelled adventure and are pretty savvy with a camera and video tools, you could secure your place on a ten-day tour of Vietnam with Intrepid Travel as our newly-appointed roving reporter, capturing every moment of the experience and helping us share the wonders that travel has to offer. This adventure will take you from one end of the country to another, seeing famous sights like Ha Long Bay and the Mekong River Delta. Along the way, you'll sample the specialty cuisines the country is known for, seeing the sights fly by on an overnight train ride, explore quiet fishing villages and the busy streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City alike. Just remember, keep that camera charged and ready for the money shots and the little snippets you can't see coming. We'll need your footage and creative skills to put together a video to showcase the trip and others like it. To enter, you just need to fill out the form below and submit an original video entry to prove you've got what it takes to get behind the camera and shoot a video as a roving reporter for Concrete Playground. It doesn't need to be a travel video, just as long as it shows you've got an eye for good content and have the practical skills to film and edit footage. Good luck, winners will be contacted by midnight on Friday, August 30. [competition]965314[/competition] Images courtesy of Intrepid Travel
As the months, weeks and days count down until SXSW Sydney 2025, the reasons to attend keep coming. First, the event confirmed that it is indeed returning this year, locking in its dates. Then, it revealed that there'll be more free programming. Next came an initial look at the speaker lineup, and now the first music acts for this year have been unveiled. With the latest announcement, you've got 14 new pieces of motivation to head along when Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19, 2025 rolls around. The debut wave of talents for 2025's SXSW Sydney Music Festival spans both international and local acts. In the first camp: Jasmine 4.t, Freak Slug and Ristband + Pivots from the UK; Slowwves from Thailand; Japan's Suichu Spica 水中スピカ; New Zealand's Serebii and Tusekah; and Cardinals from Ireland. Flying the flag for Aussie acts to begin with: Jamaica Moana, JJ4K, RICEWINE, Sacred Hearts, Swapmeet and BADASSMUTHA. They'll all soon have plenty of company, given that this year's fest is due to feature more than 300 music performances. And, that's just the live tunes side of the event. Across its 1600-plus sessions, SXSW Sydney 2025 will also boast over 550 conference and professional development sessions, 90-plus movie screenings and over 150 games. In the past, the SXSW Sydney Music Festival alone has welcomed Jorja Smith, XG, Miss Kaninna, Nick Ward, Fcukers, ENNY, Mia Wray and Hockey Dad, to name a mere few acts that've graced its stages. As keynote speakers, the event has also hosted music stars Chance The Rapper and The Kid LAROI in previous years. As for the rest of SXSW Sydney 2025 for now, there aren't usually many events where you can learn about crowdfunding, press freedom, investing, acting, pro surfing, science, the future, robotics, astronaut diets and New Zealand tourism all from the same lineup — and also about neuroscience, cyber intelligence, ethical leadership and sustainable food as well, and more — but this is one of them. So far, its conference sessions also span topics such as quantum physics, the future of work and how the creative industries are evolving. GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan is one of the folks on the roster. So is former foreign correspondent Peter Greste, whose arrest and imprisonment in Egypt fuels new Australian film The Correspondent. Girls That Invest founder Simran Kaur, Crazy Rich Asians actor Remy Hii, former pro surfer and current World Surf League Commissioner Jessi Miley Dyer, Science Vs' Wendy Zukerman, Women's National Basketball League CEO Jennie Sager and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki are also among the names. There's more on the list already — ethical technologist Andi Mastrosavas, Silicon Valley Robotics' Andra Keay, neuroscientist Dr Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston, space nutrition expert Flávia Fayet-Moore, Black Excellence Fund co-founder Kyah Bell, Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive René de Monchy, actor Shuang Hu (Future Date), filmmaker Neil Sharma (Heartbreak High), screen producer Julie Eckersley (Erotic Stories) and The Conversation CEO Lisa Watts, for example. SXSW Sydney 2025 Music Festival Lineup Jasmine 4.t Freak Slug Jamaica Moana JJ4K Serebii Slowwves Cardinals Tusekah Suichu Spica 水中スピカ RICEWINE Ristband + Pivots Sacred Hearts Swapmeet BADASSMUTHA SXSW Sydney 2025 runs from Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Top image: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW.
These days, whenever an old pop culture commodity comes back in a new guise, it's easy to feel complacent. It happens all the time, whether it's a classic franchise receiving its second reboot, a cult 80s movie making the leap to the small screen or a huge TV hit jumping into prequel territory to continue its story. But if you're a fan of a certain undead-killing late 90s and early 00s television show, you'll know that great things can start this way. It's the path that Buffy the Vampire Slayer took, after all. Based on the 1992 movie of the same name, the Sarah Michelle Gellar-starring series might just be the finest example of a film-turned-TV show — well, it's definitely the best example in the high school-set vampire genre — as the world came to learn across seven seasons that initially aired between 1997–2003. Buffy has remained a cult favourite ever since, and plenty of devotees still have the huge DVD collections to prove it. Now, binging your way through the whole show is as easy as heading to Australian streaming platform Stan. As part of a deal with Disney that's also brought How I Met Your Mother, Sons of Anarchy, Grey's Anatomy and Family Guy to the service, all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are available to stream. Whether you now know what you're doing this summer, have your after-work viewing planned for the foreseeable future or are planning to devote many a weekend to a rewatch, it's all there — from Buffy's arrival in Sunnydale, to her romantic fondness for brooding vamps Angel (David Boreanaz) and Spike (James Marsters), to all the hijinks that the Scooby Gang got up to while living on top of a hellmouth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1v_q6TWAL4 Because this is a series that, fittingly, no one wants to die, a Buffy spinoff was announced back in 2018 — however, to date, it's yet to come to fruition. There's nothing quite like the original Joss Whedon-created show, though, even if it wasn't the very first take on the feisty character. Grab your stakes, line up a range of suitably garlic-flavoured snacks and get ready for a whole world of small-town, high school hell — with vampires, demons, witches, plenty of dark forces, wise watchers like Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) and Wesley (Alexis Denisof), and, of course, Buffy's besties Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Xander (Nicholas Brendon). All seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are now available to stream on Stan.
When Netflix released the first season of Heartstopper in 2022, audiences found it easy to say "I love you". When the streaming platform dropped the show's second season in 2023, the same was true of this coming-of-age gem. But in the first look at the series' third season, uttering those three words is causing plenty of anxiety for Charlie Spring (first-timer Joe Locke) — so much so that he's practising what he wants to tell Nick Nelson (Kit Connor, Little Joe) in front of the mirror. Netflix hasn't quite unveiled a trailer for the upcoming third instalment of this webcomic-to-page-to-screen delight, but it has released footage as part of its date announcement. So, everyone gets a very brief sneak peek at one scene — Charlie's nerves, his sister Tori (Jenny Walser, Call the Midwife) offering advice and Nick showing up at his door — and also the knowledge that the show will return on Thursday, October 3, 2024. This season will open with an episode called 'Love', fittingly, as Charlie attempts to express it verbally and Nick also has something to say to him. Expect the pair to learn more about each other — including Charlie seeing Nick in a singlet and Nick seeing Charlie in a cap, both for the first time, as per the just-dropped clip — and also start to think about the future beyond high school. As charming as romantic comedies, LGBTQIA+-championing tales, British series and coming-of-age stories can get so far, Heartstopper has proven a show to swoon over regardless of whether you currently are or ever have been a queer teen trying to be true to yourself, navigating adolescence and riding the emotional rollercoaster that is falling for someone. Its first season proved such a hit that Netflix renewed the series for two more go-arounds afterwards — with the graphic novel's author and illustrator Alice Oseman as the show's writer (and creator, obviously). Story-wise, Heartstopper began with Truham Grammar School pupils Charlie and Nick Nelson being seated next to each other at the start of a new term, with sparks flying swiftly and overwhelmingly — at least on Charlie's part — and then a life-changing love story blossoming. In season three, a few well-known faces are joining the cast, with Hayley Atwell (Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One) playing Nick's aunt, Eddie Marsan (Back to Black) as Charlie's therapist and Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) as Charlie's celebrity crush. Check out the first look at Heartstopper season three via the date announcement video below: Heartstopper season three will stream via Netflix from Thursday, October 3, 2024. Read our reviews of season one and season two. Images: Netflix.
Snapping street art is old hat now, with the halls of Instagram strewn with the point-and-shoot documentation of many a Banksy, Shepard Fairey Obey knock-off and epic East London murals. But the only real reward is a couple of likes from your buds back home, what if you could gain kudos from the artist themselves? Beloved Parisian street artist Invader has launched a brand new game for snappers, the perfect complement to his celebrated '70s 8-bit video game-inspired critters hanging about on walls worldwide. With the brand new app Flash Invaders, you're encouraged to find the artist's iconic little Space Invader installations, take a shot (or 'flash'), upload it to the app and earn points for each successful snap. The Flash Invaders app doesn't accept imposters, comparing your photo with a database of images to match it up. If you've found a genuine Invader, you earn points for that particular work. And don't try to trick the app with phony Google-searched photos either, as the software has been designed to only allow users to 'flash' the Invader works when you're actually in front of it — your bedroom-bound GPS location gave you away. But where can you find these little critters (and how can you tell if it's the real deal)? Head to Invader's website to check out the international locations of his official installations. Unfortunately, there's not too many in Australia, one in Perth and this one in Melbourne: Your best bet is to casually head to the artist's hometown, Paris, where there are over 1000 Space Invaders lurking in alleyways, atop buildings and along stairwells. These are the thumbnails from Invader's website, to get the picture: Or try Rome: Maybe Vienna: Perhaps Varanasi: Start playing Flash Invaders here. Via Vandablog.
We see a plethora of photos every day. They're on our Facebook feed, pop-ups and billboards — we're bombarded. But after two years in rural Victoria, Daniel Bushaway seems to have found some remarkable serenity in the photographic form. Debuting at Edmund Pearce Gallery, Bushaway's latest exhibition is guaranteed to bring you some country bliss right in the heart of the city. Still Places is a body of work which investigates semi-permanent human structures in natural environments, and asks us to consider how we can interact harmoniously with nature. Bushaway reflects upon his relationship with 'off the grid' living and his personal experiences with the smells and sounds of the Moonee Creek Co-op in Lima East, north of Mansfield in Victoria. The artworks were created predominately in winter, influencing the tonal quality of the pieces and resulting in a body of lush photographic works. Head down for opening drinks on Thursday, February 6 from 6-8pm, or check out the exhibition any time between now and March1. Image credit: Daniel Bushaway, Tree House, via Edmund Pearce Gallery.
When you think of Phillip Island, you probably think of penguins (not that we blame you — they're adorable). But this remarkable setting offers so much more than just our furry friends. Whether it's the outstanding dining possibilities — think fresh seafood, seasonal produce, top-notch wines and killer views — or the coastline that features some fascinating rock formations and the opportunity to spot some migrating sea life, at less than two hours' drive from Melbourne's CBD, Phillip Island is an awesome place to spend a cooler weather getaway. We've found the best spots to eat, play and stay on a weekend away if you want to escape our big island to find a smaller, cosier one. [caption id="attachment_724044" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Phillip Island Winery, Jackson Grant[/caption] EAT AND DRINK Although surrounded by water, Phillip Island isn't a tropical isle where you sip on coconuts. It's wild, rugged and full of cosy eateries and bars to stop at and escape the cold. And, just because you're leaving behind Melbourne for the weekend doesn't mean you have to give up the coffee that you know and love. Start your Phillip Island getaway at The Store, which is where you'll find the best cup of java to kickstart your trip. There's also a selection of flaky pies and steaming hot toasties that'll help rid you of the daybreak chills. Now that you've had your morning pick-me-up, what better way to dive into the pleasures of Phillip Island than by taking a quick drive south through the picturesque plains to the Phillip Island Winery? From here, you'll experience stellar panoramic views from the winery's vantage point — make the most of them by sitting outside next to the roaring fire pit and sipping a shiraz alongside a cheese platter. Once you've sampled enough of the island's top wines, you'd be remiss if you didn't give the beer the same opportunity. Fortunately, Ocean Reach Brewing's mellow brewpub is only ten minutes away. Start with a tasting paddle, which will give you four flavourful offerings from the core range. [caption id="attachment_722687" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Cape Kitchen[/caption] By now, the morning is probably done and dusted and it's time to figure out your lunchtime plans. Serving up everything from breakfast bagels to birria queso tacos, Kelp is a popular pit stop for lunch a brunch seekers on Phillip Island. Located right by the bridge connecting Newhaven and San Remo, the charming venue features an interior inspired by the surrounding seaside with a rustic fit out. Another option is Saltwater, a laidback eatery situated on the most eastern tip of the island. Here, you'll be tucking into woodfired pizzas, charcuterie and, unsurprisingly, plenty of seafood while overlooking the wild sea. When the sun goes down, we recommend getting cosy with another glass of red at Grenache Wine Bar. Alongside an extensive wine list, featuring both local and international drops, it also has a great reputation for beautiful meals that wouldn't be out of place at a trendy inner city spot. The relaxed, intimate atmosphere pairs perfectly with a belly-warming feast that could entail grilled chorizo oysters with balsamic glaze or snapper with pepperberry hollandaise. These options not enough for you? Check out our food and drink guide to Phillip Island to find more local wineries, breweries, cafes, bars and restaurants. [caption id="attachment_704319" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] DO Phillip Island undoubtedly offers some incredible gastronomic options, but the scenery is just as good. From striking clifftop hikes to astounding whale watching spots, there are plenty of things to see and do to keep your weekend away lively. One of the island's most popular adventures is the Cape Woolamai Circuit. Starting from the island's southern point and travelling up to its highest peak, this trek combines three separate walks that range in length from four to almost seven kilometres long. Each section is a rather easygoing walk with no prior hiking experience required. You'll probably want to rug up — you'll be battling the elements, after all. But you'll be rewarded with moody ocean vistas and stunning rock formations, including the Pinnacles Lookout and the Old Granite Quarry, which highlights a bit of local history — much of Melbourne's building materials came from here in the late 19th century. [caption id="attachment_724590" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] Any weekend escape to Phillip Island needs to include a visit to Kitty Miller Bay — the 500-metre long stretch of sandy dunes is one of the prettiest in the region. There's also the remains of the SS Speke, which ran aground in 1906, and is now a popular spot for surfers and snorkellers in warmer months. In cooler months, stay dry (and warm) while whale watching. If you head to Pyramid Rock, you'll find yourself at one of the best places to catch a glimpse of the humpback whales and orcas that cruise by heading to warmer waters. Take a stroll down the boardwalk and experience the rugged coastline from the excellent viewing platform. [caption id="attachment_724589" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] To up your chances of seeing whales, the self-guided Bass Coast Whale Discovery Trail is your insiders' map on where you need to go and it advises you on the bays, headlands and beaches you have to hit. Even if you don't witness the majestic creatures this time around, these incredible sights are still worth a visit. If you'd prefer someone to lead the way for you, Wildlife Coast Cruises offers a variety of tours. Consider the Winter Whale Cruise, which takes a tour of four whale watching hotspots or go in search of the island's resident fur seals with this two-hour cruise. For more exciting things to do on Phillip Island, read our full outdoor adventure guide or hit up Concrete Playground Trips — where you can book two-day cruises, day trips from Melbourne and tours to the penguin parade. [caption id="attachment_724571" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cape Cabin, Hilary Walker[/caption] STAY After a day of exploring this charming island in all its windswept glory, you're going to want somewhere cosy to retreat to and thaw out — preferably in front of a fireplace with a glass of red. We do have a specific guide to the best places to stay on. Philip Island but here are some of our faves. Our first pick is Cape Cabin, a mud-brick and timber home that boasts direct beach access and sweeping views across Bass Strait and Cape Woolamai. Hidden among native plant life, it's ideal for big groups as it sleeps up to nine guests across five large bedrooms. There's loads of space to spread out, with fully equipped indoor and outdoor kitchens, plus massive entertainment and living areas. [caption id="attachment_723598" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Five Acres[/caption] For those looking for a more rural retreat, the Five Acres farm stay offers just that, while remaining easily within reach of Cowes. From here, your deck showcases sprawling views across Western Port Bay, while a fireplace makes for snug evening warming back up. Or, you could opt for an even more rustic approach with a stay in one of The Sheltered Glamping Co's luxury glamping tents. The largest, Emperor Safari, even comes with an outdoor tub to soak in. Meanwhile, if style is the name of the game, then the Anglers Shack likely wins. Owned and decorated by prominent stylist Simone Haag, this chic beach cabin on Sunderland Bay shows off some of her best work. Enjoy the ocean views and the skate ramp — if that's your kind of thing. Down the road in the lush community of Smiths Beach, the five-bedroom Beachwood Luxury Villa will have you within close proximity to a wealth of restaurants and parks. The balcony is great for celebrating, plus you can get a glimpse of Pyramid Rock and the nearby beach, all from the comfort of your weekend home. But if you travelling on a budget, think about some laidback holiday parks by the beach. There's Comfort Resort Kaloha and NRMA Phillip Island Beachfront Holiday Park just outside of Cowes, Ramada Resort by Wyndham Phillip Island in the countryside and BIG4 Phillip Island Caravan Park by Newhaven. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
The latest restaurant from Melbourne hospitality stalwart Chris Lucas sets out to envelop you, but in a different way from its siblings: the ever-buzzy Chin Chin or riotous Yakimono. When you enter Grill Americano's lofty 145-seat space on the ground floor of the 101 Collins building, you're welcomed by a plush, Euro-inspired vision of rich blue banquettes, elegant table lamps and waitstaff clad in white jackets. Opening Monday, March 21, Lucas' new venture is a study in modern elegance, with a steakhouse-style offering of Northern Italian flavours and a name inspired by the Americano cocktail — here, the signature's crafted with a cacao nib vermouth and served with chocolate-dipped mandarin. Inside, an impressive 14-metre marble bar offers front-row seats to the open kitchen and its pride and joy: a handmade, custom-built woodfired oven imported from Naples and a Josper charcoal grill. There's a strong sense of old-school hospitality at play here, matched by Head Chef Douglas Keyte's (Brisbane's Hellenika) mighty menu steeped in European sensibilities and hero-ing traditional Italian techniques. Expect elegant tableside finishes aplenty. Snack fiends and aperitivo aficionados will be all about the cicchetti offering, starring the likes of creamy chicken croquettes, crisp polenta bites and aged parmigiano reggiano served with organic Piemontese chestnut honey. Freshly baked focaccia is teamed with green olive butter, and you'll find a premium lineup of salumi sourced from across the homeland. There's no skimping on the pasta situation, with Sicilian-native Simone Giorgianni whipping up the restaurant's signature offering fresh each day. Standouts include a saffron tagliolini topped with scampi and a spicy pork sausage rigatoni. [caption id="attachment_846483" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Adrian Landers[/caption] Seafood features regularly through the lineup of main plates, although most will find it hard to pass up the selection of steaks, all traditionally finished with a lick of olive oil, lemon and rosemary. Their meaty hero is a hefty 1.2-kilogram Bistecca alla Fiorentina t-bone. Just don't ditch dessert — Michaela Kang (Bread Club) is at the helm of a showstopping menu of sweet creations that includes a reworked tiramisu and an elegant take on the trifle. Starring alongside the namesake cocktail, you'll find an expansive, global curation of vino, with a Coravin system to take full advantage of the 2000-strong cellar collection. Meanwhile, a crop of signature cocktails features plenty of Italian influence and subtle twists — try the smoked negroni, or a house bellini fusing white peach and elderflower. Find Grill Americano at 112 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, from March 21. It'll open from 4pm–late Tuesday and Wednesday, 12pm–late Thursday and Friday, and 4pm–late Saturday. Images: Adrian Landers
Named after the traditional Argentinian style of slow-cooked barbecue and the relaxed dining experience it informs, Asado is centred around an open firepit and a custom-made three-metre-long charcoal parrilla grill. Bright, bold and buzzy, the 250-seater steers away from the moody, intimate feel of its siblings (Palermo, San Telmo, Pastuso), boasting soaring windows and vibrant art deco features. To match its fit-out, the menu is brimming with Argentinian flavours with Spanish touches. You'll spy snack-friendly jamón boards and tinned anchovy with guindilla peppers alongside kingfish ceviche with celeriac tiger's milk and grilled beef tongue skewers with smoked chilli and kampot pepper. Rounding out the fun is a drinks list worthy of celebration — think sangria, Patagonian pilsner, sherry and a wine selection that highlights the best of Argentina's Mendoza region.
Celebrating its fifth birthday, Pause Fest is back and bigger than ever with a stellar line up of guest speakers and demonstrations of innovative technology that’s set to flip the digital world on its head. If you haven't heard about it before, Pause Fest is all about collaboration, bringing together the sharpest minds in the fields of advertising, design, animation, not-for-profit, commerce, web and post-production so they can work together and take their businesses to the next level. Some of the guest speakers you can expect to see at this year’s festival include Animal Logic (the animation studio behind The Lego Movie), Buzzfeed, Guardian Australia, MONA and Silicon Valley strategist Alexander Chung. As well as #inspirational speakers, there will be many interesting installations, meeting spots and workshops. The VFX Jam looks particularly interesting, where teams participate in a two-day competition to create a visual effects piece judged by industry leaders. Want to change the world for the better? Head to the Web For Good conference to learn more about the creative superheroes who are using technology to do great things. It's the perfect place to wise up and meet some interesting people along the way.
It's hard to beat a long lunch on a hot summer's day. This glorious time of year is made for taking extended work breaks and soaking up the weekend's afternoon sun with mates. But, not all lunch spots were made equally. So, together with Aperol — the brightly hued liquid behind the reigning champ of spritzes, the long-lunch bev of choice — we've compiled this list of Melbourne's top spots to head to when your lunch has the potential to go on and on. Some of these haunts come with sun-soaked outdoor spaces and others with plush indoor dining rooms (where the aircon is blasting). But, most importantly, each has a bloody good lunch menu and a great selection of summery cocktails — did someone mention a round of spritzes for the table?
We were about two hours out of Sydney when the stars started to come out, getting brighter and brighter as we hurtled down the highway, leaving the city and all its pollution behind. It was late, and I was tired, trying desperately to squeeze in a quick nap before it was my turn to drive. And as I turned my head to rest on the seatbelt, my eyes flicked upwards, and caught sight of a shooting star, blazing its way through the middle of the Southern Cross. The Wee Waa Agricultural Show, now in its 79th year, is like Sydney's Easter Show for an audience of a couple of thousand instead of a couple of million. It is a celebration of the local community, acknowledging the wonderful things accomplished by the townspeople, from the produce to the livestock, from homemade jams, soaps and cakes to handmade floral arrangements, quilts and much, much more. For a number of reasons the album launch itself was not what it could have been, not least the fact that Sony had made the album available to stream online three days beforehand, gazumping Wee Waa’s premiere. Estimates from the night suggest that perhaps as many as half the anticipated 4500-strong crowd simply didn't bother to show up, and weeks of feverish speculation meant that whatever was planned for the night wasn't going to satisfy, except perhaps if Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo rode in to the Show on a Blue Ribbon heifer. But the main reason the launch was a bit low-key is that Random Access Memories is the least Daft Punk record yet released. It's an homage to the 1970s, with disco and soft rock the dominant moods, almost the polar opposite of the groundbreaking, apocalyptic, electronic crunch of Discovery. And although the lead single, 'Get Lucky', is as chilled and danceable a groove as you could hope for, there really aren't that many opportunities for getting your boogie on. And those of us who thought that the recent resurgence of electronic music — led by unashamed, brutally heavy party tracks from the likes of Skrillex, Nero and Avicii — would lead Daft Punk to double-down on their trademark sound were sorely disappointed, a fact made clear by the roars that greeted the classic Daft Punk tracks a DJ played after the album to make the moment last longer. But as we left the largest outdoor dancefloor in the world, underlit by thousands of LED lights, and went our separate ways, no one really had any complaints. And judging from the expressions on the faces of the crowd, everyone realised that they had just been part of something unique, and something that they were never likely to experience again. When it was first announced that Daft Punk would be launching their first album in eight years at the Wee Waa Agricultural Show, the resulting explosion of incredulity reached all corners of the internet. After the incredulity came the second-guessing, millions trying to figure out why Wee Waa was chosen over so many other places. All of this had at its heart the same premise: that choosing to hold this event in Wee Waa was inexplicable, and that somewhere, surely, there was an explanation that would make sense. But whether Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, Sony or any of the complainers realise it or not, Wee Waa couldn't have been a more perfect choice. This town is the beating heart of a huge industry — the Australian cotton industry, worth some $2.5 billion annually — producing a product that is exported all over the world. It's a town that is aggressively innovative in its field (and fields), with tremendous advances being made in how much cotton can be grown with limited amounts of water, as well investing heavily in the research and development of natural pesticides that have little to no impact on crops or on consumers. And it's a town, like so many country towns across Australia, where strangers are welcomed with open arms, open hearts and open minds. If Daft Punk can’t see themselves — global superstars of dance music, with their history of audiovisual innovation — reflected in the town and its people, then they clearly lack the imagination we've always ascribed to them. Wee Waa is a wonderful, beautiful, uniquely Australian place, with a strong connection to the land, to the water, and — thanks to the Australia Telescope Compact Array in Narrabri — to the skies. And despite some disappointment caused largely by unrealistic expectations (and a less-than-amazing album), this was a wonderful, beautiful event, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will always be special for how fleeting it was. Much like a shooting star in the country sky, blazing its way through the middle of the Southern Cross.
Forget the idea that Port Fairy is a purely summery destination. The small town on the Princes Highway may be best known for its beach — but thanks to their annual winter festivities there's still plenty to do when it gets chilly. From art exhibitions and photography contests to markets and toy-making workshops — plus the feverishly anticipated Dachshund Dash that last year attracted more than 2000 spectators — Port Fairy Winter Weekends are well worth the drive down the coast. Taking place every second weekend throughout June and July, Winter Weekends will showcase a mix of food, wine, art, culture…and sausage dogs. Did we mention the sausage dogs? They'll be pumping their tiny, adorable legs on Sunday, June 11 — although not before a dog's breakfast and the grand doggo parade. Other standout events include a tasting session at Port Fairy's newest wine and tapas bar, a native food workshop at Tower Hill, 'hot pizza and cold jazz' at the Wishart Gallery, and ghost tours on Saturday nights. Anyone willing to brave the early morning cold can also take part in the Winter Solstice Dawn Swim first thing on Saturday, June 24. Port Fairy Winter Weekends will run on June 9–11, June 23–25, July 7–9 and July 21–23. Image: Loren Tuck.
They're sticky, cinnamon scrolls, drenched in glaze and famous all across the USA. And now, at last, they're headed Down Under. Yep — Seattle-born bakery chain Cinnabon is landing in Australia, with sunny Brisbane marked for the location of its first local outpost. Family-run Queensland company Bansal Foods has announced it's scored the Aussie rights to Cinnabon, with plans to open the first stores here by the end of 2019. If the name sounds familiar, that's because this is the same crew that brought Carl's Jr to our shores, opening six local outposts of the US burger chain in the past 12 months. The plan for Cinnabon is to launch its first two Aussie stores in southeast Queensland this year — one in September and one in October — with another to follow in Sydney later and further expansion slated for 2021. Word is, we could see as many as 50 stores across the country within the next three years. Cue easy access to indulgent treats like the Classic Roll, miniature BonBites, Cinnabon Stix and (hopefully) the super-popular Chocobon. One of Cinnabon's big pulls is the freshness factor, with new batches of scrolls apparently cooked in store every half hour. Cinnabon is slated to open its first two Australian stores in southeast Queensland in September and October 2019. Updated: May 9, 2019.
Move over tea with the Queen — the coffee in London has improved so much over the last few years even Lizzy would ask for a flat white over an English breakfast. We sacrificed the money we were saving for a house deposit to taste coffee all over the city, and here are five coffee shops worth hunting down while you're in town. [caption id="attachment_622923" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Levent Ali via Flickr.[/caption] MONMOUTH COFFEE, COVENT GARDEN Monmouth is the grand old dame of London coffee, and has been pumping out caffeine since 1978. And even though Monmouth likes to keep things fresh with an ever-changing selection of house-roasted beans, some things will never change, like the house blend, the queues and the fact that Monmouth makes the best coffee in Old Blighty. We've heard good things about the filter, but we only tried the flat white, because, well, why change when you're onto a good thing? Queen Lizzy gets it. [caption id="attachment_622924" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Espresso Room via Instagram.[/caption] THE ESPRESSO ROOM, BLOOMSBURY The Espresso Room is so small it could double as Harry Potter's cupboard under the stairs, so it's a good thing you don't need much space to pump out great coffee (as the Japanese know). This Bloomsbury coffee shop is unsurprisingly known for its espresso, but for our money (too much of our money, to be honest — coffee here is more expensive than home), the flat white is where the magic is. Not too milky, not too strong — it's the best thing this side of getting a letter from Hogwarts. [caption id="attachment_622927" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bex Walton via Flickr.[/caption] KAFFEINE, FITZROVIA You'll need coffee after spending time on London's most insane shopping artery, Oxford Street. Luckily Kaffeine is just a street or two behind the insanity, serving up damn fine coffee in a damn fine looking coffee shop. This is the place to go if you want a taste of classic Australian espresso-based coffee in London; you won't find American- and Scandi- style filter here. You can even grab an Anzac biccie to snack on if you're feeling seriously homesick. TIMBERYARD, SEVEN DIALS Timberyard is buzzing at all opening hours, and not just because of the free Wi-Fi — the coffee here, although although on the expensive side of things, hits the spot. The flat white is strong, flavoursome, with just the right kick of calcium. Grab a seat — try for one of the hotly contested window spots — and the staff will bring your coffee over on a wooden chopping board (because timber yard, geddit?). You'll want to stay for coffee number two. Your tastebuds will thank you, even if your wallet does not. ALLPRESS, SHOREDITCH You go to Kaffeine for a taste of Australia, but for a taste of New Zealand, head straight to one of Allpress Espresso's two cafes in Shoreditch. Founded in Auckland, Allpress is swiftly taking over the world, with cafes in Australia, Japan and London. And you can taste exactly why: their coffee is one of the best, wherever in the world you find it. The Shoreditch cafe has the antipodeon design look down-pat, with white walls and exposed pale timber. The espresso-based coffee, which uses Allpress roasted beans, is delicious, of course.
It might be the site of the country's last execution and resting place of the infamous Ned Kelly, but Pentridge Prison is destined to become to a much more enviable address, now that updated plans for the precinct's proposed Adina Apartment Hotel have been given the go-ahead. The Taiwan-based Shayer Group was forced to change their original design for the 19-storey hotel and residential tower after The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) voiced concerns about the building's height. The new plans have now been given the thumbs up, and construction has kicked off, with Shayer expected to drop a cool $1 million on restoration works this year. The 120-apartment hotel design will carefully blend old with new, brought to life by heritage-building experts Cox Architecture while retaining as much as possible of the building's former glory. And yes, that means guests will have the chance to spend the night in a converted prison cell, albeit a pretty luxurious one. The site next door will offer even more options, set to house nine more levels of accommodation, six residential storeys and one level of communal facilities. The hotel part of the prison conversion will also see the building's former chapel restored as a function space, along with the addition of an all-day dining restaurant, indoor pool, gym, conferences facilities and parking, all slated to open by 2020. The hotel will be part of a new precinct in the area, which will also incorporate a 15-screen Palace cinema, a supermarket and an assortment of cafes, restaurant, bars and a pub and microbrewery. None of these are yet open, with construction on the precinct delayed until earlier this year. Adina Apartment Hotel Pentridge is slated to open in 2020.
No one in Australia expects to feel cold in January. Summer is in full swing, after all. It's prime beach and pool season, obviously — and, even though the festive period is over and everyone is settling back into the year after the holidays, thoughts of lazing around by or splashing around in a body of water aren't ever too far from anyone's minds. Whether you're fond of cooling down with a refreshing dip, or you prefer to escape to the vicinity of the nearest fan or air-conditioner, you might want to put those plans into action across the rest of this week. From today, Thursday, January 21, temperatures are expected to be mighty hot all around the nation, according to the Bureau of Meteorology's latest major cities forecast. As per BOM's city-specific forecasts, some of those temps are due to stick around a bit longer than that, too. After an expected top of 27 degrees on Thursday, Sydneysiders can expect a few sweaty days, with temps staying at 30 or above from Friday until mid-next week. Still in NSW, Newcastle will hit 34 on Sunday, while Wollongong will get to 31. That isn't as warm as Canberra in the ACT, though — with the Australian capital forecast to hit 38 on Sunday and 39 on Monday. Sunday and Monday will be warm in Melbourne, too, with tops of 35 and 37 forecast. They'll come after a 31-degree Thursday, then expected maximums of 26 and 27 on Friday and Saturday. Thankfully, a drop to 22 is forecast for Tuesday. https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1351781371715477504 Brisbane will get to 27 on Thursday, 29 on Friday, and 30 from Saturday–Monday, and 33 on Tuesday and Wednesday — so it'll be warm, but also usual summer weather. In Adelaide, the mercury will rise to 35 on Thursday, dip down to 32 on Friday, then soar to 39 on Saturday and a whopping 41 on Sunday. Also in the centre of the country, Alice Springs can expect its maximum temperature to stay between 35–39 degrees for four days from Thursday, while Darwin's will sit at 32-33 across the same period. In Perth, it'll actually get a tad cooler over the weekend — starting with a 34-degree maximum on Thursday, then going up to 36 degrees on Friday, before dropping to 26 on Saturday and Sunday. And down in Hobart, a top temperature of 27 is forecast for Sunday, with 30 expected on Monday — following other maximums of 22, 23 and 25 in the days prior. Of course, while these are BOM's forecasts as issued at 6.05am on Thursday, January 21, conditions may change — so keep an eye on the Bureau's website for the most up-to-date information. For latest weather forecasts, head to the Bureau of Meteorology website.
