House of Lulu White's long-running boozy brunch offering is making a very special lockdown appearance. The cafe has teamed up with the good folks at Tommy Collins Catering to release a new lineup of take-home brunch kits that are sure to lend a little pizzazz to your mornings stuck at home. The at-home menu allows punters to mix-and-match options to create the ultimate brunch situation, based around one of three themed food offerings — will it be the DIY soft-shell fish tacos; the pineapple and beef Kahuna burgers; or the waffles starring trimmings like whipped ricotta and berry compote? Alongside your chosen meal kit, the brunch pack comes with a slew of boozy delights, including a bottle of bubbly, orange juice for mimosas, and jarred cocktails such as the espresso martini, the rose sangria and a lychee iced tea. Each base pack clocks in at $59, with extra cocktail add-ons starting from $12 and additional meal kits available for $20 a pop. To avoid disappointment, make sure you pre-order at least 48 hours before you intend to collect. Pick-up is available from 10am–1pm daily, from House of Lulu White, the Hamptons Bakery, or Rumour Has It in Hawthorn East.
What happens when a touring showcase of music throughout Queensland joins forces with an annual citywide celebration of arts and culture in Brisbane? Sweet Relief!, the latest event from both Qld Music Trails and Brisbane Festival. A collaboration between both fests, but taking place in Brissie in September, this one-day-only excuse to get dancing will make its debut in 2023 with a helluva electronic-focused lineup, starting with Groove Armada, The Avalanches and Ladyhawke. Sweet Relief! also involves the folks at Untitled Group, the team behind festivals such as Beyond The Valley, Grapevine Gathering and Wildlands — and they've helped bring in quite the names. Groove Armada and The Avalanches will both play Australian-exclusive gigs, in fact, with the former doing a DJ set and the latter performing live. [caption id="attachment_907867" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grant Spanier[/caption] We see you, festival-loving babies. The day to block out in your diary: Saturday, September 16. The place to head: the Maritime Green at Northshore Brisbane. As well as New Zealander Ladyhawke, the bill also spans Cut Copy doing a DJ set, plus Nina Las Vegas, Latifa Tee and YO! Mafia. Poof Doof Pride Patrol featuring Jimi the Kween is on the lineup as well, and additional Brisbane acts are still to be announced. [caption id="attachment_907869" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kath Gould[/caption] "We're so excited to be heading up to Brisbane to play at Maritime Green at Northshore Brisbane. It's such a cool looking spot — we've got a feeling it's gonna be a very special one," said The Avalanches. "Brisbane's history is littered with iconic festival moments such as Livid, Boundary Street Festival and Valley Fiesta that gave the Brisbane community an opportunity to bring their weirdest and wildest selves out to create an electric atmosphere of togetherness, diversity and inclusion," added Joel Edmondson, CEO of Qld Music Trails, announcing Sweet Relief!. "We hope that Sweet Relief! can establish itself as a place where people travel from around the country to experience Brisbane's local flavour and global appeal." SWEET RELIEF! 2023 LINEUP: Groove Armada (DJ set) The Avalanches (live) Ladyhawke Cut Copy (DJ set) Nina Las Vegas Latifa Tee YO! Mafia Poof Doof Pride Patrol featuring Jimi the Kween + more Brisbane acts to be announced Sweet Relief! will take over the Maritime Green, Northshore Brisbane, on Saturday, September 16. For more information and images — and to register for ticket presales from 6pm on Wednesday, July 5, with general sales from 12pm on Thursday, July 6 — head to the event website.
There are two ways that you can add some extra flavour to your next boozy beverage. Mix your drink of choice with a heap of other ingredients and you've got yourself a cocktail, of course — or, you can opt for one of the many varieties of spirits that don't just stick to the usual recipe. Australia's newest vodka falls into the second category. And if you like lamingtons, which everyone should, then you're going to want to add a bottle to your liquor cabinet. Made by Gold Coast-based distillery Wildflower Gin, the limited-edition lamington-flavoured tipple appears as crystal clear as every other vodka. But it's made using local strawberries, cocoa and coconut, so you'll taste all of the above while you're sipping. Obviously, if you'd like to pair it with an actual lamington as well, that's encouraged. And if you're just keen on knocking back drinks that taste like dessert, that's fine as well. The strawberries, cocoa and coconut are all distilled with water from Tamborine Mountain, to help create a smooth beverage — which you can then drink neat by itself, pair with some soda water or add to a cocktail. If you're keen, you'll need to get in fast, because only 200 bottles are available online and at the distillery's Varsity Lakes home. Wildflower Gin's lamington vodka is available to order online for $75 — or, if you're near the Gold Coast, you can pick up a bottle at the distillery at 2/486 Scottsdale Drive, Varsity Lakes.
For nearly two centuries, everyone has known the Artful Dodger's story. Charles Dickens wrote the character, aka Jack Dawkins, to life in 1838's Oliver Twist — and readers have thumbed through the pickpocket's part of the famous tale ever since. But what happened once the book's narrative ended? What if Fagin's light-fingered apprentice is on the straight and narrow 15 years later, living in 1850s Australia? What if he is a navy-trained surgeon now plying his trade while living on the other side of the world from London, and great at it? What if Fagin is still alive despite Dickens' words on the page, too? In fact, what if the thieving ringleader is the latest convict arrival to the penal colony, crossing paths with his old pal with a plan that cares little about Dodge's new upstanding reputation? If you're wondering how the Aussie-set The Artful Dodger can exist, that's how: by sinking into the above scenario. Australian-made as well, with Jeffrey Walker (The Clearing), Corrie Chen (Bad Behaviour) and Gracie Otto (Seriously Red) directing, the Disney+ series that arrived on Wednesday, November 29 is not an origin story — it's an after story. Getting caught with a silver snuff box might've wrapped up Jack's exploits for the author who created him, but the latest iteration of the figure lives on from there for The Artful Dodger creators James McNamara (also one of the show's writers), David Maher (The Commons) and David Taylor (Bloom). Their take also turns its antics in the fictional Port Victory into a riff on The Knick, plus a romance. Two decades on from Love Actually, Thomas Brodie-Sangster (The Queen's Gambit) plays the show's namesake, joining a long line of actors who've done the same — many musicians, including Davy Jones from The Monkees onstage in the 60s, earning a Tony Award nomination; Phil Collins, also in the theatre in the same era; and Rita Ora in 2021's worth-avoiding crime-drama movie Twist. As in his big Christmas-movie break, Brodie-Sangster is again concerned with affairs of the heart, with The Artful Dodger's lead casting benefiting from bringing its star's best-known role to mind. In the festive rom-com, he was a kid cutely grappling with adult emotions. Here, he spiritedly steps into the shoes of an all-grown-up figure who acted wiser than his years when he was a child, too-large attire to match. Although no one saw Brodie-Sangster as the Oliver Twist version of Dodge, imagining it is easy because remembering him as a 13-year-old is that instantaneous. Also similar from Love Actually: Brodie-Sangster's character having an older guiding hand by his side, albeit with mischief and scheming this time. David Thewlis (Landscapers) gets wily — one of his finest on-screen traits — as Jack's former mentor, who isn't willing to let their links fade away. The Artful Dodger isn't a two-hander, but its biggest international names make a lively and engaging pair. Thewlis' Fagin isn't the villain, either, with both the script and the Fargo, Macbeth and I'm Thinking of Ending Things talent's performance expanding the part beyond the scoundrel — even if much of the criminal mastermind's focus is on convincing Dodge that his illicit know-how shouldn't be retired. This eight-part series also enlists a hefty lineup of Aussies, from Damon Herriman (The Portable Door), Miranda Tapsell (Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe), Susie Porter (Mercy Road) and Tim Minchin (Upright) to Damien Garvey (Troppo), Jessica De Gouw (C*A*U*G*H*T) and Kym Gyngell (Black Snow). Chief among the homegrown cohort is Maia Mitchell (Good Trouble) as Lady Belle Fox, daughter of the Governor (Garvey) and an aspiring doctor herself — not that a female surgeon is approved of in the show's period. Familiar Australian faces aren't the only constant reminder that this is a local production. Beginning with Wolfmother's 'Joker and the Thief', the anachronistic soundtrack spins on average one Aussie track per episode, including from Spiderbait, Jet, INXS and The Living End. Playfulness abounds, then, in a series that's a caper as well. Narrative-wise, Dodge endeavours to keep on the up and up, despite a shady gambling debt to pay to crooked harbourmaster Darius Cracksworth (Minchin) on penalty of losing a hand. Given that he needs his two mitts to continue his line of work, his devotion to staying legit is quickly tested. Fagin is officially his servant, but is really the devilish force whispering in his ear — in-between ample gloating about how his pilfering instructions all that time back helped his protégé earn his new calling, teaching him the dexterity required as a cutpurse. Complicating the already chaotic situation is the ever-present Captain Gaines (Herriman), who loves nothing more than sending whoever he can to the noose. Once he becomes certain that Jack and Fagin have more than a few reasons to take the drop, he's relentless. Jack is the colony's best doctor, repeatedly besting the drunken professor (Gyngell) in charge of the hospital and his chosen successor Rainsford Sneed (Nicholas Burton, Safe Home). Accordingly, it's only in Belle that he meets his professional match. She's deeply uninterested in just finding a husband no matter what's expected of her. She's also an avid subscriber to and reader of medical journals. So springs an arrangement where her booksmarts help Jack with his patients — the very concept of germs and their role in causing infections isn't on anyone's radar until she mentions it — and he lets her put her self-taught skills to practical use. So flies sparks, too, amid an evident class clash, bloody surgeries with a live audience, Jack and Fagin trying to avoid the hangman, and a pilfering bushranger (Tapsell) drawing attention their way. As its fondness for Aussie rock makes plain, The Artful Dodger is energetically told, and also anything but an old-school period piece. Walker, Chen and Otto take the same cues visually and in the show's fast pacing, making for rollicking and always entertaining viewing. Wanting more comes swiftly, primarily thanks to Brodie-Sangster, Thewlis and Mitchell, however. While everything about the series knows that this is a lark, its key trio not only sell it but give it depth — no bait-and-switch required. Check out the trailer for The Artful Dodger below: The Artful Dodger streams via Disney+.
In Contagion, the most prophetic film of the 21st century so far, filmmaker Steven Soderbergh didn't just chart the outbreak of a deadly pandemic or introduce everyone to the term 'social distancing'. His eerily accurate thriller also delved into the quest to find a vaccine, too, so that life could go back to normal. And, that's the reality the world has faced since COVID-19 first emerged — with pharmaceutical companies and medical researchers around the globe working furiously to come up with a solution. Several vaccines have not only been created over the past year — much faster than the usual timeline — but have started being used in countries around the world. The latter is happening in places such as the UK and the US, where coronavirus case numbers have remained at enormous levels. In Australia, where the situation thankfully hasn't reached the same scale, the federal government has decided on a different approach. And today, Wednesday, January 6, Minister for Health Greg Hunt, revealed that doses should start being rolled out locally in early March. The Minister discussed the current plan in an interview with radio station 2GB, including revealing the change to the schedule — noting that originally the government was going to start administering the vaccine in the second quarter of 2021, then moved that up to late March 2021, and has now jumped forward to the beginning of that month. In recent weeks, as case numbers have been rising in Sydney and Melbourne, the original timeline received criticism. Vaccines need to be evaluated and approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration before they can be rolled out, with that process currently underway for multiple different vaccines — including from Pfizer-BioNTech and University of Oxford-AstraZeneca. Hunt also confirmed that the first round of vaccinations will cover frontline workers — particularly those working at hotel quarantine sites and international border checkpoints — as well as health workers and residential aged care facility residents. "That's the first round, and then we'll work through it in terms of age and other priorities — which are currently being finalised by the medical expert panel, but progressively working down in age and where there are other vulnerabilities in terms of disability or certain Indigenous age groups and others, then they'll all be identified," he said. As Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced in mid-2020, vaccines will be provided to every Aussie for free when they are rolled out. Australia currently has agreements to receive ten million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which will be manufactured overseas, and 53.8 million doses of the University of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, with production of the latter already starting locally. Both require two doses per person to be effective. Obviously, it's expected that the government will provide further details about how everyone will get vaccinated — and specific dates for the start of vaccinations — before the beginning of March. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Health website.
It's been a long wait in Melbourne if you want to rock 'n' roll with AC/DC live. 2025 marks ten years since the iconic Sydney-formed band last took to the stage Down Under. It's also the year, thankfully, that they're making their Aussie concert return. After kicking off in 2024, the group's Power Up tour will play Australian dates, with Brian Johnson, Angus Young and company hitting up Melbourne on Wednesday, November 12 and Sunday, November 16. Let there be rock at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, then. This is the first time that the legendary Australian rockers have toured Down Under since their 2015 'Rock or Bust' world tour. In November in Victorian capital, Amyl and The Sniffers are onboard in support to make this massive concert even more so, and to give attendees a taste of two different generations of Aussie rockstars. This tour isn't just a fitting homecoming for AC/DC, but comes more than half a century since the band played their first-ever show in Australia. This 2025 gig will be just over a month and a half short of 52 years since that 1973 Sydney debut. Power Up is also the name of the group's 2020 album, their most-recent record — which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, made multiple best-of lists for that year and scored Grammy nominations. For those about to rock, AC/DC's high-voltage current set list spans their entire career, however, including everything from 'If You Want Blood (You've Got It)', 'Back in Black' and 'Hells Bells' to 'Highway to Hell', 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long'. Images: Christie Goodwin. Updated: Thursday, June 26, 2025.
As Melbourne's hospitality scene slowly shifts back towards normality, we're all enjoying a renewed appreciation for something that was all too scarce last year: the unplanned, spontaneous drinking session. And, handily enough, the northside has scored a new haunt dedicated to this very pleasure, with the launch of Poodle Upstairs in the heart of Fitzroy. The new first-floor sibling to Gertrude Street's Poodle Bar & Bistro, the intimate watering hole is open for walk-ins only, every Friday and Saturday night. As with the downstairs space, it's sporting an elegant fit-out by Wendy Bergman (Bergman & Co), filled with art deco curves, cushy banquettes and luxe gold accents. There's a private dining room with space to seat 20 and a fireplace primed for the winter months to come. For up here, Head Chef Josh Fry (Marion and Cumulus Inc) has created a separate snack menu to what's offered below, starring chic Euro-inspired bites designed to be enjoyed alongside a glass or two of vino. A strong charcuterie selection features both house-made free-range varieties and premium options sourced from across the globe, from a confit garlic and pistachio terrine ($26), to the Juan Pedro Domecq Iberico jamon ($36). There's also an impressive cheese list ($16 each) and a lineup of gourmet tinned and canned delights ($16–40). As for the booze offering, it's headlined by a 16-strong pick of classic and contemporary cocktails, with the venue's signature wet martini sitting alongside crafty pours like the Rosy Cheeks ($20) — a bright blend of Vida tequila, Aperol, lime and rosemary syrup. Meanwhile, a hefty wine list trips across Victoria and Europe, featuring bottles like the Patrice Colin Sec Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley ($15 a glass), next to homegrown heroes like McLaren Vale's Ministry of Clouds Shiraz ($75 a bottle).
After almost two decades of dishing up its signature rock 'n' roll-infused revelry, Melbourne's legendary live music hot-spot Cherry Bar has reached the end of an era. Co-owner and booker James Young took to Facebook in January to break the news, revealing the bar will close its famed AC/DC Lane doors for the final time on March 31 this year. It's not been sold, and Young is firm on the fact that it never will be. Rather, this is a case of pulling up roots and scouting out a new home for the venue, in an effort to ensure the Cherry Bar legacy lives on strong. "It is my intention to take the name, the staff and the sticky carpet to a new Melbourne address with a long lease and a safe and secure future for live local music and late night rock n roll revelry," the post states. So despite the sudden closure, fans can (sort of) rest easy — the team's revealed it's currently in talks with ten different venues across the city to work to find the perfect digs for this icon's next phase of life. Which is a relief, seeing that fellow CBD live music venue Lounge has announced it will close in April. The Cherry Bar story has been as colourful as it is long, the space playing host to everyone from the Arctic Monkeys to Lady Gaga, and amassing an army of die-hard fans over its lifetime. Back in 2014, the venue took just three days to crowdfund $90,000 for necessary soundproofing works, following the threat of mass noise complaints from a new residential building erected next door. You've got until the end of the month to catch Cherry Bar in its original habitat — drop by for its David Bowie party on Sunday, March 10 or a gig on any other night of the week. Stay tuned for details on its next home, coming soon. Find Cherry Bar at AC/DC Lane, Melbourne until March 31. The bar's open late every night of the week. Images: Visit Victoria/Jake Roden. Updated: March 3, 2019.
Drop whatever it is that you're doing: the ticket ballot for the 27th Meredith Music Festival is officially open. Running from December 8–10, the latest edition of the much-loved dickhead-free music festival will take place at its usual digs, Meredith's Supernatural Amphitheatre, which last year got itself a brand new sound system and this year will no doubt take us to magical places once more. Aunty, meanwhile, has been working hard on the lineup, of which she has divulged just one part of this morning: self-described "gothic folk" New Zealand singer-songwriter Aldous Harding, who will play on the Friday night. Standouts from last year included Peaches, Kelela, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, BADBADNOTGOOD and Angel Olsen. The Meredith Ballot will be open from now until 10.27pm on Monday, August 7. Head on over to the festival website to sign up.
Jean-Paul Bourdier is an award-winning photographer, author, film production designer and professor. Bourdier's long list of talents and prizes aside, his ephemeral photographs of body art and landscapes - or 'bodyscapes' as he affectionately calls them - truly speak for themselves. His breathtaking shots seamlessly integrate painted naked bodies into the background of wondrous natural topography. Provocative, mesmerising and refreshingly unique, Bourdier's images will have you transfixed, so make sure you set aside a good amount of time to marvel at the many works of art in this collection. Here are 15 stunning photographs from his book, Bodyscapes, to give you a taste of his inspired style. [Via Design You Trust]
With Spit, one of the best Australian films of the past quarter-century gets a sequel — and so does one of the finest and funniest scenes in an Aussie movie. A crime comedy set on the Gold Coast, 2003's Gettin' Square earned well-deserved affection for its tale of a just-out-of-jail ex-con trying to rebuild his life but being pulled back to the wrong side of the law for a last big job. It also scored David Wenham (Fake) his second Australian Film Institute Award, and first for his big-screen work. Sam Worthington (Horizon: An American Saga) played the paroled Barry Wirth, but Wenham's turn as the mullet-topped, tight jeans-wearing, thongs-adorned Johnny Spitieri stole every sequence that he was in. One such specific moment: when Johnny, aka Spit, is forced to front court. Thanks also to director Jonathan Teplitzky (Churchill, The Railway Man) and Gold Coast lawyer-turned-novellist and screenwriter Chris Nyst (Crooked Business), movie comedy masterclasses are made of this. Wenham's filmography is immense across both the silver and small screens, and in Australian and international fare alike. Name an Aussie TV show of the 80s and 90s and he probably popped up in it, before he became known as Diver Dan in SeaChange. In 1998, the same year that that series started, he was haunting in Aussie cinema masterpiece The Boys. Then in 2000, he initially teamed up with Teplitzky for intimate rom-com Better Than Sex, before reuniting on Gettin' Square and now Spit two decades later. Around that collaboration, plus everything else mentioned above, Wenham has jumped between Moulin Rouge!, The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, two Lord of the Rings films, Van Helsing, The Proposition, 300, Goldstone, Lion, a Pirates of the Caribbean flick, The Furnace and Elvis, and also Killing Time, The Code, Iron Fist, Top of the Lake, the TV versions of Wake in Fright and Romper Stomper, Les Norton and Pieces of Her — and more. There's one part that has long stood out among that lengthy list of on-screen credits, though, especially for audiences. "It's strange even now, that much time later, nearly every day of my life I have somebody approach me — and out of all the characters that I've played, that's the one that most of them want to talk about. And they quote lines from that film from 20-something years ago, which is extraordinary considering it didn't do very well at the box office originally," Wenham tells Concrete Playground. He's talking about Johnny Spitieri, as distinctive a figure as he'll ever play, and as distinctively Australian, but one that viewers keep seeing their loved ones in. "Oh my god, my uncle, my uncle, my whatever, he's Johnny Spitieri," folks tell him, Wenham advises. "Talk to people all around the country, 'oh yeah, I went to school with Johnny Spitieri'. He seems to exist in so many communities all around Australia. There's an ownership of Johnny Spitieri, which is great." Exploring more of Johnny's story — and bringing him back to the Gold Coast, too — wasn't originally the plan, or something that either Teplitzky or Wenham even dreamed might happen when they were making Gettin' Square. "Far from it, far from it. You so often do these things and as soon as they're finished, you put them out into the world and you move onto other things. And it probably took ten or 15 years before we even started thinking about it again, but the power of Spitieri was something that drew us all back in eventually," notes Teplitzky. "People found that film originally on VHS and then DVD. It developed this cult classic-type status," adds Wenham. "It's amazing. So the fact that that character still resonates was probably the little ember that fanned the flame in the beginning of the discussions for this film, which began probably about ten years ago." In Spit, two decades have passed for the movie's namesake as well, time that he's spent on the run overseas. Although Spit remains another comedy with the small-time ex-criminal at its heart, Wenham, Teplitzky and Nyst haven't just brought Johnny back home for a repeat of Gettin' Square's antics. This is as much a character piece, and it also thoughtfully surveys Australia today. When Spitieri's return Down Under draws attention, his first stop is an Immigration Detention Centre, where the film starts digging into the nation as a multicultural country and what being an Aussie means, complete with Johnny teaching his fellow detainees local terms. As fans of the first film will remember, Johnny had fled abroad for a reason, which is where plenty of other familiar characters also pop up. David Field (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Helen Thomson (Colin From Accounts), David Roberts (Territory) and Gary Sweet (A Savage Christmas) are all back, for instance, while Bob Franklin (Bay of Fires) steps in for the late Richard Carter (Mad Max: Fury Road), and Arlo Green (Bump) and Pallavi Sharda (The Office) also join the ensemble. Is there yet another potential future for Johnny, after trying to avoid retaliation for 20 years ago from crims and dirty cops alike, giving prosectors grief again, finding a new friend in Green's asylum-seeker Jihad and reforging family connections in Spit? Another big-screen outing, even if it takes 20 more years or so to make it happen? "There's no plans for it," Wenham says. But "never say never", he also notes. "Twenty-two years to the time, maybe Johnny might be in an aged-care facility somewhere. I think that'd be it. That'd be an interesting movie." Among other subjects, we also chatted with Wenham and Teplitzky about why Johnny strikes such a chord with audiences, not just trying to remake Gettin' Square, how Wenham gets into character as Spitieri, balancing humour with deep emotional resonance and making Gold Coast movies. On Whether Wenham and Teplitzky Predicted That Johnny Spitieri Would Be So Beloved by Audiences Jonathan: "When we were making it, you're so in the moment of that experience of making the film, but I always knew that it was a beautifully written character and full of laughs. But there's so many elements — we could be here for hours going through them all — elements within that, taking it off the page and turning it into comedy/drama, that created unexpected classic moments. And the strength of Chris' screenplay allowed David and I, it was like a perfect playground, to be able to just play and find different spontaneous things that very much came out of the situations that he created. But the success or the iconic status, for example, of the courtroom and what have you, I always knew that was an amazing scene — but there was probably more talk about 'is it too long? Is it too this? Is it too that?' at the time, when now, you go look at it and you go 'if it was twice as long, you'd be happy'. So I think that's something that develops. I don't think you can ever say you knew that it was going to be fantastic. It's something — because at that stage, the audience weren't involved, and that's what the relationship is, it's between a film and an audience, not between the filmmakers and the audience. We're just the people who hopefully provide something for them to have that incredible cinematic experience." David: "The audiences, it was interesting — after the very first screening [of Spit] on the Gold Coast, which is Johnny's spiritual home, to have audience members from the general public come up and chat, and I thought 'okay, this is interesting'. The level of conversation that they wanted to engage with about the character, about the film, and about surprising moments in the film and the surprising narrative alleys that it takes you down, was really, really intriguing. And it's happening, I don't know how many screenings we've done now, and it's been embraced in a similar way by each audience. Hilarious, much laughter, but much connection emotionally to the film as well, in a really fascinating way." Jonathan: "I think Johnny is a very universal-type character. And I think when you, as an audience, you get access to — yes, it's brilliant when you laugh out loud, but also there's something very rich about being able to connect with a character in a film, whereby you have access to their dramatic emotional life. And the combination of the two really endears in many ways, even more so than [Gettin' Square], because it's different, it's much more of a character piece, this film, than what Gettin' Square was." On Not Trying to Remake Gettin' Square with Spit — and the Importance of It Being a Character Piece as Much as a Comedy David: "We both, and Chris as well, had exactly the same thought. We were not interested in making, remaking or making Gettin' Square 2. There had to be a really unique, really solid reason for us to come together and do this again. And Chris found it, quite some time ago actually. Just the kernel of the idea came from — he was thinking about, he was just sort of cogitating on all the hoo-ha that was occurring, and it pops up every now and again, about migration in this country. And he thought 'this is a bit ridiculous, really', because we're all migrants. All of us are migrants. We're products of migrants and today's migrants are tomorrow's excellent, wonderful Australian citizens. And he just came up with an idea of 'I wonder what would happen if we throw Johnny Spitieri into this question?'. And that's the beginning of his exploration. From there, he just started to explore the history of Johnny as well, and why Johnny ended up the man he is and where he came from. So the first time I read the very first draft, I thought 'oh my god, this film is inspired'. Yes, it's got the same texture and flavour of Gettin' Square — there's nods to wonderful memories from that film — but it's definitely its own special entity. And people can come and see this film without knowing anything about Gettin' Square and be able to embrace it, laugh along with it and come out of the cinema bouncing with good vibes." Jonathan: "I think, also, Chris' script for Gettin' Square, it played out that story. There's nothing else to tell about that story. It was a done story, and so the only time sequels really work is when the story still has something to explore — and I think we did that with Gettin' Square, or certainly enough of it, that, as David says, we really wanted to find the next level. And for us as filmmakers and what have you, it's over 20 years and we didn't want to revisit the same thing — we wanted to challenge ourselves and explore something deeper and more interesting." On How Wenham Stepped Back into Johnny's Shoes After So Much Time — and If It's the Distinctive Wardrobe David: "It is, actually. It is one of those characters that — my approach to characters and films changes depending on, obviously, the type of film, the role, the character, all that sort of stuff, but for me, this one I work from the outside in. It's physical, how I find him. As soon as I read the script the very first time, 20, how many years ago, I could hear that character. I knew the way he spoke. Tonality, I knew where it should sit in face. The rhythm, I knew the character's rhythm. I could see him physically. And all this came about by, I lived near King's Cross for 30 years of my life. I knew Johnny Spitieri. I've met many, many, many of them. So the character originally, as soon as I got the right wardrobe, it came to me relatively effortlessly. I don't mean to say that it was easy because it's not, but it's a character I knew so so well. So in order for me to come back — and I've never played another character twice, any other character twice, and especially 20-something years. I haven't worn thongs in 20-something years. As soon as I step my feet into those thongs, instantly it took me back to Johnny Spitieri. It's as though that character lays within me at all times, it just needs something for me to tap and I'm back there. And then when we step into the courthouse after 20-something years, it was the most surreal moment for Jonathan, myself, Gary Phillips who shot it. And you can feel it. We all felt exactly the same thing. We looked around and went 'oh my god'. It felt as though time had been condensed, and it felt as though we only there last week. The oddest thing. And it was as though we were literally, we all had, we all knew each others', we had a shorthand for how all of us work together as a team, and it just comes back and it knitted together so seamlessly." Jonathan: "Things like the courtroom, because you then, you create a great scene out of it and the experience of it — even watching or listening to the dialogue in that courtroom scene today, it's still hilarious, and I'm still astounded at how clever the writing is at times. And it's a big, big part of our working lives, those sort of moments and those kind of scenes, because you invest so much in them. When they work, it's a little miracle." On Making a Film That's Both Very Funny and Has Deep Emotional Resonance Jonathan: "It's definitely one of the challenges. But at the same time, I really believe that that the deeper the emotional, dramatic life of the characters in whatever type of film it is, the flip side of that and in contrast to it, the comedic elements of it, if you can find that balance, it provides such a rich experience for an audience. And I think the more dramatic and the more emotional elements that we've got in the film, it also embraces universal themes. Everyone in the film is trying to start a new life in some form, looking for a second chance. And that's a very day to day — everybody's involved in that sort of thing. People, I think, can really identify." David: "In terms of the balance between comedy and drama, it's real life, it's what happens. We all have had moments that change so dramatically. I can remember when my mother was dying and she was literally on her deathbed, and around the bed were seven children — me being the youngest. And the moment was very tender and delicate, because she was literally just about to take her last breath. We're all there and there was just a sense of calm and stillness, and then literally a nurse pulled open the curtain and said 'dinner: the chicken or the vegetable?'. Seriously. You couldn't write that." Jonathan: "That's just genius." David: "It's like 'oh my god, oh my god'. I thought 'I will always remember that moment'." Jonathan: "I completely agree. It's so key to life. And often, you talk about it in often-cliche ways and I don't even totally understand it, really, but the idea that you search for some kind of truth regardless of how comedic or how dramatic a film might be in the characters, the more that you have the essence of that, the more I think an audience can easily identify and find a place for themselves within the experience of watching it. I think our job is to bring the elements, yes, to balance some of them and to try things — and that's what the editing is about. It's not just about putting the story together. That's one element of it. The other is to really find the nuance. And in a sense, it's like when someone talks about reading a novel. It's about what's not written. And the richer films are the ones that give you something that is not just at face value." David: "It has been very rewarding to actually sit in the cinema and watch that instant transition between comedy and pathos that occurs within the audience, and then talking to people afterwards and they're saying 'it was unexpected, it was a surprise' — and the fact that the kleenexes did come out. People, it was a very, unexpected added bonus for them, that made the film all the more richer than they'd even anticipated." Jonathan: "And going to the cinema is about surprises. Film is about surprises. It's about revelation. That's what you're trying to do. If the audience is ahead of you and knows what's happening — you hear it all the time, 'I knew', 'I could see the end coming a mile off' and all those sort of comments. When you sit in a cinema and have things revealed to you as you go along — so with a film like this, the expectation is and the hope is that they're going to have a good laugh, which, our belief is that you will. But then if we can also provide unexpected pleasures along the way, both emotional and dramatic, it only makes the experience better." On Reuniting with So Much of Gettin' Square's Cast and Crew for Spit David: "In terms of getting them back together, it was probably one of the easiest things we've both ever done in our lives. As soon as the possibility of this film became a reality, and the fact that the characters, Helen Thomson's character, David Field, Gary Sweet, their characters were there, it was an instant yes. It's like 'whenever it is, yes, I'm there'. And there was bugger all money for wages, but it doesn't matter. Same thing happened with the crew, actually. We've got Gary Phillips, who shot the film. We've got the same production designer, Nicholas McCallum. My makeup artist and hair artist Tess Natoli. A whole heap of key crew members. Tess is a really interesting one. This film got pushed back time and time again, and she kept getting offers to do really, really big Hollywood films, and she would turn them down in order just to work on this film. And a lot of the crew members who we shot with on the Gold Coast, they did the same thing. They wanted to work on it because they read the script and they thought this is a little treasure that we've got here. And they want to tell an Australian story that they believe that they'd have a great time working on. But it's a film that they know, they thought that they would be proud of and wanted to be part of it. So people were jumping over themselves to come onboard for the film, and that's so pleasing." Jonathan: "It was really pleasing, that. And a lot of them are bringing really positive baggage from having worked on Gettin' Square — that was an experience. And they bask in where Gettin' Square has gone. To have worked on Gettin' Square is something that they've taken ownership of and it is really important to them, because so often you don't get to make a film about your life experience, which, if you live here or just being any Australian, it's very particular. And so they love it. They love it." On Gettin Square and Spit Being Gold Coast Films, But Also Quintessentially Australian Films David: "The Goldie is a really unique place. I have got such a warm affection for the Gold Coast. And the fact that, look, Chris Nyst, he knows the place so well. He is an identity. He's like the king of the Gold Coast, really. No one doesn't have a relationship with Chris Nyst on the Gold Coast. He's probably represented half the people there. He knows the Gold Coast better than anybody else, and the characters that he writes — and he writes them so beautifully as well, he's got such a wonderful ear for character and dialogue — and it's a very particular thing. And he knows, Jonathan could talk to this as well, geographically, it's very, very distinctive, the Gold Coast — and he writes the characters up against that landscape in a really, really fascinating way. And that obviously gives Jonathan a wonderful springboard to leap off, to be able to think about how he's going to actually shoot the film in such a wonderful way that he does." Jonathan: "And also what's interesting about your question, in a way — because this film is set on the Gold Coast, has something to say about the Gold Coast, Gettin' Square is very identifiable as the Gold Coast, but at the same time, we have one tiny little scene on the beach in this. In many ways, it's an Australian community rather than the Gold Coast, but it carries the DNA of the Gold Coast and it carries within the characters, in their behaviour and what have you. And so it's great that you feel that and it's a good question, because it's great that if we can be — it's not just about the physicality of the Gold Coast, it's about the environment, what it is to live in the sunlight all the time, all those elements that are not necessarily obvious. The Gold Coast is very identified physically, but there's a whole lot of stuff underneath the surface that it's great to imbue characters with." On How Wenham and Teplitzky's Working Relationship Has Evolved Not Just Between Gettin' Square and Spit, But 25 Years After First Collaborating on Better Than Sex Jonathan: "Well, we did that first film together. It was my first film. I just loved the experience of it, and I found working with David really just collaborative but also really creative. And I feel we created a bond, we had a good communication, and then when we did, quite soon afterwards, Gettin' Square together, it cemented it. Because you trust the person, you don't feel like you have to control the person — you want to be able to have a general conversation. We don't always agree, but it's always a really rich conversation and that's what you want it to be. You want to challenge each other for the betterment of the film, the betterment of the character, because always exploring it, you're always trying to find something, another hidden dark little area of the character, another light moment. So much comes out of that almost-loose relationship." David: "It's a great working relationship. I love it. Working on this, the shooting period was one of the most-fertile creative periods of my working life. Jonathan creates an amazing atmosphere on set and it's an ease of communication. We understand each other. We're open and honest, and it's like we can just be allowed to deliver our best work. It's wonderful. It's a relationship with great respect." Jonathan: "Completely. And when you're dealing with a character like John Spitieri, we have these conversations about 'I wonder what Johnny would do, what Johnny would think in this situation, what he would do in this situation?' — and try, in a sense, to push each other and challenge each other, and laterally think about it, because that's where some certain gold is found. I remember on Gettin' Square, when I'd seen David doing that thing with the chair and started talking about it. We were just waiting for the lighting to happen or whatever. And that's where that evolved from, and it ended up this brilliant sequence. Part of the mythology of that film are those little moments that come out of just purely the relationship and exploring the character." Spit opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
From the crime antics of Murder on the Orient Express to the slow TV phenomenon that was SBS' The Ghan, lengthy train journeys have chugging across our screens over the past year. If watching folks make a long trip in a locomotive has you wanting to hit the rails yourself, you'll soon have a new luxury Australian option: the Great Southern. Set to embark on its maiden journey in December 2019, the Great Southern will cross the country from Adelaide to Brisbane — and vice versa, of course. The trek up north will take three days and two nights, while the return leg will occur over four days and three nights. If that seems like a considerable amount of time, that's because this kind of trip isn't just about getting from A to B. It's also about taking in the scenery and the general experience. Passengers departing from Adelaide will stop at the Grampians National Park, then hop off again at Canberra, and also enjoy the northern New South Wales coast on their way to Queensland. For those boarding in Brisbane, dining by the beach in northern NSW awaits, as does a day in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle, plus some time at the Twelve Apostles. The latest venture by Great Southern Rail, the Great Southern will be comprised of 28 carriages and two locomotives, with up to 214 guests able to take each journey. It doesn't come cheap — starting at $1649 per person — but that price does include your food and wine onboard, any dining that takes place off the train, and all of the off-locomotive experiences across the multi-night the trip. As you'll clearly be sleeping on the train, that's also included. Great Southern Rail also operates Australia's other two long-distance train treks, The Ghan (which runs from Adelaide to Darwin) and and the Indian Pacific (which journeys from Sydney to Perth). Tickets will go on sale on Monday, December 3, with the Great Southern's first season taking to the rails between December 6, 2019 and January 27, 2020. It'll operate 16 departures over that period, should you be looking for a different kind of getaway across the summer of 2019–20. Image: Great Southern Rail.
If you're Irish, St Patrick's Day is your time to let loose. And even if you're not Irish, there's still plenty of beer to drink and potatoes to eat. And, no, we're not falling back on stereotypes — Melbourne food truck park The Ascot Lot is hosting a Potato Cake and Spud Fest in honour of the national day. The festival will include free (yes that's right, free) potato cakes, as well as many a potato-slinging food truck. The lineup includes a breakfasty potato cake served with smashed avocado and haloumi, and poutine from Mama Van. If potato isn't enough to get you there along, there will be drinks specials, including $8 pints of Guinness, $10 espresso martinis and $5 alcoholic popsicles. Go and carb-load this Saturday while singing along with the classic Irish fiddle tunes. Admission is free and you can bring your dog as well.
It's not like you needed another excuse to visit the Yarra Valley, but here are two more: gin and cheese. And you can get your fill of both of them on a new guided tour that stops off at the wine region's best distilleries and cheese shops. Local operator Coco's Tours has added a new guided experience to its offering that showcases some of the area's most road trip-worthy gin and cheese. The day's events will kick off with a cheese tasting — if that's not a cracking start to the day, we don't know what is — before you move onto two different Yarra Valley distilleries: one well-established (we're guessing Four Pillars) and the other smaller and off the beaten path. You'll be guided through a full gin tasting at each venue, and have the chance to chat with the minds that created them. Lunch takes the form of a lavish spread of cheese and charcuterie, enjoyed at one of the region's best-loved cheese farms, matched with some sweeping views across the valley. Each gourmet getaway runs all day (from 10am till about 5pm), and includes transport to and from the Yarra Valley so you don't have to designate a driver. The usual pick up point is Windsor Railway Station, though there's the option to arrange one closer to home if you fancy. You'll have to get eight to 23 mates together to book the tour, which will cost $139 per person. Coco's gin and cheese tours are available for private bookings seven days a week. You can enquire here. Image: Four Pillars.
Pizza comes in so many glorious forms these days. You've got gourmet sourdough creations. Deep-dish numbers that more closely resemble soup than actual pizza are becoming increasingly popular. And there are times when nothing beats an old-school dirty pizza covered in pre-grated cheese, strings of processed ham and, if you must, cubes of pineapple. But for World Pizza Day on Friday, February 9, one of the best pizza spots in Melbourne is going back to basics, celebrating the traditional Neopolitan-style margherita pizza. Punters who hit up any of 400 Gradi's Melbourne restaurants can nab the crew's famous woodfired margherita pizza (that's received stacks of awards) for half the regular price throughout the entire day and night. What does this mean in terms of the actual prices? It depends on which of the 400 Gradi restaurants you visit. The classic margherita costs from $25–$29, so the most you'll be paying for one of the city's best pizzas is an easy $14.50. Not bad at all for a Friday night feast.
Since hitting Broadway five years ago, notching up 11 Tony Awards, nabbing the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and just becoming an all-round pop culture phenomenon, Hamilton was always going to make the leap to cinemas. So, it's no wonder Disney leapt at the opportunity. The Mouse House was originally meant to bring Lin-Manuel Miranda's historical hip hop musical to cinemas in October 2021 — via a filmed version of the stage production, rather than a traditional stage-to-screen adaptation — but it's doing us all a solid in these rough times and fast tracking it to streaming. And it lands this winter. Hamilton fans around the world will be able to watch the filmed version of the original Broadway production on Disney+ from July 3 (the day before Independence Day in the US). That's a whole 15 months ahead of schedule. Shot at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway back in 2016, this cinematic screening of Hamilton is still a big deal. Actually, given the fact that it features the original Broadway cast — including Miranda in the eponymous role — it's a huge deal. Everyone who missed out on the opportunity to see tale of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton live as it toured the US or on London's West End will be able to do the next best thing, with Hamilton jumping on the popular trend of screening filmed versions of plays and musicals in cinemas. In addition to Miranda — who stars, and wrote the musical's music, lyrics and book — this filmed version of the production features Daveed Diggs (Velvet Buzzsaw) as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Leslie Odom Jr. (Murder on the Orient Express) as Aaron Burr, Christopher Jackson (When They See Us) as George Washington, Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter) as King George, Renee Elise Goldsberry (The House with a Clock in Its Walls) as Angelica Schuyler and Phillipa Soo (the Broadway version of Amelie) as Eliza Hamilton. Once you've watched the small-screen version, you can get excited about seeing the stage production, too, as it's finally set to arrive in Australia in March 2021. Under the circumstances — and with international travel still banned for the foreseeable future — it's possible that this could be delayed, though. Hamilton is just the latest film to be fast-tracked to streaming, with other big-name flicks, such as Birds of Prey, The Invisible Man and Disney's Onward, also hitting small screens ahead of schedule. You can check out 12 of our favourites over here. While you're eagerly awaiting Hamilton to hit Disney+, you can watch (and rewatch) the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSCKfXpAGHc Hamilton will hit Disney+ globally on July 3, 2020. Updated June 22, 2020.
Alright, it's time to get out of hibernation and back out in the world. No more flirting with frostbite, the sun has started to seep back in and Melbourne has some stellar attractions to help you celebrate. So, shut the laptop screen, break the Netflix cycle, swap your uggs for sneakers and breathe in that fresh spring air as you take on some city adventures this week. To help with your itinerary, we've partnered with Mitsubishi in celebration of its new Eclipse Cross and put together a list of places for you to discover Monday to Sunday. From one of the best brekkie rolls in Melbourne to an out-of-town sculpture park, it's time to put the spring back in your step and plan your next adventure. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24: ART ON THE PENINSULA Explore this out-of-town sculpture garden, then stay for dinner in its restaurant. Cure your Mondayitis by heading down to PT Leo Estate, which boasts an impressive 134-hectare patch of land on the Mornington Peninsula. The family-owned property includes a sculpture garden that's easily one of the best in Australia, with 50 eye-catching works from both domestic and international artists. In addition to this, you're provided views of the Western Port Bay and a 110-seat restaurant where you can feed your growling belly after you've had a sufficient gander. The food is the work of culinary director Phil Wood and centres around seasonal and regional produce, so you know it's good. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25: CAFFEINE AND MANDELA Learn all about the extraordinary Nelson Mandela at Melbourne Museum. Make this Tuesday a brew day and head on down to Assembly in Carlton for a true caffeine indulgence. The store specialises in rare blends and uses high-quality brewing equipment to deliver a second-to-none drop. Once you've got your caffeine fix, take a stroll around the Carlton Gardens and finish at the Melbourne Museum. Be sure to visit MANDELA My Life, an exhibition which showcases the extraordinary life of Nelson Mandela through a series of film and audio archives, alongside a vast assortment of artefacts. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26: HUMAN BODY EXPLORATION Get to know the human body among a casual 150 cadavers for just $15 during the Royal Melbourne Show. The Body Worlds Vital exhibition rolled into town on August 13 and brought with it 150 real bodies, donated for the benefit of public education. Don't panic though, they're not decomposing corpses. These bodies have gone through the process of plastination, preserved through a process that replaces body fluids with polymers. The Body Worlds exhibitions were founded by scientist/anatomist Dr Gunther von Hagens and physician/conceptual designer Dr Angelina Whalley, and the bodies have seen their fair share of world travels. You'll see distress and disease as well as health represented, with the Australian tour concentrating on contemporary diseases and ailments — and how we can live with vitality. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27: RAMBLR LUNCH Sneak away from the office for a Chinese-inspired bolognese pita pocket. Chapel Street is one of Melbourne's not-so-hidden gems — and Ramblr, one of its golden nuggets. And the casual fine diner has increased in value exponentially since it started opening for lunch. Since the weekend isn't too far off, it's time for some gourmet treats. Inspired by flavours from around the globe, there are plenty of unique dishes on offer — like burnt pumpkin ramen, kimchi toasties and Chinese-inspired bolognese pita pockets. The team, also from Leonards House Of Love, has created an absolute flavour haven with an atmosphere to match. With no bookings required, you can waltz right in and enjoy a lunch you're bound to remember. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28: MARKETS AND BREAKFAST Brekkie roll in hand, make your way through the bustling markets. It's hard not to smile when walking into the bright yellow atmosphere at Good Egg, and even harder once you have one of the amazing bacon and egg rolls in hand. These guys know their way around an egg or two. And the good times just keep getting better with the South Melbourne Market just over the road — here, you can pick yourself up something nice for making it through the working week (even if it was a short one). SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29: THE ARCHIBALD Catch the Archibald Prize-winning portrait while it's in Victoria. The weekend is here; it's time to take things up a notch and go for a long drive out of the city. An hour-long cruise down the Princes Freeway, and find yourself at Geelong Gallery, which happens to be the exclusive Victorian venue to host the winning portrait of the 2018 Archibald Prize. With an onsite cafe, you can sip a coffee while you assess the winning piece by Yvette Coppersmith — a self-portrait that seeks to address the issues of female representation. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30: HITCHCOCK CLASSICS See 'Spellbound' at the Lido, then quash the suspense with a glass of champers. Jump back in time to 1945 to see Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound. The film is screening on Sunday at 4pm, as part of Lido Cinema's Hitchcock Retrospective. Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck star in this action-packed thriller that is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat. While you'll find the classics like popcorn, chocolate and lollies, the snack bar also serves up a full toastie menu, dumplings, a cheese platter and even miso soup. We'd also recommend a comforting choc top during the film to soothe your nerves during the thriller — select from the likes of boysenberry, salted caramel, choc mint and more. Where to next? Make the most of every week with Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and navigate to your next destination here.
Never has the vegan lifestyle seemed quite so doable as right now. Chefs across the world are doing incredible things with meat-free menus, the move towards conscious fashion has spawned vegan threads that you would actually wear out of the house, and now you can even take a jaunt on the world's first all-vegan ocean cruise. Run by a company called Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV), the 100 percent vegan cruise pulls out of London at the end of this month, setting off on a week-long journey through the Norwegian fjords. On board, guests have all the ingredients for a luxe, plant-based vacation, right at their fingertips. Chefs will whip up gourmet vegan eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the bar will pouring a range of vegan wines from across Europe alongside plant-based cocktail creations, and even the cabins are stocked up with organic vegan body products. Along with organised activities, spa facilities and onshore excursions, there's also a hefty program of lectures and classes, hosted by a lineup of doctors, nutritionists and other vegan experts. The vegan voyagers will be given free reign to chat about all things vegan without one eye-roll in sight. CMV also runs cruises around Australia and New Zealand so, who knows — it could be just a matter of time before the concept comes here.
Quick show of hands: growing up, how many of us would have loved to commit our lives (and tastebuds) to chocolate? While our Willy Wonka-inspired dreams might have only been just that, for Koko Black chocolatier Remco Brigou, it has been a dream come true. The Belgian native holds the envy-inducing title of head chocolatier and product innovator at the artisan chocolate brand. Brigou's latest creation is an incredibly luxe range of ice creams in collaboration with Connoisseur. It's a surprising first for Koko Black, which has never ventured into ice-cold desserts despite delighting chocolate lovers around the nation for nearly 20 years. While two flavours — a classic vanilla and an indulgent honeycomb — are available at supermarkets around the country, Brigou's three exclusive creations for Koko Black lounges in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth are dressed up with ingredients including melted chocolate, pistachio and chocolate pearls. To celebrate the new Koko Black x Connoisseur ice cream range, we sat down with Brigou to talk about the new collaboration and what he loves about chocolate. [caption id="attachment_833239" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] Hi Remco! Tell us a little about your journey. How did you become Koko Black's head chocolatier and product innovator? I started in hospitality at the age of 15, working and studying in Belgium, and by the age of 18 I had decided to specialise in chocolate and pastry. My love for chocolate and baking started when I was very little and has been my passion for as long as I can remember. From here, I worked with Marcolini in Brussels as their chocolatier and at 25 I moved to Australia for adventure, travel and a new challenge. I started working with Koko Black as the head chocolatier leading the development of our full retail and lounge menus with new owner Simon Crowe — together we formed a vision to bring an Australian edge to artisanal chocolate and build the Koko Black brand as we know it today. [caption id="attachment_833240" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] What is your favourite thing about what you do? What keeps you inspired? I love chocolate and the possibilities are endless — from flavours within various [types of] chocolate to the flavours you can add and create. The discovery of new things, flavours and tastes is what inspires me. A lot of people might think that making chocolate is a dream job. Are there less glamorous things in the job that people might be surprised to find out? Not really, it truly is a dream job for me. I still love it as much as I did as a young boy. What is your favourite type of chocolate and why? Dark chocolate is definitely my favourite for its variation in flavour, depending on the origin of chocolate. It's versatile and can pair beautifully with so many different flavours. I'm often asked which is my favourite Koko Black chocolate, [but that's] like choosing a favourite child as they all have things to love. However, I think the dark hazelnut cluster might be the frontrunner. [caption id="attachment_833027" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] Tell us about the Connoisseur collaboration. How did this come to life and what excited you about it? We are always teaming up with fellow Australian artisans to make, create and have fun together. So when we were thinking of ice cream, Connoisseur [was] the top pick. Like us, they are premium, artisan and Australian-made, and they also love to create new flavours and combinations. It's been really fun to work with them. For the new flavours, we took the best of both brands — their vanilla ice cream and our dark 54-percent dark chocolate — for an elevated classic. The other flavour was created to reflect one of our best-selling items, Tasmanian leatherwood honeycomb. This required a delicate balancing of flavours to capture the true taste of the leatherwood honey, with our dark chocolate and honeycomb coating. [caption id="attachment_833238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] Were there any challenges you had to overcome to create Koko Black's first ice cream? How did you get past these? The balancing of flavours always takes some work, but it's the part I enjoy most. For more information on the luxe new collaboration, head to the Connoisseur and Koko Black websites. Images: Julia Sansone
When the full Sydney Film Festival program for 2025 is unveiled in early May, approximately a couple of hundred movies will sit on the lineup. The 18 revealed so far give cinema obsessives a great taste of what's to come, however, if you're already keen to add flicks to your must-see list. A month before the complete roster of titles arrives, the fest always provides a sneak peek to whet appetites. In this year's batch: Barry Keoghan's new Irish thriller, the Australian premiere of a homegrown animation that had this year's Berlin International Film Festival talking, a documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, another about Marlon Williams, a Tilda Swinton- and Michael Shannon-starring post-apocalyptic musical, intimacy coordinators getting the doco treatment and more. SFF has revealed 16 movies that'll be screening around the Harbour City between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15, joining two previously announced when Vivid Sydney dropped its 2025 program. Thanks to the latter, movie lovers should already know that the Justin Kurzel (Nitram)-directed documentary Ellis Park is on the bill, complete with an evening celebrating its subject — and Aussie music icon, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds collaborator, Dirty Three founder and frequent film-score composer — Warren Ellis. And, the fact that speculative fiction experience Planet City: Live will be part of the film-worshipping fun shouldn't be new news, either. Now comes a range of pictures that long-term Festival Director Nashen Moodley describes as "a cross-section of the bold storytelling and distinctive voices" that SFF will champion in 2025 for the event's 72nd year. "From inventive new Australian work to major prize-winners from the international circuit, these films reflect the ingenuity and diversity of cinema today," he continued. Boasting both Keoghan (Bird) and Christopher Abbott (Wolf Man) in its cast, and focusing on rivalries in rural Ireland, Bring Them Down is one of the starrier inclusions among SFF's features. With Swinton (The Room Next Door), Shannon (The Bikeriders), George MacKay (The Beast) and Moses Ingram (Lady in the Lake), The End from The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence's Joshua Oppenheimer is another. One to One: John & Yoko adds Lennon and Ono to the bill, with filmmaker Kevin Macdonald directing his attention towards the pair's 1972 benefit concert in Madison Square Garden, and the director also returning to music after 2018's Whitney and 2012's Marley. As for Williams, Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao e Rua — Two Worlds hones in on the recording of his first album in te reo Māori. The winner of 2025's Teddy Award in Berlin, Australian animation Lesbian Space Princess joins the local contingent, bringing its tale of a monarch-to-be's efforts to save her ex-girlfriend from incel aliens to Sydney. Buddy comedy Fwends is also on the list, and marks Sophie Somerville's first feature after picking up two accolades at SFF's Dendy Awards for short films in the past four years. Then there's documentary Make It Look Real, turning the lens on intimacy coordinator Claire Warden as she works on Aussie movie Tightrope. SFF's doco contingent is already huge, aided by the one-film movie marathon that is 14-hour picture Exergue — on documenta 14, which is set inside the 2017 edition of the documenta art exhibition in Germany and Greece. Audiences will watch it in four- to five-hour segments. Still on the factual side of the program, there's also Speak, about five American high schoolers getting ready for a public-speaking competition; Farming the Revolution's account of 12 million Indian farmers protesting over 13 months; and Sundance's World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Prize-winner Mr Nobody Against Putin, where a Russian teacher chronicles the propaganda in his school during his country's invasion of Ukraine. Also playing SFF after picking up a gong at Sundance: DJ Ahmet, which collected the World Cinema — Dramatic Audience Award for its story about a teenage North Macedonian villager. Obex didn't add anything to its trophy cabinet at the Park City festival, but it did premiere its jump back the 80s — and into a video game, where a man is trying to find his dog — there. Rounding out Sydney Film Festival's picks so far are Singaporean thriller Stranger Eyes, 2025 Berlinale Grand Jury Prize-winner The Blue Trail and the Cannes-selected On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, so movies about a mourning couple searching for their baby, a trek through the Amazon and a Zambian family, respectively. For the rest of the 2025 lineup, start counting down the days until Wednesday, May 7. Sydney Film Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at cinemas across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information and tickets — and check back here for the full lineup on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
A stretch of the Yarra River's northern bank is one step closer to its much-anticipated transformation, as the City of Melbourne unveiled its latest plans for the Greenline project; six months after an initial proposal for the revitalisation project was shared. The latest vision for Greenline will see the riverside precinct stretching from Birrarung Marr to the Bolte Bridge reimagined as one of the city's largest networks of green spaces, complete with a six-metre-wide waterfront promenade. Unfolding across four kilometres, Greenline is set to incorporate a stack of new parkland, a new maritime heritage trail, and a series of waterside pedestrian boardwalks and bridges. It'll also feature a range of elements specifically to recognise the spiritual and historic significance of the Yarra River — Birrarung — to First Nations people. The City of Melbourne's latest Greenline Implementation Plan identifies a range of different projects to be rolled out across the riverside stretch over the coming months. They include moves to improve biodiversity and tree canopy cover in an effort to attract more wildlife; installing a larger promenade through the Birrarung Marr precinct to welcome additional visitors; and a suite of upgrades for Flinders Walk to improve accessibility. The Banana Alley vaults would also score improvements, with the area potentially used to host river-based activities in the future. And the Salt Water Wharf precinct would welcome a new park of its own, along with upgrades to Australian Wharf. This final Greenline Implementation Plan was developed off the back of significant public consultation and feedback, including close consultation with the Aboriginal community. The project is expected to cost up to $300 million. If approved, the council would seek funding from both the government and the private sector to bring the vision to life. According to forecasts by the City of Melbourne, Greenline could attract $1 billion in economic activity and create up to 1,000 jobs. The implementation plan is set to be considered by councillors on Tuesday, December 7. You can check out the full Greenline Implementation Plan here. It will be considered by City of Melbourne Councillors on Tuesday, December 7. We'll keep you posted as to what happens next.
You'll find Tivoli Road Bakery tucked just off Toorak Road, where it's been slinging freshly baked goods for over eight years. Having launched under Frank Camorra as MoVida Bakery back in 2012, these days, it's run by the Little Cupcakes crew — and it's become a bit of a go-to lunch spot. The bakery is whipping up a range of natural breads and stone-ground sourdough, all starring certified organic ingredients, plus flaky sausage rolls and other savoury snacks. Coffee is by North Melbourne's Small Batch and the rotation of crafty sandwiches will have you coming back. There's also a lineup of pastries that's mighty hard to resist — think sugar-dusted apple and rhubarb tart, oozy jam doughnuts and macadamia and wattleseed praline. Deciding what to get at Tivoli Road Bakery, one of the best bakeries in Melbourne, is a might hard choice — just order a bunch of goodies and deal with the consequences later. Appears in: The Best Bakeries in Melbourne for 2023
It's no surprise that the rainforests of Tropical North Queensland are among the most spectacular in the world. These ancient forests are the oldest of their kind, with some sections 80 million years older than the Amazon. They've even got the Galapagos Islands beat when it comes to biodiversity, with a staggering array of flora and fauna calling the Wet Tropics home. Don't just take our word for it, though — Sir David Attenborough famously dubbed the region "the most extraordinary place on earth". When you consider the environmental significance of this lush, green wonderland, it really makes you want to dig a little deeper — and there are plenty of ways to do so responsibly. Here are our top tips for your next travels to the tropics. [caption id="attachment_842262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] EXPLORE A CASTLE IN THE RAINFOREST For a bit for fairytale magic, you can't forget a day discovering Paronella Park. José Paronella created this paradise when he moved, with his new bride, to Tropical North Queensland from Spain in the 1930s. The castle in the rainforest was built with a tennis court, movie theatre and a luxury ballroom — Paronella also planted over 7000 trees on his land and built a suspension bridge to sit above the park's own waterfall. Paronella was also an engineering pioneer, developing the region's first hydro electric system in 1933. This was restored by the park custodians just over a decade ago, and now powers the entire park. If you didn't think it could get any dreamier, today Paronella Park blends in beautifully with its environment, a soft layer of green moss glazing the castle walls. You can explore this parkland with a 30-minute guided tour where you will learn more about it's fascinating history and discover the wildlife that inhabits it. Your entry fee will help fund the restoration of this heritage-listed site — plus, it's valid for two years, meaning you can return to the magic again and again. [caption id="attachment_844234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] STAY SOMEWHERE THAT'S ECO-CERTIFIED You don't have to skip out on luxury to do things sustainably — the rainforest is home to some amazing accommodation options that work with it's environment, not against it. Right in the heart of the Daintree, you will find an array of bayans (treehouses) amongst the lush rainforest. The Daintree Ecolodge is the perfect place for the environmentally conscious traveller — its many sustainable practices include funding native reforestation projects, recycling 100 percent of its water for irrigation and watering and donating $50 per guest stay to the Reef Keepers, an environmental fund that helps preserve the Great Barrier Reef. You can feel disconnected from the world without harming it — enjoy secluded walks to a private waterfall, relaxing at the wellness spa or pool and eating delicious fresh food (from the onsite veggie patch) at the restaurant overlooking the lagoon. Another option is the beautifully secluded Thala Beach Nature Reserve, a tropical oasis with its very own private beach located between Cairns and Port Douglas. Here, you can kick back and relax in a treetop villa and enjoy fresh local produce at Ospreys Restaurant. Also on offer are wildlife walks with flora and fauna experts, stargazing by the sea and Australia's only coconut tour. Plus, you know you can trust this eco-resort, with its having been awarded the Green Travel Leader with Ecotourism Australia after meeting a strict criteria for a decade — the owners of the lodge worked for over 30 years to re-establish the native forests on the land that had previously been degraded by farming. LEARN ABOUT RAINFOREST AND CASSOWARY CONSERVATION The cassowary is a fruit eating dinosaur-like bird that disperse big seeds, meaning it is crucial for the survival of many rainforests tree species. It is a fascinating creature that plays an important role in maintaining the diversity of the rainforest so it is important we conserve this species. The Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation (C4) in Mission Beach is dedicated to protecting the southern cassowary and the local coastal habitat through community activities and awareness. If you want to spot one of these beautiful birds in their natural habitat, then stop by the C4 Environmental Display Centre - here you will learn the best way to see a cassowary and discover more interesting facts. And, if you want to get more involved in the conservation process while on holiday, you can take part in C4 planting days and information sessions. Keep an eye on the organisation's website to see what's happening. [caption id="attachment_828486" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] TRAVERSE THE TREETOPS VIA SKYRAIL RAINFOREST CABLEWAY Located just 15 minutes north of Cairns you will find the spectacular Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, where you can explore the oldest continually surviving rainforest in the world from a new perspective. Enjoy the stunning panoramic vistas in a cableway that glides over the lush jungle canopies between Smithfield and Kuranda, or discover Red Peak Station with a complimentary ranger-guided walk and see the prehistoric Barron Falls. You can immerse yourself in stunning nature without worrying about your impact. Skyrail has cemented itself as a sustainable business after being one of the first tourism attractions in Australia to achieve the Ecotourism Australia Advanced certification, which they have maintained for 20 years. [caption id="attachment_845207" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GET INVOLVED WITH WILDLIFE HABITAT Just a one-hour drive north of Cairns, this Port Douglas wildlife park provides an incredible way to connect with native fauna. The animals at Wildlife Habitat live in five carefully recreated natural environments, including wetlands, rainforest, savannah, nocturnal and woodlands, with each habitat offering guests a sneak peek into the interconnected lives of these beautiful creatures. Wildlife Habitat is guided by the ethos of 'observation, appreciation, conservation', which promises safe and sustainable interactions with animals. Guests are invited to swim with saltwater crocodiles, have breakfast with native birds, or cuddle a sweet koala. The park is also home to the Tropical Animal Rehabilitation Centre, which cares for sick, injured and orphaned animals. [caption id="attachment_844225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] VISIT THE DAINTREE DISCOVERY CENTRE If you want a truly unforgettable view of the Daintree Rainforest, head to the Daintree Discovery Centre at Cow Bay. The famous aerial walkway has been standing for 30 years offering easily accessible stunning views without disrupting the precious root system below. There is also a Canopy Tower boasting 23 metres and boardwalks, offering multiple tours for those itching to discover. The centre is a leader in ecotourism, doing its bit to preserve the World Heritage area through waste management, recycling and water conservation initiatives, actively planting trees and exceeding its quota to maintain carbon-neutral status, sponsoring research programs, and more. Its Canopy Tower and Micrometeorological Weather Station and Centre also contributes to important Climate Change research. [caption id="attachment_844236" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] SEE THE DAINTREE WITH SOLAR WHISPER Solar Whisper is the only zero-emissions boat on the Daintree River (Julaymba) and is a small, family operated business - making it our top pick to explore the river. The solar electric vessel is whisper quiet, meaning you can soak in the sounds and smells of tropical wildlife without yucky fumes and disturbing noise. It is the perfect way to get closer to nature without impacting it. An experienced interpretive guide will take you through the river, rainforest and mangroves to spot a spectacular ecosystem of wild life including snakes, frogs, crabs, fish and birds. Plus, if you are lucky you might spot a crocodile above the water or with the croc cam fitted to show any creatures hiding away beneath the surface. With a 99% success rate for spotting crocs, Solar Whisper is a great way to see these impressive creatures in their natural habitat. NGADIKU DREAMTIME WALK For anyone visiting the incredible Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest, a Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk is definitely not one to miss. This is the perfect experience for those wanting to gain a deeper understanding of the Daintree land. The Dreamtime Walk commences with a welcoming smoking ceremony and then your guide will lead you on a gentle walk through the many sights of the lush rainforest. You will see traditional huts or humpies, learn about traditional plant use and bush foods and make bush soaps and ochre paint. Plus, your Indigenous guide will share Dreamtime stories that reveals their connection with the tropical environment. After you have worked up an appetite, you will end the tour with a bush tea and damper. [caption id="attachment_845848" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GET INVOLVED IN RAINFOREST RESCUE To protect rainforests forever. This is the heartbreakingly simple vision of Rainforest Rescue, a not-for-profit conservation organisation that has been operating since 1999. Its team searches locally and internationally for sections of vulnerable rainforests that could benefit from conservation assistance. Once identified, these rainforests are purchased by Rainforest Rescue to ensure their future safety, and are maintained as conservation zones. Basically, these guys are the real-life version of Captain Planet, but luckily, you don't need superpowers to join the mission. Through its Buy Back & Protect Forever scheme, each $10 donation will protect two square metres of the Daintree. Rainforest Rescue also welcomes any green-thumbed volunteers to apply to become involved with its North Queensland plant nursery. Ready to plan a trip to the tropics? For more information, visit the Tropical North Queensland website. Top images: Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland
When you're after some live comedy in Melbourne, you don't have to wait for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to roll around. There are pubs and comedy clubs all over the city that host local and international acts all year long. Some of them give newbies the opportunity to try and make strangers laugh for the very first time, while others prefer showcase more experienced performers who are either putting on a proper show or just warming up for something bigger. At these Melbourne comedy spots, you'll likely be a part of some awkward silences and come across a few ill-advised amateur hopefuls who should maybe call it quits, but that's a part of the whole experience. Great comedy takes some time to finesse, and watching comedians workshop shows can be great fun — especially when you're with a few mates and you've got a beer in hand. But to help you find the best Melbourne comedy, we've rounded up the organisers that gather together some of the funniest people around. Read on to find where you'll get your next full belly laugh here.
The history of cinema is haunted by oh-so-many movies about oh-so-many ghost-riddled abodes, and the often-troubled and bereaved folks dwelling within them. The first clever move The Night House makes is recognising it's floating into busy spectral waters, then ensuring its tension stems from its living, breathing protagonist as much as the frights and fears she's forced to face. The film's second stellar step: casting Rebecca Hall (Godzilla vs Kong) as that central figure. An always-welcome addition to anything she's in — see also: Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, Christine and Tales From the Loop in just the past few years — she plays her tormented part here with brooding sorrow, reluctant vulnerability and a sharp, smart edge. She knows that grappling with loss involves being jolted in many different directions, and being subjected to bumps and jumps of the emotional kind, and that it's never easy to surrender to. Indeed, many of The Night House's surprises come from Hall as Beth, a schoolteacher whose life has been turned upside down by her husband Owen's (Evan Jonigkeit, The Empty Man) unexpected suicide. Clearly normally a no-nonsense type whether she's guiding pupils, dealing with their parents or navigating her personal life, she probes and questions everything that comes her way. As a result, her reactions — including just to herself — are constantly complex, thorny and compelling. Since Owen's passing — using a gun she didn't know he had, and tainting a rowboat usually tethered to the lake house he built for them himself — Beth has cycled through the familiar stages of mourning. When she returns to work to her colleagues' astonishment, including her close friend Claire's (Sarah Goldberg, Barry), she's blunt with the oblivious mother of one of her students. At drinks, she also shocks her co-workers by discussing Owen's suicide note, admitting her home now seems different and obsessing over how much she really knew her husband. That last written missive ties back into one of Beth's past traumas, and her own dealings with the end that awaits us all. When she's alone at night, she's not sure that she can trust what she sees and hears, or tell whether she's awake or dreaming. Filling her time by sorting through Owen's things, she's also unsure what to make of the eerie sketches and books about the occult that sit among his possessions. And, she's thrown even further askew when she finds photos of brunette women that could be her doppelgängers; plans for a home just like hers, but mirrored; and a cascade of tidbits that cast her memories of her marriage into disarray. Also among The Night House's savvy moves: understanding that grief really does change everything. Not only has Beth's life lost one of its brightest lights, but everything Owen once illuminated now keeps being cloaked in shadows he's not there to extinguish. She can't ask him about what she's uncovering, or feeling, or what it's digging up inside. She can't rely upon him, either, or keep trusting what she thought she'd already learned about him during their marriage. And, as being touched by death tends to evoke, she's spiralling down an a well of existential malaise. All ghost and haunted house movies are about confronting mortality, as are a long list of horror staples — zombies, vampires, serial killers, monsters and the like — and The Night House has a strong sense of terror about the the fact that life doesn't extended forever. Director David Bruckner (The Ritual) and screenwriting duo Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski (Super Dark Times) infuse their film with foreboding, with Beth's demons, and also with a heightened state of anxiety. Cultivating an unsettling atmosphere via creepy sights, just as unnerving sounds and music cues, and Hall's showcase performance, they fill 108 minutes with the unease that lingers in us all, but that we spend the majority of our days burying deep inside. That horror craftsmanship — the bristling, needling score by Ben Lovett (The Wolf of Snow Hollow); the exactingly timed sonic assaults that litter the sound design; the sinuous and disorienting cinematography by Elisha Christian (Max Richter's Sleep) — is expertly calibrated. The Night House is a movie made with horror style as well as smarts, and it's meticulously engineered to coax the desired response out of its audience. Looking for what's not there, and also what loiters when in spaces defined by their emptiness, is one of the movie's visual charms. Bruckner enjoys teasing, too, knowing that viewers will always want more time studying Hall's face and winding through Beth's labyrinthine home, and yet never falling too in love with one or the other. And, while there's never any guessing who the camera and the film adore, he populates The Night House with well-weighted portrayals all over. There are no cartoonish bit-parts and supporting performances, with Vondie Curtis-Hall (Harriet) bringing concern and sincerity as Beth's neighbour, Stacy Martin (Vox Lux) giving a source of mystery flesh and blood, and Goldberg as nuanced as Barry fans will recognise. So many of his choices are nicely judged; however, when it comes to The Night House's plot twists, Bruckner is less careful about becoming prey to indulgence. Even though they're grounded in relatable, palpable sentiments, stirrings and musings, some of the movie's developments feel muddled, and also threaten to undercut the fine-tuned work going on elsewhere. Some of the repeated nightmarish symbols get splashed across the screen one or two too many times as well, although a love of all things hellishness is next leading Bruckner, Collins and Piotrowski to remaking Hellraiser. Here, when The Night House ruminates over psychological, existential and atmospheric horrors, it's as gripping as Hall always is. When it's less focused on being haunted by absence, and by death, it's a sillier, less shrewd and involving movie. While set in a house by a lake, it never stoops to Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock sending each other love letters, thankfully — but it also steps back from being as bleak at the last minute as it needed to be.
Glenferrie Road is one of Melbourne's busy, multiple-suburb-spanning roads that is chockablock every time you drive down it. This is, in part, thanks to the plethora of cafes and restaurants lining it. And Shade, Hawthorn's latest coffee-and-brunch offering, is the latest to arrive on its sidewalk. Sitting almost flush with Glenferrie Station, the cafe is reflects the area in many ways. Firstly, the name is a nod to the City of Boroondara, the local government area — the word "boroondara" means "a shady place" in the language of the Wurundjeri people. Owned by three lifelong friends, Shade is also run by a team who went to school and have raised families in the area. And it has Hawthorn's best interests at heart, too — with convenient, good coffee, and a mix of modern cafe fare and Asian dishes. Exposed brick, fresh greenery and aqua-hued crockery line the inside of the cafe, with the fairly minimalist design betraying a menu that isn't minimalist at all. On it, you'll find pancakes loaded with fairy floss and candied walnuts, deep fried eggs with mushrooms and pulled pork bao. And there are lots of edible flower garnishes, too. Shade is open till 5.30pm Fridays and at least 4pm every other day — for those late coffee and cake runs. So, next time you're sitting in traffic on Glenferrie Road, you know what to do. Shade is located at 684 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn.
Usually, Australia's own Four Pillars is busy filling our gin shrines — or gin shelves, gin sections of the liquor cabinet or wherever else you store your juniper-based spirits. But with its latest release, it wants you to pop a bottle in your freezer. Next time you want a gin martini, you'll be thankful that you did. Forget shaking or stirring — sorry Bond, James Bond — because with Four Pillars' new bottled cocktail, all you need to do is pour. It's made with gin, but it isn't just gin. Instead, it's a ready-to-pour Double Gin Martini. You simply add the olives (well, you'll want a glass to pour it into, too, obviously). This new bottled favourite features two Four Pillars gins: the savoury Olive Leaf Gin and the citrus-heavy Fresh Yuzu Gin. There's no vermouth, however, with the distillery opting for aromatic Lillet Blanc and Toji Daiginjo Saké, as well as yuzu bitters. The serving suggestion? Drink it cold — hence the use of your freezer — and in a glass that's just as frosty. Yes, that's your fuss-free spring and summer cocktails taken care of. If you're now hankering for a beverage, understandably, the new Double Gin Martini is available from the distillery's website for $60 per bottle, and also from Four Pillars' gin shops at its distillery door in Healesville and its Sydney Laboratory in Surry Hills. For more information about Four Pillars' Double Gin Martini, or to buy it from Saturday, October 1, head to the distillery's website.
Last month, Ian Strange turned a Richmond house into an artwork, to explore urban isolation, vulnerability and the universal need for shelter. Now, a bunch of teachers from Swinburne Uni have similarly treated the home as canvas. But, this time, they've plastered it with mirrors. Every square centimetre of wall surface on the dwelling at 27 Dorset Road, Ferntree Gully is covered with mirrored bricks. There are over 1800 altogether. Called Untitled House, the project is part of Knox City Council Immerse Arts Festival, which runs 11 November to 11 December. "The Great Australian Dream of home ownership is being challenged in contemporary Australian life," artists Roh Singh, Larry Parkinson and Morganna Magee explain on the festival website. "[It's] becoming an ephemeral idea, one that many are watching slip from the horizon. The concept of the tangible disappearing out of sight and out of reach is one of the central intentions." The mirrors represent this ephemerality. As the house occupies a high position, they mainly reflect the sky and distant views of the Dandenong Ranges. "This clad structure reflects and absorbs the changing ambience of its surroundings," the artists write. "We hope to echo a sense of disappearing, bringing a symbolic impression of the house being lost to the environment." Meanwhile, the interior has been transformed into a gallery. A series of artworks draw on installation, sound art, photography and architectural interventions to explore notions of home and place, compelling viewers to reflect on their memories and ideas. The house is open on Wednesdays (10am – 1pm) and Saturdays (10am – 4.30pm) between November 15 and December 9. Admission is free but you should book a spot through the website in advance. Images: Rhiannon Slatter.
Melburnians aren't like most. We don't look at abandoned parking lots or empty blocks of land with despair — instead, we approach them with great anticipation. An empty space is always a potential place to eat. And The Ascot Lot, which joined the likes of Welcome to Thornbury and Preston Food Truck Park in 2017, is no exception. Previously a deserted car yard, the Mt Alexander Road space has been transformed into a colourful food truck park offering delicious food and ice-cold refreshments. Each weekend, The Ascot Lot plays host to some of Melbourne's most adored food trucks, including Poke Time, Two Fat Indians and Nuoc Mama's. The lineup changes weekly, with dinner and drinks served Friday through Sunday. In true Melbourne fashion, the bar offerings are epic, with espresso martinis on tap for just $10 a pop and a select range of wines and craft beers available too. If you're there on a Friday night, you'll be serenaded by bands from the comfort of a pastel picnic table. Basically everything at the space has been recycled, from the timber stools to the bricks that form the indoor bar and the cosy booth seating.
If you're the kind of person who loves new years for new calendars — and, the thrill of filling in all of the fun things on your agenda for the 12 months ahead, specifically — then you just scored something huge to pop in. It wouldn't be a winter in Australia without Splendour in the Grass, which has locked in its 2024 midyear dates. From Friday, July 19–Sunday, July 21 this year, North Byron Parklands beckons. That timing might be exactly what you expected; however, knowing the exact dates means that you can start planning, booking your leave and getting excited. Camping will be available from Wednesday, July 17 if you'd like to make more than a few days of it for Splendour's 22nd birthday. Now that you've blocked out a massive weekend, you're probably wondering who'll be on the bill. That hasn't yet been revealed, but organisers promise that details are coming soon. 2023's full lineup arrived in April, with Lizzo announced as a headliner in March. Pre-COVID-19, Splendour's lineups would start being unveiled between February and April. For now, the Splendour crew is promising "your favourite, freshest and most-exciting global acts" to follow in the footsteps of everyone from Flume, The Strokes, Lorde and Mark Ronson to Outkast, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Florence + the Machine and more from past years. Ahead of the 2023 lineup announcement, Splendour Member applications are now open until 5pm on Tuesday, January 30 for guaranteed tickets in a dedicated presale. To qualify, you need to have purchased tickets and attended Splendour five times or more before. And, if approved, you can buy up to four tickets. Who are you hoping will be on Splendour's 2024 bill? Start speculating. Splendour in the Grass will take over North Byron Bay Parklands from Friday, July 19–Sunday, July 21, 2024. We'll update you with the lineup details when they're announced. For more information in the interim, head to the festival website. Images: Charlie Hardy, Bianca Holderness and Claudia Ciapocha.
Beaches, pools, rooftop bars, outdoor cinemas: nowhere in Australia can have too many when summer hits. For movie lovers, Sunset Cinema is one such spot to see a film under the stars — and it's back for its 2023–24 season with stops new and old, plus flicks that fit both categories. Over the the next few sunny months, then heading into autumn as well, this excuse to hit the pictures in the open air has seven stops on its itinerary: its new venue in Bondi, which is on now; a return to Canberra, which is also taking place at the moment; and comebacks at North Sydney, Mt Martha, Wollongong, St Kilda and Brisbane all to come. The dates vary, as does exactly how long that Sunset Cinema is getting its projector whirring in each place, but cosy date nights and easy group hangs outdoors all await. Bondi's season runs until Saturday, December 23 at Dolphin Court, with Jaws, Saltburn, The Marvels, and Christmas titles such as Elf, Love Actually, Home Alone and The Nightmare Before Christmas on its roster for its final days. In Canberra, you have until Saturday, February 24 to head to the Australian National Botanic Gardens, where highlights include festive fare — of course — as well as Barbie, an advance screening of the Mean Girls musical, Wonka, Priscilla and Poor Things. North Sydney will enjoy a three-month stint from Friday, December 8—Saturday, March 9 at North Sydney Oval. In addition to Christmas movies — a staple at every Sunset Cinema that's running in December — the lineup includes many of the above titles, as well as other standouts such as Past Lives, The Boy and the Heron, Ferrari, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 and perennial favourite 10 Things I Hate About You. From Wednesday, December 20—Friday, January 20 at The Briars at Mt Martha gets in on the action. Then, the Wollongong Botanic Garden joins in from Thursday, January 11–Saturday, March 24. In St Kilda, you'll be able to head along from February 2024, with exact dates and a venue to be announced. And Brisbane gets its turn from sometime in March 2024 at Maritime Green at Northshore, where Sunset Cinema set up shop in 2023. At all stops around the country, BYO picnics are encouraged, but the event is fully licensed, so alcohol can only be purchased onsite. Didn't pack enough snacks? There's hot food options, plus plenty of the requisite movie treats like chips, chocolates, lollies and popcorn. SUNSET CINEMA 2023–24 DATES: Bondi, NSW: until Saturday, December 23 at Dolphin Court Canberra, ACT: until Saturday, February 24 at Australian National Botanic Gardens North Sydney, NSW: Friday, December 8—Saturday, March 9 at North Sydney Oval Mt Martha, VIC: Wednesday, December 20—Friday, January 20 at The Briars, Mt Martha Wollongong, NSW: Thursday, January 11–Saturday, March 24 at Wollongong Botanic Garden St Kilda, VIC: from February 2024, exact dates and venue TBC Brisbane, QLD: from March 2024, exact dates TBC, at Maritime Green at Northshore Sunset Cinema's 2023–24 season runs at various venues around the country on various dates. Head to the Sunset Cinema website for further details.
As another New Year's Day rocks around, a familiar favourite will be taking its place beneath the sun at the Coburg Velodrome for a dance-friendly, music-filled day party to remember. Sun Cycle — from the folks at Crown Ruler (Duke Street Block Party, Freedom Time), Untitled Group (Beyond the Valley, Pitch Music & Arts, Ability Fest) and WAT Artists — is returning to its original home to help you launch into 2023 in very fine form. Yet again, the team has pulled together a top-notch gathering of local and international acts to soundtrack your first party of the year, headlined by US hip hop star Freddie Gibbs, French DJ and producer Folamour, UK rising star Sherelle, and Irish DJ and Boiler Room favourite OR:LA. Also on the bill: our own DJ Boring, C.FRIM, and Noongar artist (and Squid Nebula lead vocalist) Bumpy, plus Antal, Palms Trax B2B Job Jobse, Sampology, Pookie and more. [caption id="attachment_830107" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Natalie Jurrjens[/caption] The day's musical festivities will play out across three stages, with the apt names of Body Heat, Inner Orbit and Simmer Down. And they'll be dishing up delights for dance music aficionados of all persuasions; from jazz and soul, to hip hop and electronica. As always, the Sun Cycle tunes will be complemented by mesmerising visual projections, set to amp up as the sun dips and the energy evolves into the night. There'll be dazzling stage designs, interactive art experiences and lots of local food stalls, and it'll all kick off with a significant Welcome to Country. Organisers have set out to deliver an inclusive and safe environment for your NYD celebrations, with a strong focus on representation and accessibility. [caption id="attachment_830105" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Natalie Jurrjens[/caption] SUN CYCLE 2023 LINEUP: Antal Bertie Bria Bumpy C.FRIM Coco Maria DJ Boring DJ PGZ Empress Folamour Freddie Gibbs IJALE Job Jobse Kgomotso Lauren Hansom Mirasia OR:LA Palms Traz Pookie Sam Alfred Sampology Sherelle Sofia Kourtesis Yawang Yikes Sun Cycle will take place on January 1, 2023, at Coburg Velodrome, 30-34 Charles St, Coburg North. Presale tickets go on sale from 6pm on September 20, while general public tickets are on sale from 12pm September 21. Top Image: Natalie Jurrjens
Welcome to Brunswick's next door hall venue, aptly named 'The Hall', has officially re-opened this month, following a top-to-toe refurbishment. For those that weren't aware, this is the old 'Mess Hall' venue, a heritage-listed Masonic Hall with timber beams that arguably belong in a Canterbury cathedral. The new Hall looks much the same, but the 4 Pines crew has polished the space and revamped the menu. The taps are still pouring freshly brewed 4 Pines, naturally. And the food has been designed to match: think pan-Asian snacking plates like battered, crispy eggplant and pork belly bao with slaw and sticky hoisin. You can also load up with some larger dishes — mostly curries. There's a knockout beef Massaman, a red pumpkin curry with baby corn and snake beans, plus the usual suspects like Pad Thai and a 12-hour braised pork belly. Plus, plenty of vegan options to keep everyone happy. Even better, to celebrate the grand opening, The Hall is currently selling curry bowls for $4 a pop (limited to one per person, you greedy monsters). This offer is for a limited time and expires on Friday, 30 June. There's also a Tuesday 'Locals Night', where guests can get 25% off their bill. All you have to do is flash a Brunswick postcode on your licence. Joss Jenner-Leuthart, Managing Director of Welcome to Brunswick, says the new space was designed with community in mind, "When we opened Welcome To Brunswick in 2019, we wanted to be a place that Brunswick locals and visitors could come for no-fuss food, the freshest beer and an easy going local vibe. The Hall now adds casual pan-Asian plates to our food offer and gives locals another reason to come into their local!" The Hall is open five days a week, Tuesday to Saturday (weddings pending) from 5pm to 10pm. You'll probably need to book a seat if you want to nab a $4 curry bowl. The Hall at Welcome to Brunswick is open at 400 Sydney Rd, Brunswick from 5pm–10pm Tuesdays–Saturdays. Images: supplied.
Guillermo del Toro will be the first to tell anyone, as he did at Neflix's annual Tudum event for 2025, that he's long had an obsession with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, that he's been weaving that affection for it into his work since he first hopped behind the camera and that making his own adaptation of the gothic-horror masterpiece is a dream come true. "This is, for me, the culmination of a journey that has occupied most of my life," the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water filmmaker told the crowd on Sunday, June 1, 2025 Down Under. "I first read Mary Shelley's book as a kid, and saw Boris Karloff in what became, for me, an almost-religious stage," he continued while onstage, accompanied by Oscar Isaac (Moon Knight) and Mia Goth (MaXXXine). "Monsters have become my personal belief system. There are strands of Frankenstein throughout my films — Cronos, Blade, Hellboy, big time on Pinocchio, and a long, long [list], et cetera." It's alive, then: del Toro's version of Frankenstein, that is. Audiences will be able to watch the Netflix film from sometime in November 2025, with an exact release date not yet confirmed. Zapped into existence already, however, is the first teaser trailer for the movie, which demonstrates how much its writer/director adores Shelley's now 207-year-old text, all of the love and care that he has taken with bringing it to life, and how well he has cast its characters. Isaac portrays the feature's namesake, aka Victor Frankenstein, the scientist driven by tragedy to attempt to conquer the line between life and what exists beyond it. As the trailer notes, "only monsters play god". As Victor advises himself, "in seeking life, I created death". Also uttered in the movie's first sneak peek, reinforcing its theme: "what manner of creature is that? What manner of devil made him?". Goth is Elizabeth, Victor's fiancée. From there, Christoph Waltz (Old Guy), Ralph Ineson (Nosferatu), Charles Dance (The Day of the Jackal), Lars Mikkelsen (Dalloway) and del Toro regular Burn Gorman (Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, Pinocchio) are also part of the cast. One of the film's biggest names belongs to the actor portraying Victor's creation, however, with Jacob Elordi taking on the role after already adding The Narrow Road to the Deep North to his resume this year. Frankenstein will never stop entrancing filmmakers, as it has James Whale back in 1931 when Karloff played the monster, Mel Brooks (Dracula: Dead and Loving It) with 1974 comedy Young Frankenstein, Kenneth Branagh (A Haunting in Venice) on his 1994 take, Danny Boyle (Yesterday) with his stage adaptation, Tim Burton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) via Frankenweenie and Yorgis Lanthimos (Kinds of Kindness) in Poor Things, plus Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter) with 2026's The Bride!, just to name a few examples. But, based on the first trailer, seeing del Toro take on Shelley's work looks set to dazzle. Check out the initial teaser trailer for Frankenstein below: Frankenstein will release via Netflix sometime in November 2025 — we'll update you when an exact date is announced. Images: Netflix.
Located on 15 tranquil, rolling bushland hectares in the heart of Fingal, this modern wellness sanctuary has been years in the making. And Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is a certified stunner; from the majestic main spa building with its grand curves, to the thermal baths nestled throughout the grounds. If bathing is on the agenda, you'll find 31 idyllic pools, each one built for a different purpose and carefully integrated into its own immediate landscape, right down to the choice of native flora surrounding it. Forming a trail down the hill known as The Hemisphere, they range from the secluded to the more social; with everything from botanical-infused baths to icy plunge pools. One might feel like you're stepping into an Ancient Roman bath, while another envelops you with high walls carving out your own private view of the skies above. A steam room and sauna sit up here, too. Back down in the main building, the onsite spa is a serene and oh-so-stylish escape, complete with 22 treatment rooms and a zen relaxation lounge where you can kick back on a daybed in that post-pamper glow. The spa offers a hefty range of facial and body treatments, built around both Vanessa Megan's award-winning Aussie-made nutraceutical products and Aika Wellness Ayurvedic skincare. There's also a Vichy shower, a steam room, and a dedicated manicure and pedicure suite. Only building on how good you're guaranteed to feel after a bathing session or massage here, is the onsite restaurant Thyme helmed by renowned chef Karen Martini. A lofty indoor-outdoor space overlooking the pools, it's an all-day affair, championing local produce via a menu filled with plates designed to both satisfy and nourish. Images: Chris-McConville
Update Wednesday, August 23: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia has added a third nightly sound and light show so that more people can experience Wintjiri Wiru. You can learn about Wintjiri Wiru Twighlight via the Voyages website. A luminous three-dimensional cultural storytelling experience featuring one of the world's largest daily drone shows has been unveiled at Uluru. Across two shows each night, with Uluru setting a showstopping backdrop, Wintjiri Wiru tells the local Aṉangu community's Mala story through the use of verbal storytelling (both in English and the Aṉangu people's local Pitjantjatjara language), light displays, lasers, sound and a massive fleet of more than 1000 drones. Folks heading to the Northern Territory for Wintjiri Wiru's sunset dinner will kick off the experience with canapes curated by Mark Olive showcasing native Australian ingredients. Also on the agenda: taking in the immense beauty of Uluru and Kata Tjuta from the new sustainable viewing deck as the sun disappears below the horizon, and sampling creamy crocodile pies, pepper beef and truffle burgers, and cocktails made with Beachtree Organic Koala Gin. From there, attendees are taken on an immersive journey through a story that's been passed down for thousands of years. Voyages Indigenous Tourism worked directly with a group of ten senior community members from the Kaltukatjara (Docker River) and Uluru Aṉangu groups to create a show that tells the Mala ancestral story accurately and respectfully. "We are Aṉangu and we have one of the oldest continuing cultures on earth. This chapter of the Mala story has been passed to us from generation to generation. Our ancestors walked this Country, carried this story and shared this story through inma, our songs and our ceremonies," says Rene Kulitja, on behalf of the Aṉangu Consultation Group. "We have held hands with Voyages to create Wintjiri Wiru together. From the beginning, Voyages has been working together with the Aṉangu Working Group — talking together, listening together and creating together." The impact upon the environment and the local communities were also closely considered. No concrete was laid in the creation of the viewing platform, allowing it to be removed one day if needed; the movements of local wildlife were carefully monitored, including special consideration given to a local group of endangered desert skinks; everyone involved in the project undertook extensive cultural training lead by Aṉangu; and Indigenous-owned and -run law firm Terri Janke and Company was enlisted to oversee the project. When asked about Voyages' goals, Resort General Manager David Harper responded: "creating opportunities for Indigenous Australians through cultural tourism." Wintjiri Wiru now forms somewhat of a trio of experiences available to visitors surrounding Uluru — joining Bruce Munro's immersive Field of Light and starlight-lit fine dining experience Tali Wiru. The launch also coincides with the debut of Bruce Munro's latest installation Light Towers at Kings Canyon, forming a Red Centre light trail with the aforementioned attractions, as well as the yearly luminous Alice Springs festival Parrtjima — A Festival in Light. Tickets for the Wintjiri Wiru sunset dinner are available for $385, while you can nab a spot at Wintjiri Wiru after dark for $190, or $95 for children. For more information on Wintjiri Wiru, head to the Ayers Rock Resort website. Images: Getty Images for Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. Aṉangu share the Mala story, from Kaltukatjara to Uluru, through a drone, sound and light show designed and produced by RAMUS. 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.
Winter is coming, as Game of Thrones has been telling us for years — but the show's final season is coming first. Before the weather turns cold again in the southern hemisphere, fans of the epic HBO series will be able to discover how the popular series wraps up, so mark your calendars accordingly. After leaving everyone hanging for the entirety of 2018, HBO has announced that Game of Thrones' eighth and final season will hit the small screen on April 14, 2019, US time — so Monday, April 15 in Australia — nearly two years after season seven premiered in July 2017. If you're eager to get your fix of the series' staples — that is, battles, bloodshed, betrayal, bare chests, family bickering, Jon Snow knowing nothing (including about his long-lost aunt) and plenty of dragons — then you can start counting down the days: there are 90 to go. HBO revealed the launch date this morning at the end of slightly creepy new teaser, featuring Jon Snow and Sansa and Arya Stark in the crypts of Winterfell. They're faced with the talking statues of Lyanna, Catelyn and Ned Stark, and look set to battle White Walkers, but you can watch it all below. You can check out the other season eight teasers here. Of course, we all know that this isn't really the end of the world created by author George RR Martin — and no, we're not talking about the now seven-year wait for his next book in the literary franchise, The Winds of Winter. A prequel TV series to Game of Thrones is in the works, set thousands of years before the events we've all be watching since 2011, with Naomi Watts set to star. Come next year, you'll also be able to tour original GoT filming locations in Northern Ireland. https://youtu.be/wA38GCX4Tb0
When Wes Anderson's films flicker across cinemas, their pastel hues dancing across the screen and their meticulous sense of symmetry looking like something out of an art gallery — the acclaimed director has previously curated his own art exhibition, after all — they make everyone watching want to step right into their frames. That's happened not just once or twice but ten times now, with The French Dispatch the latest example. Thankfully, to celebrate the long-delayed feature's arrival, Cinema Nova is bringing its detailed world into reality. See the film at the Carlton picture palace, or just stop by for a drink — either way, you can enter Cafe Le Sans Blague. Cinema Nova has given its bar a temporary Anderson-themed revamp, inspired by his new flick. Yes, just like in the movie, there's a prominent 'no crying' sign, as well as a pinboard plotting out the The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun's latest and last issue. So, you'll feel just like you've entered the offices of the movie's central magazine, and travelled to the very fictional French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé in the process. The cafe takes its own name from one in the movie and, to keep playing up the theming, will be pumping out a mid-century French pop soundtrack. Getting nostalgic — even for a time you weren't alive for, a country you mightn't have been to and a city that definitely doesn't exist — is firmly on the menu here, as it is in Anderson's film. Cover art from various editions of The French Dispatch also lines the walls, as does art by Benicio del Toro's character Moses Rosenthaler. And, you'll also spot other details from the movie, plus behind-the-scenes tidbits and nods to the rest of Anderson's filmography. In terms of food, you'll be snacking on pastries and sandwiches, as well as the usual cinema fare — including themed black-and-yellow coffee choc tops. Drinks-wise, the Cinema Nova's regular beverage list is on offer, which spans cocktails, beer, wine and non-boozy options. Cafe Le Sans Blague is just a pop-up, so you'll want to head in sooner rather than latter to pretend you're in an Anderson film. An end date hasn't been set as yet, but it will be sticking around at least until the new year. Plus, if you get snapping while you're there — and then share your picks on Instagram — Cinema Nova will also be giving away The French Dispatch merchandise via the social media platform for the next few weeks. Find Cafe Le Sans Blague at Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon Street, Carlton — open from 11am daily.
The team behind the famed Wax Museum Records shop that once sat in Campbell Arcade below Flinders Street Station has just opened a hidden live music venue right down the road from their old spot. Head beneath Selina Hotel, just one door down from Degraves Street, to find a crew of Melbourne music lovers curating a set of live gigs every night of the week. Like the old record store, Wax Music Lounge aims to champion Melbourne's diverse underground music scene — this time through hosting gigs rather than selling vinyl. Drop by on a whim and you might come across big acts, DJs or virtuosos who come from all kinds of musical backgrounds. Sometimes, the vibe will be slow and moody. Other nights, you'll be up on the dance floor till early the next morning. It's a mixed bag in all the best ways. But, as founded by Wax Museum Records' Guy Roseby and Tim Bartold — plus Spin Records' Mark Lipshut — Wax Lounge Bar isn't just a live music venue. It also holds up as an excellent drinking den in its own right. Behind the bar, the team is pouring Australian lo-fi natural wines, craft beers and signature cocktails dreamt up by bartender Pita Dixon (Joe Taylor, ex-Toff in Town). It even has a small kitchen pumping out pizzas and empanadas, so you don't have to venture up to Flinders Street for eats. Either grab a seat by the stage or head to the pool table at the back of the bar to have a chill night out with great tunes simply being your background music. Every part of Wax Music Lounge is lit up with a low red glow of light, courtesy of lighting designers James Hebbs and Grace Darling, while the rest of the 175-person space falls into that industrial vintage aesthetic. The basement's concrete walls and floor remain, paired with a few old rugs, some wooden tables and long leather benches. It's not all glam and luxurious like so many other Melbourne CBD bars. It's a live gig space at its core. And it's primed to host a heap of late-night parties with underground musicians and music lovers. Find Wax Lounge Bar at 250 Flinders Street, Melbourne, open daily from 5pm–1am. For more information on the new opening and upcoming live music performances, check out the venue's website.
Taylor Swift announcing a new album as she broke records. Barbie's 'What Was I Made For?' winning Song of the Year. Tracy Chapman. Celine Dion. Miley Cyrus' first Grammy ever. Annie Lennox's Sinead O'Connor tribute. The 2024 Grammys had them all. The awards also had SZA entering the ceremony as this year's most-nominated artist, swerving away from swords as she performed 'Kill Bill' and collecting three gongs. Next on the R&B singer's list: touring Australia and New Zealand. [caption id="attachment_939968" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacob Webster[/caption] SZA won Grammys for Best Progressive R&B Album, Best R&B Song and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Phoebe Bridgers — and to appreciate why, you'll want to make a date with her shows in Auckland, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in April. She's playing two gigs each everywhere but Brissie, all at arenas on a seven-show visit. The S.O.S. tour is in support of SZA's second album of the same name, which dropped in late 2022. She's been performing the record live for the past year, kicking off in North America from February 2023, then playing Europe before returning to the US. Cue 'Good Days', 'Snooze', 'Shirt' and 'Nobody Gets Me' on her current setlists, plus 'Broken Clocks', 'Drew Barrymore', 'The Weekend' and 'Love Galore' from her debut album Ctrl — and everything from 'All the Stars' from the Black Panther soundtrack to 'Kiss Me More'. SZA joins a massive list of big-name tours heading Australia and New Zealand's way in 2024, alongside everyone from Tenacious D, Take That and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and GZA this week alone. SZA S.O.S. Australia and New Zealand Tour Dates 2024: Monday, April 15–Tuesday, April 16 — Spark Arena, Auckland, Friday, April 19 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Tuesday, April 23–Wednesday, April 24 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Monday, April 29–Tuesday, April 30 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne SZA is touring Australia and New Zealand in April 2024, with presales from 2pm on Friday, February 9 and general sales from 2pm on Monday, February 12. Head to the Australian and New Zealand tour websites for more information. Top image: The Come Up Show via Wikimedia Commons.
Think exceptional wine regions and Bordeaux, the Napa Valley and Bilbao likely come to mind. Lausanne in Switzerland, Portugal's Porto, Mendoza in Argentina and Adelaide right here in Australia might as well. So should New Zealand's Hawke's Bay, your next must-visit destination for a vino getaway, with the Aotearoa locale just earning a massive honour: being named the 12th Great Wine Capital of the world. The global program celebrates spots responsible for top-notch drops, and it's a prestigious list. All of the above places have received Great Wine Capital status already, and so have Cape Town's Cape Winelands in South Africa, Mainz and the Rheinhessen wine region in Germany, Valparaíso Casablanca Valley in Chile and fair Verona in Italy. Joining the ranks isn't easy, involving a tough selection process that examines the region's winegrowing industry and vino tourism alongside its history, educational opportunities and more. Hawke's Bay has been recognised for its 200-plus vineyards, 125 wine producers and more than 30 cellar doors — and growing more than 40,000 tonnes of grapes in 2022 alone. The North Island region's variety of tourism experiences also boosted its fortunes, as well as its popularity with both NZ and international travellers. Visitors to the area can enjoy everything from bike tours between cellar doors and long vineyard lunches to picnics and picking parties, plus ample opportunities to pair a glass or bottle with something to eat. The worldwide kudos comes as Hawke's Bay continues to recover from Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023, offering a much-needed piece of good news in a tough year. "Cyclone Gabrielle may have dealt us a blow, but this recognition shows that Hawke's Bay is still the top-quality wine destination it always was," said Hawke's Bay Tourism CEO Hamish Saxton, announcing the Great Wine Capital status. "Hawke's Bay's inclusion as one of just 12 Great Wine Capitals of the world is of regional and national significance. It is recognition that Hawke's Bay wines are among the world's best, and that our nation's wine growing industry, while still young, offers quality to rival the world's oldest," he continued. "We have long known that Hawke's Bay, as New Zealand's Food and Wine Country, stood out for its winemaking. This new achievement gives Hawke's Bay a unique positioning in New Zealand and the world. The climate, unique soils and the innovation of so many talented individuals, have come together to deliver an accolade the region wholeheartedly deserves. It is a true legacy for the region and will continue to deliver benefits to industry, education, business and tourism for the years to come." The Great Wine Capitals Global Network dates back to 1999, was unsurprisingly started in Bordeaux to showcase and support the very best wine-producing regions, including helping foster collaborations between them. Now that Hawke's Bay has gotten the nod — after first trying back in 2009 — it's Aotearoa's one and only inclusion, because each country can only grace the list with a single location. Find out more about the Great Wine Capitals of world over at the program's website. 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.
If, mid-way through a piece of raw lasagne, you've ever wondered what makes About Life's food so tasty, yet still somehow good for you, you can stop guessing. The wholefoods cafe and supermarket mini-empire — which now has seven stores in Sydney and one in Melbourne — has released a recipe book, titled A Whole New Way to Eat. That's right, nutritionist Vladia Cobrdova — who's responsible for developing About Life's recipes — is throwing a few secrets your way. All in all, there are 135 recipes, covering familiar offerings from the wholefoods institution's cafes and self-serve meal aisles. They're all relatively simple and don't employ heaps of obscure ingredients, meaning they're recipes you're actually likely to make. Coconut turmeric quinoa porridge? That's on page 12. Umeboshi black bean spaghetti salad with sesame toasted broccoli? You'll find that on page 86. A giant lamington with raspberry Kakadu jam? It's in there too (and we've got the recipes for those last two below). There are brekkies, lunches, dinners, salads, soups, sides, drinks and desserts galore. A Whole New Way To Eat will be launched at a series of free events, to be held at various About Life stories during the first couple of weeks of March with Vladia Cobrdova. She'll be chatting, demonstrating and, most importantly, handing out samples. Catch her at in Melbourne on March 7 and at the Crows Nest store in Sydney on March 11. As difficult as it is to believe, About Life started out in Sydney in 1996 as a little juice bar, with just a handful of groceries for sale. Now, with eight stores around the country and somewhat of a cult following, they're expanding into at-home territory, which, as a grocer, makes a lot of sense. A Whole New Way To Eat is published by Murdoch Books and will be available for $39.99. We've managed to nab two of the recipes from the book below to get you started. UMEBOSHI BLACK BEAN SPAGHETTI SALAD WITH SESAME TOASTED BROCCOLI Umeboshi is a paste is made from fermented plums, which gives this recipe a salty yet still plummy taste. It's vegan, gluten- and dairy-free, and will take about 30-40 minutes to prepare. 200 grams broccoli, cut into small florets 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 200g black bean spaghetti (or brown rice noodles) 150g snow peas, trimmed and halved lengthways 250g green beans, trimmed and cut in half Umeboshi dressing 60ml (¼ cup) sesame oil 1½ tablespoons mirin (rice wine) 2 tablespoons umeboshi paste ¼ cup finely grated fresh ginger 75g (½ cup) sesame seeds 1 tablespoon tamari Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread the broccoli on a baking tray, add the sesame oil and sesame seeds and toss to combine. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly roasted but still crunchy. Meanwhile, bring two litres (eight cups) of water to the boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook for 6-8 minutes until tender. Add the snow peas and green beans for the last minute of cooking to blanch. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl with 60ml (¼ cup) of water. Transfer the spaghetti, snow peas and green beans to a serving bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss until well coated. Top with the crunchy broccoli florets and serve. GIANT LAMINGTON WITH RASPBERRY KAKADU JAM This cake-like lamington is gluten-free and vego, and is topped with jam made with native Kakadu plum powder. You'll probably have to go to About Life to buy some — but if you can't get any, you can use the zest of an orange. 6 eggs 11 g (⅓ cup) honey 80ml (⅓ cup) melted coconut oil 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 65g (½ cup) coconut flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 100g (1 cup) almond meal 35g (½ cup) shredded coconut Kakadu jam 170g raspberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted 50g (¼ cup) coconut sugar 1 tablespoon Kakadu plum powder, or use the zest of 1 orange 45g (¼ cup) chia seeds 2 tablespoons coconut water Cacao frosting 40g (¼ cup) coconut oil 55g (½ cup) cacao powder 60ml (¼ cup) coconut cream Preheat the oven to 160°C. Lightly grease a 30cm x 12cm x 10cm loaf tin and line it with baking paper, leaving the sides overhanging. Use an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to whisk the eggs and honey for five minutes or until well combined. Add the coconut oil and vanilla bean paste and whisk for another 2-3 minutes until well combined. Combine the coconut flour, baking powder and almond meal in a separate bowl. Gently fold into the egg mixture until just combined, then spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. Meanwhile, to make the jam, combine the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set. To make cacao frosting, put the coconut oil in a frying pan with 60ml (¼ cup) of water and cook over low heat until the oil melts. Add the cacao powder and coconut cream and stir for two minutes or until combined. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Transfer the cake to a serving plate. Spread with jam and drizzle with the frosting. Scatter with shredded coconut. Images and recipes from A Whole New Way To Eat by Vladia Cobrdova (Murdoch Books RRP $39.99) photography by Rob Palmer.
Let's face it, you can't buy a whole lot for one buck in 2019. But today, consider that little dollar coin your best friend. Fast food giant McDonald's is celebrating National Cheeseburger Day — yes, that's today, September 18 — by treating the whole country to $1 burgs. Across all Aussie stores, from 5am until stock runs out, McDonald's is dropping the price of its classic cheeseburgers to just $1 a pop — for beef, bun, onion, pickles, ketchup, cheese and all. To claim your cheap burger, you'll first need to download the MyMacca's app via the Apple Store or Google Play. Then, log on, check the My Rewards section and boom — Ronald's your uncle. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2h6vl0DgSN/ Unfortunately, there's a limit of one $1 cheeseburger per customer, which probably isn't enough to make a meal of. But we're sure there are a few other Macca's menu items that might tempt your tastebuds while you're there. And, if you fancy a cheap cheeseburger tour of your city, today's the day to do it. Neil Perry's Burger Project is slinging $5 Cape Grim cheeseburgers at select Sydney and Melbourne stores, Merrywell Burger Bar at Crown Melbourne is offering 100 lucky punters free customised 'Chooseburgers', and at Bentleigh's Good Times Milk Bar, there are $5 burgs up for grabs between 11am and 4pm. McDonald's $1 cheeseburger are available from 5am on Wednesday, September 18 until sold out via the MyMacca's app.
Melbourne's trams aren't just a handy way to get from A to B. Each year, six of the city's public-transport carriages also become mobile artworks. Melbourne Art Trams gives the vehicles a vibrant revamp — and, since 2021, the designs gracing each one have hailed from Victorian-based First Nations artists. The initiative has fallen into winter arts festival RISING's remit since then, too, with the end results for 2023 now rolling around the Victorian capital. The theme for this year's Melbourne Art Trams series: Blak futurism. As well as celebrating and exploring history, Country, community and connection, that's what the latest round of artists has responded to, as curated by visual artist Jarra Karalinar Steel (Boonwurrung/Wemba Wemba) — an alumni of the 2021 trams. "This year's First Peoples Melbourne Art Trams truly embody the transformative narratives of First Peoples Artists' creative expression, and the diversity that is often overlooked when it comes to Aboriginal Art in Australia. For me, the theme this year — 'Blak futurism' — is about reclaiming and taking back space, and breaking the status quo while maintaining culture and connection to country. It' also about learning from our past and those who came before," said Steel. "Blak futurism plays with nostalgia, pop culture and the desire to see ourselves represented in a world where we feel unseen and heard. Changing the way we are seen and the way we see ourselves." "I was looking for works that truthfully spoke to how these artists saw a Blak bright future for their community, families and country. This year's Art Trams will provide a world of colour to our grey city streets, exploring themes of community, togetherness, intergenerational collaboration, protection and care for country and our animals, future folklore, nostalgia, representation, and pay tribute to our beloved city." The first art tram to start doing the rounds boasts work by Amina Briggs (Boonwurrung/Erub). It hit the streets on Tuesday, June 13, featuring a portrayal of Bunjil the creator and Waa the protector, key figures in Boonwurrung culture. Also included, in a piece that's about reclaiming land: the Australian raven and the wedge-tailed eagle, the symbolic animals for both figures, plus a diamond, which is the traditional Boonwurrung symbol. By Friday, June 23, the remaining five trams will also get zooming, giving Melbourne a moving exhibition. Rubii Red's (Lama Lama) contribution is an ode to Naarm, including its protests, music and nightlife; Charlotte Allingham (Wiradjuri and Ngiyampaa) has created a piece envisioning a future that values Blak freedom, self-expression, sustainability and innovation; and Jay Van Nus (Pibelman Noongar, and a Chilean Australian brotherboy) celebrates Indigenous knowledge and community, including diverse skills and ideologies coming together. For their tram, Lyn Thorpe (Yorta Yorta/Wurundjeri/Wamba Wemba/Wadi Wadi) and her son Coree Thorpe (Yorta Yorta/Wurundjeri/Gunnai/Gunditjmara) hone in on the Aboriginal continuum, which spans connections to ancestors and being caretakers for knowledge. And Peter Waples-Crowe's (Ngarigu) work focuses on the alpine dingo, using it as a symbol of ecosystem restoration, while contemplating restoring Indigenous knowledge. Melbourne Art Trams is a collaboration between RISING, Creative Victoria, Department of Transport and Planning and Yarra Trams, allowing local First Nations artists submit their own original tram-inspired designs — and ran as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival before RISING's arrival. The first of Melbourne's 2023 art trams hits the tracks on Tuesday, June 13, with the rest of the fleet joining them by Friday, June 23. For further details, head to the RISING website. Images: James Morgan.
This article is part of our series on the diverse highlights of NZ's Canterbury region, from city to snow. To book your Christchurch trip, visit the 100% Pure New Zealand website. Serving beer out of a bus sounds like a next-level food truck about to hit the streets of Melbourne (and, honestly, a great business idea, liquor licensing laws aside), but Smash Palace is a bit more complicated than that. The bus doesn't move per se — it mostly stays parked in a vacant lot — but, as is the beauty of having a bar on wheels, it can be moved at any time. Welcome to Christchurch: where bars are mobile and most things are temporary. "We ... knew that a lot of Christchurch was, and still is, empty land," says Smash Palace owner Johnny Moore. "So we wanted to find a way to occupy that empty land." Like all good purchases, the bus was bought late one night on the internet. Finding a place to put it wasn't quite so easy. The site that was eventually found — an empty block on a busy corner of the CBD border — was disused. The bus bar forms the centrepiece of the lot, serving beer and burgers, with the addition of mulled wine and hot water bottles over winter. Circus-like coloured lights hang around the outdoor tables and undercover areas, making it more like a beer garden or a market than a booze bus. Originally designed to be temporary and provide Christchurch with a pub-like place to meet, drink and start conversations, Smash Palace has now been open for just over two years. People just really bought into the concept and what it gave to the community, says Johnny. "I think it’s the spirit of the place, making do with what you’ve got." As is the transitory nature of Christchurch at the moment, pop-up bars, shops and institutions make up a large percentage of the city. It's an exciting time for small business owners and those wanting to start something in Christchurch. "Anyone who's here wants to be here," says Johnny. "For younger people it's the land of opportunity. Whatever you can dream can happen at the moment."
Ten months in, 2020 has served up all manner of challenges and surprises. But in one area at least, it's rolling on as planned. Because few years can sneak by without serving up multiple new film and/or television adaptations of Stephen King's work, viewers are about to score 2020's latest — a new mini-series version of the author's 1978 novel The Stand. Due to hit American streaming services in December — with release plans Down Under yet to be revealed — The Stand joins HBO's The Outsider as the two new TV shows bringing King's work to our eyeballs this year. Of course, as avid fans will know, this isn't the first time this particular book has made the leap to the screen. Back in 1994, it aired as a big-budget, star-studded, four-part mini-series featuring the likes of Gary Sinise, Miguel Ferrer, Rob Lowe, Ruby Dee, Laura San Giacomo, Molly Ringwald and Ed Harris. Plenty of well-known names are onboard this time around, too, because there's quite the sprawling story to tell. And, quite the timely one, although that's obviously pure coincidence. The Stand is set in a world devastated by a plague, with a battle between good and evil playing out among the survivors. Featuring prominently is the character of Randall Flagg, a common figure in King's work (see: The Eyes of the Dragon and The Dark Tower series). Alexander Skarsgård plays Flagg, while the rest of the cast includes James Marsden, Whoopi Goldberg, Amber Heard and Heather Graham, as well as Watchmen's Jovan Adepo, Paper Towns' Nat Wolff, IT: Chapter Two's Owen Teague, Arrow's Katherine McNamara, and Australian Shirley and The Daughter actor Odessa Young. Behind the lens, The Stand is the latest project from filmmaker Josh Boone — whose latest movie, The New Mutants, hit cinemas in the past few months after years of delays. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l--4gu4CQBM The Stand screens in the US from December 17 via CBS All Access — we'll update you with an air date Down Under when one is announced. Top image: CBS All Access.
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra doesn't just pay tribute to classical music greats. Shaking up its repertoire with movie odes — to Hans Zimmer, Star Wars, Home Alone, Toy Story and more — isn't the only way that it stretches its remit, either. This December, MSO will add celebrating George Michael to its roster, thanks to a big one-night gig that'll give the pop star's music the orchestra treatment, complete with help from a heap of guest singers. Dubbed George Michael: Freedom! A Celebration with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the event is heading to Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday, December 9. And if you're wondering why it's taking place that month, you must've avoided getting 'Last Christmas' stuck in your head when the season hits in the past. Also, the late, great singer was just the subject of hit Netflix documentary WHAM!, making the timing right for more reasons than one. Benjamin Northey will be on conducting duties, with Natalie Bassingthwaighte, David Campbell, Courtney Act, Emma Donovan and Brendan Maclean joining the lineup behind the microphone to lend their vocals to Michael's chart-topping tunes. Also on the bill, similarly following in the two-time Grammy-winner's footsteps: Adam Thompson, Jade MacRae, Gary Pinto and Carmen Smith. "I'm so thrilled to be performing at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl for the George Michael x MSO celebration! I was, and always will be, a huge fan of his," said Bassingthwaighte. "I can't wait to be at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl for a George Michael x MSO extravaganza! Remembering George like this will be Too Funky. I know you've all been waiting for this," added Act. George Michael: Freedom! A Celebration with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will get Sidney Myer Music Bowl echoing with a 30-song playlist, including 'Faith', 'Father Figure', 'Praying for Time' and 'Freedom'. The one and only 'Careless Whisper' played by a symphony orchestra? That's on the lineup, too, and witnessing it will be a bucket-list moment. GEORGE MICHAEL: FREEDOM! A CELEBRATION WITH THE MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LINEUP: Natalie Bassingthwaighte David Campbell Courtney Act Emma Donovan Brendan Maclean Adam Thompson Jade MacRae Gary Pinto Carmen Smith George Michael: Freedom! A Celebration with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will take place on Saturday, December 9 at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, with tickets on sale from 10am on Wednesday, September 6 — head to the event website for further details. Top image: Ratracewi via Wikimedia Commons.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we go to the newly revamped The Island Gold Coast, the spot we're putting up guests who book one of our exclusive For The Love VIP packages. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? The Island once had a reputation of notoriety as a Schoolies-friendly Surfers Paradise hot spot with an aesthetic and fit-out wearied by time and wear. But no longer. It's undergone a major renovation and design overhaul to be re-envisioned as a tasteful boutique hotel that gives off nods to Soho House members clubs and classic California coastal hotel design. Located in the heart of Surfers Paradise across the road from Main Beach and walking distance to some of the area's best restaurants and bars, it puts guests situated perfectly for a combination of laidback beaching by day and mixing it up at night. THE ROOMS Each of the 98 rooms is full of hardwood timbers, native plants and open facades that bring the outside, in. The natural elements help make this space feel like a calm personal hideaway. The four-and-a-half-star accommodation has all the top amenities. Rooms feature a private balcony as well as tea and coffee facilities, a mini bar, the obligatory flat-screen TV, free wifi and a safe — luxe linen sheets are also a big win. Many of the rooms also come with partial sea views down to Surfer's Paradise Beach, so make sure you pick one when booking. FOOD AND DRINK You don't have to go far for good grub, with the hotel's restaurant, Goldie's, on the ground floor (right next to the pool). Get your classic brunch dishes till 10am then pop in for lunch or dinner for $18 wood oven pizzas, selection of burgers or the holy chicken parmy. You can also head up to The Island Rooftop in the afternoon for similar dishes alongside a selection of fresh seafood including trays of oysters and a special aperitivo menu on Thursday — for $69 guests get unlimited cocktails and food for two hours. [caption id="attachment_833776" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lynda Hinton (Unsplash)[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA You're right in the thick of it when staying at The Island Gold Coast. First off, the Surfer's Paradise Beach is mere moments away or you can head further south if you want some slightly less-populated beach action at Broadbeach, Palm Beach or North Burleigh. Alternatively, you can take to the streets to find some of the area's boutique stores or hit up Home of the Arts to find live performances, lake-side strolls, cinema and art exhibitions. THE EXTRAS The Island is not just a fun place to stay, it's also a proper nightlife destination for locals and guests. The boutique hotel hosts drag brunches, a drag musical, Sunday live music sessions around sunset, weekend parties on the rooftop and the Cocktail Flight Club each Thursday (for $20 you'll get to taste a series of cocktails and get a full size version of your favourite). Even if you're not staying here, it's worth stopping by if you're visiting the GC. 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.
Subscriptions aren't just for magazines, wine, cheese, cars, ramen, booze and streaming platforms. Thanks to Botanic Box, they're also for plants. Created by Brisbanite Rhiannon Campbell, and launching up north last year, the service brings a new bundle of greenery to your door each and every month — and it's now delivering in Sydney and Melbourne as well. It's the type of service that seems tailor-made for folks with green thumbs but lazy feet — that is, anyone who'd love to get a heap of new plants, but can never make it to a market or nursery to buy one themselves. More than that, Botanic Box doesn't just feature the kinds of greenery that you could just pick up on your travels. Rather, your plants — maybe a fiddle leaf fig, a succulent or a eucalyptus — will arrive with handmade pots, art cards, key rings and more accompanying each delivery. As well as teaming up with a range of local growers, Botanic Box highlights a different artist and maker each month, with previous partnerships including Lush Succulents, studio Nikulinsky, Kojo Kokedamas, Lazer Unicorn and McKenzie House. This is all about one-off collaborations that showcase local talent and add a nice dash of nature to your home. If you're eager to start welcoming new green babies on the regular, here's how it works. Customers sign up on ongoing basis, with Botanic Box packages ranging from three to six to twelve months. For the duration of your subscription, you'll receive a different plant and a handmade item around the 15th of each of every month, all for $49.95 per month. You can join Botanic Box yourself, or sign someone else up as a gift — and if you're feeling less than financial, you can drop hints to everyone you know. One to keep in mind when shopping for birthday or Christmas presents. For more details, visit botanicbox.com.au. Top image: Botanic Box / McKenzie House / Alle Grace Photography.
Who needs facts when you can have a ball with irreverently riffing on history? It worked for Blackadder decades back, then with The Great and Our Flag Means Death more recently, and now does the same for The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin. It was evident from the concept when it was announced, and the trailer afterwards as well: this Apple TV+ series is firmly in the same mode as the pirate comedy that gave streaming two wonderfully funny and heartfelt seasons, then was cancelled. The similarities don't stop being apparent now that Noel Fielding's latest stint of silliness is unfurling its six-episode first season. Accordingly, viewers looking for something to help with their Our Flag Means Death heartbreak have somewhere to turn. Everyone who loves The Mighty Boosh's Fielding when he's getting surreal — something that his The Great British Bake Off hosting stint can't quite offer, even with his outfits — is also catered for. Awaiting in The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin is an entertaining jaunt that's exactly what anyone should expect given its premise, star, his fondness for whimsy and flamboyant outfits, plus Britain's love of parodying its own past. Fielding co-writes and executive produces, alongside leading — and his brother Michael is among the fellow The Mighty Boosh alum on-screen. Dick jokes abound, because who could pass up the opportunity given its protagonist? A who's who of English comedy also features. The year is 1735. The place is the UK, obviously. The subject is a real-life highwayman. Streaming from Friday, March 1, an instantly amusing revisionist history about Britain's equivalent of Ned Kelly is the result. Stand and deliver: as Dick, Fielding does. While he isn't attempting to be anything more than Vince Noir but an outlaw centuries back, no one creating, funding or watching the show wants otherwise. With Rhys Darby (Next Goal Wins) and Flight of the Conchords' Murray instead, Our Flag Means Death had its main star do much the same. Although chances to spot commonalities between the two shows just keep coming, it's in an enjoyable way, like hearing a cover of a beloved tune by someone that you also adore. That someone being Fielding, who has such a rich resume of hilarious and absurdist TV comedy thanks to Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Nathan Barley, The IT Crowd and Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy as well, is clearly pivotal. If Dick Turpin isn't familiar, he's another figure from the 18th century, as Darby's Stede Bonnet was. Swap the sea for the land, though; the whole robbery angle remains the same. The son of a butcher, he was his father's apprentice, but then took on a different career as part of the Essex gang. In reality, he was executed by hanging at the age of 33. In The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, standing on the gallows provides the opening. From there, the series steps through his time as a thief after being a vegan pacifist didn't gel with the family business. The key things that Dick takes with him when he leaves home, when his father John (Mark Heap, Significant Other) quickly replaces him with his cousin Benny (Michael Fielding, Merry Little Batman): eye-catching purple boots and a sewing machine. The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin creators Claire Downes, Ian Jarvis and Stuart Lane — who've collaborated on Around the World in 80 Days, Timewasters and We Can Be Heroes before this — then puts the mascara-laden, silky-locked, jollily talkative Dick in charge of his criminal colleagues, and at odds with the usual highwayman antics. He falls into his new gig accidentally, becoming the crew's leader in the same way. Dick wants sticking up stagecoaches and dog walkers to be charming, and done with panache. Working with his version of pleather, aka parsnip leather, he's just as certain that his crew needs to be better dressed. Also, toxic masculinity definitely isn't his vibe. As frequently chronicled in pamphlets by local scribe Eliza Bean (Dolly Wells, Pandemonium), so springs an array of episodic adventures for Dick, the wary Nell (Ellie White, Wonka), eager Honesty (Duayne Boachie, You Don't Know Me) and tender Moose (Marc Wootton, High & Dry). Cue magic mittens, a wild twist on a nun's habit as a disguise, capes, a haunted coach, warlock exams, knitting, trying to avoid letting in a witch by not saying her name a set amount of times Candyman-style, pretending to be a time traveller from 15 minutes into the future, suave rivals and other law breakers who are actually villainous, for instance. Usually on Dick's trail is corrupt thief-taker Jonathan Wilde (Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey: A New Era). Also interested in his actions is crime bigwig Lady Helen Gwinear (Tamsin Greig, Sexy Beast). Plus, this is an on-screen realm where the pub is run by an eight-year-old called Little Karen (Kiri Flaherty, Darklands). Popping up here and there are Asim Chaudhry (Barbie) as the aforementioned sorcerer, alongside Joe Wilkinson (Sex Education) as a gaoler. The cast list goes on, turning watching The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin into a game of Spot That Recognisable Face. When Fielding's Never Mind the Buzzcocks host Greg Davies (The Cleaner) makes an appearance, their banter could've been taken straight from the Spicks and Specks-inspiring music game show. The Mighty Boosh's Simon Farnaby (Ghosts) and Rich Fulcher (Still Up), Cunk on Earth's Diane Morgan, Spaced favourite Jessica Hynes, Matilda the Musical's Sindhu Vee, another Barbie and Sex Education link via Connor Swindells: one of them is never far away, all having as much of a blast as Fielding. Breezy, goofy, impish and oddball fun bounds through the series no matter who else is on-screen with The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin's lead — and while fleshing out its frames with such top talents is among its achievements, Fielding is always the star attraction. He's also the reason that its thematic dive into finding your chosen family and being accepted for who you are still feels potent, as slight as it is. As the show builds its romp around its him, it also ensures that an inescapable sentiment lingers at every moment: 17 years since The Mighty Boosh's last episode, it's a pleasure to have Fielding taking a sitcom's centre stage and loving it once more. Here's hoping that a second season of The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin promptly follows. Check out the trailer for The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin below: The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, March 1, 2024.
