If your days spent working from home and social distancing could do with a few more adorable animals — or your days in general if you're not currently living in a part of the country that's in lockdown — you'll be happy to know the internet is filled with many. Melbourne's zoos have live streaming their penguins, leopard cubs and giraffes, its aquarium wants you to bliss out while watching marine life, and a Queensland wildlife sanctuary has cams on its koalas 24/7. And, after first launching last year, Taronga TV has made a comeback. The online television station was established by Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo in 2020 for obvious reasons, and the Sydney site has now brought it back — again, you know why. Head here to get your cute animal fix, because every day can be improved by peering at seals swimming, meerkats playing and otters frolicking. They're three of the new live-streams on offer, alongside capybara cam — so you can spend your days looking at the world's largest rodents if you like. In the returning camp, fellow 24/7 live-streams take a gander at the zoos' sumatran tigers, lions and elephants. The station is also releasing regular videos across its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels. Also online: keeper talks, which is where the zoos' baby goats and echidnas come in; a Tasmanian Devil getting a health check; a baby black rhino calf; and a look into where giraffes sleep. "Although we aren't able to welcome guests to the zoo in Sydney, we're thrilled that we have the chance to showcase all the work that goes on behind the scenes that we normally don't get the chance to show," said Chief Executive of Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Cameron Kerr. "We'll be giving people the opportunity to see our keepers care for our animals and showcase our world-leading conservation work to protect our precious native wildlife. We are thrilled to be keeping our wonderful guests and supporters updated through Taronga TV during this difficult time, until we're able to throw open our gates again." To check out Taronga TV, head to the channel's website — or keep an eye on its videos on its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages. Top image: Rick Stevens
Are you the kind of person who starts plotting your next meal before you've even finished the last? Love eating more than anything else? Well, you can get right to the guts of our global food obsession when culinary legend Nigella Lawson hits Aussie shores, joining social psychologist and author Hugh Mackay for two special conversation events this January. Hosted by The School of Life in Sydney on January 22 and Melbourne on January 24, Nigella Lawson On Why Food Matters will have audiences diving deep into the concepts surrounding food and its links to pleasure, creativity and belonging. The renowned celebrity chef will share insight into her philosophies on life and food while Mackay dishes up some of his own research finds, exploring rituals, our dependence on fast food, and the idea of food as a sort of therapy — whether that involves cooking up a storm, sharing a feed, or simply stuffing your face. Sink your teeth into some enlightening chat about social food trends and learn a little something about your own eating habits in the process. Those feeling inspired will also be able to grab a copy of Lawson's new book, At My Table. Catch Nigella Lawson On Why Food Matters at The School of Life Sydney on Monday, January 22, 118-132 Enmore Road, Newtown. It'll also take place on Wednesday, January 24, at The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Plenary 2, 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf. You can buy tickets at theschooloflife.com.au.
Ninety years is an impressive milestone. To get that far, something's got to be built to last, withstanding everything from war to the whims of fashion. True icons need staying power to endure and earn their place in the hearts and lives of generations of Australians. In 2022, we're celebrating three golden oldies that are hitting this milestone and continue to shape important cultural slices of Australia, from influencing fashion to defining our identity and becoming an integral part of everyday life. At just shy of a century, these Australian icons are still going strong — and, frankly, it's hard to imagine life without them. R.M.WILLIAMS It started with a dream in the South Australian bush. A dream of providing stockmen with a hard-wearing, Australian-made pair of boots of lasting quality. In 1932, Reginald Murray Williams (ol' RM himself) handcrafted the unmistakable elastic-sided boot and changed outback fashion forever. The business quickly took off and in two short years RM opened a factory on Percy Street in Adelaide. People flocked to join his workshop and in 1970 the business expanded again to new digs on Frost Road. From a humble mail-order service to pride of place in city department stores and boutiques across the nation (and the globe), R.M.Williams demonstrated, to the world, the quality of Australian craftsmanship and design. A brand with staying power as strong as its leather, the boots are still crafted right here in Australia at the Adelaide workshop. Fashion trends have come and gone but the heart of the R.M.Williams style and craft remain. No other brand can take you straight from the paddock to the pavement in quite the same way. While the brand has expanded to the entire wardrobe, its soul remains grounded in its boots. To celebrate the success of reaching 90 years in the boot making business, R.M. Williams has released limited-edition Craftsman and Lady Yearling boots as well as Jerrawa belts with special 90th anniversary commemorative trims (and a neat little plaque) — so you can wear a piece of Australian history. SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE It's hard to picture the Sydney Harbour view without this staggering feat of engineering across the water, facing off its equally admired younger icon, the Sydney Opera House. The Sydney Harbour Bridge took almost nine years to construct and the opening ceremony was famously interrupted by a sword-wielding disgruntled royalist on horseback. Ninety years later, it's still a sight to behold and one of the most photographed and instantly recognisable landmarks in the world. Sure it's grey, but that's got nothing to do with age — the colour is a specially mixed paint known as 'Bridge Grey' which is regularly splashed across the frame to give it a fresh coat. There's one for your next trivia night. The Bridge is more than a vital transport link. It's also been the focal point and spiritual heart of Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations for almost 30 years. It's been the destination of joyous events and notable protests, including holding the Olympic rings and the Walk for Reconciliation within that same year — not to mention the Millennium fireworks featuring Arthur Stace's 'Eternity' blazing across it. Declared a Historic Civil Engineers Landmark in 1988, added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2007 and affectionately called 'The Coathanger', the Sydney Harbour Bridge remains a defining feature of Australian landmarks. AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION The ABC — known as Aunty — is turning 90 and boy does she look great for her age. She's been a trusted voice in Australia since July 1, 1932, from reporting on wars, commentating cricket, covering elections or keeping us connected during environmental disasters. Starting out as a suite of radio stations broadcasting across the nation 11 hours a day, the ABC has seen us through the advent of television, digital media and now on-demand streaming, never missing a beat. That distinctive wavelength logo — chosen for the use of Lissajous vibration patterns in tuning equipment — was designed by Bill Kennard in 1965. Now, it's the symbol of our longest-running public broadcasting network. The ABC has been an integral part of life for generations of Aussies. Play School has moulded young minds since July 1966 and music has been discovered across Classic FM, Countdown, Rage and triple j. The ABC also has a long history of championing homegrown creators, writers and performers who have made world-class dramas like Cleverman and Mystery Road. From humble beginnings to more than 50 local and four national radio stations, a streaming service and a digital archive of radio, TV and media, the broadcaster has continued to evolve over time to ensure it keep Australians connected. To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the brand, R.M.Williams is giving away 90 pairs of limited edition boots. Learn more about the history of the iconic brand and visit the website.
Most musicians avoid day jobs like the plague. But not singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov. Back home in Colorado, he's a full-time farmer, who hits the touring circuit in between sowing seeds, harvesting crops and wandering around the land he loves. But he's carved out some time to come our way this autumn, armed with his fifth studio album (seventh in total), Evening Machines. Up until this release, Isakov was an indie musician with his own label, Suitcase Town Music, and a recording studio on his farm — and he managed to sell 370,000 records all on his lonesome and share stages with the likes of Iron & Wine, Ani DiFranco and Passenger. This time, though, he's teamed up with Dualtone, simply because he was curious to see how working with a bigger label would unfold. Hitting The Croxton Bandroom on Friday, March 8, Isakov will play a bunch of new tunes, plus a selection of the tracks that have won him his loyal following, like 'The Stable Song', 'Big Black Car' and 'If I Go, I'm Goin''. To purchase tickets to Gregory Alan Isakov's only Melbourne performance, head here. Plus, you can go in the running to win a trip to Denver, Colorado to see Isakov perform at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. To enter, head this way. Images: Israel Nebeker/Rebecca Caridad.
Art galleries don't just showcase great works by renowned talents on their own walls. They also loan out their collections, touring them to other sites around the globe. That's great news for Australians, who've been able to check out pieces from London's Tate Britain and New York's Museum of Modern Art in recent years, all without leaving the country. In 2021, you'll also be able to feast your eyes on two big collections of European masterpieces from two different overseas institutions: from New York's The Met, which is heading to Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, and from London's National Gallery, which'll take over the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. The latter, called Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London, will hit the Australian Capital Territory from March 5–June 14, 2021. If you were looking for a reason to take a local holiday interstate this year, the NGA has not just one but 60, because that's how many works this huge exhibition will feature. The gallery isn't joking about the showcase's title, either. When you'll be exhibiting Van Gogh's Sunflowers, you can throw around the word 'masterpiece' as much as you like. Other high-profile works include Rembrandt's Self Portrait at the Age of 34, plus Vermeer's A Young Woman seated at a Virginal. And, artist-wise, Titian, Velázquez, Goya, Turner, Renoir, Cézanne, Botticelli, El Greco, Constable, Van Dyke, Gainsborough and Gauguin are all also on the bill. [caption id="attachment_792837" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers 1888, National Gallery, London, Image courtesy the National Gallery, London[/caption] When peering at the exhibition's pieces, art aficionados will be taken through seven important periods in Western European art history, from a range that spans 450 years. That means exploring work from the Italian Renaissance, checking out the Dutch painting of the Golden Age, and feasting your eyes on British portraiture — as well as scoping out pieces from the 17th- and 18th-century Grand Tour, Spanish art from the 17th century, works that focus on landscape and the picturesque, and examining the birth of modern art. When Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London hits our shores, it'll mark a big milestone, too — as the largest batch of works to venture beyond the United Kingdom in National Gallery's 192-year history. Announcing the exhibition, National Gallery of Australia Director Nick Mitzevich mentioned exactly what you're probably now thinking — that is, that the showcase is a nifty way to see the world in a period when we can't venture far physically. "At a time when Australian audiences are unable to travel overseas, we are thrilled to be able to welcome visitors to Canberra to see this exclusive showcase of world-class art," he said. Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London exhibits at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra from March 5–June 14, 2021, with tickets on sale now. Top images: Installation view, Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London; installation view, Anthony van Dyck, Lady Elizabeth Thimbelby and Dorothy, Viscountess, The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London; installation view, Giovanni Giralomo Savoldo, Mary Magdalene (far left), The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London.
Three months after closing its doors on the 55th floor of Rialto Towers, celebrated fine-diner Vue de monde is reopening with a whole new fit-out and menu. The adjoining Lui Bar is also back with a brand-new look and an expanded drinking area. During the break, Executive Chef Hugh Allen worked with his team to do a major update on the French-inspired food offering. "We've been working on the changes to Vue de monde and Lui Bar for a few years now, and it is wonderful to see everything come together. Taking a few months away from the day to day has helped us create what we believe are really special menus across the restaurant and the bar," Allen notes. Dishes from the opening menu are set to include grilled lamb sweetbreads with asparagus topped with a sauce made of fermented macadamia; padrón peppers filled with heirloom eggplant; and marron tail slowly grilled and served with a paste made from fried native herbs and accompanied by a warm marron roe custard. Wine continues to receive ample love here, as director Dorian Guillon and head sommelier Mathieu Gobin run Vue de monde's phenomenal, award-winning wine program comprised of 2,000 bins, hailing from both Australia and around the globe. When sitting down to eat, guests will still gather around the signature tables made by designer Ross Didier and kangaroo hide tabletops designed by Theo Hassett. But the rest of the interiors have been redone, mostly featuring luxe black and timber finishes. Restraint remains as the views across the city are the true star of the show up at Vue de monde. That goes for Bar Lui as well, which is now situated on the eastern and southern wings of the tower. The larger space is designed similarly to the Vue de monde dining room, yet with more natural finishes — think timber, marble, sheep skin and natural brass. Allen has developed a larger menu of snacks here, featuring Sydney rock oysters, Blackmore wagyu ribs and caviar service for the extra bougie folks out there. Lui Bar's manager Elisabetta Lupi has also curated a new cocktail list focusing on sustainability and native ingredients. Lupi's favourite new cocktail is the Margot — a spritz made with Davidson plums, rhubarb and lacto-fermented yellow tomatoes. It seems as if the same luxury French-inspired sensibilities of Vue de monde remain, but with a strong focus on local ingredients. Vue de monde is welcoming guests back from November 1, and Bar Lui will reopen on November 8. Find them both at Level 55 Rialto Towers, 525 Collins Street — open from Wednesday to Saturday.
Despite what the weather might have decided, Melbourne is cruising towards December — and that means another season of the NGV's Friday night parties is almost upon us. The much-loved mash-up of art, music and food is set to return weekly from Friday, December 16–Friday, April 14, with a truly tempting lineup of artists in tow. While Aussie-first exhibition Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse graces the gallery's spaces with an exploration of one of fashion's greats (from December 11–April 16), the new season of Friday nights will respond with a fittingly glittery, creatively-charged program of after-hours fun and live tunes. On the bill, you can look forward to an opening night gig from renowned Aussie neo-soul star Nai Palm, as well as appearances from the likes of Electric Fields, Banoffee, Emma Volard, Kee'ahn, C.FRIM, The Belair Lip Bombs, Billy Davis and stacks more. [caption id="attachment_862591" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Electric Fields, by Morgan Sette[/caption] As always, Friday Nights guests will score late-night access to the NGV's current exhibitions — this time around, that'll involve swooning over more than 110 garments and accessories designed by McQueen himself, plus numerous more artworks that drove his inspiration. Friday Nights will also feature screenings of some of the fashion legend's most dazzling runway shows, during which you'll spy many of the gorgeous designs currently being exhibited. [caption id="attachment_879195" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tobias Titz[/caption] Meanwhile, the Moët Champagne Terrace Bar will be pouring Moët Impérial and Moët Rosé Impérial; the Great Hall's Yering Station Wine Bar will be offering wine tastings and a tidy range of Yarra Valley vino; and gin-lovers can get their fix with classic G&T's and signature sips courtesy of the the Four Pillars Gin Bar. And in the NGV Garden, don't miss a DJ set or two, played live within the 2022 NGV Architecture Commission, Temple of Boom. The facade of this Parthenon replica is soon set to be decorated with overlapping large-scale artworks by a crew of Melbourne-based artists. [caption id="attachment_879200" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NGV's announcement of 'Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse' at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Kim Landy Getty[/caption] THE NGV FRIDAY NIGHTS SUMMER 22–23 LINEUP: December, 16 2022: Nai Palm, C.FRIM December, 23 2022: Nikodimos & his Orchestra, Vincent Sole December, 30 2022: The Belair Lip Bombs, Billos + Klomp January, 6 2023: 30/70, Zepherin Saint January, 13 2023: Emma Volard, Priya January, 20 2023: Billy Davis, Simona January, 27 2023: Kee'ahn, Adriana February, 3 2023: Banoffee, Priya February, 10 2023: Niine, Mabel February, 17 2023: Electric Fields, Crybaby February, 24 2023: Middle Name Dance Band, Afrodisiac March 3, 2023: Thibault, DJ JNETT March 10, 2023: Aarti Jadu, So Much So Much March 17, 2023: Waari, Lucreccia Quintanilla March 24, 2023: Elle Shimada Curates: Co-Dreamers Experience, Henry Guala March 31, 2023: Teether & Kuya Neil, Ada & Olypso April 7, 2023: Komang, Moopie April 14, 2023: Izy, Darcy Justice NGV Friday Nights will run from December 16–April 14, at NGV International, St Kilda Rd, Melbourne. For tickets and details, jump online. Top Images: Tobias Titz
If you haven't been to Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau) — or it's been a while — it's time to get (re)acquainted. Emanating a fresh urban energy, Auckland is buzzing with bar and restaurant openings, thought-provoking exhibitions, and thrilling outdoor adventures — all while honouring its unique cultural legacy. If you play it right, Auckland feels more like a creative playground than a city — you just need to know what mood you're in. Whether you're feeling adventurous, romantic or indulgent, here's how to nail your next Auckland visit. What To Do When You Feel Like… A Hit Of Adrenaline Need a healthy rush? It's not every day you can jump off a country's highest landmark but Auckland's Sky Tower offers you the chance to do just that. Described as base jumping by wire, SkyJump is an 11-second freefall from 192 metres high. Reach speeds of up to 85 kilometres per hour before coming to a smooth landing at the base — so enjoy the view up there. Too fast? Scale the Auckland Harbour Bridge with a two-hour guided tour right to the top. Soak up 360-degree views of the city, embark on a sunset tour, or double down on the adrenaline by bungee jumping off the bridge instead. Auckland's Waiheke Island is home to an array of zip lines guaranteed to get your heart racing. EcoZip Adventures offers a three-hour zipline journey through the treetops, soaring high above lush, native forest, while the Man O' War Forest Flight allows you to comfortably zip at your own pace across three 200-metre ziplines and boardwalks, ending at Man O' War's magnificent winery for a tasting. What To Do When You Feel Like… Indulging In Some 'Me Time' While a holiday is generally considered 'me time', jam-packed itineraries and travelling with others can sometimes leave us craving a solo outing. Luckily, Auckland boasts many indulgent treatments to help you find solace. Treat yourself to spa treatments at Chuan Spa in the city. Offering luxurious experiences that blend traditional Chinese medicine with modern wellness, you can expect a satisfying menu of treatments and facilities, including massages, facials, saunas, herbal steam rooms, and a heated rooftop pool. They also won spa of the year, so you know you're in good hands. Abstract Hotel's in-house award-winning Sa-Ni Spa offers affordable treatments in the city's heart. Devoted to holistic healing and wellness, Sa-Ni Spa incorporates ancient techniques and traditional aromatherapy throughout its offerings. Our top pick? Deep Sleep Therapy. A signature massage that calms your nervous system, inducing the most peaceful sleep you've ever had. While an escape to Auckland can bring a world of calm, a visit to East Day Spa at the Grand by Sky City will deepen your relaxation even further. Promising an oasis of healing with a no-phone policy so you can switch off from the world, East Day Spa boasts 11 treatment rooms — including four double suites, zen heat experiences, and a relaxation atrium. What To Do When You Feel Like… You're Overstimulated and Need To Zen One of the best antidotes to burnout? Immersing yourself in Mother Nature or moving your body — combining the two is even better. And you're certainly spoiled for choice in Auckland. Craving zen? Roll out a yoga mat in one of the coolest settings: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. Immerse yourself in the calming, meditative practice of Hatha yoga while surrounded by magnificent, historic artworks and sculptures. Classes run for an hour every Sunday and Tuesday evening. If you'd rather be outdoors, swap the mat for a picnic rug among beautiful plants and lush gardens. Wander through Auckland Domain's impressive Wintergarden—an ever-changing trove of rare plants, including the Amorphophallus titanum (corpse flower) — and follow a trail of captivating outdoor sculptures. Alternatively, hop over to the city's southern side and explore Auckland's Botanic Gardens filled with aromatic flowers and a picturesque lake. It's an idyllic slice of stillness in Auckland. The best part? It's free. Speaking of picturesque, Waiheke Island offers you a hike for every mood, whether after a leisurely stroll or a more challenging trek. If you're eager to take it easy and slow, we recommend the Whakanewha Loop. The two-hour, grade four hike is through Nikau forest and native bush with cascades along the way. But, if you're up for something that's a little more challenging, set out on the Mokemoke Pā headland walk — a two-hour, grade seven walking loop that hugs Waiheke's stunning coastline. What To Do When You Feel Like… A Fancy Snack Auckland's vibrant food scene offers plenty of gourmet bites, share-worthy small plates, and indulgent treats perfect for a snack-filled day of exploring. If you're in the mood for a taste of Italy, head to pocket-sized Pici, where its signature cacio e pepe pasta is a must-try. For a twist on Mediterranean classics, Lebanese favourite Gemmayze Street serves up heavenly homemade hummus, which you can even take home to keep the flavour lingering. For high-brow fancy snacks, look no further than Bar Magda. Here, Filipino-inspired plates like tuna on toast with mayo, anchovy, and flying fish caviar bring a refreshing take on bar snacks. Alternatively, visit local favourite Atelier, where French-style tapas and freshly shucked oysters await, alongside a curated selection of local and international cheeses — or, if you're on the hunt for incredible vegetarian bites, swing by Hatted restaurant Forest in Mount Eden. Think small plates like seaweed-dusted fries with toasted chilli goop and crunchy crudités dunked in creamy garlic pine nut dip. If you're near the CBD, Auckland's snack scene has you covered. Darling On Drake offers a sprawling terrace where you can sample saucy prawn rolls or short rib nuggets with mustard mayo. For something sweet, Giapo is a must-visit. Known for its world-famous hokey pokey ice cream, it isn't your average ice creamery. Its inventive flavours — like velvet cake with cream cheese or pumpkin seed praline are as much of an experience as they are a treat. Craving luxury? Miann Chocolate Factory is a dream dessert boutique. From fairytale-like mousse mushroom cakes to imaginative tiramisu treats, each dessert is meticulously detailed and (almost) too beautiful to eat. What To Do When You Feel Like… Learning Something New Auckland is the perfect destination for those who crave fresh experiences and the thrill of learning something new. Whether you're exploring your creative side or honing a new skill, the city offers plenty of opportunities to expand your horizons. Get your green thumb wagging at Babylon, Auckland's beloved plant store. Learn how to create a Japanese Kokedama or build a vibrant terrarium. Plus, for the most heinous indoor plant killers, Babylon offers courses on how to nurture your own plant babies. If you're in the mood to get your hands dirty, The Clay Centre in Mt Wellington runs creative workshops, including its popular "wheel and wine" class. It's a great way to unwind while learning the art of pottery. For a quieter but equally rewarding experience, try its Saturday morning coffee-and-clay sessions. To refine your artistic skills, Studio One Toi Tū in Grey Lynn offers a variety of classes, from life drawing to knotting macramé bracelets. They even offer specialised workshops like traditional Māori jewellery carving. Don't forget to check out one of the exhibitions at the studio, which showcases local and international talent. If you're looking for something a little more adventurous, why not learn to surf at Muriwai Beach? Set against dramatic dunes and cliffs, the beach is about 40 minutes north-west of Auckland and is an idyllic spot to learn the basics of surfing (or advanced technical skills if you've surfed for years). And don't worry about the cold — winter wetsuits are included, so you can stay warm while soaking up the stunning coastal views. Just a short flight away, Auckland is the perfect long weekend destination for travellers seeking urban energy and unexpected natural gems. Find out more here. By Jacque Kennedy
Whether or not we wanted it to, the pandemic threw a stick in the hamster wheel of life. For some, it caused a permanent change to their 9-to-5s. For others, holidays and plans halted. For many, it meant stepping back and reassessing: with regular life on pause, were there any changes to make before it all starts spinning again? Career and sea changes aside, this could mean choosing to swap the screen for stargazing — or working overtime on the weekend for two days of waterfall chasing — a little more often. In the words of twins Cam and Chris Grant, maybe now's the time to live a life a little more unyoked. The Grant brothers founded Aussie startup Unyoked back in 2017 and now have 15 — soon-to-be 17 — off-grid cabins across NSW, Victoria and Queensland, including one designed by Matthew McConaughey. All properties have been placed in secret patches of wilderness, in the middle of nowhere, allowing you to well and truly escape the big smoke. Each cabin is designed to make you feel like you're part of the surrounding landscape. Think timber, oversized windows, solar power, composting toilets and a blissful lack of wi-fi. At the same time, though, simple comforts are taken care of, so you get a cosy bed, kitchen appliances, firewood, Single O coffee, cocktails made in collaboration with Archie Rose and Capital brews. With its remote cabins, Unyoked encourages Aussies to travel more, log off more and challenge the typical 9-to-5. To help you do just that, the company is giving you the chance to break free from the grind and get off-grid with two-night getaways in a remote cabin — every three months for the rest of your life. Yep, it's the offer of a lifetime. To win, Unyoked needs your help naming one of its new cabins. The company names all its locations after 'unyoked' people Chris and Cam have met on their travels. There's the Lucia, named after a woman they met in London who had quit her media gig to travel; and the Miguel, who was "floating around the jungle outside Chiang Mai" in Thailand when the twins met him. So, if you know a free-spirit who inspires you to live a little more nomadic, you just need to put their name forward. Then, if your suggested name is chosen, you'll be able to escape to any of Unyoked's cabins for two nights, four times a year, every year — and be a little bit more like your nominated unyoked mate. While it's not a prize anyone in metro Melbourne or Mitchell Shire can redeem right away — with the current stay-at-home orders in place, adventuring out of the city is off the cards for the moment — it is a prize that would help sitting tight through the rest of the areas' six-week lockdown 2.0 a little less painful. [caption id="attachment_774963" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maddy Tonks[/caption] To enter, see details below. [competition]777221[/competition]
Don't say that you don't have anything to watch between Friday, March 1–Monday, March 11, or that you've only got the usual couch-viewing options. Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival is back for 2024, which isn't just wonderful news for Sydney's cinephiles. Thanks to the event's returning online component, it's also ace for folks located outside of the Harbour City. A feast of queer cinema coming to your chosen small screen. As always, the lineup of movies that Sydneysiders can catch at MGFF's in-person sessions is far larger than its online program — but you can still join in from home no matter where in Australia you're located. For cinephiles watching on from the couch, choices include All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White, the Berlinale Teddy Award-winning love story about two men dealing with Nigeria's anti-gay laws; Mexico's All the Silence, centring on a CODA (child of deaf adults) and her girlfriend who is deaf; F.L.Y., which sees two exes living under the same roof during the pandemic; and Mutt, which won Lio Mehiel a Special Jury Award-winner at Sundance for their performance. Or, opt for drama Old Narcissus about getting older in Japan, with a 74-year-old children's author finding connection with a sex worker. You'll also be able to stream several shorts packages online, including sessions dedicated to Asia Pacific, comedy, gay, non-binary and gender diverse, queer horror, queer documentaries, transgender and sapphic films. The My Queer Career short film fest will hop online as well, featuring seven films competing for $16,000-plus in prizes.
It's hard to come by actual hidden gems in your city these days. Chances are you've heard about the latest hidden/vegan/swimming/cannoli hotspot via social media — and so have the masses, and they've beaten you there. Most, save the truly intrepid city wanderers among us, often miss the boat on undiscovered goldmines. But hey, it's more than okay to jump on a bandwagon if something is truly good (we'll admit it; we've lined up at Lune Croissanterie with the best of 'em). But how about those little nuggets of gold in your city you've forgotten, or never got around to visiting in the first place? This summer just might be the perfect time to back-up a little bit, consult the notes app in your iPhone and see what you had scribbled down as a to-do. Not sure where to start? We've partnered with Henkell, purveyors of quality Blanc de Blancs bubbles, to pull together a hit list of some (kinda) hidden gems to dig up around Melbourne on your summer break. They'll all bring a little sparkle to your day and remind you that Melbourne is pretty darn great. CATCH A BLOCKBUSTER AT AN OUTDOOR CINEMA Running until March 2019 in the Botanic Gardens, Moonlight Cinema is one of the few openair cinemas that welcomes you to BYO picnics and alcohol. An outdoor cinema may not be so hidden or forgotten during the summer, but this tidbit of information certainly makes this one a diamond in the rough. Make it a grand affair — bring some Henkell sparkling and catch some of this year's favourite flicks, a smattering of all-time faves and a few sneak peeks at new movies coming out soon. Tried-and-tested highlights include A Star Is Born, A Simple Favour and Crazy Rich Asians, plus Halloween, Bad Times at the El Royale and Venom if you're after something darker. The first part of the program has been released, with the second half arriving in mid-January. [caption id="attachment_701556" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lean Timms.[/caption] LAZE AWAY THE DAY ON THE RIVER Pick one of those perfect summer days to get out onto the water. Just 30 minutes on public transport from the CBD will put you at the leisurely Fairfield Boathouse, where you can rent a rowboat and float the day away on the water. To top things off, you can even bring a picnic (and a bottle of Henkell Trocken) to enjoy as you lounge the day away on the water. And if you're looking for something for you and the crew, come January, you'll be able to rent one of the new GoBoats headed for Docklands in early 2019. These eco-friendly picnic boats are slow-moving, a breeze to operate, don't require a boating licence and they feature a central picnic table with room for eight people and some BYO food and drinks. And despite what you might be thinking, they're even affordable enough to fit your post-holiday budget — simply find enough eager sailors to jump aboard and a GoBoat session will cost you less than $15 per person, per hour. That's $109 hourly in total. [caption id="attachment_701750" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matthew Paul Argall.[/caption] WANDER THE RJ HAMER ARBORETUM Sure, your local park might be pleasant enough and conveniently located — but does it have 120 hectares worth of 150 different varieties of trees? Unlikely, if you live cityside. So, follow the Eastern Freeway a decent ways away to wind up in Olinda, home of the RJ Hamer Arboretum. It's always a few degrees cooler in the hills than the mainland — if you can't stand the heat anymore, this is a top-notch escape from the hot city. Starting with views from the entrance hill — of the Yarra Valley and Silvan Dam framed above the conifer trees — you'll wander down, discovering an immense encyclopedia of trees, plants and probably wildlife too (watch out for lyrebirds). The beauty lies in the fact that there's something new to see every season of the year, so you've got a hidden gem four times over. Bring walking shoes (it's hilly) and a picnic. REDISCOVER THE YARRA WITH A DIP AND A PICNIC The Yarra River isn't all brown city stretches full of rowers and tourist cruises. Sure, that bit around Flinders Street is — and you wouldn't be jumping in there even if you dropped your phone — but don't forget the whole thing stretches some 242 kilometres across the city and well beyond. Make for the gleam of clearer waters outside of the CBD by heading northeast to Warrandyte. Pound Bend Reserve is worth the commute, offering you a beaut stretch of the Yarra for a refreshing summer dip (head through the rock tunnel if you're brave enough), bushwalk in the surrounding area (about four kilometres round trip) and picnic facilities here and there to settle in at once you've swum. No dogs allowed, but BYO footy — there's heaps of grass. GET A CULTURE DOSE AT NEWPORT'S SUBSTATION Newport is a mere 10 minutes from Melbourne's CBD. It's part of the bayside suburbs that make up a lot of Melbourne's west and have more going on than you might think — plus a bayside breeze you'll love on a hot summer's night. The Substation is an arts and culture venue that ticks quite a number of boxes. A live music go-to, gallery and dance studio are just a couple of them. Coming up soon are an experimental sound performance (William Basinksi and Caterina Barbieri), a multimedia cinema and contemporary dance installation (Cinematic Experiments) and a video installation about the power of rumour (by Melanie Jame Wolf). The inner west has just as much art scene clout as the inner north, it seems. Summer is here and it's time to pop the bubbly. Pick up a bottle of Henkell Blanc de Blancs or Henkell Trocken for your next sparkling occasion.
When RISING 2025 announced everything that'll fill Melbourne across 12 June days, it didn't skimp on details. A free installation by a teamLab alum, exclusive Suki Waterhouse gigs, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, an art exhibition that's also a nine-hole mini-golf course in Flinders Street Station Ballroom, Yasiin Bey with Talib Kweli, Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Aotearoa favourite Marlon Williams, Olivier-winning hip-hop dance work BLKDOG: they were just some of the standouts. What happens when you've already unveiled a huge 65 events featuring 327 artists, but you still have more fun to share with the Victorian capital? Enter a new round of additions to RISING's 2025 program. More music, more comedy, a fest-within-the-fest: that's where the latest batch of RISING events starts, jamming even more things to do into its Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 dates. If you didn't already feel spoiled for choice — whether you're a Melburnian kicking off winter in the best possible way at home or you're making plans to head to the festival from interstate — you will now. "This next chapter of the program expands RISING's reach across the city — with more artists, more public moments and more ways to encounter art in the everyday," explains RISING Co-Artistic Directors Hannah Fox and Gidoen Obarzanek. "From the full-scale Fed Square takeover led by some of Pakistan's most-vital contemporary musicians, to a new live variety show by the brilliant Zoë Coombs Marr, to an all-in community dance at Melbourne Town Hall with Country Struts, these works speak to the energy, humour and cultural depth that define RISING." Fox and Obarzanek have mentioned some of the new highlights, such as the lineup for BLOCKBUSTER, a free ode to South Asian culture in Federation Square — and also Zoë Coombs Marr's new variety show. The first features street food, Pakistani R&B, Punjabi rap, art trucks, workshops and more in general, and Faris Shafi, Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan aka Xulfi, Annural Khalid, Zain and Zohaib, Sherry Khattak and the Coke Studio Pakistan house band specifically. The second, Wrap It Up, takes its cues from Coombs Marr's love of late-night television. Also now part of RISING's program: Tropical Fuck Storm playing The Forum, in what'll be their last show in Melbourne before heading to Europe; a film retrospective dedicated to Miranda July, fittingly given that the Me and You and Everyone We Know, The Future and Kajillionaire filmmaker is among the artists curating Swingers: The Art of Mini Golf 's greens; and Matthew Barnes aka Forest Swords putting on his first Melbourne live show in a decade, blending electronic landscapes on ACMI's cinema screen with electronic tunes [caption id="attachment_1001603" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jamie Wdziekonsk[/caption] The Country Struts Winter Hoedown at Melbourne Town Hall also joins the lineup, if you're keen to make boot-scootin' shapes. Then there's the free roster of tunes and performances as part of the returning Night Trade between Capitol Arcade and Howey Place, with Kgomotso, LUNA, Zjoso and Nyege Nyege Collective all on the bill. Prefer a pop-up tiny rave? These little dance floors are also a Night Trade special, and will boast big-name DJs. That Melbourne Art Trams' latest iteration would roll around town during RISING was both expected and confirmed in the initial program drop, but now the artists doing the honours have been revealed. This year's talents include Kelly Koumalatsos, Maree Clarke, Jennifer Mullett and Patsy Smith, all creating works about the lived experience of First Nations women. One tram will sport a collaborative piece by Laurel Robinson, Amy Briggs, Cynthia Hardie and Rochelle Patten, while Beruk's Corroborree (Women in possum skin cloaks) from 1897 will also feature. [caption id="attachment_1001604" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tamarah Scott[/caption] There's still more from there — back from the March program drop and from the just-announced new additions. So, get ready for return of eight-hour music fest-meets-block party Day Tripper, spontaneous supergroups forming at The Toff in Town, septuagenarian grime stars Peter Bowditch and Basil Bellgrave, Black Star, RONA, Soccer Mommy, Japanese Breakfast, The Wrong Gods from Counting and Cracking's S Shakthidharan and a celebration of Divinyls legend Chrissy Amphlett via cabaret, too. Or, get excited about artists talks, food specials, sound artist Sara Retallick using The City Baths as a composition space, SHOUSE's Communitas making a comeback, a playful stage musing on heartbreak with the appropriate soundtrack, six performers working through 36 Shakespeare plays using household objects and Hamlet staged by a neurodiverse cast as well. [caption id="attachment_994702" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mathieu Bitton[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ryan Cara[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994700" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Woopsyang[/caption] RISING 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 across Melbourne. Head to the event's website for further information. Top image: Tobias Titz.
It's one of Australia's iconic novels. It has won a swag of awards, sold a heap of copies and been turned into a play. It's a Brisbane-set story that trod those boards in Brissie, and now it's a Netflix series that was shot in the River City, too. Boy Swallows Universe has been on its way to the small screen for some time, complete with behind-the-scenes glimpses of the production to prove it — and you can check out the TV adaptation's just-dropped first teaser trailer. Harper Collins sold the television rights to the novel back in 2019, with Aussie actor and filmmaker Joel Edgerton (The Stranger) set to produce the resulting series since then. Netflix announced its involvement in 2022. After originally stating that the show would arrive in 2023, the streaming platform hasn't attached a date to its debut sneak peek at Boy Swallows Universe — but it's firmly on its way. Written by Trent Dalton, the novel won the Book of the Year, Literary Book of the Year and Audio Book of the Year at the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards — and was longlisted for Australia's most prestigious literature prize, the Miles Franklin Award when it hit the page — for spinning a story about a young boy, his prophetic brother and his jailbreaking best friend as they navigate the heroin-filled underworld of 80s Queensland. Also included: Eli Bell's (Felix Cameron, Penguin Bloom) attempt to understand how to be a good person, with his plight spanning a lost father, a criminal for a babysitter, a mum recovering from addiction, a mute brother and a stepfather who deals. Netflix's adaptation span eight episodes, running as a self-contained limited series, as it tells a coming-of-age tale caught between childhood's magic and adulthood's reality. Travis Fimmel (Black Snow) also stars as Lyle Orlik, while the cast includes Simon Baker (Limbo) as Robert Bell and Phoebe Tonkin (Babylon) as Frances Bell — plus Lee Tiger Halley (The Heights) as Gus Bell. Also featuring: Bryan Brown (Hungry Ghosts) as Slim Halliday, Anthony LaPaglia (Nitram) as Tytus Broz, and Sophie Wilde (Talk to Me) as Caitlyn Spies, plus Christopher James Baker (Ozark) as Ivan Kroll, HaiHa Le (Spooky Files) as Bich Dang and Deborah Mailman (The New Boy) as Poppy Birkbeck. And, you'll see Ben O'Toole (Barons) as Teddy, Zachary Wan (Never Too Late) as Darren Dang, and Millie Donaldson (Jack Irish) and Eloise Rothfield as Shelley Huffman (aged 17 and 13, respectively). Boy Swallows Universe is directed by Bharat Nalluri (The Man Who Invented Christmas), Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker) and Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket), and scripted by screenwriter John Collee (Master and Commander, Happy Feet, Hotel Mumbai). The impressive names involved extend to the show's executive producers, too, which include Troy Lum (The Water Diviner, Saving Mr Banks, Mao's Last Dancer), Andrew Mason (The Matrix, The Water Diviner), Sophie Gardiner (Howard's End, Chimerica), Kerry Roberts (Foe, Boy Erased), and Edgerton. Check out the trailer for Boy Swallows Universe below: Boy Swallows Universe will stream via Netflix, but doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when it's announced.
If variety is your M.O. — the Bells Hotel is the place for you. This sprawling South Melbourne venue boasts a multitude of indoor and outdoor spaces to accommodate all kinds of people for all kinds of occasions. For those who prefer to hang within four walls, there's a sports bar, parlour bar and restaurant, conversely, the sun-hungry outdoorsy types can enjoy a rooftop terrace, garden bar and sun lounge. It has all bases well and truly covered. The menu contains all the classics and offers fantastic specials every day of the week. On Saturdays, punters can get wings and a pot for a neat $10. If you're keen for a boogie, head along to Twilight Fridays on the rooftop terrace and you can twerk the night away.
It's no exaggeration to say you can fill a weekend's dining itinerary without straying from Kyneton's quaint Piper Street. A mere hour from Melbourne's CBD, the country town is just one of many visit-worthy spots nestled within the Macedon Ranges area. Kyneton itself is home to mineral springs, the Campaspe River, beautiful gardens and more. But for foodies, Piper Street is the main drawcard. Brunch and coffee options are many, but there are two standouts. Little Swallow Cafe is the spot for excellent coffee and locals can be seen meeting here for a cup at all times of the day. Annie Smithers Bistrot can be enjoyed for any meal, but the breakfast here is a treat. A more sophisticated dining experience, this is the place if you want brunch to feel a little special. The leafy garden courtyard is delightful on a sunny morning and delivers that great balance between country surrounds and food that would hold its own in the city; there's nothing quite like a fresh country hen's egg from down the road, poached and served with zucchini and corn fritters, citrus, herb and gin cured salmon, garden rocket and hollandaise. If you've had an early breakfast (it would be a wise strategy), you'll have plenty of time in the day for lunch as well. This need not be limited to dining in. If the sun is shining, many young Melburnians will whiz through town on their way to Turpin or Trentham Falls — both popular and spectacular swimming holes that are gaining popularity year on year through whispered tip-offs. You'll see them stop in at the Kyneton Bakehouse or Piper Street Food Store for supplies, and with good reason. The bakery claims to be Victoria's fourth best, while the Food Store is a haven for gourmet picnic fare, fresh fruit and vegetables, snacks, condiments and deli items. If tailgating the hipsters doesn't appeal, there are wineries aplenty in the area for an afternoon tipple with some stunning views. The modest and homely Hanging Rock Winery boasts a view of the Rock and happily pours tastings of their award-winning wines, while both Kyneton Ridge and Gisborne Peak do tasty wood-fired pizzas if you can find the stomach space for it. Back on Piper for dinner (let's hope you’ve managed some kind of non-food-related activity in-between), you're once again spoiled for choice. Mr Carsisi is an award-winning Middle Eastern restaurant with modern flavours and smooth service. Stick to the mezze options (ideal for sharing) and you shan't go wrong. The Royal George Hotel holds a chef hat and offers fine dining in the Wedgewood room (ooh la la) or a more casual experience in the bar and grill. Or, if you fancy something more aromatic, Dhaba — which began as a food truck and now resides in The Mill on Piper Street — is the place for superbly honest, authentic Indian cuisine. It's not often one can actually achieve the best of both worlds, but here is a pocket of Victoria that holds country charm and purity of air with a food scene that would hold up solidly in the very centre of Melbourne. A day trip here will have you planning your swift return.
"I've had an incredible life," says David Bowie in Moonage Daydream. "I'd love to do it again." Alas, even for a music icon who always seemed beamed in from the future, another world or both — his casting in 1976 sci-fi masterpiece The Man Who Fell to Earth was perfection, as was the movie's title — that isn't possible. For viewers, however, reliving that spellbinding, shapeshifting, stratosphere-blasting existence is as easy as watching Brett Morgen's documentary. The Cobain: Montage of Heck filmmaker calls it "an experience", and that's exactly what the mind-blowingly immersive and spectacular blend of sound and vision delivers. It doesn't sound difficult, making a movie about someone as visionary as Bowie. There's so much to his life, so many decades of music and live performances to draw upon, and such a wealth of other touchstones — his acting, art, reinventions, alter egos ("I collect personalities," Bowie notes in the film) — to layer in. But Moonage Daydream isn't a Bowie biopic and was never going to be. That simply isn't Morgen's style; instead, he's all about digging into what makes his subjects tick, delight and surprise, then conveying that in a manner that so deeply captures their essence it feels like no other picture about them could've existed. In Moonage Daydream, that means using Bowie himself as the kaleidoscopic feature's narrator via soundbites and interviews from across his entire career. It means not only weaving archival materials spanning half a century-plus into an ever-twisting and spinning collage, but recutting famous footage, such as revered concert film Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, from the original camera reels to unveil something new. It also means being driven by a playlist that covers Bowie's whole discography, and speaks to doco's exploration of chaos, fragmentation and transience, plus their constant relevance to his work. It truly does mean a big-screen spectacular, as the man recently voted the most influential British artist of the last 50 years deserves. "I don't know why they stopped at 50 years. Who's topping him, and why not century?" says Morgen, in Australia for this year's Melbourne International Film Festival back in August, chatting to Concrete Playground the morning after Bowie topped that British arts industry poll. "I would go a little further and say perhaps the greatest artist globally of the past 50 years," Morgen advises, before stepping through why Bowie remains such an enduring cultural presence, how Moonage Daydream came together, getting approval to make the first authorised film after Bowie's death and what he learned from living the Bowie dream. ON BOWIE'S EVERLASTING INFLUENCE "I think to reframe that question is: why does he continue to have so much influence and resonance? Because David meant something in 72 when Ziggy [Stardust, the seminal album] came out that was specific to that moment in time — and until the internet came about in the early 90s, as there were less sources for media and to find subcultures and tribes, Bowie united a lot of likeminded individuals and nurtured them. Moving forward, what's amazing is that each generation seems to discover and embrace Bowie, and they seem to discover him on their own. Sometimes you hear 'oh my dad played him' or whatever, but most of the time, talking to fans, they all arrive at Bowie on their own around the time they're sort of entering puberty. He becomes a kind of rite of passage — this sounds a bit cliched and we have other sources now to reference, but perhaps musically he captured that sense of alienation and confusion, and some of those feelings that we all experience at 12, 13 or 14 as we're all trying to feel our way throughout this world. Bowie, one of the reasons that he is one of the few artists of that era to continue to resonate with young audiences has to do with the fact that Bowie was so far ahead of his time that we might now just be entering the age of Bowie. David used to say in 1971 that he was writing for the 21st century in the 1970s. David's stock and trade was chaos and fragmentation — those were, as he would say, the throughline for his art. If we think of it, the world has only become more fragmented and more chaotic, and Bowie was writing the soundtrack for that world. Great artists have an ability to hear and see what is happening all around us but most of us can't see or hear yet, and Bowie had that gift for several decades. I had shown the film to Bono, who sent me an email the day after he saw it saying that he saw a lot of similarity in my style with Moonage and [U2's] Zoo TV. I went back and looked at Zoo TV, their 91 tour, and at the time the Zoo TV tour was presented as something futuristic and sci-fi — the internet, I don't even think it had started yet, but when you look at Zoo TV, it looks like something you would do when you were doing a tour today. And what I said to Bono was that 'I think like David, you weren't a futurist; you weren't writing about the future, you were writing about the present, just none of the rest of us were able to access it yet'. I think that has a lot to do with why certain artists are able to resonate across time, and David had that gift." ON HOW THE FIRST AUTHORISED BOWIE FILM AFTER HIS DEATH CAME TOGETHER "I had been doing theatrical documentaries for 23 years, and so the way I was able to get approval was most likely my previous endeavours, Cobain: Montage of Heck and The Kid Stays in the Picture, resonated with the estate. Where do you start a film or how do you construct a film that's designed to be an experience? It wasn't easy. It was slightly torturous. I made a decision from the get-go that I had no interest in producing a biography — that my interest was purely in sound and vision, and that I had no interest in trying to define or explain Bowie. That, I thought would be a fool's interest. So I just kind of embraced that, and it was a bit like trying to find your way out of a maze in the dark. I stumbled, I ran into walls, I cried, I felt Jack Torrence in The Shining: all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. [caption id="attachment_869789" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Liam Arthur[/caption] There was a point — I didn't have a producer, I didn't have a staff, I was making a David Bowie film for IMAX by myself, it was like an arts and crafts project. And it was weird, it was not a traditional approach. I don't mean in terms of the methodology — I just mean the actual genre that I was trying to explore is not a genre that exists. So about six months into the cutting, no one had seen a frame, I didn't even have an assistant editor in the building, and I needed a change of scenery. I was going to take my media to a place I had rented out of town, and before I left I called my wife who's my executive producer, partner and brilliant filmmaker Debra Eisenstadt, and said, 'listen I need you to come and look at what I have'. She said, 'do you want me to take notes?'. And I go, 'no no, I don't want notes, I just want you to tell me if it's a film'. She goes, 'what do you mean, if it's going to work?'. And I go, 'no no, I mean like does it actually make sense shot to shot? Am I insane, you know? Like, literally is it in English or have I lost my fucking mind?'. She came into my office. I pressed play, and I was sitting behind her. She couldn't see me — I was shaking, I was so uncomfortable because I thought I was about to get exposed, and I thought when she would turn to me and with deep concern in her eyes going 'what have you done?'. And she looked at the film and turned back and said 'it's a diamond in the raw — a diamond in the raw'. She goes, 'keep going', and that was wildly important in the genesis of the film. So it really wasn't until the film was at rough cut stage that anybody including the financiers saw a frame it. ON STARTING MOONAGE DAYDREAM AS A CASUAL FAN, BUT ENDING IT A DEVOTEE "I was a casual fan at best. I think that when I was 12 or 13, Hunky Dory was one of my favourite albums. I probably stopped listening on an active basis when I got to college. I liked Bowie, but I never read a book about him, never did any sort of deep dive, but had obvious tremendous respect and admiration. Rediscovering him at 47 was as illuminating and inspiring as discovering him at 12 or 13. Most people gravitate towards Bowie's 70s catalogue — and for those who are well-versed in the 70s catalogue, I am thrilled to report that his later period work beginning with Outside, to me, is as revelatory and inspiring as any of his earlier endeavours. He's just one of a kind. Oh my god, if I ended the project a casual fan — I am, I believe, as hardcore as it gets right now. After spending years living and breathing David Bowie, you would think I'd had enough. But yesterday I was driving around Melbourne with my 14-year-old son, and he's like, 'dad, really, we're going to listen to Bowie? You haven't had enough?'. And I was like, 'no, I haven't.' I'm very blessed that I didn't enter the film from this vantage point because it would've, I think, felt too much of a burden given my reverence and appreciation I currently hold for David." [caption id="attachment_869788" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Olivier Borde[/caption] ON LEARNING FROM BOWIE TO APPRECIATE EVERY MOMENT "Everything that's embedded into the film was revelatory for me, and it has to do with his philosophy and approach to his day-to-day living. His appreciation for life and for challenging oneself to make the most out of each and every moment — that was something that I did not anticipate unearthing in my journey with David Bowie." Moonage Daydream screens in cinemas Down Under from September 15. Read our full review.
Get ready to see 23 words get engraved on a pivotal piece of jewellery: "one ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them". The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been renewed for a third season, and Sauron's efforts to make the One Ring will be its focus. Yes, Prime Video's prequel series will move closer to the events of The Hobbit movie adaptations and OG live-action Lord of the Rings films. And yes, to do so, there'll be a time jump in its narrative. The streaming platform has announced that the fantasy hit will return for a third season, which is currently in pre-production. To The Hollywood Reporter, it also revealed where the story will head. The War of the Elves and Sauron will be in full swing, as will the Dark Lord's efforts to forge an item to help in his quest for dominance: the ring that becomes so crucial in the books penned by JRR Tolkien. When the new season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will arrive hasn't yet been revealed. Whenever it shows up, the season will continue exploring Middle-earth's history — telling a tale that's taken the elves, dwarves, orcs, wizards and harfoots to everyone's streaming queue, and also featured talking and walking trees, giant spiders and Sauron's chaos. Set in the fantasy realm conjured up by Tolkien — as unrelated animated movie The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, which hit cinemas in late 2024, also is — The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power dives into Middle-earth's Second Age. In season one, a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) had a mission to hunt the enemy, after her brother gave his life doing the same. She saw fighting for fate and destiny as the work for something greater. A young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man) was part of that journey, and the big bad who needed staving off was indeed Sauron (Charlie Vickers, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart). Since then, the show has started charting how the rings were forged, as well as Sauron's rise and the impact across Middle-earth. So, it's a battle between good and ascending evil, then, as the Dark Lord keeps pushing his shadowy influence. If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial emergence and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. The Rings of Power remains separate to the big-screen Lord of the Rings revival that was first announced in 2023 and now has new movie Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum in the works. If you're a LoTR fan, there's no such thing as too much for this franchise, though — like breakfast for hobbits. There's obviously no trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season three yet, but check out the trailer for season two below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power streams via Prime Video. Season three doesn't yet have a release date. Read our review of season one.
Your flirtation with the humble crumpet might not have graduated much beyond the odd Golden-branded supermarket packet, but that's all set to change with the arrival of one new, very dedicated cafe. Holy Crumpets has landed in Melbourne's CBD and it's a full-blown celebration of the old-school brekkie favourite. The brainchild of local crumpet aficionado Joshua Clements, the cafe's premise is simple, yet genius: cracking house-made crumpets paired with top-quality Melbourne coffee. Locally sourced ingredients star throughout the menu of crumpets, which are all baked in-house daily and all $5 (apart from a couple of 'Fancy Bois' for $7). They're not your standard crumpets either — they're made using naturally fermented sourdough with freshly milled wholewheat flour, for a snack that's a little more nutritious than its supermarket cousin. As well as six-packs of untoasted crumpets to stock your pantry, you'll find a rotation of single-serve, ready-to-scoff options, featuring crafty toppings alongside more traditional options. Think Vegemite, jam and cinnamon, passionfruit curd with ricotta, and even a seasonal concoction of truffle butter, blackberry honey and finely grated pecorino. A trio of peanut butter varieties runs from a rich, dark roast to one with macadamia and wattle, and there's currently over half a dozen honey options you can have slathered on your crumpet. The perfect match? Top-notch coffee from Melbourne's own Wood & Co. Espressos and batch brews star alongside a slew of Assembly teas and Chai Boi chai to round out your oh-so-cosy crumpet feast. Images: Tracey Ah-kee.
"Everything they told you about severance is a lie." Those words might ring true in the world of Severance, the Apple TV+ sci-fi thriller that debuted in 2022 and proved one of that year's best new shows, but it isn't accurate about the series itself. Based on its first season, this mindbender deserves all the praise that it gets and more, and it's all 100-percent correct. If the teaser trailer for the upcoming second season is anything to go by, it'll be serving up more work-life nightmares — and twists, tension and must-see viewing — from January. Thinking about how to best balance your professional and personal spheres, and the time you dedicate to them, is an annual tradition when each new year starts. The Christmas break has been and gone, everyone is making resolutions for the 12 months ahead, and better dividing your time between work and everything else becomes a goal for most. Come Friday, January 17, 2025, however, the subject will get a bigger push via this hugely anticipated TV return — and so will how work-life balance can weigh on your mind, or not. Capitalising on perfect timing, Apple TV+ is finally ending the wait for more Severance, the series where disconnecting from your job come quittin' time — and giving your gig every ounce of your focus during your daily grind — has become literal in a hellish way. At Lumon Industries, employees agree to undertake the titular procedure, which splits their memories between work and home. But as Macrodata Refinement division employee Mark S (Adam Scott, Loot) start to discover, nothing about the situation is what it seems. Severance's comeback calls for a waffle party, an egg bar or a melon bar — or at least a big bunch of blue balloons with the face of Mark S on them. The latter have popped up in sneak peeks at the new season so far, including the date announcement clip and the just-released teaser trailer. If you missed season one, its dive into the kind of scenario that Black Mirror might've dreamed up, and technology that could've been used if Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was about punching the clock instead of romance, saw Mark S willingly sign up for severance, all to help process his grief over the death of his wife. And he's happy with the situation until his work BFF Petey (Yul Vazquez, The Outsider) leaves suddenly without saying goodbye, then new staff member Helly (Britt Lower, American Horror Stories) comes in to replace him — and instantly starts questioning the insidious setup, the rules and restrictions needed to keep it in place, and why on earth her "outie" (as the outside versions of Lumon employees are known) agreed to this in the first place. In season two, Mark and his work pals will attempt to dig deeper into the consequences of the severance procedure, and trying to escape it. They'll also learn the ramifications of messing with the system — and Lumon isn't just filled with the same familiar faces. Tramell Tillman (Hunters), Zach Cherry (Fallout), Jen Tullock (Perry Mason), Michael Chernus (Carol & the End of the World), Dichen Lachman (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), John Turturro (Mr & Mrs Smith), Christopher Walken (Dune: Part Two) and Patricia Arquette (High Desert) all return — with new cast members including Gwendoline Christie (Wednesday), Bob Balaban (Asteroid City), Merritt Wever (Memory), Alia Shawkat (The Old Man) and John Noble (Twilight of the Gods). Ben Stiller (Escape at Dannemora) is back as a director on five episodes, and executive producer across the whole season, with ten episodes on the way. Apple TV+ will drop instalments through until Friday, March 21, 2025. Check out the teaser trailer for Severance season two below: Severance returns for season two on Friday, January 17, 2025 via Apple TV+.
What's better than a new place to watch movies on a big screen in Melbourne? A brand new 15-screen cinema that'll also have its own outdoor cinema, too. That's the case at Pentridge Cinema, which will launch for indoor screenings in the former Coburg prison site on Friday, December 11 — and will unveil its sibling venue, Pentridge Open-Air Cinema, on Boxing Day. At the latter, you'll sit outside on a deck chair in the grassy courtyard, stare up at a big screen, soak in the summer evening air, be surrounded by the revamped precinct's 1850s-era walls and— in line with the times — social distance as well. Movies will screen every night through until Sunday, March 28, with gates opening at 7.30pm and films starting at around 8.45pm. As for what you'll be watching, 55 flicks are on the program, spanning new and retro titles. It all kicks off with the obvious — The Shawshank Redemption — and yes, as we predicted, other prison flicks like Chopper, The Great Escape, The Rock and Cool Hand Luke are on the bill. So are fellow classics like Goodfellas, Lost in Translation, Labyrinth, Romeo + Juliet, Clueless and Jurassic Park — and, for something more recent, Idiot Prayer: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace. Palace will run a pop-up bar outdoors each night, selling snacks and drinks. You can BYO picnic if you'd rather, but not booze. On Saturday and Sunday nights, there'll also be ticketed 'Aperol Sundown Sessions', which include two spritzes, a meal and live music before the movie.
When global media giant Condé Nast Traveler releases its annual Readers' Choice Awards lineup, it's usually guaranteed to instantly have you dreaming of far-flung holiday destinations. But one of this year's award winners might just foster a newfound appreciation for what's in your own backyard, with Sydney ranking among the world's top ten in the Best Cities in the World list for the third year in a row. The awards are significant as they always pull a high number of votes — this year, more than 600,000 readers participated. As happened last year, they scored so much feedback that the Best Cities list was once again split into two, separating the the top ten small cities, as well as their top ten 'big city' counterparts. Unlike the 2018 result, Sydney chalked up a win in the indulgent age-old battle with Melbourne, with the New South Wales capital earning a spot on the list over Victoria's capital. Moving up from tenth place last year, and sixth the year before that, Sydney ranked fourth in 2020. The Condé Nast team once again described the city as "an ideal getaway no matter the season", praising its al fresco dining, outdoor lifestyle and cultural calendar. The magazine specifically suggests visiting Redleaf, dining out in Paddington and catching a ferry over to Manly, which it calls "Australia's answer to Montauk". [caption id="attachment_702755" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Manly Beach by Paros Huckstepp[/caption] While Melbourne came in third in 2018 — three spots above Sydney — it hasn't made the 2020 list at all. Topped by Kyoto, Lyon (France) and Singapore — coming first, second and third, respectively — this year's selection also includes Vienna, Tokyo, Porto, Helsinki, Copenhagen and Lisbon in the bottom six. If, rather than basking in Sydney's glory, you're looking for holiday suggestions around Australia, the Top Trains list includes The Ghan (which travels between Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin) and The Best Islands in the World list stars Kangaroo Island and Tasmania. Want to start dreaming of holidays even further afield? While overseas travel may be off the cards for a little while, there's nothing stopping you dreaming of international sojourns. The Top 20 Country list might help as well. Italy came in first, followed by Sri Lanka, Portugal and Japan. You can check out all the winners of Condé Nast's 2020 Readers' Choice Awards over here.
When we say that Vivid is dishing up a taste of London in 2025, we mean it literally: chefs from two of the English capital city's top restaurants are on this year's Vivid Food lineup. From Lyle's, James Lowe is heading Down Under. From Josephine, so is Claude Bosi. One is spending three nights joining Mat Lindsay at Ester, the other has a two-evening date with Brent Savage at Eleven Barrack — and both are serving up must-try menus. Lowe and Bosi are part of the festival's 2025 Vivid Chef Series, which brings famed culinary names to the Harbour City for bucket list-style dining experiences. If you're keen on the Lowe and Lindsay combination, they're reteaming after the latter went to London for the former's game series, this time joining forces in Sydney to showcase Australian produce — fish and shellfish included — over eight courses. From Bosi and Savage, expect a mix of French gastronomy and Aussie creativity across six courses, complete with Bosi's camembert soufflé with winter black truffle, plus duck liver choux au craquelin from Savage. "I'm really excited to bring the food from my hometown in France to a new country. This is the first time Bistro Josephine has been outside the UK, and it means a lot to share something so personal with a new audience," said Bosi about his component of the Vivid Food lineup. "The dishes we serve are inspired by the flavours I grew up with, and I'm looking forward to seeing them reach beyond where it all started. I hope people here connect with the heart and simplicity of what we do." Neither Vivid Chef Series experience comes cheap. Taking place across Tuesday, May 27–Thursday, May 29, the Ester x James Lowe menu starts at $250 per person, with wine pairings $150 on top. You'll pay $185 for lunch and $285 for dinner — plus either $90 or $180 for vino — for the Eleven Barrack x Claude Bosi collaboration on Tuesday, June 10–Wednesday, June 11. Vivid Food has also locked in the return of Vivid Fire Kitchen, which will be easier on bank balances given that it's free to attend (but, of course, you will pay for what you eat). Running across 23 nights from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14 — so for the full festival dates — this celebration of fire-based cooking will again take over The Goods Line in Ultimo. Expect pop-ups from a range of eateries and food trucks, including Ogni, Brazilian Flame, Plate It Forward, Flyover Fritterie, Hoy Pinoy, Burn City Smokers, Pocket Rocketz, Mapo Gelato, Mr Spanish Churro and Miss Sina Korean Donuts, alongside live fire cooking demonstrations. Jess Pryles and Nyesha Arrington are among the chefs on Vivid Fire Kitchen's program, as are The Apollo Group's Oscar Solomon, Firedoor's Lennox Hastie, Viand's Annita Potter, Aalia's Paul Farag, Sunday Kitchen's Karima Hazim and more. Barbecued seafood will score its own stand, a dedicated wine bar will hero New South Wales vino — and host Mike Bennie-led masterclasses — and First Nations nights will see Indigenous chefs take centre stage. Elsewhere, Vivid's edible spread for 2025 also spans Neon Dreams, with Shannon Martinez paying tribute to American diners of the 1950s with a plant-based menu and a roller rink; Hollywood Dreaming, a 23-night roster of events in the Hollywood Quarter in Surry Hills; and Nigella Lawson curating dinners in the Muru Giligu pedestrian tunnel. Vivid Sydney 2025 runs from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14 across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information.
When the Arbory crew's much-anticipated, multi-level HER opened its doors last week, Melbourne scored four distinct new venues in one. And, to the excitement of food-obsessed locals with a soft spot for smoky Bangkok-style street food, that lineup includes a Thai barbecue canteen by the name of BKK. Sitting on level three of the Lonsdale Street building, BKK is celebrating punchy flavours cooked over flame and coal, driven by the group's Executive Chef Nick Bennett, along with Head Chef Sungeun Mo. [caption id="attachment_842096" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Parker Blain[/caption] Courtesy of Jackson Clements Burrows Architects, the fitout brings a youthful energy to the lofty heritage space, with a roomy, open-concept kitchen taking centre stage. Exposed brick is played against warm orange neon, terracotta floors and shiny swaths of copper sheeting. Pull up a seat anywhere here and enjoy the kitchen theatrics as you tuck into fire-driven fare centred around BKK's custom-built five-metre Zesti charcoal grill and oven. From barbecued meats to authentic curries, the menu pulls inspiration from all across Thailand, with a few modern reinterpretations in the mix. A strong snacking lineup kicks things off with the likes of a nam-jim-dressed spicy ocean trout salad, mushroom and glass noodle spring rolls, chicken curry puffs paired with a cucumber ajat (relish), and oysters finished with coconut cream and nam prik pao (a roasted chilli sauce). [caption id="attachment_842087" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Parker Blain[/caption] There are grilled skewers both adventurous and familiar, a sweet and crispy stir-fried beef dish, and multiple iterations of the classic laab salad — including one done with barbecued pork jowl chilli and khao khua (ground toasted rice). Meanwhile, a green curry stars jackfruit and green banana, a T-bone is matched with nam jim jaew chilli sauce, and the tiramisu is reborn using rum, white chocolate and shaved ice. The drinks offering's been carefully designed to complement the gutsy flavours and heat of the menu, via a concise crop of fresh, interesting wines and cocktails that lean to the tropical. Continue your Bangkok adventure with sips like the tequila-infused Lychee Spritz or a charred pineapple margarita. And if you'd prefer to match your Thai feast with some sweeping city views, you'll find an adaptation of the BKK menu also available to order and enjoy two levels up on the HER Rooftop. Find BKK on Level 3 of HER, 270 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne CBD. It's open daily from 11.30am until late. Images: Parker Blain
The best part of a trip to the hair salon is often the wash. For ten glorious minutes, the hairdresser works the shampoo and other potions into your scalp and melts all the week's worries (and clogged follicles) until the outside world feels very far away. And if you're lucky, they'll throw in a head and neck massage too. Imagine that stretching out over a full hour — no wonder Japanese head spas are having a moment. While luxe salons and day spas in Australia have incorporated fun scalp treatments into their repertoire, head spas dedicated to the must-try Japanese ritual are few and far between. With a full suite of scalp-focused treatments incorporating age-old Japanese techniques, Sydney-born Tokyo Headspa is one of them. It's founded by Nozomi Oshima, who first opened shop at Salon Lane, a Lower North Shore warehouse turned co-working hub for hair and beauty professionals. From there, she teamed up with Salon Lane founders Lance Kalish and Jared Keen to grow the brand. Today, it's got five standalone salons across Sydney and Brisbane — and has just opened a flagship Melbourne spa in Armadale last week. Think of Tokyo Headspa as the closest thing to a head spa in Japan, where Oshima lived in her teenage years. Having reaped the benefits first-hand, she knew that they would appeal to Aussies chasing wellness experiences and set about replicating the experience. "After every session, my hair felt impossibly soft and my mind deeply relaxed," she says. On High Street, the shop's zen-inspired interior of natural timbers and earthy textures begins to calm the mind before any treatment begins. Guests slip into their pick of traditional Japanese yukatas before being guided into treatment rooms named after well-loved suburbs in Tokyo, where even the treatment beds are imported directly from Nippon. Treatments incorporate products from cult Japanese haircare label Beets, which are available for purchase. At the end of your self-care sesh, there's no rush. Slowly sip on herbal tea in the lounge areas or at a DIY hairstyling bar that's equipped with all the tools you need for a blow-out. The idea is that your scalp leaves in better spirits than when it came in, so all seven treatments start with a scalp health check. Each treatment combines different techniques to reach whatever you need at the moment. Facial reflexology and upper body massages unknot all the tension you've been carrying, while the trending waterfall-like head baths lull your mind into tranquillity (or even a nap) as gentle streams of warm water crown your forehead. If you want lusher and healthier locks, there's something designed for you, too. And if you really want to treat yourself, the 2.5-hour Amaterasu option combines all of the above, plus a detoxifying kombucha treatment and sea salt scrub to reset the scalp. Images: Dan Castano
Cutesy name, likeable stars, stylised brutality, a familiar revenge scenario: blend them all together, and that's Gunpowder Milkshake. There's one particular ingredient that's missing from this action-thriller's recipe, though, and its absence is surprising — because much about the film feels like it has jumped from the pages of a comic book. That's one of the movie's best traits, in fact. The world already has too many comics-to-cinema adaptations, but although Gunpowder Milkshake doesn't stem from a graphic novel, it actually looks the part. Its precise framing and camera placement, hyper-vibrant colours and love of neon could've easily been printed in inky hues on paper, then splattered across the screen like the blood and bullets the feature sprays again and again. Writer/director Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves) and cinematographer Michael Seresin (War for the Planet of the Apes) have made a visually appealing film, and a movie with evident aesthetic flair. All that gloss is paired with a generic assassin storyline, however, and a half-baked feminist thrust. It's Sin City meets John Wick but gender-flipped, except that the Kill Bill movies and Atomic Blonde have been there and done that. Gunpowder Milkshake is entertaining enough, but largely in a mechanical way. Its look hits the mark, with every colour popping a shade or two brighter than might otherwise be expected. Its action choreography is impressive, albeit nowhere near as kinetic as the pictures it is patently aping. With Avengers: Endgame's Karen Gillan leading the charge, Game of Thrones' Lena Headey playing her on-screen mother, the impressive trio of Angela Bassett (Black Panther), Michelle Yeoh (Last Christmas) and Carla Gugino (a Sin City alum) also featuring, and child actor Chloe Coleman (Big Little Lies) holding her own, the movie's key women all do what's asked of them. And, when it comes to female-fronted action fare, there's no such thing as too much. But Gunpowder Milkshake's cast is also only tasked with navigating an inescapably clear-cut scenario, and the film's girl-power credentials are only skin deep, too. The focus on motherhood couldn't be more stereotypical, and the movie undercuts its empowering vibe by using its older women far too sparingly. Papushado and co-scribe Ehud Lavski (a feature first-timer) attempt to complicate their narrative, as opening narration explains, but the basics are hardly complex. As skilled killer Sam (Gillan) notes, she works for a group of men called The Firm, cleaning up its messes with her deadly prowess. It's an inherited gig, in a way. Fifteen years earlier, she was a fresh-faced teen (Freya Allan, The Witcher) with a mum, Scarlet, who did the same thing. Then her mother abandoned her after a diner shootout, leaving Sam to fend herself — and, to ultimately get her jobs from Nathan (Paul Giamatti, Billions), one of The Firm's flunkies. It's on just that kind of gig that Sam kills the son of a rival crime hotshot (Ralph Ineson, Chernobyl), and he wants revenge. Soon, her employers are also on her trail, after she takes another assignment in an attempt to sort out her first problem, then ends up trying to save eight-year-old Emily (Coleman) from violent kidnappers. Bassett, Yeoh and Gugino play librarians, and that term could be capitalised as a code name. They're surrounded by books, but they're also assassins themselves who trade in supplies for their fellow hitwomen. Running their business in an eye-catching dome-shaped Berlin building — which is where the film was shot, although it never mentions where it is set — they basically oversee Gunpowder Milkshake's equivalent of John Wick's The Continental. And, they have links to Scarlet, and to Sam's childhood, but they're used as weight and texture rather than given meaty parts. It's almost unforgivable for a movie that's all about formidable ladies to waste Bassett, Yeoh and Gugino in such minor roles, in fact. Again, they do all that's asked of them. They do it well, obviously. Still, they're both the most interesting aspect of the narrative and the least utilised. A secret society of killer women that camouflage their strength behind their knowledge, pass down skills through generations, and blush to no one in a male-dominated realm? Now that's a great premise. A kick-ass heroine who grew up with mummy issues, but now must care for a girl who also doesn't have a mother, all while actually reconnecting with her own and simultaneously laying waste to villainous men? That's clearly far more standard. Even when it's at its most engaging, Gunpowder Milkshake always leaves viewers wishing that it'd taken another path and spent more time with characters it mostly leaves in the background — unsurprisingly given what it pushes to the fore, and what it lets sit on the side. Wanting Bassett, Yeoh and Gugino to play bigger parts isn't a criticism of Gillan, or of her time with Headey and Coleman — even if cracking the facade of a stone-cold killer by getting them palling around with a kid is now a genre cliche (Coleman also had a similar role in espionage comedy My Spy). Gillan takes to her character with stony efficiency. That too is a trope — see: oh-so-many movies in your streaming platform of choice's "strong female lead" category — but she's been doing it swimmingly in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well. What might've served her better, however, is a female filmmaker behind the lens. For all the style that Papushado brandishes, he's lacks the same fun, frenetic and fluid touch Cathy Yan gifted 2020's Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), and the same poignancy and smarts that Cate Shortland has given this year's Black Widow. Of course, that's the thing about making a movie that looks like a comic book flick, and that also tries to set up its own franchise, too: it's always going to earn and suffer from those comparisons.
I have to be honest. I went into New Shanghai, nestled into the third level of Emporium, rather sceptically — and not just because it went against my rule (and that of almost anyone who's on the lookout for new and unique dining experiences) that there is nothing good to be found in a food court, ever. But I also doubted the credibility of what I was about to experience; can Chinese street-style dumplings, pitched to Emporium shoppers, really be paired with matching wines? Do matching wines even exist? Nevertheless, I was curious to find out. Getting over my innate Melbourne snobbiness that recoils from eating at an international chain (New Shanghai has restaurants all over Australia, as well as Shanghai) inside a food court, I proceeded cautiously. Normally, I would straight-up cringe at the tacky, film set-style plastic props designed to recreate a very fake Shanghai street, and sneer at the thought of unpalatably salty food court Chinese. Being pleasantly surprised, however, is a much nicer way to begin an evening. New Shanghai exceeded my expectations, and for the hour and a half I spent there, I forgot I was inside a shopping mall, riddled with fluorescent colour and overworked air conditioning. What's important to take into consideration is how everything works as a whole. Much of the pairings worked well with the variety of dishes, which ranged from deep fried pork ribs to traditional sesame dumplings in sweet rice wine sauce. Often, the wine gave balance to the dish where it was otherwise lacking: the dry, fresh taste of a Vic sauvignon blanc cut through the too-heavy-on-the-salt and pepper prawn ($24). While the pairing itself leaves more to be desired, the originality and approach to traditional, sometimes over-worked dishes is refreshing and, over all, works very well. The menu offering is extensive, with the majority devoted to dim sum and dumpling specialities and classics, as well as a good selection of meat and vegetable dishes, noodles, soups and seafood. Unless you have any favourites, dive straight in with the special 'hot broth' dumplings ($8.60-15.50), which should be first punctured to let the hot broth flow onto the spoon. Biting off the top also works quite well. Jazz it up with a sparkling white from the Barossa, which works surprisingly well against the fatty soup texture of the dish. More times than not, places become known for one or two dishes and nothing beyond that, and a detail becomes the whole. What New Shanghai does exceedingly well is drawing your attention away from the micro to the macro. Its worth isn't just its food, nor for its wine or fit-out — but together, somehow, it all just works. Who knows, maybe you'll be as surprised as I was.
If your seaside memories are painted with velvet pine trees, striped umbrellas and sand yellowed with rose-tinted glasses, look no further than Avoca for your next foray out of the city. Despite becoming a hot spot for tourists chasing great coffee, food, surf and adventure, it's managed to keep a firm hold on that laidback, they-all-must-be-locals ambience by not becoming overdeveloped. Situated just 95km north of the Sydney CBD, Avoca makes a perfect day trip or weekend away, even when a winter wind blows across the beach. Just pull your cable knit around you, stare meaningfully into the sea and then snuggle into the area's characterful cafes, eateries and shops. SEE AND DO Your first priority in Avoca is obviously to visit the beach — a 1km stretch of golden sand protected by headlands and dotted with beach chairs, umbrellas and surfboards. It's a great swimming beach, popular with families, and has patrol flags at each end and a safe shallow kiddie pool by the Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC). Scramble around the rocks at the south head to find a platform of stunning rock pools and anglers taking advantage of the abundant sea below. Avoca is known for its surf and has great waves for beginners and advanced surfers. The Central Coast Surf School offers group and private lessons as well as two-day courses for all ages. Old hands can rent a board at Three Points Surf on Avoca Drive. If paddle boarding or paddle boating is more your speed, head to Avoca Lake beach behind the Avoca shopping village (or follow the lake's inlet from the centre of the beach), where you can hire a board from Aquafun for just $4, as well as kayaks, canoes and boats. Visiting scuba divers of all levels can explore the ex-HMAS Adelaide just 1.8 kilometres off Avoca Beach. The naval warship was sunk in 2011 creating an artificial reef, now teaming with life. Terrigal Dive run six dives a day to the site on weekends, as well as a number of other dives. Those who want to get off the beaten track should take a short drive down the coast to Bouddi National Park. The 8 kilometre coastal walk is broken into bite-sized sections with bays and spectacular whale-watching lookouts. The beach of Maitland Bay is the gem of the journey and can be accessed via the first leg of the costal track from Putty Beach (3km) or a (steep!) paved track from the car park (1.5km). For a change of pace, wander around the Avoca village on Avoca Drive and indulge in a spot of shopping at Avoca Beach Antiques. The 31-year-old store has the Central Coast's largest collection of antique jewellery, sure to see you part with some cold hard ones. Also not to be missed is the adorable Avoca Beach Picture Theatre, located behind the SLSC on Avoca Drive. The fourth-generation family business, which opened on the Hunter family's front garden in 1948, was named in the BBC's Top 20 Cinemas Of The World in 2014 and has also won awards for its highly curated programming. If the weather is coaxing you to stay outdoors, at least pop in to see the antique decor inside. EAT AND DRINK In the last two years, Avoca has bucked the beach-town trend of revolving seasonal eateries and has developed a stable foodie scene of its own. For the best coffee in town, visit Becker & Co. owned by Dale Hunter, formerly of Bird & Bear Boathouse in Elizabeth Bay. Have your day brightened by the typographic inspirations on the walls while you chow down on a bacon and egg breakfast slider with chilli jam. Oomph Cafe & Food Store, the little sister to popular Oomph Cafe & Foodstore in East Gosford, has an extensive menu featuring specialty products from their store. Their gourmet burgers, the best in town, will force you back into the water to wash the juice from your elbows. If raw, organic or vegan is your jam, see the super-friendly staff at Wise Food Cafe. They have a full breakfast and lunch menu, but their array of sweet health treats is second to none in town. Like Minds, lakeside and slightly back from main drag, is another popular hang with a creative-space vibe. Sit outside with strangers on a garden table or admire the work of local artists on the walls inside, also available for purchase. The best dinner in town goes to Bombini, a modern Italian fine dining restaurant with a seasonal four-course menu of sustainable and local produce- some from it's own 2-acre kitchen garden. Those just after a place to drink can settle into a veranda booth with their choice of French, Italian and Australian wines and cocktails. They also have lunch and brunch on weekends and a pantry store selling their fresh bread baked daily. For a quiet night, dine in or takeaway from All Malay Malaysian Restaurant. Don't be surprised by its popularity night after night; the beef rendang and salt and pepper soft shell crab are exceptional. It's BYO, so pick up a drop from the BWS across the road on your way. If you can't move from the beach, not even for food, never mind. The Surf Life Saving Club kiosk serves Allpress Espresso, takeaway meals and the ever important ice-block. For beachside fish and chips head to Avoca Beach Seafoods. It's BYO and open till 8pm. When it's time for an afternoon beverage, check out Mojito Joe's above the Avoca Sands Cafe. It's known for its punchy rum-based cocktails and Pacific island-inspired share dishes. The Avoca Beach Hotel is the pub of choice, with live music every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. It's also the best spot in town to watch the footy. Any footy. Words and images by Annabel Campbell.
What do you get when you cross three fine dining heroes with decades of combined experience that spans pretty much the entire world? Although this sounds a lot like a punchline that would force you to unfollow a close friend, the real answer is Etta, the new home for Hayden McMillan, Hannah Green, and Dominique Fourie McMillan. The trio, who have an insane resume that includes Cutler & Co, The Roving Marrow (which won a hat under Hayden's charge), Attica and Neil Perry's Rosetta, will open up their new joint in March at the Brunswick East end of Lygon Street. With restaurants all over the place trending towards a more healthy-meets-delicious selection of dishes, it's no surprise to see the trio's newest venture taking up the mantle of the balanced yet tasty diet. When we met Hayden back in 2013, when he was killing it in the kitchen at Auckland's TriBeCa, he told us that his dish of choice at home was a "massive bowl of vegetables and sweetcorn with sliced almonds and butter". Whether or not that's still the case, this focus on fresh produce is key to the menu at Etta. It's not a case of a strictly vegetarian joint, but he says to expect "a heavy representation of produce over protein." While it's easy to give in to our inner child and assume that everything that is good for you tastes rubbish, Hayden is aiming to blast that notion back into the past — where it belongs. "It's the kind of eating that makes people feel good," he says, "and it's delicious." The 80-seat restaurant will be a 'contemporary neighbourhood bistro', and the drinks menu will share that focus on locality, too, championing small producers and family owned operations from both at home and abroad. The fit out has been crafted by IF Architecture (the folks responsible for Gertrude Street's Marion Wine Bar), and promises to be "playful, but polished", according to Hannah. As well as lending the bistro her name, blues legend Etta James once said that "the two things you can't fake are good food and good music." With a track record like the one belonging to the trio behind Etta, you'd best believe that they ain't faking. Etta opens in March at 60 Lygon Street, Brunswick East. Check out their website for further details.
For better or worse, you always know what you're getting at McDonald's. Whether you're stopping off on a road trip for something quick and easy or hitting the dodgy end of a long night with nothing but tequila in your belly, Maccas delivers the same mysteriously flat, delicious mess. But now, Aussie McDonald's stores are stepping it up a notch. With the introduction of table service and customisable burgers with new, quality ingredients, Maccas is getting a little bit gourmet. Sydney's Castle Hill store is the first in Australia to trial the idea, with this new service starting this week. Customers can order their burgers via digital kiosk and choose from 19 ingredients including fancy brioche buns, grilled mushrooms, tortilla chips and nine different sauces. The burgers are then served directly to your table on fashionable wooden boards and newspaper with the hallmark shoestring fries in a wire basket. Without that familiar red and yellow packaging, the meals look a whole lot like what you might find at popular burger joints like Grill'd — a move which is anything but accidental. As strange as it may seem, burgers are all the rage now. No longer relegated to shameful hungover binges, big brioche buns and quality meats are front and centre on Australia's foodie scene, and McDonald's are getting in on the action. "All of our innovations have been led by Australians," said McDonald's CEO Andrew Gregory. "What we're really doing here is just what our customers have asked us to do." But it's a move which doesn't come cheap. It's reported that this remodelling strategy will set the fast food titan back a whopping $1 billion. Though Castle Hill is currently the only Australian store offering the new menu and service, McDonald's plan to introduce it elsewhere soon. If all goes to plan, it will be in place nationwide within 12 months. As The Courier Mail so tactfully put it, look out: "Maccas is going hipster". Via news.com.au and Daily Mail.
Last year, Fitzroy's Rose St Artists' Market teamed up with the Heide Museum of Modern Art to launch the monthly Heide Makers' Market. And for May's instalment, they're taking another road trip to Bulleen for a special Mother's Day edition. Taking over the lush surrounds of the gallery's sculpture park on May 13, the market will celebrate talented local makers. It'll showcase a broad range of handmade goodness, across art and design, jewellery and homewares, so you'll be able to find a perfect last-minute prezzie for Mum. Among the stalls, you'll find chocolate treats from Brazen Brownies, hand-blended scents from Legato Perfume, and Gracie Keal's cuddly handmade dolls, alongside a whole bunch of other locally-made delights. Even if you're not searching for a gift, the gallery's grounds are a damn fine place to grab a coffee and enjoy a Saturday morning saunter around more than 100 stalls. While you're there, you should also check out Charles Blackman: Schoolgirls exhibition.
The Queen Vic's Winter Night Market has wrapped for another year and there's still months to go before its summer version kicks off. Thankfully, in the interim, the precinct is here to fill your Hump Day void with a mini nocturnal market series, when its Europa Night Market returns to brighten up Wednesdays from September 21–October 26. For six weeks, the market will play host to a vibrant Euro-style bazaar, with entertainment and wafting food aromas promising to transport you to a different European destination each week. You can feast your way through over 25 food and drink vendors, shop an array of market stalls, and catch roving entertainers and live tunes, all designed to whisk you away to some far-flung locale. Kicking things off on September 21, the market will be saying 'ciao' to the flavours and sounds of Italy, with bites like Sicilian-style fried arancini and woodfired 400 Gradi pizza, plus entertainment by Siesta Cartel and Elvira. The following week will take you on a trip to Central and Eastern Europe, by way of pierogi, stacks of handmade baklava and traditional dance performances; while October 5 is your ticket to Oktoberfest, with a German-inspired beer hall serving up scores of sausages and Oompah band entertainment to match Brick Lane Brewing's special-release Europa Lager. The Iberian Peninsula will get a look-in on October 12, with piles of paella, Casa Nata's Portuguese tarts and a spot of fiery flamenco, before the following week serves up a Mediterranean affair complete with Croatian-style cevapi wraps, Greek pastries and Turkish dancers. A celebration of all things French wraps up the series on October 26 — bid the Europa Night Market adieu with an evening of oozy raclette, decadent filled croissants and entertainment from classic beret-clad French mime artists. The Europa Night Market returns 5–10pm Wednesdays, from September 21–October 26. Find it at the Queen Victoria Market, corner of Queen and Therry Streets, Melbourne.
Barry, the latest cafe to hit Northcote, is as relaxed as the name itself. Tucked into the corner space on High and Barry Streets, it offers floor-to-ceiling windows, bright white walls, hanging light fittings and an array wood and green touches. Designed by Techne Architects and owned by the family behind Pillar of Salt in Richmond, this cafe is dishing up more than just good looks. A beautiful, long communal bench spans out both ways from the coffee machine — a perfect spot for a lone bruncher. Smaller tables, both inside and out, offer privacy if you desire. Breakfast might come in the form of crunchy peanut butter, heirloom tomatoes, salt and pepper peanuts on toast ($10), or char-grilled bruschetta with crushed avocado, mint, chilli, lime, manchego and seeds ($16) or even the Benedict poached eggs with potato rosti, slow-braised free range ham hock, apple cider hollandaise and granny's apples ($19.50). The lunch menu covers all bases, with anything from the Californian superfood salad — tri-coloured quinoa, shredded kale, wild organic rice, charred corn, salted ricotta, black turtle beans, heirloom tomatoes and lime and jalapeno vinaigrette ($15) — to the raw zucchini lasagna with cashew, kale and sun-dried tomato pesto ($16). The Barry wagyu beef burger with zucchini pickles, cheddar, tomato, spicy relish and rough-cut potatoes ($17.50) is also set to be a menu favourite. 5 Senses coffee is made on a Synesso machine and served up in endearing pastel green cups — a lovely colour addition to the white space. Pour over, cold drip and Aeropress round out the coffee offering ($3.80-5), while blended juices ($8.50), coconut water ($4.50), a bloody mary with jerky ($9) and a small handful of beers and wines make choosing your poison rather difficult. A newcomer on the High Street block, Barry already feels at home. Northcote just got a little bit better.
The term "passion project" is usually thrown around when a filmmaker tries to make something near and dear to them, but doesn't quite achieve the success they'd hoped for. Fences clearly meets the first half of that definition, with Denzel Washington directing and starring in a stage-to-screen adaptation of the play he previously won a Tony award for on Broadway. With the aid of his co-star Viola Davis, who also follows the project from the theatre to film, Washington crafts a picture full of commanding lead performances and blistering drama. And yet, like so many passion projects, it's never quite everything that it could be. Just why that's the case is apparent from the outset, when Pittsburgh garbage collector Troy (Washington) returns home on a Friday afternoon with both his pay packet and a bottle of gin in his hand. The working week is over, and so he's jovial, tipsy, talkative, and cheekily playing up for his dutiful wife Rose (Davis) and his long term friend and work colleague Jim Bono (Stephen Henderson). It's the type of performance-centric opening scene designed to make an impact, and in a theatre it would certainly cause an immediate splash. On film, it simply offers the first of many reminders of the movie's origins on the stage. In a script written by the late August Wilson based on his own Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Troy unleashes his thoughts, problems and memories upon Rose, their teenage son Cory (Jovan Adepo), his first son from a previous relationship Lyons (Russell Hornsby) and his brother (Mykelti Williamson). He wants to become a driver, while Cory yearns to pursue a football career against his father's wishes, and Rose remains suffering but still poised in the middle. The more Troy talks as time passes, the more revelations are in store. Slowly, his bravado and bluster fades. The almost constant chatter continues, only quieter, with the characters weighed down by their mounting troubles. If that sounds like a whole lot of arguing, that's because Fences doesn't shy away from the spoken word. The script serves the film's cast well, and each player delivers their lines with passion and conviction. Above all else, this is an actor's showcase. Washington perfects the transformation from confident to wearied, while Davis charts the opposite trajectory. The space where they collide is the place where pride is undone, legacies are shattered, hearts are broken, and racial and socio-economic truths are exposed. Distilling all of that into their performances, it's almost enough just to watch them circle around each other for 139 minutes. Of course, the key word there is almost. As a filmmaker, Washington obviously believes in the strength of the scenario and the acting it inspires. In a way, that's the problem, since it means his direction ends up feeling rather stagey. Given that the film's characters are both fenced in and trying to burst beyond their confines, a sense of constraint comes with the territory. And yet, for all its attempts at intimacy, the end result still keeps viewers at a distance. Fences feels more like a great play captured on camera, rather than a great movie in its own right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtkjUJoSPa4
It was an incredibly sad day when iconic St Kilda venue Stokehouse burned down in 2014. Now, after a two and a half year hiatus, it's finally coming back, renovated and designated into a 'precinct' of multiple bars and restaurants, set to dominate that seaside like only Stokehouse can. On the ground beachside floor will be Pontoon, a casual bar and eatery, set to open at the end of October. This chic new 350-capacity beach-inspired establishment will be the second venue to open in the new multi-million dollar Stokehouse site, after a fancy new fish and chip kiosk, Paper Fish. The two will open head of the highly anticipated relaunch of Stokehouse St Kilda restaurant in December. The Pontoon menu will be casual and over the counter (think of the kind of food you can eat while standing with a drink in the other hand), and will put their four-metre grill to good use. You can expect a lot of seafood and shared plates, a strong wine list, 18 beer taps and of course, cocktails. In the most southside move ever, they'll also be serving up globally trending anomaly 'frosé' — that's frozen rosé — straight from the tap. Peppered with the furniture and trimmings of local Melbourne designers, the interior has been designed by George Livissianis (the design dynamo behind recent Sydney renos of The Dolphin Hotel, The Apollo and Cho Cho San). Expect a casual layout and a mixture of warm, natural materials (think wood, leather and cane) offset by concrete and brick. "Looking out onto St Kilda beach was a great starting point in considering colours and materials that would compliment the concrete and blackened timber building," said Livissianis. Stokehouse has announced they'll officially reopen on December 6, with Pontoon opening at the end of October. Find Pontoon on the ground floor of the rebuilt Stokehouse building, 30 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda. From October 2016, Pontoon will be open 12pm till late every day, all year-round (except Christmas Day).
Dining out is back off the menu once again and we're already counting down the days until we can pull up a seat at our favourite local for a nice, long post-lockdown feed. Thankfully, in the meantime, Melbourne's venues are dishing up countless top-notch takeaway options to see you through isolation in a well-fed fashion. And that includes some rather legendary menu items from some top local eateries, now available to enjoy at home. Dreaming of Miznon's world-famous pita bread? Want to get your mitts on some creamy pomme purée à la Bar Margaux? Craving some Maha hummus? Not. A. Problem. Bring the restaurant experience to your own dining table with these seven iconic Melbourne menu items now available for takeaway and delivery. ENTRECOTE'S SECRET HERB BUTTER SAUCE The butter ratio in Entrecote's secret herb sauce sits somewhere between indulgent and extravagant, creating the kind of rich, herbaceous drizzle that'll have you happily licking the plate. And you won't find a better accompaniment to the South Yarra French restaurant's signature steak frites. But, thanks to a certain pandemic, this carefully honed sauce has become the star of its own show, now available to buy packaged and ready to devour, at home. You can nab a 200-gram pouch of the special sauce for $15.90 from Entrecote's onsite pop-up Corner Store, or have one delivered to your door courtesy of online shop Co-Lab Pantry. How much? $15.90. Order here. MIZNON'S PITA With outposts in Paris, Vienna, New York and Melbourne, it's safe to say Eyal Shani's Miznon has true global appeal. And as a result, the Israeli street food eatery's signature pita bread lays claim to being an international smash-hit. Golden and chewy, the house-made bread is primed for ripping and dipping, or simply stuffing with your favourite ingredients. It's also available to enjoy at home, either picked up from the restaurant, or dropped to your door via Miznon's new delivery run. All you'll need to do is pull the pitas from their bag, sprinkle on a touch of water and give them a couple of minutes in the oven. Or let the experts take control and order a pre-loaded version, like this new brisket creation they've dubbed Deep Satisfaction. How much? $21 for the Deep Satisfaction. Order here. BAR MARGAUX'S POMME PUREE There's something almost holy about Bar Margaux's pomme purée — it's rich, buttery and dangerously smooth. And while nothing can beat feasting on this gem of a dish in its natural habitat — namely, the moody lighting and leather banquettes of Made In The Shade's underground French bar and bistro — it is guaranteed to add some Parisian flair to your next at-home dinner session. Done with local royal blue spuds, milk and lashings of butter, the dreamy $8 side dish is available in ready-to-heat format, with free home delivery to addresses within six kilometres of the CBD. If you're a little further out, you can still get your fix by ordering through Providoor. How much? $8. Order here (if you're close to the CBD) or here (if you're further out). MAHA'S HUMMUS A dish that's both humble and majestic, hummus is an international favourite for very good reason. And while you'll find scores of top-notch local renditions of the creamy chickpea dish, Shane Delia's version is up there with the best, a longtime staple across all his modern Middle Eastern restaurants. The Maha chef poaches organic Aussie chickpeas with some carrots, onions and garlic, then blends them with local tahini, garlic and lemon until velvety smooth. A splash of olive oil and sea salt finish off the mix, although if you really want to amp things up, Delia recommends some gentle microwave action before serving. Need it now? You can order the hummus as part of Maha Go's bread and dips package ($45), available for delivery via Providoor. How much? $45 for Maha Go's bread and dips package. Order here. EMBLA'S HOMEMADE SOURDOUGH AND BUTTER You know you're in for a knockout feed when the bread and butter starter leaves you swooning right from the get-go. As is always the case at wine bar Embla, where the signature house-baked sourdough has earned just as many fans as anything else on the changing menu lineup. It's a textbook version, all crusty shell and dense interior, perfectly paired with any of Embla's rotation of artisan butters. And, while you might not be able to enjoy this iconic duo as part of a dine-in feed right now, you can have it dropped to your doorstep, ready to kick off any at-home feast in style ($15). Embla's weekly-changing menu ($50) is available for pick-up and delivery to select suburbs, every Friday and Saturday. How much? $15. Order here. [caption id="attachment_662766" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] MJOLNER'S DRINKING HORNS Mjolner's legendary gold-rimmed drinking horns are a staple part of any feast enjoyed at the viking-inspired eatery. After all, there's no faster way to channel your inner Thor than knocking back a brew served in one of these bad boys. And now, the horns can add a little theatre to your own at-home viking banquet, available as an add-on when you order Mjolner's new takeaway feasting menu. Tuck into dishes like the glazed beef short rib, while sipping from your very own custom-made, beeswax-sealed horn, paired with a special stand and yours to keep for $55. The CBD restaurant is delivering the $70 banquets every Thursday to Saturday, or you can pick up from the venue directly. How much? $55. Order here. MESSINA'S DULCE DE LECHE The folks at Messina were so intent on dishing up an authentic rendition of South America's legendary dulce de leche, that they installed a traditional paila machine and started making it themselves, in-house. The thick, caramel-like jam has become a favourite, starring regularly throughout the group's gelato menu. But if that's not enough for your sweet tooth, you'll also find this dreamy concoction sold by the jar — perfect for elevating desserts, spreading atop toast...or simply scoffing by the spoonful. Hey, it's lockdown, we won't judge. The 190-gram takeaway portions come in at an easy $8, available from all of Messina's Melbourne stores for pick up as well as via Deliveroo. The dulce de leche blend is also available in pourable format, with 300-millilitres bottles of 'topping' available for $12 a pop. How much? $8–12. Order here.
Two of Melbourne's most exciting independent labels are teaming up for a spring pop-up with beers and tacos. On Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21, emerging menswear brand Someday Fabrications and handmade jewellery label Nui will take over 28 Johnston Street with a two-day showcase and exclusive access to one-off pieces. Someday Fabrications has built a cult following for its thoughtful approach to menswear, blending heritage concepts with contemporary silhouettes to create elevated pieces. While Nui creates handcrafted unisex silver and gold jewellery with distinctive gemstones to truly reflect the Melbourne market. The collab feels especially fitting when you hear how the two brands first bonded over beers and pool in Fitzroy's pubs. Now they're celebrating that creative kinship with a neighbourhood pop-up, where shoppers will be able to browse and try on the full collections. Both brands are usually only available online, so this is a great chance to try things on in person. Plus, you'll also get the chance to discover exclusive one-off jewellery samples at special prices. To round out the weekend, the pop-up has teamed up with local faves Frankie's Tortas and Tacos, who'll be serving Modelos and an exclusive menu item next door to truly elevate your shopping experience. So you'll have plenty of reasons to head down to Fitzroy come September 20-21. This exciting pop-up will be happening all weekend, so head down at any part of the day and meet the makers behind two of Melbourne's thriving independent labels.
Things have come a long way since your ma or pa tied a threadbare rope to a used tyre, slung it over a branch and hoped for the best. These days, swings are manifesting as art, cutting-edge design concepts and even political statements. Not that any of this takes away from their primary purpose: fun. Jumping on a swing, kicking back in the air and letting the world go by can be a tiny reminder that we don't have to be all serious all of the time. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." Whether you're a stuntman who doesn't even acknowledge a swing unless it's at least 20 metres above the ground, a socialite who wouldn't mind hosting a swinging dinner party, or a more peaceful type who's keen on some quiet time and a good view, you're bound to find a swing here that'll bring out the little kid in you. The World's Largest Rope Swing Just watching this in action will get your stomach churning. Thrill seeker (and maniac?) Devin Graham made the world's largest rope swing famous last year when his YouTube clip went viral, receiving over 20 million hits. Harnessed to a 45-metre long rope, he freefalls for over 35 metres before swinging back and forth in an enormous arc, coming dangerously close to the rock face. The swing is located at Corona Arch in the desert country of Moab, Utah. Double Happiness French-Portugese architect Didier Fiuza Faustino transformed this billboard into a swing set for two. He describes his "nomad piece of urban furniture" as a response to "the society of materialism where individual desires seem to be prevailing over all". It was erected in 2009 for the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Bi-City Biennial of Urbanism and Architecture. Waterfall Swing Dash 7 Design presented this marvel at the 2011 World Maker Faire, New York City, and it also features in a Honda Civic ad. Swingers get their thrills by narrowly escaping a cascading wall of water each time they pass under the steel beam. Two hundred and seventy-three independently functioning solenoid valves control the liquid movement. What's more, the swing has the capacity to print water letters of up to 270 pixels in width. Memorial Swing Polish artist Kamila Szejnoch came up with this concept for a 2008 public space project in Warsaw titled Carousel Slide Swing. The swing is slung over the hand of a statue that represents a memorial to the soldiers of Berling's Army, who fought under the auspices of the Soviet Union's Red Army in the Second World War. According to Szejnoch, the swing is all about opening up a dialogue between the present and the past. Swinging Dining Table For $11,000, you can have the whole dinner party swinging. This one is the brainchild of Christopher Duffy of Duffy London design studio. Each of the eight chairs moves independently, and a lampshade is suspended above the centre of the table. It is definitely a good way to guarantee conversation, plus it makes life much easier for whoever's doing the vacuuming. Musical Swings Designers Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat of Daily Tous Les Jours design studio came up with this for Montreal's Quartier Des Spectacles. The piece consists of 21 different swings, each of which 'plays' a different note once it starts to move. Only by working together can the swingers create a coherent song. The project seeks to highlight the importance of cooperation and the joy of collective experience. 'Mua' Swing This one is so cute that it was kind of difficult to leave it off the list. Designer Victor Aleman describes the 'mua' swing as "furniture where love happens". It's made of steel wrapped in wicker, and the interior features cosy red cushions. An Enclosure for a Swing Winner of the 4th CDL Sculpture Award (2009), this is located in Bishan Park, Singapore. It aims to make visible the usually private space that surrounds an individual when he/she is swinging in isolation. The wavy shapes of the steel appear to contract and expand as the swing moves back and forth. Swinging Sculptures Swinging inside your own sculpture is definitely taking the experience to a new level. Myburgh creates swings in organic shapes — leaves, lilies, bubbles and pumpkins, to name a few — that blend in easily with gardens. The World's Biggest Swing Operated by A J Hackett Bungy, New Zealand's Nevis Swing is, indeed, the most momentous swing you'll find anywhere on Earth. Participants are propelled 160 kilometres above a yawning canyon mouth at a speed of 120 kilometres per hour. You can opt for the standard forward-facing ride or choose to take this one on upside-down or backwards.
Carnegie's new café Left Field has been in the making for six months. If you know what the space on the corner of Koornang and Leila Roads looked like before, you'll understand why. The building, famous among locals, used to be the bright pink home of a suburban Indian restaurant; now, in its reincarnation as Left Field, it's been painted in much more understated hues of white and blue. Inside, its fit-out — featuring wooden outdoor seating and indoor plants — is very similar to what you'd find at two other cafes by the owners, Touchwood and Tall Timber. "It was a bit of a monster as far as demolition and renovation goes, but we're blown away with the results," says Ryan Lording, who comes from Tall Timber not only as a chef, but as a part owner as well. Convenient really, as he lives just up the road. The locals in the area have been incredibly supportive of the new venture in Melbourne's southeast — many of them young families who moved from places like Prahran or Richmond to Carnegie. "One of our owners was looking for a house in the area when we discovered this spot," he says. "A lot of the Tall Timber regulars moved out this way to live and start families. There's more space." On the menu, the food toes the line between healthy and indulgent. There's the smashed pea bruschetta with prosciutto, goats' cheese zucchini and basil, and the beetroot-cured ocean trout with quinoa, avocado hummus and black tahini. But then there's the Benedict, the pulled pork burger (on a black brioche bun), the Oreo cookies and cream ice cream sliders and an array of colourful muffins, doughnuts and treats sitting pretty at the counter. "People should be tossing up between five to six options, instead of the standard one or two possibilities on most menus," says Lording. With the food, they serve Niccolo coffee along with specialty drinks like kombucha, Golden Grind (a latte mix of turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper) and Matcha Maiden. Despite opening to a strong customer base who have already made Left Field their local, Lording says there's still a lot to come, like outdoor roofing and heating. His aim? To make the eatery the food destination of the southeastern suburbs. And judging by the success it's had so far, that statement isn't actually too far out of left field. Images: Melissa Cowan.
Cold nights got you down? Couldn't think of anything worse than taking off your ugg boots and heading outside into the chill? What if we told you there was a winter night market happening every Wednesday from now until August 27. Tempted? You should be, your beloved uggs don't even match up to the snuggliness of this hub of merriment. Queen Vic Markets are at it again with their Wednesday night markets. Following the success of last year's season, the winter market is proving to be just as popular as its summer cousin. Kicking off at 5pm every Wednesday, Luna1878 offers up toasty food, warm drinks, silent disco, a sheesha lounge, market stalls, cabaret, roaming performers and enough lively music enough to make you forget it was ever winter in the first place. There'll be open fires going and mulled wine a-flowing, so you can't pull the "it's too cold" excuse. Hidden from the wind within the Queen Victoria Market sheds, Luna1878 is the perfect post-work wind down and mid-week reminder that winter really isn't all that bad. https://youtube.com/watch?v=uEJile-LKoY
Last time you spent a couple of days hanging out in Surfers Paradise, enjoying the beach and bars, and listening to live tunes by the shore, you might've been attending Schoolies. Your next excuse: Springtime, the brand new music fest that's heading to the Gold Coast this year. Obviously, thanks to the name, you know which season will be in bloom. Between Friday, September 3–Sunday, September 5, the new event will take over both beachside and streetside spaces around Surfers, with over 40 acts on the bill. There'll be multiple stages, including in outside spots and at sideshow venues. And, in fantastic news for your wallet, entry to all of the outdoor shows is completely free. If you're planning to make a weekend of it, the lack of entry fee means you'll have more cash to splash on a hotel room. With Australia's tourism industry taking a hit over the past year or so, enticing music lovers to the Goldie for a three-day getaway is obviously one of the fest's aims. Some sideshows might be ticketed, though — the details haven't been announced yet, but you might want to factor that into your plans. As for who you'll be seeing, headliners include Ball Park Music on the Friday, Hermitude and Sneaky Sound System on Saturday, and Ruel on Sunday. The Gold Coast Music Awards will be part of the fest as well — as will celebrating spring's arrival just by soaking in the location, obviously. [caption id="attachment_815054" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Derek Henderson[/caption] SPRINGTIME MUSIC FESTIVAL 2021 LINEUP: FRIDAY: Ball Park Music Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Ali Barter Radolescent Vices SATURDAY: Hermitude Sneaky Sound System Gold Coast Music Awards JK-47 Ninajiraci Mia Rodriguez Ebony Boadu Mollie Rose Garrett Kato Lili Papas Daste Gratis Minds Akurei Jake Carmody Strex Happy Hour Live with Lucy & Nikki SUNDAY: Ruel Sycco May-A Budjerah Ivey Peach Fur DVNA Saint Lane Pink Matter Kye Pure Milk Tom West Chutney Sh#t Shirt Disco Nina Sinclair Veople Springtime Music Festival will take place across the weekend of Friday, September 3–Sunday, September 5. For further information — and to RSVP — head to the festival website.
With its "funny Broadchurch" premise, Deadloch gave murder-mysteries The Kates treatment. In its first season, the Australian hit served up both crime drama and comedy, as well as a whip-smart subversion of the usual tales about detectives investigating a spate of killings, in one of the best new TV shows of 2023. No one familiar with Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan's past work could've expected anything different — and the pair delivered, so much so that a second season is on its way. Those prior shows? Before the pair got satirical with whodunnits — while also making a stellar whoddunit — McCartney and McLennan gave television cooking programs a spin, then morning TV. The Katering Show and Get Krack!n were the end results, and both remain as hilarious now as they each did when they debuted, as you can now see on The Kates' YouTube channel. Viewers have been able to enjoy The Katering Show online for years, but season one of Get Krack!n has just joined it. If you're still trying to fill the Deadloch-shaped hole in your viewing until more episodes arrive, this is the solution — whether or not you've already seen the hit series, which spoofs breakfast television in sharp and side-splitting fashion. While they didn't appear on-screen in Deadloch, McCartney and McLennan are front and centre in Get Krack!n as the titular show's hosts. For company, everyone from Sam Neill (Apples Never Fall), Hannah Gadsby (Sex Education), Miranda Tapsell (The Artful Dodger), Deborah Mailman (Last Days of the Space Age) and Aunty Donna (Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe) to Adam Briggs (Boy Swallows Universe), Celia Pacquola (Utopia), Nakkiah Lui (Preppers), Charlotte Nicdao (Mythic Quest) and Michelle Lim-Davidson (The Newsreader) pop up. "We can't wait to bring our topical, satirical satire Get Krack!n to the world. We think it will be just as relevant to audiences now as it was the day it was filmed ... seven years ago," said The Kates. The Northern Territory-set second season of Deadloch is shooting now, with Kate Box (Boy Swallows Universe), Madeleine Sami (Our Flag Means Death), Nina Oyama (Utopia) and Alicia Gardiner (The Clearing) all returning from season one. New to the series this time around: Luke Hemsworth (Next Goal Wins), Steve Bisley (Human Error), Shari Sebbens (The Moogai) and plenty more. Check out the first season-one episode of Get Krack!n below — and the entire season via The Kates' YouTube channel: Get Krack!n is available to stream via The Kates' YouTube channel.
Do you have a whole shrine filled with gin? A shelf? A decent section of your liquor cabinet? If so, it's likely that many of those bottles hail from Australia's own Four Pillars. And, thanks to the gin-making superstars' next two tipples, you might be about to add to them. The latest additions to the award-winning brand's range both play with its original gin — and one that has quite the following. So, if you've sipped Four Pillars' Rare Dry Gin, you'll want to try its new Rarer Dry Gin and Rarest Dry Gin. The first is made with yuzu, the second features bergamot, and obviously no one stretched themselves too much thinking of these gins' names. Still citrus-heavy like the OG tipple, Rarer Dry Gin and Rarest Dry Gin came about after the Four Pillars' team discovered some locally grown yellow yuzu and green bergamot — and then started tinkering. Where the Rare Dry Gin uses nine botanicals in the pot and oranges in the vapour basket that sits above the pot, these two newbies swap in their different types of citrus. That's it, that's the change. While Four Pillars still recommends that you drink the original in G&Ts, it's suggesting that these two newcomers also suit the cocktail — or you can add the Rarer Dry Gin to a gin and soda highball if you're after something different. Rarer Dry Gin and Rarest Dry Gin will be available from Saturday, September 11 from the distillery's website, costing $75 each per bottle. And, because Four Pillars likes to put the bi-products from the distillation process to good use, this time it has whipped up a Made from Gin Yuzu & Bergamot Shred Marmalade that'll be available for $12 for a 160-gram jar. For more information about Four Pillars' Rarer Dry Gin and Rarest Dry Gin, or to buy them from Saturday, September 11, head to the distillery's website.
One king. Six wives. Centuries of folks being fascinated with the regal story. Throw in pop songs as well, and that's the smash-hit Six the Musical formula, as Australian audiences discovered in 2021, 2022 and 2023 — and can again in Melbourne and Sydney in 2024, then in Brisbane in 2025. If you've ever needed proof that some stories never get old, the ongoing obsession with Britain's royal history provides plenty. 2024's inescapable Kate Middleton fixation and photo situation has served up just the latest reminder. On screens and stages, a slice of regal intrigue is regularly awaiting our viewing, too, interpreting and remixing the past in the process. The Crown might take ample artistic license with reality, but it's got nothing on the empowering pop-scored twist on the 16th century that's been wowing audiences in Six the Musical. This theatre sensation takes a few cues from well-known history, adds toe-tapping tunes and makes stage magic. If you think that you know the stories of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr, then you probably do — even those with little interest in Britain's past kings and queens are likely aware that Henry VIII had six wives — but Six the Musical's version isn't about telling the same old tale. Victoria's next dance with the show arrives from Saturday, August 3 at Comedy Theatre. Sydney's will start on Friday, October 25 at Theatre Royal Sydney. And in Brisbane, theatre lovers can start 2025 with Six the Musical at QPAC Playhouse from Thursday, January 2. First premiering back at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, then jumping to London's West End — and winning Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Costume Design, plus a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theatre Album, along the way — Six the Musical gleans inspiration from one of the most famous sextets there's ever been. It also finds its own angle despite how popular the Tudor monarch's love life has been in pop culture. So, move over 00s TV series The Tudors and 2008 movie The Other Boleyn Girl — and this one takes the pop part rather seriously. Six the Musical is presented as a pop concert, in fact, with the Catherines, Annes and Jane all taking to the microphone to tell their stories. Each woman's aim: to stake their claim as the wife who suffered the most at the king's hands, and to become the group's lead singer as a result. Expect Six the Musical's comeback tour to be popular. In Sydney, it played a whopping 15-week Sydney Opera House from December 2021, then returned to the Harbour City from August 2021 due to demand. Six the Musical Australian Tour 2024–25: From Saturday, August 3, 2024 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne From Friday, October 25, 2024 — Theatre Royal Sydney, Sydney From Thursday, January 2, 2025 — QPAC Playhouse, Brisbane Six the Musical is touring Australia again in 2024 and 2025. For more information, for pre-sale tickets and for general ticket sales from Wednesday, March 27, 2024, head to the musical's website. Images: James D Morgan, Getty Images.
As the home of Stranger Things, Netflix has been serving up big doses of 80s-themed nostalgia for the past five years. The platform has just found another way to get viewers thinking fondly about the past, however, all thanks to its new acquisition of the Roald Dahl Story Company (RDSC) — which includes all of the British author's beloved books. If this sounds familiar, that's because the big friendly giant of the streaming world first found itself a similar golden ticket back in 2018, when it announced that it was bringing 16 of the writer's classic novels to the service in animated form. That's still happening — including via two new series from Taika Waititi based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — but this new purchase will significantly expand the amount of Dahl-inspired content hitting the streamer's catalogue. As part of the earlier deal with the RDSC, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, Matilda and The Twits are all slated to get adapted into animated television shows, so get ready for Oompa Loompas, everlasting gobstoppers and everyone's favourite book-loving schoolgirl with telekinetic abilities. They're already set to be joined by basically every Dahl novel you read and adored as a kid — including The BFG, Esio Trot, George's Marvellous Medicine, The Enormous Crocodile, The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, Henry Sugar, Billy and the Minpins, The Magic Finger, Dirty Beasts and Rhyme Stew. The author's autobiographical efforts Boy – Tales of Childhood and Going Solo had also already been earmarked to hit the platform, with one detailing Dahl's youth and the other delving into his journeys to Africa as well as his service in World War II. For many of these works, including the tales about the author himself, it'll be the first time that they've been adapted for the screen. 🚨 Some very exciting breaking news🚨 https://t.co/uovvO3SYye — Netflix ANZ (@NetflixANZ) September 22, 2021 In its new announcement, Netflix advised that an adaptation of Matilda the Musical is also headed its way, but remained vague about exactly what viewers can expect otherwise. "As we bring these timeless tales to more audiences in new formats, we're committed to maintaining their unique spirit and their universal themes of surprise and kindness, while also sprinkling some fresh magic into the mix," the service advised in a statement. In other words, expect the tales you know and love, as well as tales that expand upon those tales. And, expect to have plenty of them to watch in years to come. Netflix also hasn't said when all this Dahl-based content will hit the platform, so you can't mark any dates in your calendar as yet. But if you just can't wait, Wes Anderson's delightful stop-motion animation version of Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox is currently streaming on the service, as are a number of other flicks adapted from the writers' works — including both the original and recent versions of The Witches, plus 1996's Matilda. For more information about Netflix's acquisition of the Roald Dahl Story Company, head to the Netflix website.
It's a series about the squabbling children of a global media baron who, after their father's health takes an unexpected turn, start trying to position themselves as next in line to the empire. It's obviously set among the one percent, in lives of luxury and privilege that most folks will never know, too. But the idea that depiction doesn't equal endorsement is as rich in Succession as its always-bickering characters. Created by Peep Show's Jesse Armstrong — someone who knows more than a thing or two about black comedy — this Emmy, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Writers Guild and Directors Guild Award-winner is savagely witty, darkly biting and often laugh-out-loud funny about its chosen milieu. Succession also has one of the best casts currently on TV, and its stars keep picking up accolades and nominations that demonstrate just that. Brian Cox is as formidable as ever as family patriarch Logan Roy, but he's matched at every moment by Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin and Australian actor Sarah Snook as three of the four Roy children.
Does your breakfast involve a slice of toast slathered with Vegemite, plus a serving of baked beans? Have you ever had a cheeky mouthful of both at the same time and found the combination to your liking? Is a tin of Vegemite-flavoured baked beans now your fantasy idea of brekkie heaven? If you've answered yes to these questions, prepare to have your tastebuds well and truly tempted. Because simply scraping Vegemite across bread is boring, it seems, the yeasty Australian staple has worked its way into plenty of other food items — such chocolate, milk shakes, icy poles, ice creams, burgers, popcorn, booze and pizza, just to name a few examples. So, SPC's decision to add Vegemite to baked beans isn't all that surprising. And, like all culinary mashups that call upon the famed spread, you'll either be ridiculously excited or so put off that you may never eat baked beans or Vegemite ever again. Inspired? Gross? Only you know the answer — because the response is different for all of us. And yes, you and your stomach are definitely allowed to feel confused about the whole concept. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SPC (@spcgloballtd) Wondering how it tastes? SPC's Baked Beans & Vegemite still has a cheesy tomato sauce, but with Vegemite added. So, the whole combo is Vegemite, cheese, tomato and baked beans. For some, that'll make it better. For others, it'll make it worse. If you're nonetheless keen, the new product is being sold in two ways — as single 425-gram tins of SPC Baked Beans & Vegemite in Rich Tomato (RRP$1.70) and in four-packs of 220-gram tins (RRP $5.00). Breakfast, brunch or whatever meal you feel like pairing baked beans and Vegemite for will never look the same. SPC's Baked Beans & Vegemite tins are available in supermarkets now.
Australia's reigning gelato kings are back at it. Gelato Messina, which transformed from a single Sydney store in 2002 into a bona fide national empire, has just launched two Woolworths-exclusive flavours — and we are running, not walking, to get out hands on these ones, winter be damned. Landing now in freezers nationwide and online, the brand-new P.B. Peanut Butter Fudge & Praline and Super Flan sound exactly like the types of indulgent flavours that has seen Messina become a household name, stacked with in-house sauces and signature mix-ins. Channeling strong 'give the people what they want' energy, each of the new flavours is a riff on a beloved Messina signature. Long-time devotees might find the P.B. Peanut Butter Fudge & Praline familiar, and they wouldn't be mistaken — it's a supermarket-ready take on one of the brand's most in-demand scoop-shop specials. Each tub is a flavour bomb of creamy peanut butter gelato swirled with house-made peanut praline and rich peanut fudge. Meanwhile, Super Flan brings one of the brand's biggest fan faves to the masses: a creamy vanilla custard gelato rippled with Messina's in-house dulce de leche, made the proper Argentinian way. Each flavour comes in a 475ml pint, and joins the five Messina tub flavours lining Woolies shelves — namely, Pistachio Praline, Tiramisu, Dulce de Leche, Hazelnut Praline and Dulce de Leche, and Robert Brownie Jr. Since its October 2024 launch, the tub line has become one of the supermarket's best-selling frozen dessert lines, with over 500,000 pints already having flown off the shelves. While you're likely more concerned with what's going on inside the tub, the artwork on the front is worth a second look. The colourful characters that adorn each tub have been designed by Bondi-born, New York-based artist Jeremyville, who was also responsible for the vibrant murals in Messina's original Darlinghurst store. "Gelato Messina has always been about quality, creativity, and making people happy, and pushing the boundaries of flavour and quality," says Gelato Messina founder, Nick Palumbo. "Expanding into Woolworths has allowed us to share our passion with more Australians, while staying true to our roots." Messina's new P.B. Peanut Butter Fudge & Praline and Super Flan flavours are available now and exclusively at Woolworths, in the freezer aisle or online. For more info, head to the Messina website.
It's been a booming season for Preston locals. As well their own gourmet cheese toastie drive-through, a swathe of cute new café and restaurant openings and an enviable local BBQ game, Preston Market has just announced a new market hall expansion that will have everyone flocking to the north: the Preston Fresh Hood Market. The market in Melbourne's north has teamed up with The Space Agency – who were the brains behind last year's Swan Street Chamber of Commerce food precinct activation in Richmond — to transform the old hall that sits between the market and Preston Station into a free-form, open-plan food mecca and arts space. "The whole aim is to be like a food truck park, but indoors and with no food trucks," says The Space Agency's Crag Carrick. "You can walk around, you can grab a beer, grab a bite to eat and sit where you like — everywhere is a seating area." The building — which has been empty for the last few years — was recently given a new lick of paint by 17 street artists, who've coloured the walls with large-scale pieces. Inside, the redesign pays tribute to the original use of the building, which once housed permanent stalls for a fishmonger, butcher, baker and a fruit and veg vendor, amongst others. "We're maintaining a lot of those elements," says Carrick. "For example, the fishmonger will become the central bar, Beermonger, which will serve craft beer and oysters. The beer taps will be where the fish would normally be displayed…[and] we're using the original cabinetry." A lot of the old infrastructure is being retrofitted for similar uses. The old poultry shop will become the second location of Henrietta's Chicken Shop (and will retain the original signage), while the butcher will be taken over by Hoy Pinoy and their pig-on-a-spit Filipino BBQ offering. The bingo hall upstairs will become an event space and band room with a 500 person capacity. Other confirmed vendors include 3 Ravens Brewery and Meet Patty, a new burger venture from St Ali chef Andy Gale. "We want to bring something cool to Preston Market," Carrick says. "It's really old school and hasn't changed much in 45 years, but we think Preston itself has changed a lot over the last three years." The Preston Market, with its 200 vendors and artist market, will stay the same — but the Preston Fresh Hood Market (a tongue-in-cheek title that refers to Preston's status as an up-and-coming place to live) will open on Saturday, July 16. In the meantime keep you peepers peeled for more vendor announcements and details on the launch party. [embed]https://vimeo.com/171854602[/embed] The Preston Fresh Hood Market will open at Preston Market (22-26 Cramer Street, Preston) on Saturday, July 16. It will trade Wednesday to Sunday from 10am til 10pm. For more info, visit their Facebook page.
These days, it's hard to be wowed, or even mildly surprised by a shopping centre. But Melbourne's newest suburban retail precinct is a whole different story. Set to officially open its doors on Friday, December 6, Burwood Brickworks doesn't just have a strong sustainability focus — it's on track to being the most sustainable shopping centre on the planet. Sitting on Middleborough Road in Burwood East, it's been built with the aim of scoring certification under the Living Building Challenge, an international program for sustainable buildings. It requires the building to have a net zero carbon footprint, produce more electricity than it consumes and use non-toxic and recycled materials in its construction, among other things. If successful, Burwood Brickworks will be one of only 25 structures worldwide to stake this claim, and the first-ever retail building to do so. Clocking a total of 13,000 square metres, the precinct boasts a Reading Cinema complex, a new-concept Woolworths store, a large Dan Murphy's and a curation of smaller independent retailers, all within an airy, light-filled space. The crowning glory, however, is the sprawling rooftop space, sporting its own paddock-to-plate restaurant and 2000-square-metre urban farm designed and run by consulting firm Tully Heard. They're the same crew who operate Sydney's farm-to-table Acre Eatery, here joining forces with local eco-warrior Joost Bakker (Greenhouse by Joost, Brothl) in the role of the centre's Creative Consultant. Along with a rooftop greenhouse, the huge variety of fruit, herb and veggie patches will be used in the restaurant, with excess sold to the public. There's even a coop of quails laying eggs for the kitchen. Visitors will be able to wander through the gardens and attend workshops, talks and more hands-on green-thumb experiences to come. The rooftop farm's not big enough to handle all of the kitchen's food supply, though, so Head Chef Brad Simpson (Lamaros, The Smith) has been busy sourcing any remaining ingredients from a crop of top Victorian suppliers. Think Mt Zero for olive oil and grains, and Flinders & Co, Sher Wagyu and Western Plains Pork for meat. In total, 20 percent of the Burwood Brickworks site will be used for growing food, with fruiting trees even planted between each aisle of the centre's car park. But while these urban farm practices might be the obvious, big-ticket sustainability drivers – along with the rooftop solar panel system generating a hefty one megawatt of power – it's the finer details that really set this centre apart. PVC has been scrapped from the build entirely in favour of less toxic alternatives, a swag of reclaimed hardwood has been incorporated throughout the precinct, and the products used by each retailer have had to meet super strict standards. Natural light and air quality are also huge factors here, so expect an abundance of greenery, windows aplenty and in the central space, a soaring, ventilated sawtooth roof decked out with huge skylights. A far cry from most of those other shopping centres we've frequented in our time. Burwood Brickworks is set to open on Friday, December 6, at 78 Middleborough Road, Burwood East.
It's official: silly season is here once again. And while it's always fun to give (and receive) gifts, the amount of people you're buying for can quickly stack up. Particularly if you're partaking in more than a few Kris Kringles and Secret Santas this year. Whether you scored your work bestie in your office pressie pool or got the formidable task of drawing your mum's name in the fam Kris Kringle even though she insists she doesn't want anything, you want to give great gifts. You also have to adhere to strict budgets, which can be both a blessing and a curse. In partnership with Cashrewards, we've tracked down some A-class items that will suit just about everyone on your gift list — and any budget. Better yet, if you're an ANZ cardholder, you could be eligible for even bigger cash back deals and extra benefits* as part of its Cashrewards Max program. All you have to do is sign in to your Cashrewards account (or sign up for one for free) and link your eligible ANZ debit or credit card. Once you've got your Cashrewards Max all set up, you can score a heap of cash back deals, including at all the retailers on this epic list. $20 AND UNDER Desktop Ping Pong Table ($15.75) A great shout for the office KK, this easy-to-assemble table tennis kit is available via Booktopia. It can be set up anywhere and easily tidied away when the boss walks past, too. Or, if you've got the balls (yes, pun intended), set up an office tournament and leave the memory of awkward Friday afternoon Zoom drinks far behind. This is an affordable, fun and easy option for your work bestie (or the office newbie) that offers just the right level of silliness for your end-of-year workplace festivities. Gingerbread Man Dig Toy ($19.99) There's bound to be at least one proud dog parent in your life — or maybe you want to bypass them and celebrate their adorable pooch directly. Either way, this festive chew toy is the perfect option for fur babies and their parents. Grab one from Petbarn for less than a lobster and voila! You're a thoughtful gift giver and bound to score some appreciative snoot-boopin' time with the pup. $50 AND UNDER Night Rescue Skincare Kit ($30) Got a skincare-obsessed friend? Or someone who just appreciates a good beauty regime? Surely after months spent in lockdown, we can all appreciate the relaxing indulgence of some self-care in the form of a face mask and a glass of wine. If you've got someone deserving of some TLC for Secret Santa, then nab this Laneige Night Rescue Skincare kit from Sephora. It includes three different types of nighttime face masks all designed to leave skin looking clean, refreshed and hydrated. Linen Napkins ($50) Chances are if you're in your late 20s or early 30s, you're already obsessed with Bed Threads. So, surely someone on your Christmas list is into it, too. If you're buying for a foodie then look no further than these lovely flax linen napkins. They're delicate, reusable and sustainable, plus they add a lovely touch of rustic elegance to any table setting. They also come in 11 different colours, so you can pick a hue that you think best suits your giftee's style. $80 AND UNDER Thumbs Up Retro Dance Mat ($60) We've all got that one mate who crushes DDR (that's Dance Dance Revolution for the uninitiated). So, you already know they'll be absolutely stoked with this gift. Essentially a light-up floor mat that lights up for you to follow a dance routine, the Thumbs Up Retro Dance Mat is always a hoot — and retro to boot. To make your life as simple as can be, the game is available from ASOS, too, so you can skip the Christmas shopping crowds all while knowing perfect gift is on the way. C&M James Nylon Cap ($80) There are some major normcore vibes going on with this C&M cap from Stylerunner, so if you know someone who loves Aussie-made minimalist designs, look no further. Lightweight, comfortable and stylish, this not-so-basic basic is perfect for beach days, bushwalks and brunches with the crew, making it a brilliant gift idea for pretty well anyone (including you). $100 AND UNDER [caption id="attachment_814550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Smash Splash[/caption] Red Balloon Experiences ($99–100) If you're going all out and dropping a bit of cash for that special someone, then why not give them a gift they're sure to remember — an epic experience. Red Balloon has all sorts of great gift experience ideas lined up for thrill-seekers, or that person in your life who already has everything. Check out this Splash Room experience in Sydney or Melbourne, where they'll be covered in goggles and overalls, put in a room and given free rein to hurl paint balloons at the walls and create some amazing artistic explosions. If you're in Perth or Brisbane, why not check out one of Red Balloon's scenic helicopter tours so they can see some of the most beautiful parts of their city from way up in the clouds. Or, if you've picked out a wine lover, you can get them a Taste Your Birth Year winery tour in the Barossa (plane ticket's on them, naturally). For more information on Cashrewards Max and its current deals, head to the website. *Cashrewards Max is offered by Cashrewards, not ANZ. A Cashrewards account is not an ANZ account. T&Cs apply.
