Besides naps and binge watching Netflix, there's very few things in life that will fix a grouchy mood better than a delicious snack. And when you inevitably find yourself in that irritated, hungry state — perhaps cooped up in your office, working on a deadline at the library, or just roaming the city streets on the verge of breakdown — that's exactly when you need those snacks the most. So for the love of your soul, here are the ten best snacks in the city — from sweet somethings to the hot, deep fried kind. They're all under $10, can all be eaten on-the-go, and are all absolutely delicious. NUTELLA AND BANANA JAFFLE, T-ROY BROWNS — $4.50 Every tummy needs a T-Roy Brown Nutella and peanut butter jaffle from time to time. Combining our two fave spreads, this Melbourne cafe has turned the all-too-familiar PB&J sandwich into one very sleek snack. Bursting with a mix of warm chocolate and peanut spread, these babies are available for the taking on the outskirts of Flinders Street Station, right next to the 24 hour gym. White shirts are not advised during consumption. 365 Flinders Street, CBD CHEESE AND SPINACH BOREK, THE BOREK SHOP AT QVM — $3 One of Melbourne's best savoury pastries is located in the heart of Queen Vic Market. Remarkably kind on your purse, these boreks are Melburnian legend. Don't be fooled by the low prices, the ultra-efficient ladies at Shop 95 know exactly what they're doing. Just be prepared to elbow your way in, because this Borek Stand isn't much of a hidden gem anymore — it's a rather popular one. You'll know why after you take the first bite. Shop 95, Queen Victoria Market, cnr Victoria and Elizabeth Streets, CBD BRAISED PORK BELLY BAO, WONDERBAO — $4.20 Surely a list of the CBD's best of the best cannot exclude the wondrous creations from Wonderbao. Set between their plant-your-face-on-it soft bao, Wonderbao's sticky braised pork belly buns are the perfect 3pm snack. Pickled mustard, fresh coriander and crunchy peanuts make up this gua bao dream from Wonderbao's A'Beckett street home. Splurge with some hot soya if you feel a cold coming on. Shop 4, 19-37 A'Beckett Street, CBD HERBED CHICKEN GOZLEME, GOZ CITY — $10 Regretting that lunchtime salad because you 'weren't hungry'? Do a runner down to Goz City, one of Melbourne's best Turkish takeaway joints. Warm timber and classic wooden stools make up this homey Lt Collins Street eatery, but if you don't have time to stop, grab your gozleme to go. Crammed with fresh herbs and tender chicken, Goz City's herbed chicken option is the ideal post-lunch filler. 502 Little Collins Street, CBD POTATO MAC AND CHEESE CROQUETTES, GRAND TRAILER PARK TAVERNA — $4.50 When the afternoon blues hit and you're in need of a delicious (preferably greasy) pick me up, there's really no time to skimp on carbs. Luckily, one of Melbourne's favourite burger joints also makes gloriously crispy snacks, which are perfect to snag on the go. The Grand Trailer Park Taverna's potato mac and cheese croquettes (pictured above in a burger) are stuffed with gooey cheesy goodness and piping hot potato — and they're guaranteed to make your afternoon considerably better. And at $4.20 a pop, you can grab two and still get change for a tenner. 87 Bourke Street, CBD LA GOURMANDE WAFFLE, WAFFLE ON — $9 If melted chocolate layered with fresh strawberries and topped with whipped cream doesn't make you happy on a bad day, I'm sorry — there's nothing we can do for you. But if it does, then you're in luck. Tucked between the sandwich shops in Degraves Street, Waffle On is a haven for work-weary Melburnians (as well as an occasional awkward date-spot.) Order a La Gourmande waffle (chocolate, strawberries and extra cream) when you're down in the dumps, and prepare to slip into a blissful post-waffle state. Shop 9, Degraves Street, CBD COFFEE AND DOUGHNUT, SHORTSTOP — $8 A doughnut a day won't keep the doctor away, but we'll pretend Shortstop's goodies do until further notice. Their magnificent sticky date and gingerbread doughnut combo is hellishly decadent, merging three of the best desserts together into one ridiculously delicious snack. You can also pick up your morning coffee in this deceptively small setup. Better yet, you can use your addiction to caffeine as an excuse to keep coming back. We certainly do. 12 Sutherland Street, CBD BBQ CHICKEN BAHN MI, PAPERBOY KITCHEN — $9.50 The humble bahn mi might be Melbourne's favourite takeaway roll. For breakfast, lunch and dinner, those of us true to Vietnamese baguettes munch away on the pickled vegetable and soy sauce combo. Paperboy Kitchen's BBQ chicken creation is perfect for your pesky second lunch craving. And while it isn't the dirt cheap bahn mi you can get elsewhere, it's got an edge you won't find in traditional offerings. Filled with marinated, free-range chicken and a killer sriracha-mayo combo, you'll be raring to go after dropping by Paperboy. 320 Little Lonsdale Street, CBD FETA, OREGANO AND GARLIC OIL CHIPS, JIMMY GRANTS — $7 Melburnian's can only resist the crispy comfort of deep fried chippies for so long. When you eventually cave to the urge, you might as well pick some of the best chips in Melbourne too. One of our favourite Greek restaurants, Jimmy Grants, is now located in the Emporium food court, and serves up fries layered with creamy feta, oregano and garlic oil. They're certainly good enough to warrant repeat visits. Many, many repeat visits. Emporium Cafe Court, 287 Lonsdale Street, CBD CINNAMON AND RAISIN BAGEL, 5 & DIME — $2 In all their hole-y, carb-filled glory, there's nothing quite like 5 & Dime bagels. If you haven't been to one of Melbourne's best bagel bakers at The Archway in Katherine Place yet, you've been doing coffee breaks wrong. Their cinnamon and raisin bagel is ideal for sweet tooths struggling with afternoon hunger pangs — and all you'll need is the change in your back pocket. For a laughably cheap two dollars, you might as well splurge and get housemade jam ($3.50) or seasonal fruit ($4.00) while you're there. 16 Katherine Place, CBD Borek image credit: avlxyz via Flickr; T-Roy Brown's image credit: clyde_yang via Instagram; Paperboy image credit: victoriatrian via Instagram
Anyone who has ever watched a horror movie before knows that you should never, ever go into the woods. Yet that's exactly what the people behind Australia's coolest new immersive cinema experience are asking you to do. Horror Movie Campout is a blood-soaked overnight camping trip held in a secret Blair Witch-style forest an hour from the city. Just please, leave the machete at home. Coming to Melbourne in December and Sydney next year, this uniquely scary take on outdoor movie-going will treat campers to two classic horror films, along with a number of gory shorts. The first is 1973's head-spinner The Exorcist – enjoy the serenity of fear while roasting marshmallows and munching on popcorn (or spilling it) into the early hours of the morning. The second popular horror feature will be voted for by HMC campers via Facebook. But it's not just the movies. Beyond the comfort of your cosy cinema spot, surprises lurk in the forest. Is someone following you? Is that a person’s shadow, or just your imagination playing tricks? Horror Movie Campout promises to put your heart – and your bladder – to the test. Each $180 ticket includes a tent to sleep three mates. Glamping options are also available for $240, offering luxury horror-goers VIP perks such as express entry and primo spots in front of the screen. Just don't think you're exempt from the special horror surprises. Melbourne’s Horror Movie Campout is being held at Point Cook Homestead on December 4 and 5, while the Sydney event will be held in early 2016. It should also probably go without saying that this is strictly an R18+ event. Image via Dollar Photo Club.
As Mr Miyagi enters its second decade of trade on Chapel Street, it's proof that despite Melbourne's ever-rotating door of hospitality venues, the best restaurants endure. Mr Miyagi is a rarity in this sense — brushing off momentary food fads and dizzying rebranding in favour of staying loyal to the original idea that won them hearts in Windsor and across the river, over ten years ago. Modern Japanese is the focus here. The ever-popular Salmon Nori Taco — with Huon Valley salmon belly, sushi rice, spicy napa cabbage and Japanese mayo — continues to be the photographed favourite, but there are highlights to be found throughout the menu. Margaret River MB9+ wagyu beef is prepared tataki style, lifted with sesame ponzu, persimmon, red wine shallots, capers and watercress. The Tempura Broccoli reimagines the oft-maligned brassica with ramen seasoning and salted buffalo ricotta, while a hearty carbonara-inspired udon bowl pairs crispy pork belly with miso butter beurre blanc, garlic, chilli oil, pancetta crumbs and chives. If you're with a group, banquet options starting from $49 for four courses deliver bang for your buck at both lunch and dinner. Turning to the short but sharp drinks menu, the vodka-based Hello Kitty Sour features lychee liqueur from Rosebud distiller Stache House, lemon and aquafaba. Another 'naughty but nice' cocktail with gin, blood orange, passionfruit, white chocolate and aquafaba is dubbed Yukie Makes a Porno (a nod to Mr Miyagi's former snack bar next door). The bartending team are clearly having fun with the menu and it's paying off — drinks are beautifully balanced; spicy, sour and sweet without verging into sickliness. Beyond what's written on paper, it's clear that a lot of investment has been put into training the staff, who operate like a slick machine. The bustling ambience and thoughtful fluidity from the front door to the carriage booths out the back creates a fast, fun atmosphere that's perfect for its location. It's this focus on quality fun — from the menus through to the service, neon-pink interiors and cheeky details — that has made Mr Miyagi a staple on Chapel Street's highly competitive restaurant scene.
American BBQ-style restaurants will always be in vogue. The formula goes something like this: Pull the pork, barbecue the chicken wings, smoke the beef, add a side of slaw fries and a stiff drink with which to wash it down. Le Bon Ton, from the American brothers behind Chignon, jumped on the southern-style bandwagon way back in 2014. It might seem all too familiar, but its saving grace is the myriad of personalities contained within its fun and fierce identity. Anywhere you can feasibly find pit-smoked meat alongside a dozen fresh oysters, a glass of real champagne and an absinthe cocktail has got something going on. One thing pulls it all together, and that's the homage to America's Deep South: meat smoked as if in Texas, fish prepared with thoughts of Louisiana Gulf Coast and an underlying ode to the French-influenced city of New Orleans. There's a sophisticated authenticity here that other venues lack. Upon entering at meal times you'll be hit with the smell of the meat smoker that lives in the courtyard, supplying luxuriously tender beef, pork and sausages. The 12-hour smoked pork belly was perfectly cooked, and provided a great excuse to pour the house-made BBQ sauce and fiery habanero onto the plate. The chicken wings have become legendary, and there are plenty of sides to accompany your meaty choices — think house made pickles, seasoned fries and BBQ broccoli. Also a saloon, cocktail bar and absinthe house — with a late night licence, no less — Le Bon Ton is a real all-rounder. It's sure to lure you in, whatever your fancy, and provide enough reasons for you to sit and enjoy, hour upon hour, snack upon snack and Sazerac upon chest-hair-inducing Sazerac.
One of Australia's most redeeming qualities is its ability to give good afternoon sun. There's something about its familiar glow that almost demands casual drinks — whether it's cracking open a cold beer after a day out, heading to the pub after a long day of work, or deciding on a whim that your backyard is perfect for having friends over. We love summer afternoons, and we've partnered with Heineken 3 so you can get the most out of them. We've spoken to a few of our favourite chefs, musicians and artists, to get their insights on creating the perfect balmy afternoon. For a summer playlist, who better to ask for advice than Ned East, a.k.a Kilter? His genre-spanning tropical electronic beats scream summer, and he's been making waves playing his tunes around Australia — performing at Falls, Field Day and Southbound. This year he followed the sun into European waters, playing shows and festivals across France, Germany, Malta and the UK. We asked him for some tips on how to create the perfect party playlist for a summer afternoon. Because he's a nice guy, he provided one of his own. It's good. Listen to this and get inspired, then follow his tips in creating your own. YOUR PLAYLIST NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY CURATED It's important to remember that your playlist should be delicately crafted — it shouldn't just be a bunch of tracks thrown together. It should be designed to be listened to in one fell swoop, just like Kilter's. That means no skipping, no jumping and absolutely no shuffling (tracks, that is). TAKE YOUR LISTENERS ON A JOURNEY There needs to be an effortless flow. Kilter's playlist has a strong dance tinge to it, cruising through a few downtempo tracks, moving into a house-centred, upbeat party vibe. Things get a bit crazy towards the end, but what else can you expect from a summer session? PICK A FEW BANGER TRACKS TO GET STARTED Kilter tells us to "start with the tracks you really want to play, then think about their order and how they'll be consumed". Choose a few of your favourite tracks that you know you'll definitely want to include, and use those as your base. That way, it's easy to get inspired, ensure you get a variety of music and make sure your playlist has some direction. Kilter's starting point tracks were Kwesta's 'Ngud' (featuring Cassper Nyovest), as well as 808INK's 'Suede Jaw' and Hayden James' 'Just a Lover' (Karma Kid remix) — he recommends if you're in need of some inspiration. CONSIDER YOUR SITUATION, AND LEARN TO LIFT THE VIBES Music has the magical ability to dictate someone's mood. It's essential to a summer afternoon when you're throwing back a Heineken 3, because it'll lift the vibes. "If it's a rainy day and you're playing summertime jams, it's going to make you feel a little bit better," Kilter says. "If it's a sunny day and you've got sunny music on, it's really going to take your vibes to another level". In his own words: "Get some friends over and have some beers in the sun. Let the music do its thing while you do your thing." Enjoy your summer afternoons with the new low-carb Heineken 3 — we're helping you make the most of them.
The world's best game of connect the dots is currently happening in Brisbane. Step foot inside Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, and it begins — first with a multi-coloured, circled-covered sculpture, then with giant yellow spheres suspended from the ceiling. Bright canvases blasted with tiny pinpricks, portraits of animals surrounded by giant rings, mannequins with orb-like structures protruding from their torso — the list goes on. They're present on paintings of pumpkins, on recreations of the Venus de Milo and when you peer into a mirrored hexagon through a circular porthole. Of course, given that GOMA is currently playing host to a free 70-plus piece retrospective of Yayoi Kusama's work, dots are inescapable. Whether peppered across other objects, floating through the air or plastered across a white room by a willing audience, they've been a part of the Japanese artist's work since she was ten years old. Ask her why, and she has a simple answer: "I am just another dot in the world," she has famously replied — and it couldn't better encapsulate the feeling of looking at her repetition-filled, infinity-pondering artistry. That sentiment doesn't just echo throughout the gallery. It's written on one of its walls — not that visitors need the reminder, given the round shapes that linger everywhere you look. The exhibition might be called Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow after one of her most recent pieces, but at the heart of that rainbow sits a giant circle. Yes, we mean that literally. It's one of the last paintings on display, so you'll see it for yourself. Co-curated with the National Gallery Singapore, where the exhibition displayed until September, the vast showcase also spans everything from Kusama's 'net' paintings and soft sculptures to her black-and-white pieces and video work — and, all of the dot-flecked pieces that you could imagine. Running in Brisbane until February 11, 2018, it's an immersive experience that has to be seen to be truly understood and appreciated. Here's six things to look out for along the way. [caption id="attachment_646485" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] I WANT TO LOVE ON THE FESTIVAL NIGHT A mirrored hexagonal box isn't the type of thing that you see every day. Neither is the kaleidoscopic array of colourful lights shining brightly inside. An Instagrammer's dream, I WANT TO LOVE ON THE FESTIVAL NIGHT was specially created for the exhibition's Singapore stint, though it has evolved from her 1966 effort, Kusama's Peep Show. You'll want to peer into each of the structure's three viewing holes, and, given the changing hues, you'll want to stay staring through each for at least a few minutes. [caption id="attachment_646487" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] THE HEART OF KUSAMA'S RAINBOW Colour abounds in Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow, just like dots; but standing in one particular room in the exhibition will make you feel like you're bathing in several pails of paint. The bright, spiky shapes of Kusama's sculptures combine with the vibrant hues and vivid lines in her paintings, making the room seem alive. And that's without featuring any of the artist's immersive installations in this specific space. [caption id="attachment_646493" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] THE OBLITERATION ROOM It's an old favourite for a reason, and it's back. Interactive in the best, brightest and most fun possible way, The Obliteration Room stems from Kusama's childhood perception, seeing the world through a screen of tiny dots. After "obliterating" her work with dots from that moment, she now asks everyone else to do the same. You step inside a room, painted white from floor to ceiling — including all of its surfaces, fixtures, furniture and objects too — and then add spots of colour in sticker form. Yes, running around sticking spots on everything is as fun and therapeutic as it sounds. [caption id="attachment_646512" align="aligncenter" width="1926"] Sarah Ward[/caption] SOUL UNDER THE MOON Other than dots, one thing is certain at Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow: whatever day or time you visit, there'll be a line visible on the other side of the exhibition entrance. It's for the most immersive aspect of the show, and it's well worth the wait. While you're only allowed inside SOUL UNDER THE MOON for 30 seconds given the queue, you'll find a dark, mirrored room filled with suspended glowing balls awaiting once you enter. Be careful not to step too far when you're marvelling at its luminous sights that appear to go on forever (or taking snaps), or you'll find yourself in water. [caption id="attachment_646510" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sarah Ward[/caption] PUMPKINS AND POLLEN If you can wander through Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow and leave without feeling the need to eat pumpkin, then you clearly haven't spent enough time looking at Kusama's orange corner. You won't just find paintings of vegetables on display here, but sculptures that look like mutated pollen, a horror-movie like tentacle piece called Sex Obsession, and quite the blend of fabric, stylised anatomy and paint. Just when your cravings subside, however, you'll enter the mirrored THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS — and you'll be seeing pumpkins for days. [caption id="attachment_646494" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] KUSAMA'S VIDEO WORK Amidst the colour, movement, mirrors and dots of GOMA's exhibition, it's easy to walk past the dark room out the back — but don't. Inside, you'll find documents and video works from throughout Kusama's career, plus a seat to sit down and watch. Doing just that is recommended, whether you want to see the artist walk through the streets five decades ago, or see her stick dots on a cat. Yes, the latter does happen, and yes, it's as fantastic as it sounds. "If there's a cat, I obliterate it by putting polka dot stickers on it," is another of her famous quotes, after all. Yayoi Kusama: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow exhibits at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art until 11 February 2018. For more information, head to the gallery website. Images: Anwyn Howarth / Sarah Ward.
Chimac Plus is a classic Korean barbecue joint, brought to life with an elegant interior and dim lighting which set the mood for an intimate and tantalising feast. The all-you-can-eat menu includes a meat selection of pork belly, soy-marinated pork scotch, oyster blades marinated in soy, a range of bulgogi and fried chicken wings in wonder soy — all complemented with classic sides like kimchi, spicy fish cakes, pickled onions and steamed rice. From the a la carte menu, try the fried chicken coated in a sticky and sweet chilli paste or the mad chilli chicken (hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot and hot they warn). For a barbecue set, look no further than the 'Show Me What You Got' option, which includes oyster blade steak, beef bulgogi, spicy pork bulgogi, soy chicken and plain pork belly and soy wings. You can add extra meat on your own accord. There is also a Kor-Mex menu (Korea meets Mexico, duh) that includes takor (think tacos, quesadillas and burritos with your choice of beef, spicy pork and chicken or kimchi). Pair this with some loaded fries and enter a brave new world of Korean cuisine. Wash it down with some Korean or Japanese beer or some Korean rice wine. If you're off the booze, try a bong bong or two (a Korean grape drink) which is delightfully fizzy. All up, Chimac Plus is the perfect place for a chill catch-up with serious and fun cuisine. Images: Tran Nguyen
There's something brewing in Geelong, quite literally. The sleepy port city has been inundated in recent years with a plethora of world-class breweries, restaurants and wine bars and has quietly become Victoria's alternative foodie capital. White Rabbit Brewery and Barrel Hall is one such new neighbour. While they're new in town (they opened their doors late last year), they've quickly settled in and become a must-see stop on the unofficial Geelong food and beer tour. We took a stroll through the brewery with head brewer Jeremy Halse — who better to dish all the secrets on Geelong's beloved brewery than the man who cranks the cogs? STEP INSIDE Like all good things, you'll start your White Rabbit journey at the start. A dramatic entryway, piled high barrels and modern fermentation equipment parts to give you a glimpse of the length of the brewery. Jeremy says the entrance gives a taste of what's to come. "The way we designed the whole building is to take you on a journey, it's educational," he says. "It shows off the different facets of brewing that we do here, from the modern to the old school with the barrels." LOOK FAR AND WIDE Keep heading into the brewery and you'll come to a platform that gives you a view of the whole brewery and its inner workings. "As you walk through the brewery, you're following the brewing process. We've got a viewing platform where you can step into the production area and into an upper level – you can interact with the brewers when they're working, see steam coming out of vessels when we're mashing or boiling," Jeremy says. "It really opens up the whole process, we want to de-mystify brewing". A tip for all you home-brewers out there keen to see the professionals at work: during the week is when you'll see the most action. GET A LOAD OF THE OPEN FERMENTERS One of the most interesting elements of the White Rabbit brewery are the open fermenters. If you're not familiar with the ins and outs of beer making, open fermentation is an old school method. It's actually the old school method. At one point all beer was brewed using an open fermentation process and nowadays the White Rabbit brewers use their two open fermenters to experiment. From the viewing platform you can check out their rig, literally and you should — no brewery has anything like it in Australia. BARREL THROUGH THE BARREL HALL The Barrel Hall is both a namesake and highlight of the White Rabbit brewery. The rows and rows of barrels are currently fermenting White Rabbit's new barrel-aged red ale, a beer Jeremy has spent some time perfecting. "We always aimed make one beer at a time and make it really, really well. And that's always been in my head. That's why we've been very slow to release new beers, because we want to make the best, most balanced beers that we can," he says. "Unless we're loving it, we won't release it." GET IT FRESH FROM THE DINING HALL TAP By the time you reach the dining hall, you'll probably be fiending for a beer. In winter, a roaring wood fire will entice you into the rustic dining space and you should prepare for a long stay, nestled in the cosy hall. The White Rabbit menu echoes the beer itself — simple but beautifully balanced. We recommend a ploughman's board, piled high with Serrano, pickled veggies and sourdough or the beef bourguignon (with White Rabbit Dark Ale on the side). Jeremy's beer recommendation? "Our White Rabbit Jackalope is my go-to at the moment. We call it a whiskey sour as it's our sour wheat beer and we aged it in some ex-whiskey barrels. It picked up some of that whiskey character and turned out really beautifully." Find White Rabbit Brewery at 221 Swanston Street, South Geelong. Open Sunday to Thursday 11am – 5pm, Friday to Saturday 11am – 9pm.
It attracted 2.03 million votes in 2014, is regarded as 'the world's greatest music democracy' and is pretty much the only thing on Australian radios on Australia Day between the odd 'Khe Sanh'. Whether you 'get into it' or not, triple j's Hottest 100 has some serious reach, and this year, they're putting that blanket coverage to bloody good use. As part of this year's Hottest 100, triple j have teamed up with Indigenous school mentoring program AIME, for some hardcore fundraising. Aiming to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian students, AIME and triple j are encouraging Hottest 100 voters to donate right after they've popped their favourite songs in the voting form — votes open this Thursday, December 10. On Australia Day, you can also use your Hottest 100 rager or hushed barbecue as a fundraiser for AIME. In the lead up to the launch of the 2015 Hottest 100, we're stoked to announce a new partnership with triple j. Posted by AIME on Monday, December 7, 2015 It's all for a damn good cause, and you'll still get to screech about your favourite artist being played too early dammit. By donating in the Hottest 100, you'll be helping the hardworking AIME crew help 10,000 Indigenous kids finish school at the same rate as non-Indigenous students by 2018. Now that's worth getting all flustered about — albeit alongside whether Major Lazer tops the lot or not. It's not the first time triple j has worked with AIME; they've given big love to the crew around events like Homeground and NAIDOC week in the past. Here's hoping it rubs off on their listeners. Kyran Wheatley and Gen Fricker on triple j breakfast for #NAIDOCweek Posted by AIME on Thursday, July 9, 2015 Voting opens this Thursday, December 10. Via triple j.
Beloved short film festival Tropfest made the devastating announcement yesterday that due to mismanaged funds by the third party agency in charge of, you know, correctly managing funds, the festival has been cancelled this year. Founder and director John Polson made an (appropriately) salty statement on Facebook. “I have been made aware that the company contracted to raise the funding and administer the Tropfest event is unable to move forward for financial reasons. It is too early to tell what has actually happened here, although it is hard to avoid concluding there has been a terrible and irresponsible mismanagement of Tropfest funds.” And fair enough, as he estimates the funds mismanaged run into six figures. "It goes without saying that this announcement is the most difficult one I've made in Tropfest’s 23 year history," said Polson. "My heart goes out to this year’s 16 filmmaking finalists, to our incredible list of sponsors and partners, and of course to our loyal and beloved audience." Tropfest has been a staple in the Australia film vernacular since 1993, when it screened for an audience of 200. It's broadcast each year live to approximately 150,000 people around Australia and, despite everything, apparently received ample support this year, making the announcement even more upsetting. It’s a tangible blow to the Australian arts and filmmaking community as Tropfest was (and still is, we sincerely hope) one of the few festivals to offer sizeable prize money and valuable industry experience to the winning entrants (including a trip to Los Angeles to take meetings with film industry execs among other prizes). Can someone make a Kickstarter already so we don’t have to live in a world without Tropfest?
So you have good aim, know how to throw and you need a bill paid? Head to Federation Square next Thursday, June 29 between 11am and 3pm, and every 10 minutes you could get a chance to have up to $500 of your rent, water, electricity or phone bills paid for by BPAY. All you have to do is dunk someone (who will also be dressed as a bill for your own entertainment). You only have three chances, so brush up on your hand-eye coordination before then. At the dunk machine you'll be given a raffle ticket, and if randomly selected, you will then get the chance to spin a wheel to determine which bill could get paid. It's like your favourite childhood carnival memories are resurfacing to free you of your adult worries. You could make up to $500 of a bill disappear — into the dunk tank and off your to-do list — and even if you don't, at least you're not the one getting soaked on a winter day. Didn't get a dunk? Find out how to set up paying your bills through your bank using BPAY. See full terms and conditions here.
A brand new streaming service could change the way you watch new release movies — assuming you're willing to fork over the cash. The latest online endeavour from Napster co-founder Sean Parker, Screening Room wants to bring movies into your living room on the same day they hit cinemas. The idea has already received backing from several major Hollywood filmmakers, including Peter Jackson, Martin Scorsese, J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. But hostile theatre chains and prohibitive costs could mean the service remains a way off yet. The biggest hurdle, it would seem, is the cost of the service. Subscribers would need to purchase a US$150 set top box, after which they'd be charged $50 per film, which would remain available to them for 48-hours. Admittedly, you're paying for the convenience of not having to leave the house, and if you get enough people to chip in, it could easily work out cheaper than going to the cinema. But by the same token, if you're willing to wait a few months, you'll be able to watch the exact same movie on Netflix for a fraction of the price. The reason for the cost is in part to placate theatre owners, who might understandably be none too pleased about Parker trying to muscle in on their territory. According to Variety, as much as $20 out of each $50 rental fee would be paid to exhibitors, in return for two free tickets to see the given film in theatres, should Screening Room subscribers so choose. Film studios would also get a substantial slice of the pie, with Universal, Sony Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox all expressing interest in getting on board. There have, however, been several prominent naysayers, including filmmakers James Cameron and Christopher Nolan, who reaffirmed their commitment to theatrical presentation. It's easy to see their point: films are designed to be viewed on the big screen with the best possible picture and sound, something that cannot be replicated at home. On the other hand, it only takes one jerk on their phone in front of you to ruin the whole experience. Of course regardless of what happens with the Screening Room, we'd wager it'll still be quite a while before it makes its way to Australia. Looks like movie night is still a go, for now. Via Variety.
Don't believe anyone who tells you that you can't like both arts and sports. Whenever a film or TV awards ceremony rolls around, that's clearly proven wrong. Watching great movies and television shows get the attention they deserve, as well as the talented folks that make them, is the screen entertainment equivalent of a grand final — with the same amount of thrills. At this year's Golden Globes, that included a red carpet filled with black-hued outfits to make an important statement, Oprah Winfrey giving one of the most inspiring and extraordinary speeches you'll ever hear about oppression and the fight for equality, and host Seth Meyers making Kevin Spacey jokes. And that's not to mention Tommy Wiseau living his dreams and taking to the stage, Natalie Portman pointing out that there was not one female nominated for best director and Amy Poehler popping up as well. Plus, whether some of your most anticipated films of 2018 won plenty of shiny ornaments (hello The Shape of Water and Lady Bird) or you're certain the best damn thing on any big or small screen was thoroughly robbed (yes, we're talking about Twin Peaks), we can still watch all of the best and the rest once the ceremonies are over. Indeed, this year's Globes winners have gifted us all with quite the must-watch list of both quality efforts to catch up on, and others coming to screens near us soon. Here's our pick of their picks. Get viewing. BIG SCREEN MUST-SEES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFYWazblaUA& THE SHAPE OF WATER Building his career out of monster movies in multiple guises, Guillermo del Toro has proven himself a master at creature features of the moving and unusual kind — think Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Pacific Rim and even haunted house effort Crimson Peak. Compared to the above, The Shape of Water floats through its own stream of romance and drama, and yet it could've only been made by this year's Golden Globe winner for best director. Here, Sally Hawkins plays a mute woman who works nights cleaning at a top-secret government lab, only to fall for its prized possession: a man-like amphibian. The film won top honours at last year's Venice Film Festival, and it's likely to keep collecting them in the next couple of months. It's that entrancing and wonderful. GLOBES Won: Best Director — Motion Picture (Guillermo del Toro), Best Original Score — Motion Picture (Alexandre Desplat) Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Sally Hawkins), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Octavia Spencer), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Richard Jenkins), Best Screenplay — Motion Picture (Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor) In cinemas January 18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzgTHyEv5Ng LADY BIRD Greta Gerwig, sitting solo in the director's chair for the first time in her career, didn't even score a nomination in that Golden Globes category. No female filmmakers did. As ridiculous as that is, her film won half of the fields it was nominated in anyway. A clearly personal endeavour for the Frances Ha and Mistress America star, Lady Bird wanders through life in her hometown of Sacramento circa 2002, spinning the exploits of its titular character (Saoirse Ronan) into one of the most relatable coming-of-age flicks to grace the big screen in years. No wonder it took out the gong for best musical or comedy film, and that fantastic Irish talent Ronan (Brooklyn) won best actress in the same category. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (Saoirse Ronan) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Laurie Metcalfe), Best Screenplay - Motion Picture (Greta Gerwig) In cinemas February 15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aZ3r-84EQc THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI If Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri wasn't already an Oscar frontrunner, it is now, winning best drama, best actress in a drama, best supporting actor and best screenplay. They're all well-earned awards for Martin McDonagh's black comedy about a mourning mother doing whatever it takes to motivate her local police force, though none is more deserved than star Frances McDormand's. She's in typical top form spouting McDonagh's typically coarse dialogue; however, the always-fantastic Rockwell shouldn't be underestimated for bringing nuance to a difficult role either. Our only gripe about its Globes success? That the fleet-footed Rockwell didn't dance when he won his statuette. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Frances McDormand), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Sam Rockwell), Best Screenplay — Motion Picture (Martin McDonagh) Nominated: Best Director — Motion Picture (Martin McDonagh), Best Original Score — Motion Picture (Carter Burwell) In cinemas now — read our review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DT41LF22ZA THE DISASTER ARTIST Well, we all know what The Disaster Artist 2 should focus on. James Franco might've won best actor in a musical or comedy for playing Tommy Wiseau, but there wasn't a fan of The Room didn't break into an enormous smile when the real-life man himself took to the stage as well. He might've missed out on another chance to leap up when The Disaster Artist couldn't turn its second nomination — for best musical or comedy flick — into a trophy, but he stole the show as he tried to steal the microphone away from the man who imitated him perfectly. Next stop: the Oscars, hopefully. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (James Franco) Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy In cinemas now — read our review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyjnzhXJlHU IN THE FADE Diane Kruger may be the most famous German-born actress working today, but she hadn't starred in a German-language film until In the Fade. At Cannes last year, she won best actress for her troubles, but at the Golden Globes, it was the movie's time to shine. Under writer/director Fatih Akin's guidance, the best foreign-language feature winner is an exploration of terror, mourning and revenge that — like much of what we're seeing on screens these days — is all-too timely and relevant. It's also on the shortlist for the same field at the Oscars, so expect to keep hearing about it. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Foreign Language Release date TBC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DIm1PyBSwc COCO In an industry increasingly ruled by sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots, resurrections, cinematic universes and franchises that'll still be going long after we're all dead, it's always a joy to see a studio rewarded for taking a chance. While Pixar was once known for only making original stories — albeit, always about toys, monsters, robots and even feelings having feelings — their love of follow-ups like the terrible Cars 3 changed that. Then came Coco, which isn't the first animated film to play with Mexico's Dîa de los Muertos celebrations, but it is the most gorgeous, engaging and heart-swelling. A great pick for best animated film, it overflows with warmth and authenticity as it charts a 12-year-old boy chasing his music dreams into the Land of the Dead. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Animated Nominated: Best Original Song — Motion Picture In cinemas now — read our review. FUTURE SMALL SCREEN BINGES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOmwkTrW4OQ THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL Calling all Amy Sherman-Palladino fans. If you loved Gilmore Girls and Bunheads, then you'll follow the American TV writer, director and producer anywhere, including to her latest show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Winning best comedy TV series, and best actress for star Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards) too, it's the best show you probably haven't seen yet about a New York housewife trying out her stand-up comedy chops in the late 1950s. It should come as no surprise that Joan Rivers was one of the inspirations for the series, and that it is equally hilarious, heartfelt and finely observed, with the usual Sherman-Palladino charms in abundance. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy (Rachel Brosnahan) Now streaming on Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9P34WqoBtQ BIG LITTLE LIES The series everyone was talking about in early 2017 just keeps garnering attention — turning a limited run into a second season, sweeping the Emmys and now doing the same at the Golden Globes. The only nods Big Little Lies didn't turn into victories? When it had two actresses competing against each other in both the lead and supporting actress categories. Winners Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgård, and nominees Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley all star in this adaptation of Aussie Liane Moriarty's novel, about the mothers of first-graders attending the same school in California's Monterey. With filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée (Wild, Cafe de Flore) in the director's chair for all seven episodes, it's a deep and complex ride through topics that aren't always thrust into the spotlight. GLOBES Won: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Nicole Kidman), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Alexander Skarsgård), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Laura Dern) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Reese Witherspoon), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Shailene Woodley) Now streaming on Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJTonrzXTJs THE HANDMAID'S TALE 2017 couldn't have been been a better time for The Handmaid's Tale to make it to the small screen. If that felt true when it first aired, the series' depiction of the oppression of women in a near-future dystopian society only proved more powerful as events played out in Hollywood as the year went on. The show's topical nature is only one of the its selling points, however, with everything about the adaptation of Margaret Atwood's ahead-of-its-time novel drawing you into an utterly unnerving realm. Standout and best actress in a drama winner Elisabeth Moss is particularly fantastic as Offred, one of the still-fertile women forced into sexual servitude to bear the ruling elite's children, while the series' mastery of mood and tone will give you literal chills. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series — Drama (Elisabeth Moss) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Ann Dowd) Now streaming on SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzwZZjPHv3A FARGO When the idea of turning the Coen brothers' Oscar-winning black comedy Fargo into a television show was floated, fans were understandably skeptical. So specific in its tone, so tied to its directors' sensibilities and so driven by Frances McDormand's ace lead performance, would it work on the small screen? And if an attempt to do just that failed in 1997, why would it succeed now? Those fears were easily quelled by the excellent end result, and the anthology series has continued its stellar run across not one, or two, but three series to date. In the latest, newly minted best actor in a limited series winner Ewan McGregor plays two very different brothers, in another account of greed, crime and stupidity in snowy Minnesota climes. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Ewan McGregor) Nominated: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (David Thewlis) Now streaming on Netflix.
UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 — As MoMA at NGV gets closer to wrapping up, the NGV has announced that it will extend opening hours so you have a few more chances to see the exhibition (if not for the first, for the second or third time). The gallery will move its regular 10am opening time up to 8.30am from September 22 until October 7, and, in the final week, it will stay open until 10pm from Thursday, October 4 until Sunday, October 7. The exhibition will also be extended for an extra day, and will now close on Monday, October 8. Not going overseas this winter? Luckily, you'll still have the chance to take a bite out of some Big Apple arts and culture, as the National Gallery of Victoria plays host to an exclusive exhibition showcasing works from New York's prestigious Museum of Modern Art. Set to run until October 7, MoMA at NGV: 130 Years of Modern and Contemporary Art will feature over 200 modern and contemporary masterpieces, many on their first ever visit to Australia. Taking over the entire ground floor of NGV International, it's certifiably huge. The exhibition will present pieces from all six of MoMA's curatorial departments, meaning the works will span Photography, Film, Architecture and Design, Painting and Sculpture, Drawings and Prints, and Media and Performance Art. You'll catch works from all of the big names of the 19th and 20th century art world, including Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, Georgia O'Keeffe, Diane Arbus and Andy Warhol. Capturing the spirit of more recent times, will be pieces from the likes of Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Kara Walker, Olafur Eliasson, Rineke Dijkstra and Camille Henrot. Examining over 130 years of innovation, MoMA at NGV sets out to explore all the major art movements, with the exhibition spread across eight themed sections. Here are a few of the big-name works on display. Needless to say, the partnership with MoMa is a pretty huge coup for both the NGV and Australian art lovers. "The collaboration with the National Gallery of Victoria provides a unique opportunity to see extremely important works from nearly every area of our collection in an exhibition that simultaneously explores The Museum of Modern Art's history as well as the history of modern and contemporary art in general," said MoMA Director Glenn D. Lowry. As an added bonus, NGV members who are hitting New York while the exhibition is running will score free admission to MoMA, and vice versa.
Woken up in a self-induced, whiskey-fuelled, stomach-grating, cold-sweating Sunday Hades too many times? You’re about to feel real guilty. London’s wholesome beige cashmere cardigan of a suburb, Notting Hill, is about to open the unthinkable: an alcohol-free cocktail bar called Redemption. We like to call this a ‘juice bar’. But apparently there's more to it than that. Redemption is London’s first alcohol-free bar, the city’s only ‘cocktail spot’ with a mocktail and food menu designed by nutritional therapists. Created by Catherine Salway, ex Virgin Group Brand Director, executive chef and raw, vegan specialist Andrea Waters, the bar sports the tagline, “Spoil yourself without spoiling yourself.” It’s the latest in a ‘healthvolution’ (yep) of dry bars happening across England, tackling the country’s huge social drinking focus by simply replacing the booze with Healthy Things. It's like almost like nicotine patch for being around bars. “These days it’s hard to get away from booze – you can’t even go to the cinema without being offered a glass of wine,” says Salway and Waters. “With Redemption, we are creating a space away from temptation that still feels like a treat. We’re challenging the convention that we need alcohol to lubricate every social occasion.” Anyone who just did Dry July (right here), would probably be down with this. But let’s be honest, this isn’t a ‘cocktail bar’. Basically it’s a wholesome, vegan cafe open late and using a buzzword to generate articles like the one you’re reading now. Consider us suckers. Redemption’s less about getting smashed on Negronis and more about filling your weekends with less sugar and alcohol. Think 'beet-o-tinis', 'apple mockjitos', and the mildly terrifying-sounding ‘lettuce spray’. For those who don’t drink at all, or those looking to detox the Captain Morgan from their pores, this is a great, appealing initiative from a country whose deep-set drinking problems mirror our own. Perhaps it’s time for a Redemption of our own? *rolls over, orders pizza online, burps Chardonnay* Redemption Bar opens on August 10 at 6 Chepstow Road, London. Open Monday – Saturday 10am – 11pm. Sunday 10am – 5pm. Via VICE and Sharking for Chips and Drinks. Images: Redemption and Sharking for Chips and Drinks.
There’s not much better on an icy August day than a hot bowl of pho. We know it, you know, and the folk behind the CBD pop-up Pho Real know it best. For the past week, they’ve been dishing out steaming bowl of brothy, noodle-y goodness after steaming bowl of brothy, noodle-y goodness and — here’s the twist — inviting you to choose the price. (Okay, so we’ve had the whole pay-as-you-wish deal going on around town for a little while now, but have we ever had it with pho? Didn’t think so.) The Pho Real team’s 12-hour slowly cooked broth is available in chicken, beef, chicken and beef, and vegetarian varieties. So strong is the pho’s inside-warming goodness that they actually sold out on their very first day, but since then they’ve rallied to meet the CBD lunch and dinner demand. Melbourne, you pho sure know what you want. As accompaniment, they’re also dishing out crispy spring rolls and charcoal skewers of pork, chicken or beef and, to wash it all down, on-theme Bia Saigon and cans of Southeast Asian sarsaparilla soft drink Sarsi. (Though know that these other Vietnamese-style treats are priced — the generous pay-what-you-want scheme is only pho your pho.) Sadly, as is the nature of pop-up deals like this, the pho-fest won’t last pho ever. Pho Real will be here warming our chilled winter hearts until next Tuesday 11 August. Don’t pho-get to get on down. Pho Real is open every day for lunch from 11-3pm and dinner from 5pm till late, at 11 Liverpool St, Melbourne.
Named after the god of the sea, it's no surprise to see Neptune champion all things seafood on its short yet solid menu. But the Windsor restaurant, run by hospo stalwarts Nic Coulter (Young Hearts) and Michael Parker (San Telmo, Pastuso), didn't always have this seafood focus. A more general mix of Mediterranean eats was served up here until 2023 when Neptune had a little revamp. Now, you'll struggle to find a dish on the menu that wasn't plucked from the sea or a river. Things kick off with a selection of shelled creatures — think oysters, scallops, mussels and pippies — and a few cold and raw options. The Fairy Bread toast is a particularly fun one. House-made focaccia is covered in lashings of garlic butter and salmon roe to create a fishy twist on a childhood favourite. You've also got a few options from the grill — this is where you'll find chicken and steak — plus a small selection of mains. Our favourite here has to be the spanner crab spaghetti that's been on the Neptune menu for quite a few years. Regulars wouldn't let the chefs stop serving this one. [caption id="attachment_920979" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nic Coulter and Michael Parker[/caption] But if you hate making decisions when dining, the Neptune team has joined so many other Melbourne restaurants by creating some fairly reasonably priced set menus. Pick the $90 seafood set menu and prepare to feast on fresh oysters, scallops, salmon tataki (very lightly seared salmon), a whole grilled fish, that much-loved crab pasta, potato salad and a cheeky seasonal dessert. Make sure you get on the wines while you're here, too. Neptune is known for being a bit of a wine bar. Either ask the team to pair your meal with a few drops or head over to the large wine fridges to pick a bottle yourself. There's a strong focus on European vinos, but plenty of Aussie winemakers also feature on the extensive wine list. Many also hit up Neptune for wine, cocktails and snacks — sitting out by the street in the sun. You can easily make it into a little aperitivo spot for lunch or after work. The Mediterranean vibes lend very well to this kind of drinking and dining experience. [caption id="attachment_920974" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sarah Pannell[/caption] Top images: Steve Murray, Sarah Pannell and Jo Rittey
The legendary, controversial performance artist who does 'nothing' is finally making her way to Australia, set to perform a brand new artwork. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the beloved and equally criticised 67-year-old artist, Marina Abramovic, has been invited by arts heavyweight John Kaldor to Sydney to perform a yet-to-be-revealed, shiny new work in June 2015. Famous (and the topic of furious debate) for her iconic 2010 work at NYC's Museum of Modern Art, The Artist is Present, Abramovic's work was last seen in Australia for Kaldor Public Art Project's applauded group exhibition 13 Rooms at Pier 2/3 — the work, Luminosity, which saw a naked artist wall-mounted on a bicycle seat for long periods of time (and didn't star Abramovic herself). For her mysterious new Sydney work, Abramovic will use the Pier 2/3 space herself, in one of the most squealworthy announcements for performance art lovers this side of the equator. But this isn't the first time Abramovic has been to Australia; before presenting Gold found by the artists with partner in crime Ulay at the 1979 Biennale of Sydney, the artist spent a cheeky five months with an Aboriginal community in central Australia in the '80s (and raised a baby kangaroo and cuddled this sheep). According to Fairfax Media, there's also a whole Abramovic exhibition planned for David Walsh's Museum of Old and New Art next year — quite honestly, why she hasn't made MONA's acquaintance baffles us. To be fair, she's been pretty busy doing zilch for a total of 512 Hours at London's Serpentine Gallery, hangin' with Jay-Z and backing a new online school for girls with Sia, Pussy Riot, Kim Gordon, Yayoi Kusama and Yoko Ono. The artist is busy. Via SMH. Images: Complex.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and make that film you've always wanted to? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of some bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. Sydney's Jason Perini knows all about the anti-comfort zone. He's a man standing on the precipice of an opportunity so monumental it's overwhelming — a fully loaded-career with seriously big names already sitting in his credit roll. Alright, so it's not quite as dramatic as all that but he has recently found himself hurtling from struggling up-and-comer to directing Oscar nominated Maggie Gyllenhaal in a film he wrote himself in the space of a few short weeks. One of three winners of Jameson's 2016 First Shot competition, an international short film comp giving aspiring writers and directors their 'first shot' in the film industry, Jason's channelling 'Sine Metu' all the way to Hollywood with his film The New Empress. But how the heck did he get there? GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS/AWESOME WIFE Jason started his directing career, as all great directors do, on the other side of the camera. Graduating from the Actors Centre Australia in 2009, he starred in a few short films, episodes of Underbelly, and a few plays for the likes of Belvoir, RockSurfers and NIDA. Highly sought after as a voice over artist, he churned out ads for KFC, Sony and Samsung before taking a little more creative control over his film career. He wrote and starred in multiple award-winning short films including 2012 Tropfest finalist and Best Comedy winner at NYC's BrownFish International Film Festival Kitchen Sink Drama, and the Cannes-screened short A Little Bit Behind. Being a director, writer and actor was paying off. In his new arrangement though, the scales are loaded. On one side is his family (wildly supportive wife Susan, three young kids and preschool fees stacking up), fear and niggling self-doubt. On the other side is the pure joy of making films and a fair dollop of entrepreneurial spirit. In the end, they balance each other out — but it doesn't come easy. "My wife reassures me to keep moving in this direction and making short films because… I think she just sees the joy it brings me," he says. "And that it brings me a level of satisfaction." Perini doesn't fit into any preconceived notions you might have about actors and directors. He could be your brother, your mate, your neighbour, your uncle — there's not a skerrick of Tinseltown pretentiousness in him and he seems acutely aware of that. What he lacks in old Hollywood gravitas he more than makes up for in relatability. He's not a polished protagonist and seems to have no faith in things working out for him. For some, that fear might be calcifying, but for Perini, it makes him cautious, calculated and hardworking. His approach isn't razzle-dazzle, it's a hard slog, and maybe that insight is why Trigger Street Productions president Dana Brunetti, Kevin Spacey and Maggie Gyllenhaal, chose his script out of hundreds to win First Shot. FYI, this is the straight-up baller way Jameson, Trigger Street and Spacey told the three First Shot winners they'd won (get the tissues ready): EAT HUMBLE PIE FOR EVERY MEAL There's nothing glamorous about clawing your way up the film industry ladder. Like most of the creative professions, there's a dearth of funding and a saturation of hungry mouths to feed. Putting a dollar value on creative ideas can be challenging but not as difficult as going hand-to-mouth to potential investors and supporters. But that's the reality for most filmmakers. There's no fat stack of Hollywood money, no personal assistants and no safety net. Making it work means calling in a lot of favours. "Constantly having to approach people I don't know and say, 'I don't have much money, my idea is probably not very good but would you be willing to come along and help out with this thing,' you think, 'I don't want to do this, it's out of my comfort zone.' But in five years, if I hadn't given it a shot, I would kick myself. "I'm not getting any younger. I get nervous calling anyone on the phone, I can't stand it. I get weirded out by emailing people [the same as] approaching people cold. But the more you do it, you still don't like it but you know that's what you have to do." Herein this simple admission lies the crux of Perini's appeal – he's you. He's all of us, unpolished and goofy and cringing about having to pick up the phone and ask a favour. He's a man with the same hang-ups, the same road blocks we all have (age, time, money, warring responsibilities), who's managed to somehow close his eyes, steel himself and awkwardly run screaming into the fray 'without fear'. FAKE IT TILL THE HOLLYWOOD HEAVYWEIGHTS NOTICE YOU Perini quickly discovered that for him, being an actor was far easier than being an everything else (don't throw anything at us, actors). As director, producer and writer, he finds himself holding a lot of threads which threaten to unravel at any moment and ruin everything. "What's nice about it is that you get more of a vision but then if it comes crashing down, it sucks," he says. "If I was acting it I'd just go, 'Oh they cut it badly, the director was a jerk.' But there's nowhere to hide once you start producing, directing and writing." His approach to his craft is one of self-assured humility; an oxymoron that blends equal parts ability and uncertainty. When asked if he thinks he's a good filmmaker, he's characteristically self-deprecating. "No I don't," he says quickly. "I think I'm a baby in it. Now that I've made two films completely on my own, in the sense that I produced them and wrote them, I think I learned the hard way really quickly. I look back at both those films and would do them completely differently. But I've learnt so much… that's kind of helpful." Trigger Street and Maggie Gyllenhaal evidently disagree. Perini's script, which he nearly didn't submit, was chosen out of hundreds as a co-winner of First Shot. The prize is a filmmakers' dream Your script is brought to life with you as the director, Kevin Spacey as creative director, Trigger Street as producers and Maggie Gyllenhaal in front of the camera. As you may guess, Perini is dealing with it in a characteristically low-key way. "They're gonna have a rude shock when I turn up and don't know what I'm doing... I'm just thankful and I want to learn from them as much as I can. I want to be as ignorant as I can and soak it all up." Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Thanks to Jameson and The Rewriters, one extremely fortunate Concrete Playground reader (and their even more fortunate mate) will get the chance to 'fear less' and go on a big ol' adventure to Ireland. In addition to two return flights departing from your choice of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, this epic giveaway comes with five night's accommodation and $500 spending money you can use to paint the Emerald Isle red. ENTER HERE. For more about how 'Sine Metu' influenced John Jameson's journey visit Jameson's website. Images: Michael Ciccone, Jameson, Trigger Productions.
Melbourne cinephiles, here's what you'll be watching come August. That's when the Melbourne International Film Festival will brighten up the city's big screens for three movie-filled weeks — and they'll have quite the stacked lineup if their first 2017 titles are anything to go by. Fancy watching Charlie Hunnam and Robert Pattinson trek through the jungle in the excellent The Lost City of Z? Catching all six episodes of the eagerly anticipated, Nicole Kidman-starring, straight-from-Cannes Top of the Lake: China Girl? Seeing Aussie actress Emily Browning play a Melburnian in New York opposite Jason Schwartzman and the Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz in Golden Exits? Ace, you're in luck. All three feature in MIFF's 25-title reveal, and they have company. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fya_lWun_R8 The world's first feature-length painted animation, an unnerving horror about brothers escaping from a cult and a Sundance-winning exploration of the citizen journalists fronting the war on ISIS are also on the bill, demonstrating the festival's usual commitment to variety. Plus, with the Sydney Film Festival about to kick off, you could say that MIFF's program sneak peek smacks of great timing, with quite the number of New South Wales-bound flicks also heading further south. Films doing double duty at both events include the Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara and Michael Fassbender-starring, SXSW-shot Song to Song; the brief and banter filled The Party, swoon-inducing queer romances Call Me By Your Name and God's Own Country; transgender drama A Fantastic Woman; must-see, Samuel L. Jackson-narrated doco I Am Not Your Negro; and the New Zealand horror amusement park-based Spookers — as well as Aussie efforts Ali's Wedding, Australia Day, That's Not Me, Mountain and The Go-Betweens: Right Here. And, with the fest already announcing a huge science fiction retrospective — their first in their 65-year existence — it's safe to say that it's shaping up to be quite the jam-packed MIFF. The Melbourne International Film Festival runs from August 3 to 20. For more information, visit the MIFF website — and check back on July 11, when the full program is announced.
If you're a fan of Better Call Saul, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Dead to Me or The Good Place, you've probably spent plenty of time in front of your TV screen over the past six months. But, even when we're all staying inside revisiting our favourite shows, 2020's television and streaming viewing isn't just about the programs you already love. If you're always eager to add some fresh favourites to your pile, the year so far has well and truly delivered. They're the new series that, in years to come, will sit atop your rewatch list. From ominous and ambitious science-fiction thrillers and contemplative slow-TV documentaries to comic takes on history and bold reworkings of literary classics, 2020's batch of new shows has proven a varied bunch — and an excellent one as well. It's enough to make you hole up in your living room and never want to leave. Or, to spend the year's colder months catching up. With the year at its halfway point, here are our picks of 2020's best TV and streaming series that you owe it to yourself to seek out now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODYjA9H4qcw NORMAL PEOPLE When Sally Rooney's Normal People first hit bookshelves in 2018, it thrust readers into a disarmingly relatable love story, following the amorous ups and downs of an on-again, off-again couple from Sligo, Ireland. Teenagers Marianne and Connell have known each other for years, as tends to happen in small towns. And although she's aloof, intense and considered an acerbic loner, while he's outgoing and popular, a torrid and tumultuous secret romance blooms. That's just the beginning of the Irish author's novel, and of the both tender and perceptive TV series that brings the book to the screen. As it dives deep into a complex chronicle of first love, it not only charts Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones, Cold Feet) and Connell's (newcomer Paul Mescal) feelings for each other, but details the recognisable and realistic minutiae of being a high schooler and then a uni student. This is first and foremost a romance, and a passionate and intimate one at that; however the series can't tell this complicated couple's story without touching upon everything else that pops up along the way. Normal People is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1htuNZp82Ck&feature=youtu.be TALES FROM THE LOOP If Black Mirror set all of its bleak futuristic tales in one small town, followed interconnected characters and sported a low-fi, retro sheen, the result would be Tales From the Loop. This patient, beautiful, poignant and incredibly moving sci-fi series is actually based on a series of paintings by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag — and even if you didn't already know that fact while you were watching, you'd notice the show's distinctive aesthetic. The title refers to a mysterious underground machine, called The Loop, that's designed to explore and unravel the mysteries of the universe. For the folks living above it, their lives soon take strange turns. Anchoring jumps and pauses in time, body swaps, giant robots and more in everyday situations and emotions (such as being envious of a friend, falling in love, betraying your nearest and dearest, and trying to connect with your parents), Tales From the Loop is as perceptive as it is immersive and engaging. And, its eight episodes are helmed by an exceptional array of fantastic filmmakers, including Never Let Me Go's Mark Romanek, WALL-E's Andrew Stanton, The House of the Devil's Ti West and actor-turned-director Jodie Foster. Tales From the Loop is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8klax373ds DEVS Radiating unease from its very first moments, yet sporting both a mood and a futuristic look that prove simultaneously unsettlingly and alluring, Devs is unmistakably the work of author-turned-filmmaker Alex Garland. His first jump to the small screen, it instantly slots in nicely beside Ex Machina and Annihilation on his resume — and it's just as intriguing and involving as each of those excellent movies. The setting: Amaya, a US technology company that's massive in size yet secretive in its focus. When Sergei (Karl Glusman) is promoted to its coveted, extra clandestine Devs division, his girlfriend and fellow Amaya employee Lily (Sonoya Mizuno is thrilled for him. But when Sergei doesn't come home from his first day, Lily starts looking for answers — including from the company's guru-like leader Forest (a long-haired, very un-Ron Swanson-like Nick Offerman). Devs is available to stream via Foxtel Now and Binge. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5vLgpdXz0g THE GREAT It takes its title from its central figure, Russian empress Catherine the Great. It's filled with lavish period-appropriate costumes, wigs, sets and decor. And, it explores an immensely famous time during the 18th century that had a significant impact upon the world. Normally, that'd all smack of a certain kind of drama; however The Great is firmly a comedy as well. As starring Elle Fanning as the eponymous ruler, Nicholas Hoult as her husband Peter III and Bohemian Rhapsody's Gwilym Lee as a fellow member of the royal court, that means witty, laugh-out-loud lines, an irreverent and often cheeky mood, and having ample fun with real-life details — much in the way that Oscar-winner The Favourite did with British royalty on the big screen. Of course, the comparison couldn't be more fitting, with that film's BAFTA-winning screenwriter, Australian Tony McNamara, using his savagely hilarious satirical skills to pen The Great as well. The Great is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaMIcuVH83M&feature=emb_logo THE BEACH Whenever Warwick Thornton makes a new project, it demands attention — and the Indigenous Australian filmmaker has never made anything quite like The Beach. The director of Samson & Delilah and Sweet Country turns the camera on himself, chronicling his quest to escape his busy life for an extended soul-searching getaway. With only chickens and wildlife for company, Thornton bunkers down in an electricity-free tin shed in Jilirr, on the Dampier Peninsula on the northwest coast of Western Australia. He fishes, cooks, chats to the chooks, wanders along the shoreline and reflects upon everything that's led him to this point, with this six-part documentary series capturing the ups, downs, sublime sights and epiphany-inspiring moments. Unfurling quietly and patiently in the slow-TV tradition, Thornton's internal journey of discovery makes for both moving and absorbing viewing. Indeed, combined with stunning cinematography (as shot by Thornton's son and Robbie Hood director Dylan River), it just might be the best piece of Australian television you see this year. The Beach is available to stream via SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TA3B8Z5lcQ DISPATCHES FROM ELSEWHERE It has been a few years since Jason Segel was seen on-screen with any frequency; however the Freaks and Geeks, How I Met Your Mother and The Muppets star returns in a big way with Dispatches from Elsewhere. As well as leading the cast, he created, co-wrote and co-directed the intriguing and enigmatic puzzle-like drama series, which is based on the documentary The Institute and tracks a group of strangers who find themselves drawn to a strange, game-like mystery. IT worker Peter (Segel), the lively Simone (Eve Lindley), the overly cautious and paranoid Fredwynn (Andre Benjamin), and the upbeat Janice (Sally Field) all don't know what they're getting themselves in for when they start spotting flyers around town about offbeat topics (communicating with dolphins and trialling human force fields, for example), then each individually call the number printed on them. And, for maximum immersion and enjoyment — and to go on the ten-part show's weird and wonderful ride with its characters — audiences should approach it with as little prior knowledge of any details other than the above as well. Dispatches from Elsewhere is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDKYJwih5-Q BREEDERS Catastrophe, that great, smart, acerbically funny British comedy about a couple's experiences with parenthood, attempts to navigate life's all-round chaos and just general effort to try to stay together, sadly finished up its four-season run last year. Let worthy successor Breeders fill the gap — with Martin Freeman starring as exasperated dad Paul, Daisy Haggard (Back to Life) playing his partner Ally, and The Thick of It's Chris Addison and Simon Blackwell on directing and writing duties. Basically, if the aforementioned political satire featured parents swearing profusely at their kids instead of government staffers unleashing at their colleagues, this is how it would turn out. The show is partially based on Freeman's own experiences, too, and stems from the Sherlock, The Office and The Hobbit actor's idea. Breeders is available to stream via Foxtel Now and Binge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zVhRId0BTw UNORTHODOX Deborah Feldman's best-selling 2012 autobiography Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots makes the leap to Netflix as a four-part mini-series. And, as the book's title makes plain, both explore her decision to leave her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Williamsburg, New York, flee her arranged marriage and everyone she's ever known, and escape to Berlin to start a brand new life. Names and details have been changed, as tends to be the case with dramas based on real-life stories; however Unorthodox still follows the same overall path. In a tense but instantly commanding opening to the show's first episode, 19-year-old Esther 'Esty' Shapiro (Shira Haas) slips out of the apartment she shares with her husband Yanky (Amit Rahav), picks up a passport from her piano teacher and nervously heads to the airport. The end result proves a unique and intriguing coming-of-age tale, a thoughtful thriller, and an eye-opening but always careful and respectful look at a culture that's rarely depicted on-screen in such depth. Israeli actress Haas (The Zookeeper's Wife, Foxtrot, Mary Magdalene) turns in a nuanced, weighty and gripping performance as Esty, too — which is absolutely pivotal in making Unorthodox so compelling to watch. Unorthodox is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyxdf2TvcJE STATELESS A flight attendant (Yvonne Strahovski) unhappy with her life, trying to find solace in a cult-like dance school run by a creepy duo (Cate Blanchett and Dominic West), and eventually making a drastic decision. An Afghan refugee Ameer (Fayssal Bazzi) attempting to escape to Australia with his wife and daughters in search of a better life. A struggling father (Jai Courtney) in a remote town who takes a job at the local detention facility because it pays well. A bureaucrat (Asher Keddie) brought in to manage said location when it attracts negative media attention. They're the four characters at the heart of six-part Australian mini-series Stateless — a show that doesn't just feel as if it is ripped from the headlines but, in one specific instance, is 100-percent drawn from real-life events. This is bold, topical television filled with fantastic performances, although that's to be expected given the cast. Stateless is available to stream via ABC iView. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMUPp_hNMlM THE EDDY A fantastic cast, a Parisian setting and oh-so-much jazz. As executive produced and partly directed by Whiplash and La La Land filmmaker Damien Chazelle, that's what's on offer in eight-part drama The Eddy. The title refers to the French club run by former pianist Elliot (Andre Holland) and his business partner Farid (Tahar Rahim), with every episode following the daily life of a different person — including Elliot's rebellious teenage daughter Julie (Amandla Stenberg), as well as Maja (Joanna Kulig), the lead singer of the venue's resident jazz band. Like almost everything that Chazelle touches, other than First Man, jazz features heavily. That's really just a given with his work by now. But whether you're as fond of the style of music as he clearly is, you could take or leave it, or you're just keen on virtually visiting Europe, The Eddy unfurls a moody and engrossing tale that benefits from its excellent on-screen talent. The Eddy is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMaPCYRPhY0 MYTHIC QUEST: RAVEN'S BANQUET For the past 15 years, Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton have co-written and co-starred in one of the best shows on TV: the so-ridiculous-its-hilarious It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Hopefully, that'll never change — Sunny just aired its 14th season last year — but McElhenney and Day have also just launched a new sitcom. Trading a sleazy Philly bar for a video game development studio, Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet sees McElhenney play a gaming visionary who's having trouble with the latest expansion pack of his big online role-playing hit. Big troubles, actually. A workplace comedy, Mythic Quest takes some time to find its feet, but it's worth sticking with. It also stars Community's Danny Pudi, Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham and Australian Content actress (and #Flipgirl) Charlotte Nicdao. And if you're a fan, you'll be pleased to know that Apple renewed it for a second season before the first even premiered. Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet is available to stream via Apple TV+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVQ9-XH3hc8 DRACULA After giving Sherlock Holmes plenty of twists in Sherlock, writers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have decided that another famous character could use a once-over — and not just any old figure, either. Bram Stoker's Dracula has been adapted for the screen so many times, the bloodsucker actually holds the record, but this version isn't like any other. Starring The Square's Claes Bang as the undead count, the BBC and Netflix three-part series has plenty of tricks up its sleeves. So many, in fact, that we won't say too much in order to preserve the mystery. In a smart, lush, gleefully theatrical and cleverly scripted affair that blends gothic horror with sly amusement, the basic framework of the 123-year-old story remains — spanning both Romania and Britain, and following his altercations with lawyer Jonathan Harker, his lust for Lucy Westenra and his run-ins with Van Helsing — but not as you'd ever expect. Bang is fantastic, but keep a particular eye out for Dolly Wells (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) as a pivotal nun. Dracula is available to stream via Netflix. Looking for more viewing highlights? Check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for handmade artisan gelato. Yes, the days of the humble Bubble O' Bill are but a speck on your long overdue dental exam, replaced by the elaborate taste combinations of burnt butter, rosemary & chestnut and rhubarb & Vincotto swirl. These are just a few of the flavours on offer at the newly opened Pidapipo Gelateria, which after operating as a pop-up 'test lab' on Carlton's Faraday Street last summer has found a permanent home just around the corner at 299 Lygon Street. The latest boutique ice-creamery bringing sugary goodness to Melbourne's inner north-east is the brainchild of Lisa Valmorbida, a graduate of Italy's Carpigiani Gelato University. As a sidenote, if the news that there's such a thing as Gelato University is making you question every decision you've ever made in life, then trust me, you're not alone. Inspired by Valmorbida's grandfather, Pidapipo Gelateria combines modern ideas with traditional ice-cream making methods. The gelato is made fresh in store using ingredients from local and Italian producers, including pistachios from Sicily, milk from Warrnambool and honey harvested from the store's own rooftop beehive. Every three months will see the launch of a new seasonal range of flavours, to go along with time-honoured Italian favourites such as fior di latte and ricotta & fig. Valmorbida will also collaborate with other chefs on special flavours, the first of which is a Coke float gelato inspired by local doughnut connoisseur and food-truck operator Raph Rashid. Of course it wouldn't be a modern ice-cream store without head-pounding techno music. So every Friday night, Pidapipo will play host to a series of resident DJs, including Edd Fisher, Laila Sakini and DJ Prequel. Pidapipo officially opens its doors on Friday, December 12. For more information, visit their website. Or if you just want to drool over pictures of gelato, they're on Instagram as well.
The NGV has hosted some pretty epic exhibitions over the last few years — Ai Weiei and Andy Warhol, Hokusai and Van Gogh are just a few— but this might be its most ambitious exhibition yet. Descending on the gallery from today — Friday, December 15 — and then every three years after that, the NGV Triennial presents a smorgasbord of art and design, plucked from all corners of the globe and representing established artists, emerging talent, and plenty else in between. And the first one is nothing short of grand. The free exhibition will take over all four levels of the gallery until April 2018 and host a slew of newly commissioned works by over 60 artists and designers. But where it's really upping the ante is in the audience experience, with visitors invited to present their own ideas through cross-platform content, and the exhibition's participatory works designed to engage like never before. Legendary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, best known for her obsessive patterning and vibrant representations of the infinite, will invite glimpses into the artist's mind with a work titled Flower obsession. Created especially for the NGV Triennial, the interactive exhibition will have visitors unleashing some creativity of their own, as they help plaster a furnished space with an array of colourful flower stickers and three-dimensional blooms. Another highlight is an epic display of 100 oversized human skulls created by Australian artist Ron Mueck, and you'll want to step inside teamLab's immersive mirrored room that reacts to visitors' movements. Kusuma joins other international names like Germany's Timo Nasseri and Canada's Sascha Braunig, alongside an Aussie billing that includes the likes of Ben Quilty, Louisa Bufardeci, and Tom Crago. There'll be an installation from Chinese haute couture fashion guru Guo Pei, designer of Rihanna's canary-yellow Met Ball gown, and chemist and odour theorist Sissel Tolaas will create the 'scent of Melbourne' exclusively for the Triennial. And Alexandra Kehayoglou will be creating one of her monumentally-sized, lushly illustrated carpets, spanning over eight metres long. The NGV Triennial will be on display at the National Gallery of Victoria from December 15, 2017 till April 15, 2018. For more info, visit ngv.com.au.
If you live in Windsor, congratulations, you have a standout modern Italian restaurant on your doorstep — Tipico. If you live elsewhere, plan a trip to Windsor ASAP. Experience can be tasted, and when you dine at Tipico, this becomes clear. Run by a team who have done the hard yards — at DOC, The Lucas Group, Tokyo Tina and Ti Amo — a chef on the pans who has cooked in some of Europe's most renowned restaurants and front of house staff who will explain the menu to you in a way that has you hanging off their every word, Tipico ticks many of the right boxes. By 7pm on a Thursday night, Tipico is full. Despite its concrete walls, floor and ceiling, the buzz isn't overwhelming — you can still hear your table companions. It's also, despite the aforementioned concrete walls, comfortable, with leather banquettes and warming lights. [caption id="attachment_781628" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sammy Green[/caption] There are families here as well as suits, some double dates and some hipsters with beanies. It's that kind of place. Appealing to everyone who likes good food. There is a range of woodfired pizzas, some incredible looking pasta dishes and a selection of secundi and contorni. Start with the burrata with roasted pumpkin and crispy guanciale. It's a beautifully fresh take on a Caprese salad, which is lighter and designed to enhance the flavours of the other ingredients. By the end of the dish you're left with a creamy smear just begging to be mopped up with fresh ciabatta. Which they offer and you should accept. It's pretty hard to go past a dish that's had as much Instagram airtime as the cotoletta — a dish chef Domenico De Marco is proud of. It's a crumbed veal cutlet that arrives sliced on a wooden board with a bowl of pickled, well, everything. It would probably be easier to list what's not there, given that what is there includes a lovely range of pickled apple, pear, eggplant, zucchini, capsicum, little brown mushrooms and cauliflower florets. The play between tender crumbed meat with pops of rosemary and the pickle is particularly delightful. A side dish of roasted cauliflower, labneh and chives is also a highlight at Tipico. "Not very normal as an Italian dish", says the waiter, "but I think it's wonderful." As he should. It is. The drinks menu features predominantly Italian wines but with some local delights thrown in for good measure. You can start with an Italian cocktail, such as a Milano Sour or a Sicilian Summer, if you're so inclined. Tipico means typical in Italian and if this is what it means to be tipico, it's exactly how I want to be. Images: Julia Sansone Appears in: Where to Find the Best Pasta in Melbourne for 2023
Paradise Alley is the latest addition to Collingwood's multi-faceted dining warehouse on Easey Street. The shared space includes a microbrewery, deli, art gallery, motorbike shop and, now, a 150-seater public bar and pool hall. Hospo vet and owner Laura Twomey (ex-City Wine Shop) maintains the warehouse's roots in this massive open space with polished concrete floors, original stained glass windows and exposed brick walls, along with eclectic furniture and a gorgeous handmade blonde timber bar. A separate pool room features a red table surrounded by hard-backed booths and the laneway doubles as a 35-seater beer garden, complete with potted plants and large-scale street art across every wall. The bar is serving up a rotating tap list of Australian craft beer, along with a small specialty cocktail menu and natural wines. For food, they're collaborating with neighbour Little Latin Lucy, who also resides in the warehouse and serves up Latin American street food with a Californian twist. Dishes can be ordered from the bar and include chipotle pork or smoked duck tacos topped with charred pineapple, lamb ribs and grilled whole fish. The bar also hosts weekly charity meat raffles and regular wine tastings. The co-op type space is also shared with Backwoods Gallery and Casati's Deli, the latter of which has begun brewing their own beer from the warehouse's microbrewery — which is visible from Paradise Alley and will make its way onto their taps soon enough. Images: Eduardo Vieira.
After a cocktail next door, don't be surprised if you find yourself on the doorstep of San Telmo, succumbing to the enticing pull of the Argentinean grill. Inside, carnivores congregate around the Parilla (the imported Argentine charcoal grill, pronounced par-ee-sha) — feasting on slabs of tender, smokey charred meat. Order by cut: short ribs, flank, rib eye and all the steaks of rump are on offer here. The menu is designed to share, which means that our vegetarian friends needn't miss out. The sweet-burnt carrots with thyme and goats cheese, provolone, charcoal roasted cabbage salad, or brussel sprouts with parsnip and chestnut puree will appease the non-animal eaters, while desserts like the dulce de leche creme caramel with salted peanut praline will have both tribes fighting over the fork. From the grill try the chorizo and morcilla to start, while the pasture fed lamp rump marinated in garlic thyme and rosemary is the perfect dish for the main event. Pair it with a bottle of 2017 Colome Altura Maxima Malbec for a truly unforgettable Argentinian experience at San Telmo.
You probably think that James Bond hails from Scotland. But that's where you'd be wrong. As a matter of fact, the world's greatest secret agent actually grew up in rural NSW. Forget about Connery, Brosnan and Craig. To the people of Goulburn, the name Bond is synonymous with hometown hero George Lazenby — and now they're hosting a festival in his honour. Kicking off today and stretching on into the weekend, Spyfest Goulburn is a festival dedicated to the world of international espionage, running September 25-26. There'll be parades, parties and a city-wide game of I Spy, capped off by an appearance by Lazenby himself, who grew up in Goulburn before shooting to (short-lived) stardom as the second man to portray the world's most famous big screen spy. Event organisers will host several free screenings of Lazenby's sole Bond adventure, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, over the course of the weekend. Other events include a Secret Agents Gala Dinner featuring the music of the great Shirley Bassey, and a Shagadelic Disco inspired by MI6's other international man of mystery. Naturally, costumes are highly encouraged. Several local businesses will also be getting into the spirit of the festival by temporarily changing their names, including one chemist who has gone with the inspired new moniker 'Licensed to Pill'. We're pretty sure 007 would approve of the pun — at least Roger Moore would. For more information about Spyfest Goulburn, visit the festival website. Via ABC News.
People are always finding new and exciting ways to advance technology — and when their aim isn’t creating phone apps or more realistic pornography, it’s often about helping others. The Chilean team behind the SULI project fall into the second category of helpers. Their solar-powered SULI lamp is designed to bring a quick, easy, renewable light source to people without access to electricity. SULI estimates 1.5 billion people worldwide are without access to lighting, and use alternatives (such as kerosene lamps, candles, etc.) that are expensive and dangerous. And while solar-powered lights aren’t exactly new technology, an easy, cheap and versatile application for solar lighting is. With 3D-printed accessories, the SULI lamp has applications in both the developed and developing word. It can be used as a flashlight, a bicycle light, a garden light, a reading lamp or (this is the best one) screwed onto a water bottle and transformed into a device that throws light up to five metres. The light takes up to 12 hours to charge and the charge lasts for around 50 hours. For those of you trying to cut down your electricity bills, this may be the gadget for you. With two years of development and several grants behind them, the SULI team has finally brought the project to us via Indiegogo. For US$52 plus shipping you can send yourself one lamp, but for $85 you can add a second that gets sent to Haiti, where 3500 people are still living without electricity or access to water since the devastating 2010 earthquake. SULI have already raised US$22,000 but they still need to sell a few hundred more lamps in order to keep production costs low and their altruism train rolling. So get on board with this clever idea, fill your house with SULIs and know that while your household enjoys light after dark, so does a household in Haiti. Via PSFK. Image via Suli Lab.
The afternoon before I'm due to hop on a plane for my first ever skiing experience, I decide to be a little more organised than usual and make a list of things to pack. After all, I'd never even seen proper powder before — it couldn't hurt to make sure I was prepared. The QT Falls Creek, where I'd be staying, assured me I could hire everything I needed, but I checked in with Facebook anyway. "You need a facewarmer!" "THIN woollen socks under your boots!" "No cotton!" "You'll need goggles, you can't hire them!" "SERIOUSLY I'M NOT KIDDING ABOUT THE FACEWARMER." The Snow had always been something other people did; I am not outdoorsy, my family holidays tending towards reading and puzzles rather than adventure sports, and the whole skiing-snowboarding thing seemed to me to be an expensive, bro-y pastime that required wearing more neon manmade fabrics than I cared to think about. QT Falls Creek had three days and two nights to convert me. [caption id="attachment_587920" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Falls Creek QT.[/caption] DO If you're a nervous flyer like me, you might need to take a moment after the flight to Albury in a propeller plane. We were shuttled to the casually glam Atura Hotel in Albury, where we enjoyed a very good breakfast buffet in the huge open-plan lobby/dining area,which looks a little like a Typo exploded in it (lots of dark industrial textures, whimsical mismatching and pastel ceramic pineapples). You've got a long drive out to Falls Creek ahead of you, so it's a great option to stay or at least rest in Albury first. It's slowly building a rep as a great foodie regional centre, and the low-lying, hill-fringed farmland just outside the city is an extremely pretty place to drive through — read our Weekender's Guide to Albury for tips. The family-owned Falls Creek Coach Services will drive you and up to three mates the hour and a half from Albury to the door of your hotel or lodge and then back again, all for a bit over $700 — which, compared to wrangling a hire car up snowy mountain roads only for it to sit covered in snow for three days, is solid value. After being driven out through vast, hilly countryside and up the mountain in a super-comfy new Land Rover (while I made squee noises as the size of the ACTUAL SNOW snowdrifts on the side of the road increased the higher we climbed), we were checked into the QT Falls Creek, fitted for gear at the hire shop, and booked into a private ski lesson. QT Falls Creek is a ski-in-ski-out resort — this means it's right there where the slopes and lifts are, so you can come and go as you please, instead of having to schlep to where the skiing is with all your gear and then schlep back. This is perfect for the newbie skier; it was hard enough working out how I was supposed to walk in my rented boots (tip: don't do them all the way up until you're at the lift) as I clumped the ten metres from the door of the QT to the Cloud Nine lift for my lesson. [caption id="attachment_587914" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Falls Creek QT.[/caption] As the lift scooped us up I squeaked in surprise at the speed, trying to hold onto all my skis and poles and bits as the ground dropped away, but then suddenly it was quiet, and all there was was a white sky dropping flecks of itself into the wind, dark trees with white-laden branches, skiers weaving silently beneath us, and it was the prettiest damn thing ever. Those interludes between the hubbub at each end were easily my favourite way to appreciate this new landscape. Also, guys, skiing is hard. You'd think that there wouldn't be much more to it than just letting gravity win in a controlled fashion — kids can do it! — but that control is hard to get. Snow is slippery, it turns out, particularly when it's packed down, and rented boots aren't ideal when you need to have both comfort and control (thick socks are your enemy); but they're very welcoming to adult newbies, and a couple of ruddy, polite young men had me pizza-slicing like a pro (that's how you stop) and edging up tiny snowdrifts sideways with a sure-footedness that would make mountain goats jealous. Despite taking multiple breaks to get the feeling back in my feet, on the second day I managed to slide, terrified, and fall, confidently, down a gently sloping 100m strip of mountain, while being overtaken by literal toddlers. You go downhill a lot faster than you'd think, but the first time I tucked in my elbows and picked up a teeny bit of speed, I felt like Bond. After copping my first ever windburn that first afternoon, I was a little nervous about the facial treatment booked in for me at the cosy SpaQ. But, duh, they're used to dealing with skin that's been out in the weather all day, and therapist Tara worked mandarin-scented scrubby aloe vera magic on my poor face. (I'm not a massage person, but if you're ski-sore, the thermal massage with warming oils got rave reviews from my dinner companions.) A couple of days later, when the ruddiness was completely gone, my skin looked better than it has in years — I'll be paying a visit to the SpaQ in the Sydney CBD soon to try and replicate the magic. STAY The QT consists of a couple of discrete angular buildings along the main road; if you drive up yourself, you can park further down the mountain and catch shuttles up to the resort. Our three-bedroom apartment was large and surprisingly airy, with a tiled living area (all the better for shedding snowy layers, but still somehow warm underfoot), a decent kitchen with a well-stocked minibar and free tea and Nespresso, sleek bathrooms supplied with extremely stealable unisex Malin + Goetz toiletries, and a fairly neutral colour scheme (rather than locking themselves into a style, QT wisely kept the trendy decorative touches to easily swapped-out things like textiles). There was also our very own hot tub outside, which seemed hilarious to me, given how exposed the balcony was, jutting out from the corner of the building. But the view from there, and from the tall windows inside, allowed for both people-watching and snow-watching, and even glimpses of the valley below during short gaps in the whiteout. There are heaps of activities at Falls Creek outside the snow season, like mountain biking and bushwalking, and I figured you could certainly do worse than to hole up in front of that view with a beer on a balmy afternoon, all for seriously bargain off-peak rates. As well as the gear hire shop, which also functions as a souvenir and apparel shop, there's a well-stocked Foodworks and even a little boutique selling drapey knits and locally made jewellery — and that's just around the QT buildings. You can go for a walk to the other resorts and lodges, but there's no need to leave the QT area at all if you just want to chill. Tucking into the full-sized bottle of extremely decent Cab Sav from the minibar before bed, we debated trying out the jacuzzi; but the wind was whipping sleet against the windows, and extremely comfortable beds with crisp white sheets called to our tired newbie bones. EAT AND DRINK The breakfast and dinner buffets at QT's main restaurant, Bazaar, were so good-looking that I found myself cackling with glee under my breath as I surveyed my options, much the same way I once did as I planned tactical assaults on the Sizzler all-you-can-eat dessert bar. There are no cubes of jelly and tubs of smarties here, though; the desserts include bijoux bites of panna cotta or crèmes in tiny jars sprinkled with crushed pistachios or brownie crumbs, pleasingly rustic eclairs in various flavours, and heavy dishes full of homey puddings (a rhubarb crumble one night, choc-espresso bread and butter pudding the next). The savoury options — grouped loosely into cuisines, ranging from East and South Asian to Italian and Just Give Me All The Cheese You Have — vary every day, making every meal an adventure in avoiding food FOMO. I managed to remember to order from the chefs standing patiently behind the counters a couple of times (a slim but juicy rump steak on my first night, and an omelette with everything the next morning) but mostly got distracted piling my plate up with bright noodle salad and clouds of bacon risotto, and gazing wistfully at regimented rows of shellfish on ice that were so cartoonishly beautiful I considered trying to just talk myself into liking the taste of seafood. Breakfast is similarly generous: whether you want a full English, a bowl of porridge to sustain you through the day, or one of every flavour of milk and juice in tiny bottles with striped paper straws, you're sorted. The Stingray Lounge offers a range of things for lunch that are fried and/or covered in cheese; it's a little half-hearted, but after a morning of getting your cheeks ruddy up on the big hill, you'll want to fold that basic fried chicken burger in half and swallow it whole, so there's no need to overthink it. Cocktail-wise, keeping to the classics pays off: a spot-on espresso martini here, a brightening rum toddy there. As I hopped off the lift after an ill-fated snowboarding lesson on my last morning (two points of contact with the ground are definitely better than one), I spotted the hole-in-the-wall coffee shop tucked away near the SpaQ entrance. One of the hire shop staff recommended their coffee as the best on the mountain, but I found myself ordering a Polar Bear — a white hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps and Baileys — as I was convinced that my ski-bunny initiation was incomplete without warmed alcohol. Then, back in the apartment, I eyed off the icicles on the balcony railing and the gentle waft of the snowflakes, and decided it was now or never. Beanie on head, still-warm Polar Bear in hand, I placed my towel within arm's reach and slid into the welcoming embrace of the hot tub. I sat there for a good 20 minutes, gazing out at the flashes of dark-ridged mountains visible through the mist on the other side of the valley, cosier than a joey in a jumper, not even thinking about what I might be missing on the internet, thinking about nothing at all except how nice it was. Drinking hot, boozy milk in my balcony hot tub, with the sounds of kids laughing and lift machinery clanking and Feist on the Stingray sound system, all damped by that canopy of white that went forever — I can see myself doing The Snow again, but boy, did this place set the bar high. Dylan French stayed as a guest of Falls Creek QT.
There were short-lived rumours that Melbourne's art and hospitality scene had reached peak saturation, but the city quickly put those to bed when its cultural ecosystem grew and flourished once again. It was a year of innovative new restaurants and bars — bigger and taller than ever before — forward-thinking events and bold spaces, pubs and cafes. And they're not all from the big players — independent ventures are flourishing. At Concrete Playground we encourage exploration and showcase innovation in our city every day, so we thought it fitting to reward those most talented vanguards pushing Melbourne to be a better, braver city. And so, we are very pleased to announce Concrete Playground's Best of 2017 Awards. As we continue to attempt to define Australian cuisine, chefs continue to push the boundaries. We've seen (and tasted) fermented calamari noodles and cod roe in choux pastry, we've climbed three levels to find some of the city's finest Japanese fare and we've eaten duck smoked by our favourite pasta experts. Bars continue to offer immersive, imaginative experiences that take you beyond their drinks lists — and late into the night, with some now serving inventive bar snacks til 3am. The cafe culture is stronger than ever, too, with new cafes not only guaranteeing a stellar cup of Joe, but also innovative lunch snacks and sleek interiors that'll really make you reconsider that desk sandwich. Pubs are now more likely to brew their beer in-house than not, and they continue to champion other local brands, artists and events. The bringing together of the art and food scene has expanded beyond pubs, with venues spending more time on their appearances, collaborating with local designers, architects and street artists to create stunning spaces. This prompted the creation of our new category, Best New Space. We've searched far and wide to find our favourite, visually stunning, innovative and sustainable spaces that are accessible to you — including shops, hotels, co-working hubs and public spaces. Event organisers have created smart and clever new events, celebrating the city's cultural ecosystem and bringing people together to dance in museums, look at innovative art and to support each other in times of hardship. This year, we will be awarding a People's Choice and Overall award in each of the following five categories: Best New Restaurant Best New Bar Best New Cafe Best New Pub Best New Event Best New Space These 36 outstanding Melbourne ventures have been handpicked by Concrete Playground for their combination of originality, innovation, creativity, approachability and sustainability. We straight-up love them. And the winners are... BEST NEW RESTAURANT OVERALL WINNER: OSTERIA ILARIA Backing up a wildly successful first restaurant with another cracker is never an easy feat, and yet the names behind cult favourite Tipo 00, have managed to hit it out of the ballpark with their new wine bar, Osteria Ilaria. Taking over the Little Bourke Street space next door to its legendary pasta bar sister, this chic newcomer complements rather than competes, steering away from Tipo 00's pure Italianness to take an even bigger bite out of Europe. The warmly-lit space nails that modern rustic feel; it's all white-painted exposed brick, with an open bar and kitchen down the length and a suave private dining room sitting up the back. And then there's the menu. It's clever enough to pitch this newbie among the Melbourne's contemporary wine bars, yet there's an easiness to the delivery that's primed for that more casual, snack-happy, after-work crowd. You don't have to dig too deep to realise that Osteria Ilaria's got all the makings of another instant classic. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: KISUMÉ The simplest way to describe Kisumé, the luxe Japanese restaurant from lauded restaurateur Chris Lucas, may be this: three storeys of considered grandeur. Its design is impressive — a Chablis bar, a Kisumé Winewall, avant-garde art — and considered attention to detail travels throughout the three levels, from the menu down to the nifty coin-sized refreshment towels that entertainingly expand when you open them. In the kitchen, there's acclaimed Korean-born chef K. S. Moon. Known the world over for his innovative flair. Moon arrived fresh from his Singapore restaurant, Mikuni, armed with some serious certifications including as an international sake sommelier. And his knife skills are impressive. Raw fish dishes are all elegant and mostly restrained, allowing the quality of the (well-sourced) produce to speak for itself. BEST NEW BAR OVERALL WINNER: LONGSONG If you believed the hype, Longsong was on track to being one of the year's best new bars long before it opened. Venture in to experience the final product and you'll be hard-pressed to disagree. A long time coming (it was first rumoured to open in November 2016), it's the latest venture from David Moyle of Hobart's Franklin. He has teamed up with Melbourne restaurateurs Lisa and John van Haandel to create a sibling venue, and upstairs neighbour, to their iconic mod-Thai haunt, Longrain. The kitchen offering is a celebration of simplicity — unfussy, but cleverly executed and more affordable than you might expect. The drinks situation proves just as tempting, whether you're in for a feed or not. Alongside all-Victorian lineups of both craft beer and wines by the glass, there's a handful of classic cocktails. There's no doubt that this one was well worth the wait. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: TOKOSAN Neon lighting, a 16-metre-long street art mural, a DJ and a karaoke room. Tokosan, an offshoot of top Sydney and Dubai fine dining establishment Toko, is more than just a bar. The pub-style Japanese menu features sticky grilled pork ribs with a jacket potato, Japanese-style chicken burgers and popcorn shrimp with spicy aioli. Ramen and udon noodle soups also make an appearance, as does sushi, and $20 all-you-can-eat Temaki Tuesdays (a type of hand-rolled sushi). Tokosan's cocktail list, named after Kill Bill characters, includes the gin, cucumber and passionfruit O-Ren Ishii, the Boss Tanaka with bourbon, apricot brandy and ginger ale, and the sake-infused Sofie Fatale. BEST NEW CAFE OVERALL WINNER: AU79 Au79 is the symbol (and atomic number) for gold on the periodic table, and it's the name of Abbotsford's new cafe. When you name your cafe after such a covetable metal, you're making quite the statement — and the team behind this ambitious eatery have certainly gone for gold in every aspect of its production. Previously an auto mechanic's garage, the 200-seat space has been radically transformed by Mim Design and now feels more like a large-scale conservatory or botanical garden fern house — it's loft and bright and filled with greenery. Executive chef Stephen Hogan worked closely with his kitchen crew to create a menu that reflects his imaginative approach to food. In addition to the kitchen there's also a bakery and patisserie run by ex-Rustica head baker Isaac Kane, and a roastery that looks after all the Au79 coffee. So you know that the cakes, tarts and breads are made in-house, as is house blend of beans from Brazil, Colombia and Guatemala. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: BAD LOVE CLUB Just like chocolate and peanut butter and croissants and coffee, cakes and cocktails seem like a match made in sweet-tooth heaven. Boozy bakery Bad Love Club certainly thinks so. The bakery has a pretty simple concept. During the day the focus is on coffee, bagels and oozy jaffles. When the sun goes down, the sugar levels go up with alcohol-infused desserts and dessert-inspired cocktails. The owners, Sarah Ryan and Damien Shaw, split the shifts according to their strengths. Shaw caters to the AM crowd serving up Profile Coffee, 5 and Dime bagels and experimental jaffles. Ryan takes over at night, serving up sweet treats and booze until the wee hours. The team is committed to using local produce with suppliers such as Zeally Bay Sourdough, Cobb Lane Bakery and Saint David Dairy on the roster. They also make the majority of the syrups and spirit infusions in-house. BEST NEW PUB OVERALL WINNER AND PEOPLE'S CHOICE: WATERSIDE HOTEL The CBD's historic Waterside Hotel is in a new phase of its life in the hands of prominent pub group Sand Hill Road, who are behind the relaunches of Melbourne's Garden State, Prahran and Bridge hotels. The Waterside Hotel has been reimagined by the new owners as a multifaceted drinking and dining destination that nods to the past. A considered array of antiques, art and furniture sourced from across Europe lend plenty of personality. The ground floor spaces is the Ale House, a sprawling public bar with a focus on crafty American beers. It sits alongside the Doghouse, a US-inspired dive bar slinging hot dogs, tinnies and bottled cocktails, and an old-world dining space dubbed the Chophouse. The Waterside's crowning glory is a rooftop bar known simply as the Roof, boasting sprawling CBD views. This corner of the city is currently a little bereft of quality drinking dens, but the Waterside Hotel changes that. BEST NEW EVENT OVERALL WINNER: MAJESTIC HAWKER Taking over an Abbotsford warehouse for two nights in July, Hank's Majestic Hawker pop-up saw an array of Singaporean dishes — including soy marinated chicken wings with chilli vinegar, sambal stingray served in banana leaf, rice noodles with Chinese sausage, fishcake and egg, and fried banana fritters with pandan coconut ice cream. Turns out Americans aren't the only ones who know their way around a charcoal grill. The chef in charge of the pop-up was none other than Alicia Cheong, who previously ran Hank's kitchen when they were based at the Mercat Cross Hotel. The pop-up was so successful that Fancy Hanks is bringing its stoveless concept back to Bourke Street permanently in the new year. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: NOCTURNAL This pop-up isn't at a pub, an underground club, or even some repurposed warehouse space. Nope, this event series is happening at a venue you've probably only ever seen in the light of day: Melbourne Museum. Launched in July, the first Friday of each month sees the museum's exhibition spaces transformed into after-dark playgrounds, as Nocturnal swaps the school-uniformed tour groups for crowds of music-loving partygoers. It has pop-up bars slinging cocktails, roving entertainers and spot talks from some of the museum's curators. Plus, plenty of killer tunes, with a main stage set up in front of the Forest Gallery. BEST NEW SPACE OVERALL WINNER: JACKALOPE This Victorian boutique hotel takes a weekend on the Mornington Peninsula to a new level of luxury. Jackalope Hotel is smack-bang in the middle of the Peninsula's wine region in Merricks North, just next to Red Hill. The hotel is the 'passion project' of 28-year-old entrepreneur Louis Li, who worked with architecture firm Carr Design Group and Fabio Ongarato Design studio to design the hotel, which is his first. At the entrance to the hotel, guests are greeted by a seven-metre-tall sculpture of a Jackalope, the mythical horned rabbit of North American folklore the hotel is named after. The 46 rooms offer terrace or vineyard views, with their double-the-size 'lair' suites offering the best views in the house. Each room boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, private terraces and hand-crafted bespoke furnishings. If you're one for a good bath, the deep-soak, black Japanese tubs and exclusive Hunter Lab bath products will keep you utterly relaxed while you admire your fabulous self in the double vanities. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: KISUMÉ Kisumé, the luxe three-storey Japanese restaurant from lauded restaurateur Chris Lucas, is impressive. So impressive, you voted for it twice. The space, conceived by Australian firm Wood Marsh, unites sophisticated clean lines and a monochromatic palette of buffed metal and leather banquettes. The design doesn't scream Japanese restaurant, just cleverly hints at it, from the touches of red to Nobuyoshi Araki's provocative photographs of Japanese women. It has a Chablis bar, a wine wall, a sushi bar, restaurant and the Table — a 12-person dinner hosted by head chef K. S. Moon.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, or quit your desk job and start that business you've always wanted to give a red hot go? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of some of the country's boldest characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. Having dabbled in his fair share of pulse-quickening activities as a youngster, Sydney street artist and skateboarder Sid Tapia is no stranger to the concept of overcoming big fears. In a career that started at age ten, he's hung out of train doors to tag them, skateboarded at a pro level and even founded his own label, Crown St. rediscover a passion he thought he'd lost forever. FUEL THAT FIRE IN YOUR BELLY Sid got cracking on his creative pursuits pretty early on, recalling being captivated by his mother's old handwriting textbooks at the age of four. Soon after that, Sid began recreating the characters in his life: the faces of friends and family. "I'd spend ages trying to do what I saw," he says. "I would see someone or something that I thought was beautiful and be like, 'I want to do that on paper'." It's an interest that would eventually lead him into the graff scene, swapping out paper and pens for trains, walls and spray paint. Meanwhile, Sid's older brother Walker was offering his own brand of influence, introducing him to alternative music genres, hip-hop culture and, ultimately, the street art movement. "He was like my mentor-slash-father figure growing up," Sid explains. "He really taught me a massive step in being able to overcome not just challenges, but confrontations as well." NEVER STOP LEARNIN' At around age ten, Sid discovered the world of graffiti, and he was instantly hooked on this risky, yet exhilarating form of creative expression — especially the risky sport of train tagging. The fact that he could lean out of a train, paint his name up and others would see it was both scary and adrenaline-pumping (not to mention highly illegal). But just a few years later, Sid's flirtation with locomotive art was rattled, after his friend was injured in a serious train accident, reminding him (very bluntly) of the elephant in the room: mortality. "Graffiti was never the same after that," Sid says. "It was nerve-wracking — it was scary." And so he gave up graff. Having come so close to paying the ultimate price for his passion, Sid diverted his attentions to skateboarding — and despite being discouraged from the sport by his family, it was clear he had some serious skills. "My grades were really bad, but I knew that my skating was really good," he says. "And I was like, 'I'm gonna do this thing.'" Skating was a passion that continued well into his twenties, landing him sponsorship deals and a heap of recognition on the Sydney scene. He was even profiled in the awesome 1997 short film by Warrick Thornton for SBS's Eat Carpet. Like many twenty-somethings, at the time it looked as though Sid had, in his own words, "everything sorted" — but he was really "a wreck". So he turned to an old friend to navigate through it: books. "To understand what it is to overcome, what it is to get through a challenge, what's needed — and a lot of the time what's needed is knowledge." TACKLE THE CHALLENGES AND GET BACK IN THE DAMN GAME 23 years later, Sid was still shaken by that train accident — and his own decision to run away. "I had to live with that for a long time," he admits. "I knew I ran away from something massive that could have helped her out. I was just too scared. But about a year ago, I thought: 'I have to face up to this'." So he located his former friend and reached out to her on social media, laying down the emotional apology that had been such a long time coming. "I was in tears…it was heavy," Sid says. "That was a fear I had to overcome by literally confronting it…having to just man-up and be emotional and apologise." Like the big cats he spray paints on his walls, Sid was finally fierce in approaching the situation, and moved forward regardless of harboured fears. And in doing so, he not only opened up a positive new relationship with his old friend, but a newfound positive relationship with his art. Sid's back doing the graffiti thing again — only this time around, it's in a much more holistic (and completely legal) capacity. Working on both commissions and his own pieces, his striking large-scale murals grace walls across Sydney, from the skate park at Bondi Beach to countless buildings in Stanmore, Camperdown, Newtown and the inner west. His lettering and illustration work is equal parts mind-blowing and mindful. He's a highly sought-after, full-time working artist now, running the odd class with Work-Shop and the Museum of Contemporary Art, and working with Marrickville Council's 'Perfect Match' program pairing residents with street artists. All those setbacks? Turns out he didn't let them set him back at all. "I love that I'm able to get what I do and bless people with it. I want to put something out that's going to inspire, or encourage… spark a little bit of wow in someone's life." Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Thanks to Jameson and The Rewriters, one extremely fortunate Concrete Playground reader (and their even more fortunate mate) will get the chance to 'fear less' and go on a big ol' adventure to Ireland. In addition to two return flights departing from your choice of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, this epic giveaway comes with five night's accommodation and $500 spending money you can use to paint the Emerald Isle red. ENTER HERE. For more about how 'Sine Metu' influenced John Jameson's journey visit Jameson's website. Images: Sid Tapia.
MPavilion, the annual architectural commission and design event that sees a new temporary structure erected in Melbourne's lush Queen Victoria Gardens each spring, has unveiled its next iteration: an inside-outside contemporary take on the ancient amphitheatre. It will open to the public between October 2017 and February 2018. The work of two Netherlands-based architects from internationally renowned practice OMA, Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten, this year's pavilion plays on the form of the ancient amphitheatre. With flexible design configurations, the structure will create a forward-thinking space for MPavilion's annual program of workshops, public debate, and music and arts events. According to MPavilion founder Naomi Milgrom, 2017's project is an exciting, multi-faceted work that "reflects the way architecture is going in the future". OMA's design centres around two tiered grandstands — one fixed, and the other rotatable, allowing for various interactions with the surrounding landscape and those impressive city skyline views. They'll be circled by a bank of native plants and crowned with a floating grid canopy that will house all that lighting and technical gear, while the translucent roof above is designed to capture the sunlight like an urban beacon. The build of MPavilion is slated to kick off in this August, with the design duo hoping their structure will be seen, "not just as an architectural object, but as something that injects intensity into a city and contributes to an ever-evolving culture". OMA's 2017 MPavilion will be open to the public between October 3, 2017, and February 4, 2018 inside Melbourne's Queen Victoria Gardens. For more info, visit mpavilion.org.
FOMO — Australia's clash-free, one-day summer festival — is back for a fourth year. This year, it's making its return to Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, and bringing the full festival to Melbourne for the first time ever. Leading the program is famed American-Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj, who released her high-energy, highly acclaimed fourth album Queen just last month — which features everyone from The Weeknd to Ariana Grande, Eminem and Lil Wayne. Hot on her heels is Mississippi's Rae Sremmurd, the hip-hop trio best-known for its chart-topping hit 'Black Beatles' made in collaboration with Gucci Mane. Meanwhile, Florida's Lil Pump is heading Down Under for the first time, bringing hits 'Gucci Gang', 'Esskeetit' and songs from his yet-to-be released album Harvard Dropout, and electro music producer Mura Masa will break up the hip hop and rap with his disco tunes. Also on the schedule is Kali Uchis, making her Australian debut and performing hits off her widely acclaimed album Isolation, along with the mononymous avant-garde Sophie, Australia's own Anna Lunoe, and Dutch experimental artist San Holo, among others. FOMO will kick off on Brisbane's Riverstage on Saturday, January 5, before moving to Parramatta Park in Sydney, on Saturday, January 12, and then to Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse on Sunday, January 13. Pre-sales start at 10am local time on Wednesday, September 5 and general sales at 10am local time on Thursday, September 6. $1 from every sale is going to refugee charity Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and, if you can't afford your ticket in one fell swoop, you can opt for a payment plan, which lets you pay it off via monthly instalments. Only available for festivalgoers in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. Here's the full lineup. FOMO 2019 LINEUP Nicki Minaj Rae Sremmurd Lil Pump Mura Masa Kali Uchis San Holo Anna Lunoe Sophie Cosha Carmouflage Rose Just A Gent MIMI triple j Unearthed winners FOMO 2019 DATES Saturday, January 5 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, January 6 — Elder Park, Adelaide Saturday, January 12 — Parramatta Park, Sydney Sunday, January 13 — Festival Hall, Melbourne FOMO will take place in January 2019. Tickets go on sale this week. For more info, visit fomofestival.com.au. FOMO image: Mitch Lowe
The 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival is very nearly upon us. The longest-running independent arts festival in town, this year's Fringe will run from September 16 to October 4, and will feature more than 400 events across 174 venues. It's a veritable cultural frenzy, and try as you might, you just can't see it all. Below, we've put together a list of ten essential shows, to help ensure you have the best fest you possibly can.
Now that the Olympics are over and done with, the real sporting contests can begin. Next week, more than 300 competitors will descend upon a small, abandoned town in Italy. Their purpose? To decide beyond all doubt the greatest hide-and-seek player in the world. The epic contest will take place on September 3-4 in Consonno at the foot of the Alps. Once known as the 'Land of Toys', the village is home to an old amusement park, but was abandoned after a landslide in the mid-'70s cut off the only access road. If you can think of a better place for a massive game of hide-and-seek, we'd certainly like to hear it. This year will see 64 five-person teams complete for gold and glory. One of the members of last year's winning team told Quartz that the two-day tournament was "pretty competitive", and that "each team had their tactics." Just don't expect his team to share theirs, because "obviously we will never disclose them." Sounds like a wise move, especially since a Japanese university professor began lobbying the Olympic committee to include hide-and-seek at the Tokyo Games in 2020. Although to be honest, as Olympic sports go, this probably wouldn't make for particularly good TV viewing. Image: Marcello Brivio.
After a successful 2013 collaboration between Dion Lee and angel-voiced Sarah Blasko on the killer show De Novo, the Sydney Dance Company is once again bringing to the stage a fusion of music, choreography and high fashion. This year the talent comes from costume designer Toni Maticevski and soprano Katie Noonan, who will weave their magic around a trio of dances by Rafael Bonachela, appropriately titled Triptych. Maticevski is better known for his red-carpet gowns than anything, but he’s turned his considerable talent towards interpreting the mood and music of the three pieces of choreography, and his designs range from pale nude chiffon twists for Simple Symphony to black and mesh for the “darker, sexier and more suggestive” mood in Les Illuminations. Rafael’s world premiere work, Variation 10, will feature the entire ensemble of the Sydney Dance Company swathed in shades of grey and silver, sheer ruffles, frayed edges and outlined cut-outs. Maticevski describes the look as “distressed ballerina”. It’s not the first time Maticevski has collaborated with the Sydney Dance Company. He crafted the costumes for the premiere 2013 season of Les Illuminations, which has been reimagined for the 2015 season. The images above are some sneaky shots of the as-yet-unfinished products in action. Triptych plays at the Roslyn Packer Theatre from September 25 – October 10. Book tickets via the Roslyn Packer Theatre website.
Ever wanted to own your own Banksy original? Well now for a mere $435,000 you can. And while that may sound a bit steep, the price actually isn't that bad when you consider that it includes the entire three bedroom house on which the mural is painted. Located on the side of a two-story terrace in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Spy Booth depicts three secret agents dressed in trenchcoats and dark glasses monitoring a nearby phonebooth with surveillance equipment. Painted in April 2014, it's viewed as a comment on the global surveillance scandal caused by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The house is located just a few kilometres away from the headquarters of the GCHQ, Britain's security and intelligence agency. But while you might imagine that having a Banksy on the side of your house would be a blessing, the owner of 159 Fairview Road says he has experienced constant stress since the appearance of the artwork, which he's been unable to remove or sell since council planners granted it retroactive planning permission. So instead, he's selling the whole building. "If Cheltenham want it, they can have it," 45-year-old David Possee said in an interview. "Just buy the building off me, I just want to get on with my life. Cut me free, you can have the Cheltenham Banksy." Fair warning to any potential bidders out there: while the artwork may be great, the house itself is in need of serious renovations. Or, as real estate agents Peter Ball & Co put it, "requires a comprehensive schedule of refurbishment." To view the listing, go here. Via Domain.
If you, like us, have been struggling to maintain your bank balance this Christmas (the shopping, holiday plans and festival tickets all take their toll), we feel ya. To help you out, we've teamed up with Melbourne's biggest and best inner city festival, Sugar Mountain, and V MoVement, to give you the chance to win an epic festival experience. The stress of the festive season will melt away when you're grooving to Blood Orange with an 8bit burger in one hand and a beer in the other. Bliss. Up for grabs here are two VIP Sugar Mountain passes (yes), return flights to Melbourne from any major capital city (yessss) and we'll even put you up for two nights at QT Melbourne (a thousand times yes!). Prepare yourself for fluffy-robed luxury. But that's not all. Thanks to our buds at V MoVement, you'll be their VIP too with two side of stage passes to get up close and personal with the line-up on their own personal stage. V MoVement, just FYI, is an initiative by (you guessed it) V energy drink that aims to support grass roots dance music so it's no surprise they're popping up at the weird and wonderful Sugar Mountain. If you're a fan of EDM, this is the prize for you. Check out the line-up and read up on last year's Sensory Lab to yourself excited. We're even throwing in a year's worth of V energy drinks to bolster your energy levels after such an intense weekend. Damn. Not sure if anything under the tree can top this present. Head here to enter.
Just because the days are getting fresher needn't mean scrapping your beloved weekly brunch routine. Half Acre's light-filled atrium space proves a primo weekend setting, even right through the depths of a grizzly Melbourne winter. Especially thanks to the South Melbourne eatery's weekend brunch offering, which is dishing up a bottomless New York-inspired feast every Saturday and Sunday for two hour seatings. Taking cues from the Big Apple's Soho House, this luxe buffet brunch is all-you-can-eat — so, make sure you head along hungry. It features a generous banquet spread, which may be loaded with shakshuka eggs in a tangy tomato and pepper sauce, challah french toast with rosewater berry compote, and oven-roasted figs with stracciatella, kale pesto and olive. But what really dials up the weekend vibes here is Half Acre's self-serve bottomless drink offerings, with cocktails, prosecco, wine, cocktails and more. Unleash some brunch-time creativity as you mix and match your drinks to match the eats. Then there is the carnivore-enabling dining series Tomahawk Thursdays at which, from lunch through to dinner every Thursday, you can join forces with a fellow meat lover in your life (or two of them) and tackle the 1.2kg Southern Ranch dry aged tomahawk steak served with black garlic butter and caramelised onion jus, a bargain at $110. Imagery: Tom Ross Appears in: The Best Bottomless Brunches in Melbourne for 2023
Handpicking some of the globe's best new artists for yet another glorious year, Sugar Mountain Festival has one heck of a 2016 lineup, with homegrown boss Courtney Barnett, British electro crew Hot Chip and beats king Julio Bashmore at the top. Returning to Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts on January 23, 2016, Sugar Mountain has balanced international drawcards with local talent this year, from Australian rockers Dirty Three to New York-based, Honduran-American synth pop artist Empress Of. From across the seas, expect NYC rapper Le1f, Canadian post-punk band Viet Cong, Washington electronic R&B artist Kelela and more. From around the traps, Sydney garage rockers Royal Headache will burl out their latest album, alongside dream poppers Alpine, sharp-as-blazes groove outfit Total Giovanni, beatsmith Roland Tings and more. The Boiler Room stage will also return, live streaming around the world with a yet-to-be-announced lineup. Music isn't the only thing on the menu for Sugar Mountain this year. There'll also be local visual artists on the bill, including Melburnian Nic Hamilton, Japan’s NONOTAK, and SIBLING taking over the main stage design. Nosh-wise, don't just expect your regular festival fare — Sugar Mountain recently announced the opening of an immersive restaurant onsite called Sensory, a collaboration between Bomba, Tin & Ed and Cut Copy. Enough chatskies, here's that lineup you're after. SUGAR MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP: Hot Chip Dirty Three Courtney Barnett Julio Bashmore Kelela Le1f Royal Headache Viet Cong Empress Of Dâm-Funk Tim Sweeney Tom Trago Kate Tempest Alpine Roland Tings Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda Total Giovanni Jnett City Calm Down Sampa the Great Pearls Kate Miller Laila Sakini Research & Development ARTISTS: NONOTAK (Japan/France – world premiere) Daniel Askill (Aust. exclusive) fuse* (Italy – Aust. exclusive) Nic Hamilton SIBLING Yahna Fookes x Martha Zakarya Prue Stent x Honey Long x Clare Longley Sugar Mountain Festival is happening at Victorian College Of The Arts, Melbourne on Saturday, January 23 2016. Tickets on sale 12pm local time Monday, October 19 via Moshtix.
It's time to make the pilgrimage to the Supernatural Amphitheatre once again, Golden Plains has opened the ballot for 2017. Taking place over a long weekend under a full moon, Meredith's other beloved festival returns for March 11-13, 2017. And they've announced on heck of a legend to top the bill: Neil Finn. As always, the lineup will appear on one stage in the Supernatural Amphitheatre, fronted by one of history's greatest songwriters. Crowded House legend Neil Finn will play a special career-spanning set under the full moon. It's been seven years since Finn played The Sup', so this should be pretty special. The full lineup will drop soon. Meanwhile, Golden Plains is set to be the same festival you know and love — no dickheads, no need to hide your goon sacks, no commercial sponsors — but with a new sound system, new campaground, new foods and kids under 12 can attend the festival free. The ballot for GPXI is open now until 10pm on Monday, October 17. Visit www.goldenplains.com.au for details.
You might not have heard of Minor Figures, Australia's new cold brew-on-the-go coffee popper distributors, but you will soon. The coffee wizards, comprised of Jonathan Chiu, Stuart Forsyth and Will Rixon, have had a massive year since setting up their own microbrewery in London in August of 2014. After taking out the 'Most Innovative Product' award at the London Coffee Festival, they found their particular brand of ethically-sourced, ready-to-drink, long-life cold coffee on the shelves of Whole Foods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. Now they’ve conquered the north, their sights have been turned to us here in the Southern hemisphere. Jonathan and Stuart are both Melburnians at heart and when they collectively decidedly to bring their on-the-go cold brew to Australia, Jonathan packed up and came with it. Attempting to offer an alternative to the coffee powder-made, factory-produced iced coffees dominating the Australian market, Minor Figures has just launched two cold brews: a straight black version and one with organic milk. We had a chat to him about what it's like to move halfway around the world for the love of good coffee. So Jonathan, what made you come back to Australia after such a long sabbatical? I’ve been over in London for eight years. We started the Minor Figures business in August last year and one thing we realised pretty quickly was that it’s a summer drink and we were going straight into winter and we wanted to be able to sell all year round. Stuart Forsyth, one of the co-founders, and I are both from Melbourne, so we thought it seemed like the logical market to open a second office. From #bellsbeach to #bournemouth. #coldbrew #beach #esky #surf #takeanywhere #specialtycoffee A photo posted by Minor Figures (@minorfigures) on Oct 8, 2015 at 10:09pm PDT So the idea is specialty coffee in a stay-fresh popper. How exactly do you make it? Ours is a cold brew, we use an immersion method. We put our coffee straight into a tank, we control the oxygen and temperature of the tank and brew it for around 18 hours, using cold filtered water, and then we filter it out, catch all the coffee grounds and make sure it’s super clean. Can you walk us through why we should trade in our flat whites for cold brew? What happens when you brew in cold water over a long period of time, it reduces the acidity and bitterness of the drink and it leaves a naturally sweeter, clean coffee. It’s different from, say, if you had hot coffee that’s gone cold, that would be bitter, thicker almost, whereas this is cleaner, lighter and it’s a great alternative to a hot milky coffee on a hot day. It's just water and coffee, so you can’t hide behind anything — it has to be really high quality. Who brought the #ducks to the #swan party? #InDisguise #coldbrew #coffee A photo posted by Minor Figures (@minorfigures) on Apr 25, 2015 at 4:25am PDT What’s your aim with Minor Figures? What’s in the future for the brand? The future for us is to be the ones who make cold brew coffee more mainstream accessible so that more and more people drink good quality coffee, rather than the rubbish iced coffees that are out there. This is in a Tetrapak so you just stick a straw in and you’ve got real, specialty, single origin coffee ready to go whenever you want. We want it to be for everyone, not just the cool kids in the know who’ve got the disposable cash to buy it. It’s not about being just for the cool kids. I was out sampling at Narre Warren a couple of weeks ago and I was happiest to see the mums of Narre Warren buying it to go on their caravan holidays, rather than the cool kids in Collingwood. Find a Minor Figures cold brew coffee distributor here and get gulping the good stuff. Images: Simon Shiff.
A brand new outdoor eatery along the banks of the Yarra River is giving new meaning to the idea of taking a 'long lunch'. Stretching 150m down the south side of Flinders Street Station, the newly opened Arbory Bar and Eatery is laying claim to the title of Melbourne's longest bar. The brainchild of Metro Trains in partnership with HQ Hospitality, The Arbory sits in the space previously occupied by the terminus of the Sandridge railway line, which was decommissioned back in 1987. With a pair of makeshift bars operating out of multiple illuminated shipping containers, the eatery was designed by renowned Melbourne architects Jackson Clements Burrows and Associates, and is inspired by the urban renewal of New York’s Highline. A peek at the Arbory drinks list reveals a handpicked selection of local wines, plus up to a dozen beers on tap. Chef Nicholas Bennett from Fatto across the river handles the menu, which includes options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We're already eyeing off the rare roast salmon with fennel, orange and hazelnuts, possibly (probably) followed by a salted caramel sundae. Although it's hard to say no to a double cheeseburger. Or a chorizo corndog with jalapeno mayonnaise. Point is you've got options. Still no word on whether Metro plans to do anything about train delays. But hey, at least now you can grab a bite to eat while you wait. Find the Arbory Bar and Eatery at Flinders Walk, Melbourne, behind Flinders Street Station.
The best of the best of local interior design has been announced by the judges at this year's Australian Interior Design Awards. Held in Sydney on Friday June 10, the 2016 ceremony – co-presented by the Design Institute of Australia and Artichoke Magazine – once again celebrated the most innovative new design projects in the country, from a waterfront apartment in Sydney to a boutique hotel in WA. Regardless of where they're located, however, all of this year's winners have one thing in common: we want to go to there. Taking home the Premier Award for Australian Interior Design was Darling Point Apartment (pictured below), a wood-panelled apartment overlooking the Sydney Harbour that was described by the jury as "an inspirational piece of interior design." The apartment also won an award for Residential Design, along with the Fitzroy Loft in Melbourne. The gong for Sustainability Advancement went to the North Shore Office fit out by Nielsen Workshop and Morgan Jenkins Architecture; the offices also won for Workplace Design. The award for Public Design, meanwhile, went to Our Lady of Assumption Primary School in Sydney, with the space having found new life from its original use as a Telstra training centre. Among the remaining winners were Sydney butcher shop 1888 Certified for Retail Design, and Perth's Alex Hotel for Hospitality Design. For the full list of Australian Interior Design Award winners, go here. Header Image: Alex Hotel, WA.
Maintaining that perfect yoga pose may have just gotten a wee bit easier, thanks to the latest innovation in wearable tech. Australian company Wearable Experiments have developed a pair of yoga pants with electronic sensors that will vibrate when you're body is out of alignment. Thanks to the Nadi Smart Fitness Pants, you'll never have to feel self-conscious at beginner's yoga class again. Y'know, except for the fact you're wearing vibrating leggings. The unassuming looking pants come fitted with sensors that can sense your body's position. If you're not downward dogging quite hard enough, subtle haptic vibrations on the wearers skin let them know they need to adjust. And while you might think wearing vibrating pants would be distracting (get your mind out of the gutter), the vibrations are designed to be so subtle that you process the feedback subconsciously. "As someone who doesn't always know the correct form or alignment or pose, I find having that proper guidance is crucial," said Wearable Experiments co-founder and CEO Billie Whitehouse at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month. "As a lifestyle product, Nadi not only acts as that guide, but also integrates into your everyday life – reminding you of something as simple as uncrossing your legs while sitting down." The pants, along with corresponding Android and iOS apps, will be available later in the year for an undisclosed amount of money. According to Mashable, the pants will last up to 25 washes, and can be recharged by a basket that is currently being developed. In addition to their yoga pants, Wearable Experiments also make smart rugby and football jerseys that let fans feel what the players on the field are feeling. What a brave new world. Via Mashable.
If you're a fan of author, comedian and NPR humorist David Sedaris, then you'll know that he's a frequent visitor Down Under. Missed him on his last trip in 2023? 2025 is your next chance to experience his snappy wit, as well as his discerning and astute ability to observe life's moments — both trivial and extraordinary — in both an observational and unique way. This will be Sedaris' seventh trip Down Under, spanning stops in both Australia and New Zealand — in Auckland, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane — across January and February. If you haven't seen Sedaris live before, his shows are part of the reason that he's built up such a following. Onstage, he regularly weaves in new and unpublished material, too — and the satirist will throw it over to the crowd for a Q&A as well, and also sign copies of his books. Sedaris has more than a few tomes to his name, so you have options for him to scribble on, including Happy-Go-Lucky, Calypso, Theft by Finding, Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Holidays on Ice, Naked and Barrel Fever. [caption id="attachment_862850" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anne Fishbein[/caption] Sedaris is equally celebrated for his constant This American Life appearances and must-read pieces in The New Yorker, and boasts everything from the Terry Southern Prize for Humor and Jonathan Swift International Literature Prize for Satire and Humor to the Time Humorist of the Year Award among his accolades. If you've been searching for a supportive environment to use the phrase "how very droll", this is it. [caption id="attachment_862851" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prudence Upton[/caption] An Evening with David Sedaris 2025 Australia and New Zealand Tour Dates: Friday, January 31 — Auckland Town Hall, Auckland Saturday, February 1 — Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra Sunday, February 2 — Regal Theatre, Perth Tuesday, February 4 — Norwood Concert Hall, Adelaide Thursday,February 6–Friday, February 7 — Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Saturday, February 8 — Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle Tuesday, February 11 — Sydney Opera House, Sydney Thursday, February 13 — Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane David Sedaris is touring Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2025. For more information, or for general ticket sales from 9am on Thursday, June 27, 2024, head to the tour website. Top image: Anne Fishbein.
If you've been looking for a reason to go away for the weekend, block off a couple of days in March and enter this competition for your chance to head to Canberra for Enlighten 2017. Touted as the original Vivid, Enlighten celebrates art, culture, music, performance and innovation. Held in Canberra's iconic Parliamentary Triangle, the event site is transformed into a buzzing hub of activity, with spectacular architectural projections on iconic national attractions and a programme of free and ticketed interactive performance and installation works. We're giving away return flights for two from your nearest capital city, one night of accommodation at The Avenue Hotel Canberra, chauffeured transport and food and drink vouchers to use while you're there. The best bit: you'll be the one to flick the switch and turn on all the lights at Enlighten 2017. Over each weekend from March 3-12, the city will light up with live music, performances, events and exclusive exhibitions. Large-scale projections will bring to life Canberra icons including the National Portrait Gallery, Australian Parliament House, National Library of Australia, National Gallery of Australia and Questacon. Highlight events from the programme include the amazing, interactive digital architectural projections splashed across the National Portrait Gallery, the Enlighten Night Noodle Markets (which based on Canberra's population should be significantly less hectic than the Sydney version, meaning you'll be able to jump in and eat as many dumplings as you can) and Sunset on the Roof — drinks, music and snacks at the Australian Parliament House's rooftop bar for two nights only (March 3 and 11). A glowing, black-light, industrial 'dance zone' is popping up in a high-security factory production corridor on March 3. DJ Robot Citizen will lead the charge in showcasing Canberra's underground dark-electronic music scene on the night (who knew), and high-vis vests and glow-sticks will be supplied. Visit Enlighten 2017 and delve into the whole programme. After that, enter your details below and say yes to the terms and conditions to go into the running to win. [competition]606686[/competition]
