Last chance, Swifties: just days away from Taylor Swift's first Eras gigs in Melbourne, more tickets to the entire Australia leg of the singer's tour are going on sale. If you missed out when her Aussie visit was first announced, then when extra shows were added and also when the first batch of new tickets were released, you'll be wishing on your friendship bracelets that your luck comes through now. The additional ticket drop comes as setting up Swifts shows is underway, meaning that exactly which seats are spare has been worked out. Some have restricted views, and will cost only $65.90. There's tickets available for all shows, going on sale on today, Tuesday, February 13. Folks eager to attend this weekend's shows at the MCG in Melbourne — which take place between Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18 — will want to try to grab tickets at 2pm AEDT on Tuesday, February 13. In Sydney, for dates across Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26 at Accor Stadium, you'll be getting clicking at 4pm AEDT on Tuesday, February 13. [caption id="attachment_940473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paolo Villanueva via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] Perhaps it won't be a cruel summer after all for Swift fans who've haven't nabbed tickets so far. When Sydney and Melbourne stops for Swift's career-spanning showcase were announced in June 2023, it sparked a rush for seats. Indeed, before general sales even started, the 'We Are Never Getting Back Together', 'Shake It Off' and 'Bad Blood' musician had announced an extra gig in both cities. And, the Victorian Government even declared her Melbourne stint a major event so that anti-scalping legislation would apply to tickets. It's Swift's world and we're just living in it at the moment. She was a major feature of this year's Super Bowl. Melbourne is getting a pop-up offsite merch store ahead of her MCG concerts. Both Aussie stadiums hosting her tour are doing presales on merchandise in advance. And the Victorian capital is also extending its free tram zone to the MCG to help the 86,000 people expected each night to get to the shows. If you manage to snap up a ticket in the new drop and fill that blank space in your calendar, you'll see Swift working through her entire career so far, playing tracks from each of her studio albums in a three-hour, 44-song, ten-act spectacular. This is Swift's first tour Down Under since 2018, when she brought her Reputation shows to not only Sydney and Melbourne, but Brisbane and Perth, too. And if you're wondering what's in store, then you clearly haven't seen Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour as a movie, aka a concert film of her latest shows that hit cinemas Down Under last October, digital in December and is on its way to Disney+ in March. [caption id="attachment_906254" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Australian Dates 2024: Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18 — Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Taylor Swift is bringing The Eras Tour to Australia from Friday, February 16–Monday, February 26. Additional seats will go on sale on Tuesday, February 13 — at 2pm AEDT for Melbourne shows and 4pm AEDT for Sydney shows. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons.
If you're fond of cats big and small — fluffy, hair-free, scampering, sleeping and the like — then you'll know one golden rule: every day is better when there's meowing mousers involved. And, maybe you've secured that sweet situation thanks to your own purring pet. Or, perhaps you're just the kind of person who makes a beeline to any kitten they see, tries to become its best friend and can't focus on anything else while it's in the vicinity. Whichever fits, adding more cats to your day is something that every feline fan wants — and it's definitely a part of the Cat Protection Society of Victoria's new dream gig. It's a volunteer job, spanning a three-month stint in Melbourne, but it'll 100-percent bring kittens your way. The role: CPSV's official 'cat cuddler'. Yes, that's really what it's called. Obviously, what it entails is rather self-explanatory — because the lucky person who scores the position will be tasked with providing love, affection and enrichment to the cats and kittens in the society's care as they wait to be adopted. The word you're looking for? "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww". This is the organisation that offered cat cuddling gift vouchers as Christmas gifts last year, after all — but this is even cuter. The caveats: you'll need to be in Melbourne to take the gig, and you'll need to have a minimum of three hours per week — on one weekday each week, and during normal operating hours — to head to CPSV's adoption centre to give its kitties all those snuggles. If that sounds like you — or if you've got a pussy-loving pal that you know would love it — all applicants have until Friday, June 4 to apply to temporarily join the society's team of around 40 volunteers. To throw your name in the ring, you'll want to head to the CPSV website and upload a short video (up to two minutes max) that explains why you should be the official Cat Protection Society Cat Cuddler, and also complete the online application form. To apply for the Cat Protection Society of Victoria's 'cat cuddler' position before Friday, June 4, head to the organisation's website.
If your kind of heaven features soft, pillowy lobster rolls and floating clouds of peanut butter parfait, then you'll be happy to know that Andrew McConnell's long-awaited Supernormal (aka the only version of the afterlife we want to know about) is finally here. After the success of the restaurant's three month-long Fitzroy pop-up, Supernormal opens early next week at its brand new Flinders Lane site. A follow-up to McConnell's Golden Fields, which recently closed up shop in St Kilda to make way for the CBD venture, Supernormal will see a whole new McConnell-esque modern Asian fusion menu while keeping a few cult Golden Fields dishes (PB parfait included, phew). According to Good Food, you can expect to be chowing down on all the important (and on-trend) food groups, including pork belly, kimchi and steaming bowls of ramen. Supernormal makes it restaurant number five for McConnell, who already operates Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co, The Builders Arms Hotel and the soon-to-be Luxembourg, which will take the place of Golden Fields on Fitzroy Street. Opening today in the dining epicentre of Flinders Lane, the restaurant looks decidedly more fun (and a little cheeky) with the use of super kawaii Pacman-like figures in their branding and the inclusion of karaoke — I repeat, karaoke — in their private dining room. Lobster rolls with a rendition of 'Wannabe'? Yes please. Meanwhile, the pre-opening pop-up seems to be a trend such among hyped venues. Chris Lucas's Kong has popped up at the city's Rue & Co ahead of its actual opening. Update 1 May: This article originally stated that Supernormal was opening April 30. That occasion has now been pushed back to early next week.
Returning in 2018 with its biggest program ever, Open House Melbourne is your ticket to the city's architectural past and present. The Open House Melbourne Weekend is the headline event, which this year features 224 buildings that'll swing open their doors and grant the public access to variety of rarely seen private homes, institutions and city landmarks across July 28 and 29. Scale the rooftops of Melbourne Central, head underground in a former explosives store or take a look around one of Melbourne's finest modernist homes. We've picked out some of our favourites below, but with 87 properties appearing on the program for the first time, there's much to see for Melbourne's architecture and history lovers. AUSTRALIAN ISLAMIC CENTRE Seamlessly linking historical Islamic motifs with contemporary Australian architecture, the Australian Islamic Centre set out to demonstrate the future of mosques in Australian suburbs. Designed by Glenn Murcutt, one of the world's most respected architects and Australia's only Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, in collaboration with Elevli+ Architects, the centre was included in Wallpaper magazine's highly prestigious list of Top Buildings That Shaped Culture in 2017. Funded by the Newport community, the building provides an elegant space for worship, education and recreation. Buy tickets to the Australian Islamic Centre here. MELBOURNE CENTRAL One of Melbourne's most recognisable landmarks, Melbourne Central is filled with hidden rooftops and lookouts. Led by local historian and writer Dale Campisi, the tours of the building will give attendees the inside scoop on Melbourne's architectural history and the chance to hear how the Coop's Shot Tower and its soaring glass cone came to be. Designed by Walter Coop as an ammunitions facility in 1889, the building remains just one of three 19th-century shot towers left in Australia. In the 1980s, Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa was brought on board for the addition of the 20-storey glass cone, which provides Melbourne Central with its bright and contemporary space. Buy tickets to Melbourne Central here. STOKEHOUSE PRECINCT Those familiar with the St Kilda foreshore might remember the fire that devastated the popular Stokehouse restaurant in January 2014. Reopening in late 2017 as a beachfront collection of eateries, the spot has the added claim to fame of being the first Five Star Green Star rated building of its kind. Now housing the lively Pontoon bar, acclaimed restaurant Stokehouse and the much-loved fish-and-chip kiosk Paper Fish, the building was awarded the Green Star rating for its sustainable design and construction, as well as the ongoing sustainable operation of the building. The tour — led by eco-warrior Joost Bakker — will discuss much of the innovative green-friendly tech within the complex, including solar energy, 'E-water', onsite composting and much more. Buy tickets to Stokehouse Precinct here. JACK'S MAGAZINE One of the more unique places on Open House Melbourne's 2018 lineup, Jack's Magazine is a former explosive store first opened in 1878. Set along the banks of the Maribyrnong River, the building is largely concealed — constructed within a hillside and positioned behind a large bluestone perimeter wall. Decommissioned in the 1990s, Jack's Magazine is currently closed to the public. But during Open House Melbourne's special weekend you'll be able to take a rare tour of the hidden tunnels and tramways as visitors are led around the site's main buildings, including the vast gunpowder store. Something of a kooky leftover from Melbourne's past, Jack's Magazine is a significant heritage building that's in the process of a revitalisation project. Buy tickets to Jack's Magazine here. THE MAD HOUSE Located in Beaumaris, The Mad House is a 1961 modernist-style family home that's an embodiment of the area's housing aesthetics from the 1950s through to the early 1970s. Privately owned, the current residents recognised the building's design legacy when they bought the home in 2011, choosing to save the house from the bulldozer and slowly restore it using as many of the house's original features as possible. Sourcing vintage lighting, wallpaper, shelving and furniture to match the home's style, Melbourne architect Adrian Bonomi was commissioned to update the kitchen and bathroom. Retaining its modernist design in stunning fashion, The MAD House demonstrates a careful balance in its modern appeal, while also remaining true to its historic character. Buy tickets to The Mad House here. AUSTRALIA 108 Standing at a dazzling 319 metres, Australia 108 (once completed) will be the 'tallest building to roof' in the Southern Hemisphere. Designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects, Australia 108 will change the skyline of Melbourne with its ultramodern, sculptural form becoming home to 1100 apartments across 100+ floors. Inspired by the Commonwealth Star on the Australian flag, the design features a 'golden starburst expression' that'll complement the colours of the nearby Eureka Tower. For this tour, property developer Sinclair Brook and Fender Katsalidis will guide you through of the first completed stage of Melbourne's newest landmark tower. Buy tickets to Australia 108 here. 'THE AUSTRALIAN UGLINESS' Providing an introspective look into the 'Australian Dream', The Australia Ugliness is a three-channel video installation by Melbourne artist Eugenia Lim. Considering the great modernist architect Robin Boyd and his book of the same name, Lim, fitted out in a gold suit, plays the character of The Ambassador who shape-shifts between student, tourist, client, property investor and resident across more than 30 Australian architectural sites. As the keynote of Open House Melbourne 2018's program, The Australia Ugliness will be installed in the Melbourne School of Design, alongside a free month-long program of related talks, walks and special events on diversity, liveability and sustainability. Buy tickets to 'The Australian Ugliness' here. Open House Weekend Melbourne runs from July 28–29, head to the website for full event details and to purchase tickets.
As long as current release dates hold, 2023 is a year of threes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Viewers will see three MCU flicks. They'll also watch three new streaming series. And, among those movies is The Marvels, which teams up a trio of female superheroes. Those characters: Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Fast X), Ms Marvel's Kamala Khan (debutant Iman Vellani) and WandaVision's Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, Candyman). As seen in a debut sneak peek earlier this this year and now the just-dropped full trailer, they're joining forces and trading places. The film acts as a sequel to both Ms Marvel and Captain Marvel, also marks third entry in the MCU's Phase Five, and features Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton, The Handmaid's Tale) on a mission to destroy worlds. Apart from the whole universe-in-peril situation, this is clearly a dream come true for massive MCU superfan Khan, who has always been thrilled and surprised at everything happening to her. Loving the MCU, going to MCU fan conventions, obsessing over Captain Marvel, then learning that you have superpowers just like your heroes: that's enough to leave you perpetually astonished and overjoyed in tandem, an emotional state that's still in play in The Marvels. Ms Marvel was always leading up to this big-screen release, which is also the 33rd movie in the MCU, following fellow 2023 cinema releases Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It's due in cinemas in November, and is clearly making the most of having three caped crusaders in its frames in the trailers. If you're wondering, Carol has her identity back from the Kree and she's taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence; however, that has consequences, and the universe has become destabilised. So, The Marvels need to team up to do the usual MCU thing: save everyone and everything. Also returning: Secret Invasion's Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey) and a whole heap of Flerkens, including Goose. As well as Larson, Parris, Vellani, Jackson and Ashton, The Marvels features Park Seo-joon (Parasite). Behind the lens, Candyman's Nia DaCosta directs, and co-wrote the screenplay with Megan McDonnell (WandaVision), Elissa Karasik (Loki) and Zeb Wells (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law). And those three MCU shows this year? Secret Invasion, the return of Loki and newcomer Echo. Check out the full trailer for The Marvels below: The Marvels releases in cinemas Down Under on November 9, 2023. Images: Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.
Back in August, to encourage Australians to roll up their sleeves, Hawke's Brewing Co handed out free beers. If you got the jab, you could put your hand up to get a slab. Yes, it was that simple. Now, the Marrickville craft brewer has gone big with its latest show of support for Australia's COVID-19 vaccination campaign. When you deck out the exterior of your property with a ten-metre-tall mural of Bob Hawke holding a schooner, wearing a mask and donning a "race you to the pub" t-shirt, the message is loud and clear. The towering likeness of the former Australian Prime Minister, and the brewery's namesake, was painted by renowned mural artist Scott Marsh — who has previously given Sydney a large-scale portrait of AFL footballer Adam Goodes, and whipped up others of everyone from George Michael to Danny Lim. For Hawke's, he's painted Bob Hawke in the past, too. This time, though, Hawke has had the vax and he's standing beneath the words "every jab gets us closer to the pub". Look at the PM's arm and you'll actually see a telltale bandaid. It features a QR code as well — and if you scan it with your phone, you'll be directed to a website that'll tell you where you can find your nearest COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Also, that beer glass Hawke is holding? It features percentages on the side, and Marsh is going to top it up as the nation gets closer to the 80-percent fully vaccinated mark, aka the threshold that'll see a heap of restrictions loosen. "It's been encouraging to see jabs on the rise. And now, with more vaccines becoming readily available, it's time to find another gear", said Hawke's co-founder Nathan Lennon. "The sooner we hit 80 percent, the sooner vulnerable businesses can get back on their feet, and the sooner we can all get back to living our lives — less lockdowns, more freedoms and yes, freshly poured beers at our favourite venues. Hopefully just in time for summer." Hawke's is also using the mural to help another good cause, with folks who interact with the artwork via the brewery's social media unlocking $10,000 in donations to hospitality relief fund Tip Jar. If you leave a comment on Instagram, tag a mate you'd love to have your first post-lockdown brew with, tag the venue you'd like to go to and use the #raceyoutothepub hashtag, you'll unlock a $1 donation. If you tag Hawke's as well, that'll go up to $2. Or, you can buy a "race you to the pub" t-shirt via the beer company's website, and $5 from your purchase will go to Tip Jar as well. You can see Hawke's Brewing Co's Bob Hawke mural at 8-12 Sydney Street, Marrickville. To interact with Hawke's Brewing Co's Bob Hawke mural on social media to help unlock donations for hospitality relief fund Tip Jar, head to the brewery's Instagram page.
Finally we have proof that Hogwarts exists, and it is in the shape of 400,000 Lego blocks. Alice Finch, a mother of two from Seattle who became a Lego aficionado after building blocks with her son, has unveiled her completed scale rendition of Hogwarts, and it is arguably the largest Lego structure built by a single person, measuring 4m in length. This is impressive enough, but when you look inside and uncover the magic of intricately detailed rooms and scenes from the world of Harry Potter, you can see that no block has been left untouched. Finch’s masterpiece took a painstaking 12 months of building, but that time let her perfect her Hogwarts by allowing her to research the books, films, and sets of the magical series to record the finest detail, from moving staircases right down to the old-fashioned slide projector in Lupin's Defence Against the Dark Arts class. This effort has not gone unrecognised either, with Finch taking home both the People's Choice and Best in Show Awards at Brick-Con 2012 — two awards much deserved for continuing the magic that J.K. Rowling first started more than 15 years ago. And why did she do it? "I wanted my kids to be able to play in all the spaces where the story takes place," she told Brick Brothers. You may not be able to play with your own giant Hogwarts, but you can visit Alice's by looking through the Mirror of Erised (your computer screen) at her photoset here. We've picked out a few of the best pictures below. Hogwarts exterior Feasting in the Great Hall. Durmstrang students enter Hogwarts Potions class Gryffindor noticeboard Gryffindor common room The greenhouses Astronomy towers and Ravenclaw
If you've been hanging out for the arrival of Fancy Free — the hotly anticipated new cocktail bar dreamt up by three Black Pearl alumni — you'll be glad to know the wait is almost over. Announced last May, the venture is now just weeks out from opening and owners Ryan Noreiks, Rob Libecans and Matthew Stirling have dropped some tasty new details that are sure to ramp up excitement levels in the lead-up to its launch. The big news is that this one's here for a good time, but not a long time, having secured a site for only a six-month stint. But what it lacks in longevity, Fancy Free certainly makes up for in substance, with a whole swag of exciting collaborations in the works. While most of the details are being kept under wraps for now, the bar's set to play host to a rotation of five different food concepts, kicking off with a pop-up by a well-known Sydney restaurant run by the owners' good mates. [caption id="attachment_639976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Black Pearl[/caption] Fellow Sydneysiders P&V Wine and Liquor Merchants will be heading up the fittingly quirky vino selection for this debut month, with local brewery Stomping Ground supplying a showcase of its hero beers, alongside a rotation of specialty brews. More breweries and wineries are jumping on board for the following months. And while the Fancy Free boys will be working their signature magic on the cocktail list, you can also get excited for some special guest appearances and takeovers by some of their World's 50 Best Bars cohort. Black Pearl has consistently ranked in the top 50 at the prestigious awards and has taken out Best Bar in Australasia for the past two years. Fancy Free will open on Wednesday, February 13 at 381 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. Updated February 8.
The predictably sole stay available in the Zig-Zag-occupied Republic of Zubrowka, Wes Anderson's mighty Grand Budapest Hotel is quietly killing it over at Trip Advisor. With its own page up for user reviews, photos and generous applause for its cable car access, mountaintop location, satisfying concierge and significant amount of available rooms, the fictional hotel is now rated higher than Paramus, New Jersey's Holiday Inn Express. Seems the marketing team have pulled one humdinger of a stunt, celebrating the UK DVD/Blu-ray release of The Grand Budapest Hotel. If only Trip Advisor had been around for The Shining, they might have pulled a few more winter guests. The official description, as provided by the 200-room 'hotel' reads as follows: Located in the mountainous Republic of Zubrowka and reached by funicular railway The Grand Budapest Hotel has all the advantages of being secluded amongst nature, while having attractions including the Kunst Museum and Mendl’s Patisserie close at hand. Famed for its staffs’ meticulous attention to detail and commitment to the wellbeing of its residents this hotel proves to be the perfect retreat — you’ll never experience anything quite like the Grand Budapest Hotel. True to Trip Advisor form, the comments section is the best bit. Whether fuelled by fans or the marketing team themselves, there's some chortleworthy digs in there for fans of Anderson's wonderfully whimsical hotel: "I am a lady in my 80s and I had the pleasure of staying in this wonderful hotel. Charming, luxurious, soothing, breathtaking... these are just some of the words I'd use to describe the concierge. Simply put, Gustav blew my mind. The hotel wasn't bad either." "Its best days may be behind it, but it's at least quiet, and you never have to wait for a table at dinner time." "As much as I enjoy the solitude, though, it's not perfect. The elevator has the odor of some strong cologne that just won't dissipate, and every so often a VERY creepy old man wanders around and sleeps in the servant's quarters. I'm sorry, but somebody like that has no business amongst the classes that would be staying in a grand hotel." "One of the few genuinely historic buildings remaining in Zig-Zag-occupied Zubrowka. The concierge is lazy, but also quite accommodating." Marketing teams for The Exotic Marigold Hotel, Bates Motel and Hotel Transylvania are face palming right now. Via Indiewire and IWATCHSTUFF.
Prince Charmings and glass slippers aren't all that easy to come by — but who needs 'em, right? Right now, you can experience your own Cinderella moment with a visit to the Westin's Lobby Lounge. From Friday, May 20–Sunday, July 17, the hotel is serving up another of its themed high teas, this time inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway musical Cinderella, to coincide with the show's run at the Regent Theatre. The Enchanted High Tea is every bit as whimsical as it sounds, featuring a selection of dainty sweet and savoury treats pretty enough to star on stage themselves. Expect bites like bolognese and pea arancini; ham and brie finger sandwiches with pear and fig chutney; two kinds of scone; and even candied pumpkin and brownie cake pops made in the image of Cinderella's iconic carriage. You've got a choice of four different drinks packages, ranging from bottomless coffee to free-flowing Chandon sparkling. And if you want to really kick into fairytale mode, there's the new menu of Cinderella-inspired 'Magical Cocktails', including the gin and rose Fairy Godmother blend, and the Glass Slipper, crafted with Malibu, blue curacao, vodka and coconut. The Enchanted High Tea is served daily from 11am–4pm.
Each year, at the turn of winter to spring, Hindus celebrate Holi, a festival exalting colour that leaves participants saturated in bright hues. Holi serves as the inspiration behind the Color Run, a unique 5k race that has taken the U.S. by storm and is now headed to Australia. Runners are invited to join the "3.1 miles of color madness" that comprise the untimed Color Run purely for the sake of a good time. The only race requirements are that all participants wear a white t-shirt and be willing to be greeted with a blast of coloured pigment upon completing every leg of the race. The pigment, made of 100% natural food-grade cornstarch, is colour-specific for each portion of the race. After the first kilometre, runners are splattered with yellow; after the second, they are doused in blue. And so it continues until the end of the 5 kilometres, when each runner is covered head-to-toe in a brilliant mish-mash of every hue imaginable. So far only three Australian dates have been announced, but organisers have promised events for most Australian states in late 2012 and early 2013 The Color Run Australia dates:Melbourne - November 25, 2012 (Register)Sydney - February 10, 2013Perth - February 17, 2013Adelaide - TBCBrisbane - TBCCanberra - TBCGeelong - TBCGold Coast - TBCNewcastle - TBC Stay up to speed with further announcements via The Color Run Australia Facebook page. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZWsfHC-0d6A
If there's a surefire way to brighten any average day, it's this: looking at YouTube videos of charming animals. We were all doing it before the pandemic. Thanks to plenty of live feeds, we kept doing it when we were all staying home, too. And now Guide Dogs Australia wants you to keep watching — and to start going "awwwwwwwwwwww" while checking out its new eight-episode behind-the-scenes series. Born to Lead is the insider look at adorable guide dogs you did actually always know that you needed. Dropping new ten-minute instalments weekly, it follows super-cute guide dogs from birth through to retirement. In the process, it also tells the tales of the people who help the pups' development, plus those who benefit afterwards — spanning volunteers and trainers, as well as Australians with low vision or who are blind who welcome a guide dog into their homes. Launching at 4pm AEST today, Monday, June 27 via the Bondi Vet YouTube channel, and filmed this year at Guide Dogs campuses and cities in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, Born to Lead also aims to give an insight into what it takes to raise a guide dog — from being a tiny little newborn pooch through to making an enormous difference in someone's life. "It takes up to two years and $50,000 to breed, raise and train just one guide dog, so we are beyond excited to have this incredible journey and many amazing stories from within the Guide Dogs community captured on film," said Charlie Spendlove, Head of Marketing and Communications at Guide Dogs Australia. If you're the kind of person who considers looking after a pup every time that Guide Dogs Australia puts out a callout, this is obviously the show for you. If you'll watch anything about humanity's barking besties — Tony Armstrong's ABC series from earlier this year, Netflix's two seasons of the docuseries Dogs and big-screen release Stray all included — then this is clearly as exciting as throwing a ball or heading to a dog park is to a pooch. Born to Lead hits screens courtesy of producers WTFN, who are also behind Bondi Vet and Mega Zoo. And, although it's only airing online for now, that might just be the beginning. "While Born to Lead will get a run on our Bondi Vet digital channels, which have over 2.5 million subscribers itself, we envisage it becoming a broadcast project in the future," said Daryl Talbot, WTFN's CEO. Check out the first episode of Born to Lead below from 4pm AEST Monday, June 27: Born to Lead will start streaming via the Bondi Vet YouTube channel from 4pm AEST on Monday, June 27, with new episodes dropping weekly.
Elizabeth Street could be on the verge of a fairly drastic (and particularly green) facelift. Taking cues from cities like Seoul and Fukuko, Japan, a globally-renowned urban planner has put forward a radical new proposal to transform the Melbourne's Elizabeth Street thoroughfare into a leafy tropical canal. Speaking to The Age, Gilbert Rochecouste, founder and managing director of Village Well, said he'd like to rip up the old bitumen and replace it with "a walkable green oasis full of quirky shop and spontaneous day and night experiences." Elizabeth Street already has a waterway, although you wouldn't know just by strolling down the sidewalk. Although confined by storm drains, William’s Creek runs straight down Elizabeth Street to empty into the Yarra. It's the reason that the street is prone to flash flooding during periods of heavy rain — as we saw in 2010. Although it may sound like a bold idea for Elizabeth Street, Rochecouste has a tried and true history when it comes to revitalising urban spaces, having previously helped breathe new life into Melbourne’s dilapidated laneways. This also isn’t the first time Rochecouste has floated the idea for the Elizabeth Street waterway, having previously spoken about it back in 2009. Rochecouste’s new plan would be to expose the creek, lining its banks with trees and local foliage. "Footpaths would become shared spaces that bleed into the creek with activation supported by the myriad of restaurants and cafes,” he explained. “The footpaths/piazza would also become and ancillary events space to happenings throughout the CBD." This GIF gives you a pretty dramatic idea of what to expect: The plan would mirror similar projects in cities around the world. Cheonggyecheon, an 11km redevelopment in downtown Seoul, has proven enormously popular with tourists and locals alike, while urban canals have also been proposed in places like Berlin, Rotterdam and Suqian City, China. Unfortunately, one man who seems less keen on the idea is Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle. “There's no doubt it's useful to have some radical ideas thrown up from time-to-time [but] this one's just a bridge too far,” he told Fairfax radio. Via The Age.
Each of Australia's capital cities has a different shtick. Melbourne's just happens to be a 24-hour culture — or, at least, the closest Australia has to it. It's got all-night public transport on weekends, late-night opening hours for the National Gallery of Victoria's new Triennial and the city's White Night festival will return for its annual all-nighter in 2018. If you haven't been down to White Night before, here's how it works. From 7pm, much of Melbourne's CBD is closed to cars. From then on, the streets give way to pedestrians, who are free to wander between temporary installations, live music and on-street projections — as well as in and out of galleries and cultural institutions — up until the sun comes up at 7am the next day. It's the Australian version of Nuit Blanche, which was founded in France in the 80s. Next year's festival — which will shut down the city for 12 hours on the evening of Saturday, February 17 — features work from a tonne of both local and international artists. Expect to see neon pups, two Burning Man installations and one laneway covered in snow. There are far too many works to list, but here are a few highlights you'll want to look out for. A giant shimming silver net that will hover above Federation Square for White Night (and two weeks afterwards). Drag queens singing from balconies above Collins Street. A laneway filled with virtual neon 'dogs' and another filled with falling 'snow'. A tree that lets you write temporary messages on it with the light from your phone Two installations straight from Burning Man: a fire-breathing serpent outside Melbourne Museum and a giant mechanical insect that doubles at a DJ booth. Mini gigs performed from multiple balconies above Swanston Street. A 360-degree dome in Alexandra Gardens that will feature mesmerising projections. Stories from Australian detention centres projected onto the NGV's façade. White Night will also head out to Victoria's regional centres. It will return to Ballarat on March 17 for a second year, and will take to the streets of Bendigo and Geelong for the first time later in 2018.
Enjoy a breakfast of champions at whatever hour you please, courtesy of Australia's first ever cereal cafe. Opening its doors in Melbourne in just over a week, this pop-up snack hub will be serving all your childhood and/or late-night share house favourites, including Froot Loops, Coco Pops and Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut. Launching February 12, Cereal Anytime is the latest temporary tenant of Richmond’s year-long food and retail precinct, Swan Street Chamber of Commerce. Supposedly, the aim of the cafe is “educating people on foods in moderation”, which might get tricky given the sugar content of what they serve. Perhaps a limit of one bowl of Frosted Flakes per customer? The cafe will operate via a “pay-it-forward” payment system. Upon entry, diners simply peel a Post-it note off the wall, which they can then use to pay for their bowl of cereal. The Post-its can be replenished for $4 a pop, ensuring that those who are a little less fortunate don’t miss out. A recent cereal cafe that opened in London served over 120 different kinds of cereal, 13 milks and more than 20 additional toppings, so our iteration has something of a reputation to live up to. It sparked huge demand, followed by something of a culture war when some very practical types balked at paying £3.50 for flakes out of a box. Melbourne's version, with its element of feelgoodery, should sidestep that issue. Hungry members of the public can help decide the cafe’s final menu and gain entry on day one (February 12) via a ballot on their Cereal Anytime Facebook page.
Ready to crisp up your March? British producer Bonobo has arrived just in time for autumn with a string of highly-anticipated DJ shows around Australia. As well as tipping his hat to one of the world’s great endangered apes, the UK-based DJ, musician and producer (real name: Simon Green) effortlessly incorporates sample layers with complex basslines; creating that signature minimalist sound he's inspired budding producers with worldwide. Since the release of his completely self-produced and self-instrumented debut Animal Magic in 2000, Bonobo has released five full-length albums and a handful of EPs and singles — becoming somewhat of a downtempo pioneer in the process. His latest release The North Borders saw him play over 175 shows across three continents and 30 countries, including appearances at Coachella and Glastonbury. March will see Bonobo travelling to Auckland, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth for solo DJ sets, with a bucketload of visuals to enhance the experience.
The Chaser gang are getting back to their roots, with plans to publish a brand spanking new print magazine. The team behind The Hamster Wheel, Yes We Canberra, Sydney's Giant Dwarf theatre and the Make a Realistic Wish Foundation have recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to get the satirical publication off the ground, with the aim of releasing their first edition in the next couple of months. According to the group's Pozible page, The Chaser Quarterly will be a 96-page colour magazine that will address "the key problem of our time: namely — there is not enough content in the world." They're hoping to raise $50,000, money they say will be use to establish a "'tax effective' offshore corporate structure" so as to ensure the project isn't stymied "by the onerous burden of paying tax to fund Australia's hospitals, schools and roads". Truly this campaign video says it all. Right now, a $25 pledge will get you a copy of the magazine, while $50 will see it signed by the entire Chaser team. More extravagant rewards include the chance to pitch your own article for $500 (although there's no guarantee it will be published), or the opportunity to run your own full page ad for $1500 (on the condition that it "fundamentally undermine the product it is seeking to sell".) Although best known for their highbrow political satire on television, The Chaser team actually started out publishing a fortnightly newspaper that ran for six years between 1999 and 2005. Among their memorable stunts from this period was the time they published Prime Minister John Howard's home phone number on their front page. Assuming they reach their Pozible target, the first edition of The Chaser Quarterly will be published in spring 2015 and feature articles by many familiar Chaser contributors, including Andrew Hansen, Chris Taylor and Craig Reucassel. In order to keep up the appearance of a successful company, head team members will be payed in Beluga Caviar, while the rest of the creatives, including writers, cartoonists, illustrators and graphic designers, will divvy up $300 between them. Pledge via Pozible and keep an eye on the Chaser Quarterly website for updates.
We know you guys are probably tiring of the food truck trend, but hear us out on this one. Now, we're not entirely sure how to feel, so we're just gonna lay out the facts. There's a new food truck doing the rounds that specialises in… gourmet dog food. The Canine Wellness Kitchen (heh) is Australia's first food truck for dogs — which, honestly, is a sentence we never thought we'd write. Founders and 'canine chefs' Katie Crandon and Laura Yeomans aren't new to this game — they founded 'dog superfood' (apparently a thing) label Because I Luv My Dog, specialising in healthy pooch snacks for on-the-go doggos. It'll be the first food truck of its kind in Australia, offering a range of dog-friendly goods including dehydrated snacks, raw food, chicken necks and organic bone broth. And… again, not sure how to take this… a beer for dogs. It's named Freddie's Froth and it's not actual beer guys, it's bone broth, geez. The whole venture is a little tongue in cheek and pokes fun at the food truck revolution. This is a little snippet from the menu: "Forget the super smoothies, our bone broth is the ultimate detoxifier. Get your active wear on, this is all the warm up you need for a workout." Look, in your heart of hearts, you know this is one business that'll go incredibly well. We're on board. Canine Wellness Kitchen will be making their first appearance on September 24 at the Hank Marvin Markets in St Kilda.
So, you've mastered all the usual yoga poses, and you think you've attempted every variation that there is. Not so fast. There's a style you mightn't have tried, and it's all the rage in Brisbane. That'd be blindfolded yoga, aka one of the main attractions at the Left Brain / Right Brain workshop at Woolloongabba's Princess Theatre on January 29 and 30. Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. All that bending and breathing you're familiar with — well, it's about to seem a whole lot different when you're doing it without being able to see anything. Using sensory deprivation to sharpen focus, shift attention inward and heighten instincts is the name of the game, with the trend towards sightless stretching gaining traction around the world for a couple of years. If you're keen to give it a go, you might also want to peruse the rest of the event's program. A sound bath session or other movement and music-oriented mind-expansion techniques, anyone? Of course, we haven't yet mentioned the most exciting part — well, for those a little self-conscious about their form, that is. With a blindfold wrapped around your head, you can't see your exercise classmates and they can't see you either. You don't get that at bikram or disco yoga. For more information, visit the Left Brain / Right Brain website. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Art has prevailed in the battle to fill a Melbourne rooftop with naked people. In the latest development surrounding Spencer Tunick's newest work, the New York artist has been given permission to hold a nude photoshoot on top of the Prahran Woolworths car park — just over a week after the store said no. It was announced in May that Tunick would be returning to Australia in July to stage another of his famed mass nude photos, all as part of Chapel Street Precinct's Provocaré Festival of the Arts. Seventeen years after assembling 4500 naked volunteers for a snap near Federation Square as part of the 2001 Fringe Festival, the polarising artist plans to amass another contingent of naked (and pretty brave) folk for a work titled Return of the Nude While Tunick has photographed around 5000 nude people in front of the Sydney Opera House during the 2010 Mardi Gras, snapped the public painted red and gold outside Munich's Bavarian State Opera, covered in veils in the Nevada desert and covered in blue in Hull in the UK, his initial attempt to craft his latest piece against a Melbourne skyline backdrop was knocked back by Woolworths. A petition spearheaded by the Chapel Street Precinct Association (CSPA), the festival's host organisation, in response —and due to community pressure, the store has decided to let the shoot go ahead. A spokesperson for the supermarket giant advised, "in further discussions with the festival organisers they indicated a willingness to be flexible with dates and times to ensure the shoot could happen without inconveniencing our customers during busy weekend trading. As a result, we're now able to accommodate the request to temporarily clear the rooftop for Spencer Tunick's group shot on a Monday morning during a traditionally slow trading period." The shoot will take place on Monday, July 9, with Tunick given an hour to complete his vision. And if you'd like to participate — anyone over the age of 18 can git their kit off and get involved — there's still time to register. Participants each get a print of the photograph and, we're sure, a big boost of body confidence. Provocaré will take place across the Chapel Street Precinct from July 5–15, with Return of the Nude being shot over one hour on July 9.
If you're a female chef, sommelier, waiter, restaurateur or manager — in short, if you're a woman and you work in hospo — there's a brand new not-for-profit in Australia dedicated to you. It's called WOHO and it's already attracted the support of some big names in the industry, including Christine Manfield, Danielle Alvarez and Nadine Ingram, who'll be acting as mentors. Even though 51.8 percent of Australian hospitality workers are women, only 15.4 percent of CEOs in the same industry are. So, when it comes to the top jobs, females are seriously underrepresented. WOHO will be bringing educational opportunities and forums to professionals at all stages of their careers. Members will be able to share experiences, ask questions, discuss issues, seek advice and access a supportive network. There'll be a formal mentoring program, regular events and meet-ups. "It is a very exciting time for Australian hospitality, which is now getting more recognition on the world stage," says Julia Campbell, founder and chair of WOHO. "While our forward-thinking approach to food and concepts is well-recognised, it is imperative that we face the issue of female underrepresentation at a senior level in the industry. WOHO is a vehicle for us to inspire, recruit and retain more females and to give them the confidence to support themselves and each other in their professional development." The rest of the WOHO Board is made up of Anna Pavoni (Ormeggio), Jane Hyland (4fourteen), Claire van Vuuren (Bloodwood), Michelle Maiale (A Tavola), Jane Strode (Bistrode CBD), Lisa Hobbs (Dedes Group), Lisa Margan (Margan Estate), Kerrie McCallum (delicious and Stellar) and Lyndey Milan (OAM). WOHO will launch on May 29 at 6pm at Three Blue Ducks, 1/85 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery. There'll be food by Bloodwood, 4Fourteen, Pastry Project and Bistrode CBD, and drinks by Printhie, Lisa McGuigan, Margan Estate, Young Henrys and Santa Vittoria. Tickets are $25 (members) or $30 (non members). WOHO membership is $10/month.
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.
