Honestly, is there anything better than soaking in the Melbourne sun on a lazy afternoon, cocktail in hand, while perched in one of the city's best beer gardens? We certainly don't think so. So, to help you plan your summer of outdoor drinking, we've partnered with Maker's Mark to bring you nine summery courtyards for when you want to catch up with friends before dark. From local hotels to cocktail bars on the Yarra, there's a courtyard to suit your vibe and a drinks list to match it.
An ideal summer arvo of sipping should be two things: refreshing and aesthetically pleasing. Whether it's a grassy backyard or sunshine-soaked dining room, lo-fi picnic or no-expense-spared soirée, there are more than a few ways to elevate your summer cocktail hour, be it for yourself or if you're inviting all your faves. Well versed in adding fizz and flavour to a party is CAPI, the family-owned and -run Victoria-based bev company that works creatively and passionately to deliver liquids that hit the mark on flavour with all natural ingredients and locally sourced water. Its latest release? Three summery cocktail mixers, bottled beautifully and only awaiting a few shots of your preferred liquor. With a ready-to-go cocktails in the fridge, your friends on the way (or the next chapter of your book at the ready) and some of these aesthetically pleasing recs locked down, your at-home cocktail hour will be a true summer delight. START WITH THE SIPS Your afternoon drinks menu is looking persuasive thanks to CAPI's new cocktail mixers. A charred pineapple daiquiri, perhaps? With the tropical sweetness balanced with slightly charred caramel notes and the cocktail's signature squeeze of lime, all there's room for is ice, rum and summer thirst. Can't go past a marg? We get it. But when you're leaning into an arvo with good company, you don't want to be hitting pause on the fun to shake your libation. This margarita mix is almost certainly lower in sugar than your local's pour, and combines Aussie limes, a lick of orange and the sweet kick of agave. Like it hot? The best people do. The spicy watermelon margarita mix beckons for your bottle of tequila, slices of the melon alongside and a chilli-salted rim. Each eight-serve bottle is a fully recyclable (like each and every item in CAPI's lineup of more than 20), but that's just the start of the brand's sustainability specs: bottles are freighted aboard mostly electric vehicles, are made from a minimum of 40% recycled glass (and are then 100% recyclable) and the company partners exclusively with freight providers who are committed to reducing carbon emissions — we're into it. SERVE UP WITH A SIDE OF COLOUR Don't think properly plating up changes the flavour of your food? Well, it certainly doesn't hurt. This is something the glassware gurus at Fazeek can attest to. Its range is bright, bold, architectural and a treat to look at (and dine off). For a lo-fi touch, pre-prepare your cocktail of choice and house it in the Vice Versa Carafe, then nab the Pearl Platter and pile it high with pickled veggies, a hunk of hard cheese and some rough-cut focaccia. Serve a salad in style and grab some of the delightfully different vessels — think rippled coupes or highballs — in differing shades. Expecting to host well into the night? Keep it bright with these striped candles and structured holders, and lean back to enjoy the golden glow of a balmy summer evening. [caption id="attachment_878061" align="alignnone" width="1918"] Javi Trapero[/caption] SNACK SENSIBLY We're calling it, it's going to be the summer of snacks: the salty and delicious gilda (pictured above) is finding its way onto many a menu, we're looking to long share-style meals that allow us to try it all and our tendency to finish a weekend with a pot-luck picnic is a nice tag-along to daylight savings. If you've got guests, ensure you're all fuelled by requesting they bring a plate of bite-sized morsels. Suggest the aforementioned gildas, a briny pintxo classic that sees an olive meet the salty hit of an anchovy and a pickled pepper. Or take the reins and grab your jarred goods, skewers and a funky plate, and lean in to the Mediterranean art of grazing away the daylight hours. Crusty bread alongside is a non-negotiable. [caption id="attachment_877977" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @handsshopau[/caption] ADORN YOUR TABLE Flirty and fruity — everything you want your cocktail arvo to be. After you get one of your five-a-day from your cocktail, get another from your table accessories. This woven pear placemat is an attention-demanding balance of on-trend and kitsch. Grab enough for all and set your table, or nab just one and use it at centrepiece. There are crabs and cakes, yellow pears and apples — all available from the cuter-than-cute Hands Shop, which brings the wares of local and international makers to Newtown's Australia Street. [caption id="attachment_878038" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @kane_lehanneur[/caption] CREATE SHADE No one has the time (or desire) for burnt skin, so ensure you've got pockets of shade while you while away your arvo. If you're outside, opt for an expertly, sturdily crafted — and delightfully artful — umbrella. This one sees Basil Bangs join forces with Kane Lehanneur, the Sydney-based multidisciplinary artist known for his fluid, large-scale floral works. Lehanneur created the print exclusively for the shade-slinging Northern Beaches brand, delivering an aesthetically pleasing way to dodge the rays with a cocktail in hand. CURATE SOME BOPS Last yet absolutely not least, you'll want to elevate the vibes of your summer sipping with a playlist chock-full of bouncy beats. If you're looking for a goodie, wrap your ears around funk-lords Groove Therapy's Mood Booster playlist. Or if you're after something slightly more ambient (with some dancy undertones), chuck on Spotify's Pollen playlist for guaranteed good vibes. Take your summer sips to the next level with CAPI cocktail mixers. Head to the website to have your bottles delivered, or find them in your nearest Dan Murphy's or Coles.
For half a century now, The Rocky Horror Show has been astounding. And, with the Richard O'Brien-created production lasting that long, perhaps time really is fleeting. Either way, whenever this sci-fi/horror musical hits the stage — and wherever — a glorious kind of madness takes its toll. In 2023, Australian audiences will be able to listen closely — and watch Jason Donovan as Frank N Furter take a jump to the left, then a step to the right, too — when the famed musical heads around the country on a huge 50th-anniversary tour. The Rocky Horror Show's brand-new Aussie run will kick off at Theatre Royal Sydney in February, with other stops and dates yet to be announced. On offer: the tale that theatre audiences have loved for five decades — and movie-goers as well, thanks to 1975's iconic big-screen release The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For the uninitiated, the story involves college-aged couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss getting a flat tyre, then wandering over to an old castle to ask for help. That's where they discover an extra-terrestrial mad scientist from the galaxy of Transylvania, plus his staff and his Frankenstein-style experiments — and, yes, doing 'The Time Warp' is essential. As well as Donovan slipping on Frank N Furter's fishnets (fresh from popping back up in Ramsay Street to farewell Neighbours), the new Australian tour will star Myf Warhurst as The Narrator. Also set to feature: Ellis Dolan (School of Rock) as Eddie/Dr Scott, Darcey Eagle (Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical) as Columbia, Ethan Jones (9 to 5 The Musical) as Brad, Deirdre Khoo (Once) as Janet, Loredo Malcolm as Rocky (Hamilton) and Henry Rollo (Jagged Little Pill the Musical) as Riff Raff. Since first premiering in London in June 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has played in more than 30 countries — and over 30 million people have seen songs like 'Science Fiction/Double Feature', 'Dammit, Janet!', 'Sweet Transvestite', 'Over at the Frankenstein Place' and 'Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me'. If you haven't been before, this is your turn to join in. The Rocky Horror Show's 2023 Australian tour kicks off at Theatre Royal Sydney in February, with tickets on sale from 10am on Monday, October 17. Head to the production's website for further details. We'll update you with information on seasons in other cities when they're announced. Images: Richard Davenport, The Rocky Horror Show UK tour.
Strolling along a jetty is one of life's simple pleasures. Decking stretches from the shore out over the ocean, the water glistens as far as the eye can see, and the breeze — because there's always a breeze — is instantly refreshing. And, no matter where in the world you happen to be, the experience always feels comfortably familiar. The scenery might be different, but there's not much about moseying along a pier that changes from place to place. Well, that's usually the case. At Australia's new structure in the Eyre Peninsula city of Whyalla, in South Australia, the whole jetty concept has had quite the upgrade. The basics are still the same — it's still a platform that juts out over the sea, of course, and you still walk along it and soak in the coastal splendour — but this one has a huge circle in the middle, as well as LED lights along its handrails. If you're thinking about immediately adding it to your must-visit list, that's understandable. Instead of running in a straight line as most piers do, this $7.8-million concrete jetty boasts a loop in the centre — and visitors have to walk either one way or the other along the circle to get to the end of the structure. The design isn't symmetrical, which means you have two options: take the shorter, more direct route as you head to the big square platform at the jetty's tip, or meander along the lengthier arc for a leisurely spot of wave-watching. If you decide to wander along the entire jetty — walking the full circumference of the loop, as well as the straight sections at either end — you'll cover 315 metres. You'll also venture 165 metres out from the shore. In addition, you'll have ample space, as the whole thing is 4.5 metres wide. For accessibility purposes, a 45-metre ramp is currently under construction as well. [caption id="attachment_784064" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A render of the jetty[/caption] Officially opened on Wednesday, September 16, the Whyalla Jetty is the only jetty of its kind in the southern hemisphere — and given its eye-catching look, it's easy to see how that's the case. The design was selected by the local community to replace the old pier, which was destroyed by a fire in 2019 but was set to be superseded by the new jetty anyway. And, in picking a new structure, these SA residents have chosen well. To keep the jetty visible at night, bespoke lighting has been installed in its top brushed steel balustrade, too, with each 50-centimetre section of railing including a five-centimetre LED pod. So, as well as standing out due to its shape, this pier lights up the night. It has been built to last at least 80 years, so expect those lights to glow for some time. Visitors can meander along the jetty's expanse, obviously, as well as fish off the side; however, jetty jumping is strictly forbidden. There aren't any ladders or steps to take you down to the water either — so once you're up there, you'll be looking down at the sea from above. Find the Whyalla Jetty in Whyalla, on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. For further details, visit the Whyalla City Council's website.
You may know Mike Mills for his music videos, posters, album covers, artist books - he's a man of many pursuits. Having directed his first feature length film Thumbsucker (2005), his new film, Beginners, is a considered and tightly-tuned autobiographical account of love, generation gaps and expectations. Tom Melick meets him in a beige-smothered hotel room. He wears a suit, looks overworked and speaks with a casual generosity. I was wondering, with the disciplines you seem to swim in (graphic design, illustration, music, film, graffiti, photography and so on) do you think of your output as one inter-connected 'total artwork' or are they distinct in your mind? Well, lots of themes and interests run across all the work I do – so in one very important way they are all interrelated – they kind of help each other. I guess I like being busy in my head because I'm happy when I have all these projects running concurrently. So there is definitely cross-pollination going on. Obviously making a film is so different from making a poster or a record cover. Film is such a public thing; you need so many people, you have to source all that money – it's a political affair. So they relate and they totally don't relate. Ok ok, so they sit on a similar conceptual ground but not on a practical one? Yes, my projects are linked through the deeper themes they explore…or just wanting to be creative, or simply wanting to talk to people. I mean the excitement I might have for a poster or a Fellini film is a similar excitement. I'm interested in joining these (not so) different realms. Elvis Costello supposedly said that his songs had to 'work' even when played through the cheapest transistor radio. I thought that a similar want is present in your work, where expressing the idea is paramount, with the medium being a result of the idea. Beginners is a film that contains a lot of other mediums – text, still images of presidents, stars and nature, graffiti, colour that fills the entire screen…does the idea come first for you, followed by the appropriate vehicle? I see. Well, I went to art school and studied with a conceptual artist named Hans Haake, so really I've always thought of myself as a product of those classes because Haake was all about [fingers jumping into action]: 1. That the idea comes first – the idea is primary and; 2. The medium is secondary, or serves the idea. If you think about it this enabled me to construct my own kind of career, giving me permission to do lots of things all at once. Haake was all about how to get out of the verified art world, since it really can be like contained theatre: you can do anything you want but you're not really sure what the impact is. It's exclusive, it's integrated with money – and not just any kind of money – rich people money. So from art school my friends and I looked for other outlets. So is that what drew you to film, in that it's less about speaking to the already converted and more about an immersive engagement? Sure, yeah, definitely. Film offers a much bigger discussion. I mean Beginners isn't exactly a huge blockbuster film but I've already been to many countries, I've been all over America, I'm talking to all kinds of people who may not be ready to see an older gay man on screen for example…people who have never thought about Fellini or the Situationists – so that's really powerful. Film offers an amazing opportunity. In the States when I'm on tour I do a lot of those morning breakfast shows…and I'm really proud that my Dad's story can be relayed via that kind of platform. Even the fact that my film re-looks at the 'all-American' family, or what constitutes a 'normal family', finds an unlikely audience through those shows. This platform is much more interesting for me then presenting the same idea in a museum or gallery. What interested me about Beginners was the father - played excellently by Christopher Plummer - who tells his son (Oliver) he is gay late in life. The father undergoes a kind of re-politicization – where suddenly he is going to gay nightclubs, has a boyfriend and begins writing papers as a gay activist…living a hyper-political life but at the same time nearing death from terminal cancer. Was this mix of politics couched in humour and sadness an intentional strategy, or did it come quite naturally? Hmm…a bit of both actually. I'm interested in asking how we got here. Which is very Marxist in a way. I like the idea of addressing a political position in an entertainment context, accompanied by humor or silliness. Like Situationist graffiti mixed with Groucho Marx. Humor is fantastically subversive, and why not? For me it's an awesome anti-depressant, it's just fun to laugh than to not, you can really undermine and reveal the false stories that we all pretend to believe in. Humour is great way to discuss bigger themes without needing to be explicit – when I show people my films they don't need to know about Guy Debord even though I was thinking of him at times during its making. I like that. I see, it reminds me of Charlie Chaplin's 1940 film The Great Dictator where he simultaneously plays both the lowly Jewish barber as well as a fumbling, insecure version of Hitler himself. Yeah exactly…but even that is more overtly political. I've just been reading about Chaplin actually. There is so much hunger in Chaplin's humor for example. There are so many food gags or just depictions of being hungry, of people trying to find or make food…so there is definitely a class consciousness embedded in Chaplin's humor – he's quite a punk in that way, always a vandal, always in prison, never cooperating. You focus a lot on the distance between generations in the film. We see Oliver [played by Ewan McGregor] dealing with his dying father and trying to understand love at the same time – both in his own life and in his father's. I wondered what you thought about how each generation re-invents what it means to be in a relationship, what it means to be in love at a certain time and so on. As historical beings the personal is political…the genesis of all of this comes from my real Dad having to grapple with social constructions of what constitutes a relationship. Being born in the 1950s meant that he faced certain challenges that no longer seem so ingrained…homophobia, a psychoanalyst telling him he had a mental illness, expectations of a married man and so on. He never really understood my ideas of love, why I was asking for so much, and I never understood his, since I thought he was asking for too little. The fact is that our idea of love is historical and it's codified. And that's really the fulcrum in which the story spans out of. It was me trying to understand my Dad; what was it like to be gay and born at that time? What was it like to marry my Mum in 1955 and be gay? That's when I devised those lyrical essays that you'll notice in the film – it's the voice of Oliver who guides you through the film and its the most 'me' element in the story. You'll find similar strategies are used by artists like Christian Boltanski and Sophie Calle to great effect. That's interesting because there is this literal but personalised tone in the film, where information is delivered flatly and succulently but somehow escapes your regular didacticism. That's a gag I'm fond of. A big influence is Jorgan Leth's 1967 film The Perfect Human. Being so straight that it…[pauses to think] So literal that it manages to go somewhere else… Exactly. I could do that shtick forever. In fact there is a scene where Ewan is dancing at a party and the dance is modeled off the one the man does in The Perfect Human. What about other influences? Big or small, direct or indirect. Tons. I did a blog on the Focus Films site, which lists a bunch of influences for the film, from the Milan Kundera's Unbearable Lightness of Being (the book not the film) to Istvan Szabos' Love Film. One last question. Arthur – Oliver's four-legged companion that he inherits when his father becomes unwell – plays a substantial role in the film. Explain? Arthur (whose real name is Cosmo) is a curious soul and good interlocutor despite being unable to speak. He and Ewan actually developed a great chemistry on screen, where Cosmo would respond to Ewan's gestures and vice versa. On set we'd treat him as though he was an alien visiting earth; he wasn't cute, he didn't speak our language but he was an intelligent being. Dogs have 220 million smell receptors and we have 5 million – who knows what the fuck they're smelling that we're missing. To win one of ten double passes, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=KplqiAHYnHo
There's only one thing wrong with the third season of Reservation Dogs: it's the show's last. After three years and 28 episodes spent with Muscogee Nation residents in Oklahoma — and also on a journey to California and back — this coming-of-age dramedy says farewell as sublimely and soulfully as it's said everything else since 2021. When Reservation Dogs initially arrived, including on Binge in Australia, its debut season delivered one of the best new TV shows of that year. Next, its second spin served up one of the best returning shows of 2022. The show's swansong achieves the same for 2023, and in a ten-episode run that takes many of the series' own messages to heart. There's a skill in recognising when something's time has come, as Reservation Dogs knows. As co-created, executive produced and written by Sterlin Harjo (Mekko) and Taika Waititi (Thor: Love and Thunder), this series is also well-aware that little lasts in life, but anything that's truly great always leaves an imprint and makes an impact. And, the show lives and breathes the idea that doing the best that you can with the time that you have is one of the noblest of purposes. Accordingly, while the teen-centric comedy about restless Indigenous North American adolescents feels like it could (and should) keep telling its stories forever, it wraps up with a season that's a rich and resonant goodbye — and continues to expand its slice-of-life tales, hero its distinctive perspectives and sink into minutiae that's seen nowhere else on television. Waititi gave Reservation Dogs its biggest name when it began with four Okern residents, aka the titular Rez Dogs, stealing a Flaming Flamers delivery truck to try to sell it to raise cash for their dream escape to the west coast. On the filmmaker's resume, it's one of a trio of brilliant half-hour comedies, premiering after the What We Do in the Shadows television spinoff was already a couple of seasons in and preceding pirate rom-com Our Flag Means Death. It's Harjo who is Reservation Dogs' guiding force, however, steering a series that couldn't be more original — and perfect. The casting, the cinematography, the equal parts dry and offbeat humour, the mix of clear-eyed reality and deeply felt spirituality, the thoughtfulness that swells through every touch: episode by episode, including in its masterful last season, these elements combine to make outstanding television. From its first-ever instalment, Reservation Dogs has hung out with its characters as they chase dreams and face truths, and realise that life is all about flitting between the two. So, it has enjoyed Bear (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Fitting In), Elora (Devery Jacobs, Rutherford Falls), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) and Cheese's (Lane Factor, The Fabelmans) company as they learn about the transience of existence at every moment, whether they're striving to see more than the place that they've always called home, grappling with loss or pondering what the future means. Of course moving on was always going to come for this show, then. Of course it's finishing on its own terms, too. And of course its final season is more moving, ruminative and mesmerising than ever. When viewers last saw the Rez Dogs at the end of season two, the OG quartet plus Jackie (Elva Guerra, Dark Winds), their once-rival and now somewhat-reluctant newcomer to the group, had finally made the trip to California that they'd been working towards their entire lives — but with added urgency after the death of their friend Daniel. Season three picks up with the gang still far away from home, and still journeying even when they do return. Elora considers both her past and her future, complete with an excellent guest appearance by Ethan Hawke (Moon Knight) in an episode that Jacobs directed. Bear goes wandering on his own, including through several revelatory encounters (and with the spirit of The Battle of Little Big Horn warrior William Knifeman, as played by another Rutherford Falls alum in Dallas Goldtooth, still popping up). Both Cheese and Willie Jack keep discovering new learnings within their community. All continue to utter and inspire the term "shitass", all while navigating everything from grief to hope. Harjo remains unafraid to depart from his leads along the way, whether sliding into history to explore myths, traditions or horrors inflicted upon Indigenous children; hanging with the Rez Dogs' parents and elders now as well as in their younger days; and taking the revenge-fuelled Deer Lady (Kaniehtiio Horn, Alice, Darling) out of folklore and into a denim jumpsuit. A true portrait of community — and, of it teens embracing what it means to be a part of it — Reservation Dogs finds a story, be it big or small, for everyone within its frames. In season three, Bear's mother Rita (Sarah Podemski, Resident Alien) contemplates a big promotion that'll take her away from Okern, Elora's forever-20 mum Cookie (Janae Collins, Killers of the Flower Moon) still has messages to send as a spirit, and Jackie's aunt Bev (Rutherford Falls lead Jana Schmieding) has a spark with Officer Big (Zahn McClarnon, No Hard Feelings). Indeed, Reservation Dogs floats between characters as skilfully as it jumps between genres, in a series that can be anything in any given episode. During this last stretch, it's a road-trip awakening and an adventurous magical-realist odyssey. Then it dives into horror akin to Jordan Peele's work (see: Get Out, Us and Nope), as well as workplace comedy. Reservation Dogs flirts with 70s-set Dazed and Confused territory after that, plus an Ocean's-esque heist and sincere family drama as well. Harjo and his creative team nail each and every one — and ensure that every turn reinforces the show's survey of Native American life. This is a series that revels in the daily specifics, including the triumphs and joys; honours cultural conventions and how they're passed down; parodies cliches; and never forgets for a moment the plight that First Nations Americans have endured since colonial times. Everyday facts, ghostly visitors, decrying the worst of history, watching the next generation find its own way while balancing tradition and modernity, championing Indigenous talents emerging and experienced (including Killers of the Flower Moon's Lily Gladstone, Dead Man's Gary Farmer, The Last of the Mohicans' Wes Studi and Dances with Wolves' Graham Greene in the latter category): that's the juggling act that Reservation Dogs couldn't handle better. As Atlanta also achieved while similarly musing on race in the US, serving up surprises in every single episode and proving a creative masterpiece, it sees the moment-by-moment scene and the broader view. That both pictures take in the Oklahoma landscape also helps Reservation Dogs look like little else, as well as feel it. The show's legacy is equally pivotal; Bear, Elora, Willie Jack and Cheese especially will be deeply missed, but Woon-A-Tai, Jacobs, Alexis and Factor shouldn't ever be far from screens after this exceptional breakthrough. Check out the trailer for Reservation Dogs season three below: Reservation Dogs streams via Binge. Read our review of season two, too. Images: Shane Brown/FX.
This global pandemic might have us cooped up at home, but it sure hasn't dulled our penchant for online shopping. Without the bottomless brunches, bar hopping adventures and retail therapy sessions of regular life, many of us have a little extra in the savings fund and a whole lot more time for scrolling. And of course, those package deliveries are all the more thrilling when your social life is taking an enforced hiatus. An offshoot of Bendigo and Adelaide Banks that's built for the digital world, Up is one of the new kids on the banking block. Its focus is on offering a primo mobile banking experience — the kind that fits into your real life with minimal hassle, leaving you more time to worry about the important stuff (like which of the 19 items in your basket will be making it to the checkout). As an online shopping companion, Up's ticking plenty of boxes, thanks to a suite of features designed to keep things simple. For example, it'll show actual business names, locations and company logos in your spending history, so you're not left doing mental gymnastics trying to guess the story behind that $45.50 you dropped at 3am last Saturday. It's also got an automatic transaction categorisation function, to help keep your balances and budgeting in tip-top shape, without too much effort. https://www.instagram.com/p/Btw0EVqn2fE/ Shopping on international sites can normally be a bit fraught, what with the extra charges and conversion dramas. But Up is being a mate and passing on zero fees on all overseas purchases, both online and IRL. It displays both the local and foreign currency on your receipt and app, and will even send you an immediate purchase notification in Aussie dollars. Throw in a bunch of nifty savings functions — like the ability to instantly round up your spare cents — plus upcoming bill predictions and a 1.85-percent interest rate, and you've got yourself one nice, breezy banking situation. For more information about Up and to sign up for an account, jump over to the Up website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. General advice only. Please consider your personal circumstances before making a decision to join Up. Conditions https://up.com.au/hook_up_a_mate/. Product issuer Bendigo & Adelaide Bank.
When St Jerome's Laneway Festival announces its lineup each year, it gives music fans a hefty piece of good news. But, that's never the end of the story. As well as taking to the stage for the fest's main shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Auckland, plenty of artists on Laneway's bill do sideshows — and the 2024 batch of gigs has just been announced. If you're keen to catch Steve Lacy, Raye, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and AJ Tracey doing their own concerts, now you can. Also on the list: Blondshell, Faye Webster, d4vd, Paris Texas, DOMi & JD Beck and Hemlocke Springs. The one caveat: as can be the case with festival sideshows Down Under, this batch is not only east coast-focused, but almost all about Sydney and Melbourne. Still, you now have more chances to hear 'Bad Habit and 'Escapism', including the former at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall for two big shows — which is where Unknown Mortal Orchestra will bust out their tunes for one night. If you're wondering about Stormzy and Dominic Fike, they're doing exclusive Laneway tours. Accordingly, if you want to see either (or both), you'll only catch them at the fest. Also, Lacy is exclusive to Laneway in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, hence the Sydney-only sideshows. [caption id="attachment_916473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Callum Walker Hutchinson[/caption] LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2024 SIDESHOWS: BLONDSHELL Friday, February 9 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne Sunday, February 11 — Oxford Art Factory, Sydney FAYE WEBSTER Wednesday, January 31 — The Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne Thursday, February 1 — Metro Theatre, Sydney STEVE LACY Wednesday, January 31–Thursday, February 1 — Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA Tuesday, January 30 — Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney Thursday, February 1 — Odeon Theatre, Hobart Friday, February 9 — Forum, Melbourne AJ TRACEY Friday, February 2 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Thursday, February 8 — Forum, Melbourne PARIS TEXAS Thursday, February 1 — Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Thursday, February 8 — Night Cat, Melbourne DOMI & JD BECK Friday, February 2 — Brunswick Picture House, Brunswick Heads Friday, February 9 — Factory Theatre, Sydney Sunday, February 11 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne D4VD Friday, February 2 — Liberty Hall, Sydney Thursday, February 8 — Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne HEMLOCKE SPRINGS Friday, February 2 — Night Cat, Melbourne Wednesday, February 7 — Oxford Art Factory, Sydney RAYE Wednesday, January 31 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Thursday, February 1 — Forum, Melbourne St Jerome's Laneway Festival will tour Australia and New Zealand in February 2024. Head to the festival's website for further details and tickets. The festival's sideshows run throughout January and February, with ticketing dates depending on the show — find out more via the Steve Lacy tour website, Unknown Mortal Orchestra tour website and Handsome Tours.
Thanks to the pandemic, and the restrictions and border closures that've come with it, travelling further than your own city hasn't been all that easy over the past 15 months or so. But Virgin Australia is about to give you some extra incentive to travel — and to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The airline has announced that it'll be launching a new competition called VA-X & Win, which will hand out free flights and a heap of frequent flyer points to Aussie who've had the jab. That's the catch, obviously. To enter, you'll need to roll up your sleeve first. "What the latest lockdown in Melbourne and the evolving situation in Sydney has taught us is the sooner we can all get vaccinated, the sooner we can get on with our lives, without the constant fear and uncertainty that come with lockdowns, restrictions and closed borders," said a Virgin Australia Group spokesperson in a statement. "Most importantly, the sooner all Australians are vaccinated, the sooner our most vulnerable members of society will be protected," the statement continues. "We are proud to have served the Australian community in so many ways over the past 20 years. The VA-X & Win competition is just the next instalment of our service, and is our way of helping boost vaccination numbers to protect the lives and livelihoods of all Australians." A few different prizes will be on offer, including millions of Velocity Frequent Flyer Points and dozens of free flights — in Business Class, too. Also, one person will become a Velocity Points millionaire, with the lucky winner then able to put those points to plenty of use. Most of the details are still quite vague — including how you'll prove you're eligible, how to enter and exactly what prizes will be on offer — given that the competition won't launch until COVID-19 vaccines are made available to all Australian adults. Exactly when that'll happen hasn't been made clear by the Federal Government during its delayed vaccination rollout. At present, adults aged between 16–39 still aren't eligible to get vaccinated unless they're are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent; work in quarantine, border or healthcare roles; are an aged care or disability facility worker or resident; work in a critical and high-risk job such as defence, fire, police, emergency services and meat processing; have an underlying medical condition or significant disability; or participate in the NDIS, or care for someone who does. Virgin's VA-X & Win competition will launch once COVID-19 vaccines are made available to all Australian adults. For further details about the contest, head to the airline's website.
Melbourne is best known for its ever-changing weather — but even so, we're often caught off-guard when it rains for more than 15 minutes. But, this shouldn't be an excuse to hide in bed under your doona all day. Our city is teeming with wet weather-friendly activities, so don't let a bit of drizzle keep you from making the most of Melbourne. Here are some ideas to keep you entertained and sufficiently dry — binge-watching Netflix not included. HOLE UP IN A COSY BAR At the first sign of threatening weather, gather your best group of drinking buddies and head straight for your local watering hole. Nab a cosy corner, order a few rounds and stay put until the skies clear. Quality booze, food and friends are really all you need, but to take your rainy day pub game up a notch, choose somewhere with games and activities, like any of these spots. For the coziest vibes on a rainy afternoon, try tiny Collingwood 70s-themed pub-come-wine bar Gum, or get comfy down in the hidden drinking den at State of Grace. GET CULTURED IN A NICE DRY GALLERY A rainy day is the perfect opportunity to finally catch that exhibition you've been meaning to see. Escape the elements and step into a haven of vibrant and colourful artworks that will surely take your mind off the wild weather. Some of our go-to inner Melbourne galleries include the NGV, Gertrude Contemporary, Anna Schwartz Gallery and ACCA. If you haven't yet ventured to The Lume, Melbourne's new 3000-square-metre, 11-metre-high immersive digital art gallery, now is the time as it features giant projections of the works of Vincent van Gogh. Why battle the outdoor elements when you could walk through artworks like The Starry Night and Sunflowers while listening to a classical music score? Outside of the city, the TarraWarra Museum of Art has two new exhibitions opening on Saturday, December 4: Sidney Nolan: Myth Rider and Heather B. Swann: Leda and the Swan. Spend all day browsing the talent and leave with some newfound inspiration to pick up a paintbrush. [caption id="attachment_664322" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tinny Tang[/caption] SNUGGLE INTO A CINEMA SEAT Is there anything better on a rainy day than snuggling up to watch a movie, popcorn in one hand and a glass of wine in the other? The next time it starts to drizzle, swap Netflix for a new release at one of Melbourne's boutique cinemas. The art nouveau theatre and adjoining bar at Thornbury Picture House make it the perfect place to while away a rainy afternoon. You can chase a film with Aussie spirits, local beers from the likes of Stomping Ground and Hawkers, a tidy selection of independent wines and batch brew coffee by Padre. Of course, there's plenty of homemade popcorn to round out the moviegoing experience. Carlton's Cinema Nova reopened in October after months of closure with a whopping 37-movie lineup, so if you've been saving any of them for a rainy day, the time has come. CURL UP IN A CAFE One of the best places to be on a rainy day is in a window seat at a cozy cafe, where you can watch the rain from a safe, dry distance. Add a cup of steaming coffee (or a glass of wine), a hearty meal and a good book, and you're all set for a delightful day indoors. With Melbourne's cafe scene constantly expanding, there's no shortage of options to choose from, but our list of best cafes for working or studying in should help you out. Key requirements include lots of natural lighting, a chilled-out soundtrack and friendly staff. If they're also serving all-day breakfast, you know you've found a winner. Or get away from the grey skies into a brighter atmosphere into Carnegie newcomer Major Mitchell — the bright pink interior will have you walking on sunshine in no time. HAVE A SPA DAY Treating yourself every now and then is essential for your health, so use the next rainy day as an excuse to sneak off to the spa for a little dose of zen. Relax and rejuvenate with a facial and massage, or even rope your significant other in for a couple's treatment. Melburnians are spoilt for choice when it comes to spa experiences, so take your pick from the best. Nothing is more luxurious than spending the day wrapped up in a robe, with cucumbers on eyes to complete the experience, of course. BOOK YOURSELF INTO THE THEATRE There's a certain element of romance to the theatre, which always seems to heighten on a drizzly night. The next time it's forecast to rain, book tickets to a show and you'll see what we mean. Whether you prefer the classics or are a fan of more contemporary productions, there's bound to be a theatre with shows suited to your tastes. Our favourites include Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Red Stitch and Theatre Works but they're not the only theatre companies worth checking out. Broadway hit Moulin Rouge! The Musical is having an almost sell-out run at the newly-renovated Regent Theatre. If you're more classically inclined, the Australian Ballet's Celebration Gala is bound for Arts Centre Melbourne in December, and it is set to be a sensation. BE A BIG KIDULT Don't let the rain put a dampener on your spirit. Take a break from your busy week of adulting and let your inner kid run wild for a day with some of the best kidult activities in Melbourne. Surely you can't resist a friendly game of laser tag or a visit to Timezone that will inevitably stir up some nostalgia (yep, Timezone still exists). If you're in need of exercise but can't face the gym, Bounce is your go-to for a decidedly more thrilling workout that happens to involve trampolines, dodgeball and a half-pip trampolining wall.
Little in cinema gets bigger than Godzilla, even if the iconic kaiju's size can change from movie to movie. Soon, little on streaming will be as giant as the famous creature, either, with new American series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on its way. Slotting into the Monsterverse — aka the US franchise that also includes 2014's Godzilla, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong, with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire joining in 2024 — Monarch: Legacy of Monsters arrives in November. If you're a fictional movie or TV character facing a towering critter, any amount of Godzilla is usually too much Godzilla. If you're a creature-feature fan, however, there's no such thing as too much Godzilla. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters not only expands its own saga, but comes just as Japanese film Godzilla Minus One is about to hit as well, although the latter doesn't yet have a Down Under release date. In Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which stampedes onto Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, the Monsterverse is going the episodic route via a story set across generations and 50 years. It's also expanding its kaiju story with help from Kurt Russell (Fast and Furious 9) — and Wyatt Russell (Under the Banner of Heaven), too. The IRL father-son pair play older and younger versions of the same figure, with army officer Lee Shaw drawn into the series by a couple of siblings attempting to keep up their dad's work after events between Godzilla and the Titans in San Francisco in the aforementioned 2014 film. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also involves unpacking family links to clandestine outfit Monarch, events back in the 50s and how what Shaw knows threatens the organisation. So, there'll be monsters and rampages, and also secrets, lies, revelations and mysteries. Giving audiences two Russells in one series is dream casting, as both the just-dropped first teaser in September and the newly released full trailer now shows. Also appearing on-screen: Anna Sawai (Pachinko), Kiersey Clemons (The Flash), Ren Watabe (461 Days of Bento), Mari Yamamoto (also Pachinko), Anders Holm (Inventing Anna), Joe Tippett (The Morning Show), Elisa Lasowski (Hill of Vision) and John Goodman (The Righteous Gemstones). Behind the scenes, Chris Black (Severance) and Matt Fraction (Da Vinci's Demons) have co-developed Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, while Matt Shakman (The Consultant, Welcome to Chippendales) helms the opening pair of episodes — and all three are among the series' executive producers. Check out the full trailer for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters below: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, 2023.
During COVID-19, there have been reports across the globe of animals taking over cities while humans are in lockdown. Mountain goats have run amok in Wales, wild boar have strolled through the streets of Barcelona and deer have reclaimed a now quiet corner of East London. Down here in Australia, we're playing right into the stereotypes. Yep, old mate Skippy has been videoed hopping through the streets of Adelaide. In footage posted to South Australia Police's Twitter account, you can see a kangaroo casually bouncing through the CBD's quiet streets. The post is captioned with the local police saying "a suspect wearing a grey fur coat... was last seen on foot heading into the West Parklands". There's no word yet on whether the suspect was breaching any of the government's stay-at-home restrictions, however. If you've been trying to convince your American mates that you do indeed ride 'roos to work Down Under, this may finally be the proof you need. https://twitter.com/SAPoliceNews/status/1251721467189813250 While the above stories are true, if you've been hanging out on Twitter of late, you would have seen many fake images of animals returning to cities as part of the viral 'Nature is Healing' meme. There have been reports of dolphins swimming through the canals of Venice and elephants getting drunk in Chinese tea fields, but as National Geographic has pointed out, they are indeed fake. Regardless, some are quite clever and may elicit a bit of a chuckle. So, we'll leave you with a few of our favourites: https://twitter.com/TPZanetic/status/1249116743555002368 https://twitter.com/Julian_Epp/status/1243992034324746240 https://twitter.com/roobeekeane/status/1244320113958019073 https://twitter.com/willjennings80/status/1241497390735069184
The southern stretch of Collingwood's Smith Street has scored an inviting new arrival in vibrant, globally-inspired bar and eatery, Sixty Smith. Opening its doors in late 2020, it's the latest venture from Indy Weerakoon and Sam Silva, co-owners of Fitzroy Beer Garden. Sixty Smith is a warm, eclectic venue boasting four distinct areas. A cosy front bar greets you straight from the street, while further in, a light-filled dining room features cushion-filled banquette seating and an abundance of greenery. Out the back, a covered beer garden is filled with neon street art and upcycled pallet furniture. For quieter drinks and intimate, private celebrations, The Attic awaits upstairs — an old-world-inspired space with gold accents and inky blue hues. The Attic will also play host to a series of monthly dance parties. Sixty Smith's menu draws on a range of global influences, shaped by Head Chef Three Phadungkarn's own experiences — from growing up in Bangkok, to seven years spent cooking Spanish tapas at MoVida and more recently creating classic European fare in the kitchen of Syracuse. The lineup kicks off with lunch plates like the roasted spatchcock with potato salad, a mushroom, truffle and parmesan spaghetti, and a pulled pork burger starring pickled zucchini and spicy mayo. Meanwhile, the dinner offering features bites for appetites small and large, starting with 'graze' snacks like eggplant popcorn, school prawns matched with a tom yum mayo, and lamb spare ribs done with kipflers and capsicum salmorejo (a Spanish-style cold soup similar to gazpacho). The 'gorge' section of the menu might see ox cheek teamed with parsnip puree, braised onion and a hit of horseradish, while grilled broccoli is elevated with harissa and a sunflower seed mole. Otherwise, the decision-saving chef's tasting menu delivers a parade of seasonal hits for $65 per person. You'll spy a couple of rotating tap brews, a lineup of tinnies and a largely local wine selection with plenty of options by the glass. And if cocktails are the mood, there's an impressive rotation of crafty concoctions on offer, from an espresso martini made with vegan dulce de leche, to the fruity yuzu-spiked Tatsu Fizz. Complementing Sixty Smith's artfully plated food and beautifully executed sips is a rotating art exhibition called The Hook, curated by art collective Fort Heart. A dedicated wall within the venue will showcase diverse works from a lineup of local talent, available to buy, plus you can stay tuned for a calendar of supporting art events. Find Sixty Smith at 60 Smith Street, Collingwood. It's open from Tuesday–Thursday 4pm–11pm, Friday–Saturday midday–1am and Sunday 4pm–11pm.
They're responsible for one of Daylesford's most iconic food destinations, launching their luxury accommodation and two-hatted fine dining restaurant Lake House way back in 1984. And now, led by acclaimed chef Alla, the Wolf-Tasker family has gifted the region with yet another culinary gem, opening the doors to a new artisanal bakehouse at their newly-minted Dairy Flat Farm and Lodge. Located just seven kilometres from Daylesford in the tiny community of Musk, Bake House will be whipping up fresh loaves daily, in a kitchen helmed by Tivoli Road Bakery alum Michael James. In a nod to the good old days where country bakeries were king, it's championing 'properly fermented, slow-produced breads', with a focus on top-quality milled flour and grains that are better for your guts. As well as supplying both the Lake House kitchen and that of the new Lodge at Dairy Flat Farm, Bake House goodies will be available to buy from Wombat Hill House Café in Daylesford's Botanic Gardens. The range includes baguettes, crusty Vienna loaves and sourdough bread, croissants, and doughnuts loaded with jam and custard. And, if you fancy taking home more than just a couple of warm loaves, you'll also find regular sourdough baking classes offered to guests on site at Dairy Flat Farm. Dairy Flat Farm and Lodge officially opens to the public next month, with the 38-acre regenerative farm boasting a vineyard, established olive grove, 350-tree orchard and impressive kitchen garden. The European-style Lodge sleeps up to 14 guests, who can also opt for some hands-on farm experiences with a program of beekeeping classes, gardening workshops and tours. Find Dairy Flat Farm and Lodge, along with Bake House, at 238 Dairy Flat Rd, Musk.
Keeping a beef-slinging diner running, transforming it into an upscale fine-diner, launching that new restaurant to the world: that's The Bear story so far. In the first, second and third seasons of hit series, those challenges awaited Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White, The Iron Claw), plus his colleagues and his loved ones, including fellow chef Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri, Inside Out 2) and the Berzatto family's lifelong pal Richie Jerimovich Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Hold Your Breath). Next, in season four, keeping the show's namesake fine-diner in business is the focus. There's even a literal countdown clock ticking down to the eatery's possible demise in its fourth run, as the just-dropped trailer for the series features. "That clock is telling you how much money we have left," Cicero (Oliver Platt, Chicago Med), The Bear's key investor, advises in the sneak peek. "When that shows zero, this restaurant needs to cease operations". Accordingly, "chaos and turmoil" are still being plated up in this award-winning favourite, so much so that they're specifically mentioned by Syd. "It's hard and it's brutal, and that's what makes it special," notes Carmy. Also part of the trailer: reviews calling out concerns about the restaurant's consistency, new menus, ample food shots, advice not to hide from things, the return of Carmy's mother (Jamie Lee Curtis, The Last Showgirl), and everyone from Carmy's sister Natalie (Abby Elliott, Cheaper by the Dozen) to eatery staff Marcus (Lionel Boyce, Shell), Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas, Cat Person), Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson, Unprisoned) and Fak (IRL chef Matty Matheson) dealing with the pressure in their own ways. As announced earlier in May, The Bear returns in June 2025 for prime winter binge-viewing. The date for your diary: Thursday, June 26, 2025 in Australia and New Zealand. As in past years, season four will drop its entire season — ten episodes this time — in one hefty helping. The fourth season of the series has been in locked in since before season three even aired and, while throwing new challenges at its characters, is set to continue to raise a perennial question along the way: what should you cling to when you're chasing greatness, and in life in general? If you need more details about The Bear to date, its debut season jumped into the mayhem when Carmy took over the diner after his brother's (Jon Bernthal, The Accountant 2) death. Before returning home, the chef's resume featured Noma and The French Laundry, as well as awards and acclaim. Then, in season two and three, Carmy worked to turn the space into an upmarket addition to his hometown's dining scene, with help from the restaurant's trusty crew. Check out the trailer for The Bear season four below: The Bear season four will stream via Disney+ in Australia from Thursday, June 26, 2025. Read our reviews of seasons one, two and three. Images: FX / Disney+.
When Sydney Film Festival unveils its complete lineup in May each year, it lets Australian movie lovers know which features are on the way to the Harbour City just before the cinema-adoring world turns its eyes to Cannes. Consider the Aussie fest a cure for film FOMO, then. Plenty of the movies that are set to wow audiences in France this month will head Down Under next month. SFF always adds more such titles just before it kicks off, as late additions to the program, but 2025's roster of flicks already boasts 15 entries in the direct-from-Cannes camp. Here's a few, all playing between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15: Josh O'Connor (Challengers) and Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza) in heist-thriller mode in filmmaker Kelly Reichardt's (Showing Up) 70s-set The Mastermind; It Was Just an Accident, the latest feature from acclaimed Iranian director Jafar Panahi (No Bears), who is also the subject of one of SFF's 2025 retrospectives; and Dangerous Animals, hailing from Australian helmer Sean Byrne (The Loved Ones, The Devil's Candy) and telling a tale of a shark-obsessed serial killer on the Gold Coast. Musing on its eponymous author as only filmmaker Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) can, Orwell: 2+2=5 is also taking the Cannes-to-Sydney route. So is coming-of-age story Enzo from BPM (Beats Per Minute)'s Robin Campillo; Mirrors No 3, which sees German director Christian Petzold reteam with his Transit, Undine and Afire star Paula Beer; Nigeria's My Father's Shadow, the first-ever movie from the country to be selected to play on the Croisette; The Secret Agent, led by Wagner Moura (Dope Thief) for filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho (a Sydney Film Festival Prize-winner for Aquarius); and Vie Privée with Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country). Some of the aforementioned titles are vying for this year's SFF prize, in the competition's 17th year — where opening night's already-announced Together, a new body-horror by Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks (The Wizards of Aus) starring Alison Brie (Apples Never Fall) and Dave Franco (Love Lies Bleeding) is also in contention. A few movies that the festival announced back in April, when it started giving sneak peeks at its 2025 lineup, are equally on that category. Will DJ Ahmet, a Sundance-winner after collecting its World Cinema — Dramatic Audience Award, emerge victorious? Or will that honour go to 2025 Berlinale Grand Jury Prize-winner The Blue Trail? They're in the running, with The Narrow Road to the Deep North filmmaker Justin Kurzel, one of his recent stars in Thomas Weatherall, the latter's Heartbreak High co-star Rachel House, plus Hong Kong-based producer Winnie Tsang and Marrakech International Film Festival director Melita Toscan du Plantier all doing the judging. What features Tom Hiddleston's (Loki) newest performance as well, with The Life of Chuck directed by The Fall of the House of Usher's Mike Flanagan and based on a Stephen King novella? What also boasts Jacob Elordi (Oh, Canada), Daisy Edgar-Jones (Twisters) and Will Poulter (Warfare) in queer romance On Swift Horses, plus Richard Linklater's (Hit Man) Blue Moon with Ethan Hawke (Leave the World Behind), Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Andrew Scott (Ripley) — alongside Carey Mulligan (Spaceman) in music-fuelled comedy The Ballad of Wallis Island, the Dylan O'Brien (Saturday Night)-led Twinless and Pike River with Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets) getting its world premiere? This year's Sydney Film Festival. Which event is adding to its screening venues in 2025 in a spectacular way by showing films at Sydney Opera House, too? And which fest has 201 movies from 70 countries on its lineup, with 17 world premieres, six international premieres and 137 Australian premieres among them? The answer is still the same. How does long-term Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley characterise this year's program, the event's 72nd? "The 2025 Festival offers a bold and expansive view of cinema today, with films that confront the urgent realities of our world, while also revelling in the power of imagination and storytelling," he advises. "From astonishing Australian debuts to daring new works by global auteurs, this year's program is a celebration of creative risk, personal vision and artistic resilience. We invite audiences to explore this thrilling lineup, connect with filmmakers from around the world, and share in the transformative joy of cinema." Other 2025 highlights include Berlin's Golden Bear-winner Dreams (Sex Love); Aussie effort Death of an Undertaker, the directorial debut of actor Christian Byers (Bump), who uses an IRL Leichhardt funeral parlour as his setting; Dreams, with Jessica Chastain (Mothers' Instinct) reuniting with her Memory helmer Michel Franco; satire Kontinental '25, from Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World and Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn's Radu Jude; and What Does That Nature Say to You, the latest from South Korea's prolific Hong Sang-soo (In Our Day). Or, there's the near-future Tokyo-set Happyend, the Luca Guadagnino (Queer)-produced Nineteen, Tibetan-language anthology State of Statelessness (the first ever, in fact), Naomi Watts (Feud) and Bill Murray (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) in page-to-screen dramedy The Friend, Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar collaborator Kahlil Joseph's BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions, and Vicky Krieps (The Dead Don't Hurt) and Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things) tackling grief and possession in Went Up the Hill. Among the standouts on the festival's documentary slate, Jennifer Peedom (River) turns her focus to the quest to make the world's deepest cave dive by Thai cave rescue hero Dr Richard Harris in Deeper, 20 Days in Mariupol's Mstyslav Chernov works bodycam footage from the Ukrainian frontline into 2000 Metres to Andriivka and All I Had Was Nothingness features unused material from iconic Holocaust documentary Shoah 40 years on. Plus, Floodland is focused on Lismore, Journey Home, David Gulpilil charts the iconic actor's journey to be laid to rest, Prime Minister shines a spotlight on Jacinda Ardern and trying to open a Tokyo restaurant is at the heart of Tokito: The 540-Day Journey of a Culinary Maverick. Fans of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, take note: it's up for discussion in Chain Reactions from Alexandre O Philippe (Lynch/Oz). If you miss the video-store era, Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) understands, and has made Videoheaven about it — a film essay solely comprised from movie and TV clips. A New Leaf, The Heartbreak Kid, Mikey and Nicky and Ishtar director Elaine May earns SFF's second 2025 retrospective, while the fest's lineup of restored classics includes the Aussie likes of Muriel's Wedding, Somersault and Mullet, plus Angel's Egg from Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii. For viewers of all ages, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon is also on the program. SFF's 2025 announcements until now were already impressive, so there's not only more joining the above flicks courtesy of the full program — they already have great company. Barry Keoghan's (Bird) new Irish thriller Bring Them Down; the Australian premiere of homegrown animation Lesbian Space Princess; music documentaries One to One: John & Yoko and Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao e Rua — Two Worlds; Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door)- and Michael Shannon (The Bikeriders)-starring post-apocalyptic musical The End; intimacy coordinators getting the doco treatment; Ellis Park, about Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds collaborator, Dirty Three founder and frequent film-score composer Warren Ellis: they're on the lineup, too. So is the one-film movie marathon that is 14-hour picture Exergue — on documenta 14, which is set inside the 2017 edition of the documenta art exhibition in Germany and Greece. Audiences will watch it in four- to five-hour segments — because, if it wasn't already apparent, there's no such thing as too much time spent in a cinema at Sydney Film Festival. [caption id="attachment_1002690" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Christian Schulz/ Schrammfilm[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1002697" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Screenshot[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1002698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Greg Cotten[/caption] Sydney Film Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at cinemas across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information and tickets.
It's perfectly natural to smash through bad days, good days or any day with a helping hand from some sugary indulgence. Here in Melbourne our cafes cater to those with a sweet tooth, which means we have some of the tastiest dessert-for-breakfast treats at our fingertips. Here's our list of Melbourne's finest spots to stroll into and loudly declare "Bring me your sweetest treat, post haste!". Rules are made to be broken – dessert should come first every now and then. [caption id="attachment_585127" align="alignnone" width="1279"] Operator 25's matcha almond hotcakes with grilled pears, berry sauce, dark chocolate and freeze dried raspberry.[/caption] OPERATOR 25 The best thing about Operator 25 is that every dish they serve looks like a colourful work of art (the eyes do eat first you know). The cafe has a range of options for a dessert-brekky, but our favourite is their matcha almond hotcakes served with grilled pears, berry sauce, dark chocolate and freeze dried raspberry. The fruit content means you can pass it off as "healthy". [caption id="attachment_585195" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Caramel doughnut at Rustica Canteen.[/caption] RUSTICA CANTEEN At Rustica Canteen you could very well smash a bite-sized sweet treat and then tuck into a balanced brekky if that's your bag. Rustica are renowned for their sourdough, so naturally their menu is full of bakery-esque delights including pistachio cronuts and poached pear danishes. There's a decent quinoa pudding to wash it down with too. [caption id="attachment_585219" align="alignnone" width="1279"] Lindt's signature chocolate waffle with vanilla white chocolate ice cream. Photo by royceluo.[/caption] LINDT CHOCOLATE CAFÉ If the traditional box of assorted Lindt chocolates balls always incited family debates about which kind was best, you'll be thrilled to know that there's a Lindt café in Melbourne CBD and it's all kinds of great. We recommend you try the winter menu, it's perfect for those cold mornings when you can't deal with the cold weather. Their signature hot chocolate (your pick of dark or milk) is a mouthful of heaven, and if have any space left over after, try the waffles. They're fresh, crunchy and served with white chocolate ice cream and a pot of melted Lindt chocolate. What? No you're drooling! [caption id="attachment_585149" align="alignnone" width="1275"] Hash Specialty Coffee's quinoa fruit salad with labneh, mint and orange blossom syrup.[/caption] HASH SPECIALTY COFFEE Hash Specialty Coffee does great food, but that's not really what we're after. Shoo away the menu and ask for a hot chocolate, heavy on the fairy floss. You'll be served a beaker of hot chocolate and a puff of fairy floss to experiment with. But if you want your dessert-for-breakfast experience to step it up a notch, order the crème brulee French toast or the quinoa fruit salad with orange blossom syrup. Everything is pretty as a picture, and may just send you into a sugar frenzy (in a good way). SHORTSTOP COFFEE AND DONUTS We'd all like to consume our weight in chocolate once in a while, but time and circumstance make fools of us all. If you're after that sugar hit but you're low on time, make your way like a flying arrow straight to Shortstop Donuts and grab a take away gourmet doughnut. Our favourite is the sea salt cruller. Pro-tip: pre-order online so you can skip the queue and jump straight to the donut-in-face experience. Lindt Chocolate Café's signature chocolate waffle and drink is available now for $16 at 271 Collins Street, Melbourne.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we go to Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne, the spot we're putting up guests who book one of our exclusive For The Love VIP packages. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This central Melbourne hotel is all about luxury — from the heated pool looking out over the cityscape to the spacious rooms and glorious pan-Asian restaurant. Did somebody say it's time for a city staycation? THE ROOMS You get a king bed! You get a king bed! And you get a king bed! Everyone gets a king bed! Yup, all rooms and suites have large comfy king beds — the prime spot for stretching out and taking up all the space you'd like (whether you're sleeping alone or with someone else). But, that's not all: these luxe rooms have a bunch of other features too. Expect rain-showers, free wifi, blockout curtains, a 55-inch television and views across Melbourne's skyline. Plus, if you go for one of the suites, you're in for an even more glam stay, courtesy of ready-to-go coffee machine and fully stocked mini bar. FOOD AND DRINK Miss Mi is Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne's very own restaurant and bar, serving up pan-Asian food and drinks — that are set to take you from Bangkok to Borneo. Sit up at the benches overlooking the kitchen to watch the chefs at work or sink into one of the plush banquettes for a more intimate affair. At the bar, you'll uncover Asian-inspired cocktails that pair top-quality spirits with traditional Asian spices, fresh herbs and housemade syrups. You can opt for classic cocktails, but we recommend trying one of their own creations. [caption id="attachment_882225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Macallan (Unsplash)[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA You're in the thick of it here. From the Spencer Street location, you can head west to Docklands for shopping and waterside dining or go east into the CBD to find some of Melbourne's best restaurants and entertainment venues. You're also within the free tram zone, so there's no need to do much walking. Take the free journey to sites like Queen Victoria Market, Federation Square and Melbourne's famous arts precinct. All of Melbourne is at your doorstep. THE EXTRAS One of the most fun and unique things to do at this luxury hotel is partake in their daily chocolate hour. From 4.30–5.30pm, the chefs transform the lobby into a chocaholic's paradise. All kinds of chocolatey creations are made just for you — it's always different so be sure to go each day of your stay. Mentioning Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne's gorgeous heated pool (with views over Spencer Street) is a necessity. Head to the water for a swim and sauna, escaping life and all its stresses for a few hours. You don't even need to swim — simply grab some fluffy slippers and a robe from your closet and sit on one of the poolside lounges reading a book for the day. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
When Raymond Tan got the keys to his soon-to-be CBD bakery in October last year, he never anticipated his cake shop creations would be delivered by hand from door to door around Melbourne as a result of a stage four lockdown. Yet, this turn of events has led to weekly sell-outs for the accounting graduate-turned-baker. He has now been successfully trialling at-home kits packed with Malaysian-inspired sweet and savoury treats for over a month. "The change has been good and bad," Tan told Concrete Playground. "I started as an at-home baker four or five years ago and it's always been a dream to have a bake shop in Melbourne." With multiple 'care packs' on offer, selections include grazing boxes such as the 'afternoon tea kit' ($45) filled with a slice of unbelievably fluffy chiffon cake, giant crumbly matcha cookies and scones. For something bigger, the impressive 'Raya at home kit' ($60) showcases the bakery's flaky shortcrust pies, scones, pandan and Thai tea-flavoured cakes — plus, a sweet spinach and yoghurt cake, which is Tan's take on a popular Turkish vegetable dessert. There's also kueh included in the kit. A sticky, gluttonous dessert popular in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, it's made with ingredients like peanut, kaya custard and coconut. "In the 'Raya at home kit', people get to taste it all," explains Tan. "It's great when people try my kueh, inspired by my Malaysian background. They're tedious to make but I've had a chance to learn thanks to being in [isolation] and my store is one of the only places to buy them in Melbourne, so I get lots of orders from people missing home." [caption id="attachment_781299" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] To drink, you'll find hojicha tea and matcha from Zen Wonders in North Melbourne, which are included with kits or available to add on. There's bottled black and milk coffee, too, brewed from the two coffee blends roasted by Tan's neighbour-turned-friend. "Coffee is important, and luckily this coffee roaster [Come Back to Earth] lives right below my apartment, so we quickly became friends and developed these blends together," says Tan. "There's an O blend espresso coffee, inspired by the Malaysian kopi o, as well as a C blend, after kopi c, a coffee with sugar and milk." For the foreseeable future, Raya is offering weekly deliveries within 20 kilometres of the CBD shop on Saturdays for preorders placed on its website by Wednesday midnight prior. Pickup is available for anyone within the five-kilometre radius of the bake shop. "There's lots of changes that have happened and we are adapting weekly," says Tan. "We don't just offer kits but everything else on the menu can be delivered, including whole cakes to order. We're looking to continue rotating our specials as much as possible, too, so there's always something new to try." Find Raya at Shop 2, 61 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. It's open for takeaway from 9am–3pm Thursday–Sunday and preorders via the website are open from 6pm Monday to midnight on Wednesday for delivery on Saturday from 10am–4pm. Images: Julia Sansone
If you needed another reason to explore Melbourne right now, the city is being treated to its first major post-lockdown cultural event. Marking the slow return of events to Melbourne, the annual Fringe Festival is back both online and in-person for its 2020 iteration. The dynamic range of comedy, theatre and performing arts will take place outdoors, online and around the city between Thursday, November 12 and Sunday, November 29. Many of the works on this year's program were created throughout the last turbulent year and the months of lockdown Melbourne has endured. Highlights include a miniature diorama of Ned Kelly's life set up in a Fitzroy costume shop, a nightly live-streamed news spoof comedy show and a live band that will play outside of aged-care homes across Melbourne. Patrons are also invited to join cult cabaret icon Tomás Ford from the comfort of their bathtub for his performance Come Have a Bath With Me, whilst performance artwork Losing Touch will be one of Melbourne's first outdoor post-lockdown events, taking place in Abbotsford Convent on Wednesday, November 25. The full program is available at the Melbourne Fringe Website with each performance and artwork assigned a rating so you know how family-friendly and socially distant it is. [caption id="attachment_789669" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Slipstream[/caption] Top images: Trigger Happy and A Small Spectacle.
Whether he's co-writing and starring in sketch comedies, directing two of the best horror films of the past few years, producing an Oscar-nominee or reviving a science-fiction classic, Jordan Peele has amassed an impressive resume. So, whenever he adds a new project to the lengthy list, it's worth paying attention. Already, he has Key & Peele, Get Out, Us and The Twilight Zone to his name— and he produced BlacKkKlansman, and produced and co-wrote the upcoming new Candyman flick too. This year, he also executive produced Al Pacino-starring TV series Hunters, about hunting down Nazis in the 70s. And, come August, he's doing the same with Lovecraft Country, a 50s-era exploration of both otherworldly and actual monsters. Based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country follows a road trip across the US in the time of the Jim Crow racial segregation laws. Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors, Da 5 Bloods) is looking for his missing dad (Michael Kenneth Williams, The Wire), enlisting his friend (Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) and his uncle George (Courtney B Vance, Ben Is Back) to trek around the country with him. Cue the unwelcoming, discriminatory and hostile reality of white America, as well as terrors of the supernatural kind (aka, the type that American sci-fi and horror writer HP Lovecraft is synonymous with, hence the show's title). Yes, it sounds like it's completely in Peele's wheelhouse. Lost and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker's JJ Abrams is also one of the new ten-episode series' executive producers, too, alongside showrunner and writer Misha Green (Underground), directors Yann Demange ('71) and Daniel Sackheim (True Detective, Game of Thrones), and producers Bill Carraro (Blade Runner 2049) and David Knoller (Power, Big Love). Lovecraft Country hits HBO in the US in August, with the exact date yet to be announced. As for airing Down Under, Australians can likely expect it to screen on Foxtel and/or its new streaming platform Binge, with local details yet to be revealed as well. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJV9acMsDwM Lovecraft Country starts airing on HBO in the US in August. A release date Down Under is yet to be announced — we'll update you when one comes to hand. Top image: Elizabeth Morris/HBO
At the box office, a film adaptation of Wicked was always set to defy gravity, as the world discovered in 2024. On the stage, the hit musical had proven a blockbuster for two decades. The realm of The Wizard of Oz has been beloved on the page for over a century and on the screen for over 85 years, too. So when heading back to Oz sparked the fifth highest-grossing movie globally of last year, it wasn't at all a surprise. Can Wicked: For Good top it? Bringing Wicked to cinemas is a two-part affair. The first picture arrived in November 2024, painted theatres pink and green, then won Oscars. The second has a date with the silver screen in November 2025. And if you're wondering how the stage musical's second act will soar at the movies, here's your first glimpse: the debut trailer for Wicked: For Good. When sneak peeks for the initial film started dropping last year, questions such as "are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?" were peppered within them. Now, sentiments like "there's no going back", "think of what we could do together" and "it's time for both of us to fly" echo instead, hailing from Glinda and Elphaba. Ariana Grande (Don't Look Up) and Cynthia Erivo (Poker Face) return to their Academy Award-nominated parts to bring Wicked's tale to its conclusion, and to keep chronicling their characters' paths to becoming Glinda the Good Witch of the North and the Wicked Witch of the West, respectively. As the first instalment did, Wicked: For Good boasts director Jon M Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians) behind the lens, again taking inspiration from composer Stephen Schwartz and playwright Winnie Holzman. Alongside Grande and Erivo, Jeff Goldblum (Kaos) portrays the Wizard of Oz, while Michelle Yeoh (Star Trek: Section 31), Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), Ethan Slater (Elsbeth) and Marissa Bode (who made her feature debut in Wicked) also co-star. From the first Wicked: For Good trailer, audiences can get excited about more time in Emerald City, flying monkeys, transformations, yellow bricks, grand ceremonies, warnings in the sky and heartfelt messages — and also Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. For those new to Wicked, it focuses on the Land of Oz's witches, with telling their untold tale the musical's whole angle. On the stage, the show has notched up more awards than you can fit in a hefty cauldron over the years. That includes three Tonys from ten nominations, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and six Drama Desk Awards. Check out the trailer for Wicked: For Good below: Wicked: For Good releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
It's a long journey from the laneways of Melbourne to the coastal highways of Hawaii. Or at least it used to be. But come Thursday, May 4 the tropical vibes and fresh flavours of the Pacific archipelago will wash over the CBD with the opening of Hana on Little Collins Street The latest venture from The Meatball and Wine Bar owner Matteo Bruno, Hana is billed as a raw seafood and cocktail bar, and takes its name from the scenic Road to Hana on the island of Maui. "It's sort of the equivalent to the Great Ocean Road," explains Bruno. "It traverses through mountainous jungle before it opens up to the coastline, and lands at a little town called Hana. It's that journey, that adventure, that inspired me to pursue this restaurant." The kitchen will be manned by Hawaiian-born chef Mario Manabe, who has devised a menu that will showcase Australian seafood. According to Bruno, standout options include tuna with watermelon, coconut and lime, and kingfish with jalapeño and lemon ice. He also highlights a pair of cooked dishes, in the grilled lobster tail with shiitake mushrooms and cardamom and carrot puree, and the katsu-style pork shank with apple and cabbage. The lunch menu includes a number of poke salads, featuring salmon, charred tuna and kingfish with citrus, watercress and snow peas. For dessert you can feast on pineapple and rum tart as well as frozen chocolate haupia, a traditional Hawaiian dessert made with coconut milk. Although dishes look technically complex, the kitchen utilises subtle touches to "elevate the natural product". As for the drinks list, the bar boasts eight signature cocktails named after Hawaiian beaches or waterfalls on the way to Hana. The Twin Falls Junglebird combines rum and Campari with lime and fresh pineapple, while the Tequila Hoki is a mix of tequila, mezcal, ginger, lime and mint. We'd also be remiss not to mention the Honolua Bay Sharknado, a dark rum, Cointreau, orgeat, passionfruit and citrus concoction served in a vessel that looks an awful lot like the head of a shark. A number of Hana's cocktails can also be upgraded to a 'volcano', which are designed to be shared between two and four people. "We want you to feel like you're on a bit of a holiday when you turn up," says Bruno. "Especially coming into winter. We'll have the heater on, the candles on, so you can sit back with a piña colada in your hand and relax." Hana will open on Thursday, May 4 at 212 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. For more information, visit hanarestaurant.com.au.
Fitzroy's Rose Street has landed itself another weekly market, this time with a focus on real, honest, locally produced food. Already home to the ever-popular Rose St. Artists' Market, it looks like this inner north strip is now your one-stop weekend shop. Kicking off on November 25, The Fitzroy Mills Market is the brainchild of siblings Ari, Aphrodite and Chris Vlahos, pitched as a vibrant wellness event for locals and visitors alike. It'll make its home within the former manufacturing mill at 75 Rose Street, from 9am-2pm every Saturday. Aimed at celebrating local farmers and connecting the community to their food growers and makers, the market will feature a curated selection of sought-after vendors, slinging a huge array of produce and artisan goodies direct to the public. Get excited for the likes of coffee and seasonal dishes from nearby roasters Industry Beans, handmade artisan cheese from the Milawa Cheese Company, organic vegan and veggie creations from Bite Me Fine Foods, No Grainer's freshly baked gluten- and grain-free breads, and even healthy snacks for your pooch, courtesy of Canine Wellness Kitchen. There'll also be unique experiences on offer, including floristry tips from ethical Richmond florist Lilac and the Cat, and talks and demonstrations by local health coach Monica Yates. Find The Fitzroy Mills Market at 75 Rose St, Fitzroy from November 25. For more information visit www.thefitzroymills.com.
In the wake of last weekend's Defqon 1 dance festival tragedy, where two punters died and more were injured as a result of suspected drug overdoses, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has tabled a 'solution'. She's pulled together an expert panel to advise on how to make our festivals safer, which includes Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant, Police Commissioner Mick Fuller and Chair of the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority Philip Crawford. Ms Berejiklian announced the decision via social media, saying that the panel would provide advice on how music festivals and promoters can improve safety at their events, the efficacy of increased drug education, and whether new offences or harsher penalties are required. While many are calling for the introduction of pill testing, Ms Berejiklian has rejected the suggestion, saying the NSW Government does not support pill testing. "Pill testing doesn't guarantee the safety of a drug and what might be safe for one person may not be safe for another person," she told the SMH. "The last thing we would want to see is people getting a false sense of security." However, her comments have received much backlash online from the public and other politicians. https://twitter.com/RichardDiNatale/status/1041883391837126656 https://twitter.com/johannhari101/status/1041469528578908161 Australia's first and only pill testing trial took place at Canberra's Groovin The Moo festival earlier this year, allowing punters to have their drugs analysed for unknown and potentially lethal additives. Eighty-five substances were tested and a bunch of lethal ingredients were found. While no further pill testing trials have yet been announced, the advocacy group behind the Groovin The Moo trial, Harm Reduction Australia, is currently attempting to raise $100K to introduce pill testing throughout Australia. If they do succeed in raising the amount, however, they'll still need to gain the approval of the state governments. Ms Berejiklian has asked her expert panel to provide their advice within four weeks, following close consultation with the likes of the local government and those in the music industry. Image: Big Sound, Bec Taylor
If your dream getaway involves staying in your favourite movie, walking in your music idol's shoes, hanging out with celebrities and once-in-a-lifetime pop culture-themed experiences all round, Airbnb has had you covered for a few years. You've seen the accommodation platform's special listings in the past, including being able to slumber at Shrek's swamp, Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse, the Ted Lasso pub, the Moulin Rouge! windmill and Hobbiton — and also Bluey house, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, The Godfather mansion, the South Korean estate where BTS filmed In the Soop, the Sanderson sisters' Hocus Pocus cottage, the Paris theatre that inspired The Phantom of the Opera and a Christina Aguilera-hosted two-night Las Vegas stay. The list goes on — and it's only set to grow. Now, these kinds of Airbnb listings have a name and a category: Airbnb Icons. And to celebrate, the company has unveiled the next 11 spots that money normally can't buy (and in some cases, still can't, with most reservations free). [caption id="attachment_953321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ryan Lowery[/caption] If getting some shuteye in the Up house is your idea of vacation bliss, you're in luck — located in Abiquiu, New Mexico, and taking bookings until Tuesday, May 14, it's a newly unveiled Airbnb Icon. Yes, the balloons are all there. Yes, you'll feel like you've walked into the gorgeous animated film. And yes, gazing at the stars is one of the activities on offer while you're on the premises. Still on Pixar, the latest chance to get excited about Inside Out 2 comes via the opportunity to sleep in the flick's headquarters, aka where the emotions convene and try to keep Riley's mood in check. It'll be taking bookings in June, which is when the movie releases in cinemas. [caption id="attachment_953323" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eric Ogden[/caption] Still on cinema, maybe you'll find out what it sounds like when doves cry at Prince's Purple Rain mansion when it hits Airbnb Icons in August. This is the actual house from the inimitable film, as decked out in purple aplenty. You'll sleep in The Kid's bedroom, hear rare Prince tracks and go crazy with love for the flick and the late, great artist behind it, of course. Stepping inside X-Men '97 is also on offer, with the X-Mansion open for reservations until Wednesday, May 15. Guests will undertake student orientation, give Cerebro a whirl, get a superpower and stay in Wolverine's room. This one has a cost, setting you back AU$149.51 per guest, and can welcome in eight wannabe heroes. [caption id="attachment_953325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Max Miechowski[/caption] Doja Cat, Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor and Kevin Hart are all also on the Airbnb Icons list, each hosting stays. Available to book from October, Doja's listing includes a living-room show. Coming from Sunday, May 12, Kapoor's will see you spend time at her Chennai holiday home. And as for Hart, as available to reserve from August, he'll get you giggling at him and other comedians at his Coramino Live Lounge. Checking into the Ferrari Museum for an evening will be open for bookings from Monday, May 6 — and it covers sleeping in a bed made with the same leather as Ferrari car seats, doing a hot lap and eating at Cavallino, Enzo Ferrari's favourite restaurant. Or, from Wednesday, May 22, you'll be able to reserve a night at the Musée d'Orsay, snoozing in a bedroom designed around its clock, watching the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony from its rooftop terrace and nabbing a private look at its impressionist collection. [caption id="attachment_953327" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Prior[/caption] The initial 11 Airbnb Icons offerings also include a gaming loft hosted by TikToker Khaby Lame, which is taking bookings now until Tuesday, May 14 — and, with reservations launching on Friday, May 3, being part of reggaeton star Feid's tour for a full week. Here's how bookings work: whether they're free or not, you need to book through the app. If you are selected for a reservation, you'll get a digital golden ticket — of which there'll be 4000-plus available in 2024 alone. Folks will be drawn at random after they put in a submission for a property, then they'll be judged as semi-finalists, all of which will take place within seven days of the booking period closing. You can only put your name up for each listing once. And if you're picked, you have 24 hours to accept the invite. As has always been the case with these listings, even before they had the Icons category, you'll also need to pay for getting to the property — that isn't included in the reservation. Still, some of your fantasy holiday spots just became a reality. [caption id="attachment_953329" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frederik Vercruysse[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] House of Pixels[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953331" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sismatyc[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953334" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Federico Ciamei[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953324" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ryan Lowery[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953326" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Holly Andres[/caption] For more information about Airbnb's Icons stays, and to make bookings, head to the Airbnb website. Top image: Ryan Lowery Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
There's no shortage of sandwich shops making waves these days. But a new limited-time special at Tombo Den has just hit the scene, ready to grab your attention with Japanese-inspired sandos. Served from midday Friday–Sunday, there are two loaded options bound to satisfy your cravings: prawn menchi-katsu with wasabi tartare and lettuce, and pork katsu with truffle mayo and barbecue sauce. With both served on fluffy white bread à la shokupan, these hearty creations are also presented with a handful of crisps to give you a little more crunch. Priced at $18.50 each, this lunchtime sando will leave you feeling stuffed until dinner comes around. There's also the option to level things up. For $7.50, add a side of ramen fries, or get the weekend started with a yuzu spritz priced at $13.50. If you want the entire trio, the so-called Tombo Combo is the ultimate lunch fix. Situated at the Windsor end of Chapel Street, Tombo Den is Chris Lucas' take on a throwback Japanese eatery, inspired by his time living and working in Tokyo in the 90s. Paying respect to the nation's street food and izakaya culture, expect casual fare and boozy nights. There's an expert team in the back-of-house, with Head Chef Dan Chan (Supernormal and Michelin-starred Yardbird in Hong Kong) spearheading the culinary offering. Meanwhile, Tokyo-born master sommelier Yuki Hirose has curated Tombo Den's tight but expressive drinks lineup. [caption id="attachment_971728" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit: Michael Pham[/caption] [caption id="attachment_971729" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit: Michael Pham[/caption] Tombo Den's weekend sando special is available for a limited time from 12pm Friday–Sunday at 100a Chapel Street, Windsor. Head to the website for more information.
Daniel's Donuts, a 24-hour doughnut store on Princes Highway in Springvale, has inspired queues, sell-outs, and (probably) tears over its sweet, doughy goods. It's the second venue for the family-run business, after its bakery in Melbourne's west became well-known for churning out thousands of Nutella donuts. The bakery gained media attention in 2015 for the sheer amount it was producing, using around 2400 kilograms of the sweet hazelnut spread each week. The treats are no less sweet and a little more expanded in variety at the Springvale outpost, and they're now heading northside — the bakery will pop up in Brunswick's Barkly Square for the month of July. Situated next to Kmart, the pop-up doesn't quite match the Springvale mammoth effort of being open all day, every day — but it comes damn close. It's open from 6am–10pm (or until sold out), so you've got generous time either side of your work day to get there. But we recommend being the early bird, if past reports and reviews of its Springvale store are anything to go by. Flavour-wise, you can expect Ferrero, raspberry white chocolate, lemon meringue and — of course — the requisite Nutella filled situation. No word yet on whether the infamous durian doughnut will be available to purchase but fingers crossed, we guess.
Grand Slam fever is set to take hold of Melbourne this month when the Australian Open returns for its 2023 edition. But if you'd like to get in on some tennis action yourself, you'll want to bust out the fluoro and hit Ballers Clubhouse. From Saturday, January 14–Sunday, January 29, the sprawling bar sports venue will be causing a 'racquet' of its own, with the Glow-in-the-Dark Tennis tournament. Here, punters of all skill levels can get their neon kicks battling it out on one of the most unique tennis courts around — one where the balls, racquets and even the outfits will be lighting up the darkened space in a riot of bright colours. While you play, there'll be DJs on the decks until late, as well as an exclusive glow-in-the-dark Canadian Club cocktail to get you in the mood — and the real AO playing on the projector screens. Plus, there are plenty of prizes up for grabs. And if your own wardrobe is lacking in neon, simply hit the pop-up costume shop for some luminous threads to really make you stand out on court. More glow-in-the-dark fun comes courtesy of an LED ball pit, while Ballers' usual games offering can also see you challenging your mates to the likes of shuffleboard, flaming ping pong and darts. An all-games pass comes in at $34, including your first cocktail. Walk-ins are welcome, or you can book a time online. Ballers Clubhouse Images: Michael Gazzola
This summer, Flickerfest returns for its 27th season of short films, with the internationally acclaimed festival taking over Kino Palace Cinemas from February 14–15. The fifth stop on the festival's national tour, which launched in Sydney in January, will see a screening of the Best of Melbourne Shorts and the Best of EU Shorts. The former, held on Valentine's Day, will feature ten films all made by Victorian filmmakers — including Fysh, a heartwarming tale about a man and his fish, and a coming-of-age story about boy who feels he was born in the wrong body, called Mrs McCutcheon. The EU Shorts (held on the second night) has a more international focus, screening award winning films from all over Europe. Highlights including Germany's Academy Award–nominated All Of Us — based on the true story of a group of bus passengers who were attacked by extremists in Kenya — and Wave, a film made in Ireland about a man who wakes from a coma speaking an unrecognisable language. Once the festival wraps up in Melbourne, it will continue its road trip around the country, touring over 50 Aussie locations until May 2018. To see the full Flickerfest 2018 program and grab tickets, head to the website. To celebrate the festival's return to Melbourne, we're giving away ten double passes to the Best of EU Shorts on Thursday, February 15. To enter, see details below. [competition]655921[/competition]
The in-flight experience will soon exit the amateur days of free peanuts and on-demand movies with the latest luxury seating design by Contour Aerospace and Factorydesign. A futuristic chair paired with the ultimate gaming experience is the newest plan for flying in style. The Not for Wimps (NFW) game simulator is built into passenger seats and includes a full sized monitor suspended at eye-level in front of each seat, surround sound with speakers on each side of the headrest and an abundance of leg room for a stimulating, realistic gaming experience that will have you wishing your flight lasted longer. Each seat is also encased in what can only be described as a noise-cancellation bubble, that prevents other passengers from hearing any sound effects or ambient noises except those from their own games. The NFW is only in the prototype stage and is being proposed at the Aircraft Interiors Expo at the German Messe in Hamburg this week, but gamers everywhere will be chomping at the bit for news of the go-ahead to jump-start this futuristic feature of flying. [via PR Newswire]
Hotel dining all over Australia is currently having a renaissance. Top chefs are being brought in to shake up less-than-inspirational menus. And architects are creating spaces with their own unique identities, separate from the accommodation. Hotel owners are finally seeing the power that comes with turning these restaurants into proper destinations — not just doing the bare minimum to get hotel guests to book a table. One of the latest hotels to really invest in its new restaurant is Hotel Vera out in Ballarat. At the end of January this year, the team launched Babae with Culinary Director Tim Foster (The Gold Mines Hotel and ex-Source Dining) at the helm. This 26-seat fine-diner has no a la carte offerings, instead plating up a seven-course degustation for dinner and a shorter four-course spread for lunch. Foster has worked with farmers, breeders, and providores in and around the Goldfields region for a long time now, so plenty of hyper-local produce will find its way to the plate and into your wine glass. Stuff grown in the hotel's own garden will also feature when possible. Cuisine-wise, it can best be described as contemporary Australian, but it mostly has European influences. Dishes will change frequently, depending on what's in season, but you can expect to find a selection of snacks to start, followed by a bunch of larger dishes and two desserts when heading in for dinner. Wines are unsurprisingly a mostly Victorian affair, with a few sweet Italians also up for grabs when taking on the suggested wine pairings. You won't have a stack of choices when dining at Babae, but with Foster running the show, there's no need to worry. His previous restaurant Source Dining was hatted for nine years in a row, and Babae might just follow suit. You'll find Babae at 710 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, open for lunch from Friday to Sunday and dinner from Thursday to Saturday. For more details and to book a seat, head to the venue's website. Images Emma Duzhnikov
It's a scenario that many Australians can relate to: it's summer, the temperature has reached scorching levels and you can hear the sounds of someone splashing around in a cool, refreshing pool. Sadly, those noises aren't emanating from your own swimming spot — because you don't have one — and you don't know your neighbours well enough to just pop by for a dip. And, maybe your local waterhole is too far away, you don't live near the beach or the nearest public pool is closed for the day. Combine all of the above, and you're stuck trying to chill out in the bath or under the fan in the sweltering heat. Enter Swimply, a service that's like Airbnb, but for pools. Already operational in the US and Canada, and finally launching in Australia on Tuesday, November 26 — in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane so far — it's a fairly typical sharing economy-style platform. One person rents out something they have and don't use all the time, while another person with a short-term need reaps the benefits. In this case, Swimply lets folks with pools lease out their backyard swimming spots when they're not in use, and helps people without pools find a place for a splash, all via an iOS and Android app. If you fall into the latter category, you can hire a spot by the hour. You can also look for pools with specific facilities and inclusions — such as chairs, lounges, towels, wifi, a changing area, access to a bathroom, a barbecue, a shady spot to sit under, night lighting, pool toys and heated waters. Some allow pets, while others are fine with parties and alcohol. Before booking, you can also scope out just how many guests you can bring (and whether kids are allowed), as well as how private the pool is from the neighbours. That said, prices aren't particularly cheap. Splashing around for 60 minutes hovers around the $40 mark, with some pools as low as $20 and others topping out at $50 per hour — all depending on the cost set by the owner. Of course, if you're planning a dip with your pals and can split the price, it's much more affordable. So far, just a small range of pools are available in Australia, with three in Sydney, five in Melbourne and five in Brisbane. Still, if you're keen to hop in one of them, Swimply is offering first-time users a 20 percent discount until December 31, 2019 — just use the code 'SWIMDOWNUNDER'. And if you're wondering about safety, pools are vetted before being added to the platform, in conjunction with pool and spa maintenance company Poolwerx — and checked to ensure compliance with Australian health and safety standards. Swimply is now available to download on iOS and Android.
There are lots of reasons to spend the day hiking along the Murray River in autumn. The weather is perfect and the air is crisp. It's not so cold you have to wear thermals and not so hot you have to dash from shade-patch to shade-patch. You have the glory of nature, of course — and not regular glory but autumnal glory, which studies show is up to 45 percent more glorious than regular nature. But the ultimate best thing about hiking in autumn? The seasonal food that crops up in country restaurants. After a big day hiking, there's nothing better than cosying up to a big, hearty meal. We've paired some of the best hikes around the Murray River with the tastiest treats to indulge in after you return to civilisation. WANDER THROUGH A BILLABONG THEN A WINERY Mildura is the perfect autumn hiking destination for those of us who also love to eat. It sits alongside a natural billabong that was further irrigated when the region was settled, making it an incredibly fertile food bowl and winery region. Head to the Kings Billabong Walk car park, just north of town, and do the 4-kilometre loop. It's an easy, scenic walk through varied bushland and wetlands. Keep an eye out for wildlife (ducks, spoonbills and kingfishers can be seen on the billabong, doing their thang) and at Psyche Bend, you'll see the original pump house that irrigated the region. Once you've worked up an appetite, head over to Trentham Estate Winery, located on the other side of the wetlands and get a taste of the fresh produce from the region. The winery has an award-winning restaurant, with a balcony overlooking the mighty Murray, open for lunch (12pm–3pm). Alternatively, enjoy their excellent cellar door and charcuterie boards before taking a stroll through the grounds. EXPERIENCE COUNTRY LIFE WITH A PUB MEAL AND HISTORICAL RIVER WALK There are lots of historical towns dotted along the Murray River, and Swan Hill is one of the quaintest examples. The River Walk starts just north of the town centre and winds for 4.5 kilometres down the river. It takes you on a journey through the town and the Indigenous history of the region. It's a flat, easy walk that'll take you about two hours. When you eventually make it back to town, you have some classic country-town food options. For a lighter snack, head to Spoons Riverside and grab a coffee on the river. Or head to one of the many country pubs (try the Commercial Hotel or the Federal Hotel) for a nostalgic pub dinner. It's the perfect way to enjoy a brisk autumn night. Parma and a pot, anyone? TEST YOUR STAMINA AND SPICE TOLERANCE IN SWAN HILL If you're in the Swan Hill region and looking for a more intense hiking experience, head south down the Murray and try the Koondrook Red Gum Forest Walk instead. The full walk is a doozy — 13 kilometres of beautiful red gum forest and wetlands in the Gunbower State Forest. It's best to do it in autumn otherwise you'll work up quite a sweat. Keep your eyes peeled for kangaroos, broad-shelled turtles, and giant banjo frogs, which come out at dusk. There's a shorter 9-kilometre walk too, but both paths are relatively flat and easy-going. Afterwards, we recommend heading back up the road to Swan Hill and checking out Java Spice. It's an incredibly cute, kitschy little Balinese restaurant, with flavoursome food and a relaxing outdoor setting. Stretch out your tired limbs and indulge in a fruity cocktail (you've earned it). TAKE TIME OUT FOR COFFEE, CAKE AND ART DECO IN MILDURA Start with morning tea at the beautiful Mildura Arts Centre. The centre started as a classic country house and now has a contemporary wing. Grab morning tea in their outdoor cafe to fuel you for a day of sightseeing. The sculpture park is the perfect setting for a digestive stroll. Mildura has run a sculpture contest since 1961, so their sculpture game is on point. Wander through the grounds to kick off your walking tour. It's a self-guided tour, so you can go at your own pace while taking in the art deco architecture of Mildura. EAT YOUR WAY THROUGH ECHUCA ON A CULINARY TOUR You have a few options for treating yourself in Echuca Moama. Start with a coffee at 7 Beans Coffee on High Street, but don't linger for long, because there are a few more stops on your culinary tour before you're done. Stop in at The Sweet Meadow down the road. It's a cute cafe with an entirely vegan menu. We recommend the creamy avocado served with pesto and spelt sourdough. When you're done, head over to Beechworth Bakery and stock up on sweet bakery treats for your afternoon adventures. From there, head out to Waaia, where you'll rendezvous with Southern Side Eco Tourism. They organise adventure forays into the Barmah Millewa Forest National Park. With their help, you can go kayaking or hiking deep in the national park with all the trimmings (but be sure to organise ahead of time). For more information on the autumn experiences on offer in the Murray region and across the state, head to the Wander Victoria website.
Thanks to the ever-growing array of streaming platforms vying for your eyeballs — and the always-expanding catalogues of films and TV shows hosted on each, too — picking what to watch when you're settling down on the couch is rarely a simple exercise. Before winter is over, Australians will have another option to choose from, with new streaming service Paramount+ launching on Wednesday, August 11. The platform will actually rebrand the existing 10 All Access streaming service, with parent company Viacom CBS Australia and New Zealand bringing it into line with the global Paramount+ subscription offering that launched in America in March this year. For an $8.99 per month subscription fee, viewers can expect to scroll through — and try to pick between – more than 20,000 episodes and movies. That'll include films and series from Showtime, CBS, BET Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon, as well as from Paramount Pictures, the Smithsonian Channel and Sony Pictures Television. If you're the kind of viewer that loves rewatching your favourite flicks, you'll be able to head to Paramount+ to stream movies from the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, Transformers, Jackass, Batman and Dark Knight Trilogy franchises. Austin Powers in Goldmember, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Grease and Good Will Hunting will also be available on the service. And, on the TV front, existing series such as The Good Fight, The Twilight Zone, Why Women Kill, Charmed and SpongeBob SquarePants will find a new home. Paramount+ is betting big on new television shows being a big drawcard, though, so you can expect to add a heap of titles to your must-watch list. The new series of Dexter is one of them — and so is the Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Old Guard)-starring TV adaptation of The Man Who Fell to Earth; The First Lady, which sees Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) play Michelle Obama; Anne Boleyn, with Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) as the titular figure; and page-to-screen adaptation The Luminaries. New Australian dramas Five Bedrooms and Last King of The Cross are also destined for the platform, as are Melbourne-shot comedy Spreadsheet and coming-of-age feature film 6 Festivals. The list goes on, including spy drama Lioness, a TV adaptation of video game Halo and The Offer, a scripted drama about on the making of The Godfather. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eaw6mUV3c6o In the US, Paramount+ will also stream Paramount Pictures' big cinema releases — such as A Quiet Place Part II and Mission: Impossible 7 — between 30 and 45 days after they hit cinemas. Whether that'll also happen in Australia from August is yet to be revealed. Paramount+ will launch in Australia on Wednesday, August 11, rebranding the existing 10 All Access streaming platform, with subscriptions costing $8.99. For further information, head to the Paramount+ website.
The best kind of brunch is one that starts during that critical time bracket between 9.45am and 11.30am (a little too late for breakfast, a bit too early for lunch) and lasts until the sun starts going down. In order to make the good times go the distance, you need a well constructed playlist and an extensive spread of food options. And, of course, you are going to need drinks. After all, a well stocked drinks tray is the cornerstone of any successful brunch. What isn't is facing a table full of boozed up guests before the clock strikes 1pm. Now, thanks to an increased demand for delicious low- and no-alcohol options, you can let the brunch beveragino generously flow without getting everyone totalled. We've teamed up with Tempus Two to handpick some liquid inspiration to impress your guests and make your party an affair to remember (literally). THE MOOD: Popping bottles THE SERVE: 2020 Tempus Two Lighten Up Prosecco Nothing kicks off a brunch better than ceremoniously plucking the cork from a bottle of fizz to the sound of wild applause. It's the ultimate sensory trigger that signals a special occasion is going down. The 2020 Lighten Up Prosecco by Tempus Two has the full flavour of a traditional prosecco with crisp notes of citrus and green apple — but at 6.8 percent alcohol volume and a lower calorie count, you can enjoy more than JTO (Just The One). To put that number into context, that's a massive 30 percent less alcohol (and calories) than a standard bottle of prosecco. We'll drink to that. [caption id="attachment_747074" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Walter's Steakhouse[/caption] THE MOOD: Gorgeously garnished THE SERVE: The 'lightly bleeding' mary A good cocktail can be a work of art. And presenting a tray of artfully constructed concoctions can really wow a crowd, especially with some unexpected little touches in the final execution. Like the umami one-two punch of a cornichon and pickled onion alongside a good stalk of leafy celery on your bloody mary. To go the distance, make them what we're going to call a 'lightly bleeding' mary. Top your tomato juice and Worcestershire with a half measure of vodka or gin — or substitute the booze with a quality, non-alcoholic botanical spirits by the likes of Vera, Sea Arch or Seedlip (the Garden 108 is recommended here). All flavour, no regrets. THE MOOD: F Scott Spritzgerald THE SERVE: The springtime spritz Invoke a Gatsby-esque garden party with a bright, signature spritz that not only looks fantastic on the table but can be sipped throughout the duration of brunch. Start with a scoop of ice, then add a generous dash of Lyre's Italian Orange (a very, very good booze-free substitute for Aperol or Campari), pour in your favourite prosecco (the fruity profile of the Tempus Two Lighten Up would work perfectly), and top with soda. Add a twist of orange peel and two slices of strawberry and you're golden. THE MOOD: On the beers THE SERVE: Heaps Normal So you kicked off the morning with bottles of bubbles and a selection of delicately composed treats but now it's afternoon, your guests have settled in and you've just opened a bag of chips. It's beer o'clock, as they say in France. Keep a few tins of Heaps Normal's exceptional Quiet XPA in your fridge. Brewed to less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume but with refreshing malty sweetness and long finish, it's a great companion for a leisurely day of drinking. THE MOOD: Something smooth THE SERVE: 2020 Tempus Two Lighten Up Pinot Noir Whether you want to serve it lightly chilled or get pouring straight off the wine rack, a good red is always a friend to brunch hosts and guests alike. The Lighten Up Pinot Noir from Tempus Two gives up great wafts of black cherry and a juicy full flavour that makes it as drinkable as any other promising pinot, but with an alcohol content of 6.8 percent, you can keep quaffing this one for that little bit longer — where a standard 750ml bottle would have anywhere between seven to nine standard drinks, there are only four in a bottle from the Lighten Up series. Your cup overfloweth! For more information about the low-alcohol Tempus Two Lighten Up range, head to the website. Top image: Tempus Two
It's always been an excellent concept for a TV series: what happens when 456 people have a chance to make their dreams come true via a huge cash prize simply by playing childhood games? Whether or not there was a murderous edge to this contest — which, of course, there is — this situation was destined to bring out the worst in many of its players. It was also forever bound to stress a point that Squid Game's latest season three trailer utters: "no matter how you look at it, life is just unfair". Those words are directed at Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte), who went through this ordeal once in the award-winning Netflix hit's debut season and made it out the other side — only to head back in season two with stopping the game forever his motivation. How he'll fare next is set to play out in Squid Game's third and final season from Friday, June 27, 2025. The mood is unsurprisingly ominous, however, in the newest sneak peek. By now, everyone knows the Squid Game concept: here, trying to win 45.6 billion won means battling 455 other players to the death. Fans will also know that when Player 456 went back into the game with new fellow competitors for company in season two, he found himself closer to the person pulling the strings than he knew. The most-recent batch of episodes dropped at the end of 2024, ended with quite the cliffhanger and seem to have only made the show's protagonist even more determined on his quest — which will again bring him into contact with the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven). Whatever eventuates, Squid Game's last run will feature a finale written and directed by series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk as it brings its fatal matches to a conclusion. In multiple trailers so far, audiences have been given a glimpse of pleas, big reveals and truths, mazes, jumping rope, a huge gumball machine with red and blue balls, tears, words of advice and more. In Squid Game's second season, Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) also returned as the man in the suit, aka the person who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place — and so did Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) as detective Hwang Jun-ho. That said, a series about a deadly contest comes with a hefty bodycount, so new faces were always going to be essential. That's where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all came in. If you've somehow missed all things Squid Game until now, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. As a result, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. Watch the latest trailer for Squid Game season three below: Squid Game season three streams via Netflix from Friday, June 27, 2025. Season one and two are available to stream now. Images: Netflix.
Ladies of Leisure — who you may know from their kickass zine, and associated parties, short films and apparel — are bringing back their workshop series for a second year, kicking off on November 22. LOL's workshops are all about creating a safe space for female creatives to grow and up-skill, and the event emphasises its inclusion of people of all orientations and identifications. On Saturday, November 26 the Socially Conscious Careers panel will discuss how you can incorporate social justice into your career without limiting your options. On Wednesday, November 30 Amrita Hepi will present the Feeling Myself 'anti-dance class' — a movement workshop about listening to your body which will finish with a guided meditation. The last workshop Thursday, December 1 Burn Bright, Not Out workshop will provide participants with strategies for managing stress and anxiety, before the series culminates in a three-day market at Junior Space in Fitzroy. Classes are $25 a pop and are capped at 25 people. Here's the full program of workshops. November 22 — Keeping It Real - Beci Orpin November 24 — Dream Baby Dream - Jo Hook November 24 — Jill of All Trades - Sarah Booth November 25 — Carpe DM Your Career - Wendy Syfret & Ingrid Kesa November 26 — Socially Conscious Careers (panel) November 27 — Know Your Writes (panel)November 28 — Get The Message! - Nevena Spirovska November 29 — Pride and Prejudice - Hana Assafiri November 30 — Feeling Myself - Amrita Hepi December 1 — Burn Bright, Not Out - Rachel Service Image: Heather Lighton.
Vivid Sydney is no stranger to lights. In each year's program — including with 2023's set-to-dazzle lineup, complete with Lightscape in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney — filling the Harbour City with luminous installations is one of the citywide arts festival's main aims. Whether you're a local or a visitor, a wander around town in June involves stunning radiant sights awaiting at every turn. And this year, that glow will extend down to Wynyard's unused railway tunnels for the first time ever. This is the first time ever that the subterranean spot will be opened to the public, in fact — and turned into a light show beneath the streets. Meet Dark Spectrum, the ticketed installation that's world premiering at Vivid Sydney as a just-announced addition to the 2023 program. We hope you like lasers, secret passageways, bright colours and a one-of-a-kind experience, all on offer from Friday, May 26–Sunday, July 16. A collaboration between Vivid Sydney, Sony Music, Mandylights and Culture Creative, this underground spectacle features eight rooms, all heroing a different hue, with the entire setup inspired by raves and their dance floors. They're each meant to mimic the human experience through life, too, as helped by robotics, visual technology and a pulsating electronic dance music soundtrack. Accordingly, Dark Spectrum will take attendees through rooms themed around separation, constriction, pressure and the unseen, then spaces that are all about reflection, the unfamiliar and connection. The last one? It serves up an end with a revelation — which will obviously need to be experienced rather than explained. Vivid Sydney has given a few hints about what's in store, though. In Construction, 150 LED pipes will hang from the roof, while Pressure will feature 50 archways covered in lights and mirrors — and make Wynyard's tunnels look like a never-ending tunnel. Or, there's Interaction, a sea of hanging string lights and illuminated plants that respond to movement, which takes its cues from Avatar. "We're thrilled to announce this world-first experience for Vivid Sydney 2023. Dark Spectrum is a perfect fit for this year's festival theme, exploring the intersection between human emotions, our natural environment and the urban landscape and relics of Sydney's industrial past," said Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini. "Diving beneath the surface of what is now one of the city's busiest railway lines, Dark Spectrum is a truly mesmerising and engaging experience for visitors to explore Sydney in a whole new way. I am excited we get to shine a light on unknown spaces across the city". After its Sydney debut, Dark Spectrum will tour the world — so for folks outside of the Harbour City who can't make it along during Vivid, cross your fingers that it next comes your way. Vivid Sydney 2023 will run from Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 17. For further information and tickets — including to Dark Spectrum from Friday, May 26–Sunday, July 16 — head to the event's website.
Forget only celebrating Christmas for one day, or even just 12. Don't limit yourself to a mere 25 days of getting festive, either. At Lune for the entire month of December — including on Christmas Day at some stores — the specials menu is enjoying a merry makeover. Whether you're after croissants, cruffins or a savoury pastry, there's something to suit the occasion right through until Tuesday, December 31, 2024. Each month, Lune Croissanterie whips up a fresh batch of limited-time offerings, giving you something tasty to look forward to when you flip over your calendar. If you've tucked into hot cross cruffins, lasagne pastries and Tim Tam pains au chocolat this year, you'll have tasted the results. Now, with festive season upon us, the Kate Reid co-founded bakery brand is dishing up appropriate treats. Start with stuffed turkey pastries, then move onto gingerbread croissants. First, the sweet stuff. Lune's gingerbread special is a twice-baked croissant made with pecan frangipane, baked gingerbread and molasses caramel, then topped with frangipane, gingerbread, white icing and gold dusted chocolate pearls. From 2023's specials, the choc peppermint twice-baked pain au chocolat is back for 2024, featuring chocolate frangipane and a peppermint patty, then dark chocolate crumb, melted chocolate and crushed candy cane on top. It wouldn't be Christmas without eggnog and pudding, with Lune whipping up its own versions. You can eat your eggnog, rather than simply drink it, courtesy of Lune's latest cruffin. It's stuffed with rum syrup and eggnog custard, then dusted with icing sugar, and also finished with sweetened meringue cream, nutmeg and a spiced chocolate quill. The bakery's Christmas pudding comes filled with brandy caramel and muscovado brandy soaked fruit cake, and is then brushed with a caramel glaze, before being topped with brandy crème pâtissière, candied orange peel and grated nutmeg. For a savoury option, enter The Stuffed Turkey. This pastry is filled with a turkey and croissant pastry stuffing, with sage powder, cranberry sauce, crispy chicken skin and fried sage leaves added on top. Back on sweet dishes, Lune is giving Brisbane a bonus special. Befitting the River City's sultry weather, the chain's ice cream sandwich will be on offer — only at the South Brisbane store, and only between Monday, December 2–Tuesday, December 31. It takes a pain au chocolat, slices it open, then pops in two scoops of croissant infused ice-cream that's been folded with caramelised croissant pieces. After starting off as an off-menu staff snack, it's now being shared with customers. Lune currently operates in Melbourne and Brisbane, so you'll find its December specials available at its Melbourne CBD, Fitzroy and Armadale stores in the former, plus South Brisbane and Burnett Lane in the latter — but the range varies per venue. Online pre-orders are also available at some shops, for some products. Over the Christmas break, stores will be operating as normal until Christmas Eve, then just Fitzroy and South Brisbane will open from 8–11am on Christmas itself. All venues will be up and running from 8am–3pm from Boxing Day until New Year's Day, then standard operating hours return from Thursday, January 2, 2025. Lune's December specials menu runs from Sunday, December 1–Tuesday, December 31, 2024, with different specials on offer at Armadale, Fitzroy and the CBD in Melbourne, and South Brisbane and Burnett Lane in Brisbane. From some stores, you can also order them online. Images: Peter Dillon.
If you're lucky enough to count Woolworths' Double Bay store as your local, you might soon be in for speedier shopping trips and a whole lot less time spent battling the self-serve checkouts. As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, the supermarket chain will launch a trial of 'shop and go' technology in the Sydney eastern suburbs store from today, Thursday, September 6. The first of its kind in Australia, the program allows customers to dodge the checkouts completely, instead scanning and paying for products via their smartphone as they shop. The new technology has already been embraced overseas, with retail giant Amazon famously opening its first checkout-free, fully automated shop-and-go grocery store in Seattle earlier this year, and China's bricks-and-mortar Alibaba stores using a similar technology. The Woolworths trial will see a few thousand members of its loyalty program — who are also Double Bay regulars — invited to shop there using a special Scan&Go app, which they can download to their smartphones. The customer can then use it to scan the barcodes of each item they take from the shelves, while specially-designed scales will handle the weighing and scanning of fresh produce. At the end of their visit, the shopper can pay for their haul via the app, 'tap off' on a pole near the exit, then leave the store — without interacting with either a human or robot checkout. As well as being faster and, potentially, easier, the new technology has the added benefit of letting customers track their spending while they're going. So, you'll know when those $2 chocolate bars push you over budget. There's no word on how long the Scan&Go trial will run for, and Woolworths says it currently has no plans to roll out the technology to other stores.
In the almost two decades that Gelato Messina has been in business, over 4000 special flavours have made their way through its gelato cabinets around the country. Yes, that's a lot of frosty and creamy scoops. To celebrate some of these oldies but goodies, the chain brings a selection of these flavours back every now and then — and, sometimes, it busts out its entire top 40 greatest hits. That's happening again between Monday, July 26–Sunday, August 1, which is when lucky Sydneysiders, Melburnians and Brisbanites will be able to treat themselves to an entire freezer-full of limited-edition gelato flavours. While, in the past, the greatest hits specials have been a buy-in-shop-only deal, the chain went with preordered tubs in 2020 — so no one had to worry about long queues and empty cabinets — and it's doing the same thing again this year. Gelato fiends can preorder 500-millilitre tubs of the 40 flavours from Monday, July 26. You'll then need to pick them up from Sydney's Rosebery, Tramsheds, Bondi, Darlinghurst, Parramatta and Brighton Le Sands stores; Melbourne's Fitzroy an East Brunswick stores; and Brisbane's South Brisbane store between Friday, July 30–Sunday, August 1. Individual tubs can be filled with just one flavour and will set you back $16, or you can get three for $45, six for $85, nine for $125 or — if you have the freezer space — 20 for $260. Wondering which flavours will be available? This time around, Messina hasn't announced which faves are making a comeback just yet. But, you can likely expect the beloved Jon Snow (white chocolate gelato with dark chocolate mud cake and almond praline), Fairy Bread (toast and butter gelato with 100s & 1000s), Mango Pancake (mango gelato with vanilla cream and pancake crunch), Old Gregg (Baileys and butterscotch sauce) and Robert Brownie Jnr (milk chocolate gelato, chocolate brownie and chocolate fudge sauce) to return in tub form — and hopefully everything from super duper dulce de leche and pavlova to finger bun and Oreogasm, too, if the flavours available in previous years are any guide. Gelato Messina's Greatest Hits will be available to preorder on Monday, July 26 with pick up between Friday, July 30–Sunday, August 1 from Sydney's Rosebery, Tramsheds, Bondi, Darlinghurst, Parramatta and Brighton Le Sands stores; Melbourne's Fitzroy an East Brunswick stores; and Brisbane's South Brisbane store.
The Holy See — Vatican City — is one of the world's smallest countries, nestled entirely inside of the city of Rome. It normally rates above its size in world attention, but for the next two months it's going to to get a double dose of international focus. Now that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has taken the almost unprecedented step of stepping down from the pontificate, a story on which most (but not all) journalists got a slow start, we're bound to be getting a lot of incoming footage of this tiny city. But before you get onto the usual round of Latin glossaries, explanations of Vatican lore and law, and no shortage of betting odds. But it also means a lot of time spent with camera staring at the unmoving windows and quiet chimneys of St Peter's Basilica. If your Latin feels a little rusty, you might feel the need to remind yourself about this tiny city state. To help, Concrete Playground has put together this list of five top Vatican movies to get you in the mood for the next two months of Church and State. 1. The Borgias What The Borgias lacks in HBO-like budget, it makes up for with sheer bloody-minded ambition. It starts with the elevation of Rodrigo Borgia (Jeremy Irons) from cardinal to Pope Alexander VI. Breaking with fictional tradition, it takes the violent ambition of the Borgias and places it in the context of their equally violently ambitious contemporaries. It's also okay (though far from perfect) for historical accuracy. Not least in Gina McKee's depiction of Caterina Sforza: the woman who pulled off the most badass flash in history. 2. The Pope Must Die Shorter on historical accuracy or, indeed, any accuracy, The Pope Must Die is a lightweight film, somewhat held together by the presence of Robbie Coltrane, later to be famous for playing the lead in Cracker and Hagrid in Harry Potter. The film was a farcical, nice-guy power fantasy, much in the vein of Kevin Kline's later, pre-Aaron Sorkin presidential comedy Dave. The film spends time behind the scenes at movie Vatican, but is much more of a Prince and the Pauper fable than anything approaching genuine behind the scenes. 3. We Have a Pope Although director Nanni Moretti is best known as a comedian, his work on serious films like The Son's Room have cemented his ability to cross genre. We Have a Pope is named after the proclamation that accompanies the arrival of a new pontiff, usually announced from the papal balcony to expectant crowds below. Except, in this film that announcement never happens. Pope-elect Melville (Michael Piccoli) gets cold feet the moment before the proclamation, and the rest of the film follows a considered will-he-won't-he as Melville decides if he has a future as the leader of the Catholic world. Audiences expected a papal farce from Moretti. And, while the film has its absurd and funny moments as the Vatican bureaucracy tries to deal with a Pope-free limbo (not the least with some biting, volleyball-based satire of Australia's chances in the World Cup), it's neither pro-church nor anti-church; instead, Moretti's film explores the weight of responsibility resting on this maybe-Pope-to-be's unwilling shoulders. 4. Fellini's Roma Federico Fellini examined, and defined, huge swathes of Italian culture in his post-WWII career. He famously flew a statue of Jesus over St Peters — the church at the heart of the Vatican — at the beginning of La Dolce Vita. But Fellini's lesser-known Roma goes the whole hog. As part of its combination of reporterly and exaggerated depictions of Italian, post-war male life and Italian history (not to mention a cameo from an Italian-speaking Gore Vidal), Fellini takes Roma's audience to an imagined fashion show of papal garments. Nuns with oversized, wing-like wimples. Cardinals on roller-skates. The Pope as sun god. Empty, glittering robes. The parade satirises the financial excess, ornamentation, and mystery of Italian religious ritual. 5. Angels and Demons Swapping out The Da Vinci Code's Audrey Tautou for Ewan McGregor, Angels and Demons had the distinction of being the only film in this list to get close to almost filming in the Vatican itself. Although the Vatican famously banned the production from using St Peter's as a filming location, the production simply sent people in with cameras disguised as tourists to take high resolution background photos later stitched together into a passable vatican using CG.
For such a tiny island, Jamaica has had a disproportionate impact on global culture. Naturally, Bob Marley's ubiquitous portrait and defiant, uplifting anthems are the first exports to come to mind. But then there's the rest. It's thanks to Jamaica's 10,911 square kilometres of sundrenched Caribbean goodness that we can gawk at physics-defying athletes, fantasise about encountering Sean Connery or Ursula Andress under a waterfall, and luxuriate in the world's finest coffee and rum. THE FASTEST MAN IN THE WORLD One of his legs is a half-inch shorter than the other. During warm ups, when his competitors are stressed to the max, he's usually found dancing. His height measures in at 6 feet, 5 inches — too tall for sprinting, according to convention. And he describes himself as 'lazy'. Against quite a few odds, Usain Bolt, who grew up in a country town in Trelawny, Jamaica, is the fastest man on the planet. At the 2009 World Championships, held in Berlin, he set the current world record for both the 100 metre sprint, at 9.59 seconds, and the 200 metre sprint, at 19.19 seconds. EVERY JAMES BOND NOVEL YOU’VE EVER READ In 1946, Ian Fleming bought fifteen acres on a cliff-face on Jamaica’s north coast, built a house and named it Goldeneye. He then wrangled an agreement with his employer, The Sunday Times, which allowed him to take January and February off work. When each new year rolled around, he'd hole himself up in his Caribbean hideaway and write a new James Bond saga. By his death in 1964, twelve novels and two books of short stories were completed. These days, Goldeneye is a fancypants hotel and resort where people like Richard Branson and Harrison Ford hang out. BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE In Jamaica's Blue Mountains grow some of the most expensive coffee beans you'll find anywhere. Online, they'll set you back $180 a kilogram. They're cultivated in small acreages, between 600 and 1500 metres above sea level, where the moist, cool environment increases the ripening period to as long as ten months. Consequently, the natural sugars within the beans have oodles of time to develop, giving them their famous smooth flavour. JERK Finding a local eatery is never difficult to do in Jamaica. That's because the chief national dish, jerk, gives its whereabouts away, as a result of its mouthwatering aroma. Jerk cooking involves rubbing or marinating meat (usually chicken or pork) with a fiery blend of ingredients known as Jamaican jerk spice. Pimento and Scotch bonnet peppers are crucial, but you can also add cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, cloves, garlic, salt and shallots. PREMIUM AGED RUM FROM APPLETON ESTATE When Christopher Columbus visited Jamaica in the 15th century, he brought with him sugarcane and rum. Thanks to the island’s lush climate, some of the finest spirits to ever pass the lips of humankind were soon in production. One such place is Appleton Estate — Jamaica’s oldest sugar estate and distillery — which is located in the heart of Jamaica on an incredible 4,614 hectares in the picturesque Nassau Valley. Appleton Estate has continued their craft in the traditional way, using copper pot and column stills for the distillation process, American oak barrels for ageing and naturally limestone-percolated water from the hills of cockpit country. A master blender then blends the spirit by hand, creating the distinctive flavour profiles and handcrafted feel for which Appleton is renowned. Fun fact: Appleton is one of the few rums in the world that can claim terroir: the unique flavour that only comes from being wholly produced in a single location. DUNN'S RIVER FALLS Dunn's River Falls is one of the few waterfalls in the world that you can climb without being in constant fear that you're going to tumble to some horrendous watery death. Even though they're 55 metres high, they're 180 metres long, because they're conveniently shaped like stairs, officially referred to as 'travertine terraces'. In Dr. No (1962), Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) emerges from the sea at the base of the falls, where she runs into James Bond (Sean Connery). REGGAE, SKA, DUB, ROCKSTEADY Bob Marley might be the most legendary of Jamaican musicians, but he's just the start of the record catalogue. Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, and Toots and the Maytals were all raised on the island too. Reggae took hold in the late 1960s, but before that, there was rocksteady, which The Wailers cut their teeth on, and earlier still, ska. With the '70s emerged dub, spearheaded by producers like Lee 'Scratch' Perry and King Tubby. A WAY OF LIFE THAT ISN'T AN –ISM Some people have fallen into the habit of describing Rastafari as Rastafarianism, but it's a term that followers don't use — and don't like to hear. That's because they're generally extremely critical of 'isms'. The Rastafari movement kicked off in Jamaica in the 1930s. Rastas worship Haile Selassie I, who was the Ethiopian emperor between 1930 and 1974. They refer to 'conventional society' as Babylon, rejecting what they see as its oppression, consumerism and way too much focus on quashing sensual pleasures. COOL RUNNINGS Cool Runnings might have been created by Disney, but its story was inspired by Jamaica and parts of it were shot there. The film hit cinemas in 1993, debuting at box office #3, and was the last movie featuring John Candy released before he passed away. It is (very) loosely based on the real-life experiences of Jamaica's national bobsled team, which made its debut at the Winter Olympics in 1998 at Calgary, Canada. CIVIL RIGHTS One of Jamaica's national heroes is civil rights activist Marcus Garvey. He founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Jamaica in 1914 before moving to Harlem in 1916. Like Martin Luther King, he was a rousing orator, and spent years travelling across America, attracting thousands and thousands of loyal followers. His major contribution was boosting African Americans' pride in their culture and encouraging their return to their homelands in Africa.
Break out the pink and don't even dream of wearing sweatpants: it's Mean Girls brunch time. Come April, themed mid-morning meals dedicated to the 2004 teen classic will be popping up in yet-to-be-disclosed locations in Sydney and Melbourne. Yes, like Gretchen's devotion to the word "fetch", someone is trying to make this happen. On offer is a get-together filled with prosecco, cocktails and something edible, plus the flick itself playing in the background. It's the latest in what's proving a growing trend, given the enormous popularity of the already sold-out Harry Potter-themed Wizard's Brunch. If the Plastics were to give their opinion on it, however, we're not certain it'd get the Regina George stamp of approval. Other than the pink-hued outfits and just generally gossiping about the Tina Fey-written, Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams-starring movie, there's not that much else to really throw into the mix. Will attendees eat in a school cafeteria-like setting? Will it feature an all-carb menu to go with Regina's all-carb diet? Will tables be split into cliques like "actual human beings" and "desperate wannabes"? Will Kalteen bars feature? Perhaps a Spring Fling King and Queen will be crowned, which is what's happening at London's version of the event. Also on the agenda is immersive entertainment, although just what that'll be hasn't been revealed. The Mean Girls Brunch will take place at locations in Sydney and Melbourne later this year. We'll let you know when you can buy tickets, and you can sign up for updates here.
When Jennifer Kent's The Babadook creeped its way across screens in 2014, it became an Australian horror classic. Now, five years later, the Aussie filmmaker is back with a completely different type of unsettling film. Prepare to feel just as uncomfortable in The Nightingale, which steps back to Tasmania circa 1825 to follow a young Irish convict (Aisling Franciosi) seeking revenge on a cruel British officer (Sam Claflin) — with assistance on her trek from an Aboriginal tracker named Billy (Baykali Ganambarr). Premiering at the Venice Film Festival last year, the movie made an instant splash, winning a special jury prize for Kent and nabbing the best young actor award for Ganambarr — a dancer from Arnhem Land who had never appeared on screen before. The Nightingale then screened at the Adelaide Film Festival, as well as at Sundance; however the bulk of Australia has been waiting for the film to finally hit cinemas. And, to even catch a glimpse of just what's in store. The just-released first trailer for The Nightingale takes care of the latter problem. "You don't want trouble, but sometimes trouble wants you," Claflin's character snarls menacingly in a particularly chilling moment, with the Hunger Games star definitely playing against type. As for when it'll release locally, the film is set to play this year's Sydney Film Festival before rolling out in cinemas around the country at the end of August. Unpacking Australia's colonial history, as well as its treatment of both women and the country's Indigenous population, it's an absolutely essential and shattering masterpiece — something we say from experience. The vengeance-fuelled film is also far from easy to watch, filled as it is with trauma, darkness, visceral shocks and deep-seated pain. Inspiring walkouts at the movie's sessions in Adelaide, Kent can't be accused of holding back. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfPxmnMAyZw The Nightingale releases in Australian cinemas on August 29, 2019.
A year-long program of design events could be headed Sydney's way, and a two years' worth of bragging rights as well. The New South Wales capital is currently in the running to be crowned the World Design Capital, making the shortlist for the 2020 title alongside Lille in Northern France. If successful, Sydney will play host to six signature events between January and October, with an opening ceremony at the Sydney Opera House, a World Design Street Festival throughout the CBD, an array of exhibitions and conferences in the lead up to Vivid, and a forum coinciding with Sydney Fringe Festival all currently outlined in the city's bid. Masterclasses, a new Festival of the Front Yard that focuses on post-war design and a design camp on Cockatoo Island are also mooted, in a proposal that seeks to "engage, collaborate and design a new model of social impact for an increasingly urbanised world." Beyond the showcase events, much of the suggested program focuses on Parramatta and its surrounding suburbs — and if you're wondering why, there's a good reason. The bid hasn't been put together by the City of Sydney, with the Parramatta council helping to lead the charge as part of a not-for-profit organisation backed by 40 other outfits, institutions and agencies. Still, "Sydney, World Design Capital" has quite the nice ring to it. As for that moniker and how it comes about, the World Design Capital is designated by the World Design Organisation, highlighting cities that use of design to drive economic, social, cultural and environmental development. The 2020 choice will be announced in October, with Sydney potentially joining previous picks Torino (2008), Seoul (2010), Helsinki (2012), Cape Town (2014), Taipei (2016) and Mexico City (2018). Via Sydney Morning Herald / ArchitectureAU. Image: Vivid / Ash Bollard
If you're a fan of Gelato Messina and its frosty sweet treats, the past year or so has been mighty kind to your tastebuds. The dessert chain has released all manner of one-off specials, launched a new range of chocolate-covered ice cream bars in supermarkets and dropped a new merchandise line, for starters. And, thanks to a boozy collaboration, it has also been taking care of your cocktail cravings. Teaming up with Cocktail Porter, Messina started serving up DIY drinks kits last year — and Easter this year, too — letting you make your own boozy beverages using Messina products. Unsurprisingly, these make-at-home packages have proven popular, so one has just become a permanent addition to Cocktail Porter's range: the dulce de leche espresso martini kit. Basically, it's the answer to a familiar dilemma. No one likes choosing between tucking into dessert or having another boozy beverage — so these kits combine the two. To enable you to whip at dulce de leche espresso martinis at home, you'll get a box filled with vodka, coffee liqueur, premium cold-drip coffee and Messina's dulce de leche topping, plus Messina's chocolate hazelnut spread and shaved coconut to go on top. Then, you just need to follow the instructions and get drinking. You can pick between two different-sized packs. A mini espresso martini kit costs $85 and serves up six drinks — or you can opt for the large for $149, which makes 18 dessert cocktails. Cocktail Porter delivers Australia-wide, if that's your winter drinking plans sorted. You can also sign up for a subscription, which'll see a kit sent to your door each and every month. To order Cocktail Porter's Gelato Messina cocktail kits, head to the Cocktail Porter website.
