The Best Things to Do After Work in Sydney Tonight

Bondi’s Blanca Bar is revamping its menu this winter to focus on some hearty favourites with a Japanese flair. Its Ramen X Burgers pop-up will run from until September 30 and offers up — as you can expect — ramen, burgers and Japanese-style bar snacks.

The menu is inspired by head chefs Tomi Björck and Samuel Cole’s recent trip to Japan and the bar’s interior has followed suit with a casual fit-out straight from Tokyo — including bespoke paintings and lamps sourced from the region. The dishes and cocktails all use local produce but have been given the Japanese treatment with specialty ingredients and flavours.

This starts with the ramen, which is available in pork, chicken and even vegetarian broth options. Patrons can choose from the chef’s selections — like shoya with mushroom broth and pickled egg, spicy seafood with kimchi and bamboo shoots or tonkatsu with silky pork broth and daikon — and then top with a protein, from roasted pork belly and crispy chicken to seafood and portobello mushroom. It’s $18 a bowl.

Sydney Dance Company’s first show of the season presents its dancers at their most open, honest and mindblowingly athletic yet. In the words of choreographer Rafael Bonachela, ab [intra], which is Latin for “from within”, is an exploration of our “primal instincts, our impulses and our visceral responses”.

Rather than beginning with a script, Bonachela worked backwards. While improvising and experimenting in the studio, he asked dancers to anonymously write down their emotions, ideas and questions on hundreds of yellow Post-It notes and created a narrative from them. Throughout the piece, dancers shift from portraits of intense intimacy to explosions of dynamic interaction and moments of stillness. Costumes are minimal, exposing an unsettling mix of vulnerability and power, and the original score, composed by Nick Wales, combines both classical and electronic influences. ab [intra] is Bonachela’s first full-length work since 2012, when 2 One Another and a collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra called Project Rameau both took the stage. This is his tenth year as artistic director of the Sydney Dance Company.

If you’re under 30, you can even grab $30 tickets.

Australia’s premier contemporary art support program, Artbank, is launching an impressive new exhibition with some award-winning artists. From Where We Stand opens on Thursday, May 17, at the company’s art-filled headquarters in Waterloo, and will explore the inseparable relationship between perspective and experience.

If all that’s a bit too much of a mouthful of art-jargon for you, here’s what to expect: a series of classical landscape paintings from Artbank’s extensive collection, plus intimate works inspired by personal experiences from six of Australia’s most exciting contemporary artists. Among the six artists exhibiting is the just-announced winner of the 2018 Archibald Prize, Yvette Coppersmith. Coppersmith, whose Self-portrait, after George Lambert won the award, will be exhibiting portraits alongside works from artists Ricky Emmerton, Anna McMahon, Sean Meilak, Rusty Peters and Lisa Sammut. The remaining five artist’s practices vary greatly. Some of the artworks you’ll encounter on the night include Anna McMahon’s exploration of a queer narrative through sculpture and video; Sean Meilak’s architecturally-inspired geometric sculptures; and Rusty Peters’ — Gija community elder — Indigenous artworks, which are inspired by the land and stories of the Kimberley. With such a wide array of works on site, this is an exhibition not to be missed. Get down to the opening, grab yourself some bubbly and get your art on — it’s free.

Minimalist Aussie clothing designer Assembly Label is expanding again, this time by opening up a permanent surplus store in Beaconsfield where you can nab discounted threads on the reg. To celebrate the shop’s place in the label’s growing empire, it’s hosting a four-day warehouse sale this weekend, kicking off this Thursday, May 17. This means the warehouse’s samples and pieces from past seasons will be going at up to 70 percent off.

That includes much needed jackets and knitwear for the coming winter months, plus denim, tops, shorts, pants, swimwear and accessories in both men’s and women’s designs. The label is known for its linen basics and relaxed coastal vibes that makes up the wardrobe of many a Sydneysider. The surplus store will be open tonight until 7pm.

We thought you might like to know about Fratelli Fresh’s happy hour — it’s one of the best value deals going around. From 4–6pm Monday to Friday, Fratelli serves up negronis, espresso martinis, Aperol spritzes, beer, wine and even pizzas for just $5. And if you’re not in Crows Nest, don’t fear — the offer extends to all Fratelli locations. Leave work early.

Demi Lardner’s comedy, in one word? Strange. The young South Australian comic has a bucketload of awards to her name, including Best Newcomer at Sydney Comedy Festival and the So You Think You’re Funny? Award at Edinburgh Fringe. The listing for her latest show, I Love Skeleton, doesn’t offer too many clues as to what we can expect — other than “Demi Lardner is the primary source of nutrition for infant mammals…A good serve of Demi Lardner can make your bones strong and handsome” — but if you want to get a feel for her work check out her baffling performance during last year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival gala. There are still tickets left to tonight’s show.