As we're sure you've heard, Japan has quite a reputation as a travel destination. But even beyond the most hyped experiences — like eating endless bowls of ramen in Tokyo, walking among cherry blossoms with views of Mount Fuji, feeding deer in Nara — the country has an incredible array of lesser known regions that, if you cover, will take your holiday from great to practically life changing. For instance, the region of Tohoku in Japan's northeast is one of the country's less travelled but no less impressive destinations. It presents visitors with outstanding dining, unique stays and natural landmarks that'll blow your mind. So, if you truly want to make your next trip to Japan one to remember, consider riding the shinkansen (bullet train) just a couple of hours north of Tokyo, where you'll discover a wealth of experiences that you likely weren't aware existed (until now). VISIT AN ANCIENT EARTHQUAKE-PROOF PAGODA Found throughout Yamagata Prefecture, the Three Mountains of Dewa are considered some of the holiest anywhere in the country. And while Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan and Mount Yudono each provide a spectacular setting to explore during sun or snow, only the foremost has a 600-year-old pagoda buried deep within its cedar forest. Make your way down Mount Haguro's famous 2446 stone steps and you'll soon be surrounded by towering cedar trees. After a short walk, you'll come across the so-called Five-Storey Pagoda, which features an interior wooden pendulum that counteracts the shock of an earthquake. The pagoda dates back to the Heian Period (794–1185) and was rebuilt in the late 14th century — and it's been standing strong ever since. DO A FOUR-DAY PILGRIMAGE WITH A MOUNTAIN MYSTIC You'll also have the chance to reconnect with nature in the most fascinating way possible within the holy Three Mountains of Dewa. Link up with a mountain mystic such as Master Hoshino — a white-robed priest who teaches the ancient Japanese mountain religion known as Shugendo — and you'll learn about a range of traditional techniques to refresh your body and soul. This practice is called yamabushido. During your four-day 'journey', you'll hike a series of sacred trails, stay in a pilgrim lodge and try waterfall meditation. Shugendo dates back to the eighth century and combines elements of Shinto, Buddhism, Animism and mountain faith to explore ways to reduce excesses in day to day life. Here, you can try it for four days and see how you go. PRETEND YOU'RE WALKING ON THE MOON AT THIS EPIC CRATER Set along the border of Miyagi and Yamagata Prefectures, Mount Zao features some of Tohoku's most spectacular scenery. Besides the steaming hot springs and sprawling ski resorts that dot the landscape, the area's biggest draw is the renowned Okama Crater. Surrounded by three soaring mountaintops, the active volcano's distinctive shape has earned it the nickname of the 'cauldron'. Great to visit all year long, Mount Zao's steep landscape comes alive with alpine flowers during summer, while autumn reveals a charming smattering of red and yellow vegetation that contrasts with the turquoise crater below. SEE CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS FROM YOKO ONO AND YAYOI KUSAMA Japan's well known for its forward-thinking tech innovations, but it's also the birthplace of some of the world's greatest contemporary artists. Featuring a permanent collection of 38 commissioned projects, the Towada Art Center, in Aomori Prefecture, is dedicated to showcasing many of the nation's top artists, alongside some international superstars, too. Inside, you'll come across an eclectic mix of installations by the likes of Yoko Ono, Ron Mueck, Yayoi Kusama and Ana Laura Aláez, among many others. With the gallery's airy, purpose-built design linked intrinsically with the outside world, there's a range of striking exhibition rooms, a café and a collaborative art space to explore. DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF SAKE AT A 400-YEAR-OLD BREWERY The precise origins of sake might still be something of a mystery, but who better to guide you through its ancient history than a producer who's been making it for more than 400 years? Situated in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, the Toko Sake Museum highlights the work of Kojima Sohonten, a renowned sake brewery that, 24 generations on, is still owned by the original family. Inside the museum, you'll be guided through the traditional brewing techniques and tools that provide the foundation for the brand. Meanwhile, in the adjoining shop, you'll get to sample a variety of sakes and umeshu, a plum liqueur that'll please your tastebuds. STAY IN A HOTEL INSPIRED BY YAMAGATA'S NATURAL BEAUTY Shigeru Ban is perhaps one of Japan's more famous architects and was the brains behind some of the world's most beautiful buildings. Having moved to Yamagata in 2014, Ban was struck by the natural beauty of the area and soon set about translating this into the design of the Shonai Hotel Suiden Terrasse. With everything but the foundation and the building's core made out of wood, the entire two-storey structure is designed to sink into the surrounding rice fields, making for one very peaceful stay. Featuring stunning views of the mountains and fields in the distance, the hotel also has a luxe onsen and a restaurant serving local produce. SAMPLE JAPANESE VINO AT A RENOWNED WINERY Japan might be most famous for its rice wine, but those who love the grape-based variety are in for a treat — if they know where to look. During your visit to Tohoku, drop into Takahata Winery, in Yamagata Prefecture, and take your pick from some stellar vintages, which are produced from grapes surrounding the property or on a nearby farm. Inside the shopfront, you'll come across award-winning wines ranging from chardonnay and pinot noir to cabernet sauvignon. Plus, there's a host of locally produced cheeses and snacks to pair with your wine. Need more reasons to visit Japan's stunning Tohoku region? For more travel inspiration and to start planning your adventure, head this way. Top image: Okama Crater by Σ64 via Wikimedia Commons.
One of the city's most successful hospitality companies, Point Group, who also operate the ever-popular Shell House, has launched its second major dining destination in the CBD, featuring not one but three venues in the former Botswana Butchery digs. The International features a wine bar, a steakhouse-style fine diner and a rooftop watering hole showcasing a worldly array of culinary experiences that celebrate the diversity of flavours that are so essential to Sydney's restaurant scene. "We're excited for The International to become the cultural cornerstone of this lively and engaged part of the city," Point Group CEO Brett Robinson said. "Our approach will be simple: if it's fun, delicious and exciting, it's on the menu. Our team has had the opportunity to pull together this new project with total creative freedom and without limitations to define a new standard of big-city dining. The International is not just a restaurant; it will be a social and culinary destination where the only rule is that the food, the wine and the hand-crafted beverages must be delicious and of exceptional quality and the service dedicated, inspired and authentic." Sydney already has an excellent pedigree when it comes to pyro-powered cuisine, championed by the likes of Neil Perry at Rockpool, Lennox Hastie at Firedoor and Corey Costelloe at 20 Chapel. The Grill joins this impressive list of woodfired fine diners with culinary director Joel Bickford delivering a menu driven by provenance, high-quality produce, seasonality and simplicity. Custom mid-century furniture and bespoke joinery create an atmosphere that is both luxurious and comfortable. Guests enter through a glossy walnut bar where they can enjoy artisanal martinis or a flute of chilled champagne. The dining room showcases striking geometric marble flooring and a cold bar of local seafood, complemented by an open kitchen where licks of open flame catch the attention of diners. Bickford says The Grill is a destination for celebrating special moments while also being somewhere guests can enjoy everyday pleasures through exceptional food and wine. "Ultimately, it's about the food; provenance, best-in-class produce, seasonality and simplicity with absolutely no cutting corners, delivered by the very best chefs in the city working to deliver a unique perspective on classic traditions, internationally renowned preparations and worldly perspectives," he said. The Wine Bar delivers a more casual (yet no less refined) offering, with a menu by Executive Chef Danny Corbett leaning on small plates inspired by worldwide cuisines. The venue comprises three distinct spaces: a 60-seat piazza-style courtyard restaurant with an outdoor bar, perfect for all-day dining and socialising; an intimate 40-seat wine bar with a terrace overlooking Martin Place and an open kitchen featuring a Marana Forni pizza oven; and a 60-seat circular dining room with plush decor, ideal for special occasions and wine tastings. In addition to the food offering, there is an extensive wine list, including generous by-the-glass options, curated by sommelier Alex Kirkwood. Finally, The Panorama Bar on the top floor of The International is a vibrant social hub, made for sun-soaked lunches, golden hour drinks and after-dark get-togethers. The bar will offer all-day dining and late-night drinking. Culinary Director Joel Bickford and Executive Chef Danny Corbett have created a menu of sharing plates and bar snacks, including cold bar options and Japanese bites prepared over Hibachi grills. Guests can enjoy a seasonal drinks list curated by award-winning bartender Josh Reynolds, including signature cocktails and an extensive champagne and chablis selection, perfect for a summer thirst-quencher. With views of the art deco architectural masterpieces of Martin Place and the bustling courtyard at the foot of Harry Siedler's iconic skyscraper, the outdoor terrace of the aptly named watering hole channels a glamorous yet playful vibe. Fire pits, comfortable loungers and leafy planting set an enticing tone while live DJ sets in the evening pump up the party atmosphere.
There aren't many spots in the city catering to both the pre-work and post-work crowds, but Kahii Kissaten Bistro aims to do just that. It transitions from a cafe slinging specialty tea, coffee, sandwiches and pastries to an intimate cocktail, wine and snack bar, ideal for after-work drinks or date night spots. The younger sibling to the nearby bar and restaurant Kuro, Kahii Kissaten is found on Kent Street in a heritage building. It's a modern take on the traditional Kissaten coffeehouses in Japan, which focus on coffee, socialising and small bites. Wile away the morning with house-roasted small-batch coffee, Uji-sourced matcha or the viral black sesame cloud drink and croissant. Return for lunch to enjoy one of Kahii's famous pork katsu sando or green tea soba noodles As day transitions to night, Kahii converts into a bistro with a largely French wine menu carefully constructed by their in-house head sommelier. There are also classic, tea-based and coffee-based cocktails from renowned bartender Fumiaki Michishita, plus an extensive range of sake and spirits. Kuro also offers a curated evening menu for Kahii's punters. Small bites include appellation rock oysters, confit salmon with herb tofu and seared kingfish sashimi. Or for something heartier: fried chicken and wagyu steak with crispy potatoes. Images: KW Photography, Matthew Wong
Melbourne isn't the only patch of Victoria that's gaining a new place to celebrate creativity in 2025, and adding something different and welcome to Australia's cultural scene in the process. While the state's capital city is set to become home to the Australian Museum of Performing Arts in December, championing the nation's contribution to music, theatre, opera, circus and dance in a city that's never short on any of those artforms, Halls Gap at the foothills of Gariwerd/Grampians National Park is gaining the National Centre for Environmental Art before winter is out. Again, the venue's focus and its location match perfectly. If you're going to open an Aussie-first gallery that's dedicated to works about the natural world, doing so in stunning surroundings is a must. The National Centre for Environmental Art is the brainchild of the Wama Foundation and, as it hones in on artistic narratives heroing the earth, will form part of the organisation's new art and environment precinct. When it begins ushering patrons through its doors — at a yet-to-be-revealed midyear 2025 date — the National Centre for Environmental Art will launch as stage one of the broader hub, alongside the Gariwerd/Grampians Endemic Botanic Garden, plus new artwork around the grounds. From there, immersing art within the landscape will continue to be a highlight of stage two, which will also boast a sculpture trail. So, you'll be enjoying the site's affection for both creativity and nature indoors and out. Inside, Western Australian artist Jacobus Capone will be in the spotlight at the centre's debut exhibition, with End & Being contemplating the planet's warming, the crisis as a result and the influence that humans have had upon the situation. The Fremantle-based artist creates everything from paintings and video installations to photos and performances — and will take visitors to Bossons Glacier at Mont Blanc in France without leaving Victoria, all by documenting a performance staged above and beneath the icefall. [caption id="attachment_1006306" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Astrid Muller[/caption] "Our program, encompassing new commissions, group exhibitions and nationally touring shows, will be rooted by a spirit of inquiry. Our take on the genre of environmental art is expansive, offering ample space for both playful exploration and deep contemplation," explains Wama Foundation CEO Pippa Mott of the National Centre for Environmental Art's aim. "Jacobus and I are deeply honoured to be part of Wama's inaugural exhibition and to present a project that, like Wama, seeks to foster a dialogue between art, humanity and the environment," added curator José Da Silva, who is also UNSW Galleries' Director and previously was part of the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art's team in Brisbane, including leading the Australian Cinémathèque. "Capone's work, with its profound sensitivity to environmental change and human vulnerability, speaks directly to that mission, and has guided our decisions to present this particular project." [caption id="attachment_1006309" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Astrid Muller[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1006310" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacobus Capone and Moore Contemporary[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1006311" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacobus Capone and Moore Contemporary[/caption] Find the Wama Foundation and The National Centre for Environmental Art at 4000 Ararat-Halls Gap Road, Halls Gap, Victoria, Australia sometime from winter 2025 — head to the Wama Foundation website for more details.
Located in the ever-expanding Darling Square, this neon-lit Japanese street food kitchen is bringing a fun and vibrant menu to the inner-city dining precinct. Tsukiyo's menu is succinct, split between two primary dishes. The first is takoyaki, crispy golden fried balls of batter topped with bonito flakes and takoyaki sauce. The original flavour is also topped with kewpie mayo, but you can also order it spicy with mentaiko mayo and katsuobushi, or rotating special varieties like the Barcelona takoyaki featuring LP's chorizo, smoked paprika, aioli, tomato, fried parsley and lemon. The second style of dish is the cute fish-shaped taiyaki. These waffles come made in the shape of Japanese tai fish and are packed with a variety of fillings. The flavours include red bean, vanilla bean custard and chesnut, with each taiyaki coming with your prefered flavour of gelato and toppings. There's also a far less traditional croque monsieur taiyaiki on the menu that is filled with ham and gruyere. The final element of the menu is fruit sandos, made with fluffy slices of white bread, locally sourced Australian fruit and Calpis whipped cream. The restaurant has been developed by Zach Tan's Devon Hospitality Group and Hidetoshi Tsuboi (Hakatamon Ramen) with the help of former Zumbo pastry chef Markus Andrew. Appears in: The Best Japanese Restaurants in Sydney
Powerhouse Museum Ultimo is set to look a whole lot different thanks to a $500-million makeover — and the plan for the revamp has just been given the green light. The approval for the concept that won 2022's design competition is the latest step towards kicking off construction on the project. "Planning consent allows us to move into the next important phase of the project and to get on with the job of reinvigorating one of Australia's most revered museums, securing its future for many generations to come," Powerhouse Trust President Peter Collins AM KC said. "We will now continue to consult with the community and stakeholders as we refine the final design of the museum and ensure the community provides input into the renewal during the next phase of the planning process." If you'd like to have your say, you can participate in the consultation on the design by completing the online survey before Friday, March 10. Celebrating the current strengths of the building while providing it with a major transformation, the concept has been designed by Australian team Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa, Yerrabingin, Finding Infinity and Arup. This team's design was unanimously selected by the jury following a design competition. Included in the transformation are expanded exhibition spaces, a new urban space connected to the neighbouring Goods Line that will work as a public square, revitalised creative studios at the Harris Street end of the building and increased outdoor spaces throughout the museum. "The new building casts a reimagined lens on the heritage fabrics and cityscapes from multiple levels of this escarpment – from uses, circulation, terraces and gardens," said Design Director Camilla Block. "Respectful and immediate, the reimagined building lives alongside the Powerhouse core, a powerful embodiment of both geography and backdrop." Aesthetically, the renders reveal a new facade of concrete and red brick emerging from the heritage-listed elements of the museum. "Congratulations to the team for their deeply considered response to the Ultimo site, honouring the history and heritage of the Powerhouse museum whilst simultaneously reimagining how we can continue to engage our communities into the future," Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah said. The revamped museum will also feature a new rooftop learning camp called Powerhouse Academy. This space will offer secondary and tertiary students from regional NSW and around the country the opportunity to come to Sydney and participate in immersive learning experiences. The project has undergone a rocky history to get to this point. Back in 2015, Powerhouse Museum Ultimo was earmarked for closure, as part of a move to shift the entire facility to Parramatta. Then, when that idea didn't prove popular, the New South Wales Government committed to revamping and revitalising the existing site, allocating $480–500 million to the makeover. The other Powerhouse Museum location will still be established in Parramatta and is under construction at the moment. Head to the Powerhouse Museum Ultimo's renewal homepage for all the information on the site's transformation. Images: Powerhouse Ultimo renewal concept design created by Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa, Yerrabingin, Finding Infinity and Arup.
Burger lovers of Sydney and Melbourne, rejoice — yet another place selling your favourite food is posed to join the culinary lineup. If you've ever been on holiday in Queensland and grabbed a burg on the Gold or Sunshine coasts, then you might be familiar with the newest joint heading down south: Betty's Burgers. Don't go donning your best stretchy pants just yet, though. An opening date for Betty's first two ventures outside of their home state is yet to be announced (setting up a retro burger barn that'll make you feel like you've been whisked back to '50s America takes time, after all). But, expect them sooner rather than later — Melbourne staff have started training in the lead up to the new 97 Elizabeth Street firing up the grills, and the Betty's Facebook page has been posting pictures of Manly in Sydney. Of course, good things come to those that wait, as your mum always told you. That includes five types of burgers, including classic, crispy chicken, pork belly and shroom selections. And there's also the massive stacked concoction that combines a good old' beef burg with its mushroom sibling. If your stomach is already grumbling, that's understandable; Betty's meat-and-bread (and veg-and-bread) fare tastes as good as it sounds. Plus, it's not just the titular fare that's the attraction here, thanks to their Shake Shack-style frozen custard desserts known as 'concretes', which are available in everything from peanut butter brittle to hot fudge doughnut flavours. For more information about Betty's Burgers' Sydney and Melbourne stores, keep an eye on their Facebook page.
Ice cream and gelato are not the same. And sure, we could dive into the subtle ways they differ, but we know that all that really matters when the mercury soars and the summer sun beats down is that they both offer a deliciously chilled way to beat the heat. While a Golden Gaytime from 7-Eleven will always hold a place in our hearts (and rightfully so), the seemingly endless creativity of Sydney's ice cream and gelato slingers has raised expectations of the scoops we crave to new gastronomic heights. So, to help you make the difficult decision as to just what ice cream or gelato to enjoy today, we've put together a list of the best frozen dessert joints in town. Venture forth on this icy sojourn and work your way through this list throughout the sunny season. Recommended reads: The Best Waterside Brunch Spots in Sydney The Best Beaches in Sydney The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney [caption id="attachment_716745" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] Mapo, Newtown This Newtown ice cream joint is scooping quality gelato with a focus on sustainable ingredients. Italian-born owner Matteo Pochintesta is an architect-turned-gelato maker who trained under the owner of Milan's gelateria Ciacco — and returned to Sydney last year to put his skills to the test. Sure, there are plenty of gelato shops along King Street, but Mapo brings a purist's sensibility to the local ice cream game, focusing on the highest quality ingredients and all seasonal fruit. Signature flavours include the pistachio, made with certified premium Sicilian nuts, and the single-origin chocolate gianduja — both are vegan. Other traditional Italian flavours include the fior di latte and the stracciatella (chocolate chip). Flavours are limited to 12–14 at a time, with plenty of specials on offer, like its previous cold brew coffee gelato collab with Potts Point's Room Ten. Gelato Messina, Various Locations Sure, people were making gelato in Sydney before Gelato Messina — but it was Messina that made it cool. And, even though it's grown from a single shop in Darlinghurst to an ice cream empire that includes 19 gelato stores in NSW, it's still just as popular. The epic cabinet is always stocked with 40 flavours at a time — 35 regulars and five weekly specials — that are all made with Messina's own milk. Some flavour suggestions: the apple pie ice cream (it contains real home-baked cinnamon spiced apple pies), the tiramisu (a must try for any self-respecting coffee addict), salted coconut and mango (vegan and fresh) and the salted caramel and white chocolate (a crowd favourite). Also expect collabs, degustations and special cake options at its Sydney gelato stores. Gelato Messina's HQ is in Marrickville, and outposts can be found in Rosebery, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Brighton Le Sands, Martin Place, Harris Farm, Newtown, Tramsheds, Bondi, Circular Quay, Darling Square, Miranda, Manly, Norwest, Randwick, Parramatta, Surry Hills, Penrith and The Star. [caption id="attachment_652781" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] Ciccone & Sons, Redfern While the bigger players dominate much of the attention in Sydney's gelato scene, the smaller businesses, like Redfern's Ciccone & Sons, are harbouring some of the city's most lickable delights. Ciccone's menu, displayed on an old-school red felt letter board, is limited to all seasonal flavours that are churned on-site daily using jersey milk. It is serious about quality ingredients elsewhere too, using fresh fruit, whole nuts and fine chocolate across the board. In summer, things lean a little more to the fresh and fruity side with coconut and watermelon granitas and sorbettos making an appearance. The gelataria is also licensed, and you can now grab a Ciccone negroni from the takeaway fridge — along with gelato-on-a-stick and tubs for two. Anytime of the year, the team here create some of the best gelato in Sydney. Cow & The Moon, Enmore This tiny shop on Enmore Road looks fairly inconspicuous from the outside, but it is a true local gem. Cow & the Moon make all of its gelato in-house using a recipes developed over the past 27 years. The traditional flavours are all winners here — including the gianduia, pistachio and tiramisu — as are the raspberry white chocolate and the strawberry balsamic pannacotta. In the lucrative field of sorbets, the chocolate is one of the best around. Cow & the Moon also turns out espresso tonics, affogatos and gelato cakes to boot. Grab a cone and a seat out front to enjoy your Sydney gelato while you watch the Enmore locals in action. Small Joys Gelato, Five Dock Here's the scoop — this gelateria in Five Dock is slinging artisan gelato with Asian-inspired flavours at the core. The innovative Sydney gelato spot strikes a balance between maintaining tradition and experimenting with new flavour combinations. Head inside and you'll be met with an Italian pozzetti-style display, with the cold treats housed in silver tin casings to ensure the texture and temperature of the scoops remain perfect. While this set-up screams traditional, the combinations of flavours may surprise you. Small Joys Gelato has 10–12 flavours available on its ever-changing rotation, which is tweaked and announced on the Small Joys Gelato Instagram page every three weeks. The flavours take inspiration from Asia, hence the appearance of some non-traditional and unexpected flavour pairings. This includes the likes of Hong Kong milk tea, pistachio sea salt, peanut butter jam toast and strawberry shizo. There's also a range of exciting sorbets on rotation, including a mango lemon myrtle flavour, umeshu (Japanese liquor) and coconut lime. Rivareno Gelato, Darlinghurst, Barangaroo, Potts Point, Bondi and Paramatta There aren't many foods that can bring a smile to a Sydneysider's face quite as quickly as gelato. Australian-born, Italian-influenced entrepreneur Kieran Tosolini knew this all too well when he brought his Bologna-based chain Rivareno back with him to Crown Street. All flavours are made in small batches daily at each of the five seperate Darlinghurst, Potts Point, Barangaroo, Bondi and Parramatta stores. The most popular varieties include the mascarpone — which comes with a splash of Sicilian dessert wine, Arabica coffee and dark chocolate slivers — and the Cremino Rivareno, which offers swirls of white chocolate and hazelnut ganache. If you're after something more refreshing, try a sorbet or granita, made using fresh fruit. Hakiki, Newtown Newtown's cult favourite Turkish ice creamery Hakiki has been impressing Sydneysiders since early 2015. It has earned quite the reputation for its traditional Maras-style ice cream — which is smooth and creamy, yet drip-free and melt-resistant, until the second it hits your mouth. The signature serve is so thick, it's best tackled with a knife and fork. The ingredient that gives the ice cream this unusual texture is an orchid root grown in southern Turkey. Alongside classic Anatolian treats like baklava, turkish delight and rich coffee (which are each gelato flavours as well), the team whips up a range of traditional and innovative ice cream varieties — from old favourites like pistachio and hazelnut to the ever-popular melon and feta and the moreish grape molasses and tahini. It's home to both the best gelato and ice cream in Sydney. Duo Duo, Strathfield Deep-fried ice cream is the kind of confection that delivers the best of two worlds: cold and creamy, warm and crunchy. This singular treat takes the starring role in the flagship Strathfield store from longtime Sydney food truck Duo Duo. When it comes to its deep-fried ice cream, the specialty is made with pandan and coconut, but you can fry just about every flavour available. Beyond this, there's a classic gelato bar out front scooping classics like vanilla bean and pistachio, alongside more inventive flavours like durian, macha, taro, Vietnamese iced coffee and Thai milk tea. Duo Duo is even slinging fresh doughnuts — filled with either Biscoff, crème brûlée, strawberry and custard. This Sydney ice cream joint has the lot. Top image: Gelato Messina
A road trip along Victoria's Great Ocean Road should be on every Australian's travel bucket list. Hit up the small beach towns of Torquay, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Port Campbell and Warrnambool to discover Aussie surf culture at its finest and spend some time within the region's stunning natural surrounds. But first things first: you've got to sort out your accommodation. You can live that camping life, but we have curated this list of luxe hotels, guest houses and villas for those wanting more comfort. TORQUAY RACV TORQUAY RESORT The RACV Torquay Resort is located right at the beginning of the Great Ocean Road, boasting sweeping views of the coast and the surrounding golf course. Whether you join a chill yoga class, unwind with a sweaty sauna session or treat yourself to a day at the luxurious day spa, there are plenty of ways to unwind at this Torquay property. BOOK IT NOW. THE SANDS TORQUAY The Sands Torquay has been a mainstay of the area's luxe accommodation offerings for quite some time. People come back here, over and over again. And now that it has had a massive makeover, there are even more reasons to stay here. We're talking an indoor pool, outdoor tennis courts, large dog-friendly rooms, and Bunker restaurant, which serves up elevated pub classics to locals and hotel guests alike. BOOK IT NOW. WYNDHAM RESORT TORQUAY This large resort is one of the only hotels located right on the beach in Torquay — most are set back further, with local beach houses lining the shores instead. The location is one of Wyndham's greatest features. You can get down to Torquay's Fisherman's Beach within a couple of minutes and walk right into town in under 20 minutes. It's ideal for those wanting a chill beachside getaway. BOOK IT NOW. LORNE MANTRA LORNE This old-school resort has been a popular place to stay in Lorne for decades, and it's easy to see why. Mantra Lorne's heritage buildings are set right on the beach, within 12 acres of landscaped gardens (including tennis courts and croquet lawns). No other local accommodation will beat this location nor its traditional feel that's been seamlessly blended with modern amenities. The refurbished indoor mineral pool and glam steam rooms are just a couple of examples of such contemporary offerings. BOOK IT NOW. CUMBERLAND LORNE RESORT Cumberland Lorne Resort is located up on the hills above Louttit Bay, boasting stunning views across town. But it isn't up in the middle of nowhere. It's still close to the best bits, surrounded by local cafes and boutique stores. Head here for a sleek and modern stay, with luxurious penthouses as well as one- and two-bedroom apartments available to those road-tripping along the Great Ocean Road. BOOK IT NOW. APOLLO BAY SEAFARERS GETAWAY Few Great Ocean Road accommodations compare to this one. You have uninterrupted views up and down the coast from each of the studios and lodges that sit within eight hectares of grassland. From here, you can either head up to The Otway National Park's undulating green hills and woodland or walk down to the Seafarer's pristine beach within minutes. Whales and dolphins can often be seen in the surf, koalas can be found in the gumtrees and alpacas can be hand fed in the field. What more could you ask for? BOOK IT NOW. APOLLO PANORAMA GUESTHOUSE Perched up in the hills, a little further back from the beach, this five-bedroom guesthouse looks down over Apollo Bay and a big stretch of the Great Ocean Road. It is made for groups of mates or a big family, thanks to its many rooms, the kitchen with double-vaulted ceilings and the large deck with barbecue. We wouldn't blame you for stopping your trek along the coast to spend the rest of your time up here. BOOK IT NOW. PORT CAMPBELL EASTERN REEF COTTAGES Staying here feels like spending time at your mate's old family beach house. It isn't a glam hotel nor is it a bougie bread and breakfast. It is a humble set of cottages set within lush green surroundings not too far away from town. Either go for the large four-bedroom cottage or nab one of the smaller units that look out over the courtyard. Each accommodation has its own kitchenette and all the essential amenities. Eastern Reef Cottages is a really decent budget option in the sleepy town of Port Campbell. BOOK IT NOW. SOUTHERN OCEAN VILLAS If you're coming up this way for the 12 Apostles, then this spot will more than do. The famous cliffs and rock plinths are just a five-minute drive from the accommodation, while the town centre is easily walkable. The villas also offer a variety of different accommodation options. Capable of comfortably accommodating two to six people, each villa has an open-plan kitchen, lounge and dining room with two or three bedrooms and a scenic outdoor deck (each with a barbecue). BOOK IT NOW. WARRNAMBOOL DEEP BLUE HOTEL & HOT SPRINGS The Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs, Victoria's very first hot springs hotel, is made for those who want to run away and really relax. We mean it — lean into that self-care lifestyle. Book some time in the many indoor and outdoor geothermal pools, treat yourself to a massage and scrub, then finish with champagne and oysters at the hotel's restaurant. You can then spend other days exploring the town and the nearby beaches — which can be seen from many of the rooms' private balconies. BOOK IT NOW. LADY BAY RESORT The Lady Bay Resort in Warrnambool is a self-contained accommodation located right across the street from the beach, allowing guests to do what the locals do — swim along the coast, hit the local bars and pubs and even do some work (if you must). There's also an in-house restaurant, arcade room and outdoor pool for those who just want to rest at the property. BOOK IT NOW. 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 to destinations all over the world. Top image: Weyne Yew (Unsplash)
Berowra Waters Inn holds a semi-mystical position in Australian culinary history. Arriving on a summer's day with remnant bushfire smoke over the sparkly water of the Hawkesbury river, the restaurant is concealed in a fitting magical haze. Dusthole Bay is filled with dinky boats that seem to be straight out of a Dr Seuss storybook — a boy putts past us in a rusted red tinnie with his kelpie sitting at the helm as we take the short ferry trip to the restaurant, which has been operating under Irish-born chef Brian Geraghty for a bit over a year now. Only an hour out of the city, with a feeling of timelessness and food to rival any city establishment, Berowra Waters is just the ticket for city slickers in need of a day's rural rejuvenation. The sandstone icon, originally designed by Glenn Murcutt, hovers on the cliff edge like a genteel houseboat that might sail off at any moment. Inside we're welcomed by modest formality: the famous Fritz Hansen Series 7 chairs at white linen tables, a sage green banquette with black trimming set into the sandstone, a silver vase of proteas. The Australian decor, including expansive watercolours by local artist Chris Kenyon, is elegant and successfully resists Australiana. Geraghty's partner, Victoria, leads a bright, professional team on the floor. Thirty-year-old Geraghty's experience at Quay, Pied a Terre and Bilson's informs a classic approach to the four- or seven-course degustations on offer. Australian poet Martin Langford wrote a poem called Mahler in Midsummer, in which he describes Mahler's heavy European music vanishing in the Australian heat. The same might be said of French food in an Australian summer. White borage, baby coriander and shiso expire before they reach the table, and a creme fraiche boudin amuse-bouche only just holds its form in the heat. However, the trout mousse in a salted caramel tuile withstands it — a little barrel of sophistication. The menu hits its straps at the third course with swordfish, avocado and squid arriving under a layer of cucumber jelly. The al dente cubed squid is a textural bridge between the avocado puree and firm swordfish. Geraghty's umber squid consomme and jelly is deep sea serious, matched well by a 2011 Joseph Cattin Gewurztraminer, the lychee and passionfruit notes holding their own against the umami of the squid consomme. Beef short rib in anchovy crust with watercress is a satisfying end to the main course and the 2010 Coto de Hayas Crianza Tempranillo Grenache is a suitably weighty match. Before dessert we're presented with goat's cheese, Corella pear jelly and hazelnut mousse, unhappily accompanied by toasted muesli. Geraghty's defence of the offending muesli is that his Irish childhood was full of oatcakes. We'll forgive him the nostalgia because the Old Rosie Cloudy Cider is such a good match for the cheese itself, the lactic kick from the cheese and grassy funk of the cider a perfect combination for a hot day on the river. To avoid the ignoble task of driving back to Sydney through peak hour, either catch the seaplane home with all your gold bullion or book a couple of days at the Calabash Bay Lodge just up the river. The charm of Geraghty and team's refinement in a bush setting proves that Berowra Waters Inn hasn't finished making history yet.
Sydney based singer, songwriter, arranger and composer, Sarah Belkner kicks off the first month long residency at the Newsagency — a boutique, BYO and art space specialising in acoustic and up-and-coming music. Regularly featuring one local artist's set (and a surprise duet, which is recorded and released online), the Newsagency Sessions are set to be music to your ears, quite literally. The release of her much loved and lauded new single, 'With You' will be celebrated not only tonight, but for the next month at the Newsagency. But this isn't just your regular residency. These sessions will be available for streaming online thanks to Concert Window — an online portal where musicians and fans come together via webcam. Tonight's gig tickets (and the online stream) can be purchased or watched here. THE NEWSAGENCY SESSIONS: **all available to stream online via Concert Window Wed 19 Nov — Sarah with special guest Emma Swift Wed 26 Nov — Sarah with special guest Jack Colwell Wed 3 Dec — Sarah with special guest Abby Dobson Wed 10 Dec — Sarah with secret guest soon to be revealed
UPDATE: FEBRUARY 20, 2020 — This event has been rescheduled from February 20 to February 27. If you've visited the Art Gallery of NSW's spooky and surreal Japan Supernatural exhibition, you'll probably be familiar with Kentaro Yoshida's Night procession of the hundred demons. The colourful four-part mural features many shapeshifting creatures called yōkai and ghost-like figures called yūrei, which are about to be brought to life in the heart of the CBD for two weeks. An augmented reality version of the Night procession of the hundred demons will pop up in World Square from February 18. And it won't just be art popping up in the Square, either — there'll also be a ghoulish food crawl, DJs, makeup artists and a silent screening of Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride happening on Thursday, February 27. You'll need to register for the film over here. Four of the shopping centre's eateries will create one-off creations for the evening. You'll find a black tsukemen ramen — made using squid ink and soft shell crab — at Ramen Zundo, unagi karaage at Yayoi, a slider combo at Grill'd and an adorable yōkai and yūrei dessert made by Hokkaido and Pafu. If you manage to eat all of them, you can win prizes, too. If you miss out on the one-night feast, you'll still be able to catch the AR installation until March 8. [caption id="attachment_761001" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ramen Zundo's black spider tsukemen[/caption]
Sydney's no stranger to world-class drinking dens, but even we're due for a few surprises when one of the world's best, and most enduring, speakeasies hits Aussie shores next month. Since the first Employees Only bar opened its doors in New York back in 2004, it has picked up a whole swag of accolades — including ranking among The World's 50 Best Bars for ten years running, this year coming in at 26 — and its founders have successfully taken the concept global, launching outposts in Singapore, Hong Kong and Miami. And now, they're headed Down Under, taking over a heritage basement space in Sydney's CBD and bringing in Sydney native Anna Fang, for the bar's much-anticipated Australian debut. Here, Employees Only is sticking to its original principles, promising memorable cocktails and sophisticated fare in a beautiful space. But it'll also be rounded out with a distinctly local edge and a healthy dose of Sydney style. The Sydney outpost is being run by EO co-founder Dushan Zaric, along with EO New York bartender Robert Krueger and Fang as venue manager. And it seems no one is deterred by the city's ongoing lockout law woes, with Krueger saying, "We're excited to work with the incredible local bar community, together helping to reinvigorate Sydney's nightlife and bring it back onto the global stage." To that end, expect a cocktail offering that lives up to the hype, with some of the New York outpost's favourites sitting alongside a slew of new, Sydney-exclusive creations. Must-try classics that will appear on the menu include the Amelia, crafted on vodka, elderflower liqueur, puréed blackberries and fresh lemon, and the Provençal, with lavender-infused gin, vermouth and Cointreau. Meanwhile, the kitchen is taking its cues from classic New York bistro fare, the menu sporting a mix of Employee's Only favourites — think house-made pork sausage cavatelli, bone marrow poppers with bordelaise sauce, and the now legendary steak tartare, here done with hand-cut filet mignon — and Head Chef Aurelian Girault's latest Australian-inspired creations. Enter beneath the signature neon "psychic" sign, pull up a seat at the curved, brass-topped bar and get ready for some pretty exceptional boozing. Employees Only Sydney is slated to open in November at 9 Barrack Street, Sydney. Images: Robert Krueger and Anna Fang, by Joe Cheng.
Whether it sports a catchy beat, an intoxicating riff, a punchy melody or instantly quotable lyrics, a brilliant pop tune never gets old. As Girls5eva demonstrates with its second season, the same proves true for smart and hilarious sitcoms about pop stars who climbed the charts, lived the late-90s/early-00s girl group fantasy and, two decades later, are trying to become more than one-hit wonders. And yes, this Tina Fey-executive produced sitcom — which shares the same joke-avalanche approach that 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Great News and Mr Mayor do, too — is also filled to the brim with ridiculously infectious songs. When it first hit streaming in 2021, Girls5eva introduced viewers to the eponymous band when reclaiming their fame wasn't even a blip on their radars — until, unexpectedly, it was. Dawn Solano (Sara Bareilles, Broadway's Waitress), Wickie Roy (Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton), Summer Dutkowsky (Busy Philipps, I Feel Pretty) and Gloria McManus (Paula Pell, AP Bio) had left their days as America's answer to the Spice Girls behind, barely staying in contact since the group split and their fifth member, Ashley Gold (Ashley Park, Emily in Paris), later died in an infinity pool accident. But then rapper Lil Stinker (Jeremiah Craft, Bill & Ted Face the Music) sampled their single 'Famous 5eva', and they were asked to perform backing vocals during his Tonight Show gig. Jumping back into the spotlight reignited dreams that the surviving Girls5eva members thought they'd extinguished long ago — well, other than walking attention-magnet Wickie, who crashed and burned in her attempts to go solo, and was happy to fake it till she made it again. Dawn had settled into life as a mother (to four-year-old Max, played by debutant Julius Conceicao), wife (to school guidance counsellor Scott, played by Billions' Daniel Breaker) and manager at her brother's (Dean Winters, Joe vs Carole) Italian restaurant. Summer was an Insta-celebrity among conservatives and Christians thanks to her longstanding marriage to ex-boy band member Kev (Andrew Rannells, The Prom). And Gloria was a successful dentist whose other claim to fame since Girls5eva was being part of the first gay couple to get divorced in New York City. It's a glorious premise, as brought to life with a pitch-perfect cast — there's zero weak links among Bareilles, Goldsberry, Philipps and pell — with Girls5eva's first eight-episode season bopping through the group's contrasting personalities and their shared dynamics. As they reunited, Wickie's oversized ego, Dawn's uncertainty, Summer's seeming ditziness and the now-forthright Gloria's engrained trauma from pretending to be straight back in the day all swirled around. So too did a cavalcade of clever and perceptive gags about the show's two favourite topics, unsurprisingly: the ludicrous chaos of the entertainment industry, in the 90s and now alike; and the way not only showbiz but the world in general treats women, especially anyone beyond their 20s. Arriving on Stan in Australia and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand on Friday, May 6, dropping three episodes at once before unfurling weekly afterwards, season two picks up where its predecessor left off, in narrative, vibe and themes. It's also back with more rapid-fire pop-culture references and digs; the same knowing, light but still sincere tone; and a new parade of delightful tunes composed by Jeff Richmond, Fey's husband and source of music across every sitcom she's produced. Having stormed the Jingle Ball stage at the end of the last batch of episodes, Girls5eva now has a new record deal on their own terms, with Dawn penning all of their songs. That said, they're signed to a label owned by the Property Brothers, they've been given just six weeks in the studio by their assigned executive (Grey Henson, Suburgatory), and Gloria busts her knee during a show as they're hitting the publicity circuit. One of the joys of Girls5eva — one of many — is how gleefully absurd it skews, all while fleshing out its central quartet, their hopes and desires, and their experiences navigating an industry that treats them as commodities at best. That silliness is as much a trademark of Fey-produced comedies as Richmond's soundtracks, and it's a template that creator/showrunner Meredith Scardino clearly learned while writing for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and co-scripting the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend movie. It's easy to watch Girls5eva and spot similarities with 30 Rock, Kimmy and the like as a result, but the devil is in the detail in everything with Fey's name attached. Wickie boasts plenty in common with 30 Rock's Jenna Maroney and Kimmy's Titus Andromedon, for instance, but feels like a sibling, not a clone. She's a new song from a familiar band, rather than a cover version — and the same can be said of Dawn, Summer and Gloria, all of whom have counterparts in fellow sitcoms that feature Fey's fingerprints. Girls5eva has always been about second acts, second chances and new beginnings — and wading through the baggage that can hinder all three — so the fact that it hums to a recognisable refrain has never been anything but extremely fitting. The show's sophomore season finds much to satirise with that in mind, while also diving deeper and pushing Wickie, Dawn, Summer and Gloria to grow. Another of its supremely apt underlying riffs: how difficult it is to follow your own heart and let your light shine when life keeps putting you in the same old box. That pulsates through as Wickie falls in love with someone other than herself, Dawn keeps trying to balance her home and work commitments, Summer adjusts to singledom and Gloria woos back her ex-wife (Janine Brito, Wine Country), only to wonder if that's what she really wants. Along the way, there's an onslaught of goofy gags for every occasion (Wickie's boyfriend is a "lunch lord", for example), as well as a tune. Sometimes, Dawn is trying to work all 430 definitions of the word 'set' into a song. Elsewhere, the group belts out bangers such as immediate earworm 'BPE (Big Pussy Energy)'. At one point, they take cues from The Beatles and hit up a rooftop to play the anthemic 'Bend Not Break', which is actually about Gloria's knee injury, to the NYC streets. And season-one highlight 'New York Lonely Boy' gets an equally melancholic and lovely sequel called 'New York City Moms', too. There's power and self-reflection, ridiculousness and earnestness, determination and heart in everything about this series, music, jokes, characters and storylines included — and it just keeps proving a laugh-a-minute gem to watch. Check out the trailer for Girls5eva season two below: The first three episodes of Girls5eva's second season hit Stan in Australia and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand on Friday, May 6, with new instalments dropping weekly afterwards. Read our full review of season one. Images: Stan/Peacock.
Direct flights from Australia's east coast to New York — and London, too — are on their way, with Qantas committing to make the massive trips from 2025. But first, the Aussie airline is heading non-stop from Auckland to the Big Apple. The carrier has announced two pieces of exciting news for travellers Down Under, both of which might change your holiday plans from 2023 onwards. Firstly, it's starting those direct Auckland–New York routes, kicking off on June 14. Secondly, it's recommencing flying to NY in general, including a new Sydney–Auckland–New York flight. Initially, the new service will run three days a week, starting in Sydney before soaring non-stop from NZ to NY. The latter part will take a whopping 16 hours, which is slightly shorter than the 17-hour direct Perth–London route that first hit the air back in 2018, but will still be a mammoth undertaking. Yes, time feels like it means nothing when you're on one plane for that long. Yes, if you're keen on as few stopovers as possible whenever you're jetting around the world, that hefty non-stop leg is worth it. When Qantas returns to NY for the first time in three years due to the pandemic, travellers will be flying on Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with the airline taking delivery of three new aircraft in 2023. If you now know what you're doing next winter — enjoying a hot NY summer, obviously — the Sydney–Auckland–New York flights have just gone on sale today, Thursday, August 25. The airline will also increase its daily services from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Auckland from six to 11 when the new route commences, to help Aussies can take advantage of it. In flying direct from NZ to NYC, Qantas follows in the footsteps of Air New Zealand, which announced its plans back in 2019 and will start the route in September 2022. Qantas will restart flying to New York via its new Sydney–Auckland–New York route from June 14, 2023. For more information or to make a booking, head to the airline's website.
Back in the '20s, you'd always be caught dead on Kellett Street. Once the battleground of vicious razor gangs — headed by the brothel-owning ‘Queen of Woolloomooloo’ Tilly Devine and fencer of prohibited goodies ‘Queen of Surry Hills’ Kate Leigh — Kellett Street saw a good portion of the epic and bloody Razor Gang Wars between 1927-31. Now, the shady backstreet is a Sydney night strip home to clubs, nightspots and eateries — including brand new, just-opened bar/restaurant Parsons. Opened by brothers Joe and Nick van der Heide, Parsons is housed in the site formerly home to French bistro Cafe Boheme. It's a gutsy move, as Good Food points out, with the street gaining a bit of a reputation for cut-short restaurant residencies — although fellow Kellet Street newcomer The Powder Keg is diving in too. But perhaps it's simply a matter of daylight. "A lot of the places [that didn't make it] tried to focus on day trade," Joe van der Heide told GF. "It's still a night strip." Parsons is decked out in classic '30s speakeasy detail, with low hanging exposed light bulbs, an openair back room and Chesterfield couches. Drinks-wise, the cocktail menu is full of '30-style gems like The Parsons' Mistress (Belvedere, elderflower, gin, egg white, fresh mint), Blood and Sand (scotch whisky, sweet vermouth, cherry, blood orange) or the Black Cherry Banger (Gentleman Jack, lime juice, simple syrup, grapefruit bitters and cherry soda). You'll find the local likes of Rocks Brewing Co.'s Hangman Pale Ale and The Governor Golden Ale on tap, with a vintage wine ledger on request. Happy hour ($7 pints, $5 house wine and $12 cocktails) runs until 7pm. Nosh-wise, you’ll find bar snacks like pork crackling (served herbed or fiery), olives and house-seasoned nuts. For something shareable, there’s crumbed pork strips with house made ketchup and lemon aioli, pulled beef brisket sliders with mustard slaw, cheese boards and charcuterie. For a heftier eat, Parsons is offering up vegetable galette ($15), prawn and shitake ravioli ($17), chicken mini roasts stuffed with parsley, spinach, walnuts and currants ($18) — all topped off with housemade ice-cream from head chef Sciara. Find Parsons at 3 Kellett Street, Kings Cross. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm until midnight. Via Good Food.
In the latest development of wearable tech, luggage company Samsonite has teamed up with Google to bring you a smart backpack that syncs to your smartphone. The Konnect-i Backpack can receive calls and text messages, sync to your navigation and music apps and even take selfies — just to name a few features. It's basically the wireless headphones of backpacks. The bag — powered by Google's latest toy, dubbed Jacquard — connects to the users smartphone via Bluetooth and allows you to perform heaps of commands by moving your hand over and tapping the left strap panel. Users can control music, receive phone calls, use navigation apps, drop pins, save locations and receive rideshare alerts. Jacquard can also start a photo countdown for selfies and, if you have a Google android, it can chat to Google Assistant, too. You can also fix the LED light on the left strap to light up according to different alerts. Of course, the Jacquard will still need to be charged, but a single charge can last ten days-to-two weeks, depending on how much you use it. Keen shoppers can choose between two styles, slim or standard ($299–329) — which come with a vertical or horizontal zipper, respectively. Each is water-repellent, easy-care fabric coated and comes with matte silver reflective trimming. Yes, it looks (and sounds) like something Batman would own. Apart from the futuristic elements, the backpack comes with all of the usual features of a pricey bag, including extra padding along the back panel and shoulder straps, plus a padded laptop compartment and heaps of storage pockets. If you have the cash to splash, hands-free travel is in your future. The Konnect-i Backpack is now available Australia-wide. 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.
A new small bar has arrived in Crows Nest and it's specialising in something a little different for the lower north shore: cognac. Hendriks has more than 30 cognacs from around the globe, as well as cognac-based cocktails and a 100 bottle-strong wine list. Hendricks is run by Crows Nest locals Jakob Overduin and James Knight (who own a creative agency in the same building as the bar) and named after Overduin's father — a big lover of the bar's namesake booze. The duo has signed on Edward Wright as the venue's bar manager, who previously worked as a personal butler at The Goring in London serving some seriously high-profile customers. [caption id="attachment_780597" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] For those who are already into cognac, the small bar offers some extra special drops, such as Frapin VIP XO Grande Champagne, Hennessy XO and a 20-year-old Frapin Millésime Premier Cru Grande Champagne. These nips will cost you a pretty penny, though, ranging from $32–42 a piece. Those new to the French brandy can test the waters with one of the 24 cocktails, including three made with Hennessy: Hendriks (Cointreau, Fireball, fresh orange and pineapple), the Between The Sheets (rum, orange curaçao and lemon juice) and The Major (grapefruit and lemon juice, house-spiced honey syrup, basil and chipotle powder). Apart from the cognac-based sips, you'll find riffs on classics like an old fashioned and a gingerbread espresso martini. [caption id="attachment_780606" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] The extensive wine menu also offers a whopping 23 by the glass — and even more on Sundays, when early-birds can choose to open any bottle to enjoy by the pour. To pair with the wine, there's a six-cheese board for two, along with charcuterie and small plates like mac 'n' cheese croquettes, cheeseburger spring rolls, chilli con carne empanadas and duck pâté with shiraz butter. While the snacks are all good and well, the highlight is the giant jaffles, which are made using loaves from Crows Nest local St Malo Bakery. Choose from the cognac-marinated mushroom; cognac-caramelised shallots and cheese; beef patty with aged cheddar; and a chicken, porcini and speck jaffle with cognac comté for between $18–23. All of these are then drizzled with brandy for good measure. Banoffee and Nutella dessert jaffles bring a sweet touch to the menu, too. Images: Steven Woodburn
The two-kilometre coastal walk between Bondi and Tamarama is always a stunning Sydney sight no matter when you mosey along it, but it's especially impressive during Sculpture by the Sea. Once a year since 1997 — except during the pandemic's early days — the outdoor art event displays large-scale pieces with the ocean as a backdrop. Understandably, it isn't just one of the annual highlights of Sydney's cultural calendar, but of Australia's. That excuse to soak up the great outdoors in the Harbour City returns again in 2023, from Friday, October 20–Monday, November 6. On the agenda once more: 100-plus artworks by Australian and international sculptors, all along a two-kilometre walk. But this is the 25th Sculpture by the Sea, so it's celebrating notching up that milestone with pieces by artists who displayed at the event back at its beginning. Paul Bacon, Stephen King, Michael Le Grand, John Petrie, James Rogers and Margarita Sampson earn those honours, bookending a quarter-century run. Sculpture by the Sea 2023 will also feature works by Philip Spelman and Ron Gomboc, who reach double decades displaying at the event; Lucy Barker and Ayako Saito, who hit a decade; and Chinese artist Chen Wenling. Discovering exactly who'll be showing what and where is part of the fun of taking the spring stroll, but this year's event won't be short on talent. As always, the exhibition is set to draw a crowd. Each year, Sculpture by the Sea attracts approximately 450,000 visitors over 18 days, with the same number of art lovers expected this time around. The past few years have been particularly eventful for the exhibition, which had to sit out 2020 like oh-so-many festivities around the world, then tried to make a comeback in October 2021 but also had to scrap those plans due to the pandemic. It did successfully stage a CBD spinoff, Sculpture Rocks, in autumn 2021, however. Even before the current global health situation interrupted its annual plans, organisers were also at loggerheads with the Council over the construction of a new path back in mid-2019, and were scoping out alternative locations for the long-running art exhibition. In fact, it was only early in 2021 that the parties came to an agreement to remain in Bondi until 2030, with the organisers and Council agreeing to a ten-year deal. Amid all of the above, the Sculpture by the Sea team also branched in 2022, opening the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail. It's a permanent 100-kilometre collection of outdoor art along the Snowy Valleys Way, passing through the towns of Adelong, Batlow and Tumbarumba, the hamlet of Tooma, plus the Tumbarumba wine region's cellar doors. Sculpture by the Sea will return to the Bondi–Tamarama coastal walk for 2023 from Friday, October 20–Monday, November 6. For more information, head to sculpturebythesea.com. Images: Charlotte Curd, Reni Indrawan, Clyde Yee, Jack Bett, Jarrad Seng, W Patino, G Carr and Samantha Burns.
Just picked up a book, can't wait to read it, and in search of the perfect armchair? Having recently celebrated their bicentenary, the folks at Berkelouw in Paddington are proving that book selling is far from a dying art with the launch of Cafe 1812 — a cosy cafe, chic wine bar, and bookstore all rolled into one. Go past the paperbacks, the memoirs, and the Moleskins, and up the flight of stairs. Here's where you'll find Cafe 1812 in all its moody dark-wood glory. Behind the bar there's a dapper aproned barista polishing long-stemmed wine glasses, while out front huddles of studded leather arm chairs and threadbare woven rugs hearken to the cafes of old Rotterdam where Solomon Berkelouw — the bookstore's namesake — traded his first vellum-bound tome 200 hundred years ago. Find yourself a table by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Oxford Street or perch on a stool at the wine bar and drink up the aged atmosphere. And if all this bibliophilism is making you hungry, there's a cafe-style menu to tempt at all hours of the day. That Gallic ode to a ham and cheese toastie — a Croque Monsieur ($7.90) — arrives griddle toasted and warm with vintage cheddar oozing from its sides. A pearl couscous salad ($9.90) follows, topped with grilled zucchini, salty olives, and a caramel-sweet fig. It's a fresh and satisfying meal in itself. Fancy something more filling? The dinnertime treats kick off at 5pm with a menu that has a European bent. Pastas and mains, including miniature Scotch fillets ($19) served with a buttery smooth mushroom sauce, offer heartier servings for the famished. Alternatively, there are share plates, from beef meatballs with black truffle mayo ($14), and generous cheese platters served with quince paste ($19), to keep the grazers happy. And lest we forget to tell you: it's on Wednesday nights that the cafe really comes to life. Urban hipsters crowd the space as a live jazz band belts out the classics of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and the like. Sidle up to the barman and he'll whip up a wicked Negroni or recommend something from the extensive wine list; there's over 45 by the bottle and 14 by the glass on offer. Whether you're a bibliophile or a biblio-phobe, there's something to whet the appetite and stir the senses at this trendy cafe-cum-wine-bar that's fast becoming a destination in the east's gentrified enclave.
UPDATE: May 31, 2020: A Hidden Life is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. As a renowned lover of rolling hills, scenic greenery, constantly roving camerawork and breathy voiceover that borders on whispering, Terrence Malick recreates the Second World War with splendour. Such an approach proved moving and powerful in 1998's The Thin Red Line, where the writer/director intertwined war's pain, suffering and senselessness with many a glimpse of nature's wonders — and while the filmmaker sticks with his usual tactics in A Hidden Life, this couldn't be a more different movie. That comment fits Malick's tenth feature in many ways, actually. All his familiar aesthetic trademarks remain in place, because there's no teaching this veteran new tricks. And yet, his highly polarising style has never felt more purposeful. Nearly half a century into his career, Malick asks the same question about life that he has since 1973's Badlands, pondering how anyone finds beauty, love and grace amid continual chaos — and yet it has never been as urgent, poignant and touching as it is here. Telling of an Austrian farmer conscripted to fight for the Third Reich, A Hidden Life's true tale is a perfect match for Malick — and for the query that's driven everything from his Palme d'Or-winner The Tree of Life to the SXSW-set Song to Song. Living quietly in the mountain village of St. Radegund in 1939, Franz Jägerstätter (August Diehl) and his wife Fani (Valerie Pachner) are happy toiling in the fields, doting on their three daughters and being part of a close-knit community. But, although their bliss remains unchanged when the war first breaks out, history dictates that it can't stay that way. While he stomachs being forced to attend military training, albeit barely, Franz won't pledge allegiance to Hitler. All Austrian soldiers are required to make that oath, so his rejection earns the attention of Nazi higher-ups. His neighbours pressure him to conform, treating him and his family as outcasts for daring to defy the status quo. Still, even when called to active service, then arrested and sent to a Berlin prison, Franz won't waver. Malick doesn't skirt around Franz's motivations, not that an excuse for resisting any brutal fascist regime should ever be required. As contemplated in long letters to Fani that are based on real texts — as well as in chats with his local mayor (Jürgen Prochnow), plus with priests and bishops (including Tobias Moretti and Michael Nyqvist) — the conscientious objector can't reconcile Hitler's ideology with his own Catholic faith. To everyone except his family, that makes him a traitor. While it shouldn't come as a surprise, it's still perturbing to see so many push for his blind adherence to such an abhorrent cause. Equally unnerving: the fury with which his village turns on Fani and their children. And, though falling into a completely different category, Franz's actions are also unsettling in their own way, because the ultimate cost of his refusal isn't just incarceration but execution. That grave truth lingers over A Hidden Life, even in the film's most idyllic moments. Spending ample time at the Jägerstätters' picturesque property, revelling in its calm surroundings, and communing with its human and animal inhabitants, Malick's feature frequently proves peaceful, harmonious and sumptuous — which only makes Franz's plight all the more devastating. Viewers should expect as much from the director, given his reliance upon his trusty stylistic flourishes. While this is a rare war movie that eschews the brutality of the battlefield, just as its protagonist does, Malick laps up every aspect of Franz's rural existence, and of his loving relationship with Fani, all to emphasise exactly what the farmer is putting at stake. It would be so easy for the beleaguered Austrian to say what he's asked, serve as he's required and return home to those he adores. Doing so would save his life, and he has such obvious reasons to acquiesce. But Franz isn't willing to put himself before his beliefs, and Fani would never make him do so. Accordingly, although its conflict remains spiritual, philosophical and existential rather than physical, A Hidden Life is as weighty as any blood-soaked account of combat — and as affecting. Thanks to its endlessly roaming, circling frames, as lensed by The Tree of Life alum Jörg Widmer, Malick's film immerses viewers in both the best and worst of Franz's experiences. Always restless in a visual sense, it's just as jittery and absorbing emotionally, which any movie about a man sticking to his principles while facing death should be. Indeed, it's difficult to see how any other approach could do such a tale justice. Amongst a cast that also includes Matthias Schoenaerts (Kursk), Franz Rogowski (Transit) and the late, great Bruno Ganz, Diehl and Pachner clearly relish Malick's freewheeling ways, with their soulful performances helping boil this story down to its lyrical, poetic core. Told with ruminative eyes and a probing heart, this isn't just an account of courage and conviction, but of truly knowing the price of everything that's worthwhile in this life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJXmdY4lVR0
Winter and comfort foods always go hand in hand, but fans of doughnuts should find the start of the frosty season particularly delicious. Each year, to kick off June, National Doughnut Day arrives. And, when the date hits, free round orbs are often on the menu. In 2023, on Friday, June 2, Donut King will be handing out freebies — and keeping Australians happy with their eponymous blend of sweets and carbs. The chain is known for its hot cinnamon doughnuts, and that's exactly what it'll be giving away at every store Australia-wide. Donut King hasn't advised exactly how many doughnuts are up for grabs, and it is a while-stocks-last affair. That said, the brand is intending to serve up a whole heap of its number-one treat to customers in exchange for zero cash, beginning at 1am AEST — if that's when your local store opens — and running through until 11.59pm AEST. The big caveat, other than the first-in-best-dressed rule: there's a limit of one free hot cinnamon doughnut per person. Also, you do have to hit up a Donut King shop in-person, with the giveaway not available for deliveries. To snag yourself a freebie, folks in Sydney can make a date everywhere from Chatswood and Top Ryde to Leichhardt and Hurstville. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Donut King (@donutking_au)
Scaling the Sydney Harbour Bridge is a breathtaking experience — both because of the stunning views and the 1332 steps it takes to reach the summit. But to fully appreciate this icon and the surrounding region, you need to understand the Indigenous culture and history it stands within. Burrawa, meaning 'upwards' or 'above' in local language, is a bridge climb led by Indigenous tour guides. As you ascend the Coathanger, your guide will explain the significance of Indigenous landmarks around the harbour, share local Dreamtime stories and detail the history of prominent First Nations figures, like Bennelong, Barangaroo and Patyegarang, who interacted with early European colonists, sharing knowledge, language and resistance. Images: Destination NSW
For his latest solo exhibition at the Museum for Contemporary Art in Tokyo, Tokujin Yoshioka has again indulged his fascination with organic structures and natural processes, embracing the interaction between prisms, space and light. In his series of striking sculptures and installations, Yoshioka aims to expose the beauty and energy present within self-generating wonders such as crystal formation, harnessing the process to become part of the art itself. He quite literally grows his artworks, using a special liquid that allows natural crystals to develop into whatever shape they choose, after which he sometimes decides to attach them to a base of some kind. And, like any true gardening fanatic, he believes in playing music to his 'plants' as they grow. His series entitled Swan Lake apparently blossomed under the soothing companionship of Tchaikovsky. Whilst we happen to think the huge fairy floss-like clouds of crystal comprising Tornado 2007 are pretty spectacular, the large-scale installation Rainbow Church has been heralded as the exhibition's highlight: a huge window made of 500 crystal prisms inspired by Henri Matisse's designs for the Rosaire Chapel. Yoshioka is known for combining architecture, design and installation art. His furniture designs appear at Salone del Mobile annually and he has also designed store interiors for high fashion brands such as Hermès and Issey Miyake. Via Yatzer.com. Images from the MOT.
Whatever your plans are on Tuesday, November 8, change them — or find a way to include peering at the sky into your diary, too. For 85 minutes, folks Down Under will be treated to a blood moon and a total lunar eclipse, giving you a stellar reason to spend your night staring upwards. While blood moons aren't particularly rare, there is one big reason to look up this time around. This total lunar eclipse is the last one that'll be able to be seen in Australia and New Zealand until 2025. If you're wondering what else you need to know, we've run through the details below. WHAT IS IT? If you're more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, here's what you need to know. When a full moon happens to coincide with a total lunar eclipse, it's also called a blood moon. Why? Yes, it has to do with the colour. When the astronomical body passes directly into the earth's actual shadow, it turns a blood-red shade thanks to sunlight that's filtered and refracted by the earth's atmosphere. WHEN CAN I SEE IT? If you're keen to catch a glimpse, you'll want to peek outside on Tuesday, November 8. According to Timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse is due to begin at 9.16pm AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne — and, because of daylight saving in the southern states, at 8.16pm AEST in Brisbane. Those times adjust accordingly in Adelaide (8.46pm) and Perth (6.16pm) — with the full total lunar eclipse running for 85 minutes. In NZ, you'll be looking up from 11.16pm. Moonrise will happen before that, and the partial eclipse will begin 67 minutes prior to the totality times, too — so at 8.09pm in Sydney and Melbourne and 7.09pm in Brisbane, for instance. WHERE CAN I SEE IT? You can take a gander from your backyard or balcony, but the standard advice regarding looking into the night sky always applies. So, city-dwellers will want to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the absolute best view. Naturally, you'll be hoping for cloud-free skies that evening. If you can't get a clear vantage, The Virtual Telescope Project will be live-streaming from the skyline above Rome from 8.30pm AEDT / 7.30pm AEST / 10.30pm NZ time. The blood moon and total lunar eclipse will take place on Tuesday, November 8, with the full total lunar eclipse starting at 9.16pm AEDT / 8.16pm AEST / 11.16pm NZ time. For further information, including about timing, head to Timeanddate.com.
Heading to a gig in inner-city Sydney anytime soon? Well, your evening out just got a bit better — and longer. Thanks to a Supreme Court decision handed down this week, live music venues in the CBD are now exempt from the lockout laws. If you're looking for someone to thank or somewhere to have a late-night beverage, the ruling came about after a challenge by the Smoking Panda Bar at the Coronation Hotel. As the Park Street hotspot is attached to an accommodation provider (or a "tourism accommodation establishment", in official parlance), it was initially excluded from the unpopular restrictions. That changed — and the 1.30am lockout and 3am beverage service cutoff came into force — when Liquor and Gaming NSW spied patrons that weren't staying at the Coronation drinking at the Smoking Panda. Cue a successful fight for the right to party for a few CBD sites. As reported by The Daily Telegraph, the bar isn't alone in earning a reprieve. Seven others are no longer subject to the laws, including the Oxford Art Factory, and strip clubs Men's Gallery and Pure Platinum. In determining that the legislation couldn't be enforced against the selection of places, Justice Natalie Adams found that the laws didn't give the Justice Department the ability to declare a city venue subject to the restrictions. Her ruling might be limited in scope, but it's one of the first positive developments since the controversial regime came into force in 2014 and absolutely decimated the live music scene. You've attended the anti-lockout rallies and protests. You've helped crowdfund a documentary about the laws. You know what we're talking about. Of course, just what this means for the future of the lockouts beyond Smoking Panda and the other newly exempt spots remains uncertain, though the possibility of other venues challenging the laws doesn't seem that far-fetched. In far from surprising news, we do know that the NSW Government will be launching its own battle; in fact, they've already announced that they'll be appealing the Supreme Court's decision. Via The Daily Telegraph. Image: Stocksnap.
Lorde is back — but she won't be back doing live gigs for a bit longer. After five years away from music, the New Zealand pop sensation returned this year with a third studio album, with Solar Power releasing back August. Back in June, she also announced a massive 2022 tour of Australia and New Zealand; however, those shows have now been delayed until 2023. The tour has been postponed due to New Zealand's current COVID-19 outbreak and the uncertainty surrounding what'll be permitted next February and March, which is when Lorde's gigs were originally set to take place. "I am beyond devastated to be postponing these shows. Starting the tour in New Zealand was always really important to me, and would have been a huge high," Lorde said in a statement. "I fought this decision for a long time, but the truth is that touring internationally through a COVID outbreak has a ton of unforeseen moving parts, and I'd much rather play for you when we're all confident it will go smoothly. I want to apologise wholeheartedly to the fans. I'm so gutted to let you down, but so grateful for your understanding." [caption id="attachment_816623" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Come Up Show[/caption] When it kicks off in 2023, the tour will now run from Tuesday, February 21 through till Saturday, March 18. Australians are scoring eight dates across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, while New Zealanders can choose from seven shows. The Australian and New Zealand tour will begin at Days Bay at Lower Hutt on Tuesday, February 21 and Wednesday, February 22. From there the 'Royals' singer will make her way around New Zealand throughout late February and early March, and arrive in Australia on Tuesday, March 7 for two shows at the Brisbane Riverstage. Australia's east coast will be treated to two more shows each at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl and the ICC's Aware Super Theatre in Sydney, before the tour wraps up with a couple of gigs at Perth's Belvoir Amphitheatre. The last time either country was treated to Lorde's live set was her headline set at Splendour in the Grass 2018, a full circle moment for the singer as she returned to the stage of one of her first ever performances as a last-minute replacement for Frank Ocean back in 2013. A year prior, in 2017, Lorde also toured some of Australia's largest and most iconic outdoor venues including the Sydney Opera House Forecourt. Existing tickets will remain valid for the new dates, while tickets to newly announced gigs in Lower Hutt, Brisbane and Perth start pre-sales on Wednesday, November 17 ahead of general ticket sales on Friday, November 19. LORDE 'SOLAR POWER' 2023 TOUR DATES Tuesday, February 21 – Days Bay, Lower Hutt Wednesday, February 22 – Days Bay, Lower Hutt — new show Saturday, February 25 – Electric Avenue, Christchurch Monday, February 27 – Neudorf Vineyards, Upper Moutere Wednesday, March 1 – Black Barn Vineyards, Havelock North Friday, March 3 – TSB Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth Saturday, March 4 – Outer Fields Western Springs, Auckland Tuesday, March 7 – Riverstage, Brisbane — new show Wednesday, March 8 – Riverstage, Brisbane Friday, March 10 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Saturday, March 11 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Monday, March 13 – Aware Super Theatre, Sydney Tuesday, March 14 – Aware Super Theatre, Sydney Friday, March 17 – Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth — new show Saturday, March 18 – Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth Lorde's Solar Power Tour will now take place between Tuesday, February 21–Saturday, March 18, 2023. Head to the Frontier website for all info on tickets. Top image: Liliane Callegari via Wikimedia Commons.
If you're thinking small for your next domestic getaway, there's a new pint-sized accommodation option to add to that holiday radar. NRMA, aka the National Roads and Motorists' Association, has just unveiled two new stylishly-repurposed shipping containers it's calling 'glamtainers' — and they'll be making their home on New South Wales' Central Coast until autumn next year. Easily movable and extendable in size, the seven-metre-long luxury tiny homes have room to sleep four, each boasting two queen beds, a full bathroom and a decent sized kitchenette. What's more, they're fitted out in style, with upscale features including comfy King Koil mattresses, plush linens, air-conditioning and attached outdoor entertaining spaces. No slumming it here, that's for sure. Currently located at NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort, the two new glamtainers are the work of Melbourne company GlamXperience, which makes a whole suite of glamping tents and mini retreats — and whose creations you might have spied at the likes of St Jerome's The Hotel and the newly launched Clifftop at Hepburn. They're designed to allow guests to experience staying amongst the great outdoors, without sacrificing comfort. Bookings are already filling up fast for the glamtainers' debut stint on the NSW Central Coast, with prices starting from $180 per night. And, because the entire concept of turning shipping containers into places to stay means they're easily portable, the pair of glamtainers will be packed up and shuttled off to NRMA's Jindabyne resort come late autumn — where they'll enjoy a second iteration during ski season. The glamtainers are now available to book at NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort. Head to the website to check availability and make a booking. Images: Shan Rose Photography
Sydney isn't lacking Mexican joints — we've recently acquired a Chica Bonita in the CBD, Rosa Cienfuegos opened a permanent tamaleria in Dulwich Hill in 2018 and Carbón is pumping out some great bottomless taco brunches in Bondi. But, still, it's gotten yet another dose of unapologetic neon-lit Tex-Mex thanks to El Camino Cantina's fourth Sydney outpost, which has opened in Moore Park. El Camino already has spots in The Rocks, Manly and Cronulla — and now Brisbane and Melbourne, too — and is part of Rockpool Dining Group, which also owns Sake, Rosetta, Burger Project and, of course, Rockpool Bar & Grill. If you've been to the venue already, you'll know this casual dining venue is loud and filled with over-the-top with giant cocktails, rock 'n' roll jukeboxes, lively Tex-Mex fare. The new El Camino — which is located opposite Fratelli Fresh in the Entertainment Quarter — consists of a rowdy 220-seat neon-lit dining room, as well as an outdoor area that has room for another 130 to spill out around the restaurant. Slushie machines signal big nights and brain freezes. El Camino's margaritas come in multiple sizes and renditions, including a tropical Red Bull flavour, which really says it all. Other options include a host of beers from near and far, and a 100-plus collection of mezcals and tequilas. The food lineup is as fun and casual as the drinks. Think fiery buffalo wings, sizzling fajitas, plump burritos, soft shell tacos loaded with punchy flavour combinations and unlimited complimentary corn chips and salsas. It'll also have El Camino's signature specials, including $2 tacos on Tuesdays, ten-cent wings on Wednesdays and half-price fajitas on Thursdays. Given its location, it'll make a good option if you've got tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's new show at the Entertainment Quarter, or you're heading to a gig at the Hordern or maybe a game at the SCG.
Prepare your taste buds for a night of gastronomic adventures as Silvester's, in Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay, welcomes new Head Chef Abhijit Dey. It marks a new era at the hotel's flagship restaurant. Hailing from Kolkata, India, and having honed his culinary finesse in prestigious Auckland establishments such as Orphans Kitchen, Clooney, SO/ AUCKLAND, and The Sugar Club at Skycity, Abhi has now infused his innovative flair into Silvester's menu. Indulge in the cured meats, seafood, and succulent cuts from the butcher's block. Dive into the a la carte menu featuring freshly shucked oysters paired with gooseberry, king prawns bathed in lemon butter and chilli, and Murray cod with avocado and whey butter. To enhance your dining experience further, Silvester's presents a seasonal five-course 'chef's selection' menu that showcases Abhi's personal favourites. Picture Spencer Gulf kingfish with persimmon, lemon myrtle, and almond fraiche, or relish the flavours of dry-aged Wollemi duck accompanied by Davidson plum ketchup and beetroot. Complementing the delectable fare is a beverage list featuring over 80 Australian and New Zealand wines. But the excitement doesn't end there. Silvester's is hosting an exclusive event on Friday, July 7, where it will be partnering with NON — a non-alcoholic wine alternative — for a booze-free degustation. Chef Abhi Dey has curated a three-course menu to pair with NON's innovative beverages. Tickets cost $99 per person and include snacks, the three-course menu and four NON drinks. It takes place from 6.30–8:30pm, and tickets can be booked now. To book your spot at Silvester's special NON dinner, head to the website.
Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a celebration of long-standing tradition that is, first and foremost, a way for communities to honour family and friends who have passed on. But the holiday has also come to represent the very best of Mexican culture — from the tasty food to the elaborate costumes, motifs and music. So Carbòn, from the people behind Bondi's Taqiza, is jumping on board and celebrating in true Mexican style by throwing an extravagant three-day fiesta. Across October 31–November 2, you'll be knee-deep in festive cheer with traditional rituals, an abundance of mouthwatering Mexican food and ice-cold cocktails. Day one of the fiesta is the 'Day of the Dead Tamales Feast', where there'll be a special tamales menu paired with themed agave cocktails. Things ramp up on day two with a special ticketed event ($100 per person) featuring live music, costumes, face painting and a five-course menu paired with mezcal cocktails. The menu is based on authentic dishes originally created by Mexican nuns from the 17th century, who are now considered the architects of upscale Mexican cuisine. On the final day, Carbòn will host a 'Moles and Woodfire Festival', where traditional moles (those tasty thick sauces) will be served up with platters of wood-fired meat skewers, tortillas and toppings. Along with its three-day celebration, the restaurant is giving a nod to this year's NAIDOC theme, 'because of her, we can', and dedicating the altar or oftrenda to trailblazing women throughout history — think Frida Kahlo, Chavela Vargas and adelitas (rebel women who fought during the Mexican revolution). Designed by Mexican artist Raquel Duron, this shrine will include floral arrangements, candles and crosses, plus, guests are invited to add photos of important women that they wish to honour. To get involved in the Carbòn's day of the dead festivities, reserve a table online.
This year has seen an explosion of dining precincts open within Sydney's major developments. In 2019 alone, our city has welcomed the Barrack Place laneway and the Green Square dining precinct in the Infinity Building, as well as Darling Square's final retailers within Electric Treat Street and the Exchange Building's Maker's Dozen food hall. Not to mention two major announcements for 2020 openings within the South Eveleigh precinct. Next up is Quay Quarter Lanes, which will open as part of the massive new Quay Quarter Sydney precinct in late 2020. It'll be located on Loftus Lane — between Young and Loftus streets behind Customs House — in Circular Quay, and will span specialty cafes, all-day restaurants and late-night bars, plus boutique shops and 106 luxury apartments up top. Once completed, it will boast 20 retailers all up. The only restaurant to be announced so far is by New Zealand restaurateur Scott Brown — he's responsible for Auckland's much loved Italian restaurant Amano. Brown's new sustainable and seasonal concept will open within the heritage-listed Hinchcliff House on Young Street. The sizeable four-storey old wool store covers 1000 square metres will be restored as part of the project — as will Circular Quay's second remaining wool store, Gallipoli Club. Sydney-based Wiradjuri-Kamilaroi artist Jonathan Jones has been commissioned to create a site-specific installation for the laneway — his work aims to draw attention to issues including climate change, land management and the disappearance of unique Aboriginal languages and cultures. The food-filled space is set just across from the Quay Quarter Tower, the precinct's 50-storey glass skyscraper, which is slated for a late 2022 opening. It's all part of a $2.7 billion development by AMP Capital — which is also looking after the $140-million Marrickville Metro upgrade and its own massive dining precinct. Once finished, the Quarter Quay Sydney precinct will span 11,000-square-metres (or over two city blocks) of prime Circular Quay real estate. By its 2022 completion date, over 50 retail tenancies will be included in the precinct. Quay Quarter Lanes is set to open to the public in late 2020, and the full Quarter Quay Sydney precinct will open by late 2022.
In Sydney, luxury hotels and superb hospitality venues go hand in glove. There's Mitch Orr's pyro-powered Kiln on the top floor of the Ace Hotel in Surry Hills, the monochrome elegance of Bentley Group's Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney and a whole host of fine diners at Crown Towers, including world-famous sushi joint Nobu and renowned chef Clare Smyth's Oncore, to name only a few notable examples. So, it should come as no surprise that top-of-class bars and restaurants are a major focus of the mammoth $60-million renovation of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, currently underway in the CBD. House Made Hospitality will oversee a four-venue hospitality precinct within the newly upgraded hotel, with Elliott Pinn — who has previously overseen House Made's other major multi-venue Sydney site, Hinchcliff House — named as the Sofitel Precinct's Executive Chef. Christian Blair, formerly of Rockpool Bar & Grill and Eau De Vie, has been appointed as the precinct's Beverage Manager while House Made Hospitality's Director, Jason Williams, will deliver the cocktail concepts for all four venues in the hotel. [caption id="attachment_965182" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tilda[/caption] On the ground floor, Tilda will be a luxury 110-seat diner heroing Australian-sourced seafood, including fresh and dry-aged fish and shellfish, roasted over charcoal. Head Chef Nathanael Marchant (ex-Bently) has created a menu that features native ingredients like myrtle and saltbush, incorporated into dishes that nod to Australia's multicultural culinary heritage, such as Fraser Island spanner crab ravioli in a roast potato dashi with saltbush and daikon and butterflied West Australian king prawns with curry leaf, black lime and sorrel butter. Sommelier Paul Sadler (ex-Chophouse) will also favour locally produced drops, with major vineyards sharing the cellar with small-batch, contemporary and progressive makers. [caption id="attachment_965183" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bar Tilda[/caption] Also on the ground floor, Bar Tilda will be a glamorous cocktail lounge summoning the vibes of the lively jazz bars that were common in Sydney when the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth opened as the city's very first five-star hotel in 1966. The cocktail menu of the 90-person bar will also have a mid-century spirit inspired by historic events. The Dollars and Cents — a bright and refreshing mingle of London dry gin, pineapple jam, pepper, macadamia and lime oil — memorialises Australia's departure from the pound, while the Lost At Sea — a blend of vodka, tea tree, citrus and green apple — recalls the infamous sea-bound disappearance of Prime Minister Harold Holt. Australian-made whisky will also be a drawcard, with a 100-strong whisky library housed in a striking armoire, available for personalised whisky tastings and curated flights. [caption id="attachment_965184" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Delta Rue[/caption] Perched on the fifth floor of the hotel, Delta Rue will be a Vietnamese-French fusion diner that also draws inspiration from yesteryear, evoking the opulence and excess of Hanoi's Old Quarter in the 1920s. The 150-seat dining room opens out to a 60-seat terrace which will feature lush planting, while at the restaurant's entrance, a small champagne bar will offer guests the option for a flute of bubbles to start their evening as they mean to go on. While the food menu will be largely focused on the flavours of Vietnam — expect plenty of chilli, fresh herbs and nuoc cham — the wine list will lean French. [caption id="attachment_965185" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wentworth Bar[/caption] Also on the fifth level, guests can escape to an expansive rooftop oasis at Wentworth Bar, a 250-capacity al fresco terrace that will showcase Sydney's first 'cocktail explosions' — showstopping concoctions, made famous at New York's NoMad Hotel, designed to serve up to 10 people. Expect pumping DJ sets, extravagant beverages and bar snacks, supplied by Delta Rue, featuring Vietnamese street-eat favourites. The nostalgia-driven charm and heritage decor that will be a feature in all four venues — each conceived by Karen Morris from Fender Katsalidis — chimes with the vision for the hotel's broader renovation, which hopes to revive the same air of class and charisma that attracted royalty, diplomats and celebrities when it first opened almost 60 years ago, but tempered with the modern finishes and luxury touches that 21st-century guests demand. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sofitel Sydney Wentworth (@sofitelsydney) All four venues in the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Precinct are set to open in September 2024, when the hotel welcomes its first guests. An exact date for the opening is yet to be announced.
We sometimes take for granted just how spectacular our harbourside city is, but from on high it's hard to deny. A rooftop bar at sunset is the ideal place to take in Sydney's views as day slips into night. With the help of our friends at Jim Beam, we've put together a list of seven of the best spots to enjoy a twilight drink, from bustling pubs to aerial gardens and beachside lookouts.
Sydneysiders love pizza. Sydneysiders also love a bottomless deal. So it is cause for celebration that Harbour City folk can finally celebrate both these passions at once, courtesy of Surry Hills pizzeria, 170 Grammi. Luigi Esposito — the pizzaiolo who helped ignite Sydney's love of woodfired slices, most notably at his popular chain of Neapolitan restaurants, Via Napoli — is laying on a Roman feast every Friday lunchtime. From midday–4pm, diners can get their fill of Rome's most quintessential cuisine, including freshly fried suppli (Rome's answer to arancini), schiacciata, a traditional crisp flatbread loaded with slices of mortadella, and of course, 170 Grammi's pizza-fication of classic Roman mains, including the already-iconic carbonara and porchetta pizzas. Be sure to leave room for dessert. 170 Grammi's maritozzi (cream-filled Roman doughnuts) come in a range of styles, from classic flavours like traditional vanilla and pistachio to more contemporary twists, like Nutella and Kinder Bueno. During your 90-minute seating, you'll enjoy free-flowing Aperol spritzes, as well as a selection of wines, beers and soft drinks. And at $69 per person, inclusive of all drinks and food, not only is this one of the most delicious bottomless deals in Sydney — it's also one of the most affordable. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
Now, you can cycle all the way from Green Square to Central Station without having to shake off a dirty look from a single road raging driver. The City of Sydney has created a 2.4 kilometre long bike path, keeping two-wheelers entirely separated from four-wheelers; linking Zetland, Waterloo, Alexandria and Redfern. "It’s a really important route," says City of Sydney Cycling Strategy Manager Fiona Campbell. "Green Square’s going to see 40,000 new residents in coming years and those people are only fifteen minutes’ ride from the city... It’s going to be such an attractive option that I think lots of people are going to use it." In addition to functioning as a commuter route, the path will also serve as an arts-leisure adventure. "There’s the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence [at 166-180 George St]," Campbell explains. "There’s also Prince Alfred Pool at one end, a skate park in Waterloo and the City’s Library and facilities at Joynton Park, which it connects to." On Saturday, June 14, between 11am and 2pm, Prince Alfred Park will host a massive launch party, dubbed Roll Through Redfern. Australian Balkan Gypsy trio Lolo Lovina will provide the live soundtrack, the Veggie Patch Van will be selling gourmet delights and there’ll be pedal-powered smoothies, as well as free coffee (yes, you read that right, FREE COFFEE). You’ll also be able to score bike help without spending a cent — whether you need safety tips, route advice or assistance of the mechanical variety. Meanwhile, Green Square’s regular markets will be happening at Joynton Park between 9am and 2pm. Everyone who gets themselves a stamp either there or at Prince Alfred Park will enter a draw to win a $1,000 bike package, a Magellan bike computer or a bunch of Prince Alfred Park Pool multi-visit passes. The Green Square-Central cycle way brings the Council one step closer to the realisation of its masterplan — to ensure that Sydney cyclists can enjoy at least 200 kilometres of bike paths by 2030. "We’ve already got about 110, 120 kilometres of network, though much of it’s not separated," Campbell says. "We’ve got twelve kilometres so far of separated cycleways. The 200 is going to be made up of mixed traffic streets and shared cycle paths as well. A lot of it just needs upgrading." The statistics indicate that pro-cycling campaigns and infrastructural changes, particularly segregated paths, are making a big impact at road level. "Each facility that we open sees a massive increase in cycling," Campbell confirms. "Accounts of the Bourke Street cycleway, for example, show that there are five times as many riders on Bourke Street, near the Phelps intersection, as there were four years ago. Whenever we put it in a new cycle way, it just booms. People really, really want to ride. Give them the option to do that in a comfortable, beautiful, pleasant way, and they’ll be in there." If you’re curious about cycling in the city but still feeling reluctant to take the plunge, check out the free bike maintenance classes and cycling in the city courses happening every single week at both Sydney Park and Joynton Park.
The names of Del Kathryn Barton’s solo shows make her sound like some sort of Australian Miranda July. You could say “an artistic Miranda July,†but Miranda July makes art now – so anyone can be an artist, but not everyone can be a Del Kathryn Barton. The Sydney-based painter is as diverse as she is prolific, going from winning the Archibald to collaborating with Romance Was Born (or the other way around, if you prefer). She is as likely to be interviewed by Oyster as she is Art & Australia. Her works make the same impact with an excess of colour as they do with a lack of it.Barton’s subjects are at once all-knowing and innocent, with spindly limbs and eyebrows that frame moon faces and magic hair. When she deviates from painting people, the results are vaguely recognizable creatures with six breasts and floppy ears. Her latest exhibition is ‘the stars eat your body’ – a series of portraits in Barton’s distinctive style. While some faces peer out with misted eyes, others look directly at you with a penetrating stare. Del Kathryn Barton’s work is mesmeric to look at, but perhaps unsuitable if you are afraid of having your gaze returned. Image courtesy of Del Kathryn Barton & Kaliman Gallery
Libertine Parfumerie, a leading destination for niche and luxury fragrances, invites scent lovers to an immersive day of olfactory discovery at Ace Hotel Sydney this September. Known for introducing some of the world's most prestigious perfume houses to the Australian market, Libertine is bringing its expertise out of the boutique and into an elevated series of masterclasses at the stylish Surry Hills hotel. Three unique experiences will take place across the day. Kicking things off is the Creed Discovery Masterclass, where ticketholders will be among the first to discover the historic house's newest fragrance alongside an edit of the 265-year-old brand's most celebrated scents. The Gourmand Masterclass may spark delicious sensory overload by pairing food-inspired perfumes with eight creative mini desserts. Finally, the Perfume & Cocktails Masterclass is an after-dark exploration of fine fragrance and mixology, where eight mini cocktails (including two mocktails) are matched with complementary perfumes, served with a selection of canapés. All sessions will be led by Lucy Borland, an internationally renowned fragrance expert with over 30 years' experience in the beauty and fragrance industry. Each guest will be welcomed with bubbles on arrival before embarking on their chosen sensory journey. Tickets also include a $69 voucher to redeem on purchases made during the event, plus a luxurious gift with purchase on qualifying perfume buys. Whether you're a seasoned perfume connoisseur or just fragrance-curious, this is a rare opportunity to explore the artistry of perfumery in a luxurious, experience-driven setting with one of Australia's foremost experts.
No longer will denizens of the west have to venture into the Sydney CBD for a Neil Perry hamburger. Following on from the success of his first budget burger venture The Burger Project in World Square — and the five others that have sprung up since — the Rockpool chef is today firing up the grill on a second Burger Project location in Parramatta. The first Burger Project began its life primarily as a means of bringing the next best thing to Perry's much drooled-over $24 Rockpool beef burger to the masses — without the prohibitive price tag. Parramatta diners can expect 14 variations on the humble hamburger, including the chilli cheese, Magic Mushroom and the katsu fried chicken, the names of which are all fairly self-explanatory. The new location — the group's first in western Sydney — is located on the ground floor of Parramatta's 28-storey V by Crown complex. With street frontage and room for 90 patrons, the glass-walled eatery has been designed by architect Grant Cheyne. The complex is soon to open a brand new luxury hotel, which will feature 72 suites, a retail precinct, some flashy facilities — which include a swish pool that's only open to residents and guests — and a brand new openair terrace bar by the Eau de Vie team on level 26. Since opening in Sydney back in 2014, the celebrity chef's high-end fast food joint Burger Project has expanded rapidly, particularly after Perry's Rockpool Group was acquired by the Urban Purveyor Group last year. The Parramatta store will be their sixth in Sydney and their ninth Australia-wide, having recently opened two in Melbourne and one in Brisbane. Burger Project Parramatta opens at 11am on Friday, March 10 at Shop 1 and 2, V by Crown, 134-140 Marsden Street, Parramatta. For more info, visit their website.
Looking for something meaningful to do on January 26? You can head to Sydney University, where Indigenous-run social advocacy group We Are Warriors is once again bringing together a lineup of First Nations musicians, dancers, filmmakers and artists from across the country for a day dubbed Blak Powerhouse. The goal? To empower First Nations youth, share their art and push for action. Now entering its fourth year running, Blak Powerhouse returns to Manning House on the Sydney University campus for a free night of Blak pride and joy through live music and DJs, dance, panel discussions, weaving workshops, interactive art installations, market stalls and short film showcases. [caption id="attachment_1066365" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Nikhil Ninan[/caption] From 6pm, the event will open with a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country from Aunty Nadeena Dixon and a dance performance from We Are Warriors founder, Nooky. Then come performances from Rapper Ziggy Ramo, R&B Soul vocalist Mi-Kaisha, hip hop rap duo Birdz & Fred Leone, rapper BARKAA and First Nations supergroup 3%. Elsewhere, panel discussions led by First Nations creatives Aretha Brown, Rudi Bremer, Travis De Vries and the We Are Warriors team will lead discussions of cultural practice, connection and power. For some keepsakes from the event, you can browse the market stalls all night, but you'll also find some potential new ink at Aretha Brown's Tattoo Parlour or a family portrait by WAW. You can try your hand at weaving in a workshop led by Aunty Dixon from 7pm, enjoy a short film showcase presented by We Are Warriors and Powerhouse, and get a feed from the food trucks on site. We Are Warriors was launched on January 26 in 2022 as an organisation dedicated to celebrating Blak excellence and fostering the next generation of First Nations creatives. In its first year, it delivered a feature presentation at Semi Permanent and launched WAW Fest as part of Vivid Sydney, before hosting the first Blak Powerhouse in 2023. We Are Warriors founder Corey Webster (aka Nooky) said, "Blak Powerhouse continues to be shaped by community, led by First Nations voices and grounded in deep cultural practice. We are honoured to partner with We Are Warriors to present this extraordinary, one-of-a-kind event to celebrate First Nations culture in Sydney on January 26." Blak Powerhouse will run at Murray House from 6 to 11pm on Monday, January 26. For more information or to book a ticket, visit the website. Top image: Nikhil Ninan
If there's a question that no employee wants to hear from the person setting company agendas, pulling strings and signing paycheques, it's "what do we do?". In The Consultant, Regus Patoff (Christoph Waltz, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio) asks a variation of it early — "what do we make?" he queries at CompWare after he arrives amid grim circumstances. The mobile gaming outfit came to fame under wunderkind Sang (TV first-timer Brian Yoon), so much so that school groups tour the firm's office. Then, during the visit that opens this eight-part Prime Video thriller, a kid shoots and kills the company's founder. That doesn't stop Regus from showing up afterwards clutching a signed contract from Sang and spouting a mandate to do whatever it takes to maximise his legacy. Regus is as stern yet eccentric as Waltz has become known for — a suit- and tie-wearing kindred spirit to Inglourious Basterds' Hans Landa, plus Spectre and No Time to Die's Ernst Stavro Blofield. He first darkens CompWare's door in the thick of night, when only ambitious assistant Elaine Hayman (Brittany O'Grady, The White Lotus) and stoner coder Craig Horne (Nat Wolff, Joe vs Carole) are onsite, and he won't take no for an answer. There's no consultant job for him to have, Elaine tells him. There's no business to whip into shape, she stresses. By the next morning, he's corralling employees for an all-hands meeting and telling remote workers they'll be fired if they don't show up in-person within an hour, even if he proudly doesn't know what CompWare does — or care. Giving the small screen its latest moody and mysterious workplace nightmare, The Consultant adapts horror author Bentley Little's 2016 novel of the same name, but plays like Severance filtered through Servant. Similarities with the former come with the setting, tone and keep-'em-guessing setup, while commonalities with the latter arise from sharing creator Tony Basgallop. Both series kick off with a blow-in, unsettle a group already coping with tragedy and reorder their status quo with severe methods. Both lace the chaos that follows with nods towards the supernatural, and both ask what bargains we're willing to make — or not — to live the lives we're striving for. The Consultant hinges upon two ideas: the disdain all workers have for head honchos who slash and restructure without knowing the daily grind, bothering to understand it or even pretending to get to know their staff; and the lengths someone might be willing to go to, including what they may accept and overlook, to advance their own careers. Regus doesn't waste any time earning ire, whether through arbitrary firings — he claims one worker smells of "putrid fruit" — or by pitting his employees against each other to fight for a management office. But, as he sits in the top-floor suite still splattered with Sang's blood, he also accepts Elaine's self-given title bump to Creative Liaison and rushes Craig's new game into production. There's still plenty getting Elaine and Craig questioning, such as Regus' around-the-clock calls, the basement records room filled with invasive personal files that no one previously knew about, his sudden rule changes — one day, shoes are verboten — and how he whisks off Sang's visiting mother (Gloria John, Shifter), who actually now owns the company, but doesn't take her to her hotel or anywhere else she can be found. Elaine and Craig also have a romantic past to deal with, The Consultant's most obligatory narrative detail. Plus, Craig is preparing to marry the Catholic Patti (Aimee Carrero, Spirited), who isn't fond of his slacker vibe or his at-work friendships. And, there's a helluva mid-series night that involves a sky-high nightclub, a Russian model (Gena Heylock, Chicago Med) with prosthetic limbs and a wild car ride. The heavy splashes of red that colour The Consultant's opening titles and much of CompWare's office lighting aren't subtle. Neither is the "devil made me do it" excuse offered by Sang's boy killer or the soundtrack's use of Elvis Presley's '(You're the) Devil in Disguise'. But Basgallop excels at keeping viewers guessing about whether the diabolical events that come his characters' way have nefarious sources, or if they're as easily explainable via everyday details. His two currently streaming series are also masterclasses in using their confined settings — The Consultant steps beyond CompWare HQ rarely, like Servant and its Philadelphia brownstone — to bubble with unease. The Severance comparisons kick in again here, too, weaponising and satirising a tech company's look and feel, as well as its attitude and atmosphere. While O'Grady backs up her stellar turn opposite Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney in The White Lotus with another astute performance — and character — and Wolff conveys disaffected but driven with ease, The Consultant wouldn't be as quick a binge without Waltz. Quentin Tarantino has built two films around him, with both Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained winning the actor Oscars, and he's perfectly cast here. There's also a slipperiness to Waltz's involvement that matches Basgallop's fondness for the same trait. Viewers know exactly how the series' biggest-name star will play Regus and he doesn't disappoint, but that alone doesn't explain everything about the sinister character. As Waltz gets menacing and malevolent, and O'Grady and Wolff flit from shock to acquiescence and back again and again, The Consultant makes expected points about corporate culture, its cut-throat dynamics and increasingly 24/7 demands; the 21st-century employment landscape and its ruthlessness towards employees; and the engrained mindset that has everyone dutifully complying with authority. Familiar but still topical, sly, smart and shrewd: that's the thematic terrain the series traverses, and well. Try not to think of recent social-media moves when Regus starts throwing his weight around, for instance. Try not to ponder your own horrible bosses — yes, Waltz has played one before in Horrible Bosses 2 — and career pressure points, too. There's no point trying not to get drawn into this tense, suspenseful and slickly made series, however, which boasts Destroyer and Yellowjackets' Karyn Kusama among its directors, and lures in viewers as easily as addictive mobile games. Check out the trailer for The Consultant below: The Consultant streams via Prime Video.
Sydney has a lot of outdoor pools in stunning spots, but one of the oldest and most iconic is the Andrew "Boy" Charlton Pool near the Royal Botanic Gardens — Australia's first ever swimming races took place there in 1846. In 1968, the pool, formerly known as the Domain Baths, took on its current name in honour of Andrew "Boy" Charlton, who set five world records at various Olympics. Duck out from your desk on Tuesday and head to the pool for some picturesque laps.
Beyond: Two Souls is a staggering achievement in gaming. If you're a semi-regular gamer, you already know that. But it's if you don't include games in your current recreational repertoire that the information is most pertinent. Because Beyond is quite unlike your Grand Theft Autos, Call of Dutys, Wii tennises and nearly every other blockbuster title on the market, and it might be the one that sucks you in. Made for a reputed $28 million, Beyond stars Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe in leading roles and screened its demo at this year's prestigious Tribeca Film Festival. It sits somewhere between cinema and what we think of as games, crafting an interactive drama that you play in the first person. French studio Quantic Dream, who explored a similar form with Heavy Rain (2010), are really concerned with the possibilities of immersive storytelling using new technologies. Curious? Here are a few reasons to give Beyond: Two Souls a go. Because you like film and TV Let's face it, of all the screen arts, video games are not the ones known for their complexity of story, character or emotion; they're known for their abundance of things to shoot at. But storytelling comes first in Beyond: There are some action scenes, but they happen in the broader context of the life of one specific girl, Jodie Holmes (Page), who is blessed/cursed with various psychic powers that make her valuable to the CIA and government research departments but chilling to her parents and peers. Her whole life she has felt a connection to the invisible 'entity' Aiden, and much of the tension in the game comes from the love/hate relationship she has with her constant companion. As the player, you see Jodie from the ages of six to twenty-one, though you play the chapters out of chronological order, piecing together the puzzles of her life. "We tried to create an interactive experience, more than just another video game," said Beyond's writer/director David Cage at a recent game preview in Sydney. He takes his cues from the world of cinema, adding elements from the game designers' toolkit to make you even more invested in the story. Because you want to see Ellen Page's Oscar-worthy performance There are so many sub-reasons it's great to see Ellen Page in the main role in Beyond, and the fact that she's not some 'sassy' and pneumatically boobed animation — she's Ellen Page — is just the tip of the iceberg. "A mix of technology and talent" is Cage's catch cry for Beyond, which would've been a far lesser game without the perfect female lead to embody your journey. And embodying it really is — Page is not just lending her voice or her face; she and the rest of the cast acted out this 2000-page script in a bare room kitted out in the latest in performance capture technology. They even developed a new method of capturing eye movement, placing small markers all around the eye to track minute muscle contractions and so basically eliminating that 'cold dead eyes' effect that has long plagued computer-generated imaging. The process is truly a sight to behold. In this sometimes testing, sometimes liberating environment, Page puts in an entrancing performance as Jodie, a character who's a pretty intense contradiction of feelings over many years of her life. "It's really bare acting," says Cage. "It's just you in this silly suit and all you can trust is your imagination, the script, the director helping you and, of course, the other actors. But it's really about acting in its pure, pure form." Because you think emotional journeys are the core of story "The idea is really to make you feel emotions that are usually rarely found in video games," says Cage. Specifically, rather than stress, competition and (a hopefully cathartic) rage, there's more hurt, mourning, nervousness, pride and love. Beyond's emotional palette is that of growing up, moving forward and mourning (Cage was inspired to write the story after the death of someone close to him). While there's plenty of this kind of exploration going on in indie games, such as That Game Company's phenomenal Journey, Beyond is perhaps the only big-budget, high-production-value game with this agenda. "We really tried to put you in the shoes of this young woman," says Cage. "You will feel like you've known her since she was a kid because you've been with her in the happy and difficult moments of her life, you know what she went through and where she comes from. My hope is that by the time you are done with the game and you turn off the console you will be a little bit sad, because you may never see her again." Because you won't get stuck on level 6 Or any level before or after. Beyond is all about the consequences your actions have on a life. And just like life, there are no do-overs. Instead, the game will funnel you on to the next chapter, via a slightly different road. Get caught by the cops? Maybe your invisible friend can help you out of those cuffs. Asphyxiate in a fire? Here's that 'come toward the light' sequence you were definitely going to see at some point. You will not keep dying at that one tricky spot in perpetuity. That means no matter your skills, Beyond will take you about 12 hours to play through. The control scheme is also a bit different and quite simple — an annoyance to some regular gamers but great for newbies. Quantic Dream have carefully designed the gameplay to be so integrated into the story that it's basically invisible, and at its best moments, it's very elegant. The goal is not to pull you out of the story with the trials of a complex controller dance but to allow you to lose yourself in it. And if it's the controller itself that unnerves you, Beyond even allows you to sync up your Android or iOS device and use familiar swipes and taps instead. Because you won't be able to help it Beyond has its successes and failures it's true, but its single-minded inventiveness is so inspiring, film and new media makers are lapping it up. It's a bold step in the direction of 'convergence', which sees film and games blend, borrow from each other and sometimes forge something completely new. Don't play it now and you'll instead see some flicker of it, in some medium, some time in the future. Beyond: Two Souls is out now on PS3.
True Detective started with Matthew McConaughey (The Rivals of Amziah King) and Woody Harrelson (Last Breath) as its leads. Next came Taylor Kitsch (American Primeval), Colin Farrell (The Penguin) and Rachel McAdams (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret). Mahershala Ali (Jurassic World Rebirth) and Stephen Dorff (Bride Hard) did the honours, too, followed by Jodie Foster (Nyad) and Kali Reis (Rebuilding). And if the world is lucky, Nicolas Cage (The Surfer) could join that list. Variety is reporting that Cage is in talks to star in True Detective's fifth season — which The Hollywood Reporter notes is expected to arrive in 2027. So far, the only details confirmed include that the new episodes will be set in New York's Jamaica Bay area, and that Tigers Are Not Afraid filmmaker Issa López, who wrote and directed every one episode of True Detective: Night Country, is due to return. [caption id="attachment_793116" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jim Bridges/HBO[/caption] Cage can and has played everyone from Dracula, a man who thinks he's a vampire, himself, a heartbroken lumberjack and an alpaca-milking dad to black-and-white film noir-style Spider-Man, twins, an Elvis obsessive, a terrorist switching faces with an FBI agent, a man everyone dreams about, a serial killer and an Aussie expat who just wants to hit the waves at his childhood beach (and much, much more). A cop on the case in True Detective? It'd be dream casting. The series was renewed for season five after its fourth season dropped in January 2024 and became the most-watched season of the show ever. Across the show's run, it's always been a case of new batch of episodes, new police officers, new case, as the series has been delivering since 2014. "Issa Lopez is that one-of-a-kind, rare talent that speaks directly to HBO's creative spirit. She helmed True Detective: Night Country from start to finish, never once faltering from her own commendable vision, and inspiring us with her resilience both on the page and behind the camera," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, back when season five was revealed. "From conception to release, Night Country has been the most beautiful collaboration and adventure of my entire creative life. HBO trusted my vision all the way, and the idea of bringing to life a new incarnation of True Detective with Casey, Francesca and the whole team is a dream come true. I can't wait to go again," added Lopez. There's obviously no trailer yet for True Detective season five, but check out the full trailer for True Detective: Night Country below: Season five of True Detective doesn't yet have a release date, but we'll update you when more details are announced. True Detective: Night Country streams via Max in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review. Via Variety/The Hollywood Reporter. Top image: Jason Bollenbacher/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images.
Summer in Australia must've treated Kesha well at the beginning of 2025, because she has just confirmed a return visit in 2026. In January, the pop star ventured Down Under for two gigs, playing a House of Kesha show in Sydney and also the Australian Open's music lineup in Melbourne. Next year, she'll be taking to the stage at a series of headline concerts around the country, with stops in four cities confirmed so far. Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth are on the two-time Grammy-nominee's itinerary when she brings The Tits Out tour this way. The gigs are part of the biggest headline run of Kesha's career so far, which kicked off in July 2025 in the US and also has European shows locked in for March 2026. In Australia, Riverstage in the Queensland capital is the singer's first destination, hitting up the venue on Thursday, February 19. She'll also play Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne on Sunday, February 22; Adelaide's AEC Arena on Tuesday, February 24; and Perth HPC on Thursday, February 26. At the time of writing, there's no Sydney gig on the agenda to date — but if you want to start speculating about a Harbour City stop, it's worth noting that Kesha will be in the country during 2026's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It's taking place from Friday, February 13–Sunday, March 1, with the parade on Saturday, February 28. No lineup details have been announced as yet. [caption id="attachment_975223" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendan Walter[/caption] With ten top-ten singles across her career so far, plus six albums under her belt — 2023's Gag Order and 2025's Period among them — Kesha has no shortage of tunes to draw upon live. 'JOYRIDE', 'TiK ToK', 'Only Love Can Save Us Now', 'Your Love Is My Drug', 'Take It Off' and 'We R Who We R' are among the tracks on her current setlist. Kesha is making the trip Down Under in what's already a big month for tours, with February 2026 also welcoming Lorde's Australian shows and seeing G Flip kick off their next national run of gigs. Kesha The Tits Out 2026 Australian Tour Dates Thursday, February 19 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, February 22 — Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, February 24 — AEC Arena, Adelaide Thursday, February 26 — Perth HPC, Perth Kesha is touring Australia in February 2026, with ticket presales from 10am on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 and general sales from 10am on Friday, August 8, 2025 — head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Ryan Bakerink/FilmMagic.
What runs the film world right now? Concert flicks, which are having a big-screen moment again. In the space of mere months, three huge examples of the genre will play cinemas worldwide, much to the delight of folks who like getting their movie and music fix in one go. First comes Taylor Swift's Eras tour concert film in October. In Australia, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense, aka the best concert flick ever made, will return to picture palaces in November. And now RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will do the same worldwide from December. Beyoncé is no stranger to splashing her sets across a screen, after HOMECOMING: A Film By Beyoncé did exactly that on Netflix back in 2019. That movie covered the superstar singer's time on the Coachella stage, and came with a 40-track live album as well. This time, Bey is focusing on her 56-performance, 39-city world RENAISSANCE tour in support of the 2022 album of the same name. Now wrapped up after starting in Stockholm in Sweden in May and finishing in Kansas City, Missouri in the US on Sunday, October 1, the RENAISSANCE tour featured everything from 'Dangerously in Love 2', 'Cuff It', 'Formation' and 'Run the World (Girls)' to 'Crazy in Love', 'Love On Top', 'Drunk in Love' and 'America Has a Problem'. Sadly, audiences in Australia or New Zealand haven't experienced that setlist for themselves, with the tour skipping Down Under shows so far. Accordingly, RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ is the first chance for Bey fans in this part of the world to join in without heading overseas. "When I am performing, I am nothing but free," says Beyoncé in the just-released trailer for the new concert flick, which dropped along with the news that the movie exists. "The goal for this tour was to create a place where everyone is free," the musician continues, in a sneak peek that includes behind-the-scenes glimpses, crowd shots and, of course, spectacular concert footage. RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ charts the tour from its first show until its last, as well as the hard work and technical mastery that went into it on- and off-stage, as 2.7-million-plus fans have seen in person. In North America, it'll hit cinemas on Friday, December 1, and play for at least four weeks from Thursday–Sunday, including in IMAX. Exactly when the film will debut Down Under hasn't been revealed as yet — nor where the movie will screen — but prepare for lift off ASAP afterwards. Check out the trailer for RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ below: RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will start screening in North America from Friday, December 1, with opening dates in other locations still to be announced — we'll update you when Australia and New Zealand details are revealed. Images: Julian Dakdouk / Mason Poole.
