Butter — Sydney's palace of fried chicken, sneakers, champagne and ramen — is adding yet another layer to its already over-the-top offering. It's bringing back its bottomless brunch at both its Surry Hills and Parramatta stores for summer, relaunching on Saturday, December 7 and running every Saturday and Sunday thereafter. On offer are venue's beloved fried chicken, sides and doughnuts, along with an optional 90 minutes of bottomless booze. As is, the brunch banquet ($38 a person) comes with fried chicken wings or mushrooms, fried haloumi and a heap of sides and sauces (including fries, corn, pickles and that gravy). Oh, and you'll get dessert, too — a hot cinnamon doughnut. Known to go all out, the restaurant is also offering three different bottomless booze options. Choose from Chandon blanc de blanc ($39), Hennessy lemon iced tea punch ($50) and Veuve Clicquot ($80). What ever you choose, you'll get endless pours of it for 90 minutes. And, in true Butter style, a limited-edition Butter X Hennessy basketball is also up for grabs — to win it, you'll need to Instagram your brunch and tag @butter. As always, the brunches are sure to get busy, so reserve your spot over here. Butter's bottomless brunch is happening every Saturday and Sunday from 11.30am–3pm at Butter in Surry Hills and Parramatta.
When a filmmaker keeps chiselling away at the same niche, they're called repetitive. When they swap what they know for something new, they're accused of straying past their limits. The supposed ideal seems to sit somewhere in the middle, with directors expected to remain unwaveringly reliable while also serving up constant surprises — even if that very concept defies basic human nature. So what's an acclaimed auteur to do when he appears to be settling into a well-worn groove, as his underwhelming last picture made plain? In Asghar Farhadi's case, he explores the contradiction of trying to be the same yet different, baking the notion into his latest release. With the Spanish-language Everybody Knows, one truth is immediately evident: you can take the Oscar-winner out of his native Iran, but you can't take the familiarity out of his work. The man behind About Elly, A Separation, The Past and The Salesman delights in delving into disharmony in close quarters — into relationships, friendships and family situations where what's left unspoken is as important as what's said, and where complication reigns supreme. The scenarios, characters and narratives vary, and occasionally the countries that his films are set in do as well, however the writer-director's deep dive into complex interactions continues. All of the above proves accurate in this recognisable domestic drama, which is dressed up as a kidnap thriller while shot in sunny hues and scenic locales. If that last sentence seems like a clash of contrasts, that's partly the point, with Everybody Knows examining the foolishness of simultaneously wanting things to change and hoping they remain exactly as they always were. Returning to her Spanish village after establishing a life in Argentina, Laura's (Penélope Cruz) homecoming should be a happy one. She's back for her younger sister Ana's (Inma Cuesta) nuptials, she has her teenage daughter Irene (Carla Campra) and adolescent son Diego (Ivan Chavero) in tow, and everyone from her elderly father Antonio (Ramon Barea) to her ex-lover Paco (Javier Bardem) is delighted by her presence. Of course, no one could've anticipated that Irene would disappear during the lively wedding reception, or that a significant ransom demand would set everyone on edge. When Laura's husband Alejandro (Ricardo Darin) belatedly arrives, he steps into a tempest of flaring tempers and fraying emotions as the close-knit group endeavours to work through their darkest hour. With a name like Everybody Knows, Farhadi's eighth film was always going to hinge upon twists and secrets — of the type that, as the title makes plain, aren't all that twisty and secret at all. For viewers of the director's past work, the minutiae borders on routine, as characters argue about past dalliances, long-held grievances, whispered rumours and deep-seated jealousies, plus a contentious land deal that helped Paco become a successful winemaker. But with Laura's desperation growing, Paco committing to assist however he can, and Alejandro becoming quietly envious of their previous relationship, something else fascinates. In thoughtful and insightful fashion, the movie's main players are all caught between a past they've painted in rosy colours, a present that's fraught with pain, and an idealised future that may never eventuate. Pondering the ripples caused by previous deeds has become a Farhadi trademark, as has upsetting a comfortable vision of life with a challenging alternative, yet the turmoil is both smartly and aptly handled in Everybody Knows. Still, while there's substance behind Farhadi's story and themes, not to mention purpose behind his usual flourishes, Everybody Knows is rarely more than a striving but standard entry on his resume. What helps lift the movie considerably is another of the filmmaker's regular touches, with Farhadi particularly accomplished at wringing excellent performances out of his actors. In roles written specifically for them, Cruz and Bardem show why they've become the English-language film world's go-to Spanish stars, throwing up surprises in their multi-faceted portrayals long after the narrative has stopped doing so. Elsewhere, the soulful Darin demonstrates why he belongs in their company, and there's no false moves among the rest of the cast either. Alas, even with such stellar assistance and intentions, Farhadi often feels as if he's caught between two impulses — between simply doing what he's always done, and giving his fondness for familiarity extra weight and meaning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYMBGiWXoUc
If you're reading this article, you almost certainly know about food and craft beer matching and you may know about locations and craft beer matching, but have you heard of (or tried) books and craft beer matching? There are a number of elements to this growing trend. In the US, for example, book bars are becoming part of the urban landscape. Operating on the same principle as book cafes, only with craft beer instead of coffee, these establishments have a strong craft element. The books stocked are often non-mainstream, much like the beers served to accompany them. Elsewhere in North America — Canada, to be precise — beer and book clubs are being formed "for those who like to read a good book, drink a good beer, and maybe combine the two once in a while". Meeting at various pubs within a certain area, these gatherings bring a craft beer twist to the traditional book club. And then, of course, there’s the internet — where all manner of unlikely combinations get together. You'll find blogs about the right beer to drink while following the adventures of your favourite comic book hero, or about craft beers to match to certain authors. But in sites like Book and Beer, you'll also find recommendations for a particular beer to enjoy with a particular book. (For the record, the author — Jason Hensel, a writer, musician and comedian living in Dallas — reckons American Gods by Neil Gaiman is best enjoyed with a glass of James Squire Jack of Spades Porter.) So which book (or series of books) is best suited to the various beers in the James Squire craft beer range? Get reading and sipping this summer, there's Kerouac-paired beers afoot. F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby "It’s a great advantage not to drink among hard drinking people." Pair with James Squire The Chancer Golden Ale. Joseph Heller: Catch-22 "He knew everything there was to know about literature, except how to enjoy it." Pair with James Squire Jack of Spades Porter. Ian Fleming: The James Bond series "You only live twice: Once when you're born. And once when you look death in the face." Pair with James Squire Four 'Wives' Pilsener. J.R.R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings "Ho! Ho! Ho! to the bottle I go, to heal my heart and drown my woe." Pair with James Squire Nine Tales Amber Ale. Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Crime and Punishment "The darker the night, the brighter the stars." Pair with James Squire One Fifty Lashes Pale Ale. Alexandre Dumas: The Count of Monte Cristo "All human wisdom is contained in these two words: wait and hope." Pair with James Squire Stowaway IPA. Jack Kerouac: On the Road "The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars." Pair with James Squire Orchard Crush Cider. Ian Rankin: The Inspector Rebus series "Rebus drank his coffee and felt his head spin. He was feeling like the detective in a cheap thriller, and wished that he could turn to the last page and stop all his confusion, all the death and the madness and the spinning in his ears." Pair with James Squire The Constable Copper Ale. Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves "Open Sesame!" Pair with James Squire Hop Thief American-style Pale Ale. Jon Cleary: The Sundowners "Do me a favour, will you? If you're gonna be a drover, look like a drover. Get rid of that silly flaming hat." Pair with James Squire Sundown Australian Lager (what else?).
Canberra's legendary music, art and food festival Spilt Milk is set to return for its fourth edition this summer, though this year, the ACT's not the only place that'll be getting a taste of the action. Regional Victoria is also coming to the party, as the festival expands and adds a second Ballarat outing to its bill. Yep, the one-dayer is doubling in size, hitting Canberra's Commonwealth Park on Saturday, November 23, before making its southern debut at Ballarat's Victoria Park on November 30. That should mean twice as many festivalgoers get to join in the fun, which is a win given Spilt Milk tickets have sold out in under 30 minutes every year. If you're interstate and have missed out previously, this could be your chance to score a look-in. And, in even more exciting news, the festival's jam-packed lineup has just dropped. Heading the bill is American R&B star Khalid, who'll be heading Down Under fresh off the back of releasing his chart-topping debut album, Free Spirit. Khalid has also previously collaborated with the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish — and he's only 21. He'll be joined by fellow international artists, Scottish synth-pop trio Chvrches and Chicago rapper Juice Wrld. There's also plenty of homegrown goodness on the menu, with the likes of indie rock band Middle Kids, Triple J Hottest 100 winners Ocean Alley, electro trio Mansionair and Adelaide rapper Allday all set to take the Spilt Milk stage. But the musical lineup's not to be outdone by the rest of the program, with a ripper serve of visual art, tasty eats and pop-up bars on the cards. As well as mojitos on tap, there'll be eats from the likes of Belle's Hot Chicken, Bluebonnet BBQ, Mr Burger and Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteak. [caption id="attachment_724817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Khalid[/caption] In the meantime, here's what you came for — the full lineup for Spilt Milk 2019. SPILT MILK 2019 LINEUP Allday Arno Faraji Bene Choomba Chvrches Confidence Man Dom Dolla Dune Rats G Flip Godlands Golden Features Groove City Illy Juice Wrld Khalid Kota Banks Lastlings Lime Cordiale Mansionair Middle Kids Ocean Alley Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Rat!Hammock (Ballarat only) Running Touch Sippy Teen Jesus & the Jean Teasers (Canberra only) Tones and I Winston Surfshirt SPILT MILK 2019 DATES Canberra — Commonwealth Park, Saturday, November 23 Ballarat — Victoria Park, Saturday, November 30 Spilt Milk 2019 pre-sale tickets are released at 8am on Wednesday, June 12 (you can sign-up for those on the website) with general tickets going on sale at 8am on Thursday, June 13. Top images: Jordan Munns and Billy Zammit.
When temperatures soar, sometimes heading to your nearest beach is the only way to get relief. But when seemingly everyone else in Sydney has the same idea, the thought of battling the crowds for a tiny patch of sand suddenly doesn't sound so appealing. According to new research from Country Road, more than 10 percent of Aussies say a blocked beach view is their biggest pet peeve at the beach. Fortunately, the lifestyle brand is here to help, hosting a free one-day towel takeover on the notoriously bustling Balmoral Beach. Happening from 9am–1pm on Saturday, November 15, beachgoers will discover 100 Country Road towels laid out on the sand featuring uninterrupted views. This way, visitors can enjoy the stunning scenery, no cabana required, while scoring a free towel to take with them on every beachfront adventure this summer and beyond. Conceived as a tongue-in-cheek response to frowned-upon beach habits — think overly loud music, shaking out sandy towels and crowding the view when no one's around — this is your chance to relish one of Sydney's top shorelines without any annoying distractions ruining the serenity. [caption id="attachment_838835" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Gregory, Destination NSW[/caption]
Krinklewood Estate, the Hunter Valley's idyllic, French-inspired biodynamic winery and cellar door, has unveiled the first stage of its transformation into a design-led eco-retreat. Cézan — the breezy new Mediterranean eatery and bar nestled among the estate's vineyards and olive trees — is now open for relaxed daytime dining in a stunning cellar door setting, with a seasonal, produce-led menu designed to pair with Krinklewood's acclaimed organic and biodynamic wines. "Cézan really came from a simple need — where could I find a great, casual lunch in Broke?" says Oscar Martin, owner of Krinklewood Estate. "We imagined a cellar door you'd want to visit a few times a week for incredible food and wine, surrounded by nature, without any of the fuss." That fuss-free menu — curated by Hunter Valley hospo company Fennel & Co. and French chef Marine Faverais (ex-Tetsuya's, Sketch London) — leans into rustic, share-plate dining. Designed for relaxed grazing, the produce-forward menu will change with the seasons, and feature the likes of kingfish crudo, creamy hummus, stracciatella with roasted tomatoes, white anchovies dressed with olive oil and lemon, and flatbreads warm from the oven. Dishes are elevated with produce grown on the estate — plus, you can pair your selection with wines poured in four sizes, from a tasting pour to a full bottle. Cézan is the result of a long-time friendship between Krinklewood owner Oscar Martin and the team behind Fennel & Co., whose thoughtful approach to catering made them a favourite for weddings on the estate (and, from 2026, the ties will deepen further still with Cézan appointed as the exclusive catering partner for all weddings and private events on the estate). It's all part of a broader transformation of Krinklewood under Martin's vision, anchored by a Peter Stutchbury-designed masterplan that includes a 22-room boutique motel, event centre, mineral bathhouse and performance stage, which will sit alongside Cézan and the estate's cellar door. [caption id="attachment_1006274" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Griffen Photography[/caption] Cézan also offers in-room dining for the expanding accommodation, which will include a series of eco-cabins by Dimensions X, a housing start-up co-founded by Martin and Stutchbury. The in-room dining experience will see seasonal menus delivered straight to your door, as well as curated mini bar selections in each room and the opportunity to partake in exclusive chef and sommelier experiences. With its blend of wine, food, design and sustainability, Krinklewood is aiming to be much more than another stop on a weekend winery tour, with plans underway for a broader cultural program encompassing artist residencies, exhibitions and performances. [caption id="attachment_1006276" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Griffen Photography[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1006277" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Griffen Photography[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1006278" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Griffen Photography[/caption] Cézan is now open for brunch through to late lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It's located at Krinklewood Estate, 712 Wollombi Road, Broke. For more information, head to the restaurant's website. Top image: David Griffen Photography.
Melbourne-born artist Buff Diss has been filling the streets with his geometric artworks for the past 14 years. Eschewing paint, he works primarily through the medium of tape to create dextrous designs that are not only striking in and of themselves but also create a "relationship" with the spaces on which they're displayed and present a "conversation with the architecture". Using a street art-like style, Buff Diss occupies a unique space in the art world, swapping the permanence and illegality of spray paint for a more novel approach. And it's with this style that he'll take over the Miller Design Lab — an innovative event series we're hosting with Miller Genuine Draft at Melbourne's SoHigh Gallery, featuring some of the most exciting contemporary artists and musicians Australia has to offer. Here, we talk creative inspirations and aspirations with the artist and about his latest taped-up work to be revealed at the Miller Design Lab on Friday, March 22. A typical work day for Diss starts to the waking call of his infant son. And then it's on to an early surf or skate, coffee, emails, sketching and brainstorming for new projects. "I try to spend as much time with my son as I can, sharing the workload with my wife by balancing projects — [it's] easier said than done," says Diss. "Then [it's a] nice dinner with a good strong red, [and I] put the little fella to bed then catch up on my Feedly." A former computer science student, Buff Diss has turned back to his roots. He's found an interest in the possibilities allowed by augmented reality for two-dimensional artforms and how he can work these into his art. "I'm keen as to set up a Donkey Kong emulation on a mural, where different sections of the painted mural transform to platforms and are populated with playable sprites," muses Diss. "I'm really keen to get back into coding so I can add AR functionality to my future work." But at present, the artist will keep things analog as he takes over every tapeable surface of the Miller Design Lab space on Friday, March 22. Buff Diss' large-scale, bespoke piece will take shape in realtime, as he works and contours tape and linear mesh into bold, graphic murals that represent a map of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee River — the home of Miller Genuine Draft. "I'm mapping out historical aspects of Miller Beer in modern medium," says Diss, distilling his mammoth project into a single line. Each geometric shaping will appear four times alluding to the "four times cold filtered" brewing process of the beer. And at the event, you can watch as he works in response to music and builds to a 'big reveal' moment. With such an interest in architectural terrain, it comes as no surprise that Diss's favourite country is Taiwan, where he completed a project in New Taipei City back in 2015. "It's such a special place, [with] incredibly varied landscapes from mountains, forests and islands," says Diss. "But [it's] the people and the free approach to art there [that's] addictive." Along with his admiration for Taiwan, as well as New York-based streetwear designer Jeff Staples (the global curator of the Miller Design Lab), Diss notes that there's a lot of inspiring stuff coming out of Australia's contemporary and street art scene. He particularly follows the likes of Adelaide street artist Order (aka Seb Humphreys), installation artist Georgia Hill and painters Matthew Fortrose and Laith McGregor. Whenever interstate, Diss makes sure he hits his favourite spots, including Sydney's China Heights Gallery and dining institution Tetsuya's; Hobart's MONA "for the wine" and The Source "for the art"; and Adelaide's Apothecary 1878. At home in Melbourne, it's gnocchi at Lover and ever-changing art at Collingwood's Blackwoods Gallery. Currently reading Musashu by Japanese writer Eiji Yoshikawa, watching Tawainese film The Assassin and listening to British punk-rock band Idles, Diss's interests are seemingly far-spread, both geographically and topically. But a good red wine, he insists, is a constant in his ever-expanding curiosities. As for his future plans? Buff Diss is going more traditional. "Having worked outdoors for so long I'm going to start painting canvas this year. Wish me luck." Images: Kate Shanasy.
Brisbane's hyped-up and Island-signed foursome The Cairos are about to embark on a national tour that you cannot afford to miss but certainly can afford to attend. Immediately following a national support slot for Sydney big timers The Holidays, the triple j Unearthed-winning newbies to Island Records are taking their celebrated sound across the country with their own headliner tour. The Brissy lads are keeping the motor running off the back of releasing their brand new debut album Dream of Reason. Tracks 'Desire' and 'We All Buy Stars' just scream "hear me live" and if the feedback coming out of their recent Asia tour is anything to go by, this is going to be one of the most justified sub $30 spends this year (now you can't even use budget-related gripes as an excuse to not go). Plus they just got a new keyboard. Now you're really obliged to head along. Make sure to get there early as Chinese psych band Nova Heart kicks things off. Seems Beijing psychedelia proves a perfect support pairing ahead of the Brisbane up-and-comers, so pop in early for a crispy Good God cocktail and a fully-fledged bliss out. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LAsjO3UIUsY
Since 2005, Jodie Van Der Velden and her team at Josophan's Fine Chocolates have been perfecting and expanding their craft as talented chocolatiers in the little town of Leura in the Blue Mountains. It was only a matter of time before visiting Sydney-siders begged the team to move closer to home. It's easy to rush past this little store hidden on the corners of King and York Street. Just like its signature ganache-filled gourmet chocolates, the tiny store is deceptively discreet but full of delicious surprises inside. Josophan's fine chocolates are made on base in Leura with sustainable fair trade certified Callebaut Belgian couverture chocolate, along with French boutique manufacturer Michel Cluizel's single plantation chocolate. They have made a name for themselves as a pioneer in matching usual fresh ingredients with scrumptious results. Forget plain white, milk and dark chocolates. Customers can choose from a range of combinations such as strawberry and balsamic, honey and saffron, mango and chilli or caramel, pineapple and coconut ($1.90 each). They even have a dairy and gluten free chocolate on offer; a hazelnut praline with caramelised crunchy cacao nibs, dipped in dark chocolate. If you must choose only one handcrafted chocolate, make it the award-winning basil and lime encased in rich dark chocolate. There is a wide range of chocolate goodies on offer to take home also. The staff always have a sample of one of their chocolate blocks or slabs on offer and don't even mind if you go in for seconds. Bags of chocolate covered homemade honeycomb (45g $4.75, 95g $7.95), almond and orange crunch (80g $7.95) as well as a range of drinking chocolates (250g $16.95) are displayed on silver cake stands or French cabinets under a glistening chandelier. The self-proclaimed best ice cream topping in the world, a chocolatery, crunchy mix of deliciousness to sprinkle over ice cream, in original, caramel, orange and strawberry flavours might just live up to its name (250g $19.95, 125g $9.95). At the very least, it will make the ideal dinner guest gift. On Friday September 28 the Australia Pastry Team, fresh off a win at the Asian Pastry Cup competition in Singapore, will be remastering their winning chocolate showpiece live in store. If you've ever wondered how a section of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House sails with the obligatory fireworks can be made from chocolate, there's no better time to wander by and marvel at the chocolate on hand.
The trend may be for live venues to open casual eateries, but if there was one place we thought would stay posh to the last, it was the Sydney Opera House. Yet now its tenant of 12 years, the illustrious Guillaume Brahimi, has announced he will not be submitting a tender for the site this year, leaving its million-dollar views open to those with a ten-buck ambition. "Our goal was always to run one of the best restaurants in the country, befitting such an iconic venue," said Brahimi in a press release. "The Opera House Trust is now seeking a bistro-style restaurant, cafe and bar. This clearly involves a very different vision." He said it had been their privilege to serve over half a million guests since Guillaume at Bennelong opened in 2001. The restaurant is a Sydney icon and has won 25 hats from the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide over the years, currently holding two. However, Brahimi's formal establishment is also a 'special occasion' restaurant for most, so it's understandable the Opera House Trust might seek something more capable of catering to the diverse audiences who visit for opera, theatre, concerts, festivals and talks. The Sydney Theatre Company now has its all-accommodating Bar at the End of the Wharf and Carriageworks has the cool Cornerstone (both operated by Fresh Catering) — will the Opera House swing the same way? Meanwhile, Brahimi isn't disappearing; he and his team are making busy plans that will be announced in the coming months, so we hope to see them emerge in a new incarnation in Sydney soon. Until then, you have six months to enjoy Guillaume at Bennelong before they shut up shop at the end of 2013.
However you identify, we hope your feed is filled with rainbows and eco glitter this week as we gear up to celebrate Mardi Gras on Saturday, March 6. Whether you're going to events in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane — or staying home to watch the parade on SBS — you can share the love and pride with the LGBTQIA+ community on TikTok. We've teamed up with the social media platform to bring you these six pride-filled videos to help get you pumped for the parade. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@itsbybrandon/video/6921305046323842306[/embed] Epic transformations are par for the course on TikTok, so how do you stand out from the crowd? @itsbybrandon does it time and time again with their colourful, creative and often unexpected makeup transitions. And, they lip sync like a pro. Take inspiration from this rainbow effect eyeshadow for your Mardi Gras celebrations this weekend. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@dom.skii/video/6930381557991542017[/embed] Proving that exceptional makeup talent isn't in short supply, @dom.skii brings us a second inspirational transformation clip full of pride. As Lady Gaga puts it, "Don't be a drag, just be a queen." [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/foryou?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v2#/@emmahorn/video/6929595838914186497[/embed] Emma Horn jumped on the Domino Lovers TikTok Challenge with her girlfriend, and how can you not beam with pride watching them dance together? Emma's TikTok is full of hilarious reaction videos and relatable content, so if you're in need of a pick-me-up, check out her channel. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@the_dancing_farmer/video/6928677043387272450[/embed] Bretty G, aka @the_dancing_farmer, says they're here to spread love and positivity. Here they do it with an enviable pair of pins and a fabulous strut in the countryside dirt. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@tomi.queen/video/6930570843546209538[/embed] In one of our favourite videos in the 'I'm So Pretty' makeup transition trend, Sydney drag queen Tomi shows us how it's done. If Reyanna Maria isn't on your Mardi Gras playlist for this weekend, rectify that now. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@kevininthecity/video/6931856237550193921[/embed] Sydney's Glitter King, @kevininthecity, isn't afraid to shine like a mirror ball. Here, they give us a masterclass in standing out from the crowd in one bold block of colour. Look out for Kevin in the City at this year's Mardi Gras Parade, as their face will be part of TikTok's official float alongside singer-songwriter G Flip. Download TikTok to watch more, and use the hashtag #JoinOurFloat to be part of TikTok's Mardi Gras float. Top image: Jeffrey Feng; Destination NSW
A 90s-style thriller that'd sit comfortably alongside Single White Female, Greta boasts one major attraction. It's never a chore to watch the great Isabelle Huppert on screen, and it's hardly unusual to see the 2017 Oscar nominee dive into unsettling territory, but this stalker tale adds more than just another title to her resume. For anyone who's ever wanted to witness the French acting icon being wheeled out of an upmarket New York restaurant in a straightjacket, spit gum menacingly at Chloë Grace Moretz or dance gleefully in stockinged feet while waving a gun around, this is the film for you. And while Greta never lives up to its star's efforts, or to its twisty, pulpy, trashy potential, it's just unhinged enough to mostly entertain — as long as you're willing to go along with it. As co-written by director Neil Jordan (Byzantium) and screenwriter Ray Wright (The Crazies), Greta's story is simple, involving a new NYC resident, a green handbag and a good deed gone wrong. When Frances McCullen (Moretz) spots an abandoned purse on a subway seat, she does the right thing and tracks down its owner. "Where I come from, that's what we do," the Boston native tells her incredulous roommate Erica (Maika Monroe), who suggests pocketing the contents instead. Serving up a fresh pot of coffee as a thank you, the eponymous Greta Hideg (Huppert) is immensely grateful for Frances' efforts, and a surrogate mother-daughter relationship springs between the two women. All's fine and well when they're rescuing a stray dog from the pound, catching up in the park and eating dinner together. But when Frances starts to doubt Greta's motives, the situation gets creepy very quickly. The loneliness of 21st-century city living is a fascinating and endlessly relevant topic — we've never been more crowded physically and more connected virtually, yet feeling isolated has hardly been relegated to the past. A thematically slight film, that's not Greta's main concern, even as it follows two characters who are well acquainted with the aforementioned sensation. Greta and Frances' general emotional wellbeing barely troubles the movie, and nor do their backstories, other than giving the duo absent family members that they're clearly trying to replace with each other. Here, what's happening is more important than the reasons behind it. Indeed, why the titular character behaves the way she does is given much less attention than her crazy actions and reactions — and let's just say that she doesn't respond nicely to discovering that her new friendship is under threat. As a result, Greta favours the mechanics of its cat-and-mouse narrative over any potential meaning. Really, the latter is straightforward: don't trust strangers. No really, don't. Not every film needs to overflow with depth, and there's a valuable truth in the movie's refusal to justify its craziness — sometimes horrible things happen without a satisfactory or extraordinary explanation, and sometimes seemingly ordinary, benign people are anything but. Still, the effect can be distancing. Although Huppert and Moretz both put in committed performances, there's very little reason to get invested in Greta's characters, their fight or their fates. Seasoned horror fans know this predicament well, with plenty of routine scary movies simply fine to journey from point A to point B without worrying about much of substance. To go through the motions, in other words. What makes Greta engaging isn't the film's story, which is sparse overall while also proving off-kilter and even preposterous at times. Rather, it's the fact that Jordan knows exactly what he's doing. A standard handbag that's made well still catches the eye, after all, as Frances learns and Greta uses to her advantage. With genre flicks such as The Company of Wolves and Interview with the Vampire to his name, the Irish filmmaker is happy to make the most of genre conventions, executing the expected twists and slick, moody style with a confidence that occasionally veers into winking at the audience. He's taking his cues from his antagonist: leaving something average yet alluring enough in plain view and tempting audiences to try their luck. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK5pUVT-Sy4
Catch iiiiiiiiit! If summer for you was all about hitting the crease and making sure you yelled "out" as loudly as possible, you'll want to stop hitting refresh on your email and take a little break to reminisce over the good times. Together with TikTok, who ran a summer-long activation called #ClassicCatch in Australia, we've picked out five TikTok videos that have us wishing we'd spent more time perfecting our bowl. Here are five legends who did just that, showing us how to land the perfect catch on the sand to hitting a six in the sweltering Aussie heat. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@fairmoodz/video/6785779214101630214?lang=en[/embed] According to TikTok maker and photographer Joel (@fairmoodz), old mate Doug here has never played cricket before, yet he smashes it — only to be caught out. What a catch. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@harlsmalone/video/6745028181704625413?lang=en[/embed] What can we say? Harley has clearly been smashing the Weet-Bix for brekkie. No, you didn't just flip the dial to Channel Nine, @harlsmalone has only gone and given his beach cricket match an upgrade to professional level with a little audio. And why the hell not? Did you see that catch? Right between his teeth. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@kaybawa/video/6716017780166102277[/embed] Melbourne-based TikToker Kaybawa has opted for some truly inspired slo-mo action to show off his sweet bowling skills. He's also paired it with R Nait's beats, a stormy looking sky and the facial expression of a master. What a ledge. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@cricketdistrict/video/6900918387866619138[/embed] Hear that encouraging clap? These cricktokkers are not messing around. Cricket District posts hours of spins, bowls and LOLs on its page. This mid-air catch is a classic. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@bigmads/video/6813258573473238277[/embed] One of our personal faves, AFLW player Maddi Newman isn't just an all-rounder on the sports field but she's also a fan of Lizzo. Here, she brings three loves together in one clip (her dad, cricket and Lizzo) to show it ain't just the fellas hitting it out of the backyard this summer. Onya, Maddi. Download TikTok to watch more #ClassicCatch videos and look for TikTok's cricket themed activations in your city. Top image: Lochie Blanch; Unsplash
If you've seen the Disney Pixar film Up, chances are this picture is causing you a bit of déjà vu. As part of a new National Geographic television series, How Hard Can It Be, a team of scientists, engineers and balloon pilots recreated the scene from the hit flick in which 78 year-old Carl Frederickson escapes the ennui of his retirement home by tying balloons to his house and flying far away. Ben Howie, executive producer of the show, said the team "found it is actually close to impossible to fly a real house". After two weeks of intense planning, the team was successful in using an enormous cluster of helium balloons to lift a small, lightweight dwelling with several people inside. Each balloon required an entire tank of helium for inflation, and the house rose to a height of 3,500 metres, remaining airborne for around one hour. https://youtube.com/watch?v=C71rb-4_bOk [Via NOTCOT]
Over the past decade, streaming has become a firm part of every film and TV fan's life — providing more viewing choices, more places to find movies and television shows, and more excuses to spend hours and hours on the couch. But, it has also sparked a familiar dilemma. Too often, thanks to all of the options available, it's easy to while more time deciding what to check out next than actually watching something. Netflix is planning to release a solution to this problem in 2021, via a new feature. Due to rollout globally across the platform in the first half of the year, it's basically a shuffle function — and will automatically pick something for you to watch, rather than letting you keep scrolling and scrolling (and scrolling) trying to make a decision. The streaming platform revealed the news as part of its latest update to investors about its 2020 earnings, noting that the feature "gives members the ability to choose to instantly watch a title chosen just for them". Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer Greg Peters said that the function would allow Netflix subscribers to indicate "that they just want to skip browsing entirely, click one button and we'll pick a title for them just to instantly play". Obviously, it seems that Netflix will be drawing upon its algorithm — as aided by your past viewing choices — to take your viewing choices out of your hands. It won't be called "I'm feeling lucky", Peters also noted, but that's the approach it'll be asking subscribers to go with in terms of finding something to watch next. The company has been testing this type of functionality in various forms over the past few years — and the concept is hardly new, as users of music streaming services know. In France at the end of 2020, Netflix also trialled a linear channel, which just played films and shows one after the other in the way that broadcast television does; however, Peters said that it is currently "unclear how that's going to work out". The idea behind these new features — whether they're just being trialled, or they're due to become permanent — is to keep people watching and encourage more folks to join up as subscribers, of course. More and more new streaming services pop up all the time, all vying for your eyeballs, or so it feels at least. That's also the reason that Netflix introduced its Top Ten lists in 2020, if you've been wondering why the platform started telling you that everyone was watching Tiger King, The Queen's Gambit and The Midnight Sky. Netflix's new shuffle feature is due to launch sometime in the first half of 2021 — we'll update you when more details are announced.
In 2022, beloved social enterprise Two Good Co opened a cafe and convenience store in Darlinghurst's Yirranma Place. The venue provides Sydneysiders with tasty breakfast and lunch options, as well as products from local ethically minded businesses such as Hunter Candles and Gelato Messina — all while raising funds to help Two Good's goal of supporting vulnerable women by providing pathways out of crisis living. Each month at the cafe, the crew brings in a well-known and well-loved chef or culinary team to create special one-off menu items. Kylie Kwong, Maggie Beer, Peter Gilmore and Matt Moran have all been on curating duties in the past, and the month of November 2023 sees the pleasure fall on acclaimed chef and award-winning restaurateur Mitch Orr. Orr is known for the influential but now-closed restaurant ACME, and his current work as Head Chef of Kiln at the Ace Hotel. A purveyor of all things innovative yet unpretentious, Orr brings a flavour-forward approach to Two Good Co's monthly menu. Available throughout November, the menu features two no-fuss lunch items and a little sweet treat. Orr's selections kick off with a stacked toastie — putting a creative spin on the familiar fave — starring generous slices of mortadella, smoky roasted peppers and melted provolone sandwiched between two slices of thick white toast. Also available: a fresh cucumber, piel de sapo and enoki salad accompanied by rice noodles and topped with a hot and sour dressing — a great vego lunch option. Rounding out the offerings is a decadent dessert. Indulge in a serving of black sesame tiramisu for smooth, velvety goodness with balanced sweetness. If you want to sample the menu, just head over to 262 Liverpool Street at some point this month.
Over the past two years, the Odd Culture Group has been busy. To name just a few of its endeavors, the hospitality team has brought back the beloved Duke of Enmore, opened its flagship King Street wine bar, given The Old Fitz's kitchen a huge revamp, and helped redesign the drinks menu at Club 77 as part of the iconic nightclub's resurgence. Most recently, Odd Culture has turned its attention to Petersham stalwart The Oxford Tavern, giving the beloved neighborhood pub its biggest aesthetic and culinary makeover in a decade. If you didn't notice The Tav close down for renovations — that's because it didn't. The pub is being worked on bit by bit while the other areas remain in use, and the first section of the major overhaul has been unveiled — a sleek and spacious front bar paying homage to the venue's history and a new look food and drinks menu. As you enter you'll be greeted by this expansive dining room boasting moody lighting, original Oxford Tavern neon signs and a photo wall dedicated to past iterations and memories of the New Canterbury Road spot. Gone is the stage, providing the bar with more room for dining, while also providing the owners the option to clear the tables and create a flowing open space for events and gigs. With the front-bar stage, the focus on American-style barbecue on the menu has also left. "We felt it was time to move away from the American BBQ focus which really enjoyed a golden era over the last decade," Odd Culture Group's Executive Chef James MacDonald said. "We've moved to an elevated and modern pub menu with classics done well that have more of a world influence rather than just the USA." Fans of The Tav's smoked meats need not worry though, the beer garden's smoker will still be in full use whipping up chicken wings, beef for brisket pies and lamb for the incredibly moreish lamb and feta pappardelle. And, thankfully the pub's beloved Sunday roast also isn't going anywhere. Elsewhere on the menu, there are two styles of dishes essential to a good pub menu — top-notch mains and crowd-pleasing share plates to enjoy over a drink. Snack-wise, you can't go past the taramasalata with bread fresh off the grill. There's also smoked eggplant dip, curry-spiced cauliflower, zesty salt and pepper squid, and chicken liver pate. Turn to the mains and you can go the expected route — chicken schnitzel, steak or fish of the day — or you can head down the path less traveled in the realm of pub feeds. There's half-a-kilo of mussels or the aforementioned pappardelle, and the ricotta ravioli in brown sage butter is reminiscent of the simple but irresistible dishes you'd find at Sydney's top Italian restaurants. Completing the new-look Oxford Tavern is the drinks — a specialty of the Odd Culture Group. The wine list is varied but not intimidating, jumping around from classic drops to funky varieties including pét-nats, chilled reds and orange wines. There's a playful array of house cocktails including frozen margaritas and the must-try puncheon sour made with Jameson Black Barrel. And, the juicer can be fired up to make the Sydney favourite, a fresh apple juice with your choice of whiskey or rum. "There's nothing better than being able to eat and drink seriously well at your local boozer and this is what we do best," Odd Culture Group Beverage Manager Jordan Blackman said. The renovations will continue to unfold over time, with the next stage of renovations will see the wall between the back bar and the beer garden opened up with bifold doors. The Oxford Tavern is located at 1 New Canterbury Road, Petersham. It's open midday–midnight Monday–Thursday, midday–2am Friday, midday–3am Saturday and midday–10pm Sunday. Images: Kitti Gould
Tuesday, February 17, marks the 2026 Lunar New Year: a time for family feasts, good fortune, well-wishing, and a fresh start. For Lotus Dining Group executive chef Steve Wu, it's his favourite time of year. "To me, it is a celebration dedicated entirely to family and connection. A holiday where relatives who haven't seen each other in a long while gather to share meals filled with blessings." Steve grew up in Tainan, the oldest city in Taiwan, a place renowned worldwide for its incredible food culture and warm hospitality. While Steve has been based in Sydney since 2012 and is now the chef behind local restaurants Pearl Dining, Lotus and the Dumpling Bar in Circular Quay and Summer Hill, his culinary roots reach back to his childhood. "My mother was a traditional housewife who mastered the craft passed down from my grandmother. Every festival, she would hand-make everything — from Nian Gao (rice cakes) to Zongzi — using the most traditional methods," Steve tells Concrete Playground. "Watching my mother cook and helping her transform raw ingredients into a festive feast was the most captivating thing to me. That process is truly what inspired me to become a professional chef." Lunar New Year in Australia may look different from the festivities of his childhood, but Steve is still using food to reconnect with his culture. "Nowadays, you see major events and activities all over Sydney, and even Western restaurants have started incorporating Lunar New Year elements into their menus. It's become a shared experience for all Australians," says Steve. "For Chinese restaurants, this is the busiest period of the year, so we celebrate in the thick of the action. However, on my rare days off, I love heading to Yummy Seafood in Beverly Hills for a proper Chinese feast." To celebrate the 2026 Lunar New Year, Steve has created a recipe for Pan-Fried John Dory Fillet made with S&B Golden Curry. The pre-mix sauce lets you easily recreate restaurant-quality flavour at home this Lunar New Year, and the sauce's golden hue fits the festive theme. "In Chinese culture, we have a saying: "Nian Nian You Yu" (年年有餘), which means "May there be a surplus every year." Because the word for fish (Yu) sounds exactly like the word for surplus, a fish dish is an absolute must-have on the table to bring good fortune." If you want to try the dish yourself this Lunar New Year, follow Steve's recipe below. PAN-FRIED JOHN DORY FILLET Ingredients: 200g of John Dory fillet (if you can't find John Dory fillet, any type of fish works well) Plain Flour (as needed) Pinch of S&B Seasoned Salt and Pepper 2 cubes of S&B Golden Curry Mild 92g 200 ml of chicken stock 1/4 piece of onion, diced 50g of diced carrot Olive or vegetable oil (as needed) Steamed rice (as needed, for serving) Pickled red ginger Method: To Prepare the Fish Use paper towels to pat the fillet dry. Season both sides of the fillets with a pinch of S&B Seasoned Salt and Pepper. Place plain flour on a plate. Dredge the fish fillets to coat them evenly with a thin layer, then shake off any excess. Make the Golden Curry Heat a small amount of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion and carrot for 2–3 minutes until soft and translucent. Pour in the 200 ml of stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cook for 10 minutes with the lid. Add the 2 S&B Golden Curry cubes. Stir until the cubes are completely dissolved and the sauce is smooth. Turn the heat back to low, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. Keep warm. Pan-Fry the Fish Fillets Heat a clean frying pan, then add the oil over medium heat. Carefully place the coated fish fillet into the hot oil. Pan-fry each side for about 3–4 minutes, or until the exterior is golden brown. Remove the fillets and place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Plating and Serving Ladle the hot Golden Curry Sauce in the middle of the plate. Place the pan-fried John Dory fillet on top of the curry sauce, served with pickled ginger. Serve with rice. Steve's top tip? "Chop up the Golden Curry cubes before you put them in the pan to prevent them from burning. And if there's any curry left on the plate, get some bread and scoop it up — you won't regret it" Feeling inspired by Steve's recipe? For the tenth year in a row, Asian Inspirations is hosting the Lunar New Year Cook Snap Win competition. There are $20,000 in prizes to be won, including the grand prize: the ultimate foodie travel adventure for two. Head to the Asian Inspiration website to learn how you could win big. Discover more recipes. Image credit: Josh Mullins
Back with a new lease on life, Sydney's oldest pub, the Fortune of War, is ready to receive guests again almost 200 years after it first opened. Relaunching with the new 60-seat Bistro 1828 and an expansive breakfast offering, this storied venue's next chapter is bound to be a bright one in its enduring history. Nestled in a heritage-listed building, two neighbouring retail stores and a bar were carefully transformed to create the new bistro, with its name serving as a nod to the year former convict Samuel Terry founded this venerable institution. While the venue has been revamped, maintaining its old-world character was a vital consideration for WDS Hotels group co-owner Steve Speed. Inside, design details reflect the building's immense legacy, from beaten copper panelling to 19th-century medicine bottles and old maps. Says Speed: "We had outgrown the previous space, so by opening Bistro 1828, more people are able to enjoy the historic charm, character and sense of community that accompanies every visit to Sydney's oldest pub." From its home on the corner of George and Globe Streets, the bar offers a mix of high, table and bench seating. Slide into the Italian leather banquettes to sip down a cold brew as the sun streams in through the stained-glass windows. Then, in the main dining room, floor-to-ceiling windows and an elevated rear space provide several cosy spots to suit your mood. Meanwhile, a new open kitchen slots between these zones, significantly increasing the venue's capabilities, with an extensive breakfast offering an exciting addition. Led by new Executive Chef Mark Williamson (The Woollahra Hotel), the menu spans classic and signature options, like avo on toast, eggs benedict and breakfast burgers, alongside the Fortune of War big breakfast. Plus, there's a new bloody mary made with the pub's secret recipe set to give your day a boost. "Going out for breakfast is such an Australian tradition, so we're thrilled to now offer it at this iconic location, whether you're enjoying it as part of your hotel stay or passing by," says Speed. The venue's all-day dining menu has also been expanded and elevated, with guests welcome to order from it in the original pub, Bistro 1828 or amid the sunny alfresco area. Regulars will be happy to know that much-loved favourites like the beef and Guinness stew and the fish and chips are still on the menu, while Williamson has added fresh salads, pastas and shared starters. Meanwhile, a Sunday roast will be served in the near future. The Fortune of War's accommodation has also received a complete renovation, with the upstairs Russell Boutique Hotel ready for bookings. Featuring 28 rooms with unique designs, each offers a sophisticated blend of modern comforts and vintage charm, from antique furnishings to marble fireplaces. "[The Fortune of War] has been a destination watering hole for almost 200 years, and this renovation will ensure it stays that way for the next 200," says Speed. Bistro 1828 is open daily from 7am–late, while the Fortune of War opens from 9am at 137 George St, The Rocks. Head to the website for more information. Images: Kitti Gould / David Li.
Seven people. That's the maximum capacity in The Vault, Kimpton Margot Sydney's new pop-up speakeasy that can seat no more than six guests at a time. Hidden within the bowels of the heritage-listed building — more specifically, in the former Water Board Building's original bank vault — this properly tiny bar is tucked beneath the hotel's expansive lobby (pictured below), and is now serving up a selection of drams from boutique Tasmanian distillery Lark. The Vault clocks in at just 8.5 square metres — for the visual learners among us, that makes it roughly half the size of celebrated pocket-sized Sydney cocktail den Cantina OK!. What The Vault lacks in physical size, however, it more than makes up for in experience, setting the mood with low lighting, heritage shelves lined with bottles and a single whisky barrel table. Open through to the end of July, The Vault is dedicated entirely to whisky tastings, showcasing four premium drams by internationally celebrated Tasmanian distillery Lark. The lineup has been curated by founder Bill Lark, and includes the Chinotto Cask, Classic Cask, Peated Whisky and a limited-edition Dark Lark single malt with rich notes of papaya, fig pudding, berry compote and maple-glazed almonds. The drams have been selected to sip back to back and are served alongside seasonal canapes by chef Luke Mangan of the hotel's Luke's Kitchen. Each one-hour tasting session is $110, but whisky aficionados can opt to elevate their experience even further with a taste of Lark's Mizunara Rare Oak Cask — a Japanese-inspired drop matured in coveted Mizunara oak — for an additional $60. [caption id="attachment_920155" align="alignnone" width="1947"] Kimpton Margot Sydney[/caption] The Vault hosts two daily sessions from Wednesday to Sunday, but with space at such a premium, bookings are essential. It's a more than worthy standalone experience, but it can also be tacked onto dinner plans at Luke's Kitchen upstairs. Come August, the space will transform into a rum-focused bar — but for now, this subterranean experience should become a winter must-visit for whisky lovers and the whisky-curious alike. The Vault is now open at Kimpton Margot Sydney. The one-hour sessions take place Wednesday–Saturday at 6pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 4pm and 6pm, until Thursday, July 31. Bookings are essential. For more information, head to the venue's website.
Wheelhaus, on Enmore Road, specialised in bicycles from select manufacturers, including Focus, Cervélo and Stoemper, as well as clothing and saddle bags by Attaquer. Road, gravel and cyclocross (CS) bikes are this store's, er, wheelhouse. It reserves bikes, like Cervélo's Aspero 2021, ahead of time, and makes for a pretty punk place to pick up new wheels. [caption id="attachment_777023" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] As well as ordering in small batches of the latest cycles, the shop is well-stocked with accessories like tie-dye jerseys made by owner Greg Hamer's line of cycling clothing, which is designed in Sydney, made in Italy. It's also a nice shop to pop into on your way to Enmore Park, which is close enough by when you want to take your new bike for a test ride. Image: Cassandra Hannagan
The Sydney Design Festival will return from March 1–10, showcasing the best in Australian and international design in a whopping 138 events taking place across the city. Curated by Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS), this year's festival theme is 'accessing design' — a challenge to broaden the term's definition — and spans tours, workshops, exhibitions, panel discussions, makers markets and podcasts. The festivities will begin with Methodic Optimism, a talk by award-winning architect Ana Luisa Soares, who hails from Portugal's Fala Atelier design firm. Additional highlighted speakers include Rachel Wingfield of London studio Loop.pH, preeminent Japanese-Australian fashion designer Akira Isogawa, and blind design practitioner Duncan Meerding. Other discussions topics include cultural and social development, aged care and housing, issues of accessibility and a new age of recycling. You'll want to visit the Powerhouse Museum, if not just to check out the immersive Agora installation. Commissioned by the museum and created by architecture film Penhale and Winter, the space acts as a meeting place for those interested in design and science. As far as exhibitions go, an interactive musical installation has been created by MAAS Research Fellow Ollie Bown, and will be on display at the Australian Design Centre for the duration of the festival. Over at the Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre, a new program will explore the Tasmanian Aboriginal cultural practice of delicate shell necklaces. Plus, Golden Age Cinema will present Jiro Dreams of Sushi, the Australian Design Centre will host a makers market and a live podcast recording of In Situ Science will take place on March 6. Yes, it's a lot to sort through. Luckily MAAS has also provided these festival itineraries, which focus on certain topics of interest, such as women in design, indigenous design and shaping the future. Image: Atmeture by Loop.
Mike Hudson is a singer-songwriter whose alt rock/folk style is loaded with rich vocals (think a young Joe Cocker/Rod Stewart) and bliss-inducing melodies that will literally warm your insides. Seriously, this guy is soulful. His musical influences include John Butler Trio, Sting and the Police, and Cat Stevens, but Mike's style is all his own. His music has been described as sounding almost familiar, not because it's overly derivative but rather because the composition, the melodies, the rhythm, the voice are just so right that you almost recognise them. Let's call it prescient familiarity. I promise you'll know exactly what I'm talking about once his music has seduced your ears and nestled itself comfortably into your playlist de jour. Just like it's always been there. After releasing his album Enigmatic to glowing reviews in 2009, he is now unleashing his new EP We Live in Colour onto the world, supported by Sam Jones and Kids of yesterday. Beach Road Tuesday night. See you there.
Keen to break up your working week with a trip to the cinema, but your wallet doesn't want to play ball? Call Dendy's latest special a case of great timing, then. Every Tuesday until May 31, the Newtown cinema is making its Budget Tuesdays deal even cheaper — with all regular tickets costing $10 no matter what you see, and Dendy Lounge sessions costing $15. If you're wondering what to watch, you've got options. Current releases include Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and Morbius, if you're keen on either long-running wizarding franchises or Spider-Man spinoffs — and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, The Batman and Dune, too. Or, there's heist antics with The Duke, moving dramas Nowhere Special and Belfast, stunning documentary River, Oscar-winner Drive My Car, horror gem X, the Tilda Swinton-starring Memoria and the glorious Paul Thomas Anderson-directed Licorice Pizza as well. You can score the cheap tickets in person at the cinema or online, although the latter will cost you an extra booking fee.
A backstage tribute to an iconic TV series. The sequel to a huge horror hit. Amy Adams transforming into a dog. A portrait of an indie band as unique as the group itself. Disquieting filmmaking becoming a family affair. If you're heading to SXSW Sydney in 2024, you'll be able to tick all five of the above boxes, all in the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival's headline slots. When it returns for its second year, the film- and TV-focused fest within the broader SXSW Sydney will feature Saturday Night, Smile 2, Nightbitch, The Front Room and Pavements. Everything except the latter is a new addition to a program that's been unveiling titles on its roster for a few months, so you've now got more movies to fit into your schedule across Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20. Directed by Juno, Young Adult, Tully and Ghostbusters: Afterlife's Jason Reitman, Saturday Night recreates how SNL's first-ever episode came to be. The Fabelmans' Gabriel LaBelle plays Lorne Michaels, leading a cast that includes Dylan O'Brien (Fantasmas) as Dan Aykroyd, Ella Hunt (Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1) as Gilda Radner, Matthew Rhys (IF) as George Carlin and Matt Wood (Instinct) as John Belushi as well. Also featuring in Saturday Night: Finn Wolfhard (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Rachel Sennott (The Idol), Kaia Gerber (Palm Royale), JK Simmons (The Union), Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza), Lamorne Morris (Fargo), Nicholas Braun (Dream Scenario) and Willem Dafoe (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice). And yes, at SXSW Sydney, the film is indeed screening on a Saturday evening. If you got creeped out by Smile back in 2022, you won't be surprised that the unnerving flick has spawned a new chapter. This time, Naomi Scott (Anatomy of a Scandal) stars as a pop star caught up in the chaos around the worst grin you can see. To chat about it, returning director Parker Finn is heading to the fest to present the film, too. Nightbitch hails from The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Can You Ever Forgive Me? and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood filmmaker Marielle Heller, and stars Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) as a stay-at-home mum who turns canine. And as for the already-announced Pavements, it sees filmmaker Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) focus on the band Pavement via an experimental blend of documentary, narrative, musical and more. Then there's The Front Room, aka one of two upcoming pictures from the Eggers family. While The Witch, The Lighthouse and The Northman's Robert Eggers has his own take on Nosferatu on the way, his siblings Max and Sam have made their feature directorial debut with this A24-backed and Brandy (Best. Christmas. Ever!)-led affair about a pregnant woman doing battle with her mother-in-law (Kathryn Hunter, Poor Things). One of Saturday Night, Smile 2, Nightbitch, The Front Room and Pavements will screen nightly across the fest's Tuesday–Saturday dates. Wondering about the Monday? There's more news to come, with SXSW Sydney's 2024 Screen Festival opening-night film still to be announced. Elsewhere, as seen in past lineup announcements, 2024's SXSW Sydney Screen Festival spans cults, cat-loving animation and Christmas carnage thanks to Azrael, Ghost Cat Anzu and Carnage for Christmas. Movie lovers can also look forward to Ilana Glazer (The Afterparty)-led mom-com Babes; Audrey starring Jackie van Beek (Nude Tuesday); coming-of-age tale DiDi; the maximum-security prison-set Sing Sing with Colman Domingo (Drive-Away Dolls); and Inside, which features Guy Pearce (The Clearing), Cosmo Jarvis (Shōgun) and Toby Wallace (The Bikeriders). There's also doco Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird, spending time with At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala; Teaches of Peaches, which goes on tour with its namesake; the Lucy Lawless (My Life Is Murder)-directed doco Never Look Away about CNN camerawoman Margaret Moth; Peter Dinklage (Unfrosted) and Juliette Lewis (Yellowjackets) lead western-thriller The Thicket; and Aussie documentary Like My Brother, about four aspiring AFLW players from the Tiwi Islands. The list goes on, with The Most Australian Band Ever! about the Hard-Ons, That Sugar Film and 2040 filmmaker Damon Gameau's Future Council, and Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts from Barbecue and We Don't Deserve Dogs' Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker also set to screen. SXSW Sydney 2024 runs from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details.
Fresh from starring in page-to-screen Australian series Invisible Boys, Aussie actor Joseph Zada is headed to the arena. Hunger Games fans, meet young Haymitch. When the franchise's latest book Sunrise on the Reaping becomes its next movie — with the latter due to hit cinemas in 2026 — Zada will be in its key role. Two crucial pieces of casting have been announced for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping: Zada following in Woody Harrelson's (Fly Me to the Moon) footsteps as Haymitch Abernathy, plus Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl) as the character's girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird. Together, they'll be helping take the saga back to 24 years before Abernathy met Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings) in the first The Hunger Games novel. The new film couldn't be in the works if Suzanne Collins hadn't entered the arena again, of course, stepping back into Panem and The Hunger Games' past — and into the tale of a well-known character from her initial three books in the dystopian franchise — with the saga's second prequel. After the author first went down that route with 2020's The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, her next jump backwards hit bookstores in March 2025. When the novel was announced, naturally a film was as well. It might've taken three years for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to become a movie, but Sunrise on the Reaping is hitting the big screen just a year after the book made its way shelves. This time, the focus is on the Second Quarter Quell, with Haymitch winning those games — and Sunrise on the Reaping's narrative kicking off on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. Harrelson portrayed Haymitch in 2012–15 movies The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II, with filmmaker Francis Lawrence helming every one of them since Catching Fire — and also doing the same on The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. He'll be back in the director's chair on Sunrise on the Reaping. For Zada, this isn't his only big post-Invisible Boys project. He's also treading where James Dean once did, playing the same character as the late, great icon in a new version of East of Eden opposite Florence Pugh (We Live in Time), Mike Faist (Challengers) and Christopher Abbott (Wolf Man) — and he has the page-to-screen adaptation of We Were Liars also on the way, hitting streaming in June 2025. There's obviously no trailer yet for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, but you can check out the trailer for all of the past Hunger Games movies below: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will reach cinemas on Friday, November 20, 2026 in the US — which will likely mean Thursday, November 19, 2026 Down Under. We'll update you with more details when they're announced. Via Variety. Top image: David Dare Parker, Invisible Boys. Hunger Games images: Murray Close.
For the past decade, personal health has become a paradox. Never have people exercised more, tracked more, supplemented more or optimised more and yet uncertainty has never been higher. Protein intake is debated daily. Sleep protocols multiply. Longevity routines proliferate. People are trying. Consistently. But largely without visibility. This is the cultural gap Everlab is built to address, not as another wellness brand promising better habits, but as a fundamentally different way of approaching health: calm, preventative and data-led. Their premise is simple, most people aren't failing their health because of motivation. They're failing because they're guessing. The invisible years of health One of Everlab's central ideas is that longevity doesn't begin later in life, it begins decades earlier, in the silent phase before symptoms. Most chronic conditions develop gradually and invisibly, cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, hormonal decline, inflammatory disorders. For years, people can feel entirely fine while risk quietly accumulates. Traditional healthcare rarely intersects with this phase. It is designed for treatment, not early detection. Appointments are short. Testing is symptom-driven. Investigation begins once a problem is suspected. Everlab's model inverts that timeline. Rather than waiting for symptoms, the program maps health proactively through comprehensive diagnostics across cardiovascular, metabolic, hormonal, immune and musculoskeletal systems, alongside imaging, advanced blood biomarkers and genetic insights. The aim is not diagnosis of illness. It is visibility into trajectory. Why guessing keeps people stuck Modern health culture offers abundant advice but little precision. People experiment with supplements, diets, training plans, and recovery tools. When results plateau, motivation is often blamed, discipline, consistency, adherence. Everlab reframes this entirely. Without biomarker insight, health decisions become trial-and-error. Symptoms are lagging indicators. Fatigue, weight change or poor recovery often appear only after underlying physiology has shifted. The company's position is that most people are not under-committed; they are under-informed. Through advanced blood panels screening hundreds of biomarkers, physiological testing and longitudinal tracking, Everlab attempts to replace guesswork with clarity — identifying which systems actually require attention, and which interventions are unnecessary. In this sense, the program is as much about subtraction as optimisation, reducing wasted effort, spend and misplaced focus. Beyond transactional healthcare Everlab also reflects a broader shift from episodic healthcare to continuous health management. Traditional models operate in snapshots, isolated tests, individual appointments, fragmented records. Preventative health requires continuity: baseline, monitoring, retesting, adjustment. Everlab structures this as an ongoing cycle. Members build a comprehensive baseline integrating historical records, advanced diagnostics and imaging. Results are reviewed by a multidisciplinary care team including longevity physicians and nutrition specialists. A personalised protocol is created across lifestyle, supplementation and, where clinically indicated, medication. Biomarkers are then tracked over time, typically at six- and twelve-month intervals, allowing physiological change to be measured rather than assumed. A digital platform consolidates results and trends into a longitudinal health record. Data-led prevention Everlab arrives as health culture itself matures. The early wellness era emphasised motivation. The optimisation era emphasised performance. The emerging phase emphasises measurement and prevention. In this model, biomarkers become the organising principle of decision-making. They allow risks to be identified years before symptoms, interventions to be personalised to physiology rather than averages, and progress to be measured rather than guessed. Everlab frames this shift succinctly: health decisions should be guided by data, not trends. A framework, not a fix Notably, Everlab avoids positioning itself as a quick-outcome wellness product. Its language is structural: baseline, diagnostics, monitoring, optimisation. This reflects its deeper claim, that prevention is not an intervention but a framework. The company reports that a meaningful proportion of members discover previously unknown health risks through testing, reinforcing its central thesis: feeling well does not necessarily mean being physiologically optimal. The opportunity lies in the gap between the two. Stop guessing Everlab's relevance lies less in any individual test than in the question it poses to modern health behaviour, what if the problem isn't effort, but visibility? In a category saturated with motivation and optimisation narratives, Everlab positions itself differently, as a rational infrastructure for prevention grounded in biomarkers and longitudinal data. A calm voice in a noisy space.And a reframing that may define the next phase of personal health. Stop guessing. Start knowing. To start a deep dive into your health journey visit Everlab to explore a framework suited to your needs.
There are over ten types of boneless chicken available at Basax, which you can have either oven-roasted or fried and finished with the likes of spring onion, soy garlic or even grated cheese. You can pair your protein with sides such as waffle fries, tteokbokki, or even fried dumplings. Also available is a range of hearty Korean stews and soups, including the ever-popular budae jjigae with ham and sausage, and an ox bone soup with sliced beef and beef tendon. Basax is open until 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays, so you'll be able to satisfy any late-night cravings for some cheeky chook. Images: Arvin Prem Kumar You'll find Basax in our list of the best fried chicken in Sydney. Check out the full list here. Appears in: The Best Fried Chicken in Sydney for 2023
Pasta Emilia, which moved from its original home in Bronte to Surry Hills back in 2012, is an old-school Italian joint that serves up pasta just like nonna used to make. Founded by Anna Maria Eoclidi, the restaurant is an ode to her home in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region. Organic pasta is the name of the game here, with the chefs make more than 15 varieties of pasta each week. Think heartwarming dishes like strozzapreti with slow-cooked beef ragu ($30); spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino ($24); and the rich duck and truffle tortelli with butter and herbs ($36). If you're wanting more than just pasta, there's mains such as slow-cooked lamb with honey roasted potatoes ($34) and fish of the day ($34), plus daily specials, sides and salads. The osteria also has an on-site cooking school, where you can spend a Saturday getting your hands dirty, or rather, floury. With local, organic ingredients at your fingertips, you'll learn how to make pasta the traditional way. That includes creating the best flour mix, fashioning it into dough and stretching it into sheets. Alessandro Grisendi, who's been making pasta by hand for over a decade, will teach you how to make all kinds of pasta, from ravioli and cappelletti, to linguine and strozzapreti. And when your work is done, you'll sit down to a hearty lunch, including pasta, a veggie salad and glass of organic wine. Classes run for three hours and cost $150–160 per person. Top image: Destination NSW
A general store and bakery has arrived in Annandale — and its woodfired breads are so good, the shop regular sells out. The 20-seat venue is run by long-time hospitality vet and pastry chef Kimmy Gastmeier (Rockpool, Tetsuya's and The Porteño Group) and her friend Aimee Graham, with a little help from Aimee's husband Kenny Graham (Mary's Underground, The Lansdowne and The Unicorn) and the rest of the Mary's Group. "Jake [Smyth], Kenny and I had been trying to find a site for years," says Gastmeier. "And I'd decided to let it go and sell everything I had collected for the dream shop when it all came through." Fed up with the Sydney hospo scene, Gastmeier left for the Blue Mountains some years ago, where she started the Cherry Moon brand by baking her goods out of hired kitchens. But now, Cherry Moon finally has a permanent home — and Gastmeier and Graham are doing things the old-school way. [caption id="attachment_733301" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] "I'm interested in artisanal food, woodfiring and staying true to the traditions of whole foods," says Gastmeier, who purchased a traditional scotch oven from an old Ballarat bakery (made way back in 1869) for the shop and rebuilt it with a master oven builder. "A lot of people were coming in and thinking we're a regular cafe," says Gastmeier. "But we're more of a bakery and the menu really showcases the oven." All of the bread is made using ancient grains like emmer and spelt, along with stone-ground flour from Gunnedah's Wholegrain Milling Company. The team also roasts whole pumpkins in the fire embers and smokes potatoes in whey, which is leftover from the house-made ricotta (served wrapped in fig leaf) and cultured butter. Apart from all the bread, Cherry Moon is also baking pastries, galettes, fruit tarts and seasonal tarte tatin, along with Italian-style cream puffs. Portuguese custard tarts are cooked in the woodfired oven, too, as are sourdough pizzas. A small cafe menu is also up for grabs and includes the likes of sourdough topped with avocado, tomato, basil and finger lime; and plates of woodfired cauliflower served with burrata, harissa, fermented zucchini and cashew and chickpea cream. Charcuterie and ploughman's lunches are also on the docket for the near future. [caption id="attachment_733296" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] On the general store shelves, you'll find Aimee Graham's fermented goods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, keffir and tonics. Other drinks include coffee by Newtown's 212 Blu, a house chai blend and cold-pressed orange and green juices. And, to round out this already impressive offering, Cherry Moon is also scooping ice cream made in-house using all native and foraged ingredients — at the moment, there are fig leaf and saffron, wattle seed, plum and fennel pollen, and peach melba varieties. "I want it to feel like you're stepping back in time to grandma's kitchen," says Gastmeier. "So everything is served on beautiful old crockery, plates and silverware, and there's a lot of 1960s bric-a-brac." Speaking of grandmothers, it was Gastmeier's grandma who put her through chef's school at the age of 16, and the Cherry Moon logo is in her handwriting. Find Cherry Moon General Store at 77 Nelson Street, Annandale. It's open from Wednesday–Saturday 7am–4pm and Sunday 11am–4pm.
We all know that video piracy is a crime and that we should pay for the music we are listening, too, but just how far we have come from 20th-century entertainment is not always present in our minds. Enter photographer Julia Solis and her new book Stages of Decay — a feat that took her across Europe and the US over a period of years to document over 100 disused and dilapidated theatres that once housed The Who, witnessed the cinematic events of their eras and were symbols of popular culture, cultural hubs and signifiers of Western affluence. The images tiptoe along that enticing line between nostalgia, beauty, decay — actually it is all very Tintern Abbey — and all those butterfly feelings that come up when we dream of days long gone. Solis sees the images as more experiential, as she told Flavorwire: "You want a one-on-one encounter with it, to open secret closets and fondle plaster and play with rusted machinery without your parents' interference. In a society that's increasingly controlled, monitored and publicised, a wild space like that can't help but have an incredible allure." Be sure to note the cars parked underneath the ornate ceiling of the old Michigan Theatre, and for the trivia buffs, it is now the parking lot for the new cinema. Circle of life?
Whether you're a political junkie or simply appreciate the 44th American President's annual end-of-year culture lists, block out your diary for March: you've got a date with Barack Obama. The former US leader is heading Down Under in autumn 2023 for a two-date, two-city speaking tour about leadership — marking his first Australian visit since 2018. President Obama is making the trip for an event dubbed An Evening with President Barack Obama, as presented by business leadership and events provider Growth Faculty. He'll be the organisation's first headline speaker as part of its return to in-person events, in fact — and restarting with the ex-US leader is quite the statement. Obama will take to the stage on Tuesday, March 28 at Aware Theatre in Sydney and on Wednesday, March 29 at Melbourne's John Cain Arena. For folks who can't make it, won't be in either city or miss out on tickets, the Sydney session will also be livestreamed. As for exactly what Obama will be focusing on — leadership is a broad topic — Growth Faculty quoted the man himself, from back in November 2019, as a guide. "Being a leader is not a matter of having your name up in lights, making speeches or corralling power at the top. It's identifying the power in other people and unleashing it," Obama said. The former US President will also cover unpredictable futures and how to navigate them, something that comes with his past job. In-person tickets start at $195, or there's a VIP option in Sydney with a pre-speech cocktail party — although Obama won't be there sipping drinks before taking the stage. AN EVENING WITH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA 2023: Tuesday, March 28 — Aware Theatre, Sydney Wednesday, March 29 — John Cain Arena, Melbourne An Evening with President Barack Obama heads to Sydney and Melbourne in March 2023, with tickets on sale from 9am on Thursday, November 24. Head to the Growth Faculty website for further details. Top image: Carol M Highsmith via Wikimedia Commons.
Been spending the first few months of 2020 pondering the future? Given the current state of affairs, that's only natural. This week, however, you might want to look to the skies as well — and feast your eyes on a luminous lunar sight. For folks located Down Under, Wednesday, April 8 is when you'll want to be peering upwards. That's when you'll see the second of 2020's super full moons, with this one named the 'super pink moon'. And while super full moons aren't particularly rare — two usually happen each year — after this, the next one isn't due to occur until April 2021. 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. As we all learned back in November 2016, a supermoon is a new moon or full moon that occurs when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, making it particularly bright. They're not all that uncommon — but because April 2020's supermoon is a full moon (and not a new moon), that's why it's called a super full moon. It's also a pink moon, too, which doesn't refer to its colour but to the time of year. In the northern hemisphere, April and spring go hand-in-hand — which means the April full moon usually arrives with the onset of the year's floral blooms, and with the first flowers from the pink-hued wild ground phlox specifically. Of course, it's currently autumn in the southern hemisphere, and the wild ground phlox are native to North America — but the name still sticks. WHEN CAN I SEE IT? If you're keen to catch a glimpse, you'll want to peek outside on Wednesday, April 8 — and while timeanddate.com notes that the super pink moon is expected to be at its peak at 12.35pm that day in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, it's still worth looking up for. If you're eager to take some pictures — and see if you can outdo previous supermoon snaps — the ABC recommends directing your eyeballs upwards at around 11pm that night, which is when the super pink moon will be highest in the sky. WHERE CAN I SEE IT? Usually, when a spectacular moon beams down from above, we'd advise city-dwellers to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the best view. That's not possible given the current COVID-19 restrictions in place, so you'd best take a gander from your backyard or balcony. Typically, clouds and showers are predicted for Wednesday along the east coast, which could present problems in terms of visibility. If you can't get a clear view, The Virtual Telescope Project will be live streaming the moon online from Rome on Wednesday, April 8, starting at 3am AEST, too. Via timeanddate.com / space.com / ABC. Image: Andrew C.
A Sydney institution, White Rabbit Gallery has been running free exhibitions showcasing contemporary Chinese art for over a decade. From focusing on all things luminous to deep dives into the art of storytelling, the White Rabbit team continues to wow Sydneysiders with thought-provoking collections. The Chippendale favourite's latest is A Blueprint for Ruins, running until May, and examines the pitfalls of modernity and a lack of humanity that can sometimes be felt in global cities. Artist Hu Weiyi, whose giclee print is being displayed in A Blueprint for Ruins, writes: "it's as if every abandoned building, about to disappear, is attempting to sing its last note, and eventually they will come together to form a requiem for an era". The traditional and the hyper-modern collide across the exhibition, conjuring an eerie feeling as it explores places where the people that occupy them are often forgotten. As you wander through the multi-storey space, you'll discover glossy neon-lit rooms, intricate porcelain artworks, footprints on paper, antique lamps, bronze artefacts and video projections. As with any White Rabbit exhibition, it's best to visit yourself, bringing an open mind as you discover the meticulously curated artworks and create connections of your own. Luckily, entry is completely free, and the gallery is open 10am–5pm Wednesday–Sunday, so you've got plenty of opportunities to do just that. You can also turn the trip into a real double-header by placing your name into the ballot to score tickets to Phoenix Central Park, the gallery's neighbouring concert venue. The current season at this intimate hall features free performances from Mulalo, FRIDAY*, Tim Hecker, Maple Glider, Tex Crick and Lydia Lunch. Images: Hamish McIntosh.
Whether you watched along from 2009–15 when it was in production or you discovered its joys via an obsessive binge-watching marathon afterwards, Parks and Recreation is one of the 21st century's TV gifts — and the beloved sitcom cemented its stars, from its lead roles through to its supporting parts, as audience favourites. Plenty of those talents also share something else in common: a fondness for touring Down Under. Nick Offerman has done it, taking to Australia's stages. Amy Poehler has made multiple promotional Aussie trips for Inside Out and Inside Out 2. Henry Winkler even headed this way to chat through his lengthy career. Now, add the latter's on-screen son to the list. Ben Schwartz, aka Parks and Recreation's Jean-Ralphio Saperstein, has a date with Sydney in 2025. Don't be suspicious: Schwartz will be performing his Ben Schwartz & Friends live improv show, which begins with just a couple of chairs onstage. Where it goes from there, you'll only discover at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday, May 3, because that's the joy of improv. Schwartz isn't just known for Parks and Recreation, although that's the first thing on his resume that'll always come to mind for Parks fans. Since his time in Pawnee wrapped up — since he stopped being one of the woooooooorst people in the fictional Indiana town, that is — he's also starred in murder-mystery comedy The Afterparty, voiced a certain spiny blue mammal in Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, loaned his vocal tones to Star Wars: The Bad Batch and Invincible, and featured in Space Force and Renfield. Top image: Disney/Image Group LA.
The radio play has become somewhat of a neglected art form since television moved into homes. Why listen to descriptions of the visual when you can turn on the television and have the picture painted for you? The answer is because they are truly excellent. Listeners get to enjoy their own visual interpretation of the piece as they allow us to use our imagination and construct worlds and characters unique to our minds. Thankfully there are artists like the award-winning Nick Coyle (Me Pregnant!, Rommy) still writing radio plays. For one night only on Friday, June 14, he is performing his most recent work Batfeet, the radio play "not good enough" for the ABC, with Anna Houston and Tom Campbell. If you want the opportunity to (mentally) practice your artistic license then this is definitely for you.
Inside the Sydney Fringe Festival is another mini festival, the Festival of Weird Spaces. Things kick off on September 12 with the Artcore Guerilla Artfair at the Imperial Hotel (5-10pm and free entry). It'll be an art-fair of local, emerging artists in the basement, complete with an oh so secret feature band and lucky door prizes (for those of you who love a good freebie). On September 14 (also part of all things strange), will be some venues that you all know and love like The Duke, The Water Horse, RaBar, The Warren View and The Sly Fox, which will be subjected to what they’re calling 'Decoration Wars.' Hopefully nothing like The Block, you’ll need to grab a map and a voting card before taking a turn of these bars. Yes - kinda like a pub crawl and art class combined. There’s also a Pop up Festival on Saturday – and don’t we all just love a pop-up? Held at Camperdown Park will be The Collective Project Unit & Friends – Ska Band, whose influences include 1960s Jamaican party music and Skatalites. Other tunes include the barbershop style four-part harmonies of Tuxedo Vocal Harmony Quartet and Nathanial Pyewacket, an experiemental cross-platform performer (who builds his own electronic and electro-acoustic instruments). Apparently there’s more to be announced, but they can say that there will be a balloon artist there. Balloon dog anyone?
We get it. Everyone loves an espresso 'tini. Melbourne's got a bar that even does them on tap — and Sydney has a whole venue dedicated to that God-sent concoction of chilled coffee and vodka. After Melbourne nabbed the country's very first espresso martini festival in 2016, Sydney got its own dedicated event last year and now its back — with a new name — and it's heading to The Rocks this May. Sleep, who needs it? The festival, to be held in the Overseas Passenger Terminal on May 25, 26 and 27, is being gifted to our espresso-loving, cocktail-filled city by the caffeinated folks at Mr Black, a NSW-based cold-pressed (and damn fine) coffee liqueur. In short, they know how to capitalise on our weaknesses and we're not even mad about it. The affair will involve some of Australia's best coffee suppliers, cafes and bars, and will come together to create a beautiful array of alcoholic caffeinated beverages. As with any festival of this kind, there will be plenty of food, too, including fried chicken from Johnny Bird and antipasti from Salts Meats Cheese. The festival will run during the first weekend of Vivid Sydney, so you can pair your Darling Harbour light-chasing with a 'tini or two. Tickets will set you back $30 (plus booking fee) a pop, and go on sale at 9am on Thursday, April 5. Image: Nikki To.
At any time of the year, Sydney's sunsets are hard to beat. To usher in the season of shorter days and longer nights (but no less spectacular sunsets), Barangaroo is hosting Golden Hours: three weeks of glowing, orange-hued sunset sessions featuring roaming performers, DJs, food specials — and Aperol Spritzes at two for $30 at 25 venues throughout the precinct — until Saturday, April 5. The participating venues have also created Aperol-pairing food menus. Drop by Belles Hot Chicken for two pounds of buffalo wings plus two Spritzes for $40, NOLA Smokehouse and Bar for a two-hour snack and spritz menu for $55 per person, or Sax Bar for a pre-dinner spread featuring gruyère croquettes, salt and pepper calamari and more for $35 a pop. If you'd like a golden-hour glow-up, head to Status Co. The salon is delivering an array of beauty packages that'll give you that golden glow, including the Spritz Up, a 45-minute blow dry and make-up refresh for $100, and the Glow Up, an 80-minute full hair and make-up service, plus bottomless Aperol Spritzes, for $140. The aperitivo menus will be available between 3–7pm every day, but there'll be live entertainment from DJs and roving performers, as well as a 360-degree photo booth and free makeup sessions on Thursdays, Fridays and weekends. Swing by on the final day for Aperidisco, a house party-style fest with performances by Return to Rio and Double Touch DJs, as well as Aperol Spritz giveaways, competitions and more.
UNSW Galleries has finally reopened to the public, and it has done so in a big way — by unveiling a major LGBTQIA+ exhibition. Running until Saturday, November 21, Friendship as a Way of Life celebrates LGBTQIA+ visibility, intimacy, collaboration, sex and knowledge. Curated by the UNSW Galleries Director José Da Silva and Deputy Director Kelly Doley, the exhibition features more than 20 artists — including ALOK, Camilo Godoy, and Gavin Kirkness and the Australian AIDS Memorial Quilt project, along with material from the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives. A highlight: the re-staging of a major work by American artist Macon Reed, titled Eulogy for the Dyke Bar 2016. The installation recreates the interior of a lesbian bar and acts as a community space for performances, conversations and socialising. This 'bar' will host a full program of events come October and November, including a performance by Australian musician June Jones. [caption id="attachment_776611" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Macon Reed, Eulogy for the Dyke Bar 2016. Installation and programming series. Installation view: UNSW Galleries, Sydney. Courtesy of the artist[/caption] Several new works are also featured, like the photographs by Helen Grace, which document Amazon Acres, an all-female community in northern NSW. Then there's Ella Sutherland's new prints, which pay tribute to Australia's lesbian erotic magazine Wicked Women. And collaborative duo Parallel Park will present a a new performance video that explores interpersonal relationships. International works by Scandinavian duo Elmgreen & Dragset's The Incidental Self 2007 will be on display too — with this installation spanning hundreds of photos that are making their Australian premiere. Alongside the physical exhibition is the online series Forms of Being Together, which will share weekly talks, conversations and digital projects from the exhibiting artists and other local creatives. New content will be shared each week, with highlights including live talks on the history of Australia's gay motorcycle groups with leather historian Timothy Robert, the importance of QPOC (Queer People of Colour) party spaces by DJ Sezzo, and a discussion on queer parenting and surrogacy with First Nations writer and activist Nayuka Gorrie. Also, an online video commission by Nikos Pantazopoulos will explore the history of Sydney's Oxford Street — by focusing on two homoerotic paintings salvaged from Midnight Shift prior to its closure in 2017. And DJ Gemma has curated a special mix of music that captures Sydney's underground queer dance scene. Friendship as a Way of Life runs until Saturday, November 21. The exhibition is open to the public free-of-charge every Tuesday–Saturday from 10am–5pm. Images: UNSW Galleries. Installation views: Friendship as a Way of Life. Photography: Zan Wimberley.
Bringing a splash of greenery and some of the area's best eats to a Parramatta backstreet, Circa Espresso has carved out a name for itself as one of the best cafes in Western Sydney. Its sibling venue Lucien Baked Goods continues the team's hot streak but with an increased focus on the sweeter side of life. Lucien brings Circa's passion for top-notch flavours to the world of baked goods, swapping crab fettucini for decadent cheesecake, and trading the train station for the Parramatta ferry terminal. Located down by the river on Phillip Street, the part-bakery, part-cafe boasts a hefty sourdough sandwich menu and a range of snacky delights that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. If you head in on the hunt for the baked good of your choice, you can expect the likes of croissants, brownies, pistachio scrolls and Persian love cake. As for the sambos, there are seven to choose from, including a loaded reuben, a smoked salmon and goats cheese combo, and a confit duck sandwich topped with pickled carrot, onion jam and salted zucchini — plus some classic breakfast faves like avocado toast, plus a bacon and egg roll. Head Pastry Chef Aeline Ribis and the Lucien team bake several times a day to ensure the goods are as fresh as possible. If you want to make sure you'll get your hands on something specific, including Lucien's range of next-level cakes, you can pre-order online. If you've got a birthday coming up and want to go above and beyond your standard Woolies mud cake, you'll find party-ready black forest cake, choux crown cake, and huge share sizes of tiramisu, custard tart and passionfruit meringue tart. Rounding out the offerings is a robust range of drinks. Whether you're a flat-white lover or a cold-brew fanatic, you'll find Circa's signature in-house coffee, alongside a range of tea from Ms Cattea (the coconut truffle white tea sounds particularly alluring) and other miscellaneous drinks like smoked cola, lemon myrtle kombucha, Egyptian iced tea and iced chai.
For viewers, much that occurs in Such Brave Girls inspires two words: "here's hoping". Here's hoping that no one IRL has ever been contractually obliged to slip their hand down the pants of the boyfriend that they despise twice a week and on special occasions, for instance. Here's hoping that no one has ever sat in a doctor's office caked in green wicked witch makeup waiting for an appointment about deeply intimate matters, either. The emotions that both situations capture in this brilliant new three-time BAFTA-nominated British sitcom— one digging into the feeling of being stuck on a path that's anything but your dream and dispiritedly going with it, the other surveying life's uncanny ability to put everyone in circumstances so absurd that they seem surreal — are that raw and resonant, however, that watching resembles looking in a mirror no matter your own experiences. If Such Brave Girls seems close to reality, that's because it is. In the A24 co-produced series — which joins the cult-favourite entertainment company's TV slate alongside other standouts such as Beef, Irma Vep, Mo and The Curse over the past two years, and streams via Stan in Australia — sisters Kat Sadler and Lizzie Davidson star as well as take cues from their lives and personalities. This isn't a play-by-play retelling, though. It doesn't claim to bring anyone faithfully and exactly to the screen. But it understands the truth of dealing with trauma, and its fallout and damage, making that plain vividly and with unflinching commitment. "Death, silence, hate" is this duo's personal spin on "live, laugh, love", they jest in a joking-but-not-joking way in-character; Such Brave Girls gets everyone giggling at the idea, but also backs it up. Making their TV acting debuts together — Sadler has previously written for Frankie Boyle's New World Order, Joe Lycett's Got Your Back and more — Sadler and Davidson also play siblings. Josie and Billie, their respective on-screen surrogates, are navigating life's lows not only when the show's six-episode first season begins, but as it goes on. The entire setup was sparked by a phone conversation between the duo IRL, when one had attempted to take her life twice and the other was £20,000 in debt. While for most, a sitcom wouldn't come next, laughing at and lampooning themselves, plus seeing the absurdity, is part of Such Brave Girls' cathartic purpose for its driving forces. If you've ever thought "what else can you do?" when finding yourself inexplicably chuckling at your own misfortune, that's this series — this sharp, unsparing, candid, complex and darkly comedic series — from start to finish. As well as creating the show and penning it, Sadler leads it as Josie, a bundle of nerves and uncertainty that's always earning Billie and their mother Deb's (Louise Brealey, Lockwood & Co) brutal honesty rather than sympathetic support. She's in her twenties, struggling with her mental health and aspiring to be an artist — but, above any firm sense of a career or a dream, she's largely working through a never-ending gap year as she tries to get through day after day. She receives a paycheque from a bookstore job that she abhors, usually while catching her colleagues off guard with her anecdotes. After hours, Josie's doting boyfriend Seb (Freddie Meredith, A Whole Lifetime with Jamie Demetriou) awaits — hovers at her side, pleads for sex and moves in without anyone telling her, to be precise — but she's certain that she's queer and only passionate about bartender Sid (Jude Mack, I Hate Suzie). Davidson's Billie is the eternally optimistic opposite of her sister — albeit really only about the fact that Nicky (Sam Buchanan, Back to Black), the guy that she's hooking up with, will stop cheating on her, fall in love and whisk her away to Manchester to open a vodka bar bearing her name. There's nothing that she won't do to make that happen, whether it means bleaching her hair to look identical to her competition (Carla Woodcock, Tell Me Everything) or agreeing to be Nicky's cover when he's busted at a nightclub for drugs. The other thing that Billie has an unwavering belief in, to a delusional degree: that their dad, who went out for teabags a decade ago and never came home, has just gotten lost at the shops because it rearranges its aisles all the time. Both girls live with the exasperated Deb, who also sees a relationship as the solution to her problems, setting her sights on the iPad-addicted Dev (Paul Bazely, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves). She's saddled with debt thanks to Josie and Billie's father going AWOL, and has picked her latest paramour as a path to financial stability thanks to his sprawling house alone. So, when she's not sternly advising her daughters to settle for what's easiest — "I know it's hard, but as you get older, you learn to love with less of your heart — less and less until eventually there's nothing left anymore" is one such piece of guidance; "work isn't about fulfilment, it's just so you can buy stuff to make you feel fulfilled" is another — she's telling them not to do anything to jeopardise what she considers the best chance they've all got as a family for a solvent future. With actor-slash-director Simon Bird behind the lens — alongside first-timer Marco Alessi on one episode — if Such Brave Girls seems like it belongs in the same acerbically comedic realm as The Inbetweeners and Everyone Else Burns, there's clearly a reason for that, too. That said, in its mix of humour and bleakness, alongside its dedication to diving headfirst into the messy existences of its three key female characters, it's also in Fleabag's wheelhouse. Nothing is too grim to find guffaws in, though, whether it's depression, existential malaise, suicide, termination, abandonment, daddy issues, death, grief, narcissism, infidelity or realising how much about life is simply learning to stomach disappointment. Call it searing, call it ruthless, call it insightful, call it hilarious: each one applies. Here's another "here's hoping" for Such Brave Girls' audience to put out into the world: here's hoping that there's more to come. Actually, here's yet one more: here's hoping that this is the start of big on-screen comedy careers for the show's sisters, who bring such a layered rapport to Josie and Billie that viewers who don't know that they're genuinely related will guess quickly, and who deliver masterclasses in comic timing again and again in the process. Brealey, who has Sherlock, A Discovery of Witches and Back also to her name, might appear to have a hard task, then, playing a convincing mum to real-life siblings. But Such Brave Girls doesn't just feel blisteringly authentic, even at its most ridiculous, whenever Sadler and Davidson are in the spotlight; it's that unvarnished with everyone. Check out the trailer for Such Brave Girls below: Such Brave Girls streams via Stan.
Thanks to the success of Beef, the past year has been huge for Ali Wong. It was back in April 2023 that the hit series arrived, getting audiences obsessed and sparking plenty of accolades coming Wong's way. She won Best Actress Emmy, Golden Globe, Film Independent Spirt and Screen Actors Guild awards for playing Amy Lau, who has a carpark altercation with Danny Cho (Steven Yeun, Nope) that neither can let go of — and that changes both of their lives. The last 12 months have also been massive for the American actor and comedian onstage, all thanks to her Ali Wong: Live tour. Wong has been playing to full houses in the US, and also in Paris and London — and Sydney audiences can see her this winter at three gigs from Thursday, July 18–Saturday, July 20 at the ICC Theatre, Sydney. [caption id="attachment_893741" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023[/caption] Behind the microphone, Wong's comedy career dates back almost two decades, including three Netflix stand-up specials: 2016's Baby Cobra, 2018's Hard Knock Wife and 2022's Don Wong. And, as an author, Wong also has 2019's Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life to her name. On-screen, Wong doesn't let go of grudges easily, at least in Beef. In rom-com Always Be My Maybe, she's also been romanced by Keanu Reeves. Tuca & Bertie had her voice an anthropomorphic song thrush, while Big Mouth sent her back to middle school. Beef, on which Wong was also an executive producer, earned just as much love for the show overall — including the Emmy for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series; Golden Globe for Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television; Gotham Award for Breakthrough Series under 40 minutes; Film Independent Spirt Award for Best New Scripted Series; and PGA for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television. [caption id="attachment_946690" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023[/caption]
The southern strip of King Street is known for its string of dietary requirement-friendly eateries, and Vina Vegan Restaurant has been a part of the lineup since 2009. The family-run outfit specialises in hearty plant-based Vietnamese food. The menu is predictably designed to share with meat substitutes available in everything from noodle soups and sizzling stir-fries to zesty salads and rice paper rolls. It's also incredibly affordable — every main dish (aside from the hot pots to share) are under $20. There are also two set menus on offer, both under $30 per person. The An Luc Peacefulness ($26 per person) includes four starters, plus vegan chicken red curry, vegan pork in sweet and sour sauce and combination sizzling satay hotplate. Meanwhile, the Thinh Vuong Prosperity menu ($29 per person) has five starters, including crispy vegetable fritters and steamed dumplings, plus vegan beef red curry sauce, fried tofu in lemongrass and chilli sauce and combination veggies and vegan meat.
If upping your dancing in 2023 was on your New Year's resolution list, then look no further than The Abercrombie this year, with the beloved Sydney venue reopening after eight whole years at the end of 2022. Equipped with a 24-hour license and a new state-of-the-art sound system, the legendary bar is back in a big way with a host of events curated by the who's who of Sydney's dance and electronic scene. Come Friday, January 13, a longtime local party collective is making the move from warehouse raves to The Abercrombie for a massive event spanning multiple days. Velodrome has pulled together a hefty lineup of local DJs for its Spin Club, a huge 14-hour party that will run from 10pm on Friday all the way through until midday on Saturday. Taking over the venue's two distinct stages will be the likes of Fantastic Man, Ben Fester, Crescendoll, DJ Earl Grey, Francis Inferno Orchestra and Mija Healey among a lineup of 11 renowned electronic music tastemakers. Tickets for the night are available for $30, a bargain when you consider that's just over $2 per hour of dancing if you attend for the whole 14 hours. While you're enjoying the sets, you can also sneak off to The Abercrombie's two new internal venues — rooftop cocktail bar Casa Rosa and late-night wine bar Lil Sis — for a reprise from the dance floor and a pét-nat sgroppino with blood orange sorbet.
When 12.01am hits on Monday, September 13, a few lockdown rules will ease across New South Wales. They're small changes, but if you're eager to spend a bit more time out of the house, they're welcome ones. As announced back in late August, the New South Wales is slightly relaxing the restrictions around outdoor recreation — aka "sitting for relaxation, or to eat, drink or read outdoors" as defined by the NSW Government rules. Back in August, Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed that because NSW had hit the six-million-jab threshold, the restrictions would loosen for both residents of Sydney's Local Government Areas of concern, and for everyone else in lockdown across the state. For the former (so, in the Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta and Strathfield LGAs, as well as 12 suburbs in the Penrith), outdoor recreation is back on the cards again for families with fully vaccinated adults, as long as it's between 5am–9pm given the nighttime curfew. And, because there's a strict five-kilometre rule in place in these LGAs, you'll need to abide by that requirement for your picnics there as well. For people who live outside of the hotspot LGAs, you'll be to enjoy outdoor recreation in groups of five, as long as all adults are fully vaccinated. There's a distance limit, though, so it'll still need to be within your LGA or within five kilometres from home. They're the changes that everyone is looking forward to — and they're actually getting a tweak before they come into effect. Today, Friday, September 10, the Premier advised two changes, affecting everyone across Sydney. In LGAs of concern, the time limit is now going up to two hours. So, you'll now get twice as long to picnic. (And yes, picnics have been specifically mentioned.) Outside of LGAs of concern, the five-person total has been clarified. Originally it included children, but only adults had to be fully vaxxed. Now, it doesn't include kids under 12. That means that five adults who've had both their jabs can enjoy outdoor recreation together, and bring any amount of kids under 12 as well. or within 5km of home. Children under 12 will not be counted in this total. For those who live in the LGAs of concern, a household with all adults vaccinated will be able to engage in outdoor recreation (including picnics) for up to 2 hours within the existing rules — NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 10, 2021 Have picnic plans from next week onwards? You can now either lengthen them, or spend time with more of your pals and their kids. The announcement comes as NSW recorded 1542 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday, September 9, and a day after the Premier announced what'll be permitted when 70 percent of eligible NSW residents have had their jabs — a target that's expected to hit by mid-October. The rules regarding outdoor recreation for fully vaccinated adults across NSW will change at 12.01am on Monday, September 13. For further details about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. Top image: Destination NSW.
