The former railway sheds of South Eveleigh will become even bolder than usual as the food and dining precinct launches its inaugural Loco Markets program. Spread over six weeks from Thursday, June 19–Sunday, July 27, rotating themed markets are designed to celebrate creativity and community, taking cues from standout European street markets. With each week offering a new experience, guests can expect an immersive encounter, where block-coloured market stalls are stacked with handmade goods and design-led retail offerings. Interlinked with a sprawling food and drink lineup, alongside eye-catching live entertainment, the Loco Markets are set to enliven every sense. Over the six weeks, the music program has been curated by ARIA award-nominated jazz musician and producer Stu Hunter. The tunes range from funk and blues to classical and festive, aligning with each week's theme. Meanwhile, there are kid-friendly activities, like face painting and creative workshops, that inspire their curiosity. "We wanted to create an event that invites people to slow down, explore and connect," says Michael Carabetta, Portfolio Manager at Mirvac. "The Loco Markets will offer everything from artisanal products, to fresh produce, to Christmas in July festivities — with live music, interactive workshops and activities for all ages. It's about building a sense of community, while supporting local creatives and small businesses in the process." Running from Thursday, June 19–Sunday, June 22, Loco Market's opening theme is 'Artisan Design', with bath bomb workshops, live cartoonists and jazz harp performances on the agenda. Then, week two welcomes 'Produce and Wellness', where seasonal food, homemade pottery and kids' model-making take over the market. Next, the 'Design and Sustainability' market explores slow fashion and botanical beauty, with local brands and designers like Ignem Terrae Ceramics and Mina Finery bringing an eco-conscious edge to South Eveleigh. Joining in on the nationwide celebrations, the Loco Market from Thursday, July 10–Sunday, July 13 will highlight NAIDOC Week. Specially curated in partnership with Awesome Black and Trading Blak, the market will feature an all-Indigenous lineup of Blak-owned vendors, like Ngurrbul Clothing, Jarin Street, Indigiearth and Balgarra Design. Supported by live music, artist residencies and interactive workshops that honour the stories and creativity of First Nations peoples, this special edition is not to be missed. Finally, the last two weeks of the Loco Markets are themed around Christmas in July, with the precinct transformed into a winter wonderland. Think gingerbread decorating, snow globe making and Christmas carols performed by jazz pianists and a mariachi band. Each week will also feature a series of fascinating South Eveleigh experiences, with visitors invited to take a 60-minute heritage walking tour to discover the precinct's rich industrial past or participate in a coin press workshop, where you'll create a weighty keepsake from scratch to take home. South Eveleigh's Loco Markets run from Thursday, June 19–Sunday, July 27 at Locomotive Street, Eveleigh. Head to the website for more information. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Turning in for the night? That shouldn't stop you from getting turned up. Presented at W Sydney in partnership with Belvedere, this lavish hotel in Darling Harbour is hosting a month-long martini celebration for guests staying in its premium suites. Available from Monday, June 1–Monday, June 30, guests booked in the hotel's Fantastic Suite, Marvelous Suite, five Wow Suites and the Extreme Wow Suite will receive the Turn Up Service — a handcrafted martini experience presented right in the comfort of your suite. Transforming your room into a private martini bar, this turndown service goes far beyond fluffed pillows and a sweet treat on the side table. For this special event, a W Sydney bartender will arrive with a cocktail tray in tow, ready to shake the perfect mini martini using Belvedere vodka. Tailored to your tastes — dry or wet, dirty or clean, shaken or stirred — this complimentary service comes with moreish snacks, like martini-infused sour cream, gourmet crisps and stuffed Manzanilla olives. Beyond this indulgent service, guests are also invited to visit the BTWN Bar — W Sydney's in-house restaurant — to sip three limited-edition martini cocktails centred on Belvedere Organic Vodka. Paired with inventive snacks, the options include the oyster martini with an Appellation oyster; the saltbush martini with a saltbush and lamb shoulder scrumpet and pickles; and the salt and vinegar martini with a fish and chips-inspired coating, cod roe and potato chip. Plus, if you happen to check in on World Martini Day — that's Saturday, June 21 — you'll receive a free mini martini at the bar. So, make your luxury stay even more luxe with this special collaboration throughout June. The Turn Up Service runs from Monday, June 1–Monday, June 30 at W Sydney, 31 Wheat Road, Sydney. Head to the website for more information.
Photographer Allan Teger has created a series of images where human bodies have been cleverly used as landscapes. His Bodyscapes series, first created in 1975, uses miniature figurines against a backdrop of a person, and the viewer is given the illusion that the bodies are in fact surfaces from nature. Each image is a single shot on traditional film. The black-and-white images include horses riding down hills, which are in fact the curves of a human back and bottom. Furthermore, a man playing golf is actually looking to sink his ball into a bellybutton. Teger's creative use of props and lighting make these images captivating and rather realistic. Indeed, he is able to create a real sense of vastness, distance and space using just the human canvas.
Much-hyped multi-space venue Shell House has opened its doors with the first of its four bars and eateries, Menzies Bar. Named after the former occupancy of the building, the Menzies Hotel, the luxe bar and eatery serves a bistro-style menu curated by The Point Group executive chef Joel Bickford and his team. The ground-level space that houses The Menzies Bar has been restored and renovated with the help of interior stylist Anna Hewett and Woods Bagot Architects. The bar and restaurant have been given a stunning makeover with warm bronze and gold marble complimenting a leather fit-out featuring a blackened steel bar, overhead bar hamper storing more than 1000 bottles of spirits and a marble fireplace. The Menzies Bar is open Monday–Saturday from midday until 2am with offerings ideal for lunch, dinner or a snack while you enjoy a drink. Small plates include spanner crab benedict on potato crumpets ($18), smoked eggplant and parmesan polpette ($12), chicken liver eclairs ($16) and yellowfish tuna with capers and a boiled egg ($22). When it comes to larger dishes, you'll find the likes of vongole and fermented chilli linguini ($26) and spiced fried kingfish collar alongside bistro classics like a wagyu beef burger ($26) and 400-gram boneless rib eye served with lemon and olive oil ($60). A vibrant selection of cocktails (all $22) are also on hand. The In-Cider Trading features scotch, coffee, fig, cider caramel and smoked honey; while The Dolphin's Sicilian Margarita has made its way to the new venue, combining tequila with limoncello, Sichuan, and fresh lemon. And, if you're looking for an after-work drink, the bar will host Martini Hour Monday–Saturday between 4–6pm where the classic cocktail stirred through shards of countertop ice will be served alongside fresh lobster rolls for $10 apiece.
A harbourside meal by the Sydney Opera House might come with some pretty sensational views, but we all know it's also likely to score you a bit of unwanted attention. If you've ever had a wining and dining experience blighted by a thieving seagull, you'll be happy to know that someone's come up with a very cute way to keep the birds at bay. The Opera House has deployed a very cuddly crew of Seagull Patrol Dogs, which has been warding off winged visitors from both Opera Bar and Opera Kitchen as part of a month-long January trial. The seagull situation has proved a serious head-scratcher for the Opera House over the past decade, with everything from noise deterrents to wire food cloches being implemented — and the birds still coming out on top. Now, following the lead of the folks over at the Australian Maritime Museum, the harbourside venue has brought in the paw patrol. And the scheme's got success written all over it. Organised by dog training and walking service Mad Dogs and Englishmen, the newest Opera House recruits have been fending off seagulls like the very good boys and girls they are, saving stacks of diners (and their food) from sneak avian attacks. [caption id="attachment_705542" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A seagull outside the Sydney Opera House.[/caption] The Seagull Patrol Dogs will be running around the Opera House for all of January, for now, so head down this week for a pat and a seagull-free meal. Images: Jacquie Manning.
When The Sopranos came to a close with perhaps the most controversial ending in television history, it left fans with plenty of questions. If you're keen to get some closure — or simply find out more about the iconic gangster series — then open up your 2019 diary: three of the show's stars are coming to Australia next year. Touring the country between May 25 and June 1, In Conversation with The Sopranos will see Michael Imperioli, Steve Scirrippa and Vince Pastore take to the stage to chat about their time on the HBO series, including everything from behind-the-scenes stories to theories on how the eight-season show ended. That means that Sopranos aficionados can hear all of the insider details from none other than Tony Soprano's unofficial nephew, Christopher Moltisani, plus two of the mob boss' enforcers in Bobby Baccala and Big Pussy. While the man who became synonymous with the series obviously, sadly can't be there, Imperioli, Scirrippa and Pastore will also chat about the late, great James Gandolfini — including their friendship with him both on- and off-screen, and the impact that he had on their lives and careers. No word yet whether the trio will come out on stage to the sounds of Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'; however they will indeed be answering attendees' questions at the end of their discussion. Tickets start at the $100 mark (give or take a dollar or two depending on the city), and if you're feeling flush with a spare $285 burning a hole in your pocket, you can also opt for the VIP package which includes a meet and greet. In Conversation with The Sopranos tours Australia in 2019, coming to Sydney's Enmore Theatre on Saturday, May 25, The Star Casino on the Gold Coast on Sunday, May 26, Perth's Crown Theatre on Wednesday, May 29 and Melbourne's Palais Theatre on Saturday, July 1. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, August 21, with a pre-sale from 9am on Friday, August 16 — for more information, visit the event website.
When January 10 hits in 2019, it'll mark three years since David Bowie shuffled off this mortal coil. In celebration of his life and music, Lyons Gallery — a brand new addition to Paddington's art world — will host an evening dedicated to the singer-songwriter. From 6pm till late, the gallery will transform into a time machine, filled with images of Bowie, memorabilia and film screenings. Look out for works by Brian Duffy, the photographer behind Aladdin Sane; Masayoshi Sukita, who collaborated with Bowie for four decades; Helmut Newtown, who famously shot Bowie in Monte Carlo in 1983; and Terry O'Neill, who took more than 180 photos of Bowie over 30 years. A handpicked selection of limited-edition photos will be on sale. Founded by media personality and former Geelong Mayor Darryn Lyons in November last year, Lyons Gallery specialises in iconic images of celebrities, rock stars and royals — from Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II to Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot. Let's Dance: The Life of David Bowie is free to attend, although RSVPs are required by emailing the gallery on info@thelyonsgallery.com.
AHW Studio is a bespoke jewellery maker located in The Rocks, down by Sydney Harbour. Specialising in mechanical art and custom jewellery creations, the artisans at AHW take the mechanical components of discarded watches and turn them into beautiful, bespoke rings and necklace pendants. It also crafts chunky statement rings — using predominantly gold and silver — that feature opals and owl faces, as well as diamonds and other precious stones, and play with rough textures to create unique pieces. Images: Arvin Prem Kumar
You'll find Barangaroo's new Japanese hotspot, Sushi Hon Izakaya, on Scotch Row as part of the Sushi Hon chain; however this venue has a charming point of difference from their other venues. As well as serving up fresh sushi for takeaway or eat-in purposes, they're also serving up some fierce interior design thanks to a partnership with agency Design Clarity. The restaurant sports a lengthy laneway-style layout and is divided into three distinct areas. On one end you'll find a hawker-style sushi dispensary for all your on-the-go lunch needs. This section then morphs into a sit-down sushi parlour with tablet ordering system for folks who like to privately stuff their faces without interruption. While the first two spaces reflect the lunch-time needs of the surrounding office workers (easy and intimate settings for a quick bite), the ramen bar at the end is definitely for the after-work crowd. The design is inspired by the Tokyo nightclub scene and features mirrored ceilings, graffiti murals and perimeter bar seating for singles. This, frankly, is the ideal setting in our opinion — all nightclubs should all serve ramen. Alongside good food and great interiors, Sushi Hon also serves up Japanese beers, umeshu and sake cocktails for all your knock-off bev needs.
"It was the month before we had to shut our doors that was probably the scariest," PS40 Owner Michael Chiem says of the start of Sydney's COVID-19 epidemic. "I was looking into getting an insurance job, getting a 9-to-5 work-from-home gig." Luckily for Sydneysiders, Chiem didn't. Despite just signing the papers to become the sole owner of the highly lauded CBD cocktail bar, a bar that was suddenly forced to close its doors — and lose its main source of income — Chiem decided to stick with it and try his hand at the delivery game. "I'd seen it work pretty well in New York and Melbourne before we started doing it in Sydney, and we pretty much started straight away," says Chiem. Two days after the bar closed, PS40 Sofa Series, a nod to a now-appropriate, then-unfortunate autocorrect in one of the bar's first reviews, kicked off. For what Chiem calls "a pretty crazy two months", the team was bottling, labelling and delivering — sometimes all in one day — a selection of the bar's greatest hits, alongside a few classics. Housebound epicureans could order a coffee bean-spiked breakfast negroni, a spicy corpse recliner or a the blueberry bomb straight to their couch. In fact, they still can. [caption id="attachment_654873" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alana Dimou[/caption] While the CBD bar has reopened to dine-in customers — albeit only 25, just over 40 percent of its maximum capacity — it's keeping some of its COVID-19 changes around for the time being, if not permanently. "There are a lot of people that can make it into the city to drink at bars, but there are also people that want a nice cocktail but for different reasons can't make it into the city — whether or not they have kids, they live a little too far away or it's little too complicated to get out — so it's a really nice option to have delivered cocktails." As well as the Sofa Series, PS40 has launched a Booze Cage (yes, in an actual cage) filled with takeaway alcohol. You can stop by the bar and pick up a bottle of Das Juice or Good Intentions Co, both from South Australia, for less than $30, or spend a bit more on a Gut Oggau — an Austrian wine label that's developed a bit of a cult-like status Down Under. While the CBD isn't short on nice places to drink wine, it's not overflowing with places to buy it to-go, so Chiem hopes the Booze Cage will remain popular well after Sydneysiders all return to work. [caption id="attachment_728683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wes Nel[/caption] Because of the bar's locality, many of its patrons are of the city-worker variety. With many businesses still working from home, though, the CBD isn't the hive of activity it usually is — and neither is the bar. As a result, the bar is now operating just four nights a week and it's producing a smaller menu. The way the team is designing this newly compact menu is smarter, too, and more cautious of waste. "We're looking into our cool room and seeing what needs using each day, which has made us creatively come up with things differently," says Chiem. "We have a smaller list, but we're making those ones even better." While the list rotates often, there are two drinks you're likely to catch if you head in this winter. One is a bar favourite, and a drink that Chiem says should be at the top of your list if you haven't tried it, called the Africola. Described as an upside-down irish coffee, it's warm on top, cold down the bottom and made with warm coconut foam, a really cold shot of Mr Black coffee liqueur and a splash of PS40 wattle cola. The second looks like a tart and tastes like a tart, but is cold and liquid — and is made with rum, rhubarb and lemon curd. Just exactly how Chiem manages to create this physics-defying drink, however, is best learnt in person. Find PS40 on Skittle Lane, Sydney. It's open from 4–11pm Wednesday–Saturday. PS40 is the first bar in Concrete Playground's new series 52 Bars in 52 Weeks, exploring COVID-19's impact on the city's bars and encouraging Sydneysiders to pull up a seat, every week. Top image: PS40 by Alana Dimou
If you've been looking for a New Year's event that won't break the bank, you owe You Am I big time. The Aussie rock outfit are staging a car park takeover at The Vic for a free one-off gig dubbed The Ramblin' Gamblin' RoadStop Revue. Aside from welcoming the New Year, the day is for You Am I and the Addison Road venue to cheers their fans and patrons for their support. And cheers them you shall, because the limited edition Brew Am I pale ale from Young Henrys brewery will be on offer, with a spit roast barbeque to line your stomach. So roll out of bed before noon this NYD and hope that loud music won't make your head more sore; Snowdroppers, Abbe May, Courtney Barnett, Phil Jamieson, Love Junkies and The Mountains will also be taking to the stage. Who says you get what you paid for? Check out what else we rate during New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in Sydney.
Last year, Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist brought her hypnotic 30-year retrospective to the MCA. The mesmerising and immersive artworks, dubbed Sip My Ocean, only hung around for four months, but now you can catch another one of her works in Sydney — every night. Sparkling Pond, Bold-Coloured Groove & Tender is Rist's new dazzling artwork, which has just been unveiled beneath Park Lane, one of Central Park's residential towers. Colours and gently animated videos are projected onto three different areas — looking a bit like 'urban electronic bonfires' — every night from sunset till 11pm. As well as colours and images evoking Sydney plants and vegetation, the projections use algorithms of waves to create a 'watery world'. The colourful artworks are free to visit, and touching, sitting and even lying in them is encouraged. Pipilotti Rist: Sparkling Pond, Bold-Coloured Groove & Tender can be viewed from sunset to 11pm every night. Images: Pipilotti Rist: Sparkling Pond, Bold-Coloured Groove & Tender, 2018, courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth and Luhring Augustine. Photos by Mark Pokorny.
When New Zealand comedy Nude Tuesday hits screens Down Under this winter, it'll be business time. Despite what star Jemaine Clement has sung in Flight of the Conchords, however, few folks on-screen will still be wearing their socks. Birthday suits are the preferred attire here, as made plain in the new movie's name. It does follow an unhappy couple who are gifted a trip to a remote couples' retreat to help save their marriage — a spot where getting in the buff often is recommended — after all. Playing that duo: fellow NZ treasure Jackie van Beek, who co-starred with Clement in What We Do in the Shadows, and Australian The Tourist actor Damon Herriman. And no, the latter isn't portraying Charles Manson, as he did in both Mindhunter and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Laura and Bruno, the pair's characters, find scenic sights awaiting at their mountainside getaway — and also Clement as Bjorg Rassmussen. Laughter workshops, tantric dance, sexual liberation and emotional animals all pop up, too, as does baring all to truly work out how they are. See: the just-dropped and very funny trailer. All that flesh, and that cast, is one reason that Nude Tuesday stands out. The other: it's entirely spoken in a made-up language. The cast improvised gibberish as they filmed, and British comedian and writer Julia Davis (Camping) then came up with the subtitles for the movie afterwards. There was a script behind the narrative, though — penned by van Beek, who also co-wrote and co-directed fellow NZ comedy The Breaker Upperers. Here, van Beek came up with the story with filmmaker Armağan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water), who is on helming duties. New Zealanders will be able to see how it all turns out in cinemas on June 16, while Nude Tuesday hits Australian cinemas on June 23 — and will also stream in the latter via Stan from July 7. In Australia, multiple versions of the movie will make their way to streaming, including one subtitled by Aussie comedians Celia Pacquola and Ronny Chieng. Check out the Nude Tuesday trailer below: Nude Tuesday opens in New Zealand cinemas on June 16, in Australian cinemas on June 23, and will stream via Stan in Australia from July 7.
British culinary figure Rick Stein has had a years-long love affair with the Australian coast. In 2009, he opened Rick Stein at Bannisters by the Sea in the breezy south NSW coastal town of Mollymook, and followed it up a decade later with Rick Stein at Bannisters Port Stephens, which debuted in 2018. Now, the legendary chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television presenter will bringing be his signature brand of "fresh fish, simply cooked" to Sydney for the very first time, with Stein and his Australian wife Sarah set to open their Australian flagship in one of the city's most iconic beachside destinations. Rick Stein at Coogee Beach — which comes 50 years after he opened his very first restaurant, The Seafood Restaurant, in a Cornwall fishing port — will be an expansive 224-seater set in the upcoming InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, offering the refined beachside dining experience for which Stein is known. For his third Australian restaurant, Stein will be showcasing premium Australian regional and local produce across three distinct, yet quietly elegant, spaces: a signature dining room, a more casual bar area and a sun-washed courtyard terrace. "Coogee Beach is yet another stunning coastal location for our Australian restaurant portfolio — perched by the sea and full of the laidback charm we've come to love so much here," says Stein. "It's especially meaningful for me as my wife Sas grew up in Sydney, so opening a restaurant in her hometown makes this venture all the more special for us both." The menu will hero some of NSW's very best seafood, including mahi mahi from Nelson Bay, Stockton pipis from Port Stephens and line-caught mackerel from Ulladulla, while Stein's show-stopping Singapore chilli crab will feature blue swimmer from Nelson Bay. Naturally, Stein's beloved British-style fish and chips — complete with hand-cut chips and mushy peas — will also make the cut. "There's an abundance of top-quality seafood in Australia and we'll be championing local, seasonal produce with the benefit of accessing the biggest fish market in the southern hemisphere," says Stein. "We'll continue to utilise the relationships we've built in our regional locations to source that same produce in Sydney. It's the best of both worlds." On the ops side, Sarah Stein, Rick's wife and long-time collaborator, will bring her touch to the restaurant's interiors and ambience. For their Coogee dining room, the couple are working in partnership with Salter Brothers, who acquired the Bannisters Group in 2024 and will also operate the InterContinental Coogee. Rick Stein at Coogee Beach is slated to open in November, 2025 at InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, 242 Arden Street, Coogee. For more information, head to the restaurant's website.
Nestled among the Coast Mountains, Whistler is a magical township located a couple of hours' drive north of Vancouver, Canada. The snow-laden village is best known for the mighty Whistler Blackcomb, which is by far and away the biggest ski resort in North America, made up of two majestic peaks joined by the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, the highest and longest cablecar of its kind in the world. Should you be planning a trip to this wintry wonderland, you'd be remiss not to involve some outdoorsy adventures, including a few days' skiing or boarding some of the world's most beautiful runs. Beyond carving and shredding your way down Whistler's mountains, however, there are bucket loads of other escapades to be had, from dog sledding in the stunning old growth forest of the Callaghan Valley and snowshoeing around ghost towns to ice skating on frozen lakes and ice fishing in secret water holes. There's plenty of adventure to be had in Whistler, so start planning your trip with our guide to the village's best outdoor winter activities. [caption id="attachment_630393" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Whistler/Eric Berger.[/caption] SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING WHISTLER BLACKCOMB At Whistler Blackcomb, you'll find 200 official runs, which means you can ski for days without covering the same ground twice. Plus, with over 8,000 acres of skiable terrain, Whistler and Blackcomb mountains offer something for every level and style of skier and rider. If you're a beginner, you're in luck, as 35% of Whistler Blackcomb's trails (covering almost 3,000 acres) have your name on them — the most beautiful being Burnt Stew Trail in the Symphony Zone on Whistler Mountain, which winds gently through open bowls and alpine forest. For intermediate skiers, 7th Heaven offers a suitably challenging terrain, with loads of trees and stunning panoramas. And if you're an expert on the slopes, then head to Couloir Extreme, rated as one of the planet's most terrifying (and thrilling) runs. There's also plenty of terrain accessible from the Peak Chair at the top of Whistler. Something to mention about skiing at Whistler Blackcomb is that the pedestrian-only Whistler Village is nestled right at the base of Whistler and Blackcomb, meaning runs feed right into the village centre off both mountains. The transition from shredding and carving to après-ski is a total breeze — especially with the many après joints loved by visitors and locals alike. CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING Lost Lake doesn't just sound like something out of a C.S. Lewis novel, it looks like it, too. You'll find this magical spot 15 minutes' walk from Whistler Village, so when you feel like a break from downhill thrills, and are ready to move at a slower, more exploratory pace, take a cross-country glide. If you're after some exploration further afield from Whistler Village, then head to the extensive cross-country skiing trails out in the Callaghan Valley. The area offers picturesque, natural surrounds, and the Ski Callaghan Nordic centre is just a short shuttle ride from the heart of Whistler. [caption id="attachment_629729" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Whistler/JustaJeskova.[/caption] WALKING THE VALLEY TRAIL You might think of hiking as more of a summer sport, but the Valley Trail makes trekking through Whistler's natural surrounds possible all year round. This 40-kilometre network dedicated to walkers is paved, cleared of snow, car-free and provides a connection between the area's many villages, lakes and parks. How you go about experiencing it is your call. With plenty of walks to choose from, you can take in many amazing mountain vistas, discover a forest of giant cedars and even check out a few local craft breweries on the way. [caption id="attachment_630888" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scandinave Spa.[/caption] SOAKING IN STEAMY OUTDOOR HOT POOLS After a day in subzero temperatures, there's no better way to wind down than with a dip in a hot pool. On the periphery of Whistler's Lost Lake Park forest, nestled among spruce and cedar trees, you'll find Scandinave Spa. Here you can hang out in a eucalyptus steam bath and Finnish sauna before plunging into a Nordic waterfall, then recovering in Hammock Haven. Any iciness left in your bones from a day in the snow will surely melt away. The spa also offers massages, plus has a cafe onsite just in case you need a little pick me up. WINTER ZIP LINING Yep, flying through the air at 100 kilometres per hour, 200 metres above the ground, in sub-zero temperatures is absolutely doable in Whistler; in fact, there's a stack of zip line tours to choose from. Go with Superfly, and you'll catch a 4WD up Rainbow Mountain, before taking off on a 1.3-kilometre long ride that spans deep valleys and old growth forests. Look to Ziptrek for several options, categorised according to adrenaline hit. For newbies, there's the Bear Tour, which covers five zip lines joined by treetop bridges, while hardened thrill seekers have the Mammoth Tour, which takes in ten zip lines, suspension bridges, boardwalks and trails. ICE CLIMBING BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN Whether you're new to ice climbing or quite accustomed to hanging off of a glacier, suspended by just an axe, there's a frozen vertical trek for you in Whistler. Novices get an introduction to climbing techniques and a safety pep talk before starting, while the more experienced are able to choose from a variety of routes, according to their ability. Both multi-pitch and multi-day tours are available, plus, at Blackcomb you can begin with a lift ride, conquer a couple hours of ice climbing, then ski back to base. Tour companies include Mountain Skills Academy and Coast Mountain Guides. DOG SLEDDING SNOWY TERRAINS If you're keen to explore, but don't want to do all the work yourself, enlist a pack of huskies and a sled, then kick back like a Snow Queen and relax. Canadians have been getting around this way for more than four thousand years now, and there are a few tour operators that'll show you how, including Canadian Wilderness Adventures and Blackcomb Dogsled. Both will take you on a journey into Callaghan Valley, a wonderland of old growth forest and lakes just fifteen minutes south of Whistler. If the surrounds look familiar, that's probably because you saw them during the 2010 Winter Olympics. [caption id="attachment_631261" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pemberton Fish Finder.[/caption] ICE FISHING You haven't tasted fish until you've tasted it straight from the ice. On a Whistler ice fishing tour, your guide will pick you up, drive you to a remote alpine lake, frozen river or secret water hole, and take you through the tricky process of nabbing a bite. There'll be plenty of sitting about and admiring the scenery to be done, which also gives you a good chunk of time to learn more about the millennia-old art of ice fishing and how to improve your skills. Tours usually include transport and gear. [caption id="attachment_631259" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Whistler/Mike Crane.[/caption] ICE SKATING Smack bang in the middle of Whistler Village is a free, outdoor ice skating rink. All you need are your skates or six bucks to hire a pair — and if you're a beginner, maybe a push bar (or a friend's hand) to help you along. For a more exotic experience, head to a skate-able local lake, and maybe even pick up a game of hockey. Popular options are Alta Lake, with one square kilometre of ice to glide across, backdropped by mountain views, and to the north, the larger Green Lake at double the size of Alta. Lake ice skating runs informally only, so you'll need to take care safety-wise and bring your own pair of skates. Plan an adventure into the great Canadian outdoors and discover all Whistler has to offer here. Lead image: Tourism Whistler/David McColm.
Look what Australia's massive demand for Eras Tour tickets made Taylor Swift do: add extra shows to her next trip Down Under. After two rounds of presales for the singer-songwriter's February 2024 concerts in Melbourne and Sydney, and before general sales even start, the 'We Are Never Getting Back Together', 'Shake It Off' and 'Bad Blood' musician has announced an extra gig in both cities. If you've been struggling to nab a seat so far, and also stressing about the next ticket release on Friday, June 30, this enchanted news — which comes due to "historically unprecedented demand" — means that there'll be a heap more on offer. Tickets for both new dates will also go on sale on Friday, June 30. Good luck in the queue, Swifties. [caption id="attachment_907314" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] The additional shows come at the end of her stints in both cities, so Swift will now play MCG in Melbourne across Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18, then head north to hit the stage across at Sydney's Accor Stadium from Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26. At all gigs, she'll have Sabrina Carpenter in support. That blank space in your calendar that you were hoping to fill with Swift working through her entire career so far, playing tracks from each of her studio albums in a three-hour, 44-song, ten-act spectacular? You now have more chances to do so. [caption id="attachment_906254" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Sadly, Swift hasn't added concerts in any other cities across Australia. And, this is apparently it, with Frontier, the touring company that's bringing the star our way, advising that "no further dates will be added for the Australian tour". The Eras Tour kicked off in March in the US, where it's still playing. Swift will also head to Mexico, Argentina and Brazil in 2023 — and Japan, Singapore, France, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Poland and Australia until August 2024. [caption id="attachment_906252" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] This'll be Swift's first tour Down Under since 2018, when she brought her Reputation shows to not only Sydney and Melbourne, but Brisbane and Perth, too. Thanks to the extra dates now, she'll become the first artist since Madonna in 1993 to perform three concerts at the MCG — and the first-ever artist to play four concerts at Accor Stadium. It's no wonder that the Victorian Government declared her Melbourne stint a major event so that anti-scalping legislation would apply to tickets. TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR AUSTRALIAN DATES 2024: Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18 — Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Taylor Swift will bring The Eras Tour to Australia in February 2024. General ticket sales for the Melbourne shows start at 10am AEST on Friday, June 30, with the Sydney shows on sale at 2pm AEST on Friday, June 30. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons
A Michelin-trained chef has brought a new authentic Mexican taqueria to Pyrmont. Nativo is now open above the John St Square Rail Station, bringing tacos and Mexican street food from highly travelled and experienced chef Manuel Diaz to the waterfront suburb. Focusing mainly on takeaway — with just 14 al fresco seats available for dining — the menu at Nativo is concise, with four flavours of tacos and a range of antojitos and snacks making up the entire menu. Born in the city of Oaxaca, Diaz has worked across some of the most renowned restaurants in Mexico, as well as the Michelin-starred restaurant La Chevre d'Or in France. Since moving to Australia, he's occupied kitchens across the Milpa Collective Group's collection of Mexican favourites like Sonora and Carbon, and headed up Bar Patron as the Executive Chef. Diaz is bringing this wealth of experience to a fun and vibrant menu, with a local twist to it — the use of native Australian ingredients. Order the Cochinita Pibilfeatu and you'll find slow-cooked pulled pork paired with a saltbush morita salsa, while the guacamole has been complimented with lemon myrtle oil. "The best of Mexican gastronomy is inspired by ideas developed by the Indigenous communities and ancestors of the country," says Diaz. "I have crafted a menu that honours these flavours and traditions, and we celebrate our union with the Australian community by complimenting these recipes with native Australian ingredients to create a unique fusion that brings these roots together." Other taco varieties include a classic beef birria starring a 12-hour cooked brisket, a vegetarian fried potato and mushroom chorizo combo, and a chimichurri octopus option. Accompanying these are the aforementioned guac with corn chips, tostada takes on the pork and vegetarian tacos, and quesadilla rolls packed with your choice of protein, oaxaca cheese, guacamole, coriander and orange-chipotle salsa on pita bread. Nativo continues a boom Sydney has been experiencing around Mexican-born chefs opening standout restaurants in the city. In the last couple of years, we've seen central Mexcian cuisine arrive in Newtown courtesy of Maiz (one of Concrete Playground's 15 best Sydney restaurants) and Rosa Cienfuegos has opened her pair of beloved hole-in-the-wall eateries in Dulwich Hill and Redfern, just to name a few. Nativo is open 11am–8.30pm Tuesday–Saturday at Shop 6/45–55 Harris Street, Pyrmont.
With filmmaking in her blood, Alice Englert makes her directorial debut with a movie about a mother and daughter with cinema similarly pumping through their veins. The creative force behind Bad Behaviour is the offspring of Oscar-winner Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog) and fellow helmer Colin Englert (The Last Resort), but here focuses on actor Lucy (Jennifer Connelly, Top Gun: Maverick) and stunt performer Dylan (Englert herself). There's a knowing, winking vibe to this New Zealand-shot dramedy, then, including in the Labyrinth-starring Connelly playing a former child star, as she is; Campion popping up for a memorable cameo; and Bad Behaviour's writer/director taking on the progeny-to-a-household-name part. The internet ensures that avoiding Englert's family ties is impossible, so she wryly leans into everywhere that life can and does inspire art; however, this bold and involving spiritual retreat-set feature isn't about nudges and nods, or even built on them. When there's evident parallels between what's on-screen and reality, a question springs: take all those links away and does the film still hit its marks? The answer for Englert's first stint behind the camera after acting in Ginger & Rosa, Beautiful Creatures, Campion's Top of the Lake, Them That Follow, Ratched, You Won't Be Alone and more is a resounding yes that could be shouted from the mountaintops. Bad Behaviour savvily satirises the wellness and enlightenment industry with the look of the also Aotearoa-made Nude Tuesday, but with a finely balanced understanding of its indulgences and its meaning to attendees. There's a glorious slice of The Lobster to the picture's tone, and not just because Ben Whishaw (Women Talking) features in both. Englert also constructs two phenomenal character studies, all while never being afraid to take wild turns that push everyone out of their comfort zones on- and off-screen. Open to splashing cash but closed to almost everything except her own pain, Lucy is Loveland Ranch's latest arrival, hitting the Oregon venue seeking what everyone is paying for: bliss, peace, reassuring words, kindly ears, shoulders to lean on, a renewed sense of self and the knowledge that all is well. If Lucy also decamps to the remote spot amid towering ranges to escape her own complications, that won't be on the itinerary. A phone call en route teases what loiters elsewhere, with strain echoing down the line as she tells Dylan — who is in NZ working on a big film — where she's going. It takes time and a shocking-but-earned twist to get Lucy and Dylan in the same space in Bad Behaviour's second half, when they're each weathering their own mayhem while also sifting through shared baggage, and the tension and anxiety between them seethes with a lifetime's worth of fractures and fraying. At Loveland, new-age sessions run by guru Elon Bello (Whishaw) are meant to get spiky, process trauma and demand hard work. That's even more true with its latest attendee, her dripping cynicism and her immediate distaste for self-obsessed model Beverly (Dasha Nekrasova, Succession). Everyone lapping up Elon's teachings has woes to wade through, with Lucy's distress at the path her life has taken since her heyday — she mentions a "warrior princess" role — just one problem put to the group. She's trying yet she's also igniting in a place where platitudes are doled out as wisdom and no one truly wants to do anything but hog the limelight. That the camp insists on silence between therapy chatter is an astute comic touch from Englert: the facility's customers gleefully believe that it'll help, purchasing the privilege of being told so and also struggling to comply; as scripted and portrayed, they'd also genuinely benefit from stopping to think through rather than natter about their emotions. As Lucy is stuck in agonising mother-baby role-play classes that go as well as anyone would expect — although in Englert's hands, nothing plays out as anyone could anticipate — Dylan is on set. There, plying her trade, getting bruises for her efforts and sporting a crush are her daily minutiae. Penned with precision, both of Bad Behaviour's threads tease out details about its two central women, whether unpacking Lucy's unhappiness, guilt and contempt, or exploring why Dylan seeks peril professionally and personally alike. A mother-daughter reckoning is always coming, though. Englert not only makes the build-up and the fallout equally knotty, revelatory and compelling — she commandingly establishes the ins and outs of her two protagonists beyond the most important relationship in their lives. More than four decades after her first-ever screen credit and two since winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for A Beautiful Mind, Connelly remains a reason to seek any project out. While she isn't Bad Behaviour's sole highlight, she's that good. Of late, she's been stellar in the TV version of Snowpiercer as well (also navigating uneasy parental bonds), but this film boasts one of her next-level performances. Stepping into Lucy's shoes is a go-for-broke effort to dive into the character's many complexities and conflicts, and Connelly is not only excellent but rivetingly raw and deeply resonant. She's also delightfully funny in the film's wry way. Englert has cast herself well, too, showing off her wit and empathy as an actor in a feature with no weak on-screen links, Whishaw, Ana Scotney (Millie Lies Low), Beulah Koale (Dual) and Marlon Williams (Sweet Tooth) among them. References to Englert and Connelly's pasts aren't all that Bad Behaviour wears proudly, clearly; thorniness is embraced just as strongly and ambition gleams bright. There's no doubting that this picture is the product of someone who knows what she wants to dig into, shower around, contemplate, excavate, call out and laugh at — and that it's made by a filmmaker who is as certain of how she wants her feature to look and feel at every moment. As cinematographer Matt Henley (Coming Home in the Dark) takes in the surroundings, it isn't difficult to spot New Zealand standing in for Bad Behaviour's American half, although there's a fitting air to that to that move in this movie. Perspective is a core part of this emotionally lingering flick, as is seeing intricacies in multiple lights as Englert shines the torch.
After serving up slices at festivals and events in Queensland, and and building a cult following through standout pop-ups at Marrickville's Grifter Brewing Co and The Dolphin Hotel, Sydney duo The Pizza Bros have opened their first permanent location inside a beloved Inner West pub. You'll now find the Bros' beloved leopard-spotted rounds on the rooftop of the historic Erskineville stalwart The Imperial. A bustling LGBTQIA+ nightlife hub famous for its appearance in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Imperial was recently taken over by Universal Hotels, the hospitality team behind Newtown Hotel, Universal, Oxford Hotel and Civic Hotel. While not much has changed so far since the acquisition, the arrival of The Pizza Bros marks the first shift in offerings since the changing of hands. "The Pizza Bros are not just pizza makers; they're a cultural phenomenon," said CEO of Universal Hotels Harris Kospetas. "The Imperial Hotel has always been a place where innovation meets tradition, and we're excited to infuse fresh energy into this beloved space. We have some exciting changes in the works that will undoubtedly resonate with the community." Anyone who's visited the pop-up at Grifter will know the duo specialise in perfectly chewy woodfired pizza reminiscent of other Sydney favourites like Bella Brutta and Gigis — both of which the Bros previously worked at. The menu across the pop-up and this new kitchen focuses on combining Italian staples with quality local produce. Take the Waterworld, which pairs a house-made fermented chilli sauce with fior di latte, Faros Seafood garlic prawns and pancetta. There's also a luxe take on a meatlovers featuring LP's salami cotto and Whole Beast Butchery salsicce — and The Mago Picasso, which keeps it simple with fior di latte, pomodoro sugo, confit garlic and basil. But, what would good toppings be worth without a great canvas? The Pizza Bros give special focus to their in-house dough, using several fermentation processes to create each base. The result is both tasty and aesthetically pleasing — so pleasing that it's racked up hundreds of thousands of views across TikTok and Instagram. The Imperial is walk-in friendly, but if you want to make a booking for the rooftop, you can at the pub's website. The Imperial is located at 35 Erskineville Road, Erksineville. You'll find The Pizza Bros on the rooftop Wednesday–Sunday.
Every single week, new releases grace the country's cinemas, spanning instant masterpieces, forgettable dreck and everything in-between. But as glorious as the silver-screen experience is — for watching a film, there's absolutely nothing like it — that's not the only place to see an ace movie. Plenty of standout flicks are now dropping in your streaming queue every single month without gracing a picture palace first. Sometimes, they've had small film festival runs beforehand — but definitely not always. Back in the day, these would've been dubbed 'straight to video' and come with an air of suspicion. But bypassing cinemas has never been synonymous with terrible films. It certainly hasn't been in 2022 so far, with the first six months of the year delivering a heap of highlights — 15 that we've picked, in fact — that rank among the year's best. Here's the full rundown of the straight-to-streaming gems that you need to catch up with. The added bonus: you can watch them all from your couch now. KIMI For the second year in a row, Steven Soderbergh has made one of the year's best movies and it has completely bypassed Australian cinemas. Unlike last year's No Sudden Move, however, Kimi was always destined for streaming. The latest in his series of paranoid thrillers that also includes Contagion, and once again female-fronted as Haywire, Side Effects and Unsane were too, this Zoë Kravitz-starring standout takes its cues from smart devices, humanity's increasing dependence upon technology, and the kinds of events that a virtual assistant like Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant might eavesdrop on. As a result, Soderbergh has crafted another movie that riffs on a growing area of real-life interest, then turns it into a tense, potent and devilishly smart feature. A bonus: focusing on a protagonist who doesn't feel safe leaving her house, Kimi couldn't better capture how the pandemic has felt without overtly needing to be a COVID-19 film. Kravitz (The Batman) plays Angela Childs, who works for Seattle-based tech corporation Amygdala from the comfort of her own sprawling loft — and from her own audiophile's dream of a computer setup — listening to snippets of conversation captured by smart speaker Kimi for quality assurance. In one clip, she hears what she believes to be a horrible crime and is compelled to follow up; however, her bosses aren't thrilled about her probing. Complicating matters: after being the victim of an assault a couple of years earlier, Angela suffers from anxiety and agoraphobia, making leaving the house to investigate a fraught task. As he did to particularly stellar effect in Unsane as well, Soderbergh styles his latest psychological thriller after its protagonist's mindset, making unease and suspense drop from every aesthetic choice — camera angles and placement, jittery frames and a voyeuristic perspective all included. Kimi is available to stream via Binge. FRESH Finally, a film about dating in the 21st century with real bite — and that's unafraid to sink its teeth into the topic. In this hit Sundance horror-comedy, Normal People's Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Noa, and once again gets entangled in a romance that'll leave a mark; here, however, the scars aren't merely emotional. Swiping right hasn't been doing it for Fresh's protagonist, as a comically terrible date with the appropriately named Chad (Brett Dier, Jane the Virgin) demonstrates early. Then sparks fly the old-fashioned way, in-person at the supermarket, with the curiously offline doctor Steve (Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy). Soon, he's whisking her away to a secluded spot for the weekend — a little too swiftly for Noa's protective best friend Mollie's (Jojo T Gibbs, Twenties) liking, especially given that no one can virtually stalk his socials to scope him out — and that getaway takes a savage and nightmare-fuelling twist. If Raw met Ex Machina, then crossed paths with American Psycho and Hostel, and finally made the acquaintance of any old rom-com, Fresh still wouldn't be the end result — but its tone stems from those parts, as do some plot points and performances, and even a few scenes as well. First-time feature director Mimi Cave doesn't butcher these limbs, though, and screenwriter Lauryn Kahn (Ibiza) doesn't stitch them together like Frankenstein's monster. As anchored by the excellent Edgar-Jones and Stan, there's care, savvy, smarts and style in this splatter-filled, satirical, brutal, funny, empowered and sweet film. Its twists, and its cutting take on predatory dating, are best discovered by watching, but being turned off apps, men and meat in tandem is an instant gut reaction. Fresh is available to stream via Disney+. COW As its name so clearly explains, Cow devotes its frames to one farmyard animal — and it's one of the most haunting films of the past few years. It's the third feature to take its title from a four-legged critter in the past 12 months, after the vastly dissimilar Pig and Lamb. It's also the second observational documentary of late to peer at the daily existence of creatures that form part of humanity's food chain, following the also-exceptional Gunda. And, it also joins 2013's The Moo Man in honing its focus specifically upon dairy farming, and in Britain at that. But the key to Cow is Andrea Arnold, the phenomenal filmmaker behind Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights, American Honey and the second season of Big Little Lies. She sees Luma, her bovine protagonist, with as much affection and understanding as she's ever seen any of the women who've led her projects. While watching, viewers do as well. Starting with the birth of Luma's latest calf — and, in the beginning, taking detours to see how it's faring as well — Cow unfurls with the rhythm of its agricultural setting. It's the rhythm of Luma's life, too, as she's milked and fed, moos for the offspring that's taken away too quickly, and is soon impregnated again. There's no doubt where the documentary is headed, either. There's simply no shying away from the fact that Luma and cattle like her only exist for milk or meat. Without ever offering any narration or on-screen explanation, Arnold stares at these facts directly, while also peering deeply into its bovine subject's eyes as often as possible. The result is hypnotic, inescapably affecting, and also features the best use of Garbage's 'Milk' ever in a movie. Cow is available to stream via DocPlay. I'M YOUR MAN Since 2013, any film that's involved making an emotional connection with artificial intelligence has brought Her to mind. Since 2014, any movie about human-android relationships has conjured up Ex Machina as well. And, since 2007, any flick that focuses on the companionship that a lonely human soul might find in an artificial companion has walked in Lars and the Real Girl's footsteps, too. In smart, perceptive and warmly humorous German gem I'm Your Man, however, it's a woman who is opening her life to a male presence — an AI-run robot designed to be her perfect match — and she's not too happy about it. Archaeologist Dr Alma Felser (Maren Egger, I Was at Home, But) is merely and begrudgingly testing out the technology that brings Tom (Dan Stevens, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) into her life, for three weeks at the behest of her boss at Berlin's Pergamon Museum, and solely for the good of science. I'm Your Man is a rom-com, which means exactly what viewers think it does going in: that Alma slowly starts rethinking her position on Tom. But that's about the only aspect of this thoughtful, witty and yearning exploration of what it means to be human and to truly connect that does what's expected. Fresh from winning an Emmy for directing Unorthodox, German filmmaker Maria Schrader helms a charming and insightful take on what's beginning to be an oft-considered topic, and is unpacked in a moving and delightful way in her hands. Her film is also extremely well cast, with Egger thoroughly deserving her 2021 Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Acting Performance as Alma, and Stevens pitch-perfect as the supposed robotic man of her dreams — who just wants love himself. I'm Your Man is available to stream via Binge. HELLBENDER Meet the Adams family — no, not the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky characters that've featured on pages and screens for decades (including in two terrible recent animated flicks), but the filmmaking collective comprised of couple Toby Poser and John Adams, plus their daughters Zelda and Lulu Adams. The quartet might be missing a letter from their well-known counterparts' names, but they're just as fond of all things horror. Case in point: their second feature Hellbender, a self-financed standout that's both a spellbinding tale of witchcraft and a clever coming-of-age story. It starts in a house in the woods, and also spends most of its time there. It includes the arrival of an unexpected stranger, shattering the status quo. But formulaic and by-the-numbers, this must-see isn't. In making first-rate use of its setting, and of a cast that's primarily comprised of Adams family members, it's also a masterclass in lockdown filmmaking. In the most expected aspect of Hellbender, the film's name does indeed refer to a punk-metal band, with 16-year-old Izzy (Zelda Adams, The Deeper You Dig) and her mother (Toby Poser) its sole members. No one else has ever heard them play, either, given that Izzy is both homeschooled and confined to the family's sprawling mountainside property, as she has been since she was five. Her mum tells her that she can't venture into town or around other people due to a contagious autoimmune disease; however, when a lost man (John Adams) wanders their way and mentions that his teenage niece Amber (Lulu Adams) lives nearby, Izzy gets the confidence to go exploring. As both written and directed by three out of four Adams family members — all except Lulu — Hellbender proves an impressive supernatural affair from its opening occult-heavy prologue through to its astute take on teen rebellion. Here's hoping this Adams family spirits up more DIY horror delights soon, too. Hellbender is available to stream via Shudder. APOLLO 10 1/2: A SPACE AGE CHILDHOOD In 1969, the year that Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood is set, writer/director Richard Linklater was nine years old and living in Houston, Texas. This lovely animated film happens to follow a boy around the same age in the same city — and trust the filmmaker behind Boyhood, Dazed and Confused, and the glorious trio that is Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight to make viewers who weren't there then (who weren't even alive and have never been to America, too) to feel as nostalgic about the place and era as he clearly does. As narrated by his Bernie and The School of Rock star Jack Black, the film's entire middle section dances through memories of the time and city with infectious enthusiasm, but its biggest dose of affection radiates towards the technological promise of the 60s. The Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions were rocketing into space and it patently felt like anything was possible, a sensation so marvellously captured in each second of Apollo 10 1/2. Jumping back into the rotoscoped animation that served Linklater so well in Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly, this loving ode to years and moods gone by also sports a delightful premise. As his older guise (Black) explains, young Stan (debutant Milo Coy) was an ordinary Houston kid with a NASA-employed dad (Bill Wise, Waves), doting mum (Lee Eddy, Cruel Summer) and five older siblings when he was approached by two men (Shazam!'s Zachary Levi and Everybody Wants Some!!'s Glen Powell) to help them with a problem. In the lead up to Apollo 11, it seems that NASA accidentally built the lunar module a couple of sizes too small, so they need a kid — Stan — to help them by going to the moon to test things out before Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins make their famous trip in a bigger version. That fantastical idea feels ripped from Linklater's childhood dreams, and it well might be; it also makes for a warm and charming entry point into a movie that's as much about life's ups and downs, the bonds of family and the wide-eyed optimism of youth as it is about heading to space. Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood is available to stream via Netflix. THE JANES In the perfect version of 2022, watching The Janes would resemble unpacking a time capsule. In this documentary's frames, remnants of life during 60s and 70s America flicker across the screen — visions of what the US was like for women before the Supreme Court's landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling. But, devastatingly, that's not how viewing this Tia Lessin (Citizen Koch)- and Emma Pildes-directed film feels like now thanks to recent developments with America's current conservative-skewed highest judicial body. Accordingly, this powerful doco might just offer a window into the possible future by cataloguing a dark and heartbreaking part of the past. Its focus: members of Chicago's The Jane Collective, who stepped in to provide safe, affordable but also highly illegal abortion services when terminating pregnancies, and therefore giving women agency over their choices and their very existence, was a crime across the nation. Fellow 2022 highlight Happening has charted the same territory at around the same time, but in France and fictionalised. Back in 2020, the phenomenal Never Rarely Sometimes Always examined the situation in the US recently — well, before this year's Supreme Court ruling undoing Roe v Wade — as well. Each of the above, and The Janes as well, unsurprisingly makes for harrowing, infuriating, heart- and gut-wrenching viewing. In this instance, the film sticks with current-day talking heads and archival footage to step through why the service provided by Jane, aka the Abortion Counseling Service of Women's Liberation, was necessary and important. The brave and heroic women involved talked through the details with clarity and potency, as do some of the men who assisted, whether as husbands who were also lawyers, doctors, or construction workers-turned-abortionists. Of course, unlike in the times chronicled, women never come second to men in this gripping and resonant doco. The Janes is available to stream via Binge. CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH With Freshman Year, Cooper Raiff cemented himself as a talent to watch, both on- and off-screen. The writer, director, actor, editor and producer wore many hats on the likeable romance-meets-coming-of-age film, and he wore them all impressively and effortlessly. With Cha Cha Real Smooth, he hands over splicing duties, but he's just as ace in every other guise yet again. Winner of the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, in the prestigious event's US Dramatic competition, this comedy also focuses on the fact that no one really knows how to handle life — this time centring its tale around the just-out-of-college Andrew (Raiff, Madeline & Cooper). The character returns home after graduating with the sole aim of making enough cash to follow his girlfriend to Spain, but falls into a gig hosting Bar Mitzvahs for his younger brother David's (Evan Assante, Dinosaur World) friends. Andrew falls in another way, too: in love with Domino (an exceptional Dakota Johnson, playing a mum again after The Lost Daughter), mother to Evan's classmate Lola (debutant Vanessa Burghardt). Lola has autism, is bullied by the other kids and usually finds herself ignored at parties, somewhat happily so; however, Andrew makes her feel comfortable and accepted, which doesn't go unnoticed. His growing fondness for Domino is complicated, though. So is the object of his affection herself — and, while more than half a century ago The Graduate splashed in a similar pool, Johnson brings her own shades and depths to a woman who is yearning for stability yet rallying against it. Everything also remains complex about Cha Cha Real Smooth's portrait of being a fresh college graduate with everything ahead of you and zero ideas of how what to truly do — and proves always-earnest as well, a description that applies to Raiff's work as Andrew and this low-key, insightful and charming movie alike. Cha Cha Real Smooth is available to stream via Apple TV+. FIRE ISLAND Pride and Prejudice, but set on New York's Fire Island. That's it, that's the queer rom-com that shares its setting's name. Fire Island, the movie, even comes with its own Mr Darcy — here called Will and played by How to Get Away with Murder's Conrad Ricamora, who should enjoy the same career bump that Colin Firth did in the 90s when he stepped into the part in a far-more-faithful TV adaptation. Updating Jane Austen isn't new, of course. Bridget Jones' Diary, also famously starring Firth, did the same with Pride and Prejudice. Stone-cold classic Clueless, which gets a shoutout here in a perfectly co-opted line of dialogue, did it with Emma, too. One of Fire Island's best traits is how new yet comfortable it feels, though, like thumbing through a favourite but seeing it afresh — with hot tubs full of praise deserved by director Andrew Ahn (Spa Night, Driveways) and screenwriter/star Joel Kim Booster (Loot). Booster also boasts a writing credit on The Other Two, one of the best new TV comedies of the past few years — and that bitingly smart, laugh-a-minute tone shines through in Fire Island, too. He takes Austen's tale about love and class and steeps it within the queer community, its subdivisions and subcultures, and issues of race and socio-economic status that ripple through, as they do in America and the world more broadly. That's what Booster's self-confident Noah finds himself navigating on a week-long annual getaway with his best friends, and after he decides to put his pal Howie's (Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live) romantic prospects above his own. If you know the OG story, you know what happens next, including Noah's path towards the initially stern, quiet and standoffish Will. The end product here is witty, funny, heartwarming and sincere, as well as supremely well cast, energetic from start to finish, and bursting with queer pride. Fire Island is available to stream via Disney+. ASCENSION Ascension may not be one of this year's Oscar-winners, losing out to the also fantastic Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), but it'll always be among 2022's nominees. More than that, this two-time Tribeca Film Festival winner will forever remain one of the most arresting documentaries of the past 12 months as well. Helming her first feature-length doco, filmmaker Jessica Kingdon turns her gaze to the Chinese dream — and what she sees, while situated in a very specific cultural context by design, is a clear and easy sibling to its American counterpart. That's part of the statement her film makes, all just by watching on patiently but meticulously as people go about their lives. Starting with factory recruitment on the streets, then moving into mass production, then climbing the social hierarchy up to the rich and privileged, Ascension explores employment and consumerism — and what they mean in an everyday sense in modern-day and modernised China. It's a portrait of the needs that make working on assembly lines a necessity, and of the dreams that inspire every climb, rung by rung, up the societal ladder. Some folks build sex dolls, their uncanny valley-esque forms adding an eerie mood. Others take lessons on etiquette for service jobs, including about not letting your face betray your emotions, and the tone is also unsettling. Observational to a mesmerising degree, Kingdon's exceptional film lets its slices of life and the behaviour, attitudes and patterns they capture do the talking, and they all speak volumes. Indeed, what a clever, telling, incisive and surreal story they unfurl. Ascension is available to stream via Paramount+. THE HOUSE Not to be confused with well-cast but decidedly unfunny Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler-starring comedy of the same name, The House dedicates its weird and wonderful stop-motion animated frames to three tales all set in the same abode. In the anthology film's first chapter from directors Marc James Roels and Emma De Swaef, a poverty-stricken family mocked by richer relatives luck into a deal with an architect, which results in the movie's central dwelling being built — and its new inhabitants getting more than they bargained for. In the second part by Niki Lindroth von Bahr, a developer, who also happens to be a rat, finalises his renovations and readies the place for sale; however, two odd prospective buyers won't leave after the first viewing. And in the third section from Paloma Baeza, the home towers above an apocalyptic future flooded with water, with its owner, a cat, struggling with her fellow feline tenants. Each of The House's films-within-a-film hail from a different creative team, boast different voice casts and splash around their own aesthetics — and they're all a delight. The constants: the titular structure, the fabric-style look to the animation (even as each director comes up with their own take) that makes you want to reach out and touch it, and mix of creativity and emotion in its dark-skewing stories. This is a movie that questions the comfortable mindset that bricks and mortar are expected to bring, and where where just trying to get by is recognised as the struggle it is in a variety of wild and inventive ways. And as for that vocal talent, Matthew Goode (The King's Man), Mia Goth (Emma.), Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown), Susan Wokoma (Truth Seekers) and Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker all do ace work. The House is available to stream via Netflix. TURNING RED What'd happen if the Hulk was a teenage girl, and turned into a giant, fuzzy, super-cute red panda instead of going green and getting ultra-muscular? Or, finding a different riff on the ol' werewolf situation, if emotions rather than full moons inspired a case of not-quite-lycanthropy? These aren't queries that most folks have thought of, but writer/director Domee Shi certainly has — and they're at the core of Pixar's Turning Red, her debut feature after winning an Oscar for 2018 short Bao. As many of the animation studio's movies do, the film takes its title literally. But, it also spins the usual Pixar question. Turning Red does indeed wonder what'd happen if red pandas sported human-style emotions; however, the Disney-owned company has been musing on people becoming other kinds of critters of late, with particularly astute and endearing results here. The movie's focus: 13-year-old Chinese Canadian Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang, also making her film debut). The year is 2002, and she loves meeting her strict but doting mum Ming's (Sandra Oh, The Chair) expectations, hanging out with her pals and obsessing over boy band 4*Town. And while her mother doesn't approve of her friends or her taste in music, Mei has become accustomed to juggling everything that's important to her. But then, after a boy-related mishap, the red panda appears. Mei goes to bed feeling normal, albeit angsty and upset, only to wake up looking like a cuddly creature. Like werewolf tales about teenage boys tend to be, Turning Red is all about puberty and doesn't hide it — and whether it's tackling that head-on, pondering generational trauma or showing its rampant love for boy bands, it sports sweetness, soul and smarts. Turning Red is available to stream via Disney+. Read our full review. HUSTLE When well-deserved Oscar predictions came Adam Sandler's way for the astounding Uncut Gems, the actor and comedian said that he'd make the worst movie ever if he didn't win one of the Academy's shiny trophies. He didn't, and then Hubie Halloween arrived — and now Hustle. No, neither is the most terrible film on Sandler's resume. In Hustle's case, it happens to be home to one of his best performances. He has plenty to his name, including in Punch-Drunk Love, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) and, of course, Uncut Gems, so it's in good company. There's also an element of art reflecting life in this new sports drama, even though basketball isn't what Sandler is famous for IRL. He knows more than a thing or two about only being seen one way, however, when his talents span much further. Whenever he branches away from the style of comedies that made his name, starting with Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, he knows plenty about being the underdog, too. On-screen, Stanley Sugerman is Hustle's underdog. A scout for the Philadelphia 76ers, he jets around the world scoping out new talent in the hope of finding a future match-winner, but it's not the job he wants. He loves basketball, he used to play and he's long dreamed about being a coach — but when good news arrives, then tragedy strikes, then the calculating Vince Merrick (Ben Foster, Galveston) takes over as the team's owner, it seems he'll be on the road forever. Bo Cruz (real-life NBA player Juancho Hernangómez) might be his ticket to better things, though, if he can get the Spanish construction worker signed or drafted. There's nothing that's surprising about director Jeremiah Zagar's (We the Animals) choices, or screenwriters Taylor Materne (video game NBA 2K20) and Will Fetters' (A Star Is Born) either, but Hustle remains a strong and lived-in character-driven drama as much as a tense against-the-odds sports film — and it's as entertaining and engaging to watch as the playoffs. Hustle is available to stream via Netflix. LUCY AND DESI Icons celebrating icons: when Amy Poehler directs a documentary about Lucille Ball, as she does here, that's the end result. It's fitting that Lucy and Desi includes a letter read mere days after Desi Arnaz's death, about his ex-wife and longterm professional partner, that included a touching line: "I Love Lucy wasn't just the name of the show". Poehler loves Lucy, too, understandably. Watching the compilation of clips curated here — spanning Ball's movie career in the 30s and 40s, as well as her TV shows such as the pioneering I Love Lucy, follow-up The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, and later sitcoms The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy — it's impossible not to see Ball's influence upon the Saturday Night Live and Parks and Recreation star, and upon the generations of female comedians that've followed Ball. Lucy and Desi loves Arnaz as well, though, and truly adores the pair's tumultuous love story — one that changed the course of comedy history. Forget Being the Ricardos, the average-at-best Aaron Sorkin film that inexplicably earned Oscar nominations — including for its one-note performances — and doesn't even dream of being funny. A deeper, meatier, far more interesting dance through Ball and Arnaz's life comes from Lucy and Desi, which benefits not just from Poehler's affection and her eagerness to ensure that her subjects' personalities shine through, but also from previously unreleased audio tapes of the pair talking about their ups and downs. Recent interviews pepper the film as well, including with daughter Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill, and the iconic Carol Burnett. Still, this doco's points of focus truly do speak best for themselves, whether chatting frankly or seen in all of those wonderful sitcom snippets. Lucy and Desi is is available to stream via Prime Video. THE FALLOUT As a next-generation scream queen, Jenna Ortega has had an eventful 2022 so far. She proved one of the highlights of the latest Scream, in fact, then popped up in Foo Fighters horror movie Studio 666. And, she also made a firm impression in 70s-set, porn-shoot slasher X. Similarly a recent highlight: The Fallout, which earned both jury and audience awards for Best Narrative Feature at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, and is horrifying in a completely different way to its star's other roles of late. To be precise, it's devastating. Here, the former child actor plays an American teenager who endures what must be every American teenager's worst nightmare, then understandably struggles to process the aftermath. Surviving a school shooting isn't something that anyone should be expected to come to terms with, to move on from, or to slide easily back into their everyday life — including going back to the same classes — after, obviously. When that terrifying incident occurs, Vada Cavell (Ortega) happens to be in the bathroom. As soon as the first shots are heard, she's hiding in a toilet stall with the school's resident dance star Mia Reed (Maddie Ziegler, thankfully worlds away from Music), and both emerge physically unscathed. But the trauma and emotional scars run deep, with The Fallout chronicling Vada's post traumatic stress disorder-affected headspace in the days, weeks and longer that follow. Written and directed by actor-turned-feature filmmaking debutant Megan Park, this is an immensely powerful portrait of grief on several levels — for classmates lost, lives forever changed and innocent views of the world instantly shattered. Every choice made by Park, and also by Ortega and Ziegler, plunges viewers into their Vada and Mia's internal tussles, including the score by Finneas O'Connell. The Fallout is available to stream via Binge. Looking for more viewing highlights? Check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly. We've also picked our top 15 movies that hit cinemas in the first half of 2022, as well as the 15 best new TV shows and 15 best returning TV shows of the year so far.
On November 24-25, the Sydney Opera House forecourt will transform into an outdoor stage for Dance Rites 2018. Now in its fourth year, this epic event is a First Nations dance competition starring more than 300 performers from all over the country. And it's free. Dance Rites was once part of the Opera House's Homeground Festival, but is now a stand-alone event. In addition to watching the heats from 3pm each day, and the finals on Sunday evening, catch an array of established dancers in action. Just some of the acts on the program include 2017 Dance Rites champs Kulgoodah Dancers, 2017 Wildcard Winners ALLKUMO Malpa Paman Dancers, professional troupe Muggera Dancers and, all the way from New Zealand, collective Te Rua Mauri. Check out, too, musical performances from electro poppers Electric Fieldson Saturday night and Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Sumner on Sunday. The Dance Rites 2018 winner, which is judged on three dances and decided upon by an expert panel of Juanita Duncan, Libby Collins, Matthew Doyle and Waangenga Blanco — will score a whopping $20,000, too. Images: Daniel Boud and Jacqui Cornforth.
American artist Nina Katchadourian has what could aptly be described as a bit of a book fetish. Having spent the last 20 years trawling through libraries and personal collections across the globe in search of books that she can organise into meaningful stacks of "spine poetry", it seems fair to describe the artist as a fully fledged bibliophile. The Sorted Books project has been a labour of love for Katchadourian, who has now amassed over 130 stacks of books, displaying them as either the physical cluster or as photographs. The resulting poetry is at times quirky, sometimes thought-provoking, often laugh-out-loud funny and even touchingly poignant. For the artist the hope was that each stack would represent the unique character of the collections they were drawn from. Katchadourian writes that "the clusters from each sorting aim to examine that particular library's focus, idiosyncrasies, and inconsistencies — a cross-section of that library's holdings." Beyond this, it is the inspiration Katachadourian gains from the books she finds that has meant this project remains ongoing and unfinished, whether this be the aesthetic beauty of the covers, the highly tactile nature of well-loved literature or simply an enduring passion for the written word. Have a look at some of our favourite clusters below or head to Amazon to get your hands on your own photograph.
Nightlife just got brighter with Heineken's new glow-in-the-dark beer bottle. Combining the coolness of a can with the curves of a bottle, this stream-lined aluminium packaging lights up under a black light to reveal a shooting star design. It's all part of the company's packaging refreshment, which takes inspiration from the night-club scene and aims to heighten the beer drinking experience. Mark Van Iterson, Manager Global Heineken Design & Concept said "We have a history of progressive design that has had lasting influence and changed the way people enjoy beer – from being the first to introduce green beer bottles to bringing draught beer to the home through DraughtKeg. Design is at the core of the Heineken brand." Heineken has also launched an initiative, Open Design Explorations, to source other branding and experiential ideas around the theme 'light up the night' from young designers around the globe. https://youtube.com/watch?v=R5mT2mhaKY0 [Via Cool Hunting]
A stunning new dining experience has arrived in Sydney's inner west, courtesy of restaurateur Bill Drakopoulos (Ormeggio at The Spit, LuMi Dining, Ripples Chowder Bay, Chiosco by Ormeggio and Jardin St James). The Fenwick, a heritage-listed waterfront building, reopened as a cafe and gallery last week. It boasts sweeping harbour views, seasonal fare and exhibitions by local and international artists. The tiny sandstone space was built in the 1880s and was originally used as a tugboat store. Heaps of private development proposals were rejected before the building was finally acquired by the former Leichhardt Council in 2003 (now part of the Inner West Council), thanks to a campaign by local Balmain East residents. After a restoration that cost millions, The Fenwick is finally open to the public. To us, the space better resembles a chapel — think a pitched roof, exposed timber beams and large barn doors that open out to views across Barangaroo, the Harbour Bridge and Luna Park. At the simple yet sleek cafe, co-owner and executive chef Davide Rebeccato (Aqua Dining) is serving up modern Australian eats with a focus on seasonal dishes. For breakfast, expect scrambled eggs served on French toast and topped with prawns and eggplant; pulled pork breakfast burgers with fried egg and cabbage slaw; and poached eggs on sourdough with haloumi, mushrooms, avocado and kale. Apart from all those eggs, you can tuck into homemade granola with fresh fruit and berry compote pancakes with banana, coconut and pistachio crumble. More refined fare is on offer for lunch, including pickled sardines, burrata with prosciutto and figs, and jalapeño kingfish with tiger milk. Larger plates feature snapper tail served in a lemon and garlic butter sauce; fish stew with fregola, olives and capers; and wild mushroom and black truffle gnocchi. For the morning, the cafe is slinging Little Marionette coffee and cold pressed juices. Once the arvo hits, a specialty cocktail list will accompany lunch — it includes the Chamomile Kicker (chamomile-infused gin, elderflower liqueur, lime juice and egg), the Lavender Martini (gin, Amaro Nonino, lavender syrup and lime) and the Dark Chocolate Negroni (gin, Campari, Regal Rouge vermouth and dark chocolate bitters). Jugs of Pimm's Cup and rosé spritzes are also up for grabs, as are heaps of local and international wine by the glass and bottle. Level twos houses the public gallery, which will be open daily and offers regular exhibitions featuring local and international artists. Creative events held in partnership with other local galleries and community groups are also on the docket. Keep an eye on this space for upcoming exhibitions and events. The Fenwick is now open at 2-8 Weston Street, Balmain East. Cafe opening hours are for breakfast 7–10.30am and lunch noon–5pm daily.
North-west Sydney is often deprived of the wonders from gelato experts, Gelato Messina. Outside of the Church Street store in Parramatta, the area has limited access to the Sydney favourite and its neverending list of unique flavours. Luckily, hills district stalwart the Bella Vista Hotel is brightening everyone's lockdown with a pop-up Gelato Messina store in its car park. The neighbourhood pub has been running a range of exciting COVID-safe events throughout Sydney's extended lockdown including drive-thru food trucks and a pop-up Canadian Club bar. Now they're bringing all the wonders of Messina to the drive-thru. Head to the hotel 12–9pm Thursdays–Saturdays or 12–4pm Sundays and you'll find a revolving selection of some of Messina's best-selling flavours as well as its famed bake-at-home cookie pies. Both the fairy bread and OG choc-chip pies are on offer and each come with a one-litre tub of vanilla ice cream. If you opt for just a tub of gelato, the 500-millilitre tub will set you back $15.50. The pop-up is locked in for at least the next few weeks as lockdown continues. You can keep up to date with everything the Bella Vista Hotel has going on via Instagram.
When Studio Ghibli opened its own theme park outside of Tokyo at the beginning of November, it took a leaf out of Disney's book, gifting the world the new happiest place on earth. Now, it's actually joining forces with the Mouse House on a surprise collaboration. If you've ever wondered what the cutest figure in a galaxy far, far away might look like if it was given the hand-drawn Ghibli treatment — complete with Spirited Away's susuwatari in tow — then wonder no more, because short film Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies has the answers. Two pop culture favourites, one epic collaboration, and your delightful weekend viewing all sorted: that's the recipe here. Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies will drop on Saturday, November 12 in the US — which usually means 6pm AEST/7pm AEDT in Australia and 9pm in New Zealand — all to celebrate three years since The Mandalorian first hit screens. pic.twitter.com/RZ74q04w7J — スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) November 10, 2022 pic.twitter.com/31jDkRIXTL — スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) November 11, 2022 The just-announced news comes after a few days of teasing on social media, including Studio Ghibli posting a short video featuring both the Lucasfilm and Ghibli logos — and another image featuring a statue of Baby Yoda, aka Grogu, with Studio Ghibli icon and founder Hayao Miyazaki in the background. Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies hails from director Katsuya Kondo (an animator on Earwig and the Witch, When Marnie Was There, The Wind Rises and more), and will feature music by Oscar- and Emmy-winning composer Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian). Further details, other than the fact that you'll need to head to Disney's streaming service Disney+ to see it, haven't been revealed. The anniversary also marks three years of Disney+ itself, and the short precedes the long-awaited third season of The Mandalorian — which dropped a trailer back in September, but won't hit streaming until sometime in 2023. Of course, Andor is filling the Star Wars TV gap quite nicely in the interim — and now Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies, aka a dream team-up, will help as well. Discover Zen - Grogu and Dust Bunnies, a hand-drawn animation by Studio Ghibli, is streaming tomorrow on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/ODqHrgIwnB — Disney+ (@DisneyPlus) November 12, 2022 Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies will be available to stream via Disney+ from Saturday, November 12.
As the weather warms up and winter draws to a close, we've got one thing on our minds: springtime. And we can't think of a better way to usher in the season of new beginnings than by seeing a stunning showcase of local floral talent in full bloom. From Friday, August 19 till Sunday, August 28, you and your best buds can catch the Australian premiere of Fleurs de Villes FEMMES at The Calyx in Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden. Some of Sydney's favourite florists will exhibit floral tributes to 17 trailblazing women including groundbreaking artist Frida Kahlo, pop queen Kylie Minogue, tennis champion Ash Barty and more. Alongside the exhibition there'll also be insightful talks, demonstrations from floral and horticultural experts, a pop-up market and creative workshops. Whether you want to make your own floral scent, learn how to grow a herb garden or to pick up some market-fresh flowers, there's ways for everyone to blossom at this flourishing ten-day event. Keen to check it out? Fleurs de Villes FEMMES will take place from Friday, August 19 till Sunday, August 28 at Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden. To peep the full program and to book tickets, visit the website.
A Chippendale cafe serving up dishes of local and ethically-sourced produce from a predominantly plant-based menu — a lot of which looks like it's made for Instagram — sounds like a scenario we've heard before. Nearby Henry Lee's does it (and well), as do a heap of cafes in the area. But, still, the concept isn't one to be scoffed at — and new cafe Concrete Jungle does it well (though not without a flaw or two). As well as sounding mighty similar to Concrete Playground (hey, we were all thinking it), the cafe's name is a nod to the now iconic Central Park building around the corner, which successfully combines industrial and natural elements. Another successful combination, while not particularly revolutionary, is tuna and avocado, and in the form of Concrete Jungle's tuna tartare ($22), it's a dependable dish. The creamy avocado is helped along by tart apple matchsticks and savoury miso — the only thing I'd wish for is more of those airy teff crackers so I wouldn't have to ration them like a castaway. The Reuben, as it was listed on the menu ($17), had me expecting a play on the deli classic, but the dish that arrives is more pulled beef burger than Reuben. The house barbcue beef on its own with the soft sesame would've made for a great sloppy joe — but toss in an egg, tarragon mayonnaise, and a slice of pastrami and it becomes something simultaneously confusing and almost too rich. If the Ruben is an example of a dish not living up to expectations, the Blue Majik smoothie bowl ($17.50) with blue algae, blueberries, blackberries and coconut flakes is an example of Instagram-influenced food gone right. Aside from the questionable spelling — which no amount of menu-perusing or reading of the cafe's story will help you understand — there's nothing serious to fault here. It's tropical with a subtle coconut flavour, and much better than your usual acai bowl. Blue algae isn't the most attractive ingredient to see on a menu but it's consistent with the cafe's 'refuel with essential nutrients' mantra. Concrete Jungle shows that a focus on nutritional, sustainable eating is more than a millennial fad — it can result in some enjoyable food, with the (organic) cherry on top being that it's a mindful way to eat. We just think it wise to stick to the dishes that emulate their plant-based clean-eating ethos.
Across four seasons of Stranger Things so far, entering a rift to the Upside Down hasn't transported anyone Down Under. But jumping into the hit Netflix series' world keeps proving a reality in Australia — first via one of those portals popping up in Bondi back in 2022, and next courtesy of Stranger Things: The Experience, which has just locked in its Aussie debut at Luna Park Sydney as part of Vivid's 2025 program. Luna Park Sydney and immersive experiences based on Netflix shows keep going hand in hand of late; from the end of 2024, the Harbour City tourist attraction also hosted Squid Game: The Experience, letting small-screen fans dive into another streaming smash. Stranger Things: The Experience will run from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14. The must-attend event falls into the Ideas portion of Vivid's lineup. Get ready to visit 1986 — and also Hawkins, Indiana, of course — in what promises to be an interactive stint of Stranger Things-loving fun. Locations from the show are part of the setup, as is a supernatural mystery. And yes, you can expect to feel nostalgic, even if you don't have your own memories of the 80s because you hadn't been born yet. Stranger Things: The Experience isn't just about visiting recreations of settings that you've seen while watching Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, The Electric State) and the gang. The installation features its own storyline, where playing along means trying to save Hawkins from yet another threat. And yes, you will take a trip to the Upside Down. You'll also be able to drink themed cocktails. Based on its time in other cities, Demogorgons and/or Vecna might await, too, along with Christmas lights, Scoops Ahoy and Surfer Boy Pizza. The experience initially opened in New York in 2022, and has enjoyed dates with Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle, Toronto, London, Paris and São Paulo since, with a Rio de Janeiro stint also on the way. Hanging out for new Stranger Things back in your Netflix queue? That's due to happen in 2025, when the show's fifth and final series arrives — although there's no exact release date as yet.
If you've got a thing for libraries (and physical books), prepare to be very impressed by the state-of-the-art Marrickville Library and adjoining Pavilion. The community hub has made its home on the site of the former Marrickville Hospital, an area now going by the name Patyegarang Place. The library houses a huge 85,000 books — 20,000 more than its predecessor. It's also three times the size. Aside from being a bookworm's oasis, the three-storey centre boasts a suite of high-tech extras and modern community facilities. There's a cafe by Marrickville's own Double Roasters with indoor and outdoor seating, a collection of meeting spaces and private study rooms, and more than 1200 square metres of lush gardens. Inside, you'll find 26 computers and a dedicated technology teaching area, as well as a series of specially commissioned public artworks. The new-look build is the work of acclaimed architectural firm BVN and cleverly incorporates modern elements onto the heritage remains of the existing hospital building. It's sporting a sustainable design, with features like environmentally friendly warming and cooling, rainwater tanks, natural light and ventilation systems, and plenty of recycled brick and timber throughout. All these eco-friendly touches have added up to an impressive 25 percent reduction in energy use compared to the old Marrickville Library.
As the sun starts to dip over the Sydney skyline, the bar scene starts buzzing. In a city with so many watering holes, finding the perfect venue to rendezvous with friends can be tricky. But don't worry, gentle reader, we've got you. Together with Basil Hayden Bourbon, we've selected six excellent venues when you want to dial up your next golden hour outing with your closest crew and some classic cocktails to boot. Picture it... You're surrounded by plush furnishings and the gentle clink of glasses as you sip on a Boulevardier cocktail — what could be better?
Vivid Sydney is back. The perennially popular festival of lights, music and ideas is returning to Sydney from Friday, May 26. One Sydney icon that always gets involved in the celebrations is Taronga Zoo, utilising its unbeatable harbour views and a brand new light walk to create vibrant experiences during the festival while also shining a light on conservation. This year, the zoo's Wild Lights series is back to give visitors the opportunity to explore the zoo after dark with a brand-new luminous light walk guiding you through the park and festival-favourite animal lanterns. As you explore the attractions and installations, you'll be greeted by lit-up emus, dingos, platypuses, kangaroos and koalas among the lineup of illuminated animals. These nature sculptures celebrate native Australian fauna and have been created by First Nations artist Nathan Peckham of YURANA CREATIVE in collaboration with precinct director Nicholas Tory and the team at Ample Projects. Other installations you can expect to find at Taronga over the 18 nights include the return of Ample Projects' illuminated beasts and jellyfish bloom. Beyond the lights, guests can enjoy a cup of mulled wine alongside food truck-inspired menus, First Nations-style snacks and koala-shaped fairy floss. Those looking to completely immerse themselves in the experience can book a stay at Taronga Zoo's on-site Wildlife Retreat. For the uninitiated, the luxury accommodation is located right in the heart of the zoo, meaning you'll be treated to the sights and sounds of the animal enclosures during your stay, not to mention the panoramic harbour views. Open throughout Vivid until Saturday, June 17, tickets to Wild Lights will grant you entry at your choice of two ticketed entry times — 5.30pm or 7.30pm. Tickets are $30 for adults, $27 for concession passes and $25 for children aged between four and 15. [caption id="attachment_853670" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Wild Lights at Taronga Zoo will run from Friday, May 26 to Saturday, June 17 with sessions at 5.30 and 7.30pm nightly. For more information and to book your tickets, visit the website. Images: Destination NSW
The National Gallery of Victoria has been displaying a plethora of Chinese masterpieces lately, and the opening of its new dual exhibitions — Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality and Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape — are two more unmissable additions. The most monumental part of the exhibition is undoubtedly the Terracotta Army: a collection of sculptures that were created for the first Emperor of China Qin Shi Huang's gigantic tomb back around 221–206 BCE but were only discovered in Shaanxi province in 1974. It's one of the 20th century's most significant archaeological finds. The NGV had displayed some of them before back in the 80s, but has managed to score eight (of the estimated 8000) terracotta warriors for its 2019 Winter Masterpieces exhibition. They're supported by a cast of two breathtaking life-size Imperial Army horses and two smaller replica bronze chariots, and complemented by a remarkable selection of gold, jade and bronze artefacts that date back a thousand years. Finding parallels with the terracotta warriors, Cai Guo-Qiang's exhibition provides a contemporary perspective on China's culture and ancient philosophies. Across installation, exhibition design and paintings forged with gunpowder, Cai's work illuminates his sincere commitment to the idea that history and ritual can inform great contemporary art. Below, we've picked out six artworks that highlight why this exhibition is one you have to catch — whether you live in Melbourne or interstate. It will be showing right up until October 13. CAI GUO-QIANG [caption id="attachment_722861" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] TRANSIENCE (PEONY) From good fortune to compassion and romance, peonies have held an important significance within Chinese culture for centuries. This artwork is made up of two works, with Transience I (Peony) being a huge mound of porcelain, which has been singed with gunpowder. The second part, Transience II (Peony), is an immersive 360-degree painting where Cai Guo-Qiang showcases the peony throughout its four stages of life — from its emergence to its bloom, wilting and eventually its decay. Each colourful petal displayed across the work was created using colourful gunpowder (in a Williamstown warehouse) to scorch the silk underneath forming unique characteristics and shapes. Together, the two works explore the fragility of life and hint at the downfall of the Qin empire — it was the first dynasty of Imperial China and lasted only 14 years as advisors fought for control. [caption id="attachment_722859" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tobias Titz[/caption] MURMURATION (LANDSCAPE) Featuring 10,000 porcelain starlings, this mind-bending installation seeks to recreate the bewildering phenomenon of 'murmuration', where large flocks of birds move effortlessly in harmony — something that scientists still haven't landed on a conclusive answer for. Simultaneously, Cai's intricate work also resembles the undulating slopes of Mount Li, a culturally and spiritually significant place that was chosen by Emperor Qin Shihuang to house his giant terracotta army. Meanwhile, each of the birds in the artwork were produced in Cai's hometown of Quanzhou, which has strong traditions of crafting high-quality white porcelain. However, Cai used gunpowder to ignite his flock into a dramatic shade of black. [caption id="attachment_723262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tobias Titz[/caption] FLOW (CYPRESS) Like peonies, cypress trees have long been an important emblem in ancient Chinese history. Symbolising resilience and integrity in art and literature, this large-scale creation saw Cai draw with gunpowder and mimic what's known in Chinese as dimai, or 'veins of the earth'. According to feng shui, the Chinese study of energy forces, locations that feature distinct valleys and rivers represent the earth's most abundant settings and have been chosen throughout ancient history as the sites for tombs and other places of supreme importance. This work depicts China's Central Plains, which is considered to be the birthplace of the concepts of yin and yang, Taoism, and the starting point for 400 years of the Han Dynasty. TERRACOTTA WARRIORS [caption id="attachment_723265" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] ARMOURED MILITARY OFFICER With an estimated 8000 terracotta warriors buried at the Xi'an excavation site, so far only about 2000 have managed to be successfully removed. However, what has astounded experts is that every figure they've managed to unearth has its own unique attributes, whether that be the uniforms they're wearing, the weapons they carry or the hairstyles of the people. This fact has led many to believe that each of the warriors could actually represent a real-life person from Emperor Qin's army of the time. [caption id="attachment_723264" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] KNEELING ARCHER Discovered in one of the excavation site's enormous pits, the kneeling archers are some of the Terracotta Army's best-preserved items that have been discovered to date. Highly realistic with their armour and facial expressions crafted in stunning detail, on average, the kneeling archers stand at about 1.2-metres-tall and are considered absolute masterpieces of ancient Chinese sculpture. It's said that the craftspeople responsible for the Terracotta Warriors paid extra careful attention to the kneeling arches, which can be seen in the stitching on their shoes and the immaculately produced armour plating. [caption id="attachment_723263" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] MYTHICAL CREATURE The huge cache of ancient marvels didn't just include thousands of soldiers. For his journey into the afterlife, Emperor Qin decided that he'd need a host of other possessions, people and creatures to help him on his way. So far, archaeologists who remain hard at work digging through the earth have found a wealth of civilian figurines, carriages and even animals, including this remarkably preserved pair of mythical creatures. From singers and acrobats to strongmen, other findings include bronze cranes, horses and suits of armour, plus a host of buildings from his own imperial palace such as halls, stables and offices. Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality and Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape will both be on display at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne until Sunday, October 13. Admission is $30 for adults and includes entry to both exhibitions. You can buy tickets at the gallery or in advance here. Images: courtesy NGV International.
Named after Australia's renowned thoroughbred company, William Inglis and Sons, Western Sydney's latest hotel is a sure thing if you're after a mini Sydney staycation. The William Inglis Hotel's centrepiece is its rooftop bar, which offers a spot to relax by the pool with a drink — and to soak in the stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Warwick Farm. Once you've built up an appetite, head downstairs to the Newmarket Room, the hotel's dining room overlooking the gardens and riverside horse stables. It serves up everything you want on a carefree staycation, from oysters to prawn linguine and NSW Riverina Black Angus steak. Whisky fans will be at home here, too — the mezzanine's 1867 Lounge serves high-end cocktails and boutique wines. But that ain't all. The William Inglis Hotel also houses a luxury spa facility, gym and work out spaces and rooms for holding meetings and conferences. They've got it all under one roof(top pool). All of these inclusions help make it one of the top hotels in Sydney.
After being sold for more than $9 million in 2017, the Verandah is back with not one but two newly energized spaces. Owners Simon Tilley and Nick Wills have updated the 17-year old spot with an escapist jungle theme that'll have you ready for an island holiday. The new layout consists of two different settings fit for an array of occasions: a sit-down restaurant with Social at Verandah and the Verandah Bar for after-work drinks and nibbles. Notes of lush greenery and tropical getaway vibes are woven throughout the two spaces for a consistently cool atmosphere. Plus, the space has gained AHA Chef of the Year Brad Sloan who's curated a menu focused on native produce. Social at Verandah is the go-to spot for a dinner date or a meal with friends. Settle in for creative fares and a foliage-surrounded atmosphere featuring an intriguing mural by Chris Nixon. When it comes to food, the menu offers an array of different flavours and cuisines. Start with oysters ($4 each) or kangaroo tartare ($21) for entrees, then dive into a nettle gnocchi ($32) or a wagyu steak ($35). The Verandah Bar continues the tropical holiday theme with plants hanging from the roof and curved banquets. It's curated a food menu that adds flare to classic bar fares, like the pepperoni pizza with pork belly ($20) and Faloumi Burger ($17): a haloumi and falafel hybrid. The drinks menus for both spaces feature a global wine and spirits list, whiskey and gin choosings and tasty cocktail pitchers, like the White Peach Sparkling Sangria ($38) — perfect for sharing with friends.
Bon Iver is on their way to Australia for their first national tour in 14 years with the trailblazing indie rock act hitting stages across Sydney, Hobart, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide in February and March of 2023. The tour will kick off on Friday, February 17 in Sydney at the Aware Super Theatre next to the ICC Sydney. Brisbane and Melbourne will also receive standalone shows on the tour — Melbourne's first Bon Iver show in 11 years — with shows popping up at the Riverstage on Thursday, March 2 and Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday, March 4. There will also be three festival appearances on the tour — Tasmania's Mona Foma on Tuesday, February 21, Perth Festival on Sunday, February 26, and WOMADelaide Festival on Friday, March 10. [caption id="attachment_746634" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MONA/Rémi ChauvinImage courtesy of the artist and MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia[/caption] Bon Iver is one of three acts revealed to be heading up next year's edition of WOMADelaide. Alongside the blissful falsetto of the Wisconsin band, Florence and the Machine and Gratte Ciel's Place des Anges will be appearing at the festival which is returning to Botanic Park in Adelaide between March 10 and 13. Florence will also be appearing in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland throughout March as part of her world tour supporting her latest album Dance Fever. It's exciting news for Bon Iver fans after the band was forced to pull out of a run of shows originally slated for 2020 due to the pandemic, as well as a headline appearance at the cancelled Bluesfest 2021. This tour will mark the first time for Australian fans to catch Bon Iver's latest album i,i live and marks the influential artist's first return to Australian shores since a run of four sold-out shows at the Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid 2016. Presale tickets are available from 9am, Thursday, August 25 with the code JELMORE. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bon Iver (@boniver) Bon Iver's Australian tour will take place between Friday, February 17–Friday, March 10. Presale tickets will be on sale from 9am, Thursday, August 25 through Handseom Tours and general sale tickets will be available from 9am, Friday, August 26. Top image:danieljordahl
There are few bands with enough unfaltering stamina to line up a debaucherous, beer-fuelled pub crawl to kick off every night of their Australian tour. But Brisbane's Dune Rats leave the rules at home, abiding by one big ol' proviso: "no kooks, no gutties." Whatever the blazes that means, these bloody corker dudes surf self-generated waves of laidback party-fuelled philosophy. We checked in with the Dunies in Kuala Lumpur during the South East Asian leg of their world tour, or "Koala Kangaroo" as bassist Brett Jansch calls it. The Brisbane lads have been on a furious bender around the globe, rambling around South Africa, Europe and South East Asia in mobile homes and tour buses — with their sights set back home for June. "It's fuckin' awesome," Jansch says "Last night was like, the first time I've slept in a bed for like, the last however long it's been. Just chilled. We had like, a motorhome, then a little campervan all tour." It's good for the Dunies to kick back after months on the road, with all the modern conveniences that come with the gloriousness of hotel life. "I watched this thing on the TV last night called 100 Most Favourite '90s Songs or something, they had like LL Cool J and Marky Mark and shit, it was sick." https://youtube.com/watch?v=CjJ0ABIwOfo On An American Death Trip of Dreams Dune Rats' BC Michaels, Danny Beusa and Jansch have been away from home for some time now, heading to the US, staying in a New York AirBnB warehouse, driving along the West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver and filming their own (sorta) web series American Death Trip of Dreams. Then they bailed over to Europe and the UK. "Ah fuck, I just had such a sick time in the UK and Europe... In America I just get super fat and then washed up, then you get hungover and then you get fat again. Then it's ok, then you get fat again. It's not good for your health, America." "When we just came back, there was about two weeks at home and we all dissipated to our families' respective, like, sanctuary zones because everyone was just wrecked. Too much of America. Then we came to the UK and everyone's like, BC's gettin' a full six pack hey? Eatin' lots of fruit and veg for the last few weeks!" The Dunies made their way to Liverpool, playing an Aussie BBQ during the city's legendary festival Sound City. "That was fuckin' super fun. There were so many Brisbane bands there and we were all "How the fuck are we all here in one place?" That was actually a corker of a time hey." After months on the road, the Dunies will head back home to Australia for a national tour, showcasing their debut album set for release on June 1. It'll be the first time the trio have played to home audiences for months. The tour kicks off on the west coast and ends up back where they all started. "I'm pretty fucking excited to get home, that's for sure. We haven't played in Brissy for ages," says Jansch. "We've been away for so long and hopefully we can just get back and hang out with our buddies and just talk about anything else, find out what they're doin'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0APj4u-56Jw On Turning an Australian Tour into a Pub Crawl Pieced together like a rambunctious escapade of regrets, the Dunies will host a pub crawl in every city before the gig for fans who've preordered their debut album (out June 1). "Well I guess you just want to get as fucked up as possible before the gig with all our friends and buddies that have preordered the album in order to come to the pub crawl," Jansch says in a wink-wink, nudge-nudge moment of please-buy-our-albumness. "We'll find the right place where we can all hang out together near the venue or whatever and just go pub to pub. "So honestly, we'll be going on a pub crawl all around Australia I guess. I wonder if anyone will come all the way with us. If someone does, they can definitely have a fuckin' t-shirt! They can have a hangover as well." Supporting Dune Rats will be different buds in each state. "We've kind of put together just all our fucking favourite bands and our friends to play, you know... So it's going to be a fucking party every night, especially now with our pub crawls and shit.," Jasnch realises. "Fuck, I think it's going to be a full wash up by the end of it." https://youtube.com/watch?v=1TKRT5IQtjQ On Writing at Brett's Mum's House The Dunies' debut album came to fruition in the most unlikely of locations. The trio headed to Brett's mum's house and started writing. Well, planted a vege patch, went surfing, wrote a bit, hung out, went surfing, wrote again, played a bit, all with Mum's permission. Has to be said: Coolest. Mum. Ever. "She was frothing! You know, I bet whenever the door was shut she was probably sitting on the fuckin' step outside, like with a megaphone in her ear. She was just lovin' it man," says Jansch. "Like, I fuckin' hate all our neighbours at home. But mum would always be like, play as long as you fuckin' want, as loud as you fuckin' want, fuck everybody," he laughs. The World's Best Mum and a solid support base has proved the best grounder for the Dunies, who wholly appreciate everything on their plate. "I guess we're all just fuckin' blown away that we can even go around the world on fuckin' tour... We don't take it for granted or anything. We're always constantly stoked, we're always frothing about all this shit." https://youtube.com/watch?v=lU3n6vRX8yY On Their Debut Album Like all groundbreaking things (Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Ian McEwan's Atonement, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock's The Lake House) the whole thing hinges around an important letter. "You know there's like, a letter from Steve Albine that surfaced, when Nirvana recorded 'In Utero'? He just outlined the idea of like, fuck all the bullshit, there's no need to slave over shit and try to get everything perfect. The best thing to ever do is probably just punch it out as it would come naturally. And what happened with that album is it turned out fuckin' awesome. [That's] exactly what we were kinda talking about. "We just didn't wanna fuckin' do all this stupid shit that bands do with an album. We just wanted to record the song that we made up in the shed. And that was just this nice inspiration to think oh fuck, you know what? We actually can do it the way that that we'd like to and it'll turn out right." The album was recorded and mixed at Melbourne's Red Door Studios, in the capable hands of Woody Anderson (tour manager and sound engineer for Children Collide). The whole process — recording, mixing, the lot — took just four weeks. "It was all super chilled, all with Woody — just fuckin' easy peasy," says Jansch. "It was pretty much just a bunch of us in the studio, fuckin' chillin' out, makin' the songs." Dune Rats is a rambunctious ride through moments of pure silliness ('Dalai Lama' has five words in total: "Dalai Lama, Big Banana, marijuana,") and heartfelt bouts ('Home Sick'). Jansch is insistent, however, the trio didn't set out to make a particular type of song any given day. "It wasn't like "Ahhh what's today fellas? Let's try and write a funny song." All of them just fuckin' turned out." DUNE RATS TOUR DATES: June 12 - Mojo's, Fremantle WA June 13 - Amplifier, Perth WA June 14 - Uni Bar, Adelaide SA June 19 - Karova Lounge, Ballarat VIC June 20 - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC June 21 - Oxford Art Factory, Sydney NSW June 28 - The Zoo, Brisbane QLD TO REGISTER FOR THE DUNIES PRE PARTIES: 1. Pre-order the album Dune Rats for ten beans at iTunes or JB HiFi. 2. Forward your iTunes or JB HiFi album preorder receipt and your mobile number to stuff@ratbagrecords.com. 3. Let the Dunies know which pre-show you'd like to go to from the dates above. 4. Wait. Recieve the deets on the morning of the show. Then party on dudes. For more details about the Dune Rats pub crawls and to preorder the album head over here. Dune Rats debut album is out Sunday, June 1.
Morning brown, morning brown, this bit of news is better than a cup of morning brown — because Aunty Donna is returning to your TV. After gifting your streaming queue one of the best new shows of 2020, aka Netflix's Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun, the Australian comedy group is teaming up with one of the country's national broadcasters on a new sitcom. Yes, Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane are heading to the ABC. The fact that the network is also known as Aunty is obviously incredibly apt — and it isn't the first time that the two have joined forces, with Aunty Donna's Fresh Blood hitting iView back in 2014. This time, Bonanno, Kelly and Ruane are headed to the ABC for a show called Aunty Donna's Untitled Project, a half-hour series that'll see the trio star in a Melbourne-set comedy. The premise: three best mates run a cafe in one of Melbourne's laneways. Their coffee-slinging establishment is trendy, but the stretch of pavement it's in on isn't. You can expect cups of morning brown to be served. Hopefully, the song about them will get a whirl. Will the cafe be open on Christmas and serve up a little bit of pud, too? You'll have to watch to find out. As soon as Neighbours ended it opened a lot of doors for us. — Aunty Donna (@AuntyDonnaBoys) August 24, 2022 This new show will be replacing the highly rated ABC @BreakfastNews show — Aunty Donna (@AuntyDonnaBoys) August 24, 2022 Announcing the news, Aunty Donna said: "we make show, you will love." Hey, it worked with Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun. Fingers crossed that Aunty Donna's Untitled Project proves just as absurd — although Aunty Donna seem incapable of creating anything else, hilariously so. [caption id="attachment_791048" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun, Netflix[/caption] "ABC audiences first got a taste of Aunty Donna in 2014 in Fresh Blood, so we couldn't be more excited to have them back where they belong and to be the home of their first narrative comedy series. Strap yourselves in... this is going to be a wild ride," said ABC Head of Comedy Todd Abbott. Aunty Donna's Untitled Project is set to air on ABC TV and ABC iview sometime in 2023, with exact dates yet to be announced. In the interim, you can check out the announcement video for the series below: Aunty Donna's Untitled Project is set to hit ABC and ABC iView sometime in 2023 — we'll update you when an exact release date is announced.
Potterheads, prepare to lose your gosh darn minds. To celebrate Harry Potter's birthday on July 31, a newly established group named Peeves' Gang are hosting three parties across Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide (so you can expect a lot of silly wand waving). Just leave Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks at home. It's dress-up (obviously) and Butterbeer, Fire Whiskey and Polyjuice Potion will be served up en masse so make sure you book a ticket on the Knight Bus to get you home safe. The parties are being held in some pretty big locations, including the King Cross Hotel in Sydney (July 1), the Castle of Brown Alley in Melbourne (July 29) and the Castle of Sugar in Adelaide (May 27). If you're feeling especially in the spirit, you might want to bring a cake: The HP fan world is more stupefied and damn well excited than usual lately (if you listen closely you can hear old sheets being cut up and crafted into dress robes). It could be because Brisbane held an entire Harry Potter market last month. It could be because every morning we still hopefully open the mailbox expecting a belated Hogwarts letter, or maybe because the official trailer for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them just came out and we're feeling that familiar excitement building. There's also the West End play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I and II (the epilogue we all wanted); a sanctioned eighth 'book' has been announced based on the play and the Universal Studios Harry Potter World have just thrown their doors wide. It's a Harry Potter smorgasboard worldwide and we are damn sure going to feast. FYI this year we celebrate Harry's 36th birthday. We know this because HP nerds investigated, argued and deduced that JK Rowling began writing the series in 1990, when Harry was 10, so he was born 1980 and turns 36 in 2016. If you're looking for dress-up ideas, check in with Madam Malkin or borrow some mad swag from the staff: Grab your tickets to the Melbourne party here, the Sydney party here and the Adelaide party here. UPDATE APRIL 26, 2016: Sydney has added an extra date on Saturday, July 2, as the first party sold out quicker than the Basilisk petrified Colin Creevey. Get on it.
He has been gamboling around the Melbourne indie scene for years with Crayon Fields, but it is Geoffrey O'Connor's debut solo effort, Vanity Is Forever, that has garnered most attention since its release in October. The album, full of sultry synthesisers and insinuating stories, has gotten a lot of people talking, and more than a couple of girls swooning. Now, Geoffrey O'Connor is bringing his polite heartbreaker brand of cool to Sydney. Concrete Playground spoke with O'Connor ahead of the launch of his new album, Vanity Is Forever, at Goodgod on Friday, November 18, and his summer shows at Laneway Festival 2012. How long did it take to piece together Vanity Is Forever? Three long, blissful years. How has making a solo album differed from what you've done before with Crayon Fields and Sly Hats? The preparation was a lot different. I guess when you are developing a song with a band you become focused on presenting it in a particular way. I had the freedom to re-record and re-work these songs many times, often discarding months of work. It's something you can't really do in a group situation. There are a lot of '80s pop sounds on the record. Was that a deliberate move or did the '80s influence just come naturally? It was more that I deliberately set out to make a very synthetic sounding record, which I guess is why certain aspects of it evoke the '80s. Even the acoustic instruments on the record - such as the acoustic guitar, string sections and drums - have all been treated in such a way that they sound a little otherworldly and synthetic. A lot of the songs on Vanity is Forever are very romantic and tell stories of complicated relationships. Are the songs inspired by personal experience or is it all just made up? They are all based on personal experience and observations. I love speculating about people's lives, especially their romantic lives - it's how I get my kicks. There is a slight fantasy element as well, but that is only to spice things up. When drawing from personal experience I omit certain details and exaggerate others to make out I'm a cooler guy, but there is still a strong resemblance between what happens on and off the record. What was it like touring with Jens Lekman this year? One of the best experiences of my life. A lot of fun. The touring crew were really interesting, cool people and I really enjoy long drives through the US. We watched Australian coming-of-age movies in the van which was funny - Puberty Blues, The Year My Voice Broke. All the shows were in incredible venues too - a synagogue, an 'ethical society', and a Masonic Hall in Hollywood Forever Cemetery. What are you looking forward to most about playing the Laneway Festivals this summer? I love playing festivals, especially outdoors - you can wear sunglasses on stage and pour water on gigantic drunk guys. I'm really looking forward to seeing EMA, The Drums, The Horrors and Anna Calvi too. Even missing bands due to laziness or chattiness can be a blast too. I get a real kick out of drinking backstage, knowing the faint rumble in the background is a band I'd otherwise sell my mother to see. The video for 'Whatever Leads Me To You' is amazing. What inspired the whole aesthetic and the goldfish in a cocktail glass, amongst other things? Thanks! The goldfish in a glass was inspired by when I went to an opening party for a bar and they had oyster cocktails - which seemed equally decadent and disgusting. I'm interested in the way extreme decadence can often involve flirting with something that can seem otherwise quite repulsive - so I thought I'd make my own little concoction. What can we expect from your Sydney show at Goodgod? More specifically, will you be wearing the sunglasses on stage, because I'm sure that would please everyone. Ha! It's not something I normally do, but if I come across some shades on the night I'll put them on for sure. It will be me, duelling synthesisers and a set of kaleidoscopic laser beams to keep us all in time. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0fztmXL9INY
It is nearly that time of year again: festival season. Time to gather your crew, put your (flat) dancing shoes on and enjoy some long-awaited, sunshine-soaked music. And with Parklife coming up early in the season in October, we know just the place to kick off your festival fun. Parklife began as a small music festival eleven years ago and since then has grown to become a music festival institution. While the festival has grown, the idea behind it has always remained the same - good people, good music and a darn good party. And this year the party will be no different, with headllining acts Digitalism, Duck Sauce, Gossip, Mylo, The Ashton Shuffle and more. The good folk at Bacardi will be in charge of the drinks, and are offering Concrete Playgrounders the chance to get their hands on one of three VIP double passes (each valued at $474) so that you can enjoy the festival in style. The double VIP pass includes entry for two to the Garden Bar, where you can escape the crowds and enjoy an open bar of mojitos and pina coladas, a massage in the lounge, VIP toilets with no queues and a chance to meet your favourite artists at the bar. For a chance to win one of three double VIP passes, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au telling us in 25 words or less who would you like to get together with this year at Parklife. https://youtube.com/watch?v=r_5zCtDfc8A
It was a sad, sad day when The Vanguard closed its doors and left a collective hole in the hearts of music-loving Sydneysiders. Luckily, we don't have to wait long until the space is revamped as Leadbelly, a new bar and restaurant that will offer live gigs Thursday through Sunday — for free. Live music junkies Luke O'Donohoe and Zac Davis — who are also the co-owners of Tipple Bar & Bistro in Surry Hills — are the new owners of the Newtown venue, and jumped at the chance to open their second venue in the iconic King Street space. "We want to keep the legacy of Vanguard alive," says O'Donohoe. "They've done so much with the local music scene over the years." Their love of music runs deep, which is obvious from the venue's nomenclature. Named after the notorious musician Lead Belly who, as well as being the grandfather of blues guitar in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, was also a convicted murderer. Go figure. "The actual venue will pay homage to music itself," says O'Donohoe. "We don't think there's enough free live music in the city and it will be a point of difference for us." The venue hopes to pull in enough on the bar and restaurant side of things to keep the free acts coming. On the libations note, we've been assured that the cocktails and food will be top notch. Bar manager and 'Olympic' bartender Ben McFarlane (who's worked in various venues for both Merivale and the Urban Purveyor Group) will head up the seasonal cocktail list, while the food will have a bit of Southern U.S. flare. Think Louisiana-style po' boys and in-house smoked brisket. They'll also be slinging pizzas from their very own oven. While the official opening date is still up in the air, you can definitely expect Leadbelly to be up and running for September's King Street Crawl, which will act as perfect welcome to the Newtown neighbourhood. Their local ties will also extend to the prevalent craft beer scene — but not just with the usual suspects Young Henrys and Wayward. The bar will have its very own Leadbelly Lager, specially made for the venue. Yup, this place will fit right in. Leadbelly is set to open in August at 42 King Street, Newtown. Image: Google Maps.
Street food is something most Sydney-siders have only previously understood as a kebab purchased at two in the morning and eaten gutter-side under flickering fluorescent lights. But with the eminent introduction of food trucks into Sydney's night-time economy, that idea is set to be utterly transformed. These food trucks aren't like chico rolls and hotdog stands at the cricket - they're restaurants on wheels, with a commitment to making incredible food, with all the freedom of being mobile and serving customers at random times in random places. Back in January, the City of Sydney announced that a fleet of ten food trucks would be introduced as part of the Night Time City Policy. Food trucks are a regular feature of cities like New York, Los Angeles, London and Bangkok; places with vibrant and diverse late-night cultures which Sydney is hoping to replicate at home. Food trucks offer good food at affordable prices and at all times of the day, night and early-morning. They generate customer devotion and allow emerging chefs to present innovative food and create trends, while becoming visually arresting aspects of the urban streetscape. The contenders for Sydney's food trucks were chosen by food experts after a selection process, which included a Masterchef-style cook-off challenge, to ensure Sydney's food trucks will be of impeccable quality. Despite the promise of a March opening there have been the usual boring red-tape issues about zoning and planning. Now they look set to be on the roads from April onwards. To get you prepared for yummy things roaming the city's streets in the next few weeks, we've assembled all of the Sydney food trucks in one place, so you can check out what'll be on the menu and the amazing amount of creativity and innovation that's going into their creation. The City of Sydney is due to release a smartphone app any day now, which will allow you to track down the trucks from your phone, and we'll update you as soon as it's been unveiled. In the meantime, get hungry. Agape Agape is the food truck version of the eponymously named Botany restaurant, Sydney's largest organic restaurant and bar. Bringing the expertise and skills of their years in the restaurant, Agape is all about fresh, sustainable and organic food. Their fruit and vegetables are sourced from farms or organic distributors, and all the meat used by Agape is bought directly from farmers and broken down by the chefs themselves, which shows a remarkable commitment most omnivores would run screaming from. Star dishes on the menu are set to include the Gundooee Wagyu Beef Meatball Spelt Pizza and the Spelt Chocolate Brownie. Al Carbon After five or six years dreaming of a food truck scene in Sydney, Al Carbon's Attila Yilmaz is finally seeing fantasy become reality. Al Carbon are going to be serving up soft-shell tacos true to the flavours of Northern Mexico. Instead of trying to over-complicate the ultimate street food, Al Carbon are attempting to keep it simple and stay true to authentic flavours. Star dishes will include the Carne Asada, a traditional beef taco from the Sonora region, reinterpreted and cooked over charcoal, and the Al Pastor marinated pork tacos cooked on rotisserie, again over charcoal ('al carbon' means 'cooked over coal' in Spanish, guys). The tortillas will all be made fresh on the truck, and all produce is sourced from local businesses and market gardeners, except for the dried chillies, which come straight from Mexico. Check out our interview with Attila and one of the girls behind Veggie Patch. Bite Sized Delights Traditional Maltese baked goods will be the go when you stumble across the Bite Sized Delights truck. Think old school pastry pockets and pastizzi filled with, amongst other things, spinach and ricotta, salmon and dill, cherry and apple and chocolate mousse. Bite Sized Delights is the most enigmatic of the forthcoming Food Trucks, with a mysterious dearth of attention-hungry interviews given and not even a Facebook page to their name. Make of that what you will, but given my love of all things spinach and ricotta and my admiration for people with no digital footprint I'm anticipating impressive things from Bite Sized Delights. Burger Theory Burger Theory have been servicing the good people of Adelaide for some time now. As one of the pioneers of food trucks in Australia, the boys from Burger Theory know what they're doing, making sure to foster positive relationships with local suppliers, sourcing fresh local food, and keeping things simple and efficient in the narrow confines of a truck. The burger you purchase from Burger Theory is made from 100% Coorong Angus Beef, ground by the staff themselves. The meat is served in a Breadtop bun and accompanied by either lettuce, tomato American cheese and the non-specific 'truck' sauce, or crispy pancetta, onion confit and blue cheese sauce. There's also chips, drinks and a chocolate chip cookie on the menu. Cantina Mobil Cantina Mobil is a Mexican food truck run by Stephanie Raco and Rode Vella, emerging from a Manly restaurant a few years back and a regular feature on the Northern Beaches since. Given that they've been operating for a few years, they're well acquainted with the challenges of cooking in a mobile outlet with fewer staff. You might have caught them at the many festivals they help cater (they were due to show up at this year's ill-fated Playground Weekender). The Cantina menu features chilli corn - a traditional Mexican snack - as well as burritos and tacos of the soft or hard shell variety. You'll need to decide between three fillings - the chipotle beef with red cayenne chilli sauce and lime, achiote chicken slow-cooked with green jalapeno chilli sauce and coriander, or vegetarian pinto beans: not for those who fear spicy food. Eat Art Truck Eat Art Truck is the baby of former Tetsuya sous-chef Stuart McGill, and probably the best example of just how high-end the Sydney food trucks are intended to be. Eat Art food is set to serve affordable high-end style Korean and Japanese food with a bit of an American influence thrown in for good measure. Food will include pickled beetroot with puffed wild rice and seeds, grilled spatchcock, kingfish ceviche and twice-cooked steak, wrapped in butter lettuce and cooked Korean ssam-style. The truck will also host a strip of canvas on one side where artists will be able to show off their work, parading it around town as the truck makes its nomadic way around Sydney. Let's Do Yum Cha Let's Do Yum Cha are the product of a restaurant hailing from the oft-overlooked culinary wonderland that is Marrickville. As you'd expect from their cheerful name, they're going to be offering yum cha favourites, including barbecue pork buns, dim sims, spring rolls, Peking duck pancakes and vegetarian dumplings. Originally starting out catering corporate events, you may have sampled Let's Do Yum Cha before at music festivals and gigs around the country, where they often appear in the food stall sections. Their truck is set to be built in the style of old-Beijing with a couple of nifty twists, and will open up to a 360-degree kiosk reminiscent of the street food vendors you find in big Asian cities. Taco Truck The Taco Truck is a Melbourne import, and in the year since it opened down south it's gained a pretty stellar reputation. Started by Raph Rashid - the man who makes the number 1 burger in Victoria - for Beatbox Kitchen, the Taco Truck has gained a cult following for their fresh, seasonal take on Mexican street food, and many envious mutterings from Sydneysiders who've sampled their delicious goods on a visit. The Taco Truck menu has three choices - meat, fish and vegetable. All are served in soft corn tortillas garnished liberally with salsas and special sauces, crunchy radish and cabbage sald, fresh corn chips, guacamole and a Mexican soft drink on the side if you fancy it. Tsuru A visit to the Tsuru food truck is going to involve a particularly difficult choice between one delicious thing and another. With a pan-Asian menu, Tsuru will be selling steamed Chinese buns with fillings like roasted duck, BBQ beef and fried chicken,and onigiri (Japanese rice balls). Tsuru's signiature dish is called 'the PIG', essentially a piece of slow-braised and roasted pork belly sandwiched between house-made steamed buns. The head chef at Tsuru, Ellyn Tse, has for the last few years been volounteering her time cooking for Eat. Drink. Give., a not-for-profit that cooks for the city's more disadvantaged communities. With the same kind of charitable ethos at heart, the Tsuru food truck will have special days where a percentage of the truck's proceeds will go towards the Food Without Prejudice project, giving you even more reason to stuff your face with pork belly buns. Veggie Patch Veggie Patch is the vegetarian food truck, and arguably the most eco-friendly. Not only will the Veggie Patch truck be kitted out to look like a barn with a mural of a vegetable garden, the truck will run on vegetable oil and solar panels, there'll also be a herb garden on the roof, and all the waste will be composted. Inspired by the 'paddock to plate' movement, the Veggie Patch truck is the joint product of TMOD's Milenka Osen and Georgie Swift and Carl Kooney from Surry Hills vegetarian restaurant Yulli's, and will be dedicated to serving up all things organic, seasonal and locally sourced. Delivering delicious vegetarian versions of classic street food, you'll be able to score yourself the Ancient Grain Veggie Burger or snack on some gluten-free chips made from potato, kumera and beetroot served with wasabi mayo or aioli. There'll also be fresh juice, organic lemonade and homemade ginger beer to wash all the wholesomeness down. The City of Sydney recently announced the locations for the Food Trucks. Check them out here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=jwuhf9J6lHs
When winter blows her icy breath on our pale, dressing-gown-clad bodies, it can be all too tempting to stay indoors on the couch with a cup of tea and some mindless TV. Put down your Earl Grey because getaway experts Mr & Mrs Smith want you to embrace the chill and explore your own extended backyard with these ten deals and one killer competition celebrating Victoria's hidden charms. Whether you're keen to wander the countryside or draw near to the beating heart of the city, Mr & Mrs Smith will get you out of your Ugg boots and knee-deep into Victoria. As the frost sets in, Melbourne comes into its own, enchanting you with an abundance of cosy cafes and busy bars nestled in cool hidden laneways. Get your warm winter wardrobe at the unique boutiques and fashion strips on Chapel Street or get a healthy dose of culture at the many art, music and theatre shows on offer. Venture just an hour or two out of the city and you'll be swept away in the beauty of the Victorian countryside. Sip a batch of the freshest cider from the Yarra Valley and go on a tasting trail on your bike of locally grown wine and produce. Explore the natural beauty as you hike through the Grampians. Get your wetsuit on and forget about your goosebumps as you surf some world-famous beaches along the Great Ocean Road or be treated like royalty in the luxurious hotels of Daylesford. Mr & Mrs Smith have selected only the most standout boutique hotels and smart self-catering stays to tempt you off your couch and get you ensconced in a Victorian winter getaway. Win the Ultimate Victorian Adventure Mr & Mrs Smith are offering a chance to win the ultimate Victorian winter wonderland holiday for two. You'll be spoiled in the city with two nights at the Prince in St Kilda, where you can treat yourself to dinner at the top-rated Circa restaurant. Then head to Daylesford, spending two nights in the luxurious spa at the Lake House. Finish your trip off with two nights at the Mornington Pensinula’s beachside Big Blue Backyard and get the blood pumping with a dip in the ocean. You'll feel like a rockstar with a BMW X Series car ride to get up close and personal with the sights of Victoria. Return Qantas flights for two will get you to Melbourne from your closest Australian capital city. Enter the competition via their website. Exclusive Offers from Mr & Mrs Smith Can't wait? Check out all of Mr & Mrs Smith’s exclusive offers for Concrete Playground readers. 1. Big Blue Backyard, St. Andrews Beach Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; Stay three nights but only pay for two on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula. 2. The Cullen, Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; save 20 per cent on Studio Suites and experience all the sights of trendy Prahran and Chapel Street. 3. Lake House, Daylesford Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; stay three nights but only pay for two and soak up Daylesford and the spectacular spa country. 4. Lyall Hotel and Spa, Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; discover the secrets of South Yarra and the sights and delights of Chapel Street and save 20% off the usual rates. 5. Mansion Hotel & Spa, Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; savour the historic surrounds, wine delights and zoo experience all within reach of this iconic hotel and save 20% off the usual rate. 6. Mollisons, Kyneton Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; stay three nights but only pay for two and experience historic Kyneton and surrounds. 7. Mt Sturgeon, The Grampians Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; stay three nights but only pay for two in the beautiful Grampians. 8. Ovolo Hotel Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; visit Melbourne during winter and save 20% off rates. 9. The Prince, Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; trendy St Kilda is yours to explore on this special winter offer and save 20% off the usual rates. 10. Royal Mail Hotel, The Grampians Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; stay three nights but only pay for two in the beautiful Grampians. To take advantage of these exclusive offers, book through the Mr & Mrs Smith website. Top image courtesty of Mr and Mrs Smith. Other images courtesy of Tourism Victoria.
Let's see what's behind door number one. Or how about door number 1000? After blowing our minds in 2017 with the incredible House of Mirrors, Australian installation artists Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney unveiled their follow-up at Melbourne Festival with the fittingly named 1000 Doors. And in April, it's popping up in Bendigo's town centre, thanks to Bendigo Art Gallery. Visitors will choose their own adventure, cutting a path through an endless labyrinth of doors, screens, portals and gateways in Rosalind Park. No two people will experience the work in quite the same way once they step across the threshold. While there's no word yet on what you'll encounter on the way — hopefully no deathly four-guard, two-door riddle à la Labyrinth — the artists have hinted to ghosts, time-travelling and 'inhabitants past'. We suggest you have your wits about you. 1000 Doors will be open daily from 2–9pm (last entry 8.30pm). You can purchase tickets at the on-site box office. Images: James Morgan
Japan has continued to grow in popularity as a holiday destination. A (relatively) short flight away, it offers nature, cities, unbeatable food, cultural experiences, and a famous public transport system that makes getting around a breeze. But if you want to see the real Japan, you need to explore its culture a little deeper. In collaboration with the Japan National Tourism Organization, we've selected eight traditional events that will allow you to dive head-first into the country's lesser-known regional culture. [caption id="attachment_916162" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Mu Mu via iStock[/caption] Yuki Matsuri — Sapporo Snow Festival People may know Japan for its fantastic skiing, but fewer are up to speed with this fascinating winter festival, which showcases some of the most inventive culture that Sapporo has to offer. What began in 1950 as a festival with 50,000 attendees organised by a local high school in a park is now an eight-day artistic winter extravaganza that attracts over two million visitors every year. The February 2025 incarnation takes place across three separate sites and features snow sculptures from world-renowned artists, plus winter sports exhibitions and a range of family-friendly sub-zero activities. [caption id="attachment_972213" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Japan National Tourism Organization[/caption] Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri — Osaka Harvest Festival Danjiri matsuri are "float" or "cart-pulling" festivals that are held across Japan, and while the coastal town of Kishiwada may be small in stature, it hosts one of the largest such events in the whole country, all to kick off the harvest season. A tradition that dates back three centuries, crowds come from afar to witness teams pull their elaborately decorated danjiri festival floats — which can weigh up to four tons — through the city streets. This important historic festival is held every September in the quaint locale in southern Osaka Prefecture. [caption id="attachment_972214" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] RnDmS via iStock[/caption] Nada Kenka Matsuri — Dynamic Hyogo City Festival Nada Kenka Matsuri is a "fighting festival" where teams of local men carry intricately carved floats through Himeji City before smashing them into one another to assert dominance and claim the honour of a blessing at the local shrine. Over 100,000 people every year come to witness this traditional, not to mention dangerous, ritual. It's believed the winners will be blessed with a bountiful harvest. So, if you're keen to experience something that ties organised choreography, all-out carnage, and traditional beliefs together, head to Hyogo Prefecture in October — Nada Kenka Matsuri could be exactly what you're looking for. [caption id="attachment_972223" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Subajogu via iStock[/caption] Eisa Matsuri — Okinawa Dance Festival Eisa is a form of folk dancing that originated in Okinawa and every year, the region pays homage to its heritage with this festival. Over three days, hundreds of thousands of visitors watch the people of Okinawa honour their ancestors and traditions. On the final day, spectators get the opportunity to join the eisa dancers in a celebratory denouement. As if that wasn't enough, there's a dramatic climax, during which a technicolour fireworks display closes out this unique part of Okinawa culture during summer. Chichibu Yomatsuri — Saitama Winter Night Festival You'll have realised by now that if the word "matsuri" is somewhere in the title, there will be a float parade involved. Chichibu Yomatsuri is no exception. This festival, held annually at the start of December, features floats on which kabuki (traditional Japanese dance theatre) is performed. What sets this apart from some of the other similarly-sized festivals is its two-and-a-half-hour fireworks display — a highlight for attendees enjoying the sights and sounds of the area. Don't forget to make the most of the musical performances and street food stalls that have been set up to mark the occasion. [caption id="attachment_972236" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Grandspy707 via iStock[/caption] Usuki Takeyoi — Oita Bamboo Festival In case you're wondering what a bamboo festival might entail, the answer is over 20,000 bamboo lanterns lining the streets of eight different towns. This beautifully illuminated spectacle is held to retell the legend of Princess Hannya, who, legend says, needs the lights to light the path for her soul to return to its rightful place. Oita Prefecture is famous for its bamboo, so it's only natural that it's the material celebrated at Usuki Takeyoi. The lanterns are lit around sunset, providing a warm, otherworldly experience that has to be seen to be believed. [caption id="attachment_972241" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] RealdWorld8 via iStock[/caption] Nachi no Ogi Matsuri — Wakayama Shinto Festival Wakayama is home to a picturesque waterfall known for its beauty and tranquillity. However, once a year, the peace is shattered thanks to Nachi no Ogi Matsuri, a festival of fire where roaring flames and religious chanting combine. This is a sacred rite where heavy torches are carried along the staircase to the local shrine, transforming the waterfall into a thrilling collision of water and flame. It's held every year on July 14 and is a popular event, so make sure you arrive early to get a good vantage point for the festivities, which kick off at 2pm sharp. [caption id="attachment_972243" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kuremo via iStock[/caption] Oga no Namahage — Akita Demon Festival How did you spend NYE last year? Did you brave the eye-watering prices to go to an event in the city, or did you just spend it with friends? Whatever you did, chances are you didn't have an evening like the people of Oga. Every December 31, local men in demonic masks roam the streets, searching for young children to scare. The demons can be satiated with rice cakes and sake, before leaving the house with a blessing for the year ahead. No one is entirely sure where this tradition originated, but in 2018, UNESCO awarded it the classification of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It'll certainly be a New Year's you'll never forget. Discover more and start planning your trip to Japan at the Japan National Tourism Organization website.
What's better than seeing an almost 150-year-old heritage-listed building given a new lease on life, and giving Sydneysiders three new spots to eat and drink in the process? Seeing all of the above happen right next door to the city's newest boutique hotel. Meet Porter House, the soon-to-open five-level bar and dining venue making this very situation a reality — and giving the CBD a new must-visit location. Come July, a trip to 203 Castlereagh Street will mean choosing between multiple bars and eateries (or, if you prefer, hopping between them all). In a structure that dates back to 1876, has been restored over the past four years — and was previously used as a tobacco factory, warehouse, furniture manufacturer and leather merchant — Porter House will feature a Euro-style delicatessen and wine bar, a brasserie, plus another bar. At Henry's Bread and Wine, which'll operate seven days a week on the ground floor, an all-day lineup will be on the menu. That'll include tucking into wagyu pastrami reubens with sour onions, prawn milk buns and blue-eye trevalla bagels — and also being able to pick between eating in and taking away for breakfast and lunch. Drinks-wise, expect to get sipping at a central bar surrounded by a four-metre wall of wine, mainly from Australia. And, flowers will fill another wall, all thanks to an in-house florist. [caption id="attachment_855876" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Henry's Bread and Wine[/caption] Then, Dixson & Sons — which takes its name from the Dixson family, who originally built the site all those years back — will sprawl across nearly 200 square metres on the first floor. Seating 90, it'll skew relaxed but elegant, with banquettes, tables for two, a couple of semi-private dining spaces and a bar spanning six metres perched in the middle. On Executive Chef Emrys Jones' (ex-Fish Butchery, No 5, Qualia) menu: a big focus on New South Wales produce, and on using every part of each ingredient. As well as seafood, you can look forward to tasting your way through native flavours such as bush tomato, native thyme, lemon myrtle, dessert lime and macadamia dukkha. A sampling of potential dishes includes salt-baked beets with labna; roast lamb with eggplant and miso puree, brassicas and chocolate jus; and roast potatoes with bush tomato salt. Finally, opening in spring rather than winter, the 225-square-metre Spice Trader bar will take over the top level — complete with glass panels across more than half the roof to make the most of the natural light. Drinks will come served from a 16-metre sage marble bar, and expect to knock back cocktails aplenty, with the beverage list yet to be revealed. As for its other two floors, Porter House will fill them with private dining spaces and a number of function rooms. [caption id="attachment_855875" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dixson & Sons[/caption] Fancy making a night of it? That's where the adjacent $94 million Porter House Hotel — MGallery comes in, which is also set to launch in July alongside Henry's Bread and Wine and Dixson & Sons. Featuring 122 rooms, it'll sit across the first ten floors of the 36-storey tower next door, with 131 residential apartments filling the other 26 levels. Linking the two buildings: a pair new walkways featuring glass balustrades and rails, with showcasing the contrast between Porter House's heritage features and MGallery's modern design a key aim. Actually, that's the overall aesthetic in general, as seen in the hotel's interior decor. Think: leather and pressed tin touches, gold and brass fixtures, wooden flooring, soft pink and grey tones, warm lighting, curves and arches used heavily, and mismatching modern and vintage furniture. Hotel guests will all get access to a rooftop garden and a 12.5-square-metre heated pool as well. And, decking out the exterior will be a 335-square-metre mural by Maria Fernanda Cardosa. Reaching up 11 storeys, Ripples and Droplets goes big on arches and circles, too — and is believed to be the largest public artwork by an Australian artist in the Sydney CBD. [caption id="attachment_855878" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Porter House Hotel[/caption] Yes, you might've just found your next staycation spot. That said, with Sydney also just gaining Australia's first Ace Hotel, and the Waldorf Astoria also opening its first-ever Australian hotel in Sydney in 2025, your list of places for a night away from home just keeps growing. Find Porter House at 203 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, from July — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced. Images: artist impressions.
Perhaps one of the most ambitious venues to open in Sydney in recent years, the OAF is inspired by Andy Warhol's seminal Factory, and intends to operate as a focal point of music and the arts in Sydney. The main room caters to larger and international acts, such as The Dead Weather, Digitalism and Warpaint. The Gallery Bar showcases local acts, with a feature wall repainted frequently by guest artists. Between the two lies the Glass Cube, an exhibition space that regularly features live performance art.
