Sydney might be world-renowned for its harbour, bridge and Opera House, and Melbourne's food and live music scenes might've won it plenty of fame and acclaim, but neither Australian city is one of the world's greatest places of 2023. Each year, TIME magazine singles out 50 locations around the globe that it considers extraordinary — and that travellers should make it a priority to visit — with just two Aussie destinations making the latest cut. Kangaroo Island keeps earning praise in 2023; already, The New York Times has named it one of the best places to head to this year in its version of the same type of list, and the South Australian spot's Stokes Bay topped Tourism Australia's best ten beaches for 2023, too. So, its place among TIME's picks is hardly surprising. But the publication also chose one Australian state capital: Brisbane. Move over Sydney and Melbourne — the rivalry that the New South Wales and Victorian capitals have is pointless, with the Sunshine State just sweeping in and nabbing the glory. In three words, TIME shouted out Brissie's "sports and sun", but it had more to say. And, while the hosting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games obviously got a mention, that's also just the beginning. "The capital of Queensland is already gearing up with ambitious infrastructural advancements, which visitors can enjoy before the crowds pour in," TIME notes. It then shouts out United Airlines' new direct flights between San Francisco and Brisbane; the soon-to-open Queen's Wharf with its bars, restaurants, four luxury hotels and sky-high observation deck; and co-hosting the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. "Beyond the central business district, the James Street Precinct is a welcome testament to how urban development can champion local businesses and artisans rather than supplanting them. The semi-industrial area leverages Brisbane's perennial sunshine to showcase an outdoor promenade anchored by artsy boutiques and cafes, all under the canopy of Moreton Bay fig trees," TIME also advises. "The surrounding neighbourhood, Fortitude Valley, has recently evolved into a culinary epicentre with new places like sAme sAme showcasing inventive international fare within a laid-back, uniquely Australian atmosphere; a growing assortment of global flavours befitting a now-worldwide audience." sAme sAme has been around for a few years now, but otherwise TIME's praise tells Brisbanites what they already know: that the River City is ace. Fresh from noting that the city's Myer Centre shopping centre would lose Myer, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said "while this is a fantastic accolade for our city, it's also about time!". "It's no accident that Brisbane is the fastest growing capital city in the country with people from southern states recognising that our city's incredible climate, lifestyle and liveability is second to none. We're investing in fantastic projects like Victoria Park, Brisbane Metro and our green bridges to help make Brisbane even better," the Lord Mayor continued. "Precincts like South Bank and Howard Smith Wharves are world-class destinations while our suburbs are great places to live, work and relax." Chosen by soliciting "nominations of places from our international network of correspondents and contributors, with an eye toward those offering new and exciting experiences," TIME explains, Brisbane sits on the world's greatest places of 2023 list alongside the likes of Barcelona, Kyota and Nagoya (home of the new Studio Ghibli Park) in Japan, St Moritz in Switzerland and Dijon in France. Also getting some love: Mexico City, South Korea's Jeju Island, Vienna, the pyramids of Giza, and the prime northern lights spot of Churchill, Manitoba in Canada. For TIME's full World's Greatest Places of 2023 list, head to the publication's website.
It just might be Australia's brightest festival, and it's returning to light up Alice Springs once again. That'd be Parrtjima - A Festival In Light, which will deliver its latest annual program in 2022 — between Friday, April 8–Sunday, April 17. It's been a chaotic few years for the radiant fest, after its 2020 event was postponed to September due to COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions — and after moving to an autumn time slot back in 2019, too. But, following a few years of change and adaptability, Parrtjima will finally mark two consecutive stints in its April dates, after 2021's festival lit up the Red Centre over six months ago. While it's too early to announce the event's lineup just yet, visitors can once again expect a big — and free — ten-day public celebration of Indigenous arts, culture, music and storytelling, including an eye-catching array of light installations. That'll all take over Alice Springs CBD's Alice Springs Todd Mall, as well as tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park Precinct just out of town — and yes, the event will dazzle, like it usually does. [caption id="attachment_801811" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Greg McAdam[/caption] If you haven't yet made the trip and you're wondering what could be in store, this year's Parrtjima included various luminous pieces, such as a 20-metre-long entranceway made out of light tubes of different lengths, an animated sequence of curated artworks projected onto the sands of Alice Springs Desert Park and a train of five illuminated camels. One thing that'll definitely be on the bill in 2022: the festival's main annual attraction, aka a huge artwork that transforms a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic, 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival. Registrations for the 2022 fest have just opened, if you'd like to nab an early spot in line for tickets when they go on sale. Of course, Parrtjima is just one of Northern Territory's two glowing attractions in 2022, with Australia's Red Centre lighting up in multiple ways. The festival is a nice supplement to Bruce Munro's Field of Light installation, which — after multiple extensions — is now on display indefinitely. If you're keen to start making Parrtjima plans, remember to check out the Northern Territory's COVID-19 border restrictions first. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs from April 8–17, 2022 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Top image: Greg McAdam.
Undeniably Sydney's most beautiful theatre, the Enmore maintains an antique, old-world feel inside a contemporary venue. Built in 1908, this art deco theatre has gradually been transformed into the kind of luxury that is pure rock 'n' roll: band posters are plastered beneath luxurious chandeliers, drinks are purchased from a bar in the foyer, and the seats in the stalls are, depending on the occasion, removed to make way for standing room audiences. If the ambiance alone isn't enough to entice you, never fear: the Enmore plays host to some of the biggest acts to visit our shores. We're talking The Rolling Stones, Sonic Youth, Wu Tang Clan, The Pretenders, Grace Jones... The list goes on. And while the size and prestige of this place is strong enough to attract the big acts, the performance space remains cosy and intimate. The combination of the theatre's traditional acoustics and an immense front of house system also results in exceptional sound, making the Enmore one of Sydney's premier live venues. Image: Destination NSW
A conglomerate of sights, sounds and savouries, the Auckland cityscape of things to do is vast. From Waitemata Harbour in the north, to Manukau Harbour in the south, there's a bounty of things to eat, drink and discover, not to mention see, with stellar views in pretty much any direction you look. But for the time-poor among us (see everyone), taking time to explore the City of Sails may have been bumped down the to do list, whether you're Auckland dwellers in need of a staycation, Wellingtonians looking for a weekend escape, or even you Aussies hoping to up the ante on a short getaway*. That's where we come in. In partnership with Adina Apartment Hotels, we're giving away two days of accommodation, plus some spending money so you can hit up a few of our favourites spots in town. We've planned a pretty indulgent experience. Think two nights accommodation at Adina Apartment Hotel in Britomart, a massage for two, dinner at Amano where you can fill up on some of New Zealand's freshest pasta around, and $250 to spend at Ponsonby's Mea Culpa to top off the night with a few of their carefully crafted cocktails. Plus, we've slipped in some extra cash so you can splash out at all the shops around Britomart. With some of Auckland's creme de la creme right at the doorstep of your Adina Apartment Hotel abode, you'll be perfectly positioned to continue your exploration of the city. But if you're not sure where to head after massages and before dinner, you can use our local's guide to get some hot tips and start planning the rest of your stay. Enter your details below, say yes to the terms and conditions and you're in the running. Entries close on Wednesday, July 5 at 11.59pm. [competition]626226[/competition] *Prize doesn't include travel costs.
Melbourne-born furniture label Jardan now has a new space in which to showcase its covetable designs with a stunning Sydney flagship store on Paddington's Oxford Street. IF Architecture — the Melbourne firm responsible for the likes of wine bar Marion, Cutler & Co's recent makeover and Jardan's Melbourne and Brisbane stores — has transformed the two-storey art deco building once home to Ariel Booksellers into a seriously good-looking showroom, where colour reigns supreme. Reflecting Jardan's own 30-year connection with Australian home life, the interiors of the new store pay homage to the country's most influential art and design families, inspired by their iconic interpretations of Sydney's ever-changing colour palette. To that end, expect tones that speak to the vivid blues of Brett Whiteley's Sydney Harbour painting, the oranges, blues and greens synonymous with Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy's Dinosaur Designs, and the bold colours favoured by celebrated interior designer Marion Hall Best. The store — which is their first in Sydney — will leave design buffs with their jaw on the floor. Even if you're not in the market for some expensive new designer furniture, if you're in Sydney, it's well worth dropping in for a peek.
Thrifting vintage clothes in Sydney is about to get way easier with the arrival of not one, but two new Savers superstores. Lined with rack after rack of preloved discoveries and secondhand rarities, you won't have a problem getting lost in these sprawling locations. Opening on Thursday, July 31, Savers Camperdown will land on Parramatta Road, offering the company's first-ever three-level site. Teeming with vintage clothing, accessories, homewares and more, this 2000-square-metre store will become a go-to thrift shop in the Inner West. Then, just three weeks later, Savers Marsden Park will swing open its doors and join the party on Thursday, August 21. Serving as the headline destination in a brand-new Richmond Road development, expect another weird and wonderful collection of fashion, furniture and electronics. "Each store has been purposefully located to meet the needs of its surrounding community — whether that's busy students and Inner West locals in Camperdown, or young families and growing neighbourhoods of Marsden Park, Sydney's diverse communities are embracing what it means to be Thrift Proud." It's been a big year for Savers, having only expanded to the New South Wales market 12 months ago. Now, these new stores represent the for-profit retailer's fourth and fifth Sydney locations, proving that shopping secondhand has become second nature for many. Of course, the sustainability benefits can't be overlooked either, with Savers' brand network diverting 9.1 million kilograms of reusable items from landfills each year. Now with two new locations to explore, reclaiming eye-catching vintage fashion and homewares is even more convenient. Savers Camperdown opens on Thursday, July 31, at 93-99 Parramatta Road, Camperdown, while Savers Marsden Park launches on Thursday, August 21, at 2 Ultimo Place, Marsden Park. Head to the website for more information.
Reminiscent of those glow-in-the-dark stars we pasted over our ceilings as kids, the creatures featured in the upcoming 'Creatures of Light: Nature’s Bioluminescence' exhibit each shine with an eerie, natural light. The exhibit, held at the New York American Museum of Natural History, will contain live bioluminescent organisms, as well as scale models. Bioluminescence, the production of light by a living organism, looks like something out of a sci-fi movie but is in fact an essential function, allowing these animals to catch prey. On occasion, it may also catch a mate or two. Open from March 31, 2012 to January 6, 2013, the exhibit will explore the astounding variety of ways nature uses living light. Attendees can expect to bask in the glow of fireflies, mushrooms, scorpions, and much more. [via Wired]
In Netflix's ongoing quest to keep our eyeballs glued to the small screen, the platform pumps out new original shows with frequency. There are now so many to choose from, you could easily watch nothing else. But, still, there are some that stand out from the crowd. Combine filmmaker David Fincher (Seven, Gone Girl), true-crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit and a whole heap of real-life serial killer cases, and you get the best show the streamer has ever made. For two seasons between 2017–2019, Mindhunter has drawn on its factual source material to dramatise the origins and operations of the FBI's Behavioural Science Unit — aka the folks who interview mass murderers to understand how they think, then use the learnings to help stop other killings. The show's main characters are fictional, such as agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) and psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), but the details they're delving into aren't. Also real: notorious figures such as Ed Kemper (played by Cameron Britton), David Berkowitz (Oliver Cooper) and Charles Manson (Damon Herriman), to name a few. It's the kind of concept that easily could span on forever — with plenty of killers and cases to cover — and still prove fascinating and gripping in this meticulously made show. Sadly, hopes for a third season now look as paltry as Holden Ford's social etiquette, with Netflix releasing the cast from its contracts, Deadline reports. The fact that Mindhunter wasn't swiftly renewed after its second season dropped last August has always been a worrying sign, which is compounded by the current news. The series hasn't been cancelled. Still, its cast is free to move onto other projects — so if Mindhunter does come back somewhere down the line, its stars mightn't be available to return because they're now working on something else. The show does boast a premise that could lend itself to an anthology format, though, so returning with a new bunch of characters taking on new cases wouldn't be the end of the world. Netflix let the cast's options expire due to Fincher's current workload, because he's quite busy making other things for them at present. As well as producing a second season of Love, Death and Robots, he's directing a Netflix film called Mank. Due to hit the platform sometime later this year, the biopic will focus on the feud between screenwriter Herman J Mankiewicz and innovative director Orson Welles over screenplay credit for a little movie called Citizen Kane, with Gary Oldman and The Souvenir's Tom Burke playing the two men. Already missing Mindhunter? Check out the trailer for its excellent second season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHlJQCyqiaI Via Deadline.
Encompassing York, Clarence and Kent Street in Sydney's CBD, the Harbour City's YCK Precinct has just been recognised in an international pilot program as an outstanding hub of nightlife, becoming Australia's first designated Purple Flag district. The Purple Flag program is an international accreditation scheme dedicated to recognising nightlife areas that are diverse, vibrant and safe. Each recognised district must meet a set of criteria judging its public transport, street lighting, food and beverage offerings, and entertainment. YCK Precinct will join areas across England, Sweden and New Zealand as Purple Flag districts, as the program strives to highlight the best after-dark cultural spots the world has to offer. [caption id="attachment_654874" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alana Dimou[/caption] "We are working to deliver a better night out for all and Purple Flag will boost Sydney's reputation as a global nightlife destination, creating a thriving 24-hour economy across the state as more precincts apply for accreditation," said New South Wales' 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Mike Rodrigues. "A collaborative and coordinated effort is required to build a vibrant and strong 24-hour economy and the YCK team has shown considered planning and a willingness to innovate in earning Purple Flag status." Boasting beloved and accomplished venues like Since I Left You, PS40, Esteban, Cash Only and The Prince of York, the YCK Precinct launched in 2021 in order to bring more attention to the three busy inner-city streets. Since then, it has worked to capitalise upon its venues, and the forces behind them, to promote the vitality of the Sydney CBD — and host several multi-day food, drink, music and arts festivals in the process. "Whether it's for some retail therapy, to visit one of the superb small bars, grab a late-night bite or enjoy one of our regular arts and cultural events, we are committed to delivering our patrons a safe, friendly and fun experience," YCK Laneways Association Vice President Karl Schlothauer said. Also in Sydney, the Purple Flag pilot program is still running in the Parramatta CBD, Haldon Street in Lakemba and Marrickville, with these three hotspots still yet to be given the official go-ahead as a Purple Flag district. Don't live in New South Wales? Sydney's latest accolade is bound to reignite Australia's capital-city rivalries. [caption id="attachment_805684" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Lobo[/caption] Learn more about the Purple Flag program in Sydney at the NSW Government's website.
Many an Aussie kid has spent a Saturday night hyped up on lime cordial spinning around their lounge room to Kylie Minogue. So, prep the cordial, and get ready to party like it's 2000 'cause the Aussie pop icon is heading back to home turf. While your inner child might be more familiar with her hits 'Spinning Around', 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' and that duo with Robbie Williams 'Kids', next year, Minogue is returning to Australia to perform songs off her just-released album Golden. Minogue was last here four years ago, in 2014, for her Kiss Me Once Tour, and now she's back, taking her Golden Tour for a spin around the country in March, 2019. As well as performing headline shows in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, she'll also be performing at A Day on the Green in Perth, the Hunter Valley and Mount Cotton, Queensland. She'll be singing hits off her latest — and fourteenth — album Golden, which debuted at number one on the ARIA charts just this year. Featuring hits like 'Dancing' and 'Stop Me from Falling', the album has more of a country music-feel than her others, which is fitting, seeing it was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. On stage, Minogue will be joined by former Scissor Sisters frontman (now solo artist) Jake Sears at all shows and Brisbane artist Hatchie at A Day on the Green. Another special guest is expected to be announced soon, too. KYLIE MINOGUE 2019 'GOLDEN' TOUR DATES Sydney — ICC, March 5 Perth — A Day on the Green, Sir James Mitchell Park, March 9 Melbourne — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, March 13 Hunter Valley — A Day on the Green, Bimbadgen, March 16 Mount Cotton — A Day on the Green, Sirromet Wines, March 17 Tickets for capital city shows are available through Frontier Touring and A Day on the Green tickets are available through its website. Both go on sale at midday on Monday, November 19.
The Italians. Good food, good wine, good catchphrases, and good looks. The Italians make the finest cheese, the sweetest pastries, and the heartiest of family feasts. The culture of eating and drinking Italian style is such an adored facet of Sydney's diverse dining scene that Concrete Playground has decided to showcase some of the best all in one place. Let us present to you our guide to Italian Sydney. 1. Best for group festas: Popolo Here's where punters can find some of the best Southern Italian cuisine in Sydney. Both owners are ex-Fratelli Paradiso staffers and retain from their previous employment the adage 'first in, best dressed'. Only half the restaurant's tables are bookable so we recommend you get in quick. Suited for a group celebration over a southern Italian feast or a solo excursion, Popolo is an insider tip for one of Sydney's best Italians. 50 McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay; 02 9361 6641; www.popolo.com.au 2. Best for Lovers: 121BC 121BC is the bar attached to the eponymously named boutique bottle shop in the wilds of Surry Hills. With a focus on regional Italian flavours, 121BC's wine list changes monthly, and is complemented by the menu of fresh, seasonal food which is uniformly delicious. The folks behind 121BC are also particularly concerned with 'bio-dynamic', natural wines, the kind that are preservative-free and linger on the tongue. One of Sydney's most exciting and authentically Italian wine bars. Do it. 4/50 Holt St (enter via Gladstone St), Surry Hills; 02 9699 1582; www.121bc.com.au 3. Best for gelato: Gelato Messina Gelato Messina is old school; it's been around since 2002 and they aim to make ice cream the way it was done a hundred years ago. More than 40 flavours are made daily on the premises and come at you via paper cup or waffle cone. "For traditionalists, Gelato Messina has all the staples of the classic gelato repertoire. There's vanilla bean, chocolate and all manner of fruit sorbets. But for the daring, the real specialty is Messina's conceptual ice cream flavours," says Gelato Messina's co-owner Declan Lee. 389 Crown Street, Surry Hills; www.gelatomessina.com 4. Best for pizza: Vacanza in the Hills Let us introduce you to the god of traditional southern Italian pizza. Vacanza in the Hills is the ticket. Emphasising the southern Italian connection, the kitchen staff are from the home country and slide out thin-based pizzas of the more traditional variety. The Vacanza is sprinkled with truffle oil and grated pecorino, Il Sacaceno peppered with prosciutto and parmesan, and Il Capitano laced with fennel sausage, goat's cheese, and roasted mushroom. 414 Bourke Street, Surry HIills; 02 8964 6414; www.vacanzainthehills.com.au 5. Best in the North: The Italian What a treat the north shore has been served. No longer must local Mediterranean enthusiasts trek to the inner west for fabulous Italian fare. Italian feels like the village trattoria you have in your Italy-inspired dreams. The pastas are named after their region of origin, the wine list extensive, and atmosphere aplenty. A food-focused team make this suburban gem zing, and the result is an authentic Italian experience with a distinctly local focus. 191 High Street, Willoughby; 02 9967 5468; www.theitalianwilloughby.com.au 6. Best for a Beautiful Life: Cafe Sopra Cafe Sopra, literally 'above' the original Frat Fresh in Waterloo, is another level of deliciously fresh delights. Sopra's policy is menu items that emphasise the best that Fratelli has to offer, focusing on fresh produce. The resulting dishes are light, fresh and exciting: a mix that is perhaps at its best in the morning hours. 7 Danks Street, Waterloo; 02 9699 3550; www.fratellifresh.com.au 7. Best for salumi & antipasti: Parma On a prime real estate corner on Crown Street sits Parma. Named after the north Italian town famed for parmigiano reggiano, prosciutto, and Barilla pasta, Parma has imported these flavours and a relaxed cafe/bar interior to Surry Hills. The menu is a large and diverse Italian spread offering entrees, mains, and desserts. Our go to? The Nutella panzerotto for an indulgent finish. 285A Crown Street, Surry Hills; 02 9332 4974; www.parmacucina.com.au 8. Best for Mama's cooking: Baccomatto Osteria You're unlikely to get authentic home-cooked Italian food unless your mama or papa is from the homeland, but hey you're in luck. Baccomatto, meaning "mad mouth" in Italian, isn't trying to be fancy pants fine dining, but a relaxed place to socialise. In doing so, with authentic regional dishes and sauces, it succeeds where other stuffier places fail, in good-natured service and a lack of omnipresent Buddha Bar ambient beats in the background. 212 Riley Street, Surry Hills; 02 9215 5104; www.baccomattoosteria.com.au 9. Best for long summer nights: North Bondi Italian This is a beachside trattoria. There are plenty of people who will get dressed up to be seen here. Yet, you don't have to. The placemats double as paper menus. You'll be fishing your cutlery out of a box on the table. The floorstaff are gadding about in denim aprons. The menu is split into formaggio, antipasti, salumi, insalate, verdure, pasta, panini, carpaccio, fruitti di mare, offal, carne, dolci, and 'roast of the day'. Italian Sydney, eat your heart out. 118-120 Ramsgate Avenue, North Bondi; 02 9300 4400; www.eqpg.com.au/ 10. Best for drama: Buffalo Dining Club The Buffalo Dining Club itself is quite laidback, but when they serve you your spaghetti from a giant wheel of cheese, you are guaranteed to gasp. It is a little piece of Campania dropped into the backstreets of Sydney's inner city. This time, it happens to be in trendy Darlinghurst. As you can probably guess, buffalo mozzarella and burata are the main attractions here. For $17, you order one of the cheeses and two vegetable sides — and with options like balsamic carrots, Portobello mushrooms, chargrilled broccolini, and marinated fennel, it's a hard choice. 116 Surrey Street, Darlinghurst; 02 9332 4052; www.facebook.com/BuffaloDiningClub By the Concrete Playground Sydney team.
After playing more than his fair share of stoners, Seth Rogen co-writes and lends his voice to a film that was probably thought up in a pot-toking, munchies-craving state. What if our food was sentient, aware of everything around it, and had feelings, thoughts, hopes and dreams? What if each edible item interacted with others, and their exchanges mimicked humanity's issues with sex, religion, race and class? That's the world Sausage Party brings to the cinema, from its opening sing-a-long to its climatic display of a very different kind of food porn. As far as Rogen and co-writers Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir are concerned, talking grocery products just want to get laid. Otherwise, they're generally happy conforming to cultural stereotypes and being kept in their place via a placating ideology. Turns out food isn't so different from the people who eat it. In case it's not clear, this film is for adults only, with directors Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan — best known for helming Madagascar 3 and episodes of Thomas & Friends, respectively — operating in much ruder, cruder territory than they're used to. A sausage by the name of Frank (Rogen) serves as the film's protagonist, whose primary goal in life is to consummate his relationship with his hot dog bun girlfriend Brenda (Kristen Wiig). As the Fourth of July approaches, they're both eager to leave the Shopwell's store they call home and move into the utopia of The Great Beyond. But things change after a jar of Honey Mustard (Danny McBride) returns from the supposed paradise outside, screaming that everything they thought they knew is a lie. Working his way around a shop also inhabited by a Jewish bagel (Edward Norton), an Arabic flatbread (David Krumholtz), an affectionate taco (Salma Hayek) and more, Frank sets out to discover the truth — all while an obnoxious, juiced-up douche (Nick Kroll) stalks the aisles. In waxing philosophical about the nature of belief systems, Sausage Party's premise proves surprisingly smart and thoughtful, with its characters forced to face the fact that their ultimate fate involves being eaten by the humans they consider gods. Unfortunately, the anti-Pixar flick also feels decidedly over-stuffed, bogged down by everything from endless food puns and hit-and-miss gags propped up by Scorsese-level swearing, to an over-reliance on bodily functions, drug use and pop-culture references to generate a laugh. Thankfully, a stacked cast of Rogen's male regulars, including Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Paul Rudd and James Franco, helps keep Sausage Party bouncing merrily along. Everyone's clearly having fun spouting their inappropriate dialogue, even if their glee isn't always contagious. In that way, the film quickly becomes the movie equivalent of a tripped-out dinner party, one that boasts plenty of quality ingredients, but can't quite deliver a satisfying meal.
Talk about living the dream: when Adelaide-born twins Danny and Michael Philippou unveiled their debut feature Talk to Me in 2023, a new Aussie horror sensation took the genre, and the world, by the hand to share its entertainingly eerie energy. After the movie's huge success, including for cult-favourite distributor A24, sequel Talk 2 Me was quickly greenlit. But the filmmakers who started out their careers behind the camera as YouTubers RackaRacka now also have something else in the works. Horror? Tick. A24 onboard? Tick again. The non-Talk to Me flick that'll combine the two, and also the Philippous (of course), is called Bring Her Back. Deadline reports that it will star The Shape of Water Oscar-nominee — and Wonka, Spencer, Paddington and Godzilla: King of the Monsters actor — Sally Hawkins. But that's about where the details end for now. The movie's plot hasn't yet been revealed, and neither have any other cast members. Expect to see the end result sooner rather than later, though, with production due to start during Australia's winter this year. Whatever Bring Her Back is about, it'll join not only Talk to Me and eventually Talk 2 Me on A24's horror slate, but also Beau Is Afraid, Bodies Bodies Bodies, X, Pearl, Men, Lamb and Saint Maud just from the 2020s alone. A24 have gone all-in on the Philippous after picking up Talk to Me in a Sundance Film Festival bidding war, when the Aussie flick about shaking hands with an embalmed palm, feeling the rush while being haunted, having your mates watch and film it, and dealing with the spooky consequences initially started getting global attention. Danny and Michael made their leap to the big screen after racking up a huge following with RackaRacka's viral videos, and via behind-the-scenes work on Australian films such as The Babadook. Their debut feature has proven a big box-office success, taking in US$10 million on its opening weekend in America alone, which placed it second among A24's films after Hereditary. There's obviously no trailer for Bring Her Back yet, but you can check out the trailer for Talk to Me below: Bring Her Back doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when more details are announced. Read our review of Talk to Me, and our interview with Danny Philippou. Via Deadline.
It only takes one perfect record to make a musician a legend. For Ms Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was that album. The American singer and rapper fronted The Fugees before dropping her only solo release. She starred in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit as well. But come 1998, when the record that bears her name hit, it ensured that she'd always be an icon. 2023 marks 25 years since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill first arrived — and to celebrate, Hill is touring. Down Under, she has locked in three stops: a headlining gig at Promiseland Festival on the Gold Coast, plus stadium shows in Melbourne and Sydney. Home to singles 'Doo Wop (That Thing)', 'Ex-Factor', 'Everything Is Everything', 'Lost Ones' and 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You', The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was a smash on the charts, with critics and at the Grammys. It peaked at number two in Australia; has been named in oh-so-many lists of 90s, hip hop and rap records, as well as albums of all time and releases by women; and earned five Grammys from ten nominations. During her tour, Hill will play tracks from her time with The Fugees, too — killing audiences softly with the iconic cover that the band is best known for, plus 'Ready or Not', 'Fu-Gee-La' and more. On the Gold Coast, she's part of a two-day lineup that also includes Six60, L.A.B., Davido, Tems, Fiji, House of Shem, Koffee and Fireboy DML, all playing Doug Jennings Park across Saturday, September 30–Sunday, October 1. On her solo shows in New South Wales and Victoria, Koffee will be in support. "The Miseducation album has been a consistently special artwork that has allowed me to tour for 25 years, sharing the message and energy with its loyal appreciators. I'm not even sure if it feels like 25 years have gone by to me," said Hill, announcing the tour. "I'm excited to celebrate this landmark anniversary with the fans in Australia, and I look forward to this time capsule experience. The music itself was born to be anachronistic, at the same time reclaiming precious jewels from the past, and infusing them with the potency and energy of the present, in order to enrich it and the future. Revisiting the album live has renewed my love and appreciation for the music and the period in which it was born, when hip hop was ripe with potential and uncomplicated enthusiasm." MS LAURYN HILL'S THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL TOUR: Sunday, October 1 — Promiseland Festival, Gold Coast Tuesday, October 3 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Thursday, October 5 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Ms Lauryn Hill will play three shows in Australia in October 2023, with tickets on-sale now — head to the Promiseland website and tour website for further details: Top image: Città di Parma via Wikimedia Commons.
It's easy to forget all about the Parramatta wing of the program when there's so much other Sydney Festival stuff going on. But you'll want to head west to check out the musical offerings of their Festival Garden in the Salon Perdu Spiegeltent. What's on? First up is nine-piece Melbourne Afro-inspired band Saskwatch (January 18, 7pm). Think Aretha Franklin and James Brown combined with a dash of contemporary New York-style soul. This one's standing tickets only — but we don’t think you'll be wanting to sit down. A few days later (January 20, 7pm) is something completely different with Leah Flanagan's Midnight Muses. It'll be a collection of songs, music, and stories arranged by Flanagan, backed by a five-piece band and inspired by poet Sam Wagan Watson. If that’s not your thing, then British singer and multi-instrumentalist Lianne La Havas (January 22-23, 7pm) might be more up your alley with her neo-soul and scuffed folk-pop. Then there’s New York’s indie, contemporary, and classical sextet yMusic (January 24,25 7pm). You might have heard some of their members performing with Björk, Jay Z, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, Peter Gabriel, Vampire Weekend, or other groups. To finish up, there’s two-man show Norman Blake and Joe Pernice (January 26, 7pm; 27, 5pm), performing both their new material as well as stuff from as far back as their first show in a tavern in Toronto. You can fuel your adventure through one of the nearby Fast Festival Feast partners. Courtney's Brasserie and El-Phoenician are both offering two tailored courses for $55. Time to go west.
Have you spent a lot of time playing mini-golf lately? The popularity of Holey Moley Golf Club would suggest so. Well, here's your chance to make back the money you've spent on 'practising': the inaugural (and, surprisingly, very lucrative) Holey Moley Masters. Holey Moley — which has eight mini-golf clubs across the East Coast, including one in Melbourne, one in Brisbane and two in Sydney — is launching what's set to be the country's biggest ever mini-golf competition. Kicking off with round one on March 28, the tournament will end with the best team from each Holey Moley venue battling it out for national glory and a cool $10k at a Melbourne final. A series of DJ-fuelled competition nights will be held to find the champion team from each Holey Moley course. Then, on April 19, the winners will be flown to Melbourne to represent their states at a huge final celebration, with the winners scoring their own 'Golden Jackets', a home-course party in their honour and, of course, that sweet, sweet cheque. It's all very official for something that is, at its core, a novelty. Nonetheless, it could be an easy way to make some cash. If you want a shot at victory, start working on your golf game and head here to register by March 18.
Let's admit it: us coffee lovers have always had that ambitious plan of becoming a skilled barista in our own homes every morning just like the pros. Ain't nothing wrong with that either. For many, however, the desire to tamp, extract and pour before the work commute becomes all but a distant reality when that fancy coffee machine bought in a flurry of caffeine-fuelled enthusiasm becomes but a dust collector on the kitchen bench. Contrary to the general misconception that your local barista actually cares about your hangover, office politics, how beautiful your cat is and your dramatic love life, it's more than likely they've got better and more relevant things to think about. It's time to give these guys a break from the earful we give them every morning, and we've just the plan. The gastrodome of the inner west, The Grounds of the Alexandria, has launched barista training workshops that will run throughout 2013. Jack Hanna, master roaster and 2007 National Latte Art champion, is interested in pinning down some barista basics at home without any complicated scientific prerequisites necessary. The classes run for two hours and are held at The Grounds' 'research facility' — just a fancy name for the venue's cafe space. Hanna's approach is straightforward and honest with no coffee-geek dictionary necessary. "There are many factors that contribute to a good cup of coffee; however, it's very simple and anyone can do it," says Hanna. "Everything takes practice and you need to play around with a few things before you get it right." Hanna demonstrates the process step-by-step on the machine, starting from the grind right up to steaming the milk to achieve that silky consistency. He emphasises that a warm, clean machine and glasses are key aspects to good coffee. "The coffee will lose flavour instantly if it hits a cold cup!" he says. Apparently, another essential component is dosage. Too much coffee or a grind that's too fine can result in over-extraction and bitter coffee. Hanna suggests tasting as you go, "This way, you know what you’re doing right and wrong." Once you've mastered the dosage and crema, it's time for some milk steaming and latte art. "What you're basically doing is stretching the milk, putting foam in it and bringing it to a temperature of about 65-68 degrees," says Hanna. What about the latte art part? Well, let's just say there's bound to be plenty of laughs at some of the shapes students come up with. All part of the experience, we say. And lest we forget to mention that students may even be lucky enough to witness Jack's flawless technique as he pours some R-rated latte art. We're pretty sure there'd be a couple of shocked pram pushers if he sent these out of a Saturday morning service. Most importantly, Hanna's classes are nurturing; he doesn't use convoluted idioms and you can count on him to ensure everyone can see and understand what's happening. As Hanna says, quite simply, "Coffee is fun!" *Classes cost $80 and run for approximately 1.5-2 hours. *Private, corporate and more advanced classes are available, as well as Roasting and Cupping Workshops. *All workshops held at The Grounds of Alexandria; Building 7A, 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria; 02 (02) 9699 2225; www.groundsroasters.com.
AMENDMENT: JANUARY 8, 2020 — Since publication of this story, it has come to Concrete Playground's attention that United Cinemas is taking over the Opera Quays site. The below text has been updated to reflect this information. In big news for Sydney cinephiles — especially those who like seeing films at a harbourside cinema — the projectors at Opera Quays are about to change hands. After 20 years operating in the prime CBD location, Dendy Cinemas will will close the curtains on its Circular Quay venue in February as the site undergoes a total refurbishment. In a statement, the Australian chain announced that its lease at Opera Quays had not been renewed, forcing the site to shut its doors. Those keen to head to the basement-level picture palace for a last movie at the cinema as it is will have until Wednesday, February 26 to visit. Dendy's other Sydney cinema in Newtown isn't affected by the closure, and will continue screening films in its King Street digs. https://www.facebook.com/DendyCinemasOperaQuays/posts/2834490089905734?__xts__[0]=68.ARAQZ9XFKCmHpC_3LnUxB1seu-lmvpZzVhoWPu9jCbtUgdWcc9Ld1ULn02g_qNaDG_IVNSYdeC7teFttekKMiUu8ElQ2N8JIbKXr3KtPNQvOWbqwfIePb67JBqpHVBwbz1qBixfioaCxSgYgtrvr4gARrRh7o577G9ArDy4bp5taGY96EHR1_j3rqYLQOkhJ7zBX1shYSN7fykmym9rfaTaXz6gxNIOsntBVgYG67TrKM81BXzrg-F7-vTJtKr7BvO3iihVebMhyVuna3xENz3geKY2tn-YCmTnYSnEakB1BBijf0zmDI9zP6a8D3sKOmsBCbDMP9fQ-r0ikAcS7POjPfw&__tn__=-R It's not all bad news, though — the three-cinema complex will be taken over by United Cinemas, which currently runs three venues on the northern beaches as well as a few others across the country. In a Facebook post earlier this year, the group announced it will be completely refurbishing the site, promising a "grand lux" cinema experience. Opera Quays currently plays host to a number of Sydney's film festivals — including the annual Sydney Film Festival each June and the Korean Film Festival in Australia in August — but it remains to be seen if it will continue to do so under new ownership. Circular Quay has been undergoing quite the facelift in recent years. A huge dining precinct opened back in 2016, while another is slated to launch late this year — and a new public square has also been mooted. Find Dendy Opera Quays at Shop 9, 2 East Circular Quay, Sydney until Wednesday, February 26. From February 27, it will operate as United Cinemas Opera Quays.
Spring is here, the sun is out, and everything is 500 times more whimsical. Now times that whimsy by infinity. Studio Ghibli is bringing a showcase to our shores in October and it's touring all over the nation's cinemas. Celebrating renowned filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, the showcase will feature four films and two documentaries that explore the intricacies and beauty of their craft. If you haven't had a chance to get acquainted with the work of these two cult favourites before, this will be the perfect opportunity to get up to date. Work your way through much-loved classics with screenings of both My Neighbour Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies. Then explore new terrain with The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and the critically-acclaimed historical anime feature The Wind Rises. Though the Japanese animation studio has 20 feature films to its name, the Australian showcase will feature just these four — a refined look at the old versus the new. But this won't just be for the newbies. Seasoned anime pros can get an inside look into the craft with screenings of both Isao Takahta and His Tale of the Princess Kaguya and The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness. Though the documentaries have had separate screenings at local film festivals this year, this will be their first standalone showing on Australian screens. Either way, whether you're a die-hard anime fanatic or have never even seen Spirited Away, there's always room in your life for a little whimsy and wonder. Get lost in the cinema for a few hours and discover an exciting new world. The Tale of Studio Ghibli Showcase will run at select cinemas in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane from October 9-22. The films will be screening in Perth from November 6-19, and in Adelaide from November 27 - December 10.
Rumours are fun, but knowing which bands are confirmed to play at Australia’s premier music festival is even better. The lineup for Splendour in the Grass was fed to early risers on Thursday morning via the Triple J Breakfast Show, quashing some rumours, verifying others and turning Coachella, Prince and holographic Tupac into nothing but distant memories. Generally regarded as Australia's biggest winter music festival, Splendour originated in 2001 at Belongil Fields outside of Byron Bay. The 2010 and 2011 festivals were relocated to Woodford, Queensland due to Byron Bay area restrictions, but this year's festival will return to its spiritual home. The three day festival, which this year takes place July 27-29, has a history of legendary line-ups, with past festivals including music greats like Kanye West, The Strokes and PJ Harvey. Tough acts to follow, but 2012's list won't disappoint. Headlining the 2012 festival will be Jack White, Bloc Party, Smashing Pumpkins, At The Drive-In and The Shins. Feast your eyes on the full lineup below and start saving your coin (is anyone still reading this anyway?). The lineup for Splendour in the Grass 2012: Jack White, Bloc Party, Smashing Pumpkins, At The Drive-In, Lana Del Rey, Azealia Banks, The Shins, Hilltop Hoods, The Kooks, Gossip, Miike Snow, Dirty Three, 360, Tame Impala, Explosions In The Sky, Ladyhawke, The Afghan Whigs, Missy Higgins, Wolfmother, Metric, Kimbra, Mudhoney, Band Of Skulls, Spiderbait, Django Django, Gypsy & The Cat, San Cisco, Last Dinosaurs, Electric Guest, Muscles, Angus Stone, DZ Deathrays, Howler, Lanie Lane, Wolf & Cub, Fun., Big Scary, Michael Kiwanuka, Seekae, Friends, Yacht Club Dj's, Bertie Blackman, Jinja Safari, Blue King Brown, Youth Lagoon, Pond, The Beautiful Girls, Yuksek, Tijuana Cartel, Ball Park Music, The Rubens, Ben Howard, Bleeding Knees Club, Zulu Winter, The Medics, Shihad, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Husky, Kate Miller-Heidke, Father John Misty, Emma Louise, Chet Faker, Here We Go Magic, Parachute Youth, Mosman Alder, The Cast Of Cheers, Gossling, Beni, Sampology (AV/DJ show), Canyons (DJ Set), Nina Las Vegas, Danny T, Alison Wonderland, Nice and Ego (AV/DJ show) Flume, Gloves, Luke Million, Harris Robotis, Alley Oop. Festival dates: Friday 27, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 July. For more info check the Splendour in the Grass website. Words by Hannah Ongley and Anya Krenicki
The initial event announced for RISING 2025, Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf was always going to be one of the Melbourne winter festival's big highlights for this year. Combining mini golf and art, exploring the feminist history of the short game, getting folks tap, tap, tapping across the entire upper level of Flinders Street Station, and boasting talents such as Kajillionaire filmmaker and All Fours writer Miranda July designing courses: what a combination. Accordingly, months after the fest wrapped up its later iteration, it should come as no surprise that its putt-putt experience has not only proven a hit, but is also sticking around even longer than planned. While RISING ran for 12 days from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 for 2025, Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf was locked in until Sunday, August 31 from the beginning. Now, that season has been extended. With a new closing date of Sunday, September 21, you've now got three more weeks to take to the greens. Expect company, as more than 25,000 people have headed by so far, resulting in soldout sessions. What do you get when you create an art exhibition that's also a mini-golf course? Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf answers that question with its playable setup. The piece's greens are designed by female-identifying and gender-diverse artists, resulting in surreal and mindbending creations in a work that also aims to get attendees thinking about the sport's beginnings. July's contribution, for instance, riffs on her latest book's name with an 'all fores' setup. Also helping to shape Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf: Soda Jerk switching from bringing TERROR NULLIUS and Hello Dankness to the big screen, plus Australian artists Kaylene Whiskey and Nabilah Nordin, Japan's Saeborg, the United Kingdom's Delaine Le Bas, Indonesia's Natasha Tontey, Atlanta rapper BKTHERULA and Hobart-based photographer Pat Brassington. "It's been fantastic seeing the diverse groups of people coming through the space, having fun, playing and learning about all of the beautiful, unusual artworks," said RISING's Grace Herbert, who curated the work. "So far, Swingers has hosted many families, friend groups and dates, and we've even had a proposal in the ballroom. I'm so glad that RISING is extending the season so that more people can enjoy this experience." As for the festival itself, it came, it celebrated, and it filled Melbourne with art, music and performances in June — with help from 100-plus events from 610 participating artists, including 16 brand-new commissions. Not only was Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf the first 2025 announcement, but it's the longest part of this year's program. And, while a few other events extended past RISING's official dates, this will also be the last to wrap up. Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf runs until Sunday, September 21, 2025 at Flinders Street Station, Flinders Street, Melbourne — head to the event's website for further information. Images: Remi Chauvin.
After announcing the controversial closure of renowned Opera House restaurant Guillaume at Bennelong in July last year, owner Guillaume Brahimi will be opening the doors of his new culinary venture, simply titled Guillaume, on August 2. The newly renovated site sits on Paddington's Hargrave Street and was the former home of Italian restaurant Darcy's for more than 38 years. The French-born chef has stated that he intends for this 90-seat restaurant to be a more "personalised food experience" than his other culinary projects. Brahimi has chosen a fitting location for Guillaume. The three-storey heritage building will sit alongside other Paddington greats such as 10 William Street, Buon Ricordo and the Four in Hand. Guillaume has stuck to his vision of a fine dining experience, and this is exactly what you can expect of the menu. Food options will be produce driven — a mix of favourites from the previous Guillaume at Bennelong and new dishes especially created for this restaurant. Drinks-wise, the primary focus will be on Australian influenced wine, all of which will be housed in the underground cellar of the restaurant. Bookings for the new restaurant will open on July 9, and will be taken two months in advance. To enquire about reservations and events call (02) 9302 5222 or email reservations@guillaumes.com.au. Guillaume will open its doors at 92 Hargrave Street, Paddington a month later, on August 2.
If it feels like you've been seeing a lot of Benedict Cumberbatch lately, there's a reason for that. On screens big and small, the British actor has featured in no fewer than five movies in 2021. Thanks to The Power of the Dog, he even looks poised to collect an Oscar for the best of them — and, with Spider-Man: No Way Home, he's also a significant part of the flick that's certain to be crowned the biggest box office hit of the entire year. Cumberbatch popped his Doctor Strange cloak back on in the hit web-slinging movie and, as anyone with an interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will know — anyone who watched No Way Home, too — he's set to reprise the role next May. That's when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will reach cinemas, in what's both a sequel to 2016's Doctor Strange and the 28th movie in the MCU. As the just-dropped first trailer shows, this new dive into the mystic arts promises to live up to its name. In No Way Home, Doctor Strange was asked to cast a spell to make the world forget it knew Spider-Man's true identity — and that had big repercussions in that film, exposing the MCU to the multiverse. Those consequences will flow over to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as will trippy Inception-style imagery, Strange's brooding demeanour and Marvel's usual world-in-peril shenanigans. Few MCU movies ever just feature one of the franchise's superheroes, so a post-WandaVision Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) also pops up — alongside Benedict Wong (Nine Days) as Wong, Rachel McAdams (Game Night) as Strange's ex Dr Christine Palmer and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Locked Down) as fellow Master of the Mystic Arts Mordo. In one of Marvel's nice pieces of symmetry, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness marks the MCU filmmaking debut of acclaimed Evil Dead franchise director Sam Raimi — the man who helmed the original three Spider-Man movies in the 00s, way back before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was even a glimmer in the comic book company's eye, and obviously long before Doctor Strange and Tom Holland's Spider-Man became pals. Check out the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer below: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases in cinemas Down Under on May 5, 2022. Images: Photos courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
If you think of famous artists, you may recall the likes of Picasso, Dalí, Monet, Michelangelo, Rothko and Warhol. One thing these artists have in common is none of them are Australian. Another is that they're all men. They are, undoubtedly, some of the greats. But this year the National Gallery of Australia is turning its focus to the Aussie women who have greatly contributed to the arts with an upcoming exhibition. Dubbed Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now, the free exhibition kicks off on Friday, November 13 and will run till Sunday, July 4— so you'll have plenty of time to catch it. The blockbuster exhibition is part of the gallery's ongoing initiative to increase the representation of female artists. As the name suggests, it'll showcase works by artists from the early 1900s to the present day, including some brand-spanking-new commissions. By bringing together artists of different times, as well as cultures, practices and places, the exhibition challenges the assumption of Australian art being male-dominated. There'll be more than 350 works on display, featuring everything from paintings to performance art and a floor-to-ceiling presentation of the artists' portraits. Highlights include a commission by the Tjanpi Desert Weavers; performance art by Bonita Ely and Jill Orr; Tracey Moffatt's key series of photographs, Something more; a huge painting by the Ken Family Collaborative; and an installation by Justene Williams. You can also expect works by KuKu and Erub/Mer artist Destiny Deacon, leading modernist painter Grace Cossington Smith, famed printmaker Margaret Preston, photographer Rosemary Laing, Anmatyerr artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye and contemporary painter Anne Wallace. [caption id="attachment_775540" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anne Wallace, 'She Is' 2001 , oil on canvas, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Purchased 2002, © Anne Wallace[/caption] Coinciding with the exhibition's launch will be a three-day conference, which will bring together established and emerging artists, curators and academics to discuss everything from creative practice to women and gender equity in the arts. The conference will run from November 11–13. Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now is showing at the NGA from November 13 through July 4, 2021. The gallery is open from 10am–5pm daily and entry is free. Top images: Yvette Coppersmith, 'Nude selfportrait, after Rah Fizelle' 2016, oil on linen, Private collection, ©Yvette Coppersmith; Roma Butler and Yangi Yangi Fox, from Irrunytju in Western Australia, with their sculptures, 2017, photo: Rhett Hammerton; and Grace Cossington Smith, 'The Bridge in building' 1929, oil on pulboard, National Gallery of Australia,Canberra, Gift of Ellen Waugh 2005. For the latest info on ACT border restrictions, head here.
Hold onto your hats, kids. The 19th Biennale of Sydney has just announced its 2014 lineup and it's shaping up to be a cracker. Along with the usual slew of international art superstars — Tacita Dean OBE, Roni Horn and Ugo Rondinone — artistic director Juliana Engberg has focused on lesser-known, younger artists and special, one-of-a-kind works commissioned for the event. The list of artists slated to show works is impressive. Martin Boyce, the Scottish artist who made a big splash at the 2009 Venice Biennale is one to look out for, as is Australia's TV Moore and Susan Norrie. The Biennale will be staged in various venues across the city, and each locale will offer a different experience. Cockatoo Island will once again be overcome by larger, site-specific works, many of which will be targeted at families and children. The Art Gallery of NSW will host, among other pieces, a performative installation by Yingmei Duan, who will live, for the duration of the Biennale, in a 'forest' built inside the gallery. As part of Happy Yingmei, the artist will interact with visitors, before retreating back into the forest to retrieve little notes dispensing advice and observations to them, in what Engberg described as a nexus between the practices of Yoko Ono and Marina Abramovic. Another key venue, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, will feature works responding to its surroundings of 'air and water', and what those elements represent in the human psyche. Look out for the large-scale multimedia installation Phantom (2011), by Scottish artist Douglas Gordon (the first video artist to win the Turner Prize) and featuring the heartbreaking vocals of Rufus Wainwright. Meanwhile, Artspace in Woolloomooloo will display 'flights of fancy', presenting works from several artists including Maxime Rossi and Henna-Riikka Halonen. The recently renovated space at Carriageworks will also house works, including a large-scale installation Dutch artist Gabriel Lester, who will offer a piece which responds to the architecture of the building. This fascinating work will explore the idea of cinematic and multimedia art as the 'new readymade'. Engberg is a sensational choice to man the helm of the Biennale, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Her excitement is palpable as she reveals details of a "happy anarchy" to be released upon unsuspecting Sydneysiders on March 21, 2014. The Sydney Biennale is one of the world’s oldest and longest running biennial art fairs. It's also one of the few biennales offering free entry to visitors. Every edition of the event brings together some of the world's most exciting contemporary artists in a vibrant celebration of Australian and international visual art. Each year, the works are curated around a specific theme. In 2014, that will be 'You Imagine What You Desire'. This "optimistic" Biennale takes its cue from a George Bernard Shaw quote: "Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will." Images: Henna-Riikka Halonen, Moderate Manipulations, 2012 (video still) and Yael Bartana, Inferno, 2013 (production still).
On March 14, Cyberdyne presented an exhibit at the 2011 Cybernics International Forum. The invention: HAL, an exoskeleton robot suit powered by electric motors that enhances physical strength and allows users to defy typical human capabilities. Creepy or cool? A little bit of both, I'd say. At first glance, it's perplexing to think that someone can slip on this suit and instantly inherit superhuman strength. The likes of Iron Man are revered in comic books and robots are cool in sci-fi movies, but to give humans that power in real life is both scary and a bit weird. Between these robot suits and the latest thought-controlled cars, the distinction between man and machine is starting to get blurred. But if you look deeper, HAL was designed to do more than just transform humans into cyborgs. Creators of HAL had a high-tech advance in industrial work in mind. The contraptions, that come in many forms, from a full-body suit to a "lite" single arm version, were initially aimed at helping factory workers who had to lift heavy objects on a daily basis. HAL would prevent joint pain and stress on the body, especially for older workers and those with limited joint function, and also aid people with reduced mobility. In addition, in light of the many recent natural disasters, developers have been thinking that robot assistance may have a future with the military, with firefighters or other rescue personnel. A group of firefighters with the ability to lift rubble on their own after an earthquake seems too good to be true, but with HAL it is a very real possibility. Yes, it is still somewhat creepy that a human being can now strap on a suit and basically turn into a cyborg. But if it can help save lives, then it's pretty damn cool. [via FastCompany]
Another year, another version of Batman. The Dark Knight doesn't get a new famous face quite that often, but you can be forgiven for thinking that it feels that way. Following in the footsteps of Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale and Ben Affleck, Robert Pattinson is now the latest actor to don the recognisable cape and mask — all thanks to upcoming superhero flick The Batman. No one really needs a plot synopsis for flicks about the Gotham City-dwelling character, because yes, we've all seen multiple versions of Batman over the years. This one is meant to stand completely apart from the most recent Affleck-starring DC Extended Universe version of the character, though. So, basically, what DC Films and Warner Bros Pictures did with Joker in 2019 — serving up a grimmer, grittier iteration of the infamous figure that has absolutely nothing to do with the rightfully hated Jared Leto version — they're endeavouring to do for Batman now. Also following the same playbook: enlisting a top-notch star in the lead role. Remember, it was only last that Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for playing the clown prince of crime. As well as Pattison as the titular character and his alter-ego Bruce Wayne, The Batman stars Zoe Kravitz (Big Little Lies) as Catwoman, Paul Dano (Escape at Dannemora) as the Riddler, Colin Farrell (Voyagers) as the Penguin, Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) as Commissioner Gordon and Andy Serkis (Long Shot) as Alfred Pennyworth. Plenty of these figures have popped on screens large and small multiple times, too — but Farrell's version of the Penguin certainly stands out in the film's just-dropped (and suitably dark, brooding and violent) full trailer. Originally slated to release this year, The Batman is one of the many movies that've been delayed due to the pandemic. And yes, you have gleaned a sneak peek before, with the movie dropping its first teaser trailer more than a year ago. Pattinson did just star in the Christopher Nolan-helmed Tenet in 2020, so perhaps it makes sense for him to play a character that Nolan helped bring back to cinemas 16 years ago. This time around, however, Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes filmmaker Matt Reeves is in the director's chair. Check out the full trailer for The Batman below: The Batman is currently due to release in Australian cinemas on March 3, 2022. Images: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/ ™ & © DC Comics.
Sydney winemaking duo Sebastian Keys and Zachary Godbolt are bringing their beloved natural, organic and vegan wine brand DOOM JUICE to a new cellar door in St Peters next month. The inaugural venue for the brand will open to Sydney wine lovers on Friday, September 2 from inside the garage of the former White Horse Hotel digs which The Music & Booze Co has transformed into The House of Music & Booze. The cellar door will boast a takeaway bottle shop and a bar opening up to a sunny courtyard complete with red neon lights and a DOOM Juice mural created by local favourite Struthless. Tastings, artist residencies and DJ sets will pop up in the courtyard — plus, most excitingly, the bar will host a weekly pop-up bistro pulling together the cream of Sydney's culinary crop. "We've been wanting to do a cellar door for quite a while in the inner west," said Keys to Concrete Playground. "The whole point of DOOM JUICE really, we wanted to be a really great way to get into natural wine, to be one of the first points of call into the wine world." Led by Bastardo's Jack Fitzhenry, St. Lawrence Bistro will pull together a new menu each Sunday curated by a different chef. The DOOM JUICE team has already locked in the likes of Toby Stansfield (The Old Fitz), Marcelo Munoz (Continental Deli CBD), Wesley-Cooper Jones (P&V), Sammy Rozsnyoi (Cafe Paci), Luka Coyne (Fish Shop), Ed Saxton (Sagra) and Anna Ugarte-Carral (10 Hats) to take over the kitchen across the first couple of months. Each chef will take the reins for the week and pull together their own array of seasonal snacks to pair with the top-notch vino. "Every week will be different. [The chefs] are all working on their own speciality things," confirmed Keys. DOOM JUICE has built a cult following in Sydney with two sold-out vintages. The team's 2021 vintage has become a mainstay in pubs, bars and independent bottle shops across the Inner West and inner-city, offering a Gewurz, rosé and skin-contact sauvignon blanc viognier blend. The cellar door will be open Friday–Sunday until 10pm, offering the Inner West yet another ideal weekend drinking hole, with the courtyard sure to be a hit during summer. It will join Syndey party collective Fruit Bowl at the venue, who's been hosting its weekly Fruit Bowl Sundays events at The House of Music & Booze since late May. DOOM JUICE's cellar door will open Friday, September 2 at 9 Victoria Street, St Peters. It will be open 3–10pm Fridays and midday–10pm Saturday–Sunday.
Redfern is now home to its very own craft beer bar. Occupying the former Angry Pirate digs, The Noble Hops is the suburb's new go-to for all things craft. Owner Joe Wee self-proclaims the amount of craft beer on offer as epic. "Redfern is an awesome suburb, all it really needs a neighbourhood bar that focuses on beer," says Wee. Previous owner Peter Groom will remain as manager for the time being and the two will welcome both existing and new patrons to their craft beer den. Positioned as the next neighbourhood haunt, the bar's ten taps will be reserved for local brewers above all else. "My philosophy is Noble Hops should be a neighbourhood, inner west bar and there are plenty of good beers around the neighbourhood to create this" says Wee. Wayward and Shenanigan's will both sit on tap this month, along with SA's La Sirene. Local and Australian brews aren't the only kind you'll find here though. Wee is also sourcing kegs and bottles of craft from around the world, including Victory Brewing Company and Sierra Nevada, which will both be on tap for the opening weeks. For the local guys, Wee is planning tap takeovers, brewers' nights and potentially a Noble Hops collaboration brew. "I'd love to create a beer just for Redfern. The neighbourhood deserves its own beer," says Wee. A home brewer, Wee won last year's People's Choice Award at Uncle Hop's SCBW home brewer's competition. While the bar doesn't have a kitchen, patrons are encouraged to bring in takeaway from the new La Coppola Sicilian pizzeria that just opened across the street. "There's no better combination than wood fire pizza and beer," says Wee. The rustic interior has a big focus on timber, making it quite the warm and cosy place to grab a pint. It will surely be a welcome addition as winter's chill starts to descend upon Sydney. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Winter might still be months away, but the final series of Game of Thrones is set to air on April 14. If the show's comeback will have you spiralling into an all-consuming GoT hole, then you will probably want to get in on Sydney's latest themed event. Call your banners and get ready for an immersive medieval-style banquet reminiscent of the series. Prepare for a meal that not only replicates the fascinating and often terrifying world of GoT that so many have come to depend on for meaning in life, but will include a brunch feast, lots of ale, and some murderous entertainment. Many details of the event are still shrouded in mystery (much like the eventual outcome of the series), including the date and price. The location hasn't been announced, but will be somewhere in inner Sydney. But we can guess the specific theme. Taking its cues from a particularly notorious episode of HBO's hit series, this immersive banquet will surely be styled after the Red Wedding. Yes, you can assume there'll be some recreations of scenes from George R. R. Martin's saga — although here's hoping there's no regicide at this one. If, like Jon Snow, you know nothing, then you're in for an entertaining feast. Costumes are welcome, but no pretend (or real) weaponry. The banquet will happen in Sydney later this year. Further details — and tickets — will be released soon. We'll let you know when they are.
One of the most powerful players in the media game, Arianna Huffington, is coming to Carriageworks. Discussing her brand new book Thrive with the equally formidable political gun Annabel Crabb, Huffington is one of the planet's most kickass women, after launching the Huffington Post in 2005 and casually taking out one of Time's 100 Most Influential People just one year later. Being the first online-only outlet to take home a Pulitzer Prize for reporting, Huffington Post is undeniably one of the world's most widely referred-to sites (you've probably checked it today already). Huffington herself has spearheaded the whole escapade, currently the chair, president and editor-in-chief for the Huffington Post Media Group — a long way from her not-so-humble Cambridge graduate beginnings as a nationally-syndicated columnist. After all these years, the 64-year-old (!) can spin some pretty epic tales, like that casual meditation session she held with Deepak Chopra, being able to get a word in with Bill O'Reilly and running against Arnold Schwartzenegger in the 2003 recall election. Taking multitasking next level, the Greek-American powerhouse has penned her own lengthily-titled book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom and Wonder. Somehow, in the midst of managing coverage of ebola breakouts, the Gaza-Israel conflict and the fact that Americans are totally over fast food burgers, Huffington now schedules in rest, mindfulness and health to her day (much more rewarding outcomes than all that money and power in her pocket). As part of the Sydney Opera House's Ideas at the House program, Huffington and Crabb will delve into the media heavyweight's rise and how success has affected her both positively and negatively. "We are thrilled to be presenting Arianna Huffington, she’s a visionary leader and one of the most influential women in media who continues to inspire," said Ideas at the House senior producer, Danielle Harvey . If you're after a much-needed 'stop sitting on your hands' type of wake-up call, throw some dosh on a ticket to this one-off meeting of total bosses.
One Sydney stalwart is set to be replaced by an even older reincarnation this spring. Potts Point's seven-year-old The Fish Shop — which was helmed by the late and great Jeremy Strode — will close its doors this June and reopen as Merivale's bygone bistro and cocktail bar, Lotus. This award-winning venue will make a grand return to its Challis Avenue digs with a revamped menu and an all-star team — with Lotus's original head chef, Dan Hong (Ms. G's, Mr. Wong, El Loco), once again at the helm. Lotus was Hong's first head chef position, which he snagged at just 24-years-old after returning to Sydney from a stint in New York. While most of the menu will be brand new, fans of the original can expect the return of a few favourite dishes, including the cheeseburger, sweet wasabi tuna and hot fudge sundaes for dessert. You can also count on plenty of Hong's signature, creative Asian touches throughout the Mediterranean-style menu. [caption id="attachment_724425" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] Back in the day, Lotus's decadent and lively atmosphere made it a Kings Cross go-to for over a decade, and the team fully plans to bring back these good-time vibes. While it hasn't yet been announced who'll be joining Hong behind the bar or on the floor, the venue was originally home to Sydney bartender extraordinaire Alexx Stuart and Merivale's Chief Food & Beverage Officer Frank Roberts — so expect some equally big names to be announced in the upcoming months. Lotus 2.0 will open in September and exist as an extended pop-up until the new owners take over the building — Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes sold the three-storey property last month, after it had been owned by his family since 1988. While an exact end date has not yet been set, the restaurant will remain open at least into 2020 at this stage. For those keen to grab one last taste of The Fish Shop, you have just about two weeks until it closes up for good on Sunday, June 16. Find The Fish Shop at 22 Challis Avenue, Potts Point until Sunday, June 16. Lotus 2.0 will open this September. Keep an eye on this space for further announcements. Images: Nikki To.
It's the kind of dazzling space that you could easily lose a whole day to, and it seems that plenty of people have. A year after opening, Tokyo's teamLab Borderless Digital Art Museum has revealed that it welcomed more than 2.3 million visitors in its first 12 months, making it the most visited single-artist museum in the world. In this case, the term 'single artist' doesn't mean that everything that graces the site's walls, floors and ceiling is the work of just one person, with teamLab comprised of a collective of creatives. Still, Borderless' entry figures for the year exceed the other top single-artist venues, eclipsing the Van Gogh Museum's 2017 record high, the last reported figures for Spain's Dali Museums in the same year and the Picasso Museum's numbers for 2018. The first, in the Netherlands, saw 2.26 million patrons through the door, while the second reached 1.44 million across three sites and the third hit 948,483. [caption id="attachment_701274" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sarah Ward[/caption] While plenty of Japanese locals have made the trip to teamLab's permanent Odaiba facility, almost half of Borderless' visitors hail from overseas. Folks from more than 160 countries and regions made the trip, with the most coming from the USA, followed by Australia, China, Thailand, Canada and the United Kingdom. teamLab's other Tokyo site, teamLab Planets in Toyosu, also attracted huge numbers over its first year. Another immersive space — this time asking patrons to walk barefoot through its digital artworks — it received 1.25 million visitors from 106 global locations. It's safe to assume that patronage at teamLabs two current pop-ups — across 500,000 square metres of Japanese forest and hot springs, and in old oil tanks in Shanghai — will also prove rather healthy. For Australians keen to get a glimpse of the collective's work without jetting overseas, it's bringing its sculptures of light and "cascades of shimmering luminescence" to this year's Melbourne International Arts Festival in October. Find teamLab Borderless Tokyo: MORI Building Digital Art Museum in Odaiba Palette Town, 1-3-8 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan. It's open seven days a week — for more information, visit the museum's website. Via Business Wire.
Ever since 2025's Sydney Film Festival first started revealing its program back in March, the event was on track for a huge year. How big? By the numbers, the fest screened 242 films, and put on 448 screenings and events. Among that massive lineup of sessions, more than 150 sold out. So, it should come as no surprise that this year's SFF also made history thanks to its 150,000-plus attendees. That hefty number of folks who spent some or all of the festival's 12-day run from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 in a Sydney cinema is an 11-percent increase on 2024's attendance figure. It also makes SFF 2205 the highest-selling festival in its history. As Sydney Film Festival CEO Frances Wallace described it, "this year has been extraordinary". "It's amazing that after 72 years, the Sydney Film Festival is stronger than ever. It's a tribute to the organisers and the tens of thousands of film fans who've turned out. This festival, its fans and its filmmakers have once again created an absolute highlight in Sydney's events calendar," said New South Wales Minister for the Arts John Graham about the fest's 2025 achievement. "As the curtain falls on another unforgettable Sydney Film Festival, we look back on and celebrate the bold storytelling, diverse voices and shared cinematic journeys that lit up our screens and sparked our imaginations," added Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "I look forward to our continued partnership with the Sydney Film Festival and all that it brings to our fine city." The fest came to an end for 2025 with a closing-night gala that gave relationship comedy Splitsville its Australian premiere — and first screening anywhere beyond its Cannes debut — and announced this year's prizewinners. Receiving the $60,000 Sydney Film Prize for the most "audacious, cutting edge and courageous" movie in the fest's Official Competition: Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident, fresh from taking home the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, too, and with the iconic Iranian filmmaker himself in attendance in the Harbour City. That said, the event that opened with body-horror Together, gave Ari Aster's Eddington its Aussie premiere and boasted DEATH STRANDING's Hideo Kojima among its guests isn't actually quite done for 2025 so far. The official festival itself has said goodbye until 2026, but it's also screening Back By Popular Demand encore sessions between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20 at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas. Sydney Film Festival 2025 ran from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. The fest is screening four days of encores via Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website. Jafar Panahi images: Tim Levy.
This article is part of our series on the diverse highlights of NZ's Canterbury region, from city to snow. To book your Canterbury trip, visit the 100% Pure New Zealand website. There's nothing quite like a road trip. Even if you're not completely sold on the idea of long hours wedged into the backseat of your friend's Corolla, the high points of a roadie — driving along the highway, windows down, the purpose-made road trip playlist blaring, obviously — definitely outweigh the low ones. Especially when you've got incredible scenery and lots of awe-worthy stops along the way. That's why New Zealand is made for road trips. Not only is it crazy beautiful with a landscape that changes at every turn (right or wrong), it's a country that you can cross in little more than three hours. It's tiny. Unlike Australia, driving around NZ isn't a ridiculous task — everything's compact, and it never takes more than a few hours to get somewhere great. In fact, you probably won't even need to pee on the side of the road once. There are a slew of routes you can take to get right down the North and South Islands, but for an easy drive and a chance to see the most in a short amount of time, take your road trip to Canterbury. The region that includes Christchurch and its surrounds — from Kaikoura all the way down to Timaru and across to the Southern Alps — it boasts a landscape that's so incredibly diverse, it's almost unbelievable. In any one day you can be driving across the plains, through snow-topped mountains and around glaciers — without even leaving the snug confines of the region. So what exactly should you mark on your map? Start in Christchurch and make your way down to the ski region, pull up under the stars at Lake Tekapo and put your hiking boots on at Mount Cook — it's all in our guide to the ultimate Canterbury road trip. Christchurch In Canterbury, Christchurch is your best base. It's New Zealand's second biggest city so you can get a direct flight with Air New Zealand from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne for a coupla hundred bucks. It's choice. From the airport, pick up your ride and head into the city — it's a simple enough drive and, bonus, road rules are basically the same for Australians. It just gets a bit tricky (read: impossible) once you hit the city centre, as a heap of roads are either one-way or closed and lanes are defined by a small army of witches hats. Christchurch is a city rebuilding, but that doesn't mean there's not a lot happening. The locals here are making it work, and it's incredible to see how they're reinventing the city as their own. You'd be best to take a full day here — two if you can — to eat, drink, see and learn. The CBD isn't that big, so you can easily walk from breakfast at Black Betty to the Re:START shipping container mall and the Christchurch Art Gallery. Make sure you take a walk to the Botanic Gardens (they're the third biggest city gardens in the world, behind New York and Munich) and head over to New Regent Street for dinner and then a drink in the Christchurch's cosiest whiskey bar, The Last Word. The surrounding suburbs have it going on too, so, seeing as you've got wheels, head out to The Tannery shopping precinct in Woolston and picturesque port town Lyttleton. Stay: The George, 50 Park Terrace, Christchurch Central, thegeorge.com Methven Whether you have a carload of ski bunnies or not, Methven is the perfect little ski town to stop off at once you leave Christchurch. Just an hour or so out of the city, Methven sits near the base of Mt Hutt, so it's teeming with ski pros and staff that work up on the mountain. They frequent the Blue Pub and the Brown Pub — they sit opposite each other on the main street, it's all very quaint — and The Last Post of an evening, all of which house fireplaces, hearty dishes and lots of booze. And you'll need all of these things if you do or don't decide to go skiing up at Mt Hutt. You are? A shuttle picks up skiers from most hotels each morning (no need to book) and will bring you back down in the afternoon. Just be warned: the drive up is unsealed and unnerving as hell if it's your first time. Not heading up the mountain? There are plenty of walks you can do around the area, and thanks to the cooperation of local farmers, some of them pass through some very pretty private land. Just don't forget your beanie. Stay: Ski Time Lodge, 39 Racecourse Road, Methven, skitime.co.nz Lake Tekapo When you've had enough of skiing (or sitting by the fire in the pub), it's onward to Lake Tekapo. If you haven't seen photos of Tekapo, refrain from doing so before your trip — it'll make your first sighting even better. The water in this lake is the bluest of blue, so much so that I'd be inclined to say it was magic if someone didn't tell me that it comes from the reflective rock flour that gets ground into the lake by the glacier that feeds it. Whatever the reason though, this place has snow-topped mountains bordering the lake and the adorable Church of the Good Shepherd sitting on it's shores, and it's stunning. In winter it's covered in a blanket of snow, and later in the year it's blooming with lupins — you really can't lose. Spend a day or two hiking up Mt John, stargazing, bathing in the hot pools or sipping wine by the fire. Have a look at our Tekapo itinerary for deets. Stay: Peppers Bluewater Resort, State Highway 8, Lake Tekapo, peppers.co.nz/bluewater or the YHA Lake Tekapo for some great indoor views of the lake, 3 Simpson Lane, Lake Tekapo, yha.co.nz Mount Cook In a country full of really big mountains, you know that the biggest one of the lot of going to be massive. So, yes, Mount Cook (also known as Aoraki) is really, really big. If you know what you're looking at you can even see it from Tekapo, but it's worth getting up close. Take State Highway 8 and stop along the banks of Lake Pukaki — it's even bigger than Tekapo and there's a salmon shop with some incredibly fresh smoked salmon that comes straight from the salmon farms that are dotted around Canterbury's canals. (Just make sure you get at least two servings because that stuff is seriously good.) From there you head around the blue oasis of Pukaki and up towards Mount Cook. The township is tiny, but there's plenty of accommodation as plenty of people come here to hike and do heli-skiing and other adventurous things. So unless you're an experienced hiker, you won't be climbing to the summit of this big boy, but there's a whole heap of walks you can do, whether you want to be walking for an hour or a whole day. It's best to drive up to the car park of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Reserve and take it from there; you'll get some sweet views from Kea Point and the Hooker River swing bridge without even having to venture too far. Christchurch Round off your road trip by heading back to Christchurch. It's the longest stretch at about four hours, but it will be a welcome excuse to stay stationary if there's been hiking involved. If you do have an extra day or two in the city and want to get a feel of the Canterbury Plains, take a drive out to Arthur's Pass — it's one of the most scenic you can do. Or else, book yourself in for jetboating (it's something of a national pastime here) on the Waimak Gorge or four wheel driving over Mt Torlesse Station through Alpine Safaris. Both give you some killer views that you wouldn't be able to get without their help.
He captured imaginations and made his artistic mark with big-screen hits like The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel. And, he once designed a Milan cafe that resembled one of his film sets. Earlier this year, he also released his gorgeous stop-motion animated movie Isle of Dogs — but that's not all that acclaimed director Wes Anderson has for fans in 2018. Known for his visual distinctive style and fondness for symmetry, Anderson has also taken his creative vision into the art world, playing museum curator alongside his partner, set designer and illustrator Juman Malouf. As announced back in February, the pair have been invited to put together an exhibition for Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum, which you've got to admit looks like it's been plucked from a dreamy Anderson flick itself. Called Spitzmaus Mummy in a Coffin and Other Treasures, the exhibition is set to kick off on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 and run until April 28, 2019. The creative couple were given a task that plenty would envy: trawling through the Kunsthistorisches Museum's more than four million objects, and selecting their favourites from the incredibly broad collection of in-house artifacts. The end result includes items from all 14 of the museum's collections, which span old master paintings, Greek and Roman antiquities, Imperial coins and more. Pieces like historical musical instruments, suits of armour, foreign antiques, carriages and sleighs will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue — sure to be a swoon-worthy piece of art in its own right. And if you're not planning to be in Austria while it's on, maybe start thinking about heading to Italy. After its initial Kunsthistorisches run, the exhibition will travel to the Fondazione Prada in Milan at a yet-to-be-announced date. Here's a sneak peak of what's in store. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vTQI6Vw5nY Image: Wes Anderson and Juman Malouf in the Picture Gallery, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna © KHM-Museumsverband .
If there was ever a film that made you wish you could step right into its frames, it's Wet Hot American Summer. The cult hit from 2001 took a satirical look at the American coming-of-age ritual that is heading off to summer camp, complete with Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, Molly Shannon and Michael Showalter along for the fun. And, while it wasn't the biggest money earner, its enduring popularity caused Netflix to fund both a prequel and a sequel series. Now, the eager folks at Devastator Press! want to help make all of our dreams a reality. No, they're not hosting a real-life summer camp, sorry (but Brisbane's Death Valley Fun Camp is doing a pretty good job, though, and Camp Kidinyou did the same thing in Melbourne late in 2016). Instead, they're turning WHAS into a role-playing game that'll ensure film and TV fans can play along as a camper, counselor or staffer at Camp Firewood — while wearing cutoffs and drinking beer, obviously. Even if tabletop role-playing games aren't normally your thing, we're betting you'd try out Wet Hot American Summer: Fantasy Camp; it's designed for newcomers to the genre, with "more emphasis on storytelling and party game craziness". At the time of writing, the game's makers have taken to Kickstarter to crowdfund their efforts. After just four days, the campaign has made US$10,802 of its US$12,500 goal, so it's pretty likely that it'll happen. Yes, basically one of the film's biggest fans is turning his favourite flick into a game, but it has the official tick of approval, and we all get to reap the benefits. Until you can get your own copy — they're expected to begin shipping in August — spend your time thinking about playing as a can of mixed vegetables. And as for that sequel series we mentioned earlier, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later is due to drop on Netflix later this year.
Much to the delight of Adelaide residents, the South Australian capital scored a huge new two-day music festival in 2022. Actually, Harvest Rock wasn't just about tunes. It was about food as well, and also wine given the location. And it went big, thanks to an Aussie-exclusive show by Jack White, plus The Black Crowes, Khruangbin, Groove Armada, Kurt Vile & The Violators, The Lumineers and Hot Chip also on the bill. That was last year's huge news, as 15,000 attendees per day enjoyed. In 2023, the festival will return for another weekend of music, bites and beverages at Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 28–Sunday, October 29. For folks in Adelaide, you've got another reason to make your interstate mates envious. For everyone outside of the City of Churches, you clearly have an excuse to visit. The 2023 lineup doesn't drop until Wednesday, August 2, but here's hoping that it's as impressive as Harvest Rock's first event. 2022's fest also featured Crowded House, The Avalanches, Courtney Barnett, You Am I and Tones And I. Dubbed Harvest Rock II, the returning spring fest mightn't have any musicians to reveal as yet, but it has confirmed some of the other parts of the event — including the dedicated VIP Village and Harvest Lounge if you want the luxe treatment. The festival's most decadent ticketing options, if you can afford them in these hefty cost-of-living times, feature a private suite looking out onto the Harvest stage, your own concierge, curated food, and even a personal cocktail bar and private balcony. If your budget doesn't stretch that far, you'll find Adelaide's top restaurants and eateries serving up food at the Feastiville precinct. And at onsite eatery Wildwood, arkhé's chef and co-owner Jake Kellie will be leading the show again. The culinary-focused Hello Chef stage will feature live demonstrations with chefs and mixologists, plus talents from the music lineup. Plus, wine lovers can enjoy a taste of South Australia's wine regions, and order bottles for home, at the Harvest Rock II cellar door. Harvest Rock II will also boast a wellness centre called The Grape Escape, aka your go-to for hot chai, tarot readings and massages. And, there's mini festival Little Harvest for kids, which'll do arts and craft, circus workshops, hula hooping and glitter tattoos. The festival hails from Secret Sounds, the crew behind Splendour in the Grass, and is locked in for a 2023 return because 2022's event was such a success. "After a ripping debut in 2022 we are returning for our second year and are damn excited to welcome you back for a weekend of incredible music, food, wine and good times at Harvest Rock II. We're set to make this year's festival even more epic. Let's make Harvest Rock II a year to remember," said Secret Sounds co-CEO Jessica Ducrou. Harvest Rock 2023 will take at Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 28–Sunday, October 29, 2023. The lineup will drop on Wednesday, August 2 — head back here then. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Having already been more successful in one career than most of us will, let's face it, ever be at any, Tavi Gevinson is about to extend her foray into a second: acting. The 17-year-old Rookie editor-in-chief is set to make her Broadway stage debut later this year in Kenneth Lonergan's comedy-drama This Is Our Youth alongside Michael Cera and Kieran Culkin. Cera and Culkin have played the same roles in a previous production, which played at the Sydney Opera House in 2012, when audiences flocked to see whether Cera could break the George Michael mould (a goal he finally achieved slapping Rihanna's bottom in This Is the End). The play falls firmly into the 'bored, disaffected New York youth' genre, elevated by its Reagan-era setting and a caper with cocaine and toy collection. After writing it in 1996, Lonergan went on to script Gangs of New York. Gevinson will play the character of Jessica Goldman — appropriately enough, a 17-year-old student of fashion. She's a character full of nervousness but also curiosity and hunger for experience. "I guess Jessica is often played by people who are older and have more distance from that time," Gevinson told the Chicago Tribune. "But I am living it. I really am cocksure of all my opinions, and I really do feel anxious when challenged. My issue, I think, will be having to zoom out of what I actually am experiencing." Everything Happens So Much http://t.co/ccZDEmufQf — Tavi Gevinson (@tavitulle) April 9, 2014 This production of the play will be directed by Anna D. Shapiro, the Tony Award winner who directed the super-famous August: Osage County for Steppenwolf Theatre Company. It will make its premiere at Steppenwolf's Chicago theatre before moving to Broadway in September. Gevinson, who also had a role in the 2013 film Enough Said, will miss her last couple of weeks of high school in order to appear in the play. A genius move if ever there was one.
Mildura has been a magnet for artists for more than sixty years. So, even though international touring artists don't always make it to Australia's outback towns, it's no surprise that Lenny Kravitz is doing the honours. On 28 November, he'll take over the Mildura Sporting Precinct with his Blue Electric Light Tour, hot from London, Paris and Berlin. Skip the massive crowds in Sydney and Melbourne, and catch the legend with just a few thousand avid fans. You can expect classic hits like 'Are You Gonna Go My Way?', 'Fly Away' and 'It Ain't Over Till it's Over', as well as tunes from Kravitz's new album, Blue Electric Light. As he has for decades, Kravitz is still winning crowds with his catchy hooks, high energy and undeniable charisma. While you're in Mildura, go exploring with our weekender's guide. There's a lot to see and do – from Bruce Munro's dreamy, contemplative Trail of Lights to cruising on a 19th century paddle steamer to wine tasting on the banks of the Murray River.
The Australian cuisine has always been mysterious, but occasionally we get a glimpse into what it might be or what it could be. Kin by Us is one those glimpses. It's an unpretentious mix of cuisines and cultures coming from My Kitchen Rules contestants Shannelle and Uel Lim. The menu reads like contrived attempt at blending pop Asian food with Australian cafe cuisine, but it's simply the food Uel and Shannelle love to eat. They both grew up overseas; Uel spent four years travelling on a ship with his missionary parents, while Shannelle is part Indonesian, part Chinese. The menu reflects the couple’s mixed cultural identities. The Waffle Belly ($17), two succulent strips of caramel soy pork belly served with slaw, shiitake mushrooms and an onsen egg atop a crunchy potato waffle, is a creative take on Uel’s memory of his Singaporean grandma. Onsen eggs, almost liquid soft poached eggs, burst somewhat pornographically onto many of the MKR couple’s dishes. Another reinvented relic from the couple’s past is the Snap Crackle Plop ($10): chicken rice and peas served under a cluster of crispy fried chicken skins and an onsen egg. Like a more textural Asian porridge, the dish is far from thrilling but inexplicably comforting. It’s one of many homages to the couple’s love for the ‘unhealthy food’ they grew up with. The brioche sandwiches, another great example, are shockingly long and generously filled. The Shandong chicken sandwich with slaw ($14) feels like eating a savoury sundae. The soft shell crab, while more delicate, is similarly intense. Uel told us the cafe’s open design was intended to reflect the mixed backgrounds and families of the two chefs, but we think it better represents the ambiguous middle line Kin sits between restaurant and cafe. The difference in detail that once separated cafes from their more serious night equivalents isn’t apparent at Kin. Like many new cafes in Sydney the fit-out and menu here are exact and inventive. Of the more classically cafe options we were most intrigued by the durian affogato ($7), a brave pairing that’s superbly executed. The durian gelato is unashamedly rich and pungent, but when doused in Rueben Hills' espresso, it mellows and adds to a balanced match. For something subtler, try the coconut cold brew ($5). In the future, the couple are planning more waffle dishes, including one with kimchi, cheese and fried chicken, and a waffle burger — yes, that’s waffle, meat, cheese, vegetable, waffle. Uel told us he’s also wants to rework something they originally called ‘breakfast’, a mysterious mix of cereal, prawns and egg. It’s an exciting future for a cafe that’s already charmed us with its effortless approach at fusion food.
While there are fewer feet dancing in the Cross than there used to be, the Kings Cross Hotel is still flying the good-time flag high. From the dive bar to the rooftop, you'll have ample opportunity to get your freak on. Bask under the neon light of the Coke sign on the club level as you pull your best moves to some of Sydney's finest DJ talents. At the occasional takeover, the entire six floors of the venue are transformed into one big party, and, yeah, you might want to take the following Monday off.
Being time poor is never ideal, particularly if you're wanting to shop more consciously and support local vendors. If you've only got a small sliver of time each week to stock up on all of your essentials, but don't want to sacrifice on quality, head to Taste Organic in Enmore. Not only does the store have an extensive range of fresh produce, but it also sells other household goods — from bread, meat, eggs and dairy to cleaning products, pet food and cosmetics. It's a one-stop shop — no need to 'top up' your shop from another store necessary. Plus, as its name suggests, it's focused on organic products. All fresh produce is 100-percent certified organic, with as much as possible sourced from Aussie farms. And other items are largely sustainable, recyclable and free from toxic ingredients. Taste Organic has a second store on the north shore in Turramurra. Both offer click and collect and home delivery services to surrounding suburbs, too. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
It's not just you and I that struggle through these hot summer days — particularly this week, during the heatwave — our pups get hot, too. Thankfully, there are a few places you can take them to cool down. And one of them is a new pool exclusively for very good dogs. Located at the southern end of Sydney Park, near City Farm, the dog-only pool is the perfect spot to visit at the end of a (slightly sweaty) summer walk. Sydney Park, which borders St Peters and Erskineville, is one of 44 off-leash parks in the City of Sydney — but it's the only one with a dedicated doggy pool. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsv6Q2zFYmu/ You might even spot Lord Mayor Clover Moore there with her two staffies, Bessie and Buster. If Sydney Park isn't a convenient stop off for you, you could also take your pet to one of Sydney's dog-friendly beaches — which include Sirius Cove in Mosman up north, and Horderns Beach in Bundeena down south — or to one of our favourite dog parks. Then, you can both head for a pint or two at these ten pubs and bars that cater for pups.
When Lorde announced that she'd be bringing her Ultrasound world tour to Australia in 2026, Sydneysiders and Melburnians embraced the green light to buy presale tickets. In fact, the demand for the Aotearoan star's Qudos Bank Arena and Rod Laver Arena gigs has been so huge that new shows in both cities have already been announced — before general tickets to the originally locked-in concerts even go on sale. In February 2026, the 'Royals', 'Solar Power' and 'What Was That' singer-songwriter will hit the stage across both Australia and New Zealand, making dates with arenas at every stop across a six-city run. Sydney and Melbourne are now hosting not one gig apiece, but two. Ella Yelich-O'Connor is playing the Harbour City on Wednesday, February 18 and again on Thursday, February 19, then the Victorian capital on Saturday, February 21 as well as Sunday, February 22. These are the final Sydney and Melbourne dates that'll be added to the tour. [caption id="attachment_1012905" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joseph Okpako/WireImage[/caption] Lorde last took her Solar Power tour to Australia in 2023. Her new series of concerts begins in September 2025 in the US — and also includes gigs in Canada, the UK and across Europe before this year is out. When the initial Australian and NZ dates were revealed, they came fresh from Yelich-O'Connor's surprise 2025 Glastonbury set, as well as her fourth album Virgin releasing at the end of June. The latter debuted at number one in Australia and New Zealand alike. This is Lorde's biggest tour of her career in general, too, with nights at the likes of Madison Square Garden in New York City and O2 Arena in London already sold out. [caption id="attachment_1012901" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thistle Brown[/caption] Featuring the aforementioned 'What Was That' — her first original new track in four years — alongside 'Man of the Year', 'Hammer', 'Favourite Daughter' and 'Shapeshifter', Virgin also hit number one in the UK and number two on the Billboard 200 chart in the US. There might be a three-year gap between Lorde's last Down Under shows and her upcoming Ultrasound tour concerts; however, in addition to writing and recording Virgin, she's been busy making a surprise Sydney club appearance back in May 2025 at a Lorde-themed night. Since 2013, when her debut record Pure Heroine arrived, Yelich-O'Connor has also released 2017's Melodrama and 2021's Solar Power, won two Grammys, picked up a Golden Globe nomination for 'Yellow Flicker Beat' from the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 and notched up over 18 billion streams worldwide. [caption id="attachment_1012904" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joseph Okpako/WireImage[/caption] Lorde Ultrasound World Tour 2026 Australian Dates Monday, February 16 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Wednesday, February 18–Thursday, February 19 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, February 21–Sunday, February 22 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Wednesday, February 25 — Perth Arena, Perth Lorde is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2026, with ticket presales for the new shows from 2pm local time on Thursday, July 17, 2025 and general sales for all shows from 2pm on Friday, July 18, 2025 — head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Thistle Brown.
UPDATE: JUNE 28, 2019 — Well, the time has come. Route 66 will close its King Street doors this Saturday, June 29. Pop by and say bye — and make a final purchase — before then. In the summer of 1988, a vintage emporium opened on Crown Street with a retro cowgirl (Miss Completely) painted on the building's side. And it's been there ever since. For 30 years, Route 66 has been a top-notch second-hand clothing destination and neighbourhood gem — and now it's closing its Darlinghurst doors and heading to Newtown. Opening first in Melbourne (the store has since closed), Route 66 is the child of Tina Lowe and Ross Waddington. After a trip through America's heartland, the couple wanted to encourage a lifestyle of "anti-fashion" in Sydney and create a hub for like-minded folk. Now run by Tina and Leroi Waddington (actual human child of Tina and Ross), the shop continues to stock some of Sydney's best quality denim, vintage boots, pomades and rare clothing. "I'm amazed I've been here for this long too," says Lowe. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwQeyHgB41d/ "Is it sad to leave the neighbourhood?" Lowe says, echoing our question. "Of course it is. I know we shouldn't be afraid of change and development and all those things but at the same time they're just homogenising the whole neighbourhood and Sydney. It's hard for people who are trying to do something different to have their own space." The move comes out of pre-emptive necessity due to local council approving a development application to build office blocks and carparks on the Crown Street block. If the build goes ahead, it will also impact the beloved The Record Store below — and most of the block, according to the vinyl haunt's co-owner Stephan Gyory. For now, The Record Store is holding its ground, but if the build goes ahead, it will have to move like its neighbour. "We looked around for a while and [Newtown] seems to be the only place that suits what we're doing," says Tina. "I think it'll be good. I'm excited about the space we found. And it's time for change." Taking over the former retro furniture shop Collectika, which is relocating to Burleigh Heads, Route 66 will make Newtown its new home sometime in June. According to the owners, much will be the same, just a bigger shop and a new postcode. Route 66's Crown Street location is slated to close son Saturday, June 29 and will reopen at 2/82 Enmore Road, Newtown soon after. We'll keep you updated with an exact date.
Crowdfunded restaurants may sound like a dubious proposition, but Sydney's IconPark have shown they can make it work. The company's Darlinghurst restaurant space has twice opened its kitchens to pop-up operations, first in the form of Matt Stone's Stanley Street Merchants, followed American-style BBQ joint Rupert & Ruby. Now IconPark is once again looking for tenants. Only this time, there's no expiration date. As before, the recipient of the IconPark lease will be decided via reality TV-style death match. Applicants run competitive crowdfunding campaigns, giving hungry members of the public the chance to vote with their wallets. After three weeks, whichever concept has the most pledges gets a three-year contract at IconPark's established 78 Stanley Street location, with the opportunity to start cooking straight away. "If applicants raise enough money during the crowdfunding campaign to support their concept, they have the opportunity to walk into a location with an awesome existing trade, without needing to pay for the business," says IconPark co-founder Dean McEvoy. "The license is in place, and all the equipment and fittings are there to start trading the day after they win." Information on how to pitch your unique restaurant idea can be found at the IconPark website. Applications open this week, with the three week crowdfunding blitz set to occur in early 2015. The inaugural season attracted more than 100 applications, so whatever your pitch, make sure it's a good one.
Australia's arts calendar is always world-class, but this year it is particularly jam-packed — not just with recurring festivals and events, but lots of things that will hit the city for the first time ever. Us lucky Australians will be the first people in the world to see Patricia Piccinini's Skywhalepapa take to the sky and, down in Melbourne, the works of 20th century French artist Pierre Bonnard reimagined by architect and designer India Mahdavi. Plus, we've got multiple big-name exhibitions and not one, but two new galleries. While more events, installations and and exhibitions will inevitably be announced as the year progresses, these are the ones you should get more excited about right now. THE RETURN OF PATRICIA PICCININI'S OTHERWORLDLY SKYWHALE At 34 metres long, more than twice as big as a regular hot air balloon and ripped straight from Patricia Piccinini's inimitable mind, Skywhale might just be one of Australia's most recognisable recent pieces of art. It's a sight to see, and the largest-scale example of the artist's fascination with the thin line that separates nature and technology — and it's about to meet its match. In 2020, the National Gallery of Australia will unveil Piccinini's new Skywhalepapa, which is designed to form a family with Skywhale. They'll both float through the Canberra skies from April, with the second bulbous sculpture commissioned as part of the gallery's Balnaves Contemporary Series. In total, the pair will take flight from a site near the NGA eight times during the nearly three-month Skywhales: Every Heart Sings exhibition, with the exact launch dates yet to be revealed. Just how big Skywhalepapa will be is also yet to be announced, but given the impressive size of its companion, expect it to be hefty. If you can't make it to Canberra to see the growing Skywhale clan, they will also tour the country for an NGA touring exhibition, with locations and dates to be confirmed at a later date. Skywhales: Every Heart Sings will run Canberra's National Gallery of Australia in April 2020. A BRAND NEW MULTI-SENSORY DIGITAL ART GALLERY If you prefer an art experience that extends beyond looking at works on a wall, prepare to be impressed by Melbourne's new immersive digital art gallery. Set to open sometime in autumn, The Lume will take the form of a $15 million 2000-square-metre gallery, decked out with 150 state-of-the-art projectors. Projections of some of the world's most celebrated works will be splashed across various surfaces, backed by powerful musical soundtracks and complemented by aromas. The project is the brainchild of Melbourne-based Grande Exhibitions, which, for the past 14 years, has hosted immersive exhibitions and gallery experiences in over 130 cities across the world. The company also owns and operates Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci. Known for celebrating art world greats like Vincent van Gogh and da Vinci through modern, multi-sensory technology, Grande Exhibitions will use a similar formula at The Lume. Instead of showcasing original works, the gallery will rely on a curation of music and moving image to create a tapestry of instantly recognisable artworks. The Lume will open in an unconfirmed Melbourne location in autumn 2020. We'll let you know when more details are announced. [caption id="attachment_750699" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Top image: Chiharu Shiota b.1972, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. In Silence (2002/2019). Production support: Alcantara S.p.A. Installation view: Shiota Chiharu: The Soul Trembles, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, 2019. Courtesy: Kenji Taki Gallery, Nagoya/Tokyo. Image courtesy: Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photograph: Sunhi Mang.[/caption] A MAZE OF RED AND BLACK WOOL AT GOMA It's been home to David Lynch's eerie filmscapes, Yayoi Kusama's infinity rooms, a snowman and Patricia Piccinini's forest of flowers. Yes, Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art loves an immersive installation — and it has more in store for 2020. Fancy wandering through a labyrinth of red and black wool? That's on next year's agenda. As part of its just-announced 2020 lineup, GOMA revealed it'll host Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles, a showcase focusing on the Berlin-based Japanese artist and her work over the past quarter-century. In an Australian exclusive, the exhibition comes to Brisbane after recently premiering in Tokyo — and while it won't sit 53 storeys up or come with panoramic views of the city, like it did in Japan, Shiota's string-heavy installations are certain to garner more than a little attention. Fashioned from millions of strands, they resemble weaved, maze-like webs and take up entire rooms. The Soul Trembles is the largest-ever solo exhibition by the artist — and although GOMA hasn't revealed just how much of the Tokyo lineup is coming to Brisbane, art lovers can expect an array of sprawling installations, sculptures and video footage of Shiota's performances, as well as photographs and drawings. Highlighting her fascination with intangible concepts, such as memory, anxiety, dreams and silence, the ticketed display will run from June 27–October 5, 2020. Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles will run at Brisbane's GOMA from June 27–October 5, 2020. THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE'S FIRST MUSEUM OF UNDERWATER ART There are plenty of ways to soak in the Great Barrier Reef's natural underwater delights — and the Museum of Underwater Art is the newest one. The attraction – created by marine sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor — has been a long time in the works, but just recently installed its first two artworks just off the shore at Townsville. The first artwork, Ocean Siren, can be found 30 metres from The Strand jetty — and while it actually towers above the water, it interacts with live water temperature data. Designed to resemble Takoda Johnson, one of the area's Wulgurukaba traditional owners, it receives information from the Davies Reef weather station on the Great Barrier Reef, then changes colour in response to variations as they happen. This one can be visited now Coral Greenhouse, on the other hand, sits 18 metres beneath the ocean's surface on the John Brewer Reef. It's an underwater building filled with coral garden beds and more than 20 sculptures, many resembling local school children — and has been made to both stand up to wave pressures and cyclones, and remain visible to divers and snorkellers. While this one is installed, it won't be open for viewing until April 1, 2020. Four pieces are planned in total — another one at Palm Island is expected to be installed by the end of the year, and another at Magnetic Island will open once funding is sourced. MoUA's first artwork can be seen now just off The Strand jetty at Townsville, and the second one will be able to view from April 2020. [caption id="attachment_759712" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Reihana 'Tai Whetuki - House of Death Redux' (2016) at The Walters Prize, Auckland Art Gallery.[/caption] SYDNEY'S BIANNUAL EXHIBITION THAT TAKES OVER THE CITY FOR 12 WEEKS The centrepiece of the 2018 Biennale of Sydney was Ai Weiwei's 60-metre inflatable boat, a critique and exploration of the global refugee crisis. This year, when the Biennale returns to art galleries across Sydney, the lineup of 100-plus artists will be examining another poignant issue close to the heart of Australia: First Nations sovereignty and intergenerational trauma. Running from Saturday, March 14 until Monday, June 8, the 2020 Biennale is entitled Nirin, which means 'edge' in the language of western NSW's Wiradjuri people. This year's theme is timely, for two reasons: the 2020 blockbuster falls on the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's voyage to Australia — and it will be helmed by a new First Nations artistic director: famed Sydney-born, Melbourne-based interdisciplinary artist Brook Andrew. Andrew has selected an impressive lineup of artists and creatives — many of them First Nations — from around the world to exhibit at the Art Gallery of NSW, Woolloomooloo's Artspace, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Cockatoo Island, MCA and the National Art School for the exhibition's 12 weeks. On the just-announced program, you'll find the Southern Hemisphere premiere of Arthur Jafa's Golden Lion-awarded work The White Album, Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens's immersive work symbolising the disproportionate number of incarcerated Indigenous Australian women and a large-scale political protest piece by Pitjantjatjara artist Kunmanara Mumu Mike Williams (who passed away last year). Cockatoo Island will be home to a wide range of works, too, including Ghanaian-born artist Ibrahim Mahama's sprawling installation of coal sacks; Tony Albert's interactive greenhouse, where you'll be invited to write and plant messages; and Tlingit/Unangax̂ artist Nicholas Galanin's excavation work that'll 'dig up' the land beneath the shadow of Hyde Park's Captain Cook statue. The 22nd Biennale of Sydney runs from March 14–June 8 2020. [caption id="attachment_747305" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Gallery at sketch designed by India Mahdavi, London, 2014, photo by Thomas Humery.[/caption] A WORLD-FIRST EXHIBITION BY PIERRE BONNARD AND INDIA MAHDAVI Heading the National Gallery of Victoria's autumn/winter program this year is a world-premiere exhibition Pierre Bonnard, created in collaboration with famed Parisian museum the Musée d'Orsay. It offers a glimpse into the life and work of acclaimed 20th-century French artist Bonnard through a sprawling collection of pieces on loan from the likes of London's Tate and The Museum of Modern Art in New York, along with other renowned French museums. A close friend of the legendary Henri Matisse, the artist is best known for his stylised decorative works evoking scenes of everyday domestic life. The Melbourne exhibition will see Bonnard's recognisable designs brought to life even further, with the help of famed Iranian-Egyptian-French architect and designer India Mahdavi. Mahdavi — who has designed eye-catching spaces like London's Red Valentino store and the famous all-pink Gallery at sketch — will use her signature colour palettes and love of textures to create an immersive, life-size version of one of Bonnard's domestic scenes. The exhibition will run at NGV International from June 5–October 4, 2020. [caption id="attachment_737971" align="alignnone" width="1920"] White Night Melbourne by Gerard Dubois[/caption] A BRAND NEW MAJOR WINTER ARTS FESTIVAL Melbourne's arts calendar never fails to keep us busy, however, it's always had a bit of a lull in winter before Melbourne International Arts Festival and Melbourne Music Week take over the city in spring. But, this year, that's all set to change. In May last year the Victorian Government announced that it will launch a huge new citywide arts festival in the winter of 2020. It's set to shake up the Melbourne arts calendar as the new festival will merge the aforementioned Melbourne Festival and arts all-nighter White Night and move them into a winter timeslot. While White Night was originally held on a hot February night, in 2019 it was moved to August. Melbourne Fest, which was established in 1986, is usually held in October. Exact timings and details are yet to be revealed, but the new "global" festival — as it's being billed by the Andrews Government — will take over the city for several weeks, much like Melbourne Festival usually does in October. While it will no doubt combine the best bits of the two existing festivals, a new creative team will come on to develop a new program and vision. We're told the the 2020 program will feature a "diverse program of visual and performing arts" coupled with with "large-scale takeovers of precincts" after-dark. The inaugural festival — which is yet to be named — will kick off with a 'transitional' year in the winter of 2020. The new winter festival will hit Melbourne in winter 2020. We'll keep you updated when new details or dates are announced. Top image: Skywhale, 2013, Patricia Piccinini. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Gift of anonymous donor 2019, Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
If, mid-way through a piece of raw lasagne, you've ever wondered what makes About Life's food so tasty, yet still somehow good for you, you can stop guessing. The wholefoods cafe and supermarket mini-empire — which now has seven stores in Sydney and one in Melbourne — has released a recipe book, titled A Whole New Way to Eat. That's right, nutritionist Vladia Cobrdova — who's responsible for developing About Life's recipes — is throwing a few secrets your way. All in all, there are 135 recipes, covering familiar offerings from the wholefoods institution's cafes and self-serve meal aisles. They're all relatively simple and don't employ heaps of obscure ingredients, meaning they're recipes you're actually likely to make. Coconut turmeric quinoa porridge? That's on page 12. Umeboshi black bean spaghetti salad with sesame toasted broccoli? You'll find that on page 86. A giant lamington with raspberry Kakadu jam? It's in there too (and we've got the recipes for those last two below). There are brekkies, lunches, dinners, salads, soups, sides, drinks and desserts galore. A Whole New Way To Eat will be launched at a series of free events, to be held at various About Life stories during the first couple of weeks of March with Vladia Cobrdova. She'll be chatting, demonstrating and, most importantly, handing out samples. Catch her at in Melbourne on March 7 and at the Crows Nest store in Sydney on March 11. As difficult as it is to believe, About Life started out in Sydney in 1996 as a little juice bar, with just a handful of groceries for sale. Now, with eight stores around the country and somewhat of a cult following, they're expanding into at-home territory, which, as a grocer, makes a lot of sense. A Whole New Way To Eat is published by Murdoch Books and will be available for $39.99. We've managed to nab two of the recipes from the book below to get you started. UMEBOSHI BLACK BEAN SPAGHETTI SALAD WITH SESAME TOASTED BROCCOLI Umeboshi is a paste is made from fermented plums, which gives this recipe a salty yet still plummy taste. It's vegan, gluten- and dairy-free, and will take about 30-40 minutes to prepare. 200 grams broccoli, cut into small florets 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 200g black bean spaghetti (or brown rice noodles) 150g snow peas, trimmed and halved lengthways 250g green beans, trimmed and cut in half Umeboshi dressing 60ml (¼ cup) sesame oil 1½ tablespoons mirin (rice wine) 2 tablespoons umeboshi paste ¼ cup finely grated fresh ginger 75g (½ cup) sesame seeds 1 tablespoon tamari Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread the broccoli on a baking tray, add the sesame oil and sesame seeds and toss to combine. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly roasted but still crunchy. Meanwhile, bring two litres (eight cups) of water to the boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook for 6-8 minutes until tender. Add the snow peas and green beans for the last minute of cooking to blanch. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl with 60ml (¼ cup) of water. Transfer the spaghetti, snow peas and green beans to a serving bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss until well coated. Top with the crunchy broccoli florets and serve. GIANT LAMINGTON WITH RASPBERRY KAKADU JAM This cake-like lamington is gluten-free and vego, and is topped with jam made with native Kakadu plum powder. You'll probably have to go to About Life to buy some — but if you can't get any, you can use the zest of an orange. 6 eggs 11 g (⅓ cup) honey 80ml (⅓ cup) melted coconut oil 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 65g (½ cup) coconut flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 100g (1 cup) almond meal 35g (½ cup) shredded coconut Kakadu jam 170g raspberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted 50g (¼ cup) coconut sugar 1 tablespoon Kakadu plum powder, or use the zest of 1 orange 45g (¼ cup) chia seeds 2 tablespoons coconut water Cacao frosting 40g (¼ cup) coconut oil 55g (½ cup) cacao powder 60ml (¼ cup) coconut cream Preheat the oven to 160°C. Lightly grease a 30cm x 12cm x 10cm loaf tin and line it with baking paper, leaving the sides overhanging. Use an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to whisk the eggs and honey for five minutes or until well combined. Add the coconut oil and vanilla bean paste and whisk for another 2-3 minutes until well combined. Combine the coconut flour, baking powder and almond meal in a separate bowl. Gently fold into the egg mixture until just combined, then spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. Meanwhile, to make the jam, combine the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set. To make cacao frosting, put the coconut oil in a frying pan with 60ml (¼ cup) of water and cook over low heat until the oil melts. Add the cacao powder and coconut cream and stir for two minutes or until combined. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Transfer the cake to a serving plate. Spread with jam and drizzle with the frosting. Scatter with shredded coconut. Images and recipes from A Whole New Way To Eat by Vladia Cobrdova (Murdoch Books RRP $39.99) photography by Rob Palmer.
The least surprising aspect of Tár is also its most essential: Cate Blanchett being as phenomenal as she's ever been, plus more. The Australian Nightmare Alley, Thor: Ragnarok and Carol actor — "our Cate", of course — best be making space next to her Oscars for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine as a result. Well-deserved accolades have been showered her way since this drama about a cancelled conductor premiered at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival (the prestigious event's Best Actress gong was the first of them) and, as the Golden Globes showed, they're not likely to stop till this awards season is over. Blanchett is that stunning in Tár, that much of a powerhouse, that adept at breathing life and complexity into a thorny figure, and that magnetic and mesmerising. Even when she hasn't been at her utmost on rare past occasions or something she's in hasn't been up to her standards — see: Don't Look Up for both — she's a force that a feature gravitates around. Tár is astonishing itself, too, but Blanchett at her finest is the movie's rock, core and reason for being. Blanchett is spectacular in Tár, and she also has to be spectacular in Tár — because Lydia Tár, the maestro she's playing, earns that term to start with in the film's on-screen world. At the feature's kickoff, the passionate and ferocious character is feted by a New Yorker Festival session led by staff writer Adam Gopnik as himself, with her achievements rattled off commandingly to an excited crowd; what a list it is. Inhabiting this part requires nothing less than utter perfection, then, aka what Tár demands herself, her latest assistant Francesca (Noémie Merlant, Jumbo), her wife Sharon (Nina Hoss, Shadowplay) and everyone else in her orbit constantly. Strong, seductive, severe, electrifying and downright exceptional, Blanchett nails it. That Lydia can't always do the same, no matter how hard, painstakingly and calculatingly she's worked to ensure that it appears otherwise, is one of the movie's main concerns. Directing a film for just the third time in 22 years — and the third at all, as well as the first since 2006's Little Children — writer/helmer Todd Field begins Tár with the woman, the myth and the legend. Since the feature's US release, viewers have been known to think that Lydia is an actual person, which has proven instantly memeable, yes, but more importantly is a testament to the detail and potency of the filmmaker's layered script. As Gopnik advises, Tár is a protégé of the one and only (and real) Leonard Bernstein, the first female chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic and an EGOT-winner. She has a book in the works, Tár on Tar, and she's soon to record her dream piece, Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5. She's not fond of having her successes ascribed to battling sexism, but she's proud, confident and authoritative talking about her career, field and leap to the top of classical music. Not mentioned in this early celebration, unsurprisingly: the behaviour that'll come back to stalk Lydia, involving her treatment of mentees and students, and cracking her hard-carved place in an elite realm. With two Academy Award nominations to his name for screenwriting, for both Little Children and his 2001 feature debut In the Bedroom, Field is in his element plotting Tár's intricate and tangled life that just keeps getting more and more knotted — and penning and directing a film that's equally as complicated. Tár is many things and never merely one thing, but it's a psychological character study above all else. As the feature charts its namesake's downfall from the heights that the picture opens with, and unpacks her arrogance and ambition, it unravels Lydia. As it examines her professional dealings and personal bonds, sees transactional connections wherever she goes and shows her scant regard for most folks other than herself (although she'll happily bully a schoolgirl for her young daughter Petra, played by first-timer Mila Bogojevic), the movie chips away at Lydia's carefully established personality and mystique. And, as her standing plummets amid a scandal, and her relationships with it, the film probes and ponders who she truly is anyway — and why. Is Tár a groomer, predator and liar? A talent who took her lust for triumph too far? A celebrity overly enamoured with her own fame and power? Is she a woman fracturing? Someone literally haunted? An egotist using and emotionally bruising, then getting what she deserves? Tár is too crafty — and well-crafted — a drama to quickly or easily tick most of those boxes for its protagonist, and finds much of its depths (and much of its fuel for Blanchett's performance) in provocatively giving all of the above attention. As Lydia belittles Juilliard kids in showy lectures about JS Bach, grinds first violin Sharon down to just one of her offsiders, capitalises upon Francesca's own conducting dreams, weathers a storm with her past favourite Krista (debutant Sylvia Flote) and throws her current approval towards new Russian cellist Olga (acting newcomer Sophie Kauer), Tár is also as precise at building the world that its titular character dwells in, where her genius and thrall draws in everyone, enables her, and lets Lydia herself believe that everything is excused and even worth it if it results in her art. Collaborating with cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister (Pachinko), editor Monika Willi (Happy End), costume designer Bina Daigeler (1899), production designer Marco Bittner Rosser (Only Lovers Left Alive) and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (Joker), Field does indeed fashion Tár immaculately. A film of cool hues, firm lines and rich surfaces — Lydia's suits encapsulate the look perfectly — as well as a gripping, tension-dripping beat, it's a film where every choice seen and heard is revealing about its story, central figure and themes. Tár is also a movie of striking scenes revelling in such tightly constructed surroundings, all with Blanchett at their centre. Every choice she makes with her facial expressions and body language, whether Lydia is regaling fans, instructing pupils, pushing aside loved ones or luring in new points of interest, is a compelling, entrancing masterclass. When Tár picks up the baton, plays the piano, holds court, tries to navigate her own fall and perhaps even orchestrate her own second rise: these moments, whether loud and intense or quiet and contemplative, are hypnotic and loaded, too. But, across a 158-minute duration that never feels that long and shows zero signs of bloat, Field fills his frames with more than just one outstanding player. He could've simply let Blanchett's awards-worthy efforts be Tár's everything alone, and this'd still be captivating, bold and intelligent. Again, there wouldn't be a film this piercing without her, and it rises in tandem with her astounding work. In what's hopefully not his last picture for another decade and a half, however, Field sees what Lydia can't and won't. Casting German acting royalty Hoss and French Portrait of a Lady on Fire standout Merlant, both of whom bring texture, vulnerability and visible signs of pain to their pivotal characters, makes a statement: that no story is one person's only.
