Sitting down to non-stop meze plates is most folks' idea of a great feast, and it's on the menu at Stanbuli on Tuesday, November 12. But that's not all that's on offer at this dinner. While you're munching away, the Enmore restaurant's executive chef and owner Ibrahim Kasif will take patrons through the wonders of raki — aka Turkey's aniseed-flavoured spirit. If you're a newcomer to the tipple, this is your chance to learn more. If you feel like you've sipped every other drink on offer across Sydney, this is your opportunity to try something new, too. And even if you're well acquainted with the beverage that's considered Turkey's national drink, you'll knock back more than a few tastes — including different styles — that are all paired to your food. The last time that Stabuli put on this Raki Dinner with Bottomless Meze, it proved rather popular, so nabbing a $90 ticket sooner rather than later is recommended. The evening runs from 7pm, with raki and oh-so-much meze included in the price.
Spoil yourself. Go on. Sure you might've been able to fly to Melbourne and back (twice) — but dining at Tetsuya's is an occasion that is slightly more palpable. This is high-flying dining, with very few institutions left like it in Sydney. And yes it may have slipped off the list of the world's top 50 and lost its third chef's hat in 2011; despite all this, there's something to be said about a restaurant that was at the forefront of Australian dining for so long and still has an extensive waitlist. It's a luxurious experience — nay, a luxurious journey. And plus, who said only the rich kids can have the all the fun? Situated smack-bang in the middle of the CBD, the refurbished, Heritage-listed site feels like you literally have left the country for dinner. The entire mansion (yes, it's huge) maintains a traditional Japanese theme — right from the front gates and valet parking, through to the polite and gentle escorting to your table. Eclectic artworks and ceramic pieces adorn the low-lit dining areas, all three of which overlook an immaculate Zen-like garden. The atmosphere is professionally formal yet ceremoniously quiet and tranquil. Tables are impeccably set with shining cutlery and crisp white tablecloths; napkins are immediately — and elegantly — thrown onto your lap. The staff is exceptionally efficient; they don't waste any time here. And they can't afford to waste time — we did warn of a culinary journey. The ten-course degustation menu clocks in at almost five hours, so get comfy. The cuisine is simple and unique and based on the Japanese philosophy of using natural seasonal flavours, with elements of French hinting through. The comprehensive (and weighty) list has over 3000 wines: you may as well go all out and get the matching wines (and extra $97) as it completes the experience. Moreover, the sommelier has done all the hard work for you and ensured that each of your dishes is precisely complimented. To get the ball rolling and whet the appetite, the complimentary truffle butter and bread is an uncomplicated yet decadent start. Fellow diners are already dropping their jaws, ramekins are almost licked clean, and a mere crumb is left. Thankfully, the first dish of the night arrives in due time before you've filled up on glorious carb/fat combo (who would've thought?). And it's a strong start: a warm savoury custard is rich and salty with bursts of flavour in every spoonful. It's paired with a Tamanohikari sake, which — not surprisingly— makes for the perfect accompaniment. Following on from this, Salad of the Sea is nice, and the marinated scampi is a confusing texture combination. Perhaps it's the frozen egg yolk? Suffice to say, truffle butter is winning thus far. The signature dish at Tetsuya's comes out at plate number four — about an hour and a half into being seated. The waiter will outline the complexities of the dish, but a word of advice: choose to ignore the details should you squirm at 'unpasteurised roe'. Matched with a Riesling, the confit of Petuna ocean trout lives up to all its expectations, delivering a full-bodied texture that isn't overly fatty. It doesn't end there, though. Two meat dishes take another 45 minutes of your time before the three desserts: because, everyone needs three desserts right? If we may be so bold, the real orgasmic taste explosion is Tetsuya's chocolate cake. Yes, it's insanely original, but it brings the five-hour voyage to an insane conclusion. While each dish was exquisitely executed and distinctively different, the truffle butter — shamefully? — has to be the hardest act to follow. Or do subsequent dishes just fail to offer that 'wow factor'? If it weren't for the entire Tetsuya's experience — from the service to the setting (to the truffle butter) — would this degustation alone be worth it? There's definitely an argument that the the roller-coaster of dishes is just too much to handle, when all we really want now is simplicity. Nonetheless, Tetsuya's is a Sydney must-do experience. It's certainly not a cheap affair, but the focus really is about a love of food crafted by chefs who are ferociously dedicated. Branch out from the burgers and enjoy one of Australia's most well regarded restaurants.
Thirty films, four weeks and more famous faces than you can dream of — that's what to expect from this year's MINI British Film Festival. Reading through the fest's lineup is like scrolling through a who's who of English talent, with Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Kristin Scott Thomas, Bill Nighy, Keira Knightley, Timothy Spall, Peter Capaldi, Gwendoline Christie, Kate Beckinsale, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones and even Liam Gallagher all set to grace Australian cinema screens between October 29–November 24. While Kristin Scott Thomas will lead the way in war-set opening night drama Military Wives, legends Mirren and McKellen will help close out the festival in thriller The Good Liar. Meanwhile, outspoken Oasis frontman gets the documentary treatment in Liam Gallagher: As It Was, and The Theory of Everything's Redmayne and Jones reunite for a high-flying adventure in The Aeronauts. The list goes on — and if you're already feeling spoiled for choice, we're here to help by picking out our five must-see highlights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHG7FnBDY0Q THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD It opened this year's prestigious London Film Festival, it's the latest film from The Thick of It and Veep's Armando Iannucci, and it stars Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi, Gwendoline Christie and Ben Whishaw. Add in the fact that it's an adaptation of one of Charles Dickens' best-known classics, and The Personal History of David Copperfield is easily one of the year's most anticipated movies. For newcomers to the tale, it mirrors the beats of Dickens' own experience, with the eponymous character journeying through a difficult upbringing to become a lawyer and then a writer. While the story naturally takes place in 19th-century England, you can expect Iannucci to find plenty of modern-day parallels in this version — if he can do it with Russian history in The Death of Stalin, he can do it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysjwg-MnZao SORRY WE MISSED YOU When Ken Loach won the Cannes Film Festival's coveted Palme d'Or for 2016's I, Daniel Blake, he did so with a moving social-realist drama that exposed the cruelty underpinning a standard facet of British life. That's the veteran director's speciality, so it should come as no surprise that his latest film follows in the same footsteps — or that it's just as astute and stirring. Swapping government benefits for the gig economy, Sorry We Missed You follows ex-construction worker Ricky (Kris Hitchen) as he leaps into the courier business, thinking that'll provide security for his family's future. Instead, he discovers the gruelling reality of impossible targets, zero benefits, uncaring corporations, spiralling debts and working around the clock. Shot with Loach's usual naturalistic eye, this timely and topical movie proves as impassioned and infuriating as its stellar predecessor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbhAt1vLxXA A GUIDE TO SECOND DATE SEX George MacKay is one of Britain's rising acting talents, with standout roles in For Those In Peril, Pride, Captain Fantastic, and 11.22.63 to prove it. Soon, he'll be seen in the upcoming Australian drama True History of the Kelly Gang — playing Ned Kelly, no less — but before that, he's jumping into the romantic comedy realm. In A Guide to Second Date Sex, MacKay plays Ryan. On his second date with Laura (Alexandra Roach), he knows that they have plenty in common; however, they're both still feeling more than a little awkward. First-time director Rachel Hirons adapted this screenplay from her own hit Edinburgh Fringe Festival play. Embracing, unpacking and subverting all the usual dating and rom-com tropes, this is classic British comedy territory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVwbeA4Ff9Y CITIZEN K From the collapse of enormous corporations to huge political sex scandals and CIA-sanctioned torture, Alex Gibney has chronicled the big stories of the past two decades. Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, Julian Assange's Wikileaks, Lance Armstrong's doping ban and the Church of Scientology have all fallen into his purview as well, with the American documentarian amassing quite the hard-hitting resume. With Citizen K, he dives into a topic he was bound to cover: Vladimir Putin's Russia, the country's murky political realm and the fate awaiting anyone who speaks out against the powerful president. Focusing on Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Citizen K tracks the Russian businessman's journey from wealthy oligarch to prisoner to "the Kremlin's leading critic-in-exile". As the most fascinating tales are, it's the kind of story that has to be seen to be believed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm17B-nOgZ8 FARMING How does a Briton with Nigerian ancestry end up in a white supremacist gang? That's the tale that Farming tells. The title refers to a practice common in the 60s, 70s and 80s when babies were fostered out to white parents in the hopes that they'd receive a better upbringing. In Enitan's (Damson Idris) case, growing up in Tilbury leaves him questioning his identity, feeling like an outcast with both his foster family and his natural family, and seeking approval from the hateful skinheads who openly taunt, bully, beat and condemn him. It's a confronting and compelling story, especially given that it's based on the life of actor-turned-writer and director Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje — who has featured in everything from Oz, Lost and Game of Thrones to The Bourne Identity, Thor: The Dark World and Suicide Squad over the past two decades. The MINI British Film Festival tours Australia from October 29, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Palace Chauvel cinemas from October 29–November 24; Melbourne's Palace Balwyn, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from October 30–November 24; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from October 30–November 24; and Perth's Palace Cinema Paradiso, Luna on SX and The Windsor Cinema from October 30–November 24. For more information, visit the festival website.
Since 1960, boundary-pushing artists and cultural performers have been sharing their talent and creativity at Adelaide Fringe. As an open-access festival there is no curatorial team which means that all creatives are welcome and invited to share their talents with the arts-loving crowd. The annual event highlights exactly what grassroots art is all about — fostering inclusivity, self-expression and community belonging. This makes it especially special for the young (and young at heart), who are invited to immerse themselves in the wonder and spectacle of the Adelaide Fringe program. Introduce your kids to the magic of the Fringe this year with the following standout family-friendly events that'll unlock their imagination. DUSTY FEET MOB Experience dance storytelling with Dusty Feet Mob: a collective of young Aboriginal performers hailing from Port Augusta. Through dance and song, they celebrate identity and culture, as well as share stories that promote healing and awareness for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities alike. Their performances are grounded in cultural learning and knowledge passed on by family members and mentors — all dedicated to strengthening young people's connection to their culture. WEREWOLVES If interactive theatre is your thing, then you'll love being part of the Werewolves experience. Take a journey into Millers Hollow, where trouble is afoot as werewolves stalk innocent villages. Each morning, another death occurs and it's up to the villagers — that'll be you — to find the werewolves who may be hiding in plain sight. Each audience member is given a card with their role, before the game master whisks you away on an adventure to solve the mystery and save the village. The experience is rated G, but there are descriptions of violence throughout, so the show is better suited for ages ten and above. 360 ALLSTARS This global phenomenon has been seen by over a million people worldwide with sold-out runs in Edinburgh, on Broadway and at the Sydney Opera House. Discover the thrills for yourself when 360 ALLSTARS land at Adelaide Fringe this year. Picture hair-raising athleticism with high-energy performers delivering jaw-dropping flips, BMX tricks, breakdancing, acrobatics and more. It's a great one for the kids, but you'll also walk away inspired to dust off that skateboard from your teen years and practise some kickflips. (We can't be held responsible for any injuries sustained.) PETER PAN — A NEVERLAND ADVENTURE This classic tale never gets old. As the winner of last year's Best Children's and Family Show Award, it's no wonder that Peter Pan — A Neverland Adventure is returning for another run at the Wonderland Spiegeltent. A combination of flying acrobatics and astounding feats take your breath away as you follow J.M. Barrie's beloved characters on their adventure to the land where nobody grows up. It's an absolute must for young and old alike. [caption id="attachment_935443" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Rabin[/caption] FRINGE FOR KIDS If your kids are easily distracted, keep them entertained at a variety show where they can cheer, stomp and clap along to music, dance, drag, circus and magic performances. At Fringe for Kids, there's a fresh lineup every day, so you'll always be kept on your toes if you return for a second or even third visit — and you may have to do just that, as your kids won't stop talking about it. 80's LADIES Share some of your beloved childhood hits with the kids in your life. We're talking Whitney, Madonna, Cyndi — all the iconic ladies of the era that you know and love, reimagined by singer Chloe Castledine and her team of musicians and dancers in 80's Ladies. Dress in your brightest neon for the occasion and shimmy the night away to non-stop bangers at The Moa at Gluttony. TRASH TEST DUMMIES CIRCUS A stalwart of the Adelaide Fringe scene, the Trash Test Dummies Circus has been entertaining local crowds for years, even taking home Best Children's Presentation in 2015. Their slapstick and visual comedy includes ballet, acrobatics, balloons and everything a discerning kid seeks in their entertainment. It'll be a cackling good time featuring plenty of knee slaps and bin jokes that you simply were not prepared to laugh at. CLASS CLOWNS Put your teen's quippy comebacks to good use at Class Clowns, where aspiring comedians will take the stage for a chance to perform at the National Grand Final during the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The national high school competition encourages teens to share their funny insights through their choice of comic medium — be it sketch, stand-up, music or physical comedy. Even if you're not performing, drop in to see the future of Aussie comedy on display. Book your FringeTIX now at the Adelaide Fringe website.
How much green will be seen at 2025's Laneway Festival? With Charli XCX headlining, expect the Brat hue to be everywhere. After all of the talk talk of announcing its dates and venues, then splashing around everyone's current favourite slime colour, St Jerome's Laneway Festival has confirmed that Charlotte Emma Aitchison is indeed leading its 2025 lineup. Given the fest's February timing — kicking off in Auckland on Thursday, February 6, then hitting Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth by Sunday, February 16 — it's going to be Brat summer Down Under. It's set to be a Beabadoobee-, Clairo-, Barry Can't Swim- and Remi Wolf-soundtracked summer as well, with the quartet also among the big names on Laneway's bill. Charlie XCX was last in Australia in 2023 for Sydney WorldPride and For the Love, and before that in 2020 at Laneway. If you're keen to see the 'Guess', '360', 'Apple', 'Speed Drive', '1999', 'Doing It' and 'Boom Clap' talent this time, you'll need a Laneway ticket, as she's playing exclusively at the fest. In 2025, she'll have company from BICEP doing their CHROMA AV DJ set, Olivia Dean, Eyedress and Skegss, too, alongside STÜM, RONA, Hamdi, Joey Valence & Brae, 2hollis, Fcukers, Ninajirachi, Julie, and Girl and Girl. The event started by Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio in the mid-00s will head to Western Springs in Auckland, then hop over the ditch to Brisbane Showgrounds, Sydney Showground, Melbourne's Flemington Park, Bonython Park in Adelaide and Wellington Square in Perth. Laneway joins the list of festivals locking in their comebacks after a tough year of cancellations across the live music scene. Also returning: Golden Plains, Bluesfest (for the last time), Wildlands, Good Things, Lost Paradise, Beyond The Valley and Meredith. Laneway Festival 2025 Lineup Charli XCX Beabadoobee Clairo Barry Can't Swim BICEP present CHROMA (AV DJ set) Remi Wolf Olivia Dean Eyedress Skegss STÜM RONA Hamdi Joey Valence & Brae 2hollis Fcukers Ninajirachi Julie Girl and Girl + Triple J unearthed winners Laneway Festival 2025 Dates and Venues Thursday, February 6 – Western Springs, Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau Saturday, February 8 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane / Turrbal Targun Sunday, February 9 — Sydney Showground, Sydney / Burramattagal Land & Wangal Land Friday, February 14 — Flemington Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri Biik Saturday, February 15 — Bonython Park, Adelaide / Kaurna Yerta Sunday, February 16 — Wellington Square, Perth / Whadjuk Boodjar St Jerome's Laneway Festival is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2025. Head to the festival's website for further details, and to register for ticket pre sales — which kick off at 10am local time on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 — or get tickets in general sales from 10am local time on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. Top Charli XCX image: Harley Weir. Laneway images: Charlie Hardy / Daniel Boud / Maclay Heriot / Cedric Tang.
You might think of Watson's Bay Boutique Hotel as a classic summer destination, but it's now embracing winter just as whole-heartedly. Every weekend, the Harbourside pub is putting on a Sunday roast. Swing by from midday and you'll be able to swap 35 bucks for a plate loaded in the traditional style. That means the meat of the day, plus Yorkshire pudding, potatoes, greens and, most importantly, lashings of gravy. If you can, nab a table in the sunset room upstairs. Floor-to-ceiling windows afford views of the harbour, while roaring fires keep things warm and cosy. It's particularly special at sunset. Alternatively, rug up and gather on the vast terrace of the beach club downstairs. It's right on the water, and the ferry, which travels between Watson's Bay and Circular Quay, is just a hop, skip and a jump away. Wherever you'd like to sit, it's a good idea to book online.
Summer has (finally) arrived. And while days lazing in the sun and nights chilling on rooftops are all well and good (and some of our favourite activities, to be honest), there is more to our city than just your same-old. This year, instead of sticking to your go-tos, use the longer days and balmy nights as permission to discover a new side of Sydney that you've never experienced before. To help you do just that, we've teamed up with our mates over at the inner city-inspired brewer Atomic Beer Project to highlight some of the most innovative events happening in our city this summer. From a celebration of Japan's ancient art forms and Australia's first Aboriginal musical to one massive exhibition of contemporary Chinese art, these five happenings are sure to make you step a little further outside your comfort zone and seek more interesting experiences — and to give you something way more interesting to talk about at the next backyard barbie. WITNESS FLYING LOTUS' NEW PSYCHADELIC 3D MUSICAL PERFORMANCE When? January 24 Grammy-nominated artist Flying Lotus is heading to Aussie shores for the first time since 2015. He'll take over Enmore Theatre for one night only on Friday, January 24 with his latest performance experience, Flying Lotus 3D. While much of the show will remain a mystery until the night, ticket holders can expect it to centre around FlyLo's fire-themed 2019 album Flamagra. The album is chockers with jam sessions, jazz influence, electro-funk and hip hop beats, along with heaps of all-star collaborators — including Anderson .Paak, Little Dragon, Toro y Moi and even renowned filmmaker David Lynch. This performance is a must for experimental music and visual arts lovers. Tickets are $79 each and this one will likely sell out, so best buy them here before it's too late. DELVE INTO JAPANESE CULTURE AT THIS ONE-NIGHT CELEBRATION When? Monday, December 16 The Sydney Opera House is set to celebrate ancient Japanese art forms this month when Japan Spectacular premieres for one performance only. Audiences will be taken through a historic and cultural journey that spans ikebana (flower arrangement), onikenbai (a sword dance) and a traditional zither performance by celebrated musician Satsuki Odamura — he'll play this ancient musical form on the koto (a 13-string Japanese instrument). A showcase of elegant kimonos, a samurai performance and nichibu dance are also on the docket. The show will finish off with a massive finale by the award-winning Taikoz drummers, who will play the roaring odaiko drums. Tickets start at $80 and are still available here, so grab 'em while you can. [caption id="attachment_710997" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Lidmila[/caption] LET LOOSE AT A JUDGEMENT-FREE HIP HOP CLASS IN REDFERN When? Every Monday and Tuesday Judgement-free dance class Groove Therapy has become a mainstay in 107 Projects' weekly calendar since launching a few years back. Expect no-mirrors, just-for-fun vibes, designed to help beginners let go of their fear of dancing in public. But don't be fooled, this is still a legit hip hop class, taught by professionals who have trained across New York, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Paris and Tokyo. This is your chance to learn some serious moves without being self-conscious about it — and all for just $20 a pop. The classes run every Monday and Tuesday from 6–7pm, and you can book a spot on the website. [caption id="attachment_753429" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Symons[/caption] BRAN NUE DAE When? January 16–February 1 Jimmy Chi's Bran Nue Dae first premiered way back in 1990 to rave critical reviews. And across two weeks in the new year, the Aboriginal musical will return to the stage — Parramatta's Riverside Theatres to be specific — for its 30th anniversary. The coming-of-age comedy follows a journey through 1960s Western Australia. The play's protagonist, young Willie, is a runaway teenager who, in order to reunite with his love, is hitchhiking his way from mission school to Broome. Along the way, he encounters several characters, including two hippies, a 'wily' uncle and a German priest. It's a story of homecoming, forgiveness and family that showcases a range of musical genres from blues and country to gospel and rock and roll. To see it as part of Sydney Festival 2020, grab your tickets here. DISCOVER LEGENDARY CHINESE ARTWORKS AT THIS TEN-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE When? Until January 26 After ten years in operation, Chippendale's White Rabbit Gallery is celebrating its first decade with one massive showcase of Chinese art. The gallery has taken a deep dive into its past and compiled a decade's worth of the best contemporary artworks from its extensive collection. Then features more than 60 pieces, which are on display across a four-month exhibition that runs until January 26. Some of the most notable works within the exhibition include Wang Zhiyuan's Object of Desire, Chen Wenling's 11-metre gold tongue and Dai Hua's six-metre I Love Beijing Tiananmen. In addition to old favourites, Then also showcases a selection of brand new, never-before-seen works, too. As always, the exhibition is free to enter. You can find more information here. Step outside your comfort zone and celebrate creativity with Atomic Beer Project's hop-driven brews. To see the full range, visit the website.
ATTN: Curious kittens, nosy parkers and those on a tight budget, your favourite day of the year is back. Wellington Open Day, when the capital throws open her doors for locals and tourists alike, lets punters catch up with the city's museums, bars, and attractions for no more than a gold coin. Ever wanted to meet a Red Panda, peek behind the scenes at Wellington's most famous church or trawl through the BNZ museum's history of banking? Well, you're in luck as the zoo, Old St Pauls and the BNZ Museum (who even knew we had one of those?) will be among the 20 spots open to the public. Those of a more hedonistic bent, the Harbour City has not forgotten you. You can brush up you cocktail skills at bars Motel and Library, where a gold coin will get you a lesson in mixology - Masterful mojitos at Motel and classic Champagne cocktails at Library. Alternatively, if you're keen to commune with nature, Zealandia, the zoo in Newtown, Walk Wellington and Stagland's Wildlife Reserve are all yours for the hiking, for a mere buck or two. And that's just for starters. More than eight of the Capital's museums are in on the big day, along with Toi Whakaari Drama School , the Carter Observatory and plenty more. And before you feel too selfishly overindulgent, the gold coins do go to charity - so it's a double whammy of culture and good deeds. Bonza. It's likely to be a popular day so start early and expect a bit of a queue.
Bingo. Rave. Two ends of the spectrum of fine holiday fun and finally — finally — together as one. Bongo's Bingo is a games night like you've never seen before. Part club, part rave, and, of course, part bingo night, this unlikely fusion event has been wildly popular in the UK since 2015. Now, they're taking the show on the road and launching in Australia this June. In partnership with Wats On Events, Bongo's Bingo Down Under is throwing a massive bingo rave in Sydney's Paddington Town Hall on June 23. Patrons can expect all of the debauchery of the original British version of Bongo's Bingo, including rave intervals, dancing on tables and a loose kind of bingo that you definitely never played with your nan (well, maybe you have). The victorious players can win everything from big cash prizes to a Hills Hoist, with a range of some absolutely ridiculous surprises on offer. If you're not sure what you're in for, check out this video for a better sense of this crazy night out: The Sydney launch event will be presided over by founder and comic ringleader Jonny Bongo who, as one would expect, is a character in the truest sense of the word and even holds the world record for the biggest ever pub quiz. Australia is the second international location for Bongo's Bingo, which recently launched in Dubai as well and, based on popularity, we imagine the event will continue to expand around the globe. This blowout party will certainly be a different kind of night out and is especially welcomed in Sydney where the lockout law ridden nightlife has taken such a hit in recent years. Venues, guest lineup and DJ hosts will be announced in coming weeks, and tickets will go on sale at 6pm on Wednesday, May 17. Tickets are $40 and include six games of bingo. Keep an eye on this space for further updates and brush up on those bingo-break down skills in the meantime.
Ever wanted to have an artwork from Archibald Prize winner Blak Douglas in your home? What about Nicholas Harding, Abdul Abdullah, Joan Ross or Lara Merrett? Artworks from these acclaimed artists and works from hundreds of established and upcoming creatives are all on sale this weekend for just $100 as part of a new art auction raising money for Studio A, a Sydney-based arts company assisting with the professional development of artists with learning disabilities. The Incognito Art Show is presenting more than 3000 A5-sized artworks from artists big and small this Saturday, June 18. The twist is, the identity of each artwork's artist is hidden until the piece is purchased. From former award winners to artists still mastering their craft, each person's work is presented without credit and every single one is available for $100. You can examine the collection online and hone in which artwork you have your eye on before the day. Then all you have to do is head to 2 Lacey Street, Surry Hills and pick up your favourite piece. All art will be sold on a first-come-first-serve basis, so while the art show is on all day Saturday, and Sunday morning pending stock, it's highly recommended you get down early to ensure you get your hands on any pieces you have in mind. The auction opens at 8am and each buyer is limited to three pieces per person. Browse the artworks and head along to support a great cause. [caption id="attachment_814771" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Studio A[/caption]
After a year that's been light on both theatre and live music, Belvoir St Theatre is coming to the party with the return of its high-energy musical Fangirls. Following its sell-out debut in 2019, the super-popular production is making its way to the Seymour Centre for three weeks this summer, with curtains opening from Saturday, January 30. Expect the 2.0 version to be bigger and bolder, with a refreshed script and new cast, bringing to life Yve Blake's sparkling tale of a young girl's obsession with the world's biggest boy band and its hunky lead singer. Still need convincing? Here's a look at what you're in for this time around. [caption id="attachment_793755" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brett Boardman[/caption] THE REVIEWS Fangirls proved a sell-out success with its premiere run last year, capturing the hearts of audiences and scooping multiple awards in the process. The Australian described the production as "a life-affirming night of pure theatrical escapism" while The Guardian called it "the best pop concert you've never been to". But it wasn't just the critics who were raving, with many audience members becoming, ironically, fangirls themselves. "Apparently last time someone came [to see the show] 13 times," says Yve Blake, who penned Fangirls' book, music and lyrics, as well as played the lead of Edna in the 2019 show. There was also a bunch of fan art that poured in, including handmade comics, embroidery and t-shirts. Blake says such a response "emboldened me and the team and made us go, 'alright, let's go wackier, let's go bigger and better, more camp. Let's be less apologetic'". So, even if you saw Fangirls' debut last year, it's likely you'll want to see it this time round, too. [caption id="attachment_793759" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brett Boardman[/caption] THE STORY It all started with the playwright's own encounter with a Harry Styles-obsessed 13 year old. Blake embarked on a deep dive into the long-held cultural phenomenon of fangirls, which served as the inspiration for her vivacious 2019 stage show. "I realised the way that the world thinks about fangirls is a microcosm for the ways that the world sometimes tries to ridicule young female enthusiasm," says Blake. The play follows protagonist Edna — performed by Karis Oka (Six the Musical) in the upcoming production — a city girl conspiring to confess her undying love to True Connection frontman Harry, performed by real-life popstar and The Voice 2018 finalist Aydan. Riding the highs and lows right alongside the disillusioned teenager, audiences are invited to embrace the idea of fandom while turfing aside all those pesky, inhibiting notions of shame. "From the outside, it seems like a party of a show that pokes a bit of fun at fangirls," says Blake. "But actually, at the bleeding heart of it, it gets you to laugh at these girls only to cry with them." [caption id="attachment_792366" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brett Boardman[/caption] THE MUSIC Fangirls' fun, unapologetic story is backed by Blake's boppy, banger-filled soundtrack that'll be sure to have you grooving in your seat. The inspiration? "For me, the show needed to sound like a Beyoncé concert, meets rave, meets church. I wanted to make a show about what it feels like to fall in love for the first time at 14." To that end, expect to rocket between soaring choral numbers, techno tunes and upbeat dance tracks — a fittingly bold sonic journey that neatly captures the spirit of fangirl phenomenon — with a high energy similar to being in the heart of a pop-concert mosh pit. "It's like the tequila shot that Australian musical theatre needed," says Oka, summing up the show's tunes, which sounds like a pretty good tonic after the trashfire year of 2020. [caption id="attachment_792363" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brett Boardman[/caption] THE TEAM For its 2021 run, Fangirls will be directed once again by Paige Rattray with a rejigged, diverse cast of young, up-and-coming stars. "They're the next generation of rockstars in musical theatre," says Blake, "I'm just really excited for audiences to see them". Oka is taking over from Blake as the lead and Aydan is returning to the Fangirls cast in the role of Harry. "He was in the show last year and his actual fans would show up and scream and get him to sign stuff. It was so meta," says Blake. Rising star James Majoos is another returning favourite, along with Chika Ikogwe whose 2019 performance won her Best Newcomer at the Sydney Theatre Awards. And if you aren't already familiar with new Fangirls stars including Shubshri Kandiah, Shannen Alyce Quan and Tomáš Kantor, we're assured you will be very soon. 'Fangirls' is showing at the Seymour Centre from Saturday, January 30 to Saturday, February 20, 2021. To book tickets and find out more about Belvoir St Theatre's latest must-see, check out the website. Top image: Brett Boardman
Tucked amongst Glebe's lush residential precinct, Glebe Point Diner has cemented itself as a neighbourhood favourite. The crowd is a mix on a Saturday night with couples, families and large groups generating a gentle hum of chatter throughout the restaurant. Think dim lighting, an open plan and atmosphere aplenty and you've got the picture. In summer, diners are sure to fight over the tables outside, complete with comfy cushions, but you can't go wrong with a seat at the bar where you can watch the chefs in action. Food wise, Glebe Point Diner focuses on quality not quantity. The menu is small, with only a handful of entrees, mains and desserts, but this helps you narrow down the choices. The fare offered is shaped around seasonal produce. To start, the Thirlmere duck liver pate with pear preserve and toast ($18) is a triumph. For something lighter, the cured petuna ocean trout with frisee ($18) is delicious. Also, try the lamb ribs with coriander, chilli and lime juice ($6) if it's on the specials board that day. For the mains, it's hard to go past the Barossa Valley Berkshire pork shoulder, slow roasted for 12 hours with apple slaw and crackling ($32). The pork falls apart when you prise it gently with your fork and it's damn succulent. Combined with the fresh apple slaw and crunch of the crackling, it's an impressive offering. For poultry enthusiasts, there's the roasted chicken with rosemary butter, sugarsnap peas and corn ($32). What really made the night was the doughnut with salted dulce de leche ice cream and chocolate fudge sauce for dessert ($15). And the good news is that it's big enough to share. The serving size of the dishes reflects the neighbourhood diner theme. It's a place to go to have a homemade meal, drizzled with fine dining but without all the pretension. Glebe Point Diner is perfect for a casual graze, an intimate first date or a well-overdue catch up with mates. The place might be a little wallet-heavy, but hey we reckon it's worth it.
Summer is coming to an end, but — thankfully — that doesn't mean your time at the beach is. We're blessed with sunny weather for a lot of the year here in Aus, which means we need a few pairs of togs to get us through. If you're looking to snag a new pair, Jets has just launched its new collection of swimwear. To celebrate, the brand is offering Concrete Playground readers 15 percent off, too. Elysian is Jets' first collection under new Creative Director Rachel Allen. The star of the collection is the range of burnt clay swimwear. For example, this sophisticated high neck one piece and this high waist bikini. Jets also has a range of resortwear including dresses, kaftans, flowing shirts and sarongs that'll make you feel like you're holidaying in the Maldives, even if you're just enjoying a cocktail on your back porch. Jets' print collections are made using Renew Plus fabric, which utilises recycled and regenerated Econyl as a replacement to nylon. If you want the first look at the new collection, head to the Jets website and score yourself 15 percent off you order while you're at it. Just use the code CONCRETE15 before 11.59pm on Tuesday, March 30. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
"If I told you I was going to make a film about a poor black boy raised by a single mother struggling with addiction who has questions about his sexuality, you assume certain things about that film," says Barry Jenkins about Moonlight. He's right. But his second feature isn't the movie you might expect from that description. Watching his applauded and lauded effort — the winner of this year's Golden Globe for best drama, and an eight-time Oscar nominee — proves an experience in witnessing all of those assumptions melt away. Indeed, based on a dramatic work by Tarell Alvin McCraney, and set and shot in the same Florida area where both Jenkins and McCraney grew up, Moonlight is anything but your average coming-of-age movie about dire circumstances. Jumping between three chapters of a young black man's life, it charts the progression of a teased and taunted Miami boy nicknamed Little (Alex Hibbert) into the awkward, still-bullied teen Chiron (Ashton Sanders), and finally into hardened Atlanta drug dealer Black (Trevante Rhodes). As relayed with a commitment to reflecting reality and capturing a rare perspective — and an ability to render its central journey and the accompanying emotions like cinematic poetry — specific moments and interactions shape his growth, worldview and identity. With Moonlight now showing in cinemas, we chatted with Academy Award-nominated writer/director Jenkins about reactions to the film, the importance of representation, making immersive cinema, and more. ON THE REACTION TO THE FILM "The only way I can really sort of reason or rationalise it [the acclaim for the film] is that I remember first falling in love with cinema as a film student. And it wasn't like the big Hollywood cinema. It was mostly foreign cinema. And I remember watching films by Wong Kar-wai or Claire Denis or Jean-Luc Godard, and I remember thinking "wow, this is a world that I'm never going to visit. I'm never going to go to France. I'm never going to go to Hong Kong, and I certainly don't speak these languages." And yet, I could relate to the characters that made the worlds feel extremely small to me. I mean that in the best way — that I wasn't so far removed from these people, these characters. And so it just gives me just such an amazing feeling that now my film is doing the same thing for audiences, because the world this movie takes place in is very small, you know, and these characters are very specific to the time and place Tarell and I grew up in. And yet it's travelling far, far away from Miami and people are seeing themselves in the film, and it is lovely to give back to cinema what cinema, I believe, gave to me." ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF REPRESENTING CHARACTERS THAT AREN'T OFTEN SEEN ON SCREEN "Here's the thing: there are just certain characters that aren't represented as often as others are in cinema. Or in arts and letters in general, I'll say. And even when those characters are present, they aren't centred. They aren't the focus of the narrative. I think because of that, when you have this kind of lack, when the character is present in the film, is centred, it inherently takes on added importance. Because people, I believe, are very hungry to see themselves represented. And so there was this feeling in the back of my head — I try to keep it in the back of my head — not that what we were doing was important, but that we had to get it right. Because it would do more harm, because of the lack of these centred characters, it would do more harm to finally present the character and get it wrong. You know, I didn't want to do an injustice to people whose stories align with Chiron's." ON CONVEYING CHIRON'S CONSCIOUSNESS — AND BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS — RATHER THAN JUST TELLING HIS TALE "We approached the film as a piece of immersive cinema. And part of that has to do with the structure of the film — because we're not telling a traditional narrative in a traditional format. We felt like it allowed us the space to do certain things that maybe wouldn't fit into a more traditional narrative framework. For us, it was really important to have the audience take the journey with Chiron, and we wanted the visuals to arise from the consciousness of the main character. If I told you I was going to make a film about a poor black boy raised by a single mother struggling with addiction who has questions about his sexuality, you assume certain things abut that film. If I'm working from the idea that I want to make a film that is rooted in the consciousness of the main character — you know, consciousness is a very beautiful, beautiful thing. And this is something I haven't talked about much, but I think the idea of black consciousness or the way black minds work is often not presented. Or not framed in the way that it actually exists. By which I mean, black people dream. We have dreams and we have daydreams and we have dreams when we sleep. And yet, I very rarely see the personification or the presentation of a black person dreaming in a piece of cinema, you know? And that's because we always tie cinema to the conventions of the story form, and not to the consciousness of these characters. But in Moonlight, the visuals, the aesthetic, the craft, arises from the consciousness of the character. So when Chiron is feeling disoriented, you will look directly into his mother's eyes, and her lips are moving but sometimes you can't hear her voice, and then her voice catches up — because the character is being disoriented. You know, we tried to take our cues from moments like that. And it was great, because as a filmmaker, you know that sound and image is the tool that carries both my voice and the character's voices. And that tool should not be beholden to an A, B, C, D, E progression of plot." ON INTERROGATING MASCULINITY AND VULNERABILITY "It was about, you know, reflecting those things in the story of Chiron — and I say reflecting because Tarell and I saw those things living our lives growing up in this place. And this aspect of vulnerability over time is denied to young men, is denied to young boys — and not only boys like Chiron, boys everywhere. What's that saying? 'Boys don't cry.' It was very important to us that this is the currency of this film — it's not a plot-heavy film. I think the story of this film traverses, or travels in, these gestures, quite a bit of these gestures between and amongst men. I've never seen a black man cradle a black boy in a film before. I just haven't. I haven't seen a black man cook for another black man in a film before. I've never seen a black man, I think, cook for anyone in a film before. And these are very simple gestures that, one, are very nurturing, but also, two, are implicitly vulnerable on the part of the person extending the nurturing. They were very important because again, they keyed into this depiction of the full humanity of these characters." ON FINDING THE RIGHT ACTORS TO PLAY CHIRON AT DIFFERENT STAGES "It wasn't this idea of a physical similarity. It was the idea of this sort of spiritual essence that could be viewed in the eyes of the characters. Which is really hitting on this idea of this feeling in their eyes, because of this book by [three-time Oscar-winning editor] Walter Murch that I've always loved called 'In the Blink in an Eye.' And so we just tried to find these guys that had the same feeling. Because, when you look at Trevante Rhodes as Black in the third chapter, it was of the utmost importance to me that you could see that little boy who played him in the first story. You could still see Alex Hibbert. I think we see people that we pass all the time on the subway or the bus or the sidewalk, who look like Trevante Rhodes as Black in the third chapter of this film, and we would never believe that this person would dance in a mirror in his elementary school when he was ten years old. But they're the same person, you know? And when we were casting, it was very important to us that we could see that continuum between the characters." Moonlight is now showing in cinemas. Read our review here.
Restaurant Hubert is taking its classic French fare for a spin, launching a new dinner series that explores the cuisine in different corners of the world. La Belle France is a four-part soirée that will run on Monday nights, with dates dotted from the end of March to mid-November. The best part is that the dinners will be set in the restaurant's Theatre Royale — the 120-seat space is normally available for private events and bookings only, so it's a good opportunity to take a squiz. Decked out with lush red velvet carpets and curtains, the old-world theatre will host guests at long tables while live music takes the stage. Each shared banquet has its own culinary theme: French Canadian on March 26, French Vietnamese on June 4, French Moroccan on August 27 and French Polynesian on November 19. Tickets are a pricey $120 per person for each single event, so it will definitely be a splurge — but we suspect one well worth it. Images: Daniel Boud.
If part of you loves the long-haul flights of fancy of Discworld and the dynastic intrigue of The Bold and the Beautiful, chances are, you also love some Gabriel Garcia Marquez. But the author of classic Latin American epics Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude has a stash of lesser-known short fiction you may not have yet uncovered, and fortunately, director Netta Yashchin has dug out one fine example, I Only Came to Use the Phone, and brushed it up for a dashing public outing. Set in the dying years of Franco's Spain, the story homes in on a woman, Maria (Annabelle Stephenson), who is left trying to phone her husband, shelter from the rain and anxiously light damp cigarettes at a rest stop after her car breaks down. Dejected and drawn to join the shrouded women on a passing bus, she winds up inadvertently dispatched to a psychiatric institution, where, of course, no-one believes she only came to use the phone. Her path to escape — or acquiescence — makes up a wry and touching tale that captures the feeling of dislocation and parallels the very real experience of arbitrary imprisonment found under Fascism. Unusually, the story isn't adapted into a play; instead, the original text, rich and written in the third person, is delivered by an ensemble cast while they embody the characters to which the words pertain. The tack itself adds interest, and the result is surprisingly engaging. Stephensen, Julia Billington, David Hansen, Dorje Swallow, Fayssal Bazzi and (only occasionally appearing) Yashchin are all excellent and ultra-committed as they shift into their various roles, including those of inpatients, wardens, a magician and a house cat. It's a world away from a mere dramatic reading, as the story is completely brought to life through the depth of characterisation and physicality, the rich dialogueishness brought to the text, and a set (by Charlotte Lane) that breathes the scungy romance of Catalonia, even in confinement. Most brilliantly, this approach has allowed Yaschin to add cheeky inflections of irony and heighten dark subtexts that aren't the characters' own or aren't present in a surface reading of the material. Throw in the constant serenade of a live Spanish guitar (Damian Wright), and you've got a bewitching night of independent theatre.
Living through bushfires, drought, a pandemic and economic depression — sounds familiar, right? Australian impressionist painter Arthur Streeton might have lived a hundred years ago, but his worldview was impacted by all-too-familiar cycles of environmental, economic and political upheaval. If you don't know much about Streeton, you'll have the opportunity to get to know one of Australia's most loved landscape painters through 150 of his works — including some that haven't been shown since the 1920s — in a new retrospective exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Head curator of Australian art Wayne Tunnicliffe took a deep dive into the Gallery's collection to uncover not only the beloved paintings hanging on the Gallery's walls, but also works within the collection that have been stored away for over 100 years. Born in 1867, Streeton's art practice evolved over six decades. Within the exhibition, you'll see that evolution and an enduring passion for Australia's natural beauty; there are his sun-drenched landscapes from the 1880s, bright, joyful depictions of Sydney Harbour from the 1890s and his bucolic paintings of the 1920s and 30s. [caption id="attachment_784956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arthur Streeton, 'From McMahon's Point — fare one penny' (1890), National Gallery of Australia, Canberra[/caption] He painted familiar, and often beautiful, locations in New South Wales, from Coogee and Manly beaches to the Blue Mountains and upper Hawkesbury River. His skill at capturing light, land and sea contributed to Australia's take on impressionism. His peers — artists Tom Roberts and Charles Conder — were part of a new art movement, the Heidelberg School, that was a distinctly Australian take on the global art movement. The exhibition, which runs from November 7–February 14, will feature 150 works from both public and private collections — including paintings, drawings and watercolours. It's the most significant retrospective of Streeton's art ever presented, and includes works from the artist's time in Egypt, England, Italy and in France during the second world war. As well as his final works, which show Streeton's increasing focus on environmental concerns — on his return to Australia, Streeton became more vocal about conservation and exhibiting works showing our destruction to the natural world. Tickets to 'Streeton' cost $22 and you can buy timed-entry tickets online now. If you have already purchased untimed and undated tickets for 'Streeton', your tickets will be honoured for any date and time until February 14, 2021, excluding opening weekend. For $35, you can upgrade to a Gallery Pass, which gives you access to 'Streeton' and the 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2020'. Top images: 1. Arthur Streeton, 'Early summer – gorse in bloom' (1888), Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, Gift of Mrs Andrew Tennant through the Art Gallery of South Australia Foundation 1982. 2. Arthur Streeton, 'The Land of the Golden Fleece' (1926). Private collection, Sydney. Photo: Jenni Carter, AGNSW.
Mystery Road's Jay Swan has always been a man of questions. With his penetrating gaze, the Indigenous detective glares a thousand enquiries whoever's way he's staring, and has for almost a decade now. But ever since the fictional character first reached cinemas in 2013, with Aaron Pedersen in the role, the exceptional big- and small-screen crime saga he anchors has also kept sparking a key query: how do you follow that up? The answers keep coming in what's now Australia's best film and TV franchise — in multiple ways, just like this gripping series itself. How do you follow up a stellar politically charged Aussie neo-western about an Indigenous detective excavating the nation's small-town woes, as well as the impact that its colonial past has on its First Nations inhabitants? With 2016's Goldstone, which doubled down on and deepened that on-screen quest. How do you then follow up that fellow silver-screen gem? By moving to television, where Mystery Road retained the same setup but revelled in a lengthier running time. Following up the show's first hit season meant making a second, and following that up has now resulted in a third. But how do you keep digging in further with each and every followup? Right now, the answer resides in Mystery Road: Origin. Origin stories: everyone's getting them. Caped crusaders like Batman and Spider-Man have several; Hercule Poirot's moustache even has its own. Jay Swan doesn't particularly need one, given that plenty about why he's the man and detective he is, and the balancing act he's forced to undertake as an Indigenous cop as well, has already been teased out. But Mystery Road: Origin isn't jumping on a trend, repeating itself or prolonging a long-running saga. It isn't trying to justify having someone else play Swan, either. Debuting via ABC iview from 8.30pm on Sunday, July 3 — and also airing weekly on ABC TV on Sundays at 8.30pm — it leaps backwards because this franchise has always danced with history anyway. It has to; you can't explore the reality of life in Australia today, the racial and cultural divides that've long festered across this sunburnt country, and all that Swan encounters and tussles with, otherwise. In Mystery Road: Origin, it's 1999 — and, when its six episodes begin, Swan isn't quite a detective yet. He's passed his exam, though, and is awaiting the official paperwork. He still sports the same intense glint in his eye, topping the character's now-famous stern expression and as inescapable a part of the saga as Australia's rust-hued terrain. He's already a man of weighty thoughts and few words, too, as viewers have witnessed in every previous instalment. Here, he's played by Mark Coles Smith (Occupation: Rainfall), who couldn't do a more impressive job of stepping into Pedersen's (High Ground) shoes. The two actors worked together on 2007–10 series The Circuit, before Jay Swan entered either's worlds, and Coles Smith has visibly internalised everything that makes Pedersen one of Australia's greatest screen presences. His younger version of Swan always feels like exactly that, crucially, and never an impersonation. Mystery Road: Origin first spies Swan as he's driving along sweeping salt plains. His destination: Jardine, his Western Australian home town, population 1000. Resident sergeant Peter Lovric (Steve Bisley, Doctor Doctor) welcomes Swan back eagerly, but his return isn't all cheers, especially when he stumbles across a robbery en route and gets cuffed by senior constable Max Armine (Hayley McElhinney, How to Please a Woman). Tensions also linger with Swan's estranged dad Jack (Kelton Pell, another The Circuit alum), the town's old rodeo hero, and with his hard-drinking elder brother Sputty (Clarence Ryan, Moon Rock for Monday). Indeed, that initial stickup, the crimewave waged by culprits in Ned Kelly masks that it's soon a part of, and those persistent family struggles will all define the detective's homecoming. As much as each addition to the Mystery Road canon always places Swan at its centre, every new entry also paints a portrait of outback Aussie life. Just like its similarly dusty predecessors in movies and TV seasons gone by, Jardine boasts a motley crew of inhabitants and its fair share of long-simmering troubles. Local prosecutor Abe (Tony Leonard Moore, Mank) claims that the town is hardly a murder capital, but killings keep popping up alongside holdups. Thanks to newly arrived Legal Aid lawyer Anousha (Salme Geransar, Clickbait), old secrets bubble up as well, including the past death of a teenage boy. Swan's return also sees him cross paths with Mary, with Tuuli Narkle (All My Friends Are Racist) as the younger version of the character previously played by Tasma Walton (Rake). Every time that Mystery Road takes another spin, another who's who of Aussie film and TV fills its frames. Here, A Sunburnt Christmas' Daniel Henshall and Blacklight's Caroline Brazier also feature as siblings from a wealthy mining family, while first-timer Grace Chow leaves an imprint as fresh-faced constable Cindy Cheung. There are no weak links among the cast, but Mystery Road: Origin easily belongs to double denim- and Akubra-clad Coles Smith as its new Swan. That's on-screen, and if more chapters were to fill in the gaps between this and the OG movie with him leading the charge, they'd be welcome. Off-screen, there's also a passing of the torch, with Finke: There & Back and Robbie Hood filmmaker Dylan River in the director's chair. He follows on from his father, Sweet Country and The Beach's Warwick Thornton, who helmed half of Mystery Road's second season. That Mystery Road: Origin has an eye firmly on the future isn't just nice or apt; it's essential. As the franchise surveys Australia's past and present landscape of racial injustice, it probes the country that's existed since white settlement, while also pondering where the nation is heading. The constantly smart, thrilling and well-written on-screen examination that results revolves around another question, actually. Swan is asked if he's a policeman or a blackfella, a query that all things Mystery Road have continued to delve into ("why can't I be both?" is his answer here), but a different line of inquiry also sits at the saga's core. A now five-entry series about the crimes that rock outback communities already rocked by engrained and historical inequality, prejudice, oppression, exploitation and land grabs, Mystery Road interrogates which horrific misdeeds and atrocious attitudes Australia is and has been willing to look past — and the grave ramifications. No one should be looking past any of Mystery Road's chapters, of course, Mystery Road: Origin included. Check out the trailer for Mystery Road: Origin below: Mystery Road: Origin is available to stream via ABC iview from 8.30pm on Sunday, July 3 — and airs weekly on ABC TV on Sundays at 8.30pm. Images: David Dare Parker.
Set along Newtown's Enmore Road and open for dinner daily, this joint is serving up some of Sydney's most authentic Korean fried chicken. The shop has become known around the city for its signature dish, served in four styles: original, sweet chilli, soy garlic and 'spicy bomb'. It's best to pair your fried chicken with a traditional bibimbap, which is a rice bowl topped with a whole heap of veggies, including radish kimchi, bean sprouts, carrots and shiitake mushroom, and is a refreshing accompaniment to the deep fried main attraction. Other more westernised sides here include fries, seafood pancakes and mozzarella cheese on a sizzling plater. Wash it all down with local beers from Young Henrys and Batch or, for something a little more traditional, there are Korean beers and soju on offer. You can also BYO wine for a small price per bottle You'll find Flying Tong in our list of the best fried chicken in Sydney. Check out the full list here. Appears in: The Best Fried Chicken in Sydney for 2023
Ask any brewer, winemaker or distiller just what makes a great beer, vino or spirit — or sangria or premix — and they'll likely give you a variation of the same answer. They might mention standout ingredients, an enticing taste or a big flavour, but they're all really talking about that sensation when a drink passes your lips and instantly becomes one of your favourite tipples. Another key quality behind every excellent beverage? Resilience. That's a trait few people might've thought about prior to 2020, though. But it takes hardiness and adaptability to turn a drinks-making dream into a reality — including initially deciding to jump into the industry yourself, doing the hard yards, getting your product in people's glasses, and weathering the ups and downs. Named the most-loved New South Wales-made tipples in the BWS Local Luvvas initiative, Audrey Wilkinson, Akasha Brewing Company, Lust Liquor and Nueva Sangria have all clearly crafted tastebud-tempting beverages. That's why the bottle shop retailer is now giving these four chosen companies an extra helping hand with getting their products stocked in more BWS stores. As we found out by chatting to the folks behind each brand, these drinks-making outfits have all proven resilient as well. You need to be in these testing times — and they've all told us about their experiences. INNOVATIVE DROPS FROM ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S OLDEST VINEYARDS The importance of durability, and of being able to evolve as times change, isn't lost on the team at Audrey Wilkinson. Indeed, when the vino brand's marketing manager Renee Raper notes that "it has been a tough year for everyone", she not only explains how it has hit home, but also how winemakers are doing everything they can to navigate this tough period. "The wine industry hasn't been immune to this, with the drought, bushfires and pandemic — but the wine industry is resilient," she says. Of course, you could say that's been a hallmark of Audrey Wilkinson — or the patch of land in the Hunter Valley that its vineyard calls home, to be specific — for some time. It has been more than 150 years since the Wilkinson family first acquired the spot, and almost 120 years since it started winning awards for its tipples. The winery has been owned by the Agnew family since 2004, who've continued on with a small and dedicated staff that's devoted to the task at hand. "We have an innovative, young and passionate team behind the brand, and this really resonates through the wines we produce," says Raper. The fact that those tipples are resonating with local drinkers, too, is a source of pride as well — and a much-needed boost in this difficult year. "We are really overwhelmed… winning the Local Luvvas means more people can buy Audrey Wilkinson wines throughout NSW, which is a real silver lining for small local brand like ours". HOP-FORWARD IPAS IN SYDNEY'S INNER WEST If Akasha Brewing Company's founder and CEO Dave Padden wasn't so adaptable, his Canada Bay brewery wouldn't exist. He fell in love with craft beer on trips to America, watched the scene explode in the early 2000s, then decided he wanted to do more than just drink his favourites. "It became readily apparent that the Australian market was lacking the hop-forward beers that were becoming so abundant in the US," he explains. "I threw in the corporate towel and embarked on my professional brewing career… this success led to the birth of Akasha Brewing Company in 2015 and the launch of many beers." Padden's motivation: hops. Noting that there are "literally hundreds of different hop varieties available around the world", he describes them as "a real focus for me and the beers that we brew and drink". But he's aware that, for any of Akasha's IPAs to stand the test of time, they need to do more than experiment with his favourite ingredient. "My passion is discovering that next awesome hop combination that creates a beautifully flavoured IPA, whilst maintaining balance and drinkability," he says. "Every single beer we brew must exhibit these qualities." In 2020, Akasha itself has needed to be adaptable. "It's been a strange old year, and we've had our ups and downs like everyone else," Padden notes. As well as hops, naturally, Akasha has been inspired by the love directed its way this year. "We've been really fortunate to have such an amazing following of local supporters who have continued to buy our beers, and visit our taproom for a feed or a refill," he says. "I think everyone could use a drink after these last few months." MEETING THE DEMAND FOR SUGAR-FREE AND LOW-CALORIE TIPPLES Attending university and enjoying a few drinks have long gone hand in hand. But not every tertiary student turns their fondness for a tipple into a business. "We were at university when we noticed an increasing demand for sugar-free and low-calorie alcoholic beverages," Lust Liquor co-creator Nick Rowell says. "So we decided to stop studying and create our own. Nine months later, Lust was born." If Rowell's decision back in 2018 sounds like a brave move, that's because it was. Making that big leap — noticing a particular trend, then abandoning his current plans to help fill that gap — also required quite a display of versatility. That shouldn't come as a surprise, though, given the beverages that Lust serves up. When you're giving drinkers an alternative that doesn't otherwise exist, you're letting them be flexible, after all. Perhaps that's why Lust has amassed an avid fanbase — and why those local supporters have helped the company continue on in this difficult year. Describing everything that 2020 has thrown the world's way, Rowell is frank. "COVID-19 has been a horrible experience for businesses and individuals all over the world," he says. "When we went into lockdown in March, things got really tough for us," he continues. "We had to lean on our loyal fans and customers to make sure that we were ticking over. The support from our community has been amazing — more and more Australians went out of their way to support local and Australian-made products." [caption id="attachment_790538" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] MAKING AN AUSSIE-STYLE SANGRIA There are many ways to show resilience, agility and flexibility, of course — including discovering a niche just screaming to be filled, working out how to do exactly that in a creative and accessible way, and making something that people respond to in the process. That's Nueva Sangria's story. It specialises in bottled sangria that isn't just created in Australia using Aussie-grown pinot grigio grapes, but is designed to taste and feel uniquely Australian. "This is our interpretation of sangria made in Australia for Australia," says managing director Tegan Kynaston. The company initially sprang to life in response to a straightforward problem. "Sangria is the perfect celebratory drink, but we could never find a decent bottle of it anywhere in Australia," Kynaston explains. Resolving that issue wasn't easy, however. "Sangria has a pretty bad reputation here, because most of it is crap. We persisted, and it became a bit of a challenge: how to make a sangria for wine snobs?" Nueva Sangria's tipples aren't just the product of a sturdy and tenacious team, though — they're also drunk by locals who show the same traits, as Kynaston has observed this year. "Nueva Sangria is designed to be enjoyed with your mates. Obviously self-isolation is not conducive to that," she says. "But it's amazing how resilient and adaptable people are. We've been tagged in all sorts of ways that people have been sharing their sangria, from Zoom parties to employers sending it as gifts to cheer up their staff." That's something she hopes will continue now that life in much of Australia is returning to normal, too. To find these or other NSW drinks as part of the BWS Local Luvva initiative, head to your nearest BWS store.
What's better than an annual ice hotel that lets frost-loving travellers stay in snowy surrounds every winter? A chilly accommodation provider that offers all of the above all year round. After falling into the former category since 1989, Sweden's Icehotel has made the leap to the latter. Yes, that means that you can now head to the village of Jukkasjärvi, check into rooms moulded from snow and ice, and enjoy keeping cool — in several senses of the word — every day of the year. Unsurprisingly, it's the world's first permanent place to stay of its kind, and there's more in store for anyone visiting the not-so-humble abode on the banks of the Torne River 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. The new venture covers 2,100 square metres and features 20 ice suites, a champagne ice bar and an ice art gallery. Among the sights you'll see within the appropriately named Icehotel 365's frosty -5°C walls: private saunas and spas for an added touch of warmth in such cold surroundings, and artist, architect and designer-fashioned rooms inspired by everything from fairy tales to dancing — and featuring ice chandeliers and winding ice staircases, too. Plus, the gallery also boasts the largest permanent art exhibition north of Stockholm. Stopping the year-round attraction from turning to slush is when summer comes and near-constant daylight hits is a solar-powered undulating roof that achieves a particularly impressive feat: harnessing the warmth from above to maintain the requisite cold state below. That makes the venue sustainable as well as icily spectacular, in case it needed any more drawcards. Icehotel's seasonal section will continue as normal, with the non-permanent part of the site built when the weather starts to cool each year and then melts when the sun comes out. And with good reason: in previous years, artists have crafted rooms that riff on Tron: Legacy, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, 1920s cult horror film The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, UFOs and giant sea monsters, to name a few previous themes. For more information about Icehotel, visit www.icehotel.com. Images: Asaf Kliger.
It's alive: Guillermo del Toro's version of Frankenstein, that is, with the Oscar Isaac (Moon Knight)- and Jacob Elordi (The Narrow Road to the Deep North)-starring film on its way to Netflix before 2025 is out. Earlier in the year, the platform unveiled the movie's initial trailer. Now comes a range of images that provide a new glimpse at the director's version of Mary Shelley's horror masterpiece, including a first look at Elordi as the creature. Oscar-winning The Shape of Water director del Toro will be the first to tell anyone, as he did at Neflix's annual Tudum event for 2025, that he's long had an obsession with Frankenstein, that he's been weaving that affection for it into his work since he first hopped behind the camera and that making his own adaptation of the gothic-horror masterpiece is a dream come true. "This is, for me, the culmination of a journey that has occupied most of my life," he advised the crowd at the time. So far, from its trailer and images, that love for Shelley's now 207-year-old novel is evident in every frame of del Toro's Frankenstein. "I first read Mary Shelley's book as a kid, and saw Boris Karloff in what became, for me, an almost-religious stage," he continued at Tudum while accompanied by Isaac and co-star Mia Goth (MaXXXine). "Monsters have become my personal belief system. There are strands of Frankenstein throughout my films — Cronos, Blade, Hellboy, big time on Pinocchio, and a long, long [list], et cetera." Audiences will be able to watch the Netflix flick from sometime in November, with an exact release date not yet confirmed. Isaac portrays the feature's namesake, aka Victor Frankenstein, the scientist driven by tragedy to attempt to conquer the line between life and what exists beyond it. As the trailer notes, "only monsters play god". As Victor advises himself, "in seeking life, I created death". Also uttered in the movie's debut sneak peek, reinforcing its theme: "what manner of creature is that? What manner of devil made him?". Goth is Elizabeth, Victor's fiancée. From there, Christoph Waltz (Old Guy), Ralph Ineson (The Fantastic Four: First Steps), Charles Dance (The Day of the Jackal), Lars Mikkelsen (Dalloway) and del Toro regular Burn Gorman (Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, Pinocchio) are also part of the cast. Frankenstein will never stop entrancing filmmakers, as it has James Whale back in 1931 when Karloff played the monster, Mel Brooks (Dracula: Dead and Loving It) with 1974 comedy Young Frankenstein, Kenneth Branagh (A Haunting in Venice) on his 1994 take, Danny Boyle (Yesterday) with his stage adaptation, Tim Burton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) via Frankenweenie and Yorgis Lanthimos (Kinds of Kindness) in Poor Things, plus Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter) with 2026's The Bride!, just to name a few other examples. Check out the trailer for Frankenstein below: Frankenstein will release via Netflix sometime in November 2025 — we'll update you when an exact date is announced. Images: Ken Woroner/Netflix © 2025.
Where in the world do you want to go shopping today? If you were asked that question a few years ago you probably would have scoffed. Now we do more and more of our shopping online, yet finding (and remembering) that little boutique that matches your personal taste from the other side of the world still isn't so easy. That's where District8 comes in. The site, which went live last week, is a compilation of boutiques from the best shopping districts in Sydney, London and New York City (Hong Kong and Paris coming soon). Want to see what the Upper East Side has to offer? No problem, you can browse through 30 different boutiques in the neighbourhood without getting out of bed. District8's fashion editor, Sara Kaplan, described the experience to Vogue as "that feeling you get when you spot a store while walking down a side street in Notting Hill, say, along with the ease of shopping online at one of the big e-boutiques". Clearly, this is no Amazon or eBay, as District8 is taking online shopping to the next, less mass-consumer level. District 8 creates a unique, online-meets-offline shopping experience. The easily navigable platform is a clever cross between Pinterest and Tumblr, which makes it totally tailor-able to the shopper. The motto? "The world has a new shopping district: yours." In a nutshell, District8 lets you digitally browse different locations, select your favourite shops, and add them to 'your district'. Conveniently for oft-frustrated Australians, you can limit your browsing to just shops that ship to your location. The site, which has scouted and sorted through hundreds of shops, includes detailed descriptions of every district and boutique so you know what you're getting into. Like the boho look? Go to Bondi. Want Trendy? Try Soho. By 'following' all your faves in a newsfeed-type setting, you can stay up-to-date on their latest news, collections and sales in one place. You can even safely unsubscribe from all those pesky mailing lists that clutter your inbox. The site also functions like a blog with tags and labels, so you can filter your search for shops based on categories like price, attire type and style. Sounds like it's time to build your dream district, whip out the plastic and get down to business.
Let's face it, sometimes we just don't have the energy for crowded clubs where we're practically yelling at our mates over deafening music (which essentially just becomes noise after a while) just to make ourselves heard. If you still fancy that lifestyle, kudos to you. However, for those looking for nights out in more cosy, laidback surrounds (with quality drinks, of course), we've partnered with American Honey to gather a list of bars in Sydney that will offer just that. From intimate, nook-filled venues to lively establishments, the bars below are perfect the next time you want to sit back, relax and soak up quality time with quality people. THE CORNER HOUSE, BONDI Every suburb needs a go-to neighbourhood bar, and The Corner House is Bondi's. The two-tiered spot has everything you'd want in a good local: plenty of natural light, cosy vibes, a sprawling balcony and nooks galore to hole yourself up in for an afternoon or evening. There are also stellar happy-hour deals from Tuesdays to Saturdays and regular live intimate gigs, while a Mediterranean-inspired sharing menu adds to the unmistakably social atmosphere. Settle in with a smooth American Honey, fresh soda and lime, for the ultimate bevvie by the beach. [caption id="attachment_857392" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jasons Loucas[/caption] THE BAR, DOUBLE BAY There's something about luxe hotel bars that inspires conversation — and InterContinental Double Bay's The Bar takes luxe to a whole new level. Inspired by the best hotel bars in New York, London and Rome, the venue is the vision of hospitality legend Maurice Terzini, who also co-curated the menu alongside Icebergs head chef Alex Prichard. As is to be expected, the menu goes beyond the usual bar fare with native produce-driven dishes like the wagyu tartare, chimichurri lamb cutlet and chocolate and hazelnut millefeuille. Meanwhile, the cocktails — devised by beverage creative director Ana Page — spotlight French and Italian vermouths, as well as herb- and citrus-based liqueurs. Perfect, in other words, for a leisurely nightcap. APOLLONIA, CBD Situated in the basement of Hinchcliff House, sleek cocktail cavern Apollonia takes inspiration from Sicily's famed Bar Vitelli, perhaps best known for its supporting role in The Godfather. That's not the only reference to the classic film at this underground bar — the name Apollonia comes from Apollonia Vitelli-Corleone, the first wife of Michael Corleone himself, while the sophisticated cocktail list features tipples named after plot points in the film, with particular reference to Apollonia and Michael's love story (no spoilers). The drinks lean heavily Italian, though negronis are a stand-out here — there's a rotating selection created by some of the world's most celebrated bartenders. BITTER PHEW, DARLINGHURST Oxford Street in Darlinghurst might not be the most obvious location in town for a moody and intimate bar, but Bitter Phew puts paid to that particular notion. The snug upstairs spot definitely punches above its weight relative to its size, having made a name for itself among beer-lovers Australia-wide for its excellently curated 12-tap rotation and hundreds of bottled local and international craft brews. There's also a sizeable whisky selection if you're after a spirit for sipping. Come for the beer but stay for the low-key vibe — there's a smart, small-bar feel in the front and a quaint 'keg garden' in the back, the perfect place to nurse a cold one as you enjoy quality time with your crew. OLD MATE'S PLACE, CBD This World's 50 Best Bars-recognised CBD spot might be tough to find, but it's well worth the effort. Locate the nondescript door on Clarence Street and venture up four floors to find this homey spot that recalls an old library — think stately bookshelves, dapper furnishings and family heirlooms throughout with cleverly placed accents of foliage. Grab a leather booth for you and your crew as you settle in for an evening of excellent conversation, intriguing cocktails and primo bar food from a menu that includes six variations on the Philly cheesesteak, including meat-free options. Knocking off work early? Head up another flight of stairs to secure a spot on the leafy rooftop bar for an al fresco sundowner and sweeping views of the CBD. MOYA'S JUNIPER LOUNGE, REDFERN If you're an avid gin drinker, Moya's Juniper Lounge is where you need to be. The quaint, old-world cocktail bar is hidden in plain sight on Redfern's Regent Street, but don't let its lack of ostentatiousness put you off. This place serves up excellently made gin-fuelled classics, including a range of lesser-known ones, from its bar that houses over 200 different gins from around the globe. Beyond the gin, you can also select from a well-considered range of whiskies, rums, tequilas, mezcals, brandies and wine. To elevate your experience, order from the charcuterie and cheese menu which comes with house-cured pickles and locally baked bread. Additionally, the lounge hosts weekly free jazz nights and offers $10 negronis every Sunday from 4pm. THE SAVOY BAR, LONG JETTY The Savoy Bar has been a fixture in the vibey Central Coast 'hood of Long Jetty for decades — though it started life very differently when it first opened in 1956, when it was home to the Coast's biggest movie theatre. These days, The Savoy Bar is a lively bar and restaurant, and a firm favourite among locals and visitors alike. Head in for cocktails on tap (or an impossibly smooth American Honey, fresh lime and soda highballs), craft beers and a diverse wine list that focuses on natural drops, which you can complement with a Napoli-style pizza or cheeseboard. In honour of the venue's past, classic films are shown every Thursday on the big screen, while vibes remain high on weekends thanks to a lineup of DJs playing funk, soul and old-school jams. For more ways to celebrate golden moments with mates, head to the American Honey website.
Now restaurants, bars and cafes are back in full swing, we'll take any excuse to eat out — especially when that excuse involves hunting down some of Sydney's best dishes. While mains are normally the star of the meal, we find sometimes the entrees steal the show. We've teamed up with American Express to bring you a list of our city's most epic starters and sides. These dishes are so tasty they're almost worth the restaurant booking alone, from melt-in-your-mouth bone marrow in the CBD to Big Mac-inspired dumplings in Manly. You'll want to tick this list off one by one.
When March arrives, the Murray River transforms into a wonderland of reds, oranges and golds. It's the ideal season to visit. While outdoorsy types can walk, cycle and paddle, wine aficionados can linger over autumnal releases, with rolling vineyards and river sunsets as their backdrop. Here are five dreamy ways to enjoy the Murray's changing colours, from drifting down the river on a houseboat to cycling along share paths scattered with sculptures and cantering on horseback through red river gum forests. SLEEPOVER ON A HOUSEBOAT To completely immerse yourself in the river – from dawn till dusk – stay on a houseboat. All you have to do is sit back, relax and watch the day roll by (unless, of course, you're captain). Or, you can get as adventurous as you like, mooring at riverside villages, stopping by wineries for tastings, embarking on kayaking escapades, jumping in the water for dips and trying your hand at fishing. Most vessels come with a variety of spaces, including sunny decks, glass-walled lounge rooms and outdoor spas. If you've cash to splash, go for a luxury model, such as Magic Murray Houseboats' Magic or Murray River Houseboats' Decadence, which each feature four queen or king bedrooms, luxurious linen, TVs galore, a spa and sun deck. Meanwhile, Mildura Houseboats' fleet ranges from back-to-basics to total extravagance, so there are options for any budget. Stacks more boats are listed on the Wander Victoria website. JUMP ON A BICYCLE It's possible to ride the entire length of the Murray, from its source on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko to its mouth in Coorong, about 75 kilometres southeast of Adelaide. However, if you don't have weeks to spare (and Amazonian legs), then there are plenty of shorter cycle paths to explore. In Echuca, the Food and Wine Trail takes in numerous cellar doors and local producers, including Morrisons Winery and Cape Horn Vineyard, which both afford expansive views of the river. If you're heading to Albury, conquer the Wagirra Trail, a six-kilometre roll dotted with river-inspired sculptures created by local Indigenous artists. And in Mildura, you'll find several options, including the 12.5-kilometre Riverfront Highlights route, which passes Mildura Arts Centre, Old Mildura Homestead and Ornamental Lakes. PADDLE A CANOE, KAYAK OR STAND-UP BOARD Another way to see autumn from the water – apart from hiring a houseboat – is by canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard. For red river gums, koalas and cockatoos, make tracks to Barmah National Park, where there are four paddling trails, between 2.7 and 17.4 kilometres long. Nearby lies Murray Valley National Park, home to the Edward River, a tranquil tributary of the Murray sprinkled with picnic areas and swimming spots. You'll find hire facilities in many riverside towns, including Echuca (Echuca SUP and Echuca Boat and Canoe Hire), Cohuna (Murray River Adventours) and Albury-Wodonga (Canoe the Murray). If you're not confident paddling on your own or would like someone else to take care of the organising, book an adventure with Southern Side Eco Tourism, who'll take you to remote terrain and put you up in a bell tent, or River Country Adventours, whose canoe safaris run on the Goulburn River. HORSE RIDING THROUGH RED RIVER GUM FOREST If reading Black Beauty changed your life forever, then make your equine dreams come true at Billabong Ranch. This 390-acre property just ten minutes' drive from Echuca is an adventure park, where you can jump on a horse's back and canter alongside rivers and through red river gum forest. There are four journeys to choose from: a one-hour bush and creek ride, a two-hour journey beside Goulburn River, a three-hour escapade taking in the Goulburn and the Murray, and a winery ride, which carries you to a local cellar door. If you're feeling particularly adventurous, then the latter can be turned into an overnighter, with extra activities, such as a longer ride to a local pub, a mini cattle muster, a cruise on a paddle steamer and a tour of the Great Aussie Beer Shed. GO WINE TASTING What better way to admire dazzling autumn leaves than with a glass of wine in hand? There are several places to sip and sample along the Murray. If you're Mildura-bound, then begin your explorations at the Sunraysia Cellar Door, where more than 250 wines await your review. Just 15 minutes' drive away in Trentham Cliffs is Trentham Estate, a family-owned winery and restaurant on the banks of the Murray. It's one of many waterfront wineries along the river. Drive southeast for two hours to reach Piangil, where you'll find Andrew Peace's cellar door, then another two-and-a-half to Echuca Moama, home to Cape Horn Vineyard and Morrisons Winery. While you're in the area, get off the beaten track with a trip along the Backroads Trail, stopping at The Old School to try some small-batch meads and Restdown for organic drops. For more ideas on how to spend your autumn getaway in the Murray River region and across the state, check out the Wander Victoria website.
If the idea of health-conscious eating conjures up images of boiled vegetables, soggy tofu or a cut-everything-that-actually-tastes-good-out diet, you're doing it all wrong. In a city like Sydney, where a slew of restaurants are dishing up wholesome food in innovative, delicious ways, healthy eating is honestly as easy as (gluten-free) pie. That's good news for those among us who want to treat our bodies right without having to go through the hell of detoxes or cleanses. Yes, our bodies are our temples, but that doesn't have to mean days of exclusively ingesting kale smoothies. To help get you started, we've teamed up with American Express to pick out the best spots to go when you want a healthy feed with zero compromises on flavour. Whether you're looking for a new vegan spot or a place more suited to the healthy carnivore, we've got the place for you. From premier farm-to-table eating to some of Sydney's best sushi, these eateries make grabbing a healthy meal a total breeze. Grab your Amex and kiss that cleanse goodbye. Got yourself in another dining situation and need some guidance? Whatever it is, we know a place. Visit The Shortlist and we'll sort you out.
A new fashion market is joining Sydney's growing array of weekend shopping spots; however this one-off event has something other than bargain purchases or vintage finds in mind. At the Slow Fashion Market, attendees will browse through racks of clothing and shelves of accessories that fit two criteria. Firstly, everything on offer is made from sustainable, non-toxic materials. Secondly, it all hails from retailers that either make the fashion themselves or pay their workers fair wages. It's the latest venture from Emma Morris and Lee Glezos — aka the team behind The Makers & Shakers Market and the Round She Goes Preloved Fashion Market — with the duo aiming to raise awareness about the slow fashion movement. With mass-produced, over-produced 'fast fashion' having an enormous environmental impact, resulting in around 85 percent of new textiles eventually ending up in landfill, the Slow Fashion Market "will bring together people who care about how their fashion is made," explains Morris. "Consumers are reaching their threshold for clothes that is made cheap and fast, that falls apart after a couple of washes, and potentially exploits the people who made them." Taking place from 10am–3pm on Saturday, September 1 at Petersham Town Hall, the market will feature more than 40 independent brands selling womens, mens and children's fare. Entry costs $2, so keep your gold coins handy. While there's a serious and important topic behind the one-day event, the Slow Fashion Market not only endeavours to educate consumers, but to celebrate makers. "We create an environment where everyone is comfortable asking questions — and 'who made my clothes?' is the core question at this event," says Morris. The Slow Fashion Market takes place from 10am–3pm on Saturday, September 1 at Petersham Town Hall. For more information, visit the market website. Image: Alana Dimou.
In recognition of the historical significance of the six-week-long, statewide strike that originated at Eveleigh Railway Workshops 100 years ago, 1917: The Great Strike at Carriageworks invited five artists to interpret the event and its legacy from a modern perspective. Combining specially commissioned works with archival footage and photography, original union banners, badges and certificates alongside tours and artist-led workshops, the exhibition grants a unique insight into both the site's industrial heritage and an important moment in Australian history that quickly become overshadowed by WWI. Shannan Whitney, CEO of presenting show partner and long-term Carriageworks supporter BresicWhitney, says the show program honours a landmark community event and provides a valuable window into the life of Sydney workers a century ago. "The presentation of historical artefacts, alongside new works, reminds us of the gravity of this moment in time and the impact it had on generations to come." We spoke with three of the artists involved to discover how they chose to interpret The Great Strike for a contemporary context. [caption id="attachment_631757" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 1917: The Great Strike: Women's Demonstration in Front of Parliament House, Sarah Contos, 2017.[/caption] SARAH CONTOS — WOMEN'S DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT HOUSE Artist Sarah Contos has created a large-scale textile work inspired by the role women played in the strike, both through public protest and as sole supporters of their families on the homefront. Initially stumped as to how she'd connect with the subject matter, Contos was struck by a photograph during her research. It depicted a sea of hatted women marching to Parliament House. This inspired a quilt, expressing solidarity with the daughters, wives and mothers involved. Using a monochromatic colour palette (reflecting the photographs of the time), utilitarian materials of canvas and cotton, the quilt also features ladies' gloves and screenprints of the medallions given to strikers fashioned into a charm bracelet. There's a subversive playfulness to the work and a spirit of celebration conjured up by a glitter border. Contos comments that although textiles are no longer considered a uniquely 'female' realm, there was a harmony between medium and theme. "The craftsmanship involved at the railway yard between the workers and their materials to create and object of beauty and function lends a nice parallel to quiltmaking. A quilt also acts as a metaphor for the care demonstrated by the women to families affected by the strike." [caption id="attachment_631851" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Franck Gohier, Snakes and Ladders, 2017, screen print and wood-type letterpress on board[/caption] FRANCK GOHIER — SNAKES AND LADDERS Darwin-based artist Franck Gohier has created an inventive graphic tribute to the strike in the form of a giant Snakes and Ladders board. Inspired by the scale and imagery of the original union banners, Gohier spent months researching before commencing the laborious process of setting up the antique wood type on his proofing press. He painstakingly hand-inked all the numbers, spent weeks sourcing historical imagery before transferring them onto screen and finally printing. "Even the paper stock was hand-cut on a cast iron guillotine from the 1940s," he says. The end result: 80 giant screen-printed cards for the 'board', with train tracks in place of the traditional ladders. Instead of the usual snake, Gohier chose the ancient symbol of the ouroboros (a serpent eating its own tail), which invokes the number eight — a nod to the eight-hour-day, won in Australia in 1856 by striking stonemasons during the gold rushes. While Gohier describes himself as an artist "intolerant of intolerance" whose work actively explores sociopolitical issues, nevertheless this show, he says, "was a big departure, in terms of the physical size of the commission in order to accommodate both the vast scale and breadth of the exhibiting space and the topic of the Great Strike." [caption id="attachment_631756" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 1917: The Great Strike: Handshake with the Past, Raquel Ormella, 2017.[/caption] RAQUEL ORMELLA — A HANDSHAKE WITH THE PAST "My work is a reaction to the world I live in," says artist Raquel Ormella, whose contribution engages with co-curator and City of Sydney historian Laila Ellmoos' efforts to retrieve the names of strikers, recognising them as individuals rather than the anonymous mass suggested by the media of the time. After some initial deliberation over form, Ormella created colourful, ebullient banners recalling those defiantly held up during the strike's street marches. Handmade from repurposed work clothes (overalls, business shirts) each bears the name of an individual striker from the local area, along with classic union motifs such as clasped hands, symbolising solidarity. Inexpensive reclaimed materials were deliberately chosen to reflect how "many people in Sydney in 1917 were really struggling economically and living in poor conditions. This is still the situation." On Saturday, August 5, Ormella carried her banners into the neighbourhood during a community performance. With the participation of residents, they were installed in local homes, buildings and parks for the duration of the exhibition. Ormella hopes their installation will connect today's locals to their suburb's history. "I want my work to make the past community of workers present to those living in the area now." Visit 1917: The Great Strike at Carriageworks now until August 27. Top image: 1917 The Great Strike, installation view, image by Zan Wimberley 2017.
Sydney has no shortage of history, both owned and borrowed, to learn about this summer. From the long cultural history of the First Nations custodians of the land to the colonial bones of Sydney's architecture to the modern-day melting pot of cultures and stories, every era leaves its mark. We've combed through the Harbour City and found some historical gems that deserve your attention, whether you're a local or a visitor, starting with a new and exciting opportunity that will only be in the city for a few months. RAMSES & THE GOLD OF THE PHARAOHS — THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM The Australian Museum is always a top choice for history in Sydney, and this exhibit running until May 2024 is unlike anything the museum has ever hosted before. Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs is a multi-sensory, immersive experience for all ages and is exclusive to the Australian Museum. The exhibition explores the life and reign of the late Ramses the Great, Egypt's second longest-reigning Pharaoh, and is comprised of over 180 objects, each dating back approximately 3000 years. Ramses II lived well into his 90s, old even for a monarch, and each object captures important details of the era and his life. Items on display include jewellery, ceramics, small mummified animals, royal masks, and even the actual sarcophagus that Ramses was entombed in in 1213 BC. You'll also find an optional multisensory VR experience that will transport you virtually to two of the era's most significant monuments, the tomb of Queen Nefertari and the temples of Abu Simbel. [caption id="attachment_923966" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] QUEENSCLIFF TUNNEL AND HOTEL STEYNE — MANLY Sydney's own history spreads well beyond the centre of the city, from bush to coast. On the coastal side of town is a suburb that is one of the most well-known to the culturally, coastally and historically inclined — Manly. On the north side of Manly Beach, on the border of Queenscliff, is the Queenscliff Tunnel. It could easily be dismissed as a detail in the rocky headland, but it is actually a manmade tunnel, supposedly carved in 1908 by local fishermen to act as a shortcut between Freshwater and Manly Beaches. It's open to visitors but on an elevated cliff face, so remain cautious. Back on flat ground is another historical highlight, Hotel Steyne. Originally built in 1859, the pub has been destroyed by two mysterious fires, but the current building dates back to 1923 and is one of the best pub feeds in Manly. ILLOURA RESERVE AND THE FENWICK — BALMAIN EAST Among some of the lesser-known harbourfront historical areas, specifically in Balmain East, is Illoura Reserve. Before the arrival of European settlers, the area was a swamp, only established in land purchases in the early 19th century as a part of a 222-hectare grant to colonial Surgeon Dr William Balmain. Seeing the connection? Since then, the area has been used as a harbourside industrial precinct and a tip. One building that has stood since the 1880s is The Fenwick. Originally a store for harbour tugboats, it evolved alongside Illoura Reserve and is now a stunning waterfront cafe and art gallery. The menu stars local and seasonal produce, and the second-floor gallery showcases a range of local and international artists, with everything available for purchase. [caption id="attachment_923971" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tim Downey via Flickr[/caption] PADDINGTON RESERVE GARDENS — PADDINGTON Away from the harbour, in the inner east hub of Paddington, we find a historical site that holds great significance to the city. More than just a public park, these are the Paddington Reservoir Gardens. This was where most of Sydney's water was pumped from its construction in 1866 to its closure in 1899. In its prime, it had a hefty capacity of just over 9000 megalitres. Still, it was closed and repurposed into a storage yard until 1934, when it was partially converted into a service station. When the roof collapsed twice in the 1990s, the station was again closed. Following a major restoration, the site was reopened as a park in 2009, combining elements of its history with overland reserves that had been constructed prior. Now, it's known for its beautiful but eerie appearance, almost like post-industrial Roman undercity ruins, but on Oxford Street. [caption id="attachment_826667" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] CREMORNE RESERVE AND MACCALLUM POOL — CREMORNE POINT Across the city and harbour is the suburb of Cremorne, one of the most disputed shorelines of Sydney Harbour's history. Once a site of great significance to the Cammeraygal people, the land was acquired by Europeans in 1833. Over the following years, it would be a public amusement park, residential development, and even almost a coal mine in the early 1890s. Thankfully, the point and reserve are now protected as a heritage conservation area. One of the gems of the location is MacCallum Pool, a harbour swimming pool originally constructed by local residents. It was maintained by locals until hygiene concerns of harbour swimming prompted North Sydney Council to take over maintenance in 1930. Renamed to MacCallum in tribute to one of its most loyal civilian carers, Hugh J MacCallum, the council has since restored the pool and added decking, landscaping and fencing to secure the pool and its visitors. [caption id="attachment_827016" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] FOUNDATION PARK, FORTUNE OF WAR AND THE DOSS HOUSE — THE ROCKS The Rocks precinct is synonymous with Sydney's history, being one of it's oldest and most iconic heritage precincts. One hidden detail, an unmarked alleyway off Argyle Terrace, is Foundation Park. At first glance, it looks like a collection of discarded furniture, but it's actually a living museum designed to recreate the space and feel of Sydney's oldest homes. The history of The Rocks extends to some of its extremely popular venues, such as Fortune of War and The Doss House. Fortune of War is regarded as Sydney's oldest pub, originally built by a former convict settler in 1828. The name comes from its regulars, sailors and soldiers who were leaving and arriving in Sydney for (or from) war. The Doss House is equally historic, a heritage-listed underground whiskey bar with rooms that pay tribute to the building's many past identities, from a bootmaker workshop to a cheap accommodation for the desperate and even an illegal opium den. [caption id="attachment_923973" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ryan Frank via iStock[/caption] BADU MANGROVES AND HOMEBUSH BAY — HOMEBUSH When you think of Homebush, history and nature might not be the first thoughts that come to mind. But one of the best-kept secrets of Sydney can be found in Homebush. Badu Mangroves is a 56-hectare slice of wetland between Homebush Bay and Bicentennial Park. Overlooked for most of Sydney's history, this haven of local wildlife was choked by pollution for decades but is now thriving again thanks to a restoration program and can be explored via an elevated boardwalk. The mangroves, as mentioned, are adjacent to Homebush Bay, and from the boardwalk, you can spot the famous 'floating forest', the wreck of the SS Ayrfield. Originally built in 1911 and part of a fleet of cargo ships that ferried coal, oil and wartime supplies, it survived WWII but is now being slowly broken down by a mangrove forest. A small slice of history, forever locked in the waters of the Parramatta River. For more information on Ramses & The Gold of the Pharaohs, or to book tickets, visit the website. For more experiences in Sydney, keep exploring Concrete Playground.
Somehow music artists seem to look even cooler in their music videos than they usually do - which is saying something. Their level of chic can seem daunting to us fans, mere mortals that we are. Regardless, online fashion retailer SSENSE wants you to buck up and give the whole rockstar thing a go. With their new 'shoppable music video', SSENSE makes that unattainable level of swagger...well, attainable. Collaborating with Iggy Azalea, Diplo, and FKi on their latest video 'I Think She Ready', the retailer breaks down the outfits of each artist for potential buyers. When the artist appears on the screen, a small 'S' logo will hover over their outfit. Click on it, and a new page will open, complete with information on each component of the outfit. Each featured piece is from the Spring/Summer 2012 collection of a variety of high-end designers. Whether you are lusting after Iggy's Alexander Wang cat-eye sunglasses, or envying her J Brand snow leopard jeans, simply click and purchase. SSENSE CEO Rami Atallah says, "The integration we are introducing between technology, entertainment and retail with this video not only creates a unique experience for the audience, but also has utility." Watch, sing along, and shop like a rockstar? All from the comfort of our desk? We're in. [via PSFK]
Sydney's world-class food scene is built on discovery, from neighbourhood gems to waterfront icons. And right now, thanks to Dine Out with Uber Eats, you can explore more of it for less. Running until Sunday, November 9, this global-first feature lets you unlock exclusive in-venue dining discounts, including 50 percent off your bill at hundreds of Sydney restaurants — just open the Uber Eats app, pick your spot, claim the offer and redeem it in-venue right before you pay. To help you get started, we've asked our CP colleagues to share their favourite spots around town where, this month, you can pair your meal with an excellent deal. Tuga Pastries While Tuga might be best known for its faithful rendition of the classic pastel de nata, it's another of the cafe and bakery's creations that's caught the attention of Jack Castles, Head of Commercial: "Nothing says Sunday like a sunrise swim in Clovelly, followed by Tuga's coffee and their legendary Nutella croissant — flaky, buttery, and oozing with gooey perfection that's truly second to none." Jack Castles, Head Of Commercial Partnerships, ANZ [caption id="attachment_989811" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Island Radio Vibey Redfern spot Island Radio has quickly made its mark on Sydney's dining scene since opening in Wunderlich Lane at the tail end of 2024 — and right now, you can score 50 percent off your bill there thanks to Dine Out with Uber Eats. One person who'll be there is our own Anan Salvarinas: "Island Radio nails it. Great food, great drinks, and a DJ that keeps the place buzzing. The sinangag fried rice is the clincher — those brown butter crumbs are on another level." Anan Salvarinas, Head of Strategic Solutions Raw Bar Fresh seafood by the beach is as Sydney as sunrise over Bondi with a flat white in hand. This quintessential Harbour City ritual is a favourite of Projects Director Rojan Khastoui, who'll be taking full advantage of the Dine Out with Uber Eats promotion this month to get her fix at one of her neighbourhood faves: "I'll definitely be hitting up Raw Bar in Bondi — it's around the corner from me, perfect for soaking up the sunshine, and the bento boxes are next-level. Think: fresh sashimi, inside-out rolls, tempura, teriyaki chicken and all the good stuff. I always roll out of there happy and seriously satisfied." Rojan Khastoui, Projects Director [caption id="attachment_776052" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cacio e pepe[/caption] Chester White Cured Diner Potts Point stalwart Chester White is one of the city's premier spots for a sundowner — and it's the kind of spot you could easily settle into for the night. "I'll be heading to Chester White for a cheeky Thursday night dinner date with the girls," says Partnerships Director Cinzia Giacchi. "The truffle cacio e pepe (served out of a truffled, pecorino cheese wheel), paired with a glass of Italian chianti, is what dreams are made of." Cinzia Giacchi, Partnerships Director Muum Maam Barangaroo's Muum Maam has been drawing steady crowds for a decade, thanks to its produce-driven twists on classic Thai dishes. It's long been a go-to for our own Batoul Peters: "Nothing beats Thai food made for sharing, especially with that iconic waterfront backdrop. The whole fried snapper is a must-order and hands-down one of my favourite dishes in Sydney." Batoul Peters, Chief Business Officer [caption id="attachment_747999" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] Mary's "Mary's has been my go-to spot since it opened up over a decade ago," shares Partnerships Manager Anita Tran. "It's a classic spot for all cravings — lunchtime comfort food done exceptionally well, dinner with mates in a place with fab vibes and character, or even a spot for when you just want to keep the good times rolling and hit those late-night cravings. Don't skip the buttermilk fried chook with a side of mash and gravy to dip that juicy bird in." Anita Tran, Partnerships Manager To discover more great dining deals around town, explore Dine Out with Uber Eats in the Uber Eats app. T&Cs apply. Top image: Island Radio, Steven Woodburn.
For actress and model Sarah Stephens, fashion has never been about following the rules. Instead, it's about experimentation, performance, and storytelling. Between her auditions, acting roles, modelling and events, the multi-hyphenated Australian often switches between characters and identities. Whether she's on set or scouring stores, Sarah sees style as an extension of her identity and career — a way to experiment. "Clothes are costumes to me. My everyday look is quite classic and feminine, but I'm not tied to one particular look. I like to experiment depending on my mood, event or character." Sarah's fluid approach to fashion mirrors her layered career. After winning the Girlfriend Magazine model search competition in 2006, the young girl from Sydney jetted to the glamorous world of fashion and modelling. "I sort of stumbled into modelling without a clear direction for my life, and soon found myself completely immersed in the fashion industry," Sarah tells Concrete Playground. [caption id="attachment_1028485" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Image by Declan May - Galaxy Z Flip7 is featured[/caption] From walking 14 shows at her debut New York Fashion Week to being photographed by famed German photographer Ellen Von Unwerth for Italian and Russian Vogue, Sarah hit dizzying international success early on in her career. In Europe, she was the face of Lacoste's Love of Pink campaign, and just a few months after her 18th birthday, the model walked a coveted international runway show. Reaching these milestones so quickly came at a cost, though. "It was all too much too soon. I burnt out. I couldn't cope with the loneliness and pressure," she reflects. "As a shy and conscientious kid thrown into a ruthless, cutthroat industry, you often find yourself vulnerable to mistreatment and abuse," says Sarah. "I often didn't question what photographers, agents or clients asked of me because I didn't want to seem rude or ungrateful." A young Sarah had to make a decision. Continue down the modelling route or head home and regroup. "I was struggling both physically and emotionally. Being far from home left me feeling incredibly lonely, and the constant pressure to maintain a certain size took a serious toll on my mental health." [caption id="attachment_1028486" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Image by Declan May[/caption] Sarah decided to head home to Australia and "reconnect with reality". It was during this time that Sarah stumbled upon another passion — acting. "I attended a summer course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and discovered a deep passion for acting. It felt therapeutic, and the structure kept me engaged, challenged, and energised." Sarah's acting break came in the form of A24 movie The Witch, directed by Robert Eggers. Her proudest acting achievement, however, was playing Mary in The Flood, a four-person play that ran Off-Broadway in New York and at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. Now, as the actress reaches her mid-thirties and returns to the acting industry post-COVID and U.S. writers' strike shutdowns, Sarah is leaning into her self-expression. She's just finished shooting an independent film in which she portrays an ASIO detective and is currently working on a short film with a friend. "I love how acting lets me step into entirely different lives. I have a deep passion for storytelling and the immersive nature of film." When it comes to styling herself, Sarah believes that having an everyday uniform is overrated. For the actress and model, a wardrobe full of vintage blazers, polkadots, Mary Janes, and puffy-sleeved blouses means she can transform into whichever character she's tapping into (both on and off screen). "Every outfit I put on that day dictates the role I play. It could be bold and cinematic, or it could be soft and intimate and feminine." But, it's statement pieces, she says, that make you feel the most powerful. When we met with Sarah while she was sourcing clothes from For Artists Only, UTURN Bondi and Ekoluv for an upcoming event, the actress shared how technology is instrumental for her day-to-day life, schedule and also style exploration. "For someone like me who plays with identity and storytelling, technology has become this amazing bridge between imagination and reality," Sarah says of devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7. Powered by Google Gemini*, it's a handy tool for the on-the-go person with multiple passions. As for what's going into the model and actress' schedule next, the acting world's Sarah's oyster. "Hopefully something in a period drama or maybe even a supervillain. Time will tell, and that's exactly what makes this career so exciting," Sarah shares. Explore more at Samsung. *Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Gemini Live feature requires internet connection and Google Account login. Available on select devices and select countries, languages, and to users 18+. Fees may apply to certain AI features at the end of 2025. Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Requires internet connection and Google Account login. Works on compatible apps. Features may differ depending on subscription. Set up may be required for certain functions or apps. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. Editing with Generative Edit results in a resized photo up to 12MP. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. Results may vary per video depending on how sounds present in the video. Accuracy is not guaranteed. If you or anyone you know is experiencing emotional distress, please contact Lifeline (131 114) or Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) for help and support.
Melbourne will be stepping up its hotel game in the coming years, with Adina's new Pentridge Prison development, Bennetts Lane's proposed jazz-era hotel, and the upscale CBD outpost of Mornington Peninsula's Jackalope. And now the city's is set to welcome yet another luxury accommodation offering into the fold, as the internationally renowned St. Regis Hotels & Resorts makes its Aussie debut, with a 168-room hotel slated to open in 2022. The grand hotel will spread over ten floors of the yet-to-be-built, 33-storey Flinders Bank precinct, towering above the CBD on the corner of Spencer and Flinders Streets. And it's set to be a pretty swanky operation, sporting luxury interiors by famed design studio Chada and a cutting-edge building design by Melbourne's own Fender Katsalidis Architects. It will have an onsite wellness and fitness centre, too, complete with a spa, a salon and a 25-metre indoor pool, and the acclaimed St. Regis Butler Service will let guests customise every last detail of their stay. The hotel will also feature a bunch of upscale wining and dining options, including a specialty restaurant and the elegant St Regis Bar. For the uninitiated, the St Regis New York's King Cole Bar was the supposed birthplace of the Bloody Mary back in 1934 and the hotel brand has claimed the spicy cocktail as its signature sip ever since. Here, the bar will be whipping up a special Melbourne edition of the drink — we wonder just what that entails. The St Regis Melbourne has 40 hotels worldwide — including in New York, Mallorca and the Maldives — and is one of the Marriott International's brands. The parent company has announced more plans to open hotels Down Under, too, with the recent launch of the W Hotel in Brisbane and W Hotels also planned for Sydney and Melbourne. St Regis Melbourne is slated to open in the new Flinders Bank precinct in 2022.
For the past few months, Australia's pandemic-era rules and restrictions around travelling have been easing — covering both heading interstate and venturing abroad. If spending more time at home over the last two years has left you with a hefty case of wanderlust, you've likely noticed another big trend, too: flight sales aiming to make your next getaway far more affordable. Just after New Zealand announced that it'd be letting Aussies head across the Tasman for holidays earlier than expected, Virgin has started a sale that'll help you scratch that ditch-crossing itch. Actually, with 1.5 million fares up for grabs to both Aussie and international destinations, it'll help you get flying to wherever your next vacation spot may be. So, whether you're keen to see your mates interstate or head overseas for some rest and relaxation, you've got options. Among the domestic routes, one-way fares start at $45, which'll get you from Sydney to Ballina. Other sale flights include Melbourne–Hobart from $55, Brisbane–Whitsunday Coast from $59, Sydney–Sunshine Coast from $65 and Melbourne–Adelaide from $89. And if you're wondering when you'll need to travel, you can book trips between July 27–December 14, 2022. Internationally, one-way fares cover getaways to Bali, Fiji and Queenstown — including from Sydney (from $269 to Bali, $229 to Fiji and $289 to Queenstown), Melbourne ($269 / $259 / $279) and Brisbane ($239 / $249 / $309). Again, that means you've got choices, including if multiple getaways to different spots are in your ideal future. As always when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Virgin's discounted fares are now on offer until midnight AEST on Monday, April 4 or sold out, whichever arrives first. In a bonus for anyone travelling with kids, Virgin is also taking an extra 25 percent off sale fares booked for children between the ages of 2 and 11. Across all of its sale flights, only some fares cover seat selection and checked baggage, however, with the airline announcing last year that it is now splitting its economy range into three types. Economy Lite doesn't include checking any baggage or picking your seat, but Economy Choice does — and Economy Flex gives you extra flexibility (hence the name) if you have to change your plans later. Also, depending on where you're travelling to internationally, you'll obviously need to check border restrictions and any entry requirements. Virgin's Back to Holidays sale runs from until Monday, April 4 — or until sold out. Find out more about current Australian border rules via the Australian Government's Health Direct website and its Smart Traveller website.
There's no one right way to experience SXSW, whether you're attending the Austin or Sydney version, but one of the event's huge highlights is its high-profile list of folks who get talking. This is the kind of event where you could be listening to Chance The Rapper one moment, then Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker the next, as everyone learned in the Harbour City in 2023. In 2024, it's also the type of festival where Lucy Lawless, Grace Tame and Tim Minchin will be chatting — plus Nick Kyrgios, Noémie Fox, Suzie Miller and Stephen Page as well. Another week, another lineup drop for 2024's SXSW Sydney as it moves closer and closer to its Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 dates. The event began revealing its program back in May, which was just the beginning. Another announcement arrived in June, then not one, not two, but three more in July — and also another, focusing on the free hub at Tumbalong Park, at the beginning of August. Then came more music acts and speakers, still in August, and now arrives even more talents that'll be part of SXSW Sydney's conference. [caption id="attachment_971189" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul McMillan[/caption] From just the people mentioned above, SXSW Sydney 2024 has warrior princesses, activists, comedians, sports stars, playwrights and the former Bangarra Dance Theatre Artistic Director on its bill. Among the highlights, Lawless has moved behind the camera for the first time on documentary Never Look Away about CNN camerawoman Margaret Moth, and will chat about her directorial debut — while Stephen Page and actor Hunter Page-Lochard (Critical Incident), his son, will explore whether there's a global market for First Nations content and artists. With fellow guests such as Ogilvy Global CEO Devika Bulchandani, Google Analytics and Google Voice founder Wesley Chan, Intel Corporation's first futurist Brian David Johnson, and MIT Technology Review CEO and publisher Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau, everything from artificial intelligence in marketing and entrepreneurs keen to make the leap to America through to thinking about the future and new tech innovations will be covered as well. Also among the new additions: Fox joining Clare Stephens for But Are You Happy? live, Welcome to the Future! with Charles Firth and Dom Knight similarly taking to the stage, and sessions digging into neurotechnology and how to change habits. [caption id="attachment_971190" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] SXSW Sydney's latest 2024 wave expands a program that already features Australian filmmaker Warwick Thornton (The New Boy), Aussie composer Jed Kurzel (Monkey Man), Barbie executive producer Josey McNamara, Brave co-director Mark Andrews, Mortal Kombat helmer Simon McQuoid, human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, author Johann Hari, Australian race car driver Molly Taylor, pianist Chad Lawson, Aussie astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, TikTok marketing head Sofia Hernandez and Academy Award-winning Slumdog Millionaire composer AR Rahman — among a hefty list of others. More lineup details will keep being revealed over the coming month and a half, with the full event set to span more than 1000 speakers, 60-plus tech exhibitors, over 200 artists, 120-plus games and more than 75 screenings. [caption id="attachment_971191" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_971192" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul McMillan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_967878" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953724" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_923286" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details.
Muggle, rejoice: if you've been hanging out to flex your 'wizarding skills' in the new Harry Potter augmented reality game, your time to shine has arrived. Tapping into the same style of virtual smartphone experience made hugely popular by Pokémon Go, WB Games and Niantic have launched the beta version of their Harry Potter: Wizards Unite game — but only in New Zealand and Australia. Locals with a smartphone can now download the app and start their own Harry Potter adventure, as part of a testing phase that'll help developers shape the final product. It means users might have to put up with a few bugs and off-kilter graphics, but that's a small price to pay for getting to play the game before the rest of the world. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite works a whole lot like Pokémon Go, swapping out the animated monsters and gyms for content and characters from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises. They're featured in an augmented reality 'Wizarding World', which is mysteriously appearing in the muggle world due to some unforeseen calamity. As a player, you'll kick start your adventure as a newbie in the Statute of Secrecy Task Force. You'll be called on to whip up potions, cast spells and use your wand to overcome the traces of magic appearing through your smartphone, popping up in front of real-world locations. You'll collect potion ingredients along the way, and earn special rewards for finding 'Foundables' and returning them to the wizarding world. Scattered through the game, you'll also discover virtual 'inns' where you can recharge your 'spell energy', multi-player wizarding challenges taking place in 'fortresses', and 'portkeys' that can whisk you away into an immersive 360-degree, augmented reality experience, in settings like Ollivanders Wand Shop. The beta version of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is now available to download for free to iOS (via the App Store) and Android devices (via Google Play) if you're in Australia or New Zealand.
Seven years after they were first introduced to curb alcohol-fuelled violence, the lockout laws are set to be lifted in Kings Cross. In January last year, just weeks before the pandemic caused a mass closure of venues across the country, the lockout laws were repealed in the CBD and on Oxford Street, but they remained in place in the "high risk" Kings Cross area for the foreseeable future. Today, Tuesday, February 9, Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced plans to repeal Sydney's final lockouts, telling the Sydney Morning Herald: "Kings Cross has transformed considerably since these laws were introduced. The precinct is now well positioned to continue to evolve into a vibrant lifestyle and cultural destination with a diverse mix of small bars, live music venues and restaurants." From Monday, March 8, Sydneysiders will be able to head into Kings Cross bars, pubs and nightclubs after 1.30am — and those same venues will be able to serve drinks until 3.30am. While rules on shots and the use of glass after midnight will also be rolled back, ID scanners will still be required in some busy venues as an "additional public safety measure", according to the SMH. [caption id="attachment_792049" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dean's Lounge opened in Kings Cross during the pandemic[/caption] Since the lockout laws were introduced in 2014, a reported 176 venues have closed, and a report by Deloitte Access Economics showed that the laws had contributed to NSW missing out on $16 billion in potential profits. A year-long parliamentary inquiry into the state of the Sydney's music and nightlife economy in 2018 also found that the industry was in "peril" due to the NSW Government's history of neglect, and lack of funding. This was all, of course, before the city's hospitality and nightlife industries were hamstrung again by the COVID-19 pandemic. In September of 2020, a Music NSW survey of 47 city entertainment venues found 85 percent predicted shutdown within six to nine months if crippling trading conditions persisted. These same businesses reported accumulated losses of $70 million due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Hopefully, the winding back of the final lockout laws — and the final COVID-19 restrictions — will allow Sydney's nightlife to flourish once again. There have been some early green shoots of hope, too. While the last few years have been peppered with closures, the last few months have seen flourish of openings across Kings Cross and Potts Point, including a gin distillery, a French bistro, a retro lounge and wine bar and pizza joint. The City of Sydney has also announced plans to reignite the nightlife in Kings Cross and Oxford Street, while the NSW Government has scrapped several archaic laws surrounding liquor licenses and live music. The lockout laws are set to be rolled back in Kings Cross on Monday, March 8. Top image: Luke-rative via Wikimedia Commons
Tired of what's hanging in your wardrobe? When you're in the market for new threads, there are plenty of independent boutiques in Sydney offering handpicked collections of international brands and locally made labels, so you can elevate your everyday look without having to wait for shipping or bother with crowds at the inner city malls. We've teamed up with American Express to bring you these nine fashion boutiques that either make clothing for men and women here in Australia, or import premium fashion brands from overseas. You can shop for fresh kicks, timeless cashmere jumpers, quality cotton tees and quirky accessories at these Sydney shops with your Amex Card in hand.
If you’re a chocaholic and a Hunger Games fan, take a deep breath and try not to hyperventilate with greedy excitement. Two American chocolate companies have teamed up to create a range of chocolate bars inspired by The Hunger Games. Only in America, right? Themed around both the districts and lead characters, the range created by Vosges Haut Chocolates and Wild Ophelia includes a 'Katniss' bar — milk chocolate combined with what they describe as the “subtle, salty crunch of hickory smoked bacon accented by sweet, crisp apples. Yum. But some dozen times better is the 'Chocolate Bar Library' — a collection of 12 bars representing all 12 districts of Panem. Included are such imagination- and tastebud-stirring numbers as the mined salt and milk chocolate (District 12, which specialises in mining), beef jerky and smoked mesquite in milk chocolate (District 10, livestock), smoked chipotle chilli and milk chocolate (District 7, lumber) and crispy crunchy caramel corn and dark chocolate (District 5, power). The smartarses at BuzzFeed pitted the whole range of bars — or chocolatey 'tributes' — against each other and ranked them in order of deliciousness. The victor? District 9's milled oats, vanilla, hemp seeds and dark chocolate (representing grain). Sadly they don’t ship to Australia, but if you’re in the US, Canada or the UK (or are willing to test out parcel forwarding on a meltable item) you can get your gluttonous little hands upon these slightly ridiculous, slightly overpriced yet undeniably tempting goodies. Via Buzzfeed.
Perched on the fifth level of the newly renovated Sofitel Sydney Wentworth is one of the most impressive additions to Sydney's rooftop bar scene in recent years — a lush terrace watering hole that looks fated to become a popular go-to for an inner-city sundowner. Designed by Fender Katsalidis, who also delivered the interiors of Wentworth Bar's sister venues Delta Rue, tilda and bar tilda, the space is sophisticated yet relaxed, combining leafy planting, natural finishes and soft lighting. Conceived to cater to punters throughout the day, there are a variety of seating options, from low-slung chairs for sun-basking, cocktail in hand, to high tables with stools for those looking to perch for a quick drink and generous seating areas intended for group gatherings. Terrazzo tables and verdant planting centred around an impressive focal point — a mature tree — transport guests far from the urban hustle just five storeys below while DJ sets keep the good times rolling. The cocktail menu amps up the fun with playful mixes that are easy to drink. A signature will be Wentworth Bar's party cocktails. Priced at $220, they come served in a showstopping glass fountain that holds 12 standard drinks. Get the party started with the Tai Chi Mumma, a refreshing mix of Ketel One vodka, rosé, and prosecco, rounded out with raspberry, lemon, and lychee or the Strawberry Yuzu Spritz - a bright blend of white wine, herbal aperitif, yuzu, and a fruity hit of mango, passionfruit, and grapefruit.
When cinemas were forced to close their doors back in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry had to adapt. Some individual films started moving to streaming and video on demand, while a number of picture palaces created their own online viewing platforms. Following in the footsteps of Sydney's Golden Age, as well as the teams behind the city's Ritz and Melbourne's Lido, Classic and Cameo cinemas, national chain Palace Cinemas is now making the leap to digital — with its new Palace Home Cinema venture launching during this year's Italian Film Festival. Palace Home Cinema will focus on world cinema, and on a curated movie lineup; however, when its first films become available to watch on Thursday, October 15, they'll all hail from the 2020 IFF program. The chain is calling its debut selection the 'IFF Piccolo', with eight movies on offer to watch on a pay-per-view basis until Wednesday, October 21. Cinephiles around the country can check out IFF's opening night film, a live-action, whimsy-heavy version of Pinocchio from Gomorrah and Dogman filmmaker Matteo Garrone — or watch its two special presentation flicks for this year, The Goddess of Fortune and Martin Eden. Also on the bill: comedies Once Upon a Time... in Bethlehem and Say It Loud, dramas Bad Tales and Ordinary Justice, and the family-friendly The Most Beautiful Day in the World. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rIcXgMx7hU&feature=emb_logo Prices vary — with Pinocchio costing $20 to view and the rest of the program costing $14 per title. Once viewers make their purchase, they can watch their chosen film or films at any time during the seven-day IFF Piccolo window. That said, after you first press play, you'll have to finish watching within 48 hours. The Italian Film Festival is currently showing physically in cinemas in Sydney, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth — but if you're a Melburnian eager to get your fix while theatres are still closed, you live in a regional area or you can't attend in-person, you now have an at-home way to enjoy the fest. While Palace hasn't revealed what else will screen on the Palace Home Cinema platform, the service will focus on the kind of films shown in the chain's venues. "People look to Palace for a special kind of entertainment. We want to accompany them on their journey, making fine cinema easy to find and play, even as we spend more time at home than ever before," said Palace Cinemas CEO Benjamin Zeccola. Palace Home Cinema is available via the service's website. The Italian Film Festival Piccolo is available to stream from Thursday, October 15–Wednesday, October 21.
Dee Why is a sporting beach through and through. It's the site of the annual Ocean Thunder Surfboat competition and was once home to major surfing comp Beachley Classic. Essentially, it's a beach set up for those who want to get active. Just next to it is Long Reef Beach, with the two stretches of sand separated by a shallow lagoon, so there's heaps of space. You'll even find an outdoor table tennis spot, so you don't even need to bring any equipment to get competitive with your crew. There's also a playground for obstacle course-style games as well as barbecues for post-game feasts. Image: Destination NSW
Underground inner west rave cave Tokyo Sing Song has reopened its neon-lit dance floor, running events every Friday and Saturday. Hidden underneath Marly Bar, the King Street club has enlisted the help of Sydney party crew Picnic. If Picnic's name rings a bell, the team of dance music enthusiasts has been behind dance floors at the likes of Picnic Social, Fellr's Pop-Up Seltzer Bar and CC:Disco's show at the Roundhouse, as well as international tours from Peggy Gou, Jayda G and DJ Harvey. For these weekly events, Picnic is always dipping into Sydney's trusty community of local DJs — lining up the likes of Tornado Wallace, Bria, Deepa, Isa, Kato and Ben Fester — as well as pulling in special guests from interstate. For each week's lineup, head to Picnic's website where you can see all their pop-up raves and parties. Ticket prices vary depending on the night but are generally between $15-40, with free entry before 11pm for some events. [caption id="attachment_828929" align="alignnone" width="1929"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] Top image: Katje Ford
The Makers and Shakers Market is cooking up a big return to Sydney this May, complete with more than 100 stalls filled with handmade goods — spanning everything from clothing to candles. Shoppers at the two-day market at the White Bay Cruise Terminal will be able to peruse stalls featuring Australian-made wares, and also participate in creative workshops and product tastings. Also a highlight: having a drink at the outdoor bar. Vendors include sellers such as Albatross Ceramic, a ceramics studio that designs functional tableware that looks like fruit and vegetables; and The Social Outfit, a slow fashion company that provides employment and training in fashion industries to folks from refugee and new migrant communities. Obviously, the list goes on. This edition of Makers and Shakers is a joint venture with The Slow Fashion Market, an event dedicated ethical and sustainably made clothing. And, it has been certified by the Australian Made campaign, which means that it will showcase only genuine locally made products. It all takes place from 10am–5pm on Saturday, May 7–Sunday, May 8, with entry to the market costing $5 for adults. Photo credit: Alana Dimou
If you're looking for your first glimpse of the latest Star Wars movie, there's no need to travel to a galaxy far, far away, because the initial teaser trailer has just dropped in this one. Nine months before the main franchise's ninth episode hits cinemas (and 11th theatrical flick overall), Disney has gifted audiences a sneak peek of what comes next — and the movie's moniker. Come December, fans will be getting comfy to watch Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker. Right now, there's a two-minute sneak peek to whet your appetite. Given the title, the way that Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi wrapped up and the theories that have been swirling around Daisy Ridley's Rey since she was first introduced in Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, it should come as no surprise that the scavenger-turned-pilot takes centre stage. Also popping up are Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron and John Boyega's ex-stormtrooper Finn, helping out the film's plucky heroine once more; Adam Driver's Kylo Ren, wielding his red lightsaber for the dark side yet again; and long-standing series favourites Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C-3PO, of course. The late Carrie Fisher features as well, with the actor's appearance as General Leia Organa made possible by using previously filmed footage. And two other familiar characters also rejoin the fold, including Billy Dee Williams' Lando Calrissian and a sinister figure who's heard rather than seen. The huge cast list keeps going, with Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran and Lupita Nyong'o all returning, Mark Hamill also included, and Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell and Naomi Ackie among the Star Wars newcomers. As he did with The Force Awakens, JJ Abrams sits in the director's chair. And while this isn't the end of the Star Wars story by any means — a new TV series, The Mandalorian, is headed to Disney's new streaming platform later this year, and two big-screen spinoff trilogies are in development from The Last Jedi helmer Rian Johnson and Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, respectively — The Rise of Skywalker is being badged as the finale of the Skywalker saga. Feel the force with the first teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adzYW5DZoWs Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker releases in Australian cinemas on December 19.
Above Bungalow 8 sits its sophisticated sibling, for when you're feeling a little bit fancy. The Loft is a cocktail and lounge bar aimed at offering opulence and a wistful nod to a bygone era. And it's not hard to get into the feel of it all with those harbour views and live music. While its downstairs neighbour is where to go for a full sit-down dinner, The Loft is about having a drinking experience. Don't get us wrong, you can enjoy bar food like natural Sydney rock oysters, artichoke skewers and fried avocado tacos, but the short food menu is overshadowed by the drinks list. The bar's signature cocktails have a tropical tilt: Rhu The Day with Archie Rose gin, prosecco, peach and rhubarb syrup and soda ($18); get to know Miss Myrtle with Espolon Blanco tequila, raspberry sorbet and lemon myrtle-infused agave ($20); or try The Tiki One for a mix of cachaca, sweet vermouth, lime, pineapple, coconut and Pernod ($21). The menu continues with all your favourite classics, bottled cocktails, fancy mocktails, and plenty of beer, wine and cider. You can also splash out for bottle service with your favourite liquor starting from 300 bucks. Image: Daniele Massacci.
Small-scale organic winery Firescreek pairs an exploration of Indigenous tradition with a tasting of its native botanical-influenced wines for this unique cellar door experience. As you get comfortable among the manicured rainforest gardens, a local Aboriginal Elder will lead a discussion about Indigenous traditions and heritage before showcasing edible plants that are local to the Central Coast. Following this, a Firescreek winemaker will walk you through the biodynamic practices at the vineyard, which incorporates fruit growing and native permaculture. You'll get to taste a run of Firecreek's current vintages and test your palate detecting native flavours. Image: Destination NSW
