Marcus Papadopoulo of Whole Beast Butchery won't just cut a steak for you. He'll tell you where the animal came from, what it ate, how long it lived and how to cook it. Everything but what the animal's name was. Papadopoulo's philosophy is simple: treat the meat with respect, know the animal and its origin, and only use produce of the highest quality. Bucking tradition, there are no meat cabinets to be found in the butchery; instead, its open plan encourages guests to interact and ask questions. Whole Beast focuses on just that, using every element of the beast including Papadopoulo's favourite cut: tongue. If you're looking for a specific cut, Papadopoulo will retrieve the body of the beast and cut the meat in front of your eyes, instead of merely picking a pre-cut slice from a cabinet. He also dry ages his meat, which allows the enzymes to break down the muscle fibre and for an increase in naturally occurring bacteria. These both influence the flavour of the meat, bringing the cut to what Papadopoulo refers to as its "highest potential". Whole Beast also makes and sells terrines, black pudding, pickles and, arguably, the best handmade pâté in Sydney. Images: Kimberley Low
When it comes to art exhibitions, second chances aren't common. A big-name showcase may display at several places around the world, but it doesn't often hit the same venue twice. French Impressionism is about to become an exception, then, when it returns to the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne in 2025 after initially gracing the institution's walls in 2021. When it was first announced for that debut Australian run, French Impressionism was set to be a blockbuster exhibition — and with 100-plus works featuring, including by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt and more, it's easy to understand why. But 2021 wasn't an ordinary year, like 2020 before it. Accordingly, when this showcase of masterpieces on loan from Boston's renowned Museum of Fine Arts opened Down Under, it was forced to close shortly afterwards due to the pandemic. [caption id="attachment_977038" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Camille Pissarro, French (born in the Danish West Indies), 1830–1903, Spring pasture, 1889, oil on canvas, 60 x 73.7 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Deposited by the Trustees of the White Fund, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Cue another season in this part of the world four years later, thankfully, with French Impressionism returning to NGV International from Friday, June 6–Sunday, October 5, 2025. This is one of the largest collections of the eponymous art movement to ever make its way to Australia, complete with works that've never been seen here before. The exhibition's Australian comeback is the result of "long dialogue and negotiation with the MFA Boston", Dr Ted Gott, NGV's Senior Curator of International Art, tells Concrete Playground. "I think both parties, the NGV and the MFA, realised what a tragedy it was that this fantastic show closed after just a few weeks in 2021 due to COVID." [caption id="attachment_977037" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French, 1841–1919, Woman with a parasol and small child on a sunlit hillside, c. 1874–76, oil on canvas, 47.0 x 56.2 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Bequest of John T. Spaulding Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] "It's just extraordinary that it was sort of stuck here in aspic for months with the doors locked, because COVID also froze all the flights, so it couldn't go back automatically. So we had this bizarre situation where the whole exhibition was sealed up inside the NGV, and not even staff were allowed in to have a look at it," Gott continues. "Those who saw it in those first few weeks were amazed, and word of mouth got out very quickly that it was an extraordinary show, so we had really good numbers for those first few weeks." [caption id="attachment_977035" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926, Grand Canal, Venice, 1908, oil on canvas, 73.7 x 92.4 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Bequest of Alexander Cochrane Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Again part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition series, French Impressionism isn't short on gems, especially given the array of artists with pieces on display, which also includes Camille Pissarro and Berthe Morisot. But one certain must-see is the presentation of 16 Monet pieces in one gallery, all in a curved display to close out the showcase — and focusing of his scenes of nature in Argenteuil, the Normandy coast and the Mediterranean coast, as well as his Giverny garden. In total, there's 19 Monet works in French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts' collection (Water Lilies among them), and that still leaves the US gallery almost as many to display in Boston. Another section digs into early works by Monet and his predecessors, such as Eugène Boudin — and Renoir and Pissarro's careers also get the in-depth treatment. As the exhibition charts French impressionism's path across the late-19th century, visitors will enjoy three never-before-seen-in-Australia pieces, with Victorine Meurent's Self-portrait one of them. Ten-plus Degas works, as well as two pieces that were part of the very first exhibition of French Impressionism that took place in 1874, also feature. [caption id="attachment_977042" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926, Water lilies, 1905, oil on canvas, 89.5 x 100.3 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Gift of Edward Jackson Holmes Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] "People just feel excited and uplifted when they look at a glorious impressionist painting, and I think that's why they haven't lost their perennial fascination and value," notes Gott. If you made it along to the showcase's first trip Down Under, you will notice changes, with the exhibition design reimagined for its latest presentation. "I'm sure that those who saw it in 2021 will come back again, and we want them to have a completely different experience. Also, we just didn't want to do the same thing. That's too easy," says Gott. "So we've completely reimagined the design of the show, and also the catalogue has been redesigned. So it'll be completely fresh, and the design is going to be absolutely sumptuous — and that will also make people feel warm and fuzzy inside." [caption id="attachment_977040" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vincent van Gogh, Dutch (worked in France), 1853–90, Houses at Auvers, 1890, oil on canvas, 75.6 x 61.9 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Bequest of John T. Spaulding Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] French Impressionism will display at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne, from Friday, June 6–Sunday, October 5, 2025. Head to the NGV website for more details and tickets. Top image: excerpt of Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926, Grand Canal, Venice, 1908, oil on canvas, 73.7 x 92.4 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Bequest of Alexander Cochrane Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.
There's no need to feel the cold this winter. Whether you have a date with skis or you'll be trying to get as cosy as possible going about your usual routine, Aldi's snow gear sale is back to keep you warm. Making a beeline to the middle aisle to rug up has become an Australian tradition, and this year marks the first time that the supermarket chain has held two of the sales in consecutive years since before the pandemic. In budget-friendly news, too, nothing will set you back more than $100. Winter is coming, as the country is just beginning to feel — and this batch of bargains, spanning everything from gloves to thermoboots, is on its way as well. Ski trips, snowboarding sessions, building snowmen: there's attire for all of the above, plus just not shivering at home. Mark Saturday, May 18 in your diary, then make a date with your nearest Aldi supermarket. Also, prepare to have ample company. Every time that this sale happens, it draws quite a crowd — and 2024's run again includes more than 70 products, with prices starting from $4.99. Available at stores across the nation, and made to withstand extreme weather conditions, the latest range of gear includes ski jackets from $59.99, both ski pants and hoodies from $49.99, and fleece jackets from $39.99. Or, there's also balaclavas from $9.99, snowboard and ski gloves from $14.99, touchscreen gloves for $9.99, ski socks for $8.99, and scarves and beanies for $6.99. Ski goggles cost $17.99, ski helmets come in at $29.99 and thermoboots are $34.99. Need a heavy-duty boot, shoe and glove dryer? Decided that you do now that you've just read that sentence? They're also on the list, for $79.99. Because layers are pivotal, Aldi's Merino thermal underwear range is also back, with items such as adult tanks and camisoles for $19.99. Kids clothing is part of the deal, too, if you'll be travelling with younger skiers — including being able to dress a children for the snow from top to toe for under $100. 2024's Aldi Snow Gear Special Buys range is available from Aldi stores nationally from Saturday, May 18.
If you didn't have a great time watching some of cinema's many sequels, remakes and riffs on well-known characters in 2023, you weren't alone: franchise fare and flicks linked to familiar figures scored big among the nominations for the 44th Golden Raspberry Awards. These annual accolades include a specific category for Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel, but perusing its current list of contenders means seeing titles that continue sagas and the like everywhere — including all five movies vying for Worst Picture. Up for the award: The Exorcist: Believer, Expend4bles, Meg 2: The Trench, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey. Among the rest of the fields, they have company from Fast X, Magic Mike's Last Dance, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania and Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny. As everyone already knows, last year was a great year to be Barbenheimer, which showed that films that weren't follow-ups could amass a massive audience. The same can't be said for movies that arrived with a been-there-done-that vibe already baked in. Obviously, not all flicks can be excellent. Some are, and gongs like the Golden Globes and Oscars reward them accordingly. For those that aren't, the Razzies make its choices — and from 2023's releases, Expend4bles leads the way with seven nominations, including for Worst Supporting Actor (Sylvester Stallone), Worst Supporting Actress (Megan Fox), Worst Screen Couple (for any two "merciless mercenaries"), Worst Director (Scott Waugh), the aforementioned Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel, and Worst Screenplay. If you're wondering where Fast X was recognised, Vin Diesel received a Worst Actor nod. Magic Mike's Last Dance picked up nominations for Worst Actress (Salma Hayek) and Worst Screen Couple (Hayek with Channing Tatum). Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania has two contenders for Worst Supporting Actor in Michael Douglas and Bill Murray — plus director and sequel — and Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny pops up in the sequel and screenplay camps. Among the other big-name actors, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas are on the list for action-comedy Ghosted, and so is Russell Crowe for The Pope's Exorcist (exorcism movies were big in 2023, and with the Razzies). Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu got the nod for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Jennifer Lopez for The Mother and Jason Statham for Meg 2: The Trench, while Megan Fox picked up a second nomination for Johnny & Clyde. Sometimes, films receiving the Razzies' attention also earn some Oscars love, as Elvis and Blonde did last year. That seems less likely in 2024, but the Golden Raspberry Awards are always timed to make the comparison. Its nominations drop the day before the Oscars do the same and, when it anoints its winners on Sunday, March 10, Australian and New Zealand time, it'll also do so the day before the Academy Awards ceremony. Check out the full list of Razzie nominees below: Golden Raspberry Nominees 2023: Worst Picture: The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Meg 2: The Trench Shazam! Fury of the Gods Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey Worst Actor: Russell Crowe, The Pope's Exorcist Vin Diesel, Fast X Chris Evans, Ghosted Jason Statham, Meg 2: The Trench Jon Voight, Mercy Worst Actress: Ana de Armas, Ghosted Megan Fox, Johnny & Clyde Salma Hayek, Magic Mike's Last Dance Jennifer Lopez, The Mother Helen Mirren, Shazam! Fury of the Gods Worst Supporting Actor: Michael Douglas, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Mel Gibson, Confidential Informant Bill Murray, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Franco Nero (as The Pope), The Pope's Exorcist Sylvester Stallone, Expend4ables Worst Supporting Actress: Kim Cattrall, About My Father Megan Fox, Expend4bles Bai Ling, Johnny & Clyde Lucy Liu, Shazam! Fury of the Gods Mary Stuart Masterson, Five Nights at Freddy's Worst Screen Couple: Any two "merciless mercenaries", Expend4bles Any two money-grubbing investors who donated to the $400 million for remake rights to The Exorcist Ana de Armas and Chris Evans (who flunked screen chemistry), Ghosted Salma Hayek and Channing Tatum, Magic Mike's Last Dance Pooh and Piglet as blood-thirsty slasher/killers in Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey Worst Director: Rhys Frake-Waterfield, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey David Gordon Green, The Exorcist: Believer Peyton Reed, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Scott Waugh, Expend4bles Ben Wheatley, Meg 2: The Trench Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel: Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey Worst Screenplay: The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Shazam! Fury of the Gods Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood & Honey The Golden Raspberry Awards will be announced on Sunday, March 10, Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
It seems we can definitely forget about the promised 2019 completion date for Sydney's new southeast light rail system, with the consortium behind the project advising the New South Wales Government that it'll take an extra year. March 2020 is now the projected completion date for the project, which will run from Circular Quay to Randwick and Kingsford. As reported by the ABC, the news comes just a week after the NSW Government first found itself embroiled in a legal battle with the Spanish subcontractor heading up the build, slowing down progress considerably. At the time, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian declined to share details about the delays, though said the state would "not be held to ransom" by builder Acciona, which is taking Transport for NSW to court for the tidy sum of $1.2 billion. The company is demanding the extra money because it claims it was misled about the complexity of utility work involved in the project. The two have lodged documents with the NSW Supreme Court, highlighting a particular issue with underground electricity infrastructure, which they contend pose a "critical part and key delivery risk." Acciona is proceeding with a go-slow on work at present, though Transport Minister Andrew Constance told parliament "we are not going to tolerate a go-slow so that we write a cheque to hit the accelerator". Testing on a stretch of the new 12.7-kilometre route began in February. Via the ABC. By Libby Curran and Sarah Ward.
The Central Coast's dining options seem to get better with every visit. More and more Sydney hospitality folk are upping sticks from the city to open up all-day diners or cosy taverns that focus on local produce and excellent service. And the new arrivals only add to an already thriving food and drink scene bolstered by loyal locals and visitors seeking out the best of the area. As there are new openings to celebrate, and a couple of fine dining favourites that you shouldn't pass up, we've put together this list of ten Central Coast restaurants, cafes and bars that we think are worth the hype. Read on to find flame-grilled flank steaks, paddock-to-plate high tea and finger-licking good pizza. And when you've dined your way around these, check out more acclaimed eateries in our Weekender's Guide. While regional holidays within NSW are now allowed, some of the places mentioned below may be operating differently due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please check websites before making any plans.
UPDATE, Friday, November 3: Fingernails screens in select cinemas from Thursday, November 2, and streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 3. In the world of Fingernails, 'Only You' isn't just a 1982 pop song that was made famous by Yazoo, is easy to get stuck in your head, and is now heard in this film in both French and English. It's also the philosophy that the first English-language feature by Apples filmmaker Christos Nikou has subscribed its characters to as it cooks up a sci-fi take on romance. In a setup somewhat reminiscent of Elizabeth Holmes' claims to have revolutionised blood testing (see: The Dropout), Fingernails proposes an alternative present where love can be scientifically diagnosed. All that's needed: an extracted plate of keratin, aka the titular digit-protecting covering. At organisations such as The Love Institute, couples willingly have their nails pulled out — one apiece — then popped into what resembles a toaster oven to receive their all-important score. Only three results are possible, with 100 percent the ultimate in swooning, 50 percent meaning that only one of the pair is head over heels and the unwanted zero a harbinger of heartbreak. When Fingernails begins, it's been three years since teacher Anna (Jessie Buckley, Women Talking) and her partner Ryan (Jeremy Allen White, The Bear) underwent the exam, with the long-term duo earning the best possible outcome — a score that's coveted but rare. Around them, negative results have led to breakups and divorces as society's faith is placed not in hearts and souls, but in a number, a gimmick and some tech gadgetry (one of the sales pitches, though, is that finding out before getting hitched will stop failed marriages). Even folks who've obtained top marks aren't always content to stop there. Some seek to reaffirm their positive result years down the track. To boost their chances of nabbing a love certificate, other couples take courses to amplify their amorous feelings for each other. Sessions include watching Hugh Grant movies ("nobody understands love more," exclaims the cinema marquee), tracking your paramour's scent, getting breathless underwater while staring into your other half's eyes and the adrenaline rush of tandem skydiving. As their friends go the retesting route — satirising the need for certainty in affairs of the heart pumps firmly through this movie's veins — Anna hasn't been able to convince Ryan to attend The Love Institute as a client. She's soon spending her days there, however, feeding her intrigue with the whole scenario as an employee. When she takes a job counselling other pairs towards hopeful ever-after happiness, she keeps the career shift from her own significant other. Quickly, she has something else she can't tell Ryan: a blossoming bond with her colleague Amir (Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal). As the operation's head Duncan (Luke Wilson, Fired on Mars) steps her through the official details, including the fact that it is biologically impossible for one person to be in love with two people according to the testing method, Anna starts feeling sparks fly with the co-worker assigned to show her the ropes. Amir has his own girlfriend (Annie Murphy, Black Mirror), but clearly reciprocates. Haddaway's Saturday Night Live- and A Night at the Roxbury-adored 1993 tune 'What Is Love' doesn't get a spin in Fingernails, but that's the question that Nikou and co-screenwriters Stavros Raptis (returning from Apples) and Sam Steiner (a feature first-timer) probe. The Greek writer/director and his collaborators contrast fondness as a contrived series of sensations with affection as a lived-in routine and passion as a butterflies-in-the-stomach response. So, Nikou's picture sees the mechanics, the comfort and the involuntary swirl — and sees Anna torn between everything that she's told, what she's supposed to be satisfied with and the yearnings that she's not meant to be experiencing. The filmmaker also makes a flick that pairs well with fellow new release Foe, exploring what technology can and can't tell us about love, and what will always remain innate, although Fingernails is never as dystopian, nor a thriller — and trades a definite future date for an undetermined era where mobile phones are welcomely absent. When he made his full-length debut with 2020's Apples, Nikou also sought love in an offbeat place, amid a pandemic of amnesia. In the process, he dived into the Greek Weird Wave that's become synonymous with The Favourite's Yorgos Lanthimos, whose own breakout Dogtooth was nominated for the Best International Feature Oscar. Fingernails' helmer was the second assistant director on Dogtooth, in fact, and now adds a picture to his resume that follows in the wonderfully absurdist footsteps of Lanthimos' The Lobster. Both are deeply romantic movies at their core, as well as sharply shrewd and witty flicks about human nature and societal norms. Both rally against conformity and expectation, too, and make physical the pains and struggles that come with the pursuit of affection. That said, Fingernails takes a more tender approach to its scenario. Dispelling the fascination with chasing one definitive perfect match by flouting that itself, it'd also make a great double with Celine Song's Past Lives, where there's nothing simple about a heart torn in two directions. Nikou's knack for casting is no different to Lanthimos' supreme skill in the same domain; what a quietly pining duo that Buckley and Ahmed make. Never seeming at risk of demanding that "yes chef!" be yelled his way, White gets myopic about relationships rather than cooking in a canny supporting role as someone who's blissfully emotionally oblivious — but, like Anna and Amir themselves, viewers are desperate to spend more time amid the real heat. Buckley and Ahmed turn in vulnerable portrayals that sear, even when the pacing unfurling their tale and the hues splashed around them are both muted. Nikou knows how feelings can both explode and simmer, serving up each. As he did in Apples, he also provides more memorable and meaningful dancing, this time as Amir cuts loose, Anna watches on, everything is evident and nothing needs to be said. The film looks away from the actual ripping out of nails — the idea remains suitably squirm-inducing, yet is never seen in gory detail because the audience flinches at the very notion anyway — but cinematographer Marcell Rév (Euphoria, The Changeling) utterly adores peering at Buckley and Ahmed. With different stars, he demonstrated the same focus in Malcolm & Marie with similarly intimate results. The premise here might be as high-concept as plots come, but seeing the longing, loneliness, melancholy, uncertainty, desire and revelations in Fingernails' two key performances couldn't feel more real. This is a movie that tingles with emotion — in its fingertips and everywhere.
If you've ever dined at Yellow, Potts Point, you'll know that the team is pretty damn keen on a veggie or two. In fact, in February 2016, the restaurant announced its lunch and dinner menus were going 100 percent vego. So, to usher in the beginning of summer, Yellow is visiting Newtown's Hartsyard to team up with the crew for an animal-friendly feast. Taking care of the menu will be Yellow's self-confessed plant nerds Gregory and Adam Wolfers. You can expect all sorts of weird and wonderful veggies, as well as a bunch of heirloom varieties. Meanwhile, Ned Brooks of Brooks and Amos will be coming up with a slew of matching wines. The banquet is just $90 per head (including drinks) and there'll be two sittings — at 6pm and 8.30pm. Either way, you'll be joining your fellow diners at Hartsyard's friendly communal tables. Bookings are essential.
Maya Hawke. A mall. Retro clothes and tunes aplenty. Combine the three, and that's how Fear Street Part 1: 1994 opens. That deja vu you're feeling? That's because they all played a significant part in the third season of Stranger Things, too — but while Hawke is still popping up on Netflix here, she definitely isn't in Hawkins, Indiana anymore. Instead, her character Heather is working at a mall in Shadyside, Ohio. As the movie's moniker makes plain, the year is 1994, so Hawke has jumped into a new decade. Heather is doing the closing shift at a book store, and viewers first see her gushing over an eerie title, fittingly — only for the customer that's buying it to proclaim: "it's trash; lowbrow horror". Fear Street Part 1: 1994 might begin with a wink to its source material — that'd be the teen-oriented RL Stine horror books that hit shelves between 1989–2005 — but that isn't the only nod it serves up. Directed and co-written by Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon), this slasher flick splashes its debts to everything from Halloween to Scream across every frame. That's part of the package, as is plenty of blood, gore, bumps and jumps. The end result is unmistakably formulaic, but aptly so; every novel in Stine's series also earned the same description, as did every Goosebumps book as well. As frequently happens in the opening scenes of horror flicks, Heather's day quickly takes a turn for the worse. That's a rather standard outcome when there's a masked killer on the loose. The next day, the town is shocked and scandalised, although not as much as it really should be — because, unlike its wealthier neighbour town Sunnyvale, Shadyside has a history of these kinds of terrible events. Conspiracy buff Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr, Your Honor) likes to chat about these sinister happenings online. The town even has a witch's curse in its past, too, so there's plenty to discuss in his 90s-era chat rooms. His older sister Deena (Kiana Madeira, Giant Little Ones) doesn't put any stock in the local ghost stories — she has dramas with her ex Sam (Olivia Scott Welch, Unbelievable) to worry about instead — but then the killer heads her way, because of course that's what happens. From there, Fear Street Part 1: 1994 does two things: follows Deena and her friends as they attempt to evade an ancient evil that's plagued the town for centuries, and sets up a trilogy that'll continue in Fear Street Part 2: 1978 and Fear Street Part 3: 1666. A different film will hit Netflix across the first three Fridays in July to add some retro scares to your winter — with Part 2 taking its cues from Friday the 13th by heading to a summer camp in its titular year, and Part 3 pondering the origins of Shadyside's curse in the 1600s. And yes, in its noticeably by-the-numbers fashion, this page-to-screen series thankfully fares better than Goosebumps did when it made the same jump. Check out the trailer for Fear Street Part 1: 1994 below: Fear Street Part 1: 1994 will be available to stream via Netflix on Friday, July 2 — followed by Fear Street Part 2: 1978 on Friday, July 9 and Fear Street Part 3: 1666 on Friday, July 16. Top image: Netflix
If your only wish for brunch is simple, nutritious food made from the freshest local produce, then Fable Coffee is the spot for you. Owners Phil Ocampo and Jessica Shaw used to sling Mexican street food at various Sydney markets, and got to know the local grocers working alongside them — they still rely on these relationships, and fresh, quality, seasonal produce is their highest priority. Simplicity is the mantra here, from the industrial-chic decor to the single-origin coffee. The passion for fresh local food is so strong at Fable that you can even purchase market produce from there, alongside its staple range of homemade goods — think chai, peanut butter and muesli. Image: Trent Van der Jagt.
Since 2019, witnessing David Tennant utter the word "angel" has been one of the small screen's great delights. Playing the roguish demon Crowley in Good Omens, the Scottish Doctor Who and Broadchurch star sometimes says it as an insult, occasionally with weary apathy and even with exasperation. Usually simmering no matter his mood, however, is affection for the person that he's always talking about: book-loving and bookshop-owning heavenly messenger Aziraphale (Michael Sheen, Quiz). With just one term and two syllables, Tennant tells a story about the show's central odd-couple duo, who've each been assigned to oversee earth by their bosses — Crowley's from below, Aziraphale's from above — and also conveys their complicated camaraderie. Also since 2019, watching Tennant and Sheen pair up on-screen has been supremely divine. The actors clearly realised it themselves, spending lockdown making comedy Staged as versions of themselves, which they then continued for two more seasons. Great double acts feel like they've always been a twosome. They seems so natural that you expect them to continue the same routine off-screen as innately as breathing. They can be playfully parodied by themselves, as Staged does, and still just as winning. And, they're often the heart and soul of whatever project they're in. Good Omens, which hails from Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's award- and fan-winning 1990 novel Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, was always going to be about Aziraphale and Crowley. And yet, including in its second season on Prime Video from Friday, July 28, it's always been a better series because it's specifically about Sheen as the former and Tennant as the latter. In the first season, the end of the world was nigh (the fact that Good Omens debuted the year before the pandemic arrived and life began to feel ominous in reality was pure coincidence). In the show's narrative, Aziraphale and Crowley faced their biggest test yet after observing humans since biblical times: the always-foretold birth of the antichrist and, 11 years later, cosmic forces rolling towards snuffing out the planet's people to start again. Hell, where Beelzebub (Anna Maxwell Martin, The Duke) led the forces, was primed for a fight to claim power. As guided by the archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm, Confess, Fletch), heaven was up for the fray, too. But in a comedic fantasy involving satanic nuns, witch hunters, prognostications, hellhounds, the four horsemen, seances, and also the simple pleasures of two pals bickering and bantering, the crisis to end all crises was ultimately averted. In the long-awaited second season, neither Aziraphale nor Crowley are beloved by their higher-ups or lower-downs thanks to their thwarting-the-apocalypse actions. One fussing over his store and remaining reluctant to sell any of its tomes, the other continuing to swagger around like Bill Nighy as a rule-breaking rockstar, they've carved out a comfortable new status quo, though, until a naked man walking through London with nothing but a cardboard box comes trundling along. He can't recall it, but that birthday suit-wearing interloper is Gabriel. He knows he's there for a reason and that it isn't good, but possesses zero memory otherwise. And, in the worst news for Aziraphale and Crowley, he has both heaven and hell desperate to find him. Returning for a second season saddles Good Omens with a considerable obstacle: when you've already told the tale that was laid out in print, what comes next? Thankfully, Gaiman is back as executive producer and co-showrunner, building upon his text with the late Pratchett by enlisting John Finnemore (That Mitchell and Webb Look) as his new co-scribe — and with director Douglas Mackinnon (a Doctor Who veteran) again helming every episode. The approach? A mystery, as Aziraphale and Crowley try to discover what's behind Gabriel's terrestrial visit. Gaiman crafts a missing-person search as well, including by the demon Shax (Rams' Miranda Richardson, switching into a new role from season one), and archangels Michael (Doon Mackichan, Toast of Tinseltown) and Uriel (Gloria Obianyo, Dune). Good Omens season two also takes a few sizeable trips elsewhere, spending time with Job (Peter Davison, Gentleman Jack) in the Land of Uz, during the Victorian era when robbing graves was a key way that surgeons advanced medicine and among undead Nazis in the Blitz in 1940s England (Finnemore solely scripts the Job segment, Ten Percent's Cat Clarke the body stealing, and Ghost Stories' Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman the zombies.) Also crucial: a few romances, commencing with Aziraphale and Crowley trying to get coffee shop proprietor Nina (Nina Sosanya, His Dark Materials) and record store owner Maggie (Maggie Service, Life) to fall in love by cribbing from Jane Austen and Love Actually filmmaker Richard Curtis. Any future season of Good Omens that purely regales audiences with Aziraphale and Crowley's past escapades would be a certain winner, but weaving such jaunts into season two still works a treat. For all of the show's drawcards — the irreverent battles for the fate of the universe, the heaven-versus-hell hijinks, the gleeful satirising of organised religion, the Paddington-esque aesthetic, the fact that anything and everything can occur (and does) in a comedy about angels and demons — Gaiman knows that Sheen and Tennant are its biggest. Cue more eager digging into Aziraphale and Crowley's bond, and more of Sheen and Tennant bouncing off of each other brilliantly. In the process, cue more unpacking the fact that Aziraphale isn't just pious and dutiful beneath his halo, nor fallen angel Crowley simply evil. And, also cue more examining what Aziraphale and Crowley mean to each other as an ever-wonderful chalk-and-cheese pair. Sheen and Tennant are visibly having a ball again, with both expressing oh-so-much through gazes, glorious line readings and the vibe that sparkles during their patter. They aren't the only ones enjoying their Good Omens stints, with Hamm leaning into his comic side — see also: 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Toast of London, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, Childrens Hospital, Medical Police, Angie Tribeca, The Last Man on Earth, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp and Confess, Fletch — with gusto. Richardson is as much of a scene-stealing marvel as she's kept proving since her Blackadder days, Bridgerton's Shelley Conn relishes playing Beelzebub's new guise and Quelin Sepulveda (The Man Who Fell to Earth) is joyous as a daffy lower angel. Indeed, even when season two overtly puts the wheels in motion for a third spin, its cast ensure that too is a great and welcome omen. Check out the trailer for Good Omens season two below: Good Omens streams from Friday, July 28 via Prime Video.
Having a drink with friends is such a simple act, but it hasn't been easy for Australians this year. During the country's periods of lockdown — including two for Victorians — clinking glasses with your mates was mostly vanquished to the realm of fantasy. So now that life is slowly returning to normal, we're betting that you're more than a little keen to gather the gang, pick up your preferred beverage and make the most of it. This year hasn't been smooth sailing for the folks who make your favourite drinks either, of course. But when you're saying cheers with your nearest and dearest, you can also say cheers to local standouts like 6Ft6, Billson's and 3 Ravens in the process. They're responsible for three of Victoria's most-loved tipples, and they have the votes to prove it as part of the BWS Local Luvvas initiative. Over the last few months, the bottle shop retailer asked Aussies to pick their top local drinks, in which the winners receive an extra helping hand with getting their products stocked in more BWS stores. That's a big show of love in a year where everyone definitely needs it — and we've chatted to the talented teams behind the scenes at 6Ft6, Billson's and 3 Ravens to hear about their journeys. THE GEELONG WINERY ON AN EX-SHEEP FARM 6Ft6 prides itself on three things: its location, its varieties, and its talented viticulture and winemaking team. They're must-haves for every winery, but this Geelong vineyard boasts a particularly intriguing story behind the first two components on that list. Not only does it sprawl across an old run-down sheep farm in the Moorabool Valley, but it originally began with 90 acres of pinot noir — because when you know what you like to drink and where you'd like to drink it, you naturally go all in. That was back in 1982, when Austin's Wines was first established. It is now run by a second generation of family members, Scott and Belinda Austin, and counts 6Ft6 among its brands. Although many folks in the industry can make the same claim, Scott and Belinda are now living the dream. "We've always had a passion for drinking wine," Belinda explains, "and the love and learnings of growing and making wine has been a fascinating journey to be on". These days, Belinda isn't just passionate about sipping 6Ft6's tipples, but sharing them. "We love to spread a little cheer wherever we go, and this has been very relevant in 2020," she notes. That's an impressive attitude to have in this difficult year, especially one that has brought so many changes to the winery. "We have had to adapt in more ways than we could have imagined, from finding ways to make up for lost revenue for events and restaurant trade, to shifting to a digital focus in our marketing efforts," Belinda says. "The only thing that hasn't changed in 2020 is the grape-growing and winemaking process. We are glad something was predictable!" THE 155-YEAR-OLD BREWERY AND DISTILLERY USING ALPINE SPRING WATER Back in 1865, when English brewer George Billson founded the company that still bears his name, he couldn't have imagined what would follow. Established in Beechworth all those years ago purely to enable easy access to the town's alpine spring water — which it uses in its spirits, beers, cordials and sodas, as sourced from a 150-year-old red-brick well onsite — Billson's is now a must-visit regional destination. "Historically, our small business has relied almost solely on regional tourism," says director Nathan Cowan. That statement doesn't apply to 2020, though. "It's definitely been a challenging year for everyone," he notes. But local support has helped to keep Billson's afloat, and keep its team busy. "It's so awesome to see so many people supporting their local producers. We wouldn't be here without it," he says. "When people choose local, they are supporting far more than just the business. There are so many flow-on benefits to the entire community." When someone chooses Billson's spirits, they're choosing a tipple made by a company that's "completely captivated by the process of spirit-making," Cowan explains, describing the team's approach as "a mix between creative expression and science". Unsurprisingly, Billson's is committed to using local ingredients in that process, too. "We are passionate about showcasing our spectacular region," Cowan says. "Our talented team use as many fresh local ingredients as possible, and we are lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing growers." THE OLDEST INDEPENDENT BREWERY IN A BEER-LOVING CITY It might seem like a fool's errand, asking a Melburnian to pick their favourite local brew — and to select only one, too. When BWS did just that, however, the city showed its support for 3 Ravens. Founded in 2003, the Thornbury-based beer makers, bar and barrel room helped kickstart Australia's craft beer scene, and did the same in Melbourne as well. Sparked by "a love for more flavoursome European style ales at a time when Australian beer drinkers' options were a little lacklustre to say the least," as general manager Nathan Liascos explains, it's now the Victorian capital's oldest independent brewery. That isn't a status that the 3 Ravens team takes lightly. "Brewing good beer is relatively easy, but brewing excellent, award-winning beer requires a lot more attention to detail," he notes. "We're firm believers that even people who claim to not like beer can be won over by an excellent example of something that aligns with their tastes — and we feel like our job is done whenever we hear 'I don't usually like beer, but...'." When you love beer and you feel just as strongly about making it, singing your favourite brew's praises isn't a hard task. But 2020 has thrown more than a few challenges 3 Ravens' way, although Liascos is looking on the bright side. "There have been some positive outcomes that we've been able to celebrate this year so far, such as seeing increased public awareness and support of local and independent businesses, and an incredible level of ingenuity and adaptation to an increasingly challenging world," he says. "It's also been fun delivering to the locals and personally meeting the people that have been supporting us through these turbulent times." To find these or other Victorian drinks as part of the BWS Local Luvva's initiative, head to your nearest BWS store.
Surrounded by water on three shores, The Entrance is nearly an island. It's an ideal place to spend a winter weekender staring into endless blue, especially when you've been desperately longing to forget all about work, traffic and the general chaos of life. And it's just a 90 minutes' drive north of Sydney. On one side lies tranquil Tuggerah Lake, and on the other, the mighty Tasman Sea. Further north are the tiny settlements of Magenta and Norah Head, where you'll come across friendly cafes, rugged lookouts and white-sand beaches backdropped by national park. Set up home base at the Pullman Magenta Shores Resort and follow our guide to fending off the winter blues with a sneaky getaway. EAT All great weekenders start with ace coffee. Get yours at the Burrow Coffee House. This cosy spot offers nice brews and beautifully composed brekkies, including a bacon and egg roll with avocado, haloumi and balsamic. When you're ready for your next brew, head a couple of kilometres south to Long Jetty. Here you'll find The Glass Onion Society, a fun, art and music-loving cafe that does Sonoma baked goods, vegan doughnuts and 'Soul Soup', among other eats sure to warm up even the frostiest morn. When lunchtime arrives, explore a bit of history in the best way possible: while eating cake. Do so by booking high tea at The Entrance Lake House, an airy, elegant cafe that's been licensed since 1905 but underwent a reno in 2012. If you happen to be around Norah Head when hunger hits, then swing by The Ark Cafe, which serves Campos coffee and gourmet bites, such as a poppyseed bagel loaded with heirloom tomatoes, haloumi, spinach, avo and pine nut pesto. This place isn't just an eatery but a social enterprise, too. A percentage of profits goes to The Welcome to Paradise Foundation, which supports aid workers in South Sudan and a food program in Nepal, among other worthy causes. There's also a quirky retail space, where you can invest in a hand-shaped surfboard created by local Christian M. Laing and peruse a bunch of ethically produced clothing and homewares. Been saving up your pennies for a posh feast or looking to impress your date? Reserve a table for dinner at Ocean, a fancy restaurant whose floor-to-ceiling windows let you gaze straight out over the Tasman. You'll get premium seafood transformed into cracking dishes, such as ocean trout with lemon mayonnaise, beetroot, asparagus, peas and potato, or mussel and shellfish chowder. A more affordable option is The Shallows Bar where you can build your own charcuterie board or grab a few wood-fired pizzas. Or head to Bistro Jinja to sample dishes from all over Asia. Tuck into Shanghai braised pork belly, Chiang Mai chicken curry and dark chocolate tart with honeycomb and sticky fig ice cream, while seeing the sunset over Lake Tuggerah. DO One of the best things about visiting The Entrance during winter is that you get all the beaches but none of the crowds. Soldiers Beach, just south of Norah Head, has the whitest sand on the Central Coast and backs onto the lush greenery of Wyrrabong National Park. While you're there, keep an eye out for whales, which pass by from May until August. An even better vantage point is Pelican Beach Road Lookout, from where you can walk the 3.4-kilometre Red Gum Trail through towering red gum forest and the 3.5-kilometre Lillypilly Loop through rainforest, cabbage palms and burrawangs. Whales aren't the only creatures worth watching around here, either. The Entrance is famous for its pelicans. It's been named the 'Pelican capital of Australia', in fact. These kooky and characterful birds make great subject matter for photos, particularly if you stop by the waterfront at 3.30pm, their daily feeding time. It's not purely about feeding either — it's a chance for volunteers to make sure none of the little guys are tangled up in hooks, lines or other debris. Make your next stop spectacular Norah Head, whose lighthouse has been operating since 1903. In fact, this became the very last lighthouse in New South Wales to lose its lighthouse keeper when it became fully automated in 1995. Half-hour tours, which take you up the building's 96 stairs for epic 360-degree views are available every day for just $6 per person. Keen to travel further? Continue another 15 kilometres north to reach Munmorah State Conservation Area, a coastal wonderland of empty beaches, lookouts and walking trails. SLEEP To sleep with still water on one side and roaring surf on the other, check into Pullman Magenta Shores Resort. This beautifully designed luxe five-star resort is ten minutes' drive north of The Entrance, on the southern edge of Wyrrabalong National Park. The resort offers apartment-style accommodation options, complete with views overlooking the landscaped gardens. Recreation is the name of the game here, so don't even think about complaining of boredom. You've got the exclusive Magenta Shores Golf Course and Country Club, a day spa, tennis courts and three swimming areas: a 2o metre indoor heated lap pool, rock pools and the Lagoon with a swim-up pool bar, all at your fingertips. Go to the AccorHotels website to book your stay in The Entrance, and to discover more of regional NSW, check out Visit NSW.
Vivid Sydney is about to kick off, and while you're planning which talks to see, figuring out where to catch a glimpse of the lights and checking which parties still have tickets going, you're probably figuring out a strategic drinking and dining plan too. The bulk of the light installations will again be set up around Circular Quay and The Rocks, and a market dedicated entirely to desserts will also run for three nights of the festival. Setting up shop in the Overseas Passenger Terminal for the third year running, the Milk 'n' Sugar Market will be on-hand for revellers craving something sweet for the first weekend of Vivid. Running from 6–11pm on May 24, 25 and 26, the market will be hocking award-winning gelato from Cow & the Moon, soft serve-filled watermelon, rainbow bagels, light-up doughnuts and a fairy floss ice cream Froot Loops 'burrito' (that's a thing) and more. You should probably skip dinner. As well as food, the market will also feature DJs and towering installations made from a range of desserts. Entry is free, but you'll need to get there early before it fills up. Milk 'n' Sugar will run from 6–11pm.
As the colder months approach and more days inside are on the horizon, you might be thinking it's time to give your pad a little refresh. Creating a beautiful living space will help you cherish more time spent at home — but actually creating that personal space can feel like a daunting task. Sure, your Pinterest board is a work of art and you binge celebrity house tour videos on YouTube. But, when it comes to recreating that stylish feel in a small space or a rental (without dropping $400 on a cashmere pillow), it's hard to know where to begin. Luckily, we have interior designer Steve Cordony on our side. In partnership with Samsung, Steve has given us some top tips to help you create the home of your dreams no matter how tight the budget or space you're working with is. START WITH A MOOD BOARD Good news: your endless scrolling on Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram isn't all in vain. In fact, according to Cordony, this is step one for any design project. "My approach is always the same. No matter if I am styling a tablescape or a whole house, I always mood-board reference images and visuals that create an overall concept, and subsequently blueprint, for the project," he says. Collect your favourite design images to form your own aesthetic. Whether you are drawn to a colourful, eclectic style or you're more into neutrals and minimalism, creating a mood board will help you establish the look you are going for. DEVELOP YOUR OWN 'STYLE DNA' While creating a mood board is an excellent way of getting inspired, it's important to not get too swept away with what's in vogue. "Just like your fashion choices, you should never try to be 'on-trend' rather than create your own unique style for your home," Cordony explains. Sure, trends are fun. But if you're on a budget, it won't be worth investing in something that'll soon feel outdated. Instead, find styles that resonate with you personally and fit in with your lifestyle. Once you develop your own sense of style, you'll know how to adapt to changing design trends and create a space that is both contemporary and timeless. As Cordony puts it: "Because I have a strong sense of my style DNA, I can allow these changes to develop and shift my work, but never alter it." FUSE THE PRACTICAL AND AESTHETIC The most important element of design is ensuring your space coincides with your lifestyle. This means choosing a couch that elevates your space while being comfortable, not opting for fabrics that look nice but are impossible to clean, and having a functional space that suits your Netflix ritual. Let's face it, the TV is a pretty central component of any home but can be tricky to style. "So many spaces I visit always try to hide it which often makes it look out of place," Cordony says. With the option to have the legs on or off, Samsung's The Serif TV will easily adapt to your personal style. "The reality is television is part of most people's everyday lives. And with incredible technology and design options at our fingertips, styling an interior with the TV in mind, and thinking of it as a piece of art or sculpture, allows you to fuse practicality and aesthetics, which is the hallmark of a successful interior," Cordony explains. PLAY WITH LIGHT For those working with a less-than-ideal smaller space, a few easy changes can brighten things up. Cordony's tip? "Keep it light! A white paint like Porters Popcorn or Dulux Vivid White instantly creates a crisp background to build your space and bounces light from wall to wall," he says. And, don't forget the magic of the mirror. "Mirrors are my go-to tip for making spaces feel larger than they are, as well as choosing bigger furniture rather than petite pieces to mirror the smaller scale space". SMALL DETAILS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE According to Cordony, simple changes can make a world of a difference when refreshing your space. "My biggest budget styling tip is hardware — think new door and joinery hardware. They will instantly lift any space and create a bold statement with a metallic accent," he says. Cordony is also a believer in the basic rule of thirds to create layers and contrast in a space. Understanding placement can make a big difference to your space without breaking the bank. "If you have amazing pieces but they're all spread out with no thought or consistency, then your eye has too many places to travel and often items get overlooked," he tells us. Instead, he suggests making smaller scenes with contrasting objects. "Creating vignettes in the space and thinking about balance and layering is key to a well-curated interior". If you're looking to add a touch of designer aesthetic to your living space, check out the products Steve Cordony used in our recent styling videos. To find out more about Samsung's The Serif, created in collaboration with celebrated industrial designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, visit the Samsung website. Images: Jarrad Shaw
The historic Bridge Street basement formerly home to Burns Philp & Co will be transformed into a nostalgic Japanese restaurant from beloved Sydney chef Mike Eggert. Merivale's latest opening will arrive in early 2024, with Good Luck Restaurant Lounge taking elements from Eggert's Totti's while celebrating big Japanese flavours. The inspiration for the venue comes from a Good Luck Pinbone pop-up that Eggert ran back in 2017. This new CBD eatery will function as somewhat of a spiritual successor to that now-closed diner, incorporating a similar mix of Italian and Asian culinary techniques and dishes. [caption id="attachment_931518" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mike Eggert, Steven Woodburn[/caption] "Pinbone leaned into a mix of Italian and Chinese cuisine, but Good Luck takes more inspiration from Tokyo," says Eggert. "Think Totti's, but then add soy, dashi, vinegar with fresh herbs, citrus and chilli." Accentuating the menu will be a fitout that takes inspiration from 1970s Japan. Merivale boss Justin Hemmes took control of the space that once acted as a bustling lumberyard, with the goal of transforming it into a diner that transports you back to Tokyo some 50 years ago. Expect to find live seafood tanks, two wine rooms, a bar, and a selection of both private and semi-private spaces accompanying the expansive Good Luck Restaurant Lounge dining room. "It's going to be a fun vibe — maybe a bit wild but not stuffy or elitist. It's got that feel where you know you'll lose track of time... it's just great food with a side of party." Good Luck Restaurant Lounge is set to open at 11 Bridge Street, Sydney in 2024. Follow its progress at the venue's Instagram.
UPDATE, January 15, 2021: Ride Your Wave is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. In the type of scene familiar from many a film, 19-year-old Hinako (voiced by Rina Kawaei) frolics around a seaside spot with her boyfriend Minato (Ryota Katayose). In the scenic Japanese city of Chiba, the pair chat, laugh, stroll and sightsee, as plenty of couples have in similar situations. Actually, this duo does so twice. The first time plays out exactly as everyone expects but, occurring well into Ride Your Wave, the lovestruck duo's repeat romantic rendezvous comes with a twist. In the kind of image that can only really be brought to the screen via animation, Hinako isn't spending time with Minato in the flesh the second time around — instead, she's dragging around an inflatable porpoise filled with water that, when she hums the pair's favourite song, manifests her boyfriend's spirit from beyond the grave. Basically, Hinako is now dating a ghost in the guise of a blow-up aquatic mammal — a spectre that can appear in anything else that's wet, such as a glass of water and even a toilet bowl, too. It's a heartfelt yet clearly strange sight, and it's an image that filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa builds his whole sweet, sensitive and charming movie around. Already known for offbeat and distinctive animated efforts such as Night Is Short, Walk on Girl and Lu Over the Wall, the Japanese director blends his fondness for weirdness with a perceptive exploration of love and loss that belongs in the same company as huge recent global hits Your Name and Weathering with You. As brought to life, vocally, by former Japanese pop idol Kawaei and fellow local pop star Katayose (whose boy band, Generations from Exile Tribe, provides the film's pivotal — and extremely catchy — tune), Hinako and Minato's story begins much earlier. Initially, she's a surf-obsessed newcomer arriving in town to study oceanography, while he's a dutiful local firefighter. They cross paths on several occasions — she frequently hits the waves near his fire station, as he just-as-frequently notices — but they don't properly connect until Minato comes to Hinako's rescue when her apartment building is set ablaze. And, if tragedy didn't strike, perhaps they would've simply lived happily ever after. As Ride Your Wave astutely realises, though, those kinds of blissful, uncomplicated tales aren't the norm for everyone. Japan's plethora of big-screen animated gems have always received ample praise for their visual prowess; given how gorgeous and glorious everything from Studio Ghibli's greats to Yuasa's own filmic back catalogue looks, that's understandable. But movies such as Ride Your Wave don't surf their way into viewers' hearts based solely on eye-popping imagery alone. At their best, these films ripple with emotional depth and resonance — and while there's much about Ride Your Wave that threatens to veer into cheesiness at times, it remains an insightful, moving and charming example of the genre. On the surface, it might appear to be just another supernatural teen romance; however from the moment that Hinako is forced to face her future alone, this is a thoughtful, delicate and observant portrait of a woman struggling with one of the worst things that can happen. As whimsical as it might sometimes seem — and as it definitely sounds on paper — there's a rich vein of melancholy in Hinako's escapades with Minato's spirit. As she continues to hold onto him in any way she can, Yuasa and screenwriter Reiko Yoshida (A Silent Voice, Okko's Inn) show a raw and profound understanding of grief, its all-encompassing impact and the reality that, to those in mourning, absolutely everything reminds them of the person they're missing. Everyone who has lost someone has returned to places they once visited together and seen memories of happier times linger at every corner. Everyone in the same position has felt their heart skip a beat when a significant song plays, too. As well as being cute and quirky, the literal inflatable porpoise in Ride Your Wave's frames gives these common and relatable experiences a physical dimension. Don't go expecting this film to receive a live-action remake any time soon, of course, not that any animated movie ever needs one. Disney might currently be obsessed with turning its cartoon hits into flesh and blood (or photorealistic approximations), but Japan's animators are well aware that their chosen medium is far more expressive — especially when it comes to matters of the heart. There's a rhythm, flow and glow to Ride Your Wave that perfectly captures its protagonist's complicated situation, and that simply wouldn't translate to any other format. There's also the feeling that, through its seemingly fanciful narrative gimmick, Ride Your Wave tackles tough emotional terrain with unflinching, heart-swelling honesty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMB7SpEvxOI Image: ©Ride Your Wave Film Partners.
Perhaps you've spent some time this year building a Lego bouquet. Or, if you're a Melburnian, you might've made a trip to a Lego recreation of Jurassic World. Whatever interactions you've had with the plastic building blocks of late — including picking up some Lego and IKEA storage boxes, meditating to the sounds of jumbled bricks or signing up for a subscription service during lockdown — you may not have thought about one inescapable fact: that all that plastic is the stuff of environmental nightmares. Lego itself hasn't been ignoring the obvious. Back in 2018, it committed to using sustainable materials in all its core products and packaging by 2030 — and it started by producing a range of sustainable pieces made from plant-based plastic, called bio-polyethylene. The next step: making its bricks from recycled plastic. And while the company isn't quite ready to start selling sets made from recycled materials in stores, it has just unveiled its first prototype bricks. The new blocks are made with PET plastic from discarded bottles, and mark the first that've been made from a recycled material to meet the brand's quality and safety standards. It took some work to get to this point, though, with materials scientists and engineers spending the past three years testing more than 250 types of PET materials — and hundreds of other plastic formulations. One of the trickiest things to nail (and one of the most important): getting the bricks to clutch together. In a statement, Lego said that "it will be some time before bricks made from a recycled material appear in Lego product boxes". From here, it'll keep testing and developing the PET-made bricks, before deciding whether to move into the pilot production phase — with this process expected to take another year at least. And if you're wondering about the plastic used in the new blocks, it has been sourced from US suppliers, with a one-litre plastic bottle providing enough raw material for ten 2 x 4 Lego bricks. For further information about Lego's sustainability plans, head to the brand's website.
UPDATE, January 16, 2023: The Menu is now streaming via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Whichever new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adaptations hit screens in the future — beyond the already-slated Timothée Chalamet-starring origin story and Netflix's animated plans to whatever else might pop up — no one need cast Ralph Fiennes as Willy Wonka. The Menu has already done so, and fantastically, albeit not in name but in tour-guiding, court-holding, string-pulling and monologue-delivering spirit. In this slickly appetising culinary thriller, the ever-versatile No Time to Die, The King's Man and The Forgiven star plays Julian Slowik, the head chef at the most exclusive of exclusive restaurants: the fictional Hawthorne, which adorns its own private island, is pickier than a fussy eater about its guest list, and comes with a cult-esque crew of kitchen and hospitality staff. And at the eatery's latest sought-after sitting, Slowik takes his patrons through an unforgettable edible adventure, unfurling surprises with every meticulously selected, prepared, served and introduced degustation course. Getting "yes chef" bellowed his way by Slowik's underlings on command, Fiennes is a sinister delight in this vicious and delicious flick. With his character terrorising staff and customers alike, but similarly trapped with his employees in the hospo grind, Fiennes is also visibly having a ball in an entertainingly slippery role. He plays the part with the instant presence to make a room of well-paying patrons snap to attention just because he's there, and his facial expressions — his eyes in particular — are a masterclass in passive malevolence. There's a cruel streak in Slowik, as there is in the movie, but The Menu is a black, bleak, vengeful comedy as well. Director Mark Mylod (What's Your Number?) and writers Seth Reiss and Will Tracy (The Onion) know the best thing to eat, aka the rich, and turn their fine-dining factory into a savage, savvy and scathingly amusing satire about coveting $1250-a-head meals but letting the workers behind them slice, steam, stir and sweat through upscale kitchen drudgery. Babbling snootily about mouth-feel before even getting to Hawthorne by boat, Tyler (Nicholas Hoult, The Great) doesn't spare a passing thought for the restaurant's workers. A self-confessed foodie who can't abide by the eatery's no-photography rule for a single course, he's in fanboy heaven after finally scoring a booking — and doesn't his companion Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy, Amsterdam) know it. She's less enthused, and her lack of fawning over her surroundings, Slowik, each plate and the theatre of it all rankles her date. She's the least-excited diner of the evening's entire list, in fact, which also spans status-chasing finance bros (The Terminal List's Arturo Castro, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series' Mark St Cyr and The Now's Rob Yang), a cashed-up couple (Mass' Reed Birney and Julia's Judith Light) who attend regularly, an arrogant food critic (Janet McTeer, Ozark) and her editor (Paul Adelstein, The Greatest Beer Run Ever), and a movie star (John Leguizamo, Encanto) with his assistant (Aimee Carrero, Spirited). Mylod and Tracy share Succession on their recent resumes — the former directing 13 episodes, the latter writing two — which has them prepped for exactly this kind of dressing down; if you're going to boil down the one percent to size, there's no better cooking school. That background shows not just in the cleaver-sharp script or dedicated attention to glossy detail, but in the commitment to bite hard into a spate of targets. Where 2022 TV sensation The Bear carved up toxic kitchen life by displaying its chaos to a so-stressful-and-accurate-it-feels-like-you're-there degree, The Menu shreds and skewers by going after money and the performative culinary antics it can bring. That's part of what makes Fiennes' role so compelling, and his portrayal with it: the film's audience can see the pull that Slowik has over his staff and customers, and the screenplay spells out his professional misdeeds, but they also know what enables such behaviour. As breadless bread courses come Tyler, Margot and company's way, plus other just-as-precisely curated dishes — the feature is structured around Slowik's titular array — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory proves just one easy influence for The Menu. The Game, David Fincher's twisty quarter-century-old thriller, is another, with Slowik and his offsiders, warden-like restaurant manager Elsa (Hong Chau, Homecoming) included, pushing and prodding Hawthorne's latest intake unbeknownst to them. Yet another source of flavour springs from 1962 surrealist gem The Exterminating Angel, about guests at a lavish party who aren't permitted to leave. There's nothing subtle in The Menu's borrowings and nods, or about The Menu overall, but that doesn't make its class warfare-fuelled cinematic feast any less satisfying. In the hospitality realm, this cutting morsel is diligent in bringing together recognisable ingredients, too; satires, even delectably brutal ones, can't be vague. The Menu's audience can give some of their thanks to Ethan Tobman's (Pam & Tommy) production design and Lindsey Moran's (Animal Kingdom) art direction, providing Hawthorne with the style and sheen of Magnus Nilsson's shuttered Fäviken in Sweden, Ferran Adrià's El Bulli in Spain and René Redzepi's Danish drawcard Noma. From San Francisco's Atelier Crenn, Michelin-starred chef Dominique Crenn acted as the movie's chief technical consultant, overseeing dishes cooked by her IRL culinary partner Juan Contreras. Like The Bear, this vision of making and plating cuisine feels so authentic that you can imagine it appearing on Chef's Table — and, continuing the flick's credentials, that show's creator David Gelb is The Menu's second unit director. All the technical proficiency anyone can amass means little if the end result isn't mouthwatering, though, but that's a problem The Menu doesn't have. Also, an extravagant meal can wow the tastebuds but dull the joy if it doesn't feel like an experience, which isn't a struggle The Menu faces, either. As tense as a pressure cooker, as smooth as a squirt of the finest olive oil and bubbling with high-quality wares — Taylor-Joy and Chau join Fiennes among the cast's standouts — Mylod's film perfects a necessary balancing act as well. Amid silky lensing by cinematographer Peter Deming (Twin Peaks season three), rhythmic splicing by editor Christopher Tellefsen (The Many Saints of Newark) and a nerve-rattling score by composer Colin Stetson (Color Out of Space), The Menu knows the difference between the artistry that restaurants like Hawthorne champion and cultivate, and the woes, disparities and oppressions of the culinary world. One it still appreciates, the other it eviscerates, and battle between the two it scorches and sears, right down to the blunt but gratifying ending.
The Imperial Erskineville's revamp has brought the inner west a lot to love — a new rooftop bar, a veggie-focused menu, regular drag shows, DJ sets and LGBTQI+ inclusive parties, plus signature cocktails in honour of iconic queens. The venue will add a new queen to that list this weekend with Karen's Martini Bar. It's a Will & Grace-themed pop-up that'll take over the space from October 5–7 and sling $9 martinis — that's right honey. Fans of the 1990s show already know that a new season will premiere on October 5, and the bar celebrates its renewal in truest fashion. First up, choose from character-themed cocktails like Karen's pink martini or Jack's espresso martini, both at just $9 a pop. The food menu will be New York City inspired, too, and each dish is paired with your choice of cocktail — think combos like the martini and hot dog ($20), martini and oysters ($24) or a shared meal of two martinis and a pepperoni pizza ($38). Then you've got the real Karen making an appearance (in the form of drag queen Krystal Kleer) to 'prop up the bar' from 4–7pm daily. And back-to-back reruns of the show will be played on large projector screens throughout the weekend, with prizes on offer to boot. Karen's Martini Bar will be open Friday from 5–8pm and Saturday through Sunday from noon–8pm.
Ikea products are notoriously frustrating to assemble, and the lack of words in their assemble instructions doesn't make it any easier. While their commitment to sustainability and not wasting paper is admirable, surely a few words here and there wouldn't kill too many more extra trees. But have you ever been tempted to just throw the instructions out and see what happens? Italian design firm Teste Di Legno did just that, although more out of curiosity than frustration. While assembling some new office furniture, they came up with the idea of "enriching" one piece of furniture with bits of another, which led to the creation of their 'Lato B' collection — four pieces of multipurpose Franken-furniture made entirely out of reimagined Ikea products. For instance, their 'Unacucina' ('one kitchen') piece combines a coffee table, toy storage and flower pots with an island bench to create a quirky, one-off piece of furniture that even has space for a herb garden. On Teste di Legno's website, they describe the process of making the collection as being "like moving around a body to discover the less visible parts (from side A to side B), or illuminating with a ray of light the dark part — not of the moon — which forces a design to have a fixed, rigid, defined identity: a table is a table." Although 'Ikea hacking' is not a new idea, this is definitely among the more creative attempts we've seen. Via PSFK.
Albert Hammond Jr., guitarist for The Strokes, is on the road again. But, this time, he's headlining in Australia as a solo act for the first time ever. On top of appearing at Mountain Sounds Festival on Saturday, February 20, he'll be passing through Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne for his first ever headline tour. Hammond Jr.'s third solo album, Momentary Masters was released in July 2015 to critical acclaim. Five years had passed since his previous work, ¿Cómo Te Llama? and seven since his debut, Yours to Keep. Snap up tickets to his only Sydney show at the Oxford Arts Factory this Friday, February 19.
With Wunderlich Lane opening its doors in mid-2024, the time has come for this bustling hospitality precinct to host its debut winter event — NightShift. Presented for one week only from Monday, June 16–Sunday, June 22, guests will have to chance to celebrate the winter solstice through immersive installations, surprising culinary collaborations, roving performances and even a noodle-fuelled rave. Kicking off the week, Olympus hosts the NightShift Greek Feast Launch Party, serving an inventive feast inspired by ancient Hellenic banquets. With bookings available for groups of ten, this lavish sit-down extravaganza is complemented with table flowers designed by Doctor Cooper, mind-blowing art performances between courses, and hypnotic instrumental grooves performed by GODTET. The following night, music brainiacs Myf Warhurst and Zan Rowe take over Baptist Street Rec Club for 'The Best Music Quiz Ever' on Tuesday, June 17. Then, S'WICH and Regina La Pizzeria will get together for the 'After-Work Pizzetta Party' from Wednesday, June 18–Thursday, June 19. Dine on limited-release pizzetta sandwiches, as Barney Kato and Adi Toohey soundtrack an evening of vinyl deep cuts. On Saturday, June 21, Island Radio hosts a 'Noodle Rave with JNETT' featuring six hours of feasting and booming beats. For something at a slower pace, R by Raita Noda presents 'The Whole Fish' on the same night, breaking down an entire tuna as part of an atmospheric sushi demonstration, while immersed in a Toshiki Ohta soundscape. With several more dining, drinking and relaxation events to explore — both ticketed and walk-ins — let NightShift guide your winter solstice to untold heights.
A man, his family and a firearm: all three sit at the heart of The Seed of the Sacred Fig. A girl and a gun might've been late, great French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard's perfect formula for a movie, but Iranian writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof now adapts that setup around his own cinematic passion: fighting back against the Iranian regime. IRL, over the course of more than two decades, he's faced the wrath of his homeland's censorship, seen his work banned, been prohibited from making movies and from leaving the country, and endured multiple prison sentences. When Rasoulof's eighth and latest masterful and moving feature debuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, he was in attendance after fleeing Iran, where a new eight-year jail term had just been handed down. The first shoots of the idea for The Seed of the Sacred Fig came to the filmmaker while the now-exiled talent was incarcerated. Imprisoned during the 2022–23 Women, Life, Freedom protests that sprang from the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, he saw the movement from inside Evin Prison in Tehran. Upon his release, it became part of his new big-screen narrative, with the picture even incorporating real on-the-ground footage. Also guiding The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a question that Rasoulof has long contemplated from his dealings with the regime — and that flowed through in his prior film, 2020 Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear-winner There Is No Evil — also: "how do people who work with the system function internally?". As the protests about the loss of a woman arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly also were, Rasoulof's Best International Feature Oscar-nominee is a snapshot of generational clashes and change, too. The man: Iman (Missagh Zareh, Homeless), who has just been promoted to investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court. The family: his wife Najmeh (Soheila Golestani, Two Dogs), college-aged daughter Rezvan (debutant Mahsa Rostami) and younger offspring Sana (Setareh Maleki, Cafe). The gun: Imam's service piece, freshly bestowed upon him for his new role. When the weapon goes missing, he starts pointing fingers, already paranoid about the public fallout from his job and now suspecting those closest to him — the youngest of which are only just learning what he does for a living. Adding to the powder-keg situation: the nationwide political uprising, which has Imam signing death sentences, comes to his home courtesy of Rezvan's friend Sadaf (Niousha Akhshi, The Lion Skin) and puts the family matriarch at odds with his horrified daughters. At Cannes — where Rasoulof's 2013 film Manuscripts Don't Burn won the FIPRESCI Prize and his 2017 feature A Man of Integrity emerged victorious in the Un Certain Regard section — The Seed of the Sacred Fig collected five different accolades from its berth in the main competition, a Special Jury Prize among them. Other film festival audience awards have also come its way, including in Sydney, plus nominations at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs. To get the movie to viewers, though, and to make it to begin with, involved shooting in secret with Rasoulof largely unable to be on set. Then came the 28-day journey out of Iran to Germany, the country that The Seed of the Sacred Fig represents at the 2025 Academy Awards. What does the global response to the film — the festival slots, popping up at Locarno, Melbourne, New Zealand, Telluride, Toronto, New York, Busan, London, Adelaide and Brisbane events as well, and many others; the nominations and prizes, right through to the Oscars — mean to Rasoulof given what he went through to bring the movie to fruition and ensure that audiences could see it? "I'm very happy that a film that half of which had not yet been shot exactly one year ago, while we were shooting, is being seen by worldwide audiences and doing so well," he tells Concrete Playground. "And I think it's not just me. I think everyone involved in its making is very happy, because what brought us together really was fighting for artistic freedom — and all we dreamt of was managing to complete the shoot without being arrested." How does Rasoulof navigate the scrutiny, oppression and attempted censorship that comes his way each time that he makes a film? How did The Seed of the Sacred Fig evolve from seeing how Iranian women were protesting to following a family of three women and an investigating judge impacted by the uprising? What does the reality of directing a movie in secret entail — and what impact does it have on the finished product, given how much energy is expended just to avoid the authorities' attention? Digging into a powerful picture that's designed to inspire questions with the man behind it, we also asked Rasoulof about all of the above. On Navigating the Scrutiny, Oppression and Attempted Censorship That Rasoulof Faces Whenever He Makes a Film "Well, I think the biggest difference, if I think about one year ago and now, is hope. Of course, I did have hope one year ago, but the hope I have now is much greater. It was really like a small crack through which the lights came in that I could see in the distance. And it's grown, and this gives me greater energy to continue working and to continue living. And I don't think it's just me. I think again, all my cast and crew feel exactly the same way or similarly." On How The Seed of the Sacred Fig Evolved From Seeing How Iranian Women Were Protesting to Following a Family of Three Women and an Investigating Judge Impacted by the Uprising "For many years, I was very curious about the people who work in the regime, in the different parts of the regime that I had dealings with — the security operators, the censorship operators, the judiciary. And I was really concerned with trying to understand, on the one hand, how they think, but also while they interrogated me, I'd be wondering 'how do we differ? Why are they unable to understand me and why am I unable to understand them?'. And so this curiosity stayed for me, and I was always hoping I could find an opportunity to explore it in a film. In 2022, I was arrested a few months before the Woman, Life, Freedom movement began. And after the movement began — at its height, in fact — I had a chance encounter with a senior prison official, who told me how he'd come to hate himself and even thought about taking his life because of his job and his collaboration with the regime, and how fiercely he got criticised and pressurised all the time by his children because of his job. And at that point I thought it would be really interesting to tell a story about a family where such a big divide had arisen, but which would also, at the same time, allow me to pursue that question that had stayed with me for all these years about how do people who work with the system function internally." On the Parallels Between the Film Being Made Clandestinely and the Secrets Being Kept Among the Family in the Movie "The limitations move along with you from the moment you start writing the script. They always accompany you when, of course, you're working in a repressive regime. And so you've got to find new ways ahead to make your film, but that also leads to a very strong awareness of the choices you're making — because if you make the wrong choice, you might not be able to continue. So we go to sets on the basis of decisions we've made early on to suit in a very precise way. And yet, during the shoot, there will always be unpredicted variables, things, problems, unexpected scenarios whereby you've got to make a different choice to what you were expecting in the moment. So you can plan as much as you want, but it's only when it comes to executing the work that you realise 'if I can't shoot, if I can't do that as planned, how can I proceed?'. And limitations really force you to find new paths forward." On Directing a Feature When You're Not Able to Be On Set "I started shooting and making films and 35mms during the analogue periods, when you didn't know what you'd see, really — what you were filming until later when it was developed in in a lab. And so you had a general impression and general image, but you didn't have a precise image or impression. And then later on, the video assist was introduced, where you could sort of control the set and watch the monitor at the same time — which became very fascinating for me and for lots of other filmmakers, because we were able to focus on the monitor. And in a way, [that's how] we made this film — we had a monitor that I had access to online while directing remotely. And then I had a secure sound connection to the set, mediated by a number of assistants. Of course, it was very slow. There were interruptions. There were moments when the connection was lost, and so I'd lose the control of the set for various minutes and then we had to reestablish it — so it was very laborious and difficult. But what mattered the most was that I was able to maintain, the priority was for me to maintain my concentration, but also to make do with the slowness and the inevitable delays. Wherever possible, of course, I would come as close as possible to set or actually appeared a few times, and that was much more fun and much better." On the Approach to Casting — and to Building an On-Screen Family — When You're Making a Movie in Secret "It's always difficult to compose a family in any film, because the members of the family have to look similar in a convincing way to the audience. So of course, if you're making a film underground, it becomes much more difficult to compose a believable family, because you're choosing from a much smaller pool of actors. But we spent a lot of time on this with my close collaborators, examining all the possibilities. And once we selected the father and the younger daughter, we then managed to find the mother and the older daughter. But yes, it was very difficult. It was extremely time-consuming. But I think in the end we were very successful." On How Having to Work in Secret, and the Energy That Goes Into It, Impacts a Finished Film "Well, when you're working with this kind of pressure, you always do have this feeling that you may manage to escape the system, and to ignore it and to defy it, but it doesn't mean you're escaping limitations. You're simply working with a different set of limitations. What is paramount to me is that the audience, when it watches the film, should not feel that the film was made with this sort of limitation. Of course, there are lots of aspects that I would have liked to play more with under different circumstances, but let's say the priority is really for the audience to feel that they're watching something that wasn't shot under this kind of duress." The Seed of the Sacred Fig opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, February 27, 2025.
Here's your chance to thank a major enabler of your binge TV habit. The man responsible for bringing you 3720 hours of glee, revulsion, frustration and satisfaction, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, is coming to Australia. He'll be making one exclusive appearance at the Sydney Town Hall as part of the Sydney Writers' Festival (an early part; he's here May 1 while the rest of the festival kicks off May 19). The discussion will zero in on Gilligan's creative process and presumably provide a platform for all your Better Call Saul-related questions. Even though Gilligan might be the most 'read' writer at the festival, there's plenty else in the program announcement to warrant attention and ticket-getting. Big international names include that other confounding New Zealand prodigy, 2013 Booker Prize winner for The Luminaries Eleanor Catton (who is, we're constantly being reminded, 28). There's also right-of-passage author Irvine Welsh, journalist/press freedoms fighter Jeremy Scahill, Super Sad True Love Story writer/famous blurbist Gary Shteyngart, and Eimear McBride, who in 2013 threw out the laws of grammar and emerged with the bizarrely comprehensible A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing. Artistic director Jemma Birrell doesn't appear to be trying to reinvent the wheel or tweet the wheel or performance art the wheel; the 2014 Sydney Writers' Festival is geared towards solid programming that mixes interesting minds. "Over 400 writers will bring their insight and knowledge, their creativity and contemplation, to help us see life from a different perspective," she says of the festival. Bondi Beach and Bowral are new venues, and there's a fun-looking series putting the spotlight on Literary Friendships (it generously counts siblings as friends, so writers Benjamin and Michelle Law are included). Now a fixture of the festival, the Chaser-run Festival Club is where things will get relaxed and sweary at the end of the day. The Sydney Writers' Festival is on May 19-25 (apart from lone wolf Vince). Tickets are on sale from 9am on Friday, April 4, via the festival website. Check out our picks of the top ten events at the Writers' Festival,
I once stood in line for a really long time to get a book signed by David Sedaris. During the wait, he proposed that smokers go to the start of the line because they've been getting such a bad rap lately. When I, a non-smoker who had to stay at the back, finally reached the front of the line he was just about ready to go. He asked me when was the last time I had eaten a lamington, pronouncing it lamming-tohn. I explained to him the tradition of the 'lamington drive' as a fundraising tool and he took a little notebook out of his breast pocket and wrote it down. He used it the next day in a speech he gave. I WAS THRILLED. Life could not get better. Then I found out he was touring Sydney again.It's these kind of small thrills that make up David Sedaris' memoirs, tales mostly mined from his large family. The first time I saw him speak live he wondered aloud about why his kin might be annoyed by his liberal lifting of their speech, his line of thought being "well what are [they] going to do with it?". His family offer many stories, particularly pertaining to his genius sister Amy (Strangers with Candy) and a filthy-mouthed younger brother known affectionately as The Rooster. His books â€" New York Times bestsellers, all â€" draw directly from his childhood, and more recently include tales of life with boyfriend Hugh in the French countryside that would seem idyllic to many, but to Sedaris it is a hotbed of intrigue teeming with zombie threat and "swimming" mice. A frequent contributor to The New Yorker and the much loved NPR radio show This American Life, David Sedaris is, how can I say this without seeming too forceful, not to be missed. His voice and particular talent with the pregnant pause add a whole new level of dry wit and sensitivity to his books which you should probably run out and read if you've not already. This is his third reading tour of Sydney, and his first at the State Theatre. Run/click quickly for tickets.https://youtube.com/watch?v=upXWyZ9Pe3Q
As far as food and drink matches go, the combination of messy Buffalo wings and an ice cold can of beer is one for the ages. And yet, only now has this classic duo spawned a Sydney restaurant of its own, with best mates Anthony MacFarlane and Alfredo Perez opening Darlinghurst joint, Wings and Tins. To make up for lost time, the boys are going hard on the concept — an assortment of wing varieties decked out with house-made sauces, seven styles of fries, and an enormous lineup of tinnies ranging from local craft brews to foreign favourites. As the kitchen flexes its creative muscles, there'll be new wings specials unleashed each week, but currently the menu has with nine types of wings including this beauty: a double fried, bacon-wrapped wing, served on a waffle with hot sauce, maple syrup and lime aioli. Regular offerings run the gamut from smoky chipotle barbecue wings, to a blackberry and brown sugar version. And, if you fancy playing with fire, there's the T-bone's Doom Juice wings, doused in a sauce made from Carolina Reaper chillies. Down a whole serve to get your mug on the wall of fame, or order the Russian Roulette, where one of these mouth-burners is secretly stashed amongst a basket of regular wings. As for the space, Perez and MacFarlane have taken over the former digs of Darlinghurst's No Name, decking it out with a series of cosy booths, each one complete with a can-crusher and its own theme. Spend the evening chowing down on wings and slamming cans, in a seat styled like a vintage Swedish ski cabin.
If you're looking for a place with history in this fair city of ours, this lavish abode has plenty. Dating back to the mid-1800s, Elizabeth Bay House was once known as the 'finest house in the colony' — a label earned due to its furniture, its staircase, its views over Sydney Harbour and, well, its all-round extravagance. Its sprawling 54-acre garden may no longer exist but, all these years later, you can still tour the premises and see the house's opulence for yourself. If you're feeling particularly flush, it's available to hire for events as well. Images: Tony Yeates, Peter Solness / Destination NSW.
The Source Bulk Foods is a busy little slice of Glebe's best shopping strip. The corner store offers a healthy, organic and waste free approach to stocking your home full of ingredients for delicious snacks and fragrant meals. Since 2012, the family owned business has sprung up multiple successful stores from its home in Byron Bay all the way to Glebe Point Road. The focus is simple: healthy, organic food free from plastic packaging. Take a few jars down and fill up on what you need, minimising waste and embracing a healthier lifestyle.
After sitting out 2024, Adelaide's Harvest Rock announced earlier this month that it will return for its third iteration in October of this year. The music festival, known for bringing international heavy-hitters to South Australia — like 2023's Jamiroquai and Nile Rodgers & CHIC, and 2022's Groove Armada and Jack White — has delayed the 2025 lineup drop, previously expected on Tuesday, August 12. Last night, the festival teased a massive potential headline act via its Instagram account — posting a crowd photo with text overlay "Is This It?" and the caption "We know you were expecting the Harvest Rock lineup today, so… is this it?" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Harvest Rock (@harvestrockfest) The mention of Is This Is It, the 2001 debut studio album by American rock band The Strokes, had indie music fans immediately taking to the comment section to express their excitement about the act's possible inclusion, with statements like "Skinny jeans are back!!!" and "I'm going to vomit. Am I actually going to see The Strokes?" The festival will occur across two days this October, Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th, with tickets available for either or both. In addition to showcasing a plethora of local and international music talent, Harvest Rock will also cater to lovers of good food and wine (plentiful in the South Australian region), and with a third stage hosting culinary events and a live comedy roster. While we still don't know when the full 2025 Harvest Rock lineup is set to drop, presale for tickets is still scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, with general tickets on sale on Wednesday, August 20. Harvest Rock 2025 will take place at Rymill and King Rodney Parks in October. You can sign up for the presale and be notified about lineup announcements via the Harvest Rock website. Images: Zennieshia Butts / Mitch Lowe.
Cavalier is a bustling espresso bar championing small-scale local produce. Not only does it churn out specialty coffee, but also has next-level sandwiches and baked goods. The coffee comes way of a number of local independent roasters including (but not limited to) Five Senses, Stitch, Market Lane and Double Tap. So, it's great spot for a morning coffee as well as spot of lunch, and there is a particular focus on some truly spectacular toasties. The team has also opened a second space dubbed Cavalier 2.0. The second outpost is more of a restaurant, but still has the same sustainable and local ethos. It's got more of a fine dining menu, alongside a smart list of minimal intervention wines. Both Cavaliers have a relaxed, neighbourhood feel and are easily accessible from the heart of Crows Nest. Images: Samantha Andison at Studio Sojourn
The silly season may be over, but that doesn't mean the country's (or your) cultural calendar is looking too bare. Some of the year's most exciting and immersive art exhibitions have opened their doors across the nation this autumn. Which is particularly exciting, because interstate borders are all fully open for the first time since the start of the pandemic — and there are cheap flights aplenty. So, get out your diaries and plan trips to walk over giant Monet artworks, visit Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' and explore decaying rooms filled with street art. We've rounded up the best art exhibitions happening across the country this autumn.
Chic, sleek and stylish alert: Australia's most stunning places to drink, eat, grab a coffee and spend a night away from home have just been named for 2023. Each year, the Eat Drink Design Awards shower some love — aka its annual hospitality design accolades — on Australia's most stunning bars, eateries and hotels. On this year's list are a heap of Sydney venues, plus spots in Melbourne and Adelaide as well. If soaking in gorgeous surroundings while you sip, snack and slumber is your ideal way of heading out of the house, then consider the awards' yearly picks a must-visit guide. At these spots — all of which were completed between July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023 — chefs, signature dishes, creative cocktails, stellar coffee and comfortable beds aren't the only attractions. [caption id="attachment_929397" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Beau and Dough, Romello Pereira[/caption] For restaurants, cafes and hotels, Sydney emerged victorious. In fact, the Harbour City is so stacked with beautiful and innovative places for a meal that two shared the restaurant category: Beau and Dough in Surry Hills and Kiln at Ace Hotel Sydney. The first was praised for "designing for two separate yet interconnected venues", while the second earned compliments because its "design plugs into current conversations about sustainability, collaboration and community". In the cafe field, S'wich Bondi in Bondi Beach got the nod. "This little gem is a brave circuit breaker; it's not your average pitstop cafe-sandwich bar. A beautifully crafted bespoke space that aesthetically delivers in spades, it manages to weave together urban chic and Bondi's laid-back, fashionable culture," said the 2023 Eat Drink Design Awards jury, which consisted of Good Food journalist Emma Breheny, Akin Atelier director Kevin Ho, Hassell associate Di Ritter, The Bentley Restaurant Group chef and owner Brent Savage, and Artichoke acting editor Amy Woodroffe. [caption id="attachment_929398" align="alignnone" width="1920"] S'wich Bondi, Claudia Smith[/caption] Over in the hotel category, Capella Sydney was singled out. "The jury members were all impressed by this example of adaptive reuse. What used to be a government building has been painstakingly restored such that the original property, once inaccessible to most people, has been given new life and opened up to the public," the statement about this pick noted. For the best bar design, lock in drinks in the South Australian capital, with Adelaide's Dolly in Unley winning the gong. This is a "tactile wine bar" and "boasts a distinctive and timeless ambiance", said the jury, which also called out the fact that "the project's creative vision revolved around transforming the existing space into an experiential haven for locals". Victorian venues took out the retail deign and identity design fields, with the former going to LeTAO in Melbourne and the latter to Kōri Ice Cream in Hawthorn. [caption id="attachment_929400" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kōri Ice Cream, Architects EAT, Saville Coble[/caption] For the 2023 Hall of Fame Award, Sydney French restaurant Bistro Moncur in Woolhara, as designed by Tzannes, received recognition. As it does every year, this year's Eat Drink Design Awards also named commendations in various categories. Among the venues also getting some praise: Babylon Brisbane, the now-shuttered Butler in South Brisbane, Glory Days Bondi, Convoy in Moonee Ponds, Sydney's Hotel Morris and Bar Morris, Fitzroy's Pidapipó Laboratorio and Glenside's Kin Seafood. [caption id="attachment_929401" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bistro Moncur[/caption] "There was a diverse aesthetic in this year's winners expressing a lot of individuality, suggesting clients have allowed their design teams to lean into strong concepts and narratives. Plenty of examples of ambitious interiors offer complete sensory experiences, drama and bespoke craftsmanship," said the jury. "The very high level of design execution and attention to detail deserves extra praise this year, given the social and economic climate these works have occurred within. The judges applauded those designs that took risks and tried something innovative; yet at the same time, they praised designs that spoke softly and will likely retain relevance for decades in an industry with a proclivity for impermanence." [caption id="attachment_929402" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Capella Sydney, Timothy Kaye[/caption] [caption id="attachment_924664" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kiln, Anson Smart[/caption] [caption id="attachment_929403" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dolly, Jonathan VDK[/caption] 2024 EAT DRINK DESIGN AWARDS WINNERS: Best Restaurant Design: Beau and Dough by Smart Design Studio (Surry Hills, NSW) and Kiln, Ace Hotel Sydney by Fiona Lynch Interior Design (Sydney, NSW) Best Cafe Design: S'wich Bondi by Studio Shand (Bondi Beach, NSW) Best Bar Design: Dolly by Genesin Studio (Unley, SA) Best Hotel Design: Capella Sydney by Bar Studio (Sydney, NSW) Best Retail Design: LeTAO by K Holland Architectural Interiors (Melbourne, VIC) Best Identity Design: Kōri Ice Cream by Principle Design (Hawthorn, VIC) For the full list of winners and commendations, head to the Eat Drink Design website. Top image: Kiln, Anson Smart.
Still on a high from watching Ash Barty become an Australian Open champion in January? Us too. Thankfully, there'll be plenty of exciting tennis happening in Sydney in March when Australia's bid for the Davis Cup kicks off at Sydney Olympic Park. On Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 the Aussie team takes on Hungary at Ken Rosewall Arena. Head down to see the country's best athletes including Australia's top-ranked male player, Alex de Minaur, who'll be leading the charge alongside recent Australian Open doubles champion Thanasi Kokkinakis, Alexei Popyrin and doubles specialists John Peers and Luke Saville. Keen to head along? Tickets are on sale now and are $29 per person, with kids under 14 able to attend for free. So, round up your crew and get ready to cheer on Australia as they try to advance to the Davis Cup finals. Australia takes on Hungary to qualify for the Davis Cup Finals on Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 at Ken Rosewall Arena at Sydney Olympic Park. For more information and to nab tickets, visit the website.
After recent exploits in the US and Europe, PVT are becoming old hands at the whole ‘touring’ thing. They’ve supported high profile acts such as Bloc Party, Menomena and Gotye and, over the course of their career to date, have toured Australia several times in support of their creative efforts. The latest of these efforts is Homosapien, a thrilling example of PVT’s instrumental prowess and creative capabilities. This album is their fourth, and it brings together all of the great elements of their previous releases dating back to 2005 (released under the name Pivot). They have wasted no time in inserting themselves into the Australian music consciousness. Indeed, the trio have had taken the country by storm with their brand of electro-laden music that blends ethereal elements with grounded, contemporary hooks. Homosapien sees the band place more emphasis on vocals, adding an intimate element to their experimental soundscapes. Joining PVT on their tour is the up and coming electro-RNB duo, Collarbones, who have been making waves since releasing Die Young last year. They are being hailed as a great genre-bending talent, much like their tour buddies, PVT. Get in quick and secure a ticket. Trust me, you’ll be blown away.
There were a few risks involved in the opening of Son of a Baker, the patisserie-cum-cafe in south Sydney suburb San Souci. The first was co-owner Roman Urosevski's decision to break out on his own rather than take over the family bakery as assumed; his father has been running the popular Alexander's Bakery for over two decades. The second was the location: Son of a Baker sits within a nondescript strip of shops at the sleepy Dolls Point-end of the Grand Parade — not exactly the type of place even locals would expect to find a decent feed. In an attempt to neutralise these risks, Urosevski teamed up with Marcus Gorgè, a Sydney cafe veteran (Local MBassy, Chimichuri), to open the cafe in early 2018. And it's safe to say: the risk paid off. Within only a few weeks, the Alexander's Bakery outpost in Westfield Miranda switched to a Son of a Baker store — a vote of confidence from Dad — and when we visited on a wintry Sunday morning, it was teeming with people. To figure out why, let's start with the space. Designer Korolos Ibrahim kept things things sleek and modern — pale timber tables, parquet flooring, washed cement walls and a marble counter holding a matte white coffee machine. The small space is made bigger by bifold windows overlooking the street and beach beyond. Up the back, a glass divider lets the curious look on as the pastry chefs get to work. It's small details like this that add warmth and character. Another one is the burek, a baked and stuffed Balkan pastry, which Urosevski used to make with his father. If you haven't cottoned on yet, this familial relationship is where the cafe's cheeky moniker comes from. Burek flavours vary, but during our visit there was pulled pork (soaked in orange and passionfruit) and spinach and leek. The cafe's two Macedonian pastry chefs, who were brought over from Alexander's Bakery, have also refined the dough to be vegan. It's important to call out here that the burek simply shouldn't be missed — but easily could be with red velvet croissants, nutella cronuts and strudels also on offer. Where Son of a Baker's fit-out is stunning in its simplicity, its food takes the opposite approach. Every plate on the eat-in menu has been designed by Gorgè to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible, which shows a strong attention to detail, but also means that food envy here is a very real danger. The menu is divided into brunch dishes and sweet treats. More than half of the former are vegetarian and there are varied cultural nods throughout — think shakshuka ($18), a falafel bowl ($19) and piperchi ($18), charred peppers, aged lamb prosciutto and feta with scrambled eggs. But if looks are important (hey, no judgement here), you'll want to opt for one of the burgers — barramundi with miso butter ($24), pulled pork with pear sauce ($22) or chicken with shiso slaw ($19) — served on a charcoal milk bun. Or there's the signature lobster tail benedict ($25) which, yes, is just as decadent as it sounds — three generous strips of lobster tail, two poached eggs, scallops, smashed avo, orange gel and hollandaise served in a croissant. There's a lot going on. It's not really a cohesive dish, but it's certainly fun. As is the butterfly pancakes ($18) which incorporate the uber-trendy butterfly pea powder to give the pancakes a purple hue. Drinks are simpler, but no less colourful, with coffee by Zest, freshly squeezed juices, smoothies and, no surprises, heavenly red velvet and taro lattes. Service is warm, in the way you'd expect from a neighbourhood spot, and slick, in the way you might not. It's the final piece of the puzzle that has seen this small suburban eatery go from strength to strength. It might take a little extra effort to get to Son of a Baker, but you'll be glad you made the trip. Images: Michael Wee.
When Presumed Innocent begins, Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal, Road House) has devoted his career to putting away Chicago's criminals. As the chief deputy under the city's District Attorney, he's long lived and breathed his job, plus the upholding-the-law responsibility that comes with it. He knows the city's wrongdoers. He knows the system that punishes them for their misdeeds. He knows the courts and their inner workings. In other words: he knows how to do his job and, he thinks, how to make his hometown safer. Sabich is well-aware of what legally befalls those who fall afoul of society's standards, too — but what he isn't expecting, not for a second, is to be soon treated the same way. Audiences with knowledge of both film and literary history can see what's coming. This eight-part Apple TV+ series is the latest page-to-screen show from David E Kelley — and also another program with a story that already made the leap from bookshelves to the big screen before getting the television treatment. In recent years, Kelley has ushered A Man in Full, Anatomy of a Scandal, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Undoing and Big Little Lies down the first route. He's taken The Lincoln Lawyer down the second as well. His pedigree spinning legal narratives dates back to LA Law, The Practice, Ally McBeal and Boston Legal. Now, he's adapting author Scott Turow's debut 1987 novel, which initially became a hit 1990 Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny)-starring feature. Turning Presumed Innocent's tale into a series and the passage of more than three decades are each a gift to its complexity, strengthening and building it in the way that a prosecutor with the aid of time and the perspective that it affords might construct their approach. There's more of the former, obviously, to fill out the intricacies of a scenario where a hotshot legal eagle usually firmly on the right side of the law is now a suspected murderer — and more space to ensure that the misogyny of the 80s and 90s doesn't still shine through. When Presumed Innocent became a movie, it was in the Fatal Attraction, Disclosure and Basic Instinct era, when Michael Douglas (Franklin) kept providing the face of men supposedly victimised by assertive women. If he'd led this picture, it wouldn't have come as a surprise. But just as Fatal Attraction has been updated for the small screen, so has Presumed Innocent. The setup: with being the main attorney under DA Raymond Horgan (Bill Camp, who also appeared in A Man in Full) already a fraught situation — aka an election year — Sabich's life is upended when his colleague Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve, 2021's Cannes Best Actress-winner for The Worst Person in the World) is found dead. The circumstances closely resemble a case that the two had previously worked on, so Rusty takes point in attempting to bring the perpetrator to justice. It seems a logical choice. Only professional envies fuel any qualms in the office. That said, what only his supportive wife Barbara (Ruth Negga, Good Grief) knows is that Rusty and Carolyn had an affair, which almost tore apart the Sabichs' marriage. A secret like that doesn't stay quiet, especially with Horgan's adversary Nico Della Guardia (O-T Fagbenle, Loot) and Rusty's ambitious counterpart Tommy Molto (Peter Sarsgaard, Memory) looking to appease the electorate, and quickly, as they each aspire to climb to the top jobs. No one needs to commence an investigation to uncover the resentment directed like daggers from Tommy to Rusty, both before and after the latter's romance with Carolyn is exposed. Kelley has a penchant for courtroom dramas, so that's where Presumed Innocent is headed, with Rusty on trial for murder. Kelley of late also adores facades crumbling, equally revealing how pledging to live happily ever after with the one that you love isn't the same as truly knowing them. Rusty's obsession, with the fixated texts and emails to prove it, are that shattering. The question lingers, as it's meant to: does Presumed Innocent's protagonist deserve the viewers' presumption of innocence? The legal system must impart it, although Molto and his gleeful smirk can't, won't and don't. But should those watching give him the benefit of the doubt (and there are many doubts)? Should heartbroken artist Barbara and her and Rusty's teenaged kids Jaden (debutant Chase Infiniti) and Kyle (Kingston Rumi Southwick, 9 Full Moons), for that matter, or Horgan and his wife Lorraine (The Color Purple's Elizabeth Marvel, Camp's IRL spouse) as well? Also, as the series embraces Apple TV+'s beloved murder-mystery genre (see also: The Afterparty, Bad Sisters, Black Bird and Criminal Record, for example), what other queries should Detective Alana Rodriguez (Nana Mensah, The Diplomat) be asking as she helps Rusty attempt to clear his name? Presumed Innocent hasn't skimped on casting, to its advantage. With Gyllenhaal, who haunted in Donnie Darko and Nightcrawler in immensely different ways, the show earns not only a gripping central performance but a slippery one. Kelley doesn't ever paint his protagonist as a hero or anything as clearcut. Amid frames that do the same visually, he sees both the light and the darkness, which Gyllenhaal can jump between like flipping a switch. As both Reinsve and Negga flesh out the women caught up in Rusty's mess, and Sarsgaard eats up the screen — particularly when Rusty and Molto face off in court — Presumed Innocent poses more questions, however, about taking any one trait or behaviour as indicative of a broader picture. Lying in some instances doesn't mean lying always. Having a loved one's back isn't the start of unconditional and perpetual reassurance. Putting your career first once isn't the same as doing it forever. Bearing a grudge doesn't mean being driven by only animosity. With murkiness and shades of grey, there's also no holding back, then — or on twists. Cliffhangers land at the end of most episodes, as tailor-made for a viewing model that began with a double drop, then doles out the rest of the episodes week by week, regardless of if that's how viewers watch. While what it will entail beyond a brand-new case hasn't been revealed, including for its stars, a second season is on the way. Alongside season one's fellow executive producer JJ Abrams (Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker), Kelley will be back, though, so presuming that more comfortable lives will implode is more than reasonable. Check out the trailer for Presumed Innocent below: Presumed Innocent streams via Apple TV+.
Screening at Sydney's Ritz Cinemas in Randwick between Thursday, February 16–Tuesday, March 7, Europa! Europa Film Festival is back for its second year, after debuting in 2022 with an impressive lineup. This time around, there's 29 movies on the bill from 24 different countries, covering everything from awards contenders to beloved masterpieces. Hailing from France, eco-thriller The Blaze will kick things off, while Europa! Europa 2023 will come to a close with the Judi Dench- and Jennifer Saunders-starring British drama Allelujah. In-between, the range of flicks includes fare from Italy, Estonia, Ukraine and Croatia, plus Georgia, Spain, Germany and Romania. The list goes on, with France particularly well-represented. Gallic cinema buffs, consider this your warm up for the upcoming Alliance Française French Film Festival. An absolute must-see, especially if you've never had the pleasure before on a big screen, is Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colours Trilogy. With Three Colours: Blue starring Juliette Binoche (The Staircase), Three Colours: Red led by Irène Jacob (The OA) and Three Colours: White focusing on Julie Delpy (the Before trilogy), this trio of masterpieces are among the most influential international films of the past three decades. Each one will show as a 4K restoration, too. Among the new titles, eight movies on Europa! Europa's bill were submitted as their country's entries for this year's Best International Feature Film Oscar. Highlights include Armenian documentary Aurora's Sunrise, which tells a 14-year-old genocide survivor's story; Safe Place from Croatia, which unfurls its story over 24 hours; and Moldova's dark comedy Carbon, about the effects of war. Or, there's Il Boemo from Czech Republic, which steps through opera composer Josef 'Il Boemo' Myslivecek's tale — and road-trip effort Orchestra from Slovenia. Elsewhere, illness drama More Than Ever stars Vicky Krieps (Bergman Island), alongside Gaspard Ulliel (Moon Knight) in his last role; La Vie En Rose director Olivier Dahan is still in biopic mode, with Simone: Woman of the Century telling French feminist icon Simone Veil's tale; Wunderschön, about five women in Germany, was the country's highest-grossing local film of the 2022 box office; and the Charlotte Gainsbourg (Sundown)-starring The Accusation heads Down Under after premiering at the Venice Film Festival.
These dream-like pictures look as though they could be from the set of Inception, but they're actually screenshots from Google Earth. Artist Clement Valla zooms into Google Earth at certain angles to reveal a surrealist vision of our world, capturing the images he finds. The only editing effects applied by the artist are basic color adjustments and cropping. A particular penchant for bridges and roads has resulted in an extraordinary collection of screenshots. “I am collecting these new typologies as a means of conservation – as Google Earth improves its 3D models, its terrain, and its satellite imagery, these strange, surrealist depictions of our built environment and its relation to the natural landscape will disappear in favor of better illusionistic imagery. However, I think these strange mappings of the 2-dimensional and the 3-dimensional provide us with fabulous forms that are purely the result of algorithmic processes and not of human aesthetic decision making. They are artifacts worth preserving.” [Via PSFK]
Hanami and Japan go hand in hand, but what if you could indulge in the art of flower viewing a bit closer to home? Well, that's where the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival comes in. It's an annual celebration of everyone's favourite pink flora in Sydney's west. Between Saturday, August 19–Sunday, August 27, the Auburn Botanic Gardens will transform its Japanese Gardens into a beautiful, blooming wonderland for 2023. Across the nine days, you'll be able to ramp up your appreciation of the fleeting natural phenomena that is cherry blossom season by viewing the eye-catching blooms in the leadup to spring. Tis the season, after all. Taking in the spectacular scenery isn't the only thing you'll be doing. There'll be a Japanese food village serving up an array of bites inspired by the country's culinary culture. Also on offer: a nine-hole mini-golf course, traditional Japanese musical performances, origami workshops, flower-arranging demonstrations and DJs spinning Japanese city pop tunes. Each day, you can choose between three different sessions depending on when you want to explore the festival. Tickets are free for Cumberland City Council residents — or else entry will set you back $15.30 for an adult, $6.65 for kids aged between five and 16, or $41.85 for a family. Children under five are also free if you want to take your little ones. Images: Destination NSW.
The black parade is coming back to Australia — eventually. After their last attempt to head to our shores in 2020 was thwarted due to the pandemic, the reunited My Chemical Romance announced earlier in 2021 that they'd tour the country's east coast in 2022. However, those gigs have now been pushed back to 2023 — but extra shows have also been added. Hopefully the third time will prove the charm for Gerard Way and co, and for music lovers eager to grab their eyeliner, don every black piece of clothing in their wardrobe, relive their angsty emo teenage years and let out three cheers. The new tour will mark more than a decade since MCR last came to our shores for the 2012 Big Day Out — and comes after the US group went their separate ways in 2013, then reformed in 2019. Fans will be pleased to know that MCR are headlining their own shows on this tour, too, rather than leading a festival bill as they were slated to do in 2020. And, they'll now be playing two gigs at each of their stops in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney — with their rescheduled 2023 tour doubling down on stints at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Rod Laver Arena and Qudos Bank Arena. While waiting an extra year to see MCR isn't quite the end-of-2021 development anyone wanted, being able to snap up tickets to new shows if you missed out in the first round is clearly much better news. Back in late 2019, when MCR announced that they were literally getting the band back together, they sold out their first reunion gig in Los Angeles quick smart — and tickets to their Australian gigs have already proven mighty popular. The group has been trying to take its new show on the road ever since they reformed, but, thanks to the pandemic, that has obviously proven much trickier than anticipated. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE 2023 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Monday, March 13 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane — NEW SHOW Tuesday, March 14 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane — SOLD OUT Thursday, March 16 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — NEW SHOW Friday, March 17 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — SOLD OUT Sunday, March 19 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney — SOLD OUT Monday, March 20 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney — NEW SHOW My Chemical Romance will tour Australia's east coast in March 2023. For further information — and for pre-sale tickets for the just-announced new shows from 3pm on Tuesday, December 14, and general tickets from 12pm on Wednesday, December 15 — head to the tour website. Top image: My Chemical Romance performing by NBSTwo via Flickr.
If there's one thing that 2020 could use to help distract us from the year's struggles, it's a big dose of rampaging, ravenous dinosaurs. That's the Jurassic Park franchise's remit, of course, and while it won't release its latest live-action big-screen outing until 2021, the series is expanding to Netflix via an animated show. Yes, when it comes to an island filled with dinosaurs, humanity just won't learn. Since Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park hit bookstores in 1990, spawning not only Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster film, but two direct sequels and the recent Jurassic World movies, people just keep clamouring to share the same landmass as re-animated prehistoric beasts. That remains the case in Netflix's Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, which links in with the events of 2015's initial Jurassic World flick — and to the franchise's familiar setting, Isla Nublar. This time, six teenagers have been chosen to attend a new adventure camp on the other side of the remote deathtrap. If you've seen the movie, you already know that the dinos break loose, because of course they do. That leaves the plucky youths fighting to survive. As for what happens next (hint: it'll involve stampeding beasts and fleeing humans), you'll find that out when Camp Cretaceous hits the streaming platform on September 18. Executive produced by Spielberg — as well as Jurassic World executive producer Frank Marshall, plus two-time series director Colin Trevorrow — the show is aimed to help fill the gap until Jurassic World: Dominion film releases in 2021. You're probably already excited about that movie, given that it brings back Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum; however no one is going to complain about more excuses to watch out-of-control dinosaurs. Camp Cretaceous forms part of Netflix's family slate, so you can probably expect less scares than usual — although the official teaser below is a little creepy. And as for who is voicing Camp Cretaceous' characters, the cast includes Paul-Mikél Williams, Jenna Ortega, Ryan Potter, Raini Rodriguez, Sean Giambrone and Kausar Mohammed as the campers — as well as The Good Place's Jameela Jamil and Set It Up's Glen Powell as camp counsellors. Check out the official teaser trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKJwbsx1BSc Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous will hit Netflix on September 18, 2020.
If any Sydney neighbourhood was going to change the perception of something from unattainable to accessible, it would be Oxford Street. It's where you'll find Izy.Aki, a far cry from the dimly lit, luxe restaurants you might first think of when you hear the word omakase. Visible for passerbys, its bright lights, exposed brick walls, open kitchen and 18-seat marble countertop paint a welcoming picture. While this is still an upscale destination, it's homely. Izy.Aki is what's called a kappo omakase. Kappo is a culinary experience defined by an intimate space and chef-diner interaction, while omakase is a dining experience where the menu is left up to the chef. The final result? A relaxed, informal take on your typical omakase experience, packed full of honest interactions with the chef as they take you through your meal. The guides on this journey will make you feel right at home. Chefs Darren Templeman (Atelier, O Bar and Dining) and Bonnie Yu, alongside bartender, host and sommelier Aurelian Jeffredo, work hard to create an experience that feels more like being welcomed into a friend's home than a booking at a high-end restaurant. Every dish and drink is explained when served, and Jeffredo is more than happy to recommend drinks for each guest to accompany the dishes and match your preferences. The food here is set — it is omakase after all — so each booking is either a six-course or ten-course meal, decided by the chefs and your dietary requirements. As such, what you could be dining on is often in flux, but there are some house specialties. Chief among them is The Egg: a hen egg filled with white onion puree, foie gras, smoked eel and a topping of trout roe. You'll also find a wide range of grilled offerings, including yakiniku-style meats and 9+ Australian wagyu. The drinks menu stars cocktails, alongside Japanese spirits, beers and plenty of sake to keep the thirst at bay as the courses flow.
It may be hot outside, but it's not quite 'our city in summer' until the Sydney Festival starts up on January 9, bringing with it a tidal wave of performance, music, art and other festivities. Its 2014 program is a massive conglomeration of 104 events, featuring 722 artists from 80 companies across 17 countries. Look out for a much bigger festival garden (so big, in fact, it's now the Festival Village) in Hyde Park, the return of music venue Paradiso at Town Hall and everyone's favourite duck, and a version of Stonehenge that you can bounce on. Yes, bounce on. But above all, Sydney Festival is about getting the most appealing, innovative and agenda-setting international performing arts works to visit our town. This year there's nothing topping the spectacle of Dido & Aeneas. This 'underwater opera' starts with a dance in a 7500L water tank and moves on to sumptuous feats of dance, costume, singing, music and stagecraft. But La Voix Humaine promises to floor with conversely little — one woman pleading down the phone line to an ex-lover. There are plenty of other acclaimed international theatre, dance and circus works with experimental, thrilling or just plain WTF twists. Magic/theatre show Bullet Catch calls for you to pull the trigger, Othello: The Remix is a charming "ad-rap-tation", Tim Crouch's I, Malvolio puts a Shakespearian underdog in the limelight (we recommend going on the adults-only late show on January 18), La Cucina Dell'Arte comes from a sixth generation carnie clan, and Forklift features dancers who also hold heavy machinery licences. Leading the music program, Amanda Palmer will be playing ten solo shows in the intimate surrounds of The Spiegeltent, in the middle of all-hours hangout the Festival Village. Palmer has become an object of much debate after her incredible success at crowdfunding her latest album, but whatever you think of that whole deal you cannot deny she is a fascinating performer. Another headline event is Big Star’s Third, where the cult album will be played in all its broken, twisted beauty by an all-star band for one night only. Guitar hero Kurt Vile is playing in two formats at this year’s festival: a solo “special midnight performance” in the Circus Ronaldo Tent, and again with his band, The Violators, at Paradiso at Town Hall. And then there's Amadou & Mariam’s Eclipse (a “live, multi-sensory experience in pitch darkness telling the amazing story of the blind couple from Mali that includes scents inspired by Mali and their second home Paris pumped into the building”), a collaborative performance with Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) and Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, etc), and dozens of other exciting acts. Even the classical music program is phenomenal. Finally (and almost entirely free!) is the visual art program. The focus is on large-scale, multimedia and installation-type pieces that pack an impressive visual punch. Christian Boltanski’s mega installation Chance will make full use of the architecture and size of Carriageworks and will chart births and deaths across the globe. Slovakian artist Roman Ondak is teaming up with Kaldor Public Art Projects to present a trio of performative works, including his 13 Rooms hit Swap. And that life-size bouncy Stonehenge hogging Hyde Park? That's Sacrilege by Jeremy Deller, direct from the 2012 London Olympics cultural program. For full details and to buy tickets see the Sydney Festival website. And don't get despondent if your show of choice is sold out — last-minute $25 tickets to nearly all events are available at the Tix for Next to Nix booth on the day. Want more Sydney Festival events? Check out our top ten picks of the festival. Or follow what we're seeing as we see it in our Sydney Festival Diary. By Rima Sabina Aouf, Hugh Robertson and Rebecca Speer. Image by Prudence Upton.
Summer is fast approaching, and for many this means a total review of your wardrobe. Trenchcoats and scarves are being boxed in your garage, whilst singlets and sunnies are making a comeback as the days grow hotter and longer. Here we've compiled a list of stores around Sydney that will help you look the part in the coming months. From high-end pieces to straight streetwear, there's bound to be at least one store that caters to your tastes. TOPS 7Camicie With over 300 stores in 30 countries, Italian business 7Camicie has only recently found its way to Sydney. Housed in a modest store in Paddington, their button-up shirts are not for the faint-hearted. The designs feature vibrant colours and loud designs, which are often contrasted with more subtle cuffs and collars. Other shirts also have multiple collars, patterned inner lining and an abundance of buttons, which make them a little less formal. You might be surprised that each shirt has so many different intricacies. Wear one of these and you’re guaranteed to turn heads. Address: 446 Oxford St, Paddington Phone: (02) 9331 0088 Visit website Incu Incu has long been hipster heaven in Australia, and their diverse range of niche brands has made the store a staple with the cultured demographic. Of particular note is growing Australian brand Vanishing Elephant, whose checked and vintage print shirts are great for this summer. Their pocket tees and singlets will also be suitable for a day outing, coming in a handful of brighter colours. More conventional shirts from A.P.C and Oliver Spencer can also be found at Incu. Throw one of these on before you hop on your fixie bike. Address: Shop 19-20, 500 George St, Sydney (The Galeries) and 256 Oxford Street, Paddington Phone: (02) 9283 7622 and (02) 9331 6070 Visit website Bassike It’s always essential that you stock up on a handful of plains for summer. This is exactly what you'll find at Bassike - nothing outrageous, but some high-quality, dependable tees and singlets that are easy to piece together an outfit with. When it’s not blank, simple stripes and patterns are on offer. However, the unorthodox cuts and details add some subtle spark to these basics. These pieces of clothing may not seem like the most exciting things to spend your money on, but it’s often the case that less is more. Plus, it’s unlikely that anything you pick up here will be going out of fashion soon. Address: 26 Glenmore Rd, Paddington, 11 Macmilan Court, Avalon and 803 Military Road, Mosman Phone: (02) 9360 3606 Visit website BOTTOMS Above The Clouds Above the Clouds is relatively new on the Sydney streetwear scene, but the wonderfully modern boutique has already made a huge name for itself. The store is named after a Gangstarr song, so you know it’s going to be good. Above the Clouds stocks boardshorts from Sydney-based brand Venroy. With clean, bold designs and an above-the-knee cut, these comfy casuals are a slick addition to any wardrobe. Above the Clouds also sold A.T.G. leopard print boardshorts last summer, and this season features some other pieces which are just as daring. Keep an eye out for some exciting Above the Clouds collaborations in the near future. Address: Shop 2, 256 Crown St, Darlinghurst Phone: (02) 9356 4404 Visit website Alfie's Alfie's is a great store if you're looking for something snazzy without being overdressed. Located just a short drive from the CBD, they stock classic brands such as Lacoste and Fred Perry, but some smaller companies too. Among these is Melbourne-based Mr. Simple, who have an excellent range of chino shorts at a modest price. They're avaliable in everything from royal blue to mustard, and easy to either dress up or dress down. Their long chinos come in a slim fit, and look great when pinrolled for the subtle ankle-flashing that's proven popular. Address: 264 Darling St, Balmain Phone: (02) 9555 5222 Visit website Topshop/Topman Okay, so Topshop hasn’t actually opened yet, but the UK giant has secured a prime location in the CBD and is set to open before Christmas. Whilst it is better known for catering to females, male counterpart Topman offers plenty of options for guys seeking to keep it smart. A quick browse on their online store reveals chino shorts, twill shorts and dress shorts in an assortment of styles. Coloured denim is also available for the braver fashionistas who want to match the summer weather with an equally bright pair of slacks. Here’s hoping that the online range will be replicated in Sydney, and at a reasonable price. Address: Former Gowings Building, Corner Market and George Streets, Sydney (Opening Christmas 2011). FOOTWEAR Footage Footage used to deal heavily with Nike Air Max and runners, but the store has primarily focused on the higher end of streetwear in recent years. Here you’ll find a nice collection of the classics from Vans, Sperry and Converse, plus some cuts you’ll have trouble finding anywhere else. Lace these up and throw on some Mr. Simple chino shorts for a crisp look that’s hard to fault. Every once in awhile Footage will still stock a pair of Nikes to please all the street veterans and homies out there. You might come for the shoes, but don’t be surprised if you leave with a whole outfit. Address: 13C Burton St, Darlinghurst Phone: (02) 9332 1337 Visit website Spring Court Spring Court offers some suave options for those seeking footwear with particular craftsmanship and quality. Having started in 1936, this vintage French manufacturer has been making shoes longer than most people have been alive. Mid-cut canvas sneakers offer a nice casual alternative to mainstream brands, and are apparently made of Egyptian cotton. Fancy. Leather and suede products from Schmoove will add plenty of class to your outfit, and are available in tan and lighter shades for a summer feel. Roll up those skinny jeans even further, as these European shoes are guaranteed to steal the spotlight. Address: 113A Commonwealth St, Surry Hills Phone: (02) 9281 6687 Visit website Espionage/Sneakerology Espionage has been a cornerstone of the Sydney sneaker scene for years, and not without good reason. Their collection of Nikes reigns supreme in this city, and you’ll find yourself at least one pair of runners that are too nice to ever run in. It also hosts a collection of Adidas, Puma and Reebok items, which will undoubtedly please the older generation of sneakerheads. Colourful and extra-wide shoelaces are also available for those replicating that retro b-boy look. The epic window display at their newest store, Sneakerology, will brighten up your shopping experience. Cop a pair of kicks and buy a subtly matching cap for a sneaky colour code. Espionage Address: Shop 2, 22-26 Goulburn St, Sydney Espionage Phone: (02) 9264 9704 Visit website Sneakerology Address: Level 1, Shop 1020, 188 Pitt St, Sydney (Westfield) Sneakerology Phone: (02) 8072 8889 Visit website ACCESSORIES Capsule Capsule carries a load of accessories, from belts to snapbacks and even a few surprises. This includes Navajo print socks, which should be worn with shorts and pulled all the way up for that grandpa swagger. If you want to keep trendy but don’t have the dough, sunglasses from Vans go for just under $20. Capsule also stocks watches from O’Clock, which have silicone bands that stretch and slip onto the wrist like bangles. These are super cheap and extra bands can be bought individually of the watch face. This makes them a convenient choice when you want to switch colours depending on your mood and outfit. Address: Shop 1001B, Level 1, 188 Pitt St, Sydney (Westfield) Phone: (02) 8246 9124 Visit website Tuchuzy Nothing screams summer in Sydney more than Bondi, and cult boutique Tuchuzy is synonymous with the suburb’s fashion circuit. Tucked away just minutes from the world famous beach, Tuchuzy now has a store just for men. Wewood offers wooden watches in a range of earthy shades, and the company plants one tree for every watch sold. Look savvy and be an environmental superhero at the same time. Long cross necklaces from Stolen Girlfriends Club work perfectly when draped over basic tees, and their studded gold rings are suitable for those seeking bling with a little more edge. Aviators and wayfarers from Oliver Peoples are a fresh take on these classic styles. Address: 90 Gould St, Bondi Beach Phone: (02) 9365 5371 Visit website Halfsleeve Halfsleeve has an impressive range of headwear that offers a piece for everyone to enjoy. Caps from streetwear favourites Mishka and Only NY are a regular feature, whilst vintage NBA snapbacks also pop up every once in awhile. Three new Halfsleeve snapbacks will also drop in November to accompany their own line of baseball and pocket tees. For something a little more understated, five-panel and camp caps from Coal and New York Hat Co. use simple designs with a tight, snug fit. Also available is a collection of 9five and Waiting for the Sun sunglasses in plastic and wooden frames, which are fashionable and easy on the wallet. Address: Shop 3, 133 Goulburn St, Surry Hills Phone: (02) 8021 0869 Visit website
A longstanding south coast NSW brewery has made the move to Sydney, opening a sibling location to its Jervis Bay home. Flamin Galah Brewing Co has built a cult following since opening back in 2018 thanks to its award-winning XPAs, pale ales and sours, cementing its sunny regional brewery as a must-visit stop on a trip south of Sydney. Now, you'll find its range of craft beers on Broadway at its welcoming taproom. Flamin Galah Brewing Co Chippendale is located in the old Hotel Broadway building between Broadway and Shepherd Street. Inside, the space has been transformed with plenty of millennial (or alternatively, galah) pink furniture, retro light fittings and a neon sign proclaiming "Flamin Good Beer". Most importantly, you'll find a line of taps pouring the full range of Flamin Galah brews, including a Chippo Lager dedicated to the digs. While the beers are the stars of this show, there are plenty of supporting characters. Wine, cider, ginger beer, seltzers and cocktails round out the drinks offerings. If you're not a fan of the hops, opt for the Blushing Galah, which combines Flamin Galah vodka, watermelon liqueur, triple sec, lime and fresh watermelon — or the Yuzu Gin Gimlet for something a little more citrus-forward. The theme running through the food is crowd-pleasers. There are sets of cheeseburger sliders and Chippo Lager-battered fish tacos, crispy chicken bao, pulled beef nachos, fried chicken tenders, tangy barbecue wings and dumplings (pork and chive, prawn or vegetarian). And, there are also plenty of enticing deals hoping to lure you in to sample some of the brewery's offerings. Check the Flamin Galah website for this week's discounted meals, happy hour drinks and trivia nights.
When it comes to Mother's Day, Sydney is spoilt for choice this year. If bubbles are high on the agenda, check out our list of champagne-fuelled adventures (one of which includes a photo booth). Plus, over here, you'll find a slew of standout restaurants, bars and cafes. But are you looking for something a bit different? Funlab has come to your rescue. It's the name behind some of Sydney's most entertaining venues — and, this Mother's Day, it wants to treat your mum to the free adventure she deserves. That might be a round of mini golf at Holey Moley while sipping on colourful cocktails, a game of ten-pin bowling at Strike or Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, or a session in a challenge room at Hijinx Hotel. All you have to do is book an activity for a minimum of two people on Sunday, May 11, and make your reservation online with the code MUMFREE.
As Vivid Sydney turns five, it's vastly extending its brightly coloured reach to cover more physical ground and generate more creative ideas. In 2013 Fort Dennison, Walsh Bay and the Inner West will also get a heavy splattering of neon light and artistic innovation as the festival adds more precincts to the Vivid family. Sydney's own Spinifex Group will be the artists behind the Lighting of the Sails, the jewel in Vivid's dazzling crown, with the rest of the foreshore welcoming a global assemblage of lighting designers to the walkable stretch spanning Campbells Cove to Walsh Bay. Interactivity is key this year, with Customs House featuring a dance floor so visitors can make the building move. The festival's LIVE section will celebrate the Opera House's increasingly enthusiastic approach to popular music, populating the Kraftwerk-headlined lineup with homegrown and international acts. Empire of the Sun are premiering their second album Ice on the Dune, which was announced in true theatrical style with a bizarre video last week. Other acts include legendary soul crooner Bobby Womack, Underworld's Karl Hyde, the Sunnyboys, Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon, folk-rock tribute Sounds of the South and the 45-piece Heritage Orchestra — performing the Bladerunner score. More will be announced in the upcoming weeks. And hosting a mammoth 136 events this year is the Jess Scully-curated Vivid Ideas. Level six of the MCA will be taken over by 100 of them, with further talks and workshops spread through the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Seymour Centre, Sydney Museum and more. Semi-Permanent, Sydney Writers’ Festival and the Australian International Design Festival are getting involved in 2013, along with a slew of events supporting this year's film and photography motif. Reportage and Sydney Film Festival are two exciting additions, and a talk by Chris Ying of Momofuku-McSweeney's foodie mag Lucky Peach should give discerning ramen enthusiasts plenty to get psyched about. Want more Vivid? School up on our ten best ideas to visit at Vivid Ideas and read what Vivid Ideas festival director Jess Scully told us about Sydney living. And of course, check out the Vivid website for the full program of events.
