Sure they can't compete with the '60s, '70s or '80s in terms of powerful speeches, Sean Connery or gravity-defying perms, but the '90s don't have nothing to offer — and we're not talking in double negatives. This was the decade of music that was all about having fun and going to (drug-free) parties, and now that today's musical landscape is drenched in weightier lyrics it seems there's a yearning to grab this carefree innocence by the high waist of its mom jeans. In the last few months S Club, Aqua, The Vengaboys, the Backstreet Boys and, most recently, East 17 and Shai, have all staged moderately successful comebacks on our shores. C&C Music Factory and Hanson are scheduled to follow suit. Matching outfits and half-shaven eyebrows or not, here are ten more pop groups of the '90s that could, in theory, if you just wish hard enough, have an Australian tour on the horizon. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4NO-h9PFum4 1. STEPS Before synth-pop, there was techno line dance. Steps were manufactured in the late '90s in order to release '5, 6, 7 8' as a one-hit wonder, but the band stayed together for five years before splitting up in 2001. A decade later they eschewed reality television to reform for a four-part documentary series titled Steps: The Reunion, which apparently some people actually watched — Series 2 (Steps: On The Road Again) aired on Sky Living in April this year, following the band as they embarked on their sellout 22-date UK tour. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qZUn-KtTNmA 2. FIVE Formed by the guys behind the Spice Girls and signed by Simon Cowell, Scott, Ritchie, J, Abs and Sean were just made to take out Best Pop Act, Best British Band, Best Single, Best Album and Best Haircut (go Scott!). Apparently J's locks weren't quite so popular, because after an extended hiatus the group announced this year that they would reunite without him ("Four will make you get down now…") https://youtube.com/watch?v=UvjLgjtJKsc 3. B*WITCHED Were B*Witched the ultimate '90s role models? Not only did they reject mini dresses in favour of cultivating a tomboy image, but they taught millions of kids to speak French. Sure the girls were dropped by their record company only four years after the release of 'C'est La Vie', but in an interview in December 2008 Sinead said a reunion was not out of the question. And now that double denim is totez fashun, 2012 could just be the year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4gAsPT-vgeM 4. 98 DEGREES Aren't these dudes just so real? 98 Degrees formed independently and were later picked up by a record label rather than being manufactured, and refined their harmonies while working as a landscaper, a bouncer, a take-out delivery boy and a stripper. Rumours of a reunion show for the second half of 2012 were denied by Nick Lachey, but Lachey also said he would stay married to Jessica Simpson forever and ever — so there's always hope. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-KmOd3i7s 5. N*SYNC In 2002 N*SYNC went on a "temporary hiatus" while High Tenor Justin Timberlake went about getting crazy famous, and though Lance Bass said in 2007 that the group had definitely broken up, their website continues to keep fans updated on the various members' projects. Could their next one be a reunion? https://youtube.com/watch?v=zDKO6XYXioc 6. BOYZ II MEN What the boyz lack in matching parachute pants and neon accents they make up for in commercial success, selling more than 60 million albums worldwide and smashing the record held by Elvis Presley by staying at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 13 weeks. Bass singer Michael McCary left the group in 2003 due to health issues but the remaining members continue to dispense emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies as a trio, releasing their most recent studio album Twenty last year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=7eul_Vt6SZY 7. BOYZONE Original member Stephen Gately tragically died of natural causes while on holiday in Majorca in 2009, two years after the band made a miraculous comeback, but the remaining members continue to keep the deliciously cheesy magic alive. Their 2010 track 'Gave It All Away', written by Mika, actually charted on our shores, and 2013 will see them tour a new album to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band forming. https://youtube.com/watch?v=64xah1qYBYI 8. A1 Just shimmying under the metaphorical limbo stick are British-Norwegian pop group A1, who's first single 'Be the First to Believe' reached #6 in the UK singles charts right as the decade came to a close. The boys split in 2001 when Paul Marazzi decided to take his frosted tips and penchant for road worker orange elsewhere, before staging a December 2009 comeback that led to a string of new singles. 'Just Three Words' was released only last month, featuring Pakistani pop singer Annie Khalid. https://youtube.com/watch?v=k6BU6Nb_vDM 9. THE CORRS Talk about making your parents proud. While most young adults have trouble hanging around their siblings long enough to finish a meal, The Corrs have released five studio albums, including the multi-platinum Talk on Corners. They are also all actively involved in philanthropic activities, and only took a hiatus because two of them are raising families. Considering the recent surge in popularity of folk music — The Corrs' brand is a mix of pop and traditional Celtic folk — perhaps it's a good time for that hiatus to end? https://youtube.com/watch?v=qgi3PkouMxs 10. SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER The Dawson's Creek soundtrack wouldn't have been the same without them, and neither would the '90s. After reuniting in 2007 and playing a headline slot at something called Greenbelt Festival in the UK, loyal fans including Perez Hilton are still waiting for the album that was originally scheduled to drop in 2010. But with a new release date of August 7, a tour might not be far behind.
Jugemu and shimbashi are two very different styles of Japanese cooking, the former focusing on grilling, while the latter primarily involves soft, soba noodles. Rather than get suckered into a soft shell versus hard-shell style debate, Jugemu and Shimbashi threw their hands up and said, "why don't we have both?" The restaurant is split in two, with the teppanyaki grill side modelled on a modern, flashy venue, whereas the noodle side is more traditional in its decor. Either way, the food is incredible. After dinner, head down to the Pickled Possum for some weirdly good times. This lower north shore institution holds karaoke on Friday nights, so get ready to belt out some Aerosmith in front of a whole bunch of people. Image: @jess.xv.v / Instagram.
This is a good activity to keep in mind at all times, but especially when you're feeling a little adventurous. Shake up your Monday night and drop by Ester in Chippendale for a treat. You can act like a hardcore foodie and order the "blood sausage sanga", straight up, without even looking at the menu. What you'll get is a sausage made from minced pork belly, rice, nuts and pig's blood, set on a simple piece of white bread. It's arguably a much better version of the humble sausage sandwich — delicious, rich and indulgent. If you're in the mood, and have some extra money to spend, buckle down and tuck in to Ester's set menu — ten inventive courses (dried kanagaroo and crispy saltbush is another option) for $82. Image: @ahazelton_ via Instagram.
Despite some Australian weather maps saying the contrary this week, summer is officially on our doorstep. And what better way to celebrate than with a brand new range of creamy, ice cold treats from the legends at Gelato Messina? The famed gelateria's chefs have been hard at work over the past three months, creating an all-new line of its beloved cakes, all of which are set to hit stores across the country this week. The Dr. Evil's Magic Mushroom cake, with its recognisable polka dot shell, will be the only creation to carry over from the previous range, which has been winning fans and sweetening up group celebrations since way back in 2012. This is also the first time Messina's done a near complete overhaul of its cake offering all at once. In keeping with the usual Messina vibe, the newcomers are as whimsical as they are expertly crafted, and almost too good looking to destroy. Five follow the style of the classic gelato cake, while three "trans cakes" are designed to be enjoyed either from the fridge or straight from the freezer. In the lineup, you'll find intricate delights like The Golden 8 — featuring a Ferrero Rocher-inspired ball of hazelnut gelato, mousse and fudge, encased in a smooth chocolate orb — as well as more classic designs, like the coffee-infused Tiramisu Tart. There's also a big focus on using great local produce, too. The vibrant Strawberries & Cream cake features fruit from Messina's own strawberry farm in Dural, NSW, while the cow-like How Now teams house-made dulce de leche with jersey milk-soaked sponge and vanilla cream. As with the rest of the products, each cake's infused with creamy jersey milk from Messina's own Victorian dairy farm. Keep them in mind if you find yourself in charge of desserts for any impending festive celebrations. The nine new Gelato Messina cakes start at $58 and are available online or in-store from next week.
When is a hotel not really a hotel? When it's a hotel-themed bar that decks out its interiors like somewhere you can stay — taking a few cues from Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Shining's Overlook Hotel, in fact — but doesn't actually include slumbering in its rooms. When is an escape room bar not at all an escape room bar? When it takes the escape room concept of theming different spaces — those aforementioned hotel-style rooms — and decks them out with challenges instead. Yes, the premise behind Hijinx Hotel needs a bit of explaining. It also gleans inspiration from all those supremely Instagrammable pop-up installations that include ball pits, but this one is sticking around in one spot permanently. Plus, it jams in three different bars for multiple cocktail-sipping opportunities, nods to New York hotels in its facade, and ensures that each one of its rooms pays homage to either a movie or a board game from the 80s and 90s. First announced back in mid-April, and now opening its doors in Sydney on Friday, June 17, Hijinx Hotel is basically an OTT nostalgia bomb — and something that Willy Wonka would've been proud to dream up if the fictional character branched out beyond making chocolate and candy. It hails from a team that know a few things about indulgent kidulting experiences, with Funlab also behind venues such as Strike, Holey Moley, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, and B Lucky and Sons. And, Hijinx Hotel also sits next to a brand-new 27-hole Holey Moley, too, with the boozy mini-golf spot's latest venue going big on Alice in Wonderland vibes. Escapism is clearly the name of the game here, and partying like you would've before you were old enough to drink alcohol — but with the hard stuff definitely on offer. Wondering what that entails? Yes, it's as chaotic as it all sounds. Firstly, you enter via the faux hotel lobby bar that's full of colour and surrealist touches. You won't miss the purple unicorn in the centre of the bar, for instance. Instead of merely checking in, though, you'll down cocktails in the neon-lit space — including a particularly potent Red Bull number that's served in a golden owl-shaped vessel, multiple types of margaritas, and the bubble-topped Bubble and Pop (made with tequila, white chocolate, passionfruit, lemon and egg white, and that scented bubble) — and hang out in booths. As for the not-quite-hotel rooms themselves, there's 15 of them, with ten opening at launch and five more unveiling their wonders in the weeks afterwards. To gain access, you do need to head to reception t0 pick up a swipe card. Next, you'll follow the concierge's instructions to the red elevator — without a river of blood flowing out of it, thankfully. Inside the rooms, prepare to play games inspired by Twister, Scrabble and Tetris — here called Poke A Dot, Scrambled and Shape'n Up — in separate spaces. Or, Tom Hanks fans can live out their Big dreams in the piano room, which features a giant keyboard across the floor, and requires you to play it with your feet. Prefer Titanic? Then make a date with the Draw Me Like One Of Your French Girls room, which is designed to make you feel like you're in the middle of a sinking ship. Other highlights include a pastel ball pit that resembles a huge bowl of cereal, a room that releases balls from the top of the wall like you're in a life-sized pinball machine, and another that's all about shooting hoops. In each, you'll need to complete a challenge within a set time — with set packages spanning five rooms starting at $25 per adult for 30 minutes. As well as that already-mentioned lobby bar, there are two other places in quench your thirst — and you can snack on bites such as fries, pizzas and two-cheese toasted sandwiches. Whether you're a Sydneysider scoping out your next boozy bit of fun, or you live elsewhere and you're making plans for a trip to the Harbour City, you now have somewhere new to head to. And, as well as that new Holey Moley, there's also an Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq in the same complex. Usually, Funlab launches its new concepts in one city, then shares the love across other east coast capitals. So Melburnians and Brisbanites, cross your fingers that more Hijinx Hotels will eventually pop up closer to home. Find Hijinx Hotel at 75 O'Riordan Street, Alexandria, Sydney, from Friday, June 17. For further information or to make a booking, head to the venue's website.
Hold onto your butts, film lovers. The 62nd Sydney Film Festival has just dropped its full program, and it is seriously impressive. With more than 250 titles from 68 countries, including a number of major grabs from Cannes, Toronto and Sundance, Sydney cinephiles are going to be spoiled for choice when the festival roles around in just four weeks time. The 2015 festival will be bookended by a pair of Australian features, both making their world premieres. Brendan Cowell’s previously announced Ruben Guthrie will open the festivities on June 3, while Neil Armfield’s Holding the Man, starring Ryan Corr, Anthony LaPaglia, Guy Pearce and Sarah Snook, will bring things to a close on June 14. Other Australian films in the lineup include Last Cab to Darwin, starring Michael Caton as a cancer-stricken taxi-driver; The Daughter, theatre director Simon Stone's modern-day take on Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck, starring Geoffrey Rush, Ewen Leslie and Miranda Otto; Strangerland, an outback thriller featuring Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving and Joseph Fiennes; and Sherpa, a documentary about disaster on Mount Everest that could hardly feel more timely. The latter three films will compete for $62,000 in this year’s Official Competition, along with nine international features including Italian crime epic Black Souls, American indie dramedy Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Iranian anthology film Tales, minimalist French superhero flick Vincent and Swedish existential comedy A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, as well as a sprawling, three-part Portuguese adaptation of Arabian Nights. Rounding out the competition are three films notable for their formal ambition. Raucous American comedy Tangerine, about a pair of transgender sex workers, was shot entirely on an iPhone 5, while German heist film Victoria unfolds Birdman-style in a single elaborate take. But perhaps most exciting is Tehran Taxi, the new effort from Iranian director Jafar Panahi. Once again defying a government-imposed ban on filmmaking, this new work takes place entirely within the confines of a taxi, with the director himself at the wheel. Other exciting titles outside of the competition include Peter Strickland’s lesbian BDSM romance The Duke of Burgundy, harrowing Ukrainian sign-language film The Tribe and South Korean people-smuggling drama Haemoo, as well as the latest work from Abel Ferrara, a biopic about controversial Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini. These join previously announced films including German post-war thriller Phoenix and Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy. The festival also announced a number of high-profile documentaries. Director Asif Kapadia follows up his masterful Senna with a look at the life of Amy Winehouse in Amy, while special festival guest Alex Gibney explores the murky world of Scientology with Going Clear. A number of local docos will also compete for the Documentary Australia Foundation Award, including Gayby Baby, about children raised by same-sex parents, and Gillian Armstrong’s Women He’s Undressed, about Oscar-winning Australian costume designer Orry-Kelly. The latter will screen on a cruise ship in Sydney Harbour. The Sydney Film Festival runs June 3–14. For the full program and to book tickets, visit the festival website.
We've spent heaps of time curating exclusive holiday packages for Concrete Playground Trips, but we're especially proud of this one. We teamed up with some of Auckland's biggest players in the food, music and culture scenes to bring you one epic luxury holiday experience in November. Guests will get VIP tickets to Spring City Music Festival headlined by Groove Armada, a one-of-a-kind private sommelier and chef lunch at Ahi Restaurant and a spectacular helicopter ride to Waiheke Island where you'll choose to do some gin or wine tastings. You have all these unique experiences organised for you as well as three nights at the five-star The Hotel Britomart on Auckland's harbour. 'Epic' only begins to describe this trip — and that's why numbers for this package are extremely limited. Read on to see why you should make your way to Auckland on November 26. SPRING CITY VIP ZONE Spring City Music Festival hits Auckland on Saturday, November 26. If you book our exclusive package on Concrete Playground Trips, you'll get express lane access into the festival, entry into the Spring City VIP tent, prime viewing to make the most of the festival, as well as access to the VIP bar. No lines, no portaloos and no crowds to navigate. This is a festival done differently. This year, for the festival's return, legendary dance music duo Groove Armada are headlining. You'll have the best reserved standing room to hear fan favourites like "Superstylin" and "At The River" and "Easy". There'll be plenty of other artists at Spring City too, with key performers still to be announced. CHARTERED HELICOPTER WINE OR GIN TASTING After a day of dancing, you'll head off on a helicopter ride across the scenic Hauraki Gulf. Once you've taken in these stunning surrounds, you'll touch down and be taken to your choice of locations – either a winery or gin distillery (choose your own adventure). Those who choose vino will be guided through the olive grove, down to the grape vines, for a unique tasting experience of the finest cabernet blends with the winemaker at Stonyridge Vineyard. You'll then dig into a delicious two-course lunch paired with wine at the restaurant overlooking the vines. Gin lovers are in for a real treat, too. You'll head to Waiheke Distilling Company to enjoy a bespoke distillery tour where you'll have the opportunity to learn, taste and explore Waiheke's hand-crafted spirits. Sample a range of internationally award-winning gins and vodkas, from the classic to the contemporary, with fresh botanicals being paramount. Top it all off with a delectable two-course lunch paired with wine at the cellar door. Both options are fab. Just choose your booze. AHI PRIVATE SOMMELIER AND CHEF LUNCH But wait, there's more. When creating this trip, we could think of no better restaurant to send you to than the famous Ahi. If you've seen A New Zealand Food Story then you'll already know the backstory behind the new downtown eatery. The eight-part online series follows acclaimed chef Ben Bayly and his team as they set out to discover what local cuisine is all about and where our produce comes from – the end goal being to create a truly unique New Zealand restaurant. And he did just that. The team serves up creative dishes with a strong sustainability ethos each and every day. And you are lucky enough to get a table for lunch. But it ain't just any table – we've reserved the best seats in the house. Expect a kitchen counter experience, with high stools perched right over the chefs working their magic. Indulge in a premium lunch tasting menu alongside world-class matched wines — all carefully selected and created to showcase the best of New Zealand's gourmet offerings. New Zealand's incredible gastronomy will be on full display. ACCOMMODATION We are also putting you up in The Hotel Britomart for three nights. This five-star hotel is one of New Zealand's finest accommodations, with the added bonus of being incredibly sustainable (it is New Zealand's only 5-Green Star hotel). Each of the 99 rooms is designed for tranquil escapism. Think of The Hotel Britomart like an opulent city retreat, lined in natural and sustainably sourced timber. Guest rooms all come with in-built sofas, hand-made ceramics and minibars full of locally sourced treats. Attention to detail is on point. It's the perfect place to return to, following day after day of extraordinary holiday experiences. Book your tickets now, by visiting Concrete Playground Trips.
After the disrupted domestic-only ski season in 2020 — and with travellers from Australia permitted to enter New Zealand without quarantining from mid-April 2021 — thrill-seekers from both sides of the ditch could be hitting NZ's pristine slopes from as early as June. That means it's less than 70 days until NZ Ski's fields, including Coronet Peak and The Remarkables in Queenstown and Canterbury's Mount Hutt are up and running for winter. The operator has plenty going on this season, including opening the country's first eight-person chairlift and night skiing events. Mount Hutt is set to be the first to open from Friday, June 11–Sunday, October 17. It will be open seven days with capacity on the mountain increased thanks to the brand new Nor'west Express eight-seat chairlift. With a ride time of only two minutes, the lift will have capacity to carry up to 3000 skiers per hour. It also features a loading carpet to assist those who are new to using chairlifts. The field's full moon skiing event will also return. Coronet Peak will be open from Saturday, June 19 right through until Sunday, September 26. The ski field plans to operate its popular after-hours night skiing events every Wednesday and Friday from June 25 onwards. The 48th dog derby is also on the cards. Fellow Queenstown favourite The Remarkables will be open every day of the week from Saturday, June 26 through to Sunday, October 17. The mountain's Sugar Bowl development includes two brand new trails and a new snowmaking system mean better snow coverage on the Serpentine side of the mountain. Cardrona Alpine Resort's Olympic-sized superpipe will be open from Saturday, June 12 until Sunday, October 17.. The ski field is also adding another chairlift to its network, which opens up a new major section of skiable terrain on the southern face. Sibling ski field Treble Cone is scheduled to open from Saturday, June 26–Sunday, September 26, and for cross-country skiers and snow-shoers, Cardrona's Snow Farm is intending to open for the 2021 winter from Friday, June 18–Sunday, September 19. The largest ski area in the nation, Mt Ruapehu, is preparing to open its Happy Valley (Saturday, June 5), Turoa (Saturday, July 3), Whakapapa (Saturday, July 3) fields, too, which will give skiers and snowboarders access to the mountain's natural pipes, steep chutes and vertical drop of 722 metres. The alpine village says the opening will be subject to snow conditions. With the quarantine-free trans-Tasman travel bubble set to open from Sunday, April 18, a rise in visitor numbers is expected across all fields. All ski field 2021 season plans are dependent on snow conditions, as well as COVID-19 guidelines and expectations set out by the New Zealand Government. For more information about NZ's ski fields, head to the various websites for Mount Hutt, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Cardrona Alpine Resort, Treble Cone, Snow Farm and Mt Ruapehu. Images: NZSki.
When a festival as bold and colourful as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras turns the big 4-0, as it will next year, you can rest assured there will be no skimping on the birthday celebrations. And indeed, the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House will light up hot pink this Friday, November 3, to help launch the festival's milestone 2018 program. "Mardi Gras is 40 years young and we can't think of a more fabulous way to announce our full program than by painting the most iconic building in Australia pink," said Terese Casu, Mardi Gras Arts CEO. While this unmistakable (and well-timed) message lights up the skyline at sunset, there'll be equally dazzling scenes down on the Opera House Forecourt, as the full 2018 Mardi Gras lineup is unveiled at an invite-only launch party. Since its first historic outing in 1978, Mardi Gras has grown into a 17-day celebration of equality, self-expression and pride, recognised the world over. See the Sydney Opera House sails light up hot pink at about 7.40pm this Friday, November 3. Tickets to Sydney Mardi Gras 2018 go on sale the same day — grab yours here.
Film fans — pack your picnics, pillows and insect repellent, and prepare to spend your summer evenings watching the big screen under the stars. From December 1, Moonlight Cinema returns for another season of great viewing, great weather (hopefully) and great food. Yep — here, all three go hand-in-hand. Kicking off in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide at the very start of the month, then heading to Perth from December 2 and Brisbane from December 7, the first part of this year's program — covering December and January — features 21 advanced screenings of movies yet to hit cinemas, 25 new releases and a heap of old favourites. The February and March lineup will be revealed early next year, but rest assured, there's something for all tastes on the current bill. If you're after an early glimpse at an exciting upcoming flick, then Guillermo del Toro's gorgeous monster romance The Shape of Water, the Greta Gerwig-directed Lady Bird and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the latest movie by In Bruges filmmaker Martin McDonagh, should all do nicely. Those who'd like to catch an openair session of efforts already screening in cinemas can pick from the likes of Justice League, Murder on the Orient Express, Detroit, Thor: Ragnarok, The Mountain Between Us and Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (once it's released on December 14). And, if you've got the urge for something retro, make a date with Love Actually, Dirty Dancing, The Breakfast Club or Back to the Future. Also featured are sneak peeks of everything from Pitch Perfect 3, to new Pixar animation Coco, to Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg's The Post. Or, if you're a fan of Australian cinema, check out Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce reuniting post-Neighbours for Swinging Safari; the absolutely stunning new outback western Sweet Country; and what sounds like an Aussie-as comedy, The BBQ. Pairing your movie choice with something to eat and drink is all part of the fun, so BYO supplies (although bringing your own booze isn't allowed in Brisbane) or grab something tasty onsite. MOONLIGHT CINEMA 2017-18 DATES: Sydney: December 1 – April 1 (Belvedere Amphitheatre in Centennial Park) Melbourne: December 1 – April 1 (Central Lawn at Royal Botanic Gardens) Brisbane: December 7 – March 4 (New Farm Park at Brisbane Powerhouse) Adelaide: December 1 – February 18 (Botanic Park) Perth: December 2 – April 1 (Kings Park and Botanic Garden) Moonlight Cinema's 2017-18 season starts screening around the country from December 1. For more information and to buy tickets, visit moonlight.com.au.
Renowned Aussie gin distillery Four Pillars is at it again, with a brand-new creation headed soon to our bottle shop shelves. You're familiar with the label's cult favourite Bloody Shiraz Gin, which sells out like fire with each new year's release, right? Well, the team's calling this newcomer their finest creation since that purple-hued icon first launched back in 2016. So, break out some martini glasses and let the excitement begin. The soon-to-launch Olive Leaf Gin has already earned itself some hype, having nabbed a gold medal from the 2020 World Spirits Competition held in San Francisco in March. Now, it's gearing up for a proper Aussie debut, with a fitting early September release date happening just in time for your spring cocktail quaffing sessions. This one's an all-natural savoury gin, crafted using cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and three different varieties of olive leaf, all harvested from the legendary Cobram Estate. There are plenty of classic Australian botanicals in there to round out the fun, too, including lemon myrtle, macadamia, fresh lemon and grapefruit. [caption id="attachment_780046" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Benito Martin[/caption] Four Pillars' experts reckon the Olive Leaf Gin goes alright alongside some rosemary and lemon in a Spanish-style gin and tonic. But of course, with all that savoury, olive-infused goodness, this drop's true calling is in a nice, cold martini. Co-Founder and Distiller Cam Mackenzie recommends putting 60 millilitres of it to work in a gibson, stirred down with ten millilitres of both dry vermouth and dry sherry, and garnished with a couple of cocktail onions. Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin will be available across Australia from early September. You can nab a 700-millilitre bottle for $85. Images: Benito Martin
This year has been a real doozy. For us, one of the toughest parts of 2020 is missing out on live gigs, especially in the form of music festivals. It'll still be a while before Australia (and the rest of the world, for that matter) gets its festival groove back, but that doesn't mean you can't get those festival vibes into your life in other ways. We've teamed up with our fun-loving mates at Bacardi to help you do just that. Here are seven fun things you can do to throw your own mini festival at home. Think dance-inducing tunes, DIY glitter stations, epic decor and summery rum cocktails aplenty. All you have to do is figure out who's on the guest list, then get cracking. [caption id="attachment_790477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mushroom Creative House[/caption] PICK A FUN THEME Like any good party, your festival should have a theme. You could go for the simple dress code option, whether that's donning fun, fruit shirts, bad hats, neon ballgowns, 80s disco or chic The Great Gatsby-style threads. Or, take things up a notch and make your festival's overall vibe specific to a well-known festival and do your best to emulate its atmosphere. Go for the colourful masquerade of the New Orleans Jazz Festival, boho chic looks of Coachella or make it an EDM-style bash like Belgium's Tomorrowland. Then, there's the all-out rave in the same vein of Barcelona's Sónar. And, you should work in one Aussie festival for good measure, too — our pick is Meredith Festival. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to avoid cultural appropriation as you go all out and have fun with it. DECK OUT YOUR SPACE Next, deck out every corner of your space, giving each area a different purpose and feel. Try out rooms based around different music genres. One room could be electronica, another indie pop or R&B, one deep house and even a dedicated 90s den playing nostalgic tunes. But, music isn't the only reason we venture around the world for festivals, with some of the best multi-day parties having many other drawcards — think installation art, group-based activities and breakaway areas with things like outdoor cinemas and karaoke stages. So, work in some of these elements to ensure you're the master of a well-rounded mini fest, offering something for everyone. Be sure to balance it out, so there are both high energy and chilled out spaces to choose from. STREAM DANCE-INDUCING DJ ACTS No festival is complete without a stellar music lineup. While you exactly can't fly in the likes of Four Tet, Lizzo or Tame Impala for your at-home affair, you can still get some epic tunes blaring through your speakers — from streaming live gigs to revisiting old festival sets and whacking on a dance-worthy playlist. First up, check out Boiler Room, which offers heaps of sets from the world's top DJs via its Youtube channel. Think Aussie artist Flume, Canadian electronic songwriter Jessy Lanza, lauded British DJ Ross from Friends and Korean-American electro artist Yaeji, who also recently released her new mixtape in a session called Yaeji in Place, which is also worth a spin. For more Aussie content, there's Newtown Festival and Splendour-inspired Spotify playlists you can queue up. Create that multi-stage experience and build energy by setting up different streams in each of your themed rooms and move from emerging artists to big-name headliners just like the festivals do. Most importantly, though, make sure these acts will get your crew on the dance floor. WHIP UP NOSTALGIC PARTY SNACKS Your festival will need to have party snacks and there's nothing like having all of your nostalgic favourites in one place. That means party pies and mini sausage rolls galore. If you want to go fancy, ditch the frozen stuff and make your own. If you have a barbie, a pack of snags never hurts, either, and you could also chargrill some corn. Don't forget the fairy bread, chilli popcorn, cabanossi sticks and even jelly that's beem moulded into a fun shape while you're at it. We recommend you prepare to serve your eats at different intervals, so your guests can snack from the arvo well into the night. SET UP A DIY GLITTER STATION We've all been there, covering ourselves in as much glitter as possible when heading to a rave. After all, getting dressed up is part of all the festival fun. If you're not afraid to find sparkles scattered around your house for months to come, then give your guests the chance to up their look at a DIY glitter station. Order some biodegradable eco-glitter online, so you can rest easy that your partying ways don't impact the planet. Your DIY glitter station can have other makeup and accessories, too, like fun hair clips, hilarious sunnies, DIY lanyards and glitzy costume jewellery. Get glammed up, put the final touches on your look and get ready to party. [caption id="attachment_786187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mushroom Creative House[/caption] SHAKE UP A SUMMERY RUM COCKTAIL One of the best things about hosting a festival at home is that you can serve any booze you fancy — and there won't be any overpriced, mediocre wine and beer at your mini fest, either. To really add to the party atmosphere, shake up a summery cocktail for the day. One of our favourites is a spiced piña colada. Simply shake up Bacardi Spiced, fresh pineapple and coconut water over some ice. It's sure to put all of your guests in the festive mood and it's also super easy to make. You can check out more fun rum cocktails over here if you're planning on making a few. Tip: an ice sculpture is always a fun thing to add to your punch bowl. HOST A POST-PARTY YOGA SESSION The day after a festival is always tough. You've had little sleep, your limbs are sore and, worst of all, the fun's over. To lighten the mood, host a post-party yoga session. Roll out the mats and deck out your space like a mini yoga studio. Choose a spot with bright, natural sunlight, put on some calming music and burn some incense. Unless you or one of your mates are a budding yogi, we suggest following Yoga with Adriene. Her chilled-out disposition makes her one of the best online yoga instructors out there. And she even has classes titled yoga for hangovers, yoga to calm your nerves and yoga for when you feel dead inside. You're sure to find something that will perfectly suit the post-festival mood. Do what moves you this summer thanks to the fun-loving folks at Bacardi. Once you've thrown your own epic mini fest, check out Bacardi's competition, where you and 20 mates could win the chance to attend Australia's smallest music festival. Top image: Mushroom Creative House
New South Wales being as big as it is, it should come as no surprise just how varied the communities and events calendar can be. If you're committed to travelling across this wide land in search of a good feed, let us do the hard yards for you. Throughout the year, there are food festivals of all shapes, sizes and menus happening across the state, so we've partnered up with Destination NSW for this definitive list of events you'll need to add to the agenda. As of autumn, we're fast approaching the annual celebration of luminescence and warmth that is Vivid Sydney, conveniently timed to fend off the cold and dark nights of winter. Beyond the obvious attractions of bright lights and exclusive experiences, a great many foodie-centric events are booked across the state, too.
Leaping from the screen to the stage in 2018, Mean Girls not only found a second life in the theatre, but did so with singing and dancing. Unsurprisingly, the production was a hit. With the musical's book written by Tina Fey, its tunes composed by her husband Jeff Richmond and its lyrics by Tony-nominee Nell Benjamin, the machinations of high-school cliques struck just as much of a chord with audiences when set to songs — and given that the show's tracks have highly appropriate names such as 'Meet the Plastics', 'World Burn' and 'Here (You Can Sit with Us)', that's to be expected. Also easy to predict: the musical's next leap, with Cady Heron's tale heading back to the cinema. No need to stress if you haven't seen the all-singing, all-dancing Mean Girls on Broadway, because a film version will soon be brightening up a picture palace near you. When the movie adaptation screens on a Wednesday, you'll want to wear pink. And, like the Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams-starring original film, as well as the stage musical that followed, you'll be basking in Fey's talents. She wrote the initial feature's screenplay and, as detailed by The Hollywood Reporter, she's now producing this new movie musical. So is Saturday Night Live's Lorne Michaels, although no other creatives — or cast, or a release date — have been announced. The story will stay the same, obviously, charting Cady's rough adjustment to American high-school life after spending the bulk of her childhood living in Africa — and her time spent with the resident popular clique, known as 'the Plastics'. If you're wondering how it all works as a musical, check out a clip from the stage show below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGmgEoOF7Gs Via The Hollywood Reporter.
New York, Berlin … might Sydney soon be on the list of cultural capitals? If all we do is work and play Facebook, will we explode? Marcus Costello finds out by chatting with a man from the future who happens to be in Australia this week for The Future Laboratory's annual trend briefing. Martin Raymond is the company's co-founder and current strategy and insight director, and he had much to share with us on how trend forecasting works, what shopping centres might look like in the next decade, why you shouldn't make that sea change, and, yes, why Sydney might culturally overtake Melbourne yet. This is certainly a bright and early start for me, but you've just got off a plane, how's it for you? I've just come from Burma, which was part work part play. So I'm in good form. Ah, you're an early adopter of 'The New Sublimity' (The Future Laboratory's term for the impending "digital switch-off, back-to-basics, retreat to nature for emotional reboot" among under 25s). Can you explain the concept to me? [laughs] Sure. In happening cities where stress levels and stimulation are high, the next crop to enter the workforce will start building a buffer between work and free time. They'll realise that work-life balance doesn't work when you can work from anywhere and be contactable 24/7. The nomadic lifestyle that the baby boomers considered romantic when they were in their 20s is actually a practical reality for the upcoming generation thanks to remote computing and other technologies. Kerouac's On the Road was recently made into a film and young progressives are moving to places like Berlin where the bohemian lifestyle is seen as a legitimate way of living. So that's the modus operandi of The Future Laboratory: track what culture is being consumed and make predictions. I'm intrigued because a laboratory suggests a place that makes things. Do you think there's an element of causation in trend forecasting — build it and they will come, sort of thing? Can you really spot things before they happen or is it that you see what's bubbling beneath the surface and foresee its rise? Good question. Our methodology is structured in three branches: Intuition, Observation, and Interrogation. It's the same principle you apply to ethnographic or sociological field studies. With these lines of research you can foresee the rise of organic food a decade before it happens, for example. We also have well-honed observation skills and a solid understanding of mimetics, so it's more than blind predictions. Basically, we identify a pattern then look for the anomalies. These anomalies signal the early adopters and innovators. And there are some cities that better allow for these people to thrive, like Seattle, Seoul, Buenos Aires, Berlin. A place like Munich, on the other hand, is not one of those places. [laughs] My sister is part of a very interesting internet start-up in a town just outside Munich where rent is cheap and good skiing is close-by. Perhaps she's the exception to the rule — or maybe she's an early adopter of The New Sublimity — but it makes me think that the big cultural capitals like Berlin/NYC are nearing saturation with creative professionals, making it prohibitively expensive and competitive. Cities like Detroit, I would have thought, are the ones to watch. Good point. The pendulum does swing, and yes, Detroit has the telltale signs, if you know how to spot them,of a city on the rise: empty warehouses for cheap live-in studios, wide open spaces, young people flocking there. It's the same set of factors that gave rise to East London and so many other cities. The next wave of residents to arrive are those who superficially associate with the core activities but who aren't part of it. They're graphic designers, not artists. They'll buy-in once the aesthetic can be commodified. Hipsters, in a word. NYC is eternally cool but can you tell me about other happening — or about to happen — cultural capitals? I would argue that over the next five years Melbourne will become less of a talking point and Sydney will have its time in the sun. Then again, Sydney will rise because its mimicking Melbourne's laneway culture. Los Angles is on the way up. Vienna is a tired, bourgeois, racist part of Austria, but that makes it rife for a shake-up. It's full of old people about to die, which leaves cheap apartments for students. On the other hand, there's Switzerland, where everything is, well, nice. But I say to people, "Why live in a place where there's nothing to annoy you, to challenge you?" Switzerland will never become fashionable. Canada, likewise, will never become fashionable. Isn't the New Sublimity all about "secular spiritualism as consumers take to the land, sea, beaches and mountains in search of meaning, mindfulness, inattentive learning and an emotional reboot"? Switzerland and Canada both abound in natural wonder. [laughs] Nature doesn't have much to do with cultural revolution. People still want to be in cities, but they'll create mental space to get away, or reinterpret the built environment to make spaces for mindfulness. There's a bunch of guys in NY who have set-up bivouacs on rooftops so people can sleep out and experience the sounds, the smells, the stars of the city. In England it's really trendy to spend time away in monasteries — it's different, it's detached, it's cheap. People don't want a full-blown sea-change because cities are good and, let's be honest, interesting people love the concrete jungle, they're not afraid of it. As soon as you exit the city, you exit life. People who live in the countryside tend to be dull; and worse, they believe that they're living the right way. Well, they're not. They're living their way. As a company who consults to retailers, should retailers be concerned that mindfulness is about to wash over their consumers? One of our clients in the UK, Selfridges, has just produced a festival called No Noise which embraced the concept of the New Sublimity. They created rooms within the department store where shoppers could go to relax. So they can revitalise for more shopping. They could do that. But they also had night walks, and walks with philosophers and all kinds of things. They even persuaded brands to remove logos and graphics from their products. Of course, this actually reinforces brand identity because consumers have to consider product design. Yes, you could say it's a cynical exercise in retail marketing, but it's no more cynical than religion. If there's a trend that questions the nature of consumption and you can turn a profit from that as a retailer, well, I think that's a good thing. I'd rather consumers shop with a sense of why they're shopping than with no sense at all. Consumers are clever, they know what's online, and this is a really problem for retailers. The customer base is nomadic like a hobo and what attracts the hobo is the bright glittering light on the horizon and retailers are failing to offer that. Isn't what attracts the hobo a turning away from commercial consumption? That depends on how you define commercialism. At the moment people are spending their money on experiences: theatre, music, food, conviviality. To me, that's commercial and I'm not inclined to separate commerce and culture. As we continue to shop online we are going to expect more cultural experiences from our stores. Rousseau wrote about 19th-century department stores as places of education and imagination; places where someone could go to see the world brought to them. That's how we think about galleries and museums today and how we might think about department stores tomorrow. The Future Laboratory 2013 Australian Trend Briefings will be held in Melbourne on Thursday, February 14, and in Sydney on Tuesday, February 19. Go here for more details.
Cinephiles of Sydney, the city's biggest film event of the year isn't just here — it's well and truly underway. And while the 2018 Sydney Film Festival has now reached its official midway mark (not including the fest's just-announced three days of encores), don't think of it as halfway over. Instead, think of the rest of the week as the second act in a wonderful, fortnight-long cinema celebration. Given the huge array of ace titles still to come, there's no other way to look at it. Still got some room left on your flexipass? Have a few gaps to fill in your schedule? If you're wondering what to see, we're here to help once again. We've been busy spending our days, nights and every waking moment in the State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street and SFF's other venues, watching as many movies as we can get in front of our eyes. From our viewing so far, here's ten recommendations that are still playing across the remainder of the fest. Crucially, they're all excellent flicks — and you can still nab tickets for every one of them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URZ8WZMXP-0 COLD WAR When Cold War won the Best Director Prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival, it really didn't come as a surprise, even to those who hadn't seen it. Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski's last movie was the meticulously shot, Oscar-winning Ida, so expecting another piece of sumptuous black-and-white mastery was a fairly safe bet. And the writer/director hasn't just delivered on those expectations — he has blown them out of the water. Set over 15 years and taking inspiration from his own parents' relationship, this sweeping European romance proves an utterly devastating exploration of love, loyalty, politics and survival set against the backdrop of its titular period. While the feature looks astonishing in every perfectly-lit frame, it also boasts exceptional performances from stars Tomasz Kot and Joanna Kulig, with the latter radiant even in moments of deep sorrow. Cold War is screening at the Hayden Orpheum Cremorne this Sunday, June 17. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUb_GE1trBE&feature=youtu.be FILMWORKER Whether you're a film tragic or just a casual festival goer, everyone has heard of Stanley Kubrick, the visionary behind such masterpieces as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut. His righthand man for 30 years, Leon Vitali, doesn't enjoy the same recognition — a fate Filmworker aims to redress. The documentary's title gives an indication of the many roles its subject played in Kubrick's life, with Vitali inspired to work with the filmmaker after seeing A Clockwork Orange, then scoring a pivotal acting part in Barry Lyndon, and finally taking on any task he could to assist his mentor over the rest of Kubrick's career. The many behind-the-scenes clips on the likes of The Shining are a joy to behold, but it's Vitali frank recollections of his time spent helping someone else's genius that makes this movie such an astonishing film about filmmaking. Filmworker is screening at the State Theatre this Wednesday, June 13 and Event Cinemas George Street on Saturday, June 16. You can book tickets here. THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST We'd say that the second time is the charm for filmmaker Desiree Akhavan, but the first time was too. After her fantastic comedy Appropriate Behavior proved a breakout hit back in 2014, the writer-director won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for her next effort — and deservedly so. Set inside a gay conversion camp, the feature examines the struggles faced by the teenagers forced to attend the facility. That might sound like an excuse for a standard coming-of-age tale, just within unusual confines, but the movie's insight and emotion runs much deeper than that. Plus, Chloë Grace Moretz has never been better than playing the eponymous 16-year-old, a girl torn in multiple directions by her feelings yet still refuses to give in to anyone else's ideas about her sexuality or identity, while American Honey's Sasha Lane reminds you why she should be in more films. The Miseducation of Cameron Post is screening at the Randwick Ritz this Sunday, June 17. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKUtJlvYrHo&feature=youtu.be TERROR NULLIUS The best Australian film of 2018 might just be a 54-minute mashup of almost every other Aussie film ever made. Commissioned by Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image and now doing the rounds of local festivals across the rest of the country, Terror Nullius is the latest effort by Soda_Jerk, which should give you an indication of the kind of ride you're in for. The two-person artistic collective don't just smash together everything from Fury Road to Picnic at Hanging Rock to Please Like Me to BMX Bandits — with Tony Abbott's speeches, Mel Gibson's infamous hate-filled phone call and Aussie bicentennial celebrations from 1988 — but mix it all up to convey a forceful message about the current state of the nation. From the moment you hear the iconic Rage intro echoing from the screen, you'll be hooked. In the words of that Iggy Pop tune, it's a real wild child. An extra screening of Terror Nullius has been scheduled at Dendy Newtown this Monday, June 18. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkhYyW1pd18&feature=youtu.be THE BREAKER UPPERERS When the cast of The Breaker Uppers walked on stage during SFF's opening night proceedings, they instantly had the crowd in stitches. When the film started, the laughter only got louder... and louder... and louder. And, thinking back on the film now, we're still laughing. Written, directed by and starring New Zealand comedians Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami, and executive produced by Taika Waititi, the flick is a crowdpleaser in all of the best ways, with a hilarious script, committed performances and a smart insight into the expectation that we all just want to find love and live happily after. A movie about two besties who break up unhappy couples for cash will do that, after all — and it also throws a Celine Dion music video in for good measure. An extra screening of The Breaker Upperers has been scheduled at Dendy Newtown this Tuesday, June 19. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD_LxrE9vVA&feature=youtu.be THE HEIRESSES A rich, resonant and deeply textured performance sits at the centre of this Paraguayan feature, all thanks to lead Ana Brun. A first-timer, she actually won the Berlinale's best actress prize for her portrayal of a woman suddenly faced with fending for herself when her long-term girlfriend is incarcerated for their mounting debts. Accustomed to a life of wealth and privilege, albeit one that's been slowly waning, the quiet Chela volunteers to drive the neighbourhood's ladies around, even though she doesn't have a license. When she falls for the daughter of one of her clients, writer/director Marcelo Martinessi takes the opportunity to expose the inequities of his country in a variety of ways, while also dissecting the struggles of a woman who has always had everything — other than control over her future. The Heiresses is screening at the State Theatre this Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17. You can book tickets here. PIERCING You can't accuse Piercing of not knowing what it wants to be. A psychosexual drama about a man (Christopher Abbott) who wants to kill, the sex worker (Mia Wasikowska) he hires to be his unwitting victim and the kinks they end up indulging and testing together, this is a film with its own sense of style and personality right from the outset. Writer/director Nicolas Pesce might be adapting Ryū Murakami's 1994 novel, but the same distinctive flair that served his first effort, The Eyes of My Mother, so well is also evident here — just in a vastly different manner. Wasikowska particularly shines in a complex role, while the film's colourful visuals and intoxicating score add to its irresistible allure. Piercing is screening at Dendy Newtown this Wednesday, June 13. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d81IM0loH7o&feature=youtu.be THE WIFE She has played everything from a bunny boiler to a calculating legal whiz to a woman living as a man during the 19th century across her lengthy career; however, in The Wife, Glenn Close is as great as she's ever been. In fact, she might even be better than that. As the movie's moniker suggests, the star takes on the role of a dutiful partner to an acclaimed writer who has just won the Nobel Prize for literature — but there's more to their story than the official version, as a reporter (Christian Slater) is eager to uncover. Every moment that Close is on screen, she offers a devastating dissection of a woman sidelined for male glory, in what proves an all-too-recognisable situation. That said, her co-star Annie Starke also impresses as the younger version of the character. The Wife is screening at the Hayden Orpheum this Wednesday, June 13 and the State Theatre on Thursday, June 14. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHbUrdCXa4g YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE We included You Were Never Really here on our pre-festival must-see list, but we're including it again because it's just that good. After screening at Cannes in 2017 — and deservedly winning Joaquin Phoenix the festival's best actor award for his gut-wrenching performance — it has taken some time for You Were Never Really Here to make it to our shores. Don't worry, this exceptional film is completely worth the wait. It's also one of the best movies of this or any other year. The highly anticipated latest feature from We Need to Talk About Kevin's Lynne Ramsay, the dark effort follows Phoenix's Joe, an ex-soldier and FBI agent turned hitman who rescues children from sex trafficking rings. Unsurprisingly, it's a tense, bleak dive through the mindset of a man coping with several layers of trauma; however neither Ramsay or Phoenix put a foot wrong in a feature that dials up its intense revenge thrills to astounding levels. You Were Never Really Here is screening at Event Cinemas George Street this Sunday, June 17. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLqxfubzHYc DAUGHTER OF MINE Another title we've already enthused over, this time at Berlinale, Daughter of Mine is one of the top picks of this year's Sydney Film Festival competition. In 2015, Italian filmmaker Laura Bispuri and actress Alba Rohrwacher teamed up for Sworn Virgin, a compelling, moving film about an Albanian woman who vows to live life in the mountains, without sex and as a man rather than adhere to traditional views about female subservience — and their second collaboration also explores ideas of femininity, but in a vastly different way. It's also excellent, and exceptionally acted. As the title suggests, motherhood is in the spotlight as Rohrwacher's strong-willed Angelica and Valeria Golino's more traditionally maternal Tina grapple not only with each other, but over what's best for ten-year-old Vittoria (Sara Casu). As a Sardinian summer rolls by, the secret that connects the trio is thrust out into the open, as is a tussle between nature and nurture that shapes a young girl's journey of discovery. Daughter of Mine is screening at the State Theatre this Thursday, June 14 and Friday, June 15. You can book tickets here. For more Sydney Film Festival picks, check out our list of ten must-see films at the fest — and our excitement over Sundance flicks Kusama: Infinity, Leave No Trace and The Guilty; our Berlinale selections such as Aga and Transit; and our Cannes standouts including Burning, Climax and Shoplifters.
Peak TV is here to stay, it seems — and that doesn't just describe what we're watching, but how we're viewing it. Sitting down on the couch to watch a television show as it airs has long gone the way of the dodo, and in these these DVR, online catch up and Netflix-heavy times, we have more options than ever. That isn't stopping the world's number one source of cat videos, aka YouTube, from getting in on the action. In fact, they're aiming to make improvements. Keen to stream whatever live television you want, whenever and wherever you want, and on whichever device you want? Record every minute of TV you possibly can, without worrying about storage space and data limits? Access all of those saved programs even if you're far from home? Enter YouTube TV, a live television service that aims to do all of that, offering YouTube's own alternative to cable TV and the growing number of online streaming options. For $35 a month, US customers can get their fix of more than 40 channels, spanning entertainment, reality, sports and news options. Six accounts are included with each membership, as is access to YouTube Red Originals; viewers can watch up to three concurrent streams at a time; and all recordings sits in the cloud, which is how you're able to tape as much as you want and then play it anywhere on any device. Everything can be viewed online, via Chromecast and on both Android and iOS. For anyone outside of America, there's a catch, unsurprisingly — as yet, YouTube hasn't announced any plans to make the service available beyond the U.S. If you don't already have enough TV to watch or are tempted by unlimited recording, add it to the "wait and see" list.
UPDATE, Thursday, July 18: Titanic. The Human Story will now open on Friday, July 26, 2024, not Friday, July 19. This article has been updated to reflect that change. More than 110 years have passed since the RMS Titanic's ill-fated voyage, but the ship's tragic sinking hasn't ever become a mere historical footnote. James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet and Celine Dion all helped. In Australia recently, a Melbourne exhibition about the ocean liner has also assisted — and, from September, so will the arrival of musical Titanique, which is set to make its Aussie debut in Sydney. Displaying in Brisbane from July, Titanic. The Human Story is the next event that'll step through the tale of the vessel that set out from Southhampton in April 1912, then struck an iceberg en route to New York. The exhibition has popped up in both the UK and the US, but is making its maiden Down Under visit in the Queensland capital. If you live outside of the Sunshine State, cross your fingers that it heads elsewhere around the country afterwards. Although everything Titanic-related since 1997 has meant thinking about Cameron (Avatar: The Way of Water), DiCaprio (Killers of the Flower Moon), Winslet (The Regime) and Dion, Titanic. The Human Story wants you to cast the movie from your mind as it focuses on the ship's passengers and crew. The exhibition features around 200 personal artefacts from them, including never-before-seen pieces that span handwritten letters, belongings, keepsakes and photographs. As attendees step through their experiences, an audio guide will also relay the tales of those onboard the liner during its one and only journey — and some of the boat's interiors will feature via life-sized recreations as well. Titanic. The Human Story will open at Uptown, the shopping complex in the Queen Street Mall that was previously the Myer Centre, from Friday, July 26, 2024. The precinct is first getting into the exhibition game with the completely different Dopamine Land, which is filled with Instagram-friendly experiences designed to make visitors feel happy (ball pits are one of them) and is also making its Aussie premiere in Brisbane. Behind both is entertainment discovery platform Fever. Also behind Titanic. The Human Story specifically is Spanish company Musealia. Bringing historical exhibitions to audiences is its remit, including about the Berlin Wall and Auschwitz, and it has enlisted Titanic expert Claes-Göran Wetterholm to assist with its research on this exhibition. Titanic. The Human Story will display at Level Q, Uptown, 91 Queen St, Brisbane City from Friday, July 26, 2024 — head to the exhibition website for more information and to buy tickets.
What starts with a progress pride flag-raising ceremony, officially opens with Kylie Minogue and Charli XCX, then ends with MUNA and G Flip? What features the long-awaited return of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade to Oxford Street (with new viewing areas), more than 45 rainbow artworks all around town and a monumental pride march with 50,000-plus people walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, too? In other words, what'll make Sydney the centre of the queer universe from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, and make history in the process? Sydney WorldPride, the first WorldPride ever held in the southern hemisphere, and basically a mega Mardi Gras — and your unmissable reason to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community in the New South Wales capital in early 2023. Plenty of the above has been giving everyone reasons to rejoice for a while now; however, the Sydney WorldPride crew has just dropped the full event lineup. In-person, the team has done so with Bondi Beach's first-ever gigantic rainbow sand sculpture — which is on display until sunset today, Wednesday, November 9, if you're in the neighbourhood and keen to check it out — but this is a program worth getting excited about for the next 100 days until Sydney WorldPride arrives. Charli XCX has indeed joined the opening concert lineup, as has Jessica Mauboy, both of whom will perform alongside Kylie Minogue. Also welcome news: more tickets have been released for the previously sold-out gig, although don't expect them to stick around for long. At the Domain Dance Party mid-fest — another huge highlight — Kelly Rowland will headline‚ with DJ Dan Slater curating the bill, and DJ Suri and DJ Isis Muretech among those on the decks. And, the Bondi Beach Party on March 4 will turn the famed stretch of sand into an openair club for a casual 12,000 people, dancing by the water from dusk. If that's not enough to start making plans — a staycation or vacation via Concrete Playground Trips and its seven different Sydney WorldPride packages, perhaps? — overall the fest will feature more than 300 events over 17 days, making it the largest-ever LGBTQIA+ festival ever held in the region, too. Still on numbers, that hefty total includes 19 official major events, 68 WorldPride Arts experiences, 17 WorldPride Sports events and 192 Pride Amplified community events. That's a massive lineup to sift through, so here's the short version: wherever you are in Sydney during WorldPride, expect the festival to be in the vicinity. The list of standouts worth mentioning is similarly sizeable, including the gigs at Sydney WorldPride's at Marri Madung Butbut (Many Brave Hearts): the First Nations Gathering Space — such as the Klub Village party and performance, the Miss First Nation drag contest, and exhibition Bloodlines, which honours artists lost to HIV/AIDS. There's also the impressive WorldPride human rights conference, which is the largest of its kind ever held in the Asia-Pacific as well, and will span three days. Also, Queer Art After Hours will head to the Art Gallery of New South Wales and its new building; the Mardi Gras Film Festival returns for its 30th fest, complete with a big focus on Asia-Pacific cinema and a day of free outdoor screenings; and the Queer Formal is back. And while some Mardi Gras favourites, such as the official 10,000-person Mardi Gras Party at Hordern Pavilion and the Mardi Gras Laneway at The Beresford and Hill Street, have already sold out, there's clearly plenty more where they came from. The WorldPride Arts lineup alone spans exhibitions by Paul Yore and Dylan Mooney, the first dedicated exhibition of Australian queer artist David McDiarmid's photos, lesbian divorce comedy Blessed Union, the Australian premiere of Choir Boy by Moonlight co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney, and installation Eulogy for the Dyke Bar — which will indeed operate as a bar — for instance. And, there's a 24-hour dance piece, a comedy night hosted by Ru Paul's Drag Race Down Under's Coco Jumbo, and Powerhouse Museum's showcase of Sydney's leading LGBTQIA+ artists, designers, makers and performers as well. Sports-wise, 17 different activities will be featured, spanning everything from roller derby, ten-pin bowling, soccer, ice hockey and basketball to wrestling, swimming, golf and dragon boating. Then, throw in a Pride Climb on Sydney Harbour Bridge, LGBTQIA+ history walks and a Sapphic Literary Lounge at Watsons Bay Library, all from the Pride Amplified part of the fest. That program covers gin dinners, events in spas and pop-up fetish bars, and a world-record attempt at the biggest disco dance class, too, and there's more still to come. Sydney WorldPride will run from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, 2023. For more information, head to the event's website. Making Sydney WorldPride plans? Concrete Playground Trips has a heap of exclusive packages on offer, including tickets to and accommodation around the Opening Concert, Domain Dance Party, Bondi Beach Party and more.
When it comes to idyllic harbourside suburbs, it's hard to look past Sydney's beautiful Rose Bay. Only seven kilometres from the city, the neighbourhood sports an array of top-notch cafes, stylish watering holes and plenty of independent bakeries, grocers, homeware shops and bottle shops to enjoy. Here, there are loads of opportunities to lend the community and small businesses in the area a helping hand. To help you make the most of your time in the area, we've teamed up with American Express to design your go-to guide of venues to browse in and around Rose Bay. Grab a bite with mates, restock your liquor cabinet or prepare an excellent dinner party by shopping small with just a tap of your Amex Card.
When the Australian Government announced its 2020–21 Federal Budget in October last year — later than usual due to the pandemic — it looked more than a little bare for half of the population. But in the newly arrived 2021–22 Budget (which was announced last night, on Tuesday, May 11), $3.4 billion has been committed to supporting women. This time around, Aussie ladies aren't being told that they can just take advantage of new roads and infrastructure. The new Budget does obviously include funding for roads, rail and infrastructure projects — $15.2 billion, in fact — but the money allocated to women's health, safety and financial security isn't insignificant. And, it's being directed towards key areas, including cervical and breast cancer screening programs, endometriosis support, services for women and children who are experiencing violence, and childcare. In the health and wellbeing space, $351.6 million will be spent on maternal, sexual and reproductive health, as well as ageing, chronic conditions, preventative health and mental health. Of that, $100 million will go to cervical and breast cancer screening programs, and $47 million to perinatal and postnatal anxiety and depression services. Endometriosis, which effects at least one in nine Aussie women, will be covered as part of a four-year $5 million package for education and pain management programs targeting the condition. Women's safety is also a big, important and well-deserving focus, with $1.1 billion allocated to initiatives to support victims of domestic violence, and to tackle workplace harassment and online abuse. That includes general support for women and children leaving violent situations, emergency accommodation, and legal assistance services. $20.5 million has been committed to preventing and addressing address sexual harassment in the workplace, $6 million to boost the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, and $26.2 million to online safety — the latter of which covers awareness campaigns, support for children being bullied online, and software that will investigate intimate images that are shared without consent. And, because women in the workplace and childcare are interconnected topics, an extra $1.7 billion will be put towards the latter. It'll cover an increase childcare subsidies for families with more than one child, to become effective from July 2022. Obviously, childcare really shouldn't be badged as just a women's issue — it's a matter for all parents, regardless of gender — but the aim of the funding is to increase women's participation in the workforce. For more information about the 2021–22 Federal Budget, head to the government's website.
The Yarra Valley is an incredibly popular year-round travel destination in Victoria. Come rain or shine, you're going to have a marvellous time hopping from cellar door to cellar door — trying world-class vinos and great food overlooking rolling vineyards. You can also hike up to hidden waterfalls, check out some local art at local museums and galleries and hit up country towns like Healesville, Yarra Glen and Marysville for all kinds of cultural experiences. To make visiting the Yarra Valley region a little easier for you, we've gathered together these 10 top-notch local stays that can all be booked on Concrete Playground Trips. WOODLANDS RAINFOREST RETREAT Woodlands Rainforest Retreat consists of a series of luxe cottages hidden within 16-acres of the Black Spur rainforest, right on the edge of the Yarra Valley. And while you won't be there alone, you will feel completely secluded thanks to each cottage being situated far away from one another, within thick fern gullies. All you'll hear is native wildlife and the babbling Hermitage Creek in the background. Light a fire in your living room, soak in the glass-walled spa bath overlooking the surrounding rainforest and head out on local hikes. You can easily spend your entire holiday right here. BOOK IT NOW. YERING GORGE COTTAGES Modern, self-contained cottages are the name of the game at this working farm. There are several one-to-four-bedroom cottages spread throughout the property, surrounded by families of kangaroos and plenty of cattle that you'll see wandering up over the hills. Hiking trails that lead down to babbling river with picnic tables are all also located within a short walk or bike ride from each of the cottages. That means you don't need to drive off somewhere else to get up and close with nature. It's all on your doorstep at this laidback spot. BOOK IT NOW. FURMSTON HOUSE AND STUDIO This recently renovated house offers up a super stylish place to stay in Healesville — feeling like a privately rented out accommodation but in fact, is actually owned and run by the nearby Healesville Hotel. It will feel as if you're staying in your own cosy private house, but you still get access to the hotel's luxe amenities and other offerings. You have a few booking options too. Either rent out the entire home that sleeps four people or add on the adjacent studio to bring that up to six. And if you are just a couple, opt for one of the individual rooms in the nearby hotel. Whatever option you choose, you'll be just a few minutes' walk from town and a short drive away from the region's famous vineyards. BOOK IT NOW. CHATEAU YERING HOTEL Escape to the Yarra Valley's own version of Versailles by staying at this lavish mansion. Expect to find ornately decorated drawing rooms, light-filled dining areas (where it hosts traditional afternoon tea experiences) and 32 individually designed suites. These guys don't shy away from colour nor pattern. It's all a more is more kind of vibe. But still keeping it classy. Chateau Yering Hotel is also set within a massive 250-acre property, so you'll also get sweeping countryside views and plenty of options for relaxing walks and picnics in the gardens. BOOK IT NOW. MYERS CREEK CASCADES COTTAGES These four self-contained cottages are engulfed by nature. Eucalyptus trees and giant ferns surround each and every place to stay on the property, creating a great sense of solitude. Soak in the two-person spa bath overlooking a waterfall and let the romance of this place simply wash over you. Staying in one of the Myers Creek Cascades Cottages is an easy win for any couple seeking a special weekend away together. BOOK IT NOW. THE STUDIO YARRA VALLEY This Yarra Glen accommodation boasts uninterrupted views across Dixons Creek Valley and the surrounding farmland. And within the studio, you'll find one large bedroom with a king-sized bed, a kitchen with all the essentials (including a coffee machine), a private verandah with table and chairs and a sun-lit lounge room with its own sofa bed. It has all the essential for a great Yarra Valley vacay and is close to all the main towns in the area — Yarra Glen town centre is only a 5-minute drive away and it will take 10-minutes to get to Healesville. BOOK IT NOW. FORGET ME NOT COTTAGES This place is full of character. Each of the four wooden cottages has been individually decorated by the owners, in their own quirky style. The Music Room cottage comes with a large canopy bed draped in colourful fabric, animal fur rugs, and an assortment of instruments — why not play the bongos or guitar while sitting around the fire one night? It even has its own outdoor heated spa on the verandah, perfect for stargazing at night. The interiors of The Rose Cottage, The Green Room and The Water Garden apartment are also just as uniquely curated. You certainly won't forget your time spent at Forget Me Not Cottages anytime soon. BOOK IT NOW. SANCTUARY PARK COTTAGES These set of cottages are really great for small or larger groups of travellers looking to stay within the Yarra Valley region. There are two-bedroom cottages that sleep up to four people, a three-bedroom cottage that sleeps up to eight people and there's also the Homestead that comfortably sleeps up to ten. They are also well spread out within the 20-acre property so there's no need to worry about noise. And you're close to a bunch of wineries, so you won't be spending a whole lot on transport to and from your accommodation. BOOK IT NOW. ARALUEN BOUTIQUE ACCOMMODATION You'll find this collection of rooms and villas nestled down in Steels Creek Valley, a seven-minute drive north of Yarra Glen. The three villas are all self-contained and boast impressive views across the surrounding countryside, gardens and swimming pool. Then there are the individual rooms. These are located within a wing of a large lodge, each with private external access and unobstructed views of the surrounding gardens. Bring back some wine from your Yarra Valley adventures, enjoying it on your private balcony or within the communal lounge areas by the fire. BOOK IT NOW. YARRA VALLEY LODGE The Yarra Valley Lodge has everything you'd expect from a country club. First off, there's the gold course — to either play on or just enjoy looking at while you sip wines on your private balcony. It has even partnered up with Heritage Retreat & Day Spa to offer up a huge selection of pamper packages to guests. Then you've got the modern rooms and suites, all of which look out at either the golf course or surrounding countryside vistas. Choosing to stay here is a no-brainer. It easily ticks all the boxes for those wanting comfort and laidback luxury in the Yarra Valley. BOOK IT NOW. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Myers Creek Cascades Cottages
Customs House Square will be going back to nature, thanks to Art & About. From September 18 – October 11, passers-by will find themselves wandering through a 21-metre-high forest, made of more than 400 bamboo poles. They’ll be encouraged to imagine the wilderness that once covered Sydney Cove, while contemplating current destruction of the natural environment. Titled Near Kin Kin, the artwork is the creation of Cave Urban, a Sydney-based design collective dedicated to bamboo. Their previous projects include Hot House (Dark Mofo 2015), Save Our Souls (Sculpture By the Sea 2014) and Woven Cloud (Woodford Folk Festival 2014-15). “It's a privilege to be part of Art & About Sydney and to recreate a piece of another world in a place of such poignancy,” says Nici Long, principal at Cave Urban. “It's a chance for people to see the sheer scale and beauty of bamboo and its potential as a sustainable building material.” Fifteen people will labour for a total of 500 hours to bring Near Kin Kin into being. The bamboo is being harvested from a hillside farm in Queensland after which the sculpture is named, and will be recycled afterwards. “Near Kin Kin is a rare chance to reflect on the many layers of Sydney Cove’s history,” says Lord Mayor Clover Moore. “The enormous beams of bamboo will invoke awe in anyone who stands beneath them. By bringing the forest back into the heart of the city, the project will allow visitors to step back in time to a much earlier Sydney.” Image by Juan Pablo Pinto (artist's impression).
Among the many things that cinema's various bleak visions of the future have taught us, the need for sturdy footwear is right up there. Who wants to be caught wandering through Mad Max: Fury Road's apocalyptic wasteland with flimsy shoes? And, although Blade Runner's 2019 setting has been and gone, who wants to be bathed in its neon lights or Blade Runner 2049's orange haze without their toes covered? Consider Dr Martens' new Warner Bros-inspired range the perfect kicks if dystopian times come, then. Some are best worn if you're feeling shiny and chrome, others will suit you if you wonder whether androids dream of electric sheep. The iconic footwear label has teamed up with the movie studio to celebrate the latter's 100th anniversary, paying tribute to Mad Max: Fury Road and the OG Blade Runner specifically across four pairs of docs. There's two types of shoes for each, with both films scoring their own riff on Dr Martens' 1460 boot and Jadon boot. Here's one way to choose which kind you want: via the thickness of the soles, with the Jadon's platform base adding to your height. For Mad Max: Fury Road devotees hanging out for prequel Furiosa, the 1460 version comes with "what a lovely day" printed on the back of old harness leather, and also features a harness over the shoes, plus laces with a spearhead charm printed with Immortan Joe emblem. If you opt for the Jadon boots, you'll get chrome-plated shoes that feature the skull emblem stamped on a metal plate, a zipper to match, red rubber and a chain threaded around the back, gear-inspired eyelets and a skeleton arm pointing towards the toe. The Blade Runner kicks both feature four unforgettable words: "like tears in rain". With the 1460 boot, the phrase repeats along the welt. With the Jadon, it's printed on the backstrap. The 1460 also includes a grid print, a strip of reflective tape on the backtrap, a Tyrell Corporation stamp and lace charm to match, as well as a dog tag. With the Jadon, it boasts red stitching, multiple Tyrell Corp nods — including via embossing — and an origami unicorn charm. When you're getting decked out to worship your favourite sci-fi classic, there's also Blade Runner-inspired bag if you're a matchy-matchy sort. Dr Martens new Warner Bros anniversary range is available from Thursday, November 16 online and in stores — head to the brand's website for further details.
A very ordinary couple buys a house with a pond. Despite the couple's attempts, they can't keep the tadpoles in the pond alive. And, yes, the pond is a metaphor. At Addison Road Community Centre in Marrickville, you'll find a small community theatre that battles with the sound of aircraft flying overhead. The aptly named Flight Path Theatre is where you'll find a short run of 60-minute play The Pond, starring Oliver Burton and Rosemary Ghazi. It's a full length development of an award-winning short play of the same name by writer Con Nats. What resonated with audiences in the shorter version is likely going to land with the same emotive punch in this version — it deals with issues of miscarriage, mental health and the stop/start of building a relationship. Though the story starts equally weighted across both his and her anxieties, hopes and dreams, the trauma of multiple pregnancy losses seems to cut the audience off from her journey and instead focuses on the experience through his attention on the pond. And, considering the heaviness of the topics, it's quite a lighthearted production. There's plenty of relief in moments of dance and (slightly hammed up) sex scenes. And, as the actors are working with minimal set or prop design, you're drawn into the rhythm of their relationship as it gradually bends and snaps over time. If you're unable to make it to the theatre in person, The Pond will also be available as an audio recording. The so-called 'In Spirit' tickets are available for $10 from Sunday, October 11.
Legos: the colourful building blocks that adults pretend they don't miss. They began as toys for children to use their imagination to create miniature houses and spaceships, but have become tools for the construction of life-size sculptures across the world. Who claims the glory of building the largest Lego masterpiece? Brazil, as of April 10, has triumphed over cities across the world in building the tallest Lego tower. In a shopping centre parking lot in San Paulo, Brazil, over 6000 children and parents spent four days putting together the tower, which now stands at 102 feet and three inches, breaking Chile's latest record set in 2008 by 9.8 inches. Children assembled over 500,000 individual Lego pieces which were later stacked together by a crane and held together with wire supports for stability against strong winds. The World's Tallest Lego Tower has come a long way since London's first attempt in 1988, which resulted in a 50 foot structure. Since then, Toronto, Moscow, Tokyo, Munich and our very own Sydney have held the coveted title. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qvRIcASivqQ [via Nerdist]
After a year of travelling inside our own states (and around our own apartments), the last of the interstate borders are finally opening. Apart from WA (which is still closed to SA) and Queensland (which is opening up to SA from Saturday, December 12), Australians can visit anywhere in the country without quarantining. To celebrate, ridesharing service DiDi is offering half-price rides to airports across the country from now all the way through till Sunday, January 31 2021. This is great news if you have trips home to see the fam or summer getaways planned. You can, of course, choose from Ola, Uber or DiDi. If you go with the latter, though — you'll get a much cheaper trip. The newer of the three, DiDi is offering every rider two half-price trips (with a max saving of $20 a trip) to eligible airports, which include Melbourne Tullamarine, Melbourne Avalon, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast airports. You just need to jump onto the app, use the code 'EXPLORE' and you'll get access to the discounted trips. DiDi has implemented a range of safety measures in a bid to reduce the spread of COVID-19, too, including two-person passenger limits in an Express and four in a Max, installing over 2000 in-car partition screens and distributing face masks to drivers. DiDi Chuxing launched in China in 2012 and has quickly become a huge player in the global ridesharing game — it has since bought out Uber's Chinese operations and has stakes in numerous companies, including Ola, Taxify, Lyft and Grab. To get your two half-price DiDi trips — from now until Sunday, January 31, 2021 — download the app (for iOS or Android) and use the code EXPLORE. Find out more about current interstate border restrictions over here.
Whichever pop culture phenomenon, figure, show, movie or bad takes your fancy, odds are there's a cookbook devoted to it. Breaking Bad, Brad Pitt's eating habits, Morrissey and Nick Cave-inspired vegan recipes, Twin Peaks pies (and doughnuts and coffee, obviously) — the list goes on. If you're keen to pair a heap of your faves with some joke-tastic dishes, however, then Pun Pantry's kitchen tome is for you. Among their recipes: 'Chicken Kebob Dylan', 'Fleetwood Mac & Cheese', 'Gin Diesel' cocktails (yes, Coronas are among the ingredients) and 'Wu-Tang Clam Chowder', plus 'The Fresh Prince of Eclaires', 'Pumpking Kong Pie', 'Cream Puff Daddy', 'Frying Nemo' and 'Obi-Wan Cannolis'. If some of them sound familiar, that's because Pun Pantry have been selling themed merchandise and showcasing their wares online for a couple of years. Now, they're running a Kickstarter campaign to put their comedic cooking creations into print. Featuring more than 20 recipes, Pun Pantry contend that the book won't just include steps for serving up hilarious and tasty dishes, but will be "an homage to pop culture, filled with stories, interactive material and original comedic flavour". The fundraising drive will also help them attend the America's Mart Novelty Gift Show in January — and with eight days left to go at the time of writing, they're nearly a third of the way to their US$10,000 goal. Via Food & Wine. Image: Pun Pantry / Nude Dude Food.
In yet another difficult-to-believe tech development, a new app allows doctors to conduct comprehensive eye examinations with their smartphones. It's a particularly important breakthrough for medical professionals working in developing nations, where access to equipment is often costly and troublesome. Known as Peek Vision, the app is the invention of an expert team of ophthalmologists, scientists and engineers, several of whom are based at the International Centre for Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Having worked at ground level in developing nations, they have had firsthand experience of the stories behind the statistics. 285 million people around the world are visually impaired. 39 million are blind. 90 percent of the latter live in low-income countries. 80% of blindness could have been avoided. Peek Vision currently has the capacity to perform a variety of tests and record-keeping tasks, including visual acuity, colour vision testing, contrast sensitivity testing, visual field testing, lens imaging for cataracts, retinal imaging, image grading and creating patient records with geotagging. Other possibilities, including front-of-the-eye-imaging, paediatric examination tools and autorefraction, are being explored. The Peek Vision team counts a number of medical bodies and research centres as its partners. Anyone interested in supporting the project, using the app or finding out more is invited to make contact. Via Springwise.
On Monday, March 23, pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and cafes across Australia were forced to close their doors, in the latest move to slow the spread of COVID-19. The stage one closure of non-essential indoor venues also included casinos, gyms, cinemas and places of worship, but it didn't include convenience stores or supermarkets. It also allowed restaurants and cafes to continue offering takeaway and delivery food. So, venues have adapted. Instead of pulling pints and plating up schnitties, pubs and restaurants across the country are stocked to the brim with hand sanitisers, groceries and toilet paper. It's a win-win situation: helping the venues stay alive and continue to pay employees, while also letting you skip the supermarket queues and get your hands on those coveted tins of beans. In Sydney, the W Short Hotels Group has transformed two of its pubs into corner stores. Both Redfern's The Tudor Hotel and The Royal Hotel in Leichhardt are now selling fresh food, pantry staples, toilet paper and booze. Food has been sourced from local butchers, bakers and the pubs' suppliers, so the cash you spend is going to support local businesses. Other Sydney spots are also, while not opening physical grocers, delivering boxes of groceries. Nel has a selection of four— ranging from pantry essentials ($45) and a vegetable box ($80) through to a primo meat and veg box ($130) — and is delivering on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Italian chain Fratelli Fresh has its own Gourmet Grocer service, which includes next-day delivery of ready-made meals; alcohol; bags of flour, rice and sugar; tinned tomatoes and beans; fresh fruit and veg; and 500-gram bags of pasta. Melbourne's venues are pivoting, too, including Brunswick all-day diner Theodore's, which is now, temporarily, Ted's Grocer. It's selling produce boxes, ready-made meals and essentials — including pasta, milk, spices, cured meats, sweets and more — for pick up and delivery. Fitzroy's Smith & Deli is also offering $50 grocery boxes twice a week. In Brisbane, Alchemy has launched Alchemy to You — check out the full list of available supplies online, place your order and then pick it up in-store 24 hours later. It's also offering delivery to those in the CBD. We'll be updating the list below as more venues jump on board. If and when you do decide to head out to get groceries, remember to follow the Australian Government Department of Health's social distancing guidelines. SYDNEY Bar M (Rushcutters Bay) The Italian restaurant is now a grocery store, offering pick up and local delivery, 9am–9pm daily. Bella Vista Hotel (Bella Vista) This spot in The Hills has launched 'Essentials Express', a contactless drive-thru service selling the likes of meat trays, pre-batched cocktails, juice and snacks from $2. It's open daily from 10am–2pm and you can check out each day's specials on its Facebook page. Dear Sainte Eloise (Potts Point) $100 hampers, filled with local veggies, eggs, bread, pasta, canned goods and more, available for pick up on Wednesday and Fridays. To order, email hello@dearsainteeloise.com or call (02) 9326 9745. Fratelli Fresh (various locations) This chain is now offering next-day delivery of groceries, pantry staples, alcohol and ready-made meals. You can order over here. Nel (Surry Hills) Online grocery boxes ranging from $45–130 available to order online. Nour (Surry Hills) Market boxes available for $79 and delivered on Mondays. Head here to order. Sample Coffee Pro Shop (St Peters) The specialty coffee roaster's St Peters digs is now selling staples such as bread, milk, eggs, cheese, coffee (of course) and more. Delivery is also available on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Single O (Surry Hills) The cafe is offering fancy 'corner store staples' including lemon myrtle kimchi, Pepe Saya butter and kangaroo sausages. Sixpenny (Stanmore) The fine diner has turned into a grocer, open from 10am–1pm on weekends, and is also offering weekly produce boxes ($120) available for pick up on Saturdays. You can preorder over here. The Tudor Hotel (Redfern) Convenience store open daily, 10am–late. The Royal Hotel (Leichhardt) Convenience store open daily, 10am–late. MELBOURNE Grosvenor Hotel (St Kilda East) A shop and bottle-o drive-thru has popped up at this pub, open every day from 10am. Heartattack and Vine (Carlton) This Lygon Street go-to has launched an online grocery store, selling everything from coffee and toilet paper to vino, cheese and one kilogram of its house-made porchetta (uncooked). Lamaro's (South Melbourne) A gourmet grocer and wine store with an online list of items here. Pick up orders are available from 12-6pm Monday through Friday,with delivery available for orders of $100. Smith & Deli (Fitzroy) $50 produce boxes available for pick up and delivery on Wednesday and Friday. Call (03) 9042 4117 to order. Ted's Grocer (Brunswick) Open 10am–8pm Monday–Saturday and delivering on Wednesdays and Fridays. BRISBANE Alchemy to You (CBD) Check out the supplies online, place your order and then pick it up in-store 24 hours later. Delivery is also available to the CBD. Top image: The Tudor Hotel convenience sore
Diaries out: Good Things, the Australian music festival that's boasted the reunited TISM, Bring Me the Horizon, The Amity Affliction, NOFX, Millencolin, Devo, Fall Out Boy, Limp Bizkit, Corey Taylor and Pennywise on its lineup across its past two years, will return to the east coast in December 2024 to kick off another summer. There's no word yet on who'll be taking to the stage, but you can save the date, with the fest again playing Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Good Things runs over a single weekend even though it hits up three cities, and that's remaining the same in 2024. First up is a Melbourne stop on Friday, December 6, before heading to Saturday, December 7 and Brisbane on Sunday, December 8. Venues haven't been revealed yet either, so whether Good Things is again taking over Centennial Park, Flemington Racecourse and Brisbane Showgrounds is yet to be confirmed. Wherever it sets up shop in 2024, both its past rosters and the parts of town that it has popped up in demonstrate that this isn't a small affair by any measure. 2023's fest also featured Bullet for My Valentine, Taking Back Sunday and I Prevail, plus Enter Shikari, Pvris, Behemoth and Sepultura — and, on the local front, Spiderbait, Frenzal Rhomb, Jebediah and Eskimo Joe. Accordingly, whoever does the honours in 2024 is following in some mighty hefty footsteps. There's no word yet as to when more details will be unveiled, so watch this space. 2022's lineup dropped in June, while 2023's arrived in August. Good Things follows fellow touring fest Listen Out and Brisbane-only event Sweet Relief! in locking in a 2024 return in what's been an immensely difficult year for music festivals, with Groovin the Moo announcing its dates then cancelling, and Splendour in the Grass sadly doing the same. Good Things 2024 Dates: Friday, December 6 — Melbourne Saturday, December 7 — Sydney Sunday, December 8 — Brisbane Good Things will hit the Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in December 2024. We'll update you when the lineup is announced and tickets go on sale — head to the festival website for more information and to sign up for the event's mailing list in the interim. Images: Kane Hibberd.
Dig out those once-a-year novelty gumboots, Groovin the Moo has unveiled its 2020 lineup. Taking the large-scale music festival out of the city and into regional centres for another year, GTM will kick things off on Friday, April 24 in South Australia and travel through Canberra, Bunbury, Bendigo and Townsville before finishing up in Maitland on Saturday, May 9. This year sees local talent new and established taking the stage, with the lineup spanning recent Hottest 100 favourites San Cisco, Dope Lemon, E^ST, Slowly Slowly, Tones and I and Mallrat to up-and-comers like Kira Puru, Ruby Fields and WAAX. International talent like Bhad Bhabie, Kelis, Clairo, recently reformed 90s rock band Supergrass and Darude — who'll you'll most likely recognise from his hit track 'Sandstorm' — will take to the stage alongside Aussie legends Gang of Youths, The Cat Empire and The Veronicas. After hosting Australia's first (and second) ever pill-testing trial in Canberra, Groovin the Moo's ACT festival will take place in Exhibition Park for a second year. Despite many protests and petitions supporting it, pill testing is still a much-debated topic around the country. Here's the full lineup: GROOVIN THE MOO 2020 LINEUP AJ Tracey Bhad Bhabie Blanco Brown The Cat Empire Channel Tres Clairo Darude Dope Lemon E^ST Gang of Youths Hayden James Kelis Kira Puru Mallrat Manu Crooks Maxo Kream Ruby Fields San Cisco Slowly Slowly Sugarhill Gang Supergrass Tones and I The Veronicas WAAX YBN Cordae GROOVIN THE MOO 2020 DATES & VENUES Friday, April 24 — Adelaide Showground, Wayville (SA) Saturday, April 25 – Exhibition Park, Canberra (ACT) Sunday, April 26 — Hay Park, Bunbury (WA) Saturday, May 2 — Prince of Wales Showgrounds, Bendigo (VIC) Sunday, May 3 — Murray Sports Complex, Townsville (QLD) Saturday, May 9 — Maitland Showground, Maitland (NSW) Tickets for GTM in Bendigo, Bunbury and Canberra will go on sale at 8am on Tuesday, February 11, and Maitland, Wayville and Townsville will be released the day after at 8am on Wednesday, February 12. For more info, go to gtm.net.au. Image: Mackenzie Sweetnam
Although it's tempting to live in your swim shorts all season, it's not socially acceptable unless you live on the beach. But with warmer days and nights, we don’t blame you for wanting to keep things cool and casual. This summer, there are plenty of modern styles that can be easily added to any wardrobe. We've also got a style guide for women. Here it is over here. Classic For the style-conscious man who knows what he likes: this season, be on the lookout for well-tailored and timeless pieces. Tailored shorts, short-sleeved shirts and anything in beige, white or tan are your signature summer go-to's. But classic doesn't have to mean boring, so don't be afraid to roll up your (pant) cuffs and get a little creative. Blue Suits Have to wear a suit for work? You don't have to stick to your banal black and greys. Nobody wants to be caught sweltering in the sun on their lunch break. Instead, opt for lighter-coloured suites in tans and blues. The spring and summer has seen all fifty shades of cool, from nautical navies to pale pigeons. Wear a crisp white or striped collared shirt underneath, throw on a fedora and voila: instant update. Images: Milan street style by Lee Oliveira Look from Shipley & Halmos’ SS 14 collection shot by Yannis Vlamos for GoRunway.com Suit from Dolce & Gabbana’s SS 14 men’s collection Nautical Stripes Ah, sailor stripes, a pattern that faithfully returns every season. When worn outside of the summer months, you look like a Frenchman. But once the season begins those black/navy and white stripes become the universal flag of leisure time. Whether you own a sailboat, yacht or (k)not, these laidback lines give the appearance that you know your way around a dock. Pair a tee with some Nantucket Red chinos and deck shoes, and you're ready to go. Or, if you're not exactly on holiday, throw one of those equally stylish blue blazers over for a smarter look. Striped shorts are also popping up this season, but please, limit the lines to one piece. You’re going for the seaman look, not inmate. Images: Jumper from J.Crew shot by Yannis Vlamos Jumper from Burberry Prorsum's SS 14 men’s collection Sydney Streetsyle shot by Carolina Falk for Style Creeper Cuffed Hem and No Socks Ok, this look might seem a little trendy, but if you think about it, those Italians have been doing it for years. Envision the mod Roman gentleman, propped up against a wall in a perfectly tailored suit, smoking his cigarette. Yep, his cuffs are rolled. Socks? No way. It's summer, too hot for that. The look is a no-brainer to pull off, and it's definitely not limited to suits or any type of shoe. Keep it casual by rolling up anything you like, from khakis to jeans. (Extra bonus points if you're wearing a striped tee and navy sport coat.) Images from Pinterest. Trendy When it comes to staying with-it, the trendy guy knows what's up. He's probably been rolling his pants and going sockless for years. Mixing prints and and implementing bright colours are standard. There is, however, a sexy simplicity in going monochromatic. Whichever look you prefer, you're not afraid to mix things up. Florals Once restricted to Mediterranean and Polynesian holidays, the floral print is taking spring and summerwear to the next level. Blooms are sprouting up everywhere on shirts, suit detailing, hats, jackets, shoes and, for those brave enough, pants. Think of this as the new 'real men wear pink'. Mixing other small prints such as polka dots or stripes with florals is being popularised by those who are extra adventurous. But if that's literally too bold for you, pair your piece of choice with something basic like a chambray button-up or chino shorts. We swear, you'll feel like every day is Friday. Images: Shirt from Burberry Prorsum’s SS 14 men’s collection Shorts by D’Marge Look from Marcs’ SS14 mens collection Denim on Denim (aka the Canadian Tuxedo) This has been a look sported by our North American friends for a while. Traditionally worn with flannels and work boots, the quintessential lumberjack vibe is a favourite of hipsters. Pair this tux with the three Bs (Beanie, Beard and cheap Beer), and you're pretty for the party. But the Canadian tuxedo is a little too cosy for an Aussie summer. More realistically, you'd ditch the jacket and wear a chambray over jeans or jorts. Beer is still an appreciated accessory. Images: Street style snap by Romeo Style Denim look from Calvin Klein’s SS 13 collection at men’s Fashion Week in New York Sydney street style snap by Carolina Falk for Style Creeper Neon There is nothing new about neon. Everyone has a bright thing or two, but it's probably limited to sports wear. Nike and other companies have been incorporating electric colours into their shoes and clothes for ages. Now, neon has spread outside the gym for men. Making its way onto chinos, shoes, windbreakers and even suits, neon is a huge trend for men this season. We're not expecting the execs of the CBDs to start running around in hot pink suits; rather, the gym junkies, beach bums and trendily bold will enjoy this craze. It's most sensible to limit your exposure to a pair of shorts, tee shirt or light windbreaker. You don't want to go about blinding anyone. Images: Shorts from Ben Sherman Suit from Salvatore Ferragamo’s SS 13/14 collection Milan Vukmirovic at Men’s Fashion Week 2013 in Milan shot by Lee Oliveira Maverick The true maverick isn’t afraid of to go out on a limb. You probably already own a neon suit and are about to buy ones in floral and camo prints after seeing the spring/summer runway photos. You’re also not afraid to steal ideas from the girls. Hey, they adopt men’s looks all the time (hello, blue suits), so why shouldn’t you? Hot items such as studded slipper/loafers and clutches are being revamped on such a masculine level, you'd think they'd been yours all along. The true maverick knows how to own even the craziest trends. The Man Clutch Although a man carrying a bag has been a stigmatic subject in the past, I think we can all agree that the times are a-changin'. In an age where men have increasingly more things to lug around — tech devices, work papers, gym essentials, etc — a guy needs a place to stash his stuff. If you think satchels and messenger bags are overdone, then consider this your new and lighter briefcase. But fear not, for the male clutch is nothing like its female counterpart. Depending on the size, they look more like document holders, tablet covers or big leather/suede pouches than the feminine envelope-styles. Tucked under your arm as you dash about town, an oversized pouch will make you look like man on a mission. Images: Look from Paul Joe’s SS 14 collection shot by Yannis Vlamos for GoRunway.com MBFWA street style by Style Creeper Parisian street style shot by Lee Oliveira Camouflage Suits Camouflage print was one of the biggest trends for men this past European summer. Popping up on clothes, shoes and accessories (clutch included), the print is best limited to one item per outfit. However, with the monochrome/print sensation taking off for both women and men this season, it's only natural that camo pieces have grown together to create the ultimate organic ensemble. And this G.I. Joe-inspired look is a very real thing. Directly interpreted from the New York runways by the likes of American designer Mark McNairy (who is infamous for his crazy combos), the camo combination has been seen on carpets both concrete and red. Lucky for you, it's been modified for warmer weather with shorts options. So if you're feeling like a real rebel, feel free to try out this oxymoron of army-inspired fashion. Images: Camo street style by The Sartorialist Look from Mark McNairy’s SS 14 collection shot by Yannis Vlamos Singer Pharrell Williams in a Moncler Bleu Camo Tux at the 60th Art Basel Miami Party by Getty Images Studded Loafers Leave it to the rappers and basketball players to take a female trend and make it rock star-worthy. Stars like Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Dwyane Wade have been seen sporting spiked slippers at fashion shows and NBA finals. Somehow the trend has made it all the way down here, with sightings of the studded loafers at this year's MBFWA and on the streets of Melbourne. It's a bold look, since these kicks quite literally have an edge to them. They take any outfit, from a tux to a tee and jeans, to the next level. Images from Pinterest
Big Day Out is out for 2015. After yesterday's news of AJ Maddah's handover to Austin-based company C3 Presents (owners of Lollapalooza festival), this morning Fairfax Media announced a statement from the new owners. "C3 Presents is proud to own Big Day Out, one of the most iconic and established festival brands in the world. While we intend to bring back the festival in future years, we can confirm there will not be a Big Day Out in 2015," said the statement. "We love working on BDO and are excited about the future." After the huge announcement by Music Feeds yesterday, C3 now own 100 percent of the beloved Australian festival. Running through Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Gold Coast and Auckland, BDO is now entire US owned — promoter AJ Maddah was yesterday revealed to have sold off his half stake to C3. Maddah is yet to make his own announcement, instead looking to triple j's Hack this afternoon for an outlet. Looks like there's a gap in the market for a new around-Australia Day festival, with Field Day's popularity sure to boost in Sydney. If C3 own Lollapalooza, maybe we're in for an Australian edition. Via Music Feeds and SMH. Image by Peer Group.
In The Shape of Water, love conquers all, even when a man-like sea creature is involved. That extends to this year's Academy Award nominations, where Guillermo del Toro's monster romance scored a massive 13 nominations — and helped lead the charge for a traditionally under-represented genre. That'd be horror. It doesn't usually get much attention from the Oscars, but the Academy fell head over heels for the gorgeous creature feature, as nods for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Sally Hawkins), Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer), Best Supporting Actor (Richard Jenkins), Best Original Screenplay (Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor) and more all show. They were also more than a little fond of Get Out, which picked up four nominations. Star Daniel Kaluuya received a Best Actor nod, but it's writer/director Jordan Peele who's rightfully feeling thrilled at the moment. Recognised in the Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture categories, he's the first African-American to earn the trifecta of nominations for writing, directing and producing. https://twitter.com/JordanPeele/status/955807529161801728 Peele also became the fifth black nominee for Best Director in the awards' 90-year history, featuring in a field usually filled with white guys. That's not the directing branch's only welcome departure, with Lady Bird's Greta Gerwig becoming only the fifth woman to earn a directing nod. Dunkirk's Christopher Nolan, Phantom Thread's Paul Thomas Anderson and The Shape of Water's Guillermo del Toro fill out the category. Interestingly, all five nominees also wrote or co-wrote their film's screenplays. Elsewhere, Dunkirk collected eight nominations in total, Golden Globes standout Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri received seven (including for Best Actress favourite Frances McDormand), and Phantom Thread and Darkest Hour six apiece, with Blade Runner 2049 and Lady Bird nabbing five each, and Get Out, Mudbound, Call Me By Your Name and Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi all picking up four. And while that's an impressive spread — and an impressive list of recognised films — this year's Oscars were at their best when they were making history. First-ever female cinematographer to score a nomination? Yep, that'd be Mudbound's Rachel Morrison. First acting nominee from a film directed by a woman of colour? Mudbound again, with Mary J. Blige earning a Best Supporting Actress nod under Dee Rees' direction. First person to receive nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Song? Mudbound and Mary J. Blige once more. Youngest male acting nominee since the 1930s — and oldest acting nominee ever? They came in the form of Call Me By Your Name's Timothée Chalamet and All the Money in the World's Christopher Plummer, the latter getting the tap after famously only stepping into the film mere months ago. And iconic French director Agnes Varda became the oldest nominee ever in any category, thanks to Best Documentary contender Faces Places. As for Australia's efforts, Margot Robbie picked up a Best Actress nomination for I, Tonya, while editor Lee Smith was recognised for Dunkirk. The 90th Academy Awards will take place on March 5 Australian time, and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Here's the full list of nominations. OSCAR NOMINEES 2018 BEST MOTION PICTURE Call Me by Your Name Darkest Hour Dunkirk Get Out Lady Bird Phantom Thread The Post The Shape of Water Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri BEST DIRECTOR Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk Jordan Peele, Get Out PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Margot Robbie, I, Tonya Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird Meryl Streep, The Post PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Daniel Day-Lewis, The Phantom Thread Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq. PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Mary J. Blige, Mudbound Allison Janney, I, Tonya Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR Coco Ferdinand Loving Vincent The Breadwinner The Boss Baby ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY Roger A. Deakins, Blade Runner 2049 Bruno Delbonnel, Darkest Hour Dan Laustsen, The Shape of Water Rachel Morrison, Mudbound Hoyte Van Hoytema, Dunkirk ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN Mark Bridges, Phantom Thread Jacqueline Durran, Darkest Hour Jacqueline Durran, Beauty and the Beast Consolata Boyle, Victoria and Abdul Luis Sequeira, The Shape of Water BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Faces Places Last Men in Aleppo Strong Island Abacus: Small Enough To Jail Icarus BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Edith + Eddie Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405 Heroin(e) Knife Skills Traffic Stop ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss, Baby Driver Jon Gregory, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Tatiana S. Riegel, I, Tonya Lee Smith, Dunkirk Sidney Wolinsky, The Shape of Water BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR A Fantastic Woman, Chile Loveless, Russia On Body and Soul, Hungary The Insult, Lebanon The Square, Sweden ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard, Victoria and Abdul Arjen Tuiten, Wonder Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinkowski, Lucy Sibbick, Darkest Hour ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE) Alexandre Desplat, The Shape of Water Jonny Greenwood, Phantom Thread Carter Burwell, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri John Williams, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Hans Zimmer, Dunkirk ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG) 'Mighty River' from Mudbound by Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq, and Taura Stinson 'Remember Me' from Coco by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez 'Stand Up for Something' from Marshall by Lonnie R. Lynn (Common), Andra Day, and Diane Warren 'The Mystery of Love' from Call Me by Your Name by Sufjan Stevens 'This Is Me' from The Greatest Showman by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN Nathan Crowley, Gary Fettis, Dunkirk Paul Denham Austerberry, Shane Vieau, and Jeff Melvin, The Shape of Water Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer, Darkest Hour Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer, Beauty and the Beast Dennis Gassner, Alessandra Querzola, Bladerunner 2049 BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM Dear Basketball Garden Party Negative Space Lou Revolting Rhymes BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM DeKalb Elementary My Nephew Emmett The Silent Child Watu Wote/All of Us The Eleven O'clock ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING Richard King, Alex Gibson, Dunkirk Mark A. Mangini, Theo Green, Blade Runner 2049 Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, The Shape of Water Julian Slater, Baby Driver Matthew Wood, Star Wars: The Last Jedi ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING Ron Bartlett, Dough Hemphill, Mac Ruth, Blade Runner 2049 Tim Cavagin, Julian Slater, Mary H. Ellis, Baby Driver Christian T. Cooke, Filip Hosek, Brad Zoern, The Shape of Water Gregg Landaker, Gary Rizzo, Mark Weingarten, Dunkirk David Parker, Michael Semanchick, Ren Klyce, and Stuart Wilson, Star Wars: The Last Jedi ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS Ben Morris, Michael Mulholland, Neal Scanlan, and Chris Corbould, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Daniel Barrett, Dan Lemmon, Joe Letteri, Joel Whist, War for the Planet of the Apes Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza, Mike Meinardus, Kong: Skull Island John Nelson, Paul Lambert, Richard R. Hoover, Gerd Nefzer, Blade Runner 2049 Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawkner, Dan Sudick, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Aaron Sorkin, Molly's Game James Ivory, Call Me by Your Name Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green, Logan Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist Dee Rees, Virgil Williams, Mudbound ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Guillermo Del Toro & Vanessa Taylor, The Shape of Water Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick Jordan Peele, Get Out Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
There are two types of people in this world: people who need a coffee in the morning and the people who don't. We don't know too many people from the latter group, so we're going to say that there's a lot of us who rely on that first whizzbang hit of sweet, sweet caffeine either first thing in the morning or shortly thereafter. But, like the generation we are, we're always looking to get things faster, easier, and in a much cooler form. And we assume that's where the Go Cube came from. Go Cubes are chewy gummy lollies made with real cold brew coffee, and are supposed to give the same — if not an enhanced — effect as an actual cup of the stuff. Each cube is equivalent to half a cup of coffee, and is filled with nootropics, which are supplements and functional foods that help improve some aspects of mental function. In other words, they are supposed to do the same thing that a latte does: get the brain juices flowing. They come in three flavours — latte, pure drip and mocha — and yes, they're vegan. The cubes come from San Francisco-based company Nootrobox, who specialise in these types of 'brain' foods and compounds. At the moment Go Cubes are on pre-order, having raised all their funds through Indiegogo. This could be a good alternative for those who have a penchant for Red Bull or three double espressos in the morning. But for those who enjoy the ritual of getting a coffee — and actually like drinking the stuff — you'll probably get the same effect (and more deliciousness) by sticking to good old liquid form. Nevertheless, chewy coffee lollies are something we can get on board with. Via PSFK.
People of Enmore, The Duke has reopened. This weekend, you can head along to the neighbourhood pub for crisp-yet-succulent porchetta or, if you're a vegan, perhaps a cauliflower steak — and stay until 2am. Now owned by James Wirth and Michael Delany, The Duke of Enmore — formally known as The Duke of Edinburgh — has had quite a revamp. You might be familiar with the duo's work — previously, they bought and made over The Norfolk, The Flinders, The Carrington and The Oxford Tavern, before selling them all in 2016. "Everything was gyprocked and painted white — it felt a bit like a shopping centre," says Wirth, explaining The Duke's pre-reno state. "So, we decided to rip it all out and see what we could find. I wouldn't say we gutted it, but we reskinned it, pretty seriously." Their efforts revealed layers of history. Built way back in 1870, The Duke has seen many a drinker and many a late night. "We found a 1940s ceiling, original timber, original brick and original tiling," says Wirth. After exposing and smartening up some of these elements, the duo added more timber, expansive windows, stained glass, a new bar and tartan carpet. They also covered the entire facade in 1960s-style tiles. "We just wanted to give it some love and make it feel like a good, solid, local pub," says Wirth. "It's not meant to be anything too wild or too fancy." The food, presided over by Head Chef Toby Wilson (Bad Hombres, Ghostboy Cantina), follows suit. The emphasis is on high-quality pub grub. Start off with fried salt-and-pepper enoki mushrooms with chilli soy dipping sauce, then tuck into a chicken parmigiana (or the equally great eggplant version) with fresh mozzarella, fries and salad, before finishing up with malt ice cream with toasted buckwheat and stout caramel. One of the stand-outs is the porchetta, first cooked at high temperatures to encourage extreme crispiness, then slow-cooked for five hours, to promote juiciness. It comes in a roll or on a plate, with white bean puree, salsa and greens. There are 12 taps at The Duke, offering old-school classics, like VB, Carlton Draught and Resch's, plus new classics, like Young Henrys. Wirth says the plan is "to play around" with the other eight, with a focus on local craft breweries. Meanwhile, Joel Amos (founder of natural wine retailer Drnks) is on the wines, bringing you — as you'd expect — a bunch of drops made with minimal interference. There are signature cocktails, too, including the Robert Mitchum: a concoction of Jack Daniel's, whole egg, orange juice and maple syrup, which, according to Wirth, tastes like a "boozy banana shake" and makes for a great "meal in a drink" at brekkie time. Find The Duke of Enmore at 148 Enmore Road, Enmore. Opening hours are Wednesday–Saturday, 11am–2am; Sunday, 11am–10pm; and Monday–Tuesday, 11am–midnight. Images: Kitti Gould.
The year was 1992. Aladdin, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Batman Returns, Lethal Weapon 3 and A Few Good Men ruled the international box office. Slipping into a habit and sliding in next on the list, becoming the sixth-biggest hit of the year: Sister Act. The film about singing nuns spawned a sequel, with word of a third movie floating around for years since — and, as everything from Mean Girls and Muriel's Wedding to Groundhog Day and Beetlejuice has also done, it inspired a stage musical as well. The theatre take on the Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)-led film franchise debuted in California in 2006, then hit West End in 2009 and Broadway in 2011. Now, from August 2024, it's finally Australia's turn. Sister Act will make its Aussie premiere at Sydney's Capitol Theatre to see out winter, then make a date with the Regent Theatre in Melbourne from November. (If you live in other cities, start praying that it comes your way as well; however, for now, only Sydney and Melbourne seasons have been announced.) The first movie was filled with songs like 'Rescue Me', 'My Guy' and 'I Will Follow Him', making its soundtrack a smash as well, so the film was always primed to tread the boards. The Sister Act musical features original tunes, with Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid) doing the honours. Among the show's rewards so far: five Tony Award nominations and six Olivier Award nominations. "It is a joyous thing to produce a musical that has never been seen in Australia before and I feel very blessed to be bringing Sister Act to our shores," said producer John Frost, announcing the Aussie seasons. "It's a brilliant, must-see show that will lift audiences up and I know Australians will get into the habit of seeing again and again." Story-wise, the production follows Deloris, who witnesses a murder and has to go into protective custody. Her hideout: a convent. It's there that the nightclub singer finds a struggling choir, which she begins to help. So far, no cast details have been announced for the Aussie run — so who'll literally be donning a habit is yet to be revealed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sister Act The Musical (@sisteractmusicalau) Sister Act Australian Tour 2024: From Tuesday, August 3, 2024 — Capitol Theatre, Sydney From Sunday, November 3, 2024 — Regent Theatre, Melbourne Sister Act will hit the stage in Australia from August 2024. For further information and tickets, head to the show's website. Top image: Sister Act UK & Ireland Touring Production 2023-24, Mark Senior.
The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Fred again.., Skrillex and Happy Mondays have played it. De La Soul, Aphex Twin, Carl Cox and deadmau5, too. For dance-music fans, and just music fans in general, The Warehouse Project's fame extends far past its Manchester home. The event itself is now roaming further than Britain as well, including debuting in Australia in 2024 and returning in 2025. Yes, Manchester's rave scene is heading Down Under again — and to Sydney for the second year in a row. This time, Partiboi69, Hector Oaks, X-Coast, Miss Bashful, Carla Martinez are hitting the decks at Hordern Pavilion on Thursday, April 24. The Manchester institution first went international in 2023 in Rotterdam and Antwerp, before making the jump to Australia. It was back in 2006 that The Warehouse Project first unleashed its club nights on its birthplace, kicking off in a disused brewery and then moving underneath Manchester's Piccadilly station, in a space that's also been an air-raid shelter — and also to a warehouse that dates back to the 1920s. Now, it calls former railway station Depot Mayfield home when it's on in its home city. The Warehouse Project Australia 2025 Lineup Partiboi69 Hector Oaks X-Coast Miss Bashful Carla Martinez Images: Jordan Munns.
There is no "just Ken" in the Barbie realm. IRL, there wouldn't be a Ken at all if Barbie hadn't become a hit toy first. And in the live-action movie that's about to see both dolls hit the silver screen, Ken is very much — and very comically — an offsider. Wondering how the plaything that Ryan Gosling (The Gray Man) is bringing to life feels about that? In the latest trailer for Greta Gerwig's Margot Robbie-starring Barbie, the beach-loving figure belts out a song to explain what it's like to be the man behind the tan. Barbie is now just over a week from hitting cinemas — as one part of the unofficial Barbenheimer double, given that Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer also releases on the same day — and it's still dropping sneak peeks. The latest is all about La La Land's Gosling crooning in a series out eye-catching outfits, and across a range of playful backdrops. So, yes, just with singing, it's firmly a trailer for a film that is having a whole lot of fun with its toybox-to-screen setup. The new clip follows not one, not two, but three other glimpses so far, all with ample lashings of pink, and showing that life in plastic mightn't be as fantastic as it seems. Also featured across the promotional campaign to-date: giant blowout parties with planned choreography, Ken's constant devotion, existential musings, and a trip to the real world for answers when the Barbie movie's main namesake realises that she no longer float off of her rooftop — and also that her usually arched feet have become flat. Marking actor-turned-director Gerwig's third solo stint behind the camera after Lady Bird and Little Women, and not only starring but produced by Babylon's Robbie, Barbie looks set to show that even dolls living in a dreamland struggle with life's big questions — and, yes, even Ken. Splashing as much humour as pastel hues throughout its frames, Barbie is scripted by Gerwig and fellow filmmaker Noah Baumbach — her helmer on Greenberg, Frances Ha, Mistress America and White Noise, and real-life partner — and boasts a cast that's a gleaming toy chest of talent. Plenty of those on-screen stars help fill the feature with Barbies, including Issa Rae (Insecure) as president Barbie, Dua Lipa (making her movie debut) as a mermaid Barbie, Emma Mackey (Emily) as a Nobel Prize-winning physicist Barbie, Alexandra Schipp (tick, tick... BOOM!) as an author Barbie and Ana Cruz Kayne (Jerry and Marge Go Large) as a supreme court justice Barbie — plus Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) as diplomat Barbie, Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) as a Barbie who is always doing the splits, Hari Nef (Meet Cute) as doctor Barbie, Ritu Arya (The Umbrella Academy) as a Pulitzer-winning Barbie and Sharon Rooney (Jerk) as lawyer Barbie. There's also a whole heap of Kens beyond Gosling's singing, yearning version, including Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami), Ncuti Gatwa (the incoming Doctor Who) and Scott Evans (Grace and Frankie). And, Michael Cera (Arrested Development) plays Alan, Emerald Fennell (The Crown) plays Midge, Helen Mirren (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) is the narrator, America Ferrera (Superstore) and Ariana Greenblatt (65) are humans, Jamie Demetriou (Catherine Called Birdy) is a suit, Will Ferrell (Spirited) wears a suit as Mattel's CEO and Connor Swindells (Sex Education) is an intern. Check out the latest trailer for Barbie below: Barbie releases in cinemas Down Under on July 20, 2023.
It might located right in the heart of North Sydney's buzzing city centre, but the newly opened Green Moustache feels far from it. Instead, this fresh-faced bar and restaurant has embraced Mother Nature, and is filled with an abundance of greenery and plant life. It's a well-executed lushness that's not all too surprising given this is the latest venture from Andrew Utiger and Matt Erby — the minds behind fellow North Sydney foliage den, Treehouse. Sporting primo rooftop views, the pair's new light-filled venue is destined to be a bar of choice for Sydneysiders looking for a warm and lush hideaway this winter. A roll call of hospitality guns are managing the spot, including co-owner David Maisey (Treehouse, Merivale, The Palisade Hotel), who oversaw the menu, which will be executed by chef Peter Fitzsimmons (Chin Chin) and pastry chef Alfredo Jr Peralta (Nomad). Wines have been chosen by sommelier Julien Perrimond (Bambini Trust Restaurant and Wine Room) and bartender Aby Dedej (Ivy Pool Club) will be shaking, mixing and stirring a drinks list that packs a punch. The food menu runs from breakfast through dinner — six days a week. Mornings might mean the likes of haloumi-topped bruschetta with pesto or a loaded brekky bowl, while later visits promise caramelised sticky pork with shredded coconut and snake beans — or a pasta starring hand-picked blue swimmer crab, chilli and lemon. Those heading here in winter will find comfort in the scotch fillet paired with artichoke chips and duck fat-roasted potatoes. Find Green Moustache at 100 Miller Street, North Sydney. It's open Monday–Friday, 7am–10pm, and Saturday, 2pm–late.
When one holiday ends, the only thing for it is to start planning the next one. Perhaps in one of those magical places where Slack and email doesn't exist. Where it's not only fine to drink cocktails with lunch — it's encouraged. And entire days are spent by the nearest body of water before you feast on platters of local seafood as the sun sets. If that sounds appealing and you're ready to get booking, spin the fantasy into a reality with one of these luxurious island holiday deals that can be booked now exclusively through Concrete Playground Trips. We teamed up with accommodation and experience providers to curate trips that are truly unforgettable (and significantly discounted), so scroll now to find and book your fave. AFFORDABLE LUXURY STAY IN LOMBOK We are obsessed with Lombok — Bali's less crowded neighbour. It has a high calibre of beaches, food and hospitality but at a significantly lower price point and with fewer tourists. To best take advantage of this stunning island, we teamed up with KU Villas Lombok to create three different travel deals. The first deal is the simplest and includes a two-night stay with daily breakfasts (for two people) in this lavish accommodation for just $105 a night. For an extra $25 per night, you can upgrade to get your own private plunge pool. The second deal includes a three-night stay, private chauffeur, $200 credit for the clifftop SIWA Clubhouse, one-hour massage for each guest and all your breakfasts — and is just $455 total for two people. And the third deal is $655 for all the same inclusions plus extra spa treatments. BOOK NOW THE ULTIMATE KANGAROO ISLAND ADVENTURE This Kangaroo Island deal makes exploring this criminally underrated South Australian travel destination so much easier. It includes a three-day car hire, return ferry tickets from Cape Jervis, a two-night stay at the Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge and an epic ocean safari to get a sea creature's perspective of the spectacular natural beauty. This cruise will take you along the coastline with the chance to see dolphins, seals, eagles and other native birdlife. For more things to do during your stay, check out our weekender's guide to Kangaroo Island and discover why the New York Times recently named it one of the world's best places to visit in 2023. BOOK NOW A FIVE-DAY HOLISTIC BALI RETREAT We love a good wellness escape. That's why we teamed up with Y Retreats to create this exclusive five-day Bali retreat experience. During your stay, you can join any of the wellness experiences — life coaching sessions, stress management activities, yoga and breathwork classes, leadership and resilience training and workshops from keynote speakers. All your meals and transfers are also included. But get in fast. This unique retreat package only has eight spots available. BOOK NOW [caption id="attachment_810409" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christoph Burgdorfer (Unsplash)[/caption] GLAMPING HOLIDAY ON THE COOK ISLANDS The Cook Islands made our 2022 list of rising bucket list destinations for 2023 and it's easy to see why — you just need to have it on your radar. Immerse yourselves in nature (but in total comfort) on Rarotonga Island with this luxurious glamping holiday. We'll put you up in the Ikurangi Eco Retreat — the Cook Islands' first and only purpose-built eco-accommodation and glamping hotel — where you can choose to stay in a range of beautiful safari tents. You'll spend five nights on this tropical island, venturing to stunning lagoons, remote beaches and scenic nature trails. The trip also includes use of the hotel's bikes and snorkelling equipment, transfers and daily tropical breakfasts delivered to your room. For just $165 per night, this is untouched tropical paradise without the big ticket price tag. BOOK NOW LUXURIOUS MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE ESCAPE IN LOMBOK We teamed up with Royal Avila Boutique Resort to offer an incredible deal to Concrete Playground readers. When you book a three-night or five-night stay, you'll get 47% off the total price. And this special Lombok deal doesn't just include your accommodation. For $755 for a three-night stay for two (around $125 per person per night), each of you will also get a 60-minute massage, lunch and dinner at its restaurant, a welcome cocktail on arrival and daily breakfasts. BOOK NOW THE ULTIMATE WHITSUNDAYS ESCAPE The Whitsundays is one of our top picks for the best Australian destinations to visit in 2023. That was the inspiration behind this exclusive deal which goes above and beyond with unforgettable inclusions to showcase the very best of this beautiful part of the country. Two adults will spend five days at the Mirage Whitsundays resort and take part in a series of guided tours. There's a two-hour sunset sailing cruise, a one-hour scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef and a full-day Whitehaven Beach excursion. Airport transfers and daily breakfasts are also included. (And those who are working with a smaller budget can opt for this shorter travel package.) BOOK NOW FIVE-STAR STAY IN THE HEART OF KUTA If you're visiting Bali and would prefer to be at the centre of the action, then we have the five-star hotel deal for a luxury stay in the heart of Kuta. We've paired up with the opulent Aryaduta Bali to give Concrete Playground Trips users an exclusive offer at a very special rate. A three-night stay (for two people) at the resort is less than half the standard price at just $455. And our package includes perks like a daily cocktail at the rooftop pool bar, dinner at the resort restaurant, an airport transfer and breakfast every day. A no-brainer for realising your island fantasy as soon as possible. BOOK NOW Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Lombok by Tom Bixler (Unsplash)
For one magnificent spring day, Surry Hills will turn itself over to its beloved annual festival this Saturday, September 23. You can expect the usual explosion of creativity and music, with pop-up spaces, laneway experiments and hidden pop-up bars complementing all-day live music and markets in Shannon Reserve and Ward Park. And it's all free, free, free. Heading the music lineup is Sydney's own Thandi Phoenix, alongside local hip hop duo Coda Conduct, folk artist Joe Mungovan and self-described "psychedelic carnie-hop prog-rock band" Ungus Ungus Ungus. When you're not kicking back to the music, you can get active on guided tours of Surry Hills' creative spaces and architecture, along which you'll meet all kinds of local artists and creatives. A brand new art project Double Take will also launch on festival day, which will see artists curate a trail of projections and installations along Devonshire Street. This will run for three weeks, until Sunday, October 15. Plus, there'll be heaps of other things happening to keep you entertained, including roving art performances, projections and plenty of food stalls.
If there's one place that no television or literature fan wants to live, it's Gilead, the dystopian society at the centre of The Handmaid's Tale. But while aspects of the oppressive community bear uncomfortable resemblances to modern society, it's thankfully a fictional construct — well, except for the name. In what proves to be a mighty hefty case of bad timing, developer Lendlease is currently promoting a new masterplanned site in Sydney's far southwest that shares its name with the republic in which The Handmaid's Tale is set. To be fair, the name Gilead actually springs from the bible, where it refers to two different regions. And, in Sydney, its use pre-dates everyone's present obsession with the Hulu TV show — and Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel — too, with an existing farmland-filled suburb first getting the moniker 200 years ago. Still, trying to promote a planned community called Gilead at the moment is both hilarious and unfortunate — and, you'd think, a bit of a tough sell. Masterplanned sites have shaped the Australian suburbs since the 50s, with developers snapping up parcels of land, filling them with houses and usually giving them scenic-sounding titles. When it acquired the land in 2015, we're sure Lendlease didn't anticipate that the dystopian novel would re-enter popular culture, but, now that it has, Gilead doesn't quite have the same ring to it. The real-life Gilead will be situated ten minutes by car from Campbelltown and Camden, and 40 minutes from Wollongong. It's described on the development website as "perfectly combining a rural lifestyle with the convenience of urban living". No mention of living under his eye, thankfully. But the 210-hectare site isn't without its non-Handmaid's controversies, either. Both before and after the area was rezoned in 2017 — making the building of 1700 new homes possible subject to final approvals — it has been met by disapproval. Locals contend that colonial and Indigenous history would be compromised by the development, as reported in the Wollondilly Advertiser, with other concerns spanning not only the site's heritage, but the wildlife and environmental impacts. Okay, now that does sound like something you might see on a dystopian TV show.
It's a risky and even cheeky move, packaging a film with a song that could be used to describe it. Thankfully, in the case of 2014's The Lego Movie and its instant earworm track, everything was indeed awesome. The animated flick's long-awaited sequel offers another self-assessment in closing credits tune 'Super Cool', however the description doesn't fit this time around. Nor do the words unbelievable, outrageous, amazing, phenomenal, fantastic and incredible, further praise sung by Beck, the Lonely Island and Robyn in the catchy and amusing song. Instead, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part is fine, standard, okay and average. Of course, those words don't have the same ring to them, even if they were set to a thumping beat. The Lego Movie left its successors with big shoes to fill — or big bricks to emulate, to be more accurate — and this direct follow-up does so in an entertaining enough but never especially inventive or enthralling fashion. Call it a case of trying to build the same thing with different pieces. Call it constructing a masterpiece and then falling short with the next attempt. Call it a case of sticking too closely to the instructions again and again. Whichever one you choose, they all fit like rectangular plastic pieces stacked neatly on top of each other. You could also call it a case of following Emmet Brickowski's (Chris Pratt) lead, with the mini-figure's fondness for routine already well established in the first movie. He's so comfortable doing the same thing day in, day out that he's even happy to keep doing so in the new dystopian version of his hometown, Bricksburg. He knows that much has changed since alien invaders made from bigger blocks descended from the heavens. His brooding best friend Lucy (Elizabeth Banks) also reminds him all the time. But it isn't until General Sweet Mayhem (Stephanie Beatriz) arrives, bearing an invite from the Systar system's Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi (Tiffany Haddish) and sweeping Lucy, Batman (Will Arnett), Benny (Charlie Day), MetalBeard (Nick Offerman) and Unikitty (Alison Brie) away, that Emmet abandons his blissful monotony and springs into action. Viewers of the initial flick, The Lego Batman Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie will remember two important aspects of the Lego Movie Universe. Firstly, mile-a-minute jokes and pop culture references are as much a part of the franchise as multicoloured bricks. Secondly, more often than not, the series' animated tales tie into a real-world scenario. While original directors Chris Lord and Phil Miller have handed over the reigns to Trolls filmmaker Mike Mitchell, their humour still bounces through in the movie's fast-paced script. And while The Lego Movie's big twist — that the whole story stemmed from kids simply playing with the titular toys — is old news now, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part builds upon this idea. Once again, the film spends time with now-teenager Finn (Jadon Sand), who's still far from pleased that his younger sister Bianca (Brooklynn Prince) likes Lego as well. Cue The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part's troubles. Lightning rarely strikes twice, after all. The film serves up enough funny gags to keep audiences chuckling, throws in more than a few ace cameos and has the same infectious, anarchic vibe, but it was never going to feel as fresh. It also benefits from a fantastic overall message, but doesn't give it enough emphasis until late in the show. After pondering the divide between rules and creativity in the first picture, the franchise now contemplates collaboration, sharing and the gendering applied to playthings, roles and fandom. That's both smart and relevant, yet here feels underdone. Basically, anything new comes second to everything that's been done before, resulting in the most superfluous kind of sequel. This follow-up is happier rehashing its predecessor's glory days than channelling the ingenuity that made the original so charming. Of course, if The Lego Movie hadn't been such a vibrant, witty delight, then The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part wouldn't feel so familiar. An adequate addition to the series, it still contains plenty to distinguish it from other all-ages animated fare — including an eye-catching and distinctive animation style, enjoyable skewering of Pratt's many non-Lego characters, and Noel Fielding as a sparkly Twilight-esque vampire. But, five years on, viewers are now in the same situation as Lucy: ready to embrace a challenge, rather than falling back on comfortable old habits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvHSlHhh1gk
The idyllic Blue Gum loop trail runs alongside a pristine river and showcases some of the region's finest plant life — the trail is named for the towering blue gum trees that dominate the landscape here and bestow this place with an ethereal beauty. Immerse yourself in their majesty on a leisurely 3.5-kilometre looped trail, which will give you a bird's-eye view of the cascades of the stunning Williamson River from a high steel span bridge, easily accessible from the walk. There's a great spot to stop for a picnic at Fern Creek cascades, and, if you're feeling a bit hot after all that walking, wander down one of the many short detours to find a secluded spot by the riverbank to cool off with a refreshing dip. Image: Elliot Kramer
Now that colder weather has arrived, there's a good chance your friends have fled to Europe to relish a little, or a lot, more sunshine. Yet there's no need to rush to the airport, as Pier One Sydney Harbour is offering its own glimpse of European summer with a series of weekly specials that capture some of that la dolce vita at home. Bringing the energy of a Parisian bistro to Walsh Bay, Harbour Bistro by Pier One has been extended until Tuesday, September 16, following a massive response. Fresh weekly specials and French classics will help you feel the summer ambience of Saint-Germain-des-Prés without leaving town. Tuesdays feature 50 percent off steak frites, while Wednesdays bring half-price mussels. Then, get down for truffle pasta on Thursdays, and wagyu beef cheek with mash on Fridays. Harbour Bistro by Pier One will also feature Snacks & Sips every Tuesday–Friday, priced at $49 per person, for a minimum of two guests. This special offers 90 minutes of bottomless house wines alongside French small plates, like warm baguette and butter, whipped cod roe dip, saucisson with crisp cornichon, and chicken liver pate. Plus, from 5–6pm, add mini French martinis for $12. An Italian summer vibe is also revamping Pier One Sydney Harbour's accommodation for the season. Featuring an elegant in-room dining experience — In The Roundhouse, In Your Room — expect an aperitivo hour accompanied by European-inspired dishes, like freshly shucked oysters, marinated olives, and linguini Napolitana with prawns. Served on In The Roundhouse's seafood-inspired collection, you'll take home the much-loved brand's colourful napkins as a chic gift.
Kicking goals, winning hearts, starring in a docuseries, inspiring statues, making history on the field and on TV: in 2023, the Matildas have been doing it all. Next, the Sam Kerr-captained squad has been immortalised by the Australian National Dictionary Centre, inspiring Australia's latest Word of the Year. 'Matilda' has been chosen as the Australian National University-based organisation's pick of 2023 thanks to the Tillies' huge successes, plus the devotion they've inspired across the country. With huge crowds heading to the team's games at the Women's World Cup, then backing it up at the recent Olympic qualifiers — and millions of people watching the former on TV as well — the words 'Matildas' and 'Tillies' have certainly been uttered countless times by most of us this year. [caption id="attachment_912965" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Liondartois via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] "The team name (Matildas, or Tillies for short) and singular form (Matilda) were everywhere as Matildas mania swept the country, with Australians transfixed by every minute of play," advised the Australian National Dictionary Centre in a statement announcing its new Word of the Year choice. And if you're wondering about the word's history in Australia, "from the 1880s, matilda was one of the names for a swag, a bag of possessions carried by an itinerant man looking for work," explains the Centre's Director Dr Amanda Laugesen. "These days most people would only know this in relation to the song Waltzing Matilda." "It's only since the mid-1990s that the women's soccer team has been called the Matildas, but after this year's World Cup the word has once again cemented itself in the Australian lexicon." [caption id="attachment_913693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rovena Rosa/Agência Brasil via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Matilda emerged victorious from a shortlist that also included 'noer', 'yesser', 'truth-telling' and 'hallucinate', with the first three linked to this year's referendum for the Australian Indigenous Voice to Parliament. In 2022, 'teal' was the Word of the Year, with 'strollout' getting the nod in 2021, 'iso' in 2020 and 'voice' in 2019. For more information about the Australian National Dictionary Centre's word of the year, head to the centre's website.
