Sydney burger lovers, we've got some highly attractive news for you. How'd you like to get Mary's — beloved Sydney burgers and bringers of inner peace — delivered to your face for just $5 delivery fee? Flat rate. No catch. Put y'bibs on and pay attention. Mary's is teaming up with food delivery service Deliveroo to bring a whole host of Sydney nosh to your door in under 30 minutes and for a flat rate of $5. You'll have to be relatively near the inner city and you'll have to be ready to devour delicious, delicious burgers. You can order all your Mary's favourites, from the classic Mary’s Burger to the fried chicken burger and mighty, mighty, mushroomy veg burger. But we like the idea of ordering mountains of fried chicken upon fried chicken, right to your fried chicken hole. To place your order, visit the Deliverooo website or download the Deliveroo iOS app — it'll even track your burgs in real time. "The thought of facing the world when hungover is sometimes too much to bear," says Kenny Graham of Mary’s. "Mary's is excited to add a delivery service to the CBD store's offering and making people's day that little bit easier. Time to get fat from the comfort of your own digs!" Delivery is available to Sydney’s CBD, The Rocks, Haymarket, Surry Hills, Paddington, Darlinghurst, Woolloomooloo, Elizabeth Bay and Potts Point, from Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 10pm. Coming soon to Pyrmont, Ultimo, Chippendale, Glebe, Camperdown and Newtown. They're also delivering the likes of Watermans Lobster Co., Mr Crackles, Mamasan, Idigo and Red Lantern. You can order Mary's straight to your mouth at Deliveroo. Image: Marissa Ciampi (from our tasty, tasty feature on Sydney's ten best fried chicken joints).
Meta is so hot right now. Everywhere you look, the indie theatre scene is blossoming with shows that let ‘real life’ or ‘rehearsals’ creep onto the stage and taint the audience’s experience. The Unspoken Word is ‘Joe’ is one such meta show to dive into, offering some new tweaks on the trend. Produced by MKA: Theatre of New Writing and Griffin Independent, this play written by Zoey Dawson (one third of I'm Trying to Kiss You) and directed by Declan Greene (one half of Sisters Grimm) is at once clever and childish. It’s unrestrained and impetuous — much like the 'Zoey Dawson' character on the stage. We admire the child prodigy who by day discusses peace and conflict but still loses her shit when she doesn’t get a Fanta. The Unspoken Word Is 'Joe' chronicles the loves and losses of Zoey Dawson herself, but explodes her experience to touch the hearts of everyone. Joe is an 80-minute surprise-party-nightmare; the content is best left unspoiled, but you will leave feeling incredulous at the transformation of ‘Zoey’ (played by Nikki Shiels). Shiels gives a harrowing portrait of female demolishment — both received and delivered. As writer-creator, the figure of Dawson reconstructs her stage world to suit her desires, and has no mushy emotions when it comes to sacking/recasting her ‘Man 1’. If Dawson hasn’t put herself into the script, she’s put a few damn interesting females onstage nevertheless. Shiels as ‘Zoey’ reveals her jealous self-obsession then realises she must seduce us back. She sweetly blushes at her own success, then violently lashes out at her co-stars (Matt Hickey, Annie Last and Aaron Orzech dedicatedly play the nameless minor characters in her story). Natasha Herbert is MC for the evening and is by turns hilarious, heartwarming and a total sell-out. The typical meta gags are there, explaining what the set/lighting will look like at some unspecified date in the future, etcetera. The writing pokes fun at the ‘staging a reading’ culture that actors may buy into when they’re so fab and important. It walks scarily close to the ‘too far’ line, until you realise that line’s been pushed further back the whole time. Joe's creative team calls it one of the worst plays ever written, and it definitely delivers a cringe fest as Zoey belts down her path of destruction. You’ll like this if you can cope with the dark fact that love in the Tindersphere might be messed up and fruitless.
Nahji Chu has had a tumultuous few years. In the last few years, we've seen her restaurant chain Misschu go into administration, get pulled out of administration and then, last year, it ceased to exist in New South Wales (still alive and kicking in Victoria) when it was last year taken over by restaurateur Aki Kotzamichalis to become Saigon Lane. But now Chu is back on the Sydney dining scene. And her first project for 2017 is a 285-seater yum cha restaurant in Bondi Junction. Set to open on Tuesday, May 9 above East Leagues, Cha Li Boi will be bringing you Pacman dumplings, Phoenix Claws, Man Buns and loads more new takes on traditional Chinese dishes. If you ever visited the Oriental Jewel, the eatery that used to occupy the Bronte Road space, you're in for a surprise. "I told the builders, go in and gut it — take out everything," Chu says. "What I love about yum cha — and the authentic ones in Hong Kong do it really well — is that they look like empty warehouse spaces that restaurateurs have occupied." The builders did as asked and, consequently, Cha Li Boi is all exposed concrete and stripped back wooden seating. It's stark and modern, but warm and peaceful, she says. Chu enlisted John Leong (ex-Billy Kwong) as head chef to develop the menu. You can also expect classic dumplings, such as steamed pork bao, and more creative ones — the Ling My Bell dumplings, for example, look like gold fish, complete with orange tails. The Pac-Man dumplings look like their namesake, but with a variety of ingredients inside, including scallop and scampi, tempura eggplant with avocado and duck a l'Orange. The Claw Feet and the Man Buns? Well, they translate to chicken feet and vegan tempura okra sliders, respectively. Among her favourite dishes is The Godfather — a Sicilian garfish with a "cape" of Cheung fun rice sheets — and its vegan counterpart, The Godmother, which is packed with baby bamboo shoots, snow peas, oyster and mushrooms and native greens. Most produce comes from Martin Boetz's Cooks Co-op on the Hawkesbury, and John Susman is sourcing seafood, whom Nahji describes as "the ultimate fishmonger". Sommelier Paula Scholes (aka Miss Pearls) is in charge of the wine list. Her focus is boutique drops, created by small, independent producers. Examples include a Fritz Hasselback Reisling from Germany and Whispering Angel Rose from France, as well as William Downie Pinot and Prophet's Rock Pinot Gris, both from Victoria. Teetotallers can get stuck into bubble tea cocktails, fruit cups and organic teas, served up by the Car Bar. Feeling frisky? Try the vodka jelly shots. Cha Li Boi will open upstairs at 9-13 Bronte Road, Bondi Junction on Tuesday, May 9. It will be open Monday to Wednesday 11am-10pm, Thursday to Saturday 11am-11pm, and Sunday 11am-9pm.For more info, visit chaliboi.com.au. Images: I-Manifest.
On the first weekend of April, all things homemade and local will descend upon Redfern's 107 Projects for the autumn instalment of Dear Pluto's Pop-Up Market. Scrape together as many spare pennies as you can find because you're going to have trouble choosing what to buy, from prints, cards and homewares to clothing, jewellery and skin care. More specifically, you'll be able to get your mitts on knitted necklaces by Above the Canopy, candles and bath salts by Fragrant Flame, bling by Haus of Dizzy, jewellery by Irninology, confectionery by Kyandi, nail strips by Personail, illustrations by Millie Hall and stacks more. On Saturday, your browsing will be soundtracked by DJ sets from Adi Toohey, Anno, Mira Boru and Mr. Friendly. And on Sunday, you'll be invited to take a break at a floristry workshop with inner west florists Sweet Pea and Honey Bee.
There's a crumbling, dinky old pub on Parramatta Road that you've probably driven past a hundred times. It's not on a corner, it's not particularly flash, and it's wedged between Ray's Outdoors and Istanbul on Broadway. Camperdown residents, in about two months, it's going to become your go-to local — the lord mayor of Chippendale's The Lord Gladstone is about to revamp one of the suburb's legitimately hidden gems: The Hampshire. Playing partner pub to the Lord Gladstone, the soon to be opened Lady Hampshire (get it?) is the latest project from prolific Sydney publican Paddy Coughlan. Co-founder and ex-CEO of the Riversdale Group (The Vic on the Park, The Marly, Kinselas) and now founder of boutique Sydney pub company Bourke Street (The Glad), Paddy specialises in taking an underperforming pub and giving it new life, rather than building a brand newie. This time, it's Camperdown's long lost Hampshire, sitting quietly closed for two years on Parramatta Road. "I knew this pub was here, because I'd driven past it a hundred times and always wondered why it was closed," says Paddy. "I could see what was happening in Camperdown — to me Camperdown feels like Newtown now, whereas when I was growing up, Camperdown was a bit of a No Man's Land — it was like a thoroughfare to get to the city." Paddy tracked down the Hampshire's owner and snapped the pub up. The biggest win? No one, especially the public, had looked at the pub for years. "Often times, ironically, it's easier to take a really bad pub or a pub that's closed because you don't have that worry about protecting any existing trade. You can really just go in with a clean slate," he says. "When you take over a pub that's trading, you know, there's a certain amount of customers that you want to remain customers. You end up trying to please everyone and you can't." Design-wise, the Hampshire will undergo the same treatment as many of Paddy's pubs. "We just strip everything back and then try and find any features that are worth keeping." As it stands right now, to say the Hampshire's an eclectic old pub is an understatement. Currently, the pub features pressed metal ceilings, a broad timber bar in surprisingly good nick, indoor street art drawn over with texta heralding "Trivia on Tuesdays", Frankie-like murals with Red Riding Hood-like figures, dead pokie machines, porcelain hippos, weirdly pristine magazine collages dedicated to dogs, and old pun-filled chalkboard menus. Bourke Street's a fan of the classic front bar so will keep the Hampshire's initial room as is, with plans for framed old Newtown Jets prints, vintage NRL paraphernalia and old live music posters on the walls. Walking through to the second room in the pub, featuring two old fireplaces, Paddy plans to bring in some local street art to the space (and running the Glad and the Vic, he knows a Sydney street artist or two). "As all my mates are fucking sick of me talking about, I'm a big lover of graffiti and street art because I grew up with it." Out back, the Hampshire boasts a great openair beer garden, with a big screen already existing, primed for AFL grand finals and Rabbitohs matches — something pubs like The Vic have become known for. Alongside a custom smoker for smoked meats on the weekends, Paddy plans to lower the shed roof to create a hanging kitchen garden. Food-wise, the Hampshire will follow the lead of its predecessors, with classic pub grub done bloody well. Paddy's looking at featuring the Gladstone's signature schnitties and burgers on the menu — we suggested doing a Lady Burger a la Lord Burger, and we're claiming it if it ends up on the menu, Paddy. They'll go heavier on the tacos than the Gladstone, who feature three on the menu — Hampshire will feature possibly ten. But how will the Hampshire stand out in a renaissance of pub grub? "My theory on that, and I say this to all our managers, is you can go to most pubs in Sydney who have a pub-style menu, if you just read the menu they all read exactly the same — they've all got a schnitzel, a burger, a steak, a couple of other things right? But it's how it's cooked is the difference." His main piece of pub grub advice? "Beware the heart-shaped schnitzel... No two schnitties should look the same." Music lovers will be stoked to hear the Hampshire focus on live music, — Paddy's thinking Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. Hopefully neighbours don't treat the Hampshire the same way they treated the Annandale Hotel, right up Parramatta Road. Importantly, Camperdown's outside the lockout zone, something that can't be ignored when you're opening a new pub in Sydney with a focus on live music. "Sydney's in a weird time at the moment, socially, I think, you know, this whole lockout thing, with the State Government that we have," he says. "I really think we'll be looking back in ten years time and go, "Jesus, what the fuck was going on then? How did we let this government change the city culturally? I think it's a shame. But I think as a city we'll regenerate ourselves." "I think there is so much unintended consequence from it, which happens when a decision's made in a kneejerk way, without being thought through ... But I think that makes it more important for venues to support art and support music, to give creative people an outlet, give them spaces to use, give them places to come and perform and just to hang out late at night." The Lady Hampshire will open in about two months at 91 Parramatta Road, Camperdown. Watch this space. Images: Steven Woodburn.
Martin Place is set to score more outdoor dining, more trees and epic landscaping, thanks to plans proposed by the City of Sydney. For the first time, seating will be allowed between Pitt and George Streets, in the section dedicated to the Cenotaph, a World War I memorial. A group of Martin Place property owners, now formally known as the Martin Place Owners Group, hatched the idea back in 2013. They approached the Council, who worked in consultation with Gehl Architects and Hassell Architects (both have worked on projects in the surrounding CBD), not to mention the hugely important RSL, to come up with a solution. Restaurant owners will soon be able to apply for permits to place outdoor chairs and tables in the memorial section of Martin Place, with red tape cut to make it easier for these owners to get permits more quickly. “We would like to see Martin Place become a more enticing environment, one that attracts people day and night, encourages a 24/7 economy and reinforces it as the civil and civic heart of this city, and this plan very much aligns with our vision,” said Andrea Roberts, chairwoman of the Martin Place Owners Group. The changes will coincide with the commencement of work on the light rail. And there’ll also be upgrades in and around the streets leading to Circular Quay. “Martin Place is Sydney’s most popular public plaza, with some of the city’s finest buildings," said Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "These changes will make Martin Place and the area around the Quay more appealing for the thousands of people who enjoy these busy areas each day.” The plans for Martin Place are on display at the City of Sydney for four weeks and members of the public are invited to give feedback.
Sydney's Archie Rose Distilling Co. may be a fairly fresh name in the spirits game, but with a well-regarded brand, a popular bar and solid range of gin, vodka and whisky, you wouldn't know it. Especially now that it's opening a second distillery in Sydney. Founder Will Edwards and his team of ginmakers have begun construction on a new distillery in Botany, which is set to be completed mid-2019. An additional space will allow Archie Rose to further its focus on progression, research and development in distilling and brewing, as well as increasing overall capacity for all the spirits they produce. Once completed, it'll move all of its whisky stock under the one roof in Botany to better monitor maturation. According to Edwards, the new site will also be specifically designed for Archie Rose's methods of production. "It provides us with the opportunity to re-conceive and design every aspect of the distillery specifically to suit our unique production methods," he says. That includes customising their mill, handling speciality roasted malts and individually distilled gin botanicals. A focus of the new space will also be sustainability, aiming to use less water, power and gas in the production equipment and processes. The original Rosebery site will then be dedicated solely to research and development projects, becoming less distillery and more science lab. Turns out the recipe for gin isn't so simple or static, so you can expect to see some limited release spirits and "weirder innovation projects" from the brand in the near future. Importantly, nothing will change in the bar — you can still go have a tipple, snack on a charcuterie situation and blend your own whisky or gin. Archie Rose Distilling Co.'s second distillery will open in Botany in mid-2019. We'll keep you updated on any developments.
Sydney's developed some kind of primal need for burgers in their lives, in their Instagram feeds, in their mouths at all times. And some of the biggest fiends in the burger biz, Pub Life Kitchen, have been enabling, nay, fuelling our insatiable, passionate love for burgers since 2010, when owner Jovan Curic opened the first PLK under the guise Bill & Toni's Pub Life. Moving to Ultimo's Lord Wolseley Hotel three years later, Curic continued to stack magic on our plates. Now, Pub Life Kitchen — like our belt — has expanded. Pub Life Kitchen has opened a brand new venue in Rozelle, open for lunch and dinner seven days a week at Ruby L'otel. Championing the gloriously hearty realms of pub food, PLK's menu includes both its insanely popular burgers and pub classics. There'll be three burgers on the Rozelle menu, including The O.G (salt aged patty, American cheese, McClures pickles, lettuce, tomato and PLK aioli); and The Bird (buttermilk fried chicken, McClures pickles, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and green sriracha mayo). Rozelle will have an exclusive burger, the Don Ruby (salt aged patty, American cheese, McClures pickles, black garlic and truffle aioli), which was created earlier this month for Burgerpalooza. As for those pub classics? Think braised beef cheeks with truffled potato purée and Serrano ham; pumpkin and walnut tortellini with sage and burnt butter, and the pubtastic Pie of the Day with house pastry, peas and gravy. PLK Rozelle is also doing rotating specials, seven nights a week. Monday does half price mains, Tuesday is cheap steak night, Wednesday kids eat free, and Thursday is 'Chicken Dinners' (whole charcoal chickens and unlimited $4 sides). Fridays are being called 'Burger Experiment' night, which is where you'll see those insane PLK creations Instagram loves, Saturday is pub brunch day and Sundays will see a regular event called ParkMeats (whole animals roasted on spits, BYO picnic blankets). Find PLK Rozelle at The Ruby L'otel, 68 Victoria Road, Rozelle, Open Monday to Sunday 12pm – 3pm, 5pm – 9pm. Want more burgs? We like this joint.
The team at the newly reopened Newtown restaurant Hartsyard has come up with a cracking way to help blast away those winter blues — and it involves generous weekend feasts and bottomless vino. It has launched a new series of Saturday long lunches, which promise to go down a treat during these next frosty weeks, kicking into gear from August 4 and running for the entire month. Chef-owner Gregory Llewellyn will be whipping up a $55 set menu to warm your cockles, up for grabs from 12–3.30pm each week. It's still in the planning stages, but we're told to expect dishes like raw fish, warmed oysters and roast cuts of beef. If you have dietaries, Llewellyn assures they can be accommodated for, too. Meanwhile, the bar will be open and slinging its full range of liquid offerings, which just happens to include $14 espresso martinis. And for a special treat, you'll also be able to match your lunch with bottomless vino for $15 a head. Yes, really — $15. For $15 on top of the set menu (which'll set you back $70 in total) you can spend your Saturday drinking unlimited wine, thanks to the folks at Sparrow & Vine. On the day, you'll be able to choose from either a pinot grigio or nero d'avola from the Barrosa Valley vineyard. You can your reserve your spot at the boozy Saturday lunch, running from 12–3.30pm, via the website. Images: Alex Mayes
Keep it on the down low, but Sydney's got a brand new bar (well, technically new). Located in the basement beneath Riley St Garage in Woolloomooloo, in a subterranean space previously occupied by a mechanics workshop, Busby Under the Garage is officially open to the public from today (it quietly, sort of opened in December, but it's all systems go now). With champagne, cocktails and sophisticated bar food to accompany the classy surroundings, it seems like the perfect spot to wind up your evening after a big jaunt out on the town. That being said, you'll have to pick your nights carefully. While Busby will be open to the public on Friday and Saturday evenings, from Monday to Thursday it'll operate as a private functions space. Riley St Garage co-owner Liesel Peterson told Good Food in December that he initially planned to keep the new venue a secret from the public, utilising it as a hidden hangout for regulars and celebrities. Thankfully, he opted against that idea, and now it can be enjoyed by one and all. The drinks list at Busby promises wine, champagne and cocktails, while the food menu includes fish and chips as well as plates of cured meats and cheeses. The space itself, replete with luxe leather and industrial-style lighting, was designed by Alexander & Co, the same team behind the fit outs at Surly's, The Morrison, Daniel San and The Print Room. Busby Under the Garage can be found beneath Riley St Garage at 55 Riley St, Woolloomooloo. For more information, check them out on Facebook.
Palace Cinemas has gifted Sydney with an enormous new complex — and it's unlike any other cinema in the city. With ten theatres and a platinum area with three additional premium screens, Palace now fully commandeers level three of Chippendale's multi-purpose development Central Park. It's huge news for Sydney's cinephiles. There are multiple lounges and bar areas with views over the Central Park area, perfect for unwinding with a glass of pinot before or after a film. They've also put in a beer hall with local and international craft beer, a Champagne bar and a temperature-controlled wine wall offering bottles from Australia and abroad which, according to Palace's CEO Benjamin Zeccola, is an Australian first. "We have a passion for developing new opportunities within the cinema industry which allow us to engage with local communities throughout Australia," Zeccola said. "For some time now, I've felt there was a need for a superb, boutique cinema experience in central Sydney. I'm incredibly passionate about this project, it gives me great satisfaction to offer the best cinema in the world. Palace Central is my gift to the city of Sydney." There's an in-cinema menu unique to Chippendale with lots of local nosh. You can order dumplings from Din Tai Fung and desserts from Brickfields to your ergonomic leather seat — they've been imported all the way from Barcelona. While a film at Palace in generally a pretty lovely experience, with its multiple bars and designer fitout, the Central Park complex is set to take things up a notch. Palace is also opening a ten-screen complex in Double Bay, and is set to add a couple of extra screens to its Paddington venue. Palace Central Sydney is now open on Level 3, Central Park Mall, 28 Broadway, Chippendale. For more information, visit Palace's website.
Congratulations. If your answer to the ‘what would you take to a desert island?’ question involves an aged bottle of shiraz and a blissful soundtrack to match (fresh water, schmesh schmater) your hypothetical fancies are now gold- and berry-hued reality. For one glorious weekend this November, little known Sydney Harbour outcrop Clark Island will be transformed into Wine Island — a three-day premium wine festival promising tastings over 100 new wave and traditional drops, complimentary masterclasses, cooking demos and treasure hunts. “Wine Island is the first of its kind for Clark Island and Sydney Harbour,” says festival founder and director Kristen Francis. “We’re in the unique position of taking over an island and transforming it into our own kind of paradise for three days.” With a name alone enough to turn oenophiles everywhere a degree of dizzy usually only experienced after the fourth glass of merlot, the sadly temporary oasis will be scattered with wine and food huts showcasing some of the best local viticulturists and kitchen operations, including Mr Riggs, All Saints Estate, Bar H and Applejack. (See comprehensive lists here and here.) And, since the island is teeny tiny with an area of less than one hectare, the stroll from pinot gris to freshly shucked oyster will never be far, and always accompanied by dreamy island beats. General admission tickets ($79.90) include vintage ferry transport to and from the island with a glass of sparking on board, ten wine tastings, masterclasses and your own wine glass from Koonara Wines. For the real fancypantses, the VIP package ($149.90) gives you all that plus a complimentary seafood and cheese bar, licence to sip away to your heart’s content with unlimited tastings (not a challenge), and access to the Island Bar, where the nation’s top sommeliers will pour premium VIP-only wines into your shiny waiting glasses. Even though Clark Island is otherwise now basically deserted, back in the 19th century it was apparently a popular picnic destination for well-to-do Sydneysiders, who’d spend their days collecting oysters, drinking champagne, flirting and romping about. Alive today, we reckon they’d be at this shindig in a heartbeat. Wine Island is happening from November 13 to 15 on Clark Island. Tickets are on sale Tuesday, September 1 from Wine Island's website.
Bunnings Warehouse is supercharging its usual sausage sizzle, to support a few Aussie communities that are doing it pretty tough. On Friday, January 24, all of the hardware giant's stores will host a special pre-weekend edition of their legendary snag sessions, raising coin for those impacted by drought and the current bushfires. All of the day's sausage profits will go to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund. This is the second sizzling fundraiser day that Bunnings has hosted since the bushfire crisis began late last year — a similar nation-wide fundraiser in November raised over $600,000 for non-profit Givit to purchase essential items for communities affected by the bushfires. So, on Friday, grab a snag in bread and show those in need some love — the sausage sizzles will run from 9am–4pm across all Bunnings Warehouses in NSW (and the country). If you can't make it, you can chuck a few dollars into its collection tin over here. For updates and advice on NSW bushfires, head to the RFS website.
First there was camping, but nature is icky and the hard ground is no Posturepedic. Then there was glamping, which is certainly a step up but still requires you to be outside with only a thin velour track pant and tasteful white canopy between you and the bugs. But now, thankfully, there's a way to get the best parts of camping (good company and fire-cooked food) without having to leave the city or wear ugly hiking shoes and unflattering shorts. Hunter and Barrel is the new dining concept hitting Sydney and Melbourne. With a menu focused on coal-roasted meats and seasonal vegetables, big barbecued skewers, sharing boards, stews, soups, pies, and generally hearty fare, H&B delivers the sensory experience of camping without the inconvenience of actually, y'know, camping. Think warm, hearty dishes such as slow-roasted beef rib, seafood and pork belly cooked over the restaurant's coal grill (hot tip: order The Hunter's Feast), washed down with your classic craft beer or barrel-aged wine. Although contemporary horror films have taught us to fear the foreboding idea of a remote cabin (thanks Evil Dead and Cabin in the Woods), the primal part of our psyche still longs to get back to nature. Bradley Michael, the CEO of Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group who own Hunter and Barrel, told Good Food the venue had a “sexy camping, hunter’s cabin feel.” The décor at Hunter and Barrel, designed by ODO, features big rocks and rustic pipes — and your drink comes delivered by a suspended wall covered with barrels. Hunter and Barrel is now open at 303 Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney. Via Good Food.
Darlington's gone and got itself a cosy new neighbourhood restaurant and we can't wait to give it a try. Located on Cleveland Street, Kindred is the brainchild of chef Matt Pollock, who spent more than a year renovating the 45-seat space before starting service late last week. If the food is halfway as good as it sounds, it'll have been time well spent. "The food is based in Italian, but it's not strictly Italian," says restaurant manager Jen Burley. The resulting menu is small but appealing. Starters such as warm country terrine with onion relish, green lentil and black garlic, and smoked chicken liver parfait served on sourdough with peach chutney, precede heartier mains like ricotta and chard ravioli with pangrattato, and braised lamb with pappardelle and green olives. Just make sure you leave room for chocolate tart with poached quince and crème fraiche, or fig and walnut sourdough pudding with banana gelato and caramel. We focus on #homemade products. Striving to make everything #inhouse and #ethical A photo posted by Kindred 🌿 (@kindred_restaurant) on May 8, 2016 at 12:16am PDT Another tick is that everything, from the pasta to the bread to the cultured butter, is made on site, while produce is sourced from local suppliers. The wine list, meanwhile, is "about 95 per cent organic, bio or natural," and is bolstered by a selection of spirits overleaf. Kindred can be found at 137 Cleveland Street, Darlington. They're open from 5pm Tuesday through Sunday. For more information visit Kindred's website.
It seems Sydneysiders can’t get enough of making what’s old new again. With the wave of gentrification hitting pubs, hotels and long forgotten spaces across the city, once lifeless urban spots have now been given a second chance. Hidden among the high-rises of the CBD’s bleak concrete jungle, an oasis from the daily grind awaits. Wearier office dwellers delight, we’ve found just the place for you to escape. Tucked away behind King Street, Skittlelane coffee is a welcome breath of fresh air for inner city locals. Featuring New York-inspired interiors, the cafe’s high ceilings and large steel windows demand attention from the casual passer by. Yet once you push through those sleek glass doors, this striking light-filled store makes you feel right at home. Behind the machines, the friendly Skittlelane crew is ready to serve Sydney up some seriously killer brews. Owners Jodie Foster and Dean Wooding wanted to create the same laidback ambiance of Melbourne’s iconic laneway cafes in this inner city location. "When we first viewed the space we instantly fell in love," says Jodie. "The building is grand and elegant and the Skittle Lane is being restored to its former glory. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to create something unique in the Sydney CBD." The laneway itself has been given a major revamp by The Crown Group over the past few years, seeing the thoroughfare dotted with boutique shops, eateries and most recently apartments. Keeping things sleek with a monochromic colour scheme, Skittlelane Coffee is cool and contemporary. From the black marble block counter to the modern light fittings hanging overhead, Skittlelane knows how to nail the finishing touches. Aside from its aesthetic charm, these guys deliver first and foremost as a top-notch coffee shop. Serving up their own roasted coffee, Skittlelane’s seasonal blend offers a punchy full-bodied cup while their rotating selection of single origins keeps coffee geeks on their toes. With guest appearances from Marvell St, plus specialty made ceramic mugs, plates and bowls courtesy of Melbourne designer Takeawei, diners can take these gorgeous goodies home thanks to Skittlelane’s stellar retail section. Pop in on your way to the office for a quick Brewtown Brewnut or pastry from Penny Fours, or stop by for a tasty grab-and-go Sonoma toastie to curb that lunchtime rumble. With everything from cold brew to espresso on the menu, Skittlelane brings a slice of Melbourne’s coffee scene to Sydney’s burgeoning new alleyway. Skittlelane Coffee is open now at 40 King Street, Sydney (corner of King/Kent/Skittle). Open 6.30 am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday. Images: Daniel Kukec.
The Belvoir folk were so impressed with The Tribe's premiere at Sydney Festival 2015, they decided to host it themselves. But, this time around, the play will appear in backyards all over Surry Hills. Yes, real, actual backyards — as in, you'll be watching the action among barbecues and Hills Hoists, framed by rambling jasmine vines and frangipani trees. Produced by Urban Theatre Projects and performed by Hazem Shammas (Mother Courage and Her Children, Scorched) The Tribe is based on Michael Mohammad Ahmad's novella of the same name. It tells the story of a young boy named Bani, who lives in Australia, but has a Lebanese background. In trying to make sense of how to live, he draws wisdom from his grandmother, who fled to Australia from Lebanon as part of a Muslim sect known as 'The Tribe'. Expect an captivating night of storytelling, drawing on ancient tales and truths. "The Tribe is my attempt to counteract the limited and simplistic representation that the Arab-Australian Muslim community of Western Sydney has received to date, and to offer a broader, more intimate understanding," said Ahmad of his novella. "It is also an act of self-determination — a declaration of the right to reclaim and tell our own stories in our own way."
Road trips are an idealised summertime activity, but when the heats eases in Autumn there's really no better time to be in the car for extended periods of time. If you do it right, you come away with good friends and esoteric stories which will never be understood properly by people who weren't there. But it's equally possible for road trips to turn hellish and monotonous. That's not what you want - that's not what anybody wants. So we have compiled a list of tips to help you on your way and make sure you have the kind of road trip which will remind you of the wind and sunshine in your hair, shared memories and in-jokes. WHEELS So this seems a superfluous point, but if you're going to go on a road trip you need a car, and if you don't have one then you've got yourself a problem. Once you've got the car, make sure it's one that everybody knows how to drive. Nobody likes being the only manual driver in a car full of stricken automatic-only drivers. You should also do all the practical things like get the oil, tyres and water checked before you leave, and make sure you've got back-ups in case of emergency, especially if you're trying to look like you know your stuff about cars. Bigger cars are better for road trips, especially if you've got friends with ample hips or ridiculously long legs. And for the love of God, make sure the car has air con. A GREAT DESTINATION Jumping in a car and heading nowhere might sound very Kerouac-esque for an hour or so, but in the end you're going to want to be heading somewhere. Holiday houses and camping grounds are all good, although there's a high likelihood a music festival might be your destination this autumn. If that's the case, be patient and anticipate that you will have to wait in a queue for six hours on a backed up country road and be forced to pee in the bushes in direct view of many headlights. MAPS Getting lost is not half the fun. The person who says it is needs to be ejected immediately from the vehicle. You probably have a GPS, but bear in mind that the GPS is not infallible. You need a map. A map in this instance is defined as a proper map you purchase from anywhere good maps are sold, not scrawled notes copied from Google Maps your barely literate friend drew on the back of a phone bill. CREW Be wise and consider precisely which of your friends and loved ones you're going to enjoy being in a cramped, confined space with for potentially several days. It's also a good idea to make sure there's not going to be anybody overly-familiar with their sense of personal space, particularly if they have personal hygiene issues. There's nothing more awkward than finding yourself on a road trip with a couple who have recently broken up and still have unresolved issues. CONVERSATION Once you've exhausted your witty high school stories, politics, childhood traumas and the ever-fascinating subject of who's having sex with whom, complex philosophical questions are always a good bet. Questions such as 'which of your legs could you do without' and 'would you rather punch Kyle Sandilands or Miranda Devine in the face' are good starting points. MONEY Money is a general necessity in all areas of life, but when we say 'money' here we mean the multi-coloured pieces of paper marked with numbers the ATM is wont to dispense. This is crucial because ATMs can be scarce in the bush, and on a road trip sharing is of the utmost importance. SNACKS It's a given that everyone is obliged to bring a lot of sugar on a road trip. Minties, Snakes and all things that once delighted you in children's birthday party bags are right and necessary when on the road. Hot chips with tomato sauce sold by old ladies with facial hair in country towns are also awesome. It's uncanny how the shops saying 'Best Pies in Grafton' actually do sell the best pies in Grafton. MUSIC If you've got one of those whatsits that plug your iPod into the car's stereo system, you're sweet. If you don't have one of those, however, you're going to want a couple of good mixtapes, or, more accurately, mix CDs. '60s pop songs, '80s power ballads and '90s rap should all be considered in the choice of music. You want to have songs that are going to remind you of the trip for years to come, an underlying theme for your future reminiscing, if you will. RIDICULOUS APPAREL Questionable fashion choices are a mandatory on the road. Nothing makes you feel more alive than climbing out of the car at a truckstop wearing something outrageously fluoro and swaggering inside to get yourself a rainbow Paddlepop. Furthermore, there is no more appropriate occasion for a man to sport short shorts. Stupid sunglasses and hats are fun, but bear in mind they might enrage Mick Taylor-types on the roads. SUNSCREEN Often overlooked in the relative shelter of a moving car, sunscreen is necessary for anybody with an arm in close proximity to a window. You don't want to get sunburnt, and unevenly sunburnt at that, while sitting in the car. More to the point, nothing will ruin your holiday more than being so sunburnt you have to wear shapeless kaftans with long sleeves and not being able to sleep at night because it hurts so bad.
For the past seven years, local legends and independent purveyors of fine Sydney music FBi Radio have been handing out awards to high achievers in Sydney music, arts and culture. The SMAC Awards have championed local musicians, venues, artists, creatives, restaurants and promoters — generally Sydney's best slam-dunkers from The Preatures to The Stinking Bishops — in a big ol' party in various Sydney locations, from the National Art School to Carriageworks. This year, in tandem with the actual awards ceremony, they're bringing the SMACs to the people — in a huge festival within Sydney Festival 2016. For the first time ever, the FBi SMACs Festival will be a public throwback event at Carriageworks. FBi has invited a huge Sydney lineup of past and present nominees and winners, from the various realms of music, art, performance and food, so you can consume the very best of Sydney over the last seven years. Sydney’s best DJs and electronic artists will be creating casual beat odysseys in the dark confines of the FBi Click Rave Cave. There'll be a traditional Italian BBQ soundtracked by Sydney sophisticated lover and Italo disco king Donny Benet. You can play putt putt on a colourful golf course created by installation artist Rosie Deacon, or just generally lose your shit over one heck of a Sydney music lineup — think Cosmo’s Midnight, Tuka, Dustin Tebbutt, Vallis Alps, Black Vanilla, Dro Carey, Palms, Fishing, Gideon Benson, Montaigne, Shining Bird, Holy Balm, Moonbase Commander, Gordi, Wordlife, Hockey Dad, B Wise, World Champion, Polish Club, Sampa the Great, Coda Conduct, Dreems, Adi Toohey and many more. Obviously, FBi Supporters get discounts on tickets (max two tickets per supporter), and you'll have to present your supporter card at the entry gate on the day. If you are an FBi Supporter, but don't have a card, just email membership@fbiradio.com so they can send you a new one. FBi SMACs Festival is happening at Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh on January 10 from midday to 10pm. First release tickets are $49 and it's 18+ (sorry kids). Multipack Sydney Festival tickets go on sale October 22, and all tickets are on sale October 26 from the Sydney festival website. Image: Liam Cameron/FBi Radio.
Flume and Lorde at Goodgod. Flight Facilities at Piano Room. Cloud Control at Spectrum. They're gigs we probably didn't realise were bloody important at the time, in live music venues we poured our pocket money into. And now, these now-closed venues are getting the funeral they deserve. In a visually provocative response to the NSW Government's controversial lockout laws and the highly debated Callinan review, Keep Sydney Open has installed 18 plaques commemorating Sydney live music venues which have closed down. Spearheaded by Sydney music writer and activist Jonathan Seidler and backed by Keep Sydney Open, this project features plaques emblazoned with the name of an internationally successful artist who cut their teeth, met future bandmates or held residencies at the particular venue they're installed at. Most artists are Sydney locals like Flight Facilities, Rufus, The Presets and The Preatures, but our adopted Kiwi neighbour Lorde is also in the mix (she played her first ever showcase at Goodgod Small Club). Where can you find the plaques? They've been installed, with supporting funeral flowers and candles, at once-buzzing, now-closed venues throughout the lockout zone — from Kings Cross stalwarts Hugos and Piano Room, to Oxford Street go-tos Phoenix and Spectrum, Chippendale's The Lansdowne, to the CBD's Goodgod Small Club (now reopened as Plan B). Each Friday night, KSO volunteers will be handing out flowers and candles, if you're wanting to pay your respects to the now-closed venues. "It sends a clear message to the government that live music cannot survive without live music venues, which is where our world-beating talent first hone their craft," stated Keep Sydney Open, who pointed out that live music contributes $2 billion annually to Australia's economy (and that more Australians see live music every year than see sport). Sure, some live music venues are now exempt from the lockout laws, but after reports that Sydney venues had lost up to 40 percent of their revenue since the introduction of the laws, here's hoping it wasn't too late a move. Here's where you'll find the plaques: Flight Facilities (Piano Room) Flume (Goodgod) Lorde (Goodgod) Anna Lunoe (Phoenix) Sneaky Soundsystem (Hugos) Nina Las Vegas (Hugos) Cloud Control (Spectrum) Art Vs Science (Spectrum) Alison Wonderland (Q Bar) Hayden James (34B) Bag Raiders (34B) RUFUS (Club 77) Peking Duk (Soho) The Presets (Club 77) Jagwar Ma (Flinders) The Preatures (Lansdowne) You Am I (Lansdowne) Yolanda Be Cool (Q Bar) Keep Sydney Open's plaques are now installed throughout the city until further notice. They're also holding a huge rally protesting the lockout laws and the Calinan review on October 9. Details here.
It's not every festival feels like a country weekend fete that just happens to be headlined by say, Father John Misty. Fairgrounds, Australia's newest boutique camping festival descended on the small NSW town of Berry last December to big ups. Taking over the local Berry Showgrounds, Fairgrounds boasted all the trimmings of a major music festival with the essence of a local fair — with a mini-Meredith lineup to boot. And this December 2 and 3, it's back for another two-day round. Last year's festival was headlined by the high priest of folk balladry, Father John Misty, alongside Brooklyn's rocktronica duo Ratatat, Portland/New Zealand's genre-defying Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Sydney's raucous garage favourites Royal Headache and Melbourne's soul virtuoso Meg Mac. Fairgrounds brought the best bits of Meredith to Berry for one (bloody hot) day of laidback sets at the showground. This year's lineup is yet to be announced, so stay tuned. With a strong focus on the local South Coast area, however, Fairgrounds wasn't just about the tunes. Local nosh, local market stalls and the local swimming pool played equally starring roles at this multifaceted festival — something we're sure made Berry residents pretty happy. Between watching Searching for Sugarman at the openair cinema, sack races, bouts of tug-of-war and dips in Berry's local pool (within the festival grounds and equipped with hectic DJ sets), punters feasted on local delights, from South Coast candy from Berry's own Treat Factory, and fresh rock oysters from An Australian Affair, harvested less than half an hour from the festival site. Plus pies, pies, pies, pies, pies. Straight-up, it warmed our jaded little hearts to see a smaller scale festival like Fairgrounds supporting local nosh, something still spearheaded by the likes of local loving' bigwigs like Bluesfest and Splendour. Although there were a few food shortages and longish waits, Fairgrounds' menu was a slam dunk of a local spread, one worth waiting for (if you tried the oysters). Fairgrounds returns to Berry Showgrounds on December 2 and 3. Lineup yet to be announced. Check out our gallery of happy snaps from last year's festival. Images: Andy Fraser.
That giant cloud arch isn't the only plan for George Street. Bold new proposals for the future of the Sydney CBD have been unveiled today. With construction on the George Street light rail and pedestrian zone about to get underway, the ULI Urban Innovation Initiative have revealed the finalists of their Global Ideas Competition, wherein young architects under the age of 35 were asked to reimagine the bustling thoroughfare as an innovative urban space in the year 2020. Here's what they came up with. https://youtu.be/npVnxagYhQY Nicola Balch, a landscape architect at McGregor Coxall and Alberto Quizon, an Architect at CHROFI, call their idea 'The George St Living Room'. Designed to engage people of all age groups, the centrepiece of their plan is a ‘services carpet’ of infrastructure that allows a variety of elements to plug in including fixed exercise equipment and digitally interactive benchtops with built-in phone chargers, as well as flexible open spaces for markets, events and festivals. https://youtu.be/wlY1El4HOPQ Krystal Pua, an architectural grad at Tropman and Tropman, led a team whose design is titled Moving Space and Staying Place. Their idea would split the street into 'moving spaces', meant to ease human congestion, and 'staying spaces', where people can take in street performances and public artwork and dine in streetside eateries. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0H5ZtlhQGw&feature=youtu.be Finally there's Christian Vitulli, a landscape architect at Site Image, whose team envisions a colourful, multicultural streetscape which they've named Urban Street Craft. Their plans would focus on the southern end of the pedestrian zone between Park Street and Bathurst, and incorporate outdoor dining, indigenous art and illuminated digital projections. The three shortlisted finalists will spend the next month being mentored by property and design specialists in order to help fine-tune their proposals, before a final winner is announced in early November. That person will then present their ideas at the ULI 2016 Asia Pacific Summit. When completed, the George Street light rail will connect Circular Quay with Central Station, while the 1km pedestrian zone will stretch from Hunters Street and Bathurst. Which George Street would you like to see? Leave your two cents below. Image: The Living Room.
Seems Melbourne's Americana-centric festival didn't float with as many Sydneysiders as hoped — the Sydney chapter of the Out on the Weekend festival has been cancelled. Pointing to poor ticket sales, the OOTW organisers have pulled the plug on the event just a few days before it was due to take over Bella Vista Farm. Planned for this Saturday, October 24, the festival would have seen headliners like Kasey Chambers, Dawes, Sam Outlaw, Jonny Fritz, Ruby Boots and Jamestown Revival, food stalls from the likes of Porteno and Mary's, and a heck of a lot of harmonica solos. The festival organisers posted a statement on their Facebook page this afternoon: "We regret to advise that due to less than anticipated ticket sales, we are no longer proceeding with Out On The Weekend at Bella Vista Farm on October 24. While our expectations were not huge, we are greatly surprised at the lack of sales and cannot proceed both financially or logistically with the number of tickets sold." Ticketholders for the Sydney event will indeed receive refunds. Oztix will automatically refund the ticket price directly back to the credit card on which the order was purchased, within five to ten working days. But in a move of good faith, Out on the Weekend is offering Sydney ticketholders a free ticket to a couple of the billed artists locked in for sideshows: Jamestown Revival on October 22 and Sam Outlaw, Jonny Fritz and Shelly Colvin on October 25 at Newtown Social Club. In order to nab a free ticket, all ticketholders have to do is reply to an special Oztix email by 5pm AEST Wednesday, October 25 (obviously only ticketholders will have this email). Poor ticket sales have squashed another Sydney music festival of late, with Soulfest cancelling its 2015 instalment for the same reason. Sad stuff. Pop over to the Out on the Weekend website for more info.
CBD taco favourite Barrio Cellar and Australian hip hop collective One Day are joining forces to create a series of music-fuelled dinner parties. Kicking off on Saturday, August 26, the events will focus on major moments in music history, from albums that revolutionised hip hop to legendary crews. Each will start with the Spotify-defying action of playing two albums all the way through, before One Day DJs hit the decks to take the party up a notch. In between, Barrio will be serving up dishes, cocktails, tequilas and wines designed to match what you're hearing. The first event will be dedicated to Neo Soul. Think D'Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, The Roots and Mos Def. Taking care of the tunes will be Nick Lupi, Jade Le Flay, Klasik and Harry Hunter. There's no cover charge, but bookings are essential at (02) 9232 7380 or barrionights@onedayers.net.
From October 10–27, the Yarra Valley-based winery is providing Sydney dwellers with a unique vino experience with some surprising twists. Guests can discover and challenge their expectations around wine on Babylon's stunning rooftop overlooking Sydney's CBD. "We're thrilled to bring Innocent Bystander to Babylon and offer the opportunity for Sydney to learn what we're about first-hand," Innocent Bystander Brand Manager Andrew Dix says. This cellar door event will take place over three weekends (Thursday–Sunday), where Innocent Bystander will be shaking up expectations of the traditional wine tasting experience with the addition of a tattoo studio, vinyl DJ performances and long lunches. The tattoo studio will offer free tattoos on the weekend of October 19-20. Talented artists from The Darling Parlour Tattoo studio in Balmain will create Innocent Bystander-themed flash designs for those brave enough to go under the needle. These ink jobs will be offered from noon and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The cellar door will be providing tastings of the entire Innocent Bystander wine range, including a new sparkling watermelon spritz (perfect for the sunny days up ahead). Babylon's menu flawlessly matches the wines. "It's the perfect collaboration – Babylon's authentic Levantine cuisine and the great wines from Innocent Bystander," Angelika Golebiowska, Babylon venue manager, explains. Guests can up the ante of this winning partnership by booking a long lunch on Saturdays and Sundays. For $79 per person, guests can enjoy two hours of appetising dishes skillfully paired with a curated selection of Innocent Bystander wines. Images: Markus Ravik
If you haven't seen Starz's pirate drama Black Sails, make haste and stick that bad boy on the top of your to-do list. The action-packed, adventure television series follows the life of Captain Flint, decades before he became the swashbuckler who drew up the treasure map in R.L Stevenson's classic tale Treasure Island. From executive producer Michael Bay, Black Sails is set around the Caribbean island of New Providence, where pirates live outside the rule of law. The series' first three seasons have been a thrilling ride through daring raids, politics and blackmail, as well as salacious encounters with other on-screen pirates. As the law closes in on their home, the ruthless raiders fight for their autonomy, and (of course) go hunting for the legendary treasure. The show is midway through its fourth season, which will also be the last. In order to celebrate the last hurrah of Black Sails, we're giving two of our readers and a pal of their choice the chance to win a cruise through the harbour on a replica pirate ship, thanks to Sydney Harbour Tall Ships. Enjoy dinner and drinks, as well as a view of Vivid Sydney, while cruising the harbour on the most badass ship ever. Winners will receive the complete Black Sails Seasons 1 through 4 on DVD, and a handful of runners up will also snag copies of the final season. All you have to do is head here and tell us what you would name your pirate ship. Entries close on May 19, so get in quick. Break a peg-leg, m'hearties! Top image: Bodhi Liggett.
On the back of a series of culinary pop-ups including Rene Redzepi's NOMA Australia, the Barangaroo waterside development has welcomed its very first permanent restaurant. Opening this week on Wulugul Walk, Anason is the brainchild of acclaimed chef Somer Sivrioglu, whose Turkish restaurant Efendy has been a stalwart of the Balmain dining scene for almost a decade. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, Sivrioglu's new venture is inspired by the meyhanes of Istanbul, serving traditional Anatolian morsels along with a healthy array of Turkish, Australian and European wines. Standout items on the summer menu include lamb fillet with eggplant; heirloom tomatoes with crumbed fetta and simit chips; purple cauliflower bake with walnut tarator; and veal kofte with quail eggs and white bean and tahina piyaz. Assuming you've still got room, dessert options include buffalo milk yogurt with honeycomb and pistachio; and rose and sour cherry muhallebi. They also offer a Bosphorus Feast for eight people or more, which includes saj bread, atom, pumpkin humus, beetroot kisir, salmon pastirma, tamarind sherbet, veal kofte and tulumba. That'll run you up a bill of $55 per head, or $85 if you want matching Turkish wines. They even have a cart, imported from Turkey, selling authentic sesame ring simits. Anason is located at 5/23 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo. For more information visit www.anason.com.au.
It was a sad, sad day when The Vanguard closed its doors and left a collective hole in the hearts of music-loving Sydneysiders. Luckily, we haven't had to wait long for the space to be brought back to life. The venue has reopened as Leadbelly, a new bar and restaurant that offers live gigs Thursday through Sunday — for free. Live music junkies Luke O'Donohoe and Zac Davis — who are also the co-owners of Tipple Bar & Bistro in Surry Hills — are the new owners of the Newtown venue, and jumped at the chance to open their second venue in the iconic King Street space. "We want to keep the legacy of Vanguard alive," O'Donohoe told us in June. "They've done so much with the local music scene over the years." Their love of music runs deep, which is obvious from the venue's nomenclature. Named after the notorious musician Lead Belly who, as well as being the grandfather of blues guitar in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, was also a convicted murderer. Go figure. "The actual venue will pay homage to music itself," said O'Donohoe. "We don't think there's enough free live music in the city and it will be a point of difference for us." The venue hopes to pull in enough on the bar and restaurant side of things to keep the free acts coming. On the libations front, bar manager and 'Olympic' bartender Ben McFarlane (who's worked in various venues for both Merivale and the Urban Purveyor Group) is heading up the seasonal cocktail list, while the food has a bit of Southern U.S. flare. Think Louisiana-style po' boys and in-house smoked brisket. They're also slinging pizzas from their very own oven. As new residents of Newtown, their local ties will also extend to the prevalent craft beer scene — but not just with the usual suspects Young Henrys and Wayward. The bar will have its very own Leadbelly Lager, specially made for the venue. Yup, this place will fit right in. Leadbelly is now open every day except Monday from 4pm at 42 King Street, Newtown. For more info, go to theleadbelly.com.au.
Two of Sydney's top chefs and several local crustaceans meet in a secret spot. To find out what happens next, you'll need to buy a ticket to Shellfishness. On Thursday, February 25, est.'s Peter Doyle and Coogee Pavilion's Jordan Toft will work their magic on a whole bunch of fresh local oysters and lobster. And you're invited to see what they come up with. While gorging on their creations, you'll be sippin' on champagne, alongside a handpicked selection of wine and beer. The event's clandestine location won't be revealed for some time yet, but Merivale is promising something pretty swanky. If you're familiar with Doyle or Toft, you might know that this is far from their first collaboration. Back in 2000, they worked together at Celsius and, more recently, Toft helped out when Doyle took over Merivale's est. Good things happen when these two team up.
For every kidult born in the late '80s/early '90s, an hour and a half of Cheez TV in the mornings was a healthy staple of our cultural diet. Hosts Ryan Lappin and Jade Gatt, now 38 and 36 respectively, are back in Pog form, a wee bit dustier than the fresh-faced teenagers we once knew and valiantly clawing their way back to relevance with a Cheez TV party. The event is being held at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville and the boys (now men) themselves will be there, bringing the nostalgia and reminding us all of the never-ending trudge of time. Expect '90s DJs sets (by the appropriately named DJ duo Team Rocket), big screen gaming and no doubt at least one story about Aerobics Oz Style awakening someone's sexuality. Check out the recently revived Cheez TV Facebook page where Ryan and Jade have been sharing throw back clips of your fave Cheez TV moments (with a meme-y 2016 spin) and it is glorious.
Leave everything to the chef at a luxurious Japanese restaurant, Nobu Sydney — part of the world-famous Nobu restaurant group. Make your evening even more special with a complimentary Haku martini paired with the chef's choice omakase meal from Monday, October 16, until Thursday, November 16. Nobu Sydney is located in the five-star Crown Towers Hotel in Barangaroo. It features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views of the glinting waters around Darling Harbour. Executive Chef Harold Hurtada helms the Sydney outpost of the Japanese stalwart — we sat down with Chef Hurtada to discuss his journey from starting as a kitchen hand in a Japanese restaurant in Manila to leading his own team in Nobu Sydney. The omakase menu is an exclusive addition to Nobu's core offering. It is an opportunity for Chef Hurtada to showcase the skills he has perfected over years of training. Accompanying this menu, for a limited time only, is a complimentary chrysanthemum martini made with Haku Vodka — a craft spirit from the House of Suntory. The martini includes chamomile tea-infused Haku Vodka and house-made chrysanthemum and chamomile syrup. A delicate balance of sweet and floral that pairs nicely with the bespoke omakase menu. "I am very proud of this special Haku Omakase menu. It is inspired by all my years of hard work and experience brought together in one," said Chef Hurtada. "I have been waiting for the right moment to showcase these dishes, and it will be only here in Nobu Sydney." If you want to level up your omakase experience at Nobu Sydney, from Monday, October 16, until Thursday, November 16, all dinner seatings will begin with a complimentary Haku martini. Book on Nobu Sydney's website now and enjoy a complimentary martini with your first course from Monday, October 16, until Thursday, November 16. Haku Vodka's signature serve is the Haku martini. To learn more, head to the House of Suntory website. Images: Jude Cohen
Paris has its creepy catacombs. London is contemplating turning its subterranean tunnels into a network of cycle paths. But Sydney’s underground hasn’t been so easy to visit. Not until now, that is. If you’ve been curious about what lurks beneath, you’ll get a chance to find out when Sydney Open 2015 hits town on Sunday, November 1. Among the 50+ architectural secrets opening for exploration are the city’s Second World War tunnels, which twist and turn their way among the hidden depths of Hyde Park from St James Station. Meanwhile, at Central, you’ll be able to explore the spooky platforms 26 and 27, which were built in the 1970s, but have never seen a train. The ghostly stationmaster’s office and bathrooms are still intact. The only catch is that these, along with St Mary’s Cathedral Belltower, Sydney Town Hall Clock Tower, Central Station Clock Tower and the Opera House’s behind-the-scenes, are of limited capacity. So they’ll be exclusively accessible to those with one of 112 Golden Tickets. And to nab one of those, you’ll need to enter a draw by booking a standard OPEN ticket (aka City Pass) by October 16. If you can’t manage that — or you don’t happen to win — there’s no need to sulk. Sydney OPEN will be bringing you stacks more to see. For those who love their sandstone, there’ll be tours of James Barnet’s ornate Mortuary Railway Station in Chippendale, Francis Greenway’s St James Church (consecrated in 1824) and the City of Sydney Fire Station (built in 1887). And you'll also score an inside look at a couple of recent conversions. There’s Kensington Street, where a series of workers’ cottages built in the 1840s have been turned into an arty strip, featuring galleries, markets, small bars and eateries, as well as the Old Clare Hotel, housed within the former Carlton and United Breweries admin building as well as the original Clare. A slew of contemporary architectural feats are on the program, too. Sneak inside Harry Seidler’s creations at Australia Square, Grosvenor Place and 9 Castlereagh Street. Find out what the brutalists were on about inside the Sydney Masonic Centre’s 24-storey Civic Tower and UTS’s 33-storey Building 1. And check out Frank Gehry’s first Australian work — UTS’s Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, which features a curvy brick façade made of 320,000 custom-made bricks and a glass ‘curtain wall’. Then there are another 40 or so places to keep you busy. Book your ticket at the Sydney Living Museums website, and hope it turns golden.
The two biggest problems faced by the food industry are painfully oppositional. On one hand, huge swathes of the planet don’t have enough to eat and on the other hand, Australians with plenty on the table are wasting up to 25 percent of fresh food that passes through our stores. We all want the best produce, the perfectly ripe avocado, the Instagrammable baby carrot bunch and the juiciest prime cut steak, but in the search for photoworthy food we pass over 'uglier' specimens. Last year, Harris Farm Markets sought to address this and launched ‘Imperfect Picks’, a range of 'ugly' but perfectly edible fruit and veg sold at half price in an attempt to reduce their food waste. This year, the legends are Harris Farm are back at it again, only this time they’re addressing meat waste with a range called ‘Curious Cuts’. Rolled out over the course of five weeks, the range include a selection of cheap, non-traditional cuts that are generally unavailable in Australia supermarkets. Weekly meats will include beef brisket, beef chuck ribs, beef bavette and beef tri tip plus a pork oyster shoulder. Meat prices are on the rise in Australia, sneaking up over 30 per cent in the last six months. 'Curious Cuts' looks like a solid option to save money and encourage sustainable practice while you're at it — something the industry is actually embracing. "It’s essential we start driving Australian demand for cuts of meat that are not as popular as the traditional eye fillet or sirloin steak," says Doug Piper from Meat and Livestock Australia. "Curious Cuts will help strengthen the local meat industry by encouraging the consumption of the whole beast on-shore, increasing its value while reducing the amount of production resources wasted." We know cooking with strange cow bits is a little intimidating, but some of the biggest names in the culinary circuit swear by said bits and they’ll guide you through. Plus you’ll save a bit of money and be able to brag about how to ethical it is to eat every part of the animal. Everybody wins. To start you off, here are some pretty top notch recipes that use non-traditional beef cuts. Try Curtis Stone’s tri-tip with green bean and red onion (via ABC’s The Chew): Luke Nyugen’s slow-braised beef ribs (via cooked): Or Jamie Oliver’s 'Perfect Roast Brisket' (via nourish magazine). To find out more about 'Curious Cuts' and to check which weekly meat is going for cheap at a Harris Farm near your place, head over here.
Carriageworks won't have seen this many costume changes since Fashion Week. Legendary fashion icon, unforgettable Bond villain and music superstar Grace Jones is returning to Australia, headlining Vivid Sydney's Modulations mini-festival at Carriageworks. Locked in for two already-announced performances on Sunday, May 31 and Monday, June 1, Jones has now added an extra date to her Sydney stay — Tuesday, June 2. Modulations marks the 66-year-old's first Sydney appearance since her jaw-dropper of a show at the Enmore in 2011 (there were costume changes every two or three songs, we swear) and is set to be one dramatic, high fashion affair. “A truly iconic singer, songwriter, model, actor and all round enigma,” said Modulations creative director Stephen Pavlovic. “[Jones’s] live sets are duly renowned as nothing short of incredible, segueing from disco to funk, from pop to punk, all presented within a visual spectacular as stunning as the musical artistry.” Vivid will also be Jones' only Australian performance for this tour, not unlike last year's Modulations headliners, the Pet Shop Boys. Jones marks the top of the bill for Vivid's six-day Modulations festival-within-a-festival. After a hugely successful weekend pairing music, food and ideas at Carriageworks last year, Modulations returns with an expanded program set across two weekends — we're talking a brand new pop-up called Italo Dining and Disco Club, living jazz legend saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, a huge Pelvis/Motorik/Kooky dance club team-up party and one of music and art's most provocative personalities Bill Drummond, who'll deliver a keynote address and unveil a new artwork especially for Modulations. Grace Jones will perform at Modulations on May 31, June 1 and 2 at Carriageworks. Tickets from $127, available here. Modulations runs over two weekends starting Sunday, May 31 during Vivid Sydney (22 May to 8 June). For more information and tickets, head to Carriageworks' website. Image: Andrea Klarin.
Emele and Ayeesha are no strangers to subconscious stereotyping, especially when it comes to how people perceive their skin colour. Showing at The Joan, Black Birds is an innovative ensemble of stories from their lives that show the subversive marginalisation they experience due to the fact that they simply aren't white. The production was developed through The Q's Artist in Residence program, and not only explores the the issues of race and gender stereotyping, but it also explores new ways of presenting them. The show isn't so much a play, or a talk, or anything like theatre goers are used to. Instead, it's a mixture of music and stories, dancing and poetry. It's frenetic, it's fast-paced — it's life. The show aims to give audiences the chance to look into the lives of the storytellers and view the world from a different perspective. For many, it'll be a chance they've never had before, and one to be savoured. Images: Alana Dimou.
Spectrum Now is back. And this time, they’ve hired some of the best producers in town to sort out the music program: Paul Piticco and Jessica Ducrou of Splendour, Falls and Secret Sounds. Headlining the 11-day gig extravaganza, which is happening between March 3 and 13, and will be taking place in a 2500-capacity Big Top in The Domain, are Scottish post-punk legends The Jesus and Mary Chain. They’ll be playing on Saturday, March 5 as part of a 'festival-within-the-festival' called Divine Times, presented by Popfrenzy in collaboration with Yours and Owls. Also on the bill are Seekae, lo-fi poppers U.S. Girls (US), Canada’s Alvvays and Sydney's favourite multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Boulet. Another one to get your tix-buying mitts on is Perth’s Birds of Tokyo, scheduled for Friday, March 11. They’ve been busy working towards their new album, but will take an evening off recording to deliver some of their classics, including ‘Lanterns’, ‘Anchor’ and more recent hit, ‘I Go With You Anywhere’. Meanwhile, on Sunday, March 6, jetting in from the US are Arizona-based rockers Calexico, who’ll be supported by Augie March. The day following, Monday, March 7, catch Canada’s post-rockers Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Then, on Thursday, March 10, watch Rockwiz Live, featuring a slew of talent and personality, including Julia Zemiro and Brian Nankervis, RocKwiz Orkestra, James Black (Mondo Rock), Peter Luscombe (Paul Kelly), Mark Ferrie (Models), Ashley Naylor (Even) and Vika and Linda Bull. Line yourself up for pre-sale tickets at the Spectrum Now site.
It's not every festival feels like a country weekend fete that just happens to be headlined by say, Courtney Barnett. Fairgrounds, Australia's country boutique camping festival descends on the small NSW town of Berry each December. Taking over the local Berry Showgrounds, Fairgrounds boasts all the trimmings of a major music festival with the essence of a local fair. And this December, it's back for another two-day round. Running over November 30 and December 1, the two-day festival is making a triumphant return. In a huge coup for the small festival in its third year, it's secured big-time festival favourites Courtney Barnett and Vance Joy to headline, alongside local legends Pond, Winston Surfshirt and more. Oh, and British punk poet Billy Bragg, US alternative rock band The Breeders and Zambian hip hop singer Sampa the Great will also join the lineup from across the globe. With a strong focus on the local NSW South Coast area, Fairgrounds isn't just about the tunes. Last year local nosh, market stalls and the local swimming pool played equally starring roles at this multifaceted festival — something we're sure made Berry residents pretty happy. Between dips in Berry's local pool (within the festival grounds), punters feasted on local delights, including fresh rock oysters harvested less than half an hour from the festival site. The festival's super-popular long-table dinners will return, too, which take place overlooking the live music. FAIRGROUNDS 2018 LINEUP Vance Joy Pond Rolling Blackouts C.F. Saba Body Type Oh Pep! Tia Gostelow Courtney Barnett Billy Bragg Winston Surfshirt The Breeders Sampa the Great The Teskey Brothers Waxahatchee Kevin Morby Maddy Jane Carla Geneve Image: Ian Laidlaw and Gabriel Vallido
Throw on a trench coat and your finest tinfoil hat for an evening of paranoid hilarity at Giant Dwarf. Hosted by Sydney comedians Cyrus Bezyan (RAW Comedy National Finalist, ABC Fresh Blood) and Jack Gow (Sydney Comedy Festival, Break Out Comedy Showcase 2015, two-time The Moth StorySLAM winner), Conspiracy Theories will peel back the facade of your workaday world and reveal the puppet-masters pulling the strings. From lizard people to the man on the grassy knoll, no rock will remain unturned, no matter how unsuspicious it may seem. Make it a priority to catch this one-night-only show during the run of the Sydney Comedy Festival. You'll never look at footage of the moon landing the same way again.
One crew makes seriously good wine. One makes seriously killer parties happen around Melbourne. The other cooks up some of the finest goods in Sydney. Now they're joining forces for an epic wine-fuelled, pastry-flanked hootenanny inside a mysterious Sydney space. Which Sydney space? That's a big ol' secret. Melbourne collective Wax'o Paradiso and Sydney bakery Brickfields have teamed up with Redfern-based vino lovers Cake Wines for one huge secret party on May 23. It's the second secret party for Cake, who recently took over the rooftop pool deck of the Holiday Inn in the Rocks with damn good wine, gourmet kranskies and seriously good beats from Lovebombs, FBi Radio and Astral People. It was a bonafide humdinger. Now the crew are looking to the inner west, inviting their party-starting friends from Melbourne up for an eight-hour afternoon shindig. Wax'o Paradiso have cranked their fair share of killer hootenannies everywhere from MONA's Dark Mofo to outdoor labyrinths and garden rooftops; so they know what they're doing. They've invited Edd Fisher (host of Tomorrowland on PBS106.7) with his partner in crime Simon TK (resident at Melbourne's Hugs and Kisses), to blitz the decks, alongside local legend Steel Bonus. The proviso? Vinyl-only for eight hours. Whetting whistles for the afternoon, Cake will be bringing their 2013 and 2014 new vintage wines to the bar, with beer and cider on offer too. And if you're feeling a little peckish, Brickfields will be serving up their fresh Modern Australian fare on the day, with the party menu yet to be revealed. The secret location will be revealed on the day of the party via text message and/or email. Apparently it'll be somewhere in the inner west, so stay tuned. Here's what went down last time:
Art lovers, welcome to perpetual bliss. The formerly three-week shindig Art & About will now last an entire year. Come spring, summer, autumn or winter, there’ll no longer be any need to hibernate at home in an art-less depression. In keeping with the event’s 13-year-long tradition, Art & About 2015 will kick into action in mid-September. But this time, the installations, experiments and surprises won’t stop popping up until the 2016 edition is about to start. “Art & About Sydney brings Sydneysiders together with local and international artists in a fantastic celebration of the city’s creative spirit,” says Lord Mayor Clover Moore. “As major infrastructure works commence in the city, the time is right to move from a festival format to a model that continually enables creativity in the public domain ... Events like these are critical to Sydney’s economy and important in ensuring we remain a globally competitive city.” Here are nine creative encounters to add to your diary right now. The Terrace (18–27 September) On September 18, Town Hall’s Marconi Terrace will open as a temporary live music venue and bar, inspired by the rooftop garden renewals that have been happening of late in New York City. Get down there for nine nightly shows, featuring the best of local acts, including Dave and Joji (Gang of Youths), Emma Pask, Microwave Jenny, and Paul Capsis with Cafe of the Gate of Salvation. Near Kin Kin (18 September – 11 October) Customs House Square will get back to nature when it plays host to a 21-metre high bamboo forest, created by Cave Urban design collective. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves, while contemplating the pristine wilderness that covered Sydney Cove before European invasion. Australian Life and Little Sydney Lives (18 September – 11 October) One of Art & About’s staples returns to Hyde Park. For three weeks, the park will function as an outdoor art gallery, displaying 42 large-scale photographs across two exhibitions. Australian Life features the final works in its titular $10,000 prize, while Little Sydney Lives features images from Sydney’s young photographers (aged 3-11). Games + Actions (for a Quiet City) (17 October – 1 November) Keep your ears and eyes peeled for unexpected, unannounced musical performances while Games + Actions (for a Quiet City), created by Super Critical Mass, is in motion. Up to 100 community volunteers playing identical 'instruments' will appear at Martin Place on 17 and 18 October, Mitchell Library on 24 and 25 October, and Hyde Park on 31 October and 1 November. Car park and poolside cinema with Golden Age (21 November, 29–30 January) Don’t just watch films, live them, with Golden Age’s immersive cinema antics. On 20 February (that's a new, postponed date), Goulburn Street car park will be turned into an apocalyptic playground for a screening of Bladerunner. Then, on 29 and 30 January, book yourself a floating seat at Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool for Jaws. Watch those dangling feet. H20 Water Bar (2–21 February) This installation is a tasting bar created by Sydney-based artist Janet Laurence. But, rather than offering you wine or whisky, it’ll be serving up water sourced from all over Australia. Calling attention to issues of climate change, pollution and scarcity, H20 Water Bar will be located at one of our favourite Sydney spots, the Paddington Reservoir Gardens. Tut by Shaun Parker & Company (7–22 April) If you know all the moves to Tay Tay’s ‘Shake It Off’, you’re ready for Tut. One hundred dancers, selected from Shaun Parker & Company’s community workshops and online callouts, will bring the dance form, which was inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphics on King Tut’s pyramids, to the city streets. Scratching the Surface by Vhils (20–30 June) Portuguese artist Vhils flips the lid on street art by carving into surfaces, rather than building on them with spray paint or paper. For ten days, Sydneysiders will be able to watch him at work at a yet-to-be-disclosed location. The Blue Trees (4–11 March) Have a habit of taking trees for granted? To make sure you take notice of the impact we humans can have on the natural environment, artist Konstantin Dimopoulos will be turning the trees of Pyrmont’s Pirrama Road into a surreal, bright blue forest using a biologically safe, water-based colourant. Top image by Henrique Fanti, ‘Floatie’, 2015 (detail) from Australian Life. Second image Cave Urban's Near Kin Kin image by Juan Pablo Pinto (artist's impression). Third image Jones Jnr.
In January next year Noma will open in Sydney for ten weeks. For that time it will likely be the only restaurant in Sydney entirely inspired by Australia’s native ingredients, landscape and climate. When he was here in 2010, Noma’s visionary chef Rene Redzepi said this: "I think this is the essence of great cuisine. I think that in any city they should have all the ethnic and multicultural cuisines, but I think that it's a poor culture if it doesn't have its own true, unique expression that can only be represented right there at the place." He was making a comparison between the restaurant food he’d eaten in Sydney and Melbourne and the indigenous feast he'd had in the Flinders Ranges. Redzepi was surprised that, given the incredible variety of native produce we have, no one outside of indigenous communities (and a tiny pocket of restaurants) were using them. A lot has changed since then. "After listening to Rene Redzepi's keynote address at the Sydney Opera House, I was completely inspired and left that night on a mission to track down Australian native produce which I could weave into my Cantonese cooking," says Kylie Kwong, owner and head-chef at Billy Kwong — the only restaurant in the world making traditional Cantonese food with Australian ingredients. At the moment, their latest menu includes wallaby cakes with Kakadu plum, crispy saltbush parcels and stir-fried spanner crab with a trio of native greens. Elsewhere, Adelaide's Orana has a dish of emu, plum pine and mountain pepper, while at Attica in Melbourne you'll find salted red kangaroo with pepperberries and bunya bunya, a starchy Queensland nut roughly comparable to a chestnut. With the exception of the above restaurants and a handful of others though, the use of native ingredients is rarely more than an occasional flourish — a few wattle seeds here and there, a lemon myrtle infusion or maybe a sight of warrigal greens. Finding a native vegetable, fruit or meat is an extreme rarity. You get the impression that Australia's portfolio of native ingredients is simply a short list of easily substitutable herbs and greens. [caption id="attachment_552283" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Billy Kwong[/caption] REVOLUTIONISING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIVE FOODS John Newton's been researching native ingredients for his book The Oldest Foods on Earth. The history of native Australian food, with recipes. Australia has around 6000 unique edible plants and, in South East Queensland alone, there are more than 1500 different fruiting trees, he says. "We have the most fantastic native game birds. I've tasted the magpie goose — I love duck, and it's ten times better than duck. There's the bustard, there's scrub turkey, which tastes like pheasant. Beautiful." Even if only a tenth of our native ingredients tasted any good, it would be more than enough to completely revolutionise a green grocer’s shelves or an entire restaurant menu. But that particular revolution will have to wait, as there's not nearly enough farms or even knowledge of how to farm the vast majority of those ingredients. A lot of that information was lost after Europeans first arrived and started terraforming Australia for the production of beef, wheat and wool. [caption id="attachment_552284" align="alignnone" width="960"] Quay[/caption] FARMING NATIVE FOODS Picture this: you're an enterprising land owner who wants to start a farm. Given the resources and knowledge out there, you're more likely to start growing blueberries, cabbage or some common vegetable, rather than spend several years fiddling with native ingredients that have little to no backlog of info on how to actually cultivate or propagate them. Well, this has been the life of Mike and Gayle Quarmby. The owners of native food farming and distribution initiative Outback Pride have dedicated the best part of two decades to figuring out how to grow various native ingredients on a commercial scale. "We've done an enormous amount of research, development and horticultural work to actually domesticate these native food plants to get them to perform in a sustainable way," says Mike Quarmby. When they started, the majority of native produce farming consisted of simple wild harvesting, now their business is the biggest general supplier in the native food industry. Their clients include some of Australia's most innovative restaurants, chefs and grocers — and in January they'll be supplying almost their entire range of 65 ingredients to Noma Australia. [caption id="attachment_552289" align="alignnone" width="960"] Scallops with beach succulents at Orana.[/caption] SO, WHY THE STIGMA? It’s been a tough slog for the Quarmbys to get here. Aside from their trials in horticultural adventure, Quarmby says the duo has had to battle against an entrenched negativity against indigenous produce. "Australians have an inferiority complex about everything and anything related to food. ‘If it comes from overseas it must be good’. That has had a major effect,” he says. When we talked to John Newton about this, he mentioned the experience of three of Australia's early native produce pioneers: Jean-Paul Bruneteau and his restaurant Rowntrees, and Jennice and Raymond Kersh with Edna's Table. Interestingly, this first wave of restaurateurs made a big noise about using Australian native ingredients. Newton, who was working as a food critic in the '80s when the restaurants were operating, says the restauranteurs regularly faced criticism from customers solely due to the fact that they sold indigenous ingredients. "I don't know why. You could explore that in terms of racism all that you like," he says. But Newton says the worst thing to happen to the industry was a TV show called Bush Tucker Man. "Every time he puts something in his mouth he screws up. He hated it." Quarmby gave a similar review: "All due respects to Les Hidden, but he gave the impression that you only ate bush tucker if you were starving, and it tasted like shit." Quarmby says Redzepi has proven so influential because, as a Dane, he didn't come to Australia attached to any cultural prejudice or inferiority complex around Australian ingredients and the idea of a national cuisine. And now, despite a rough past, both Quarmby and his competitors in the native food industry are witnessing rapid growth. "We can't believe the number of new restaurants — we have nine exclusive distributors around Australia and our phone is running hot. They're saying things like 'this is the easiest thing we've sold all our lives'." WHERE TO EAT NATIVE INGREDIENTS Orana 1/285 Rundle Street, Adelaide, South Australia Attica 74 Glen Eira Road, Ripponlea, Victoria Vue de Monde 55, Rialto Towers, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria Billy Kwong 1/28 Macleay Street, Elizabeth Bay, NSW Quay Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, George & Argyle Streets, The Rocks, NSW Bennelong Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney, NSW Top image: Salt cured red kangaroo with bunya bunya at Attica.
While Sydney's inner city isn't blessed with snow each winter, you can pretend you're in some village in the European alps at the Darling Harbour Winter Festival. Don your mittens — and that beanie you knitted during lockdown — and zoom down a giant arctic slide, spin around an ice rink, watch fireworks glittering over the harbour and snack and sip on warming winter treats at the sprawling food market at Tumbalong Park. There'll be live performances, DJs and bands, too, for when you just want to soak up the atmosphere. And, if you haven't yet put those Dine & Discover vouchers to good use, you can redeem them for a session on the rink or something to eat from the market after.
Australia’s leading food rescue organisation is getting in on the pop-up trend. Opening in Pyrmont on Tuesday, May 12, harvested will serve up high-quality meals made entirely from ingredients destined for landfill — and they're calling on you to help generate buzz. Ready to spend the next three months making you rethink your lunch, the cafe is the brainchild of Travis Harvey; a chef with more than ten years experience in restaurants around the world. He's also the man behind OzHarvest's Cooking for a Cause program, which each year helps prepare thousands of meals using surplus food collected from supermarkets, cafes, restaurants and catering companies, and delivers them to people in need. "The idea behind harvested is simple," says Harvey. "It takes a challenge that OzHarvest and our food recipients have to face every day... what to do with surplus food that society has rejected because of its appearance, discolouration or slight imperfections? We wanted the public to experience this too, and see how good it can be." In order to help spread the message, the pop-up cafe will be giving away free lunches (free lunches!) on opening day, in exchange to photos shared on social media using the hashtag #mealforameal. Seems like a pretty good deal, especially since you'd probably have Instagrammmed your deliciously newsworthy lunch anyway. Harvested will be open for lunch on Wednesdays and Thursdays until the end of July, operating out of a restaurant space donated by City West Housing located at 56 Harris St, Pyrmont. The menu will change daily depending on available ingredients, although they've already teased the likes of slow cooked lamb with vine leaf, house dried fig and walnut sauce, pumpkin quinoa burger with beetroot relish and chilli macadamia butter, double roasted spiced pork with rustic potato and house pickled cues, and spice crust chook with carrot puree and labneh. And to think, this was food people were throwing out. Meals will cost a flat $15, money that OzHarvest can use to feed up to 30 people. Thursday through Sunday evenings, the temporary space is also home to Baraka, a pop-up Middle Eastern restaurant run by Fouad Kassab, which also donates a portion of its proceeds to OzHarvest. Harvested opens on Tuesday, May 12 at 56 Harris St, Pyrmont. The pop-up will be open every Tuesday and Wednesday for lunch only from 11.30am – 2.30pm (until end July). For more information, visit www.ozharvest.org.
Kensington Street has dedicated itself to bringing the world's best food to Chippendale's newly paved laneways. The mission began with Spice Alley and Automata, and now continues with the introduction of The Private Kitchen. A bespoke pop-up housed on the third level of the Old Rum Store, the restaurant will play host to a rotating cast of the world's top chefs. First up is the multi-Michelin-starred Stanley Wong. He'll set up in the revamped industrial surrounds of the recently renovated Carlton United brewery and dish out a menu that encompasses kingfish sashimi, cornish hen, New York striploin and blistered shishito peppers. Wong's time working in France, America and Hong Kong is abundantly clear in the menu — it seems to traverse the entire globe in a single meal. Wong currently resides in Hong Kong where he runs his own kitchen studio Culinart. Similar to The Private Kitchen, it caters only for private group bookings and offers up a menu of food from around the globe with a slight Asian influence. The Old Rum Store is a four-levelled event space currently home to traditional French joint Bistrot Gavroche. Early next year it will house the restaurant Stanley Wong will launch when his Private Kitchen residency ends. Eastside Grill will be his first Australian restaurant and will focus on American grill — still maintaining that Asian influence however, by cooking with Japanese Binchotan charcoals. Bookings are already open for Stanley Wong's time at The Private Kitchen, which will open from December this year until February 2017. After that, a new culinary genius will take over the reins. The full program of chefs is to be released early next year. Image: Lauren Commens.
Long-deprived vegetarians, today's your day to high five a stranger, hug a disinterested cat, throw flowers from your shitty morning bus, dance merrily to your 9am. Today, IKEA Australia announced the launch of its long-awaited veggie Swedish meatball, consisting only of vegetables. AW. YEH. That's right, vegetarians can now partake in the glorious Swedishery that is IKEA's famed meatballs. The new ball is called GRÖNSAKSBULLAR, which sounds like a demon the Charmed sisters once battled — but this long-awaited IKEA newcomer deserves one mighty title. The new veggie balls will be rolled out (heh) in Australian IKEA store restaurants from April 27. Carnivores, if you're freaking out, don't think for a second the original meaty meaty meatballs are going anywhere. The veggie orbs of goodness will set you back $8.99 for a serving size of 10 and $3.69 for the kids’ serving size of five (plus you'll probably be able to take frozen balls home with you). “Our iconic IKEA meatballs are much loved in Australia — last year Aussies enjoyed nearly 8.5 million of them," said IKEA Australia food manager Simone Fowler. "The new veggie balls are a healthy, more sustainable option and form part of a move to decrease the impact of our food offering on the environment. Producing this meat free product will help cut our carbon emissions by half.” Overall, IKEA's aiming for a more sustainable food offering, acknowledging the lower environmental impact veggie-only balls have in comparison to their ambiguous meatballs. As Fowler said, the newbies will lower IKEA's carbon footprint too. It's part of their new campaign to promote for more environmentally-friendly, healthy and more ethically-produced food products — called the 'IKEA People and Planet Positive Strategy'. So IKEA's not only producing sweet veggie balls, but taking a long hard look at all their instore food. Meat-eating haters gonna hate. This is a victorious day for IKEA-lovin' veggos who've watched their buds enjoy dollar hot dogs and sweet, sweet meatballs on every furniture run.
Residents of Marrickville are in for a treat (again). In a move that gives local street artists a legal blank canvas, and property owners a say in what ends up on their walls, brand new street artworks are popping up over the inner west as we speak. It's all part of a council initiative called Perfect Match (running August 5-7) that pairs artists with residents and business owners to transform once-boring walls (the kind that tend to lure in spray can-toting taggers) into works of art. Owners were matched with artists and collaborated to commission the works. "With Perfect Match we're tackling unwanted graffiti by fostering collaboration and creative expression in our public places," says Marrickville mayor Mark Gardiner. Now in its third year, Perfect Match has attracted internationally renowned artists including Sid Tapia, Fintan Magee, Ears and Capiche. This year, Tapia and Capiche are back, along with Mulga The Artist, Jumboist, Mandy Schöne-Salter, Akisiew, Alex Lehours, Steven Nuttall, Tiera Boo, Camo, Nitsua, HA HA, Thomas Jackson. If you've been wandering the streets of the inner west in the past week, you might have stumbled upon them at work. If not, the council has organised a series of tours (by bike, bus or foot) this Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7, showcasing the work. Alternatively, just download the Perfect Match program and map and take to the pavement. Free events will be happening over the weekend including the Stencil Art Prize on Saturday, August 6 at Marrickville Bowling Club, an afternoon of live art and music, artists applying large scale paste-ups, and an art market on Faversham Street. On Sunday, August 7 August, it's all eyes on Camperdown, with free events will be taking place at Camperdown Park, Camperdown Commons, and local artist Sarah Harvie is holding collaborative workshops for her giant inflatable project Roll With It in Camperdown Park. It's all a proudly local, site-specific way to pretty up our streets. What a way to play Cupid. Tours run by bike, bus or foot this Saturday, August 1 in Marrickville. Head to the website for more info. Image: Askiew, Elixir Photography/Perfect Match.
Hate the lockouts? We're with you. Keen to really, actually, physically do something to show your discontent with the Sydney lockout laws? Lobby group Keep Sydney Open are holding a huge rally on February 21 to protest the State Government's controversial laws and the affect they're having on Sydney. Starting at Belmore Park in Central at 12.30pm, the rally will then make its way into the CBD. The crowd will stop by the soon-to-close George Street staple Bar Century for a mock funeral for all businesses and venues closed, and jobs lost since the lockouts were instated. Legendary Sydneysiders and nightlife supporters will be joining the rally for speeches, including Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus), Isabella Manfredi (The Preatures), Bernard Keane (political editor of Crikey and author of A Short History of Stupid) and Keep Sydney Open founder Tyson Koh. There'll also be performances from Sydney favourites Royal Headache — who wore Keep Sydney Open shirts at their Flaming Lips support set for Sydney Festival — and Art vs Science — who recently released a song in protest of the lockouts. More speakers will be announced during the week. There will be t-shirts on sale at Belmore Park before the rally proceeds on. The Keep Sydney Open rally is pushing certain actions on the Sunday, including: - lockout exemptions for licensed premises that are predominantly live music venues - an end to the new licence freeze for predominantly live music venues and small bars - the lifting of restrictions on retail hours - late-night public transport, like in Melbourne - the introduction of a Night Mayor, like in Amsterdam and Berlin - an invitation from government to discuss next steps in partnership with those whose livelihoods depend on the music and cultural industries thriving in Sydney - police to work with not against the responsible venues who provide safe nights out in a global city Keep Sydney Open's rally starts at 12.30pm at Belmore Park, Central on February 21. Head to the Facebook event page for more info. Image: Andy Fraser, Laneway Festival (who support Keep Sydney Open).
If you're a fan of Better Call Saul, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Dead to Me or The Good Place, you've probably spent plenty of time in front of your TV screen over the past six months. But, even when we're all staying inside revisiting our favourite shows, 2020's television and streaming viewing isn't just about the programs you already love. If you're always eager to add some fresh favourites to your pile, the year so far has well and truly delivered. They're the new series that, in years to come, will sit atop your rewatch list. From ominous and ambitious science-fiction thrillers and contemplative slow-TV documentaries to comic takes on history and bold reworkings of literary classics, 2020's batch of new shows has proven a varied bunch — and an excellent one as well. It's enough to make you hole up in your living room and never want to leave. Or, to spend the year's colder months catching up. With the year at its halfway point, here are our picks of 2020's best TV and streaming series that you owe it to yourself to seek out now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODYjA9H4qcw NORMAL PEOPLE When Sally Rooney's Normal People first hit bookshelves in 2018, it thrust readers into a disarmingly relatable love story, following the amorous ups and downs of an on-again, off-again couple from Sligo, Ireland. Teenagers Marianne and Connell have known each other for years, as tends to happen in small towns. And although she's aloof, intense and considered an acerbic loner, while he's outgoing and popular, a torrid and tumultuous secret romance blooms. That's just the beginning of the Irish author's novel, and of the both tender and perceptive TV series that brings the book to the screen. As it dives deep into a complex chronicle of first love, it not only charts Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones, Cold Feet) and Connell's (newcomer Paul Mescal) feelings for each other, but details the recognisable and realistic minutiae of being a high schooler and then a uni student. This is first and foremost a romance, and a passionate and intimate one at that; however the series can't tell this complicated couple's story without touching upon everything else that pops up along the way. Normal People is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1htuNZp82Ck&feature=youtu.be TALES FROM THE LOOP If Black Mirror set all of its bleak futuristic tales in one small town, followed interconnected characters and sported a low-fi, retro sheen, the result would be Tales From the Loop. This patient, beautiful, poignant and incredibly moving sci-fi series is actually based on a series of paintings by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag — and even if you didn't already know that fact while you were watching, you'd notice the show's distinctive aesthetic. The title refers to a mysterious underground machine, called The Loop, that's designed to explore and unravel the mysteries of the universe. For the folks living above it, their lives soon take strange turns. Anchoring jumps and pauses in time, body swaps, giant robots and more in everyday situations and emotions (such as being envious of a friend, falling in love, betraying your nearest and dearest, and trying to connect with your parents), Tales From the Loop is as perceptive as it is immersive and engaging. And, its eight episodes are helmed by an exceptional array of fantastic filmmakers, including Never Let Me Go's Mark Romanek, WALL-E's Andrew Stanton, The House of the Devil's Ti West and actor-turned-director Jodie Foster. Tales From the Loop is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8klax373ds DEVS Radiating unease from its very first moments, yet sporting both a mood and a futuristic look that prove simultaneously unsettlingly and alluring, Devs is unmistakably the work of author-turned-filmmaker Alex Garland. His first jump to the small screen, it instantly slots in nicely beside Ex Machina and Annihilation on his resume — and it's just as intriguing and involving as each of those excellent movies. The setting: Amaya, a US technology company that's massive in size yet secretive in its focus. When Sergei (Karl Glusman) is promoted to its coveted, extra clandestine Devs division, his girlfriend and fellow Amaya employee Lily (Sonoya Mizuno is thrilled for him. But when Sergei doesn't come home from his first day, Lily starts looking for answers — including from the company's guru-like leader Forest (a long-haired, very un-Ron Swanson-like Nick Offerman). Devs is available to stream via Foxtel Now and Binge. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5vLgpdXz0g THE GREAT It takes its title from its central figure, Russian empress Catherine the Great. It's filled with lavish period-appropriate costumes, wigs, sets and decor. And, it explores an immensely famous time during the 18th century that had a significant impact upon the world. Normally, that'd all smack of a certain kind of drama; however The Great is firmly a comedy as well. As starring Elle Fanning as the eponymous ruler, Nicholas Hoult as her husband Peter III and Bohemian Rhapsody's Gwilym Lee as a fellow member of the royal court, that means witty, laugh-out-loud lines, an irreverent and often cheeky mood, and having ample fun with real-life details — much in the way that Oscar-winner The Favourite did with British royalty on the big screen. Of course, the comparison couldn't be more fitting, with that film's BAFTA-winning screenwriter, Australian Tony McNamara, using his savagely hilarious satirical skills to pen The Great as well. The Great is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaMIcuVH83M&feature=emb_logo THE BEACH Whenever Warwick Thornton makes a new project, it demands attention — and the Indigenous Australian filmmaker has never made anything quite like The Beach. The director of Samson & Delilah and Sweet Country turns the camera on himself, chronicling his quest to escape his busy life for an extended soul-searching getaway. With only chickens and wildlife for company, Thornton bunkers down in an electricity-free tin shed in Jilirr, on the Dampier Peninsula on the northwest coast of Western Australia. He fishes, cooks, chats to the chooks, wanders along the shoreline and reflects upon everything that's led him to this point, with this six-part documentary series capturing the ups, downs, sublime sights and epiphany-inspiring moments. Unfurling quietly and patiently in the slow-TV tradition, Thornton's internal journey of discovery makes for both moving and absorbing viewing. Indeed, combined with stunning cinematography (as shot by Thornton's son and Robbie Hood director Dylan River), it just might be the best piece of Australian television you see this year. The Beach is available to stream via SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TA3B8Z5lcQ DISPATCHES FROM ELSEWHERE It has been a few years since Jason Segel was seen on-screen with any frequency; however the Freaks and Geeks, How I Met Your Mother and The Muppets star returns in a big way with Dispatches from Elsewhere. As well as leading the cast, he created, co-wrote and co-directed the intriguing and enigmatic puzzle-like drama series, which is based on the documentary The Institute and tracks a group of strangers who find themselves drawn to a strange, game-like mystery. IT worker Peter (Segel), the lively Simone (Eve Lindley), the overly cautious and paranoid Fredwynn (Andre Benjamin), and the upbeat Janice (Sally Field) all don't know what they're getting themselves in for when they start spotting flyers around town about offbeat topics (communicating with dolphins and trialling human force fields, for example), then each individually call the number printed on them. And, for maximum immersion and enjoyment — and to go on the ten-part show's weird and wonderful ride with its characters — audiences should approach it with as little prior knowledge of any details other than the above as well. Dispatches from Elsewhere is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDKYJwih5-Q BREEDERS Catastrophe, that great, smart, acerbically funny British comedy about a couple's experiences with parenthood, attempts to navigate life's all-round chaos and just general effort to try to stay together, sadly finished up its four-season run last year. Let worthy successor Breeders fill the gap — with Martin Freeman starring as exasperated dad Paul, Daisy Haggard (Back to Life) playing his partner Ally, and The Thick of It's Chris Addison and Simon Blackwell on directing and writing duties. Basically, if the aforementioned political satire featured parents swearing profusely at their kids instead of government staffers unleashing at their colleagues, this is how it would turn out. The show is partially based on Freeman's own experiences, too, and stems from the Sherlock, The Office and The Hobbit actor's idea. Breeders is available to stream via Foxtel Now and Binge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zVhRId0BTw UNORTHODOX Deborah Feldman's best-selling 2012 autobiography Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots makes the leap to Netflix as a four-part mini-series. And, as the book's title makes plain, both explore her decision to leave her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Williamsburg, New York, flee her arranged marriage and everyone she's ever known, and escape to Berlin to start a brand new life. Names and details have been changed, as tends to be the case with dramas based on real-life stories; however Unorthodox still follows the same overall path. In a tense but instantly commanding opening to the show's first episode, 19-year-old Esther 'Esty' Shapiro (Shira Haas) slips out of the apartment she shares with her husband Yanky (Amit Rahav), picks up a passport from her piano teacher and nervously heads to the airport. The end result proves a unique and intriguing coming-of-age tale, a thoughtful thriller, and an eye-opening but always careful and respectful look at a culture that's rarely depicted on-screen in such depth. Israeli actress Haas (The Zookeeper's Wife, Foxtrot, Mary Magdalene) turns in a nuanced, weighty and gripping performance as Esty, too — which is absolutely pivotal in making Unorthodox so compelling to watch. Unorthodox is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyxdf2TvcJE STATELESS A flight attendant (Yvonne Strahovski) unhappy with her life, trying to find solace in a cult-like dance school run by a creepy duo (Cate Blanchett and Dominic West), and eventually making a drastic decision. An Afghan refugee Ameer (Fayssal Bazzi) attempting to escape to Australia with his wife and daughters in search of a better life. A struggling father (Jai Courtney) in a remote town who takes a job at the local detention facility because it pays well. A bureaucrat (Asher Keddie) brought in to manage said location when it attracts negative media attention. They're the four characters at the heart of six-part Australian mini-series Stateless — a show that doesn't just feel as if it is ripped from the headlines but, in one specific instance, is 100-percent drawn from real-life events. This is bold, topical television filled with fantastic performances, although that's to be expected given the cast. Stateless is available to stream via ABC iView. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMUPp_hNMlM THE EDDY A fantastic cast, a Parisian setting and oh-so-much jazz. As executive produced and partly directed by Whiplash and La La Land filmmaker Damien Chazelle, that's what's on offer in eight-part drama The Eddy. The title refers to the French club run by former pianist Elliot (Andre Holland) and his business partner Farid (Tahar Rahim), with every episode following the daily life of a different person — including Elliot's rebellious teenage daughter Julie (Amandla Stenberg), as well as Maja (Joanna Kulig), the lead singer of the venue's resident jazz band. Like almost everything that Chazelle touches, other than First Man, jazz features heavily. That's really just a given with his work by now. But whether you're as fond of the style of music as he clearly is, you could take or leave it, or you're just keen on virtually visiting Europe, The Eddy unfurls a moody and engrossing tale that benefits from its excellent on-screen talent. The Eddy is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMaPCYRPhY0 MYTHIC QUEST: RAVEN'S BANQUET For the past 15 years, Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton have co-written and co-starred in one of the best shows on TV: the so-ridiculous-its-hilarious It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Hopefully, that'll never change — Sunny just aired its 14th season last year — but McElhenney and Day have also just launched a new sitcom. Trading a sleazy Philly bar for a video game development studio, Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet sees McElhenney play a gaming visionary who's having trouble with the latest expansion pack of his big online role-playing hit. Big troubles, actually. A workplace comedy, Mythic Quest takes some time to find its feet, but it's worth sticking with. It also stars Community's Danny Pudi, Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham and Australian Content actress (and #Flipgirl) Charlotte Nicdao. And if you're a fan, you'll be pleased to know that Apple renewed it for a second season before the first even premiered. Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet is available to stream via Apple TV+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVQ9-XH3hc8 DRACULA After giving Sherlock Holmes plenty of twists in Sherlock, writers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have decided that another famous character could use a once-over — and not just any old figure, either. Bram Stoker's Dracula has been adapted for the screen so many times, the bloodsucker actually holds the record, but this version isn't like any other. Starring The Square's Claes Bang as the undead count, the BBC and Netflix three-part series has plenty of tricks up its sleeves. So many, in fact, that we won't say too much in order to preserve the mystery. In a smart, lush, gleefully theatrical and cleverly scripted affair that blends gothic horror with sly amusement, the basic framework of the 123-year-old story remains — spanning both Romania and Britain, and following his altercations with lawyer Jonathan Harker, his lust for Lucy Westenra and his run-ins with Van Helsing — but not as you'd ever expect. Bang is fantastic, but keep a particular eye out for Dolly Wells (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) as a pivotal nun. Dracula is available to stream via Netflix. Looking for more viewing highlights? Check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly.
Bloody Melbourne. They're having a great time right now, cuddling up to kitties while they sip their precious cat-flanked cappuccinos at Australia's first cat cafe. Yeah, enjoy it while it's exclusive y'lucky feline-surrounded jerks. Because an official campaign to bring yet another Sydney cat cafe (the first, Catmosphere, has apparently been funded) to fruition is under way and guess what? There's an adorable-beyond-all-reason pop-up kitten cafe coming to Paddington to mark the occasion. We'll say it again, just in case you closed your eyes for maximum squealidge. There's going to be a pop-up kitten cafe in Paddington. In association with Maggie's Rescue, Sydney Cat Cafe is hosting a pop-up cafe from May 14-17 at William Street Gallery. Sydneysiders can book cuddle sessions with fluffy little kittens handpicked by the Maggie's Rescue team, with the opportunity to pledge funds towards turning the Sydney Cat Cafe concept into a permanent fixture. Only 15 people can clamber into the pop-up at a time, booked on a half-hourly basis for $5 per person. And no little ones, for safety and tail-pulling reasons, this pop-up is restricted to cat lovers above the age of 8. While you're there, snuggling and nuzzling your new whiskered BFF, you can also think about pledging funds to towards the Sydney Cat Cafe Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign; hoping to raise $15,000 to cover part of the seed funds needed to realise the café. Alright, alright, donating, donating, how do we pat the kitties? Enquire after availability by emailing info@sydneycatcafe.com.au — and spots are already filling up, so get on it. KITTIES. The Sydney Cat Cafe and Maggie's Rescue pop-up kitten cafe is open at William St Gallery, 14 William Street, Paddington, running May 14 -17. The cafe is open 9am to 7pm Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm on Sunday. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
