We're all up in cat cafes. We've lined up for cat video film festivals. Now your insatiable need for quality feline time without actually owning one has reached peak internet-happy headline — a new London start-up is planning to open the world's first ever cat cinema. Yep. Cat cinema. Great Kitten — possibly the most puntastic business name since Thai Tanic — is the grand crowdfunding project of mid-20s legends Paula Siedlecka and William Piper. Not only a cinema where you can cuddle up to a cat while taking in a film (really) but also as cafe and cat shelter (slam dunk), Great Kitten is looking for dosh on IndieGoGo to fund the idea you wish you came up with first. The goal is £120,000 (about $235,646), which seems pretty achievable with the amount of crazy cat lovers online. They're looking for a spot in Crouch End in London, hoping to deck it out like a wintry log cabin — fireplaces, hot cuppas and all. "Working in London for 18 months, we saw first hand the demand for constant innovation within London's entertainment scene," say Siedlecka and Piper on their IndieGoGo page. "As animal lovers with a flair for business, seeing the global popularity of Cat Cafes got us thinking — how could we add a twist to an already successful concept? Simple — we add a cinema." Now you won't have to cry all over your date through Infinitely Polar Bear. So what can you expect to be watching with your furry armrest? According to their IGG page, Great Kitten will be screening around ten films every week. While exact titles haven't been confirmed, it's not going to be all cat-themed, but sure, we're hoping some feline-inspired movies first-up — definitely The Aristocats, perhaps Catwoman, probably not Pet Sematary. Ticket prices have been set at $19 to $24 and you'll get to book in a one or two hour-long snuggle with one of the shelter's more people-friendly resident kits. One-hour cat-patting tickets will cost around $9 to $11 , and two-hour slots about $15 to $19. Sure, it sounds a tad brothelly, but these are rescue cats getting much-needed pats. Great Kitten isn't just a novelty trend concept though. The team are planning to invite children and adults who struggle with mental health issues (such as depression and anxiety), physical disabilities or life-threatening illnesses, for all-expenses-paid cinematic cat cuddle sessions and cakes and tea and all round loveliness. Very cool. Throw Great Kitten some dosh over here. Image: The Shiznit — Antonio Banderas stages 'special screening' for Puss in Boots at Montreal's 2014 International Cat Film Festival. Hopefully what you can expect from Great Kitten, Banderas included.
Sydneysiders have always liked cheese, but in recent years things have gotten serious. Dedicated fromageries have popped up across our fair city and recently we've enjoyed events featuring gin and cheese, wine and cheese and even vegan cheese. Our stomachs are working overtime to digest all the lactose — and, honestly, we've never been happier. And the love affair continues with this latest cheesy announcement. France (or more specifically, a Parisian centre for cheese, which is a real thing) is bringing Bon Fromage, a free two-day festival celebrating European cheese, to Sydney. The whole thing will happen at Carriageworks on October 14 and 15. First and foremost is cheese — the venue will be transformed into a cheese marketplace and wine bar from 11am till 6pm each day. Organisers will be bringing in half a tonne of cheese for the festival, and it will all be free of charge. Just to recap: free entry and free cheese. But the cheese festival isn't just about eating so much cheese you puke. Masterclasses will be held on how to match cheese with wine, how to tell the difference between varieties and, we assume, the correct way to draw a cheese fondue bath for yourself. There will also be a collection of stalls selling cheese for you to take home and eat later. The festival is supported by the European Union, presumably to get Australians on board with the European cheese industry. To us, this seems like a bit of a misfire because we're evidently already very invested in cheese, from Europe or elsewhere. But whatever — we'll be there regardless. Bon Fromage will run on Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15 at Carriageworks. For more info, visit the Facebook page.
Enjoy a breakfast of champions at whatever hour you please, courtesy of Australia's first ever cereal cafe. Opening its doors in Melbourne in just over a week, this pop-up snack hub will be serving all your childhood and/or late-night share house favourites, including Froot Loops, Coco Pops and Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut. Launching February 12, Cereal Anytime is the latest temporary tenant of Richmond’s year-long food and retail precinct, Swan Street Chamber of Commerce. Supposedly, the aim of the cafe is “educating people on foods in moderation”, which might get tricky given the sugar content of what they serve. Perhaps a limit of one bowl of Frosted Flakes per customer? The cafe will operate via a “pay-it-forward” payment system. Upon entry, diners simply peel a Post-it note off the wall, which they can then use to pay for their bowl of cereal. The Post-its can be replenished for $4 a pop, ensuring that those who are a little less fortunate don’t miss out. A recent cereal cafe that opened in London served over 120 different kinds of cereal, 13 milks and more than 20 additional toppings, so our iteration has something of a reputation to live up to. It sparked huge demand, followed by something of a culture war when some very practical types balked at paying £3.50 for flakes out of a box. Melbourne's version, with its element of feelgoodery, should sidestep that issue. Hungry members of the public can help decide the cafe’s final menu and gain entry on day one (February 12) via a ballot on their Cereal Anytime Facebook page.
Australia's boutique camping festival descends on the small NSW town of Berry each December, taking over the local showgrounds with two days of stellar global and local musicians. The annual music, food and art festival somehow feels like a country weekend fete, but it's also where you'll catch a surprising number of big-name acts. This year one of Brit Pop's leading troublemakers, Liam Gallagher, sits at the top of the bill, followed by Triple J faves DMA's, Meg Mac, Hatchie, Dope Lemon and Julia Jacklin. But Fairgrounds isn't just about the tunes. Sydney-based vintage market host Dear Pluto has brought together over 20 different stalls of makers and collectors on the Saturday (11am–10.30pm), there's a vinyl record fair (also on Saturday) and Games on the Green with tug-of-war and egg-and-spoon races. Plus, the festival arranges for free use of the local swimming pool every evening until 7pm. And Jervis Bay's award-winning Paperbark restaurant is back with its popular pop-up — expect housemade ice creams, locally sourced seafood, flatbreads and dips, as well as spiced berries. See the full music lineup below. FAIRGROUNDS 2019 LINEUP Liam Gallagher Dope Lemon Meg Mac DMA's Julia Jacklin Kasey Chambers Hatchie The Babe Rainbow Fritz The Lazy Eyes The Buoys Nilüfer Yanya 100 Clews The Lemonheads Stevan Images: Ian Laidlaw and Gabriel Vallido.
Actual post-gender human and girl your mum definitely warned you about Peaches has been uncharacteristically quiet recently. It’s been a good six years since her last album I Feel Cream, which featured the super danceable ‘Talk to Me’, so seeing Peaches on the Groovin’ the Moo lineup was a pleasant surprise — if pleasant could ever be used to describe the woman behind lyrics such as “hair in a mullet, you know you gotta love it, so sexual and so conceptual” and, of course, “fuck the pain away” — and the announcement of a Hi-Fi (now Max Watt's) sideshow on May 8 even better. Peaches, of course, hasn’t been twiddling her thumbs this whole time. She’s done a film, put together a book (out in June, pre-order it here, you’re welcome) and just completed her sixth studio album Rub, which features Kim Gordon and Feist, and is due out later this year (fingers crossed we get a teaser). That title though. Oh, to be able transform a fairly innocuous one-syllable word into a blush-worthy imperative. No wonder we all wanna be her. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcKMg7eEjj8[/embed]
Hailing from Melbourne Camp Cope have only been kicking about together for the last couple of years after bonding in a friend's kitchen. After gaining significantly gargantuan hype in Australia and overseas, they're about to play one of the world's most hallowed stages: Sydney Opera House. No pressure. The trio's debut, self-titled album was released last year, and goes to show how much can really be achieved in two days, which is how long the album took to record. The LP harks to good ol' garage indie rock, but there's a real authenticity in the album, especially coming from the sharp lyricism and emphatic vocals from singer-guitarist Georgia McDonald, alongside bassist Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich and drummer Sarah Thompson. Unafraid to tackle topics others might avoid, Camp Cope should bring a killer live show to their Vivid Sydney debut.
Get a head start on Halloween at Insert Coin(s) Spooktacular for MoVement Sydney. Invading the Oxford Art Factory on Thursday, October 20, this horror show will bring with it blood-soaked pinball and thousands of Elm Street-worthy arcade games, overseen by the soon-to-be-released Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Delivering '70s and '80s party anthems to soundtrack your scares will be DJs Levins (The Rhythm of the Night/Halfway Crooks), Glenn Be Trippin and Martin Novosel, founder and manager of Purple Sneakers. Meanwhile, your energy lapses will be taken care of by Woofy's Hot Dog Cart and fistfuls of free candy. Bearers of best Halloween costumes will score prizes.
The folks behind profit-for-purpose eateries Gratia and Folonomo have come up with a brand new way for you to give to charity. And it's dead easy. All you have to do is shop online — in your regular fashion, at your favourite stores — and, with every purchase, a percentage goes straight to a not-for-profit of your choice. To make it happen, simply download the free Folo browser extension, which takes about 30 seconds. In case you're wondering, this miracle doesn't cost you (or your nominated charity) a cent. In fact, it's the retailers' pockets that cover your donations. "It works according to a cash back system," explains Folo's Jaimee Abict. "A percentage of what the user spends online goes into their Folo account. This money accumulates and, once a year, the user decides to keep it or give it away." More than 700 retailers are already on-board. These include big names like Expedia, Dan Murphy's, Eurocar, Woolworths, Coles, The Iconic and Sephora. And, later in the year, the Folo team plans to roll out across the US, where the online shopping industry is worth around $300 billion annually. "Folo has the potential to solve the age-old problem of regular fundraising. And its scale can't be overstated," Abict says. "500 users spending $95 a month would raise more than $30,000 in a year. Beyond that, the numbers get ridiculous. A million users could raise over $60 million per year." Users get to choose from hundreds of charities, including large organisations, like Medecins sans Frontieres, the Australian Red Cross and St Vincent de Paul, as well as smaller ones, such as the Australian Breastfeeding Association, Interchange Inner East and the Victorian Deaf Society. If you can't make up your mind, you can opt to support a cause, like climate change, indigenous equality or global education.
Hitting New Zealand for the weekend isn't as much of a faraway adventure as it seems — the flight's just over three hours from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. That's almost similar to visiting Canberra or Byron, and there's better wine at the end. And if you're looking for a holiday that ticks multiple boxes, Nelson is a strong choice. An easy 35 minute flight from Wellington, Nelson is one of New Zealand's genuine all-rounders, with a bustling city centre, beautiful breezy seaside and those iconic misty mountains. Outdoorsy types can head for the Abel Tasman National Park, art lovers can find multi-million dollar collections and local galleries in one place, and if you're an enthusiast in the food and wine game, you'll have a hard time leaving. Take Friday off and spend 72 hours in one of New Zealand's most creative cities — heck, check out our Weekender's Guide to Wellington and make a double header of it. EAT/DRINK If you're a wine lover, you'd better get yourself to Nelson quicksmart. There are no less than 28 wineries in the region, all nestled amongst the kind of insanely beautiful rolling hills you'd expect in a world class NZ wine region. Take an easy drive out to Mahana, formerly Woollaston Estates, one of the region's best organic wineries with one of the prettiest cellar doors in the country. Run by vagabond winemaker Michael Glover, Mahana isn't your textbook winery — and they've got the next-level contemporary art collection to prove it. Sculptures, paintings and installations from countless famed Nelson artists are dotted through the cellar door and grounds. Come hungry, because Mahana boasts one of the best restaurants in the region, run by executive chef Alistair Forster. Picture yourself hoeing into a Mahana Riesling poached pear tart with pesto popcorn on the patio overlooking the vineyard across to Tasman Bay and the Southern Alps. Classic Instagram fodder. Got a hankering for good ol' fish and chips? Let's take a little drive to Mapua, a gorgeous little seaside town where a cluster of local businesses draw quite the weekend crowd. Visit The Smokehouse for award-winning fish and chips, taste crisp craft beer from brewpub Golden Bear Brewery, have a hearty lunch at longtime Nelson favourite The Apple Shed, and stock up on local artisan cheese, meats and other yummo things at KETE deli. Back in town, Nelson's got some serious restaurant game. If you're looking for the one restaurant everyone Instagrams, head for The Boatshed, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. After more hearty New Zealand seafood fare? Head for the Cod & Lobster on Trafalgar Street in town. Established by Nelson couple Nick and Kymberley Widley in 2015, this multi-storey brasserie focuses on fresh regional produce with a daily changing menu. DO Saturday mornings in Nelson mean markets. Pay a visit to the Nelson Market, a bustling smorgasbord of local food, art, sculpture, jewellery, design and fresh, regional, seasonal and organic produce over 200 stalls. It's the perfect place to get a handle of Nelson's local food scene, as you'll find a lot of these products on menus and in stores across the city. Be sure to pick up a jar of Pic's peanut butter from the stall — America wishes this product was closer. Head into a rather unassuming jewellery shop on the edge of the town centre, on a quest to find the One Ring to rule them all. Jens Hansen gold and silversmith has been a Nelson treasure for decades, then Peter Jackson tasked them with making the One Ring from The Lord of the Rings and they quickly became a hallowed stop on the LOTR fan crawl. The gold and silversmith made around 40 rings for the production, including a giant ring for close-ups. They sadly didn't get one ring back from the LOTR crew (come on, Jackson) but still sell at least one a day — you can watch on their website. [caption id="attachment_576573" align="alignnone" width="1280"] RED Gallery.[/caption] If you're an art and design lover, Nelson's got plenty for you. There are over 200 working artists in the city, from modernist ceramicists to abstract expressionist painters. Time your visit with the Nelson Arts Festival, Nelson Fringe Festival or make a trip to the World of WearableArt and Classic Cars Museum — the annual Wearable Art Awards began near Nelson after all. Drop into RED Gallery on Bridge Street, run by Caroline Marshall and Sarah Sharp, for a coffee and a peruse of the region's best local art and design — perfect for non-tacky-fridge-magnet souvenirs. Outdoorsy types will have trouble fitting everything on a trip to Nelson. Surrounded by insanely beautiful mountains, lakes, forests and meadows, Nelson has all your mountain biking, kayaking, paddleboarding, surfing etc. etc. needs covered in one epic spot. If you're a camper or hiker, you probably already know the name Abel Tasman National Park, but if you haven't, consider this one for the bucket list. Sitting just an hour and 20 minute drive from Nelson, the park is a heaving natural cornucopia of activities, from overnight hikes to paddleboarding day trips, kayaking adventures to easy breezy picnic spots. If you don't have enough time to get to the park, you can always go paddleboarding right in Nelson or easy bike riding from Mapua (above). [caption id="attachment_576577" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Mahana Villa.[/caption] STAY Whether you're after a stunning seaside B&B by the bay, a cosy Coventry cottage, or an easy motel/motor lodge, Nelson's home to a host of accommodation to suit all budgets. We snuggled into our own little lodge at the Grand Mecure Nelson Monaco Apartments, which is like a little English village on the outskirts of town. If you're the type who likes to curl up beside your own personal fireplace watching a terrible late night movie with a big cuppa, this place is for you. Looking for a truly local, luxurious stay? Nelson has a handful of genuinely stunning B&Bs worth spending a little more on. There's Te Puna Wai Lodge, and The Wheelhouse Inn and Captain's Quarters, but we'd pick Wakefield Quay House, run by larger-than-life pair Woodi and Johnny. They were married at the Nelson lighthouse, so can spin you quite a few yarns about the area. Woodi's one of the biggest characters around; she'll sit you down for a wine, some local cheese and ocean trout and while the sunset away with fantastically woven tales. If you're a high roller and you're looking to stay in something worth more than your HECS debt ten times over? Mahana Villa. To put this place's importance in context, Charles and Camilla had this place on their itinerary for Nelson. It's an epic Pacific modernist palace sitting at the apex of the 25 hectare Mahana Vineyard, with four private ensuite rooms in the owner's house and two in the Loft. But the real drawcard of the villa? It's home to a multi-million dollar art collection that we can't believe you're allowed to bunk in with. Seriously, you'll be hanging out with some of the country's most impressive modern art while you're watching TV, cooking or doing yoga on the balcony. Just don't touch anything. LET'S DO THIS, HOW DO I GET THERE? Flights to Wellington from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are super short — around 3.5 hours on average. Jetstar have just launched a direct route from Melbourne to Wellington (from $159) and Queenslanders can fly direct from the Gold Coast (from $169). Air New Zealand fly direct from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Wellington (from $297). From Wellington, flights to Nelson from on Jetstar and Air Nelson can go for as little as $55 (or there are indirect flights from Melbourne or the Gold Coast from around $170), just check the website for some sweet cheap deals. Shannon Connellan travelled as a guest of Nelson Tourism. All images SC unless otherwise specified. Want to make it a week? Check out our Weekender's Guide to Wellington and make a real NZ holiday of it.
If you missed having your heart broken and lovingly repaired again and again this past winter by Sufjan Stevens, you're in luck. The Michigan-born songwriter is returning to Australia, announcing a huge national tour playing tunes from from his 2015 album, Carrie & Lowell as well as selections across his dreamy, dreamy back catalogue. Bringing a full band and an immersive lighting production, Stevens will be celebrating ten years since Illinois and five from his Age of Adz, so expect quite a few throwbacks between the album that made us cry every last salty, salty tear in our bodies this year, Carrie & Lowell. Tickets are on sale now. If you're not on it, you're probably an emotionless stone. SUFJAN STEVENS 2016 AUSTRALIAN TOUR Monday 22 February — State Theatre, Sydney. Tickets available via www.ticketmaster.com.au. Friday 26 February — Hamer Hall – Melbourne, Tickets available via www.artscentremelbourne.com.au. Wednesday 2 March — Red Hill Auditorium, Perth. Tickets available via www.oztix.com.au. Friday 4 March — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane. Tickets available via www.qpac.com.au.
Last year, Sydney's inner west got in on the openair cinema action, with Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema opening their very first inner west cinema, adding another location to their free ice cream-loving lineup of Bondi, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth. And they're back for 2016. Setting up on the lawns of Cadigal Green at the University of Sydney, Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema shows new releases and cult classics including Hollywood blockbusters Inferno, Doctor Strange, Hacksaw Ridge, The Accountant and Arrival, comedies Bad Santa 2 and War on Everyone), Oscar contenders The Light Between Oceans and Nocturnal Animals, and controversial Cannes feature The Neon Demon. The team are keeping their tried and true formula intact — live music and free ice cream nights. Local artists will hit the stage before the film for cruisy sets, including Nic Cassey, The Runaway Horses and Naomi Sequeira. There'll also be a fully-licensed bar and gourmet food stands. You can also hire deckchairs, beanbags and blankets, or go all in for a VIP Star Lounge ticket with lounger, a blanket, seat side service and a glass of wine. For the full program or to buy tickets, head to the website. Check out CP's roundup of Sydney's best openair cinemas over here.
Chef Darren Robertson's reputation proceeds him — those who do not already know how from his time at the tremendously luxe Tetsuya's or as one of the main minds, and palates, behind Australian restaurant group Three Blue Ducks, will surely recognise him as the newly appointed judge on My Kitchen Rules. With full steam ahead, the famed chef will now add yet another project to his resume — this May he'll open a new, more personal restaurant in the former site of The Hill Eatery. While still keeping the North Bondi venue's name and menu pretty close to his chest, Robertson did divulge that it will focus on his personal tastes. "The dishes will be bits and pieces from my favourite restaurants all around the world," he told Concrete Playground. He's promising pastas and a dedicated bar snacks menu, along with a lot of fresh salads and seafood — the latter fitting right in with the Bondi surroundings. Aiming to open the doors on May 15, this collaborative project will see a quick turn around, with Robertson joining forces with Ian Clark and Bondi local Cam Northway (Sweet & Chilli) only a few short months ago. Robertson has worked with Northway on several projects in the past though, and is quite comfortable with the partnership. "We're fairly similar and Cam is a very driven person, a total professional and he just has a good energy about him," he says. The duo both lived in Bondi for years (before Robertson moved to Byron), and it still feels very much like home to the chef. "North Bondi is a little neighbourhood in itself, I love the area and I always really liked this space specifically." Despite his already busy schedule, preparations for this new project seemed to just fall into place. "I wasn't planning on opening a new restaurant, but sometimes you have to just go with your gut," says Robertson. "It's never the right time — it all happened quite quickly, but it 100 percent feels like the right thing to do." Darren Robertson's new restaurant, title TBC, will open on May 15 at 5/39-53 Campbell Parade, Bondi.
Award-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban is bringing a project to Australia for the first time. On March 25, he'll be taking over the Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation with installations showcasing his dedication to humanitarian work. In the courtyard, you'll find two signature relief shelters. One was developed in the wake of the Great Hanshin earthquake, which hit Kobe in 1995. The other was a response the earthquake that rocked Eucador's coast in 2016. Step inside to immerse yourself in scaled models of Cardboard Cathedral (2013) and Japan Pavilion, surrounded by a handpicked selection of works and elements of works, capturing the evolution of Ban's output between 2000 and 2014. Ban has spent most of the past 20 years helping out in disaster zones, working out how to turn affordable, local materials into housing. In 2014, he won the Pritzker Prize (pretty much the Nobel Prize for architects). "Architects mostly work for privileged people, people who have money and power," says Ban. "Power and money are invisible, so people hire us to visualise their power and money by making monumental architecture. I love to make monuments, too, but I thought perhaps we can use our experience and knowledge more for the general public, even for those who have lost their houses in natural disasters." Image: Shigeru Ban Architects, Centre Pompidou-Metz, France, 2010. Photo: Didier Boy de la Tour.
If you're a North Shore local or frequent visitor, consider yourself onto a winner with Goodfields. The brainchild of father-and-son duo George and Anthony Karnasiotis (The Butcher's Block), it's a charming, contemporary corner spot perched just across from Lindfield Station. Inside, good feels abound, with the cheery mix of polished concrete, crisp white tiles and foliage spilling from above. From 6am daily, the coffee window is open and the machine up and running, tempting early morning commuters with brews from Five Senses. Meanwhile, the kitchen is turning out a memorable all-day brunch offering that sits classics alongside fun, modern revamps. There's an indulgent lobster benedict with roasted lobster tail bites, grilled garlic brioche, spinach and hollandaise, and an avocado smash served with heirloom tomatoes, feta, poached eggs and sourdough. Lunch might call for the slow-roasted lamb shoulder pita, crispy-skinned salmon with charred broccolini, or a fried chicken burger with bacon, maple aioli, American jack-cheese and thick-cut chips. Littlies will be kept busy, too, with options like house-made buttermilk chicken nuggets and maple syrup-drenched hotcakes. To accompany those long lunches or weekend brunches with mates, you'll even find a tidy range of beers and wines at Goodfields. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Sydney
You've had a shit week, huh? Things have been a little humdrum, a little less than awesome? Sure, you could binge-watch The Handmaid's Tale and know everything could just be a little bit worse or you could take your sorry ass to an entire market dedicated to candy, pastry and chocolate — a thing that is happening in Sydney this weekend. We're here for you. Coming to you from the ever-markety folks behind the Discovery Markets, Brewery Yard Markets and this weekend's Truckstop, Sweets and Treats is a one-day event dedicated to Sydney's finest lolly maestros, pastry practitioners and saucy, saucy chocolatiers. Forget your August, 2017 troubles with food stalls brimming with sugary business, have a little boogie to live music and hope no one social media-savvy sees you take on the doughnut eating competition. Not convinced? Put this free mulled wine by Handpicked Wines in your skeptical face and we reckon you'll have a good time. Best bit? It's happening in two places over the weekend. You'll find Sweets and Treats at Discovery Markets (8 Brodie Spark Drive, Wolli Creek) this Saturday, August 5 from 9am-3pm, and at the Brewery Yard Markets at Central Park Mall, Chippendale on Sunday, August 6 from 10am-4pm.
For anyone who doesn't live in Surry Hills, the epicenter of casual dining, the name may be misleading. This venture by the owners of the Bronte-based Vacanza pizzeria didn't opened in the north-western suburbs of Sydney. The Hills district in this case is the upper end of Bourke St, opposite where the former Hopetoun Hotel used to be. Vacanza took over what was an average corner Italian fast food joint. Upping the ante, the Bronte team did a little makeover on the interior, exposing the brickwork and darkening the mood, but it's not too flash. The prices for sit-down pizzas in nice surroundings are reasonable, and are actually standard compared to the average takeaway pizza. Less is more here, at least in terms of toppings. Emphasising the southern Italian connection, the kitchen staff are from the home country and slide out thin-based pizzas of the more traditional variety. "The Vacanza" is sprinkled with truffle oil and grated pecorino, "Il Sacaceno" peppered with prosciutto and parmesan, and "Il Capitano" laced with fennel sausage, goats cheese and roasted mushroom. Elsewhere on the menu, there's four choices of insalate and a mozzarella bar with starters such as bufala arancini, two lightly crumbled rice balls with buffalo mozzarella and porcini mushrooms. "Changes and modifications are politely declined unless it is a small matter of life and death" is Vacanza's philosophy and is word around these traps. And if you don't believe us, just sight it on the menu. They're clearly taking this pizza business seriously, dead seriously. They've certainly breathed life into a corner of Surry Hills that was in need of resuscitation. And while its fully licensed, they'll allow BYO at one bottle, per person, for a fee.
The ultimate boy band party welcomes two of Korean pop's finest — Boyfriend and JJCC — live in concert to help celebrate the 2016 Chinese New Year Festival. Gear up for Carriageworks' K-Pop Party. For those unversed, K-pop hails from South Korea and covers everything from pop to rock, electronic to hip hop and R&B. It isn't all about the music though, as K-pop fuses hypnotic dance moves with elaborate fashion and hairstyles — and considering it walks the line of both alternative and exceedingly sweet, K-pop's transcendence into the mainstream was only a matter of time. Boyfriend, a six-member band of bashful smiles, has been touted as one of the top K-pop boy bands you should definitely know about. They'll be bringing to the stage a mix of both their Korean and Japanese singles. The other act, JJCC, are the first K-pop idol group formed by actor and martial artist Jackie Chan, and produce a pleasing confusion to the senses with their androgynous beauty and hip hop pop charms. As well as being transfixed by the hyper-energised choreography and endurably catchy tunes, there's a chance to learn more about the bands from SBS PopAsia's hosts, Jamaica dela Cruz and Andy Trieu, who will be holding on-stage interviews. K-Pop Party is presented by Carriageworks, SBS PopAsia and the City of Sydney and will kick off the 2016 Sydney Chinese New Year Festival. K-pop is bigger than Bieber, and rightly so – they've got moves as sharp as Mr Chan's, and tighter than the jar of beans we just spilled to let you know that this is one event not to miss. Carriageworks' K-Pop party is happening on February 5 and 6. Tickets are $70-120 but thanks to Carriageworks, we have two double passes to give away. For your chance to win, just subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and email us at win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
In huge news for the Australian music industry and fans alike, US music events giant Live Nation has announced it's snapped up a controlling stake in Secret Sounds Group — the organisation behind both Falls Festival and Splendour in the Grass, run by Jess Ducruo and Paul Piticco. This 51 percent stake marks the first Aussie acquisition for the enormous LA-based company, which already lays claim to over 80 global festivals, including Lollapalooza, Reading, Leeds, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Governor's Ball, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Rock Werchter. According to Music Business Worldwide, the deal excludes Secret Sounds Group-owned record labels Dew Process and Create Control, and Dew Process Publishing. Helmed by Michael Rapino, Live Nation has been buying up especially big in the music biz of late, with France's Nous Productions, South Africa's Big Concerts, and a majority stake in Tennessee's AC Entertainment just some of the 2016 additions to its ever-bulging portfolio. Nine months into this year, the group had already forked out a cool $113.1 million on net acquisitions. "Splendour in the Grass and Falls are the two most iconic festivals in Australia," said Rapino in a statement announcing the deal. "Jess and Paul have created events that attract the biggest artists in the world but still feel uniquely Australian. We look forward to partnering with them to find new ways to grow our live event footprint across Australia." Secret Sounds co-CEOs Ducrou and Piticco echoed the sentiment in their statement. "We started Secret Sounds with the sole mission of introducing Australians to the best artists, events and music possible, and Live Nation is the perfect partner to help us take this goal to the next level. With their support we can continue to curate the lineups that fans love, while also experimenting with new exciting ways for fans to experience live music." That such a big global player is now shouldering in on the Aussie festival scene and in control of two of our most prominent music events, could spell dramatic changes ahead. Via Pedestrian and Music Business Worldwide. Image: Splendour/Bianca Holderness. Home page image: A. Catt.
Having said au revoir to the French Film Festival, it's now time to slip over the border into Spain. Returning to Palace Cinemas around the country, this year's Spanish Film Festival will once again showcase some of the biggest and most critically acclaimed Spanish and Latin American films from the past 12 months. How's that for a cinematic siesta? The festival — which will feature at Leichhardt's Palace Norton Street and Paddington's Palace Verona — begins with the highest grossing film at last year's Spanish box office: rom-com sequel Spanish Affair 2. Other comic standouts include espionage spoof Spy Time, madcap ensemble My Big Night, and dark domestic comedy Happy 140. Of course, not everything on the program is quite so light and breezy. Critically acclaimed drama Much Ado About Nothing confronts legal and political corruption in modern day Chile, while Ma Ma stars Penelope Cruz in one of her most nuanced roles to date, as a put-upon single mother diagnosed with breast cancer. Below, we've put together a list of the five films on the lineup that have caught our eye. For the full program, go here. https://youtu.be/K_NMyRjL8dM THE THIN YELLOW LINE This comedy-drama hybrid, directed by first time writer-director Celso Garcia, is a road movie, but not in the way you'd expect. The Thin Yellow Line follows a misfit group of five cash-strapped men tasked with painting the dashed yellow line along more than 200 kilometres of Mexican highway. You only need to take a brief look at the trailer to appreciate the film's gorgeous cinematography and bittersweet tone. If that's not enough to convince you, consider the fact that it's executive produced by Pan's Labyrinth, Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak director Guillermo del Toro. https://vimeo.com/131531005 THE CLAN Based on a chilling true story, this Argentinean thriller tells the story of the Puccios, a seemingly normal family living in Buenos Aires in the 1980s who made their living kidnapping people and holding them to ransom. The film broke box office records in Argentina, screened in competition at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival, and has scored plenty of positive critical buzz, with Variety comparing it to the movies of John Carpenter, Brian De Palma and Martin Scorsese. Consider our expectations set very, very high. https://vimeo.com/153227513 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Another true story from Latin America, Much Ado About Nothing is a far cry from the light-hearted Shakespearean comedy with which it shares a title. Instead, Alejandro Fernandez Almendras' film takes place in present day Chile, and follows a young man who finds himself framed for a fatal hit-and-run committed by the son of a powerful politician. A grim indictment of corruption in the upper echelon of Chilean society, the film received strong reviews and a Grand Jury Prize nomination at Sundance earlier this year. https://youtu.be/I8TiFAdvqLM EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT This year's closing night film floored audiences at Cannes and scored a 2016 Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Inspired by the journals of two separate Western explorers who travelled to the Amazon decades apart, Embrace of the Serpent is described in the festival program as "a breathtaking cinematic odyssey". With startling, unsettling imagery shot in hypnotic black and white, and dialogue spoken in over ten different languages, the film promises to be like nothing else you'll see at the festival — or indeed, the movies — this year. https://youtu.be/XIwPPoWPlmo NOTHING IN RETURN In Daniel Guzmán's Nothing in Return, 16-year-old Dario finds himself on the search for a surrogate family in the wake of his parents' divorce. Enter his best friend Luismi, a car mechanic named Caralimpia and a sweet little old lady named Antonia. At first glance the film looks like a fairly standard coming-of-age tale, but the fact that it scored a pair of gongs — for Best New Actor and Best New Director at Spain's most recent Goya Awards — has us curious to check it out. And as an added bonus, Guzmán is a guest of the festival this year, and will be on hand at screenings in Sydney and Melbourne for a post-film Q&A. The Spanish Film Festival will run from April 12 until May 1. For more information, visit the festival website.
Celebrate all things soil this Thursday, April 14 with the not-for-profit Nourish, who are hosting the next instalment in their bi-annual gourmet dinner and talk series, Nourish Talks: 'The Ground Beneath'. Nourish gives attendees the chance to connect with Mother Nature and eat a fantastic meal, all while donating to a great cause. Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis will lead a panel discussion on the importance of soil to the health of our food, community and personal wellbeing. The eclectic guest speakers will include Young Henrys brewer Agnes Gajic and popular Sydney yoga teacher Stella Chambers, both supporters of Nourish and their commitment to local, social outreach programs. The Thai menu of organic and locally sourced ingredients will be served by chef Ty Bellingham (ex-Sailors Thai) and a team of refugees and migrants from Bright Hospitality. On the drinks side, Young Henrys, Krinklewood Wines and Trolley'd are partnering up and also using locally foraged produce. Tickets are on sale through Eventbrite with all proceeds going toward St Canice and women in community domestic violence shelters.
This holiday season, there's only one decoration we want hanging from our Christmas tree. It's the latest absurd dessert from the team at Gelato Messina, who so far this year have created ice cream cigars, ice cream hamburgers and an ice cream inspired by an air freshener. Available just in time for a yuletide family feed, Messina's 2015 Christmas cake combines the tastes of gingerbread, pear and chocolate. With flavours that smooth, it's no wonder they called it the Michael Baulble. The limited edition dessert, which can be ordered now until December 22 through the Gelato Messina website, consists of burnt butter and gingerbread gelato with pear mouse and fruit mince florentine, enclosed in a chocolate dome and dusted with gold powder. It also comes with vanilla brandy custard, which should be warmed and applied generously before eating. The Michael Baulble costs $90 and can be picked up from select Messina stores in Sydney (Roseberry, Miranda and Parramatta), Melbourne (Fitzroy) and Queensland (Coolangatta). According to Messina it feeds 16 people, although let's be real here: there's no way you're sharing it with that many people. Sure, Christmas is the time for giving and all that, but everyone has their limits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=SUp6tmSbQN0 To order your own Michael Baulble, visit the Gelato Messina website. Via Good Food.
Spend a day immersed in Aboriginal culture and wander around Sydney's Barangaroo Reserve at the next edition of Blak Markets. In celebration of NAIDOC Week, the festival will take over the park on Sunday, July 2 from 11am–5pm, showcasing artists from 11 remote Australian art centres. Learn up at bush tucker cooking demonstrations, peruse Rarrk painting exhibitions and watch dance performances. Among the 30 stalls, there'll be an array of Aboriginal artwork, sculptures and textiles. If you want to get hands-on, you can sign up for a weaving workshop. Blak Markets is a project of First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation. With the help of the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, Aboriginal artists come together to celebrate their culture.
For the second instalment of The Midnight Special's pop-up restaurant series, the Newtown small bar is teaming up with Petersham's retro diner Daisy's Milkbar to create a menu of boozy treats that will bring out the kidult in you. The Midnight Milkbar will take over the kitchen for two weeks starting May 24, and feature twists on Aussie classics like toasties and fairy bread, along with boozy shakes and spider cocktails. The menu will include three signature jaffles — barbecued pulled pork with mac and cheese ($10), house-made meat pie ($10) and a vego option which is stuffed with baked beans, gooey cheese and oregano ($8). Late night snackers can also enjoy sides like mac and cheese ($5), vegemite roasted nuts ($5) and savoury fairy bread with bacon crumbs and garlic butter. On the booze side, specials include vanilla malt and bourbon shake ($17) or lime and tequila and creaming soda and vodka spiders ($15 each). Any bar that lets one drink like an adult and eat like a kid is alright by us, especially if there's some form of fairy bread involved. The Midnight Milkbar is open open 5.30pm till late daily for the pop-up run.
Sydney, we know you love a burger pop-up. The news that Vivid was setting up an arcade game burger bar in Martin Place went nuts, the announcement that Hashtag Burgers is running In-N-Out-inspired pop-up was warmly received (to say the least), and 10,000 of you clicked attending to Sydney's first burger festival earlier this year. Now, Gelato Messina has got on board, with their own two-day burger and ice cream pop-up, aptly named Messina Eats. Fortunately, Messina hasn't created a pizza gelato (although we wouldn't put it past them). Instead they've lured one Melbourne's best burgermeisters, Huxtaburger, up north to flip some seriously delicious burgs over two days. They'll also be joined by their lobster roll counterparts Mr Claws, who'll be dishing out buttery beacons of goodness alongside some seriously good looking cremino choc tops from Messina. The whole thing will go down over two days on Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18 in the carpark at Messina's Rosebery HQ. They'll be open from noon for lunch and dinner until sold out. And considering how popular the Huxtaburger pop-up at Harpoon Harry was last year, it's a real possibility. Messina Eats will run from noon until sold out on June 17 and 18. Find more information here.
Openair shopping sprees are an inevitable weekend plan for Sydneysiders, so a monthly outdoor market is a permanent thing at the Central Park development off Broadway. The Brewery Yard Markets are set on sunny Chippendale Green on the first and third Sunday of every month, with stalls selling artisanal foodie-heaven fare beside stands of vintage and locally-produced wares. Though the markets are a radically different retail approach to the franchises currently populating Central Park's vertical 'living-mall', they're a boost for the densely-populated inner city complex. And why not make the most of the development's specially-landscaped outdoor areas? There's live music and art demonstrations in it for you. Image: Brewery Yard Markets.
Newtown's getting a brilliant new festival, giving the spotlight to female and transgender musicians. Named Earopund, this new event's epic program includes not only a slew of live performances, but also spoken word, talk and light projections. At Part One, happening from 7.30pm on Saturday, January 23 at Newtown Social Club, there'll be tunes from Astrix Little, Chunyin (Rainbow Chan), Imperial Broads, Fabels and Bree van Reyk (Synergy Percussion, founder of Girl's School of Rock); light projections by JAX (Slinky & Snudis); and spoken word by Sara Saleh and Justina Ray. Part Two, taking place from 2pm on Saturday 30 January at Alpha Gallery (226 Union Street, Erskineville), will feature no fewer than thirteen performers, plus projections by VJ Amla. The event is the brainchild of musician Astrid Zeman, who's received a sizeable dollop of triple j love for her tracks 'Counting Sheep' and 'Imagination'. She came up with the concept after repeatedly attending gigs where women were underrepresented. “I’ll sometimes see a few bands in a row, maybe 15 musicians, and there won’t be a single woman on stage. Male bands will sometimes be singing about how hot a chick is, or how they enjoy relaxing with their girlfriends on the weekend, or about doing guy stuff with their mates … and I just find it hard to relate to this material. Seeing performances that are repeatedly male-dominated makes me feel frustrated and disempowered," she told Music Australia. "We want to reverse the trend, promoting female and LGBTQIA+ musicians in the scene and raising awareness of gender equality.”
Hardcore foodies, this one's for you. Chef Rene Redzepi, the man behind Noma and its super expensive, impossible to get into Sydney Harbour spinoff, is organising a day-long symposium featuring some of the biggest names in food. Set to take place at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, April 3, MAD SYD: Tomorrow's Meals will welcome a number of world renowned chefs and culinary professionals for "a day of talks and ideas exploring the future of food". Confirmed speakers include Redzepi, David Chang (Momofuku), Kylie Kwong (Billy Kwong) and Massimo Bottura (Italy's Osteria Francescana), as well as food activist Chido Govera and social researcher Rebecca Huntley. MAD is heading down under! On April 3rd we will present our first large scale public event at the Sydney Opera House - visit madfeed.co for more info #MADSYD A photo posted by MAD (@themadfeed) on Feb 5, 2016 at 9:40am PST Founded by Redzepi, MAD (the Danish word for 'food') is a non-profit organisation that, according to their website, "works to expand knowledge of food to make every meal a better meal; not just at restaurants, but every meal cooked and served". They've hosted similar symposiums in Copenhagen since 2011, but this is the first time they've held one outside of the Danish capital — and the first one that will be open to the public. "Back when we started MAD in 2011, we found ourselves on a field, in heavy rain, in a tiny circus tent that ultimately collapsed during lunch," says Redzepi. "MAD has been on an incredible journey since then, but the culmination of our long relationship with Sydney and Australia taking place in one of the world's most iconic spaces is the greatest privilege. We cannot wait to share this day with everyone - friends and family, old and new." Anyone interested can register for pre-sale tickets through the Sydney Opera House website, and tickets will go on sale to the general public at 9am on Monday, February 22. We can only hope they don't sell out as fast as bookings to Noma Australia did. MAD SYD is happening on Sunday, April 3 — one day after the last service of Noma Australia. Register for tickets here. Image: Daniel Boud.
There's no shortage of Italian fare in Abbotsford. But, as of last 2018, the inner west riverside suburb has been home to a pizzeria that's doing things a little differently. Donny's Pizza takeaway joint is offering an authentic menu, house-made everything and a self-professed Big Poppa's-inspired hip-hop backdrop. The rustic 60 seater boasts a trattoria-style fit-out with exposed brick walls, polished concrete floors and stripped-back furnishings. While the atmosphere aims to cater toward modern Sydney sensibilities, the Italian authenticity can be found in the quality of the ingredients — which are both imported and locally sourced. Impressively, everything is made in-house. To this end, the team is using all high quality Italian flour with a 48-hour rise time to create classics like margheritas, capricciosas and supremes. Though the pizzas may sound like your average styles, the difference is in the toppings. For example, the Meatlovers uses house-made sausage and smoked brisket, while the Pineapple Express uses maple-glazed bacon instead of deli ham to take the stock-standard Hawaiian up a notch. There's also the Trufflemen up for grabs, topped with fior di latte, mushroom, truffle, prosciutto and Sardinian pecorino. All pastas are made in-house every day, too — think fettuccine or lasagna with six-hour braised pork and veal ragu, or the gnocchi with creamy gorgonzola sauce. For shared starters, there are polenta chips and traditional pork and veal meatballs. For the time being, Donny's is BYO wine only — and will continue to be even after a liquor licence is secured. Once the licence is in place, though, expect Italian offerings aplenty, including imported beers and spritzes.
We've tried everything. Berocctails, toasted sandwiches, Icy Poles, B&E rolls, gallons and gallons of water, even military-grade cures. But there's been an cheeky little hangover cure lurking in fruit shops Australia-wide, the humble, oft overlooked nashi pear. According to ABC, new results suggest Korean pear juice could stop your hangover before it starts — the ultimate pre-game bev. Valiant scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have been hard at work delving into the unsung benefits of the pear, and while the study is still ongoing, they've apparently uncovered some pretty high-fiveworthy results. According to the study, people who drank Korean pear juice before a big night on the turps experienced milder hangovers the next day. It seems there's certain components in pears that speed up your ability to metabolise alcohol — this usually sits at around one drink per hour for your average human. You'll need to drink about a cup (seven ounces) of pear juice to get the shield going. Importantly, the pear juice must be sculled before drinking, not after, as there's no evidence the liquid gold will save you once you've got a hangover. So let's crank a nashi before we head on out on the whiskey. Here's a recipe we've pulled from Serious Eats' Carolyn Cope. PRE-GAME HANGOVER-FIGHTING NASHI PEAR JUICE INGREDIENTS: 1 cup fresh pear juice from about 4 nashi pears 1/4 cup (2 ounces) fresh basil juice from about 2 packed cups basil leaves and stems 1/4 cup (2 ounces) fresh lemon juice from about 2 lemons, peel and pith removed 2/3 cup (about 5 ounces) fresh celery juice from about 4 large celery stalks DIRECTIONS: Blend/juice ingredients together thoroughly, divide between two glasses, and serve immediately. Servings: 2 Via ABC, Shape, Serious Eats. Images: Dollar Photo Club, Carolyn Cope.
Sydney Harbour's Pullman Quay Grand has opened a new bar — and it looks tremendously luxe. Located within the Circular Quay hotel, Hacienda is a brand new "vista bar", taking inspiration from Cuba's grandiose, plantation-style architecture and the vintage hotels of 1950's Miami. Applejack Hospitality — whose venues include Bondi Hardware, The Butler and Della Hyde — have teamed up with AccorHotels to pull off this stylish throw-back "botanical oasis" of a space. And it's stunning. The harbourside space is filled with luxurious, pastel lounge furniture, brass details and lush roof greenery, all surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows which showcase panoramic views of the city, the bridge and Sydney Harbour. Plus, they can all open to create a terrace-like feel. The drink menus mimics the venue design by using Cuban flavours, slinging cocktails which include classic ingredients like banana, guava and custard apple. The Tropical Sour – banana-infused Encanto pisco, Tío Pepe sherry, lime and honey — sounds especially tasty, as is the Old Smoked Presidente: a concoction of aged rum, orange curacao, dry vermouth, house-spiced raspberry syrup and Angostura bitters. The bar also has an impressive stock of rum and American whiskey for those looking for something neat. The food offering, curated by Executive Chef Stefan Brademann, will complement the drinks and have a Cuban-American flare. Fusion dishes like the yuka fries, buttermilk fried chicken and a pork neck mojo will sit on the menu alongside a Cubano-Reuben hybrid and burgers galore. The menu will be balanced between bar snacks and more substantial dishes to accommodate for anything from nibbling patrons to hangry ones. This little slice of Cuban culture may play to cliches but we're not fussed — especially considering the iconic views that come with it. Hacienda is now open inside the Pullman Quay Grand, 61 Macquarie Street, Sydney Harbour, from noon till late seven days a week. For more information, visit their website.
Boasting programs where anything and everything can and does happen, fringe festivals are an ode to leaping out of your comfort zone, revelling there and never wanting to leave. New South Wales' largest independent arts fest, Sydney Fringe Festival fits that bill perfectly. Each year, it amasses a jam-packed lineup that's never the same twice, and splashes its playful vibe all around the Harbour City. Get ready for four hefty weeks of performances, exhibitions, music, theatre, comedy, visual arts, film, dance, circus, literature and poetry. The festival will serve up over 400 events between Friday, September 1–Saturday, September 30. There are plenty of highlights across the 30 days including a brand-new festival hub. This year's fest features a big new spot to hang out thanks to the Spiegeltent Festival Garden at the EQ Showring in Moore Park. The Entertainment Quarter will host Sydney Fringe's big top, which is where The Marvellous Elephant Man the Musical will entertain audiences — and 300-seater circus dome The Vault, which'll be home to GODZ. The lineup also spans the return of pop-up musical-theatre club Lola's Piano Bar, Young Henrys' Best Served Loud live music series hitting Parramatta for the first time and free morning concerts courtesy of proven favourite Acoustic Ritual at George Place, too. To kick things off, Fringe Ignite will take over The Rocks with an opening-night shindig, while a closing-night party on Kensington Street will bookend the fest with a celebration of Caribbean culture. Other events to look out for at this year's Sydney Fringe Festival include award-winning performer Tessa Redman's new show Love/Love/Love/Love/Love; comedian Jenna Suffern's one women show It's Not Funny, It's Private which tells the story of a week where she was dumped, made redundant and started doing standup comedy; an absurdist dramedy centred around Cate Blanchett; and a duel-headline stand-up show from Becky Lucus and Cameron James. Explore the full program at the festival website.
How much do you know about Australian Jewish culture? Jessica Bellamy (writer of Sprout and Bat Eyes) knows a lot, she’s just written a play about it, and she's preparing to cook you a Jewish dinner. It's Shabbat Dinner, an immersive play directed by Anthony Skuse (4000 Miles, Punk Rock) which looks at the place of women, family and food in contemporary Jewish culture. The play weaves in traditions and rites over the course of a Shabbat dinner prepared by Bellamy herself. As the feast is served to you and the performers, everyone becomes involved in the story. While you eat you take part in the creation and eventual disintegration of a new community. Like Bellamy's previous works, it promises to be poetic and questioning. Shabbat Dinner plays at a pop-up space in The Rocks during the Spectrum Now festival from March 24-29. Dinner is included in the ticket and vegetarians are catered to.
N2 Extreme Gelato, BlackStar Pastry, Doughnut Time, Butter, Bearded Bakers, Good Times Artisan Ice Cream, MakMak Macarons, Cacao Barry Kids and Thievery. You've seen their goods all over Instagram. We've sent you news about 'em. You've probably gone looking for those sweets. Now you need look no further than Sweet Street. In its third year, Sweet Street is a dessert festival designed to showcase some of Australia's leading pastry chefs and give you a serious sugar high. Three rooms of the Shangri-La Sydney will be converted into a Willy Wonka's factory-level wonderland. There will be awesome giveaways, and in the spirit of street: graffiti artists, DJs and break dancers. Entry includes eight tokens to start your #SweetStreet adventures. For one night only, you'll get to enter your the Candy Land of your childhood dreams, and you'll be the one to decide when you've had too much sugar (hint: never). Image: Eddie Hart.
It's hard to think of an artist more recognisable than Andy Warhol. His pop art featuring Campbell's Soup, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley is iconic — even art novices know about Warhol and his influence on the world. Adman: Warhol before pop is a new exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW running from February 25 to May 28. It will examine Warhol's early career and reveal the origins of his dream to become both a successful visual and commercial artist. Before his famous pop art paintings, Warhol was one of the most sought after commercial illustrators in the New York advertising industry. The exhibition will feature 300 objects — including drawings, photographs, books, shop-front window displays, vintage advertisements and personal items. The emphasis will be on Warhol's work before he began to create pop art, revealing his origins in the world of advertising and art and helping us to understand his formative years — from the influence that his sexual identity had on his work, to the influence of artists such as Matisse and Cocteau. Much of the exhibition will be taken from the extraordinary art collection at The Andy Warhol museum in Pittsburg. Tickets are available via the Art Gallery of NSW. Image: 'Andy Warhol in New York City'. c1949. Philip Pearlstein papers. Archives of American Art. Smithsonian Institution.
As governments around the world continue to drag their feet resettling refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict — which has entered its ninth year — it falls once more to the non-political professions to show the government where the hands go on the humanitarian clock. This time, it's hospitality's turn. On Monday, August 12, UNICEF Australia will once again partner with some of the country's best chefs for a charity dinner celebrating Syria's strong culinary traditions. The dinner is part of nationwide fundraising campaign called #CookForSyria, with money raised going to UNICEF Australia's Syria Crisis Appeal for Children. Surry Hills' Nomad will host the posse of gastronomers as they prepare a banquet comprising their signature dishes with a Syrian flourishes. And this year, the all-star lineup of chefs, sommeliers and front-of-house staff is also all female. Saint Peter's Julie Niland, Palisa Anderson from Chat Thai, Isabelle Caulfield from Poly, Shannon Martinez from Melbourne's Smith & Daughters, Icebergs' Jaci Koludrovic, Claire Van Vuuren from Bloodwood and Nomad's own Jacqui Challinor are just some of the big names you'll see in the kitchen. Tickets are a steep $295 per person — but, remember, it's all going to a good cause — and include a four-course Syrian feast and matching wines, chosen by two top female sommeliers: Sixpenny's Bridget Raffal and wine consultant Samantha Payne. Expect service to be at the top of its game, too, as Momofuku Seiobo's Kylie Javier Ashton and Nikki Friedl from Africola will be running things on the floor. It may seem on the surface like you're paying for the food, but 14 professional chefs jammed into a single kitchen also suggests a night of great theatre. While the top guns will have their turn on August 12, UNICEF Australia is encouraging anyone with passing knowledge of an oven to contribute throughout August and September, too. Restaurants and cafes can produce a limited edition Syrian versions of favourite dish, donating $5 from each one sold to the charity. For those who deal in culinary delight on a slightly smaller scale, bake sales are your recommended course. While you're waiting for the oven to pre-heat, you can read more and register here. To reserve your spot at the one-off dinner, make a reservation via the Nomad website. Image: Nikki To
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
Whether or not you were one of the Rubenthusiasts who voted 'Hoops' into the number one spot of triple j's Hottest 100, Australia has spoken on another Hottest 100. The GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of the Year have been voted, counted and announced — and Stone & Wood's Pacific Ale is right where it should be: bang on the top. The poll began in 2008 as a little spot of merriment for the staff and crew frequenting Melbourne and Sydney's go-to craft beer pub The Local Taphouse. What does GABS stand for? The 'Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular', one heck of a craft beer event first held at the Taphouse(s) in 2011. Now voted by thousands of craft beer lovers, the other Hottest 100 sees punters vote for their five favourite Australian craft beers and await the countdown on Australia Day at The Local Taphouses, official events around the country, live podcasts and on social media. So here it is, the punter-voted GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2015. Head for your nearest craft beer pub — in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane — or your nearest craft beer bottle shop — in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane — to take a six-pack home (or fill up your growler). GABS HOTTEST 100 AUSSIE CRAFT BEERS OF 2015 1 ‘Pacific Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Stone & Wood, NSW) 2 ‘Hop Hog’ American-style IPA (Feral, WA) 3 ‘IIPA’ Double American-style IPA (Pirate Life, SA) NEW 4 ‘Pale Ale’ American-style Pale Ale (Pirate Life, SA) NEW 5 ‘Pale Ale’ American-style Pale Ale (Little Creatures, WA) 6 ‘150 Lashes’ Australian-style Pale Ale (James Squire, NSW) 7 ‘Pale Ale’ American-style Pale Ale (4 Pines, NSW) 8 ‘Kolsch’ (4 Pines, NSW) 9 ‘Former Tenant’ American-style IPA (Modus Operandi, NSW) 10 ‘Karma Citra’ Black IPA (Feral, WA) GABS (2011) 11 ‘Throwback’ Specialty IPA (Pirate Life, SA) NEW 12 ‘Hop Thief 7’ American-style Pale Ale (James Squire, NSW) NEW 13 ‘Taco Beer’ Specialty Beer (Two Birds, VIC) GABS (2013) 14 ‘Milk and Two Sugars’ Sweet Stout (BrewCult, VIC) NEW / GABS (2015) 15 ‘Beechworth Pale Ale’ American-style Pale Ale (Bridge Road, VIC) 16 ‘Golden Stout Time’ Sweet Stout (Big Shed, SA) NEW / GABS (2015) 17 ‘War Hog’ American-style IPA (Feral, WA) NEW 18 ‘Pale Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Coopers, SA) 19 ‘Summer Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Mountain Goat, VIC) 20 ‘Steam Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Mountain Goat, VIC) 21 ‘Dark Ale’ Dark Mild (White Rabbit, VIC) 22 ‘Ramjet 2014/15 (Whisky Aged)’ Russian Imperial Stout (Boatrocker, VIC) NEW 23 ‘Three Sheets’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Lord Nelson Hotel, NSW) 24 ‘Red’ American-style Amber Ale (Nail, WA) 25 ‘India Red Ale’ American-style IPA (Prancing Pony, SA) 26 ‘777’ Double American-style IPA (Riverside, NSW) 27 Noisy Minor ‘Admiral Ackbar’ American-style Amber Ale (Fortitude, QLD) 28 ‘The Chancer’ Blonde/Golden Ale (James Squire, NSW) 29 ‘Cloud Catcher’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Stone & Wood, NSW) 30 ‘Newtowner’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Young Henry’s, NSW) 31 Noisy Minor ‘ANZUS’ American-style IPA (Fortitude, QLD) 32 ‘Fat Yak’ American-style Pale Ale (Matilda Bay, VIC) 33 ‘Bright Ale’ Blonde/Golden Ale (Little Creatures, WA) 34 ‘Small Ale’ Specialty IPA (Colonial, WA) 35 ‘Indian Summer Pale Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (4 Pines, NSW) NEW 36 ‘Hangman’ American-style Pale Ale (Rocks, NSW) 37 ‘Copy Cat’ American-style IPA (Mash, WA) 38 ‘XPA (Extra Pale Ale)’ American-style Pale Ale (Wolf of the Willows, VIC) 39 ‘Vale Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Vale, SA) 40 ‘Dog Days’ American Wheat (Little Creatures, WA) NEW 41 ‘Imperial West Coast Red Rye IPA’ Specialty IPA (4 Pines, NSW) NEW 42 ‘Praline’ Belgian Specialty Ale (La Sirène, VIC) GABS (2014) 43 ‘Return of the Dread’ Foreign Extra Stout (Little Creatures, WA) NEW 44 ‘Roger Ramjet 2015 (Bourbon Aged)’ Russian Imperial Stout (Boatrocker, VIC) NEW 45 ‘IPA’ American-style IPA (Hawkers, VIC) NEW 46 ‘Tusk 2015’ American-style IPA (Feral, WA) NEW 47 ‘IPA’ American-style IPA (Little Creatures, WA) 48 ‘Australian Pale Ale’ (4 Pines, NSW) NEW 49 ‘Fred’ American-style IPA (Murray’s, NSW) 50 ‘Growler’ American-style Brown Ale (2 Brothers, VIC) 51 ‘Fancy Pants’ American-style Amber Ale (Mountain Goat, VIC) 52 ‘Windjammer’ American-style IPA (Green Beacon, QLD) 53 ‘Pale Ale’ American-style Pale Ale (Hawkers, VIC) NEW 54 ‘Watermelon Warhead’ Berliner Weisse (Feral, WA) GABS (2012) 55 ‘Californicator’ American-style IPA (Big Shed, SA) NEW 56 ‘Pale Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Kosciuszko, NSW) 57 ‘Citrus IPA’ Specialty IPA (4 Pines, NSW) NEW 58 ‘Golden Ale’ Blonde/Golden Ale (Two Birds, VIC) 59 ‘Temptress’ Porter (Holgate, VIC) 60 ‘Pale Ale’ American-style Pale Ale (Hawthorn, VIC) 61 ‘Calypso’ American-style Pale Ale (Odyssey, VIC) 62 ‘Two to The Valley’ American-style IPA (Newstead, QLD) 63 ‘F-Yeah’ American-style Pale Ale (Big Shed, SA) 64 ‘Kung Foo’ Pale Lager (2 Brothers, VIC) 65 ‘Garden Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Stone & Wood, NSW) 66 ‘Pale Ale’ Belgian Pale Ale (White Rabbit, VIC) 67 ‘Sunset Ale’ American-style Amber Ale (Two Birds, VIC) 68 ‘Dark Red IPA’ Specialty IPA (Six String, NSW) 69 ‘Atomic Pale Ale’ American-style Pale Ale (Gage Roads, WA) 70 ‘Angry Man Pale Ale’ American-style Pale Ale (Murray’s, NSW) 71 ‘Winston’ American-style Pale Ale (Shenanigans, NSW) 72 ‘Hopsmith’ American-style IPA (Akasha, NSW) NEW 73 ‘Clout Stout 2015’ Russian Imperial Stout (Nail, WA) NEW 74 ‘Grizz’ American-style Amber Ale (2 Brothers, VIC) 75 ‘#010 West Coast IPA’ American-style IPA (Exit, VIC) NEW 76 ‘Draught’ Kölsch (Colonial, WA) 77 ‘IPA’ American-style IPA (Mornington Peninsula, VIC) 78 ‘ESB’ Extra Special Bitter (4 Pines, NSW) 79 ‘Yenda Pale Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Australian Beer Co, NSW) 80 ‘Rogers’ American-style Amber Ale (Little Creatures, WA) 81 ‘Splice of Heaven’ Specialty IPA (Moon Dog, VIC) NEW 82 ‘West Coast IPA’ American-style IPA (Batch, NSW) 83 ‘Vanilla Milk Stout’ Sweet Stout (Thirsty Crow, NSW) 84 ‘Barrel Breed Barley Wine’ UK-style Barleywine (Mountain Goat, VIC) NEW 85 ‘Bling’ American-style IPA (Bridge Road, VIC) 86 ‘The Fox’ Vienna-style Lager (Rabbit & Spaghetti, SA) NEW 87 ‘Session Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Mismatch, SA) 88 ‘Crankshaft’ American-style IPA (BentSpoke, ACT) 89 ‘Pale Ale’ American-style Pale Ale (Mornington Peninsula, VIC) 90 ‘28’ American-style Pale Ale (Burleigh, QLD) 91 ‘3 Quarter Time’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Newstead, QLD) 92 ‘White Ale’ Witbier (White Rabbit, VIC) 93 ‘Sly Fox’ American-style Pale Ale (Feral, WA) 94 ‘ESB’ Extra Special Bitter (Hargreaves Hill, VIC) 95 ‘55’ American-style Pale Ale (3 Ravens, VIC) 96 ‘Metamorphosis’ American-style IPA (KAIJU!, VIC) 97 ‘Sparkling Ale’ Australian-style Pale Ale (Coopers, SA) 98 ‘Zoo Feeder’ American-style IPA (Modus Operandi, NSW) 99 ‘Hopped Out Red’ American-style Amber Ale (KAIJU!, VIC) 100 ‘Hazelnut Brown’ UK-style Brown Ale (Bad Shepherd, VIC) NEW NEW – First released in 2015 GABS– A ‘Festival Beer’ made especially for a previous GABS festival Head to the GABS website for more info.
Albee's is a Sydney institution. Here, you come for the curry puffs and stay for the rendang. It's had a facelift in recent years. Gone are the days of sucking your stomach in, holding your arms up and tiptoeing through the bustling kitchen to get to your seat in the back dining room. But while the space has changed, the food hasn't. It's still the same no-frills delicious Malaysian fare that the locals have enjoyed for years. When you walk in, make sure to stop and admire the pie warmer on your left. You won't see any pies, but instead crispy fried chicken and curry puffs the size of your fist. Remember these for when it's time to order. It's noisy inside from the chatter of families and the slurping of soups, and, with a menu as extensive as this one, it can get slightly overwhelming. But, when you're trying to work out what to order, stick to the classics and you can't go wrong. Start with the deep fried chicken curry puffs. They're soft to bite and stuffed with sweet potato, vegetables and a hard-boiled egg, which takes them from ordinary to egg-ceptional. If only they were served a little hotter, you'd happily travel for these weekly. If you're after something authentic, then you can't go past Malaysia's national dish — nasi lemak. It's an individual meal that comes with coconut-flavoured rice, sambal, eggs, dried fish, peanuts and your choice of protein: curry chicken, beef rendang or prawns. But if you've been craving laksa, the restaurant makes a mean one from homemade laksa paste. The soup base is bolder than other takes, with a distinct curry taste. It might not be to everyone's liking, but it's definitely worth a try. It too comes in an array of versions to suit all taste buds. The char kway teow is a real crowdpleaser thanks to its generous saucy serving, but don't leave without trying the beef rendang. The restaurant's version of this dry curry looks the same as others, but is more fragrant thanks to the amount of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves added. The meat is melt-in-the-mouth and the small size can comfortably feed two people. No Malaysian feast is complete without some kind of uniquely-flavoured juice, milkshake or tea; Albee's has more than 50 to choose from. It can get hectic during peak times, so, to avoid the chaos, we recommend visiting before the 7pm dinner rush — otherwise prepare yourself for a lineup down Beamish Street. Or, if you happen to live in the eastern suburbs, you can dine at the chain's second outpost in Kingsford. Images: Letícia Almeida
The Christchurch food scene is better than it has ever been. It's vibrant, quirky, sophisticated and in touch with the land. From fresh produce picked up at the local farmers' markets to the many restaurants, cafes and food trucks, there are opportunities for good eating experiences all over Christchurch. It's a place to come and enjoy food made with the best produce from the land and ocean, with respect for local farmers and producers. Christchurch's wealth of produce has made it the home of food foraging groups and ConversatioNZ, a movement initiated by chefs, restauranteurs, producers and writers in the food industry aiming to highlight the quality and vast array of spectacular food and edible resources available in New Zealand. It was hard to choose, but here are five of our favourite places to eat at in Christchurch. SUPREME SUPREME Saying something twice emphasises its meaning. This is certainly the case at Supreme Supreme, a cafe, coffee school and wholesale coffee venue within a stone's throw of Christchurch's city centre. Coffee Supreme has been producing particularly fine specialty coffee since the 1990's, first in Wellington, then moving on to Christchurch and Melbourne. Supreme Supreme is equipped with a full kitchen and bakery, offering tasty breakfast and lunch fare made from scratch using locally-sourced ingredients. The eatery arm of their venture continues their attention to detail and good taste. In past lives, the venue was a Land Rover dealership and the Hop Yick Asian Food Warehouse — the vibe now is of a futuristic and minimal diner. ROOTS RESTAURANT Whatever you do, don't forget to visit the port town of Lyttelton on a trip to Christchurch — the award-winning Roots Restaurant is only twenty minutes away, and it's not to be missed. The 2015 Restaurant of the Year is an eating adventure savoured by those who enjoy food gathered and made with commitment and love. The menu at Giulio and Christy Sturla's intimate 30-seater eatery encompasses what's fresh from the kitchen garden, nearby local growers and farmers. The five-, eight- and 12-course degustation menus showcase ingredients that reflect the seasons. Sit in the peaceful private garden or in one of two cosy dining rooms. THE LAST WORD With its Spanish Mission facades, New Regent Street has long been a favourite shopping spot for Christchurch locals. Recent times have seen a burgeoning of bars, restaurants and cafes pop up in this quirky little space. One of the standouts is definitely The Last Word. With two floors of ambient retro sophistication, this is the place to go for some quiet reflection or intimate conversation over a cocktail. Indeed, the whisky list is a veritable library collection of greats, curated with love and knowledge. Try a glass of their 19-year-old Glendronach vintage single cask; a crisp citrus twist flows through sherry poached pears and ripe yellow plums with a warming white pepper spice finish. THE MONDAY ROOM If ever there was a place to get a cocktail in Christchurch, it's at The Monday Room. Think many variations on the Bloody Mary and pages of cocktail puns. Housed in one of the oldest standing buildings in Christchurch, you'll be enveloped by the rich and opulent atmosphere whether you're there for brunch, dessert or anything in between. The locally-grown and organic-inspired menu is expertly executed by head chef Hannah Cooper-Grieve and showcases some of Canterbury's finest meat, seafood and produce. The wine list is all biodynamic and organic, and favours local vineyards, particularly those 45 minutes away in Waipara. SMASH PALACE Smash Palace started as a bus converted into a bar on Victoria Street, but it has now found more permanent digs on High Street in Christchurch. The famous beer hall, and the bus for that matter, are key factors in the success of the joint. On a sunny day the outdoor courtyard is packed with people enjoying a beverage. A family business, Smash Palace is dedicated to craft beer, local wine and the community, aiming to bring more of one to the other. They also serve some of the city's best made-from-scratch burgers in house-made buns. Maybe you've been to New Zealand's North Island, but have you ever ventured down South? Christchurch, and New Zealand's surrounding Canterbury region, is the perfect place for a quick holiday. Use our planning guide to book your trip, then sort out your itinerary with our adventure, nature and relaxation guides. Top image: Roots Restaurant.
Generally speaking, New Year's Eve can go one of two ways. Get it right, and it's a chance to let loose with your friends and celebrate the promise of the next 365 days. Get it wrong, and it's an unending hellscape of munted revellers, terrible music and being cooked to death on crowded public transport. But while it doesn't always seem like it, there are other options — ones that don't involve crushing crowds or spending an arm and a leg on some 'exclusive' party that'll only end up disappointing. If you're not one for blowouts and can't be stuffed watching the fireworks, here are five alternative suggestions for NYE 2018. HOST A DINNER PARTY At the end of the day, the best thing about New Year's Eve is getting together with your friends and loved ones. Well, it turns out you can have all that without the stress of leaving the house. Invite a few of your closest friends around and then get busy cooking. Once the night is underway you can keep yourselves amused with everything from bake-offs to board games to catching up with old episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. If nothing else, getting your friends to supply the booze will mean you save yourself a bundle to spend in 2019. HOST A SLUMBER PARTY Doubling down on our previous suggestion, a sleepover saves you the awkwardness of kicking your mates out at 1.30am once the party has wound down — and it means you don't have to worry about dressing up, since you'll presumably all be hanging out in your pyjamas/'at home' clothes anyway. Spend the evening and early hours of the morning playing Cards Against Humanity and gorging yourself on snacks before collapsing onto a giant pile of pillows in the living room. As an added bonus, this idea means you get to wake up in a room full of your favourite people… and then you can guilt them into helping you with the cleanup. GO CAMPING While everyone else is figuring out the best way into the city, we reckon that there's a very strong case to be made for heading in the opposite direction. If it's serenity you're after, grab a tent, a sleeping bag, an esky and a couple of friends, and make your way deep into the bush. There mightn't be fireworks, but as you're ringing in the New Year gazing up at the stars, you won't feel too hard done by. Just make sure you're aware of any fire restrictions that might be in place, and be careful on the roads. Check out some of our favourite spots outside of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. MOVIE MARATHON There were a ton of great movies to hit cinemas this year (we wrote about some of our favourites over here). As we gear up for another Oscar season, there's no better time to fire up your Netflix account and catch up with the flicks you might have missed. If you do want to get out of the house, select Palace Cinemas around the country are hosting advance NYE screenings of the crowd-pleasing Green Book, with a celebratory glass of Prosecco included in the ticket price. Alternatively, Melburnians can pay a visit to the historic Astor Theatre and rock into January with Prince's Purple Rain. FIND SOMEWHERE TO VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME IN 2018 Look, let's be honest — 2018 was not a great year. So why not spend its final moments figuring how to make 2019 a better one? Volunteering is a great item to include on your list of New Year's resolutions, and there are no shortage of worthwhile organisations looking for extra bodies. Medicine sans Frontiers, Oxfam, Second Bite and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre sit at the top of our list, but a quick Google search will reveal hundreds of others. Wouldn't it be nice to wake up on January 1 feeling good instead of just really, really hungover?
As of today, you can put Jay-Z in charge of your music. That’s right, TIDAL, the streaming service that the rapper bought from Scandinavian platform Aspiro in February, has been relaunched in 31 countries, Australia included. Oodles of artists are pretty thrilled about it, having replaced their Twitter profile shots with turquoise squares and splashed #TIDALforALL all over the place. On Sunday night, Jay-Z went so far as to co-opt one of Bob Dylan’s most famous lyrics: Not quite, perhaps, what the singer-songwriter had in mind when he was asking ‘senators’ and ‘congressman’ to ‘heed the call’, but anyway. With the likes of Coldplay, Madonna, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Daft Punk and Alicia Keys championing the service with the vehemence and coordination redolent of a charity campaign, we’re taking a good look into what’s causing all the excitement. What exactly is TIDAL promising, when compared with its chief rival, Spotify? HIGHER QUALITY SOUND (AND A HIGHER PRICE TAG) The biggest drawcard for TIDAL is sound quality. By subscribing to TIDAL’s premium service, at US$19.99 a month, you get to access 'lossless high fidelity' sound, which none of its competitors offer. What this means is that, instead of being compressed into MP3 or WAV formats (often referred to as 'lossy'), the music is streamed to you almost exactly as it was recorded. For audiophiles, this is a massive win, even it does mean a higher price tag. If 'lossless' means nothing to you, think of it like choosing between standard and high definition Netflix. Still not convinced? Trial TIDAL premium free for thirty days and see how your ears go. For those uninterested in lossless, high def sound, TIDAL does offer a standard tier at US$9.99 month. However, unlike Spotify, there’s no free option. For people who’ve become accustomed to accessing music gratis, this might seem pretty unattractive. But for a start, it keeps TIDAL ad-free. MORE DOSH FOR MUSICIANS And how about giving a thought to songwriters? For 43 million spins on Pandora last year, Pharrell made only $2700. Sure, in Pharrell’s case, that might not matter too much — he’s obviously rolling in it and can charge mountains for appearing live — but for unknown, indie artists or dedicated songwriters who don't perform, it’s nothing short of exploitation. That’s why Mark Holden’s talking to Federal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull about it. We're still waiting for the exact numbers Jay-Z's going to pop in artist wallets, but with only paid membership available it's bound to be decent. TAY TAY Low artist royalties is one of the reasons why Taylor Swift pulled her songs from Spotify and why her label Universal has been pressuring the streaming service to abolish free music, which leads to another point — if Tay has been missing from your stream, you can now Shake It Off, because she’s making her music available on TIDAL. There's no skirting the truth, higher fees for users mean better royalties for songwriters. EXTRA CONTENT Finally, TIDAL will be alluring subscribers with a whole bunch of exclusive material, including studio sessions and demo tracks. Spotify’s been doing this, too, but given Tidal's vocal artist support base, we can bank on expecting the unexpected.
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.
Over the weekend, Brendan Cato of The Farmed Table and Matt Branagan of Work-Shop came together to teach a bunch of our readers how to cook up an outstanding barbecue. In partnership with Heineken 3, we showed you how to create the ultimate last-minute barbecue spread in under an hour. Then we decided that we wanted to take it to the next level, and teach you how to do it IRL. On a beautiful sunny day in Sydney's Prince Alfred Park, steak, vegetables and mussels were all cooked up and eaten, served alongside some cold Heineken 3s. Don't let the sporadic showers fool you — summer is most definitely on its way. It's time to pull your beachwear out from the depths of your cupboard, dust off your tatty straw hat and prepare for three months of good food, good music and stunning sunshine. Take a look at the photos from the day, and get inspired for your next summer afternoon barbecue — you'll be able to implement everything you've learned. Enjoy your summer afternoons with the new low-carb Heineken 3 — we're helping you make the most of them. Images: Steven Woodburn.
You've watched the films on the big screen, bought the toys, and maybe even tied the knot in a Princess Leia costume. Even if you've only done one of the above, you're bound to get excited about Brisbane's latest eatery. Yes, it's Star Wars-themed. In fact, the forthcoming addition to Queen Street in the CBD doesn't just take its cues from George Lucas' space opera saga, but from Eddie Izzard's famous joke about just what Darth Vader and his cronies might eat on board the Death Star. No one can answer that question for sure — Izzard reckons the ungodly combo of peas and penne — but the Death Star Canteen is going to have a whole lot of fun trying. You cannot kill catering with a thought here. Thank Glen Morris — aka the main man behind Glen’s Espresso — for making this pop culture dream a reality. In his vision of the most notorious place in a galaxy far, far away, coffee and sandwiches will be on the menu. We're not sure if the trays will be dried properly though, let's give it a look... Wait. This one's wet, and this one's wet and this one's wet. This one is wet. This one is wet. This one is wet. This one is wet. This one is wet. This one is wet. This one is wet. This one is wet. Did you dry these in a rainforest, Glen? Brisbane Star Wars buffs still have two more months to wait before they can get their cinema-themed caffeine fix, but we don't think anyone will mind. If you're going to open a Death Star Canteen, there's only one day you do it: May 4, or May the Fourth be with you, as we're all fond of saying. Find the Death Star Canteen at 359 Queen Street, Brisbane from May 4. Check out their Facebook page for more information.
Woolloomooloo institution Artspace has unveiled their secretive summer-long revamp, the first in 20 years. And straight off the bat, you can expect 'a lot of sorrow'. Artspace is now home to a bigger, more beautiful exhibition space, as well as a suite of lush, contemporary studios where 42 Sydney-based artists will take on residencies over the next six years. To celebrate the opening, Artspace is hosting an epic exhibition, An Imprecise Science, comprised of works from 13 international artists and curated by Alexie Glass-Kantor with Talia Linz. The biggest drawcard is a divisive video piece by Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, somewhat literally titled 'A Lot of Sorrow'. It captures The National playing 'Sorrow' from High Violet for six hours in a row, while wrapped in swirls of ice machine smoke. The performance was recorded in May 2013 at New York's MOMA PS.1 Gallery, in front of a live crowd. The song is three-and-a-half minutes long, so yep, you can settle in and watch it 105 times in a row. Here's the setlist from the day: Here's a teaser. Artspace isn't stopping at six hours of National sorrow. One of the most important new additions to the space is the 'Ideas Platform', a collaborative spot for the combining of exhibitions, performances and lectures. Its inaugural show will feature the works of Los Angeles-based artist Eve Fowler, who has exhibited at MOMA in New York and San Francisco, and ACMI in Los Angeles. Her bold, colourful pieces look like enormous band posters but feature quotations from Gertrude Stein poems. Recently, they filled a series of billboards along the Interstate 10, which runs between Florida and California. The other artists included in the exhibition are Walead Beshty (UK/USA), Nina Canell (Sweden/Germany), Natalya Hughes (Australia), Biljana Jancic (Australia), Alicja Kwade (Poland/Germany), Bridie Lunney (Australia), Rob McLeish (Australia/USA), Kate Newby (New Zealand/USA), Isabel Nolan (Ireland), Shinro Ohtake (Japan) and Daniel von Sturmer (New Zealand/Australia).
The team behind The Grounds of Alexandria has been teasing us with whispers of a new CBD outpost for a while now — the venue, their second, was announced almost two years ago. Since then it's been in development, but the team behind the wildly popular Alexandria venue has finally opened The Grounds of the City inside The Galeries on George Street. The new venue is a 'nod to times past' with throwbacks to 1920s hospitality, and is distinct departure from The Grounds' existing vibe. "The Grounds of Alexandria is all about bringing families and the local community together, so we started off thinking about who it is that we want to bring together and connect in the city," says The Grounds co-founder and creative director Ramzey Choker. "We really got inspired by the 1920s, a time when the inner city was a place for real social gathering and connection between professionals." Design studio Acme & Co. have again worked with The Grounds, creating a truly 'spare no details' kind of space, from the antique theatre pendant lighting, up-cycled timber floors and marble details to the hand-crafted stained glass windows and custom-made enamel fridge doors. Even the light fixtures have been carefully curated and the cast iron doors were actually hand-casted by The Grounds team. "The building took a lot of craftsmanship and is going to be really different than what you're used to," says Choker. The Grounds of the City also aims to bring socialising back to the hustle and bustle of city life. Shoe shines for waiting customers, a cake and 'Tea Lady' tea trolley that circles the room and a top-of-the-line barista's bar with 'coffee sommeliers' on-hand are a few services on offer at the new venue. The new venue draws inspiration from traditional coffeehouse culture, complete with The Barista's Bar fitted with state-of-the-art espresso and filter technology highlighting The Grounds house-roasted coffee and Roastery. Food-wise, executive chef Paul McGrath's team will be doing breakfast (7am-11.30am) and all-day menus (11.30am onwards) with late trading on Thursday evenings, and late opening hours on Fridays and Saturdays coming soon. The menu features the likes of house-made crumpets and cakes, alongside ethically and sustainably-caught seafood and premium steak cuts — and you can dine-in or take away. For truly next-level service, the new members app allows customers to let The Grounds get to know them a bit better – from where they work to their favourite coffee order, which will be ready for you on arrival. "When corporate workers come for a morning coffee we want to make their time pleasurable and really get to know them as individuals," says Choker. "We want to give them something a bit extra." "We want to create a place that becomes like a city home away from the office and somewhere you want to go that is just really comfortable. It's going to be really different, really unique and really special." The Grounds of the City is open inside The Galeries, 500 George Street, Sydney. Opening hours are Monday to Wednesday, Friday to Sunday 7am-6pm, Thursday 7am - late. Late Friday and Saturday hours coming soon. For more information, visit thegroundscity.com.au.
This could either be a truly great idea or the Worst Thing Ever. The 'party game for horrible people' is now playable all day long — on your phone. Usually cushioned by the presence of other terribly dark-humoured friends, Cards Against Humanity is now playable in the silent, silent realms of your solo commutes, bedtime reading moments or sneakily between work tasks. A new site called CardsAgainstOriginality.com allows you to play the politically incorrect party game on your smartphone, tablet or desktop. CardsAgainstOriginality isn't an official app available from stores, but rather a free-to-use mobile site you can save to your home screen. The whole thing sounds iffy (like it's one creepy, terrible person playing a socially inappropriate game for one), but you're not just playing against yourself. After clicking the 'new game' button, you can send the link to your friends and play online together (drag and drop your round submission, judge clicks on the winner) — an attempt at simulating all those whisky-fuelled weekends away on the way to work. Built by developer Dawson Whitfield, the official Cards Against Humanity team have nothing to do with this. The original Cards Against Humanity game has always existed under a Creative Commons licence that allows for the game to be printed out, remixed and used for free (as long as you're not selling copies). According to the website, "It has all the cards you know and hate, plus all five expansions. It’s like having a big black box of cards in your pocket!" We're not completely sold on this probably terrible idea. The beauty of Cards Against Humanity comes from group acceptance of straight-up horribleness; the painstaking, side-splitting and often horrific reading out of every last terrible player card that's "kid tested, mother approved", what "the US has begun airdropping to the children of Afghanistan" or what grandma "would find disturbing, yet oddly charming". Pissing yourself laughing alone on a train about terrible, terrible politically incorrect humour might just make you a terrible, terrible person. But it could be great. We're torn. UPDATE 12/3: Site down. Site down. According to Mashable, the creator of CardsAgainstOriginality.com, Dawson Whitfield, said the site is running slower than a final episode ad-break. After y'all read and clicked, the site experienced staggering traffic. Whitfield is apparently updating servers to cope with the huge influx of traffic, and expects everything to be hunky dory by the weekend. Image credit: Cards Against Humanity via photopin (license). Via TIME.
The Biennale of Sydney will turn twenty in 2016. Artistic director Stephanie Rosenthal spilled the beans on what we can expect, outlining her concept and naming the first 73 artists. Her programming draws inspiration from a line by sci-fi author William Gibson: The future is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed. When the event takes over Sydney between 18 March and 5 June, it’ll explore this quotation across seven venues and numerous other 'in-between' spaces. Keen to get as many site-specific works happening as possible, Rosenthal commissioned 70 percent of artists to present new pieces. For this Biennale, we’re asked to consider the venues as temporary 'embassies of thought' rather than galleries, with each 'embassy' embracing a specific theme. So, Cockatoo Island will become the Embassy of the Real, where artists will meditate on our perceptions of reality in the digital world. Major works by Korakrit Arunanondchai, William Forsythe, Camille Henrot, Lee Bul, Chiharu Shiota, Ming Wong, and Xu Zhen will investigate the grey areas between the physical and the virtual, with a particular focus on the human body. To transcend the physical, head to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which will be transformed into the Embassy of Spirits. Works here will explore the crossroads between the spiritual and the philosophical, often focusing on personal and religious rituals. Scheduled artists include Johanna Calle, Sheila Hicks, Nyapanyapa Yunupingu, Jumana Manna, Sudarshan Shetty and Taro Shinoda. Meanwhile, Carriageworks will become the Embassy of Disappearance. In a world of rapid change, many cultures are continually losing their distinguishing features — from languages and histories to currencies and landscapes. Taking on this concern will be Lauren Brincat, Neha Choksi, Yannick Dauby and Wan-Shuen Tsai, Yuta Nakamura, Otobong Nkanga, Mike Parr, Bernardo Ortiz, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The other four venues are Artspace (Embassy of Non-Participation), Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (Embassy of Translation), a bookshop (Embassy of Stanislaw Lem) and Mortuary Station (Embassy of Transition), in its first ever Biennale appearance. Breaking its traditional obsession with the Harbour and CBD, the event will present more one-third of artworks in Sydney’s inner west. In Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, for example, you’ll find a site-specific work by Swedish artist Bo Christian Larsson. And, elsewhere, Brown Council artist collective will present a participatory performance, challenging us to think about how we remember the past and how we imagine the future. “If each era posits its own view of reality, what is ours?” said Rosenthal. “One of the key ideas this Biennale explores is how the common distinction between the virtual and the physical has become ever more elusive. The embassies are also inspired by the unique locations and individual histories of each venue; they will provide safe spaces for thinking … A focus on ‘in-between spaces’ is key: in terms of our interaction with the digital world, displacement from and occupation of spaces and land, and the interconnections and overlaps between politics and financial power structures.” The 20th Biennale of Sydney runs between 18 March and 5 June. As always, the exhibition is free. Head to the Biennale website for more info. Images: Mella Jaarsma 'Until Time is Old' 2014, Bharti Kher 'Untitled' 2013, Lee Mingwei 'Guernica in Sand' 2006 and 2015, Ming Wong 'Windows On The World (Part 1)' 2014, courtesy of Para Site and Spring Workshop Hong Kong, Mella Jaarsma 'The Pecking Order' 2015.
