Sydney bass-boy and nationally-recognised cool guy Hayden James is bringing his massively popular techno musings to venues all over Australia. James only appeared on the scene in 2013, cropping up like most modern beat artists on exclusively online mediums like Soundcloud and YouTube, however it wasn't very long before he garnered quite the hefty fanbase. International touring schedules ensued, landing his precise, near-minimalistic take on hard hitting beats, summery harmonies and techno bass in front of thousands of dancing fans. James has spent the formative portion of the last few months touring the US and Europe, and following a brief stop over in Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Bali will be bringing his Just a Lover tour to Aussie shores. Starting at Brisbane's Triffid on August 26, then onto Max Watts in Melbourne for August 27, he'll spend September 2 at Perth's Villa Nightclub, September 10 at the Fat Controller in Adelaide, before a final blowout in his hometown Sydney, at the Metro Theatre. Supported by Dena Amy.
Don't believe anyone who tells you that you can't like both arts and sports. Whenever a film or TV awards ceremony rolls around, that's clearly proven wrong. Watching great movies and television shows get the attention they deserve, as well as the talented folks that make them, is the screen entertainment equivalent of a grand final — with the same amount of thrills. At this year's Golden Globes, that included a red carpet filled with black-hued outfits to make an important statement, Oprah Winfrey giving one of the most inspiring and extraordinary speeches you'll ever hear about oppression and the fight for equality, and host Seth Meyers making Kevin Spacey jokes. And that's not to mention Tommy Wiseau living his dreams and taking to the stage, Natalie Portman pointing out that there was not one female nominated for best director and Amy Poehler popping up as well. Plus, whether some of your most anticipated films of 2018 won plenty of shiny ornaments (hello The Shape of Water and Lady Bird) or you're certain the best damn thing on any big or small screen was thoroughly robbed (yes, we're talking about Twin Peaks), we can still watch all of the best and the rest once the ceremonies are over. Indeed, this year's Globes winners have gifted us all with quite the must-watch list of both quality efforts to catch up on, and others coming to screens near us soon. Here's our pick of their picks. Get viewing. BIG SCREEN MUST-SEES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFYWazblaUA& THE SHAPE OF WATER Building his career out of monster movies in multiple guises, Guillermo del Toro has proven himself a master at creature features of the moving and unusual kind — think Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Pacific Rim and even haunted house effort Crimson Peak. Compared to the above, The Shape of Water floats through its own stream of romance and drama, and yet it could've only been made by this year's Golden Globe winner for best director. Here, Sally Hawkins plays a mute woman who works nights cleaning at a top-secret government lab, only to fall for its prized possession: a man-like amphibian. The film won top honours at last year's Venice Film Festival, and it's likely to keep collecting them in the next couple of months. It's that entrancing and wonderful. GLOBES Won: Best Director — Motion Picture (Guillermo del Toro), Best Original Score — Motion Picture (Alexandre Desplat) Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Sally Hawkins), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Octavia Spencer), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Richard Jenkins), Best Screenplay — Motion Picture (Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor) In cinemas January 18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzgTHyEv5Ng LADY BIRD Greta Gerwig, sitting solo in the director's chair for the first time in her career, didn't even score a nomination in that Golden Globes category. No female filmmakers did. As ridiculous as that is, her film won half of the fields it was nominated in anyway. A clearly personal endeavour for the Frances Ha and Mistress America star, Lady Bird wanders through life in her hometown of Sacramento circa 2002, spinning the exploits of its titular character (Saoirse Ronan) into one of the most relatable coming-of-age flicks to grace the big screen in years. No wonder it took out the gong for best musical or comedy film, and that fantastic Irish talent Ronan (Brooklyn) won best actress in the same category. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (Saoirse Ronan) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Laurie Metcalfe), Best Screenplay - Motion Picture (Greta Gerwig) In cinemas February 15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aZ3r-84EQc THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI If Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri wasn't already an Oscar frontrunner, it is now, winning best drama, best actress in a drama, best supporting actor and best screenplay. They're all well-earned awards for Martin McDonagh's black comedy about a mourning mother doing whatever it takes to motivate her local police force, though none is more deserved than star Frances McDormand's. She's in typical top form spouting McDonagh's typically coarse dialogue; however, the always-fantastic Rockwell shouldn't be underestimated for bringing nuance to a difficult role either. Our only gripe about its Globes success? That the fleet-footed Rockwell didn't dance when he won his statuette. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Frances McDormand), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Sam Rockwell), Best Screenplay — Motion Picture (Martin McDonagh) Nominated: Best Director — Motion Picture (Martin McDonagh), Best Original Score — Motion Picture (Carter Burwell) In cinemas now — read our review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DT41LF22ZA THE DISASTER ARTIST Well, we all know what The Disaster Artist 2 should focus on. James Franco might've won best actor in a musical or comedy for playing Tommy Wiseau, but there wasn't a fan of The Room didn't break into an enormous smile when the real-life man himself took to the stage as well. He might've missed out on another chance to leap up when The Disaster Artist couldn't turn its second nomination — for best musical or comedy flick — into a trophy, but he stole the show as he tried to steal the microphone away from the man who imitated him perfectly. Next stop: the Oscars, hopefully. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (James Franco) Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy In cinemas now — read our review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyjnzhXJlHU IN THE FADE Diane Kruger may be the most famous German-born actress working today, but she hadn't starred in a German-language film until In the Fade. At Cannes last year, she won best actress for her troubles, but at the Golden Globes, it was the movie's time to shine. Under writer/director Fatih Akin's guidance, the best foreign-language feature winner is an exploration of terror, mourning and revenge that — like much of what we're seeing on screens these days — is all-too timely and relevant. It's also on the shortlist for the same field at the Oscars, so expect to keep hearing about it. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Foreign Language Release date TBC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DIm1PyBSwc COCO In an industry increasingly ruled by sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots, resurrections, cinematic universes and franchises that'll still be going long after we're all dead, it's always a joy to see a studio rewarded for taking a chance. While Pixar was once known for only making original stories — albeit, always about toys, monsters, robots and even feelings having feelings — their love of follow-ups like the terrible Cars 3 changed that. Then came Coco, which isn't the first animated film to play with Mexico's Dîa de los Muertos celebrations, but it is the most gorgeous, engaging and heart-swelling. A great pick for best animated film, it overflows with warmth and authenticity as it charts a 12-year-old boy chasing his music dreams into the Land of the Dead. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Animated Nominated: Best Original Song — Motion Picture In cinemas now — read our review. FUTURE SMALL SCREEN BINGES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOmwkTrW4OQ THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL Calling all Amy Sherman-Palladino fans. If you loved Gilmore Girls and Bunheads, then you'll follow the American TV writer, director and producer anywhere, including to her latest show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Winning best comedy TV series, and best actress for star Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards) too, it's the best show you probably haven't seen yet about a New York housewife trying out her stand-up comedy chops in the late 1950s. It should come as no surprise that Joan Rivers was one of the inspirations for the series, and that it is equally hilarious, heartfelt and finely observed, with the usual Sherman-Palladino charms in abundance. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy (Rachel Brosnahan) Now streaming on Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9P34WqoBtQ BIG LITTLE LIES The series everyone was talking about in early 2017 just keeps garnering attention — turning a limited run into a second season, sweeping the Emmys and now doing the same at the Golden Globes. The only nods Big Little Lies didn't turn into victories? When it had two actresses competing against each other in both the lead and supporting actress categories. Winners Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgård, and nominees Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley all star in this adaptation of Aussie Liane Moriarty's novel, about the mothers of first-graders attending the same school in California's Monterey. With filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée (Wild, Cafe de Flore) in the director's chair for all seven episodes, it's a deep and complex ride through topics that aren't always thrust into the spotlight. GLOBES Won: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Nicole Kidman), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Alexander Skarsgård), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Laura Dern) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Reese Witherspoon), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Shailene Woodley) Now streaming on Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJTonrzXTJs THE HANDMAID'S TALE 2017 couldn't have been been a better time for The Handmaid's Tale to make it to the small screen. If that felt true when it first aired, the series' depiction of the oppression of women in a near-future dystopian society only proved more powerful as events played out in Hollywood as the year went on. The show's topical nature is only one of the its selling points, however, with everything about the adaptation of Margaret Atwood's ahead-of-its-time novel drawing you into an utterly unnerving realm. Standout and best actress in a drama winner Elisabeth Moss is particularly fantastic as Offred, one of the still-fertile women forced into sexual servitude to bear the ruling elite's children, while the series' mastery of mood and tone will give you literal chills. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series — Drama (Elisabeth Moss) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Ann Dowd) Now streaming on SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzwZZjPHv3A FARGO When the idea of turning the Coen brothers' Oscar-winning black comedy Fargo into a television show was floated, fans were understandably skeptical. So specific in its tone, so tied to its directors' sensibilities and so driven by Frances McDormand's ace lead performance, would it work on the small screen? And if an attempt to do just that failed in 1997, why would it succeed now? Those fears were easily quelled by the excellent end result, and the anthology series has continued its stellar run across not one, or two, but three series to date. In the latest, newly minted best actor in a limited series winner Ewan McGregor plays two very different brothers, in another account of greed, crime and stupidity in snowy Minnesota climes. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Ewan McGregor) Nominated: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (David Thewlis) Now streaming on Netflix.
In partnership with Stoneleigh, and in collaboration with Cornersmith, we're hosting a wild soda workshop at the Stoneleigh Hotel in Chippendale on December 1. In a house that's been decked out with overgrown plants, vines and wine, Cornersmith's head fermenter Jaimee Edwards will show you how to make wild soda, and supervise as you make one of your own. You'll also get to taste test some of Stoneleigh's Wild Valley wine range as Edwards explains the relationship between wild fermentation winemaking and wild soda. Cornersmith in Marrickville have been dishing out superfoods and delicious coffee to the people of the Inner West for a while now. At their picklery next door they hold fermentation workshops — cheesemaking, pickling and fermenting vegetables like kimchi. The workshops aim to give everyday folks the opportunity to get their hands dirty and create something from nothing, at the same time teaching people to lean towards sustainability. If you'd like to get involved and be one of 60 people to attend, register your details here. We're holding four sessions — at 5.30pm, 6pm, 6.30pm and 7pm. If you can't make it, go DIY and follow our handy how-to guide — it's sure to become your favourite summer drink. [competition]599348[/competition] Find the overgrown Stoneleigh Hotel is at 48 Kensington Street, Chippendale from November 11 until December 3. Images: Steven Woodburn and Michael Wickham.
Your mates at Concrete Playground know how much you guys love Nutella. Sydney lost its collective shit (and rightfully so) over those damn Tella Ball milkshakes, and Melbourne eats so much of the stuff they caused a temporary nation-wide shortage. As addictions go, we suppose it could be worse. Point is, when we heard there was going to be a toaster-shaped Nutella food truck rolling around the country, we figured you'd want to hear about it. Especially since all the goodies on board will be free. The food truck menu has been devised by Alistair Fogg, the man behind Sydney's Nighthawk Diner. Think stewed winter berries with Nutella and toasted coconut, raisin toast with Nutella and berries, and a crepe stack with Nutella and crispy bacon. It's only one item per customer per day, unfortunately. Let's just say at this stage, we're not ruling out the possibility of trailing the truck from town to town like the insatiable groupies we so clearly are. The road trip begins in Sydney's Wynyard Park on Wednesday, June 15. Other stops in the Harbour City include Centenary Park (June 16), Sydney Uni (June 17) and Glebe Markets (June 18), before the long haul down the Hume Highway via Lithgow (June 19), Goulburn (June 20), Wagga Wagga (June 21), Albury (June 22), Bendigo (June 23) and Ballarat (June 24). In Melbourne they'll hit St Kilda (June 25-26) and Southbank (June 27), before wrapping up their journey in Geelong (June 28). As for Brisbane, we've got our fingers crossed you might be added to the itinerary. If not, we'll send you a Nutella-smeared postcard. Find the complete list of dates, times and locations for the Nutella Road Trip at the official Facebook page.
Lovers of cinema and hummus-fuelled picnics rejoice: the Moonlight Cinema program has finally arrived and it’s looking mighty good. The lineup features some of this year's biggest new Hollywood releases alongside more demure titles, family favourites and age-old classics, so you can guarantee you’ll find something that piques your interest. Let’s start with the bigwigs What better way to see the big releases of summer than outdoors on a balmy night? Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two and SPECTRE are all showing and (we’d imagine) best viewed under the stars. We’re also thrilled to see a fair whack of female-centric films in the lineup too, as well as an array of movies that cover hitherto taboo topics in the popular cinema circuit. Joy, starring everyone’s favourite human Jennifer Lawrence, follows the unconventional story of a mother of three as she builds a business empire in the '90s; Suffragette is an important historical period drama about women's fight for the vote in pre-war Britain and appropriately features a dreamy cast of unique and unapologetic women including Meryl Streep, Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter. We’ve also got The Danish Girl, featuring Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, which explores the life of transgender artist Lili Elbe. Closer to home on Australia Day, we’ve got The Dressmaker, a montage of Kate Winslet looking hot and Liam Hemsworth looking filthy hot (maybe other things happen in the plot too but why would they bother?). And at the other end of the spectrum is the lighthearted comedy Sisters, featuring unstoppable duo Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. But don’t think the gentlemen miss out. The Revenant, Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest Oscar bid, was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (of Birdman fame) so you can guarantee it’ll be equally beautiful, dramatic and weird. And if you miss The Martian or missed Jurassic World in cinemas, you can catch them at Moonlight sessions too. As always Moonlight Cinema will be throwing back to classics: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Top Gun, Dirty Dancing and Grease. Tickets are on sale now for the summer sessions so get booking lest you get stuck in front of Dirty Grandpa (yes, a film where you can see Robert Deniro making out with April Ludgate while Zac Efron wears a vast array of golfing sweaters — that is apparently showing too :/). Moonlight Cinema runs across Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide from December 3, Perth from December 5 and Brisbane from December 16. Tickets are on sale now from the Moonlight Cinema website.
It's not every festival feels like a country weekend fete that just happens to be headlined by say, Father John Misty. Fairgrounds, Australia's newest boutique camping festival descended on the small NSW town of Berry last December to big ups. Taking over the local Berry Showgrounds, Fairgrounds boasted all the trimmings of a major music festival with the essence of a local fair — with a mini-Meredith lineup to boot. And this December 2 and 3, it's back for another two-day round. Last year's festival was headlined by the high priest of folk balladry, Father John Misty, alongside Brooklyn's rocktronica duo Ratatat, Portland/New Zealand's genre-defying Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Sydney's raucous garage favourites Royal Headache and Melbourne's soul virtuoso Meg Mac. Fairgrounds brought the best bits of Meredith to Berry for one (bloody hot) day of laidback sets at the showground. This year's lineup is yet to be announced, so stay tuned. With a strong focus on the local South Coast area, however, Fairgrounds wasn't just about the tunes. Local nosh, local market stalls and the local swimming pool played equally starring roles at this multifaceted festival — something we're sure made Berry residents pretty happy. Between watching Searching for Sugarman at the openair cinema, sack races, bouts of tug-of-war and dips in Berry's local pool (within the festival grounds and equipped with hectic DJ sets), punters feasted on local delights, from South Coast candy from Berry's own Treat Factory, and fresh rock oysters from An Australian Affair, harvested less than half an hour from the festival site. Plus pies, pies, pies, pies, pies. Straight-up, it warmed our jaded little hearts to see a smaller scale festival like Fairgrounds supporting local nosh, something still spearheaded by the likes of local loving' bigwigs like Bluesfest and Splendour. Although there were a few food shortages and longish waits, Fairgrounds' menu was a slam dunk of a local spread, one worth waiting for (if you tried the oysters). Fairgrounds returns to Berry Showgrounds on December 2 and 3. Lineup yet to be announced. Check out our gallery of happy snaps from last year's festival. Images: Andy Fraser.
Sydney is mad for modernism with new exhibition The Moderns: European Designers in Sydney showing a new side of Australian modernism at the Museum of Sydney. Taking place as part of A Modernist Season, the exhibition combines original furniture, design objects and art with photographs from the Max Dupain archive to celebrate and explore the struggles, achievements and influence of the émigré furniture makers, architects and interior designers working in Sydney in the 1930s and 1960s. Hailing from design centres like Vienna, Budapest and Berlin, they brought with them a direct experience of European modernism — something available to few Australians at that time. Basically, they were a key factor in the growth of modernist design in Sydney, transforming what was a suburban, low-scale city into a modern metropolis. With the obvious exception of Harry Seidler, many of these designers with remarkable European design pedigrees are now virtually unknown — something the exhibition firmly sets out to correct. Guest curator Rebecca Hawcroft says, "Through exploring the stories behind our émigré design community, we are reminded of the richness that migration brings." The Moderns shows at the Museum of Sydney from Saturday, July 22 to Sunday, November 26, as part of A Modernist Season — an amazing program of talks, tours and exhibitions embracing all things modernist, including the Mad About Modernism mini festival taking place at Rose Seidler House on Sunday, August 27. Check out the season's full modernist program here. Lead Image: Mansfield house at 191 Riverview Road, Stokes Point, 1959. © Max Dupain Archives, State Library of NSW.
When Stephen Sewell's The Blind Giant Is Dancing premiered in 1983, the audience felt royally slapped in the face. Now, in 2016, this wordy, based-on-true-events play is pertinent to the many difficulties plaguing Australian politics today — and it's currently showing at the upstairs theatre at Belvoir, directed by new artistic director Eamon Flack (Best Director at the Sydney Theatre Awards for Ivanov in 2015). At the play's centre is an idealist, Allen Fitzgerald (played by Australian actor Dan Spielman) who dreams of making the nation a better place, but becomes so mixed up in party power struggles, he has trouble keeping his eye — and aspirations — on the bigger, more important picture. Spielman leads a cast of 11, including Sydney actor and real-life wife Yael Stone (Orange Is the New Black) playing Louise Fitzgerald, Allen's socialist, feminist, pretty damn kickass wife. Playing an onstage married couple while you're married is one thing, but playing said couple caught up in the whirlwind of '80s Australian politics is another. So we asked Yael to get into the nitty gritty for Concrete Playground. Yael and Dan chowed down at a Vietnamese restaurant in Sydney after their Thursday matinee performance of The Blind Giant Is Dancing. They unpacked the play, character arcs, gear changes, Liberal and Labor audiences and how to act without listening — while Yael quietly nabbed all the spring rolls. YAEL: Dan, how are you feeling? DAN: Pretty buggered. The show is nearly three hours long and it cracks along. We’ve just done our first of two shows in a day, so I’ve got to think about doing that twice — and I’m really looking forward to this pork chop I’m about to eat. Today was our unwaged performance; Belvoir every season does one performance for people on a pension or who don’t have an income, so they can apply and get access to the shows free of charge and I think that’s a wonderful thing. They were a terrific audience, a lot of people that were interested in politics, particularly the crowd today because we have a lot of people who were quite vocally either against or for people in the scenes in the show. And a lot of the references from the early ‘80s I think might have brought back a few memories for some of the older people in the audience today. YAEL: In terms of a political spectrum, given the content of the play, who’s been attracted to come and see this play? Who’s most excited about it? DAN: I thought at first that it would be you know, theatregoers generally, that want to see as much as they can. I thought at first it would be mostly Labor Party people because the play is set in the Labor Party in the early ‘80s here in Sydney. But I’ve noticed quite a few Liberal Party members, ex-ministers and stuff, have come along to see the show who I think are taking some delight in watching a play about self-destruction inside the Labor Party — they’re having quite a good time. So I think across the spectrum people have an interest because it’s such a wonderful portrait of a very excessive and interesting time in Australian political history but also how resonant it is for what’s still going on today. YAEL: So your character Allen Fitzgerald has a huge process of transformation throughout the show, throughout three very distinct acts. The changes are pretty dramatic. Are you planting the seeds of change in the act before? How far ahead do you like to sow the seeds of the change? DAN: I treat each of the three acts distinctly, partly because of how its written; there are some important events that happen offstage, so they’re not in the play but they’re referred to later, that happen between the three acts, that I consider as large gear changes. But the way Stephen writes is fiendishly difficult to learn because… oh, thank you... YAEL: Thank you. My spring rolls just arrived. DAN: That’s fantastic. Because [Stephen] does sow the seeds of thoughts into scenes a long time before they’re mentioned. To clarify, you have to learn the scenes by rote. They don’t flow naturally from ideas necessarily because he’s cramming so many ideas in. YAEL: On that, we have a few particular scenes where we discovered that it was actually a really bad idea to listen too closely to the other person, because it might screw you up, which pretty much goes against all the rules of acting where really, you should be very present and listening a lot. In this play, sometimes you can’t listen, because the characters are so maniacally focused on their own point of view that to actually hook into the other side isn’t in line with the way that they’re thinking. On that, do you think Allen thinks differently when he’s engaging with Louise? Versus when he’s engaging with a political opponent? DAN: So it should be said that you, Yael, are playing Louise, Allen’s wife, in the play. YAEL: That’s right, I’m digging. DAN: So yeah, I think one of the great things about the play is that it shows a very public figure, a series of public figures in the public limelight — well, they’re kind of the back room dealings of a political party but they’re very much in a public area, and contrasted with a very private crisis that’s happening between Allen and Louise in their marriage. I think Allen wants his marriage to be a refuge from what he’s experiencing at work, but because Louise is herself a very dedicated intellectual and someone who’s trying to revolutionise her own consciousness and her own thought through feminist ideas as well as socialist ones, the home is seen by her as a place of change as well. And Allen acknowledges it and fights on that basis but it’s very difficult for him. But the language and scenarios at home are very private. YAEL: Great answer. And how do you feel about the fact that I just started the last spring roll, while you were answering that conversation? DAN: I could see what you were doing, and I wouldn’t put it past you to do that sort of thing, so I’m not surprised. But I’ve got some decent food coming for myself so… YAEL: Well, here’s the great reveal. I’m actually just going to have half of it, and leave you the other half. The Blind Giant Is Dancing runs February 13 – March 20 at Belvoir. Head to the website to book tickets. By Shannon Connellan with Jasmine Crittenden. Image: Brett Boardman.
Heaps Gay are taking their undisputed party-throwing finesse and taking it to the next level — an all-day festival Marrickville's Factory Theatre especially for Vivid. Having earned a reputation for their hectic, monthly, all-inclusive LGBT dance parties at the Gladstone Hotel (now they're at Erskineville's Imperial Hotel) raising money for ACON, Heaps Gay is partnering with FBi Radio and Vivid to put on a special edition, all-day jamboree. The seriously impressive lineup includes KIM (The Presets) on the decks, Black Vanilla, Catlips, dreamy house pop from Tees, The Magda Subanski's, Levins, Sveta, Hissy Fit and many more. Expect flash parties by No Lights No Lycra, light installations and burgers by Mary's to keep you going from day to night. Image: Heaps Gay.
A good Negroni is all about balance. It's a balance of three fine liquors — gin, Campari and vermouth — that toe the very fine line between being much too bitter and just bitter enough. It's always been about this balance; one of the first recorded reports of the Negroni came from Orson Welles in 1947. While working in Rome, he wrote, "The bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you. They balance each other." We're happy to take his word for it. Sixty years later, bartenders are still perfecting the Negroni. Not one for the faint-hearted, it's a serious cocktail for serious drinkers. But where does one get not just a good but the best Negroni in Sydney? Here are ten bars we think could battle it out for the top prize. And with Negroni Week running from June 6-12, there's no better time to try them out — participating bars will even donate $1 from every Negroni ordered that week to a charity of their choice. CASONI Sitting just behind Oxford Street on a little corner next to the courthouse behind Taylor Square, Casoni is the perfect spot for a mid-week plate of house-made pasta. Step into the smart little dining room, done in a Scandi-industrial palette of grey, white and leatherwood honey-coloured timber. Casoni is one of the few spots in Sydney doing a Negroni on tap, so make yourself comfortable and fill 'er up. THE GRETZ By the same folks as and just a few doors down from Hartsyard, The Gretz is the latest member of the family for husband-and-wife team Gregory Llewellyn and Naomi Hart. The Gretz is a rowdy, popular, American-styled bar which serves cheesy baked clams and homemade jerky. But for Negroni Week, they'll be raising funds for Gunawirra with a separate menu running concurrent with the full menu, focusing on Negronis — with a couple of in-house variations. EASY EIGHT Easy Eight is the much anticipated second release by the Mojo Record Bar crew. The kitchen lineup stars Harry Stockdale-Powell (ex-Rockpool, Marque) and Jack Bathurst (ex-Sepia, Toko, Becasse), who have produced an accessible, shareable menu with just a hint of Cajuna flava. Easy Eight are doing three featured Negronis for Negroni Week: a Classic, White or Smokey Negroni (this one's made with mezcal). Their chosen charity is Blacktown Women's and Girls' Health Centre Inc. BAR BROSE Opened on Victoria Street in April, Bar Brosé is the newest French-focused eatery from the ACME team — and the logical progression for the former Passage space. Head chef Analiese Gregory, formerly of Quay, is at the helm. It's a mature (but not old 'n' fusty) space for all walks; somewhere you can make your way through a measured, unpretentious cocktail list on a killer date. Bar Brose's vegetable-infused Negroni on the permanent menu is a stunner, made with beetroot Tanqueray. THE HAZY ROSE One of our favourite Darlinghurst cocktail bars; a cosy realm of wooden benches, red curtains, art deco Diana lamps and hooks for your coat. Not only that, but the faces behind the bar are friendly — not something we see as much as we'd like. For Negroni Week, The Hazy Rose is doing barrel-aged Negronis with Amaro, Campari and local Australian gin. They're also doing Negroni Flights: White Negroni, Classic Negroni and Amaro Negroni, and they're raising money for Blackdog Institute. EAU DE VIE No cocktail round-up would be complete without these guys. While not technically a speakeasy, Eau de Vie is about as close as you can get to the guilty pleasures of Boardwalk Empire. This Prohibition-style bar is tucked away at the back of the Kirketon Hotel. For Negroni Week, Eau de Vie is doing cold drip Negronis ($22) with gin, Campari, house Vermouth and cold drip coffee — raising funds for the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia. THE CORNER HOUSE The Corner House in Bondi harks back to its former incarnation as the Bondi tram stop and the bygone days of a less slick Sydney, with salvaged railway tracks, wooden ferry pews and acid-treated steel floors. The modern Italian style food that swans out of the nothing-to-hide open kitchen is a balanced blend of rustic and refined. For Negroni Week, the Corner House will be doing a few variations on the Negroni, raising money for Ted Noffs. MAYBE FRANK Pizza Mario had long been considered a big cheese in the Sydney pizza scene, so it came as some surprise to learn they had abandoned their original outpost in Surry Hills in June. The site has already been taken over by a vibrant new Roman-style pizzeria, Maybe Frank. Their all-you-can-eat Tuesday night represents some of the best value that Bourke Street has ever seen, and it can also help you deal with any post-Mario's trauma you may be experiencing. Maybe Frank will be serving Negronis all week at a special Negroni Week price, raising money for the Sydney Children's Hospital. VASCO Take the Negroni back to its roots at Vasco. Run by Max Greco, former head bartender at Eau-de-Vie, this bar is driven by two obsessions: Italy and rock 'n' roll. Drinks menus are presented on vintage vinyl covers, Fender stools function as bar seating and there's a jukebox that works. The walls are straight out of a green room — plastered with photos, records and rock memorabilia. The Vasco team won't be changing the recipe for Negroni Week, but they'll be raising money for Unicef, so it'll taste even better. THE BAXTER INN So Baxter's is known first and foremost as a whiskey joint. But these guys hands down make one of the best Negronis in Sydney — and those free pretzels don't hurt either. Find your way into the CBD basement, which resembles a kind of turn-of-the-century father's study. Think bare brick walls, prints of boxers and horses, fog horns, coin machines and pre-war blues. Want to learn more about Negronis? Brush up on your history. By the Concrete Playground team.
Sydney has a high volume of top quality cafes all over the city, but Marrickville is home to a big chunk of them. A boom circa 2012 and another one this year means that the inner west suburb can offer everything from all-vegetarian breakfasts to fresh pastries to some of the country's best coffee. But if there's one quality that ties these disparate breakfast-to-lunch hangouts together, it must be their sense of community. They all pride themselves on their local and hyperlocal produce, in-house preparation techniques, and nose for what their regulars want. If you live in the inner west, you've probably been to at least a few of these already. But for those who haven't (local or otherwise), here's the ranked list of Marrickville's best cafes. They've been judged on the tastiness of their menus, the quality of their coffee and the feel of their interior design. Go forth and brunch.
FOMO — Australia's clash-free, one-day summer festival — is back for a fourth year. This year, it's making its return to Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, and bringing the full festival to Melbourne for the first time ever. Leading the program is famed American-Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj, who released her high-energy, highly acclaimed fourth album Queen just last month — which features everyone from The Weeknd to Ariana Grande, Eminem and Lil Wayne. Hot on her heels is Mississippi's Rae Sremmurd, the hip-hop trio best-known for its chart-topping hit 'Black Beatles' made in collaboration with Gucci Mane. Meanwhile, Florida's Lil Pump is heading Down Under for the first time, bringing hits 'Gucci Gang', 'Esskeetit' and songs from his yet-to-be released album Harvard Dropout, and electro music producer Mura Masa will break up the hip hop and rap with his disco tunes. Also on the schedule is Kali Uchis, making her Australian debut and performing hits off her widely acclaimed album Isolation, along with the mononymous avant-garde Sophie, Australia's own Anna Lunoe, and Dutch experimental artist San Holo, among others. FOMO will kick off on Brisbane's Riverstage on Saturday, January 5, before moving to Parramatta Park in Sydney, on Saturday, January 12, and then to Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse on Sunday, January 13. Pre-sales start at 10am local time on Wednesday, September 5 and general sales at 10am local time on Thursday, September 6. $1 from every sale is going to refugee charity Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and, if you can't afford your ticket in one fell swoop, you can opt for a payment plan, which lets you pay it off via monthly instalments. Only available for festivalgoers in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. Here's the full lineup. FOMO 2019 LINEUP Nicki Minaj Rae Sremmurd Lil Pump Mura Masa Kali Uchis San Holo Anna Lunoe Sophie Cosha Carmouflage Rose Just A Gent MIMI triple j Unearthed winners FOMO 2019 DATES Saturday, January 5 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, January 6 — Elder Park, Adelaide Saturday, January 12 — Parramatta Park, Sydney Sunday, January 13 — Festival Hall, Melbourne FOMO will take place in January 2019. Tickets go on sale this week. For more info, visit fomofestival.com.au. FOMO image: Mitch Lowe
One wrote novels that explored the loves and lives of well-to-do Britons during the 18th century. The other makes films that provide sharp, humorous looks at specific, highly interconnected sections of society. And yet, while Whit Stillman took inspiration from Jane Austen's Mansfield Park for his 1990 debut feature Metropolitan — which the filmmaker himself notes is considered "a stealth adaptation" by some Austen fans — it has taken him 26 years and five features to craft an official screen version of one of the author's works. Based on Austen's unfinished epistolary novella Lady Susan, the end result is Love & Friendship, a comedy of manners, match-making and possible marriages. Kate Beckinsale plays the recently widowed Lady Susan Vernon, who won't let rumours about her romantic entanglements get in the way of securing her next husband — or finding a suitable paramour for her teenage daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark). When she's not trying to win the affections of the young and handsome Reginald DeCourcy (Xavier Samuel) and setting up Frederica with the buffoonish Sir James Martin (Tom Bennett), she's confiding her schemes to her close friend Alicia (Chloë Sevigny). A sparkling satire of societal expectations ensues — and from the witty banter between characters to the light yet insightful way the story unravels, Love & Friendship feels like the film Stillman was destined to make. In the lead up to the movie's Australian release, we spoke with the writer/director about taking the time to see the project come to fruition, balancing his own sensibilities with the source material, and reuniting with after Beckinsale and Sevigny after his 1998 effort The Last Days of Disco. ON ADAPTING JANE AUSTEN "I happened upon the material, the story of Lady Susan Vernon — which her nephew, when he published it a century after her death, gave it the title Lady Susan, which is not Jane Austen's title. I thought it was really funny and different. And I had sort of not entirely admired all the Jane Austen adaptations because a lot of them lost the humour and her true perspective, and so I thought this is a way of having something very funny and very entertaining — a sort of pre-Oscar Wilde sort of comedy by Jane Austen and in her world. It intrigued me. "I wanted to take my time on it, and work on it when I didn't have paying jobs and could just do it at my own pace, just exactly as slow as it needed to be done. This kind of thing is like cooking — when you have a thing that is going to take a lot of time, it is going to take 12 hours of simmering something down. And so I knew that this was the 12 years of simmering something down. Well, maybe not that many years. But I knew it would take an amount of time." ON TACKLING A LESSER-KNOWN AUSTEN STORY "It was hugely liberating. Hugely liberating. A real benefit. But I also noticed that the film adaptations I liked best were often of non-masterpieces. So flawed novels sometimes make really, really good adaptations. And I was hopeful that this would fall into that category where there's enough things to be done to give the people working on the film a canvas to work on. What's really challenging and frustrating is to take a masterpiece and reduce it to a film, because it is an issue of reduction." ON CHANGING THE TITLE FROM LADY SUSAN TO LOVE & FRIENDSHIP "For me, it was a big thing. It was the first decision I made. I wouldn't have done the film as Lady Susan — it was the first thing I thought of. I hated the title Lady Susan, it wasn't Jane Austen's title. And I know that these character name titles don't work in most translation territories. "I really think that Love & Friendship is a wonderful Jane Austen title that she thought of herself, and she wasted it on a story I don't take seriously at all. There was a good title on an unimportant story, so let's put the good title on the good novella." ON BALANCING AUSTEN'S TRADEMARKS WITH STILLMAN'S OWN STYLE "Everything is tricky. Everything is a balancing act to the very end. When we were putting in the sound, at the very end, the laughter in the dancing scene, it's like, 'Do we have too much of James Martin laughing? Are we making this too broad, too ridiculous?' And we actually dialled that back. And so, yeah there's always this balance. I had been so immersed in this novel for so long, so immersed in the period — it's a lifelong interest — that it sort of felt that we could handle that and do that balancing." ON CASTING AUSTRALIAN ACTOR XAVIER SAMUEL "Woody Allen and other directors have talked about this — it is almost impossible to find good romantic leading men and this sort of classic mould, and Xavier was a godsend when we found him. "We almost lost him to a competing Australian film — his agent wanted him to take this higher-paying job in Australia. And, my gosh, I was so upset at the possibility of losing him that I told him that I didn't want to make the film if he wouldn't be in it. He is really important for the film." ON REUNITING KATE BECKINSALE AND CHLOË SEVIGNY AFTER THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO "That was really inadvertent. Chloë was actually in the film before Kate Beckinsale. I started so far back that I was actually in touch with Elizabeth Hurley, I think, about this when I first started thinking of it. Kate was far too young then, she was still in her twenties. But I always thought it was a lovely idea for Kate Beckinsale, but at the very start she was too young. And then, I think Sienna Miller was attached to the film as Lady Susan for a while. And then the clouds parted, the sun came out, and we were able to get Kate to play the part — and it is the part for which she was destined, and she was actually wonderful in it, and she was great to work with." Love & Friendship opens in Australian cinemas on July 21.
Watching cat videos online is about to get a whole lot more intense, with Google revealing plans to enable virtual reality content on YouTube. The announcement, made at the Google I/O 2015 developer conference, is one of a slew of new innovations the global tech giant has in the works, as it slowly furthers its plan for total world domination. Your move, Bing. According to the announcement made in San Francisco overnight, YouTube will be able to host specially-created, immersive VR videos as early as this July, viewable through any virtual reality headset including Google’s own budget option, Google Cardboard. In order to ensure there’s plenty of VR content to choose from, Google will supply select YouTube partners with its new 360° Jump camera rig, developed in partnership with GoPro. The extreme sports-friendly camera company has actually been developing and selling multi-directional camera rigs for some time now, and recently acquired a company that specialises in panoramic video software — so the partnership certainly makes sense. Check out GoPro's VR demo video posted yesterday. Use the top left directional buttons to peruse: As they did with Google Cardboard, Google will be making the blueprints for the Jump rig public, meaning that anyone can theoretically build one. The rig will be compatible with consumer grade cameras, although you’ll need 16 of them to get the full effect. Google also announced upgrades to its cardboard VR headset, which can now be assembled in just three steps and fits phones up to six inches in size. The low-tech hardware, which offers an inexpensive alternative to the likes of Oculus Rift, has already racked up more than one million users since debuting at I/O last year. Between Google Cardboard and the new Jump platform, Google is clearly trying to push VR content into the mainstream. Next up: hoverboards! (Fingers crossed.) Via Gizmodo. Images: Google.
Sydney’s Sepia has won prime position on the Australian Financial Review’s inaugural
In the Southern Hemisphere, we're quick to flock overseas when we hear the word 'holiday'. However if time is scarce and hopping over the equator isn't an option, there are a number of incredible accommodation options in Australia and New Zealand that are serving up some serious competition to the north. Not only are the below accommodation options impeccably designed, but most are encompassed by immaculate landscapes and vivacious cultures. In partnership with boutique hotel curator Mr & Mrs Smith, here are ten incredible hotels worth checking out this long weekend. HUKA LODGE, NEW ZEALAND Huka Lodge is nestled in Taupo, the volcanic heartland of New Zealand. It proudly sits at the forefront of the North Island on the dreamy Waikato River. The lodge complements the natural beauty of its surroundings, with peaceful bedrooms furnished with a blue and white colour palette. Unwind in the main lodge with some New Zealand Pinot Noir beside the fire. Don't leave without visiting the mesmerising Huka Falls, where the water runs at about 220,000 litres per second. It's a place for both adventure and rejuvenation. EAGLES NEST, NEW ZEALAND This luxury getaway has rightly deserved its multiple awards. Eagles Nest is a lodge that sits above New Zealand's Bay of Islands, a cluster of about 140 subtropical islands at the northern tip of the country. Visitors are treated to inspiring views that combine secluded beaches with coastal bushland. The hotel itself is sleekly put together, rich with gentle timbers. Eagles Nest caters to all types of holidays; patrons can have a day at the on-site spa, or have a session with the resident personal trainer. Watching the Pacific peacefully roll from the infinity pool could be the closest thing to feeling like you're at the end of the earth. MATAKAURI LODGE, NEW ZEALAND Overlooking adventure capital Queenstown is Matakauri Lodge—11 rooms blessed with vistas of Lake Wakatipu and the glory of its bordering mountains. We like to think of it as the Lake Como of the Southern Hemisphere. The lodge has a fireside lounge, spa, infinity pool and multiple dining areas. Plus, it's only seven minutes from the main town, where you can sign up for horse riding or helicopter tours, or (if you're game) skydiving or bungee jumping. It helps knowing you'll return to the royal yet homely comforting setting of the lodge, where adrenaline subsides and calmness kicks in. COMO THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA The award-winning Como the Treasury is the first (and only) Australian hotel in the Singaporean chain of Como Hotels and Resorts. Occupying the old State Buildings, the hotel is one of Perth's most lavish offerings. The hotel is filled with sophisticated spaces, energised with cultural facets that pay homage to Australia's heritage. Diners at the hotel's restaurant Wildflower will find indigenous flavours, and visitors to the spa can treat themselves to Kakadu-plum facials. EMPIRE RETREAT AND SPA, AUSTRALIA Tucked away in one of Australia's most culinary rich settings is Empire Retreat and Spa. Modern meets rustic in the hotel's ten suites, which sit among manicured gardens hiding jacuzzis, a sauna and an outdoor shower for patrons to enjoy. While the hotel doesn't have its own restaurant, there is no shortage of dining options in the region. Plus, staying here is a good excuse to venture through the undisturbed bush of the Yallingup Margaret River region. If it's wine you crave, Empire has it covered with its own winery—Empire Estate. EMIRATES ONE&ONLY WOLGAN VALLEY, AUSTRALIA This Emirates One&Only resort sits among the grandeur of the sandstone Blue Mountains. There's something about the mist, endless green, and sheer volume of the region that gives it an out-of-this-world aura. This resort seizes its naturally setting, with large windows that give way to valley-filled vistas. Pools are aplenty, incorporated into many of the accommodation's 40 villas. Some are three-bedroom retreats, which makes this One&Only a top spot for group holidays. ROYAL MAIIL HOTEL & MT STURGEON, AUSTRALIA Foodies have endlessly celebrated the Royal Mail Hotel's award-winning dining room, where meals are created daily using produce harvested in the monstrous kitchen gardens. The restaurant may have an art deco feel, but the cottages part of the Mount Sturgeon Homestead stylishly go back in time, made of thick bluestone combat the weather extremes of the area. Inside are photos of local wildlife, while the generous backdrop of the Grampians sits just outside the window. THE LOUISE, AUSTRALIA If it's a vineyard retreat you're after, consider The Louise. Situated in South Australia's Barossa Valley, the hillside houses are fitted out with various tones of red and purple—very wine-appropriate. The Louise's award-winning restaurant, Appellation, serves meals with a heavy reliance on locally-sourced food. About 80 percent of the menu's ingredients are sourced within a 50-kilometre radius. The restaurant makes for the perfect setting to look over the hundred of acres of vines. SPICERS PEAK LODGE, AUSTRALIA Spicers Peak Lodge is the highest non-alpine lodge in the country, perched on Queensland's Scenic Rim. Amid 8000 acres of Scottish Highland cattle, kangaroos and wallabies bouncing around are ten suites and two lodges that present the best of modern lodge living. Guests are invited by the high-ceilinged main lodge, where you can sign up for private guided walks on the area's many trails. Sink into a lounge chair beside the deck-fringed infinity pool, or beside the fireplace with a cocktail. BELLS AT KILLCARE, AUSTRALIA Bells is a concoction of seaside modernity and comforting Hamptons-style flair. Blue, white and coral tones fill the rooms alongside revitalising bright white walls that showcase prints of flora and fauna. Rose-filled gardens circle the rooms and the restaurant. Ensure you squeeze in a bush walk through Bouddi National Park—made up of about 3700 acres of spotless beaches, waterfalls and spurts of rainforest. If you decide to take a trip this Easter long weekend, visit Mr & Mrs Smith to book your accommodation.
The team at the newly reopened Newtown restaurant Hartsyard has come up with a cracking way to help blast away those winter blues — and it involves generous weekend feasts and bottomless vino. It has launched a new series of Saturday long lunches, which promise to go down a treat during these next frosty weeks, kicking into gear from August 4 and running for the entire month. Chef-owner Gregory Llewellyn will be whipping up a $55 set menu to warm your cockles, up for grabs from 12–3.30pm each week. It's still in the planning stages, but we're told to expect dishes like raw fish, warmed oysters and roast cuts of beef. If you have dietaries, Llewellyn assures they can be accommodated for, too. Meanwhile, the bar will be open and slinging its full range of liquid offerings, which just happens to include $14 espresso martinis. And for a special treat, you'll also be able to match your lunch with bottomless vino for $15 a head. Yes, really — $15. For $15 on top of the set menu (which'll set you back $70 in total) you can spend your Saturday drinking unlimited wine, thanks to the folks at Sparrow & Vine. On the day, you'll be able to choose from either a pinot grigio or nero d'avola from the Barrosa Valley vineyard. You can your reserve your spot at the boozy Saturday lunch, running from 12–3.30pm, via the website. Images: Alex Mayes
Need to spruce up your facial hair and spice up your casserole from the same product line? Say hello to Handsome Devils Co., your one-stop shop for all of your hot sauce and beard oil needs, "curiously crafted by Australian gentlemen". Wondering how someone could come up with a combination like that? It all started with hot sauce. Working out of a Bondi garage for the last year, this burgeoning Sydney company was initially all about food products when it was founded by Sydney entrepreneur Ryan Brown. "I was eating a lot of hot sauce and […] decided that I could make better products with no preservatives, no added colours or flavours," he says. After sharing his sauces with friends, one suggested that he should sell them and Handsome Devils Co. was born. The current sauce lineup consists of the smoky chipotle, tangy Verde, spicy Savina and Ryan's favourite of the month: de Arbol. When asked why it's his favorite, his response is simple: "It's just got this all-round awesomeness. I can eat it every single day and never get over it." 'Nuff said. Aside from the chillies, which are imported from Mexico where the climate is more chilli-growing friendly, all the ingredients in the bottles are sourced from local farmers in Port Macquarie. Of course, once you've mastered one of your favourite products, you'll inevitably look for the next project. Ryan's just happened to be grooming products. Handsome Devils Co.'s grooming range came from the same attitude that Ryan had towards the hot sauce: "I can make that." While this side of the business started as just beard oils, it quickly expanded to include shave oil, aftershave balm, activated charcoal soap and body scrubs. All their grooming products come from the same philosophy: "If you can't put it in your mouth, why would you put it on your skin?" Every product boasts all-natural ingredients — not that Ryan'd recommend anyone eat them — and Bondi's laidback vibe is present in everything they do. The company is essentially a group of mates doing what they love and trying to embed themselves in the branding (hence the combination of food and grooming). Sydney's small business scene is pretty cutthroat, with statistics saying that most fail within their first two years. But Handsome Devils Co. has triumphantly survived — albeit with seriously hard work. "It's been a lot of trial and error," says Ryan. They must be trialling something right — their nationwide list of stockists is testament to that. So what's next for Handsome Devils Co.? This young Sydney company has some pretty awesome things ahead. They're supplying hot sauce for Sydney rock band You Am I's latest album, Porridge and Hotsauce, and will be collaborating with everyone's favourite brewers, Young Henrys, for some events in December. Ryan is also working on a list of products (not necessarily hot sauces) to produce but he's trying to keep it hush hush. Despite not having a storefront, you can catch the guys at the Brewery Yard Markets and every three or four weeks at the Bondi Farmers Market. Check out Handsome Devils Co.'s website — they might just have the Christmas present you're looking for.
Supergroups pop up every so often, from Broken Social Scene to The Postal Service, Empire of the Sun to Atoms for Peace. The rhyme or reason behind such team-ups varies, from longtime mates Doing a Thing to visionaries wanting to branch out from their superstar band. Now, a new supergroup has formed, dubbed Mind Gamers. Picture this: French producer Sebastien Tellier, John Kirby (Blood Orange, Norah Jones, Cypress Hill) and Daniel Stricker (Midnight Juggernauts, Kirin J Callinan). Expect some trippy, out-of-this-world business. What the heck does that mean? You'll just have to find out at MoVement Sydney, where Mind Gamers will make their very first live appearance as a group. They'll be supported by Shags Chamberlain (Ariel Pink) Presents: The Crystal Machine, breakthrough talent Zuri Akoko and Siberia DJs. [competition]594526[/competition]
Want to spend your birthday with lions and tigers and bears? The folks at Taronga Zoo have got you covered. As part of their centenary celebrations, the zoo is offering $1 entry tickets to visitors on their birthday, so you can enjoy your special day with friends on two legs and on four. "We want to say thank you to the amazing public that has supported our wildlife conversation work for the past 100 years," said Taronga CEO Cameron Kerr. "Every ticket to Taronga, even your $1 birthday entry, helps us continue to work towards a shared future for wildlife and people. In the next 100 years we want wildlife to not only survive, but thrive." Animal lovers can register for a $1 voucher to use on their birthday via the zoo's website. Be warned though: you may be expected to share your cake with the monkeys*. You'll also receive a Taronga birthday badge as a souvenir. The zoo is planning a number of special centenary events and fundraising initiatives over the next 12 months, including a massive birthday party on October 7. Tickets for the birthday bash aren't available to purchase, however you can win them via online ballot. Taronga is also encouraging people to share photos of their favourite zoo memories on social media using the hashtag #IGrewUpWithTaronga. Everyone who does will go in the running to win a number of prizes, including a Zoo Friends family membership every week. *just kidding. Please don't feed the monkeys cake.
Sweets, lollies, cakes, dessert and all things sugary run the show at this year’s Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Month, with the 2015 program announced today. The toothache begins with Sweetfest, a mini-festival of sugary delights at Chippendale's aMBUSH Gallery featuring cake monarch Katherine Sabbath, boss of the layer cake Andrew Bowden, Brickfields, Flour and Stone and more. There are no less than 15 high teas on this year’s program, including a special edition by Katherine Sabbath, a Prohibition-style high tea at The Print Room, a three-way dessert high tea at The Choc Pot, a high tea at sea, a New York-inspired version at Dolton House and a ridiculous amount more. But of course, there's savoury adventures afoot, from Sydney's first ever 'ramen rave', to a growers' market solely dedicated to brunch, an openair long table dinner at the old Darlinghurst Gaol (now National Art School), a Barbecue Biennale, a three-course dinner on a ferris wheel, to the ever-popular, returning Night Noodle Markets. Adelaide superchef Jock Zonfrillo (Orana) will be teaming up with Silvereye's Sam Miller for a one-off dinner at the shiny new, soon-to-open Old Clare Hotel in Chippendale. Peter Gilmore's teaming up with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to pair a special Bennelong menu with classical performance, and the chefs from Franklin, Igni and Biota are creating a wild picnic in the Southern Highlands. Around town, each venue is throwing down the gauntlet this year. There are so many street food festivals and eat-your-way-through markets we can't even keep up. Pinbone and Young Henrys are throwing a Feral Party — "wild animals, wild weeds and crazy wild messed-up beers". Foodstagrammers will love the Kepos brunch and photography masterclass at OzHarvest, alongside a slow and steady six-course dinner from the Slow Food movement. Breakfast enthusiasts will find the 'Cafe Collective' of breakfasting Sydney venues a delight. Pork lovers will chomp at the bit for a five-course pork dinner at Bishop Sessa. There's Goros' Japanese Halloween party, Archie Roses's epic dinner in the distillery, there's a three-course dinner in the Sydney Opera House Green Room and there's a particular focus on Sunday dining around the city. Plus, Opera Bar is bringing back the Golden Gaytimes. Ready to get your bib on and go? Start with our top ten events of the fest.
The Finders Keepers Markets have become a staple for those who are into design, creativity and supporting local artists. Treat yourself to a stroll around the market, boasting over 200 stalls featuring fashion, ceramics, jewellery and food. Heading for Barangaroo's colossal space The Cutaway for the first time ever, the market allows you to pick up some marvellous treats that are difficult to find anywhere else. The designer-centric, come-one-come-all mini-festival has managed to bridge the gap between local market and exclusive exhibition, creating a space for independent designers to engage with the wider community. As usual, there will be live music, two coffee carts, two bars, food trucks and thousands of other Sydneysiders celebrating independent art and design. Plus, it's probably the only place you can shop for Mother's Day, upcoming birthdays and your own personal gift to yourself with a glass of wine in hand while downing gluten-free doughnuts from Nutie. Feeling a little overwhelmed? Finders Keepers are aware this cornucopia of new design can be a little large to navigate. So they've got their own app, with interactive maps to help you find out more info about stallholders, a personal itinerary tool, and notifications to keep you looped in to what's happening on the day. You can download the app from the App Store or on Google Play. Finders Keepers A/W 17 market hours: Friday, May 12: 5–10pm Saturday, May 13 : 10am–6pm Sunday, May 14 (Mother's Day): 10am–5pm Images: Bec Taylor and Dave Kan. By Kelly Pigram and Nishan David.
After the year or so we've all had, a vacation is always on the cards. But sometimes the best option is to have a sneaky weekend getaway without leaving Sydney at all. There's something undeniably romantic about staying in a hotel room in your own city. It should be mandatory for us all, at least once in a while. We all need to take a break from the drudgery of life, and to become the best versions of ourselves — that is, the hotel version. Staycationing in Sydney has never been better, with quite the cornucopia of boutique hotels popping up around the city — from heritage-listed warehouses to Victorian mansions and everything in-between. There are some seriously impressive (and incredibly designed) hotels awaiting your arrival. Pencil one into your calendar as soon as possible. PARAMOUNT HOUSE HOTEL, SURRY HILLS When Paramount House Hotel was first announced back in August 2017, the hotel promised it wouldn't be your standard luxury hotel, but rather an experience that would embed patrons into the culture of Sydney's inner city suburb of Surry Hills. All we can say is that, when it opened in 2018, it delivered on that guarantee. You'll never have a dull moment at Paramount, as the building offers up a rooftop gym, independent cinema and one of Sydney's best cafes — plus, depending on when you book your stay, you're likely to find a dance party, art exhibition or a film retrospective awaiting your attendance. Set in an old 40s warehouse, the 29-room hotel features soaring ceilings with exposed brickwork, and while there's also luxury copper finishes, Jardan sofas, premium kilim rugs from Pakistan and a one-of-a-kind vending machine, the appeal of the place is less tangible in its nature. It's both the vibe and history of the surrounding community that make Paramount House Hotel a special stay. WILLIAM INGLIS HOTEL, WARWICK FARM Named after Australia's renowned thoroughbred company, William Inglis and Sons, Western Sydney's latest hotel is a sure thing if you're after a mini Sydney staycation. The William Inglis Hotel's centrepiece is its rooftop bar, which offers a spot to relax by the pool with a drink — and to soak in the stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Warwick Farm. Once you've built up an appetite, head downstairs to the Newmarket Room, the hotel's luxe dining room overlooking the gardens and riverside horse stables. It serves up everything you want on a carefree staycation, from oysters to prawn linguine and NSW Riverina black angus steak. Whisky fans will be at home here, too — the mezzanine's 1867 Lounge serves high-end cocktails and boutique wines. THE OLD CLARE, CHIPPENDALE Since its highly anticipated re-opening back in 2015, Chippendale's Old Clare Hotel has held a firm place as one of the city's best boutique hotels. Reborn from the (metaphorical) ashes of the historic (and dearly beloved) Clare Hotel, and adjoining Carlton United Brewery Administrative Building, the hotel boasts heritage timber panelling and exposed brick walls, furnished with pendant lighting and vintage furniture. Plus, you can bring your pup along thanks to several dog-friendly suites. Other hotel amenities include a rooftop pool and bar, private gym and free bike hire, as well as in-room massage services. Guests can also take advantage of custom-made bicycles to explore the surrounding neighbourhood. At night, simply relax at The Clare Bar — or at the hotel restaurant, Automata, which gives all guests a cool 20-percent off. OVOLO, WOOLLOOMOOLOO Situated in a gorgeous heritage-listed building in Sydney's harbourside suburb of Woolloomooloo, the Ovolo is a concept boutique hotel that has plenty of character. The amount of free amenities and offerings for guests is unrivalled, including continental breakfast, a free in-room mini bar, happy hour drinks in the evening and ultra fast wifi. Plus, there's an indoor pool and gym, too, as well as pet-friendly rooms. The stunning rooms are all generous in size, the facilities are open 24 hours a day and flexibility lies at the heart of every feature. Now, the hotel is also a go-to for culinary delights, thanks to plant-based restaurant Alibi. It's the first Australian venture by world-famous vegan chef Matthew Kenney, who hails from California. The menu is big on creative combinations of fresh, local and seasonal ingredients, and the new drinks list focused on Australian drops. CRYSTALBROOK ALBION, SURRY HILLS Crystalbrook Albion is a luxurious operation in the heart of Surry Hills. It was launched back in July 2018 by 8Hotels, but has since been acquired by the Crystalbrook Collection hotel group. With 24-hour service and brekkie included, this guest house is pitched as a fusion of hotel and home. Here, you'll get to lounge around in designer interiors decked out with a covetable art collection — and in a rooftop garden complete with an outdoor shower and panoramic city views. There's also an honour-system bar, where guests can help themselves to high-end nibbles and drinks. When it comes to the food and drinks, both at the breakfast table and in the mini bar, working with local businesses such as Brix Distillery, Infinity Bakery and Poho Flowers is of major importance. CITADINES CONNECT, SYDNEY AIRPORT Airport accommodations are normally pretty drab, but the lively 150-room Citadines Connect (formerly the Felix Hotel) is bucking this trend with a truly first-class stay. Inspired by the golden age of air travel in the 60s — that is, before budget airlines made you pay for water — the seamless experience starts from the get-go with guests heading straight to the top-level penthouse to check-in. From here, overlooking the runway, guests can enjoy the rooftop cinema, dining area, heated outdoor terrace and colourful cocktail bar — the latter of which will undoubtedly be a departure from the usual monotonous airport watering holes. QT SYDNEY, CBD Every one of QT Sydney's guest suites have been carefully crafted to reflect and honour the historic Gowings and State Theatre buildings in which it resides. QT's exterior sports a striking blend of gothic, art deco, and Italianate-influenced architecture — and inside, the luxurious rooms carry through that art deco-meets-gothic aesthetic to quite the striking degree. Plus, thanks to its location right in the centre of the CBD — and alongside one of the city's most famous theatres — it's a great pick for out-of-towners, while locals can often be found making the best of its various bars, bistros and restaurants. Just nearby, you'll find Sammy Junior, Glass Brasserie and The Grounds of the City; however, if you don't feel like leaving your hotel, you're in luck. The QT hosts the renowned Gowings Bar & Grill, too. Want to stay a little closer to the beach? Hop over to the QT Bondi for a coastal escape. THE LANGHAM, MILLERS POINT Just a ten-minute walk from Circular Quay and The Rocks, The Langham is the epitome of boutique indulgence. With only 96 exquisite rooms on offer, demand for even just one night at this Sydney institution is high all year round — and with facilities like its fitness centre, sauna, day spa and a spectacular 20-metre indoor pool with a star-dappled sky ceiling, you'll find it hard to tear yourself away from the hotel to explore the amazing areas that surround it. Within the suites, expect plush furniture, high ceilings and large windows over-looking the western side of the harbour. Bed and breakfast specials are also on offer, as is a 'pampered pets program' — making it one of Sydney's only pet-friendly accommodation options at luxury level. OUT OF TOWN: BANNISTERS, PORT STEPHENS Bannisters opened its much-anticipated third NSW hotel in Port Stephens back in 2018. With two already in Mollymook, the boutique chain's latest outpost is perched on absolute beachfront in Soldiers Point. The luxury digs includes dog-friendly rooms, stunning views, super-luxe suites and, for very special occasions, a penthouse. Depending on where you choose to stay, you'll be looking out at either the tranquil waters of Nelson Bay or dense forest — or both. Wherever you sleep, you can look forward to light-filled spaces, Hamptons-inspired white hues, king-sized beds and decadent touches. Among the common facilities is an infinity pool — looking out across the river — and the Terrace Bar. Plus, if you're keen to indulge, Rick Stein at Bannisters is also on the water, with Stein and head chef Mitchell Turner overseeing a menu big on premium seafood. Top image:
Are you the kind of gin drinker who believes that if you want something done right, you'll have to do it yourself? Well, have we got an activity for you. The Archie Rose Distillery Company is hosting a 'Blend Your Own Gin' course with Work-Shop at their Rosebery warehouse from June 17. After a signature dry gin and bush tonic on arrival, the gin savants of Archie Rose will guide you through the distillation process and give you the means to blend two varieties to take home and guzzle straight from the bottle. The session will be led by Dave Withers, a renowned spirits authority and whisky expert, and the Archie Rose team will pop their heads in to taste how you're going. They’ll also teach you a bit about the history of gin, so you can show off to the bartender next time you order a G&T at your local. You can select the infusions that match your gin-style and choose from such whimsical flavours as native blood lime and river mint or juniper and cassia bark. Perhaps trying pushing the boat out and whip up a Vegemite-flavoured gin? No, no please don't, no one should ever ruin a good thing with Vegemite. The Archie Rose Distillery Company is the first distillery to open in Sydney for 160 long, dry years and it’s really living up to the hype. As well as the Blend Your Own Gin workshop, the crew is offering distillery tours and food events throughout winter in partnership with Black Star Pastry, and they’re even conjuring up a Tailored Spirits service available to order online and have delivered straight to your door (as if we weren’t tempted enough).
UPDATE, January 22, 2021: Get Out is available to stream via Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. When a movie starts with a character walking nervously along a dark street, we all know what's going to happen next. Decades of horror films have taught us that nothing good can occur here. And, in Get Out, the situation plays out exactly as we've been conditioned to expect. The scared person is abducted by a masked attacker and dragged into a car. Crucially though, the victim isn't an attractive young woman, but rather a black man (Lakeith Stanfield) getting snatched up in the kind of picket-fenced suburbia most white folks could stroll through without fear. If you've ever seen his work with Keegan-Michael Key across the five seasons of their sketch comedy show Key and Peele, writer-director Jordan Peele's fondness for dissecting matters of race won't come as much of a surprise. While his first stint as a filmmaker doesn't feature white zombies refusing to eat people of colour, the underlying idea that African Americans are treated differently still sticks. Here, as in his comedy, he presents a scenario that quickly goes from amusing to uncomfortable to downright unnerving. Following Get Out's sinister opening scene, the film's focus switches to Brooklyn photographer Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), who's about to head to his girlfriend Rose's (Allison Williams) family home in the country. He's meeting her parents for the first time, and he's understandably anxious. When he asks "do they know I'm black?", she assures him that it doesn't matter because her dad would've voted for Obama a third time if he could've. Chris has clearly heard similar sentiments before, and knows it's going to be awkward anyway. "I don't wanna get chased off the lawn with a shotgun," he jokes. After they arrive, Rose's father (Bradley Whitford) keeps dropping "my man" into daggy attempts at conversation. Her mother (Catherine Keener) is polite to Chris, but noticeably stern with their black servants (Betty Gabriel and Marcus Henderson). Then there's Rose's younger brother Jeremy (Caleb Landry Jones) who makes uncomfortable comments about Chris' physique. To say that things don't feel quite right is a horror movie understatement right up there with Rosemary finding her new neighbours a bit odd in Rosemary's Baby. But again, Chris has seen this type of behaviour before. He's not thrilled, but he's not astonished either. Like all sinister storylines, the events that unfold are best discovered with as little prior knowledge as possible. It's not hard to pick up on the cleverly deployed horror tropes as they appear: the isolated location, hitting a deer on the way there, and the vocal warnings from Chris' pal Rod (LilRel Howery) back home. Likewise, you won't be able to miss the way that race keeps seeping into every conversation, shaping the way the movie unfolds. Peele's mastery of his spook-inducing genre is evident from the outset, but it's how he uses his classic setup to subvert the expected cliches and unleash a barrage of scathing social commentary that proves downright genius. What's so great about Get Out is how it defies easy categorisation. It's smart and oh-so-timely in the way that it highlights what it's like to be black in "post-racial" America. It's also genuinely unsettling and tense in an edge-of-your-seat manner, and never stops making viewers question what it is they're seeing. Last but not least, it's frequently hilarious, which given the director's background shouldn't come as a surprise. Add all of that together, and you're gifted one of the most assured, astute, entertaining and intelligent horror movies to creep out cinemas in years.
This Easter long weekend, there's a damn good new reason to ditch the road trip plans. Glebe is set to host the inaugural Coloursound Festival, a brand new music, craft beer, food and culture festival happening from March 24-27. Yup, that's one big mouthful of awesomeness. The four-day event is being organised by local Glebe resident and event manager Joshua McBeath, in partnership with The Record Crate. In an effort to bring the community together with independent bands, artists and local businesses, McBeath has curated one serious lineup of live acts, performances, exhibitions and craft beer events. The Record Crate has long been a champion of the live music and craft beer combo, so their involvement is a no-brainer. With 70+ performances across 13 Glebe spaces, the suburb will be rocking nonstop for the entire weekend. Local Sydney bands like Dead Radio and Suixx will be joined by Victorian imports Terrible Truths and Contrast, among many, many others. That's just the music side. Staves Brewery will also play a major role, including the 'world record tankard challenge', a craft beer showdown, tastings and giveaways from the likes of Merchant, Feral, Badlands and Nomad brewing companies. These events will run alongside an Altairzine photography exhibition, zine fair, and Mug and Kettle comedy festival. Markets and live art installations will also be popping up throughout the weekend. Discounts and special offers will be available across upward of 10 popular Glebe Point Road joints, including Flying Fajita Sisters, Badde Manors, and one of Glebe's newer favourites, Thievery. Tickets range from $5 one-day passes to $75 all-access — which includes access to, well, everything, but most notably to all 25 bands that will play at The Record Crate's upstairs live room. For a lineup this jam packed, it's some serious bang-for-your-buck action. Coloursound Festival will run from 8pm on Thursday, March 24 through Sunday, March 27. Checkout Eventbrite for the full program. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Not too long ago, you'd be hard-pressed to find a good craft beer in Sydney. Now there are so many small breweries dotted all over the country producing amazing craft. Mid-October signals the return of Sydney Craft Beer Week, a celebration of these beers. It doesn't matter if you're a foodie, a beer geek or just a casual drinker. With over a hundred events across nine days, there's something for everyone. Come meet the brewers, taste their products and have a good ol' time.
Home wine delivery is finally catching up with the wine fiend’s need to sample as many drops from as many places as often as possible. A new US-based service by the name of Vinebox brings wines to your door — by the glass, rather than by the bottle. For a neat monthly price, subscribers score three premium drops, sourced from wine regions all over the planet. Fingers crossed for an Australian version. Each tasting comes in the form of a 100ml vial. Thanks to Vinebox’s patented, cutting-edge tech, the packaging process meets the stringent standards demanded by bottling. The wine is not exposed to oxygen at any point, so you can store your samples for at least three years. Vinebox’s team of specialists and sommeliers are experts in unique vineyards, obscure locations and wines that wouldn’t normally be available in the US, so subscribers can count on fun and interesting discoveries. And the company provides your own user account, enabling you to keep track of your tastings and thoughts. Once Vinebox has established your preferred flavour profiles, you can choose to receive personalised recommendations — very much like this savvy taste-predicting app. So who dreamed up this handy service? Vinebox is the creation of two former attorneys from New York City, Matt and Rachael, who quit their jobs to pursue their passion for wine. Their goal is to promote “spectacular” wines made in independent wineries around the world that often don’t make it to bottle shop shelves. Unfortunately, Vinebox is only taking sign-ups from US residents at the moment. We’re hoping it’s not long before it catches on here.
The NGV has hosted some pretty epic exhibitions over the last few years — Ai Weiei and Andy Warhol, Hokusai and Van Gogh are just a few— but this might be its most ambitious exhibition yet. Descending on the gallery from today — Friday, December 15 — and then every three years after that, the NGV Triennial presents a smorgasbord of art and design, plucked from all corners of the globe and representing established artists, emerging talent, and plenty else in between. And the first one is nothing short of grand. The free exhibition will take over all four levels of the gallery until April 2018 and host a slew of newly commissioned works by over 60 artists and designers. But where it's really upping the ante is in the audience experience, with visitors invited to present their own ideas through cross-platform content, and the exhibition's participatory works designed to engage like never before. Legendary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, best known for her obsessive patterning and vibrant representations of the infinite, will invite glimpses into the artist's mind with a work titled Flower obsession. Created especially for the NGV Triennial, the interactive exhibition will have visitors unleashing some creativity of their own, as they help plaster a furnished space with an array of colourful flower stickers and three-dimensional blooms. Another highlight is an epic display of 100 oversized human skulls created by Australian artist Ron Mueck, and you'll want to step inside teamLab's immersive mirrored room that reacts to visitors' movements. Kusuma joins other international names like Germany's Timo Nasseri and Canada's Sascha Braunig, alongside an Aussie billing that includes the likes of Ben Quilty, Louisa Bufardeci, and Tom Crago. There'll be an installation from Chinese haute couture fashion guru Guo Pei, designer of Rihanna's canary-yellow Met Ball gown, and chemist and odour theorist Sissel Tolaas will create the 'scent of Melbourne' exclusively for the Triennial. And Alexandra Kehayoglou will be creating one of her monumentally-sized, lushly illustrated carpets, spanning over eight metres long. The NGV Triennial will be on display at the National Gallery of Victoria from December 15, 2017 till April 15, 2018. For more info, visit ngv.com.au.
Before the pandemic, it was one of the annual highlights of Sydney's art calendar. Now it's finally returning for the first time since 2019. Mark Friday, October 21–Monday, November 7 in your calendar because the super-popular free outdoor exhibition Sculpture by the Sea is making its grand comeback to Sydney's eastern suburbs. This year, the long-running waterfront art trail is unveiling more than 100 large-scale artworks by Australian and international sculptors, peppered all along Sydney's two-kilometre Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk. A few of the artists on the lineup include Marina DeBris and Stephen King, recipients of the Helen Lempriere Scholarship; and Denmark's Naja Utzon Popov — the first person to nab the new $15,000 Friendship Society of Denmark, Australia and New Zealand Danish Artist Award. [caption id="attachment_860365" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joel Alder, Viewfinder[/caption] Four artworks will also feature in the trail as part of a response to the conflict in Ukraine. Viktoria Kulikova, Art Director at Kyiv's Abramovych Art Agency, has curated a section of the walk that will showcase four Ukrainian artists — Dmitriy Grek, Egor Zigura, Nikita Zigura and Oleksii Zolotariov — while also raising money for refugees that have been displaced by the war. "The day-to-day life in Ukraine these days isn't limited to the Russian invasion," Kulikova said. "It is also about resistance and unity as parts of our genetic code and our culture. Highlighting our intangible and material heritage for the international community is of utmost importance to promote solidarity with Ukraine." [caption id="attachment_874597" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oleksii Zolotariov, Wind Rose[/caption] 2022 will mark the exhibition's 24th year and, as always, it's set to draw a crowd. In 2019, Sculpture by the Sea attracted approximately 450,000 visitors over three weeks, with a similar number of art-lovers expected this time around. The event's return won't just unleash a heap of eye-catching sights upon Sydney, and give locals and tourists alike an excuse to soak in the scenery as well — it'll cap off an understandably tumultuous few years for the exhibition. Sculpture by the Sea tried to make a comeback in October 2021, but had to scrap those plans due to the pandemic, marking the second year it went through that process. In 2020, the event initially planned to go ahead as normal in October, then aimed for an early 2021 berth. It did successfully stage a CBD spinoff, Sculpture Rocks, in autumn 2021, however. Following the 18-day program in Sydney's east, Sculpture by the Sea will move on to Cottesloe from Friday, March 3–Monday, March 20 next year. [caption id="attachment_860366" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katja Grinling, Clyde Yee[/caption]
If you've ever strolled down the hidden Gehrig Lane, you'd surely have considered yourself lost. As of Friday, though, you won’t be wandering through Camperdown's catacombs by accident – the Wayward Brewing Company is opening its secret brewery location to eager inner westies and craft beer lovers. Walk into one of the many white-walled warehouses and you'll find yourself in a mysterious cave with serious mood lighting and rooms that seem to stretch on indefinitely. This is not your standard brewery, and better resembles the buildings roots, a wine cellar since the early 1900s. The Wayward team have maintained the waxed and wine spattered walls, which are softly illuminated, making the place feel more underground speakeasy than craft beer haven. This covert laneway location was purposefully chosen as it perfectly compliments the meaning behind Wayward: "to be lost on purpose". Owner Peter Philip and his sous brewer Shaun Blissett have been working tirelessly to make sure the brewery epitomises this quote at every turn. Sitting in the "little labyrinth" of rooms inside his secret cave, Pete explains how the values of this place really fit the brewery's vision. "[It makes patrons think] I know I'm in the middle of no where, but I'm meant to be here," he says. With 'carpe bierum' painted on the wall and a gloriously mounted motorcycle, Pete aims to epitomise this meaning. This traveller's mentality is present in the Wayward beer itself. "I still consider myself a home brewer at heart," says Pete, and the Wayward crew are "not afraid to go off the beaten track" when it comes to their beers. The Wayward flagship Charmer India Red Ale has won several awards, including the silver medal at the Australian International Beer Awards. Pete has also done some wackier brews, like Chockywocky Doppelbocky, a smoked chocolate and sour cherry beer aged in oak. Across the board, their beer is full flavoured but approachable and always inventive, which isn't surprising coming from a brewer who thinks "it's not work, making beer is just fun." The rooms themselves are furnished with repurposed material, from the vintage, '70s-style couches and tables to the theatre seating along a couple of walls and beer keg lamps hanging from the ceiling. Each upcycled item comes with a story, much like the building itself. If the dimly lit interior has fooled you, though, the open brew room will remind you what you're really here for. The bright, Wayward yellow floors and modern equipment makes this the Willy Wonka's factory of beer and are quite the contrast to the cool atmosphere of the cellar door. The Wayward team are still ironing out all the kinks, but for now the cellar door will be open weekends, with their core four beers on tap: Charmer IRA, Keller Instinct Bavarian Lager, Raconteur Biere de Garde, and FUSAMI Victory IPL. Along with artwork commissioned by a local and three rotating guest taps for local brewers, you can't get a better community hangout. So go ahead and carpe bierum. Find Wayward Brewing at 1 Gehrig Lane, Camperdown.
Bell Shakespeare artistic director Peter Evans has teamed up with Australian stage and screen actor Kate Mulvany to bring to life one of the most manipulative, dastardly and downright evil characters ever to stand before the footlights. Mulvany will play the notorious woman-hater and generally tasteless gent, which will undoubtedly lead to some tasty additional layers in the play and a fresh look at this gem of theatre and literature. Shakespeare's classic play explores King Richard III's Machiavellian acquisition of power and has essentially served as a textbook for most politicians from Henry Kissinger to… well, you can draw your own conclusions. The themes of power, deceit and malevolence amongst the ruling elite that are central to the play, have been echoed throughout the ages. If you're keen to get more out of House of Cards, this is a good place to start. Image: Pierre Toussaint.
UPDATE: Thursday May 6, 2021 — Due to new COVID-19 restrictions, Estamos Turns One has been postponed. This page will be updated when the event has a new date. For the latest information on the developing COVID-19 outbreak, visit NSW Health. The Spanish word for 'we are', Estamos was born from a desire to spend better, quality time with the people you love. It's fitting then, that Estamos will celebrate turning one by teaming up with Mirskaya Events to host a one-day only margarita and music festival at Watsons Bay Hotel on Saturday, May 8. Running from midday – 4pm, the Estamos team has booked out the entire top deck and balcony of Watsons to celebrate. Along with an open two-hour bar featuring Estamos' spicy watermelon, and cucumber cooler margaritas, there will be a range of wine, beer and canapes on offer throughout the afternoon. Four DJs and a surprise guest will round out entertainment for the 250-person event. Estamos is known for its guilt-free, clean margarita mix — giving Sydneysiders a convenient option for creating low-cal margs from the comfort of home (there's only 21 calories and 3g of natural sugar per serve). Its first birthday party will be Estamos' third Sydney event, with all previous events sold out across the city. Tickets range from $100 – $125 and are on-sale now.
Victoria's answer to Dark Mofo, WinterWild is returning to Apollo Bay this August for its second year. While last year's after-dark winter arts festival was structured around the elements — with four weekends each set to the theme of water, fire, air and earth — this year's theme is death and birth. Creeping into the coastal shire on the eastern side of Cape Otway, the festival will take place across two weekends in August. Each evening will begin with a ceremonial bonfire on the beach, with fire-cooked fare and warming drinks, before branching out to the Mechanics Hall and beyond. Standout events on the program for the first weekend Death, running from August 10–12, include Lyric Opera's Quietus — a musical meditation on the power of the sea — an outdoor cinema screening shorts, including political satire Terror Nullius, and The Sublime, an immersive (and haunting) AI-led tour of the quarry. Two weekends later, Birth, running from August 24–26, will again feature the cinema and workshop, alongside Feastiality, a whole-beast feast cooked along the foreshore, a rock 'n' roll party at The Brewhouse, and a conversation about Indigenous Australian food and drink with wine writer Max Allen and conservationist Jack Pascoe. "This festival won't be for the faint-hearted," said festival director Roderick Poole. "It is very much aimed at adventurous spirits ready to take on a challenge; to embrace the harsh environment and celebrate the beauty of the elements at their extremes. WinterWild will run across two weekends, Death from August 10–12 and Birth from August 24–26. To see the full lineup and purchase tickets, head to winterwildapollobay.com.au.
One of the enduring mysteries of cooking is that two chefs, with the same ingredients, and the same recipe, can end up with two very different outcomes. Where one whips up something delectable, the other churns out a barely-edible mess. Despite the triumph of MasterChef and the ubiquity of celebrity chefs, it's still difficult to pin-point what, exactly, makes the difference. Enter The Indigo Project's The Mindful Belly: Conscious Pasta Class. This workshop is staked on the idea that to cook better, you need a dash of mindfulness. Run by chef Harry Bourne (Love Supreme, Quay, Hartsyard) and psychologist Mary Hoang and held at Love Supreme, the class involves mindfulness meditation exercises, as well as a step-by-step lesson in making traditional farfalle and tortellini using traditional techniques, including tricks for creating perfect pasta dough. You'll be treated to nibbles on arrival and, once the cooking's done, you'll sit down to a mindful feast, accompanied by a mindful wine tasting. The Mindful Belly will happen monthly, with dates to be announced.
There's nothing like a midweek spot o' fried chicken and noodle, especially when it comes from the meat-lovin' mind behind Manly Wharf's Papi Chulo. As part of March into Merivale, PC head chef Patrick Friesen is branching out from last year's Thai-focused project to launch this year's instalment of the Work in Progress pop-up. Chefs know their late night supper spots, finishing work well after you've digested your dins and are happily tucked in. Friesen's taken inspiration from his favourite late night Sydney eateries. He's designed a bite-sized menu of Asian-style fried chicken, Hong Kong noodles and snacky nibbles for his MIM pop-up. "The menu is influenced by the late night haunts that other chefs and I like to go to smash fried chicken, noodles, and beers after a busy service," says Friesen. "It’s a small menu, but full of the tasty things you want to eat with a few drinks or on a solo lunch mission." Think fried chicken with ginger nuoc cham, served with kimchi, pickled daikon and garlic cucumbers. Think pnomh penh wings with lime white pepper, Sichuan duck with tofu lo mein, and pork and prawn wonton mein with egg noodles. But you won't be left with a mouthful of delicious, delicious fried chicken and nothing to wash it down. Friesen's nosh will be paired with a specially-created cocktail menu, with the likes of the Shaky Pete (Beefeater 24 gin, ginger, 150 lashes pale ale) and Down the Stairs (Zubrowka, pressed apple, lemon, cinnamon) sounding pretty delicious for $18 a piece, or you can choose from the Australian/New Zealand-heavy wine and beer selection. Work in Progress will sit at 50 King Street from Thursday, February 26. Open Monday to Friday 12pm-3pm, 6-10pm (kitchen); 12pm-late (bar). Want more on March into Merivale? Head over here. UPDATE 25/3: Due to popular demand (read: Sydney's insatiable appetite for Patrick Friesen's fried chicken noodles), the Papi Chulo Work in Progress pop-up will remain open after March into Merivale until further notice. MOAR CHICKEN.
Americans afraid of a Donald Trump presidency are using websites and apps in order to trade votes with people in other states, in an effort to keep the Republican candidate out of the White House. Websites like Trump Traders are aimed at Republicans in so-called swing states, such as Florida and North Carolina, who are opposed to Donald Trump but don't wish to vote directly for Hillary Clinton, so intend to vote for a third party candidate instead. "We get it. Secretary Clinton is not your favourite," explains the website. "But at this point she is the only one standing between Trump and the White House. If you are #NeverTrump but want to support Gary Johnson or another third party candidate in a swing state, don't do it. You may toss the election to Trump. Instead, find a friend in a state that's safely blue or red — they'll vote for your third party candidate in exchange for your vote for Clinton." According to Trump Traders co-founder John Stubbs, more than 15,000 people had enrolled to swap their votes on the site. Apps such as NeverTrump functions in a similar fashion, allowing voters in swing states to swap votes with those in states that are considered safe. Vote trading is perfectly legal, although it does rely on the honour system — that is, you have to trust that the random stranger that you're trading votes with will actually vote for who they say they will. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTUe04et4EQ Via ABC.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and start that independent photography career? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of some bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. From a very young age, we're all asked the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" We're told to pick one path, one profession, to neatly label the rest of your life. Our responses change as we grow up, from astronaut to engineer, princess to PR, and for Sydney-based Cole Bennetts, from Penguin Boy to renowned photographer taking the Prime Minister's portrait. Now he's shot the likes of Sticky Fingers, Hermitude, Horrorshow, One Day and more, and you can find his work published in TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Irish Times and Rolling Stone to name a few. Not bad for a Penguin Boy. WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU PENGUINS, BECOME THEIR KING Cole's origin story reads like a Mark Twain book, a tale from a time before life happened on the screen and people went out to seek their fortunes. Initially for Cole, the end goal was never photography. His start in the industry came from a pretty unlikely place — as a way to weasel out of participating in the swimming carnival. "I'd never been the most athletic of people but I discovered that if I had a camera in my hand I didn't have to swim in the swimming carnival. I was like 'there's something to this'." A self-proclaimed science nerd, Cole's formative years were spent studying biology at university and eventually found him monitoring the behavioural patterns of seagulls and penguins in Bass Strait. The documentation process again stirred his interest in photography and, strangely, penguin care. "When that wound up [at Bass Strait] I found myself in Canberra with the zoo there. I spent about 18 months within the zoo as a penguin keeper. I managed to get the nickname 'Penguin Boy'. I can't believe I'm saying this." SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO SPEND SIX MONTHS IN THE WILD The antics of Penguin Boy became an attraction at the zoo, from lining up the penguins for feeding time to putting them to bed. Eventually, the prestigious title wore thin and Cole stumbled across an opportunity that would make most of us hurtle in the opposite direction. "I got offered a job on a really remote island… There was no water, there was nothing. We'd have to have supplies brought in by shark fishermen. It was a six-month stint living like a wild man." Just after quitting his role as Penguin Boy, Cole found out funding for the project had been cut and he was without a job. After a series of fortunate events, he founded a music business in Canberra and set about promoting. But Cole didn't have the budget for a photographer, someone you're kind of going to need for promo. So, having 'made do' in those six-months on the island, he improvised. "I bought a cheap camera set up and quit my job and told people I was a photographer. And I was awful. I was so bad. Within four weeks of doing it, I had $2.20 and half a loaf of bread to my name. "If you're going to do something, you throw yourself into it. I'm a big believer in sink or swim. And fake it till you make it. There's no better situation to learn than when you have no option; it's do or die." FAKE IT TILL YOU TAKE THE PRIME MINISTER'S PORTRAIT There's not a lot to do in Canberra outside of politics and partying, so Cole had a lot of fodder to snap. A crash course in how to work a camera when there's no natural light and your subjects are swaying was just what he needed to get a start in the world of photography. Fast forward a few years, he's made a name for himself as a portrait photographer and has jacked a gig taking the PM's portrait. "It's a fine line when you're shooting... Your subjects may be celebrities, they may be artists but you've got to stand in front of them with a camera […] and do them right," he says. "So I was down on my knees in front of Julia Gillard's desk and I was having trouble getting the right feel and I was starting to panic and I was like 'OK, Prime Minister, what I need you to do is close your eyes and I want you to go to your happy place'. That was crazy." He got the shot in the end though and, true to form, bossing the PM around becomes just one of his weird work stories to tell. CHANGE THE GAME — NOT EVERY HIP HOP ARTIST NEEDS TO RAP SQUAT Cole soon moved from Canberra to Sydney, the land of creative opportunity, to try and break into music photography. One day while working in his Camperdown studio, he left to pick up some lunch and walked smack bang into Omar Musa, his friend and collaborator, and Morgan Jones of the Thundamentals. "A couple of weeks later I bumped into Morgs in the cafe and he had this new group called Jones Jnr. I said I'll do your pictures, I'll do them for free but if you go anywhere and you become successful, then I'm your guy," he says. It was a smart gamble, as Morgan was in the process of writing Step On Sleep, Jones Jnr's successful debut album. From this handshake agreement, Cole has built a career photographing Australian musicians including Sticky Fingers, Hermitude, Horrorshow, Hilltop Hoods, One Day, Spit Syndicate, Tuka, Jackie Onassis, The Rubens, Angus Stone, Left and more, alongside international stars like The 1975. His proclivity for shooting hip hop royalty has changed the game and shifted music portraiture away from the cheesy and the cliché. "These guys are super intelligent, they've got good stories to tell," he says. "It's not doing rap squats in front of graffiti walls." And who better to tell someone else's tale than a guy with a killer story to tell? When you wake up a Penguin Boy one day, unemployed the next, Kirribilli House soon after, you stop fearing change and start to embrace a Sine Metu mindset because it might lead to the best shot of your life. "It doesn't matter if I'm shooting the biggest name in Australian music or I'm shooting someone having a dance, if I get the frame that captures that moment… I get just as excited. It's about storytelling." Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Thanks to Jameson and The Rewriters, one extremely fortunate Concrete Playground reader (and their even more fortunate mate) will get the chance to 'fear less' and go on a big ol' adventure to Ireland. In addition to two return flights departing from your choice of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, this epic giveaway comes with five night's accommodation and $500 spending money you can use to paint the Emerald Isle red. ENTER HERE. For more about how 'Sine Metu' influenced John Jameson's journey visit Jameson's website.
The two-kilometre coastal walk between Bondi and Tamarama is always a stunning Sydney sight no matter when you mosey along it — and for locals and tourists alike — but it's especially impressive during Sculpture by the Sea. Once a year since 1997, except during the pandemic's early days, the outdoor art event displays large-scale pieces with the ocean as a backdrop. Understandably, it isn't just one of the annual highlights of Sydney's cultural calendar, but of Australia's. That excuse to soak up the great outdoors in the Harbour City returns again in 2023, from Friday, October 20–Monday, November 6. On the agenda once more: 100-plus artworks by Australian and international sculptors, all along a two-kilometre walk. But this is the 25th Sculpture by the Sea, so it's celebrating notching up that milestone with pieces by artists who displayed at the event back at its beginning. Paul Bacon, Stephen King, Michael Le Grand, John Petrie, James Rogers and Margarita Sampson earn those honours, bookending a quarter-century run. [caption id="attachment_911393" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Artist: Nigel Washington. Photo: Jack Bett.[/caption] Sculpture by the Sea 2023 also features works by Philip Spelman and Ron Gomboc, who reach double decades displaying at the event; Lucy Barker and Ayako Saito, who hit a decade; and Chinese artist Chen Wenling. Discovering exactly who'll be showing what and where is part of the fun of taking the spring stroll, but this year's event clearly won't be short on talent. Another huge must-see: the return of 2006's famous melting ice cream van, aka Hot with a Chance of a Late Storm by Glue Society + James Dive, which will display at Tamarama Beach. As always, the exhibition is set to draw a crowd. Each year, Sculpture by the Sea attracts approximately 450,000 visitors over 18 days, with the same number of art lovers expected this time around. [caption id="attachment_922730" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Artist: Glue Society + James Dive. Photo: Louise Beaumont.[/caption]
Ever wanted to own your own Banksy original? Well now for a mere $435,000 you can. And while that may sound a bit steep, the price actually isn't that bad when you consider that it includes the entire three bedroom house on which the mural is painted. Located on the side of a two-story terrace in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Spy Booth depicts three secret agents dressed in trenchcoats and dark glasses monitoring a nearby phonebooth with surveillance equipment. Painted in April 2014, it's viewed as a comment on the global surveillance scandal caused by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The house is located just a few kilometres away from the headquarters of the GCHQ, Britain's security and intelligence agency. But while you might imagine that having a Banksy on the side of your house would be a blessing, the owner of 159 Fairview Road says he has experienced constant stress since the appearance of the artwork, which he's been unable to remove or sell since council planners granted it retroactive planning permission. So instead, he's selling the whole building. "If Cheltenham want it, they can have it," 45-year-old David Possee said in an interview. "Just buy the building off me, I just want to get on with my life. Cut me free, you can have the Cheltenham Banksy." Fair warning to any potential bidders out there: while the artwork may be great, the house itself is in need of serious renovations. Or, as real estate agents Peter Ball & Co put it, "requires a comprehensive schedule of refurbishment." To view the listing, go here. Via Domain.
“Have you skied before?” This is the question I am asked — repeatedly — on the way to Thredbo: at reception when checking in at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel, at a five-course champagne brunch in an inflatable igloo on the ski slopes (a combination of words I never thought I'd say), while dancing and chatting to strangers during a poolside party started by French phenomenon La Folie Douce and, of course, when collecting gear and being assigned to a ski lesson on the final day of this weekend celebrating the Thredbo Top2Bottom race. The answer is sort of, once, when I was in high school and spent a day tumbling down Friday Flats. But if you think Thredbo isn’t for you, it’s time to think again. There’s a lot more than just skiing on offer in this alpine village getaway. ARRIVE AT THE HOTEL; DON'T LEAVE THE HOTEL From outside, the Thredbo Alpine Hotel (Friday Drive, Thredbo Village Resort, +61 2 6459 4200) looks austere — with a grey timber exterior capped by an aggressively sloping roof. But inside, it’s warm and wood-panelled, the staff are chilled out and friendly and there is a roaring log fire in the middle of the lobby lounge. The setting is pretty spectacular too. From the hotel room window, I can see a snow-covered mountain that reflects the pink morning light, and a pristine landscape of sky and trees. The rooms are small and haven’t been refurbished since the ‘80s, but this adds a rustic charm and comfort. The hotel breakfast is deliciously comprehensive, and the restaurant windows look out onto the slopes. Whether you’re into the bircher muesli or hash browns (or both), you can sit in your warm smugness and watch early morning skiers tear down the Supertrail at their own peril. The hotel also has an outdoor spa, an in-house massage therapist and sauna. So you basically have no reason to leave. OPEN CHAMPAGNE THE RIGHT WAY: WITH A SWORD On the first morning, I am whisked away to Crackenback Drive and treated by Mumm Champagne to a five-course champagne degustation with chef ambassador Josh Lopez (from Brisbane’s GOMA restaurant). The pop up restaurant is set on the snow in an inflatable igloo by the ski slopes. Mumm ambassador Chris Sheehy introduces the champagne at the beginning of each course, followed by Josh Lopez, who explains his approach to each dish. I learn how to open a bottle of champagne with a saber (the essential trick is to chill the neck of the bottle for a couple of hours to get a clean break), eat black rose caviar off the back of my hand and appreciate how truffle coated in 24 carat gold goes marvellously with a cordon rouge (that’s a type of champagne). The dessert is the highlight (or perhaps my head is rather light by this point), an architectural feat with macadamia, berries, vanilla and rose petals, matched with a light rosé. An evening champagne and caviar masterclass with Sheehy and Lopez was also available to Thredbo visitors at the Segreto Restaurant back at the Alpine Lodge Hotel. PARTY LIKE IT'S -5ºC (IT IS) Thredbo Alpine Hotel is known for its afternoon après-ski parties, and from 3-6pm international party-starters La Folie Douce took to the poolside stage, pumped up the beats and got the crowd going. It’s hard to explain the magic of La Folie Douce and exactly what happens up there on stage, but they charmed us with what essentially is a glorified karaoke-cross-Rihanna-inspired dance routine, hollering and grinding to a set of pumping music, encouraging the audience to follow suit. And before long, half the audience was up on stage, a squish-friendly party of ski jackets and champagne-fuelled shenanigans. And amazingly, it was finished in time for dinner. CELEBRATE OTHER PEOPLE'S ATHLETIC VICTORIES Upon assignment to this story I had a momentary freak-out where I thought I might have to actually ski in the 25th Anniversary Top2Bottom race — a kind of City2Surf for the slopes. Each year, a slew of skiers, snowboarders and even a select few fatbike racers (literally people riding fat bicycles down the slope) compete on Australia’s longest run (3.2km) for a $1200 prize pack. Luckily, all I had to do was hang out at the finish line by the Mumm Champagne pop-up bar and cheer them on. There were dramatic crashes, narrow finishes and plenty of champagne-popping to start the day. ATTEMPT TO SKI, DECIDE TO INVEST IN A TOBOGGAN The opportunity to ski came on the last morning of the trip. I quickly realised that the preparation for this sport takes more energy than the sport itself. I wore way too many layers of clothing, struggled to get my ski boots on and then walk in them (skis in tow) to the shuttle bus. But once on the magic carpet at the bottom of Friday Flats, under the friendly guidance of Albert our ski instructor, the snowplough position came rushing back to me and I went rushing down Friday Flats. It was exhilarating! But next time I think I'll invest in a toboggan. LET'S DO THIS; GIVE ME THE DETAILS Thredbo is open 365 days a year, though the ski season runs from the June long weekend to the October long weekend. By air: Qantas and Virgin Australia service Canberra Airport from major Australian cities. Canberra Airport is a 2.5 hour drive from Thredbo and shuttle transfers to and from the airport can be arranged. Several major car hire companies also hire from Canberra. By bus: Greyhound Australia run daily services from Canberra and Sydney, Murrays run daily services from Canberra during July and August and other service operators also offer transport and packages. By car: Thredbo is approximately 500km, or 6 hours' drive, from both Sydney and Melbourne. If you’re cruising to the mountains from Sydney, once you’re on the Eastern Distributor there are only a few sets of traffic lights to Thredbo. From Melbourne, the fully sealed Kosciuszko Alpine Way is your scenic window as you wind through the spectacular Kosciuszko National Park. The National Parks and Wildlife Service collect park use fees upon entry to the park. You can purchase your pass from the Entrance Station 13km before you get to Thredbo, the Snowy Region Visitors Centre in Jindabyne, the National Parks Visitors Centre in Khancoban, or the Thredbo Information Centre. Check out some tips for safe snow driving before you leave home. Roslyn travelled to Thredbo as a guest of Mumm champagne.
Man the glitter cannons, crank the human-sized hamster wheels and blast the oversized wind machines; SBS has just announced it's developing a version of the Eurovision Song Contest for the Asia Pacific region. Yep. HOLY. CRAP. Announced today, the Australian broadcaster has signed an exclusive option with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the owners of Eurovision, to establish an Asian version of the contest. And guess who's up for hosting? AUSTRALIA. Really. According to SBS, the inaugural event would be hosted by Australia in 2017 (next year, my giddy aunt) and would then travel to other countries in the Asia Pacific. Like the Eurovision Song Contest proper, the Asia Pacific event would allow countries to showcase their songwriting and performing talent. Think about it, from J-Pop to K-Pop to Bollywood, this is perfect territory for Eurovision. "As the official broadcaster of Eurovision for over 30 years, SBS is pleased to explore the opportunity to bring an event of this calibre more closely to our shores, strengthening the multicultural ties in our region," said SBS managing director Michael Ebeid. "Asia Pacific has a spectacular music culture and the perfect next step to extend the Eurovision brand, bringing its hugely popular appeal beyond Australian audiences and to the wider region." Capitalising on the undeniable global success, crazy, crazy production values and epic scale of Eurovision, this brand new (and insanely close-to-home) event would bringing together up to 20 countries from the Asia Pacific region to compete in one live annual grand final. SBS and Blink TV will spend the next few months talking to potential sponsors, commercial partners and regional broadcasters to bring the event to life by 2017. With the potential to attract an estimated one billion viewers across the Asia Pacific region, we're pretty sure these'll be positive chats. No pressure, Dami Im. Image: Thomas Hanses (EBU).
Let’s clear one thing up immediately: SPECTRE isn't nearly as bad as some critics are making out. We’re mercifully far from the nightmarish hellscape of Die Another Day or the '…...............huh?' of Quantum of Solace. It's just that SPECTRE isn’t quite Skyfall, either. Firstly, though, to the good bits. This film is stunning. Cinematographer and man with a Bond name Hoyte van Hoytema (Interstellar, Her) has crafted something magnificent here, framing every shot to perfection regardless of scale. Credit, too, to director Sam Mendes, who again proves that his dramatic background in no way hampers his ability to shoot thrilling action sequences. On that front, the film’s best is also its first: a five minute ‘uninterrupted’ tracking of Bond through the streets of Mexico during the Día de los Muertos festival. In fact, the whole first half hour of SPECTRE is so tight, its trajectory puts it on track to rival (or even surpass) its predecessor, however it's at that point where unfortunately the cracks also begin to appear. The overall viewing experience of SPECTRE might best be described as one of déjà vu. The story, to its benefit, draws heavily upon the three previous films as both an explanation for Bond’s increasingly tortured temperament and as a through-line tying the whole ‘Craig era’ together. Where things get problematic, though, is when near-identical scenes pop up from those earlier movies. Bond being fitted with an implanted tracking device in his right arm comes straight out of Casino Royale. Bond joining his beautiful French companion in a train's dining car while they discuss why he does what he does — that's Casino too. M having to the defend the 00 program from accusations of redundancy and outdatedness formed much of Judi Dench’s screen time in Skyfall, and the villain’s desert base in SPECTRE looks remarkably like the one from Quantum with a different coat of paint. Even the score by Thomas Newman feels overly familiar, with some sections essentially cut-and-paste jobs from the Skyfall soundtrack (Jellyfish to Hinx, for example). SPECTRE’s strongest scenes are its original ones, and with a reported budget of well over $200 million it’s a crime they weren’t all that way. On the performance front, Craig is reliably stony as Bond, although ‘franchise fatigue' has visibly set in. His dispassionate characterisation often slips into languor in SPECTRE, relinquishing only when opposite Léa Seydoux as his love interest Madeleine. Seydoux is the clear standout, imbuing Madeleine with every ounce of intelligence and mystery the script could provide. As the villain, Christoph Waltz receives a disappointing amount of screen time, and his character lacks much of the menace conveyed by Javier Bardem in Skyfall. Regulars M, Q and Moneypenny all hold their own (played again by Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris), while Andrew Scott of Sherlock fame puts in a nice turn as ‘C’ — the new head of MI5. Again, this is not a bad film. The confusing or absent motivations, plot holes and scene repetition notwithstanding, SPECTRE still offers up all the elements of a classic Bond. Its action scenes are gripping, its wit affords welcome chuckles and its opulence entices. Any film that came after Skyfall was always going to be like opening up birthday socks when you'd already unwrapped the new car: it was destined to disappoint. But if you can remind yourself that socks are still pretty neat too, especially $200 million dollar ones with gorgeous people, places and cars on them, then you’ll find more than enough to like about SPECTRE.
The best of the best of local interior design has been announced by the judges at this year's Australian Interior Design Awards. Held in Sydney on Friday June 10, the 2016 ceremony – co-presented by the Design Institute of Australia and Artichoke Magazine – once again celebrated the most innovative new design projects in the country, from a waterfront apartment in Sydney to a boutique hotel in WA. Regardless of where they're located, however, all of this year's winners have one thing in common: we want to go to there. Taking home the Premier Award for Australian Interior Design was Darling Point Apartment (pictured below), a wood-panelled apartment overlooking the Sydney Harbour that was described by the jury as "an inspirational piece of interior design." The apartment also won an award for Residential Design, along with the Fitzroy Loft in Melbourne. The gong for Sustainability Advancement went to the North Shore Office fit out by Nielsen Workshop and Morgan Jenkins Architecture; the offices also won for Workplace Design. The award for Public Design, meanwhile, went to Our Lady of Assumption Primary School in Sydney, with the space having found new life from its original use as a Telstra training centre. Among the remaining winners were Sydney butcher shop 1888 Certified for Retail Design, and Perth's Alex Hotel for Hospitality Design. For the full list of Australian Interior Design Award winners, go here. Header Image: Alex Hotel, WA.
Chances are you've encountered Akasha's beers in several high-profile craft beer establishments in Sydney. The generally hop-forward, light-bodied styles are easily accessible to drinkers despite the label's aggressive hop regime and high ABVs. Akasha began with owner Dave Padden gypsy brewing back in 2015; however, within a matter of months, he had acquired the warehouse that is now the brewery, fitted it out and begun brewing beers on site — quite a feat in the small business game. This is a hop-head's dream come true, featuring rustic wooden furniture set up among the sparkling stainless steel brewing equipment and pouring from twelve taps. Grab one of Akasha's many banging beers and have a game of pool at what was dubbed, at 2018's Sydney Beer Week Awards, "Best Brewery Cellar Door in Sydney". It has a rotating roster of food truck vendors on site to dish up some, tasty feeds. Think hamburgers, hotdogs or kebabs to pair with your favourite Akasaha brew. The space is also available for functions, so start planning your next get-together and head on down to Akasha. Appears in: The Best Sydney Brewery Bars for 2023
Restaurant Hubert isn't just one of the best restaurants in Sydney. While the Swillhouse team's underground CBD eatery may stake claim to that title due to its unbeatable atmosphere and lavish French eats, it can also transform itself into a hub for art and theatre. Head down the spiral staircase and through the dining room to find Theatre Royale, a hidden arts arena that hosts Hubert's Magnums and Movies series, as well as the restaurant's postmodern burlesque La Vie Royale. The cabaret show will return to the intimate theatre on Sunday, September 24 with a stacked program intended to wow, challenge and incense audiences. Justin Shoulder is on the bill with illusions, movement and mimicry; Bella Louche will bring their renowned burlesque to the stage; and Marlena Dali is making their La Vie Royale debut with a colourful mix of performance art and clownery. Plus, your host for the night will be the beloved and multi-talented Betty Grumble. All tickets include bottomless wine, which will be passed around the room and poured generously throughout the evening. If you want the fully immersive experience, opt for the Front Row Feast, which includes floor seats right in the mix of the action and a full dinner for $225. There are also Admission De Luxe passes available for $120. These more affordable seats are located up in the stands and include a range of canapés.
