It might be his catchphrase, but "elementary, my dear Watson" isn't something that Sherlock Holmes originally said. You won't find it in the pages of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books, although it pops up quite frequently in the many, many film and television adaptations of the doctor-turned-author's work. Robert Downey Jr. mixing sarcasm and violence in the Guy Ritchie-directed Sherlock Holmes movies, Benedict Cumberbatch becoming the internet's boyfriend in Sherlock, Jonny Lee Miller taking the sleuth to the US in Elementary — they're the most recent offerings; you've probably seen one or two of them. That's just one of the Holmes tidbits you're likely to learn at The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes, and you don't have to be a world-renowned detective to figure out what it's all about. For the first time, the collection of Sherlock Holmes-related objects and manuscripts — and an interactive experience that lets you conduct experiments and solve a mystery — is venturing beyond North America for a five-month run at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum from June 3 to October 29, 2017. For those keen on delving into the items behind the 127-year-old literary and pop culture legend, prepare to cast your eyes over 350 different bits and pieces, including first editions, props, costumes, period artefacts and one of the world's most accurate recreations of 221B Baker Street (that is, the place that Holmes and John Watson call home). If chasing clues and figuring out puzzles is more your thing, then don your deerstalker to not only discover the science behind his investigative ways, but put it to use. You'll become Sherlock's eyes and ears on a new case, because, yes, the game's afoot.
There's a new spot in town facilitating all-out luxury weekends away and lavish wellness retreats right by some of NSW's best wineries. Zensi Retreat has opened just outside of Mudgee, offering a regional oasis that's perfect for big group getaways (see: sophisticated hens parties or 30ths) and romantic couples trips, while also running one-off all-inclusive wellness weekends. If you've glanced at the photos and you're already daydreaming of a trip to Zensi, there are a few ways the accommodation functions. The first is the curated wellness retreats that the team runs semi-regularly. There are two wellness weekends scheduled over the next month: the Feminine, and the Rest and Slow Down. Both include two days and two nights of nourishing meals, spa treatments, yoga and workshops — with spots available for $660–1300 per person, depending on what section of Zensi you're looking to stay in. Whenever the property isn't being used for a bespoke retreat, it's bookable for both groups and couples across two different spaces. For getaways with the crew you can opt for The House which sleeps up to ten. This four-bedroom space includes a kitchen-dining area, sauna, plunge spa, firepit, barbecue, pool with day beds and an al fresco entertainment area — making it adaptable for both swim-filled summer trips and winter evenings around the fire. As expected, this massive all-inclusive luxury stay doesn't come cheap, but, if you can get a group of ten together, the house starts from just $125 per person for each night you stay. There are also added extras that you can splurge on including a personal chef. There's also a smaller, more intimate accommodation option called The Villa. With room for two, this space is all about secluded couples or solo stays. If you've got an anniversary or birthday coming up and you're looking to escape it all, The Villa offers a one-bedroom house set to the backdrop of the vast fields of central west NSW with a pool, firepit, living and dining room, sauna and al fresco area. All of this is set on a huge 33-acre property, with both spaces designed around natural hues, raw materials and minimal distractions so that you can switch and connect with the environment around you. Founders Ruby Chapman and Ray Tayoun say that the concept behind Zensi was: "To create an experience that immerses the body and mind, where one can find a sense of ease within a meticulously curated environment that caters to your every need." Zensi Retreat is located 173 Lowes Peak Road, St Fillans, 15 minutes from Mudgee. Head to the website to browse its upcoming wellness retreats and to book a stay at either The House or The Villa.
Whoever said bouncy castles were just for kids clearly never encountered The Monster. Clocking in at 270-metres and boasting 30 different obstacles, this thing takes the title of the world's largest inflatable obstacle course. Oh, and it's just casually coming to Melbourne next month, as part of its own three-day 18+ festival of fun. Taking over the Grand Pavilion at Melbourne Showgrounds across the Australia Day long weekend, The Monster is the bouncy castle experience of your wildest kidult dreams. Punters are invited to run, jump, dance and scramble their way through the course, with sessions running from noon–10pm each day. It'll likely take you somewhere between five and 20 minutes to complete, depending on speed, coordination and how indulgent your festive season was. What's more, the fun extends beyond the final bounce, with the festival also pulling together a program of DJs, street food vendors and pop-up bars to see you sticking around long into the night. Melbourne's just the first stop on The Monster's soon-to-launch Aussie tour, with organisers TEG Life Like Touring expected to announce more cities next year. The Monster arrives in Melbourne from January 26–28, with access to the obstacle course from 12–10pm daily. Tickets are $39.90 and available from Monday, December 18. You can buy tickets at themonster.com.au.
A week after permitting New South Wales residents to stand up and drink at bars once again, the state's government has announced its next batch of eased COVID-19 restrictions — and they're big. If you thought sipping while you're on two feet was exciting, then you'll be thrilled to know that you'll soon be able to have as many people over to your house as you like. And, you'll finally be able to hit the dance floor once again. Today, Wednesday, March 24, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed that at-home gathering caps will lift from 12.01am on Monday, March 29 — but if you're having more than 100 people over to your house, you will need to have a COVID-19 safety plan in place and record visitor details electronically. Attendee limits are also being ditched for weddings and funerals. Fancy hanging out outdoors in public? Caps for personal gatherings outside are going up to 200 people. Keen to sit indoors in public? All venues are moving to the one person per two-square-metres rule, which'll kick in once there are 25 people onsite. Also, for fans of gigs, shows and sports, seated entertainment venues are moving to 100-percent capacity. If you're most excited about being able to make shapes again, that's understandable. Dance floors are back — and there'll no longer be any restrictions on dancing at all. Which means, nightclubs can reopen, too. If you have a year's worth of dancing to work out of your system and you're planning to make the most of the new rules over Easter, we're sure you'll have plenty of company. All restrictions on singing will ease, too. And, in other hefty news, masks will no longer be mandatory on public transport. They'll move to being strongly recommended instead. If you can't guarantee social distancing elsewhere, you're also advised to wear them. Announcing the news, Premier Berejiklian said that social distancing and recording patron details will remain crucial as restrictions ease. "It means good social distancing, most importantly. It means registering QR codes wherever we go. That is the key to our success. If there is an outbreak and we can't identify all the people in a particular venue, we will be having to go backwards again and I don't want to see that happen," she said. "We believe strongly in always moving forward. What we've announced now is a significant easing of restrictions. There's not much left now from pre-COVID," the Premier continued. As always, NSW residents are asked to continue to get tested immediately if you experience even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms — and to keep an eye on the list of current locations linked to cases, and monitor for symptoms, get tested and/or self-isolate as required if you've visited any of the named spots. The latest round of eased COVID-19 restrictions come into effect at 12.01am on Monday, March 29. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. Top image: Parker Blain.
Right now, it seems there's no end to the list of things you can have delivered to your door. Craving a midweek bottle of wine while social distancing? Naked Wines has your back. Fancy a fresh addition to your plant collection, dropped at your doorstep monthly? You're in capable hands with Botanic Box. Want sweeping views of some stunning Sydney coastline? Well, now you can thanks to Australia Unseen's new jigsaw puzzles. Sure, you can't physically take in the sights right now, but can get hours of at-home entertainment. Because let's face it, there are only so many times you can watch Tiger King. Australia Unseen's Vincent Rommelaere takes photos of Australian beaches and rock pools and usually sells them as prints on his website, but now he's turning these pics into puzzles and bringing the beach to your living room. Seeing as you can't just go down for a quick dip at Bondi at the moment, it may be the closest you get to feeling sand between your toes for a little while. At the moment, there are five different puzzles available as either 500-piece ($49) or 1000-piece ($59) jigsaws. If you're into ocean pools, you can choose a puzzle of Bondi's famed Icebergs, the Bronte Rock Pool or Coogee's Ross Jones Memorial Pool. Otherwise, there's a shot of Clovelly or one of people sunbathing at Bondi. More puzzles are expected to hit the online store this week, too, of Sydney's northern beaches and Byron Bay. All are aerial photographs and are sure to bring Aussie summer vibes in spades. Delivery within Australia is $10 and estimated to take two or three weeks. International shipping is also available, with cost and delivery time dependent on region. Australia Unseen jigsaw puzzles are now available to buy over here.
When Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced New South Wales' latest stage of eased COVID-19 restrictions, she gave cinephiles a particularly exciting piece of news. Movie theatres have been closed around the country since mid-March; however, with current caps on indoor venues lifting on Wednesday, July 1, it appears that projectors will be allowed to start whirring again in the state. And, while that doesn't mean that it's popcorn-munching business as usual quite yet, local cinemas will gradually begin to reopen. Randwick Ritz will be one of the initial places to start ushering movie buffs back into darkened rooms, opening its doors on the very first day it can. It'll relaunch with The Invisible Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and The Current War, all of which were already screening in March when cinemas shut. And, it'll be showing new films as well, such as The Assistant and Bait. Plus, if you haven't already caught the Hugo Weaving-starring Hearts and Bones at home — or watched Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan eat and banter their way through The Trip to Greece — you can now do so in a theatre. Come Thursday, July 2, Palace's New South Wales sites will also let punters back in — playing a lineup of brand new movies that haven't screened in Aussie cinemas or hit VOD as yet. On that date, film fans will be able to check out The Booksellers, while Waves and A White, White Day will follow suit the week after. Also on the bill: Mulan and The Burnt Orange Heresy from July 23. On July 9, the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace will kick back into gear, too, continuing to balance fresh flicks and retro hits. That includes the likes of new releases Shirley and Love Sarah, as well as old-school titles such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Labyrinth, The Big Lebowski, Grease, Jaws and The Room. If you're wondering about other cinemas, much of the big end of town — including multiplexes — has been focused on Christopher Nolan's Tenet as the film to herald audiences back into theatres. In fact, that's the plan that the local industry has been working towards. This past weekend, however, the movie's worldwide date was pushed back to the end of July (from Thursday, July 16 to Thursday, July 30 in Australia). So, it's safe to expect that plenty of other New South Wales picture palaces will relaunch on or around then. At the time of writing, chains such as Event, Hoyts and Reading hadn't revealed their reopening dates, nor had Dendy Newtown, Golden Age Cinema and Bar (other than for private hires, which it's hosting now) or Roseville Cinemas — but, again, expect that to change as late-July creeps up. And, like attending any business reopening in the time of COVID-19, patrons can also expect significant changes to the movie-going experience — including online bookings, allocated seating, gaps between patrons, contactless payment, social-distancing requirements and extra cleaning. For more information about what's screening in Sydney from July, or to book tickets, visit the websites for the Randwick Ritz, Hayden Orpheum and Palace. Top image: Randwick Ritz by Kimberley Low
It takes a brave filmmaker to see cancer and climate change, and think of art, evolution and eroticism in a possible future. It takes a bold director to have a character proclaim that "surgery is the new sex", too. David Cronenberg has always been that kind of visionary, even before doing all of the above in his sublime latest release — and having the Scanners, Videodrome and The Fly helmer back on his body-horror bent for the first time in more than two decades is exactly the wild and weird dream that cinephiles want it to be. The Canadian auteur makes his first movie at all since 2014's Maps to the Stars, in fact, and this tale of pleasure and pain is as Cronenbergian as anything can be. He borrows Crimes of the Future's title from his second-ever feature dating back 50-plus years, brings all of his corporeal fascinations to the fore, and moulds a viscerally and cerebrally mesmerising film that it feels like he's always been working towards. Long live the new flesh, again. Long live the old Cronenberg as well. In this portrait of a potential time to come, the human body has undergone two significant changes. Three, perhaps, as glimpsed in a disquieting opening where an eight-year-old called Brecken (debutant Sotiris Siozos) snacks on a plastic bin, and is then murdered by his mother Djuna (Lihi Kornowski, Ballistic). That incident isn't unimportant, but Crimes of the Future has other departures from today's status quo to carve into — and they're equally absorbing. Physical agony has disappeared, creating a trade in "desktop surgery" as performance art. Also, a condition dubbed Accelerated Evolution Syndrome causes some folks, such as artist Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen, Thirteen Lives), to grow abnormal organs. These tumours are removed and tattooed in avant-garde shows by his doctor/lover Caprice (Léa Seydoux, No Time to Die), then catalogued by the National Organ Register's Wippit (Don McKellar, reteaming with Cronenberg after eXistenZ) and Timlin (Kristen Stewart, Spencer). When Crimes of the Future stages one of Saul and Caprice's gigs, it drips not with blood but spectacle and seduction. Indeed, it's no wonder that a curious Timlin utters that catchy observation about medical slicing and intimate arousal shortly afterwards. Alluring, eerie, grotesque and enthralling — and the epitome of the feature's sparse yet entrancing look and mood in the process — it's a powerhouse of a scene, with a self-autopsy pod at its centre. Saul lies still, Caprice uses an eXistenZ-esque fleshy video-game controller to get the contraption cutting, and an enraptured audience hang on every incision. Saul and Caprice do, too, although their visibly aroused reactions have nothing on their time later in the suite alone. (Cronenberg does love eschewing traditional ideas about what titillates; see also: his 1996 film Crash, about characters excited by car crashes. It's a clear precursor to this, and the movie that purred so that 2021 Palme d'Or winner Titane, by filmmaker Julia Ducournau, could rev.) Crimes of the Future's scalpel-equipped coffin is just one of Saul and Caprice's Lifeform Ware gadgets; if eXistenZ, Naked Lunch and Dead Ringers procreated, these are the devices the three flicks would spawn. HR Giger could've conjured them up as well, and thinking of the biomechanical artist's contribution to Alien, which saw him share an Oscar for visual effects, is as natural as feeling spellbound and perturbed by Cronenberg's movie in unison. This is a grimy world where a bed covered with skin and tentacles floats in Saul's home, calibrated to cater to his "designer cancer"-riddled body's needs as it slumbers — and where a chair that looks like a skeleton reassembled as furniture contorts Saul as he's eating, something he is having increasing trouble with otherwise. In other words, it's a world where the old flesh isn't doing what it always has, new flesh is sprouting in a changing and devastated reality, and technology fills in the gaps as it is always designed to. Is Crimes of the Future a Cronenbergian nightmare painted using tools of horror as a brush, just as Caprice uses the autopsy bed as hers? Is it a probing and penetrating pondering of what lies in store on this planet of ours, where machinery keeps progressing, the environment continues to be pushed to its limits, and human bodies are in a state of metamorphosis? The answer: it's both, just as it's sensual and sinister — and, story-wise and thematically, there's still more to come. Writing as well as directing, Cronenberg works with his own original ideas for the first time since the constantly relevant eXistenZ, and doesn't stop questioning what physical, emotional, intellectual and psychological mutations may await humanity. Unsurprisingly, in a script he penned back in 1999, what he posits is bleak — his sci-fi body-horror visions always are — and thoroughly riveting. Connecting the dots, Cronenberg brings Brecken's plight into Saul and Caprice's life via a request by the shadowy Lang (Scott Speedman, Best Sellers), the boy's father, for a public autopsy. The feature has Saul carrying out missions for a detective (Welket Bengué, Berlin Alexanderplatz), and sees a pair of Lifeform Ware technicians (Yellowstone's Tanaya Beatty and Private Eyes' Nadia Litz) hovering around. Plus, Crimes of the Future spans an Inner Beauty Contest, with a zipper inserted in Saul's stomach for the occasion, which Caprice licks in the film's most carnally salacious moment. If Cronenberg's name hadn't already been adapted to describe his aesthetic, fascinations and narratives, it would be based on this movie. Actually, the filmmaker takes it back. He's shared the term with a raft of imitators, but no one holds a blade to Cronenberg at his best. Well, one fellow director comes close: his son Brandon, whose Antiviral and Possessor couldn't be more worthy of the family moniker. Crimes of the Future is an art-world and celebrity satire among everything else — when artists modifying bodies become stars, as happens here, how can it not be? And, joining the list, it's as strong an example there is of Cronenberg's masterful ability to use the instruments at his disposal to bring disturbing but enticing musings to a stunning fruition. There isn't a misstep among his cast, including his cloaked-up A History of Violence, Eastern Promises and A Dangerous Method star Mortensen oozing vulnerability and looking like death (a The Seventh Seal-style figure, to be exact); Seydoux serving up a picture of slinky passion; and Stewart delivering a delightfully nervy supporting turn. Every shot lensed by Douglas Koch (Funny Boy) exudes a ravaged air in multiple ways, and the score by Cronenberg's usual composer Howard Shore is devilishly menacing. Surrendering to their skills, and to Crimes of the Future's thrills, proves just like evolution: inescapable.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from September's haul. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH FROM START TO FINISH NOW STARSTRUCK Living up to its splendid first date with audiences has never been a problem for Starstruck. When the Rose Matafeo (Baby Done)-starring BBC and HBO series first strode into streaming queues in 2021, its initial episode was an all-timer in the charming stakes, as was the show's entire six-instalment debut season. When Starstruck returned for a second run in 2022, its next go-around instantly proved as much of a smart, savvy and charismatic delight, too. Season three continues the trend, and keeps demonstrating that no romantic rendezvous, no matter how idyllic, can just keep repeating itself. Plot-wise, Starstruck has always had one couple at its centre: New Zealander-in-London Jessie (Matafeo) and British actor Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral). Frequently, however, they're not actually together, with the show charting the ins and outs of a complicated relationship that started with a New Year's Eve meet-cute and one-night stand. The hook from the get-go: that Tom is an A-list star, which Jessie doesn't know until after they've hooked up. So, Starstruck asks what it's like to live the Notting Hill life. In season three, it more accurately ponders what comes after that's been and gone. Season two might've finished with a scene right out of The Notebook, and with echoes of Bridget Jones' Diary as well, but its follow-up quickly establishes that Jessie and Tom didn't get their happy-ever-after ending — they're no longer together, and haven't been for some time. This return starts with a bold move, spending a few minutes zipping through Jessie and Tom's romance since season two via a heartbreaking montage. That choice is also deeply fitting for a show that's exceptional at endings. One of the best newcomers of its debut year and best returning series of its second, Starstruck's excellence is like a perfect bouquet, with vibrancy blooming everywhere — in Matafeo's lead performance, the show's ability to unpack a genre it clearly loves, its glorious nods to rom-coms past, and its astute insights into 2020s-era dating and life, to name a mere few. How its star, creator and co-writer wrapped up both season one and two was equally as sublime, though. So, season three goes all in on something cherished and blissful approaching its conclusion. Starstruck streams via ABC iView. Read our full review. FLORA AND SON No filmmaker believes in the power of music quite like John Carney. In Flora and Son, the Once, Begin Again and Sing Street writer/director again lets his favourite refrain echo, this time with an Irish single mother, her rebellious teenage boy and the American guitarist who she pays to give her lessons via zoom. The eponymous Flora (Eve Hewson, Bad Sisters) feels like she's never had an adulthood of her own after falling (swiftly, not slowly) pregnant at the age of 17 to musician Ian (Jack Reynor, The Peripheral) — whose big claim to fame is that his band once opened for Snow Patrol — then being a mum through their relationship highs and lows. When she salvages a thrown-out instrument for now-14-year-old Max (Orén Kinlan, Taken Down) but he doesn't want it, she decides to give it a try herself. It's an escape from simply getting by, arguing with Ian, coping with Max's run-ins with the law and young mother-style existential malaise. It could be a path to a new future, too. And, with her teen also into music — but hip hop, rap and EDM, or whatever will impress his crush (feature first-timer Alex Deegan) — it's a way to bring Flora and son closer together. Music is in Hewson's blood given that she's the daughter of Paul Hewson, aka U2's Bono, with the Behind Her Eyes and The Knick star well-cast — and magnetic, and also endlessly charismatic — as the forthright, sweary, just-trying-to-get-by Flora. There's both yearning and energy in her electrifyingly lived-in performance, and in the melodic and soulful tunes that her character pens with teacher Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Poker Face) via video chats as they reflect upon their lives, loves, hopes and dreams via songwriting. Flora and Son boasts lovely performances all round, in fact. Kinlan is a dynamic find who deserves many more credits on his resume, Gordon-Levitt charms quietly and softly, and sparks fly when Carney gets the latter in the same space as Hewson through an easy but nice visual touch. The movie's moniker makes plain where its heart belongs, though, as Flora and Max learn not just about themselves but about their complicated bond with each other by making music. As always with this filmmaker's work, the original soundtrack is sublime. Also, the mood feels like a warm but clear-eyed hug. Flora and Son streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, September 29. SEX EDUCATION Before it introduced anxious teen sex counsellor Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield, Flux Gourmet), his fellow-therapist mother Jean (Gillian Anderson, The Great), his ever-exuberant best friend Eric Effiong (Ncuti Gatwa, the next Doctor Who), and his whip-smart and rebellious crush Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey, Emily), Sex Education's very-first episode started with trembling lights. With that debut back in January 2019, depictions of adolescent sexuality on-screen earned a welcome shake up as well. Horny high schoolers struggling with life, love and lust are such a pop culture staple that they inhabit their own genre, which this British series has always recognised. But when a show bursts onto streaming queues with a roll in the sheets that ends with a guy (Barbie's Connor Swindells as Adam Groff) faking an orgasm with his girlfriend (Living's Aimee-Lou Wood as Aimee Gibbs), it's clearly not interested in sticking with the usual tropes — and it wants its audience to know it. Candidly and enthusiastically subverting well-worn cliches about growing up and exploring all things carnal has always been Sex Education creator, lead writer and executive producer Laurie Nunn's focus in her first major project beyond the stage and shorts. It was true in that attention-grabbing premiere run, then 2020 and 2021's equally excellent second and third seasons, and now the show's big finish. Another key element right through to the series' fourth and final go-around, which caps off its tale with as much charm, heart, humour and maturity as ever: knowing that it's far more relatable to be open, honest, warm, authentic, inclusive and diverse than to just spill out the same old coming-of-age story. Here's a third factor that's also long been crucial to Sex Education: understanding that life doesn't begin or end with surging hormones. So, as change sweeps in — and goodbyes as well — this series couldn't be better placed to handle it. Otis is still as uncertain as always when season four kicks off. With his old school shuttered and snapped up by developers, he's forced into a new start, as well as a new bid to become the on-campus sex therapist, competing with existing student O (Thaddea Graham, Wreck). While Eric doesn't want them to be dubbed outsiders from the get-go, he fits in easily when he sees "all the gays everywhere", in his excited words. The fact that Maeve is at university in the US just after they've just come to terms with their feelings for each other was always going to hold Otis back, of course. The pair are finally more than friends, but also on different continents. Sex Education streams via Netflix. Read our full review. EL CONDE What if Augusto Pinochet didn't die in 2006? What if the Chilean general and dictator wasn't aged 91 at the time, either? What if his story started long before his official 1915 birthdate, in France prior to the French Revolution? What if he's been living for 250 years because he's a literal monster of the undead, draining and terrifying kind? Trust Chilean filmmaking great Pablo Larraín (Ema, Neruda, The Club, No, Post Mortem and Tony Manero) to ask these questions in El Conde, which translates as The Count and marks the latest exceptional effort in a career that just keeps serving up excellent movies. His satirical, sharp and gleefully unsubtle version of his homeland's most infamous leader was born Claude Pinoche (Clemente Rodríguez, Manchild), saw Marie Antoinette get beheaded and kept popping up to quell insurgencies before becoming Augusto Pinochet. Now holed up in a farm after faking his own death to avoid legal scrutiny — aka the consequences of being a brutal tyrant — the extremely elderly figure (Jaime Vadell, a Neruda, The Club, No and Post Mortem veteran) is also tired of eternal life. The idea at the heart of El Conde is a gem, with Larraín and his regular co-writer Guillermo Calderón plunging a stake into a despot while showing that the impact of authoritarianism rule stretches on forever (and winning the Venice International Film Festival's Best Screenplay Award this year for their efforts). The execution: just as sublime in a film that's both wryly and dynamically funny, and also a monochrome-shot visual marvel. A moment showing Pinoche licking the blood off the guillotine that's just decapitated Antoinette is instantly unforgettable. As Pinochet flies above Santiago in his cape and military attire in the thick of night, every Edward Lachman (The Velvet Underground)-lensed shot of The Count — as he likes to be called by his wife Lucia (Gloria Münchmeyer, 42 Days of Darkness), butler Fyodor (Alfredo Castro, The Settlers) and adult children — has just as much bite. El Conde's narrative sets its protagonist against an accountant and nun (Paula Luchsinger, Los Espookys) who digs through his crime and sins, and it's a delight that punctures. As seen in the also magnificent Jackie and Spencer, too, Larraín surveys the past like no one else. El Conde streams via Netflix. NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU Thanks to Justified, Short Term 12, Booksmart, Unbelievable and Dopesick, Kaitlyn Dever has already notched up plenty of acting highlights; however, No One Will Save You proves one of her best projects yet while only getting the actor to speak just a single line. Instead of using dialogue, this alien invasion flick tells its story without words — and also finds its emotion in Dever's expressive face and physicality. Her character: Mill River resident Brynn Adams, who has no one to talk to long before extra-terrestrials arrive. The local outcast due to a tragic incident from her past, and now living alone in her childhood home following her mother's death, Brynn fills her time by sewing clothes, making models of her unwelcoming small town like she's in Moon and penning letters to her best friend Maude. Then she's woken in the night by an intruder who isn't human, flits between fighting back and fleeing, and is forced into a battle for survival — striving to save her alienated existence in her cosy but lonely abode from grey-hued, long-limbed, telekinetic otherworldly interlopers with a penchant for mind control. With Spontaneous writer/director Brian Duffield's script matched by exacting A Quite Place-level sound design and The Witcher composer Joseph Trapanese's score, this close encounter of the unspoken kind is a visual feat, bouncing, bounding and dancing around Brynn's house and the Mill River community as aliens linger. Every single frame conveys a wealth of detail, as it needs to without chatter to fill in the gaps. Every look on Dever's face does the same, and every glance as well; this is a performance so fine-tuned that this would be a completely different film without her. Bringing the iconic 'Hush' episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to mind, No One Will Save you is smartly plotted, including in explaining why it sashays in silence. Just as crucially — and this time recalling everyone's favourite home-invasion film, aka Home Alone — it's fluidly and evocatively choreographed. There's also a touch of Nope in its depiction of eerie threats from space, plus a veer into Invasion of the Body Snatchers, all without ever feeling like No One Will Save is bluntly cribbing from elsewhere. The result: a new sci-fi/horror standout. No One Will Save You streams via Disney+. CASSANDRO The story of luchador Saúl Armendáriz comes to the screen in Cassandro, which takes its title from the American-born Mexican performer's ring name. As writer/director Roger Ross Williams (Life, Animated) works through with help from his charismatic star Gael García Bernal (Werewolf By Night), Armendáriz first came to wrestling in a mask — as an amateur living in El Paso but heading over the border to Juarez to get scrapping — then made a big switch to take on an exótico identity. That's where the openly gay competitor not only found himself, but also earned fame. He takes convincing, however, as this affectionate and thoughtful feature unpacks. Of course he wants to be able to express himself, bounce between the ropes with glamour and joy, carve out an accepting space and have crowds showering him with love. But exóticos have been traditionally positioned to lose. Dressed in drag, they've been used to show up the masculine strengths of their opponents. That homophobic situation isn't one that Armendáriz wants to embrace, but trainer Sabrina (Roberta Colindrez, A League of Their Own) thinks that he could make a difference, subvert the trend, stand out and become a better wrestler. Frequent documentarian Williams, who won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short for Music by Prudence, knows a great story — and stellar talent. Cassandro has both, including Armendáriz's rise to become the 'Liberace of Lucha Libre', the many ups and downs on that path, his relationship with his mother Yocasta (Perla De La Rosa, Villa, itinerario de una pasión), and Bernal's layered performance in his shoes and spandex. There's both passion and heartbreak in the actor's portrayal — shyness as Saúl and blossoming confidence as Cassandro as well — in another of Bernal's big career highlights. Indeed, he puts in a tour-de-force effort as the film explores Armendáriz's devotion to his mum; his complicated feelings about his absent, disapproving dad (Robert Salas, Family Portrait); his secret liaisons and not-so-clandestine love for married fellow luchador Gerardo (Raúl Castillo, The Inspection); his flirtations with the assistant (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio aka Bad Bunny, Bullet Train) to his key promoter (Joaquín Cosio, Narcos: Mexico); and what it means to get a shot in the ring with icon silver-masked El Hijo del Santo (as himself). Cassandro streams via Prime Video. MIRACLE WORKERS: END TIMES The wrong Daniel Radcliffe-starring franchise is sprawling on forever. Sorry, Harry Potter diehards — it's Miracle Workers that should keep coming back. Of course, Radcliffe hasn't shown up in the Fantastic Beasts movies, and is highly unlikely to in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter TV series that's planning to step through each book again, devoting a season to every one of the series' tomes. His stint there is done and, now, his time with frequently hilarious television anthology comedy has also come to an end. How is the Guns Akimbo, The Lost City and Weird: The Al Yankovic star sending off only his second major small-screen role after 2012–13's A Young Doctor's Notebook & Other Stories? With a fourth season called Miracle Workers: End Times that's the Mad Max equivalent of season one's Good Omens-esque heavenly sci-fi (back in 2019), season two's medieval parody Dark Ages (in 2020) and season three's pioneer western Oregon Trail (in 2021). Yes, Radcliffe rocks leather while attempting to survive in a dystopian future wasteland. Yes, he's ace, as are his returning co-stars Steve Buscemi (Bupkis), Geraldine Viswanathan (The Beanie Bubble), Jon Bass (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) and Karan Soni (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse). As always, creator Simon Rich — who based the first season on his book What in God's Name and the second on short story Revolution — brings back his five key actors but shakes up everything else except Miracle Workers' sense of humour. New setting, new scenario, new era, new characters, new links between its main players: that's all on offer again, as is Radcliffe and Viswanathan's new on-screen guises being drawn together. Radcliffe plays Sid, a road warrior befitting the Australian flicks he's riffing on, and husband to Viswanathan's war lord Freya Exaltada. That's another of End Times' shifts: getting Radcliffe and Viswanathan to explore an established relationship rather than hop into classic rom-com territory. Sid and Freya are giving setting down in Boomtown instead of wreaking havoc in the postnuclear apocalyptic realm a try, with their war dog Scraps, played by Bass, at their feet. Buscemi shows up as Morris 'The Junkman' Rubinstein, who becomes Sid's new boss. Soni brings in The Terminator nods as killbot TI-90, aka Tai. And the jokes keep coming in a series that wraps up with one of its best runs. Miracle Workers streams via Stan. NEW SHORTS ARRIVING IN FULL BEFORE SEPTEMBER IS OUT THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR, THE SWAN, THE RATCATCHER AND POISON Fresh from stepping into a play as a live production in a TV show in Asteroid City, and also flicking through a magazine's various articles in The French Dispatch before that, Wes Anderson now gets an author sharing his writing in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. The 39-minute short film features Ralph Fiennes (The Menu) as Roald Dahl, who did indeed pen the tale that gives this suitably symmetrically shot affair its name — the book it's in, too — with the account that he's spilling one of several in a film that enthusiastically makes Anderson's love of layers known in its playful structure as much as its faux set. So, Dahl chats. The eponymous Henry Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) does as well. And, Dr Chatterjee (Dev Patel, The Green Knight) and his patient Imdad Khan (Ben Kingsley, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) also have a natter. The stories within stories within stories (within stories) share the fact that Khan has learned to see without his eyes, Chatterjee couldn't be more fascinated and Sugar wants to learn the trick for himself — to help with his gambling pastime. In his three decades as a filmmaker, Anderson has only ever made both features and shorts with one of two people responsible for their ideas: himself, sometimes with Owen Wilson (Haunted Mansion), Noah Baumbach (White Noise), Jason Schwartzman (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and/or Roman Coppola (Mozart in the Jungle) contributing; and Dahl. With the latter, first came Anderson's magnificent stop-motion Fantastic Mr Fox adaptation — and now The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar sits among a series of four new shorts, all releasing before September is out, that are based on the author's work. This is still a dream match, with the director's beloved jewel and pastel colours, dollhouse-esque visuals, moving sets, love of centred framing and dialogue rhythm all proving a treat in this account of personal and spiritual growth. The cast is as divine on-screen as it sounds on paper, too, especially Cumberbatch and Patel. The next in the set, the 17-minute The Swan, pushes Rupert Friend (High Desert) to the fore in a darker tale about a bully. With The Ratcatcher and Poison arriving, too, the only quibble is with the decision to release all four shorts separately, rather than package them together as an anthology film. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar streams via Netflix, as is The Swan. The Ratcatcher arrives on Friday, September 29, followed by Poison on Saturday, September 30. Read our full review. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK THE CHANGELING It isn't by accident that watching The Changeling feels like being read to, rather than simply viewing streaming's latest book-to-TV adaptation. Landing from the pages of Victor LaValle's novel of the same name, this horror-fantasy series is obsessed with stories, telling tales and unpacking what humanity's favourite narratives say about our nature, including myths and yarns that date back centuries and longer. Printed tomes are crucial in its characters lives, fittingly. Libraries, bookstores, dusty boxes stacked with old volumes, beloved childhood texts, a rare signed version of To Kill a Mockingbird with a note from Harper Lee to lifelong friend Truman Capote: they all feature within the show's frames. Its protagonists Apollo Kagwa (LaKeith Stanfield, Haunted Mansion) and Emma Valentine (Clark Backo, Letterkenny), who fall in love and make a life together before its first episode is out, even work as a book dealer and a librarian. And, The Changeling also literally reads to its audience, because LaValle himself relays this adult fairytale, his dulcet tones speaking lyrical prose to provide a frequent guide In a show created and scripted by Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Fifty Shades of Grey and Saving Mr Banks screenwriter Kelly Marcel, there's nothing more potent and revealing than a story, after all — and The Changeling believes in the power of tales to capture, explain, transport, engage, caution and advise, too. Aptly, New Yorkers Apollo and Emma meet amid books, in the library where she works and he frequents. It takes convincing to get her to agree to go out with him, but that leads to marriage and a child. The Changeling's astute thematic layering includes Apollo's repeated attempts to wrangle that first yes out of Emma, however, setting up a train of thought that has many future stations. In-between early dates and domesticity, Emma also takes the trip of a lifetime to Brazil, where an old woman awaits by Lagoa do Abaeté. The locals warn the visitor to stay away but she's mesmerised. What happens between the two strangers sends the narrative hurtling, with the lakeside figure tying a red string around Emma's wrist, granting her three wishes, but advising that they'll only come true when the bracelet falls off by itself. The Changeling streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. GEN V Instead of Gen V, you could call this spinoff The Boys Jnr and it'd fit — to a point. The superheroes are younger, with the series' eight-episode first season focusing on students attending Godolkin University, rather than adults. The minutiae of their lives is teen-centric, including dates and crushes, dorms and lectures, making new friends and peer pressure, and the like. Their worries largely aren't world-weary, been-there-seen-that, years-of-existential-malaise woes. There's nothing smaller about the hefty, hearty, utterly gleeful splashes of gore and violence — the guts and penises, too — in the latest show inspired by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's comic book, however. Prime Video's next dive into this satirical caped-crusader world after the OG series (which has dropped three seasons, with a fourth on the way) and the animated The Boys Presents: Diabolical stems from the 'We Gotta Go Now' storyline, and embraces making The Boys with younger characters but zero other tone and vibe changes. So springs an OTT coming-of-age tale that's gruesome, irreverent, subversive, funny and filled with bodily fluids. Set at the same time that The Boys' fourth season will take place when it hits, Gen V follows the blood-bending Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as she scores an enrolment at Godolkin University that could change her life. Dwelling under the cloud of a past tragedy until now, her scholarship to the Vought-approved college is the ticket to her dreams, with becoming the first Black woman in The Seven her ultimate aim. As she rooms with Emma Meyer (Lizze Broadway, Based on a True Story), who can scale down her size — and meets the campus cool clique, including literally hot top pupil Luke 'Golden Boy' Riordan (Patrick Schwarzenegger, The Staircase), his persuasive girlfriend Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips, Teenage Bounty Hunters), the magnetic Andre Anderson (Chance Perdomo, also Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and the gender-shifting Jordan Li (Never Have I Ever's London Thor and Shining Vale's Derek Luh) — all isn't exactly what it seems at her new school, though. While a few key cameos pop up, Gen V's focus is firmly on the franchise's newbies, their supe and uni experiences, and the mystery around them — and it's as entertaining as The Boys to watch. Gen V streams via Prime Video from Friday, September 29. Read our full review. SOLAR OPPOSITES It isn't the approach that Rick and Morty has taken, as the trailer for its upcoming seventh season shows, but Solar Opposites' method of handling its big casting change is genius. In its own sneak peek before its fourth season arrived, the other animated sitcom with Justin Roiland as a co-creator revealed how it was moving on after ties being cut due to domestic abuse allegations — and it was as glorious then as it is in full episodes. Enter Dan Stevens, star of everything from Downton Abbey, The Guest and Colossal to Legion, I'm Your Man and Gaslit, as the new source of Korvo's voice. He's using his British accent and sounds absolutely nothing like his predecessor as a result, but the change couldn't be easier to work in. When a show is about aliens living a life of mayhem on earth — chaos caused in no small part by their non-stop array sci-fi gadgets — anything can and does happen, including the lead Shlorpian out of its core quartet suddenly sporting new tones. That's the only shift that season four of Solar Opposites makes. Before the first new episode is out, with the series as anarchic and hilarious as ever, Stevens feels like he's always been in the role. Across an 11-episode run, Solar Opposites does what it has since 2020 — and well — following Korvo, his boyfriend Terry (Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley), and their replicants Jesse (Mary Mack, Kiff) and Yumyulack (Sean Giambrone, The Goldbergs) as they experience life among humans. This time around, that means getting jobs, which devolves into a fight to get a ping-pong table and a one-upping battle to impress a client; the crew's artificial intelligence AISHA (Tiffany Haddish, The Afterparty) giving online dating a go; bringing a dinosaur back to life just to get a pet; getting stuck among stock photos; and new birthday traditions. Smart, perceptive and sidesplittingly funny, Solar Opposites parodies the ridiculousness of human life from two angles, however — not just witnessing the Shlorpians grapple with adjusting, but also observing the society that evolves in the wall of Jesse and Yumyulack's bedroom thanks to the annoying folks that they've shrunk down for a range of petty slights. Cherie (Christina Hendricks, Good Girls) is there for serving the wrong food at Benihana, for instance, and is now caught up in a religious war, with the show's writers consistently finding an ideal balance between its two plot threads. Solar Opposites streams via Disney+. A RECENT-ISH TV GEM YOU MIGHT'VE MISSED LODGE 49 When Monarch: Legacy of Monsters starts streaming before 2023 is out, it'll see father and son Kurt Russell (Fast and Furious 9) and Wyatt Russell (Under the Banner of Heaven) co-star as older and younger versions of the same character. That's dream casting, although the younger of the pair already scored a stellar part with his first TV lead in Lodge 49. Debuting in the US in 2018, then ending with its second season in 2019 — due to low ratings, sadly — this Long Beach-set dramedy chases bliss. The potential solution for former surfer-turned-pool cleaner Sean 'Dud' Dudley (Russell): the titular place. It's the town's chapter of a worldwide fraternal order called the Order of the Lynx, complete with rituals, secrets, a lengthy history, and a motley crew of eclectic and eccentric characters. Among them are plumbing salesman Ernie Fontaine (Brent Jennings, All American), journalist Connie Clark (Linda Edmond, Only Murders in the Building) and her patrol officer husband Scott Miller (Eric Allan Kramer, CSI: Vegas), alchemy professor Blaise St John (David Pasquesi, White House Plumbers) and the lodge's Sovereign Protector Larry Loomis (Kenneth Walsh, The Kids in the Hall). The now-late Walsh's pre-Lodge 49 resume includes Twin Peaks — and, while nothing will ever match David Lynch's TV masterpiece, and also this series doesn't dare try, the two share a an embrace of being their own distinctive, idiosyncratic and surreal kinds of television shows. Here, the tone is lighter, but the always-optimistic Dud and Twin Peaks' Agent Dale Cooper don't lack in similarities as outsiders entering an insular world filled with unique personalities and odd happenings. Easygoing in tone, too, and also sunnily shot, Lodge 49 muses on what it means to seek happiness, how anyone can ever hope to find it, the search to fit in, what matters in a time of increasing disconnection, signs and omens, and the enduring value of friendship, especially when found in unlikely places. Russell is perfectly cast as the amiable Dud, but everything about this show, its quirks and its mysteries is wonderful. Two ten-episode seasons aren't enough, especially given how quickly loveable and bingeable those seasons prove. Lodge 49 streams via AMC+. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July and August this year. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream shows from this year as well — and our best 15 new shows of 2023's first six months, top 15 returning shows over the same period and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies from January–June 2023, too. Top image: Netflix ©2023
Bill Granger's new venture in the fashionable Hall Street precinct of Bondi showcases his characteristically fresh and simple fare, in a location that boasts a laidback beachy vibe with touches of urban glamour. Granger has taken some time from opening successful restaurants in London, Japan and Hawaii (next stop Seoul) to cater to those in his own backyard, and bills trademark style couldn't be more at home than in Bondi. How does a lazy brekkie after a dip in the ocean sound? Fancy a healthy brunch after an energising Bondi to Bronte walk? Since the original bills in Darlinghurst was opened over 20 years ago, Granger has pioneered a menu that perfectly complements a relaxed, extended breakfast ethos. The king of scrambled eggs was a trailblazer of Sydney's evolving brunch scene of the 1980s, with his classic ricotta hotcakes, eggs with sides of avocado and salmon, and sweet corn fritters which are now staples on cafe menus across Sydney. In Bondi, bills has struck the right balance between a menu that offers 'classics' (hey, if it ain't broke don't fix it) and novel dishes that still have that healthy simplicity which aligns effortlessly with urban beachside life. The menu bursts with fresh flavours and pops of colourful ingredients. His newer offerings have an eclectic mix of influences from his recent world travels — particularly noticeable are hints of Japanese and Mexican. It's worth mentioning that there are enticing lunch and dinner menus, but bills is synonymous with breakfast, so we found ourselves drawn to brunch in a distinctly Bondi setting. From the 'fruits, grains, cereals' you'll find wholesome options such as the almond milk chia seed pots ($8.50), layered with coconut yoghurt and a vibrant scattering of fresh berries and pomegranate ($8.50). An unusual highlight was the brown rice and sweet miso porridge ($14.50). The nuttiness and warmth from the nourishing rice make it an ideal breakfast option, served with a creamy coconut yoghurt and fragrant, fleshy mango. Make sure you generously squeeze lime on top of the fruit; the result will taste like a holiday in Mexico. For a calming start to the day, the ginger, lemongrass and lemon myrtle tea ($4) goes down a treat with the porridge. A more exotic alternative is the mango, avocado, cucumber, almond milk and aloe smoothie ($10), both creamy and refreshing. From the 'toasts and spreads' we were tempted by bills signature coconut bread, but the delicate gravlax with shaved pickled radish, dill, cream cheese and sourdough crostini ($17.50) took our fancy. This twist on the rustic appetiser is beautifully nuanced in both texture and flavour. From the 'classics' it's hard to resist Bill's much-loved ricotta hotcakes, banana and honeycomb butter (19.50) — a three-layered stack of epic proportions. Order it, or prepare for an extreme bout of food envy. Granger hasn't messed with perfection; these hotcakes are fluffy yet dense, with pockets of savoury ricotta that works in simpatico with the sweet maple syrup and the gently melting honeycomb butter. We could have opted for the world-renowned scrambled eggs, but instead we were curious to see what the latest surprises bills is bringing to the table. The broken eggs ($19.50) are nicely served still cooking in a bright green iron pan with a stack of that crusty sourdough crostini. Wait for about 30 seconds, and then stir in the ricotta, spinach and pine nuts — you're guaranteed the freshest scrambled eggs in town. Get creative by adding sides of avocado ($4) and miso mushrooms ($4.50). bills is a Sydney institution, so it's a relief to see the classics still making a show on the menu despite the new location — longevity in a city of food fads attests to their excellence. We also welcome the innovative options exclusive to Bondi that are well worth a visit to the beachside suburb. Bring your swimmers, but remember to wait at least 30 minutes after eating those hearty hotcakes. Images: Anson Smart
When the 2019 Archibald Prize was announced last year, it made history, with a portrait of an Asian Australian taking out the award for the first time in the event's then 98-year run. Now in 2020, the delayed gong has also secured a first — with Vincent Namatjira winning for a portrait of champion AFL footballer Adam Goodes, and his prize marking the first time that the award has gone to an Indigenous artist. Namatjira's piece, entitled Stand strong for who you are, was chosen from 55 finalists, which were whittled down from a record 1068 entries. Among the other contenders was Wongutha-Yamatji artist Meyne Wyatt's Packing Room Prize-winning self-portrait, which actually became the first work by an Indigenous person to win any of the Archibald's prizes. In Stand strong for who you are, Namatjira depicts multiple versions of Goodes, including two in his Sydney Swans colours. The artist himself also appears, clasping hands with Goodes. During the latter's AFL career, he played 372 matches for the Swans, kicked 464 goals, won two premierships, earned the code's highest individual honour (the Brownlow Medal) twice and was even anointed Australian of the Year. As his highly decorated time on the field came to an end, however, he was also the subject of merciless booing and verbal attacks by both spectators and high-profile media figures alike — and placed under immense scrutiny for celebrating his Indigenous heritage both on and off the field. That's a topic explored in not one but two documentaries that were released last year: The Final Quarter, which received a standing ovation at last year's Sydney Film Festival, and The Australian Dream, which opened the 2019 Melbourne International Film Festival. The Mparntwe-born Namatjira actually took inspiration from The Final Quarter. "When I saw the documentary about Adam's final season of AFL, my guts were churning as I re-lived Adam's experiences of relentless racism on and off the field," he explained. "Memories of my own experiences were stirred up and I wanted to reach out and reconnect with Adam." He continued: "When I was younger and growing up in the foster system in Perth, Indigenous footballers were like heroes to me. Goodesy is much more than a great footballer though, he took a strong stand against racism and said, 'enough is enough'. I stand strong with you too, brother". Accepting the award in a virtual ceremony, Namatjira also advised that "this is a really special moment for me" — while noting that "it only took 99 years" for the Archibald to award its first Indigenous winner. "I feel like this is a very important moment in Australian art. It's an honour to be the first, but I also want to acknowledge all of the Indigenous finalists and Indigenous sitters for the Archibald this year and in past years," he said. In a statement, Goodes similarly said that he was "thrilled that an Indigenous artist has won the Archibald prize for the first time", and that he was "so pleased that it shines a light on all Indigenous art". He continued: "we have a 60,000 year history of art and culture in our people, and we share this knowledge and gift of culture with all Australia". [caption id="attachment_784400" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2020 winner. Vincent Namatjira. Stand strong for who you are. Acrylic on linen, 152 x 198 cm. © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Mim Stirling. Sitter: Adam Goodes - former professional Australian rules footballer.[/caption] In the main field, Tsering Hannaford also received a prize in her sixth time as a finalist, with her self-portrait Allegory of Painting highly commended. The colourful work was inspired by Artemisia Gentileschi's 17th-century portrait, where the artist used two mirrors to observe herself in the act of painting. The winners of the Wynne and Sir John Sulman prizes were also revealed today, spanning a number of other pieces. Western Aranda artist Hubert Pareroultja took out the former — which awards the best landscape painting of Australian scenery or figure sculpture — for Tjoritja (West MacDonnell Ranges, NT). The striking work "represents the story of the giant caterpillars called the Yeperenye that became mountain range". [caption id="attachment_784408" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Wynne Prize 2020 winner. Hubert Pareroultja. Tjoritja (West MacDonnell Ranges, NT). Acrylic on canvas, 183 x 244 cm. © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Mim Stirling[/caption] This is the fifth year in a row that an Indigenous Australian artist has been awarded the Wynne prize, with the category also handing out three other gongs. Nyunmiti Burton was highly commended and received the Roberts Family Prize for Seven Sisters, while Julianne Ross Allcorn won the Trustees' Watercolour Prize for triptych Mollitium 2, which celebrates the resilience of the Australian bush. The Sir John Sulman Prize goes to the best mural, subject or genre painting, and was this year awarded to Marikit Santiago's work entitled The divine. Describing the piece, the artist explained that it "considers what is inherited by our children". [caption id="attachment_784409" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sulman Prize 2020 winner. Marikit Santiago. The divine. Acrylic, oil, pen, pyrography and 18ct gold leaf on ply, 179.5 x 120.5 cm. © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Jenni Carter[/caption] The winning portraits and finalists will be on display at Sydney's Art Gallery of NSW from tomorrow — Saturday, September 26 — up until Sunday, January 10. If you do't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice before Sunday, December 13. ARCHIBALD PRIZE 2020 DATES Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney — September 26–January 10 Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, NSW — January 22–March 7 Cairns Art Gallery, Qld — March 19–May 2 Griffith Regional Art Galley, NSW — May 14–June 27 Broken Hill Regional Art Galley, NSW — July 9–August 22 Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, NSW — September 3–October 17 Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW — October 29–December 5 If you can't make it to any of the above dates, you can check out the award winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: courtesy of the artist and Iwantja Arts.
Pushing ladies to the front, welcoming them on-stage to discuss their fields of expertise and their experiences, and exploring a broad range of topics that are relevant to women: that's been the aim of Sydney Opera House's key feminist festival since 2013. From its inception, All About Women has dedicated a day to focusing on female voices, fittingly popping up around International Women's Day each year. Of course, it's never been possible to confine everything there is to talk about to one single day, so 2022's fest is expanding. When next March rolls around, All About Women will mark its tenth festival — and it'll hit double digits and broaden its footprint in tandem. To celebrate, Sydney Opera House's Head of Talks & Ideas Chip Rolley and First Nations legal academic, broadcaster, filmmaker, writer and Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt OA, the event's co-curators, have amassed an impressive range of speakers to participate in talks, panels, performances and workshops. The big focus: bravery, allyship and collective responsibility. One of the must-attend sessions of the 2022 fest, which'll take place between Saturday, March 12–Sunday, March 13: current and former Australians of the Year Grace Tame and Rosie Batty, who'll appear together publicly for the first time. In a session to moderated by author and political commentator Jamila Rizvi, they'll chat through the title they've both shared, including its challenges and opportunities. [caption id="attachment_837696" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning[/caption] Another of All About Women's key talks will feature American Bad Feminist and Hunger writer Roxane Gay in conversation with writer/actor and Gamilaroi/Torres Strait Islander woman Nakkiah Lui, discussing their personal experiences of racism and misogyny. Other highlights include a session on the story of 'Kate', who posthumously accused federal MP Christian Porter of sexual assault; an exploration of consent, featuring lawyer and author Bri Lee, writer Lucia Osborne-Crowley, and advocate for sexual assault law reform Saxon Mullins; a conversation with Distinguished Professor Aileen Moreton-Robinson, Goenpul author of Indigenous feminist text Talkin' Up to the White Woman; and a panel discussing the everyday of disabled parenting curated and led by Eliza Hull, whose anthology of stories by disabled parents, We've Got This, will soon be published. [caption id="attachment_837698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning[/caption] The rest of the lineup also features an opening night gala headlined by poet and contemporary dancer Tishani Doshi, who'll perform Girls Are Coming Out of the Woods; writer, historian and podcaster Yves Rees hosting a panel that imagines a future without gendered expectations; Fight Like A Girl, Boys Will Be Boys and How We Love's Clementine Ford giving a secular sermon on love; a panel on the fate of women in Afghanistan now the Taliban has taken back control of the country; a session highlighting veteran ABC journalist Laura Tingle; and a panel showcasing next generation First Nations voices. While the festival is going ahead in-person for Sydneysiders, it'll also live-stream to viewers both around Australia and worldwide — because this top-notch program, and the subjects it covers, can't be confined to either one day or one place. All About Women 2022 will take place on Saturday, March 12–Sunday, March 13 at the Sydney Opera House. Livestream tickets and event multipacks are on sale from 9am AEDT on Thursday, December 16, with single-ticket pre-sales starting at the same time — and general public tickets available from 9am AEDT on Friday, December 17. Top image: Prudence Upton.
It has been just over six months since Amazon finally launched in Australia, promising an array of goods delivered quickly and affordably, as shipped from Melbourne. But you're probably still making purchases from the company's US and UK sites, aren't you? Given that Amazon's Aussie range and prices don't quite match its overseas counterparts, that's understandable. But, come July 1, that'll no longer be an option. In emails sent out to customers today, Amazon advised that purchases from its international platforms will no longer be shipped to Australian addresses once the new financial year hits. The new policy is the result of an upcoming change to the country's GST laws, with the standard goods and services tax of 10 percent set to be applied to all online overseas purchases. At the moment, GST only applies to transactions over $1000. "We have taken this step to provide our customers with continued access to [our] international selection and allow us to remain compliant with the law which requires us to collect and remit GST on products sold on Amazon sites that are shipped from overseas," advised Amazon in its correspondence to customers. Anyone in Australia trying to purchase from Amazon US, UK or elsewhere will have the option of buying from a new Amazon Global Store, launched today, which will apparently "provide customers with continued access to [Amazon's] international selection". Still, it won't quite be the same. The Guardian reports that the Amazon Global Store currently has around four million items, which isn't even one percent of the range available in the US. And while Amazon states that more than 60 million products are currently available on its Australian site, if you're a seasoned online shopper, you've probably come across more than a few gaps. Or, you've found the same goods on sale to Aussie customers for a much steeper price, even taking exchange rates and international shipping into account. Given that the ban applies to all Australian addresses, we're sorry to say that sneaking around the block with a VPN won't work. Using a shipping forwarding service — where orders are initially sent to an overseas address, then forwarded on to Australia (for an extra fee) — will be an option though. If you're worried that this could change online shopping in Australia, you're not alone. With the change in GST laws and Amazon's precedent, it seems inevitable that other online retailers will follow in the global retailer's footsteps.
Next time you walk through Barangaroo Reserve in Sydney's inner city, you'll be Welcomed to Country — but not in the traditional way. A large-scale video installation that honours and reimagines the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ceremony has popped up at the entrance to the Cutaway. In honour of its namesake Kamaraygal heroine, Barangaroo has commissioned and unveiled the giant audiovisual piece. Opened on May 30, Wellama (meaning "to come back") was created by Walbanga and Wadi Wadi artist Alison Page and director Nik Lachajczak. It celebrates the rich history of the Eora Nation and its significant cultural rituals, which date back thousands of years. The film's narrative follows Barangaroo and a young Eora fisherwoman, as the former guides the latter through womanhood. It takes place both in the past and in modern day Sydney, during which Barangaroo teaches traditional medicinal practices to the young woman, recognising the depth of knowledge and commitment to land that is ever present among Aboriginal cultures. The work was inspired by the early paintings by Eora People in Sydney Harbour, which are an important cultural reference for the local Indigenous Australian communities of today. [caption id="attachment_726106" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] "It's important to remember that the Sydney foreshore was ground zero for the devastation of our culture," says Page in a statement. "Therefore, I think it's up to us to also make it ground zero for the healing of culture. The artwork is a reclamation of that culture and a reflection of the strengthening of our identity and the cultural revival we are seeing across Australia." The ten-minute video will remain on a continuous loop — an acknowledgement of the "unbroken and infinite" nature of time — so you can stop by anytime from 8am–8pm daily. But Wellama has only been commissioned through May 2020, so don't wait on it for too long. Wellama is screening until May 30, 2020 at the Barangaroo Reserve. It is free to watch, with no bookings required. For more information, visit the website. Images: Anna Kucera
15 years after the original, and 12 years after the first sequel, is anyone really clamouring for a third xXx? Probably not, but then again, there was also a time where nobody was all that interested in a new Fast and the Furious movie either, and now it's one of the most popular film series' in the world. xXx: Return of Xander Cage has a lot in common with the recent films in the automotive franchise, beyond the chrome dome and cocky attitude of their shared leading man. In an age where so many Hollywood action flicks are bogged down by pomposity and existential angst, these Vin Diesel vehicles offer dumb fun at its absolute finest. The major difference between the two franchises is that, while the Fast and Furious films play fast and loose with the laws of physics, Return of Xander Cage scarcely bothers with them at all. In reintroducing extreme athlete turn super spy Xander Cage (Diesel) by having him ski – yes, ski – through a Dominican rainforest, director D.J. Caruso and screenwriter F. Scott Frazier make it abundantly clear they have little interest in telling a story set in the real world. Frankly, that's fine by us. This isn't Jackie, damnit, this is xXx! It's hard to imagine anyone in the audience will actually care why a cabal of super crims want to steal a piece of hardware capable of turning satellites into projectiles. The important thing is that Cage is out to stop them, and he's going to look dope while he does it. Diesel is joined by an outstanding set of supporting players, each sexier and seemingly less suited to the world of international espionage than the last. Hong Kong and Thai martial art stars Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa, Bollywood icon Deepika Padukone, and Australia's own Ruby Rose are just a few of the names on the roster – and while their roles are thin and their dialogue often painfully cheesy, the cast never seems anything less than 100 per cent committed. The same can also be said for Toni Collette as a tough-as-nails CIA handler. Nothing the character does makes a modicum of sense, but we'll be damned if Collette doesn't make her entertaining to watch. If nothing else, Return of Xander Cage deserves considerable credit for the diversity of its cast. It's hard to think of a recent ensemble blockbuster that featured fewer white men – and while part of that probably has to do with the involvement of Chinese investors behind the scenes, it also fits in nicely with the film's political throughline. There's no flag waving here – indeed, an attempt by the CIA to appeal to our hero's sense of patriotism is met with a quip: "there are no more patriots, just rebels and tyrants." Outsiders all, Cage and his fellow daredevils have no time for authority, or the overreach of a system that puts security before civil liberty. And while it's a stretch to call the film a reaction to a Trump presidency, his ascension makes the film's rebellious spirit and multicultural flavour that much more appealing. Having said that, no one is buying a ticket to the new xXx movie to get a hot take on global politics. They're buying it to see things go boom – and go boom they certainly do. Caruso and co. deliver big time on the action, crafting set-pieces that (mostly) manage to toe the line between knowingly silly and genuinely exhilarating. It's hard to think too hard about the gaping holes in the plot when Vin Diesel is riding a motorbike underwater. And who said cinema was dead? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQEFmHsseaU
After the success of last year's market at Kurnell, Sydney's Cambridge Markets are returning to the Shire for the holiday season. The Cronulla Christmas Markets will take over the reserve next to Wanda Beach on Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8. The gift bazaar will feature 150 stalls offering everything from clothing, linen, homewares and pet goods to Christmas trees, puddings, wreaths and gingerbread houses. As well as Christmas good, an array of hot food stalls — ranging from vegan snacks to Vietnamese food — will help you fuel up for the shopping frenzy. In more great news, there will be a spritz bar, as well as lots of local beers and chilled wines. Live music is on the docket too, along with rides, henna and face painting booths for little ones. The market will run from 10am till 4pm on both days at Don Lucas Reserve, which is about a half-hour walk from Cronulla Station. It's likely to be hot, so make sure you pack your bathers for a post-shop swim.
Neo. John Wick. Johnny Utah. Ted "Theodore" Logan. Across Keanu Reeves' almost four-decade acing career, the inimitable star has played many iconic parts — but only one thrust him to stardom as a time-travelling high-school slacker who had to round up famous figures from the past to pass his history report and save the future of humanity. As a result, the Bill & Ted movies have always held a soft spot in Keanu fans' hearts. Since first hitting screens in 1989 and 1991, the franchise has long been the subject of follow-up rumours, too. And now, just when the world particularly needs a reminder about being excellent to each other, the series is returning with its long-awaited third instalment. Nearly thirty years after Reeves last rocked out, grappled with fate and used a telephone box as a mode of transport in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, he's back doing the same thing. So is Alex Winter as Bill S. Preston, Esquire, Ted's best buddy, San Dimas High classmate and fellow founder of Wyld Stallyns, aka the garage band that'll change life as we know it and inspire a utopian society — at least according to Rufus (the late George Carlin) in film that started it all, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. But as the just-dropped first teaser trailer for Bill & Ted Face the Music shows, that plan hasn't quite panned out as yet for the franchise's central duo. Twenty-five years ago, they played a concert in front of the entire world. One month ago, they played a gig in California for 40 people — "most of whom where there for $2 taco night", they're told. After being reprimanded by the folks from the future for their lack of progress — when you're supposed to write the song that unites the globe and saves reality, a quarter-century without any progress isn't going to go by unnoticed — Bill and Ted decide to head forward in time to a point when they've already penned the tune in question. Once they're there, they figure they can just steal the track from themselves. Bill & Ted Face the Music's first sneak peek is only brief, so it reveals few other details; however, if you've watched and rewatched the comedy series' first two movies, you'll know that plenty of hijinks await. So does playing air guitar with the Grim Reaper (William Sadler), because of course it does. Not touched upon in the teaser: the fact that Brigette Lundy-Paine (Bombshell) plays Ted's daughter Billie Logan, Australian actor Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) pops up as Bill's daughter Thea Preston and Kid Cudi also has a role. Keanu does exclaim "party on, dudes!" in the 90-second clip, though, and more than one version of Bill and Ted appear on-screen. As for what else the film has in store, audiences will find out when it hits cinemas in August. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hAL7emClFM Bill & Ted Face the Music is scheduled to release in Australian cinemas on August 27.
Pompeii, the latest exhibition to arrive at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, offers a rare insight into one of the world's most amazing and catastrophic archaeological wonders. Nearly 2,000 years ago, before the fateful eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii was a bustling city located in what is now southern Italy. By exploring this exhibition, you can discover what life was like in the city before it was buried under metres of volcanic ash. The exhibition features a multi-sensory, immersive experience that combines a 360-degree recreation of the volcanic eruption with more than 90 objects from the ancient city. For almost 300 years, excavations have revealed what life was like in Pompeii and archaeologists continue to make extraordinary new discoveries to this day. This exhibition features some newly discovered objects which are being seen for the first time outside Europe. The artefacts include frescoes, jewellery, sculptures and pottery alongside copies of casts of some of the victims of the 79 CE eruption. Other exhibition highlights include an immersive re-enactment of the volcanic eruption that destroyed Pompeii almost 2,000 years ago, as well as the 'Statuette of Venus', a marble statue from the 1st century CE from Villa Poppaea, Oplontis, near Pompeii. You'll be transported to Pompeii via a corso stretching more than 35 metres through the exhibition space. There is also an oh-so-important exhibition shop, selling keepsakes and goods inspired by the Italian seaside, food, design and fashion. Please note, the exhibition features loud noises and changing light levels, as the space darkens every 15 minutes for a re-enactment as Mount Vesuvius erupts. Visitors may bring noise-cancelling headphones. Don't miss 'Pompeii', showing exclusively at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra until Sunday, May 4 2025. Book your tickets today. Images: Supplied.
You'll be able to go further into brain-imploding Water Temples, delve into more shitty dungeons and ride Epona across more of the Sacred Realm gathering rupees; the brand new Legend of Zelda game is going to go open world. Finally (finally) taking cues from long-celebrated megamap games like Oblivion and Fallout 3, Nintendo looked back to Zelda's history to develop their eighteenth official adventure — and online opinions are predictably flying. Series producer Eiji Aonuma announced the new Wii U Legend of Zelda game during the Nintendo Digital Presentation at the annual E3 annual video game conference overnight in LA. Nintendo needed a big ol' eel slap of a new game announcement last night, leaning on Mario Kart 8 to kickstart struggling Wii U sales. Looking back to older Zelda games, the developers decided it was high time for Link to explore bigger maps again (many, many years after Oblivion, Skyrim and even Fallout 3 had delivered gamechanging —heh — open world formats). Expanding the best bits of the old school 2D Link to the Past, everyone's favourite Ocarina of Time and GameCube's 2002 Wind Waker, Nintendo are finally cottoning on to the joys of open world in RPGs. To be fair, the new game looks badass. If I had an Ocarina in my possession, I'd be throwing down notes on Epona's Song and hitching a ride there immediately. The new Legend of Zelda is expected in 2015. https://youtube.com/watch?v=mM9MGY2OL8o Via Kotaku.
They're taking the hobbits to Amazon — and, later this year, fans of Lord of the Rings will be able to see the end result. You should already have Friday, September 2, 2022 marked in your diary, as the premiere date for Amazon Prime Video's new LOTR show was announced last year. But if you've been wondering exactly what you'll be watching, the streaming platform has just provided a few new details. While the series has just been referred to as The Lord of the Rings since it was first announced it back in 2017 — including when it was given the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies, and also when a few other concrete details regarding what it's about were revealed, its full title is officially The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. And if you're wondering why, Amazon has dropped a title release video (yes, we now live in a world where there are trailers for announcing what a show will be called) which includes some of JRR Tolkien's most famous lines. If you're a big LOTR fan — on the page and thanks to the films — you should be familiar with Tolkien's Ring Verse, which outlines who was intended to receive the rings of power. Elven-kings, dwarf-lords, mortal men and the Dark Lord all get a mention, and you can hear the key lines in the video below: "This is a title that we imagine could live on the spine of a book next to JRR Tolkien's other classics. The Rings of Power unites all the major stories of Middle-earth's Second Age: the forging of the rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the epic tale of Númenor, and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men," said showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay, announcing the news. "Until now, audiences have only seen on-screen the story of the One Ring – but before there was one, there were many… and we're excited to share the epic story of them all." In a series that'll make ample use of New Zealand's scenic landscape in its first season — and so greenery abounds, naturally, as the first image from the show illustrates — The Rings of Power will spend time in Middle-earth's Second Age as Payne and McKay explained, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the very first time. According to show's official synopsis, it'll follow "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. The series will also "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness." If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. Naturally, you can expect Sauron to feature in the new show, and to give its main figures some trouble. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth," the official synopsis continues. "From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. In terms of stars, The Rings of Power will feature an unsurprisingly large cast — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the actors traversing Middle-earth are Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud), Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Amazon Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022.
If you like your sleep, chances are you missed catching Saturday morning's eclipse, when a red hued moon and the planet Mars put on a rare show at 5.30am. Well, luckily, that wasn't the last of the celestial treats in store this week — last night saw Mars really making its presence known, as it hung out closer to Earth than it's been in 15 years. According to NASA, the red planet only travels close enough to ours for these spectacular views once or twice every 15 or 17 years. Back in 2003, it made its closest approach in almost 60,000 years, and after this week's events, it isn't expected to make its next 'close approach' until October 6, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/nasasolarsystem/photos/a.164320877917.120400.79209882917/10155603764502918/?type=3&theater If you've been skygazing over the past few days, you would have seen Mars appear brightest from July 27 to 30, as it reached the point in its orbit that puts it closest to Earth. It was on show for most of last night, sitting just 57.6 million kilometres away from us — a relative sliver compared to the 401 million kilometre distance it reaches at its farthest. You'll be able to glimpse the planet for a few more nights, though it's set to get fainter by mid-August as it continues on its orbit. To catch the Red Planet, look east. "Mars will be rising as the sun sets, and rising high and high in the eastern sky during the evening," University of Sydney astronomer Tim Bedding told The Age. "Later in the evening it will be more prominent, passing overhead at midnight." If you find yourself stuck with anther cloudy night, NASA has kindly uploaded a four-hour video of the planet's approach from the Griffith Observatory in LA. Image: NASA
In Mexico, muralists are rewarded with prominence in government buildings and sinking institutes of the arts. Here, we give them furtive street corners, the trendier offices and pride of place in our cafes. Illustrator and artist, Brad Robson, has had a turn a lot of these locations and is looking expand his range, while answering the question "What do Erskineville's Hive Bar, SBS' World Movies office and your own home have in common?" If you're lucky, it could be one of his murals. In an exclusive collaboration with Concrete Playground, Robson is looking to come over and spend a day or two bringing art to a wall of your choosing (and that you can legally paint, naturally) up to 4 x 2 metres large with one of his own signature designs. Robson's recent show at Platform 72 showed off his gleanings from a New York residency, and his Sydney skyline finishes up its run in the window this week (although his show inside keeps on 'til the month is out). What strange vistas will emerge at your locale? For your chance to get Brad to come and paint a wall of your choosing, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground, then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au by 5pm on Monday, May 28, 2012. The winner will be notified by email soon after. Pictured, Robson's multi-wall spanning work from his New York residency.
Based just a short walk from Manly Beach, Manly Farm Organic Grocer is a cosy store that proves that shopping for organic products extends well beyond fresh produce. Of course, the shop, run by Cathy Carney, does have a decent range of fresh fruit and veg. But it also has meat, seafood, frozen food, pantry staples, cleaning and personal products, too, all carefully selected with a conscious lens. Venture inside and you'll find everything from organic herbal teas from Mindful Foods, locally harvested raw bush honey, cold-pressed juices, organic smoked fermented garlic and Crumpets by Merna.
Prepare to party like it's 1945 when newcomer Bopp & Tone arrives on Carrington Street next month. The latest, and first CBD venture, from hospitality group Applejack (Della Hyde, The Butler, Endeavour Tap Rooms), the bar and eatery takes both name and inspiration from the founders' grandfathers — Keith 'Bopp' Evans and Anthony 'Tone' Adams — revisiting the era of optimism and opulence enjoyed by post-WWII Australia. Without the food rationing, we hope. Inside, award-winning design firm Luchetti Krelle (ACME, Matinee Coffee) has helped to create a welcoming space that nods stylishly to the past, combining marble, warm timber and old-world elements with a vibrant collection of greenery, as we've come to expect from most Applejack venues. From the kitchen comes a contemporary Australian menu, prepared by Head Chef Sa Va'afusuaga (The Botanist), with influences from across the Mediterranean. The woodfired grill and charcoal oven get a thorough workout, and are used to deliver dishes heroing free-range spatchcock and chargrilled whole calamari from the Hawkesbury River. Va'afusuaga has also included a bistecca alla Fiorentine steak on his food lineup — a bold move, considering Bistecca, around the corner, is a restaurant dedicated to the Tuscan dish. The cocktail offering works to the same Oz-Mediterranean brief, featuring classics reimagined with Aussie ingredients — including a martini made with tomato — while the wine list champions sustainably produced drops from both overseas and closer to home. Find Bopp & Tone at 60 Carrington Street, Sydney, from mid-November. Venue images are renders.
Haymarket's Civic Underground offers party vibes aplenty in its neon-lit surrounds. Red lights line the bar, colour-changing LED panels light up the ceiling and a top-notch sound system — complete with an Allen and Health V6 and a Ramsa SX-1 FOH mixer, for the music-tech nerds among us — makes the sunken dance floor the place to be on a Saturday night. Hosting both live acts and DJs (in a movable booth with plasma installations, no less), Civic has something for every clubgoer. When you're not on the dance floor, take a break in one of the white booths with a drink in hand. Image: Kitti Smallbone
South American food is all the rage right now. Most of us are familiar with the wonderful empanada and the delightful churro (never mind heath food stores' obsession with quinoa), but this little Chilean bakery in Fairfield has much much more to offer. For one, the atmosphere. Plastic chairs and tables, white tiles, and Chilean pride everywhere. We're talking coloured streamers that stay up all year, flags, plastic streamers of flags, and Chilean television buzzing away at the end of the room. If you're trying to learn Spanish, this is the perfect chance to practise. More importantly, the food. The equivalent of a pork roll from your local Vietnamese bakery is the Lomito, which in the Completo version comes as pork slices on a white bun with lettuce, tomato, sauerkraut and mayo. Chacarero ($8.80 for the 'Palta' or avocado version) is the beef alternative. Then, of course, there's the empanadas. Choose from eight varieties, including Pino ($3.70) with beef and egg, Pollo ($3.70) with chicken and olive, Espinaca ($3.70) with spinach and cheese, or the indulgent Queso ($2.60), fried with cheese filling. One of the more unusual savories not to be missed is the Tamale ($2.50 each). Made from masa (corn dough) and wrapped in a leaf, these are super soft and filled with surprises. The desserts (up to $3) have a cabinet all to themselves and, to be fair, they deserve it. The specialties here feature manjar, which is a little like dulche de leche. Try the Tres Leche, three milk cake or the Horns filled with manjar. You'll also find churros (Chilean donuts), Berlin donuts and a range of biscuits. La Paula is the real deal, and it tastes (and feels) like it. Prices are low and the food is super fresh, making it well worth the journey to Fairfield - or the Kingsford branch if you prefer. [nggallery id=141]
If you have ever been fist-deep into a bag of chicken salt-dredged fish and chips only to think, 'How good would this be as a cocktail?', we've got news for you. It's time to put that theory to the test with the newly launched nostalgia-inspired cocktail menu dubbed 'Memory' at Smoke at Barangaroo House. For those that came up in the late 90s and early noughties, this menu acts as a sensorial step back in time to an era when the compilation CD reigned supreme, mobile phones weren't smart enough to connect to the internet and low-rise flared jeans were all the rage — wait, that last one has inexplicably come back. The playful cocktail menu includes eight cocktails sure to delight fans of Spice Girls' bangers and the Y2K age. Remember when bacon was on everything? Well, it's back with the Hawaiian or Margarita — a pizza-inspired cocktail made with bacon-infused tequila, caramelised pineapple, Cointreau, roasted tomato syrup and lime. It's served in a margarita glass with dehydrated bacon around the rim — yes, you read that correctly — and a chaser of Coca-Cola to bring up memories of takeaway pizzas on Fridays. For lovers of martinis, Smoke has given them a salty twist with the Chicken Salt Martini. The cocktail is made with Four Pillars' olive leaf gin and a house-made chicken salt sherry and rice syrup, garnished with a deep-friend potato twill. You could go for the Half Time Orange for something more citrusy. It's a boozy homage to the simple snack we munched at sporting events, but with a grown-up twist. Made with Patron Reposado, blood orange, sweet vermouth, carrot and tamarind-infused Campari, it's garnished with an edible jello orange wedge. Another fruity option is the Fruit Cup: a boozy fruit slushie with peach, cranberry and cognac garnished with a house-made fruit roll-up. Do you love the smell of freshly cut grass? Opt for the Livin' is Easy cocktail. It's a floral concoction made with mandarin vinegar, house-made karkalla rose geranium cordial, Bombay Premier Cru gin and Aperol. It's served with a spritz of cut grass scent and a plantable card — perfect for the plant daddy of your group. Did you spend your childhood by the beach waiting for the ice cream truck? There are a couple of options to relive those memories. The Salt Kissed Sun is a milkshake-inspired cocktail made using coconut-washed rum, house-made macadamia orgeat, banana and pineapple whey and calvados. Served with a mini suncream bottle, because of course it is. Save the Day is Smoke's take on a classic 99. It's a raspberry horchata with vanilla whey, vodka and Saint Feliz aperitif shaken, strained into a highball and topped with raspberry and vanilla foam with 100s and 1000s or a flake. Last is the ironically named Pick Me, in honour of the oft-maligned black jellybean. It is an anise-flavoured and jet-black cocktail made with Monkey Shoulder whiskey, absinthe, green chartreuse, house-made black sesame, fennel blackberry syrup and egg white shaken and garnished with, you guessed it, jellybeans. There's no word on how long the menu will last, so head down to Barangaroo and relive your summer childhood with a twist. Find out more details on the Smoke website.
This rooftop is a particularly pleasant surprise. On top of what looks like a very dingy, average city pub is a pretty decent-sized tiled rooftop, high enough that you really feel you're up in the air. Huff your way up the stairs to emerge in the bright sun and reward yourself with a glass of champers.
Being called a ‘couch potato’ may not be so insulting after all. You’d never leave yours if you had such a killer view from your living room. Somewhere on Japan's Mount Rokko, five white sofas sit elevated upon a lovely hillside, with full views of lakes, trees and gorgeous mountain scenery. Visitors can easily spot them and climb their ladders to enjoy the views from the top. The ‘garden sky project’ is artist Hidemi Nishida's contribution to Rokko Meets Art, an annual outdoor art festival in Kobe, Japan. Featuring plenty of playful installations like these sky seats, the celebration encourages visitors to interact with art, nature and each other. Via Spoon & Tamago.
Shoalhaven, the shining star of NSW's south coast, is becoming quite the hot destination. The region, just a two-hour drive from Sydney and two and a half from Canberra, has a breathtaking coastline of over 100 beaches and 70 percent of the area is a National Park. Holidaygoers worldwide are starting to see the appeal, especially after Tripadvisor named Shoalhaven one of the world's emerging destinations in 2021, and a lot of that love is for the tiny town of Huskisson. You're spoiled for choice when picking destinations and passing through Shoalhaven, be it the deep-fried delights and cosy vibes of Berry, the postcard-perfect heritage of Milton or the seaside luxury of Mollymook. But we're here to talk about a small but very special town in the heart of Jervis Bay. Welcome to Huskisson. Activities Abound and Maritime Merriment Huskisson might be a small town with less than 1000 permanent residents, but it sees tens of thousands of tourists pass through every year. As it is situated on the shores of beautiful Jervis Bay, it boasts the white sand beaches and clear blue waters the region is known for, with a bounty of experiences to be found in and out of the water. The area is a protected marine park and is teeming with life. Aside from thriving populations of fish, dolphins, seals and turtles, the region is famous for one particular kind of visitor. Huskisson and Jervis Bay sit halfway on 'Humpback Highway', the migration route of Humpback Whales. Between May and November, over 30,000 whales enter the bay to rest and play — making for some of the best whale watching in the country. You can play it safe and spy the majestic animals from land, but Huskisson is the launching point for cruises with Jervis Bay Wild and Dolphin Watch Cruises. If the weather is favourable, you can slip on a wetsuit and get into the water alongside them with experiences offered by Woebegone Freedive and Dive Jervis Bay. There's plenty to do on dry land as well. In keeping with the maritime theme, you can head to the fringes of town and check out the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum. Inside, the exhibitions chronicle the history of the local area from First Nations to the modern day and even house the last-existing wooden Sydney Harbour ferry, Lady Dunham. Another historical gem in town is The Pictures Huskisson, an adorable local cinema that dates back to 1913 (but still screens every latest blockbuster). If you'd rather stay outdoors, fret not. You can get a walk-in while learning about the area from its original inhabitants with Djiriba Waagura Cultural Tours, which offer full-day or half-day walking excursions in Jervis Bay and Nowra. After dark, book a spot with Jervis Bay Stargazing, where you can spend an evening on Nelson Beach learning about the night sky with an astrophysicist or telescope viewings of our celestial neighbours on Plantation Point if it's the right time of year. Taste Your Way Around Town Huskisson is home to many fantastic eateries, with numerous approachable and high-quality options. Start your day at Salty Joes, a local favourite open for breakfast and all the way through to after-dark cocktails. The breakfast menu is full of hearty choices like acai bowls and breakfast burgers, while after-dark diners will find cocktails aplenty with gourmet snacks to pair. Another choice breakfast spot is 5 Little Pigs, a family-run, high-end cafe that is consistently packed to the rafters with hungry visitors. They've no doubt been drawn by off-the-chart tasty items like the roasted zucchini and stracciatella on toast with chilli oil and basil or the sourdough waffle with roasted quince, mascarpone and honeycomb. Come lunchtime, keep things simple with delish fresh seafood dish at the relatively recent addition to the town, Husky Fresh Fish & Chips Co. Grab a feed, then drive to the nearby Woolamia road, which is home to two seriously top-notch breweries. [caption id="attachment_973758" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Mark Fitz[/caption] Jervis Bay Brewing Co is a community standout, welcoming visitors of all ages, kids and furry friends too. It features a small playground, water bowls, fairy lights, firepits and bloody good beers by the tin, tap and platter. Less than 150m away is Flamin' Galah Brewing Co, which offers its own spread of beers plus great feeds, cocktails and regular live entertainment. If you prefer a focus on food, check out Pasta Buoy or Bud's Tavern in central Huskisson. The former is all about relaxed seating, scrumptious cocktails and gourmet handmade pasta bowls that can be eaten in or taken away with ease. The latter is one of the busiest spots in town, half bar, half pub, all delicious with its gourmet pub menu, generous drinks roster and endless hospitality. [caption id="attachment_973754" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Alec Jones[/caption] Rest Your Weary Head All that adventuring is bound to leave you absolutely beat. Good thing Huskisson has no shortage of great accommodation picks. On our last visit, we shacked up at Bay and Bush Cottages. These are just outside of Huskisson, but the drive into town is less than ten minutes. It's perfect for couples or families seeking space and privacy or large groups looking to share some common areas. Eight fully-equipped and self-catering cottages make up the 27-acre property, plus common areas, a firepit, parking and all the space you need to properly unwind. Just nearby is Huskisson institution, Paperbark Camp. For 25 years, this glamping property has been a standout spot for visitors, with premium canvas safari tents and an onsite luxury restaurant. It might be a tiny town, but it's one of Australia's finest, and it's calling your name for a weekend getaway ASAP. Images courtesy of Shoalhaven Tourism
South African-raised, Sydney-based artist Keroshin Govender's upcoming painting series Baranasi at Gaffa Gallery delves into the complex relationship between humans and fabric. Especially admired for his meticulous colour selection, Govender employs contemporary design processes to create artwork in traditional mediums that tell a story. He's strongly drawn to portraiture, exploring through his various subjects themes like resilience and the nobility of human suffering. With Baranasi — the follow up to his series, Paramnesia — Govender explores the emotions and diverse identities that fabric can express. Depending on material, colour, style and fold, fabric can convey a person's nobility, virtue, undesirability or spirituality — such as in his painting Priest, in which a Hindu priest's saffron fabric references his status and holy profession. Govender invites the viewer to experience not only the story of each subject, but also the story being silently conveyed by their clothing, which he believes has an ability to "disguise, protect and seduce." While you're at Gaffa, you can take in Dominique Merven's show, Resonance. Image: Keroshin Govender, Andromeda, 2017, acrylic on canvas.
Lead by Orange wine pioneer Philip Shaw himself, this family-owned and operated vineyard has been kicking goals and pouring wines since 1988. And over its 30 years, these wines have won a whole heap of awards. The cool-climate drops — including particularly tasty pinot noirs and chardonnays — are all sourced from the 47-hectare Koomooloo vineyard. A trip to the cellar door's bluestone barn is more akin to visiting a wealthy friend's country house than a bar. The building is distinguished by a stone exterior and interior, with large share tables for tastings and stunning mountain views. Nab a glass (or bottle) of the good stuff and sit by the fireplace, or out among the vines during warmer weather. For eats, there's the requisite nibbles like olives, and cheese and charcuterie boards ($30–35). For more substantial meals, book to come in during one of the cellar door's monthly woodfired pizza nights or regular chef dinners.
Back in May, Quay Quarter Lanes officially opened, boasting twelve new restaurants and bars. Among the exciting new additions to Sydney's hospitality scene was Zini, a gelateria from charming dessert enthusiast Matteo Zini. While the shop nails classic Italian flavours, it doesn't shy away from trying to do things a little differently. The gelato is created right in front of you in an old-school vertical Cattabriga machine, yuzu sake gelato is continually being churned out for neighbouring Omakase restaurant Besuto, and there are regular gelato degustations for those that want to dive into different sides of gelato. Following a successful vegan degustation, Zini's next variation will focus on truffles. Attendees will be able to taste their way through Matteo's range of truffle-heavy recipes and flavour creations. The four gelatos are a yolk-based custard gelato with truffle shavings, a portabello mushroom and truffle gelato, pecorino cheese gelato topped with truffles and a white chocolate, truffle and pistachio creation. Tickets are $52 and include a coffee to perk you up on arrival, a guided tour through the flavours with Matteo himself and a take-home tub containing all four of the limited-edition gelato creations.
Fond of zipping around Sydney on a brightly coloured, two-wheeled mode of transport? If you're making your way across the inner city, you now have another choice. While Beam's purple e-bikes have been available since 2020, Sydneysiders can now also go orange by jumping on one of Neuron Mobility's electric bicycles. The Singapore-based outfit has unleashed 250 of its vibrant vehicles on the Harbour City's streets, starting in the Sydney CBD, Waverley and Randwick. That means that if you're keen to hop on one of Neuron's e-bikes, you'll need to be in the company's ride zone boundary — which, at the moment, spans out to Pyrmont and Circular Quay in the inner city, also includes Newtown and Green Square in the inner west, and encompasses Bondi and Coogee for beachside rides, too. As well as helmets, Neuron's bikes come with in-built geo-fencing technology, which means that the orange modes of transport can't venture beyond a specific zone. The geo-fencing also controls how fast the bikes can travel, as well as where they can be parked — but Neuron have set up incentivised parking stations across its operating area. Also, the e-bikes are linked to Google Maps, which means that you can use the latter to find one of Neuron's e-bikes, and to get information on your ride. That spans directions, details on how long it will you to get to your destination, price estimates, battery range and expected ETA. You'll unlock the bike and pay for it via the Neuron app, however. Price-wise, Neuron's e-bikes cost $1 to unlock, then 45 cents per minute to ride. Or, you can buy Neuron Passes, which let you ride as many times as you like for up to 90 minutes per day — starting at $3.30 a day, depending on whether you get a one-day ($15) three-day ($25), weekly ($33) or monthly ($99) version. And if Neuron sounds familiar — or its orange-hued vehicles look familiar, more likely — that's because you might've come across them in other Australian cities. Its move into Sydney marks the company's first location in New South Wales, but also now sees it operating e-scooters, e-bikes or both in every Aussie capital. Neuron Mobility's e-bikes are now available around Sydney. For further details, visit the company's website.
There's never been a better time to head out on a road trip and explore everything Australia has to offer. Lockdowns are ending, borders are reopening, live music is taking over regional NSW, and country towns need visitors more than ever after a year void of tourism and the fallout from the devastating 2019/20 bushfires. If you are heading out on the road you may want to bring your pet, after all, what good is a holiday if your four-legged best friend can't come with you. It's also completely fair to have some nervousness about travelling with your pets. Nobody wants to deal with a car-sick pup, or get to their lavish coastal accommodation to find it's not pet-friendly. We talked to veterinarian and Snooza Pet Products ambassador Dr Katrina Warren to ask all the questions you may have before you're joined by your favourite furry buddy on a week away to a pet-friendly stay. To help, we've also rounded up some of our favourite dog-friendly hotels around Australia. What's the best way to find pet-friendly accommodation? "These days, most booking websites have an option to search for pet-friendly accommodation, but just because a property says it accepts pets doesn't mean that it's well set up for pets. It is important to check individual house rules, such as whether the property is fenced and if pets are allowed inside." How often do dogs get car sick and what should I do if my dog does get car sick? "It is quite common for puppies and young dogs to get car sick, but they usually grow out of this. This is because the ear structures that are used for balance are not fully developed yet. Make sure you don't feed them before you start driving and stop frequently for breaks. Like us humans, it can help to have a window open to circulate fresh air and keep the car cool. Some adult dogs can still get car sick, which is when it's best to consult your vet about an effective plan, as there are some medications that can help." How often should we stop for water and toilet breaks for my pet? "I recommend stopping every couple of hours. Always make sure you have your dog on a leash when you bring them out of the car as dogs can panic in new environments and may run. Pack a portable dog bowl and clean water so you always have easy access to cool water." Is there a way I can test if my pet is well suited to travelling before we leave? "Most people have an idea of their pet's personality. A pet that does not enjoy car travel or gets anxious when they go to a new environment would probably be happier to stay home with someone caring for them. Crate training your puppy or adult dog can be extremely helpful, ensuring they are more comfortable when confined to their crate no matter where they are." Are pets likely to be stressed about sleeping in a new environment? How can I help comfort them if they are? "It really depends on the individual pet, but some pets may be anxious when away from their home base. I recommend packing your pet's own bedding so they have something familiar to sleep on. Some beds are easier to travel with than others — I love the Snooza Futon because it's warm in winter and cool in summer. The cover is removable and easy to wash and it doesn't take up a lot of space in the car. Anxious dogs may enjoy snuggling into the Snooza Calming Cuddler Bed." Should I get any specific vaccinations or tick/flea treatments before we leave? "You should make sure your pet's vaccination, worming and flea treatments are all up to date before you travel. If you are travelling to coastal areas of Victoria, NSW or Queensland you should also use a paralysis tick preventative. If you're unsure if there are paralysis ticks in the area you are visiting, I suggest calling ahead to the local vet in the area to ask." Any tips on how to keep pets happy and calm in the car? "While it may be tempting to cuddle your dog on your lap during a car trip, dogs should be restrained when travelling in the car. Keeping them secured behind a grill, in a crate, wearing a harness or dog seat belt are great ways to keep your pets safe, all of which are easiest to teach from when they are a puppy. Using a crate for small dogs and puppies helps keep them safe and comfortable. The Snooza Road Tripper is a handy way to keep your pets secured if they're travelling in the backseat, looking after your dog and your car interior in case they get dirty during walks throughout your trip."
If your adventures have taken you to Melbourne's Westgate Park in the past few weeks, then you might've noticed something a little unusual. The lake has turned a pretty shade of pink. And, before you ask, no, it's not a Mother's Day thing. Nor is it fairies. In fact, the change in colour is due to a bunch of factors all happening at once, namely: lots of salt, lots of sunlight, hot temperatures and a lack of rain. The lake bed is covered in salt crust and, when matters get extra salty, the algae growing there creates beta carotene during photosynthesis. Beta carotene is a red-orange pigment, contained in carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, mangoes and papayas, among other fruits and veggies. The pink salt water lake at Westgate Park (6 May 2018). . . #pinklake #saltwaterlake #saltwater #westgatepark #pink #pinkwater #algalbloom #melbourne #australia A post shared by Isaac Borthwick (@isaac.b.photo) on May 15, 2018 at 4:42am PDT In the case of Westgate Park Lake, the beta carotene has seeped into the water, giving it a somewhat magical look. This is not the first time the phenomenon has happened — you've probably seen it pop up on Instagram before — but it has stuck around for longer than usual this year. Given that the pinkness is a natural event, neither Parks Victoria nor we can tell you how long it's going to last, but it will probably start to fade as winter hits. If you're keen to take a peek, then find it on the eastern banks of Yarra River at Fishermans Bend. It's closest to Port Melbourne on one side and Yarraville on the other, and is most easily accessed by car or bus (take the 235 from the city or 606 from Elsternwick/St Kilda). Just note that Parks Victoria asks that visitors stick to official paths and avoid poking around the lake's edge. Although it might look tempting in these images, definitely do not swim in the water. Unlike the water, it will not be pretty.
With all this time indoors, we're sure you've had your fair share of at-home raves by now. You've got to let your hair down after a week of WFH, after all. And, now that you can have five friends around with sensible social distancing in place, you can make it a real party, too. Luckily, if you're looking for your next excuse to cut some serious shapes, look no further because there's a new one-off party with pumping tunes and bad fashion is hitting screens across the country on Saturday, May 23. Canadian Club's annual Bad Sweater Party is going virtual. So, cancel whatever non-event plans you had, push your furniture aside and start a makeshift dance floor with five of your nearest and dearest. Bringing the dance-inducing tunes in spades will be Hot Dub Time Machine. For about a decade, he's been ripping up stages the world over with his rolling crossfades of pop music from the last six decades. And during lockdown he's been bringing the good times to your living room. Expect everything from 50s rock 'n' roll tunes to disco hits like ABBA's 'Gimme Gimme Gimme' and Earth, Wind & Fire's 'September'. Once you hit the more recent decades, there's often glam rock, a bit of 90s grunge, Darude's epic 'Sandstorm' and 'Toxic' by Britney. You get the idea — it's nonstop bangers all night long. Hang on, a Bad Sweater Party? The major point of difference for this party is that you've got a dress code. Don an ugly jumper — it's OK, you're partying at home. And, yes, you'll get pretty sweaty with all those killer moves you'll be busting. Kicking off at 7pm, the event will be live streamed via Hot Dub's Twitch account, with a live chat going so you can socialise with other partygoers. You may want to dust off that disco ball and find that old lava lamp, too. As you'll working up a sweat as you dance your way through the decades (in a sweater, remember), you'll want some cold ones on hand. To really get in the spirit of things, mix up some CC 'n' drys. Or save yourself the trouble and grab a case of the stuff. Canadian Club's Bad Sweater Party is going down on Saturday, May 23, from 7–9pm. You can tune in here — just don't forget your ugly jumper.
One of Sydney's most distinct locations is set to be reinvented with several new hospitality venues arriving next year. Part of the historic Sydney Harbour island, Fort Denison will be transformed into a restaurant offering fresh produce and unbeatable views with an ex-Aria chef at the helm. The new restaurant is spearheaded by hospitality collective The Point Group and will pay homage to Fort Denison's historic significance as a former defence facility. Patrons will be offered a unique dining experience featuring uninterrupted views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and Sydney city skyline. The boundary-pushing restaurant will champion a menu focused on sustainable seafood and local Australian produce. Alongside the opening of the island restaurant, The Point Group's proposal will reimagine Fort Denison with educational tours to help visitors appreciate the island's unique heritage and significance in history. A casual dining area, bar and wine room, and three exhibition spaces are also outlined in the proposal along with new interpretive installations. [caption id="attachment_822517" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joel Nickford and Brett Robinson[/caption] The Point Group has secured a 25-year lease of the iconic Sydney site. NSW Environmental Minister Matt Kean said the proposal submitted by the hospitality collective delivered "a state-of-the-art visitor experience for the whole community to enjoy, that celebrates the unique heritage and environmental values of this iconic site". Overseeing the food at Fort Denison Dining will be The Point Group's newly appointed Culinary Director Joel Bickford. Bickford has spent the last four years leading Aria's culinary team as Executive Chef and will now work in collaboration with The Point Group's Co-Founder and Director Brett Robinson to curate the dining experiences across The Point's venues. Bickford is known for his refined and innovative culinary style with a preference for seasonal Australian ingredients. [caption id="attachment_822519" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shell House[/caption] The same hospitality group has also been hard at work transforming another historic Sydney building. Announced back in May and originally slated to open in July before the latest Sydney lockdown, Sydney mainstay The Shell House is set to reopen inside the new multibillion-dollar Brookfield Place development under the guidance of The Point Group. The venue is now slated to open in October, pending public health orders, and will feature The Menzies Bar, a ground floor bar and bistro, and The Dining Room, a light-filled open kitchen, as well as a Mediterranean-influence rooftop bar with 360-degree views of Sydney. The Shell House is located at 2 Carrington Street, Sydney and is expected to open in October 2021. Fort Dennison Dining is set to open in September 2022.
Real life has enough drama, as we all well and truly know at the moment. When it comes to getting cosy on your couch, you can be forgiven for wanting to forget the world's troubles — and your own, and this year's — and get caught up in a side-splitting comedy instead. Our tip: pick a top-notch TV series of the rib-tickling kind and stream (or re-stream) your way through it. Some you can knock out fairly quickly, filling your weekend with laughter. Others will take weeks and months, and will constantly brighten up your days in the process. From acerbic delights and absurd wonders to heartwarming gems and instant classics, streaming platform Binge isn't lacking in the comedy department. Because being able to lose yourself in a hilarious TV series is one of life's simple but much-needed pleasures, we've teamed up with the Australian service to highlight five shows that are guaranteed to have you giggling and guffawing — including via a 14-day free trial for new customers.
Summertime at Crown Street staple The Winery is all about picnics in the venue's lush garden, and every Aussie knows that a picnic isn't complete without a little (or a lot of) bubbly. Happy to oblige, The Winery has brought back its bottomless prosecco fountain, on offer Thursday–Sunday until January 11. This time, though, the antique-looking stone fountain isn't just pouring endless prosecco from its mouth — it's also serving up Aperol spritzes. For $39 a head, you're able to grab a glass and pour-your-own bubbly and spritzes for a full two hours from that tap. [caption id="attachment_671514" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Winery by Letícia Almeida[/caption] While no food is included in the deal, you can order something appropriately summery and European from the new antipasti menu. Choose from organic haloumi with truffle honey ($15), chicken liver parfait with eggplant relish ($14), spicy 'nduja ($8) and gooey stracciatella ($12). Larger dishes — such as smoked lamb meatballs ($21), mushroom tortillas ($15) and prawn lettuce cups ($21) — are on offer, too. If you're yet to organise a get together, this could very well be the setting for this year's Friendsmas. The bottomless prosecco and aperol spritz package is available from Thursday–Friday 5–10pm and Saturday and Sunday 12–10pm.
Cities are brilliant. They facilitate things like coffee, sex and conversation. You can get a pizza at two in the morning, you can stumble into washed-up models at the pub, and you can ask your local drag queen where they got their fabulous dress while you stand in line for an ATM. But for all of that, our cities have problems, and increasingly we are realising that the spaces we live in have an unparalleled impact on human health and happiness. There are 7 billion people alive today. By the end of this century there will be 10 billion. And it's estimated that 80 percent of those people will live in cities. "We have to deal with a doubling of urban dwellers in the next forty years. How are we going to make life in these places sustainable?" This is the question asked by Danish filmmaker Andreas Dalsgaard, whose documentary The Human Scale made its Australian premiere at the Sydney Film Festival last week and will screen at Melbourne's ACMI in June and July. The Problem with Building Cities as Machines In centuries past, cities were built at human walking pace, with the street and the square the fundamental elements of urban life. Think Rome. But things changed radically in the 20th century. Under the influence of modernist architects like Le Corbusier, cities were reconceived as machines for living, with the central functions of work, home and play separated for maximum efficiency. The most important element was the car. Buildings were meant to be glimpsed momentarily as you sped past on the freeway. Think Los Angeles. This has led to perfume bottle cities like Dubai, every building built to impress. They are places that look fantastic from the perspective of a helicopter. But they look rubbish from eye-level. Moreover, they aren't good for people. The cities we are building right now are making people ill. We build out, fostering social isolation and financial hardship. And we build up, when taller buildings inhibit fresh air, exercise and meeting other people. They are, in short, bad for your health. "In the Western world, we created this way of life, and we're now learning that there are huge problems connected with it," says Dalsgaard. "A lot of Western cities look towards Copenhagen and ask 'Why is it that 37 percent of people bike, why is it that you have this wonderful public domain and public life, can we get some of that?' And at the same time we have countries like China, which are developing so fast and copying a way of life which isn't sustainable, both on a human level and environmentally. Then we have the third world, represented by Dhaka — 3 billion people worldwide knocking on the door, about to make the same mistakes." The Human Scale is asking us to consider the ways a human-centred approach to urban planning, design and architecture could address these issues. "There are so many things we struggle with in human society," says Dalsgaard. "We have obesity, we have diabetes, we have depression and anxiety, and a lot of these things are connected with how we live." How to Reclaim Cities for People The central figure of The Human Scale is Jan Gehl, a Danish architect and urban designer who has inspired something of an international movement in urban planning. In the 1960s, Gehl began mapping pedestrian behaviour in Copenhagen. What he saw was that if you make more public space, there will be more public life. The best example of Gehl's vision is Copenhagen. The streets are for people, not cars. Small bars and cafes proliferate, public life thrives, and bicycles and walkers control the pace of life. These measures are more sustainable, not only financially but also environmentally and psychologically. People are healthier, they interact with each other, and they feel a sense of ownership over their own city. "It is so cheap to be sweet to people in city planning," explains Gehl. Because one of the central points of The Human Scale is that the way we are developing now — more cars, more high rise buildings, more energy consumption — is more expensive and dangerous than we can perhaps conceive of. Gehl's approach instead recognises that we can't halt the pace of growth. We have to look at what we have and consider how we do more with less. The Human Scale shows how Gehl's ideas have been adapted successfully in New York and Melbourne. One of the loveliest moments of the documentary is a scene showing a spontaneous snowball fight which broke out in New York's Times Square after it had been pedestrianised according to Gehl's recommendations. It demonstrates a wildness and passion which can only emerge in a city if you have a critical mass of people reclaiming public space. But these changes clash with the short-term interests of industry. "It's a constant struggle," notes Dalsgaard, "and the only way you can struggle is through the public domain. Citizens need to raise their voices saying 'we want this', or 'we don't want this.' If you don't have people doing that, then the poor measure of profit that huge high-rise developments make, they will prevail. And it's not that I'm against profit, I just believe in smart profit and long-term profit. And we have to find ways to fight for that." Why does this matter in Australia? In 2007, The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, commissioned Jan Gehl to create a plan to put life back into Sydney. It aimed to create more public spaces; to encourage small businesses, bars and cafes; to create a vibrant night-time economy; and to introduce cycleways and pedestrianise areas of the CBD, as had been done in Melbourne decades before. "Melbourne understood this thirty years ago," says Dalsgaard. "And that has meant that Melbourne today is a very attractive city, which has out-competed Sydney in many ways." Some of Gehl's proposals have worked in Sydney — it's seen an explosion in small bars due to reformed licensing laws, and events like Vivid encourage people into the streets. But peak industry groups sit at odds with public interest. We see this in the development of Central Park at Broadway, with the looming high-rises gradually blocking out the sunlight. And we see it in the proposed development of Barangaroo, where prime waterfront land which could be used as public space is likely to become Sydney's second casino. When asked about this conflict, Dalsgaard points to the success of Copenhagen's Meatpacking District, a former industrial section of the city (much like Barangaroo), which could have generated a vast amount of money for the government. But instead of selling off the district to developers, Copenhagen decided to keep the Meatpacking District as a place with low rents to encourage creative communities. This has transformed the Meatpacking Distract into the most exciting and innovative part of Copenhagen. "The thing about industry," notes Dalsgaard, "is that it's profit driven, but we have very poor measurements when it comes to long-term profit. It's a huge short-term cost for Copenhagen to decide to do that. But because there's this creative hub, people all over the world now are talking about the Meatpacking District. How do you measure that value?" What The Human Scale demonstrates is that it's dangerous to build just because you can. It shows that governments, industry bodies and architects the world over need to stop creating cities like a self-important child sat at a table with a Lego set, looking down from above. What matters is making cities good for people, making sure they are places that keep us healthy and happy, and which we want to wander, rest and linger in. The Human Scale is screening at ACMI from June 14 to July 4. The Sydney Film Festival continues until June 16.
If your winter routine usually involves not only a trip to Tasmania, but a stint at music and arts festival Dark Mofo, then you probably have June permanently blocked out in your diary. With 2022 ticking by, that wintry time is fast approaching — and the Museum of Old and New Art, the venue behind Dark Mofo, has started revealing what's in store at this year's fest. First up, it has also announced the festival's dates — even though it already did just that back in late 2021. In great news for folks planning a jaunt south, Dark Mofo 2022 will run for a week longer than originally planned, kicking off on Wednesday, June 8 instead of Wednesday, June 15. It'll still finish up on Wednesday, June 22, but that'll now give you two weeks to soak in the fest's program. The full bill won't be revealed until April; however, a few headliner highlights have been unveiled now — in what festival organisers are calling a 'resurrection'. That label comes after Dark Mofo scrapped its 2020 festivities due to the pandemic, then returned in 2021 amid controversy over an artwork that was announced and then ditched. [caption id="attachment_846522" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 3.2, 404.zero, Dark Downtown, Dark Mofo 2021. Dark Mofo/Remi Chauvin, 2021. Image Courtesy Dark Mofo, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] On the lineup for 2022 so far, starting with week one: the return of The Blue Rose Ball and its costumed debauchery; an art program that'll feature both video and new media artist Bill Viola and multi-channel video artist Doug Aitken; and a Mona Up Late event to launch exhibitions by Jeremy Shaw, Fiona Hall and AJ King, and Robert Andrew. In week two, Berlin-based composer and producer Nils Frahm will play Music For Hobart, after hitting Sydney's Vivid festival with Music For Sydney — and Spiritualized will also play both fests. Exclusive to Dark Mofo, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon will bust out songs from her 2019 solo release No Home Record, Deafheaven will take to the stage and classically-trained multi-instrumentalist Lingua Ignota will also join the bill. A few signature Dark Mofo events are on the lineup as always, too — including the Nude Solstice Swim, because it wouldn't be Dark Mofo without it. The City of Hobart Winter Feast will take place on the waterfront and Night Mass: Transcendence will make a splash in the In The Hanging Garden precinct, while the Reclamation Walk is also back. [caption id="attachment_846523" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winter Feast, Dark Mofo 2021. Dark Mofo/Jesse Hunniford, 2021. Image Courtesy Dark Mofo, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] As for what else is on the cards, Dark Mofo is always full of surprises, serving up a fantastical combination of musical performances, performance art and large-scale installations — so watch this space. In 2021, the program included a vibrating chamber filled with light, guided night walks through Hobart led by teenagers, 49 search lights beaming up into the sky and multiple performances by Sonic Youth founder Thurston Moore. And back in 2019, the fest featured the likes of artists Ai Weiwei and Mike Parr, American musician Sharon Van Etten and one of the world's largest glockenspiels. Dark Mofo will run from Wednesday, June 8–Wednesday, June 22 in Hobart, Tasmania. The full 2022 program will be announced in April — head to the festival website for further details in the interim. Top images: Home State Reclamation Walk, Dark Downtown, Dark Mofo 2021. Dark Mofo/Remi Chauvin, 2021. Image Courtesy Dark Mofo, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia / THE BURNING - OGOH-OGOH, Dark Mofo 2019. Photo Credit: Dark Mofo/Rémi Chauvin, 2019. Image Courtesy Dark Mofo, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Have you ever found getting through more than 17 syllables of news takes far too much effort? Well luckily for you the New York Times has designed an algorithm that deconstructs news stories into everybody's favourite Japanese poem style, the haiku. For those unaware, a haiku is a short style of poetry with a specific syllabic structure of five syllables in the opening line, seven in the following and five in the concluding. Although there are other elements to haikus, this is the format the algorithm operates on as other aspects of this poetic style are "a lot harder to teach an algorithm", according to Jacob Harris, the senior software designer for the NYT and the author of the advanced algorithm. The haikus are constructed when the algorithm periodically scans articles published on the newspaper's home page. It then breaks down these articles sentence by sentence, looking for potential haikus via an online dictionary that counts syllables and even encompasses a word like 'Rihanna' to process the language employed by the New York Times. Reversing the typical trend of technology, the computer needs humans to operate successfully as it cannot distinguish between a harmonious haiku and a horrid one by itself. Once a journalist has selected a poetic pearl, many of which encapsulate the article's essence, it is then transformed into an aesthetically pleasing image in order for the poems to "retain their visual integrity" as they are shared online. The coloured lines may seem illogical but they are actually delicately designed to match the metre of the first line of the poem. Our favourites are below but check the NYT haiku blog as it is updated daily. Via PSFK.
When it was announced back in 2016 that Moulin Rouge! was being turned into a stage musical, fans around the world thought the same thing in unison: the show must go on. Since then, the lavish production premiered in the US in 2018, then hit Broadway in 2019, and also announced that it'd head Down Under in 2021 — and if you're an Aussie wondering when the latter would actually happen after all the chaos of the past two years, the same mantra thankfully applies to its upcoming Melbourne season. Originally set to debut in August — a date that was obviously delayed due to lockdown — Moulin Rouge! The Musical will now make its Australian debut at Melbourne's revamped Regent Theatre on Friday, November 12. It'll do so as a newly minted Tony-winner, too, after picking up ten awards earlier in October, and also becoming the first-ever Aussie-produced show to win the Tony for Best Musical. Based on Baz Luhrmann's award-winning, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor-starring movie — which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year — the stage musical brings to life the famed Belle Époque tale of young composer Christian and his heady romance with Satine, actress and star of the legendary Moulin Rouge cabaret. Set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, the film is known for its soundtrack, celebrating iconic tunes from across the past five decades. The stage version carries on the legacy, backing those favourites with even more hit songs that have been released in the two decades since the movie premiered. The musical comes to Melbourne in the hands of production company Global Creatures, along with the Victorian Government. The Government is also a big player behind the Regent's upgrade works, having dropped a cool $14.5 million towards the $19.4 million project. It co-owns the site, along with the City of Melbourne. Moulin Rouge! The Musical's spectacular spectacular Melbourne season is set to stick around for a while, with tickets currently on sale until early April. You might want to get in quickly if you're keen on heading along, though — when pre-sale tickets were put up for grabs back in February for the original August dates, they broke the Regent Theatre's record for the most pre-sale tickets sold in a single day. Moulin Rouge! The Musical will hit The Regent Theatre, at 191 Collins Street, Melbourne from Friday, November 12. For further details or to buy tickets, head to the production's website. Moulin Rouge! The Musical image: Matthew Murphy.
Get excited, festivalgoers: Pitch Music & Arts is returning to Grampian Plains in 2025, complete with a jam-packed roster of talent. Joy Orbison, Honey Dijon, Funk Tribu, 2manydjs: they're all on the bill. So are Daria Kolosova, SPFDJ, 999999999, Shanti Celeste, FJAAK, Lady Shaka and Job Jobse, with the list going on from there. Everyone should make the trip to the Grampians at least once, and here's as ace an excuse to do so as any: the return of the much-loved camping festival, which will host its eighth edition, taking over Moyston again. Next years' festivities are happening from Friday, March 7–Tuesday, March 11. Not only will its three stages play host to a sparkling lineup of local and international musical talent, as always, but the tunes will be backed by a hefty program of interactive art and installations. Basically, no matter who makes it onto the bill, attendees are in for a very big, very busy four days. Joy Orbison's 'flight fm' and 'better' were used in teaser videos for 2025's fest, which was indeed a huge advance lineup hint. You can also look forward to catching Gabber Eleganza, BASHKKA, Funk Assault, Baraka, ISAbella, Ogazón, southstar, Midland, Dax J, Anetha and plenty more, including Osmosis Jones, Moopie, DJ PGZ, Stev Zar, Jennifer Loveless and Mabel. On the Pitch Music & Arts arts lineup: Adnate, Anatolik Belikov, Ash Keating, Builders Club, Clayton Blake, EJ Son, ENOKi, Georgia Treloar, Henry Howson & Ambrose Zacharakis, Jaqui Munoz, Joan Sandoval, Lukas Rafik Mayer, ØFFËRÎNGŠ (aka Melissa Gilbert), Petra Péterffy, Rachel Lyn & Cameron Trafford, Raquel Villa, Reelize Studio, Sam Hayes, TERRAIN, Tetrik and UnitePlayPerform. In between all of the dance-floor sessions and arty things, festivalgoers will again be able to make themselves at home in the Pitch Pavilion, which is where yoga classes, meditation and sound baths usually help patrons unwind. The local-focused Club Serra will be new in 2025, championing homegrown talent. Pitch Music & Arts 2025 Lineup 2 LUBLY 2manydjs (DJ set) 6 SENSE 999999999 Anetha Audrey Danza BADSISTA Baraka (LIVE) BASHKKA D. Tiffany Daria Kolosova b2b SPFDJ Dax J Diffrent DJ Fuckoff DJ Gigola DJ Paulette DJ PGZ b2b Moopie Ed Kent Ela Minus Elli Acula Fadi Mohem FJAAK (LIVE) Funk Assault Funk Tribu Gabber Eleganza presents the Hakke Show GiGi FM Guy Contact Honey Dijon ISAbella Jennifer Loveless Job Jobse Joy Orbison Kasper Marott Kia Kuzco (LIVE) Lacchesi Lady Shaka Leo Pol Maara Mabel Maruwa Mia Koden Midland Mikalah Watego Miley Serious Naycab Ned Bennett Objekt Ogazón Ollie Lishman Osmosis Jones Pablo Bozzi Pegassi Shanti Celeste southstar Stev Zar Sugar Free Surf 2 Glory Taylah Elaine The Illustrious Blacks Trym VOLVOX Y U QT Images: Duncographic, William Hamilton Coates, Max Roux and Ashlea Caygill.
One of the best performances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes from the man who was first charged with getting villainous, but now leads his own spinoff series as a complex and playful hero. While Tom Hiddleston's acting talents are well-established far beyond playing the God of Mischief — see: The Deep Blue Sea, The Hollow Crown, Only Lovers Left Alive, High-Rise, Crimson Peak and The Night Manager, for instance — the MCU has been all the better for his involvement for more than a decade. A scene-stealer in 2011's Thor, his parts in film after film kept getting bigger until streaming series Loki arrived. Amid Disney's rush of greenlighting shows for Disney+, starting this one couldn't have been easier; as Thor: Ragnarok in particular demonstrated, adding more Hiddleston has always been a winning move. When it slid into queues in 2021 as just the third series in the MCU's small-screen realm, following WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki proved that more Hiddleston in a six-part TV show was also a delight. Immediately one of Marvel's standout shows, it came as no surprise when this stint of time-hopping trickery confirmed that it was returning for a second season in that run's final episode. Now back for another half-dozen instalments from Friday, October 6, Loki becomes the first of Marvel's television entries to earn a second go-around. That isn't an achievement that it takes for granted. Picking up exactly where season one left off, Loki season two sticks to some familiar beats but also makes its own leaps, and remains fun, funny, lively and smart in the process. It feels more lived in, too, a description that rarely applies to any franchise about caped crusaders and their nemeses, gods, multiverses and temporal chaos, this one among them. Audiences may know and love Loki, including in his small-screen guise as an alternate version of the movies' scamp who turns time cop to save the world, but the figure himself isn't as swiftly recognised when Loki's second season kicks off. Although nothing has changed about him visually, the first season's climactic showdown with Time Variance Authority creator He Who Remains (Jonathon Majors, Creed III) has had repercussions. Now, the Norse rogue is glitching. With multiple timelines in play thanks to fellow Loki variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain), the series' eponymous character is being pulled between different worlds. "It looks like you're being born, or dying, or both at the same time," observes Agent Mobius M Mobius (Owen Wilson, Haunted Mansion). He isn't wrong. Time is an inescapable concept in the MCU, especially as it keeps expanding and sprawling. 2023 marks 15 years since Iron Man started the franchise, with The Marvels set to notch up its 33rd film when it reaches cinemas in November. On streaming, five other Marvel shows have joined the fold since Loki's debut season, beginning with 2021's Hawkeye; then spanning 2022's Moon Knight, Ms Marvel and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law; and seeing Secret Invasion already drop in 2023. In the mechanics of the superhero saga, the MCU stresses the same message that Loki now is: as time keeps elongating, jumping here, there and everywhere is inevitable. Once Loki and Mobius are back in their entertaining old rhythm, they need help getting time under control. Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku, Black Mirror) takes up the battle to save timelines beyond the sacred timeline, plus the people living their lives within them, while Loki and Mobius seek help from TVA tech go-to Ouroboros aka OB (Ke Huy Quan, American Born Chinese). Bringing Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Quan into another temporal jumble is as great on-screen as it sounds on paper, even as he's saddled with mentioning time, manuals, looms and pruning repeatedly. There's a weightier air to Loki season two as Loki, Mobius and Hunter B-15's arcs deepen, plus more meaningful emotional paths, but the boilersuit-clad OB is a gloriously energetic addition. Also fun: when Loki flits around, inserting its main duo into different places and times on various legs of their mission. The MCU's penchant for cycling through genres instalment by instalment pops up here in miniature; where the broader saga can be a thriller in one flick (Black Widow, for example), a comedy in others (the Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man vibes), dive into horror elsewhere (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) and spin coming-of-age stories as well (the Spider-Man movies), this series goes from 70s-set London spy antics to a 19th-century Chicago caper and an existential stop at McDonalds in the 80s. The bouncing around doesn't just serve the narrative or suit the tone, but also fits Hiddleston and Wilson's central pairing. Loki does the odd-couple buddy dynamic swimmingly no matter where Loki and Mobius are, and gains another of Marvel's most engaging performances from Wilson as a result. Getting Loki falling in love with himself, aka Sylvie, was as Loki a move as there ever was in season one. In the show's return, their relationship is still complicated. Also, Sylvie remains on a quest to vanquish the man who sparked the TVA, this time via his variant Victor Timely (also Majors). The season has everyone looking for Judge Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Summerland) and Miss Minutes (Tara Strong, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), too. And, it has a He Who Remains/Timely/Kang the Conqueror problem. As the big bad for the MCU's phase five and beyond — the next Avengers movie due in 2026 is called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty — the latter as pivotal in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The domestic violence allegations against Majors since that film now cast a shadow, unsurprisingly, as does knowing that recasting could happen. There's no doubting Loki's look, though; it's up there with the Hiddleston-and-Wilson banter and Quan's verve as one of the season's highlights. The colour palette, the technology, the outfits, the retro sheen: it all works a charm. Marvel is obsessed with linking its array of on-screen chapters as it constantly grows and stretches its cinematic universe, which isn't about to change from here. With its aesthetics, plus Hiddleston and Wilson's excellent work — and Quan's, Martino and Mosaku's as well — Loki keeps making the opposite argument, however. If ever there's a segment of the MCU that could happily stand alone and thrive, it's this one. Of course, that isn't the show's route, but leaving viewers wanting more isn't the given that it once was for this franchise as time has passed. Check out the trailer for Loki season two below: Loki season two streams via Disney+ from Friday, October 6. Images: © Marvel Studios 2023. All Rights Reserved.
With its endless ocean views, (usually) stunning weather, and abundant green spaces, Sydney has a helluva lot going for it. And there are few better ways to take full advantage of these bountiful natural blessings than a good few hours of outdoor dining. Whether it's the weekend or an I-need-a-pick-me-up hump day, there's nothing like stuffing yourself silly while simultaneously getting your required dose of vitamin D. Throw in some wine or an ice cold beer and you've got yourself the perfect set-up. To help you sift through the options, American Express helped us round up some of the city's solid gold spots to grab a meal while surrounded by water views or greenery. Plus, these venues are all Amex-accepting, so you can up your points balance while getting your tan on. So slap on the sunscreen, grab your most dramatic sunnies, and make like a Hollywood star on a much-needed summer holiday — if only for a precious few hours. Got yourself in another dining situation and need some guidance? Whatever it is, we know a place. Visit The Shortlist and we'll sort you out.
Running from May 4–20, the High Country Harvest explores innovative food, wine, craft beer and spirits in Victoria's spectacular north-east. With more than 50 outdoor and culinary adventures to experience during the festival, curated around seasonally specific produce, there's no better time than right now to visit the Victorian High Country. On Friday, May 4, Yackandandah Organics' Farm Ramble and Feast lets you feast on food dug up, picked and plundered from the earth under your feet. You'll explore the market garden and orchard before sitting down to a long-table lunch with produce provided by Yackandandah growers Gena and Steve Cavini and prepared by the plant-focused chefs from Saint Monday. Also on May 4, you have the opportunity to get to know Shiraz in a whole new way. At Shirazzle Dazzle the Senses, Valhalla Wines' Anton Therkildsen will blindfold you before guiding you through a wine tasting with your remaining senses, encouraging you to focus on its smell, feel and taste. For the meat lovers, on Saturday, May 5, Dal Zotto winery is hosting their annual Salami Sessions, where you get hands-on experience in making traditional Italian salami with James Mele of the Meat Room Bespoke Butchers. You might have to learn one-handed as you hold a Dal Zotto wine in the other. More of an outdoor adventurer? Explore the ever-changing landscape of the High Country in autumn on horseback during the To Lunch on Horseback adventure. The Baird family (and their horses) from Bogong Horseback Adventure will guide you through the Alpine National Forest on a half-day horse ride, discovering native flora and fauna, exploring caverns and plodding through fern-filled valleys. Then enjoy a campfire feast made from local and native ingredients (along with some hay and carrots for your trusty steeds). Get prepped for the array of autumn events in the High Country and explore more of what's on your doorstep at the Wander Victoria website.
"Oh no, I like hip hop, I just hate Aussie hip hop." It's an all too common refrain heard at parties all over the country — well, inner city Sydney at least — as bearded Das Racist fans explain just why the world will never see another J-Dilla again. And I get it, Aussie hip hop, in its most common (read: popular (read: commercial)) incarnation, as personified by the likes of Hilltop Hoods and Bliss n Eso, is an acquired taste to say the least. But fear not intrepid reader, for if you're sick of the overblown ocker-isms, zealous xenophobia — so prevalent that The Hoods felt compelled to write a whole song about it — and sunburnt Southern Cross tattoos that have become emblematic of Aussie hip hop, then we've got five emerging local hip-hop artists to restore your faith. 1. Remi Holy shit, this guy is b-b-b-b-b-blowing UP! Probably the most well known of our hip hop offerings, this Melbourne MC was last year's triple j Unearthed Artist of the Year. The 23-year-old rapper has embarked on a national tour of his second album Raw x Infinity, which dropped just a few weeks ago. Taking cues from the faded finesse of early West Coast hip hop and the raw 'realness' of The Roots combined with a healthy dose of braggadocio, Remi likes to rap about hitting the blunt but isn't afraid to get political either; calling out passé Aussie hip hop tropes and conservative close-mindedness. Unlike generic 'skip hop' whose biggest message seems to be: 'How good are barbeques with your mates?' Remi is an artist with something to say — and he's not afraid to say it. Catch Remi at Oxford Art Factory this Saturday, June 28. Tickets available here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=oHmuZ7wDl4E 2. Coin Banks With tracks from Ta-ku and lyrics sent from the heavens, Coin Banks is already a force to be reckoned with. Having popped into our collective musical consciousness thanks to triple j's fairly regular rotation of his groundbreaking single 'Think of You', the Perth rapper hasn't looked back. The eloquent lyricism of his debut EP Heads made waves Australia-wide in the lead up to his debut national tour, pulling shapes at Sydney's Beresford, Melbourne's Espy and Laundry and Brisbane's Alhambra Lounge over the last few weeks. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WaAWTXNaqJU 3. Citizen Kay You may not have heard of this Canberra-based MC yet but he's already supported the likes of Public Enemy, Earl Sweatshirt, Danny Brown, Run the Jewels and Wiz Khalifa, all in the last year alone. And he's earned those support slots — Citizen Kay's cheeky wordplay flows effortlessly over some of the catchiest hooks outside of the fish market. He's by far the most interesting thing to have come out of our nation's capital since… Well, look, Canberra's pretty boring. Catch Citizen Kay on his national Vision tour: Saturday 13 July at Sydney's FBi Social, Friday 19 July at Melbourne's Revolver, and Friday 2 August at Brisbane's Alhambra Lounge. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qfMLYVi0uv0 4. Tkay Maidza As if hanging out with DJ Lance Rock while supporting super-weird-but-amazing US kids show Yo Gabba Gabba! wasn't cool enough, this young Radelaidean femcee is set to explode into the Australian music consciousness when she brings her self-described 'Dinojams' — code for epic dancefloor rap — to this year's Splendour in the Grass. One of the most promising female rappers to have emerged from the sausage fest that is Aussie hip hop, Tkay Maidza may only have one official single under her belt but if it's anything to go by she's going to be massive. If you're not already stomping your feet like a Brontosaurus, get ready to make some serious noise. Catch Tkay Maidza at many an Aussie festival coming up — Splendour in the Grass on June 25, BIGSOUND on September 10 or Listen Out nationwide from September 27 - Oct 5. https://youtube.com/watch?v=vV9lX9fQubY 5. N'fa Whilst technically not a newcomer, the artist formerly known as N'fa Jones has rebranded himself as just N'fa so we're counting it. You may know him better as the frontman for 1200 Techniques, the guys behind the early 2000s surprise hit 'Karma'. (WARNING: viewing this clip and its Punch & Judy-style rendering of the band may induce severe nostalgia for waking up early on a Saturday to watch Rage before your parents got up.) N'fa has kept the soulful, genre-melding sound that typified 1200 Techniques but has added a more introspective, personal feel to his latest solo offering Black & White Noise. It's not what you expect from Aussie hip hop and in this instance, that's a very good thing. If you want to hear him on the solo tip, check out the banger below — with none other than British hip-hop legend Roots Manuva. Catch N'fa at Melbourne's Howler for Hip Hip Sundays on June 29, along with M-Phazes, Flagrant and Peril (and it's free).
If movies are anything to go by, then the 1980s represented the golden age of comically inept kidnappings. Ruthless People (starring Bette Midler) set the standard in 1986, and the following year Joel and Ethan Coen released their own kidnap farce – Raising Arizona – starring Nicholas Cage and Holly Hunter. While successful in its day, Arizona has since acquired cult status amongst movie fans, both as a fine example of the Coen Brother’s unique vision and quirkiness, and as one of cinema’s all-time classic ‘crims-on-the-run’ road movies. Cage plays the recidivist petty crook Hi, whose regular encounters with police photographer Ed (Hunter) eventually lead to the most unlikely of romances and marriage. The clucky couple soon discovers, however, that they’re unable to have children, and thanks to Hi’s criminal record – adoption is similarly unavailable as a recourse. As Hi puts it: “Biology and the prejudices of others conspired to keep us childless”. All that’s left, they reason, is to kidnap someone else’s baby and raise it as their own, choosing one from a local businessman’s newborn quintuplets as the target. Cage is the standout of the cast, displaying all the qualities that made him, at least for a time, one of Hollywood’s most bankable and fearless actors. His performance is hilarious and his facial ticks somehow wildly expressive despite their utter impassiveness, yet it’s his florid narration throughout the film that’s its most charming feature. Hunter is similarly excellent, along with John Goodman as an escaped convict possessed of his own designs on the souvenired child. The film lacks some of the polish that the Coen Brothers would come to display in their later films, however it still retains all of their trademark dark comedy, crackling dialogue and extraordinary empathy for characters both good and bad. The team behind the much-anticipated event Downtown Drive-In has announced Carriageworks in Sydney’s Eveleigh, just three kilometres from the Sydney CBD, as the location for its three-night season, which will run from November 29 to December 1, 2012. A seldom-used section of the 120-year-old heritage listed building will form the perfect backdrop for the Back Roads USA season of films. The films to be screened include On The Road, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Raising Arizona, Stand By Me and Vanishing Point. Downtown Drive-In will also feature a custom menu with individual items designed by The Dip, Sydney’s favourite American-style diner, playfully paying tribute to the films and shared Americana settings and atmosphere. Major sponsor Audi will supply a range of luxury cars for the ultimate drive-in experience. The cars will also feature razor-sharp sound from audio partner Bang & Olufsen. Entry into Downtown Drive-In will cost $50 for vehicles of up to four people. Walk-in deck chair seating is also available near the screen, at $25 per person. For more information on the film schedule, drive-in experience and participating partners, visit www.downtowndrive.in Concrete Playground has five double deckchair passes to giveaway to see Raising Arizona at Downtown Drive-In on Friday, November 30 at 9.30. To enter, just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
