Public transport could be about to get a whole lot more delightful thanks to pioneering auto company Local Motors. After last year unveiling the world's first fully functioning 3D-printed car, the US-based startup has continued to innovate, and this week introduced the world to a self-driving bus named Olli. Rolling out across Washington D.C., the electric shuttle can transport up to 12 passengers at one time, and is capable of travelling at speeds of around 20km/h. Also, it's ridiculously cute. The autonomous, 3D-printed vehicles can be summoned by D.C. commuters using a mobile app. Moreover, thanks to IBM's AI Watson technology, they're also capable of understanding voice commands. So basically it's like Uber, except your driver is a computer. If your first thought after reading that sentence was to freak out over an inevitable Terminator-style robot uprising, don't worry. Although Olli drives itself – and is capable of making decisions much faster than human drivers – all vehicles are monitored by real people at all times. Y'know, just in case. Assuming things go well in Washington, Local Motors are hoping to bring fleets to Las Vegas and Miami by the end of the year. They've also outlined a number of other potential uses for Olli...which you can hear about, below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymz4SYVr_EE Via Quartz.
Staying sun smart over summer might have just gotten simpler, thanks to a new piece of wearable tech from cosmetic giant L'Oreal. Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this week, the My UV Patch is a temporary tattoo that syncs with a mobile app in order to monitor levels of UV exposure. Developed by L'Oreal in partnership with design firm PCH and heath technology company MC10, the blue and white patch, which is less than 0.05mm thick, uses photosensitive dyes to measure UV levels, and changes colours depending on the wearer's level of exposure. Then all you need to do is snap a photo of the patch and the mobile app lets you know if it's time to head indoors. The patch is showerproof, and is designed to last approximately five days. "The partnership with L’Oreal really identified an area around skin health where this technology could have value—not just like, cool stuff in a material science lab," said MC10 co-founder and vice president Roozbeh Ghaffari to Wired. Tech companies have long speculated that smart tattoos could be the future of wearable tech. The My UV Patch will be available for free in 15 countries beginning later this year, although exact distribution details are still being hammered out. Via Wired.
Get your bingo cards ready, movie lovers — the Oscar nominations have arrived! This year's contenders are a motley crew, ranging from action blockbusters to little-seen indie flicks and worthy social dramas. And while there aren't many surprises, there are still plenty of great films on the ballot. Let's dive right in, shall we? Leading the pack with a dozen nominations is the grizzly DiCaprio vehicle The Revenant, although box office favourite Mad Max: Fury Road is hot on its heel with ten. Both scored nods for Best Picture, where they'll compete against current favourite Spotlight as well as The Martian, Room, The Big Short, Brooklyn and Bridge of Spies. The Best Director race, meanwhile, will come down to Alejandro G. Inarritu for The Revenant, George Miller for Mad Max, Tom McCarthy for Spotlight, Adam McKay for The Big Short and Lenny Abrahamson for Room. Were Innaritu to come out on top, it would mark back-to-back directing wins for the Mexican filmmaker, following his gong for Birdman last year. Perennial runner-up Leonardo DiCaprio might finally be in with a chance of taking home Best Actor for his work in The Revenant. He'll be competing in the category against last year's winner Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl, Matt Damon in The Martian, Bryan Cranston in Trumbo and Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs. Australia's Cate Blanchett has been nominated for Best Actress for her role in Carol, along with Brie Larson in Room, Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years and Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn. Worth noting is that, for the second year in a row, no person of colour has been nominated in any of the acting categories. Other notable omissions include the absence of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in all major categories, although the film has been nominated for a number of technical awards including Best Film Editing and Best Special Effects. Quentin Tarantino missed out on a screenwriting nomination for his racially-charged Western The Hateful Eight, though the film is up for Best Cinematography and Best Original Score, and earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Jennifer Jason Leigh. The 88th Academy Awards will take place next month on February 28, and will be hosted by Chris Rock. For the full list of nominations, go here.
Breakups are usually associated with loss (and copious amounts of wine and Meg Ryan). But they can be profitable, too. And we’re not talking about ‘whatever-doesn’t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger’, new age, Facebook-meme kind of profit. We’re talking about cold, hard cash. Well, that’s the idea behind a brand new service called Never Liked It Anyway, anyway. Dubbed ‘eBay for breakups’, it’s a platform that lets you sell everything that reminds you of your ex – without feeling bad, guilty or ashamed about it. The range of products on sale is mind-boggling, maybe even slightly unsettling. There are wedding dresses, engagement rings, mink shawls and even a bracelet with a coin from 35 B.C — all relics of past love ready for new owners. Because, out of sight, out of mind, right? It’s tough to forget your ex when your home is littered with his/her gifts. And, why burn them on a bonfire when you can turn them into your next shopping spree or dinner out or (depending on your ex’s generosity levels) holiday? Rather than just being any old online shopping platform, Never Liked It Anyway sees its job as bringing relief to the broken-hearted. “We started [it] to make moving on easier. It’s a place to shed the stories and the stuff,” founder Bella Acton told The Atlantic. Not only can you buy and sell on the site, you can tell your story, read the site's highly useful blog for tips on moving on, and read other tales of heartbreak. The site isn't just about making cash money out of closing a chapter, it's about looking forward to the next. The nicest bit of the whole site? The 'Break-Up Services' section, where you can procure a a 'Bounce Back Stack' (50 cards of warm fuzzies and advice to help mend your broken heart) or a 'Bounce Back Box' filled to the brim with things meant to 'get you back to fabulous': lip gloss, nail polish and a whole host of treat yourself goodies. Via Refinery29. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Wocka wocka! After almost two full decades away, The Muppets are heading back to television. A new Muppets series was confirmed by the US ABC network last week, and has been described as a behind-the-scenes-style program for a grown-up audience. To give you an idea of what that might entail, they’ve just dropped their first trailer via Twitter. Give it a watch. While we’ll reserve final judgement until the show is actually on their air, there’s definitely a lot to like about this initial tease. All of Jim Henson’s iconic characters are back, as is their signature fourth wall-shattering humour. We’re also digging the Cersei/Margaery vibe between Miss Piggy and her young, brunette replacement. And is it just us, or did Kermit make a weed joke? According to ABC’s official announcement, "The Muppets return to primetime with a contemporary, documentary-style show. For the first time ever, a series will explore the Muppets' personal lives and relationships, both at home and at work, as well as romances, break-ups, achievements, disappointments, wants and desires. This is a more adult Muppet show, for 'kids' of all ages." The mockumentary format marks a bit of a departure from the variety-style setup of the '70s era Muppet Show, but seems like a smart choice given the popularity of The Office and Parks and Recreation. Sure Gonzo, maybe it is just a "totally overused device to make easy jokes." But if it ain't broke, why try and fix it? The Muppets is currently set to air in the United States at 8pm on Tuesdays starting in autumn. No word on an Australian airdate/Netflix addition as of yet. Via Empire.
Come festive season, finding a happy, willing designated driver is tougher than claiming a square metre of sand to yourself on Bondi Beach. Who wants to be the sober one in the corner, while everyone else is knocking back the boss's free Verve Clicquot at the Christmas party? That being said, someone's gotta do it. So we thought we might cheer you up and take a look at the upside of being responsible. Not only will your mates owe you one for potentially saving their lives and licences, you'll avoid drunken social media fails, have a higher chance of not getting sacked, do your liver a favour and wake up feeling like a million bucks, ready to kick all the goals. In partnership with Coca-Cola and their Designated Driver program that's celebrating us all getting home safe by giving us free Cokes throughout the night, here are eight reasons why it'll benefit you to volunteer to deso over the holidays. DO IT FOR THE HEALTH BENEFITS Apart from your friends, if there's one party that's going to be grateful for your decision, it's your liver. Drinking can cause it all kinds of nasties within your body — especially when you get into having too much of a good time over too long a period. Possible consequences of overdoing it include fatty liver, alcohol-related hepatitis and cirrhosis. But, even if things don't get as bad as that, a liver under pressure can cause fatigue, weight gain, digestive issues and mood swings. The good news is that your liver can repair itself — take on the designated driver mantle for a few weeks in a row and you're likely to have clearer skin, better vision and a more positive mindset. Boom. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT DRUNK TEXTING THING YOU DO The first step to feeling good about being a designated driver is contemplating the things you'll avoid doing. Top of the pile are all the drunken texts and social media posts you won't send if you choose to forego alcohol for the night (or day). You won't message that ex-partner, rant about how much you hate your job or embarrass yourself with obvious spelling mistakes. YOU'LL REMEMBER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE We recommend using this one to your advantage. When you wake up bright-eyed, recalling with glee all the things you didn't do, your friends will be groggily struggling to put together the pieces — and agonising over what might or might not have happened, with or without who or what, when or where. This is where you can get smug. Knowledge is power. Don't hand over all the details straight away, but parcel them out slowly, like every good story teller does, and, wherever possible, use them as bargaining chips for future payback. (If you're stuck for ideas, see below, under "Your Mates' Worship"). YOU'LL WAKE UP FEELING DAMN GOOD The next day, while your friends are commando crawling to and from the bathroom, you'll be feeling like a million bucks. It's time to squeeze yourself a kale juice and start kicking all the goals. Always wanted to start a start-up? Set up the website and contact a designer. Been trying to get yourself into a consistent yoga routine? Roll out your mat and salute the sun. Been meaning to catch up with your mum for a coffee? Give her a buzz. One of the drawbacks of Australia's passionate drinking culture is the toll it can take on motivation to get things done. THERE WILL BE NO BAD DANCE MOVES, OR KARAOKE ATTEMPTS Now that everyone carries a HD camera in their pocket, one bad dance move can mean a lifetime of ridicule. Yet, even the most self-conscious of us, after a champagne or two, get to thinking we're Prince when the funk hits the airwaves. But not you. The only time you'll be making moves like these will be at No Lycra, No Lights, in the dark. The same goes for karaoke — as strains of Mariah Carey soar across the air, your lips will be firmly, blissfully sealed (maybe, it can be hard to resist the temptation of a Mariah singalong). YOUR FRIENDS WILL WORSHIP YOU You gotta milk this one for all it's worth. Every time you offer to hang out with your mates, while they get messy and you stay sober, you're doing them a major solid by looking after them and saving them a pricey Uber fare. And, we say, don't let them forget it — ever, ever, ever. We're thinking lots and lots and lots of presents, dinners in ferris wheels, sleepovers in luxurious hotels, spa experiences, Facebook pages set up in your honour and altars draped with incense and flowers. YOU'LL KEEP YOUR JOB (AND YOUR DIGNITY) As uncomfortable as this might make you feel, the fact is, employers scour social media accounts. They like to know who their employees (and prospective employees) are outside of business hours. And, by having a quick squizz at how you spend your time, they can work out a bit about your personality, values, family members, friends, opinions and, importantly here, drinking habits. So, creating a feed packed with photos that look like scenes out of The Hangover isn't putting your best foot forward. A shot of you as the designated driver, however? That's practically a job offer or promotion, right there. YOU'LL SAVE YOURSELF SOME MONEY As your friends weep over their empty wallets the next morning, you'll be taking yourself out to breakfast in a fancy, fancy cafe and ordering anything you damn well like. It's no secret that drinking isn't cheap, but once you get to feeling merry, it's all too easy to forget about that and let cash slip through your drunken hands quicker than water. Meanwhile, designated drivers all over the country are amassing fortunes.Become one of them and, when you're jetting off on your next international holiday, the few drunken nights you missed out on will disappear into nothingness. If you're a designated driver over the holiday season, ask a bartender for a driver's Coca-Cola and a wristband — they've teamed up with venues across the city to celebrate the hero of the night and give you free soft drinks from their range. The Coca-Cola Designated Driver program will run until the end of January. For a full list of participating venues, visit the website.
Looking for something a little more whimsical in your brewery hopping adventures? Here's a novel Sydney bar you might have missed. Sydney brewers 4 Pines quietly opened their Brewery Truck Bar at the end of 2015 and Brookvale locals responded with resounding cheers. Built around a 1960 Dodge truck and set in an absolutely massive warehouse, the cellar door has an impressive setup. The 21-tap bar includes 4 Pines' core range along with their 'Keller Door' seasonal small batches — their Black Box dark beers collection is the newest release. The jovial brewers are also serving up some wackier brews like the coconut and pineapple saison and an English barley wine beer, with $20 growler refills and takeaway also available. And because you can't have beer without food, they're serving up 'pizza pies' — no, not the NY kind, but an actual Aussie pie with pizza filling. The crust is made using the 4 Pines pale ale and comes in four varieties: pulled pork, Mexican vego, meat-lovers supreme and a banana-nutella dessert pie. Absolute genius. The truck bar is only open Friday evenings and Sundays — the bar's closed for 'One for the Community' on Saturdays, a night reserved to encourage local charities, sports teams, community groups and even the public to host private events at the venue. From June, Thursdays will see local talent take the stage with live music, art and photography exhibitions. The 4 Pines Brewery Truck Bar is located at 9-13 Winbourne Road, Brookvale. Open Fridays from 4pm to 10pm and Sundays from 12pm to 8pm.
A new website and app lets LGBTIQ people test the waters with their friends and family when deciding whether or not to come out. Launching in April this year, You're Accepted lets users anonymously message their friends and family, in order to gauge their reaction. The hope, according to its creators, is that the service will help young people feel supported, allowing them to more confidently take that difficult first step. The project is a joint initiative between queer youth group Minus18 and creative agency GPY&R. The website allows anonymous users to message people – via Facebook, SMS or email – and ask whether those people would support them if that user decided to come out. "Their friends and family members are then given a notification, can read the message and choose to reply with a message of support, which is then moderated by our team," Minus18 CEO Micah Scott told SBS. "The LGBTI person can then read that message, and either choose to come out to them, or simply find comfort in the fact that they will have someone supportive for when they do come out." According to Scott, one of the most common questions young LGBTIQ people struggle with whether or not their friends and family will accept them for who they are. "Coming out can be an amazing experience too, but it's often hard to take that first step when you're not sure how people will react," he said. "It's been really exciting to see the impact the platform has made already." To find out more about You're Accepted, visit www.youreaccepted.com.au. Via SBS.
Maya Newell has joined the Tropfest judging panel on the eve of the 2016 festival. The director of the critically acclaimed documentary Gayby Baby will join actors Mel Gibson, Simon Baker and Rebecca Gibney, The Dressmaker director Jocelyn Moorhouse and Moulin Rouge! cinematographer Don McAlpine. Together, they will help decide the winner of the world's largest short film festival, which will take place this Sunday in Sydney's Centennial Parklands. Newell is the second last minute inclusion to the judging panel, following the surprise addition of Gibson – who is of course best known for his career as an actor and director as well as this long list of horrible public statements. Newell and her film were in the spotlight last year when the NSW government banned schools from screening the movie during class time. Jerks. Gibson, meanwhile, said he was "thrilled" to be joining Tropfest. "I know what it’s like to be starting out in this industry, in Australia, and what a big difference a break can make to a career," he said. "Tropfest has been doing an incredible job over the last 23 years as a platform for young filmmakers, and I’m absolutely delighted to support the great work Tropfest is doing." The panel of local actors and filmmakers will decide which of 16 short filmmakers takes home the festival's top prize, which includes $10,000 cash, a trip to Hollywood to meet with industry executives, a Nikon D800 digital camera along with $2000 worth of accessories, and a Hyundai Tuscon for a year. The festival also revealed its live music slate, featuring rock duo Winterbourne, DJ and singer KLP and The Preatures' vocalist Gideon Bensen. The announcement comes following a period of uncertainty for the iconic festival, which had a brush with death late last year after founder and festival John Polson discovered what he called "a terrible and irresponsible mismanagement of Tropfest funds" by a third party agency. The festival was briefly cancelled before receiving a financial lifeline from CGU insurance, although there are still some questions over the event's long term future. Polson recently announced that he had started a Pozible campaign to help ensure the festival remains free, although it has so far only raised a fraction of its intended $100,000 target. Maybe Mel can help. Tropfest will take place on February 14 in Centennial Parklands, with gates opening from 3pm. It will be broadcast around the country from 9pm AEDT. For more information go here. Updated: Saturday February 13.
Uber is making itself comfortable in the nation's capital, and soon it's going to be legal and everything. In the very same week that the NSW Government announced tough new fines and suspensions for Uber drivers caught using their vehicles as unauthorised taxis, their compadres across the border are giving UberX (the ridesharing service which lets everyday drivers give you lifts in their own Uber-approved cars) the official green light. First fireworks, then pornography, and now this? If it weren't for all the politicians, we'd seriously be considering a move. Under new reforms set to come into place at the end of next month ahead of Uber's entry into the market, UberX drivers who have passed criminal and driver history checks will be legally permitted to offer people lifts using the popular ridesharing app. Reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, the changes will make the ACT the first jurisdiction in the country where Uber drivers can operate without fear of being fined — not that that's been much of a disincentive for people thus far. Further reforms, to be enacted at a later date, will reportedly address issues surrounding UberX driver registration and insurance. Interestingly, the legislation also offers an olive branch to taxi drivers, whose annual licensing fees will be reduced from $20,000 to $10,000, and then $5000, in an attempt to help them compete. UberX drivers will also be prohibited from picking up passengers who hail them on the street. "These reforms champion innovation and help taxi and hire car services remain sustainable and important modes of travel in the Territory," said Labor Chief Minister Andrew Barr in a press release that accompanied the announcement. The taxi industry hasn't exactly welcomed Uber with open arms, but at some point they're going to have to accept that the ridesharing service is here to stay. The NSW review of taxi and ride-sharing operators will unveil their findings to the government next month. Maybe now that the government itself is trying to level the playing field, it'll encourage them to up their game? Hey, it could happen. Until then, NSW UberX drivers, head for the ACT border. Via The Sydney Morning Herald. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Merry Christmas, music lovers! Radiohead have gone and dropped a brand new track in time for the holidays, and we don't mind saying that it's pretty damn spectacular. Turns out that Thom Yorke and his bandmates were commissioned to write the theme song for the recently released James Bond movie, although for some baffling reason the producers didn't end up using it. But the group finished the song anyway, and released it via SoundCloud overnight. So, without further adieu... First impressions? This is definitely how we'd expect a James Bond tune by Radiohead to sound. Which is to say that it won't be for everybody, although personally we like it a hell of a lot more than Sam Smith's eventual effort. The existence of this track, which shares a name with the movie, isn't entirely surprising. Rumours that Radiohead would be composing the Spectre tune circulated on the internet for months prior to the film's release, before it was eventually revealed that Smith had been tapped instead. As it happens, Radiohead were approached, but according to York "it didn't work out." Last year we were asked to write a tune for Bond movie Spectre. Yes we were ........... — Thom Yorke (@thomyorke) December 25, 2015 ... It didn't work out ... but became something of our own which we love very much .... — Thom Yorke (@thomyorke) December 25, 2015 .. As the year closes we thought you might like to hear it. Merry Christmas. May the force be with you ... https://t.co/BXN8MQKJyQ — Thom Yorke (@thomyorke) December 25, 2015 Bit weird that he finished that tweet with a Star Wars reference, isn't it? Unless...wait a minute...could Radiohead be working on a track for Episode VIII? You heard it here first people. Let the rampant speculation begin.
Your days of eating last night's leftovers alone at your desk may soon be at an end. A new app on the market called Never Eat Alone is linking employees in large companies with co-workers keen to grab lunch. Better yet, some businesses are already encouraging their staff to log on. The app is the creation of Marie Schneegans, who told TechCrunch she came up with the idea while completing a summer internship with finance company UBS. Eager to meet people in different departments, she started emailing people to set up lunch dates, and eventually wound up dining with the company CEO. Unlike most social networking apps, Never Eat Alone is being pitched directly to the heads of large businesses, who can then choose to distribute it to their employees as a means of improving company culture and morale. Once an employee has the app on their phone, they're able to create a profile that lists their interests – and before they know it, they're breaking down the latest Game of Thrones episode over sushi with Linda in accounting. Never Eat Alone is currently only available in France, but there are apparently plans to expand into the United States in the next few months. Via TechCrunch.
If there's two things that the Japanese do well, it's whisky and food. So putting the two together is a bit of a no-brainer. After a successful stint at Melbourne's Hihou, Japanese whisky house Suntory will take over Tokyo Bird for four Wednesday nights in August. Tokyo Bird's ever-tasty menu will be altered on the night to match the Suntory whiskies on show — we're talking six expertly paired courses. This is your chance to wash down ton ton pork belly yakitori with yuzu kosho, paired with a Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve neat. Or sip slowly on a nip of the Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve on the rocks while you nibble on chargrilled tsukune chicken meatballs. Then finish it all off with ume plum pannacotta served with a Hibiki 17-year-old on a hand-carved ice sphere. Tokyo Bird have also put together a special Suntory whisky cocktail list, which is available all month. You can choose from three expertly-matched courses for $50, or go the whole hog with six for $120. In true Japanese style, it won't just be about the food and drink — no, it will most certainly be about the service and hospitality (or, the omotenashi) too. So strap yourself in for the full Japanese dining experience: delicate, delicious and utterly delightful. Bookings are essential, for three- and six-course menus, with two sitting times (6pm and 8.30pm). Book at info@tokyobird.com.au, through the event's Facebook page, or call (03) 9654 5465. Walk in spaces are available for The House of Suntory cocktails and other drinks. Image: Clavell Lee Photography.
Peach Gose. Märzen. White Stout. If you're unfamiliar with these particular beer styles, don't feel like you're alone. Craft beer aficionados Stockade Brew Co. relaunched late last year, with the Sydney-based brewery turning out seriously different and delicious bevs ever since. Their first creation, for example, was a fourteenth century Germany saison-style beer, brewed with 200 kilograms of peaches. So yeah, not the sort of thing you'll find at your average local pub. Since then, Stockade has continued to set themselves apart from the pack. The brewery has a huge year coming up, with a new beer to be released each month. This will include a Märzen, another traditional German style beer, that is usually aged from March until September when it is released for Oktoberfest. Their core range is receiving accolades as well, with the imperial stout winning big at the World Beer Awards last year. "When we relaunched, we wanted to make cool beers that we were excited to drink," says head of marketing Sascha Percuoco. The upcoming Sydney's GABS Festival will be the right opportunity to try the new line, with six taps and six bottled beers on offer, including their special GABS beer – a white stout with cacao, big coffee notes and a bit of chilli and vanilla bean. "GABS is all about creating something different and kind of pushing the boundaries of what's acceptable for a beer," says Percuoco. Considering you can count the number of white stouts in the world on one-hand, we'd say they're heading down the right path. Still to come in 2016 is a smoked jalapeño porter and next month's Red Light Robot IPA, the latter of which comes in a bottle whose graphics Percuoco describes as "too risqué for mainstream bottle shops." Now that we can't wait to see. They've also lined up a series of tap takeovers, tastings, and Instagram merch competitions – with a new line of hand-painted Stockade Converse and a series of skateboards up for grabs.
Need to spruce up your facial hair and spice up your casserole from the same product line? Say hello to Handsome Devils Co., your one-stop shop for all of your hot sauce and beard oil needs, "curiously crafted by Australian gentlemen". Wondering how someone could come up with a combination like that? It all started with hot sauce. Working out of a Bondi garage for the last year, this burgeoning Sydney company was initially all about food products when it was founded by Sydney entrepreneur Ryan Brown. "I was eating a lot of hot sauce and […] decided that I could make better products with no preservatives, no added colours or flavours," he says. After sharing his sauces with friends, one suggested that he should sell them and Handsome Devils Co. was born. The current sauce lineup consists of the smoky chipotle, tangy Verde, spicy Savina and Ryan's favourite of the month: de Arbol. When asked why it's his favorite, his response is simple: "It's just got this all-round awesomeness. I can eat it every single day and never get over it." 'Nuff said. Aside from the chillies, which are imported from Mexico where the climate is more chilli-growing friendly, all the ingredients in the bottles are sourced from local farmers in Port Macquarie. Of course, once you've mastered one of your favourite products, you'll inevitably look for the next project. Ryan's just happened to be grooming products. Handsome Devils Co.'s grooming range came from the same attitude that Ryan had towards the hot sauce: "I can make that." While this side of the business started as just beard oils, it quickly expanded to include shave oil, aftershave balm, activated charcoal soap and body scrubs. Every product boasts all-natural ingredients — not that Ryan'd recommend anyone eat them — and Bondi's laidback vibe is present in everything they do. All their grooming products come from the same philosophy: "If you can't put it in your mouth, why would you put it on your skin?" Thanks to Handsome Devils Co, we've got two Christmas gift packs to give away to lucky Sydney CP readers. The first pack includes two body scrubs (coconut and tumeric), one activated charcoal soap, one shave oil, one aftershave balm and one Verde hot sauce. The second pack includes two body scrubs, one soap, one The Lumberjack beard oil, one The Rustler beard oil and one De Arbol hot sauce. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. Read our full profile on Handsome Devils Co. over here.
Childhood; a time when your biggest problem was trying to explain your phone bill to your parents. Well now the Have You Heard crew (well known for their secret parties) is trying to bring back this simpler life with Summer Land – part boutique music festival, part grownup summer camp. Similar to Return to Rio and the ol' Playground Weekender format, ticket-holders will be transported to a secret bush location for a weekend away in mid-February. Remember running back to your room and pretending to be asleep at curfew? There won't be any of that at Summer Land. Instead, you'll be able to get down at the weekend-long dance party, enjoy the pool and soak up the sunshine. All the shenanigans! It's BYO snacks and booze because that's just the mature thing to do. Admittedly it's not all upside. Now that you're an adult, you actually have to pay for things yourself. First release camping tickets are $199 but if you're keen to relive your Year 9 camp experience, there are six or eight bed dorms available for $289 per head. Or if you're willing to fork out an extra $20 each, you can go full grownup and book out a 12 bed villa. Ticket prices includes all activities and meals from Saturday breakfast to Sunday breakfast. As for transport, you can either drive and pay $15 for parking, or book a coach ticket and spend the whole journey singing and passing around lolly bags like a bunch of backseat bandits. More ticketing information is available here. Gates will open 7pm Friday 12 February and close 1pm Sunday 14 February.
Making her Australian debut at Laneway Festival 2015, FKA twigs' sideshow is one of the most sought-after tickets this summer. Otherwise known as Tahliah Debrett Barnett, the Gloucestershire trip hop artist has had a colossal year. After the release of her debut album LP1, twigs was all anyone could talk about toward the end of 2014. Her most recent single, the intoxicating, self-directed video 'Pendulum', is out now on Young Turks/Remote Control. Featuring a Bambi-like vulnerability, the artist is seen tied up in Japanese style bondage (shibari) for the most part of the clip. "Using my own hair represents me at one time being suspended and held back by my own fears," Barnett explains. With her concert selling out in a matter of hours, FKA twigs tickets are a hot commodity. And if her hugely successful debut album is anything to go by, you'll understand why. Set to be an all immersive, visceral experience, FKA twigs' show is sure to create an otherworldly, social media-happy experience for the lucky few.
Music festivals aren’t usually the most pet-friendly of places. Or at least they haven't been until now. Bounding into Burnley Park in Richmond this Sunday, the excellently-named Dogapalooza is Melbourne's first ever music festival designed to be 100 percent pooch-inclusive. Presented by Oscar's Law, One Little Indian and Artemis Pet Food, Dogapalooza is a festival for both dogs and the people who love them. There'll be ethical food options, including vegan barbecue, as well as stalls selling boutique dog products and Dogapalooza merchandise. The event is BYO beer, wine and pre-mixed spirits — sorry, no hard stuff. The music lineup will feature local acts such as Tash Sultana, Monique Brumby, Harrison Storm, Amistat and DJ double act Cocoa Noire. In a perfect world, they'd also have managed to get Bow Wow Wow on board... but we guess you can't have everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMICD3aMZpw Great song. Whatever happened to those guys, anyway? Meanwhile, the best thing about Dogapalooza is that all proceeds from ticket sales are getting donated to local animal rescue groups, including Stafford Rescue Victoria, Paws Of Love, Melbourne Animal Rescue, German Shepherd Rescue Victoria, Puppy Tales Rescue, and Kayas Mission. Frankly, if that doesn't get your tail wagging, then we don't know what will. Now the bad news: tickets to Dogapalooza are already completely sold-out. Sorry guys. Turns out people really, really like puppies.
Markets and The Rocks go hand in hand all year long, but at Christmas time, one of Sydney's most historic suburbs really gets into the festive spirit. During December, the Very Merry Markets will be your go to for late-night Christmas shopping, with handmade pressies from local designers and providores aplenty. If you're the type to treat yourself while shopping for others, there's plenty of food stalls for your feasting needs while browsing. And they've made a Santa out of 1200 milk crates, so there's that.
Every time one of Australia's many cultural film festivals rolls around, viewers are taken on a journey to another country. Celebrating its 20th event, the 2017 Spanish Film Festival is embracing that idea — and they have the perfect movie for it. This year's festival will close with The Trip to Spain, the third instalment in the Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon driving-and-dining series following 2010's The Trip and 2014's The Trip to Italy. Of course, the Spanish Film Festival has put together a hefty program that showcases more than two British comedians trading Michael Caine impressions while seeing gorgeous Spanish sights and ticking off the country's fine dining spots, with the full lineup boasting 38 features. Touring the country between April 18 and May 17, the festival will kick off with Kiki, Love to Love, which actually has an Australian connection. Telling five comic tales about the passionate lives of Madrid lovers, it's based on Hoges actor Josh Lawson's 2014 directorial debut The Little Death. The film's star Natalia de Molina will be attending the opening night festivities in Sydney and Melbourne. Elsewhere, expect a vibrant cross-section of Spanish-language cinema, including moving coming-of-age effort Summer 1993, the Penelope Cruz and Cary Elwes-starring The Queen of Spain, and tense dark comedy The Bar, all heading to our shores after screening at the Berlinale. Or, viewers can catch the Goya-winning revenge flick The Fury of a Patient Man, bank robber thriller Escape Plan, secret agent spoof Heroes Wanted, literary-focused Venice Film Festival hit The Distinguished Citizen, or social realist musical At Your Doorstep. Plus, the program also features walk-and-talk romance The Reconquest, Smoke & Mirrors' true tale of corruption from the makers of 2015 festival standout Marshland, and Spain in a Day — the latest crowd-shot time-capsule companion piece to 2011's Life in a Day, joining fellow efforts made in Britain, Japan, Italy and India. This year's festival selections don't stop there, with four films embracing the joys of flamenco, spanning both dance and music. For those keen on looking back as well as catching the latest cinematic fare, three retrospective screenings will showcase the work of actress, singer and filmmaker Ana Belén, who has more than 35 albums, 40 films and 30 theatrical productions on her resume. The Spanish Film Festival tours Australia from April 18, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street and Palace Verona from April 18 to May 7; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth and Kino Cinemas from April 20 to May 7, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from April 27 to May 14. For more information, visit the festival website.
Forget stale chips and overpriced packets of lollies. Two Australian companies are looking to change the way you think about vending machines, with new, healthy options coming to Melbourne and Brisbane (Sydney, fingers crossed). First up, Melbourne's FüD vending machine, is officially up and running. Built out of recycled timber, the new automatic outlets dispense a variety of gourmet meals made using healthy, organic produce, including salads, falafel and even freshly-chopped celery and carrots. Best of all, unsold salads are donated to Homeless of Melbourne, ensuring that nothing goes to waste. Total legends. Jars of salad will cost you $10 a pop, and come in a number of different varieties including the ‘Pump It Up’ (pumpkin, roast shallots, beetroot chips and white bean mousse), the ‘Super Soba’ (green tea soba noodles, zucchini and carrot) and ‘Overnight Oats’ (organic oats soaked in coconut milk, with banana, hazelnut and rice malt syrup). Got dietary requirements? The FüD vending machine is stocked with a number of choices for people on paleo, vegan, sugar-free or gluten-free diets. All meals are made fresh and delivered daily, and the machine is refrigerated to ensure nothing spoils. Brisbane's taking the healthy vending machine thing one step further — to a 'self-service cafe'. That's not just marketing jargon, that's what health food merchants All Real Food are calling their automated eateries, and it's a name that fits. With no junk food in sight, what you'll find instead are delicious, healthy snacks and meals, all freshly packaged and stocked each and every day. Think ready-to-go breakfasts and sweets, and soups down the track. Their touchscreen machines also feature a vertical herb garden to bring you back in touch with nature, and a gratitude board filled with health tips and inspiring messages that change daily. Just where and when they'll start popping up all over Brisbane is yet to be determined, but one thing is certain: eating on the run has never been so appetising (or so good for you). For more information, visit The Fud Revolution or All Real Food's websites. Via Good Food. Words by Sarah Ward and Tom Clift.
A genius design studio has made it so you'll never have to worry about being that weirdo jumping around in a bouncing castle full of children ever again. At the behest of the Federation of Swiss Architects, the Geneva and Lisbon-based Bureau A have created an inflatable nightclub, complete with dance floor, bar and inflatable furniture and DJ booth. The blow-up nightclub was commissioned by the Federation to host their annual summer party. Known as Shelter, the entire venue is made from lightweight PVC membrane, making it easy to deflate and transport from place to place. "For one night, the black hole of a neat and well-organised society is revealed as a potential for distortion," reads a description of the nightclub on the Bureau A website. "The mysterious black vessel lands in the modern space of a highly engendered concrete vault; a great spatial condition to explore the corners of what is hidden." As far as we can tell, that's just a very fancy way of saying it's a place where you can drink a bit too much and it doesn't really matter since you'll just bounce safely off the walls. In any case, it sure beats rocking up to your nephew's birthday party with a sack of goon. Via Dezeen. Image: Dylan Perrenoud.
Are you a new music fiend? The type who hunts for a good dose of freshly minted music on a regular basis? Sorting through a month of music is epic business. Sure, you could hit up a few Spotify playlists, but we reckon you're after a few true gems, handpicked from four weeks of new releases. We've done the dirty work for you, filled our ears with everything we could get our mitts on and picked ten tracks that really stood out this month. Whack in your headphones and load up on these newbies. CHRISTOPHER PORT — 'HEAVENS' One of the finest advocates for UK garage Australia currently possesses, Christopher Port recently launched his solo project after providing support for a number of this country's most loved acts — including Big Scary and Ngaiire. The producer's upbeat soundscapes and sampling have come as a bit of a surprise for those not privy to his extracurricular talents, and have marked his solo work as a hugely interesting aside to his usual engagements. 'Heavens' is the second single to come from his debut EP Vetement, out July 15 via Pieater. BADBADNOTGOOD FEAT. MICK JENKINS — 'HYSSOP OF LOVE' One of my favourite hip-hop collectives, BADBADNOTGOOD, are back this year with a new album which will be available in a matter of weeks. The latest cut from the Canadian's record IV features up-and-coming Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins (in the Ghostface Killah role), who has been on my watch list since his impressive debut record Water. BBNG provide a relaxed, blaxploitation-inspired backdrop to Jenkins' sharp delivery, and once again highlights this crew as one of the tightest acts in the world. THE GOODS FEAT. BRUCE HATHCOCK — 'NIGHTLIFE' Sydney-based duo The Goods are a recent find, having recently turned their attention to their own music having after cutting their teeth as session musicians and producers. Their sound sits somewhere between a throwback funk/soul outfit and an Australian version of Kaytranada, with this catchy recipe recently taking the form of single 'Nightlife'. Featuring the Marvin Gaye-esque tones of Californian vocalist Bruce Hathcock, it's the latest the track from The Goods' upcoming double EP out July 1. THE OCEAN PARTY — 'BACK BAR' One of the most loveable bands in Australia, you always know what you're going to get when the Ocean Party release a new track. Their latest offering, 'Back Bar', again hits the mark with an upbeat, catchy number that comes in at just over 2:30. I challenge you to listen without smiling, especially when you pair it with the track's comical video clip which features nudity, air guitar and something that resembles wrestling jello. 'Back Bar' is the first single from the band's upcoming 6th (!) full length record, which I'm already predicting will be on high rotation in my household. MADELINE KENNEY — 'SIGNALS' Perhaps the most beautiful song I've heard this year, Madeline Kenney's 'Signals' has been a revelation since I came across it earlier this month. The latest signing to Chaz Bundwick's (Toro Y Moi) label Company Records, Oakland-based Kenney's debut EP (also titled Signals) is a stunner, full of standout vocals and dreamy soundscapes. It's a must-have for fans of Beach House and Grizzly Bear, and I'd love to share this record with as many people while she still remains small so I can say 'I told you so' when she blows up. WHAT SO NOT x GEORGE MAPLE FEAT. ROME FORTUNE — 'BURIED' The combination of these two Australian acts with fascinating Atlanta rapper Rome Fortune was enough to grab my attention, and I was surprised by my appreciation for this one when I gave it a little time. The gorgeous opening of 'Buried' takes me back to my obsession with Meshell Ndegeocello's incredible Comfort Woman record, before the nicely balanced production takes off, giving Fortune the perfect platform to let his powerful verses fly. This is a track that could have been incredibly confusing given the combination of distinctive artists, but the result is the opposite, with the track perfectly balancing each strong element. UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA — 'FIRST WORLD PROBLEM' Technically released in the shadows of May, there's no way I'm not including Unknown Mortal Orchestra's latest single 'First World Problem' in my list this month. The first new music since last year's breakout record Multi-Love, the track's slightly repetitive vocals are well and truly tempered by the its rich production and variation, with a brass section adding plenty of sass to this epically danceable number. As an aside, if you've overdone your UMO listening over the past few years, make sure to check out recent Laneway Festival casualty Silicon's (Reuben Neilson's brother Cody's project) debut album 2015 record Personal Computer. WALLACE — 'IS IT YOU?' There seems to have been a bit of a soul revival in Australia over the past few years, with acts like Hiatus Kaiyote, Jordan Rakei and Sasquatch leading the charge. One of this new breed of talent is Sydney-based Newzealander Wallace, who has been on the radar as one to watch since she released her debut single 'Vinyl Skip' early last year. Continuing to build on her early success, she released perhaps her most solid work to date earlier this month, teaming up with Dutch production duo Kraak & Smaak for the gorgeous 'Is It You?', a track that pairs Wallace's sultry vocals perfectly with smooth, tempered production that transports the listener to a smoky, backroom jazz bar. CASS MCCCOMBS — 'OPPOSITE HOUSE' Alt-country aficionado Cass McCombs recently announced a new addition to his impressive discography, with new album Mangy Love set for release in August. The first taste of said record is 'Opposite House', a dreamy track which features backing vocals from the radiant Angel Olsen (who'll be releasing her own new album later this year), and again solidifies the Californian as your favourite Sunday soundtrack artist. CITIES AVIV — 'MELANIN DROP' This track has so much going on, it's hard to believe it's only three minutes long. Experimental hip hop artist Cities Aviv jumps through numerous guises throughout, from aggressive MC, to laidback producer, to spoken word poet, all the while drawing the listener further into his web of brilliance. 'Melanin Drop' is one of the most interesting listens I've had in a long time, and is a worthy addition to this humble list. Top image: George Maple.
New Year's Day can be a tough one. Resolutions to vaguely commit to, missed midnight pashes to mourn, dusty bear heads to nurse. There's only one real cure for the escapades of New Year's Eve: the kick-on. From indulgent seaside brunches to openair SBTRKT sets, mini-festivals at the pub to lavish Veuve-fuelled beach parties and soul-infused shindigs, Sydney's best New Year's Day parties are sure to erase those Poor Life Decisions of hours earlier and start you off on the right foot. The year 2015 waits for no one. THE BAY BRUNCH AT WATSONS BAY BOUTIQUE HOTEL Oh. Yes. This summer, the Watsons Bay Hotel is bringing an all-you-can-eat buffet brunch our way. For hours on end, you'll be able to indulge while soaking up waterfront views and recovering from whatever shindiggery you've been up to the evening before. Whipped up by executive chef John Pye, the menu is no ordinary buffet production but features the likes of house-made granola trifles layered with summer berries and vanilla yoghurt; hand-carved, glazed Kurobuta ham and cranberry sauce sliders; Belgian waffles with crispy American-style bacon and maple syrup; and banana flapjack pancakes with salted caramel sauce and Chantilly cream. For drinks, a bespoke Bloody Mary bar will have you covered, and there's also the option of bubbles, fresh mimosas and home-made watermelon lemonade. More info here. FIELD DAY The annual reason to not entirely obliterate yourself on New Year's Eve, Field Day, has quite the solid lineup locked in for its 2015 instalment. After significant hints at SBTRKT appearances post-Falls, the Young Turks favourite has been confirmed alongside Dillon Francis, alt-J, Jamie xx, Danny Brown, Cashmere Cat, Bastille, Joey Bada$$, Todd Terje, Milky Chance, Action Bronson and more thumbs up-inducing names. Local legends aren't lacking with RüFüs, The Kite String Tangle, Kilter, Peking Duk, Thundamentals, Touch Sensitive and Golden Features will join the international crew. On the whole, the lineup seems to be stemming from surrounding Australian NYE festivals, as any self-respecting New Year's day festival should, nabbing significantly from Falls and Beyond the Valley. But when the good'uns are in town, why not bring everyone to the hangover? More info here. BONDI ICEBERGS' NEW YEAR'S DAY PARTY There's only one real cure for New Year's Eve-induced hangovers: salt water, free-flowing Veuve Cliquot and one of Sydney's most ostentatious parties. The top spot for 'who dat, who dat' people-watching and jealousy-inducing Instagramming, Bondi Icebergs' NYD pool party is the Field Day for punters who want things a little more high-heeled and beachside. For a cheeky four hundy (yep, that's a casual $400 per ticket), you can compare New Year's resolutions with Bondi's chia-lovin' party people and throw back as much Veuve, Ciroc Vodka and head chef Monty Kulodrovic-crafted canapes as your NYE regrets require. Hosted by Icebergs' Maurice Terzini and musically curated by Angus McDonald (one half of Sneaky Sound System), the lineup is a beats-heavy fusion of Sydney-born, California-based shindig starters Bag Raiders, LA disco kings Poolside, Spice Cellar's Murat Kilic, (of course) Sneaky Sound System, ARIA-nominated Nicky Night Time, resident Icebergs go-to Miss Annie and newcomers Slowblow, Marc Jarvin and Pink Lloyd, Valerie Yum and Sam Francisco. More info here. SOUL OF SYDNEY BLOCK PARTY Plunge into 2015 with a big injection of soul love at the first Soul of Sydney Block Party for the year. We're talking an entire afternoon and evening of funk, New York disco, old school hip hop jams, early house beats and more. The main programming criteria: that the music gets you feeling mighty fine. The location is top secret, though we do know it's an indoor/outdoor 'funk oasis' located within five minutes of the CBD. Most of the lineup has been announced however, with Simon Caldwell, Stephen Ferris, Graham Mandroules, All Souled Out DJs, Superbreak, James Locksmith, Mike Who, Phil Toke, DJ Cman, DJ Naiki, Edseven, DJ Saywhut and others confirmed on the bill. To complement the soundtrack, there'll be live art from Billy Kid and Friends, live hair braiding from Eden Stylez and a Bboy/dance showcase. More info here. NEW YEAR'S DAY AT THE VIC ON THE PARK As you'd expect, The Vic is forward rolling into the New Year with yet another free, all-day, mini-festival crammed with live music. If you're still jittery from the night before, you can get in on the action, but if you're on the comedown, there's ample scope for relaxing. Leading the charge is raw, edgy, bluesy rock duo The Mess Hall. If you caught The Babadook this year, you'll be familiar with front man Jed Kurzel, as he was responsible for the creepy, creepy soundtrack. He's since been nominated for a Screen Music Award for Dead Europe. Also in the programme are self-described 'zigzaggers' The Delta Riggs; Adelaide outside rockers Bad//Dreems, fresh from their US tour; unmissable singer-songwriter Steve Smyth, currently gigging around the nation to promote new album, Exits; Davey Lane, who just launched Atonally Young; and High-tails, whose 'Bending Over Backwards' has been inspiring a good dose of triple j love these few months past. More info here. By Jasmine Crittenden and Shannon Connellan. Top image: Field Day, AP Photography.
In a piece of news we're filing under 'how is this just happening now?', New York City is getting ready to host its first ever Donut Fest. Taking over Verboten, a music venue and bar in the heart of Williamsburg, the festival will see the finest bakers in the city gather for a day of deep-fried, sugar-glazed, sprinkle-coated goodness. It's all set to go down on Saturday January 23... giving you just over two weeks to sort out a plane ticket. Vendors in the lineup include The Doughnut Project, whose far out flavours include pineapple with habenero and salted chocolate with buttered pretzel; Erin McKenna's Bakery, whose doughnuts are egg, dairy and gluten free; and Dun-Well Doughnuts, who boast a range of more than 200 flavours including Peach Cobbler, Raspberry Pistachio and Pina Colada. A number of New York's specialty coffee outfits, including Cafe Grumpy and Brooklyn Coffee Roasters, will also be on hand for dunking purposes. Now that's all very well and good, but technically speaking Melbourne actually beat NYC to the punch with Day of the Donut in June last year. Classic New York... always two steps behind. Each vendor at Donut Fest 2016 will submit their favourite creation to compete for the title of New York's Best Donut. All entry fees will be donated to Food Bank for New York City, an organisation that helps combat food poverty in the five boroughs. Via The Gothamist. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Health nuts have long been singing the praises of kombucha, a fermented Chinese tea with a litany of supposed health benefits. But the rest of us may soon be jumping on the bandwagon as well, now that an ambitious home-brewer has gone and made it alcoholic. The founder of Santa Fe’s Honeymoon Brewery, Ayla Bystrom-Williams has apparently found a way to increase the minute amount of alcohol in current kombucha brews (currently around 1 percent) to levels comparable to beer (around 5-6 percent). With patents currently pending, she’s been keeping mum on the exact details of her fermentation process, although she has revealed it was inspired by the openair process used to create Belgian lambics. Really though, what do you care how it’s made? The bottom line is that in the not too distant future you’ll be able to get drunk in a way that’s actually doing you good. Although we should point out that the benefits of drinking kombucha are still very much up in the air, as outlined in this recent article in the Washington Post. Bystrom-Williams is currently engaged in research that she hopes will bring an end to the ongoing debate and vindicate kombucha drinkers once and for all. Still, whether or not the beverage is actually good for you, there’s no denying that it’s been a massive hit. Analysts in the United States recently estimated that the industry could bring in more than half a billion US dollars in 2015, and that was before we heard about the alcoholic variety. Australian producers have tapped into the craze as well, with a number of different outfits competing in the market — one label even opened up their own dedicated Sydney bar. A notice on Honeymoon Brewery’s website currently alludes to an imminent Kickstarter campaign, with an eye to getting the Kombucha beer on shelves towards the end of the year. The bad news is that it looks like it’ll only be available in the United States. Fingers crossed it’s a hit, and that they think about expanding. Via The Guardian. Images: Mgarten Wikimedia Commons, Iris Photos via Flickr, Wild Kombucha.
Remember last year, when everyone was freaking out over the announcement that Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki wasn't going to be making any more films? Well, it looks like that may have been a little premature. It turns out that the legendary director behind My Neighbour Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle and The Wind Rises, among numerous other animated masterworks, is currently putting the final touches on his first ever computer-animated short, with plans to unveil the film at Toyko's Ghibli Museum. Information about the film is currently in short supply, although Variety is reporting it stars a hairy caterpillar, runs ten minutes long and took approximately three years to make. But perhaps the most intriguing piece of information for fans is the fact that the film has been animated in the 3D CG format, as opposed to the more traditional 2D format for which Miyazaki is best known. No word yet on when or if the film will play outside of the Ghibli Museum. We'll just leave this link to the Japan Airlines homepage riiiiiight here. In retrospect, Miyazaki's retirement announcement should always have been taken with a grain of salt. The 74-year-old first threatened to give up the game back in the late nineties after completing Princess Mononoke, only to bounce back a few years later with a little film called Spirited Away — perhaps you've heard of it? He told Variety late last year that although he had retired from features, he was not retiring from animation, and intended to keep working "until the day I die." The future of Studio Ghibli, meanwhile, has been the subject of speculation for some time now, with Miyazaki's retirement and rumours of a restructuring leading some to fear that the company, like its founder, was out of the filmmaking business for good. Either way, it's comforting to know that there's going to be at least one more film from Miyazaki out there before too long. Via Variety.
Facebook and SBS are about to give Netflix, Stan and Presto and run for their money. For the first time ever, an Aussie TV show will premiere exclusively via Mark Zuckerberg’s communications empire — yep, on Facebook. And it’s not just any old show, it’s The Family Law — a six-part series based on Benjamin Law’s smash hit memoir. When the first episode hits screens from 5pm on Friday, January 8, you’ll be watching it on your smartphone, tablet or laptop, rather than your TV. And nowhere else. It’ll be available only on Facebook until midnight, Sunday, January 10, before screening on SBS on Thursday, January 14 at 8.30pm. “Facebook is fast becoming the place where people discover new video content,” says Jason Juma-Ross, Facebook's head of technology, entertainment and communications in Australia. “11 million Australians visit Facebook each day, 91 percent of these via a mobile phone. We are excited to be partnering with SBS on this first look event and to enable The Family Law to be shown on demand to the broad Facebook audience.” Marshall Heald, director of TV and online content at SBS agrees. “As audiences move more freely between platforms and devices, we as a broadcaster have to move with them," he says. "We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to bring SBS content to all Australians, and Facebook offers such a unique one-to-one viewing experience. The Family Law is one of SBS’s most hotly anticipated programs for 2016, and we’re thrilled to be able to surprise our audience by inviting them to meet The Laws early with this Australian-first Facebook premiere.” The Family Law is screening on Facebook from 5pm on Friday, January 8. To let SBS know you’re joining the party, head to The Family Law event page. Image: SBS.
American communications company ViaSat has teamed up with aerospace manufacturer Boeing on a project that will bring high-speed internet to some of the remotest places on earth. The two companies announced plans this week to build a trio of satellites whose capacity will dwarf those of the existing satellite network, and have the potential to help billions of new users get online. The three ViaSat-3 satellites are each expected to have network capacities of 1 terabyte (1,000 gigabytes) per second, more than double that of the world's current 400-strong satellite network combined. The satellites will be capable of delivering service of more than 100 megabits per second to parts of the world too isolated for hardwired internet service, and will also allow for better internet services on airplanes, ships and offshore oil and gas platforms. "The innovations in the ViaSat-3 system do what until now has been impossible in the telecommunications industry – combining enormous network capacity with global coverage, and dynamic flexibility to allocate resources according to geographic demand," read a statement from ViaSat chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg. The first two ViaSat-3 satellites are expected to go into orbit in 2019 and will provide service to the Americas and Europe, the Middle East and Africa, respectively. The launch date for the third satellite, which will service Asia, has yet to be announced. Via Fast Company. Image via Dollar Photo Club.
Campbell Parade mainstay Hotel Ravesis has muscled its way back onto Bondi's new cocktail spot radar, reopening with a bold new look and completely revamped offering, in preparation for the balmy beach days to come. Gone are Ravesis' dated silver trimmings and stark grey walls, the hotel's new summery shake-up capitalises brilliantly on its beachfront address, showcasing panoramic ocean views from its Art Deco windows, and a coastal-chic fitout of flamingo pink and dazzling white. The two-storey stunner's sprawling wraparound terrace has been spruced up, and the space's assortment of breezy dining and bar spaces adorned with a healthy dose of wicker and greenery. Hotel Ravesis is currently restyling its collection of 12 boutique suites and rooms. The hotel will remain open throughout the process with all rooms due for completion by mid-2017. Chef Peter Streckfuss (The Lemon Tree, Catalina) is on the pans, delivering a Mediterranean-accented menu full of fresh, lively flavours. He's letting the top-notch local produce do all the talking, throwing down a variety of great seafood options, and shucking oysters fresh to order. The perfect match to some post-beach cocktails, we'd say. Even the entertainment program has been given a big old overhaul, pulling together a rotation of midweek solo artists and bands, and DJs throughout the weekend. On Wednesday nights an eight-piece superband of Sydney musicians called The Elements, made up of artists from The Whitlams, Skunkhour and the Bernard Fanning band, has the stage. Find Hotel Ravesis at 118 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach. Bookings and menus at www.hotelravesis.com.
If you're a sucker for punishment, or happen to be one of those undeterrable humans without any mortal fear of heights, you're going to love this. Airbnb have revealed their latest terrifying stay, a penthouse apartment at the end of Norway's famous Holmenkollen ski jump. At the end. Of a ski jump. Yep, seems people aren't content dangling from cable cars overnight, there's apparently a market for taking a nap hanging high over the ski fields. The clincher? Your checkout is by zipline, like a regular James Bond (or you can take the lift if you hate fun/prefer your pants unsoiled). Airbnb is providing one lucky, brave-ass couple the opportunity to spend a night in the admittedly beautiful Holmenkollen penthouse apartment, built where daredevil world champion athletes usually meet to prepare before a bowel-defying jump and will be used by skiers at the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, held at Holmenkollen later this month (March, 14-15). The chosen Airbnbers will enjoy two nights in the fully-furnished, panoramic apartment, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting you gaze out over Oslo beneath the Northern Lights. This is particularly aimed at the hardcore skiers among you. The world’s first ski museum is right below you on the first floor. You can grab a pair of cross country skis and enjoy 1500 kilometres of fresh powder right outside your door — although only pros are allowed to use the ski jump, so don't think you're going to be pulling any tricks on your toboggan. Feeling peckish? The highest roof terrace in town is right above the apartment, and breakfast is served in the VIP lounge. All you have to do to enter the competition is tell Airbnb by 11.59pm on March 16 why you (and your most courageous friend) would like to spend the night. Best bit? Airbnb will fly the winners in from anywhere in the world outside of Norway. Head here to apply.
Maybe you consider yourself something of a Costa Georgiadis in the garden, or maybe you just want to brighten up your concrete-ridden urban existence with your own little floral paradise. Either way autumn is the time to dig in. Free from the baking sun of summer and the wet bog of winter (mostly), now's your chance to hang outside with your leafy friends and let the delight of green growing things keep you warm through the coming cold. To help you out here are some tips on what you should be planting this autumn. To really get your garden thriving, check out some of the workshops from Green Villages, the City of Sydney's program encouraging sustainable living. VEGETABLES Autumn is the time to plant the veggies you'll want on your table in winter and spring. A great variety of leafy greens you can plant now will be perfect for your winter and spring salads, including spinach, rocket, silverbeet and lettuce. Green beans are an especially great veggie to plant in autumn as they are one of the easiest to grow and give you a good harvest through winter — the more you pick the more they'll produce. For those of you with tiny urban gardens, climbing varieties of beans are a great way to grow a good crop with little space. Beans can easily be grown from seeds or seedlings, but be careful not to over feed them as they will start giving you more leaves than beans. These leafy greens and the beans all work well as companion plants (meaning they grow better together/they are cute vegetable friends), so it's a good idea to plant them all in a bed next to one another. FLOWERS Autumn is a great time to get planting the flowers you want to have blooming for the rest of the year. A great first choice are primulas, because you should only have to wait until winter to see them bloom, giving you a burst colour to compete with grey winter skies. There's even a primulas seed mix you can buy called Lollipops that is sure to look as great as it sounds, with a mix of lavender, pinks, burgundy and white blooms. Plant your primulas in cool, moist areas with well-drained soil for the best show come winter. Daisies are another great flower to be planting in autumn and are among the easiest flowers to grow. They like well-drained soil and full sunshine, with a bit of general fertiliser early in their growth while they are establishing their stalks. One of the bonuses of growing daisies is that they are self-sowing, so they grow into thicker and thicker bunches, which you can divide and spread around the garden to save them from smothering. If you're looking for a native daisy species to plant, the Rodanthe species (also know as Paper Daisies or Everlasting Daisies) are a great choice, producing dry petals that will last for extended periods in a vase once cut, so you can bring their colours inside. This native breed prefers sandy soil, good drainage being essential, and shouldn't be watered until the seeds have germinated (takes about a week). After that, water only every two weeks. HERBS Whether you're growing them on your windowsill or out the back, nothing is quite so satisfying as a good harvest of home-grown herbs pinched under your nose. Coriander, oregano, parsley, thyme and winter tarragon are all great herbs to plant in autumn and will be great to add into your winter soups and roasts. If you've already got basil growing in your garden, plant the new herbs as companion plants in the same bed and you can use the basil as a good indicator of when your new herbs are needing water. If your basil is looking thirsty, then your coriander and parsley will be too. Top image: Fallen Apples via photopin (license).
Art Month 2016 is here — and, boy, does March look better already. It will be the first festival under new artistic director Barry Keldoulis, and while favourites like Collectors’ Space and Art at Night will return, some new ideas will be thrown into the mix as well. Art Month 2016 will kick off on Tuesday, March 1. This year’s program (check out the highlights here) will take over multiple new venues — from Beau Neilson opening the doors on a party at Eveleigh Creative Precinct to the shenanigans infiltrating an impressive warehouse space in Camperdown. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Here are six top notch you can see and do at Art Month this year — and don't pace yourself.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and do that giant street artwork you've always wanted to give a red hot go? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. Sydney street artist and skateboarder Sid Tapia is no stranger to the concept of fear and overcoming it. In a career that started at age ten, he's hung out of train doors to tag them, skateboarded at a pro level and even founded his own label, Crown St. But it was in channelling a little 'Sine Metu' that Sid ultimately found his direction. You can read the interview over here. Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Sid's being a total legend and helping us give away a personalised street art piece by Sid himself on a free wall somewhere in Sydney. You'll get a high-res photo taken with the work and we'll frame it and deliver it to your door, so you can see for yourself what happens when bold humans take big creative chances with big payoffs. Enter here to win.
Lost Paradise is back for the fourth year in a row, after selling out its past three incarnations. Returning to Glenworth Valley from December 28 to January 1, the event will host 76 local and international artists, including local electronic goalkickers RÜFÜS, Sweden's Little Dragon, Aussie folk favourites Matt Corby and Meg Mac, Sydney lads DMAs, dynamic Melburnian duo Client Liaison and more. There'll be two new stages this year, My Mum's Disco, where, in between retro beats and '80s kitsch, you'll be playing bingo and banging out karaoke, and K-Sub Beach Club, to be run by Kraken, a collective dedicated to all things Victorian. Main stage Arcadia will host what's been designated as 'indie', while techno and dance will settle into the Lost Disco stage. Meanwhile, the Paradise Club will take care of late night shape-throwers with DJs and surprise guests. If you've blissed your way through previous New Year's Eves at Lost Paradise's Shambala Fields, you'll be glad to know they're making a return, with their cornucopia of yoga classes, dance workshops and meditations. Teachers on the schedule include Ana Forrest, Jose Calarco, Mark Whitwell, Simon Borg Olivier, Nicole Walsh and Mark Breadner. In between dancing and getting mindful, you can fuel up in Lost Village, where a herd of food trucks will be dishing out all sorts of tasty morsels. Look out for Eat Art Truck's hot smoked pulled pork buns, Agape's organic goodies, The Dosa Deli's handmade samosas, Maverick Wings' crispy chicken and kimchi coleslaw, Harvest Life as Tsuru's poke bowls and Cuba Cantina's street food from Havana. Here's what you're in for this year: LOST PARADISE 2017 LINEUP: RÜFÜS Little Dragon Matt Corby Meg Mac DMA's Client Liason Cut Copy San Cisco Tourist Stephen Bodzin Cigarettes After Sex Patrick Topping Jon Hopkins (DJ Set) Jackmaster FKJ Middle Kids Âme (Live) Skeggs Palms Trax Apparat Nadia Rose Sampa The Great Koi Child Mall Grab Dean Lewis B.Traits Roland Tings My Nu Leng Cut Snake Human Movement Billy Davis & The Good Lords CC:Disco GL Tiny Little Houses Alex The Astronaut Nyxen Sloan Peterson Mammals The Ruminators Motorik Vibe Council Robongia Krankbrother Thunderfox Gypsys of Pangea Uncle Ru Ariane Ben Nott Brohn Dibby Dibby Soundsystem DJ Gonz Elijah Something Foreigndub Inner West Reggae Disco Machine Kali and more... Lost Paradise returns to Glenworth Valley from December 28 to January 1. Tickets are on sale now from the festival website. Image: Dave Anderson and Boaz Nothham.
It's been on the chopping block for months now, but NSW Premier Mike Baird has finally dropped the axe. Numerous local councils are set to be swallowed up, with the NSW government moving ahead with 19 forced council amalgamations despite the controversial reform plans facing considerable opposition. So how's it going to look? Here's a handy breakdown you can take to your furious pub debate later. The mergers, which were first proposed late last year in the wake of a report from the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, could save ratepayers close to $2 billion over the next two decades, according to Baird. However critics have decried the process as undemocratic. The amalgamated councils, which include a combined council for Canterbury and Bankstown, and a single body for the entirety of the Northern Beaches (previously Manly, Pittwater and Warringah), have a target population size of 150,000 people each. Additionally, each new council will receive up to $10 million to cover the cost of merging along with up to $15 million to invest in community infrastructure, and will be presided over by administrators and interim general managers until elections are held in September next year. That last point has proved controversial, with outgoing Leichhardt mayor Darcy Byrne putting it in words we can all understand. "Winter has come to the inner west and like Ned Stark the heads of democratically elected representatives have been chopped off," said Byrne according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Would have been nice if he'd included a spoiler warning, but you get the point he's trying to make. The government intends to merge a further nine councils pending the outcome of legal action on behalf on the councils under threat, including Botany and Rockdale; Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra; and Mosman, North Sydney and Willoughby. The original proposal included 35 amalgamations, with the intention of reducing the total number of councils in the state from 152 to 112. The decision to shy away from a number of mergers, such as between Hills and Hawkesbury Shire, Kiama and Shoalhaven, and Walcha and Tamworth, has led some to accuse the government of attempting to placate voters in marginal seats ahead of the upcoming Federal Election — a charge the government has naturally denied. We expect you haven't heard the last of this story, and who knows how much will actually stick. In the meantime, however, say hello to your new local councils. NEW COUNCILS Armidale Regional Council (previously Armidale, Dumaresq and Guyra) Canterbury-Bankstown Council (previously Bankstown and Canterbury) Central Coast Council (previously Gosford and Wyong) City of Parramatta Council (previously Parramatta and sections of Hills, Auburn, Holroyd and Hornsby) Cumberland Council (previously Auburn and Holroyd) Edward River Council (previously Conargo and Deniliquin) Federation Council (previously Corowa and Urana) Georges River Council (previously Hurstville and Kogarah) Gundagai Council (previously Cootamundra and Gundagai) Hilltops Council (previously Boorowa, Harden and Young) Inner West Council (previously Ashfield, Leichhardt and Marrickville) Mid-Coast Council (previously Gloucester, Great Lakes and Greater Taree) Murray River Council (previously Murray and Wakool) Murrumbidgee Council (previously Jerilderie and Murrumbidgee) Northern Beaches Council (previously Manly, Pittwater and Warringah) Queanbeyan-Palerange Regional Council (previously Queanbeyan and Palerang) Snowy Monaro Regional Council (previously Bombala, Cooma Monaro and Snowy River) Snowy Valleys Council (previously Tumut and Tumbarumba) Western Plains Regional Council (previously Dubbo and Wellington) PENDING LEGAL ACTION Bathurst and Oberon Blayney, Cabonne and Orange Botany and Rockdale Burwood, Canada Bay and Strathfield Hunters Hill, Lane Cove and Ryde Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai and Mosman, North Sydney and Willoughby Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra Shellharbour and Wollongong Via SMH. Image: Seb Zurcher.
It's a truth universally acknowledged that the perfect counterpoint to modern life (standard stressful job, social media obsession and crippling credit card/HECS debt) is a few days spent reclining on a white, sandy beach. But it's sometimes easy to forget that while fancy resorts may help us get our mojo back, they can also have some devastating environmental impacts. Enter Six Senses wellness resort chain and their soon-to-open Malolo Island destination in Fiji. Within striking distance of some of the best surf breaks in the world (Cloudbreak included), the new Six Senses Fiji stretches over 650 metres of pristine beach and intends to keep it that way. The resort is designed to be sustainable and eco-conscious as well as super pretty; it's 100 percent solar powered and the first microgrid in Fiji to use Tesla batteries. They use a worm-based septic system and water reservoirs for onsite waste management and have developed a reforestation program to offset the wood used in the construction of the resort, so you can relax and know your wellness pilgrimage isn't destroying the earth. Now before you wrinkle your nose at the phrase 'wellness pilgrimage' hear us out. Six Senses isn't a wellness resort in the traditional sense. Wellness here doesn't mean chanting at dawn, it means medically sanctioned wellbeing — and they want to help you bring that holiday zen home. As well as the standard resort activities like beach relaxing and poolside drinking, during your stay at Six Senses Fiji you can undertake an integrated wellness program. A team of professionals (a sleep doctor, a nutritionist and a general physician — hair psychic not included) develop a personalised program to address your needs which could include spa treatments, exercise, yoga, meditation and sleep guidance to help you become the most rested, relaxed you as scientifically possible. Six Senses features 24 villas, 66 residential villas and 650 metres of private beach, so you can recline with fresh views every day. The resort also includes a gym (for looking at, not going in), club house and kids club as well as facilities for boating, sailing, diving, snorkelling and tennis. Gawdd damn. It's time to cash in those flexitime hours and better yourself while drinking a daytime pina colada. Six Senses Fiji is set to open in late 2017. In the meantime, Six Senses Con Dao is open, so we simply had to check it out.
The team at Cuckoo Callay know what people like. Earlier this year, the Newtown cafe hit a homerun with their first ever bacon festival, a three-month celebration of that most versatile of pork products complete with bacon burgers, bacon ice cream and even bacon Bloody Marys. Now, they're doubling down with an event dedicated to the only thing in the world that people get more excited about than bacon. We're talking, of course, about puppies. Set to take place on November 14-15 in support of the legends at the RSPCA, Cuckoo's Dog Day Afternoon will be a weekend-long party for our favourite four-legged friends (sorry, cats). Cuckoo Callay will transform its outdoor space into a veritable pooch's paradise with toys, treats and a full-blown doggy day spa. Those of us without tails, meanwhile, will enjoy gourmet dawgz, wine and a lineup of live music and entertainment. Each day will also see Newtown's best dressed dogs compete for gold and glory in Cuckoo's Doggy Dress Up Parade. 15 pooches (and their owners) will compete for up to $1500 worth of prizes, judged by an eclectic panel that includes ex-Big Brother champ Tim Dormer, TV presenter Lynette Bolton and state member for Newtown Jenny Leong. Anyone wanting to sign up their dog for the contest can do so via the Cuckoo Callay Facebook page. And now, enjoy this: Cuckoo Callay's Dog Day Afternoon is happening November 14-15 at Newtown Railway station, 324A King Street, Newtown.
Sydney, you just can't get enough chicken. Last month we reported on the transformation of lower north shore eatery Johnny Lobster into Johnny Bird. Now, we bring you further poultry-related tidings: The Gretz has closed and in its place is Wish Bone, an eatery dedicated to fried chicken. This new venture comes courtesy of The Gretz's owners, U.S.-born chef Gregory Llewellyn and Naomi Hart, who wanted to make the change to focus on something singular. It's not any old cooked chook you'll be feasting on, either, but an old favourite — Llewellyn's mighty version, which attracted hungry hordes to Hartsyard, before it revamped and swapped to a veggie-driven menu in January this year. You can expect a tight offering, with fried chicken as centrepiece — available in two, four, six or eight pieces, or inside a hot butter bun. The rest of the menu reads like Llewellyn's greatest hits: poutine, man 'n' cheese, and biscuits and gravy. The space looks a bit different too — the bar has been replaced by a long communal table. The feel will be much more casual, but table service will still be offered. And so will drinks. Booze will come in the form of pre-batched cocktails, frozen margaritas and bourbon-spiked milkshakes. At the moment, Wish Bone is offering dinner from 5pm seven nights a week, and will look to add lunches down the track. Wish Bone is now open daily for dinner at 125 Enmore Road, Enmore. For more info, visit its Facebook page. Images: Alexander Mayes Photographey
Part of the joy of theatre is going to see someone do something that you can most definitely not do yourself. In the case of Champions, it'll be watching people do two things that I, personally, can't do: dance and play football. Appearing at Sydney Festival 2017, Champions is directed by Martin del Amo and features 11 female contemporary dancers in an epic adrenaline-fuelled choreographic match. The performance compares and contrasts the two disciplines of football and contemporary dance, and examines the common aspects that join these two highly physical disciplines. It harnesses the energy and enthusiasm of sports fans — with pre-show analysis, backstage interviews and playful commentary included in the show. Inspiration for the choreography comes from soccer drills, tactics and pre-game warm up rituals. The performance was developed in consultation with the Western Sydney Wanderers' W-League team (the coaches, physiotherapists and athletes), and comes with commentary from Channel 7 sports reporter Mel McLaughlin. Check out our list of 15 next-level events to see at Sydney Festival.
It's the yearly exhibition that leaves us with jaws on the floor; the 59th annual World Press Photo exhibition is coming to Australia for another year. Back for its 59th edition, the yearly photographic collection regularly leaves us gaping at the mouth — and this year is no exception. Right at the top with 2015 Photo of the Year is Australia's own Warren Richardson, with his poignant picture of a man passing his baby through a fence at the Hungarian-Serbian border. He beat 82,951 submissions by 5775 photographers from 128 countries for the top prize, while also taking out first prize in the Spot News category. The World Press Photo exhibition can be seen at Sydney's State Library of NSW from May 21 to June 19. Before the exhibition makes its way to Australia, take a look through some of the landmark images that caught the eye of the WPP judges; from a Tibetan Bhuddist ceremony in rural China to a 16-year-old Islamic State fighter being treated for burns in Syria, to one of those epics #sydneystorms rolling over Bondi. With many of the photographs documenting the more saddening news headlines, they're often not easy images to look at, but it's the work of these photojournalists that wakes up an otherwise ignorant world. Image: Bliss Dharma Assembly, Kevin Frayer (Sichuan, China).
The light-filled, open-plan offices of Single Market Events are a hotbed of activity as not one but two art fairs prepare to launch in Sydney next month. Founded by investor Tim Etchells in 1989, Single Market Events produces a host of high-profile food, fashion and art exhibitions in Australia and around the world, including international art fair Sydney Contemporary. Now they're preparing to launch a second art fair in Sydney, aptly titled The Other Art Fair. It’s the latest feather in Etchells’ investment cap, a new art market for emerging and independent artists that will run alongside Sydney Contemporary from September 10-13. Two impressive women, Emilya Colliver and Zoe Paulsen, have been tasked with making it happen. As we sit in a light-filled meeting room, Colliver is quick to point out the differences between The Other Art Fair and Sydney Contemporary. “Basically it’s an artist-led fair, so artists are manning their booth and selling direct to the public,” she says. Another point of difference is that all exhibiting artists are unrepresented (at Sydney Contemporary, it's the galleries doing the representing). “We want to maintain strong relationships with galleries — they play an important role [in selling artists’ works], but in this day and age artists need a new platform to showcase their work and this is what we’re doing. Giving them an opportunity to get a further reach.” Colliver is founder and director of Art Pharmacy, a Sydney-based gallery for emerging artists, and has extensive experience working for galleries, museums and private art collections both here and in London. She also got some insight working as a tour guide for the inaugural Sydney Contemporary in 2013. In fact, Colliver calls Barry Keldoulis, director of Sydney Contemporary, her business mentor. It was he who put her forward for this job. “He said 'you should do it', so it all kind of came about that way,” she says. “I know Zoe through the MCA Young Ambassador Program. We’ve known each other for quite a long time, and I said, ‘Why don’t you come along and help me? Let’s just run it together.’” They’ve been all systems go since February. While they are quick to define The Other Art Fair as an independently run event, Colliver continues, “We definitely wanted to do it at the same time as Sydney Contemporary, because nationally and internationally we’ve got people from all around Australia and overseas coming to Sydney at this time”. The Other Art Fair started in London three years ago as an alternative to commercial art market giants like the London Art Fair. Colliver and Paulsen are recreating the successful London model in Sydney. A curatorial team including artist Mikala Dwyer, collector Dick Quan, MCA curator Meg Robson, public art advisor Virginia Wilson and White Rabbit’s Paris Neilson were tasked with the job of sifting through over 300 applications to choose the 75+ most promising artists for exhibition. Eight to ten thousand people are expected to visit The Other Art Fair over the course of the four days. “What’s great about this is that it appeals to a really broad audience,” says Paulsen. “The fair appeals to first time buyers because the works are so affordable, as well as collectors and gallerists, because these are hand-selected artists.” It's tempting to see it as a chance to scoop the next big thing. So what’s in it for punters? Paulsen explains the benefits of an artist-led fair for collectors. “If you go to Sydney Contemporary you’ll talk to a gallerist who represents the artist and can tell you about the work. But if you go to The Other Art Fair you’ll meet the artist, you’ll talk to them about the artwork — when they did it, how they did it, their emotional state, where their motivations come from or whatnot.” She adds that it’s also an important process for artists to go through. “It gives them an opportunity to learn how to market themselves. They don’t often find themselves in a situation where they have to do that. For some artists it can be really difficult and it’s not necessarily the way that they do it for years to come, but it’s still a good skill to experience. Also I think when the public are actually buying their work, it validates their practice and gives them a reason to keep on going.” And for collectors just starting out? Colliver has three big tips: "Set a budget, choose a medium and buy what you love,” she says. “And don’t buy ‘art’ from IKEA or Freedom Furniture.” The Other Art Fair is on from September 10–13 at Central Park in Chippendale. For more information and to book tickets, visit the Other Art Fair website.
Summer is officially over. We know that not just because Sydney has gone all dark stormy, but because Vivid Sydney has this morning announced their full 2017 program. Get ready to be ensconced in sparkly lights once again — the festival of light, music and ideas will be back for 23 days from May 26 to June 17. The first tidbit from this year's program was handed to us a few weeks ago, with the announcement that indie folk-rock US band Fleet Foxes will bring their bright dance-around-the-forest songs to the Sydney Opera House for four exclusive shows on May 26–29 this year. These will be the band's only shows in Australia — and their first here in five years — so tickets will be allocated via a ballot system. Anyone who sat online to get (or miss out on) tickets to the Opera House's Bon Iver show last year will appreciate this method of allocation. The most overt aspect of the program is the lights, and this year their kaleidoscope is set to extend over to Barangaroo for the first time. A new precinct for 2017, it will extend the reach of the CBD's lights and further light up Darling Harbour with a trail of installations that will wind through the Streets of Barangaroo and along the waterfront. One of the works, A Day in the Light, will be an outdoor theatre of light and sound — getting a seat at one of the area's new restaurants (like 12-Micron or Banksii) will likely be hard to nab. The Sydney Opera House's sails will this year be lit up with imaginary creatures by cinematographer, editor, and graphic designer Ash Bolland. Vivid light hotspots, the Royal Botanic Garden, the MCA, Chatswood, Taronga Zoo and Martin place will all be lit up as well. Vivid Music just seems to get bigger with every passing year — in 2017, there will be over 250 gigs. Joining Fleet Foxes for the Vivid LIVE component of the program at the Opera House will be legendary French electronic duo AIR (for their second Australian shows ever), the ethereal Laura Marling and our own Nick Murphy (Chet Faker's new moniker, ICYMI). The Avalanches will also make an appearance on the Opera House's Northern Broadwalk to perform their seminal album Since I Left You in its entirety for the first time since 2001. The band will be joined by Briggs, Sampa The Great and DJ Shadow. The City Recital Hall has a solid program sorted as well, with Dappled Cities, Dianne Reeves and a party by Paul Mac slated. But not all the gigs will be held at formal venues. The Vivid Music program will this year extend to Carriageworks for an exclusive gig from Goldfrapp and the return of Fuzzy Music's huge party Curve Ball, over to Cake Wines for a rooftop party and Oxford Art Factory for the Women in Electronic Music showcase. Vivid Ideas is, of course, back for the brainiacs among you — and this year it's scored iconic artist Shepard Fairey as its big-ticket speaker. Don't know the name? He's the artist behind Obama's HOPE campaign. As well as an exclusive talk, he'll also create a large-scale public mural somewhere in Sydney's CBD (!!) and exhibit some of his works in an exhibition at Darling Quarter. There's plenty more where that came from, check the Vivid Sydney website for more details.
It's been 12 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Heading back to their collection of unconventional venues for another year, Laneway Festival is back for 2017. Returning to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Auckland and Singapore next January and February, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a killer lineup. Following the already announced appearance of AB Original and Chet Faker (or is it Nick Murphy now?), Laneway will see one heck of a crew on their stages, including Aussies Tame Impala — who will be only doing Laneway this time, no sideshows. Oxford band Glass Animals will be coming out for the festival, along wiht other international acts Tourist, Tycho, Nao and riot grrl Kathleen Hanna. There's plenty of local love on the lineup too, with Gang of Youths, Jagwar Ma, Sampa the Great and Camp Cope all making appearances. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2017 LINEUP A.B.Original AURORA Baro* Bob Moses Camp Cope Car Seat Headrest Clams Casino Ecca Vandal* Fascinator Floating Points (live) Flyying Colours* Gang of Youths GL Glass Animals Jagwar Ma Jess Kent Julia Jacklin Koi Child Luca Brasi Mick Jenkins Mr. Carmack NAO Nicholas Allbrook Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker)** Roland Tings Sampa The Great Tame Impala** Tash Sultana The Julie Ruin Tourist Tycho White Lung Whitney *Melbourne only **Exclusive to Laneway, no sideshows Image: Andy Fraser.
The world was shocked by the devastating news on Monday with a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hitting the border of Turkey and Syria. The disaster caused catastrophic damage and has led to the death of more than 11,000 people. In response, Turkish-born chef and owner of Maydanoz, Somer Sivrioglu, will be hosting an earthquake relief barbecue at his Wynyard venue. This Sunday, February 12, the barbecue will see the Turkish-inspired bar and restaurant transformed into a kebab house — serving up adana, chicken kebab rolls and gozleme accompanied by Efes Pilseners. Plus, there will also be Turkish coffee and delights on offer. Expect a family-friendly vibe with Turkish music playing at the venue for patrons to enjoy. Or, you can take your treats away to Wynyard Park for a picnic. 100 percent of proceeds from the day will be donated to the AFAD and AHBAP relief funds in Turkey to aid victims of the earthquake. You can also contribute to the relief fund with the purchase of a hamper that includes some extra Turkish goodies and a copy of Somer's book. These will be available at Maydanoz as well as its sister restaurant, Anason, in Barangaroo. So get down to Maydanoz this Sunday to enjoy some delicious Turkish cuisine for a good cause.
Portraits aren’t all regal furs and awkward “Oh, didn’t see you there,” poses. They can be weird, abstract, figurative, unrecognisable, or downright adorable. It's not an easy task; capturing a realistic, unrelentingly vulnerable likeness of your own reflection, someone you’ve just met or one of your oldest buds takes a fair few stories, maybe a few beers and a willingness to tackle the intimidating notion of thinking up something new after decades of Archibald Prize winners. Australia's top portraiture prize is back for another year, the Art Gallery of New South Wales's annual celebration of Aussie faces, alongside the coveted Wynne and Sulman prizes. The AGNSW has handed out the blue ribbon (and a cheeky $100,000) to Newcastle artist Nigel Milsom, who nabbed the Archibald Prize for his haunting, Edgar Allan Poe-like portrait of barrister Charles Waterstreet. French-born Sydney artist Bruno Jean Grasswill took home the 2015 Packing Room Prize for his portrait of Australian actor and The Castle legend Michael Caton. Caton apparently congratulated the AGNSW packing room staff “on their excellent taste in art.” What a boss. After 832 entries, this year, these 47 Archibald finalists are the top tier of artists trying to make us wake up and pay attention (whether for great or WTF reasons) to Australia’s big ol’ faces. There's a few standouts for us this year, which you can see at the AGNSW's exhibition until September 27. There's Carla Fletcher's striking portrait of Australian fashion designer Jenny Kee, a pretty damn impressive self portrait of Australian artist and political activist Richard Bell, Adam Alcorn's sharply figurative portrait of Sydney award-winning writer, comedian, podcaster and radio host Alice Fraser, Julian Meagher's candy-coloured portrait of Daniel Johns, and Stewart MacFarlane's strange portrait of Cory Bernardi holding some kind of whip. The Archibald Prize exhibition is on now at the Art Gallery of NSW, running July 18 to September 27. To view all the Archibald, Sulman and Wynne finalists, head over here. Image: Carla Fletcher Jenny Kee (detail) 2015 Archibald Prize finalist © the artist.
We've all been there: you're interested in a movie, check Rotten Tomatoes to see what the critics thought, and disagree with the consensus. That's exactly what Suicide Squad fans are going through at the moment. Unhappy at the far-from-positive word the comic book adaptation has been receiving (especially on the popular online review aggregator), these fans don't just want to get on a soapbox — they want to shut down the whole site. In fact, Suicide Squad defender Abdullah Coldwater was so angry that took to Change.org to mobilise his fellow aficionados. Yes, really. At the time of writing, that petition had 17,614 signatures protesting against the site, motivated by the film's paltry 31 percent Tomatometer rating and the large number of negative reviews. Anyone who has caught a glimpse of similar backlash in recent times — take, for example, the huge response when reviewers dared to like the female-focused take on Ghostbusters — won't be surprised, because this type of behaviour is becoming all-too-familiar. A highly anticipated movie comes out, critics reveal their thoughts, and the online masses react. The next big title comes out, and the cycle repeats. But there's excitement about an upcoming movie, and then there's this. We see it all the time. Just read the Facebook comments on Concrete Playground's own take on Suicide Squad — many readers voiced their displeasure at our negative review, which is how it should be. Our critic didn't love, or even like, or find much of merit in the film. Scrolling through the responses provides just a glimpse of the general social media outrage swirling around the David Ayer-directed, Margot Robbie, Will Smith and Jared Leto-starring entry in the DC Comics movie. Sure, this might just be a storm in a teacup. But the worrying part of this move isn't just the instantly-attacking mindset of fans upset that someone — or more than a few someones — doesn't think the flick they've been counting down the days to watch isn't the best film ever made. Agreeing to disagree doesn't always happen on the internet, we know, but there's also the matter of timing. Given that Suicide Squad didn't start releasing around the world until today, most of those in the distressed camp — like Coldwater — haven't seen the film yet. Coldwater has since changed his tune, with the last post on the petition page noting that it was supposed to be "just for fun". After grabbing plenty of headlines with his action — something that he calls a victory in an earlier post — he has now deemed it pointless. "The only thing that it does is spreading a speech of hate and online fighting among the supporters and objectors," he writes. He's right.
Continuing the theme of this year being the absolute worst, the world lost a music legend today when it was announced that Prince had passed away in his home in Minnesota. He was 57 years old. "It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning," read a statement from his publicist this morning. Tributes have been flowing in on social media for hours. US President Barack Obama described the singer-songwriter as a "creative icon", while Snapchat has unveiled a Purple Rain filter that lets users add purple raindrops to their photos. Here at home, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews tweeted his condolences, and mentioned that the spire at the Melbourne Arts Centre will be lit purple in Prince's honour. Doves are crying in Victoria. RIP Prince. Tonight the Arts Centre's spire will be lit in honour of the purple one. pic.twitter.com/Vd9N1SiAu1 — Daniel Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) April 21, 2016 The Arts Centre previously took on a purple hue when Prince performed at the venue in February, as did the sails of the Sydney Opera House during a show there that same month. Many landmarks in the United States have also been lit purple, including Target Field, home to Prince's hometown baseball team the Minnesota Twins. Fitting that it's raining in Minneapolis today. pic.twitter.com/s5KFurDhHi — Minnesota Twins (@Twins) April 21, 2016 Via Junkee. Image: Kate Ballis and Tom Blachford for Arts Centre Melbourne.
There's so much to see and do in St Kilda. So much, you kind of need to stay in the area for a couple of nights in order to experience it all. There's the beautiful coastline, the palm tree-lined Catani Gardens, running tracks by the water, bars, restaurants and local institutions. We want you to experience St Kilda in all of its glory, so we're giving you some spending money and accommodation for a weekend. We'll put you up in a one-bedroom Adina apartment for two nights (a stay worth $1000). You can use our local's guide to St Kilda to fill in the gaps, but you'll go stand-up paddleboarding at St Kilda Beach with the experts at St Kilda Stand Up Paddle Boarding, indulge in a massage and eat dinner at the luxurious, Italian Cafe Di Stasio on the first night, and Andrew McConnell's Luxembourg Bar and Bistro on the second night. The big kicker is that you'll also be in the area for St Kilda Festival — a highlight on Melbourne's event calendar. There will be food, workshops and activities as well as music from Tiny Little Houses, The Smith Street Band, Archie Roach and Bec Sandridge among many other talented Melbourne locals. Accommodation will be for two nights in a spacious Adina Apartment Hotel on February 11 and 12 (you'll check out on the morning of the February 13). The apartment is on St Kilda's vibrant Fitzroy Street — steps away from some of the area's best cafes as well as the tram to St Kilda Beach and the CBD. If you're able to make your own way to St Kilda, this competition is open to our lovely Brisbane and Sydney audience too. Enter your details below, say yes to the terms and conditions and you're in the running. Entries close on Thursday, February 2. [competition]607306[/competition]
Prepare to say ciao to Italian cinema throughout September and October — and we mean hello, not farewell. Yes, the annual showcase of films from or about the European nation is back for another round. In fact, it's the Lavazza Italian Film Festival's 17th year, and if the program is anything to go by, it's going to be another good one. Not only does the 2016 fest kick off with Italian box office hit Perfect Strangers and close with the digital restoration of the Audrey Hepburn-starring classic Roman Holiday, but it also boasts a world premiere. Local audiences will be the first on the planet to see the first-ever Australian-Italian feature co-production, The Space Between. Charting the intersection of an Italian ex-chef and a spirited Aussie in the scenic Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, it has been described as " a celebration of the Italian spirit of la dolce vita." Elsewhere, the 30-film program keeps highlighting the best Italian filmmaking has to offer, such as Where Am I Going?, the highest-grossing film in Italian cinema history. Strands dedicated to relationships and leading ladies serve up plenty of both, including straight-from Cannes prison drama Fiore and straight-from-Venice romance The Worldly Girl (and yes, we mean straight from this year's Venice Film Festival in September). Plus, with coming-of-age tale Arianna, Gran Turismo racing thriller Italian Race and gritty character study Napoli Jungle also on the bill, IFF does what all good fests should by offering something for everyone. Don't say you don't have something to watch for the next couple of months as the festival tours the country. The Lavazza Italian Film Festival tours the country between September 13 and October 19, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton St, Palace Verona and Chauvel Cinema from September 13 to October 9, Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Kino Cinemas and The Astor from September 15 to October 9, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks from September 28 to October 19. For the full program, visit the festival website.
