Up until now, fancy-schmancy apartments have been surprisingly hard to find at Bondi Beach. But, with QT's latest hotel having opened today in the former Swiss Grand Hotel site — now known as a Pacific Bondi Beach — that's a first world problem of the past. As promised, QT Bondi delivers the kind of glamour that the Eastern Suburbs prides itself on. There are no fewer than 69 super-sized apartments and studios, all dreamed up by Australian design extraordinaire Nic Graham (celebrated for his work on the QT family and in-house dining spots like Gowings and Parlour Lane Roasters). At the poshest end, there are the Gould Suites, which come with one bedroom, city views, kitchenettes, balconies, specially-designed furniture, complimentary wifi and movies. The starter rooms are also rather lush, featuring king-sized beds, as well as views, kitchenettes and balconies. Meanwhile, the lobby is dotted with commissioned paintings created by Aussie-born, London-based artist Shaun Gladwell. Unfamiliar with the location? Well, we can assure you it's prime real estate, just across the road from the main beach — you can dash to the sand without shoes. And QT Bondi is just one element in the precinct: visitors (whether they're staying at the hotel or not) can also explore a bunch of eating, drinking and shopping adventures, from Anita Gelato to Scoop Wholefoods to Saturdays NYC. Find QT Bondi at 6 Beach Road, Bondi. For bookings, head to the website or buzz +61 2 8362 3900.
Melbourne's purveyors of fine stadium-ready electropop Client Liaison, have finally dropped their long-awaited video for newest single 'Off White Limousine' and it stars a pretty damn slick-looking Melbourne CBD. Directed by Zachary Bradtke (BANALARAMA) and Tobias Willis (KEWL), this little piece of storytelling gold is more akin to a short film, brimming with excess as it follows your favourite pair of pastel-loving hotshots through the streets of Melbourne. Expect six and a half lush minutes of sweeping Melbourne skyline shots, Collins Street motorcades, Flinders Street Station glimmers, St Kilda trams, extravagant suits, free-flowing Champagne labelled as Fosters, and assassination attempts, with none other than Kristian Nairn (Game of Thrones' Hodor) acting as limo driver. Have a watch: Not shy of dabbling in a few different projects (Client Liaison followed the success of their debut record Diplomatic Immunity with the launch of a fashion range, Designer Line), the duo's also announced a foray into the limo biz. Yep, you'll soon be able to hire that soon-to-be-iconic, off-white chariot for affordably stylish jaunts in Victoria. They're taking expressions for A Limousine Service Courtesy of Client Liaison here. Client Liaison's Diplomatic Immunity Australian tour is selling fast. See the Client Liaison website for dates and venues.
Dodge laser trip wires. Hack computers. Crack the safe and go home with the gold. Pop Up Playground's newest immersive game, Small Time Criminals, takes you into every old school cops and robbers movie ever made. With the slogan "one last job before going straight", the game will be a dream come true for fans of Ocean's Eleven, The Pink Panther, Heat and The Score. The newly opened immersive simulation gives guests the run of a two-story building in Preston where they will find themselves in the throes of a 'real live' bank heist. You'll have the option to play as a team of master thieves or as detectives hot on their trail, though we find it hard to believe anyone will choose the latter. How often do you get to rob a bank without the inevitable consequence of Al Pacino hunting you down? Australian-based live games company Pop-Up Playground has been knocking out these types of genius concepts since 2011, with clients across Melbourne, New York, the UK and Copenhagen. They've worked with the likes of the Freeplay independent games festival and NY's Come Out and Play, so you can bet this one will be worth the pretty penny. Immersive theatre has continued to become increasingly popular across Australia — from The Hungry Ghost Walk app to Sydney's The Age of Entitlement, last year's Blackmarket performance around Kings Cross to an immersive Halloween Feast, we can't seem to get enough of the action. As far as Small Time Criminals goes, the day will combine live performers, digital puzzles and environmental challenges to keep players thoroughly in the game. From embezzlement to love affairs and murder, this immersion will make you feel as dangerous as it gets — as long as you don't get caught. Small Time Criminals will run at The Bank Immersive Theatre located at 641 Plenty Rd, Preston. Bookings are available from Thursdays to Sundays.
Western Australia is famous for its exports: gold, iron-ore, wheat and, of course, ‘I heart WA’ fridge magnets. Basically, what they've got we’ve gotta get it, and there’s no better example of that than West Australian wine. Because, let’s be honest: Australians love a good drop. Quite a few, actually, given the average consumer enjoys around 30 litres of wine each year. In all, that's 530 million litres the nation over, and while it’s an impressive number, it’s nothing compared to the 750 million litres we send off to the rest of the world. In fact, Australia is now the fourth largest exporter of wine globally, and while just 5% of that comes from West Australia, what those vineyards lack in volume they more than account for in quality, boasting 20% of the ultra-premium market. So how much do you know about WA wine? Here are all the facts you need to start 'researching' your new passion. WHERE IS WESTERN AUSTRALIA? West of the rest of Australia. This is called ‘easing you in’. HOW MANY WINERIES? WA is home to more than 150 wineries broken up into nine separate regions, almost all of which sit on the south-western tip due to its cooler climate and favourable growing conditions. The best known of these regions comprise: The Margaret River Perth Hills Swan Valley Coastal Pemberton and The Great Southern HOW OLD? One-hundred-and-eighty-six years. The oldest established winery in West Australia, the Olive Farm Winery, was established back in 1829 by Thomas Waters, an English botanist who kicked things off with an olive grove (hence the name) and then quickly moved to vines, because seriously, who drinks olive juice? WA’s PRETTY WARM, RIGHT? Damn you’re good. West Australia is indeed a ‘warm wine-growing region’, which in the simplest terms means the grapes are able to ripen more fully, allowing for a higher build up of sugars. The result is threefold: Lower acidity — the wines are sweeter, meaning less tongue tingling or the pulling of that ’sucked in / duckface selfie’ expression Heavier body — the sweeter the wine, the more viscous it’s likely to be Higher alcohol - you’re probably across this one, but just in case, the higher the alcohol, the warmer that feeling it enkindles all over the palate. ALL THIS KNOWLEDGE IS MAKING ME THIRSTY Okay okay, we’ll get into it now. We just didn’t want to jump right to the wine chat in case your emergence as a wine buff occurred a little too early, not unlike some early budding varieties of grape such as Chardonnay that can break bud prematurely during WA's warm winters on account of temperatures exceeding 10°C. SEE WHAT WE DID THERE? Your bluffing game just got stronger. But now, to the wines. MARGARET RIVER (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon) Where else but ‘Margarets’ to begin any discussion of West Australian wines? Located about three hours drive south of Perth, the first of these now 100 or so vineyards were established in 1967, although it’s really only in the last 20 years that the region has come into its own and forged a reputation as home to some of the finest wines in the world. The Margaret River’s climate places it in a vinicultural bracket not unlike Bordeaux, only more attractive courtesy of a drier ripening period and low risk of frost. No surprise, then, that it’s best known for its prize winning cabernets, and you won’t do much better than the 2012 Cape Mentelle Trinders Cab Merlot. As you sip away, why not show off some of your newly acquired knowledge with: “Mmm, well obviously because of the warmer climate this cab merlot is well rounded and richly textured, and given its ability to ripen more fully, it’s punctuated with... I want to say... blackcurrant, cherry and hints of sweet vanilla". Fun Wine Fact: knowing about good wine is impressive, but knowing about good wine when other people haven’t even heard of it is even better. To that end, why not get a little more adventurous and try the 2013 Miles from Nowhere Margaret River Shiraz, a solidly built, handsome wine distinguished by red berries and spicy highlights that — unlike the Cape Mentelle Trinders — is designed to be consumed in its youth rather than cellaring. But there’s more to Margarets than just reds. This region offers some of the best conditions in the world for Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends, and right now it’s hard to go past the dry, crisp and fruity 2013 Evans & Tate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, or — if you’re again keen to sample one of the newcomers, the almost-tropical 2014 Catching Thieves Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. Another icon of this region is Leeuwin Estate with its famous 'Art Series Chardonnay'. Regarded by some as the best chardonnay in Australia, each Leeuwin Estate vintage comes complete with new paintings on the label from an Australian artist. The winery boasts a fantastic gallery to enjoy alongside the wine tastings, but if you can’t get there in person, then picking up a bottle and admiring the small-scale version is the next best thing. THE SWAN VALLEY (Fortified Wines, Verdelho and Chardonnay) The Swan Valley is a favourite of the locals, given its proximity to Perth (just a 25 minute drive, or 10 from the airport if you’re really in a rush). It's also the hottest and driest of all the Australian wine growing regions, making it an ideal location for fortified wines, Verdelho and Chardonnay. Last year the Swan Valley celebrated 180 years of winemaking, with many of the vineyards still owned by the same families that arrived as early European settlers (including the Olive Farm Winery from above). GREAT SOUTHERN REGION The Great Southern Wine region is the largest in Australia, and accordingly boasts the widest range of varietals from its 48 wineries, although the Rieslings are its most celebrated. This is also the coolest of WA’s wine regions, making it ideal for Chardonnays like the 2012 Byron & Harold Tandem WA Chardonnay. James Halliday just named Bryon & Harold one of his top ten wineries for 2015, and given the deliciously crisp lemon and peach flavours that burst from this particular drop, it’s not hard to see why. SO WHERE TO FROM HERE? Dive in, buy some WA wine and see what tickles your fancy. If you already have an inkling as to your preferred varietals, then keep an eye out for the regions from where they’re produced. Fancy a Merlot? Look for something from Perth Hills. Prefer a Pinot Noir? Hard to beat the ones coming out of Pemberton. You’ll also often see ‘best of’ bundles like this one around the traps, which can give you an excellent sampling across the board before you start to commit to the pricier individual bottles. If you’re lucky, they may even throw in an ‘I heart WA’ fridge magnet.
It's not often you get to see an art exhibition inspired by a famous industrial conflict, but that's exactly what's on offer at Carriageworks this month with 1917: The Great Strike. It's a free show that combines historical objects, oral testimonies, archival materials and commissioned artworks to commemorate the significant historical event that was The Great Strike of 1917. Quick history lesson: The Great Strike actually began at the Eveleigh Railway Workshops (yep, what is now Carriageworks) and the Randwick Tram Sheds in August 1917 when over 5500 employees put down their tools to protest the new card system. In what became a six-week long statewide strike, an estimated 77,350 workers walked off the job. Many either never got their jobs back or received significant demotions, and the sociopolitical impact of the strike was still felt decades later. Contemporary artists Sarah Contos, Will French, Raquel Ormella, Franck Gohier, Tom Nicholson and Andrew Byrne creatively respond to the strike, the unions, the workers and their families — including the vital role women played via public protest and on the home front — using everything from prints to textiles to patchwork quilts to a large-scale brass band performance. Co-curators Laila Ellmoos and Nina Miall have also scheduled artist talks, performances, workshops and panel discussions to get involved in. Image: Raquel Ormella, 'Wealth for Toil' (2014).
Gone are the days when Australians were left to wonder about the precise genealogy of their toast. Following the trend set by the boutique coffee and chocolate industries, artisan bakers Brasserie Bread are upping their foodie street rep with the launch of their new single origin bread. Touted by the bakery as an Australian first, Brasserie's Single Origin Sourdough and Single Origin Sprouted Wheat will be made exclusively from wheat grown in the Southern Flinders Ranges in South Australia, allowing consumers to track the journey of their bread from field to mill to sandwich. Brasserie co-founder Michael Klausen apparently spent five years searching for the perfect wheat, before finally forming a partnership with Flinders Ranges Premium Grain. "I wanted to buy flour straight from the farmer," says Klausen. "It took five years, but I finally found them and being part of the harvest this year was like a dream come true... This flour is an expression of the soil and climate it was grown in." Whether or not consumers can actually taste the difference, you've got to give Klausen credit for tapping into the zeitgeist. It's certainly not hard to imagine single source bread popping up on brunch menus around Sydney and Melbourne, probably with a little single source smashed avo on the side. Brasserie Bread is available in various restaurants around Sydney and Melbourne, as well as the Brasserie Bakery Cafe in Banksmeadow and the T2 Cafe in Sydney Airport. And if you're not yet sold on single origin bread, check out Brasserie's promotional video below. It’s inspiring stuff.
It's a problem anyone with a Netflix, Stan or Presto subscription can relate to: scrolling through a lengthy list of titles but still having trouble finding something to watch. It's a problem that gets worse if you're looking for homegrown content; however a new Aussie-focused streaming option is trying to fix that. Meet Ozflix, the first video-on-demand service dedicated to Australian films. It wants to become a one-stop-shop when it comes to local movies, with everything available to audiences on a pay-per-view basis. Packages grouped by themes and directors will also feature. The service is aiming to get things started with a catalogue spanning 250–400 titles, but that's just the beginning of Ozflix's plans. Eventually, it wants to house every Australian movie ever made, including the first works crafted in the 1900s, the newest releases, and everything from Newsfront to Strictly Ballroom, The Castle, Ten Canoes, Wolf Creek and The Dressmaker. Given that cinemagoers have been flocking to Aussie films en masse in 2015, giving the industry its most successful year at the local box office ever thanks to the likes of Mad Max: Fury Road, The Water Diviner and Paper Planes, the timing is right. The high-profile roster of talent who has voiced their support already — actresses Deborah Mailman and Claudia Karvan, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert director Stephan Elliott, and Animal Kingdom producer Liz Watts among them — certainly agree. Now all Australian movie fans need to do is wait until Ozflix launches in 2016. For more information on Ozflix, visit their website.
Pair a team of imaginative, experimental Australian musicians with one of Sydney's most dynamic cultural spaces, and you’ve got one eclectic recipe for success. Celebrating their 15th birthday, experimental Australian label Room40 brings its annual festival of art, music and sound to Sydneysiders with a two-night stint at Carriageworks — a specially curated program dubbed Open Frame. Not afraid to put on a mighty big show, home-grown label Room40 have pulled together a stellar ensemble of local and international acts for their 15th anniversary to celebrate what they all do best; performance. No stranger to the stage and a longtime labelmate of Room40, pianist and one third of experimental Australian trio The Necks Chris Abrahams will greet audiences spinetingling collaborative show as one of a string of acts at Open Frame. So we checked in with him before the big event to delve into some Australian music history and unearth some Room40 tidbits. From the label’s birth in 2000, Brisbane-based founder Lawrence English has been scouring the nation (and now the globe) for out-of-the-box musicians with unique sounds to share. Working with Room40 since the release of his solo record Thrown (2005), Abrahams has relished the creative freedom and possibilities provided by this progressive music label. “With my solo albums I can work on them for months and months," he says. "I collect lots of things… like recordings from different performances and I make the record from very disparate elements." Manipulating and mixing audio in such an unexpected way isn’t guaranteed to get all listeners on side, but this daring pursuit of individuality is what has seen the label thrive. "Lawrence has got a particular ear for things that he likes to release," says Abrahams. "So, I think there’s a certain type of uniformity [to the label’s records] … and Lawrence is an incredibly hardworking.” Abrahams’ career in music began long before he joined the ranks of Room40 as an independent entity. Since the mid '80s, Abrahams has been involved extensively with steering improvisational jazz band The Necks. Accompanied by Tony Buck and Lloyd Swanton on drums and bass respectively, the group's live and virtually unstructured performances build and flow organically to truly enrapture spectators. Even in his solo endeavours, Abrahams retains the essence of this experimental practice. "I bring to my solo records stuff that I would do with The Necks," he says. "I see them as related." However, there remain obvious points of difference in these latest Room40 releases. “There is a much more disparate use of recording technology, field recordings, programming, digital processing and editing, much more post production.” Despite being around for nearly two decades, Room40’s triumphs have remained largely within the niche circles of Australia’s experimental music scenes. “I guess on the whole … it doesn’t strike me as a very commercial label. I think it’s still operating in quite an independent, experimental way,” says Abrahams. “The amount of money to be spent on promoting just isn’t there.” Now in its ninth year, this appearance of Room40’s Open Frame festival sees Carriageworks (for the first time) play host to an impressive lineup of talented audio and visual artists. Across two jam-packed evenings, ten of the label’s frontrunners will be delighting audiences with their diverse offerings of creativity. Chris will be collaborating with visual artist Louise Curham for a moving solo performance. As he explains, “the work she does is based around manipulating film… reworking film, drawing on it or scraping the surface and then projecting the outcomes.” And the finished product is set to be assumingly beautiful. “She’ll be showing her work and I’ll be playing the piano. It’s very simple.” As for the rest of the performances, the world premier of American musician Jim O’Rouke’s electro-acoustic piece sees a culmination of his time residing in Japan combined with collaborations with the likes of Sonic Youth, Keiji Haino and Christian Fennesz. Continuing this international flavour will be Japanese filmmaker Takashi’s 3D audiovisual spectacle Space Noise, using film, digital projections and deep pulsing sonics to get audiences grooving. Throw in topnotch production by Room40’s own mixing mastermind Tonepacer, and you’ll be in for a sensory explosion of light and sound that will shift your views of the limitations of live performance. Room40's Open Frame comes to Carriageworks on July 30 and 31 at 7.30pm. Tickets are $35. 30 JULY Makino Takashi (JP, Australian Premiere) Jim O'Rourke (USA, Diffusion, World Premiere) Chris Abrahams / Louise Curham (AU) William Basinski (USA) 31 JULY Austin Buckett / Robbie Avenaim (AU, World Premiere) Lawrence English (AU) Grouper / Paul Clipson (USA, Australian Premiere) For tickets, head over here. Images: Mikroton, Carriageworks, Liz Harris.
For the fifth year running, Bondi comes alive with the sounds of roaring crowds and grinding boards. Roping in an ensemble cast of pro skaters from around the globe, the 2016 General Pants BOWL-A-RAMA promises two days of heart-racing thrills and spills — and skating legend Tony Hawk. For the first time, retailer General Pants has jumped on board to take this year’s festivities to the next level. Across February 20 and 21, Bondi Skate Park will be bringing fans the biggest meet of pro skateboarders in the Southern Hemisphere. Kick back between skates with live music sets (soon to be announced), and grab some tasty Mexican nosh from the crew at Guzman y Gomez. With an additional 1250-seat stadium, large Hill Stand and expanded Car Park Stand, you’ll be guaranteed a killer view of the action below. As for the talent on show, expect appearances from none other than Steve Caballero, Omar Hassan, Pedro Barros, Eddie Elguera and defending Masters Title winner, Tony ‘The Birdman’ Hawk. Throw in ripping girl and junior AM jams, plus afternoon Masters, Pro and open skates, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a cracking weekend of non-stop entertainment.
Famous for its support of Australian artists, Artbank holds one of the largest collections of Australian art in the world (approximately 10,000 works by over 3500 artists). The government institution rents out art from their huge collection to individuals, companies, governments and embassies all over the world. While providing direct support to artists and promoting the value of Australian contemporary art to the public, they also regularly curate events and exhibitions for us to enjoy at the Artbank headquarters in Waterloo. The newest is Let's Talk About Text — by Artbank curators Daniel Mudie Cunningham and Miriam Kelly. The colourful, thoughtful and varied exhibition brings together work from a range of artists who have harnessed text-based communication as a pictorial device. "From slogan statements to vernacular fragments and found fonts, the exhibition focuses on how artists respond to and encourage the visual pleasure of inventive typographic forms, for personal and political ends," says Cunningham and Kelly. To curate the cheekily-named exhibition, the pair delved through the large collection of art on hand until they found an area with a rich thematic holding. This is often the process when curating shows for Artbank. "We developed the exhibition initially through the idea of correspondence, bouncing ideas back and forth until we honed into this one concept," says Cunningham and Kelly. "There is a wonderful selection of works that depict text, from narrative to more graphic applications." "Text in art offers an immediacy in an artist's message, yet holds the potential for multiple interpretations through word puns and play. Some works have the potential to pack a punch at first encounter, but then also lie in wait with broader meanings becoming apparent over time. We were interested initially in the difference between looking and reading in relation to how we as viewers engage with contemporary art. There is the assumption that looking and reading require difference levels of active participation. Further, we are interested in the way that text shapes our understanding of the world. Each artist was selected for their distinctive aesthetic and conceptual engagement with text. "They're tied together by this premise yet also superbly individual. As curators we have had to make a rigorous selection drilling down to works by 12 or so artists, but we are looking forward to the possibility of changing over works as they lease from the exhibition, expanding and shifting the dialogues between the collection and within gallery." The exhibition opens on March 16 (the opening party will have natural wine from Jauma and an incredible Salt-n-Pepa tribute performance from Enigma Quartet, if you're keen). In anticipation, we asked Cunningham and Kelly to pick five stand-out artists and give us a little background knowledge on their work. [caption id="attachment_612914" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mumu Mike Williams, Iyakuta Tjukurpa (2016), Artbank collection.[/caption] MUMU MIKE WILLIAMS "Since 2010, Mumu Mike Williams has exhibited striking paintings that document his dedication to Anangu culture and heritage. Iyakuta Tjukurpa is part of a series of bold paintings on paper, maps and re-purposed canvas Australia Post bags that speak metaphorically about the politics of ownership, heritage, knowledge, power, language and law. He makes note of the desecration of sacred sites to mine for materials to build roads, and of the cultural significance of the kulata (spear) as a symbol of protection, of standing guard with the elders over their 'culture, our sacred sites, our heritage, our Tjukurpa'. Mumu Mike Williams is the director of the Aboriginal owned and governed arts Centre Mimili Maku and a practicing Christian pastor." [caption id="attachment_612915" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugenia RASKOPOULOS, Untitled 99-00 (1999-2000), Artbank collection.[/caption] EUGENIA RASKOPOULOS "For more than three decades, Sydney artist Eugenia Raskopoulos has explored the tensions between language and translation in contemporary culture. Describing her landmark series 'Untitled 90-00' as 'wordless poems that smirk at the thought of translation', Raskopoulos manifests the visible and invisible through gestural marks drawn in light against a void. Reflecting on the materiality of a medium where light plays a central part in the constitution of form, the artist enunciates Zen-like shapes floating beyond language – either linguistic or numerical, an 'o' or a zero - pregnant with meaning yet emptied out through repetition." [caption id="attachment_612913" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nasim NASR, Erasure (2010), Artbank collection.[/caption] NASIM NASR "Iranian-born, Sydney-based artist Nasim Nasr's two channel video Erasure is part of an ongoing consideration of the complexity of gender relations and cultural identities and the role of language in oppression, particularly of women. In this work, Nasr is dressed in a chador and writes in chalk on an empty version of the same garment, stretched out like a chalkboard. As though writing lines as punishment, or seeking to convey lessons, she writes from right to left in Farsi to recall her memories of growing up in Iran, and from left to right in English translating the words of the feminist Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad. However, almost as soon as the words are written they are erased." [caption id="attachment_612916" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Emily FLOYD, Child and Adult Sculpture [2] (2009), Artbank collection.[/caption] EMILY FLOYD "For Melbourne-based artist Emily Floyd, text offers both form and function, and has become distinguishing aesthetic and conceptual device in her practice, influenced by an array of social imaginings of the twentieth century, from the teaching philosophies of Rudolf Steiner to the colour and geometry focus of the Bauhaus and Russian Constructivism. Engraved on recycled timber the text in her work Adult and Child Sculpture No.2 includes URLs that point to theories of ecology, and spiral motifs outlining permaculture's key ethics. Part tablet of learning, part wooden plaything, the title of this work refers to Floyd's hope for 'the possibility of generations working together to achieve change'." [caption id="attachment_612912" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peter DUDDING, Saw her at the Station (2016), Artbank collection.[/caption] PETER DUDDING "Possessed with an exuberant sense of colour, Dudding's work fuses gestural mark making with scrawled fragments of handwritten text referring to personal experience and preoccupations with music and popular culture. In 2016, Sydney painter Paul Williams curated Dudding's first solo exhibition, 'Pig Dog' at Firstdraft Gallery, from which these works derive. An outcome of a mentoring relationship facilitated by Studio A, Williams described Dudding's work as 'like a hard slap in the face, or a good deep belly laugh, a smelly fart or a burp after a good meal – it's real and it wakes you up'." Let's Talk About Text runs from March 16 - June 16 at Artbank Sydney — 222 Young St, Waterloo. Images: Steven Woodburn. Top Image: Alice Lang, 'The Shits' series, 2015.
It might have been a while between drinks for you at The Edinburgh Castle. If fact, you might have yet to visit the Castle in your time. But this week, we've got plenty of reason to head to this long-time CBD pub on the corner of Pitt and Bathurst — it's reopening after a huge revamp. Soon, you'll be feasting on dishes created by ex-North Bondi Fish chef Daniel Lanza and choosing from a 100 percent Aussie wine list curated by expert sommelier Matt Dunne. The Solotel group, which owns 26 venues Australia-wide including Sydney's Opera Bar, Chiswick, Public House Petersham, The Erko, The Clock Hotel and many more, have taken over. And, on Tuesday, July 12, they reopened the pub after an extensive makeover. Luchetti Krelle (Momofuku Seiobo, Bar Brose, ACME, Barrio Cellar, The Butler) took care of the design, refurbishing the ground level bar and totally revamping the first floor, while keeping — and emphasising — the building's heritage features. There's now a beautiful cocktail lounge and an outdoor courtyard — this ain't no run-of-the-mill city pub. Lanza's menu subtly references the Edinburgh's important literary history as one-time home to Aussie writer and poet Henry Lawson. Tasty morsels on the snacks list include house-made damper with garlic herb butter, house-made potato scallops with chicken salt (!), a pork and sage sausage roll with green tomato chutney, and a ploughman's plate with ham, cheddar and house pickles. If you're up for something more substantial, dig into a devon and cheddar toastie (yep, DEVON), saltbush chicken schnitzel with crispy potatoes, celeriac and chunky tomato sauce, or crumbed barramundi burger with iceberg lettuce and fennel slaw. "We aim to offer people some comfort, in being able to visit and experience a classic, satisfying, Australian pub meal, yet still experiment with reinventing the wheel of what people expect, by modernising traditional menu items," says Lanza. Meanwhile, the signature cocktail list includes the Lawson's Cup (hibiscus-infused gin, Aperol, pomegranate, mint, lime, ginger beer), the City Slick (Hendricks gin, lemon, basil, lavender, sea salt) and a fancy take on an espresso martini (Abslout vodka, Patron Café, cold drip coffee, salted caramel, popcorn). Find the refurbished Edinburgh Hotel at 294 Pitt Street. Open Monday to Wednesday 10am-12am, Thursday, 10am-1am, Saturday 12pm-2am and Sunday 12pm-10pm.
There's a brand new plant-based eatery in town, and they're putting down roots in Bondi. Which should come as no surprise, really. Having opened this week on the likely location of Bondi Road, The Plant Gallery aims to dispel the notion that healthy cuisine can't also be delicious, serving up raw, nutritious food free from gluten, refined sugars and animal products. And while some of you out there might be sceptical, it actually looks pretty damn good. The Plant Gallery kitchen is helmed by chef Juan Carlos, whose culinary career has taken him from his native Peru to Switzerland and now, finally, to Sydney. Everything on the menu is prepared at temperatures less than 48 degrees and made with ingredients including fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds. Start you day with banana pancakes served with agave and lime Thai basil syrup, chocolate sauce, fresh fruit and coconut Chantilly cream, or enjoy a Big Breakfast of smoked eggplant 'bacon', onion bread, marinated mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, mung beans in tomato salsa, turmeric sauce and baby spinach. The options at lunch and dinner time are similarly varied, including a sweet onion pizza with a tomato base, nut cheese, caramelised onions, olives, sweet corn and coriander. A Caesar salad made with eggplant, coconut chips, cashew parmesan, paprika bread, nori and sliced avocado is also on the menu, along with a mushroom ceviche dish with lime juice, onion, coriander, ginger, chilli and corn. On the off chance you're not already full to bursting, you can grab dessert in the form of the deconstructed Inca berry cheesecake with cashew cheese and orange nut crumble, or the lucuma mousse with chocolate crumble and special chocolate sauce. The drinks list, meanwhile, includes a number of different flavours of Kombucha and cashew milk, as well as fresh juices, smoothies, teas and non-alcoholic mocktails. A number of the items on the menu can be made to go, while you can also purchase ingredients like Himalayan rock salts and coconut curry chips from their food gallery. The restaurant also plans to feature work by local artists with regular art shows in the near future. The Plant Gallery can be found at 95 Bondi Road, Bondi. For more information and operating hours visit theplantgallery.com.au.
For the next twelve months, visitors to Uluru will get the chance to see the sacred rock in a whole new light, thanks to a massive installation transforming the surrounding desert into a spectacular ocean of colour. Incorporating 50,000 glass lights across an area of 49,000 square metres, it is the latest (and largest) incarnation of artist Bruce Munro's Field of Light, which has previously illuminated the grounds at the likes of London's Victoria & Albert Museum and the Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. Run on solar power, the installation took 40 people six weeks to set up. The British-born Munro first came up with the idea for Field of Light while visiting Uluru back in 1992. "Field of Light was one idea that landed in my sketchbook and kept on nagging at me to be done," the artist told the ABC. "I now have the honour and privilege of returning to create an iteration of this artwork for the place that inspired it." The new incarnation is named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku, which translates to 'looking at lots of beautiful lights' in local Pitjantjatjara. It will remain in place until March 31, 2017. Via Traveller and ABC Online. Images: Bruce Munro.
The Finders Keepers Markets have become a staple for those who are into design, creativity and supporting local artists. Treat yourself to a stroll around the market — it has over 200 stalls featuring fashion, ceramics, jewellery and food. Returning to The Australian Technology Park for three days for the second time this year, you'll be able to nab some marvellous treats that are difficult to find anywhere else. It's the perfect time to knock out your Christmas shopping in one go. The designer-centric, come-one-come-all mini-festival has managed to bridge the gap between local market and exclusive exhibition, creating a space for independent designers to engage with the wider community. This time around, keep an eye out for beautiful summery swimming costumes from Camp Cove Swimwear, Raw.suds for some men's beauty care (potential Christmas present), and The Salty Merchants for a summer beach umbrella. As usual, there will be a healthy amount of food. Cornersmith will be there serving up gourmet treats, as will Mr. Bao and Nighthawk Diner, and Donut Papi will be on hand for sugar cravings. Finders Keepers will run over three days, on Friday December 9 from 6pm-10pm, on Saturday December 10 from 10am-6pm, and on Sunday December 11 from 10am-5pm. For more information and a full list of designers, visit the Finders Keepers Sydney website. Image: Bridget Bodenham by Bec Taylor.
It's the perfect time of year to be exploring art talent that Sydney has to offer. But with so much going on, deciding how to spend these precious days can require a lot of brain-power. So we've picked out a diverse list of art tours, galleries and performances that are being shown around the city this month, and all are bound to strike a chord. This year there's everything from philosophical contemporary art and dream-inspired performances, to tours of Sydney through the lens of brutalist architecture, and Justine Varga's 'cameraless photography'. All you need to do is show up.
It's Easter. Time to stuff yourself with baby animal-shaped chocolates and cross-covered pastries while feeling absolutely zero shame. To help you make the most of it, here are the best holiday treats making up your Easter hunt this year — from hot cross loaves to raw vegan caramel eggs and hot cross bun ice cream sandwiches. HOT CROSS LOAF AT BOURKE STREET BAKERY A big favourite around Easter time, the Bourke Street Bakery hot cross loaves skip the part where you eat a whole bag of hot cross buns and just give you the loaf-sized portion you know you want. They're available up until Easter Monday at all eleven bakeries, and this year, they're even doing a variation containing Belgian chocolate and cranberry. They're perfect to share around at Easter family gatherings and are great to toast up for breakfast all throughout the Easter season. HOT CROSS BAGELS AT SMOKING GUN A more savoury, chewy alternative to the Easter staple, Smoking Gun's hot cross bagels or 'bunny boilers' are an excellent addition to your long weekend breakfasts. They're full of cloves, coffee grounds, cinnamon, candied citrus peel, white wine (!) and are stacked with fruit — over 2.5 kilograms goes into a 5 kilogram dough mix. Best served with Pepe Saya's coveted cultured butter. HOT CROSS BUN ICE CREAM SANDWICH AT LOVE CREPE Pyrmont's artisanal gelaterie and creperie is teaming up with neighbouring bakery Pioik to bring you a new spin on this Easter classic. The freshly made hot cross buns will be stuffed with Love Crepe's house-made cinnamon gelato ice cream, giving a majorly delicious face lift to the old favourite. This treat will only be available from Wednesday, April 12 through Easter Sunday, so get on in while supplies last. EASTER GARDEN AT KOI DESSERT BAR Innovative dessert crafters Koi are really outdoing themselves for Easter. Among the three specialty desserts they're putting out for the season, the Easter Garden ($20) is the most unusual — resembling, you guessed it, a spring garden. The dish is complete with matcha soil, a tree stump formed from chocolate brownie and edible dew drops. Almond sable, hazelnut praline, popping candy bonbon, dulce caramel, passionfruit curd, raspberry mousse and vanilla anglaise are also present in this decadent dessert, which is available from April 11. SOURDOUGH HOT CROSS BUNS AT BRICKFIELDS Brickfields offer you a different take on the traditional hot cross bun with their own signature sourdough version. Made with whey and mixed with cranberries, currents and sultanas, they're denser then the traditional Easter bun, and somehow extra delicious. Get in early though. DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE AT ADRIANO ZUMBO Adriano Zumbo always gets right into Easter. Along with a special Easter Cake and a wide assortment of bunny shaped chocolates, this year they've come out with 'Down the Rabbit Hole' — a limited-edition carrot cake with lychee gel, cream cheese mousse, ginger and lemon cream and hazelnut sable glaze. If these don't sound like enough toppings, the dessert is completed with toasted hazelnuts, chocolate carrots and mini chocolate Zumbarons. This year, all Zumbo Easter treats are also available in all stores. RAW VEGAN CARAMELLO EGG AT PANA If there's anything more satisfying than biting into a gooey, chocolatey Caramello egg, it's biting into one that isn't even bad for you. Pana's epic raw, vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free and dairy-free caramel lava egg is making its annual Easter appearance, and cult followers couldn't be more ecstatic. We recommend you order online to guarantee your guilt-free fix and avoid disappointment. HAND-PAINTED EASTER GOODIES FROM OH! BOO CHOCOLATES Barangaroo's chocolate shop is adding a personalised touch to treats this Easter by offering hand-painted chocolate bunnies, chooks and eggs. They're offering a whopping 15 different treats, from classic flavours like milk, dark and white chocolates to less conventional flavours like green tea with macadamia and strawberry with coconut. The chocolates can be ordered with a plaque donning a name or Easter greeting of your choice. All of Oh! Boo's chocolates are made from scratch onsite, so you know you're giving, or getting, that little extra love this year. AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST EASTER EGG AT THE GROUNDS OF ALEXANDRIA The Grounds love to celebrate Easter in a big way — say, with a giant Easter egg that is over three metres tall. Australia's largest, in fact. No bookings, pre-orders or payments of any kind are necessary — the 'community cracking' will take place at 2pm on Easter Sunday where patrons are encouraged to show up and fill their bellies with as much chocolate as they like. EASTER BEER AT KEG & BREW Keg & Brew is turning your 'traditional' Easter celebration on its head with a special craft beer offering. Over the duration of the long weekend, patrons can enjoy $6.50 schooners/$8.50 pints of Willie the Boatman's lager, along with Willie The Boatman's Black Bunny Dark Ale. It's an 'Old' style ale using four kinds of dark malts and coffee and chocolate malts. NOT X BUNS AT SONOMA While most of Sydney's baked shop are putting the finishing touches on their bun crosses, Sonoma adorn their sourdough hot buns with their signature S instead — hence the nickname, 'Not X Buns'. Their version is studded with plumped sultanas and cranberries and spiced to perfection. The buns are available in all Sonoma stores right up until Easter Sunday. HONOURABLE SOLD-OUT MENTION: VERUCA SALT 2.0 AT GELATO MESSINA This incredibly lavish, over-the-top golden egg would do Willie Wonka's Veruca Salt proud. The glimmering egg is made of salted caramel gelato, passion fruit puree yolk and a caramelised chocolate crunch base. Topped with passionfruit mousse and passionfruit caramel ganache, then all sitting on a bed of spun sugar and white chocolate feathers, the gooey centre oozes out upon slicing. It's everything we expect from Gelato Messina and then some. Suffice to say these babies are severely sold out. By Marissa Ciampi with Libby Curran and Shannon Connellan.
Sydney's CBD is getting a major dose of the Tokyo-esque practical and compact, with plans to renovate Bar Century, rebrand it as The Century, and fit it out as a three-storey, luxury capsule hotel being announced last week. The George Street institution, which closed earlier this year, has been taken over by developer Walter Guo, who is investing a massive $5 million on a full interior refurb, which will be carried out by interior design consultants Giant Design. The heritage building will retain its vintage fit-out and have a "Soho House vibe", with the bar and hotel running as separate entities. The first two levels will act as The Century's cocktail bar and nightclub, while the top three floors of the building will be dedicated to the Century Capsules. These capsules are certainly more luxe than most you'll find in Asia. Each of the 72 capsules will contain a large LED screen and entertainment system, Wi-Fi, and even 'mood lighting' (whatever that means). Guests can choose from single or deluxe beds with entry from either the side or the end of the capsule. The communal facilities include a kitchen space, breakfast bar, lounge area, rooftop terrace and individual bathrooms. If you're worried about security, don't be — each capsule is fitted with a secure lock and the security desk runs 24-hours. But let's set the record straight — The Century is not going to be a hostel, and it's not aimed at overindulgent locals that can't seem to make it back home. And while the CBD haunt may have closed because of the lockout laws — and been a central part of a huge lockout protest as a result — these new digs are not meant as a lockout solution either. "The accommodation, which is not quite hotel nor hostel, is aimed at solo travellers looking for something more private than a typical backpackers and those who want the designer hotel experience on a budget," says Christopher Wilks, an associate at Giant Design. It's set to sit well within your budget, with prices ranging from 40-60 bucks a night. Which, depending on how far from the CBD you live, could be a lot cheaper than a cab home at 1am. Sounds futuristic (for Sydney, at least), but these aren't some plans for the distant future — The Century is coming soon. Giant Design is looking at a mid to late November opening.
Inner city pork bun diehards, here's something to cheer about. New Shanghai has officially opened in the CBD, sitting pretty within the shopping juggernaut that is Pitt Street Mall. Opened on Monday at Westfield Sydney, this New Shanghai chapter is the largest in Australia — all the bigger to accommodate crowds of dumpling, pork bun and wonton fiends. New Shanghai's CBD venue joins sibling Sydney restaurants in Chatswood, Chatswood Lemon Grove, Bondi Junction and Ashfield, alongside other Australian venues. One of the most anticipated openings of the last few weeks, New Shanghai is in good culinary hands. Renowned Sydney chef, Neo Nee (formerly head chef at Lotus Dumpling Bar) is steering the ship, with coveted dishes like slow-braised pork belly with sweetened Shanghai soy sauce, rainbow beef, Shepherd’s purse and pork wontons served with chilli oil and peanut butter on the menu. But of course, most punters will be donning bibs for New Shanghai’s famous pan fried pork buns. Hell, NS even created Free Pork Bun Week in Melbourne — fingers crossed for Sydney. New Shanghai is now open at Westfield Sydney, Shop 1017-1020, 188 Pitt Street, Sydney. For reservations call +61 2 8386 8368 or email reservations@newshanghai.com.au. New Shanghai is one of our favourite BYO restaurants in Sydney. Head over here for the full list.
A quick search for the origins of the surname Leanfore yields few results. A website called forebears.io lists it as the 6,300,947th most common surname in the world and estimates that there is only a single person on the planet who carries it. According to Sydney photographer Ken Leanfore (陳漢駒) — not the only Leanfore, but it's certainly a short list — this is due to a tendency by immigration officials in the 19th and 20th centuries to anglicise or create phonetic spellings of migrant names they couldn't understand. Leanfore is fourth generation Australian-Chinese but is often mistaken for having French heritage. This set him wondering about the experiences of other Chinese Australians with "dodgy" approximations of their original names and how it might affect their sense of identity. The result is a photographic exhibition called What's in a Surname? at Klei Gallery in Albion Place, held in conjunction with Sydney's Chinese New Year Festival. His subjects are all Chinese Australians whose unusual names sometimes place them at a distance from their cultural heritage. Harvey Young, a farmer from Glen Innes, for instance, says that he is often approached over the phone by members of the Young clan in Scotland looking to reunite him with his relatives. "It doesn't take long to talk them out of that, though," he says with a grin. Image: Dennis O'Hoy AM 雷社源, Lei She Yuan - Pinyin, Leui Sai Yuen - Cantonese. Harvey Young, 關少雄, Guan Shao Xiong - Pinyin, Kwan Siu Hung - Cantonese. Photographs by Ken Leanfore.
No longer just the realms of Monica Trapaga residencies and kiddie-aimed pantomimes, Twilight at Taronga — the after-hours live music series that boasts perhaps the best view of Sydney Harbour as well as lots of adorable animals — has proven they've got some real cred when it comes to hosting outdoor gigs in the past few years. This summer, they're back with a brand new lineup playing spesh live sets every weekend from Friday, January 27 through Saturday, March 11. Considering it includes the likes of Kurt Vile and Tegan and Sara and then Killing Heidi, it's probably their most diverse yet. Picnic-bringing is encouraged, but there'll also be incredibly delicious hampers available onsite — we tasted them, they're extremely generous and genuinely great. There's a bar on-site, and general nosh available from the canteen. Either way, it's actually the one of the best dates in Sydney — lock those tickets down. All proceeds from Twilight at Taronga go back into the zoo's ongoing conservation work with Wildlife Witness to help fight against illegal wildlife trade. PLUS, your ticket includes free entry to the zoo on the same day. That's a big deal. TWILIGHT AT TARONGA 2017 LINEUP Friday 27 January – PETER GARRETT & THE ALTER EGOS and KEV CARMODY Saturday 28 January – JO JO ZEP & THE FALCONS and THE SPORTS Thursday 2 February — THE RUBENS supported by Bec Sandridge Friday 3 February – THE RUBENS supported by Bec Sandridge Saturday 4 February – KILLING HEIDI supported by Abbe May Friday 10 February – KASEY CHAMBERS supported by Thelma Plum Saturday 11 February – BALL PARK MUSIC and THE JUNGLE GIANTS Thursday 16 February – JET with special guests Friday 17 February – george supported by Felix Riebl (Cat Empire) and Jack Carty Saturday 18 February – JAMES MORRISON BIG BAND Sunday 19 Februrary — Jet supported by Bloods Friday 24 February – BJÖRN AGAIN Saturday 25 February – BJÖRN AGAIN Friday 3 March – KURT VILE (US) supported by Mick Turner Saturday 4 March – THE LIVING END 'TWANGIN' AT TWILIGHT' Sunday 5 March — THE LIVING END 'TWANGIN' AT TWILIGHT' Thursday 9 March – TEGAN AND SARA (CAN) with special guests Friday 10 March – TEENAGE FANCLUB (UK) supported by The Goon Sax Saturday 11 March – MARTHA WAINWRIGHT (CAN) supported by Oh Pep! Tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, October 25 at twilightattaronga.org.au.
Every year in May, the biggest names in cinema descend upon the French Riviera for the Festival de Cannes. The glitziest and most prestigious film festival on the face of the planet, the 12-day event is a maddening mix of art, commerce and fantasy, where auteurs rub shoulders with A-list celebrities and masterworks light up the screen. This year's Cannes Film Festival featured a number of notable titles, including new efforts by some of the most fascinating filmmakers working in the medium today. Below, we've assembled a list of five exciting features we hope to see in Australian cinemas before too long. It's an eclectic mix, ranging from social realist dramas to violent thrillers set in the world of high fashion. And no, there's not a single superhero in sight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLEPQ9FYU0U I, DANIEL BLAKE When making a list of must see movies out of Cannes, the winner of the Palm d'Or seems like a pretty good place to start. The award for the best film in competition this year went to I, Daniel Blake, an unaffected drama about working class people caught in the dysfunctional British welfare system that reportedly reduced much of Cannes to tears. Of course, even if it hadn't won, the fact that was directed by master filmmaker Ken Loach would be enough to earn it a spot on this list. The 79-year-old's movies are notoriously depressing, so consider yourself forewarned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH-srjX2H1c THE NEON DEMON Nobody shoots violence with quite the same lurid style as Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn. The man behind Drive and Only God Forgives, his latest film is being sold as a similarly bloody thriller about an aspiring model caught up in the cutthroat world of LA fashion. The cast is absolutely stupendous, with Elle Fanning supported by Jena Malone, Christina Hendricks, Bella Heathcote and Keanu Reeves. The trailers and promotional images, meanwhile, make the whole thing look utterly insane. Basically we're expecting either a work of genius or a hot mess. Either way, we can pretty much guarantee it won't be dull. IT'S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD Anyone who saw Mommy knows that a new movie from Xavier Dolan is definitely worth getting excited about. It's Only the End of the World follows a terminally ill young writer as attempts to reconnect his family before he dies. The reviews out of Cannes have not been particularly strong. Actually, they've been kind savage. Still, after a run of great films that also includes Laurence Anyways and Tom at the Farm, we're willing to give the 27-year-old director the benefit of the doubt. Plus with a cast that includes Vincent Cassel, Lea Seydoux and Marion Cotillard, how bad could it possibly be? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-Rxj9-RfRs THE HANDMAIDEN The Handmaiden is the new film from South Korea's Park Chan-wook, the genre-bending genius behind Oldboy, Joint Security Area and Thirst. After making his English-language debut with Stoker, Park returns to his native tongue with this stylish sapphic thriller set in 1930s Korea, about a pickpocket posing as an heiress' maid in order to steal her fortune. As with Neon Demon, the film's trailer is both gorgeous and nuts, which of course just makes us want to see it more. Here's hoping we'll get the chance before too long. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-o5I5UWBh0 THE SALESMAN The final film on our list shapes up as rather more subdued, but that doesn't mean we're looking forward to it any less. The Salesman is the latest effort from Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, who won an Oscar for A Separation before travelling to Paris to shoot the similarly exquisite The Past. His new film sees him return to Tehran, and follows a couple whose lives are thrown into chaos after a seemingly random assault. Capable of weaving unbearable suspense from the simplest and most relatable of domestic situations – while at the same time shining a critical eye on issues of social inequality in modern day Iran – Farhadi is for our money one of the most gifted directors alive. Keep your eyes peeled for an Australian release date.
We've all heard tales of scaling Mount Everest – of the resilience and fortitude it takes to reach the highest point on Earth. But like so many other epic stories of man versus nature, it turns out the truth is a little bit more complicated. For every climber to make it to the summit, a team of Sherpa guides haul gear, food and oxygen up and down the treacherous terrain, risking their lives to help foreign visitors tick an item off their bucket list. Australian documentarian Jennifer Peedom is no stranger to the mountain or the Sherpa community, having worked as a camera operator on numerous Everest documentaries including the Discovery Channel's critically acclaimed Everest: Beyond the Limit. But in 2014 she returned to make a different kind of Everest movie, one that explored the growing tensions between the Sherpas, their employers and their wealthy Western patrons. Of course, Peedom couldn't have foreseen was what took place that year on April 14. An avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall claimed the lives of 16 guides in a single day — and suddenly all that resentment boiled over. The footage Peedom captured makes for some of the most incredible and uncomfortable viewing you'll experience in cinemas this year: a tense, troubling doco about industrial action at more than 17,000 feet. After considerable attention on the international festival circuit, including a win for Best Documentary at the BFI London Film Festival, Sherpa is now screening in select cinemas around Australia. In the lead up to the release, we spoke to Peedom about her intentions in making the film, delved into the uncomfortable whitewashing of Everest narratives, and discussed what needs to change on the mountain going forward. SHERPA ISN'T A FILM ABOUT CLIMBING EVEREST "I had access to the Sherpa community, and when you're a filmmaker, access is everything," explains Peedom. "When you're looking at what stories you want to tell, you often look in your own backyard, and I was looking right under my nose at a story that I knew pretty well, and felt needed to be told. It wasn't about going back to Everest — that was the last thing I felt like doing. But I felt really motivated to tell this story." "Ultimately it's an industrial dispute film. I never set out to make a climbing film. It was always a film about a people, and a culture, and an inherent conflict within a relationship. Everest was the backdrop. The ascent of Everest formed the spine of the story through which we could explore those tensions. And then when the avalanche happened, that became a different vehicle to explore those tensions." DISRUPTING THE HERO NARRATIVE For all the movies made about Everest, it's rare to see the Sherpa depicted as anything other than bit players. "It doesn't suit our ego," says Peedom. "It doesn't suit that hero narrative to say that someone carried all my stuff through the icefall, my oxygen was carried all the way to camp three, and I only had to carry the one bottle I was using, and blah blah blah. So much of the work, and so many of the risks, are taken by somebody else." "I spoke to this American guy who said that on average, five or six people are employed to get one person to the summit. That's kind of embarrassing to admit. People don't want other people to know that. And maybe it's a female perspective, but I just got sick of all these men taking credit for what other people had done." WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE? "David Michôd — the guy who directed Animal Kingdom, who is a really good friend of mine — said that what he loved about the film is how morally complex it is, and that was something that we worked really hard to achieve," says Peedom. "It would have been much easier to make goodies and baddies, but it just didn't feel honest. It would be wrong for me to say that everyone who goes to climb Everest is an idiot, because it's not the truth. Not only that, but it would be irresponsible, because the Sherpa community rely on that income." "One of the Sherpas says at the beginning of the film that everyone used to do the work together, the foreigners and the Sherpas. But now the Sherpas do all the work, and I guess that's what needs to change. Foreigners need to go with their eyes open. Don't bury your head in the sand about the fact that you're asking other people to take risks on your behalf. Be cognisant of that, and put pressure on your expedition leader to make sure they have proper insurance, and to make sure they're not carrying triple loads. And if the worst does happen and a Sherpa is killed, you probably do have a responsibility for his children's future and his family." https://vimeo.com/139654857 Sherpa is in cinemas now. Read our full review here.
In June last year, the Alexandria Hotel, known affectionately as 'The Alex' was facing the wrecking ball. Now, after apartment development proposals were denied for the space, this historic pub has been granted a second life as exactly that — it's the latest pub project of Sydney hospitality empire Merivale. In 2015, a company owned by Centennial Property Group snapped up the inner west icon with plans to redevelop the site as an $8 million four-storey apartment building, with 29 new residences and commercial ground floor space. This didn't go down well with Sydneysiders, and was met with protest from locals and political players alike (including Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore), who made a concerted effort to save the 145-year-old Alexandria pub, which sits on the corner of Henderson Road and Garden Street. In a huge win for the Sydney hospitality scene, the City of Sydney Council overturned the development application, partly as a result of these protests. This opened up the doors to Justin Hemmes' ears-to-the-ground hospo conglomerate Merivale Group, which own more than 50 bars, hotels and restaurants across the city. This morning, Merivale has announced the purchase of the Alexandria Hotel. "Institutions like this must be preserved, they reflect our history and help shape our culture — especially when they mean as much to their local community as The Alex does." says Justin Hemmes, Merivale CEO. "This outcome is a great reward for the passion and character of the community who fought so hard to save this property where a hotel has stood for almost 150 years". The acquisition of the Alexandria Hotel is Merivale's second foray into the inner west after buying the soon-to-be Enmore's Queen Victoria Hotel in 2015. Previously, Merivale has stated their aim to dominate all points of the Sydney compass, after transforming Coogee Pavilion in the east and the Newport Arms to the north. Interestingly, Merivale has put out the call for local creatives who are keen to help redevelop and reinvigorate the historic heritage listed pub. The chosen creatives will then have the chance to work alongside Hemmes and architect Kelvin Ho to develop the final design concept. Budding creatives are invited to register their interest at ouralex.com. "This hotel has and will always be Alexandria's pub, so I want the community to help create the next stage in its vibrant life," says Hemmes. Images: Alexandria Hotel.
Sydney's reached peak burger obsession. No longer confined to the realms of American chains and RSL bistros, burgers now clock up appearances on the menus of top-tier, hatted chefs, each putting their own contemporary, fine dining spin on the longtime casual favourite. So we reckoned it was about time for a good ol' fashioned burger battle — and so did Merivale. This February, we invited 16 of Merivale's top chefs to Ivy Ballroom to hit the kitchen and cook up their ultimate burger for March Into Merivale's Between Two Buns. Watch it all go down here. From dozens of entries, our enviable panel of burger experts whittled down the shortlist to six. You'll be able to try every single one of these juicy delights at the Between Two Buns event on Wednesday, February 17. After you've tried 'em all comes the most important moment: vote for your favourite. The winner will score a spot on Merivale's pub menus for a year, and bragging rights forevermore. So, who won over the judges? Which Merivale chef makes the best burger? Try these at MiM and vote. BETWEEN TWO BUNS FINALISTS Dan Hong (Mr. Wong) — Lotus Burger Alex Lewis (The Beresford) — The ultimate duck burger Jeremy Strode (The Fish Shop/ Bistrode CBD) — The Fish Dog (chicken and eel) Jordan Toft (Coogee Pavilion) — Aged trim beef, cheese, burger sauce, B&B pickle Paul Donnelley (Ms.G's) — Beef, bacon and cheese burger Patrick Friesen and Chris Hogarth (Papi Chulo/Queen Chow) — Canadian beef and bacon burger Best bit? Thanks to Merivale, we're giving away win a year's worth of burgers for free. A YEAR OF FREE BURGERS. The winner will land themselves one Merivale burger voucher per month (valid to $25 each month, valued at $300), usable from Saturday, February 20, 2016 – Monday, February 20, 2017. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address and what your ‘Guiltiest Foodie Pleasure’ is. The winner will be drawn on February 19 and notified via email. And it's 18+ only, sorry kids. Here are the comp's terms and conditions FYI.
One of those people who doesn’t care what your food looks like, as long as it tastes good and there’s plenty of it? Turns out you might be psychologically abnormal. If you’ve been wondering what all the fuss is about when it comes to 'plating' (i.e. how chefs in fancy pants restaurants arrange the food on your plate), new research has some answers for you. Chef and scientist Charles Michel has led a brand new study at the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, which shows that we react best to food when it's shaped in a triangle. Not just any old triangle, mind you, but one that points away from us (just like the image above). When this optimised arrangement turns up on our table, we’re willing to pay for more for it and we feel safer. Safer? Well, apparently a triangle that points towards us is perceived as threatening. Conducted in conjunction with The Science Museum, London, and published in Food Quality and Preference, the study drew its conclusions from the responses of 16,667 participants. "(Plating is) such a small detail of the dining experience — something people rarely think about — but it does matter," Michel told Vice. "It seems that many principles of visual aesthetics and art perception apply when it comes to food. "I guess my aim is to make people have more thought when it comes to placing the food on their plate, heightening awareness. At the same time, using modern tech and the internet to give tools to chefs and people serving a lot of food a way to enhance the enjoyment." Via Vice.
If you go down to Barangaroo today, you're in for a big surprise. Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt — the legends behind Bentley, Monopole and Yellow — will be opening the doors of their latest restaurant, Cirrus. Yes, it's named after a cloud and it's dishing up super-fresh, sustainable seafood. The menu is made for sharing. Among the first offerings are Moreton Bay bugs with house-made XO, mud crab from the Northern Territory with green garlic and tarragon and the epic Cirrus platter, crowded with oysters, Skull Island prawns, cobia and honey bugs. On top of all that fish, you'll find a good selection of meaty dishes and, as is always the case with the Bentley folk, no shortage of vegetarian deliciousness. "We've been working for almost a year on the menu and it has changed and morphed along the way," said Savage, who has won SMH Good Food Guide Chef of the Year twice. "It is great for sharing and I really want people to treat it this way, so they try all types of seafood in the one meal." He recommends kicking off with oysters and moving onto starters before tucking into shellfish and a whole fish main. Sommelier Hildebrandt has put together the wine list, which specialises in seafood-friendly whites, from sparkling and Chablis to Semillon and Chenin. Hildebrandt has his palate glued to a stream of new releases and left-of-field drops created by small producers, so you can always count on something interesting. On sunny days, you'll want to nab one of the 40 outdoor seats, overlooking the harbour. There's another 100 inside, beautifully arranged by designer Pascale Gomes-McNabb, and surrounding timber tables dashed with marble and gold. She's also added a good polish to the concrete floor, brought in a 20-seater steel bar and built a spectacular wine wall. Look up and you'll see yet another Bentley signature ceiling, this time featuring hundreds of hanging rods and a flying vintage speed boat, Alvin. "We want Cirrus to be a fun place, loud, energetic and busy with an emphasis, of course, on good quality food and drinks that you would come back for again and again," says Hildebrandt. You'll find Cirrus in The Streets of Barangaroo, inside the cloud-shaped Andara building where Noma Australia used to be. It's open seven days a week for lunch from 12pm and dinner from 6pm. More info at Cirrus's website.
Sydney's schwanky rooftop pool bar, Ivy Pool Club, has had a big ol' revamp just in time for the warmer months. Unveiling a brand new look this week, moving the space from LA-inspired glamour to Italian Riveria-style trimmings, Ivy Pool Club is prepped for a whole new season of poolside lounging, overt splurging and a whole bunch of Italian-themed festivities. To royally christen the refreshed rooftop space, Merivale's crown jewel is hosting a five-day Italian extravaganza over October 19-23: La Dolce Pool Club. Think long table feasts, a decadent pool party and long, boozy lunches with Merivale's best. Here's the rundown. Monday, October 19 will see a free 'Date Night with Sinatra', with cheap pizza and pasta by the pool and live Rat Pack-era music. Then, on the Tuesday, Pool Club joins forces with Uccello for a big long table feast of Italian cocktails and hearty nosh, curated by David Lovett and Vincenzo Biondini. Wednesday will see a free mini Italian market, showcasing Sydney's best Italian cuisine — Italian barbecue, cheese and charcuterie, pizza, and gelato — among live roaming performers and special cocktails from Avión Espresso, Absolut Elyx and Havana Club. Entry is free but numbers are limited so RSVP. Friday is the long, long lunch day, as Mr. Wong’s super chef Dan Hong teamed up with Merivale chefs Danielle Alvarez and Ben Greeno for a huge poolside barbecue feast. La Dolce Pool Club runs October 19-23 at the newly revamped Ivy Pool Club, Level 4, Ivy, 320 George Street, Sydney. Check out all the event details at Merivale's website.
Whisky lovers rejoice: Dewar's Scotch Egg Club is bringing whisky and the famed (and delicious) Scotch egg to Sydney this May. Never heard of a Scotch egg? The perennial picnic fave consists of a boiled egg that's encased in meat and breadcrumbs, and then deep-fried. These particular eggs will be coming to you courtesy of ACME's head chef Mitch Orr, who has whipped up four different versions of the savoury treat. On the drinks side of things, Dewar's brand ambassador Andy Wren has designed a delectable series of custom whisky cocktails that each pair perfectly with the eggy delights. Dewar's Scotch Egg Club is celebrating Tommy Dewar's two obsessions — whisky and pedigree chickens that produce fine eggs — until May 27, Wednesday to Saturday nights. It's all happening from 5pm in the laneway between 152-156 Clarence Street. It's right across from The Baxter Inn and The Barber Shop, and entry is free.
When it comes to fashion, staying ahead of the pack can be a mighty tough feat. But if you’re keen to kick monochromic minimalism to the curb, while giving a little back to your global community, we’ve found just the bold West African label to help you do it. YEVU, which means 'foreigner' in the local Ewe language, is a socially responsible clothing line bringing the wild traditional wax prints of Ghana to Aussie shores. Linking local African tailors with style-conscious global customers, founder Anna Robertson is creating serious change for Ghanaian seamstresses living on the poverty line. After launching their sell-out debut range in October 2013, YEVU returns this month with a fresh selection of awesome new threads (we actually can't get enough of these prints). From late November, Sydney and Melbourne will both house YEVU’s latest pop-up stores. Stocked with everything from daring jumpsuits to bold bomber jackets for both ladies and gents, these vibrant designs won’t go unnoticed in your wardrobe. Give back, shop ethically and nab a new look with some of the sweetest prints you’ll see all season. Head along to the launch of YEVU's pop up locations in Sydney (636 Crown Street, Surry Hills) on November 26 and Melbourne (27-29 Johnston Street, Collingwood) on December 3 from 6 to 9pm. YEVU POP-UP OPENING HOURS Sydney — November 27 to January 24 (10am to 7pm daily) Melbourne — December 4 to January 31(10am to 7pm Daily) Both stores closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. Image: YEVU.
It's that glorious time of the season again, when the tinnies, chants and team colours come out for the Reclink Community Cup. For just five bucks, you get to watch musicians and media types lay their mics and guitars aside for an afternoon, as they engage in a serious match of Aussie Rules. The Cup has been running in Melbourne for 21 years and, on August 2, hits Sydney for the fourth year running. For the past three years, the journos, whose team is named the Sydney Sailors, have ruled supreme over the musos, aka the Western Walers. All money raised goes to Reclink Australia, a not-for-profit that uses sport and the arts to assist disadvantaged people. Their clients include those experiencing mental illness, disability, homelessness, substance abuse, addiction, and social and economic hardship. During the past year alone, Reclink's 300 member agencies, dotted all over the country, have brought more than 10,000 sport and arts activities to more than 100,000 people. Food and drinks will be available onsite, to keep you fuelled for heckling. Image: Rod Hunt.
Journey across the city in a bus older than your grandparents, as transport officials commemorate the end of an era. With construction on the new light rail about to get underway, tomorrow marks the last time that public buses will travel down George Street. To celebrate the occasion, Transport NSW are bringing some of their oldest machines out of retirement and giving the old tin cans one last hurrah. The vintage vehicles, on loan from the Sydney Bus Museum in Leichhardt, will motor down George Street from midday to 5pm, offering people free rides between Railway Square and Bridge Street. Buses from as early as the 1930s will be seen trundling down the main thoroughfare. The museum has been showcasing some of the vehicles on Facebook, giving truth to the old expression 'they just don't make them like they used to'. "This weekend Sydney changes forever and what a great way to celebrate with the bus museum of Sydney, the historic buses," Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance told ABC News. "It's an opportunity for the community to recognise Sydney's bus history on George Street, but most importantly with an eye to the future." Once the old vehicles are safely back in storage, a major overhaul of Sydney's public bus routes will come into effect in the early hours of Sunday morning. Constance conceded that the changes, which will see 330 less buses enter the CBD, may cause some disruptions. "There'll be teething problems," he said. "I know everyone is going to jump up and down about that, but we've got to get this city right and so there's going to [be] pain associated with the build." Via ABC News. Image: Sydney Bus Museum.
Ragazzi is bringing all things Piedmont to the Sydney CBD on Sunday, June 25, with an exclusive lunch offering inspired by the northern Italian region as a new addition to their 'Avventura' lunch series. Like all good Italian celebrations it will be a collaborative affair and see the Ragazzi team link up with terrific new Fitzroy joint Alta Trattoria and wine importer Giorgio De Maria for a day dedicated to everything Piedmontese. Alta Trattoria's Restaurant Manager Luke Drum, sommelier James Tait and Head Chef McKay Wilday, who will be descending upon Angel Place for a kitchen takeover that promises dishes like ravioli del plin with braised beef, and tajarin with shaved black perigord truffles sourced from WA's Truffle Hill. You can also expect to find truffles on show with the barbargiuan — truffle-filled Ligurian fritters. Giorgio De Maria will be pouring some of his personal favourite Piedmontese drops. You can expect to see a radical Moscato from Ezio Cerruti, Rinaldi's 2019 Freisa and Cappellano's Pie' Franco — Barolo's acclaimed offering, all of which will be available by the glass and by the bottle. And for those who would rather just sit back and let the magic unfold, minimal decisions required, there's a very reasonable $80 wine pairing available. This offering stars an aperitif, an organic Cortese, a celebrated Nebbiolo from Barbaresco and sips from Barolo – all sourced from Piedmont. If you are planning to attend, be sure to get in quick — bookings are extremely limited. Secure your spot through the event's ticket link. Image credit: Nikki To for Buffet Digital
Just in case you needed another reason to head down to the Sydney Festival when it kicks into gear tomorrow, the gourmands at Gelato Messina, in partnership with their friends at Porteno, have put together a mouthwatering menu that needs to be seen to be believed. Operating out of the Festival Village in Hyde Park North, The Double Down Diner will be serving a rotating selection of decadent American style delicacies, absolutely none of which will be approved by your dietician. Consider it your reward for supporting the arts. After all, with close to 200 events across music, live performance and public art, you've got to get your energy from somewhere. Savoury options will come courtesy of Porteno, who are forgoing their usual Argentinean flavour for the cuisine of the good ol' U.S. of A. Chow down on cheesesteaks, gorge yourself on chilli fries and mop everything up with a plate of fried chicken and waffles. Say what you will about the American obesity epidemic, but any country that combines chicken and syrup is obviously doing something right. But it’s on the sweet side of the menu that things get really out of hand. Turns out Messina will also be serving chicken and waffles, albeit with a slightly different recipe. Their deep-fried drumstick is actually made of maple and pecan gelato, while their gravy is of the whiskey and caramel variety. Messina's take on the Royale with Cheese, meanwhile, consists of a chocolate ice-cream patty, white chocolate cheese, raspberry ketchup and passionfruit mustard, all served in a warm Brioche bun. You can also try a selection of pies, from cherry with custard ice cream and chocolate biscuit, to peanut crunch with vanilla gelato topped with a dollop of whipped cream. And in case you're in need of a tasty beverage to wash it all down, the diner has got you covered there as well. Messina spiders are made with homemade creamy soda and Tahitian vanilla bean gelato. Or you can try one of their thickshakes: banana, peanut and bacon, or pretzel and salted malt. That's right, a pretzelshake. The Double Down Dinner is open every day of the festival except for Monday, from as early as 10am until late. Now, enjoy this delicious GIF:
As a treat to us for being such good eggs (or so we like to think), the National Gallery of Victoria are hosting a huge exhibition next year featuring the works of French Impressionist artist Edgar Degas as part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces. The exhibition will run from June 24 to September 18 at the NGV International and is comprised of over 200 works by Degas, from collections the world over. For those of you who don’t know, Degas is a pretty big deal in the art world and practiced during the late 1800s-early 1900s. At a time when many artists where still painting posed works, Degas and a sect of bohemian Parisian artists (including Honoré Daumier and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec), were cultivating the first big art movement that focused on candid impressions of subjects en plein air (meaning in ‘open air’ style, as opposed to in the studio or from memory). A lot of his pieces feature ballerinas and inevitably, this did lead to a lot of lurking around backstage at the ballet and, in Lautrec’s case, in a tonne of brothels (for the artistic potential, surely). Degas’ work also focused on an infrequently explored subject: the everyman. Blue collar workers in their natural habit where a recurring and novel theme in his work; French Impressionism tapped into that vein of human curiosity that makes reality TV so popular (“They’re just like us!”). Degas actually rejected the Impressionist mantle and referred to his style as realism, so intent was he on representing the world around him. In fact, according to art historian Carol Armstrong, Degas said “No art was ever less spontaneous than mine. What I do is the result of reflection and of the study of the great masters; of inspiration, spontaneity, temperament, I know nothing". Well damn. We can’t wait to check it out. Degas: A New Vision will be displayed at the National Gallery of Victoria International from June 24 to September 18, 2016. Image: Edgar Degas, In a café (The Absinthe drinker) 1875–76, oil on canvas, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, Lemoisne 393, © RMN-Grand Palais (musée d'Orsay) / Martine Beck-Coppola.
All hail the almighty face fuzz, the glorious crumb catcher, the big ol' chin curtain. Beards, the noble facial hair adventure many humans embark valiantly upon as soon as their hormones allow. And now, they've got their very own exhibition in Sydney. Artist Brock Elbank, a former advertising whiz and fashion photographer, is one of the best portrait creators around — and he's got an eye for beards. His most well-known work has become the visual anchor for Beard Season, the highly successful campaign for skin cancer prevention. He's turned this into a series, Beard, which showed at Somerset House in London and is showing this month at Michael Reid Gallery. See bearded famous faces adorn the gallery walls, including actor John Hurt, Harnaam Kaur (whose polycystic ovaries have caused facial hair growth) and Italian designer Angelo Gallemini. Image: Brock Elbank, Stefan Bostrom, 2014. Beard is exhibiting concurrently at Michael Reid Galleries in Berlin and 44 Roslyn Gardens, Elizabeth Bay.
Probably one of the most fun, interactive and accessible events on Sydney's cultural calendar, Underbelly Arts Festival will be kicking into gear on the first weekend of August (but they're letting you into The Lab from July 22). Dedicated to providing a platform for early career artists, this biennial showcase is all about amplifying the bold new voices of Australian art. Featuring over 100 artists, the festival will be a colourful patchwork of thought-provoking installations spread across Sydney’s industrial playground, Cockatoo Island. From investigating artist studios to visiting a bar that serves air, to stuffing your face with Mary's and throwing shapes at an art party after a long day's exhibition exploring, there's plenty of indulgent adventures to be had this year at Underbelly. In addition to art, music and performance, there will be plenty of delicious noms from your favourite food providers — think inner-west all-stars such as Mary's, Rising Sun and Young Henry's — curated by Sydney foodie, FBi Radio presenter and The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry founder Lee Tran Lam. You can also look forward to a kickass art party smack bang in the middle of the weekend. Prior to the festival on August 1 – 2, the exhibiting artists will finish creating their works in an intensive two-week-long residency or The Lab. For instance, Emily Parsons-Lord is developing a bar that serves air. Yes, you heard correct. You will literally be served samples of air. Her work, The Arrariam, is concerned with the history of air and the impact of human development. Alongside the visual art offerings, there is a stellar music and sound program planned. From sonic sculptures through to serene acoustics, there will be a whole bunch of technologically innovative sound installations to experience. Underbelly Arts Festival runs August 1-2 at Cockatoo Island, with The Lab running July 22-26. Check the website for more details or to lock down tickets. Images: Underbelly Arts, Prudence Upton.
Merivale is expanding faster than our belts can handle. On Good Friday, Justin Hemmes' heaving hospitality empire cut the red ribbon on the newest member of the Merivale family: the Newport Arms Hotel. Or rather, The Newport. A Northern move for the city-dominant group after opening J&M's whisky bar, the revamped Ivy Pool and The Paddington in the last few months, alongside renovations for the Queen Vic Hotel, Merivale's acquisition of the Pittwater hotel is a bold decision for Hemmes. A landmark property of the Northern Beaches since 1880, the Newport Arms has now officially reopened as The Newport. Design-wise, there's been some hectic landscaping that's been done on Australia's largest outdoor waterfront beer garden — all by landscaper Daniel Baffsky. According to Merivale, the grounds are "a sprawling estate that evokes a sense of nostalgia" with flowering shrubs, jacarandas, wild cacti, succulents, Chinese elms, plane trees, crape myrtles and date palms. The actual Newport building draws on influences from Montauk, The Hamptons and Mediterranean and has been designed by Kelvin Ho and Emilie Delalande (Akin Creative), stylist Amanda Talbot and Justin and Bettina Hemmes. In classic Merivale-style, there's multiple, eclectic, themed spaces to drink and dine in (and take in that view), with natural stone paving, locally-made furniture and plenty of marble. The Newport also features a 'vintage gymnasium' with badminton, exercise bikes that can charge mobile phones (!) ping pong tables, a giant magnetic scrabble board, outdoor petanque and concrete table tennis courts. Food-wise, expect a range of different unique noshing experiences, with executive chef Sebastien Lutaud behind the wheel. Lutaud has fried escargot alongside France's Oliver Elzer, prepared sashimi with Tetsuya Wakuda and headed up Felix Bar and Bistro. Now, he's bringing his 25 years of gun hospitality experience to Sydney's northern beaches. "From the minute The Newport was described to me, I thought it was going to be an amazing project," says Lutaud. "It's a one-of-a-kind in Sydney, if not Australia — an amazing venue in an amazing spot." The Newport has a strong focus on food. But don't expect a single service counter or a straightforward menu at this renovated pub. Instead, expect to feel a bit like you're walking through a permanent food festival. Lutaud designed the menu with input from some of Merivale's other key chefs, so you'll notice some familiar imports — and a similar stall-type layout to the Coogee Pavilion's foreshore fest. "There are little stalls and outlets, selling different types of food," says Lutaud. "So, for example, we've got Vinnie's [Merivale pizza guru Vincenzo Biondini] pizzas, from Coogee. We've got a burger shack, where we do six different burgers and five different salads." There's also a cafe filled with Australian meats like smoked brisket, barbeque chicken and hot-smoked salmon, seasonal salads, smoothies, gelato and coffee by Merivale's favourite Sydney roasters, Will & Co. Given The Newport's Pittwater location, there's also a spot dedicated to fish and chips. "But I wouldn't call it your classic fish and chips, where everything's deep-fried," says Lutaud. "We do have the classic version, but we've also dishes like grilled Clarence River octopus and pan-fried snapper with simple salad." If you're travelling with mates or family and want to share, you'll be heading to The Kiosk, for small and large platters. "We have a French rotisserie, where we're doing chicken and Rangers Valley brisket and hot-smoked whole salmon, which we'll serve with rolls, salads and nice sauces. There's also a seafood section, with fresh oysters, cooked prawns and a crab omelette, with Vietnamese herbs and dressing." As for ordering, you'll have two options. The first is the old-fashioned method of heading to the stall, putting in your request and grabbing a buzzer. The second is downloading an app and doing it all from the comfort of your bar stool. The only catch is that the app is still in development – at this stage, it's good for pizzas, and other stalls will be added with time. Live music is also a huge focus at The Newport, with an expansive alfresco deck custom built to showcase local talent, seven days a week. Sunday Sundown, Merivale's free live music series, will kick things off, with indie duo Gypsy & The Cat on April 3, Tasmanian singer songwriter Asta on April 10 and Sydney synth-pop trio Mansionair on April 17. The Newport is now open at 2 Kalinya Street, Newport. Find more information on Merivale's website. By Shannon Connellan and Jasmine Crittenden. Images: Bodhi Liggett.
When it comes to must-watch movies, Australian cinema has gifted audiences with plenty in recent times. The outback noir of Mystery Road and Goldstone, the chills of The Babadook, the high-octane glory that was Mad Max: Fury Road, the mountainous terror captured in Sherpa, the race riots comedy of Down Under: they're just some of the great local fare our talented filmmakers have been serving up. That was then, this is now — and don't worry, this year looks set to deliver too. So which homegrown flicks should you put on your 2017 viewing list? A hint: a heart-wrenching true tale, serial killer thrills and a long-awaited reunion are just the beginning. LION The 2017 slate of Australian-made films really couldn't kick off with a bigger title. At the time of writing, Lion has already been nominated for four Golden Globes, five BAFTAs, two Screen Actors Guild awards and two Directors Guild of America gongs — and expect that list to keep growing. Recounting the real-life story of the Indian-born, Tasmanian-raised Saroo Brierley (played by charming newcomer Sunny Pawar as a child, and Dev Patel with a spot-on Aussie accent as an adult), the first feature directed by Top of the Lake's Garth Davis will earn your tears and then some. Rounding out the cast for this rousing take on a tale 60 Minutes viewers will be familiar with is Nicole Kidman, David Wenham and Rooney Mara. JASPER JONES One of the nation's favourite novels makes its way to the big screen with Jasper Jones, and it's in great hands. Bran Nue Dae's Rachel Perkins directs the adaptation of Craig Silvey's best-selling book, with local treasures Hugo Weaving and Toni Collette, and young up-and-comers Angourie Rice (The Nice Guys), Levi Miller (Red Dog: True Blue) and Aaron L. McGrath (TV's Glitch) among the onscreen talent. For those that haven't read the source material, it tells the '60s-set, racially charged tale of the titular teen, the 14-year-old who becomes his new friend and the mystery that brings them together. HOUNDS OF LOVE Prepare to be unnerved — and to be surprised and a little shocked by Stephen Curry of The Castle fame. He was once best known for playing hole-digging Dale Kerrigan, however the actor's performance in Hounds of Love will make you see him in a completely new light. That isn't just an indication of the different realm he's in, with the first film from director Ben Young taking inspiration from real-life true-crime cases dating back to Perth in the '80s, but also a sign of just how effective Curry is. The unsettling effort has been compared to Snowtown and Animal Kingdom for a very good reason. JUNGLE How far will Daniel Radcliffe go to escape a certain boy wizard? Playing a farting corpse in last year's polarising Swiss Army Man helped, and heading to the Bolivian rainforest in Jungle might too. Directed by Wolf Creek's Greg McLean, the Queensland-shot feature charts four backpackers in the thick of the Amazon wilderness. Yes, that means that it is a survivalist tale — but given that it's from the filmmaker that made outback Australia oh-so menacing, expect plenty of thrills. SWEET COUNTRY Did you think that David Wenham and Hugo Weaving were only going to pop up on this list once? Not a chance. Two of Australia's hardest-working actors feature in Sweet Country, as do Bryan Brown, Sam Neill and Last Cab to Darwin's Ningali Lawford-Wolf, however it's the director behind the movie that should grab your attention. Making a drama about the killing of a station owner by an Aboriginal stockman, and the corresponding fallout in 1920s Australia, the film marks the long-awaited next effort from Samson & Delilah's Warwick Thornton (pictured). CARGO He's already played Tim from The Office, Bilbo Baggins and John Watson — and now, Martin Freeman will take on the guise of a father trying to save his baby during the apocalypse. Based on Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke's Tropfest short of the same name, the South Australian-made film plunges into dystopian sci-fi territory, and takes a host of local talent along for the ride, including Susie Porter, Anthony Hayes and David Gulpilil. Oh, and for added fun, there's zombies as well. BERLIN SYNDROME It has been five years since Cate Shortland's Lore became Australia's best German-language film, and 13 since her debut Somersault won an astounding 13 Australian Film Institute awards (the gongs they gave out before the AACTAs). For her third effort, she opts for psychological thrills — and for the titular European city. Here, Hacksaw Ridge's Teresa Palmer plays an Aussie photographer who has a fling with a local teacher, only to find herself unable to escape from his apartment. Expect to hear a whole lot more about Berlin Syndrome very soon, given that the movie premieres at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in mid-to-late January. FLAMMABLE CHILDREN If we had to summarise Flammable Children in just a few words, it'd be this: Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce's post-Neighbours reunion. You're already sold, right? The former Charlene and Mike turned internationally successful pop star and actor, respectively, will once again share the screen — and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert's Stephan Elliott is the person responsible. His latest flick ventures back to the '70s, when Aussie teens flocked to the beach, and their parents got up to some swinging fun, with Radha Mitchell and Julian McMahon also starring. [caption id="attachment_606189" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lion.[/caption] HOTEL MUMBAI In 2008, Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was attacked by terrorists, with at least 167 people killed. Australian writer/director Anthony Maras recreates the horrific incident, which proved harrowing for locals and tourists alike. Because 2017 seems to be all about familiar faces gracing local flicks more than once, Dev Patel (pictured, from Lion) helps lead an international cast that also includes Red Dog: True Blue's Jason Isaacs, 52 Tuesdays' Tilda Cobham-Hervey and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s Armie Hammer. ALI'S WEDDING Australia doesn't make all that many romantic comedies. Australia doesn't make many films focusing on the country's Muslim community either. Combine the two, and Ali's Wedding is the end result. Starring Iraqi-born Aussie actor and comedian Osamah Sami as the eponymous character, there's no prizes for guessing that marriage sits at the centre of the film as the son of a Muslim cleric tries to remain true to both his family and his heart. Top image: Lion.
When word got out that Guillaume Brahimi was working on a dining room revamp of one of Paddington's best-loved pubs, The Four in Hand, Sydney heard some pretty high-pitched squealing from this keen team. Now, we're making a big ol' B line for the Paddo pub, as The Four in Hand by Guillaume has officially reopened. Teaming up with Mitchell Waugh of Public House Management Group (Collaroy Hotel. The Royal Paddington, Woollahra Hotel), former Guillaume at Bennelong maestro Brahimi is leading the Four in Hand into ultra-fancy, French-inspired pub grub territory. After buying the joint from chef Colin Fassnidge, he's recruited new head chef Darrell Felstead to create a sophisticated, two-tiered gastropub menu — a bar menu in the pub, and a bigger but still apparently casual menu in the dining room. At first glance, the seasonally-changing restaurant menu immediately takes things next-level for the pub. Think snacks like tinned anchovies, butter, watercress and toast, or duck liver parfait, pear chutney and toast. There are starters like roast quail salad with egg, frisee and parmentier potatoes, mains like salt-baked celeriac, carrot risotto and sorrel, and desserts like peach tart with peach ice cream, strawberries, sable, sheep's yoghurt sorbet and peppermint tea jelly. Head sommelier Rodolphe Bertin has put 100 predominantly Australian and French wines on the wine list (22 of those by the glass). Yearning for a little of the old Four in Hand? There's about 100 bottles from the previous cellar that'll be on the menu until they're gone. "The Four in Hand has always been one of my favourite pubs. It was one of the first places I drank a beer when I arrived in Sydney many years ago, and it's one of the best pub dining rooms in the country. It is also down the hill from my restaurant, so it's an area of Sydney I know and love," says Brahimi. "I have worked closely with Darrell to maintain it's spirit but also to showcase some of my favourite casual dishes, the kind of food I like to eat every day." How Brahimi has time for this, we don't know. He already runs Paddington's two-hatted Guillaume restaurant, two restaurants at Crown Resorts, Bistro Guillaume in Melbourne and Perth, and is culinary director of Crown Resorts. The Four in Hand by Guillaume is at 105 Sutherland Street Paddington. Open seven days a week for lunch (12pm – 3pm) and dinner (5.30pm – 9.30pm). Bookings via the website. Images: Nikki To.
Some drinks never go out of style. And if you've been frequenting Sydney watering holes recently, you might have noticed Sydneysiders are having a bit of a moment with gin. From specialised pop-up bars to limited edition batch releases and independent distilleries, we can't seem to get enough of this humble old spirit. But G&Ts aren't just confined to the realms of bottom shelf liquor and mass-produced tonic water — a really good gin and tonic is all about good ingredients and informed combinations. Those who really know what to taste for, rest assured. We've searched high and low to round up the best G&Ts Sydney has to offer. With top shelf selections of spirits and cracking staff behind the bar, these venues truly stand out — and deliver.
It's ten years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. This year, Laneway Festival blows out the candles with one of its biggest lineups yet. Kicking off in Singapore on Saturday, January 24 in The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay, Laneway will run through seven dates, including Sydney's Sydney College of the Arts on February 1 and Melbourne's Footscray Community Arts Centre and River's Edge on February 7, finishing up at its new home in Fremantle's Esplanade Reserve and West End on Sunday, February 8. Returning to the Australian touring circuit is UK on-repeat outfit Jungle, festival jaw-droppers Future Islands and Melbourne's lives-up-to-the-hype queen Courtney Barnett. Two of the biggest hypecards of the bunch, FKA Twigs and BANKS, will fight for the midnight hushed vocal crown. Then there's the ever-epic St. Vincent, punk-as-fuck UK band Eagulls, smooooooth king Flying Lotus, Harlem's top-of-the-game hip hop outfit Ratking and the triumphant returns of Rustie, Jon Hopkins, POND and crisp-as-blazes Caribou. Then there's Mac DeMarco and his mum, Agnes. But enough talk, here's that lineup you're after. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2015 LINEUP: Agnes DeMarco* Andy Bull Angel Olsen BANKS Benjamin Booker Caribou Connan Mockasin Courtney Barnett Dune Rats Eagulls Eves*** FKA Twigs Flight Facilities Flying Lotus (Layer 3) Future Islands* Highasakite Jesse Davidson** Jon Hopkins* Jungle Little Dragon Mac DeMarco Mansionair Perfect Pussy Peter Bibby POND Ratking Raury Royal Blood* Rustie Seekae SOHN St Vincent* Vic Mensa *Exclusive to Laneway: no sideshows **Laneway Adelaide only ***Exclusive to East Coast shows only
Lobo Plantation's Jared Merlino has had quite the week. On top of opening Kittyhawk with his fellow Plantationers, he's also launched Big Poppa's, a 134-capacity Italian bar-restaurant on Oxford Street. This new joint's three focuses? Cheese, wine and hip hop. A collaboration with Lewis Jaffrey (ex-operations manager at The Baxter Inn, Frankie's and Shady Pines), Big Poppa's occupies Hello Sailor's former digs. "We gutted and re-did the space, to make it warmer and more inviting," Merlino says. "Upstairs is a beautiful Italian restaurant, with blue leather banquettes, high stools and exposed brick work." Downstairs, you'll find a cocktail bar and lounge. Think dark wood, booths, moody lighting and a mosaic of the legendary Biggie Smalls. Heading the kitchen are Liam O'Driscoll and Jase Barron, who've worked side by side for close to 16 years, including stints at Pendolino and Glebe Street Diner. "The emphasis is on good, simple, delicious food," Merlino says. "The hero is cheese, for which we've had a 1.8 metre-high fridge custom-built. Between 15 and 25 different cheese are available at a time and the list is on constant rotation." You can expect local, Italian and French products, sourced through local suppliers. At least half the dishes on the menu are based on cheese. Key players include lamb shoulder ragu, with house-made pappardelle and three types of shaved cheese; and Roman gnocchi with beef cheek, served with polenta cake and smother in cheese. "It's perfect for winter," Merlino says. Behind the bar, you'll find around 200 wines, sourced mostly from Italy, as well as France, New Zealand and Australia. The cocktail list features classics, like Negronis and Americanos, in addition to a few signature creations. And, most importantly you're welcome to drink – lockout-free – until 3am. The kitchen is open until then, too. Big Poppa's is at 96 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. It's open daily from 5pm-3am. Images: Big Poppa's.
The suburb of Parramatta is becoming more of a gastronomic destination by the day, with Rockpool Dining Group now set to reopen Rockpool Bar & Grill and open a new Saké location in the area's highly-anticipated dining and entertainment precinct, 8 Phillip Street. The Sydney institution that was the three-hatted Rockpool has been closed since mid-2016 , so this new project is particularly exciting. While the Phillip Street precinct will also include 18 storeys of boutique accommodation and 35 storeys of residential apartments, these two restaurants will be completely independent and each have their own separate entrances — spanning a total of 800 square meters of space within the dining precinct. It's been a busy, busy year for the Rockpool Dining Group, who have been on an eight-month whirlwind of openings since joining forces with Urban Purveyor Group in November 2016. Their combined portfolio of eateries sits now at over 55 venues and they expect it to grow to more than 80 venues in 2017 alone. The group is also set to open a new Rosetta location in the Sydney CBD and is replacing Eleven Bridge with a new Cantonese restaurant, along with Burger Project openings in Brisbane and Parramatta and the launch of two takeaway spinoffs, Fratelli Famous and Saké Jr. Due to be completed by 2020, 8 Phillip Street will act as an expansion to Church Street's existing 'Eat Street' precinct and will also be home to Sydney's highest rooftop venue, Studio 54 — a 600 pax, 54th floor space with a fitout inspired by the rooftop bars of Bangkok, New York, Shanghai and Singapore. A grand ballroom, multiple event and meeting spaces will also exist within the hub. Combined, these elements are set to solidify Parramatta squarely on Sydneysiders' Saturday night 'to-do' lists.
The times are indeed a-changing in Kings Cross. Alongside the tightening noose of lockout laws, many a Cross venue has been downgraded, shuffled or closed down altogether — most recently (and controversially) Hugo's. But thankfully, one of our ol' favourite spaces has been spared total annihilation and is being repurposed in a pretty excellent way — as a brand new theatre. The Kings Cross Theatre (KXT) is opening on level two of the Kings Cross Hotel, in the bones of the space that once housed beloved live music venue FBi Social (RIP) and The Bandroom (RIP). Just around the corner from The Old Fitz, the KXT theatre has seating for 75-90 and has some big ideas in terms of programming. Suzanne Millar, co-artistic director of the bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company (the team responsible for the reno) says the intention is for the theatre to be afford and accessible (great!) and produce ambitious works (even greater!). It’s a venture not just for the public to enjoy, but also for the artists to love and build up. We’re mentally fist bumping the crap out of it too — a new theatre in Sydney is music to our ears. This is a really excellent way to breathe life into a space that, like so many around it, may have fallen by the wayside if not for some TLC. And the bAKEHOUSE Theatre company are certainly capable of piquing our dramatic interest. They’ve a bundle of productions under their collective belts (including Great Expectations, multicultural smorgasbord Story Lines, Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials and The Ishmael Club) and are rigorously dedicated to diversity in casting and working with independent and innovative storytelling. In essence? We can't wait to see what they cook up — and it brings a tear to the eye to see the old FBi Social space being used for good. Find KXT on Level 2, Kings Cross Hotel, 244 - 248 William Street, Kings Cross. Stay tuned for 2015/2016 programming.
The team behind North Sydney's The Greens and Camperdown's Acre is at it again. This time, John Tully and Luke Heard have expanded their operations on the lower north shore with the opening of The Fernery: a two-level eatery and bar with a rooftop in Mosman, which opens today, Friday, December 1. You'll find it above Mosman Club — just enter at street level, and make your way through the very green lobby (which has been filled with 35 variations of cacti, succulents and shrubbery) and up the spiral staircase. Up here is a 163-seat dining room, an intimate gin room, a terrace and a greenhouse-like rose bar. The venue offers extraordinary views of, well, everything: North Head, the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, the heads and the city skyline. Also on the rooftop will be a kitchen garden, cultivated by Adrian Baiada, the man responsible for Acre's urban farm. That means head chefs Gavin Gray and Mitchell Davis have plenty of opportunities for experimenting with new plants and drawing on seasonal ingredients. They'll be doing much of their cooking over a high-temperature Josper grill. In addition to the gin room, where the focus is on Australian distillers, there's a bar devoted to rosé. And yes, it's very much pink. A handpicked selection of wines, served straight from the barrel, is on the drinks list, as is a collection of signature cocktails flavoured with just-picked herbs. This greenery-filled room also has a retractable roof for when the weather's agreeable. The Fernery opens at 4pm on Friday, December 1 above Mosman Club, 719 Military Road, Mosman. For more info, visit thefernerymosman.com.au.
Held around International Women's Day since 2013, Sydney Opera House's All About Women festival does what many other talk-heavy events historically haven't. Across a huge lineup of speakers, it pushes ladies to the front and puts them on stage to chat about their fields of expertise and their experiences, as well as a broad range of topics that are relevant to women. Now well and truly part of Sydney's annual cultural calendar, the event is returning in 2020 to do what it does best — with an impressive new range of female voices on the program. Taking place on International Women's Day itself — Sunday, March 8, 2020 — AAW 2020 is honing its focus on the post-#MeToo era. Yes, that's a still a rather sizeable realm, and the fest's range of topics is similarly broad. Across one jam-packed day, you can hear discussions about everything from body positivity to sexual assault, plus astrophysics, neuroscience, social justice and sobriety, too. While many of the festival's events have already sold out, there are still plenty of talks, performances and freebies to add to your schedule. You could hear from comedian and writer Lindy West, author and commentator Clementine Ford and multidisciplinary performer Flex Mami on Finding Your Voice; unearth the pioneering women who've made vital contributions to astrophysics with Princeton University professor Jo Dunkley; and explore the subversive art of Ukraine-born, Melbourne-based artist Stanislava Pinchuk (AKA Miso). [caption id="attachment_753369" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lindy West, shot by Jenny Jimenez.[/caption] Attendees can also see Betty Grumble, Megana Holiday, Iya Ya Ya and Stelly G completely disregard the sexist notion that women are meant to be well-behaved in The Working Bitches — and get interactive at digital exhibition My Mother's Kitchen, which asks eight LGBTQIA+ individuals to share their childhood kitchen stories. This year, the festival has added All About Women in Film to its program, which will be diving into feminist cinema on Saturday, March 7. The day before the main event, you can catch a screening of 80s Aussie pop rock musical Starstruck followed by a chat with director Gillian Armstrong, or revisit the famed road trip flick Thelma & Louise, complete with a panel discussion with Judith Lucy, Sarinah Masukor and Michelle Law. Image: Prudence Upton.
If you've ever queued your way to the front line of your local Messina cabinet, only to shuffle away after seeing the CASH ONLY sign and cursing your empty pockets, your nightmare is over. Messina has launched its very own app. And it lets you pay for your gelato with your phone. That's right, from now on, the only thing standing between you and all that deliciousness is an easy swipe. What's more, the app comes with a bunch of bonuses. For a start, if you're one of the first to download it, you'll nab ten bucks worth of Messina credit. Secondly, your purchases will score you points, which you can use to get things, like Messina tote bags and other merch, tickets to gelato classes, entry to the Gelato Messina Creative Department and free ice cream. Yep, free ice cream. You'll also be provided with access to special, app-only gelato creations. And you'll get to vote for your favourite Messina specials, helping them to make a reappearance. long live 'Homer's Odyssey' — VB and peanuts. The Gelato Messina app is available now as a free download via Apple and Google Play.
The Australian Bar of the Year isn't in Sydney or Melbourne this year. Culinary heavyweights Victoria and New South Wales clean up year after year at the Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards, announced last night at Sydney's Carriageworks, but the coveted Bar of the Year gong was instead nabbed by Queensland, hitherto known as the little engine that could. Perhaps not best known for fine dining, Queenslanders do love a good bevvy so shouldn't come as a surprise Brisbane’s crowd favourite The Gresham won bar of the year. Sydney's gained points for friendliness and food this week, as Neil Perry's Sydney restaurant Rockpool has taken out the Restaurant of the Year title, along with many other impressive wins for the Sydney food scene. Rockpool won out in the end with judges citing reasons such as the luxurious fit-out, inventive food and genuine old-school service from the star sommelier (who is, no doubt, about to get quite a raise). Other Sydney award winners include the just-opened Bennelong, which took out the award for best new restaurant of the year; Billy Kwong took out best wine list (we wonder how they’ll be celebrating the win); Raffaele Mastrovincenzo of Kappo won sommelier of the year and Lennox Hastie of Surry Hills' Firedoor was awarded best new talent. Melbourne was Sydney’s main rival in food and wine stakes and won maître d’ of the year (Vanessa Crichton of Rosetta) and Melbourne legend Joost Bakker (owner of zero waste cafe brothl) was recognised for his service and awarded the outstanding contribution to hospitality. Regional New South Wales and Victoria also got in on the action, with Dan Hunter of Brae in Birregurra winning chef of the year and Byron Bay's new chapter of Three Blue Ducks taking out regional restaurant of the year. And the list of three-star winners (the equally mortgage-your-house-to-eat-here contest of culinary fanciness) was crawling with Sydney royalty, including Sepia, Vue de Monde, Quay, Momofuku Seiobo and The Bridge Room alongside Melbourne’s eternal flame, Ben Shewry’s Attica. Image: Gourmet Traveller.
