“Will you be ready for THE CATCH?" This is the intriguing question posed by Heineken just one week out from the release of the 24th James Bond film SPECTRE, and it’s referring to something pretty darn special. To celebrate Heineken's 18-year partnership with the iconic 007 franchise, they're offering a select group of lucky fans a chance to experience the intriguing and prestigious world of James Bond. Sure, that could technically mean you have to infiltrate villain lairs and have various tuxedo scuba suits on hand for 24 hours, but we’re pretty confident it’s referring to the fun stuff: parties filled with glamour, prestige, special guests and VIP performances. Throughout November and December, Heineken will be hosting exclusive SPECTRE 007 events that are so mysterious participants won’t know what’s in store until they’re suddenly whisked away and thrown right into the middle of the action right as it happens. You won’t know where. You won’t know when. Will you be ready? To be in the running, fans need to sign up via the Heineken's The Catch website and have your mates locked, loaded and ready to move at a moment’s notice. Helipads and jet skis aren’t essential, but they’ll certainly come in handy...
Hold onto your paper plates, Sydney — there's another Night Market coming to Carriageworks. This time it will celebrate both the height of Sydney summer and Australian native ingredients and Indigenous culture, which is the theme of this year's market. A slew of 60-plus stallholders will take over the carriageway from 5pm on Friday, February 9. You can expect to once again sample goods from New South Wales' top tier of restaurants, winemakers, breweries and providores, alongside cooking demos, live music and the unveiling of a new artwork produced by female artists from Yarrenyty Arltere Artists. Menu highlights curated by Kylie Kwong will include kangaroo empanadas by Danielle Alvarez at Fred's, crab and avo on toast from Paper Bird, Bruny Island wallaby skewers by Three Blue Ducks, and kangaroo bolognese toasties and prawn doughnuts from Biota. Plus, an old-fashioned vanilla sponge from Flour and Stone will be available for dessert, beer will be supplied by Marrickville's Wildflower and cocktails will be mixed by Archie Rose, Poor Toms Gin and PS40. Tickets are $10 — head to the Carriageworks website to book ahead.
We know you guys are probably tiring of the food truck trend, but hear us out on this one. Now, we're not entirely sure how to feel, so we're just gonna lay out the facts. There's a new food truck doing the rounds that specialises in… gourmet dog food. The Canine Wellness Kitchen (heh) is Australia's first food truck for dogs — which, honestly, is a sentence we never thought we'd write. Founders and 'canine chefs' Katie Crandon and Laura Yeomans aren't new to this game — they founded 'dog superfood' (apparently a thing) label Because I Luv My Dog, specialising in healthy pooch snacks for on-the-go doggos. It'll be the first food truck of its kind in Australia, offering a range of dog-friendly goods including dehydrated snacks, raw food, chicken necks and organic bone broth. And… again, not sure how to take this… a beer for dogs. It's named Freddie's Froth and it's not actual beer guys, it's bone broth, geez. The whole venture is a little tongue in cheek and pokes fun at the food truck revolution. This is a little snippet from the menu: "Forget the super smoothies, our bone broth is the ultimate detoxifier. Get your active wear on, this is all the warm up you need for a workout." Look, in your heart of hearts, you know this is one business that'll go incredibly well. We're on board. Canine Wellness Kitchen will be making their first appearance on September 24 at the Hank Marvin Markets in St Kilda.
Switch your brain on and ready those tweetin' thumbs, as the seventh annual TEDxSydney event returns to the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday, May 25. The one-day program combines talks, live performances and a special film program, featuring its usual all-star lineup of speakers. Speakers include radical body activist Kelli Jean Drinkwater, London 2005 terrorist bombing survivor and M.A.D. for Peace founder Gill Hicks, and masculinity expert Dr. Michael Kimmel. Unfortunately attendance for TEDx is through application only and the live audience is already at its max. But these are tech times we live in. The recently created TEDxSydney Satellites allow anyone to view and participate in the live talks via video conference. You can join one already planned, or host your own. TEDxSydney began at Carriageworks in 2010 and has since become a massive annual event on the ideas calendar. The event will run alongside TEDxYouth for the second year running, which is curated by young people, for young people. Tickets for TEDxYouth are still available for purchase. Stream TEDx live here. Image: TEDxSydney.
One crew makes seriously good wine. One makes seriously killer parties happen around Melbourne. The other cooks up some of the finest goods in Sydney. Now they're joining forces for an epic wine-fuelled, pastry-flanked hootenanny inside a mysterious Sydney space. Which Sydney space? That's a big ol' secret. Melbourne collective Wax'o Paradiso and Sydney bakery Brickfields have teamed up with Redfern-based vino lovers Cake Wines for one huge secret party on May 23. It's the second secret party for Cake, who recently took over the rooftop pool deck of the Holiday Inn in the Rocks with damn good wine, gourmet kranskies and seriously good beats from Lovebombs, FBi Radio and Astral People. It was a bonafide humdinger. Now the crew are looking to the inner west, inviting their party-starting friends from Melbourne up for an eight-hour afternoon shindig. Wax'o Paradiso have cranked their fair share of killer hootenannies everywhere from MONA's Dark Mofo to outdoor labyrinths and garden rooftops; so they know what they're doing. They've invited Edd Fisher (host of Tomorrowland on PBS106.7) with his partner in crime Simon TK (resident at Melbourne's Hugs and Kisses), to blitz the decks, alongside local legend Steel Bonus. The proviso? Vinyl-only for eight hours. Whetting whistles for the afternoon, Cake will be bringing their 2013 and 2014 new vintage wines to the bar, with beer and cider on offer too. And if you're feeling a little peckish, Brickfields will be serving up their fresh Modern Australian fare on the day, with the party menu yet to be revealed. The secret location will be revealed on the day of the party via text message and/or email. Apparently it'll be somewhere in the inner west, so stay tuned. Here's what went down last time: Cake Wines secret party with Wax'o Paradiso and Brickfields is happening on May 23 from 4-11pm. Tickets are $25 each and last time they sold out super fast, so snap 'em up now.
Each of Australia's capital cities has a different shtick. Melbourne's just happens to be a 24-hour culture — or, at least, the closest Australia has to it. It's got all-night public transport on weekends, late-night opening hours for the National Gallery of Victoria's new Triennial and the city's White Night festival will return for its annual all-nighter in 2018. If you haven't been down to White Night before, here's how it works. From 7pm, much of Melbourne's CBD is closed to cars. From then on, the streets give way to pedestrians, who are free to wander between temporary installations, live music and on-street projections — as well as in and out of galleries and cultural institutions — up until the sun comes up at 7am the next day. It's the Australian version of Nuit Blanche, which was founded in France in the 80s. Next year's festival — which will shut down the city for 12 hours on the evening of Saturday, February 17 — features work from a tonne of both local and international artists. Expect to see neon pups, two Burning Man installations and one laneway covered in snow. There are far too many works to list, but here are a few highlights you'll want to look out for. A giant shimming silver net that will hover above Federation Square for White Night (and two weeks afterwards). Drag queens singing from balconies above Collins Street. A laneway filled with virtual neon 'dogs' and another filled with falling 'snow'. A tree that lets you write temporary messages on it with the light from your phone Two installations straight from Burning Man: a fire-breathing serpent outside Melbourne Museum and a giant mechanical insect that doubles at a DJ booth. Mini gigs performed from multiple balconies above Swanston Street. A 360-degree dome in Alexandra Gardens that will feature mesmerising projections. Stories from Australian detention centres projected onto the NGV's façade. White Night will also head out to Victoria's regional centres. It will return to Ballarat on March 17 for a second year, and will take to the streets of Bendigo and Geelong for the first time later in 2018.
Watching cat videos online is about to get a whole lot more intense, with Google revealing plans to enable virtual reality content on YouTube. The announcement, made at the Google I/O 2015 developer conference, is one of a slew of new innovations the global tech giant has in the works, as it slowly furthers its plan for total world domination. Your move, Bing. According to the announcement made in San Francisco overnight, YouTube will be able to host specially-created, immersive VR videos as early as this July, viewable through any virtual reality headset including Google’s own budget option, Google Cardboard. In order to ensure there’s plenty of VR content to choose from, Google will supply select YouTube partners with its new 360° Jump camera rig, developed in partnership with GoPro. The extreme sports-friendly camera company has actually been developing and selling multi-directional camera rigs for some time now, and recently acquired a company that specialises in panoramic video software — so the partnership certainly makes sense. Check out GoPro's VR demo video posted yesterday. Use the top left directional buttons to peruse: As they did with Google Cardboard, Google will be making the blueprints for the Jump rig public, meaning that anyone can theoretically build one. The rig will be compatible with consumer grade cameras, although you’ll need 16 of them to get the full effect. Google also announced upgrades to its cardboard VR headset, which can now be assembled in just three steps and fits phones up to six inches in size. The low-tech hardware, which offers an inexpensive alternative to the likes of Oculus Rift, has already racked up more than one million users since debuting at I/O last year. Between Google Cardboard and the new Jump platform, Google is clearly trying to push VR content into the mainstream. Next up: hoverboards! (Fingers crossed.) Via Gizmodo. Images: Google.
Each year, the Berlin International Film Festival premieres a treasure trove of flicks that movie buffs will be talking about for months to come, and longer, including when said titles make their way to Australia. It also understandably goes big on new German cinema, which often heads Down Under via the German Film Festival — and that touring event now has the 2023 program to prove it. Heading to Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Byron Bay throughout May, this year's German Film Festival sees Palace Cinemas team up with German Films, which is devoted to promoting the nation's movies internationally, on an impressive lineup. Here, recent and retro features sit by side, including five new efforts that debuted at Berlinale back in February, all of which are now making their Australian premieres. Film lovers can look forward to The Teacher's Lounge with Babylon Berlin's Leonie Benesch, which follows a teacher struggling over a series of thefts at her school; Sisi, the latest take on Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary after Corsage, this time featuring Toni Erdmann's Sandra Hüller as her lady-in-waiting; and Ingeborg Bachmann — Journey into the Desert, as led by Corsage star Vicky Krieps as the titular writer. And, there's also the 1990-set Someday We'll Tell Each Other Everything, which stems from the page — plus crime-thriller Till the End of the Night, which won actor Thea Ehre Berlinale's Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance. The German Film Festival kicks off with A Thousand Lines, hailing from Balloon filmmaker Michael Herbig, and diving into the IRL 2018 fake news scandal involving a journalist disgraced from Der Spiegel. At the other end, it'll close with Over & Out, Germany's addition to the spate of flicks about women reuniting with their old pals years later (see also: Off the Rails). Another hefty highlight: big focuses on the glorious city that is Berlin and also music, both via retrospective picks. So, add Christiane F, which follows the eponymous 14-year-old through 70s-era West Berlin and features David Bowie as himself, to your must-see list on the big screen. Add Wim Wenders' stunning Wings of Desire, about angels observing daily life but unable to interact with it, too. And, B-Movie: List & Sound in West Berlin 1979–1989 belongs in the same category with its archival footage and interviews, complete with Nick Cave, Joy Division and '99 Luftballons' band Nena. Other standouts include In a Land That No Longer Exists, as based on director Aelrun Goette's experiences in the 80s; documentary Merkel, about Germany's first female chancellor; crime comedy The Peacock; and body swapping in sci-fi Skin Deep. The German Film Festival is also celebrating Austrian and Swiss films, such as World War II drama The Fox and Vienna-set love story First Snow of Summer from the former, as well as And Tomorrow We Will Be Dead, about two Swiss citizens held hostage by the Taliban, from the latter. GERMAN FILM FESTIVAL 2023 DATES: Tuesday, May 2–Wednesday, May 24 — Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema and Palace Central, Sydney Wednesday, May 3–Wednesday, May 24 — Palace Electric, Canberra Wednesday, May 3–Wednesday, May 24 — Palace James St and Palace Barracks, Brisbane Wednesday, May 3–Wednesday, May 24 — Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Thursday, May 4–Wednesday, May 24 — Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema, Palace Westgarth and The Astor Theatre, Melbourne Thursday, May 4–Wednesday, May 24 — Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Palace Raine Square, Perth Thursday, May 4–Wednesday, May 24 — Palace Byron Bay The German Film Festival Australia tours the country from throughout May 2023. For more information, visit the festival website.
A brand new streaming service could change the way you watch new release movies — assuming you're willing to fork over the cash. The latest online endeavour from Napster co-founder Sean Parker, Screening Room wants to bring movies into your living room on the same day they hit cinemas. The idea has already received backing from several major Hollywood filmmakers, including Peter Jackson, Martin Scorsese, J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. But hostile theatre chains and prohibitive costs could mean the service remains a way off yet. The biggest hurdle, it would seem, is the cost of the service. Subscribers would need to purchase a US$150 set top box, after which they'd be charged $50 per film, which would remain available to them for 48-hours. Admittedly, you're paying for the convenience of not having to leave the house, and if you get enough people to chip in, it could easily work out cheaper than going to the cinema. But by the same token, if you're willing to wait a few months, you'll be able to watch the exact same movie on Netflix for a fraction of the price. The reason for the cost is in part to placate theatre owners, who might understandably be none too pleased about Parker trying to muscle in on their territory. According to Variety, as much as $20 out of each $50 rental fee would be paid to exhibitors, in return for two free tickets to see the given film in theatres, should Screening Room subscribers so choose. Film studios would also get a substantial slice of the pie, with Universal, Sony Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox all expressing interest in getting on board. There have, however, been several prominent naysayers, including filmmakers James Cameron and Christopher Nolan, who reaffirmed their commitment to theatrical presentation. It's easy to see their point: films are designed to be viewed on the big screen with the best possible picture and sound, something that cannot be replicated at home. On the other hand, it only takes one jerk on their phone in front of you to ruin the whole experience. Of course regardless of what happens with the Screening Room, we'd wager it'll still be quite a while before it makes its way to Australia. Looks like movie night is still a go, for now. Via Variety.
Look, in our book, every single day is gin day. But this Saturday, June 11, the drink that launched a thousand drunk texts (and counting) will be officially celebrated the world over. It's World Gin Day. And considering the experimental foodie age we live in, it doesn't seem appropriate to celebrate with just another gin and tonic — not when you can have it infused with ants or steeped in red wine grapes, anyway. So we've found two new weird Australian gins that won't only make for an unconventional G&T, but will spark a few conversations and raised eyebrows too. ANGRY ANT GIN — BASS AND FLINDERS Up and coming gin barons often differentiate themselves and their product by distilling the botanicals of the local area to give a distinctive, but familiar, flavour and scent. Australian species lend themselves perfectly to the task — but for the chaps down at Bass and Flinders Distillery in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, that simply wasn't weird enough. They've distilled a gin made with a special ingredient: ants. Like all gin, Angry Ant is made up of a selection of botanicals. But along with the usual juniper berries and lemongrass, the essence of ants has also been thrown in. That's because ants release a pheromone during the distillation process, which produces a flavour that complements the other botanicals to create a damn fine gin. While they're not the first people to use the tiny insects in gin — Copenhagen's Nordic Food Lab produces an Anty Gin that costs a bomb per bottle — they're certainly the first in Australia, with the ants sourced from Wooleen Station in WA. Grab a bottle here, if you dare. BLOODY SHIRAZ GIN — FOUR PILLARS Ron Swanson may say that "clear alcohols are for rich women on diets" and while we usually take his word as gospel, we couldn't disagree more with him on this one. But if you want to add some colour (and kick) to your 5pm G&T, look no further than Four Pillars' brand new Bloody Shiraz Gin. The revolutionary gin created by Victorian gin legends Four Pillars is exaaactly what it sounds like — a Shiraz and gin blend. To create this bloody monster, they steeped Yarra Valley Shiraz grapes in their high-proof dry gin for eight weeks before pressing the fruit and blending it with the gin, and hoped like hell it would turn out well. It did. The pretty, deep purple hue combined with a potent alcoholic content (37.8 percent, compared to an average 30 percent in sloe gin) and sweet undertones make the Bloody Shiraz Gin a near perfect specimen. Four Pillars are releasing the mix on World Gin Day — you can head down to their Healesville distillery to try it or buy it on their website. And on that day, we'll raise a toast to all the gins that were and to all the weird, delicious gins that will soon be. Cheers to you gin, you glorious bastard!
Uber's switched on marketing team are at it again. Less than a week after teaming with Optus on an Australia Day stunt that saw cricket umpires dispatched to backyards around the country, the ridesharing service have announced their latest promotion. From 11am on Sunday January 31, Uber users will be able to summon a driver to collect unwanted gifts and second-hand clothes for donation to the Red Cross. The promotion is being run in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Geelong, Adelaide, Perth, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, in partnership with local Red Cross Shops. Users wishing to donate can simply log in to the app between 11am and 4pm and select the 'Clothing Drive' option. The Red Cross asks that people bag up their donations, and only include items that can be resold. "The more donations we receive the more we are able to support the work of Red Cross around Australia," said Red Cross Shops Marketing Manager Kate Dear. Proceeds from sales at Red Cross Shops go directly to support the daily work of the organisation. Here's hoping people respond to this Uber promotion with the same enthusiasm that they did to ones involving kittens and ice-cream. Sure, helping people in need might not be as exciting as cats on demand, but you'd be hard pressed to argue it isn't a little bit more worthwhile. For more information visit the Uber newsroom.
Anyone who has ever watched a horror movie before knows that you should never, ever go into the woods. Yet that's exactly what the people behind Australia's coolest new immersive cinema experience are asking you to do. Horror Movie Campout is a blood-soaked overnight camping trip held in a secret Blair Witch-style forest an hour from the city. Just please, leave the machete at home. Coming to Melbourne in December and Sydney next year, this uniquely scary take on outdoor movie-going will treat campers to two classic horror films, along with a number of gory shorts. The first is 1973's head-spinner The Exorcist – enjoy the serenity of fear while roasting marshmallows and munching on popcorn (or spilling it) into the early hours of the morning. The second popular horror feature will be voted for by HMC campers via Facebook. But it's not just the movies. Beyond the comfort of your cosy cinema spot, surprises lurk in the forest. Is someone following you? Is that a person’s shadow, or just your imagination playing tricks? Horror Movie Campout promises to put your heart – and your bladder – to the test. Each $180 ticket includes a tent to sleep three mates. Glamping options are also available for $240, offering luxury horror-goers VIP perks such as express entry and primo spots in front of the screen. Just don't think you're exempt from the special horror surprises. Melbourne’s Horror Movie Campout is being held at Point Cook Homestead on December 4 and 5, while the Sydney event will be held in early 2016. It should also probably go without saying that this is strictly an R18+ event. Image via Dollar Photo Club.
When Vernon Ah-Kee was born in 1967 in Far North Queensland, he wasn't counted as a citizen. It wasn't until later that year that, following a referendum, the Australian Government came to officially recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Today, Ah-Kee is an internationally celebrated artist with work in collections all over the world — from Canada's National Gallery to Hannover's Sprengel Museum. And, as part of Sydney Festival 2017, he's bringing us a powerful exhibition that confronts issues of race, ideology and politics. Titled Not an animal or a plant, the show marks both Ah-Kee's 50th birthday and the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum. Its combination of oversized drawings, paintings, text-based installations and 3D works investigates colonisation and racism, historically and contemporarily. "NAS Gallery is excited to be working with Vernon to present key works from the artist's powerful and diverse oeuvre," said Judith Blackall, curator at the National Art School Gallery. "It is an opportunity for the public to reflect and engage with important issues in Australian popular culture, particularly the dichotomy between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal societies and cultures."
Skiing is about confidence, and it's a cold hard fact that we’re better more cocky skiers after a few drinks in a cosy mountainside bar. Luckily, the good folk at champagne house G.H. Mumm also know this and are bringing the legendary La Folie Douce snowfield parties to Thredbo (so you can really work on your slopeside confidence) in conjunction with Thredbo’s 25th ToptoBottom weekend (August 6-9). La Folie Douce, running over Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, has been styled after the decadent European snow holiday blow-outs from whence their fame springs (those Europeans really know how to party in the snow, so you know it’ll be good). La Folie Douce translates approximately to 'sheer madness' and we think that’s kind of fitting. The free main event is being held at Thredbo’s Alpine Resort Poolside Terrace and will feature a cabaret and street theatre-style performance, singers, dancers and DJs. Think a modern Gatsby party, but in the snow. There’s a tonne of free events happening up and down the mountain and most of them revolve around champagne (hallelujah!). As well as free parties at the poolside terrace, you can book yourself into one of Mumm's champagne and caviar masterclass with chef Josue Lopez from Brisbane’s GOMA or pop into a champagne degustation (translation: drinking champagne). And if by this point you haven’t had enough champagne to down a buffalo, stop by the Mumm pop-up champagne bar at Kareela Hutte for more confidence juice and then have a whack at Australia’s longest run at an altitude of 1810m. La Folie Douce is coming to Thredbo Alpine Village, August 6-9. Visit La Folie Douce for more details. Image: La Folie Douce Meribel.
As of today, you can put Jay-Z in charge of your music. That’s right, TIDAL, the streaming service that the rapper bought from Scandinavian platform Aspiro in February, has been relaunched in 31 countries, Australia included. Oodles of artists are pretty thrilled about it, having replaced their Twitter profile shots with turquoise squares and splashed #TIDALforALL all over the place. On Sunday night, Jay-Z went so far as to co-opt one of Bob Dylan’s most famous lyrics: Not quite, perhaps, what the singer-songwriter had in mind when he was asking ‘senators’ and ‘congressman’ to ‘heed the call’, but anyway. With the likes of Coldplay, Madonna, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Daft Punk and Alicia Keys championing the service with the vehemence and coordination redolent of a charity campaign, we’re taking a good look into what’s causing all the excitement. What exactly is TIDAL promising, when compared with its chief rival, Spotify? HIGHER QUALITY SOUND (AND A HIGHER PRICE TAG) The biggest drawcard for TIDAL is sound quality. By subscribing to TIDAL’s premium service, at US$19.99 a month, you get to access 'lossless high fidelity' sound, which none of its competitors offer. What this means is that, instead of being compressed into MP3 or WAV formats (often referred to as 'lossy'), the music is streamed to you almost exactly as it was recorded. For audiophiles, this is a massive win, even it does mean a higher price tag. If 'lossless' means nothing to you, think of it like choosing between standard and high definition Netflix. Still not convinced? Trial TIDAL premium free for thirty days and see how your ears go. For those uninterested in lossless, high def sound, TIDAL does offer a standard tier at US$9.99 month. However, unlike Spotify, there’s no free option. For people who’ve become accustomed to accessing music gratis, this might seem pretty unattractive. But for a start, it keeps TIDAL ad-free. MORE DOSH FOR MUSICIANS And how about giving a thought to songwriters? For 43 million spins on Pandora last year, Pharrell made only $2700. Sure, in Pharrell’s case, that might not matter too much — he’s obviously rolling in it and can charge mountains for appearing live — but for unknown, indie artists or dedicated songwriters who don't perform, it’s nothing short of exploitation. That’s why Mark Holden’s talking to Federal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull about it. We're still waiting for the exact numbers Jay-Z's going to pop in artist wallets, but with only paid membership available it's bound to be decent. TAY TAY Low artist royalties is one of the reasons why Taylor Swift pulled her songs from Spotify and why her label Universal has been pressuring the streaming service to abolish free music, which leads to another point — if Tay has been missing from your stream, you can now Shake It Off, because she’s making her music available on TIDAL. There's no skirting the truth, higher fees for users mean better royalties for songwriters. EXTRA CONTENT Finally, TIDAL will be alluring subscribers with a whole bunch of exclusive material, including studio sessions and demo tracks. Spotify’s been doing this, too, but given Tidal's vocal artist support base, we can bank on expecting the unexpected.
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has established a studio on the Greek Island of Lesbos, where he and his students will create works relating to the ongoing European refugee crisis. Ai made the announcement while visiting the island, which has become one of the main entry points into Europe for hundreds of thousands of refugees, many of whom are fleeing the conflict in Syria. "As an artist, I have to relate to humanity’s struggles...I never separate these situations from my art," Ai told reporters. "I think that good art only comes out from when we have strong beliefs in aesthetics and human dignity. This can never be separated." The 58-year-old hopes to return to the island several times this year. He also plans to create a memorial on the island for refugees who lost their lives at sea. Ai, whose art frequently deals with human rights issues, has only recently begun travelling internationally again, having had his passport confiscated by Chinese authorities in 2011 when he was imprisoned for 81 days. Since its return he has visited London, where he snapped a selfie with Julian Assange, and Melbourne, where he attended the opening of the Andy Warhol / Ai Weiwei exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. He has chronicled his experiences in Lesbos via social media, posting images of himself with refugees and volunteers. Happy new year #refugees #lesvos A photo posted by Ai Weiwei (@aiww) on Dec 31, 2015 at 8:56am PST A photo posted by Ai Weiwei (@aiww) on Dec 30, 2015 at 11:42am PST Engines of refugees boats #refugees #lesvos A photo posted by Ai Weiwei (@aiww) on Dec 31, 2015 at 1:57am PST In related news, volunteers for Greenpeace and Medecins San Frontieres recently created an enormous peace sign in Lesbos using discarded refugee life jackets, in an attempt to bring more attention to the crisis. More than half a million migrants have passed through the Greek Islands in the past 12 months alone. Via The Guardian.
Well, this is rather excellent branding. Britpop kings and experts in cheesemaking Blur are selling its own ice cream for their latest album tour. Coinciding with Blur's newest album The Magic Whip, the new edible merch is an attempt to recreate the neon sign on the cover; taking something like Gelato Messina's Jack White flavour next level. Damon Albarn and the lads teamed up with UK based ice cream company The Licktators, whose previous music-themed flavours include 'John Lemon' and 'Jiggy Pop'. But the company really made its headline-worthy reputation after releasing 'Baby Gaga' for the royal baby — an ice cream flavour made with human breast milk. Yep. Really. Blur's own escapade into iced confection will, of course, be called 'Magic Whip' after the new album. Attempting to mimic the cover art, the ice cream will be vanilla custard flavour with raspberry sauce. Unfortunately, 'Magic Whip' will be available exclusive at the legendary foursome's concerts and at a few London co-ops this year. We're not sure whether the ice cream will make it to Australia for their highly anticipated Splendour appearance and stadium tour, but until we're sure we'll be cooking up our own Blur dessert using the recipe hidden within the video for lead album single 'Go Out'. Via AV Club.
Rounding out the Sydney Festival season at Carriageworks is the Night Market — curated by one of Sydney's favourite, highly-renowned chefs Kylie Kwong. Kylie is a regular at Carriageworks, she often brings her authentic, home-style Chinese Australian cuisine to the Saturday farmers market. Taking inspiration from the streets of Harajuku (Tokyo), Hongdae (Seoul) and AnFu Lu (Shanghai), the market will immerse you in the food, pop culture and music of contemporary Asia. As always, Carriageworks' curated markets showcase Sydney's best producers and chefs. More than 50 stallholders will be there on the night, presenting the very best Asian food there is to offer. Appearing on the night will be Rockpool Bar & Grill, Eleven Bridge, Moon Park, Long Chim, Pinbone, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, The Dolphin Hotel, Cornersmith, Bar Brosé, Batch Brewing Co. and natural wine from Rootstock Sydney. Keep Sydney Open star Tyson Koh will DJ throughout the night — he'll be playing a mix of soul, disco, yacht rock and world funk. The Night Market rings in the beginning of the Sydney Chinese New Year Festival. Celebrate the Year of the Rooster and the Lunar New Year with some tasty food, from 5–10pm. For a full list of stallholders, head here.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and make that film you've always wanted to? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of some bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. Sydney's Jason Perini knows all about the anti-comfort zone. He's a man standing on the precipice of an opportunity so monumental it's overwhelming — a fully loaded-career with seriously big names already sitting in his credit roll. Alright, so it's not quite as dramatic as all that but he has recently found himself hurtling from struggling up-and-comer to directing Oscar nominated Maggie Gyllenhaal in a film he wrote himself in the space of a few short weeks. One of three winners of Jameson's 2016 First Shot competition, an international short film comp giving aspiring writers and directors their 'first shot' in the film industry, Jason's channelling 'Sine Metu' all the way to Hollywood with his film The New Empress. But how the heck did he get there? GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS/AWESOME WIFE Jason started his directing career, as all great directors do, on the other side of the camera. Graduating from the Actors Centre Australia in 2009, he starred in a few short films, episodes of Underbelly, and a few plays for the likes of Belvoir, RockSurfers and NIDA. Highly sought after as a voice over artist, he churned out ads for KFC, Sony and Samsung before taking a little more creative control over his film career. He wrote and starred in multiple award-winning short films including 2012 Tropfest finalist and Best Comedy winner at NYC's BrownFish International Film Festival Kitchen Sink Drama, and the Cannes-screened short A Little Bit Behind. Being a director, writer and actor was paying off. In his new arrangement though, the scales are loaded. On one side is his family (wildly supportive wife Susan, three young kids and preschool fees stacking up), fear and niggling self-doubt. On the other side is the pure joy of making films and a fair dollop of entrepreneurial spirit. In the end, they balance each other out — but it doesn't come easy. "My wife reassures me to keep moving in this direction and making short films because… I think she just sees the joy it brings me," he says. "And that it brings me a level of satisfaction." Perini doesn't fit into any preconceived notions you might have about actors and directors. He could be your brother, your mate, your neighbour, your uncle — there's not a skerrick of Tinseltown pretentiousness in him and he seems acutely aware of that. What he lacks in old Hollywood gravitas he more than makes up for in relatability. He's not a polished protagonist and seems to have no faith in things working out for him. For some, that fear might be calcifying, but for Perini, it makes him cautious, calculated and hardworking. His approach isn't razzle-dazzle, it's a hard slog, and maybe that insight is why Trigger Street Productions president Dana Brunetti, Kevin Spacey and Maggie Gyllenhaal, chose his script out of hundreds to win First Shot. FYI, this is the straight-up baller way Jameson, Trigger Street and Spacey told the three First Shot winners they'd won (get the tissues ready): EAT HUMBLE PIE FOR EVERY MEAL There's nothing glamorous about clawing your way up the film industry ladder. Like most of the creative professions, there's a dearth of funding and a saturation of hungry mouths to feed. Putting a dollar value on creative ideas can be challenging but not as difficult as going hand-to-mouth to potential investors and supporters. But that's the reality for most filmmakers. There's no fat stack of Hollywood money, no personal assistants and no safety net. Making it work means calling in a lot of favours. "Constantly having to approach people I don't know and say, 'I don't have much money, my idea is probably not very good but would you be willing to come along and help out with this thing,' you think, 'I don't want to do this, it's out of my comfort zone.' But in five years, if I hadn't given it a shot, I would kick myself. "I'm not getting any younger. I get nervous calling anyone on the phone, I can't stand it. I get weirded out by emailing people [the same as] approaching people cold. But the more you do it, you still don't like it but you know that's what you have to do." Herein this simple admission lies the crux of Perini's appeal – he's you. He's all of us, unpolished and goofy and cringing about having to pick up the phone and ask a favour. He's a man with the same hang-ups, the same road blocks we all have (age, time, money, warring responsibilities), who's managed to somehow close his eyes, steel himself and awkwardly run screaming into the fray 'without fear'. FAKE IT TILL THE HOLLYWOOD HEAVYWEIGHTS NOTICE YOU Perini quickly discovered that for him, being an actor was far easier than being an everything else (don't throw anything at us, actors). As director, producer and writer, he finds himself holding a lot of threads which threaten to unravel at any moment and ruin everything. "What's nice about it is that you get more of a vision but then if it comes crashing down, it sucks," he says. "If I was acting it I'd just go, 'Oh they cut it badly, the director was a jerk.' But there's nowhere to hide once you start producing, directing and writing." His approach to his craft is one of self-assured humility; an oxymoron that blends equal parts ability and uncertainty. When asked if he thinks he's a good filmmaker, he's characteristically self-deprecating. "No I don't," he says quickly. "I think I'm a baby in it. Now that I've made two films completely on my own, in the sense that I produced them and wrote them, I think I learned the hard way really quickly. I look back at both those films and would do them completely differently. But I've learnt so much… that's kind of helpful." Trigger Street and Maggie Gyllenhaal evidently disagree. Perini's script, which he nearly didn't submit, was chosen out of hundreds as a co-winner of First Shot. The prize is a filmmakers' dream Your script is brought to life with you as the director, Kevin Spacey as creative director, Trigger Street as producers and Maggie Gyllenhaal in front of the camera. As you may guess, Perini is dealing with it in a characteristically low-key way. "They're gonna have a rude shock when I turn up and don't know what I'm doing... I'm just thankful and I want to learn from them as much as I can. I want to be as ignorant as I can and soak it all up." Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Thanks to Jameson and The Rewriters, one extremely fortunate Concrete Playground reader (and their even more fortunate mate) will get the chance to 'fear less' and go on a big ol' adventure to Ireland. In addition to two return flights departing from your choice of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, this epic giveaway comes with five night's accommodation and $500 spending money you can use to paint the Emerald Isle red. ENTER HERE. For more about how 'Sine Metu' influenced John Jameson's journey visit Jameson's website. Images: Michael Ciccone, Jameson, Trigger Productions.
Unicorns invaded the runway last night. For the Australian Fashion Week's final Resort 2018 showing, Sydney's Romance Was Born, known for its outlandish, yet highly desirable collections, worked with two-time Archibald winner Del Kathryn Barton to send out sparkling unicorns, polka dotted femme fatales and grand dames draped with rich prints in Barton's iconic style. This is Electro Orchid. The name references Barton's eponymous show from 2014, where she presented a series of smudgy word paintings in pink gouache, which was reflected by models who strutted down the catwalk wearing nothing but handwritten evocative messages, nude undies, a pair of killer shoes, oh and a good dose of sparkle. As expected RWB's Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales brought the spectacle to MBFWA, ending the week on a runway acid trip and giving life to all of our wildest dreams — which we'll now also be able to wear in the coming months. With such an extravagant showing, it was only fitting to keep those glittery good vibes a-glimmer. So, the fashion set said goodbye to Carriageworks for the year, and made its way to QT Sydney to celebrate with a grand finale of pink tinsel and neon lights, cocktails, oysters and a soundtrack of ABBA and Whitney Houston. (The party also opened a small RWB archival exhibit at QT's Parlour Lane, on free public display until the end of the month.) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia has come and gone, bringing with it an epic collaboration between two Australia design icons in their own right (yes, one of those is the Opera House), street style by the sea, hectic mullets and a slew of trends to now mull over and decide which will influence what we're wearing next from our fine Aussie designers. Until next time MBFWA, you've been quite the ride. Images: Tim Da Rin / Flaunter.
Reluctant pirates of Australia, this one's for you. Announced today, Australia's getting a brand new internet service, Yournet, which uses geododging to grant you access to TV from around the world. No VPN/funny business needed. Yournet is a soon-to-be-launched internet provider with a philosophy that everyone should pay for the content they consume, but also that Australians often get shafted out of competitive deals and easy access to good streaming services because of a certain someone’s monopoly on the market (Foxtel. It's Foxtel. Foxtel.). According to SMH, Yournet will un-geoblock your access to the holy grails of cheap TV streaming (US Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer) and other blocked foreign sites. Yournet will become available in August and you’re looking at an ADSL2+ connection for $129.95 with unlimited downloads, which is a wee bit more than your current (terrible) TPG bargain bin deal. But considering a good VPN will cost up to $10 a month and Yournet has an uncapped download limit, we’re pretty into it. Yournet is also designed specifically for people who like to procrastabinge-watch entire seasons of TV shows without slow buffering times reminding you of the mountain of responsibilities that lurk outside of the safe zone (your laptop-warmed, bed pillow fort). If you're using Yournet, you will need to find your own way to sign up for blocked overseas services and actually pay for the service. But once you're signed up, Yournet allows you to flick between platforms easily with the 'Global Mode' service — unlike many VPNs like Hola, which don't allow Australian geoblocked sites through to the rest of the world, you can just flick between BBC and ABC iView for example. With Australia's new copyright laws rolling out with gusto, this could be the solution that lets you hang up the cutlass and parrot. How this is possibly legal, we're still pretty in the dark. However, Fairfax references legal advice that this type of technology to bypass geoblocking is perfectly okay, something that consumer advocacy group CHOICE Australia thinks is not exactly correct. "It's possible that we'll see a legal challenge against Yournet, similar to the actions against Global Mode services in New Zealand," CHOICE campaigns manager Erin Turner told SMH. "CHOICE remains concerned that the recently passed Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015 will allow Australian rights holders to block access to online tools that allow consumers to access geo-blocked services. This isn't an anti-piracy measure, it's an anti-consumer measure that could see some of Australia's biggest companies block access to their international competitors." Check out Yournet here, launching in Australia in August. Via SMH.
It was something we thought would remain tucked away in the USA and Japan, sitting happily on Burger King breakfast menus or part of a solid, questionable homemade stoner diet. But here it is, rearing its processed, pink head in Sydney. We're talking the unfathomable Spam burger. We've heartily tucked into bao burgers, ramen burgers, mac 'n' cheese burgers. But this is next level shit (also what you'll likely drop in the bathroom after one of these). Recently-opened Darlinghurst venue Bloody Mary's is behind this diabolical burger, giving a bit of Australian love to the oft-ridiculed canned product. Owner Cinta Rockey told Good Food the burger tastes like "a burger crossed with a bacon-and-egg roll", which, let's be honest, sounds like some pretty high praise right there. Just look at it. Look how pink it is, sitting serenely between its lettuce and cheese hombres. It'll set you back 16 Spam-enabling dollars. They've even used Spam's former prison cell to hold the fries. Oh yeah. Welcome to first grade ???? ???? @bloodymaryssydney #spamburger #pineapple #bloodymaryssydney #darlinghurst #sydneyeats#spam A photo posted by Bloody Mary's (@bloodymaryssydney) on Jun 17, 2015 at 9:42pm PDT Not one to rest on spammy laurels, the Hamptons-inspired Bloody Mary's has quite the jaw-dropping menu. They've casually and maniacally deep fried Oreos: Limited time only. Deep fried Oreos ???????? @bloodymaryssydney @she_la_vee #bloodymaryssydney #oreo #darlinghurst #sydneyeats A photo posted by Bloody Mary's (@bloodymaryssydney) on Jun 18, 2015 at 11:23pm PDT They stack their other, less Spammy burgers high with onion rings: And of course, the mighty Bloody Mary is the star of the show, with a cocktail list including ten different Bloody Mary variations. You can choose your base spirit used including gin, tequila, dark rum and vodka, and then pick your garnishes. Fuck pickles! The 'Bloody Caesar' comes with bacon, cos lettuce and a prawn. Or this 'Bloody Hell' monster comes garnished with a prawn, chicken wing and a whole slider: If you're keen, find the formidable Spam Burger at Bloody Marys, 332 Victoria Street. Darlinghurst, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Via Good Food.
In huge news for the Australian music industry and fans alike, US music events giant Live Nation has announced it's snapped up a controlling stake in Secret Sounds Group — the organisation behind both Falls Festival and Splendour in the Grass, run by Jess Ducruo and Paul Piticco. This 51 percent stake marks the first Aussie acquisition for the enormous LA-based company, which already lays claim to over 80 global festivals, including Lollapalooza, Reading, Leeds, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Governor's Ball, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Rock Werchter. According to Music Business Worldwide, the deal excludes Secret Sounds Group-owned record labels Dew Process and Create Control, and Dew Process Publishing. Helmed by Michael Rapino, Live Nation has been buying up especially big in the music biz of late, with France's Nous Productions, South Africa's Big Concerts, and a majority stake in Tennessee's AC Entertainment just some of the 2016 additions to its ever-bulging portfolio. Nine months into this year, the group had already forked out a cool $113.1 million on net acquisitions. "Splendour in the Grass and Falls are the two most iconic festivals in Australia," said Rapino in a statement announcing the deal. "Jess and Paul have created events that attract the biggest artists in the world but still feel uniquely Australian. We look forward to partnering with them to find new ways to grow our live event footprint across Australia." Secret Sounds co-CEOs Ducrou and Piticco echoed the sentiment in their statement. "We started Secret Sounds with the sole mission of introducing Australians to the best artists, events and music possible, and Live Nation is the perfect partner to help us take this goal to the next level. With their support we can continue to curate the lineups that fans love, while also experimenting with new exciting ways for fans to experience live music." That such a big global player is now shouldering in on the Aussie festival scene and in control of two of our most prominent music events, could spell dramatic changes ahead. Via Pedestrian and Music Business Worldwide. Image: Splendour/Bianca Holderness. Home page image: A. Catt.
A nirvana of live music and creative thinking nestled smack bang in the middle of one of America’s most conservative states, Austin, Texas is amongst the most hypeworthy cities in the world. Never is this truer than during South by Southwest, a ten day festival of hugely talked-about movies, must-hear new music and groundbreaking, interactive tech. From flying cars to talks by Edward Snowden, this year’s event has once again got us turning green with envy. To help us cope with hardcore FOMO, we’ve come up with seven things happening at SXSW 2015 we wish we were bragging about experiencing firsthand. MEERKAT IS TAKING OVER With a tech-head on every corner, SXSW has become a premiere destination for developers looking to launch their latest app. Twitter and Foursquare both got their start in Austin, but this year the buzz has coalesced around Meerkat, an app that lets you live stream video from your phone to Twitter. Interesting idea, although whether it has staying power remains to be seen. VIRTUAL REALITY IS PUTTING PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE AT SNL40 Right now it feels like we’re right on the cusp of virtual reality actually being a thing. The team at Saturday Night Live certainly think so, teaming up with Sony to capture the filming of their recent 40th anniversary show. Just think: now you’ll be able to experience Eddie Murphy’s awkward guest spot like you were squirming in the audience firsthand. THERE'S A KWIK-E-MART FOOD TRUCK HANDING OUT FREE SQUISHEES Celebrating 25 years since the Kwik-E-Mart first opened its sliding doors on The Simpsons, Fox have created a food truck for SXSW that's serving up free squishees to lucky, lucky jerks for the duration of the festival. The flavours? 'Not So Very Cherry' and 'Give 'em the Razz'. The whole thing's a publicity stunt of course, and coincides with the announcement of the first ever 1100-piece Lego Kwik-E-Mart set. JIMMY KIMMEL TAPED A COMMERCIAL FOR A LOCAL AUSTIN VIDEO STORE For the second year in a row, late night host Jimmy Kimmel made the trip to Texas for a week’s worth of shows, with guests including Bill Murray, Willie Nelson and Kanye West. But the highlight might be the trio of TV ads he recorded for Austin’s Vulcan Video, where he and a self-effacing Matthew McConaughey pay tribute to Leonard Nimoy and extol the virtue of VHS. Alright, alright... alright? THERE'S BEEN SWORD FIGHTING AT SXSWESTEROS Well of course there was a Game of Thrones thing. HBO’s SXSW installation, teasing the launch of the show’s fifth season, has been one of the biggest drawcards of the festival, with lines stretching around the block. Fans got the chance to practice their swordsmanship, snap a pic in the Iron Throne and get a taste of the show’s latest branded beer, Three-Eyed Raven Ale. As of yet, no one appears to have been betrayed and brutally murdered, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted. TINDER'S BEING USED IN A CREEPY BUT MOVING MARKETING CAMPAIGN Okay, so we’re not exactly sure we’d actually want to experience this one. Like any popular social networking app, Tinder has got its fair share of bots, but none of them are quite like Ava. While she appears to be a pretty 25-year-old, she’s actually part of a viral marketing campaign for sci-fi thriller Ex Machina, which premiered at the festival over the weekend. It’s a clever stunt, although we can’t help but feel a little bad for the guys who swiped right. PEOPLE ARE VOLUNTARILY STAYING AT BATES MOTEL We all go a little crazy sometimes. Some of us are even crazy enough to want to stay in a pop-up Bates Motel, publicising the A&E thriller television show with a terrifying stay. An exact replica built with the help of the show's set designers for the third season of Bates Motel, the pop-up fully functioning hotel accommodates guests in three rooms from March 13-21. You're only able to check-in by winning a daily sweepstakes in the motel office. Lucky winners have found a fake blood spatter in the shower in their room, along with poor ol' Norma's bathrobe on the bed. Freaky. PEOPLE ARE GENUINELY RALLYING AGAINST ROBOTS Perhaps a few of Ava’s disgruntled victims were amongst the protestors at the Rally Against Robots, a protest march attempting to warn festivalgoers about the dangers of artificial intelligence. Or at least, that’s what it looked like. Turns out this was actually another marketing stunt, for a dating app called Quiver. That said, we’ve seen The Terminator enough times to think they might actually be on to something. PUNTERS ARE TAKING INTERSTELLAR VR TOURS Speaking of virtual reality, a VR tie-in with Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar put attendees 'inside' the film’s Endurance space craft — letting them explore the ship in zero gravity and get a glimpse of a time-warping black hole. No word on whether this experience actually helps you understand the plot of the movie, but either way it sounds pretty cool.
Ethical shopping is really goddamn hard sometimes. On one hand, you don’t want clothes that have been painstakingly made by someone earning a dollar a day in a sweatshop. On the other hand are a bunch of shopping bags because you've no idea where to even start shopping ethically. Like everything, an ethical mindset happens incrementally and the first step you can take is here — the Good On You ethical shopping assistant app is seeking crowdfunding. Intended to help you make better consumer choices, the Good On You app amalgamates information on the ethical rating of fashion brands, either by search term or in your local area. The app also measures different production impacts and processes such as child labour, treatment of animals and contribution to climate change. Basically, the app tells you all the real ingredients that went into making your must-have leather jacket, leaving no stone unturned. At times, it may be a hard pill to swallow if your favourite brands don’t pass the test, but the GOY team don't want you to stop shopping — the app also feature alternative suggestions, based on your style, that do better ethically. And perhaps the feature with the greatest potential to catalyse change is the ability to directly message brands who don’t pass muster (fire up your emoji dictionary for maximum emotional impact). There are a few ethical shopping assistant apps on the market right now, however this is the first that systematically catalogues Australian fashion and beauty brands — and it’s about time. Ethical shopping needn’t be a time-consuming ordeal and with an app that creates brand transparency it hopefully soon won’t be. Image: Dollar Photo Club and Good On You. UPDATE DECEMBER 18, 2015: Thanks to awesome crowdfunded dollars, Good On You reached their target of $15,000 and the app is now live. You can download it from their website. Go team!
A magical feast awaits the foodies of London, inspired by the writings of C.S. Lewis. For two weeks starting in late January, fiction-inspired supper club The Literary Hour is hosting a five course Narnia-themed banquet — and yes, you have to step though a wardrobe to attend. Just don't forget to bring your winter furs. Set to take place in a secret location somewhere near Tottenham Hale station in north London, Feast in Narnia is but the latest literary supper club hosted by the group. Previous dinners took their cues from the Brothers Grimm and Roald Dahl, and featured dishes such as Cinderella's pumpkin arancini and Willy Wonka's whipple-scrumptious fudgemellow delight. They've also run a not-so-fairytale dinner inspired by Hannibal Lecter, featuring blood soup, brain fritters and Silence of the (Ten Hour Slow Roasted) Lamb. What exactly you'll find on the menu in Narnia is currently being kept under wraps, although the organisers are promising "traitors' tea with Mr Tumnus" and "a fine fishy time with Mrs Beaver". We figure that it's not too much of a stretch to assume that Turkish delight will feature prominently as well. Londoners can book themselves a spot at the table via Grub Club. The rest of us might have to find our own enchanted wardrobe to transport us there first. Via Londonist.
Generally speaking, New Year's Eve can go one of two ways. Get it right, and it's a chance to let loose with your friends and celebrate the promise of the next 365 days. Get it wrong, and it's an unending hellscape of munted revellers, terrible music and being cooked to death on crowded public transport. But while it doesn't always seem like it, there are other options — ones that don't involve crushing crowds or spending an arm and a leg on some 'exclusive' party that'll only end up disappointing. If you're not one for blowouts and can't be stuffed watching the fireworks, here are five alternative suggestions for NYE 2018. HOST A DINNER PARTY At the end of the day, the best thing about New Year's Eve is getting together with your friends and loved ones. Well, it turns out you can have all that without the stress of leaving the house. Invite a few of your closest friends around and then get busy cooking. Once the night is underway you can keep yourselves amused with everything from bake-offs to board games to catching up with old episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. If nothing else, getting your friends to supply the booze will mean you save yourself a bundle to spend in 2019. HOST A SLUMBER PARTY Doubling down on our previous suggestion, a sleepover saves you the awkwardness of kicking your mates out at 1.30am once the party has wound down — and it means you don't have to worry about dressing up, since you'll presumably all be hanging out in your pyjamas/'at home' clothes anyway. Spend the evening and early hours of the morning playing Cards Against Humanity and gorging yourself on snacks before collapsing onto a giant pile of pillows in the living room. As an added bonus, this idea means you get to wake up in a room full of your favourite people… and then you can guilt them into helping you with the cleanup. GO CAMPING While everyone else is figuring out the best way into the city, we reckon that there's a very strong case to be made for heading in the opposite direction. If it's serenity you're after, grab a tent, a sleeping bag, an esky and a couple of friends, and make your way deep into the bush. There mightn't be fireworks, but as you're ringing in the New Year gazing up at the stars, you won't feel too hard done by. Just make sure you're aware of any fire restrictions that might be in place, and be careful on the roads. Check out some of our favourite spots outside of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. MOVIE MARATHON There were a ton of great movies to hit cinemas this year (we wrote about some of our favourites over here). As we gear up for another Oscar season, there's no better time to fire up your Netflix account and catch up with the flicks you might have missed. If you do want to get out of the house, select Palace Cinemas around the country are hosting advance NYE screenings of the crowd-pleasing Green Book, with a celebratory glass of Prosecco included in the ticket price. Alternatively, Melburnians can pay a visit to the historic Astor Theatre and rock into January with Prince's Purple Rain. FIND SOMEWHERE TO VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME IN 2018 Look, let's be honest — 2018 was not a great year. So why not spend its final moments figuring how to make 2019 a better one? Volunteering is a great item to include on your list of New Year's resolutions, and there are no shortage of worthwhile organisations looking for extra bodies. Medicine sans Frontiers, Oxfam, Second Bite and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre sit at the top of our list, but a quick Google search will reveal hundreds of others. Wouldn't it be nice to wake up on January 1 feeling good instead of just really, really hungover?
Woken up in a self-induced, whiskey-fuelled, stomach-grating, cold-sweating Sunday Hades too many times? You’re about to feel real guilty. London’s wholesome beige cashmere cardigan of a suburb, Notting Hill, is about to open the unthinkable: an alcohol-free cocktail bar called Redemption. We like to call this a ‘juice bar’. But apparently there's more to it than that. Redemption is London’s first alcohol-free bar, the city’s only ‘cocktail spot’ with a mocktail and food menu designed by nutritional therapists. Created by Catherine Salway, ex Virgin Group Brand Director, executive chef and raw, vegan specialist Andrea Waters, the bar sports the tagline, “Spoil yourself without spoiling yourself.” It’s the latest in a ‘healthvolution’ (yep) of dry bars happening across England, tackling the country’s huge social drinking focus by simply replacing the booze with Healthy Things. It's like almost like nicotine patch for being around bars. “These days it’s hard to get away from booze – you can’t even go to the cinema without being offered a glass of wine,” says Salway and Waters. “With Redemption, we are creating a space away from temptation that still feels like a treat. We’re challenging the convention that we need alcohol to lubricate every social occasion.” Anyone who just did Dry July (right here), would probably be down with this. But let’s be honest, this isn’t a ‘cocktail bar’. Basically it’s a wholesome, vegan cafe open late and using a buzzword to generate articles like the one you’re reading now. Consider us suckers. Redemption’s less about getting smashed on Negronis and more about filling your weekends with less sugar and alcohol. Think 'beet-o-tinis', 'apple mockjitos', and the mildly terrifying-sounding ‘lettuce spray’. For those who don’t drink at all, or those looking to detox the Captain Morgan from their pores, this is a great, appealing initiative from a country whose deep-set drinking problems mirror our own. Perhaps it’s time for a Redemption of our own? *rolls over, orders pizza online, burps Chardonnay* Redemption Bar opens on August 10 at 6 Chepstow Road, London. Open Monday – Saturday 10am – 11pm. Sunday 10am – 5pm. Via VICE and Sharking for Chips and Drinks. Images: Redemption and Sharking for Chips and Drinks.
People are always finding new and exciting ways to advance technology — and when their aim isn’t creating phone apps or more realistic pornography, it’s often about helping others. The Chilean team behind the SULI project fall into the second category of helpers. Their solar-powered SULI lamp is designed to bring a quick, easy, renewable light source to people without access to electricity. SULI estimates 1.5 billion people worldwide are without access to lighting, and use alternatives (such as kerosene lamps, candles, etc.) that are expensive and dangerous. And while solar-powered lights aren’t exactly new technology, an easy, cheap and versatile application for solar lighting is. With 3D-printed accessories, the SULI lamp has applications in both the developed and developing word. It can be used as a flashlight, a bicycle light, a garden light, a reading lamp or (this is the best one) screwed onto a water bottle and transformed into a device that throws light up to five metres. The light takes up to 12 hours to charge and the charge lasts for around 50 hours. For those of you trying to cut down your electricity bills, this may be the gadget for you. With two years of development and several grants behind them, the SULI team has finally brought the project to us via Indiegogo. For US$52 plus shipping you can send yourself one lamp, but for $85 you can add a second that gets sent to Haiti, where 3500 people are still living without electricity or access to water since the devastating 2010 earthquake. SULI have already raised US$22,000 but they still need to sell a few hundred more lamps in order to keep production costs low and their altruism train rolling. So get on board with this clever idea, fill your house with SULIs and know that while your household enjoys light after dark, so does a household in Haiti. Via PSFK. Image via Suli Lab.
Anyone who’s dreamed of spending a summer living in Berlin has just gotten some added incentive. The German capital has officially enacted new rent-control legislation, in order to curtail rising rental prices that have been driving low-income earners out of the city. Must be nice. The new law, which was approved by the German parliament in March, will prohibit landlords from increasing rent to more than 10 percent above the local average. The law was already in place for existing contracts, but will now apply to new tenants as well. Berlin was previously experiencing some of the fastest rising rental rates in Europe, with the average rate jumping by more than 9 percent between 2013 and 2014 alone. If you’re wondering why Australia doesn’t have similar legislation on the books, then welcome to the club. A recent global survey that took into account rental prices as well as various other cost of living factors including food, transport and utilities found that Sydney was the fifth most expensive city in the world, with Melbourne right behind at number six. Brisbane came in at 21, while Perth and Adelaide tied at 24. By comparison, New York City was number 26. That’s right. Living in New York is less expensive than Perth. The NSW Greens Party actually proposed changes to Sydney rental laws during their state election campaign earlier in the year. Under their proposal, rises in rent would be tied to the rate of inflation, and landlords would be restricted to one price increase per year. Member for Newtown Jenny Leong has pledged to introduce the legislation to the state’s lower house. In the meantime, Flight Centre has tickets to Berlin starting at $1499. Via The Guardian. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Bell Shakespeare artistic director Peter Evans has teamed up with Australian stage and screen actor Kate Mulvany to bring to life one of the most manipulative, dastardly and downright evil characters ever to stand before the footlights. Mulvany will play the notorious woman-hater and generally tasteless gent, which will undoubtedly lead to some tasty additional layers in the play and a fresh look at this gem of theatre and literature. Shakespeare's classic play explores King Richard III's Machiavellian acquisition of power and has essentially served as a textbook for most politicians from Henry Kissinger to… well, you can draw your own conclusions. The themes of power, deceit and malevolence amongst the ruling elite that are central to the play, have been echoed throughout the ages. If you're keen to get more out of House of Cards, this is a good place to start. Image: Pierre Toussaint.
Vivid LIVE is expanding this year with its Artist Talks Program (May 27 to June 13), which will see artists taking the stage for their Vivid show and also for a special Q&A. Artists like New Order, Anohni and Wafia will be chatting to audiences across multiple Opera House foyers, as well as in the Playhouse. The talks are designed to give audiences the ability to both hear artists perform and also reflect on their creative process. Perhaps the most highly anticipated talk, New Order in conversation with filmmaker/MFS label head Mark Reeder ($25+BF), is the only ticketed event, but will definitely be worth the bucks. The talk will focus on the years of Factory Records, Joy Division and Manchester. Veteran rock journo Paul Morley and former NME photographer Kevin Cummins will also delve into Manchester as part of The New Order Project. Festival headliner Anonhi will join collaborator and Australian artist Lynette Wallworth in the Playhouse to speak about our fragile connection to the natural world. Legendary experimental composer Max Richter will chat to Paul Morley (mentioned above), and Song Exploder see Hrishikesh Hirway unpacking Hiatus Kaiyote's Grammy-nominated songs in a live session with the band. MusicNSW will lead a panel on women in the Aussie electronic music scene — with Wafia and Flume/A$AP Rocky vocalist Kučka holding separate free sessions. FBi Radio's Chris Twite will chat to Polica about their work before their Vivid show, and Double J's Myf Warhurst is taking an integral part in this talk series. Having a hard time choosing? With most events completely free, you won't have to.
Need to spruce up your facial hair and spice up your casserole from the same product line? Say hello to Handsome Devils Co., your one-stop shop for all of your hot sauce and beard oil needs, "curiously crafted by Australian gentlemen". Wondering how someone could come up with a combination like that? It all started with hot sauce. Working out of a Bondi garage for the last year, this burgeoning Sydney company was initially all about food products when it was founded by Sydney entrepreneur Ryan Brown. "I was eating a lot of hot sauce and […] decided that I could make better products with no preservatives, no added colours or flavours," he says. After sharing his sauces with friends, one suggested that he should sell them and Handsome Devils Co. was born. The current sauce lineup consists of the smoky chipotle, tangy Verde, spicy Savina and Ryan's favourite of the month: de Arbol. When asked why it's his favorite, his response is simple: "It's just got this all-round awesomeness. I can eat it every single day and never get over it." 'Nuff said. Aside from the chillies, which are imported from Mexico where the climate is more chilli-growing friendly, all the ingredients in the bottles are sourced from local farmers in Port Macquarie. Of course, once you've mastered one of your favourite products, you'll inevitably look for the next project. Ryan's just happened to be grooming products. Handsome Devils Co.'s grooming range came from the same attitude that Ryan had towards the hot sauce: "I can make that." While this side of the business started as just beard oils, it quickly expanded to include shave oil, aftershave balm, activated charcoal soap and body scrubs. All their grooming products come from the same philosophy: "If you can't put it in your mouth, why would you put it on your skin?" Every product boasts all-natural ingredients — not that Ryan'd recommend anyone eat them — and Bondi's laidback vibe is present in everything they do. The company is essentially a group of mates doing what they love and trying to embed themselves in the branding (hence the combination of food and grooming). Sydney's small business scene is pretty cutthroat, with statistics saying that most fail within their first two years. But Handsome Devils Co. has triumphantly survived — albeit with seriously hard work. "It's been a lot of trial and error," says Ryan. They must be trialling something right — their nationwide list of stockists is testament to that. So what's next for Handsome Devils Co.? This young Sydney company has some pretty awesome things ahead. They're supplying hot sauce for Sydney rock band You Am I's latest album, Porridge and Hotsauce, and will be collaborating with everyone's favourite brewers, Young Henrys, for some events in December. Ryan is also working on a list of products (not necessarily hot sauces) to produce but he's trying to keep it hush hush. Despite not having a storefront, you can catch the guys at the Brewery Yard Markets and every three or four weeks at the Bondi Farmers Market. Check out Handsome Devils Co.'s website — they might just have the Christmas present you're looking for.
We’ve all got that one friend. The friend who has literally everything but still organises a gift exchange for Christmas, like it’s a challenge to your ingenuity. And inevitably you wake up sweaty and stressed the night before and realise you’ve left it too late, but can’t stand the shame of handing over another expensive soy candle. Don’t worry, this year we’ve got you covered. How about you get them a BridgeClimb? It’s the perfect gift for a Sydneysider because they mightn't have done one and will thank you in video form from the top. And what better bridge to climb than Sydney Harbour Bridge? It’s THE bridge. The bridge that gives other bridges self-esteem issues. BridgeClimb Sydney will take you safely (big emphasis on ‘safely’ for all you worrywarts out there) up and down the iconic landmark in a small group. You can choose from day, night, twilight or dawn climbs (best to avoid a dawn climb if your gift recipient isn’t a morning person). You might even see Jon Snow up the top, searching for Ygritte (the climb will be totally worth it just to stand where they stood). All BridgeClimbers receive a group photo, cap, free pass to the Pylon lookout (a lookout atop the big stone tower at the south end of the bridge) and, best of all, a certificate of authenticity. Stick that one in your wallet for the next time you’re out and someone doubts your bravery. And for those of you who want a taste of the experience but are not entirely sure that going all the way to the top is for you, you can try the BridgeClimb Sampler. This means a leisurely 1.5 hour stroll to halfway up the bridge to a unique vantage point (minus the vertigo). Christmas is just around the corner so book your BridgeClimb gift certificate stat. Top image: Dollar Photo Club. Climber images: BridgeClimb.
At first glance, mid-week raving and healthy living don’t seem to go hand in hand. The energetic people behind Morning Gloryville turned that preconception on its head with their breakfast raves in Paddington Uniting Church last year. Now, Sydney's dawn party experts are back with a brand new venue — an Alexandria warehouse. Taking over All Sorts Indoor Sports Factory from March 18, the London-founded breakfast bash will ring in its first Sydney pop-up event for 2015 with a huge warehouse party. An early, early 6.30am warehouse party. Lockouts, consider yourselves excluded from this shindig. "Anything goes really," says co-organiser Max Becker. "The benefit of having a rave at 6.30am is that the lockouts are irrelevant, plus rather than ensuring people get home safely it’s actually trying to make them go to work that becomes the problem." So first-timers, what can you expect from this breakfast rave? The Morning Glory rave started in London’s Shoreditch — where else — by Sam Moyo and Nico Thoemmes. Like last time around, music will be pumping from 6.30am, with sets from some of Sydney DJ favourites Levins and Max Attack. You’re encouraged to jump around and shake those cobwebs loose before heading to work — there's even a few furiously energetic dancers around to show you some moves. To keep your energy up and legitimately kickstart your day, MG offer up a bunch of tasty breakfast options and juices, as well as free yoga and massages. The recommended dress code is simply 'dress to sweat', but loads of colour and festivalwear is also encouraged — anything to help you seize the day. The only real rule is sobriety; let your inner dance monster show the world what it’s made of unimpeded by plonk. It's all ages, just ten beans if you get tickets early, and probably the most fun you'll ever have early on a Wednesday morning. Find Morning Gloryville at All Sorts Indoor Sports Factory, 160 Bourke Rd, Alexandria on Wednesday, March 18. Runs 6.30 - 9.30am, tickets are $10 for early birds, $15 first release, $20 second release, more on the door. Grab 'em here. Words by Hannah Valmadre and Shannon Connellan.
More home-style Vietnamese fare (just like mama used to make) is coming to Sydney, with local favourite Mama's Buoi opening a Sydney third location this winter, following their Surry Hills and Crows Nest branches. It'll be their their fifth restaurant counting Melbourne's Chadstone and CBD locations. Located at Tramsheds, the heritage-listed Rozelle Tram Depot-turned-colossal European-inspired market hall, Mama's Buoi will be joining the likes of Belle's Hot Chicken, Bodega 1904, Gelato Messina and many more. The new venue will open later this month, with an exact date to be confirmed. On the menu, you'll find MB regulars like fresh rice paper rolls, variations of vermicelli salad, and bowls of that coveted six-hour broth pho, served in a casual setting — with playful cocktails to boot. And of course, it's all relatively cheap — you can expect to get a decent meal for under $20. Mama's Buoi opens at Tramsheds Harold Park, 1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge in August 2017. Images: Mathilda Hill-Smith.
With three holiday dates coming up, April is the month to plan a weekend getaway. If you're still looking for your ticket out of the city, Flash Camp has just announced they'll be hosting a pop-up glamping site within Shoalhaven's Coolendel private reserve from April 7 through 25, including the Easter and ANZAC Day holidays. Only a 2.5 hour drive down the South Coast from Sydney and thirty minutes from Nowra, the remote location is an easy trip to achieve a true bush experience — well, kind of. As to be expected, the tents look quite luxe. The bell-shaped, premium 'Flash Tents' come with a king-sized mattress, covered in plush bedding and perched on timber pallets. The tents also feature solar lighting, table and chairs, Biology toiletries and a hand-woven Armadillo & Co rug. For groups looking for a slightly (very slightly) more traditional camping experience, Flash Camp also offer their regular bell tents with air beds. Guests will also have access to the existing Coolendel amenities, including hot showers and barbecue facilities, as well as a communal Flash Camp tent with seating, fairy lights and a campfire. The glamping site will be located within Coolendel's 52 hectares of bushland along the Shoalhaven River. Nature lovers will be keen on this secluded grassy park, which is an ideal location for spotting wombats, goannas, wallabies and native birds. Apart from nature watching and bushwalking, guests can also try a spot of canoeing, biking and fishing. Rates vary from $110 to $220 per night, depending on day of the week and holidays. Food is not provided, though, so campers should make sure to pack the eski full for the duration of the trip. Flash Camp Glamping will pop up at Coolendel from April 7 through 25. To book, visit the Flash Camp website. For more glamping options, check out our list for the ten best glamping spots near Sydney .
UPDATE: DECEMBER 10, 2018 — As it approaches the one-year mark, The Book of Mormon has announced that its final performance will be held on February 8, 2019 — and 10,000 tickets have just been released. You can currently book $69 tickets for shows between December 16 and February 3 next year. If you're one of the few Sydneysiders that haven't seen it yet, you might want to jump on it while you can — the tickets will only be available until December 16. Book them here. First, posters popped up around Sydney saying 'the mormons are coming' and come February, they'll officially be here. If you thought you were going to have to head down to Melbourne to catch The Book of Mormon, think again, because Trey Parker and Matt Stone's hit musical is bringing its hilariously irreverent self to the Sydney Lyric Theatre. After playing most of 2017 down south, the multi-award-winning production will settle in for a Sydney season from February 28, 2018. Tickets are now on sale for its second Australian stint, and given that all of its 250-plus performances have sold out in Melbourne, it's certain to prove a hot ticket. Written by South Park and Team America's notoriously puerile creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, together with Robert Lopez of genius grown-up muppet show Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon is probably one of the most lauded comedies ever to have centred on the Church of Latter Day Saints, African missions, AIDS, bum jokes and super ironic racism. If it wasn't so smart and so funny, few would forgive it. But since it is, The Book of Morman has picked up nine Tonys, four Olivier Awards, a Grammy and two Helpmanns since it debuted in 2011, and has been called "one of the most joyously acidic bundles Broadway has unwrapped in years". If you've been envious of the throngs seeing the musical in New York, Chicago or London, then you'll be plenty excited that you'll now get the chance to go learn all the idiosyncratic details of Mormonism, meet war criminal General Butt-Fucking Naked and know the true meaning of the hakuna matata-like saying 'Hasa Diga Eebowai'. The Book of Mormon has also introduced an online lottery for those wanting to nab some affordable $40 tix. Every week, eight double passes will be up for grabs for the week ahead — just enter the lottery here between midday on Wednesday and midday on Thursday. The show will still run a lottery at the theatre every night, but, this way, you don't have to actually go to the theatre without the promise of a seat. Image: Ryan Bondy, Zahra Newman, Nyk Bielak and company in The Book of Mormon, AUS 1411. (c) Jeff Busby. By Sarah Ward and Libby Curran.
Plant lovers of Sydney, you can now grab a coffee while shopping for your perfect tiny, tiny succulent. Garden Life, St Peters's beautiful store for urban green thumbs, is opening its very own onsite cafe. If you've ever been to Garden Life, you'll know that ordinary things don't tend to make it across the threshold. And the cafe's no exception. The coffee is coming directly from The Little Marionette, while Ovvio will be providing premium quality organic teas. Meanwhile, you'll be snacking on delicious treats from The Bread and Butter Project, a not-for-profit initiative by Bourke Street Bakery. And what better way to launch it than with free coffee and food? That's right, if you head along during the first two days of operation — Saturday, July 2 and Sunday, July 3 — you'll be treated to a hot, steaming brew as well as a selection of treats without paying a cent. Once launch weekend is done and dusted, Garden Life cafe will be open during the week for tea and coffee, and on weekends for light refreshments. Find Garden Life at 158 Princes Highway, St Peters. Opening weekend for the Garden Life cafe is Saturday, July 2 (9am-5pm) and Sunday, July 3 (10am-4pm).
For all of us down here in the southern hemisphere, Christmas has never really aligned with the classic ‘snowy tree, Christmas jumpers, roast dinner and egg nog’ style of celebration enjoyed by the north. Frankly, the thought of eating a hot, greasy wad of ham on a 35-degree day is kind of gross — give us a tinnie and a prawn skewer anytime. But that doesn’t mean we don’t like to pretend, and the Hotham Street Ladies have just the thing. These cheeky Melbourne artists have created a sweet, sweet installation for the iconic Hotel Windsor that features a massive, traditional Christmas spread. There's a fat roast chicken, glazed ham, juicy lobster, baked whole fish (man, we sure eat a lot of meat at Christmas, Gaviscon must rake it in) and not to mention the succulent desserts and sides. This piece of art looks better than any Christmas meal you’ve ever made (hell it looks better than most things) and the kicker? It’s made entirely from icing sugar. The Christmas at The Windsor exhibit (which is on display from December 1 to January 5) took over a month to create and the gals used an incredible range of modelling and piping techniques to work in so much detail. Aren't across these bold, culinary artists? The Hotham Street Ladies are an artist collective of five women — Cassandra Chilton, Molly O’Shaughnessy, Sarah Parkes, Caroline Price and Lyndal Walker — who derive their name from the days when they lived together in a share house in Collingwood. Their mutal passion for cakes, baking, feminism and craft has since informed their work and it’s pretty damned cute (with a big streak of feminist badassery). Check out some of their other work, including a puppy cake covered in iced flowers, candy beards, a table setting designed around leftovers and this gloriously graphic iced period stain installation in the men’s toilets at the Victorian College of the Arts. Christmas at The Windsor is on display at the Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring Street from December 1 to the January 5.
Finally, the Bloody Mary will have a breakfast bev companion. Bacardi has been cooking up what is thought to be the first spirit distilled from tea leaves, a new product they're calling Tang. Although we're pretty sure that's already a long-copyrighted drink name for a sugary orange fizz, Bacardi are running with it as inspired by the Chinese Tang Dynasty — when the country's obsession with tea really put down its roots. And with tea still the second most widely consumed beverage in the world (behind coffee, of course), it looks like Bacardi's capitalising on a still-travelling bandwagon. Someone at Bacardi obviously saw more than The Grim in their tea leaves. Apparently the company has been developing a brand new distillation process for four years, according to The Spirits Business. Releasing complex sugars from green tea leaves, the process makes the tea leaves fermentable — so able to become booze. Looks like someone at Bacardi left the leaves in their home teapot too long and had a Brilliant Idea. The fermented gloop then heads to distillation phase, before being blended to really get those tea flavours out. Then the whole thing is diluted with French spring water at Cognac's Grey Goose distillery and you've got yourself a 'tea spirit', designed to drink alongside Chinese food or dropped into cocktails. If you're all fired up to drop a little Tang in your morning cup, be warned; it's going to be exclusively distributed in China (initially only from DFS Hong Kong until May). Plus, it's not going to be cheap. Bacardi are only making small batches of 2000 500ml bottles a go (HK$1888 or AU$318), with the first 500 of the batch numbered, so you're going to see some pretty steep eBay prices on Tang. Via The Spirits Business.
Continuing in the tradition of online services that ensure you never have to leave your living room, a brand new website has recently launched in Sydney that will deliver groceries right to your door. Inspired by their success in Germany, ShopWings lets you select your groceries over the web, before dispatching one of its shoppers to do the busy work for you and deliver within about two hours. Basically it’s like The Iconic, but for food. After entering your postcode, visitors to ShopWings choose between three different grocery chains: ALDI, Coles and Harris Farm (sorry Woolies). From there, it’s simply a matter of filling your virtual shopping cart and heading to the checkout. The delivery fee comes in at a flat $8.90 — although in order to entice customers, your first use of the service is free. Once you’ve paid via credit card or PayPal, ShopWings guarantee delivery within two hours. They currently deliver to addresses in the CBD, eastern suburbs and beaches and the Lower North Shore, with plans for expansion already on the cards. Of course ShopWings isn’t Australia’s first online grocery service. Both Coles and Woolworths already offer home delivery, while Grocery Butler has been operating since mid-2013. Where this new operation aims to stand apart is in the quality of their service. ShopWings shoppers will even get in touch with you from the grocery store if an item you selected is out of stock, so that you can pick an alternative rather than going without dinner. Test out ShopWings over here. Image: ShopWings.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Sydney is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing a little adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to celebrate the landmark 40th anniversary of their iconic small cars, and in turn, help you celebrate the Sydney landmarks and institutions we all love. This week, discover and rediscover the things that make Sydney so great, with seven different detours through our city's classic spots. From Monday to Sunday, channel that Sydneysider spirit, and enrich your everyday with one completely achievable, time-honoured activity that helps bypass any mundane roadblocks in your routine. This week, rediscover the Sydney we know and love, with a massive plate of dumplings in Haymarket, a gig at the Metro followed by midnight Golden Century and a flick at an iconic Art Deco cinema. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Calling all Gordon Gekkos and Jordan Belforts, the UK's got a new bar for you. The Reserve Bar Stock Exchange is London's new venue where drink prices fluctuate in real time according to their nightly popularity, opening on June 17. Set across three floors, Reserve is attempting to connect customers to the value of their cocktails, and how quickly one drink can rise in value while another crashes. It all depends on which drink is most popular on the night — classic supply and demand. There's a live market price board where you can see how different cocktails are doing, and the bar's smartphone app will let you keep track of things at your table — an app that also allows patrons to order cocktails right to their table. The bar's advice? "Buy low, play the market, and when the market crashes... everybody wins." We guess that means a sweet cheapo special. So who's the Wolf of Wall Street behind this whole deal? Reserve has been dreamt up by Alan Grant and his crew, whose former escapades include London's Cherry Jam, Supper Club and Notting Hill Arts Club. It's London's first bar of its kind, but it's not the world's — Austin, Texas has a stock market themed bar called The Brew Exchange, where the hundred beers on tap fluctuate according to popularity. If you happen to be in London (or you've got buds over there) before the bar opens on June 17, Reserve is offering punters the chance to feel like a right ol' Gecko — you can invest £25, £50 or £100 in the bar and you'll double your money instantly with a 100% return of £50, £100 or £200 in bar credit. The Reserve Bar Stock Exchange opens on June 17 at 46 Gresham Street, London. Via The Drinks Business. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
This holiday season, there's only one decoration we want hanging from our Christmas tree. It's the latest absurd dessert from the team at Gelato Messina, who so far this year have created ice cream cigars, ice cream hamburgers and an ice cream inspired by an air freshener. Available just in time for a yuletide family feed, Messina's 2015 Christmas cake combines the tastes of gingerbread, pear and chocolate. With flavours that smooth, it's no wonder they called it the Michael Baulble. The limited edition dessert, which can be ordered now until December 22 through the Gelato Messina website, consists of burnt butter and gingerbread gelato with pear mouse and fruit mince florentine, enclosed in a chocolate dome and dusted with gold powder. It also comes with vanilla brandy custard, which should be warmed and applied generously before eating. The Michael Baulble costs $90 and can be picked up from select Messina stores in Sydney (Roseberry, Miranda and Parramatta), Melbourne (Fitzroy) and Queensland (Coolangatta). According to Messina it feeds 16 people, although let's be real here: there's no way you're sharing it with that many people. Sure, Christmas is the time for giving and all that, but everyone has their limits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=SUp6tmSbQN0 To order your own Michael Baulble, visit the Gelato Messina website. Via Good Food.
When I first signed up for a day of whitewater rafting on Tropical North Queensland's Tully River I was pumped. I can't say it had ever been on my bucket list, but as a new resident of North Queensland I was keen to do anything that meant I got to explore the deep north – so I couldn't turn down this RedBalloon experience. My alarm on the morning of the adventure went off at 5.15am, and my dreams of being flung out the raft and thrown into white water came to an end. Mild panic had begun to settle in. By the time I arrived at the meeting point in Cairns where our tour bus was waiting to drive us to the riverside destination, I was scheming ways to get out of it. We travelled down the Bruce Highway past sugar cane fields, banana plantations and cloud-covered coastal mountains. About an hour later, the road started getting narrower, the surrounding vegetation more lush, and glimpses of the river opened up to full views. We got off the bus and our guide Gregor helped with my helmet and life jacket, then I grabbed a paddle and headed down the path with five strangers towards our raft. As we paddled towards our first lot of rapids I tried to recall the instructions on what to do. I realised that upon entering the raft, I'd been way too focused on wedging my foot in between the seats to ensure I was attached no matter what and forgot to listen. As the menacing whitewater looked like it was about to engulf us I didn't know whether to squeeze my eyes shut or hold on tight, or both. Neither of the options included helping to paddle. [caption id="attachment_593255" align="alignnone" width="1280"] This is me terrified and holding on to the rope.[/caption] Then Gregor's clear, calm voice came from the back of the raft, "Okay guys, this is how today will work," he said. "Listen to me and you'll be fine. I promise to give really simple instructions. We're going to have heaps of fun getting to know this river." I wasn't 100 per cent convinced but I did listen to him. My life was in his hands. "Okay guys, here we go! Paddle forward, forward, forward aaaand relax. Now back paddle, back, back, back aaaand relax." I did relax. Honestly. As soon as we'd cleared the first lot of rapids I knew I was in safe hands with a pro river guide and a bunch of people who were a mix of fairly experienced thrill-seekers and newbie thrill-seekers like me. Gregor maneuvered the raft through the first lot of rapids expertly. With names like 'Double D Cup', I couldn't help but giggle (nervously) as we approached them and then scream/laugh as we rode through them. Gregor informed us they were the trickiest set we'd encounter. I didn't want to ask if he meant before lunch or throughout the whole day, so I kept my mouth shut and rejoiced with the rest of my team that we'd aced it. As we floated into calmer waters we got out of the raft for a swim, letting the cool, crystal-clear waters take us past springs and falls while the magnificent rainforest growth of the gorge towered overhead. Ulysses butterflies flying above us came along for the ride too. After a refreshing shower under Pony Tail Falls we hopped on to dry land for a barbecue lunch in the middle of the rainforest before setting off to tackle the rest of the rapids. This time around, it was panic-free. By the end of the day I was jumping off a 5-metre-tall rock formation. As I bobbed up to the surface, I was chuffed with myself for being a bit of a daredevil. I knew I would've regretted not giving the jump a go, which sums up how I felt about the whole day. From the first "aaaand relax" from Gregor, my worries seemed silly. Photos from the day show that I was holding on to the safety ropes a lot, which made my team mates ask whether I'd actually done any paddling. But I did. I promise. Book your white water rafting adventure (or gift it to someone else) at RedBalloon. Images: RedBalloon.
In the latest "hello young people" example of giant fast food chains desperately attempting to be cool, McDonalds has announced that a dedicated French fry 'concept store' will open tomorrow in Sydney and it's called, wait for it, Fries With That. You can probably hear us sighing from here. Located on Glebe Point Road in Glebe, Fries With That will throw its doors wide to the insatiably curious masses at 11am tomorrow and the menu is (as you may have guessed) dedicated solely to fries. It's a big trend-sucking gimmick to promote their new loaded fries menu, and they'll be test running six new varieties of toppings. The most popular topping will get the honour of becoming a permanent member of the illustrious Maccas menu. As is tradition in a democratic country, you vote by smashing down your fave French fry flavour. After Camperdown's new eatery The Corner turned out to be a Maccas in disguise last year, this is just some more casual bandwagon-jumping for Maccas. Just look at this on-trend interior, blonde wood, white tiles, exposed light bulbs — someone's been paying attention: It's only open for three days and will close up at 6pm on Sunday, giving you only three days to try all the new flavours — which are, quite honestly, boring as batshit. The six options include sour cream and sweet chilli, Caesar, curry, pesto and parmesan, chipotle cheese sauce and peri-peri cheese sauce. Yawn. They'll also be serving gravy loaded fries which launched nationally yesterday. Eh, we'll probably inhale some. Stop looking at us like that. Find Fries With That at 166 Glebe Point Road, Glebe. Opening hours Friday, May 27 to Sunday, May 29 11am-6pm.
Redfern gin haven Moya's Juniper Lounge is turning one-year-old this week and they're throwing a little hootenanny to celebrate. The Regent Street blink-and-you'll-miss-it bar has garnered a reputation over the last year as a delightfully hidden gin joint that pays homage to traditional cocktails in a low-key, no-fuss atmosphere. Staying true to form, they're throwing a laidback birthday bash with a classed-up flare. Stop by their old-world gin palace on March 22 from 5pm and enjoy a complimentary glass of Champagne, along with some "custom-made gelato" which we're particularly intrigued by. On the no-frills side of things, they'll also be celebrating with a few slices of fairy bread — it is an Aussie bar, after all. The bartenders will of course be slinging their classic gin cocktails, including our favourites, the Charlie Chaplin and The Last Word, and serving up their small plates pairing menu. The event will round out with a live gig by The Squares, the perfect excuse to get stuck in to one of their cosy, plush velvet lounges, sip on an expertly crafted cocktail and toast to a year well done.
Dessert king Reynold Poernomo is expanding his sugary empire, with the former MasterChef contestant and co-owner of Chippendale's KOI Dessert Bar opening a second location on the other side of town. Slinging sweet treats as of today — Friday, April 21 — KOI Ryde will feature the same decadent creations Poernomo's fans have come to expect, while also offering cooking classes with some of Sydney's best dessert chefs. The Ryde dessert bar will be run by Reynold along with his mother Ike and his brothers Ronald and Arnold, but it won't be a carbon copy of the Chippendale venue. Although it will function as a cafe where you can eat your cake straight out of the cabinet, the team hopes to also introduce a brand new menu offering (brunch is on the cards) and even monthly chef's table dinners. The space will also function as the production facility for all the cakes and pastries sold at both KOI locations and a masterclass kitchen, which will host classes by Sydney's best bakers, along with Poernomo himself. As for what you'll be scoffing on, expect KOI staples including the bright green mango yuzu made with mango mousse, yuzu curd and almond sable, and the coconut kalamansi featuring coconut mousse, white cheese, kalamansi (like a Filipino lime) curd and chocolate sable. We are ready for you, tomorrow 10am! #koidb #dessert #pastry #sydneydessert #ryde A post shared by KOI Dessert Bar (@koidb) on Apr 20, 2017 at 3:03am PDT KOI Dessert Kitchen Ryde is now open from 10am till 10pm Tuesday to Sunday at Shop 3, 62-66 Blaxland Street, Ryde. For more info, visit koidessertbar.com.au.
Cammeray's go-to for laidback weekend tipples, Norths has undergone a multi million-dollar renovation over the last year — and they’ve just revealed the spoils. Now strongly focused on post-work drinks, big local family dinners and weekend wine sessions, Norths has a brand new bar, cafe and seasonal menu to boot. Using the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients as much as possible, Norths are now serving up a range of seasonal, internationally-inspired cuisine in Norths Pantry — from the porcini pesto arancini to the classic 200gm angus beef burger, 'The Bear' housemade range-fed beef pie with mash, crushed peas and red wine jus to Marrakesh grilled eggplant and tomato baked in Moroccan spices. Dessert is by no means a mere afterthought, with a Tim Tam and white chocolate brûlée, The Pantry Sundae and the epic Eton Mess just a snippet of the sweet tooth part of the menu. Where possible, the Pantry's ingredients are locally sourced from sustainable supply chains. If you’re looking for a solid lunch or light snack on the sunny terrace, the newly revamped, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired Norths Cafe is brewing up their own personal blend of coffee, with a large selection of Greek and Lebanese delicacies, Italian panini and salted caramel eclairs. Just keen for a few bevs with buds? Head for the brand new Bar and Lounge and kick back with a frosty craft beer, light aperitif or something neat from the lengthy spirits list. More into vino? Norths also has a brand new wine bar, offering a selection of boutique wines ranging from Orange to Yarra Valley, Barossa Valley to Margaret River, New Zealand to California. Norths also do Moet Magnum Fridays, if you’re looking for a weekend kick-off. Find Norths at 12 Abbott Street, Cammeray.
