Peter Bibby might be based in Melbourne, but this spinner of VB-soaked yarns calls Perth home. Having recently returned from the USA (seems like Americans have a thing for earnest, self-deprecating Aussie guitarists at the moment — see Courtney Barnett), the hugely hyped crooner is about to kick off his first national tour. You can expect a damn fine show from the 'Hates My Boozin' singer — not for nothing has he played Sydney Festival, Laneway and SXSW already. Releasing his debut album Butcher/Hairstylist/Beautician in November last year, Bibby named his first release for a hidden Perth gem that brings all three businesses under one roof. So we thought we'd put his local knowledge to the test, asking Bibby to unearth five hidden treasures only Perth locals would be able to recommend. From pubs filled with kangaroo regulars to go-to guitar shops and super glam petrol station cafes, let's take a bonafide Bibby tour through Perth. MOJOS BAR "The best bar in Australia in my opinion, besides maybe Dan's Pub in Tasmania. Pool, beverages and live music on offer every night of the week." 237 Queen Victoria St, North Fremantle STRUMMERS GUITARS "To my knowledge, the best second-hand guitar dealer/repair shop anywhere near Perth. Huge range of rare guitars and equipment at very reasonable prices and run by two very lovely fellows." 811 Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley MIDLAND GATE SHOPPING CENTRE "Everything you could ever hope for in a shopping centre. Likely to see some of Midlands finest scumbags on every visit." 274 Great Eastern Highway, Midland JOHN FORREST TAVERN "This little tavern is a great place to get a bit merry before you walk around a pretty beautiful part of the world. They have a resident kangaroo and there is usually native birds just hanging out inside the pub. It’s pretty legit." Park Rd, Glen Forrest VIBE CAFE "Situated on Charles Street in North Perth, the Vibe Cafe offers a range of fine delicacies at affordable prices. You can also buy petrol there." 427 Charles Street, North Perth Peter Bibby is currently touring in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this week and next. By Jessica Surman and Shannon Connellan. Top image: Matt Sav. Images: Mojos, Strummers, Caputi Enterprises, Publocation, Vibe.
Grab yourself a pint and your groceries to go. The Henson corner pub has been a favourite of Marrickville residents since it reopened its doors a few years back — and with the recent launch of a deli and bottle shop onsite, this solid local has just made itself one highly indispensable member of the neighbourhood. The shelves of the fittingly-named Grocery and Grog are laden with gourmet foodstuffs, including fresh fruit and veggies, housemade pickles, milk, eggs, dips and preserves. Their handpicked selection of cured meats includes smoked wagyu beef, duck prosciutto and a fennel and garlic salami, while they also offer a similarly extensive array of hard and soft cheeses. If you feel like eating in, you can order cheese and meat boards at the bar, or you can opt for one of their handmade panino sandwiches. They're also hosting daily tasting sessions, the crafty devils. That's how they hook you. Oh, and did we forget to say they sell Pana chocolates too? Because that seems like something we should mention. The bottle shop is well-stocked with organic and minimal intervention wines, alongside a range of beers from local breweries. The more adventurous among you may also want to peruse their selection of bespoke spirits, ports and sherries. How fancy. Grocery and Grog is located at The Henson, 91 Illawarra Road, Marrickville. For more information visit their website. Via Good Food.
Turns out Neil Armstrong was lacking foresight when he first stepped on the moon. What he actually should have announced was, "One small step for man, one giant leap for beer." Last year, Oregon-based brewing company Ninkasi ran their very own space programme (classic forward-thinking Oregon). Yep, they got hold of a couple of rockets and sent a bunch of brewer's yeast into outer space and back. It's since been turned into beer and as of April 13, will be available for sampling. Wonderfully-named Ground Control, the brew blends well-travelled ingredients with local ones. Ninkasi have described it as a "rich, complex imperial stout", made with Oregon hazelnuts, star anise and cocoa nibs. Take. Our. Money. Getting the yeast into outer space and back successfully took two missions. The first, which left on July 2014, carried sixteen vials. But, on returning to Earth, it wound up somewhere in the Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, which meant that the Ninkasi team didn’t find it for 27 days — way too late for brewing purposes. The second mission, carrying six vials, left on October 23 from New Mexico's Spaceport America. After journeying to 408,035 feet, and reaching a maximum speed of Mach 5, it came back to Earth safely — ready for fermenting. Ground Control will be sold in limited edition 22-ounce bottles at selected retailers across the United States. Keep your eyes on the eBay stars. Via io9.
Less than a month after being cancelled due to alleged financial mismanagement, the iconic Tropfest short film festival has been thrown a much needed lifeline. On the very day that the festival was originally meant to take place, Tropfest founder John Polson has announced the event will instead be held on Valentine's Day next year, after securing a last minute sponsorship deal with CGU Insurance. "It’s incredibly encouraging to see that the Australian public and corporate community really want to see Tropfest return," said Polson, who was forced to cancel the festival after discovering what he, at the time, called "a terrible and irresponsible mismanagement of Tropfest funds." No word yet on whether the CGU deal extends beyond this year, or whether it will help Polson cover the festival's six figure debt. Details on how the money was actually lost likewise remain unclear, although it's worth mentioning that Polson is currently engaged in legal action against Tropfest managing director Michael Laverty. He told the Sydney Morning Herald that "in my opinion, we've done nothing wrong but respond as best we can to a terrible situation brought about by bad management." Polson also took a swipe at the lack of assistance from the NSW government, saying "many people have asked what has the NSW government done since this crisis…the truth is not a lot at this point." "Tropfest is a great festival, providing unique platforms for talented filmmakers through its events and initiatives, and we are excited to be able to help them get back on their feet," said Ben Bessel, Commercial Insurance Chief Executive for IAG, which owns CGU Insurance. "Supporting this fantastic cultural event is about creating a renewed opportunity for Tropfest and all those small businesses associated with the event to continue to thrive and get some business done." In recent years Tropfest has attracted a national live audience of up to 150,000 people along with hundreds of thousands more via live TV broadcast. Polson confirmed that all 16 of this year's finalists will make their premiere as planned – albeit a few months late – live in Sydney's Centennial Parklands on February 14. Trop Jr., the festival's competition for filmmakers aged 15 years and under, will also go ahead.
Reach the top of one of Australia's most iconic structures and then celebrate with a song. For the second year in a row as part of Sydney's Chinese New Year's celebrations, BridgeClimb Sydney are offering Karaoke packages at the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Karaoke Climb will run throughout the first three weeks of February, with climbs departing at 9:30am, 3pm and 7:30pm each day. Once you've reached the top of the bridge, you'll be given a selection of Chinese and K-Pop songs to choose from, for you and your friends to belt out at the top of your lungs. Your performance will be captured on an eight second video – although whether you want to share it will probably depend on your singing ability. Now before you go out and book yourself a spot, you should know that these climbs are being run exclusively in Mandarin. Still, we're hoping they offer an English option down the line, if only because we've got about fifty different song ideas. Starting with this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjGoJFgI71I If you're not much of a singer, Bridge Climb will be offering a number of other themed experiences this year, including climbs for Mardi Gras and Vivid Sydney. You can even get married up there, although how you're expected to keep your hair straight we just don't know. For more information about the Karaoke Climb, go here.
Chippendale's late-night warehouse hangout Freda's have worked with Vivid Music curator Stephen Ferris to craft a predictably eclectic lineup of shenanigans for Vivid Sydney 2015. Kicking off with a technicolour explosion of lights and sound, good times are pretty much guaranteed with opening party Vibe Positive. There's two overseas trips to take, to Japan and Africa — see Rainbow Chan, Ryan Powderly and CORIN spin the synth classics of '80s Japanese pop legends Yellow Magic Orchestra (with matching Japanese-style food and cocktails), and YEVU takes you on a tour through African music (also with paired snacks and bevs). Odd Waves throw in some new-wave visuals, plus expect appearances from The Cut Silk Dance Band's dizzying disco-meets-house mixes and Freda's 'voodoo bongo jam'-lovin' party crew Jingle Jangle. Align your chakras and bliss out with Celestial Bodies, with A.R.T. Wilson (Andras Fox) playing live alongside Mongolian Horse Fiddler and Throat Singer Bukhu, and DJs Ariane, Long John Saliva, and Wild Sunset. Head over here for the whole Freda's x Vivid program.
The service industry has really been through some things lately. 'Shake up' doesn't even come close. Crowd-sourcing, app-ification, and hyper-localisation mean that the service industry we enjoy looks nothing like what our parents knew. And the latest offering from the team behind Paramount Coffee Project, Reuben Hills and Melbourne's Seven Seeds is a testament to this brave new world. When it was announced back in August, Paramount House Hotel promised it wouldn't be a hotel in the traditional sense of the word. It won't be a glitzy chain where everything looks and feels the same no matter which country you're visiting. It aims to be an immersive local experience and give visitors a genuine slice of life in Surry Hills. And soon you'll be able to check it out for yourself — it's set to open on April 1. The hotel is part of Paramount House, which currently houses Paramount Coffee, a co-working space and Golden Age Cinema. The downstairs cafe will act as the entrance to the new hotel lobby, and a two-storey extension will provide 29 rooms. The hotel will contain a rooftop gym and outdoor cafe — dubbed Paramount Recreation Club — and a brand new restaurant from Ester names Poly. (Yes, it'll do room service.) "We hope to encapsulate the spirit of Surry Hills and offer the guest an immersive local community experience," said Ping Jin Ng, who co-owns the hotel along with Russell Beard and Mark Dundon. "We are considered but not staged, generous but not lavish and we will offer a memorable and inspiring stay — not just comfortable and slick." The vision for the hotel has been realised by Melbourne architecture firm, Breathe. You may know them for their work on Seven Seeds, Brother Baba Budan, Host, the Collingwood Arts Precinct, The Commons and Transformer. It's connected two buildings on Commonwealth Street, added a copper-clad extension to the roof and decked it out with little luxuries like private terraces and generous spots of greenery. Rooms start at $225 a night, and have a mini bar stocked with snacks from LP's Quality Meats and Tom Shobbrook wines, and Aesop products in all the bathrooms — of course. Paramount House Hotel will open to guests on April 1, 2018 at 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills. Bookings are now being taken at paramounthousehotel.com. Images: Tom Ross and Sharon Cairns.
It's an oldie but a goodie. Jimmy Kimmel pulled one of his most loved pranks at SXSW this week, asking punters whether they knew fake bands with his 'Lie Witness News' crew. Unknowing SXSWer after SXSwer praised the likes of Mary-Kate and Nasty, Cheese Whiz Khalifa and DJ Gluten — "hard to tolerate?" — with one punter even going so far as to describe DJ Underwire as "mixing it up with turntablism". Heh. It's straight-up baffling how Kimmel (and subsequent spin-offs) has managed to do this at festival after festival and catch starry-eyed posers in the act of posing, having pulled this stunt year after year, Coachella after Coachella. But my giddy aunt, it's fun to watch. These aren't the only shenanigans going down at SXSW. Check out our roundup of nine incredible things you're missing at this year's festival.
As if ringing in the new year isn't exciting enough, January, as always, will also bring with it the dazzling, vibrant carnival that is Sydney Festival. Turning the city into a creative playground for a full three weeks, the Festival brings a (very generous) dose of culture to the sizzling days and balmy nights of Sydney summer. Today the festival has unveiled its 2018 program — and it's an absolute cracker, packed with hundreds of events ranging from mind-boggling circus to cutting-edge theatre and awe-inspiring musical performances. Whatever art experience you're after, you'll find it in Sydney between January 6–28. While this year doesn't have an installation quite as interactive as Snarkitecture's giant ball pit or the House of Mirrors (which is currently on display in Melbourne), Sydney Town Hall will become a shrine to 50,000 of Japan's unwanted plastic toys with Hiroshi Fuji's large-scale work Jurassic Plastic. It looks like a kid's paradise but there will be adults-only nights too. Four Thousand Fish will be an immersive work where participants will help create ice sculptures of fish and then return them to the harbour to commemorate Barangaroo and the Warrane women. On stage, we ecstatic to hear that Tree of Codes will be coming to Sydney after performances at Melbourne Festival; the visually stunning ballet — which we really, really hoped would come to Australia — combines the talents of choreographer Wayne McGregor, visual artist Olafur Eliasson, musician Jamie xx and the Paris Opera Ballet. [caption id="attachment_642587" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jurassic Plastic, shot by Keizo Kioku[/caption] On the musical side of things, not only are Opera in the Domain and Symphony Under The Stars back for another year of dreamy music performed under the open night skies, there are also a host of gigs, most notably from NZ's Aldous Harding and Argentinian three-piece Fémina plus a tribute to The Go-Betweens' 16 Lovers Lane album and an otherworldly concert performed entirely underwater called Aquasonic. Five iconic Harry Siedler buildings will also host a series of talks and concerts, blending architecture and music on the program. Theatre buffs, meanwhile, should nab tickets for Barber Shop Chronicles. Offering a juicy peek into the vibrant life of barbershops across the world, this delightful show took British audiences by storm. Burlesque aficionado? Don't miss iconic Aussie boylesque troupe — and Syd Fest regulars — Briefs in all its glamorous, saucy glory in sci-fi spectacle Close Encounters. Don't miss My Name Is Jimi, where, Jimi Bani will call up four generations of his family to take you on an evening of music, dance and comedy at Belvoir. Head over to Parramatta's Circus City to catch the always-impressive Circus Oz in top form with Model Citizens, a satire that lampoons the suburban Aussie dream with impressive physicality and a foot-tapping soundtrack. Also in the environs is Highly Sprung, a soaring performance by Legs on the Wall, which tells the story of inner-city residents through the media of trampolines and other physical art forms. Punters will get a chance to have a go on the trampolines and even take part in an aerial workshop in-between shows — all for gratis. You can also sign up for a flying trapeze workshop for $49. In addition to the many ticketed events, there is also a panoply of free offerings, from art exhibitions and thought-provoking talks to interactive installations. As always the Meriton Festival Village will have heaps to offer between shows — dance to your fave song in a transparent, glitter-filled cube, swim in a shipping container pool, go for a spin on a karaoke carousel or join a 10-minute dance party in a shipping container. Whether you're in it for the inspiration, a shock, or just a whole lot of fun, this year's festival is sure to delight. Sydney, you're in for a summer treat. Sydney Festival will run from January 6–28, 2018. For more information visit sydneyfestival.org.au. By Yelena Bidé and Lauren Vadnjal. Image: Tree of Codes, shot by Joel Chester Fildes.
It was an ill-designed defence mechanism at the time of the first white settlers, then a pretty awful place for convicts. Now, one of Sydney's most historic harbour spots and recently a pretty fancy schmancy dining destination, Fort Denison has announced the return of its summer drinks and dining series, Sunday Sunsets. That's right, Sundays from now on? Fortress parties y'all. You'll be able to sail on out to Fort Denison Restaurant for Sunday afternoons of cocktails, food and live music every Sunday from November 29 until January 2016. You can book a sit-down sunset dinner at the restaurant, or play it super casual on the outdoor couches — there's a 'drinks and bites' menu that'll see you loaded up on lamb sliders, fish tacos, Alaskan crab tostadas, Sydney rock oysters, fine cheeses and charcuterie boards. Chuck in a little acid jazz and R&B from resident DJ and saxophonist Zak (a multitalented, multitasking dude is Zak), and you've got yourself a supremo Sydney date. There'll be special extended ferry services from Circular Quay, alongside shuttles from Manly and Watsons Bay. The last ferry departs from CQ at 8pm, so you can make a pretty long lazy Sunday. You'll have book though, to ensure your spot on the fortress, so check out the session times and prices on the website and lock in your spot. Fort Denison's Sunday Sunsets run every Sunday from November 29 to January 2016. Check the website for the weekly music lineup.
Need to get across town without owning a car? You've got Uber, GoGet etc. Want food delivered straight to your mouth? There's Suppertime, Deliveroo, yadda, yadda, yadda. But what if you're needing to find a top notch, independent, peer-reviewed cleaner who'll do a grand ol' job? There's Whizz. Whizz is Australia's newest app for booking cleaning services. They'll connect you to qualified, experienced and pre-screened independent cleaners — Whizz's cleaners must pass a seven-step qualification process before being approved as a 'Whizzard' — through the desktop platform or award-winning mobile app, and you can book in your cleaning service. There's a secure payment function and (incredibly) a 100 percent money-back guarantee if you're not happy with the service. Whizz offers residential cleaning and the ever-awful end of lease cleaning, alongside commercial/business cleaning and short-term accommodation/holiday rentals cleaning. They adhere to their own 'five-star hotel finish' mantra, leaving the place with toilet seals on every toilet, toilet paper tabs, a checklist of everything they cleaned, at least two chocolates (snaps), and their own 'bespoke Whizz scent'. Best bit? You can leave a cleaner review on Whizz's Facebook page, which makes the service kind of like Uber for cleaners. Check out Whizz's website to get started.
Bad news for online shopping addicts: Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has declared his intention to abolish the $1000 GST-free threshold on overseas purchases by July 1, 2017. The announcement, which came after a day of tax reform talks between state and federal treasurers, means that all items purchased from overseas retailers, including those bought through online shopping services such as Amazon, will soon be subject to the same standard 10 percent GST surcharge as items purchased in Australia. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Hockey said that the change will help deliver "competitive neutrality for Australian businesses, and ensure fair and equal treatment of goods and services. If goods and services would have the GST applied in Australia, then the same should apply for goods from overseas." He also stated that the decision had been made "with the unanimous agreement of Labor and Liberal states and territories". Hockey told the ABC that "what it effectively means is that we're going to have taxation officials travel around the world and visiting these companies and asking them to register for GST purposes." Only those companies with an annual GST turnover of more than $75,000 will be affected. This will also include companies that provide digital content services, such as Netflix and Facebook. If overseas companies prove unwilling to comply with Australian government requests, an alternative method of collecting the GST could be for Australians to pay the surcharge separately upon receipt of their purchased item. The potential issue with this method would be the cost of assessing each item as it reaches the border – something that Hockey as dismissed as "plainly ridiculous." The treasurer is apparently confident that the amount of revenue raised by this new scheme will outweigh the costs of enforcing it – despite recent findings by the Productivity Commission to the contrary. According to news.com.au, however, a spokesperson for Mr. Hockey yesterday admitted that the treasury has yet to perform any modelling on the economic impact of the proposed changes. Ultimately, the most depressing thing about this story is that regardless of whether we end up paying the GST, it may still be cheaper to purchase things online — which does rather put a damper on Hockey's 'levelling the playing field' rhetoric. As it stands now, you've got just under two years to get in all your impulse buying before you get whacked with an additional fee. Image: Dollar Photo Club
A stretch of the iconic Route 66 in Missouri is getting a major upgrade — and an environmental one at that. As part of its 'Road to Tomorrow' initiative, Missouri's Department of Transportation is joining forces with an Idaho-based startup called Solar Roadways to repave with state-of-the-art solar panels. These specially engineered panels are made of tempered safety glass and are super strong — as they'd have to be to sustain constant use by heavy vehicles. Apart from the whole 'harnessing the power of the sun' bit, the panels also come with LED lighting, which can efficiently replace road lines and signage. Basically, they're a badass piece of technology. The installation will no doubt be pricey, but Solar Roadways is prepared for it — the group raised more than $2.2 million through a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. In addition to these funds, initiative leader Tom Blair received a $100,000 prototype grant from the Federal Highway Administration and two $750,000 research grants from the US Department of Transportation. Yep, that's federal funding for solar. The other good news is that their modular design allows for easy and cheap repairs by just swapping out broken panels for new ones. These bad boys are sustainable, ethical and eco-friendly — a seriously awesome invention that we hope to see more of on our own highways. Missouri may not be the first to experiment with solar roads — we wrote about the possibility of a crowdfunding campaign to pave American parking lots with the things back in 2014 and the recent plans to create solar roads in France earlier this year — but it sounds like Route 66 will be the first of its kind to actual get to the finish line. The Solar Roadways panels are expected to be completed by the end of 2016. This achievement is, almost inconceivably, awesome and hopefully will pave the way for the rest of us. Images: Solar Roadways.
Easter is one holiday that can lose its sheen pretty quickly. Usually once your parents decree you’re “too old” for Easter egg hunts. But with the four-day break and eating-centred celebrations (because you fasted for the last six weeks for Lent, right?), there’s plenty to get excited for. While some venues shut, others turn on the charm. Only the best have made it into this list, our ultimate Easter Weekend itinerary. Top image: Soda Factory.
Lovers of mountains and adrenaline junkies, meet your new bucket-lister. An old-school ski resort in Switzerland's Kandersteg Mountains is giving you a way to get your thrills and your incredible panoramas at the same time. It's an epic bobsled (better known in Europe as rodelbahn) that twists and turns down nearby mountains for 750 metres. Introducing Mountain Coaster. Frequenters of attractions Jamberoo Action Park or Merimbula's Magic Mountain might already know the drill — both parks are home to bobsleds that have featured in many a South Coaster's childhood. But the Mountain Coaster experience is looking far more spectacular. Rather than cruising around open hillsides, it plunges you down steep slopes and deep into some of Switzerland's most famous wilderness. In fact, its territory is smack bang in the centre of the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is renowned for its extraordinary High Alps and numerous glaciers. Actually, you'll find the biggest glacier in Eurasia right here. Watch some of the runs on YouTube, they're nuts. Once you've conquered the Mountain Coaster, you might want to consider taking matters to scarier heights with the Alpine Coaster. Also found in Switzerland, it's the highest rodelbahn in the world and takes you through a kilometre of curves, waves, jumps and bridges, including a giddying 520-degree spin. Via Infinite Legroom. Image: Aleš Novotný.
Melbourne has long suffered aquatic inferiority to its Australian (okay, Sydney) counterparts. It doesn't have a Bondi, more harbour beaches than it does train lines or a slew of pools where you can catch a glimpse of the Harbour Bridge while doing a few laps of backstroke. But that could all be about to change. In what could be the final thing to make Melbourne the greatest city in the world (subjective, of course), a local non-profit has released a concept for a goddamn swimming pool in the Yarra River. According to The Age, the designs for the Yarra swimming pool were announced last night at as part of Australia's Venice Biennale Exhibition, The Pool. The concept has been jointly created by Melbourne non-profit Yarra Swim Co and UK architects Studio Octopi, who are responsible for proposing a similar concept on London's River Thames. We could probably jump in the Yarra for our excitement. Together they've created a concept for the Yarra pool, which includes a 25-metre lap pool and a smaller children's play pool with planted pontoons off Enterprize Park, which is down under the train lines next to the aquarium. Of course, this doesn't include simply setting up some booms and some lane ropes and charging people six dollars a pop to do some laps. The Yarra is filthy (thanks to that time it was a dumping ground for industrial run-off) and that water needs to be filtered. According to the project's website, they are looking into locally developed technology that may allow river water to supply the pool. The proposed aquatic structure would also have spectacular views from the water and surrounding decks, as well as a cafe and an activated riverbank. 'Ave a look at this render. Inevitably this thing is set to cost a lot of cash — six to eight million, in fact. At the moment the project is just a concept, and Yarra Swim Co will be looking at sponsorship, grants and perhaps even crowdfunding to make up the money. Whatever it costs though, now we know it's an option, we will not rest until we can swim in the Yarra and get a specialty coffee on the banks of the river when we're done. Via The Age.
It's a fact of film-loving, cinema-going, Netflix-watching life: try as you might, you can't always catch them all. Maybe you saw all of this year's top films. Maybe you missed some great ones when they were first released. Maybe you've got a hefty list of flicks to seek out over summer. However you fared with 2016's crop of cinematic gems, they're about to have some friends, with a whole new year of films descending upon movie theatres in 2017. As always, both the big and the small end of town is covered. Keen for more fast and furious vehicle action? Eager to see a great Aussie novel make it to the screen? They're all coming. In fact, there's so much hurtling towards a darkened room near you that whittling our picks down to just ten was by no means easy. With that in mind, here's the films you absolutely shouldn't miss over the next 12 months. Happy viewing. JACKIE Natalie Portman doesn't need a second Oscar to validate her astonishing her portrayal of Jackie Kennedy in Pablo Larraín's Jackie, but she's probably going to get one anyway. The whirlwind of horror, grief and trauma surrounding the First Lady's life following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy oozes from the actress in every scene — and she's just one of highlights of the film. After directing No, The Club and Neruda, Larraín remains in top form, the supporting cast of Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig and Billy Crudup are all stellar, and the overall effect couldn't be more haunting, revealing and devastating. T2: TRANSPOTTING Choose life. Choose catching up with the long-awaited sequel to the Danny Boyle-directed, Ewan McGregor-starring '90s hit that well and truly put both on the map. A small amount of apprehension about delving back into the Edinburgh drug life after more than two decades might've been understandable when the long-awaited film finally became a reality, but then the ace trailer quelled all those fears. On-screen and off, the gang's back — older, but not necessarily wiser, of course. JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 If you'd told us a few years ago that a sequel to a Keanu Reeves-starring action flick would be so eagerly anticipated, we actually would've believed you, honestly — just watch the original Point Break, and then watch it again, and you'll understand. Thanks to the first John Wick film in 2014, everyone's a Keanu fan these days, and so they should be. The follow-up to that surprise hit promises more ultra-stylish shoot-em-up carnage and more Keanu at his cool, calm and collected best, plus a reunion with The Matrix's Laurence Fishburne. BLADE RUNNER 2049 Sequels, sequels, sequels seems to be the theme of every year at the movies (plus remakes, reboots and re-imaginings), however it's difficult not to be excited about a second Blade Runner. Even if you didn't love Ridley Scott's first film or just haven't seen it, a futuristic sci-fi starring Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling, directed by Sicario and Arrival's Denis Villeneuve, and cloaked in a neon glow looks like more than just a replica. With Scott himself also helming 2017 release Alien: Covenant, the sequel to Prometheus, who knew it was going to be such a big year for follow-ups to his movies from more than three decades ago? THOR: RAGNAROK Like superhero films? Prefer the goofier, quirkier, weirder instalments to the grim and serious flicks? Us too. Given that it's about a hammer-wielding god, the Thor movies have always proven a little livelier than most of their Marvel brethren, with Hunt for the Wilderpeople's Taika Waititi certain to continue that trend on Thor: Ragnarok. Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba all return, Cate Blanchett and Jeff Goldblum join the cast, and the Gold Coast and Brisbane get starring roles. Following this year's Doctor Strange and April's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, it's a busy time for fun comic book adaptations. THIS WINTER After directing the best Australian film of 2016, Goldstone (pictured), Ivan Sen jumped straight back behind the camera. Details are scarce about his next effort, This Winter, however it was made in Sen's hometown of Tamworth, tells the tale of an Indigenous family torn apart by suicide and incarceration, and was written, directed, produced, shot and edited by the multitalented filmmaker. Expect to see it on the festival circuit — and expect another powerful contemplation of issues of race in Australia. THE BEGUILED Sofia Coppola's latest film is called The Beguiled — and, call us suitably intrigued, entranced and all-round keen. Her first feature since 2013's The Bling Ring is a remake of a 1971 western melodrama of the same name, as set in a girl's boarding school during the civil war. The Virgin Suicides' Kirsten Dunst and Somewhere's (pictured) Elle Fanning feature among the cast, alongside Coppola newcomers Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell and Angourie Rice. HAPPY END Come 2017, it will have been five years since Austrian director Michael Haneke broke hearts with his harrowing elderly-focused effort Amour, and won his second successive Palme d'Or at Cannes in the process. After planning and then seemingly moving on from a film called Flashmob in the time since, he's back. In Happy End, he reunites with Isabelle Huppert after The Piano Teacher (pictured) and dives into refugee-centric family drama. If you've seen either version of Funny Games, or Cache or The White Ribbon, you'll know that that description could mean anything, really. LADY BIRD If you can't get enough of Greta Gerwig, and love the two films she has co-written with Noah Baumbach (Frances Ha and Mistress America, pictured), then Lady Bird should rocket right to the top of your must-see list. Gerwig doesn't feature on screen, but she does write and make her solo directorial debut (after co-helming 2008's Nights and Weekends with Joe Swanberg). The movie is set in Sacramento, where the actress-turned-filmmaker grew up, and stars Brooklyn's Saoirse Ronan. While the plot is yet to be revealed, it's a comedy, so you can already guess the kind of affable antics that are set to ensue. VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS Before there was Star Wars and its many episodes and side-stories, and before there was The Fifth Element, too, there was Valérian and Laureline. The French sci-fi comic series reportedly inspired George Lucas — and it definitely made an impact on Luc Besson, who is finally adapting it for the big screen. With Lucy bringing the director back to his best, here's hoping there's more where that came from. There'll certainly be time and space travelling, a cast that includes Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Rihanna and Ethan Hawke, and futuristic visuals aplenty.
Batteries are pretty powerful things. And although the one in the back of your iPhone 5 can't seem to last the day without dying, there are batteries that power cars, batteries that take just 60 seconds to charge — and there are batteries that can power your entire home. On Friday, Tesla Energy announced the Tesla Powerwall: a battery that not only powers your home but one that stores power for when you need it. It's designed to hook up with your power source, which is either solar power, or the grid, where most people get their electricity from. And it's really smart, because depending on which power source you have, the Powerwall will either store the solar energy for later or charge itself from the grid in off-peak times. This not only saves you and your household some cash, but it's a step away from Australia's reliance on dirty coal and fossil fuels for power, and means that we can move towards cleaner energy like solar, wind and geothermal. And, at US$3,000 – $3,5000, it does it for a fraction of the price of similar batteries. Pretty cool, huh? Energy experts are excited about it too, and since the announcement, they've been quick to predict how this could affect the way we use and store energy in our homes and workplaces. THE POWERWALL COULD REDUCE THE NEED FOR DIRTY POWER According to Campbell Simpson of Gizmodo, the Powerwall isn't going to reduce your household’s grid energy usage to zero, but it will reduce the peaks in grid electricity reliance — therefore letting Powerwall users charge overnight instead of in the daytime when everyone else is using the network and increasing demand. "And because of that shifting of load, it will reduce the world’s need for peak power generation," he says. "Theoretically reducing the need for dirty power sources like fossil fuels." IT GIVES SOLAR POWER A CHANCE TO BE A SOLE PROVIDER OF ENERGY Stanford University's Vivek Wadhwa thinks the Powerwall is our chance to disconnect from the grid. Without the grid, we'll be able to raise the widespread usage of solar to the place where fossil fuels and nuclear power are at the moment. For Venture Beat, he writes: "Tesla is about to do to the power grid what cellphones did to the land line — free us from it. And it will dramatically accelerate the progress of clean energy." PRICES FOR BATTERY POWER COULD BE FORCED DOWN When crunching the numbers for Gizmodo, Dan Steingart found that the Tesla Powerwall can't compete with the price of electricity — at least not in the volume that a household would need to power it. But he believes that the release of the Powerwall can only make things cheaper. "Overall, if Tesla can deliver on what it claims here, it’s an important line in the sand for this market, and it can only force prices down," he says. "Until now, Sony and Panasonic have been selling similar systems for three times the price, with little market uptake." IT COULD ENCOURAGE POWER COMPANIES TO EMBRACE RENEWABLE ENERGY On the contrary, Forbes' Chris Helman is a little more cynical. He sees the Powerwall as an expensive "toy for rich green people", and doesn't think that the average homeowner should let the big power generation utilities take the risks and bear the costs when it comes to battery power. But he does hope that this could lead to big utility providers taking on this renewable energy, and investing money in perfecting the technology. "After all," he says, "any truly viable energy source is more economic when deployed on a large scale than on a small scale."
In an inspiring display of hospitality — one that you’d rarely associate with anyone in the moneymaking tourism industry — a new hotel in Vienna has been set up to provide accommodation to both tourists and refugees forced to flee their native countries. Recently opened just a stone’s throw away from the centre of the Austrian capital, the magdas Hotel boasts 78 furnished rooms for visiting tourists, right alongside two residential units providing housing for up to 25 young asylum seekers displaced by persecution and war. The hotel is an initiative of the Austrian arm of the international Catholic aid collective Caritas. In addition to providing temporary accommodation, magdas Hotel also offers employment opportunities, with a majority of the staff being refugees. No two guest rooms are the same, with most of the furnishing having been donated or purchased from second-hand stores. Don’t let the ramshackle set-up fool you though. This place looks nice. Basic rooms start from around €60 a night, although you might well be tempted to upgrade to a suite. Amenities include a breakfast buffet and a fully-stocked bar, while the front door is located just a few minutes away from the Praterstern Transportation Hub as well as the Prater Recreation Park. Fingers crossed that the magdas Hotel does well. It’s always nice to see social enterprises like this succeed, especially when you’re in a country whose own track record with refugees is a little... uh... less accommodating. That being said, certain Australian entrepreneurs have been taking steps in this regard, such as the recently opened migrant-run clothing manufacturer Social Outfit in Sydney and Melbourne. In the mean time, if you’re going to be in Vienna any time soon, you can book at room at the magdas Hotel via their website. Via Design Milk. Images: AllesWirdGut Architektur/ Guilherme Silva Da Rosa.
Famed graffiti artist Banksy has unveiled a number of new artworks in response to the Syrian migrant crisis, including one piece featuring late Apple founder Steve Jobs. Sprayed onto the wall of 'The Jungle,' a refugee camp in Calais, France, which is currently home to thousands of people facing an uncertain future, the most significant of the new pieces depicts Jobs in his trademark black turtleneck, with an early generation Mac in one hand and a bag thrown over his shoulder. A photograph of the artwork on Banksy's website is accompanied by a caption that reads "the son of a migrant from Syria," in reference to Jobs' biological father who emigrated from Syria to the United States in the years following the Second World War. "We’re often led to believe migration is a drain on the country’s resources but Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian migrant," said the anonymous artist in a statement to the British press. "Apple is the world’s most profitable company, it pays over $7bn a year in taxes – and it only exists because they allowed in a young man from Homs." Authorities in Calais have pledged to preserve the mural behind glass or transparent plastic to ensure that it is not defaced or stolen. "It is very good and it has a message," said Mayor Natacha Bouchart to local newspaper Nord Littoral. Other pieces left by Banksy during his recent trip to the port city include a silhouette of a child with a telescope looking out over the ocean towards the UK, and an image of shipwreck survivors clinging to a raft and signalling desperately to a passing yacht on the horizon. The latter work is an homage to The Raft of the Medusa by 19th century artist Theodore Gericault, and is tagged on Banksy's website with the caption "we're not all in the same boat." Banksy has been focused on the Syrian refugee crisis for some time now. In September, he pledged to send the timber and fixtures from his pop-up amusement park, Dismaland, to Calais, where they could be used to build shelters for migrants. Via ABC News.
The Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular returns to Sydney for its second year in 2016. After humble beginnings in Melbourne six years ago, it's now expanded to cover three cities, with the festival travelling to Auckland for the first time this year. This mouthful of a festival — which is now considered one of the best beer festivals in the world — doesn't just bring you the best in craft beer anymore, either. Creators Steve Jeffares and Guy Greenstone (The Local Taphouse, Stomping Ground Brewing Co.) are now representing cider and food at this behemoth as well. GABS is best known for its 120 'festival beers': specialty brews created just for the event. It gives attendees the rare chance to try brand spanking new beers while meeting the teams behind them. Really loving one brew or brewer? The People's Choice Awards allow you to have a say. In previous years, this segment has been known to launch some of the best and brightest into the craft beer scene.
Potts Point laneway anchor Waterman's Lobster Co. is in for a real overhaul this month, as owner Matt Swieboda brings the original team from Darlinghurst small bar Love, Tilly Devine back together in their newest venture. They'll be transforming their Lankelly Place digs off Orwell Street from a restaurant obsessed with the perfect lobster roll (only Maine or Connecticut style, no exceptions) to a moody, late night wine bar. Rebranded as Dear Sainte Eloise, the new venue's name is taken from George Orwell's first full-length book Down and Out in Paris and London, in which the destitute narrator prays to a photo of (who he thinks is) Sainte Eloise for enough money to buy bread and wine. "To us, this passage shows the joy that these really simple things can bring and that's what we're all about," says Swieboda. It turns out the photo in the book is actually of an infamous brothel madame, which the team saw as another sly nod to their Tilly Devine days. Dear Saint Eloise will have a strong emphasis on wine, with a whopping 350 list to choose from. "Like at Tilly, we want to over-deliver on people's expectations and show them the diverse kind of wine list you can have in a small space," says Swieboda. The menu spans from Austrian and German to Spanish and Portuguese varieties, as well as South African, Georgian, and the requisite Australian and New Zealand bottles. A section of the wine list titled 'The Less Popular But Very Delicious Wines Of The World' also includes some more obscure French varietals, along with Greek and Hungarian. The rest of the drinks menu will be paired back to keep the focus on wine, but will include a very small, four-cocktail list featuring a 'premium' Negroni using Tasmanian gin, Spanish vermouth and Adelaide's Applewood Distillery liqueurs. Joining Swieboda in this venture is a crew of Tilly alumni, from business partner Nate Hatwell (head sommelier at Mercado) and manager Jasmin Natterer (London's Sager and Wilde) to head chef Ben Abiad (co-founder Brickfields Bakery, ex-Sean's Panaroma and Mecca). Abiad will oversee the venue's two kitchens which include a restaurant kitchen and a front-of-house/bar kitchen. Menu highlights include burrata topped with smoked oil and served with charred bread to start, and a Gundooee sirloin served with radish butter and silky fennel for main. The venue will also put a focus on oysters, which they're sourcing fresh for each service from the farmers at Australia's Oyster Coast Co-op. The existing fitout will be transformed to take on this small bar persona, swapping out the outdoor seating and bright, open space of Waterman's for an indoor-only, intimate 45-seater with warm lighting and dark timbers. Dear Sainte Eloise is looking to become the next late-night haunt for the area, with the kitchen open until 11.30pm five nights a week. Dear Sainte Eloise will open next Tuesday, May 16 at 5/29 Orwell St, Potts Point. Opening hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 5pm until midnight, Friday through Saturday noon to midnight and Sunday noon to 6pm. Image: Waterman's Lobster Co.
A FREE concert by The Flaming Lips, a cardboard city with a FREE flying fox, a Birdman screening live scored by the film's drummer Antonio Sanchez, and a steamy story session with Sydney's sexiest senior citizens are all happening in Sydney this January, when the Sydney Festival turns forty. Yep, as of 2016, the city's biggest and best-loved arts shindig will be over the hill. And, by way of celebration, we're being treated to a program of truly epic proportions. Today, the organisers spilled the beans on the 157 events (including 89 free ones!), 383 performances, 34 venues, 902 artists and 22 nations that will be coming together from January 7 to 26. Let's start with The Flaming Lips. Oklahoma's most famous psychedelic alternative rock outfit will be hitting The Domain to headline the festival's legendary Summer Sounds concert, hopefully with clothes and without Miley Cyrus, and definitely pumping out their cult tunes alongside their chart triumphs. And it'll cost you zero dollars. Meanwhile, SydFest is expanding to a bunch of new spots, including Barangaroo Reserve and Vaucluse House. Barangaroo's new cultural space, The Cutaway, is gearing up to host one of the festival's biggest free events for the people. French artist Olivier Grossetête is inviting you to help build The Ephemeral City, an enormous, temporary urban development made of cardboard. Afterwards, you'll be able to get a damn good view of your work, thanks to free flying fox rides on a mammoth 165 metre zip line. A strong sense of community spirit also informs the theatrical elements of the festival's programming. Bursting onto new storytelling territory is a show titled All the Sex I've Ever Had, which sees a slew of Sydneysiders aged over 65 bring their experience and insight to personal stories of romance and sex. Then there's The Object Lesson, an installation/performance inviting you to join illusionist Geoff Sobelle on a journey through an absolutely enormous pile of objects. You'll contemplate every "thing that ever passed through your hands — a massive, meaningful, meaningless pile of junk that describes in debris your tiny human history". On the music front, we're excited about Cut the Sky, a powerful indigenous performance work meditating on a dystopian future and featuring songs by Nick Cave and Ngaiire. As we mentioned, quadruple Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer Antonio Sanchez will be improvising a live score to a screening of Birdman (he improvised the actual score, so this will be the first and only time this SydFest score is played). And, for the first time ever, FBi is presenting its SMAC Awards as a huge festival, open to the general public. Other gigs on the schedule include the inimitable Joanna Newsom at the Sydney Opera House launching new album Divers, underground rock trio The Dirty Three and Mexrissey — a Mariachi-style revamping of songs by Morissey and The Smiths. There's also a new folk series happening amongst the gorgeous acoustics of St Stephens Uniting Church. As usual, Hyde Park's Meriton Festival Village is delivering a whizz-bang array of music, comedy, cabaret and circus acts, while About an Hour is heading back to Carriageworks for another season of 60-minute, $35 events featuring theatre, dance, music and storytelling. Clear your calendar, this is going to be a busy summer. Dive into the entire Sydney Festival program at the festival website. Image: Todd Spoth.
The four time number one on the World's Best Restaurants list is headed to Sydney Harbour. Rene Redzepi, owner and head chef at Copenhagen's two Michelin starred eatery Noma, will fly his entire team (including 35 chefs and 30 wait staff) more than 16,000km around the world for a ten week Australian pop-up due to kick-off in late January. You'd best start saving your pennies now though, since seats at the restaurant are expected to cost upwards of $400 a head. According to a post on the restaurant's website, the Noma Australia project was inspired by their five week pop-up in Tokyo earlier this year, which Redzepi called "the greatest learning experience of my life." The chef has been sighted in Australia a number of times over the past few weeks, meeting with local producers and sourcing ingredients for the restaurant. "Australia has always drawn me in; its great cities, its generous people, and of course its ever-present sun," wrote Redzepi in his online statement. "But what really boggles my mind is the differences you find in its landscapes and ingredients, because honestly I have never seen anything like it." Supported by Tourism Australia and property firm Lendlease, Noma Australia will be located on the ground floor of the Anadara building on Wulugul Walk in Barangaroo. The restaurant will serve just 50 people per sitting, and will be open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday. The menu itself is yet to be finalised, although Redzepi has said he'll be leaving his regular ingredients back in Copenhagen, and told Good Food to expect locally-inspired dishes made with shellfish, sea succulents and native herbs and spices. As for how much it'll cost you? While a final figure is still being decided, Redzepi estimates a meal at Noma Australia will cost somewhere between $400 and $500. Don't expect that to deter people though. Bookings at the similarly expensive Tokyo pop-up sold out in just hours, with the restaurant eventually racking up a waiting list of over 60,000 people. Sydney bookings will open later in the year – so if you're keen (and rich), we highly recommend registering your interest online. Via Good Food. Image: cyclonebill cc.
The Museum of Contemporary Art's Artbar has become a firm fixture on Sydney's after-dark cultural calendar. For the uninitiated, Artbar combines art, music, design and performance for a huge adults-only art party on the last Friday of every month, curated by a different artist each time. This month, the event will be held a week early, and comes under the direction of artist and musician Tina Havelock. Havelock is best known as a drummer in notable Australian post-punk 90s bands including The Mumps but, in recent years, has put her creativity into interdisciplinary works that employ sound, performance and video. For Artbar, Havelock has chosen to throw an all-night gig in the gallery. There'll be live music from Aussie rock bands Pinch Hitter, White Knuckle Fever, Frumpus and The Mumps, a dance performance from Melbourne's Chunky Move and, of course, a dance party on the MCA rooftop. Of course, you can also wander around the current exhibition of works at the MCA for the 21st Biennale of Sydney.
Sydney, get ready for winter — and to be ensconced in projections once again. Vivid, Sydney's annual festival of light, music and ideas, is returning for 23 days and nights from May 24 to June 15. The most overt (and unavoidable) aspect of the program is the lights, and for the second year running their glow will head across the bridge to light up Luna Park. It will extend the reach of the CBD's Light Walk from Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo with a collection of 50 large-scale projections stretching along the walk's three kilometres. Should make good viewing from the ferry. Some of the immersive light installations you'll encounter throughout the precincts include a pop-up 'winter camp' in Barangaroo, a 'robot spaceland' in Darling Harbour, 300 large-scale animal sculptures in Taronga Zoo, a playable cascading harp in Chatswood and an immersive field of 500 fireflies in the Royal Botanic Garden. Pixar is also jumping on board this year, and will be projecting characters from its classic animated flicks onto the façade of the Argyle Cut in the Rocks. The Sydney Opera House's sails will this year be lit up with hypnotic images of Australian flora from LA artist and video maker Andrew Thomas Huang (who has previously created music videos for Björk), and Customs House will be transformed into an underwater wonderland — covered in neon projections of creatures found under the Harbour it overlooks. Vivid Music is once again in fine form. As was previously announced, The Cure will do four shows at the Sydney Opera House from May 24–28 — their only Australian shows this time round. Tickets have already been allocated via ballot, so we hope you jumped on that already. Joining them for the Vivid Live component of the program at the Opera House will be folk rock singer Sharon Van Etten, performing hits of her poignant new album Remind Me Tomorrow, American singer Maggie Rogers and Perth up-and-comer Stella Donnelly, who's heading to the harbour city fresh off the back of the release of her new album Beware of the Dogs. Jónsi, from Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, and Alex Summers (known as Jónsi & Alex) will be performing an ethereal show complete with a 21-piece orchestra and 12-member choir in the Concert Hall. The Opera House's super popular Studio Parties will also make their return. Last year's music lineup throwback came in the form of 90s hits Ice Cube and Cat Power. This year, British electronic group Underworld, best known for the house and techno hits they released in the 90s, will be flying the nostalgia flag. If the name is a little unfamiliar to you, you'll definitely recognise their single 'Born Slippy (Nuxx)'. Famed jazz musician Herbie Hancock, who started his career in the Miles David Quintet back in the 60s, will also be taking to the stage, performing hits from across his five-decade career. Another big one is a performance from FKA Twigs who's bringing her experimental dream pop to Carriageworks, and Rüfüs Du Soul will take over the arts precinct for three nights of electro bangers on June 13, 14 and 15. The City Recital Hall has a solid program this year, including a performance by Paul Kelly and James Ledger. Live music gigs will also be held across the city as part of the program, including at the Lansdowne, Ziggy's hairdresser and 107 Redfern. Vivid Ideas is, of course, back for those keen to delve into creativity, science and technology — and this year it's scored Spike Lee as its big-ticket speaker. Lee will be in town to chat about his personal political views as well as his award-winning 2018 flick BlackKklansman. There's plenty more where that came from, check the Vivid Sydney website for more details. Images: DNSW and Hamilton Lund.
The good folks at Assembly are expanding. Soon, you’ll stepping straight from their cocktail-conjuring treehouse into an Italian restaurant. As faithful Assembly-goers know, the crew likes to do things just right. So, they’re bringing in an iguanadon-sized, handmade woodfire oven, all the way from Italy. Plus, they’ve invited none other than former Da Orazio Pizza & Porchetta chef Nick Pulcher to create the menu. Just some of the yummy, yummy dishes he’s come up with are: fresh burrata cradled by heirloom tomatoes, Spanish onion, roasted capsicum, olives and basil ($19); tagliolini al nero di sepia – housemade, black-ink tagliolini sautéed with crab meat and prawns ($26.50); costolette di agnello — lamb cutlet raised on New South Wales’s rolling pastures and served up with green pea puree, baby carrots and caramelised Spanish onion ($33.50); and that delizioso classic, panna cotta ($12). Chef Antonio Buonomo will be staying warm next to the oven, where he’ll whipping up an immoveable Napoli-style feast. You can get stuck into his pizzas in the restaurant or in the bar, or take them home. Among the deliciousness on the list you’ll find margherita — San Marzano tomato, mozzarella fior di latte, parmesan, basil, olive oil ($18); quattro formaggi – buffalo mozzarella, mozzarella fior di latte, gorgonzola, smoked provola cheese, fresh basil, olive oil ($24); and salumi – San Marzano tomato, mozzarella fior di latte, ham, mild salami, hot salami, Italian sausage, basil, olive oil ($25). Some might find Assembly's Regent Place location strange for a small bar, but we reckon it’s a great escape from the CBD’s madness and fast food chains, when you don’t have time to travel further afield. The interior is a bit of a paean to the many forces shaping international design. If you use a knife and fork to eat pizza (you heathen!), you’ll be wrapping your hands around Italian cutlery. Some of the crockery, all the concrete lights and the marble table come from there, too. Meanwhile, other bits of crockery were made in France and Denmark and the tiles are Espanol. Digging the timber that the tables and chairs are made of? It’s all recycled, eco-friendly stuff from Tassie. Find Assembly restaurant at 488 Kent Street, Sydney from Wednesday, February 17. Head down for lunch and dinner seven days a week. The bar opens from midday daily.
If you want to know what it feels like to have Siri laugh at you, ask them to search for "small garden hideaway with excellent food, drink, music in Sydney's CBD". Once you've done that, head back here so we can give you what you want. Since I Left You, the 21st-century city speakeasy nestled in a heritage-listed storehouse in the centre of Sydney, has announced another chapter of The SILY Sessions. The once-monthly sessions are live gigs, but not as you know them. This month, you'll catch Sydney's Kieran Morris alongside Queenslander Bri Green on the The Garden Stage. But rather than spending the day being elbowed in the face at varying intensities, the performance is small — 50 people max — generally acoustic and includes antipasti and special cocktail offers. The gig takes place in SILY's courtyard which is transformed into a 'tropical oasis' for the occasion. With only 50 tickets to each session, you'll need to clamour for seats. Once you're there, though, relaxation, fine food and great music are all that need concern you. For those left out in the cold, each performance is recorded and available for purchase. Plus there's always next month. Take that, Siri.
Cider isn’t just a summer thirst quencher. Turn the stove on, throw in some spices and in just ten minutes you can wrap your gloves around a toasty hot beverage that makes mulled wine seem tame in flavour. Packed with fruits and spices like nutmeg, star anise, cloves and cinnamon, mulled cider gives your tastebuds a tasty kick on a cold winter night. INCREDIBLE MULLED CIDER by Jamie Oliver The recipe calls for clementines but if you can’t find them mandarins make a suitable alternative. It takes less than ten minutes for the flavours to infuse and the punch to warm up. Plus with oranges, clementines and pomegranate — you could even help stave off the dreaded winter cold... but that’s probably wishful thinking. SLOW COOKER HOT SPICED APPLE CIDER by mykitchentreaty.com Four spices, four hours. This recipe couldn’t be easier and the extra brewing time fills the cider with flavour and the kitchen with an inviting, spicy aroma. The fun bit is sticking the cloves in the whole oranges, which not only looks good enough for an Instagram snap, but could also ease the stress of a day that deserves nothing more than a glass of hot mulled cider. HOT BUTTERED APPLE CIDER by bonappetit.com Winter is no time for diets. That’s what we’ll tell ourselves as we’re stirring up all the butter and brown sugar that goes into this sinfully good recipe. It’s a time to add a little extra layer for warmth and what better way to do it than with this eye-rolling, tongue-out taste explosion in a mug. There’s a little lemon squeeze in her too for some subtle zest. Top Image: Dollar Photo Club
Next up at Firstdraft is Untold Stories, a group show from Berlin-based artists Jessica Ekomane, Jasmine Guffond and Silje Nes. Untold Stories examines the limits of human perception in relation to the technology shaping our modern environment. The three artists have backgrounds in sound installation, experimental sound and music (Nes releases music under both her own label, Noko Ana, and FatCat records — have a listen), along with a penchant for investigating the potential connections between sound, technology and politics. This new show indulges their interest in how phenomena like global wireless networks and the vibrational properties of subsonic sounds exist in an inaccessible space beyond our sensory range as humans, using generative experiments and sound installation to play with the idea of perception itself. A must-see for those who take their art experimental with a splash of nerd. While you're at First Draft, you can also check out Tyza Stewart's new show, Hey Remember When I Had a Rat-Tail. Image: Jessica Ekomane, Jasmine Guffond & Silje Nes, Untold Stories, courtesy the artists and Firstdraft
Listening to Moses Sumney is a distinctive and unique experience — like floating on a dark cloud with a silver lining, or teetering on a razor's edge between euphoria and melancholia. Armed with nothing but a guitar, a loop pedal and his ethereal pipes, Sumney creates a soft vortex of swirling melodies and rolling rhythms that seem to draw the audience into his world, and away from the corporeal. Fresh from a UK tour and a collaboration with The Cinematic Orchestra, Sumney is bringing his collection of soulful musings to Sydney Festival for a single night on Saturday, January 14. What's more, he'll be performing in St Stephen's Uniting Church on Macquarie Street. When every song is an experiment of the soul, you know this is one gig worth checking out. This is one of 15 next-level events to see at Sydney Festival. Check out the whole list.
Last winter, the NGV saw over 200 works from New York's famed MoMA and over summer it housed the Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds — an exhibition showcasing the works of both Dutch artist M.C. Escher and Japanese design studio Nendo. So, it had some big space to fill. Its 2019–20 summer blockbuster is Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines — yep, the NGV has succeeded in bringing yet another world-class exhibition to Australian shores. Similar to the Escher x Nendo and 2016's Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei exhibition, this one showcases an intersection between the two artists' careers (which were hugely influential in the late-20th century art world) and lives (which were both prolific, and tragically short). The world-premiere retrospective is exclusive to Melbourne and delves into their radicalism, socio-political standings and distinctive imagery. Haring's iconic dancing figures and Basquiat's crown and head motifs can be found throughout the 300 works — which spans paintings, sculpture, objects, drawings, photographs, notebooks and pieces in public spaces. The exhibition will also house the artists' collaborations with some of the world's most-celebrated pop culture icons, including Andy Warhol, Grace Jones and Madonna. Images: Tom Ross.
Ivan Orkin is a self-described "Jewish kid from New Jersey", but he's really an innovative star chef. You may recognize him from that one noodle episode of The Mind of a Chef. If you don't, all you need to know is that David Chang is a huge fan of his soup noodles. The new-school ramen chef will be joined by Dan Hong (Mr Wong), Mitch Orr (ACME), Ben Sears and Eun Hee An (Moon Park), Federico Zanaletto (LuMi) and Pasi Petanen (Cafe Paci), who are all dishing up their own versions of ramen. If that's not enough, Sydney's resident cool guy Andrew Levins will be providing the tunes for your rave. This event is one of our top ten picks of Good Food Month 2015. Check out the other nine. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Ronny Chieng’s a correspondent for The Daily Show, Josh Thomas's Please Like Me got nominated for an International Emmy, and Sam Simmons won the most prestigious accolade in live comedy, the Edinburgh Comedy Award. So it’s safe to say Australian comedy is gaining a formidable international reputation. Before hitting the big time though, each of these acts honed their skills live in bars, pubs, and comedy clubs across our wide brown land. And closer to home, local comedians are also experimenting, pushing boundaries, and putting on innovative work that might one day see them stepping out on to the world stage. Concrete Playground went to the coalface of comedy to bring you the ten best comedy rooms in Sydney you haven’t heard of yet. THE COMEDY LOUNGE Arguably the best weekly comedy room in Sydney, The Comedy Lounge at Surry Hills' Cafe Lounge is fast becoming a comedy institution. Having recently rung in their fourth birthday, Monday nights at The Comedy Lounge are always enjoyable, and for just $10 – or $8 if you're a penny-pinching student – we can see why. However, despite the consistent funnies being served up every Monday, it's Sunday nights that have recently been making a splash. On the Sabbath, Barry Award-nominated (that is, nominated for the best show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival) comedian John Conway hosts John Conway Tonight, an absurd deconstruction of a late-night TV show done live. Joined by regular collaborators and comedy young guns, Sam Campbell, Aaron Chen and Will Erimya, and boasting guests like The Chaser's Craig Reucassel, there truly is no other show like it in Sydney. Oh, and best of all — it's free. If eccentric live pseudo-chat shows aren't your thing, stick to Mondays and you never know who might 'drop in'. Recent surprise appearances by Wil Anderson and Stephen K. Amos show that The Comedy Lounge is always worth checking out. WOLF COMEDY Wolf Comedy is a monthly room held on the last Thursday of every month at Chippendale's best-kept secret, Knox Street Bar. Run by up-and-coming comedians Shubha Sivasubramanian, Kara Schlegl and Bish Marzook, as well as Gruen writer and creator of SBS Comedy's Backburner, James Colley, the motto of this room is, simply, 'be excellent to each other'. What that means in practice is a fun, accepting room, committed to diversifying comedy (read: comedians who are not solely twenty-something white dudes), and encouraging new people to perform. If you're a comedy fan but think insult comedy is tedious machismo or you simply don't want to be picked on as an audience member, this is the room for you. However, before the neckbeards rise up and start chanting Political correctness has ruined comedy! Seth MacFarlane is a god!, don’t mistake pleasantness for dullness. This room is all killer, no filler, and tickets routinely sell out. COMEDY(ISH) The brainchild of comedian Rhys Nicholson and triple j host Kyran Wheatley, Comedy(ish) is a night for new comedy from experienced comedians. Every iconic joke you can think of started off as a lump of coal, only to be relentlessly polished and refined into the comedic diamond that gets the laughs. And this is the place to see it happen, and watch today's headliners writing tomorrow's punchlines. Also a decent bet for big name drop-ins; Reggie Watts stopped off unannounced at last month's show. FIRST TUESDAY COMEDY CLUB The second offering from the Rhys Nicholson, Kyran Wheatley team at Giant Dwarf, this is classic New York-style stand-up comedy: an opener, feature set, and world-class headliner, emceed each month by one of the nation's finest talents. You'll be hard pressed to find a higher quality selection of comedy anywhere in Australia — let alone Sydney. So get along on the first Tuesday of the month now, because this is going to be the next big thing. ROX COMEDY The Roxbury Hotel has been synonymous with Sydney comedy for decades. So when the pub was taken over by new management a few years back, news that comedy would no longer have its ancestral home in Glebe was met with dismay and despondence. But, luckily, the dark days are over, with the launch of Rox Comedy every Wednesday night. Run by Sydney comedy veteran Ray Badran and emerging talent Gerard McGeowan, each week this room boasts some of the best comedians in Australia. Having only launched a few months ago, this room is still hitting its stride — but expect big things. TENNIS IMPROV Improvised comedy is going through something of a renaissance in Sydney at the moment, with The Bear Pack regularly selling out 300+ seat venues and Tennis Improv still serving up some of the best long-form improvisational comedy this city has to offer. Formerly known as Full Body Contact No Love Tennis, the rebranded Tennis is back with a vengeance every second Tuesday at Glebe's Roxbury Hotel. It operates under the tutelage of the talented Kate Coates, Hayley Dinnison, and Fran Middleton. ENMORE COMEDY CLUB Inspired by the success of the Sydney Comedy Festival's late-night showcase, The Festival Club, Enmore Comedy Club adopts the same formula: $15 (or $10 if you buy online) for world-class comedy in an intimate venue. Held in the Enmore Theatre's newly refurbished wine bar every Tuesday, this night is run by the same crew behind The Comedy Store, which is widely-regarded as the best comedy room in Australia — if not the southern hemisphere. So expect top-shelf acts at bargain basement prices. EVELEIGH COMEDY Previously one of the best free weekly rooms in town, hotel management issues recently forced Eveleigh Comedy to scale back to a monthly show. However, what may have been lost in regularity will be more than made up for in quality. Hosted and produced by the prolific Daniel Muggleton on one Sunday night a month, this is always a laidback, super fun night. And if the gratis ticket price wasn't enough of an incentive, The Eveleigh Hotel is one of the inner west's hidden pub gems. GREEN LIGHTS COMEDY Never been game enough to set foot inside The Gaelic Club, the Surry Hills drinking hole of questionable repute opposite Central? Neither had we — that is, until Green Lights Comedy set up shop on the top-floor of the Irish pub on the last Friday of every month. Run by long-time friends and self-proclaimed 'adorable as ever MCs' Alexei Toliopoulos and Nikko Malyon, Green Lights has one of the best set-ups of any room in Sydney. To the right of the pokie-strewn façade, up some anonymous-looking stairs decorated with rugby league paraphernalia from a bygone era, past a table of possibly the last remaining (or certainly the oldest) card-carrying communists in Sydney, and through the green door, you'll find yourself in the little-known top bar of The Gaelic Club. Green Lights feels like stepping into someone's living room, and the hosts emulate this warmth perfectly. If you feel like seeing decent comedy in a friendly, homey setting over a dirt-cheap pint of Kilkenny, look no further. DRAGON FRIENDS As that sweaty, gamer dude with greasepaint dripping from his nose that you bumped into on the bus who was cosplaying Emperor Palpatine en route to Oz Comic-Con said: Let the nerd flow through you. Despite sounding like one of the most horrendous pick-up lines of all time, he had a point. Nerd culture is inescapable, and unless you want to look back on a life haunted by the zeitgeist, it's time to get on board. Dragon Friends is a Dungeons and Dragons game played live on stage by some of Sydney's best comedians. While that may sound niche, the kicker is that none of the comedians have played D&D — the cult tabletop fantasy role playing game — before. DM'd by Dave Harmon, the creator of Australia's largest real world zombie survival game, Zedtown, together with Story Club co-creator and regular Chaser collaborator, Ben Jenkins, are Dragon Friends. And it's silly, unashamedly nerdy, and utterly delightful. The core cast of comedians/D&D newbies is compromised of triple j presenter and Good Game Well Played host, Michael Hing, BuzzFeed Australia's Alex Lee, national Theatresports champion Simon Greiner, and one third of the Axis of Awesome, Benny Davis. Having just performed at PAX Australia in Melbourne — where they were joined on stage by Lawrence Leung and none other than Senator Scott Ludlam — Dragon Friends won't be little known for long. If this piques your interest, you can catch up on the adventure so far via their podcast. Finally, if all of those suggestions left you unphased, and you’re looking for raw, experimental, genre-bending (and occasionally shambolic) comedy, check out Idiot Box on campus at the University of Sydney's Hermman’s Bar. Images: From each venue, top image Giant Dwarf.
New local indie short film festival Freshflix is back for spring with more great films and food to ring in daylight savings. Created by budding entrepreneurs Jess Hamilton, Claudia Pickering and Laurs Guthrie, Freshflix started earlier this year in a backyard in Freshwater with the aim of showcasing local and international indie films, visual arts and live music. Head to the 4 Pines Brewery Truckbar in Brookvale on Saturday, October 15 to kick back to the blues beats of The Realmers, munch on Truckbars' signature pale ale pizza pies and, naturally, drink 4 Pines brews — not to mention watching a solid dose of some kickass new films. Highlights from their spring film selection lineup include Spill, a film about power dynamics in the marble collecting craze of West Meadows Primary School (or, you know, every suburban Australian primary school ever), Big City, a film about a Melbourne taxi driver and his passenger, and The Plover, a cartoon about a plover standing in the way of Henry Arthur Henry achieving his hopes and dreams — namely, jumping on Angie Primarano's trampoline. And if all that isn't enough to convince you, your Freshflix ticket even comes with a free zine by local artists and free popcorn. Sold. Can't make it to Brookvale? Don't worry, Freshflix will be coming to a secret Redfern warehouse on Friday night.
Picture this: you’re settled in for the night with your penne and personal tiramisu, pyjamas so fluffy it’s like wearing a cloud and none of your shitty housemates are home. You’ve got a tight lineup of trashy shows ready to go and a fat glass of wine in hand, but something is off — there’s not enough wine. There’s not enough wine in your glass, blood or on the television. There’s some wine on Masterchef, there’s demure wine on The Bachelor and there’s hardly any wine in Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. All that’s about to change with Baptism of Fire, a wine-making reality show that pairs amazingly with indulgent nights on the couch. Mojo Wine is once again bringing us Baptism of Fire, a reality web series that pits team of amateur winemakers against each other for the glory of the win (and $10,000 prize money). If you want to take it further than simply watching the wine be made, you can even make the wine yourself — Mojo is looking for entrants now, and the only catch is you can never have never been employed in winemaking (recreational wine drinking, however, is fine and recommended). The experience is fully paid for and, we would guess, involves a fair whack of delicious wine-tasting. The competition traverses the entire process that turns not-at-all fun grapes into a so-much-fun bottle of wine with a cute label. The six teams of two will design and market their wine and the winners receive the chance to take their brand further — what this literally means, we're not 100 percent, but it is an opportunity to drink wine for ‘educational’ purposes on a weeknight. Bring it on. To apply for Baptism of Fire, check out the website.
"Justice's '†' has just come out on Ed Banger Records and Daft Punk's Alive tour is coming to an end. Calvin Harris is singing 'Acceptable in the 80's' live on tour and Boys Noize releases 'Oi Oi Oi'. Sneaky Sound System is in the 25 Most Played playlist on your brightly coloured iPod Nano and you know all the words to 'The Salmon Dance'. The music videos for 'Destination Calabria' and 'My People' are on high rotation on Channel [V]." We're heading way, way, way back to 2007 (where the folks behind A Year in Dance know how to write a damn good time-travelling event description). If you're pining for the days of dancing around your lounge room to Friendly Fires and Cut Copy, guilty of cranking Bob Sinclar's frustratingly catchy singles in your car, or know how to pronounce the band name !!! this one's for you (it's Chk Chk Chk, remember). A giant party celebrating the music of the year 2007 is coming to the Metro. Niche, but bloody awesome. Here's what you'll be listening to: The Chemical Brothers, Justice, MSTRKRFT, Sneaky Sound System, Riot In Belgium, Calvin Harris, Boys Noize, Switch, LCD Soundsystem, Busy P, Uffie, GOOSE, Simian Mobile Disco, YELLE, Friendly Fires, Bloc Party, Digitalism, Panda Bear, Daft Punk, Shinichi Osawa, Les Petits Pilous, Chromeo, D.I.M, Danger, M.I.A, DJ Mehdi, Muscles, Bonde Do Role, Bob Sinclar, Grafton Primary, Yacht, Freemasons, !!!, Cut Copy, Bang Gang DJs, Van She Tech, Crookers, Crystal Castles, Operator Please, Scissor Sisters, The Klaxons, Fergie, Fall Out Boy, The Shins, The White Stripes, New Young Pony Club, Plain White Ts, Gossip, JoJo, Gym Class Heroes, Arctic Monkeys, Nelly Furtardo, MIKA, Dizzee Rascal, Bloc Party and more. Not convinced? REMEMBER THIS:
Puffy shirts and cereal bowls at the ready. It's been 17 years since Jerry Seinfeld shut the door to his New York apartment, but for just five days lucky New Yorkers can relive the finicky glory of Larry David's immortal sitcom. There's a Seinfeld pop-up museum opening for just five days in New York City, featuring a replica of Jerry's apartment 5A, the gang's favourite diner booth, a Festivus Pole, a host of original props and scripts, yada yada yada. Held at New York's Milk Studios in the Meatpacking District, the pop-up is a publicity stunt by Hulu — US users (or sneaky VPN-wielding fiends) can stream all 180 episodes of the series online from today. Actor Patrick Warburton (Elaine's boyfriend David Puddy) told the New York Daily News it was "like the Smithsonian of Seinfeld." Larry Thomas (who played the formidable Soup Nazi) instead said, "It’s like Disneyland for Seinfeld fans." We get the drift, schmoopies. Set around an eight season replica of Jerry's apartment, the museum is brimming with niche props only real fans would genuinely squeal over: Jerry's Superman figurine (lurking in the background of almost every single episode), George's Frogger arcade game, Bachman pretzels — "These pretzels are making me thirsty." You can sift through Jerry's VHS collection (featuring a copy of Pretty Woman), check out the Bryan Cranston-signed wall logo from the taping of the final episode, and there's even a couch where you can recreate George's highly erotic pose from 'The Package' episode. Of course, super fans have already picked out the one fatal flaw in Hulu's installation — Jerry's computer. Mashable pointed out that Jerry's beloved Apple computer has been traded for a dastardly retro PC. No dice. Eh, computer schmomputer, at least the Soup Nazi's endorsing it: The Seinfeld pop-up museum is open June 24–28 from 10 am–7pm at Milk Studios, 451 West 14th Street, NYC. Via New York Daily News and Gothamist. Images: Tod Seelie.
Where the heck were you in 2006? Were you waiting in line at the Abercrombie? Did you lovingly hand over ten bucks at the door, march triumphantly to the bar to order a vodka, coke and raspberry, elbow your way to the d-floor and throw shapes on the sticky, sticky carpet to Bloc Party? WE WERE THERE TOO. Maybe we made out on a terrible couch. It's been ten years since the early Abercrombie days, and the Purple Sneakers crew have evolved from a weekly throwdown to one of Sydney's most on-the-pulse music blogs (run by nationally touring DJs) and a sought-after management company. So, of course, they're throwing a big fuck-off party. This year, Purple Sneakers turns ten and to celebrate they're running a big party called 'Ten Years Of Taste' during Vivid Sydney with mates UNDR Ctrl and FBi Radio. On June 18, it'll take over The Lord Gladstone — where Purple Sneakers moved their weekly party back in the day after the Abercrombie shut down for a spell — and it's going to be free. FREE. Expect one heck of a rowdy shindig, as Purple Sneakers have invited their talented friends along — expect sets from up and comers like Tashka, Lastlings and World Champion; alongside heavy beats from Indian Summer, Stephane 1993 and Moonbase Commander. There'll be DJ sets from I OH YOU, Pilerats, Astral People, Motorik and their mates from the old Abercrombie days Linda Marigliano and Levins. Finally (and of course) Purple Sneakers DJs will be closing the night with an hour and a half 'retrospective' set. According to the crew, the set will be "looking back at all the bangers we've all partied, loved, celebrated and passed out to." Count. Us. In. Purple Sneakers' 10th Birthday Party is happening at The Lord Gladstone on June 18 for Vivid Sydney. Entry is free but you'll need to RSVP.
You haven't done life drawing until you've done it at a Victorian seance themed class. This spooky happening is taking place at 107 Projects in Redfern, and the focal point is, of course, a bunch of supernatural models in ghostly poses. Meanwhile, a witch doctor will be providing trans-dimensional connections, mystical music and live performance. And, anytime you need a refreshing beverage — or magical elixir — head to the bar. The class is hosted by Drawing Blood, who debuted their spell-binding life drawing concept earlier this year and have since been bringing otherworldly inspiration to Sydney's artists on a regular basis. Their mission is to help you inject some spirit into your art practice. So, grab your pencils and canvas, and enter another realm to conjure your very best drawing abilities. Image: Showtime.
Firstdraft presents SADISCO by Jane Polkinghorne and Ingrid Stiertzel — a work that in their words is "horrible and beautiful, bad and sad, groovy and ghastly, like disco, like Australia". Their first collaboration, SADISCO blends installation, performance and video to embrace the 'tragedy of disco' alongside the nostalgia and ridiculousness of the 1970s, which, to both artists, represented a time of exciting social transformation and possibility within Australian culture — an era sitting in stark contrast to the present day's increasingly regressive, 1950s vibe. Alongside the video installation, on Saturday, April 15 between 12–6pm, Polkinghorne is performing an endurance dance to Tina Turner's 'Nutbush City Limits' (crowd participation is strongly encouraged) and Stiertzel is merging roller-skating with karaoke out in the Firstdraft carpark. She'll attempt to re-perform the mysterious National Xanadu Dance Contest of 1980 on roller skates. If you bring your skates you will absolutely be challenged to a disco dance-off.
This article is part of our series on the diverse highlights of NZ's Canterbury region, from city to snow. To book your Lake Tekapo trip, visit the 100% Pure New Zealand website. If your mental picture of New Zealand is all lush greenery, snow-topped mountains, vast lakes and clear skies, then you'd most likely go nuts over Lake Tekapo. The place is the idealisation of pretty much everything associated with New Zealand by way of landscape: a small town surrounded by the Southern Alps and sitting on the bluest goddamn lake you've ever seen. The water in this lake is not to be understated — it's pure magic. It shimmers like it could clear your head, cure your ails and turn you into a mermaid all at the same time. Mermaids aside, Tekapo is must-see for travellers driving through the South Island (it's less than three hours from Christchurch and Queenstown), and it's an idyllic place to stay too. The lake's obvious potential for water sports and its proximity to the nearby Round Hill ski area makes it a popular destination all year round, but time your stay correctly (that is, outside of school holidays) and you'll find a small, quiet town with enough going on to keep it interesting. You could spend two days in Tekapo just gazing out over the lake, but this small township becomes an oasis in winter with plenty to eat, see, do and take in. Got two days in the area? Here's how you should spend it in Tekapo. DAY ONE Midday: Air Safaris flight Tekapo is halfway between Christchurch and Queenstown, so no matter where you're coming from on the South Island, you can make an early start and arrive before noon. If the weather's clear, the first thing you'll want to do is book yourself in for an Air Safaris flight. It's a little bit pricey, but if you can do it, it's amazing as all hell to see the landscape from the vantage point of a light plane. They'll fly you over Tekapo, through the Godley Valley and right over the top of the Southern Alps. Flights depart every hour and last for around 45 minutes. It is totally dependent on the weather, so it's best to book on the day when you know you'll be able to see more than a few feet in front of you. [caption id="attachment_227858" align="alignnone" width="1024"] andrewXu via Flickr[/caption] Afternoon: The Church of the Good Shepherd The best thing about the Mackenzie region is that it has so much salmon swimming through its canal system that it's super fresh pretty much wherever you get it. Grab some salmon sashimi to go from Kohan (unsurprisingly Tekapo's only Japanese restaurant) and head over the canal to the Church of the Good Shepherd. The church is tiny, and — with that backdrop — is highly Instagrammable. It's usually open for prayer and admiration during the day if you want to head inside (just eat your salmon beforehand). [caption id="attachment_227862" align="alignnone" width="1024"] andrewXu via Flickr[/caption] Evening: Stargazing at Mt John Light pollution is one of those things you don't notice until it's gone, and at Tekapo it's practically nonexistent. Due to its isolation and terrain the area has an unusually high number of clear days and, as part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, the town is restricted in how much light they emit. You know what that means? You can see the stars! They're unusually bright from wherever you are in Tekapo, but the best vantage point is up at the Mt John Observatory. Access to Mt John is restricted at night, so you'll have to book a tour with Earth & Sky to get up there. On a clear night they'll point out what's up there and you'll get to look through their telescopes and pretty much geek out on astronomy. If you're really lucky, there might even be some Aurora Australis action. But, let me emphasise: really, really lucky. Night: Dinner at Rakinui Tekapo is primarily a tourist town, so there are a heap of places to stay. If you're looking for something that's fairly new, comfortable and not a hostel (it is only two nights, after all), Peppers Bluewater Resort ticks all the boxes and has some rooms that face right over the lake. If you're staying here, head to their restaurant, Rakinui, for a late post-stargazing dinner. Their homemade bread is incredible and they also have a regional tasting platter if you're keen to sample tastes of the Mackenzie region. DAY TWO Morning: Walk up Mount John A chilly morning walk might not sound like your idea of a holiday, but it will be once you get up the top of Mt John. So grab your gloves, scarf and beanie (as well as a walking trail map that you'll be able to find at your accommodation) and head outside. You can either drive to the walking track, which starts at Tekapo Springs, or just walk (it'll just add on an extra half an hour or so). From here you head up on a pretty steep track through the larch trees, which flattens out soon enough to take you around Mt John and up to the summit. On a clear morning the views are amazing — the water looks even bluer from up there and you can see all the way over the surrounding lakes and the Mackenzie Basin. This is definitely a spot where you can take an extended breather, contemplate nature, meditate etc. When you're done, you can take the same route back down (around 2 hours all up) or via the lake shore track, which is almost twice as long. Midday: Brunch at Run 77 After every good walk comes a good breakfast, which is precisely why Tekapo has Run 77. Those assuming a place like Lake Tekapo wouldn't be home to a quality cup of coffee will be pleasantly surprised, because Run 77 rocks it. The cafe doubles as a deli and food store, and dishes out a mean brunch by anyone's standards. Choose from things like their homemade muesli, fresh banana bread served with walnut jam and grilled banana and their eggs Benedict with local Aoraki hot smoked salmon. Plus, they have a cabinet full of scones, slices and muffins for your sweet tooth. Afternoon: Tekapo Springs Now you've walked uphill and had a big brunch, it's time to take off all your clothes. This might sound crazy (and it sort of is when there's snow on the ground), but sliding into the hot pools at Tekapo Springs is exactly what you never knew your body needed — you've just got to get from the change rooms and into the water in your bikini first. Sounds difficult, but what's waiting for you is three outdoor pools filled with toasty warm natural spring water at 36-40 degrees. So, don't worry, you won't be freezing your whatever off for very long. You can top this off with a skate on their outdoor ice rink, but we're more inclined to suggest a go in the sauna and possibly even a massage at their day spa. Actually, we insist on that last one. Evening: Dinner at Tin Plate After you emerge from the day spa in a daze at sunset, you probably won't be able to find you way home. Conveniently, Tekapo Springs offer a free shuttle service back into town on request, and they'll drop you wherever you like. For dinner and a glass of wine by the fire, slink into Tin Plate Kitchen & Bar. The newest addition to Tekapo's main drag, Tin Plate has only been open since the start of this year's ski season, doing pizza, pasta and piada — an Italian pita bread served open with toppings like chorizo and prawn or artichoke, capsicum and blue cheese. Wine is available by the carafe, Three Boys Pilsner is on tap and your bed is only a short walk away. That's the beauty of Tekapo.
Khamsa Cafe fuses vegan eats with Middle Eastern flavours, courtesy of its Palestinian founder Sarah Shaweesh. Shaweesh — whose catering business has been supplying Sydney cafes with raw vegan cakes since 2015 — was born in Sydney but raised in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Jordan, and brought these influences to Khamsa Cafe. Located on the Erskineville end of King Street, the corner cafe boasts bi-fold doors and floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing for a seamless indoor-outdoor feel to the space [caption id="attachment_707085" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Ali[/caption] Open seven days a week from 7am–3pm, the cafe offers both breakfast and lunch items, all infused with many Middle Eastern spices. All-day brekkie includes the Jerusalem bowl — a combination of cauliflower and quinoa with fattoush salad, baba ghanoush and hummus — and a massive Bedouin breakfast wrap that combines fried cauliflower, cucumber and tomato, all topped with tahini, pickles and garlic. Khamsa Cafe's main meals offer more traditional Middle Eastern fare, like the Kan Zamman Bowl with tzatziki, muhamarra, viudjara and fresh salad and the Hey Macarena with macaroni, garlic yoghurt, Palestinian spiced mint and pine nuts. For drinks, the highlight is the fragrant Arabic coffee with cardamom — a rare find in Sydney's inner west. There's also a healthy range of teas to select from including a matcha latte and a chai na'naa' with loose leaf black tea and fresh mint leaves. It's creative vegan fare that fits right in to its surrounds. [caption id="attachment_707088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Ali[/caption] Top images: Sam Ali, Commune Waterloo.
When Vivid Sydney kicks off winter, the city instantly gets brighter. And, come Friday, May 27–Sunday, June 18, the popular event might just beam a little stronger than usual — returning for the first time since 2019. Vivid Sydney's 2022 lineup certainly boasts plenty of highlights — and more than 200 events in total. Sticking with all that eye-catching light, to begin with, there'll be more than 50 luminous installations dazzling the city, including two particularly spectacular attractions by the water. The first, Sydney Infinity by Oracle Liquid, is a water sculpture in Darling Harbour that'll feature 12 80-metre-high water shoots, plus a Sydney-inspired soundtrack by DJ Peewee Ferris. And the second, at Walsh Bay, will see a 100-metre floating Light Walk pop up for folks to mosey along. Vivid Sydney will also host First Light, a Welcome to Country celebrating the Gadigal people and Country on Friday, May 27. And, Our Connected City by Mandylights will literally shine new light on the city's landmarks via 150 searchlights, which will illuminate the CBD with ribbons of light from the Sydney Opera House all the way to the northern pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. [caption id="attachment_851810" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dan Hong and Mike Eggert, Destination NSW[/caption] In something completely new for 2022, Vivid Sydney will throw its first-ever Vivid Sydney Dinner, taking place at Merivale's Ivy Ballroom and hosted by Justine Clarke. The lineup spans Ken Done, Julia Baird, the Vivid Sydney Brass Band, James Morrison, Ngaiire, Virginia Gay and Kate Monroe, plus food by chefs Dan Hong and Mike Eggert. On the talks part of the program, American filmmaker Aaron Sorkin is headed to Sydney to discuss the intersection of politics and drama, as seen so often in his work. Also among the big names getting chatty: musician, artist and actor Troye Sivan, who'll talk with Lillian Ahenkan (AKA Flex Mami); and US journalist Gretchen Carlson — one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People (2017) — who successfully sued Fox founder and CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment and has since worked tirelessly to change legislation that silences the victims of sexual harassment. Meanwhile, Vivid Ideas Up Late will pop up at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Australian Museum, the Powerhouse Museum and the National Maritime Museum, hosting free nights filled with talks, performances, fashion, music and food. Music-wise, Vivid Sydney is no slouch, either. For starters, Vivid Live at Sydney Opera House will feature Paul Kelly, Thelma Plum and Ash Naylor during a gig dubbed Time And Tide: Four Decades of Song; Sampa The Great's new show An Afro Future; and Berlin-based piano star Nils Frahm performing Music for Sydney. Over at the Carriageworks precinct, the all-female Japanese rock band Chai will be hitting the stage, as will Estonian rapper Tommy Cash. Baxter Dury is bringing a splash of London disco to the CBD, and rock 'n' roll meets psychedelia at Spiritualized's taking over Luna Park's Big Top. Vivid Sydney 2022 will run from Friday, May 27–Sunday, June 18. For further information and tickets, head to the event's website. Top images: Yarrkalpa — Hunting Ground (2021), by the Martu Artists and Curiious with soundtrack by Electric Fields and Martu Artists (inspired by Yarrkalpa — Always Walking Country, 2014), Destination NSW (first image); For Sydney With Love, by Ken Done on Customs House, Spinifex Group (fourth image); Future Natives, by Chris Daniel, Destination NSW (fifth image); Convergence, by Mandylights, Destination NSW (sixth image).
By now, most Melbourne (or Melbourne-visiting) food lovers have visited Chin Chin. And ever since we announced that the Flinders Lane Thai restaurant was coming to Sydney (way back in May 2015, by the way), Sydneysiders have been anticipating its arrival in the ground floor of Surry Hills' 100-year-old Griffiths Teas building. And now, two years on, we finally have an opening date: Monday, October 2. Yes, that's this coming Monday — the Labour Day public holiday. So, first things first: make a booking. Now, here's what to expect. Chin Chin Sydney is the first offshoot of the original, which opened in Melbourne's CBD back in 2011. While number two looks entirely different to its sister restaurant, it has employed many of the tried-and-tested formulas that has made it one of Melbourne's best. In addition to the 160-seat restaurant, Chin Chin Sydney will have its own GoGo Bar. Here, you'll be able to grab a drink while you wait for a table (and you will have to wait). In Melbourne, you can also order food off the extensive bar menu, so here's hoping this is carried through here. So what's on the menu? Well, if you've dined at Chin Chin in Melbourne you'll find many of Executive Chef Benjamin Cooper's familiar dishes here — like the pork roll-ups and the crispy barramundi and pork salad — with the addition of a few new ones courtesy of a custom-built charcoal pit and rotisserie. Expect some barbecued cauliflower with curry-spiced coconut cream and a rotisserie pork belly with fennel and some hot chilli sauce. Cocktails come from Michael Chiem (of PS40) and wine has been selected by an all-female wine team led by Jacqueline Turner. The team has also created a custom 4 Pines chilli lager for the restaurant. The whole thing has been put together by designer George Livissianis, who is responsible for the interiors of The Dolphin, The Paddington Inn and countless other Sydney venues. He's gone for a much softer look with blonde wood and duck feather-topped seats for the Sydney restaurant, which gets a lot of natural light. The signature Chin Chin neon rabbit ears have still found a place in the design though. The basement will house events space Chii Town. A new concept for Chin Chin, this area has three bookable spaces (for 12, 25 and 80 people) for special occasions. There's also the option to book the chef's table if you have a group of ten to 16 mates. For week one the restaurant will be open for dinner only, with lunch service starting the following week, on Monday, October 9. From there on in, it will be open from 11am till late, seven days a week. Chin Chin Sydney will open at 69 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills on Monday, October 2. To make a booking, visit chinchinrestaurant.com.au.
It won't be the liquor that's making your head spin at Mexico's Biré Bitori. Designed by architectural firm Tall Arquitectos on behalf of chef Maria Andrea Payne, the proposed two-story bar and restaurant would stick out over the edge of a cliff near the Basaseachic Falls, the second highest waterfall in the country. And if that weren't enough to kick your vertigo into gear, the bar and dining area will feature a transparent glass floor, offering breathtaking/terrifying views of the canyon below. The bar and restaurant (and nausea-inducing glass floor) would be located on the first level, while upstairs patrons would find a panoramic observation platform and pool. No word on what the menu might look like, although given the incredible surroundings we can't imagine it would be all that cheap. The falls themselves are located in the Basaseachic Waterfalls National Park, around three and half hours drive west of Chihuahua in the country's north. Via Traveller.
Green Gourmet features a menu that reads like a vegan's heaven on earth. All dishes are entirely meat-free, dairy-free and (interestingly) free of onion and garlic as well. Green Gourmet buys into the ancient vegetarian practices of China and India, which tout vegetarianism as a means to rediscover ' universal love' and the pure character of man. Part of that practice is to eliminate all spicy-scented vegetables (including onion, garlic, leeks, spring onion and chives) which are believed to induce offensive reactions, from bad breath to lustfulness. Whether you are excited by Green Gourmet's adherence to these practices or thinking, 'Shit, the food will have no flavour', prepare to leave full and happy - and perhaps pleasantly surprised. Green Gourmet is family-owned and bases its business around creating nutritious food to benefit mind and body. The health vibes are apparent, making customers feel like they are cared about. And, don't worry, your tastebuds will be taken care of too. With one restaurant location in St. Leonards and a stall at the Sydney Vegan Market, Green Gourmet is clearly enjoying a regular crowd. Jump on this vegan bandwagon and stop in for some curry triangles and 'duck' spring rolls with hoisin sauce. If you prefer a spicy dish, we recommend the Sichuan style eggplant or cauliflower with sweet and spicy red vinegar glaze and sesame seeds. Make sure you save room for dessert, too.
Deck the halls and unpack the plastic tree. The festive season is well and truly upon us, and with it come some of the biggest films of the year. Along with the cricket and stampeding through shopping centres, going to the movies is one of our favourite Boxing Day traditions. After all, what better place to recover from your post-Christmas food coma than in a nice, dark, air-conditioned cinema? Of course, not all of the end of year titles measure up. That's why we're reporting in with our annual Boxing Day Battle Royale, to ensure that you get maximum bang for your Kris Kringle gift voucher buck. ST VINCENT See it if: you've always dreamed of having Bill Murray for a neighbour We give it: 4 stars A crotchety old man gets a new lease of life when he becomes the reluctant babysitter to the 12-year-old kid next door. Sounds pretty unbearable, until you factor in that the old man is played by Bill Murray. First time writer-director Theodore Melfi doesn't reinvent the wheel, but the film's formulaic plotting is offset by sharp dialogue and the natural comedic chemistry of its cast. Melissa McCarthy and Chris O'Dowd are standouts in supporting roles, while newcomer Jaeden Lieberher is a revelation. Unsurprisingly though it's Murray who steals the show, delivering the perfect mix of irritable wit and genuine emotion. Read our full review. MR TURNER See it if: you're an art lover We give it: 4 stars Grunting and wheezing, Timothy Spall gives one of the best performances of the year as famed British painter J.M.W. Turner, in this two-and-a-half hour biopic from writer-director Mike Leigh. Strictly for arthouse crowds, the film doesn't have much of a narrative through-line, but as a portrait of a lonely artist it's surprisingly compelling. The film also contains some absolutely gorgeous cinematography, the painterly quality achieved by director of photography Dick Pope seemingly inspired by the work of Turner himself. Read our full review. BIG HERO 6 See it if: you're babysitting, or just want to indulge your inner child We give it: 3.5 stars Disney's follow-up to the phenomenon that was Frozen is an adaptation of a Marvel comic book about a plucky teenaged inventor who joins forces with an inflatable robot named Baymax in order to bring down a supervillain who is terrorising the city. As animated superhero films go, it's not a patch on The Incredibles, but kids will gets a kick out of it, and there's some great physical comedy courtesy of the film's plus-size robotic co-star. Frankly, if Baymax toys aren't flying off the shelf come January, someone in the Disney merchandising department should be out of a job. Read our full review. THE WATER DIVINER See it if: you're a really big Russell Crowe fan We give it: 2.5 stars Russell Crowe's directorial debut follows a father searching for the bodies of his sons after they're killed in combat at Gallipoli. Given Australia's tendency to mythologise that particular battle, it's refreshing to see how measured Crowe is in his approach, presenting the Turkish perspective as well as our own. Unfortunately, on a more technical level, Rusty still has quite a lot to learn. Flat photography and harsh lighting makes the film look as though it was shot for community television, while the overly earnest dialogue likewise leaves a lot to be desired. Read our full review. THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES See it if: you really, truly can't be bothered reading the book We give it: 1.5 stars We've had mostly nice things to say about this series up until this point, but that all ends now. After beginning with a dragon-sized anti-climax, the final part of Peter Jackson's painful protracted Tolkien adaptation turns out to be exactly what we all feared it would be: 2 hours and 20 minutes of padding. Comprised of one long, generic battle sequence, it's difficult to think of a recent film in which you feel less invested in the outcome. It's a sad, flabby end to what will likely be remembered as one of the most pointless movie trilogies of all time. Read our full review. Also out on Boxing Day: family flick Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.
The Newport's executive chef, Sebastien Lutaud, has fried escargot alongside France's Oliver Elzer, prepared sashimi with Tetsuya Wakuda and headed up Felix Bar and Bistro. Now, he's bringing his 25 years of gun hospitality experience to Sydney's northern beaches. "From the minute The Newport was described to me, I thought it was going to be an amazing project," says Lutaud. "It's a one-of-a-kind in Sydney, if not Australia — an amazing venue in an amazing spot." One of the most anticipated openings of the year so far (and last year), the freshly revamped Newport has a strong focus on food. But don't expect a single service counter or a straightforward menu at this renovated pub. Instead, expect to feel a bit like you're walking through a permanent food festival. Lutaud designed the menu with input from some of Merivale's other key chefs, so you'll notice some familiar imports — and a similar stall-type layout to the Coogee Pavilion's foreshore fest. "There are little stalls and outlets, selling different types of food," says Lutaud. "So, for example, we've got Vinnie's pizzas, from Coogee [Pavilion]. We've got a burger shack, where we do six different burgers and five different salads." Given The Newport's Pittwater location, there's also a spot dedicated to fish and chips. "But I wouldn't call it your classic fish and chips, where everything's deep-fried," says Lutaud. "We do have the classic version, but we've also dishes like grilled Clarence River octopus and pan-fried snapper with simple salad." If you're travelling with mates or family and want to share, you'll be heading to The Kiosk, for small and large platters. "We have a French rotisserie, where we're doing chicken and Rangers Valley brisket and hot-smoked whole salmon, which we'll serve with rolls, salads and nice sauces. There's also a seafood section, with fresh oysters, cooked prawns and a crab omelette, with Vietnamese herbs and dressing." As for ordering, you'll have two options. The first is the old-fashioned method of heading to the stall, putting in your request and grabbing a buzzer. The second is downloading an app and doing it all from the comfort of your bar stool. The only catch is that the app is still in development – at this stage, it's good for pizzas, and other stalls will be added with time. The Newport opens on Friday, March 25. Learn a little more about the rest of the revamp here.
