The NSW state government has given the go-ahead to a controversial development project on the site of the heritage-listed Abercrombie Hotel, one that will see the shuttered corner pub dwarfed by a 16-storey apartment building and office complex. The imposing glass tower was designed by the award-winning London architecture outfit Foster and Partners alongside Sydney-based firm PTW, and is the latest step in Frasers Property Australia's $2 billion Central Park development. It will contain commercial offices along with a childcare centre and 48 apartments, while an adjoining 18-story tower will house 293 hotel rooms. Critics have previously slammed the design, with Chippendale resident and sustainability campaigner Michael Mobbs telling Domain that it makes the much-loved art-deco pub on the corner of Abercrombie and Broadway look like a "toenail at the end of a tattooed, robotic leg." "This is meant to be a gateway to the city, but instead it looks like a little moment of absurdity as you drive in," said Mobbs. "The hotel just looks so at odds with everything that’s going to be around it, it might as well go – which I suspect was the intention in the first place." Frasers' marketing and sales director Paul Lowe defended the designs, saying that "it’s only when you see all the elevations that you can understand how sympathetic the design of the towers are to the hotel. You need to see how the hotel has been preserved, and the tower is set back to really appreciate the whole thing." The Abercrombie, also known as The Australian, ceased operation in January 2014, with then-manager Dane Gorrel citing the impending Central Park development as the reason for its closure. The pub will be restored as part of the development, although there's still no word on what it will be use for. The tower itself will be set back six metres from the road, so that it won't be as visible from street level. Via Domain. Images: NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
Our city's biggest summer celebration of local and international talent has finally arrived – and you've managed to bag tickets! Good start, compadre. But as any regular arts-goer knows, finding pre- or post-show eats is a tricky business. That's why we've chosen our top places near the main Sydney Festival venues, so whether you're heading to Carriageworks for About An Hour, Enmore Theatre for Mexrissey or Riverside Theatre for Birdman, we've got your nosh needs covered. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... THE SPIEGELTENTS, CITY RECITAL HALL OR SYDNEY TOWN HALL Festival Village For another year, Sydney Festival is setting up the beloved Festival Village in Hyde Park, stretching along College Street past the Archibald Fountain and housing the Spiegeltent, Magic Mirror Spiegeltent and all your festival food and drink needs. Food vendors have your voracious stomach's needs completely covered from 12pm (check out these ridiculous Messina creations). Yes, the gelato gods are once again gifting us with the goods for the duration of the 20-day festival, creating a seven-piece menu of stupidly creative (and delicious) ice creamery — dubbed Il Carnivale di Gelato Messina. Mary's CBD Mary's has brought its signature burgers (plus some deliciously thick new inventions) over from Newtown. Located on Castlereagh Street, Mary's CBD has two floors, with the upper level functioning as a production space, while downstairs is the kitchen and takeaway counter. The menu features the same burgers we know and love from Newtown. Add to that the new chicken burger, super crispy French fries, and thickshakes. Did someone say smoked maple? Indu Seeing a show in Angel Place? Take a turn before China Lane. From here, head through a small door, and follow your nose down a few flights of dimly lit stairs. Indu, which takes its inspiration from the southern coastal regions of India, is owned by doctor, philanthropist and all-round hero Sam Prince. Indu's menu is refreshing, totally innovative and surprisingly light — a far cry from the heavy Indian curries that characterise most Indian restaurants in the city. China Lane Underneath an art installation nest of bird cages in Angel Lane, China Lane is a mix of suits, trendy young things checking out the CBD's hidden laneway escape, and daters. If you've seen any of director Wong Kar-wai's movies, you'll get the idea – moody lighting, a modern sense of decor mixed with '50s Hong Kong glamour, and general snappiness. Japanese sashimi rubs up against Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai on the menu, showing head chef Ben Haywood's dexterity with Pan Asian cuisine. Mordeo Offering the best of Southern European cuisine, Mordeo brings a little piece of the Mediterranean to the inner city. Owner and executive chef Nicholas Aspros worked alongside head chef Marc Gehret to curate an innovative collection of fresh, produce-driven dishes, focusing on the vibrant flavours of Greece, Italy and Spain and ranging from tapas to generous share plates, woodfired meats and pizza. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... THE OPERA HOUSE OR ROSLYN PACKER THEATRE Opera Bar D'uh. Pop by this revamped icon, given brand new life by Matt Moran last year. Equip yourself with a refreshing pomegranate and mint Sydney Sling ($18) and head outside to the sun-drenched deck where you and 699 other people can now find a seat. Bennelong Peter Gilmore has ditched the fancy, fiddly techniques he's famous for (see: Snow Egg) and created an informal menu with approachable prices at the opera house. Bennelong has five different dining options to choose from. There's The Bar and The Circle for drinks and nibbles; Cured and Cultured, the casual dining option; The Restaurant, the main event; and The Kitchen, six VIP seats in the kitchen for a behind-the-scenes experience. Try the theatre dining option. Walsh Bay Kitchen Walsh Bay Kitchen, within the Roslyn Packer Theatre, sits on the burgeoning food strip of Hickson Road. The space is slick with off-Broadway style: think parquetry floors and leather banquettes. The recessed lightboxes seem a nod to stage lights, casting dress circle moodiness. If mirth and merriment bars a thousand harms and lengthens life, there isn't a better reason to catch an end-of-season show and dig in here. Check out their Fast Festival Feast. The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room Perch yourself on the bar and you can watch the action right before your eyes as Morrison's oyster maestros shuck your Pacific, Angassi or Rock oysters to order. Alternatively, opt for the Fast Festival Feast menu, and graze your way through a tasting plate, a main and side to share with a glass of wine each for $30pp. Hotel Palisade & Henry Deane Standing proud in Millers Point, the Hotel Palisade forms a unique and improbable part of Sydney's foreshore history; when it was built a century ago, it was the city's highest building. Now been revived with a smart new maritime design by Sibella Court, Hotel Palisade serves up pub food that avoids the familiar schnitzels and steak sandwiches and opts instead for snacks like creamy chicken liver pate with a sweet Young Henrys cider jelly ($12) or a beef brisket sanga ($18) with a mug of salt and vinegar chips. Venture upstairs for the swanky Henry Deane rooftop bar, with some of the best views in the whole city. The Glenmore The much loved local's-style pub remains on ground level, but as you head up the stairs towards the first level and rooftop terrace, you can see just how much this oldie has been spruced up. It has one of the best views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, along with some great pub food. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... CARRIAGEWORKS Cornerstone at Carriageworks You're there, it's there, what more do you want? We love the colossal monster ferns hanging from cranes, the Edison bulbs burning seductively like lanterns along a lakeside dock, and the option of outdoor seating. The bar food menu is solid and served fast. The Animal at Newtown Hotel The Animal restaurant unites Newtown's Greek migrant history with its colourful, trendy present. It's unfussy, friendly and reasonably priced. The main lure is whole animals cooked on the spit, making up a medley of daily specials. Raven's Eye Named after the mobster hangout in the 1997 film Donnie Brasko, Raven's Eye is Newtown's first Italo-American diner. Welcome to the family, cue Italian hand gestures. Established by the wise guys behind the Henrietta Supper Club and Bondi's Neighbourhood, Raven's Eye is a casual bar and ristorante that serves hefty bowls of mama's meatballs, handmade ravioli and ice-cream sandwiches. Redfern Continental Redfern's day-to-night European diner is just a short walk from Carriageworks. Birthed by the guys who brought you Arcadia Liquors (just across the road on Regent), Redfern Continental really is a little bit of everything: the perfect neighbour in a suburb fast becoming an eclectic hub of food and drink in Sydney. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... ENMORE THEATRE Hartsyard There's no denying Hartsyard's heritage; it's palpably American in taste, substance and style. As soon as you push open the glass door, the smell of hickory smoked pork greets you with open arms. Salvaged timber and industrial lighting, utility and charm, Hartsyard sits at the intersection of bustling farmhouse kitchen and buzzing late-night diner. A visit wouldn't be complete without feasting on their fried chicken, served with buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy ($29) just like they do in the South Carolina low country. Just remember that you won't be able to enjoy KFC in the same way ever again. Lentil as Anything Who said you can't make friends with salad? The not-for-profit vegan chain Lentil as Anything has quickly become the darling of King Street. No need to book, just turn up for amazing food and an atmosphere that can't be beat. As 30 percent of the ingredients are donated from food rescue operations, the menu changes often so you'll need to ask your waiter what's on offer. If you swing by on a Friday or Saturday night, head upstairs for a tasty tonic in their new Lentil on the Rocks mocktail bar. Rosso Antico Pizza Bar Perfect pizzas have arrived on Enmore Road. Ever since Gigi switched to their plant-based menu and stopped serving bases adorned with dairy delights, inner west cheese fiends have been looking for a new place to get their pizza slice fix. Now that Rosso Antico has opened it's doors, they're in luck. The simple menu reflects the pared back space — antipasto, pizza and pasta — while the drinks menu is a little more extensive, showcasing a selection of international and locally sourced beers and wines (though it's hard to pass up the trusty Aperol Spritz or the Rosso Antico). Secret Garden Bar Right next to the Enmore Theatre you'll find Secret Garden, a lush, green sanctuary with overflowing hanging baskets above, field-ploughing paraphernalia to the side (courtesy of owner Ashleigh Cavagnino's grandmother) and outside-furniture-style chez lounges connecting tables along the main wall. As food goes, currently Secret Garden serves just one type of dish: the gluten-free Columbian cornmeal snack widely known as arepas. And, quite frankly, they serve it good. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... PARRAMATTA/RIVERSIDE THEATRES El-Phoenician There may be cheaper Lebanese options along Parramatta's Church Street, but you're unlikely to find better quality than at El-Phoenician. Known for its generous servings and loud groups, this local institution is offering festivalgoers a Fast Festival Feast menu of all your favourites. If you'd like some belly dancing on the side, head there on a weekend. The Emporium While this dual-level food and wine mecca from the guys behind the Coffee Emporium franchise isn't set to open til January 15, the new venture promises great things for festivalgoers and Parramatta locals alike. With a Mediterranean-inspired menu designed by chef Leon Volk and an international wine list, The Emporium hopes to the raise the bar of the area's main eats street. Don't go past the Fast Festival Feast menu. Sabu This contemporary Japanese restaurant and sake bar sports a sleek fitout and a prime position in the Eat Street district of Parramatta. The menu ranges from sushi, sashimi to robata, with cocktails, sake and sake flights on offer. Sabu is known to exhibit local artists and often surprises guests with live performances, so if you're looking for a culture-infused dinner spot to relax in ahead of your SydFest adventures, this is your go-to. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... THE STAR PizzAperta Located at the entrance to Star City , this openair pizzeria offers you a better place to spend your dough. With stone-milled flour from Padova, olive oil from Tuscany and a pizza oven from Naples, PizzAperta was created by Stefano Manfredi, the Australian godfather of Italian cuisine, and it's backed by an impressive Neapolitan woodfire oven (a Stefano Ferrara M130 for all you buffs out there). The outdoor venue has piazza seating (aka Pirrama Road footpath) or you can people-watch from a sleek timber bench bar — a particularly enjoyable sport with the casino entrance nearby. BLACK by Ezard Set within luxurious surrounds, BLACK by ezard is the Star's steak in shining armour. A favourite amongst the casino's high rolling gamblers, BLACK is a beef fiend's haven. Chef Teage Ezard plates up American grill-inspired steaks and a considered seafood menu, offering diners variety in choice. Check out their Fast Festival Feast. Balla Balla's Milanese cuisine is fresh and seasonal served with a side of harbourside view overlooking Jones Bay Wharf. This Milanese 'osteria' (translating as 'traditional restaurant'), is headed up by chef Gabriele Taddeucci (ex Ucello and then Beresford). Fast Festival Feasts are value for money here. By the Concrete Playground team.
Melbourne duo Kllo (formerly Klo) are Australia's band of the moment and are touring the east coast to promote their upcoming album, Well Worn. The tour's one of the most anticipated we've seen in 2016 so far, so expect each show to be pretty damn packed. Since releasing their 2014 debut EP Cusp, cousins Simon Lam and Chloe Kaul have played sold-out shows and festivals throughout Australia and internationally, from Dark Mofo to Melbourne Music Week and Barcelona's Primavera Sound Festival. The pair have been clocking up streaming numbers in the millions, popping up on artists-to-watch lists, and they've also recently been announced as part of the huge Splendour in the Grass lineup. 'Bolide', the album's first single, is a dance track inspired by Caribou's Our Love album and is a song about unconditional love (nawwww). The tour will feature special guests and gives fans a sneak peek of the album, which will be released internationally on August 5 across Kllo's now three labels: Good Manners Records, Ghostly International and Different Recordings // PIAS . Image: Charlie Brophy.
There's Halloween parties. Then there's Japanese-themed haunted house parties. Yes, you heard correctly. It's a party with sake, Japanese beer and whisky, street food and candy. Yum. Have fun with all-you-can-sing karaoke and arcade games on the creepiest night of the year at Goros. For bookings call (02) 9212 0214. This event is one of our top ten picks of Good Food Month 2015. Check out the other nine.
Forget about the mouldy old sandwich you’ve got sitting in the communal office fridge. Today only, ride sharing service Uber and food charity OzHarvest have teamed up with some of the best chefs and restaurants in the country, and will be delivering gourmet lunches right to your office door. Starting at noon today, hungry Uber users in the Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Gold Coast CBDs will be able to log into the app and request a lunch box. The meal will cost you just $12, and will be delivered to you by an Uber driver. Better yet, your money will go straight to OzHarvest in order to help them feed impoverished Australians. Uber has already donated $10,000, which will be used to fund 20,000 meals. So what does your money get you? Sydneysiders will chow down on a corned beef burger from Neil Perry’s Burger Project, while Brisbanites can enjoy a Reuben Sandwich from Matt Moran’s ARIA, and Melburnians get stuck in to a George Calombaris mix plate that includes mini spanakopita from Hellenic Republic, flat bread from Gazi, grain salad with chicken from Mastic and petit fours from The Press Club. Neil Perry pops up again in Perth with a Reuben from his Rockpool Bar & Grill, whereas Adelaide gets a Jock Zonfrillo vegetarian option of fire pit pumpkin with goats curd, spiced macadamias and crispy salt bush. Last but not least, diners on the Gold Coast can choose between slow-braised beef brisket with pearl barley and garden salsa, or roast butternut squash, capsicum, zucchini, pearl barley & sun dried tomato pesto — both courtesy of Dennis Duncanson’s Paradox Coffee Roasters. You’ll have to get in quick though. There are just 200 meals available in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and even less in Perth, Adelaide and on the Gold Coast. The promotion runs until 2pm, but odds are they’ll sell out long before. To order your lunch, log into your Uber app starting from 12pm today and put in a request. For more info, go here. If you’d like to donate directly to OzHarvest, visit www.ozharvest.org. Image: George Calombaris' Grain Salad.
If you've been taking things a bit slow of late, get yourself to The Panic Room for a speed-up. This virtual version of the mighty escape room format demands lightning fast thinking, super-efficient communication skills and Einstein-level problem solving. You and your buddies will be equipped with virtual reality head sets, the clock will be set and you'll be scrambling around, desperately seeking a way out before time's up. There are just four sessions of one hour each and we reckon they'll be pretty damn popular, so it's a smart idea to book sooner rather than later.
Get on the A train, get on the right track to Goodgod Small Club this Saturday, the Ragetastic Aussie '90s band Swoop are set to play their first gig since 1999. Remember Swoop? If you need some direction, this is a one-way sign to a grand ol' uber-nostalgic time. Headlining Goodgod's Vivid edition of their straight-up killer '90s dance night 'Rhythm of the Night', Swoop will be bringing playing a full set to blueberry skies-lovin' punters. The minds behind 1996's singalong single 'Apple Eyes' (which spent weeks and weeks in the ARIA charts), Swoop were worth getting up early to watch Rage for — shoutout to The Mavis's too. This is their very first show since disbanding in 1999 (after a legitimate four-album career), so we're predicting strawberry wine aplenty. Swoop aren't taking this nostalgic trip alone. Sydney DJs Joyride, Levins, Ariane, Shag, Charlie Chux, G Coo and babygirl will be cranking out all the '90s dance tracks that you've buried along with your Discman. Expect Aaron Carter's 'Crush On You' meets Prodigy's 'Breathe' and every So Fresh banger in between. So if you're feeling hot on account of the sun, get your '90s lovin' butt to Goodgod — scrunchies, FUBU shirts and SMP belts encouraged. Image: Goodgod.
It’s always exciting when two people you love get together, like Seth and Summer on The OC or you and Johnny Depp in nightly dreams. But no pairing has excited us more than Morgan McGlone of Belle’s Hot Chicken and Monty Koludrovic of Icebergs Dining Room and Bar who are finally giving in to all that crazy culinary tension and bringing us a massive pop-up party at Harpoon Harry this long weekend. Morgan and Monty (aw so cute) are concocting a bespoke menu of wings, hotdogs and moonshine shakes for the shindig. You read that correctly, moonshine milkshakes. Morgan is cooking up a spin on Belle’s famous hot chicken with a Barbacoa flavour. And Monty has invented what may possibly be the most perfect hotdog in existence: handmade spiced pork and beef frank, wrapped in a soft bun with mustard, pickles and chilli. And while we’re a wee bit sceptical about the moonshine milkshakes (made with Morgan’s homebrew moonshine and fior de latte gelato), love does make people do crazy things. Of course, we'll give it a try. This isn’t the first time Belle’s Hot Chicken has taken over Harpoon Harry’s either. They did a pop-up several months ago and are back already because apparently Sydney can’t get enough of what Belle’s got. Happily for us, they’re not into monogamy and are working with a horde of hospitality legends to provide bevs and tunes. The boys at Young Henry’s are bringing tinnies, DRNKS are cracking open their vino and Kali from Picnic Social will be soundtracking the evening. Where else would you be this long weekend than at a moonshine shake shindig?
Bunnings Warehouse is supercharging its usual sausage sizzle, to support a few Aussie communities that are doing it pretty tough. Next Friday, November 22, all of the hardware giant's stores will host a special pre-weekend edition of their legendary snag sessions, raising coin for those impacted by drought and the current bushfires. All of the day's sausage profits will go to to Givit, a national non-profit that works with charities and community groups to connect disadvantaged people with the things that they need. The organisation also works with local councils and state governments to assist communities during disasters and emergencies — of which there are several happening at the moment. Some areas of the country have been struggling with a years-long drought and, this week, bushfires have destroyed hundreds of homes, and displaced thousands of people, across NSW and Queensland. Dangerous fire conditions continue today and into the weekend, too, with out-of-control fires still burning in both states. For updates and advice on NSW bushfires, head to the RFS website. So, on Friday, grab a snag in bread and show those in need some love. The sausage sizzles will run from 9am–4pm across all Bunnings Warehouses in NSW.
Master of all smooth tunes and poster child of Melbourne's enduring obsession with beards, Chet Faker is on his way around the country with a huge arena tour for 2015. And we really do mean huge — this local legend is returning from a string of massively successful European and American shows to play Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, Melbourne's Palais and the freakin' Brisbane Convention Centre. His shows are officially pulling the same numbers as the G20. This is no doubt welcome news for those that missed out on his national tour in 2014. With Hordern Pavilion holding roughly 4,000 more people than the Enmore where he played in June last year, tickets will be much easier to come by. Maybe. In Brisbane that difference will be even more pronounced. The Brisbane Convention Centre can host a whopping 8,000 rampant Chet lovers. All this hype comes after a stellar run of critical acclaim for the Melbourne musician. Faker took out five ARIA Awards last year, including best male artist and best independent release for his debut album Built on Glass (after a casual nine nominations) and his super single 'Talk is Cheap' took out the top spot in triple j's Hottest 100 this January, beating Peking Duk's tipped-to-win 'High'. Faker's arena setting is sure to affect the show itself too. Specialising in croony electronic ballads and music that makes you feel all warm and gooey inside, it's hard to see how Chet will translate well to the big stage. How are we supposed to snug up and get a little intimate around the stage where Barack Obama talked just a few months prior? Melbourne, on the other hand, may get treated to a rare glimpse of this intimacy. His show at the Palais — assuming it's still standing by then — will actually be smaller than when he played the Forum earlier in 2014. Get ready for some homeland lovin'; this will be one of the last tours Faker will likely embark upon in Australia for a while. Chet Faker will play February 13 and March 3 at Hordern Pavilion. Supported by GL + Roland Tings. To find out more about about Chet Faker and his killer debut album check out our interview a while back.
It may not be your first impulse to get to the beach during winter, but stop sooking and get to the beach during winter. Especially from July 11-25, when Rock Surfers Theatre Company presents Bondi Feast, a smorgasbord of theatre, comedy, music, food and immersive performance. Bondi Feast is a build-your-own festival, with headquarters at the Bondi Pavilion, allowing more than 100 independent and emerging performers to showcase their work. Some of this year's highlights include Zoe Coombs Marr's one-(wo)man comedy show, Dave, and the participatory Ignoramus Anonymous, which is just like Alcoholics Anonymous, but dealing with knowledge addiction. It's your chance to stand up and admit, 'I don't know'. With multiple short shows scheduled for each day, there's plenty of time for hanging out in the Bondi Pavilion bar, which has been dressed in the style of "an interactive rumpus room of vintage board games" by designer Jade Alex. Mulled wine and cider is a fixture of the festival, and the food offering comes from a different featured vendor each day. Look out for the likes of Knafeh, Mr Bao and Madame Waffle. Now in its fourth year and with a carefully curated program, Bondi Feast continues to grow as Sydney’s unofficial winter fringe festival. Schedule yourself a day of entertainment, street food and hot spiced cider. Top image: Bitch Boxer.
Sydney's nightlife is in a bit of a weird spot at the moment, but you wouldn't be able to tell from the amount of bars opening. 2017's newbies have been diverse so far; as well as some top-notch Euro-leaning wine bars, we've had a vinyl-spinning lounge bar open alongside an all-out basement 'Viking luxe' bar mixing sorbet-filled and served-in-horn cocktails with details down to a tee. Yeah, there's just some things you can't recreate at home. With so many openings hitting the city in a six-month period, we whittled it down to our favourite newcomers raising the bar for Sydney's drinking scene. Well, our favourites so far — there's still another six months to go.
It's been about 20 years since the French electronic duo's 1998 release, Moon Safari, and Air have continued to grow, change and experiment with their craft over the intervening decades. For most of us, strong memories of the avant-garde French pop leaders stem from sensual classic 'Sexy Boy', but their back catalogue spirals much deeper than the stairwell of Ten Things I Hate About You. Air have been busy, with an impressive collection of work, as well as collaborations in film (they notably scored Sophia Coppola's breakout film, The Virgin Suicides). Their most recent album, Twentyears, explores their old and new content, and they'll be treating captivated Vivid audiences to a retrospective, of sorts, of their revered electronica.
We love it when art takes over the city, and the Biennale of Sydney does it better than anyone else. Perhaps Australia's best-known contemporary art event, the Sydney Biennale will take place for the 21st time in 2018 with 70 leading local and international artists presenting work across seven of Sydney's top-notch galleries, museums and unconventional spaces. A free exhibition, the Biennale of Sydney is held from Friday, March 16 until Monday, June 11. As per the first announcement, provocative Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is the headline act, which comes off the back of his 2016 double-bill exhibition alongside the works of Andy Warhol at the National Gallery of Victoria — the highest selling event in the gallery's history. At the Sydney Opera House, Weiwei will screen his new feature-length cinematic documentary Human Flow, which explores the global refugee crisis across 23 countries in a single year. He'll also install a 60-metre-long inflatable boat on Cockatoo Island, which will be made from the same materials as the boats used by asylum seekers crossing the Aegean Sea. Meanwhile, there's French multimedia artist Laurent Grasso, whose art considers science and the supernatural; the sculptural works of South Korean artist Haegue Yang who transforms space with found and forged objects; British artist Oliver Beer uses the human voice to take over the Opera House for his acclaimed Resonance Project; and Sydney's own Yasmin Smith takes to Cockatoo Island to create a ceramics studio, an open-air kiln and a new installation that's finished in a hand-made wood ash glaze. The first biennale under the leadership of recently appointed artistic director Mami Kataoka, 2018's event is based around the idea of 'superposition', a quantum mechanics term that refers to often-paradoxical and overlapping events. While it's a tad hard to explain, Kataoka says the 2018 biennale's artists have been chosen for their work's power to "offer a panoramic view of how opposing interpretations can come together in a state of equilibrium". With three months to check out the work of so many great artists, there's no reason why you can't spend autumn cramming in as much art as you can handle. It's all free to attend. Image: Letícia Almeida.
Still Life, directed by Dimitris Papaioannou (the man who gave us the pomp and splendour of the Athens Olympics opening and closing ceremonies), is a series of unique individual performances combining to form a hallucination concocted by the director's mind. Inspired by the myth of Sisyphus, the Corinthian king tasked to roll a boulder up a hill for all eternity, Papaioannou tasks his actors with eccentric feats that call to mind the mundane drudgery we face every day. Especially Mondays. The character of Sisyphus has inspired philosophers from Kafka to Camus, spurring them to assert that happiness can be found in the acceptance of our lot, and in the revolt against the melancholia that can result. In Still Life, Papaioannou shines the light of this continental philosophy on the lives of his audience. This is one of 15 next-level events to see at Sydney Festival. Check out the whole list.
The Harbour City doesn't lack art highlights all year, every year, but every two years the New South Wales capital plays host to the Biennale of Sydney. 2024 is one such year, with a hefty lineup taking over the city from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10 under the theme Ten Thousand Suns. White Bay Power Station is opening to the public for the first time in over a century for the Biennale, which is a huge highlight of the program. Of course, so are the 96 artists and collectives contributing 400-plus pieces across the event. Australia is represented, naturally, as is everywhere from Aotearoa New Zealand, Indonesia, India and Japan to Ukraine, Brazil, Mexico, the UK and the US. International talents include Andrew Thomas Huang, Adebunmi Gbadebo, Pacific Sisters, Martin Wong, Frank Moore, Maru Yacco and Anne Samat. Among the Aussies: Gordon Hookey, Tracey Moffatt, Serwah Attafuah, William Yang, VNS Matrix, Kirtika Kain, Joel Sherwood Spring and Juan Davila. Also, 14 First Nations artists have been commissioned by Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, one of the Biennale's partners, to make new works just for the event: Mangala Bai Maravi, Doreen Chapman, Megan Cope, Cristina Flores Pescorán, Freddy Mamani and Dylan Mooney, as well as Orquideas Barrileteras, John Pule, Eric-Paul Riege, Darrell Sibosado, Kaylene Whiskey, Yangamini, and Nikau Hindin in collaboration with Ebonie Fifita-Laufilitoga-Maka, Hina Puamohala Kneubuhl, Hinatea Colombani, Kesaia Biuvanua and Rongomai Gbric-Hoskins. [caption id="attachment_945078" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Citra Sasmita, Timur Merah Project X: Bedtime Story, 2023, acrylic on traditional Kamasan canvas, oak dowels. Commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney with generous support from the Australia-Indonesia Institute. Timur Merah Project IV: Tales of Nowhere, 2020, acrylic on traditional Kamasan canvas, oak dowels. Commissioned by UOB for Children Art Space MACAN Museum Jakarta, Indonesia 2020. Courtesy the artist and Yeo Workshop, Singapore. Photo by David James.[/caption] Expect to enjoy Mooney's mural tribute to Malcolm Cole, the queer queer First Nations dancer and activist who created history by leading the first-ever Aboriginal float at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade in 1988 — and also Sibosado's riji (aka pearl shell) designs in neon. Both feature at White Bay Power Station, as does VNS Matrix's exploration of women and technology via banners. Chau Chak Wing Museum joins the Biennale of Sydney footprint for the first time, which is where Mangala Bai Maravi and Wong have pieces — one continuing to preserve tattooing patterns used by her people, India's Baiga group; the other being celebrated posthumously with nine paintings that focus on queer sexuality, as well ethnic and racial identities. At White Bay Power Station and Artspace, Indigenous weaving and jewellery making are in the spotlight via Riege. Also at the latter venue, Gbadebo is displaying new ceramic works that continue her interrogation of her family's past and America's history of slavery. And over at the Art Gallery of NSW, Hookey and Yacco will have works on offer. The lineup also spreads over to the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, which is where pieces by Moore and Kain feature — and to UNSW Galleries, where Sherwood and Elyas Alavi will be found. Whoever is showcased where, they're pondering heat, power, light, summer, joy, strength, the changing climate and everything else that the sun brings to mind. And, they're part of a lineup that also includes artist talks, art tours, workshops, music and more. [caption id="attachment_945080" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] Top images:Installation view, Ten Thousand Suns, 24th Biennale of Sydney 2024, Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring art by Pacific Sisters (foreground) and Robert Gabris (wall) photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Christopher Snee // Daniel Boud.
The story of a young man staring down the barrel of an arranged marriage even as he finds himself falling head over heels for someone else, Ali's Wedding has been billed as Australia's first Muslim rom-com. It's an intriguing tag that could prove either a hook or a hindrance when it comes to attracting a mainstream audience. The good news? The film is fantastic. Director Jeffrey Walker and writer/star Osamah Sami (on whose life the story is closely based), have crafted a hilarious, heartwarming film about love, community and living up to the expectations of your family; a film that both embraces difference and celebrates the things that make us the same. And yet with the film due to hit cinemas on August 31, the question still remains: will local audiences be willing to embrace a story about a Muslim immigrant, in which there is hardly a white character in sight? "We're right on the edge of finding out," says Walker. "The way that I view it is: we've had thousands and thousands of people come and view the film, from small communities to big cities to festivals, and the feeling is the same. I think people go in, particularly if they're of a conservative background or whatever, already a little bit dubious. They go in, perhaps, with a preconceived notion. But the one comment we've had throughout all of the screenings is that by the end of the film there's a great deal of love and appreciation… and the sense is that once people have seen it, [they realise that] the things that we all have in common far outweigh the differences." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEMeZDmvYhs ON REPRESENTING A (SLIGHTLY) DIFFERENT WORLD TO YOUR OWN "In the journey of this film, I came in quite late," says Walker. "But it's relative, because [it took] about seven years to bring all the pieces together. Osamah originally told Tony Ayres of Matchbox Pictures a story about his life, and that spurred on Tony to go and chat to [co-screenwriter] Andrew Knight." "They spent a long time writing it, they spent a long time financing it, they spent a long time bringing it all together," says Walker. "I was fortunate in some regards in that I joined it at the point that it was fully financed." Walker does admit to having a sense of hesitation in attaching himself to a project set in a world he knew so little about. "I loved the story, but there was an intimidating edge to it, because I also felt like I didn't want to do the community any injustice," he says. "But rereading it I almost just discounted all that, and went really to what I thought was the heart of the film, and the story, and the characters. From there I saw what the universal things and qualities were, and I felt like I could work with that." WORKING WITH OSAMAH According to Walker, one of the keys to the film's success was his collaborative relationship with Sami — both on screen and off. "I think the very first time we met he was going to take me out to visit a couple of mosques in Melbourne, and basically begin our journey working out how we were going to approach this film," Walker recalls. "So I met him much more as a writer, and in his capacity as an associate producer, than I did as the leading actor of the film. We struck up a great friendship, and making him feel proud and happy of this film has been a great motivator for me throughout the entire journey." "He made me feel extremely comfortable, and he was so open, and tolerated all my ridiculous and stupid questions," Walker continues. "Even when I think about asking them now, it's a bit like the ABC series You Can't Ask That. I just had to go there. But then I had a greater understanding of who he was, of who his family is, and of his world and his community. He gave me the confidence to be able to tell this story." ARE AUSTRALIANS READY FOR THIS FILM? As our interview with Walker comes to a close, our conversation returns to how audiences are likely to react to the film. "My desperate hope for the film is that while you might initially be trying to play catch-up on what it is to be in a mosque, or what's unique about being in a Muslim household, eventually that all washes away as you see that, ultimately, the [things] that young people go through in their twenties in the Muslim community is a version of exactly what someone with a Western background goes through," he says. As for any Australians who might be clinging to anti-immigrant views, Walker's message is simple. "We're a very young country. For anyone to stand with any sense of entitlement to Australia whose family history only goes back four or five generations is an odd standpoint from my point of view… the only people in Australia who deserve any entitlement are the Indigenous people, and the rest of us all just need to get along. We all travelled an immigrant's path to be here." Ali's Wedding screens at the Melbourne International Film Festival on August 10, and releases in cinemas on August 31.
Whether you're looking to catch up with the Oscar nominees, or just can't say no to the idea of cheap movie tickets, you might want to pay a visit to Palace Central during Chinese New Year. That's because — right off the back of a $5 movie ticket promotion — the 14-screen complex at Chippendale's Central Park centre (which opened for business in November) will be offering $8 tickets to all their regular sessions for eight days, from February 16–24. Okay, so $8 is not as cheap as $5, but, still, the deal's not too shabby — especially considering how many great films are out at the moment. The Shape of Water, Lady Bird and I, Tonya are just a few that spring to mind.
Peter Bibby’s debut album, released in November last year, is called Butcher/Hairstylist/Beautician. It’s unclear what this eclectic mix of job titles signifies. Perhaps Bibby is a self-styled jack of all trades, just as at home wielding a carving knife as an eyelash curler? Who knows? It’s a nice image. What we do know is that Perth-born, Melbourne-based Bibby, having recently returned from the USA (seems like Americans have a thing for earnest, self-deprecating Aussie guitarists at the moment — see Courtney Barnett), is about to kick off his first national tour. You can expect a damn fine show from the 'Hates My Boozin' spinner of VB-soaked yarns — not for nothing has he played Sydney Festival, Laneway and SXSW already. A ticket to this show will get you change from a twenty, so what are you doing? Get on it. Supported by The Dandelion + Big Dingo.
It's been 14 years since Derek Zoolander turned left and saved the Malaysian prime minister. But the ridiculously good looking male model made his comeback on Tuesday at Paris Fashion Week, taking a powerful stroll down the catwalk at the end of the Valentino AW15 show —thus dramatically announcing the long-awaited Zoolander sequel for February 2016. Bringin' that Blue Steel to the Fashion Week stage, Ben Stiller reconnected with his old pal Owen Wilson to send Zoolander and still-hot-right-now Hansel down the catwalk to the Human League's 'Don't You Want Me'. Hansel even dropped his cape. Hansel. So hot right now. Hansel. DOES THIS VALENTINO FINALE MEAN ZOOLANDER 2 IS COMING!?!?!?!?!?!? A video posted by Man Repeller (@manrepeller) on Mar 10, 2015 at 7:05am PDT But why male models? Paramount Pictures confirmed the publicity stunt on Twitter, announcing the release date for Zoolander 2 as February 12, 2016 — that goes for Australia too. Time to throw back an Orange Mocha Frappucino and enjoy this little blast from the past in the meantime. Via TIME.
Any time is a good time for a getaway in the Hunter Valley, though that's particularly true in May and June. That's when the Hunter Valley Wine & Food Festival returns to highlight the best the region has to offer. And this year, there's more cheese than usual. Rather than focus all of their eating and drinking goodness over a few days or on a few places, HVWFF spreads the love. Keen on a fireside dinner where you'll sample 2014-vintage wines? Want to meet local producers and feast on farm-fresh meals? Or watch a wine barrel become a bonfire as part of an annual tradition? Of course you do. But if the godly trio of wine, cheese and the arts specifically take your fancy, hold on to that hat of yours. At the brand new Cheese Lovers Festival, you can try as much dairy as you can stomach for just $20 entry ($25 for early birds). This cheesy, cheesy festival will showcase over 40 cheese, wine and craft beer stalls with tasting opportunities. Tasting opportunities. There's a 'Fancy Cheesecake' competition, a three-course cheesy menu designed by chef Lyndey Milan and more. There's also the Hunter Valley Wine Festival, which showcases the beverage part of the equation. And the Lovedale Arts Festival runs for the entire two months, showcasing everything from sculpture to music. Basically, if you can't find a reason to make the trip, you're not looking hard enough. And that's just the official side of things. With more than 150 wineries in the area, taking a few detours is to be expected. The Hunter Valley Wine & Food Festival runs across May and June in various locations. For more information, check out the Hunter Valley website.
Backhands, beats and artisan eats will converge on Paddington's White City Tennis Centre on Saturday, April 16. Dubbed Social Serve, this fun new social tennis event will be raising money for Primary Club, an Aussie charity that helps people with disabilities to play sport. If your Lorna Jane ahctivewear has never had more of a workout than a stroll to the corner shop, then here's your chance to put it to work. The good news is you'll only have to work as hard as you feel to. The sporty part of proceedings will take the form of friendly mixed doubles matches, open to players of all levels and kicking off from 2pm. Champs who kill it on the court will play in the finals, which start at 5pm. Not so keen on joining the game? Relax on the sidelines, listening to local DJs, munching on smoked beef brisket rolls and chilli lime salmon skewers courtesy of Fumo Meats, and knocking back beverages provided by HMH.
The trouble with going to the opera in Sydney is, once you're there, you can no longer see the Sydney Opera House. No stawlwart sails, no gleaming cream tiles, no spiky little silhouette. And what's the fun in that? But for one month of the year we can have our theatrical cake and eat it too, when Handa Opera on the Harbour sets up at Mrs Macquarie's Point. The floating outdoor opera comes with an eye-popping view of Sydney's natural and artificial bounties, including the Opera House and Harbour Bridge beyond. Made possible by the continued funding of philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa, the previous three years' shows — La Traviata, Carmen and Madama Butterfly — have proved monumentally successful. At a time when opera is struggling to attract audiences, Opera on the Harbour not only sells tickets but lures in thousands of opera newbies. You don't need to understand opera to understand what makes the occasion great. This year Handa Opera on the Harbour, probably the best outdoor event in Australia, is going Egyptian for Verdi's Aida, a love triangle of epic, war-starting proportions. With Gale Edwards directing, the set by Mark Thompson promises to top last year's floating sun with the giant head of Queen Nefertiti, plus plenty of other aesthetic surprises. Fresh Catering will again be creating the themed menus for the pop-up dining precinct, which includes three-course dinners in The Platinum Club and light snacks on the harbourside promenade.
Chef Matt Stone wants to you to make a bar out of your own backyard. Really. Melbourne's young gun head chef of Victoria's Oakridge winery, Stone made his industry name as head chef of Joost Bakker's Greenhouse, Silo and Brothl, then as the culinary brains behind IconPark's Sydney pop-up Stanley Street Merchants and a MasterChef regular. At his core, Stone's a stickler for ethical and sustainable cooking, so he's just released his first cookbook The Natural Cook to help fuel some of that philosophy in everyday Aussie kitchens. The (extremely well photographed) cookbook's brimming with recipes meant to make you rethink food, bring you back to basics, try traditional techniques, adopt new sustainable cooking habits and make the best of the bounty of native ingredients Australia's got going on (one of the most sustainable ways Australians can cook). Of course, the book champions Stone's infamous 'zero-waste' philosophy, whether you're making yoghurt, pickling things or making a Bloody Mary. We've taken a couple of recipes out of of Stone's book, to show you how easy it is to incorporate native Australian ingredients into your everyday — well, into your cocktails in particular. Here's a little humdinger of a recipe for an Aussie South Side, topped with, y'know, a small serving of ants. Once you've crafted this gem, try making Stone's Native Spiced Bloody Mary (recipe's over here). MATT STONE'S AUSSIE SOUTH SIDE "A refreshing taste of Australia for a spring afternoon." INGREDIENTS Serves one ice 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) white spirit (gin, vodka or white rum) 30 ml (1 fl oz) freshly squeezed lime juice 10 ml (2 teaspoons) basic sugar syrup (see page 209) 7 Australian river mint (or regular mint) leaves small plate of ants and 1 lime wedge (optional) Fill a serving glass with ice and let it stand. Put the spirit, lime juice and sugar syrup, and all but one of the mint leaves, into a shaker, giving the mint a clap between your hands to excite its flavour before throwing it in. Fill the shaker to the top with ice, seal and shake vigorously for around 15 seconds. Discard the ice from the serving glass. If using ants, rub a wedge of lime around the rim of the glass. Gently press the rim onto your ants, twisting the glass so they stick all the way around the circumference. Put three to four cubes of fresh ice in the glass. Double-strain the liquid from the shaker into the glass using your Hawthorne and fine strainers. Stick the reserved mint leaf on top and serve. Note: There are specialist online shops where you can buy ants and other edible insects. Recipe and image from The Natural Cook by Matt Stone (Murdoch Books). Photography by Mark Roper RRP $39.99 available now in all good bookstores and online.
For the first time this year, New Years Eve revellers will get to see Sydney’s fireworks from a no-longer-under-construction Barangaroo Reserve. The park will be hosting its own party, with 10,000 tickets going on sale on Wednesday, November 11 at 9am. And, at $29.50 a pop (or $14.50 for concession holders), they’re not too pricey. The park’s Hickson Road gates will open at 6pm on Thursday, December 31. There’ll be ample space for picnicking on the Stargazer and Walumil lawns. Ticketholders can order a gourmet hamper in advance or grab a snack onsite. BYO alcohol isn’t allowed, but licensed areas will be offering celebratory beverages. And, in addition to the fireworks, there’ll be live music and performances. This year, the City of Sydney has set ‘City of Colour’ as its fireworks theme. Barangaroo carousers will be in a prime spot for checking out the world’s most famous pyrotechnics, as well as for viewing a new series of illuminations, set to appear on the Harbour Bridge’s western face. “We are delighted to be able to offer the public one of the most affordable and best value-for-money New Year’s Eve tickets in Sydney,” said Craig van der Laan, CEO of the Barangaroo Delivery Authority. “The Authority has run ticketed New Year’s Eve viewing in previous years, while Barangaroo Reserve was still under construction. These were a tremendous success. This year will be so much better with Barangaroo Reserve now complete. Guests will be able to sit on the lawns, buy food and beverages, and enjoy one of the most spectacular new views of Sydney in comfort.” He added that the 10,000 cap aims to keep visitors safe and comfy, while keeping neighbourhood hassle to a minimum. New Year's Eve at Barangaroo tickets go on sale Wednesday, November 11 at 9am from the website.
Festival season is well and truly upon us, with the Woodford Folk Festival set to kick off this month. If you fancy seeing out 2019 and welcoming in 2020 while catching a heap of bands, wandering between arts performances and getting a little muddy across a grassy patch of southeast Queensland, the fest has you covered for its whopping 34th year. Taking place at Woodfordia about 90 minutes north of Brisbane, this year's event will be held for six days between Friday, December 27, 2019 and Wednesday, January 1, 2020 — with Amanda Palmer, Lior, Horrorshow, The Herd, Kate Miller-Heidke, Electric Fields, Emma Louise, Archie Roach with Paul Grabrowsky, and Kasey Chambers among its high-profile talent. In total, over 2000 artists will put on more than 1600 shows across the festival's 25 stages, all in venues that range from a 25,000-seat amphitheatre to chilled-out hangout spots. With the lineup featuring everything from music, art, circus and cabaret to yoga, dance and comedy, there's plenty of other highlights — including a spoken word, comedy and performance program that tasks American Gods and Stardust author Neil Gaiman with reading from his work as the sun sets on the first day of the new year. Elsewhere, Woodford's 2019–20 bill spans arts, dance and meditation workshops, plus a heap of circus and cabaret shows. And, if you're bringing littlies, the event's Children's Festival within the broader fest is also returning. Or, you can explore Woodfordia's rainforest plants on a guided tour, eat a feast of bush foods, play a real-life fantasy game and soak in the flames at the fest's annual closing fire ceremony. Fancy celebrating New Year's Eve with an Elton John sing-along? Woodford won't go breaking your heart, because that's on the agenda also. While the annual Queensland festival has weathered an uncertain future in recent years, it remains a staple of the state's end-of-year calendar — and visit will also boast a whole heap of stalls around the grounds (195 in 2018–19), turning the site into a mini-village for its duration. That includes everything from bars, cafes and restaurants, to an on-site doctor's surgery and two general stores. As always, camping is available at one of the fest's multiple campgrounds, or you can nab a ticket just for the day. Either way, expect to have company, as around 132,000 people attend each year. Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
If you, like us, have a deep pang of disappointment every time you open a shoebox to find not a skerrick of fried chicken within, prepare to have your weird fetish satisfied at the Thievery team's newest venue, Butter. Butter, as the name does not at all suggest, is a fried chicken eatery and sneaker store rolled into one that’s about to open in Surry Hills (where else would a peak-hipster fried chicken-meets-sneaker dispensary possibly open?). This vibe is inspired by New York City’s hip hop culture, a vibe which is articulated by the inclusion of fancy-ass champagne-based drinks menu, you know, to wash down your fried chicken. They've actually done pairings. And your meal will be served in a shoebox, to make up for all those other there’s-no-fried-chicken-in-here box opening disappointments. The name Butter is actually a reference to the secret hero ingredient of the menu: butter (what, no way!). Buttermilk in the fried chicken, dashi butter in the waffle sandwich and the soft serve with flavour choices like buttery croissant, burnt butter and chocolate peanut butter cup (Lord have mercy on our arteries). At Butter, butter is king and we intend to rip through the menu like a… wait for it… hot knife through butter (zinggg). The fried chicken keeps it simple for four spice levels: naked, OG, fire and hot AF and the menu is organised into packs and sides. And the team behind the operation boast some impressive resumes, including the 2015 Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year winner Julian Cincotta (of Nomad and Rockpool) and bar manager Paul Flynn (who is responsible for the sparkling-heavy drinks menu list). And yes, if you're wondering, there is a butter based cocktail: a butter-washed vodka (what does that even mean? It doesn’t matter, we’ll have a dozen please). Butter, 6 Hunt Street, Surry Hills, will be opening on February 11.
Our modern obsession with packing into cities means that increasingly massive skyscrapers are inevitable. After all, if we don’t head upwards, well, there’s only so much land. One of the problems with skyscrapers, though, is that their behemoth shadows seriously shorten the day of their surroundings. Even a spacious, sunny city like Sydney can feel cold and dark when you’re wedged between towers (just look at the long shadow Barangaroo's casino is expected to cast). Now imagine how gloomy things can get in densely populated metropolises like London and New York — if you've visited, you'll know how gloomy things can get in the financial districts. But a London-based architecture company by the name of NBBJ has come up with a solution: the 'No Shadow Tower'. The concept involves two twisting skyscrapers, to be built side-by-side, which redirect sunlight to the area around their base — right where dreary shadows are usually found lurking. The idea was developed with London’s North Greenwich in mind, at the request of New London Architecture, and was first published in New London Quarterly. "The algorithm design for the tower is based on the law of reflection," the design team told Dezeen. "Our facade has varying angles of panels that distribute light over a certain area at multiple times during the day." The algorithm works by recording the sunlight's angle every single day for an entire year. With this information, the team can predict how light will play on the building at various points during the day, and then construct the skyscraper’s facade to reflect it accordingly. The use of individual panels allows reflection on a pane-by-pane basis; creating circles of light, rather than a single, extremely hot area. NBBJ was motivated by its passion for the public and their environment-determined happiness. "One of [our] principle concerns is public space and the ways the public use and interact with these spaces," the designers explained. "The No Shadow Tower places public space at the heart of the project, along with human interaction and the impact of skyscrapers at street level... The research that we have undertaken could be applied in many locations in the world, each time creating a different form that would relate to its specific context and solar conditions." Where do we sign up? Via Dezeen. Images: NBBJ.
First it was the children's book that stunned a generation into awareness. Australia's colonial history was powerfully, simply laid bare by the allegory of The Rabbits — arriving, multiplying and eventually controlling the peaceful native marsupials. Now, it's an Australian-grown opera, dreamed up by John Sheedy, the artistic director of Perth's Barking Gecko Theatre Co. Before its premiere at last year's Perth Festival, Sheedy revealed why he had to make the show. “I was completely inspired, and in awe that, between Shaun Tan’s illustrations and John Marsden’s powerful and economic language, they tackled such huge themes," he told the Australian. "You can spend an hour on each page and make discovery after discovery ... The epic nature of the illustrations just lent itself to an opera.” Two of our brightest female artists were enlisted to create the music and libretto: Kate Miller-Heidke (who also performs as the principal soprano) and Lally Katz, along with set and costume designer Gabriela Tylesova. From the looks of it, the expressively angular animals dwarfed by dusty landscapes look just as magical as Tan's. Indeed, the Perth and Melbourne seasons saw The Rabbits applauded as an exceptionally brave, vital and moving work.
It's a good time to be a Sydney pavilion, with the highly-publicised revamp of the Coogee Pav and the recent sale of the Manly Pav. Now, the 90-year-old Bondi Pavilion is up for a $10 million revamp, announced by Waverley Council. And if you're a kickass heritage architect, they’re currently looking for expressions of interest to redesign the whole thing. Whoever scores the role will have quite the job on their hands. On a positive and more self-serving note, this means picking out clothes for the most visible building sticking out of Sydney's most iconic and Instagrammed beach. That's exposure. But not only is the Pavilion one of Sydney’s most famous buildings, it's also a huge hub for the local arts scene, numerous community events and several commercial enterprises. Think The Bucket List and the Rock Surfers Theatre Company, for a start. The good news is that the Council’s brief calls for an "internal reconfiguration to ensure the building remains a vibrant mix of community, cultural and commercial uses." At the same time, the appointed architect is asked to prioritise the Pavilion’s "heritage fabric", renewing its shabby aspects without losing its sense of history; turning the courtyards into public social areas, possibly with the addition of native gardens and public art; and fancying up the Campbell Parade entrance, which used to be the primary entrance back in the day. "The Bondi Pavilion has such an amazing history and heritage," says Mayor Sally Betts. "[It] is central to Australian beach culture and it's a key part of Bondi community life." In previous incarnations, the building has served as a Turkish bath house and a dance hall — so here's hoping. The epic makeover is expected to take up to ten years, beginning in 2017. It forms part of the Council’s Bondi Park, Beach and Pavilion Plan of Management, which was finalised in 2014, in collaboration with community input. "As soon as we have the plans, we will go back to our community for them to have input again," Cr Betts told the ABC.
Sydney record label Of Leisure are teaming up with V MoVement to host a party with all the good things: lawn bowls, putt-putt, ping-pong and of course, killer tunes. Did we mention it's free? The label launch party will be headlined by Brisbane's Young Franco, who has been touring the country with the likes of Basenji and Touch Sensitive. Last time Young Franco made it to Sydney, his show at Civic Underground sold out two weeks in advance. MUTO, Tyler Touché and GRMM will kick things off, along with Of Leisure DJs and a mystery special guest. The dress code is listed as 'Australiana inspired White, Off White, Cream, Beige, Pastel' — bust out the stain remover and interpret this however you wish. The shenanigans will be taking place at Marrickville Bowling Club. Entry is free with with an RSVP at the Of Leisure webpage.
It may not have been the best decade for brick and mortar bookstores, but at least the ones that are left are still kicking major goals. This past Tuesday night saw some of the biggest wigs in publishing convene at the London Book Fair to award a slew of prizes, including the gong for International Bookstore of the Year. The winner? Melbourne's very own Readings Carlton. The Lygon Street institution beat out finalists from Italy, China and Estonia to claim the prestigious award, which aims to highlight "the absolutely vital role bookshops play worldwide in not only promoting new titles but also advising readers on the many excellent books already published but yet to be discovered." In giving the award, the judges commended Readings for "its community outreach, support of Australian authors and its help for non-profit organisations working on literacy incentives." "We're delighted and extremely honoured to receive this award. It's a reflection of the quality of Australian independent bookshops," said Readings Managing Director Mark Rubbo. The news was also greeted with a wave of positivity on social media, with many bookworms offering their heartfelt congratulations via Facebook. Readings is located at 309 Lygon Street, Carlton. They also have stores in Hawthorn, Malvern, St Kilda and the State Library. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
Big changes have come to The Newington on Stanmore Road, with the familiar local set reopening under a new moniker after extensive renovations. To be henceforth known as Public House Petersham, the venue has overhauled its traditional pub decor, transforming the space into a 'local cultural hub,' inspired by the vibe of Bushwick, Brooklyn. The rebranding is the idea of hospitality group Solotel, who purchased the venue last year and also operate the likes of Opera Bar, Paddington Inn and Goros. The venue features two unique street art designs by Sydney artists Phibs and Numskull, new booth seating, a community herb garden made from repurposed pallets and a shipping container beer garden. Under newly appointed head chef, Martin Cerny, the menu and drinks list has also had a facelift with a focus on craft beers, fresh produce seasoned with plants from the herb garden, wine and share food (including gingerbread men-topped desserts), as well as pizzas cooked in a brand new wood-fire oven. The owners will also be encouraging local community groups and clubs to use the venue as a place to meet and host activities. Licensee Amanda Veratti said in a statement that the owners "are thrilled to be able to give the old Hotel a new lease of life, where people can meet and socialise over a fantastic range of beverages and food that is made to be shared." Public House Petersham is set to open with a big ol' free party, Backyard Brew Collaborative, with a launch party set for Saturday, October 24 in conjunction with Sydney Craft Beer Week. The event will feature a 'Beer Bake-Off', where everyone is encouraged to bring their best baked goods using beer. There'll also be a 'Beard Off' competition, specialty beer tastings, food samplers from the new menu, live music from local performers, as well as a whole bunch of lawn games including backyard cricket, giant jenga and bocce. Beer Creative and Willie The Boatman have even teamed up to create a Schwarz dark German style lager for the event. The Newington Public House Petersham is located at 292 Stanmore Rad, Petersham. Backyard Brew Collaborative is happening from 12pm to 7pm on Saturday, October 24, with free entry. Images: Nikki To.
The combination brewery and bar is a staple in Sydney's Inner West with the area sporting dozens of quality venues brewing their own craft beers on-site. While you can find a wide array of these beer-loving haunts scattered around Newtown and Marrickville streets — from quaint independent operations to expansive King Street spots — they're much less common in Sydney's east. Curly Lewis Brewing Co seeks to change this and pioneer a new wave of brewpubs in the eastern suburbs, opening a 120-seat Campbell Parade venue that brings freshly brewed craft beers and top-notch eats to Bondi. "We felt there was a gap in the market for beer lovers in the eastern suburbs. You have to go to the inner west or northern beaches for a brewery experience," Curly Lewis co-founder Oli dos Remedios said. Easing into things, the bar began by producing two highly drinkable signature beers — the Curly Lewis Clean Cut Larger and the Bondi Hazy Ale. Two taps at the bar are dedicated to these in-house beverages, while the rest showcase a rotating selection of wildcard beers sourced from breweries near and far. Head Brewer Scotty Morgan says: "The brief for the beer was simple. We are brewing a stone's throw from the beach – our core beers needed a clean and easy drinking approachability, made for those baking hot beach days. We are confident that our range of beer will appeal to the average Aussie classic beer drinker through to an avid craft beer lover." As with all good bars, there's also a bank of spirits behind the bar ready to whip up classic cocktails and a wine list featuring local Australian drops with some funky skin-contact varieties on offer. In the kitchen, Curly Lewis Brewing Co have pulled together a menu that draws from modern Australian favourites and European classics. There is grilled halloumi, salt and pepper squid and chicken plates to start, burgers for your main, and tiramisu to finish it all off. Once you get a taste for the Curly Lewis brews, you can also find them at local venues and bottle shops including Bondi Beach Cellars, Beach Road Hotel, Neighbourhood, Salty's and Bondi Liquor Co. Appears in: The Best Sydney Brewery Bars for 2023
Wild fermentation wines have been around for as long as the hills on which they're grown, but lately the resurgence of the movement has been gaining a lot of momentum. Questions abound as to the nature of these beverages, from how its production differs from traditional methods, to how the taste of these vinos compare to the drops that we're more accustomed to. So, in the interest of immersing oneself in the experience, crack a bottle and have a read — your wine education has begun. FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ACTUALLY IS IT? Wild fermentation wines are the result of winemakers removing most of the artificial processes involved in producing a bottle. The whole idea is to let the natural processes of winemaking take over, to interfere with the fermentation process as little as possible. In winemaking, grapes are pulped into a sugary juice, then yeast is added to the juice which eats up all the sugar and creates waste products of carbon dioxide and alcohol until you're left with a finished wine. In wild fermentation winemaking this process is dramatically altered. Rather than adding a yeast known to produce a certain flavour, the yeasts and bacteria that naturally present on the grapes (aka microflora), are tasked with the fermentation. By letting nature do its thing the wine ends up with a more complicated flavour profile. WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE? Wild fermentation wines are often more complex, textural and layered. Making it involves a longer fermentation process than your standard bottle, which gives the wine a softer taste. The different types of microflora present on the grapes all add their own bit of flavour. Standard wines have yeast added to them, which creates a specific flavour when fermented. Because you're leaving the flavour up to nature, what you end up with is unique from vintage to vintage. The Stoneleigh winemakers in New Zealand's Marlborough country use the naturally occurring elements in their vineyards to produce wild fermentation wines with as little intervention as possible. The grapes used for the Wild Valley range are grown using 'sunstones' — stones derived from the ancient river bed the winery sits on. The stones soak up all the sunlight during the day, and keep ripening the grapes at night. Once the grapes are picked, the process is to sit back and let the microflora do the work. The grapes can be picked earlier, and they deliver a flavour profile that is unique to each vintage. Sulphites are often added to wine produced in this way, to maintain its freshness and keep it crisp from bottling to delivery. WHO IS MAKING IT? Wild fermentation winemaking methods have been used for millennia in Europe and they're still incredibly common in places like France, Italy, and Austria. The process is still fairly new here. With a move by wine drinkers towards a more organic approach — and the rise in popularity of minimal intervention, organic and orange wines — more and more winemakers are taking on the minimalist approach. Stoneleigh have been using nature in their winemaking since the foundation of the winery, so the next natural step was taking on wild fermentation wines for their premium range. WHAT DO I EAT WITH IT? Experiment a little (like the winemakers) and try to nail that perfectly balanced combo. Pairing wine with food is a subjective matter, despite the rules we've been told for decades. You don't have to pair red wine with red meat, or white wines with white meat. A good rule of thumb is to just eat and drink what you like and then look for something to balance the palate. As long as the goal is to keep it balanced, the world is your oyster with pairing food to wild fermentation wines. Wild fermentation wines are a little richer on the flavour profile, so will generally pair well with food that is a little more subtle. Good cheese always matches good wine. A nice brie will do well with the intense flavours of a wild fermented Pinot Noir for example, because it supports the flavours in the wine rather than competing for dominance in the taste party. Jamie Marfell, Stoneleigh's head winemaker, recommends pairing a minimal Sauvignon Blanc with a salad that has some more tropical elements. Something with a healthy dose of citrus or vinegar, like a top-notch papaya salad that will cut through the more rounded palate of the wine. Try some Wild Valley wild fermentation wine at the Stoneleigh Hotel, a sandstone house in Chippendale overrun by nature. It's at 48 Kensington Street, Chippendale from November 11 until December 11.
One of Broadway's hottest and most prohibitively priced tickets of the last five years, The Book of Mormon, is set to get an Australian staging. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement today on his Facebook page, saying "I'm thrilled we're bringing the most successful piece of theatre in the world today to Victoria." The musical will make its Australian premiere at Melbourne's Princess Theatre in early 2017. Written by South Park and Team America's notoriously puerile creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, together with Robert Lopez of genius grown-up muppet show Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon is probably one of the most lauded comedies ever to have centred on the Church of Latter Day Saints, African missions, AIDS, bum jokes and super ironic racism. If it wasn't so smart and so funny, few would forgive it. But since it is, The Book of Morman has picked up nine Tonys, four Olivier Awards and a Grammy since it debuted in 2011, and has been called "one of the most joyously acidic bundles Broadway has unwrapped in years". Directed by Parker with choreographer Casey Nicholaw, the show will have a new local cast. Parker has commented on the team's enthusiasm for the Australian production and then made a Tasmania joke: "We can't wait to get started. Everyone says we should look to Tassie for casting so that's where we're going first." If you've been among the throngs to see the musical in New York, Chicago or London, then you'll be plenty excited that your Melbourne friends will now get the chance to go learn all the idiosyncratic details of Mormonism, meet war criminal General Butt-Fucking Naked and know the true meaning of the hakuna matata-like saying 'Hasa Diga Eebowai'. And because this is the most exciting piece of musical theatre news since Matilda, the waitlist for tickets has already opened. Sign up at the Book of Mormon website for priority ticketing information. Whether the show will tour outside of Melbourne is yet to be confirmed. In the meantime, get in the mood by watching this clip of Girls star and original Mormon cast member Andrew Rannells singing the ballad of religious faith 'I Believe' at the Tony Awards. UPDATE MONDAY, DECEMBER 7: Priority tickets for The Book of Mormon are now on sale via Ticketmaster. GO.
UPDATE: NOVEMBER 29, 2019 — Peck's first show has already sold out but — good news — he will be coming back after his Mona Foma performance for a second show on Tuesday, January 20. Tickets are on sale now. Before heading to Tassie to wow the crowds at Mona Foma, Canadian cowboy crooner Orville Peck will be at the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent to inject a much-needed dose of camp into country music. Peck is something of an enigma, he only started performing earlier this year and the disguise he wears at all times (think the Lone Ranger's mask, with but with a fabulous fringe) means his identity has thus far remained a secret, although, obviously, rumours abound. He self produced his debut album, Pony, which was nominated for the Polaris Prize, Canada's most prestigious musical honour. It's 100 percent Nashville; zero percent bashful.
Away from the spotlight that shines so brightly on the hospitality scene in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, pubs in Adelaide have been left to develop their own identity, quietly amassing a swathe of excellent venues that cater for all manner of nights out. Whether in the heart of the metropolis, or a weekend retreat away from the city, the drink-slingers in and around the southern capital have carefully curated their approaches to drinking, dining and generally letting loose. Together with our mates at Hahn Brewers, we've come up with a guide to the pubs of Adelaide. Whether you're after a beer garden, a party, a drink by the water or a trivia night, we've got you covered. FOR A BEER GARDEN: ALMA TAVERN, NORWOOD There's a whole load on offer at the Alma Tavern, but the jewel in the crown for the Norwood venue is their spectacular beer garden. Set just below ground level, the outdoor area is peppered with comfy tables and chairs, lined with cushioned booths and adorned with festoon lighting and a few trees bringing a slice of the outdoors to the indoors. Just like the cultural identity of Australia, the Alma's menu includes influences from all around the world (get some orange and clove duck legs in your life). Grab a beer and sit out in the sunshine at the Alma — it's a foolproof beer garden option. FOR AN EVENT: THE JADE MONKEY, ADELAIDE The Jade has been around in one form or another for the last thirteen years, but its current home is at St Paul's Rectory in the heart of the city. It has always been a hub of local live music and a great place for a beer, but now it also hosts a wide array of events. Stop by on a sunny afternoon and you might find a music festival is going on. If not, there could be a pop-up cinema, a vinyl sale or a songwriting class. If whatever event is on at the time doesn't take your fancy, you can settle back in the garden with a beer for the afternoon and enjoy the peaceful surrounds. FOR TRIVIA: THE EDINBURGH CASTLE, ADELAIDE The Edinburgh Castle has become locally famous for its themed trivia nights. Many are television-based, with previous trivia topics being Friends, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Seinfeld, The Simpsons and Breaking Bad. Trivia nights happen inside the venue, but you should stick around afterwards (or you could come a little early) and grab a beer in the Castle's huge beer garden. Food options are classic pub grub and there's a huge $10 section on the menu. FOR A PARTY: PALAIS HOTEL, SEMAPHORE It's all well and good to head to a venue for a cheeky brew and a delicious feed. It's nice to soak in a good view and relax with some chilled beats. But, at the end of a hard week, or any other occasion you might fancy, sometimes you've just got to get dressed up and get down. The Palais Hotel is perfectly set up for mad parties, with multiple bars, an extensive drinks list and plenty of space by the beach. DJs play almost every night at the Palais, and their Australia Day and New Year's Eve parties are legendary. FOR A BEER BY THE WATER: RAMSGATE HOTEL, HENLEY BEACH Australians harbour a deep love for the ocean. We also love a good drink, so the ultimate combo is when the two meet in absolute glory — the beachside pub. The Ramsgate Hotel is a great pub simply because of its relaxed atmosphere and its proximity to the beautiful Henley Beach. When you're done visiting the churches and vineyards that populate Adelaide, there aren't many better things to do than enjoy a cold beer while watching the sun go down at the Ramsgate. FOR A ROAD TRIP: VICTORY HOTEL, SELLICKS HILL When the crushing hubbub of metropolitan mayhem becomes a little too much, there's nothing like escaping to the country for a quick recharge. If that's your go, the Victory Hotel have got you covered. The B&B sits atop Sellicks Hill and has magnificent views over Sellicks Beach and even into a bit of wine country. The menu is top-notch, but it's the wine cellar that truly takes the cake. Pair that with a couple of beers, a good feed and some darling cottages available for guests, and it's clear that an escape to the Victory is a real winner. FOR A BRITISH FEED: FOX & FIRKIN, TEA TREE GULLY Pubs, as we know them in this country, are largely thanks to the great British tradition of sinking ales and demolishing deliciously rich and filling combinations of meat, veg and carbs. Perfect. A decent British menu, however, can be a bit hard to come by, so places that keep the tradition alive are hidden gems to be revered. Fox & Firkin is a little out of town, but the food is definitely worth the trip. The menu includes British classics like Welsh rarebit or the beef and Guinness pie (complete with mushy peas), while also maintaining Aussie pub classics like burgers, seafood platters and the schnitzels that betray the hidden Germanic roots of the British Isles. FOR THE GAME: ARKABA, FULLARTON The Arkaba Hotel provides a great experience if you're into sport. It's the home of Sportys Bar and Arena, one of the premier sporting bars in town. The local Sportys takes their sport seriously, setting up the entire bar as an homage to spectating physical activity. There are plenty of TVs, tonnes of room and the bar is fitted out with all the knick knacks and wood panelling that is the stuff of man cave dreams. If you're after AFL, football or a good sport like rugby, Sportys has got it all. Sign up to Hahn Brewers and settle down with a drink this weekend. Top image: Ramsgate Hotel.
On September 25, 1981, Sydneysiders got their first look at the revolving restaurants inside Sydney Tower. Exactly 39 years later, the restaurants have reopened after a $12-million renovation, with new looks, A-plus cocktails and a star cast of Sydney hospitality elite. The tower's dining precinct is split into three levels: 70s-inspired Bar 83, opulent fine-diner Infinity and casual buffet restaurant Sky Feast. Each space has a unique design by Loopcreative, pulling inspiration from the likes of space odysseys, Aussie backyard pools and bygone Kings Cross bars. Part-retro, part-futuristic with circular red and white lounges, gold lights and striking mirrors, Bar 83 is officially Sydney's highest bar. Some have suggested the bar looks as if it was pulled straight from an episode of The Jetsons, but Loopcreative director Rod Faucheux says the design is a nod to the building's history and Sydney bars from the 70s and 80s, such as Baron's in the Cross. [caption id="attachment_786071" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Walsh[/caption] As the name suggests, it's towering above the city on level 83, with views across to the edges of the suburbs. While there's no denying the bar's main drawcard is the views, the cocktails are equally impressive. Award-winning bartender Jenna Hemsworth (Restaurant Hubert, The Baxter Inn) has stepped in as venue manager, and is stirring up outstanding cocktails including Pain Pleasure Principle (with cognac, cacao and lemon myrtle) and the Ignore All Rules (tequila, sherry, tomato and basil). Snacks don't push the boundaries too much (oysters, bread and olives, roasted nuts) but you're not here for the food — that's all happening on the levels below. That said, it'd be remiss not to order at least one of the lamb and harissa sausage rolls while you're there. Images: Robert Walsh
The Windsors are in the building. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are currently in Australia for a five-day state visit, meeting with politicians, activists and koalas and enjoying the best of what the country has to offer. Admittedly, the public excitement hasn't been quite as intense as when Kate and Will were here — but hey, we'll take what we can get. In anticipation of the Sydney leg of the royal couple's tour, Destination NSW has released a jam-packed itinerary, featuring many of the city's cultural and culinary hotspots. Usually we'd turn a blind eye, but this time around, someone's done their homework. It's not a bad list to have if you're up for a spot of royal stalking watching. But keep it handy for the next time you have parents or mates in from out of town and want to treat them to a Sydney experience fit for a (future) king. ROYAL EATS With so many places to visit in so short an amount of time, royal visitors will need plenty of fuel to keep them going through the day. Truthfully, one of the best things about this country is the sheer variety of different cuisines to try. They'll be tasting Chinese at Billy Kwong in Potts Point, organic cooking at Biota out in Bowral, or a hearty lamb roast at Firedoor in Surry Hills. Not sure about the inclusion of Harry's Café de Wheels though, where the royals will be getting into a few pies. Sure, it's a local institution, but if you're after pies might we recommend Pie Tin or Upper Crust instead? On the beverage front, Willie the Boatman is one of our favourite craft breweries. Alternatively, you can grab something a little more fancy at the fittingly named Royal Hotel, where C&C will also be throwing back a few pints. ROYAL FUN Once your guests have eaten their regal stomachs full to the point of bursting, the fun times can begin in earnest. One of our favourite royal stops from Destination NSW? Axe throwing at Maniax in St Peters (yep, the royals are actually going here). It's a little medieval, sure, but then again so is the monarchy. A trip to the Sydney Polo Club seems appropriately posh, before mixing with the common folk at one of the city's many markets. Charles and Camilla are tipped to visit The Rocks Markets — although if it were up to us we'd be taking them to Eveleigh, Rozelle or Glebe. ROYAL ARTING The Prince of Wales has always been a major patron of the arts, so it makes sense that he'd take time from his schedule for a trip to the Chippendale Creative Precinct. White Rabbit Gallery on Balfour Street boasts one of the largest collections of contemporary Chinese art anywhere in the world, while the aMBUSH Gallery is a hub of site-specific art activations and a breeding ground for innovative Australian artists. ROYAL BEACHES Look, to be brutally honest, we don’t really need to see Charles and Camilla in their swimming trunks. Still, no trip to Sydney, royal or otherwise, would be complete without a spot of sun baking on one of our many sandy beaches. Avoid the crowds at Bondi and instead pay a visit to somewhere a little more secluded, such as Parsley Bay in Vaucluse or Lady Martin's Beach in Point Piper. Images: Firedoor (Nikki To), Maniax, aMBUSH Gallery, Cacau & Xande (Flickr).
UPDATE, December 11, 2020: The Lobster is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Imagine living in a world where the pursuit of love provided only two choices. You can find a spouse and live happily ever after in coupledom, or you can earn the scorn of others for failing to pair up. In this scenario, society champions the intertwined and persecutes the single. Does it feel familiar? It should. That such a situation doesn't seem too far from reality is the point of The Lobster, despite the clear exaggerations if gleefully plays with. In an unnamed time, those like the mournful David (Colin Farrell) who prove unlucky when it comes to affection — even through the death of their spouse or via infidelity — are shipped away to a matchmaking-focused hotel as a last resort, literally. If they don't connect with another person in 45 days, they'll be transformed into the animal of their choice. Their only other option is to run away and live in the nearby woods with a group of loners, who shun relationships, dig their own graves in a mournful bit of forward thinking, and seek solace by dancing alone to electronic music. If that sounds cynical as well as comedic in an absurdist, deadpan manner, that's because it is — and writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos is certainly known for raising his eyebrows and donning a wry smile in the face of many of the behaviours and preferences that define our lives and interactions. In his first English-language film after the equally heightened Dogtooth and Alps, he does the same with modern romance, skewering and dissecting the fact that finding monogamy and matrimony are championed by most as the be all and end all of human existence, no questions asked. That's not all he does, though, as he follows David's interactions with others looking for their similar other halves, such as Lisping Man (John C. Reilly), Limping Man (Ben Whishaw) and Biscuit Woman (Ashley Jensen). Nor is scepticism his only attitude when David meets Loner Leader (Léa Seydoux) and Short Sighted Woman (Rachel Weisz), finding a kindred spirit in the latter, even if he's not supposed to. Mixing suspicion with sweetness — not of the sappy rom-com kind, but bursting from a genuine appreciation of the joy that can result when two people really do find something special in each other beyond having superficial things in common, and are willing to sacrifice to keep it — is the key to The Lobster's brilliance. Lanthimos finds the overwhelming beauty that can lurk in the stark reality he depicts, perhaps surprisingly so given how stylised and precise everything else proves: the dialogue, setting, recurrent use of music and tightly shot visuals, for example. The impact is as astounding as it is intriguing. Consequently, prepare for a smart, sensitive and surreal movie that both looks on in horror and inspires hope as far as matters of the heart are concerned. And prepare to pay attention too, because the details mean everything. When the excellent international cast all speak in their native accents, aptly mirroring the film's conflict of structure and chaos in the process, or the soothing tones of Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue's ballad 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' contrasts with the overt tones heard otherwise, that's when The Lobster's wondrous, winning, witty take on love and life starts to truly shine.
There is a demographic of humans who simply can't fathom the idea of heading to a room filled with intimidating machines and sweating it out for an hour or so. For those of you who hate gyms, relief has arrived. Like Rollerfit, Retrosweat, Beyoncé dance classes and Morning Gloryville raves, Fitness Playground gym offers an opportunity to exercise in a way that isn't scary, or boring. Grab a friend and attend a circus-inspired trapeze classes or hang from monkey bars, or get involved in some anti-gravity yoga or a calisthenics class. At Fitness Playground, the people are friendly, the energy is great and everyone knows your name. There are three FP locations (Surry Hills, Newtown and Marrickville), but they've just added a third level to their Surry Hills location specifically for classes. We went inside to check it out, and caught up with director Justin Ashley (Fitness Playground Director) to see what the story is. IT'S NOT YOUR TRADITIONAL GYM Fitness Playground started out as a boot camp in Surry Hills. After exponential growth involving a whole heap of people who couldn't stomach the traditional gym environment, the first Fitness Playground location opened in 2014. Far too many gyms are intimidating, but Fitness Playground is accessible. Ashley is proud of that fact that his gym has grown to become a welcoming, friendly space that people love to return to. "Our goal and our mission statement for the company is to change people's perception of the gym environment and experience. Most people believe that gyms are boring and intimidating, and we want to change that. We want to make it fun, we want to make it motivating and we want to make a strong community and support structure for our members. We kicked off with eight staff, and we've got 135 now. We had basically no members, and now we've got close to ten thousand, and it was all due to demand." [caption id="attachment_609608" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image supplied.[/caption] CHANGING THE TYPICAL GYM ENVIRONMENT "The typical gym environment is four walls and some stationary equipment," Ashley says, "and stepping into a gym can feel like walking into an office, so for us, the design of the gym and the type of equipment and classes we can offer to our members was our number one priority." "We care about how everything looks and feels, because if the person is in the right mindset when they're in the gym, they're probably going to come back, and if they come back, they're probably going to get results." Ashley enlisted the help of creative agencies and interior designer James Treble to make the gym a welcoming space, full of vibrant colour and graffiti. The design offers members a whole new experience at the gym, one that's far removed from any other they might have encountered. WHEN DID EXERCISE FOR ADULTS BECOME SO BORING? "People grow up loving exercise and loving sport," Ashleys says, "exercise for adults... I don't know how it became so boring and serious". The idea at Fitness Playground is to take people out of the mindset that there's no fun in working out, and create a space for people to work out in that's different from a traditional gym. At its heart, Fitness Playground is an adult playground. The main area of the gym is the 'playground zone' — filled with equipment like monkey bars, skill mills, climbing ropes, battle ropes and a 30-metre sprint and sled track. At its inception, Ashley asked around to find out what people wanted out of a gym. Firstly, he found out, they wanted to get fit, but not in a traditional fashion. They wanted interesting equipment and lots of it — variety was key. Rather than treadmills, members wanted sprinting tracks. Instead of bar bells, they wanted tractor tyres. It's the need of the members that has driven the progress of the gym. [caption id="attachment_606797" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Steve Woodburn[/caption] CIRCUS CLASSES, AERIAL YOGA OR BARRE? The classes on offer at Fitness Playground include gymnastics, aerial yoga, barre, and our personal favourite, a circus-inspired trapeze class. Another class, Athletica, is high-intensity, weights-based or circuit-based training taught by personal trainers. It's kind of the middle ground between a one-on-one session with a personal trainer and a group workout. Then there's the boxing studio, a mind body studio and zones for weights and cardio. It's a mix of traditional gym equipment and some newer, unique equipment that feels welcoming to everyone and is conducive to positive results. The core of each location is its members ability to choose how they get their sweat on — whether that's by personal training, or one of the gym's meditative yoga and relaxation classes that take place in the peaceful, exposed brick studio. Chill is just as important as fun. "To be able to zen out for an hour once a week or twice a week… it's the perfect compliment to exercise." If you're keen to check out Fitness Playground, head along to the Open Week exclusive to Concrete Playground readers or enter to win a one-year membership. Images: Kimberley Low and Steve Woodburn.
One of the world's most celebrated rappers, Kendrick Lamar, is returning to Australia — sitting at the top of the Bluesfest lineup locking in two huge performances in Melbourne and Sydney. Biaaaaaaatch, no way. Hitting Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on March 21 and Sydney's Allphones Arena on March 23, Lamar will then join The National and Tom Jones to headline Bluesfest in Byron Bay on Thursday, March 24. Lamar's quite the curveball for this year's Bluefest, with the festival already sporting quite the eclectic patchwork of a lineup — from Noel Gallagher to Tom Jones, Jackson Browne to City and Colour. This will be the first time Lamar has toured Australia since 2014's Rapture Festival, and since releasing his wildly critically-acclaimed and Grammy-winning album To Pimp a Butterfly and recent surprise release untitled unmastered, so expect tickets to go quicker than you can say 'Kunta'. KENDRICK LAMAR 2016 AUSTRALIAN DATES: MELBOURNE — March 21 (Rod Laver Arena) SYDNEY — March 23 (Allphones Arena) BYRON BAY — March 24 (Bluesfest) Tickets for Kendrick Lamar's Sydney and Melbourne shows will go on sale at 9am Monday, October 19. Telstra pre-sale from 10am Wednesday, October 14 until 10am Friday, October 16, those pre-sale tickets over here.
The glitz! The glamour! The millionaires patting each other on the back! Yes dear friends, the Academy Awards are getting closer by the day. This year's nominations range from big, populist blockbusters to itsy bitsy indie films, once again celebrating the very best that Hollywood has to offer. As long as what it has to offer was...y'know...white. The #OscarsSoWhite problem has become one of a number of talking points in the wake of the recent nominations, along with the dodgy shut-out of critical darling Carol and the hype around Leonardo DiCaprio. He's finally going to win you guys! While a few of the nominees, including Room and Steve Jobs, are yet to reach our shores, we've otherwise managed to see just about everything in contention. And after running them all through our Oscar predicting super computer, here's how we think Hollywood's night of nights is going to pan out. BEST PICTURE The Nominees The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Room, Spotlight. What Will Win This is going to be a close one. Although it won't be released in Australia until the end of January, journalism drama Spotlight was thought to be leading the race, until The Revenant swooped in and nabbed the top prize at the Golden Globes. And with the most nominations out of this year's Oscar contenders, we reckon momentum is only going to build. The Revenant by a nose. What Should Win Putting aside our national bias, it's pretty obvious that Mad Max: Fury Road should take home the big banana. It's thrilling, inventive and phenomenally made, and was a hit with critics and audiences alike. Not only that, but the film's strong feminist overtones and kickass female characters are exactly the kind of thing that Hollywood needs to reward. The Snubs The biggest snub of the bunch is undoubtedly Carol. Todd Haynes' lesbian romance set in 1950s New York has been rightfully adored by critics, and its surprising omission here is seen as a sign by many that Oscar voters still aren't ready to embrace queer stories. So much for liberal Hollywood. It's also disappointing not to see Creed or Straight Outta Compton nominated, as two of the best reviewed and most popular films of the year about people of colour. Hell, even a Star Wars nom would have been something. BEST DIRECTOR The Nominees Lenny Abrahamson (Room), Alejandro G. Inarritu (The Revenant), Tom McCarthy (Spotlight), Adam McKay (The Big Short), George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road). Who Will Win This race will likely come down to George Miller for Mad Max and Alejandro G. Inarritu for The Revenant. Both men made ambitious, visually spectacular films, something the Academy increasingly tends to reward. The fact that Inarritu won last year for Birdman might make some voters want to look elsewhere, but we're still tipping him to go back-to-back. Who Should Win George Miller. He's a veteran of the industry, and unlike Inarritu, there's more to his movie that just style for the sake of style. Here's hoping George can become the first Australian ever to win Best Director. Celebratory Mad Max screening at our place if he does! The Snubs Most people assumed Ridley Scott would get a nomination for his rock solid work on The Martian. Todd Haynes for Carol is likewise a very disappointing omission, as is Ryan Coogler for Creed. The fact that the category is entirely male is more a condemnation of the wider film industry than it is of Oscar voters... although it's certainly depressing none the less. BEST ACTRESS The Nominees Cate Blanchett (Carol), Brie Larson (Room), Jennifer Lawrence (Joy), Charlotte Rampling (45 Years), Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn). Who Will Win While Cate Blanchett seemed like an early favourite for her sublime work in Carol, the scales appear to be tipping in favour of Brie Larson in Room. She's coming fresh off a win at the Golden Globes, and the film obviously resonated with Academy voters given its unexpected nomination for Best Director as well as Best Picture. Who Should Win The good thing about this category is that there really is no bad option. For our money Blanchett is still the strongest contender, but we'd be just as happy seeing it go to any one of them. The Snubs There's a strong argument that both Alicia Vikander and Rooney Mara should be here, for their work in The Danish Girl and Carol, but their respective studios successfully campaigned to have them nominated for Best Supporting Actress instead. And let's face it, it just wouldn't be the Oscars without a little bit of category fraud. BEST ACTOR The Nominees Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Matt Damon (The Martian), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs), Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl). Who Will Win Leonardo DiCaprio, although it would be kind of funny if he didn't. His turn in The Revenant is far from his best work, but it's exactly the kind of big, committed performance that the Academy tends to favour. Subtlety be damned! Honestly, the field is pretty weak this year. Michael Fassbender is reportedly great in Steve Jobs, but the buzz around the film is basically non-existent. Who Should Win Honestly, anyone aside from Eddie Redmayne for his insipid work in the regressive, cliché-riddled transgender weepie The Danish Girl. How anyone thinks that's a good performance is just totally beyond us. Just give it to Leo. Think of how happy it'll make him. The Snubs Steve Jobs isn't out in Australia until February, but it's hard to imagine Fassbender gives a better performance as the Apple co-founder than he does as Macbeth in Justin Kurzel's phenomenal Shakespeare adaptation. Michael B. Jordan is terrific in Creed, and there's been a lot of good said about Will Smith in the NFL medical drama Concussion as well. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS The Nominees Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), Rooney Mara (Carol), Rachel McAdams (Spotlight), Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl), Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs). Who Will Win Putting aside the dodgy Oscar politics that sees Mara and Vikander nominated in the wrong category, we suspect this award will go to the actress from Carol. That said, it's entirely conceivable that Vikander or Winslet could swoop in for the steal. Who Should Win Rooney Mara is wonderful in Carol, and a very deserving recipient. If you're looking for something a little bolder, we'd go with Jennifer Jason Leigh, who steals The Hateful Eight from her seven male co-stars. The Snubs It was always a long shot, but we'd have been thrilled to see transgender actress Mya Taylor score a nomination for her remarkable turn in Sean Baker's Tangerine. The other disappointing omission is Kristen Stewart. You may scoff, but her work in Clouds of Sils Maria is a total revelation. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR The Nominees Christian Bale (The Big Short), Tom Hardy (The Revenant), Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight), Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), Sylvester Stallone (Creed). Who Will Win Unless The Revenant makes a clean sweep and thus the award goes to Tom Hardy, we expect to see this trophy in the hands of Sylvester Stallone. Everybody in Hollywood loves him, and he's genuinely terrific in Creed. Besides, his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes was absolutely adorable. Who wouldn't want to see more of that? Who Should Win Seriously, did you see that acceptance speech!? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs3aqt4O4ng The Snubs The most notable absence is Idris Elba, who was widely expected to be nominated for his chilling turn in Netflix's Beasts of No Nation. Are you noticing a theme here? It's also a little surprising that Michael Keaton missed out for his work in Spotlight, and we'd have loved to see Benicio Del Toro, for Sicario, and Michael Shannon, for 99 Homes, make the cut as well. BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY The Nominees Bridge of Spies, Ex Machina, Inside Out, Spotlight, Straight Outta Compton. What Will Win Spotlight seems like an easy pick here. The story, about a newspaper investigation into sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, is just the right mix of worthy and compelling, plus the screenplay categories are often the place where the Academy gives its consolation prize to the film that missed out on Best Picture. What Should Win As much as we liked Spotlight, for us this award deserves to go to the folks behind Inside Out. Once again, Pixar have demonstrated that children's films don't need to talk down to their intended audience, and that it's possible to craft jokes that both kids and adults will enjoy. Inside Out is one of the funniest films of the year, while at the same time dealing with concepts of grief and loss with a level of maturity that puts most grownup movies to shame. We also really liked Ex Machina, but this should go to Pixar, not close. The Snubs Although it's divided critics and may be too controversial for some, Quentin Tarantino's savage, racially-charged western The Hateful Eight deserved to at least get a nomination. We'd have loved to see absurdist black comedy The Lobster get some attention too, but honestly that was never particularly likely. BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY The Nominees The Big Short, Brooklyn, Carol, The Martian, Room. What Will Win Adam McKay's financial crisis comedy The Big Short is the frontrunner in this category. It's smart, funny and has just the right amount of righteous indignation, which Oscar voters tend to love. The Martian and Room also seem like reasonable possibilities. What Should Win The more we think about it, the more we like The Martian in this category. It's funny, it's thrilling, it's wonderfully optimistic, and in an age of increasing anti-intellectualism, it actually makes science seem cool. The Snubs Aaron Sorkin seemed like a lock for his work on Steve Jobs, but as mentioned above the movie just didn't seem to resonate with viewers. We'll also give one final plug to Macbeth, for stripping Shakespeare down to its raw, grim essentials. The winners of the 88th Academy Awards will be revealed on February 28.
It's that time of year where you should probably start getting your New Year's Eve plans in order. To help you out, Beyond the Valley has just announced the lineup for their celebrated four-day festival in Lardner, Victoria and it's pretty.bloody.good. Just two years old, the Victorian festival is fresh on the New Year's circuit, starting out in 2014. Despite this, they've managed to secure a rather colossal lineup featuring Hudson Mohawke, Phantogram and ZHU among plenty of others. The lineup has some solid Australian flavours, including festival favourites Sticky Fingers, Safia, Dune Rats and Alex Lahey, who absolutely killed it when she opened up Splendour in the Grass last month. We think DZ Deathrays summed it up nicely with this post: Enough chat, here's what you're after. BEYOND THE VALLEY 2016 LINEUP: Alex Lahey Bag Raiders Bakermat Chance The Rapper Dena Amy DUNE RATS DZ Deathrays Eats Everything Emma Louise Giraffage GoldLink Harts Hermitude Highasakite Hot Chip Hudson Mohawke Japanese Wallpaper Jarryd James Jme Kllo Kölsch Ladyhawke Lastlings LUNICE Montaigne Motez MSTRKRFT Oliver Huntemann Paces Pachanga Boys Hippie Dance Phantogram Running Touch Ryan Hemsworth Safia Skream Slumberjack Sonny Fodera Sticky Fingers Thundamentals TOKiMONSTA Total Giovanni Vera Blue Wafia What So Not ZHU Tickets go on sale Thursday, August 11 at 9am from beyondthevalley.com. Images: Beyond the Valley.
A basement bar with 150 whiskies and a fireplace, The Doss House is exactly where you want to be during the winter months. But, its new pop-up openair bar is made for balmy summer nights. Running until February 9, The Dock Yard has taken over the historic sandstone courtyards surrounding The Doss House. It's open from 4pm Thursday—Sunday serving up Furphy and Guinness on tap, Aussie wines and four classic cocktails: negronis, old fashioneds, Aperol spritzes and espresso martinis. Cheap espresso martinis. If you head along from 4–6pm, Thursday–Sunday, you can grab one for just $6. To eat, you'll find cheese, charcuterie — including the likes of kangaroo prosciutto and wild boar salami — and ploughman's boards, hefty sandwiches and sourdough with hummus. The bar is inspired by the many sailors and merchants that frequented The Rocks during the 1800s, so expect nautical theming and knick-knacks scattered throughout, too. The Dock Yard is open from 4pm–midnight Thursday–Saturday and 4–11pm Sunday.
To get a sense of Benedict Cumberbatch's Dr Stephen Strange, first picture in your mind Hugh Laurie's character from House. Tall and lanky, with a gravelly voice begging to be coughed into clarity and an unyielding arrogance that offends all who meet him, House is the super surgeon whose primary demon is his crippling fear of failure. To get, then, from House to Strange, just add a pinch of traumatic injury, mix in some eastern healing and meditation, and serve it up with a magical cape and the ability to manipulate space and time. Okay, yes, that's quite a leap, but as a departure from the last thirteen superhero flicks from Marvel Studios, Doctor Strange is as refreshing as it is successful. Strange's transformation from surgeon to sorcerer is an altogether conventional one – a Matrix-style 'forget everything you know' sequence comprised of training, studying and martial arts under the guidance of a mystical Tibetan monk named The Ancient One (a fantastic turn by Tilda Swinton). Driven by a solipsistic determination to heal his wounded hands, Strange's focus slowly shifts to larger matters – chiefly, saving the world – as his psychadellic journey of discovery reveals a multiverse of infinite possibilities and supernatural threats that only sorcerers can repel. As one character explains, the Avengers deal with threats on earth, but threats to the earth? That's where these guys come in. Like Ant-Man before it, Doctor Strange offers a more intimate, individual tale compared to the ensemble juggernauts of The Avengers and Captain America. That's not to say it's a small-scale production, however. Visually, this is Inception dialled up to eleven, a world-bending, shape-shifting and time-distorting Escher painting filled with heroes and villains duelling over the possibility of immortality. As always, there are Marvel's well-timed comic touches, as well as a pair of end-credit scenes (so do stay through to the very end for a hint as to Strange's next villain). A solid supporting cast boasts Rachel McAdams as Strange's love interest, Chiwetel Ejiofor as his sparring partner and Mads Mikkelsen sadly under-utilised as something of a two-dimensional villain. Wordier and more offbeat than the standard Marvel fare, Doctor Strange nonetheless rightly and proudly earns its place in the franchise's extraordinary universe, offering a visual feast unlike anything else seen this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSzx-zryEgM
Late last week, Sydney rock lads Gang of Youths released the follow-up EP to their ARIA-nominated 2015 album The Positions. If you were wondering how the beloved locals would go after releasing an album that tugged on All The Heartstrings, their new EP Let Me Be Clear, does not disappoint. It seems as though the band has been overwhelmed with the response from fans and music critics alike, and in order to say thanks, have announced a free show in Sydney tonight (August 2). The venue has just been announced as the Newtown Social Club, with doors opening at 7pm. Previously the Sly Fox had been announced for the show, but we're guessing that the hands in the air on social media might have caused them to change to a slightly larger venue. This event will be extremely limited capacity, so if you're a fan you'd better get there early to secure a spot to witness all of frontman Dave Le'aupepe's epic hair flicks. Gang of Youths play Newtown Social Club tonight, August 2, with doors opening at 7pm. Entry is free, first come first served.
Foodies, pay attention, because have we got news for you. Chef Rene Redzepi, the man behind Noma and its super expensive, impossible to get into Sydney Harbour spinoff, is organising a day-long symposium featuring some of the biggest names in food. Set to take place at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, April 3, MAD SYD: Tomorrow's Meals will welcome a number of world renowned chefs and culinary professionals for "a day of talks and ideas exploring the future of food". Confirmed speakers include Redzepi, David Chang (Momofuku), Kylie Kwong (Billy Kwong) and Massimo Bottura (Italy's Osteria Francescana), as well as food activist Chido Govera and social researcher Rebecca Huntley. MAD is heading down under! On April 3rd we will present our first large scale public event at the Sydney Opera House - visit madfeed.co for more info #MADSYD A photo posted by MAD (@themadfeed) on Feb 5, 2016 at 9:40am PST Founded by Redzepi, MAD (the Danish word for 'food') is a non-profit organisation that, according to their website, "works to expand knowledge of food to make every meal a better meal; not just at restaurants, but every meal cooked and served". They've hosted similar symposiums in Copenhagen since 2011, but this is the first time they've held one outside of the Danish capital — and the first one that will be open to the public. "Back when we started MAD in 2011, we found ourselves on a field, in heavy rain, in a tiny circus tent that ultimately collapsed during lunch,” says Redzepi. “MAD has been on an incredible journey since then, but the culmination of our long relationship with Sydney and Australia taking place in one of the world’s most iconic spaces is the greatest privilege. We cannot wait to share this day with everyone - friends and family, old and new." Anyone interested can register for pre-sale tickets through the Sydney Opera House website, and tickets will go on sale to the general public at 9am on Monday, February 22. We can only hope they don't sell out as fast as bookings to Noma Australia did. MAD SYD is happening on Sunday, April 3 — one day after the last service of Noma Australia. Register for tickets here, and keep your eyes on MAD's Facebook and Instagram for additional info. Updated: Monday, February 9. Image: Daniel Boud
