They've just wrapped up one of their most successful projects to date, but Kaldor Public Art Projects aren't ones to rest on their laurels. Following the wildly popular Marina Abramovic: In Residence, they've announced their next project, a groundbreaking new work with world renowned choreographer Xavier Le Roy. Working in collaboration with Kaldor Public Art Projects and Carriageworks, Le Roy will develop a brand new exhibition called (rather ambiguously) Temporary Title, 2015. Premiering on Friday, November 20, the project will be the result of a series of open rehearsals (which you’ll be able to peek at for free) and will involve Hong Kong-based choreographer and dancer Scarlet Yu, along with 18 Australian performers. There'll be no props, no costumes, and all performers will be naked for the whole thing. Inhibitions, leave 'em at the door. The legendary French choreographer has picked a solid crew of Australian performers, a diverse group of different ages, demographic and performance experience hailing from Sydney and Melbourne. They’ll be very closely involved in the development of the exhibition, encouraged by Le Roy to discuss ideas and realised them through movement, instead of simply being directed with specific instructions — a pretty unique, organic process. Visitors to the rehearsals and performances change position between observer and participator — so expect anything and everything. Le Roy will also present three performances of his seminal solo work Self Unfinished, staged over three nights at Carriageworks at 8pm, November 17, 18 and 19. It's a must-see if you're a big fan of Le Roy or you're completely new to his work — this piece was first performed in 1988 and marked his very early experiments with the body and performer/spectator dynamic. With Temporary Title, 2015 being staged as an unconventional exhibition and Self Unfinished in a more traditional theatre setting, this will be quite the well-rounded intro for many Sydneysiders to the celebrated choreographer's work. It's not the first time Le Roy's performed in Sydney either — his work Untitled, 2012 was one of the most talked about pieces in the 27th Kaldor Public Art Project, 13 Rooms. KALDOR PUBLIC ART PROJECTS PRESENTS XAVIER LE ROY Open rehearsals — Thu 5, Thu 12, Wed 18 and Thu 19 November Keynote address — Sun 15 November Self Unfinished, 1998 — Tue 17, Wed 18 and Thu 19 November Temporary Title, 2015 — Fri 20 November 3-9pm, Sat 21 November, 12-6pm, Sun 22 November, 12-6pm All be presented at Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh. Head to the Kaldor Projects website for more info.
Three huge days of live music are coming to Railway Parade in Marrickville as part of a new multi-event festival. Marrickville Block Weekender is the debut three-day party hitting the streets of the Inner West in partnership with Heaps Normal. The fest will pop up between Saturday, September 30–Monday, October 2 with live music, DJs, performers, food and drinks — plus a heap of motorbikes. Taking place across the Labour Day long weekend, the block party will kick off with Heaps Gay's tenth birthday on the Saturday. This celebration of a decade of joyous queer parties will feature two stages pumping out the tunes across eight hours, with performances and DJ sets from Stereogamous, House of Silky, Dameeeela, Big Wett, VV Pete, Tseba and Friends, Show Us Ya Tips, C.Frim and MungMung. Sunday will arrive with a jam-packed lineup of rock music. Off the Rails is the inaugural punk festival from the teams behind Bad Friday and King Street Carnival. The debut celebration of all things heavy and distorted will feature performances from Amyl and the Sniffers, The Mark of Cain, Private Function, RVG, Shady Nasty, Dust, Southeast Dessert Metal, and Itchy and the Knits. If you can't make it to Marrickville, the festival is also hitting Newcastle the day before. Rounding out the weekend is the return of Throttle Roll, a street party celebrating all things motorbikes, on the Monday. Expect food trucks, beverages and custom bikes — plus live sets from Xolo (formerly Frankie's World Famous House Band) and Papa Pilko and the Binrats. Tickets to each event are sold separately, with Heap Gay Street Party tix starting from $50, Off the Rails passes available from $75 and entry to Throttle Roll starting at $35.
Sometimes, the semblance of reality can be just as powerful as reality itself. Argentinian artist Leandro Erlich has put this idea to the test (in the prettiest way possible). He’s built an underground swimming pool that looks like it’s filled with water. Built in 2004, the pool is a permanent installation at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan — after a stint at MoMA PS1 in New York. Standing above it, watching the sunlight filter through what seems to be shimmering liquid, viewers are pretty much ready to jump in. But, stepping closer, they soon discover that, what looks like a deep pool is a 10cm-high layer of water, encased in glass, and suspended over an empty space. Visitors can actually step into this empty space and look upwards — it’s a photographer’s dream. Consequently images of fully-clothed toddlers and adults in business suits seemingly submerged have flooded the Internet. The 21st Century Museum site reads, “While undermining our everyday assumptions about what we think to be obvious, the work invites our active involvement in its spaces — once we catch on to its deception — and produces a sense of connection between people looking at each other.” Erlich was born in Buenos Aires in 1973 and still lives there. He has exhibited all over the world, from London’s Barbican to New York’s Sean Kelly Gallery. Via Fubiz. Images: Leandro Erlich.
Summer is officially over. We know that not just because Sydney has gone all dark and stormy, but because Vivid Sydney has this released their full 2017 program. Get ready to be ensconced in sparkly lights once again — the festival of light, music and ideas will be back for 23 days from May 26 to June 17. The most overt aspect of the program is the lights, and this year their kaleidoscope is set to extend over to Barangaroo for the first time. A new precinct for 2017, it will extend the reach of the CBD's lights and further light up Darling Harbour with a trail of installations that will wind through the Streets of Barangaroo and along the waterfront. One of the works, A Day in the Light, will be an outdoor theatre of light and sound — getting a seat at one of the area's new restaurants (like 12-Micron or Banksii) will likely be hard to nab. The Sydney Opera House's sails will this year be lit up with imaginary creatures by cinematographer, editor, and graphic designer Ash Bolland. Vivid light hotspots, the Royal Botanic Garden, the MCA, Chatswood, Taronga Zoo and Martin place will all be lit up as well. Vivid Music just seems to get bigger with every passing year — in 2017, there will be over 250 gigs. Joining Fleet Foxes for the Vivid LIVE component of the program at the Opera House will be legendary French electronic duo AIR (for their second Australian shows ever), the ethereal Laura Marling and our own Nick Murphy (Chet Faker's new moniker, ICYMI). The Avalanches will also make an appearance on the Opera House's Northern Broadwalk to perform their seminal album Since I Left You in its entirety for the first time since 2001. The band will be joined by Briggs, Sampa The Great and DJ Shadow. The City Recital Hall has a solid program sorted as well, with Dappled Cities, Dianne Reeves and a party by Paul Mac slated. But not all the gigs will be held at formal venues. The Vivid Music program will this year extend to Carriageworks for an exclusive gig from Goldfrapp and the return of Fuzzy Music's huge party Curve Ball, over to Cake Wines for a rooftop party and Oxford Art Factory for the Women in Electronic Music showcase. Vivid Ideas is, of course, back for the brainiacs among you — and this year it's scored iconic artist Shepard Fairey as its big-ticket speaker. Don't know the name? He's the artist behind Obama's HOPE campaign. As well as an exclusive talk, he'll also create a large-scale public mural somewhere in Sydney's CBD (!!) and exhibit some of his works in an exhibition at Darling Quarter. There's plenty more where that came from, check the Vivid Sydney website for more details. Image: James Horan.
The Starks are wrong. Winter isn't coming; it's already here. Thankfully this means it's the perfect time to eat the greatest Japanese food of all — ramen. That's right, it's ramen season and while Campbell's soup may keep us warm and look good in a painting, there's no beating a freshly made, steaming bowl of Japanese noodle soup to keep the cold away. While delicious all year round, Japan's noodle soup dish is most befitting of the colder mid-year months, helping us keep warm on the inside in the tastiest way. To save you walking around in the cold trying to find yourself a ramen restaurant, Concrete Playground has taste tested the best ramen in Sydney to bring you the best. [caption id="attachment_210346" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Lindsay Smith[/caption] ICHI-BAN BOSHI Ichi-ban is the best-known ramen in Sydney for a reason. It's cheap, it's delicious and you have it in front of you just minutes after ordering — which is handy given the queue you can expect at peak times. While there are plenty of options on the menu, including some of the best gyoza ($6.50) in Sydney, the ramen is the real hero here. With their noodles made fresh and cooked al dente, you'll tuck in straight away, and we recommend the karaage ramen ($13), as the chicken melts in your mouth. Having said that, their miso ramen ($9.90) is also worth your money, particularly if you only have a $10 note (it's cash only). While there are a few Ichi-bans now in Sydney, head to their flagship restaurant at the Galeries Victoria for their best. Level 2, The Galeries Victoria, 500 George Street, Sydney; (02) 9262 7677; ichibanboshi.com.au. [caption id="attachment_210347" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Lindsay Smith[/caption] RYO'S NOODLES Hiding away in Crows Nest is Ryo's, a little slice of Tokyo serving ramen as it should be — packed with flavour and in a huge, deep bowl that you'll struggle to make it all the way through. As soon as you step inside the orange ramen house, you'll feel as if you're in Japan. With butcher's paper decorated with kanji adorning the walls and with good luck cats scattered everywhere you turn, it makes your meal feel much more authentic when it arrives. There are a number of pork and chicken broths to choose from, but there is no going past their famous number 8 — ramen in spicy hot flavoured chicken soup with roast pork, egg and shallots ($13.50). To make it even better, add extra garlic and you'll go away with your lips on fire and your belly full of satisfaction. Just make sure that you leave as soon as you're finished, else you'll feel the ire of those queuing outside. 125 Falcon Street, Crow's Nest; (02) 9955 0225. RAMEN IKKYU Featuring fresh, wholesome ingredients, Ramen Ikkyu is a winter necessity. Chef Harunobu Inukai is formerly of French-Japanese fusion restaurant Blancharu in Elizabeth Bay, but since 2013, he's been operating out of the Sussex Centre Food Court and brings a fine-dining attention to detail to these humble bowls. Broths are made with pork and chicken bones (no fake stuff), and their handmade noodles are apparently aged for two days. If you're normally the type to feel letdown by your ramen's portion of pork, Ramen Ikkyu has the solution for you. Their pork rib ramen has a hefty portion of pig sticking out of the bowl. Sussex Centre Food Court, Shop F1A 401, Sussex Street, Haymarket; (02) 9281 0998; menikkyu.com.au. KOMACHI If you think you can eat a lot of ramen, then Komachi and its ramen challenge is for you. Available anytime but Friday night, book your spot and you have 60 minutes to finish a massive bowl of ramen. How massive? One-and-a-half-kilos-of-noodles-in-two-and-a-half-litres-of-broth-topped-with-meat-and-vegetables-massive. Succeed and you receive a $100 meal voucher. Leave anything in the bowl, though, and you'll pay $100. It's a huge case of risk and reward, but be warned, only 30 people have succeeded to date. If you don't fancy the challenge, there are plenty of less super-sized and more moderately priced ramen options at Komachi, including the chashu chicken ramen ($15.50). Whatever you choose, you won't go home hungry. 426 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills; (02) 9319 6554; www.komachi.com.au. GUMSHARA Uttering 'Gumshara' strikes fear into the hearts of even competitive eaters. That's because the portions are huge in this ramen eatery tucked away in Chinatown's Eating World. Add to that the fact that the collagen-rich pork broth is produced by boiling over 100kg of pork bones on a daily basis, and you have yourself a bowl of ramen quite unlike any you've had before, with a thick and salty broth that goes down surprisingly well. The menu is simple, with two of the dishes being rice-based and the rest being soup-based. Try the special rice ($9) for a combination of spicy cabbage, soft-boiled eggs and specially marinated pork mixed throughout the half-basketball-sized bowl of rice. Otherwise, there's the tonkotsu ramen ($10.50), served with slices of pork and seaweed in the aforementioned broth, which is so thick, it's practically gravy. 211/25-29 Dixon Street, Haymarket; 0410 253 180; facebook.com/Gumshara-Ramen. RISING SUN WORKSHOP For the uninitiated, Rising Sun is a social enterprise that serves two purposes. On one hand, it provides its motor-revving members with a communal space for repairing and polishing up their bikes. On the other, it's a café, serving coffee, cookies and seriously killer ramen. If you want to try the latter (and you do), you have three options: the dark, the light, or the vego. Our pick is the light, which will see you slurping up chicken and dashi broth seasoned with a salty, gingery, appley tare and chomping on greens, mushroom, bamboo, nori and a big fatty piece of pork belly. As well as being light in colour, it's also light on the stomach, if not a little expensive at $17 for a medium-sized bowl. Having opened just this month in Newtown, the ramen bar is the newest on the list, but judging by its immediate popularity, it will become a bona-fide regular — and so will you. 1c Whateley Street, Newtown; (02) 9550 3891; risingsunworkshop.com. RAMEN ZUNDO Rich Zundo is the signature ramen at this cute World Square restaurant, using a richly flavoured tonkotsu soup — pork broth boiled over 12 hours — to create a delicious ramen you'll keep coming back for, with pork belly that melts in your mouth like it should. Spice it up and go for the extra chilli kick by ordering the Rich Zundo Red ($12.90) for a full flavour hit. While delectable, this isn't as filling as the other ramens on this list, so take advantage of their set deal where you can order your favourite ramen, the Rich Zundo Red and add a small donburi on the side such as pork chashu mayo rice ($3.90 with ramen). World Square, 644 George St, Sydney; (02) 9264 6113; ramenzundo.com.au. [caption id="attachment_210349" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Lindsay Smith[/caption] MENYA NOODLE BAR Market Street's finest, Menya Noodle Bar, serves not one but two of the most outstanding ramen dishes in the city. The chicken katsu ramen ($13.90) offers succulent, crispy chicken complimented by the glut of sesame seeds floating in the soup. If you can handle the zing, though, then Menya's Dragon Ramen ($12.90) should be the first thing on your mind. Filled with fresh garlic, chilli oil and chilli pork mince, it will make you feel like your mouth is on fire in the tastiest way possible. Just try and resist the urge to yell "I am the Mother of Dragons" when you finish it as the group next to me did — it's weird and makes zero sense. Shop 2, 1 Market Street, Sydney; (02) 9267 4649; menya.com.au. IPPUDO While the austere tables and bustling atmosphere set the scene for a classic Japanese ramen house, Ippudo is no ordinary noodle joint. The now global franchise had its humble beginnings in Japan in 1985 but since its international debut in 2008 has become a ramen mecca, with more than 100 locations worldwide. For first-timers, the shiromaru ($15) — Hakata-style ramen with juicy pork loin, crunchy bean sprouts and silky black mushrooms — is the speciality that put Ippudo at the top of the ramen trade. Add the nitamago ($2), a delicious yet slippery whole flavoured egg, at your own risk. Whatever your ramen preference, order the noodles hard, as recommended. The Ippudo Sydney locations combine local products with Ippudo flavouring and noodle concept; the Aussie patrons are also considered in the unconventional shojin ($15), a vego option with seaweed and whole grain noodles that would not be present on a Japanese menu. Westfield Sydney, Central Park, Macquarie Centre and Chatswood; ippudo.com.au. By the Concrete Playground team. Top image: Salaryman by Alana Dimou. View all Sydney Restaurants.
Still trying to get your head around artist Tracey Moffatt's bold, brave (and sometimes obscure) legacy? The good folks at the Art Gallery of New South Wales are giving you a helping hand this winter with a free exhibition titled Tracey Moffatt: Laudanum and other works, finishing up in a mere two weeks on September 4. As the holders of the largest collection of Tracey Moffatt pieces in Australia, the Gallery has handpicked some of the legendary Australian artist's key works for display. The selected artworks explore Moffatt's interest in melodrama and cinema through film and photography. Laudanum (1998) and Plantation (2009), two popular works that explore fear, desire and high drama linked through the motif of colonial architecture, are on show at the exhibition alongside others. These two notable works were created more than 11 years apart. In between working on them, Moffatt was furiously productive, notably joining forces with Gary Hillberg to come up with a significant collection of video montage masterpieces including Love (2003) and Other (2009), which also feature in the exhibition. The former follows the turbulent journey from romantic love to cruelty, while the second records powerful chemistry erupting between races, sexes and genders. You always get more out of an art exhibition if you know a little bit about the artist. So we've come up with a little cheat sheet for you to study before you go - you can be the one to explain the depth behind the exhibition to your confused friends. [caption id="attachment_580361" align="alignnone" width="1800"] Yasujiro Ozu, Tokyo Story[/caption] WHAT TO EXPECT? There's a surreal quality to Moffatt's work which comes from her interest in Japanese and international cinema, including German Expressionism. She uses unconventional framing and camera angles - both techniques that revel in artificiality as opposed to realism. These techniques shatter a sense of realism and dimensional depth – they unhinge our perception of the world. Both German Expressionist and Japanese film often use similar techniques to disorient the viewer. If you're an avant-garde cinema buff and and know what dislocating, rhythmic film narratives are, you'll most likely enjoy this exhibition. [caption id="attachment_580669" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Tracey Moffatt, Laudanum 13 (1998) from the Laudanum series, Art Gallery of New South Wales. © Tracey Moffatt. Courtesy of Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney.[/caption] SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN ACTING Moffatt studied visual communication in Brisbane in the '80s, and although she pursued film, her strength and interest remained in the actual composition and framing of shots. Her film work is often viewed a four-dimensional extension of her still work. When working on films she, essentially, worked as a director of photography in the director's seat. This priority, combined with the assertion that she doesn't believe in acting, informs the most idiosyncratic characteristic of her films — a limited script with very little dialogue. The Montage films, featured in the Laudanum exhibition, are made up of found footage from mainstream cinema which are tacked together to tell a story. In her 1999 still series Laudanum, the same economy is reflected. A series of eerie images in the exhibition tell a story about race, power and sex, relying on subtle compositional cues to convey the deep underlying themes and messages rather than explicitly laying out intent. Moffatt doesn't spoon-feed her audience. This exhibition will force you to analyse and investigate your personal response to viewing her work, potentially seeing yourself reflected in the meaning of the film. [caption id="attachment_580671" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Tracey Moffatt, Plantation (Diptych no 2) (2009) from the Plantation series, Art Gallery of New South Wales. © Tracey Moffatt. Courtesy of Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney.[/caption] SHE'S A VISUAL ARTIST, THEN A FILMMAKER Moffatt is, at her core, a visual artist with a passion for photography, this is essentially what a lot of her film work is based around. Her films are a series of slow-moving stills and her photographs are the reverse — energetic frames, frozen in time, that hint at a deeper narrative in play on either side of the moment that tie narrative together in non-traditional ways. As narrative falls into place behind form, Moffatt's work, both film and photographic, jumps all over the place, back and forth between the past, present and future. Visual art, after all, exists mostly outside of the fourth dimension. The choppy narrative and editing rhythm of Moffatt's feature films have been likened to other Aussie film greats, such as Picnic at Hanging Rock by Peter Weir and My Brilliant Career by Gillian Armstrong for their strong consideration of the visual elements. [caption id="attachment_580668" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Tracey Moffatt, Love (2003), Art Gallery of New South Wales. © Tracey Moffatt. Courtesy of Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney.[/caption] SHE'S FASCINATED BY B-GRADE MOVIES Over her career, Moffatt frequently references B-grade films as a huge influence on her work. It may be that, as previously pointed out, we regard realism in film as A-grade quality, but what makes a film B-grade — the trashiness, obvious emotion, garish sets, unsubtle expression — are all elements greatly enjoyed and valued by Moffatt and other non-traditional film makers. She grew up watching a broad range of cinema, from arthouse films to Hollywood blockbusters, and her broad, formative appreciation is echoed in the complex range of influence in her films. Her work hides powerful depths below superficially simple facades. [caption id="attachment_580672" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Tracey Moffatt, Laudanum 16 (1998) from the Laudanum series,Art Gallery of New South Wales. © Tracey Moffatt. Courtesy of Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney.[/caption] HER WORK IS SUBTLY POLITICAL Building on the show-not-tell theme, Moffatt addresses political issues with a subtle hand. Although her work deals with Indigenous identity and struggle, drawing on her own life experiences as an Indigenous woman and Indigenous histories, she approaches political commentary in a roundabout way. Laudanum is an opiate primarily prescribed to women in the 19th century for its relaxing, if hallucinatory, effects. The story in some photographs featured in the exhibition (a vague tale of a Caucasian master and an Asian servant) brushes upon themes of race, dominance, and sexuality but draws conclusions about none. That's the classic Moffatt style - you make up your own minds. Tracey Moffatt's Laudanum and other works is in its final weeks. See the exhibition until September 4 at the Art Gallery of NSW. Entry is free.
Over the past twelve months, Concrete Playground's film critics have watched a truly obscene number of movies. Blockbusters, indie titles and arthouse flicks from around the globe, if it's been projected onto a screen anywhere in this country we've gobbled it up – along with approximately ten truckloads full of popcorn. And while there are certain films we'd much rather forget (looking at you Fantastic Four), there have also been plenty of great ones. Presented in alphabetical order, here are our ten favourite movies of the year. AMY Amy, by director Asif Kapadia, is an overwhelmingly tragic and absorbing portrait of the life (and death) of famed jazz singer Amy Winehouse; a documentary steeped in disquiet because, just as it was with Kapadia's previous film Senna, you know it ends in a crash. With its remarkable catalogue of personal videos, voicemails and recording sessions, Kapadia has crafted an extraordinarily moving tribute to a prodigious talent whose life seemed somehow unavoidably foredoomed. - Tom Glasson Read our full review. BIRDMAN Filmed like a play but choreographed like a dance, Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Birdman is a cinematic ballet, one where the way the story is presented is just as critical as the story itself. Narratively, its chronicle of redemption is a simple one, but like all good tales the simplicity of plot is offset by characters possessed of deep complexity. This is a film that almost commands repeat viewings, if only to marvel at its mechanics – and yet Birdman offers so much more than form. Darkly comedic, intellectually challenging and emotionally confronting, it’s a tantalisingly original piece of cinema that rightfully garnered multiple Oscars, including the top gong, at this year's Academy Awards. - TG Read our full review. EDEN If you're thinking about French electronic music, then you're probably thinking about Daft Punk. Writer-director Mia Hansen-Løve understands this, and doesn't shy away from their success in her portrait of the scene during the early 1990s. In fact, they're the counterpoint to the struggles endured by Eden's main character, Paul (Félix de Givry), as he chases the same dream over the course of two decades. Suffice it to say, he doesn't quite enjoy the same trajectory as his helmet-wearing friends. The film does, however, offer an astute account of trying and not quite succeeding that's equally hopeful and realistic. - Sarah Ward Read our full review. EX MACHINA Before Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson found themselves on opposite sides of the good-versus-evil divide in Star Wars: Episode VII, they battled over something else in the sci-fi realm. In Ex Machina, artificial intelligence and a humanoid robot named Ava (Alicia Vikander) spark a clash between Isaac's tech company CEO and Gleeson's computer programmer, after the former invites the latter to help test his newest creation. One of the best modern appropriations of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein ever made, Alex Garland's directorial debut is precise and probing in its themes, visuals and mood. - SW Read our full review. INSIDE OUT Pixar gets back to the top of their game with this wonderfully inventive tale set inside the human mind. Like all the studio's best movies, Inside Out can be enjoyed by just about anyone, with plenty of cerebral grown-up gags mixed in with the animated slapstick. It also features some of the most gorgeous visuals they've ever put up on the screen. But it's the film's emotional intelligence that earns it a spot in the Pixar pantheon alongside Up and Toy Story 3. Not content simply to make us cry, director Pete Docter instead examines why we cry, delivering a poignant life lesson that applies no matter how old you may be. - Tom Clift Read our full review. LOVE It's two and a half hours long, full of graphic sex and the whole thing is shot in 3D. In case you couldn't guess, Gaspar Noe's Love won't appeal to every taste. But even those who hate it would be hard pressed to deny that it's one of the most daring movies released in quite some time. Say what you will about his apparent predilections, but Noe is clearly a master of his craft. And if nothing else, Love is worth seeing just so you can argue about it. Is it a scathing critique of misogyny and male insecurity, or is it guilty of those very issues itself? Ultimately, you need to see it to decide. - TC Read our full review. MACBETH Few filmmakers can take something as distinctive as Shakespeare and turn it into a creation that feels wholly like their own. Justin Kurzel might follow in the footsteps of fellow Australian Baz Luhrmann in achieving this feat, although his Macbeth has little else in common with everyone's favourite version of Romeo + Juliet. In the Snowtown helmer's hands, the tale of an ambitious soldier willing to do whatever it takes to become king is stripped down to its most bleak and brutal elements. Yes, it rages with sound and fury. Yes, it's moody and brooding, both in emotion and in its aesthetic. Yes, Michael Fassbender steals the show in the title role, though Marion Cotillard threatens to do the same in every scene she's in. - SW Read our full review. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD In an era when most blockbusters follow the same predictable path, Mad Max: Fury Road charts a course in a very different direction. A barebones narrative forms the basis for the film, essentially a two-hour car chase through a bizarre desert wasteland, where warlords rule with an iron fist and flamethrowers double as guitars. Director George Miller makes fantastic use of practical effects, crafting action that is both bombastic and possesses a genuine sense of danger – something that films loaded with CGI often struggle to achieve. And that's to say nothing of the movies' unexpected feminist streak, with Charlize Theron's Imperator Furiosa stealing the whole film right out from under Max's feet. - TC Read our full review. SICARIO Since the beginning of the Mexican Drug War in 2006, it’s estimated more than 100,000 people have been killed in cartel-related violence. Sicario (Spanish for ‘hitman’) is a gritty, confronting and appropriately brutal examination of the US’s complicated and often deleterious engagement with this conflict. While its doleful theme of ‘this is just how things are’ doesn't deliver anything particularly new on the topic, Sicario showcases two powerhouse performances from its leads — Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro — and delivers a relentlessly tense, immaculately constructed piece of cinema from start to finish. - TG Read our full review. THE LOBSTER If you were going to get turned into an animal, which one would you choose? This line of thought pops up in The Lobster, although it's actually one of the least interesting things about the English-language debut of Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos. The writer-director behind Dogtooth and Alps, Lanthimos uses a light sci-fi premise and a high-profile cast to ponder society's obsession with pairing people off, maintaining monogamous relationships and adhering to an amorous status quo. The result is a savagely funny yet heartbreakingly tender film that also features what might be the most memorable use of Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue's 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' we've ever seen. - SW Read our full review. Honourable Mentions: A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, Magic Mike XXL, Mommy, Tehran Taxi.
Inventive Philadelphia-based company La Colombe Coffee Roasters has developed coffee on tap, pulling cold draught lattes from nitro kegs. They're claiming their new device as the world's first tap coffee, although it goes without saying this isn't your regular, purely extracted, traditional espresso. More "naturally sweet milkshake" than actual latte, La Colombe's draught is apparently like cold-press with frothed cold milk, according to Daily Coffee News. Company founder Todd Carmichael is pretty proud of the new taps, which took six months to invent with his rum distillery engineer buddy in his underground Philly coffee lab. Carmichael assures consumers that this is the first time tap coffee has made its way into your mouth. "The draught latte combines the simplest coffee beverage ingredients and creates a revolutionary drink," he said in a media announcement. "It’s the process we use to pull the drink from the keg that creates a textured milk that doesn’t exist anywhere else.” Wielding his iced invention, seems Carmichael has a pretty hardcore plan to destroy Starbucks, and he's not keeping it to tap coffee. The Philly coffee fiend also just announced the launch of La Colombe's low-calorie canned coffees — a product Starbucks has been doing pretty well with in American supermarkets for some horrific, god-forsaken reason. If you're keen to try draught coffee, you'll have to pop over to the US. La Colombe is planning to roll out the taps to its 12 venues in Philly, NYC, Chicago and Washington D.C. in July. Via Daily Coffee News.
Ever wish you had a clean-cut way to make your roommate clean their pizza bits off the couch? Or a way to motivate yourself into replacing endless procrastination with something resembling work? One brilliant Sydney artist has found the path to this domestic Eden in her art. In a ridiculously adorable mother-daughter story that has 'Where You Lead' blaring in my head, artist Brenda Samuels has produced Paintings With Mum, an exhibition at Marrickville's Airspace Projects gallery that emerged from a "domestic-artistic arrangement” with her daughter, Miranda. Seeing her mum struggling to find time to paint on top of looking after her and the house, Miranda concocted a motivational payment system, where eight hours of washing, tidying and cooking would earn her one oil painting from her mother — leading to at least one painting each week. The Paintings by Mum exhibition has been curated by Miranda and has the feel of a domestic take on Andy Warhol. Expect Milo cans, Coles Smartbuy packaging and a big ol' heartwarming.
So, you’re looking for a beautiful new... something. A design object. Made locally. Look no further than Local Design, nestled in the heart of the new Kensington Street precinct in Chippendale. Part design hub, part studio and part gallery, Local Design was a meeting of minds between founders Emma Elizabeth and Tom Fereday, who wanted to create a place in Sydney where people could come to source local products and product designers. Local Design is the first creative concept space that has showcased authentic Australian designers within a heritage architectural landscape. Home to the work of some of Sydney’s most talented up-and-coming designers, the space is intended to be open to anyone who’s curious about design to wander in and have a chat. “We want to make it easier for people to learn about design, and find local designers – whether they’re looking for a particular product, or need a designer to work on a project,” says Tom. “It’s not often you can go into a storefront with design objects and have two designers that can talk you through exactly how something was made, and the thinking behind it,” adds Ryan, a fellow designer also part of the space. And we agree – it’s pretty awesome to ask all the questions and peek inside the creative process before you hand over your hard-earned cash. Local Design isn’t a passive business, hosting regular events to show off the fine creations that grace the space. Next up on the event calendar is the launch of Tom’s own new Wes by SD Element furniture range on Thursday 18 February — inspired by none other than Wes Anderson and his unmissable colour palette of dreamy cinematic hues. You read that right, a furniture collection inspired by Wes Anderson. We’ll fight you for every last piece. Always looking for the next project, Local Design is sending 10 of its finest to Milan this year, and has plans to move into a new Alexandria space soon. From February 22, LOCAL DESIGN will take over 42 Church Ave, Alexandria to create a new creative concept space that will consist of a gallery showroom, photographic studio, workspace and private event venue. Find Local Design at 46-48 Kensington Street, Chippendale until February 22. Open Monday - Friday 9-5pm, Saturday 10-4pm and all other times by appointment. Images: Bodhi Liggett.
We owe more than a tip of our sombreros to the 2 million square kilometres that make up the nation of Mexico. Just try imagining your youth — or your next beachside holiday — without tequila or the mighty margarita. Then there’s the less obvious stuff. Unless you were listening hard during history lessons, it might have slipped under your radar that Mexico's ancient civilisations played a major role in bringing us chewing gum and chocolate. And since then, we’ve been kindly introduced to Frida Kahlo, Gael Garcia Bernal, Guillermo del Toro and Rodrigo y Gabriela. Here are ten excellent things to thank Mexico for. CHOCOLATE From the ancient evidence uncovered so far, cocoa seeds were first turned into drinkable chocolate by people of the Mokaya cultures, who lived in modern-day Mexico between 1900 and 650 BC. In Chiapas, which lies on the Pacific coast, archaeologists have found vessels containing cocoa residue dating back to 1900 BC. What’s more, it appears that cocoa was used not only for its sweet warmth but also for its intoxicating potential. Even back then, the sugars of the seeds were fermented and turned into alcohol. MODERN CHEWING GUM Humans have been chewing bits and pieces of sticky stuff for thousands of years. But gum, as we know it today, was born in the 1860s, when General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, a former Mexican President, took a substance named chicle to New York. The Aztecs had used it, for both chewing and pasting, and Santa Anna wanted to show it to his secretary, Thomas Adams. Thomas decided chicle was best cut into strips, packeted and sold as Adams New York Chewing Gum. Later on, he joined forces with William Wrigley Jr. NACHOS Nachos were created by accident in Piedras Negras — right near Mexico’s border with Eagle Pass, Texas. On an unknown date in 1943, a bunch of American ladies popped into an eatery there. Tired after a day of shopping, they were ready for a feast. The chef-owner, Ignacio Anaya, was about to shut up shop, so he put together a quick snack with what he had left, which happened to be tortillas, cheese and jalapenos. When the customers asked for the dish’s name, Mr Anaya answered "Nacho’s especiales", nacho being a shortened version of his first name. COLOUR TELEVISION Like that of film, the evolution of colour television involved a number of crucial steps, which happened neck-and-neck in various parts of the world. Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena, a Mexican engineer, was awarded one of the most important relevant patents in 1942 for his invention of the chromoscopic adaptor, which could be attached to a black-and-white television. On August 31, 1946, Camarena facilitated his first colour transmission from his laboratory in Mexico City. CORONA It’s now 90 years since the first bottle of Corona was brewed. Now present in 186 countries, Corona is the number one Mexican beer in the world and still to this day every bottle of Corona is brewed in Mexico. It’s become synonymous with sun, surf and relaxation. Usually enjoyed pulled out of an icy bucket, with a wedge of lime in the top and with good mates in tow, it's your little gustatory holiday to the Mexican coast. CINCO DE MAYO This whizz-bang celebration, which happens mainly in the US and Mexico but has been adopted around the world, is held on May 5 every year. In case you’re wondering, Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for fifth of May. Wherever the party occurs, folk dancing, patriotic songs and feasting take over the streets. For school kids in Mexico, it’s a major score, because all the teachers take a day off. Cinco de Mayo is in honour of Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. It’s not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16. RODRIGO Y GABRIELA Since meeting and falling in love at Mexico City’s Casa de Cultura (House of Culture) back in the late ‘80s — when they were just 15 years old — Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero have become international guitar legends. They bring classical virtuosity to a bunch of genres, from flamenco to rock to heavy metal. After moving to Dublin in 1999 and busking about the place, in 2004 they released their debut album, Rodrigo y Gabriela, which smashed its way straight to the top of the Irish charts. These days, they’re no longer dating, but their musical partnership remains in fine form. FRIDA KAHLO Fierce feminist painter Frida Kahlo is undoubtedly one of Mexico’s major contributions to 20th century art. Her bright colours and striking imagery combine Mexican and Indigenous traditions with surrealist influences; Andre Breton, the French writer and poet, described her work as “a ribbon around a bomb”. At the age of 18, she was injured in a horrific bus crash, which left her in immense, recurring pain for the rest of her life — a significant influence on her intense art works. GUILLERMO DEL TORO This film director, screenwriter, producer and novelist has brought us a plethora of darkly beautiful movies, including the gothic horror creations The Devil’s Backbone (2001) and Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) and unusual blockbusters Hellboy (2004) and Pacific Rim (2013). Del Toro was born into a Catholic family in Guadalajara, Mexico, and his obsession with filmmaking began when he was just eight. One of his earliest shorts featured a serial killer potato that wanted to take over the world. GAEL GARCIA BERNAL Born in 1978 in the same town as Guillermo del Toro — Guadalajara — Gael Garcia Bernal was a bit of a hit on Mexican TV as a teenager. At 19, he made tracks to London, where he became the first Mexican to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Fast forward to 2000 and he (along with Birdman director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu) caught our attention in Amores Perros, followed closely by Alfonso Cuaron's Y Tu Mama Tambien and Pedro Almodovar's Bad Education. Since then, he’s appeared in Babel, The Science of Sleep, Blindness, No and Rosewater, among numerous other films, while taking on a stack of other projects, from directing documentaries for Amnesty International to founding his own film company, Canana Productions.
Whether you spent your entire primary school education grinning smugly from the King square or languishing in Dunce position, you still have a point to prove, right? Here’s your chance. The Oxford Tavern is hosting a handball competition inside a pub. Inside a pub! And, as if that weren’t kickass enough, the champion wins his/her height in cheeseburgers. His/her height in cheeseburgers! Officially known as the Inner West Handball League, the contest kicks off next Thursday, March 19 at 7pm. The rules are exactly as you would have, or should have, followed them at school. That’s four squares, labelled King, Queen, Jack and Dunce (some rebellious schools included Ace as the server). When someone gets out, everyone moves up one rank. There’s no double-bouncing, no fulls, no using any part of your body except your hand to hit the ball, no grabbing, no rolling and no hanging out in other people’s squares. And bullying is absolutely not permitted. Spots are limited, so if you’ve got the goods, you’d better email forbes@drinkndine.com.au as soon as your super-fast reflexes allow it. For the rules, check out Fennell Bay Public School's hella sick PDF. For 'tips', watch ol' K-Rudd do some damage at Brisbane High School.
If you love sashimi, you really love sashimi. And if you love sashimi and live in Sydney, chances are you've had a piece or two from Zushi at some point. They've had restaurants in Surry Hills and Darlinghurst for a while now, and now the Zushi family has just unveiled a sleek new Japanese joint at Barangaroo's burgeoning dining precinct, The Streets of Barangaroo. The third venue for the group has gone full designer, with their new digs rock a striking fit-out courtesy of the acclaimed Koichi Takada Architects. The waterfront space boasts a semi-open kitchen, a dedicated sushi bar and a stunning, all-weather outdoor dining area with room for 106 people — it's bound to be red-hot property over the coming summer months. There's also a walk-up bar space, where Zushi's resident sake expert can hook you up with a few drops from the extensive range while you're waiting for that table. In true Zushi style, the modern Japanese fare here strikes a balance between innovation and authenticity, with this latest menu a mix of favourites, specials, and seasonal dishes unique to the Barangaroo restaurant. You'll find specialty sushi and sashimi, alongside an assortment of Izakaya-inspired share plates. The seared tuna steak coated in quinoa and sesame with wasabi mash is a must-order. Backing it up, there's that hefty range of sake, some clever sake cocktails, and a NSW-led wine list, which has plenty of love for biodynamic and organic labels. Zushi joins a slew of other eateries that have opened down at Barangaroo over the last few months, including Belles Hot Chicken, Lotus, Cirrus and The Rabbit Hole. Zushi Barangaroo is now open for lunch and dinner seven days a week at 10/33 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo South. For more info, visit zushi.com.au. Images: Kurt George Photography.
If you're keen to have your say in Australia's upcoming postal vote regarding same-sex marriage, then make sure you're enrolled to vote by August 24. With 14 percent of young Australians yet to do that, time is running out. But what if you just enrolled over a beer at the pub? Sydney party crew Heaps Gay is taking matters into their own hands. From August 17–20, they're hosting an Equality Weekender. Essentially, it's a massive, nationwide enrolment drive, involving barbecues, parties and assorted spontaneous events where you can enrol or update your enrolment details right there in the bar via postal forms and iPads. So far, more than 40 venues have signed up, including The Lansdowne, Mary's, The Unicorn, Vic on the Park, The Lord Raglan, Cake Wines, World Bar, The Imperial, Stonewall and Volumes Festival. Each venue will be holding a 'rego party', with enrolment forms, envelopes or (much easier) iPads to get that enrolment sorted, as well as plastering the walls with enrolment posters featuring artwork by Luke Arnold. "There is an old rule to never discuss politics in a pub, and while some folk in Canberra want to make this issue purely political, we recognise that it is squarely about equality, respect and love," said Jake Smyth, co-owner, The Lansdowne, Mary's and The Unicorn. "We are throwing a party to all to register to vote, to have your voice heard, to speak out for the family members, the friends, the teenagers whose voice has been ignored for too long. Vote yes to marriage equality!" Heaps Gay's founder and director Kat Dopper hopes to see plenty of young Australians show up at these events. "Young people have such a huge part to play in the conversation of marriage equality. By holding these events and encouraging people to bring a little positivity into the world, we hope that people will get more involved and more engaged in this issue. This isn't just about marriage, this is about equal rights — and we need each and every one of you to join in." The Equality Weekender is happening August 17–20. Check out the website for events, or if you're a venue, to sign on up.
It's not just a case of the show needing to go on for the folks at the Moulin Rouge. It must, and it is. 17 years after the big-screen release of Baz Luhrmann's smash-hit movie musical, the story of doomed lovers Christian and Satine has made its way to the stage in an expectedly spectacular fashion. The lavish adaptation premiered at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre on July 10, with its first season running through until August 19 before an expected Broadway bow afterwards. Moulin Rouge! the Musical follows the tale film fans fell in love with, as well as the music — plus new pop tracks that hit the airwaves in the nearly two decades since the movie's original release. It's directed by two-time Tony nominee Alex Timbers — who also has a Golden Globe to his name for co-created TV series Mozart in the Jungle — with music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by his frequent collaborator Justin Levine. Aaron Tveit (TV's Gossip Girl; stage productions of Wicked, Rent and Catch Me If You Can) takes on the role of Christian, as played by Ewan McGregor in the movie, while Tony-winner Karen Olivo (the revival of West Side Story, In the Heights, Hamilton) steps into Nicole Kidman's shoes as Satine. "I first encountered Alex Timbers through the remarkable and inventive production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and the brilliance of Here Lies Love," said Luhrmann in a statement when the state adaptation was first announced in 2016. "I immediately recognised the young director's creative spirit and felt we shared similar sensibilities and instincts." Continuing the show's list of talent, writing duties fell upon acclaimed playwright and screenwriter John Logan, whose resume includes Skyfall, Spectre and Alien: Covenant as well as the Tony Award-winning play Red. "It's immensely gratifying to know that a new wave of artists will be leading Moulin Rouge! into its rightful theatrical realm," said Luhrmann. Image: Moulin Rouge the Musical/Matthew Murphy.
Only a few years ago, virtual reality seemed like a foggy, far distant dream that would probably, like most new technology, take a few decades to become readily accessible and genuinely user-friendly. We've come a long way since the halcyon days of computers the size of a room and, in no time at all, we have the first generation of virtual reality headsets at our fingertips, all vying for our attention. Today, Oculus has officially announced that Rift, arguably the VR headset with the most recognisable name, is available for purchase to anyone with a spare suitcase of cash schmackos lying around — it's retailing for AUD$792.88 plus shipping. It's not cheap as chips, but it's not tens of thousands either. The eager beavers who pre-purchased their headset from the Oculus kickstarter will receive their headsets soon, and the rest are back ordered until July. It's slightly more expensive than the Playstation VR which retails at AUD$549.95 (available in October) but much cheaper than the HTC Vive which will set you back AUD$1226.98 (available in April). As a few savvy bloggers have pointed out, the cost of the Rift itself is a little deceptive as the real VR magic happens in the power PC you'll have to have hooked up to the device to render the graphics. If you already have a high-powered gaming computer with a hefty, dedicated graphics card and a fair whack of RAM, great! You're good to go. If not, a basic make PC is going to set you back another $1000. But we wouldn't be too quick to jump in straight away. Buying first generation technology can be a gamble, as we learned from the great iPhone 6 Plus Bendgate of 2014 and they're definitely still working out the kinks of VR technology (nausea caused by motion sickness is still a biggie). We're still a while away from full immersion but at least it's progressing quickly. Images: Oculus.
Autumn is here and there is a definite chill in the air. We'll soon be charging into the season of cosy pub meals, mulled wine, 24/7 melted cheese cravings and questionable thermal wear. But before total hibernation sets in, spend May enjoying the final scraps of warmth and flitting from one snug gallery to another. Because quite frankly there's a host of new exhibitions worth leaving the house for in May — with fans of photography being ridiculously spoilt for choice. From the New York subway to the boardwalk of Cannes to the backstreets of Cuba to a barbershop in Sydney's west, there's a truly international flavour to the inspiration behind this month's exhibitions. Stills Gallery also hosts its final show before closing its doors for good, so make sure to get along and say adieu.
The sun is shining, your out of office is set and you've already spent a good amount of time curled up streaming tv shows. Now's the chance to catch up on your reading — so, find a shady spot on a beach, next to a pool or by a waterfall and start making your way through our favourite ten books of 2018. It's a mixed bag this year, we've been turning the pages of the latest brain-contorting Murakami novel, a chilling — real — look inside American prisons, a witty retelling of the Illiad and a homegrown memoir that's both moving and educational. Some of them are immersive, some of them knotty and uncomfortable, which makes them perfect for mulling over during the holidays, and provide flavourful fodder for otherwise bland Christmas dinner conversations. Take your pick. MILKMAN BY ANNA BURNS In search of a cerebral workout? Anna Burns' Milkman is just the ticket. The novel made her this year's Man Booker Laureate and continues the prize's trend of riving audiences into seemingly irreconcilable factions with its dense prose and no-easy-answers-given plot. There is its 18-year-old female protagonist, its undeclared always opaque setting (Belfast, in the 1970s), and its dearth of habitual interpretative signposts including paragraph breaks, dialogue and punctuation. But such a formalist echoing of the narrative's own syncopated and lacerated content (sexual harassment, the IRA, civil unrest and bombings) is meant to confound our ordinary ways of apprehending narratives, since these mechanisms fail or risk misconstruing tales of trauma. To truly enjoy the book, one must simply give oneself up to its paranoid, relentless cadence; its rules (or lack thereof). As Harriet Baker of the Times' Literary Supplement puts it, "Burns doesn't write about fear so much as create the experience of it." NORMAL PEOPLE BY SALLY ROONEY Sally Rooney's writing will make you feel lots of things. First, it will make you feel under-accomplished — she's just 27 and her new novel Normal People is not only her second, but is also so commended that it's been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Then, it will make you feel uncomfortable, empathetic, frustrated, hopeful and heartbroken. The Irish story follows Marianne and Connell's relationship from high school through to their mid-twenties, and, from each of their perspectives, explores the nuances of the power dynamics between them. From a literary point of view, it's easy to get through, but sometimes hard to digest — its relatability for anyone who's ever tried to navigate love and relationships can be, at times, exposing and confronting. Like her first novel Conversations with Friends, the book hinges on its excellent dialogue, which is fluid and effortless, and includes some of the most real and 'millennial' conversations in contemporary literature. Would recommend if you liked Girls but wished it was elevated to the standards of The New Yorker. KILLING COMMENDATORE BY HARUKI MURAKAMI You know you're reading a Murakami when a seemingly mundane situation — say, a recently divorced man painting a portrait — suddenly isn't so mundane anymore, and now you're asking an invisible man to help you save a young girl, probably a mental manifestation of your dead sister, who's lost in another dimension. And Killing Commendatore is a typical Murakami novel: the unnamed protagonist is a lonely young man and the book is filled with scenes that are both routine and brain contorting. While it can feel like a bit of a slog at 704 pages, there's enough Murakami mind-boggling to keep you interested — and a hilariously bad sex scene (which was shortlisted for a Bad Sex in Fiction Award) thrown in for good measure. And what better time to while a way a day with a lengthy novel than during the summer holidays. EGGSHELL SKULL BY BRI LEE The mark of a good book, in my opinion, is that it makes you either learn or feel something. This does both. Eggshell Skull is a memoir from Bri Lee tracking her year spent as a judges associate in the Queensland District Court, working mostly on sexual assault cases. Lee details the legal process and her experience within it, both professionally and personally, with brutal candour. In 370 pages, expect to feel a wide range of emotions — sadness, confusion, rage, shame — at how bafflingly unjust our legal system can be, particularly for women. ENIGMA VARIATIONS BY ANDRE ACIMAN If, like me, you only discovered André Aciman last year with the release of the film adaptation of his first novel Call Me By Your Name, you too may find yourself itching, or indeed aching, to read more of his work. Though its title appropriates the name of Edward Elgar's famed suite, Aciman's latest effort bears a rather 'enigmatic' relationship to those glorious pieces of music (they are never mentioned in the text, but without saying too much, there are a number of textured thematic coalescences). As was assuredly the case with Call Me By Your Name, the estival settings of a number of Enigma Variations' sections make it the perfect companion for a lazy sun-dappled afternoon beneath a tree, cider or other appropriate beverage in hand. CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN BY SAYAKA MURATA Best-selling Japanese author Sayaka Murata's English-language debut is a quietly brilliant critique of late-capitalist culture and society. In particular, it addresses the conformism that this system often demands and perpetuates. Her novel never moralises nor condemns the choices of those who do conform in order to get by, but it certainly penetrates its subject with fluorescent lighting of a convenience store. Told through the eyes of its 36-year-old protagonist Keiko Furukura who, realising at an early age that society has only disdain for figures of alterity, has pursued anonymity by working at the same convenience store for the last 18 years. And so Convenience Store Woman performs that rare literary art of de-familiarisation: what Keiko finds at the store, appositely named Smile Mart, are purpose and a place of belonging. Her boss furnishes her with a manual (more of a script, in the theatrical sense, actually) and a uniform. Keiko's humble hard-working existence then is neither to be transcended nor deified. Instead, it offers her a vantage point from which to call into question the arbitrary rules of society: she is the social misfit who aspires to, and in her perfection thereof, defamiliarises the coordinates of conformity. This de-familiarisation is also achieved through Murata's fabulous characterisation of Keiko as someone to whom society's mores seem impenetrable and amusing ("Good, I pulled off being a 'person,'" she says). At this time of the year, this novel invites us to recognise the ways in which convenience is almost always a chimera of ease made possible by the invisible labour of others. THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS BY PAT BARKER With a title that speaks volumes, Pat Barker's retelling of the Iliad is the summer must-read book for all of us out there who sat through Classical Studies wondering, and what about the women? (Not just the regal Helens, mind you, the other women). Barker (re)narrates The Trojan Wars from the perspective of a female slave, Briseis. (In Homer's original, Briseis is less a character than a plot point; a princess-turned-trophy). This is of course an 'impossible' history, since such a woman as Barker's protagonist would have been deprived of all means of inscribing her voice into history. She acknowledges this, saying: "We need a new song." In this the novel gets right to the heart of the matter that history's structure and shape often exclude women 'before the fact,' since 'feminine' expression is often understood to be subjective, unreliable, and the like. But why do we deem 'masculine' modes more objective? Barker has to imagine — and does so admirably well — what the idiom of a woman whose body is fought over by two Greek soldiers would have looked like. And so from the beginning of her narration, Briseis deconstructs masculinist history: "Great Achilles [...] Brilliant Achilles, shining Achilles, godlike Achilles…How the epithets pile up. We never called him any of those things; we called him 'the butcher.'" AMERICAN PRISON: A REPORTER'S UNDERCOVER JOURNEY INTO THE BUSINESS OF PUNISHMENT BY SHANE BAUER Like the collocation of the words 'business' and 'punishment' in its title, Shane Bauer's fascinating book-length work of investigative journalism should unsettle you. Yes, it's about American prisons, one if we're to be as objective as possible, but in case you should naively believe that we in Australia live in some antipodean paradise, let us remember that private for-profit prisons exist here too and continue to treat inmates appallingly. Bauer's perspective is all the more fascinating when we turn to his biography: he was imprisoned for two years in Iran, and wrote about this elsewhere (A Sliver of Light, 2014). Now, in American Prison, he writes about his four months tenure as a guard in a private prison (he infiltrated Louisiana's Winn Correctional Center). Understaffed, underpaid, with cut-throat budgets for inmates and prison guards alike, such institutions ensure anyone who wasn't a fully fledged criminal when they went in, will almost certainly be one when, or if, they get out (setting a prisoner is free is almost always detrimental to a prison corporation's bottom line). Bauer notes how insidious the late-capitalist mechanisms that wear down bodies are, writing that "to treat everyone as human takes too much energy. More and more I focus on proving I won't back down." This book will likely leave you feeling enraged — I for one believe that's a good thing. SMALL FRY BY LISA BRENNAN-JOBS Steve Jobs has been firmly deified by society, not least of all by predominantly young male techies. It seems we're always willing to excuse behaviours in a 'genius' that would be immediately recognisable elsewhere as rather sociopathic. Sometimes these behaviours even receive the euphemistic title of 'eccentricities'. In her controversial memoir Small Fry, Lisa Brennan-Jobs supplements the public persona of her father with that of the private one she knew (or hardly knew, he denied he only recognised her as his own daughter when sued by the government for failure to pay child support). It would be too forgiving, though, to say that this somehow humanises the godly Jobs. But nor is Small Fry a tell-all work of scandal or revelation. As one reviewer put its, "Brennan-Jobs's book seems more wounded than triumphant; it can feel like artfully sculpted scar tissue." To say more here would be to spoil this enthralling work of autobiography. NO FRIEND BUT THE MOUNTAINS: WRITING FROM MANUS PRISON BY BEHROUZ BOOCHANI Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani has been detained on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, which was, until last year, one of Australia's offshore refugee detention centres — or as Boochani calls it "a prison" — for five years. While he's been there, he's written damning articles for The Saturday Paper and The Guardian, among others, and a book: No Friend But the Mountains. He wrote it, not on paper or a computer, but "thumbed on a phone and smuggled out of Manus Island in the form of thousands of text messages". The book is blistering in its condemnation of Australia's treatment of asylum seekers and, at the same time, poetic. Boochani weaves together, and juxtaposes, lyrical verse describing another time and place with disturbing scenes from the present: attempted suicides, violence, hunger. Boochani gives a voice, and a face, to the refugees that Australia's government tries so hard to silence. Words by Leah Lynch, Lauren Vadnjal, Melanie Colwell and Samantha Teague.
Ragazzi is bringing all things Piedmont to the Sydney CBD on Sunday, June 25, with an exclusive lunch offering inspired by the northern Italian region as a new addition to their 'Avventura' lunch series. Like all good Italian celebrations it will be a collaborative affair and see the Ragazzi team link up with terrific new Fitzroy joint Alta Trattoria and wine importer Giorgio De Maria for a day dedicated to everything Piedmontese. Alta Trattoria's Restaurant Manager Luke Drum, sommelier James Tait and Head Chef McKay Wilday, who will be descending upon Angel Place for a kitchen takeover that promises dishes like ravioli del plin with braised beef, and tajarin with shaved black perigord truffles sourced from WA's Truffle Hill. You can also expect to find truffles on show with the barbargiuan — truffle-filled Ligurian fritters. Giorgio De Maria will be pouring some of his personal favourite Piedmontese drops. You can expect to see a radical Moscato from Ezio Cerruti, Rinaldi's 2019 Freisa and Cappellano's Pie' Franco — Barolo's acclaimed offering, all of which will be available by the glass and by the bottle. And for those who would rather just sit back and let the magic unfold, minimal decisions required, there's a very reasonable $80 wine pairing available. This offering stars an aperitif, an organic Cortese, a celebrated Nebbiolo from Barbaresco and sips from Barolo – all sourced from Piedmont. If you are planning to attend, be sure to get in quick — bookings are extremely limited. Secure your spot through the event's ticket link. Image credit: Nikki To for Buffet Digital
The team at the recently reopened Newtown restaurant Hartsyard has come up with a cracking way to help blast away those Sunday morning hangovers — and it involves generous feasts and bottomless vino. It has launched a new series of Sunday long lunches, which promise to go down a treat during these next few weeks, kicking into gear from September 23 and running until the end of November. The restaurant ran a similar series of lunches in August, and they were so popular, the team decided to bring them back. Chef-owner Gregory Llewellyn will be whipping up a $55 set menu up for grabs from 12–3pm each week. It's still in the planning stages, but we're told to expect dishes like raw fish, oysters and roast cuts of beef. If you have dietaries, Llewellyn assures they can be accommodated for, too. Meanwhile, the bar will be open and slinging its full range of liquid offerings, which just happens to include $14 espresso martinis. And for a special treat, you'll also be able to match your lunch with two hours of bottomless vino for $25 a head. Yes, really — $25. For $25 on top of the set menu (which'll set you back $80 in total) you can spend your Sunday drinking unlimited wine, thanks to the folks at Sparrow & Vine. On the day, you'll be able to choose from either a pinot grigio or nero d'avola from the Barossa Valley vineyard. You can your reserve your spot at the boozy Sunday lunch, running from 12–3pm, via the website. Images: Alex Mayes
You know those wildly decadent Tella Ball milkshakes from Foodcraft Espresso and Bakery everyone is losing their minds about? The ones with the spherical doughnut oozing with Nutella, sat proudly atop a Nutella milkshake? These ones: Yeah, you like that? Well, hold onto your mind because Sydney is getting a Tella Ball Nutella dessert bar and it’s going to be the highlight of your life. The dessert bar is opening in Dulwich Hill in November and the general aim is to direct every scrap of Nutella in the known universe into our bodies, via all manner of indulgent treats. The Nutella-fuelled menu structures meals just the way we like it. Mains: coffee. Desserts: Nutella cruffin, Nutella cheesecake, Nutella crepes, Nutella waffles, Nutella pancakes, Nutella pizza, Nutella ice cream, Tella Ball Milkshakes (of course) and no doubt many more Nutella creations as yet unimagined by mankind. Coming soon to Tella balls dessert bar! #nutella #nutellaicecream #dessertporn #tellaballsdessertbar #innerwest #dulwichhill #sydneydesserts #sydney #australia #thenextbigthing A photo posted by Foodcraftespresso&bakery (@foodcraftespresso) on Oct 7, 2015 at 2:51am PDT In the meantime though, you can just buy a commercial tub of Nutella and start applying it to everyday food stuffs (lettuce, bran, Panadol etc.) or just plain go at it with a spoon. Our only concern with this venture, a concern that’s vague and hard to concentrate on in midst of our excitement, is the dreaded Nutella shortage that once swept over our nation. We’ll have to learn our lesson and build a little emergency stockpile to get us through the inevitable shortages. But for a Nutella-themed dessert bar, it’s totally worth it. Tella Ball Dessert Bar will open in Dulwich Hill in November 2015. Location TBC. Check the Facebook page for updates. Via The Australian. Images: Foodcraft Espresso, Dollar Photo Club.
The world is still reeling from unexpected the death of the Thin White Duke. Many beers have been raised, many toasts have been spoken and many impromptu karaoke sessions have been belted out in cars, bedrooms and showers around the world all in celebration of The Man Who Fell to Earth and graced us with his magic sance for 69 awesome years. Over the next few weeks, official tribute events are happening around the country in droves. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best. SYDNEY Care?-E?-Okay! Six Decades of Bowie It’s exactly what it… sort of sounds like. A free karaoke event celebrating Bowie’s discography in Newtown, starting at 10pm and running til 6am the next morning. Rock on. Where: Tokyo Sing Song, basement 145 King Street, Newtown. When: Thursday, January 14 Vale to our hero: A tribute to David Bowie A free musical and visual event showcasing Bowie’s life and career in the Gallery Bar, kicking off at 10pm. Where: Oxford Art Factory, 38-46 Oxford Street When: Friday, January 15 A Special David Bowie Tribute Event The details of the event are still to be announced but in Bearded Tit tradition the event will be free and feature DJ Sveta and surprise guests. Where: The Bearded Tit, 183 Regent St, Redfern When: Sunday, January 17 MELBOURNE Let’s Dance and celebrate the life of Bowie Blasting Bowie classics from 10pm-1am. Entry is $5 or free if you come in dress-up. Where: Ding Dong Lounge When: Thursday, January 14 The Speed of Life: A night of Bowie at The Curtin An all-Bowie DJ set from 10.30pm til late. Free entry. Where: The Curtin, 29 Lygon Street When: Friday, January 15 David Bowie Tribute Screening A screening of Bowie’s 1986 class Labrinyth. The rooftop session sold out but an extra session has been added so get in quick if the Goblin King is your jam. Where: Lido Cinemas, 675 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn When: Thursday, January 28 BRISBANE David Bowie Video Tribute Night From 6.30pm, the New Globe Theatre will be screening a recording of Bowie’s final concert as Ziggy Stardust in 1973 followed by a 90-minute compilation of music vids, performance footage and doco bits and pieces. Free entry. Where: New Globe Theatre, 220 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley When: Thursday, January 14 REBEL REBEL David Bowie Celebration An all-vinyl dance party tribute to the “fallen alien rock god with a red mullet haircut”. The event starts at 8pm and features film and music, with all proceeds from the $10 tickets going to charity. Where: Beetle Bar, 350 Upper Roma Street When: Friday, January 15 Ziggy Played Guitar – David Bowie Tribute Night for Cancer Charity The lineup for this gig hasn’t been announced yet but will be a tribute to the life of David Bowie and feature a solid local crew. Tickets are $12 + booking fee or $15 on the door with proceeds donated to cancer charities. Where: The Foundry, 228 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley When: Sunday, February 21
You know when you wander through an exhibition and pick out your 'fantasy' piece? The artwork you'd buy (if you won the lottery or inherited a small fortune) to hang in one of your several homes, castles and/or palaces? Look, there's a more attainable way to snap up a work you love, and it's the annual auction at Firstdraft. This year, the auction features over 120 artworks from emerging and established artists, most of whom have exhibited, volunteered or directed there in the past. The event is a massive fundraising initiative for the organisation (it allows them to run free shows) and the perfect way to support your local arts community whilst also acquiring a work you love by an exciting, highly collectable Australian artist for a great price. "Collectors can expect artworks to sell for between $50 and $5000, with the majority going for around $200-$500," says Firstdraft's Georgia Hobbs. "We try and ensure there are opportunities for collectors at all levels to buy and artworks are sold in both silent and live auctions." So, art fans and would-be-collectors, save your pennies for September 1. Doors open at 6pm and the live auction kicks off at 7pm sharp. See the full list of artists included here. Image: Holly Macdonald, Venting, 2017, Stained porcelain, stained slip, ceramic pencil, plaster, courtesy the artist.
Liveworks is back and bigger than ever. This year the experimental art and performance festival boasts three world premieres and features an impressive array of local and international artists whose works explore everything from Indigenous memory to sexuality and the future. Highlights include the Australian premiere of Rhetorical Chorus, the largest and most ambitious performance work to date from Agatha Gothe-Snape that sets out to unravel 'the myths and methods of the 20th Century male artist'; the world premiere of Justin Shoulder's Carrion, a work that tests the boundaries between machine, animal and human in an imagined post-apocalyptic setting; and Nat Randall's The Second Woman, a 24-hour performance where 100 male participants are invited to reenact a scene from 1977 film Opening Night (which you may have be lucky enough to see at this year's Dark Mofo). This year Day for Night joins the program for the very first time, inviting the best queer artists, DJs, musicians and performers to the festival's closing weekend for a 'glorious collision' of queer performance, contemporary art and club culture. Liveworks runs from October 19–29 at Carriageworks. See the full program here. Image: Nat Randall, The Second Woman, image courtesy of the artist.
It's the perfect time of year to be exploring art talent that Sydney has to offer. But with so much going on, deciding how to spend these precious days can require a lot of brain-power. So we've picked out a diverse list of art tours, galleries and performances that are being shown around the city this month, and all are bound to strike a chord. This year there's everything from philosophical contemporary art and dream-inspired performances, to tours of Sydney through the lens of brutalist architecture, and Justine Varga's 'cameraless photography'. All you need to do is show up.
It's not often you get to see an art exhibition inspired by a famous industrial conflict, but that's exactly what's on offer at Carriageworks this month with 1917: The Great Strike. It's a free show that combines historical objects, oral testimonies, archival materials and commissioned artworks to commemorate the significant historical event that was The Great Strike of 1917. Quick history lesson: The Great Strike actually began at the Eveleigh Railway Workshops (yep, what is now Carriageworks) and the Randwick Tram Sheds in August 1917 when over 5500 employees put down their tools to protest the new card system. In what became a six-week long statewide strike, an estimated 77,350 workers walked off the job. Many either never got their jobs back or received significant demotions, and the sociopolitical impact of the strike was still felt decades later. Contemporary artists Sarah Contos, Will French, Raquel Ormella, Franck Gohier, Tom Nicholson and Andrew Byrne creatively respond to the strike, the unions, the workers and their families — including the vital role women played via public protest and on the home front — using everything from prints to textiles to patchwork quilts to a large-scale brass band performance. Co-curators Laila Ellmoos and Nina Miall have also scheduled artist talks, performances, workshops and panel discussions to get involved in. Image: Raquel Ormella, 'Wealth for Toil' (2014).
Curated this year by Sophia Kouyoumdjian, Primavera 2017: Young Australian Artists at the MCA will exhibit work from eight selected artists exploring the theme of 'Ancient Futures' and considering the relationship between existence in the present, and the past. Artists Laura Hindmarsh, Teelah George, Jacobus Capone, Elena Papanikolakis, Adam John Cullen, Nicole Foreshew, Kynan Tan and Tom Polo work across a range of disciplines including video, installation, painting, photography and collage. About half the works will be created especially for the exhibition, and each artist will be specifically questioning the ideas of archives and collections — whether human or natural, physical or digital. For the uninitiated, Primavera is the MCA's yearly exhibition of Australian artists under 35 years old. Now in its 26th edition, the show has a rep for catching artists early in their careers who then go on to achieve international acclaim. Kouyoumdjian says part of a thrill of the show, besides the art itself, "is about what the experience of exhibiting at the MCA, a unique and significant institution, can mean to an artist's career." Basically it's a chance to see the ones-to-watch while they're still the ones-to-watch. While you're there, make sure to visit the Hilarie Mais exhibition also opening August 23. Image: Jacobus Capone, Dark Learning (still), 2015.
The Victorian government have officially begun their push to become the first state in the country to legalise medicinal marijuana. Delivering on a pledge made during the last election, the Andrews government yesterday tabled a report in parliament by the Victorian Law Reform Commission. Among its recommendations: a licensing scheme allowing for the production of medicinal cannabis, for the purposes of treating serious illnesses including cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDs. "During the election we committed to legalising medicinal cannabis for use in exceptional circumstances, and we’re delivering on our promise," said premier Daniel Andrews in a statement that accompanied the announcement. "I’ve seen first-hand how medicinal cannabis can change people’s lives. This landmark reform means Victorian families will no longer have to decide between breaking the law and watching their child suffer." Now before you start celebrating too hard, we should make clear that this isn't the same as legalising pot for everyone. Under the report's recommendations, licensed cultivators will be able to produce legal cannabis products, including oils, sprays and capsules, which will be available at pharmacies to patients who have received authorisation from a specialist doctors. Smokable marijuana will also remain illegal — so keep your homemade bongs in your sock drawers for the time being. Still, progress is progress — and this is especially great news for people suffering from the kinds of chronic pain and illness that marijuana use can help alleviate. Assuming he can get a tick of approval from the federal government, Andrews expects to make medical cannabis available by early 2017, with children suffering from severe epilepsy expected to be the first to benefit. Via The Age. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
We love doing anything in our yards — barbecues, clothes drying, gardening, totem tennis — and now, there’s a new balmy, back-garden activity to embrace: theatre. After a successful season in Bankstown during the Sydney Festival, backyard performance event The Tribe comes to Surry Hills as part of Belvoir’s 2016 season. In front of intimate audiences of about 50 people per night, actor Hazem Shammas will spin a story of Arab-Australian migration. (They’re looking for backyards for this, so if you live within 1km of Belvoir, get in touch with them.) Of course, there’s plenty to get excited about in the traditional, comfy theatre venues as well. Orange Is the New Black star Yael Stone will be returning to the stage to star with Dan Spielman (ABC1’s The Code) in The Blind Giant Is Dancing, a politically charged Australian classic by Stephen Sewell that might help explain the state of our country’s politicians. Kate Mulvany has worked a new Jasper Jones adaptation for the kids in your life, Lally Katz tells a mythical version of how her parents met in Back at the Dojo, and Leah Purcell presents her colonial-set Balnaves Award-winning commission, The Drover’s Wife. Jada Alberts will explore American playwright Will Eno’s "monologue for a slightly foreign man", Title and Deed, and in the middle of the year, Hannah Gadsby will pop in for three nights. The 2016 season is the first for artistic director Eamon Flack, a Belvoir regular who’s worked with both of his predecessors, Ralph Myers and Neil Armfield. The last few years have seen Belvoir emerge as something of a home for queer and feminist theatre as well as Indigenous artists in Sydney, and it looks like some of those voices will continue to play a part in the company. For those just wanting to be able to see more theatre in the first place, the best news of all might be this: under 30s tickets will finally be available for Belvoir shows. Subscription packages start from $177 and single tickets from $32 if you fall into this camp. Consider it a great place to funnel all those dollars that will never add up to a deposit for a home in Sydney. To see the full Belvoir 2016 program and to book subscription tickets, visit the Belvoir website.
From their much loved, big-windowed, minimalist decor to their epic Game of Thrones themed feasts, Gastro Park has proved their slogan, "a fairground of deliciousness", rings true for Sydneysiders for six years now. In bittersweet news, this year will mark the next phase for the two-hatted venue, which will close its doors on May 20 and be replaced with a new venture by executive chef Grant King (Gault Millau Chef of the Year 2017). "We've had a fantastic six years as Gastro Park and are proud of what we've achieved [but] the ethos has evolved and we want to do something more representative of that," Gastro Park representatives told Concrete Playground. For those who have yet to experience Gastro Park, there's still time to dig into their seven- or ten-course tasting menu ($140–$170 per person) and, our personal favourite a la carte item, the liquid butternut gnocchi mushroom consommé ($30). We sincerely hope this delectable dish is resurrected in King's new venue. While the team is keeping details of the new venture close-to-chest for the time being, we've been promised further details in the coming weeks. It will surely be a distinct departure from Gastro Parks, but we've got our fingers crossed that the new digs and venue-mantra will leave room for a new wave of Game of Thrones dinners. But seriously, we'll take that gnocchi any day. Gastro Park will close May 20 at 5-9 Roslyn Street, Potts Point.
Sometimes it's nice to learn that one of Sydney's finest bakeries is located in Parramatta and not Paddington. Located in the heart of Sydney's fastest-growing suburb, Threefold Pastry offers a range of sweet and savoury pastries, including a range of ever-changing croissants. Flavours include plain, almond, apple crumble and pain au chocolat options, while the specialty croissant (which changes monthly) could be anything from a peanut butter brownie version to a lemon verbena. Other treats include a mixed berry crumble danish, cinnamon scrolls, Oreo brownies and homemade banana bread. For something more savoury, you could opt for a beef or Thai chicken curry pie, a Vegemite and cheese croissant or a falafel, hummus, tahini, tomato and rocket wrap. It builds a mean sandwich, too, with options including chicken schnitzel with roasted tomato jam, mayo, cheese and rocket; salami with the same; and poached chicken with smashed avo, honey mustard dressing and cheese.
We're only just now wrapping things up for this summer, but already the NGV has us anticipating the next one with its most ambitious exhibition yet. Descending on the gallery this December, and then every three years after that, the NGV Triennial series will present a smorgasbord of art and design, plucked from all corners of the globe and representing established artists, emerging talent, and plenty else in between. Each blockbuster lineup will highlight the ever-blurring lines between art, fashion, architecture, design, and performance. Kicking off with a bang, plans for this year's inaugural event are nothing short of grand, with the NGV announcing the free exhibition will take over all four levels of the gallery and host exciting works by over 60 artists and designers. But where it's really upping the ante is in the audience experience, with visitors invited to present their own ideas through cross-platform content, and the exhibition's participatory works designed to engage like never before. Legendary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, best known for her obsessive patterning and vibrant representations of the infinite, will invite glimpses into the artist's mind with a work titled Flower obsession. Created especially for the NGV Triennial, the interactive exhibition will have visitors unleashing some creativity of their own, as they help plaster a furnished space with an array of colourful flower stickers and three-dimensional blooms. Kusuma joins other international names like Germany's Timo Nasseri and Canada's Sascha Braunig, alongside an Aussie billing that includes the likes of Ben Quilty, Louisa Bufardeci, and Tom Crago. There'll be an installation from Chinese haute couture fashion guru Guo Pei, designer of Rihanna's canary-yellow Met Ball gown, and an epic display of 100 oversized human skulls created by Australian artist Ron Mueck. Chemist and odour theorist Sissel Tolaas will create the 'scent of Melbourne' exclusively for the Triennial. And Alexandra Kehayoglou will be creating one of her monumentally-sized, lushly illustrated carpets, spanning over eight-metres-long. UPDATE JANUARY 19, 2018: From January 19–28, the gallery will stay open from 6pm till midnight with DJs, dance tours, talks and a pop-up Japanese restaurant as part of its ten-day Triennial Extra program. Image: NGV/Sean Fennessey.
Operating under the (often correct) assumption that if some is good, more must be better, everybody's favourite American bar and eatery, Surly's in Surry Hills, has launched an upstairs expansion. The recently-renovated upstairs area, christened Smokey's Cabin, continues the convincing Americana theme with a dark interior, neon bar signs, wood paneling, exposed bricks, charismatic brown Chesterfield leather sofas and, of course, the massive BBQ plates (with cornbread stacked high on the sides) you've come to love. This atmospheric attic space also features an epic mural by Sydney artist Sindy Sinn, featuring spooky skeletons on motorbikes. But the best part? Those bound-to-be-popular shuffleboards on which you can work off some of that BBQ and those crunchy chicken wings. Smokey's Cabin is open Wednesday to Saturday at 182 Campbell Street, Darlinghurst.
We don't know if you've noticed this, but Australians seem to really enjoy their cooking shows. Whether we're having an anxiety attack over a stubborn souffle on MasterChef, or scoffing about menu use of Comic Sans on The Hotplate, we're a nation who likes their telly cooked to perfection, ideally served by a photogenic or crazy, crazy chef. Luckily for us, the cordon bleu team at SBS have taken note of our gluttonous viewing habits, and are gearing up to launch Australia's first ever free-to-air food channel. We're already drooling. "The channel will take one of our strongest and well-known genres to new heights," said SBS managing director Michael Ebeid. "We know how much audiences love to be taken on a journey of culinary and cultural discovery with our food shows every Thursday night. This new channel is an opportunity to extend that offering with a world of food programming available all day, every day, for free." The new channel will launch in November on SBS 3, and will become the network's fourth free-to-air channel behind SBS, SBS 2 and NITV. According to their website, the lineup will include a mix of "food, cooking and travel programs inspired by food handpicked from around the world, alongside some of the networks much-loved, locally made shows." Key to the new channel's success is a licensing deal SBS has inked with American company Scripps Networks Interactive, whose portfolio includes high profile media and lifestyle brands such as Food Network, Cooking Channel, Asian Food Channel, HGTV, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, Travel Channel and Great American Country. The current lineup of culinary programming on SBS includes Nigella Express, Luke Nguyen's France and Kriol Kitchen. More information about SBS's new food channel, including a name, launch date and programming schedule, is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Image: Luke Nguyen. UPDATE OCTOBER 22, 2015: SBS's new 24-hour food channel is called Food Network and will launch on November 17. Programming will include Destination Flavour, Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook, the Luke Nguyen series, several of celebrity chef Curtis Stone's shows like Kitchen Inferno and Surfing the Menu, Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals, Giada at Home, Reza: Spice Prince of Vietnam, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, Diners, Drive Ins & Dives, Chopped by Ted Allen and more. The channel will air 24 hours a day and also through SBS On Demand. For more info, head to SBS's website.
Does chasing all them pretty lights make you hungry? Thirsty? Vivid Sydney's big electric shock is just one half of a great night out — it goes best with some eats and drinks. This year, the glowing installations will span from the Royal Botanic Garden to Circular Quay, round Darling Harbour and Barangaroo and across to Luna Park, and you'll want to see them all. So, whether you want to pop a bottle under the sails of the Opera House or eat off your lap in the thick of it, here are a bunch of spots in the Vivid vicinity that let you feast with stars in your eyes. OPERA BAR Der. The best place to enjoy the views of the Opera House's sails — which will this year be lit up with Australian botanic flora by Chinese-American artist Andrew Thomas Huang and LA-based animation makers BEMO — might be from the distance of the other side of the Quay. But the best Instagram frames are from a little more close up, around Opera Bar. Obviously, this is a go-to for many a Vivid reveller and will be insanely busy, but if you can nab a table, we reckon it's worth it for the views (and the oysters). BAR PATRON When Bar Patron opened in the old Cafe Nice space at Circular Quay, all we could think about was how damn perfect it would be to down tacos with the Vivid lights turned on. And now you can do just that. The restaurant and late-night bar boasts beautiful views over Sydney Harbour (albeit interspersed by images of trains zooming past), and has a traditional Mexican menu. Tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas and empanadas are all on there, but they're strictly traditional in style — that means no Coon cheese, no seasoning sachets and strictly no Doritos corn chips. Best part is, there's a three-course Vivid set menu available for the reasonable price of $35 per head, plus $10 margaritas (with free corn chips and salsa) between 4–6pm if you can get there early. HACIENDA When Vivid first started, Circular Quay didn't have too many good options. But that's changed — notably with Hacienda, a millennial pink bar inside the Pullman Quay Grand. The botanical bar is situated just above CQ and affords unparalleled views of the harbour and the bridge. There aren't not too many places you can get a lounge seat and a cocktail with a view like this, so this is a great option for small groups. They take bookings during the week, but you'll have to get in quick over the weekend. [caption id="attachment_659941" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cole Bennetts[/caption] BARANGAROO HOUSE For the second time, the Vivid lights will extend down to Barangaroo with installations scattered around the precinct and along Wulugul Walk. To be amongst all the action, grab a seat outdoors on one of Barangaroo House's three levels. We've broken it down for you here, but basically you'll either want to eat dinner on the terrace at Bea or head up to the rooftop at Smoke for a drink and a smoked mushroom toastie. [caption id="attachment_721906" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE'S SPELLBOUND BAR The Sydney Opera House is going all out for its annual Vivid pop-up bar, this year channelling none other than its program headliners, legendary English alt-rockers The Cure. Brought to life by the minds behind Newtown bar The Midnight Special — also responsible for last year's retro-themed Goldie's Music Hall pop-up — Spellbound will see the Concert Hall's Northern Foyer reimagined as a neon-lit post-punk den of moody decadence. Expect dark leather couches and long banquet tables decked out with glowing fruit installations, sheet music and skulls, while black felt-topped pool tables entertain late-night Vivid explorers. On the menu, you'll find bites like Sydney rock oysters, both a classic and vegetarian version of the humble croque monsieur, and beers from Sydney favourites Grifter Brewing Co and Young Henrys. THE GLENMORE This 1921 pub never gets old. One of the best parts of the refurbished Glenmore has to be the rooftop terrace. The views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House can be seen clearer from this area. The retractable roof is a great addition, along with the rustic-style wooden benches and red industrial chairs, to go with the new kitchen. Watch all the flashing lights below you while eating pub food straight off the barbecue. Again, this is a spot we'd make a case for getting in early. BENNELONG What more fitting place to dine during Vivid than the Opera House? Peter Gilmore's Bennelong gets you right up close to the action with sweeping harbour views. Whether you're here for all the glitz and glamour of Bennelong's full menu (where three courses will set you back a cool $120) or for its more casual share plates menu — at the Cured & Cultured bar — you know you're getting one of Sydney's best meals here. For a truly interactive experience, grab a seat at the counter for a full view of the chefs at work, all while eating the seven-course chef's tasting menu for a reasonable $70. Afterwards, you'll be perfectly situated to make the Vivid rounds (albeit a little full). 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, having been revived with a smart new maritime design by Sibella Court, the 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 or a beef brisket sanga with a mug of salt and vinegar chips. Venture upstairs for the swanky Henry Deane rooftop bar, with some of the best views of the city all lit up. ALTUM RESTAURANT Sometimes, the best views are from afar. If you want to catch all the pretty lights in one sweeping vista, few restaurants provide a better vantage point than Altum. Located across the harbour in Milsons Point, smack bang next to Luna Park, the restaurant makes use of its waterside location with its enormous bi-fold windows that overlook Sydney Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay and, of course, the Opera House. Aptly, the restaurant serves up a lot of seafood, with a menu that focuses on local and seasonal ingredients with influence from the Mediterranean coast. Sure, it's across the way from most of the Vivid action but Altum provides one of the bests seats in the house. THE DECK AT LUNA PARK With the Light Walk extending across to Luna Park, you can check out Vivid's newest precinct as well as look across to the lights across the shore from The Deck bar. It's really something. And while it's not an all-year favourite, it's a great spot from which to view the twinkling Harbour Bridge up close and see the hypnotic sails from a distance. Plus, the park is open until late every night so you can go on rides and down some fish tacos (not at the same time — please god, not at once). ALTITUDE RESTAURANT AT THE SHANGRI-LA HOTEL There are two reasons to visit Altitude: 1) your friends are in town and you want to show off, and 2) Vivid. From 36 floors up in The Rocks' Shangri-La Hotel, you feel like a cloud emperor surveying your magnificent, technicolour realms below. This is Vivid taken to the literal next level. TAKEAWAY AT CIRCULAR QUAY Okay, so this is always going to be a bit of a hustle — but if you're looking to do Vivid on the cheap, grab some takeaway and jostle for a seat somewhere near the harbour. You've got loads of options — Circular Quay's food court Gateway will be open until 9pm on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, which has with the likes of Brooklyn Boy Bagels, Messina, Four Frogs Creperie, Workshop Espresso and Gozleme Co. Plus, The Rocks will run a special night market on Friday and Saturday and Sunday nights throughout Vivid. By the Concrete Playground team.
It's ten years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. This year, Laneway Festival blows out the candles with one of its biggest lineups yet. Kicking off in Singapore on Saturday, January 24 in The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay, Laneway will run through seven dates, including Sydney's Sydney College of the Arts on February 1 and Melbourne's Footscray Community Arts Centre and River's Edge on February 7, finishing up at its new home in Fremantle's Esplanade Reserve and West End on Sunday, February 8. Returning to the Australian touring circuit is UK on-repeat outfit Jungle, festival jaw-droppers Future Islands and Melbourne's lives-up-to-the-hype queen Courtney Barnett. Two of the biggest hypecards of the bunch, FKA Twigs and BANKS, will fight for the midnight hushed vocal crown. Then there's the ever-epic St. Vincent, punk-as-fuck UK band Eagulls, smooooooth king Flying Lotus, Harlem's top-of-the-game hip hop outfit Ratking and the triumphant returns of Rustie, Jon Hopkins, POND and crisp-as-blazes Caribou. Then there's Mac DeMarco and his mum, Agnes. But enough talk, here's that lineup you're after. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2015 LINEUP: Agnes DeMarco* Andy Bull Angel Olsen BANKS Benjamin Booker Caribou Connan Mockasin Courtney Barnett Dune Rats Eagulls Eves*** FKA Twigs Flight Facilities Flying Lotus (Layer 3) Future Islands* Highasakite Jesse Davidson** Jon Hopkins* Jungle Little Dragon Mac DeMarco Mansionair Perfect Pussy Peter Bibby POND Ratking Raury Royal Blood* Rustie Seekae SOHN St Vincent* Vic Mensa *Exclusive to Laneway: no sideshows **Laneway Adelaide only ***Exclusive to East Coast shows only
Fans of Robert Mapplethorpe will no doubt have already snapped up tickets to the new survey exhibition of his work at AGNSW. Showcasing an impressive selection of portraits, figure studies, floral still lifes and erotic imagery reflecting his participation in both New York's uptown art clique and underground gay scene, The Perfect Medium will grant fans an intimate, comprehensive insight into Mapplethorpe's distinctive artistic methods and private world. As one of the most compelling, boundary-pushing late 20th century American artists, Mapplethorpe's photography shaped an era, in part thanks to his portraits of the cultural idols of the 1970s and 80s (think Debbie Harry, Philip Glass and Mapplethorpe's longtime muse Patti Smith). AGNSW director Dr. Michael Brand says that Mapplethorpe played an influential role in establishing photography as a valid form of contemporary art: "whether he was photographing a figure, a flower or a fetish, Mapplethorpe's subjects were unified by an enduring and unflinching quest for beauty." Compulsory viewing for anyone interested in photography and the 1970s/80s New York art scene. Images from left: Robert Mapplethorpe Two men dancing 1984; Kathy Acker 1983. Promised Gift of The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation to The J Paul Getty Trust and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art © Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Used by permission.
For most people who grew up in Australia, primary school excursions left you thinking that Canberra was all about politicians and roundabouts. Years later, that concept couldn't be further from the truth. Over the past few years, Australia's capital city has had quite the food, drink and cultural revolution. Spend a weekend in Canberra and you can wander through breweries, eat at spectacular restaurants and cafes and stay the night at what we think is one of Australia's most beautiful accommodation spots. To ensure you go beyond the excursion favourites, Questacon and Parliament House, here's your guide to spending a weekend in Canberra as a food and wine loving adult. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are restrictions on where you can go on holiday. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. [caption id="attachment_750222" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Barrio via VisitCanberra[/caption] EAT AND DRINK After cruising up the Hume Highway, you'll want a refuel in the form of a damn good coffee. Get started at Highroad on the corner of Cape and Woolley streets. Run by boutique roastery Ona, this specialty coffee house serves a mean cup of joe as well as inventive cafe fare — think kimchi waffles with gochujang butter, prawn toast benedict and corn bread french toast. It also has a diverse selection of wines and craft beers from local and interstate breweries. Meanwhile, Barrio is a Braddon cafe dedicated to simple and high-quality coffee and food with a seasonal and local focus. It makes its own nut milk and, for breakfast, you can expect stroopwafels, marrow butter with fried egg and shallots on sourdough and rye with avocado and togorashi seasoning. When you're ready for a mid-morning treat, head to Braddon's Scandi-inspired Rye. It has brews from Sydney's specialty coffee roaster, Five Senses, and a lengthy food menu, with dishes such as dutch baby skillet pancakes for breakfast and a range of smørrebrød (Scandinavian open sandwiches) for lunch. Better yet, it serves breakfast cocktails, too. Then, get yourself to Silo Bakery and Cafe in Kingston. Collapse onto a wooden banquette before starting on the hard bit — making your choice from the massive array of freshly baked cakes and pastries in the cabinet. If you're vegan, get your sugar fix at Sweet Bones back in Braddon. [caption id="attachment_613859" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bar Rochford[/caption] While in Braddon, visit Bentspoke Brewing Co, a microbrewery and taphouse combining beer with bicycles — it works, trust us. More than 21 brews — from the much-loved Crankshaft IPA to How's It Gosen tropical gose — are on tap at any one time. For more Canberra craft beer goodness, make tracks to Capital Brewing Co. Situated within the city's new creative hotspot, the Dairy Road District, the expansive brewery and taproom is the first permanent home for Capital Brewing — who had previously been gypsy brewing across several sites in Sydney. And it has a taproom like no other, with a massive outdoor area, lawn games, a cubby house and Brodburger food truck. Come lunch or dinner, some of the tastiest Italian in the ACT is found at Italian & Sons. This fun-loving place champions old-school warmth and traditional regional cooking. Dig into duck and porcini gnocchi or take your pick from the simple pizza menu. Speaking of pizza, be sure to drop by Mama Dough pizza shop — this teeny-tiny venue slings incredible woodfired pizzas cooked in an impressive imported pizza oven. If you can't score a highly coveted seat, order a pie to take away. [caption id="attachment_751448" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rebel Rebel by Nathan Harradine-Hale[/caption] Craving a more upmarket feed? There's a bunch of hatted restaurants in Canberra, offering unique and refined fare. We suggest stopping by Aubergine, where head chef Ben Willis is lauded for his local produce-driven wonders. Make a long afternoon or evening of it and take your time over the seasonal tasting menu. Or, you could check out refined all-day diner Rebel Rebel, in the New Acton precinct, led by chef Sean McConnell — the corn and manchego croquette with prawn head aioli is a must-order. Later on, if you're looking to kick back in a small bar, try Amici on Northbourne Avenue. The deli-cum-wine bar has an excellent selection of vinos, plus cocktails, cheese, meats and hand-stretched pizzas. If you're keen for something a little more dark and mysterious, try Bar Rochford for a quiet glass of wine among the vinyl and pot plants, or Molly for a speakeasy atmosphere in a former bank vault lined with booths. [caption id="attachment_700170" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama at NGA[/caption] DO No visit to Canberra is ever complete without a wander through the National Gallery of Australia's enormous space and epic works. There's always a temporary exhibition that draws crowds, such as the upcoming Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London. The permanent collections are equally worthy of a visit, with Yayoi Kusama's Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens, James Turrell's Within Without Skyspace and Urs Fischer's candle sculpture, Francesco, all housed within the gallery's walls. [caption id="attachment_760510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mount Ainslie via VisitCanberra[/caption] Once you've got your culture fix, it's time to get outside and stretch your legs. Check out Canberra's hilly surrounds by visiting a local lookout — Mount Ainslie and Black Mountain (home to the Telstra Tower) are among the most popular. If you're keen to beat the crowds, try Red Hill in the south or Mount Pleasant, where you'll find the grave of General Bridges — the only Aussie soldier who died in Gallipoli to have had his body returned to his homeland. You can find more walks to conquer around Canberra here. If you're in the mood to splash some cash, the Braddon precinct is packed with specialty stores, including the excellent one-two punch at 27 Lonsdale Street of boutique bottle-o Blackhearts and Sparrows and high-end ceramics label Bisonhome. [caption id="attachment_735917" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ovolo Nishi via VisitCanberra[/caption] STAY One of Canberra's most design-centric stays is Ovolo Nishi. The award-winning hotel is a self-described 'collaboration with designers, artists, artisans and fantasists'. Each and every one of the 68 rooms is unique and categorised according to feel: choose from Cosy, Snug, Original, Creative or Meandering. What they have in common is their references to the quintessential Aussie bush. Think clay walls, beds made of recycled oak, oversized rain showers, found objects and artworks. [caption id="attachment_763127" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Little National by Nathan Harradine-Hale[/caption] Another designer option is QT Canberra. This 205-room hotel hinges on the fun and unexpected, featuring tongue-in-cheek political references. Walking into the dark, marble-lined lobby, you'll notice famous world politicians portrayed in left-of-field, neon-lit portraits, as well as a TV screening major historic moments. Some rooms come with views and Lake Burley Griffin is just a stumble away, as is the well-stocked hotel bar. To stay in compact comfort with a sleek, New York-style aesthetic, book in at Little National. This conveniently located, 120-room hotel is fitted out with rich timber furnishings, has cracking city views and, quite uniquely, is situated on top of a car park, right next door to Parliament House. It has a 24-hour lounge and library with a roaring fireplace in winter, plus guests have access to a nearby gym, two day spas and a wellbeing centre. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Top image: Bentspoke Brewing via VisitCanberra.
Sleeping under the stars on holiday is a romantic notion of old, taking us back to the days of our ancestors and bringing us closer to nature — that is, until nature finds its way into your campsite and rummages through all of your Tim Tams. Hotels and resorts around the world are finding creative ways to bring the open-air to you in style, allowing guests to embrace their surroundings in pure luxury. If you love glamping, you're going to go nuts for these five-starry retreats. [caption id="attachment_582573" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Atelier für Sonderaufgaben.[/caption] THE ONLY STAR IS YOU WHERE IN THE WORLD: Swiss Alps, Switzerland WHAT IT WILL COST: $310AUD per night Making headlines for the last couple of weeks, this brand new hotel in the Swiss Alps lets travellers experience a roofless, door-less and even wall-less night's stay — the luxury double bed is all that makes up this hotel 'room'. Be prepared to really immerse yourself in your surroundings, since the great outdoors will act as your bathroom and shower. This project comes as the antithesis to Null Stern Hotels' 2008 project, Zero Star Hotel, which was built in a nuclear bunker. THE LOISABA STARBEDS WHERE IN THE WORLD: Loisaba Conservancy, Kenya WHAT IT WILL COST: $300AUD per night Among Loisaba Conservancy's 56,000 acres of wildlife lies their Starbeds — handcrafted, four-poster beds which are wheeled onto raised wooden platforms. These are built into the rock face and offer unrestricted views of the African night sky, as well as the illusion of being suspended in mid-air. The communal area includes brass-fitted bathrooms, wooden decks and dining rooms, all overlooking the Kiboko Waterhole which is frequented by hippos and other wildlife. AMANGIRI WHERE IN THE WORLD: Canyon Point, Utah WHAT IT WILL COST: $3000AUD per night Open-air hotels don't get more glamorous, or pricier, than Amangiri. The 600-acres of protected desert is approximately two hours from the Grand Canyon. The resort is built into the rock-face for maximum exclusivity, with each suite offering indoor and outdoor sleeping arrangements. Travelling with friends? The four-bedroom mesa home includes a 15-metre private pool, fireplace, underfloor heating and personal bar, and will cost you a cool $12K per night. CABRIOLET ROOM WHERE IN THE WORLD: L'Albereta Resort, Italy WHAT IT WILL COST: $550 AUD per night If you're looking for romantic star gazing, nothing beats the Cabriolet room at L'Albereta, where a push of a button reveals a retractable roof and the gorgeous Italian night sky beyond. The plush canopy bed is only out-luxed by the marble-clad bathroom, which includes a hydro-massage tub. The views aren't limited to the stars, either — the balcony faces the resort's vineyards, as well as Lake Iseo. VIEW WITH A ROOM WHERE IN THE WORLD: Bangkok, Thailand WHAT IT WILL COST: $285 per night Bangkok Tree House is an eco-conscious, 12-room boutique located on the island of Bang Krachao, just outside the smog of Bangkok. The hotel takes us back to the basics, allowing visitors to sleep in a seven-metre-high, bamboo floored treehouse which is open to both the sky and surrounding mangroves. The showers are heated by the sun, and free homemade fruit ice cream is available 24/7. In this case, living out your childhood will also do some good — the hotel removes one kilogram of rubbish from the nearby Chao Phraya River with every booking made, having removed over 3000 kilograms of trash to date.
The bond between Italians and their food and wine is a sacred one, and with the Sydney Italian Wine and Food Festival, Sydneysiders are invited to partake in this holy combination. Get ready to abandon any carbless aspirations and embrace gloriously hearty nosh as this festival returns to Sydney for the fourth time. With it comes the promise of produce that will dance upon your tastebuds in a merry cheese and basil-infused tarantella. Setting up shop for the day in Sydney Town Hall, some of the best names in Italian cuisine have banded together to bring us the good stuff, with cooking demonstrations and talks going on all day. Want to see mozzarella being freshly made? You can! Want to watch fettuccine be churned out from scratch? Go for it! As well as watching the creation of Italian food, you can also, of course, eat some. There'll be fresh produce to purchase, with everything from gelato to coffee, pasta to pizza on offer. Pair that with 200 of Italy's finest wines and you've got yourself a damn good feast. Not to mention a casual negroni stand featuring Vasco's Max Greco. Once you've eaten yourself silly, you can loll around in a semi-food coma in the wine garden while enjoying some live Italian jazz. Once the day transitions into night, expect a full DJ set of Italian vinyl and European tracks until 9pm.
Lots of different people hang out at dog parks. Mostly there are people who own woofers and who are taking them for their daily exercise. But there are also quite a few people like us who live in tiny rented apartments, pay exorbitant rent and are frantically saving money for the ultimate dream of a mortgage, a backyard and a pooch of our very own — people searching for some daily dog interaction.The following is a list of excellent dog parks (and beaches!) for Sydneysiders who want to give their hounds an excellent frolic, but also for puppy perverts who just want to go for a stroll and watch other people's glorious dogs romp around — and maybe pat a couple if it's ok with the poochies and their owners. [caption id="attachment_622126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] CAMPERDOWN MEMORIAL REST PARK Inner west locals will be pretty familiar with this one — it's incredibly popular with dog owners and dog-watchers alike. It's central, green and flat and also large enough to use one of those tennis ball-throwie thingys. Frisbees are also a delight here — there is a particularly athletic German Shepherd regular who is a gun with the disc. The park is officially off-leash at all hours on weekdays and between 4pm–9am (or 5pm–9am daylight saving time) on weekends, but there always seem to be dogs running free here. It makes for an excellent afternoon of dogspotting. SIRIUS COVE, MOSMAN There's shade, grass and bins with those handy little plastic bags for your dog's business at Sirius Cove, but most importantly there is WATER for splashing and jumping and fetching. This place is basically Sydney's happiest stretch of sand — when we visited there was a dachshund and a Labrador having a tug of war with a large stick in shallows (the dachshund did not win) and a Great Dane the size of a small motorcycle doing what appeared to be backflips. Prepare for sand to go everywhere and for that delightful wet dog smell, but also for your pooch to have the best day ever. Sirius Cove allows off leash access all day on weekdays, and before 9am and after 4pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. [caption id="attachment_653317" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low.[/caption] ST IVES SHOWGROUND North Shore types, you have it made. This expansive patch of land happens to be Ku-ring-gai's largest sports and recreation facility, with a soccer field, equestrian ring, BMX trails — but you're here for your pooch, so we'll skip to the good stuff. St Ives Showground has four fully off-leash areas, all with great fencing. Not to mention there's a forest you can take pooches for an on-leash adventure. MACLEAY RESERVE, ELIZABETH BAY It's only teensy, but this park has views to die for, and some of Sydney's fanciest pooches to spy on. Off-leash at all times (though be careful with your woofers near the kids playground), Macleay Reserve is also a super popular wedding spot so maybe make sure Nugget isn't going to crash any nuptials before you unclip his lead. On every visit so far there has been a delightful array of white fluffballs, pugs and often a slightly beserk Boxer called Marvin. It's the best. ROWLAND RESERVE, BAYVIEW Prepare yourself for that wet dog smell again. Rowland Reserve is right on the water and perfect for aquatic dogs who like a good paddle and a wet tennis ball. It stays relatively shallow close to the beach so owners can also have a decent wade without getting soaked — there's also a bonus jetty for Rover to practice his catches off. Parking can be tricky on weekends, especially as it's a popular launch site for boats. It's always off-leash though so try a weekday afternoon for maximum puppy splash opportunities. HAWTHORNE CANAL RESERVE, LEICHHARDT This shady inner west reserve is ideal for good boys who love to run around as it's 100 percent off-leash. Plus, it has several handy taps for thirsty pups. It doesn't hurt that there's a waterway running through it, too. BUNGARRIBEE PARK, DOONSIDE On of Sydney's largest off-leash parks is BIG. The actual dog-park is called the Warrigal Dog Run, and has good strong fencing, water bowls and dog business bags. There's heaps of parking all around the gigantic park, and dogs are allowed inside the whole area if they stay on-leash. Bungarribee also has a great bike path, so it's pretty much a great day out whether you have two or four legs. Owners here are super friendly too — so head in and ask for a pat, you've got a great shot at some puppy love. Don't have a pooch to take to one of these parks? Borrow one. Top image: Marion Michele.
Winner of Concrete Playground's Best New Product of 2015. Gym classes in Sydney — what a gamble. You'll fork over your hard-earned cash for a big chain membership, only to be sorely disappointed with their 'yoga' offering. Or even worse, you'll learn the subtle art that is making every excuse to miss class week after week, because burpies and Bondi Junction's aggressive Body Attack ladies. But imagine if you could handpick your own gym program from Sydney's best, most novelty and most fun classes, without committing to one gym? Bodypass is a new Australian all-encompassing gym pass launched in Sydney that lets you attend unlimited gym classes at Sydney's best studios — from Shannon Dooley's Retrosweat to Mermaid Swim Academy at Bondi Icebergs to classes at Madonna's Hard Candy — with one $99-per-month membership. Similar to the City of Sydney's 360 gym pass and US program Classpass, you can book yourself into thousands of indoor and outdoor activities like hip hop dance, spin, yoga, pilates, strength training, martial arts, Barre, HIIT, stand-up paddle boarding and more at some of Australia's best fitness studios — all with one card, and no long-term commitment (you can cancel anytime without charge). Exercise scientist Georgia van Tiel and yoga teacher and health food cook Carla McMillan created the program with a need to break the whole 'gym culture' stigma associated with fitness and take exercise back to being an accessible, dare we say it, fun part of life. "When some people think of fitness and exercise, they immediately conjure a vision of the ‘dread-mill’ or hitting the gym which can be perceived as boring, repetitive and simply, not very fun,” says Van Tiel. Focusing on Sydney's fitness studios to start with, Van Tiel and McMillan took it upon themselves to personally try and test every studio currently included in the handpicked program — Sydney's Bodypass partners include Hard Candy, Retrosweat '80s Aerobics, Mermaid Swim Academy at Bondi Icebergs, F45 training, XtendBarre, Peak Altitude Training, P.E. Dept. Potts Point, Jazzercise, Physicore, Sky-Lab, RollerFit, Bonza Bike Tours, Centred Meditation, Dance Central, House of Yoga Redfern, One Wave, Power Living and plenty of Sydney's park-based fitness classes (to name a few). You can only visit the same studio up to three times per monthly cycle, but otherwise, go nuts. Bodypass is available in Sydney currently and will shortly broaden its network to Melbourne, with a national program planned. For more info, visit www.bodypass.com.
You used to have to leave the Hills District for a decent meal, but times have changed. There are now cafes, bars and restaurants serving incredible food in the area (that's Castle Hill, Dural, Winston Hills, Glenhaven and surrounds). If you live in the area, we're truly sorry to have neglected you with food and drink listings thus far. It stops now. In partnership with Castle Towers (which has just launched The Cooking School—a series of food-focused workshops), we've put together a guide to the best food and drink options in the area. Leave your inner city bubble and you'll find inventive breakfasts in Dural, burgers and fries in Winston Hills and extravagant cocktails to drink with dinner in Castle Hill. THE BARON, CASTLE HILL Part of the allure of living in the Hills is the suburban atmosphere and the idyllic setting, but getting something good to eat can be tricky. Matt Stone and Mike Ico of The Baron recognised this, so they took all of their zero hospitality experience and opened up a cracking joint in Castle Hill that champions solid food, great specialty coffee and local produce. The two have taken to food service like a duck to water—on the breakfast menu are wood-fired Smoking Gun Bagels, and there are the delicious beef burgers and toasties for lunch. The Baron is licensed and champions Australian wine, playing host to an occasional burger and natural wine pairing night. WOLFE AND CO, DURAL At Wolfe and Co, every ingredient, design decision and cup of coffee is lovingly chosen, created and delivered with pride. From the delicate kingfish fillet with grains and gazpacho to every Five Senses flat white, the Dural cafe is about lifting the hospitality game in the Hills and providing its people with the finer things in life. The cafe has an elegant, black and white fit-out, which is comfortable but plain enough that it draws attention to the craft rather than the building. As many places in the Hills seem to be, Wolfe and Co is licensed—it serves alcohol alongside an all day breakfast and lunch menu. It's the perfect to take your family for a slightly fancy meal. YOUENI, CASTLE HILL Youeni is all about healthy eating and clean living. The cafe started out in Surry Hills a while back, then it moved over to Castle Hill to bring its philosophy of holistic dining out west with a second venue (as if Surry Hills wasn't already spoiled for choice). The cafe is light, airy and the menu is vegan friendly. It covers all your cafe classics from sandwiches to a salad that will literally save your life—the Life Extending Bowl gets you all the nutrients you need in the most delicious way possible. Youeni is the perfect spot for a healthy weekend breakfast date. THE TUCKSHOP, GLENHAVEN Not content with just one entry on the list, The Tuckshop comes to you from the same boys behind The Baron. Their second digs takes a similar approach to food, where it must be tasty, but it must also be good for you—a philosophy that extends to their famous burgers (the beef is a spectacular option). If you're looking for somewhere that serves up ace food and coffee in an idyllic setting with an old-school canteen feel, then The Tuckshop's the joint for you. Printed on the wall is 'Greetings from Glenheaven, where it's not the city and you couldn't care less'. Delightful. AUSTRALIAN BREWERY, ROUSE HILL The 20-year-old Australian Brewery is the birthplace of some super delicious beers (its own pale ale, pilsner, lager and cider), but it also takes food very seriously. The spacious dining area is inspired by great beer halls, with high ceilings and long tables that are the perfect place to throw back a freshly brewed frosty beers while chowing down on some hearty pub grub. The menu has great pub classics, everything from a parmigiana to a grilled T-Bone or a pizza. There are also extensive gluten free options. This Rouse Hill local caters for everyone, and the large tables make it an obviously perfect choice for a function, should you need to gather up your friends and family for a celebration. WILD PEAR CAFE, DURAL Wild Pear is an institution in the Hills region—locally famous for its fresh, colourful and delicious food. The menu covers some great cafe classics—there's the standard, delicious shakshuka, then there are pancakes with banana and honeycomb and burgers with crispy chips for lunch. Creativity is turned up to eleven with the garnishes—think fairy floss and edible flowers. The food is great, but you can't talk about Wild Pear without mentioning the view—the verandah looks over a huge, beautiful nursery of plants, trees and flowers. A stunning, peaceful spot to sit down and relax with a coffee. EL BURGER, WINSTON HILLS El Burger is a popular spot in Winston Hills, serving up twelve delicious burgers for lunch every day inside the local shopping centre. Take your pick from a menu that features burgers made with beef, chicken, lamb, pork, vegetarian or fish. As is customary in a burger shop, there are multiple versions of loaded fries too—some topped with cheesy bacon, others with chicken or pork. Milkshakes are on the menu too—flavours include Nutella, honeycomb caramel and strawberry swirl. CROOKED TAILOR, CASTLE HILL Castle Hill was dying for a new bar that's not Hillside. We're not saying there's anything wrong with Hillside, but we are saying that sometimes you just want to get a drink somewhere where you won't be surrounded by fresh-out-of-high-school teenagers and possibly underage kids. When Crooked Tailor opened, the people of Castle Hill breathed a sigh of relief. Mainly because at this bar there's a lovely, leafy courtyard, a great food menu and an extensive cocktail menu to order off. The food menu features barbecue meats alongside a healthy smattering of vegetarian food, and the cocktail menu features drinks like the Waterside—gin, lime juice, mint and house-made watermelon soda— and the 49'RS—made with chilli honey jam, lemon juice, whisky and orange bitters. THE HILLS FOOD FESTIVAL, ROUSE HILL The Hills obviously has some spectacular food offerings, but the Australian Brewery recognises that there's other great food in Sydney too. In that spirit, the brewery hosts The Hills Food Festival—an annual festival of good eating where the very best Sydney street food is showcased. Last year Messina popped by, as well as the crew from Knafeh Bakery. Stay tuned to the brewery's website for information on the festival—it was extremely popular last year. Castle Towers is running The Cooking School over April and May—a series of food-focused workshops, classes and events for kids and adults. Visit the Castle Towers website for tickets and details. Words: James Whitton and Kelly Pigram. Images: Steven Woodburn. Top image: Wolfe and Co, Dural.
Leaving the safety net of university life can be daunting. Taxes, health insurance, budgeting and eating greens are all tricky requirements of adulting, not to mention trying to get a job ("Graduate position, minimum two years of experience required..." what is this madness?). But fear not, there is hope. We've profiled five young go-getters who hit the ground running after uni and achieved their success through unconventional means. They did it and you can too (stop that, yes you can). [caption id="attachment_562120" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: @sedgebeswick.[/caption] SEDGE BESWICK, 26, GLOBAL SENIOR SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNITY MANAGER AT ASOS For most of us, using social media is just that a social activity. For others it’s a way of life and a strategic marketing tool; when wielded properly can elevate a start-up and polish a personal brand no matter how small. Sedge Beswick is one such social media maven and part of a young generation of digital natives that are coming up through volunteer positions and internships to absolutely kill it at the media game for big companies. That playful tone you adore on ASOS social media? That’s Beswick. And while managing the global social media for ASOS, she’s also racked up a neat little 11k on her personal Instagram, written a book about using Twitter strategically and designed a line of t-shirts emblazoned with social media slogans. She’s literally #killingit. BECKY SUI ZHEN, 31, MUSICIAN Sui Zhen is one of the many monikers of Melbourne-based musician Becky Sui Zhen who has risen through the ranks of the music scene to be hailed as a 'social media musician' due to her pristine and eye catching artistic vision. She’s put in the hard yards over the years, studying graphic design and Japanese, winning grants, releasing EPs in Japan and doing overseas residencies and all while playing prolifically around Australia. She also produces and edits the iconic film clips for Sui Zhen and has collaborated with artist and photographer Phebe Schmidt. She’s poised to take over the world in 2016 following the late-2015 release her first Australian LP ‘Secretly Susan’. The LP caught the attention of FADER who clocked her as one of 25 international artists to watch and she’s supported Toro Y Moi in Melbourne on his 2016 Aussie tour. We imagine 2016 is only going to get better for this kawaii gem. GERMAINE STATIA, JAMAL OULEL + AYOUB AOURAGH, 23, 25 + 24, FOUNDERS AND DEVELOPERS AT REFUGEE HERO When the Syrian refugee crisis peaked in 2015, Dutch trio Germaine Statia, Jamal Oulel, and Ayoub Aouragh, responded with a contemporary and altruistic solution. Refugee Hero, hailed as the Airbnb for refugees, is a platform that allows people to offer their spare room up to refugees who have just arrived in their country. “We want to give back humanity to mankind,” says Statia. The service is 100 percent free and mobile-friendly. It allows individuals or institutions to offer help and shelter whether or not their government is pro-refugee. The team hopes the service can one day expand to cover all elements of resettling, from applying for passports to finding a new school for children and is a shining example of how modern technology can be used for good in the face of adversity. EMMA MULHOLLAND, 27, DESIGNER There’s something about Emma Mulholland that Australia is crazy for. The young designer hit the ground running after graduating from TAFE in 2010 and hasn’t stopped since. Her latest project, a collaboration with iconic Aussie label Mambo, proves that in a few short years, she’s explored, honed in on and defined exactly what makes her work so popular. The garish '80s and '90s themed prints and icons of our childhood combined with a(h)ctivewear references hit the nostalgia nail right on the head and the collection has resonated with Aussie kidults who grew up wearing bike shorts and climbing trees. Far away from the catwalks of Paris and Milan, Australia often struggles to define itself outside of a European reference and it’s no easy feat to export a uniquely Australian line, but Mulholland has done so with aplomb, straight outta TAFE. [caption id="attachment_562121" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: @louislazarus.[/caption] LUKE HAMPSHIRE AND ALEXANDER ROBINSON, 28 AND 32, AVIATION ENTERPRENEURS AT AIRLY In January, the Australian aviation scene had a sorely need shake up. Two young guns, 28-year-old Luke Hampshire and 32-year-old Alexander Robinson announced their airline company Airly which completely turns air travel on its head. Airly members pay a fee of $2550 (minimum) per month to fly as much as they like on the company’s private jets which operate between Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney. For frequent fliers, the minimum waiting time and luxury service is a tasty drawcard. Hampshire, a former Air Force pilot, recognised a gap in the marketplace and despite the pair’s youth, turned an insight into an industry shake-up and paved the way for more options and versatility in air travel. Top image: Sedge Beswick.
There's a brand new festival coming to New South Wales, sporting a mini-Meredith lineup, an outdoor cinema and an independent record market. Plus, it's in one of Australia's prettiest coastal towns. Fairgrounds is Australia's newest boutique music festival, coming to the NSW town of Berry this December. It's just two hours out of Sydney on the south coast, so one easy peasy road trip. Pioneered by Handsome Tours, the shiny new festival fuses local food, boutique beverages, markets, movies and music in one sweet-sounding event. Taking cues from the recently-announced Meredith lineup, Fairgrounds' folk, pop and garage-focused lineup will see LA-based crooner Father John Misty headline, with Brooklyn glitchy duo RATATAT and dream pop legends Mercury Rev at the top. San Francisco's quirky characters Unknown Mortal Orchestra will be there, alongside folk-rocker Jessica Pratt, Sydney's immortal Royal Headache and the gospel dancehall blues of C.W. Stoneking. While music is your main drawcard to most festivals, Fairgrounds has given more weight to the in-between elements than many festivals do. Foodies will find a gastronomical paradise at the event, the Fairgrounds Garden Bar, with wines and local nibbles sourced from neighbouring estates. Think gourmet cheese plates, Kangaroo Valley Olives and fresh rock oysters from An Australian Affair Oyster Bar, harvested less than half an hour from the festival site. There's more casual offerings onsite too, from woodfire pizza food truck Happy As Larry to Enmore American nosh-lovin' newcomers Bovine and Swine Barbecue Co and Mama Linh’s Vietnamese Street Food — all washed down with Young Henrys and Berry's own Silos Estate wine. Fairgrounds’ Village Markets will also be right there for the best in South Coast snacking, including beef jerky, popcorn, homespun cakes, fresh donuts and much more. There'll be markets and field games — sounds like someone enjoyed Secret Garden Festival — and the best bit? There'll be an outdoor cinema: Fairgrounds' Cinema Under the Stars, presented by Madman Films. FAIRGROUNDS 2015 LINE-UP (SO FAR): Adam Gibson and the Ark Ark Birds Ben Abraham C. W. Stoneking Father John Misty Le Pie Jessica Pratt Le Pie Meg Mac Mercury Rev Methyl Ethel Ratatat Royal Headache Shining Bird Unknown Mortal Orchestra Fairgrounds Festival is happening on Saturday, December 5 in Berry, NSW. Earlybird 'Fairgrounds Founder' tickets are $110 and go on sale on Thursday 20 August at fairgrounds.com.au and moshtix.com.au. Kids under 12 enter the festival for free. You can choose to stay offsite in a B&B, or Fairgrounds offers onsite camping. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Freshwater welcomed a new Mexican eatery in 2022 that boasts an expansive set menu of food and drink. A sibling to Avalon's Alma, St. Alma joins the long-standing venue in the northern beaches, 30 minutes south of the OG eatery. Located on Albert Street, the restaurant joins a bustling food and drink neighbourhood, with a host of bars, cafes and restaurants occupying the same corner and Freshwater favourites Harbord Hotel and Pilu just down the road. "What people don't know is we signed a lease in Freshwater back in 2017 before opening Avalon, but unfortunately it fell through," owner Jack Leary. "Ever since Freshwater has been on our wish list for a restaurant venue – you can't beat the location for its beach vibe and sense of community." At St. Alma you can start with freshly prepared chips and guac, scallop tostadas and mezcal-cured kingfish served with pistachios and preserved lemon. Continue down the menu, and you'll find a selection of tacos. Choose between a changing fish taco with coleslaw and peanut macha aioli and the carne asada taco with guac, flank steak and a rich burnt chilli sauce. While the majority of the menu is set up for a banquet-style experience, there is a spread of impressive larger mains on offer that can be served as a personal feast or work as the centrepiece to a table of share plates. These change seasonally, but you might find confit mushrooms, chicken in adobo, grilled octopus covered in pickled turnips and prune mole and crispy pork belly. The drinks list stretches on just as far as the food. If you're prepared for a big night, tasting flights are an ideal place to start, offering up four tequilas and other Mexican spirits for you to try. Bevs include seven different kinds of margaritas, plus a slew of other classic Mexican cocktails. Eight tequila and mezcal tasting flights are also available for those looking to learn more about these increasingly popular agave-based tipples. End your afternoon of feasting with a walk along the beach at Freshwater, and there you have a pretty marvellous day out in Sydney's Northern Beaches.
Hold our calls, feed our fish, tell our mums we love 'em. There's a brand new, purpose-built pop-up hotel travelling around Australia called 'The Spontaneity Suite', and it's just landed in Victoria's Yarra Valley. Hotel booking app HotelTonight (which just launched in Australia in June) and Ovolo Hotels (Sydney's 1888 and Blue Hotel and Melbourne's Laneways Hotel) are behind this, teaming up for one jaw-dropper of an activation. This stunning little moveable hotel room, valued at $32,000, is built from — what else — two shipping containers, and will be travelling around Australia. It's a fully-stocked suite with all the trimmings, with interiors designed by Coco Republic. We're talking rooftop hot tub, cocktail station, rain shower, stone bathtub, Egyptian cotton robes, lambskin recliners, terrace and straight-up insane panoramas of the nearby vineyards, framed by a floor-to-ceiling glass window wall. Sick of that horrible, horrible view? The suite's equipped with Apple TV. Available to book exclusively through the HotelTonight app, lucky adventurers can book a stay in The Spontaneity Suite for a one-night stay for just $99, with limousine transfers from Melbourne, a personal concierge, a TarraWarra Estate wine-tasting tour, all your meals and everything from the minibar included. Yep, what the actual. The catch? It's only available between August 27 and 31. There's another night you could aim for on September 1, but the price starts at $32,000, dropping by $1000 every ten minutes until someone snaps it up. All dosh raised from this night and all other nights booked will go straight to OzHarvest, top marks. Sydneysiders, if you can't make it to the Yarra Valley, keep your hat on. The Spontaneity Suite will pack up and move to a secret location somewhere in Sydney next, then head on to other pretty Australian sites. Want to try your luck at booking a night? Download the HotelTonight app via Google Play or iTunes. Via Traveller.
Inner city pork bun diehards, here's something to cheer about. New Shanghai has officially opened in the CBD, sitting pretty within the shopping juggernaut that is Pitt Street Mall. Opened on Monday at Westfield Sydney, this New Shanghai chapter is the largest in Australia — all the bigger to accommodate crowds of dumpling, pork bun and wonton fiends. New Shanghai's CBD venue joins sibling Sydney restaurants in Chatswood, Chatswood Lemon Grove, Bondi Junction and Ashfield, alongside other Australian venues. One of the most anticipated openings of the last few weeks, New Shanghai is in good culinary hands. Renowned Sydney chef, Neo Nee (formerly head chef at Lotus Dumpling Bar) is steering the ship, with coveted dishes like slow-braised pork belly with sweetened Shanghai soy sauce, rainbow beef, Shepherd’s purse and pork wontons served with chilli oil and peanut butter on the menu. But of course, most punters will be donning bibs for New Shanghai’s famous pan fried pork buns. Hell, NS even created Free Pork Bun Week in Melbourne — fingers crossed for Sydney. New Shanghai is now open at Westfield Sydney, Shop 1017-1020, 188 Pitt Street, Sydney. For reservations call +61 2 8386 8368 or email reservations@newshanghai.com.au. New Shanghai is one of our favourite BYO restaurants in Sydney. Head over here for the full list.
