Bondi locals, consider your weekend breakfast plans sorted. Lifestyle brand Venroy is teaming up with two of Sydney's most beloved names, Iggy's and PIÑA, for a weekends-only pop-up at its Bondi store, serving fan-favourite pastries, breads and iced drinks without leaving the Bondi bubble. Running across consecutive Saturdays and Sundays on December 6–7 and December 13–14, the pop-up will serve baked goods and drinks from 9am until sold out at Shop 1/20 Hall Street, Bondi Beach. On the menu: an exclusive Venroy x Iggy's 'V' Feta Twist, plus Strawberry Kouign Amann, plain and chocolate croissants, fresh baguettes, and Iggy's signature small and large round loaves. Drinks come courtesy of PIÑA, including the raving Iced Oat Matcha and Cold Brew, alongside an exclusive Venroy Cold-Pressed Pomegranate and Ginger Juice. There's also an exclusive lineup of limited-edition merchandise — a Venroy x Iggy's T-shirt, cap and tote. Expect lines, carbs and a very Bondi crowd, this Saturday, December 6 and Saturday, December 13.
The Abercrombie is back! The storied corner pub and haven of electronic music is reopening in December thanks to Solotel who will be reviving the Ultimo venue, reintroducing its packed dance floors and 24-hour license to Sydney's nightlife. Mark Friday, December 23 in your diaries, as that's the date the pub will swing open its doors and kick things off in true Abercrombie fashion with a 36-hour-long party that will stretch from 5pm on the Friday all the way until 5am on Christmas Day morning. "There's a strong sense of responsibility reopening the Abercrombie given that formative memories of generations of Sydney partiers, including myself, were forged here," Solotel CEO Elliot Solomon says. "We're ecstatic to welcome back some of the OG club crews like Purple Sneakers. We're also very aware that there's a generation of kids who haven't been able to experience those heady clubbing days in Sydney, for various reasons. This new era for The Abercrombie is focused on helping to redefine the fabric of Sydney's nightlife as well as provide a platform for the next generation of party crews and clubbers to create their own culture-defining experiences." [caption id="attachment_880223" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elliot Solomon, Zoe Simmons and Mike Rodrigues[/caption] The expansive space will boast three mini-venues within the overarching title of The Abercrombie. The main bar and beer garden will play home to regular events hosted by some of the best tastemakers and party crews from around Sydney, Australia and the world. When the beats aren't firing, this area will serve as a friendly neighbourhood haunt with beers and cocktails on tap, pizza by the slice and Italian mains for those that may get peckish. Head upstairs and you'll discover a sleek cocktail lounge and rooftop bar called Casa Rosa. The food here draws from the Mediterranean and the DJs will be spinning Italo-disco classics until the early hours of the morning. Rounding out the trio of offerings is Lil Sis. This final piece of the puzzle is located in the adjoining terraces next to the pub. Here you'll find a cosy wine bar serving up classic drops and new-world, minimal-intervention wines, both of which can be enjoyed on-site or be taken away. [caption id="attachment_880221" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mike Who[/caption] All three venues will open on December 23, with Solotel and the Abercrombie team pulling together a who's-who of party people for the massive opening party that will set the stage for a bumper summer on Broadway. Just a few of the names making appearances across the bar's first 36 hours include Astral People DJs, dameeeela, Andy Garvey, Mike Who, Nomad Radio, Pure Space, Lovejoy, Ayebatonye and original regulars of the space back in its previous lifetime, Purple Sneakers DJs. Following this, you can expect a full run of events taking over the venue between Boxing Day and New Year's Day with the likes of House of Mince serving up the party on the day after Christmas, and Motorik closing out the year with a secret international headliner on New Year's Eve. Following its closure in 2014, Solotel purchased the venue in 2016 and has been working with H&E Architects (Barangaroo House, Chiswick) and Michael Delany (Cafe Fredas, Club 77, Piccolo Bar and SHADES) to revamp the beloved bar and nightclub. Inside, the 100-year-old pub tiles have been restored, a world-class Funktion-One speaker system has been installed alongside LED lights from Babekuhl, and a DJ pyramid stage has been erected. This centrepiece stage can be used for pub-style seating, nightclub-style dancing podiums or to accommodate live music. Head to the Solotel website to stay up to date with all of the upcoming events in-store for The Abercrombie. [caption id="attachment_880222" align="alignnone" width="1920"] dameeeela[/caption] The Abercrombie will reopen at 100 Broadway, Chippendale on Friday, December 23. It will be open 10am–2am Monday–Tuesday, 10am–3am Wednesday–Thursday and Sunday, and 10am–5am Friday–Saturday, plus 24 hours for special events.
Nineties kids, Disney fans and everyone who's ever cried over a lion cub that just couldn't wait to be king, it's time to climb onto a rock and yell your lungs out. The circle of life has struck again, and The Lion King is back. It's in live-action form this time around, and another new teaser for the movie has just dropped. While it's not the first teaser or trailer to drop — we've been blessed with not one, not two, but three already — this time we finally get to hear Nala voiced by Queen Bey herself. Yep, if you didn't already know, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter will be voicing Nala, while Donald Glover is Simba and James Earl Jones is his dad. Other big names attached include Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, John Oliver as Zazu, and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa. Elton John is back working on the soundtrack with Tim Rice, as they both did on the first film. They'll reportedly have some help from Beyoncé, naturally, while The Jungle Book's Jon Favreau is in the director's chair for the entire production. If you're anxious about how it might turn out, it's worth taking Timon and Pumbaa's advice at this early stage — although this initial look should help get rid of your worries for the rest of your days. Here's the new teaser with Beyoncé as Nala: https://youtu.be/CQCUnDjYn50 The Lion King hits Australian cinemas on July 17, 2019.
Next time you have a great idea while making a cup of coffee, it could spark a hit comedy flick. That's what happened to Jackie van Beek, New Zealand comedian and one half of the writing/directing/acting duo behind The Breaker Upperers. "I was literally just wandering aimlessly around my kitchen, and I was just thinking about all those conversations that we've all had with friends about that horrible moment when you realise that you have to break up with your partner, and that feeling of dread," she explains. "And I just thought, "gosh, how much money would somebody pay to not have to do that themselves?". And I thought it'd be quite a lot of money, and I know a lot of people that would pay to get out of that responsibility." To answer the obvious question, van Beek never considered setting up a business to end other people's relationships for cash. Instead, she called fellow NZ comedian and actress Madeline Sami, and they started working on what would become 2018's best comedy. That was back in 2013. The script took years to perfect between other jobs, and the film shot across 22 days in 2017, with a cast that included Boy's James Rolleston and Rosehaven's Celia Pacquola. This year, The Breaker Upperers premiered its tale of best friends Jen (van Beek) and Mel (Sami), their love-busting business, their various life woes and their Celine Dion karaoke singalong at SXSW, and then opened the Sydney Film Festival. "It has been a whirlwind few months," Sami observes. "I didn't really have any expectations on how it would do. You spend so long editing the film, making it, and then you're just kind of relieved to have finished it. Then it comes out, and then all of these other people see it and take it into their hearts, and it's just overwhelmingly lovely." Indeed, while The Breaker Upperers is all about helping others when love has faded, there's plenty of love blossoming for this smart, funny film, with audiences both overseas, in New Zealand and in Australia reacting warmly. With the movie now releasing around Australia, we sat down with van Beek and Sami to chat about real-life break-ups, smashing rom-com conventions and working collaboratively in a Kiwi comedy scene that also includes the film's executive producer, Taika Waititi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-phMlkRiWIg ON CREATING ROLES FOR THEMSELVES THAT DIDN'T EXIST OTHERWISE Sami: "We wanted to write characters that were fucked up women in their thirties, and that didn't have to settle down. That was the big, big point for us. Otherwise it's so unrealistic and so much pressure for women, and I hate that." van Beek: "And so exclusive. We've of course got so many friends that are single, in their early forties and are not going to have a baby now. What about happy endings for those guys? So it was very important that — we love rom-coms, but it was very important for us that we buck the convention and that we didn't end with a double church wedding with two women and two men tying the knot and talking about children." Sami: "We definitely thought about it in drafts and played with the idea, and it just never sat right. And we were just like, this is really a story about being okay with who they are, and accepting that and not having to bow to society's expectations — and the movies' expectations — of what your life should be like. It's really the movies. The movies tell us that we need to have all this shit together, especially for women. I think the pressure on women in movies — just the damsel in distress thing, it goes right back to Snow White. Or in all the Disney stuff. There's a princess who's stuck in a tower or she's in a coma, which is fucking dark, and she needs to be saved. And that same thing is in rom-coms today — a woman who's…" van Beek: "All befuddled." Sami: "And needs to be saved. And it's like, no we don't. We're cool. Just chill." van Beek: "We can figure out our own mess. It doesn't have to involve a man." Sami: "And also, a happy ending doesn't have to be what we've always been told what a happy ending is. It doesn't always have to be that conventional, settle down thing. It can just be 'well you're just not as dark and fucked up as you were at the beginning of the movie'." ON DECIDING TO NOT ONLY WRITE AND STAR IN THE BREAKER UPPERERS, BUT TO DIRECT IT, TOO van Beek: "It was always on the table." Sami: "We were scared." van Beek: "Were we scared? I wasn't scared." Sami: "There was a fear that it would take the fun away from the acting, which is what the whole reason we wanted to do it. It wasn't like scared to do it — it was just whether we were going to give ourselves too much of a workload." van Beek: "Yeah that's right. We knew that if we got too stressed, and we're on screen doing improvised comedy, it's just not going to be fun for us or the audience — so the stakes were quite high in making that decision." Sami: "And then we just like, we can't think of anyone who could fulfil this vision for us that we are planning in our own heads, so why don't we just do it? Take the gamble, and make sure we surround ourselves with really talented, experienced people so that we're supported. And that's what we did." van Beek: "People who are confident at improvisation, so we could all get there. And Taika was helpful." Sami: "Taika, we've worked with a lot — and he would've been a wonderful director for this film. But we knew that we were never going to get Taika because he was on Thor and was committed to that for years. But he shares our sensibility, we've worked with him — he directed the first series of a TV show that I'd made in New Zealand called Super City, and we had a lovely time when we worked together in that way. And he'd definitely get it. But he wasn't available, so we were the ones." van Beek: "But we got Jemaine Clement, who is an old friend of ours as well, he came up for three or four days of pre-production when we wanted to stand up and start exploring the characters ourselves. He'd come into the rehearsal room, and we'd do rewrites with him, and so it was all really..." Sami: "Collaborative." van Beek: "Supportive." Sami: "We've got so much amazing talent around us in New Zealand. There's so many amazing comedians coming up, and writers, that it was just really important for us to be energised by them. So we'd just keep them around us all the time, just everyone 'come in, add a joke in here if you want, yeah that's a good idea.' Just keep it fresh for ourselves, especially because we'd been writing for four-five years, so at a lot of points in that time, when you're right in it — especially towards the end, towards pre-production — you can't see. You're really close to it." ON SEEING NEW ZEALAND COMEDY FINALLY GET RECOGNITION OVERSEAS van Beek: "With Taika's films, and Flight of the Conchords and Rhys Darby having done so well internationally — we were over at SXSW with our film, and people were saying after the screening 'that's New Zealand' humour. They were identifying it. 'We love New Zealand humour! We love you guys.' It was quite exciting that people identify it, and many thanks to Taika who brought that New Zealand comedy voice into the mainstream with Thor." Sami: "When there's a bunch of people, and when there's support — the New Zealand Film Commission have really made an effort to get in behind New Zealand comedy over the last ten years probably. And because we've had success internationally, then there's more support back home. And it's kind of like with the Danish thrillers. All of a sudden the world loves Danish thrillers, and it's just the people making them are making them really well. I guess coming out of New Zealand right now, we've got a lot of great comedy, and it's just a time where it's just being recognised for what it is." van Beek: "Long may it last." Sami: "It's exciting. It's really just, I think, the world getting to know that New Zealand comedy a bit — and it started with Flight of the Conchords. There's an awkwardness to the comedy we make. So yeah, who knows how long that will last. But it's exciting that we don't have to explain our accent any more. People can start to tell the difference a little bit [between Australian and New Zealand accents]. We'll see Americanss try to do a Kiwi accent rather than just going 'oh, I can do a Kiwi accent — g'day mate'." van Beek: "Now they do Flight of the Conchords." Sami: "Yeah, 'Brett'. Or they do, 'oh hi, I'm Korg,' [from Thor: Ragnarok] or stuff like that. They're showing that they know the difference." van Beek: "By mocking us in a different way." Sami: "I loved being mocked." ON FINDING INSPIRATION FOR THE FILM'S MANY BREAK-UP SCENES Sami: "I've never been two-timed by someone, and then found out that... aah, I think I have." van Beek: "You have?" Sami: "Maybe I have." van Beek: "There's always going to be a bit of crossover." Sami: "There's just a bit of subconscious stuff — for me, the break up scenarios, everything you see in the film, nothing is specific to anything but everything is influenced by stories we've heard or things we've experienced. But there's no one like, 'yeah, I had this terrible breakup and this is exactly how the story went'." van Beek: "Or 'yeah, my boyfriend pretended to be in a coma and then died.' That all came from our imagination, but it was more like — definitely I've been through phases in my life when I've been a bit more like Jen, and just been in denial. I've been heartbroken and not wanting to grow up." Sami: "We did have a lot more scenarios and they got a lot more extreme. Obviously some were cut for time, and we didn't shoot all of them — a lot of them we just weren't going to be able to. To shoot someone falling off a speedboat in the middle of Auckland of harbour and taking an underwater scuba to an island and then sailing off, that would've been the whole budget of our film probably, just for that one day." van Beek: "We spent a bit of time writing it though." Sami: "It was a lot of fun writing and thinking out the ways people might choose to break up with each other." The Breaker Upperers is now screening in Australian cinemas.
Winter in Melbourne in 2024 began with a festival, with RISING getting June started with everything from music-fuelled block parties to 24-hour movie marathons. Winter in Melbourne in 2024 will also end with a fest when Now or Never makes its big return in mid-to-late August. After proving a hit with its mix of tunes, performances, installations, talks and more in 2023, its inaugural year, this City of Melbourne-presented celebration will again fill the Victorian capital with creativity. Clear your calendar now — you've got more than 100 different events to attend. Now or Never already locked in its dates and theme earlier in the year. Whether you're a Melburnian or an interstater looking for an excuse for a getaway, you'll have plenty to do across Thursday, August 22–Saturday, August 31. And, with help from 250-plus local and international talents, you'll be getting revelling with the concept 'look through the image' — so, honing in on imagination, emotions and contemplation — firmly in mind. A recurring idea among 2024's Now or Never events is peering beyond the surface, as reflected in a lineup that's jam-packed full of deep cuts. While 2023's fest saw Melbourne's historic Royal Exhibition Building host its first large-scale live music performances in over 20 years, 2024's will return to the venue for four nights of tunes and audiovisual projections that aim to leave a big impression. Eartheater, Sandwell District, Erika De Casier, Ben Frost, Naretha Williams, Clark and DJ Donato Dozzy are all on the bill, as is the Australian debut of COUCOU CHLOE. Still on Aussie premieres, DESASTRES from Marco Fusinato falls into that category, heading Down Under after first appearing at the Venice Biennale 2022 across a 200-day run. For just two days in Melbourne, audiences will be peering at the world's largest LED volume screen for virtual production at NantStudios in Docklands cinema studios for this experimental noise performance project, which synchronises its guitar sounds with imagery. It's both a solo performance and an installation. Across Thursday–Sunday nights during the festival, Joanie Lemercier will unveil Constellations above the Yarra River. This free AV installation projects lights to form shapes in the air, focusing on the cosmos, as accompanied by a soundscape by producer Paul Jebansam. Similarly at the right price for everyone's wallets, the also-free Silent Symphony and Present Shock II hail from London's United Visual Artists. The first features Frost's compositions as part of celestial patterns given a sonic interpretation, in a piece that will never repeat. The second boasts a score by Massive Attack's Robert Del Naj with Robert Thomas, and is all about confronting a realm where alternative facts and post-truths now dwell. At ACMI — and also presented by the Melbourne International Film Festival — the free world-premiere kajoo yannaga (come on let's walk together) will take participants on an interactive virtual and gamified walk on Country that puts First Nations knowledge at the fore, all thanks to Wiradjuri Scottish artist April Phillips. Or, hovering above Melbourne Museum Plaza, get ready to experience Peder Bjurman's augmented-reality experience Slow Walker, which turns a microscopic organism into a floating giant. Plagiary is another certain highlight, with dance technologist and choreographer Alisdair Macindoe joining forces with media artist Sam Mcgilp to create a new dance performance each night. Ten dancers will improvise, but it's a computer presence that'll tell them what to respond to. Elsewhere on the lineup, Roxane Gay's latest trip to Australia is tied to discussing 2023 book Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People's Business; Melbourne's HTRK and Britain's Actress are teaming up for a single evening; and Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta and Nari Nari man Kutcha Edwards is in the spotlight at Wuigada — Gagada (To Sing — Loud), which makes its Victorian premiere. There's also MOUNTAIN, a dance performance with costumes by Akira Isogawa, plus mycologist Merlin Sheldrake chatting about fungi, if you needed more examples of how wide-ranging the 2024 program is. Now or Never 2024 runs from Thursday, August 22–Saturday, August 31 around Melbourne — head to the festival website for further details.
They're called twin films: two movies with a similar idea that reach screens around the same time. Think Deep Impact and Armageddon, Dark City and The Matrix, and The Prestige and The Illusionist — plus The Raid and Dredd, Upgrade and Venom, and Skate Kitchen and Mid90s. Yes, the list goes on (and on and on). The same concept applies on the small screen, too, as two of 2020's new shows are demonstrating. Earlier in the year, Netflix debuted Space Force, which starred Steve Carell as a military man tasked with establishing the space-focused new branch of the US armed forces. Now, via US network Showtime — and streaming service Stan in Australia — Moonbase 8 is also trying to turn the quest to leave earth into a sitcom. Featuring Fred Armisen, John C Reilly and Tim Heidecker, and set to start dropping from Sunday, November 8, Moonbase 8 follows three men who are eager to take part in a lunar mission. Skip (Portlandia's Armisen), Rook (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!'s Heidecker) and Cap (Reilly) are the epitome of enthusiastic, in fact, and they're doing their absolute best to complete their training at NASA's Moon Base Simulator in the desert in Winslow, Arizona. But whether they'll stay sane through the process is another matter entirely. The show's three stars also serve as Moonbase 8's executive producers, while the series is penned by Heidecker with Portlandia and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! writer — and Baskets creator — Jonathan Krisel. And, based on the just-dropped first trailer, the new comedy promises plenty of stir-crazy silliness between three characters living in close quarters — something immensely relatable in 2020, obviously. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KECl99n-DI0 Moonbase 8 starts streaming in Australia via Stan on Sunday, November 8. The New Zealand streaming date is yet to be confirmed — we'll update you with further details when they come to hand. Top image: Courtesy of A24 Films/SHOWTIME.
If you're heading home via Wynyard Station this evening, you might notice something new. In fact, it's pretty hard to miss. Today, sculptor Chris Fox unveiled Interloop, a striking, 50-metre-long installation that's now hovering above Wynyard's escalators, between York Street and the main concourse. Directly referencing its surroundings, the sculpture is made up of 244 wooden treads and four combs, all of which were once part of Wynyard's original escalators, built in 1931. However, they've been rearranged to appear like massive spectacular-looking concertinas — or maybe staircases out of a Salvador Dali painting. "Connecting yesterday and tomorrow, Interloop interrogates the conceptual and material boundaries between art and architecture," said Fox. "It is a physical re-interpretation...that re-purposes the hardwood from the heritage treads of now-retired escalators, into a sculpture weighing over five tonnes." Fox spent six months designing and engineering the installation, then twelve weeks fabricating it. The process involved a kilometre's worth of welding, via which Fox attached the treads to high-strength, marine-grade aluminium, before suspending the whole behemoth from the station ceiling with steel beams. Interloop is now on display at Wynyard Station above the escalators between York Street and the main concourse. Images: Josh Raymond.
Straddling the late morning divide of breakfast and lunch, the linguist's nightmare that is 'brunch' is just about our favourite weekend activity. When we say brunch, we're not talking about your quick morning coffee; we're talking mountains of food, shareable plates and a healthy dose of pre-midday alcohol (cue the flowing of mimosas). So whether you're a traditionalist or prepared to give your tastebuds a workout and whether your preference is of the organic, health-conscious variety or the bacon-on-the-side-of-heart-disease variety, we have a brunch experience for just about every disposition. Muchos food porn awaits! The Carrington Where: 538 Bourke St, Surry Hills If you're looking for cocktails with breakfast, it's hard to go past one of our favourite haunts: the Spanglish mash-up of the Carrington. While other gastronomical institutions might offer brunch-goers modestly alcoholic beverages and watered-down champagne, the Carrington says screw your hangover and your sense of propriety with a full menu of beer, spirits and hair-raising cocktails. There are the standard Mimosas, but for the more ambitious amongst you we suggest trying out the Bacon Caesar (bacon-infused vodka, spices and clamato juice) or Single Mother (with red wine, Southern Comfort, nutmeg and ginger beer). The food itself is straight out of a Majorca cafe, with even the more traditional breakfast dishes given a Spanish twist. Think smoked paprika eggs benedict, Ibiza muesli or big breakfast with chorizo and rosti. Buenos dias! Jo & Willys Depot Where: 286 Campbell Pde, North Bondi As an increasingly cynical restauranteur, I have to expect that when it comes to beachside cafes, the quality of the view will always be directly disproportionate to the quality of the food. Thankfully, Jo & Willys Depot is an emphatic exception to this rule. Instead, the Depot has found what you might call a winning formula: a rough and ready decor, resembling something like a shabby-chic version of the Antiques Roadshow, panoramic views of Sydney's most iconic beach and an all-day breakfast menu to die for. Their approach to food is pretty simple. Keep the produce fresh and the ingredients organic and you can hardly go wrong. Their pancakes made from rice and tapioca flour are a particular local favourite while their homemade berry and banana muffins are melt-in-you-mouth spectacular. Two Peas Where: 198-206 St Johns Rd, Glebe Two Peas is the sort of uber-trendy cafe that Glebe seems to have coming out of its ears — but it also radiates the sort of homely vibe that turns its customers into regulars and friends. Two Peas is the love child of British chefs Nick Johnson and Tom Stoneham, who met while working for Jamie's Italian in Cambridge. The boys, it seems, learnt a thing or two from Jamie: (1) Produce should always be fresh and locally produced, (2) Banoffee muffins can solve all the world's problems and (3) The Brits always do it best. With a short but delightful menu of updated British staples such as poached eggs and baked beans on toast (made from fantastically spicy beans) and porridge with figs, Two Peas does English breakfast the way it should be done. Of course, it's not a British meal without a cold lager to wash it all down, and as such the drinks menu is chock-a-block full of local brews handpicked by the owners. At their suggestion I had a try of the Australian Brewery pale ale, which was positively crackling with refreshing, passionfruit-y goodness. The Grounds of Alexandria Where: Building 7A, 2 Huntley St, Alexandria It's no secret; we at Concrete Playground are pretty fond of the Grounds. There is something undeniably intoxicating about this repurposed Four'n Twenty Pie Factory, whether it's the blackboards advertising '25 hour breakfast' or the buzzing, bustling atmosphere of Alexandria's most sought-after brunch venue. Our meal of choice is the mountain of ocean trout stacked on toast with a light and tangy fennel and herb salad and a generous helping of scrambled eggs. While alcohol is available, you'd be remiss not to try one of their multi-award winning coffees from former world latte art champion Jack Hanna. They are as creamy, subtle and dazzling as you could possibly hope for. And always, always do they look as good as they taste. Somehow the Grounds continues to match its hype. Almond Bar Where: 379 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst One of the defining aspect for any good brunch is its shareability. Almond Bar understands this and Almond Bar nails it. This hotspot for Darlinghurst brunch-ers specialises in serving food by the truckload, with a veritable feast of big breakfasts, share plates and breakfast platters for you and your fellow diners to gorge on. The food however is not your typical eggs and bacon bonanza but instead specialises in Syrian cuisine in all its multiplicity of flavours. There are Middle Eastern omelettes; traditional ful, fatteh made from layers of crushed chickpeas, tahini, fried bread, yoghurt, pinenuts and almonds; and the (mandatory) baklava. Get your bookings in early because these breakfast mezze feasts only happen on the first Sunday of each month. Foley Lane Where: 371-373 Bourke St, Darlinghurst When the Friday night crowds have subsided and the hangover hits, there is no better place to grab a boozy brunch than Foley Lane. Try out their pork and potato hash topped with poached egg if you're looking for a hearty hangover cure, or if you're feeling a little more adventurous, then the roasted field mushroom with ricotta and eschalot dressing is to-die-for good. Foley Lane is first and foremost a bar and as such their breakfast cocktails are pretty red hot. Try out the Seasonal Margarita, enlivened with the zing of fresh plum, or the Morning Martini made from citrus vodka, apricot brandy and marmalade. Kazbah Where: 379 Darling St, Balmain Darlinghurst does not corner the market on Arabic brunches. Balmain's Kazbah are of the culinary school that says that bigger is always better with the sort of giant servings that will have any carnivore salivating. For groups of four or more, your best bet is one of the Kazbah's famous breakfast feasts, which features up to nine separate dishes, ranging from Middle Eastern treats such as lamb mince tagine to such devilishly sweet delights as chocolate and raspberry pancakes with butterscotch sauce and chocolate fudge ice cream. With the breakfast menu lasting until 3pm each weekend, there is no reason to feel guilty for trying out one of Kazbah's $14 breakfast cocktails. The Salty Dog made from vodka, lime and grapefruit is a particular specialty. Rainford Street Social Where: 500 Crown St, Surry Hills It was to the great distress of many Surry Hills locals when Rainford Street Social cut their breakfast menu. Thankfully, it's back and better than ever with super-chef Ben Orpwood’s unique take on classic brekky dishes like smoked salmon and truffled scrambled eggs and a pastrami and Emmental croissant melt. With meals named after such Rainford Street regulars as “Matty”, “Ben” and “Eddy”, it’s clear that this Crown Street favourite are not only “social” by name but also “social” by nature. Just ask any of the revellers that stack the restaurant on any given weekend. Orpwood is clearly a man after our own hearts with a propensity for hangover-curing cocktails such as the delightfully creamy “White Rabbit Shake” made from Jack Daniels and banana cream pie ice cream. Bondi Hardware Where: 39 Hall St, Bondi Beach 'Hardware' is an apt descriptor for this Bondi gem. With its exposed brick walls, cracking plaster and mishmash of pot plants, dining at Bondi Hardware is much like what I imagine dining in an interior designer's garage must feel like. While previously a hardware store, nowadays Bondi Hardware plays host to awesomely funky tunes, vibrant staff and the delectable Moroccan eggs with minted yoghurt and sourdough. You haven’t really been to Bondi Hardware until you've tried their infamous Bloody Mary. More a meal-in-a-glass than a mere cocktail, this brunch staple has been overhauled by the Bondi boys with spicy tomato, cucumber and beetroot juice mixed with a shot of tequila. Chiswick Where: 65 Ocean St, Woollahra The first thing that springs to mind about the Chiswick is its classiness. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the postcard-ready gardens is like something out of a Victorian-era tea party (without any of the political connotations), while the menu has all the hallmarks of head chef Matt Moran. Even casual Masterchef fans could probably tell you that if its got the Moran signature, then this probably means you're looking at huge slabs of Moran family meat, with the chargrilled grass-fed beef or wood-roasted lamb perhaps the two most enticing numbers on the menu. This carnivorous lust is complemented by Chiswick's love of fresh herbs and vegetables, much of which is grown in the Chiswick gardens. Add to this the refreshing Cucumber Margarita and you have yourself one of eastern Sydney's hottest late brunch venues.
Whether you're travelling from Sydney to Canberra or Parramatta, Melbourne to Geelong, or Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, you'll soon be able to get there a whole lot quicker — or that's the plan, at least. Various government bodies have announced various high-speed transport proposals throughout 2018, all focused on journeying relatively short distances in as short a time as possible. But if a potential new transit network comes to fruition, Australians would be able to zip between many capital cities in less than an hour. One of several companies trying to build Elon Musk's Hyperloop vacuum-tube transport system, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has lodged a submission to the federal government's current parliamentary inquiry into automated mass transit. Its key feature: travelling at a top speed of 1223 kilometres per hour. At speeds that fast, you'd be able to zoom from Brisbane to Sydney in 37 minutes, and from Sydney to Melbourne in the same amount of time. Melbourne to Adelaide would take just 33 minutes, while a jaunt down from Sydney to Canberra would need a mere 14 minutes, and venturing from Canberra to Melbourne would be over in 23 minutes. The timings are just estimates for now; however each potential leg proves considerably quicker than the equivalent plane journey — and the longest outlined route, from Brisbane to Adelaide, would take one hour and 47 minutes. Zipping between the northern and southern ends of the country faster than you can watch a movie sounds incredibly enticing, as does simply popping over to another city for a day trip. Billed as "bringing aeroplane speeds to ground level", Hyperloop sends capsules along low-pressure tubes, with each capsule seating 38 passengers. That said, the system is still well and truly in the testing phase. In October, Hyperloop TT's first full-scale passenger capsule was revealed in Spain, with the company also building a 320-metre system in France. By next year, it intends to construct a one-kilometre system for further pilots. If Hyperloop does become a reality, Hyperloop TT's Aussie submission also suggests incorporating the Gold Coast, the Southern Highlands, Newcastle, Wollongong, Nowra, Port Macquarie and Orange into routes — further broadening the network's reach, reducing road congestion and decentralising the country away from major cities, all while using solar panels to power the system. There's no proposed timeframe in Hyperloop TT's proposal, so don't go dreaming about zooming across the country just yet. Also, this isn't the first time that Hyperloop has been proposed for Australia, with rival outfit Hyperloop One outlining plans for a Sydney to Melbourne route back in 2016. Via news.com.au. Images: Hyperloop TT.
Jenga's chunky wooden blocks and shifty sense of suspense have been reinvented as furniture. Studio Intussen's 'Pixel Table' functions much the same way as a Jenga tower. Shaped like a cube and comprised of bamboo slats, chunks of the table may be pushed in or pulled out. This creates a nook for storing magazines, and, on the other side, a little side tray for cocktails. If you no longer need the storage or extra space, the slats can be realigned into their original cube form. How convenient is that? Unlike the game which inspired it, however, the Pixel Table offers users some security. There is no need to anxiously await the tumbling demise of your table, for the outer bamboo layer has been secured with glue. Pssst, take that tactical note and save it for your next Jenga match. [via Gizmodo]
For most of us, bringing the outdoors inside is interior decorating speak for putting a few plants around your apartment. For artist Doug Wheeler, it has been a life-long ambition. Growing up in Arizona and spending time standing in the US state's vast desert landscape, he conceived of an idea for a group of installations that would mimic that experience — and, almost five decades after he put his plans down on paper, one has finally become a reality. Inside New York's Guggenheim Museum, Wheeler has transformed the gallery into an abstract synthetic dessert. Don't just take our word for it — PSAD Synthetic Desert III is the name of the piece. After moving through a number of chambers that can only be unlocked by staff, visitors walk into a room filled with sound-absorbing foam pyramids as far as the eye can see. A platform sits in the middle, ensuring everyone who enters is surrounded by the eye-catching structure, with lighting and sound design also crafted to make the space as immersive as possible. Indeed, because Synthetic Desert "is best experienced with as few extraneous sounds and distractions as possible," according to the Guggenheim website, only five people can enter the free exhibition at any one time. Visits are limited to either ten or twenty minutes of gazing into the sea of white shapes and ponder space, landscape and whatever else pops into your mind when you're sitting in silence in a room filled with foam spikes. After first turning his vision into sketches back in 1968, and spending much of his career contemplating light and space, Wheeler piece aims to "produce a hermetic environment based on a radical reduction of optical and acoustical sensation" in order to "heighten our understanding of perceptual experience." Anyone that happens to be in New York between now and August 2 is advised to book in advance, with entry free with museum admission, because this unique and beautiful installation is certain to be popular. Via Artnet. Image: David Heald
Openair shopping sprees are an inevitable spring/summer plan for Sydneysiders; a monthly outdoor market is soon to be a permanent thing at the Central Park development off Broadway. Kicking off October 12, The Brewery Yard Markets will be set on sunny Chippendale Green on the second Sunday of every month, with stalls selling artisanal foodie-heaven fare beside stands of vintage and locally-produced wares. Though the markets are a radically different retail approach to the franchises currently populating Central Park's vertical 'living-mall', they're sure to be a boom for the soon to be densely-populated inner city complex. And why not make the most of the development's specially-landscaped outdoor areas as summer rolls in? The markets will launch mid-way through the development's Summer Playground festival, with highlights including Long Lunch Sundays — where $15 will buy you a lunch special, to be eaten while lazing back in complimentary deck chairs and listening to live acoustic tunes. As for weekday entertainment, Central Park's got you covered with Thursdays Games Day — head to the Green in your break to see the space transformed into a pop-up fun fair with giant Jenga, table tennis and treasure hunts. Then there's the one-off openair Twillight Summer Cinema, screening everyone's favourite Dirty Dancing on September 25 — with dinner thrown in with your ticket price. Winter, consider yourself well shunned. Central Park's Summer Playground program runs September 8 until October 5. Check out the whole program here.
From global behemoth Netflix to the arthouse, indie and documentary-focused Kanopy, picking a streaming platform can take as much time as actually picking something to watch on a streaming platform. The latest to enter the market has quite the point of difference, however — and not just because it's free. If viewing the likes of Bronson, Drive, Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon has you on the same wavelength as filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn, then you're in luck — the Danish writer/director has started his own streaming service. Called byNWR.com, it's a self-appointed "an unadulterated expressway for the arts", according to the site itself. After opening in beta in July, it's now officially up and running. A venture in conjunction with existing platform Mubi as well as the Harvard Film Archive, byNWR.com highlights a different restored cult classic each month, with the selection picked by a guest editor. Each film is supported by content themed around the chosen flick, such as essays, videos, photos and music. If you're thinking that you've probably seen the movies on offer (and that they're probably available elsewhere), think again. The site launched with three titles chosen by journalist Jimmy McDonough, and it's highly unlikely that you've watched and rewatched 1965 horror effort The Nest of the Cuckoo Birds, 1967's Hot Thrills and Warm Chills and 1967's Shanty Tramp endlessly, or even seen them on a big or small screen recently. The second volume will start rolling out from September, and will include 1961 thriller Night Tide starring Dennis Hopper, 1971's If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?, and 1967's Spring Night, Summer Night — all curated by film publication Little White Lies. "I hope my site will inspire people to see the world a different way," Refn explained The Guardian, while also touching upon something fans of the filmmaker's own work will be more than familiar with: pushing people out of their comfort zones. If Refn's choices sound like the kind of thing you would like to see in a cinema, Little White Lies also reports that the streaming site will be accompanied by special screenings around the globe.
UPDATE, DECEMBER 23, 2021: Fast and Furious 9 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes, and will hit Amazon Prime Video on January 1. Fast cars, furious action stars, a love of family and oh-so-many Coronas: across ten movies over 20 years, that's the Fast and Furious franchise. It might've started out as a high-octane spin on Point Break, but this long-running series has kept motoring across nine flicks in its main storyline, and also via a 2019 spinoff. The latter, Hobbs & Shaw, actually casts a shadow over the saga's latest instalment. Because Dwayne Johnson was part of that sidestep, he doesn't show up in Fast and Furious 9. He's missed, regardless of whether you're usually a diehard fan of the wrestler-turned-actor, because he's managed to perfect the F&F tone. Over his decade-long involvement to-date, Johnson always seems amused in his Fast and Furious performances. He's always sweaty, too, but that's another matter. Entering the F&F realm in Fast Five, he instantly oozed the kind of attitude the franchise needs. He knows that by taking the outlandish stunts, eye-catching setpieces and penchant for family with the utmost seriousness, these films border on comedic — and by navigating five flicks with that mood, he's been the saga's playful and entertaining barometer. Without Johnson, Fast and Furious 9 isn't as willing to admit that it's often downright silly. It's nowhere near as fun, either. Hobbs & Shaw wasn't a franchise standout, but Fast and Furious 9 mainly revs in one gear — even in a movie that features a high-speed car chase through Central American jungles, a plane with a magnet that can scoop up fast-driving vehicles, Helen Mirren (Winchester) racing through London's streets and a trip to space in a rocket car. The latest F&F is as ridiculous as ever, and it's the least-eager F&F film to acknowledge that fact. It's also mostly a soap opera. It leans heavily on its favourite theme — yes, family — by not only swapping in a different wrestler-turned-actor as Dominic Toretto's (Vin Diesel, Bloodshot) long-lost sibling, but also by fleshing out the warring brothers' backstory through flashbacks to their tragic past. Fast and Furious 9 starts with an 80s-era Universal logo, because that's the time period it heads to first — to introduce a teen Dom (Vinnie Bennett, Ghost in the Shell), his never-before-mentioned younger brother Jakob (Finn Cole, Dreamland) and their dad Jack (JD Pardo, Mayans MC). It's 1989, the elder Toretto is behind the wheel on the racetrack, and his sons are part of his pit crew. Then tragedy strikes, tearing the Toretto family apart. In the present day, Dom and Jakob (John Cena, Playing with Fire) definitely don't get along. Indeed, when Roman (Tyrese Gibson, The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two), Tej (Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Show Dogs) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel, Four Weddings and a Funeral) drive up to the rural hideout that Dom has been calling home with wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez, Crisis) and toddler son Brian (first-timers Isaac and Immanuel Holtane) since the events of 2017's The Fate of the Furious, he doesn't even want to hear about the latest mission that demands their help. The only thing that changes his mind: realising that Jakob is involved and up to no good. From there, Fast and Furious 9 doesn't skimp on plot across its two-and-a-half hours, but it's all just an excuse to send Dom and the gang on yet another globe-hopping trip to save the world (yes, again). Much of the storyline mimics the last film, in fact, including the return of cyberterrorist Cipher (Charlize Theron, The Old Guard) — although this time there's a different high-tech gimmick that could end life as we know it, and a different reason behind Dom's determination to protect his crew. Returning for his fifth F&F flick, as well as his first since 2013's Fast & Furious 6, writer/director Justin Lin doesn't challenge himself, narrative-wise. Co-scripting with franchise first-timer Daniel Casey (Kin), he largely throws a heap of the saga's usual elements together, dials up the emphasis on family, and hopes that the reappearance of familiar faces — such as the already-teased return of Han (Song Kang, Lisey's Story) — will fill in the gaps. And there are gaps; more than once, the movie ends a big scene by jumping to the group at a later point, but doesn't trouble itself to explain what happened. Sense? Logic? Coherence? The Fast and Furious films haven't ever expended much energy on these. It makes zero sense that Dom's son is called Brian, for instance — he's named after Paul Walker's character, but the latter is still alive in the saga (albeit never seen now), so that celebratory gesture towards the late actor has no rationale in the on-screen story. Fast and Furious 9 doesn't just zoom past rationality a quarter-mile at a time, though. It's really just a collection of scenes that Diesel and Lin think are cool, complete with 197,000 references to family. Here, even the fast cars and big stunts get drowned out by the melodrama. When Lin lets the action choreography truly let loose, this franchise-extender is easily at its best, but that happens less often and in a more routine way than it should. Plus, in a series that's hardly known for its acting, all the bloated chatter and soapiness is still far too cartoonish to even dream of grounding the OTT saga in real emotion. This far in, not just inertia but also a lack of imagination seems to be grinding F&F's gears, with genuinely new and exciting action ideas almost as rare as a high-pitched squeak from the gravelly voiced Diesel. Fast and Furious 9 has its characters play a real-life version of Frogger, celebrates magnets more than Jesse Pinkman, name-drops Harry Potterand visually apes Star Wars, for example. It also ponders whether Dom and the gang are superheroes, and has Roman get meta and ask how they've all escaped the past 20 years unscathed. This should all be knowingly, winkingly ludicrous. It never feels that way, however, and no one's motors will be thrumming while watching. Like too many big franchises these days, Fast and Furious 9 also saves one of its best moments for its post-credits slot, teasing what'll come next. If only the bulk of what preceded it didn't feel like a franchise blandly on auto-pilot.
Life might be a bittersweet symphony, as The Verve told us all back in 1997, but right now is a pretty great time to be a fan of a hugely influential late-90s teen flick that helped immortalise that very track. The movie in question is Cruel Intentions, of course, and it's about to hit the stage in Australia. And yes, the musical's soundtrack is filled hits from the era, including 'Bittersweet Symphony', obviously. Indeed, if that song and Placebo's 'Every You Every Me' get you thinking about Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair, then you're clearly a fan of the film. And if you were a 90s or 00s teen who watched and rewatched the 1999 classic over and over again — soaking in all those dangerous liaisons, the scheming that went with them, Joshua Jackson's blonde locks and Gellar in a decidedly non-Buffy role — then you'll probably be first in line to see Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical. The movie-to-theatre production has been unleashing its teen tumult and throwback soundtrack in America since 2015, and now it's finally heading to our shores. That was first announced back in 2021; however, now the local leg of the production has confirmed its full Aussie dates. Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical's Melbourne stint was already locked in to start on Wednesday, May 25 at the Athenaeum Theatre, and its Sydney run will now kick off on Thursday, June 30 at the State Theatre as well. Then, it'll head to Brisbane's Fortitude Music Hall from Wednesday, July 27, before hopping over to Adelaide's Her Majesty's Theatre from Thursday, September 8. Because it's a jukebox musical, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is also filled with a heap other tunes from that late 90s, early 00s era; think: *NYSNC's 'Bye Bye Bye', Britney Spears' 'Sometimes', No Doubt's 'Just A Girl', Jewel's 'Foolish Games', Christina Aguilera's 'Genie In A Bottle' and Sixpence None the Richer's 'Kiss Me', for starters. If you've seen the movie — the original, not the direct-to-video 2001 and 2004 sequels, one of which starred a very young Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) taking over Gellar's role — then you'll know the story. Based on 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, which was also been adapted in the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, Cruel Intentions follows step-siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Manipulating each other's love lives is their main hobby, a pastime that levels up a few notches when Kathryn places a bet on whether Sebastian can sleep with Annette Hargrove, the headmaster's daughter at their exclusive prep school. On-screen, Phillippe played Sebastian, Gellar vamped up the film as Kathryn and Witherspoon stepped into Annette's shoes. Exactly who'll be following in their footsteps when Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical tours Australia hasn't yet been revealed, with auditions underway now. Cruel Intentions' writer/director Roger Kumble co-created the musical, so it comes with quite the screen-to-stage pedigree. Also, it's arriving in Australia via David Venn Enterprises, who also brought The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy and Bring It On: The Musical our way. CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE 90S MUSICAL 2022 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Melbourne, at the Athenaeum Theatre: Wednesday, May 25–Sunday, June 12 Sydney, at the State Theatre: from Thursday, June 30–Sunday, July 10 Brisbane, at Fortitude Music Hall: from Wednesday, July 27–Sunday, August 7 Adelaide, at Her Majesty's Theatre from Thursday, September 8 Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical will tour Australia between May–September. For more information, and to buy tickets now for the Melbourne and Sydney seasons — and to join the waitlist for Brisbane and Adelaide tickets, which'll go on sale from Tuesday, March 29 — head to the musical's website.
When a beloved TV show ends, it doesn't always say goodbye forever. We live in a golden age of revivals, spinoffs, sequels and remakes on both the big and small screens, after all — and when a television series is a big hit, it rarely goes away quietly. Take Game of Thrones, for instance. Before it even came to an end back in 2019, HBO was looking at spending more time in Westeros. According to George RR Martin, however, the US cable network might be scaling down the future of the GoT franchise. In an end-of-year update posted to his blog to farewell 2022, the author who gave the world Game of Thrones to begin with — and who has been working on the sixth novel in the A Song of Fire and Ice series for more than a decade — announced that HBO has currently scrapped some of the floated GoT spinoffs. Mentioning "several of the other successor shows that we're developing with HBO" as part of a list of things he's working on in 2023, Martin said that "some of those are moving faster than others, as is always the case with development. None have been greenlit yet, though we are hoping… maybe soon". He continued: "a couple have been shelved, but I would not agree that they are dead. You can take something off the shelf as easily as you can put it on the shelf. All the changes at HBO Max have impacted us, certainly." That's all very vague, but plenty has been happening at HBO and its US streaming platform HBO Max since parent company WarnerMedia merged with Discovery in 2022. Previously renewed shows have been cancelled, such as Minx. Films already shot and nearing release have been axed, like Batgirl. And, HBO Max's online catalogue has also been getting smaller, even removing HBO series. Martin didn't reveal which potential Game of Thrones spinoffs aren't presently going ahead, although one is clearly safe: House of the Dragon. One of 2022's must-see and most-talked-about shows, it's been renewed for a second season, and that episode order looks likely to stick. Given that chatter about expanding Game of Thrones' on-screen world has been going for more than half a decade, and how many different new shows have been put forward over that time, needing a refresher on what could be in the works anyway with is understandable. That list includes a Jon Snow-focused spinoff with Kit Harington (Eternals) reprising his famous role, novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg and an animated GoT show. Beyond that, it's also been reported that another three prequels have been under consideration. Whichever of the above don't end up coming to fruition, our days of watching fiery fights between famous Westerosi names — and games over who gets tot sit on the Iron Throne — are still far from over. Game of Thrones was that much of a hit, and House of the Dragon has proven the same so far. Until House of the Dragon season two hits, or any other on-screen dances with dragons are confirmed, check out the season one trailer below: House of the Dragon streams Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand. Images: HBO.
2022 marks 90 years since the ABC first started broadcasting in Australia, beginning as a public radio service all that time ago. Over the decades, it has also made the leap of television, and been a source of news, entertainment, after-school kids shows, oh-so-much Doctor Who and late-night music videos to keep you occupied after a few drinks. And, it's home to Spicks and Specks, the Aussie music quiz show that no one can get enough of. So, it's fitting that as part of the network's celebrations for its big birthday, it has confirmed that Spicks and Specks will return again this year for a new ten-episode season. What's better than watching a heap of top Australian talent sit around and talk about music? Watching them do all of the above while answering questions, competing for points and just generally being funny, too. Yes, that's the concept behind Spicks and Specks. It takes a few cues from the UK's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, pits Aussie musos and comedians against each other, and has proven a hit several times over. It was a weekly favourite when it first aired between 2005–2011 — and, as it keeps being resurrected. As fans will already know, Spicks and Specks has been enjoying more comebacks than John Farnham of late, although that has meant different things over the years. When the program was first revived back in 2014, it did so with a new host and team captains, for instance. And when it started to make a return with its original lineup of Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough, it first did so via a one-off reunion special. That 2018 comeback proved more than a little popular. It became the ABC's most-watched show of that year, in fact. So, the broadcaster then decided to drop four new Spicks and Specks specials across 2019–20 and, for 2021, to bring back Spicks and Specks in its regular format. In 2022, ten more new episodes await. It's expected that Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough will settle back into their old chairs — new eps, same stars has been a big focus in recent years, of course — but plenty about 2022's run has yet to be confirmed. That includes exactly when it'll start airing, and who'll be hitting buzzers among the program's guests. Still, you can add playing along with the show from your couch — again — to your plans before 2022 is out. Spicks and Specks will return to ABC TV for ten episodes sometime in 2022. You'll also be able to stream the series via ABC iView. We'll update you when an exact release date is announced.
New York's Museum of Modern Art isn't the only major international gallery bringing its wares to our shores this year, with an exhibition from London's Tate Britain gallery heading to Australia from December. Entitled Love & Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate and displaying from December 14, 2018 until April 28, 2019, it'll bring more than 40 of the Tate's beloved works to the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, in an exhibition that'll focus on the artistic movement that started in 1848. Iconic pieces such as John Everett Millais' Ophelia and John William Waterhouse's The Lady of Shalott will be making the journey as part of the showcase. Part ode to early Renaissance efforts, part protest against the prevailing creative traditions of the mid-19th century, pre-Raphaelite art was sparked by a group of rebellious artists eager to create something different to the art of the time — and their preferred style, featuring detailed, colourful compositions painted in thin layers with small brushes, certainly managed that. In addition to the pieces from the Tate, the exhibition will also feature an additional 40 works loaned from other British and Australian collections. Each will help highlight the themes of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, examine the different styles adopted by the various artists adhering to its principles, stress the importance of draughtsmanship and emphasise the movement's fondness for collaboration. "This exhibition includes some of the most loved and visited paintings at Tate — some of which have never before been seen in Australia," said NGA director Nick Mitzevich. Love & Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate will be the NGA's major summer exhibition, although it's not the gallery's only new addition come the end of the year, with Yayoi Kusama's pumpkin-filled infinity room The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens set to join its permanent collection in December. Love & Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate exhibits at the National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place, Parkes, Canberra between December 14, 2018 and April 28, 2019. Images: John Everett Millais, Ophelia 1851-2. Oil paint on canvas. Tate collection presented by Sir Henry Tate 1894. © Tate. / John William Waterhouse, The Lady of Shalott 1888. Oil on canvas. Tate. © Tate.
Kids have all the fun. Always covered in craft supplies, shimmering with the remains of runaway glitter, primary schoolers are treated to a pretty luxurious life. They spend all their day running around, making art and eating. It's the dream. Now, one element of your amazing childhood is becoming acceptable for adults — the colouring book. Inspired by the work of the art world greats, illustrator Marion Deuchars has created a colouring book for grown ups. Schooling you on the styles of Dada, pop art and surrealism to name a few, Draw Paint Print Like Great Artists runs through the life and work of artists such as Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo, Jasper Johns and Joan Miro. Full to the brim with beautiful illustrations, interesting facts and surprisingly fun activities, the book effortlessly combines your long lost primary school craft time with some of the art history you missed in high school. Alternatively, if you're up to date on your modern art theory, you could use the book as a little creative kickstart. "Every artist learns by looking at the work created by others, and then picks up bits of that and makes their own art in their own way," Deuchars said. "It may be something as simple as using scissors rather than a pencil, or being fascinated by a new shape or a playful exercise to take your imagination somewhere unfamiliar." Once regarded as child's play, creative exercises like this have been gaining prominence recently. In a simlar style, MOMA's Art Lab app offers its users an opportunity to unwind and experiment with digital technologies. Keri Smith's Finish This Book was packed full of outlandish tasks and artsy activities to complete, and it was a bestseller! This is definitely a trend we can get behind. Now we just need to get some quality crayons and convince our boss that nap times are a valid way to spend the afternoon. Draw Paint Print Like Great Artists is available via Laurence King. It's approximately $23 plus shipping. Via Huffington Post.
Say ‘adios’ to humdrum and ‘hello’ to ten hotels that are so fresh and so cool, they’ll have you reaching for the thermostat. Boutique hotel experts Mr & Mrs Smith have the lowdown on where the trendsetters sleep. La Maison Champs Elysees - Paris What: Classic couture, Haussmann heritage Where: 8 rue Jean Goujon In the heart of the Golden Triangle, where fashion and sophistication reign supreme, La Maison Champs Elysées showcases design icon Martin Margiela’s impeccable aesthetic. A canvas of muted hues and eclectic artworks, the soothing colour palette extends into the monochrome restaurant, elegant White Lounge and darkly seductive Cigar Bar – exclusively for guest use, with staff not permitted inside. The Terrace, a lush green haven in the heart of Paris, is the perfect spot for taking breakfast or reinvigorating exploration-weary muscles. Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa - Bora Bora What: Turquoise tryst Where: Motu Tevairoa, BP 169 Vaitape, Bora Bora, French Polynesia A recipe for tropical perfection, Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa is a stunner — luring in loved-up honeymooners and glamorous jetsetters with its white-sand beaches and idyllic lagoon setting. Take in spectacular views from every angle on this island paradise; they're especially beautiful from the Overwater Bungalows, which have direct access to the water, or the Beach Suites with Jacuzzis that are set directly on the sand. If lazing on the beach or dining on lavish buffets suddenly becomes all too much, make a beeline for Manea Spa, whose menu includes Vichy showers or massages with ‘dancing feet’. For a souvenir with serious style — and that will never collect dust — the in-house tattooist Tuhei, from the Tuamotus islands, can help create a permanent reminder of your stay. Sal Salis - Ningaloo Reef What: Seaside safari Where: Yardie Creek Road, Cape Range National Park, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia Snugly nestled in the sandy dunes of the Cape Range National Park, Sal Salis flaunts a decidedly luxurious spin on camping. Leave your swags and camp kitchens at home; there’s no need for bush basics when there are heavenly pillows and organic 500-thread cotton sheets waiting at the end of the day. The lapping Indian Ocean is only metres from your doorstop, so while away hours dreamily swinging in your hammock or mingling with whale sharks, manta rays and shoals of fish. And when it comes time for a feast, bush tucker is banished as Sal Salis serves contemporary Australian cuisine under the star-speckled night sky, watched inquisitively by visiting kangaroos and wallaroos. Claska - Tokyo What: Too cool for school Where: 1-3-18, Chuocho, Meguro, Tokyo Sleek and fresh in its contemporary architecture, Claska is at the apex of Tokyo’s cultural hotspot, and in the hub of what is considered to be the coolest suburb in the city. Beautiful in its elegant simplicity, Claska retains the hallmarks of traditional Japanese hospitality. We love the Tatami Rooms, designed by c, with pretty paper lanterns and contemporary furniture. The gallery and boutique, Do, offers innovative designs, creative products and bespoke souvenirs that reflect Claska’s innovative design philosophy. Commandeer one of Claska’s free ‘tokyobikes’ to enjoy a pleasant 10-minute pedal to the attractions featured on the hotel’s ‘Tokyo by Tokyo’ iPhone app. King & Grove - Williamsburg What: Urban jungle retreat Where: 160 North 12th Street, Brooklyn, New York City In the city that never sleeps, King & Grove Williamsburg offers a welcome change of pace – without sacrificing on style and street cred – by seducing guests to venture into Brooklyn. A creative hub, Williamsburg’s collection of eateries, bars and indie boutiques is ripe for exploration (on the hotel’s hipster-approved red bicycles, of course). The open-air rooftop lounge of the Upper Elm overlooks McCarren Park and has snacks, cocktails, music and a view of the city skyline that takes some trumping. Leisure-lovers should snag a prime position in a day-bed by the backyard-style saltwater pool – one of the largest in the city – or spend an afternoon unwinding over a drink with fellow guests. Taveuni Palms - Fiji Islands What: Private paradise Where: Matei, Taveuni Island, Fiji Islands Ever dreamed of retreating to the seclusion of a private island? With only three exclusive-hire villas, understated luxury is the name of the game at Taveuni Palms. Flanked by its own private plunge pool, day-beds and panoramic Pacific views, each villa comes with seven staff including a manager, two chefs, barman, housemaid and nanny. If you can tear yourself away from your villa, Taveuni Palms offers guided snorkelling and kayaking trips, cooking lessons and local excursions. The hardest thing you will have to do is leaving – a burden made lighter by instantly booking your return visit. Das Stue - Berlin What: Animal magnetism Where: 1 Drakestrasse, Berlin, Germany Withdraw from playing tourist into a place so hip, so cutting edge and so darned cool, it could only be in Berlin. Housed in the former lodgings of the Royal Danish Embassy, Das Stue is a heritage heavyweight with a serious dose of style. Everything from the impressive entrance, marble staircase and scattered artworks is impeccable – and enough to make even the most blase of hipsters twiddle their moustache with excitement. Backing onto Berlin Zoo, Das Stue guarantees a room with a view – feathery, furry or otherwise. Catalan chef Paco Pérez is at the helm of the restaurant, Cinco, and with four Michelin stars up the sleeves of his chef’s whites, he delivers outstanding gastronomic creations inspired by the rich produce of his native Spain. Kahanda Kanda - Galle What: Serene Sri Lanka Where: Angulugaha, Galle, Southern Province Monkeys, mongooses and bright-feathered birds are your neighbours at Kahanda Kanda. Surrounded by a 12-acre tea estate, each of the eight villas has been impeccably styled by the villa’s British owner and has its own distinct feel; Peacock, Tamarind and Mango each have a private balcony overlooking the garden, and the only room with a TV, the Dubu Suite, is set into the hillside with large, private lawn and pool — just be prepared to share paradise with any tree-swinging visitors. Classic Sri Lankan curries and contemporary fusion dishes are crafted using fruits, vegetables and herbs exclusively grown on the estate. Cooking classes with Kahanda Kanda’s resident chefs are available for those wishing to learn the secrets of Sri Lankan or Thai cuisine. Kurá - Costa Rica What: Sustainably stylish Where: Uvita de Osa, Calle Bejuco, Osa/Bahia Ballena, Puntarenas, Costa Rica Six teakwood villas blend harmoniously into the lush backdrop at Kurá. Reflecting the hotelier’s passion and vision for eco-friendly accommodation that doesn’t skimp on luxury, the bungalows are minimalist in style but lavish in feel. Each contemporary, open-plan villa includes a floating bed, open-air showers and a balcony that ushers in views of the jungle and Pacific Ocean. Dive into the rectangular, saltwater infinity pool that offers bird’s-eye ocean views, calming underwater music and sun loungers tailor-made for spending an afternoon getting lost in a book or enjoying a cocktail. The Sky Lounge, which has 360-degree vistas of the Costa Rican jungle and ocean, is the prime position to whale-watch and specialises in tamarind margaritas, fruit coladas and inventive mojitos. Soneva Fushi - Maldives What: Desert-island indulgence Where: Kunfunadhoo Island, Baa Atoll Shed your shoes and worries the moment you step onto this private island and into Soneva Fushi. Only missing Fabio riding a white stallion, Soneva Fushi has all the makings of a Harlequin romance: white sand, blue seas, an observatory, a wicked chocolate room and ice-cream parlour, a wine cellar and a private butler service. Bordered by imposing walls of untouched jungle and slices of too-turquoise ocean, the island is a playground of hot stone massages and Japanese watsu treatments, liquid thrills and fresher than fresh beachside feasts. As the day dwindles and sun descends, popcorn and tropical cocktails are served in the open-air cinema beneath a twinkling night sky. Ready to leave? We thought so. Scoot over to Mr & Mrs Smith to book your own stylish stay or call the expert Travel Team on 1300 896 627.
Gin and sunshine go together like cheese and crackers, a pairing so perfect that nobody is really sure where it came from. We just know it works. It makes sense to celebrate all things gin as we approach the warmer season, hence why Four Pillars Gin is celebrating a brand new ready-to-drink flavour across a national series of live music events. A huge launch party is coming to Bondi's Beach Road Hotel, followed by weeks of live music there and at Newcastle's Merewether Surfhouse. [caption id="attachment_919170" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Benito Martin[/caption] The Gin Tins & Tunes national launch party is an unmissable entry to the series, happening at the Beach Road Hotel on Sunday, October 15. The evening will be soundtracked by some of Australia's most popular DJs, including Late Nite Tuff Guy, Yolanda Be Cool, Mell Hall and more. For your $15 ticket, you'll get a complimentary can of the brand new Navy Strength Gin and Ginger RTD and a Four Pillars bucket hat, how's that for a return on investment? It's a national series of events starting right here in NSW at Beach Road Hotel in Sydney's capital of sunshine, Bondi. The tunes kicked off weekly from Sunday, October 1. Then, on Sunday, October 8, the free events will kick off in Newcastle's Merewether Surfhouse, starring local talent like Adam Morris, Tim Coffey and Perry Carter. Every week, you'll be able to try the debuting drink as well as Four Pillar's other RTD beverages, enjoy the tunes and get the chance to win a Four Pillars bucket hat — ideal for sun safety. Gin Tins and Tunes is coming to Beach Road Hotel from Sunday, October 1 to Sunday, October 22 with the official launch party on Sunday, October 15. Merewether Surfhouse will host Gins Tins & Tunes from Sunday, October 8 to Sunday, October 29. For more information, visit the website.
More than a few hearts were broken when legendary Oxford Street gay bar The Midnight Shift announced its closure last September. But the long-standing icon could soon be getting a new lease on life, having sold to a Sydney hotel group last week. Universal Hotels released a statement saying it had acquired the sprawling venue for an 'undisclosed amount', with Commercial Real Estate reporting it had been snapped up for a cool $12 million. This latest acquisition marks the group's fourth purchase in the area in the past 12 months. The Universal Hotels' stable also includes the recently acquired fellow Darlinghurst haunts The Brighton Hotel, Kinselas and The Oxford Hotel, suggesting that the whole precinct — one of the hardest hit by NSW's lockout laws — could soon enjoy a resurgence. While the future of The Midnight Shift is still uncertain, Universal Hotels managing director Jim Kospetas released a statement saying the group plans to inject new lift into the area. "Darlinghurst, while hit hard by the introduction of lock-out laws in 2014, is showing signs of recovery," Kospetas said. "We plan to work closely with the community and with our fellow hoteliers to revitalise the area as a whole." Clocking in at 1000 square metres and with capacity for 528 people, The Midnight Shift last sold for $8.25 million back in 2008. The Midnight Shift is located at 85-91 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. We'll keep you posted when we know more about its future.
Another year coming to a close, another batch of relaxing COVID-19 restrictions. That's the case in 2021, just as it was in 2020, as different parts of the country ease out of their latest lockdowns again. So, as also occurred last year, border rules around the nation are changing once more — with New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and now Tasmania announcing plans for visitors from elsewhere. Today, Friday, October 22, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein revealed that the Apple Isle will reopen to all non-Tassie residents who've had two COVID-19 jabs — travellers from interstate and international destinations — on Wednesday, December 15. That's when the state is expected to have reached the 90-percent double-vaccinated threshold, if you're wondering what motivated that choice. And, yes, that's when the double-vaxxed from Australia and around the world alike will be able to enter without quarantining. "At the 90-percent fully vaccinated target for 12 years and over, anyone will be able to enter Tasmania from anywhere within Australia, subject to being fully vaccinated," the Gutwein advised. "That's if they've had a negative test result within 72 hours of travelling. The testing requirement will remain in place for up to four weeks subject to review." "Now, at the 90-percent vaccination mark as well, no quarantine for fully vaccinated overseas arrivals. It will be the same rules for everyone. If you're coming from overseas and you're coming to Tasmania, you'll have the same rules if you're coming out of Sydney or Melbourne or South Australia or Queensland," the Premier continued. That testing requirement is exactly what Victoria has just announced, too, for international arrivals — however, in Tasmania, it'll apply to both Aussie and overseas visitors. The Premier also noted that the only exemption to this will be for Tasmanians that return from a short trip to the mainland. "So, if you want to go shopping in Melbourne... if you're away for a couple of days, you'll be able to return, so long as you're fully vaccinated, without needing to meet the 72-hour test rule. So, if you travel and the travel is less than seven days, you'll be able to return," Gutwein said. The news comes just two days after Tassie hit the 70-percent double-vaxxed milestone among residents aged 16 years and over. For potential visitors who aren't double-jabbed or refuse to take a test before heading to Tasmania, there'll still be quarantine and testing requirements from Wednesday, December 15. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Tasmania, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub.
If you're the type of traveller who chooses their stay based on creature comforts and hotel accolades, you'll want to put a jaunt to Queenstown's newest boutique hotel on your 2023 bucket list. With jaw-dropping views of the lake and town centre thanks to its position on Queenstown Hill, The Carlin has been wowing guests since it first opened seven months ago. And now this 'beyond five-star' hotel just picked up a slew of gongs at this year's World Boutique Hotel Awards in Sydney on Friday night — including the top gong for World's Best New Hotel. The luxe accommodation offering also won prizes for Best New Hotel in Australasia and Best Hotel With a View: Australasia. The Carlin is the brainchild of US-born hotelier and property developer Kevin Carlin, who called the international recognition "very humbling". "We pride ourselves on delivering an outstanding level of service, and these awards formally acknowledge the hard work of our team," he said. [caption id="attachment_880380" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Allen[/caption] With more than 250 nominees from 70-plus countries, judges base their scores on various aspects of guest experience, including restaurants, facilities, location, design and emotional impact. Judges were impressed by the Carlin's "finer details" including the stunningly designed outdoor living spaces, 24-hour on-call staff, private chef and spa services, and guest access to luxury vehicles and private jets. And although it wasn't officially noted, we're guessing the hotel's famously appointed marble bathrooms and wildly exciting various remote-controlled toilet modes all played a role. "We confidently expect to see The Carlin taking more awards in the future," the judges said. Keen on a luxe Queenstown experience with a scenic flight, gin-tasting tour and private Onsen hot pools? Check out this CP Trips package. The Carlin was awarded three prizes at the World Boutique Hotel Awards, including World's Best New Hotel. The hotel can be found at 43 Hallenstein Street, Queenstown.
A Separation is an Iranian drama film that revolves around the divorce of Nader and Simin, who have been married for fourteen years and share an eleven-year old daughter, Termeh. Simin wishes to move the family outside of Iran in light of the turbulent conditions, while Nader wishes to stay in the country to care for his elderly father. A rapid series of events takes place following the separation, which lead to accusations of violence, theft and murder. What results is a fascinating insight into gender customs and religious devotion in Iranian society. Moreso, it unfolds as a story which explores the global themes of guilt, self-reflection and responsibility in a fascinating environment. The film has garnered unanimous critical acclaim since its original release in 2011, which has been solidified with a plethora of awards. These include Best Film at the Sydney Film Festival, a Golden Berlin Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, the esteemed Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globe Awards, and, as of today, the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Critics have praised the film for its fast pace, weaving complexity and bravery for commenting on themes which have been kept hidden to much of the Western world. A Separation is a gripping film that raises more questions that it answers, leaving viewers meddling in thought and contemplation. Thanks to Hopscotch, Concrete Playground has five double passes to give away. To win tickets to see A Separation, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=B2Sswx_vrWk
As fans of a certain fictional cat-like Japanese character should already know, Hello Kitty Land is a real place that exists in Tokyo, and it's probably a bucket-list destination for your next Japan trip. But Sydneysiders don't need to hop on a plane to celebrate the bow-wearing, feline-resembling animated favourite for the next three months, with Darling Square hosting a huge Hello Kitty-themed street festival. Running now until Friday, April 29, this Hello Kitty fest is actually a Hello Kitty Town — so expect the precinct to be positively purring with all things Hello Kitty. Created in partnership with Sanrio, the Japanese company behind the super-popular character, the set up includes exhibitions, inflatable installations and Hello Kitty-themed food and drinks. Who doesn't want to eat a sandwich shaped like the perpetual third-grade student, or drink Hello Kitty rose mocktails? On the art side of the setup, Hello Kitty Town is home to Australia's largest Sanrio art exhibitions, spanning pieces from top graphic designers, illustrators and street artists such as UK cartoonist, writer and illustrator Gemma Correll, Berlin-based artist and illustrator DXTR, Melbourne large-scale mural painter Justine McAllister, and Aussie artist Travis Price, who is the featured artist for the festival — with their wares all displayed in an outdoor gallery. And, there's also a five-metre Hello Kitty inflatable that, yes, is as adorable as it sounds. Food- and drink-wise, the menu currently includes Ume Burger's Bad Badtz-Maru cheeseburger and white peach soda, plus Toastie Smith five limited-edition toasties that all come with Hello Kitty ham bows. Or, you can nab themed teas from Bubble Nini Tea, or dishes such as the Lazy Egg Burger at Auvers Cafe. There'll be more additions to the program — and to the menu — announced over the event's three-month run, tempting you to indulge your Hello Kitty love multiple times. That starts with Lunar New Year lion dances on Saturday, February 5–Sunday, February 6 February at 1pm and 7pm. Obviously, Hello Kitty merchandise is on sale, because a festival like this wouldn't be complete without it. And, also to the surprise of no-one, this is firmly a family-friendly affair. No one ever really outgrows Hello Kitty, though, do they? Hello Kitty Town is taking over Darling Square, 35 Tumbalong Boulevard, Haymarket, until Friday, April 29. For more information, head to the festival's website.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we take you to Pan Pacific Singapore. [caption id="attachment_892011" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This five-star hotel is right in the heart of Singapore, boasting views across Marina Bay, the South China Sea and surrounding city skyline. It also boasts a heap of extra luxe features, including three pools and an in-house spa. THE ROOMS This is a mighty big hotel, with 790 lavish rooms and suites available to guests. You can go for the more modest Deluxe Room — which is still an impressive 38 square metres in size and has sweeping views across either the city or bay. Alternatively, you can opt for one of the more luxurious suites or studios that have separate living and dining rooms, additional bedrooms and little kitchenettes. There's even the Urban Jungle suite which is made for families. It has a super fun jungle-themed room with an inflatable rocking hippo, a tepee and a treehouse bunk bed that sleeps two kids. FOOD AND DRINK As you'd expect in a city known for its food, this opulent hotel boasts a series of spectacular restaurants and bars. There is the fine-dining Cantonese restaurant Hai Tien Lo and the Keyaki Japanese Restaurant which has its own Japanese rooftop garden. But one of our favourites has to be Edge. Here, you get to feast on a high-end buffet that includes fresh oysters and lobster, roast meats with all the trimmings and a massive selection of local dishes. Quantity and quality combine at this spot. [caption id="attachment_864958" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA Pan Pacific Singapore is close to most of the city's best bits. Head to the adjoining Marina Market for boutique stores, walk along the nearby Singapore River for more entertaining and dining options or take a quick cab ride to any of the city's other great sites. Be sure to check out Little India, Chinatown and Arab Street as well as the famous island of Sentosa, if you seek beach clubs and water activities. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips to destinations all over the world.
Put on your toques and gather your loonies — the Stuffed Beaver is serving up classic Canadian fare on bustling Bondi Road. Vancouver-born Brody Petersen has been dishing up his 'Dam Menu' since 2011. There's wooden booths reminiscent of a wintery ski lodge, vintage Canadian memorabilia on the walls, a game of football on the TV plus a perfectly cheesy poutine — any expat will feel right at home and us locals will feel just like we've visited. When you think of North American food, you think of burgers, fries, hot-dogs and deep-fried everything. The Stuffed Beaver delivers all of the above, with a Canadian spin of course. The classic poutine (fries with gravy and melted cheese curds) is as authentic as those French-Canadians make it and just as indulgently satisfying ($14.99). The beef burgers are made fresh every day with Black Angus beef served on a soft brioche bun. Try the Dam Beaver burger ($10.99), beef stuffed with melted blue cheese, or the John Candy combo ($15.99), crispy fried jack cheese, bacon and pickles. The Burgenhausen ($12.99), sweet pulled pork, candied apple and sour cream, is a definite hole-filler. No matter what main you get, you've gotta try the deep-fried pickles ($6.99). Beer battered pickle spears that are deep fried for that crunchy, greasy taste that only North American food can deliver. Canadians like to drink, so it's fair to say the bar is well stocked. If you're a Bloody Mary fan, the Bloody Caesar is the Canadian version ($16.99), the addition of Clamato juice (Clam and tomato juice) and a briny pickle spear gives it its North American authenticity. And whatever you do, don't leave until you've had a shot of Fireball whisky. Super sweet cinnamon whisky that'll warm the cockles of any sceptic's heart. The Stuffed Beaver's name isn't just a nod to its northern icons but a prophetic glimpse as to how you'll feel after a fun night eating and drink here. The North American food is heavy but oh-so-satisfying and with its affordability, cool Bondi location and friendly, relaxed staff, it's the perfect place to get stuffed, eh?
A longstanding pillar of Sydney's queer community and nightlife, Oxford Street nightclub ARQ finally reopened in 2022 after a pandemic-forced hiatus of close to three years. 23 years on from originally opening its doors, the beloved club has made a grand return following a multimillion-dollar renovation. Staples of the ARQ experience including the spa and sauna, Bodyline, Trash Alley and the legendary revolving doors have all been maintained and refreshed, while the venue has also welcomed a new arcade-style games room and a cocktail lounge. "We have all come together again to not only revitalise ARQ, but the entire Australian nightlife industry," ARQ owner Shadd Danesi says. "We believe we are finally in a position to revitalise Australian entertainment, starting with ARQ, reclaiming its position as the jewel in Oxford Street's crown." As with before its temporary shutdown, the club hosts an ongoing program of DJs, drag performers, pyrotechnics, aerialists and live musicians, contributing to that renowned Oxford Street energy and ensuring the dance floor is always packed. You can explore what's on at ARQ via the nightclub's website. [caption id="attachment_881391" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lady Gaga performing at Arq, Eva Rinaldi[/caption]
In some parts of the world it's getting harder and harder to get children into the more interesting places. British parents had so much trouble getting their kids to culture they set up a Kids in Museums campaign, with a wonderfully practical manifesto. They'd have no such problems this October, as kids take over the vaulted lobbies and the sombre spaces of CarriageWorks for the Sydney Children's Festival. A decidedly messy festival, children will get stuck into compost bins, play with clay, meet roaming dinosaurs and manufacture heads. A living library, full of Scarry-like people you can borrow and ask about their lives and what they do, will be available for children to interrogate. There's plenty there for grown-ups too, but it's really the same stuff that appeals to the kids: zoo animals, dinosaurs, goth-ish marionettes and asking firefighters if their job is well good. If you don't have kids, then do friends or family a favour and borrow some and get along. The festival runs from September 27 to October 9, and most of the events are free. Image by novemberkilo.
UPDATE, September 17, 2021: Another Round is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Even the most joyous days and nights spent sipping your favourite drink can have their memory tainted by a hangover. Imbibe too much, and there's a kicker just waiting to pulsate through your brain and punish your body when all that alcohol inevitably starts to wear off. For much of Another Round, four Copenhagen school teachers try to avoid this feeling. The film they're in doesn't, though. It lays bare the ups and downs of knocking back boozy beverages, and it also serves up a finale that's a sight to behold. Without sashaying into spoiler territory, the feature's last moments are a thing of sublime beauty. Some movies end in a WTF, "what were they thinking?" kind of way — for a recent example, see Wild Mountain Thyme — but this Oscar-shortlisted Danish film comes to a conclusion with a big and bold showstopper that's also a piece of bittersweet perfection. The picture's highest-profile star, Mads Mikkelsen (Arctic), is involved. His pre-acting background as an acrobat and dancer comes in handy, too. Unsurprisingly, the substances that flow freely throughout the feature remain prominent. And, so does the canny and candid awareness that life's highs and lows just keep spilling, plus the just-as-shrewd understanding that the line between self-sabotage and self-release is as thin as a slice of lemon garnishing a cocktail. That's how Another Round wraps up, in one the many masterstrokes splashed onto the screen by writer/director Thomas Vinterberg (Kursk)) and his co-scribe Tobias Lindholm (A War). The film's unforgettable finale also expertly capitalises upon a minor plot detail that viewers haven't realised had such significance until then, and that couldn't typify this excellent effort's layered approach any better. But, ending with a bang isn't the movie's only achievement. In fact, it's full of them. The picture's savvy choices start with its premise, which sees the quiet and reserved Martin (Mikkelsen) and his fellow educators Tommy (Thomas Bo Larsen, Veni Vidi Vici), Peter (Lars Ranthe, Warrior) and Nikolaj (Magnus Millang, The Commune) all decide to put an out-there theory to the test. Motivated by real-life Norwegian psychiatrist Finn Skårderud, they conduct an experiment that involves being permanently sauced. Skårderud has hypothesised that humans are born with a blood alcohol deficit of 0.05 percent, so, with some cajoling needed on Martin's part, the quartet work that idea into their daily lives. Ground rules are established, and the shots, sneaky sips and all-hours drinking swiftly begins. Another Round's concept might initially seem like a gimmick. Contending that constantly being under the influence of alcohol is better for humans than sobriety sounds like something that an 18-year-old might mix up, after all. And yet, that premise is never treated as a goofy stunt by Vinterberg, Lindholm and their cast (even if it's easy to imagine how the sure-to-happen US remake will handle the situation). Instead, Another Round uses its underlying idea to uncork a wealth of sharp and raw insights into men, midlife malaise and group behaviour. It pours out more than a few observations on the weight of societal expectations, and the male tendency to internalise rather than express one's feelings as well. These notions are evident when Martin and his pals start drinking to commence their days and to get through them, but they only get more potent as the film goes on. As the four teachers commit to doing whatever they need to maintain their sloshed state, it doesn't take long for them to veer away from their own guidelines. Also quick and easy: straying away from the high-minded notion that they're getting drunk in the name of science and not just because they're each unhappy with their lives in their own ways. Whether you're a keen social drinker or you stay away from the hard stuff completely, Another Round doesn't trade in unrealistic revelations — because we all know that no amount of alcohol, or lack of it, can ever solve all of life's problems. But the film approaches its subject with equally clear, playful and melancholy eyes, especially where Martin is concerned. Before his friends suggest non-stop day-drinking, he's in a rut. When he asks his wife Anika (Maria Bonnevie, Becoming Astrid) if he's boring, it's obvious that she wants to say yes. At school, his students are so worried about his absence of enthusiasm that they tell him they think his bland teaching could cost them marks in their exams. Then, one drop at a time, he starts proving Skårderud's theory. He's creative, confident and courageous, and feels more like himself. It takes an immense amount of skill on Vinterberg's part to convey that change, ground it in reality and never lose sight of the grim repercussions of overindulging. As aided by the movie's naturalistic colour scheme and graceful framing, it takes just as much to ensure the entire film remains frank, unflinching and yet also warm and sometimes humorous. One of Denmark's best directors, Vinterberg was always going to rise to the challenge. Earning the same description in his own field, the always-excellent Mikkelsen was always going to do the same. They make an exceptional pair; when they last teamed up for 2012's The Hunt, the difficult drama about a teacher accused of acting inappropriately with one of his kindergarten students was one of the cinematic highlights of that year. As everything from Festen to Far From the Madding Crowd have also shown, Vinterberg consistently casts his films well, and Mikkelsen is in top-notch company here. Still, Another Round needs its leading man's versatility, and his ability to flit between stoicism, desperation, quiet despondency and charming swagger in particular. There's a reason that, thanks to the likes of Casino Royale, A Royal Affair, Hannibal, Doctor Strange and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Mikkelsen has become one of film and television's most engaging performers — and Another Round will have you saying cheers to that, and to its astute tragicomic look at coping with mundane lives and the realities of getting older in an extreme fashion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5R46NgopPw
When Hans Zimmer composes a film score, audiences remember it. His list of credits is as massive as his love of music, spanning everything from Dune, Top Gun: Maverick and No Time to Die through to Prehistoric Planet, Wonder Woman 1984 and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run in just the past three years alone. Also on the German composer's resume: helping put the bounce in The Lion King's score — both versions — and the droning in Inception's memorable tunes, plus Thelma & Louise, Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, Blade Runner 2049 and more. We could keen naming titles — flicks like Hidden Figures, The Boss Baby, Dunkirk, Widows, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, 12 Years a Slave, Sherlock Holmes, Mission Impossible II and Pearl Harbour, for instance — but all movie lovers know that the best way to appreciate the the Oscar-, Golden Globe-, Grammy- and Tony-winning talent is to listen. And, that's exactly what the Sydney Symphony Orchestra wants you to do on three big winter nights, thanks to its upcoming The Music of Hans Zimmer performances at the Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall. [caption id="attachment_724809" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hans Zimmer[/caption] Sadly, especially if you caught his 2019 Australian tour, Zimmer himself won't be there. But Australian conductor and composer Nicholas Buc will lead the charge as the SSO plays through a selection of Zimmer's work, focusing on The Dark Knight, Gladiator, Inception, Interstellar, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lion King. Buc is no stranger to Zimmer's tunes, after conducting the world-premiere live concert for The Lion King. And, he's no stranger to this kind of event in general, with doing the same for Beauty and the Beast, and just leading live film concerts around the country and the world, also on his resume. Taking place on Thursday, June 22–Saturday, June 24, The Music of Hans Zimmer will also feature The Art of the Score podcast hosts Andrew Pogson and Dan Golding talking audiences through the music with Buc. [caption id="attachment_886230" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sydney Symphony Orchestra[/caption]
Finally we have proof that Hogwarts exists, and it is in the shape of 400,000 Lego blocks. Alice Finch, a mother of two from Seattle who became a Lego aficionado after building blocks with her son, has unveiled her completed scale rendition of Hogwarts, and it is arguably the largest Lego structure built by a single person, measuring 4m in length. This is impressive enough, but when you look inside and uncover the magic of intricately detailed rooms and scenes from the world of Harry Potter, you can see that no block has been left untouched. Finch’s masterpiece took a painstaking 12 months of building, but that time let her perfect her Hogwarts by allowing her to research the books, films, and sets of the magical series to record the finest detail, from moving staircases right down to the old-fashioned slide projector in Lupin's Defence Against the Dark Arts class. This effort has not gone unrecognised either, with Finch taking home both the People's Choice and Best in Show Awards at Brick-Con 2012 — two awards much deserved for continuing the magic that J.K. Rowling first started more than 15 years ago. And why did she do it? "I wanted my kids to be able to play in all the spaces where the story takes place," she told Brick Brothers. You may not be able to play with your own giant Hogwarts, but you can visit Alice's by looking through the Mirror of Erised (your computer screen) at her photoset here. We've picked out a few of the best pictures below. Hogwarts exterior Feasting in the Great Hall. Durmstrang students enter Hogwarts Potions class Gryffindor noticeboard Gryffindor common room The greenhouses Astronomy towers and Ravenclaw
The predictably sole stay available in the Zig-Zag-occupied Republic of Zubrowka, Wes Anderson's mighty Grand Budapest Hotel is quietly killing it over at Trip Advisor. With its own page up for user reviews, photos and generous applause for its cable car access, mountaintop location, satisfying concierge and significant amount of available rooms, the fictional hotel is now rated higher than Paramus, New Jersey's Holiday Inn Express. Seems the marketing team have pulled one humdinger of a stunt, celebrating the UK DVD/Blu-ray release of The Grand Budapest Hotel. If only Trip Advisor had been around for The Shining, they might have pulled a few more winter guests. The official description, as provided by the 200-room 'hotel' reads as follows: Located in the mountainous Republic of Zubrowka and reached by funicular railway The Grand Budapest Hotel has all the advantages of being secluded amongst nature, while having attractions including the Kunst Museum and Mendl’s Patisserie close at hand. Famed for its staffs’ meticulous attention to detail and commitment to the wellbeing of its residents this hotel proves to be the perfect retreat — you’ll never experience anything quite like the Grand Budapest Hotel. True to Trip Advisor form, the comments section is the best bit. Whether fuelled by fans or the marketing team themselves, there's some chortleworthy digs in there for fans of Anderson's wonderfully whimsical hotel: "I am a lady in my 80s and I had the pleasure of staying in this wonderful hotel. Charming, luxurious, soothing, breathtaking... these are just some of the words I'd use to describe the concierge. Simply put, Gustav blew my mind. The hotel wasn't bad either." "Its best days may be behind it, but it's at least quiet, and you never have to wait for a table at dinner time." "As much as I enjoy the solitude, though, it's not perfect. The elevator has the odor of some strong cologne that just won't dissipate, and every so often a VERY creepy old man wanders around and sleeps in the servant's quarters. I'm sorry, but somebody like that has no business amongst the classes that would be staying in a grand hotel." "One of the few genuinely historic buildings remaining in Zig-Zag-occupied Zubrowka. The concierge is lazy, but also quite accommodating." Marketing teams for The Exotic Marigold Hotel, Bates Motel and Hotel Transylvania are face palming right now. Via Indiewire and IWATCHSTUFF.
When one year ends and another begins, looking back is always on the agenda. When summer holidays arrive with lazy days and cruisy itineraries, streaming binges await. Combine the two and you've got a date with 2023's small-screen highlights — but don't just stick to the shows that you saw and loved over the past 12 months. Because no one can watch everything that drops when it drops, you no doubt missed plenty of gems when you weren't glued to your couch. A nun battling AI, Pete Davidson's latest riff on his own life, a new series from Drive filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn and a twist on Sweeney Todd are just some of the fresh 2023 streaming shows that you mightn't have had a chance to catch up with yet, but can now. There's more where they came from. As we did in 2021 and 2022, we've highlighted 15 ace new arrivals over the past year that deserve a place in your streaming queue. Don't spend your break endlessly scrolling through the ever-growing array of streaming platforms — we've done the hard work for you. MRS DAVIS It was back in March 2022 that the world first learned of Mrs Davis, who would star in it and which creatives were behind it. Apart from its central faith-versus-technology battle, the show's concept was kept under wraps, but the series itself was announced to the world. The key involvement of three-time GLOW Emmy-nominee Betty Gilpin, Lost and The Leftovers creator Damon Lindelof, and The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon writer and executive producer Tara Hernandez was championed, plus the fact that Black Mirror: San Junipero director Owen Harris would helm multiple episodes. Accordingly, although no one knew exactly what it was about, Mrs Davis existed months before ChatGPT was released — but this puzzle-box drama, which is equally a sci-fi thriller, zany comedy and action-adventure odyssey, now follows the artificial intelligence-driven chatbot in reaching audiences. Indeed, don't even bother trying not to think about the similarities as you're viewing this delightfully wild and gleefully ridiculous series. There's also no point dismissing any musings that slip into your head about social media, ever-present tech, digital surveillance and the many ways that algorithms dictate our lives, either. Mrs Davis accepts that such innovations are a mere fact of life in 2023, then imagines what might happen if AI promised to solve the worlds ills and make everyone's existence better and happier. It explores how users could go a-flocking, eager to obey every instruction and even sacrifice themselves to the cause. In other words, it's about ChatGPT-like technology starting a religion in everything but name. To tell that tale, it's also about nun Simone (Gilpin, Gaslit), who was raised by magicians (Love & Death's Elizabeth Marvel and Scream's David Arquette), and enjoys sabbaticals from her convent to do whatever is necessary to bring down folks who practise her parents' vocation and the show's titular technology. She also undertakes quite the literal nuptials to Jesus Christ, is divinely bestowed names to chase in her quest and has an ex-boyfriend, Wiley (Jake McDorman, Dopesick), who's a former bullrider-turned-Fight Club-style resistance leader. And, she's tasked with a mission by the algorithm itself: hunting down the Holy Grail. Mrs Davis streams via Binge. Read our full review. A MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD Whichever miniatures are stuffed inside a snow globe, a simple shake surrenders them all to the same fate: flakes falling in their tiny dome. Pop culture's enduring murder-mystery obsession can feel much the same way. When the pieces start raining down in seven-part miniseries A Murder at the End of the World, there's much that instantly feels familiar from a heavily populated field of recent and classics whodunnits. That checklist includes a confined single setting, potential victims cooped up with an unknown killer, rampant secrets and lies, fingers pointed everywhere, Nordic noir's frosty climes, an eerie butler, a wealthy host who might just have the most to lose and, of course, a gifted gumshoe sleuthing through the group. A Murder at the End of the World radiates its own Gen Z Sherlock Holmes vibe, though. That's even how its sharp protagonist is described, and early. In the role of 24-year-old hacker-turned-author Darby Hart, who is invited by billionaire recluse Andy Ronson (Clive Owen, American Crime Story) to an intimate Iceland symposium of bright minds, Emma Corrin (Lady Chatterley's Lover) also turns Agatha Christie. The OA creators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij have put their own intriguing, involving, can't-stop-watching spin on their addition to the genre, as they make clear early. As the duo share writing duties and split time in the director's chair — with Marling also co-starring — they take cues from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Stieg Larsson's sequels as well, all while also sliding their series in alongside Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery; however, the mood, ambition, pursuit of weighty themes, shadowy conspiracies, earnestness and love of telling puzzle-box tales match perfectly with their last show, plus their film collaborations Sound of My Voice and The East. Two timelines unspool: the present-day storyline at the ideas salon, where bodies are soon falling; and the the road trip that Darby took with fellow Reddit-aided citizen detective Bill Farrah (Harris Dickinson, Scrapper) to solve the case that fuels her debut novel. Both are compelling; shake this snow globe for more and you won't want to stop. A Murder at the End of the World streams via Disney+. Read our full review. THE CHANGELING It isn't by accident that watching The Changeling feels like being read to, rather than simply viewing streaming's latest book-to-TV adaptation. Landing from the pages of Victor LaValle's novel of the same name, this horror-fantasy series is obsessed with stories, telling tales and unpacking what humanity's favourite narratives say about our nature, including myths and yarns that date back centuries and longer. Printed tomes are crucial in its characters lives, fittingly. Libraries, bookstores, dusty boxes stacked with old volumes, beloved childhood texts, a rare signed version of To Kill a Mockingbird with a note from Harper Lee to lifelong friend Truman Capote: they all feature within the show's frames. Its protagonists Apollo Kagwa (LaKeith Stanfield, Haunted Mansion) and Emma Valentine (Clark Backo, Letterkenny), who fall in love and make a life together before its first episode is out, even work as a book dealer and a librarian. And, The Changeling also literally reads to its audience, because LaValle himself relays this adult fairytale, his dulcet tones speaking lyrical prose to provide a frequent guide In a show created and scripted by Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Fifty Shades of Grey and Saving Mr Banks screenwriter Kelly Marcel, there's nothing more potent and revealing than a story, after all — and The Changeling believes in the power of tales to capture, explain, transport, engage, caution and advise, too. Aptly, New Yorkers Apollo and Emma meet amid books, in the library where she works and he frequents. It takes convincing to get her to agree to go out with him, but that leads to marriage and a child. The Changeling's astute thematic layering includes Apollo's repeated attempts to wrangle that first yes out of Emma, however, setting up a train of thought that has many future stations. In-between early dates and domesticity, Emma also takes the trip of a lifetime to Brazil, where an old woman awaits by Lagoa do Abaeté. The locals warn the visitor to stay away but she's mesmerised. What happens between the two strangers sends the narrative hurtling, with the lakeside figure tying a red string around Emma's wrist, granting her three wishes, but advising that they'll only come true when the bracelet falls off by itself. The Changeling streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. BUPKIS In its opening moments, Bupkis unloads — twice, in completely different ways, while ensuring there's zero doubt that this is a series about Pete Davidson starring Pete Davidson as Pete Davidson. First, the former Saturday Night Live comedian gets Googling while alone in the basement of the Staten Island home he shares with his mother Amy (Edie Falco, Avatar: The Way of Water). The results about Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale and Kim Kardashian's ex aren't positive; so, to shake off the unpleasantness of reading '12 Things Horribly Wrong with Pete Davidson', he switches from "scumbro" with "butthole eyes" comments to porn. He's wearing a VR headset, and he's soon deep in self-love. Then his mum walks in. Bupkis clearly isn't wary about getting crude. It isn't concerned about satirising its central figure, either. Instead, this semi-autobiographical dramedy relishes the parody. At the age of 29, Davidson has reached the "you may as well laugh" point in his career, which is hardly surprising given he's spent the past decade swinging his big chaotic energy around. Partway through the eight-episode series, while keen to claim some perks for being Davidson's mother — other than doting on her son, that is — Amy shouts at wait staff that "Marisa Tomei played me!". Add that to Bupkis' gleeful, playful nods to reality. An opening statement before each instalment stresses the difference between fact and fiction, and why the show has the moniker it has, but art keeps imitating life everywhere. There's no switching names, however. Davidson is indeed Davidson, his IRL mum is called Amy and his sister is Casey (Oona Roche, The Morning Show). As in The King of Staten Island, they've been a trio since 9/11, and dealing with losing his New York City firefighter dad still isn't easy. Off-screen, however, Davidson must be a fan of My Cousin Vinny, plus the gangster genre. Hailing from the former as Tomei does, and famed for his performances in the latter like The Sopranos star Falco, Goodfellas, Casino and The Irishman alum Joe Pesci is a pivotal part of Bupkis as Davidson's grandfather Joe — a hilarious and delightful part, unsurprisingly. Bupkis streams via Binge. Read our full review. MATILDAS: THE WORLD AT OUR FEET Passion flows as feverishly through the Australia's women's national football team as talent, and Matildas: The World at Our Feet boasts plenty of examples to show it. Covering the lead up to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, this six-part documentary series sees enthusiasm and emotion everywhere, regardless of who the squad is playing, why or where, and the end score. Kicking goals? Joyous. Winning games? Euphoric. Taking every step needed to do their best at soccer's ultimate contest, especially because it's being held on home soil for the first time ever? A positively peppy and determined task. Inspiring girls across Australia to follow in their footsteps? For Sam Kerr and company, that's what their hard work is all about. To start this doco's sixth episode, Kerr and several teammates chat about how much it means to them to be galvanising tomorrow's female athletes, a topic that pops up more than once across the entire series. In this particular instalment, they also discuss the equivalent influence in their own lives: Cathy Freeman's 400-metre gold-medal run at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. "We didn't have a role model in women's football, or any sport," shares goalkeeper Lydia Williams. "Watching Cathy Freeman at 2000, that just kind of ignited my dreams," she continues. "At the time, I was just amazed — blown away that every single person in the country could be talking about one person, and she was a female athlete," adds Kerr. "As I sat in my lounge room as a nine-year-old girl and watched her, that inspired me to one, be proud of who I am, but to also follow my sporting dreams to play football for Australia," says fellow striker Kyah Simon. The force of their feelings radiates from the screen, and Matildas: The World at Our Feet's audience beams the same emotions right back at them. Matildas: The World at Our Feet streams via Disney+. Read our full review. LUCKY HANK When Better Call Saul finished its six-season run in 2022, it was the end of an era. Not only did one of the absolute best TV shows of the past decade and the whole 21st century so far wrap up, but the Breaking Bad universe with it for now. And, it meant that the wonderful Bob Odenkirk was no longer on our screens regularly. Thankfully, with the arrival of Lucky Hank, the latter was only a short-lived state of affairs. This dramedy — because everything is a dramedy at the moment — hails from The Office actor/co-writer Paul Lieberstein, adapts Richard Russo's 1997 novel Straight Man, and casts its Undone and Nobody star as a Pennsylvanian college professor. The eponymous Hank Devereaux Jr inhabits a whirlwind of chaos, including underfunding at his university in general, unhappy colleagues in the English department he chairs, students challenging him, a wife that's tiring of academic life and the fact that he's only penned one book thanks to a hefty bout of writers' block. If some of the above sounds familiar, that's because The Chair flicked through similar territory in 2021 — also engagingly, and with Sandra Oh at its centre. Like that series, Lucky Hank thrives through its excellent lead casting, with watching Odenkirk still one of the easiest things in the world no matter what he's in. He has excellent company, including Lieberstein's The Office co-star Oscar Nuñez as Railton College dean, Mireille Enos (Hanna) as his wife, and Diedrich Bader (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) as a friend and co-worker. As a guest star, one and only Twin Peaks legend Kyle MacLachlan is also among the cast. Odenkirk wears middle-aged malaise so devastatingly well, though, which made Better Call Saul one of the best tragedies there is, and helps Lucky Hank prove as thoughtful as it is charming. There's depth to Hank's experiences, too, with Russo's tome based on his own time teaching at several colleges. Lucky Hank streams via Stan. THE BIG DOOR PRIZE Sometimes Apple TV+ dives into real-life crimes, as miniseries Black Bird did. Sometimes it mines the whodunnit setup for laughs, which The Afterparty winningly achieved. The family feuds of Bad Sisters, Servant's domestic horrors, Hello Tomorrow!'s retrofuturistic dream, the titular take on work-life balance in Severance — they've all presented streaming audiences with puzzles, too, because this platform's original programming loves a mystery. So, of course dramedy The Big Door Prize is all about asking questions from the outset. Here, no one is wondering who killed who, why a baby has been resurrected or if a situation that sounds too good to be true unsurprisingly is. Rather, in a premise isn't merely a metaphor for existential musings, they're pondering a magical machine and what it tells them about themselves. Everyone in The Big Door Prize does go down the "what does it all mean?" rabbit hole, naturally, but trying to work out why the Morpho has popped up in the small town of Deerfield, where it came from, whether it can be trusted, and if it's just a bit of fun or a modern-day clairvoyant game are pressing concerns. When the machine arrives, it literally informs residents of their true potential. Crowds flock, but not everyone is initially fascinated with the mysterious gadget. Turning 40, and marking the occasion with that many gifts from his wife Cass (Gabrielle Dennis, A Black Lady Sketch Show) and teenage daughter Trina (Djouliet Amara, Devil in Ohio), high-school history teacher Dusty Hubbard (Chris O'Dowd, Slumberland) is nonplussed. Amid riding his new scooter and wondering why he's been given a theremin, he's baffled by all the talk about the Morpho, the new reason to head to Mr Johnson's (Patrick Kerr, Search Party) store. As school principal Pat (Cocoa Brown, Never Have I Ever) embraces her inner biker because the machine said so, and charisma-dripping restaurateur Giorgio (Josh Segarra, The Other Two) revels in being told he's a superstar, Dusty claims he's happy not joining in — until he does. The Big Door Prize streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. COPENHAGEN COWBOY Ten years ago, Nicolas Winding Refn released his second Ryan Gosling-starring film in succession, won his second Sydney Film Festival Prize, and was a reliable source of dazzling and blisteringly atmospheric crime fare thanks to Drive and Only God Forgives — and also the Pusher trilogy and Bronson before that pair. In the past decade, however, he's only brought one more movie to cinemas. The Neon Demon was a gem, too, and about as Refn as Refn gets, but that was back in 2016. Smaller screens have been beckoning the Danish director, thankfully. He launched his own free streaming service, and also co-created, co-wrote and directed the ten-part, Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick)-starring Too Old to Die Young. Refn's latest effort gets episodic as well, and sees him return to his homeland for the first time since Valhalla Rising — and, while it feels filtered through David Lynch's sensibilities alongside his own, Copenhagen Cowboy remains Refn through and through. The visuals have it, as they always do when this filmmaker is behind the lens. Neon aplenty, how he composes a room, how his characters peer on at the world around them, the use of 360-degree pans, the chilly mood, his overall aesthetic flair: they're all here. So, too, is another of the director's essentials, courtesy of a synth-heavy score by Cliff Martinez. That combination makes an entrancing mix, as it has over and over before, but Copenhagen Cowboy is never simply a case of empty style, sound and vision. Also present is an enigmatic tale, this time about the magnetic and mysterious Miu (Angela Bundalovic, Limboland). Considered a "living lucky charm" and highly sought after for her talents, she's the show's entry point to Copenhagen's criminal underworld. Can she help Rosella (Dragana Milutinovic, also Limboland) get pregnant? What kind of eerie situation has she found herself in? Are her gifts genuine? It wouldn't be a Refn project if questions didn't linger in the pulsating sense of stillness. Copenhagen Cowboy streams via Netflix. IN LIMBO Not to be confused with 2023 Australian film Limbo, six-part Aussie dramedy In Limbo not only takes its title to heart, but also uses the idea as fuel for a supernatural buddy comedy. Indeed, before the first episode is out, Nate (Bob Morley, Love Me) is palling around with his lifelong best friend Charlie (Ryan Corr, House of the Dragon) from the afterlife. The former doesn't know why he's still a presence. The latter is understandably reeling from the tragedy, and initially thinks that spying Nate is just a drunken hallucination. No one else, not Nate's wife Freya (Emma Harvie, Colin From Accounts), eight-year-old daughter Annabel (Kamillia Rihani, The Twelve), supremely very Catholic mother Maria (Lena Cruz, Wellmania) and affable father Frank (Russell Dykstra, Irreverent), can see their dearly-departed loved one as a ghost. It's Christmas, too, in this Brisbane-shot and -set series, and facing the festivities after such a shock is far from easy. While heartily deploying Brisbane Powerhouse and New Farm Park as settings, that's a lot for one show to delve into — and delve it thoughtfully does. Tackling grief, mental health and suicide is never simple, even in a show about someone haunting their best mate, and including when such topics have been increasingly popping up in Australian fare of late (see also: Totally Completely Fine). In Limbo is clearly made with care, empathy and understanding — and, crucially, doesn't attempt to offer any firm answers, instead acting as a conversation starter. At its core, the always-excellent Corr plays a complicated role with charm. That's no surprise given his resume, and he couldn't be better cast. Corr's likeable performance always dives deep into the about-to-get-divorced Charlie's struggle without Nate physically by his side, with Nate now his ghostly offsider and with his own problems, and never brushes past the character's flaws. And, just as importantly as the show's focus on 21st-century masculinity and friendship, Corr makes such a great double act with Morley that filmmakers should be clamouring to pair them up again ASAP. In Limbo streams via ABC iView. Read our full review, and our interview with Ryan Corr. HELLO TOMORROW! In 2022, scam culture was here to stay, as drawn-from-reality hits such as Inventing Anna and The Dropout repeatedly promised. In 2023, playing fast and loose with the truth sits at the heart of Hello Tomorrow!, too, which tells a fictional tale about the deceptions people spin to chase their dreams. The show's beaming face: travelling salesman Jack Billings (Billy Crudup, The Morning Show), the regional manager for BrightSide Lunar Residences, and a passionate pusher of timeshares on the moon. He's this intriguing dramedy's version of Don Draper, but with Mad Men's 60s surroundings swapped for The Jetsons-style robot help and hovering vehicles. There's a The Twilight Zone-meets-Leave It to Beaver feel to Hello Tomorrow!, too, as its characters seek the same thing we all do: a better life. Creators Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen (both Bloodline alumni), also co-writers and showrunners with You're the Worst's Stephen Falk, zoom in further, focusing on the reasons anyone holds onto to hope their lot will improve. Befitting any blend of all of the above series, the look of Hello Tomorrow! is retro-futuristic, steeped in 50s-era visions of what might come. The time and place is an alternative version of that decade, in a suburban enclave called Vistaville, where one of Jack's biggest fibs has its origins. He's summoned back with his crew of hawkers — the gambling-addicted Eddie (Hank Azaria, The Simpsons), promotion-coveting Herb (Dewshane Williams, In the Dark) and resident righthand-woman Shirley (Haneefah Wood, Truth Be Told) — by his mother Barbara (Jacki Weaver, Penguin Bloom) after his wife Marie (Annie McNamara, Severance) is injured by a self-driving delivery van. His son Joey (Nicholas Podany, Archive 81) is struggling to cope, a task made all the more difficult by Jack's absence from his family's lives for decades. He's skilled at sharing stories about his domestic bliss on the moon to customers, but being a happy head of a lunar household is merely one of his go-to falsehoods. Hello Tomorrow! streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review, and our interview with Hank Azaria. THE CONSULTANT If there's a question that no employee wants to hear from the person setting company agendas, pulling strings and signing paycheques, it's "what do we do?". In moody and mysterious workplace nightmare The Consultant — which adapts horror author Bentley Little's 2016 novel of the same name, but plays like Severance filtered through Servant — Regus Patoff (Christoph Waltz, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio) asks a variation of it early. "What do we make?" he queries at CompWare after he arrives amid grim circumstances. The mobile gaming outfit came to fame under wunderkind Sang (TV first-timer Brian Yoon), so much so that school groups tour the firm's office. Then, during the visit that opens this eight-part, excellently cast and supremely easy-to-binge thriller, a kid shoots and kills the company's founder. That doesn't stop Regus from showing up afterwards clutching a signed contract from Sang and spouting a mandate to do whatever it takes to maximise his legacy. Regus is as stern yet eccentric as Waltz has become known for — a suit- and tie-wearing kindred spirit to Inglourious Basterds' Hans Landa, plus Spectre and No Time to Die's Ernst Stavro Blofield. He first darkens CompWare's door in the thick of night, when only ambitious assistant Elaine Hayman (Brittany O'Grady, The White Lotus) and stoner coder Craig Horne (Nat Wolff, Joe vs Carole) are onsite, and he won't take no for an answer. There's no consultant job for him to have, Elaine tells him. There's no business to whip into shape, she stresses. By the next morning, he's corralling employees for an all-hands meeting and telling remote workers they'll be fired if they don't show up in-person within an hour, even if he proudly doesn't know what CompWare does — or care. From there, The Consultant gets creator Tony Basgallop, who is also behind Servant, doing what he loves: kicking off with a blow-in, unsettling a group already coping with tragedy and reordering their status quo with severe methods. Both of his current shows lace the chaos that follows with nods towards the supernatural, too, and both ask what bargains we're willing to make to live the lives we're striving for. The Consultant streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. THE HORROR OF DOLORES ROACH It takes place in New York, not London. The era: modern times, not centuries back. Fleet Street gives way to Washington Heights, the demon barber to a masseuse nicknamed "Magic Hands", and pies to empanadas. There's still a body count, however, and people end up in pastries as well. Yes, The Horror of Dolores Roach namedrops Sweeney Todd early, as it needs to; there's no denying where this eight-part series takes inspiration, as did the one-woman off-Broadway play that it's based on, plus the podcast that followed before the TV version. On the stage, the airwaves and now via streaming, creator Aaron Mark asks a question: what if the fictional cannibalism-inciting character who first graced penny dreadfuls almost two centuries back, then leapt to theatres, films and, most famously, musicals, had a successor today? Viewers can watch the answer via a dramedy that also belongs on the same menu as Santa Clarita Diet, Yellowjackets and Bones and All. Amid this recent feast of on-screen dishes about humans munching on humans, The Horror of Dolores Roach is light yet grisly, but it's also a survivalist thriller in its own way — and laced with twisted attempts at romance, too. That knowing callout to Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street comes amid an early banquet of knowing callouts, as The Horror of Dolores Roach begins with a play based on a podcast that's wrapping up its opening night. Newspaper clippings in actor Flora Frias' (Jessica Pimentel, Orange is the New Black) dressing room establish that the show takes its cues from a woman who got murderous in the Big Apple four years prior, and helped get unwitting NYC residents taking a bite out of each other. Meet the series' framing device; before the stage production's star can head to the afterparty, she's face to face with a furious Dolores (Justina Machado, One Day at a Time) herself. The latter isn't there to slay, but to haunt the woman spilling her tale by sharing the real details. Two decades earlier, Dolores was a happy resident of Lin-Manuel Miranda's favourite slice of New York, a drug-dealer's girlfriend, and a fan of the local empanada shop. Then the cops busted in, The Horror of Dolores Roach's namesake refused to snitch and lost 16 years of her life. When she's released, gentrification has changed the neighbourhood and her other half is nowhere to be found. Only Luis Batista (Alejandro Hernandez, New Amsterdam) remains that remembers her, still in the empanada joint, and he couldn't be keener on letting her stay with him in his basement apartment below the store. The Horror of Dolores Roach streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. HIGH DESERT In High Desert, the always-excellent Patricia Arquette (Severance) leads a private investigator comedy that dapples its jam-packed chaos under California's golden sun, against the parched Yucca Valley landscape and with an anything-goes philosophy — not to mention a more-mayhem-the-merrier tone. She plays Peggy Newman, who isn't letting her age get in the way of perennially struggling to pull her life together. That said, when the eight-part series starts, it's Thanksgiving 2013 and she's living an upscale existence in Palm Springs, with gleaming surfaces abounding in her expansive (and visibly expensive) home. Then, as her husband Denny (Matt Dillon, Proxima) jokes around with her mother Roslyn (Bernadette Peters, Mozart in the Jungle), and her younger siblings Dianne (Christine Taylor, Search Party) and Stewart (Keir O'Donnell, The Dry) lap up the lavish festivities, DEA agents swarm outside. Cue weed, hash and cash stashes being flushed and trashed, but not quickly enough to avoid splashing around serious repercussions. A decade later, High Desert's protagonist has been sharing Roslyn's house and trying to kick her addictions while working at Pioneertown, a historical attraction that gives tourists a dusty, gun-toting taste of frontier life. Peggy would love to step back in time herself when she's not pretending to be a saloon barmaid — to when her recently deceased mother was still alive, however, rather than to her glitzy post-arrest shindigs. Still angry about being caught up in a drug bust, Dianne and Stewart have zero time for her nostalgia and a lack of patience left for her troubles. Their plan: to sell Roslyn's abode with no worries about where Peggy might end up. Her counter: doing everything she can to stop that from happening. High Desert doesn't just embrace the fact that living and breathing is merely weathering whatever weird, wild and sometimes-wonderful shambles fate throws your way; in a show created and written by Nurse Jackie and Damages alumni Jennifer Hoppe and Nancy Fichman, plus Miss Congeniality and Desperate Housewives' Katie Ford, that idea dictates the busy plot, too. High Desert streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. TOTALLY COMPLETELY FINE In Thomasin McKenzie's breakout role in 2018's deeply thoughtful and moving Leave No Trace, she played a teen being the responsible one while living off the grid with her PTSD-afflicted father. She turned in a magnificent performance in a film that also earns the same description — one of that year's best — and a portrayal that rightly ensured that more work came her way. In Totally Completely Fine, the New Zealand actor is again excellent, as she's been in Jojo Rabbit, The Justice of Bunny King, Old and Last Night in Soho in-between; however, this six-part Australian series, which makes ample use of its Sydney setting, casts McKenzie as the least responsible among her siblings. Vivian Cunningham's elder brothers John (Rowan Witt, Spreadsheet) and Hendrix (Brandon McClelland, Significant Others) are conscientious and family-focused, respectively, while she has internalised her bad decisions to the point of thinking that she ruins everything. But then her grandfather passes away when she's at a particularly low moment, wills only her his cliffside house and also leaves a note saying that she'll learn what to do with it. When Totally Completely Fine begins, Vivian is close to saying goodbye. Soon, she discovers that her inherited home is a destination for others feeling the same way. Creator Gretel Vella (a staff writer on The Great, and also a scribe on Christmas Ransom and Class of '07) doesn't shy away from a a tricky topic, as her definitely-not-totally-completely-fine protagonist becomes an unofficial counsellor to strangers — like runaway bride Amy (Contessa Treffone, Wellmania) — who step into her yard planning to commit suicide. This character-driven series doesn't ever reductively posit that only struggling people can help struggling people. Instead, it sees life's difficulties everywhere, the many ways that folks attempt to cope and don't, and the parts that others can have in that journey. McKenzie's performance is pivotal, selling the deep-seated grief that has defined Vivian's life, the chaos she's embraced as an escape, and how telling others that they have something to live for is both complicated and crucial. Totally Completely Fine streams via Stan. BAD BEHAVIOUR When high school is hellish on television, sometimes that happens literally; Buffy the Vampire Slayer's teens did their studies above a hellmouth and Stranger Things' crew is constantly trying to avoid the Upside Down. In Bad Behaviour, hell is the girls of Silver Creek, the wilderness campus of an exclusive all-female boarding school where young women decamp to spend a year learning resilience away from the wider (and supposedly wilder) world. It's where Joanna Mackenzie (Jana McKinnon, We Children From Bahnhof Zoo) attended on a scholarship, sharing a cabin with Alice Kang (Yerin Ha, Sissy) before they cross paths again ten years later — Jo striving to become a writer, but paying the bills in hospitality; Alice a musical prodigy-turned-global classical star. While Jo doesn't have fond memories of her year away, she's shocked at Alice's frosty reception. Indeed, she'd always thought that the domineering Portia (Markella Kavenagh, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) was the bully of their dormitory, making her own experience a nightmare. But this blast from the past gets Jo rethinking her own behaviour. Adapted from Rebecca Starford's book of the same name by Pip Karmel (Total Control) and Magda Wozniak (Neighbours), with Corrie Chen (New Gold Mountain) directing, Bad Behaviour is spot-on about the Mean Girls-meets-The Lord of the Flies realm it navigates. Starford's tome is a memoir, after all. For anyone who has ever been or known a teenage girl — so, everyone — this four-part series feels deeply lived-in, even if you've never attended a private school, let alone such an education institution's remote campus. With McKinnon, Ha and Kavenagh all delivering potent performances, and the latter making a memorable antagonist, the mood is equal parts tense and reflective. As Bad Behaviour flits between Jo's time at Silver Creek, including the thrall that Portia held over her, and her adult awakening to who she really was while she was there, it's unafraid to face stark truths about our teenage demons as well. Bad Behaviour streams via Stan. Check out the trailer.
As long as current release dates hold, 2023 is a year of threes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Viewers will see three MCU flicks. They'll also watch three new streaming series. And, among those movies is The Marvels, which teams up a trio of female superheroes. Those characters: Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Fast X), Ms Marvel's Kamala Khan (debutant Iman Vellani) and WandaVision's Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, Candyman). As seen in a debut sneak peek earlier this this year and now the just-dropped full trailer, they're joining forces and trading places. The film acts as a sequel to both Ms Marvel and Captain Marvel, also marks third entry in the MCU's Phase Five, and features Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton, The Handmaid's Tale) on a mission to destroy worlds. Apart from the whole universe-in-peril situation, this is clearly a dream come true for massive MCU superfan Khan, who has always been thrilled and surprised at everything happening to her. Loving the MCU, going to MCU fan conventions, obsessing over Captain Marvel, then learning that you have superpowers just like your heroes: that's enough to leave you perpetually astonished and overjoyed in tandem, an emotional state that's still in play in The Marvels. Ms Marvel was always leading up to this big-screen release, which is also the 33rd movie in the MCU, following fellow 2023 cinema releases Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It's due in cinemas in November, and is clearly making the most of having three caped crusaders in its frames in the trailers. If you're wondering, Carol has her identity back from the Kree and she's taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence; however, that has consequences, and the universe has become destabilised. So, The Marvels need to team up to do the usual MCU thing: save everyone and everything. Also returning: Secret Invasion's Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey) and a whole heap of Flerkens, including Goose. As well as Larson, Parris, Vellani, Jackson and Ashton, The Marvels features Park Seo-joon (Parasite). Behind the lens, Candyman's Nia DaCosta directs, and co-wrote the screenplay with Megan McDonnell (WandaVision), Elissa Karasik (Loki) and Zeb Wells (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law). And those three MCU shows this year? Secret Invasion, the return of Loki and newcomer Echo. Check out the full trailer for The Marvels below: The Marvels releases in cinemas Down Under on November 9, 2023. Images: Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.
This November, Darlinghurst is slated to become home to a swanky new watering hole: The Waratah. Led by hospitality heavyweights Evan Stroeve (ex-RE, Bulletin Place and Swillhouse), Alex Prichard (current executive chef at Bondi Icebergs) and business partner Cynthia Litster. It marks the debut of the new Sydney hospitality group, Pollen Hospitality, founded by Stroeve and Litster. Located on the corner of Liverpool and Victoria Street, The Waratah will seat 120 and span two storeys. There's also be an openair courtyard to chill during sunny arvos with your mates. Downstairs promises to be your classic warm and cosy local with Aussie wines and beers on tap. Venture upstairs, and you'll find the terrace bar, where staff will be slinging cocktails and a more substantial food and wine offering. Named for the scarlet-hued emblem for New South Wales, the venue has a farm-to-table philosophy that directs the choice of suppliers and produce on the menu. Seasonal, local, native and thoughtfully sourced produce will make up the menu — the majority through NSW Growers and First Nations Providores. On crafting the menu, Prichard — culinary director at The Waratah — says, "The menu is fresh, nourishing and most of all sourced with thought and care." Prichard will remain at Icebergs but has entrusted the top dog position to his protégé, Lewin White (ex-Bondi Icebergs, Bistro Moncur, RE), as the new head chef for the Darlinghurst pub. The menu and pub lists are under wraps for now, but one thing that Prichard shared, which we're sure will bring footfall to the new watering hole, is a fairy bread ice cream sandwich. Yes, please. Also slated to be on the payroll is Andie Bulley — current brand ambassador for Monnet Cognac and an award-winning bartender at her current mise-en-place, Savile Row Bar in Fortitude Valley, Queensland. The Waratah will open in November at 308-310 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst. For more details, follow @thewaratahsydney.
Arguably the worst part of travel is the bit where you actually have to travel. Sitting in an over-cramped, over-air-conditioned metal tube for 20+ hours almost makes post-pasta swims in the Mediterranean seem too much trouble than it's worth (almost). But until we're at The Fifth Element stage where we can just hop in a capsule and get knocked out cold for the duration of the journey, we'll just have to be content with airlines' attempts at cutting down flight times and transfers. In huge news for Aussie travellers, Qantas last week announced they are really close to locking down a direct flight from Australia to Europe. Thanks to their new Dreamliner 787-9 aircraft — which are set to start flying in October 2017 — the airline hope to run non-stop flights from Perth to London in the near future. Direct, the Perth to London flight time would be 17-18 hours. It would be considerably quicker than their current route, which, with their partnership with Emirates, includes a rather hellish stopover in Dubai (as all stopovers are). It would be the first and only direct flight from Australia to Europe. "This aircraft allows us to fly routes that we could only imagine in the past," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce told The Australian. "It allows us to fly from Perth to London, from Sydney to Chicago or Melbourne to Dallas." Qantas are still in negotiations to lock down the new route, but are expected to confirm its actualisation pretty soon. The sort-of news comes as the airline revealed the layout for their new Dreamliner fleet, which will be two-thirds the size of the 747s they will eventually replace and have only 236 seats (as opposed to the 747's 364 seats). Economy will have a 3:3:3 seat situation (as opposed to the 3:4:3), as well as USB ports and an extra inch of leg room. Hurrah for leg room! Plus, they also revealed some new branding, which includes new typography on the side of their planes. Qantas are set to confirm the Perth to London route soon. We'll update you when they do. Via The Australian.
Whether you're looking to sip or sup in Balmain, you'd best call in for a sip or sup at one of the local's favourite watering holes, Cat & Fiddle. This independently owned and operated establishment has been a mainstay in the locale since 1920. It's undergone numerous facelifts and rejuvenations but remains a local favourite with its Trivia Tuesdays, Monday Bistro Family Night (hospo workers get a free drink on the house), live music, bottomless brunch weekends and, of course, happy hour from 3-6pm Monday to Friday. The bistro is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner — 12-3pm and 5-9pm — serving up Mediterranean-style pub grub with eats inspired by cuisines from France, Greece and the Amalfi Coast. Pop in for some loaded hummus, 'Greek Style' grilled octopus, crab linguini, woodfired pizzas or your classic pub fare, with chicken schnitty, burgers galore, sausages and mash, steak cuts or fish and chips on the menu. Wash down your feast of choice with an Australian vino. Cat & Fiddle's wine list is brimming with wines from coast to coast, whatever your preference — bubbles, white, pink, orange or red. If you're more of a cocktail-girlie, you can opt for a classic or amp up your choice with the venue's signature cocktails, like Mr Rose, made with Archie Rose Gin, elderflower syrup, fresh strawberries and lime, or Jalapeño My Way, made with 1800 Tequila, Cointreau, shaken with fresh lime juice, jalapeño-infused sugar syrup, and a Tajin spice rim. Images: Balmain Rozelle Chamber of Commerce
If you're fond of R&B, hip hop and nostalgia, you'll want to grab your diary ASAP: Fridayz Live is back for 2025. The festival last popped up in 2023, then sat out 2024. There's no lineup just yet, but the event has locked in dates and venues for its four Australian stops, with Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth on the itinerary. This year's Fridayz Live run will kick off on Friday, October 17 at Brisbane Showgrounds, then head to Sydney's ENGIE Stadium on Saturday, October 18. The following weekend, Perth's Langley Park will welcome the fest on Friday, October 24. The final stop: Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Saturday, October 25. The lineup isn't far away, either, with the announcement set for 6am on Thursday, May 22. Whoever is on the bill will follow in the footsteps of Jason Derulo, Boyz II Men, Kelly Rowland and Flo Rida in 2023, plus TLC, Shaggy, Ashanti, Craig David, Akon and Macklemore in 2022. Before that, Fridayz Live previously went by RNB Fridays, but with the same focus music-wise. Kelis, En Vogue, Usher, Salt-N-Pepa, Ginuwine, Naughty by Nature and Janet Jackson have also graced past lineups. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fridayz Live (@fridayz_live) The last time that Fridayz Live was on the concert calendar Down Under, it also went to Adelaide; however, a visit to the South Australian capital hasn't been announced for 2025. Fridayz Live joins Spilt Milk in making a comeback this year after sitting out 2024, in a welcome trend for the Aussie live music scene. Fridayz Live 2025 Dates Friday, October 17 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane Saturday, October 18 — ENGIE Stadium, Sydney Friday, October 24 — Langley Park, Perth Saturday, October 25 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Fridayz Live is touring Australia in October 2025. We'll have the lineup for you at 6am on Thursday, May 22, 2025 — keep an eye on the festival's website and Instagram in the interim.
UPDATE, February 13, 2021: Issued late on Friday, February 12, the NSW Government's public health order only requires travellers from Victoria to NSW since 11.59pm on Friday, February 12 to stay at home for the duration of Victoria's lockdown. The government body advised that "the date previously advised has been updated following advice from the NSW Chief Health Officer". As all of Victoria enters a snap five-day lockdown in a bid to contain its latest COVID-19 outbreak, many states are introducing border closures and restrictions of their own. In NSW, the Government is requiring anyone in NSW who has been in Victoria at any time on or after Friday, January 29 to follow the same stay-at-home restrictions as those coming into force in Victoria. That means, any returned travellers will need to follow Victoria's stage four rules between 11.59pm on Friday, February 12 and the same time on Wednesday, February 17. Returned travellers will only be able to leave their homes for those familiar four reasons: shopping for essentials; medical and other care and caregiving; exercise; and essential work. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1360083780795465730 Travellers arriving from Greater Melbourne by road or from Victoria by air or rail must also complete a traveller self-declaration form before entry into NSW. The NSW Government is also strongly advising against all non-essential travel to Victoria at this time, saying "people who do choose to travel will be required to follow the stay-at-home requirement on their return". For more information about COVID-19 restrictions in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. To learn more about the Victorian stay-at-home orders, head to the Victoria Department of Health website.
Marco Pierre White is a star of kitchens and screens alike. He was the first British chef — and the youngest chef at the time — to be awarded three Michelin stars. He's popped up on everything from Hell's Kitchen to MasterChef, including in Australia. Back in 2019, he was one of Melbourne Good Food Month's huge headliners. He's also the culinary force behind cookbook White Heat, the 1990 tome that played up his "bad boy" image. He's been dubbed "the first celebrity chef" as well. And, he's trained fellow famed food figures such as Mario Batali, Heston Blumenthal, Gordon Ramsay and Curtis Stone. That's a brief run through White's resume, but you're best to hear the full details — and the ups and downs that've come with being White — from the chef himself. So, in May, the culinary whiz is touring Australia's east coast capitals with his first-ever live theatre show. White's Out of the Kitchen gigs will chat through his beginnings, his training and his stardom, plus the kind of success that led to his "enfant terrible" label. That means hearing about his arrival in London with just "£7.36, a box of books and a bag of clothes", and his tutelage under Albert and Michael Roux at renowned French fine-diner Le Gavroche. And, there's nabbing those three Michelin stars at the age of 33, of course. Out of the Kitchen will start its Aussie run at Brisbane's Convention and Entertainment Centre, then see White head to Sydney's State Theatre and Melbourne's Hamer Hall. 2023 has already taken Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi around the country on a speaking tour, and is bringing Mauro Colagreco and his French Riviera eatery Mirazur to the Sydney in March, plus British chef Simon Rogan and his restaurant L'Enclume to the Harbour City for a five-week residency this winter, in what's clearly a great year for getting tips from the world's culinary masters. MARCO PIERRE WHITE – OUT OF THE KITCHEN: Tuesday, May 23 — Great Hall, Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Centre Thursday, May 25 — State Theatre, Sydney Tuesday, May 30 — Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne Marco Pierre White's Out of the Kitchen tour hits Australia in May 2023. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the tour website.
Let's be real: too many aspects of our locky-d can make us feel like we're living in Groundhog Day. But, we ask you, why should drinking — that great lockdown pastime — feel the same? Of the many things we're missing these days, right up the top of the list is enjoying a perfectly crafted cocktail while perched at a lovely bar. And sure, we can try our hand at making our own, but, in these trying times, why not leave it to the professionals? Not only will it taste better, but you'll also be supporting our hospo industry, especially as many of our favourite venues are doing it tough right now. With that in mind, we've teamed up with Patrón to highlight six city venues — and two regional ones — delivering the good times to your door. We're talking litres — literally — of ready-made margaritas, as well as DIY taco kits, seafood feasts and more. Here's where to place an order for your next big night in. TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD, PADDINGTON: TACO KITS AND DIY MARGS Paddington agave den Tequila Mockingbird is not messing around this lockdown, with single serves, batch pours and even DIY marg kits available to be delivered straight to your door. The eponymous Tequila Mockingbird Margarita is always a winner here, a house signature which features Patrón Silver, St Germain, jalapeño-infused agave, cucumber and lemon. This lockdown, it's available in bottles for one, four, six or eight (at least in theory — because, these days, who's counting?). The same pours are also available for a selection of the bar's other classics or you could even try your hand at shaking your own drink with a DIY kit featuring all the ingredients as well as a jigger, shaker, strainer and a Patrón agave cup to pour it into. Hot tip: complete your order with an eight-serve DIY taco kit, or a hearty winter warmer like a slow-roasted lamb shoulder served with chimichurri rojo. Discover Tequila Mockingbird's full takeaway offer and place your order at its website. [caption id="attachment_822949" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alana Dimou[/caption] PS40, CBD: CUSTOM COCKTAIL BOXES CBD cocktail den PS40 was among the first venues in town to pivot to cocktail delivery last year, and, thankfully, the service is still going strong now. You can customise a box of three bottled cocktails with multi-serve bottles of signatures like the Breakfast Negroni, which includes hints of banana bread, coffee and tonka beans, and the Spicy Verdita Margarita, in which the verdita is made from ripened pineapple, jalapeño, parsley and mint. If you're looking for something a little more hands-on, the Watermelon Margarita Fun Pack is just the ticket. The airtight pouch contains a delicious combo of tequila, sake, cold-pressed watermelon and bergamot — all you need to do is cut it open, pop it in your blender and blitz away for those summer holiday vibes (BYO paper umbrella). The pouch serves two and has a three-month shelf-life in the freezer. Discover PS40's full delivery offer and place and order at the website. Delivery is available Sydney-wide from Tuesday to Saturday. THE BOATSHED, LA PEROUSE: SEAFOOD FEASTS AND $10 MARGS While it's not quite the same as sipping a marg from the sunny outdoor bar overlooking Frenchmans Bay, you can bring a bit of The Boatshed to your place thanks to its excellent takeaway deal. Every day, the La Perouse waterfront hangout is slinging a huge selection of cocktails — including three types of marg — for just $10. They're all served in fun-sized Patrón glass bottles, which you can return empty for ten percent off your next takeaway cocktail order (as if we needed an extra excuse). Pair your drinks with one of the kitchen's fresh seafood dishes to really make a night of it. Discover The Boatshed's full takeaway offer over on its Instagram. You can order via Uber Eats or call ahead on 9661 1817. LOW AND LOFTY'S, CRONULLA: INDONESIAN BITES AND SMOKY MARGS An order from Shire fave Low and Lofty's will take your lockdown night in from low to lofty. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, the Cronulla restaurant and bar is delivering mouthwatering Indonesian dishes as well as a number of its excellent cocktails Shire-wide. Pair a chicken satay or full-bodied beef rendang with a mini Patrón bottle filled with a classic marg or a smoked jalapeño variety finished with cinnamon smoke. Discover Low & Lofty's full takeaway offer and place your order at its website. ROXY'S, DOUBLE BAY: MIDDLE EASTERN BITES AND MARGS Double Bay newcomer Roxy's has made a name for itself since opening earlier this year for its creative interpretations of classic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours — and this is an influence that extends, naturally, to its bar program. This lockdown, the all-day eastside spot is offering a heap of takeaway goodies every Wednesday through Sunday, with an offer that ranges from freshly baked pastries to flavour-packed pita pockets. You can also pick up a margarita or five — opt for either a single serve or a 500ml bottle of the house marg which features Marionette dry curaçao, lime and hints of sumac. Discover Roxy's full takeaway offer and place your order at its website. CHECHO'S, PENRITH: FOUR-COURSE FEASTS AND ONE-LITRE MARGS Buzzy Penrith diner Checho's is hoping to bring the (socially distanced) fiesta to yours this lockdown. You can choose your own adventure, too, with the restaurant cooking up its ready-made favourites like charcoal corn ribs, patatas bravas and DIY taco kits; or, if you prefer to take matters into your own hands, opt for a cheekily named Hola Fresh box featuring a stack of fresh ingredients and instructions on how to make a four-course meal perfect for two, with dishes like beef brisket tacos and watermelon salad. Whichever you choose, you'd be remiss not to add a one-litre margarita bottle. There are five varieties to choose from, including charred pineapple and mango — if you want to work your way through all five, that is perfectly acceptable, too. Find out about Checho's takeaway offer and place your order at its website. Takeaway is available Wednesday–Sunday evenings. TOWRADGI BEACH HOTEL, WOLLONGONG: CANDY-INSPIRED MARGS The folks at Wollongong's Towradgi Beach Hotel know how to bring the good vibes, whether at the bar or in your home. As well as its indulgent $70 Netflix and Chill packs, which feature a pizza, pasta, garlic bread and a large margarita jar (or bottle of vino), the bottle shop is slinging over ten varieties of margs. You can choose to keep things classic or opt for a fruit-fulled one, including strawberry, mango and passionfruit flavours. Feeling adventurous? Then sample one of the limited-edition candy-inspired margaritas. The rotation changes weekly — previous flavours include Nerds Grape and Wizz Fizz — so keep an eye on the venue's Facebook page to see the latest selection. Find out about Towradgi Beach Hotel's takeaway and delivery offer and place your order at its website. Food is available for takeaway Friday—Sunday evenings; the bottle shop is open daily. [caption id="attachment_823880" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Pop'd Shop (Unsplash)[/caption] POCKET BAR, TERRIGAL: WEEKEND SESSIONS Central Coast favourite Pocket Bar is helping you indulge over the weekends — even in lockdown. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, the Terrigal hangout is offering next-level dinner packs (which can serve up to six people) for pick-up and delivery. Food-wise, expect dishes like 60-day dry-aged scotch fillet, heirloom tomato burrata salad and potato gratin.If you're seeking a little libation, be sure to add its pre-batched cocktails, such as a strawberry negroni or classic marg, to your order. All cocktails are available in three different sizes, too, meaning there'll be plenty to go around. Find out about Pocket Bar's takeaway and delivery offer and place your order at its website. For more cocktail inspo, head to the Patron website. Top image: Alana Dimou
Our society has a love affair with retro. From vintage clothing to a quirky antique find, we cannot seem to get enough. Yet no retrospective romance seems to be as durable or resonate as emphatically as our relationship with vinyl records. No matter what market you go to on the weekend, the lure of a full crate of musical treasures is irresistible, causing fingers to curiously flick through the collection before finding that gem to take home and play on your record player (that you probably bought at the same market immediately afterwards). At First Sight understands this fascination and is taking over Carriageworks on Saturday, July 20, with an enormous record fair and live music event. So whether you are an audiophile or you just have an intangible sensory relationship with those black discs, you are sure to find something at this brand new utopia for vinyl fans. To better understand this connection with vinyl, Concrete Playground asked some of the musicians performing at the event just why these musical mementos retain their aura. Amy Franz, SUPER WILD HORSES What is your favourite memory involving vinyl? I must have been about 14 and there was a boy on whom I had a debilitating crush — the kind of crush that is crushing, as happens when you're a teenager. He gave me a 7" of the Stone Roses, 'She Bangs the Drums', and at the time I felt like he was trying to tell me that I should be a drummer. We'd had a jam at my house with a whole lot of music gear I took home on loan from the school music department and I think I'd bashed something out on the half a drum kit I had. It was probably the biggest musical encouragement of my life. It took me another 12 years to get around to playing the drums. Antonia Sellbach, BEACHES Why do you think vinyl retains its popularity in the digital era? Music sounds better on vinyl. There's also the whole sense of tradition and ritual to vinyl. By having to turn over a record at the halfway point you're more connected to the whole album experience. It's the ultimate surviving format, partly because it provides a much needed counter to the digital era. Vinyl is an object, a thing. It takes up space, it's a commitment. If you truly love an album, you'll probably buy it on vinyl. And album artwork always looks better in 12"x 12". Kate Wilson, THE LAURELS What was the first vinyl you ever purchased and why? I think my first was Frenzal Rhomb's 'Sorry about the Ruse' 7" single. I still have it, although I've lost the insert. The insert was a letter from Depeche Mode's record label, (unfairly) denying Frenzal Rhomb permission to release a song based on 1981 smash hit 'Just Can't Get Enough', entitled '(How can I) Fuck the System (If I just can't get it up)' — it was included as the B-side anyway. You could get it with a blue or a green cover — I got the green one, and my friend the blue. I remember we fabricated some loose and spurious pretence to bring them not only to school, but also into the classroom, where I recall we just kind of lovingly gazed at them. Being a severe teenage dork who carried a record like a teddy bear meant incredible parties and first dates were not on the agenda for me at that time. Why do you think vinyl retains its popularity in the digital era? Trends can often be retaliatory in nature. I think vinyl is the counterpoint to the impermanence, and inability to tangibly "own" digital media. There's a healthy element of childhood nostalgia, courtesy of parent's record collections. There is also the wildly addictive sport of crate digging. Additionally the length of the LP's reign as the dominant medium, coupled with the fact that people discarded whole collections when digital took over, mean there is a hell of a lot of music out there. The abundance keeps the price low and the variety high. Record collecting is one of the greatest and most rewarding strategy games on earth! You have to be quite knowledgeable about music to derive pleasure from flicking through dusty LPs for hours on end, so I think there is a carry over to the more casual music buyer that vinyl is the format of choice for people who are seriously into music, an idea abetted by the fact it's seen by most audiophiles as the superior sound format. Ben James, SONGS What is your favourite memory involving vinyl? Buying my own record player. Listening on my brother's before that was a no go, and annoying — I could only listen at half volume so that I could still listen out for him coming home and avoid a good thrashing. Emma Ramsay, HOLY BALM Why do you think vinyl retains its popularity in the digital era? VHS has not disappeared. The technology may have been surpassed but there will always be people interested in hacking old technology in creative ways or wanting to 'experience' older technology. VHS is still in people's lounge rooms, attics, garage sales. Vinyl retains popularity in the digital era, because the analog era still exists, it has not ended per se. They co-exist. And so one informs the other, giving an extended network and experience of how we find new music, and dig up old favourites. MARTY DOYLE, At First Sight Curator and FBi Presenter What was the first vinyl you ever purchased and why? I was born in the '80s. The ideals of the time were all about the race for the latest technology, so that meant cassettes and Walkmans with Dolby Noise Reduction for me. My dad had a lot of records, but i just thought they were things he rolled 'cigarettes' on. It wasn't until i was about 12 and started listening to hip hop that I paid attention to vinyl. When i saw footage of Grandmaster Flash DJing at a Block Party, i thought it was the coolest thing ever. 2 turntables and scratching? I went straight to my dad's record collection and started digging through it and I was amazed to find all this stuff in there I had heard from hip hop samples. I think the first record I found and recognised was Boz Scaggs 'Low Down' which was sampled by Sparky D. That was really the start of my vinyl obsession. I still bump that Boz Scaggs record, it's the definition of sophisticated easy listening. Owen Penglis, STRAIGHT ARROWS What was the first vinyl you ever purchased and why? I first started buying records because they were heaps cheaper than CDs — as a 14 year old you've got plenty of time to burn digging through the $2 bin, and you'd usually come out with something you'd heard of before. I pulled out The Eagles The Long Run because I'd heard they were supposed to be good. Let me tell you, they are fucking terrible: boring cocaine country rock shit. I threw the album in the oven and learnt that not only do LPs make for unusable bowls, but there's no time for shitty music. Why do you think vinyl retains its popularity in the digital era? It smells better than CDs. At First Sight is on at Carriageworks on Saturday, July 20. The record fair is free and entry to the live music is $35.
When Iron Man, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Captain America and their fellow caped-crusader pals all cross paths on-screen, they do so within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When it's Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman's turn, they populate the DC Extended Universe. But these kind of big-screen franchises aren't just the domain of superheroes. In the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, for instance, a number of Spider-Man supervillains are getting their own interconnected movies. First came 2018's Venom, starring Tom Hardy (Dunkirk) as a journalist who is forced to share his body with an alien symbiote. Next year — delayed from 2020 — Morbius will see Jared Leto (The Little Things) play a figure also known as the "Living Vampire". In-between the two, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is also hitting screens. The initial flick about Hardy's Eddie Brock and his parasitic pal did ridiculously big business at the box office, so it was always going to get a sequel. Due to hit cinemas Down Under this October — after being delayed from its September release date — Venom: Let There Be Carnage signals its other main point of focus in its title. This time around, Venom isn't the only formidable figure that Brock has to deal with, with Woody Harrelson (Zombieland: Double Tap) joining the cast as Carnage. For those who haven't dived deep into Spider-Man's comic book history, Carnage is another of the web-slinger's adversaries. Inhabiting the body of a serial killer called Cletus Kasady, he's also Venom's nemesis. And while Eddie's life isn't all that straightforward as seen in both the original Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer and the just-dropped new sneak peek — living in harmony with Venom is about as easy as it sounds — things get a whole lot more chaotic when Carnage enters the scene. As these two villains face off, here's hoping that Venom: Let There Be Carnage gives Michelle Williams (Fosse/Verdon) more to do than the first Venom movie did, with the four-time Oscar-nominee returning as Eddie's ex-fiancée. Also seen briefly in the trailers: Naomie Harris (The Third Day) as yet another Spider-Man villain, Shriek, plus Stephen Graham (The Virtues) as Detective Mulligan. And, behind the lens, Lord of the Rings actor-turned-Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle filmmaker Andy Serkis directs. Check out the latest trailer below: Venom: Let There Be Carnage opens in Australian cinemas sometime in October — we'll update you when an exact date is announced.
Hej! Spring has arrived, the sun is out and colourful dresses complete with Swedish clogs have started to reappear on the streets. There’s no better time to head over to Sydney’s unofficial Swedish enclave, the relaxed beachside 'burb of Manly. This trendy north-shore hub has an enviable collection of Nordic design stores, and amongst the mix you’ll find Fika Swedish Kitchen. The breezy, chic cafe was founded by expats whose wistful thoughts of home resulted in the brainwave of bringing the best of Swedish culture to the heart of Manly. It channels a Scandinavian summerhouse vibe and seems staffed entirely by attractive blondes like something from a Swedish travel brochure. The sunshine streams into the neatly curated space, illuminating the modern whitewash interior, rendered concrete benchtop and simple artwork. The minimalism is balanced with homely touches of wooden furnishings, scattered cushions, pops of vibrant yellow and decorative jars of Swedish sweets. Fika translates as ‘taking a break for coffee and a bite to eat', and with that welcoming attitude and the open pavement dining, it buzzes with laidback Manly locals over the warmer months. We decide to take a time out from our Marimekko homeware shopping, and dabble in some Swedish fare — but first we crack open a Rekorderlig cider while we peruse the lunch menu casually scrawled across the back wall. The obvious crowd-pleaser is the Swedish meatballs with potato mash, gravy and lingonberry jam ($18), comfortingly served up on canteen-style enamel plates. If you miss the lunch hours, open sandwiches are available throughout the afternoon. Try the gravlax cured salmon skagen, a lavish open sandwich heaped with mashed egg and håvmästar sauce. If you are feeling a little indecisive there is always the smörgåstårta, a sandwich as complicated as its name is to pronounce. It's a three-layer stack of smashed egg, prawn skagen, gravlax, meatball, ham and Jarlsberg ($15). Our table quickly became a smorgasbord, which literally translates to ‘sandwich table’. There was so much sandwich on our table that there was hardly any table. Not for long though. There were only a few crumbs left on our plates to remind us of what once was. Now, everyone knows that hanging out in Manly is like being on holiday, and on holiday one always has room for dessert. With such an endearing name, it was impossible to go past Grandma Elly’s Apple Pie ($8) — the just-out-the-oven golden goodness served with a hearty dollop of vanilla whip made me momentarily wish I were related to Grandma Elly. For an authentic brew, try the refillable Swedish coffee ($2), which is perfect coupled with a cinnamon bun ($5) from the freshly baked batch sitting enticingly on the counter. After you tear into this traditional pastry, you’ll be tempted to order a few as souvenirs to take on the trip home. With such sincere fare, simple Scandi design and the happy chatter of Swedish expats enjoying a taste of home, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that you aren’t actually in Stockholm.
Locals will soon score their first taste of Sydney Tower's multimillion-dollar food and drink makeover, with the first of three impressive new venues set to open its doors in a matter of weeks. First announced back in February, the Trippas White Group's $12-million redevelopment will see the creation of a new three-level bar and restaurant precinct for the famous CBD building. And we now know what's in store, with the company today revealing more about its plans for the three new offerings. Launching first, on Friday, September 25, is Infinity at Sydney Tower: an upscale restaurant replacing the former 360 Bar and Dining on Level 1. Under new Head Chef Mike Dierlinger (The Bridge Room), it's set to plate up a modern Australian menu fusing local produce with international flavours and technique. Dierlinger will draw on his experience working at Michelin-starred restaurants across the globe, to deliver a menu of elegant fare "crafted with an international twist". And you can expect a pretty flash setting to match, as the venue serves up those stunning revolving views across the city and its surrounds. [caption id="attachment_782344" align="alignnone" width="1920"] An artist's impression of Infinity[/caption] Dierlinger is also helping to guide the culinary offering of fellow Sydney Tower newcomer, Bar 83, which is also opening on September 25. Housed up on Level 3, a soaring 83 floors above street level, this one is set to be the city's highest drinking destination. It'll take the form of a luxury cocktail lounge and bar, also rocking some pretty spectacular views — till 2am on Friday and Saturday. The lounge will have a retro vibe with white and red circular seats, gold banquettes, metallic lights and art deco mirrors. Plus, it'll have some big-name talent on the floor (and behind the bar) with award-winning bartender Jenna Hemsworth (Restaurant Hubert, The Baxter Inn) stepping in as venue manager. [caption id="attachment_782937" align="alignnone" width="1920"] An artist's impression of Bar 83[/caption] Rounding out the trio will be Level 2's casual dining offering, known as SkyFeast at Sydney Tower. This one's gearing up to be a modern update on the touristy buffet of old, featuring unlimited dining options celebrating cuisines from around the world. Infinity at Sydney Tower and Bar 83 are set to open on Friday, September 25. SkyFeast will launch later this year. All three can be found at Sydney Tower, between Pitt and Castlereagh streets, Sydney CBD. Top image: Sander Dalhuisen Updated September 10, 2020.
Woolloomooloo favourite Flour and Stone is loved among locals and visitors alike for its top-notch pastries, delicious sandwiches and overall simple comfort food. Its counter treats are baked daily and change regularly, with sweet options including a strawberry and rosemary brûlée, a quince and custard tart, a delightfully crunchy rocky road and blueberry scones with jam and cream. If you're after something more savoury try a cheese and chive scone (only available Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), a leek and gruyere cheese tart or a spanikopita. [caption id="attachment_747204" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Samantha Mackie[/caption] For something more substantial it also offers a great range of sandwiches, including a sage roasted pumpkin with taleggio, walnut, cavolo nero, bechamel and cayenne pepper; a leg ham option with gruyere, smokey wholegrain mustard and aioli on sourdough; as well as a poached chicken variety with mayonnaise and granny's pickles. The pies here are famous too, with people making the trek from all over Sydney to enjoy one. Options include chicken, leek and tarragon; beef Rendang; dahl-tadka; and a scrumptious pork and caraway sausage roll. Images: Destination NSW/Alan Benson/Samantha Mackie. Appears in: The Best Bakeries in Sydney for 2023
So long MissChu, hello Saigon Lane. Restaurateur Aki Kotzamichalis has taken over the licenses of the popular Vietnamese eateries in Bondi, Glebe, Darlinghurst and the CBD — which, from December, will be trading with new menus and a new moniker to match. Kotzamichalis is best known as the man behind Bali restaurants Ku De Ta and Saigon Street, with the latter establishment inspiring the Sydney rebrand. "It's a massive undertaking" Kotzamichalis told Concrete Playground. "Rebranding, painting, renovating, new menu, staff training, you name it." The Saigon Lane menu will be inspired by chef Phil Davenport, who previously served as head chef for seven years at Ku De Ta. Think green rice fried tiger prawns, Vietnamese chicken coleslaw with peanuts, and pork belly banh mi. They'll also retain a number of favourites from the old MissChu menu, including the popular Atlantic salmon dish and a selection of dumplings. "We didn't want to alienate anyone," said Kotzamichalis. "Anything that is really popular we'll keep or tweak." The menu will be the same at all four sites, although there'll be a bigger focus on takeaway at the "rush in, rush out" tuck shops in Darlinghurst and the CBD. The restaurants in Glebe and Bondi, on the other hand, will feature a selection of signature cocktails, at least two of which will be available on tap. The new interiors, meanwhile, will come courtesy of Alex Zabotto-Bentley, who'll make use of the same bright colour palette seen over in Seminyak. "Saigon Lane will have a similar look and feel to its big brother, but with a few unique twists that will be revealed when we open our doors in December," promised Kotzamichalis. For more information about Saigon Lane visit www.saigonlane.com.
Earlier this year, when events worldwide started cancelling, postponing and rescheduling due to COVID-19, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA)'s Dark Mofo was sadly one of many that had to pull the plug. It's also just one of the annual festivals that the venue holds and, thankfully, MONA's summer event will be forging ahead — with the venue announcing dates and locations for Mona Foma 2021. Come January, arts and music fans will be able to soak in the fest's eclectic sights and sounds across two weekends — and in two locations. Although Mona Foma was originally held in Hobart, where MONA is located, the event made the move to Launceston in 2019. In 2021, however, it'll split its program between both Tasmanian cities. Launceston will be up first, from January 15–17, with Hobart getting the nod the next week from January 22–24. Just what'll be on the bill hasn't been announced as yet, and won't be until later this year, but the fact that the festival is happening at all is the kind of great news that 2020 has been lacking. As Mona Foma curator Brian Ritchie explained, "Mona Foma thrives on reinvention and we are compelled to do that big time in January 2021. One weekend in Launceston, and one weekend in Hobart, to spread the love. Great Tasmanian artists, unusual venues, and an irrepressible creativity". Focusing on Tassie artists isn't new for the fest, with 61 percent of creatives involved in the 2020 event hailing from the state. [caption id="attachment_784488" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Robin Fox laser installation at the Albert Hall, Launceston, Mona Foma 2019. Photo Credit: MONA/Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of the artist and MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia[/caption] Of course, before you go making big plans for a weekend getaway down south, you'll want to keep an eye on Tasmania's current border restrictions — which, at the time of writing, requires 14 days in quarantine in government-designated accommodation for non-Tasmanian residents who aren't classified as essential travellers, and additionally requires pre-approval from the Deputy State Controller if you're entering from a location considered high-risk, such as Victoria. Mona Foma will take place from January 15–17, 2021 in Launceston, and from January 22–24, 2021 in Hobart. We'll update you when the full program is announced later this year — but head to the festival website in the interim for further details. Top image: The Flaming Lips, Mona, Hobart, Mona Foma 2016. Photo Credit: MONA/Rémi Chauvin. Image Courtesy Mona, Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
