For the next six weeks, you’ll be able to feast on Eric Koh’s perfect dumplings without leaving the CBD. Merivale is bringing the Mr. Wong maestro and former Tim Ho Wan dim sum master to King Street for a pop-up dubbed Work in Progress @erickoh. It’ll open Monday to Friday from midday till late, with the kitchen cooking between midday and 3pm for lunch, then for dinner between 5.30pm and 10pm. The pop-up's menu is promising an array of Koh’s signature creations, including scallop and prawn shumai, prawn har gau and steamed mushroom dumplings, duck spring rolls and prawn wonton with wasabi mayo. Plus there’ll be a neat beverages list to match, covering cocktails, wines and beers. Stay late on Thursdays and Fridays to kick back to local DJs. Work in Progress @erickoh is a sequel to @patrickfriesen, the Papi Chulo chef's fried chicken and noodles pop-up that drew crowds during the 2015 March into Merivale food and wine festival. Planned for just five weeks, it was so bombarded with hungry hordes that it remained open for six months. Koh has been living in Sydney since 2012, when he moved here to set up Mr. Wong, winner of ‘Best New Restaurant of the Year’ at the 2014 Good Food Guide Awards, the and the 2014 Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide Awards. Once he’s done popping up in the CBD, he’ll be heading to Enmore to head the much-anticipated Queen Victoria Hotel’s new kitchen (recently bought by Justin Hemmes), alongside Papi Chulo’s Christopher Hogarth and Patrick Friesen. Eric Koh's Work in Progress dim sum pop-up will open Tuesday, September 8 at 50 King Street, Sydney. Open Monday to Friday 12-3pm, 5.30-10pm (kitchen), 12pm-late (bar).
There's something enchanting about discovering evidence of previous inhabitants in your house. Whether it be an earring wedged under a skirting board or a confusing message scrawled on the underside of a drawer, it feels like eavesdropping on another time. It may not make sense, but you're definitely getting away with something. Geoff Sobelle, an absurdist playwright who's been eavesdropping on the nonsensical for quite some time, has seized on this sensation for his theatre show Home. In a single house in a single night, we will see all of the people who will ever live there play out their stories within a hair's breadth of each other. Plus, audience members will be invited to onto the set to inhabit the 'home' as the show progresses. Head along just to see how they divvy up the cleaning roster. Home is part of Sydney Festival's dramatic and diverse 2019 program. Check out the full lineup here.
A small country pub on the NSW South Coast is ditching pokies in favour of live music. For years the Tathra Hotel has been home to a dozen poker machines, with 50 percent of the venue's total value tied up in the licences required to have them on site. Despite this, when veteran publican Cliff Wallis took over the hotel last year, he decided the machines had to go. "Poker machines have destroyed hotels in many respects," Wallis told the ABC. "Some hotels have become primarily poker machine venues, and they do best in the lowest socio-economic areas." Tathra has a population of just 2000 people, yet had 70 poker machines before Wallis took his stand. The plan is to use the money made from the sale of the gambling licences to revamp the hotel's accommodation. The venue had already begun to host regular live music gigs before renovations began last month. The old pokies room, meanwhile, will make way for a microbrewery. Although the decision to remove the poker machines has alienated some former regulars, it has also attracted other types of clientele. "We have a lot of people coming in who didn't come here before — retired people, professionals, and more women coming in on their own to have a drink and listen to the music," Wallis said. Wallis has spent decades working in the industry, and has owned the Sundeck Hotel in the Perisher Valley for 25 years. Ultimately, he says he wants the Tathra Hotel to be "a place that the community is proud of." Via Music Australia. Image: Wiki.
If you've always dreamed of owning a brewery, you're about to get your big shot. Initially Sydney-based, Hopsters Co-op Brewery is the first Australian brewhouse made by the people, for the people. Craft beer entrepreneur Marco Vargas is the man behind the plan and he's collaborating with mates Ross Hynard and Louie Jahjah to get this big dream off the ground — a cooperative brewery that's funded by membership. "This is our passion project," says Vargas. "We've met a lot of home brewers who are really passionate but don't have the capacity to do it themselves, so we realised that the best way is together." Co-op breweries have seen considerable success in US, with five currently in operation, but Hopsters is the first of its kind in Australia. "I believe it will be a strong business because everyone in the community has a stake in it," says Vargas. The Hopsters motto "drink like you own the place" sums up the concept well. Member benefits will include access to brewing equipment, community collaboration brews, exclusive events and discounts at the brewery's taproom. Anyone from the community can join — from craft beer industry leaders to home brewers and beer geeks. "We plan to hold a monthly social where members can meet and talk beer," says Vargas. The team's goal is to open five breweries with 5000 members Australia-wide, the first of which is set to open in Leichhardt by the end of 2016. They dream big — as in expecting 2000 members by the end of the year big. The building they're currently locked onto is owned by the same landlord as the Wayward Brewing Co., a good sign for the brewing liberties to come. A lifetime membership costs $250 per person, which, all things considered, is quite the bargain. While they aren't taking payments until the brewery is set to go, you can register your interest to get in at ground level. Check out Hopsters' website for more details on how to become a member.
Whether you refer to him as co-creator and star of the cult British sitcom Black Books, one of the youngest winners of the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Fringe, a multi-BAFTA winner, or simply "the greatest comedian, living or dead" (as did French newspaper Le Monde in 2007), one thing is clear: Dylan Moran is a one-man comedy industry. However, it seems comedy is no laughing matter once you’ve reached the upper echelons of worldwide stardom, as Moran most certainly has. Best known as the co-creator of iconic British sitcom Black Books, Moran is synonymous in the public imagination with the show's eponymous lead: the drunken, curmudgeonly, occasionally whimsical, second-hand bookstore owner Bernard Black. Therefore, when speaking to him over the phone — he's in Prague, partway through his mammoth 18-month, 143-show world tour and launching his new live show DVD Dylan Moran Off The Hook — the first revelation is just how affable the real Moran is. Despite a terrible, occasionally inaudible connection and the sneaking suspicion that this is but one in a long line of interviews he must sit through today and every day, he is warm and considerate; his speech is rapid and eloquent, pausing sporadically to gather his thoughts, his brogue transforming a quotidian 'um' into a far more charming 'erm'. His accent aside, Moran couldn’t seem more dissimilar from the bellicose drunkard he portrayed on screen and that the media seem intent on pigeonholing him as. Asked if the mischaracterisation annoys him, Moran laughs before replying: "I really don’t care. It doesn't bother me. You know, people latch on to what's obvious, some character or presentation or something, and they tend to run with it." "Time is short — I understand, people need to stick labels on things," he adds dryly. So if the labels aren’t accurate, just who is the real Dylan Moran? We had a chat with the multifaceted star to find out. THE CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL As his prolific touring schedule might suggest, professional comedy is a draining business, and Moran is candid about the reality of life on the road. "You don't just go and do three shows and then take a few days off, then do another show and take a day off," he says. "It's a discipline. You’ve got turn up everyday, you've got to make sure you're in working order... trundle yourself off to the theatre, do the show as well as you possibly can, try to keep yourself interested by doing new things — and then do it the next day and the next day and the next day and the next day." THE INTUITIVE ARTIST Having won the most prestigious award in live comedy, Moran later dismissed the Perrier Comedy Award as "a load of media rubbish". This disillusionment with the media and its inability to comprehend the creative process is a recurring theme for Moran. "The thing is, journalists ask questions from the outside, to 'describe what it's like on the inside'," he explains. "If I could describe what it was like on the inside, I'd have to be outside the experience, which would mean I could no longer do it. Do you know what I’m saying?” "So I'm trying to preserve the necessary ignorance to allow me to carry on doing it, because if I start overanalysing it — or I start interrogate the fairy that's collaborating with me inside my head to make this stuff happen — if I ask too many questions about where we're going or what we're doing, the fairy is not going to talk to me anymore." THE RELUCTANT COUNTRY BOY Growing up in rural County Meath, northwest of Dublin, Moran remembers his childhood as bucolic but bittersweet. "Well, you know, it's not a bad place to grow up — you're in the countryside, you're a kid, and you're out in the street. You're running around, you're off on your bike to get up to some mischief." But the appeal of rural living didn't last too long. "You get to be a teenager and you want more of what the city has to offer, so you start getting a bit impatient to get out." Living proof, Moran was 16 when he left school and, having made good his escape, he took out the Perrier Award just eight years later. Two incredibly successful decades on, does he ever feel he'll return to quiet country life? "I have no idea yet, I certainly don't feel it at the moment. I’m moving around a lot like, you know, I don't really have time to have an ear of corn between my teeth as I gaze out over the fields." THE RESPONSIBLE FATHER A lack of time is not just due to Moran’s gruelling work schedule, but also the pressures of raising two young children. Reflecting on how fatherhood has affected his comedy, Moran says it's a pretty fundamental alteration to your worldview. "It makes you place a different stock, or value, on everything. You might've been more attracted to what was noisy or loud or fun or eye-catching, short-term value, before you were a father, and then you start thinking obviously more in terms of consequence and enduring value when you have a child.” THE AMBIVALENT SCREEN STAR The notion of enduring value is a complicated one for any artist. How do you simultaneously remain relevant and preserve a legacy? Despite being most widely remembered for Black Books, Moran seems to feel no immediate compulsion to return to the small screen. "When time allows I'll write another television show, or I'll write a screenplay, or I'll write something else," he says. "But at the moment, I have to restrict my energies to what I'm doing right now, which is miles and miles of road." In the meantime, Moran has been racking up a series of supporting roles in independent feature films, such as Shaun of the Dead, Run Fatboy Run, and a particularly nuanced performance as a disillusioned millionaire plagued by his complicity in the Eurozone collapse in Michael McDonagh's critically-acclaimed Calvary. So, what's next? "I don't know what I'm going to make and it won't be a tour for a while because, obviously, you can only do this every now and again, because it does tend to fray the edges. So I’ll make something that I can make at home." So perhaps more iconic British television is in the offing? "In the future, yes. I will do some more [television], sure, in the future." Dylan Moran Off The Hook is out now on DVD.
Vivid Sydney is returning for another year — the perfect opportunity to once again get out and discover how great Sydney can be in winter. This year, instead of fighting the crowds at obvious viewing spots like Circular Quay and Opera Bar, consider going on an adventure and seeing the lights from an alternative vantage point. Vivid's boundary-obliterating light shows are so vivid they can be seen from all over Sydney. In partnership with BridgeClimb, who have a sky-high Vivid Sydney experience running during the festival, we've rounded up some great, alternative places to see the lights. Within this list, there's a sky-high pub, a ferris wheel, a ferry deck, an island and a relatively far-flung reserve. Remember, the lights switch on at 6pm and off at 11pm each night — plan your viewing accordingly. FROM THE TOP FLOOR OF THE HOTEL PALISADE You'd be hard pressed to find a spot with better views, comfier couches and more alcohol than Henry Deane — a two-floor cocktail lounge that sprawls the top floor of Hotel Palisade at 35 Bettington Street, Millers Point. Wherever you're sitting, there are extraordinary panoramas of the city and Sydney Harbour, visible through floor-to-ceiling windows. Designer Sibella Court took care of the interior, bringing with her pink leather sofas, splashes of greenery and swirls of marble. Take your Vivid experience up a notch with a signature cocktail like the Sun-Kissed Spritz, made with Plymouth Gin, Regal Rogue White, Suze, honey, basil and soda, or delve into the "Food Between A Few" menu, which offers snacks and share plates like spicy blue swimmer crab rolls, sesame-crusted tataki and mussels with white wine, tomato, garlic and chilli. FROM THE TOP OF THE SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE A magical way to view the entirety of Vivid Sydney from one vantage point is to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Get a group of friends together and spend three and a half hours climbing one of our most recognisable symbols, then throw a wicked, incandescent dance party at the summit. During the festival BridgeClimb are installing an illuminated dance floor which can welcome up to 14 people at a time. This rave that's literally on another level is happening exclusively during Vivid Sydney — from Friday, May 26 to Saturday, June 17. Head here to grab a ticket and get your glow sticks ready, because all of these climbs are happening at night. FROM THE FERRIS WHEEL AT LUNA PARK An oldie, but definitely still a goodie, a spin on Luna Park's ferris wheel will take your Vivid Sydney experience to new heights. Entry to Luna Park is free, all you have to do is grab a ticket for the wheel itself. Hitting 40 metres at its peak, the ferris wheel will give you epic views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the city at a slow and dreamy pace. This year, the bridge will form part of Dreamscape, an interactive light display created by 32 Hundred Lighting in collaboration with Iain Reed. A one kilometre-long line of light will dazzle the Cahill Expressway, connecting it seamlessly with Circular Quay. Note: Luna Park's ferris wheel is closed for the first few days of Vivid, but after that it's more than open for business and great views. [caption id="attachment_620077" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Bernard Spragg via Flickr.[/caption] FROM THE DECK OF A SYDNEY FERRY Don't stay on the shoreline, stuck on land and removed from the action. Instead, get amongst Vivid properly and take a ferry ride. Hanging out on the deck, with the Harbour's inky mysteries passing beneath you (it's as deep as 45 metres in some parts), you'll see the festival from a continually changing angle. You'd struggle to find a better perspective of both the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Harbour Lights, a display of light and movement created by the synchronised motion of vessels on the harbour. Your trusty Opal card is all you need for this up-close experience. [caption id="attachment_620074" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Martin7d2 via Flickr.[/caption] FROM THE QUIET SURROUNDS OF CREMORNE If you like seeing Vivid, but you also like your personal space and your sanity, then get yourself to Cremorne Reserve. Located on the northern side of the harbour, at the end of Cremorne Point, this haven of greenery and tranquility gives you light-filled views without the chaos that tends to reign on the southern side. Pack yourself a good bottle of sparkling along with a picnic and claim your own patch of grass in time for sunset. Sure, you'll be seeing things from a distance, but you'll still get an excellent, uninterrupted view of the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the city skyline and the boats coming and going across the harbour. You can travel by ferry, as there's a wharf on the western side of the reserve. While you're in the area, think about checking out Lights for the Wild, Taronga Zoo's contribution to Vivid 2017. FROM AN ISOLATED HARBOUR ISLAND A nocturnal visit to Shark Island means you can combine the festival with a quick island getaway. Lying one kilometre off Rose Bay, this tiny isle is just one-and-a-half hectares in size and dotted with sandy beaches and grassy picnic areas. Views from the western shoreline take in the skyline, the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. As at Cremorne Reserve, you'll be watching from a distance, which means you get to see the big picture and escape the hordes. EORA - Bennelong, an installation created by Bangarra Dance Theatre, will be projected onto the bridge's southern pylon — it's likely to look pretty damn incredible. Getting to Shark Island isn't particularly easy as Sydney ferrys don't do the run, but there are private operators like Captain Cook Cruises and water taxis that will do the job. The view, and the serenity, will be worth it. Get a bunch of mates together and take a watery adventure. Head over to BridgeClimb to book your tickets to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge during Vivid Sydney. By Jasmine Crittenden and James Whitton.
Huge news for Australia's bar and restaurant scene, Keystone Hospitality Group has been place in receivership. The sprawling empire behind Australia's Jamie's Italian restaurants, Sydney's The Winery, Gazebo, Manly Wine, Cargo Bar, Bungalow 8, alongside multi-city venues Kingsley's and Chophouse, will sell their collection of venues after being unable to settle on their financial structure with lenders, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Keystone's venues, including 17 bars, pubs and restaurants across the country and six Jamie's Italian joints, could be sold as a whole package or individually. Cargo Bar, Keystone's very first venue opened in 2000, has been up for sale since March, but now the likes of Kingsley's, Manly Wine, Sugarmill Hotel and Sweethearts Rooftop and The Rook and the rest of the portfolio will go on the market — and SMH puts the value at more than $100 million. Keystone also has over 1000 employees nationally, according to news.com.au, who'll be sitting tight until more details come through. So, what about that elephant in the room? Lockouts. Have NSW's controversial lockout laws had anything to do with this? We don't have solid data on Keystone's venues and their takings pre- and post-lockouts, but many of their venues like Cargo Bar, The Winery, The Sugarmill, Sweethearts Rooftop, Gazebo and Bungalow 8 all sit within the lockout zone in Sydney. And in a statement published on news.com.au, Keystone executive Richard Facioni and managing director John Duncan included the lockout laws in a host of pressures on their businesses. "Two years ago the Keystone Hospitality Group undertook a major expansion program, including acquisitions, to become a significantly larger, national group," they said. "However, the debt raised to undertake its expansion, combined with changes to the local market, including lockout laws, have placed significant financial strain on the business." It'll be business as usual for the Keystone venues until the receivers assess each business's assets, takings and brand for the sale. Receiver Morgan Kelly told SMH they expected selling the portfolio to be easy peasy. "Given the current buoyant hospitality market, we anticipate a lot of interest in the sale of the venues," he said. Via SMH and news.com.au. Image: Cargo Bar/Keystone.
Calling all freelancers, entrepreneurs, small businesses and creative types. COMMUNE, the co-working space dedicated to you, is outgrowing its well-loved-yet-getting-tight warehouse in Newtown. This comes as no surprise. Since setting up at 160 Rochford Street nearly three years ago, COMMUNE has helped many a lonely freelancer out of isolation and into a supportive community. So, to move into a new space that’s as big, as beautiful and as accommodating as possible, the team is running a crowdfunding campaign via Pozible. “I’d like to think first and foremost that COMMUNE has become a home away from home for the many freelancers who have come through our door,” says Sam Ali, the founder. “I think it has been a platform of support for emerging creative talent to get their first step in the industry. We endeavour to help those who are proactive in chasing their dreams — those with the passion and drive who just need a hand to take their ideas to the next level.” In addition to providing facilities like hot desks, full-time desks, a photography studio and event spaces, COMMUNE also runs workshops, special events and networking sessions. “We've been able to provide inspiration for people to go on and use their skills to do good things within the industry and their community as a whole,” says Ali. The COMMUNE team has already raised 70% of the funds needed to make a move. They’ll use the money raised via Pozible to put on the finishing touches. And the campaign is also about raising awareness. “Our campaign is not just about helping us fund the new space,” says Ali. “We are inviting the creative community to join COMMUNE and be there the day we open. Supporters will not only get their names engraved on our founding ember honour board, they will also get exclusive discounts on all our services and memberships.” Though the team is keeping the exact location of the new space a secret for now, we do know it won’t be far from COMMUNE’s original home. “We’re all about keeping it local, so you can assume we’re staying proudly inner west. We think Newtown is a very special part of Sydney, which places importance on supporting one another and working together.” Sam and Matt Woods, an interior designer, have been collaborating on the design. Drawing on feedback from current and past members, they plan to make the space as accessible, user-friendly, dynamic and healthy as possible. “The most exciting aspect is that people will be able to easily drop in and use it for as little or as long as they need without complications,” said Sam. “The space is designed to increase creativity and productivity by encouraging fluid transitions between collaborative and focused individual work.” There’ll be room for at least 40 full- and part-time desks; capacity for 50 hot deskers per day, private offices for up to eight people, designated workshop spaces, meeting rooms and collaborative areas. To support the crowdfunding campaign, become a founding member of the new COMMUNE and score some cracking discounts on membership and services, head to their Pozible page.
What a slam dunk of year it's been for Bastille. The British four-piece have spent 2014 touring internationally, and casually celebrated a Brit Award win for British Breakthrough Act off the back of their UK #1 album, Bad Blood. Not too shabby. Singles 'Of The Night' and 'Pompeii' both reached #2 spots on the UK charts, and they’ve been working relentlessly on their second album to be released in 2015. Before we get to wrap our ears around their highly anticipated second effort, Bastille have released their third mixtape VS. (Other People's Heartache, Pt. III), featuring latest single 'Torn Apart'. The lads already visited Australia this year in June, and will be returning for Sydney's Field Day on New Year's Day. We managed to get hold of bassist Will Farquarson, and had a chat about the new album, the art of battling your friends and his unrelenting desire to go shark diving. The Second Album is Going to Sound REALLY Different Bastille’s first album, Bad Blood, is certainly going to be a tough act to follow, but the lads have seized the opportunity to do things very differently second time around. Firstly, there will be guitars in the new album. This sounds like an anticlimax, but guitars actually don't feature at all on Bad Blood. "On the first album, we got halfway through and realised we haven't really used any guitars. It became a little bit of a challenge to finish the record without putting any guitar on,” says Farquarson. "On this new one there’s loads of guitar stuff, which is cool because I play guitar, so it felt like a bit of a promotion. I get to stand on things and do solos at gigs which is all I ever really wanted to do." Despite the introduction of lead guitar, Bastille are conscious of not going too far in one direction; instead working to create a sound that mixes many different genres. "We didn’t want to suddenly sound like a guitar band, so we started to more electro, R&B and hip hop influences coming through. I think there will be quite a broad mix of musical styles," explains Farquarson. Any idea when it might be released? "We’re looking at the [European] summer, but these things can often take longer, so probably more like September. If it's not out by the end of the year we've done something horribly wrong, so hopefully it will come out!" We’ll keep our fingers crossed for. Mixtapes, Ryan Gosling and Side Projects Keep Things Fresh While recording original Bastille material, the band also brewed up a cheeky couple of mixtapes: Other People's Heartache and Other People's Heartache, Pt. 2. They've just released VS. (Other People's Heartache, Pt. III), but before you can accuse these lads of procrastinating the real album game, Farquarson is quick to point out that the mixtapes are not so much a distraction but more of a creative side project. "It gives us a chance to move away from the Bastille sound and the restrictions of having the band identity. It’s a Bastille project but it’s a collaborative thing. It’s not distracting but it’s a nice break." Another creative side project that they recently took part in was a rescoring of the Ryan Gosling-tastic film Drive, orchestrated by BBC Radio 1 DJ, Zane Lowe. "It was really nice to be asked to do that. It was quite interesting because we've not really set music to a film before, and it's quite different to just writing a song, says Farquarson. "We were in the studio and had the Drive scene playing, and we were trying to get a bit of a mood going. Working within the confines of a preexisting visual was an interesting challenge." Other prominent musicians also featured in the rescoring include Foals, Banks, SBTRKT, Jon Hopkins and CHVRCHES. They Enjoy Sporadically Battling Their Friends VS. (Other People's Heartache, Pt. III) will feature much collaboration and head-to-heads with Bastille's buds. "We don’t have any collaborations on Bad Blood or the second album," says Farquarson, explaining the mixtape offered up a great chance to explore new territory and test the waters of other genres. When Farquarson was asked who he particularly enjoyed working with, it was pretty clear he had difficulty choosing a favourite. "I personally was quite excited to work with Skunk Anansie because I'm from a generation that listened to that sort of music. Haim were wicked, we love them a lot. Angel Haze is a crazy rapper chick, and there's also Rag N Bone Man (who's also on the song with Skunk Anansie), who’s going to blow up really big and is a friend of ours. It's nice to get all your friends down." Previous mixtapes have included songs such as 'Of The Night' (a mash up of Corona's 'Rhythm Of The Night' and Snap!'s 'Rhythm Is A Dancer') as well as covers such as City High's ‘What Would You Do?' and reinterpretations ('No Angels' is TLC versus The xx). Interestingly, these songs are not exactly amongst the band's all time favourite tunes. "The idea behind them was to do songs that were not necessarily songs we particularly loved, but were just in our consciousness a lot," says Farquarson. "It's also kind of funny to choose songs that perhaps you wouldn't expect us to cover. Instead of picking a similar genre, we pick something completely different." They've Played Some Pretty Weird (and Somewhat Ancient) Venues Being in an internationally acclaimed indie band, you're bound to perform in some pretty whimsically novelty locations. Around the time their colossal single 'Pompeii' was released, the British Museum were curating an exhibition called Life and Death: Pompeii and Herculaneum. "I made a joke that we should play there because of the collection, and then they actually phoned us up, which was a bit strange, and we got the curator of the exhibition to give us a private viewing of it two days before it opened, which was amazing," says Farquarson. Bastille performed their hit single for the opening of the exhibition in front of an audience of press and leading archaeological figures. "We got to play our song 'Pompeii', we stood in a reconstruction of one of the rooms from the town of Pompeii which was slightly surreal." Funnily enough, the boys were asked to play at a French museum just a short while later. "For a bit it started to become a thing that we were the band that played in museums," chuckles Farquarson. They've Got a Soft Spot for Dangerous Creatures International touring this year saw Bastille performing to massive crowds over the Northern Hemisphere summer, including Glastonbury and huge shows in South Africa. Despite doing three 15,000 capacity shows in South Africa earlier this year, the highlight for Farquarson was going on safari. "We all got to meet baby lions. Holding a baby lion is the highlight of my life,” Farquarson enthuses. When they arrive in Australia for Field Day they also have similar animal adventures in mind. "I want to go shark diving. We went skydiving last time we were in Australia, and it seems like the most Australian thing we can do. Either that or have a barbecue,” he says. Sadly their New Year's resolutions don't include any more baby animal holding. "My New Year's resolution last year was to have more fun and drink more, maybe I should take that one back. I don't really go for New Year's resolutions, but I hope to release the second album, so maybe that can be it. Bastille are playing Sydney's Field Day in the Domain on January 1. More info right this way.
Even with winter in full swing, there's still plenty to do (while staying warm) this July in Sydney. Get your dose of culture in with exciting new exhibitions that feature art using different techniques and themes to keep you on your toes. There's modernism, art on fabric, a series of Aussie portraits, a show commemorating women's roles in public protests, and a series of sculptures referencing bodily articulations that encourage an open mind. You'll soon forget about the dropping temperatures and be scrambling to make it to all ten. Words by Lucy McNabb with Tom Clift, Marissa Ciampi and Eden Marcus. Image: Jesse Jaco.
Giving back and scoring some sweet new threads sound too good to be true? Naysayers, HoMie is here to dispel your doubt. A pop-up store with a heart of gold, HoMie is an initiative of Homeless of Melbourne, who put a creative spin on social justice. Boasting both up-and-coming as well as established local designers, the store will donate a piece of clothing to a member of the homeless community for each item purchased. For co-founder Nick Pearce, this 'one for one' policy "is a new way of trying to reinvigorate that whole outdated op-shop scenario and bring in something new and diverse, and hopefully have a bit of an impact in the homeless sector". With its first-hand clothes, new fit-out and mix of paying and non-paying clientele, HoMie aims to create a dignified shopping experience for Melbourne's homeless. Their crew of dedicated suppliers will be going that extra mile too, donating their time and expertise to running workshops that focus on increasing employability and life skills for Melbourne's most vulnerable. If their inventive project hasn't hooked you in already, a scroll through their Facebook page is sure to fix that. The charity has been collecting the stories of the city's battlers for the past eight months and sharing them online to debunk misconceptions about homelessness. They've garnered close to 15,000 followers. "We wanted to make people stop and think about where these people come from, so we're not just walking past, making judgements," says Marcus Crook, the other half of HoM. Marcus and Nick devised this latest three-month concept store following the success of HoM's Street Store in Federation Square in December last year. Armed with stacks of paper coat hangers and a budding team of eager volunteers, HoM gave Melburnians in need a chance to snag some pre-loved garments. "The response we got was unbelievable," says Nick, "we found that a lot of people on our page really wanted to help and donate stuff, but they just didn't know how to do it or where to go." That led them to look for a more permanent guise for the Street Store, and so shopfront HoMie was born. Speaking of dedication to the cause, Nick and Marcus are finding out just what it's like to live on the streets, spending two nights this week camping out in Melbourne's CBD for a humbling insight into the realities of life without a secure home. "We don't think its anything special because obviously people do it every night of their lives," says Marcus, "but we're going to be going out there with a sleeping bag and a phone in case of an emergency and just seeing what happens." Great intentions aside, these grand visions don't come cheap. As a grassroots organisation, HoMie is all too aware of the costs of CBD rent. They've turned to Pozible to raise $10,000 towards the rent and associated start-up costs, vowing to employ homeless labourers and designers as much as possible in the process. At time of writing, they're over halfway to their goal, with 17 days to go. Along with the Many Hands online art gallery and the Youth Food Movement Melbourne, the organisation is also in line for additional funds if they meet their target, thanks to burger chain Grill'd's Local Matters donation program. HoMie is vying for $2,000 that goes to the winner of the in-store customer vote at Grill'd restaurants. There's also $500 in it for each project that reaches its Pozible target. With goals of turning this three-month appearance into a long-term venture, HoMie hopes to open its arms to Melbourne this May. To help make it happen, grab a bite to eat at one of Grill'd Melbourne CBD locations or contribute directly to the Pozible campaign, which includes rewards like art prints and T-shirts.
Remember the good ol' days, when ten bucks could buy a decent feed at a pub, any time of day, any day of the week? Well, regular budget meals might be a thing of the past. But, that doesn't mean it's impossible to get some bang for your buck. It's a matter of knowing where to go and when. Heaps of Sydney's pubs still put on high-quality fare for low-end prices, but most of them only do it on particular days. So, we thought we'd do you a favour and scope out the best deals. Here's your every-day-of-the-week guide to the city's finest cheap pub grub — from 50 cent wings to $1 dumplings to $9.90 chicken schnitties. Round up your pennies and get stuck in. You're so welcome. [caption id="attachment_555139" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Dove & Olive.[/caption] MONDAY Only one day into the working week, but not ready to face those grimy, grimy dishes? Let the good folk at Surry Hills's Dove & Olive take care of the dirty work for you and focus on savouring the results. $9.90 will buy you a decent-sized, tasty schnitty with fries and salad. In fact, their $9.90 specials are available all week, till Thursday, so it's worth having a peek at what's happening on other days. Meanwhile, among the lush greenery of the airy Woollahra Hotel, swap 15 bucks for a generous steak with mushroom, peppercorn or parsley butter sauce. If you're northward or have a little more time for dinner, grab a friend and catch a ferry to Manly, where you can soak in ocean views while tucking into two for one meals in the Hotel Steyne's Seaside Bistro. [caption id="attachment_555126" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: The Clock.[/caption] TUESDAY Sometimes, there's no better place in town to relax after — or during — a long day than on The Clock Hotel's shady verandah in Surry Hills. Take a mate with you on a Tuesday and you'll score two meals for the price of one, anytime between 12pm and 3pm, and between 5pm and 10pm. If you're lunching, treat your coworker buds to a cheeky James Squire One Fifty Lashes — goes down a treat. If you're in the mood for a quick side-trip Mexico, head to The Norfolk on Cleveland Street for soft shell tacos. At 3 bucks a go with five flavours to choose from, they're a steal. Or, for a swim with your meal, pack your togs and escape to The Narrabeen Sands for 'Tight-Ass Tuesdays', when all mains worth up to $28 go out the door for $15 each. [caption id="attachment_555128" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: The Morrison.[/caption] WEDNESDAY Celebrate hump day by swinging into Paddo for $1 wings among the exposed brickwork, tiled walls and leather benches of the elegantly revamped The Village Inn. That's right, with any schooner purchase, you'll score as many chicken flying bits as you can handle — all for $1 each. On the other hand, if you're thinking about seafood, head into the city for $1 oysters at The Morrison. You get one hour from 6pm to do like the Walrus from Alice in Wonderland. For a more substantial feast, there's a treat to be had at Cronulla's newly refurbished Northies in the form of a beef burger and schooner of James Squire pilsner for $15. [caption id="attachment_555129" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Bridgeview Hotel.[/caption] THURSDAY At North Shore institution Willoughby's Bridgeview Hotel, a burger and matching beer cost just 20 bucks, with seasonal specials to boot. Be sure to check out the district views from the rooftop. If, however, you're on the south side of the harbour, the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel will trade you 15 bucks for a half-rack of BBQ pork ribs between 5pm and 9pm. Or, at Newtown's Coopers Hotel, join the lively local crowd for a two-for-one gastropub meal and maybe a James Squire Swindler Summer Ale or two. Only one day till the weekend, right? You can get through Friday with your eyes shut. [caption id="attachment_555137" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel.[/caption] FRIDAY Dive straight into the weekend with harbour views and a $15 pizza or pasta at the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel. Or, to squeeze in a mini Spanish vacation before you go paint the town red, wander down to the Clovelly Hotel, where, for $23, you'll be rewarded with a hearty paella and sangria. The Spanish theme continues in Balmain at The Riverview Hotel, with $5 tapas on the go between 5pm and 7pm. Options at this gastropub sound like they're worth a lot more than a fiver. They include mushroom polenta chips with gorgonzola, spiced squid with harissa aiolo and cajun chicken tulips with pomegranate molasses and chilli. [caption id="attachment_555131" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Strawberry Hills Hotel.[/caption] SATURDAY Come the weekend proper, it's hard to beat a visit to the Strawberry Hills Hotel. The long-standing king of cheap pub grub in Sydney, the Hills offers $12.50 pub classics, not only on Saturdays, but all week long. Recover from the night before and get strength for the one coming with serious protein hit: rump steak, chicken schnitzel, fish and chips and salt and peppered squid are all on the menu. A similar deal is happening over at The Shakespeare, self-described "home of the $12.50 meal". For that very price tag, the legendary pub will sort you out with fish and chips, spinach and ricotta rigatoni, chicken schnitzel, rump steak (add $5 to make it surf and turf) or spicy vege nachos. Otherwise, jump over to the cosy, rustic Stoned Crow in Crow's Nest and settle down to a pizza for $8.90. [caption id="attachment_554935" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Bald Faced Stag.[/caption] SUNDAY Many a languid Sunday afternoon has been spent at Leichhardt's Bald Faced Stag in the company of what could be the bargain of the millennium: chicken wings for 50c. But, then again, one dollar dumplings at the Marrickville Ritz Hotel put up some stiff competition — they start serving them at 11.30am and don't stop till 9pm. If you're a stickler for tradition and Sunday means only one thing to you: roast, then Irish Pub PJ O'Brien's, in the city, is your friend. For $15, you get a choice of beef, lamb or chicken, along with creamy mash, seasonal veggies and gravy. Top image: The Norfolk.
Today, at 4.20pm precisely, Newtown's brand new stoner cafe, D'Munchies, will open its doors. So, if your idea of a satisfying chow down involves ice-cream dashed with pretzels or a hot dog filled with pizza, your inner west go-to is now sorted. "It's an idea that a lot of people have thought of," says chef and co-owner David Pyne, who's spent 11 years working in kitchens in Sydney and London. "I decided to do it because I could. I think it's a good concept." The menu isn't just about matching anything with anything for the hell of it, but about turning stoner food into restaurant-worthy dishes. One of Pyne's favourites is hot-filled doughnuts, which are based on "an old Aussie camper's dish". "Filled doughnuts are usually cold," he says. "But with these, the filling is hot and gooey, and we serve them with ice cream and sauce." He's also curing bacon in-house and has developed a chicken burger inspired by a good friend, who's eaten a burger every day for years. Pyne collaborated with his partner and "various other people" on D'Munchies' interior design. The most eye-catching element is an enormous mural of a marijuana leaf, designed by Sindy Sinn, who's worked with a slew of brands, companies and events, from Harley Davidson to Tropfest to Mary's Newtown. Find D'Munchies at 170 King Street. It'll be open between 4.30pm and 10pm from Wednesday 6 - Friday 8 April and from midday thereafter.
If you've swung by Hello Sailor's old digs lately, you might have noticed some paint stripping and hammering going on. Well, we can now tell you who's been making all the noise. On April 12, the keys to 96 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, were handed to a mighty hospitality duo — Lewis Jaffrey, who's been managing operations at The Baxter Inn, Frankie's and Shady Pines, and Jared Merlino of Lobo Plantation. And, at the end of June, they'll be opening a 134-seat Italian eatery-bar named Big Poppa's and starring three of life's most important things: cheese, wine and hip hop. "We've spent a lot of time together eating cheese, drinking wine and listening to hip hop, so we thought it'd be fun to turn our interests into a venue," says Jaffrey. Merlino adds, "All our venues have come about the same way — by building around elements we enjoy." Big Poppa's will have three sections: an Italian restaurant and a small bar upstairs, and a cocktail lounge downstairs. The plan is to keep the beautiful, heritage-listed spaces classic-looking and relaxed. And, because food will be served right through to the wee hours, lockout laws won't apply. Hurrah! On the food menu, you'll find simple Italian offerings made with high quality produce. And lots of cheese. "There'll be 10 to 12 dishes, with between one and three on rotation," says Jaffrey. "And between 15 and 25 cheeses." A similar philosophy will inform the drinks list. You can expect classic aperitifs, digestifs and cocktails — like Negronis and Americanos, as well as some creative signature concoctions, designed by the beverages team. As for wines, there'll be more than 200 to choose from, with more than half coming from Italy and an emphasis on rosé, which doesn't always get the attention it deserves on Sydney wine menus. Big Poppa's is scheduled to open at 96 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst the end of June. Image: Lobo Plantation.
This event embodies the hands-on approach to winemaking. Although the Pressing of the Cabernet might sound like the title of a grim medieval painting, it's actually a pretty cool (and free) event. Tractorless Vineyard's wine series Creator's utilises some old-fashioned winemaking techniques, like leaving the skin and seeds on for longer to produce complex and rich wines. The pressing of grapes is one of the fun techniques, which you can get involved in, and taste the fruits of your labour (literally) along with two other vintages when you're done helping it. If you want to get involved, make sure you wear clothes that get a little (or a lot) dirty.
Now in its sixth year, Aussie Wine Month returns in May to showcase the diversity of the Australian wine scene and celebrate the world class producers that our 65 wine regions have to offer. Sydney and regional New South Wales will come alive with events — vineyards and cellar doors are opening their doors to guests, and regional chefs are making their way into the city so everyone can enjoy good food and even better wine. In partnership with Wine Australia, we're helping you narrow down your options — here are five of the best things to see.
Not your regular one-location art fair, Sydney Contemporary is adding a little more juice to this year's program. Running from September 7-10, the festival-like fair takes over Carriageworks with some of the best contemporary art on the market, plus, there's a series of thoughtful and introspective events across the city for art lovers of all ages. Highlights include Objects of Desire (an talk between Andrew Frost and fashion designer Akira Isogawa), Post Porn-Art, Feminism and Sex in the Age of the Internet (a debate between Leah Emery and Charles Waterstreet), and a screen of the Brett Whiteley doco Whiteley, followed by an 'in conversation' with Wendy Whiteley and Alec George. However, we're particularly excited by the Old Clare Hotel takeover. Artists from Birmingham Street Studios will be filling the place up with ceramics, paintings, installation and video works — think Abdul Abdullah, Clara Adolphs, Tarik Ahlip, Liam Ambrose, Seth Birchall, Georgia Boe, Bonita Bub, Sarah Contos, Lucas Davidson, Charles Dennington, Eric Davidson Gluyas, Adrian Hobbs, Alan Jones, Lara Merrett, John Nicholson, Jonny Niesche, Adam Norton, Jason Phu, Gemma Smith, Jack Stahel, Alexandra Standen and Grant Stevens. The Old Clare will also host Night Cap, a free series of late night events with prominent artists. On September 6, provocative ceramicist and installation artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran is throwing a big karaoke bash, featuring birthday cake. The VVVVVVVVVIP Party for Everyone on September 8 also sounds like crazy fun. The description is a little vague but features Hahan on the decks, gold glitter aplenty, cocktails and a secret password to get in (register for some VIP treatment here). Sydney Contemporary 2017 runs from September 7–10 at Carriageworks. Image: Rosie Deacon, Sydney Contemporary 2015.
You've probably nibbled and tippled in the venues of one of Sydney's top hospitality groups — but you might not have known it was theirs. Started in 1976 in The Rocks with the Löwenbräu Keller, one of Sydney’s most profitable hospitality companies now serves up almost 40,000 meal a week across NSW, Victoria and Queensland. We're talking about UPG. Urban Purveyor Group has been one of Sydney's leading restaurant groups for over four decades. They've brought 20 venues to life across the country, from Sake to The Argyle, and they don't appear to be slowing down any time soon. We chatted with the group’s director of sales and events Julie van der Weegen to see just what makes this company stand out from the crowd, and what must-see events we need to add to our calendars this Christmas. SO WHAT BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE ACTUALLY UPG? If the UPG name doesn’t ring familiar, you've probably been a patron in one of their venues without knowing it. From Sake to The Argyle, Urban Purveyor Group are the hardworking crew behind some of Sydney’s premier restaurants, bars and event spaces. "Sake offers a taste of Tokyo, Ananas Bar & Brasserie delivers a touch of Parisian chic, Lowenbrau Keller offers a neverending Oktoberfest celebration, along with the Bavarian Bier Cafe's across the country. The Cut Bar & Grill gives a taste of an underground New York-inspired steak house, and of course The Argyle is the place to go if you want to party into the night," van der Weegen explains. One of Sydney's most celebrated contemporary sushi restaurants, Sake, nabs all the big names, counting the likes of Richard Branson, Chris Hemsworth and Justin Bieber as guest. They also just announced a new Italian concept to be named Stella along with a convenient on-the-go Sake sibling, aptly named Sake Jnr — both opening mid-2016 in George Street's redevelopment of Grosvenor Place. NIGHTS YOU'D WANT TO REMEMBER Over the years, UPG has thrown some pretty spectacular shingdigs, from The Argyle's Star Wars-themed dance party during Vivid to Sake's beloved annual Cherry Blossom festival. But they've also done some private events they're pretty proud of. "I think our recent event with Moet Hennessy was most certainly a memorable highlight, launching Moet Hennessy Private Events, a partnership with our catering division, Urban Events Venues & Catering,” says van der Weegen. "Guests were chauffeured to an opulent private home in Gordons Bay to experience the paired food and beverage offer including The Moet Ice White Party, Moet & Chandon So Bubbly Bath featuring a gold claw leg bath filled with 50 magnums right through to a Belvedere Vodka 'Know your Martini Masterclass'." WHAT'S NEXT FOR UPG? With the silly season fast approaching, UPG will be hosting "everything from small office gatherings with tailored degustation and matched wines, to sushi masterclasses with a whiskey tasting, right through to a grand celebration for over 2000 guests here in The Rocks," according to van der Weegen. The insider tip: get along to Sake for their festive ‘Pink Blossom’ cocktail (complete with choya umeshu, fresh strawberries, passionfruit, cranberry and freshly squeezed lime juice) and keep an eye out for their upcoming sushi making classes (guaranteed to give you skills that’ll really impress your pals and co-workers). There's also a Christmas brunch coming up for Ananas, The Argyle is starting its own openair cinema in the historic courtyard (lounges and popcorn provided), alongside Femme Fatales fashion nights every Thursday. Suffice to say, UPG will be pretty busy over the festive season.
Sydney CBD restaurant The Bridge Room has joined the upper echelons of Australian dining, winning a third hat and taking out Restaurant of the Year at last night's prestigious Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2016 Awards. Opened just four short years ago by husband and wife Sunny and Ross Lusted, The Bridge Room joins the likes of fellow three-hatters like Rockpool and Sepia as the top tier of Australian hospitality. The top gong was awarded last night at a fancy schmancy ceremony at the Ivy Ballroom, where the industry's best and brightest nabbed hard-earned assembly awards for their establishments. One of the most hotly-anticipated openings of the year, Bennelong, took out Best New Restaurant, while Chef of the Year was awarded to Pasi Petanen of Cafe Paci. Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt won Best Bar for Monopole, Rockpool Bar & Grill took out Best Bar Food and a few brand new awards were introduced — Best Cheap Eat went to Japanese grill house Chaco Bar, and the People’s Choice to waterside stalwart Catalina. Lauren Eldridge, pastry chef at Marque, nabbed the 25th anniversary Josephine Pignolet Award recognising the brightest young whippersnappers on the NSW dining scene. More Sydneysiders nursing a champagne head this morning will include Rob Caslick, who nabbed the Food for Good award for his Inside Out Organic Soup Kitchen, teaching young mothers and pregnant teenagers to eat well and how to cook, Two Good a social enterprise employing women affected by domestic violence, and the St Canice Rooftop Garden run by asylum seekers. SMH GOOD FOOD GUIDE AWARDS 2015: Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the Year: The Bridge Room Citi Chef of the Year: Pasi Petanen Best New Restaurant: Bennelong Santa Vittoria Regional Restaurant of the Year: Fleet (Brunswick Heads) Vittoria Coffee Legend: Janni Kyritsis Citi Service Excellence: Cam Fairbairn, ACME Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year: Lauren Eldridge Food for Good Awards: Rob Caslick Best Bar Food: Rockpool Bar & Grill Wine List of the Year: Bentley Restaurant & Bar Best Bar: Monopole Champagne Pol Roger Sommelier of the Year: Sebastian Crowther MS, Rockpool est. 1989 Regional Wine List of the Year: Monster Kitchen & Bar Best Cheap Eat: Chaco Bar People’s Choice: Catalina Here's the full list of Sydney hats for 2015: THREE HATS The Bridge Room, Rockpool est. 1989, Quay, Sepia TWO HATS ARIA, Bennelong, Bentley Restaurant & Bar, Berowra Waters Inn, Cafe Paci, Cottage Point Inn, est., Ester, The Four in Hand Dining Room, Guillaume, Icebergs Dining Room & Bar, Lucio’s Italian Restaurant, LuMi Bar & Dining, Marque, Momofuku Seiobo, Mr. Wong, Ormeggio at The Spit, Oscillate Wildly, Pilu at Freshwater, Porteño, Rockpool Bar & Grill, sixpenny, Spice Temple, Tetsuya’s ONE HAT 10 William St, ACME, Ajo Italian Restaurant, The Apollo, The Bathers’ Pavilion, Billy Kwong, Bistro Moncur, Bistrode CBD, The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay, Bodega, Buon Ricordo, Catalina, China Doll, Cho Cho San, Felix, Firedoor, Fratelli Paradiso, Gastro Park, glass brasserie, Izakaya Fujiyama, Jonah’s Restaurant, Kepos Street Kitchen, Longrain, LP’s Quality Meats, Monopole, Moon Park, MoVida, Ms.G’s, Nomad, Osteria Balla, Osteria di Russo & Russo, Otto Ristorante, The Restaurant Pendolino, Sagra, Sean’s, Sokyo, sushi e, Three Blue Ducks, Uccello, Ume Restaurant, Vini, Yellow
Australians looking to travel to New Zealand must consider the current COVID-19 advice. For information on quarantine-free travel between Australia and New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub. When the colder months roll around, it's natural to reach for anything that screams warm and comfort — even when you're on holidays. The trans-Tasman bubble is finally open, so you might be planning a midyear jaunt to New Zealand; however, don't think you have to spend your time away staying cosy inside. There's a time and place for that, of course. But NZ's winter festivals will give you a stack of reasons to get out and enjoy the crisp air. From slopeside music festivals to month-long food celebrations and kaleidoscopic light shows, here are ten festival across New Zealand that you should drop into your winter getaway itinerary. [caption id="attachment_720775" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Audiology.[/caption] MARDI GRAS, OHAKUNE/QUEENSTOWN Mardi Gras is arguably New Zealand's biggest winter party — and this year its spreading the fun over two weekends in two different locations. On Saturday, June 19, Ohakune is the spot to catch a lineup of dance floor favourites. Promoters Audiology have teased six international acts ahead of this year's first lineup announcement, including UK-based electronic producer Dimension, drum and bass DJ Culture Shock, Australian singer-songwriter Nyxen and trap producer Quix. They'll be joined by a monster lineup of local talent. The event in Queenstown on Saturday, June 26 comes with snow-capped peaks and an intimate capacity of only 3000. [caption id="attachment_624534" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Serena Stevenson.[/caption] MATARIKI FESTIVAL, AUCKLAND While we have to wait until next year for the first-ever Matariki public holiday, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate the beginning of the Māori new year in 2021. Every year Auckland Council's Matariki Festival consistently delivers a series of delightful events. The exact details are yet to be announced for 2021, but you can expect everything from street food and live performances, right through to light festivals, stargazing, Māori art workshops and film screenings. Matariki is seen as a time to reflect on Māori identity, as well as an opportunity to look to the future. The 2021 festival runs from June 19 to July 11 right across Tāmaki Makaurau. [caption id="attachment_797316" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Wiseman.[/caption] SNOW MACHINE, QUEENSTOWN After making its debut in Japan last year, alpine music festival Snow Machine is hitting the slopes for four snow-filled days of music and adventure. Attendees at the New Zealand edition from September 8–11, 2021 will be treated to action-packed days on the slopes, aprés ski events on both Coronet Peak and The Remarkables and a lineup of international acts against the idyllic backdrop of Queenstown. A who's who of Australian electronic acts will warm up the frosty evenings, including headliners The Avalanches, Flight Facilities, Hayden James and The Presets. Tickets to Snow Machine 2021 are all-in-one, offering a variety of accomodation options and lift passes. VISA WELLINGTON ON A PLATE, WELLINGTON After being forced out of its usual slot in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Visa Wellington On a Plate is set to return for its 13th year from August 1–31, 2021. The huge event typically sees more than 100 flavour-packed events, special dining menus, burgers and craft cocktails take over the capital city. This year's edition will keep the three-tiered format — Dine Wellington, Burger Wellington and Cocktail Wellington — celebrating the immense depth of culinary talent within the region. Sibling events Road to Beervana and (August 6–15) and Beervana (August 13–14) are there, too, giving you plenty of reasons to drop by or hang around the capital. WINTER PRIDE, QUEENSTOWN Combining winter sports with community and inclusion, Winter Pride is all about locals and visitors embracing the cool weather and their diversity. The event is typically packed with dance parties, speed dating, skiing, boarding and all-round good times. There's a number of different packages to choose from between August 27 to September 5, including passes to all events and revolving door access. Stay tuned for the full lineup announcement. SNOWBOXX, QUEENSTOWN Typically held in the heart of the French Alps, Snowboxx is a multi-discipline winter festival that shines a spotlight on electronic music and snowsports. Previously expected to arrive in 2019 — and then 2020 — the event will finally slide Down Under this September for one week of international acts, slope-side parties and off-mountain experiences in the adventure capital. Landing between Treble Cone and Cardrona from September 7–14, Snowboxx will see Shapeshifter, Lee Mvtthews and Concord Dawn hit the stage. Attendees are also invited to enjoy on and off-mountain activities like bottomless disco brunches, igloo parties, sled races, comedy nights, snowball fights and aprés ski experiences throughout the week. [caption id="attachment_636636" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Simeon W.[/caption] LOEMIS FESTIVAL, WELLINGTON Lōemis Festival returns for its sixth year with a lineup of events celebrating the winter solstice from June 11–21, 2021. The winter solstice is marked by the shortest day and longest night of the year and has often been associated with regeneration, rebirth and self-reflection. Each year the festival aims to deliver an innovative program with a strong focus on the ritualistic, mystical and fantastical elements of the solstice. Previous ritualistic events have included spiritual dance theatre works, multi-course fish degustations and spooky storytelling cocktail evenings. It comes to an end with the burning of a massive art installation right on the harbour. LUMA SOUTHERN LIGHT PROJECT, QUEENSTOWN After pulling the plug in 2020, Queenstown's kaleidoscopic light festival will return for its fifth outing this Queen's Birthday weekend. Luma Southern Light Project brings together illuminated art, light sculpture, performance and community over four days from June 4–7, 2021. As the sun goes down over the long weekend, the Queenstown Gardens will be transformed into a creative outdoor stage of visual arts, performing arts, music, film and digital media. 500 local artists and contributors have contributed to this year's festival. As well as light installations dotted around Queenstown Gardens and shore of Lake Wakatipu, previous events have featured moving images projected right onto the lake, works created from recycled materials and roaming performers — from hypercolour fairies to acrobatic tree dancers. TAUPO WINTER FESTIVAL, TAUPO The sixth annual Taupō Winter Festival offers an action-packed program over two weeks in 2021. Running from July 9–25, you'll have the choice of hitting a lakeside ice rink, jumping in a giant inflatable snow globe with cold white stuff directly from neighbouring Mount Ruapehu, attending a mountain-themed film festival, catching live circus acts and downing free hot chocolates. What's more, most of the events are free to attend. [caption id="attachment_790171" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vanessa Rushton.[/caption] WELLINGTON JAZZ FESTIVAL, WELLINGTON The capital's annual celebration of jazz music is set to return this June 9–13 with more than 100 free and ticketed gigs taking place over just five days. This year's lineup is bursting with fresh new music from around the country, including the likes of Opera House headliners Whirimako Black, The Nathan Haines Octet and Michael Houstoun with the Rodger Fox Big Band. Elsewhere, there'll be big bands, tribute gigs, world premieres and album launches. There really is something for everyone — as long as you can shake your jazz hands at it. Top image: Snow Machine, Zachary Zaza.
A trip to IKEA doesn't just involve wandering the aisles, looking at cheap furniture and homewares, and deciding that everything in your house could use a facelift. Because all that browsing and buying helps work up an appetite, it also includes a date with the chain's famed meatballs. And, since 2015, that's meant vegetarian meatballs as well — but now the Swedish retailer is introducing another plant-based version of its beloved dish. The new veggie balls will be rolled out (heh) in Australian IKEA store restaurants, excluding Victorian stores, from October 6. Obviously, the original meaty meaty meatballs are going anywhere; however these meatless meatballs, or HUVUDROLL plant balls as they're being called, will be made from a plant-based meat substitute comprised of yellow pea protein, oats, potatoes, onion and apple — and they'll both look and taste like meat. Accordingly, if you don't consume animal products but you've always wanted to know why carnivores are so obsessed with IKEA's meatballs — in-store, whipping up frozen versions at home and following the chain's recipe — you'll now be able to tuck into a vegan variety that's as close as possible to the meat-filled version. They'll cost the same price as their counterparts, and they'll also come in frozen packs, too, ready for you to take home. For vegans, it's worth noting that the plant balls don't contain animal-based ingredients — but they are served with mashed potato and lingonberry jam, so if you're tucking in in-store, the entire dish will include dairy products. Still, this is stellar news for IKEA-lovin' veggos — and everyone eager for more sustainable eating options. As for when Victorians will be able to pop a few plant balls on their fork, IKEA will provide more information in the future. IKEA's plant balls will hit Australia on October 6, at all stores except IKEA Richmond and Springvale.
Would you go camping more if you didn't have to buy the whole tent, mattresses, camping chairs set-up? Would festivals be less likely to have to deal with people ditching their tents at the end of a festival, if they simply had to return the whole thing? Meet the new Sydney start-up killing two birds with one stone — getting you into the great outdoors, saving you money and minimising waste while they're at it. Sydney-founded company CampNow will hire and deliver the camping equipment you need for a weekend away in easy packages, and you can choose the level of camping gear to match your adventure — whether you're going hard at a camping music festival or escaping down the south coast. The idea behind CampNow came from two Sydney mates, co-founders Nick Longworth and Dan Courtnall, who genuinely wanted to see people get off their phones and back into the great outdoors — they just wanted to make that process a little more carefree. "Why should you spend all your time and money on camping equipment before you have even begun your adventure?" says Nick and Dan. "Too many of us are constantly hooked into our phones, stuck in the rat race and forget the beauty that is only a short trip away. Our goal is to help you break your routine, take some time and go on an adventure." "After a heavy month of work I was feeling burnt out and wanted to do something different on my weekend and go camping, but it was also a bit hard as I didn't own any gear," says Dan. He didn't want to borrow, buy or clean any gear, he just wanted to hire some gear for the weekend and have it delivered, but there was no offering out there. So Dan contacted his buddy Nick (a keen camper) and pitched a grand idea to him. CampNow is brilliantly simple: the guys deliver (and pick up) everything you need for camping for a truly reasonable fee — there's less waste at camping grounds and you don't have to fork out for camping gear you'll never use again. Likely to be the most popular of the packages is the 'Festival' set-up. For $100, you and a friend can rent everything you'd need for a camping festival: high quality tent, queen air mattress, two chairs, 36-litre esky, tarp, headlamps, first aid kit. Best bit? They'll deliver and pick up the goods to your work or home in Sydney. Splendour, Secret Garden, Meredith, sorted. If you're keen for a weekend away, the 'Just Go' and 'Want More' packages are for you. Then there's the big kahuna, the 'Take the Kids' for $399 for four people for two nights. Now, where to start? Dan and Nick let us in on their favourite camping spot near Sydney. Ready? Treachery Camp in Seal Rocks. It's just 3.5 hours out of Sydney, a "quiet national park surrounded by amazing landscapes and epic waves" according to the guys. Now you have zero excuses. Hook up a CampNow package and head for Sydney's best camping getaways. Images: Zak Suhar, Alex Holt, Jeremy Ricketts, Julian Bialowas (all Stocksnap) and Dollar Photo Club.
Raise the roof with a pack of tracksuit-wearing grannies when Indeedy Musical Bingo moonwalks into Sydney in a couple of weeks' time. Part dance party, part game show, this kitsch-tastic musical phenomenon will make its Australian debut at The Forresters in Surry Hills on Thursday October 15. Expect singing, dancing and ridiculous prizes ranging from vintage records to inflatable bananas. Created by Jess Indeedy and her husband Charles 'DJ Helix' Brockbank, Indeedy Musical Bingo is more or less what it sounds like: bingo, but with songs instead of numbers. Eagle eared players cross songs off their list as they hear them, in a high stakes contest to claim whatever ridiculous prizes happen to be on offer. Game themes may include dance anthems, hip hop, yacht rock, motown or just about anything else. Indeedy hosts, and will be joined on stage by a team of dancing old ladies known collectively as The Granny Pack. It may all sound ridiculous (and we suspect it probably is), but Indeedy Musical Bingo has been popular in London and New York for a while now, in venues such as Shoreditch House, Shop & Do, Soho House New York and The Bell House Brooklyn. Their Sydney shenanigans will kick off at 8pm on October 15 and should wrap up just before midnight – depending on how people are keen to keep dancing. You can book advanced tickets for just $13.90 by following this link.
With hard-hitting dramas, imaginative comedies and a retrospective tribute to one of the all-time greats, the latest edition of the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival doesn't disappoint. Lighting up the screen from March 1-24 in Sydney before heading out to Parramatta and Casula in April, the 2016 program features a diverse mix of titles showcasing the very best the French film industry has to offer. Below, we've put together a list of the five most intriguing films on the program. Lumière...Moteur...Action! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iespSNiOMRQ DHEEPAN The surprise winner of the prestigious Palme d'Or at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Dheepan is the latest film from director Jacques Audiard, whose previous efforts include Un Prophète and Rust and Bone. This new work concerns three strangers from war-torn northern Sri Lanka who masquerade as a family in order to receive asylum in France. A tale of intolerance and persecution, Dheepan feels particularly timely given the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe and our own troubled relationship with asylum seekers here at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiOnxv30iHk IN THE SHADOW OF WOMEN Another major player at Cannes — where it was selected to open the Director's Fortnight category — this masterful romantic drama is directed by Philippe Garrel, a 50-year veteran of the French film industry. Shot in Paris in gorgeous black and white, In the Shadow of Women follows Pierre (Stanislas Merhar) and Manon (Clotilde Courau), a pair of married documentary filmmakers whose lives are thrown into turmoil when Pierre begins an affair with a young intern (Lena Paugam), only to discover that Manon has secrets of her own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XZe5rrFDrM TAJ MAHAL The 2008 Mumbai terror attacks form the backdrop for this unsettling thriller, selected by film critic and festival patron David Stratton as one of the best films on the program. Stacy Martin (Nymphomaniac) plays Louise, an 18-year-old French tourist trapped in her hotel room as it comes under attack by armed gunmen. Setting his film almost entirely in the one room, director Nicolas Saada has been praised for his restraint, crafting a tense, claustrophobic picture that at times may feel a little too real for comfort. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmu6r2RHVDw MICROBE & GASOLINE From The Science of Sleep to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to his extensive career at the helm of some of the most memorable music videos ever made, director Michel Gondry is rightfully considered one of the most unique and imaginative filmmakers working in the medium today. His latest film is Microbe & Gasoline, a coming-of-age comedy about a pair of teenage outcasts who decide to take a road trip in a homemade house on wheels. Bring on the whimsy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wjDWnKTROI CONTEMPT One of the undisputed masterpieces of the French New Wave, Jean Luc-Godard's 1963 film Contempt is essential viewing for anyone who considers themselves a film lover. A scathing satire of the movie business and the conflict between art and commerce, the film follows a screenwriter (Michel Piccoli) adapting Homer's Odyssey for the screen, while navigating complicated relationships with his producer (Jack Palance), director (Fritz Lang) and wife (Brigitte Bardot). Contempt will serve as the festival's closing night film – and frankly, we can't think of a better choice.
If ever there's been a time to put aside the man/woman/child breakdown of gift-giving, it's surely Christmas 2015. After a year spent contemplating gender fluidity, superhero marketing and man buns, it makes sense to celebrate the season by just giving beautiful things to beautiful people and enjoying the resulting beauty explosion. Need some help pulling that off? Try putting a bow on one of our suggestions — they're only the best, most innovative and most lust-worthy products we've seen this year. FOR THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WHO DO EVERYTHING WITH STYLE The Beach People roundie Oh, you didn't get the memo? Beach towels are round now. Round, oversized, luxurious and very giftable. Freed from being a mere drying implement, the roundie is a picnic rug, beach blanket and ultimate Instagram prop. There's a few of these around but our faves come from Australian company The Beach People, where they retail for $110. O Six Hundred flat pack kayak For the one you truly love, there's this $2200 Australian-designed kayak that you assemble from flat pack, much like your Ikea bookcase. Unlike your Ikea bookcase, it's also tough and light (10kg, so any solo voyager can lift it above their head), perfect for taking out on Sydney Harbour whenever the mood may strike. Get it from Sorry Thanks I Love You. ChaBottle from Life of Cha For your friend who loves to tote their own tea or infused water (love you lemon, cucumber and mint), or who seems like they might want to start, there's the ChaBottle. Its 2-in-1 infuser can be used for tea, coffee and fruit drinks. $50 from Life of Cha. Stonemen briefs When you need a gift that says, "your pants contain the world", there's Stonemen briefs. With graphic prints including mountainscapes, skylines and the universe, they're the most epic smalls around. Also available in women's styles, with prices starting at $40 from Etsy. Forbes & Ike salt basin and pepper mill The kitchen benchtop has rarely known such beauty as this Melbourne-crafted pepper grinder. It's hand-poured concrete, New Zealand beech timber and brass, and it's a flinch-worthy $250 from Sorry Thanks I Love You. Sunnylife watermelon beach ball All anyone will see is your giftee blithely throwing around a half watermelon with apparent superhero strength. Only you will know the inflatable truth. For this privilege, you're looking at just $18.95 from Sunnylife. FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GADGETS WITH ALL THE ZEAL OF A CHILD Chromecast Audio The gadget junkie in your life is likely to be all over Chromecast for TV. But do they have the dongle equivalent for audio? Possibly not. Chromecast Audio was released this October and allows you to stream music over Wi-Fi to any speaker in your house. So nice, and just $49 from Google. BB-8 droid by Sphero Just. Look. At. Him. Who wouldn't want to pull the wrapping off this little face on December 25 (aka eight days after The Force Awakens comes out)? Playable through a variety of apps and programmed to "patrol autonomously" when left on its own, the miniature BB-8 is the fun toy/baby robot/substitute pet perfect for all ages. Look at him in action here and buy for US$150 ($205) from Sphero. The Keyboard Waffle Iron You know life is good when you come down to breakfast and are greeted with this syrupy sight. And, since the Keyboard Waffle Iron includes both keyboard and kitchen gadget elements, the tech lover in your life is sure to appreciate this. US$85 ($116) from thekeyboardwaffleiron.com. Moto 360 smartwatch The smartwatch is the wearable of the moment, and it'll be on a whole lot more wrists after Christmas. Different strokes for different folks, but the Moto 360 is a good option when you weigh up nice styling vs old functionality (telling the time) vs new functionality (notifications, battery life etc). Prices start at US$299 ($408) at Motorola. Flic wireless smart button For the person who has everything, get them one little button that lets them do three things faster. Flic can be programmed to play music, make calls, snooze an alarm, turn on lights, share a location, order pizza and a bunch more stuff, all at a light touch. An addictive bit of life-hacking, it's US$34 ($46) from flic.io. FOR THE CULTURE LOVERS WITH AN IMPRESSIVELY CONSTANT FINGER ON THE PULSE The Gramovox Floating Record Player Marry me, Gramovox floating record player. That's what your giftee will say upon opening this package, containing the turntable that took Kickstarter by storm earlier this year. It's the perfect fusion of state-of-the-art technology and aesthetics, and it's US$400 ($555) in walnut or maple from the Gramovox website. Whimsical Miranda July pillowcases Words and phrases on home decor can be hit and miss, but when those words and phrases are filmmaker/artist/writer/All About Women speaker Miranda July's, they're all hit. These wistful pillowcases make the perfect addition to any literati's bedding. $105 from Third Drawer Down. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari with Eric Klinenberg Odds are at least one of your circle is obsessed with Aziz Ansari's insightful Netflix series, Master of None. What they might not have heard of is Modern Romance, the well-reviewed screed on relationship trends he's whipped up with sociologist Eric Klinenberg. Get it in hardcover for $39.75 from Booktopia. Twilight concert tickets The pretty, pretty sights of Twilight of Taronga and Melbourne Zoo Twilights return in 2016 with the likes of Courtney Barnett, Violent Femmes and Jose Gonzalez. Give a loved one the gift of beautiful music, starlit picnics and baby animals. Tickets from $50 at Twilight at Taronga and Melbourne Zoo. FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FOOD ARE THE MEANING OF LIFE A personally tailored spirit by Archie Rose Sydney's distillery bar Archie Rose impressed us a dozen times over this year — and one of those times was with their brilliant idea of a tailored spirits range. That means you can pick up to 3–5 botanicals (think: river mint, dorrigo pepperleaf, blood lime) and the name on the label. Prices are $84 for vodka, $89 for gin or (*gulp*) $2000+ for whisky. So we hope your friend likes white spirits. It's all happening on the Archie Rose website. Bespoke chocolate bar from Chocolab Yet another, perhaps more conventional (but never unwanted) thing to customise. With Chocolab chocolate, you can chuck in confectionary like Nerds, spices like chilli, fruit like freeze-dried acai, biscuits, nuts — almost any foodstuffs your giftee has at some point professed a fondness for. Prices start at $6.75 at ChocoLab. The Great Australian Cookbook Give your friend the gift of cooking you dinner with this epic book compiling recipes and stories from chefs like Neil Perry, Dan Hong, Kylie Kwong and Anna Polyviou. Diverse as it is, the book also includes this country's legendary farmers and producers — as well as Australia’s original cookbook queen, Margaret Fulton. Get it discounted to $42.50 at Booktopia. A subscription to wine-by-the-glass tasting service Secret Bottle By delivering their wines by the glass (in sleek screw-top vials), Secret Bottle lets its subscribers experience a wide range of Australian varietals and get to know what they like. Sign your giftee up as a founding member and they'll get a bunch of bonus gifts along with their subscription, which starts at $24.95/month from Secret Bottle. Sprout coloured pencils Honour your giftee's love of adult colouring in and fresh produce with these pencils that grow into herbs. They just plant them once they've worn down to stubs. €16.95 ($23) from Sprout World. Top image: Dollar Photo Club.
Rosebery's becoming quite the Sydney foodie hub. With Koskela opening their own kitchen and Sydney's first distillery in 160 years bringing the crowds to in the inner south suburb, Rosebery has just landed itself one sweet, sweet addition to the neighbourhood: the ever newsworthy, unfailingly novelty and perpetually popular Gelato Messina. Sitting on Mentmore Avenue, Messina's Rosebery venture is cranking out the gelato and cakes Sydney knows, loves and Instagrams well. Rosebery's gelato hub joins Sydney's flagship Darlinghurst and subsequent Surry Hills, Bondi, Parramatta, Miranda and The Star casino spinoffs, alongside Fitzroy's Melbourne venture, Coolangatta's beachside joint and Darlinghurst's extra mindblowing Messina Dessert Bar. They're also opening in the former Rozelle tram depot in Forest Lodge. This isn't the only delicious tenant for the Rosebery area, of course. Koskela Kitchen has just opened where Kitchen by Mike used to simmer, and Black Star Pastry are watching their baked goods walk out the door on Dunning Avenue. Looks like Sydney's inner south has an insatiable taste for local culinary delights — buy up on real estate now. Gelato Messina is now open at 58 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery.
Sydney's been enjoying some serious wall work of late, with Austrian street artist Nychos recently dropping by to create a colossal piece in Chippendale, and Sydney artist MCRT taking over Paddington's walls. But we're about to get a good dose of international game-changer, with iconic US street artist Shepard Fairey heading to Sydney to install a brand new work for Vivid Sydney, announced this morning. If you're not across Fairey's work, just punch 'Obama Hope' or 'Obey Giant' into Google. Yeah, he's the guy. Instantly recognisable and internationally acclaimed, Fairey's works are dotted around the world, from street walls to major gallery institutions — and he's left around 70 large-scale public murals in his wake. Returning to Australia for the first time in 14 years, Fairey's been invited to Sydney as part of the 2017 Vivid lineup, making his first ever Australian mural while he's here. Head to 309 George Street in Sydney's CBD between June 12 and 17 to watch him work. Fairey will also be talking the talk while he's in town, topping the bill for the Vivid Ideas 'Game-Changer' talk series. He'll appearing at Sydney Town Hall on June 17, to talk eager ears through his body of work, his DIY style and his role in shaping global street art into its current state. Plus, Fairey will be putting on a free public exhibition of his music-themed work in Darling Quarter from May 26 to June 17 — looks like Vivid isn't planning on wasting the trip. Check out the rest of the Vivid lineup here. Images: Shepard Fairey, Barack Obama 'Hope' poster, 2009, Wikicommons, and Jonathan Furlong.
11a Oxford Street has been reincarnated more than once within the last ten years. After Sydney clubbing institution Goodbar closed in 2006, the space transformed into Eleven nightclub, and then pop-up dance floor Church. Now it's time to go back to where it all started — Goodbar is reopening this September. The news that Goodbar was set to be reborn, thanks to promoter Scott Robertson and Division Agency, was met with rapturous applause from Sydneysiders who like to stay out past 1.30am. The venue falls just outside the Sydney lockout zone, making it exempt from many of the stifling restrictions other city bars and clubs face. Robertson says Goodbar will fill the void of classy establishments that are open to punters who are keen to have a drink after a gig or dinner. "I enjoy a nice glass of scotch and find it incredibly frustrating that as a grown man I can no longer go into a venue and order one on the rocks after a certain time," he says. The completely renovated venue will have two distinct personalities, with the ground floor operating as a cocktail bar, and the basement as an underground club. The basement is set to become the home of house and techno 'Nights Like This' every Saturday, and organisers are already boasting an incredible international lineup. Paul Strange (Tank, Home Nightclub) will be running one big night at the venue (details to come), and Friday evenings will see 'People's Club', run by David Banga and Nergal Youkhana, enlisting the help of Seekae to kick things off on September 2. Interestingly the team behind the rejuvenation of the venue have decided to keep the original name. "I always liked the actual name itself," says Robertson. "It was pretty iconic back in the day and I think enough time has passed to reinvent it and make it our own brand for a whole new generation." The drinks list has been put together with help from hospo veteran Jason Crawley who was inspired by healthy daytime drinking consumption. Think cold pressed juices, coconut water and pro-life spices and herbs. "I wanted to continue this immune boosting choice into the night space and into the cocktail context," says Crawley. "In some cases, we have cold pressed zingy yuzu instead of lime juice and some nice flavour extensions into the flora world with unique-tangy flavours such as geranium." Immunity boosting cocktails? Sign. Us. Up. Goodbar is expected to open in September, and might just give Paddington what it needs to become Sydney's next late night precinct. The Unicorn's just up the road. Goodbar will open September at 1-11 Oxford Street, Paddington.
The Australian rideshare economy is set to go the way of Asia and Europe, with new company Scooti ready to unleash its fleet of scooter taxis on Melbourne next month. CEO and founder Cameron Nadi boasts the service as a cheaper, faster and more eco-conscious mode of transport. "The main advantage of Scooti is, of course, getting where you want to go sooner," says Nadi. "Two wheels have a distinct advantage in busy traffic. It's [also] more cost-effective than other chauffeur-driven ride sharing options, and creates less emissions than most other public or shared transport options available." It may sound odd, but Scooti is by no means a novel idea. Motorbikes already act as taxis all across Asia, as well as in European cities like Amsterdam and Florence — though this is the first time the concept has been implemented in Australia. The fleet currently consists of around 50 drivers and they're recruiting for more — so if you've got a scooter or motorbike and need some extra cash flow, listen up. As with any rideshare company, drivers can use their own motorbikes as long as they meet Scooti's mechanical, safety, comfort and hygiene standards. Alternatively, drivers will be given the option to invest in one of the company's branded blue electric Fonzarelli scooters. Scooti is also offering up benchmark pay rates and rewards in the transport services/delivery category, which should mean the pay will sit fairly within Australian salary standards. If true-to-word, this could set them apart, as pay continues to be a major issue within the ridesharing and delivering industries. Nadi also claims the company's recruitment standards "go beyond the likes of Uber", assessing for things like scooter skill and an arbitrary marker of "common sense". Riders can request a pickup using the Scooti app, though keep in mind you'll only be able to legally ride solo — so it's a good option when you don't have anyone to split an Uber or Taxify with. The drivers are also required to have an extra helmet for you, with hair nets on hand for those that are skeeved out by the idea of sharing headgear. The company is committed to offering female drivers to women riders upon request too. In addition to more drivers, Scooti is also actively looking for investors to grow the business. If Melbourne proves successful, you'll likely be seeing Scooti up in Sydney and Brisbane in no time, with expansion planned over the next 12 months. In the lead up their launch, you may notice some trial drivers around town. Keep a lookout — some heavily discounted fares will apparently be available for the first riders using the app. Scooti will launch in Melbourne this April, so keep an eye out for blue bikes around town. For more information or to download the app, head to their scooti.com.au.
Global ride sharing service Uber have teamed up with the legends at Gelato Messina for a one day only office ice cream delivery service. This Friday July 24, heroic Uber drivers will be dispatched across Australia with ice cold scoops of fudgy, wafery, milk choc chippy goodness. As if you needed another reason to look forward to Friday. Here's how it all works: Step One – Starting at 11am, Uber users can log into the app and enter the promotional code 'IceCreamOz' along with their location. Step Two – There is no step two. Your tub of ice cream is already on its way. The #UberIceCream promotion is being run in Sydney, Parramatta, Wollongong, Byron Bay, Canberra, Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Townsville, Cairns, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth and Bunbury. Existing Uber users will be charged $15 for the transaction, while first time users get their ice cream free of charge. The company has also teased some less conventional delivery methods, including dog sleds and jet skis. This could be very interesting. Messina have even created a new flavour for the occasion, consisting of hazelnut gelato with white chocolate, hazelnut fudge, chocolate chips and cream filled wafers (unfortunately there's no backup option for people with egg or nut allergies.) Uber have actually offered ice cream delivery before, along with a number of other novelty promotions such as gourmet lunches and kittens (the kittens were not for eating, thankfully.) And while their legal status in Australia is still a little murky, as long as they keep pulling clever stunts like this – not to mention just being better than regular cabs in pretty much every way – we get the feeling that they won't be going anywhere.
If an artist told you the only way to truly appreciate their art was to get dunked in a shower of water, would you bring on the rain? One of Australia's most significant contemporary artists, Shaun Gladwell, is asking you to get wet for his next major project. Returning to his ol' stomping ground of Sydney in March for two exhibitions, Gladwell will present The Lacrima Chair at the Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation. The newly commissioned, site-specific installation blends sculpture, his signature video style and water, water everywhere. Quite the mystery project, The Lacrima Chair will apparently "engage the poetics of flight, travel and cultural transmission, specifically French cultural influences within Australia and vice versa," according to today's announcement. Gallerygoers will be required to wander through mist screens in the SCAF space, but the brave artseekers can costume-up (in yet-to-be-revealed threads) and sit under a shower of water in order to fully experience Gladwell’s new installation. The team have described this as 'Francis Bacon-style', which possibly means you'll be looking at something like this: So you'll be well-arted, and very, very wet. The Lacrima Chair marks the centrepiece of a double-sited project. While SCAF plays Wet 'N' Wild with Gladwell's installation, UNSW Galleries will see a 20-work-strong Collection+: Shaun Gladwell exhibition act as more of a mid-career retrospective of the artist. Filling all three spaces of the recently launched UNSW Galleries at the new Art and Design faculty (formerly known as COFA) in Paddington, the flight-focused show marks the first solo exhibition to be staged at the new UNSW instalment. The UNSW chapter of the project (curated by Geneva's Dr Barbara Polla and Paris's Prof. Paul Ardenne) is a bit of a homecoming for Gladwell — the artist rustled up a Master of Fine Arts at COFA back in the day. Represented by Sherman Galleries (now SCAF) for nine years, Gladwell is paying serious homage to his Aussie roots after recently repping at the 53rd Venice Biennale. Pro tip? Don't wear anything suede to the gallery. Shaun Gladwell: The Lacrima Chair (SCAF Project 24) and Collection+: Shaun Gladwell (SCAF Project 25) will be on show at SCAF and UNSW Galleries respectively from 6 March 2015 until 25 April 2015.
Tents at the ready: when 2023 ends and 2024 begins, there are few better ways to spend it than dancing and camping at southeast Queensland's Woodford Folk Festival. This isn't just a fest. It's a pop-up Moreton Bay village filled with live music, arts and culture. And it's returning for another year with a heap of well-known Australian — and Brisbane — names. Throwing back to the late 90s and early 00s, Regurgitator, Custard and Resin Dogs will all take to the Woodford stage between Wednesday, December 27, 2023–Monday, January 1, 2024 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. Also hailing from Brissie, along with plenty of the festival's attendees each year: Kate Miller-Heidke. Woodford 2023–24's roster of talent includes Ben Lee, Gretta Ray, Isaiah Firebrace and Kasey Chambers as well, on a list that spans more than 400 acts and 1834 shows. So, across the fest's 27 performance spaces, there'll be no shortage of things for the expected 120,000 people attending to see at Woodfordia's 500-acre parklands space (which now boasts a lake) — whether they're among the 25,000 folks who can stay onsite or just hitting up the event for the day. Accordingly, whoever piques your interest, or even if you're just keen on a Woodford experience — for the first time, tenth or 36th, because that's how many fests the event has notched up now — prepare to catch a heap of bands, wander between arts performances and get a little muddy, all around 90 minutes north of Brisbane. As always, the fest's lineup also features circus, cabaret, yoga, dance, comedy, spoken word, poetry, comedy, films, workshops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Keen to have a chat while your clothes was at The Blak Laundry? Learn to weave baskets with Kris Martin? Get giggling to talents curated by Sandeep Totlani? Hit up the Queer Ball's third year? They're some of the other standouts. Tickets are already on sale, and you can check out the full list of acts and activities on the Woodford website. WOODFORD 2023–24 LINEUP HIGHLIGHTS: Regurgitator Custard Resin Dogs Ben Lee Kate Miller-Heidke Isaiah Firebrace Kasey Chambers Mo'Ju Gretta Ra Odette Yirrmal A.Girl AFRO DIZZI ACT Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham The East Pointers Haiku Hands Leah Flanagan Borroloola Cultural Songwomen featuring Dr Shellie Morris AO Bumpy FourPlay String Quartet Yirinda Charlie Needs Braces Mitch King DancingWater ALPHAMAMA Jack Davies & the Bush Chooks Charm of Finches Dougie Maclean Assynt Ryan Young Hannah Rarity Dallahan Lisa O'Neill Andy Irvine Making Movies Rizo Božo Vrečo Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
Hotels aren't often associated with the world of conceptual art and curated design — and it's even rarer that they pull the connection off. But QT Melbourne — the new hotel that just opened on the historic site of Russell Street's Greater Union Cinema — manages to merge specially commissioned video art, European furnishings and well-designed public spaces with a premium hotel experience pretty seamlessly. Developed over the past three years, the hotel's high-end design slots perfectly into the city's 'Paris end' and directly interacts with the site's distinctive arts and culture heritage. The hotel's opening is a big one for Melbourne; while QT has hotels in Sydney, Canberra, Falls Creek and the Queensland coast, this is their first foray into Melbourne's boutique accommodation scene. As such, they had a mark to make. Here's how they did it. BY CREATING ARTISTICALLY AUTHENTIC DESIGN QT is known for its interior design, and their 188-room Melbourne hotel is no different. The commitment to create an authentic arts experience was clear from the outset, with award-winning art advisor Amanda Love bringing together an eclectic array of visual delights. The director of New York- and Sydney-based art advisory LoveART, Love was voted Best Art Advisor 2010 at Sydney's inaugural Art Month Awards and has worked with a number of successful benefaction groups associated with both Sydney's Art Gallery of New South Wales and Museum of Contemporary Art. QT Melbourne and Love have brought together a collection of acclaimed local and international artists whose work is showcased throughout the hotel's guest rooms, restaurants, bars and public spaces. Artists include Melbourne-born twin sisters and video art duo Gabriella and Silvana Mangano, renowned American installation artist Jennifer Steinkamp, Sydney-based site-specific artists Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro, video artist Grant Stevens, and conceptual installation pairing Janet Burchill and Jennifer McCamley. BY BRINGING THE MELBOURNE'S OUTSIDE, INSIDE Taking advantage of this world class mix of artistic talent, QT Melbourne's public spaces designer Nic Graham explains that "using a local story or sense of place" is essential to creating an appealing and modern hotel experience. Born and raised in Melbourne, Graham has enjoyed a multifaceted career working across architecture, furniture and product design. Following a number of internationally recognised projects, Graham moved to Sydney and founded design firm G+A in 1999. Inspired by Melbourne's iconic idiosyncrasies, Graham carefully considered the broader urban landscape of the city to instil guests with a unique sense of Melbourne life. "For QT Melbourne, we used the story of the Paris-end of town, mixed with the inner-city laneways and rag trade culture," says Graham. "We also like to include a lot of local contemporary art, curious graphics and accessories – mix vintage with modern." With more than 15 years experience in hotel design to call-on, Graham believes that what makes a hotel a truly enriching encounter is its attention to detail. Whether it is the delicate gold-studded metalwork detailing in the hotel's restaurant, Pascale Bar & Grill, or the ornamental French toile wallpaper seen throughout the restaurant, the contrast of materials used throughout the numerous spaces contributes to an overall feeling of warmth and familiarity. BY CONTINUING THE BUILDING'S ARTISTIC LEGACY INTO A NEW ERA Graham collaborated with guest rooms architect and design expert Shelley Indyk, and together they shaped several engaging public spaces inside QT Melbourne. Endeavouring to capture the features of Melbourne that make it one of the world's most creatively influential cities, they've pulled together an interior where exposed concrete and black steel sits alongside provocative graffiti-like graphics, and eye-catching LED digital art hangs from the ceiling reflecting the winding backstreets and alleyways throughout Melbourne's built environment. This "industrial chic" style carries through into the hotel's 188 guest rooms, with Indyk describing the design as an "investigation of Melbourne city's character". Indyk and her design practice, Indyk Architects, were responsible for the conception and creation of each room's furniture. Collaboration with award-winning lighting designer Electrolight sees black powder-coated brass and metal light fittings, which is finished with oak timber floors. While the brutalist façade of the Greater Union cinema is gone, its legacy is carried on through QT Melbourne's artistically considered design. QT Melbourne is located at 133 Russell Street, Melbourne. For more information, visit their website. Images: Alexandra Anderson.
Between work, family and maintaining an impeccable (but relatable) online presence, life can sometimes get away from us. We tend to romanticise going interstate, going overseas or heading out to the country for a weekend without looking closer to home for new experiences. But the city you call home might surprise you if you let it. We've partnered with Grey Goose, one of the most luxurious brands of vodka you can get, to bring you the best luxury experiences in your city. Sydney is a melting pot of cultures and we're blessed with world class restaurants on every corner. These foodie experiences might cost a small fortune, but, when you think about it, they're cheaper than a weekend away — and they're the best (and most delicious) way to discover the luxury in this fine city of ours. Here are ten to try, and our pick of a cocktail to wash it down with. THE SIX-COURSE CHEF'S MENU AT THE BRIDGE ROOM Where better to start than 2016's Restaurant of the Year? Boasting three chef's hats and ranked 84th on the World's Best Restaurants list, The Bridge Room in Sydney's CBD is the perfect example of luxury in your city. With a constantly evolving menu drawing upon Asian and European flavours, Head Chef Ross Lusted famously prepares many of his dishes over binchotan charcoal, slow-smoked in the Japanese robata style. With a single course starting at $60, The Bridge Room is unashamedly for discerning food lovers. The servings are impressively generous and the quality of the finished product more than justifies the expense. Go all out with the six-course chef's menu for $160. Try this cocktail: The Bridge Room's Espresso Martini made with vanilla-infused vodka. THE NINE-COURSE TASTING MENU AT SEPIA Another of Sydney's three-hatted restaurants, Sepia is the creative collaboration between Sydney chef Martin Benn and renowned seafood wholesaler George Costi. Japanese cuisine lies at the heart of Sepia's contemporary menu, offering both five- and nine-course tasting options that are constantly evolving — though if you're going all out, you've got to do the latter (it rings up at $215 per person). At the moment the menu includes a charcoal-grilled David Blackmore wagyu and their famous chocolate forest dessert. The extensive wine list has been compiled by award winning sommelier Rodney Setter, and boasts over 24 domestic and international wines by the glass. This is one of those restaurants where the presentation of meals is as close to an art form as food can be — and were it not for the impossible tastes they promise, the act of even just touching one of these dishes feels like it should be explicitly forbidden. Try this cocktail: A dry martini stirred with Grey Goose Vodka. THE EIGHT-COURSE TASTING MENU AT QUAY An obvious entry given its membership in the Sydney restaurant elite and its continual appearance on the World's Best Restaurants list. Described as Sydney's 'fine dining citadel' with its glass facade and peerless harbour views, Quay even lets you know in advance if your booking will clash with a cruise ship arrival to detract from your scenic experience. But however magnificent the view, the real spectacle remains is on the plate, where chef Peter Gilmore's exquisite, seasonal and impeccably presented dishes offer a mix of playful textures and robust flavours. If you're going, go the whole hog — the eight-course tasting menu is $235 a head. Of course, Quay's famous Snow Egg dessert is an irresistible closer upon every visit. Try this cocktail: A palate-cleansing Gimlet mixed with vodka, lime juice and simple syrup. THE TEN-COURSE DEGUSTATION AT TETSUYA'S Degustation. The word is synonymous with Tetsuya's. Nestled into its refurbished heritage site and built around a secluded Zen garden in the heart of Kent Street, Tetsuya Wakuda's storied restaurant is an undisputed Sydney institution. The world famous ten-course degustation costs $230 per person, and the wine accompaniment (which is absolutely recommended) is an additional $110. Tetsuya's has perhaps one of the finest wine collections in Australia — as well as some of the most experienced sommeliers in the entire country — ensuring your wining and dining experience is the real deal. It's the ultimate indulgence. Try this cocktail: A fresh Citronic mixed with vodka, tonic and lemon juice. THREE COURSES AT BENNELONG Dinner at the Sydney Opera House overlooking the harbour has to be the epitome of luxury in Sydney. And at Peter Gilmore's reimagined Bennelong — which opened back up early last year — retains all that was great about the beloved Opera House restaurant while offering immediately tangible improvements where they most count. It feels warmer, more intimate and definitely more inviting, while the menu has become far more informal and approachable, cooking with the very best of Australian stock. The three-course menu ($125 per person) is literally the only way to go in the main restaurant, but you can take a seat at the Cured and Cultured bar for pre-show nibbles. Whatever you go for, you can't go past Gilmore's outrageously excellent pavlova — its meringue shell magically replicates the iconic sails of the Opera House that surrounds it. Try this cocktail: A Mint Julep made with mint, sugar, lemon, soda and vodka. A THREE-COURSE MEAL AT ELEVEN BRIDGE Another Bridge, another stellar performer, with Neil Perry's Eleven Bridge reasserting itself as the iconic Rockpool restaurant reborn. Eleven Bridge's dark interiors and smoke-themed decor means it still feels like its old self, yet still somehow... different. Most notable is the doing away of the degustation menu, along with a shift to gueridon service for a number of its dishes where your meals are carved, plated and presented right there by your side. Perry famously prides himself over his use of Australia's most sustainable and superior produce, which Executive Chef Phil Wood then transforms into an elegant and tantalising menu that's accompanied by an award-winning list of over 1200 wines. Order the roasted blue spanner crab or splash out on a seriously luxe cut of steak. Try this cocktail: Eleven Bridge's Blood Orange Americano — made with blood orange, Campari, sweet vermouth and vodka. THE DEGUSTATION AT LUMI Lumi is Italian for 'small lights', and, tru to that theme, LuMi Bar and Dining creates a delightfully intimate (and well lit) atmosphere. Led by Head Chef Federico Zanellato and his wife and sommelier Michela, LuMi combines Italian heritage with Asian flavours to offer a casual yet refined dining experience where the simplicity of the European decor is in stark opposition to the complexity of the cuisine it houses. On the food front, LuMi's degustation ($115) is an eight-course through snapper ceviche and prawn tagliatelle. Lumi might mean 'small lights' in Italian, but in English it's the word for enormous flavour and outstanding service. Try this cocktail: A Dry Martini stirred with Grey Goose Vodka, Vermouth, orange bitters and lemon zest. THE DINNER TASTING MENU AT ARIA Currently closed for an extensive $5 million overhaul, Sydney's fine dining sect is eagerly anticipating the November re-opening of Matt Moran's widely lauded Aria in Circular Quay. It's another of Sydney's fine dining experiences with million dollar views; Aria's unrivalled position means the Opera House and Harbour Bridge appear magnificently just beyond its famous floor-to-ceiling windows. You almost feel the urge to reach out and touch. But a restaurant's view is nothing without a menu to complement it — and Aria's is bloody delightful. With 17 years of first class, award-winning experience behind it, what Aria lacks in comparison to the experimentation of its contemporaries, it effortlessly makes up for in assured quality and excellence of service. Unerring confidence, too, can and should be placed on the sommelier's hand-holding as they escort you through Matt Dunne's impeccable wine list. Go for the tasting menu at dinner and you'll be treated to seven courses matched with seven wines. Try this cocktail: Aria's Passionfruit Martini — vodka, peach liqueur, fresh passionfruit and lemon juice. THE TASTING MENU AT LUCIO'S Lucio Galletto of Paddington's much loved Lucio's Italian Restaurant — a consistent two-hat recipient and favourite of both locals and visitors alike since 1983 — is known to have said: "Food and art is, for me, like the air that I breathe". True to that statement, art adorns the walls of this gorgeous little authentic Italian eatery, which is situated on a quiet, leafy street of Paddington, and service is world class. Diners at Lucio's aren't just shown to their table, they're greeted with the warmth of an old friend returning from a long stint abroad, and the same conviviality follows you for the remainder of your evening. The generous mains are expensive, but the fresh handmade pasta is so good, we just wanna throw money at them. Lucio's signature dish — the tagliolini alla granola — is as fine as Italian food can be; a firm base of green noodles comes speckled with with blue swimmer crab and dressed with a surprisingly zesty tomato sauce. You can order a la carte, but if you want decision taken our of your hands, go for the tasting menu. In an age of experimentation and stark simplicity, Lucio's is one of those rare and delightful throwbacks to real old-fashioned, feel-good fine dining. Try this cocktail: A classic Old Fashioned, made with vodka, brown sugar, bitters and an orange twist. THE 16-COURSE TASTING MENU AT MOMOFUKU SEIOBO Change has swept through Momofuku Seiõbo recently, and it has been for the good — for the great, even. Because while the famous pork buns are no more (we know, we know), that which remains and that which has arrived in their place is more than enough to celebrate. The recently installed Executive Chef Paul Carmichael brings his Barbadian heritage to the fore with a pronounced shift on the menu from Asian influences towards a broader type of Australian fusion, and the 16-course sample menu ($185pp) is by far the best way to journey through it (along with wine or non-alcoholic drink pairing, of course). With cool music and countertop seating an ongoing feature, the vibe is still far more relaxed here than that of many of its contemporaries. Do it. Cocktail to try: Keep it simple. Grab a Grey Goose Vodka on the rocks.
Consider yourself quite the origami expert? Can you assemble an IKEA wardrobe with your eyes closed? Do cardboard boxes flood you with happy memories of making forts as a kid? Get excited, this guy has literally just manufactured a super sturdy bike — made entirely out of cardboard. The kicker? It costs roughly the same as your lunch to make — a minuscule $10 per vehicle. This cycling enthusiast/marketing genius is one Izbar Gafni of Cardboard Technologies, who's really putting the cycling into recycling. He cites his interest in cardboard utility developing as stemming from the invention of a working canoe made from the humble cardboard. After speaking to not one, but three engineers, Gafni was told it was impossible to apply this logic to a useable cardboard bicycle. Ignoring this advice, he pedalled on (sorry) and created the first eco-friendly, operative cardboard bike. How does one essentially craft a functional bike out of cardboard? Quite easily, according to Gafni. Using cardboard of varying degrees of thickness, he folds the cardboard on itself to increase thickness and durability — making it strong enough that it can actually support the average human weight (and then some). After he's fashioned the cardboard to the ideal shape and dimensions, Gafni applies resin to resist rain and other weather conditions and applies a coat of paint. For those who aren't content with mere feet pedaling, there's also the option of purchasing an attachable electric motor. Here's the building process if you don't believe us: It's an idea that avoids the pesky rusting of steel bikes. Riding on this cardboard contraption has taken recycling to the next level — all those discarded shoe boxes, all of those boxes used to move house, transformed into a mode of transport that does not harm the environment. For people who live in areas with high bike thievery rates, despair no more; the bike is so cheap it's probably not worth the energy deployed trying to steal it. The bike is not without its resistors — critics have asked why Gafni doesn't account for the manpower that has contributed to manufacturing process, only advocating the $10 worth of material used to make it. Questions of efficiency have been brought up, as the amount of time and manpower dedicated to the manufacturing of the bike being deemed as unnecessary. Qualified bike experts have also questioned if the single speed setting of the bike would be useful at all in difficult terrain. The bike has featured on the streets of New York as part of the bike sharing implementation. It's not quite on the market yet, but Gafni has indicated that it will retail for around $60 – 90. Via Inhabitat.
Feeling uninspired? Stuck on date ideas? Want free booze? Or even, do you like art? We’ve put together a hot list of exhibitions for you to check out this August, a month tending towards the neon-coloured, psychedelic and futuristic. These aesthetic escapades will take you from Sydney’s smallest to most well-known galleries.
Shockingly green velvet, big brass bar features, gaudy carpet patterns, All The Palms — one of Neutral Bay's most beloved pubs is going back to the '30s. Founded in 1885 and home to one of Sydney's very best beer gardens, The Oaks is entering a new phase, now seeing its upstairs bar transformed by Sydney design queen Sibella Court. Straightforwardly dubbed The Oaks Upstairs, the pub's upper levels have been Courted into a bright, gaudy 1930s den of art deco meets art nouveau sophistication — with a serious amount of drapery. According to The Oaks' team, the new look pays homage to the pub's historic owners, the Furlongs, along with current owners, the Thomas family. Upstairs boasts three different areas with their own theming: The Terrace and Spare Room, The Licensee's Flat and The Dining Room. We're always down for drinking cocktails in venues that look like either the set of a Wes Anderson or Baz Luhrmann film, so this is great news for all. Expect dramatic mirrored surfaces jostling with those busy but fabulous prints the '30s were renowned for, large pool room murals reminiscent of Sonia Delaunay and Clarice Cliff, and a covered patio that's a green, gaudy delight. Start brainstorming your most fabulous post-war outfits for a night out here. Court's design firm The Society Inc. is behind some of the most high-profile renos and interior design shake-ups Sydney has seen in recent years, from luxe AF AirBnb listings to the renovation of Hotel Palisade. She's also designed and styled Merivale establishments such as Palings, Mr Wongs, Palmer & Co., El Loco and Ms.G's. The Oaks Upstairs is up top at 118 Military Rd, Neutral Bay. Open Monday to Thursday 10am–12pm, Friday and Saturday 10am–1.30am, Sunday 12pm–12am.
There are many great evils in this world, be they buses that drive through big puddles, the industrial war complex or that guy who invented that frog ringtone back in the early '00s. But let's be clear: beer — that beautiful, hoppy liquid of gods — isn't one of them. It's understandable if you're a little bit sceptical though. Recent consumer research has revealed that a whopping 87 percent of Aussies don't actually know what goes into beer, and 73 percent want to know more about what goes into the drink. So what exactly is beer made of? Is it all wheat and sugar? What about preservatives and other ingredients we can't pronounce? There are a lot of persistent (and downright wrong) beer myths floating around giving beer a bad rap, and we're jumping on board to debunk five of the big ones. MYTH #1: BEER IS FULL OF CARBS Let's level the playing field. Beer isn't some sort of carb outlier. To put it in perspective a bottle of Little Creatures Original Pilsner has 8.6 grams of carbs, which isn't huge. The reason for the persistent beer = carbs myth is that beer is brewed with starch (i.e. barley or wheat) and sugar, which are both carbohydrates. But when the brewing process begins, the starch actually breaks down into sugar — and once the yeast is added during fermentation, almost all of that sugar is then converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide, thus getting rid of most of the sugar and turning the liquid into beer. MYTH #2: BEER IS HIGH IN SUGAR We know what you're thinking: if the beer's 'low carb', they must just add in artificial sweeteners to keep that sweet, nommy aftertaste. Well, you'd be wrong on that one (although, you're not alone — 94 percent of Aussies overestimate the amount of sugar in beer). For example, James Boag's Premium and Hahn SuperDry are both on average 99.9 percent sugar free. The sweetness you taste in some beers — those toasty notes of caramel, chocolate and toffee — is not the result of added sugar, but rather the consequence of the natural malts and hops and the way they're broken down. Add to that the occasional inclusion of fruits in the process like banana, apple, pear and — more recently — adventurous options like coconut (and even bacon), and you begin to understand how and why beer can taste sweet without the addition of sugar. [caption id="attachment_579514" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Nick Graham[/caption] MYTH #3: ALL BEERS HAVE ADDED PRESERVATIVES They don't, and for one very simple reason: beer doesn't need them. First of all, two of beer's key components, hops and alcohol, keep beer more fresh longer — meaning they not only contribute to the flavour of the drink, but also help prolong its overall shelf life. Secondly, the hygienic quality assured by modern brewing methods and packaging systems prevents bacterial contamination and mitigates the need for added preservatives. In short: today's beers — including beers as wide-ranging as James Squire One Fifty Lashes Pale Ale to XXXX Gold — are made exceptionally well and can comfortably look after themselves on the shelves or in your fridge without any additions. [caption id="attachment_579510" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Paweł Kadysz[/caption] MYTH #4: BEER NEEDS TO BE ICE-COLD Beer doesn't always have to be chilled to taste good. While there's probably nothing better than a cold brew on a stinking hot day, a pilsner actually tastes really good when consumed slightly below room temperature. When it's not 'ice cold' it's more aromatic and you'll be able to taste more flavours. But here's the thing: temperature isn't the drink's number one villain. It's light. Just a few minutes of sunlight can 'skunk' a beer, making its taste go a little off. For that reason, brown bottles are best, as clear or green bottles are less adept at keeping the sun's rays at bay. MYTH #5: DARK BEER HAS MORE CALORIES THAN LIGHT BEER A common misconception in the world of beer drinking is that the darker a beer is, the heavier it is — and the more calories it contains. But that's not necessarily a given. The amount of alcohol content is a better indication on the amount of calories it could have, and has no bearing on the hoppy drink's hue. So if you're tossing up between a pale ale or a dark ale on the basis of energy content, don't — they both contain around the same number of calories. For more details on nutritional information of the beer in the Lion portfolio, watch this video and visit beerthebeautifultruth.com.
Ever wanted to try your hand at those insane Gelato Messina laboratory cakes but haven't really know where the hell to start? Want to make your own Messina cake right at home, to create your own personal cake filled with the creamy goo of the gods? Well, gird thy loins Messina fans, your favourite iced confection wizards have just released a gelato cake cookbook. Founder Nick Palumbo and head chef Donato Toce have knocked up a sexy little creation named Gelato Messina: The Creative Department which features recipes for a collection of their gelato cakes. Messina have built a reputation for their cakes, not only because they’re crammed full of that quality gelato we know and love, but also because they look incredible and a little unreal. The Dr Evil’s Magic Mushroom cake, Hazelnut Zucotto or the Black Forest are our picks for the ‘Cakes most like to make us cry with delight and not share with anyone’ category. And yes, we know ours will probably end up looking like an inside-out duck when it’s done but heck, we’ve simply got to try it. If you’re looking for the recipe for the standard gelato, you can also check out the 2014 cookbook Gelato Messina: The Recipes which details instructions on how to make those beloved foundation flavours, such as dulce de leche, pear and rhubarb, poached figs in marsala and salted caramel and white chocolate. For your own personal information, we’ll add some advice on how to best consume the resultant gelato: tape a serving spoon to each hand and don’t stop them whirring until you’ve hoovered up all the gelato in range. Grab your copy of Gelato Messina: The Creative Department from today, at all bookstores who know what's what or from the Book Depository.
This beautiful piece by Aboriginal playwright Nathan Maynard — his first full-length play— will move you to both tears and laughter. Performed by an all-Indigenous cast, the play takes us into the lives of the Duncan family on Dog Island in the Bass Strait. Set during the six-week muttonbird harvest season, the play deftly explores the enduring themes of family and belonging. The Season will be performed seven times at the Sydney Opera House, taking place from January 10 to 15. This is a world premiere show at Sydney Festival 2017. Check out more world firsts coming to the festival over here.
With the launch of a brand new Japanese-style menu, The Rook Rooftop is transforming into a cherry blossom garden for the season. Inspired by the Japanese tradition of hanami, which translates to 'seeing flowers,' The Rook has launched a dining experience that is aesthetically pleasing all around. As you walk through its doors, you'll be immersed in a world of pastel pink, artful cocktails and funky dishes — all while being surrounded by wonderful views of Sydney's CBD. Some must-try bites include its loaded gyoza, served with furikake, tonkatsu sauce, kewpie and bonito flakes ($17), and the fried chicken burger, which comes with golden curry mayo and lettuce ($22). The Rook is also offering a bottomless dumpling special on Saturdays from June 6. For $30 (or $59 with bottomless tap beers and wine), you can eat as many dumplings as your heart desires for two hours. Sittings are at 11.30am and 2pm on Saturday and 12pm and 2pm on Sunday. Images: Jasper Ave
Ōtautahi Christchurch is a nature lover's dream. As soon as you arrive you'll notice the crisp air, and you'll soon find out that you're surrounded by scenes of otherworldly, serene natural beauty that changes with the seasons but is ever-present. From some of the world's darkest winter skies without a hint of light pollution to the deserted beaches of the Akaroa Peninsula, you will no doubt find something that will take your breath away. Lean into the naturally cooler climate of Christchurch and visit during winter to experience the full extent of the region's charms. Venture just outside of the Christchurch city centre and it's almost as if you're in another world. Drive for ten minutes in almost any direction and you'll discover something unexpected. Adventurous souls and nature lovers will relish the chance to get in touch with the great outdoors — perhaps by peeling off the layers and relaxing in a natural hot pool or barrelling through the hills on a mountain bike. It was incredibly hard to choose, but here are our favourite cool weather experiences to take on when you're in Christchurch. [caption id="attachment_986567" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Miles Holden[/caption] Look Up at One of the World's Darkest Skies Mackenzie is home to one of the only International Dark Sky Reserves (IDSR) in the world — land which usually surrounds a park or observatory and is home to exceptional views of starry nights. The darkness of the sky in this region of New Zealand is almost unbeatable, and it's the perfect place for a bit of stargazing. At Big Sky Stargazing you'll sit down for an astronomy lesson at the planetarium and take a short drive to an outdoor stargazing area where you'll use telescopes, astronomy binoculars and your own eyes to look up at constellations and enjoy spectacular, peaceful views. Soak in Hanmer Springs' Geothermal Pools When the air has a crisp bite to it and you wouldn't want to be caught outside without being bundled up, that's how you know it's the perfect weather for getting into your swimwear and making a beeline for a hot spring. Don't settle for any run-of-the-mill hot spring either. Located just outside of Christchurch is the alpine village of Hanmer Springs, where 22 natural thermal pools sit surrounded by dramatic snow-capped mountains. If the prospect of a soothing soak isn't sufficiently appealing, there are also spa treatments and massages to really kick your relaxation up a notch. [caption id="attachment_986614" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Miles Holden[/caption] Wander Christchurch's Natural Landscape Lush rolling hills are surrounded by a crystal blue expanse of water on the edges of Christchurch. If you venture slightly out from the town centre, you can explore deserted beaches and dramatic landscapes that have to be seen to be believed. In the small town of Akaroa on the water's edge, you'll find a beautiful cluster of old English-style buildings. Whether you're after a short stroll or a day-long hike, the idyllic beaches, rough bush and winding tracks of this quiet little area will keep you more than occupied. If you need more convincing, take another look at the above photo. Paddle Through Pohatu in a Kayak Head to Akaroa and jump into a 4WD for a spectacular scenic safari that stuns year-round. Travel for just over an hour through the highest passes of the Banks Peninsula with Pohatu Adventures until you reach Pohatu Marine Reserve. When you arrive you'll discover the Christchurch region's most abundant wildlife ecosystem up close via kayak. Get ready to paddle alongside blue penguins, seals and Hector's dolphins. Depending on the timing of your trip, you might even catch a glimpse of the circle of life of the region's wildlife. As temperatures dip, you'll see penguins at their most social as they build homes, find mates and head out and about. If the water is calm, get ready to lose your breath — not because of the brisk air but because of the scenery — as you paddle out to Flea Bay Island where you'll discover a mass of land characterised by desolate beaches, sheer sea cliffs and mysterious caves. Find your very own Aotearoa New Zealand here.
Melbourne artist Louise Hearman has won the Archibald Prize for her strike portrait of Australian comedian Barry Humphries. The award was bestowed today by the Art Gallery of New South Wales' board of trustees, with Hearman, a first time finalist, beating out 50 other finalists including Natasha Bieniek, Wendy Whiteley and Carla Fletcher to claim the $10,000 prize. "There was much deliberation and many worthwhile Archibald contenders, but Louise Hearman's portrait took centre-stage in the end," said board of trustees vice-president Mark Nelson. "It stood out as a portrait that truly captured the spirit of the sitter – she has caught Barry's sardonic smile brilliantly." Hearman's portrait, titled simply Barry, marks the sixth time that Humphries has sat for the Archibald – the first was back in 1969, when he was painted by artist John Brack as his iconic character Dame Edna Everage (below). "I'm the happiest girl in the world right now!" said Hearman. "Winning the Archibald is an extraordinary, extraordinary thing for an artist, but the best thing about the Archibald Prize really, is that it gets all artists in the public eye. Today is the one day each year artists eclipse sportsmen in the news!" Also announced were the finalists for the Wynne and Sulman Prizes. The former was awarded to family members Tjungkara Ken, Yaritji Young, Freda Brady, Maringka Tunkin and Sandra Ken for their mural Seven Sisters, while the latter went to Esther Stewart for her painting Flatland Dreaming. The results mark the first time that all three awards have been won by female artists, with AGNSW director Michael Brand remarking that "the success of Louise Hearman, the Ken Sisters and Esther Stewart will be celebrated not just at the Art Gallery of New South Wales today but right around the country." All the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman finalists will be on display at AGNSW from July 16 until October 9.
The modern world can be very demanding. Whether it’s the stress of dealing with an impossible letter lineup in Words with Friends or never feeling you're truly free from your work email, life's day-to-day pressures and our inability to switch off from screens and stimulus has led to a rise in mental health problems among young professionals. Luckily, the easiest way to counter stress and poor mental health (apart from jogging, which is the worst) is through meditation, which is what the good folk at Centred Mediation in Sydney’s CBD can help you with. Though it’s not the first modern meditation centre to crop up, but it’s Australia's first guided meditation drop-in studio. This means it's one of the best for busy people and full-time workers as their 30-minute guided meditation session are designed to chill you out on your lunchbreak and don’t even require you to sit cross-legged on the floor in your ironed suit pants. The centre is set up with comfortable armchairs, where you repose with a cup of tea and allow your brain to stop worrying about quarterly fiscal doodads and synergy feelings. Sounds pretty dreamy. Studies indicate that even a small amount of meditation is incredibly effective in preventing stress in the long term. Science folks in cool white coats will tell you that stress, the release of adrenaline and other fight-or-flight hormones in response to threatening stimuli, has a compounding effect. Those who are chronically stressed may develop an overactive amygdala (the part of the brain responsible for instinctive survival reactions) and beat neural pathways into the brains that take a fair bit of work to reprogram. So meditation, far from being a stereotypically hippy pursuit, is technically a life hack to help reduce your current stress levels and prevent stress from spiralling out of control in the future. Centred Meditation offers these bite-sized classes at optimally convenient times for workers, from Monday to Friday with sessions running in the morning, around lunchtime and after work. Classes start at $16 for a casual class, $14.50 per class with a ten-class pass, or they offer great value monthly passes for $139. Consider this your investment in a gym for your mind and remember: healthy bodies and healthy minds are never mutually exclusive. Find Centred Meditation inside the City Mutual Building, Level 10, 66 Hunter Street. Call (02) 8006 1403 or visit www.centredmeditation.com.au to reserve an armchair. Images: Dollar Photo Club and Centred Meditation.
If you've recently found yourself snapping at shop attendants, screaming at your computer and road raging at fellow drivers, then it could well be time for a break. And what better way to do it than by stealing away to a secret country retreat, where clean air, green grass and birdsong abound. We've scoured New South Wales for its cutest cottages, freshest farms and prettiest pastures. Head off to one of these bucolic beauties for a weekend and you'll be calmer than Ghandi in no time. [caption id="attachment_639525" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cottonwood Cottage[/caption] COTTONWOOD COTTAGE, BELLINGEN Set on 61 acres in lovely Gleniffer Valley, just north of Bellingen, Cottonwood Cottage is surrounded by landscaped gardens, mountain panoramas and wildlife. There's also 400 metres of river frontage, which is all yours for adventuring along. The cottage is a light-filled, high-ceilinged, Hamptons-style barn, decorated in whites and wood, with posh linen spread over a king-sized bed, a woodfired heater, splashes of marble and a cracking sound system. And just beyond your front door there's an outdoor bathroom in a private courtyard. A bottle of wine, cheeses and brekkie are all complimentary. How far? Bellingen is a six-hour drive from Sydney. Take a four-day weekend if you can. THE CHAPEL, MANNING VALLEY The Chapel is one of seven cottages scattered across Clarendon Forest Retreat, an undulating, 100-acre property in the Kiwarrak State Forest, which lies between Forster and Manning Valley. Behind the sandstone walls and gothic windows hides a split-level escape. Upstairs is devoted to a loft bedroom, complete with a four-poster, queen-sized bed, while downstairs you'll find a jarrah-granite country kitchen and a comfy sofa in front of a log fire. There's also a spa, surrounded by terracotta and affording valley views, and, for warm weather, a shady deck. How far? Manning Valley is a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Sydney. Take a day of leave if you've got it. KOOKAWOOD, BLUE MOUNTAINS Reckon your dog deserves a good old break, too? His fur, slobbery kisses and overwhelming enthusiasm are welcome at Kookawoood, a two-bedroom 100-year-old farmhouse on a 200-acre property a half-hour west of Katoomba. What's more, the two of you can bond over epic views from both bedrooms, eight-metre-high ceilings, a huge stone fireplace, an old-school country kitchen and two baths: one indoor and one outdoor. In winter, snuggle in your king-sized bed and hope for snow; in summer, hang out with a G&T in the sculpture-dotted gardens. How far? Kookawood is a three-hour drive from Sydney. Could do it in a weekend, but take a day of leave if you've got it. [caption id="attachment_639855" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cedar Grove Estate[/caption] SECRETS AT CEDAR GROVE ESTATE, KANGAROO VALLEY Secrets, a cottage on Cedar Grove Estate, is encircled by the Ireland-green pastures of Kangaroo Valley, dotted with lazy cattle and backdropped by rugged escarpments. Take in all the views from your oversized bathroom — complete with stand-alone tub, double shower and underfloor heating — or king-sized bed. There's also an open fireplace to keep you warm on chilly evenings and reverse-cycle air-con for unusually balmy nights. If you can muster up the energy to leave, our weekender's guide to Kangaroo Valley will come in handy. How far? The Kangaroo Valley is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Sydney. You could do one night easily. JR'S HUT AT KIMO ESTATE, GUNDAGAI This architect-designed, A-frame hut sits atop a hill with 360-degree views of Kimo Estate, a 7000-acre working farm and beyond. Without getting out of bed, soak up morning mist, wandering sheep, meandering Murrumbidgee River and far-off mountain ranges. At night the stars are countless. The hut is entirely off-grid, with a solar-powered shower, a fire and a barbecue. Also on the property are 19th century cottages and shearers' quarters, which have been transformed into cosy accommodation. How far? Gundagai is a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Sydney. Take Friday off work.
One of the best drinking spots for pre-Vivid LIVE shows last year, Sydney Opera House's pop-up pool hall is back for another round. Jeremy Blackmore and Alex Dowd — whose work you already know if you've ever knocked back a tequila or two at Tio's or a tiki cocktail at The Cliff Dive — are bringing back the Deep Purple Pool Hall for just ten nights during this year's Vivid festival. The pop-up speakeasy, which last year genuinely resembled a dive bar plonked in Sydney's iconic arts venue, will be found inside the Concert Hall's northern foyer, where you can get cosy and warm while still taking in those epic harbour views. Expect a specially-curated menu from the team behind Tio's, served up by Aria Catering, alongside craft beer and wine from local Sydney producers, as well as live DJs and free pool. FREE. "I have wanted to set up a cool bar in this space for five years, ever since I arrived at the Opera House," said Ben Marshall, curator of Vivid Live, last year when the bar opened. "Whether you're up for a pre or post-gig drink or on the look-out for the neon eight-ball outside, you can sneak up the back stairs of the Opera House to the Deep Purple Pool Hall and settle into an incredible secret space in the heart of the city, in the middle of this incredible festival." The Deep Purple Pool Hall will open for ten nights only, May 27 – June 5, 6pm till late. Images: Daniel Boud.
NSW Premier Mike Baird has had a long week. His condescending and ill-advised Facebook rant has accumulated thousands of angry comments (not counting the ones his social media team is working around the clock to delete), his shady dealings with casinos have spawned the hashtag #casinomike and the people are literally braying for his blood (nah, but you get it). No doubt he really wants it to be the weekend already so he can just chill out with a beer and relax. Unfortunately for the State leader, he might find that a bit difficult now that venues across Sydney are enacting a complete Mike Baird and Barry O'Farrell ban. That’s right, friends, the people are hitting back. It started at Redfern small bar Arcadia, but is reportedly spreading to many other venues as hospo workers and venue owners band together to take back the night. Any and all Mike Bairds and Barry O'Farrells will be refused service at these venues and may even be refused entry. They will not be harmed. They will simply be released back into the wild where they will continue to decimate the natural population of partygoers and fun-havers. It’s completely legit and within the law to do so, as well. Joe Worthington, general manager of Della Hyde, from the Applejack Hospitality group has stated publicly that Baird won’t be allowed into his venues. It's not clear whether this translates across all of Applejack's venues yet (The Botanist, The Butler, Bondi Hardware). Worthington is pushing the hashtag #lockoutmikebaird, a sentiment which is gaining traction on social media and across Sydney’s biggest night spots alike. Looks like Mike Baird better look elsewhere for night time fun. Let's see how many venues jump on board. In the meantime, this petition could use your signature. Vive la Sydney! Via Pedestrian.
Summer is gone, and your beachside holiday memories along with it. Don't worry — there are plenty of excuses to jet around the country this autumn. Australia's art scene is positively thriving for the next three months, so even if you're staying put, you're not going to be bored any time soon. Up and down the eastern states from Brisbane to Melbourne, everything from artistic explorations of witchcraft, to deep dives into Chinese terracotta treasures, to haute couture gems are gracing the halls and walls of Aussie galleries. The list goes on, particularly if you're eager to ponder life beyond earth by stepping into a galaxy far, far away, staring at the moon, or getting up close and personal with objects that've travelled into space. If you're someone who travels for art, you might want to book those domestic flights now. This is an impressive autumn lineup — and, come June, plenty of them will be gone. Hop to it.
