Outdoor escape artists We Are Explorers are leading 13 adventurers on a two-day Wilderness Yoga Escape for the weekend of May 13 through 14. Participants will hike through the Blue Mountains where they will be guided through yoga practice by Flow with Jo in an excursion that combines yoga, hiking and wild camping. The day will begin with pre-hiking vinyasa, followed by a five-kilometre hike to a secluded, 'secret' campsite. After a sunset Yin class, enjoy a healthy camp feast (provided) and a night under the stars. Day two will include pre-breakfast vinyasa and wild-swimming before making the trek back. Apart from yoga, ticket holders will learn meditation practices and useful hiking warm up/warm down techniques. On the camping side of things, you'll develop basic navigation skills, tent setup, water filtration techniques, fire starting and other camping hacks from professional wilderness guides.
American comedian Joel McHale is coming to Australia. The star of Community, The Soup and that one recurring daydream we have where he asks us to be his best friend (shut up, it could happen) has announced a one night only standup show in Sydney next fortnight. Tickets go on sale this Friday. Please remain calm. The last-minute show is set for Saturday, November 7 at Sydney's Theatre Royal. My Live Nation members can get pre-sale tickets from Thursday, October 22 at 10am, before they become available to the general public the same time the following day. McHale is best known for his role as Jeff Winger in Community, a sitcom that people apparently feel quite strongly about (#sixseasonsandamovie). He's also hosted pop culture current affairs program The Soup on E! since 2004 and last year headlined the White House Correspondents Dinner. Admittedly, he also had a role in Spy Kids 4D — but then again, nobody's perfect. At this stage there's no indication that McHale will perform any additional dates or locations. Tickets for his Sydney show will be available online via Live Nation. Image: Frank Ockenfels.
Easter is upon us once again, and that means that BAD Friday block party is only a few sleeps away. From their humble beginnings at the Annandale Hotel in 2010, the crew behind one of the best celebrations of local talent in the calendar year have ramped it up, year after year, and this year won't change that winning formula. Thrown in this year, however, is the maiden performance of A Band, the greatest band who have never played. In a tribute to The Band's final ever show, a host local musos and special guests are taking to the stage to present their own homage. The festival will take over Railway Parade in Marrickville from midday on Friday, with the tunes kicking off with Scabz at 12.30pm. From there, the lineup meanders through Flowertruck, Bec Sandridge, Green Buzzard, Shining Bird, Sampa the Great, Royal Headache and The Jezabels, with headliners DMA's capping off the day for another year.
It's 3pm. All you want right now is another a coffee. Or maybe a cronut. Or a freakshake, dammit. Or maybe, like, ten Arnott’s biscuits. Nope, can’t do that. Already had five. Is that the post-3pm slump blues whispering – nay, bellowing – in your ear? Really, by now, you should be kicking back at some secret swimming spot or under a waterfall. Especially in this hectic summer weather. We know. We know! But capitalism dictates you’ve another two hours to go before your boss is going to lay down that whip. So, you have to find a way to keep going. All that sweet, sugary, deliciousness might be looking like your only job-quitting-preventative-measure right now, but it’s a bad, bad idea. So, we’re riding to your rescue with five jack-jumping, healthy, healthy snacks. And it’s not all gustatory doom and gloom. We’ve picked these babies for their tastiness, not just their nutrition information panels. BANANA AND TAHINI This God-sent duo has all the creaminess and sweetness of ice cream but none of the refined sugar or saturated fat. Spread it across a piece of toast, throw it in the blender to make a smoothie or just eat it straight, dipping the banana in the jar. Tahini's got more goodness than Mother Teresa (go with it) — from calcium, magnesium, lecithin, potassium, protein and iron to Vitamins E, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15. If you've had a big night out, it'll help you liver to cope better, thanks to the detoxifying powers of methionine. And everyone knows bananas make you happy. PROTEIN BALLS Available in stacks of different flavours, the mighty protein ball can give any conventional, packeted treat a run for its money, taste-wise. And it also comes with a big ol' dose of protein, which does heaps of good stuff. Like building and repairing muscles, making enzymes, producing hormones and making sure your hair and nails grow (in fact, they're nearly all protein). YouFoodz makes an especially lip-smacking version, a salted caramel version that's actually good for you. It's packed with apricot, sultanas, dates and dark chocolate and coated in crispy bits of waffle wafer. FROZEN FRUIT Regular, room temperature fruit is an excellent substitute for lollies and biscuits. But, with a freezer, you can take things to a whole new, more satisfying, longer-lasting level. That said, you have to make sure you're freezing the right kinds. Grapes are a winner — they become firmer on the outside, yet stay relatively soft in the middle (depending on the temperature of your freezer). So, eating one's a bit like biting into a soft-centred jube or toffee. Bananas, oranges and mangoes are crackers, too. Apples and strawberries don't go so well, as they to get too hard, all the way through. Raspberries can work if left to thaw for a while. DIY TRAIL MIX Plenty of peanut-heavy, packeted trail mixes aren't too appetising — even if they are salutary. Others are peppered with sugary bits and bobs, like choc buds. So, go ahead and make your own. That way, you can tailor it to suit you and, at the same time, make sure there's nothing in there undoing your healthy intentions. Don't forget to add some seeds — sunflower ones give you Vitamin E, B1 and B6, copper, selenium and manganese, while in teeny-tiny sesame seeds, there's CoQ10, which helps keep your heart working and your energy levels booming. No time to DIY? Have a stash of pre-made bars ready to go — Youfoodz does a pretty top notch Supa Food Bar. KALE CHIPS Potato chips one of your go-to snacks? Break that salty, fatty habit with kale chips. You can even make them yourself, without too much hassle: toss a bunch of kale in a minimal amount of olive oil and pop it in the oven till it's crispy. Unless you've been under the Rock of Gibraltar, you'll know this superfood's many benefits by now. There's bucket loads of beta-carotene to help your eyesight, Vitamin C to fight bugs, Vitamin K to make sure your blood clots and Vitamin E, an antioxidant. Images: YouFoodz and Dollar Photo Club.
The Oak Barrel is bringing back its sixth annual Sydney Craft Beer and Cider Fair on Saturday, June 24. This indoor showcase collates the very best of Australian and international craft beer and cider under the roof of one of the best and oldest craft bottle shops in the city. This year's fair will feature 22 stallholders, from newcomers Sauce Brewing to Sydney favourites Wayward Brewing and Akasha Brewing, along with Tasmania's Two Metre Tall, Adelaide's Pirate Life and WA's Colonial Brewing. All toll, there will be over 120 craft beers and ciders on hand and many of the brewers behind those beers will be there to have a chat. As in previous years, the festival focuses on local producers and the community aspects of independent, family owned craft brewing. This event has sold out every year running, so best to get your tickets while you still can.
There are a staggering array of activities you can do at Strike Bowling Bar these days, aside from the company's namesake attraction. Sure, you can throw a heavy ball down an alley, over and over again — highly recommended if it's your birthday and you're turning ten. You can sing Christmas Karoleoke, a great way to meet like-minded individuals that also find this kind of behaviour acceptable. Or, you can be locked up in a murderer's dungeon with 50 minutes to make an escape. Way to up the ante, Strike. Escapism is an interactive real life game where you and your team need to find hidden objects and solve riddles to escape a locked room. There are three puzzle rooms to choose from: The Garden, Butcher's Burrow and Forensic, depending on your age, interest and perceived skill level. Check out the creepy-as-all-blazes trailer: https://youtube.com/watch?v=kLpy9ae6e38 Our team signs up for Butcher's Burrow (difficulty 8) because we consider ourselves a pretty bright bunch, an assessment which later proves incorrect. Another Concrete Playground team went for Forensic — a Se7en-meets-Zodiac style of investigator set-up, where you're trying to identify a serial killer before they find you. Pitched at difficulty 9, if you're good at code-breaking you'll love this one; logic and ability with numbers will be your best allies. But we signed up for the Saw-like scenario, of course. Let's set the scene: For Butcher's Barrow, "You've been kidnapped and chained up. You can smell the fear in the room. How did this happen? Why did you end up here? There's a severed hand on a plate. You might be next. Now is not the time to be afraid. Now is the time to make your escape." I'm personally feeling quite confident, I've broken into my house without keys a number of times, so I've got this guys. Before we go in, we're frisked with a metal detector and our mobile phones are confiscated and locked away in a box. We're then blindfolded and led to our creepy prison. When the blindfold is removed it's still dark, we're alone, there's blood on the walls and the sound of our evil captor who's just next door. An intense 49 minutes later (we wouldn't spoil the whole thing would we?) and we're on the final puzzle, trying to figure out the passcode to unlock the door, secure our freedom and save our dignity. We fail our challenge; in fact we're told that 80 percent of teams fail, which is kind of consoling. Kind of. What happens if you don't make it? Our creepy captor, who is also a Strike staff member, does decide to let us go after all — and we get to keep all our limbs too. He's also nice enough to let us know where we went wrong. That final clue! It was right in front of us! You'll kill yourself for missing it. Escapism runs out of Strike Bowling Bar King Street Wharf, 22 The Promenade. Prices are $100 per team Monday — Thursday or $150 per team Friday - Sunday. Choose your escape scenario: The Garden (Difficulty 7, players 2 - 8) Butcher's Burrow (Difficulty 8, players 2-6) Forensic (Difficulty 9, players 2-6) Book online here before you go.
Anita Sarkeesian is one of the world’s bravest women. One of the key players taking aim at misogyny in the world of video games, Sarkeesian has been both applauded and attacked worldwide for her outspokenness about the gaming industry — she even explained #Gamergate to Stephen Colbert. Her blog Feminist Frequency and video series' Tropes vs. Women and Tropes vs. Women in Video Games have seen anti-feminist trolls sending serious threats her way — Sarkeesian even had to cancel a speaking appearance at Utah State University after terrorist threats. But haters be damned, the feminist critic at the forefront of gaming debates is finally coming to Sydney, one of All About Women’s most important speakers. Returning to the Sydney Opera House as part of the Ideas at the House program, All About Women returns for its third year in 2015 for one day of panels, readings and talks, celebrating, discussing and analysing women and their stories. Ideas at the House have attracted the likes of Tavi Gevinson, Yoko Ono and Alice Waters to the SOH stage over the years, and this year's AAW is one of their most ambitious programs yet. Most fittingly this year, AAW lands smack bang on International Women's Day, March 8, joining a global high-five to women worldwide. Joining Sarkeesian for this year’s festival is a powerhouse of a lineup over 19 sessions. Sarkeesian will join the ever formidable Germaine Greer — wouldn’t be AAW without her — for a panel called How to Be a Feminist, alongside ever outspoken novelist Tara Moss, feminist pop culture writer Clementine Ford, The Atlantic contributing editor Kate Bolick and kickass author, editor and English professor Roxane Gay. Ever the provocative writer, Gay will lead her own talk, Bad Feminist, focused around her controversial book of the same name which debates, “We don’t all have to believe in the same feminism.” Gay loves Sweet Valley High and blasting rap with degrading lyrics, can she still identify as a feminist? National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence and modern day Steve Zissou, 79-year-old Sylvia Earle, will teach us How to Save The Planet, while Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert picks up where her straight-up killer TED talk left off (that one with the cheeky nine million views) reflecting on the handicaps of creative ‘genius’. Amazingly, Gilbert’s hairdresser is also a boss writer; Syrian-born, US-raised Rayya Elias talks ‘80s New York City, drug addiction, homelessness and the punk/performance scene. Contributing editor for The Atlantic and author of one of their most successful cover stories, 'All the Single Ladies' (with over one million readers), Kate Bolick will unpack the idea of singleness ahead of her 2015 book release, Spinster, while Washington Post staff writer and New York Times bestselling author Brigid Schulte delves into her book Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has The Time. The ever convivial Annabel Crabb will unpack her book, Breaking the Wife Drought, Judith Lucy discusses her new ABC show All Woman, while author of Hideous Kinky, Esther Freud (yep, of those Freuds), talks about her own childhood — imagine growing up a Freud. Greer brings in her Emeritus Professorship in English Literature to team up with her contemporary John Bell for the talk Shakespeare’s Women, then returning after two sold-out years at AAW, the Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe tell stories of survival, human resilience and joy. Being a woman in 2015 has never been more discussed, with Emma Watson carving up the UN, Beyonce flashing the F word in our faces, Jennifer Lawrence sticking it to the perves and Malala Yousafzai showing us all what true bravery looks like. Let's rep it on the home front shall we? All About Women comes to Sydney Opera House on March 8, 2015. Check out the full program and the AAW festival calendar at sydneyoperahouse.com/aaw. Tickets from $25, on sale 9am Monday 15 December through SOH or 02 9250 7777. Top image: Alex Lazara.
What is it like to speak, but not be heard? It's a conundrum most Australians don't necessarily have to worry about, but for many, it plagues every moment of their daily lives. Bringing much needed attention to the challenges of the migrant journey, Who Speaks for Me? presents unexpected stories of immigration, particularly focused on Western Sydney, in the first collaboration between National Theatre of Parramatta and Performance 4A. It's storytelling, but not as you know it. Taking audiences through the personal narratives of refugee and migrant families, this intimate show uses language to unpack the trials and triumphs of the inhabitants of Sydney's vibrant western suburbs. Hear tales like that of Cambodian mother Ly Heang Seang, who undertook 31 written examinations to finally succeed in obtaining an Australian driver's license, along with stories from Vietnamese and Bhutanese refugees fleeing by boat to resettle here on safer shores. Co-directed by storyteller and photography William Yang and writer/producer Annette Shun Wah, Who Speaks for Me? is a multi-lingual, multi-generational exploration of those living at the heart of the migrant experience.
Sydney's reached peak burger obsession. No longer confined to the realms of American chains and RSL bistros, burgers now clock up appearances on the menus of top-tier, hatted chefs, each putting their own contemporary, fine dining spin on the longtime casual favourite. So we reckoned it was about time for a good ol' fashioned burger battle — and so did Merivale. This February, we invited 16 of Merivale's top chefs to Ivy Ballroom to hit the kitchen and cook up their ultimate burger for March Into Merivale's Between Two Buns. Some, like Mr. Wong's Dan Hong, opted for their widely celebrated, longtime burger recipes (hel-lo Lotus Burger), while others dreamed up new and strange burger possibilities —Bistrode CBD's Jeremy Strode did a chicken and eel burger (and nailed it). Sitting on the judging panel, our own fearless leader and founder of Concrete Playground Rich Fogarty, Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes, Merivale chef Danielle Alvarez (Fred's, opening soon), and Merivale marketing director Andrew El-Bayeh. Feasting on 16 top-tier burgers sounds like a tough job, but these guys pulled through (with many, many napkins). Watch it all go down here: So, who won over the judges? Here's the winning six burgers, and you'll be able to try every single one of these juicy delights during March Into Merivale, at Between Two Buns on Wednesday, February 17. BETWEEN TWO BUNS FINALISTS: Dan Hong (Mr. Wong) — Lotus Burger Alex Lewis (The Beresford) — The ultimate duck burger Jeremy Strode (The Fish Shop/ Bistrode CBD) — The Fish Dog (chicken and eel) Jordan Toft (Coogee Pavilion) — Aged trim beef, cheese, burger sauce, B&B pickle Paul Donnelley (Ms.G's) — Beef, bacon and cheese burger Patrick Friesen & Chris Hogarth (Papi Chulo/Queen Chow) — Canadian beef and bacon burger Best bit? We're giving you the chance to win a year's worth of burgers for free. A YEAR OF FREE BURGERS. More details this way.
Of all the ingenuity and creativity that helped make the original Star Wars films some of the most iconic sci-fi pictures of all time, one characteristic deserves credit above all others: it was a universe that had been lived in. Compared to the pristine, almost sterile visions of space portrayed by every other film of its kind, Lucas showed us something that felt entirely ‘real’, thanks to its grimy establishments, malfunctioning droids and a Millennium Falcon that only worked after a sturdy thump from its captain. Director J.J. Abrams has done well to remember this lesson. Things that were new at the close of Return of the Jedi are now old, and those that were old are now ancient, forgotten or gone entirely. Such is not just the feel, but indeed the very plot, of Episode VII: The Force Awakens. As the opening title crawl explains (yes, it's still there), Luke Skywalker has vanished and in his absence a sinister adjunct of the former Empire has arisen under the banner of ‘The First Order’. Led by a Sith-esque figure known as Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), the Order is scouring the galaxy for any information as to Luke’s whereabouts so as to finally erase all vestiges of the very last Jedi. In its way (and also seeking Skywalker) stands the small yet unshakeable Rebel Alliance, now marshalled by General Leia Organa. Each side has part of a map, but neither can yet complete the full picture, and time is of the essence. There can be few things more intimidating than embarking upon the production of a new Star Wars movie. So steeped is the series in lore, so fanatical its supporters, that even the tiniest of missteps will attract the most merciless and unceasing fury the galaxy has ever seen (i.e: sternly worded blog posts). Thankfully, via his Star Trek reboot, Abrams has already proven his extraordinary deftness when it comes to blockbuster space operas, and The Force Awakens is no exception. It is riddled with allusions to the past, yet few are accorded more than a glance (you will find no stormtroopers sporting ‘vintage death star t-shirts’ here, for example, unlike the indelicate homages of Jurassic World). Instead we are made to feel right at home amongst our new heroes (the exceptional Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac) thanks to familiar musical flourishes from John Williams, the spine-tingling sound and visual effects from Industrial Light and Magic, and the return of our beloved Han and Chewie. New planets and old faces, original characters and veterans to guide them – this is a franchise reborn but not reinvented. If criticisms are to be levelled, they fall mainly upon the villains. Few cinema foes will ever match the menace of Darth Vader and his Emperor mentor, however here the film’s antagonists feel particularly thin. Andy Serkis’ CGI overlord Snoke is more distracting than daunting, Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux is surprisingly hammy and Kylo Ren, whilst evil, is underscored by a petulance that borders on comedic. Thankfully, despite being masked and heavily synthesised, his voice does remain entirely comprehensible, as distinct from the recent broken PA system that was Tom Hardy’s Bane. Not to mention that his force grip is dead-set spectacular. Given the choice between normal and 3D, the latter does actually add that little bit extra here, and whilst parents will doubtless be eager to introduce their younglings to the franchise, be warned – Abrams shies not away from the ‘wars’ in Star Wars. Gritty, intelligent and utterly electrifying, buckle yourselves in folks, because we’ve got a damned good feeling about this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGbxmsDFVnE
From heavy equipment to smart phones, darkrooms to USB sticks and hour-long to instantaneous exposure, photography has come a long way in a few short centuries. The Photograph and Australia at the Art Gallery of NSW traces the origins of photography in this country. Parallel to the evolution of photographic technology is the story of a burgeoning national identity. The exhibition features iconic images such as Max Dupain’s bronzed Sunbaker and Mervyn Bishop’s photograph of the symbolic soil pour from Gough Whitlam to Vincent Lingiari in 1975. From documentary to conceptual photography, curator Judy Annear has dug up a vast collection of work from amateurs, artists, explorers and enthusiasts. “People know about Olive Cotton, Max Dupain and David Moore, but those artists make up a very narrow band from about the 1930s to '70s,” she says. Once restricted to specialists and aristocrats, photography as a medium has been democratised over the years, and that's reflected in the exhibition. “Now photography is ubiquitous, it has changed our entire social fabric,” says Annear. “Most of the time images become recognisable not because they have some local flavour but simply because of the confluence between popular media and chance.” PRIVATE MADE PUBLIC: THE DAGUERREOTYPE One section of the show pays homage to the daguerreotype. One of the first types of photographs made popular, it was developed without the use of a negative and printed on a polished sheet of silver-coated copper. The daguerreotype camera came in a range of shapes and sizes, though it typically resembled a wooden box. The tiny images featured from this era are cased in gilded frames and velvet covers. Looking at these little relics of intimacy, there are many unknown photographers and subjects. “I have to say, this is the hardest show of my entire career,” says Annear. “We all want stories to be nice and neat, but it’s like looking at your own family’s photo album; it never turns out the way you want. The whole thing is full of question marks.” One of the striking characteristics of the show is the way Annear pairs together contemporary and traditional photography. “I think the exhibition offered a unique opportunity in terms of the technology and what was happening here in Australia; you do see things growing up and you do see adaptation,” she says. For example, the way Tracy Moffatt’s Warhol-inspired Beauties has been positioned suggests a reworking of the daguerreotype. Three photographs of an Indigenous stockman have been dipped in tints of cream, mulberry and wine, mirroring early attempts to integrate colour into the production process. Image: Unknown photographer, Isabella Carfrae on horseback, Ledcourt, Stawell, Victoria c1855. THE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER: OUT OF EUROPE AND INTO THE BUSH Taking photographs of people was one thing, but the practical challenges of venturing into the harsh Australian climate was quite another. The period from about 1850 – 1860 witnessed the birth of the professional photographer. However, the extreme heat made the process of taking and developing photographs very difficult and often required a portable or makeshift darkroom. “The colonisers were working out how to make photographs at the same time as they were working out how to grapple with the Australian environment and build towns,” says Annear. “That’s why the nineteenth century is such a strong part of the show.” "At the same time, the Indigenous people were trying to adapt to colonisation, since colonisation is never pretty," she says. The centrality of colonialism can be seen in the early ethnographic portraiture of Paul Foelsche and JW Lindt. The stilted quality of these images shows a romanticised version of Indigenous life. Complete with theatrical sets and costumes, the subjects are manipulated into artificial positions. While spontaneity is so easy to capture nowadays, these portraits are the product of painstakingly long sittings. Image: Paul Foelsche, Adelaide River (1887) THE TWENTIETH CENTURY AND THE RISE OF EVERYDAY LIFE Prior to colour photography, images were touched up with oil paints or tinted with a single colour. From the '60s onward, the explosion of alternative lifestyles led to more recognition of amateur and conceptual photography. An easier process of reproduction meant a greater number of photographers. And importantly, the Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera grew more sophisticated. Artists began to draw links to Australia’s migrant roots, Indigenous heritage and powerful women. In particular, the self-portrait became a vehicle for feminism in Australia, with artists such as Sue Ford and Carol Jones sharing snippets of their personal lives. Although these images have less of an artificial character, Annear maintains that “there are at least two modes of constructing a photograph. There’s what was going on at the time and what we bring to it. We bring a lot to photography because we want it to be real. And it is so close to reality but it’s not, it’s just a piece of paper or something on a screen.” Image: David Moore, Migrants arriving in Sydney (1966) DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY: PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE Often it can feel like 21st-century technology has no limits. Constantly connected to the web on a handful of different devices, we have instantaneous access to a whole world of images. The prowess of digital photography is showcased through the work of Simryn Gill and her aerial photographs of open-cut mines, exposing the geological history of Australia. It is particularly interesting to compare these vast holes in the earth to the bustling towns and erection of skyscrapers during the late 19th and early 20th century. Reflecting on this history, the transformation of photographic technology and what it can capture has had a profound effect on how we experience time. For instance, there is the duration of an exposure, the working life of an artist, the age of our continent and the time it takes to upload a photo, to name a few. “With this exhibition, I wanted people consider that we are in the present looking at the past and it is a highly speculative, partial story,” says Annear. “It’s a complex story but at the same time you need to let your imagination roam a bit. It’s not an easy story – there’s no straightforward chronology.” Image: Simryn Gill, Eyes and Storms #13 (2012), Art Gallery of NSW. The Photograph and Australia is showing at the Art Gallery of New South Wales until June 8, 2015. Top image: Max Dupain, Sunbaker (1937).
If you're keen to cruise into 2016 to deep, deep house music, this is your party. Mad Racket are back with their annual NYE shindig, a no-stress alternative to the craziness of Sydney Harbour and the CBD's mega parties. With no fireworks, laidback party folks and seriously good tunes, Mad Racket's NYE party is for people after a no-frills good time at the Petersham Bowlo. This year, the crew are welcoming Hamburg house legends Smallpeople to the fore. They've been carving out a niche in the widespread, dense house scene for over ten years with their unique brand of hypnotic beatmaking, running their own Hambug label and record store and putting on their own nights in Europe. They'll be joined by Racketeers Jimmi James, Ken Cloud, Zootie and Simon Caldwell. Break out a mini champagne at the Petersham Bowlo and ring in 2016 with some of the world's bloody best house.
Whether you're heading to the cinema with friends or curling up on the couch with your significant other, a night watching movies remains a fantastic source of entertainment, enjoyment and escapism. Sitting in the dark, switching your mind away from your regular worries and slipping into another world — if you're catching the right flick, few things can top it. Cinema-wise, 2019 has thrown up plenty of films that tick all of the above boxes — and now we're just past the halfway mark, it's time to look back. Maybe you missed one of this year's hits when it was in theatres. Perhaps it's still showing and you haven't made it yet. Or, there could be a few gems that just slipped your attention. Of course, there's always the ace movies you saw, loved and want to see again. Whichever category fits, here's 12 films from 2019 that you you need to catch up on. Head to the cinema and grab a choc top or organise your streaming queue and cook up some popcorn, as we've sorted out your viewing for the near future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoxKy3d7Wno EIGHTH GRADE What our critic said: As effective as every narrative beat, probing shot and well-deployed blast of Enya (yes, Enya) proves, writer/director Bo Burnham's savviest move is also his most straightforward. Actually casting a teenager in a movie about a teenager is much more rare than it should be, and Eighth Grade wouldn't be the success it is without Golden Globe nominee Fisher as its star. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XhsuT0xctI FREE SOLO What our critic said: As well as chronicling an awe-inspiring story, every frame of Free Solo offers a palpable, visceral reminder of life's enormous risks and immense rewards — and to the filmmakers' credit, you're all but certain to feel the impact in your constantly sweaty palms. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8qbq6Z6HYk IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK What our critic said: Black lives devastated by discrimination, young lovers braving seemingly insurmountable obstacles: both tales have played out across countless pages and screens before, although not as they do so here. There's a bewitching alchemy to the combination of James Baldwin's words and Barry Jenkins' direction — never shying away from the despairing truth of the situation, but never wallowing in inescapable bleakness either. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMCYE9hKP68 VOX LUX What our critic said: In Vox Lux, the difficulties and complexities of success slash savagely and hack furiously, with Brady Corbet writing and directing a blunt yet brilliant onslaught of a movie. As he did in The Childhood of a Leader, the actor-turned-filmmaker relentlessly charts the ascension of an influential fictional figure who owes their rise to struggle and trauma. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcKinfILGDk DESTROYER What our critic said: Conflicted cop Erin Bell could walk alongside any of noir's dogged investigators and hold her own. Stepping into the character's shoes, Nicole Kidman could do the same among any of the genre's best stars. Destroyer lives and breathes through its complicated protagonist and phenomenal lead performance, with each putting on a stunning show. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bavqDA_3vIo US What our critic said: Us is a creeper in multiple senses of the word. It's disquieting from the outset (even more so when it spends its opening credits staring at caged rabbits), but Jordan Peele knows how to let that unease fester and grow. While the 'master of suspense' label was bestowed decades ago, the comedian-turned-filmmaker is just as devastating at cultivating distress as Hitchcock or any other iconic horror or thriller director. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI9UYcEwUYA BURNING What our critic said: A ruminative mystery, a fine-tuned character study and an intricately observed examination of human relationships all at once, one of the joys of Burning is its wholesale aversion to simplicity. Here, as in reality, nothing is straightforward. Indeed, Lee Chang-dong takes life's enigmas and puzzles, thrusts them into view and forces the audience to ponder along with him. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA6hldpSTF8 AVENGERS: ENDGAME What our critic said: There's very little that's simple about this picture, marking as it does the extraordinary culmination of several dozen intricate and intertwined story arcs that extend all the way back to 2008... Where Infinity War was all bombast, Endgame offers reserve. Where Infinity War wrought intergalactic devastation and destruction, Endgame delivers intimacy and an examination of grief, loss and very private regret. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ5X75F1YJw LONG SHOT What our critic said: After a five-year stretch that's included Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde and Tully, Long Shot is the latest example of its star's chameleonic talents — a political rom-com that's as irreverent (and often inappropriate) as you'd expect of a flick that also features Seth Rogen, and genuinely heartfelt and hilarious as well. Charlize Theron, romantic-comedy standout? You'd better believe it. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BULB0aX4lA JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 — PARABELLUM What our critic said: Cinematic beauty comes in many forms, and the John Wick franchise perfects one of them. The term 'balletic' couldn't better describe the series' hypnotic action sequences, with its array of frenetic fights and carnage-dripping set pieces all meticulously choreographed like complex dance routines. In fact, when ballerinas actually pirouette across the screen in John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, they seem bland in comparison. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZeIHrx7Oyc HIGH LIFE What our critic said: While shooting into the stratosphere to ponder what it all means has become a genre of its own, High Life proudly stands in its own space boots. Perhaps that's why both the film and Robert Pattinson seem like such a perfect fit, and why the final product both soars high and burrows deep: you won't catch either meekly treading where everyone else has before. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0KJAzyUJc PARASITE What our critic said: Parasite proves exceptional in every single frame and detail that it flicks onto the screen... Internationally renowned and beloved as the auteur behind The Host, Snowpiercer and Okja, Bong Joon-ho has crafted a bleak, twisty blend of black tragi-comedy, pulsating thrills and socially relevant horror — a movie that's such a phenomenal example of all that cinema can and should be that you'll want to high-five the filmmaker after watching it. Read our full review.
Seven premieres, thirteen previews and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’s 21st birthday are all part of the 2015 St. George OpenAir Cinema programme, revealed today. Australia’s most legendary tour bus will celebrate her coming-of-age with a special Australia Day screening. And you’re invited to kit-up for the occasion, with the most outrageous tiaras, wigs, feather boas and heels you can lay your hands on. Opening night, happening on January 7, will double as the hotly-anticipated Australian premiere of The Theory of Everything. Featuring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones, it recounts the early life of Stephen Hawking and his relationship with fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde. Changing the mood entirely, but just as likely to draw crowds, will be the Australian premiere of crime-comedy-drama Inherent Vice. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (Punch Drunk Love, Boogie Nights, The Master) and starring Joaquin Phoenix as detective Larry 'Doc' Sportello, it’s an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's hilarious novel, which places a twisted crime case in the bizarre, surfer, stoner world of late '60s psychedelia. There's five more premieres to look forward to this summer: Jon Stewart's directorial debut, Rosewater, which tells the true story of journo Maziar Bahari (Gael Garcia Bernal), arrested in Iran for espionage; Samba, the emotive yet humorous story of a love affair between a stressed-out executive-turned-immigration worker (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and a migrant from Mali (Omar Sy); Clouds of Sils Maria, in which Juliette Binoche plays an internationally-renowned actor who returns to the play that she acted in as a teen, but in a reversed role; The Rewrite, a romantic comedy starring Hugh Grant as a one-time successful screenwriter turned failure; and Diplomacy, a World War Two drama based on the historical events that prevented Paris’s destruction. All in all, 42 films will screen between January 7 and February 21. Tickets go on pre-sale on Monday, December 8, at 9am.
Dial your Christmas spirit up a notch at this year's Sydney Living Museums Christmas Fare. With over 40 of Sydney's best artisan food producers, this annual Christmas Fare will host some of the state's finest edible creations and provide plenty of inspiration for the looming Christmas lunch. There'll be more than 40 artisan stallholders including Pepe Saya, Coco’s Table, Cornersmith, Eat Me Chutneys, Brooklyn Boy Bagels, T Totaler, Pecora Dairy, Cicada Chocolates, Black Star Pastry, Handsome Devils Co, and many more. Plus, Young Henrys will be running a pop-up bar, food stalls and live music. Entry is by gold coin, which will also allow access inside the Hyde Park Barracks Museum. Eat, drink and be merry — the Christmas season has spoken.
If you enjoyed the drum-heavy, jazz score of 2014's Birdman then you'll love getting to hear drummer and composer Antonio Sanchez perform his score live alongside the Oscar-winning film. A four-time Grammy Award winner himself, this is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a bloody great movie coupled with incredible live jazz. Sanchez's performance will be improvised, just as it is in the film. While a showing will take place at the State Theatre in the CBD, insiders are headed to the Lennox Theatre in Parramatta, where tickets are only $49 a pop. Check out more of the best Sydney Festival events under $50 here.
In the words of Tyrion Lannister, it's not easy being drunk all the time. Everyone would do it if it were easy. That may be true, but you can certainly give it a go, when Game of Rhones returns for another year. An epic wine tasting event inspired by the grapes of France's Rhone Valley and the works of George R. R. Martin, this year's Game of Rhones will visit all Seven Kingdom – by which we mean Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Wellington and Auckland. Each event will welcome more than 40 different winemakers, including Shaw + Smith, Yarra Yering, Tarrawarra Estate, Olivers Taranga and Paxton Biodynamic Wine (exact producers vary city to city). There'll also be a number of food vendors on hand, to ensure you don't go hungry. In between goblets, ticketholders will get the chance to chat with sommeliers at the Rhone Bar, vote for their favourite vintages as part of the People's Choice Award, and take part in a blind tasting 'torture chamber' that we promise is more fun than the name makes it sound. It should also go without saying that dressing up as your favourite GoT character is highly encouraged. Zombie John Snow, anyone? GAME OF RHONES DATES May 1 – Adelaide May 22 – Perth May 29 – Brisbane June 18 – Melbourne June 19 – Sydney July 2 – Auckland July 9 – Wellington For more information and to book tickets visit the Game of Rhones website.
You can spend this summer immersed in legendary Japanese artworks at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Its upcoming blockbuster exhibition, dubbed Japan Supernatural, is set to open on November 2 as part of the tenth Sydney International Art Series. Made up of more than 200 works from all over the planet, it's an exploration of the spirit world in Japanese art. Expect an immersive experience involving paintings, sculpture, prints, film, animation, comics and games. Leading the show is a monumental piece by Tokyo-born Takashi Murakami. He's a bit of an international rockstar, renowned for bringing together high and low art — much like Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol. Chances are, you first heard of him in the 1990s, when he launched the inaugural Superflat exhibition. Since then, he's been a prolific creator of paintings, drawings, sculptures and animations, and collaborated extensively with Louis Vuitton. Representing a much earlier era will be Katsushika Hokusai, born in Edo in 1760. His best-known piece is Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, a series of wood block prints that includes the now iconic Great Wave off Kanagawa. While can't reveal, yet, which of his pieces will be travelling to Sydney, we're hoping we get some of the works that were at Melbourne's NGV in 2017. Look out, too, for works by historical artists Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi and Kawanabe Kyosai, as well as contemporary pop artist Chiho Aoshima and photographer Miwa Yanagi. The artworks are expected to be announced in early 2019, but, in the meantime, you can check out the ninth Sydney International Art Series, which includes paintings by Monet, Matisse and Picasso and a retrospective of South African photographer David Goldblatt's work. An installation view of the exhibition Japan Supernatural at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, November 2, 2019 until March 8, 2020. Photo: AGNSW/Jenni Carter
The National Gallery of Victoria's 2019 program continues to pull in the big guns, with an ever-growing lineup of internationally acclaimed artists — including Keith Haring and Jean-Michael Basquiat — heading to the gallery. And from Friday, September 20, that list will include Brooklyn-based Kaws (aka Brian Donnelly), who's bringing his instantly recognisable pop-culture sculptures to Aus. Kaws is best known for his large-scale sculptures, vivid murals and distinctive, pop culture-inspired characters. You're probably familiar with his reinterpretations of iconic figures like Mickey Mouse, Snoopy and The Smurfs, all reworked with those signature Xs over the eyes. While it's a stable of work that's laced with a healthy dose of humour, this NGV exhibition, entitled Kaws: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness, focuses on the rest of those underlying emotions. You'll get a glimpse at how KAWS celebrates generosity and explores our need for companionship, offering up an antidote to the world's current 'Age of Loneliness'. Off the back of solo exhibitions at the Yuz Museum Shanghai and the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis in 2017, as well as the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Foundation earlier this year, Kaws' NGV presentation has plenty of never-before-seen goodies. It features a sprawling collection of his pop culture reworkings, human-size figures and collaborative pieces, while a newly commissioned monumental work will be the artist's largest bronze sculpture to date: Gone (2019), a seven-metre-tall bronze sculpture standing imposingly in the NGV's Federation Court. The main event is be backed by Kaws: Playtime – an interactive, touch-focused installation centred around Kaws' bright blue BFF character, complete with soft sculptures and a hands-on multimedia game. While it's created for 'children', we'll sure you'll find a few kidults exploring it, too. Top images: Kaws, Gone (2019); Kaws, What Party (2019); Kaws, Kawsbob (2007); and installation views of Kaws: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness at the NGV International. All photos by Tom Ross.
Inner west Gelato Messina fiends, forget that cross-city trek for salted caramel goodness. Messina have announced plans to open their very first inner west store, set for a 2016 opening at the former Rozelle Tram Depot in Forest Lodge. If you're thinking Messina would go near the Cow & Moon-dominated Enmore area, think again. According to Good Food, Oxford Agency's Steffan Ippolito has confirmed Messina will open at the former Rozelle Tram Depot, alongside a pasta bar from A Tavola's Eugenio Maiale and Jared Ingersoll's paddock-to-plate eatery Butcher & Farmer. The monarchs of gelato have been characteristically busy of late. Recently they’ve been teaming up with Andy Bowdy to create soft serve sundaes, delivering tubs of gelato to your office with Uber and creating handmade chocolate boxes for your mum. But they haven’t kept quiet on the store-opening front, recently opening stores in Richmond, Coolangatta and indicating a Rosebery opening. Gelato Messina will open at the former Rozelle Tram Depot in 2016. Via Good Food. Images: Messina Fitzroy.
Officially Sydney's newest rooftop bar, Coogee Pavilion Rooftop is set to open its highly anticipated sky-high space — just in time for New Year's Eve. Home to no less than four indoor and outdoor bars, Merivale's Rooftop is kicking things off on Tuesday, December 30, ready to make a breezy home for post-beach snacks, sunset cocktails and one of Sydney's best panoramic views over the warmer months. Plus, the Rooftop and Ground Floor will both be open on New Year's Eve — with no bookings or tickets required. Plans have changed. The crown of Coogee's three-level beach citadel, Coogee Pavilion, opened in July this year to big ol' snaps, the Rooftop has been designed by Kelvin Ho and Emilie Delalande of Akin Creative, Amanda Talbot, Justin and Bettina Hemmes. Get ready for a few surprises, the space has been designed "as if it was once the conservatory owned by an eccentric botanist" according to Merivale. Think epic greenery, mismatched Moroccan tiles and handpainted tables from the hand of local artist Mayriel Luke. Food-wise, expect Merivale-style decadence on the Rooftop, but with a laidback beachside vibe. Coogee Pavilion's executive chef Jordan Toft is taking his crafts upstairs, infusing the menu with inspiration from his travels through the Eastern Mediterranean. Think charcoal-grilled meats and smoked seafood — we're talking whole baby calamari with ink vinaigrette, haloumi wrapped in grape vine leaves and lemon oil, and adana (ground lamb and beef, washed onion and sumac). Post-swim tipples at the Pavilion? Drinkies have been designed by Merivale's group bars manager Paul Mant, and while the cocktail list is yet to be revealed, fresh fruit-laden sharing pitchers seem to be the go. Holding the Coogee Pavilion as Merivale's pièce de résistance, CEO Justin Hemmes is super keen to unveil the Pavilion's fancy new hat. "This is our most exciting venue to open yet and certainly the one I’m most proud of," he says. "We have been overwhelmed by the support of the local community since launching the ground floor and I can’t wait to unveil the next level of this iconic property." The new Rooftop stems from the already-applauded lower levels of the Pavilion — brimming with Will & Co coffee, a lovejuice cart, barber shop, florist, nostalgia-ruled games area, true-Italian woodfired pizza by Vincenzo Biondini, raw bar and a giant 45kg rope knitted lampshade — to casually gloss over the details. With the opening of Sydney's first free beach library, seems Coogee's staking a mighty claim as the go-to eastern summer hub this season. Coogee Pavilion Rooftop will open December 30, 2014.
Have you ever wanted to run away and join the circus? Well now it looks like you finally can. Cirque du Soleil, the world famous circus troupe, is heading to Australia, and they're inviting all of us to audition. What could possibly go wrong? Preliminary auditions will take place in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth throughout the second week of February, with talent scouts on the lookout for artists, acrobats, sportspeople, singers, musicians and dancers, as well as "everyday Australians" who are looking to show off their "creative performance talent." We don't know about you, but that description sounds just vague enough to mean pretty much anything. Time to bust out the hula hoop people! If it all sounds a bit like an episode of Australia's Got Talent, you're actually not that far off the mark. Turns out the audition process is part of an as-of-yet unnamed reality show. A selection of talented and/or ridiculous candidates from each city will be flown down to Melbourne for a second audition on February 14. Hurrah! If you dream of being the next Philippe Petit or are just happy to make an idiot of yourself on TV, you can register for an audition in your home city at the following website. Registrations close at 5pm on Monday February 8.
Festival season is well and truly upon us, with the Woodford Folk Festival set to kick off this month. If you fancy seeing out 2019 and welcoming in 2020 while catching a heap of bands, wandering between arts performances and getting a little muddy across a grassy patch of southeast Queensland, the fest has you covered for its whopping 34th year. Taking place at Woodfordia about 90 minutes north of Brisbane, this year's event will be held for six days between Friday, December 27, 2019 and Wednesday, January 1, 2020 — with Amanda Palmer, Lior, Horrorshow, The Herd, Kate Miller-Heidke, Electric Fields, Emma Louise, Archie Roach with Paul Grabrowsky, and Kasey Chambers among its high-profile talent. In total, over 2000 artists will put on more than 1600 shows across the festival's 25 stages, all in venues that range from a 25,000-seat amphitheatre to chilled-out hangout spots. With the lineup featuring everything from music, art, circus and cabaret to yoga, dance and comedy, there's plenty of other highlights — including a spoken word, comedy and performance program that tasks American Gods and Stardust author Neil Gaiman with reading from his work as the sun sets on the first day of the new year. Elsewhere, Woodford's 2019–20 bill spans arts, dance and meditation workshops, plus a heap of circus and cabaret shows. And, if you're bringing littlies, the event's Children's Festival within the broader fest is also returning. Or, you can explore Woodfordia's rainforest plants on a guided tour, eat a feast of bush foods, play a real-life fantasy game and soak in the flames at the fest's annual closing fire ceremony. Fancy celebrating New Year's Eve with an Elton John sing-along? Woodford won't go breaking your heart, because that's on the agenda also. While the annual Queensland festival has weathered an uncertain future in recent years, it remains a staple of the state's end-of-year calendar — and visit will also boast a whole heap of stalls around the grounds (195 in 2018–19), turning the site into a mini-village for its duration. That includes everything from bars, cafes and restaurants, to an on-site doctor's surgery and two general stores. As always, camping is available at one of the fest's multiple campgrounds, or you can nab a ticket just for the day. Either way, expect to have company, as around 132,000 people attend each year. Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
One of Broadway's hottest and most prohibitively priced tickets of the last five years, The Book of Mormon, is set to get an Australian staging. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement today on his Facebook page, saying "I'm thrilled we're bringing the most successful piece of theatre in the world today to Victoria." The musical will make its Australian premiere at Melbourne's Princess Theatre in early 2017. Written by South Park and Team America's notoriously puerile creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, together with Robert Lopez of genius grown-up muppet show Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon is probably one of the most lauded comedies ever to have centred on the Church of Latter Day Saints, African missions, AIDS, bum jokes and super ironic racism. If it wasn't so smart and so funny, few would forgive it. But since it is, The Book of Morman has picked up nine Tonys, four Olivier Awards and a Grammy since it debuted in 2011, and has been called "one of the most joyously acidic bundles Broadway has unwrapped in years". Directed by Parker with choreographer Casey Nicholaw, the show will have a new local cast. Parker has commented on the team's enthusiasm for the Australian production and then made a Tasmania joke: "We can't wait to get started. Everyone says we should look to Tassie for casting so that's where we're going first." If you've been among the throngs to see the musical in New York, Chicago or London, then you'll be plenty excited that your Melbourne friends will now get the chance to go learn all the idiosyncratic details of Mormonism, meet war criminal General Butt-Fucking Naked and know the true meaning of the hakuna matata-like saying 'Hasa Diga Eebowai'. And because this is the most exciting piece of musical theatre news since Matilda, the waitlist for tickets has already opened. Sign up at the Book of Mormon website for priority ticketing information. Whether the show will tour outside of Melbourne is yet to be confirmed. In the meantime, get in the mood by watching this clip of Girls star and original Mormon cast member Andrew Rannells singing the ballad of religious faith 'I Believe' at the Tony Awards. UPDATE MONDAY, DECEMBER 7: Priority tickets for The Book of Mormon are now on sale via Ticketmaster. GO.
Ah, the munchies. When entire value packs of Chicken Crimpys spontaneously vanish, and McDonald's just doesn't seem sufficiently mass-produced. Well 50 bucks can buy you a whole new level of stoner stomach satisfaction this August, when the most excessive gustatory combos imaginable dare to show themselves at Queenie's. Queenie's is holding its third stoner dinner where the entire concept of "three-course meal" is laughed at and spat upon. We're talking fourth and fifth courses of grease and fat, crunchy and smooth, sweet and sour united in unholy matrimony — last time around the whole meal was McDonald's themed. What's in store? We're talking Buffalo Tater Tots (franks, roasted peanuts, sour cream and celery), Pay Day Taco Bell (lobster, crisps, jerk mayo, chilli salsa and gold leaf) and the ever perplexing Double Donut Burger (fried buttermilk chicken, american cheese, glazed donuts and sprinkles). You need more? How about the Garbage Plate, a glorious heap of short rib, chilli beef, smoked beans, jerk mac n' cheese jaffle with onion rings? Or the Twinkie Weiner Sandwich, with salted caramel ice cream with raspberry sauce? Oh, you need a Blazed Toffee Apple with coconut and pineapple, too? And the tablecloth? Here, take it, but don't eat my jacket. Okay, take that too. Stop eating me. I'm not amused. Queenie's Third Stoner Dinner takes place on Thursday, April 23. It's $55 a head, and bookings essential. To reserve a spot email bookings@queenies.com.au or call (02) 9212 3035.
In delectable news for Chippo livers and lovers, Silvereye has confirmed via Instagram that it’ll be opening tomorrow (Tuesday, September 22). You’ll find Silvereye on the second floor of the revamped Old Clare Hotel. It’s the second restaurant to start serving there, with Automata having opened its doors on September 16 and the last member of the triad, Kensington Street Social, coming soon. Headed by executive chef Sam Miller (former executive sous chef at Copenhagen’s Noma), Silvereye’s open-plan kitchen is promising two tasting menus, driven by premium Australian produce and created with traditional techniques, like pickling, fermenting, salting, curing and smoking. Miller, who’s originally from York, UK, has teamed up with Orana’s Jock Zonfrillo to come up with unique recipes, featuring native ingredients. Current dishes include raws clams, raw cauliflower alongside yabbi a la pyramid; carrots with lingon berries and cream, alongside oyster, potato, melon; and Jerusalem artichoke alongside leeks with pig’s feet and white beer. Meanwhile, the drinks menu is inspired by sustainability, minimal intervention and terroir (i.e. expression of natural location). That means a varied and interesting list of premium boutique wines from both Australian and overseas. And there’s a serious focus on high-end champagne. Silverye opens at 20 Broadway, Chippendale on Tuesday, September 22 and will be open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Reservations are essential. Check out the rest of The Old Clare Hotel over here.
No doubt you're pretty busy keeping up with Australia's gangbusters craft beer scene. Whether your go-to is Four Pines, Young Henrys or James Squire, our local brewers are always on-the-go with cracking new ideas — from beer that tastes like Anzac biscuits to a porter that lives up to any chocolate dessert you can throw at it to a drop that doubles-up as breakfast, made from banana bread and coffee beans. As it turns out, our international beer-worshipping brothers and sisters are far from dragging the chain. Here are ten of the best craft brews you'll find outside of Australia right now. FUBAR BY TINY REBEL (WALES) Introducing the 2014 Champion Beer of Wales. This unique brew, first released in February 2012, arrives on your tongue with a floral, hoppy blast and leaves with a satisfying, spicy aftertaste. FUBAR is the flagship for Tiny Rebel, a craft beer company started in 2008 in a Welsh garage, where founders Brad and Gazz would home brew for fun on the weekends. Last year, the duo opened Cardiff's first craft beer dedicated bar and, in August, followed up FUBAR's triumph when their red ale, Cwtch, was named 2015 Champion Beer of Britain. PELICAN NOIR BY PELICAN BREWING CO. (US) Pelican Noir's cinnamon-chocolate flavours and caramel-raisin aromas inspired a Gold Medal win in the Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale category at the 2015 North American Beer Awards. Three sources of hops go into its creation: Aramis, Goldings and Nugget, as does a trio of malts, giving it a delicious, well-rounded taste. Pelican Noir is made by Oregon's Pelican Brewing Company, which has won literally hundreds of national and international awards in its 14-year lifespan. BOURBON COUNTY BRAND STOUT BY GOOSE ISLAND BEER COMPANY (US) Bourbon County Brand Stout offers one of the densest, darkest, foamiest stout experiences on the planet. And you know it from the moment the bottle opens, releasing a heady mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoky goodness. It's made by Chicago's Goose Island Beer Company, which a man by the name of John Hall started 25 years ago after a brew-focused journey through Europe. “America deserves some damn fine beer like this, too,” he thought to himself, and set about making it happen. Bourbon Country Brand Stout won gold at both the 2006 World Beer Cup Awards and the 1995 Great American Beer Festival. BEER GEEK BREAKFAST BY MIKKELLER (DENMARK) This beer single-handedly gave Mikkeller legendary status. Back in 2006, maths teacher-turned-brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergso came up with the ingenious idea of adding French press coffee to oatmeal stout. And Beer Geek Breakfast was born, shooting straight to first position on global beer popularity platform ratebeer.com. Since then, Mikkeller has used the recipe as a base for all manner of craft beer wonders, like Beer Geek Breakfast Brunch Big Blend and Beer Geek Vanilla Shake. THE VANDAL IPA BY PANHEAD (NEW ZEALAND) According to the Society of Beer Advocates, this was the best beer made in New Zealand in 2014. It's a potent 8% Indian Pale Ale (IPA) made with a serious dose of hops from Kohatu, Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin that tastes like tropical fruit. The Vandal is made at Panhead Custom Ales, a brewery housed in a former tyre factory in Upper Hutt, Wellington, established in 2013 when brewer Mike Neilson quit his full-time job at Tuatara Brewery to go solo. AMA BIONDA BY AMARCORD (ITALY) Italy might be traditionally known for wine, but microbreweries are on the up. One of the best is Amarcord, located in the medieval village of Apecchio, which is close to both the Adriatic Coast and the Appennini Mountains. Amarcord's AMA Bionda is a Belgian pale ale, made with Sicilian orange blossom honey, spring water and three types of hops. It's complex, floral and fruity. HOMMAGE BY DRIE FONTEINEN (BELGIUM) Made of 30% raspberries and 5% cherries, this sour beer is dark red in colour, big on flavour and heavily carbonated. It's definitely not for drinkers looking for something light. Drie Fonteinen, a brewery in Beersel, near Brussels, has made just two batches — the first in 2007 and the second in 2013 — and released only 5,000 bottles globally. So the only catch is that it's not easy to get your hands on. Image: 3 Fonteinen Hommage 2007 via photopin (license). YUZU WHITE ALE BY MINOH (JAPAN) Most wheat beers (like Hoegaarden, for example) are brewed with orange peel. But a couple of years ago, Minoh, a family-owned and operated microbrewery in Japan's Osaka prefecture, came up with a twist, instead using a local citrus fruit named yuzu and adding a dash of coriander. Their experimentation paid off — in 2012, Yuzu White Ale won gold in the fruit wheat beer category at the World Beer Cup. DOREE BY BOREALE (CANADA) This smooth, easy-to-drink beer is made with tasty Quebec honey and a decent dose of malt. In 2012, Doree topped the specialty honey beer section at the World Beer Cup and won silver in the special honey category at the Canadian Brewing Awards. Its home is Les Brasseurs du Nord, a microbrewery in the Lower Laurentians, where the brewing ethos is all about keeping things natural. OLD FREDDY WALKER BY MOOR BEER CO. (ENGLAND) This old ale has won no fewer than 20 prizes, a run that began back in 2004 when it took out CAMRA supreme champion winter beer of Britain. It's so rich and dense that you can drink it like a vintage wine. It is made at the Moor Beer Company in Bristol by an ex-soldier who hails from California.
Jackson Browne dropping a cover of The Eagles' 'Take It Easy'? Classic Bluesfest. Kendrick Lamar echoing across Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm with "This. Dick. Ain't. Freeeeeeeee."? New Wave Bluesfest. Bringing over 200 performances to seven stages over five 12-hour days, Bluesfest returned to the hallowed, well-gumbooted grounds of Tyagarah just out of Byron Bay over the Easter weekend. This outrageously-loved festival brought in its 2016 chapter with one of its most eclectic lineups yet (but importantly, brought back the festival's renowned yearly menu of fish tacos, Yemen rolls and organic doughnuts). From Celtic voodoo to pre-WWII 'minstrel blues', Icelandic indie folk to truly avant garde performance art rock, this year's festival took the genre-spanning game next-level. Kicking off the first night, Kendrick Lamar drew one of the most dominantly Young Person crowds of the festival. Following widely praised shows in Melbourne and Sydney, the 'King Kunta' gamechanger brought his wildly eloquent unpacking of race and identity to the festival's opening night — from 'Backseat Freestyle' to 'Alright'. Lamar gave ups to fellow festival headliner and R&B legend D'Angelo, who, helped the Bluesfest crowd find new hinges in their pelvises with his two highly seductive sets — even though multiple reports from Thursday's set saw Kendrick fans actually booing the R&B icon. Really. Booing D'Angelo. Kids today. Big favourites Tedeschi Trucks Band and Grammy award-winning, face-melting multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter made most Bluesfesters highlight lists, alongside a swathe of relative newcomers to many Aussie ears. Jerron"Blind Boy" Paxton had the festival well abuzz, the twenty-something multi-instrumentalist specialising in '20s and '30s blues a la Fats Waller and "Blind" Lemon Jefferson. Our jaws are still on the floor in the Delta tent after seeing San Francisco's super fun outfit Con Brio, lead by the unforgettable Ziek McCarter — the lovechild of Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars with better abs. Punters stood open-mouthed and wonderfully freaked out watching legendary avant garde experimental art rock collective The Residents. We raised plastic cups to Mojo Juju's "love song to Newcastle", attempted terribly to sing along Nai Palm-style with Melbourne's Hiatus Kaiyote, madly Googled 'Shooglenifty' and generally flailed around in bona fide Dad Dancing style to Mick Fleetwood. Big ups have to be paid to Friday night's heart-in-mouth set from The National, ending with frontman Bryce Dessner genuinely gobsmacked by one heck of an emotional, to-the-syllable singalong. Bluesfest delivered yet another feelgood, like-clockwork festival, nabbing only one and a half days of downpour and less mud than usual. More than one artist, including the legendary Jackson Browne, called it "the best festival in the world". With police happy, punters happy, sleeping kids in wheelbarrows happy and artists happy, we reckon that calls for another organic doughnut. Images: Andy Fraser. Words: Shannon Connellan.
Our city's biggest summer celebration of local and international talent has finally arrived – and you've managed to bag tickets! Good start, compadre. But as any regular arts-goer knows, finding pre- or post-show eats is a tricky business. That's why we've chosen our top places near the main Sydney Festival venues, so whether you're heading to the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent and see some cheeky cabaret, to Carriageworks for Nick Cave's immersive Until exhibition, Barangaroo to visit the giant Always sculpture or one of the many lunar exhibitions or Riverside Theatre for a 30s-inspire Shanghai circus, we've got your nosh needs covered. [caption id="attachment_643114" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jamie Williams[/caption] IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... MAGIC MIRRORS SPIEGELTENT OR CITY RECITAL HALL LONG CHIM RESTAURANT HUBERT INDU Seeing a show in Angel Place? Take a turn before China Lane. From here, head through a small door, and follow your nose down a few flights of dimly lit stairs. Indu, which takes its inspiration from the southern coastal regions of India, is owned by doctor, philanthropist and all-round hero Sam Prince. Indu's menu is refreshing, totally innovative and surprisingly light — a far cry from the heavy Indian curries that characterise most Indian restaurants in the city. MERCADO Previously head chef at the acclaimed Nomad and co-creator of ice creamery Good Times, Nathan Sasi blends fine dining finesse with a love of the rustic and a real hands-on approach at Mercado (nominated for Concrete Playground's Best New Restaurant in 2016). The laneway establishment does all their pickling, curing and smoking on-site and combines fresh produce with a modern, agreeably loose take on Moorish and Spanish food. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... THE OPERA HOUSE OR ROSLYN PACKER THEATRE OPERA BAR D'uh. Pop by this revamped icon, given brand new life by Matt Moran last year. Equip yourself with a refreshing pomegranate and mint Sydney Sling ($18) and head outside to the sun-drenched deck where you and 699 other people can now find a seat. BENNELONG Peter Gilmore has ditched the fancy, fiddly techniques he's famous for (see: Snow Egg) and created an informal menu with approachable prices at the opera house. Bennelong has five different dining options to choose from. There's The Bar and The Circle for drinks and nibbles; Cured and Cultured, the casual dining option; The Restaurant, the main event; and The Kitchen, six VIP seats in the kitchen for a behind-the-scenes experience. Try the theatre dining option. GATEWAY SYDNEY If you've spent one too many nights wandering hungry around Circular Quay, dodging dodgy fish and chips and bad pizza, you'll welcome this place. This new $60 million precinct has been transformed by Woods Bagot Architects from a very average walk-past-worthy food court into a slick new dining area. The ground floor features Gelato Messina's first CBD store (sorry Gelatissimo), Four Frogs Creperie (ham and cheese galettes for brekkie, yes please) and a new outlet for Adriano Zumbo's pastries. Also featured is Roll'd, Workshop Espresso, The Gozleme Co. and health food outlet Urban Orchard, among a slew of others. WALSH BAY KITCHEN Walsh Bay Kitchen, within the Roslyn Packer Theatre, sits on the burgeoning food strip of Hickson Road. The space is slick with off-Broadway style: think parquetry floors and leather banquettes. The recessed lightboxes seem a nod to stage lights, casting dress circle moodiness. If mirth and merriment bars a thousand harms and lengthens life, there isn't a better reason to catch an end-of-season show and dig in here. Check out their Festival Feast. HOTEL PALISADE & HENRY DEANE Standing proud in Millers Point, the Hotel Palisade forms a unique and improbable part of Sydney's foreshore history; when it was built a century ago, it was the city's highest building. Now been revived with a smart new maritime design by Sibella Court, Hotel Palisade serves up pub food that avoids the familiar schnitzels and steak sandwiches and opts instead for snacks like creamy chicken liver pate with a sweet Young Henrys cider jelly ($12) or a beef brisket sanga ($18) with a mug of salt and vinegar chips. Venture upstairs for the swanky Henry Deane rooftop bar, with some of the best views in the whole city. THE GLENMORE The much loved local's-style pub remains on ground level, but as you head up the stairs towards the first level and rooftop terrace, you can see just how much this oldie has been spruced up. It has one of the best views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, along with some great pub food. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... CARRIAGEWORKS RON'S UPSTAIRS REDFERN CONTINENTAL Redfern's day-to-night European diner is just a short walk from Carriageworks. Birthed by the guys who brought you Arcadia Liquors (just across the road on Regent), Redfern Continental really is a little bit of everything: the perfect neighbour in a suburb fast becoming an eclectic hub of food and drink in Sydney. RISING SUN WORKSHOP Tinker on your motorbike and slurp your way through bowel of ramen on the same premises at Rising Sun Workshop's permanent Newtown digs. For the uninitiated, Rising Sun is a social enterprise that serves two purposes. On one hand, it provides its motor-revving members with a communal space for repairing and polishing up their bikes. On the other, it's a café, serving coffee, cookies and seriously killer ramen. LEADBELLY Want more after the show? The space that once housed the infamous and much-loved Vanguard has been quickly revamped as Leadbelly. While the bar and restaurant is a new concept, it has fully embraced the building's history by offering live gigs Thursday through Sunday — for free. Leadbelly is a restaurant too, after all. The Southern US-style food menu is essentially a round-up of perfect gig snacks — think popcorn shrimp and smoked brisket po' boys. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... PARRAMATTA/RIVERSIDE THEATRES EL-PHOENICIAN There may be cheaper Lebanese options along Parramatta's Church Street, but you're unlikely to find better quality than at El-Phoenician. Known for its generous servings and loud groups, this local institution is offering festivalgoers a Festival Feast menu of all your favourites. But if you'd like a little theatre with your tabouli, make sure you lock in a ticket to Hakawati, a performance set in the restaurant itself. THE EMPORIUM This bustling, dual-level food and wine mecca from the guys behind the Coffee Emporium franchise opened in January 2015, and still promises great things for festivalgoers and Parramatta locals alike. With a Mediterranean-inspired menu designed by chef Leon Volk and an international wine list, The Emporium has raised the bar for the area's main eats street. Don't go past the Festival Feast menu. SABU This contemporary Japanese restaurant and sake bar sports a sleek fitout and a prime position in the Eat Street district of Parramatta. The menu ranges from sushi, sashimi to robata, with cocktails, sake and sake flights on offer. Sabu is known to exhibit local artists and often surprises guests with live performances, so if you're looking for a culture-infused dinner spot to relax in ahead of your SydFest adventures, this is your go-to. NICK AND NORA'S If you're heading further along the line to Blacktown for Urban Theatre Projects' outstanding immersive show Home Country, do not eat dinner. Just saying. IF YOU'RE HEADING TO... BARANGAROO AND DARLING HARBOUR PIZZA DA MARIO POP-UP Over in the Cutaway, after you've finished soaking up the fake surf and sun of The Beach at Barangaroo, grab a next-level sausage sandwich from Newtown's Sausage Queen Chrissy Flanagan, or continue the nautical theme with a visit to Pizza da Mario Pop-Up, a Da Mario-run pizzeria disguised as a shipping container. Apparently this is for mobility purposes, but the novelty alone makes it worth a visit (there's a three-tonne pizza oven inside). BANKSII Sydney's first vermouth bar and bistro opened late last year at Barangaroo. Named after botanist Sir Joseph Banks, Banksii comes from the couple behind Asian fusion favourite Bar H in Surry Hills, chef Hamish Ingham and sommelier Rebecca Lines. They're bringing a slew of aperitifs and a mod Oz bent to the waterfront space — and we're loving it. The Barangaroo development itself is a bit sterile, but design firm Luchetti Krelle has done a good job warming the place up with soft coral and turquoise tones, cream and worn blue linen coverings and orange dangly lights. ANASON Turkish eatery Anason was the first permanent restaurant to open its sleek navy doors in the Barangaroo precinct. Nestled neatly in an unassuming alcove, Anason is immediately warm and inviting inside and out; the indoor area is largely dedicated to an open plan kitchen and wine storage so most diners eat outside in the open-air terrace. The innovative menu is stridently Turkish, showcasing authentic mezze plates characterised by bold flavours and even bolder colour palettes. LOTUS Dumpling masters Lotus Dining have officially joined Barangaroo's waterfront promenade. Now open in The Streets of Barangaroo, the restaurant is Lotus's third Sydney edition and, with 160 seats, its second largest. On the menu is a stack of established favourites as well as a bunch of new, Shanghai-influenced creations, dashed with Australian native ingredients. BELLE'S HOT CHICKEN Belles has made things permanent with Sydney, opening the doors on a 130-seat eatery in South Barangaroo. Seemingly all grown up (sorta), Belles operates as a restaurant now instead of a canteen counter, developed by OLA Architects (responsible for Melbourne's Bomba) and co-owners Morgan McGlone and Miranda Campbell. Think table service, space for larger groups, an expanded menu and Belles' infamous bedfellow: Australian natural wines. Not keen for a sit-down meal? You'll still be able to order takeaway from a separate, dedicated window. By the Concrete Playground team. Top image: Jamie Williams.
Maser carved his name out (literally) on the streets and walls and trains of Dublin as a teenager, and has grown to become one of Ireland’s best loved street artists, with his public artworks found across Europe and North America and now, Sydney. His maze-like Higher Ground opens today in Hyde Park, looming over the spot where popular bouncing-castle Stonehenge Sacrilege stood in 2014. “Maser was originally just a tag that I made up around the age of 14 or 15 just so I didn’t get caught. And it stuck, it became a nickname,” he explains. Almost 20 years later, even though his art is well above board, Maser still prefers to maintain a low profile, and keeps his real name and age under wraps. “I’m not going miles out of my way to hide my identity, I just like the work to speak for itself. I don’t want to showcase myself too much, I’m just not really interested in that.” Higher Ground will speak with some volume. The monolithic, perspective-skewing, Op Art-inspired installation is being built in Hyde Park for Sydney Festival. “This is by far, definitely the biggest structural piece from the ground up I’ve designed and built, and yeah, it’s huge,” he says. “Having people engage with three dimensional painting, they become a part of it, take ownership of it, share it if they want, and you know it’s that experience of excitement that I love." Maser says his style has been largely influenced by audience responses to his work over the years. What began as a covert graffiti operation (“It was a subculture that basically only we could read,” he says of the abstract typography and skewed letter fonts synonymous with tagging) changed course when Maser realised he could use his art as a tool for garnering awareness about social issues. “I started engaging the public a lot more with writing social messages that at the time I felt were needed," he says. "Besides going into a recession [in Ireland], there were also mental health awareness and homelessness issues.” Maser took to writing political slogans inspired by the typefaces and colours from the hand-painted signs and adverts seen around the city between the 1930s and 1960s. “So I just continued that narrative, and got great feedback from that.” Higher Ground is an extension of a large-scale project Maser recently completed in Berlin. “But I wanted it bigger and better this time. I wanted elevations where people could go up and look down on other people within the space, so it’s creating more of a complete environment.” With its geometric lines and bright colours, the immersive sculpture is reminiscent of graphic artist MC Escher’s optical illusion sketches from the early 1900s. Upon receiving the commission, Maser looked at Hyde Park on Google Maps and took note of the cathedral and the natural environment of the park. “It’s the play, the juxtaposition of this almost synthetic minimalist form in this natural environment that I think is going to be really effective. I think if we put this in an industrial estate it wouldn’t have the effect that it will have when you put it on grass with trees around it and really strip back all the forms, really minimalistic 45 degree angles, flats, I think it’s going to work really well. I hope it does.” Not only is this Maser’s most ambitious work to-date, it’s also the furthest he’s ever had to travel and he hopes audiences will engage with the work openly. “Don’t try and figure it out,” he advises. “I have my reasons for creating it but you can just take what you want from it. If that’s sitting around and eating a sandwich in there or whatever, really don’t be intimidated by it. My reward would be to see people embrace it.” Higher Ground is on during Sydney Festival, from January 8-25 and open from 9am to sunset. It is closed Mondays.
Burgers flying through the sky in Melbourne? It's not a mere pipe dream. The wacky scientists at Monash University have teamed up with Mr Burger to create Future Burger, the new delivery service powered by drones and your insatiable love of burgers. If you’re in Melbourne and interested in receiving a burger that flies majestically through the air as if by magic and flutters delicately into your lap, oozing with cheese and relish (actual experience may be sloppier), you can sign up via the Future Burger website. A few caveats though. You have to be at the Monash campus at Clayton on August 2 (a Sunday on campus) and you'll have to actually be picked by the Monash Future Burger overlords as the chosen burger recipient. You have until July 28 to enter your details and be considered for this esteemed honour. We haven't been this excited about novelty food delivery since parachute jaffles. This seems to be an experiment coming out of Monash's drone department (or, more correctly Monash's Faculty of Information Technology, but we like 'drone department') and as such, we will strive do all in our power to help science — by stuffing our faces. Future Burger is brought to you by Monash University and Mr Burger. To be in the running for drone burger delivery, enter your details here.
There's a brand new player in Sydney's thriving theatre scene that's looking to give the more established companies a bit of a run for their money. Launching this week after years in the pipeline, the boldly titled National Theatre of Parramatta will set out to showcase the artistic talent found within Greater Western Sydney while reflecting Australia's cultural diversity on the stage. The upstart company will be based out of Parramatta's Riverside Theatres, and has recruited talent from all around the state. At the helm are a directorate of four veteran creative practitioners: Founder and Director of CuriousWorks and Associate Artist at Carriageworks S. Shakthidharan, Executive Producer of Performance 4a Annette Shun Wah, Chief Creative Officer for Spiegelworld International Wayne Harrison, and community cultural development writer and creative producer Paula Abood. Alongside them will be the former Artistic Director for the Sydney Improvised Music Association and Business Manager for Programming at Sydney Opera House, Joanne Key, as the company's Executive Producer. "National Theatre of Parramatta aspires to create bold, contemporary works that draw their inspiration from the rich diversity and untold stories of Western Sydney and beyond, adding to our cultural landscape a company that truly reflects the nation on stage," said Shun Wah in a statement that accompanied the launch. The company's inaugural season will begin in April next year with the Australian premiere of Swallow by Olivier award winning playwright Stef Smith, directed by the founder and former Artistic Director of Force Majeure Kate Champion. That production will be followed in June by Jane Harrison's Stolen, directed by Vicki Van Hout, which tells the stories of members of the Stolen Generations. Then in October, the theatre will launch Telling Tales, a festival of storytelling featuring works by the theatre's directorate using traditional and alternate spaces. For more information about the National Theatre of Parramatta, check them out on Facebook or visit www.riversideparramatta.com.au/ntofp
Aunty's done it again; inviting the whole country round for a cup o' chai and a grand ol' hootenanny — the 2015 lineup for Meredith Music Festival is here. Returning to beloved Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, near Golden Plains over December 11-13, Meredith's more eclectic than ever — it's the Silver Jubilee 25th anniversary after all. Following the recent major announcement of Ex-Fleet Foxes minstrel Father John Misty as this year's top headliner, Aunty's added the likes of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Ratatat, The Thurston Moore Band, Tkay Maidza, Neon Indian, Big Daddy Kane, Shellac, Fatback Band, Jessica Pratt, Briggs, and many more to the bill. As always, Meredith's a BYO paradise, and of course, the 'No Dickhead Policy' stands stronger than ever. There's just one ticket type (none of this fancy schmancy VIP tiered business) and it'll set you back $338.70 + $10BF + $7.50 post. Like every year, it's a ballot system and first round ticket offers will be made today, the second on August 20. Enter over here. But enough chatskies, here's who's ringing in 25 years of glorious Meredith fun with Aunty this year. MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2015 LINEUP Big Daddy Kane Bully Father John Misty Floating Points Fatback Band GL Goat Harvey Sutherland Jessica Pratt Julia Holter Levins Lucy Cliche The Peep Tempel Master Khalil Gudaz MC Jane Clifton Mighty Duke and The Lords Briggs Moon Duo Neon Indian Optimo Pearls Power Ratatat Shellac Steve Miller Band The Thurston Moore Band Tkay Maidza Totally Mild Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats Unknown Mortal Orchestra Meredith Music Festival is happening December 11 to 13 in the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Meredith. Enter the ballot here. Image: Meredith Music Festival.
Surry Hills haunt Tio's is about to take its taco game to a whole new level. Ghostboy Cantina announced yesterday that, from July 20, the Dixon Street hole-in-the-wall will be taking up residence at the Mexican drinking den. Toby Wilson, former owner of Wedge Espresso and most recently head barista of Sample Coffee, took a distinct departure when he opened Ghostboy Cantina in the Dixon House food court at the start of this year. Serving a simple menu of tacos and sides, it's a taqueria with an Asian twist — no surprise considering his Haymarket location. Think tacos of shredded pork with Thai basil and sliced peach or a fried cauliflower taco with green chilli sauce and queso fresco topping. This 'Mexicasian' combination works all too well. But, with his six-month lease just about up, Wilson is moving on to bigger and better taco digs. The collaboration with Tio's is really a no brainer — get a Sydney guy already making world class tacos and put him up in a place that champions everything Mexican culture. Patrons should expect much the same style menu, with a few surprises on the horizon. Wilson has promised to start off with a brand new Tio's dessert, as well as a few new bar snacks that we expect will go deeper than bags of popcorn (love you, popcorn bags). We have our fingers crossed for taco-inspired drinks from the Tio's side of things. We'll see if Ghostboy's Asian flare holds up outside its Dixon Street debut. Either way, the previously unassuming food stall might take on a pretty different vibe moving into the late night game — you can't avoid it in the party atmosphere of Tio's. Ghostboy Cantina will open on July 20 at Tios Cerveceria, 4-14 Foster Street, Surry Hills.
In 1978 Robert Redford helped oversee the first Sundance Film Festival, an event originally designed to attract the cinema world to Utah. Four decades later, and that aim has well and truly been achieved. Come the end of January each year, the who's who of filmmaking rush to Park City for a feast of film surrounded by wintry snow. And, with good reason. Over the decades, Sundance has helped launch everything from Reservoir Dogs, The Blair Witch Project and Donnie Darko to Boyhood, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Manchester by the Sea. In 2017, two movies that we were excited about after their Park City debuts — Call Me By Your Name and The Big Sick — ended up on Concrete Playground's best movies of the year list. So did Get Out, which premiered at Sundance as a secret screening, wowed viewers around the globe afterwards and recently picked up four Oscar nominations. In short, the fest's lineup usually offers a reliable roster of the flicks to look out for in the months afterwards. With 110 feature-length films on Sundance's 2018 program, as selected from 29 countries, including 47 first-time filmmakers and culled from 3901 full-length submissions, there's plenty to tempt cinephiles on this year's bill. One of them, the amusing National Lampoon insider effort A Stupid and Futile Gesture, is already screening on Netflix if you're keen to jump right in. Another, Australia's own stellar Indigenous western Sweet Country, just opened in local cinemas. As for the rest, here's our picks of the flicks we're hoping to see on our shores soon. SORRY TO BOTHER YOU Earning more than a few comparisons to Get Out thanks to its smart social satire, Sorry to Bother You marks the directorial debut of The Coup frontman Boots Riley. A workplace comedy set in the world of telemarketing, it's the tale of a black salesman (Lakeith Stanfield) who suddenly discovers magical selling abilities. As his career takes a turn for the better, his artist girlfriend (Tessa Thompson) has some concerns. Acclaimed for its distinctive voice, its no-holds-barred humour and its provocative absurdity, it's one of the most talked-about flicks of the fest, and also features Call Me By Your Name's Armie Hammer in a memorable supporting role. Also watch out for: Blindspotting, the hip hop-style comedy co-written by and starring Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs, who play two Oakland pals trying to get their lives on the straight and narrow. DAMSEL Two of cinema's best current trends combine in Damsel — everybody's making westerns, and Robert Pattinson is making, well, everything. Trust the folks behind Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter to bring them both together; if brothers David and Nathan Zellner can turn a Fargo-inspired urban legend into a thoughtful and intriguing film, then they can remake the Old West in their own comedic way, and take Pattinson along for the ride. The former Twilight star-turned-indie darling features opposite Aussie actress Mia Wasikowska, veteran Robert Forster, and the writing, directing and producing Zellners themselves. Also watch out for: The latest effort from Aussie filmmaker Claire McCarthy, Ophelia takes on Hamlet in a fresh, female-focused way, with Daisy Ridley, Naomi Watts, Clive Owen, George MacKay and Tom Felton among the cast. THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST You have to admire Desiree Akhavan's Sundance record. The writer/director's second feature marked her second stint at the festival, and it picked up the US Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic for its troubles. Starring Chloë Grace Moretz, American Honey's Sasha Lane and The Revenant's Forrest Goodluck, and adapted from the novel of the same name, The Miseducation of Cameron Post follows a high schooler sent to a gay conversion centre. She might be stuck in a place of oppression and repression, but a sense of community springs among her fellow attendees. Four years ago, Akhavan's Appropriate Behavior proved astute, insightful and amusing, so expect good things. Also watch out for: Bisbee '17, the latest documentary from Kate Plays Christine's Robert Greene, this time exploring a different historical chapter: the Bisbee Deportation of 1917, where 1200 striking miners were taken from their home, banished from the town and left to die. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbiakAVaXgU TULLY After completely hitting it out of the park on their first collaboration, Young Adult director Jason Reitman, writer Diablo Cody and star Charlize Theron join forces again with Tully. Where their last effort was steeped in arrested development — the state of not quite growing up, not the TV comedy Theron once appeared on — this time around they're wading into the womb of motherhood. When Theron's stressed mother-of-three Marlo welcomes the titular night nanny (Mackenzie Davis) into her life, a bond blooms, as does an empathetic dark comedy anchored by two of today's best actresses. Your usual mum-focused movie, this is not Also watch out for: Laura Dern stars in The Tale, writer/director Jennifer Fox's handling of the tough topic of sexual abuse, following a journalist and professor forced to delve back into her childhood relationship with two adult coaches. KUSAMA - INFINITY Yayoi Kusama is everywhere. The Japanese artist's work is splashed across the walls of Australian galleries, she now has her own Tokyo museum, and she also features in a documentary at Sundance. Kusama - Infinity seems an apt title for many reasons, not only due to Kusama's famed mirrored 'infinity rooms', but also because the singular creative's adaptability, innovation and influence seems like it will go on forever. Understandably, writer, director and producer Heather Lenz spent years charting the course of Kusama's seven-decade career beyond the dots and pumpkins. Whether you're a fan or a newcomer, you're in for an informative ode to an artist like no other. Also watch out for: U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking winner Mind the Gap, the personal documentary not only made by Bing Liu, but interweaving his return to Rockford, Illinois to reconnect with his childhood skateboarding buddies with archival footage of their younger heyday. LEAVE NO TRACE It's been eight years since filmmaker Debra Granik made one of the first great films of this decade, won Sundance's Grand Jury Prize and unearthed a star in the process. In Winter's Bone, the movie-watching world was gifted a tense family drama, as well as a career-making performance from Jennifer Lawrence — and Granik might've just done it again with Leave No Trace. Ben Foster features opposite acclaimed newcomer Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, playing a father and daughter living off the grid until their cover is blown. If you're thinking that it has been too long between fictional films for the exceptional writer/director, then you're right. Also watch out for: In Shirkers, Sandi Tan hunts down her own film — one she penned in the '90s, was shot on 16mm, but disappeared along with her mentor, friend and director Georges Cardona. THE GUILTY Winner of the audience award in Sundance's World Cinema Dramatic section, The Guilty is the latest Nordic noir effort exciting cinema-goers. And, following in the footsteps of Alfred Hitchcock, recent films such as Buried, Locke and more, it's the latest single-setting flick as well. From first-time Swedish helmer Gustav Möller, the movie finds its story in the police emergency dispatch department, as a cop takes a call from a kidnapped women. Starring Jakob Cedergren (The Killing, Those Who Kill), it's a claustrophobic ticking-clock thriller that has already started buzz about an inevitable English-language remake. Also watch out for: Idris Elba steps behind the camera with Yardie, a gangster effort that's also a tense coming-of-age film, as split between Kingston and London in the '80s. SEARCH Another favourite with the Sundance crowd, this time winning the audience award in the festival's Next section, Search gives viewers what we've always wanted: a decent online-focused thriller, and a showcase starring role for John Cho. Sure, other films have unfurled their content via on-screen computer screens, but this debut effort from 25-year-old writer/director Aneesh Chaganty has been pegged as a potentially huge hit — and it's likely a case of when, rather than if, it'll make it to Aussie cinemas. Cho plays a father worried about his teenage daughter when she doesn't come home one night, and doing what everyone would do in that situation these days, aka taking to his computer and phone to look for answers. With that in mind, Search also won Sundance's Alfred P. Sloan Prize, which is awarded each year to a film focusing on science or technology. Also watch out for: Pity, directed by Greek filmmaker Babis Makridis, and co-written with Dogtooth and The Lobster's Efthimis Filippou, about a man who proves happy when his wife falls into a coma. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6wWKNij_1M HEREDITARY If it already sounds like this year's Sundance lineup has been doing what the festival always does best — that is, uncovering ace new talent — then Hereditary isn't going to change that perception. The first film from writer/director Ari Aster has been earning rave reviews for its take on haunting, grief-fuelled, despair-ridden horror, particularly in regards to its emotional depth and fleshed-out performances. Given the feature boasts an applauded turn by Australia's own Toni Collette, the latter is understandable. As for the story itself, it centres on a family's reaction after the death of their grandmother. Also watch out for: Nicolas Cage is back in the vengeance-driven Mandy, which sees Beyond the Black Rainbow director Panos Cosmatos dive head first into the pulpy genre realm. LIZZIE The story of Lizzie Borden has fascinated the masses for more than a century. Being accused and tried for the murder of your father and stepmother, but ultimately acquitted in a case that was never solved — well, that'll do it. Ballets, songs, operas, plays, novels, musicals, TV shows and films have all examined her story, with Lizzie the latest. Set in 1892 and starring Chloë Sevigny, it focuses on Borden's bond with her live-in maid, played by Kristen Stewart, while working towards the scandal that's now a matter of history. And if that doesn't intrigue you enough, it's billed as a psychological thriller, as well as a film that champions feminism and sexuality. Also watch out for: Four-time Independent Spirit Award-nominee The Rider, about a rodeo star yearning for the ring after suffering a head injury, from Chinese writer, director and producer Chloé Zhao. Images: courtesy Sundance Film Festival.
If you like your TV viewing as deconstructed as you like your cheesecake, the new web comedy The Katering Show is for you. Written and directed by coincidentally alliterative comedians Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, the series takes aim at our food-obsessed culture and its raft of related cooking shows. The "food intolerant" (McCartney) and "intolerable foodie" (McLennan) spend each episode trying to find the middle ground between the food that one loves and the food the other can digest, all while exploring such key culinary topics as Mexican cuisine, ethical eating, quitting sugar and food porn. The duo already have one award-winning web series, Bleak, behind them, as well as a combined CV that name checks It's a Date, Offspring, Adam Hills Tonight and Kath & Kim. Now the The Katering Show's hilarious and on-point references to paleo, locavores and food trucks should get them even more notice. How close to their real-life counterparts are the characters in the show? We'll probably never know, but they sure did turn it on for this interview. Read on for McLennan and McCartney's personal food philosophies, opinions on kale and feelings for Heston Blumenthal. Then head to ABC iView to watch all of season one of The Katering Show, with series two out very soon. Where does your passion for food come from? Or, for McCartney, your aversion? McLennan: I grew up in the country, so I've always had a strong connection to the food that we were killing and eating. One of my earliest memories is slaughtering a sheep with my grandfather and then feeding its shanks to my dolls. McCartney: From hanging around people like McLennan. See above. How would you describe your food philosophy? McL: Cook from the heart, but also use your hands. And your eyes. McC: If it's good enough for my cat, it's good enough for me. When did you realise your food journey was one you had to share with others, via your web series? McL: When we received funding from Screen Australia. McC: When we received funding from Screen Australia. What is the best use for kale? McL: Kale is great to use in salads, frittatas, and to take to a picnic, if you want to meet like-minded people with no personality. McC: I find if you soak it for an hour in cold water, it makes it easier to throw out. What hybrid food (eg cronut, ramen burger) would you like to try inventing? McL: I'd like to create a giant hotdog filled with Mac'n'Cheese and I'd call it "DON'T LOOK AT ME! STOP LOOKING AT ME!" McC: I'd to combine macarons and dry-rubbed chicken to create something called a "MacChicken". Actually, I just want a McChicken. I'll probably just get a McChicken. Who wants a McChicken? What is your relationship with sugar? McL: Lately I've cheated on it with stevia, rice malt syrup and agave (I hope sugar isn't reading this) *giggles* McC: Well, I can't have most alcohol, cheese, breads, cakes, which means I also can't have friends. So sugar is literally all I've got. If sugar leaves me, I'll have nothing. I'll have to embark on a life of crime just to feel something. What's your favourite kitchen gadget? McL: I have a smoking gun. It's a great little gadget, and if you don't qualify what it is, it's a great way to liven up a dull dinner party! McC: I have a butcher's knife that was given to me by a very nice gentleman who I met a train station. How do you make sure you're eating ethically? McL: I honour the life of every living thing I eat by preserving their memory in a handmade quilt. It's getting very big. McC: I personally kill every packet of two-minute noodles that I eat. What is your rule of thumb for wine matching? McL: Shiraz goes well with brisket, chardonnay goes well with barramundi, and chilled rosé goes well with drunk women at the races. McC: From experience, any bottle of anything goes well with an $8 price tag. Would you rather (a) eat at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck, or (b) not? McL: Not, because there are so many starving people in the world, and I think I could probably do a better job at home. McC: I'd eat there. I feel sorry for Heston, given his name in Greek means "to poop oneself". Watch The Katering Show on ABC iView.
Could this be Sydney's very own one-day version of South by Southwest? There's a brand new music festival coming to Sydney, letting you wander between three of the city's best venues to discover your new favourite local band. Volumes is a brand new live music project happening this August, a collaborative concept between some of Australia's most groundbreaking labels, hyped-up musicians and Sydney venues to create a kind of mini South by Southwest in the heart of the city. Co-curated and presented by Sydney/Melbourne label I OH YOU, Wollongong’s Farmer & the Owl and the Gold Coast’s Strange Yonder, alongside Vice's Noisey and Thump, Volumes is the first event of its kind in the city. A multi-venued affair, Volumes is happening on August 29 from 2pm across Oxford Art Factory, The Cliff Dive and Brighton Up Bar, handpicked for their high-fiveworthy set-ups and walking distance proximity to each other on Oxford Street. You can pop between venues easily enough on the day; one wristband will allow you to move between stages at Oxford Art Factory, OAF Gallery Bar, The Cliff Dive and Brighton Up Bar (that 2pm start time is intentionally way before lockout). Each stage is being crafted and themed with its own personality, through both genre programming and how each joint is decked out. According to the Volumes team, you can expect anything from tropical psychedelic discos to gritty post-punk dungeons and all-encompassing walls of sound. So who's playing? Volume's lineup sees some of Australia's most genuinely must-see artists (both established and newbie) on one eclectic bill: Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders, The Laurels, Canyons, Lower Spectrum, Noise In My Head, World Champion, Catlips, The Walking Who, Zeahorse, Day Ravies, Shining Bird, Step-Panther, Mere Women, The Dandelion, You Beauty, Lovebombs, Steele Bonus, TEES, Mezko, Flowertruck, The Pinheads, Gold Class, Death Bells, Wild Honey, Yo Grito! and Dusty Fingers as well as I OH YOU DJs, Strange Yonder DJs, Noisey DJs and THUMP DJs. Volumes has sights set on some pretty lofty future goals — aims we can truly get behind. The crew intend to grow the festival into a platform for both Australian and international record labels and artists to collaborate, showcase their rosters and curate lineups together — it's like BIGSOUND meets CMJ meets SXSW meets The Great Escape. Take our money. Volumes is happening on August 29 from 2pm at Oxford Art Factory, Brighton Up Bar and The Cliff Dive. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $39.90 for early birds. Grab one here. Images: Volumes and I Oh You.
He's collaborated with everyone from Kylie Minogue to Kendrick Lamar. Even Grumpy Cat wears that hat. Now, Pharrell Williams has teamed up with choreographer Jonah Bokaer and visual artist Daniel Arsham for a unique multidisciplinary dance project — and it's coming to Australia. From September 14 to 17, Brisbane Festival will host the Aussie premiere of Rules of the Game, which brings eight on-stage performers together in a combination of dance, music, video, art and theatrical expression. Williams crafts his first-ever orchestral score for the stage to accompany Bokaer's crisp, elegant dance moves and Arsham's offbeat, architectural environments. Loosely based on Nobel Laureate Pirandello's controversial play Six Characters in Search of an Author, the piece "recasts dance as something close to moving sculpture" as Bris Fest's artistic director David Berthold puts it. For Bokaer, who is as acclaimed and innovative in the field of contemporary dance as Williams is in music, it's a blending not only "of cultures, but a blending of forms, expressions, and of inheritance". Rules Of The Game's four-day, five-show Brisbane run will mark only the second time it will have be seen by an audience, after debuting in May at the SOLUNA International Music and Arts Festival in Dallas. In fact, the production won't premiere in New York until November. And if you're not in Brissie, you'd better book plane tickets fast, because it won't be showing anywhere else in Australia. Catch Rules of the Game at Brisbane Festival from September 14 – 17. Check out the Brisbane Festival website for tickets and further details.
If you’ve been feeling lousy about procrastinating and putting off your dreams to watch cat videos on YouTube, prepare to feel even lousier. A resourceful rapper from New York City has made a legitimately amazing album solely using the display computers available in Apple stores. Prince Harvey, a 25-year-old rapper from Brooklyn, was floored when his laptop and music equipment was stolen and he couldn’t afford to replace them. But instead of doing what the Average Joe might have done (buying a bucket of caramel corn to cry-eat in the shower while pounding red wine), Harvey worked his way across New York and put his album together at Apple stores. "New York is expensive. I couldn’t just buy another laptop," he told Daily Beast. "I just thought, ‘I’m going to die before anyone knows I’m hot.’" Harvey's debut album is straight-up wonderfully-named PHATASS, which stands for 'Prince Harvey at the Apple Store, Soho', and the beats were made entirely by manipulating vocal recordings. He also befriended his neighbourhood Apple store Geniuses who showed him how get around obstacles (read: security), let him save his work instore, and generally helped the guy out over the four-month creative process. Talk about helping someone make the best of a shitty situation. They say hardship makes you stronger and Harvey joins a lineup of creatives who’ve overcome poverty and disenfranchisement to realise their dreams."I don’t think I’m poor. Poor is a mentality," Harvey told Daily Beast. "I mean, I can be broke — no money in my pocket — but I’ve never been poor." Mary J Blige survived a childhood of violence, poverty and sexual abuse only to be signed on the strength of a cassette tape of a karaoke recording. J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book in cafes while raising her daughter and scraping by in London and Jay Z grew up in the notoriously rough Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, sold drugs to make ends meet and is now married to Kween Yonce and worth $550 million. Damn. Round of applause. Harvey is now making waves for his tenacity, inventiveness and talent while further highlighting important issues that face young people across America. So let’s all of us get up off the couch, block YouTube for a while and go do. Via Elite Daily. Image: Sarah Wang.
Gelato Messina has been around since 2002 and it aims to make ice cream the way it was done a hundred years ago. More than forty flavours are made daily on the premises and come at you via paper cup or waffle cone. Coffees and milkshakes are of a craftsmanship that tastes as artisanal as the main event, and there is a display of very beautiful ice-cream cakes before you even reach the main cabinet. Look out for the wild strawberry sorbet centre with vanilla semi-freddo and strawberry gelato, on a base of marsala and strawberry syrup-soaked sponge, finished with piped meringue and wild strawberries 'juliette' ( serves ten). And oh, the cabinet. Intensely-coloured sorbets in flavours like raspberry and blood orange; deep-coloured chocolates and caramels that seem to be made of velvet; swirls of cinnamon, fruit, nuts and biscuit that bear witness to the fact that these recipes get their flavour by actually putting in the things that they take their name from. Messina is a little bit of a hole in the wall and a very popular one at that, but it is worth fighting your way through for a look at (and a taste of) the wonders within.
Alexandria’s hungry, thirsty workers and visitors are gaining a fun, fresh new haunt. On Thursday, September 17, a new specialty coffee and food bar known as The Grind & Co will open its doors in the Heritage Business Park. Not only is the venue promising excellent coffee and a scrumptious-sounding menu, but it also comes in a custom-made shipping container. So every snack break will feel a bit like a seagoing adventure. “I’ve long wanted to bring something exciting and unique to Sydney,” said Christine Ousman, who owns and runs The Grind & Co in collaboration with her husband, Rani. “I designed the plans twelve months ago and have been looking for the right location. I had such a strong vision for the look, layout and mood of the shipping container. I knew I needed to find a place where I could drop it — and build the place surrounding it — rather than the other way around.” The Ousmans are no newbies to the hospitality game. Rani has been a barista for fifteen years and the duo has run the successful Deluxe & Co Beverage Catering for the past four years. The Grind & Co’s big hook is its majestic, mirrored copper La Marzocco three-group coffee machine, where the coffee-obsessed Rani will be whipping up delicious brews made from Deluxe & Co’s premium, 100 percent Arabica, sustainable blend. You can also expect some innovative specialty coffee experiments, of the hot, cold drop and iced varieties. Meanwhile, on the food front, you’ll be tucking into gourmet sandwiches and wraps, made onsite every day. “There’s a massive focus on freshness and high quality,” says Christine. “One of our signature dishes will be our Middle Eastern-inspired zaatar wrap, with rocket, olives, tomatoes, onions and yoghurt mint dressing.” During summer, special barbecues will be held on Fridays, featuring special dishes, like barbecue burgers and gourmet sausages, accompanied by housemade lemonade and flavoured sparking water. In keeping with The Grind & Co’s emphasis on freshness, Christine has designed the shipping container to house multiple vertical herb gardens, while rustic benches will provide seating for up to 40 guests at a time. “We’re in such a great little spot. I’m really excited about doing something that I’m passionate about, that hasn’t been done in Sydney before.” The Grind & Co will open between 7am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, at Heritage Business Park, 5-9 Ricketty Street, Alexandria. Open from Thursday, September 17,
The World Press Photo Foundation is a global platform connecting professionals and audiences through raw visual journalism and storytelling. The organisation was founded in 1955 when a group of Dutch photographers organised a contest to expose their work to an international audience. Since then the contest has grown into the world's most prestigious photography competition and global travelling exhibition. The 62nd edition of the World Press Photo Exhibition will touch down in Sydney this year and will be on display at the State Library of NSW from May 25 until June 23. The winners from this year's contest were chosen by an independent jury that reviewed more than 78,000 photographs by 4738 photographers from 129 countries. The one that took top honours for 2019 is John Moore's Crying Girl on the Border. The image, which also won first prize in the spot news category, shows Honduran toddler Yanela Sanchez crying as her mother is taken into custody at the US border. This will be on display alongside other finalists, including Pieter Ten Hoopen's series which documents a migrant caravan who were fleeing violence and harsh economic conditions, Nadia Shira Cohen's shot of beekeepers tending their hives in Yucatán, Mexico, and Enayat Asadi's striking image of an Afghan refugee comforting his companion. Further categories on show will include contemporary issues, environment, general news, long-term projects, nature, people, sports and spot news. To complement the exhibition, the State Library will stay open late on three Friday nights (June 7, 14 and 21) so you can check out the exhibition out of hours. It'll even open up the bar and chuck on some music. Otherwise, the Library is open up until 8pm Monday to Thursday if you'd rather check it out after work without the crowds. Image: John Moore, Getty Images, 'Crying Girl on the Border' (cropped).
Sydney's due for a new blockbuster exhibition, having farewelled Tatsuo Miyajima and Nude weeks ago. Weeks. We're a little demanding. Things have been a little too quiet on the large-scale institutional exhibition front. But we're ready for some solid gallery hopping, and considering this is an off-Biennale year, we're lucky an ambitious new citywide exhibition has just landed in Sydney. The Art Gallery of NSW, Carriageworks and the MCA have joined forces to bring you a new, whizzbang multi-space exhibition. Titled The National: New Australian Art, it showcases works by 48 contemporary Australian artists who range from emerging to mid-career to established. The first edition opens on March 30, with the second and third to follow in 2019 and 2021. Prepare to meet installations, performances, sculptures, videos, paintings and drawings that express perspectives on Australia you probably haven't considered before. Here, we take a look at ten highlights. [caption id="attachment_615634" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, The Cave (2016-17). Installation view, The National 2017, Carriageworks. Photograph: Zan Wimberley.[/caption] THE CAVE BY RAMESH MARIO NITHIYENDRAN, CARRIAGEWORKS Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran's The Cave is not for the faint-hearted. Like all caves, it promises magic and mystery and, in this case, prepare to be greeted by a giant, glowing phallus. It's the backdrop for sculptures made of all kinds of weird and wonderful materials — from chicken wire and painted polystyrene to Indian human hair, dentures, rubber snakes, rubber horses and shells. The experience might have you running away and sleeping overnight in a cave of your own. [caption id="attachment_615649" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rose Nolan, Big Words – To keep going, breathing helps (circle work) (2016–17). Installation view, The National 2017: New Australian Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney. Image courtesy the artist and Anna Schwartz Gallery © the artist. Photograph: Ken Leanfore.[/caption] BIG WORDS — TO KEEP GOING, BREATHING HELPS BY ROSE NOLAN, MCA Most artists are a bit obsessed with space. If it's not the space within their work they're worrying about, it's the space outside — whether the piece is headed for a gallery or a non-traditional spot. Rose Nolan's Big Words - To keep going, breathing helps, a massive curtain made of red and white hessian discs and arranged in a spiral, invites you in. Walk around it, walk through it, walk forwards, walk backwards — from every angle you'll a new perspective. [caption id="attachment_615621" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yhonnie Scarce, Death Zephyr (2017). Courtesy the artist, Melbourne and THIS IS NO FANTASY + dianne tanzer gallery, Melbourne © Yhonnie Scarce.[/caption] DEATH ZEPHYR BY YHONNIE SCARCE, AGNSW This dramatic installation immerses you in a dispersing atomic cloud, made up of hundreds of hand-blown glass tear drops. These are the work of Yhonnie Scarce, a Woomera-born, Melbourne-based artist of Kokatha and Nukunu heritage, whose art explores the impacts of politics and events on Indigenous communities. Death Zephyr is a response to the British nuclear testing that devastated Maralinga and nearby areas in the '50s and '60s. [caption id="attachment_615640" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Khadim Ali, The Arrival of Demons (2017). Installation view, The National 2017: New Australian Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2016, supported by Veolia Environmental Services. Image courtesy the artist and Milani Gallery © the artist. Phototograph: Ken Leanfore.[/caption] THE ARRIVAL OF DEMONS BY KHADIM ALI, MCA You can't miss The Arrival of Demons. Seriously, its 15 x 7 metres of demonic gloriousness have taken over the entire wall of the multi-levelled MCA foyer. Pakistan-born, Sydney-based artist Khadim Ali is preoccupied with demons and this particular bunch is from a Shahnama/The Book of Kings, a 10th-century epic poem, which Ali's grandfather read to him when he was a kid. The mural is a reference to the waiting process endured by asylum seekers who arrive in Australia. [caption id="attachment_615635" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archie Moore, United Neytions (2014-17). Installation view, The National 2017, Carriageworks. Image: Zan Wimberley.[/caption] UNITED NEYTIONS BY ARCHIE MOORE, CARRIAGEWORKS This uplifting collection of artworks masquerading as flags fills the entrance to Carriageworks' branch of The National with colour and vibrancy. With it, Archie Moore, a man of Kamilaroi heritage, defies the colonial idea that Australia's Aboriginal people were 'nomads' without any attachment to land or place. The flags represent 28 Aboriginal nations, as laid out in an important yet flawed map, by anthropologist R.H. Mathews. Each design is inspired by local flora and fauna. [caption id="attachment_615623" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gordon Bennett, artworks from Home Decor (after M. Preston) (2012), © Gordon Bennett.[/caption] HOME DECOR (AFTER M. PRESTON) #14, GORDON BENNETT, MCA When Gordon Bennett died in 2014, Australia lost one of its most important artists. This series of bold, abstract paintings, completed in 2012, was his final work. It challenges Margaret Preston's appropriation of Aboriginal designs for home decor in the 1920s, through the reappropriation and transformation of them into stunning, formalist art. Bennett was committed to exploring the postcolonial experience and confronting racist stereotypes at all levels of culture and society. [caption id="attachment_615644" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gunybi Ganambarr, Coastline of Grindall Bay (2016). Image courtesy the artist and Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre © the artist.[/caption] BUYKU AND GAPU BY GUNYBI GANAMBARR, AGNSW Walking among Gunybi Ganambarr's pieces, you experience a powerful sense of his Country — northeast Arnhem Land, where he works in the tiny community of Gängan. The centrepiece is a series of larrakitj (memorial poles), featuring miny'tji (sacred clan patterns). Their timber, earthy colours and natural textures contrast with the surrounding pieces, which are made of bits and pieces salvaged from mining and construction sites. One, titled Gapu, which is based on rubber from a conveyor belt but marked with miny'tji, is a symbol of conflicts over land rights. [caption id="attachment_615622" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Taloi Havini, Habitat, still, detail (2017). Image courtesy the artist and Andrew Baker Art Dealer © the artist. Image: Nicole Foreshew.[/caption] HABITAT BY TALOI HAVINI, AGNSW For ten minutes and 40 seconds, this mesmerising video installation carries you to Papua New Guinea's Panguna copper mine. Opened in 1972 by Bougainville Copper Limited, a subsidiary of Aussie company Conzinc Rio Tinto, the mine triggered a decade-long civil war between land owners and the PNG Defence Force, leaving 20,000 dead. Taloi Havini contrasts bird's eye views of poisoned waterways with those of healthy, tropical vegetation, and brings you close-up shots of the locals' experience: prospecting for gold and cooking in a toxic environment. [caption id="attachment_615633" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Richard Lewer, Never Shall Be Forgotten — A Mother's Story (still, detail) 2017. Image courtesy the artist, Sullivan+Strumpf and Hugo Michell Gallery © the artist.[/caption] NEVER SHALL BE FORGOTTEN — A MOTHER'S STORY BY RICHARD LEWER, CARRIAGEWORKS In 1983, John Pat, a 16-year-old Yindjabarndi man, died in police custody in Roebourne, Western Australia. He had been caught in a brawl outside the Victoria Hotel involving five off-duty officers and, despite the autopsy revealing that John had received ten blows to the head, the officers were acquitted three weeks later by an all-white jury. In this moving video installation, New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer tells John's story through the eyes of his mother, Mavis Pat, drawing on a combination of hand-drawn animation, high-definition video and stereo sound. [caption id="attachment_615643" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronnie van Hout, I know everything (detail) (2017). Installation view, The National 2017: New Australian Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney. Image courtesy the artist, Darren Knight Gallery and STATION Gallery © the artist. Photograph: Felicity Jenkins.[/caption] I KNOW EVERYTHING BY RONNIE VAN HOUT, MCA When you first walk into I Know Everything, you feel like you're entering a fun day care centre. After all, you're surrounded by life like, 3D sculptures of kids playing. But, look closer and you'll notice that their faces are too old for their bodies. And they all resemble one person: artist Ronnie Van Hout. This dynamic, unsettling work challenges traditional notions of self-portraiture. The National is showing at Art Gallery of NSW from 30 March-16 July, at Carriageworks from 30 March-25 June and at the MCA from 30 March-18 June. Starting with Carriageworks? Don't miss these five things to see there alone. Top image: Khadim Ali, standing in front of his work, The Arrival of Demons (2017). Installation view, The National 2017: New Australian Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2016, supported by Veolia Environmental Services. Image courtesy the artist and Milani Gallery © the artist. Phototograph: Ken Leanfore.
The team behind The Grounds of Alexandria has been teasing us with whispers of a new CBD outpost for a while now — the venue, which is to be their second, was announced almost two years ago. Since then it's been in development, but the team behind the wildly popular Alexandria venue has confirmed The Grounds of the City will finally open later this month inside The Galeries on George Street. The new venue will be a 'nod to times past' with throwbacks to 1920s hospitality, and will be a distinct departure from The Grounds' existing vibe. "The Grounds of Alexandria is all about bringing families and the local community together, so we started off thinking about who it is that we want to bring together and connect in the city," says The Grounds co-founder and creative director Ramzey Choker. "We really got inspired by the 1920s, a time when the inner city was a place for real social gathering and connection between professionals." Design studio Acme & Co. have again worked with The Grounds, creating a truly 'spare no details' kind of space, from the antique theatre pendant lighting, up-cycled timber floors and marble details to the hand-crafted stained glass windows and custom-made enamel fridge doors. Even the light fixtures have been carefully curated and the cast iron doors were actually hand-casted by The Grounds team. "The building took a lot of craftsmanship and is going to be really different than what you're used to," says Choker. The Grounds of the City will also aim to bring socialising back to the hustle and bustle of city life. Shoe shines for waiting customers, a cake and tea trolley that circles the room and a top-of-the-line barista's bar with 'coffee sommeliers' on-hand will be just a few services on offer at the new venue. For truly next-level service, the new members app allows customers to let The Grounds get to know them a bit better – from where they work to their favourite coffee order, which will be ready for you on arrival. "When corporate workers come for a morning coffee we want to make their time pleasurable and really get to know them as individuals," says Choker. "We want to give them something a bit extra." "We want to create a place that becomes like a city home away from the office and somewhere you want to go that is just really comfortable. It's going to be really different, really unique and really special." The Grounds of the City will open late May inside The Galeries, 500 George Street, Sydney. We'll update you with an opening date, but for more information, visit thegroundscity.com.au.
Kween Yonce is about to tower over Melbourne. A skyscraper inspired by Beyonce’s fierce aesthetics in the 'Ghost' video clip is set to be built near Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station. Although 'Beyonce' is not yet a recognised religion (give it time), the 76-storey tower will pay homage to the mother of us all by mimicking her monochromatic twists and turns in 'Ghost'. The 13012 Premier Tower will house retail space and hotel rooms as well as apartments and creates those curves with an innovative vertical cantilever system designed to make Beyonce fans weep (and effectively redistribute mass and stabilise the building but whatever). The tower has been designed by the architectural firm Elenberg Fraser, who have a monopoly on the chic apartment market; they're responsible for 42 percent of the apartments under construction in Melbourne right now and we're stoked they're Beyonce fans too (can we please have a 'Crazy In Love' apartment block next?). It may just be a marketing strategy but if so, boy do they have our number. We would love to live inside Beyonce. And we can even discern some graceful and svelte curves in the initial renderings of the 13012 Premier Tower. It’s a case of art mimicking life and who better to mimic than the Kween herself. Bow down bitches. Via The Guardian. Images: Elenberg Fraser.
Brisbane's Damian Griffiths is doubling down on his mission to put the entire population of Sydney — and indeed, Australia — into a diabetic coma. A mere six months after giving us our first taste of his insane Doughnut Time creations, the sugar-mad restaurateur is bringing his retro ice cream parlour, Mister Fitz, across the border. The first Mister Fitz opened in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane last December, followed quickly by a second location in South Bank. Speaking to Good Food, Griffiths confirmed that he's already found a location in Glebe and is currently looking for real estate in Surry Hills. "I'd plan to have them both open by the start of summer," he said. Plans for stores in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth are also on the horizon. Like the doughnuts at Doughnut Time, the ice cream at Mister Fitz is pretty damn ludicrous — and we mean that in the best possible way. Their homemade creations include pink sea salt and caramel, coffee and oreo, and banana, brown sugar and bacon. You can get it in a waffle cone or build your own ice cream sandwich. A photo posted by @misterfitz_ on Feb 26, 2016 at 9:27pm PST A photo posted by @misterfitz_ on Mar 13, 2016 at 1:32am PST They also offer seriously epic milkshakes, including the Gold Digger, made with banana, brown sugar and bacon ice cream with whipped cream, candied bacon, crushed chips and salted caramel, and the Boom! Shake The Room, made with Nutella ice cream, whipped cream, Nutella drizzle, crushed hazelnuts and feuilletine. The news of Mister Fitz coming to Sydney's streets follows the opening of Nathan Sasi's wildly popular soft serve parlour Good Times in Potts Point and Messina's announcement that they're opening a degustation bar this month. Doesn't look like our love for ice cream is slowing down any time soon. And if it does, these guys will sure be in a spot of trouble. Follow Mister Fitz on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with their Sydney expansion plans. Via Good Food.
If you think you know the Godzilla story inside and out, Nacho Vigalondo begs to disagree. The Spanish director has released his latest film, Colossal, and although it's not specifically a remake of the legendary franchise, the film takes a massive reptilian monster and plonks it smack-bang in the middle of Seoul. And that's when the story starts to get interesting. The film is told through the eyes of party-girl burnout Gloria (played by Anne Hathaway) who moves back to her childhood town after a break up brought about by her free-wheeling ways. After a night out with old school friend Oscar (Jason Sudeikis), the pair awake to the news that the South Korean capital is being laid to waste by a gargantuan lizard. The catch in the story, which we'd obviously never tell you but you can find quite easily here in the trailer, is a unique twist on the classic story, and one that Marc Walkow of Film Comment has called "a surprisingly touching take on female self-empowerment and overcoming one's worst addictions". We've got ten double passes to see Colossal to give away, which can be redeemed at any time after the film's release in cinemas on April 13. The film has been getting great reviews and has garnered a more than respectable 81% on Rotten Tomatoes. All you have to do is fill in your details below, and you're in the running. [competition]615376[/competition]
N2 delivers gelato as fresh as it gets. As in, frozen right there, on the spot, within a few minutes of you placing your order. If you've already seen this miracle at work in Haymarket, you'll know that the secret to its extreme speed is liquid nitrogen. And if you haven't, there's now a new shopfront where you can watch it happen: 184 King Street, Newtown. Since setting up their first Sydney store in 2012, and expanding to Melbourne in 2013, N2 has had no trouble attracting queues. This is due not only to the fact that their gelato seems to appear by some magical spectacle — created by goggled, white-coated lab workers and accompanied by billowing water vapours — but also to their focus on left-of-field flavour profiles, often inspired by local happenings. The Newtown N2 team has already used T2 products to create a Flutterby iced tea and turkish apple sorbet and Young Henrys lager to whip up a beer and prawn crackers gelato. There's also a Thai-influenced number, yuzu coconut sorbet, which features cocoa nibs, freeze-dried mandarin, a choc top and a syringe of kaffir lime syrup. The menu is always changing, and you can even contribute by submitting your very own flavour idea. Do be aware that any requests calling for fat-free, diet-style desserts or requiring artificial flavours or colours won't be fulfilled. N2 prides itself on its use of full-cream dairy products, sourced from local farms, and its 'real', fresh ingredients. The menus at both the Newtown and Haymarket shops will evolve in sync — you'll find the details plastered in chalk across the walls. Aesthetically, they're in league, too, with the new shop taking on the original's industrial look: step ladders instead of conventional seating and a black interior splashed with yellow hard hats and bright scaffolding. N2 Newtown is open between 1pm and 11pm every day. You'll find it at 184 King Street. Image by Eddie Hart.
Connecting opposing cultures through art, Sydney-born photographer Robyn Beeche captured imaginations globally for decades with her experimental images. Despite sadly passing away at just 70 years old, Beeche’s impact on the photographic world remains immortalised through Black Eye Gallery’s retrospective exhibition, showing now until February 28. Straddling two distinct realities, her work moves from the 1980s new romantic, post-punk scenes of London to the vibrant, bustling streets of India. Noted for her ability to distort and disrupt the body with lighting and makeup, Beeche’s early sculpture-like shots gave way for a completely opposing aesthetic following her life-changing pilgrimage to the Indian town of Vrindavan in the mid-'80s. Trading collaborations with notable personalities such as Zandra Rhodes, Vivienne Westwood and Leigh Bowery, these later years of self-discovery see her work take on a refreshing sense of movement and life to reflect her shifting cultural climates. Head along to see the spectacular offerings from this beloved artistic treasure.
