This weekend, online vintage treasure trove Hawkeye Vintage will let you into its covetable closet with a huge sale on clothing and accessories. You'll be able to get a feel of a Dior coat and fight over Chanel bags as a cavalcade of items take pride of place in Paddington's Mrs Banks Hotel on Friday, November 15 and Saturday, November 16. The pieces on offer will run from the affordable right up to the super expensive, but all will be going at a reduced price with up to 60 percent off. Given some of the brands on offer — including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, YSL, Celine, Max Mara and Fendi — you'll be able to pick up some bargains, or opt for a few investment pieces. Covering fashion from the 80s onwards, the range will focus on handbags, scarves, jewellery, hats, belts and ready-to-wear clothing. Keep an eye on Hawkeye Vintage's Instagram to see more sale items, which'll be posted in the lead-up. Entry to the massive sale is free, but you will need to reserve a spot. We also suggest getting there early to snag the good stuff. The Hawkeye Vintage Luxe Sale will run from 10am–5pm.
The East Village's panoramic rooftop terrace doesn't just boast city views — from this weekend, the Darlinghurst hotel will also offer a brunch every Saturday and Sunday. From Saturday, March 10, the venue will open from 10am, with a DIY bloody mary station ready and waiting. It will include every garnish and condiment you can think of, from citrus, celery and cucumber to bacon, prawns, bocconcini and seven types of hot sauce. Choose your spirit base — gin, tequila, vodka or white rum — then go nuts with the add-ons. One cocktail will set you back $18, or you can indulge in two hours of unlimited access to the booze buffet for $40. For food, the kitchen's serving up pub grub like breakfast sloppy joes and fried chicken and waffles ($18 each), along with healthier options like spiced beef bibimbap, vegan garden bowls and wholemeal blueberry pancakes ($15–22). This means you can still nurse your hangover while brunching with your more active friend who's just finished their Saturday morning workout.
As an Academy Award winner for Once and frontman to The Frames, Glen Hansard sure has his fingers in 1 billion pies — one of those pies being the Sydney Opera House. It was only a year ago that Hansard sold out shows at the iconic Concert Hall with The Frames, but the Irish-born muso is back to do it all again. He'll be back Monday, March 17, and Thursday, March 20, with Lisa O'Neill. The tour follows Hansard's 2013 solo debut, Rhythm & Repose, while the release of O'Neill's second album, Same Cloth or Not, will coincide with the performances. https://youtube.com/watch?v=k8mtXwtapX4
At the ungodly hour of 7am this morning, Vivid LIVE announced the rest of the 2014 lineup. We’re already excited about seeing The Pixies in rare intimate mode in the Opera House, the ACO and The Presets in collaboration, Giorgio Moroder and The Pet Shop Boys. And now (drum roll, please), here’s the rest of what’s in store. Ladies and gentleman, introducing the first lady of hip hop, Ms. Lauryn Hill. Known not only for her groundbreaking 1998 album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill but also for her subsequent ‘disappearance’ from the music scene, she’s back. With plenty to say. Two Opera House shows are scheduled for May 27 and 28. And next, art rock hero St. Vincent, hot on the heels of the release of her new, self-titled album. We’re expecting big harmonies, orchestral adventures and choreographed magic — at the Opera House for the first time ever. We’re just not quite sure how the stage dives will go in the Joan Sutherland Theatre. There’ll be one performance only on May 25. Two other international artists will also make their SOH debut: James Vincent McMorrow will be bringing his masterful songwriting, ethereal electronics, killer falsetto and full band over from Ireland, while English-Italian songstress Anna Calvi will be making the trip armed with tunes of cinematic proportions. Brian Eno has described her as "the biggest thing since Patti Smith". German pianist-producer Nils Frahm, who released his seventh LP, Spaces, last year, will be delivering his Einaudi-reminiscent melodies and dynamic jazz-influenced electronics, and Kate Miller-Heidke is set to present new album O Vertigo! Finally, Goodgod will be hosting an intercontinental revue with cult South African musician Penny Penny and his seven-piece band at the helm, Jonti & The Astral Kids will play a tribute to The Avalanches with a performance of Since I Left You and Studio Parties will make a return, led by Astral People, R.I.P. Society, Siberian Nights and Future Classic.
In 1963, Ersnt Fischer wrote that art isn't a luxury or a privilege, it's an essential part of human life, and Artbank reckons he was right. Run by the federal government, Artbank supports local Australian artists by buying their works and leasing them out to companies, individuals and public spaces all around Australia, and in 72 countries across the globe. Currently, they hold about 10,000 works. That's a whole lot of art, and they need somewhere they can show it off. On Saturday, November 19, Artbank is hosting their annual Artbank Social Club, giving the general public a chance to check out the works that have been so lovingly and carefully curated. Held at Artbank HQ in Waterloo, the event will be a smorgasbord of local artists, food, drink, and entertainment, and will also see the launch of the inaugural Artbank Flea Market, where punters can buy works, watch live performances and mingle with the creators while getting amongst the 5000 original works in the Artbank collection store. Rather than your typical garage sale vibe, think the Grand Bazaar. If that wasn't enough, you can soothe your intellectual exertion with a drink at the gold coin donation bar in the pumping, pop-up garden party. You can check out our six picks of the day here.
Spend a day immersed in Aboriginal culture and wander around Sydney's Barangaroo Reserve at the next edition of Blak Markets. The outdoor event will take over the Stargazer's Lawn on Sunday, December 3 from 10am till 4pm, showcasing artists and producers with over 30 stalls. The December edition will feature stalls from a number of art centres from outback Australia so you can grab a truly unique Christmas pressie for your dad/sister/SO/nan. Keep an eye out for The Black Olive's (Mark Olive) bush tucker cooking class too. The Blak Markets are a project of First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation. With the help of the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, Aboriginal artists come together to celebrate their culture and 100 percent of profits go to Aboriginal communities.
With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise along the southern stretch of Australia's east coast, Queensland's border has become a hot topic yet again. The state reopened to visitors from parts of the country in early July, but has been quick to block travellers from identified hotspot areas — first banning folks who've been in Victoria, then disallowing entry from anyone who has visited Campbelltown, Liverpool and Fairfield City in New South Wales, and now deeming the entirety of Greater Sydney a coronavirus hotspot. As announced today, Wednesday, July 29, by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, that means that anyone who has been in the Greater Sydney area in the last 14 days will not be permitted to enter the Sunshine State — with the border closure coming into effect at 1am on Saturday, August 1. The new block covers 31 additional NSW local government areas, which have all been declared hotspots. Accordingly, Sydneysiders and those who've been in the city in the past fortnight will find themselves in the same position as Victorians and anyone who has been in that state during the same period. The general advice: if you've travelled to those areas, don't plan on going to Queensland. Anyone who falls into the above categories will not be allowed to access or quarantine in the state, and will be turned away at the border — whether you live in the hotspot areas or have visited them in the last fortnight. You'll only be permitted into Queensland if you receive an exemption "for essential specialist workers, as well as for health, legal or compassionate grounds", but the Premier has previously advised that "very few exemptions will be granted". If you do receive an exemption, you will be required to go into forced quarantine for 14 days, in a hotel, at your own expense. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1288280804041211905 A 14-day forced quarantine period will also apply to Queensland residents returning home from Greater Sydney — in a hotel and at your own expense, too. On Tuesday, July 28, before the new restrictions were announced, Premier Palaszczuk was blunt in her message to Queenslanders considering travelling south: "I would advise Queenslanders at the moment, to not travel to New South Wales... Now is not the time to leave Queensland — now is the time to stay in Queensland". The move comes as Queensland recorded two new cases of COVID-19 in travellers returning from interstate — with two women testing positive after coming back to Brisbane from Victoria via Sydney. Contact tracing is underway, with a focus on the Logan, Acacia Ridge and Springfield areas. Queensland Health has announced that it'll provide any relevant updates, including public health alerts, during the day if necessary. NSW recorded 19 new cases in the 24 hours leading up to 8pm on Tuesday, July 28, with two in hotel quarantine and the rest linked to a variety of clusters across the city, including one in Potts Point. From 1am on Saturday, August 1, anyone who has visited the Greater Sydney area in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Queensland unless they are a returning resident or are entering for one a few essential reasons. For more information, head to the Queensland Government website.
When autumn starts winding down, end the season with a bit of sunshine. When winter kicks in, begin it with beaming rays, too. Virgin wants you to book in a Queensland getaway across May and June 2025, so much so that it's putting on a big flight sale. Fares start at $45, and you've got three days to nab a bargain. Also, your efforts will help the Sunshine State's tourism industry after the weather hasn't been kind to it so far this year. This round of specials is available until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, March 29 — unless sold out earlier — and covers destinations from the Gold Coast up to Cairns. You have two months to head away, between Thursday, May 1–Monday, June 30, 2025, although dates vary per route. While the sale is firmly focused on one part of the country, you still have options in terms of departure points and destinations. Within Queensland, you can leave or arrive in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Hamilton Island, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Mt Isa and Proserpine. And, around the rest of the country, flights to and from Adelaide, Alice Springs, Canberra, Darwin, Launceston, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney and Uluru are available. The cheapest price, $45, will get you between Sydney and either the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast. For $55, Brisbane–Proserpine and Melbourne–Gold Coast fares are on offer. From there, $79 covers Sydney–Cairns and Sydney–Hamilton Island, while Brisbane–Hamilton Island is $85 and Melbourne–Cairns is $99 — and the list goes on. The sale has the backing of the Queensland government, to assist the Sunshine State's recovery after the weather events of the past few months — and thousands of seats have been discounted. Only select fares cover seat choice and checked baggage, however, with the airline announcing back in 2021 that it now splits its economy flights into three types. Economy Lite doesn't include checking any baggage or picking your seat, but Economy Choice does — and Economy Flex gives you extra flexibility (hence the name) if you have to change your plans later. Virgin's 72hr Queensland sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, March 29 — or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Examine your pillow and you might find a pool of dribble or mascara stains on its surface. But this play by award-winning, John Patrick Shanley (perhaps best known for 2008 film Doubt, which he adapted from his own stage work) looks a little deeper, leaving The Dreamer Examines His Pillow a discussion of relationships, love and sex. Written and set in The Bronx of 1985, when it was written, the dark comedy has entertained and enlightened viewers from across the decades. This indie production of it should be an intriguing watch. Directed by Vashti Pontaks (Dog Sees God) with performances from Ainslie Clouston, Scott Lee and Peter McAllum, the production comes from Unpathed Theatre Company, who brought us the interesting Blood Moon earlier this year.
Back in 2014, before he slipped into Black Panther's suit, Chadwick Boseman stepped into James Brown's shoes. Playing the iconic musician in Get On Up, Boseman lit up the screen — and while he'll forever be known for his time in Wakanda, the biopic ranks among his greatest performances. Although Boseman's career was tragically cut short due to his death to cancer in August this year, the actor has one more film set to reach screens — and it too sees him playing music. To be specific, he's playing the blues as an ambitious trumpeter called Levee in the new movie adaptation of August Wilson's play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. On the stage since 1982, and now in this new Netflix movie version, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom focuses on an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago. Ma Rainey, the "Mother of the Blues" (played by Viola Davis), is the star of the session, but she's running late as she fights with her manager over control of her music. As the band waits, Levee and fellow musicians Cutler (Colman Domingo, If Beale Street Could Talk), Toledo (Glynn Turman, Fargo) and Slow Drag (Michael Potts, True Detective) bide their time swapping stories in the rehearsal room. As helmed by Tony-winning playwright and theatre director George C. Wolfe (for Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom hits streaming on December 18 — and, while this time of year brings awards speculation about almost every weighty drama with a high-profile cast, Boseman and Davis in particular have been the subject of plenty of predictions. As well as marking Boseman's final film, it's his second this year — and his second Netflix feature, too — following his potent supporting role in Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods. Check out the trailer for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ord7gP151vk Ma Rainey's Black Bottom will be available to stream via Netflix from December 18. Top image: David Lee, Netflix.
If you've ever caught two planes, three boats and four different stomach bugs to get to an impossibly blue water, white sand, out-this-world island off the coast off Southeast Asia, you've probably felt its beauty is so paramount that you, mere mortal, weren't even supposed to be there. And as it turns out, you're not. Koh Tachai is the latest small island to feel the sting of strong tourist numbers — so much so that Thai authorities are closing it completely. You can just close an entire island? You sure can. According to the Bangkok Post, the island, which is part of the Similan National Park off Phang-nga province on the west coast, will be a total no-go zone for all visitors starting October 15. This includes the shoreline, beaches and reefs too. The decision to close the island is an attempt to ease the negative effect of tourism and too much human impact on the fragile piece of paradise. The coral reef is one of the best in the world, and attracts a lot of divers and tourists in high season. At times there would be over 1000 people on the beach when, technically, it was only meant to hold 70. "Thanks to its beauty, Koh Tachai has become a popular tourist site for both Thai and foreign tourists. This has resulted in overcrowding and the degradation of natural resources and the environment," Tunya Netithammakul, director general of Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation, told the Bangkok Post. "We have to close it to allow the rehabilitation of the environment both on the island and in the sea without being disturbed by tourism activities before the damage is beyond repair." Shutting down an entire island is a drastic measure, but it's part of a growing trend to limit the numbers of people visiting high traffic tourist sites. Earlier this year, Cinque Terre announced they would be capping visitors at 1.5 million to preserve local culture. Something to think about before you plan your next exotic getaway. Via Bangkok Post. Image: Mu Ko Similan National Park of Thailand.
Coca-Cola has been turning green lately with sustainable bottles and recycled store shelving already upping their eco-cred, but their latest venture in the Philippines might be the best yet. Partnering with WWF, their new 60 foot by 60 foot billboard features 3,600 Fukien tea plants held in pots made from recycled Coca-Cola products, the plants defining a simple silhouette of a Coke bottle. As well as catching the eye the billboard should soak up carbon from the immediate atmosphere, as each plant is capable of absorbing 13 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year. Critics have cited it as mere greenwashing, and only a drop in the ocean compared to Coke's giant production and transport carbon outputs. Nevertheless, at least it's a step in the right direction, and as well as advertising their product the billboard also highlights the issue of climate change. But, will it ever make up for the decades of flashing lights on the Kings Cross Coke sign? Will Sydney ever see the lights dimmed and replaced with some greenery? [via PSFK]
Released just as the COVID-19 lockdown began, Fallow, the third album by country singer-songwriter Fanny Lumsden, has been her most successful album yet. Deprived of the opportunity to tour her record immediately after it came out, Lumsden is now playing some of NSW's smaller towns, plus the state's home of country music, Tamworth. The fiercely independent artist manages herself and has her own record label and production company. Basically, she is a musical force to be reckoned with, so get set for an evening of energy, intimate storytelling and spellbinding harmonies. You can catch her performing on the Far South Coast on Sunday, November 8, at a bunch of rural NSW venues across the month and in Marrickville on Friday, November 6. To check out dates and details — and to buy tickets — head here. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
If you've ever spent hours falling down the wildlife and nature video rabbit hole online late at night, this one's for you. National Geographic's Symphony For Our World will combine the best of the footage from the organisation's 130-year archives with a live orchestral performance, synchronising the triumphant moments of both music and nature under one spectacle. And, that soundtrack will feature a Hans Zimmer-flavoured score and feature a live choir as well. The natural history footage will be drawn from years of past images, drawing from Nat Geo's shots from all over the world. The accompanying symphony will be created by Bleeding Fingers Music, featuring the work of composers such as the legendary Hans Zimmer, as well as Austin Fray and Andrew Christie. Just like the recent Planet Earth II Live in Concert, Zimmer's score especially will make you feel things you didn't know you could about animals you'll never meet. A five-part composition that'll tour Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, Symphony For Our World will take the audience on a journey from the sea, along the coastlines, across the land, through the mountains and then finally into the sky, with differing orchestral movements for each world environment. It's the story of our planet, but brought to life in a different way — so why not get out of the house and off YouTube and go see some fully immersive nature. SYMPHONY FOR OUR WORLD TOUR DATES Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane – Sunday, August 26 ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney – Friday, August 31 Hamer Hall, Arts Centre, Melbourne – Sunday, September 2 Symphony For Our World will tour Australia from August 26 to September 2. For more information and to buy tickets, visit natgeo-symphony.com.
This year marks the bicentenary of Russia's 1812 defeat of Napoleon, 70 years of Australia-Russia diplomatic relations, and nine years since the Russian Resurrection Film Festival burst onto theatre screens nationwide. This year the festival is covering a grand scope of contemporary filmmaking, with 25 superb films from a diverse range of genres. Vysotskiy. Thank God I'm Alive, the most successful Russian box-office film of the 2011-2012 season, is a movie about the iconic Soviet musician and poet Vladmir Vysotskiy, the nation's answer to Bob Dylan. Home, a powerful and haunting crime thriller, features a stellar cast and remarkable situations. Siberia Monamour is a look at the sublime power of the landscape that dominates the existence of those who live like the wolves with which they share the wilds. Each film showcased will be an Australian premiere, so you can count on seeing them long before your mates. Image from My Boyfriend Is an Angel. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZYDyPAyXNXA
Back in 1990, a Christmas movie took an eight-year-old kid, left him stranded at home for the holidays, threw in some bumbling crooks and delivered quite the festive gift. For the almost three decades since Home Alone first graced cinema screens, it has become an end-of-year mainstay — up there with eating junk food and watching rubbish, no doubt making Kevin McAllister proud. In Liverpool come the end of this year, it's also going to provide the inspiration for the themed, pop-up watering hole that someone really had to make a reality at some point. At the Home Alone Christmas Bar, three things will be on the menu: celebrating the classic Macaulay Culkin-starring flick, getting into the festive spirit and alcohol. Prepare to say "keep the change, ya filthy animal" if you're in the vicinity of the city's Cains Brewery Village, with the space featuring all of the Christmas trimmings — trees, tunes, decorations, a sequence of decked-out lounge rooms and Sinatra's crooning — plus themed cocktails. Whether you'll be required to outwit the bartenders to get a drink, avoid various traps or make sure the clocks are set to the right time is yet to be revealed, along with the opening date; however the folks running the show are also behind the well-received Ghetto Golf bar, so expect more than just a heap of toys thrown across the entryway. Via Metro.
Well, Sydney suggested it — and for some reason, Transport for NSW has obliged. The city's newest ferry will be named Ferry McFerryface. Proving that the bizarre legacy of Boaty McBoatface will live on for some time, the people of Sydney have decided that names of suburbs and notable Australians aren't the way to go. The government authority threw to the public for suggestions for the new fleet of ferries last year and, of the 15,000 submitted, Ferry McFerryface was one of the most popular submissions. Ferry McFerryface is the last ferry in the new fleet of six to be named, and joins other (more cordially named) vessels named after individuals who have contributed to Australian society like ophthalmologist Fred Hollows, heart surgeon Victor Chang and obstetrician Catherine Hamlin. McFerryface doesn't quite have the same reverence as its counterparts, but the internet, I guess. This new fleet will serve inner city routes and service Watsons Bay, Cockatoo Island and the new Barangaroo wharf. The new ferries will have Wi-Fi on-board, greater disability access and space for bikes. Transport for NSW also plans to acquire four more ferries to service the Parramatta River.
Inner west, Merivale’s coming for you. By late April, Justin Hemmes and his ravenous hospitality commonwealth will officially take possession of Enmore’s Queen Victoria Hotel. After the group's recent purchase of the Newport Arms and the widely publicised success of the Coogee Pavilion, Merivale have officially declared their aim to dominate all points of the Sydney compass. “The Queen Victoria Hotel is another fantastic addition to the Merivale group in what is undoubtedly our most exciting year yet,” Mr Hemmes, CEO of Merivale, said in a media statement. “I am passionate about creating world-class venues designed specifically around the local community and look forward to becoming part of Sydney’s thriving inner west.” In early June, the pub will relaunch with a mega focus on food. This time, it’ll be of the Hong Kong street-inspired variety. Heading the kitchen will be cracking culinary pair, Christopher Hogarth and Patrick Friesen. Currently at Manly’s Papi Chulo, the two have done the rounds at numerous Merivale venues, including Mr. Wong, Ms.G’s and El Loco. The move to take ownership of the Queen Victoria is Merivale’s first invasion of the inner west. The group announced its purchase of the Newport Arms last month and has been winning over the Eastern suburbs with its revamp of the Coogee Pavilion. There are now more than fifty restaurants, bars, pubs, hotels and function spaces in the Merivale portfolio and further expansion is rumoured for 2015.
Whenever an Australian state experiences a new COVID-19 outbreak, a few things tend to happen — and fast. As cases grow, restrictions are implemented, masks are mandated and other parts of the country start shutting their borders. Usually, the latter happens incrementally, starting with banning folks from certain areas, then moving onto the entire city, and then perhaps even the whole state. That's the process that has been playing out over the past week regarding Sydney's current COVID-19 cluster. Masks are back, restrictions came into effect yesterday, Wednesday, June 23, and other states have started closing their borders to the New South Wales capital. In fact, after closing up shop to seven Sydney Local Government Areas over the past couple of days, Queensland and Victoria are now doing the same with the whole Greater Sydney area. So, if you're a Queenslander or a Victorian with a trip to Sydney in your future — or vice versa — the pandemic has definitely interrupted your plans again. All of Greater Sydney is now considered a hotspot by Queensland and a red zone by Victoria. Queensland's ruling came into effect at 1am today, Thursday, June 24, while Victoria's will kick in at 1am tomorrow, Friday, June 25. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1407611107594825733 Accordingly, folks who've been in Greater Sydney will no longer be permitted to enter either Victoria or Queensland, other than in a few circumstances. Queensland residents coming home from Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour will need to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days — and non-residents will only be allowed to enter if they receive an exception, and will also need to go into hotel quarantine for a fortnight. Plus, everyone going to Queensland will need to complete one of the state's online travel declarations first, after that system was brought back into effect last week. Under its traffic light-style permit system, Victoria will allow the state's own residents who've been in Greater Sydney and Wollongong to obtain permits to return home — but they'll then need to quarantine for 14 days. If you're not a Victorian resident and you've been in the NSW capital, you will no longer be able to enter Victoria. In separate press conferences today, leaders in both states advised that people from Sydney have been turned away after trying to enter both Queensland and Victoria — and put on flights back to Sydney. Victoria's Acting Premier James Merlino also announced that a case linked to the current NSW outbreak has been identified in Melbourne, after a man in his 60s flew into the city from Sydney, was tested and returned a positive result. For more information about Queensland's COVID-19 border restrictions, or about the status of COVID-19 in the state, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. For more information about COVID-19 in Victoria and the state's border restrictions, head over to the Department of Health website.
There's no denying it — craft beer and food trucks are a match made in heaven. And this festival, which should be at the top of your Sydney Beer Week to-do list, is bringing them them together for a day of great brews and tasty nosh. Located in Marrickville's Precinct 75, the Inner West Brewery Association is made up of Batch, Young Henrys, Grifter and Willie The Boatman, alongside relative newcomers Philter, Sauce and Yulli's Brews. They'll all be slinging tasty beers at the event, alongside hearty food truck fare and live performances from The Pragmatics and DJ Gonzo. To snack on, you'll find a whole range of eats from Fired Up BBQ, Inbocca, Yulli's and Ciccone & Sons gelato, among many more. It's free entry, too, and a great way to line your stomach while wetting your whistle with some of Sydney's finest.
If we had to pick our favourite thing about Easter holidays it would hands down be Easter-related feasting — eggs, buns, fish, the works. The Soda Factory is paying tribute to a holiday of gorging ourselves with their Good Friday Feast. From 5pm, their very best food specials will converge onto your day off. With $1 hot wings and $1 hotdogs together on one day, along with free sides and fries all night, you can get a head start on the Easter feasting you know you're going to be doing all weekend.
For the first time since it launched in 2000, World Pride is heading to the Southern Hemisphere. And it's not just heading anywhere — the world's largest LGBTQI+ celebration is coming to Sydney. Taking over the city's streets, bars, clubs, galleries and theatres between February and March 2023, the World Pride event will coincide with the 45th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The decision to host the international pride celebration in Sydney was announced overnight with members of InterPride — the organisers of World Pride — voting between Sydney, Montreal (Canada) and Houston (Texas). The Aussie state capital came out on top with a whopping 60 percent of the votes. Of the host city, World Pride Committee Chair Robyn Kennedy said, "InterPride has recognised how far Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has come since 1978, and now the world will march with us down Oxford Street to celebrate our community and support our region." Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018 and this year hosted over 100 parties, shows, and late-night shindigs for the annual event. The State Government usually relaxes the lockout laws in the surrounding areas for the local Mardi Gras, but in 2023 they could be gone altogether in the CBD and on Oxford Street. Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced plans to repeal the lockout laws in those areas by the end 2019 — they will, however, remain in place in Kings Cross for now. We'll keep our fingers crossed that they'll be wound back by 2023 there, too. https://www.instagram.com/p/B31TjkcD0qZ/?igshid=x6c9d4q0ay1w As the Sydney World Pride will be also be the first in the Asia Pacific, it's expected that the celebration will also have a focus on communities and cultures from across the region. In Sydney's bid for the event, organisers said: "it's an opportunity to focus the world's attention on LGBTQI rights, communities and culture in our Asia-Pacific Region. Many of our closest neighbouring countries do not have the same level of equality and human rights as we do." While Australia finally passed a marriage equality bill in late 2017, the same rights do not exist in many countries in the surrounding region — in fact, same-sex relations are still illegal in some Asia-Pacific countries. The 2023 World Pride will help raise awareness about these issues and help fight for equality for LGBTQI+ people across the region. For the Sydney event, expect, also, the biggest, most fabulous celebration of pride the city has ever seen, with parades, parties, and more to take over the city. It's expected 25–40 percent more than the usual 1.2 million Mardi Gras visitors will be heading to Sydney for the 2023 event — so it's going to be big, loud and colourful. World Pride 2023 will take place across Sydney in February and March. Top image: Jeffrey Feng
Surry Hills' late-night haunt Goros is turning three years old this month and it's celebrating in true Japanese izakaya fashion: a big blow-out party. Actually, it's a week's worth of them. The birthday bash will extend across six days from Monday, November 26 through Saturday, December 1. And the best part? All of the events are free. The festivities will kick off on Monday, November 26 with $1 gyoza available all night. All of Goros' classic flavours — chicken and onion, pork and shallot, prawn and leek and shiitake and quinoa — will be on offer, plus a handful of specials. On Tuesday, November 27 the venue will host The Best of Goros Trivia — a retrospective on the venue's usual Tuesday night trivia, with themes spanning The Simpsons, Rick & Morty, The Office and video games, to name a few. November 28 will get your mid-week rocking with a full blown bonenkai, typically known as a Japanese end-of-year drinking party, with DJs and a go-go dancer in tow. It's a great opportunity to round up the work crew and let loose — think ties on heads. We won't tell your boss. November 29 is the sure-to-be hilarious Goros' Castle night — a challenge event based on the Japanese game show Takeshi's Castle. It'll include three dumpling eating competitions, an Instagram scavenger hunt, a Mario Kart tournament and a truly terrifying 'blow the ball' contest — where two competitors try to blow spicy wasabi through a pipe at each other. And finally, Saturday, December 1 will be the biggest party of all. The finale birthday bash will feature Japanese rapper Coma-Chi. The artist, who will be in Sydney to record her next album, will be both acting as DJ and performing live. She'll be followed by Le Fruit DJs and neon dancers, and you can expect the party to rage into the wee hours. Drinks specials by Asahi and highballs by Nikka whisky will be on offer the entire week, too. While entry is free to all events, booking ahead is a must if you want to secure a table — so head over here to book now.
They're sticky, cinnamon scrolls, drenched in glaze and famous all across the USA. And at the end of last year, they finally became available Down Under when Seattle-born chain Cinnabon opened its first Australian store in Brisbane. Now, a second store is set to open next Friday, February 14. That store — sorry everyone else — is also in Brisbane. While the first one is located in Toombul Shopping Centre, this one will be on the other side of the city inside Westfield Garden City. So both north and south Brisbane will be in close proximity to the sticky baked goods. When it opens next week, Brisbanites will be able to grab a scroll from 8am seven days a week — but be prepared to queue. The Toombul store still regularly has a lengthy line, even two months after opening. Just like the Toombul store, this one will sling a trio of Cinnabon cult classics, including the classic cream cheese cinnamon roll, the popular chocolate-drizzled Chocobon and very extra Caramel Pecanbon. They're available in both mini and large sizes, along with packs featuring either four or nine 'minibons'. There's coffee and lots of sugary drinks to pair with your snacks, too, including a cinnamon bun frappe. [caption id="attachment_755764" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cinnabon Toombul[/caption] If you're yet to get acquainted with the decadent dessert creations, prepare yourself for aromatic, cinnamon-spiked dough made to a long-held recipe, decked out with stacks of signature cream cheese frosting and loaded with extras. They're notoriously tough to replicate. The Australian launch was first announced in January 2019, when family-run Queensland company Bansal Foods scored the Aussie rights to Cinnabon. Cinnabon has been going strong in America since 1985, so it has already picked up plenty of Aussie fans along the way. But this is the first time that we're able to get our hands on those sticky, cinnamon-infused baked goods on home soil. And if you're not in Brisbane, you might just need to be patient. Since opening in December, Cinnabon has run multiple pop-ups around Brisbane and — according to Bansal Foods Group Director Gaurav Bansal — the group is "exploring opportunities to have more pop-ups around the country". In a statement, he also 'promised' to open more permanent bakeries in other cities soon. Cinnabon will open at 8am on Friday, February 14 on level two of Westfield Garden City, Kessels Road, Upper Mount Gravatt.
Leave a message for your family or roommate without having to scramble for a pen on your way out the door. Luc van Hoeckel's 'Record me' allows you to leave a personalised voice message as opposed to a haphazardly scribbled note. 'Record me' is wall-mountable and can save up to 12 messages at a time. To use, simply turn the dial to a free 'station', press the button, record your message, and press it once more. Messages may be deleted by holding down the same button. Leaving voice messages gives you the chance to be both fun and informative, allowing a quick 'I love you' to a significant other, or a reminder to your roommate get dinner started. 'Record me' ensures that you never have to ask "Did you get my note?" again. [via PSFK]
Life drawing is taken to a whole new — and extremely adorable — level at this latest session by Cork and Canvas. The paint and sip company will once again take over the Wild Life Sydney Zoo at Darling Harbour, this time in the lead up to Valentine's Day, for a couple of cuddly nights with its resident koalas. Taking place on Friday, February 11 and Saturday, February 12, the experience starts off with after-hours access to the zoo, where you'll have time to wander around the closed premises. Then head to the koala rooftop, where paint stations will be prepped for your two-hour session with a local koala and his keepers. Apart from creating a koala-inspired masterpiece, patrons will have access to bottomless wine, beer and sparkling, plus grazing platters, canapes and tapas throughout the night. And, yes, selfies with the star marsupial are encouraged. Tickets cost between $195 each and are very limited, with previous sessions selling out.
Following a jam-packed 2022 edition of Sydney Festival, the annual music, art and theatre festival is hitting the road for an exciting new initiative that will take recordings of the program to regional towns. The Sydney Festival Roadshow will be kicking off on Friday, May 20 and will see recordings of four shows from the January program shown in 30 different regional hubs across Australia. The four performances that will be shown are Western Sydney collective Kurinji's family drama 宿 (stay), family-friendly dinosaur show Erth's Prehistoric Picnic, group dance piece The Pulse and Italian Baroque with Circa's mix of circus performance and live orchestral music. The screens are set to pop up in theatres, cinemas, breweries, art centres, cafes, shopping centres and town halls across regional Australia. The roadshow will hit up 20 NSW cities and towns, plus two in Victoria, two in Western Australia, three in Queensland and a three-week residency on Norfolk Island. Each regional hub will have a different schedule for screening. Head to the Sydney Festival website to find the full schedule of screening times for each of the regional locations. "The importance of art and culture in regional communities cannot be underestimated – to support connectedness, health and wellbeing, generating inspirational change and fostering new talent," said Sydney Festival Director Olivia Ansell. Further screenings of the performances are planned to take place across the ditch in New Zealand with dates and details yet to be announced. [caption id="attachment_838776" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erth's Prehistoric Picnic[/caption] Sydney Festival Roadshow 2022 is running from Friday 20 May until Sunday, September 11 with screenings across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. Top image: The Pulse
There are a multitude of plays out there, but few you'd call 'macho'. Jez Butterworth's early play Mojo is balls-out macho. It's so macho that Guy Ritchie is said to have 'borrowed' from it to make Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and his subsequent macho movie empire. It's a frou-frou of filth, cursing and rock 'n' roll, and it's pretty damn delightful. Set in 1958, the play peers into a nightclub where a bunch of small-time crooks down uppers and try to clamber up to the big time. There's Potts (Josh McConville); his bestie, Sweets (Ben O'Toole); and the much put-upon Skinny (Eamon Farren). They're excited to have engineered a meeting between the club's fresh rock 'n' roll idol, Silver Johnny (The Snowdroppers' Jeremy Davidson), their boss Ezra and mysterious gangster/music magnate Sam Ross. The night of carousing that follows comes to an abrupt end when group elder Mickey (Tony Martin) enters with the news that Ezra is dead and Johnny is missing; the boys' meeting was not the victory they'd anticipated. It's panic stations as they await the next move in Ross's siege, and their land — the club — seems under threat. What makes any of this compelling is the sixth presence, Baby (Lindsay Farris). The both neglected and abused son of Ezra, Baby is a psychopath who at any given moment could act in any number of unpredictable ways. When he's on stage, the tension goes up to 11. He has the innocent face of Alex from A Clockwork Orange and a weightless walk akin to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's creepiest villain, the Gentlemen. That Farris could nail this role so completely within a couple of weeks (after original Baby Sam Haft had to bow out due to illness) is a huge achievement. In fact, there are great performances all round. McConville has transformed yet again, and his nervy energy drives the show. (Seriously, have you ever seen anyone grind their teeth so intensely it's visible in the nosebleed section? This is your one chance.) Farren manages to earn both our sympathies and our annoyance as the complicated Skinny, and Martin shines as the no-nonsense father figure of Mickey. The accents are spot on; so thick they're hard to understand at first but ultimately transporting. Live music by drummer Alon Ilsar, and Snowdropper Paul Kilpinen fits in well. Basically every aspect of the production, corralled by director Ian Sinclair, is immaculate. It's a great looking piece of theatre, so the fact that costume designer David Fleischer has curated a '50s inspired 'ready-to-wear' collection is a nice touch. The energy of the whole show doesn't quite match the fire each individual brings to it, but it's strong nonetheless. Image by Brett Boardman.
Pull out that old Discman, break out the cargo pants and start practising your smoothest 90s and early 00s dance moves — the pop tour of your wildest teenage dreams is hitting Aussie shores this summer and it's got more stars than a TV Hits sticker collection. Next February, the So Pop festival is set to deliver a huge serve of nostalgia to venues across the country, pulling together a juicy lineup of old-school icons, headlined by none other than Vengaboys — celebrating their 25th anniversary, too. Stages in Auckland, Cairns, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth and will be transported back to the 90s and 00s for one glorious night each, playing host to the pop-drenched soundtrack of your youth. Heading up the show are Vengaboys, with Cowboy Donny, Captain Kim, PartyGirl D'Nice and SailorBoy Robin bringing their party-starting smash hits like 'Boom Boom Boom Boom!!' and 'We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)' from the Netherlands — and yes, you now have both tunes stuck in your head from reading this. They'll be joined by Danish artist and producer Whigfield, who'll break out 'Sexy Eyes'; the UK's N-Trance, which means hearing 'Set You Free', 'Stayin' Alive', 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy' and 'Forever'; and Reel 2 Real teaming up with The Mad Stuntman, which is where 'I Like To Move It' and 'Go On Move' come in. Dutch trance/pop outfit Alice DJ is also on the lineup in Australia only, so Aussies can get ready to hear 'Back in My Life', 'Will I Ever' and 'Better Off Alone'. And in both Australia and New Zealand, Nick Skitz is on DJing duties — after releasing Skitmix 59 (DJ Mix) in 2021. SO POP 2023 LINEUP: Vengaboys Whigfield Alice DJ (not performing in Auckland) N-Trance Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman Nick Skitz SO POP 2023 DATES: Saturday, February 4 — Spark Arena, Auckland Wednesday, February 8 — Gilligan's, Cairns Thursday, February 9 — The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Saturday, February 11 — Night Quarter, Sunshine Coast Sunday, February 12 — Forum Melbourne, Melbourne Thursday, February 16 — Big Top, Sydney Saturday, February 18 — Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide Sunday, February 19 — Metro City, Perth So Pop 2023 tours Australia and New Zealand in February 2023. Frontier Member pre-sale tickets are up for grabs for 24 hours from 12pm local time on Monday, October 31, while the rest are on sale from 12pm local time on Wednesday, November 2.
As part of the New South Wales Government's response to two locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in Sydney, face masks became mandatory in indoor public settings and on public transport across Greater Sydney from 5pm on Thursday, May 6. The compulsory requirement was due to end at 12.01am on Monday, May 10 — however, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has just announced today, Sunday, May 9, that the mandate will now remain in place until the same time on Monday, May 17. Sydneysiders, including those who live in Wollongong, the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast, must keep donning a mask on public transport and at public indoor venues. That said, there have been a few tweaks to the rules. They're no longer required in retail or hospitality situations, for instance — unless you're a customer-facing staff member, or you're in the gaming area. If you're wondering what's classed as a public indoor venue, you will need to still wear masks in places such as theatres, hospitals and aged care facilities. You'll be able to exercise mask-free, though, because you don't have to cover up at at gyms and similar venues, including indoor pools and dance studios. The restrictions have been extended because NSW Health is yet to find a link between the current two community-acquired COVID-19 cases — which have occurred in people who haven't been overseas recently, and don't work in hotel quarantine, border or health roles — and a case with the same genomic sequence in a returned overseas traveller. In a tweet, Premier Berejiklian explained that "as the 'missing link' case hasn't been identified, we're keen to prevent a super-spreading event". https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1391197868233420801 Compulsory mask-wearing isn't the only current restriction that's sticking around for Greater Sydney residents. As also announced today, no more than 20 people are allowed to gather in homes, singing and dancing remain banned in indoor venues, and standing up while drinking is still not allowed. NSW Health has also been updating the COVID-19 venues of concern list. Anyone who has visited these venues during the times specified is required to follow the outlined instructions regarding getting tested and self-isolating. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
Infographics. So hot right now. It seems that facts don't count any more unless they're dressed up in just the right colour and an on-trend font. Having taken over mainstream media, the infographic is now coming after you. Vizualize.Me is a yet-to-be-launched site that will take your LinkedIn profile and turn it into an infographic. Given the dull and drab traditions of CV writing, something with a judicious use of colour and, of course, an appropriate font, could set your CV apart and help you land that job. Also, if you're a graphics or font nerd, no doubt it will allow for many more hours of CV writing procrastination as you try and get it looking just so. The site isn't infographicising anything yet — the image above is a prototype — but you can register for the invite list and hopefully score one of the free premium accounts being given out to the first 10,000 sign ups. [via PSFK]
They don't make them like they used to. And they don't really show them like they used to, either. Which is exactly why movie-buffs will want to secure themselves a ticket to Dot's Drive In Pop-Up Cinema in Castle Hill. Taking over the Castle Hill Showground for two nights only on Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, September 24, this retro-style cinema experience will screen a mix of recent and classic films on a giant outdoor screen. On Saturday it's Pixar's recent tearjerker in Finding Dory, followed by the recent Disney remake of Beauty and the Beast. The next night it's back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, with all-time favourite The Wizard of Oz followed by Singin' in the Rain. Tickets are by the vehicle, so pack your car with mates — and maybe a bag of homemade popcorn or two.
It may have been violent, sexist and brainless, but when Sin City hit theatres in 2005, it was like nothing we'd ever seen before. Adapted by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez from Miller's pulpy anthology comic-book series, the lurid homage to hard-boiled noir stories was one of the first Hollywood movies to fully embrace digital technology — the directors filmed in front of a green screen using high-def digital cameras before converting to black-and-white in post-production. The content was still tasteless and juvenile of course, but at least it was interesting to look at. Nine years later, they've gifted us with a follow-up. Subtitled A Dame to Kill For, this part prequel, part sequel is certainly a fitting companion piece; equally stylised, equally sadistic and equally dumb. And had it come out in 2006 or 2007, it probably would have been embraced. But it didn't. Revolutionary a decade ago, digital cinematography and effects are now the norm, as are slavish graphic novel adaptations full of manufactured grit. Sin City 2 isn't a particularly inferior film to its predecessor. It's just that, after all this time, the novelty is no longer there. It also doesn't feel as though either Miller or Rodriguez have any interest in pushing the envelope further. Fleeting flashes of colour punctuate the vivid monochrome frame, looking every bit as striking as they did the first time. But the duo never attempts to really build upon the aesthetic of their original — and without the element of surprise on their side, the results are inevitably diminished. The same goes for script, again steeped in sex and vengeance but never actually covering any new ground. In the longest story, Mickey Rourke returns as brutish good guy Marv, who along with two-bit private eye Dwight (Josh Brolin), gets caught up in the machinations of a murderous femme-fatale (Eva Green, unfortunately camp). Then there's Johnny (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a smooth-talking card-shark with a grudge against the vicious Senator Roarke (Powers Boothe). Roarke is also the antagonist in the final vignette, one that sees exotic dancer Nancy (Jessica Alba) out to avenge the honest cop who saved her life. It should go without saying that the stories are all varying degrees of stupid. If you're not willing to suspend your disbelief every time Johnny gets dealt an impossible poker hand, or when Nancy takes out an entire battalion of body guards, then the movie falls apart before it even begins. What's harder to accept is Miller's flaccid dialogue. Gordon-Levitt is an immensely talented actor, but no-one can make the word 'ambidextrous' sound cool. There's also no skirting around the movie's attitude towards women, which is unfortunately misjudged at best and flagrantly misogynistic at worst. There is not a single named female character in A Dame to Kill For who isn't either a stripper or a prostitute — and despite what Miller apparently thinks, giving a hooker a bazooka doesn't really mean she's empowered. For the most part, the film is just immature in a boring way. On this issue specifically though, it's genuinely quite unpleasant. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6iFdPcx0W2w
In this world, nothing is what it seems. Bagels are not really a health food, dream boyfriends turn out to be players, and scooters are actually plants. This latter cunning deception has been wrought by the Dutch design firm Waarmakers and more specifically its resident geniuses Maarten Heijltjes and Simon Akkaya, who have fashioned an electric scooter from our chlorophyllous friends. Who knew compressed plants could be such a great way to get around? Created in collaboration with InHolland University of Applied Science and NPSP composites for Van.Eko, the Be.e scooter is both eco-friendly and stylish. Its frameless monocoque body trades metal, plastic and glass-fibre composites for NFCs (natural fibre-reinforced composites of flax, hemp and bio-resin). The trick is, the external skin of the scooter supports the load, without any need for a frame. The distinctive windscreen boasts a dirt and water-repelling nano-coating, prepping it for use in the wet and wild Netherlands, and its 48V 40AH battery powered with a 600 W charger provides 2 hours of carefree cruising. The Be.e can travel at up to 55km/hr and climb an incline of 15%. There are even USB charging ports in the dashboard for all your devices. It's no magic carpet, but with further models in development, this green machine may one day be a common way to travel. Via PSFK
"Darling it's better down where it's wetter" isn't just a line The Little Mermaid fans have had stuck in their head for the last two decades. Come April 2019, it's also the first thing likely to pop into the minds of anyone heading to one particular Norwegian restaurant. Set to open in the coastal village of Båly in the country's south, Under will plunge hungry patrons into watery surroundings, offering more than just the usual scenic vistas. At this eatery, diners will be tucking into their dishes underwater. To be specific, they'll be feasting on seafood under the sea — if you're going to open a space underneath the ocean, you have to serve up the fish, which is just what head chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard will be doing. If that sounds like your idea of a memorable meal, Under is now taking bookings from April 2019 onwards. Visitors will descend down three colour-coded levels to sip sparkling tipples in a champagne bar that boasts views of the shoreline, before enjoying their dinner in the completely submerged dining room. The latter sits five metres below the water's surface, and is surrounded by panoramic acrylic windows for quite the aquatic view. For those wondering about pressure and safety, metre-thick concrete walls will keep everyone nice and dry, in a structure designed by architecture firm Snøhetta. Describing the space as "a sunken periscope", the building is being constructed not only to wow those stepping foot inside, but to fit in with its surroundings. The grey exterior colour scheme is designed to blend in with the rocky coastline, with coarse surfacing that encourages molluscs to cling on. Indeed, over time it's hoped that Under will become an artificial mussel reef. As well as offering quite the place to eat, the project also aims to champion biodiversity, functioning as a research centre for marine life. This will include informational plaques educating visitors about the area, helping to expand not only the list of places you've tucked into a meal, but your knowledge. Start planning your 2019 Scandinavian trip now. Images: Snohetta.
A team of London-based designers have come up with a solution to the information overload suffered by most of us in this digital age. It's called Little Printer, created by BERG. Saving its users from wading through the endless content in the online information jungle, this itty bitty printer navigates the web on their behalf. It turns select content from its partners Arup, foursquare, Google, the Guardian, and Nike into miniature newspapers, delivered multiple times each day and ready to be popped into a wallet and read on the go. The little guy operates with a zero-configuration wireless connection to the web, and produces inkless thermal prints. The printer is also configured to your phone, to produce customised to-do lists that are just the right size for your back pocket. It will also print your friends' check-ins, plus cross word puzzles and word games - just make sure there's a pen in your other pocket. While there are obviously much more practical ways to catch up on your reading, this itty bitty printer has a face. A face! If nothing else, the BERG design is bound for success based purely on the cuteness factor. And as more and more publications go digital, there's something special about getting your news in physical form. Pre-orders for Little Printer open in 2012, and you can sign up for the mailing list here.
If there's one person audiences should happily follow into a haunted house, it's Guillermo del Toro. He played with spooky spaces in the Oscar-winning Pan's Labyrinth and told ghost stories in The Devil's Backbone. Actually, the Mexican filmmaker has danced with all things dark and sinister across his career, including vampires in Cronos, Blade II and TV's The Strain; giant insects in Mimic; a demon defender in the Hellboy movies; and monsters versus robots in Pacific Rim. In Crimson Peak, del Toro dives into gothic horror territory, telling the tale of a young woman (Mia Wasikowska) seduced into confronting the secrets of the titular house. Add Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Charlie Hunnam to the stellar cast, as well as a haunting mood and stunningly spooky imagery, and this frightening effort looks like something truly special. Plus, Crimson Peak even earned the approval of iconic horror author Stephen King, who compared it to Evil Dead. Consider us excited — and a little scared, to be honest — in anticipation. Crimson Peak (© 2015 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.) is in cinemas nationally from October 15, and thanks to Universal Pictures Australia, we have 10 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Summer music festivals are all about embracing the best things in life — good vibes, great friends, and epic tunes. But Secret Garden Festival turned the happiness factor up to out-of-control joy by hosting an actual wedding ceremony at Brownlow Hill Farm. The nuptials were held as part of the annual festival's February 24 - 26 celebration of music, creativity, and disco-infused fun, all held for 48 hours against a lush forest backdrop, just one-and-a-half hours outside of Sydney. Though renowned for its stellar lineup, with The Jezabels, Japanese Wallpaper, Oliver Tank, Urthboy and more on this year's bill, the main stage became the site of a very different kind of celebration at 4pm on Saturday, February 25 — the joining in matrimony of Sydneysiders Alexis and Jimmy. Here's how it went down (and you'd best prepare to say "awwwww" quite a bit). The main stage area was set up with chairs for the wedding party, giving them the best position in the fest. Once the formalities got underway, Alexis and Jimmy swapped Peter Pan-themed vows, because that's how you make tying the knot at a festival even more magical. A brass band played 'Sexual Healing' as the newlyweds were raised over the crowd in a cherrypicker — with confetti cannons also thrown into the mix — while the crowd came together to form a "tunnel of love" for the just-hitched duo to run through. When the wedding was announced, festival director Clare Downes said her crew was pretty stoked to be taking on wedding planner duties, and promised one hell of a party for the lucky lovebirds, their friends and family, and all other festivalgoers who'd be getting in on the loved-up fun. "Alexis and Jimmy sent us an email a couple of months ago and I had to rewrite my response about nine times because I was way too overexcited," she told Concrete Playground. "They had already locked in the February 25 for their wedding, but they were just really struggling to find a venue and a celebrant etc — so it was a no brainer. I'm just so stoked they are letting us organise their wedding." While past years have seen Secret Garden host kissing booths, faux weddings, and plenty of dance floor pashes, Alexis and Jimmy's knot-tying marked its first official wedding ceremony. If you managed to get an invite — aka a highly coveted ticket almost instantly sold-out even — it's certain to have been an event to remember. ❤️ Secret Garden's first ever REAL wedding... and they have asked us to plan it 😏💥🎉 A video posted by Secret Garden (@secretgardenfestival) on Dec 12, 2016 at 1:25pm PST Secret Garden Festival takes place on February 24-26, 2017. For more info on the festival, visit secretgarden.com.au. By Libby Curran and Sarah Ward.
The Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash in Ukraine has reportedly claimed the lives of some of the world's top medical researchers, on their way to Melbourne for the high-profile 20th International AIDS Conference. Conference organisers have this morning released the following statement on their website: "The International AIDS Society (IAS) today expresses its sincere sadness at receiving news that a number of colleagues and friends en route to attend the 20th International AIDS Conference taking place in Melbourne, Australia, were on board the Malaysian Airlines MH17 flight that has crashed over Ukraine earlier today. "At this incredibly sad and sensitive time the IAS stands with our international family and sends condolences to the loved ones of those who have been lost to this tragedy." One of those believed to have been on board is former president of the International AIDS Society Joep Lange. American academic and AIDS activist Gregg Gonsalves tweeted, "Joep Lange was a leading AIDS researcher and clinician and an activist at heart. Lost today too soon on Malaysian flight 019. RIP." Two hundred and ninety eight people have died in the tragedy, including 27 confirmed Australians. The plane crashed in Ukraine, in a separatist-controlled area near the Russian border, likely after being hit with a surface-to-air missile. It is unclear at this stage how the crash will affect AIDS 2014, which commences on Sunday and has now taken on an even more tragic tone. Former US president Bill Clinton, UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibé and musician and activist Sir Bob Geldof are also scheduled to speak at the conference, whose official airline partner is Emirates. Update 1.17pm: It now appears that as many as 100 of those killed were headed to the AIDS 2014 conference. Via Sky News and SMH.
The 19th Annual Greek Film Festival opens at the Palace Cinema on Norton Street, with more than 30 films being shown over a two-week period. With the hefty selection ranging from drama, comedy, and action to documentaries and short film, it can be hard just to pick what to watch. Here's a selection of five to get you started. 1. Dead Europe A deep and intense drama based on Melbourne writer Christos Tsiolkas's novel and from the producers of Shame and Animal Kingdom, Dead Europe sees the old continent plagued by the virus of death. An Australian of Greek descent, Isaac (Ewen Leslie), takes his father's ashes back to his ancestral home in Greece, where he uncovers a buried family secret. Drawn far down into the underbelly of Europe, he discovers a cemetery of dark revelations, set to tear his family apart. 2. J.A.C.E. In the terrifying, chaotic, wacky, and eye-opening J.A.C.E., a seven-year-old orphan witnesses a massacre that wipes out his entire family then falls into the hands of a gang of ruthless child traffickers. Taken to Athens, Jace spirals into a dark world of abuse, murder, and fear as he desperately seeks out a sense of belonging. 3. Paradise Amid the chaos, garish floats and vivid colours of the Patras Carnival, four couples try to find their own paradise. Directed by Panagiotis Fafoutis Paradise has its basis in love and the need for companionship, with its characters reaching out to be real. 4. Tied Red Thread With Greece’s dark and bitter post-World War II civil war as a backdrop, Tied Red Thread, directed by Kostas Haralabous, is a film about personal pain and sacrifice and the blood that ties families together. 5. Children of the Riots When 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos was killed by police in 2008, thousands of young people took to the streets for a riot that lasted three weeks and turned Athens into a city ablaze in violence and chaos. Children of the Riots sees those that witnessed the boy’s death and resulting conflict reflect on what they saw and how the events changed them.
Burger loving Sydneysiders can get ready to add another place to their to-try list, because one of Melbourne's best burger joints is venturing up north to open a permanent store. You might have heard of Huxtaburger. Since it opened in Melbourne in 2011 it's garnered a slew of loyal fans, and heap of American-style burger joints have opened in its wake. But it's only now, seven years and seven stores later that the shop has finally decided to expand to Sydney. It will open in Redfern on Saturday, September 15. So what can you expect? The team likes to keep things simple: buns wrapped around a grass-fed beef patty with cheese, mustard and tomato sauce, or fried chicken with jalapeños, sriracha mayo, cheese and lettuce. Meals are best rounded out with a serve of chips and an ice cold can of beer. The expansion is part of the business's decision to enter into a franchise model. The first franchises have already opened in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray and in Perth, WA, and it sounds like there are plenty more in the pipeline. "The introduction of franchisees marks just the beginning of our expansion plans as we look to grow our national footprint in Australia, and grow our business," said Huxtaburger CEO Matt Fickling. The new Redfern store will launch with an opening party on September 15 — kicking off at 11am and running all the way through till 8pm. Details are pretty scarce at the moment, but if the company's Perth launch is anything to go by, you might be looking at a day of $1 burgers. We'll update you as soon as we have more details. Huxtaburger will open at 66 Regent Street, Redfern on Saturday, September 15.
Vivid Sydney is in full swing, and while you're planning which talks to see, figuring out where to catch a glimpse of the lights and checking which gigs still have tickets going, you're probably figuring out a strategic drinking and dining plan too. The bulk of the light installations will again be set up around Circular Quay and The Rocks, and a market dedicated entirely to desserts will also run for three nights of the festival. Setting up shop in the Overseas Passenger Terminal for the second year running, the Milk 'n' Sugar Market will be on-hand for revellers craving something sweet for the third weekend of Vivid. Running from 6–11pm on June 8, 9 and 10, the market will be hocking Brooklyn Boy Bagels' rainbow bagels, cheesecake on a stick, Koi's mandarin mousse cake, dessert arancini, a fairy floss ice cream Froot Loops 'burrito' (that's a thing) and more. You should probably skip dinner. As well as coinciding with Vivid, the market will also run alongside The Rocks Night Market, which is also happening on the same three nights. Plan your movements right and you could fit it all in on one evening.
Seven and a half years ago Twitter did not exist. If you put a hashtag before anything you wrote it most certainly would not trend; in fact, it would probably result in less people caring about what you thought. Fast forward to 2013 and social media depends on the little symbol — Twitter, Instagram and Facebook collate your literary masterpieces into easy-to-source conversation. Well, Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon have had enough. The hilarious duo took to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to perform a skit where they converse in hashtags. It sounds like two children playing an incredibly stupid and annoying game. Then you remember that this is an exaggeration of how we actually talk these days and realise you should probably spend less time on social media. Particularly enjoyable and satirical is how quickly and coherently Fallon goes from talking about Barney the Dinosaur (#purpleisthenewblack) to Everybody Loves Raymond (#deborah). The final straw, though, is when they hashtag each new line and sound from Missy Elliott's 'Work It', which prompts an intervention from Roots drummer Questlove. Whilst this is #superfunny, after watching it, I challenge you to try and avoid using a hashtag for the next 24 hours #youcandoit #savemekeifersutherland #heistheactorin24. via Gizmodo.
In the next chapter of Australia's plastic bag saga, Coles has paused its ban. Six days after the supermarket giant implemented its nationwide single-use plastic bag ban, it has announced it will be giving out free reusable plastic bags until the close of business on Sunday, July 8. This brings the supermarket chain into line with Woolworths who, after implementing a nationwide ban on June 20, also reneged on the ban and announced it would be giving them out for free until July 8. The reusable bags that are currently being given out for free would usually cost shoppers 15c in both Coles and Woolworths. They're thicker, more durable and are made from 80 percent recycled plastic — and were meant to encourage shoppers to bring them back, again and again, rather than buying a new one each time. The temporary, complimentary bag offer for both supermarket giants is only valid in NSW, Vic, WA and Qld, as the other states and territories have already had single-use plastic bag bans in place for several years (SA leading the pack, introducing it back in 2009). Both moves came after backlash to the bans on social media and in store, with reports of some shoppers becoming aggressive, others stealing plastic baskets instead of paying for reusable bags, and many accusing the chains of using the ban as a profit making scheme. Both supermarkets are also offering cloth bag alternatives, with Woolworths' 99c Bag for Good, which the supermarket chain will replace for free if it gets damaged, and Coles' $1 Community Bags, which are designed by Australian school children and ten percent of sales are donated to charities. Both bags are designed to be used repeatedly. On a national level, NSW and Victoria are now the only states that haven't implemented state-wide bans, with Queensland introducing its ban earlier this month on July 1. Victoria is set to do so next year, but NSW is yet to announce whether it will join suit.
As the winter chill takes over Sydney's lower north shore, you have two choices: you can achieve hermit status by staying at home, or you can make the most of a cold situation and head down to Luna Park Sydney's Winterfest. Running from Friday, July 5 to Monday, July 22, the amusement park will be offering a bevvy of food and wintry activities to suit all visitors, with an ice-skating rink as the star of the show. On Friday and Saturday nights, Luna Park will stay open until 10pm making it a top date night destination. Surprise your partner with some laps around the rink before dinner at carousel-inspired diner The Hungry Horse or upmarket restaurant The Deck. Follow up with a romantic Ferris wheel ride, then warm up at a number of pop-up stalls — last year, they served Baileys hot chocolate, caramel pretzels and gooey s'mores. The rink is free with an unlimited ride pass ($53). For a nighttime date, the Twilight Saver ticket ($37 per person) will sort you out, giving you access to everything — including all the rides and ice-skating — after 6pm. Top Image: Oliver Minnett
Wednesday, June 26, 2013 will go down as one of the most exhausting and absurd days in Australian parliament's history. There were retirements, there were bills proposed, and hijacking headlines and Twitter feeds across the country was the Labor Party's leadership spill, where the caucus sharpened their knives again to farewell Julia Gillard and give Kevin Rudd another chance to shake his sauce bottle all the way to election glory. The whole process played out like an elaborate film or TV plot, so we decided to take a look at the top five leadership battles the screen has offered and see how they compare. 1. Game of Thrones When the excellent #RuddWedding began trending, there was no way to look past the most popular show on television and its parallels with Australian politics. Whilst Red Wedding meme manipulators are casting Kevin as the murderous Lord Bolton, perhaps it would be more appropriate to stick Bill Shorten's head on his shoulders. Either way, we are down to a two-horse race for Australia's iron throne. 2. Rocky Whilst Rocky may have lost his first battle, professional fight against Apollo Creed, the Italian Stallion refused to go down, weathering the blows before rising to deliver a knockout blow and regain the prime ministership. Here is hoping that the plots continue to overlap and we witness a montage of Gillard training Rudd before they treat us to a Rocky III freeze frame ending. 3. Ron Burgundy vs. Veronica Corningstone Whilst Kevin Rudd may not sport Ron Burgundy's glorious moustache, he still held the leadership of his news team until Veronica Corningstone ambitiously took it from him. Ron fought to claim it back though, and whilst there will be no co-anchorship between Rudd and Gillard, we can still look forward to Anchorman 2. 4. Harry Potter vs. Lord Voldemort When ABC reporter Mark Simkin dipped into the pages of Harry Potter to cover the spill — stating "neither can live whilst the other survives" — he wasn't wrong. Gillard has remained true to her word and retired, making Kevin Potter the boy who lived, ready to take on his next nemesis. Whilst we wait for the battle, let us ponder on how much more enjoyable Question Time would be if everyone was wearing robes, clutching wands and shouting 'expelliarmus' at each other. 5. Sideshow Bob vs. Mayor Quimby In Springfield's political showdown of the century, Sideshow Bob rides to victory over Mayor Quimby on a wave of charisma and popularity. Rudd has the charisma and popularity; here's hoping he hasn't masterminded a rigged vote like Sideshow Bob did that would plunge Australian politics into an even larger comedic hole of errors. Bonus: Star Wars Filibuster Yesterday also saw a busy day on the international politics scene, as Democratic state senator Wendy Davis filibustered a package of laws that would restrict access to abortion in Texas. She was controversially cut short at ten hours on a technicality for speaking off topic, which earned her a third strike — at least we can say that the rules of baseball don't dictate Australian politics. Whilst her filibustering was far more topical than this offering, Patton Oswald's rant on Parks and Recreation certainly lightens the mood of defeat.
Now in its eight year, the Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards is looking to inspire passionate creatives across Australia by inviting them to submit their work for the chance to win the prize of a lifetime. In 2011, the SOYAs has expanded the categories of entry, with the roster now including fashion, interactive content and gaming, written word, visual design and communications, film and video, photography, visual arts, craft and object design, music, architecture and interior design, and animation. Australians under the age of 30 are encouraged to present their work in one of these categories, with the closing date of one category occurring each month until October 2012. Each winner will receive a handy $5000 cash prize. Furthermore, each category has a different one-year mentorship program which will allow the winner to work with some of the leading figures within their chosen industry. These include fashion icons Nicky and Simone Zimmermann, Legally Blonde director Robert Luketic, and music producer Lee Groves, whose portoflio includes the likes of Gwen Stefani, Marilyn Manson and Craig David. This will provide newcomers with invaluable experience from industry experts. If that wasn't enough, Qantas will also send the winners on a trip to an exclusive event within their field. These events are scattered all over the world, but are united by their prestige and widespread recognition. These include London Fashion Week, the Edinburgh Film Festival and Cannes Lions. Previous winners of the Spirit of Youth Awards have soared to new heights, such as fashion designers Romance Was Born (pictured), musicians Wolf & Cub and photographer Penny Lane. With the competition's expansion into unprecedented categories, there are now more opportunities for Australia's finest creative minds to showcase their work to the world. Furthermore, winners will be financially assisted and treated to experiences that will allow their talents to flourish.
If you spend every Christmas here in Sydney putting the air conditioning on the lowest possible setting, watching reruns of Home Alone and lying to yourself, we have good news. Finally, you can experience a white Christmas without hopping on a plane. This winter, snow-loving folks all over the city are getting festive. No longer need you travel all the way to Europe to find out why Santa's always so rugged up. Right now, you can track down mulled wine, roast dinners, carols and chalets straight out of a Swiss village across the city. The best launchpad for your all-out Christmas in July adventure is Luna Park. From Friday, July 5 until Monday, July 22, Sydney's fun fair is transforming into Winterfest, featuring a bevvy of wintry food and activities. Head here to get in suitably festive spirits, then continue your escapades across the city. Here are some of the best ways to immerse yourself in a white Christmas this season. GO ICE SKATING Rugging up in fashionable winter woollies and going ice skating is one of the quintessential Christmas past times that we've always envied of our northern hemisphere neighbours. But this winter, you can make that childhood dream a reality at Luna Park's Winterfest — with a pretty epic view to boot. The festival's centrepiece is an epic ice skating rink overlooking Sydney Harbour and backdropped by Coney Island. With an unlimited rides pass in your hand, you're welcome to glide across the ice as often as you like, which means there's plenty of scope to sharpen up your ice skating skills. On Friday and Saturday nights, both Luna Park and the rink will stay open until 10pm. VISIT A EUROPEAN CHALET Just across the bridge from Luna Park, The Rocks is also embracing a white Christmas this winter. From Thursday, July 11 until Sunday, July 11, the neighbourhood will transform into a European village, complete with 25 fairy-lit wooden chalets (that's twice as many as last year) all shipped in from France. Among them, you'll find Christmas-y experiences and treats of all kinds, from freshly roasted chestnuts and gingerbread houses to designer decorations (which you can keep in storage until the real event rolls around in six months). Keep an ear out for carols and an eye out for snow, too. SOAK IN A HOT TUB For the second year in a row, Pier One's glorious igloos have popped up by the harbour. These rather magical creations offer a warm and cosy retreat with 360-degree views of the water and city. Share with up to 15 friends — just as long as you're happy to spend some cash on cocktails, champagne and snacks from the Igloos on the Pier menu. Oh, and one of the igloos even has its very own hot tub, which fits up to six dippers. You'll need to pay a $200 hire fee but that includes fluffy robes, towels and access to a change room. DRINK MULLED WINE Nothing tastes — or smells — more like a wintry Christmas than a glass of mulled wine. There's just something about the combination of heat and spices that sends you straight to some snowbound cabin decked with tinsel deep in the alpine wilderness. But, this winter, you don't have to go all Bear Grylls to get your mini escape. As part of Winterfest, Luna Park is serving up mulled wine by the gallon. Surrounded by sideshows, rides, water views and city lights, you can kick back and linger over a steaming glass for as long as you like. Or, if you're deep into Dry July, swap mulled wine for peppermint hot chocolate, loaded with marshmallows and whipped cream. Oh, and there's also a hot chocolate spiked with Baileys. TUCK INTO A SUNDAY ROAST Roast dinners are one of the best parts of a white Christmas, but Australia's stinking hot weather on the (real) big day can make them a little unappealing. So, we need to get our fill when winter rolls around. And, for the ultimate roast with all the trimmings, you can't go past the one at Chiswick. Every Sunday throughout July, the Woollahra restaurant is serving up a feast, accompanied by live jazz performances. The menu changes every week, so you don't need an excuse to go more than once — but, if you're up for an all-out Christmas in July extravaganza, be sure to book for the July 28 sitting. You'll be tucking into roasted turkey served with pigs in a blanket, stuffing, cranberry sauce and bread sauce, plus roasted vegetables on the side. Save room for dessert, too — you'll be served rhubarb crumble and vanilla custard. CATCH SOME CHRISTMAS CAROLS It's true that you can sing Christmas carols by yourself at any time of year. But it's hearing other people sing them — and joining in — that creates proper Yuletide spirit. That's why the Christmas Groovers will be making frequent visits to Luna Park during Winterfest. You might be ice skating, you might be on the ferris wheel soaking up some incredible city views or you might be sipping on mulled wine — but when you hear your favourite carols drifting across the fairground, the Christmas spirit will be alive and well within you. But, fair warning — the Groovers won't necessarily perform the carol canon as you're used to hearing it done. For more information on Luna Park's winter happenings this season, visit the website. Plus, we're giving away double passes to Winterfest this month. For a chance to win, head this way.
Across nine initial seasons between 1993–2002, an additional two seasons that aired in 2016 and 2018, and two big-screen movies as well, FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigated all manner of weird and wonderful cases. They all involved the paranormal, supernatural and conspiracies, of course, spanning everything from aliens and psychic abilities to sewer-dwelling man-worm creatures and teenagers who could channel lightning — and they made The X-Files both a sci-fi hit while it was airing and a sci-fi classic ever since. Sometime in the near future, The X-Files will serve up a range of new cases. This time, though, expect them to be silly, funny and particularly preposterous. As reported by Variety, the show is coming back again, but as an all-new animated comedy spinoff that'll focus on a team covering investigations considered too ridiculous for Mulder and Scully. As fans of The X-Files will know, there's nothing too out-there for Mulder and Scully. The former's nickname was 'Spooky', after all. And, even though the latter was often highly skeptical of her partner's theories, she was also known to suggest some creative ideas of her own. But 'too wacky for Mulder and Scully' is the premise that 20th Television and Fox Entertainment seem to be sticking with for the new show — which sounds more than a bit like The X-Files meets Scooby-Doo. While few other specifics have been revealed as yet, the series will be called The X-Files: Albuquerque, and will focus on "an office full of misfit agents... they're basically the X-Files' B-team", as Variety notes. There's no word on when it'll reach screens, but neither Anderson nor Duchovny are currently involved — so don't go getting your hopes up for an animated Mulder and Scully (well, another one, after their appearance on The Simpsons back in 1997). Behind the lens, The X-Files creator Chris Carter is an executive producer, while Movie 43's Rocky Russo and Jeremy Sosenko will be writing the series. The X-Files: Albuquerque will mark The X-Files' franchise's fourth TV series, following the original; 1996–9's Lance Henriksen-starring Millennium, which was set in the same universe; and 2001's The Lone Gunmen, about three conspiracy-obsessed characters initially seen helping Mulder and Scully. If you need a reminder of what made The X-Files so great, check out the below trailer for the 2008 movie The X-Files: I Want to Believe. You can also stream all 11 series of The X-Files in Australia on Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9KV4ESQ8HU Via Variety.
Cinematic conversation densely populates a significant proportion of the internet, and finding a site that addresses your interests can be exhausting. But brand-new website The Dissolve looks to provide a comprehensive and accessible online complex for discussion that cinephiles can enjoy liberally. The Dissolve is the newest cultural offspring of the team behind Pitchfork and is ready to talk anything and everything film related, in a way that is appealing to all film aficionados. "There's a lot of great film writing on the Internet," says Keith Phipps, editorial director of The Dissolve, in an interview with Mashable, "but there really wasn't anyone doing what Pitchfork has done for music, which is smart, opinion-driven, critic-driven, review-driven, and written for an audience that was passionate about film but not necessarily coming at it from an academic view." With the jargon out of the way, The Dissolve facilitates cinematic conversation between cinephiles — a discussion simplified by the broadcasting of their net. Not only will they discuss the latest films, but they will also explore where cinema has come from as well as the endless ephemera generated by the craft, right down to film-inspired board games. Where The Dissolve stands out from the crowd, though, is its appreciation of modern cinematic digestion. "With moviegoing changing (and continuing to change) in the 21st century, The Dissolve wants to account for the many different ways our readers experience movies, whether they’re at the multiplex, in their favorite New York City arthouse, or watching a new indie On Demand at home in Des Moines," says site editor Scott Tobias. The introspective and retrospective site is ambitious in its comprehensiveness, so whether you want to talk about the newest blockbuster or your favourite monster from that Japanese romance-horror, The Dissolve has got you covered. The feature we are anticipating most is their 'Short Cuts', a weekly selection of lunch-hour friendly films to fill the time whilst eating that chicken salad.
