Ask four people what their favourite takeaway meal is and you'll probably get four different answers — and none of them will match yours. If you live with those four people, deciding what's for dinner can be as challenging as finding a supermarket that has toilet paper in stock. And, even if you get your way, the battle is only half won. To really earn those nods of approval at the end of the meal, you have to choose the perfect bottle of wine that'll make the food taste even better (and make your victory even sweeter). Though a takeaway meal at home has many upsides — like being able to eat in your PJs — you're unlikely to have a sommelier on hand (if you do, we're jealous). Sure, we all know the basics: white wine goes well with seafood and red meat should be paired with a glass of red. But there's a little more to it than that — you also need to consider things like the acidity, tannins and weight of the wine. So, we've teamed up with online wine retailer Cellarmasters to put in some of the hard yards for you. We've selected five excellent takeaway options in your city and found a top-notch drop that'll perfectly complement each one. And thanks to Cellarmasters, which has wiped its home delivery fees on all orders, you can get your hands on all of them without having to leave your house. [caption id="attachment_694683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] RaRa by Luisa Brimble[/caption] SLURP SPICY RAMEN AND SIP FRUITY ROSÉ Cooking a decent meal isn't that hard so, most of the time, ordering a takeaway is just a sign you can't be bothered. But if it's ramen you're craving, you're 100 percent excused. This is not a dish you can whip up in 20 minutes. No matter what base style you go for — shio (salt), shoyu (soy), miso or tonkotsu (pork) — you can be certain that the chef has had that broth bubbling away for hours to perfect the complex flavour. Considering all the flavour combinations that are available with ramen, choosing a vino can be pretty tricky, but a well-rounded rosé should do the trick. Aim for one with good acidity and a slightly dry finish, which should work with a creamy, salty broth. And, if you like to load up on the spice, look for a drop that has bold, fruity flavours to balance that hit of chilli. What to order: In Melbourne, you can get Neko Neko's spicy tofu ramen takeaway or via Deliveroo. In Sydney, order the tonkotsu with housemade chilli and black garlic for pickup or delivery from RaRa. Pair with: Zonte's Footstep Organic Rosé — this bright tempranillo rosé from the Fleurieu Peninsula showcases blackcurrent and red grapefruit aromas, and retains a good acidity that helps it pair well with most spicy dishes. [caption id="attachment_683821" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Capitano by Kate Shanasy[/caption] ENJOY A SLICE OF PIZZA WITH AN EARTHY SANGIOVESE Unless you have somehow scored a woodfire oven in your crib, pizza is another dish that you could never create as well at home — try as you may. Especially not when you can get a perfectly crispy, chewy slice from some of the best in the biz with one quick phone call. The endless topping options can again make wine pairing a challenge. But if you're sticking to a classic tomato base, sangiovese will serve you well, thanks to its high acidity. Choose a wine that has rich stonefruit notes — think cherry or plum — which will balance out savoury toppings like parmesan, anchovies and olives. What to order: In Sydney, Bella Brutta produces some of our favourite slices, including an extra-saucy marinara topped with anchovies, which are all available for pickup and delivery. Meanwhile, in Melbourne, Carlton joint Capitano is also offering takeaway and delivery on its goods, including the classic tomato pie and double pepperoni. Pair with: Altero Sangiovese — you'll find sour red cherries and spice on the nose and oaky, earthy notes on the palate with this Fleurieu Peninsula drop. [caption id="attachment_674536" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tipico by Julian Sansone[/caption] PAIR A BOWL OF MEAT-BASED PASTA WITH NERO D'AVOLA A big bowl of pasta may not be the most traditional takeaway option. But given the state of the supermarket shelves at the moment, we're so fortunate that many local restaurants are remaining open so we can get our favourite carb fix. Our tastebuds deserve better than Dolmio right now anyway. A lot of time, love and (metaphorical) elbow grease goes into making a traditional meat-based pasta, and this is a dish you want to take your time eating to savour all of the complex flavours. A full-bodied Italian red will not only stay on theme, but the long finish will also linger on the palate and complement the rich sauce. What to order: Melbourne's Tipico has launched a to-go menu with pasta and sauce packs, including beef ragu, duck ragu and beef lasagne, to whip up whenever the craving strikes. Meanwhile, Sydneysiders can get a hearty serving of lasagne from Darlo bar Love, Tilly Devine for $25, available for pickup or delivery. Pair with: Colpasso Nero D'avola Appassimento — this award-winning Italian wine is made by partially drying the grapes prior to fermentation and has spent 6–8 months in oak resulting in an intense flavour and long finish. [caption id="attachment_753792" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Horn Please by Peter Tarasiuk[/caption] TRY CREAMY FISH CURRY WITH A GLASS OF CHARDONNAY There's just something about an Indian curry that makes the prospect of spending yet another night at home not seem so bad. While the weather is still decent, opt for something like a mild coconut fish curry — it'll still give you that cosy, belly-warming feeling, but it's easy on the chilli so you won't need to worry about overheating. Pairing this dish with a crisp chardonnay will also help keep things light and bright. The fresh tropical fruit flavours work well with seafood, while the citrus acidity will balance out the rich creaminess of the sauce. What to order: Sydneysiders can order the coconut fish curry with turmeric and mustard seed from Surry Hills spot Don't Tell Aunty, while Melburnians can snag the same dish from sister joint Horn Please in Fitzroy North. Both spots are offering takeaway and delivery. Pair with: David Lowe Wines Chardonnay — expect subtle oak notes and tropical fruit flavours from this fresh, easy-drinking drop from New South Wales. [caption id="attachment_763009" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Teta Mona by Tracey Ah-kee[/caption] TUCK INTO A LEBANESE FEAST WITH A BOTTLE OF PINOT NOIR A giant Lebanese feast can snap you out of even the lowest of stuck-at-home slumps — something many of us will likely face over the next few weeks and months. It's hard to feel bored or blue when faced with vibrant dishes like hummus and pita, fattoush, crunchy falafel, marinated chicken and spicy lamb kofta. With such diversity, a Lebanese feast will sing with almost any type of wine, but we recommend something that has a little character like pinot noir. The fruitiness will lift the peppery and spicy aspects of the dishes, while the silky tannins team well with the heartier meat dishes. What to order: For a spread of traditional Lebanese plates, hit up Teta Mona if you're in Melbourne or Emma's Snack Bar in Sydney. Pair with: Dovetail Yarra Valley Pinot Noir — with partial maturation in hogshead barrels, this Yarra Valley drop emits red berry fruits on the nose and subtle oak on the palate. Be prepared for your next takeaway occasion and place an order via the Cellarmasters website. Each order includes free delivery and a 100 percent money-back guarantee. Plus, use code CPLAYGROUND for $20 off sitewide until April 26 (minimum spend of $99). Top image: Bella Brutta by Kitti Gould
When the conversation turns to acquired tastes, the oyster is a natural example; our first oyster is typically offered up by an uncle-type (who probably introduced you to beer a few years later) getting his Christmas kicks from watching the next generation squirm, and then we hit 25 and suddenly we're knocking them back. But whether mum's reassurance that you'll like them you're older came true or not, many of us are still in the dark when it comes to this most lauded of mollusks. So we sat down with The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room's chef Sean Connolly to take the guesswork out of oyster culture. Oyster basics Let's start with some introductions: there are three different types of oysters grown in Australia: Sydney rock (or estuary), Pacific and Angasi. The last one, a rare goliath, is an Australian native that is attracting a lot of attention for its fleshy consistency — so oyster beginners should work up to this one. It can also command some pretty steep price tags, but according to Sean that isn't putting off the punters. "When you have Angasis [on the menu] they fly out the door." These days most restaurants will at least offer you a choice between Sydney rock or Pacific oysters. Now the simplest way to think of these two is tastier versus creamier. That doesn’t quite cover the full spectrum of differences between them, but it’s a nice launching pad for developing your pallet. If you can, split your order between the two—it gives you an edge of sophistication, and will help you learn the differences. Do you count as an oyster lover if you like toppings? No. Just kidding, the oyster community welcomes one and all, but maybe whisper your Kilpatrick (that's with cheese, Worcester sauce and bacon) requests. In Sean's mind it is simply about respecting the oyster, although he does seem pretty perturbed by oyster mornay (basically grilled cheese oysters). "That is the worst — haven't cooked one in years." What should you be embarrassed to order? Oyster lovers are undoubtedly a touch purist, but Sean insists "to a certain degree it's all good". If you are not quite ready to talk about the taste of the sea and how fresh shucking is paramount to good eating, just have a bit of fun. Order some of them deep-fried, use the juice for a dirty martini or pop an oyster in your shot glass. But remember, never the mornay. For the beer lovers amongst you, it could be time to head over to Young Henry’s Brewery in Newtown and check out their limited release oyster stout — Mother Shucka. The do's and don'ts of oyster shucking Nothing says host with the most like some freshly shucked oysters, so if you are ready to take home entertaining to the next level, buy yourself an oyster knife and get ready for a few cuts along the way. First off, make sure you have a good base (read bread board) and do not attempt doing this in the air, in your hand, or anywhere else that momentarily seems logical. Make sure that the curved side is on the bottom, and hold it down with a tea towel-clad hand. Now, edge your oyster knife into the side of the oyster, then prize it open by running the knife along the join. Once you have traced the entire edge simply flex the knife sideways to move the shells apart. "There is sort of like a 75 percent chance that you will hurt yourself," warns Sean. "Even I hurt myself shucking oysters at Christmas." I would probably add buy some protective gloves and download a how-to-guide. How to eat an oyster Discounting my childhood trauma theory, Sean doesn't see there being any real reason why people wouldn't like oysters — unless you're not eating them properly. So, here is his final word on how to eat an oyster: swirl it around your mouth, chew it twice and swallow. It sounds like something Lauren Bacall would purr in To Have and Have Not ("You know how to eat an oyster, don't you Steve?"), so it is a handy piece of trivia for your next dinner date, and it means you are getting all of the flavour you can out of your oyster. What to wash them down with There is good reason that people are known to enjoy the finer things in life, not the finer thing; well-paired delicacies have a habit of making evenings memorable and this brings us to the wine match. Take your time with the wine list, you do not want to lose all that freshly shucked deliciousness in the depths of a juicy shiraz. When matching wine to oysters some key words are minerality, acidity and flinty. I wouldn’t look further than something white and from Burgundy, but Sean points to a good savvy-b or dry riesling. Remember, if this is all new to you, grabbing the attention of your sommelier is always a good move and chucking in the word 'flinty' is sure to earn you bonus points. The best places in Sydney to enjoy oysters Sean recommends the Boathouse, ignoring his own restaurant of course. Although, do not discount the importance of a good view for optimum oyster enjoyment. Do they really have an aphrodisiac effect? The standard response to this question is a smirk and some nod to personal experience — the more erudite might even referenceCasanova’s breakfast — but a little research shows this theory has real legs. First of all the high zinc content keeps all of us generally strong and virile, plus it staves off herpes (pop that in the good-to-know basket). But, the science really heats up when you start talking amino acids. These little critters actually house two pretty unusual ones (D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate) that have been shown to boost testosterone in men and women's oestrogen levels. Who knew? The Italians were right all along. Do I need to know where they come from? Waters are to oysters as soil is to wine, so regions can say a lot about what an oyster is going to look and taste like before it gets to the table. It's all a little too involved for this article, but oyster masterclasses are held regularly all around Sydney if you are keen to learn more. But we can give you a few cheats: names to look out for include Coffin Bay (SA), Clyde River (NSW) and St Helens (TAS). Don’t be alarmed if your favourite restaurant starts offering you oysters from different regions; like most produce, the best oyster-producing region depends on the season. Ultimately, as Sean notes, it is about having "trust in the chef, trust in the establishment and then the proof is in the eating". How do Aussie oyster lovers rate internationally? We've had Europe lording it over us for years with their tails of natural sophistication, but Sean disagrees. "It's part of our culture," he insists in a broad Yorkshire accent — stopping to note that after 20 years in the country he has earned the right to say 'our'. It's marginally more than my years of life so I don’t fight him. Plus, he has a point; we have got some of the cleanest waters in the world for growing the things. “When I opened Astra [his first restaurant], about 17 years ago," Sean goes on, "we were shucking oysters to order and the clientele were sending them back because they were salty … But now everyone recognises a good oyster and everyone is look for that taste of the sea."
The French love of cinema is given vibrant new depth in Mia Hanson-Love's reverent ode. The writer-director's sophomore film follows charming film producer and joyous family man Gregoire Canvel (Louis-Do De Lencquesaing) as he quietly struggles to juggle his raft of projects, each with their unique creative and financial pressures. With one of two phones constantly glued to his ear (and a cigarette forever at his lips), Gregoire's passion for his profession is warmly reflected in his effusive love for his beautiful Italian wife (Chiara Caselli) and their three delightful daughters (Alice de Lencquesaing, Alice Gautier, Manelle Driss), as Hanson-Love captures the chiaroscuro of life in a frank, honest and refreshingly unsentimental fashion. Hanson-Love also has a clear talent working with young actors, for the performances she realises from the Canvel girls is nothing short of remarkable. So too is De Lencquesaing's larger than life role, and though Caselli is comparatively silent, she is by no means less powerful. Alice de Lencquesaing (acting with her father), who owned the closing scene of Olivier Assayas' luminous Summer Hours, profoundly impresses here again with the awkward grace she brings to the teenager — just watch for a scene in which she attempts to order a coffee. Such fresh-faced performances and tender writing makes for a family who jumps straight off the screen and into your heart. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GuyMdDddRv4
With The Girl in the Spider's Web, the Dragon Tattoo saga becomes a franchise that mashes up other franchises. It's a little bit Bond, thanks to the series' happy switching of actors playing Lisbeth Salander. It has a dash of Bourne, courtesy of its returning protagonist and her ongoing crusade against many an unseemly conspiracy. And, with violent vengeance firmly placed centre stage in this more action-packed instalment, it nods to John Wick as well. However, blending all of these parts together, there are a few things that The Girl in the Spider's Web definitely isn't: entertaining, thrilling, or anything other than bland and generic, narrative-wise. Even if you haven't read the book that the film is based on, The Girl in the Spider's Web comes with a sense of deja vu. It's a case of new star, new director and new author, but business as usual otherwise. For the uninitiated, Stieg Larsson's initial three novels were published after his death, then adapted into a Swedish film trilogy starring Noomi Rapace. David Fincher remade the first movie in the franchise, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, in 2011 with Rooney Mara as his lead. Then, in 2015 and 2017, writer David Lagercrantz penned two more books that continued the series, starting with The Girl in the Spider's Web. With Claire Foy stepping into Lisbeth's black and leather outfits, the hacker-slash-vigilante once again punishes men who harm women, tries to unravel a murky scheme and finds herself immersed in a plot with links to her past. This time, she's hired by an ex-National Security Agency operative (Stephen Merchant) to steal a computer program he wrote that can access the world's entire nuclear arsenal. Lisbeth's cyber skills get the job done, but another NSA expert (Lakeith Stanfield) is soon making his way around Stockholm and trying to retrieve the software. He's not the only other interested party, thanks to a shadowy group called The Spiders — who also make Lisbeth face her tragic history, including her estranged sister Camilla (Sylvia Hoeks). Franchise devotees will also spot investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Sverrir Gudnason) and his publisher and lover Erika Berger (Vicky Krieps), although that side of the series takes a backseat to Lisbeth's latest antics. Indeed, while it boasts similar story elements, this film isn't really a mystery-thriller with a detective bent like its predecessors. Rather, it uses the same packaging to place Foy's version of Lisbeth in the kind of chasing and fighting situations that are stock-standard in action flicks. There's an uncomfortable sense of conflict within The Girl in the Spider's Web as a result — a sense that what it's saying and what it's doing don't quite work together. The film presents its protagonist as a fiercely individualistic feminist avenger, but fashions the movie she's in after plenty of other action franchises. Whether she's virtually retracing her own footsteps or stepping into those of other no-nonsense on-screen heroes, this iteration of Lisbeth always feels like she's going through the motions. That doesn't give Foy much room to make an impact. Instead, she's largely tasked with mimicking Rapace and Mara – the latter of whom earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in the role. The Girl in the Spider's Web also squanders much of its supporting cast, most of whom have impressed elsewhere, such as Gudnason in Borg vs McEnroe and Krieps in Phantom Thread. Get Out's Stanfield fares best based on his innate talent and charm, rather than as a result of the material that he's working with. Still, the film soars in one area: its visuals. With both his Evil Dead remake and Don't Breathe, writer-director Fede Alvarez demonstrated a distinctive command of style, which translates here to evocative and moody shades of black, white and grey. Other movies in the series have sported a suitably grim, gloomy sheen, but Alvarez makes it look and feel new here. If only the rest of The Girl in the Spider's Web had managed the same feat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QTmNtRpnbU
We all love a secret menu — ordering dishes or drinks that most people don't even know exist. They aren't on the website. You won't find them on social media. And there is no sign of these dishes on the menu in the restaurant, either. It's serving IYKYK vibes. And we've cottoned on to a new limited-time set menu that's only available to those who ask for it specifically. Saigon Hustle, West Sydney's modern Vietnamese restaurant and bar, is putting all its best-selling dishes together for those who request the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu — you won't find this offer on the menu or website. The two-person feast is priced at $60 per person and includes crowd-favourite dishes like the spicy fried corn ribs and the melt-in-your-mouth bone marrow served with XO sauce and garlic crostini. You'll also be treated to a serving of Saigon Hustle's beef tartare, lamb ribs, laksa, edamame beans and its beloved milk tea crème brûlée. Customers who text or email for bookings will need to clearly mention they want the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu. For this under-the-radar feast, you can't just rock up and order it on the day and you can't take it away either. When texting or calling for a booking, you'll need to clearly mention you want the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu. And if you head over from 5–7pm, from Wednesday to Sunday, you can also sneak in a few happy hour drinks. During this time, the bar serves up $8 house wines and beers alongside a special $13 cocktail of the week. These bartenders are known for creating all kinds of fun Asian-inspired cocktails, so you best order a few throughout the night. This special set menu (for a minimum of two people) is only available until Thursday, June 1. To book, contact Saigon Hustle and note you'd like the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu. Alternatively, you can book via OpenTable, making sure to choose the Hot Hustler Summer Set Menu option.
2021 gave the world many great things to watch, whether you like movies or TV shows — or direct-to-streaming flicks and specials, too. But only one summed up exactly how the last few years have felt as life as we all knew it changed due to the pandemic, spending all of our time at home became the norm, and everything was more than a little uncanny. That'd be Bo Burnham's sublime Inside. Watching along, a stunning fact became evident — a life-changing realisation, really. During a period when most people tried to make sourdough, pieced together jigsaws and spent too much time on Zoom, Burnham created a comedy masterpiece. And, he managed to capture the entire planet's feelings in some of the smartest and catchiest songs that'll ever echo from a screen. If you've seen it, even just thinking about it while reading this at the moment will mean that you currently have 'White Woman's Instagram', 'Welcome to the Internet' or 'That Funny Feeling' stuck in your head (or any of the special's other earworm tunes). Well, well, look who's inside again now — because Burnham isn't done with Inside yet. To mark exactly a year since the special was originally released on Netflix, the comedian has gifted the world with more. This time, he's dropped 63 minutes of outtakes that didn't initially make the cut. Yep, that's your viewing plans for this evening sorted. a year ago today, i released a special called inside. i've spent the last two months editing together material that i shot for the special but didn't end up using. it will be on my youtube channel in one hour. i hope you enjoy it. — Bo Burnham (@boburnham) May 31, 2022 To head back into Inside again — tiny pumpkins and avocados optional, and odes to Jeffrey Bezos as well — you'll need to hit up Burnham's YouTube channel, which is where the extra footage is now available. And yes, while wondering how the comedian — or anyone — could ever top a special this raw, insightful, funny, clever and of the moment has been a big part of the past year, more of anything to do with Inside and its 90-minute musical-comedy whirlwind is always going to be a good thing. The Promising Young Woman star and Eighth Grade filmmaker won Emmys for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, and Outstanding Music Direction for his efforts — plus a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media for 'All Eyes On Me'. Check out the trailer for Bo Burnham: Inside below: To watch The Inside Outtakes, head to Bo Burnham's YouTube channel. Bo Burnham: Inside is available to stream via Netflix. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
During the past two months of lockdown, we've done plenty of solo dancing in our lounge rooms, with online nightclubs, virtual DJ sets and charity music festivals providing the tunes. But, from today, Friday, May 15, you can round up nine of your mates and head out for a night of shape-making at your own private disco in the city. NSW's newly eased restrictions, which came into force today, allow 'food and drink premises' to reopen to dine-in customers, but for a maximum of ten at a time. This isn't financially viable for all — indeed, many venues have decided not to open their doors until the restrictions ease further — but some are trying it out, and offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like private discos. Prince of York Co-Owner Paul Schulte is one of those taking a risk. "We're going to open our doors on Friday and see how it goes," Schulte said. "We're all about bringing people together and that's what we've missed most these past few months. Since we can't open as we normally could... We're turning Prince of York into your own private venue with dinner and a disco." [caption id="attachment_737671" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ground floor by Kimberley Low[/caption] The three-level CBD venue — a restaurant, bar and nightclub — is letting you and nine mates hire out the entire venue for the night. For a minimum spend of just $100 a head. You can spend that money however you like, too — on a long dinner (with spicy meatballs, rigatoni, hanger steak and boozy tiramisu) or spread it across a selection of snacks (smoked mortadella, crab sandwiches, burrata) and cocktails. You do, in line with the government's new restrictions, have to eat though — you can't go dropping $1000 on booze. For the disco side of things, the team will help you create a playlist or you can hire your own DJ, and you'll get free rein of Pamela's. If you're not familiar with the basement-level nightclub at Prince of York, Pamela's is an ode to Schulte's mum — who loved champagne, tequila and disco — filled with pink suede banquettes and sturdy terrazzo tables that, yes, you are allowed to dance on. [caption id="attachment_737652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pamela's by Kimberley Low[/caption] If you're one of the unlucky Aries or Tauruses whose birthday landed during the COVID-19 lockdown, this may be the perfect, belated, way to celebrate. "There are so many people who missed opportunities to celebrate birthdays, milestones, or maybe they've just missed their mates," said Schulte. "We're setting Prince of York up to be the place where you can unwind with your mates safely and enjoy being looked after with the venue to yourself." The venue will be open to bookings of all sizes (up to ten) from Monday–Thursday, but on Friday and Saturday you'll need a minimum spend of $1000 to secure the venue. You can lock in a two-hour slot at 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm and 8.30pm on any of the days. The offering is only available for a limited time, of course, until restrictions are eased further. So, we suggest you hop to it if you want to organise a night of pasta, cocktails and dancing on tables with your nearest and dearest for just 100 clams a head. Prince of York is open for private bookings up to ten from Monday–Saturday, with a minimum spend of $1000 required on Friday and Saturday. To make your reservation — at 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm or 8.30pm on one of those days — email hello@princeofyork.com.au or call (02) 8066 0550. Images: Kimberley Low.
Is it your turn to plan date night or the next weekend adventure, and you're coming up short? Let us help. The Blue Mountains is great for a wintry escape — it's relatively close to Sydney, which means you get away without completely draining your annual leave balance, and it's chock-full of adventures — be it of the food or recreational kind. So, we want to help you trade the rush of the city for a breath of (very) fresh air with a winter weekend escape to the Blue Mountains — including the opportunity to explore the depths of an ancient rainforest. Alongside a voucher to spend on the Airbnb property of your choice, you'll score two adult Scenic World passes, so expect plenty of marvelling at the wonders of nature to ensue. There, you'll swap phone scrolling and swiping for panoramic views of the wilderness, waterfalls and the notable Three Sisters on the Scenic Skyway. You'll also get to ride the world's steepest train, the Scenic Railway. Then, after being immersed in the Jurassic-era temperate rainforest of the Jamison Valley Floor, you can feed your culture and food appetite with some of the Blue Mountains neighbourhood gems. We're talking a squiz at Platform Gallery, Australia's first dedicated feminist art gallery, a caffeine hit from Sorensen's Glasshouse and Garden, sipping some local drops at Dryridge Estate's cellar door and a bite or two of eclectic street food from around the world at 8Things. Enter your details below for a chance to win. [competition]723631[/competition]
SXSW Sydney's 2024 program continues to roll out, in excellent news for fans of the tech, innovation, screen, music, games and culture festival in general — and also of hearing interesting discussions echo through the event. In the third batch of lineup details for this year, following a first batch in May and a second round in June, the initial two keynote speakers have been announced. Human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson and author Johann Hari will each take to the stage, one fresh from defending Julian Assange and the other with book Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight Loss Drugs newly on shelves. "Our first two keynote speakers reflect our commitment to fostering challenging conversations. Discussing human rights and our wellbeing intersecting with the rapidly evolving landscape of technology is more critical than ever," said SXSW Sydney Managing Director Colin Daniels, announcing Robinson and Hari's spots on the 2024 program. "Our keynote speakers will ignite discussions that are not only timely but necessary, as we navigate the complexities of our modern world." Alongside being a London barrister with international law and media law also among her specialities — and already named on SXSW Sydney's 2024 lineup earlier in the year — Robinson published How Many More Women? in 2023, digging into the response to the #MeToo movement from a legal sense. Hari's 2022 text Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention earned acclaim around the world, and his TED Talks Everything You Think You Know About Addiction Is Wrong and This Could Be Why You Are Depressed or Anxious have notched up 93-million-plus views. Also now on the bill are fellow speakers Min-Liang Tan, the CEO of Razer; Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) author Amy Gallo; Rolling Stone India Senior Editor Peony Hirwani; and Australian race car driver Molly Taylor. Pianist, podcaster and Chad Lawson will also get chatting, as will entertainment and music rights expert Priyanka Khimani, Beatdapp Founder Andrew Batey and The Attention Economy, How Media Works author Karen Nelson-Field. The festival will welcome Luke Hemsworth, too, with the Westworld and Bosch & Rockit star hosting the session Better Than a Hollywood Movie: The Highs, Lows, Epic Moments and Colossal Steps Forward in Bringing Back the Tasmanian Tiger, with Colossal Biosciences CEO Ben Lamm and University of Melbourne's Head of the Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research (TIGRR) Laboratory Dr Andrew Pask diving into the topic. Talks on How to Seize Control of Your Workday and Redefining Success: Beyond the 1% will also expanded the roster of sessions, and demonstrate that variety is firmly at the heart of the festival. SXSW Sydney's new additions for 2024, the event's second year Down Under, join the likes of Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, TikTok marketing head Sofia Hernandez, Heartbreak High star Ayesha Madon, cricketer David Warner, Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid and documentary Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts, about the new uses of former Pizza Hut buildings across America — and that's barely scratching the surface of the lineup specifics announced so far. If you missed it, 2023's inaugural SXSW Sydney welcomed everyone from Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker and Chance The Rapper to Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb and Nicole Kidman to its stages. In the process, and via not just its talks but also its concerts, films, TV shows and games as, it notched up 287,014 attendances from 97,462 unique attendees. Those figures came from 34,975 total tickets, with folks from 41 countries heading along to 1178 sessions. SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Images: Jami Joy, Ian Laidlaw, Jess Gleeson, Katje Ford and Paul McMillan.
As far as the team at WOHA is concerned, green cities are the future. Their latest project, Singapore's Park Royal Hotel, is evidence of how it's done. As a result of the building's construction, the site's capacity for natural growth has doubled. Comprised of twelve storeys that overlook Singapore's CBD, the Park Royal is not just a hotel, it's an oasis - not merely another building, but a kind of extension of the adjacent park. Elevated gardens, filled with palm trees, frangipanis and rambling tropical flora, extend from every fourth level. Inside, the green theme continues, with plants and water features forming an inherent part of the interior design. On the top floor, the Hotel's club lounge offers panoramic views, and on the fifth, the spa area features an expansive pool and a 300-metre long botanic 'strip'. All rooms are northward facing, looking over the elevated gardens and/or the park. Energy efficiency is prioritised throughout, with maximised natural lighting, self-shading, harvesting of rainwater, thorough recycling systems and motion-stimulated sensors. Where much of Singapore's architecture tends towards the insipid, faceless and generic, WOHA's bold, environmentally aware design represents a mighty gesture. In the view of architectural photographer and writer, Patrick Bingham-Hall, '...finally the city has a uniquely expressive landmark that reinterprets and reinvigorates its location...The Park Royal on Pickering is a purely commercial development...But as with many of WOHA's projects built throughout Asia over the last decade, the hotel performs unambiguously as a public building...proposing that commercial architecture must respond to the city as its civic duty.' Previously, WOHA has won three Green Good Design Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies - for the Sanya Intercontinental Hotel, China; the Hansar Rajdamri, Bangkok, Thailand; and the Wilkie Edge, Singapore. [Via Inhabitat]
South Eveleigh continues its transformation from industrial kinda-suburb to legitimate food and culture precinct with the latest addition to its burgeoning culinary lineup: The Grounds South Eveleigh. The Grounds is set to expand its Instagram-friendly brunching empire of OG site The Grounds of Alexandria and its CBD sibling with a cavernous Old Hollywood-style events space and coffee roastery bound for the former Australian Technology Park site in 2022. The events space will likely be catnip for inner-city wedding planners with high ceilings and industrial chandeliers, catering for parties between 180 and 350 guests. The Grounds' South Eveleigh outpost will also include a haven for the coffee-curious with a major new roastery where behind-the-scenes tours and workshops will be on the cards, along with all your bean needs. No word yet on whether The Grounds' celebrity pig, Kevin Bacon, will be trotting out of retirement for the official ribbon cutting. To be continued... The venue won't open until 2022 but you can already make booking enquiries at The Grounds website. All images are renders only.
Tonic's corner location and elegant dining room makes it stand out in the small, simple town of Millthorpe. The menu is seasonally focused, so it changes frequently and showcases a rotating list of local producers. Chef Tony Worland is a protégé of Gordon Ramsay, but, despite his experience, the prices at Tonic are pretty reasonable: $70 for two courses, and $80 for three. The menu might include braised oxtail with caramelised pumpkin and the Mandagery Creek venison served with lentils, rhubarb and pink peppercorn. Millthorpe's proximity to Orange means their wine list is impeccably chosen, and the staff are ridiculously knowledgeable to boot. This is fine dining that can suit most budgets, and is a top-tier destination for any food and wine fanatic. Make a weekend of it with our guide to eating in Orange.
What do Picnic at Hanging Rock, Romper Stomper, Wake in Fright, Puberty Blues, The Devil's Playground and Mystery Road all have in common? As well as being exceptional Australian movies, they've all made the jump to the small screen, too. Television shows based on all of these great flicks have reached TVs over the past decade, in fact — and now a series inspired by 1999 classic Two Hands looks set to join them. Screen Australia, the country's screen development, production and promotion support agency, has just announced that it's providing funding for the new TV version of Two Hands. At the moment, the series has the same working title as the Heath Ledger- and Rose Byrne-starring hit flick, and also boasts the same creative driving force, with writer/director Gregor Jordan (Dirt Music) working on developing his stellar crime film into a television show. Like the movie, the series will be an action-charged comic revenge thriller. Obviously, it can't star Ledger, who catapulted to fame thanks to his iconic role. Whether any other original cast members might pop up, if the show will link in with the feature or be set in the same world, or if it'll act as a small-screen remake — these are all questions that it's too early to answer. The same goes for whether Powderfinger's 'These Days' will feature on the soundtrack, and then get stuck in everyone's heads for years again afterwards. Jordan is developing the series with help from writers Melissa Bubnic (Shameless), Gretel Vella (The Great), Sarah Bassiuoni (The Heights), Greg Haddrick (Pine Gap) and Meyne Wyatt (play City of Gold), as well as producers Justin Davies (Psychoville) and Marian Macgowan (The Great), plus executive producers Tim White (The Luminaries) and Chris Oliver-Taylor (Glitch). Need a refresher on the original movie? Haven't seen it yet, somehow? As well as starring a fresh-faced Ledger and Byrne, it's one the best Australian films of the 90s, and one of the best Aussie movies in general, too. It follows Jimmy (the one and only Ledger), an ex-street kid and strip-club bouncer who is charged with delivering some cash for his boss (Bryan Brown, Hungry Ghosts). That doesn't turn out as planned, so soon he's on the run — alongside Alex (Byrne, worlds away from her recent role in Physical), the girl of his dreams. If you're suddenly and understandably now keen to watch Two Hands, the movie, it's currently streaming via Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Binge, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Check out the trailer for the film below: The Two Hands TV series has just received development funding from Screen Australia, so it doesn't yet have an airdate — but we'll update you with further details as they come to hand.
Spoon are a great band. I won't try to hide that I'm a fan. In fact, just then I was visiting their website and got sucked into completing my Spoon collection, buying their first four albums bundled with live videos. Their whole aesthetic and sound oozes a laissez-faire attitude whilst at the same time paying attention to minute detail. They make pop records that are stripped back to bare bones sounds and hooks — they're one of those bands that you think more people should love, that sometimes you have to play to people and they have a slow expression of recognition which turns into a smile and then "oh, I know this song! Yeah I know Spoon". You would play them 'The Underdog', 'I Turn My Camera On', and their biggest hit here in Australia 'The Way We Get By' (bonus points for Britt Daniel's use of the word 'taciturn' — kudos). On their newie Transference they have dropped some of the studio trickery and experimentation in favour of stark production that lets the songs shine through clearly. Check out the clip for single 'Written In Reverse' in which the band perform live; it will give you a nice teaser for their sideshows in May. I'm excited. Tickets go on sale February 16. https://youtube.com/watch?v=18ILdmIOep0
After last year's lockdown, the thought of rediscovering Sydney's multi-faceted dining scene is more exciting than ever. And this is even more true during American Express Delicious Month Out. For all of May, restaurants and bars across the city are offering limited-edition specials, one-off meals and wild deals to entice you out of the house — and office. Lots of the venues are plating up and pouring exciting after-work offerings throughout the month, including wine and cheese pairings, whisky flights and soul-warming ramen. We've rounded up some of the most exciting post-work deals on offer as part of American Express delicious. Month Out to help you add some fun to your midweek workday. [caption id="attachment_811052" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] PRE-DINNER DINING EXPERIENCE AT BEA, BARANGAROO Located on the middle level of harbourside behemoth Barangaroo House, Bea is a restaurant overseen by celebrity chef Matt Moran and executive chef Tom Haynes. During American Express Delicious Month Out, it's offering a pre-dinner dining experience on its stunning waterside terrace — for a very reasonable $30. The restaurant has partnered with Mornington Peninsula winery Ten Minutes by Tractor (whose restaurant and cellar door were ravaged by a fire in 2018) for the deal, which will see you pair three snacks with a glass of either the Victorian winery's pinot noir or chardonnay. Bite-sized dishes will include a buttermilk crumpet topped with spanner crab and fine shavings of bottarga, whipped Meredith's goat's cheese with pickled sliced beetroot, and a savoury sandwich of chicken parfait and madeira (a fortified wine). [caption id="attachment_811053" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] BAR MENU AT BENNELONG, CIRCULAR QUAY Usually, to dine at Peter Gilmore's restaurant Bennelong you'll need to drop $170 on a three-course menu. But, for the month of May, you can experience the famed Sydney Opera House restaurant for just $80, when its bar menu returns. Available to order at dinnertime from Wednesday–Saturday, the bar menu will see you snacking on rock oysters, yabbies with lemon jam and cultured cream, Ventricina salami with toasted fennel seed sourdough and a very special dessert: the lamington. As we learnt during season eight of Masterchef Australia, Gilmore's much-Instagrammed lamington is constructed over almost 50 separate steps. It sees a square of cherry jam and coconut ice-cream, and sponge, covered in a glossy layer of chocolate ganache, which all sits in a delicate bed of coconut milk shavings. [caption id="attachment_811040" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nastia Gladushchenko[/caption] WINE AND CHEESE PAIRING AT HANDPICKED CELLAR DOOR, CHIPPENDALE Chippendale's cellar door Handpicked Wines has partnered up with winemaker Peter Dillon, and cheese-importing siblings Ellie and Sam Studd for its May event. Together, the trio is offering a wine and cheese pairing showcasing wines from across Victoria and Tasmania, and delicious dairy goodness from France. For $55, you'll get to try an award-winning Tasmanian chardonnay matched with the buttery Le Dauphin Double Crème from Bourgogne, followed by a Yarra Valley chardy with a nutty comté. Next, you'll try two pinot noirs, one from Tasmania and another from the Mornington Peninsula, with slices of creamy Pont L'Évêque and the Camembert Le Conquerant; a rich and fudgy cheese from Normandy. Plus, if you decide you're particularly partial to any wines on the day, you can pick up two or more bottles and receive ten percent off. WHISKY FLIGHTS AND TATAKI AT SOKYO, PYRMONT Japanese whisky is all the rage at the moment. But it can be hard to justify dropping $200-plus (or even more) on a bottle. Instead, you can head on over to Sokyo and try three different smoky distillates in one hit. The Japanese restaurant is pouring four different flights each night, paired with a beef tataki and smoked aioli dish. You could go for the Suntory Hibiki flight — which will see you sip the Hibiki Harmony, 17-year-old and 21-year-old (this'll set you back $2000 at Dan Murphy's, no lie) — the Yamazaki Distillery curation, an assortment from Hakushu Distillery, or the Shinshu Mars Distillery trio. Coming in at $210, $150, $120 and $80 respectively, they're an absolute bargain compared to what you'd pay for the actual bottles. Treat yo'self. ROE SERVICE AT CHUUKA, PYRMONT If you haven't yet been to Chuuka, the waterside fine diner helmed by famed chefs Victor Liong (Melbourne's Lee Ho Fook) and Chase Kojima (Sokyo, Gojima), here's your excuse: the Jones Bay Wharf spot is serving up a very fancy roe service throughout May. For $45, you'll get a generous serving of ikura (salty, translucent orange balls of salmon roe), cashew cream, egg yolk sauce, chives and shallots, which you can pile how you please atop crunchy potato and rice crackers. It's a decadent start to any evening. If you want to continue the decadence, we suggest you hang around and order a serve of the foie gras chawanmushi, the peking duck and the kurozato (an unrefined Japanese sugar) mochi. IZAKAYA MENU AT SAKE, MANLY WHARF On a rainy autumn day, there's nothing quite like a big bowl of ramen. Excitingly, that's part of Sake's new American Express Delicious Month Out izakaya menu. Available at lunchtime daily throughout May, the month-long menu will see you snacking on salty edamame and pork gyoza, then diving into a brothy bowl of pork chashu-topped ramen. Plus, you'll pair all this with a Suntory Toki whisky highball. The best part? It'll set you back $49. Less than a lobster. While it's not a strictly an after-work offering, dreaming about the chewy noodles, soft egg and soul-warming broth will surely make those last few hours of the day a little easier to get through. Celebrate dining in Sydney this May with a month of exciting dining offers and events across restaurants, bars, cafes and more with American Express Delicious Month Out. Plan your month out now by heading this way.
One of the most prominent events of its kind outside of China, the Golden Koala Film Festival is back for another year. Heading to Riverside Theatre, this annual festival will once again showcase a selection of critically acclaimed Chinese movies in time for Sydney's Chinese New Year celebrations. Opening night is director Chakme Rinpoche's ATA, following sightless child Tianyu, who dreams of another life different from the disabled ping-pong champion career planned out for him. Then, he vanishes. Also on the bill is Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Ruby Yang’s new film, My Voice, My Life, which sees a misfit group of Hong Kong-based high school students in what's essentially a version of Glee. All films in the program will compete for the prestigious Golden Koala Award, which is bestowed by a jury of Australian filmmakers. Best of all, because the festival is designed to promote Chinese cinema, all the screenings are super affordable — when did you last go to the movies for $15? By Tom Clift with Shannon Connellan.
Everyone loves a good food collaboration, especially when it involves a couple of longtime favourites. And Melbourne's latest joint culinary creation is a doozy; the brainchild of Mexican-accented restaurant group Fonda and the masters of soft, fluffy bao at Wonderbao. They've joined forces on a new limited-edition bao-centric menu to star at all Sydney and Melbourne Fonda stores until the end of July. On it, you'll find two pillowy steamed bao varieties; loaded with your pick of crunchy zucchini ($9) or crisp fried chicken ($10), along with chipotle aioli, cabbage, pickled carrot and onion. Also on offer is the newly launched Mexi-bun, which features classic Mexican flavours piled into a pillowy Asian-style bun. With a filling of Fonda's beef chilli con carne, these beauties are deep-fried until golden, then teamed with a queso dip and the Jane Fonda Salsa. A serve of two Mexi-buns will set you back $17. The Fonda x Wonderbao menu is only available for dine-in — you can make a booking at your local Fonda eatery online.
Mistaken for Strangers has been swiftly branded as 'that movie about The National'. In actuality, it revolves more closely around frontman Matt Berninger's younger brother and the film's director, Tom. A metalhead, slacker/partier and horror movie enthusiast, he tagged along with the band on what was their biggest tour to date in 2010. Since its release, this original rockumentary has reeled in some hot reviews, praised for its hilarity and heart-warming sincerity. It has been a steady climb to fame for indie-rock outfit, The National, who were considered underdogs for years. Now on the brink of 40, the overripe rockers are adjusting to fame and fortune. This film paints the band, and specifically Berninger, through the eyes of a younger, slightly wannabe sibling, depicting an envious older brother that is good at everything he does. The result is a funny and oddly moving portrait of two very different brothers. On February 8, Dendy Opera Quays are hosting a couple of special preview screenings, followed by an exclusive live audience Q&A with Matt Berninger, right before the band takes to the stage for their sold-out performance at the Sydney Opera House. https://youtube.com/watch?v=FNmprL3SOlM
Come 2022, Green Square is going to look a little different. Not only will it have a new aquatic centre and a futuristic residential development with its own food-filled laneway, the inner-city precinct will have much more green open space, in the form of a huge 6200-square-metre park. Called The Drying Green, a nod to the history of wool making in the area, the park has just been given the green light by the City of Sydney, who has accepted a tender offer from Regal Innovations for its construction. The new park will be bound by Geddes Avenue, Paul Street, Portman Street and Zetland Avenue and decked out with a whole host of fancy features. Expect a water feature — that uses stormwater — a solar-powered public artwork, and, maybe most importantly, picnic and barbecue areas. If you're one of the many residents living in a tiny apartment nearby, you're probably excited at the thought of hosting a shindig that's not restricted to three people on your mini-balcony. [caption id="attachment_772558" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of McGregor Coxall[/caption] The Drying Green is one of 40 parks the City of Sydney has promised for Green Square, with Lord Mayor Clover Moore saying the green open spaces are important with more and more people living in the aforementioned tiny apartments. "With more than three quarters of our residents across the city living in apartments, our parks, playgrounds and open spaces are essentially 'the backyard' for many," the Lord Mayor said in a statement. Just be prepared to share — with a huge 61,000 residents expected to call the surrounding 278-hectare Green Square area home by the year 2030, the parks aren't likely to be quiet. The Drying Green is expected to be completed by early 2022. For more information, head to the City of Sydney website. Images: Courtesy of McGregor Coxall
Joann Sfar's debut film is less a biography of French provocateur musician Serge Gainsbourg than an irreverent, audacious tribute from one artist to his icon. Comic book artist Sfar bends the biopic genre to his will and that of Gainsbourg's seductive celebrity with a film that outwardly adheres to a linear, cradle-to-grave structure, but is in fact steeped in magical realism and entirely unconcerned about imparting truths of any kind. With no dates and barely any names given, Sfar throws us into the world of a wily Jewish boy, who manages to thumb his nose at the threatening reality of the Second World War with charm and sly obsequiousness. Sfar also brings his comic book sensibilities to life, bequeathing the future Gainsbourg with an alter ego in the form of a Jewish caricature that literally steps out of an anti-Semitic poster and into his life. Ironically, this 'ugly mug' (looking like a surrealist Guillermo del Toro character and indeed played by del Toro regular Doug Jones) has all the confidence and cocksure drive that Gainsbourg lacks, and isn't afraid to go to dastardly lengths to shape their intertwined existence. It is the 'ugly mug' that urges Gainsbourg to step away from his love of art and embrace the skills he so reluctantly learned from his lounge-musician father. Musical fame, fortune and fabulous love affairs follow, and all too soon he's being seduced by songstress Juliette Greco (Anna Mouglalis), bombshell Brigitte Bardot (Laetitia Casta) is frolicking naked about his flat, before he settles down to marry and sing that raunchy duet with Jane Birkin (Lucy Gordon). Eric Elmosnino's uncanny resemblance and transporting performance goes a long way to traversing many of the yawning gaps in detail (and those pesky truths) Sfar has purposefully omitted from his screenplay. But that doesn't quite prevent this willfully opaque portrait from becoming frustrating in parts. While no-one can fault the sumptuous design (Sfar's artistic eye translates superbly) Gainsbourg's staggering self-indulgence — painted with the barest scrape of context — ends up feeling stifling. It's an odd storytelling decision to be sure, but one that Sfar sticks to absolutely. Instead Gainsbourg is an impressionistic rendering, a decadent celebration and a downright sexy account of a supremely talented musician, and his ugly mug. https://youtube.com/watch?v=lQH4R2RwM1U
Let's admit it: us coffee lovers have always had that ambitious plan of becoming a skilled barista in our own homes every morning just like the pros. Ain't nothing wrong with that either. For many, however, the desire to tamp, extract and pour before the work commute becomes all but a distant reality when that fancy coffee machine bought in a flurry of caffeine-fuelled enthusiasm becomes but a dust collector on the kitchen bench. Contrary to the general misconception that your local barista actually cares about your hangover, office politics, how beautiful your cat is and your dramatic love life, it's more than likely they've got better and more relevant things to think about. It's time to give these guys a break from the earful we give them every morning, and we've just the plan. The gastrodome of the inner west, The Grounds of the Alexandria, has launched barista training workshops that will run throughout 2013. Jack Hanna, master roaster and 2007 National Latte Art champion, is interested in pinning down some barista basics at home without any complicated scientific prerequisites necessary. The classes run for two hours and are held at The Grounds' 'research facility' — just a fancy name for the venue's cafe space. Hanna's approach is straightforward and honest with no coffee-geek dictionary necessary. "There are many factors that contribute to a good cup of coffee; however, it's very simple and anyone can do it," says Hanna. "Everything takes practice and you need to play around with a few things before you get it right." Hanna demonstrates the process step-by-step on the machine, starting from the grind right up to steaming the milk to achieve that silky consistency. He emphasises that a warm, clean machine and glasses are key aspects to good coffee. "The coffee will lose flavour instantly if it hits a cold cup!" he says. Apparently, another essential component is dosage. Too much coffee or a grind that's too fine can result in over-extraction and bitter coffee. Hanna suggests tasting as you go, "This way, you know what you’re doing right and wrong." Once you've mastered the dosage and crema, it's time for some milk steaming and latte art. "What you're basically doing is stretching the milk, putting foam in it and bringing it to a temperature of about 65-68 degrees," says Hanna. What about the latte art part? Well, let's just say there's bound to be plenty of laughs at some of the shapes students come up with. All part of the experience, we say. And lest we forget to mention that students may even be lucky enough to witness Jack's flawless technique as he pours some R-rated latte art. We're pretty sure there'd be a couple of shocked pram pushers if he sent these out of a Saturday morning service. Most importantly, Hanna's classes are nurturing; he doesn't use convoluted idioms and you can count on him to ensure everyone can see and understand what's happening. As Hanna says, quite simply, "Coffee is fun!" *Classes cost $80 and run for approximately 1.5-2 hours. *Private, corporate and more advanced classes are available, as well as Roasting and Cupping Workshops. *All workshops held at The Grounds of Alexandria; Building 7A, 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria; 02 (02) 9699 2225; www.groundsroasters.com.
Summertime at Crown Street staple The Winery is all about picnics in the venue's lush garden, and every Aussie knows that a picnic isn't complete without a little (or a lot of) bubbly. Happy to oblige, The Winery has brought back its bottomless prosecco fountain, on offer Thursday–Sunday until January 11. This time, though, the antique-looking stone fountain isn't just pouring endless prosecco from its mouth — it's also serving up Aperol spritzes. For $39 a head, you're able to grab a glass and pour-your-own bubbly and spritzes for a full two hours from that tap. [caption id="attachment_671514" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Winery by Letícia Almeida[/caption] While no food is included in the deal, you can order something appropriately summery and European from the new antipasti menu. Choose from organic haloumi with truffle honey ($15), chicken liver parfait with eggplant relish ($14), spicy 'nduja ($8) and gooey stracciatella ($12). Larger dishes — such as smoked lamb meatballs ($21), mushroom tortillas ($15) and prawn lettuce cups ($21) — are on offer, too. If you're yet to organise a get together, this could very well be the setting for this year's Friendsmas. The bottomless prosecco and aperol spritz package is available from Thursday–Friday 5–10pm and Saturday and Sunday 12–10pm.
Cheese and wine nights are great, but when you combine them with learning some fun hands-on skills then it becomes something special. That's why Clay Sydney is throwing biweekly wine and cheese ceramic workshops in its Marrickville studio. Here, you'll learn the basics of ceramic and pattern design and they'll have you shaping your own creations in no time. They've got the cheese and crackers (and all the tools) covered, so all you have to do is bring a fine bottle of wine and a playful attitude. You'll be hand-building a mug or mini vessel out of white speckled clay then using vibrant glazes to finish. At the end, you'll get to take home a perfectly imperfect product, handmade by you. These super-popular two-hour workshops occur every Friday at 7.30pm and Saturday at 6.30pm. They're strictly limited to 30 people per class, so we recommend booking sooner rather than later — they sell out fast. And don't forget to BYO wine. If you do miss out, Clay Sydney also runs wheel-throwing classes, date nights, mimosas and ceramic mug events and planter workshops. Or, if you're planning a special occasion, you can also arrange a private class — think hens parties, birthdays and corporate events, where you'll leave with something you can proudly call your own. Check the Clay Sydney website for future class dates.
A Wild Things Anatomy Retreat may not be the most relaxing experience — but it will leave you rejuvenated with skills and memories to keep for a lifetime. The multi-day events will introduce you to breathwork and cold exposure therapy as you explore the beautiful Snowy Mountains. There is a range of retreats to suit all needs and budgets, including an extensive five-day retreat that culminates in a challenging climb to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko dressed only in shorts. The Wild Things Team is trained in the Wim Hof Method, which combines breath work with cold therapy to help connect more deeply with the human body. The techniques are said to improve sleep, focus and cardiovascular health while reducing stress and anxiety.
Disney is getting into the streaming game, and it's unleashing its new platform upon Australian and New Zealand audiences this year. Called Disney+, the service was first revealed in 2018, but just when it'd hit local screens had remained a mystery. Now, anyone eager to watch new Star Wars and Marvel TV shows — plus all of Disney's animated movies — should mark November 19 in their diaries. It's great news for folks Down Under. The Mouse House announced the service's US launch date a few months back, but had left things vague otherwise, explaining that it "plans to be in nearly all major regions of the world within the next two years". While Disney+ was expected to be operational in Australia and New Zealand sometime in 2020, locals will only be left waiting a week after the service's American debut. With Disney recently merging with competitor Fox, Disney+'s range is hefty, spanning Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic. During its first year of operation, it's due to release more than 25 original series and ten original films, documentaries and specials — including five Marvel series (Loki, WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Hawkeye and Marvel's What If), and two Star Wars shows (The Mandalorian from The Lion King director Jon Favreau, plus a spinoff from Rogue One about Diego Luna's Rebel spy Cassian Andor). Two new Toy Story projects, as well as science series The World According to Jeff Goldblum, are also on Disney+'s lineup. Going big when it comes to bringing the company's well-known properties to the new streaming platform, a High School Musical TV series, another show based on Monsters, Inc. and a live-action Lady and the Tramp movie will be on the bill, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrXNtj84owc Price-wise, subscriptions will cost AU$8.99 and NZ$9.99 per month (or AU$89.99 and NZ$99.99 per year). Disney has also unveiled the devices that'll feature Disney+, which will be available both HD and 4K. Viewers will be able to access the service via Apple products (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV), Google devices (Android phones, Android TV devices, Google Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices), Roku, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and all Android-based Sony TVs. Disney+ will launch in Australia New Zealand on November 19. To sign up for further updates, visit the streaming platform's website. Top image: The Mandalorian.
If one particular Bee Gees song was ever the answer on Heardle, the music intro spinoff from Wordle, every Australian would guess it instantly. That tune: 'Spicks and Specks', which has been gracing the ABC's music quiz show of the same name since 2005 — whenever the show has been on the air, that is. It'll start echoing from your television again from Sunday, August 7, too, which is when the national broadcaster is bringing back the beloved series. Back in June, the network announced that the show would return this year for ten episodes, but now it has revealed the actual date. Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough will be back as well, hosting and taking on team captain roles respectively, while this new season also boasts an impressive list of guests. Hamish Blake, Denise Scott, Dave O'Neil, Luke McGregor, Rhys Nicholson, Nath Valvo and Zoe Coombs Marr will all return, while Casey Donovan, Montaigne, Emma Watkins, Dylan Alcott and Mama Alto will make their Spicks and Specks debut. And, that doesn't include the lineup of bands performing. If you're somehow new to the ABC hit, it answers an easy question. What's better than watching a heap of top Australian talent sit around and talk about music? Watching them do all of the above while flinging around trivia, competing for points and just generally being funny, too. From there, taking a few cues from the UK's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Spicks and Specks throws plenty of queries at its star-studded teams — pitting Aussie musos and comedians against each other. Yes, it's no wonder that the show has proven a hit several times over, and that it keeps coming back. It was a first weekly favourite when it initially aired between 2005–2011. Then, it was revived back in 2014, but with a new host and team captains. Finally, it started gathering its original lineup of Hills, Warhurst and Brough back together, first via a one-off reunion special, then with four new Spicks and Specks specials across 2019–20, and then in its regular format since 2021. Obviously, Spicks and Specks has been enjoying more comebacks than John Farnham of late. For its 2022 run, it's also dropping clues to a new game in each episode. To play The Secret Song, you'll need to watch out to cryptic clues uttered by Hills during the regular questions and games, which Warhurst and Brough also need to pick up on — and doing just that could mean the difference between winning and losing. Until August 7 arrives, check out a sneak peek at Spicks and Specks' new season below: Spicks and Specks will return to ABC TV and ABC iView from 7.40pm on Sunday, August 7.
This article is sponsored by our partners, lastminute.com.au. The Barossa Valley may produce a wide selection of mighty fine drops, but it's also one of the world's friendliest wine regions in the world. Wine makers will happily stop for a chat to let you in on a few of their techniques; cellar door staff don't mind helping you to distinguish your chocolate tones from your blackberry ones; and there's every chance your bed and breakfast hosts will feel like a homely aunt and uncle. What's more, the area is really accessible. Though it seems a world away, it's less than an hour's drive from Adelaide. And, to make it even easier, many of its 80 cellar doors and 150 wineries are grouped in clusters. So, in the absence of a designated driver, you can walk or cycle from one to the other without too much effort. The wine, of course, is the main attraction of the area. But the Barossa also has a range of other events and festivals. Here are five that are well worth the road trip. Barossa Film Festival For three days each spring, the Valley's wine cellars, brewery lawns and bars are transformed into mini cinemas. But don't expect your everyday blockbusters and rom coms. The Barossa Film Festival focuses on unconventional flicks: the too-often ignored yet totally brilliant creations of independent, underground and emerging filmmakers. And they're all screened free of charge. If you haven't booked your flight/train/camel yet, you'd better do so quick smart. November 28-30, Various venues in the Barossa Valley, FREE. Barossa Gourmet Weekend Held smack-bang in the middle of winter, the Barossa Gourmet Weekend is one sure-fire way to get through the colder months. Every third weekend in August, the valley is overtaken with all manner of food and wine adventures: from cooking lessons and wine masterclasses to long lunches and even longer dinners. As the weather's still nice and sunny, you'll have a while to wait for the program. Details are to be announced in mid-June. August 14-16, Various locations in the Barossa Valley, TBA. Barossa Vintage Festival Of all the wine festivals in Australia, Barossa Vintage is the biggest and longest-running. The event was first held in 1947 to celebrate the end of the grape harvest as well as the end of WWII. Since then it's become tradition; it's been around for nearly six decades. The next incarnation is promising all kinds of surprises, following the appointment of new festival manager Andrew Dundon. Adelaide Fringe-goers should know him well: he's been taking care of artists and venues there since 2011. Look out for the program announcement on December 9. April 15-19, Tanunda, FREE. Shakespeare in the Vines Quirky Melbourne theatre company Essential Theatre takes the bard on the road every year. Their tour of Australia's most beautiful gardens and wineries includes the Barossa Valley's Seppeltsfield Road, where Shakespeare in the Vines occurs on the Saturday of the Australia Day long weekend. Macbeth will be the next work to get the outdoor treatment in 2015, on January 24, 2015. Tickets are always limited to 400, so it's a good idea to book well in advance. January 24, Seppeltsfield Road, TBA. SALA Festival Even though SALA (South Australian Living Artists) Festival is a state-wide event, it takes on an especially vibrant presence in the Barossa. Sculptures, paintings, mosaics and installations are scattered around the area's rolling hills and vineyards; and there's plenty of opportunities to kick back at a gig with a nice drop of wine. SALA runs throughout August every year, so if you make it along to Barossa Gourmet Weekend, be sure to leave yourself a day or two to take in the culture. August 1-24, Various locations across South Australia, TBA. Now you've got your itinerary, book your getaway to the Barossa Valley now with lastminute.com.au.
End-of-year markets are always excellent for those of us who tend to leave gift purchasing until the last minute — and, thankfully, Etsy is bring its market back to Sydney in November. Etsy Made Local is a grassroots initiative that celebrates crafters, collectors and artisans in local communities, and provides them with the opportunity to sell their creations both online and in a physical space. So whether you're on the hunt for handmade wares or vintage goods, these guys have got you covered. Returning for the fourth year (and now open for applications if you're a crafty Etsy maker yourself), the market will take place at Centennial Park on Saturday, November 24 — and because it focuses on the best local talent, every year is filled with different stallholders and unique creations. Supporting creative small businesses and scoring a killer Christmas gift is a win for everyone involved, so head along and get your festive shopping done early, for once.
English art-rockers Everything Everything will be one of the most unpredictable Splendour sideshows you see this year, with their eclectic, off-the-wall repertoire and epic live set. The foursome has released three albums to date including Man Alive in 2010, Arc in 2013, and Get To Heaven in 2015, all of which have been met with riotous applause from critics and fans alike. Their latest single ‘Distant Past’ encapsulates everything you already know and love about the band; lead singer Jonathan Higgs’ vocals flying at breakneck speed to falsetto, paired with fast, fast percussion. Get your mates together, warm up those vocal chords and work on some tongue twisters if you plan on singing along, ‘Kemosabe’ and ‘Cough Cough’ beckon your assistance.
One of the most charismatic and unique openings of the year, The Hook, is a quirky, kitsch ode to the oyster bars of the US, complete with retro, nautical decor, live jazz piano performances and a yesteryear menu of cocktail classics. With an enticing blend of dive bar cool and shucking sophistication, this venue (from the team behind Piccolo Bar and Vermuteria) is now launching a bottomless bubbles and oysters offer, available every Saturday from 4—6pm. Kicking off on October 26, this deal delivers the ultimate opportunity to elevate your weekend plans with a cozzie-livs-defying night of bargain bivalves and free-flowing fizz. For $99 per head, punters can enjoy two hours of unlimited Chandon Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine, a dozen oysters per head plus olives and beer nuts. Those who really want to make a night of it should opt for the premium package. For $149 per head, you can up the ante with two hours of bottomless French champagne, a dozen oysters per head and a selection of top-quality cheeses, curated by the legendary Penny's Cheese Shop. Either enjoy your oysters au naturale, with a classic shallot mignonette, or (and trust us, you need to try it) dressed with a few drops of 10-year-aged Scotch whisky. You can also request some or all of your oysters grilled Kilpatrick style, with crispy hunks of bacon and a punch of tabasco. Images: Christopher Pearce
Spending quality time outdoors and with your pals after work is a solid way to improve your mental health. But achieving this and getting into bed at a reasonable hour can feel like an impossible task. We've found a solution. Head over to Petersham Bowling Club for a couple of rounds of after-work bowls followed by a couple of rounds of trivia. Make a night of it by hitting up the bistro, which serves some tasty bites (including a number of vegetarian options). You can be further satisfied by knowing that all seasonal produce is sourced from local sustainable vendors.
Opening a hotel restaurant in a CBD renowned for independent hotspots left right and centre has its ups and downs. For example, the backing of a 40-strong hotel chain is undoubtedly impressive, but unlike say New York, where three-Michelin-star chefs can be found hanging out at Trump International Towers, Sydney hasn't quite yet jumped on the bandwagon. Abode, the new addition to Park Royal down on the corner of Day and Bathurst Street, is at least a leg up in that direction. Street-facing and impressively decked out in apparently only a few weeks, Abode already deals with the whole hotel 'problem': any casual passer-by could easily be forgiven in thinking this restaurant/bar decked out in white woods, creams and greys is simply that, sans the attached accommodation. While it's no Jean-Georges, its size is impressive, and, with a sunken bar and lounge area, hidden-away games room and main dining room complete with cushioned banquettes, comfy and welcoming, Abode does live up to its name. According to restaurant and bar director Christian Rasmus, the main focus here is the food, whipped up by green-on-the-scene head chef Ryan Hong. We began with three selections from the raw bar, including salmon belly ($16), an oyster each ($4) and yellow fin tuna tartare ($18). Oyster lovers will like the accompanying cucumber and coriander for its freshness, while the wasabi gel and kewpie mayo alongside the salmon gave a delish sashimi kick. The best was probably the tuna but mainly because of the avocado puree. Love an avo puree. Breaking open a warm Bread and Butter Project roll ($3) with the most generous hunk of almost cheese-like butter, we moved onto 12-hour cooked lamb shoulder ($16) with Panko crumb, celeriac and apple jelly. Three words: move over pork. Apple with lamb is a hit. As was the juicy 9+ Wagyu flank ($40) that came after, cut into short fat chips, with a flavour-packed king mushroom and pumpkin puree. On the side we enjoyed some roasted carrots ($9) — it's great how something so simple can be so delicious — and not double but triple cooked fries ($9). Finally we finished with the corn-fed chicken (nice and juicy, $34) and the Tassie king salmon ($34), which while cooked well was sadly drowned by a small ocean of butter. With a strong wine list and seasonally changing cocktail menu, including an awfully wintery Spiced Blazer served in an espresso cup ($20), it's clear Abode's focus is in the right place. The best thing any hotel restaurant can do in a city unaccustomed to non-guest dining is remove the idea of a hotel altogether. Something this hospitable wannabe home in the CBD has done nicely.
One of the joys of exploring the inner west is stumbling upon niche speciality stores like Mineralism. Whether you identify as a gemstone person or not, this Glebe gem store is worth a visit. Opened in 2015, the shop is choc-a-block with precious stones, minerals, fossils and handmade jewellery gathered from all around the world. You'd be surprised just how excited the store's owners Jed Underwood and Jessa Lahoud can get when they talk about aquamarine, labradorite and larimar – and it's hard to not feel enthused about rocks yourself after a chat with the passionate owners. The business partners and couple have direct relationships with many miners and travel the world curating the in-store and online collection. It's a family affair, so expect to see Jessa's parents manning the till, whose knowledge as both jewellers and miners in Lightning Ridge help make Mineralism more than just another store. Images: Kitti Smallbone.
Byron Bay's Bluesfest has lost another name from its 2023 lineup, with acclaimed rapper Sampa the Great pulling out of this year's festival. Just over six weeks out from the Easter long-weekend fest, Bluesfest today announced its playing times for the five-day music program and a revised lineup, both of which were missing Sampa. A member from Sampa's team confirmed to Concrete Playground that Zambian hip hop trailblazer will not be performing at the festival. US supergroup The Soul Rebels & Friends with special guests Talib Kweli, GZA and Big Freedia also appears missing from the set times and revised lineup, however, there's been no confirmation of the group's removal from the lineup. Bluesfest was reached out to for comment on both Sampa and The Soul Rebels, but did not respond before publication. [caption id="attachment_811633" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sampa the Great, Lucian Coman[/caption] The lineup change follows Monday's announcement that King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard had also removed themselves from the program. The band's decision to withdraw from the festival was kept reasonably vague but, in a statement, the Melbourne psych-rock group cited the festival's decision to book content that conflicts with their values as the reason they won't be appearing. "As a band and as human beings, we stand against misogyny, racism, transphobia and violence," King Giz's statement reads. "Surprised and saddened to see Bluesfest commit to presenting content that is in complete opposition to these values." "Given this decision by the festival, we have decided to cancel our appearance at Bluesfest," continues the statement. "We are deeply disappointed to be in this position but sometimes you need to be willing to make sacrifices to stand up for your values. This is, unfortunately, one of those moments." Controversy began brewing around this year's Bluesfest after the unveiling of its sixth artist announcement which featured the band Sticky Fingers. The booking of Sticky Fingers received online backlash from others in the music industry including Jaguar Jonze and Camp Cope's Sarah Thompson. Dylan Frost, Sticky Fingers' frontman, has been the subject of serious allegations which include physically threatening First Nations singer Thelma Plum and harassing a transgender woman at a Sydney pub. Frost and bassist Paddy Cornwall were also caught in an alleged brawl with each other in 2019 which saw Cornwall charged with affray. Bluesfest previously faced controversy after festival director Peter Noble compared a Jewish woman to a Nazi for commenting on the gender imbalance present on the first announcement of the festival's 2018 lineup. The festival will continue without King Giz and Sampa the Great from Thursday, April 6 until Monday, April 10 with headliners including Gang of Youths, Paolo Nutini, Tash Sultana, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers and Beck. [caption id="attachment_876098" align="alignnone" width="1920"] King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Jason Galea[/caption] Bluesfest 2023 will run from Thursday, April 6–Monday, April 10 at Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah. For the most up-to-date lineup, head to the Bluesfest website. Top image: Jordan Munns.
There was a big, fat question mark hanging over the future of The Midnight Shift after its closure in 2017, but the beloved gay bar has been bought by Sydney group Universal Hotels and resurrected. Things are a little different, though. For one, the new venue is now called Universal, with the new owners leaving the name to rest in peace. "Universal [is] an evolution of the Midnight Shift, rather than a revolution," explained owner Jim Kospetas. He also confirmed that the group — which conducted an online survey to gauge what the community wanted them to do with the venue — plans to respect the "special role that it has played for the LGBTIQA+ community" and continue its long-held legacy of inclusivity. The venue launched with a huge three-day opening party, and is continuing to host late-night dance sessions every Friday and Saturday night. Running till 4am, the parties change weekly, with ones like FAB, featuring live performances, DJs and drag shows; Satori, with a healthy dose of creativity in all forms; and a disco-, funk- and house-filled Midnight Discotheque making regular appearances. The venue also partnered with Heaps Gay for its big launch party, so you may see them pop up a few more times in the future, too.
Finding greatness in Bong Joon-ho's Parasite isn't difficult. The perceptive class-clash and eat-the-rich story, the array of pitch-perfect performances, the acclaimed director's stunning mastery of tone, the insightful and revealing production design: they're all examples in this Oscar- and Cannes-winning South Korean masterpiece. Another instance comes courtesy of composer Jung Jae-il's score, which soundtracks the film with tunes both disquieting and baroque. It's no wonder that accolades came Jung's way, too, including from his homeland's Grand Bell Awards. Hearing Jung's contribution echoing as Parasite screens is the best way to appreciate it, of course — and watching him perform it live in Australia with Orchestra Victoria will dial what's already a spectacular experience up a few notches. For the first time, the composer is heading Down Under, all thanks to 2025's Melbourne International Film Festival. The event's commitment to honouring the art of screen composition via screenings that pair live tunes and movies is continuing, and two Parasite in Concert sessions are set to be among this year's fest highlights. At 2pm and 8pm on Saturday, August 23 at Hamer Hall in the Victorian capital, Jung will take to the keys. He'll also be conducting Orchestra Victoria as he plays. Seeing Parasite on a big screen is already a treat, no matter how many times you've watched it before; however, giving the picture the concert treatment is something extra special. It's only happening in Melbourne, if you're located elsewhere in Australia and needed more motivation — beyond the 26 films the fest has already announced for 2025 — to attend this year's MIFF. Jung isn't just known for Parasite. If you've felt the tension emanating from Squid Game's score across its two seasons so far — with the third arriving before June 2025 is out — then you've also appreciated the composer's efforts. Prior to Parasite, Jung collaborated with Bong on Okja, then did so again afterwards on this year's Mickey 17. The tunes in Hirokazu Kore-eda's Broker hail from him as well, as does the score for MIFF 2025 title Twinless. "Composing the score of Parasite for director Bong Joon Ho was a life-changing experience for me, and it's a work I'm incredibly proud of. I'm so excited to conduct and perform this original score live in concert for the first time in Australia with the talented Orchestra Victoria as part of Melbourne International Film Festival," said Jung about MIFF's Parasite in Concert events. "This isn't just a film with live music, it's something far more rare. To see Jung Jae-il perform and conduct his own score, live, brings an intimacy and immediacy you can't replicate," added Melbourne International Film Festival Artistic Director Al Cossar. "It's exactly the kind of experience that belongs on a festival stage. In collaboration with Orchestra Victoria, we're proud to present something that speaks directly to MIFF's mission to bring audiences the story of the world through unforgettable screen experiences," Cossar continued. Parasite in Concert joins two sessions of almost-100-year-old masterpiece The Passion of Joan of Arc with a new score by Julia Holter on the music-and-movies side of Melbourne International Film Festival's 2025 program so far. As for what else they'll have for company beyond the already-revealed titles, the fest's full lineup is unveiled on Thursday, July 10. Check out the trailer for Parasite below: Parasite Live in Concert takes place on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Southbank — with tickets on sale from 11am on Thursday, June 12, 2025 via the venue website. The 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, including the full program from Thursday, July 10, visit the MIFF website.
While Sydney boasts its fair share of bottomless brunches, it's always exciting when a longtime culinary favourite launches its own iteration of the time-honoured tradition. The latest Sydney spot to jump on the bandwagon is Parramatta's Lilymu — one of our 15 favourite restaurants in Sydney. And this Parramatta Square eatery is doing things a little differently with a unique selection of food and free-flowing drinks. For $99 per person, you and your fellow brunch revellers will be treated to 90 minutes of bottomless sake spritzes and espresso martinis, as well as prosecco, rosé and Asahi beer. Accompanying the drinks is a banquet of highlights from the Lilymu menu, including crispy fried quail, red curry rice bites, ricotta dumplings, banana leaf roasted barramundi and prawn fried rice. [caption id="attachment_787138" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] If all of that still isn't enough, there's also a range of extras you can add on, including pacific oysters for $6 each and roasted duck with Laos sausages for $55. "As the Lilymu brand continues to grow and reach new heights, we wanted to give back to our guests by offering the best value bottomless lunch not only in the west but in Sydney," Co-Founder and Executive Director of Lilymu Ibby Moubadder said. Bookings are available from midday–2pm every Saturday and Sunday with a minimum group size of four people required to order the bottomless brunch. [caption id="attachment_893677" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jiwon Kim[/caption] Top image: Nicki To
The mercury is slowly rising again as summer nudges closer, Daylight Savings has kicked into gear and people's moods are altogether cheerier. Which means it's almost time for Sydney to get its noodle on once again. Yep, the Night Noodle Markets are gearing up for another season, whipping Hyde Park into a frenzy of sounds, smells and street food from October 11 to 18. The markets' 2019 edition is delivering a jam-packed culinary program that's as big as ever and with that comes an eye-watering array of choice. If you're feeling a bit daunted by all that decision-making and wondering how best to navigate the smorgasbord of eats, we've got your back. Avoid any bouts of indecisiveness and squeeze the best out of your Night Noodle Markets visit with our lineup of top food picks worth checking out. Get excited for attention-grabbing noodle dishes, szechuan-inspired fried chicken and inventive dessert creations that'll require both hands and a whole stack of napkins. EYE OF THE THAI-GER, GELATO MESSINA Seventeen years on and national sweetheart Gelato Messina continues to throw down inventive frozen treats left right and centre. The purveyors of weird and wonderful dessert concoctions will be showing off their latest designs at this year's Night Noodle Markets and each is a modern reworking of some classic Thai flavours. For a tasty frozen snack you can hold in one hand, try the Eye of the Thai-ger — which looks a bit like a fluffy dessert taco. It's a satisfyingly creamy fusion of Thai milk tea gelato and cheesecake mousse cradled in a layer of tea sponge. The dessert is then dunked in soft meringue and finished with a healthy dusting of coconut. We doubt you'll want to stop at just one. [caption id="attachment_745515" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luisa Brimble[/caption] LECHE FLAN DOUGHNUT BURGER, DONUT PAPI Sydney's go-to for inventive, Asian-inspired doughnut creations, Donut Papi is returning to the Night Noodle Markets with a fresh haul of crafty desserts in tow. These guys sure aren't afraid to get a little creative, as you'll know from past ingenious doughnut iterations like peanut butter birthday cake, ube Oreo and even garlic bread. But the treat you need to sink your chompers into this month is the Leche Flan Donut Burger. A slab of lush, sticky Filipino-style crème caramel is stuffed between halves of a sugar-crusted doughnut bun, ready and waiting to ooze upon that first bite. BIG BOSS FLYING NOODLES, THE FLYING NOODLE Is it magic? Is it a feat of aerodynamics? No, it's simply the show-stopping signature dish from The Flying Noodle. Featuring a serve of chopsticked noodles suspended mysteriously in the air, this menu hit is designed to be devoured with your eyes, as well as your mouth. There are three gravity-defying variations on offer at this year's Night Noodle Markets, including The Big Boss, which teams those cascading egg noodles with seasonal veggies and marinated chicken in a rich red wine sauce. How do they do it? You'll just have to order one and find out. [caption id="attachment_745527" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] STICKY RICKY BURGER, JOHNNY BIRD Crows Nest's fried chicken maestro Johnny Bird is coming to the party, getting into the Night Noodle Market spirit with some Asian-inspired riffs on its usual chook-licious fare. Alongside menu favourites like chicken tenders and the classic Johnny Bird burger, you'll find the Sticky Ricky, available with or without the bun. This one features that OG crisp fried free-range chicken, teamed with lettuce, spring onion, sesame seeds and a gutsy lick of sticky szechuan sauce. Our tip? Best load up on napkins before going in for the kill. CHEESEBURGER PUFFLE, PUFFLE Everyone loves a quirky, cheesy food creation and this one's as fun to say as it is to eat. A return favourite from last year's markets, and a riff on the egg waffles you'll find at street stalls in Hong Kong, Puffle is a kind of savoury waffle cone made out of cheese and filled with various flavour combinations. This month, Puffle is out to win you over with two different decadent versions of its dish, including the cheeseburger — an assembly of chopped bulgogi-style beef and extra melted cheese, finished with lashings of sweet and spicy ketchup, mustard and Japanese mayo — and a KFC option with spicy Korean-style fried chicken. But, whichever filling you opt for, you're in for a crunchy, oozy and delightfully messy ride. Want more? The Sydney Night Noodle Markets are at Hyde Park from Friday, October 11, to Friday, October 18. Check out the full food lineup here. Top image: Bec Taylor
Adora Handmade Chocolates began in 1993, when two sisters who loved making chocolate so much at home decided to take their passion out into the world. Fast-forward to 2019 and there are four retail spaces across Sydney, including a very popular, very cosy, spot on George Street, Parramatta. Every creation here involves perfecting the balance of flavours – be it a melt-in-your-mouth butter truffle dusted with chocolate flakes, a mango lamington or a rich slab of chocolate fudge. Rest yourself on a stool, relax and indulge. There's good coffee to match your sweet picks. And be sure to take a bag of treats home with you. The love here should definitely be shared.
Bubbly 25-year-old Louella Mathews isn't exactly your stereotypical sommelier. The self-confessed wine nerd worked her way up through waitressing gigs at Orange's Lolli Redini and Racine restaurants before landing a coveted role in the elite team of sommeliers at Neil Perry's Rockpool. Concrete Playground caught up with Mathews to find out just how a person ends up getting to play with wine for a living, and what it takes to become that rare authority, the Master Sommelier. Being a sommelier seems like one of those fantasy jobs that people dream about but nobody expects could actually happen. Like being an astronaut. Or Beyonce. Tell us a bit about how you got here. I grew up in Orange refusing to eat anything but macaroni and cheese, so it was a bit ironic that I landed up working in hospitality. I started out as a food runner and eventually wound up managing a great restaurant in Orange called Racine, where there was no sommelier so I got to work on the wine list. Orange is a really tiny wine area, so a lot of the restaurants carry the same wines. I really wanted to do something more unique and had a lot of fun trying to track down interesting bottles that our customers mightn't yet have come across. But then customers would ask me questions I couldn't answer, or winemakers would talk to me in terms I didn't understand, and I realised I needed some actual training in order to do it properly. I enrolled myself in the Wine Spirits and Education Trust (WSET) program at Ryde TAFE and sent my resume to every three-hatted restaurant in Sydney. I started at Rockpool on George as a section waiter and when an opportunity came up to work as a sommelier, I jumped at it. You work in a field that has traditionally been quite male-dominated. Have you ever experienced reluctance from diners to accept the advice of a young female sommelier? I'm the only female sommelier at Rockpool and people often assume I'm a waitress. I'll go to a table to ask if they need help with the wine list and they'll say "yeah, sure, but could I please speak to the sommelier?" On the whole, though, I think that the element of surprise actually works to my advantage; it lets me be more casual and approachable. I guess I'm a bit less intimidating than your stereotypical sommelier and that can make people feel more comfortable asking me questions about the wine. Once, though, I did feel annoyed when a customer asked if I found that my female palate impaired my work as a sommelier. Right. Those girly hormones interfering with your tastebuds and all. Exactly. To be fair, I guess it's scientifically possible that men and women have different palates, I don't know. In any case, I'm guided less by my own taste and more by the customer, the reason they've chosen to dine with us, what they're eating, and their price range, and I use all of those elements to work out what wine they'll really enjoy rather than necessarily giving them what I would enjoy, which is what a lot of other sommeliers would do. On the topic of palate, were you born with yours or did you develop it through training? Oh, it's definitely something you develop over time. I'm really sceptical about this idea that you have to be born with a super-palate in order to do this job. At the beginning, whether you admit it or not, you'll start out thinking "this honestly just smells like wine". And then it's "okay, this smells like Riesling". And gradually you learn to expand on that — if it's a Riesling, you know to expect lemon citrus, you know there will be something floral there; I can always reliably say there's white acacia, for example, in a Riesling. As you become more experienced you can pick up all sorts of characteristics in the wine, but to begin with it's more about learning the vocabulary and knowing what to expect in any given varietal. What do you think lies ahead for you, career-wise? My ultimate goal is to be a Master Sommelier. There are only two hundred in the world. There have been three in Australia: Michael Engelmann from Rockpool Bar & Grill who just moved to New York, Franck Moreau from the Merivale Group and Sebastian Crowther from the China Group. So no women. You might be the first. That's the dream. What will you have to do to get there? There are four levels of exams. In May next year I'll do level two, then I'll fly to New York or London to complete level three which is the Advanced Sommelier course, and then level four is the Master Sommelier level. It's very self-driven learning. You spend a year studying and tasting wine and then you have a three-day exam where you blind taste six wines and you're expected to identify exactly what they are, including the vintage. There's also a written exam and a service component where you serve wine to a panel of judges and they throw a barrage of questions at you and you have to impress them with what you know. Are there any particular places you'd like to work along the way? I'd love to work at Quay, which was the first three-hatted restaurant I ever experienced, and Eleven Madison Park in New York. Honestly, if I could get a job at Eleven Madison Park just polishing cutlery, I would be happy. There's been an explosion in celebrity chefs over the past few years. Are we about to enter the age of the celebrity sommelier? I hope so. I'd love to be a celebrity sommelier. There's something really sexy about wine, so I think it would work quite well. Maybe I'll be the Nigella Lawson of wine. And finally, for the punters at home, what wine should we all be drinking right now? If I could only drink one wine for the rest of my life it would be an Austrian Grüner Veltliner. It's like Riesling, which I love, but it's got texture to it and much more depth. You get herbs, flowers, fruit and texture; it's the complete package.
Sydney WorldPride is bringing the party to town. Not only will it see our country's best gay clubs, bars and party spaces come to life but the celebrations will flow throughout galleries and art spaces, museums (hello Pride Shark!), boutiques, public parks, rainbow roads, and the sails of the Opera House. Our editors have picked their favourite Sydney WorldPride events but we've also enlisted a few locals to share some of the less obvious spots to celebrate. Enter Alex Greenwich. The Independent MP is a proud gay man and has used his public platform to push for equality and LGBTQIA+ rights throughout his career. For WorldPride, he's swapped his signature casual suit and shirt for a tuxedo exploding with green tulle in an installation hosted in the hallowed halls of the QVB. Alex is among a lineup of queer Australian legends currently being honoured for their contributions to the LGBTQIA+ community. The retail centre is temporarily changing up its name from the Queen Victoria Building to reflect each of these contemporary queens with a set of fabulous portraits befitting of any royalty on display shot by photographer Dream Syndicator. The queens in focus are trans icon and cabaret star Carlotta, queer activist Ken Davis (a member of the original Mardi Gras 78ers), Indigenous drag queen Felicia Foxx, and Alex along with Janine Middleton who, together, co-chaired Australian Equality and successfully fought for and helped achieve marriage equality in Australia. Who better than MP Greenwich — whose office is literally in the middle of Oxford Street — to give a few tips on where to go during Sydney WorldPride? And if you bump into him in a bar, he'll take a tequila and soda, thanks darl. What do you think about Sydney hosting WorldPride this year? "Sydney hosting WorldPride is such a great opportunity to showcase our city and diverse community to the whole world. During covid Sydney missed the world and the world missed Sydney and Sydney WorldPride is a nice way to welcome back the rest of the world. Sydney has the most beautiful and diverse welcoming LGBTQIA+ community and I'm grateful to be part of that community. I'm also grateful to have the opportunity to represent that community in parliament." If someone spies Alex Greenwich at a club or bar (and WorldPride is bringing to life some of the best), what drink should they buy you? (And what topic should they NEVER bring up?) "If I'm in a club, tequila and soda will probably be the drink of choice. I don't know about a topic that I wouldn't want some to bring up... I'll talk about any topic." What are the best queer venues in Sydney in your opinion? "I think there's such a great variety of queer venues in Sydney. I love Stonewall. The re-opening of ARQ is awesome. POOF DOOF at Kinsella's and smaller venues like Dulcies in the Cross." [caption id="attachment_679716" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The iconic Stonewall on Oxford Street[/caption] What are some of the best spots where an international visitor should go on a first-date during Pride? "There's so many great spots in Sydney to choose from. What I would say is to go to a swimming hole like the new cove in Barangaroo, grab food from a mini deli like Darlinghurst Deli and stop by a bottle shop, and go for a picnic and a swim." Where do you like having a late-night dinner or snack? "Chinatown is always a great destination for a late night dinner." Which local LGBTQIA+ owned businesses do you like to support? The great thing with Sydney is there are so many LGBTQIA+ owned businesses to support. I try to support them all but Claire's Kitchen on Oxford Street is an iconic dinner destination. What events are you most excited about for Mardi Gras and WorldPride? And what are the events you would say are not-to-be-missed? "I'm most excited for the Pride March Harbour Bridge Crossing . It will be historic and an opportunity to send a strong message about supporting LGBTQIA+ rights. I'm also looking forward to the Mardi Gras parade and marching in it again, the First Nations Gala at the Opera House, and the Opening Ceremony." [caption id="attachment_892180" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Miss First Nations perform at the First Nations Gala[/caption] Finally, Alex: how important is Kylie Minogue? "Kylie is obviously an icon of Australia and a strong supporter of the community and it's so wonderful that she is joining us for the celebration." For more inspiration for how to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration head to our events guide on the best of Sydney WorldPride.
Every December, fans of sparkling sights are gifted a luminous feast for their eyes. No, we're not talking about Christmas lights. Regardless of whether you're bathing in a festive glow or hardly fond of all the merriment, 'tis the season for the Geminids meteor shower to soar through the sky — starting on Monday, December 4 and finishing for 2023 on Wednesday, December 20. Even better: Down Under, it's at its peak on the evening of Thursday, December 14 and the morning of Friday, December 15. If you have a telescope at hand, it's clearly a great time to put it to use. Eager to catch a glimpse, even from just your backyard or balcony? Here's everything you need to know. [caption id="attachment_754955" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A composite of 163 photos taken over 90 minutes during the Geminids by Jeff Smallwood for Flickr.[/caption] WHAT IS IT? Lighting up the end-of-year skies, the Geminids meteor shower is considered the most spectacular meteor shower of the year. Again, Christmas lights aren't the only spectacle worth peering at this month. The Geminids is caused by a stream of debris, left by an asteroid dubbed the 3200 Phaethon, burning up in Earth's atmosphere — and it was first observed in 1862. Some years, you can catch as many as 150 meteors every 60 minutes, so this definitely isn't just any old meteor shower. [caption id="attachment_699423" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Jeff Dai.[/caption] WHEN TO SEE IT The 2023 shower kicks off on Monday, December 4, running through till Wednesday, December 20. As with every year, it's expected to be at its peak in Australia overnight mid-month — between Thursday, December 14–Friday, December 15, specifically. If you fancy a stint of stargazing, the best time to look up is on Thursday, December 14 from around 9pm in Brisbane, 10pm in Perth, 11pm in Sydney, 11.30pm in Adelaide and 12am in Melbourne. The best time to catch an eyeful will be after midnight, when the moon has set and its light will not interfere, but before sunrise. [caption id="attachment_882304" align="alignnone" width="1920"] ESO/G. Lombardi via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] HOW TO SEE IT For your best chances, it's worth getting as far away from bright lights as possible. This could be a good excuse to head out of the city to a clear-skied camping spot — and pray for no clouds. To see the meteors, you'll need to give your eyes around 15–30 minutes to adapt to the dark (so try to avoid checking your phone) and look to the northeast. The shower's name comes from the constellation from which they appear to come, Gemini. So that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. To locate Gemini, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky (and is a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night). If you're more into specifics, Time and Date also has a table that shows the direction and altitude of the Geminids. The Geminids meteor shower runs from Monday, December 4–Wednesday, December 20, and will be at its peak during the night on Thursday, December 14–Friday, December 15. For further details, head to Time and Date. Top image: A composite of 88 photos taken over 60 minutes during the Geminids by Paul Balfe via Flickr.
A wave of new omakase restaurants opening in Sydney is in full swing right now, with these set menu experiences now available at the likes of Sokyo, TOKO, Besuto, Bay Nine and Senpai Ramen, just to name a few. The latest outpost to arrive in Sydney with a 'leave it to the chef' mentality is Woo Wol, an omakase restaurant from the Jung Sung team that specialises in one cut of meat — wagyu beef. Lunch at Woo Wol consists of barbecue sets, bento boxes and a range of snacks ranging from fried dumplings to bibimbap. Come dinner, you can keep it simple with a barbecue platter featuring wagyu, pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables to enjoy in the main dining room or the al fresco area. These platters are available in a series of different sizes depending on how big your group is. There's also a $70 wagyu cake on the dinner menu, but if you want the full Woo Wol experience, you'll bypass all of this and head for the omakase kitchen. Here, you'll be treated to a 15-course set menu for $250. This lavish dining experience kicks off with spanner crab with egg custard, sea urchin and salmon roe. From there, just a few of the highlights include beef tartare with caviar, black truffle eel, an A5 wagyu cube roll and the sashimi of the day before you're given a lime cleanser and you move onto the centrepiece of your meal. Your omakase experience builds towards the chef performance barbecue where you'll be able to sample a variety of cuts of wagyu. This is accompanied by ban sang (small side dishes) which includes rice of the day, soup of the day and a variety of traditional sides. Whether you opt for barbecue or omakase, you can pair your meal with a glass of Floud of Suntory beer, Korean rice or raspberry wine, or your choice from the soju and spirits menu. These carefully curated selections include Jinro is Back retro soju if you're looking for something simple, grape or peach ChumChurum soju if you want to get sweet and fruity, or premium picks like the $55 JinMaek Wheat Soju and Han Chung Korean Cheongju sake. Woo Wol is located at Shop 7/6 Central Park Avenue, Chippendale. It's open for lunch Thursday–Sunday and dinner Monday–Sunday. Top image: Steven Woodburn
With the Year of the Ox almost upon us, The Rocks is turning its regular weekend markets into a Lunar New Year celebration. From Friday, February 12–Sunday, February 14 and Friday, February 19–Sunday, February 21, red and yellow lanterns, live music, performers, food stalls and a giant inflatable ox will be lining the cobblestones laneways. As is usually the case at The Rocks' regular Friday Foodie Market, there will be plenty of tasty treats to choose from, including an Ayam food truck serving up noodle favourites such as mee goreng, pad thai and char kway teow. Once you've had your fill of food, you can stop by The Rocks Square for free mahjong, zodiac readings and calligraphy (from 11am–2pm each day) or catch a DJ set from Mowgli May (4–9pm Fridays). When you're done, you can wander along Circular Quay to the Sydney Opera House and gaze at the 12 giant Lunar Lanterns. Images: Anna Kucera
Since being formed in 2001, Melbourne nine-piece The Bamboos have released more than five acclaimed albums, placed songs in TV shows like Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty and Underbelly and worked on the soundtrack for a multi-platinum Nintendo game. But frontman and periodic electronic producer Lance Ferguson isn't one to let the band rest on its smooth, funk-born laurels. Over the years he's injected new flavours into the band by collaborating with other artists, fusing elements of hip hop and psych, and constantly shaking up the lineup. In 2012 The Bamboos joined up with Tim Rogers of You Am I for the Triple J-championed track 'I Got Burned'. An addictive combo of the band's rhythmic grooves and the singer's distinctive howl, the track featured on The Bamboos latest album Medicine Man — their biggest release to date. This year they're taking the alliance live with The Rock n Soul Medicine Show. We caught up with Lance before the tour to talk about collaborating, staying current and the frustrations of being pidgeonholed. You guys have been pretty busy over 2012 did you manage to get a break over Christmas? I did, I had a week in Lorne in January, which was really good. It feels like a distant memory now though. You did Falls Festival didn't you? That's right. So how did you come to team up with Tim Rogers for 'Burned'? I first met Tim when I was playing guitar in Washington and we were playing the BDO tour. It was a few years back now, and I met him backstage and we hit it off. Just musical nerd talk of old records and stuff. We seemed to connect on that level, and on a personal level as well, and even at that point we talked about collaborating together — way before anything actually happened. https://youtube.com/watch?v=hZEN_l4j6mY Is collaborating with other artists an important thing for you? You've also got Aloe Blacc and Daniel Merriweather on the album too. Yeah it definitely is, and The Bamboos have often had guests involved with different records. Most of the collaborations have stemmed from some kind of friendship and the whole collaboration evolved organically rather than me on the phone to my manager going, "get me this guy." Most of these things have happened in nice natural and sincere progression. I do prefer that, because getting complete strangers in the studio can be weird if you're trying to connect musically. It is such an intimate thing, writing a song with someone, for me, so I do prefer it to stem from some kind of friendship I guess. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_4G96KbQ4SI What about Syl Johnson? Yeah well we toured with him twice, pretty much as his backing band. Both times were incredibly valuable. The last time unfortunately he had a heart attack when we were playing with him in Brisbane, which was just a terrible turn of events. And then he spent some time in hospital, bounced back and did a show in Melbourne after that, which was incredible. So yeah, such a cool guy actually. Going back to the ARIAS and the recent popularity of acts like Saskwatch and Chet Faker, what do you think it is about soul music now that has people taking notice? Do you think the music has changed or are we just becoming more receptive? Well it's been such a battle with this music, from my perspective. I recently put out a compilation called The Soul Of Melbourne with a friend of mine Chris Gill — a compilation of soulful Melbourne acts — so it was great to put that together, and you can see how the scene has crystallised. But I think what's happened is that there's a younger generation of fans and music lovers who are maybe in their late teens or early twenties now, and who came up through their teens hearing Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones. I think that has created a sort of hotbed of people who know that music through being exposed to it. So now that they're at the age of going to gigs and going to festivals that music just seems sort of natural to them, like "oh it's a soul music band, we know what that is and we like it." So there's definitely the element of generational acceptance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=pxBnzQtdHdM You made the Triple J Hottest 100, which is a pretty big deal for a funk/soul-driven group. Yeah, I mean as much as that's a cool thing I do sort of battle with The Bamboos to not be such a genre-driven band. [Funk and soul] is definitely where we've come from and where we've started, and it's ostensibly what we do in terms of the sounds we create, but for me I just really don't think of The Bamboos as a band of any genre now. I just try to think of it as, "We're The Bamboos and we're just going to make some music." It could have some psych rock elements, it could be a blues tune, it could be anything — it could incorporate a whole bunch of influences now. So I definitely have tried to break the band out of just being like a soul/funk band. I'm not saying that to have a go at you, by the way! Well that's what's so unique about your music is that it incorporates so many unexpected sounds. Your electronic project, Lanu — do you think that influences The Bamboos music at all? I don't know if it influences but it's another avenue for me as a songwriter. I think anything I write separately from The Bamboos though, even if unconsciously, I reckon it must inform it. Whether it's just different forms or different ways of looking at putting a song together... So yeah, I reckon it does influence our music actually. What about other local acts — anyone in particular you been listening to heavily? My vocalist for The Bamboos, Ella Thompson, has a band called Axolotl, who do this sort of dreamy, electronic, indie stuff. I'm really into them, they supported us on our last national tour. There's another band Hiatus Kaiyote that defies genre labels, and is doing some amazing things internationally as well. They just won the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards for Break-Though Act, so they're really being flagged internationally. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Iae6LmWTXPw Obviously live performance is a massive part of The Bamboos appeal, and Melbourne has a very healthy live music scene. Do you think about that when making songs? I look at the studio thing and the live thing as two very separate entities, and we started out as a live act before we ever recorded anything. [The live show] has been something I've tried to improve on and tweak and be progressive with. Now we come out and basically play our songs, which sounds really obvious — but I think the lineup we've had the last year and a half is possibly the strongest, best and most solid lineup in the history of the band. For me it's an exciting time to play live. How do you see the band's sound developing over the next year or so? There were some thing in that album that were real bubblegum pop things, and I think with the next recording that things might become a little more muscular again. A bit darker. That's what I'm feeling at the moment. Is there anything else you want to say about the upcoming tour and what we can expect from it? Not really, just that it's The Bamboos and Tim Rogers rather than The Bamboos featuring Tim Rogers, so I'm really working with Tim on some new originals and we're picking out a bunch of whole new covers. There's going to be a whole new music for the band to play, which is always good for keeping us on our toes. Tim Rogers & The Bamboos Rock 'n' Soul Medicine Show: Saturday 23 Feb - Perth Festival, Perth, WA Thursday 28 Feb - QPAC, Brisbane, QLD Friday 1 March - Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne, VIC Saturday 2 March - Leongatha Memorial Hall, VIC Thursday 7 March - The HiFi, Sydney, NSW Friday 8 March - Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, NSW Saturday 9 March - Uni Bar, Wollongong, NSW Sunday 10 March - Womadelaide, Adelaide, SA
When HBO managed to get the cast of Friends back on the same couch and chatting to camera about their time on the hit sitcom, the US cable network clearly found itself a new niche. That'd be big reunion specials that reteam the stars of beloved pop culture favourites to talk about their experiences — so it's going down the same route with the Harry Potter franchise. If you've been chanting "accio more Harry Potter" to yourself for the past decade since the eight-film series wrapped up, it seems that your wishes have finally come true. Like the Friends special, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts won't feature anyone in-character — but, if you're a fan, spending more time with the movies' stars still promises to be magical. There'd be no point going ahead if Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson weren't all involved, so they're definitely on the lineup. So is filmmaker Chris Columbus, who directed the franchise's first two movies. Joining them is a huge list of other actors from across the movie series' history, including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman and Tom Felton, plus James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch and Ian Hart. You'll spot some missing names — Maggie Smith and Robert Pattinson, for instance, to name just two — but clearly there'll be a whole lot of HP cast members reminiscing about their time in the wizarding world. As the special's name makes plain, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is popping up to celebrate 20 years since Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone first reached cinemas back in 2001. That said, whether you're a muggle, a wannabe wizard and witch, or someone who spent far too much of their childhood reading the books and watching the flicks, you'll actually be checking out the new special in 2022. In the US, it'll stream on January 1 on HBO Max. Viewing options Down Under haven't yet been revealed, so there's something to start trying to summon sooner rather than later. Check out the teaser trailer for the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special below: HBO's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special will be available to stream in the US on January 1, 2022 — we'll update you with viewing details Down Under when they're announced.
Tuesdays mean different things to different people. Another day closer to the weekend, almost hump day, the day you wish you could sleep through — they're all on the list. But, at The Bavarian each week, the day after Monday also means tucking into $9.95 schnitzels. It's one of the tastiest ways to celebrate any day, and to also save your pennies while doing so. There's no occasion, other than just because — but cheap schnitties for the sake of it is what any Schnitzel Tuesday should be about. For a bargain price, The Bavarian will serve you up a chicken schnitzel with fries and lemon, but you do have to also buy a full-priced drink to get the deal. Fancy another schnitty? That's completely fine — just get another drink. Available all day every Tuesday, this is some good schnitz. To get your fix, you can head to The Bavarian venues around town — there are 16 in New South Wales, including everywhere from Entertainment Quarter and Green Hills to York Street and Chatswood, so you've got options. You can also level-up your schnits for an extra $10, getting a 'Godfather' (a giant schnitzel, ham, cheese, kielbasa, napoli sauce and cheese) or a 'Matterhorn' (a schnitzel mountain, cheese spätzle, three layers of Alpen cheese and bacon).
Do you have a whole shrine filled with gin? A shelf? A decent section of your liquor cabinet? If so, it's likely that many of those bottles hail from Australia's own Four Pillars. And, thanks to the gin-making superstars' next two tipples, you might be about to add to them. The latest additions to the award-winning brand's range both play with its original gin — and one that has quite the following. So, if you've sipped Four Pillars' Rare Dry Gin, you'll want to try its new Rarer Dry Gin and Rarest Dry Gin. The first is made with yuzu, the second features bergamot, and obviously no one stretched themselves too much thinking of these gins' names. Still citrus-heavy like the OG tipple, Rarer Dry Gin and Rarest Dry Gin came about after the Four Pillars' team discovered some locally grown yellow yuzu and green bergamot — and then started tinkering. Where the Rare Dry Gin uses nine botanicals in the pot and oranges in the vapour basket that sits above the pot, these two newbies swap in their different types of citrus. That's it, that's the change. While Four Pillars still recommends that you drink the original in G&Ts, it's suggesting that these two newcomers also suit the cocktail — or you can add the Rarer Dry Gin to a gin and soda highball if you're after something different. Rarer Dry Gin and Rarest Dry Gin will be available from Saturday, September 11 from the distillery's website, costing $75 each per bottle. And, because Four Pillars likes to put the bi-products from the distillation process to good use, this time it has whipped up a Made from Gin Yuzu & Bergamot Shred Marmalade that'll be available for $12 for a 160-gram jar. For more information about Four Pillars' Rarer Dry Gin and Rarest Dry Gin, or to buy them from Saturday, September 11, head to the distillery's website.
When it comes to festivals, 2023 is gearing up to be a non-stop party all across the Sunshine State, right up to the year's end. We're looking at a jam-packed calendar of cultural events, from long-running festivals to exciting newcomers and immersive experiences. Whether you're into classical, country or blues, or folk and rock 'n' roll — or you simply want to discover the hottest emerging artists in the country — there's a good chance you'll find a fest that hits your chosen genre (or lets you delight in something new). And there's more than just tunes on offer. There's cultural spotlights and event programs highlighting fantastically unique communities, as well as activities bringing together artists and performers across different media forms for thought-provoking creative collabs. Plus, these festivals are in some pretty amazing locations, from the desert to the forest, seaside or sprawled across a vibrant city suburb — ideal for an adventure that mixes music with some travel. It's time to make space in the calendar, culture vultures — Queensland calls. [caption id="attachment_878012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dave Kan[/caption] CMC ROCKS QLD Now in its 16th year, CMC Rocks QLD is a pilgrimage for every country-lovin' cowpoke. From March 17–19, the biggest country acts (and fans) will descend on Willowbank Raceway in Ipswich — just a short drive from Brisbane — for a three-day hoedown. The lineup this year features some real heavy hitters, plus Zac Brown Band's only Australian show. There's big representation from US artists, including Kip Moore and Morgan Wallen, as well as a truly standout suite of homegrown talent. While the 2023 edition is sold out, this red-hot event is one to keep on your music bucket list. Hopefully you can mosey on up in the future for three days of tunes, local markets and fully stocked food stalls and bars. Go enjoy some good old country hospitality. CMC Rocks QLD, Friday, March 17 till Sunday, March 19, 2023 BLUES ON BROADBEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL From May 18–21, Broadbeach is taken over by one of the biggest free, all-ages music festivals in the country. Blues on Broadbeach is in its 22nd year, and this celebration of blues and blues-inspired sound has some true legends hitting the stage — including two-time Grammy nominated acoustic guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame-er Don Walker, and acclaimed act Emma Donovan and The Putbacks. There's blues straight outta Memphis as well as a solid contingent of all-Aussie performers dominating the impressive roll call. The sprawling festival boasts multiple stages and venues around Broadbeach, so you can easily check out the local bars and restaurants between gigs. Blues on Broadbeach, Thursday, May 18 till Sunday, May 21, 2023 BIRDSVILLE BIG RED BASH Run away from the cold this winter and hit the desert. Birdsville Big Red Bash has been going strong for a decade, drawing folks from all over out to the Simpson Desert. At 35km from Birdsville, it's the most remote music festival in the world. From Tuesday, July 4 till Thursday, July 6, this little patch of desert will become Bashville, the home of concerts, campsites and a festival community all beneath the Big Red Dune. The team have even got the nifty Bash App to help you navigate the massive site, epic lineup and vast array of food trucks and activities. This year's festival features headliners Icehouse, John Williamson, Hoodoo Gurus, Pete Murray and Kate Ceberano. As well as being an all-ages event, it's also dog-friendly and BYO friendly. Nice one. Birdsville Big Red Bash, Tuesday, July 4 till Thursday, July 6 AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL OF CHAMBER MUSIC A festival for the classical connoisseurs, the Australian Festival of Chamber Music is a massive 10-day celebration of the genre — and it just so happens to take place in the gloriously idyllic tropics. From Friday, July 28 till Sunday, August 6, performers and composers from all over the world join Australia's finest chamber musicians in Townsville-Gurambilbarra. The celebration covers a broad range of chamber music — from full orchestras performing classic pieces to beachside acoustic sessions, solo singers, quartets, concert pianists and more. Stimulate your intellect and be stirred by old works, new commissions and collaborations, which explore many stories and themes, both modern and timeless. All that right by the beautiful northern beaches of Queensland? Perfect. Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Friday, July 28 till Sunday, August 6 GYMPIE MUSIC MUSTER Penned as the "festival in the forest", this gathering has been going strong since 1982. And excitingly, after being on hold for 2020 and 2021, the Muster returned last year with a bang (and a hoot 'n' holler). This year, over four days and six venues, more than 100 artists, including country legends Kasey Chambers, Adam Brand and Troy Cassar-Daley, will perform in Amamoor State Forest on Kabi Kabi country. They're part of a huge lineup covering country, blues, folk and rock, which includes workshops and bush poetry too. This here is real country — proper bush — so bring your tent and your true-blue music passion and get in on this unmissable forest party. Gympie Music Muster, Thursday, August 24 till Sunday, August 27 [caption id="attachment_809942" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lachlan Douglas, Kymie at BIGSOUND 2019[/caption] BIGSOUND Here it is: a mid-week music fest right in the heart of the big city. More than 180 exciting emerging artists will perform across 23 stages in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley from Tuesday, September 5 till Friday, September 8. Well-known up-and-comers like Budjerah, Mia Wray and Teenage Joans lead the way, but there are also so many fresh acts to discover across all genres. There's everything from indie pop, R&B, soul and electronic to heavy rock, country and an Auslan-incorporated performance from Alter Boy. There's a full First Nations program, with music, workshops, talks and gatherings, and a special After Midnight program of late night performances and parties. The festival runs alongside the BIGSOUND conference, which is the biggest music industry gathering in the southern hemisphere. Discover the future of Aussie music — the next big sound starts here. BIGSOUND, Tuesday, September 5 till Friday, September 8 [caption id="attachment_892555" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cynthia Lee[/caption] CALOUNDRA MUSIC FESTIVAL A huge three days of "sun, surf and soul", the Caloundra Music Festival is a diverse showcase of the Aussie music industry that celebrates homegrown talent at the seaside Kings Beach Amphitheatre. Last year saw some of Australia's hottest acts, including Baker Boy and Client Liaison, and long-time faves Ben Lee and Missy Higgins, take to the stage, and this year's artists are sure to be just as impressive — keep your eyes peeled for the announcement. Both family friendly and not for profit, this festival has real heart, prioritising the support of all things local and welcoming excited festival-goers from all over Australia. Come for the music, stay to experience the unique Caloundra community and environment, from its natural beauty to its local vendors, makers and creative spirit. It's a one-of-a-kind weekend and well worth a visit. Caloundra Music Festival, Friday, September 29 till Sunday, October 1 [caption id="attachment_892225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Troy Cassar-Daley performing at Savannah in the Round[/caption] SAVANNAH IN THE ROUND From Friday, October 6 till Sunday, October 8, Savannah in the Round brings three days and nights of rootin' tootin' country music to tropical north Queensland's Mareeba, in the Cairns Hinterland. Although this is one of the newer festivals on the scene, it's already making its mark. In 2022, it brought in big names from overseas, including Brad Paisley, as well as local acts like Vanessa Amorosi, Tex Perkins and The Waifs. The lineup for 2023 is yet to be announced, but promises to be packed with world-class country, rock and pop acts. What we can tell you is that music on the main stage kicks off late on Friday arvo, but the two support stages (Big Top Music Hall and Bull Bar) start in the morning and finish late. There's also plenty of art and cultural activities running over the long weekend. Expect a chockers First Nations-led cultural program complete with hands-on workshops, art installations, dance performances and storytelling. For your thrills, you can hit the fun fair's Ferris wheel and carnival games; and if you're a foodie, the paddock-to-plate experience will serve you the best of the region. Once you're there, you'll be just a moment from the gorgeous beaches and towering rainforests of the tropics — so it's well worth taking a few extra days to explore en route to the rodeo. Savannah in the Round, Friday, October 6 till Sunday, October 8 [caption id="attachment_891347" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bianca Holderness[/caption] GROUNDWATER COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL Throw on your cowboy hat and tropical shirt, you're goin' to where the country meets the sea for three days this October. Each year, this award-winning three-day event delivers free live music via an exceptional mix of performers from all over. Whether you prefer traditional country, rock or laid-back acoustic sessions, you'll find it on the beachside main stage or other venues around Broadbeach's stunning locale. This seaside hoedown has something for everybody, including markets, food stalls and fairground rides, with a big focus on celebrating the local community and spotlighting everything that makes it unique. Groundwater Country Music Festival, Friday, October 20 till Sunday, October 22 WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL This immersive, magical — and quite frankly, iconic — festival is the perfect way to close out the year. Over 25,000 people gather annually in the temporary village of Woodfordia, on regenerated native habitat, to experience music, art, culture, craft and convivial camping in an eco-friendly setting. It's a massive event, with more than 2000 performers from around Australia and abroad bringing high vibes — as well as writer's talks, circus arts, parades, an environmental program, a children's festival and workshops where you have the chance to flex your own creative muscles. Woodfordia itself becomes a thriving little community, complete with cafes and bars, with activities all day and into the night. Woodford Folk Festival, Wednesday, December 27, 2023 till Monday, January 1, 2024 To explore more arts and culture events taking over Queensland in 2023, head to the website. Top images: Andrew Rankin (third); Matt Williams (fourth); Jess Gleeson (fifth).
