When summer holidays seem like a depressingly distant memory, nothing recharges the soul quite like a couple of days spent exploring the very best of a city — especially when that city is considered the world's most liveable city at that. So, we've teamed up with the folks at DoubleTree by Hilton to curate your ultimate Melbourne weekend getaway. Boasting a top-notch Flinders Street location, right in the heart of all the action, the Melbourne hotel is primed for that hard-earned city escape you've been planning — plus, they'll always welcome you back with a nice, warm 'welcome cookie'. Lose yourself down laneways, feast your way through the city's many multicultural offerings and shop till you're ready to drop, knowing you've got a comfortable home away from home to land yourself at the end of the day — with a spot for a nightcap, if you should feel so inclined, at the hotel's Platform 270. Here's our guide to a cracking Melbourne weekend. START THE DAY AT HIGHER GROUND, CBD As much a feast for the eyes as for the belly, CBD cafe Higher Ground makes its home within a gorgeous, lofty space that once housed the Little Bourke Street power station. Here, award-winning designer touches and exposed brick walls create an elegant backdrop for the kitchen's forward-thinking, artfully designed fare. Pop in for breakfast and a specialty coffee to kick-start a big day of exploring, or swing by after dark to road-test the chic dinner menu on offer Thursday through Sunday. GET YOUR ART FIX AT ROSE STREET MARKETS, FITZROY Each weekend, Fitzroy's Rose Street becomes a shopping hot-spot, playing host to two vibrant weekly markets. On Saturdays and Sundays, hit the Rose Street Artists' Market to find a stellar lineup of local makers showcasing an array of art, fashion, homewares, jewellery and photography, plus an onsite cafe primed for caffeine pit-stops and brunch feeds. Just a few metres down the street there's yet more shopping goodness in store for you at Saturday's Fitzroy Mills Market. This one's got a health and wellness focus, sourcing top produce from local makers and growers — expect treats like quality fruit and veg, desserts, artisan bread, vegan eats and even fare for your four-legged friends. GO FULL MELBOURNE AT WHITEHART, CBD Tucked down a laneway, surrounded by lively street art and crafted from a couple of upcycled shipping containers, Whitehart is unmistakably Melbourne. The industrial-inspired bar slings a top-notch booze lineup of clever cocktails, boutique wines and craft brews, while food comes courtesy of a rotation of visiting food trucks. Also impressive is the soundtrack, as the decks play host to a dance-worthy mix of resident DJs and guest artists from across the world. Swing by for a sunny afternoon session, or after dark to soak up those late-night Melbourne vibes. WANDER THE NICHOLAS BUILDING, CBD A veritable treasure trove of fashion and design, art deco stunner The Nicholas Building is home to a diverse mix of studios, boutiques and galleries. Drool over beautiful heritage features like the leadlight dome above the arcade while you get some retail therapy. Highlights include a huge selection of pre-loved threads at Australia's largest vintage store Retrostar, perfume from The Powder Room, Kimono House's Japanese crafts and textiles, jewellery designs from Victoria Mason and women's fashion from the likes of Obus and Kuwaii. DIG INTO SUPERNORMAL, CBD At the sleek Asian-accented Supernormal, acclaimed Melbourne chef Andrew McConnell delivers some very memorable eats, drawing on a range of influences and serving it all with a healthy side of fun. Here, classic flavours from across Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China are reworked into a menu of modern delights and matched with a contemporary drinks offering of sake, local wines and intriguing cocktails. Just remember, McConnell's cult classic lobster roll is a must and, when opting for the banquet menu, it pays to be within rolling distance of where you're staying. [caption id="attachment_659089" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Gollings.[/caption] EXPLORE THE AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, SOUTHBANK Delivering a diverse program of bold exhibitions, performances, talks and events, the Australian Centre For Contemporary Art is a hotbed of creativity and a must for any visiting art aficionado. Boasting an award-winning building set among the arty offerings of Southbank, it features thought-provoking works from big-name artists the world over, in addition to commissioned pieces designed to change the way the world sees contemporary art. Cruise the current exhibitions at your own pace, or jump on one of the free public tours, held each Sunday during exhibition periods. CATCH SOME VIEWS AT ROOFTOP BAR, CBD An astro-turfed, open-air space perched at the very top of Swanston Street's Curtin House, Melbourne's original rooftop bar is a year-round favourite, thanks to its laidback feel and those sprawling city skyline vistas. Venture up for brews with a view and eats from The Rooftop Burger Shack, while getting acquainted with one of Melbourne's most iconic drinking spots. During the warmer months, you can even catch a flick on the outdoor big screen for the legendary Rooftop Cinema. PICNIC IN THE SUN AT ABBOTSFORD CONVENT, ABBOTSFORD Set among picturesque grounds in Melbourne's inner north, multi-arts precinct the Abbotsford Convent has a little something for everyone. Once operating as a convent and one of Australia's largest Catholic complexes, the heritage-listed, 16-acre site now boasts a colourful assortment of galleries, studios and green space — not to mention a stack of architectural gems to marvel at. Lose a day happily exploring the current offerings, from exhibitions and talks to markets and performances. Social history tours are run every Sunday afternoon, and there's a plethora of great onsite eateries to choose from come lunchtime. [caption id="attachment_649405" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jamie Durrant.[/caption] EAT TAPAS AND MONTADITOS AT BAR TINI, CBD Having won hearts across the country with his stable of MoVida restaurants, Frank Camorra's latest project is another Spanish-inspired charmer — this time, a cosy laneway haunt called Bar Tini. With its warm red accents and cheery decor, this one's a nod to the bodegas of Spain, its menu a cracking lineup of imported tinned seafood, flavour-packed tapas and montaditos, and open sandwiches. Snack your way through, while sipping vermouth on tap and revamped classic cocktails. Pop in for a daytime visit and you'll even be able to check out the iconic street art of Hosier Lane outside the front door. [caption id="attachment_658995" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stano Murin.[/caption] LAUGH IT OUT AT THE BUTTERFLY CLUB, CBD If a culture fix is on the cards, you can bank on finding a ripper program of happenings at The Butterfly Club. The laneway theatre hosts a diverse lineup of over 1100 performances each year, from cabaret acts to side-splitting stand-up shows. You'll also find a solid mix of regular events, including Tuesday night's burlesque life drawing sessions and Friday's long-running improv comedy show, The Big Hoo Haa. The Butterfly Club's two bars make for charming pit-stops in themselves, decked out with lots of kitsch touches and slinging an oft-changing lineup of themed cocktails. Spend your weekend exploring some of the very best things around Melbourne, and when you need a place to recoup, find your home away from home at DoubleTree by Hilton on Flinders Street.
The huge dose of nostalgia that Milan Ring's latest release 'Are Your Friends Alright?' generates is only partially intentional. The Sydney-based artist and producer explains that she drew inspiration from parties she had been to throughout her teens and twenties where gatecrashers or uninvited people brought negative energy. "I was playing with the idea of not allowing that to make your night with your friends a bad vibe." It's an idea that most people could relate to. But, with the very notion of socialising and partying with mates seeming quaint and far away right now, the song strikes an even deeper chord. It's about focusing on the good things and channelling positive energy. Produced in collaboration with Sydney-based artist Blessed, 'Are Your Friends Alright?' is a charged track, packed with sensual vocals, soulful harmonies and a funky bassline. It's a prime example of why Ring was chosen as one of the visionary artists to collaborate with Miller Design Lab, the home of creativity and self-expression built by Australia's leading minds in design, art, technology and fashion. The platform is a celebration of our nightlife and its impact on culture to deliver exceptional moments to you and your home. To that end, we spoke with the Sydney-based talent to talk about life as an artist — from having a flexible process to seeking inspiration from her city and collaborating with some of the best in the biz. Artist is a broad term, but it's an important distinction when referring to someone like Milan Ring — she can't be pigeon-holed into one category. Throughout her teens, she spent time jamming on guitar and experimenting on an analogue drum machine, before getting a diploma in sound engineering and technical production. She started performing professionally in her twenties, first as a guitarist in bands and then progressively as a backup vocalist. Now, not only does she write and compose all of her music, but she also produces and mixes it all — and masters some of it, too. And most of that magic happens in her studio, which she built in a Marrickville warehouse with her best friend two years ago. This loaded skillset affords Ring a lot of flexibility in her creative process. "There are times when I just want to create, do something fresh and improvise. And then there are times I just want to fix things and do all the technical stuff. I listen to myself. Sometimes I go in with the intent to create a new song. I start and I'm like 'I'm not really feeling it', so then I'll pull up a song to finish the mix." Though Ring admits that she mostly works alone, she also places enormous value in teaming up with other artists and producers, including Blessed and American band The Social Experiment (who in turn have worked with Chance the Rapper). "It's down to finding the right collaborators, but you don't know until you try. Every collaboration, even if it doesn't end up with a song that's released — there's something to take away from that and something to learn." And, for Ring, there's a direct relationship between collaborating and customisation. "The way I interpret customisation would be drawing inspiration from something and making it your own. Someone like BLESSED might send me some beats and then I'll use this, change this sound, delete that, move that over here and then record it. Therefore, I've customised, added to and changed his initial concept into something else". The idea of customisation is also evident in the stitching together of Ring's various sources of inspiration. Her music is known for sampling from various genres — she specifically mentions Latin, Afro-Cuban and American-style jazz and soul music, which she spent a lot of time listening to growing up. But when it comes to lyrical content, Ring looks to her community in Sydney's inner west. "I'm definitely inspired by the area I grew up in and different people I know or have met and their stories. Things I've observed or had people tell me their story, I've written about it and taken the essence of the story and then gone off on a tangent." Ring specifically mentions a number of places around her studio in Marrickville that she frequents for inspiration, including cafes like Matinee, West Juliett and Two Chaps, the cluster of craft breweries and a handful of pubs like The Henson, The Vic on the Park and The Marrickville Hotel. And even just going and sitting Enmore Park. "It is nice being surrounded by people even if you're not talking to them. That's one of the things that I've been missing in this time [during lockdown] is just being surrounded by the hustle and bustle of everyone's lives." Speaking to this hiatus period due to COVID-19, which resulted in Ring cancelling her national tour Switch Off, Milan explains, "I haven't been as inspired to go into the studio and hustle. With everything that's going on, I'm not particularly pushing myself — it's a bit of a respite." Instead, she is spending quality time with her dog, cooking and collaborating with a friend on a kids' play-along book. And she's been working her way through a Stevie Wonder songbook on the guitar. "I'm trying to get back into my jazz theory, which I put on the back foot as I've been working on being the best producer and mixer I can be. It's been quite therapeutic for me." But there's no doubt that once lockdown is over, she'll be back out there making the most of Sydney's nightlife. "Being out with friends, going to restaurants, then going to bars and then going to a show — it about being part of culture and the community and feeling connected to all these people. Even though you don't know who they are, you're all there for the same reason." For more, check out Milan Ring's collaboration with Miller Genuine Draft here. For more ways to celebrate your city's nightlife and recreate its energy in your own space, head this way. Images: Reuben Gibbes
Artist the Dirt has battled for art at Name This Bar and taken over a corner of Foley St-spanning mural We Are Here. Now he’s set for a short, solo show at City of Sydney creative space Platform 72, Tomorrow Never Knows. The Dirt is the nom de plume of local boy Jamie Preisz, whose art tends to go for one body part at a time, like ambulant hands, skulls or a fragile, open-toothed “broken man”. He’s an artist who seems to prefer working on a grand scale. For this exhibtion, though, he’s been at work in his studio for the past few months, putting together a show described as a bit more intimate in scale. For a few short days, you'll be able decide for yourself how this macro to micro zoom is going.
When international art collective teamLab launched Borderless, its Tokyo-based permanent digital-only art museum, the dazzling space became the most-visited single-artist site in the world in just its first year of operation. Wherever the outfit pops up — be it in Shanghai oil tanks, Japanese hot springs or Melbourne — its installations are always hugely popular. So it's no wonder that the group is expanding its footprint by opening more permanent locations. Late in 2019, teamLab launched a new venue in Shanghai, which is also called Borderless. Come this March, it's also opening a museum called SuperNature in Macao. Located at The Venetian Macao, the latter site will sprawl over 5000 square metres, filling the space with the kind of immersive, interactive installations that have gathered the collective of artists, programmers, engineers, animators, mathematicians and architects such a devoted following. [caption id="attachment_758086" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] teamLab. Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space - Flattening 3 Colors and 9 Blurred Colors, Free Floating, 2018, Interactive Installation, Endless, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi © teamLab[/caption] In good news for anyone who has visited a teamLab venue or installation previously, SuperNature will also include a selection of brand new works — although, even if you're a seasoned teamLab visitor, these are the types of pieces that you can visit over and over and never get bored. Much will look familiar, playing with concepts and designs that the collective is clearly drawn to, such as floating balls, projected flowers and animals, and other kaleidoscopic imagery Chief among the highlights is The Infinite Crystal Universe, which uses light points, pointillism-style, to create three-dimensional objects. While you're interacting with the piece, you can use your phone to select the elements that make up the universe. The artwork will also response to the presence of people, as most of teamLab's installations do. [caption id="attachment_758090" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] teamLab. The Clouds that Self-Organize, 2019, experimental photo of the new artwork © teamLab[/caption] Then there's Massless Clouds Between Sculpture and Life, which plays out just as its title suggests. In this installation, giant clouds will float between the floor and the ceiling — and even when you walk through them, breaking them up, they'll form back into shape. Also on the bill: Mountain of Flowers and People: Lost, Immersed and Reborn, which'll let digital flowers bloom and change with the seasons, and Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space — Flattening 3 Colors and 9 Blurred Colors, Free Floating, where bouncing spheres float above visitors, changing colour when they're touched. Like Borderless, SuperNature will also feature an Athletics Park, where you'll really get physical traversing graffiti-covered valleys, climbing a ropes course, scaling a light forest, jumping or playing hopscotch, as well as an educational, kid-focused Future Park. Located in the resort hotel's Cotai Expo Hall F, and set up like a labyrinth — making you wander around and around to find all of its nooks and crannies — SuperNature will welcome visitors through the doors from January 21 for previews ahead of its official opening date. Find teamLab SuperNature at Cotai Expo Hall F, The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, Estrada da Baía de N. Senhora da Esperança, s/n, Taipa, Macao SAR, P.R. China from a yet-to-be-revealed date in March. It'll be open from 10am–10pm daily. Images: teamLab. teamLab is represented by Pace Gallery.
We've all had teachers who changed our lives. We just haven't, generally, alighted onto tables to declare them "O Captain, my Captain". These larger-than-life 'movie teachers' are entertaining, sure, but they're not real enough to punch you in that soft spot in the gut a more quietly familiar representation, of a person more imperfect than ideal, can target. What if your teacher smacks you across the back of the head, makes you take dictation from Balzac, and forgets to paste up anything colourful on the wall? What if your teacher isn't perfect; what if he's just the perfect teacher for right now? Monsieur Lazhar is the sensitively drawn antidote to all those inspiring teacher movies (Ryan Gosling's Half Nelson also admirably bucked the trend). It starts when a primary school one morning discovers a teacher, Martine, has hanged herself in her classroom. Particularly disturbed by the tragedy are her students Simon (Emilien Neron) and Alice (Sophie Nelisse), who saw her body. But the classroom is repainted, counselling dispensed, and everyone encouraged to return to living while the principal hastily brings in a new teacher, Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag). They're all still traumatised — as is he, though they don't know it. He's a recent arrival from Algeria with a tragic history he'd rather not talk about. He calmly, though with means not always conventional to contemporary French Canadians, tries to give his 11- and 12-year-old charges the education they need while discreetly awaiting a ruling on his application for asylum. It should be heavy, but it's not. Monsieur Lazhar has a light touch that led it to win the Audience Award at this year's Sydney Film Festival. Basically, it's the saddest crowd-pleaser you'll ever see. The slice of life it presents touches on issues from grief and pedagogy to refugees and exile, and it touches on them tenderly, without oversentimentality. The cherry on top is that Nelisse's Sophie is the most adorable of teachers' pets and singly responsible for a wave of cluckiness about to overtake Australian cinemagoers. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-pBm9keEBAY
After nailing the balance of indulgent yet approachable wine and pasta with his ever-popular restaurant group Totti's, Mike Eggert has turned his attention to pizza by the slice and sandwiches at his new opening Oti'. The casual CBD eatery arrives in the city on Wednesday, May 10 and, to celebrate, it's offering half-off all of its pizza and sambos on opening day. The menu at Oti' will be ever-changing, but you can expect plenty of classic Italian ingredients loaded between slices of schiacciata or piled on top of the thick, fluffy Roman-style pizza basses. Prosciutto, salami, mortadella, olives, capers and plenty of vegetarian-friendly fillings will be making appearances, as well as eight different kinds of cheese — including Totti's signature burrata. If you're looking for an excuse to sample the selection of takeaway bites on offer, head down on its first day and take 50-percent off what you'd usually pay. You can expect the sandwiches to start from $7.50 on the day, while pizza slices will be going for the one-off price of $6.
UPDATE Thursday, June 17: Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are various interstate border restrictions in place. Check out the latest information regarding travel to Tasmania over at the Tasmanian Government's website. Melbourne's current 25-kilometre travel cap lifts at 11.59pm tonight, June 17. Victorians can find information on local restrictions over on the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website. Of course, even border closures don't mean you can't start dreaming — bookmark this for when you can explore freely once again. Winter is an area where Tasmania truly excels. While the rest of the country might shiver through a mild chill or a few rainy, foggy months, the island has the full snow-and-frost experience, the kind you can properly bundle up for in your thickest of woollen socks and jumpers. Enjoy the clear, sharp bite of winter on your skin during a brisk walk with soul-stirring views then thaw by a crackling fireplace with a dram of whisky in hand — Tassie is the perfect spot for getting toasty. So, we've compiled a guide for making your southern winter jaunt a heart-warming and cosy one. There's something for everyone — from the irrepressibly outdoorsy to the decidedly indoorsy folks who crave the convivial warmth of a great big gathering. Whether you prefer to get rosy-cheeked by getting your blood pumping or rely on good old fashioned firewater to do the job, Tasmania is an island of winter-warming opportunities. [caption id="attachment_721394" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eagles Nest Retreat and Summer Rain Photography.[/caption] STAY SOMEWHERE WITH AN OUTDOOR HOT TUB Stripping down to your birthday suit in the great outdoors may not sound like an ideal way to get warm, but hear us out. You can luxuriate comfortably in an openair spa bath at your own private retreat while immersing yourself in the sights and sounds of nature. A steaming, saltwater timber hot tub on the wilderness deck at Aerie Retreat offers a secluded view over Bruny Island and Storm Bay — perfect for eagle-spotting — plus, sauna and a firepit. Those looking for a little luxury (and seclusion) will find it at Thalia Haven, which has outdoor bathtubs overlooking Great Oyster Bay. If you yearn for mountain vistas instead, book one of the 'nests' at Eagles Nest Retreat near Cradle Mountain or head to Pumphouse Point, an adults-only wilderness retreat nearby. (Re)treat yourself this winter and make your hot-tubbing a little wilder. [caption id="attachment_619649" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dark Mofo festival.[/caption] PARTY AT A WINTER FESTIVAL Nothing's warmer than the collective heat of an enthusiastic crowd, so get yourself to one of Tasmania's great winter festivals. First up is Dark Mofo (June 16–22), the annual revelry of fire, feasting, music and challenging new art that takes over MONA and the city of Hobart is making its triumphant post-pandemic return. Catch world-class performers and avante garde acts or brave the naked solstice swim. The Festival of Voices (June 30–July 11) in Hobart is Australia's most significant choral festival, complete with performances, workshops and a huge bonfire sing-along in Salamanca. Plus in July, there's the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest, celebrating the depths of winter with costumes, warm apple cider and plenty of convivial gatherings. And finally, for lovers of firewater, Tasmanian Whisky Week (August 9–15) gives you a behind-the-scenes look, with distilleries opening their doors for tours and events, sharing their stories and offering exclusive tastings. [caption id="attachment_719392" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rocky Cape Circuit Track, Rocky Cape National Park by Jess Bonde.[/caption] HIKE YOUR WAY WARM IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS If you can't sit still inside and need to sweat out the cabin fever, there are winter-appropriate walking routes throughout Tasmania. The Three Capes Track is a three-day journey with well-appointed, insulated shared cabins along the way, so you don't have to haul along all your camping gear. Guided track walks can also take in the Port Arthur Historic Site, while Rocky Cape National Park has a number of short walks with varying levels of difficulty, taking you along the majestic, sweeping coastline overlooking Bass Strait. For Hobart daytrippers, it's worth heading to the Hastings Caves State Reserve to experience the misty winter forest, bathe in natural thermal springs and explore dolomite caves for a different adventure out of the weather. Because of the pandemic, some of the tracks require bookings, so check the website before you head out. HEAD INDOORS FOR A COCKTAIL OR WINE One of the special joys of winter is getting properly toasty, cosy and rugged up and popping into bars for a soul-warming cocktail or wine. And, happily, Tasmania has plenty of them. In Hobart, you can pop into Tom McHugo's for fun things (like confit albacore and zucchini) on toast and a locally made beer, to Dier Makr or sibling bar Lucinda for minimal intervention wines and to Sonny for a bowl of prawn paccheri and acoustic entertainment in the form of spinning vinyls. Just out of the city in New Norfolk, you'll find some of the country's best potato cakes (or scallops, if that's your preferred name for them) and a menu of other delicious locally grown produce, plus plenty of wine, at The Agrarian Kitchen. Over in Launceston, we suggest you head straight for Geromino and order a plate of cacio e pepe croquettes and a warming cherry-tinted manhattan. [caption id="attachment_719391" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shene Estate and Distillery's roadside stall by Samuel Shelley.[/caption] STOP BY A DISTILLERY FOR A TIPPLE TO SIP LATER Nothing puts a fire in your belly quite like a dram, and when it comes to spirituous liquors, Tasmania has some of the finest. The historic Shene Estate may channel old-world aristocracy with neo-gothic architecture and polo games, but it also welcomes visitors for tours and tastings of its award-winning spirits — including Poltergeist gin and Mackey single malt whisky. Southern Wild Distillery produces Dasher + Fisher gin from the snowmelt rivers that pass by to create their Mountain, Meadow and Ocean varieties with uniquely local flavours. For some country-style cooking to go with your whisky, head to Old Kempton Distillery for a cellar door experience in a heritage 19th-century coaching inn. Top image: Dark Mofo's Winter Feast, shot by Rémi Chauvin.
Whether you're a lifelong NRL fan or just someone chasing sporting highs after the Women's World Cup-sized hole left in your life, this Friday's semi-final promises to be a thrilling watch that'll take the Melbourne-Sydney rivalry to new heights. It's a clincher for the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters, who will either move on to the Preliminary Finals against the Penrith Panthers or be eliminated for the year. After a close 13-12 victory against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, the Roosters will head to the Storm's home turf at AAMI Park for their fifth Finals face-off against the Melbourne team. It'll be a real nail-biter — the Storm previously defeated the Roosters 28-8 in round six, but were bested by the Broncos in a whopping 26-0 last week. You can expect some sparks on the field with former Storm player-turned Roosters' hooker Brandon Smith facing up against his old Storm teammate and close friend Harry Grant. It's also a clash between two of the most highly regarded coaches in the sport, though Roosters' coach Trent Robinson has the 2018 Grand Final and 2019 Prelim victories under his belt. Kickoff is at 7.50pm this Friday, September 15 at AAMI Park. With tickets starting from only $35 for adults and $25 for kids and concession, there's no excuse not to catch the action live. Get your tickets to the unmissable game at the NRL website.
Need a bit of extra motivation to exercise while you're spending more time at home? Would the chance to dress up and step back in time make you more eager to burn some calories? If so, hop to Retrosweat VHS Workout Club — an online series of themed workouts inspired by 80s and led by Shannon Dooley of Physique Aerobics, who's 'saving the world one grapevine at a time' and injecting a lot more fun (and eye shadow) into exercising. Her usual Sydney classes celebrate the glorious music and dance moves of the 80s — think Prince and Madonna — and now she's bringing it all to your living room. Best of all, it's free. Sessions are about an hour long and all experience levels are welcome, so don't rule yourself out if you think you have two left feet. Pop on your finest g-string leotard, pull back your teased hair with a scrunchy and pull up those leg warmers because it's time to shvitz. To join the club, just head here and enter your details. Classes are added weekly and each will have a different theme such as Palm Springs pool party and #SynthWaveSweat, too, to keep things interesting. While you can get your buns burning for free, donations are encouraged to make sure the fun-fuelled workouts keep coming. https://youtu.be/6cuVw89shw0
Sprawling over volcanic hills and boasting not one, but two harbours, Auckland may be New Zealand's largest city, but it still offers hidden corners to get away, without having to hit the highway. With lush native rainforests and black sand beaches in the west, sheltered golden sand beaches in the east, and a cultural hub of a CBD packed with eclectic eateries, it's hard to find a dull moment Tāmaki Makaurau. Visiting is truly a rare experience — one moment, you're hiking through rugged bush, staring across stunning sea-views, and an hour later, you can be strolling through Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki or having a cocktail at a lively inner-city bar. There really is something for everyone in this picturesque and culturally diverse city. So, whether you're travelling from across the pond in Australia, or you're a Kiwi yearning for a staycation, we've pulled together ten of the most unique stays for your next break. Recommended reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in New Zealand The Best Places to Go Glamping in Australia The Most Unique Stays You Can Book Around New Zealand The Most Unique Stays with Breathtaking Views of New Zealand's South Island NZ Summer House, Riverhead This one bedroom pool house is situated on a equestrian lifestyle property 30 minutes from Auckland's CBD. Close to vineyards, award-winning restaurants, West Coast beaches and popular bush-walking spot Riverhead Forest, it's the perfect place to park up for a mix of adventure and relaxation. From $271 a night, sleeps two. Piha Hut, Piha This newly built one bedroom house is nestled amongst Nīkau palms in Piha, a seaside spot known for great surf, rugged scenery and nearby waterfalls. The sheltered deck looks onto Lion Rock, a volcanic monolith with Māori carvings and war memorials. From $118 a night, sleeps two. Piha Retreat, Auckland Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Chris Tate, this retreat house is perched amongst native rainforest and boasts some of the area's most epic views of Lion Rock. Watch the sun go down from the outdoor bath, while your companion cooks up dinner on the deck's barbecue. From $248 a night, sleeps four. NYC Style Loft, Auckland If you're after a chic urban stay a stone's throw to restaurants and bars abounds, this industrial warehouse style apartment may be your next city getaway spot. From $135 a night, sleeps four. Luxury Piha Escape, Piha This architecturally designed abode with sweeping sea views is perfectly positioned on Piha, Auckland's world famous surf beach. With two bedrooms, an open plan living room and a massive timber deck, it's a perfect oasis for a beach getaway with friends. From $769 a night, sleeps eight. Relaxing Coastal Retreat, Manukau Heads Live out your castaway dreams at this coastal cabin positioned on a small farm. If the driftwood fence isn't enough to get you excited, the outdoor bathtub, sea-views and close proximity to a winery and golf club just might. From $190 a night, sleeps two. Alfriston Stables, Alfriston Transformed from unused stables to a jaw-dropping industrial-style loft, this country escape has everything you need for rural R&R. Perched at the end of a tree-lined lane, with moody renovated interiors, a large swimming pool and a desk for your leisure. From $124 a night, sleeps two. Blackpool House, Waiheke Island This secluded home set amongst the magnificent Taraire trees is an architectural wonder. The spacious structure melds a contemporary sensibility with a retro interior that makes for a warm and inviting stay. Be sure to take full advantage of the naturally lit mezzanine library that looks out on Te Huruhi Bay. From $390 a night, sleeps two. Te Kouma Heights Glamping, Manaia Find luxury off the grid in this tent for two with endless ocean and farmland views. Enjoy fully equipped solar power, a king bed and two claw-foot outdoor tubs facing the glittering Coromandel Harbour. From $330 a night, sleeps two. Coastal Acres Escape, Āwhitu Journey through rolling green pastures and whites sans at this home on the Tasman sea. Just an hour and a half outside the Auckland CBD and tucked between towering dunes, your worries will was away in these double claw foot baths with perfect views for a sunset soak. From $207 a night, sleeps six. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Australia is in for a big hot summer of music tours — a hefty end of spring, too — with everyone from Post Malone and The Weeknd to Taylor Swift and The Chemical Brothers on their way Down Under. Also on the list: Foo Fighters, who have a date with a heap of Aussie stadiums, and are about to release more tickets. It's times like these that you can add catching the Dave Grohl-fronted band to your calendar, with the group embarking on their first headline tour of Australia since 2018. It's also their first visit Down Under since drummer Taylor Hawkins passed away in March 2022. Foo Fighters were last in Australia that same month and year, playing a huge Geelong show to help launch Victoria's post-COVID-19 lockdowns live music program. The band unsurprisingly took a break from touring after Hawkins' death, only returning to live gigs earlier in 2023. On this tour, they're playing Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with additional tickets becoming available due to changed production information — so, it's likely that the band's setup won't take up as much space as initially thought — and going on sale at 3pm AEDT on Friday, October 13. [caption id="attachment_903613" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scarlet Page[/caption] Picking up the sticks: ex-The Vandals, Devo, Guns N' Roses and A Perfect Circle drummer Josh Freese, taking on the likely-daunting task of being the touring drummer in a band led by Nirvana drummer Grohl. Freese's stint with the band was announced in May, ahead of their first tour dates. When they hit our shores, the new-look Foo Fighters will weave in tunes from their new record But Here We Are, which released in June. Of course, all the hits from across their career will get a whirl, with their current setlist including everything from 'This Is a Call', 'Big Me' and 'Monkey Wrench' through to 'Learn to Fly', 'The Pretender' and 'Best of You'. And, yes, 'Everlong', because it wouldn't be a Foo Fighters show without it. [caption id="attachment_903618" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] 'I'll Stick Around', which is also on the list, isn't just a song title from the group's first album. Given that their new tour comes 28 years after that debut release in 1995, it perfectly sums up Foo Fighters' longevity. Over the years, they've made it Down Under a heap of times, released 11 studio albums including the just-dropped But Here We Are, and made 2022 horror movie Studio 666. When they take to the stage again in Australia, they'll do so with Queensland punk act The Chats in support on a stack of dates, Manchester's Hot Milk also playing with them on the east coast, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers doing Melbourne and Body Type in Adelaide. FOO FIGHTERS AUSTRALIAN 2023 TOUR DATES: Wednesday, November 29 — HBF Park, Perth, with The Chats and Teenage Jones Saturday, December 2 — Coopers Stadium, Adelaide, with The Chats and Body Type Monday, December 4 — AAMI Park, Melbourne, with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers and Hot Milk Saturday, December 9 — Accor Stadium, Sydney, with The Chats and Hot Milk Tuesday, December 12 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, with The Chats and Hot Milk Foo Fighters are touring Australia in November and December 2023, with additional tickets going on sale at 3pm AEDT on Friday, October 13. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Mr Rossi vi Wikimedia Commons.
With Bannisters' duo of hotels at Mollymook now a firm fixture on New South Wales' south coast, the accommodation brand is turning its gaze to the north. Later this year, Port Stephens will be in for a good dose of swank, with the company taking over the Soldiers Point site previously occupied by Salamander Shores. As at Mollymook, you can expect luxury. Of the 80 four-and-a-half-star rooms, 50 will afford views straight across Karuah River, while the other 30 will look over bushland. If you've cash to splash about, book the penthouse or one of four extra-fancy suites. Wherever you sleep, you'll be welcome to make the most of the infinity pool, hang out in the high-ceilinged lobby and kick back at the onsite pub over a pizza — or indulge in a course or three at the Rick Stein signature restaurant. "The abundance of top-quality seafood is a massive attraction, as is the proximity to the Hunter Valley's wineries," said Stein. "I will be working closely with head chef Mitchell Turner, designing a menu featuring local king prawns, Yellowfin bream, flathead, calamari and school whiting, not to mention the fabulous oysters." Looking the part, all these spaces — and the rest — will be sorted out by Bannisters' stellar design team, made up of architect Tony Freeman, interior designer Romy Alwill and landscape designer Will Dangar. And as for bringing the Bannisters brand to the area, general manager Peter Bacon said "there is so much potential in Port Stephens, and it is a natural progression for us to take a formula that works and replicate it." Find Bannisters Port Stephens at 147 Soldiers Point Roadd, Soldiers Point from later in 2018.
Usually, Australia's own Four Pillars is busy filling our gin shrines — or gin shelves, gin sections of the liquor cabinet or wherever else you store your juniper-based spirits. But with its latest release, it wants you to pop a bottle in your freezer. Next time you want a gin martini, you'll be thankful that you did. Forget shaking or stirring — sorry Bond, James Bond — because with Four Pillars' new bottled cocktail, all you need to do is pour. It's made with gin, but it isn't just gin. Instead, it's a ready-to-pour Double Gin Martini. You simply add the olives (well, you'll want a glass to pour it into, too, obviously). This new bottled favourite features two Four Pillars gins: the savoury Olive Leaf Gin and the citrus-heavy Fresh Yuzu Gin. There's no vermouth, however, with the distillery opting for aromatic Lillet Blanc and Toji Daiginjo Saké, as well as yuzu bitters. The serving suggestion? Drink it cold — hence the use of your freezer — and in a glass that's just as frosty. Yes, that's your fuss-free spring and summer cocktails taken care of. If you're now hankering for a beverage, understandably, the new Double Gin Martini is available from the distillery's website for $60 per bottle, and also from Four Pillars' gin shops at its distillery door in Healesville and its Sydney Laboratory in Surry Hills. For more information about Four Pillars' Double Gin Martini, or to buy it from Saturday, October 1, head to the distillery's website.
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 fifth year (and now open for applications if you're a crafty Etsy maker yourself), the market will take place at Sydney Town Hall from 9.30am–5.30pm on Saturday, November 23 — 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.
Getting a table at Sydney's very own Firedoor is almost impossible these days — you'll likely be booking months in advance. But thank the gods for Mona Farm who have created a new way to check out the culinary phenomenon. They've organised a one-off luxurious journey through their 124-acre award-winning estate, culminating with a theatrical fire-inspired menu thought up by Firedoor's Lennox Hastie and Tristan Rebbettes of Mona Farm. It has got to be the best way to experience both teams' creations. [caption id="attachment_869938" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Mattia Panunzio[/caption] From November 7-9, a maximum of 38 lucky guests will get to stay at the farm's stylish guest houses — each set within a historic building at the farm. They come with fully stocked (and complementary) mini bars and a special breakfast made for guests on both mornings. You'll spend the first night rugged up in your guest house, receiving a three-course dinner from Tristan's spring 'Guest House Menu'. It's designed to be enjoyed in the privacy of your own Guest House. Dress code: whatever the hell you like. [caption id="attachment_869935" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] But the second night's dinner is what you came here for. The theatrically prepared five-course fire-inspired menu fuses traditional and contemporary cooking styles together — all while championing the sustainable ethos of both businesses. Expect a range of paddock-to-plate produce such as Tristan's house-made smoked ricotta and Mona Farm Wessex Saddleback sausage. And those familiar with the genius of Lennox Hastie will be pleased to hear that his signature dry-aged beef will be making a strong celebrity appearance on the evening. Plus, to make it a real party, each course will be paired with top notch wines. [caption id="attachment_869937" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Mattia Panunzio[/caption] And there's plenty to do in between feasts. The Mona Farm team have organised some complementary guided art and sculpture tours of their fantastic own collection, garden tours and fitness sessions (if you like to mix exercise with exceptional eating). Tickets for the November 7-9 even can be purchased here. Due to the limited number of tickets, it is a case of first in best dined. Top Image: Nikki To
Running from May 4–20, the High Country Harvest explores innovative food, wine, craft beer and spirits in Victoria's spectacular north-east. With more than 50 outdoor and culinary adventures to experience during the festival, curated around seasonally specific produce, there's no better time than right now to visit the Victorian High Country. On Friday, May 4, Yackandandah Organics' Farm Ramble and Feast lets you feast on food dug up, picked and plundered from the earth under your feet. You'll explore the market garden and orchard before sitting down to a long-table lunch with produce provided by Yackandandah growers Gena and Steve Cavini and prepared by the plant-focused chefs from Saint Monday. Also on May 4, you have the opportunity to get to know Shiraz in a whole new way. At Shirazzle Dazzle the Senses, Valhalla Wines' Anton Therkildsen will blindfold you before guiding you through a wine tasting with your remaining senses, encouraging you to focus on its smell, feel and taste. For the meat lovers, on Saturday, May 5, Dal Zotto winery is hosting their annual Salami Sessions, where you get hands-on experience in making traditional Italian salami with James Mele of the Meat Room Bespoke Butchers. You might have to learn one-handed as you hold a Dal Zotto wine in the other. More of an outdoor adventurer? Explore the ever-changing landscape of the High Country in autumn on horseback during the To Lunch on Horseback adventure. The Baird family (and their horses) from Bogong Horseback Adventure will guide you through the Alpine National Forest on a half-day horse ride, discovering native flora and fauna, exploring caverns and plodding through fern-filled valleys. Then enjoy a campfire feast made from local and native ingredients (along with some hay and carrots for your trusty steeds). Get prepped for the array of autumn events in the High Country and explore more of what's on your doorstep at the Wander Victoria website.
Usually when you walk out of a cafe you're visiting for the first time, you will talk about how the coffee was or how (non-)delicious your meal was, yet upon leaving Something for Jess, all I could speak of was how happy I felt having visited. That is not to say the menu was not worth talking about, heck it is even worth writing home about. It just has such a captivating personality that you cannot help but fall in love with this quirky Chippendale boutique. As soon as you enter, you are swimming in positivity. Natural light illuminates the space and colour is splashed across the walls. A vivacity lives in the street- and op shop-sourced furniture, in the fresh flowers on tabletops, on the friendly smiles of the staff and on the wonderfully fresh and diverse menus chalked on ladders and chalkboards across the cafe. That's right, no boring old paper here; your eyes have to circumnavigate the whole interior and take in its complete character in order to uncover the fresh gems you would like to eat and drink. Fresh is the perfect word to describe the palette on offer. The seasonal menu transforms weekly according to the fresh produce received, meaning that there are plenty of reasons to return each week and even each day, with a new juice of the day on offer. For that reason I would recommend skipping the coffee ($3.50 and delicious) to enjoy the juice (a $5 thirst-quenching blend of pineapple, rockmelon and pear when this writer visited) or delicious affogato on offer. Once you've wet your whistle, you can choose from the tantalising menu. What it lacks in meal choice, it more than makes up for in flavour provision. Despite the limited range, it will take you quite some time to decide exactly which dish sounds most delicious and trust me, you only need one dish as they are deceptively filling. The torta de milanesa ($15.50) arrives on an aesthetically pleasing mishmash selection of crockery and delivers a perfect concoction of satisfying flavours that was matched by the heavenly raised portobello mushroom ($16). Whilst it is highly likely these dishes will not still be on offer when you attend, you will certainly have something equally, if not more delicious awaiting. Eating on the run is also catered for with a variety of sandwiches ($8-$10), friands ($4.50) and muffins ($4) availabl,e but if you have the time, sit down and enjoy the pleasant optimistic slice of Chippendale on offer here — it is what truly makes the place. A lot of love and thought has gone into Something for Jess — the owner named it after his wife — and it is ready to share that love with all of you. So head down for some brunch; it is the best meal of the day and not many places provide brunch-friendly meals this good. Image: jingyuuaann via Instagram.
Anyone with a passion or an idol has a before and after: the time prior to the thing or person that they adore coming into their lives, and the time since. Whether or not you're just a hunk of burning love for Austin Butler, the same type of thinking applies to the actor and his stunning performance in Elvis. He's been on-screen since he was a teenager, starting in a spate of Nickelodeon series such as Hannah Montana, iCarly and Zoey 101 — but becoming the king of rock 'n' roll for Baz Luhrmann in a portrayal that earned him an Oscar nomination, and won him both a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, instantly made him a household name. Ask Butler about his past few years since Elvis, as well as the impressive resume he's been amassing before and since, and he marvels at it. Alongside Luhrmann, he's now worked with Jeff Nichols on his newest movie The Bikeriders, Jim Jarmusch on 2019's The Dead Don't Die, Quentin Tarantino on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood the same year and Denis Villeneuve on 2024's Dune: Part Two. He's also led a Steven Spielberg-produced TV show in Masters of the Air and notched up those aforementioned accolades. "When you say it all back to back, that sounds wild," he tells Concrete Playground. [caption id="attachment_956506" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kyle Kaplan/Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Butler isn't wrong. As the world saw with Elvis, then heard when his Presley accent seemed to drawl from his lips long after the biopic stopped shooting, he also isn't half-hearted for a second about his craft or his characters. Back in 2022, Luhrmann advised Concrete Playground that Butler playing Presley was "like a life-or-death commitment for him". Ask the man himself about that now, too, and he notes that the same dedication applies to each part that he steps into. "Every role is different and they all have their own requirements, but — I know that it might sound ridiculous — it feels like it's life or death. Like, you feel like your life depends on it in a way," he shares. With The Bikeriders, which Butler returned Down Under for to attend the film's Australian premiere at the 2024 Sydney Film Festival in June — after shooting Elvis on the Gold Coast, of course — viewers can witness him infuse that devotion and attentiveness into another of his great performances. He plays Benny, the lone-wolf Vandals Motorcycle Club member that everyone wants to be, the movie's narrator Kathy (Jodie Comer, Killing Eve) marries within five weeks of meeting and even club president Johnny (Tom Hardy, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) reveres. For the picture's characters, there's a before and after with encountering Benny, in fact, as there similarly is for the midwestern organisation that this band of outsiders find a sense of belonging in. Benny has his own versions of the before-and-after phenomenon. There's his life pre- Vandals, then after the headstrong thrill-seeker joins its ranks. There's also his existence prior to meeting Kathy, then all that follows. Spanning a ten-year period, the 60s- and 70s-set film charts how Benny's connection to the club and to his wife collide — and how Kathy and Johnny alike grapple with his influence. Drawn from reality even though its central biker gang is fictionalised, with Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special and Loving's Nichols adapting the film from the non-fiction book of the same name by photojournalist Danny Lyon, The Bikeriders equally chronicles the search for identity that accompanies enlisting in a group like the Vandals, putting someone at the centre of your orbit as Kathy and Johnny do with Benny, and attempting to be yourself no matter what, aka Benny's constant tussle. [caption id="attachment_964096" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Caroline McCredie[/caption] Butler has excellent company in The Bikeriders, not only in Comer and Hardy, but also Mike Faist (Challengers), Michael Shannon (The Flash), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon), Boyd Holbrook (Justified: City Primeval), Emory Cohen (Blue Bayou), Karl Glusman (Civil War), and Australians Toby Wallace (The Royal Hotel) and Damon Herriman (The Artful Dodger). He's particularly exceptionally cast, however, as a mesmerising force endeavouring to remain authentic regardless of what the world throws Benny's way (and, given the era, the country, and the social, cultural, economic and political shifts that come with both, that's plenty). The Bikeriders might seem worlds away from Elvis and Dune: Part Two, Butler's two most-recent cinema roles — it's certainly intimate where they're each built upon spectacle — but they too wrestle with trying to discover who you truly are and where you fit in. Why he was drawn to the part, and to working with Nichols; how Butler sees Benny's journey throughout the film; outsider communities, including the parallels with being in the film industry; returning to that search for identity again and again; the contrast between making movies that favour intimacy and those worshipping spectacle: Butler also talked us through all of the above, plus his acting ambitions from this point onwards. [caption id="attachment_964098" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Kyle Kaplan/Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On What Attracted Butler to The Bikeriders "First of all, it was Jeff Nichols. Knowing that he had written it and was going to be directing it really piqued my interest. And then reading the script, for one, it just felt that I was able to see the movie in my head as I read it. It felt like such a cool movie that had so much heart. It just seemed like a really good film. And the character was one of the coolest characters I've ever read — I just felt that I had to play him." [caption id="attachment_956508" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kyle Kaplan/Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On How Butler Sees Benny's Journey Throughout the Film "He's an interesting one. Jeff describes him as an empty glass that everybody's trying to fill. And they're filling, they're trying to fill him with their expectations and responsibilities and rules, but he can't be filled with it. That's the interesting thing with both the club, which is this group of outsiders who don't like rules who come together and then funnily enough, they start making rules themselves within the club — and then, same thing with the relationship with Kathy, where he loves her and loves that feeling of connection and magnetism towards her, as long as there's no rules. And then once she starts trying to impose these rules, that's when he wants to cut bait and leave. [caption id="attachment_964099" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Kyle Kaplan/Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features, LLC. All RIghts Reserved.[/caption] But what comes along with that is then an incredible amount of loneliness, I think. And so you can compartmentalise — and so I guess, by the end of the film you're seeing him at a point now where he's experienced loss and he's experienced loneliness, and he's trying to do things differently, but there is that lone wolf inside of him. I also like leaving that moment up to interpretation — like, I'm so curious to have conversations with people after they see the film now and know what they think that last moment of the film is." [caption id="attachment_964094" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2023 Focus Features. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On Digging Into the Type of Community That Forms When Outsiders Come Together "I thought about it in the context of motorcycle lovers. That was the group that I was hanging around with at that time as we were making a movie, where all the people that I was with, we just ride motorcycles 12 hours a day and talk about motorcycles and work on motorcycles — and it's a very particular type of person that is in that world. But as you say that, it just makes me think of even the traveling circus that is making movies. They're kind of that same sort of outsider culture, where you're travelling around the world, and you pick up the circus tent and you move it somewhere else. You work for a while there and you have your family, and then the family disbands and you go and you kind of do it again somewhere else. So I suppose that that's the kind of the world that I've been a part of for a long time." [caption id="attachment_956509" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kyle Kaplan/Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On Repeatedly Stepping Into Films with a Search for Identity at Their Heart "I don't know how much Benny is searching for an identity necessarily. I think that's why that Tom's character Johnny, when he talks about out of all the guys in the club that Benny is the one that they want to be because he doesn't need anything from anyone. He doesn't really want any rules. But I suppose, I guess from the other side, you could see he decided to join this club. He decided to become a part of something. So perhaps that is part of the identity, and maybe motorcycles being a part of the identity. I guess we could just look at the human condition with that, and how we're all sort of — it's what helps us get through the world, you know, is our identity and what we identify with. And now we get into a philosophical conversation about ego and what connects us to feeling and identity at all." [caption id="attachment_964097" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2023 Focus Features. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On Moving From the Sense of Spectacle in Elvis and Dune: Part Two to the Intimacy of The Bikeriders "It's really one of the things that drew me to it. I wanted to do something very different — and how raw it was, and the fact that we were shooting on film and everything is practical. We were actually riding motorcycles with no helmets. It was just very visceral. So, yeah, it does change things because I think with some of the spectacle performances, it can be — I don't know, I'm trying to figure out as I'm saying it, but sometimes it's about the aesthetic of it and the frame of it. And sometimes that can feel external at times, where it's where you are in the frame and the angle of your face and that sort of thing. This felt — I felt — less conscious of any of that type of thing, and it was more about the relationships, and more just about the humanity and that connection." [caption id="attachment_964100" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Kyle Kaplan/Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features, LLC. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On How Having Such a Huge Past Few Years Has Shaped Butler's Ambitions as an Actor From This Point Onwards "I think right now I feel very fortunate for the opportunities that I've had, and it's really been my dream for my entire life to get to work with directors of this calibre and actors that I've always admired. So I really think my dream now is just to continue working with great directors and actors, and to keep growing — to keep challenging myself and surprising myself, and try not to do the same thing twice. I know that I have a lot to learn, and I'm just continuing to try to stay curious and grateful." The Bikeriders opens in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 4, 2024. Read our review. Top image: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2023 Focus Features. All Rights Reserved.
City of Shadows: Inner-city crime & mayhem 1912 -1948 is currently on show at the Justice and Police Museum. The exhibition displays historic forensic police photographs accompanied with meticulously researched stories that shed light on the shadowy underworld of Sydney between the wars. But is that all these photographs have to tell us? Penguin Plays Rough has thrown a slew of creative writers and wordsmiths on the case, to reinterpret and reimagine the mystery and suspense oozing from these historic pictures. Over the course of two events, creatives including comedian Nick Sun, crime writer PM Newton, magazine-maker Sam Cooney, fiction writer Laura Jean McKay, playwright Hilary Bell, performance-maker Nat Randall, non-fiction writer Elmo Keep, and fiction writers Felicity Castagna and Jack Vening have presented and embellished scenarios and suspects, to tell stories based on crime scene photographs and mug shots from the NSW Police Forensic Photography Archive. Now it's time for the series' third and final event, where artists from We Do Not Unhappen will bring together the scenarios and suspects to play out the crimes in various media throughout the museum. You'll be able to wander through the historic building's holding cells, police station and courtrooms, discovering performances and installations at every turn. Penguin Plays Rough at City of Shadows will be like CSI on opium. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Five Scenes, 20 September 2013 - 6pm Five Suspects, 22 November 2013 - 6pm Five Crimes, 17 January 2014 - 6pm
The Archibald Prize isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of artistic gadgetry. This coveted national portrait prize is often full of celebrities, sure, but they're usually rendered in expressionistic swathes of paint or meticulous photorealism. It's rare that we get treated to something on the vanguard — and even rarer to have someone deem Wil Anderson's familiar one-liners worthy of a place in one of the nation's best galleries. The portrait, which has been submitted for consideration of the Archibald Prize this week, is the work of Canberra artist Luke Cornish (aka E.L.K.). Predominantly known for his stencil work, Cornish has stepped out into unfamiliar territory creating an interactive artwork of the much-loved comedian that comes to life with the help of a video app. While the piece that hangs on the wall appears as a regular stencilled portrait, when you point a tablet of smartphone at the artwork, the image turns into a real-time video within the frame. A creepy virtual reality version of Wil Anderson leaps forth from your device and starts riffing on religion and Steve Jobs. It's as excellent as it is terrifying. The result of a collaboration with augmented reality specialist — aka the person with the coolest job ever — Amber Standley, this work looks like the start of something very exciting not only for the Archibald itself, but for art in general. "My plan is to start doing some large-scale mural portraits," the artist told The Herald Sun. "You can imagine walking down Elizabeth Street and holding your phone up to a mural and it just comes to life." A far cry from the unsightly QR codes that we still don't quite know how to figure out, this is some gadgetry we can definitely get behind. Instead of walking down the street flipping mindlessly through Instagram and Facebook we could now be interacting with the street art around us — while still firmly affixed to our phones, of course. As far as Cornish's portrait goes, we won't know if it's a finalist for the prize until July 10, and we won't be able to see it until the exhibition opens in Sydney on July 19. But, suffice to say, we have a good feeling it'll get through. Get your smartphones at the ready — this is definitely one to check out (even if you can't stand Wil Anderson). Via Herald Sun and Citynews.
The zombie apocalypse has evolved. When just 28 days had passed, survivors faced a nightmare. Little had improved when 28 weeks had gone by. Now, following 28 years of chaos, Jodie Comer (The Bikeriders), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (The Fall Guy), Ralph Fiennes (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar), Jack O'Connell (Back to Black) and Alfie Williams (His Dark Materials) are dealing with the aftermath of a society ravaged by a horrific infection for decades. Yes, the trailer for the aptly named 28 Years Later is here. Although 2030 will mark 28 years since viewers were treated to one of the best zombie movies ever, aka 28 Days Later from filmmaker Danny Boyle (Yesterday), you'll be watching a new flick from Boyle in the same franchise in 2025. First confirmed at the beginning of 2024, the movie has dropped its first full sneak peek to help close out the year — complete with Teletubbies, towers of skulls and bones, a possibly familiar-looking zombie, and the grim reality after days became weeks and then years of coping with the new status quo. 28 Days Later has already spawned one follow-up thanks to 2007's 28 Weeks Later, but Boyle didn't direct it. Screenwriter Alex Garland, who also penned Sunshine for Boyle, then hopped behind the camera himself with Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men, Civil War and TV series Devs, wasn't involved with 28 Weeks Later, either. But they're both onboard for the third film in the series, which is the start of a new trilogy. The saga's fourth feature 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple has already been shot, in fact, with Candyman and The Marvels' Nia DaCosta directing. The setup this time around: almost three decades after the rage virus initially seeped through humanity after escaping from a biological weapons laboratory, some survivors have etched out a life on a small island. Elsewhere, quarantine remains a key way of tackling the infection. With that starting point — and with unease dripping through the first trailer, complete with stunning imagery — expect Boyle and Garland to dig into the terrors that linger when two of the island's residents venture over to the mainland. With 28 Days Later among the movies that helped bring Oppenheimer Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy to fame, the actor is an executive producer on 28 Years Later. That mightn't be all that's in store for him, though, if you pay close attention to the trailer. In the original film, he played Jim, a bicycle courier who wakes up from a coma in a deserted hospital 28 days after an outbreak changed the world forever. Marking Boyle and Garland's first proper collaboration after Boyle adapted Garland's best-selling novel The Beach for the big screen two years prior, 28 Days Later still ranks among the best work on either's resume — and on Murphy's as well, even if it didn't win him any of Hollywood's top shiny trophies. Set in the aftermath of the accidental release of a highly contagious virus, the film's images of a desolated London instantly became iconic, but this is a top-notch movie on every level. That includes its performances, with then-unknowns Murphy and Naomie Harris (the Bond franchise's current Moneypenny) finding the balance between demonstrating their characters' fierce survival instincts and their inherent vulnerability. If you wondering why 28 Months Later wasn't made, it was talked about for years, but the time has now passed unless the new trilogy includes a flick set between 28 Weeks Later and 28 Years Later. Check out the first trailer for 28 Years Later below: 28 Years Later releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Influential Los Angeles-based restaurant and bar E.P. & L.P. is winging its way to Sydney to take over The Dolphin Hotel for one epic evening. Co-owners Grant Smilie (Australian DJ and co-director of the Royal Croquet Club) and fellow Aussie David Combes opened their West Hollywood venue with head chef Louis Tikaram (ex-Longrain) in 2015, and have been enjoying firm success for the last two years. They'll take over Crown Street's most eclectically renovated pub at 5pm on Sunday, June 11, treating you to five hours of drinks, snacks and music. The menu is split into two sections. On the first, dubbed Wine Room Aperitivo, you'll find blue swimmer crab congee, wagyu crackers, Hollywood abalone and Kakoda Fijian-style ceviche, all priced $5–7. Meanwhile, on Tikaram and Dolphin head chef Monty Koludrovic's bar menu, to be served in the Dining Room, you can pick from Lou Dogg's famed crispy chicken sandwich, Mullum Fries (tofu fries with soy and peanut) and Marty's Pizza (five-spice caramel hock with Thai basil and pickled chilli), among other offerings. The drinks list is a collaboration between E.P. & L.P. and The Dolphin. Look out for Dirty Bubble Teas, beer buckets and a few of of L.P.'s best-loved cocktails, such as the Where Love Lives Margarita (passionfruit, guava, lime, chilli, mezcal, damiana, salt) and California Love on The Roof (rosé, rosé aperitif blend, seasonal fruit). "This will be my first time back in an Aussie kitchen since leaving Australia to open E.P. & L.P. in 2014," said Tikaram. "I'm super excited to be teaming up with the guys at the Dolphin, to share my experiences and influences from Southern California so far and also tell my story through the menu from as far back as Mullumbimby. It's going to be one hell of a Queen's Birthday weekend." As you might've guessed, Grant Smilie will be on the decks until the party winds up until 10pm. Joining him will be Beni and a bunch of yet-to-be-announced special guests. E.P. & L.P. take over The Dolphin Hotel, 412 Crown Street, Surry Hills, on Sunday, June 11, 5-10pm.
Today's workplace isn't what it used to be. While there are plenty of reasons for this, technology is a big factor as is a shift in what most people consider important in regard to job satisfaction. In order to keep pace with such societal changes, workplaces are constantly adapting the type of skills they look for in new hires. Don't be too concerned though. Open Universities Australia (OUA) and its university partners are well aware of what it takes to succeed. That's why we've teamed up with OUA to outline five of the core skills you need to thrive in every work situation. The best part? There's a fantastic range of relevant courses through university partners across Australia. Regardless of your previous education, you can enrol instantly in a number of uni subjects that will help you upskill quickly and excel in the workforce. LEARN TO NAVIGATE THE CHANGING DIGITAL LANDSCAPE We live in a time of rapid change, particularly when it comes to technology. In the modern workplace, you don't necessarily need to be the one pumping out code or building expertly designed websites, but it is important to have an understanding of how technology intersects with your work. Studying subjects like Digital Culture and Everyday Life with Curtin University through OUA allows you to get acquainted with the basics. You'll learn how the internet became a part of everyday life and its general impact on society and culture. If you're keen to get more in-depth, you can also take a look at more focused subjects such as Writing for Digital Media or Cyber Crime, which both offer very specific skillsets. LEARN TO SET BOUNDARIES AND MANAGE YOUR TIME Knowing how to set boundaries is a crucial skill in every aspect of your life. However, striking the right balance between work and play isn't always a simple task. When the lines blur (as they often can), it's common for anxiety and stress to arise, so knowing how to separate the two is a valuable skill to have. And when your student life is full-time online, meaning your university exists wherever your computer does, you'll quickly learn that those essential clear and concise limits are the only way to properly manage your time. While it may not be fun at the time, it'll definitely stand you in good stead later down the line. LEARN HOW TO LEAD AND MANAGE PEOPLE Leadership skills. We all know we're supposed to have them but how do you actually hone them? The answer is simpler than you think. Just by taking online university courses you'll learn how to keep up with deadlines and work autonomously — skills which many places look for in leaders. Or, if you want to take it a step further, you can study the 14-week Project Leadership and Teams course with the University of South Australia via OUA. You'll learn all about managing teams effectively, critical problem solving and understanding and harnessing different people's strengths and weaknesses. Plus, you'll gain some great interpersonal skills. LEARN TO MAKE AND KEEP A SAFE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT It should come as no surprise that workplace safety is critical. After all, everyone wants and deserves to work in a secure and protected environment. But what may come as a shock is that plenty of people don't even know their own workplace rights, let alone what to do if they suspect those rights are being violated. Enrolling in Griffith University's Work Health and Safety through OUA will have you up to speed with the 2011 Work Health and Safety Act in no time. Plus, you'll get a clear understanding of the main types of hazards at work — be it in the office or out in the field. LEARN HOW TO BE APPROPRIATELY CULTURALLY AWARE People from all sorts of cultural backgrounds are represented in the workplace. Aside from the fact that cultural respect and an understanding of one's own privilege should be an inherent part of life anyway, having that sort of awareness and the ability to lead by example can be extremely beneficial in a work setting. From working in teams and avoiding miscommunication to scheduling mishaps during religious holidays, studying something like Curtin University's Human Rights History Across Cultures and Religions via OUA is a great first step to building your knowledge of a diverse range of cultures beyond the western viewpoint. Because everyone deserves to be treated equally both in and outside of the workplace. Start looking at all the subjects on offer online from leading Australian unis through Open Universities Australia and you could have a new skill by the end of the year. Hop to it.
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has been creating stylish storage solutions for our personal possessions for decades. As part of their latest marketing strategy, they've released a digital version of the Expedit shelving range to restore order to computer files. Hungarian advertising agency Laboratory Ideas developed the concept, saying "We prepared a useful, design-conscious and cost-effective way - true to IKEA's values - to organize and store your stuff even in your second home, your computer." One of my pet hates is that PCs don't allow for folder customisation. At least on Mac you can colour-code and highlight, though it's limited to seven shades. With its icon set of boxes, drawers and shelving in a range of colours and designs, IKEA's e-Folder set lets you say goodbye to stock-standard folders and furnish your computer so it feels like home. Download the set from IKEA online stores in Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, check out the installation instructions in English and get tidy! [Via NotCot]
Whoever said bouncy castles were just for kids clearly never encountered The Beast. Clocking in at over 300 metres and boasting 40 different obstacles, this thing is calling itself the world's largest inflatable theme park. Oh, and it's casually touring Australia next summer, hitting up Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Setting up in yet-to-be-announced locations in the hot months of 2020, The Beast is the bouncy castle experience of your wildest kidult dreams. Punters are invited to run, jump, dance and scramble their way through the course, which is opening predominantly for adults (with a limited number of sessions for littluns in each city). The obstacles you'll conquer in the bouncy theme park include a 20-metre Mega Slide and the ominously named Bouncy Cage of Doom. There's also something called the House of Hell, which, while suitably vague, we think may make you fear bouncy castles for life. Attempting to run from clowns, ghosts and ghouls in an unpredictably bouncy corridor is what nightmares are made of. Dates are not yet announced and details are slim, but we do know that the pop-up will be heading to each of the above cities for at least a few days. You can sign up for pre-release tickets here, which you best do because space will surely be limited.
Sydney’s food and drink scene isn’t slowing down any time soon. We’re spoilt for choice at every turn, with new top-notch eateries cropping up faster than ever before. If you’re struggling to keep up — and who isn't? — never fear Taste of Sydney 2016 is the four-day foodie festival to get to up to speed on the cream of the culinary crop. Setting up residence in Centennial Park from March 10 to 13, Taste of Sydney in partnership with Electrolux is all about bringing diners and chefs together. Ticketholders will be treated with nosh from some of Sydney’s top restaurants, including Biota Dining’s sustainable modern Australian dishes, fire-cooked noms from Firedoor, nel.'s fine dining dishes, plus Middle Eastern street food from the crew at Glebe’s Thievery. Also joining the deliciousness will be Porteño, Kitchen by Mike, MoVida, Sake, and the newly opened Kensington Street Social, among others. Sounds like a lot to stomach in one sitting? Thanks to the festival’s bite-size portions, you’ll be able to try a sampling from all on show — and maybe go back for seconds too. There'll be six sessions over the four-day program, so all you have to do is choose one and you’ll have four hours to experience Sydney's best selection of signature dishes. Aside from stuffing your face, there are also plenty of masterclasses and demonstrations from Australia’s leading chefs, and even the Taste of Sydney Artisan Market, jam-packed with over 60 food and drink exhibitors. For the first time, guests will have the opportunity to cook like a professional chef at Electrolux Chefs’ Secrets. This intimate masterclass experience will allow visitors to cook alongside renowned chefs including Peter Gilmore (Quay) and Colin Fassnidge (4Fourteen), before sitting down at a communal table together to enjoy the meal with matched wines. You can also see your favourite chefs in the Electrolux Taste Theatre hosted by food writer Kate Gibbs, experience world class food and wine at the South African Garden with MasterChef South Africa judge Benny Masekwameng, get creative with Lurpak, plus many more. Let the food comas commence.
Sydney is an incredible city for eating out in — we have a stellar selection of places to eat, drink and be merry at our fingertips. But, let's be honest. Sometimes you just need a good takeaway, whether it's a delicious lunch to eat at your desk during a particularly busy day at work, a meal on the way home after catching up for drinks with friends, or a mid-arvo sugary treat to eat in a relaxing park on a cruisy Sunday. Luckily for us, Sydney has some pretty amazing places to hit up when you need to grab something on the go. From enormous sandwiches, bagels and pizza, to Greek doughnuts that'll cure even the worst afternoon slump, takeaway food is best when it's impressively over-the-top — and we've got the answers. It was a tough job, but we've managed to narrow it down to our favourite five across the city.
This friendly neighbourhood bar won over Marrickville locals when it opened its doors in 2015, and it'll undoubtedly win you over too — it's the perfect place to stop in for a nightcap after hitting one of Illawarra Road's affordable Vietnamese eateries. The late-night small bar always has soul and hip hop on the speakers, ingenious cocktails and local craft brews on the menu, and serves up mouthwatering tacos. And we can't forget to mention the must-try Frankencheese Toastie, a multi-level grilled cheese served with Frank's Hot Sauce, pickles and crisps. A recent change of ownership has ushered in more live music, too, including Saturday afternoon sessions, when you can also nab two-for-one cocktails. Images: Arvin Prem Kumar
There's an antidote to winter and it's pubs with roaring fires, cosy whisky bars, experimental art galleries and winter dishes whipped up by brilliant chefs. You'll find all these in high concentration in the creative Sydney neighbourhoods of Surry Hills, Redfern and Chippendale. To maximise your immersion — and cut down the journey time to get home — make the area the focus of your next staycation. With a night or two in one of the nearby AccorHotels properties, you'll be welcoming the cold weather rather than wishing it away. Here's your guide to a winter weekender in Surry Hills, Redfern and Chippendale. EAT AND DRINK Getting out of bed on a frosty morning is much, much easier when you know that good coffee awaits. You'll get just that – and, on a cloud-free day, a generous dose of sunlight – among the high ceilings of Surry Hills' Paramount Coffee Project. Another cheery spot is nearby Suzie Q, where the morning menu includes Wintertime Love: a brekkie bowl loaded with quinoa, almond hummus, fermented pumpkin, pickled cauliflower, kale, avocado, poached egg and toasted nuts. Alternatively, to warm up with freshly baked goods, swing by Chippendale's Brickfields Bakery or Redfern's extremely popular Donut Papi. Yes, a doughnut for breakfast is the definitive answer to the wintertime blues. Among the area's most tempting lunchtime offerings is fried chicken ramen, which you'll find at Butter, a hybrid eatery-retail space with an impressive rare sneaker collection. The dish was such a hit in 2017 that head chef Julian Cincotta brought it back for another round. Burger fiends, The O.G from Eve's Bar is one to tick off your burger bucket list: a classic beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato and mustard mayo combo topped with a mini cheese burger on top (because one is never enough). Another option is a Japanese-inspired burger at Ume — think crumbed chicken katsu with yuzu kosho mayo and tonkatsu sauce. That's pretty much enough fuel to get you through to spring. If you're ready to indulge at dinnertime, then head to the newish Kensington Street Precinct. The quintessential dining experience here is Automata, a 2015 opening that was named one of the Diners Club World's 50 Best Restaurants and whose head chef, Clayton Wells, has been showered with awards. This is a degustation-only deal where contemporary Australian flavours like romanesco, broccolini, sour cucumber, dory roe emulsion combine in one dish. The cluster of more casual restaurants and stalls around Spice Alley are Jason Atherton's Kensington Street Social also vie for your attention here. Other cosy dinner spots are double-hatted Ester, LP's Quality Meats for smoked and cured delights, Melbourne transplant Chin Chin for spicy Asian, Spice I Am for authentic Thai and Happy D's for dumplings. All wintry evenings should end with a beverage in front of a crackling open fire. In Surry Hills alone, there are three pubs with just that: The Dolphin, the Cricketers Arms and Harpoon Harry. Alternatively, for a cocktail, go to Mjolner, a labyrinthine bar filled with cavernous rooms inspired by Thor, or, for a whisky, the Wild Rover. DO With the lure of beach-going reduced, winter is a great time to catch up on art. Surry Hills, Redfern and Chippendale are perfect places for it, being absolutely packed with galleries. Get started at Brett Whiteley Studio, where the famous avant-garde artist lived and worked, before heading to White Rabbit, to peruse one of the biggest collections of 21st-century Chinese art in the world. Afterwards, take a wander around Chippendale's back streets, to stumble across stacks of independent and experimental galleries. Look out for Galerie Pompom for shows by emerging artists, Tiny Tailor for designer creations and Goodspace, where, with the support of local pub the Lord Gladstone, artists exhibit commission-free. Come evening, swap art for live performance. There's jazz, blues and funk at Venue 505, rock bands at the Lansdowne Hotel, DJs and various live acts at Freda's and all kinds of sexy – and not-so-sexy – stuff at the Bearded Tit. Meanwhile, for theatre, comedy and talks, check out the Old 505, Giant Dwarf and the Seymour Centre. You'll be so busy, you won't have time to think about the cold. SLEEP To keep up with so many adventures, a super-sound sleep is crucial. The good news is there's a few nearby hotels where you can count on being cosy and warm. To go 4.5-star, book at the Novotel Sydney Central. The sunny, colour-splashed rooms feel happy — on even the chilliest of days. All come with lovely king-sized beds (or two queens, if you so choose) and the Superior rooms with private balconies. Wherever you sleep, you'll be welcome to swim in the heated rooftop pool and hang out in the garden terrace. Also be sure to make a stop at the Field House Bar during happy hour from 5–7pm and enjoy $5 house drinks and two-for-one cocktails, accompanied by live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. An alternative is the 4-star Mercure Sydney, right near Central Station and a short walk from the sizzle of Spice Alley and Kensington Street. Keen to splurge? Reserve a city-view room, with panoramas of the Sydney CBD skyline. There's also a rooftop gym, sauna and indoor heated pool (winter dip, anyone?). If you're looking for bang for your buck, then the Ibis Sydney World Square is for you. Located within a stone's throw of Surry Hills, Chippendale, Redfern and the CBD, it's spacious, clean and close to the wildly praised new bars and restaurants you came this way to see. Go to the AccorHotels website to book your stay in Sydney, and to discover more of NSW, check out Visit NSW.
The shock of unkempt hair, the Irish brogue, the misanthropic attitude: there's no mistaking Dylan Moran for anyone else. It was true in beloved British sitcom Black Books, when his on-screen alter ego abhorred mornings, ate coasters and claimed that his oven could cook anything (even belts). And it's definitely true of the comedian's acerbically hilarious live shows. Moran is no stranger to Australia, but if you haven't guffawed at his bleak wit live, he's coming back late in 2019 to give you another chance. This time around, expect the kind of deadpan gags, wine-soaked insights and blisteringly sharp one-liners that've kept him in the spotlight since 1996, when he became the youngest-ever winner of the Edinburgh Fringe's Perrier Award. From late October to early December, Moran will tour the country with his latest show, Dr Cosmos, bringing his grumpily lyrical musings on love, politics, misery and the everyday absurdities of life to 14 Aussie cities. Kicking off in Wollongong and coming to the Sydney Opera House for two nights in October, his upcoming visit marks his first Australian trip since 2015, when he was eliciting giggles with his Off the Hook tour. That mammoth effort took in a whopping 149 cities worldwide. As well as his stint as the world's worst bookshop owner in Black Books, Moran has popped up in films such as Notting Hill and Shaun of the Dead, should you been keen to get watching (or rewatching) before his new gigs. Nabbing tickets to his Dr Cosmos early is recommended — his shows usually sell out quickly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gy3C7cMNeg Image: Andy Hollingworth.
In great news for cat-loving cinephiles, 2019 is shaping up to be a huge year for felines on film. Photorealistic big cats are currently prowling around the new remake of The Lion King, and they'll soon be joined by a bunch of singing, scurrying street mousers in the silver-screen adaptation of stage musical Cats. For nearly four decades, Andrew Lloyd Webber's acclaimed production has pranced across stages everywhere, turning a tale inspired by poems from T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats into an award-winning theatre hit. But, while plenty of other popular musicals have made the leap to cinemas, this one hasn't until now. The first trailer for the new flick might just explain why. Ever wanted to see Taylor Swift as a preening, purring cat? Keen to soothe your disappointment over the fact that Idris Elba isn't James Bond by spotting him with whiskers, fur and a tail? Perhaps you've always dreamed of watching accomplished actors such as Judi Dench and Ian McKellen channel their inner feline? Have you ever hoped for all of the above, and for the actors to all play cat-sized cats? That's what's on offer in the just-dropped first clip, as well as a heap of dancing and singing set to the musical's famous melancholic tune 'Memory'. In terms of story, Cats zaps Swift, Elba and company down to feline height to spin a narrative about the Jellicle cat tribe, who spend a night deciding just which four-legged moggy will get to leave their group, ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. The movie comes with a significant pedigree, with Les Miserables' Tom Hooper in the director's chair, Webber on music duties, Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler doing the choreography, and the cast also spanning James Cordon, Jennifer Hudson, Jason Derulo, Ray Winstone and Rebel Wilson. And yet, it all looks a little odd. Perhaps it doesn't help that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt featured a fantastic Cats parody, or perhaps it's just the film's cats-with-human-faces concept. Check out the first Cats trailer below: https://youtu.be/FtSd844cI7U Cats opens in Australian cinemas on December 26.
Escape to the crisp country air of Orange this winter and rug up in one of the region's top accommodation spots. From charming cottages and elegant hotels to rustic homesteads and unique cabins, there's a warm and welcoming abode to suit every taste and budget. With a range of gourmet food and wine experiences to indulge in, plus stunning natural scenery to explore, Orange is the perfect destination for a winter getaway. There are sparkles of conversation too, as visitors congregate around festival bonfires, restaurant fireplaces and cellar door barbecues — the warmth and spirit of Orange take over the wintry evenings. Together with Orange360, we've curated a list of the cosiest winter getaways from which you can explore the region. Stay warm and toasty while enjoying a sip of your favourite cool-climate vino with our selection of top winter escapes in Orange. So pack your bags, grab your winter coat, and head inland for a memorable escape in this charming New South Wales region.
Celebrity chef Luke Mangan and his meticulous Luke's Kitchen crew at Pitt Street's Kimpton Margot Hotel are doing a luxurious rendition of Mother's Day brunch. Mangan relocated his popular Dank Street eatery into the sleek Art Deco lobby of the Kimpton Margot, but his culinary focus — combining French and Asian influences with fresh local produce, beautifully plated — remains true to his original vision. The menu for Mother's Day Brunch brings it to life in five generous courses. The lineup includes: sashimi of hiramasa kingfish with nam jim, coconut yoghurt wild rice and kaffir lime; onion galette topped with soft poached egg; barbecue spiced king prawns; grilled Brooklyn Valley sirloin; and pear and raspberry crumble with vanilla bean ice cream. A vegan menu is also available for plant-based diners. For $125 per person you'll get the five-course meal and a glass of Taittinger on arrival. There will also be a roving bartender on hand to mix table-side Bloody Marys to your exact specifications, if you're mum is after something with a bit more kick. Seats are limited so book now at the Kimpton Margot website.
Sure, it's now cold enough to warrant spending all our time indoors and watching back-to-back Netflix. But, this year, Sydney is putting on one helluva show that's sure to lure you out of the house. This June, Sydney Solstice (June 8–20) is greeting winter head-on, showcasing some of the best music, arts and food the harbour city has to offer. The packed-out schedule spans events held in urban laneways and famous landmarks, but, if you really want to get cosy, you'll want to track down the gigs heating up Sydney's go-to bars and restaurants. Whether you want to sip whisky in a western-style saloon, party in a multi-level pub or hit up new Darlinghurst darling Cafe Freda's for a natty wine, these in-venue shows are better than watching Friends... again. In partnership with NSW Government via Destination NSW, we've rounded up the top spots around town where you can wine, dine and catch a dazzling show this season. So, put on your winter woollies and get out that front door to catch everything from camp cabaret and swingin' country tunes, to early-morning raves and Latin-infused beats right by the harbour.
Heading to Vivid Sydney this year? You can expect all the usual suspects: glowing light installations, huge crowds, immersive tunnels, pop-up bars – and one very sleek electric SUV stealing the spotlight. Kia is back for its fourth year as a major partner of Vivid, and in 2025, the brand is taking things up a notch. At the centre of this year's activation is the Kia Portal, which invites visitors of the festival to experience the Kia EV3, a cutting-edge, all-electric small SUV. Unlike usual car displays, this one isn't hiding behind velvet ropes or spinning on a showroom podium. You can watch as the body of the car transforms with synchronised waves of light, colour and playful motion. Positioned along the famous Vivid Light Walk at The Rocks, the activation feels like a science museum display combined with a music video. As you approach the glowing platform, you'll spot the EV3 GT-Line at its centre. A giant sweeping screen slides across the vehicle, revealing a surreal X-ray animation that peels back the car's exterior and gives you a rare look inside. Pulsing lights trace the EV's inner systems, including its panoramic display, spacious interior and smart cabin tech. Did we mention there's also a family of animated X-ray skeletons showcasing the EV3's features? The full 90-second experience loops continuously and is set to a cracking soundtrack from Kia Australia's latest zombie campaign, Wyclef Jean's 'We Trying To Stay Alive' ft. John Forté and Pras. It's entertaining, fun and definitely worth the stop as you stroll around the festival. Compact but seriously capable, the Kia EV3 is designed to bring high-end electric innovation into a more accessible, everyday package. The car's stylish design takes cues from its bigger sibling, the EV9, but reimagines it for tighter city streets and smaller garages. The car comes with loads of cool features. You can charge devices or run small appliances with its vehicle-to-load (V2L) feature, handy for camping trips, remote work setups or just topping up your laptop on the go. And with up to 604 kilometres of driving range and ultra-fast charging, it's just as practical as it is good-looking. If you're keen to check out this all-electric SUV, the Kia Portal is the perfect way to do it. It's entertaining, creative, and just a little bit magical, making it feel right at home in Vivid. Find the Kia Portal at The Rocks, right along the Vivid Light Walk. The activation is free and open every night during Vivid Sydney 2025, from May 23 to June 14. Learn more about the EV3 or book a test drive here. By Jacque Kennedy
Even vegetarians and vegans need a filthy food option sometimes — and Lord of the Fries is one of few fast food joints that really gets this. Now, Australia's homegrown vegetarian chain is expanding their offering to include all-day vegan breakfast. The photos may look like Maccas knock-offs, but the brekkie options — like the rest of the Lord of the Fries menu — are 100 percent vegan. Think BLTs, sausage and hash brown muffins, and a fried chicken and waffle bun with bacon, butter and maple syrup. Plus, there's also an English muffin stuffed with the holy trinity of 'bacon', 'egg' and 'cheese'. All made without any animal products, of course. The idea of vegan eggs might make some people squirm, but the mere fact that vegan fast food breakfast options are readily available is roof-raising news for those who like to keep their hangover cures cruelty-free. The all-day breakfast is now available nationwide and in all stores. Check out the full menu here.
Gone are the days of sidling into bottle shops and covertly trying to identify the second cheapest wine on the shelf. The brainchild of The Iconic founder and former managing director Cameron Votan, Spokewine is the brand new online wine store that may well revolutionise the way you think about your drinking — with a unique customer rating system. The online equivalent of a well-stocked cellar door, Spokewine features wine options from more than 70 different Australian wineries, many of which have never before been available to buy on the web. With a focus on boutique producers, customers can browse by wine type, region or individual winery, or simply take a look at what's trending with their fellow oenophiles — which, let's face it, is basically just a fancy word for knowledgeable alcoholic. Once you've found the wine that suits your palate, you can order by the case and have it delivered to you absolutely free. Shipping should take between 4-10 days, and you'll need someone over 18 to sign for it on arrival. Sorry kids, there's no gaming the system. What makes Spokewine unique is their democratic review process, which takes the power away from snooty wine critics and puts it back into the hands of the people. Basically, it's like IMDb, but for your liver. After logging in through Facebook, you can choose between 'love', 'like' and 'not for me', or get more in depth feedback through tasting notes and written reviews. After you've rated the vino, your score and everyone else's get aggregated into two separate rankings — the 'approval' rating counts the percentage of positive votes, while the 'passion' rating calculates the number of 'love' votes as a percentage of people who ranked it positively. The Spokewine venture may prove a new mode of doing business for the former Iconic head and his partners Nicholas Turner, Michael Larsen and Victor Garcia. Votan told BRW the move was a "real partnership" with winemakers, as opposed to the set-up with labels: arguing over rebates, charging fees for lost custom. Looks like Votan is going to do things a little differently this time. "Not just The Iconic but any retailer I’ve ever been involved with, whether through consulting or an operational role, is that merchants are by nature in an adversarial relationship [with suppliers],” Votan told BRW. "It would be impossible to do that with the set of vendors that we’re working with now. They just don’t work like that. They’re up for partnerships for life. They want you to come and look them in the eye, walk through their vineyard with them, understand their story and at the end shake hands and say let’s do business." Now if you'll excuse us, we've got some user-reviewed wine to order.
Forget the trashy mags conveniently placed just near supermarket checkouts, and forget whatever the real-life royals are up to, too. These days, if you're keen on regal intrigue, then you're hooked on Netflix drama The Crown. And, after two eventful seasons, you're definitely eagerly awaiting the show's third batch of episodes — following the same characters but with an all-new cast. Since 2016, The Crown has peered inside both Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street, unpacking the goings-on behind Britain's houses of power. Set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the series has charted her wedding to Prince Philip, her coronation and the birth of her children (aka Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward). As well as delving into the monarch's marital ups and downs, The Crown has also explored the romantic life of her sister, Princess Margaret, plus the major political events throughout the late 40s, entire 50s and early 60s. During all this, viewers have become accustomed to seeing Claire Foy as Elizabeth, Matt Smith as Philip and Vanessa Kirby as Margaret. In the third season, however, they've all been replaced to better reflect the passing of time. Fresh from winning an Oscar for The Favourite earlier this year, Olivia Colman steps into ol' Lizzie's shoes, while Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham Carter do the same with Philip and Margaret. Also joining the show is Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles, Erin Doherty as Princess Anne and Marion Bailey as the Queen Mother. Given the change of cast, and the fact that The Crown's last episodes hit Netflix at the end of 2017, the show's third season has been eagerly anticipated. While the just-dropped teaser doesn't include much at all in the way of detail, it does offer a 20-second glimpse at Colman as the Queen — and reveal that the series will return this November. A full trailer is bound to follow, giving fans a better look at the show's new stars. And, hopefully, touching upon the third season's storyline, which'll chart the years between 1964–1977, including Harold Wilson's (played by The Man Who Killed Don Quixote and The Children Act's Jason Watkins) two stints as prime minister. If you're waiting for the Margaret Thatcher era, and the arrival of Princess Diana, they're expected to be covered in The Crown's fourth season. For now, check out the third season's first teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXrEnmracYw The Crown's third season will hit Netflix on November 17.
The landscape of the late Harry Dean Stanton's face is home to a thousand stories. In Lucky, we're privy to a few. Directed by actor turned filmmaker John Carroll Lynch, this intimate character study revels in Stanton's crumpled gaze, rugged skin and weary expression, as though they're the only things in the world worth looking at. For 88 minutes, they might as well be. Of course, there are other things that fill Lucky's frames. The movie starts with desert vistas that are almost entrancing as Stanton, with Lynch drawing a clear connection between their arid, weathered state and the film's central figure. A tortoise, named President Roosevelt, is spied ambling across hills and through cacti, slowly but surely going about its business. Townsfolk gather at the local diner during the day and at a bar each evening, shooting the breeze about life and love, and saying everything and nothing all at once. They're all connected to Stanton's protagonist within the narrative, but speak also to his mindset and his journey through life. Still, while these elements – these images and characters – all have a part to play, there's also no ignoring that this thoughtful motion picture wouldn't have worked without Stanton in the titular role. That's partly because Lucky the film and Lucky the character can't really be separated. Story-wise, Lucky doesn't chart big developments or action-packed occurrences. Instead, it follows the charmingly cantankerous World War II veteran's routine, as he smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, watches game shows, does crosswords and exercises in his underwear. But when the nonagenarian suddenly faints, it becomes clear that his mortality lurks just around a looming corner. Much like Jim Jarmusch's Paterson, this is a film that peers into a man's existence in order to show just how extraordinary the ordinary can be. Life, death, loneliness, friendship, hopes, regrets: they all ebb and flow through Lynch's film, sometimes mapped out in Lucky's expression, sometimes seeping through in his gruff chatter. As much as the film is tied to its star, it's also peppered with extra flavour thanks to its supporting cast. Stanton's Alien co-star Tom Skerritt pops up as a fellow veteran, while Ron Livingston makes an appearance as an insurance salesman. Meanwhile, acclaimed director David Lynch — with whom the 91-year-old Stanton has collaborated on everything from Wild at Heart to The Straight Story to the recent third season of Twin Peaks — plays the owner of the aforementioned turtle, and brings vibrancy and warmth to every scene he's in. It's not an easy job, shining a spotlight so soulfully on Stanton, while leaving room for others to have their moments too. But, in his first stint behind the lens, it's a job that John Carroll Lynch does masterfully. More than just a love letter to its leading man, Lucky is a melancholy ode to the inevitability that life goes on until it doesn't. Though conveyed calmly and with lashings of warm comedy, that's a potent message — both before Stanton passed away in September and now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWxpmcZ0E0Q
It's a great privilege to experience the homelands of Traditional Owners — and it's even more exceptional when you have a local to guide you along the way. Tropical North Queensland is blessed with many experiences that'll allow you the opportunity to connect and learn from Traditional Custodians as they generously share their art, food, dancing and customs. We've teamed up with Tropical North Queensland to share one-of-a-kind experiences to add to your hit list if you're passionate about travelling consciously. By supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses like those mentioned below, you're helping to preserve sacred practices that have been passed down for thousands of years. SEEK OUT SOME OF THE BEST LOCAL INDIGENOUS ART This year, the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair will be held from July 6–10. This annual festival attracts thousands of local and international visitors to the city to celebrate Indigenous artists and their latest works. The program includes a visual feast of artwork and performances, alongside fashion shows, workshops and symposiums. While it honours Indigenous culture and traditions, the event also provides economic and personal development opportunities for the artists. Some artworks are acquired by private collectors, while others are purchased for display across the world. Previous years have seen impressive buyers representing the Harvard University Art Museum and the National Gallery of Canada. TAKE A THREE-DAY 4WD TOUR THROUGH THE REGION The team at Culture Connect prides itself on providing visitors with authentic Aboriginal cultural experiences from Cairns to Cooktown. The small tour group sizes allow for an intimate opportunity to explore the region, with local Aboriginal guides who are passionate about their homeland and history. Experiences range in length from half-day nature walks to a full-day scenic flight adventure. There's also a three-day 4WD tour on offer with meals and accommodation included. Guests have the opportunity to explore ancient rock art galleries, learn traditional coastal survival skills or or learn to paint from an acclaimed local Indigenous artist. [caption id="attachment_846219" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Island Stars Cultural Experience[/caption] EXPLORE THE REGION WITH THE HELP OF AN INDIGENOUS GUIDE Hundreds of islands make up the Torres Strait region and just 17 are currently inhabited. Touring this area without local knowledge is tricky, which is where Strait Experience steps in to help. This Torres Strait-owned business offers incredible opportunities to explore remote destinations such as Thursday Island and Horn Island. Strait Experience connects visitors with exclusive accommodation options, unique beachside activities and tours focusing on historical sites and ancient traditions on some of the islands in the Torres Strait. And, if you time it just right, you might even be lucky enough to observe turtles nesting on the beach. TAKE A BOAT TOUR TO A TRADITIONAL SMOKING CEREMONY The traditional lands of the Mandingalbay Yidinji People cover an impressive 10,000 hectares, which allowed ancient ancestors to develop an impressive range of survival and conservation skills. Just a short river cruise with Mandingalbay Ancient Indigenous Tours will transport you thousands of years back in time. Departing from Cairns Marlin Marina, a 15-minute boat journey will take you from Trinity Inlet to Hills Creek. Once arriving at the destination, guests are welcomed with a traditional cleansing smoking ceremony. Other tour options include eco walks, overnight camping expeditions and dance performances. The famous 'Deadly Dinners' give you the opportunity to sample delicious local ingredients such as kangaroo, crocodile and mud crab. [caption id="attachment_829657" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] WANDER THROUGH THE WONDERS OF KUKU YALANJI COUNTRY Did you know that two World Heritage-listed sites meet in Tropical North Queensland? Yep, in Kuku Yalanji Country, you'll see where the epic Daintree Rainforest juts up against the iconic Great Barrier Reef. And you can explore all the wonders of this area on a half- or full-day tour with Walkabout Cultural Adventures. This 100-percent First Nations-owned and operated cultural tour company offers you the opportunity to learn about this unique environment and the foods and medicines that are produced here. You'll get to sample bush tucker, swim in freshwater streams and maybe even try spear and boomerang throwing. Your tour guide takes care of everything — all you need to do is wear comfy shoes. [caption id="attachment_830381" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] PLUNGE INTO THE DEEP BLUE Experiencing the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef is an irrefutable addition to any TNQ itinerary. But doing so with Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel will leave you with an even greater understanding and appreciation of this natural beauty and the connection that local First Nations people have with it. Across a five-hour tour, you'll get to hear the creation story of the Great Barrier Reef, snorkel or dive in two outer reef sites, sample native bush food and be entertained by a traditional dance. The tours are run by First Nations sea rangers whose passion for reef preservation and sustainable tourism is evident. TAKE A DIP IN AN OUTBACK POOL Update: Talaroo Hot Springs 2022 season will run from April 1-October 31. It may take about 4.5 hours to drive from Cairns to this outback pool in the heart of Ewamian Country. But boy, oh, boy is it worth it. The hot springs here formed millions of years ago with the water seeping from underground and heated by granite rocks along the way. When it reaches the pools, it's a whopping 68 degrees celsius and cools as it flows across the rippled travertine terraces. You can't directly enter the natural hot springs, but you can take a dip in one of the site's private soaking pools which can be accessed via a timber boardwalk on a First Nations-led tour. Talaroo Hot Springs also has an outback caravan park and campground if you'd like to stay a little longer (and we wouldn't blame you if you did). [caption id="attachment_842421" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GET A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF THE TROPICS Located in Burketown, Yagurli Tours is a First Nations-owned and operated tour company. With local Gangalidda and Garawa guides, these experiences offer a unique opportunity to learn about Gulf Savannah country from the Traditional Custodians of the land. Yagurli Tours offer five different immersive adventures, like Yaliya's Stories (Stargazing) on Australia's largest salt pans and the Gambumanda Sunset Cruise with dinner and drinks. Also on offer is the Marrija 4WD Cultural Tour and Aloft Hot Air Balloon flights showcasing the Albert River, salts pans and the Arafura Sea in the Gulf of Carpentaria. [caption id="attachment_845212" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] DISCOVER HISTORY THROUGH MAGNIFICENT ROCK ART Jarramali Rock Art Tours are perfect for those wanting to avoid the crowds and experience an intimate and rugged adventure. This authentic Aboriginal cultural experience will commence with either a 4WD drive with a Traditional Owner or a scenic helicopter flight depending on if you want a day trip or would rather embark on an overnight stay. We suggest an overnight stay where you will camp in an exclusive location, only accessible to Jarramali guests. Discover the history of the Kuku Yalanji people through magnificent Quinkan Rock Art. Traditional Owners will guide you through the 20,000 year old art found among sandstone escarpments near Laura in North Queensland. You will gain a deeper understanding of Australia's Indigenous history while soaking in the beauty of the remote wilderness - making this definitely, a once in a lifetime experience. [caption id="attachment_844022" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] FLEX YOUR CREATIVE MUSCLES WITH AN INDIGENOUS PAINTING WORKSHOP Owned by renowned First Nations artist Brian 'Binna' Swindley, Janbal Gallery offers visitors a unique opportunity to learn about Aboriginal culture through art and storytelling experiences. Binna is a local Kuku Yalanji man from Mossman and the gallery is lovingly named after his late mother. Binna hosts painting workshops on weekdays, with morning and afternoon sessions available. Choose from either a small boomerang or canvas to paint, with all paints and tools supplied. An impressive range of Aboriginal artwork is on display at the gallery, with items available for purchase, too. Ready to plan a trip to the tropics? For more information visit the Tropical North Queensland website.
Nothing makes us feel so alive as to see others die. This starkly confronting line comes from Leo Carax's new surrealistic film, Holy Motors, and is resemblant of the tone and style of the whole story. Carax's first feature film in 13 years, Holy Motors is an abstract expression of a heightened reality. It follows the life of Monsieur Oscar, a roving assassin played expertly by Denis Lavant, who meanders between varying identities and lives - whether that be a family man, a monster or a captain of industry. The film is set between dawn and dusk, yet follows no clear linear progression, instead exploring the irrational nature of the human subconscious. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian awarded the film a whopping five stars and described it as "wayward, kaleidoscopic, black comic and bizarre; there is in it a batsqueak of genius, dishevelment and derangement; it is captivating and compelling". It first appeared at this year's Cannes Film Festival and although it has received some mixed reviews, it has largely been received as a cinematic delight and created a mass of critical excitement. Other notable performances in the film include the slender blonde chauffeur, Celine, played by Edith Scob, the sultry Eva Mendez as Kay M, and Kylie Minogue, whose character is believed to represent the struggles in the protagonist's career. The most important thing to note in Holy Motors is to not look for one simple meaning - although we can safely say that it is at least in part about the significance of human role-playing as we journey through life. Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see Holy Motors. To go in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Just in time to celebrate the brand's 20th anniversary, Sydney Brewery Alexandria is up and running in a sprawling, industry-chic space. Having acquired the former home of Rocks Brewing Company — a casualty of Australia's struggling craft beer scene — Sydney Brewery now enjoys vastly improved brewing capacity, not to mention a sweet location with enough room for 300 guests. Leading the acquisition was Dr Jerry Schwartz of the Schwartz Family Company, owners of Sydney Brewery. Following the announcement, the tap house was renamed Sydney Brewery Alexandria, building upon the brand's existing operations, which include Sydney Brewery Surry Hills and the Sydney Brewery production facility in the Hunter Valley. With the brand's craft beers and ciders in hot demand, the extra brewing capability is more than welcome. Besides a good-quality brew, food will be a major focus at Sydney Brewery Alexandria. In the kitchen, Head Chef Chris Reynolds and his team have shaped a bold menu brimming with fresh, shareable options. Elevating your usual pub feed, expect house-made pasta like gnocchi alla vodka and garlic prawn linguine, alongside premium burgers and staples like chicken schnitzel and steak frites. Also on offer are Nepalese dumplings, chicken wings, or salt and pepper calamari to share with your pals. From its central Alexandria spot, guests will have plenty of space to spread out, with covered and al fresco seating primed for casual catch-ups and group gatherings. Decked out with exposed brick, steel accents and striking street art, the venue offers an inviting ambience whether you're hanging out with a few drinks or seeking a fully-fledged feed. "The milestone is important not just for Sydney Brewery, but for the whole industry," said Dr Schwartz about the brand's 20th anniversary. "When I established Sydney Brewery, the craft brewing sector was in its infancy, and we have managed to grow our capacity and range progressively ever since then." Founded in the basement of the Macquarie Hotel under the Schwartz Brewery name, Sydney Brewery was born in 2012, aspiring to champion the city's emerging craft scene. Before long, a major production facility launched in Lovedale, then a Surry Hills venue followed in 2018. Now, the Alexandria site offers an additional 20hL brewing capacity, ensuring the brand has just what it needs to meet demand for the foreseeable future. Sydney Brewery Alexandria is open at Sydney Corporate Park, 160 Bourke Road, Alexandria. Head to the website for more information.
The hit rock musical based on Green Day's iconic album American Idiot is coming to Sydney for the first time in 2018. Following a hit season in Brisbane in 2017, this next run of Green Day's American Idiot will see Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson reprise his lead performance as St Jimmy — a role played internationally by the likes of Melissa Etheridge, Chris Cheney and Green Day's own Billie Joe Armstrong. The acclaimed Aussie musician will again be joined on stage by Phoebe Panaretos, whose performance as Whatsername during the show's Brisbane run scored her a Helpmann nomination. Hailed as a bold and explosive production, the Tony and Grammy award-winning show features every song from the band's eponymous album, along with a number of tunes from Green Day's follow-up record, 21st Century Breakdown. It's the tale of three lifelong mates, torn between remaining in their safe, aimless ruts, and challenging the status quo to embark on a journey of self-discovery. The American Idiot 2018 tour will begin with a brief season at the Sydney Opera House, before runs in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. Images: Dylan Evans.
Victoria's Grampians National Park is already home to a number of world-class hiking trails, but, come next year, it will have a giant new one that's will be a whole trip in itself. Start stretching, because this will be a big one. When completed in late-2020, the Grampians Peaks Trail will cover 160 kilometres and take 13 days to traverse. It'll connect some of the Grampians' best mountain peaks, providing panoramic views of the southern volcanic plains from Mount Abrupt, winding through the parks low-lying greenery and waterfalls to Mount Zero in the north. The track has been designed so everyone can get some use out of it — whether you're looking for a leisurely day trip or an overnight hike, or ready to commit to an epic two-week adventure. Gariwerd — as it's known by the land's Traditional Owners, the Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung people — is more than just its rugged, sandstone mountains. The park is heritage listed for its Aboriginal significance (there is a large number of ancient rock art paintings and shelters in the area), its abundance of animal and plant life, and its damn spectacular views. If you're raring to get started, a section of the Grampians Peaks Trail is already open — and it's a three-day circuit, so you can easily make a weekender out of it. As it stands, the 36-kilometre walk starts and ends at Halls Gap and has two campsites — Bugiga Hiker Camp and Borough Huts Campground — and takes in highlights like the Pinnacle, Spitters Falls, the Gate of the East Wind, Mount Rosea and Bellfield Lake. The Grampians Peaks Trail will open in full in late 2020. We'll keep you updated with new details on the track as its launch gets closer.
What does Brisbane have in common with music superstars Beyoncé, Björk, Lady Gaga and Rihanna, and also Oscar-winners Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton? An appreciation for fashion designer Iris van Herpen. The avant-garde Dutch talent has dressed them all, including creating the breathtaking Heliosphere dress that proved a showstopper on Beyoncé's Renaissance tour. The latter gigs haven't made it Down Under, but the Australian-exclusive Sculpting the Senses exhibition at the Queensland capital's Gallery of Modern Art will take you into the world of the haute couture figure who played a part in it. Fashion lovers have until Monday, October 7, 2024 to explore one of GOMA's big showcases for 2024, which continues to plunge the South Brisbane site into an enchanting and ethereal realm after Fairy Tales, its huge summer exhibition, did the same. Pieces by van Herpen can't be mistaken for designs by anyone else, sitting at the intersection of couture, art and design, while also exploring technological advancements such as 3D printing. In that field, she's widely considered the first to make a garment this way. From gowns to accessories, a massive 130 of van Herpen's pieces are now on display in the River City. Across nine chapters — some nodding to the dreamlike sheen that accompanies the designer's pieces, others focusing on skeletal structures, inspirations, and how the sea and the cosmos are an influence — Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses steps through the work of a creative who boasts stints alongside Alexander McQueen and Claudy Jongstra on her resume. It was almost two decades back, in 2007, that the Maison Iris van Herpen came to life in Amsterdam. Evoking her studio, complete with a cabinet of curiosities, is also part of GOMA's celebration. In this section of the exhibition, attendees will also see a space dedicated to fashion shows and unpack the various development stages of a dress. [caption id="attachment_966403" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Installation view of 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses'. Iris van Herpen / Netherlands b.1984 / Daniel Widrig (Collaborator) / United Kingdom b.1977 / Materialise (Collaborator) / Belguim est.1990 / Crystallization top and skirt, from the 'Capriole' collection 2011 / 3D-printed polyamide using selective laser sintering, eco-leather, cotton, nylon thread / Purchased thanks to the patronage of Doctor and Madam Léon Crivain, 2018 / Collection: Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. Courtney Mattison / United States b.1985 / Malum Geminos 2019 / Glazed stoneware and porcelain / Courtesy: The artist. Iris van Herpen / Netherlands b.1984 / Nicholas Koscinski (Collaborator)/ United States b.1992 / Futurama gown, from the 'Meta Morphism' collection 2022 / 3D-printed Bluesint (upcycled polyamide) using selective laser sintering, silver, silk, organza, tulle / Courtesy: Iris van Herpen atelier. © The artists / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.[/caption] Hitting Brisbane after a run in Paris, co-organised by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and boasting the organisation's Dr Cloé Pitiot and Louise Curtis on curatorial duties alongside QAGOMA's Nina Miall and Jacinta Giles, Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses takes its name seriously. This is a feast for the eyes, clearly, but also comes paired with a soundscape by Dutch sound artist Salvador Breed — not just a collaborator of van Herpen's, but her partner — to enhance the experience. Among the specific fashion gems featured, the exhibition draws from 2010's water-themed 'Crystallization' collection, which took its cues from water being splashed at models; 2020's 'Sensory Seas', with hydrozoa such as the bluebottle an influence; and 2012's 'Micro' and 'Hybrid Holism', each teeming with microscopic detail that mimics the natural world — just for starters. Elsewhere, van Herpen's designs use X-rays, MRIs, neuroscience, mythology, alchemy, biotech, NASA's James Webb space telescope and more as guides. Visitors will equally spy a range of complementary pieces surrounding van Herpen's designs, weaving in Yayoi Kusama, Cai Guo-Qiang, Japanese art collective Mé and Kohei Nawa, for instance. Megan Cope, Philip Beesley, Anne Noble, Damien Jalet, Casey Curran, Rogan Brown, Ren Ri and Courtney Mattison also have works in Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses, as does the Living Architecture Systems Group. Natural history objects add yet another layer. The dramatic staging, especially when van Herpen's work is set against a black background, achieves the same. Similarly featuring: installations, videos and photographs. [caption id="attachment_966407" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Installation view of 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses'. (l) Iris van Herpen / Netherlands b.1984 / Water dress, special project 2010 / Heat-moulded PETG / Collection: Groninger Museum, Netherlands / © Iris van Herpen. (r) David Spriggs / Canada b.1978 / Origins 2018 / PET film, acrylic Plexiglas, LED, acrylic paint, metal / Collection: Dr Pierre Miron / © David Spriggs. Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.[/caption] Top images: Installation view of 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses' including (front l-r) Symbiotic asymmetric dress, from the 'Shift Souls' collection 2019 by Iris van Herpen; Fractal Flows dress, from the 'Sensory Seas' collection 2020 by Iris van Herpen with collaborator Perry Hall; and Cosmica gown, from the 'Shift Souls' collection 2019 by Iris van Herpen with collaborator Kim Keever / © Iris van Herpen / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA. Installation view of the Cabinet of Curiosities in 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses', Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane / © Iris van Herpen / Photograph: J Ruckli © QAGOMA. Iris van Herpen: Runway films 2017-23 (installation view, 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses') / Video, colour, sound, 57:51 minutes (total, looped) / Editor: Simona Gol / Music selection: Salvador Breed / Courtesy: Iris van Herpen Atelier / © Iris van Herpen / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.
Summer's well and truly kicked into gear, and we've been busy making the most of it with catch-ups with mates, family dinners and backyard barbies with the crew. But not all summer hangs are created equal. First, the set-up needs to suit the occasion, whether that's on an airy rooftop for sundowners or comfy garden seats for your crew to chill out on while basking in sunshine. What you're drinking is also key — and you can't go run with gin in the warmer months. And, if you're hosting an at-home do, you need the quintessential Aussie tool: a barbecue. To help take the fuss out of summer events (which should always be laidback), we've teamed up with UK distillery Whitley Neill Gin to bring you everything you need for lazy days in the sun. One lucky winner in Australia will score four bottles of Whitley Neill gin — namely, two bottles of its Original London Dry and one bottle of both its raspberry and blood orange-flavoured gins. To serve up your summery sips, you'll also score a Whitley Neill Gin carafe and four balloon glasses. And because every backyard event needs a barbie, we're also throwing in a Weber Family Q barbecue. Whether you've been meaning to get one since you moved house or need to upgrade, this top-quality grill is a big drawcard. Finally, to deck out your garden, courtyard or balcony, the prize pack comes with four branded deck chairs, too. Keen to win this epic prize? Enter your details below to go in the running. [competition]837183[/competition]
A music documentary with a glossy sheen and a warm heart, 20 Feet From Stardom tells the stories of some of popular music's most accomplished backup singers, including those who have shared the stage with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. While names like Darlene Love, Lynn Maybry and Merry Clayton may be almost completely unknown, classic soul, pop and girl group songs from 'Walk On The Wild Side' to 'Da Doo Ron Ron' and 'Gimme Shelter' would have been infinitely lesser without them. Possessed with the ability to perform vocal pyrotechnics which would blitz most Idol contestants, many of these backup singers yearn for their own moment in the spotlight, but as Springsteen observes "that walk to the front (of stage) is a difficult one". Though their ambitions of breaking out of the shadows of stardom were often frustrated by the whims of a notoriously fickle industry, the selfless contributions they made were immense and their stories are rarely less than compelling. Though primarily an upbeat affair, Morgan Neville's film is unafraid of tackling more emotionally complex terrain as he covers the backstory of Phil Spector's monstrous exploitation of backing singers and the politics around Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama', which featured African-American backing singer Merry Clayton contributing to a track intended as a rebuttal to Neil Young's anti-racist 'Southern Man'. There's also a note of lament for the perceived declining importance of backup singers, as technology evolves to make their prodigious vocal talents a luxury when Auto-Tune and studio wizardry can produce the same result. As well as collating priceless archival footage performances of the film's stars with the likes of The Talking Heads, Paul Simon and Elton John, the documentary has corralled some of its subjects together for some perfectly shot performances of some of their greatest works. Although it has been decades since their prime in some cases, their voices are as sweet as ever, and when they join forces to belt out the evergreen 'Lean On Me', the results are simply spine-chilling. Neville's ambitions of pushing these overlooked but hugely talented musicians into the full blare of the spotlight is beautifully realised. https://youtube.com/watch?v=tWyUJcA8Zfo
Sydney's Ensemble Apex orchestra is back for a night of classical music without pretension. Its talented young musicians will take over the Powerhouse Museum on Tuesday, August 30 — and the $30 tickets ($10 if you're a student) come with a beer. The ensemble is known for performing outside of traditional concert halls. Last year, it put on a show at Sydney's Town Hall. This time around, the group will perform within the Powerhouse's Apollo 11 exhibition, underneath that giant floating sculpture of the moon. The full-scale orchestra will perform composer Dmitri Shostakovich's 'String Quartet No.8', Giovanni Sollima's 'Violoncelles, vibrez!', Aaron Coplan's 'Concerto for Clarinet' and Joseph Haydn's 'Symphony No.60'. Expect high energy rhythms from Shostakovich, electronic melodies from Sollima and jazz vibes from Copland. Alongside the music, you can enjoy a Young Henrys beer or cider, free at the bar (until sold out). Doors open at 7pm with music starting at 8pm.
Alright party people, brace yourselves for a relentlessly entertaining night of risqué cabaret, jaw-dropping burlesque feats, chilled champagne and genuine belly-laughs because Blanc de Blanc Encore is back for another strictly limited season. The extravagance experts over at Strut & Fret have done it again, bringing back a show that takes inspiration from the glitz and glamour of 1920s Paris and throws in risqué hilarity and a spot of full frontal nudity. Just like its last visit, Blanc de Blanc Encore is in residence at Sydney's intimate and dazzling theatre venue, The Grand Electric in Surry Hills. Considering the show's record-breaking box office sales across the country since its Sydney Opera House premiere, some of you may already know what frivolous fun you're in for. And if not, you'd best get a ticket. The immersive experience is on show now until Sunday, March 24. The internationally acclaimed cast of performers has been enlisted from around the world. Led by riotous co-emcees Remi Martin (via Berlin) and Spencer Novich (via New York), the skills on show include elite hula-hooping (infinitely more impressive than it sounds on paper), incredible aerial work, acrobatics, vocal performances, beguiling burlesque and interactive live comedy (beware the front row!). Whether you want to take date night to cheeky new heights by treating your partner to a night of edge-of-your-seat theatre and champagne, or you and your ride-or-dies want to don your best 'fits and have a night of screamingly good fun, this party has the makings of an affair to make Jay Gatsby jealous. So, consider this your invite — tickets will sell fast. Blanc de Blanc will take over The Grand Electric in Surry Hills until Sunday, March 24, 2024. Head to the website for more information and to grab your tickets. Top images: Jacinta Oaten (first two), Jacquie Manning (last)
Photographs have the ability to allow us to view situations from new angles and provide us with new perspectives, altering our preconceptions. Simply changing the angle of a camera, for example, can create immense and unique beauty that changes the way we see spaces, as well as the colours and patterns within them. In Room Portraits, German photographer Menno Aden does just that, transforming drab, everyday rooms into fascinating works of art that make you want to sprout wings. The Bedroom The Renovator's Dream The Shoe Store The Grocery Store The Double Room The Convenience Store The Bar The Living Room The Dentist's Room The Kitchen The Rehearsal Room The Picnic The Hotel Room The Kitchen II The Classroom
