Pairing Lebanese-style charcoal chook with chips and garlic sauce since 1998, Sydney's El Jannah has become one of the Harbour City's firm favourites. It currently boasts nine stores to its name, including a very popular drive-thru eatery that opened in 2020. And, in great news for everyone who loves flavoursome poultry pieces, the chain has big plans for the next few years — including opening its first Melbourne store, adding at least four more across the Victorian city, and expanding to include 30-plus venues in total across both Melbourne and Sydney. For Melburnians, this'll be your first chance to get a taste of El Jannah's beloved chicken — whether you'd like it in halves or quarters, on rolls and burgers, as part of a platter, on skewers or in salads. So, get ready to make a trip to 600 High Street, Preston, with the chook chain taking over the old Hungry Jacks site. An opening date hasn't been revealed as yet, but El Jannah expects to start cooking in late 2021. The company is also currently looking at a second site north of the city, so you might have options when it comes to getting your charcoal chicken fix. Others are planned to follow, too, with El Jannah aiming to have at least five Melbourne stores operating over the next five years. For Sydneysiders already enamoured with the brand's dishes, you don't just have to be content with the knowledge that it'll soon be available whenever you make the trip down south. El Jannah has also revealed that its expansion plans include opening more Sydney stores. Indeed, in both Melbourne and Sydney, six new sites have already been approved — although just where the new Sydney eateries will be located is yet to be announced. Wherever El Jannah pops up next in Sydney, it'll add to the chain's existing spread across Burwood, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Punchbowl, Granville, Kogarah, Penrith and Smithfield, as well as its Newtown venue — which heralded the chain's much-welcomed entry into Sydney's inner-west in 2019. Whether El Jannah's expansion will involve more drive-thrus is also yet to be revealed. El Jannah's first Melbourne store will open at 600 High Street, Preston, late in 2021. To keep an eye out for further details — including about the chain's planned expansion to more than 30 stores in Sydney and Melbourne over the next five years — head to the El Jannah website.
The not-for-profit Head On Foundation brings the (wait for it) Head On Photo Festival to town this month. Yep, they’re going to get right up in your face with photos based on that whole ‘merit’ thing rather than just famous peeps (subject or photographer). Apart from just being a festival of photos in its fifth year, it’s also about all the corners of the land of photography, ranging from commercial to reportage. The stats are: 100 venues with 200 events and goings-on spreading like a spider web in all directions across Sydney. And the events? Most won’t cost you a dime and some are in cafes, pubs or artists' studio. The main event is the Head On Portrait Prize, which is a big deal if clicking is your thing. It aims to showcase the old and the new when it comes to portrait photography, Some of the exhibitions not to miss are D-Mo Zajac’s, who wants you to “destroy part of the exhibition, whilst you swallow the images into your consciousness”. Nudes on TAP Photographic prize is another one worth checking out. They’re not naked; they’re nude. Take in all the classic and contemporary expressions of the unclothed human form. Then it’s time to get into the good ol’ Aussie landscape. And we’re not talking gumtrees. We mean the suburban landscape. Celebrate the Hills Hoist and fashion your parents would be proud of with Rhiannon Tully’s exhibition at Queen St Gallery. If they don’t appeal, there’s iPhone Photography with Benjamin Lowy, various workshops, discussions like Putting The Passion Back Into Photography and more. And if you’re wanting to get into the medium but haven’t quite got everything together, you can get portfolio tips that teach you to treat your portfolio like your ‘baby’. Whether you’re shutterbug or merely a voyeur, there’s something worth checking out. Image by D-Mo Zajac.
Considering the Soda Factory's famed Tuesday Dollar Dawgs, you might already be engaged in your own personal weekly hot dog eating competition. But now everybody's favourite secret bar is taking the ritual public, and they're taking it professional. Their Hot Dog Eating Contest, returning for its second year on September 2, will pit the mightiest scoffers and speediest peristalsis practitioners head to head in a tournament as old as time (or at least 1916). Five limited edition gourmet hot dogs will be available for eaters competitive and recreational, as well as the usual Wednesday deals of $10 buckets of fried chicken and $1 hot wings. The comp will be hosted by Colonel Mustard, and if you're the last glutton standing, you'll bag a $200 dinner and drinks tab. Second and third place-getters will also get a little something. And this year, the Soda Factory will be donating $10 for every hot dog eaten in the contest to Oz Harvest. The more you eat, the more they'll donate. To enter or spectate, register at competitions@sodafactory.com.au with your full name or chosen fighting alias (or just sign up at the venue on the night). There'll be separate heats for men and woman, and entry is free. Potentially, it will be the largest free meal you've ever had. The Soda Factory contest coincides with the USA's 'National Hot Dog Day', though that seems entirely unnecessary. Who needs more reason to stuff their face with snags?
Prepare to exclaim "yeah, science!" like Jesse Pinkman — and to see a whole lot more of Aaron Paul's Breaking Bad character. The acclaimed series is making a comeback, cooking up a movie that serves as a sequel to the show's finale. In the spotlight: Walter White's former student and protege, who happens to be in a spot of trouble (again). When we last saw Pinkman in Breaking Bad's final episode six years ago, he had just escaped captivity, all thanks to Walt (Bryan Cranston). The latter was injured in the process, but when he asked his former meth cooking partner to kill him, Pinkman couldn't bring himself to do it. So, Pinkman ran, and Walt lost consciousness just a cop arrived. And, that's how the series ended — until now. As happens when every great show comes to a conclusion, we've all wondered what happened next. Come October, fans can find out. First revealed last year, and initially given the working title of Greenbriar, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie will continue Pinkman's tale in a thriller written and directed by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. While details are being kept scarce, the film is set "in the wake of his dramatic escape from captivity", with Jesse being forced to "come to terms with his past in order to forge some kind of future", according to the official synopsis. Although this follow-up will span a single package rather than run across multiple episodes, it is still coming to a small screen near you thanks to Netflix. Dropping the debut teaser over the weekend, the streaming platform also revealed that El Camino will arrive soon — on October 11, so mark your calendars. As Better Call Saul diehards are well aware, Breaking Bad has never completely gone away since the OG show wrapped up in 2013; however fans eager to look forward in the show's chronology, not backwards at the early life of Bob Odenkirk's shady lawyer Saul Goodman, have something to add to their must-watch list. Whether Cranston will show up in El Camino is still the subject of rumour, but the date announcement clip does reveal another familiar face, with Skinny Pete (Charles Barker) being questioned by the cops about Pinkman's whereabouts. Check out the El Camino teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZKqMVPlDg8 El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie hits Netflix on October 11. Image: Courtesy of Netflix.
Packing the car and heading out on a road trip to a regional festival is a joy that's been missing from our lives for far too long. Whether it's Groovin the Moo, Bluesfest or Splendour in the Grass, the out-of-town festival is always a stellar excuse for a weekend away and a banging road trip playlist. Luckily, a new festival has appeared on the 2021 events calendar, promising all this and a line-up of buzzed-about local talent across four regional NSW cities. Next Exit Festival will take place across two weekends in May, popping up in Tamworth, Gosford, Batemans Bay and Mudgee. Heading out on the statewide tour is Triple J favourites Ocean Alley and Spacey Jane, pop-punk four-piece Dear Seattle, local pop gem Merci, Mercy and indie duo Clews. The festival was originally conceived to help bushfire-affected towns by bringing a tourism boost to the area and hiring local suppliers. Although these plans were pushed back due to the pandemic, the four-date festival run will no doubt be a boost for the regional towns involved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxKuwlnx58g NEXT EXIT FESTIVAL 2021 DATES Friday, May 21 – Bicentennial Park, Tamworth Saturday, May 22 – Westport Park, Port Macquarie Sunday, May 23 – Entertainment Grounds, Gosford Friday, May 28 – Mackay Park, Batemans Bay Saturday, May 29 – Mudgee Showground, Mudgee
Established in 1985 in Paddington, Ariel Booksellers is one of Sydney's oldest independent bookshops. Following a stint in The Rocks, the store has now settled in Darlinghurst right on Oxford Street. The shop is perhaps best known for its excellent collection of books covering art, design and architecture — including a bunch perfect for the coffee table. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. If you're looking for poetry, plays, film history or literature, you'll find it all here, too. Plus, there's an ace selection of cards and several gifty items like artist-themed tarot cards, enamel pins and cutesy knickknacks.
Every Christmas movie is meant to put a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your soul but there's one that stands on a special pantheon: Home Alone. It's a heartwarming tale of family, Christmas and guerrilla warfare on home invaders. It also has one of the best film scores of all time, by the master himself, John Williams. You can get into the festive spirit with a screening of this family favourite at the Sydney Opera House, with the iconic score performed live to screen by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. With five performances taking place across, Thursday, December 5, Friday, December 6, Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8, it's the perfect excuse to level up the annual rewatch tradition. If it's been a while between screenings of Home Alone for you, allow us to refresh your memory. Kevin McAllister (played by Macaulay Culkin) is enjoying the childhood dream of getting his huge family home all to himself. One issue: It's Christmas, and his family left him behind when they departed for Paris. Oh, and there are two bungling burglars trying to break into the house. Whether it's your first or 50th time seeing the film, watching it live at the Sydney Opera House with the Oscar®-nominated score performed live by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra will be a truly merry Christmas experience. Home Alone Live in Concert will take place on Friday, December 6, Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8, at the Sydney Opera House. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website.
After first being identified on Wednesday, June 16, Sydney's current cluster of COVID-19 cases keeps growing. Five new local cases were reported to 8pm yesterday, Monday, June 21, and a further seven have been diagnosed since last night's cutoff. In response, the New South Wales Government has announced that it is extending the current mask mandate — so Sydneysiders will need to keep donning face coverings for another week. In a press conference today, Tuesday, June 22, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian advised that folks in the entire Greater Sydney area — excluding the Central Coast and the Hunter Valley region — will need to keep wearing masks until 12.01am, on Thursday, July 1. At present, face masks are already compulsory on public transport across Greater Sydney, as well as indoors in public settings in seven local government areas in Sydney (City of Sydney, Inner West, Randwick, Bayside, Canada Bay, Waverley and Woollahra); however, from 12.01am this Thursday, June 24, all of these requirements will apply citywide. So, if you live or work in Greater Sydney — or visit — you'll need to wear a mask inside in hospitality venues, shops and any indoor situation where you aren't eating or drinking, as well as on public transport. Basically, unless you're at home, you'll need to mask up indoors. "It is only when you are eating or drinking indoors at a venue that you can't or shouldn't wear a mask," said the Premier. "In every other circumstance, if you live or are in Sydney, you must wear a mask for another week beyond Wednesday midnight." https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1407141304207765512 Back on Sunday, when the mask rules were last updated — to require mandatory masks indoors in seven Sydney LGAs — the Premier noted that the government was happy with that level of settings at the time, but would expand the rules if needed. Accordingly, after case numbers have been growing over the past two days, that's exactly what's happening. If you're wondering if more restrictions might be in store in the near future, Premier Berejiklian advised that the state will follow "the health advice." Asked specifically today if a lockdown might come into effect, she said that "at this stage, because all but one case is linked to an existing case and that case was only discovered a few hours ago, that gives us a degree of confidence that what we have asked people to do matches the risk that is there at the moment. If that changes, if we suddenly have a number of unlinked cases and if we suddenly have them outside the geographic region they are concentrated in, that will obviously adjust the health advice and we will respond to that." As it always does, NSW Health has been updating the COVID-19 venues of concern list, and will continue to do so as more places keep being identified. Anyone who has visited these venues during the times specified are required to get tested and self-isolate as per NSW Health's instructions. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
What's set to feature synth-heavy tunes, a big blender, plus Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act chatting Australian audiences through one of the huge music events of every year? In 2025, that's how the Eurovision Song Contest will play out. Another May is in full swing, which means that another round of acts are taking to the stage to compete for Europop glory. Flying the flag for Australia at the 69th Eurovision: Go-Jo with the song 'Milkshake Man'. The place: Basel in Switzerland, thanks to Nemo winning Eurovision 2024 with 'The Code'. And the dates for your diary: Wednesday, May 14–Sunday, May 18 Down Under. The event's 2025 semi finals take place at 5am Australian time on Wednesday, May 14 and Friday, May 16, with Go-Jo featuring in the second. Then, this year's winner will be crowned on Sunday, May 18. To watch along from home, you'll be heading to SBS and SBS on Demand — which is where Armstrong and Act come in. As announced back in April, the pair are fronting the Aussie commentary team this year, with the ex-AFL footballer-turned-TV presenter (Eat the Invaders) teaming up with the Australian Idol and RuPaul's Drag Race alum to guide audiences through the full 2025 Eurovision experience. Act was part of the 2024 coverage, too, as SBS's backstage Eurovision correspondent. Go-Jo, aka Marty Zambotto, was named in February as Australia's latest entrant. While you might've been among the folks helping his single 'Mrs. Hollywood' notch up 60-million digital streams and one-billion views, he's performing 'Milkshake Man' at Eurovision. Enter that big blender for the Manjimup-raised, now Sydney-based performer, another former footballer (in the West Australian Football League), who was the ninth most-streamed Australian artist in the world in 2023. "The Milkshake Man's purpose is to inspire people to embrace the loudest and proudest version of themselves, and I can't think of a better place to share that message than the Eurovision stage. It's an absolute dream come true to represent such a beautiful and diverse nation, and I've never been more excited to share my art and vision with the incredible Eurovision fans around the world," said Go-Jo when he was announced at 2025's Aussie competitor. And that blender? It's part of Go-Jo's staging, and measures four metres in height — with Australia going big, literally, to mark ten years since first competing in Eurovision when Guy Sebastian entered the 2015 contest with 'Tonight Again'. [caption id="attachment_1003691" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Henley[/caption] For newcomers, Eurovision started back in 1956 as a competition between a mere seven nations. Now, nearing seven decades later, it's a glitter-strewn and spandex-fuelled global musical phenomenon. Thirty-seven countries not only in Europe but from elsewhere are competing in 2025 — hello Australia — and viewers tune in en masse to watch, sing along and add new pop tunes to their queues. When Go-Jo performs his track in the semi final, he'll be up against performers from Ireland, Austria, Greece, Denmark, Finland, Montenegro, Latvia, Armenia, Lithuania, Malta, Georgia, Czechia, Luxembourg, Israel and Serbia. If he then makes his way through to the grand final, he'll be one of only 21 acts making the cut,. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Switzerland are automatically guaranteed spots. You have choices if you're keen to watch — depending on whether you want tear yourself out of bed before it's light. If you want to view the proceedings live, you can from 5am on the relevant days. Streaming replays will also be available mid-morning. Or, if you can somehow manage to avoid the internet and social media, both semis and the grand final will also screen in primetime across Friday–Sunday. Can't decide whether to beat the sun or wait and host a party at sensible hour? It's worth remembering that Australians can indeed vote for Eurovision, but only until around 18 minutes after the last song is performed in each live semi-final broadcast and about 40 minutes after the last track ends in the grand final. Voting is open to everyone in all finals — whether you're from a country participating in that final or not — and the artists who get through from the two semi finals to the grand final will be solely chosen by the audience at home. Still remaining the same: the rule that says Australians can't actually vote for Go-Jo, because no one can vote for the country they represent. [caption id="attachment_1003694" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Wilson[/caption] "I'm so excited to jump into the world of Eurovision with the one and only Courtney Act, who has already taken me under her wing. I'm definitely not envious of her brilliance and my jealousy won't make it on screen I promise. Eurovision holds such a special place in so many hearts around the world. I look forward to being a part of the spectacle along with Courtney," said Armstrong when his Eurovision hosting gig for SBS in 2025 was announced. "I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy Eurovision last year — and this year I'm back, now with everyone's favourite IT man Tony Armstrong (who I can confirm is just as delightful and dashing in real life as you'd expect). I'll be offering my commentary expertise on every costume reveal, key change, wind machine and pyro moment I know Switzerland will deliver. Tony's already taught me a thing or two about team sport energy, and I'll be returning the favour with a crash course in camp," added Act. Eurovision 2025 Broadcasts Live broadcasts: Semi final one: 5am AEST on Wednesday, May 14 on SBS and SBS on Demand Semi final two: 5am AEST on Friday, May 16 on SBS and SBS on Demand — featuring Go-Jo Grand final: 5am AEST on Sunday, May 18 on SBS and SBS on Demand Streaming replays: Semi final one: from 8.30am AEST on Wednesday, May 14 on SBS on Demand Semi final two: from 8.30am AEST on Friday, May 16 on SBS on Demand — featuring Go-Jo Grand final: from 10.30am AEST on Sunday, May 18 on SBS on Demand Prime-time TV 'access all areas' broadcasts: Semi final one: 7.30pm AEST on Friday, May 16 on SBS Semi final two: 7.30pm AEST on Saturday, May 17 on SBS — featuring Go-Jo Grand final: 7.30pm AEST on Sunday, May 18 on SBS SBS' Eurovision 2025 coverage runs from Wednesday, May 14–Sunday, May 18. For more information, head to the broadcaster's website — and for more information about Eurovision, head to the event's website. Eurovision rehearsal images: Alma Bengtsson / Sarah Louise Bennett / Corinne Cumming.
Sydney's intimate, boutique Golden Age Cinema is teaming up with Four Pillars Gin for a mini booze and film festival. Each Wednesday night in August, the 56-seat Surry Hills spot is hosting double bills paired with Bloody Shiraz gin cocktails. It's quite the lineup, too, with a little something for everyone on the bill. The festival is called Winter Is Dark, however, so that's the kind of tone it's going for — whether horror flicks, comedies, dramas or romance movies are hitting the screen. First up on August 7 is 70s great Harold & Maude, followed by a trip to Fargo (the Coen Brothers-directed film, not the TV series it inspired). Or, if you're heading along with your significant other, perhaps August 14's pair of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Only Lovers Left Alive will appeal. The next week, on August 21, classic western McCabe & Mrs Miller will screen, accompanied by the French Alps-set pitch-black dramedy Force Majeure. Then, wrapping it all up on August 28 is John Carpenter's The Thing and the head-turning The Exorcist. These dark cult flicks will all get a beverage to match, made with Four Pillar's highly coveted Bloody Shiraz gin. The screenings kick off between 6.15–6.30pm and 8.30–8.40pm each evening, but we suggest you get there a little earlier for the drinks. Tickets are $22 for each film.
When I was bartending, a lovely lady gave me her number over the bar. My manager, having seen the smooth exchange, turned to me a said, "I didn't think people met like that anymore!" It gets to feeling like that in Sydney's dating scene, with so many first contacts with a potential flame coming through the simple swipe of a finger. Keely Sonntag, the brains behind The Datevine, is looking to chuck that notion away — or at least provide an alternative. Instead of checking out a bunch of pictures and making a snap judgment, The Datevine is all about getting together in a fun environment and just simply seeing what happens. You know, social interaction. There's no pressure, no expectation, just some single people maybe or maybe not hanging out together. The Datevine is hosting their first rooftop party in May, booking out the Forgotten Cask Rum and Cocktail Bar on top of the Cauliflower Hotel in Waterloo. $51 gets you a two-course Caribbean feast and a cocktail on arrival, plus the opportunity to chill out with similarly minded people. So put the phone down, get out there and meet some people.
A good drink — either to celebrate, commiserate or just 'cause — is as embedded in Australian culture as sangas and backyard cricket. But in 2018, what constitutes 'good'? Sometimes you need to call in the experts. Enter Dan Murphy's, our comrades in entertainment. Between Friday, March 9, and Saturday, March 10, the brand is holding an interactive pop-up event that will help you spot, and serve, a quality tipple. The House of Discovery, as it has been dubbed, will pop up in an abandoned heritage house in Chippendale, with a drinks list curated by Dan Murphy's Spirit Ambassador Charlie Ainsbury (ex-This Must Be The Place). So, do you want the grand tour? Start on the ground floor in the tequila room, which pays homage to the famed Mexican spirit. Mind the agave and cactus plants as you explore the room, learning the history of tequila and how to differentiate the three styles — blanco, reposado and anejo. Upstairs, two rooms await to help transform you into an expert home bartender (you no longer need rely on just beer and wine when you entertain). Dreaming of balmy Hawaiian nights? The tiki room will transport you there. In the next room, you will take a step back into the 1950s, when homes were a clash of bold patterns and kitsch furniture and martinis were the drink du jour. Both areas will have expert cocktail-making presentations and samples for all. Next, make your way out to the courtyard where the time-honoured tradition of pairing drinks to food is ignored. Here, the drinks are chosen first and a dish will be served, courtesy of Spice Alley, to complement. Combine this with installations celebrating local brewers and distillers — including Canberra's BentSpoke Brewing Co and SA's Adelaide Hills Distillery— and your tour is complete. Consider your drinks game well and truly upped. Spaces to the House of Discovery pop-up are limited, so if you're the type to sit on a drink, better get moving. Nab a ticket and find out more info about the event here. There'll also be an intimate VIP night on Thursday, March 8. To get your hands on a ticket, sign up to become a My Dan Murphy's member.
Marrickville's annual street festival will take over the inner west suburb once again on Sunday, October 20. Over 130 stalls will flood the streets in a full-day celebration of live music, local entertainment and international cuisine that champions Marrickville's multicultural community. A massive lineup of local bands and acts handpicked by local venues Lazybones and Gasoline Pony will perform across two stages, and there'll be a slew of dance performances, too. Local cafe favourite Cornersmith will be overseeing the new Local Market where you'll be able to attend free workshops in everything from pickling, beeswax wraps and burrata making, while an art and design alley will see you trying your hand at ceramics and screen printing. Even your four-legged friends will be looked after, thanks to a mini Street Paws market with stalls offering pet treats, grooming and more. Of course, there'll be a tonne of different food and drink options from local vendors, too. The Calvert Street car park will be transformed into a beer lover's paradise with pop-ups from Willie the Boatman, Batch, Sauce, Philter, The Grifter and Young Henrys. If hops aren't your thing, there'll also be a spritz bar. To eat, you'll be able to choose from arepas, gozleme, bagels, okonomiyaki, croissants and creative doughnuts from Donut Papi — and so so much more. We suggest heading here with an empty stomach. Marrickville Festival runs from 10am–5pm. Image: Fiora Sacco.
In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare's character Helena says of Hermia, "Though she be but little, she is fierce." The same might be said of The Shop, one of Bondi's original small venues. In this pocket-sized 'cafe that sells wine', well off the main drag, great things happen. Like roasted mushies with thyme, lemon, Persian feta and smoked ocean trout on toast. And 'Warm Meatball Goodness'. And Tinja riesling from Lowe Wines' organic vineyard in Mudgee. And 'mystery beers'. The Shop is a cafe by day, whipping up breakfast from 7am and lunch all afternoon. Come evening, it transforms into a bar, serving share plates and a thoughtful, mostly Australian wine list, with a few European drops thrown in for good measure. The atmosphere is friendly, which is lucky, given that there's only seating for about twenty or so. Ten people can fit on the red-wallpapered inside and about ten on the pavement outside.
Touted as Sydney's only authentic Mexican, Dos Senoritas upholds its longstanding reputation with a traditional Guadalajaran-style menu by native chef, Domingo Medina. While the decor could do with a refresh, it's the award-winning tacos you came for and it's here they abound. Just choose your shell, (gringo style - flour tortilla, street style - corn tortilla or tex-mex - crispy taco shell) and for $25, choose three tacos off the menu. There's charbroiled chicken, marinated steak, spicy ground beef, Baja fish and shrimp or Dos XX (Mexican beer) battered fish. Tacos are served with rice and beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream and coriander. The authenticity is apparent in the flavour and spice lovers will appreciate the use of real Guadalajaran chillies.
Heading south from Kings Cross towards St Vincents Hospital, you might be taken aback by the bright and colourful corner of Liverpool and Victoria Streets. Like a glass of wine spilled on a white dress, Fortuna Drink and Eat immediately snags your attention. If you follow the sights inside, your nose and tastebuds will be equally rewarded. Inside is a menu of Italian excellence, curated to fill your stomach without emptying your wallet. Open all day, a morning visit can be met with spiced pear porridge while heading over for a mid-day meal could present Italian share plates of house-baked focaccia, Sicilian olives and burrata drenched in vivid-green herb oil. Evening visitors will be delighted by hearty dishes of lamb ragu, smoked mac and cheese or your pick of the pizza and pasta menus. Brilliantly, Fortuna also offers a bottomless feasting experience on weekends. For $89pp, you can dig into a mix of tasty plates while washing them down with 90 minutes of unlimited drinks.
This month Alaska Projects offers The Carpentry of Speculative Things: An Art Experiment, an exhibition where philosophy meets art. Both writers and artists are gathered to respond to the mind-bending concepts of Speculative Realism. Topics up for visual discussion include the role of art in a new age of interactive technologies; philosopher Quentin Meillassoux's ideas about a virtual god yet to exist; the independence of objects from human consciousness; and other similarly lightweight stuff. Results will range from Rochelle Haley's paintings of ancient crystals "comprehending" one another, to David Eastwood's miniature models of Morandi bottles and Jacquelene Drinkall's UFO exploring Object Oriented Ontology. Writer Stephen Muecke seeks to pose the question, "What if?" while Baden Pailthorpe's "Radar" deposes humans from their usual, central place of priveleged observation. Artists Prue Gibson and Amy Ireland are also featured.
Grab your bowling ball and swap your bathrobe for your best purple outfit — The Jesus Rolls, the two-decades-later spinoff to the Coen Brothers' 1998 cult comedy The Big Lebowski, is due to hit the big screen this year. Instead of abiding by The Dude (Jeff Bridges), this follow-up spends time with John Turturro's Jesus Quintana, whose love of flinging gleaming balls down lanes means that he obviously isn't a golfer. Of course, if you still want to pour a white russian to celebrate this return excursion to the Lebowski universe, that's both understandable and warranted. Turturro not only stars, but writes and directs The Jesus Rolls, which was actually filmed back in 2016. Cast-wise, he's joined by a heap of familiar faces, including Bobby Cannavale, Audrey Tautou, Jon Hamm, Susan Sarandon, Christopher Walken and Pete Davidson. In addition to following Quintana's exploits post-Big Lebowski, The Jesus Rolls also acts as a remake of 1974 French film Going Places. As per the official synopsis, the picture is set joins its eponymous figure "hours after being released from prison", when he"pairs up with fellow misfits Petey (Cannavale) and Marie (Tautou), and embarks on a freewheeling joyride of petty crime and romance". And that's exactly what happens in The Jesus Rolls' just-dropped first trailer. As revealed last year, the movie will release in the US in March, just in time for The Big Lebowski's 22nd anniversary — and while plans Down Under haven't yet been revealed, start crossing your fingers. Check out The Jesus Rolls' trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLAmpku4fyg&feature=emb_logo The Jesus Rolls hits US cinemas on March 6, 2020. We'll update you with local release details if and when they come to hand.
Chvrches are back again with all music guns a blazing, Crystal Fighters will make you feel so special and Will Smith reminds the world that he is once was the coolest human being on the planet. 1. 'GUNS' - CHVRCHES The band who spell churches wrong this week unveiled their newest track 'Guns' and it is a veritable feast of sensational synth, fierce beats and glorious hooks that combine for a tune best described as huge. This is pop in its purest, most enjoyable form and gives Australian fans yet another reason to get excited for their upcoming August tour. 2. 'CAPE TOWN' - CLUBFEET Melbourne five-piece Clubfeet dropped this track earlier this month and released the accompanying video this week, providing a perfect opportunity to showcase this brilliant track. The clip itself was filmed in Cape Town, a favourite haunt of the quintet, and the method actors look like they are having a pretty great time. Not suprising really, as when you strip back the visual aesthetics 'Cape Town' is a classic jam for all party times. 3. 'NATURAL LOVE' - CRYSTAL FIGHTERS This track comes from Cave Rave, the album released this week by the half Spanish, half English, all fantastic band named Crystal Fighters. The entire album provides an endless selection of tracks that put a smile on your face and a hop, a skip and a jump in your step, triple jump style. This is the most jovial of the songs and if you put it on you may just have the most delightful weekend of your life. 4. 'TWISTED' - FRACTURES Fractures is incredibly just a one man band comprising the multi-talented Mark Zito. He is all about experimentation and as such is almost impossible to classify into a genre. The track title 'Twisted' could be appropriate though as he twists his fragile voice amongst a haunting melody to create an atmospheric auditory stimulant. 5. The Fresh Prince Reunion It's the little things in life we need to appreciate, but this week we were treated to a great, big, whopping thing. Having watched this on repeat I have concluded that the primary purpose of creating the Internet was for the spreading of this video to the masses. What the world thought was an ordinary interview between Graham Norton, Will and Jaden Smith turned into the Fresh Prince stealing the show just like last time, as himself and Jaden surprised us all by bringing out DJ Jazzy Jeff, and if that wasn't enough we then got treated to Carlton in all his dancing glory. If you have not seen this yet, you are welcome. If you have, watch it again and again and again.
Need a little support in your environmental endeavours? Well, if you're an inner west local, help has arrived in the form of the council's new Waste App. The smartphone tool has been launched to assist residents in managing their waste properly, packed with handy information, expert tips and reminders. On it, you'll find features like a bin guide, to get you up to speed on what sort of rubbish goes in each bin; an A to Z list of various items, showing how to properly dispose of them; and even bin day reminders. Users can access their own personalised waste calendar; keeping track of things like gardening, recycling and garbage collection, and clean ups; and search for drop-off locations and recycling centres in their area. The app also features a section filled with information about the waste hierarchy, ways to minimise personal waste, and local initiatives that are helping to foster a 'reuse and repair' culture. The project is part of the NSW EPA Waste Less, Recycle More program, headed up by Inner West Council and funded by the waste levy. The Inner West Council Waste App is available now for iOS and Android Devices. Image: Destination NSW
Despite years of public rallies, crowdfunding efforts and court action, Sydney's Brutalist, box-like Sirius building is officially up for sale. Although the New South Wales government first announced that the 70s-era structure was on the market back in December, expressions of interest just opened yesterday, Friday, May 25, with Savills Australia now actively seeking buyers for the iconic location. While it's a blow for the vocal Save Our Sirius campaign, the 2-60 Cumberland Street address will apparently be subject to some restrictions. The government "will maintain interest in the site, ensuring any future developments are sympathetic to the surrounding area," according to Savills Australia. And, a proposed State Environmental Planning Policy amendment will apply, imposing new controls regarding the zoning, height, maximum gross floor area, active street frontages and design of the site. It has been a particularly eventful year for the 79-unit tower, which stands tall by the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Final public tours took place in January, a farewell party for the structure's last remaining resident — 91-year-old Myra Demetriou — was held the same month and Save Our Sirius revealed they'd be lodging their own purchase bid. In response to the official launch of expressions of interest, Save Our Sirius restated their quest to retain the building in its current form, ensure it is used as affordable inner-city housing for workers in the area, and to have its historical significance officially recognised. "We again call on the NSW Government to stop the sale, deploy Sirius for key worker accommodation, and list Sirius on the State Heritage Register," the group advised in a statement. Even with the government restrictions, if Sirius is bought by developers, the 79-unit tower is highly likely to be demolished to make room for new apartments. As well as wiping out a crucial part of '70s architectural history, it'll also mean saying goodbye to an important public housing initiative, allowing people on low incomes to live in the centre of this expensive city and enjoy harbour views. With the situation certain to keep developing over the coming months, take a look through our gallery of the building as it currently stands. Images: Katherine Lu / Kimberley Low.
Some film festivals celebrate the latest and greatest movies a particular part of the world has to offer. Others go broad and new, amassing hundreds of the freshest titles wowing the international circuit. Or, a cinema showcase might focus on a particular theme, such as human-rights issues. The Melbourne-based Human Rights Arts and Film Festival clearly takes the latter approach, and has been doing so more than a decade — including in its 2023 program. Exactly how this annual fest explores its subject matter, what it covers and where it screens has varied over the years. Past iterations have included stints around the country, and some fests have solely remained in the Victorian capital. Across Thursday, May 4–Tuesday, May 9, 2023's lineup is only hitting cinemas in-person in Melbourne, but has a date with viewers elsewhere thanks to its online component. In its physical form, HRAFF opens with Kash Kash — Without Feathers We Can't Live, a documentary from first-time filmmaker Lea Najjar about her hometown of Beirut. For folks elsewhere, or for those who can't make it along on the night, it's one of the movies on the event's digital bill as well. From a lineup that includes work from Iran, Brazil, Ireland, Lebanon, Venezuela, South Sudan, Mexico, the US, Canada and more, Melburnians can also look forward to North Circular, which highlights the importance of music in culture in Ireland; Dark Days, telling the tale of a community living in New York City's underground train tunnels in the 90s; and Uýra: The Rising Forest, about trans non-binary Indigenous artist Uýra. From Venice 2022, Alice Diop's Saint Omer is an absolute must-see, with the documentarian drawing from true events to craft a drama about a young Parisian journalist and novelist attending murder trial, then wading through the complexities it surfaces within her own family history. In The Last Daughter, Wiradjuri woman Brenda Matthews charts her experience being taken from her family as a toddler, growing up with a white foster family, then being returned to her parents. And in closing night's Fashion Reimagined, designer Amy Powney's efforts to create a sustainable collection are in the spotlight. Viewers watching on from home can also enjoy The Endangered Generation?, which boasts narration by Laura Dern (Jurassic World Dominion) as it explores the fight against climate change — plus the world-premiere of We Eatin' Good, which sees Matisse Laida and Nisha Hunter get recipes for food and life alike from members of Melbourne's queer community. To take care of the 'arts' part of its name, HRAFF is hosting two exhibitions as well: Real Job, which ponders how the labour of visual artists is so often neglected; and A Wholesome Gang, a storytelling photo series by South Sudanese Dinka woman Awak Rech Kongor (and shot and edited by artist Joshua Sims). The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival runs from Thursday, May 4–Tuesday, May 9 at various venues around Melbourne and online. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the festival's website. Top image: Nick Prendeville.
Get ready to dry your eyes and reminisce over beers and homegrown beats. FBi Social, the physical manifestation of FBi Radio, is calling it quits — but not before hosting a celebratory, last-hoorah bash on November 1. Tucked into a somewhat unlikely Kings Cross setting, this little venue that could has done pretty well for itself. After what was originally meant to be a three-month stint as a pop-up, FBi Social has been playing host to local artists for three-and-a-half years. Notable names include the Jezabels, RUFUS, Dappled Cities and Courtney Barnett, among a whole happy long cast of others. The bound-to-be-killer closing party will be a celebration of all that good stuff. Bassy, synthy venue veterans World's End Press and up-and-comers Mansionair are joining forces for the event — and then FBi DJs will be around to carry you well into the night, post-midnight goodbye feels and all. The break comes at a good time for FBi — with the launch of FBi Click and their quickly approaching jaunt to Iceland with the winners of their Northern Lights competition, it certainly seems like they'll continue to be that awesome-as-always platform for local music, arts and culture you know so well. And if you're already mourning the loss of a much-loved live music hub, don't despair; the venue will continue to function as a space for emerging local and international talent, reopening as the Bandroom under seasoned Sydney management company Solotel, on Saturday, November 8. Did someone say opening party? The Social Farewell Party is on Saturday, November 1. Tickets $15 from here.
A great bar isn't just about the tap count, but that figure can be a sign of a more-the-merrier situation for beer lovers. When the number is hefty, usually so are your drinks choices, including trying tipples that you mightn't have had a chance to otherwise. So when a 120-tap bar awaits, it really is a case of imagining the possibilities. The Great Australasian Beer Spectapular, aka GABS, loves getting creative with beers — and loves letting attendees at its annual festivals sip and sample over 100 different varieties each year. In 2025, when the fest returns to Sydney in May, it'll set up that 120-tap bar, all in a straight line. Exactly 100 of those taps will pour beers, and the weirder and wilder the flavours, the better. The other 20 will feature spirits, cocktails and other beverages. For many of the brews on offer at GABS, this is either the first time or the only place that you can taste them. Think: sushi beer, cookie stouts and lollipop sours, which have featured in the past. Think of a foodstuff — peanut butter, coffee, earl grey tea, chicken salt, pizza, fairy floss, bubblegum, doughnuts, red frogs and sour gummy bears, for instance — and there's likely been a brew made to taste exactly the same at GABS. This year, GABS is hosting two-day fests, including at ICC Sydney from Friday, May 30–Saturday, May 31. If you're a newcomer to GABS, it started off as a Melbourne-only celebration of ales, lagers, ciders and more. Then it began spreading along Australia's east coast capitals, as well as to New Zealand. The event surveys both Australian and New Zealand breweries, plus sometimes some guests from further afield — Schlenkerla and Weihenstephan, both from Germany, are the first names on the list in 2025 — with more than 60 normally showcasing their wares annually. Also on the bill: other tipples, including non-alcoholic beers, seltzers, whiskey, gin, cocktails and wines. GABS is known for dishing up a hefty lineup of activities to accompanying all that sipping, too, which usually spans a silent disco, roaming bands, circus and sideshow performers, games and panels with industry leaders, plus local food trucks and vendors to line your stomach. And you might just find a ferris wheel or a mullet bar — yes, dispensing the haircuts — as well, as they've popped up in the past.
Strolls around the city have been much brighter in recent weeks, all thanks to the addition of some unexpected blooms. The CBD's grey, concrete streets have had a makeover as a part of the City of Sydney's twice-yearly 'Living Colour' floral display project, taking over Martin Place, Green Square, Town Hall, Alfred Street and the forecourt outside St Mary’s cathedral. But as the plants have been blooming since September, these flowers need a new home. Want some more snapdragons, celosia, golden marjoram and bromeliads in your life? On Sunday, November 8 from 8am, St Mary's Cathedral will be the spot to snag some cut-price botanical beauties. For just a gold coin donation, you'll be able to take home everything from petunias to curly parsley. Best of all, all funds raised will be heading directly to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. Add some colour to your own space and feel good about it too. Who could resist adopting these little blooms that've seen it all?
Sound West is a brand new event headed to Sydney's west in mid-2022, and will combine a two-day SXSW-inspired conference with three days of live music events. Networking, workshops, mentoring, big tech brands and music industry leaders, performances by local, national and international talent are all on the bill. Mark August 20–28 in your diary, when large, small and unique venues in the Parramatta area bring together the music and tech industries, and both recognise and develop the next generation of talent in the two fields. So far, we know Dylan Alcott OAM, L-Fresh The Lion, Khaled Rohaim and Serwah Attafuah will all pop up among Sound West's presenters and performers. Alcott will chat about his accessibility-focused music festival Ability Fest, L-Fresh The Lion will collaborate on a number of singer-songwriter initiatives, Rohaim will discuss his work with Rihanna, Ty Dolla $ign and The Kid Laroi (including working from his western Sydney bedroom), and Attafuah will cover her moves in the NFTs and their relevance to the music industry. The program will also feature keynote addresses, panels, one-on-one sessions, live podcasting and interactive activations. And, brand-wise, plenty of big music and tech names will be represented, such as NEC Australia, TikTok, Shopify, Warner Music, Universal Music Australia, Live Nation, Apple Music, ARIA and APRA AMCOS. [caption id="attachment_831234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Khaled Rohaim[/caption]
Keen-eyed Aussie blog Tough Titties boosts female talent weekly by highlighting cool new things by women around the country, be it art, or music, or anything. While they've already been selling things and generally rounding up the word from women with talent, they're taking their first step into polite society with their first exhibition at Surry Hills' Somedays Gallery. The site has gathered up 20 women with a special commission for its first show, A Touch of Class, with each artist asked to draw, print or otherwise create something cool on giant paper doilies. Contributors include poster-making typographer Georgia Perry, radical cross-stitcher Rayna Fahey, animal-sketcher Lucy James and Bianca Chang, whose intricate, precise work cutting fine curves on paper has just popped up in non-doily form at Showcase as well. Tough Titties wants to help you. They've already made you a tough-minded, legally correct guide to flirting. That this exhibition fulfills your need for oversize, artistic table furnishings is only another step in their mission to bring good things into your everyday life via women with talent. The medium may be doilies, but the content is all hard art.
Vivid Sydney's annual lineup might be synonymous with bright lights, performances around the city and interesting chats, but the Harbour City festival is just as much of a treat in the culinary space. Thanks to Vivid Food since 2023, it's heaven for your tastebuds, too — and it's why 2024 attendees can enjoy Manoella Buffara of Brazil's Manu Restaurant showing off her gastronomical prowess. This is the first time that 2022's Best Female Chef in Latin America is hopping into the kitchen Down Under, taking the Vivid Residence slot by teaming up with Kiln at Ace Hotel Sydney. On offer for three nights only from Tuesday, June 4–Thursday, June 6: Buffara showcasing her focus on local produce and sustainability 18 floors above Surry Hills, with Mitch Orr and the Kiln crew assisting. [caption id="attachment_959026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] As you peer out over the Sydney skyline — Sydney Opera House glimpses included — you'll tuck into a choice of two tasting menus. The first spans five courses and will set you back $195, while the second adds an extra two courses for total price of $245. Each also sports the option of paired wines for another $80 (with the five-course spread) or $130 (with the seven-course menu). If you've ever had Orr's Jatz snack and wondered what it might taste like Brazilian-style, you'll find out; as part of Buffara's visit, it comes with salt cod and green ants. Other bites range from sweet potato paired with mud crab salad and pasta to scallop accompanied by artichoke and wild mushroom consommé. Or, if you'd like to try coconut bacon, it's a feature of the tucupi, coconut cake and milk flower ice cream dish.
Australian playwright Timothy Daly is a queen-maker. His Kafka Dances in 1993 was one of Cate Blanchett's first roles and won her the Rosemount Newcomer Award, and it's still regarded as a classic. His work is frequently performed overseas, though not so much at home, possibly because it’s a bit bonkers in that way that Europeans are more open to. In his new play Richard III (or almost), directed by Markus Weber, two prisoners (played by fit veteran thesps Gerry Sont and Lucas Connelly) are locked in a room where they are punished by having to perform bouts of Shakespeare's Richard III whenever a bell chimes. Why? By whom? What for? Daly chooses not to make it entirely clear. Instead, his play is mainly an abstract, dystopic meditation on how governments deal with art and how artists view themselves. It's not something you often think about, but theatre reviews are not written (nor plays made, for that matter) in a silo; they are in conversation with other theatre productions going on within view. Certain styles and aesthetics become the norm in a city, if not a country. So when something comes along that sits completely outside of that conversation, it's a little hard to know how to treat it. Richard III (or almost), the product of both an Australian writer and Australian director who have spent their working lives in Europe, is just such a mysterious outlier. It was apparently well received at its debut at the prestigious Avignon Festival in France, but in Sydney it seems, for want of a better word, weird. The resistance to plot, character and convention isn't total, but it is strong. I was happy to accept its abstract set-up, but then the second half seems to turn on quite a straight-up crime mystery, which doesn't wholly relate to what came before. However, the shifts in power between the two characters were a constant source of intrigue. Richard III (or almost) won't be to everyone's taste, but as a mission statement from Emu Productions, the new owners and resident company of King Street Theatre, it is compelling. It's exciting to think that they might shine a light on performance possibilities mostly unseen in Sydney. Good luck to them. Student? Get your $20 student rush tickets 30 minutes before the show nightly.
It has not been a good month for controversial bike sharing service oBike. First, it was announced that the ill-fated bikes were vanishing off the streets of Melbourne. Now, the Singapore-based company has announced via Facebook and its app it will no longer be Singapore-based, stopping operations in the city on Monday, June 25, 2018. oBike was launched in Singapore a little over a year ago — in January 2017 — but faced difficulties meeting the requirements of the city's Land Transport Council. The council passed new laws in March 2018 requiring bike-sharing operators to register for new licences that regulated fleet size. Regulations were the reason the service pulled out of Melbourne, too, as the company was unable to comply with new guidelines imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, in which abandoned bikes blocking streets for more than two hours would prompt $3000 fines. There are also reports flooding social media that oBike is refusing to return deposits ($49 in Singapore and $69 in Australia), with some users saying the refund button has disappeared altogether and others saying that the deposits have been converted into subscriptions. If this affects you, a Consumer Affairs Victoria spokesperson recommends "consumers should first contact the business to seek a resolution. If the business does not resolve the issue, and a credit card was used for payment, the consumer can contact their bank or credit card provider for a chargeback." There's no word yet on whether the infamous yellow bikes will be leaving Sydney, with the oBike's recent announcement stating, "this decision will not affect oBike's operations in anyway in countries outside of Singapore". The company is still promoting its new rewards for parking responsibly and in designated parking spots in Sydney via Facebook. We'll continue to update the story as further announcements are made.
No more a safe haven of vintage knick knacks and retro wares, this week marks the last for the iconic Sydney Antique Centre. Though the much-loved red building in Surry Hills is in fact the oldest antiques store in the country — and one of our personal favourites — the owner of the building has decided to sell. From next Monday, June 30, the store will officially close. This sad news will leave more than 50 in-house art and antique dealers out of business, with many not able to survive the move. Though some traders will move their business to online, others will struggle to find new storefronts. And by all accounts their old home, the red stalwart of South Dowling Street, is destined to become a set of inner-city apartments. Though many see vintage stores as a bit old and fusty, the Sydney Antique Store has an incredibly rich history for Sydney-siders. Its homewares were employed as perfect props on the set of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, and it has reportedly furnished the homes of nearly every Australian prime minister. Not to mention its importance to the average customer — it's been there for you every time you went hunting for the perfect gift, party costume or retro accessory for the season. However the store's trade was undeniably suffering, and in speaking to the site's vendors the Sydney Morning Herald discovered that many blame the trends of younger customers." A lot of young people don't have an appreciation for fine things," said vendor Lyn Doolan. "Younger kids want to go to Ikea, buy everything, then change it all three years later. It is all very disposable." "Your generation doesn't like any clutter," said fellow stallowner Bill Gregg. "They like dinnerware that goes in the dishwasher." Though we're not sure it's entirely our fault, it's definitely a tough time for vintage retailers. Independent fashion boutiques are closing down all over the country as large international buzz brands take over the market, and discount homewares are now easier to buy than ever. The loss of this vintage paradise will undoubtedly be huge for those seeking something different on the market. From now until June 30, Sydney Antique Centre will be hosting a huge closing down sale, so now's the time to get down and pay your respects. Spend the afternoon, rummage around the treasures, and pick up a bargain. Before you know it, these retro legends will have packed up their vintage leather bags and disappeared. Sydney Antique Centre is located at 531 Dowling Street, Surry Hills. It's open from 10am-6pm daily until Monday, June 30. Via Sydney Morning Herald. All images via Sydney Antique Centre.
Spring has almost sprung and we couldn't be happier as we're about to see the return of some of Australias most vibrant flower festivals. This year's events will make you feel like you're frolicking in Dutch tulip fields or wandering through the cherry blossom-filled streets of Japan (with plenty of photo opportunities along the way). If the millions of flowers on display aren't enough, there are also food and wine festivals, loads of local markets and a bunch of music events to keep you interested. So, round up your friends, grab your camera and make the trip to these best flower festivals happening across Australia in 2019.
It's not everyday that you hear the words 1000 litre pool, inner-city backyard and theatrical garments uttered in the same sentence. Yet this is exactly what artist Meg Cowell does. Inspired by the forgotten pieces of clothing strewn about the footpath from somebody’s big night, she set about recreating these pieces of women's clothing (with the addition of couture). She did this through the use of a pool of water to allow buoyancy and an unusual method of display. They end up as illuminated pieces of fabric, which exist in blackness, with only a hint of the water that they are floating within remaining. The result is ghost-like, and the viewer is left with a tactile and emotive image. The pieces of fabric end up looking as if they are “inhabited” by bodies, with movement being created by carefully arranging the clothing with balloons, and being sewn into place. The yellow bustle Girclee print Lens Mist in particular took a few days to position before it was able to be photographed with such a long exposure. While shooting this series, Cowell, who graduated with honours in photography from the University of Tasmania in 2007, had to overcome the difficulties of photographing fabrics in water in her small inner-city backyard. She says this is because the “water adds its own organic force and shifts the fabric in ways that are impossible to control. Because of this, each shot takes about a week to make.” She was “constantly up and down the scaffolding manipulating a collar or adjusting a piece of lace to be "just so". There was “also a certain aspect of mischief in my productions as many of the hired garments are 'dry clean only'," says Cowell cheekily. This added an “element of drama to my process, especially as the owners took my credit card details as bond against damage. My methods for getting around this involve a hair dryer, tissue paper and a pair of straitening irons.” Which are hardly the usual concerns for the average photographer. But luckily it paid off and no bonds were lost. See more of Meg Cowell's photography on her website. Her exhibition, To the Surface, opens at Sydney's Dickerson Gallery opens on July 24 and runs to August 15.
If there's one region that put the Australian wine industry on the world wine map, it's the Barossa. Its signature style of bold, juicy, and age-worthy red wines has stunned wine critics, experts and novices worldwide. You can't get shiraz like a Barossa shiraz anywhere else. One wine brand that is spruiking its prestige in the region is Krondorf Wines. We chatted with Krondorf's head winemaker and Barossan native, Nick Badrice, about the brand and what makes the Barossa region so special. Tell us a little about yourself and your time at Krondorf Wines. I grew up in the Barossa Valley, so it was natural that I was immersed in the wine industry from a young age. This [current] vintage will see me having completed 35 vintages. I have made wines from many of Australia's premium wine-growing regions including Tasmania, Yarra Valley, Eden Valley and the Barossa Valley. But I also spent several vintages working overseas in Spain making wines from the region's extremely old grenache and tempranillo bush vines. I drive my knowledge and experience from this time to fuel my passion for producing super premium wines under the Krondorf label, using fruit from some of the Barossa Valley's oldest vines. As a native Barossan, do you think wine runs in your veins or is it less nature and more a case of nurture that led you to join the industry? My father and grandfather both worked in the wine industry which led me to do a vintage. My aim was to earn some money to be able to travel overseas, but this didn't go as planned. I ended up loving it — and here we are now. What, in your opinion, sets the Australian wine industry apart from the old-world wine regions of Europe and the new-world wine regions of the Americas and South Africa? The Australian wine industry is always pushing the boundaries to try new things and advance ourselves. Whether it's technology, winemaking techniques, advancements in equipment, or viticulture [grape-growing], we are continually striving to be at the forefront of the industry. The history of the Barossa Valley extends back almost two hundred years and includes the oldest vines in the world — do you think it was always destined to be a wine country, or was it purely chance that led those settlers there? The Silesians [people of Central Europe] who first settled the Barossa in the 1840s practised diversified farming. This includes farming livestock, growing crops, maintaining fruit orchids and small vine gardens. After the first few years, they discovered the grape vines doing particularly well on the fertile soils of the Barossa, which led to further plantings. So, what was once a 'cottage industry' is now recognised as a region that produces some of the most sought-after wines in the world. What makes the region such a perfect spot for this red variety? The Barossa has a warm climate that experiences cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers with low humidity and plenty of sunshine. This combination of dry, sunny days broken by short spells of rainfall creates an uninterrupted ripening period, which allows the grapes to achieve optimum ripeness. It's ideal conditions for full-bodied red wines with exceptional depth, flavour and richness, such as shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and grenache. What time of the year does the region really shine? As a winemaker, harvest time is always the most exciting — the anticipation of the new vintage and the opportunity to create new wines is super exhilarating. The Barossa comes alive during this time. The community also comes together for the bi-annual Vintage Festival, which is a major drawcard for tourists coming to the area during the harvest season. If a complete wine rookie were to ask you 'why should I choose to buy Krondorf?' what would you tell them? Krondorf's winemaking approach is one of minimalism. We use traditional techniques to create wines that showcase the terroir of the wine — the characteristics of the soil type and microclimate of the sites on which the grapes are grown. The range includes super-expressive wines, some of which are made from the oldest vineyards in the region. The Krondorf Kings Mantle Shiraz is the icon shiraz in our range — it's the epitome of Barossa shiraz. What's your recommended care plan to get the best glass out of a bottle of Krondorf shiraz? Do you recommend cellaring or are your wines drinkable now? The Krondorf range includes wines that are delicate, highly fragrant and medium-bodied and made to be drinkable now, and those that are made to be cellared. These wines are typically full-bodied and have amazing richness, concentration, depth of flavour and structure, which will only get better with time. I would recommend carefully cellaring these wines which means storing them somewhere that sits between 12-14 degrees Celsius, with no light and has minimal changes in temperature. A seldom-used wardrobe or cupboard is better than the top of your fridge. Krondorf recently opened a cellar door; what experiences does that offer visitors? The cellar door is located in the township of Tanunda and delivers a high-end, relaxed atmosphere without the stuffiness that can sometimes come along at certain wine tastings. At the cellar door we share a range of sub-regional wines from individual vineyard sites at our masterclass tastings, where the wines are matched with local, regional produce. We immerse our guests in the history of Krondorf and the lives of the early Silesian settlers to the Barossa. What are some local spots in the region for first-time visitors to check out? The Barossa is steeped in history and has so many amazing historical destinations for visitors to experience. My personal recommendation is to visit the historic village of Seppeltsfield, it has an excellent spectacle of palm trees that line the roads and is a must-see. The historic Seppeltsfield winery offers wine tastings, a restaurant and specialty shops, plus it's surrounded by gorgeous gardens. Obviously, the other place I'd recommend for visitors to relax and enjoy a drink is the Krondorf Wines cellar door. Be honest: when you go out for dinner, do you order wine, or do you like to keep your work life out of your personal time? Whenever I'm out to dinner, I always like to check the wine list out of curiosity to see what's on offer. There's often a wine I'd like to drink. As a winemaker, there is always something new to experience, whether it be Australian or international. How do you go about pairing wines? Are you a classic red wine and steak person, or do you have any unusual pairings up your sleeve that always work? To be honest, I don't have any rules here. It's all about experimenting and discovering what does or doesn't work for you. My personal favourite is Barossa grenache matched with fried pig's ears and spicy Sichuan sauce. What's exciting you about the wine industry right now? At Krondorf, we are always looking for better ways to combat climate change and lessen our carbon footprint, it's an important part of our brand's future. We're in the process of transitioning several of our vineyards to organic farming and certification. Our customers are searching for high-quality organic and biodynamic wines, and we want to meet that demand. Plus, increasing sustainable agricultural practices is key to the future of the Australian wine industry. Discover Krondorf Wines and its story at its cellar door in the township of Tanunda in the heart of the Barossa. Book a tasting on the website.
The City of Sydney is investing in a new, affordable innovation space in the heart of the CBD which aims to give small businesses committed to combatting climate change a boost. Named 'Greenhouse', the 3800-square-metre hub on George Street will become a cost-effective office space for emerging climate tech startups and scaleups. Greenhouse will be set up at 180 George Street within Lendlease's new 56-storey tower, following negotiations between the property group and the City of Sydney. It aims to support more than 100 businesses, all of which are helping to reduce Australia's climate emissions and create positive change to the environment. The program is expected to create 1500 new jobs over a ten-year period. The precinct at 180 George Street is set to also include a public plaza, retail laneways, bicycle hub, public art and multi-storey resurrection of hospitality venue Jacksons on George. Initially announced in 2018 following Jacksons closure, the four-level venue will feature a pub, multiple dining options and an open-air rooftop bar. [caption id="attachment_824763" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Render of 180 George Street[/caption] "Greenhouse is a wonderful opportunity for tech entrepreneurs and the scaleup economy to be located in one of the most advantageous and desirable locations in Australia, and for the City to showcase Sydney's tech startup ecosystem to the world," Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said. "By supporting our fastest-growing, sustainability-focused businesses with affordable, premium office space and access to expert-run services and globally competitive talent, we hope to reaffirm Sydney's reputation as a vibrant and sustainable city and the home of smart, inclusive and green innovation." Along with the affordable office space, Moore and Greenhouse CEO Creel Price promise businesses inside Greenhouse will be offered access to talent, growth services and investment opportunities like the Climate Tech Fund — a new venture capital fund. The innovation space is expected to open next year and follows several City of Sydney initiatives to move towards a greener city. Earlier this year, the city council set a net zero carbon emission target for 2035 and announced a plan to cover more than 40 percent of Sydney's city with trees and greenery by 2050. The City of Sydney's Greenhouse innovation space is set to open at 180 George Street, Sydney in late 2022.
Eastside Kitchen draws inspiration from a number of fertile food scenes: New York's high-end steak houses, Japanese cuisine's reverence for seafood and the buzz of Hong Kong dining. That might seem like a lot to work into one venue, but the Kensington Street restaurant does it quite seamlessly. The nicely lit space brings to mind the industrial style of lower Manhattan's Meatpacking District, while a Japanese binchotan grill takes pride of place in the kitchen. Executive chef Stanley Wong is himself fresh from a stint in Hong Kong, and has brought with him some key staff and a whole grab bag of good ideas from the city's dining scene. Seafood is tackled with creativity, as in the trio of plump oysters ($16) which come alternately topped with a plum salsa, a raspberry vinaigrette and a lemongrass sorbet. Each variation makes the right move in seeking to complement rather than overwhelm the oyster. Another seafood option is the scallop ceviche ($24), where pieces of ripe pomelo and a swirling sweet potato crisp add colour and bite to the tiger's milk — a Peruvian concoction combining the almost creamy seafood juices with citrus — it sits in. More interesting, slightly left-field fare comes in the form of bone marrow with mushrooms ($23). It's an indulgent treat, with the meaty, buttery texture of the marrow both good on its own and with a few slices of sourdough. A side of shishito peppers with yuzu essence ($14) is visually interesting, with the pepper flakes breathing and contracting on the plate, but more of the citrus would have been a plus. But the real centrepiece of the restaurant is their binchotan grill, an almost flameless and smoke-free style of grilling over Japanese charcoal that allows for extreme temperatures to cook meat. A good choice is black Angus beef New York-style strip steak ($42). With meat aged 270 days and quietly blasted into a blistered, charred state with pink, luscious softness inside, it's one of the most winning steaks in the city. You'll want at least one thing from the grill, but don't sleep on other options, like the Spanish-accented braised octopus ($29) in a romesco sauce blessed with both sweetness and a mild smoky heat. The recently instated liquor licence has allowed them to bring in a globe-crossing wine list, while desserts once again take cues from the Big Apple. The 'super-sized' New York cheesecake ($17) is a rich slab of dense, creamy sweetness which comes surrounded by a jammy berry coulis. A lighter option is the burnt fig bread pudding ($16), which is paired winningly with mocha ice cream. Eastside Kitchen may be the kind of upscale, cosmopolitan steakhouse at home in any world city, but you'll glad it's right here in Sydney. Images: Alana Dimou.
The Walrus is nearing on two months open, yet it still qualifies as one of the newer cafes in Sydney's CBD. It looks it too — the decor is bright but pared-back with neutral tones accented by plants and a distressed brown banquette by the floor-to-ceiling windows. These windows remain closed during the colder months, but in warmer weather, they're opened to let in the breeze. Burgers have become a cafe menu mainstay in Sydney and The Walrus is no different. A buttermilk fried chicken burger with kimchi and chipotle mayonnaise on a brioche bun ($18) is one of two available. There's no surprise that spicy kimchi and creamy mayonnaise work well together, but the combination is given an edge with a crushed corn chip crust on the chicken. The burger comes with a side of beer battered fries which adhere to my number one chip requirement: they stay crisp throughout the entire meal. If you don't want fried food for lunch, opt for the free-range chicken and quinoa salad ($19) which is meant to include pistachios, honey-roasted bacon, peas, fennel and parmesan. I can't attest to what the pistachios add to the meal as they didn't turn up on my plate, but little morsels of bacon and a creamy house dressing do a fine job of keeping your salt and mayo cravings in line while eating an otherwise nutritious salad. As you'll notice from the bags of bean packed on an overhanging shelf, the cafe uses Toby's Estate coffee. For those who don't feel like caffeine (or have perhaps had their fill for the day), there is a selection of just-squeezed juices, smoothies and house sodas that come in milk bottles with a curly straw. Of note is the blueberry and lime soda — it has the tart fizz reminiscent of lemonade but without the artificial sweetness. The Walrus is the cafe we want near our office — it does reliable coffee, serves food that spans from salads to hearty burgers, and has a team of attentive but non-intrusive staff. Aside from the small issue of the missing nuts, there's not much to complain about. Here's hoping they iron out all the kinks so you can add them to your list of CBD go-tos. Images: The Walrus.
Marrickville is famous for its pork rolls, Vietnamese food, and tasty yeeros. Now we can safely say some of Sydney's hottest cafes ply their trade in that part of the inner west. Cornersmith, Bourke St Bakery, and Coffee Alchemy have all made a name for themselves in Marrickville, and Double Roasters deserves to be in the same conversation as these cafes. Double Roasters has breathed life into a 1950s warehouse. Inside the cafe is a wave of activity: the espresso machine is purring away, with the barista furiously pumping out hot coffee; the coffee blender is sucking and spitting out aromatic beans; and staff are scurrying back and forth with plates of food. One of the selling points of Double Roasters is its passion for coffee. Single origin beans are roasted on site in 12kg batches, ensuring superior quality and consistency. After a sip of a flat white made from the Flight Path house blend, its clear these guys know their coffee. It's strong and smooth at the same time, subtlety awakening the senses. The menu is straightforward and you'll definitely get bang for your buck. The breakfast menu is dominated by vegetarian options like sauteed field mushrooms on sourdough with pecorino ($8); Double Roasters muesli with fruit salad, organic yoghurt, and honey ($7.50); or Pembroke Farm organic free-range poached eggs with toast ($8.50). And if you like some animal with breakfast? Add ham ($4) to anything you order; try the poached chicken sandwich with rocket, tomato, avocado salsa, and mayo ($9); or go for the croque monsieur, a ham and gruyere cheese toasted sandwich ($10). The roast pork belly sandwich with apple and mint relish, rocket, and aioli on toasted sourdough ($9.50) is good but not great. The roast pork belly is juicy but not melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the apple and mint relish gets lost amongst the mountain of rocket. The dish is somewhat saved by the toasted sourdough from Sonoma Bakery, and for $9.50, it's not a bad option. The avocado and feta mash with cherry tomato and rocket on Turkish bread ($8.50) sounds better than when it arrives on the table. Although the avocado and feta mash is light and blended together well, again there seems to be too much of the rocket, which lowers the quality of the dish. The best dish of the day is easily the house-made baked beans with eggs, prosciutto, and spinach ($12). The eggs and spinach are woven together with the baked beans and topped off with freshly sliced prosciutto, creating a satisfying breakfast without the heaviness of something like bacon and eggs. Double Roasters is the perfect local cafe with brilliant coffee and a decent food offering. It's how a cafe should be: full of life and the perfect start to the day.
It's easy to peruse the lengthy list of movies that'll be screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2024 and find parallels with the cinema celebration itself. Just like the claymation that brings Academy Award-winning animator Adam Elliot's work to life — including short Harvie Krumpet, 2009 feature Mary and Max and now MIFF's opening-night pick Memoir of a Snail — the fest expertly moulds its chosen materials into a reflection of the world around us. On par with every feature from David Cronenberg, it isn't afraid to push boundaries. As Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke ponders, it's deeply aware of both the past and the future. And exactly as all things Godzilla has, it's been a mainstay of the film world for seven decades. Running across Thursday, August 8–Sunday, August 25, Melbourne's annual celebration of moving pictures does indeed boast all of the above on its just-announced full program for this year. The Shrouds from Cronenberg (Crimes of the Future) sees the iconic body-horror filmmaker respond to the death of his wife IRL through the tale of a tech entrepreneur played by Vincent Cassel (Damaged) doing the same. The narrative of Caught by the Tides by Zhang-ke's (Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue) spans over 20 years, using footage from across just as long. And the ultimate kaiju is getting a one-night, seven-movie 70th-anniversary marathon, starting with franchise's iconic OG Japanese flick and making its way through to Shin Godzilla. "This year's MIFF program features over 250 films, with more than 400 sessions across 18 days, bringing together incredible Australian filmmaking, world cinema, drama, comedy, horror, animation, bold experimentation — things you've been waiting months to see, and others you never thought you'd get a chance to," explains the festival's Artistic Director Al Cossar about the complete lineup. "The MIFF program this year, like every year, is a multi-faceted festival of cinematic excess, designed to delight and sure to bring out the best in your imaginations. We're thrilled to welcome audiences back — come along and settle in for all too many movies at Melbourne's favourite binge this winter." Some of the fest's new highlights fill its Bright Horizons strand, aka its competition — including Flow, an animation about animals on a boat; Janet Planet, the debut movie from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker; Inside, a prison drama with Guy Pearce (The Clearing), Cosmo Jarvis (Shōgun) and Toby Wallace (The Bikeriders) that's directed by Charles Williams, who won the 2018 short film Palme d'Or for All These Creatures; and The Village Next to Paradise, which is the first-ever Somali film play Cannes. Other standout additions to the program elsewhere span flicks that've had the international film festival circuit talking in 2024 — and Australia's by first showing in Sydney. The Substance is also the long-awaited second effort from writer/director Coralie Fargeat, who made a spectacular debut with 2017's Revenge and picked up the Best Screenplay award at Cannes for this Demi Moore (Feud)-starring body-horror effort. Megalopolis features Adam Driver (Ferrari), with The Godfather and Apocalypse Now filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola first conceiving of the picture back in 1977. Rumours gives the fest a dose of Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson behind the lens (reteaming after Accidence, The Rabbit Hunters and Stump the Guesser), plus Cate Blanchett (The New Boy) on-screen. The Seed of the Sacred Fig is the latest film from Mohammad Rasoulf (There Is No Evil), with the movie's place on this year's Cannes lineup seeing him forced to flee Iran after being sentenced to flogging and imprisonment. And All We Imagine as Light was the first Indian film to play in Cannes' competition in three decades. MIFF's winter stretch in Melbourne cinemas — plus sessions from Friday, August 9–Sunday, August 25 online; and across both Friday, August 16–Sunday, August 18 and Friday, August 23–Sunday, August 25 in regional Victoria — will also feature Berlinale Golden Bear-winner Dahomey, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt from poet and photographer Raven Jackson, the maximum-security prison-set Sing Sing with Colman Domingo (Drive-Away Dolls), and Hong Sang-soo and Isabelle Huppert reuniting on A Traveler's Needs after Another Country and Claire's Camera. Amid its usual celebration of variety, Timestalker from Prevenge director and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace star Alice Lowe sits beside coming-of-age tale Bookworm's reteaming Elijah Wood with director Ant Timpson after Come to Daddy — this time playing a dad — and the Ilana Glazer (The Afterparty)-led Babes helmed by Pamela Adlon from Better Things. Or, there's the cinephile-catnip Martin Scorsese-presented doco Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger, Craig Silvey's Runt reaching the screen with a heap of local faces (Kaleidoscope's Jai Courtney, Colin From Accounts' Celeste Barber, High Ground's Jack Thompson and Total Control's Deborah Mailman), Indigenous Aussie horror via The Moogai, and The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre music documentary follow-up Dig! XX. If that — plus Wake in Fright getting the Hear My Eyes treatment — isn't enough, In Vitro is an Ashley Zukerman (Succession)-led Australian sci-fi thriller about a couple doing biotech experiments, the also-homegrown boxing drama Kid Snow features Phoebe Tonkin (Boy Swallows Universe), Ghost Cat Anzu brings a touch of Japanese animation, and the Kate Winslet (The Regime)- and Alexander Skarsgård (Mr & Mrs Smith)-led Lee is about WWII reporter Lee Miller. Three IRL Belfast rappers star as themselves alongside Michael Fassbender (Next Goal Wins) in comedy Kneecap; Problemista is directed by and stars Los Espookys and Fantasmas' Julio Torres opposite Tilda Swinton (The Killer); and Sasquatch Sunset, directed by the Zellner brothers (Damsel), gets Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & the Six) and Jesse Eisenberg (Fleishman Is in Trouble) playing a sasquatch family. Plus, Australia's own Romulus, My Father and Lake Mungo have scored restorations, the fest is spending an evening at Peninsula Hot Springs, an Iranian New Wave retrospective sees MIFF team up with New York's Museum of Modern Art, there's a whole strand dedicated to non-fiction films about the natural world, and Devo and The Black Keys also pop up in the Music on Film section. Not having anything to watch clearly isn't a problem at this fest. Whittling down your must-watch list? Now that's a different — and delightful — issue. [caption id="attachment_965567" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Barry Schultz, BarrySchultzPhotography.com[/caption] The 2024 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 8–Sunday, August 25 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 16–Sunday, August 18 and Friday, August 23–Sunday, August 25 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 9–Sunday, August 25. For further details, including member tickets from 8pm on Thursday, July 11 and general tickets from 9am on Tuesday, July 16, visit the MIFF website.
There are some places in which you don't want to be locked in — like in an elevator with your ex, for example. But locked inside a pub, with a bevy of bartenders whipping up speciality cocktails that will be doing the rounds? Well, lock us up and throw away the key, baby. Luckily, we've got tickets to the lock-in event of the year. To celebrate the launch of their new cinnamon and chilli Fiery Irish Whiskey Liqueur, the crew at Dubliner are hosting a one-night-only lock-in at the freshly renovated Bitter Phew pub in Darlinghurst on September 16 — and you can be in to win. If you're unfamiliar with the concept of a lock-in, it's a historic bar movement in Ireland — and if you were invited to join, you'd done something right with the locals. After everyone else went home, it was a chance for some lucky punters to stay on with the bartenders to enjoy more drinks and camaraderie when the pub became 'private property' for the evening. Now Dubliner is bringing this concept to life at the Bitter Phew's brand new secret bar area, in a special treat for some lucky Concrete Playground readers. There are 25 double passes to the lock-in up for grabs, so you can bring a mate (or a spice-loving date). Don't worry, we're using the term 'lock-in' fairly loosely here. Those lucky enough to attend will just enjoy a bloody good night out and be the first to party in the exclusive new event space. It's a pretty ace way to christen the new area — enjoying tasty eats, live music from a leading Sydney DJ, and of course, deliciously spicy cocktails using the new Fiery Irish Whiskey Liqueur. If you want to recreate those cocktails at home, you can nab Dubliner's Fiery Irish Whiskey Liqueur from Dan Murphy's and BWS from $49.99. But we recommend coming along and seeing how the experts mix 'em first. If you're keen to throw your hat in the ring for tickets, firstly, make sure you're over 18 — for obvious reasons. (Yes, IDs will be checked at the door.) Then make sure you can get along to the Bitter Phew at 1/137 Oxford St in Darlinghurst on the night in question — the lock-in will be taking place from 7pm—9pm on Friday, September 16, making it the perfect way to kick off the weekend. Want to nab tickets to the hottest party in town? Just answer the question below. [competition]866418[/competition]
The act of fashioning sandcastles from the tiny grains of sand situated on the edge of the ocean's gently crashing waves holds a place in the heart of everyone's inner child. Standing armed with a spade and bucket on the seemingly never-ending expanse of sand at the beach is a thrill few can forget. The possibilities for creating mysterious cities, dangerous moats, impenetrable barriers, and elaborate decoration within the imagination of a young mind can be exceeded by very few people. However, highly skilled artists who can manipulate the sand so precisely and creatively to produce sandcastles that appear photoshopped or from a fantasy world are some of the few who make that cut. And sandcastle builder Calvin Seibert is one of those artists. Consisting purely of sand particles and water, Seibert's perfect geometric shapes of sharply angled turrets, perfectly curved ramps, and serenely smooth surfaces need to be seen to be believed. Each of the artist's masterpieces takes roughly a day to build, and although appearing as solid as concrete, each construction is merely a light step away from being crumpled into oblivion. Take a look at some of Seibert's astonishing sandcastles. They're sure to bring back the good old imaginative days of childhood - but they will also make you sharply aware of how imperfect your young hands and bucket really were. See more of Seibert's sandcastles on Flickr.
Set right on the beach with views aplenty, Balmoral Cellars has been one of the suburb's legendary establishments since 1951. The current owner has run the shop for 20 years now, and he's a local expert on all things wine. The shop is open daily and focuses on Australian labels — from malbecs and shiraz–grenache blends to classic merlots. This cellar doesn't just stock wines from well-known regions like Barossa Valley, Margaret River and Mudgee, either; it also offers drops from lesser-known spots like Coonawarra, SA and Buronga, NSW. Balmoral Cellars is a convenience store, too, so you can grab your booze and nibbles all in one go. Plus, you can nab free delivery on orders over $100, or free local delivery on all orders to Mosman, Cremorne and Neutral Bay.
Whether you like your eggs at breakfast, atop your steaming bowl of ramen or in your Nan's famous chocolate cake, eggs make great meals. So, to celebrate all things eggs, the Eggsellence Awards is on the hunt for the best Aussie egg dish. On Thursday, October 10, Kensington Street's event space, The Private Kitchen, will be turned into a pop-up restaurant, slinging dishes from the awards' top four finalists — and we're giving five lucky winners the chance to pop along with a date (or a mate). If you get your mitts on this prize, you'll be tasting the nation's best egg dishes — for zero dollars. Plus, to sweeten the deal, we're giving you $100 to spend at any of the finalist restaurants after the event. The four finalist dishes span from brekkie to dinner. And they've been plucked from all over Australia — including two hailing from Sydney —so expect some real winners. If you like your eggs breakfast-style, you can tuck into Turkish poached eggs from Mount Street Breakfast Bar all the way from Perth or Sydney's The Bosphorus Benedict from Rustic Pearl. Or, if you're keen for a more unconventional egg, there'll be beef carpaccio with fried truffle egg, rocket, pecorino from Tassie's Grain of the Silos or Yum Yum Bakery Guildford's lamb confit and egg pizza, too. Should you win, you'll be heading to the pop-up at dinnertime. There are two sittings — 6pm and 7.30pm — which you can opt for. After your egg feast, you'll also get to vote for your favourite dish. The winner will be announced by French chef and TV personality, Manu Feildel, on World Egg Day (October 11). Does this sound too good to miss out on? Enter your details below to be in the running. [competition]744040[/competition]
Located in a restored factory, FogHorn was born out of a desire to bring good beer, American-inspired food and eclectic music to Newcastle. Since then, the venue has thrived, and is now a buzzing restaurant, live music venue and brewery. What is said to be Newcastle's first craft brewery, FogHorn Brewhouse features four 1800-litre-serving tanks and hosts regular entertaining and educational brewery tours for $5 at 2pm every Saturday and Sunday. It has a whopping 16 beers on tap, which currently includes the Severus (named after that professor), an American brown ale with a dark caramel malt flavour, the sessionable Boganaire IPA and the Rejuvenator — a rich and malty German-style lager. Its food menu is equally extensive, with large New York-style slices of pepperoni pizza, chilli cheese-loaded fried, buffalo hot wings (with blue cheese sauce, of course), philly cheesesteaks and banoffee pie. If you're after something lighter to go with your beer, there are also salads made with jerk chicken, roasted sweet potato and caramelised walnuts.
Station Gallery has been wowing the crowds in Melbourne with its conceptually driven exhibitions since 2011, but it took a further eight years before it also pitched up in the NSW capital. As outlined on its website, the gallery has "the aim of fostering rigorous, critically engaged contemporary art practices" — and to look at the work it has put on over its lifetime, you have to say that it has accomplished that mission. The Sydney arm is housed in a Victorian terrace building featuring new works on a four-week cycle. Accordingly, whether your passion is sculpture, photography, expressionist paintings or something entirely different, there'll always be something on the agenda to pique your interest.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are restrictions on where Melburnians can travel. Check out the latest information on the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website. You can also check out more figures and graphs on its Victorian coronavirus data page. But, this doesn't mean you can't start dreaming — bookmark this for when you can explore once again. If a winter trip to Tasmania is on your agenda — and plenty of stomach-warming wine, too — then a pitstop at Devil's Corner probably forms part of your plans. Thanks to its towering onsite lookout, the well-known winery is a must-visit east coast destination even if you're not fond of vino. But for those who are partial to a drop or several, you'll find yourself sipping and soaking in the view at the vineyard's new pop-up cellar door over the next few months. Usually, Devil's Corner's cellar door is a hive of activity — and, between now and summer this year, it's undergoing a big revamp. The winery is expanding the facilities, in fact, but it isn't leaving vino lovers hanging in the interim. Instead, you'll hang out outdoors, enjoying your wine while hovering around a roaring fire pit. Called The Little Devil, the pop-up cellar door is doing wine tastings — by the glass, bottle and paddle — seven days a week. It's serving up takeaway wine sales, too. And, to line your stomach, food van Governors Bicheno is also onsite doing snacks and coffee. Like Devil's Corner's vines, visitors to The Little Devil will be exposed to the elements during the expansion. So, consider a coat, hat and even a rug mandatory accessories. When the expansion is complete, the permanent cellar door will sprawl across more space — and include both more shelter fo0r future winters, and revamped food and wine experiences. Find The Little Devil at Devil's Corner, 1 Sherbourne Road, Apslawn, Tasmania — open from 10am–4pm daily.
After viral leaks of award-winning author Adam Mansbach's new children's book for parents, Go the Fuck to Sleep, created huge hype in recent weeks, the book was finally released today. The book comes with an audiobook version that is narrated by none other than Samuel L. Jackson, and is illustrated with sweet and innocent images by artist Ricardo Cortes. A New Zealand Christian lobby group Family First is already calling for the book to be banned, writing letters to New Zealand's Booksellers Association asking that it not be distributed to retailers. The group is concerned about the effect that the offensive language and negative message could have on aggressive and dysfunctional parents. One verse from the book reads "All the kids from daycare are in dreamland. The froggie has made its last leap. Hell no you can't go to the bathroom, you know where you can go? The fuck to sleep." Most people however, have found the book hilarious, including legendary film director Werner Herzog who also plans to release a recording of the book. Film rights have now also been optioned by Fox and Canongate has already bought the UK title. The book is currently at the top of the Amazon best seller list. You can listen to a sample of the Samuel L. Jackson recording here.
