Unofficial Bridgerton balls have already popped up in Australia, but now it's time for the real thing: The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience, which comes with the backing of Netflix and Shondaland. After bringing regency-era vibes to Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver and New York in the US, and also to Toronto and Montreal in Canada, the event is finally letting Down Under fans unleash their inner duke and duchess. For a month between Friday, May 24–Sunday, June 23, Melbourne will be doubling for London high society in the early 1800s, in The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience's exclusive Aussie stop. Step inside Fever Exhibitions Hall on Dawson Street in Brunswick and you'll feel like you're stepping back in time — or into the huge Netflix hit series, at least. Lady Whistledown aficionados will be able to head along every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening to promenade around an immersive setup where a string quartet will be playing live tunes inspired by the show, dancers will accompany the music and live theatrical performances will keep you entertained. You'll also go for a spin in the ballroom yourself at the afterparty. Before then, you'll also hit up Madame Delacroix's modiste and an underground painting studio, then visit with the queen. Actors in period costumes will be wandering around, helping to set the mood — and yes, if you'd like to dress to fit the occasion, and the series, that's obviously heartily encouraged. The drinks list, including cocktails, will be Bridgerton-themed. While your sips aren't included in your ticket, a full bar will be available, as will snacks such as chips and lollies to purchase. The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience will unleash its lavishness just after the show's third season arrives, with the first four episodes dropping on Thursday, May 16, then the next four on Thursday, June 13. It also pops up after the New South Wales town of Bowral just scored a week-long Bridgerton-themed makeover, complete with stars Nicola Coughlan (Barbie) and Luke Newton (The Shape of Things) — aka Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton — in attendance. The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience runs from Friday, May 24–Sunday, June 23 at Fever Exhibitions Hall, 62 Dawson Street, Brunswick, Melbourne. For more information or to join the waitlist for tickets — with presales from 6pm AEST on Monday, April 29 and general sales from 6pm AEST on Tuesday, April 30 — head to the event website. To watch Bridgerton in the interim, head to Netflix.
Sydney's latest food mecca is finally open, say hello to Steam Mill Lane. Situated within Darling Square's new 8000-square-metre retail space, the burgeoning laneway boasts top-notch restaurants, as well as a throng of emerging fashion and lifestyle retailers. It's ripe for exploration and offers everything, from cheap eats, to long lunches, to late-night noodle fixes. There's a chance you'll recognise more than a few vendors; Melbourne's famed burger joint 8bit, brought to you by hatted chef Shayne McCallum and Alan Sam, slings mega burgers, loaded hot dogs and over-the-top shakes via its 130-seat diner — while Belles Hot Chicken, its third Sydney outpost, doles out finger-lickin' fried chicken. Other big names include The Sandwich Shop, Edition Coffee Roasters, Marrickville Pork Roll, poke joint Fishbowl, Sichuan eatery Ricefields, modern Italian restaurant Il Bacio and bubble tea cafe Gong Cha. But it's not just food. You'll also find a few boutique retail shops, including travel and leisure store Alifehaus, streetwear brand Pict and barber Men's Culture. If that's not enough excitement, check out the permanent light installation by Adelaide-based artist Peta Kruger — the neon-lit artworks take inspiration from 'nightlife cityscapes' and illuminate the lane at night.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are various interstate border restrictions in place. Up-to-date information on restrictions are available at your state's health websites (click through for NSW, Victoria and Queensland). Of course, even border closures don't mean you can't start dreaming — bookmark this for when you can explore freely once again. There's something special about getting behind the wheel for a long drive, whether you're summiting Australia's soaring mountain ranges or rambling your way up the coastline. There are fascinating adventures awaiting in every corner of the country, so forget about setting a breakneck pace. Just pick out a few waypoints along the way and pull in wherever you please. When you spot a stunning hike or a sandy beach that simply has to be experienced, slide the new Sonos Roam — featuring ten hours of playtime and a drop-resistant design — into your daypack and let the perfect playlist soundtrack your adventures. Exploring Australia has never sounded so good. [caption id="attachment_728931" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Kuilenburg, Tourism Tas[/caption] GREAT EASTERN DRIVE, TASMANIA Don't think that you can get away with ignoring Tassie for much longer. The entire state deserves to be explored but, if time is of the essence, the east coast boasts a particularly scenic drive overflowing with stellar restaurants, wineries and landscapes. The fun starts in the island's northeastern corner at the Bay of Fires with its striking orange lichen-cloaked boulders. Heading south, you'll find windswept delights in coastal towns like Binalong Bay, St Helens and Bicheno before arriving at Freycinet National Park and experiencing spectacular views across Wineglass Bay. [caption id="attachment_777954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ensay Winery, Visit Victoria[/caption] GREAT ALPINE ROAD, VICTORIA Victoria offers some wonderfully diverse landscapes with the Great Alpine Road carrying you through some of the best. Stretching for 339 kilometres from Wangaratta to Metung, this adventure sees you cruise through granite mountain ranges and venture into lush rainforests — with dozens of great stops to make along the way. Consider taking a detour into Mount Buffalo National Park to experience the incredible views from The Horn or cool off in the Eurobin Falls. You can also sample eco-conscious wines at Ensay Winery or swing by Bruthen's Bullant Brewery for top-quality beers and a feed that showcases delicious regional flavours. [caption id="attachment_734990" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cape Paterson, Visit Victoria[/caption] BASS COAST, VICTORIA You don't have to travel far from Melbourne to get amongst some of the state's most scenic locations. Just an hour's drive from the CBD is the stunning Bass Coast region, which encompasses everything from Phillip Island to Inverloch. Catch views of the jagged coastline and sea-bird nesting areas from San Remo before scooting along the coast to charming towns like Kilcunda, Wonthaggi and Cape Paterson. This unforgettable coastal cruise bounces from one relaxed village to the next with outstanding spots for surfing, snorkelling and dining at every turn. [caption id="attachment_813784" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cape Tribulation, Unsplash[/caption] CAIRNS TO CAPE YORK, QUEENSLAND Completing the 1000-kilometre trip from Cairns to Cape York is a tropical adventure like no other. Featuring some of Australia's wildest landscapes, this road trip will take you on a tour of pioneering history via lowland rainforests and sweeping landscapes. Pause at Mareeba to discover why 70 percent of Australia's coffee is grown here before experiencing the reaches of the Daintree Rainforest at Port Douglas and the pristine Mossman Gorge. While much of the Cairns to Cape York route is sealed, having a 4WD to overcome some unexpected obstacles is a good idea. [caption id="attachment_743610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] 75 MILE BEACH, QUEENSLAND Scout out the sights of the world's largest sand island — K'gari (Fraser Island) — and its breathtaking 75 Mile Beach. When the tide is right, you're welcome to take your four wheels onto the white sand beach to live out the summertime getaway of your dreams. Plus, there are more than 100 freshwater lakes found across K'gari — be sure to take a dip in the red waters of Lake Boomanjin. You can also explore the SS Maheno Shipwreck, which ran aground in 1935, before pitching a tent beneath the enormous ferns of Central Station's open rainforest. [caption id="attachment_813791" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Geoffrey Rhodes, Flickr[/caption] ANCIENT OUTBACK MOUNT ISA LOOP, QUEENSLAND Pack plenty of water and sunscreen because a multi-day drive through Queensland's remote northwest is bound to get a bit warm. This trip departs from the mining capital of Mount Isa, taking you east past the rugged Selwyn Ranges. Onwards to Richmond, you'll come across Australia's best-preserved dinosaur skeleton at Kronosaurus Korner, while Winton, about 230 kilometres to the south, is believed to be the birthplace of 'Waltzing Matilda'. Ahead of finishing the loop, experience cinematic history by stopping for a drink at Crocodile Dundee's favourite pub, the Walkabout Creek Hotel, in McKinlay. [caption id="attachment_772492" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination Port Stephens[/caption] PACIFIC COAST, NEW SOUTH WALES/QUEENSLAND The road from Sydney to Brisbane is peppered with remarkable attractions. You'll need about a week to experience the top-notch locations along the 1000-kilometre route. After leaving Sydney behind, the first unmissable stop is Lake Macquarie's sparkling rock pools and world-class fishing. Just up the coast, choose any of Port Stephens's 26 stunning beaches for an idyllic picnic and break out the snorkelling gear at Coffs Harbour's Solitary Islands Marine Park. Following a stop in Byron Bay, it's time to cross the Queensland border and experience the Gold Coast hinterland en route to Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_813795" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Broken Hill, Trevor McKinnon, Unsplash[/caption] BROKEN HILL AND THE OUTBACK, NEW SOUTH WALES See both sides of New South Wales as this sweeping road trip transports you from Sydney's bright lights to the frontier town of Broken Hill. You have a variety of fascinating backcountry communities to explore with Dubbo the first major landmark on this adventure. Prepare yourself for the wide open landscapes to come by visiting the Taronga Western Plains Zoo. After you move through historic mining towns like Cobar, Wilcannia and White Cliffs, you'll soon arrive at Broken Hill. Relish a cold drink at the famous Palace Hotel, then head out for an unbeatable sunset surrounded by the sandstone sculptures at the Living Desert & Sculpture Symposium. [caption id="attachment_746256" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Snowy Mountains[/caption] ALPINE WAY, NEW SOUTH WALES Australia might not be best known for its snow-capped mountains, but our alpine region is about as scenic as they come. The Alpine Way links one mindblowing destination to the next with this road trip beginning at the laidback community of Cooma and heading deep into the Snowy Mountains. Learn your local history by paying a visit to the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre, then make tracks to the picturesque town of Jindabyne for a dip in the lake (weather permitting, of course). As the altitude increases, the isolated town of Khancoban provides the perfect launchpad to explore Kosciuszko National Park's hikes and adventure activities. Find out more about the new Sonos Roam at the official website. Top image: Bay of Fires, Spencer Chow.
Men's grooming has quietly grown into a dedicated, if niche, market, with specialty stores like NOAH Barber and Pickings and Parry leading the way. Launched online in November, Societe Men has arrived on the scene with ambitious plans. Taking cues from beauty empires like Mecca and Sephora, the new kid on the block wants to become a playground for men's grooming essentials. "Men have lacked a space that actually feels considered," said Societe Men founder Max Donne. "We took inspiration from the world's leading female beauty retailers — the theatre, the service, the curation — and asked why men didn't have the same experience." While brick-and-mortar is still in the works, the online edit already spans 22 labels from around the world, including two hitting Australian shores for the first time exclusively through Societe Men. One of them is Bravo Sierra, a New York-based body care line known for its military-tested formulas, and the other is Micky Day, a Kiwi hair care brand built on natural ingredients and local craftsmanship. The thoughtful curation mixes everyday essentials and standout finds. Find local heroes such as Patricks and Barberian on the shelves, or treat yourself (or someone else) to little luxuries like aerospace-grade Henson razors, Marvis toothpastes and combs from Kent Brushes. You can shop the Societe Men's range on the website now. If you're in the mood for a shopping spree, check out the best independent boutiques in Melbourne in 2025. Images: supplied.
We're just about ready to fast forward through this winter. Let's skip the low temperatures and head straight for warmer days and colder drinks. While we wish it could be that easy, we all just need to accept the situation and wait out the chill. Embrace the weather and all the winter-exclusive activities it brings — skiing, snowboarding, camping where you'll actually want to sit by the fire, and not to mention warming up in some pretty amazing hot pools. This season you can create your very own cold weather holiday with Teva's winter escape competition, which could win you $1000 to go towards planning your ideal adventure and $250 to shop Teva's shoes and match whichever destination you choose. Slip into a steaming, natural mineral water pool to rid your mind and body of any chilly winter blues. Gaze out at snow-capped mountains instead of the usual view from your desk. Escape the city's hustle and bustle and set up in a treehouse surrounded by nothing but wintry flora and fauna. The opportunities are great when you've got $1000 to splash on a bespoke escape. Grab your Teva shoes — with options good for zipping straight from your cabin into a thermal bath, or for hiking those snowy mountains — and you're good to go. To go in the running to win $1000 towards a winter escape, plus a $250 Teva gift card, enter your details below. [competition]629606[/competition]
Is your aesthetic still stuck in the greys and blues of winter? Well, you should hotfoot it to Precinct 75 — its upcoming design market will help you transition into spring. On Saturday, September 14, the market takes over the St Peters creative precinct to celebrate local independent labels. Both Precinct 75 tenants and guests will be there, including jewellery maker Alana Douvros, Taste Kaleidoscope Teas and natural skincare label Oleu Life. The event is pairing up with the local foodies and farmers markets to keep you fed — including Pepita's Ice Cream Van and its vegan, dairy free frozen treats — while St Peter stalwarts Rice Pantry, Sample Roasters and Willie the Boatman Brewery will be serving up their wares as well. And, if you want to take something green home with you, plenty of plants will also be for sale — which can help brighten up your home. Plus, with free entry for you, your mates and the pooch — yes, pets are welcome — you'll have plenty of money to spend on some new wares. While entry is free, you will need to register over here. The Spring Design Market runs from 9am–4pm. Images: Lucy Alcorn
A coffee cup you're actually encouraged to throw on the ground? Tossers, this is your moment. After acknowledging people are jerks and will continue to litter to their hearts content, Californian environmental organisation Reduce. Reuse. Grow. has created a biodegradable coffee cup, embedded with seeds from local native plants. So if you're one of those straight-up idiots who likes to chuck their cup, you won't be adding to the already existing waste in the natural environment. It's a brand new project sitting on Kickstarter, with Reduce. Reuse. Grow. attempting to raise a mere US$10,000 to fund the seed cups. So how does it work? Specific to the Californian landscape, the cups decompose within 180 days, letting the seeds of local redwood trees and poppy flowers find their way to the soil. So you're left with new seedlings and no remnants of a latte in sight. Although the concept is a purely American one — a little drawing of a state lets you know where the seeds are native to — here's hoping there's enough interest for an international range, or an Australian company picks it up. The Reduce. Reuse. Grow. team have created the cups in an a attempt to take recyclable cups even further. "In America we discard over 146 billion cups from coffee consumption annually," say the team on their Kickstarter page. "Even when we think we are recycling and doing a good deed, the paper itself within these products can only be reused two to three times before the fibres are unusable and discarded into local landfills without consumer's knowing. It is time to consume smarter." Importantly, not everyone is going bush just to throw a litter party. The Reduce. Reuse. Grow. team have already thought of this. The team have suggested cafes creating a designated bin for the seed cups, one the crew themselves would pick up and dump in spots in dire need of new vegetation. Or you can just plant the cup yourself, after soaking it in water for five minutes. Apparently the seeds from one cup could extract over one tonne of CO2, so we're hoping native Australian seeds are next for the plantable cups. Check out the Reduce. Reuse. Grow. Kickstarter page over here. Via Fast Company.
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is stacked with world-class talent, but they don't just perform Rossini overtures and Beethoven concertos. Instead, they regularly light up venues with symphonic screenings featuring cinematic classics, such as Toy Story and Home Alone, alongside scores by Hollywood's composing legends. In 2026, the Sydney Symphony Presents series is adding a little more adventure to the mix, performing film scores, gaming soundtracks and throwback hits like you've never heard them before. First up on Thursday, January 22, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra is taking the Hordern Pavilion back, way back, with Disco Never Dies. Putting out a call to all dancing queens and raining men, this sprawling venue will be transformed into a rhythmic paradise, complete with sequins, mirror balls and vintage fashion. Joined by powerhouse performers Timomatic and Paulini, carve up the d-floor as intricate spring arrangements and booming brass melodies offer new interpretations of ABBA and Earth, Wind and Fire classics. [caption id="attachment_832879" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Victor Frankowski[/caption] On Saturday, February 7, the tone shifts towards Tinseltown, as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra reunites with Art of the Score podcast hosts Andrew Pogson and Dan Golding for The Music of John Williams: Episode II. Taking a deep dive into the iconic composer's seven-decade career, the ICC Sydney Theatre combines surround sound and cutting-edge visuals to bring new meaning to Williams' musical work on films ranging from Superman and Star Wars to Happy Potter, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park. Finally, gamers will be attending ELDEN Ring: Symphonic Adventure in their droves when it makes its official Australian debut on Thursday, March 12–Saturday, March 14. Conceived as a fully immersive performance, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra will join forces with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs to bring the dramatic soundscape of the landmark video games to life. Surrounded by in-game visuals, atmospheric lighting and familiar sound effects, expect a performance befitting Malenia — one that has never missed a beat.
When Milky Lane opened in Bondi back in 2016, it immediately generated a cult-following. Thanks to its calorific concoctions, casual any-night-of-the-week vibe and celebrity endorsements, the venue has become a go-to for many Sydneysiders when an indulgent meal is a must. But for non-locals, the slog to Bondi can be long and painful (albeit worthwhile once the mega shake and burger-induced coma hits). So it might be welcome news that there will soon be a solution a little closer to home for those who live down south — the team is opening a new venue in Cronulla on Monday, February 12. The formula seems to be pretty much the same: artery-clogging burgers, loaded fries and shakes. Hey, if it ain't broke. Graffiti artists Dallas Clark and Stephan Evans have again been enlisted to transform the venue into the sort of place that instantly makes you feel cool by association. All the menu favourites will be duplicated down south too, including the fried chicken Chic Kanye burger, ice-cream churro bowls and cocktails. Now this is just speculation but we think the team have been quite tactical with this expansion. It's chosen another beachside location with a penchant for burgers — it will join several other burger-swilling eateries in the area — to guarantee a crowd looking to satisfy a post-surf hunger. Not that you need to get in the water before going all-in on the mac 'n' cheese doughnuts. Milky Lane Cronulla opens on Monday, February 12, and is located at 20 Gerrale Street, Cronulla. For more info visit the Facebook page. Images: Milky Lane Bondi by Bodhi Liggett.
If you're a fan of a cheeky weekend charcoal chook run, brace yourself, because everyone's OG favourite Frango has launched the country's first charcoal chicken drive-thru. The Portuguese chicken and burger institution has opened a drive-thru restaurant in Sydney's southwest, allowing fiends of the succulent Iberian poultry to pick up their haul while remaining socially distant. Serving high quality chicken shop meals since 1989, the family-owned chain has been the go-to destination for piri piri lovers for over 30 years. Known for its Portuguese flavours and chooks barbecued over natural charcoal fire pits, Frango has six locations across Sydney: the original in Petersham, Bella Vista, Smithfield, Penrith, Gregory Hills and, now, Edmondson Park. At the latter, the cult chook brand's followers can satiate their palates from the comfort of their cars — seven days a week, from 10am to late. Owner Luis Fernandes said that the restaurant decided to adapt its operations when it experienced "unique challenges... as a result of COVID-19". While many of its stores reopened in mid-May, the chain has once again temporarily stopped dine-in at its Gregory Hills restaurant — in response to a recent spike in positive cases in the area. But now, Frango has a new socially-distant way to continue serving up delicious food during the times we find ourselves in. [caption id="attachment_777341" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grace Photography[/caption] The eatery has even gone further to fix the pet hates associated with most drive-thru experiences, too; Frango's drive-thru menu options aren't a limited version of its dine-in menu — in fact, it includes some new add-ons. And yes, that includes the famous family-recipe chilli sauce with a reputation that precedes it. So, drive, don't walk or run, to this newest innovation of the celebrated chicken shop that boasts one of the biggest followings in the city. Australia's first charcoal chook drive-thru will leave you circling through the pick-up zone over and over again. Frango Drive-Thru is now open at 2074 Camden Valley Way, Edmondson Park. It's open from 10am-late daily. Images: Grace Photography
Sip on coffee, enjoy a gin cocktail and devour goat's milk gelato in a garden oasis. You can do all three at Bar Botanica: a new cafe, bar and gelateria on the Central Coast. Breathing new life into a rustic 70s hut in the middle of Distillery Botanica's garden, Bar Botanica is the brainchild of Julia and Dan Hughes, the creators of Mr Goaty Gelato. Dan has been making Mr Goaty's gelato in the distillery — known for its Moore's gin and Mr Black cold brew coffee liqueur — for the past two years, drawing inspiration for his gelato flavours from botanicals in the garden. Before his days scooping highly acclaimed gelato, Dan was a chef at Bronte's Three Blue Ducks. Centred around the old English concept of 'elevenses' — a light snack enjoyed just before midday, and an integral part of the hobbit diet — Bar Botanica is open from mid-morning to late afternoon for small bites, drinks and gelato. The menu is inspired by Dan's experience working in kitchens around the world, drawing on his classic French chef training and using fresh seasonal produce grown from the garden. Pair a chicken liver parfait with Distillery Botanica blackcurrant liqueur, enjoy a lazy afternoon with a ploughman's lunch featuring gin-spiked cheddar and olives, or down a quick chicken and tarragon sandwich matched with coffee roasted on-site (using the same beans as the aforementioned Mr Black). Once the cafe is licensed, it'll start selling gin, wines and local Six String beer, too. Of course, you'll need to leave room for dessert, too — there are 14 house-made gelato and sorbet to choose from (as well as freshly baked pastries, tarts and cakes). The flavours rotate often, but expect the likes of honeycomb and lavender and lemon myrtle macadamia. And, while Mr Goaty's original gelato is made using goat's milk, there are cow's milk and dairy-free options, too. This winter, the eatery will play host to a series of pop-up dinners — we'll let you know when they're announced. In the meantime, road trip to the revamped, plant-filled hut for a lazy Sunday picnic, a bite to eat and an award-winning gelato cone. Find Bar Botanica inside Distillery Botanica at 25 Portsmouth Road, Erina and open Wednesday–Sunday, 10am–4pm.
Every year for the past 102 years, the Archibald Prize has recognised exceptional works of portraiture by Australian artists. In 2023, from a field of 57 finalists, the coveted award has gone to Head in the sky, feet on the ground, a portrait of award-winning singer, David Byrne collaborator and Australian Eurovision representative Montaigne. Gutman's win at the age of 29, scoring the $100,000 award, makes her one of the prize's youngest-ever winners in its 102-year history. And, she's also the 11th woman to win the acclaimed accolade — doing so for her first-ever Archibald Prize entry. Head in the sky, feet on the ground emerged victorious from a pool of 949 entries, and in a year that broke a pivotal record: for the first time, more women than men made the final list of contenders for the award. Other portraits up for the gong included plenty similarly showing famous faces, such as Claudia Karvan, Sam Neill, Archie Roach, Noni Hazlehurst and Daniel Johns — all of which are showing at the Art Gallery of NSW alongside the contenders for the Wynne and Sulman Prizes until Sunday, September 3. [caption id="attachment_899546" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Archibald Prize 2023, Julia Gutman 'Head in the sky, feet on the ground', oil, found textiles and embroidery on canvas, 198 x 213.6 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni CarterSitter: Montaigne[/caption] The Wynne received 726 entries, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 673 entries, naming 45 as final contenders. 2023's $50,000 Wynne Prize, which recognises the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture, was awarded to interdisciplinary artist and first-time finalist Zaachariaha Fielding. His winning work Inma depicts the sounds of Mimili, his community, which is part of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia. The $40,000 Sir John Sulman Prize is presented to the best mural, subject or genre painting, with Doris Bush Nungarrayi doing the honours in 2023. The Luritja artist was a first-time finalist in both 2023's Sulman and Wynne Prizes, and is now the second Aboriginal artist to win the Sulman. In Mamunya ngalyananyi (Monster coming), she focuses on several Mamus — aka the ominous and malevolent spirits that terrify the Aṉangu people. If you don't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Wednesday, August 9. The exhibition is running every day across the more than four-month residency at the gallery. If you want to reserve your spot for a certain time, you can buy tickets online. [caption id="attachment_899550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of the 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2023' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring Archibald Prize 2023 finalists (left to right) Charles Mouyat, Oliver Shepherd, Paul Newton and David Fenoglio, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter[/caption] Top image: Visitors in the 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2023' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring Archibald Prize 2023 finalists (left to right) Marie Mansfield, Yvette Coppersmith, Kim Leutwyler, Matt Adnate and Angela Brennan, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter
Extinction isn't permanent, apparently. Sydney's Night at the Museum-like party, Jurassic Lounge is being resurrected for a one-off after-hours event to celebrate Mardi Gras. Returning to the Australian Museum for one night only, following their recent Halloween Dia de los Muertos party, The Festivalists' beloved after-hours event will once again take over the entire museum on Thursday, February 19. Presented in partnership with Sydney Mardi Gras and samesame.com.au, Jurassic Lounge's Mardi Gras edition plans to transform the Australian Museum into a jaw-droppingly colourful party, celebrating Sydney's vibrant queer culture. Creating a playground for grown-ups in the hallowed museum halls, the night will see performances from drag artist Carmen Geddit, Andea Darling (and her pet python), DJ Sveta cranking out sets, performers from beloved Sydney underground queer party Unicorns, alongside your Jurassic Lounge staples — the ever-popular silent disco, loved-up Date Roulette, live reptiles casually hangin' around, those well-used photobooths and more. The one-night-only resurrection of Jurassic Lounge is most excellent news from The Festivalists, the Sydney-based, non-profit company who just wrapped up their new after-hours night, Hijinks, at Sydney Aquarium. In true Festivalists style, there's sure to be plenty of happenings and Easter Eggs planned for the night. Jurassic Lounge returns to the Australian Museum on College Street on Thursday, February 19 from 6.30 to 9.30pm. Tickets are $19 presale or $22 on the door. Find more information and tickets here.
Let's make some choices: this month, after a three-year wait, you can choose to dive back into Netflix's Groundhog Day-meets-The Good Place hit Russian Doll. Or, you can decide not to be a sweet birthday baby and do something else. We recommend the former, because spending time getting up, getting down and getting home before the mornin' comes with the smart and twisty Natasha Lyonne-starring show is always a good move, even when it's actively trying to melt your brain — which, as everyone who watched season one knows, is always. In Russian Doll's first batch of episodes, Orange Is the New Black, Irresistible and The United States vs Billie Holiday star Lyonne played Nadia, who had a 36th birthday she'd never forget — although she desperately wished that she could. The New Yorker kept attending a party in her honour, then dying, then repeating the experience while trying to work out what the hell was going on. Also trapped in a loop: the determined but neurotic Alan (Charlie Barnett, You), who lives around the corner from Nadia, and was a stranger until this day kept cycling over and over. When the show returns on Wednesday, April 20, Nadia is once again experiencing something wild. Now, however, she's a time traveller time prisoner, as she advises in the just-dropped full trailer for Russian Doll season two. "Inexplicable things happening is my entire modus operandi," she also notes — and based on this sneak peek, there's plenty of that coming her way. Alan is also caught up in the chaos again, with both characters jumping into their pasts quite literally, and into an intergenerational tale as a result. Accordingly, if you've ever wondered what happens when someone manages to conquer death, getting blasted into the past to trying to solve your family's unfinished business is it — in this series at least. Also returning: Nadia's closest pals Maxine and Lizzy (Sisters' Greta Lee and Werewolves Within's Rebecca Henderson), her godmother Ruthie (Elizabeth Ashley, Ocean's 8), her late mother Nora (Chloë Sevigny, The Girl From Plainview) and her cute roaming cat Oatmeal. Schitt's Creek and Kevin Can F**k Himself star Annie Murphy and District 9's Sharlto Copley join the cast — and co-creator Lyonne (alongside the one and only Amy Poehler, plus Bachelorette and Sleeping with Other People filmmaker Leslye Headland) co-writes as she did last season, and directs as well. Given its focus on fate, logic, life's loops and wading through limbo — and, this time, the ties that bind and the troubles that echo as well — Russian Doll isn't short on twists. From both the new trailer and the initial sneak peek from back in March, NYC's subway system, a stash of gold lost on a train twice, graveyards and out-there parties all factor in. And yes, the chain-smoking Nadia is still as acerbic and misanthropic as ever, of course — because dying repeatedly and riding the rails into history can't change that. Check out the full trailer for Russian Doll's second season below: The second season of Russian Doll will be available to stream via Netflix on Wednesday, April 20. Read our review of the first season. Images: Netflix.
The sun is shining, your out of office is on and you've already spent a good amount of time curled up streaming TV shows. Now's the chance to catch up on your reading — so, find a shady spot on a beach, next to a pool or by a waterfall and start making your way through our favourite ten books of 2019. It's a mixed bag this year — we've been turning the pages of a novel about a debaucherous secret society, the latest Booker Prize winner (no, not The Testaments), devastating nonfiction works about Australian bushfires and a heartwarming page-turner combining politics, royalty and queer history. Some of them are immersive, some of them knotty and uncomfortable, which makes them perfect for mulling over during the holidays, and provide flavourful fodder for dinner conversations. Take your pick. LANNY BY MAX PORTER In 2016, Max Porter won the Dylan Thomas Prize for his debut novel Grief Is the Thing With Feathers — a story in which a trickster-babysitter crow visits two grieving children. This year, Porter delivered another poetic and daring tale, this time centring on a creative and mysterious boy called Lanny. There's a rhythm to Porter's writing; he illustrates one of his most exciting characters through a scrawling, italicised font that seems to slip and slide off the page. Dead Papa Toothwort is a shapeshifting spirit that feeds on the life and grime of Lanny's village in the English countryside — one with gossip at the school gates, nosy but well-meaning neighbours, and a woodland where children like to build treehouses. Reliable old Pete is Lanny's good friend. He's an older man, an artist, and one of the more likeable characters. What starts as an eerie, but largely quiet, tale of village life gathers speed towards the end, when Lanny is missing and the village mob starts pointing fingers. SUPPER CLUB BY LARA WILLIAMS Lara Williams' novel about a secret society of women who meet after dark to feast is superb. At the centre of the novel is Roberta, and the novel jumps back and forth between her days at university, where she teaches herself to cook and dates a lecturer, and the present day, where her and her wild, intense friend Stevie start the supper club. Over bowls of pasta, slabs of meatloaf, messy bouillabaisse and gallons of wine, the women gorge themselves and behave in an incredibly 'unladylike' manner in rebellion of their oppression by men. They throw food at each other, vomit, dance topless and go wild with debauchery. Intelligent and boldly written, Williams' story is less about food and more about the characters' appetites to acquit themselves of their everyday lives. Easy to read, you'll smash it quicket than your avocado on toast. RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE BY CASEY MCQUISTON It might be questionable of us to include a book that would certainly not be considered literary, and falls firmly in the romance and new adult categories. But Casey McQuiston's debut novel Red, White & Royal Blue is so joyous and hopeful that it makes you want to throw away any pretence of trying to appear cool. Incorporating, and elevating, all the best cheesy rom-com tropes — enemies to friends to lovers, fake friendships, a secret relationship and an email scandal — McQuiston's writing is heartwarming, funny and intelligent as she blends politics, royalty and queer history into a big ball of happiness. I challenge you not to fall in love with this book's diverse cast of characters: Alex, the obliviously bisexual Mexican-American son of the first woman president of the United States; Henry, the compassionate, quietly homosexual prince of England with a scholarly interest in queer history; Pez, the prince's dastardly attractive Nigerian best friend; Zahra, the president's fierce and frightening chief of staff; Amy, a transwoman and former marine-turned-secret service agent who likes embroidery. Would recommend to anyone looking for a book so firmly placed in the now — but a better one than the one we've got. If it were possible, it would make your heart smile. ON EARTH WE'RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS BY OCEAN VUONG Ocean Vuong's debut novel found itself on a host of nominee lists for literary prizes his year, earning reviews describing it as shattering, tender, haunting and stunning. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother, tracking a family history back to its roots in war-torn Vietnam and forward to the son's experiences as a queer, biracial American, and telling a story trapped between the worlds of trauma and compassion. Vuong's poetry background makes for prose that is fluid, raw and earnest, in an intimate exploration of race, class, grief and masculinity. SALT BY BRUCE PASCOE Likely already on the radar of fans of his work, Salt offers an insight into the range and depth of influential Indigenous Australian historian Bruce Pascoe. This collection of stories and essays from the award-winning author of Dark Emu includes some of his most revered work and previously unpublished pieces of fiction — tender stories exploring country, nature and identity — just waiting to be discovered. For those with a short attention span or looking for an introduction to Pascoe's works, this is an ideal read for afternoons on the beach, and a poignant reminder of our nation's history. BEAUTY BY BRI LEE Beauty marks the second book by Bri Lee in as many years to make it onto our Summer Reading List, so she must be doing something right. Once again imbuing her words with a brutal candour, Lee explores our obsession with thinness and beauty, in a world that has made huge strides against the patriarchy, yet still finds us holding ourselves to an impossible and unattainable standard of physical 'perfection'. Readers are invited into Lee's world in a 150-page essay on her battle with eating disorders and her final rejection of society's punishing ideals. For anyone that loved Eggshell Skull — and pretty much everyone else, too. THE ARSONIST: A MIND ON FIRE BY CHLOE HOOPER Published in October 2018, this novel isn't a 2019 book. But, with catastrophic bushfires currently burning across Australia, its content couldn't be timelier. Following the trial of the man charged with lighting the Latrobe Valley fires, part of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires that killed 173 people in regional Victoria and burnt over 450,000 hectares, Chloe Hooper's The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire is devastating and haunting. It includes harrowing accounts from those injured in the fires and fascinating details from the investigation, all delivered with captivating and lyrical prose. And, while it's a work of nonfiction, it reads like a thriller — and it's impossible to put down. GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER BY BERNARDINE EVARISTO Two books won this year's Booker Prize: Margaret Atwood's 34-year follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale, called The Testaments; and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. We're recommending you read the latter. Following the interconnected lives of 12 characters, mostly Black British women, from different generations, religions and social classes, it's a joyous, poetic read. You'll meet lesbian playwrights, investment bankers and farmers, all battling everyday problems and larger social issues, such as race and sexuality. As well as being a collection of 12 separate, intimate portraits, the book successfully paints a polyphonic picture of modern-day Britain. FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE BY TAFFY BRODESSER-AKNER A renowned celebrity profiler — if you haven't already, we suggest you read her New York Times Magazine piece on Gwyneth Paltrow ASAP — Taffy Brodesser-Akner first dipped her toe into fiction this year with the release of her debut novel Fleishman Is in Trouble. And Fleishman, a recently divorced, now-single dad navigating the world of dating apps, sexts and raising two children, really is in trouble. As is our narrator: stay-at-home mum Libby. And Fleishman's ex-wife, Rachel. While the bulk of the novel is dedicated to Fleishman and his struggles, it also cleverly explores how women's stories are often over-looked and sidelined. Its ending more-than rewards readers for pushing through some of the less-gripping sections, too BELOVED BY TONI MORRISON The first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Toni Morrison passed away in August at the age of 88. Her novel Beloved wasn't published this year — in fact, it was published way back in 1987 — but we think this summer is the perfect time to revisit it, or pick it up for the first time. Arguably Morrison's best-known novel, Beloved follows an escaped enslaved woman who is haunted by decisions and trauma from her past. It's not an easy read, nor should it be. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel has had far-reaching cultural influence since its publication, including on Jordan Peele's 2019 horror flick Us. If you'd like to explore this connection further, we suggest listening to this episode from The New York Times podcast Still Processing. Words by Aimee Sics, Emma Joyce, Leisha Kapor and Samantha Teague.
Twenty of Australia's best chefs are joining forces for a one-off pizza party — and it's all for charity. It's happening at Three Blue Ducks Rosebery on Monday, March 23, and every dime raised will go towards bushfire relief. Three Blue Ducks' Mark LaBrooy will, of course, be in the kitchen, alongside local superstar chefs Brent Savage (Bentley, Yellow, Cirrus Dining), Nic Wong (Icebergs), Orazio D'Elia (Matteo Downtown), Trisha Greentree (10 William Street), Jordan Toft (Coogee Pavilion) and Morgan McGlone (Belles Hot Chicken). Plus, there'll be some interstate stars, too, including Shannon Martinez (Smith & Daughters, Melbourne), Roy Ner (ZA ZA TA, Brisbane) and Analiese Gregory (ex-Franklin, Hobart). International pizza consultant — yes, it seems this is an actual job title — Anthony Falco will also be prepping a pizza on the night. Each chef will create their own pizza for diners to enjoy — with all ingredients and produce sourced from bushfire-affected areas. Three of the (very) limited-edition pizzas you'll find on the night are Martinez's vegan meatball pizza; D'Elia's luxe, caviar-topped pizza with kingfish, buffalo mozzarella and baby endive; and McGlone's Jewish Deli pizza topped with melted swiss cheese, smoked pastrami from Vic's Meats, mustard, sauerkraut power and pickles. For drinks, bartenders from Fratelli Paradiso and 10 William Street will head up the bar for the night, pouring wines, beers and spirits that come from bushfire-affected areas. The star-studded event is also happening to promote Breville's new Smart Oven, which can hit a spicy 400 degrees. If you fancy yourself a serious pizzaiolo, it may be worth splashing out on one. Tickets are a reasonable $50 each and get you three hours of pizza slices and drinks from 6–9pm. And, since it'll all be donated to various charities helping with bushfire recovery, we reckon it's a particularly well-spent pineapple. Updated March 9, 2020.
Aye aye, captain! If you love seafood, this one's for you. Head to glorious Port Stephens in August to celebrate a month of the tastiest food in the tunaverse. The coastal region is renowned for its sensational seafood, from blue swimmer and mud crabs to sweet prawns and plump oysters, and throughout the month of August it'll be celebrating the best fresh fare the area has to offer. With an array of activities, there will be something for everyone at Love Seafood. If you're serious about your crustacean consumption, attend the gala dinner at Broughton's on D'Albora Marina come August 4. Here, you can enjoy a selection of seafood while overlooking the sparkling waters of Port Stephens. If you're looking for a more casual approach, the Love Seafood Weekend Celebration — running from August 18–19 — is your best bet. Attend plenty of seafood tastings and masterclasses, watch oyster shucking competitions and get hands-on experiences with our heroic farmers of the sea (aka oyster harvesters). While a lot of these events will take place around D'Albora Marina, you can taste the best of the region's fish, oysters and shellfish at signature dinners and enjoy fish-to-dish lunch specials at a host of venues across town. There's no need to be koi or to mullet over – put Love Seafood in your diaries now.
While the extended sunny days and warm temperatures may seem like a gift, in truth the region is also experiencing one of the most severe droughts on record. Two years on and the drought in rural New South Wales and Greater Sydney shows no sign of slowing — so the NSW Government is taking action, again. After introducing level one water restrictions in June, it has today been announced that level two restrictions will come into effect for both residents and businesses in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra from December 10 this year. The last time level two water restrictions were enforced in Sydney was in 2004 (with restrictions lasting till 2009) during the Millennium Drought. At one point during the 2000s drought, Sydney's total water supply dropped to a historic low of 33.9 percent. While Sydney's water supply isn't quite that low at the moment, the region's dam levels are currently sitting at 46 percent — a significant drop from 53.4 percent in May. Level two water restrictions are usually automatically triggered when levels dip below 40 percent, but the NSW Government has introduced them early because of the dam levels' "rapid rate of decline" and ongoing drought conditions. "We're experiencing one of the most severe droughts on record," said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in a statement. "And we expect introducing level two restrictions to save 78.5 gigalitres of water per year." We'll need that water, because the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting below-average rainfall and higher daytime temperatures for the remainder of 2019. https://twitter.com/SydneyWaterNews/status/1197323674174377984 So what does this mean for Sydneysiders day-to-day? At the level two restriction level, you can only water your garden before 10am or after 4pm with smart/drip irrigation system (for a maximum of 15 minutes) or with a watering can or bucket — which means no hoses (even trigger nozzle hoses). You also can't use a hose to clean pathways, driveways or other paved areas unless it's an emergency. Buckets must be used when washing cars, too, or you can go to a commercial washing spot. Here's the full list of what you can and can't do at this stage. Fines for not following restrictions (including current restrictions) range from $220–550. While Sydney moves to enforce level two restrictions, some areas in regional NSW are doing it even worse. One of these is Orange, where level five water restrictions began just last month. For Orange residents, this means showering for a maximum of three minutes and watering gardens for one hour, once a week. Level two water restrictions for Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra come into effect on Tuesday, December 10. To find out more about what you can and can't do, head to the Sydney Water website. To stay up-to-date with the state's dam levels and the ongoing drought, keep an eye on WaterNSW website and Twitter.
Founded in 2013 by distiller Philip Moore and coffee enthusiast Tom Baker, Mr Black has become a go-to for Australians looking to create bar-quality espresso martinis at home. Now, the distiller and coffee roaster is making things even easier by launching a new range of espresso martinis in ready-to-drink cans. These canned cocktails have been three years in the making, with Mr Black trialing 156 different recipes, two production methods and three canning technologies to create their newest product. Each can contains arabica coffee, Australian distilled vodka and Mr Black coffee liqueur, and is charged with nitrogen in order to give you the frothy head of a real espresso martini. All you need to do is shake, pour and maybe add a couple of coffee beans to the top if you're really trying to enjoy the full espresso martini experience. Canned and bottled cocktails have become an increasingly common trend in the past couple years, with many local bars also getting on board during Australia's lockdowns. Mr Black joins the likes of Kahlua, Lexington Hill and Curatif in offering canned espresso martinis, distinguishing itself with the fan-favourite taste of the brand's coffee liquor. The on-the-go cocktails have been launched just in time for warmer weather and the rolling back of restrictions in many states, allowing espresso martini fans the opportunity to bring the caffeinated cocktail with them on a picnic, to a dinner party or away on a trip without needing to pack several bottles of spirits. You can find Mr Black's canned espresso martinis online, as well as in Liquorland, First Choice, Vintage Cellars and independent liquor stores. The cans come in a four pack of 200-millilitre cans which will set you back $34.99; however, if you purchase via the Mr Black website, you can can nab ten percent off your order by using the discount code MRB10 at checkout. For more information about Mr Black's espresso martini cans, and to nab ten percent off your order by using the discount code MRB10 at checkout, head to the Mr Black website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
The Norfolk's leafy beer garden is a familiar sight to many an inner city beer-drinking, $3 taco-loving pub-goer. But regulars to the Redfern pub might start to see some changes, with both the outdoor courtyard and interior set to undergo renovations over the next month. The pub — along with The Forresters in Surry Hills and The Oxford Tavern in Petersham — was taken over by the Dixon Hospitality Group when they bought Jaime Wirth's Drink 'n' Dine group earlier in the year. Wirth will be returning to his old stomping ground to oversee the pub reno, along with business partner Mike Delaney. Fresh from resurrecting Club 77, the pair have come on board with the Dixon Group as consultants. So what will the inspiration behind the renovations be? The team have described their plans as something close to "Benicio del Toro eating a Cajun gumbo whilst watching Miami Vice". We don't know exactly what that means, but somebody pass us a margarita and Cuban cigar, pronto. The food and drinks menu will also undergo some changes, but we've been told not to worry – regulars will still be able to find plenty of pub staples on the menu, with new and improved substitutes for old favourites. A favourite with locals for good reason – the Norfolk's beer selection is vast and the food menu is well priced. Loyal punters should keep their eyes peeled for a launch party, with the exact date TBA.
In too many music biopics to count, a star is born — and also rises to fame after putting their talents towards a dream that's inspired them as long as they can remember. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story looks set to follow same formula, and also parody it. It wouldn't be a movie about Weird Al Yankovic if it didn't take something that already works, then give it a satirical spin, now would it? "My whole life, all I wanted was to do... was make up new words to a song that already exists," Yankovic, as played by Daniel Radcliffe (The Lost City), says in the just-dropped full trailer for Weird — in case you thought the film wasn't going to be gloriously ridiculous. This line bookends glimpses of a childhood Al happily thumbing through accordion magazines and getting caught at a polka party. In other words, this humorous look at the man behind oh-so-many humorous songs is taking the exact approach a film about Weird Al really has to. The new trailer follows a teaser back in May, and gives viewers plenty of gifts: accordions, obviously; recreations of Weird Al's film clips and live performances; chaotic meetings with Madonna, as played by Westworld's Evan Rachel Wood; and origin stories behind tracks like 'My Bologna' and 'Like a Surgeon'. The list goes on, and also includes Radcliffe having an absolute ball in the lead role. In his time playing Harry Potter, Radcliffe did many things. He didn't cut like a surgeon, get himself an egg and beat it, or lose on Jeopardy, though. And, he certainly didn't don the curliest of wigs, swan around in Hawaiian shirts with his chest hair flapping in the breeze or pick up an accordion, either — but Weird is making all of the above magic happen. With Radcliffe seemingly having the time of his life as the musician behind 'Another One Rides the Bus', 'Smells Like Nirvana' and 'Amish Paradise' — plus comedic riffs on pretty much every other big song of the past four-plus decades that you can think of — Weird: The Al Yankovic Story really is exactly what it sounds like. It sounds wonderful, too, naturally. Radcliffe sports wire-framed glasses, those shirts, that hair and Yankovic's instantly recognisable moustache in the music biopic, which feels like it was cast by the internet. Made for the Roku Channel in the US, and arriving in America on November 4 — with no details yet dropping about where it'll air Down Under, or when, sadly — this is 100-percent an authorised bio. Yankovic is one of the screenwriters, in fact, alongside director Eric Appel (a TV sitcom veteran with Happy Endings, New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and top-notch cop-show parody NTSF:SD:SUV on this resume). If the man in the spotlight's career has taught us all anything apart from the wrong words to pop hits, however, it's that he doesn't take a single thing, including himself, seriously. Also set to feature: Yankovic's rise to fame, all those songs, everything from "his torrid celebrity love affairs" to his "famously depraved lifestyle", and a story that follows his journey "from gifted child prodigy to the greatest musical legend of all time" — at least according to the original press release revealing the flick, which sports a healthy sense of humour. When the film was announced, Yankovic gave his input too, of course. "When my last movie UHF came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork. I'm very happy to say we're on schedule," he said. "And I am absolutely thrilled that Daniel Radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember him for." Check out the trailer for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story below: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story releases in the US on November 4, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when further details are announced.
It's the first Cirque du Soleil show that uses a central stage, placing its action in the middle of the arena, meaning that patrons face each other while they watch. It focuses, fittingly for a circus troupe, on a clown. Corteo is the production in question, and is also already proving a hit in Australia ahead of its 2025 season's arrival — with an extra 25 performances freshly locked in due to demand. When a clown ponders its final farewell, what does it see? This show has the answer. When Corteo initially made its way to the stage in Montreal in 2005, it won over audiences by setting its acrobatic feats within a funeral procession imagined by a jester — a carnival-like parade that muses on humanity's strengths and vulnerabilities — in a space between heaven and earth. Two decades later, it's one of the troupe's most-beloved performances. Cirque du Soleil announced earlier in 2025 that it would celebrating that Corteo milestone Down Under this year — and now that a five-city tour of Australia has just gotten bigger. The production's stints at Perth Arena, Melbourne's John Cain Arena, Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and Brisbane Entertainment Centre have all been extended by a week, albeit with shows focused around the weekend. Accordingly, Perth will now enjoy Corteo from Friday, August 8–Sunday, August 17; Melbourne between Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 31; Sydney from Thursday, September 4–Sunday, September 14; and Brisbane across Thursday, September 18–Sunday, September 28. Adelaide's dates at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre from Thursday, October 2–Sunday, October 5 remain unchanged. Over its 20 years of life so far Corteo has proven a smash, with over 12-million audience members in 30 countries on four continents seeing it so far. As its clown protagonist conjures up the festive parade that ushers him from this world, attendees witness a poetic yet playful performance — one where the acrobatics are unique, too, and where angels watch over. The show hits Australia after LUZIA was the last Cirque du Soleil production that bounded this way, kicking off in 2024 — and notching up another first, as the Montreal-based company company's debut touring show to feature rain in its acrobatic and artistic scenes. Before that, 2023 saw Cirque du Soleil bring CRYSTAL, its first-ever ice production on ice, Down Under. Cirque du Soleil's Corteo — Australia and New Zealand Tour 2025 Friday, August 8–Sunday, August 17 — Perth Arena, Perth Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 31 — John Cain Arena, Melbourne Thursday, September 4–Sunday, September 14 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Thursday, September 18–Sunday, September 28 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Thursday, October 2–Sunday, October 5 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Cirque du Soleil's Corteo tours Australia from August 2025. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the show's website. Images: Maja Prgomet, Johan Persson and Aldo Arguello.
In the ballad of the Barden Bellas, it's time for another verse. That gang of college pals is back — aspiring record producer Becca (Anna Kendrick), group stalwart Chloe (Brittany Snow) and outspoken Australian Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) included — and they're trying to sing their way to supremacy once more. Is their second outing a toe-tapping rehash of their catchy debut tune, or does it drag on past the natural fade-out point? The answer is both. Pitch Perfect 2 alternates between the cinematic equivalent of the catchy melody you don't mind having stuck in your head, and the earworm you quickly grow tired of. Just three short years ago, an a cappella comedy was considered a gamble, but now we don't just have a repeat effort — we have a ready-made formula to follow as well. With mashups of songs old and new, rivalries getting heated, against-the-odds challenges to overcome, and one-liners a plenty, there's not much that's different, save for a new character setting up for a potential third instalment. That'd be freshman Emily (Hailee Steinfeld), a wannabe Bella since birth thanks to her ex-member mother. Fresh blood aside, everyone is older this time around, given that three years have passed in the film as well. They're also clouded in scandal, after an important show exposes too much of Fat Amy, leaving the Bellas banned from performing as punishment. Chloe finds a loophole that will see them on stage again, but only if they can beat their stereotypically tough-talking German counterparts at the world championships. Becca's focus is elsewhere, though, as she's thinking of life beyond study and competitive singing. It was the jukebox-like playlist of tracks and the loveable cast playing quirky characters that helped Pitch Perfect hit the high notes the first time around, so here, it isn't surprising to see a whole lot of doubling down on both. Expect an eclectic compilation of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus tunes, as well as '90s hiphop jamz and songs about butts. Expect Kendrick and the group cycling through sing-offs, fall outs, bonding sessions and realisations about what's really important — and copious amounts of harmonising. What you shouldn't expect is anything beyond a more is more approach — more music, actors, complications and reminders that it's all about a singing sisterhood, that is. If it sounds routine, that's because returning screenwriter Kay Cannon, once again taking inspiration from the book Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory, doesn't stretch anything very far. Pushing boundaries is left to Wilson, who steals the show all over again. In a lineup that includes Arrested Development's David Cross, Key and Peele's Keegan Michael-Key, Snoop Lion and the Green Bay Packers (yep, the American footballers), it helps that she's the only one who doesn't seem like she's just going through the motions. Of course, it's always difficult for a sequel to a breakout hit to pave its own way, a problem Pitch Perfect 2 clearly struggles with. Sitting in the director's chair as well as popping up again as sarcastic commentator Gail, Elizabeth Banks bubbles over with enthusiasm, but not with flair. She's pitch-slapping audiences and staying in key; however, her film isn't a fun new must-listen track — it's more like movie karaoke. The verdict (sing it with me): aca-average.
The age of the glorious bowling club is nigh, with renovations, refurbs and revamps happening to greens, powder rooms and bistros Sydneywide of late. Following the opening of the Norths Bowlo by the ex-Grounds of Alexandria team as The Greens, there's another long-loved watering hole with a brand new pennants (look it up). One of Bondi's oldest watering holes, the Bondi Bowling Club has reopened after a furious refurbishment; with a focus on craft beer, live music and local produce-lovin' bistro in store. The Bondi Bowling Club has been a central Carlton Draught-lovin' hub for over 80 years. Established in 1933 with three thousand pounds borrowed through Waverley Council from the Unemployed Relief Fund (!), the bowling club has been a solid part of Bondi life — until an unlikely thorn wedged itself right in the club's side. The bowlo reportedly started to suffer after the small bar wave hit Sydney; one of the few groups of Sydneysiders who stood to benefit nothing from the teeny, independent tipple joints we love so dearly. Operator of Panama House and The Corner House, Anthony Kaplan, stepped in to save the ailing club. "There are currently 38 members; in the past 10 years that number was as high as 1000," Kaplan told Good Food. "Our idea is to bring a small-bar mentality to a bigger space. There'll be cocktails, craft beer and live music." The club is spread over four main areas: the pool table-clad, communal clubhouse; the buzzing main bar, a cane couches-flanked Caribbean rum bar called Havana Lounge and the sprawling, sunny patio for long summer afternoon bevs on the picnic tables. Kaplan has chosen a selection of more than 20 craft beers and cider on the menu, handpicked wines and created a full cocktail list. And like any good bowlo, the club has a newly revamped bistro; with your classic steaks and fancy fish of the day to boot. With the live music function of the club stemming from a high-production, 400-capacity band area, staunchly loyal locals could be worried about having to shake a fist at a whole bunch of Beach Road-migrating youths. But Kaplan has a plan to keep everyone happy. "This way they can keep a bowling green for members and we can use the other green to bring in new people with barefoot bowls," he says. Tournaments will remain, as will the clubhouse's achievement boards, pool tables and fireplaces — and the 15 metre main bartop, the main artery of Bondi Bowlo.
Nothing brings out the whole neighbourhood like a street celebration. The road closes as people spill out of their homes, kids squeal with joy as the parents catch up on what's new. If you live on or near or if you're overdue to visit some of Sydney's beloved inner-city streets, then you should mark your calendars for the return of the city's favourite community events: Sydney Streets. The City of Sydney is closing roads in some of the city's bustling areas and opening them to festivities. Local businesses and organisations will take over the street for a day of community celebrations, involving food, music, live entertainment and more. This will be a significant series of events, so which roads are closing and when? Let's find out together. Macleay Street, Potts Point — Saturday, February 15 First on the Sydney Streets roster for 2025 is Potts Point. It is taking place on Macleay Street between Darlinghurst Road and Hughes Street between 11am and 8pm. It's a busy, tree-canopied road and home to some of the finest cafes and bars in the inner east. Participating venues include the local authentic Italian gelato, Rivareno Gelato, scientifically brewed 100+ cuppas and cocktails at Ms.Cattea Tea Bar and the four-storey mainstay of the Potts Point Hotel. Expect more too, as the NYC-in-the-50s-inspired bar The Roosevelt and the colourful Bloody Mary Gazebo take the action outside with pop-up bars and don't forget to grab a gem from the Potts Point Markets. Stanley Street, Darlinghurst — Saturday, February 22 The following week, we head to Darlinghurst and Stanley Street, where the Yurong Street to Crown Street section will hold the festivities from 11am to 10pm. With the likes of Bar Reggio, Bill and Toni's, The Long Goodbye, Verde and La Farmacia participating on the day alongside djs, al fresco dining and good times are all but guaranteed. You'll also be able to enjoy Italian bites from Funkatello, plus live music sessions at Harry's by Giuls and Lord Roberts Hotel all day long. Harris Street, Pyrmont — Saturday, March 8 Come Autumn Sydney Streets will hit Pyrmont with cars stopped on Harris Street (between Pyrmont Bridge Road and Union Street) from 11am to 8pm. This underrated suburb adjacent to Sydney Harbour is an ideal setting for the event, brimming with laidback heritage vibes and community spirit. Some of the participating businesses for this weekend include pop-up bars from Quarryman's Hotel and Dunkirk Hotel and wine tasting at Gallon. For kids, there will be a reading corner organised by the Ultimo Public School Parents and Citizens Association, and for those who want to get active, there will be popups from Sense of Power Pilates. Glebe Point Road, Glebe — Saturday, March 15 One week later, the celebrations shift west to Glebe Point Road, specifically the diverse stretch of shopfronts and residences from Parramatta Road to St Johns Road. It's student territory, so packed with culture and vibes from dawn to dusk, and Sydney Streets specials from 11am to 8pm. The vibes stem from the people but also great spots, all of which will come alive for Sydney Streets —venues like Kandi by Sri Lankan Bites and Banh Mi Dee, and organisations like Glebe Youth Service will all be bringing their best. Also on offer: tie dye workshops from Blue & Blue, dance classes and drag shows at Dispensary 1908 and an agility course for any four-legged friends in tow. Redfern Street, Redfern — Saturday, March 29 The penultimate event is hitting Redfern Street, the main stretch of road that runs from Regent Street to Chalmers Street. It's a busy road day and night, shuffling commuters and after-dark pedestrians in equal numbers. From 11am to 10pm, many businesses will open doors to the foot traffic outside. There's much on the roster for Redfern's Sydney Streets celebration. There will be weaving workshops led by the local Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative, pop-up food stalls from Sweet Monster and The Redfern, plus live performances from Isaac Compton and Majeda Beatty. Crown Street, Surry Hills — Saturday, April 5 Finally, the beloved Crown Street in Surry Hills. For Sydney Streets, the stretch from Foveaux Street to Cleveland Street will host Surry's finest in community celebrations. Any Sydneysider is familiar with the offering of this famous road, so with the standout venues colliding with the excellent vibes of Sydney Streets from 11am to 10pm, it's set to be quite the Saturday. Classic venues line both sides of the street, but the specific offerings include Italian bites from Via Napoli, pop-up bars from Tucanos and Masala Theory and more. With that in mind, plus the guarantee of live music and entertainment, you can be sure it will be the big finale Sydney Streets deserves. Sydney Streets will be taking over several roads between Saturday, February 15 and Saturday, April 5. For more information, visit the website.
Remember when your mum told you that being popular wasn't everything? There are many situations where that advice holds true. Take watching movies, for example. Sure, superhero flicks look great on the big screen — but for every blockbuster you head along to, there's probably a heap of smaller films you're missing out on. They're the small players in a world that focuses on big hits, and the ones that pop up at fewer cinemas, run for shorter spans, and don't break attendance records. But just because they don't get as much love, doesn't mean they're not worth viewing. Indeed, among the ranks of the under-seen lurk some of the year's best efforts. Take these ten, which — by way of a limited screening season or lacklustre local box office performance — you may have missed, but we think you really should take the time to see. A MOST VIOLENT YEAR It has been a good year for Oscar Isaac. He's about to feature in one of the year's biggest films (that is, Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens), he made an unnerving impact in the best artificial intelligence movie of 2015 (Ex Machina), and he starred in a heartbreaking HBO TV series made by The Wire's David Simon (Show Me A Hero). But before all three, he teamed up with always exceptional Jessica Chastain in A Most Violent Year, a moody, '80s mob thriller from All Is Lost writer-director J. C. Chandor. The tale of an honest man corrupted as he follows his ambitions might seem familiar, but there's nothing that's routine — and plenty that's riveting — about this devastating dissection of the American dream. Read our full review. THE TRIBE Writer-director Miroslav Slaboshpitsky's first feature was always going to be a hard sell. The film runs for more than two hours without a word of dialogue, a hint of music or even any subtitles, with its characters — a group of classmates at a Ukrainian boarding school for the hearing impaired — communicating only through sign language. And it's not just a difficult concept; in an effort that becomes both violent and haunting — all the more so because it demands audiences pay the utmost attention to what they can see — it's also difficult to watch. Reports of fainting are widespread, but those who can stomach its brutal sights will find a movie completely unlike anything else they've ever seen before. Read our full review. LONDON ROAD When the National Theatre turned the real life 'Suffolk Strangler' case into a stage production, it probably wasn't expected. Adapting the play into a film shouldn't have been quite as surprising, but the results certainly are astonishing. Filmmaker Rufus Norris (Broken) teamed up once again with writer Alecky Blythe to bring the theatre work to the screen — not only telling the tale of the murders of five prostitutes that rocked England's Ipswich in 2006, but charting the media frenzy that followed and the reactions throughout the community. What makes London Road stand out isn't its narrative, though, but its approach. The words uttered by actual residents of the area, reporters covering the case and sex workers become a musical sung in stuttered bursts and choreographed in a highly stylised fashion. It also features a memorable performance by Olivia Colman, as well as appearance by Tom Hardy as a taxi driver. TANNA Two youths fall in love, but external forces — i.e. the wishes of their families — complicate matters. With that description, you're likely thinking about Romeo and Juliet — however, there's more to the first feature shot entirely in Vanuatu than simply following in William Shakespeare's footsteps. In fact, the film actually stems from a local tribal tragedy, uncovered by writer-director-producer duo Martin Butler and Bentley Dean after spending seven months living with the indigenous Yakel community, and then working with them to make the movie. Calling Tanna authentic is underselling its heartfelt account of the story, its impassioned performances and its arresting images — the latter of which makes the most of the South Pacific archipelago nation's lush greenery and ash-spewing volcanoes. GIRLHOOD With Girlhood, the third time is the charm for filmmaker Céline Sciamma — although, with the likes of Water Lilies and Tomboy also on her cinematic resume, the first and second times were pretty up there too. Her film might sound like a female version of Richard Linklater's 2014 hit, but even though it also serves up a coming-of-age narrative, that couldn't be further from the truth. Charting the tough times faced by 16-year-old Marieme (Karidja Touré) on the outskirts of Paris, the movie tackles maturity on the margins with a raw, realistic and intimate approach — and with stunning performances from the largely untrained cast, too. Plus, it ensures viewers will always feel fondly about Rihanna's 'Diamonds', which provides the soundtrack for the film's most striking scene. Read our full review. PARTISAN Trust a film about a charismatic figure that lures single mothers and their children into his cult-like enclave to have the same mesmerising impact upon its viewers. In relating the experience of the oldest boy in the commune, Alexander (Jeremy Chabriel), when he's deemed mature enough to complete special tasks, Ariel Kleiman's debut feature is the kind of movie you can't look away from — even if you want to. Partisan might be inspired by actual accounts of child assassins, but this is an atmospheric take on allegiance and rebellion, rather than an action flick. It's also the latest effort to feature a hypnotic performance by Vincent Cassel, who's no stranger to playing menacing men, but is rarely given a role so simultaneously threatening and understated. Read our full review. '71 The complexities and contradictions of war are thrust onto the screen in '71, and so is rising star Jack O'Connell. If both seem frenetic and anxious, that's understandable — the film recounts the terrors of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, as seen through the perspective of a rookie British solider left in unsympathetic territory by his squadron, after all. Director Yann Demange splices the two together with skill, his first-time helming efforts as intense as the movie's lead portrayal. If you thought O'Connell was good in TV's Skins, or in previous big-screen offerings Starred Up and Unbroken, prepare to see him blow those performances out of the water. Read our full review. LIFE If ever there was a match made in cinema heaven, it's the combination of Anton Corbijn and James Dean. Add actor Dane DeHaan to the equation, and you've got a movie that smoulders as much as its subject, all while peering behind the tragic star's mystique. Everyone knows that Dean was killed in a car accident at the age of 24 with just three films to his name — and while other features have attempted to give him the biopic treatment, capturing his allure is a much more difficult feat. With the same precision he demonstrated in his last account of a fallen idol, the Joy Division-centric Control, Corbijn achieves just that as he focuses on Dean's connection with Life magazine photographer Dennis Stock (Robert Pattinson). Read our full review. THE SALT OF THE EARTH If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Sebastião Salgado's efforts are worth several multi-volume encyclopaedias. Yes, his images are that intricate and informative — as they should be. The Brazilian social documentary photographer and photojournalist has travelled the world for more than 40 years, snapping the people and places few ever see. Thankfully, the film that charts his life, work and impact is just as engaging and illuminating, as directed by veteran filmmaker Wim Wenders alongside Sebastião’s son Juliano Ribeiro Salgado. Don't take the younger Salgado's involvement as a sign of the documentary's sentimentality, however. Instead, he helps craft a textured portrait of a man who has dedicated more than just his career to taking textured portraits. Read our full review. ZERO MOTIVATION One of the year's funniest and most thoughtful movies sprang from an unlikely place: within the human resources unit of an Israeli army administration office. There, two pencil-pushing women (Nelly Tagar and Dana Ivgy) dream of something more — however, they're never unaware of their status, nor of the military side of their employment. You're probably thinking that Talya Lavie’s feature sounds like it wouldn't be out of place alongside other amusing yet perceptive looks at bureaucracy and war, and you'd be right. Blackly comic as well constantly subversive, Zero Motivation is a slacker comedy and a contemplative consideration of combat, all in one package.
If there's one way to forget that you're still in your own city, staycationing within a short drive from home rather than heading further afield, it's splashing around up high while peering down on familiar sights from a completely different angle. Sydneysiders, another place to do just that is in your future, with TFE Hotels set to launch its first Collection property in the Harbour City in early 2024 — complete with a rooftop infinity pool. The new Collection by TFE Hotels property will be a big feature of the in-development Surry Hills Village, sitting on Baptist Street as part of a precinct that'll also include shops, apartments, event spaces, work spaces and dining. The Sydney spot joins the brand's Savoy Hotel on Little Collins in Melbourne, Hotel Kurrajong in Canberra, Calile Hotel in Brisbane and Hotel Britomart in Auckland. That's impressive company, and the new boutique hotel will continue the same design-led, individual-focused approach. When it comes to slumbering, there'll be 102 rooms. While exactly what they'll feature, and what other amenities guests can expect, hasn't yet been revealed, the hotel will boast curved brickwork and stone pathways as part of its design — and greenery aplenty. Also set to be a highlight: the Cloister, the hotel's restaurant and bar space. And, yes, that sky-high pool with scenic views, of course. "Surry Hills is home to one of the city's premier restaurant, dining, and boutique precincts," said TFE Hotels CEO Antony Ritch, announcing the new hotel. "This Collection property will become a destination in its own right." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Surry Hills Village By TOGA (@surryhillsvillage) Within the 1.2-hectare mixed-use development that is Surry Hills Village itself, Sydneysiders can also look forward to a new 517-square-metre public park, plus up to 12,000 square metres of retail and commercial tenants. There'll also be a new public pedestrian thoroughfare linking Marriott Street and Baptist Street — and, as part of the hospitality offering, a new restaurant from Fink Group, the team behind Quay, Bennelong, Otto and newly anointed third-best steak restaurant in the world Firedoor. And yes, new hotels are sprouting up thick and fast around Sydney, with the new Collection by TFE Hotels site joining the soon-to-launch Porter House Hotel; the just-launched Ace Hotel, Australia's first outpost from the chain; and none other than the Waldorf Astoria, which'll also opening its first-ever Australian hotel in Sydney in 2025. That's obviously excellent news not just for staycationers, but for folks visiting the city from interstate as well. TFE Hotels' new Collection property at Surry Hills Village, on Baptist Street in Surry Hills, is due to open in 2024. Head to the Collection by TFE Hotels and Surry Hills Village websites to keep an eye out for further information.
Italian fine dining is hard to come by, but Barangaroo's a'Mare at Crown Towers is offering its guests a delicious discount. For a limited time, the signature menu, usually priced at $210 per person, has been reduced down to just $105 per person, every Friday lunch service (12-3pm) until the end of October. Paying homage to Italian coasta; dining, the seafood-forward menu features eastern rock lobster paccheri pasta and Westholme wagyu rib eye steak. Accompanied by Italian classics like fresh-baked focaccia, burrata caprese, and the ever-popular crowd favourite, tiramisù, this is the perfect menu to start off your weekend in style.
If there's one thing that Gelato Messina loves more than the dessert that shares its name, it's whipping up decadent dishes that either feature its creamy, frosty wares, or pair them with cookie pies or scrolls. These sweet treats have been helping plenty of people get through lockdown; however, under Sydney and Melbourne's travel limits, these specials come with a catch: you can only get one if you live within the right radius of a Messina store. Don't reside near one of the dessert chain's shops? Still hankering for one of its tastebud-tempting once-offs? Been eyeing them off for too long, and have the grumbling stomach to prove it? Finally, the brand has good news for you. Thanks to a new home delivery service, Messina is now bringing its dishes to select parts of Sydney and Melbourne, with a focus on areas that aren't in the vicinity of one of the chain's outlets. If your mouth is now watering, folks in the northern beaches and upper north shore in Sydney, and in Melbourne's southeast and northwest, will get their chance to indulge between Monday, September 6–Thursday, September 9 — with orders open now for deliveries during those dates. In terms of what you can get brought to your door, you do only have one option, though: the Andy Bowdy-inspired banana split kit that made ice cream lovers hungry just this week. Messina is planning to open up its deliveries to new areas each week, so if you're not covered this time around, you'll still want to keep an eye on its website. And, given how the chain likes to mix up its specials, fingers crossed that it switches up its delivery options each week as well. Gelato Messina is now offering home delivery to select parts of Sydney and Melbourne. For further information and to order, head to the brand's website.
With Sydney WorldPride and Mardi Gras enlivening the city this February, Sydney is truly decked out in colour right now. But for a dose of fabulous feelings and dazzling colours that doesn't require standing parade-side or lining up for a buzzing watering hole, head to the Capitol Theatre for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. That's right, Joseph is back, bringing all the colours of the rainbow (plus all the makings of a standout night of song) to the Haymarket stage until April. If you're not familiar with this iconic musical, it was originally written way back in the late '60s by the now-legendary duo of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Phantom of the Opera, Cats) and Tim Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar), and it's spent the last 50-plus years taking to stages all over the world. This dazzling new production stars Paulini (Australian Idol, The Bodyguard) as The Narrator, Euan Fistrovic Doidge (Kinky Boots, Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as Joseph, and Trevor Ashley (Hairspray, Les Misérables) as Pharaoh. They'll be performing all the favourite tunes that the show is known for, so 'Any Dream Will Do', 'Close Every Door To Me', 'Jacob and Sons', 'There's One More Angel in Heaven' and 'Go Go Go Joseph' will all be gracing your eardrums. To get the latest look at that delightfully dreamy coat – and a theatre experience like no other – get your tickets now. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is playing now at Sydney's Capitol Theatre and wraps up its run in April. For more information and to get your tickets, visit the website.
It has been less than a year since the sale of medicinal marijuana became legal in Australia, but the Federal Government isn't stopping there. They've now approved the export of the country's cannabis-based medicines. Yes, domestic manufacturers can now sell their wares overseas. The move applies to medicinal cannabis products, rather than cannabis itself. In a statement, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt dubbed the move "an important step for the development of the medicinal cannabis sector and to secure long-term supplies for Australian patients," and said it "will help both the domestic supply and Australian producers by strengthening the opportunities for domestic manufacturers." Hunt expanded upon the rationale further to the ABC, noting "we would like to be, potentially, the world's number one medicinal cannabis supplier." It is believed that by helping Aussie manufacturers expand, it'll assist in warding off competition from imports by allowing local outfits to grow their market. As part of any licence authorising export, medicinal cannabis products will be required to be made available to Australian patients first. Since February 2017, local companies have been allowed to distribute the drug as a medicine, with people with chronic illness and pain — like epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and cancer — able to access the drug after getting a prescription from their doctor. "We want a robust Australian medicinal cannabis industry so that doctors have safe, quality domestic products that they can confidently prescribe to their patients," said Hunt. Just to be clear, though, recreational use of marijuana is still very much illegal and laws vary state-to-state. By Lauren Vadnjal and Sarah Ward.
When January is in full swing, the sun is out and we're all still in a holiday mood — whether or not we're actually still on holidays — no one needs an excuse for a weekend road trip. But here's one anyway, coming courtesy of Harvest Newrybar: eating dishes whipped up by acclaimed chef Danielle Alvarez. Formerly of Fred's in Sydney, Alvarez is heading to the Byron hinterland to cook up a storm for three days. That means that diners at A Weekend with Danielle at Harvest have three chances to tuck in: for dinner from 5.30pm on Friday, January 20 and Saturday, January 21, and for lunch from 12pm on Sunday, January 22. [caption id="attachment_885631" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] It's the first time that Alvarez has brought her old-world cooking techniques to the region, and her all-round thoughtful approach to the kitchen as well — and she'll be matching Harvest's own focus on sustainability and top-notch local ingredients, of course. Indeed, she's visiting the producers that the restaurant works with, and Harvest family farm Picone Orchard, to come up with her culinary lineup. On the menu: oyster with gazpacho, fish tartare with finger lime and fish sauce in betel leaf, flatbread with charred chilli and clam butter, and a plate of pickled and wood oven-roasted veggies paired with locally made fresh cheese. And, there's also squid and prawn rice with coriander and chilli tahini, roasted Bangalow sweet pork and grilled fish with summer squash. Plus, dessert spans fruit from Piccone on ice, as well as lemonade fruit granita with lychees. Bookings will cost you $130 per person for a three-course set menu, or $220 with matched wines. Harvest Newrybar images: Jess Kearney.
The lofty title of the ‘World Wide Web’ implies that we can access the internet, well, all over the world. However, with 71 percent of the Earth’s surface covered by oceanic bodies, the web is more limited than you think. Researchers at the University of Buffalo may have found a way to cross the digital gap between land and sea. Their ‘deep sea Internet’ is a sunken wireless network that will provide instant communication from beneath the surface to any device on land. Since wireless access has expanded everywhere, from subways to third world countries, why hasn’t this been thought of before? Although the internet feels like an omnipresent force that floats invisibly above our heads like the particles of a broadcast chocolate bar in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, it’s a little more complicated. Wireless communication on land relies on radio waves from satellites and antennas, which don’t work well out in the middle of the ocean. Deep-sea communication technologies function on sound waves, which are converted above the surface and transmitted to our devices. This interaction is a bit dodgy, given that it’s nearly impossible to communicate in real time because of the various methods and standards involved when it comes to communicating with underwater sensors. To make things easier, the masterminds in New York are developing a framework that would create a singular way to collect and send data from an underwater sensor to any computer in the world. The possibilities are endless with this superpower technology. Tsunamis and hurricanes could be detected and warned of earlier, oil and gas could be detected more efficiently, pollution could be better monitored, and law enforcement agencies could track down drug-smuggling pirates. The underwater modem seems to be well on its way to doing these things; it is currently being tested at the bottom of America’s Lake Erie and will be presented at the International Conference on Underwater Networks & Systems in Taiwan this November. So on your next deep-sea dive or fishing trip, check your smartphone for Wi-Fi: BIG BLUE, password: n3m0. Via Fast.CoExist.com.
Puppets! Puppets are so rarely seen in this city, and it's a sad oversight. Who doesn't love, loath, or at any rate feel towards a puppet? Puppetry is one of the most ancient of theatrical arts, and aside from the possibilities it affords to take a more lateral tack with staging, we attach a lifetime of connotations to the living dolls — naive, playful, magical, murderous — and those feelings are ready to be tapped at several times, in several ways by a good show. The Splinter, by acclaimed Australian playwright Hilary Bell, is a good show doing just that. The new work, long in development at the Sydney Theatre Company, began life as a play for children — a fact which seems comically disturbing after you've seen the current version up on stage. Its puppet is a child, Laura, a girl of four returned to her parents, played by Helen Thomson and Erik Thomson, after having been missing for nine months. They don't know what's happened to her in this time, and in many ways, she's a vastly different little individual for it. But while her mother embraces Laura back into her life, for her father, she is too different, and he is tormented by the provenance of this changeling in his house. The title of The Splinter is inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Snow Queen; it only takes one shard to lodge in your eye for your whole vision of the world to be irrevocably tainted. The play centres on showing the effect this has on the father. As such, it's a very internal drama, and until the moodiness substitutes for tension, the sparse text isn't necessarily exciting. Yet when the show's manipulators of puppet and props start playing their tricks and your own sense of certainty is upended, it becomes an insidious and unnerving psychological thriller. The Splinter employs a bunraku style of puppetry, which means the puppeteer is not concealed. It's a fun and complex method, perfect for adult theatre, and it works particularly well in The Splinter, where performers Julia Ohannessian and Kate Worsley alternately look like they're playing with the doll, becoming one with the doll, and ditching the doll altogether to transform into representations of the child's personality. The two women also happen to be dressed in identical girlish, dropped-waist dresses, recalling the creepiness of the twins in The Shining. If anything, there isn't enough time with the puppet before she begins to devolve into more metaphorical fragments. It's also frustrating that her hair mostly falls wildly over her eyes; an audience needs to connect with a puppet through its face just as it would with a human actor. But the overall impression left by The Splinter is of the richly realised worlds that are possible when a deft playwright leaves her isolated writing desk and really works with the stagecraft pros that will bring the story to life on the stage.
It's been 12 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Heading back to their collection of unconventional venues for another year, Laneway Festival has announced its 2017 lineup. Returning to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Auckland and Singapore next January and February, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a killer lineup. Following the already announced appearance of AB Original and Chet Faker (or is it Nick Murphy now?), Laneway will see one heck of a crew on their stages, including Aussies Tame Impala — who will be only doing Laneway this time, no sideshows. Oxford band Glass Animals will be coming out for the festival, along wiht other international acts Tourist, Tycho, Nao and riot grrl Kathleen Hanna. There's plenty of local love on the lineup too, with Gang of Youths, Jagwar Ma, Sampa the Great and Camp Cope all making appearances. In short, you'll want to be getting a tickie — they go on sale at 9am AEST on Wednesday, September 21. But, enough chat, here's the full lineup. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2017 LINEUP A.B.Original AURORA Baro* Bob Moses Camp Cope Car Seat Headrest Clams Casino Ecca Vandal* Fascinator Floating Points (live) Flyying Colours* Gang of Youths GL Glass Animals Jagwar Ma Jess Kent Julia Jacklin Koi Child Luca Brasi Mick Jenkins Mr. Carmack NAO Nicholas Allbrook Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker)** Roland Tings Sampa The Great Tame Impala** Tash Sultana The Julie Ruin Tourist Tycho White Lung Whitney *Melbourne only **Exclusive to Laneway, no sideshows LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2017 DATES Brisbane — Thursday, January 26 Melbourne — Saturday, January 28 Auckland — Monday, January 30 Adelaide — Friday, February 3 Sydney — Saturday, February 4 Fremantle — Sunday, February 5 Tickets go on sale Wednesday, September 21 at 9am AEST from Laneway Festival. Image: Andy Fraser.
UPDATE: JULY 17, 2020 — The Sydney season of Come From Away has been postponed until Thursday, June 3 2021. General public tickets will go on sale on Friday, August 21 2020. Customers who purchased tickets for the original performances will receive priority seating for the rescheduled performances. For more information, head to the musical's website. Already an enormous success on Broadway, in London's West End and in Melbourne, Tony and Olivier award-winning musical Come From Away is finally bringing its remarkable true tale to Sydney. Based on real post-September 11 events, the acclaimed production will land at the State Theatre for a season of kind-hearted charm, kicking off in August this year. If you aren't familiar with the musical's plot, or the actual events that inspired it, it's quite the exceptional story. In the week after the September 11 attacks in 2001, 38 planes were unexpectedly ordered to land in the small Canadian town of Gander, in the province of Newfoundland. Part of Operation Yellow Ribbon — which diverted civilian air traffic to Canada en masse following the attacks — the move saw around 7000 air travellers grounded in the tiny spot, almost doubling its population. Usually, the town is home to just under 12,000 residents. To create Come From Away, writers and composers Irene Sankoff and David Hein spent hundreds of hours interviewing thousands of locals and passengers, using their experiences to drive the narrative — and, in many cases, using their real names in the show as well. The result is a musical not just about people coming from away (the term that Newfoundlanders use to refer to folks not born on the island), but coming together, all at a time when tensions were running high worldwide. Since being workshopped in 2012, having a run in Ontario in 2013, then officially premiering in San Diego in 2015, Come From Away has become a global smash hit. After opening on Broadway in 2017, it's still running today. The musical has been wowing crowds in the West End for the past year, too — and, since opening in Melbourne in July 2019, it has become the Comedy Theatre's most successful musical in the venue's 91-year history. Along the way, the show has picked up a Tony Award for best direction of a musical, six other nominations, and four Olivier Awards out of nine nominations. Check out a clip from the Melbourne production below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zmvy1p2FOE&feature=emb_title Come From Away's Sydney season will kick off on Saturday, August 1 at the State Theatre. For further information — or to buy tickets from Thursday, February 6 — visit the musical's website. Images: Jeff Busby.
For the inner bookworm in all of us, French designer and inventor Oscar Lhermitte has come up with a way to make torn, dog-eared pages a thing of the past. By rethinking the traditional bookmark, the Albatros is a simple yet functional product which will help keep your novel in pristine condition. Made from polyester and long lasting adhesive, the nifty structure and shape of Lhermitte’s invention follows your reading without the hassle of fumbling around with pages. The days of frustratingly forgetting your page number in a novel may be over. Currently available on IndieGoGo, you can pre-order a set of 6 for $10.
As any Sydney seafood aficionado should know by now, The Morrison has a constant focus on the not-so-humble oyster. But in August, when the month-long Oyster Festival takes over, that focus turns into an overwhelming obsession. From Thursday, August 1 through to Saturday, August 31, the Sydney bar will become a shucking shrine to the freshest oysters around. And one of the major drawcards is Oyster Hour. Between 6pm and 7pm every single day, you'll be able to eat as many oysters as you can handle at just $1.50 a pop. This deal is available for walk-ins only, so we suggest getting there a little early. Throughout the month, Head Chef Sean Connolly will be conjuring up his favourite oyster dishes, from fried oyster sliders, oysters with slow-cooked pork belly (also known as pearls and pig), oyster carbonara, oyster and leak chowder served with duck fat fries and oyster-stuffed steak. Plus, there'll be oysters paired with bottomless bevs on weekends during the month. Rock up on Saturday and Sunday and you can down a dozen oysters with two hours of bottomless bubbles for just $55 a head. Bookings are recommended for this.
This Friday night, defending Premiers Penrith Panthers face off against the Melbourne Storm in a nail-biting Preliminary Final at Accor Stadium, with both teams just 80 minutes away from a spot in the 2023 NRL Grand Final on Sunday, October 1. For the Panthers, this game could be their springboard to go down in history as the first club to win three back-to-back Premierships in the NRL era. The reigning champions smashed through the first week of the Finals, beating the Warriors 32-6. But the Storm are not to be overlooked – with ten wins from 14 Prelim appearances, the Melbourne team have the best Preliminary Finals record of any club since 1998. The Panthers and Storm are familiar foes — the Storm triumphed in the 2020 Grand Final, but the Panthers came back swinging with a Prelim victory a year later. The Panthers have also won seven of the past 11 matches against the Storm, including victories in Rounds 18 and 23 this year. Will the Melbourne underdogs shake things up or will the Penrith stars walk away with a fourth consecutive Grand Final spot? Don't be that person who misses out on catching the action unfold — a ticket to the game is about the price of a schnitty and beer at the pub, so why not trade that in for an unforgettable live experience? Kickoff is at 7.50pm this Friday, September 22 at Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park. Buy a ticket and find out more at the NRL website.
For more than a year now, we've all been paying extra attention to maps — but not just to show us how to get from one place to another. Thanks to all manner of handy online diagrams, we've been using maps to see which venues have been visited by COVID-19 cases, and also to work out how far we can travel during lockdowns. Now, with vaccinations an important focus at this stage of the pandemic, there's also a particularly nifty interactive map that'll help you work out where to get the jab. If you're familiar with COVID-19 Near Me, the statewide map that draws upon New South Wales Government's register of locations that positive COVID-19 cases have visited, then you already know where to head for this new map. It's actually an added function on the existing website, which now comes with two options at the top: exposure sites and vaccination clinics. Like the exposure venues part of the map, the statewide diagram gives locations specific hues depending on how the clinics operate. A grey dot is used if the clinic doesn't take online bookings, a purple dot indicates that it's an AstraZeneca clinic and a blue dot shows a Pfizer clinic. This map isn't run by the NSW Government — it's just powered by its official data. So, NSW residents are urged to also check the official NSW Health website as well. At the time of writing, the map was last updated on Sunday, August 8. At present, all adults in Australia can opt for the AstraZeneca vaccine as long as you give a doctor your informed consent before you go ahead. Since Thursday, June 17, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has recommended the use of AstraZeneca vaccine in people aged over 60 only due to the risk of rare blood clotting disorders that've been linked to the vaccine when given to younger folks. That change followed an early recommendation back in April, which noted the AstraZeneca vaccine wasn't preferred for anyone under 50. But since late June, as announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, anyone of any age, including those under 60, can still get the AZ jab — after making an informed decision by talking to a doctor. For people under 40 who'd prefer the Pfizer vaccine, you need to fall into a specific group to access it at present, as the nation's vaccination rollout hasn't yet opened up the Pfizer jab to that age group. That means that adults aged up to 39 aren't yet eligible to get the Pfizer vaccination unless you're of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent; work in quarantine, border or healthcare roles; work or live in an aged care or disability facility; work in a critical and high-risk job such as defence, fire, police, emergency services and meat processing; have an underlying medical condition or significant disability; are pregnant; or participate in the NDIS, or care for someone who does. You can check out all existing COVID-19 vaccination clinics at covid19nearme.com.au. For more information about COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. Images: COVID-19 Near Me as of Monday, August 9.
When Sony phoned the Narrabri Council to ask if Daft Punk could launch their latest album at the Wee Waa Showground, Mayor Conrad Bolton assumed the proposition was a hoax. "I thought a mate was pulling my leg," he told the Narrabri Courier. But the call was very much for real. A fortnight ago, a group of Sony's hard-hitters jetted to the 2000-person town to determine its suitability for a serious party. They liked what they saw, so May 17 will see the launch of Random Access Memories alongside the region's finest livestock at the Wee Waa Annual Show. Only 4000 tickets are going on sale. Several will be reserved exclusively for members of the Show Society and the remainder will be up for grabs from this Friday at Narrabri's Crossing Theatre. The rest of the French electro band's fans, which number in the millions, will be able to attend the celebration remotely, via live stream. Daft Punk will not be appearing live at the show; the launch of Random Access Memories will take place via playback. Last night, Wee Waa Show president Brett Dickinson told triple j, "We're still pinching ourselves. We don't know why, but why not?" According to Bolton, the tiny town's quintessentially Australian ambiance appeals to Daft Punk's maverick tendencies. "We think Wee Waa is so uniquely Australian, so the folks at Sony Music along with Daft Punk thought it fitted the bill perfectly," he explained to the Courier. "Daft Punk is known for breaking down barriers and coming up with new creative, innovative ideas to launch their albums."
Another year has come and gone, and Sydney's cinema community is ramping up for the return of one of its biggest events: the beloved short film festival Flickerfest. If you're not impressed by the slate of Hollywood's full-length film lineup anymore, then you need an evening at this festival of short films, which happens to be Australia's only Academy® Qualifying International short film festival. Returning to Bondi Pavilion for the 34th year running, Flickerfest runs from Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 26 in Sydney before it packs up to tour screens across Australia. The festival program is comprised of 200 top films (handpicked from over 3500 entries) that will delight audiences while vying for prestigious awards like the Flickerfest Award for Best International Short Film, the Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation, the Panasonic Lumix for Best Australian Short Film and the Flickerfest Award for Best Documentary - all of which are Academy® qualifying. Flickerfest prides itself on promoting talented, diverse filmmakers of all ages and walks of life. Elements of the program like Rainbow Shorts celebrate the work of LGBTQI+ storytellers; FlickerKids gathers the best of the family-friendly program; FlickerUp showcases the work of young filmmakers and Short Laughs keeps the audience laughing with a focus on hilarious comedy titles. All this, as mentioned, takes place in the stunning Bondi Pavilion. A great location like this means you can enjoy a meal or a swim in Bondi before the show. Then grab a drink from the festivals bar before you take your seat in the comfy indoor air conditioned theatre or outdoors in the Pav's palm tree-lined courtyard and enjoy a night of films under the stars with a drink in hand. After wrapping up its Sydney stint, Flickerfest will embark on its annual nationwide tour, appearing in over 40 venues across the country throughout 2025. The 34th Flickerfest International Film Festival will run from Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 26. Tickets and the full 2025 program are available now. For more information, head to the website.
Husband-and-wife furniture business Reddie has just expanded into a new showroom next to The Dolphin Hotel on Crown Street. Created by Caroline and Andrew Olah, Reddie specialises in sleek, modern and colourful homewares with an emphasis on durable high-quality materials — all of which will be showcased at this new Surry Hills gallery-like showroom. "With our new showroom, we can showcase our products in the way they were intended in a clean and pared-back space. Our products are architectural minimalist in design with a utilitarian approach. We don't follow trends and fads, instead, we focus on clean lines, versatile designs, and beautiful craftsmanship," Creative Director Caroline Olah said. "As customers can tailor products by colour and/or size, the gallery-like space allows them to feel inspired and get creative. The simplicity in the space also creates a gender-neutral environment for our customers." In order to give visitors an experience reminiscent of an art gallery, the Olahs have stripped the building, knocking down walls and giving it a stark white coat of paint, creating a flowing open showroom that accentuates the fun and vibrancy of the furniture. Potential buyers will have the chance to wander through this homely space in the heart of Sydney, discovering the variety of items Reddie has on offer. "This building was somewhere we always wanted to be," co-founder Andrew Olah says. "We wanted to create a beautiful real-world experience that capitalises on the vibrancy of the area, in a world where everything is going online." "We have lived in Surry Hills for many years and love the community. Post lockdowns, it's only natural to be a part of bringing life back to the streets by opening up our new store," explains Caroline. Alongside its signature chairs, tables and desks, the organisation also produces home accessories by upcycling waste from its furniture production. You'll find wall hooks, umbrella holders, chopping boards, bowls and planters, all made using leftovers from some of Reddie's larger projects. Reddie is located at 1/410 Crown Street, Surry Hills. It's open 10am–5pm Monday–Friday and 10am–4pm Saturday. Images: Jacqui Turk
Get your skates on, Sydneysiders — and you'd best don your brightest, most retro threads, too. It isn't every day that Darling Harbour becomes home to a pop-up roller rink that's hosting a month-long rollerskating festival, so you'll definitely want to dress to fit the part (and to live out your Whip It and Xanadu dreams, obviously). Meet Darling Harbour Rollerama, aka the place to be from Friday, March 25–Sunday, April 24 for anyone with rollerskates or blades strapped to their feet. Open daily across its five-weekend, four-week run, it's bringing all of the essentials. Disco ball? Tick. DJs spinning tunes? Tick again. Roller derby demonstration sessions and Rollerfit classes? Just keep on ticking. Different events will happen on different days, although you'll be gliding around to DJs on most nights. On Saturdays, Rollerfit takes over, serving up rollerskating-based exercise classes that are both fun and great for your fitness. On Thursday evenings, you'll be dressing to a theme other than just retro — with 70s, 80s and 90s-focused nights happening across the program. And, on Tuesdays, skating will cost you less across all sessions. Also, because Darling Square is currently home to Hello Kitty Town, that's being worked into Rollerama as well. So, Monday nights will be Hello Kitty nights — with dressing accordingly encouraged. If you're wondering why Rollerama is gracing Darling Harbour, the usual answer applies: why not? Also, it's to give folks who popped on some wheels during lockdowns somewhere else to skate now that stay-at-home conditions have eased — and it's obviously timed to run over the Easter holidays as well. As well as setting up the rink, which'll be located at the Pier Street Underpass near Darling Square, Rollerama is teaming up with Pumphouse Sydney Forecourt to house three separate bars. One will be a roll-up spot serving barbecue wings, smoked gouda cheeseburger, waffle stacks, and peanut butter and jelly thickshakes — and, on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as Sunday afternoons, you won't even need to undo your skates to order as staff will be zipping around to do just that. As for the others, there'll be a shipping container bar with a Rollerama-themed menu, and a Mr Black bar as well. The latter will be located in a vintage airstream trainer, and will pour espresso martinis, but only from Friday, March 25–Tuesday, March 29 and Thursday, April 21–Sunday, April 24. Eateries around Darling Harbour will also be doing specials, so you'll have other food and drink options. Rollerama tickets start from $20 most days, and $15 on Tuesdays — or $25 / $18.75 including skate hire. You can also pay extra for a coaching session if you're a roller newbie. Darling Harbour Rollerama is popping up at the Pier Street Underpass near Darling Square from Friday, March 25–Sunday, April 24. Head to the event's website for further information and to buy tickets.
It's been less than two years since Sophie Ellis-Bextor last played live Down Under; however, when she took to the stage at Summer Camp in Sydney and Melbourne in 2022, and Melt Festival in Brisbane as well, Saltburn hadn't happened. So when the British singer-songwriter performs in Australia and New Zealand in spring 2024, busting out 'Murder on the Dancefloor' is certain to be a whole new experience. The 2001 single has always been an earworm, a delight and a floor filler, but echoing over an unforgettable scene in one of 2023's best movies has made everyone remember that they love it again. Indeed, expect it to be a highlight not just of Ellis-Bextor's set, but of the whole show that's actually a Take That tour with Ellis-Bextor burning the goddamn house right down in support. Those houses: RAC Arena in Perth, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and Spark Arena in Auckland, all across late October to mid-November. Take That and the talent that also helped make Spiller's 'Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)' so memorable are also playing A Day on the Green, with Ricki-Lee also on the bill. On those shows, they'll head to Peter Lehmann Wines in the Barossa Valley in South Australia, then Bimbadgen in New South Wales' Hunter Valley and finally Sirromet Wines in Mount Cotton in Queensland. Still touring 34 years after first forming, but now a trio consisting of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald — with fellow OG members Robbie Williams and Jason Orange no longer part of the group — boy band Take That are leading the trip Down Under fresh from releasing their latest album This Life in 2023. Certain to include 90s hits 'Back for Good', 'Pray' and 'Relight My Fire', these gigs will be their first in the region since 2016. Take That This Life Tour with Sophie Ellis-Bextor — Australia and New Zealand 2024 Dates: Wednesday, October 30 — RAC Arena, Perth Saturday, November 2 — A Day on the Green, Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley, with Ricki-Lee Wednesday, November 6 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Thursday, November 7 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, November 9 — A Day on the Green, Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley, with Ricki-Lee Sunday, November 10 — A Day on the Green, Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton, with Ricki-Lee Thursday, November 14 — Spark Arena, Auckland Take That and Sophie Ellis-Bextor are touring Australia and New Zealand in October and November 2024. Presales start at 3pm local time on Wednesday, February 7, with general sales from 1pm local time on Tuesday, February 13. Head to the tour and A Day on the Green websites for further details. Top image of Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Laura Lewis.
As you might've heard, Misfits — Redfern's bar for mavericks and oddballs — is turning two this September. To celebrate, we're giving away a private dinner for you and nine mates. Yep, that's a pretty serious party. Whether you want to plan a birthday celebration of your own or just want to get the crew together, if you win this, you won't have to pay a dime. Go beyond the bar's secret bookcase and enter a 70s-style lounge room — this is where it will all go down. Dubbed 'Out of Bounds', this space is a private dining room, which you'll have all to yourselves, meaning you can wine and dine to your hearts' content (and get a little silly). It's also where Locals in the Lounge's free gigs take place, so you bet it'll be a good time in there. For two decadent hours, you'll be sipping on bottomless cocktail jugs, while tucking into a feast of share plates. Think delicious dishes such as crispy squid with jerk spice, burnt lime and aioli, followed by grilled flank steak with hand cut chips, caramelised onion butter and jus, plus spiced cauliflower with labne and pistachio puree, among many other delights. If you have any dietary requirements, you'll just have to let Misfits know 48 hours before your booking. If you win, you'll be able to have your private dinner any night between Monday and Thursday, until February 2020. Just head here to book. [competition]739163[/competition]
Swing into London's Tate Modern until April 2018, and you'll literally be swinging thanks to their latest large-scale installation. Teaming up with Danish artists' collective SUPERFLEX, the gallery's Turbine Hall now boasts playground equipment as part of its newest commission, which comes with the apt title of One Two Three Swing! The numbers in the piece's moniker don't just refer to the countdown everyone does in their head before they set a swing in motion. They also indicate that each of the installation's pieces has been built for three. That means gathering up two pals and heading for a swinging good time is on the agenda, with the work designed to get audiences to be more social through collaboration — the coordination it takes to get a three-person swing to do its thing, for example. 22 swings feature in total, all connected by their orange frames and all conceived "as an assembly line for collective movement," according to the exhibition's press release. They comprise of the movement section of the work, which also features apathy and production components. In the former, attendees can lie on a 770-square-metre carpet — in a colour scheme inspired by British currency — and view a a large pendulum suspended from the ceiling by a 20 metre cable. In the latter, a factory station assembles swing seats, storing them for later use. During the installation's six-month run, One Two Three Swing! will also expand beyond the Tate Modern, with plans to spread the swings throughout London and even possibly further afield. If that sounds like an ambitious project, it's just the latest for SUPERFLEX, who were formed in 1993 by Jakob Fenger, Bjørnstjerne Christiansen and Rasmus Nielsen, and helped designed Copenhagen's 30,000-square-metre Superkilen park. One Two Three Swing! runs at the Tate Modern, London until April 2, 2018. For more information, head to the gallery's website. Via The Guardian. Images: Tate Modern.
Michelin-trained chef Manuel Diaz is the driving force behind Nativo, an authentic Mexican taqueria in Pyrmont. Located above the John St Square Rail Station, Nativo brings tacos and Mexican street food with an Aussie twist to the neighbourhood with a fun, vibrant menu that pulls through native Australian ingredients. The focus of the taqueria is mainly on takeaway — although the venue does have 14 al fresco seats available for dining — so the menu is concise. So start with you've got tacos in four styles: the conchinita pibil — a slow-cooked pork taco with pickled onions and saltbush morita salsa ($9), the beef brisket taco with slow-cooked brisket, oaxaca cheese, avocado and a kunzea salsa verde ($9), the croqueta de papa with a fried potato, refried beans, 'mushroom chorizo' and orange-chipotle salsa filling ($9), or the zarandeado octopus taco starring Tasmanian octopus complimented by chimichurri, confit onions and potato ($10). Then there's the range of antojitos or snacks (antojitos translates to 'little cravings' in Spanish). The classic guac and chips combo ($7) is elevated by lemon myrtle oil, coriander, jalapenos and pepita crumble. Or for something a little more grande there's 'la diabla' taco cup ($12) which comes with two tacos, chicken, cheesy guajilo sauce, iceberg lettuce and guac, the quesadilla rolls ($16) or the vegan-friendly tostada croqueta de papa ($12) served with a fried tortilla, refried beans, 'mushroom chorizo', watercress salad and kunzea salsa verde. Born and bred in the city of Oaxaca, chef Manuel Diaz's breadth of experience comes from working across some of the most renowned restaurants in Mexico, as well as the Michelin-starred restaurant La Chevre d'Or in France. Since moving to Australia, he's occupied kitchens across the Milpa Collective Group's collection of Mexican favourites like Sonora and Carbon, and headed up Bar Patron as the Executive Chef. "The best of Mexican gastronomy is inspired by ideas developed by the Indigenous communities and ancestors of the country," says Diaz. "I have crafted a menu that honours these flavours and traditions, and we celebrate our union with the Australian community by complimenting these recipes with native Australian ingredients to create a unique fusion that brings these roots together."
Ever-fascinated by transforming the human body, Australian artist Lucy McRae has collaborated with biology professor Sharef Mansy to develop Swallowable Parfum, a perfume that isn't applied to the skin but taken as a pill. According to the website, the perfume capsule "enables human skin to emit a genetically unique scent about who we are we are and how we perform our identities." Sounds great, but what if the resulting "unique scent" isn't appealing? The prototype perfume is part of McRae's ongoing exploration of the human body and how it interacts with technology. In addition to a unique scent, "tiny golden droplets" appear on the skin upon perspiration. Wouldn't it be nice if all scents glittered too?
When bushfires raged across Australia over the spring of 2019 and the summer of 2019–20, the Hunter Valley's wine community was among the areas affected. Due to smoke from the blazes, huge hordes of grapes can no longer be used for their original winemaking purpose — so distillery Archie Rose is getting experimental and salvaging more than 50 tonnes as part of a new spirit range. The first of the series' three products is eau de vie Hunter Valley Shiraz Spirit, which is made from smoke-tainted Hunter Valley 2020 shiraz and cabernet sauvignon grapes. Clear, colourless and fruity, it's described by the company as having "notes of shortbread, icing sugar and vine leaves" — as well as hints of pineapple, guava and honeydew. Expect to taste mango, raspberry jam, crème fraîche and wafers, too, plus a slight suggestion of campfire. When you're sipping a glass, you'll be aiding Archie Rose's efforts to help Hunter Valley producers and growers, especially those with team members and and families affected by crop and income write-offs due to the fires. As well as receiving support themselves, Tulloch Wines and First Creek Wines worked with the folks at Archie Rose to identify eight smaller growers in need of assistance — particularly in the Pokolbin, Broke Fordwich and Upper Hunter sub-regions. On sale from Monday, May 25 from the Archie Rose Bar in Rosebery, Sydney, bottle shops and the company's website, 1000 bottles of the Hunter Valley Shiraz Spirit are available — in 700-millilitre sizes, for $99. Archie Rose has also suggested a range of cocktail recipes using the Hunter Valley Shiraz Spirit, so prepare to pair it with oat milk in the 'Milk & Honey' and with grapefruit in 'The Pokolbin'. Also in the works is a Hunter Valley Shiraz Brandy, using the salvaged smoke-tainted grapes — however, given that the spirit will need to be aged, it'll be available in future years. Archie Rose's Hunter Valley Shiraz Spirit goes on sale on Monday, May 25 from the Archie Rose Bar in Rosebery, Sydney, bottle shops and the company's website, with pre-orders currently available online.
