If this skyscraper designed to house an entire Chinese city is anything to go by, our urban way of life could imminently leave the horizontal plane far behind. Cue edible green walls, a logical and aesthetically pleasing source of nomz. Check one out at the 16th Sydney Design festival this August, when the Powerhouse Museum Cafe hosts Edible Walls, an installation which will hopefully inspire many imitators. City farming is a worthy and growing trend. It's surprising the number of munchable fruit, flower, vegetable and herb varieties that can flourish while on the climb. Edible Walls is not only a space-saving and socially responsible design enterprise but a beautiful and stylish one, not unlike when your dad piles pasta skyward in the centre of your plate in an adorable attempt to be master chef. Could we see edible walls spring up as a common sight in cafes and homes across Sydney, as nature is increasingly integrated into city life? We reckon we will, and attending Sydney Design is a great way to get educated so you can mastermind your own high-rise harvest. This year Sydney Design's 75+ events seek to answer the question, 'Can clever design save the world?' Duh. This very interrogative will be debated by a panel of designers and business bigwigs facilitated by Nell Schofield. But there's plenty of other festival festures to excite the aspiring design maverick. The Australian International Design Awards gather wacky gadgetry and ingenious innovations, while a Powerhouse retrospective exhibition celebrates the influential work of US designer and furniture innovator George Nelson. It definitely doesn't stop there. Architects Eko Prawoto and David Sheppard will present keynote addresses on the topic of urban reconstruction and recovery from earthquake damage. Healthabitat's Paul Pholeros and Heleana Genaus illuminate the links between health and manmade environments. Among the festival's other exhibitions, tours, talks, workshops and just plain fun stuff: Stringram marries string design to Instagram, native biodiversity enjoys full reign in Parramatta's Vorsprugarten, and jewellery becomes artfully and deliberately biodegradable in Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes. Then there's Workshopped13, the 3x3x3 Design Challenge, Translocated Making, and more initiatives that could just save the world. Sydney Design runs citywide, 3-18 August, 2013.
With restaurants opening in Sydney every other day, it can turn into a full-time task trying to keep in-the-know. Advice on where to eat from someone who really knows their stuff is your one-way ticket to a finger-licking, stomach-patting culinary experience. Who better to ask than up-and-coming and top-of-their-game Sydney chefs? These guys are the lauded creatives who live and breathe food and are here to tell us where to eat no matter the occasion. Dan Hong eats at Golden Century Dan Hong has been climbing the ranks of Merivale since 2008. Hong opened super cool Asian diner Ms G's in 2010 and moved on to the epic Mr. Wong just last year. He has also headed up a string of recent El Loco pop-ups. My favourite late-night eat is ... "Golden Century is hands-down number one because it's open until 4am in the morning and they have fantastic live seafood." If Hong had to take an international chef out for a bite his preference would be to lead them on a "massive eating expedition in Cabramatta to show them how good our Vietnamese/Cambodian/Lao/Chinese food really is". Andrew 'Gomez' Braham eats at Sixpenny Adam 'Gomez' Braham has been around the cheffing traps for quite sometime. He started working in Sydney for hatters like Quay and Aria before flexing his egg-beating muscles in Europe and then in Monaco cooking for Russian billionaires. If I were to entertain a visiting chef I would take them to ... "Sixpenny because they showcase the best Australian produce in their food. You can go to restaurants for a view, but at the end of the day all a chef wants to look at is the kitchen, the plates and the food that comes out on them." For a late-night feed, Braham's choice would be Arisun for their deep-fried chicken in "all its mouth-watering glory," accompanied by a mini five litre keg of beer for the table. Image credit: Joseph Ng. Jamie Thomas eats at 3 Weeds Jaime Thomas hails from the mother country and has been in the business for about 22 years. Being English, a love of old pubs with loads of character is practically in Thomas' DNA, so it makes perfect sense he's executive chef at the Drink n' Dine Group which includes The Abercrombie, The Norfolk and The Forresters. For a casual meal, nothing beats ... "A beer and a burger at 3 Weeds in Rozelle." Lauren Murdoch has just taken over as chef at this popular pub, which has a separate restaurant serving dishes like crumbed lamb brains, and pork belly and chorizo meatballs. Brent Savage eats at Quay Brent Savage, the chef that took the stiff back out of fine dining with his restaurant Bentley, has done it again. Hi latest venture, Monopole, is a casual eatery with a wine list at its heart. If I had to take a chef out, I'd take them to ... "Quay or Sepia for the technique-driven food and for the full fine dining experience." Savage's late-night choice is Chat Thai and of a Sunday? You'll find him sipping green tea and eating dim sum at Zilver Restaurant in front of Capitol Square. One of the best places for yum cha in town, so we're told. Daniel Puskas eats at Fleetwood Macchiato Daniel Puskas is one half of the duo behind Stanmore eatery Sixpenny. A night at this place is most definitely something special. Local produce is key with both Puskas and co-owner James Parry growing their own produce on a lot in the Southern Highlands. Then of course there's their famous kitchen garden out back. On Sundays I eat at ... "Fleetwood Macchiato or newbie Brickfields for family day with my daughter Isobel and partner Alicia. Brickfields has a seriously tempting array of sweet, crumbly things whipped up by Simon Cancio who previously worked his floury magic at Luxe. And if eating with a foreigner? "If it was before midday most likely Zilver for dumplings and if after a night out it'd most likely be Golden Century or Arisun. In between, some of my favourite places to take people are Rockpool Bar & Grill for a burger, Berta or Billy Kwong and for something special it would be Quay, Marque or Sepia," said Puskas. Chui Lee Luk eats at Din Tai Fung Chui Lee Luk stepped into very large shoes when she took over Claude's as its fourth owner, a mainstay of Sydney's dining scene for the past 36 years. Luk's Asian heritage has helped keep Claude's relevant; she's added unexpected flavours to the menu while maintaining the restaurant's French heritage. She's also split the restaurant in two, with a more casual space downstairs and the full degustation experience upstairs. If eating with a fellow chef, I'd take them to ... "Northern Dixon Street in Chinatown because it's full of Chinese regional cuisines like Xinjiang, showing how Eastern cuisine translates overseas. Black Star Pastry is also great for new and old-fashioned pastries, and to experience Newtown." If Luk was looking for a bite under $15, she would hit up Din Tai Fung for dumplings, Northern Noodle House for zhajiang mian and Ichiban Boshi for ramen. Steven Skelly eats at Sean's Panorama Steven Skelly is British-born but now a fixture of Sydney's dining scene after quickly making a name for himself when he moved here ten years ago. Landing first at Hugo's in Bondi, he moved to Bilson's and won the restaurant its third hat. He now calls The Sailors Club, an apt place for him to express his love of Australian seafood. For a casual Sunday, Skelly eats at ... "Sean's Panorama for its laid-back attitude more than anything else. They rarely have a double sitting so it can turn into a long BYO-allowed lunch!" Steven also tells us he's had great meals at Marque and Sepia.
Since first launching its end-of-year festival fun in Lorne back in 1993, Falls Festival has become an end-of-year staple not only on the Great Ocean Road, but in Byron, Marion Bay and Fremantle. But, one day into its 2019 event, the festival has had to cancel the remaining days of its Lorne bash due to the extreme and hazardous weather predicted for tomorrow, Monday, December 30. In a Facebook post this morning, a Falls Festival spokesperson said the decision had been made after "consultation with local and regional fire authorities and other emergency stakeholders". "Forecasted conditions have gotten significantly worse in the past 12 hours, with information coming to light that has not been available to us before the event kicked off on December 28th," the statement says. "It is clear that we have no other option." While there are no out of control bushfires in the area at the time of writing, temperatures are expected to reach a top of 43 degrees on the Surf Coast tomorrow. That, coupled with strong 90–100-kilometre northwesterly winds, has prompted organisers to make the decision to "move everyone offsite safely and in good time". A total fire ban in place across the whole state tomorrow. The festival officially started yesterday, and there are already 9000 people on site. While festivalgoers got to catch the likes of Vera Blue, Parcels and John Farnham on day one, today there will be no music or bars — but food outlets, toilets and medical facilities will be open until 9am tomorrow, when the gates to the festival will close. Festival organisers are urging punters to return home as the surrounding towns on the Great Ocean Road — like Lorne, Apollo Bay and Anglesea — will already be at capacity due to the holiday period. Thousands more were expected to arrive at the festival site today. This fire season has already been a catastrophic one, with fires continuing to burn in the East Gippsland region and NSW, where over three million hectares has been burnt so far. NSW's New Year's Eve festival Lost Paradise was cancelled due to bushfire threat earlier in the month. Falls Festival was set to run from December 28–January 1, with Halsey, Vampire Weekend, Disclosure and Peking Duk some of the artists scheduled to perform across four stages. The festivals in Marion Bay, Byron and Fremantle will go ahead as scheduled. Everyone with a ticket will be refunded next week. Top image: Boaz Nothham
Experience the fireworks from a one-of-a-kind view at O Bar and Dining. Perched 47 floors above the ground, the sky-high bar takes in an all-encompassing view of Circular Quay, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge as the fireworks light up the Sydney sky. Three packages are on offer if you're looking to spend New Year's Eve here — and they're all going to set you back a paycheque or two. For $695, you'll receive an NV Louis Roederer Brut Premier on arrival followed by a decedent eight-course tasting menu. Taking things up a notch, you can nab yourself the window seat and a paired wine list for $875. Lastly, if you have 11 other friends willing to drop the big bucks on an exuberant New Year's, you can book out O Bar and Dining's private 12-person dining room with all of the above perks plus butler service for $1450 a head. On the menu for the night is poached Tasmanian lobster, Roku gin-cured kingfish, twice-cooked duck breast with caramelised endive, blackberries and black vinegar and flash-seared Rangers Valley wagyu with black garlic and potato gnocchi.
The only thing wrong with Cut Snake is that it's over too soon. If you blink, you're likely to be sorry you missed something in this outrageously fun yet poignant 50-minute acrobatic, theatrical rollercoaster from independent theatre company Arthur. The script revolves around three maverick characters. There's Jumper (Kevin Kiernan-Molloy), a loveable, devil-may-care 19-year-old who, at the play's opening, is drinking his way around Europe on a Contiki tour. His sudden death, caused when the bus on which he is travelling swerves to miss a dog, introduces the bittersweet tension between risk and hope that drives Cut Snake's dramatic energy. For the rest of the play, Jumper's closest friends, Kiki (Catherine Davies) and Bob (Julia Billington), must cope with this tragedy. Through puppetry, acrobatics and dance, they recount and enact various scenes from their past and future lives. Kiki tangos with a bearded lady on Mt Kilimanjaro, Bob longs to know who would win a fight between a horse and a hippo, Jumper juggles between his feelings for a talking snake named Trix and his love for Kiki. Yes, it is as crazy as it sounds, and that's just the start. The highly skilled Kiernan-Molloy, Davies and Billington never miss a beat, delivering lines that depend on microsecond timing and maintaining a pace that would keep Usain St. Leo Bolt on his toes. Davies' fluent somersaults, tumbles and twirls are particularly lovely to watch. Patterned cotton sheets and doona covers that look as though they've been pulled out of your mother's favourite cupboard form the backdrop, which extends all the way around the Pavillion Theatre. Walking in, you feel like you're entering a secret cubby house, an experience that sets the atmosphere for the play's magical realist world in which time is no longer linear and anything is possible. Death is the only certainty. Indeed, mortality's sadness hovers over the play, but overwhelmingly, Cut Snake reminds us that we can make life as daring, exciting and unpredictable as we imagine it to be. It's all about leaving a story behind that might be worth the telling.
For most of Australia, 2018 has been hot. Last weekend, Melbourne endured its hottest day for two years, while Sydney experienced its second hottest day ever. Temperatures have been toasty around the rest of the country too, with Brisbane expecting a top of 38 today. And although Tasmania hasn't been immune to the extreme heat — reaching 35 degrees earlier this week — the state also just dipped firmly in the opposite direction. Yesterday, while it was a rather warm 34 degrees in Sydney, 36 in Brisbane and 37 in Perth, eastern Tassie enjoyed storms, hail and even ice. In Hobart, yesterday's maximum only made it to 15.8 degrees, while the minimum was 13.5 degrees. That's rugging-up weather, not swimming temperatures. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd4Ob8oBD5b/?taken-by=tasmaniawhyweloveit https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd4CcbTHV-7/?taken-by=what_kat_did_next "I don't think we've seen that very often," the Bureau Of Meteorology Debbie Tabor told the ABC, explaining that the icy conditions were caused by the thunderstorms. "We had a series of thunderstorms move through the eastern half of Tasmania… and did produce some hail at various locations and that's what was seen at Orford." On Twitter, BOM also clarified that the visible whiteness wasn't snow, even if it might've looked like it. https://twitter.com/BOM_Tas/status/952077590453514240 That said, snow did reach the state's lofty peaks — at 1300 to 1400 metres, not on the ground. Today, a top of 21 is expected in Hobart, ahead of a week in the mid twenties. Via ABC. Top image: Katrina Ashton via Instagram.
It's been a while since the pop world has heard from controversial pop queen Lily Allen, but her new video proves that she's been listening in. Her newest song, 'Hard Out Here', is one that goes to town on quite a few facets of the pop world, including misogyny in music and fashion, unrealistic ideas of feminine beauty and, unsurprisingly, twerking. The accompanying music video pushes the envelope even further, tearing into the idea of 'thinness' as well as making a few sarcastic jibes at product placement and over-the-top sexualisation on our screens. As per the majority of Allen's music and videos, there is a strong flavour of humour about her latest offering, and it's not too hard to figure out what the megastar and mum of two is trying to say. In fact, she says it quite blatantly and repeatedly, especially in the throwaway line describing "a glass ceiling that needs breaking". With her slew of swears, constant crotch-grabbing and obvious confusion at the style of dancing favoured by some pop stars (Miley Cyrus will remain nameless), Allen's first musical offering in nearly four years has garnered over half a million hits in the last day. Which is quite a lot for what is essentially a great, big middle finger to the ego of the music industry. Good to have you back, Lily. https://youtube.com/watch?v=E0CazRHB0so
Looking for a new spot to practice your downward dog? This month, Luxe Yoga + Fitness is making the end of your working week more enriching with 6.15am sunrise yoga sessions held amid the scenic surrounds of Queenscliffs' Freshwater Beach. With the sun on your skin and the sand between your toes, feeling at one with your body and achieving mindful clarity will become just a little easier. Then, once you've finished stretching out, a refreshing dip in the ocean as the sun comes up will not go amiss. It's a good time to get involved, too. As February 22 marks World Yoga Day, the team will be hosting a special Saturday session at 6.45am to celebrate the occasion. So, whether you're keen to join the global movement or just want to add some good-natured exercise to your regime, getting down for these early morning classes is a wise decision.
Sydney's Taronga Zoo hasn't been humming with crowds over the past three months, given that it's been closed during the city's ongoing lockdown. It'll be roaring a little louder in its lion enclosure from now on, though. Back on Thursday, August 12, the zoo welcomed five African lion cubs — three females and two males — and this quintet of cuteness actually marks the first lion cubs to be born at the venue in more than 18 years. These little balls of fluff were born to experienced mum Maya and first-time dad Ato, and they've grown from weighing around 1.5 kilograms at birth to hitting the scales at between five and six kilograms now. As they've been growing, Taronga's staff have been keeping an eye on them via the zoo's CCTV cameras. And, if that sounds like a great way to spend your own day, you can now join them via a new 24/7 live-stream. Taronga already lets you fill your time staring at capybaras, seals, meerkats, otters, sumatran tigers, lions and elephants, all without leaving your home, thanks to its online TV channel. All those animals are all well and good. They're great, and they're very easy to spend too much time staring at, actually. But, because we all grew up watching The Lion King, we all have an extra fondness for lion cubs. The zoo's cub cam is doing things a little differently, however. This time, you'll need to make a tax-deductible donation of $7 to access the all-day camera footage. Your cash will then help support Taronga, its ongoing research and conservation programs, and its work to save African lions — and if you're able to, you can donate more if you like. There's your background viewing sorted. Popping the stream on in the background while you work from home suits these kinds of feeds, in fact, because sometimes the critters in the spotlight aren't in view. Or, in this case, those cubs like to sleep between 12–20 hours per day. Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo started their online streams in 2020, and they're back now for obvious reasons. Taronga is also releasing regular videos across its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels, and making keeper talks and other clips available online as well. To subscribe to Taronga Zoo's cub cam, head to the zoo's website. To check out Taronga TV, head to the channel's website — or keep an eye on its videos on its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages.
If you thought those cult favourite Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts were a one-hit wonder, think again. The masterminds behind the famed sweet treats are also responsible for another Japanese-inspired dessert craze: Pafu. The apple pastry puffs loaded with fuji apple and warm custard have seen perpetual queues since their launch in the Melbourne's QV Centre last December. Now, they've hit Sydney. The Macquarie Centre store launched in June with free pastries — and while you'll have to pay $4.20 per piece now, the flaky fusion desserts are well work handing over a fiver for. Half apple turnover and half Japanese cream puff, these palm-sized pastries are crunchy, creamy and completely moreish.
There's no other way to celebrate the start of Mardi Gras except to throw a massive party. Part performance art, part music, and part dance, Day for Night is one cut above the rest. Presented by Carriageworks and Performance Space, with curation by Jeff Khan (Performance Space) and Emma Price (The Kingpins), the event sees Carriageworks transformed into a large-scale space for queer expression for a full three days. The party (February 20, 7.30 – 11.30pm, tickets $35) will feature tunes from local electronic outfit Stereogamous (Paul Mac and Johnny Seymour), self-described as sounding like a "gay bath house". The next two days (February 21–22, 12 –8pm, free) sees music and art combine with a series of live performances by Australia's leading queer artists, soundtracked by the duo. They include choreographer Matthew Day, Emma Maye Gibson (you might recognise her work as alter ego Betty Grumble), interdisciplinary artist and Kanye collaborator Techa Noble, White Drummer, Nell, and self-taught dancer Bhenji Ra (House of Ra), who has supported the likes of Mykki Blanco and Le1f. In the lead-up to this night of nights, we spoke to Stereogamous and got them to put us in the mood with a mix (titled 'DAY'). Where is Stereogamous currently at, musically speaking? Our weekly Voguey Bear party [at Tokyo Sing Song] focuses on deep and innovative music. Nothing abrasive, noisy or played out. The deep research we do for weekly content for an eight-hour set keeps us on our twinkle toes doing the 9-5 (am), but also informs our production heart space in the studio ... We are currently composing with the incredible Shaun J Wright (Chicago/Twirl), who is one of the most marvellous performers we've ever encountered. What and who are you most looking forward to at Day for Night? The punters. The intersex, transgender, bisexual, lesbian, gay community and our admirers have our moment to have our Christmas/Grand Final/Prix/celebration and shine. Seeing the artists and our collaborative children come to life in front of our family and like-minded creative adventurers. Making make a great queer party in one of our fave buildings in Sydney. What was going through your mind – musically or otherwise - during the making of this mix? DAY is deep. It's the warm-up without the gogo. You wake up somewhere, with last night still in your body. There's a sonic treacle coming from an unknown place. Sounds that can either be slow decompression into facing reality, or a gateway to escaping. Let's pretend we live in a utopian world for a moment. How would the ideal Stereogamous day play out? President Nova Peris has diverted mining profits into developing solar power and water desalination, revegetating the desert. The increased arable land provides enough power, shelter and self-sustainable food stocks for the entire South Pacific region. Equality exists not just for queers but for gender parity in wages and employment, Indigenous peoples, asylum seekers and people with special medical needs. Drivers serve drinks on free bus trips. Arts has equal funding as sports. Drugs are legal and available on Medicare. We're just doing what we're doing now. Collaborating and attempting to bring people together to resonate joy. Your sound is self-described as "sauna beat" and "bath house music”. Besides yourselves of course, what other music would this hypothetical bath house be playing? Bath houses are sacred homosexual spaces that we have spun tracks in for over a decade. Perhaps best described as "horizontal dance music". Apologies but you won't hear Katy/Igloo/Taylor or any EDM noise. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not really appropriate "sling music" feels. We're more likely to be playing Discodromo, Alien Alien, baker & baumaker, Suspect, Trevor Sigler, Jason Kendig. Believe we're way more The Black Madonna than Madonna.
Just when we thought we couldn't have any more sweets, along comes Sweetfest — a two-day-long sugar party featuring the likes of Katherine Sabbath, Andy Bowdy, Lorraine's Patisserie and Mak Mak. It's not all about eating sugar though. An assortment of masterclasses, like Andy Bowdy's soft serve desserts class, will be held across the two days. This event is one of our top ten picks of Good Food Month 2015. Check out the other nine. Image: Pinbone.
Green Square is set to gain a coast-inspired aquatic centre, following the announcement that Andrew Burges Architects, in association with Grimshaw and T.C.L., have won the City of Sydney’s Green Square Design Competition. The plan includes a 50-metre outdoor pool, built within a larger, organically-shaped 'beach pool'; a 25-metre indoor pool; and a health and fitness centre. These facilities will be encompassed by Gunyama Park, which is to be revamped with the addition of a promenade, native landscaping and play equipment. All in all, the development will cover an area equivalent to three football fields. The competition was fiercely contested, with 144 Australian and international designers submitting entries, and five finalists announced back in June. This comes as no surprise, given that Green Square will be home to more than 54,000 people by 2030. "It is the fastest growing development site in Australia," said competition registrar Stephen Varady said in a media statement. "Having this competition was a very important part of that... Design competitions are about bringing out something that you wouldn’t find normally. The judges thought that this was a very special project. It’s a beautiful design; it’s a strong design; it's very appropriate... It's a public park for people to relax in; it's a place for sport; and it's a place to swim." "We need terrific facilities for this community living at very high density," added Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "It's very creative, very beautiful and very practical." Meanwhile, juror and architect Camilla Block pointed out the design's inherent 'Sydney-ness'. "It came from a Sydney idea — the rock pools of Sydney," added juror and architect Camilla Block. "It was meant for Sydney."
Everybody, try to remain calm. The celebration of everybody's favourite sweet, the Festival of Chocolate, is back. Want to see demonstrations by some of pastry's most respected faces? The Callebaut Test Kitchen will be showing off the talents of Adriano Zumbo and Anna Polyviou, among others. The Chocolatier's Quarters will be home to a Zumbo chocolate showpiece and the stage for award-winning chocolatier Jodie Van De Velden to create a chocolate sculpture over the two-day festival. There will also be a pop-up Garden Bar and Arnott's Tim Tam Temptation Tent (try saying that five times quickly), where you'll be able to enjoy one of Australia's favourite treats. Not convinced by chocolate alone? How about the chance to win a $20,000 two carat chocolate-inspired diamond ring? Then you can be reminded of chocolate every time you look at your hands, and live happily ever after.
Usually we only have bad news to report on the topic of Sydney's public transport fares — either they're going up, getting stricter or cracking down on loopholes. But, this time, it's some positive news: today, the NSW Government announced that it will reduce the weekly travel cap on your Opal card by $13.20. The cap change was buried in the 2019–20 Budget Papers, which were released by the recently re-elected Berejiklian Government today. At the moment, if you have an adult Opal card, it maxes out at $63.20 within any calendar week — but, when the changes come into effect from June 24, 2019, it will be capped when you hit $50. The cap will come into play no matter what mode of transport you take, but probably won't impact you if you have a shorter commute (that is, less than 20 kilometres on train, bus or light rail). But if you already hit the current cap in a week — say, you catch the train from Cronulla to the city each day — you'll save the $13.20 straight-up. It's also good news if you don't currently reach the cap — for example, if you catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Balmain to and from work every weekday, you'll stand to save at least $10 a week. Which is pretty substantial when you consider that could potentially see you save over $500 a year — or at least have the freedom to spend that cash on funner places than Central Station. The Opal weekly cap will change to $50 from Monday, June 24, 2019. Find more info here. UPDATE: JUNE 20, 2019 — This article initially reported that the weekly would cap would come into effect from July 1, 2019, but Transport for NSW has since brought that forward a week. It will now start from June 24, 2019. The article has been updated to reflect this.
Dangerous thinkers, Damn the Man activists and controversial intellectuals will bring their rebellious tales to Sydney Opera House for the sixth year running, with Salman Rushie, Steven Pinkler and Pussy Riot at the fore of this year's Festival of Dangerous Ideas lineup. The annual hootenanny for controversial, groundbreaking and system-shaking thinkers, FODI annually fronts up a killer lineup of the names we consistently include in our opinionated tweets. "This year, we are looking at some of the major threats to life as we know it — mass extinction and existential risk — as well as politics, families and global issues,"says head of talks and ideas at Sydney Opera House and co-curator of Festival of Dangerous Ideas Ann Mossop. "Our guests are both intellects and activists and this will definitely prove a lively mixture. The Festival gives audiences an opportunity to listen to some of the most important thinkers of our time. Ultimately it is the audiences who have the most interesting part to play at the Festival — the tough and absorbing task of deciding what to do with the dangerous ideas of our era." This year's lineup has drawn out some serious intellectual squeals Sydney-wide. Controversial, Booker Prize-winning Midnight's Children writer Salman Rushdie will speak about freedom, sticking to your guns and defiantly standing for untamed expression in his talk Freedom to Write. In one of FODI's most buzzworthy talks, dubbed Russia Is a Penal Colony, former members of activist legends Pussy Riot Nadya Tolonnikova and Masha Alekhina will tell tales of activism, being jailed for 'hooliganism' and setting up their new not-for-profit charity, Zona Prava, while fighting for their own dangerous ideas. Russian journalist, author and member of the democratic opposition to the regime of Vladimir Putin, Masha Gessen will delve further into Pussy Riot's activism in a predicted-to-sell-out conversation with the pair. Experimental linguist, psychologist and eternal nature-versus-nurture writer Steven Pinker will unravel the popular notion that violence is an inevitable consequence of human nature in his talk Stop Trying to Fix Human Nature — also arguing we're enjoying the most significant period of peace in our history. Writer and researcher Kay Hymowitz will delve into women as breadwinners and the supposed decline of male culture in The Rise of Women Has Turned Men into Boys; and surrogacy as a global industry is put under the microscope in journalist, writer and activist Kajsa Ekis Ekman's talk Surrogacy is Child Trafficking. The full program is available on the website. Multipack tickets go on sale on Monday 30 June at 9am before single tickets on Wednesday 2 July at 9am. Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2014 Lineup: Salman Rushdie Pussy Riot Masha Gessen Steven Pinker Malcolm Fraser Lydia Cacho Bradley Garrett Alissa Nutting John Hewson Bettina Arndt Glenn Robbins John Pilger Jane Caro Elizabeth Kolbert Noelle Janaczewska Anne Manne Elizabeth Pisani Jaan Tallinn Ragip Zarakolu Kajsa Ekis Ekiman Dan Ilic Tim Flannery Kay Hymowitz Francesca Minerva Mark Latham David Baker Rebecca Newberger Goldstein Emily Nussbaum Huw Price A Rational Fear Festival of Dangerous Ideas runs 30 - 31 August at Sydney Opera House. Tickets available here.
A film about abstaining from alcohol probably shouldn't make its audience want a drink, but that's exactly what Ruben Guthrie does. On one hand, perhaps the desire to knock back the hard stuff after watching the film speaks to its intended commentary about Australia's booze-friendly culture. On the other, maybe it's just the natural reaction to a movie that is both slickly packaged and self-pitying. Either way, Ruben Guthrie doesn't let the topic of drinking wander far from anyone's minds, whether its titular advertising wunderkind (Patrick Brammall) is guzzling champagne then jumping off the roof of his waterside mansion — and breaking his arm when he almost misses the pool below — or talking about past benders at the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting his mother (Robyn Nevin) swiftly drags him to. Often, he's just arguing about his consumption, first with his disapproving model fiancée Zoya (Abbey Lee), who gives him an ultimatum to stop, and then with his enabling father (Jack Thompson), boss (Jeremy Sims) and best mate (Alex Dimitriades), who can't accept his hiatus from partying. Transitioning from yelling "let's get smashed!" to looking longingly at half-filled bottles, it's the kind of scenario that feels like art imitating life — or a movie adapting a theatre production that was inspired by real experiences more accurately, because that's what it is. Brendan Cowell turned his own attempt to get sober after a big binge into a play, and now fashions it into his first big-screen full-length directorial effort. As a character, Guthrie's aim — and Cowell's before him — is to get through a year without beer, wine, spirits and other tipples. That's clearly a difficult feat for the ad man in the film, made more so by the brash manner in which both the situation and everyone involved in it is depicted. Guthrie feels sorry for himself and seeks redemption, but his behaviour warrants little understanding in return. He lives large, then mopes and yells, with Brammall doing his best to simultaneously channel Cowell and bring nuance to the role. The supporting players, meanwhile, become little more than one-note reminders of Guthrie's conflicting urges. Of course, the constant Aussie fondness for a pint, glass or shot that Ruben Guthrie highlights proves an interesting subject; here, it's just treated a little too superficially, and further suffers when the movie tries to conjure up too much sympathy. Stagey dialogue and travelogue-like shots of Sydney don't add any depth, nor do routine scenes of debauchery contrasted with outdoor activities. Also missing is comedy that does anything more than try to wring laughs out of stating the obvious — as well as the more satirical tone of the play, which might've made the feature and its protagonist feel like a statement. Instead, this cinema cocktail is shaken in its ingredients and, in its final blend of hedonistic excess, garnished with sober navel-gazing. You'll need a stiff drink will wash away the aftertaste.
Big hits of nostalgia are scheduled for Chippendale this September, with a 90s-themed pop-up cinema heading to Central Park Mall. Located in Chippendale Green, the outdoor cinema will be screening all your fave good-timers from the 90s. You'll want to crack out your mum jeans and midriff tops for this. Every Thursday evening in September will see patrons taking a seat on the green, snagging a blanket and a set of headphones (it's a silent cinema affair) and settling in to relive their childhood sleepovers. Kicking off with the absolute banger that is Clueless, the lineup also includes Speed, 10 Things I Hate About You and Pretty Woman. Tickets are $10, and all moviegoers will also receive a $10 voucher to spend on dining in Central Park Mall. And, as well as helping you feel those sweet nostalgia throwback vibes, buying a ticket will, more importantly, support drought-affected farmers with all proceeds going to Rural Aid's Buy A Bale.
Weird food museums have plenty in common with everyone's favourite doughy Italian dish — there's a type for everyone, and no one can resist their charms. Quite a number exist around the world, celebrating everything from ramen to currywurst to jell-o, but the latest will revel in the deliciousness that is pizza. Who doesn't want to while away a few hours in a pizza cave, pizza fun house or at the pizza beach, then play some pizza games? No one, that's who. They're just some of the attractions on offer at the pizza-themed space, which is is popping up in New York at a yet-to-be-disclosed location. Like the city's other over-the-top ode to a food that everyone loves, aka the Museum of Ice Cream, it's a short-term affair, running from October 13 to 28. Other highlights include an artist's gallery, presumably showcasing plenty of ace pizza-making; an interactive exhibit exploring the history of pizza, as well as promising to tell the dish's untold story (if it reveals that pizza also tastes great cold, well, that's something that everyone knows); and something called 'pizza zen', which, if it's meditation involving pizza, we're sure everyone will be onboard with. There'll also be a pizza screening room — if you'd like to watch clips of pizza, perhaps? So far, few concrete details about what any of these attractions actually entail have been revealed, but they sure will involve pizza somehow. The Museum is being called an "artistic tribute to pizza", according to its website, while the event's ticketing listing describes it as "a place to take amazing photos" and "a space to bask in multi-sensory, psychedelic pizza joy." Expect Instagram to be overrun with pizza photos, basically. If you're wondering about actually eating pizza, yes, attendees will also get a slice with their $35 ticket, from a vendor outside the venue. But, as every pizza fiend knows, one piece is never enough, so "the Museum will do its best to make additional pizza available." Via Eater.
In these tumultuous modern times — these times of Pottermore, Fantastic Beasts spinoffs and The Cursed Child — it's comforting to be able to take it back to basics. Basics, here, meaning the score of the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone film played live by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. That's right — the SSO are taking us back to 2001 when the first of the eight Harry Potter filmscame out. It made us cringe (the acting — so bad but so good), marvel at how not hot Neville Longbottom was (boy, would we learn) and — most importantly — float away on a magical adventure thanks to the incredible score by John Williams. For two nights in April, you'll be able relive the magic all over again when the Sydney Opera House screen the film scored by a real, live orchestra in the Concert Hall. Maybe they'll release live owls! Maybe not because that would be chaos. Maybe they'll release live rats? Actually, absolutely not — we all know rats are secretly fat old criminals hiding from magical law enforcement and waiting for the Dark Lord to rise again (lookin' at you, Pettigrew). As you might imagine, tickets are selling like pumpkin pasties so get in quick or spend eternity griping about it like some Moaning Myrtle-type character.
There's never a bad day for oysters. Good thing it's almost certainly easier — and cheaper — to dine on them throughout May with The Boathouse Group's latest promotion. Serving up these coastal delights for $2 each all day, every day, eight of the group's venues are getting involved up and down the coastline. Made possible thanks to a partnership with East 33, a leading supplier of Sydney rock oysters, now is your chance to soak up the sun at Barrenjoey House in Palm Beach or settle in for a long lunch at Manly Pavilion. You might even opt for a day trip to The Boathouse Patonga or a leisurely stroll to The Boathouse Shelly Beach — an oyster feast is a worthy reward. Other venues serving these treasures of the sea for just $2 are The Mona Social, The Boathouse Balmoral, The Boathouse Rose Bay and The Boathouse North Wollongong. So, regardless of whether you're north or south of the city, indulging in cheap but quality oysters is made easy. Once you've ordered up a freshly shucked platter, all that's left to do is squeeze a little lemon and find the perfect drink to pair them with. Consider how much you're saving on the oysters, you wouldn't be blamed for splurging on a cocktail or two.
Everyone has seen a TV show about renovating homes, buying real estate, blitzing backyards and building dream houses, even if they're not your preferred kind of viewing. But no one has watched an entry in the home renovation genre quite like The Curse, a spoof arriving this spring that gets Emma Stone (Cruella) and Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal) playing a couple hosting their own home improvement series — and having some bad luck. Unsurprisingly, Fielder doesn't just star but also co-created, co-writes and co-directs. And, also to the astonishment of no one, the end result looks like far from your average series. A home makeover show, but eerie: that's the vibe in the just-dropped first teaser trailer for The Curse, complete with unsettling tunes to match. There's also Stone's opening line in the sneak peek at the ten-part series: "did you know you can put out fires with the sun?". Spoken with the cheery tone that's only ever used by people hosting TV shows, those 11 words are as disquieting as the score by the Safdie brothers' collaborator Oneohtrix Point Never. And, yes, not just the talent that made Good Time and Uncut Gems sound so unnerving but the sibling filmmakers behind them are also involved in The Curse. Benny Safdie (Oppenheimer) co-stars, co-created, co-writes and co-directs, with Josh Safdie an executive producer. Fielder and Stone play Asher and Whitney Siegel, who host a show on HGTV — American pay TV network Home & Garden Television — called Fliplanthropy. Newly married, they're trying to have a baby, but find their plans disrupted. Cue The Curse's title, obviously. [caption id="attachment_920385" align="alignnone" width="1920"] (L-R): Emma Stone as Whitney and Nathan Fielder as Asher in THE CURSE, Season 1. Photo Credit: Beth Garrabrant/A24/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.[/caption] Benny Safdie plays their producer, with Barkhad Abdi (Little America), Corbin Bernsen (White House Plumbers) and Constance Shulman (Search Party) also featuring. Like everything almost everything of late, it seems — Close, Beau Is Afraid, You Hurt My Feelings, Past Lives, smash-hit Australian horror movie Talk to Me, fellow TV series Beef, the return of iconic Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense to cinemas, the Nicolas Cage-starring Dream Scenario — The Curse hails from A24. In Australia, it'll stream from Saturday, November 11 via Paramount+. Check out the first teaser trailer for The Curse below: The Curse will stream from Saturday, November 11 via Paramount+. Images: Beth Garrabrant and John Paul Lopez/A24/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.
More than a quarter-century ago, a TV sitcom about six New Yorkers made audiences a promise: that it'd be there for us. And, as well as making stars out of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow, Friends has done just that. Sure, the hit series wrapped up its ten-season run in 2004, but the show has lived on — on streaming platforms, by sending an orange couch around Australia, by screening anniversary marathons in cinemas and in boozy brunch parties, for example. In news that was bound to happen someday — no pop culture entity truly comes to an end in these reboot, remake, revival and spinoff-heavy times — Friends is living on in a much more literal sense, too. First hinted at in 2019, officially confirmed in 2020 and just releasing its first teaser trailer (and announcing a US air date), the show is coming back for a reunion special on HBO's streaming platform HBO Max. Naturally, the whole gang is involved. Yep, it's 'The One Where They Get Back Together' — which is exactly how the trailer for Friends: The Reunion describes the special. That said, it's worth noting that the special is unscripted, which means that Aniston and company aren't literally stepping back into Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, Ross and Phoebe's and shoes. Instead, the actors behind the characters will chat about their experiences on the show — all on the same soundstage where Friends was originally shot. And, let's face it, the fact that they'll all be on-screen at the same time in the same place celebrating the series that so many folks love is probably enough for fans. Aniston, Cox and the gang will have a few other famous faces for company. More than a few, in fact. The guest list is hefty, and spans folks with connections to the show and others that must just love it — including David Beckham, Justin Bieber, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Elliott Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin and Mindy Kaling, as well as Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai. Initially slated to air last May — with those plans delayed due to the pandemic — the special will now stream via HBO Max in the US on Thursday, May 27. For folks Down Under, just when and where it'll surface hasn't yet been revealed; however, it's bound to be here for us sooner or later. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MedRN92V6lE Friends: The Reunion will be available to stream in the US via HBO Max on Thursday, May 27. It doesn't currently have an air date or streaming date Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced.
For screen fiends who spend their winters indoors at their favourite picture palaces, there's one surefire way to know that better weather has hit: the arrival of outdoor cinema season. When Sydney's chillier temperatures give way to sunny days and warm nights, the city's spaces set up plenty of openair big screens showing flicks. One such spot: The Rocks Laneway Cinema. As you might know from past runs, this film-loving pop-up sticks around for half the year, screening movies every Wednesday night — and for free. Across the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024, mark Wednesday, October 4—Wednesday, March 27 in your diary for a date on Atherden Street. Also, get ready for different monthly themes. First up: comedy classics in October, which is where Bridesmaids, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Anchorman and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me come in. Then, November will deliver five films that'll get you singing as part of its music strand: School of Rock, The Sapphires, Almost Famous, Pitch Perfect and Mamma Mia!. While exactly what'll be on the bill from there hasn't yet been unveiled, December will naturally showcase Christmas classics and January will capitalise upon vacation vibes with holiday road trip-inspired titles. Then, February will go with a summer of love focus — again, 'tis the season for it — while March is all about 80s favourites. Laneway Cinema's movies screen from 7pm each week — and although entry is free, bookings are recommended because seating is limited. Heading along also means helping a good cause, with the proceeds from every $2 bag of popcorn sold going to charity. The beneficiary changes monthly, too, with Beyond Blue receiving the funds in October, Support Act in November and the rest of the lineup to come. If you're the kind of cinemagoer that needs snacks and sips, the venues around laneway have plenty to eat and drink on offer. That means making a date with spots such as Caminetto Restaurant, P'Nut Street Noodles, El Camino Cantina and The Mercantile Hotel. Obviously, you'll need your wallet for whatever tempts your tastebuds. Images: Anna Kucera / Cassandra Hannagan.
The City of Sydney has voted unanimously to waive fees on outdoor dining for businesses until the end of June 2025. The inner-city council has poured a mountain of support into helping encourage al fresco dining and events in the wake of the pandemic, with $5.7 million worth of funding set aside for the project last year and a series of street parties popping up across The City of Sydney over the last 12 months. The extension of this initiative sees the fee waiver for outdoor dining permits continue for an additional two years, a review of the permit system and an investigation into areas that can be permanently extended into the road for increased outdoor dining. The two-year waving of permit fees will cost the council approximately $4 million in foregone revenue. "Waiving outdoor dining fees was one of the first things we did when the pandemic hit Sydney," said City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "We did this to make it easier for restaurants, bars, and cafes to operate while encouraging physical distancing. People have really embraced it, with participating businesses telling us they've taken on extra staff and seen increased patronage — a crucial aid to staying afloat in these difficult times." Moore cites a March survey that showed 91 percent of businesses participating in the outdoor dining program saw the initiative as crucial to the business and 39 percent had experienced a significant increase in turnover since the introduction of outdoor dining. Moore continues: "Having brunch with friends, a wine after work or grabbing a quick bite and watching the world go by are some of the best moments of urban life. Being able to shop, dine or drink on our footpaths and roadways makes it easier for us to enjoy those things and support local businesses in a COVID-safe way." Continuing this push for outdoor dining and events, a huge series of al fresco feasts are set to take over George Street next month. Titled Open for Lunch, the takeover of the bustling CBD area will see the likes of Merivale, YCK Laneways and Porteno's Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz hosting pop-ups throughout George Street. The City of Sydney has voted unanimously to waive fees on outdoor dining permits until the end of June 2025. Images: City of Sydney
It visited Melbourne in June and Brisbane in September, and now Australia's sweetest dessert museum is finally heading to Sydney. Called Sugar Republic and heading our way this February, the immersive pop-up brings sugary delights to folks with a sweet tooth, boasting an array of spaces filled with all things chocolate, confectionery and dessert-oriented. Taking over the sixth floor of Myer Sydney City, the Sydney pop-up features a huge bubblegum pink ball pit, a climbable candy rainbow, a sherbet-filled bridge and a life-sized gum ball machine (the sugary list goes on and on). You're also able to bask in nostalgia inside an old-school lolly shop, a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-inspired garden and a house made from cookies. It sounds like the kind of place that Willy Wonka might own. Throughout the colourful exhibition, you'll find many edible treats, including Hubba Bubba, Halo Top, Wizz Fizz, Skittles and Starbursts, and will be able to visit a Sugar Republic cafe, which will be serving up a whole host of sugary delights. Don't tell your dentist. Worried the installation will be filled with littlies? Thankfully, it's opening on Thursday and Friday nights for adults only — so you can jump in the pit without fear of crushing a small one. Sugar Republic will pop up on the sixth floor of Myer Sydney City from February 10, 2019, and run through until the end of April. It is open from 10am–6pm every day except Wednesday, and adults-only sessions will run from 6.30–8pm on Thursday and Friday nights. Images: Lucas Dawson and Sherbet Birdie Photography. Updated: April 9, 2019.
The wall reads in a large font, "do more of what makes you happy." Especially if that involves drinking coffee just a mere bagel's throw from the beach. Okay, guys. It's as good as done. Freshwater (the suburb formerly known as Harbord) used to be a sleepy little beachside village with waves that only surfers knew about and absolutely frothed at. Everyone else had no idea where it was. Unfortunately for locals, the secret is well and truly out. Not only is the beach a thousand times better than Manly could ever be, but it's now gotten just a little bit funky with the influx of so many young couples. There's Stowaway Bar, the dodgy-looking but loveable chicken 'n' chip shop, and now there's Cruise Espresso. Finally, Freshie is not just a place for old grannies. Cruise Espresso, sandwiched between a hairdresser's and video shop, is on the main drag (if you could call it that) of the village. There are vintage chairs outside to perch on, or rustic, long share tables with benches inside. And the best part about inside? There's air conditioning for those sweltering summer days. Although they serve Belgium hot chocolate/mochas ($4.5) or soy chai tea ($4.5), this is a coffee place. A large drip coffee glass display should clear up any misunderstandings. And the beans? African (exact location not specified), an Indian blend and an Indonesian variety (although can vary). On a hot summer's day, go for a refreshing Five Senses cold drip coffee ($5) served on ice. The vanilla bean affogato ($4) is likewise worth giving a red hot go to cool down with. The turquoise cups and saucers (which come with vintage tea spoons, including one with royals Camilla and Charles), pot plants, chunky wood pieces, flowers and mags to read if you're sipping solo make the place an Instagram hit. Owner Sam Gibson has really ticked all of the boxes. You can even do a prepay pick up order. Although it's all about the coffee, you can have a power ball ($3) or a few other sweet treats, organic maple granola with honey, yoghurt, blueberries, strawberries, passionfruit and banana ($12) or a bagel. Now, these are the Brooklyn Boy Bagels (aka artisan, hand-rolled and authentically boiled bagels), so you know you're in good hands. They're served four ways, but it's hard to go past the salmon, cream cheese, dill and capers ($9). A tip is to sit on the same side of the bench as your friends, otherwise you'll have to compete with the tunes. Because, as these guys say "life's too short to miss out on good company and even better coffee." It's hard to argue with that. This is one to head straight to, although don't ask the locals for their opinion. They'll tell you there's still nothing much going on in ol' Freshie. Why not go hang at Bondi or Manly, they say.
Sydney has scored a sweet newcomer bearing a hefty price tag — and it's located right across from Tumbalong Park and Darling Square. Next time you're heading to the expansive park or the ICC for an event, you can now pop in and grab a beer at the new multimillion-dollar pub Darling Pavilion. The latest venue from the hospitality group the team behind Universal, Newtown Hotel and The Imperial is bringing casual luxury to Harbour Street, boasting an elegant design from Dreamtime's interior designer Michael McCann (Mr Wong, China Diner and Felix) partnered with a relaxed atmosphere. Seating over 350 guests, Darling Pavilion's interiors consist of timber-covered ceilings, textured feature walls and copious amounts of natural light with spots of greenery littered throughout. Residing in the centre is an eye-catching 20-metre stone and marble bar— the focal point of the indoor space. Opt to unwind in the huge outdoor terrace and you'll discover the perfect spot to soak up some rays — the cosy lounges. Plus, there are custom-built DJ decks offering up live tunes to accompany you throughout the day and well into the night. "Darling Quarter holds fond memories for many Australians. It's great to see the whole area evolve with time and we're excited to introduce Darling Pavilion to the mix," says Jim Kospetas from Universal Hotels. Darling Pavilion's menu has been jointly curated by Head Chef Kyle Quy (ex-Nola Smokehouse, 2007 Young Chef of the Year Award winner) and Group Executive Chef Dean Sammut. Expect familiar pub favourites like the beloved schnitty and Neapolitan-style pizzas to dishes pulling inspiration from the Mediterranean. A few stellar options include the braised lamb shank and the mushroom and truffle pizza. Plus, there are tempting weekly lunch specials that are sure to draw you in for a midweek feed. Pair your meal with a drink — take a look at the pub's drinks offering and you'll find yourself spoilt for choice. The venue's signature artisanal cocktails — ranging from classics like the spicy margarita and a stiff negroni to seasonal sips like the fruity Oh Darling martini — reside alongside an array of beers and wines, catering to any sip you find yourself in the mood for. Whether you head in for a quick midday break or leisurely drinks after work, you're guaranteed to enjoy an elevated pub experience. You'll find Darling Pavilion at 1 Harbour Street, Sydney. It's open 10am–3am Monday–Sunday.
Broadbeach has never really had to work too hard to convince people to visit. The laidback vibes, excellent dining scene and ample swimming spots that give the suburb its name do most of the heavy lifting. But if you are a little harder to impress, the good people at Tourism and Events Queensland are rising to the challenge and cordially inviting you to plan a long weekend away to the Gold Coast for the annual Blues on Broadbeach festival that runs from Thursday, May 18 to Sunday, May 21. With 22 years of experience under its belt, the 2023 incarnation of Blues on Broadbeach will be the pay-off of a well oiled machine. And, while the organisers have had some time to fine-tune their ability to put on a stellar music festival that showcases authentic rhythm and blues music, this year's program could very well be their best yet. As well as a lineup of national and international artists performing across the precinct's multiple stages, streets and parks, the four-day-long fest will fold in a massive selection of restaurants, cafes and bars, and a host of accommodation options. Meaning you can stay right in the heart of the festival and enjoy live music at your actual doorstep. Kind of worried about blowing the budget? Fear not, because Blues on Broadbeach is one of Australia's largest free music festivals and it's generally non-ticketed, so you can just rock up and play it by ear (pardon both bad music-related puns). So, if you're heading in from interstate, set your Google alert to track flight prices and round up some mates. Otherwise, if Broadbeach is closer to home for you, take your time and pop in and out as you please. Either way, whether its your first pilgrimage to Blues on Broadbeach, or your 22nd, we're going to call it now and say it probably won't be your last. Blues on Broadbeach is on from Thursday, May 18 to Sunday, May 21, 2023. For further details, head to the website.
UPDATE, JUNE 23: First-release tickets for LEGO® CON have sold out. More tickets will be released on Friday, July 1. The winter school holidays are fast approaching, which means parents and caregivers Sydney-wide will be looking for ways to entertain the kids, ideally with activities that the adults in attendance can also get a kick out of. Here's one option that nails the brief. Following two years of online-only events, LEGO® CON is coming to Sydney this winter for a live weekend-long edition. The two-day event comes as The LEGO® Group celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, so expect a bumper celebration of all things brick with plenty to see, do and build. On July 9 and 10, little and big kids alike can make their way to Sydney Showground for a huge lineup of activities spanning the worlds across the full range including LEGO® City, LEGO® Friends, LEGO® DOTS, LEGO® Technic and more. And it goes without saying that a little construction is on the cards, too. Guests can create and play with a range of sets and help build a top-secret large-scale LEGO® project. LEGO® CON will also host the Sydney debut of the extremely impressive life-sized LEGO Technic™ McLaren Formula 1™ Race Car, most recently on display at the Australian Grand Prix. Kids are also invited to join a session of Build the Change, an inspiring conversation where little LEGO® lovers can share their hopes and dreams for the future. LEGO® CON takes place from July 9–10 at Sydney Showground (Hall 5). Entry is free, but registration is required to enter. For more info on the event and to register, head to the website.
UPDATE: June 24, 2020: Mid90s is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. The skate movie is having a moment and it's doing so in perfect style, gliding into cinemas one leisurely film at a time. After the all-girl antics of Skate Kitchen and the insightful small-town musings of Oscar-nominated documentary Minding the Gap, Mid90s is the latest picture to profess its love for the board — and to roll along casually while making a big impact. All three kickflip-filled flicks are hangout movies, spending their time with friends who are both shooting and riding the breeze. They're also coming-of-age films, following kids navigating the reality of watching their childhoods slip by. Crucially, they're all slice-of-life pictures too, because nothing conveys the sensation of ollying in and out of adolescence like feeling as though you're right there with them. Thirteen-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic) wants nothing more than to join the local skateboarding crew. It's not just the thrill of idling down Los Angeles roads that appeals to the quiet teen, but having somewhere to belong. Ray (Na-Kel Smith), Fuckshit (Olan Prenatt), Fourth Grade (Ryder McLaughlin) and Ruben (Gio Galicia) are all older, however they instantly become family — the family Stevie can escape to when his elder brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) is giving him grief and his single mum Dabney (Katherine Waterston) is sharing her stress. When the quintet aren't tearing up the streets, they're partying as if there's no tomorrow, although you can't skate through life without more than a few stumbles. As summer ticks by, Stevie and his pals bide their time at the resident Motor Avenue skate shop, cruise around empty schools and test their luck with neighbourhood girls. They mouth off to security guards, stay out past Stevie's curfew, generally avoid going home and get in scraps amongst themselves. While they're getting into trouble, they attempt to forget their troubles — and it's this to-and-fro that makes Mid90s bubble along. Watching rebellious kids trying to fix their worries by falling into other woes isn't new or novel, but it keeps popping up on screen because that's how childhood works. Making his directorial debut as well as picking up his first scriptwriting credit, Jonah Hill understands this. In his hands, Mid90s is both an affectionate teenage dream and a devastatingly real reflection of youth struggles, tussles and hardships. As a filmmaker, Hill has two tricks up his sleeve: nostalgia and naturalism. They mightn't seem to be the most obvious combination, but the pair fit together like wheels sliding onto a set of skateboard trucks. Hill mightn't have strictly lived the same existence as Stevie and the gang, but he directs this blast from the past like someone who's been there, seen it all and knows exactly how every second of his film really feels. With his square-shaped frames, he serves up images so vivid that they could be memories. With his clear-eyed view, he doesn't shy away from the grit and grease that lingers behind even the happiest moments. Hill isn't just looking back fondly at his younger days. Rather, he's trying to capture the feeling of being a shy kid entering a new world and learning what getting older actually means. To do so, he needs the painstaking detail — the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sheets, Super Nintendo consoles, and the sounds of 'Kiss From a Rose', 'Pony' and 'Wave of Mutilation' — as well as the picture's stripped-bare performances. Hedges and Waterston might be Mid90s' biggest names, other than its director, but this movie is all about Suljic (The House with a Clock in Its Walls) and his first-timer co-stars. When Hill lets the camera sit and watch Stevie try trick after trick (and endure fall after fall) on his driveway, determination and desperation written across Suljic's face, that's Mid90s' heart. When the film roves around with the group, peering on as they do little more than skate away the hours with unbridled authenticity, that's Mid90s' oh-so-relatable soul. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoPYppF_e5c
Chat Thai is the worst kept secret amongst us Thai people living in Sydney. With a focus on Thai street food and dishes that are meant to be for Thai palates only, Chat Thai was meant to be a Thai person's Thai restaurant. But when you do the mainstay favorites pretty well, and at very, very reasonable prices, it's inevitable that the cat will get out of the bag. If you want to try something new, sample the yen ta for ($10.90, lunch menu only), a radioactively pink vinegary soup, served with very thick rice noodles, garnished with fried wonton triangles, fried soft tofu, blood jelly and your choice of animal (pork, chicken, beef, seafood). For those who are less adventurous, the chilli fried rice ($14), padt si-ew ($13) or ki mao ($13) are excellent. Chat Thai has 5 varieties of som dtum (green papaya salad), which personifies the balance between the salty, sweet, sour and spicy elements Thai cuisine has become known for. This dish is often the yard stick for how Thai people rate a restaurant as the authentically complex flavors require expert mortar and pestle technique, knowing how to obtain a balance from the strong flavours. For the uninitiated start with the som dtum thai ($12) and venture onto the pickled crab or fermented fish variants ($13) when feeling brave. Also remember to specify your level of spiciness because the default is often too hot for most. To drink, it would be hard not have Thai milk tea ($4), but Chat Thai has turned Thai people's love of Yakult (yes, the probiotic drink) into an ice blend ($5) which is embarrassingly hard to resist. Located across from the Capitol Theatre, the open desert kitchen welcomes you in, with the bare brick walls covered with crayon artwork by a famous Thai comedian. If you've arrived during the dinner rush hour expect to be waiting at least 45 minutes or longer for a table; try and get in early and they might be able to offer you dishes still made from the lunch menu as well.
This April, we were titillated with news of an upcoming collaboration, a long spanning art exhibition hitting Sydney in the coming years. The National: New Australian Art is a home-grown exhibition rolling out in 2017, 2019 and 2021 (all off-Biennale of Sydney years) and will feature a coordinated exhibition across the city's major institutions: the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Carriageworks and the Museum of Contemporary Art. It's some of the best news the contemporary Aussie art scene has had in years — and they've just announced the lineup for 2017. Artists across the three venues have been curated thematically and, obviously and wonderfully, they're all Australian. The AGNSW is focusing on art developed from field research or archival footage, grounded in history and featuring many Indigenous artists. Carriageworks is taking a more introspective view, curating their exhibition around self and relationships, with a focus on collaborative work. And the MCA is zooming in further still for its contribution, exploring iterative issues through time and their motifs. They've released an artist list but at this stage it's not clear where each artist will be exhibiting, only that the lineup is packed with potential. Exhibiting artists for 2017 include: Khadim Ali, Zanny Begg, Richard Bell, Gordon Bennett, Chris Bond and Wes Thorne, Matthew Bradley, Gary Carsley, Erin Coates, Megan Cop,e Karla Dickens, Atlanta Eke, Emily Floyd ,Heath Franco, Marco Fusinato, Gunybi Ganambarr, Alex Gawronski, Ghenoa Gela, Agatha Gothe-Snape, Julie Gough Alan Griffiths, Dale Harding, Taloi Havini, Gordon Hookey, Ronnie van Hout, Helen Johnson, Jess Johnson, Richard Lewer, Peter Maloney, Nicholas Mangan, Karen Mills, Archie Moore, Claudia Nicholson, Tom Nicholson, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Nell, Rose Nolan, Raquel Ormella, Alex Martinis Roe, Stieg Persson, Elizabeth Pulie, Khaled Sabsabi, Yhonnie Scarce, Keg de Souza, Simon Ward, Justene Williams, Jemima Wyman and Tiger Yaltangki. The National: New Australian Art will hit the Art Gallery of New South Wales from March 30 – July 16 2017, Carriageworks from March 30 – June 25 2017, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia from March 30 – June 18 2017. Entry is free to all exhibitions.
All too often the staggering numbers behind global atrocities render them abstract and untouchable — a regrettable yet perhaps unavoidable reduction of human suffering into statistics. We know this of war, famine and poverty, and sadly now the scale of human sex trafficking places it squarely on that same list. Recent UN estimates place the number of women and children being trafficked every year for the purposes of forced prostitution, labour and other forms of exploitation at anything between 700,000 and 4 million. Human trafficking has been identified as the fastest growing and second-most lucrative form of organised crime in the world (after drug trafficking), with annual profits for the illegal activity now exceeding $9 billion. It is a terrifying, escalating and global violation that undoubtedly merits greater awareness than is currently being afforded. So enters director Larysa Kondracki and her confronting debut film, The Whistleblower. The movie tells the 'based on true events' tale of Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz), an American police officer who moved to Bosnia following the war in 1999 as a UN peacekeeper. Bolkovac's intelligence and determination quickly saw her promoted to Head of the UN's Gender Office, where she learned not only of the rampant sex trafficking trade around her but also of the shocking involvement by her fellow peacekeepers, UN workers and international police under the veil of diplomatic immunity. What follows are Bolkovac's dogged attempts to rescue as many of these victims as possible while exposing the UN's involvement and bringing those responsible to bear. Interwoven with Bolkovac's story is the tale of a hapless Ukrainian teenager named Raya (Roxana Condurache), whose horrific experiences remind us of the uncomfortable humanity within this most inhumane practice. Much like the girl in the red coat from Schindler's List, Kondracki uses Raya as a singular device to symbolise the wider plight of the faceless masses for both Weisz's character and the audience in a terrifying and tragic fashion. Together they encounter widespread corruption, corporate indifference, intimidation and unspeakable violence in the midst of a disturbing and baffling moral vacuum. Ultimately, The Whistleblower falls short of the standard one might expect from such a powerful true story and talented cast, though thankfully its subject matter (and Weisz's performance) will ensure it finds an audience. The screenplay in particular, which Kondracki also wrote, periodically stumbles under structural flaws, and the film's title rather clumsily negates the overall narrative suspense. Weisz, however, is at once fearless and impressive in her portrayal of Bolkovac, and she's capably (if not far too briefly) assisted by Vanessa Redgrave, David Strathairn and Monica Bellucci in supporting roles. If nothing else (and there's definitely 'else'), The Whistleblower offers an uncompromising look into the disturbing world of human trafficking and demonstrates the entirely preventable side to it, if only people are prepared to stand up and act. If you're interested in learning more about the problem, along with ways to become involved, check out the amazing Aussie not-for-profit Project Futures and their terrific Stella Fella campaign. https://youtube.com/watch?v=DSc3An5YYMQ
2024's working year might've only just begun, but it's already time to book in a big overseas holiday. Put in that leave request ASAP. Block out your calendar. Bust out your suitcase, too, and make sure your passport is up to date. Your destination: the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, because Coachella is back for 2024 with a characteristically impressive roster of acts. Mark Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 14 and Friday, April April 19–Sunday, April 21 in your diaries — including if you you're just keen to check out the livestream. (Remember, Coachella was livestreaming its sets long before the pandemic.) The full bill is a jaw-dropper, as usual, with Lana Del Rey headlining the Friday nights, Tyler, The Creator doing the Saturday nights and Doja Cat on Sunday nights. Also, the reunited No Doubt are on the bill, but without a set day so far. Also hitting the stage: a stacked array of acts that also spans everyone from Blur, Ice Spice, J Balvin and Peso Pluma to Sabrina Carpenter, Grimes, Lil Yachty and Flight Facilities. Whether you're after new tunes, the biggest music names right now or dripping nostalgia, it's on offer at Coachella 2024. Anyway, let's be honest, you haven't truly read any of those words — you'll be wanting this: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) For music lovers planning to watch along from home, Coachella will once again team up with YouTube to livestream the festival. That's no longer such a novelty in these pandemic times but, given the calibre of Coachella's lineup, it's still a mighty fine way to spend a weekend. For those eager to attend in-person, you can signup for access to tickets over at the festival's website — with pre-sales starting at 11am PT on Friday, January 19 (aka 5am AEST/6am AEDT on Saturday, January 20). At the time of writing, the festival advises that best bet for passes is the second weekend. Coachella 2024 runs from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 14 and Friday, April April 19–Sunday, April 21 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Find out more information and register for tickets at coachella.com — with pre-sales starting at 11am PT on Friday, January 19 (aka 5am AEST/6am AEDT on Saturday, January 20). Top image: Casey via Wikimedia Commons.
One of Sydney's oldest hotels has undergone a lavish refurbishment — so the next time you head over to The Strand Hotel, it'll look a little different. Following a revamp in September, the heritage pub now boasts a brand-new look and a refreshed menu. At the helm of its revival is culinary talent Clayton Wells — Automata's previous Head Chef and co-owner and now PUBLIC Group's Creative Culinary Director, with Leigh McDivitt on Head Chef duties. The ground floor, now know as the Strand Bistrothèque, has undergone a contemporary design update with reflective black ceiling paired with eccentric art prints and pops of colour with inviting green velvet couches placed throughout the space. As for the menu, the relaxed French cuisine now takes a less-is-more approach while pairing unexpected flavour combinations. Highlights include the chicken liver parfait eclair accompanied by maraschino cherry and cacao, as well as a soufflé heroing gruyere cheese. "The food is a combination of my own cooking style of traditional French techniques and a nose-to-tail approach. When you find the quality produce that our farmers are passionate about sharing, you need very little interference from chefs to make the dish sing," said Leigh McDivitt. [caption id="attachment_922027" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The wonderful chicken liver parfait eclairs[/caption] For sips, the ground floor offers a cocktail menu from the globally-renowned Maybe Sammy crew and a wine list that has been carefully curated by P&V's Mike Bennie. To top it off, the Strand Bistrothèque hosts weekly live music gigs. [caption id="attachment_922023" align="alignnone" width="1920"] (The Strand Hotel's Head Chef Leigh McDivitt & PUBLIC Group's Creative Culinary Director Clayton Wells.)[/caption] As for the rooftop bar, the openair space has been relaunched as a French and Mediterranean fusion called Kasbah. Balearic tunes accompany the cosy terracotta lounges, luxe Persian rugs and vibrant patterned tiling, which draw inspiration from Marrakesh's pastel tones. For bites, Kasbah serves French and Moroccan-inspired fusion cuisine in the form of grazing plates to the tune of ginger, turmeric and coriander spiced tiger prawns. To pair, there's an array of Mediterranean-leaning cocktails like The Silk Road and Ficus and a short offering of natural wines. "Leigh and the team have the expertise to provide a renewed experience in food and service across Strand Bistrothèque and Kasbah upstairs on the rooftop," said Wells."You'll be able to make your day or night whatever you want it to be at The Strand." Head to 99 William Street, Darlinghurst, to check out the new and improved pub. For further information and operating hours, head to The Strand Hotel's website. Image credit: Parker Blain
Suitcases at the ready, eager travellers: your dream Japanese getaway is back on. After two-and-a-half years of border restrictions due to COVID-19, the nation will fully reopen to individual international tourists from Tuesday, October 11 — and you won't need to book a package through a travel agency, or abide by the country's pandemic-era visa restrictions, to enjoy your holiday. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the news on Thursday, September 22 US time during a trip to New York, The Japan Times and Nikkei Asia reported. "We are a nation that has flourished through the free flow of people, goods and capital," the Japanese Prime Minister advised at a press conference at the New York Stock Exchange, as per Reuters. "COVID-19, of course, interrupted all of these benefits, but from October 11 Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US, as well as resume visa-free travel and individual travel," he said. That means that visitors to Japan will be able to make their own travel arrangements — a huge change to the current rules, even though requirements were only altered recently. Until May, the country was closed to international tourists. Then, the Japanese government started trialling in letting strictly controlled package tours, including with Australian tourists. Next, in early June, it broadened those entry requirements to allow in visitors from a heap of nations under the same rules. And, since early September, it has permitted travellers, including from Down Under, to make the journey even when they aren't on guided tours, as long as they have organised their flights and accommodation through a travel agency. From October 11, dropping the visa requirement applies to visitors from nations that weren't required to obtain tourist visas before the pandemic — including from Australia and New Zealand. So, in several ways, heading to Japan will return to the pre-COVID-19 status quo. Japan is also ditching its daily cap on international arrivals, which is currently set at 50,000, on the same date. The timing is fantastic for Studio Ghibli fans eager to make a date with the animation house's upcoming theme park — which opens on Tuesday, November 1. Desperate to hit up a Super Nintendo theme park, too? Always wanted to walk across Shibuya's famous scramble crossing? Keen to sing karaoke in a ferris wheel — or simply eat and drink your way around all the ramen joints and izakayas possible? This is supremely welcome news for you as well. Japan's new border rules will come into effect on Tuesday, October 11. For further details about visiting Japan and its border restrictions, head to the Government of Japan website. Via The Japan Times / Nikkei Asia / Reuters.
Sydneysiders, if you're currently reading this from somewhere dry, warm and cosy, we suggest that you keep it that way for the time being. After an extremely wet few days, more downpours are expected until Tuesday, March 23, with the city likely to more than double its usual average March rainfall in just a six-day period. In the 24 hours to 9am today, Sunday, March 21, a whopping 110.4 millimetres of rain was measured at Sydney's Observatory Hill. To put that figure in context, Sydney's average rainfall for the entirety of March is 131.6 millimetres — so the city fell just shy of the entire monthly average in just a single day. Up to 130 millimetres of rain is forecast for the city between today and Tuesday, too, which means that the city faces another month's worth of rain in just the next three days. The torrents of water streaming from the sky started on Thursday, March 18, with 54.4 millimetres of rain measured at Sydney's Observatory Hill in the 24 hours to 9am on Friday, March 10. That was followed by 47.6 millimetres until 9am on Saturday, March 20. Another 15–30 millimetres is forecast for the rest of Sunday, between 25–50 is expected on Monday and between 35–50 is predicted for Tuesday. At a press conference today, BOM Senior Climatologist Agata Imielska confirmed that "over the last 24 hours, we have seen very large rainfall totals are across the Greater Sydney area into the Hunter and mid-north coast. That rainfall will continue". https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1373423963334963205 This isn't any old wet weather. The Bureau of Meteorology warned midweek that heavy falls were expected and, on Friday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian asked residents across the city and state to stay close to home over the weekend due to the downpour. A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall and potential flooding was issued for Sydney on Saturday morning, and currently remains in place. Yesterday, Premier Berejiklian also called the current conditions a "deep-seated, extreme weather event" — as a result not only of the huge amounts of rain across the state, but also flooding along the mid-north coast. Elsewhere, the Parramatta River has once again broken its banks, flooding the proposed Powerhouse Museum site as it did in 2020. A mini-tornado hit Chester Hill on Saturday, too. And, Sydney's Warragamba Dam — the city's main water source — has also spilled over, starting on Saturday afternoon. Some areas in Sydney's northwest were also ordered to evacuate overnight due to rain levels in the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley area. BOM Flood Operations Manager Justin Robinson said today that "at Penrith, we are expecting river levels at Penrith to be levels near the 1961 flood. To give you some context, that is bigger than the February 2020 flood. It is bigger than the 1988 flood. It is bigger than the 1990 flood, and it is bigger than the 1964 flood — it is one of the biggest floods we are likely to see for a very long time". At the same press conference, Imielska advised that "over the next 12-24 hours, the focus will be on the mid-north coast once again". But, in some good news, "Wednesday is when we are expecting to see a proper break in the weather. There will still be a shower or two, a bit of activity, but significantly lighter rainfall. Wednesday will be the first day when we could see a bit of reprieve across the state". If you do need to head out in Sydney while the current conditions continue, don't forget to pack your umbrellas and raincoats, and to be safe in general. And, as usual with potential flooding, the SES recommends you don't walk, drive or ride your bike through flood water. As the weather conditions continue to develop, stay up to date with the latest forecast and weather warnings via the Bureau of Meteorology and the NSW State Emergency Service.
Most years, the arrival of winter heralds more than just colder weather for Sydney's cinephiles. When June hits, so too does the Sydney Film Festival, unleashing hundreds of movies upon the city's cinemas. By now, we all well and truly know that little has been normal about the past 12 months, so SFF has been adjusting with the times. In 2020, it cancelled its physical event completely, opting for a virtual-only festival instead. This year, it's planning to come back as an in-person fest; however, it'll be doing so a bit later than normal. Movie buffs, you'd best block out the last couple of weeks of August in your diary, because that's when SFF will be starting up the projectors. The 2021 event will now take place from Wednesday, August 18–Sunday, August 29, so you'll be ending winter by running between cinemas and watching as many films as you can, rather than beginning it that way. While Sydney's COVID-19 case numbers have remained under control for the past month or so — on Sunday, February 14, New South Wales marked 28 consecutive days without any locally acquired cases, in fact — that hasn't been the situation overseas. Accordingly, it's hardly business as usual at big international festivals such as Berlinale and Cannes. After completely cancelling last year, the latter has postponed its 2021 dates from May to July. SFF typically programs a number of brand new titles straight from Cannes, so moving to the end of August allows it to keep accessing the kind of big-name flicks that'll premiere at the French event. If you're the type of cinephile who pays attention to Australia's nationwide festival scene — and travels interstate to keep getting your movie fix — you might've noticed that SFF's new dates overlap with the Melbourne International Film Festival's regular August timing. MIFF also hopped online in 2020, and has announced August 5–22 as its 2021 dates. Whether that'll change, or if diehard film fans will find themselves picking which fest to attend (or zipping from one to the other), is obviously yet to be seen. The 2021 Sydney Film Festival is now scheduled to take place from Wednesday, August 18–Sunday, August 29. For further details, head to the festival's website.
There's something rather cool about being ahead of the curve when it comes to cinema; watching the latest and greatest flicks unfold on silver screen well before anyone else. Well, at Flickerfest Short Film Festival you can do just that. Yep, break out the popcorn, the internationally acclaimed festival is back at Bondi Pavilion from Friday, January 11 to Sunday, January 20, and there's a swag of world premieres on the bill. This year, the folks at Flickerfest received 2700 entries from more than 100 countries around the world, making the 2019 program a real doozy. Around 200 creative and inspiring shorts will screen throughout the ten-day festival, with a whopping 47 percent of films directed by women. Standout shorts from the homegrown lineup include Desert Dash — a film written, directed and starring formidable Australian artist Gracie Otto, which questions what life would be like in the Aussie outback if it was all just a game (spoiler: it's slightly twisted) — and the Australian premiere of Ghost Bear, a touching animation for kids by comedic heavyweight and Flickerfest alumnus Paul McDermott (that funny guy from Good News Week). The international program is as equally impressive, featuring a host of humdingers from our overseas friends. See Wes Anderson's favourite frontman Jason Schwartzman in a Norwegian comedy To Plant a Flag or dive into a gripping French drama about a ballerina navigating her dark and complicated life, starring renowned French actress Catherine Deneuve. But it's not all fun and games — the selected films are vying for various Academy-accredited awards, including Best International Film, Best Animation and Best Australian Film. And after the ten-day festival is done and dusted, the top flicks will hit the road, stopping off at more than 50 destinations across Australia, for an annual tour between January and May. To see the full Flickerfest 2019 program and grab tickets, head to the website. Plus, we've got ten double passes to give away. Enter with your details below, cinephiles. [competition]702377[/competition]
Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art might temporarily be closed at present, but it's now streaming one of its most luminous and spectacular installations once a week — and for the entire night. Spectra, by Roiji Ikeda, is a 15-kilometre-tall tower of beaming white light that stands over the city's skyline. The tower is powered by 49 custom-made search lights that illuminate the Hobart sky, accompanied by music specially curated for the exhibit, and can be seen from home up to 100 kilometres away. Every Saturday from sunset, MONA is live streaming the installation, which has been a permanent centrepiece for the museum since 2018. Each weekly stream will run all through the evening, finishing at sunrise on Sunday. Here are all twelve hours of last week's live-stream: [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16071&v=QewCcg_E44g&feature=emb_logo[/embed] It might be a while until we can start travelling and witnessing enchanting sights like this one again, but this initiative by MONA will bring some of the magic of Hobart straight to your home in the interim. Image: MONA/Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Theatre lovers, prepare for a busy 2017. Belvoir has revealed their next season — and whether you're keen to see the newest productions, witness welcome returns once again treading the company's boards or check out a few old favourites, there's something in the lineup for all stage aficionados. When it comes to the former in Artistic Director Eamon Flack's second year in charge, his own directorial efforts rank among the most exciting announcements. Based on a 1677 play by Aphra Behn, a contemporary of Shakespeare who is widely considered the first woman to make a successful career from playwriting, The Rover is a battle of the sexes comedy that also brings actor Toby Schmitz back to Belvoir. And for something completely different, Ghosts revives Henrik Ibsen's revered work, as well as the creative team behind 2014's acclaimed The Glass Menagerie. Next on the must-see list is Anne Washburn's Mr Burns, a Post-Electric Play — and yes, the title of the post-apocalyptic musical extravaganza is a reference to The Simpsons' character. It follows a troupe of wanderers acting out classic episodes of the animated sitcom we all know and love, and comes to Sydney from New York's Playwrights Horizons, as does performance artist Taylor Mac's new take on a dysfunctional family play, Hir. Falling into the reunions category is Mark Colvin's Kidney, which is set in the world of phone hacking and marks the long-awaited re-teaming of Holding the Man's Tommy Murphy and David Berthold. As far as new stagings of beloved productions are concerned, prepare for an encore of The Dog / The Cat, the rom-com two-parter penned by Brendan Cowell and Lally Katz that's not just for pet owners. And that's not all, with all-ages fave Jasper Jones returns after opening the 2016 season. Given that a film based on Craig Silvery's best-selling novel is also due to hit cinemas next year, the timing couldn't be better. For audiences keen to experience the rest of the program, 2015 Brisbane Festival thriller Prize Fighter aims to knock out crowds down south, actor and playwright Katie Beckett embarks on a road trip in Which Way Home, and Guru of Chai tells the tale of a tea-seller in a story that's loosely based on an Indian fairytale. Tom Ballard will also be stopping by to give a comedic lecture about the history, cost and future of Australia's asylum seeker and immigration policies, former Australian Idol winner Casey Donavan stars in Barbara and the Camp Dogs, and Lally Katz pops up again with the personal exploration Atlantis, as directed by Girl Asleep helmer Rosemary Myers. Yep, expect to spend a whole heap of the next year at Belvoir. To see the full Belvoir 2017 program and to book tickets, visit the Belvoir website. Images: Daniel Boud.
Legendary French choreographer François Chaignaud is coming to Australia for the first time, and he’s bringing with him his whizz-bang work Dumi Moyi, created in collaboration with French fashion designer Romain Brau. The show is inspired by the monumental costumes and transformative power of traditional religious dances performed in Malabar, India. But it also draws on 19th-century dime theatre, various mythologies and contemporary aesthetics. And the music is a giddying multicultural blend of Ukrainian, Filipino and Sephardic rhythms. Despite this ambitious range of influences, Dumi Moyi is intended for intimate performance. So Carriageworks is opening its Elston Room for the occasion, where audiences can stand in proximity to the dancers. Only 40 tickets will be available per show. Since the work premiered at the 2013 Montpellier Danse Festival, it has appeared in galleries, basements and a chapel. At Carriageworks, it’ll be performed several times a day, allowing viewers to make return visits. Chaignaud is renowned all over the world for exciting, innovative choreography. His previous projects include a giant dance party at New York City's The Kitchen, the transformation of the Tate Modern into a live performance museum and a history of grim music performed at London's Sadler's Wells.
Earlier this year, long-time Opera House tenant Guillaume Brahimi announced that he and his team at fine dining restaurant Guillaume at Bennelong would be leaving the Opera House, after 12 years, a three-hat rating and over half a million guests. Now, Brahimi has announced the location of his next venture — a brand new Paddington restaurant set to open around Easter in 2014, simply titled guillaume. Brahimi and his team — which includes head chef Jose Silva and head sommelier Chris Morrison — will say their final goodbyes to the Opera House on New Year's Eve before moving into the site previously occupied by Darcy's restaurant in Paddington. Brahimi’s previous ventures have included Pond in Potts Point, Quay and his two existing Bistro Guillaume restaurants at the Crown Casinos in Melbourne and Perth. guillaume will continue focusing on the type of food Guillaume at Bennelong was famous for — high quality, produce-driven fine dining.
Nestled up a set of stairs overlooking Surry Hills' Bourke Street, you'll now find the light-filled hair studio that's home to Marc & Maxwell. It's the work of internationally trained duo Sabrina Maxwell and Marc Armstrong, who together boast over three decades of senior salon experience as colourists and stylists. The boutique salon offers the full spectrum of cutting, blow-drying, colouring and treatment services, with cuts for women starting from $120 and for men from $95 — each including a full personalised consultation. Touches of polished concrete and exposed brick lend an urban chic feel, and soaring French windows offer the sort of natural light and leafy outlook you might expect if you were sitting in a treehouse. Here, you're invited to reconnect with your best self (and your best-ever hair), in a setting that's stylish, yet relaxed and unfussy. [caption id="attachment_816058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Owners Sabrina Maxwell and Marc Armstrong.[/caption]
If December to you means luminous festive decorations, then simply driving through your neighbourhood can be a jolly good time. Wherever you look, there just might be a glowing set of Christmas lights sharing its seasonal merriment and brightening up the suburban streets. Of course, these lit-up displays really shouldn't cause such a fuss. They pop up everywhere every year, after all, and we're all well and truly aware of how electricity works. But twinkling bulbs are just so hard to resist when it's the happiest portion of the calendar. Perhaps you're a casual Christmas lights fan, and you're completely fine just checking out whichever blazing displays you happen to pass in your travels. Maybe you have a few tried-and-tested favourite spots, and you return to them every year. Or, you could want to scope out the best and brightest seasonal-themed houses and yards. Whichever category you fall into, an Australian website called Christmas Lights Search is likely to pique your interest. [caption id="attachment_882324" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Donaldytong via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Christmas Lights Search is as nifty and handy as its name suggests, covering festive displays all around the country. To locate all the spots that you should head to, it's as easy as entering your postcode or suburb — or those of places nearby — and letting the site deliver the relevant options. Plus, it also rates the lights displays, if you want to either go big or stay home. It's also constantly being updated, so, like the best combos of glowing trees, sparkling bulbs and oversized Santas, you might want to check it out more than once. [caption id="attachment_882325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] When you pick an individual address listed on the site, you'll be greeted with some key information, too. The level of detail varies per listing, but expect to potentially peruse photos, the ideal hours to swing by, a date range and a description of what's on offer. All that's left is to get searching, plot out where you'll be heading every night between now and Christmas Eve, and get ready to see oh-so-many reindeer, candy canes and snowmen. To find festive displays near you, head to the Christmas Lights Search website.
Sydney's back in lockdown. This time the Greater Sydney region will be restricted to their houses for at least the next two weeks. As a result, bars, cafes and restaurants are required to shut their doors to dine-in customers — so they're adapting by beefing up their takeaway options, launching new delivery meals and even creating boozy care packages. That means that you can put down that fifth can of Aldi tuna and pick up the phone, knowing you'll be doing a local business a solid while also getting to eating a tasty, fancy, succulent meal. Here, we'll keep you updated on all the restaurant-quality eats you can order takeaway, or have delivered to your doorstep. [caption id="attachment_697657" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bella Brutta by Kitti Smallbone[/caption] TAKEOUT ONLY Al Aseel (Penrith, Castle Hill, Greenacre and Castle Hill) Lebanese eatery Al Aseel is offering Feed the Family meal deals and a special $25 lunch feast across all its stores during lockdown. Th epickup inly deal features shish tawook, laham and kafta mishwi, grilled Lebanese bread, garlic dip, hot chips, salad and a drink. Arthur (Surry Hills) The fine-diner has launched Arthur To-Go, with different meals available each night. The meal comes with a dessert and include the likes of pork and mushroom lasagne with truffle bechamel or black Angus beef short rib tacos. Avi's Kantini (Newtown) The Bank's new Middle Eastern-inspired eatery is launching a new takeaway service with housemade dips, fried kofta and sesame fried chicken pita. The King Street eats are available 5–9pm Wednesday–Friday and midday–9pm Saturday and Sunday. Bar Suze (Surry Hills) Surry Hill's newest spot for a tipple of wine or next-level bar snack, Bar Suze, has transformed into a fish and chip shop over lockdown. On the takeaway menu you'll find beer battered flathead, fried halloumi, crumbed sardines and a crispy fish sandwich. Browse the menu here and call or text 0431 180 389 to preorder. Bella Brutta (Newtown) The inner west spot is now serving up all its pizza, cured meats, tiramisu and coffee via takeaway. To sweeten the deal, its offering specials takeaway specials including two pizzas and four cans of Grifter for $60. Check out the menu and order online over here. Bella Vista Hotel (Bella Vista) This north-west Sydney Hotel is going all out to help out during lockdown. Not only is it offering cocktails and woodfire pizza for pickup daily, it's also launching a drive-thru warehouse with a bunch of food and drink goodies and running a two-day drive-thru food truck festival on Friday, July 2 and Saturday, July 3 with burgers, Greek street food, waffles and chips on a stick. Bibo Wine Bar (Double Bay) The Double Bay bar is now a two-person snack box featuring smoked mackerel pate, mushroom rissois, meats and cheese for $60, as well as a range of mains and desserts takeaway. Pick up only — full menu and details on how to order over here. Bistrot 916 (Potts Point) The French bistro is improving lockdown with the Burger 916. Swing by Potts Point from 4pm each day to grab one, however be quick as the burger is limited to 50 per day. Pre-orders are available by calling 916 766 67. Catalina (Rose Bay) Catalina has brought back its popular at-home seafood boxes, family feasts and cocktails. To order a lobster box, lamb rack or signature Catalina cocktail from home, contact the venue on 9371 0555. Calita, Carbon, Taqiza and Sonora (Bondi and Potts Point) These four Mexican restaurants are all offering the same wild taco and margarita special throughout lockdown. Across all four venues you can order the fiesta for two, four or a bottomless fiesta. Each comes with guac, corn, tacos, quesadillas and between 500m millilitres and five litres of margarita. Chiswick (Woolahra) This Woolahra favourite is offering a selection of its winter menu for takeaway. While the experience isn't the same as sitting in Chiswick's sun-soaked and greenery-filled dining room, you can still make the most of the garden herb roasted chicken or the slow-roasted lamb shoulder with pumpkin and mint from home. Dear Sainte Eloise (Potts Point) This Potts Point wine bar is reinventing itself as a bottle shop and takeaway restaurant with a special lockdown menu available 12–8pm daily. Browse the menu which includes an angus beef burger with blue cheese and truffle, black pepper fried chicken and a whole bunch of discounts of wines. DOC (Surry Hills) Surry Hills' newest kid on the block, DOC is offering its full menu for takeaway 5–9pm, Tuesday–Saturday. You can view the menu and order online. [caption id="attachment_810487" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Avi's Kantini[/caption] The Foxtrot Inn (Crows Nest) This Crows Nest cocktail bar is pouring craft beer growlers for $24–30, offering 30 percent off beer and wine, and serving up a takeaway food menu featuring $8 jaffles packed with bolognese or chicken curry. Find all the details on Instagram. Good Fella Coffee (Bella Vista) This north-west Sydney cafe is still serving its best-in-the-west coffee and bagels as well as takeaway Grifter for any craft beer lovers out west. North Bondi Nami (Bondi) North Bondi Fish has transformed into this Japanese pop-up bar and restaurant for winter. During lockdown its offering takeaway including a lockdown pack that includes two bowls of ramen, prawn gyoza and a half-litre bottled cocktail for $88. Suss the menu out here. Nomad (Surry Hills) Surry Hills favourite Nomad is brining fine dining into your home with a series of at-home banquets for two. Think black truffle and three-cheese croquettes or veal meatballs with wood-roasted tomato. Each day there are limited banquets so it's best to preorder. Pub Life Kitchen (Ultimo) After closing down in 2017, Pub Life Kitchen returned this year and it brought its iconic burgers back with it. There's a full menu of favourites available for pickup from the bottom of The Lord Wolseley Hotel. To preorder, call 0467 644 434. Public House Petersham (Petersham) The sunny neighbourhood pub is turning into a pop-up bottle shop for the duration of lockdown, with natty wines, craft beers and bottled cocktails. The pizza oven will also continue to fire and you can pick up a fresh pie. Want the whole lot? You can score two pizzas and a natural wine for $65 or a five-serving bottled cocktail for $85. View the menu and order online. Sample Coffee (St Peters) Whether you're just after your caffeine fix or looking for some brunch, the specialty coffee roaster's St Peters spot is doing takeaway coffee, beans, coffee making gear and food. Totti's (Bondi) Never fear, you can still cave to your Totti's cravings during lockdown as the always-popular Bondi spot is offering its full menu including its famous woodfire bread takeaway. Ume Burger (Barangaroo) Japanese burger joint Ume Burger has shifted to takeaway only from 11.30am–2.30pm on weekdays, so you can enjoy the signature Ume burger or a fish or chicken katsu burger with a side of lotus root chips from the comfort of your couch. Where's Nick (Marrickville) This inner west wine bar may be temporarily closed, but Where's Nick's new bottle shop at 234 Marrickville Rd is open seven days a week. You head in store or order online. Yulli's Brews (Alexandria) Vegan brewery Yulli's Brews is taking online orders for pick-up from its Alexandria warehouse so you can get a carton of Amanda mandarin IPA ($64), sixteen-pack of Dolly Aldrin watermelon and mint Berliner Weisse($64) or a Bloody Mary kit ($25) to help you through lockdown. [caption id="attachment_748494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shwarmama by Kitti Gould[/caption] TAKEAWAY AND DELIVERY Belly Bao (Newtown) King Street's bao haven is running delivery through UberEats and DoorDash, and is offering $5 beers and 40 percent off bottle of wine with all pickup orders. BL Burgers (Darlinghurst and Parramatta) As well as continuing its outrageous weekly specials (and full menu), the team behind the legendary Blame Canada burger is offering its burgers for takeaway and delivery via Deliveroo from both its Darlinghurst and Parramatta stores. Butter (Surry Hills, Chatswood and Parramatta) Butter is cooking up all of its sandwiches, burgers and fan-favourite fried chicken and is continuing its Butter Ramen Club throughout the lockdown. You can order them for pick up or delivery online. Chatkazz (Harris Park and Bella Vista) The vegetarian Indian street food's western Sydney outposts are both offering their full menu for pickup or delivery via UberEats, DoorDash and Deliveroo. Cook and Archies (Surry Hills) This long-running Surry Hills cafe has made its entire menu, including cakes, breakfast wraps, burgers, salads and bowls available for pickup via Hey You or Hungry Hungry, or takeaway on UberEats. Crumpets by Merna and Pepe Saya (online) A visit to Carriageworks Farmers Markets is not complete without a steaming crumpet slathered in butter — and now you can keep up the weekly tradition at home. Pepe Saya and Crumpets by Merna are both offering their entire range 20 percent off when you use the code SYDNEY20, including breakfast boxes featuring buttermilk crumpets, Pepe Saya salted butter, passionfruit curd and creme fraiche. The Duke of Enmore (Enmore) The Duke of Enmore's new food and drink menu is available for pickup or delivery, including the eggplant katsu sandwich, pickleback shots and a range of meal deals to enjoy at home. Also, being the legends they are, The Duke team is offering free meals and drinks to hospitality workers out-of-work due to the lockdown. El Jannah (various locations) The cult Lebanese-style charcoal chicken chain is slinging its full menu including its legendary garlic sauce for takeaway, delivery via several outlets and drive-thru at its Smithfield store. Emma's Snack Bar (Enmore) This much-loved Enmore eatery has made the majority of its menu available for takeaway, including $26 snack boxes — filled with meat or falafel, salad, garlic potatoes and bread — and a bunch of sides. You can also order via UberEats or Deliveroo. Esteban (Sydney) Esteban has launched an at-home menu with a selection of five hearty set menus, as well as a range of bottle cocktails. Think Byron Bay pork belly, grilled carrot, smoked kipfler potatoes and a sweet potato tart all for $65. Fabbrica (Sydney) The pasta and produce shop from the team behind Ragazzi is offering sandwiches and lasagne as well as handmade pasta packs, pasta sauces and high-end pantry items takeaway, on UberEats or with free delivery on orders over $50. Find all the details here. Glebe Point Diner (Glebe) This longstanding local is currently offering a takeaway with 50 percent off house wine. Owner and chef Alex Kearns is also offering a home delivery service. The menu will change daily but includes the choice of three mains ($20), two sides ($12) and a soup ($12). Find more info here. Harvey's Hot Sandwiches (Parramatta) The Parramatta sub experts are offering their full range of sandwiches from pastrami to hot meatball for pickup and delivery via UberEats and Menulog. Henrietta Charcoal Chicken (Surry Hills) This Surry Hills spot is serving up all your charcoal chicken needs for pick up in-store or delivery via UberEats. Treat yourself to burgers, wraps, falafel or roast chook and corn for a family roast without the clean up. [caption id="attachment_694683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rara by Luisa Brimble[/caption] Johnny Bird (Crows Nest) Lower north shore favourite Johnny Bird is available for pickup or deliver via Deliveroo, UberEats or DoorDash. Browse the menu and order online. Madame and Yves (Clovelly) When you're mostly living on pantry staples, a treat is more than deserved — and you can't go past this Clovelly patisserie's insane creations. You can order everything from savoury pies and bread to eclairs and chocolate-dipped croissants online or takeaway in-store. Nakano Darling (CBD) Nakano Darling is available for takeaway and delivery via UberEats and DoorDash including $15 chicken karaage, gyoza or wagyu shingureni bento boxes or take home frozen gyoza and reheatable karaage (both $15 for 15 pieces). The CBD spot is also running a small lockdown bottleshop with beers and yuzu highballs. Nutie (Balmain and Surry Hills) If you've burned through all your supermarket snacks already and need a quick sugar fix, Nutie is now delivering its gluten-free and vegan doughnuts, cakes, cookies (fresh or frozen) and muffins straight to your door with delivery options across Sydney. Plus, both stores are also still open for takeaway, and are baking up an array of limited-time Christmas in July goodies. Maiz (Newtown) Maiz is serving up its full menu of Mexican Street Food 11am–3pm and 5–8pm for takeaway and delivery via UberEats and Doordash during Sydney's lockdown. Those that pick up their order can also treat themselves to a section of Mexican beers, wines and boozy aguas frescas. Rara (Redfern and Randwick) and Lonely Mouth (Newtown) This super-popular ramen joint has just started delivery from its two stores and its Newtown sibling, so you can slurp the piping hot tonkotsu with black garlic and chilli or vegan shio ramen from the comfort of your living room. Rara Chan South Eveleigh is closed for the time being, but Eveleigh dwellers can head to the Redfern store to satisfy any cravings. You can place and order for pick-up here for Rara and here for Lonely Mouth, or delivery via UberEats. Saint Peter (Paddington) Oxford Street's seafood-focused diner is open with a limited takeaway menu including tarts and natural wine, and is cooking a dish a day available to pre-order via fishbutchery.com.au. A bunch of this weeks meals are already sold out so jump online quick if you want to secure one. Keep an eye on Instagram to see what dishes are announced next. Shaffa (Surry Hills) Surry Hill's latest Middle Eastern eatery is launching takeaway and delivery so inner city dwellers can enjoy its pitas from home. You can check out the menu and all the details at Shaffa's Instagram. Shwarmama (Surry Hills) The shawarma spot is doing all its sabich, kebabs, snack packs and beer available for pick up and delivery on UberEats and Deliveroo. Sonoma (multiple) You may have learnt how to bake sourdough last lockdown, but this time around its fair enough you just want to pick some up. Sonoma has you covered on that front. The artisanal bakery is offering both click and collect pickup and takeaway across every store. Timbah (Glebe) This neighbourhood bar has launched a lockdown takeaway menu available for pickup or drive thru. To order, ring the shop on 02 9571 7005. Head to Instagram to see the full menu, including caramalised charcoal pork skewers, pad kee mao and kaeng phet green curry with apple eggplant. [caption id="attachment_817101" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maiz by Debbie Gallulo[/caption] Have you come across one we've missed? Let us know at hello@concreteplayground.com Top image: Chiswick
Tucked away from the bustle of Hall Street is this excellent local butcher. The guys from Field to Fork love to chat about all things meat — whether it's about what you're going to be cooking up at home, or about the meat in the fridges, much of which is grass-fed, cage-free and raised without hormones. Alongside its selection of raw meat and poultry, are hot, cooked meals like sticky lamb ribs and slow-braised lamb shanks. The butchers is also known for its South African-style dried meats — the biltong is legendary, spicy and moreish, while the droëwors (a traditional dried coriander-seed spiced boerewors sausage) is meaty, tender and addictive. [caption id="attachment_776595" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Images: Yael Stempler[/caption]
