Having cemented its status as one of Melbourne's most celebrated coffee roasters and cafes, Industry Beans has taken on Sydney's caffeine scene, opening its first interstate location in the CBD last week. It's made its new home on York Street, complete with a heritage façade, state-of-the-art equipment and its trademark Industry Beans offering of creatively charged food and next-level specialty coffee. The new venue features the same customised La Marzocco Modbar that put Industry Beans' Little Collins Street store on the map, allowing customers to be front and centre to the coffee-making experience. You can watch the magic unfold as the baristas brew its signature Fitzroy Street blend and whip up treats like the bubble tea-like the specialty Bubble Coffee, featuring coffee-soaked tapioca pearls, cold brew and normal or vegan condensed milk. [caption id="attachment_706984" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Specialty Bubble Coffee.[/caption] As for the food, you can expect a seasonal lineup of cleverly executed dishes that are far from boring. The York Street cafe's southern counterpart has won many a fan for dishes like its coffee-rubbed wagyu burger, fruit sashimi topped with coffee 'caviar', and avocado smash starring beetroot dust and green tea salt — all of which have made their way onto the new menu. That's alongside a few new additions that specifically cater to the work lunch crowd, like the selection of baguettes and avo, broccoli and broad bean green bowl that can be eaten in or taken away. Expect a finely honed customer experience, too, with a dedicated grab-and-go area and an Industry Beans app, which allows you to skip the queues and order your office coffees ahead of time. Plus, when you sign up, you'll get five bucks credit so you can get your next coffee for nada. Find Industry Beans at 38–40 York Street, Sydney. It's open seven days a week, from 7am–4.30pm on weekdays and 8am–4pm on weekends.
It is instinctive for human beings to question what the future could hold and and will look like. But just like most aspects of our lives, buildings of the future are incredibly difficult to predict. Here are some of the most mind-boggling futuristic building designs which are in the planning stage or already under construction. New Orleans Arcology Habitat In an attempt to revamp both the aesthetics and economy of New Orleans in the face of the terrible destruction of 2005's Hurricane Katrina, an incredibly modernistic Arcology Habitat has been proposed. The design includes hotels, condos, commercial property and casinos all floating on the surface of a water basin between the Mississippi River and the CBD. Spaceport America Spaceport America is now in its initial stages of development in New Mexico and has already seen a series of flights launched from its lunar pads last year. This sleek construction is set to be the first commercial spaceport the world has ever seen and would unlock the potential to allow anyone to enjoy the wonders of space. Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid This enormous construction proposed for Tokyo would be 14 times higher than the ancient Great Pyramid of Giza, and would house an incredible 750,000 people. Designed as a solution to the over-population issue in Japan, this design is on hold until super-strong lightweight materials appear in the future. Kingdom Tower This enormous skyscraper has been approved for construction in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah at the preliminary cost of $4.6 billion as part of the proposed Kingdom City to be located along the Red Sea. If completed according to plan, the tower will not only become the tallest building in the world, but also the only on the planet to exceed a height of 1 kilometre. Kuwait Airport A new terminal is undergoing construction at Kuwait International Airport this year, set to be completed by 2016. The reconstruction, designed as a three point star, should increase the passenger handling capacity from 7 million to 13 million in the first phase. Trio Vertical Garden French designer and botanist, Patrick Blanc, is starting a revolution with his amazing designs of vertical gardens. His projects started in Sydney in 2009 by embedding 4,500 seedlings into a recycled felt surface, creating a contemporary artwork that is both environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing. Taiwan Tower Sou Fujimoto was the winner of the Taiwan Tower International Competition with his interpretation of 'Primitive Future'. The 300 metre tower is inspired by the Taiwanese banyan tree and is designed to be a model of green architecture for future generations. Keret House Instead of just discounting the space of an 133 centimetre alleyway between two houses in Warsaw, architect Jakub Szczesny saw the possibility for an ingenious house. Designed as a creative workspace for Israeli writer, Etgar Keret, the hermitage would range from 72-122cm in width with remote control stairs and boat-inspired water and sewage systems. Project Utopia Floating Island After numerous references to floating civilisations in literature comes finally an inventive floating island design more like an oil rig than a yacht. The volume of the Project Utopia would be equivalent to a present-day cruise liner, measuring more than 100 metres across and including more than 11 decks.
The cure to decades of SXSW FOMO arrived in Australia in 2023. Sydney played host to the first-ever iteration of the festival Down Under — the first outside of the US, in fact — and put on a massive party. It was a hit. Cue SXSW Sydney 2024, then, to ideally repeat the feat. There's still almost three months to go, but the second Aussie SXSW just keeps getting bigger. So far, organisers of the tech, innovation, screen, music, games and culture festival — which will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 this year — have dropped three past rounds of lineup details, starting in May, adding to it in June, then expanding it some more at the beginning of July. Now comes the next batch, growing the music bill, throwing in parties and naming a few extra speakers. More than 40 talents have joined the onstage roster, starting with the UK's Jorja Smith on the 'Be Honest' musician's Australian tour. Also from overseas, Canada's Aysanabee, Thailand's PYRA, New Zealand's Brandn Shiraz and XUZZ, and the UK's Submerse feature. Among the homegrown names, Aussies Brazen Barbie, Jamahl Yami, Kitschen Boy and Special Feelings have scored a spot, plus a heap of other locals. When SXSW Sydney's 25 stages turn on their microphones, then, it's going to be mighty busy. For those keen on networking and shindigs, the lineup there now features parties and mixers hosted by ADA, APRA-AMCOS, Blak Label, Canada House, Concord Music Group, Future Classic, Inertia & [PIAS], Meta, Rolling Stone, The Orchard, UNIFIED Music Group, Virgin Music and Warner Music. Among the events, there's an Indies Please session, one dedicated to Women in Music and a meetup that's all about agents versus promoters. Plus, get ready to dive into international music tours and the streaming landscape, the first talk with WME UK's Global Head of Touring Lucy Dickins and Frontier Touring's Susan Heymann, and the second with Will Page. The latest additions extend a 2024 program that already boasts human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, author Johann Hari, Australian race car driver Molly Taylor, pianist Chad Lawson, Westworld's Luke Hemsworth hosting a session about the Tasmanian tiger, Aussie astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, TikTok marketing head Sofia Hernandez, Heartbreak High star Ayesha Madon, cricketer David Warner, Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid and documentary Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts, about the new uses of former Pizza Hut buildings across America — and that's barely scratching the surface of the lineup specifics announced so far. If you missed it, 2023's inaugural SXSW Sydney welcomed everyone from Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker and Chance The Rapper to Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb and Nicole Kidman to its stages. In the process, and via not just its talks but also its concerts, films, TV shows and games as, it notched up 287,014 attendances from 97,462 unique attendees. Those figures came from 34,975 total tickets, with folks from 41 countries heading along to 1178 sessions. SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Images: Jess Gleeson, Ian Laidlaw, Jami Joy, Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney.
There are many reasons to thank Mike White, creator and writer of The White Lotus, for bringing the hit HBO series to our screens. He's responsible for one of the best TV shows of both 2021 and 2022 — a program that has weaponised luxurious settings, helped set travel itineraries, thoroughly eaten the rich, spun twisty murder-mysteries, and kept viewers guessing throughout each and every episode of both season one and season two. He's also helped shower affection and attention upon the one and only Jennifer Coolidge, a screen icon who always deserves such love. Indeed, if it wasn't for White and The White Lotus, the world wouldn't have had the joy that is Coolidge's various awards speeches for playing Tanya McQuoid. For folks in Sydney on Saturday, June 10, worshipping the White-and-Coolidge pairing — hearing Coolidge talk about her time on The White Lotus, too — won't just involve checking out Emmy and Golden Globe clips. In huge news in general, and for the Vivid Sydney lineup, the duo is coming to the Harbour City for what's set to be the biggest in-conversation session of the 23-day, 300-plus-event festival. [caption id="attachment_891047" align="alignnone" width="1920"] HBO[/caption] While Vivid dropped its program back in March, it has been making additions since, including literally underground light and laser show Dark Spectrum and now this. Unsurprisingly, the Vivid team has dubbed its latest addition one of the biggest announcements in the festival's 13-year history — which is no small feat for an event that's seen everyone from The Cure to Robert Pattinson and Spike Lee grace its bill in past years. Coolidge and White won't just chat about The White Lotus, McQuoid's utter lack of luck in love and a certain fateful boat ride — and, on White's part, likely skirt around answering where the third season will be set (the word so far: Thailand). They'll also discuss their full careers, and both have plenty to dive into. Coolidge has been a screen presence for years, thanks to parts in everything from American Pie, Best in Show and the Legally Blonde franchise through to Party Down's original run, Joey and Promising Young Woman. As for White, he's written the screenplay for School of Rock, and acted in it — and given the TV-watching world the Laura Dern-starring Enlightened, which he also appeared on. He has Year of the Dog and Brad's Status on his directing resume as well, and penned and produced episodes of Dawson's Creek and Freaks and Geeks. Also, he was famously an Amazing Race and Survivor contestant. Benjamin Law will be asking the questions at this in-conversation event, which takes place at Aware Super Theatre, ICC Sydney. Tickets are on sale now — and they'll get snapped up quicker than McQuoid falls in love. "We're thrilled to share that The White Lotus creator Mike White and star of the series Jennifer Coolidge will join this year's Vivid Sydney lineup. Securing these huge megastars cements Vivid Sydney 2023 as the biggest and most culturally relevant program yet," said Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini, announcing the addition to the fest's program. "This exclusive event will allow audiences to see behind the curtain on what has become a massive cultural zeitgeist and hear from two of the hottest figures in the creative industries right now." Vivid Sydney 2023 will run from Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 17, with Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge in Conversation taking place on Saturday, June 10 at Aware Super Theatre, ICC Sydney. For further information and tickets, head to the event's website. Top image: HBO.
Succession isn't the only Emmy-winning HBO show dropping its fourth and final season in 2023. Bill Hader's just-as-excellent hitman comedy Barry is also finishing its run when season four wraps up, and it's just-as-certain to be deeply missed. The reason is all there in the killer concept, and the phenomenal performances, writing and direction that goes with them. When you've got Hader (Lightyear) playing a military sniper-turned-hitman-turned actor, something special was always bound to result. If you've watched season three, which was characteristically spectacular, you'll know why things seem to be coming to an end for Barry in more ways than one. A show about an assassin trying to be an on-screen star in Hollywood can't keep its main figure away from the law forever. So, in the just-dropped full trailer for Barry season four — which follows an earlier sneak peek from HBO — the series' namesake is in reflective mode. "I'm really sorry. I didn't think it would end up like this. I am a good person — that is who I am," Barry tells himself in the new trailer. Everyone he knows seems to be taking stock, too, whether they still have their freedom or not. In this season, Barry is incarcerated, his mentor and veteran thespian Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler, Black Adam) is being hailed as a hero, but this turn of events is clearly going to have consequences. That includes for his former handler Monroe (Stephen Root, Succession), as well as his ex-girlfriend Sally (Sarah Goldberg, The Night House). Is this where the killer-for-hire will be when the eight-episode season concludes? Will Chechen gangster Noho Hank (Anthony Carrigan, Bill & Ted Face the Music) somehow intervene? What's happening with Sally's career after season three? These are all natural questions to have about the show's return. Answers will start coming soon, with Barry season four set to start streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Monday, April 17. If you're new to all things Barry, Hader not only stars but created the show, has directed a heap of episodes, and also co-wrote others. The initial setup: when Hader's Barry Berkman heads from Cleveland to Los Angeles for his job, he discovers a previously unknown passion for acting after he stumbles into a class held by veteran thespian Cousineau. The catch? Barry kills people for money, and that isn't a line of work that you can leave easily, especially when you become caught in the Chechen mafia's violent and deadly dramas. Check out the full trailer for Barry season four below: Barry's fourth season will start streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Monday, April 17. Images: Merrick Morton/HBO.
In its entire concept, Sydney Opera House's All About Women has always pushed girls, ladies and women to the front. So, when the venue announced that the next version of its key feminist festival would feature riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill, it couldn't have been a more perfect way to start its lineup. That in-conversation event is just the beginning of the event's 2023 program, however, with the just-announced complete bill also going big on high-profile guests — such as child actor-turned-I'm Glad My Mom Died author Jennette McCurdy and human rights barrister Jennifer Robinson. Former iCarly star McCurdy will chat through her experiences, including growing up in the spotlight, finding her independence and the events that led to her New York Times best-selling memoir, in an Australian-exclusive conversation. After successfully representing Amber Heard in Johnny Depp's UK libel case, Robinson will feature in a panel called 'The War on Women', about fighting for both rights and lives, alongside Egyptian American journalist Mona Eltahawy, Pakistani author and journalist Fatima Bhutto, and Mununjali Yugambeh and South Sea Islander Professor Chelsea Watego. [caption id="attachment_885156" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jennifer Robinson by Kate Peters[/caption] Running from Saturday, March 11—Monday, March 13, All About Women's 2023 festival marks its 11th, and sees the event held across three days for the first time ever — growing again after it only just expanded to two days in 2022, in fact. And, in another significant change for this year, the event's lineup is guided by four festival co-curators. Doing the honours: author, podcast presenter and gender equality advocate Jamila Rizvi; Gamilaroi academic and Tell Me Again author Dr Amy Thunig; feminist social commentator, novelist and writer Jane Caro AM; and Sydney Opera House's Head of Talks and Ideas Chip Rolley. Their full program includes 25 events featuring 60-plus international and Australian artists, thinkers, and storytellers, starting with an evening of storytelling, poetry, dance and music for the fest's Opening Night Gala, hosted by Clare Bowditch and featuring actor Eryn Jean Norvill (The Picture of Dorian Gray), "mother of African contemporary dance" Germaine Acogny, Iranian Australian singer and instrumentalist Gelareh Pour, and Fatima Bhutto. And, it also spans Cult Classic author Sloane Crosley chatting about modern dating with journalist Maddison Connaughton — and a romance and reality TV-focused discussion between Bachelorette Brooke Blurton, Just The Gist podcaster Rosie Waterland, and Gamilaroi and Torres Strait Islander writer and actor Nakkiah Lui. [caption id="attachment_885157" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brooke Blurton by Jarrad Seng[/caption] In a session about neurodivergence in women and gender-diverse people, 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame, Heartbreak High's Chloe Hayden, and research psychologist and activist Dr Jac den Houting will talk with Thunig — and a panel examining trying to achieve justice in sexual abuse claims, and the trauma the process can bring, will feature sexual assault law reform advocate Saxon Mullins, criminal lawyer Katrina Marson, Yorta Yorta woman and survivor advocate Amanda Morgan, and lawyer and author Bri Lee. Or, attendees can look forward to Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies scholar Kylie Moore-Gilbert hosting a session on the women-led revolution in Iran, as joined by Pour, scholar and poet Dr Saba Vasefi, and author and journalist Shokoofeh Azar; plus a panel about the body positivity movement's struggles to be genuinely inclusive, featuring Wadjanbarra Yidinji, Jirrbal and African-American former model Sasha Kutabah Sarago, body love activist and podcaster April Hélène-Horton aka The Bodzilla, fashion editor and queer rights activist Deni Todorovič, disability rights campaigner Elly Desmarchelier, and comedian and broadcaster Tanya Hennessy. [caption id="attachment_844646" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning[/caption] The list goes on, covering Clementine Ford exploring the history of demonising single women, a session on women's activism through a First Nations lens, diving into starting a family in a modern world, unpacking gendered emotions, and turning Eltahawy's FEMINIST GIANT newsletter into a panel. The Girlboss movement, making tough decisions, the shame often imposed on women and girls, leading movements, a Bikini Kill gig: they all get their time in focus, too. Just like in 2022, the festival will host its sessions in-person for Sydneysiders, and will also live-stream to viewers both around Australia and worldwide — which is ace news if you live outside of the Harbour City. [caption id="attachment_874299" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Debi Del Grande[/caption] All About Women 2023 will take place from Saturday, March 11—Monday, March 13 at the Sydney Opera House, with tickets on sale from 12pm AEDT on Thursday, January 19. Head to the festival's website for further details. Top image: Jennette McCurdy by Brian Kimskey.
With a debut album described as a “modern classic” by the NME and "a giant cohesive dance party with songs crafted for hand-clapping and feet-stomping" by others behind them, East-London psychedelic quartet Django Django are coming to Australia for the first time. The three-date, two-venue tour will see the quirky foursome joined by Dublin math-rockers the Cast of Cheers as they pump out their left-field sound with plenty of synthy goodness and twee pop, all wrapped up in positive vibes and low-budget, artistic visual effects. Django Django's sound is startlingly electric — a stripped-down, spaced-out myriad of muses and stellar experimentation. With an album released on the 23rd of this month entitled Family, support the Cast of Cheers from Ireland have become a favourite among fans and critics since their formation and look set to rise at a blistering pace.
Acclaimed internationally by the likes of the Rolling Stone, Billboard and Nylon, Los Angeles darlings Electric Guest will be stopping off at Oxford Art Factory during the peak of their world tour. Released earlier this year in April, Electric Guest's debut album Mondo has been described as a seamless fusion of Motown, '70s daytime radio funk lite, indie rock and '60s French pop, with comparisons made to the likes of Hall & Oates, Gnarls Barkley, Danger Mouse and Scissor Sisters. Separate from the feel of the album, the duo's live show has an enormity to it, easily contradicting the "shoegaze" label that has, in the past, been put upon them. Electric Guest's soulfully electric hooks are bound to make the girls swoon, and their R&B inspired grooves will get even the stiffest of guys moving. Electric Guest will be supported by YesYou, a dance-pop two-piece from Brisbane. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nVSiwMVaKe4
UPDATE, May 21, 2021: Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles is available to stream via Docplay, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Marie Antoinette didn't actually say "let them eat cake", no matter how often the statement is misattributed to the 18th-century royal before her date with the guillotine. But New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art was surely hoping she would've approved of its hedonistic June 2018 food gala, which tied into the venue's Visitors to Versailles exhibition in the same year — and, in line with the place and period under the grill, put decadence on the menu. Overseeing the spread of desserts fit for a queen: renowned Israeli English chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi. He didn't make the Feast of Versailles' lavish cakes himself; instead, he trawled Instagram to source and select five pâtissiers known for delicious, innovative and aesthetically appealing wares. He found them, too, enlisting Dominique Ansel, the NYC-based French pastry chef who invented the cronut; Sam Bompas and Harry Parr, the London food artists known for their striking jellies and unique food events; architecturally trained Ukrainian Dinara Kasko, who approaches her desserts with the same design principles; Ghaya Oliveira, an award-winner and veteran at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Daniel; and Singapore's Janice Wong, who aims to turn chocolate into edible art. The exacting theme that approaches art and history through an untraditional lens, the melding of varying creative arenas, the roll call of significant names in their field, the theatricality on display, the iconic setting — if it all sounds a bit like a culinary version of The Met Gala, that was undoubtedly the intention, too. Celebrities didn't attend, paparazzi weren't on hand to snap photos, fundraising wasn't the name of the game and no one broke the internet, but this was no ordinary serving of sugar. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that, as the venue's fashion-focused event did before it, Feast of Versailles has also earned the documentary treatment. Where The First Monday in May chronicled the preparations for 2015's Met Gala, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles does the same with the quest to recreate the Palace of Versailles' gardens with chocolate and multi-coloured fondant, whip up a tiered mousse cake that resembles the French castle's sculptured detail, and pair them all with swan-topped pastries, wobbling palace-shaped jellies and a cocktail-filled whirlpool fountain. Viewers of cooking-focused reality television will know what's in store. That may not be the comparison one expects with a doco about a Met event, but it fits. Documentarian Laura Gabbert (City of Gold) deploys the personable Ottolenghi as her guide, and gets him to chat through the task at opportune moments. Her film also spends time first introducing Ansel, Bombas and Parr, Kasko, Oliveira and Wong, then watching them work towards the big gala evenings. Periodically, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles has Ottolenghi chat with Met staff about logistics as well, and to historical experts. The former reveal their horror at having liquid anywhere near the gallery's exhibits, and the awareness that events with a live component are so much trickier to control than inanimate displays; the latter discusses 18th-century Versailles in general, the culinary excesses of the royal courts, the fact that chocolate was used for drinking long before it was eaten and, only briefly, the fate that befell Versailles' most famous figures in the French Revolution. Combine all of the above ingredients in a 75-minute documentary, and it's as formulaic as it sounds — even if the gala itself, the chefs behind it and their dazzling desserts could never earn that description. The First Monday in May was helmed by a different director to Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles; however, both films struggle to bring their concepts to life. As a mere record of occasions that happened, they do a fine job of showing what goes into staging these types of extravagant events. They also capture the tension and drama beforehand, and the indulgence and luxury when everything comes to fruition. But it seems that docos about Met galas are fated to take a superficial and straightforward approach, despite striving for more, and attempting to mimic the layers and textures of the venue's exhibitions and festivities. In Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles' case, the NYC institution clearly didn't hold a lavish Versailles-themed feast without intending to get everyone involved and in attendance thinking about the vast disparities between the haves and have nots — aka the whole reason that the "let them eat cake" misquote exists. Alas, Gabbert's film is mostly content to depict rather than interrogate this idea. A few very late shots, including of Trump Tower's garish gold interior, endeavour to stress modern-day parallels between Versailles and today's one-percent, but hardly delve deep. Accordingly, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles is glossy, gleaming eye candy for those with a sweet tooth. It never feels like a full meal, though. That may be apt given that it's about dessert, but there's more substance in the tables piled high with cake and confection seen within the movie's frames than in the documentary's examination of its subject — and of the topic driving Feast of Versailles, and therefore sparking the film in the first place. While interesting tidbits pop up frequently, relating to food and history alike, they're akin to an entree. Viewers keep expecting something heartier, only to be left intellectually hungry. The audience is left physically ravenous, of course, because roving over all those spectacular dishes is a sure-fire way to whip up an appetite for a treat. This pleasant, palatable but slight movie obviously can't leave stomachs satisfied either, but it will make mouths water. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uan6MDxf3wU
After a long, hard day, the last thing you want to do is cook. So many ingredients and so many measurements to contend with. Then comes the boiling pot, the whirring of the extractor fan, the mess — it's all too much. There is something super comforting about Indian and Pakistani cuisine — between the nourishing ingredients, creaminess and tantalising spice, it's the perfect remedy to a bad day. Thankfully, you can get heart- and stomach-warming South Asian dishes delivered straight to your sofa. The only effort required on your part is to decide what to order, get some cutlery ready and put some pants on before you answer the door. Here, we'll get you started on the first part by suggesting some top-notch dishes from reliable, family-run restaurants all across Sydney. You're on your own with the pants though.
Sydney's love affair with escape rooms has reached an all time high. These interactive experiences will transport you through films, history, space and time — and it's up to your team to solve the puzzles and make it back to reality within 60 minutes. Become a post-war spy, a Mexican cartel leader, Sherlock Holmes, a pirate or an CIA agent, or enter someone's dreams Inception-style, get locked in an asylum and embrace the world of the paranormal. With so many options to choose from, we've made it a bit easier by narrowing it down to our favourite. Here are Sydney's best escape rooms — how many can you solve? THE CIPHER ROOM, NEWTOWN This post-war, spy-themed escape room has been a staple in Newtown since back in 2016. The Cipher Room is the brainchild of husband and wife duo David Vella and Marise Watson, who channeled their love of puzzles into one of Sydney's most-loved immersive experiences. All of the props and materials have been sourced from local vintage shops, which gives the space a real old-school feel. At the moment, The Cipher Room offers three different experiences, each suitable for groups of two-to-eight. The first is called Espionage: it's set in 1945 and the mission is to track down the mysterious Agent M. The second is set in a 1950s New York hotel, where players are the private investigators in their own black and white film noir. In the third, you're a team of detectives investigating a serial killer in an abandoned cabin. How much? $40–47 per person. EXPEDITION ESCAPE ROOMS, REDFERN The Expedition brand expanded from Canberra to Sydney in 2018, snatching up Cope Street digs and launching with The Forgotten Son. One of Sydney's more unique escape room experiences, the journey lead players on a dangerous trek through the Australian outback. The room's historic theme follows a distinguished character from Australian folklore. It promises to transport your group from the inner city straight back in time to the door of an old tin shack — through which the eerie sound of a sobbing child can be heard. As with most escape rooms, players will have up to one hour to follow clues and complete the course, with a maximum of six players allowed in at once. Two more rooms — dubbed The Nuclear Decision and Return of the King (it'll be medieval themed) — will open in Expedition soon, too, so keep an eye on this space. Expedition Escape Rooms Redfern (reopening soon) and Gladesville (reopening October 1) are currently closed for renovation, with brand new rooms coming soon. Head to the website for updates. How much? $42–48. SOCIAL ESCAPE, ALEXANDRIA Social Escape's four different rooms are filled with the usual riddles, puzzles, mind games and mysteries. Start with the Paris Escape in which you have one hour to find your passport and plane tickets within the confines of a gorgeous Parisian hotel. Then there's a Sherlock Holmes murder-mystery room (set in Victorian-era London, of course), a bank heist with a diamond-filled vault and one called Ransom, where you'll need to decipher a ransom note in order to save a kidnapped loved one. How much? $45 a person. [caption id="attachment_778497" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Temporal Tangle Online[/caption] ENIGMA ROOM, CBD Pitt Street's Enigma Room offers two immersive experiences that promise to transport you into the middle of films like Looper and Inception. The former is titled Temporal Tangle, in which players are employed by the Future Directions Bureau to track down agent Fox and preserve the 21st-century timeline. The latter, In Memorandum, sees your team try to save a woman in a coma by travelling into her consciousness — while trying to avoid being permanently stuck in her memories. How much? $35–45. NEXT LEVEL ESCAPE, CBD This CBD favourite doesn't just offer an escape room experience along O'Connell Street. It also designs and build custom escape rooms for pop-up experiences — including for movies, week-long activities and school outings. Those include Enigma Room's Temporal Tangle, which Next Level Escape designed and now also offers as an online experience through its own website. Not surprisingly, its in-house experiences are impressive in their own right, too. At the moment, you can investigate an alien artefact with the CIA, join a TV game show and go head-to-head with other players, or immerse yourself in the world of literature — with this room duplicated into two, allowing 16 players at once. How much? $45–55. PANIQ ROOM, THE ROCKS Paniq Room puts participants in some seriously precarious situations. There's even one that splits your group up from the start, called Supercell 117, in which you'll begin in two separate (and very smoky) prison cells, all hand-cuffed and blindfolded. It's one eerie experience — especially if there are just two of you playing. You can also navigate the secrets of a famous magician's mansion, trying not to fall for the many tricks around the corner. There's one inspired by The Godfather and another similar to Jumanji, too. The rooms are designed for all ages, but not for those who get spooked easily. How much? $40–47. PARRAPARK, MACQUARIE PARK For those who are into the spooky side of immersive theatre, it's time for a group trip to northern Sydney. ParraPark's namesake escape room, Paranormal, sends players to rescue possessed captives from a very creepy abandoned building. Yep, this one will renew your belief in ghosts. If you're looking for a less nightmarish option, the mysterious Crime Scene room will have you acting as police detectives who are taking on an epic cold case. Parrapark hails from Budapest and has become a favourite among Sydneysiders since opening, so is a must visit for escape room fanatics. How much? $37–50. LABYRINTH, PARRAMATTA Obsessed with Narcos and love to imagine what the dangerous lifestyle of a cartel leader is really like? Parramatta's Labyrinth escape room has capitalised on the popularity of the Netflix mega-series by creating its own 'real-life' version of the show — where you can immerse yourself in the show's themes without actually being in harm's way. If this is a little too real for you, other options include a cursed circus with a well-kept (and ghoulish) secret. Or you can get locked inside the confines of an asylum with a convicted murdered on the loose. These are all quite intense, but will definitely get that adrenaline going. How much? $40. BREAK THE CODE, HAYMARKET Movie-lovers will want to opt for Break the Code in Haymarket, where all of the escape rooms are loosely based on film and television. There's the Da Vinci Code room, where you explore the secrets within a cryptic mansion; an Indiana Jones-themed room, in which your group will search the Guatemalan jungle for a lost relic within a Mayan temple; an Avatar room that'll transport you to 2090, in the midst of a deadly Ebola-X virus; and a Lost room, which will see you as passengers needing to escape from the plane wreckage. Each room allows two-to-eight players and ranges from easy to difficult, so choose your team wisely. How much? $40. Top image: Expedition Escape Room
Investigated in this show is the 'perfect woman' as a construct, both psychically and as an assemblage. Out of dissected dolls, furnishings, often-strange appliances and household products from the '40s, '50s and '60s, O'Doherty makes mordant visual puns: a set of scales as torso in The Perfect Weight, a light-bulb as a head in Bright Spark and the fairly self-evident Baby Machine. Such caustic obviousness is applied not so much to ideas of femininity generally, but to self-evaluation in relation to other women; in Roses and The Male Gaze bouquets of skewered Barbie heads represent a sense of rivalry and interchangeability as a basis for social relationships. Medical home remedies in the open cabinet-torso of Mother's Little Helper and cosmetics filling the equivalent shelves in Glory Box suggest that family life trains girls to view maturing as a sickness. Wear and tear on the figures, and flaking peach, teal and cream in the roughened but well-fitted wood-panel backdrops speak of exposure, but this critique is an 'inside job', domestic and anatomical. There is sympathetic irony as well as cruel absurdity to its literalisations.
Ever since the world initially watched Squid Game in 2021, Netflix has been obsessed with bringing everyone's favourite South Korean streaming series into real life. First came pop-up stunts. Then arrived reality competition show Squid Game: The Challenge, obviously without a body count. Experiences that let everyone play the show's games without appearing on TV are also part of the IRL fun. As the show's second season approaches, dropping on Boxing Day 2024, Australia keeps welcoming Squid Game activations — starting in St Kilda, where 200 pink guards relaxed on the Melbourne suburb's beach to kick things off. Three years back, however, Young-hee made its eerie presence known in Sydney. The Red Light, Green Light doll has now returned to the Harbour City, crossing the famous waterway by ferry with 300 pink guards as an escort to get to Luna Park Sydney for Squid Game: The Experience. On Thursday, December 12, 2024, a towering sight joined the harbour alongside the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House — and, as the pictures show, it was quite an image to behold. From Saturday, December 14, you can head to Luna Park to be in the doll's company. Just in time for the Christmas holidays and Squid Game season two's release, Squid Game: The Experience will get everyone playing with Young-hee. Call it Red Light, Green Light. Call it Statues. Call it Grandmother's Footsteps. Whichever name you prefer, how good are you at the game that involves folks a-sneaking, ideally without being caught? Now, how would you fare trying to creep forward while avoiding being spotted when Young-hee is lurking? Squid Game: The Experience lets you find out. Get your green tracksuit ready. Front Man will be there to dare you to take the Squid Game challenges IRL. Busting out your marbles skills and walking over the glass bridge are also on the agenda. Some games are inspired by the Netflix program. Others are brand new. You'll only know if Squid Game: The Experience takes any cues from the thriller's second season, though, if you drop by after Thursday, December 26. Players can take part individually, or in groups of up to 25. As you work through the challenges, which get harder as you go along, you'll earn points. Another difference from the series: if you get eliminated from a game, you'll still be able to take part in the challenges that follow. Squid Game: The Experience arrives at Luna Park Sydney, 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, from Saturday, December 14, 2024. Head to the venue's website for more information and to buy tickets. Squid Game season two streams via Netflix from Thursday, December 26, 2024. Season three will arrive in 2025 — we'll update you when an exact release date for it is announced.
Take a journey into the past at the InterContinental Sydney, with the launch of the unique Oldest Lift Bar Experience. Making the most of one of the hotel's most fascinating features – the Southern Hemisphere's oldest working lift – this particular spot is found hidden in The Treasury bar, which itself has a few remarkable stories to tell since being built in 1851. With the lift carefully protected ever since, it's now hosting a special cocktail hour to celebrate the building's enduring heritage. Flooded with natural light from the hotel's original cortile – an impressive atrium and gathering space – this precise spot was once home to the first colonial vineyard. Now, guests can step inside the lift to indulge in micrococktails made by resident mixologists as they ascend and descend through the hotel. Serving as an elegant nod to the InterContinental Sydney's immense past, this experience evokes an intimate ambience and centuries-old charm. As for the tipples, there are four creations to explore. The Georgian Gimlet celebrates The Treasury's impressive architecture and features Four Pillars Yuzu Gin, citrus, sugar and sencha tea. The Treasury's subterranean coffer inspires the Vault Martini, with Beluga Noble Vodka mixed with dry curacao, hibiscus and citrus, while the Atrium Negroni reflects the light-filled dome through Four Pillars Dry Gin, Campari, vermouth and lemon myrtle. Finally, the 1851 Old Fashioned nods to the building's origins with Dalmore Double Oak, sugar, bitters, and macadamia. "The Treasury Bar is a vault of Sydney's best-kept secrets and we're thrilled to unveil the southern hemisphere's oldest lift bar," says Mattia Arnaboldi, director of bars at InterContinental Sydney. "It will allow guests to immerse themselves in a part of Sydney's rich history, journeying through time and taste, as they sip on cocktails that reflect the heritage and charm of The Treasury." Once you've enjoyed your inventive drink in the lift, the experience continues at The Treasury bar. Here, a second cocktail selected from a curated menu is served alongside two delicious small plates, including betel leaves with caramelised pork and crisp vegetable herbs, and beef skewers with tonnato sauce and fried baby capers. Running until March 29, the Old Lift Bar Experience operates on Fridays and Saturdays from 4–6pm, and costs $69 per person. The Oldest Lift Bar Experience is happening at InterContinental Sydney, 117 Macquarie Street, Sydney. Head to the website for more information. Images: Steven Woodburn.
Spring has officially sprung, which means it's time to pack away your slow cooker, unpack your picnic hamper and get ready for entertaining and dinner parties galore. Darlinghurst's Studio Enti wants to help you prepare for all this hosting — or just lots of fancy al fresco dinners for one — with its annuals seconds sale. The semi-hidden ceramics studio is offering up to 80 percent off a huge range of its tableware, lighting and accessories on Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20. Pop by and score yourself one-off, sample and seconds plates, cups, vases and fancy lighting without burning a hole in your wallet — saving a few coins here and there is always a good thing in the lead-up to the busy summer holiday season. Studio Enti's ceramics are all made to last from Australian porcelain, which means they have more chance of surviving an accidental knock after a couple of spritzes. As it goes with all sales, the good stuff often goes first, so make sure you head in early. The Studio Enti annual seconds sale runs from 10am–4pm. Image two: Steven Woodburn
Give Netflix the night off and invest generously in your local art scene by rolling down to The Old Fitz Theatre for dinner and a show. With a number of fearless and dynamic performances, Red Line Productions programmes some of the most challenging theatre in Sydney, and in light of recent art funding cuts, these young writers, actors and producers could use all the spare dimes they can get. So why not throw them a money bone and catch them on a Tuesday? You'll score cheap tickets and a hearty bowl of pasta for less than $50, which we think is a pretty sweet deal.
Isn't it lovely to see big companies doing their bit for the social good. In Google's case, it's not just about donating huge sums of money. Rather, they make essential communications technology accessible to those who promote positive change. Google's recent launch of Google for nonprofits brings together an extensive toolkit for non-profit organisations, including AdWords, special YouTube privileges, Apps and more. Currently, the tools are only available to Google Grant recipients who receive thousands in in-kind advertising from Google. The company realised that gifting the use of AdWords and the like wasn't enough: Goolge also needed to teach non-profits how to maximise the potential of such tools. Instructional videos and the Make-A-Change section will show users how to make the most of the tools to communicate their message; while the Marketplace will connect non-profits with service providers offering free or discounted rates. Google offers grants to approved non-profits in the US only, but the marketing manager of Google for nonprofits Kirsten Olsen Cahill hopes to expand to other nations soon. [Via Mashable]
A new soft serve joint from Korea and Taiwan has just landed in Sydney. It's called Honey Creme and it's serving ice cream smothered in bacon and chocolate. Need we say more? Well, there's more. The specially formulated recipes hail from South Korea and the savoury base for each scoop is made from locally sourced fresh milk and cream. If bacon and chocolate doesn't float your boat, there's also organic cotton candy, popcorn and macarons, along with churros and cereal milk toppings. Or go for their signature 'Comb Honey', which is garnished with an entire organic honey comb, sourced from local bee farms. The 'premium' ingredients are said to be chosen with a concerted effort toward the healthy and organic — obviously calling cotton candy healthy, in organic form or otherwise, is absurd. We doubt they're fooling anyone, but the attempt to stay on trend is noted. Though we will keep dreaming of the day when ice cream becomes the next superfood, as impossible a dream it may be. Sydney is far from Honey Creme's only international stop and is the second Australian location, with the first shop opening in Perth mid-last year. Since opening in Taipei City in 2014, the shop has sold more than five million ice creams in nine nations around the world, including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and the States. That's a pretty strong global endorsement — guess it's time to judge it for ourselves. Honey Creme is now open at at 20 Goulburn St, Sydney. Open Sunday through Wednesday from noon to 10.30pm and Thursday through Saturday from noon to 11pm.
Nothing says weekend quite like a market, so why wait till Saturday morning? Get in on the game early — in other words, Friday lunchtime — at The Rocks Friday Foodie Market. Take your time wandering through Jack Mundey Place and the adjacent laneways, where you can sample handmade, dried, baked, whipped and roasted products from all over the city and further afield. You name it, you'll get your hands on it – from BBQ skewers to some of the best gozleme in Sydney, okonomiyaki, roast pork roll, plus cupcakes and handmade chocolates for dessert.
A restaurant that takes bookings basically has unicorn status these days. Not that we're fully against this walk-ins only business — it's been known to work in our favour — but sometimes you just want to be confident you'll be able to take your Dad to dinner without a grumpy one-hour wait. For those times, you'll need to find a restaurant you can book. Helping out with that conundrum will soon be San Fransisco-based restaurant booking service OpenTable, which will be launching in Australia later this month. OpenTable has been around since 1998, and while it's an international service — they're present in Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico and the UK — they take up the most space in the North American market, where it supposedly facilitates 52% of restaurant reservations through its mobile app. The app is something of a cross between restaurant finder Zomato and reservation site Dimmi, which was bought out by TripAdvisor earlier this year. The OpenTable desktop site and mobile app lets you search restaurants with available tables, view the restaurant's menu, user reviews, and any other restaurants nearby you might be interested in. And while it isn't all too different to Dimmi in terms of functionality, it certainly looks a lot nicer and has some handy integrations for the hospitality industry, such as the Guest Centre booking management app for front-of-house staff. "Whether it’s at a cafe, neighbourhood bistro or hatted restaurant, Aussies love to dine out and we're committed to empowering what that experience means for people," says APAC VP and Managing Director Adam Clarke. "OpenTable's growth has been driven by our ability to develop products that cater for the changing needs of restaurants and diners. Here in Australia, we will continue to innovate by providing insight into dining trends and behaviours, and building on all we have learned over the past two decades." The OpenTable app is set to go live mid-December, and will allow you to make bookings at restaurants including Rockpool and MoVida. Of course, this service only works if your restaurant of choice doesn't work on a no-bookings system — no one can help you there, I'm afraid.
This article is sponsored by our partners the City of Sydney. This summer, the City of Sydney's City Art program will light up the William Street side of the Australian Museum with projections of larger-than-life Aboriginal women draped in cloth. These sepia-drenched, architectural bodies speak of the need to reconnect with, and revitalise, Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity. born in darkness before dawn (2013), by Sydney-based Wiradjuri artist Nicole Foreshew, will be launched as part of the City of Sydney's Eora Journey: Recognition in the Public Domain, which recognises and celebrates the ‘living culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Sydney’ under the guidance of curatorial advisor Hetti Perkins. The work is also part of the inaugural Corroboree Sydney, a new festival celebrating Indigenous culture. Cast upon the William Street facade of the building opposite Cook and Phillip Park, the projections will be approximately three hours in duration, combining slow movement and still imagery. In elaborating on the significance of the cloth, which is imbued with traces of mineral and plant specimens, Foreshew explains this is to "emphasise the transition of space, as it is always moving between social relationships which are generated within the logic of place: revolving around people, occupying, owning, seizing, losing or transforming a space". Hence, the translucence and fluidity of cloth can be perceived as evoking the fluctuating historical moments of possession, dispossession and repossession, and their deeply felt social repercussions. Foreshew also states that, "the body is used to perform the absence of place". In this way, she is addressing the subjugated women of colonial Australia and reinscribing them into history. There is a sense of architectural power and stateliness evoked by the textured folds of the women's cloth-garments, as if rivalling the aesthetics of ancient civilisations. The siting of the work is significant as the Australian Museum houses a rich collection of Aboriginal artefacts that complements Corroboree's central theme of 'place' and 'living culture'. The work will engage with personal histories and negotiate a sense of community and belonging. The work responds to Indigenous usurpation, bespeaking the robbery of their status as the original inhabitants of the land. By etching a contemporary and bodily Aboriginal presence into the facade of one of Sydney's iconic landmarks, Foreshew challenges Australia's colonial narrative and promotes the historical and cultural significance of the site for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. For more information, visit the City Art website.
For fans of Adam Driver, 2019 was a movie-watching delight. When he wasn't tackling zombies in Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die, he was investigating CIA-sanctioned torture in The Report. He scored an Oscar nomination for his relationship struggles with Scarlett Johansson in Marriage Story, and fought the force in Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker, too. Alas, after that welcome onslaught of Driver-starring flicks in such short succession — The Man Who Killed Don Quixote also released Down Under the same year, in fact — he didn't appear on our screens in 2020. But this year, he'll be back in cinemas in one of his most-anticipated films yet. In the works for half a decade — and reportedly initially delayed in part due to Driver's busy schedule — Annette tells the tale of stand-up comedian Henry (Driver) and his soprano opera singer wife Ann (Marion Cotillard). He's funny, she's famous, and their lives are happy and glamorous; however, when their daughter Annette is born, they're changed forever. Few other narrative details have been revealed, but their story plays out in a musical — and if the just-dropped first trailer gives any indication, viewers can expect a brooding, dreamy, sweeping and immensely gorgeous film to dance across the screen. Actually, movie buffs can expect all of the above simply based on Annette's director. It has now been nine years since Leos Carax's Holy Motors hit cinema screens, becoming one of the most memorable films of both the decade and the 21st century in the process, so his next project has been eagerly awaited for quite some time. Annette will also mark the French filmmaker's English-language debut. And, after being shot late in 2019 and initially expected in 2020, it'll open this year's Cannes Film Festival in July. Exactly when viewers elsewhere will get to see the film hasn't been announced, but whenever it surfaces locally, it'll be a certain big-screen event. Every director wishes that they made movies that no one else could even dream of, but Carax is genuinely one of those filmmakers. Here's hoping that we soon get to see what Carax's inventive mind has put together next. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=068aFF8fOIA&feature=emb_logo Annette will open the Cannes Film Festival on July 6. Details for the film's release Down Under are yet to be revealed — we'll update you with further details when they're announced.
Whether you're an early riser or perpetually out late with mates, Brisbane is a vibrant city with a jam-packed schedule of exciting to-dos — all year round. Sunlight or city lights, kid-friendly or up-past-bedtime, in 2023 you'll be more than set to explore the city your way. Early bird? Rejoice! You've come to the right place — it is the Sunshine State, after all. Sate your appetite for science with an intellectual festival feed. Be enraptured by song with a stellar calendar of music events. Take to the skies via artistic explorations of our earth's atmosphere in a world-class exhibition. Flock together for storytelling and cultural conversations. See your city habitat transformed by immersive installations that query the lines between art, science, human, nature and AI. There are tours and workshops, parties and playtime — all before the sun sets. Though, they don't call her Bris Vegas for nothing. Bright lights and late nights, baby. It's not the city that never sleeps — but there's more than enough to keep you occupied well into the night. In 2023, expect festivals and innovative cultural events, immersive experiences and guided night tours, groundbreaking theatre and augmented reality landscapes. Explore art, science and the space in between via pop-up installations; catch rare films in an art-gallery cinema; watch an epic opera al fresco; witness light shows and fireworks along the river; and feed your musical appetite at a huge urban festival dedicated to the most exciting, fresh talent in the Australian music scene. Whether you prefer to stay indoors or venture into the darkness, Brisbane will keep the lights on for you. Here, we've compiled a bunch of arty things to do and see in 2023, so that no matter what time you're heading out in Brisbane you're guaranteed to have a ripper time. Read on for all the daytime fun, then flick the switch above and we'll turn down the lights and show you the best events happening at night.
Big pop-culture titles, big stunts: from a Stranger Things rift and Squid Game's creepy Red Light, Green Light doll to an Everything Everywhere All At Once-style multidimensional laundromat and a massive Timothée Chalamet mural for Dune, new TV shows and movies sure do love launching with a pop-up in Australia. The latest doing just that: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the sequel to 2018's Aquaman. For four days, the film is making its presence known in Sydney with a huge seven-metre gold trident. To see the towering, gleaming object, you'll need to head to Watermans Cove in Barangaroo from Thursday, December 14–Sunday, December 17. On display: the Trident of Neptune that gives Aquaman's namesake the power to rule the sea. It's being used to break ground of the boardwalk, and will be paired with a giant wall of water measuring nine metres high and 12 metres wide on the Friday night only. Seeing the trident is free, and you can just head along whenever suits you across the four days. If you want to catch a glimpse of the wall of water as well — which will have footage from the film projected onto it — you'll need to drop by from 7.45–10pm on Friday, December 15. As for the movie itself, it features Jason Momoa swapping the Fast and Furious franchise's roads for the ocean in that other big-budget saga he's been known to glisten through: DC's flicks. It's been five years since the first solo cinema swim for Arthur Curry arrived, with Aquaman marking just the sixth entry in the DC Extended Universe. Now the series hits 15 instalments with sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, bringing back DC's wettest superhero — plus Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Ambulance) as Black Manta as well. Hitting cinemas on Boxing Day as the fourth DC feature of 2023 after Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash and Blue Beetle, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom also hails from Australian director James Wan (Malignant), as the first film did — and sees Patrick Wilson (Insidious: The Red Door), Amber Heard (The Stand), Nicole Kidman (Special Ops: Lioness) and Temuera Morrison (The Book of Boba Fett) return alongside Momoa and Abdul-Mateen II. Dolph Lundgren (Minions: The Rise of Gru) and Randall Park (Strays) are back as well, all in another movie that dives into the sea, heads down to Atlantis and paddles about trying to save the world. The story this time: Black Manta is still after vengeance, but now has the Black Trident and its powers to help. So, as well as being a father and the new King of Atlantis, Aquaman has to seek his own assistance. That's how Wilson's Orm, Curry's half brother, ends up fighting by his side instead of being his imprisoned enemy. Check out the trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom below: The Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trident will be on display at Watermans Cove, Barangaroo, Sydney from Thursday, December 14–Sunday, December 17. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom opens in Australian cinemas on Tuesday, December 26.
Since 2011, DJ Tom Loud's travelling dance party Hot Dub Time Machine has ripped up stages the world over, offering a rolling crossfade of the last six decades of pop-music. And back in 2017, he launched Wine Machine, a series of al fresco get-togethers on some of the country's most-loved wine regions. The Wine Machine events have kept returning — when the pandemic hasn't been interrupting plans — and they're making a comeback in 2022 and 2023. This time around, these single-stage parties in the vines are split into two batches, hitting up Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania from November 2022–January 2023 with one lineup, then heading to New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria from March–April 2023 with another. The western and southern leg of the fest is already on sale, with Flight Facilities, Lime Cordiale, Cut Copy, San Cisco, Client Liaison, Masked Wolf and Art vs Science on the bill — although some acts will only play some locations. Their destinations: Oakover Grounds in the Swan Valley, McLaren Vale's Serafino Wines and Home Hill Winery in Huon Valley. For east coasters, leading the music will be one of Hot Dub's Rave Machine sets. He'll be joined on stage by Lime Cordiale (except in Victoria), Bliss N Esso, Vera Blue (except in NSW), Northeast Party House, KLP and more — at Dalwood Estate in the Hunter Valley, Canberra's Commonwealth Park and Rochford Wines in Victoria. Backing up the tunes, there'll be a tasty lineup of eats, craft beer and, of course, some sensational vino from these Australian wine regions. Safe to say, it's probably the rowdiest event these wineries will host all year. WINE MACHINE 2023 DATES: Saturday, November 26, 2022 — Oakover Grounds, Swan Valley, Whadjuk Country, Western Australia Saturday, December 17, 2022 — Serafino Wines, McLaren Vale, Kaurna Country, South Australia Saturday, January 14, 2023 — Home Hill Winery, Huon Valley, Nuenonne Country, Tasmania Saturday, March 18, 2023 — Dalwood Estate, Hunter Valley, Wonnarua Country, New South Wales Saturday, March 25, 2023 — Commonwealth Park, Canberra, Ngunnawal Country, Australian Capital Territory Saturday, April 1, 2023 — Rochford Wines, Wurundjeri Country, Victoria WINE MACHINE 2022–23 LINEUP — WA, SA AND TASMANIA: Flight Facilities (DJ set only in Tasmania) Lime Cordiale Cut Copy San Cisco Client Liaison (excluding SA) Masked Wolf (SA only) Art vs Science (SA only) Stace Cadet (DJ set, Tasmania only) Sumner (SA only) Mell Hall Happiness Is Wealth Jimi the Kween The Poof Doof Jamboree WINE MACHINE 2023 LINEUP — NSW, ACT AND VICTORIA: Hot Dub Time Machine Lime Cordiale (excluding Victoria) Bliss N Esso Vera Blue (excluding NSW) Northeast Party House KLP Grantperez The Poof Doof Jamboree Wine Machine tours Australia from November 2022–April 2023. Tickets for Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania are on sale now. Ticket pre-sales for NSW, ACT and Victoria start from 6pm AEDT on Wednesday, November 2, with general sales from 12pm AEDY on Thursday, November 3. Head to the festival website for further details.
Following a rebrand, Orazio D'Elia's Alexandria pasticceria Mia Dolci has now officially become Da Orazio Pasticceria. And to celebrate its new chapter, Da Orazio Pasticceria has set up a six-week pop-up right next door to Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta in Bondi Beach. Inspired by a recent trip to Italy, D'Elia's menu includes a range of classic Italian cakes and pastries with a modern twist. And every day from 8am, Vittoria coffee will be served to pair with your chosen goods. If you're looking for something savoury, you can take your pick from the daily selection of focaccia paninis with fillings including house pastrami, cheddar, pickle, and rocket; smoked chicken, scarmorza, roasted tomatoes, and dijon mayonnaise; and mortadella, pistachio pesto, artichoke and provolone. The porchetta focaccia from Pizza + Porchetta's menu will also be on regular rotation. More details can be found via the official website.
Good news has been in short supply in 2020, so when something positive comes along, it's worth celebrating. In Victoria, after two tough periods of lockdown this year, the state has just hit an impressive milestone — with no active COVID-19 cases present. That figure comes as the state also hits 25 consecutive days without any new COVID-19 cases or deaths, which is obviously also fantastic news. To put those achievements in context, when Victoria announced on October 26 that it had zero new cases or deaths that day, it was the first time it had celebrated that feat since early June — and that mid-year news was the first time since the start of the pandemic. By mid-August, the states cases had climbed to 687. That was the peak of the second wave, thankfully, and since then, the numbers have slowly been decreasing. The Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services has sent out its daily Tweet with yesterday's numbers and it's what we all want to see: a big fat zero in all four crucial fields. So there are no new cases, no deaths, no active cases and no cases from an unknown source across the past fortnight, either. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1330996503817703430 Of course, this doesn't mean the war is over, but it is great to hear as Victoria continues to open back up. It's also the first time that cases have hit zero in the state since February. Today's zero new cases places Victoria's total at 20,345, which includes 19,525 people who have recovered from the coronavirus, as per the state's last reported numbers on Monday, November 23. So far, Victoria has conducted more than 3.5 million tests for COVID-19. While restrictions have been easing across the state, the Victorian Government has continued to encourage the state's residents to get tested and respect the rules. The last round of eased restrictions came into effect on midnight this past Sunday, with Victorians no longer required to wear masks outside (as long as you can maintain social distancing) and venue and gathering limits increasing. At-home gathering sizes are set to increase again on Sunday, December 13 — just in time for Christmas. The state has been slowly progressing through a five-step roadmap to COVID-normal since mid-September. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health and Human Services website — and for further details about Victoria's steps for reopening, head to the roadmap itself.
If you've inched along Parramatta Road at 8am midweek quietly wishing doom on reams of red blinking car butts, hoping the breakfast studio shenanigans of triple j's Matt and Alex will distract you from pummelling your own steering wheel in the face; we've got a spot of bad news for you. It ain't getting better anytime soon. Making the biggest argument for riding your bike to work in recent times, new data published in the Sydney Morning Herald shows Sydney traffic is the worst in the country, particularly on Wednesdays. We've also got some of the worst congestion in the world. GPS company TomTom used their own technology to find out what the blazes was up with our global tendency for jammin'. Tracking 92 million vehicle kilometres worth of GPS information from mobile devices (alongside live traffic streams) over 2012-2013, TomTom deduced that your average Sydney driver sat in their four-wheeler for 34 per cent longer than the trip would take without any other cars on the road. That's 38 minutes longer an hour than you should be — almost 90 hours a year. That's a whole bunch of podcasts. Wednesday mornings took out the horribly-earned title of worst time to be driving in Sydney during the week, with Friday night coming in a close second. Weirdly enough, if you're running late on a Friday morning the roads will be the clearest. Melbourne and Perth aren't rolling in glory either, recording average congestion levels of 27 per cent. Brisbane breathes a little easier with drivers spending 23 per cent longer than they'd need to on the road to work. So who are the biggest offenders in Sydney? SMH reported that Newtown's snail trail Princes Highway to King Street made the cut, with its CBD sisters City Road and Broadway confirming their Tetris-like squalor. Military Road between Neutral Bay and Manly (including the hideously congested Spit Bridge), Old South Head Road in the Eastern Suburbs, the Eastern distributor south of Moore Park Road, just the tip of the M4, the south part of Lady Game Drive and the monarch of jams, Parramatta Road. With recent developments in new Sydney bike lanes, hubs and technology, there's never been a better time to start cycling. Via SMH. Image by by Alborz Fallah.
Port Macquarie's Festival of the Sun has been running for 16 years, and the boutique summer music festival is still bringing the goods. The lineup for this December has just been released and it looks like it'll be another doozy. Methyl Ethel and Briggs will headline the three-day fest, with Julia Jacklin, Trophy Eyes, Lime Cordiale and Baker Boy lending their voices too. Amyl and the Sniffers, Tired Lion, I Know Leopard, Nathan Ball and Good Doogs — among others — round out what looks like it'll be a big couple of days of music, with more acts still to be announced. The camping festival is also — excitingly — BYO, so you don't need to spend your hard-earned cash on overpriced UDLs. Alongside the lineup of live music, there will also be a heap of food trucks (serving everything from burgers to vegan fare), silent discos and silent comedy. The festival is themed each year, and this year it's the "ghouls and unicorns" edition — looks like it's time to whip out your Halloween costumes and anything you own that's rainbow-coloured. Festival of the Sun runs from Friday, December 13 to Sunday, December 15. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Thursday, August 8. FESTIVAL OF THE SUN 2018 LINEUP Methyl Ethel Briggs Julia Jacklin Trophy Eyes Lime Cordiale Baker Boy Amyl and the Sniffers Tired Lion I Know Leopard Nathan Ball (UK) Good Doogs Genesis Owusu Milan Ring Arno Faraji JEFFE Tasman Keith Stevie Jean FRITZ Bakers Eddy VOIID Surf Trash Georgia June Johnny Hunter The Buoys Garage Sale
One may be forgiven for having thought that Double Bay was well past its heyday. What was once a fashionable enclave of the rich and famous had more recently been in repose. However, some well-renowned restaurateurs such as Simon Goh have spiced things up and are leading the way for Double Bay’s rebirth as one of Sydney’s trendy food hubs. Goh, the successful owner behind the Chinta Ria string of restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney, believes Double Bay has a promising future. So much so that he recently opened his latest enterprise, Chinta Kechil. It’s a refreshingly quirky Malay street eatery along the suburb’s main drag. “I think Double Bay has been a lost soul for a little while so we are trying to give it a bit of a rebirth”, he says, looking proudly around his vintage Asian cafe. Goh has successfully created an enticing Malaysian market street experience. He uses memories from his childhood growing up in a small village in Malaysia in the 1960s to construct a setting of quaint Asia that is both warm and stylish. “This is a street cafe, it’s about going back to nostalgia. If I want to go back to nostalgia, I’ve got to go back to what I’ve been brought up with. So, I’ve got to make it very pure and simple”, says Goh. Warm timber finishes, a variety of Malaysian sauce bottles, stacks of bamboo steamers piled high and a sea of red lanterns hanging overhead all give an authentic simplicity to the tiny space. As well as nostalgia, comfort is intrinsic to his culinary vision. “This is very much a comfort food menu where everything is laid out and easy to order” explains Goh. Hanging pictures of the menu food are labelled with their Malaysian names, reminiscent of the traditional signage at street hawker stalls in Kuala Lumpur or Penang. The dish he feels most connected to is the savoury sticky rice ($6.80), as it reminds him of his childhood. New to the Chinta repertoire, this black sticky rice dish is a keeper with its unique and earthy taste, aromatic Chinese seasoning and a satisfyingly chewy texture. Also exclusive to Double Bay is the sweet and sour tamarind fish laksa ($13.80), a fragrant and traditional dish that Goh’s team have tweaked to suit the western palate. Chinta aficionados will feel at home with finger food staples such as the vegetarian curry puffs ($5.80) and the irresistibly flaky roti bread ($4.80). The signature dish of steamy seafood laksa ($15.80) is the perfect winter warmer with its robust coconut broth, silky noodles and abundance of succulent prawns, calamari, tender chicken strips, fried tofu and flavoursome fishcakes. One of the real highlights is the Nasi Lemak Deluxe ($13.80), a coconut rice dish served with a tender chicken curry and an array of mixed condiments, including a sweet and sour sambal, refreshing pickled vegetables, crunchy peanuts and salty fried anchovies. The complex combination of flavours and well-balanced chilli yields a pleasant tingling sensation that extends well beyond your last bite. Completing the meal was a delectable dessert adapted from the popular Malaysian street food called kuih dadar. It is warm pandan pancake encasing an exquisitely moreish caramelised coconut and brown sugar filling. Despite the old adage ‘Double Bay, double pay’, Chinta Kechil is excellent value. The Chinta Kechil experience succeeds in transporting your senses to a Malay street eatery both atmospherically and through the fragrant Malaysian cuisine that combines flavours from Malay, Indian and Chinese influences. If Double Bay is going to make a comeback as a worthy restaurant precinct, Chinta Kechil is one of those leading the way. Widely recognised for his inventive dining concepts, Goh has plans to extend beyond the street style eatery into a downstairs restaurant. It will be a more elaborate dining experience resembling a vintage Asian jazz room, complete with live music. This phase of the expansion will be finished within the next four months. Watch this space; Chinta Kechil has only given us a taste of what’s to come.
Australia's latest environmental protests will span an entire week, featuring rallies, marches, flash mobs, sing-alongs and more. Organised by Extinction Rebellion Australia — which has been ramping up its actions around the country over the course of the year — the co-ordinated series of national events is once again designed to demand government action on climate change. Running until Sunday, October 13 in Australia's major cities, the protests form part of the group's international Spring Rebellion campaign. The rallies kicked off on Monday, with different activities planned each day in each location. Reports from the Spring Rebellion's first two days include inner-city road closures, groups of 'dead bees' blocking major thoroughfares and meditation sessions outside Victoria's parliament. They also include plenty of arrests — Victoria Police reports that, along with yesterday's arrests, 59 people were taken into custody in Melbourne today, as was a protestor who suspended himself from Brisbane's Story Bridge in a hammock. Like September's Global Climate Strike, which was overseen locally by School Strike 4 Climate, the current events aim to draw attention to the changing state of the global environment — drastic changes that've caused soaring temperatures, prolonged drought conditions, and the horrific bushfires that plagued Queensland and NSW last month. Extinction Rebellion's Aussie protestors are also focusing on three demands: that the government declares a climate emergency, and urgently communicate the need for change; that state and federal governments commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025; and that a Citizens' Assembly on climate and ecological justice is convened. As always, disruptions and delays are expected as a result of the protest actions, including possible road closures and traffic diversions. If you're planning to join the crowds or need to consider your transport options for the week, here's how the events will go down in your city. [caption id="attachment_735589" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Extinction Rebellion SEQ[/caption] SYDNEY Extinction Rebellion's Sydney activities will change daily, with flash mobs meeting at Belmore Park at 9am tomorrow, Wednesday, October 9, before hopping on trains from Central Station and spreading their message through the rail network. From 12.30pm on Friday, October 11, protestors will literally place their heads in the sand (in holes that still allow enough room for them to breathe) on Manly Beach. At 9.30am on Saturday, October 12, they'll amass on the Coogee Beach Esplanade wearing blue and green, all to highlight the impact of climate change on the seas — and then, from 10.30am on Sunday, October 13, they'll descend on Bondi Beach to form a huge hourglass near the Icebergs end. For public transport and traffic updates each day, check Transport NSW and Live Traffic Sydney. MELBOURNE Melburnians can stop by the week-long family camp at Carlton Gardens, which forms Extinction Rebellion's local hub — it'll be holding arts and crafts, philosophy workshops, family-friendly Q&A sessions, music and performances throughout the week. From 3pm on Wednesday, October 9, they'll head to RMIT to rally, with traffic disruptions along Swanston Street likely. Then, from 7.30am on Friday, October 11, they'll perform a dress rehearsal for one of the group's next big actions — a blockade of the International Mining and Resources Conference between October 28–31 — by protesting outside of BHP's offices. The week culminates on Saturday, October 12 with the Nudie Parade, with folks stripping down to their underwear, painting their bodies with messages and marching from Carlton Gardens from 10am. For public transport and traffic updates each day, check Yarra Trams and Vic Traffic. BRISBANE Setting up shop in Queens Gardens on George Street, Brisbane boasts a jam-packed protest schedule — with flash mobs starting from outside the casino each morning until Friday, October 11. They'll gather from 7.30am, with sing-alongs taking place from noon each day, speakers hitting the microphone from 1pm daily, market stalls selling arts and crafts from 9am–5pm and a photobooth onsite as well. Live performances will also take place from 5pm, featuring bands on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a freestyle rap battle on Thursday. Tuesday will also see a public rally demanding action from the gas industry, which'll take place from midday at 32 Turbot Street, plus slam poetry in Queens Gardens from 7pm. On Wednesday, there'll be a weaving session at 10am in Queens Gardens, then a zero-waste gathering at the same site from 3pm. Come Thursday, protestors will stage a funeral procession down William Street to Parliament House from midday. And, on Friday, the group will occupy the William Jolly Bridge from 10am. For public transport and traffic updates each day, check Translink and Qld Traffic Metro. Extinction Rebellion's Spring Rebellion protests will take place at various times until Sunday, October 13. For further details, visit the organisation's website. Image: Extinction Rebellion Victoria
Chances, you'll smell Maverick before you see it. Tucked away behind a car dealer and Ulladulla Macca's, this isn't just a cafe, but a microroastery, too. Owner and obsessive barista Andrew Gibson worked his way around Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Europe before setting up shop on the South Coast. He knows his beans inside-out, including where to source those that are both ethical and tasty. Sink into a couch in the light-filled industrial space and order your brew of choice — be it a house blend or one of the ever-changing single origins, like the Blue Bianca from Indonesia, which has notes of grapefruit and tobacco. And, in case you're travelling with your best mate, puppaccinos also on the menu. Feeling a bit peckish after your drive? Take your pick of sweet treats – from vegan donuts and hand-crafted chocolates to fresh pastries. Also, back in the centre of town, Maverick has a sibling cafe called The Sunday Life, which is open seven days a week from 6am.
Since TAFE NSW announced three weeks ago it was offering 21 free online short courses to help Sydneysiders upskill during COVID-19, a whopping 85,000 people have enrolled. As a result, some of the courses are full — the medical administration course alone has 10,000 participants — but if you were keen to enrol, and just hadn't gotten around to it yet, you haven't missed out: new courses have just been unveiled. Announced by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian this morning, Thursday, April 30, the 13 new fee-free short courses replace the oversubscribed courses and are now available to complete online via TAFE NSW. The 21 total fee-free accredited courses are open to people over 17 who live or work in NSW and are an Australia or NZ citizen, permanent resident or humanitarian visa holder. You can also only enrol in a maximum of two courses. If you tick those boxes, you can now grow your digital skills with an introductory course to coding or cyber security, increase your medical knowledge with an introduction to infection prevention (with a focus on hand washing, PPE equipment and temperature control) or up your management nous with a Statement of Attainment in Leading Teams. Courses range in commitment from 3–11 hours a week for up to 26 weeks. These new courses add to TAFE NSW's existing fee-free short courses, which are available to those impacted by this season's devastating bushfires and women looking to launch a small business. Early last year, NSW Government also announced it was subsidising up to 100,000 TAFE courses and apprenticeships under its Smart and Skilled program. TAFE NSW has paused face-to-face courses. You can find out more about its COVID-19 response over here. To find out more about and enrol in one of TAFE NSW's fee-free online short courses, head to the TAFE NSW website.
While craft beer is often thought of as a relatively informal beverage, best paired with a burger or pizza, Frenchies Bistro and Brewery is mixing things up this November. This Sydney Beer Week, you'll be able to enjoy a multi-course dinner matched with tasty brews at the Rosebery brewery. With a lineup of four Frenchies brews, each paired with a dish created by the bistro team at its space in The Cannery, you won't just a great meal, but will learn the history of the beer, the origins of its style and a bit of info about how it's made. This experience aims to prove that beer and food matching can be every bit as complex as a wine degustation, and, arguably, more fun. While the menu has not been released just yet, it will be largely influenced by season and market availability. A ticket will set you back $85 for four courses with matching beers.
Suitcases at the ready: your latest excuse to not just dream of a getaway, but actively start looking forward to your next one, is here. Virgin is putting on another flight sale, and this one expands its usual Happy Hour promotions. For one day only, and for the first time ever, the airline is extending its weekly window for specials to a full day. That means that today, Thursday, February 23, you have until midnight AEDT to score a bargain fare to destinations around Australia. Included on the sale list is everywhere from the nation's capital cities to Sunshine State hotspots such as Hamilton Island, Cairns and the Gold Coast. So, whether you're keen to explore a different concrete playground than your own or to soak in some beach time on an endless summer, you've got options. A huge 250,000 discounted one-way flights are on offer, starting at at $55. As always, that price will get you from Sydney to Byron Bay, which is consistently the cheapest route during sales like this. Other cheap fares include Sydney to the Gold Coast from $89, Adelaide to Melbourne from $99, Brisbane to Hamilton Island from $119, Sydney to Hobart from $95 and Melbourne to Launceston from $69. And, the discounts apply both ways, and for economy seats. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, the dates cover between Thursday, March 9–Friday, September 15, all varying per route. Get ready for autumn and winter getaways, or to start off spring with a break. As usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick — quicker than usual, in fact, given the midnight deadline. Virgin's day-long Happy Hour sale runs until midnight AEDT on Thursday, February 23 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
UPDATE: 4PM, JANUARY 20, 2017 After posting on Facebook earlier today that the NSW Police Commissioner was attempting to prohibit this weekend's rally in the Supreme Court, Keep Sydney Open have announced that the rally scheduled for tomorrow night — Saturday, January 21 — has been cancelled. Speaking in a live video on the group's Facebook page, KSO director Tyson Koh said that the Supreme Court has ruled the rally illegal, and as such, they will not be proceeding with the event. Koh said that he wanted to maintain KSO's peaceful and cooperative reputation with the police, and urged individuals — however frustrated and upset — to do the same. Sydney's nightlife lovers might have earned a 30-minute extension, following the Liquor Law Review, but it's certainly far from a repeal of the lockout laws. Consequently, Keep Sydney Open is teaming up with Sydney's ARIA-winning duo Flight Facilities for another rally, to be held in Kings Cross on the evening of Saturday, January 21 from 9pm. As fans would know, Flight Facilities has been continually outspoken in their opposition to the lockouts. After all, the duo played some of its first gigs after 3am at now-closed Kings Cross venues, including Hugo's, Soho, Tank Room and the Piano Room. "Having met in Kings Cross nearly nine years ago, the place holds a special place in our hearts," said Flight Facilities' Jimmy Lyell and Hugo Gruzman. "We, personally, realise the importance of nightlife as a breeding ground for ideas and talent. To stand by and watch the continual erosion of a vital stone in the path to our success would be a disservice to Sydney, its music lovers and other potential musicians." Flight Facilities were included in a group of artists commemorated recently in a KSO project, which paid tribute to closed Sydney venues and the artists who cut their teeth there. Flight Facilities have long been associated with Kings Cross's now-closed Piano Room, where Jimmy and Hugo met. Keep Sydney Open does not see the 30-minute extension as a solution. Instead, the organisation wants to work with the NSW Government to implement a seven-point plan, as follows: Developing best-practice policing strategies; Investing in 24/7 public transport; Implementing integrated urban planning reform; Encouraging diversification of after-dark activities; Establishing anti-violence education and intervention campaigns; Incentivising well-run venues; and Appointing a Night Mayor or office charged with managing Sydneyʼs night-time economy. "A 30-minute extension will not be enough to reverse the damage being done to the cultural areas and small businesses that make Sydney an exciting place to be," said Tyson Koh, director of Keep Sydney Open. "Itʼs barely enough time to line up for the bathroom or get a kebab. "For too long the debate about our city and how we live our lives has been dominated by misinformation and fear-mongering. We call on the lobby groups who support the lockout laws to enter the conversation about smart solutions, instead of clearing people off the streets." The rally will be Keep Sydney Open's third. To keep up to date with developments, follow the event page over here.
Here are some things that have happened in the stories of American writer David Sedaris: A man goes in search of a stuffed owl to give to his boyfriend for Valentine's Day. Befriending a taxidermist who confirms his interest in formerly alive creatures is strictly non-professional, the man finds himself in a London basement gazing at the 400-year-old preserved head of a 14-year-old girl and the skeleton of a 19th-century Pygmy. They raise questions, uncomfortable ones. Like, 'how much are they?' A man takes a job at Macy's department store as a Christmas elf named Crumpet. He encounters fistfights, vomiting and magnificent tantrums, children with modelling contracts and children with adjectives instead of first names. He tells a child that Santa has changed his policy, and no longer brings coal if you misbehave. Instead he will break into your house, steal all your appliances, and leave you alone, in the dark, with nothing. A father imagines his children forming a jazz quartet. Hoping to make the fantasy reality, the father gifts the son 'that guitar you always wanted'. The son, while regularly petitioning for a brand-name vacuum cleaner, had never mentioned a guitar. He takes lessons from an artistically thwarted midget, until one evening the son admits to his teacher that what we really wants to do is perform a medley of television jingles in the voice of Billie Holiday. David Sedaris has developed a cult-like following for penning insightful, satirical, real-life stories like those above. His latest book is entitled Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls. You could read it, if that is a thing you would like to do. You could also read Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Me Talk Pretty One Day or any of his other fine collections available at your local bookshop. A regular contributor to This American Life, Sedaris will be touring our fine country in January 2014. As part of the summer program for Ideas at the House, he will spend one special night at the Sydney Opera House talking to you. David Sedaris is wonderful. Ideas at the House is also wonderful. Together, they are guaranteed to make your evening approximately 89 percent smarter, funnier and more profound. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1msZQjwlebU
In I Am Mother's vision of the future, humanity has almost become extinct, the earth is a wasteland and the only known person alive is a teenager (Clara Rugaard) born, raised and living in an underground facility. Known only as Daughter, the adolescent has been brought up by a robot that she calls Mother (voiced by Rose Byrne) — but when a woman (Hilary Swank) comes knocking on their door, the girl begins to doubt everything she knows, including her android protector's motives. So far, so familiar, especially if you're a fan of sci-fi thrillers and dystopian tales. Australia has made a few, including the hugely successful Mad Max franchise; however this homegrown sci-fi thriller definitely finds its own niche. Shot in Adelaide, screening as a work in progress at the 2018 Adelaide Film Festival, premiering internationally at this year's Sundance and also slated for this year's Sydney Film Festival, it's now heading to Netflix from June 7 as well. Get ready for a bleak, tense and twisty effort that makes the most of its premise, nods to both the Alien and Terminator sagas, features immersive production design, and should bring its stellar young Danish lead Rugaard to further attention. It's also the debut feature from Australian filmmaker Grant Sputore, who directs and co-penned the underlying story with fellow big-screen first-timer Michael Lloyd Green. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5BKctcZxrM I Am Mother drops on Netflix on June 7.
Flick through the pages of any issue of National Geographic and the planet comes to life in all of its natural glory, particularly the colour, movement and all-round splendour of the animal world. Indeed, the magazine has been taking eye-catching wildlife photographs since 1888, and first featured one such image — a snap of a reindeer — on its cover back in 1903. From that huge 130-year history, the publication has picked out the absolute best photos in its archive for a brand new exhibition, which will make its world premiere at the Melbourne Zoo from September 8 to November 30. 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs will showcase exactly what it sounds like — 50 breathtaking snaps of the earth's animal inhabitants, as curated by famous nature picture editor Kathy Moran, and featuring the work of iconic National Geographic photographers such as Michael 'Nick' Nichols, Steve Winter, Paul Nicklen, Beverly Joubert and David Doubilet. If last year's Photo Ark exhibition has you staring in wonder, then this promises that and more as patrons not only view the stunning sights captured, but the way that photography has evolved over the course of more than a century. Displaying as an outdoor gallery in Melbourne Zoo's Carousel Park, 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs will be accompanied by augmented reality experience Air, Land & Sea. The interactive installation transports viewers to a watering hole where animals — hailing from Africa, the Arctic and more — graze, drink and interact with the environment around them. As well as giving patrons a glimpse at wildlife photography at its finest, Melbourne Zoo hopes the exhibition will bring attention to the plight of animals around the world. "Our hope is that, after viewing these stunning images and connecting with the wildlife at Melbourne Zoo, visitors will be compelled to remember that all animals deserve our greatest respect, awe and preservation," says Melbourne Zoo director Kevin Tanner. National Geographic's 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs will be on display at Melbourne Zoo from September 8 to November 30. Entry to the exhibition is included in the zoo admission price. For more information, visit the website. Image: Gray Whale Hands by Thomas P. Peschak, San Ignacio Lagoon, Mexico, April 2015.
Long before its new sequel declared so in its title, The Craft already had a legacy. A horror-thriller about teen witches using and abusing magic to cope with high school's troubles, the 1996 Neve Campbell-starring cult favourite is the quintessential movie of that exact description. It's supremely 90s. It has the cast, look, soundtrack and mood to match. In using the occult to explore adolescent angst, it splashes everything from stormy skies and candle-lit rooms to hordes of rats and snakes across the screen, filling its frames with trusty genre imagery. And, it leans into the torment and toil of being a young woman finding one's way in the world, and of dealing with sleazy schoolboys, racist prom queens, society's obsession with appearance and the tyranny of class differences, too. The overall film has its struggles, but it has always stood out — and retained its place in pop culture. Written and directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Zoe Lister-Jones (Band Aid), The Craft: Legacy is clearly the product of someone who already knows all of the above. It's also the work of someone keen to pay tribute to the original, embrace what she sees as its strengths, redress its wrongs, and update it for a new time and a new generation. But it's possible for a 24-years-later follow-up to show affection, make some smart changes, move with the times and still feel like the remnants left in a cauldron. Or, for it to recall one of its predecessor's famed moments — one it recreates, briefly — in an unintended fashion. When this feature's coven play with levitation, the words "light as a feather, stiff as a board" aren't heard; however, by the end of the movie, they best describe everything that's just happened. Starting as its inspiration did, The Craft: Legacy begins with the arrival of a teen in a new town. Lily (Cailee Spaeny, Devs) and her mother Helen (Michelle Monaghan, Saint Judy) move in with the latter's boyfriend and his three sons — and if the in-car sing-along to Alanis Morrisette's 'Hand in My Pocket' doesn't nod firmly enough in the 90s' direction, the casting of The X-Files' David Duchovny as Adam, the author of a self-help book called 'The Hallowed Masculine' and the object of the head-over-heels Helen's affection, does. Navigating a new school, Lily soon finds herself taunted by resident jock and bully Timmy (Nicholas Galitzine, Share) in an unpleasant classroom incident. But she's also found by Lourdes (Zoey Luna, Pose), Frankie (Gideon Adlon, Blockers) and Tabby (Lovie Simone, Selah and the Spades), who are looking for the west to their north, south and east. They become fast friends, trifling with spells and testing their abilities. They also sneak into Timmy's room and enchant him into becoming the best version of himself. While Timmy provides an early source of nastiness, it's hardly a spoiler to note that he isn't The Craft: Legacy's antagonist. Instead, he's transformed from a jerk that makes fun of menstruation to a sensitive soul who waxes lyrical about Princess Nokia's politics. Any movie that does that was never going to let its darkness spring from its central quartet, either. Lily and her new friends must learn to use magic responsibly, but their mistakes are lessons rather than cautionary tales. The Craft: Legacy also gets its witches to turn a homophobic classmate's coat into a rainbow-hued statement piece, and burn slut-shaming slurs off of lockers. It has Lourdes stand up for trans women like herself, correcting Frankie when she says that giving birth is one of the fairer sex's strengths. It verbally and visibly champions inclusivity at every turn, so it finds its enemy in a glaring source — that'd be toxic masculinity — and the creepy character who personifies it. Often, when a sequel, remake or reboot gestures forcefully at the movie it's based on, it can prove convenient, blatant and overt all at once. Alas, that's how the bulk of The Craft: Legacy plays. In fact, in mimicking setups, scenes or specific lines, Lister-Jones is generally canny and even economical about references to her film's predecessor — so they're frequently the only parts that don't feel bland and routine. If only the same amount of effort had gone into fleshing out the main characters, who are nearly interchangeable, even with their racial and gender diversity. If only the same care had be expended in giving them personalities (loudness is one of the gang's defining traits), backstories and any weirdness, actually. If only the same thoughtfulness had been afforded its villain and all that he stands for, too. Rather than seeing young women become consumed by their blossoming power, and also punishing those who refuse to conform, it's a welcome shift that The Craft: Legacy calls out the patriarchal norms and attitudes that put teenage girls in that situation. And yet the film just seems happy enough to have made that switch, instead of giving it any true weight or substantial depth. The Craft: Legacy is light thematically, and also in plethora of other ways. Visually and tonally, it views witchcraft as fun and colourful. Emotionally, there are few stakes and horrors, so almost everything feels unimportant and anticlimactic. As a result, there's also a stiffness to the film — as though it's trying so hard to be loose, open, breezy and upbeat that it actually proves strained and wooden instead. A likeable cast of women can't change that. Neither can a late plot inclusion that's predictable, but possesses more intrigue than the rest of the movie. It's fitting that The Craft: Legacy's witches treat their abilities like superpowers, because the film recalls oh-so-many caped crusader flicks in one inescapable regard: by focusing its energies on laying the groundwork for a sequel that isn't guaranteed, and failing to conjure up much more than the bare minimum in the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxZ774gziwU
If you hadn't noticed, fermentation is a bit of a thing. One of the driving forces behind the movement is the fact that fermented food and drinks can help promote good bacteria in your gut. So it's not surprising that one of the more popular workshops at Cornersmith — who dish out hearty breakfasts and hold workshops in cheesemaking, pickling and fermenting among others — is the wild soda class, where you learn to make a fermented, fizzy fruit beverage that's both delicious and good for your digestion. On Thursday December 1 we collaborated with the fermentation geniuses at Cornersmith and hosted two wild soda workshops at the Stoneleigh Hotel in Chippendale. The workshops were inspired by our partnership with Stoneleigh, and their philosophy of using wild fermentation to make the wine in their Wild Valley range (it uses a similar fermentation process as wild soda does — read about it here). Head fermenter Jaimee Edwards taught two classes on how to make your own fermented, fizzy fruit drink using wild ingredients. We made a lemon verbena, dianella berry and mint soda which turned out a beautiful bright purple colour and tasted pretty delicious. Alongside Edwards was the Stoneleigh wine ambassador India Munari, offering her insight in the relationship between the process of making wild soda and Stoneleigh's range of wild fermentation wines. Take a look through our photos and see what went down on the night. For those who couldn't attend, you can go DIY and follow Jaimee's instructions in our wild soda feature here. Or, you can head to the Stoneleigh Hotel and sample some tastings of Wild Valley wine — it's open until December 11. Try some Wild Valley wild fermentation wine at the Stoneleigh Hotel, a sandstone house in Chippendale overrun by nature. It's at 48 Kensington Street, Chippendale from November 11 until December 11. Images: Kimberley Low.
You've heard the tales. Those mystical, weird-as-blazes stories of entire restaurants manned by robots in Japan, surrounded by glow sticks, frantic lasers, bejewelled dancers and robot battles. The rumours are straight-up true. But don't even think about breaking that piggy bank open for an airfare, the world-renowed Japanese Robot Restaurant from Shinjuku, Tokyo is coming to Sydney for two nights only. This is not a drill. As part of the launch of Contiki’s new 'Japan Unrivalled' itinerary kicking off in March 2015, the travel-lovin' team are bringing one of Japan's major kitschy attractions to you — battling robots included. Set to pop up at 41 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, 'Robots Unrivalled' is the sum of your wildest, weirdest and wackiest Japanese-inspired dreams — big ol' J-pop beats, choreographed dancers, fluorescent fitout and tasty Japanese food and bevs — and LASERS. So very many lasers. The kicker? The pop-up will see giant futuristic robots doing battle while you nosh. That's right, bigass robots battling. Classic weird, wonderful Japan. This is going to be nuts. Robots Unrivalled will perform three sessions daily on February 23 and 24 at 41 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. Tickets are currently sold out. Thanks to Contiki, we have ten double passes to give away to lucky CP readers. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au. Image: Lindsay Clark, THINK Global School.
Want to keep your building cool in summer but are self-conscious of the impact it may have on the environment? Well, those worries could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to the environmentally friendly wooden skin erected by French architect Stephane Malka on student housing in Paris. The wooden skin is constructed on the exterior of buildings and consists of a host of pallets of varying dimensions that can be mechanically expanded or contracted, via horizontal hinges, to let in more or less ventilation and daylight as required. Stephane constructed The AME-LOT project, named after the rue Amelot the housing resides on, in response to ecological strategies that "often generate an over-production of materials". By building on top of pre-existing structures, Malka hopes to showcase a sustainable and ecological alternative that does not require new construction by 'energyvores'. As well as its environmental benefits, it would certainly look incredible on the body of a skyscraper. [Via PSFK]
Plunge into 2015 with a big injection of soul love at the first Soul of Sydney Block Party for the year. We're talking an entire afternoon and evening of funk, New York disco, old school hip hop jams, early house beats and more. The main programming criteria: that the music gets you feeling mighty fine. The location is top secret, though we do know it's an indoor/outdoor 'funk oasis' located within five minutes of the CBD. Most of the lineup has been announced however, with Simon Caldwell, Stephen Ferris, Graham Mandroules, All Souled Out DJs, Superbreak, James Locksmith, Mike Who, Phil Toke, DJ Cman, DJ Naiki, Edseven, DJ Saywhut and others confirmed on the bill. To complement the soundtrack, there'll be live art from Billy Kid and Friends, live hair braiding from Eden Stylez and a Bboy/dance showcase. Early bird $5 tickets have sold out, but there's still a scattering of $10 stubs left, which you can nab right here.
Sydney community radio station FBi Radio has been uplifting and celebrating Sydney music and the arts for nearly 20 years. A leading voice in the local music scene, the independent radio station puts on the SMAC (Sydney Music, Arts and Culture) Awards each year, and this year, the FBi team is taking things IRL to put on the SMACS Fest as part of Vivid Sydney. On Friday, June 10 FBi is running a full venue takeover of the Oxford Art Factory for the festival with a huge lineup filled with more than 15 of the city's best bands, solo artists and DJs across two stages. Heading up the lineup is rapper Tasman Keith in the lead up to his new album A Colour Undone, acclaimed singer-songwriter and producer Rainbow Chan, energetic punk and hip-hop trio Shady Nasty and multi-talented rapper and creative Jamaica Moana. Elsewhere on the lineup you'll find live performances from the likes of Moody Beach, 700 Feel and Wytchings alongside DJ sets from Spin the Bottle, Outer Shores, Radar Sounds, Club Boyfriend and Credcendoll just to name a few. The last FBi SMACS Fest was all the way back in 2015, and featured performances from Cosmo's Midnight, Tuka and Palms, as well as Sampa the Great, Hockey Dad and B Wise who were all cutting their teeth at the time. There was even a DJ set from now-Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The mini festival will be kicking off at 8pm and running all the way until 3am on Saturday morning. Tickets are $35 plus booking fees, however all FBi Radio Supporters can nab $10 off their ticket. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuiyJlCmPrA Top image: Destination NSW
While horror has traditionally been the realm of the silver screen, The Walking Dead and newcomer Hannibal have brought all the magnificent gore, thrills and frights of the genre into our homes and onto our televisions. Part cop drama, part serial killer thriller, NBC's Hannibal is a somewhat-prequel to Silence of the Lambs starring Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy (you can guess which one's the conniving, cannibalistic title character). Recently renewed for a second season, it investigates the lives of Will Graham, an FBI agent, and Hannibal Lecter, forensic psychiatrist. The story is based loosely on the material of Thomas Harris's horrific novel Red Dragon but adds a few grotesque twists along the way. The A.V. Club's Todd VanDerWerff described the series as "an intricately twisted serial-killer thriller, but it's also a surprisingly deep series about psychiatry and the state of the human mind", adding that it "had every reason to be a cheap cash-in and has, instead, turned into one of TV's best shows." The Walking Dead, meanwhile, is more out-and-out horror — and, at this point, one of the most well-known and loved TV shows on the planet. Zombies, backstabbing, amputations: totally gross, and totally excellent. About to start its fourth season, it's packed with scream-out-loud scares, and brings a "film-quality drama series about zombies" to life on television. Season three picked up the story three months after season two ended, with both factions of the main characters attempting to keep their lives together whilst, of course, fighting off the infected zombies. Hannibal: Season One and The Walking Dead: Season Three are released on DVD in Australia on September 25. Thanks to Hopscotch Films, we've got 10 prize packs including copies of both series to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
The 428 is an omnibus of mystery. It goes where it wants, it arrives when it wants. Deciphering its movements is about as easy as predicting a hurricane from the flap of a butterfly's wing. The route is curvy, crowded and distracting, following the bends of the old Canterbury tram line through Newtown and Marrickville from Circular Quay. The sheer diversity of people and places touched on by the 428 makes for a surprising and bumpy ride. A team of writers, directors and actors will observe and distil the action on this bus into play form for the restaging of Stories from the 428. The play is being performed again at the Sidetrack Theatre for the Sydney Fringe Festival after a successful April season. Its set fetishises all the everyday things about modern Sydney buses: skinny yellow poles and handrails, unmysterious safety signs and the near intimacy with wordless strangers. Ordinary chachkas of everyday public transport — so familiar; so loathed on a bad day, so overlooked on a good day — are what the play tries to bring up closer into the light. It's not back for long, so catch it while you can.
Looks like Sydney’s going to get a taste of the old days; the lockout laws will be lifted again for one night only on New Year’s Eve. Confirmed by the state government and reported by Same Same, the laws are apparently being lifted to avoid crazy rushes to venues before 1:30am after the fireworks finish. In other words, you’ll be treated like some kind of responsible adult for one glorious evening. Now, don’t fuck it up. If you’re venturing into the CBD on New Year’s Eve (you dedicated shindig-seeker you), you’ll be able to enter CBD/Kings Cross bars, pubs and clubs until 3am — so popping out for a cheeky 2am ciggie won’t separate you from your bag and buddies this NYE. Last drinks at 3am, as per usual, and bars won’t be changing their closing time. Seems there’s been a bucketload of meetings on this one; last year, the state government was apparently advised to lift the lockouts by the City of Sydney, the police and the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing — all three said it would improve safety for the night. The lockout lift is a means to avoid accidents at Sydney’s wharves in particular, with fireworks watchers heading into the city and trying to beat the clock to the kick-on party. So Sydney, keep your punches in your damn pockets and celebrate the New Year with a window into the old way of things. Or just watch the fireworks from your local outside-lockout pub and leave your eyelids unbatted on this one. Via Same Same.
Ok, so you've finally managed to get the courage to talk to that food obsessed guy in your office, or that indie girl in your art class and have even scored their digits. So what now for the date? Well, luckily for you, we've had a think about it and have set ourselves the task of giving you daters out there some direction. With our top dinner and drinks date combos, you can rest assured that there will be no mysterious phone calls to friends or thoughts about impending runners. Here's what Concrete Playground recommends for some good old fashioned fun. The Business Date Food: China LaneDrink: The Baxter Inn Conveniently located in Angel Place, China Lane is a stone's throw away from any CBD office and offers hazy dark corners to gaze into each other's eyes. The old school Sahnghai glamour will add a slither of Mad Men chic to your date and after dinner why not gaze up at those birdcages that hang above and envisage them as mistletoe. It's time to make a move. And if your smooth moves haven't worked yet? Try the Baxter Inn. Here you have low lighting, exposed brick and booths. Not to mention the whisky, oh the whisky. And if things aren't going great guns with your date by now, there's always the eye candy behind the bar. China Lane: 2-12 Angel Place, Sydney; 02 9231 3939; chinalane.com.auThe Baxter Inn: 152-156 Clarence Street, Sydney; thebaxterinn.com The Foodie Date Food: SepiaDrink: Rockpool Bar and Grill You'll begin your meal with freshly shucked to order oysters served with a rice wine and lime vinaigrette, followed by yellowfin tuna sashimi with jamon iberico and a stable of edible artworks to follow. The food alone will be your conversation centre piece if nothing else is flowing. Sepia with its modern, seafood heavy, Japanese-inspired menu, is the ultimate place to take a foodie. Dessert, such as the famed Japanese Stones, will hopefully have each of you spooning the contents into each other's mouths to make for an almost cringe-worthy night of romance. And nightcap wise? You'll need an equally dramatic and impressive bar to have a few beverages at. Rockpool Bar and Grill, with its exceptionally polite and discreet service, art deco styling and extensive wine list is just the ticket. The menu's 'house rules', such as "best manners and temperance are expected at all times" should help things run smoothly on your date, and have men acting like Don Draper while the women swoon. Sepia: 201 Sussex Street, Sydney; 02 9283 1990; sepiarestaurant.com.auRockpool Bar and Grill: 66 Hunter Street, Sydney; 02 02 8078 1900; rockpool.com The Inner City Date Food: 121BCDrink: Button Bar If you like the element of danger in attempting to have a first date at a place that can't guarantee you a table, and is quite tricky to find, then 121BC's gold. Part of the Vini and Berta family, this tiny bar has a casual menu of Italian style share plates, perfect for bumping hands over, dressed in your best flannel shirt and skinny-legged jeans. This dark, wood-paneled hideaway bar will set you and your date immediately at ease. It also has an inconspicuous façade, and cosy leather booths to settle into, with up-cycled glass light shades hanging overhead. There's plenty of candle light to set the mood as you drink pirate themed cocktails. 121BC: 4/50 Holt Street, Surry Hills; 02 9699 1582; 121bc.com.auButton Bar: 65 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills; 02 9211 1544; button-bar.com.au The Inner West Date Food: Guerilla Restaurant and BarDrink: Madame Fling Flong Picture a big two-storey Glebe terrace with mismatched lounges that feels just like home. Now picture some locally sourced organic casual nosh. There will be great music. You'll also be quaffing from a list of Aussie and Kiwi wines. Can't get much more indie than Guerilla. You can even chat to the owners about their musical backgrounds while bunked down on the outside seats listening to a live Sunday sesh. Next, head over to Newtown and up some stairs to Madame Fling Flong. With oodles of armchairs, intimate lighting, and a relaxed vibe, this is the perfect finish to your date, where you can chat away about gigs till your heart's content. Guerilla Restaurant and Bar: 207 Glebe Point Road, Glebe; 02 8957 0652Madame Fling Flong: 1/169 King Street, Newtown; 02 9565 2471; madameflingflong.com.au The Students Date Food: Eathouse DinerDrink: The Fern So you're a student. You live somewhere near Sydney Uni campus, and you've met someone interesting from your Contemporary American Film class. Where to take them when strapped for cash? Eathouse Diner. Why? Because there's hip '50s kitsch decor, a painting of a budgie holding a fork, nudie pics in the toilets and it's super cheap, with loads of atmosphere. To polish of the night, head over to the Fern. With op-shop style furniture in an old terrace just minutes from where you had dinner, this place is the perfect option for a drink. Go with My Fern Mule, which comes tiki-style with a flaming lime on top. The perfect fire to fuel your date. Eathouse Diner: 306 Chalmers Street, Redfern; 02 8084 9479; eathousediner.com.au The Fern: 4 Pitt Street, Redfern; 02 8399 0070; thefern.com.au The East Date Food: The ApolloDrink: The Roosevelt For an eastside date, try out Jonathan Barthelmess and Sam Christie's Greek goods at The Appollo. Think big plates of food that are just begging to be shared in an urban '30s style building, with exposed concrete and unclothed tables. A tad loud, yes, but there's no better excuse to lean in towards your date and whisper sweet nothings. If a luxury drinking joint is your date's kinda thing, then the Roosevelt will tick all of their boxes. Created by the gang behind Eau de Vie, this bar also has a touch of old world class. It's one of those bars where you can impress your date with cocktails made at your table. And did we mention they serve a cocktail in a glass gun called the Mr Sin? A little bit of inspiration perhaps? The Apollo: 44 Macleay Street, Potts Point; 02 8354 0888; theapollo.com.auRoosevelt: 32 Orwell Street, Potts Point; 0423 203 119; theroosevelt.com.au The Theatre Date Food: Cafe Sopra Walsh BayDrink: The Bar at the End of the Wharf Located across the street from the Walsh Bay theatre precinct, you can't look past Cafe Sopra at Walsh Bay. It's the fresh, seasonal Italian fare that we all know and love Fratelli for, and is perfect to fill up on before a long show. You and your date can stroll through the fresh produce while you wait for your meal and maybe pick something up to cook on your next date, well here's hoping. Perfect for when you come out of your evening's performance and want to settle in for a drink or two. The views over the Harbour will take your date's breath away, as you oh so casually slip your arm over their shoulders. Go on, you know you want to. Shop 8/16 Hickson Road, Walsh Point; 02 8243 2700; www.fratellifresh.com.auThe Bar at the End of the Wharf: Pier 4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay; 02 9250 1761; sydneytheatre.com.au/visit/thebar
