With social distancing and public gathering rules in place across the country, Mother's Day is going to look a little different in 2020. While the annual celebration of mums isn't usually associated with fried chicken, KFC is, this year, bucking the trend and launching a 'mum-umental' celebration of chook. This Mother's Day weekend, KFC is slashing 25 percent off its entire menu — and delivering it to your door. So, order some finger lickin' good chook and Zoom your mum to tell her you love her (and maybe send her a gift, if you haven't already). The limited-time offer is available from select KFC stores nationwide and runs from Saturday, May 9 till midnight on Monday, May 11. To get your hands on some cheap 11 secret herbs and spices, head to Menulog's website or use the Menulog app and enter KFC4MUM at checkout. The deal is only valid when you spend $30 or more. While your food is on its way, you can meditate with KFChill, a wellness website that lets you unwind to the sound of chicken frying, gravy simmering or bacon sizzling away in a pan. Yes, it'll make you hungry. You can't road trip to the world's first drive-thru-only KFC or marry your loved at the famed chicken chain this weekend, but 25 percent off a Zinger Burger, Original Recipe Chicken and potato and gravy is sure to lift your spirits. Plus, Popcorn Chicken is a pretty good snack for when you're binging Tiger King or streaming this year's Oscar-winning flick. KFC is offering 25 percent off its entire menu via Menulog from Saturday, May 9 to 11.59pm on Monday, May 11. To order, head to the Menulog website and enter KFC4MUM at checkout. The deal is only valid for orders of $30 or more.
It's official: the first underground section of Sydney's $16.8 billion WestConnex project is set to open this Saturday, July 13. It's starting with the new M4 Tunnels, which are planned to cut traffic on Parramatta Road by up to 20 minutes. The twin tunnels span 5.5-kilometres from Homebush to Haberfield, spanning three lanes in each direction and linking up to the already widened M4 Motorway. That distance will bypass 22 sets of traffic lights and, by 2021, is expected to reduce the overall volume on Parramatta Road by 53 percent. These tunnels have been under construction for three years and cost $3.8 billion alone, so they'll be hoping this forecast comes to fruition. It'll cost $4.27 to take the tunnels the full distance from Haberfield to Homebush (with no initial toll-free period), and $7.89 to go all the way to Parramatta along the widened M4. The road is still toll-free west of Parramatta. You can check out all the detailed costings over here. [caption id="attachment_730676" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NSW Government[/caption] Still in the works for the WestConnex project are the new M5, the M4-M5 Link Tunnels and the Rozelle Interchange — which will connect Sydney's west and southwest with the city and airport via a continuous 33-kilometre motorway. While supporters of the motorway (including NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian) see this first opening of WestConnex as a win that will cut travel time for those living in Sydney's west, the project has had heavy opposition from Sydney's inner-city communities — who see WestConnex as an environmental and infrastructural nightmare. Opponents specifically question the NSW Government's decision to invest so much into a project that encourages more cars on the road, instead of one that creates more public transport options. The project has also been seen as a threat to residential neighbourhoods, including the felling of 500 trees in Sydney Park, as reported by the SMH. For or against, it's happening in three days' time, so get ready. The WestConnex M4 Tunnels will open this Saturday, July 13 with tolls starting immediately. For more information, head to the NSW Government's website.
Summer is almost here and that means it's getting time to whip out the sunscreen and shades and get on the group chat to organise some al fresco hangs in the sunshine. Whether you've got a huge backyard, a compact garden or a decked out balcony, there are lots of ways you can transform your openair space for parties. Think makeshift performance spaces, themed dining where everyone pitches in a plate, or active games to get everyone into the summer spirit. To help you make the most of your outdoor space, we've partnered with Jim Beam to bring you a guide to transforming your backyard for parties and hangouts to remember this summer. [caption id="attachment_789655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cottonbro[/caption] CREATE A MAKESHIFT OUTDOOR CINEMA Each summer brings with it a new selection of romance, comedy and holiday flicks to catch at the cinema, but when you're looking to entertain your friends at home, there's a lot to be said for the old classics that bring us together. Impress your friends by upping movie night and transforming your outdoor space with a makeshift outdoor cinema. All you need is a good projector — which you can buy online or at most tech stores — and then set it up to shine on a wall or vertical flat surface away from other light sources, such as streetlights. Then, grab a cold one and some popcorn, and settle in for a night of quote-alongs and nostalgia bonding. [caption id="attachment_786454" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] HOST AN AROUND-THE-WORLD FEAST Just because you can't travel around the world right now doesn't mean you can't transport yourself elsewhere through the medium of food. Host an 'around the world' picnic where each of your guests brings a dish based on world cuisine. Think bratwurst from Germany, lasagne from Italy, sushi from Japan, chow mein from China, barbecued meats from the US and dosas from India. Then set up the food in different areas around the outdoor space and 'travel' from place to place with your tastebuds. You can even take it a step further and bring drinks from different countries too — for the US, try a Jim Beam with peach iced tea and soda, for example. [caption id="attachment_789656" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jake Ryan[/caption] INVITE YOUR MUSO FRIENDS TO PERFORM Every friendship group has a mate who loves to show off their skills on the guitar and can play a steady rotation of Oasis, John Mayer and Jason Mraz numbers. So why not take advantage of your mates' talents and invite all your muso friends to perform some classic sing-a-longs? They could even show off some originals, if they're that good. String up some coloured lights and get the drinks flowing and it'll feel like a real gig (just like old times). And, because it's your backyard, you get to mingle with the main act afterwards. HOST A MINI OLYMPICS Make up for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and channel the spirit of our finest green-and-gold athletes by hosting a mini version in your backyard. Get each of your guests to bring over a variety of games, including solo sports and team games — such as frisbee, cricket, bocce, basketball, table tennis and putt-putt — and arrange a tournament in your yard. You can even set up an obstacle course if you're feeling super energetic. Don't forget to provide some snacks for fuel and some drinks for good measure — then, let the games begin. After all, who doesn't love healthy competition between friends? [caption id="attachment_790604" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] SET UP YOUR OWN TINY BAR There's no better summertime classic activity than getting the mates round for a drink or two. Now imagine upping the game and playing bartender to your pals in a decked out tiny bar in the backyard. To help out in this endeavour, the global bourbon brand Jim Beam is currently running a competition to give away a fully stocked Jim Beam Tiny Stillhouse, worth over $20,000. The stillhouse includes bluetooth speakers, a mini fridge, four bar stools, an esky, bar mats, a Jenga set, a case of Jim Beam and Cola and a bottle of Jim Beam White Label. Enter here before Sunday, November 22 to get the party going. Top image: Cottonbro via Pexels
Seven women, a dinner party and a bunch of relationships crying out for serious re-examination provide the dramatic drive behind Jonathan Gavin’s A Moment on the Lips. Having debuted on the Old Fitz stage 11 years ago, the play is now revisiting home territory via the Mad March Hare Theatre Company. Through one short scene after another, the lives of seven protagonists unravel. There’s Anne (Ainslie McGlynn), self-declared ‘home resource manager’ facing the challenges of first-time motherhood; Emma (Claudia Barrie), appearance-obsessed newsreader; Dominique (Sonya Kerr), possessor of prophetic powers; and two sets of sisters. The first is comprised of creatively frustrated, failing artist Victoria (Beth Aubrey) and PhD student Jenny (Sarah Aubrey — the Aubreys are sisters for real); the second of emotionally detached yet successful barrister Rowena (Lucy Goleby) and adopted Samoan sibling Bridget (Sabryna T’eo), who cares for dying patients. What’s more, Jenny is married to Rowena, for whom Emma still carries a flame. And pretty much every relationship — be it platonic, romantic or biological — is fraught with regret, dishonesty and confusion. A Moment on the Lips begs us to contemplate our values and consider the big impact of 'little things'. It’s a mountain of material to get through in just one play. Gavin ambitiously attempts to address every character’s strengths and weaknesses, but it’s a tough call, and, too often, lapses into one-dimensionality. It also means some rather uneven scriptwriting. Several clever one-liners elicit genuine laugh-out-loud moments, but there’s also an indigestible reliance on cliche. Occasionally it's used ironically with more punch. McGlynn delivers the standout performance as the struggling Anne — charismatic, sassy and funny. The other roles prove difficult to fill out, given their lack of meatiness, but director Mackenzie Steele does pull off a fast-paced, snappy show, accentuating eccentricities and dynamics where he can. Charlie Davis has come up with a beige, orderly set with bookshelves offering titles like The Way We Live that could easily pass for a trendy Bondi apartment and cleverly references the characters’ materialism and tendency to obsess over first-world problems. Costume designer Isabella Andronos delivers striking contrasts with bold, bright colours. A Moment on the Lips is an entertaining night out, but, ultimately, proves more simplistic than probing. Image by Katy Green Loughrey.
This week sees the premiere of the latest effort from renowned indie filmmaker, Spike Jonze, and it's as spectacularly bizarre as you would expect: a stop-motion animated short film that ends with two felt skeletons having sex all over the bookshelves of Paris' Shakespeare & Co. Mourir Auprès De Toi (roughly translated as 'to die by your side') reveals the filthy, filthy things that happen at night when all the world's booksellers are innocently sleeping. After the lights have been turned off, Macbeth, voiced by Jonze, a sprightly skeleton, unstitches himself from the cover of his book with the aim of reaching the bed of the doe-eyed redhead in a nightgown across the shelf, ostensibly Dracula's Mina (voiced by French singer Soko, famous for threats of murder). On the way he's waylaid by the malevolent whale from Moby Dick, forcing Mina to tear a slit in her nightgown and set out to rescue him. The film concludes with the aforementioned skeleton sex, a little post-coital cigarette smoking and a baby. It's amazing. Mourir Auprès De Toi is the product of the collaboration between Jonze and Olympia Le-Tan, a French accessories designer with a penchant for creating literary bags. Le-Tan channelled her talents into hand-crafting the 3000-odd felt parts that make up the books lining the shelves of Shakespeare & Co., Paris' infamous English-language bookshop and haunt of luminaries such as Ernest Hemingway and William S. Burroughs. While the film premiered in May of this year at La Semaine de la Critique in Cannes, it had its official online premiere this week.
The City of Sydney is opening up a historic structure for small-scale community events right by one of the city's most sprawling parklands. The interior of one of the towering brick kilns that sit on the Saint Peters side of Sydney Park is set to undergo a series of restorations so that the local community can utilise it for arts events and other gatherings. Located just off Sydney Park Road, the brick kiln known as Down Draught Kiln 2 will be subject to major work including increased parking, waterproofing, accessibility improvements, stabilisation of the structure and aesthetic changes that will ensure it's a welcoming space. Plus, there will also be a raised lawn and plaza area introduced for outdoor gatherings. Construction is set to begin in the next 12 months, with the tender process to appoint a contractor for the project currently underway. Once these restorations and improvements are complete, you can expect to see intimate indoor and outdoor gatherings being to pop up at that corner of Sydney Park. [caption id="attachment_731570" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alexandria Velovotee; Flickr[/caption] "This is the largest intact precinct of brick kilns in the state and opening up a small part of it for art exhibitions and other community events is a fantastic result for our communities," says Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore. "I can't wait to see what our team and communities have in store for this vitally important part of our industrial heritage, which is now part of our cultural future." The decision by the council comes during a big push for increased community and arts spaces in the Harbour City. Several areas across the state have been marked as Special Entertainment Precincts, providing them with privileges that assist in fostering a thriving nightlife and live music culture, following the successful Enmore Road trial. The Inner West Council is also pushing to use eight Town Halls as arts hubs across the area. All very positive stuff for the city's cultural footprint and arts communities. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Clover Moore AO (@clovermoore) The Sydney bark brick kilns are located just off Sydney Park Road at the meeting of Alexandria and Saint Peters. You can find more info on the restoration project via the City of Sydney website.
Public demand for multi-disciplinary, multi-media, multi-sensory, cross-genre events is insatiable right now and Carriageworks is about to take them to a whole new level. Introducing Birdfoxmonster, an epic, immersive dining experience combining food, theatre, music and art, created in collaboration with Erth and Studio A. You'll be sampling dishes inspired by the artists' passions and idiosyncrasies, served on Australian ceramics hand-painted by the artists, while watching video projections and interacting with masked performers. Studio A artists involved include Meagan Pelham, a hopeless romantic whose works are full of wedding cakes, bridal parties and wedding dresses, Thom Roberts, a skilled draftsman and creator of transformative installations, and Skye Saxon, a performance and visual artist who draws her ideas from dreams, memories and metaphysical worlds. Meanwhile, Erth's Scott Wright is taking care of direction, while composer James Brown is providing sound art and Elias Nohra digital art. "We have been working towards this point in our relationship with Studio A for the past five years," said Wright. "We have taken considerable time to find a non-physical space in which we could work together, where we could 'remove the expert'. Birdfoxmonster is a beautiful meeting of minds inviting the public to share the love, wonder and perspective of three incredible artists." Birdfoxmonster is part of Carriageworks' New Normal National Strategy and is one of ten new commissions from artists with disability. Birdfoxmonster is happening on key dates between September 21–30 at Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh. Tickets are $70+BF and available via Ticketmaster.
In King Richard, Will Smith does more acting than expected with his back to the on-screen action. He does more acting in general — while the Ali and Concussion star can be a transformative performer, here he feels like he's overtly playing a part rather than disappearing into a role — but the way his eponymous figure handles his daughters' matches instantly stands out. Richard Williams is a tennis parent who despises the usual tennis parent histrionics. At the time the film is set, in the early 90s, he has also coached Venus (Saniyya Sidney, Fences) and Serena (Demi Singleton, Godfather of Harlem) since they were four years old, and penned a 78-page plan mapping out their futures before they were born. He's dedicated his life to their success; however, he's so restless when they're volleying and backhanding that he can't bring himself to watch. These scenes in King Richard are among Smith's best. He's anxious yet determined, and lives the feeling like he's breathing it, in some of the movie's least blatantly showy and most quietly complex scenes as well. The Williams family patriarch has wisdom for all occasions, forged from a tough childhood in America's south, plus the hard work and hustle of turning Venus and Serena into budding champions, so he'd likely have something to say about the insights gleaned here: that you can tell oh-so-much about a person when they're under pressure but nobody's watching. If he was actively imparting this lesson to his daughters — five of them, not just the two that now have 30 Grand Slam singles titles between them — and they didn't glean it, he'd make them watch again. When they see Cinderella in the film, that's exactly what happens. But his courtside demeanour is teachable anyway, recognising how all the preparation and effort in the world will still see you tested over and over. King Richard mostly lobs around smaller moments, though — still life-defining for the aforementioned trio, matriarch Oracene (Aunjanue Ellis, Lovecraft Country) and the rest of the Williams brood, but before Venus and Serena became women's tennis superstars. It unpacks the effort put in to even get them a game, set or match and be taken seriously in a sport that's whiter than the lines marking out its courts, and the chances, sacrifices and wins of their formative years. From cracked Compton courts and homemade hype videos to seizing every hard-earned opportunity: that's the tale that King Richard tells. But, despite making a clear effort to pose this as a family portrait rather than a dad biopic, it still shares an approach with Joe Bell, director Reinaldo Marcus Green's prior film. It bears one man's name, celebrates him first and makes him the centre of someone else's exceptional story. In screenwriter Zach Baylin's debut script, Richard's aim is simple: get Venus and Serena to racquet-swinging glory by any means. His DIY tapes are bait for a professional coach, but attracting one is easier said than done for a working-class Black family without country club connections facing America's inbuilt racism and class clashes, and tennis' snobbery — even if Richard knows his daughters will reach their goals. A turning point comes when, after strolling into a practice match between Pete Sampras and John McEnroe, Richard convinces renowned coach Paul Cohen (Tony Goldwyn, Scandal) to watch his kids play and take on Venus for free. While she's swiftly impressing on the junior circuit, her dad becomes concerned about her psychological and emotional wellbeing, so he next works his persuasive act on Florida-based coach Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal, The Many Saints of Newark) — with a strict no-competition rule. One of the keys to King Richard, as witnessed in its namesake's decisions about his daughters that he unyieldingly makes alone, also proves an ace when he's looking away courtside. This is a movie about how Richard put Venus and Serena on their path to becoming two of the greatest sports women ever, but it's also about imperfections, struggles and contradictions in the pursuit of excellence. That said, it's an authorised account with the tennis legends and their sister Isha Price as executive producers, so it only dives as deep as that whole situation allows. When it focuses on difficult instances where the overbearing and stubborn Richard blazes ahead but Oracene, Venus and Serena call him out and demand their say, it's a better film, although that happens less often than it should. There's texture, weight and complication here, but also a crowd-pleasing smoothing of rough edges that undercuts the feature's power. The Williams sisters deserve multiple movies about their extraordinary achievements, obviously. Their careers stress that inherently. The standout scenes they're given here — including Serena's unhappiness when put second to her sister; today, she's the one that's considered the greatest of all time — also dynamically make the case for more of their tale to reach cinemas. While always in Smith's shadow, both Sidney and Singleton are phenomenal, but the film has been designed to be the former's show. With a hunched posture and pronounced Louisiana accent, Smith is an inescapable force surrounded by far more naturalistic portrayals, including from the terrific and grounded Ellis; however, he grows into a rhythm that matches the film's message. He calls upon the charm that's been a part of his game since his Fresh Prince days, too, and pushes because Richard had to to succeed "in the champion-raising business," as the character describes it. For all the sunny hues splashed around by cinematographer Robert Elswit (a veteran of Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Inherent Vice and more), King Richard doesn't opt for gloss with the clashes working against the Williams' dream. Although Venus's professional debut in 1994 at the age of 14 and her pivotal match against then-world number two Arantxa Sánchez Vicario provides the picture's climax, it's sparing with its tennis bouts, but the battles of race and class in Venus and Serena's way are in the draw from the get-go — discussed, and also made so visible that no line calls are needed. It took a flawed yet dogged king to navigate such relentless serves of engrained prejudice and disadvantage and ensure that the world received two queens, the film posits, and does so convincingly. King Richard is still an easy win, though, rather than an all-timer.
Since emerging out of Byron Bay in 2006, Afends has made a name for itself through its creative and eco-friendly blends of street- and surfwear. Founded by Declan Wise and Jonathan Salfield as a way of producing merch for local punk and hardcore bands, the brand now boasts stores across NSW and VIC, as well as shipping its inventive range of products worldwide. Collaborations have always been a big part of the Afends brand and the latest is possibly its most fun yet. The northern NSW brand is coming together with female-led cannabis-loving media agency Broccoli for a trippy new summer collection. Broccoli runs a thrice-yearly magazine, podcast and twice-weekly newsletter all based on content related to weed and weed-adjacent topics. The marriage of the two brands is a match made in heaven with Afends making use of marijuana's non-psychedelic sibling hemp in their clothes in order to make them more environmentally sustainable. The Afends x Broccoli collab prominently features an optical illusion by Byron Bay artist Josh Galletly. The psychedelic pattern is sure to be a real treat for those that might engage with Broccoli's favourite subject. Highlights from the collection include a huge beach-ready tote, the hemp-based wide-leg pants and unisex collared shirt, and a one-piece bathing suit made from recycled nylon. To explore the full slate of clothes, head to the Afends website, and to stay up to date with all of Broccoli's weed-based conversations, head to the Broccoli Mag Instagram page. The Afends x Broccoli collection is now available from the Afends website and offers worldwide shipping.
Last last year, US Tex-Mex chain Taco Bell quietly opened a test store in Annerley, Brisbane. Now, it's planning to rapidly expand across Australia with a slew of new stores. Taco Bell's parent company Collins Foods, which also operates 28 Aussie KFC restaurants and the 13 remaining Sizzler venues, announced last week that after receiving positive feedback from its test store, it would be opening more Taco Bell outposts before the end of the year. Managing Director and CEO Graham Maxwell suggested locals have embraced the brand wholeheartedly. "We are pleased with the acceptance of the Taco Bell brand by Australian consumers," he explained. This is, however, Taco Bell's third attempted foray into the Australian market. The chain tried to launch here in 1981 (and was then taken to court by Sydney store Taco Bell's Casa) and again in 1997 — but both attempts were unsuccessful and the brand withdrew. As part of Collins Foods' expansion, Real Commercial reported that the company would be rebranding its Sizzler restaurants as Taco Bells, as the US fast food giant makes its most-recent attempt at taking on the Aussie market. In the company's end-of-financial-year summary, it reported that its Sizzler restaurants were underperforming and one more had closed. Currently, you'll find 13 Sizzler restaurants across Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales, though it's unclear how many of these could soon be swapping the salad bar and cheese toast, for burritos and quesadillas.
Under normal circumstances, when a new-release movie starts playing in cinemas, audiences can't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with a worldwide pandemic forcing picture palaces across the globe to shut down temporarily in the interest of public safety, the film industry is being forced to adjust. While no one in Australia can currently head to their local movie theatre, sit in a darkened room with a crowd of fellow film buffs and feast their eyes on the silver screen, that doesn't mean we aren't eager to see the latest flicks. In fact, as these quarantine days turn into isolation-heavy weeks, you can be forgiven for craving something new to watch. So, film distributors have started fast-tracking their recent releases from cinemas to streaming — movies that were playing in theatres when they closed, flicks that had just released and even films that didn't yet get the chance to hit the big screen. Here's a dozen you can watch right now at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAJyugYEiY THE INVISIBLE MAN Our critic says: "As written and directed by Australian filmmaker Leigh Whannell, this slow-building version of The Invisible Man isn't an account of a scientist corrupted by his latest discovery, as seen in its predecessors. Rather, it's a portrait of a woman at the mercy of a man who'll do anything and use any means to get what he wants. The end result: psychological horror mixed with futuristic science-fiction and layered with a piercing societal statement, and it's as effective as it sounds. Of course, anyone who saw Whannell's previous feature Upgrade will realise that this is the only interpretation of The Invisible Man that he could've made. The Aussie talent continues his fascination with body modification and tech-enabled surveillance, as well as his fondness for hyper-kinetic action, a pervasive mood of dread and tension, and a sparse, sleek look — plus his interrogation of the kind of society that, with not too many imaginative tweaks needed, we just might be headed for." — Sarah Ward The Invisible Man is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygzqL60kvwU BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) Our critic says: "From the moment that Margot Robbie stole the show in Suicide Squad, a Harley Quinn-focused spinoff was always inevitable. So, knowing when they're onto a good thing — and witnessing their now Academy Award-nominated Australian star keep rising in fame via I, Tonya, Mary, Queen of Scots, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Bombshell — the folks behind the DC Extended Universe have gone and done the obvious. Thankfully, the powers-that-be learned a few lessons along the way, leaning into everything that first made the anarchic character attract so much big-screen attention. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is vividly stylised, irreverently upbeat, and both frenetic and fluid. To the benefit of every fight and chase scene, it's also more concerned with eye-popping action choreography than overblown special effects. The movie's riotous mood, lurid colour scheme and kookily comic sensibilities can't smooth out all of its bumps, though, but put it this way: Suicide Squad, this definitely isn't." — Sarah Ward Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrmnEHSJx-M COME TO DADDY Our critic says: "Following a map to a remote waterside location, Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood) knocks on his father's door, reuniting with the man he hasn't seen for more than 30 years. It's a tense, awkward scene, with more of the same following — and, in a movie that segues from reunion drama to unsettling mystery flick to crime thriller, things only get unhinged and deranged from there. Marking the feature directorial debut of New Zealand producer-turned-filmmaker Ant Timpson (The ABCs of Death, Turbo Kid, Deathgasm), Come to Daddy proves an anarchic, unruly and very amusing ride, complete with committed performances not just from Wood, but from Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley and The Breaker Upperers' Madeleine Sami as well. It's also inspired by reality, although to say more would be to reveal too much about a movie that revels in its twists and turns. And in its ample splashes of gore and blood, too." — Sarah Ward Come to Daddy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and Umbrella Entertainment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxKXiQvyG_o ONWARD Our critic says: "Onward tells the tale of brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (Marvel co-stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt), two teenage elves who've grown up without their dearly departed dad. Thanks to an unexpected flash of long-dormant magic, they're given the chance to spend one last day with their father — but, in order to do so, they'll have to undertake a perilous quest in Barley's rundown van Guinevere. From this description, you might've noticed that Pixar's usual formula isn't at play here, with the company branching beyond the "what if toys/cars/rats/robots/monsters/feelings had feelings?" setup that's served it so well in everything from the Toy Story franchise to Inside Out. Rest assured, however, that Onward's central elf siblings do indeed experience a whole heap of emotions as they cast spells, try to decipher mysterious maps, endeavour to avoid curses, explore their complicated brotherly relationship and team up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion called The Manticore (Octavia Spencer)." — Sarah Ward Onward is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes, and will hit Disney+ on Friday, April 24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxAWKALOCAg THE HUNT Our critic says: "When The Hunger Games pit people against each other in an elaborate battle royale-style fight to the death, it did so in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world. In Craig Zobel's The Hunt, a similar situation applies — but, taking aim at the political divides so prominent between the left and right in America today, this satirical horror-thriller is firmly set our current reality. Here, 14 strangers awaken in a remote woodland area, gagged but with access to a giant crate of weapons. Soon afterwards, the shooting starts. Pitting "deplorables" against "liberal elites" in a film with the kill-or-be-killed chaos of reality TV parody Series 7: The Contenders and action choreography that'd make the John Wick franchise proud, The Hunt is nowhere near as savage, smart or politically astute as it thinks it is. That said, thanks to a steely lead performance by GLOW's Betty Gilpin, a playful sense of humour and a willingness to toy with audiences as much as it does with its characters, it entertains far more often than it provokes." — Sarah Ward The Hunt is available to stream via Google Play and iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbHkNiIyl3I THE WAY BACK Our critic says: "Pitched as Ben Affleck's big comeback role after a run of average-at-best flicks — including his short-lived turn as Batman — The Way Back follows a faded man who used to be a big deal. His character was once a high school basketball star; however the years since have been filled with bad choices, tragedy and an overabundance of alcohol. Given the chance to relive his glory days by coaching the school's struggling current team, he embarks on a quest for redemption. As well as boasting Affleck's best performance since Gone Girl, it's to The Way Back's credit that this underdog story on multiple levels doesn't always take the obvious route. Still, it's guilty of leaning on illness-related heartbreak for easy, cliched emotional manipulation, rather than trusting its central performance. Affleck feels like he's trying a little too hard to follow in his brother Casey's footsteps, too, with similarities to the far superior Manchester by the Sea evident." — Sarah Ward The Way Back is available to stream via iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je22_P3Qm7U THE GENTLEMEN Our critic says: "When in doubt, they say to go back to your roots. Given that Guy Ritchie's last two films were Aladdin and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, it's fair to assume that doubt had squarely reared its head. As the director's name alone evokes the sound of cockney rhyming slang and the image of grimy London back alleys, dancing bedazzled elephants were about as off-brand as it gets. So he goes back to his roots with The Gentlemen — and it's a warm and welcome return. Overall, The Gentlemen is fun, to put it in the simplest of terms. It's certainly not without its faults — the patchwork of styles, from action film to hip hop music video and everything in between is constantly jarring — but the general experience is an agreeable one. Like the scotch enthusiastically consumed by the film's unofficial narrator, Fletcher (a delightful turn by Hugh Grant), The Gentlemen is a little rough at first, but smoother with every sip until you're silly drunk and smiling like a fool." — Tom Glasson The Gentlemen is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llt7-EQP6dg EMMA Our critic says: "In the latest big-screen version of Jane Austen's beloved novel, well-heeled chaos ensues — as much chaos that can within stately and sprawling country manors, while compliant, silent servants are always on hand, and amidst polite conversation constantly tinted with gossip (although as Downton Abbey keeps demonstrating, that's plenty). Emma circa 2020 does everything it's supposed to, including using its sumptuous production and costume design to paint a vivid picture of Regency-era England, but it adds little of its own personality. Austen's prose, here shaped into a screenplay by The Luminaries' author Eleanor Catton, still sparkles with wit. Making her feature filmmaking debut, photographer and music video director Autumn de Wilde retains the novel's playful mood, and pairs it with a sweeping sense of visual symmetry that'd do Wes Anderson proud. And yet, this adaptation feels mostly indistinguishable from the many other unchallenging film and TV versions of literary classics that've reached screens over the years. In fact, the end result is fine, but in the passable rather than excellent sense of the word." — Sarah Ward Emma is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78k9Mhgzy74 JUST MERCY Our critic says: "Just Mercy boasts much that other films would envy, such as an emotive true tale, serious subject matter that's sadly still relevant today and a top-notch cast. Eyes blazing, his voice calm yet commanding, and compassion driving his every move, Michael B. Jordan is especially fantastic as real-life lawyer Bryan Stevenson — and he's matched by a restrained but no less resonant Jamie Foxx as a man on death row and resigned to the lie of the land in the deep south. But the feeling that this has all been seen before is used to particularly compelling effect here. It's something that writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton is clearly cognisant of, as he was when he focused on troubled teens living in a group home in the excellent Short Term 12. Layering in other cases, such as that of fellow condemned prisoner Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan), the filmmaker draws attention to the unending spate of real-life stories such as these. That's not a new revelation, but it bears heavily on a movie that's already weighty anyway." — Sarah Ward Just Mercy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szby7ZHLnkA SONIC THE HEDGEHOG Our critic says: "Cast-wise, there's a clear standout. Jim Carrey is back in full force, dropping the most endearingly over-the-top performance audiences have seen from him in ages. As villain Dr Robotnik, he's somehow even more cartoonish than the CGI Sonic — and it's spectacular. Like Sonic's running, however, there's far too little of it throughout. Instead, the lion's share of screen time is reserved for Sonic (voiced by Parks and Recreation's Ben Schwartz) and his new pal Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), the local sheriff who's helping him avoid capture. Giving credit where credit's due, Marsden delivers the goods, charming his way through scenes that ought to have tanked hard. Schwartz, too, makes the inspired choice of keeping Sonic low-key instead of manic, resulting in a far more likeable hero." — Tom Glasson Sonic the Hedgehog is available to stream via iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpbKh4FqR2g RICHARD JEWELL Our critic says: "All it took was a concert and a backpack for Richard Jewell's (Paul Walter Hauser) life to change forever. That's the real-life story that monopolised news headlines 24 years ago. It's also the tale that Jewell, with his desperate desire to work in law enforcement, was overjoyed to have attached to his name. And, it's the narrative that Richard Jewell tells, although Clint Eastwood's involvement should make it obvious that it doesn't end there. As demonstrated with gusto in the latter years of his five-decade directorial career, Eastwood is drawn to heroes. He's not just fascinated by people acting bravely, but by true tales of fortitude in the face of pressure, scrutiny, admonishment and even contempt by society, authorities and bureaucracy. American Sniper's flag-waving tribute to the deadliest marksman in US military history, Sully's recreation of the Miracle on the Hudson and subsequent investigation, and The Mule's account of an octogenarian forced to become a drug courier to make ends meet — they all fit the profile, as does Jewell's swift slide from saviour to suspect." — Sarah Ward Richard Jewell is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-7ACXBRP-g BLOODSHOT Our critic says: "Vin Diesel as Frankenstein's monster? Vin Diesel reliving the same events over and over again, Edge of Tomorrow-style, to right a past wrong? Vin Diesel filled with tiny robots — including in a Terminator-esque scene where half his face is exposed, revealing the nanotechnology gleaming beneath his flesh? Throw in shades of Universal Soldier and RoboCop as well (and some speedy car chases, because Diesel sure does love getting fast and furious behind the wheel), and that's Bloodshot. Yes, as well as tasking Diesel with playing a US soldier brought back from the dead, Bloodshot attempts to revive a variety of parts itself — all cobbled and spliced together from multiple other science-fiction stories and action flicks. Indeed, the fact that Bloodshot is actually based on a comic book character dating back to 1992 doesn't seem anywhere near as important to first-time feature director David SF Wilson as nodding at a heap of other pop culture titles." — Sarah Ward Bloodshot is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review.
More than once in Farming, Enitan stares into a mirror and loathes his reflection. Born in Britain to Nigerian parents, fostered out to a white working-class family and constantly taunted about his race, he even tries to scrub away his darker pigment while glaring daggers at himself. When that doesn't work, the boy (Zephan Amissah) cakes his skin in talcum powder, such is his desperation to see anything but his usual likeness looking back. By the time that Eni becomes a teenager (now played by Damson Idris), his self-hating gaze has solidified, and yet it has also taken on a different tone. As he peers forward, he shaves his head, buttons up his collared shirt and pops his suspenders over his shoulders, all to fit in with the local skinheads. Farming depicts Eni peering intently at a mirror again and again for a reason: no matter which cruel names are spat his way, the feature makes plain that it's his own opinion of himself that matters most. Sadly, he internalises the surrounding resentment and prejudice, so that's all that he can see in his own reflection. But, the fact that Farming even exists is proof that something changes. The film itself is a mirror — and in a more literal sense than most movies. Written and directed by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, this picture relays the actor-turned-filmmaker's own childhood. Known as Enitan as a kid, he once tried to scratch off his own skin, then joined forces with the very thugs that made his life hell — and now, after a two-decade on-screen career that's seen him feature in everything from Oz, Lost and Game of Thrones to The Bourne Identity, Thor: The Dark World and Suicide Squad, he shares that story. In Farming, Akinnuoye-Agbaje's tale begins with the actor and director playing his own father, Femi — who, alongside his wife Tolu (Genevieve Nnaji), is tearfully handing over baby Enitan to Ingrid Carpenter (Kate Beckinsale). It's 1967, and the practice that gives the movie its moniker is common. Kids like Eni are left with white families while their birth parents study and find work, with couples such as Femi and Tolu hoping their children will get better opportunities in the process. As Farming steps through Eni's Essex-based youth, showing him weather threats from Ingrid and torment from everyone else around him, it demonstrates the impact of this decision — a hard choice made with love by the people who brought him into the world, and one with significant repercussions. Eni transforms from a smiling infant, to a shy kid happily lost in his own head, to a self-loathing outcast who believes that his only path forward is to embrace the hatred he keeps being made to wear like a second skin. In scenes such as the aforementioned soap and talcum powder incidents, it's clear that Farming is directed by an actor, as well as by someone with a personal stake in this bleak and challenging story. This is a highly physical and expressive film that often feels like memories transposed onto the screen — and frequently highlights strikingly framed images and visceral, palpable emotions over dialogue. Thankfully, that's a mode that suits the talented Idris, who takes on that most difficult of tasks: not only playing a real-life figure, but playing the teen-aged version of his director. Raw pain doesn't just burn in his eyes, but infects every move that he makes, whether Eni is lashing out at his self-centred foster mother, himself or the only person (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, in a one-note role as a kindly teacher) who sees past his skin colour. That said, Farming is also a forceful movie — building its confronting, compelling tale one horrific moment at a time, and hitting as bluntly as the blows directed Eni's way. As a boy, he may turn his skin a shade of grey, but the movie he's in only paints in black and white. Of course, that's how this experience clearly felt to Akinnuoye-Agbaje. There's nothing subtle about being told by your foster mother that you come from 'Wooga-Wooga Land', or being expected to grin through daily teasing from neighbourhood kids, or getting stripped naked and spray-painted with racist statements by the Tilbury Skins, after all. There's nothing nuanced about Eni's time among his violent bullies, either, where he's treated like a pet by vicious leader Levi (John Dagleish) and never considered an equal, even as he desperately hopes otherwise. It's tough viewing, but Farming's great achievement — like the hallmark British race-relations drama of the 21st century, This Is England — springs from its willingness to stare unflinchingly at its grim contents. That Akinnuoye-Agbaje treats his adult successes as a mere footnote is telling; who he has since become is important, but what he endured to get there, and the ugly attitudes he faced that still echo today, are far more vital. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xWwFfT5jak
Jurassic Park still hasn't become a reality, but plenty of people are trying to build the next best thing. Brisbane played host to a virtual dinosaur zoo, Queensland could be getting a Jurassic Park-themed amusement park, an American attraction lets visitors roam through the desert with life-sized renderings and Jurassic World movies keep being made.. Now, an open-air dinosaur exhibition has popped up in Australia. Dinosaur Canyon is the latest addition to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs, aka the dinosaur-focused museum you mightn't realise sits in central Queensland. Perched on a cliff, the new section boasts a 300-metre floating, treetop-style concrete walkway that takes patrons over a gorge and past five galleries filled with dinosaur replicas. Cast in bronze and built to scale, they're not just statues of any old dinos — they're versions of the types of dinosaurs that have been found in the region. Yes, if you're wondering why the country's dinosaur haven resides in the middle of the outback — it's located just outside of Winton, which is approximately 1500 kilometres from Brisbane — it's because that's where dino fossils were found back in 1999. Local grazier David Elliott came across a piece while mustering, and then turned his attention to transforming the site into a natural history museum that delves into its previous inhabitants. Dinosaur Canyon opens to the public on April 16, offering a fresh attraction for dinosaur fiends who happen to find themselves in the dusty centre of Queensland. As well as checking out the new replicas against a stunning natural backdrop, visitors to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs can view bones, touch them — yep, touch actual dinosaur bones — and participate in both dinosaur digs and fossil preparation. Via ABC. Images: Sarah Ward / Australian Age of Dinosaurs.
The past two years have been chaotic for Australia's theatre scene — but thanks to big-name productions such as Hamilton, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Come From Away, Jagged Little Pill the Musical and Girl From the North Country, the show has gone on when it could. Big-name musicals have kept echoing, clearly, with another high-profile show soon to hit both Melbourne and Sydney: four-time Tony-winner An American in Paris. The Broadway and West End smash already kicked off its Aussie shows in Brisbane in January, and now it's set to sing and dance its way to Melbourne and Sydney, with a Perth leg also locked in and Adelaide dates set to come. This vibrant production adapts the 1951 film of the same name to Australian stages — so yes, if you're a fan of classic movies (and classic big-screen musicals starring none other than the inimitable Gene Kelly at that), then that's why the show's name sounds familiar. Story-wise, the musical follows an American soldier in Paris — because its moniker is that straightforward. Set at the end of the Second World War, it charts US GI's Jerry Mulligan's exploits as he falls for a French woman. Well, he is celebrating the end of the combat in the notably romantic city, after all. [caption id="attachment_828886" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tristram Kenton[/caption] Bringing the Oscar-winning 71-year-old film to the stage, this version of An American in Paris is directed by acclaimed contemporary ballet choreographer Christopher Wheeldon — and adapted for theatre and choreographed by him, too. The Aussie run is also being staged in collaboration with the Australian Ballet, so expect to see some of their dancers helping to bring the musical to life. George and Ira Gershwin's songs make the leap to the theatre as well, including 'I Got Rhythm', 'S Wonderful', 'But Not For Me' and 'They Can't Take That Away From Me'. Initially, An American in Paris debuted in Paris — where else? — in 2014, before hitting Broadway, Boston and West End. 'AN AMERICAN IN PARIS' AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2022: Friday, March 18–Sunday, April 24 — State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Friday, April 29–Sunday, June 12 — Theatre Royal, Sydney Saturday, July 9–Wednesday, July 27 — Crown Theatre, Perth Dates TBC — Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide An American in Paris will continue its Australian tour from Friday, March 18, 2022. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the musical's website. Top images: Darren Thomas.
Over in the US, August 4 is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. While this isn't a nationally recognised holiday here in Australia, there's never a bad excuse to eat cookies, so Sydney's favourite cookie-maker Bennett St Dairy is bringing the celebration of gooey choc chip goodness down under with a uniquely Australian twist. Not satisfied with just stealing the American day, Bennett St is injecting some quintessential Australiana into the celebration by unveiling a new choc chip vegemite cookie sandwich. The sandwich combines the bakery's classic cookie dough with a vegemite caramel and whipped butter. The adventurous culinary mash-up will be available for those that head down to its flagship store on Thursday, August 4. "There's nothing more Australian than a Vegemite sandwich, so when we decided we were going to bring Chocolate Chip Cookie Day Down Under, we got to work seeing how we could blend the two flavours together," Bennett Street Dairy co-founder James Meek said. The first 100 people to visit the Bondi venue between 9am and midday on Wednesday will receive a free slice of the enormous vegemite cookie sandwich Bennett St is cooking up. If you don't make it down on your own, you can also create it yourself with the range of Bennett St Dairy cookie dough rolls that are available at Woolworths and the recipe that has been posted online for everyone to use.
Prepare to say "accio remote!" and get comfier than Hermione Granger in a library. In news that'll keep you glued to your couch this winter — timely news given that Sydney is currently in the middle of a lengthy lockdown — everyone's favourite boy wizard is now working his magic on Netflix. You won't need the Marauder's Map to find these enchanting flicks. Today, Thursday, July 15, all eight movies in the Harry Potter series have hit the streaming platform, bringing their Hogwarts-set adventures to Australian subscribers. If you've watched your DVD copies from the 2000s so many times that they're showing a little wear and tear — or your laptop no longer has a disc drive — this is butterbeer-worthy news. Yes, everything from Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) first visit to Platform 9 and 3/4, the Yule Ball and the Triwizard Tournament to many a fluttering snitch and He Who Must Not Be Named are now at your fingertips. It's prime viewing for wizards, witches and muggles alike — all 19 hours and 39 minutes of it. The Fantastic Beasts films haven't joined them, though with wizarding journey keeping its focus on the original franchise. If you're thinking that a time-turner might come in handy over the next few months, we completely understand. And if this sounds like familiar news, that's because all eight movies were also available on Netflix back in 2019. They jumped to Binge after that, too, because the thing about streaming services — unless they're making and funding a movie or series themselves, films and shows can switch platforms as the rights deals behind them change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG37G--drDs&list=PLnpIp0ksj4UlQWQlPaRd6WrI9XSmS6B4u Find Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2 are all now streaming on Netflix.
The rapid redevelopment of the Sydney CBD shows no sign of slowing, with Lendlease's $1.6-billion Circular Quay development proposal now including a remodelling of Jacksons on George. As the three-storey venue currently stands — consisting of Magners Rooftop Cider Bar, PJ's Irish Whiskey Bar and Temple Bar — it is essentially your run-of-the-mill pub catering mainly to CBD visitors and commuters. While it has remained an after-work haunt for years, it could definitely do with an upgrade. The venue has already closed its doors in preparation for its demolition next month, which will see it undergo quite the transformation. According to new renders and plans released by Lendlease, the new "social destination" will still span three levels, including a gastropub, restaurant, and an open-air rooftop bar overlooking the planned public plaza and laneways. Designed by award-winning, Sydney-based architecture firm Stewart Hollenstein, the space will feature active edges and open frontages, all of which are designed to enhance social interaction within the venue and with the city below. The renders are certainly a huge, futuristic leap from the existing building, and we must say they do look pretty schmick. The venue's facade will be distinguished by a ceramic tile exterior that wraps around the building, with the curved form meant to resemble a boat, paying homage to the building's past life as a boat yard. The development application for the structure hasn't been approved yet though — it's currently under assessment by the Central Sydney Planning Committee. The new venue will be connected to Lendlease's Circular Quay development, which also includes a 55-storey office tower, a mixed-use podium and ground-floor retail laneways that seek to link the Sydney CBD with Circular Quay. Though other closings and redevelopments have left us feeling blue — including the sale of the iconic Sirius Building — this is a change that could add to Circular Quay.
If you're sick of seeing those bright orange barriers around the CBD's light rail construction sites, your eyeballs could soon be in for some relief, with news most barriers will be removed or reduced before Christmas. ALTRAC Light Rail, the consortium overseeing the project, has announced the bulk of major construction work is nearing completion, with many of the eyesore barriers soon set to disappear from the stretch between Circular Quay and Town Hall, as well as in Surry Hills. "We are excited to be able to show the public what the end-state will look like along this part of the alignment, with barriers starting to be reduced on George Street near Circular Quay and more barriers to be reduced this weekend near Martin Place," ALTRAC Light Rail CEO Glenn Bentley said in a statement. The removal of the barriers will hopefully help improve the visibility of and access to some of the city's local businesses. Although, for some, it'll be too little, too late, with an inquiry into the impact of the construction of the light rail, launched by the state in May, having received 193 submissions from locals businesses and residents. Some of the businesses saying they've been impacted by the construction — or have been forced to close — include The Book Kitchen, Bishop Sessa and Cafe Jacks. Some barriers will be sticking around, too, including ones around light rail stops and localised sites staying for safety purposes and to manage traffic flow. It's also expected that barriers in Randwick, Kensington and Kingsford will be firmly in place until February 2019. Bentley said Sydneysiders can expect the next phase of the project to be "less intrusive", with temporary localised barriers in place for short periods of time during installation of underground cables and overhead wiring. The initial plan was to have the Sydney Light Rail up and running by 2019, though, thanks to a slew of delays, it's currently slated for completion in May 2020. Image: Sydney Light Rail
At last, the gluten free gods have answered your prayers. The Gohil family — whose coeliac-friendly products have been gracing local supermarket shelves for 20 years — are making lives even easier, launching the country's first dedicated gluten free, ready-cooked meal delivery service. Just like the recently launched Freshara is doing for Australia's vegan contingent, The Gluten Free Meal Co is opening up the meal delivery game to a whole new group of foodies, with a collection of nourishing, ready-prepared dishes endorsed by Coeliac Australia. They've also done away with the whole subscription caper. Instead, users simply order by selecting from the lineup of $9.90 single-serve meals on The Gluten Free Meal Co's online menu. And, while there's a minimum spend of $65 for each order, you will score free delivery Australia-wide. All meals are whipped up in a state-of-the-art facility and undergo external gluten testing before arriving at your doorstep — although by the looks of that menu, they're designed to tempt taste buds just as much as any gluten-filled goodies. We're talking global-inspired main dishes like crumbed fish fillets and a country-style chicken pie, a solid range of vegetarian meals, and even a dessert selection featuring sweet treats like chocolate profiteroles. "The gluten free community deserves the same privilege of eating a wide variety of high-quality, nourishing food as everyone else," said Pran and Jitesh Gohil. "We're so excited that we can look after everyone with this fantastic range of delicious mains, finger foods and desserts that are indistinguishable from dishes everyone enjoys." For more information about The Gluten Free Meal Co visit www.gfmeals.com.au.
Uber apparently just wants Australians to be effortlessly happy and righteously lazy, and nothing says bliss like enjoying a few cheeky brews in your underwear. If last year's introduction of UberEATS hasn't already made us lazy enough, the company has just announced that, as of today, March 23, they'll be delivering booze too, starting with Melbourne. As part of the launch, UberEATS has partnered with Carlton Draught to release their alcohol delivery service just in time for the start of AFL season tomorrow. On Friday, March 24 from 12pm, the general alcohol service kicks off, and from 5pm, Melbournian's can choose one of the nineteen $30 plus meal deals on their app and receive a free four pack of the specially brewed Carltons to enjoy with (or without) the game. After supplies run out, normal hours of alcohol service are midday to 9pm. Thirty liquor license holding restaurants across Melbourne's city and inner city suburbs are participating so far, and we're pretty confident the service will quickly spread to the rest of metropolitan Australia as well. There are a few things to note before rushing to your app — alcohol will only be delivered with a food order and only a bottle of wine or six pack of beer is permitted per order. The drivers won't deliver to intoxicated folk either, so if you answer the door looking like a hot mess you'll be denied your booze. Under 18s shouldn't be cheering either — you'll need proof of ID to accept the delivery. Obviously the service isn't meant to completely replace bottle shop runs, but is more about bringing a 'complete restaurant experience' into your home — something existing booze delivery services will need to consider. It comes well timed with the turn of the season as well, as the Melbourne winter sure doesn't promote outdoor activity. So go ahead and order from your favourite dumpling joint, pop open that delivered brew, turn on Netflix and let the pants-off binge-watching commence.
One day a year, each and every year, American football attracts fans around the world who don't watch any NFL games at any other time. The reason: the Super Bowl. Maybe you just check it out for the half-time show. Perhaps you're just keen on the film and TV trailers that drop during the match. Either way, there's no avoiding Super Bowl Monday, as it is in Australia, when it rolls around. The 2024 Super Bowl is different. The Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the San Francisco 49ers. Usher is doing the mid-game performance. But plenty of people watching will be hoping to say "yeah!" to a different music superstar. Everyone knows that Taylor Swift is dating Travis Kelce, who plays for the Chiefs. In fact, the NFL has already confirmed that Swift is on the ground in Las Vegas for the match. Taylor Swift is here with Ice Spice and Blake Lively! #SBLVIII pic.twitter.com/0x4XIDRupW — NFL (@NFL) February 11, 2024 So, where can you watch in Australia? If you're streaming along from work or home, you have a few options. Via free-to-air TV, 7mate and 7plus are showing the game, which starts at 10.30am AEDT / 10am ACT / 9.30am AEST / 7.30am AWST, with coverage commencing half an hour earlier. Or, if you have Foxtel or Kayo, you can also stream the match there. The half-time show is expected to kick off at midday AEDT / 11.30am ADCT / 11am AEST / 9am AWST. [caption id="attachment_940494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] D.roller.saparena via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] While much of the focus has been on Swift, including if she'd make to Las Vegas after her Tokyo Eras gigs before heading to Australia for her Down Under tour leg, there's another reason for Aussies to be interested. Mitch Wishnowsky plays for the 49ers, and could become the first Australian to play in and win the Super Bowl if his team beats the Chiefs. Jesse Williams received a Super Bowl ring for the Seattle Seahawks in 2024, but didn't actually play in the match. The Chiefs also won 2023's Super Bowl, plus 2020's — against the the 49ers in the latter. [caption id="attachment_940492" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Accedie via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The 2024 Super Bowl takes place from 10am AEDT / 10am ACT / 9am AEST / 7.30am AWST on Monday, February 12 in Australia. Watch along via 7mate and 7plus, Foxtel or Kayo. Top image: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia via Wikimedia Commons.
Need a gift at short notice? Flowers are usually a pretty safe option, but the thing about flowers is…they die — and sometimes pretty quickly too. Cacti, on the other hand, last practically forever, no matter how badly you neglect them. That's the practical reasoning behind new Sydney-based startup Little Succers anyway, who launched their same-day succulent delivery earlier this year. And now, they've launched a same-day cactus delivery, delightfully dubbed Little Pricks. Little Pricks will offer same-day delivery to the inner suburbs of Sydney — from Pyrmont to Rushcutters Bay and down to Redfern and Alexandria. Place your order by 11am (Monday to Friday only) and it'll arrive at your chosen destination by 6pm. $35 gets you a nine centimetre wide by nine centimetre tall potted cactus with neon packaging along with a handwritten card. "Fact: Love hurts," says the Little Succers team. "Pricks are among us. Maybe your BFF just got dumped and you want to send them a little prick to remind them of their ex-bae's failings? Or maybe you're just a fan of a good-lookin' cactus? Either way, these little pricks are the ballz. Get on it." To order a Little Prick, visit littlesuccers.com.au.
If there is one thing we can learn from the social network juggernaut that was Kony2012, it is that the pervasive power of Facebook provides internet activists or hacktivists with a unique capacity to transform public consciousness on a truly global scale. As such, a number of environmental activists are not only taking to the streets but taking to Facebook in an attempt to raise awareness about the pressing environmental issues that face society today. Here are six innovative groups and apps that have taken the fight for a greener future into the world of Facebook. Tree-Nation Tree-Nation is one of numerous Facebook groups committed to fighting deforestation and desertification through replanting trees. For every ten people who join the Tree-Nation Facebook page, the organisation will plant one tree. Even more ambitiously, Facebook group iChapter has promised to plant one tree for every new member, with the aim to eventually plant a total of 100,000 trees. For the more Facebook savvy of you, the Earthkeepers have created an app that allows users to plant a virtual tree, tend to it and share it with friends, with every fully matured virtual tree resulting in Earthkeepers planting a tree in the real world. Make Me Sustainable Make Me Sustainable allows users to measure their impact on the environment by tracking energy consumption and carbon footprint, allowing you to see how an action as simple as changing a light bulb can reduce your environmental impact. While there is a great range of software available for individuals and businesses that help in reducing your environmental footprint, Make Me Sustainable is unique as it provides a forum for sharing information and strategies for sustainable living and a virtual space to network with other environmentally-minded individuals on a national and even international scale. A Climate for Change Not simply a Facebook application, A Climate for Change is in fact a whole new social network built around the goal of tackling the issue of climate change. Users create profiles where they share anything and everything they have to say about global warming from rants about the Carbon Tax to interesting articles and videos about the effects of our warming planet. The We Campaign As the name suggests, The We Campaign hopes to shift our focus from what 'I' can do to make a difference but what 'we' as a global community, connected through our shared desires and the power of Facebook, can do together to protect and preserve the environment. The We Campaign app awards points to users for taking certain environmental actions, with donors giving $1 to fight global warming for every 10 points earnt. Trees Have Rights Too In the age of social networking environmental activists no longer have to chain themselves to giant oaks in order to fight for their right to exist. Trees Have Rights Too not only functions as an awareness group, describing how every Christmas season 6 million trees are killed and then disposed of, but also as a particularly vocal advocacy group for the rights of trees everywhere. The group is currently aiming to petition the United Nations to create a Bill of Planetary Rights that places guidelines and regulations on government deforestation. (Lil) Green Patch The now defunct Facebook app, (Lil) Green Patch was once the most used application on Facebook and well-and-truly silenced the doubters who believed that social media couldn't be used to create meaningful environmental change. The app allowed users to tend to a virtual garden, adding little munchkin-like people, plants and flowers and in the process users would raise money for "Nature Conservancy" to save the rainforest. According to one count (Lil) Green Patch raised more than $200,000 for Nature Conservancy over two years, which represented the conservation of rainforests across the globe with an area of 70 million square feet of Costa Rican saved in the first six months alone. (Lil) Green Patch is now the benchmark for every new environmentally-minded Facebook app.
It's been a long wait in Sydney if you want to rock 'n' roll with AC/DC live. 2025 marks ten years since the iconic Harbour City-formed band last took to the stage Down Under. It's also the year, thankfully, that they're making their Aussie concert return. After kicking off in 2024, the group's Power Up tour will play Australian dates, with Brian Johnson, Angus Young and company hitting up Sydney on Friday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 25. Let there be rock at Accor Stadium, then. This is the first time that the legendary Australian rockers have toured Down Under since their 2015 'Rock or Bust' world tour. In November in New South Wales capital, Amyl and The Sniffers are onboard in support to make this massive concert even more so, and to give attendees a taste of two different generations of Aussie rockstars. Playing Sydney isn't just part of a fitting homecoming for AC/DC, but comes more than half a century since the band played their first-ever show in the Harbour City. This 2025 gig will be just over a month and a half short of 52 years since that 1973 debut. Power Up is also the name of the group's 2020 album, their most-recent record — which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, made multiple best-of lists for that year and scored Grammy nominations. For those about to rock, AC/DC's high-voltage current set list spans their entire career, however, including everything from 'If You Want Blood (You've Got It)', 'Back in Black' and 'Hells Bells' to 'Highway to Hell', 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long'. Images: Christie Goodwin. Updated: Thursday, June 26, 2025.
Some of Sydney's best foodmasters have joined forces to take over The Unicorn on Oxford Street. Mary's owners Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham have teamed up with Bodega/Porteno's Elvis Abrahanowicz and Young's Henrys' Oscar McMahon as a Sydney supergroup to revamp the Paddington pub. Yeah, holy crap. And now it's open. It's not a Mary's in the eastern suburbs, it's a craft beer pub, and it's not the dreaded buzzword: a gastropub. It's a pub the lads would drink in themselves. With no TVs and no pokies, but a reclaimed red gum bar and native Australian flora illustrations, the revamped Unicorn is an Aussie-inspired pub without the tacky trimmings — although VB sits proudly on tap beside Young Henrys brews. Speaking of tipples, the dranks in this establishment is largely and wonderfully local, with a totally Australian wine list — some of South Australia's top South Australian winemakers (think Tara Ochota, James Erskine and Tom Shobbrook) are already armed with wine for the new pub. Obviously Young Henrys have plenty of goodies behind the bar, but there's also a round-up of Australian beers represented. With the minds behind Mary's and Porteno behind this, what of the nosh? Abrahanowicz is in charge of the menus, and the horizon is pub food done well, going back to basics instead of doing any fancy schmany modern twists — roast chicken, both 'daily' and 'fancy' steak, and generous sangas with cheese, chutney and glazed ham cut right off the bone. Obviously, there's Mary's burgers on the menu too. This will hopefully be a long and happy new chapter for The Unicorn, who just closed their doors a few months ago — along with the closure of '70s basement bar Easy Tiger. Redesigned in March 2014, after a disastrously Westfield-like renovation of Fringe Bar in 2012, The Unicorn seemed to have found its Paddington groove once more. But after closing up shop, here's hoping the Mary's, Young Henrys and Porteno crew can see The Unicorn ride again. The Unicorn is now open at 106 Oxford St, Paddington. Open Mon-Wed 11am-late, Thurs-Sat 11am-3am, and Sun 11am-midnight. Via Australian Gourmet Traveller and Good Food.
These days, you pretty much know what you're getting going into a Michael Moore film: snappy (if also convenient) editing, some cringeworthy stunts, and a broad comparison of America's woes compared to all those other countries doing it better. You watch Sicko and you leave feeling a little bit glum, a little bit entertained, and convinced universal healthcare would be better for the United States, but that it's probably never going to happen because of big business and dirty politics. Then you watch Where To Invade Next and you leave feeling a little bit glum, a little bit entertained, and convinced that US drug and prison policy would be worth overhauling, but that it's probably never going to happen because of big business and dirty politics. Fahrenheit 11/9 kicks off in exactly the same fashion, but oh man does it shift gears and deliver something unexpected by the end. You leave feeling a little bit entertained, a whole lot glum, and entirely convinced that nothing short of democracy itself (to the extent it exists at all within the United States) is at risk of collapse because of, yes, big business and dirty politics. And no, that's not even close to hyperbole. This is a fine return to form for Moore, pulling a remarkable bait and switch such that his ultimate point comes at you just as you're beginning to question if he even has one. He achieves this by constantly changing Fahrenheit 11/9's subject matter and tone, beginning with an amusing recap on the smug and almost jovial certainty with which everyone from the Democratic National Committee to the Republican Party to the media (including Fox) and even the Trump camp itself assumed Hilary Clinton had the 2016 election in the bag. Like Showtime's excellent The Circus, this section of the film carries with it an uncomfortable blend of dramatic irony, on account of us knowing how it all ended up, coupled with an ongoing dismay that, well, that's actually how it all ended up. But then it changes tact and jumps to Flint, Michigan, where the contamination of the city's water supply led to an ongoing lead poisoning crisis. And then it jumps again, this time to school shootings. Then it's Ivanka Trump. Then Bernie Sanders and Hitler, and you find yourself wondering what the hell is this guy doing? What he's doing is establishing a pattern, using small-scale examples examined with deep journalistic scrutiny, and then stepping back and applying that insight to national, global and even historical events. The litany of unfathomable scandals in Flint are used not only to shock us, but to reveal how Governor Rick Snyder's corporate influences first emboldened, then enabled, his wholesale suspension of democracy in the state (effectively a coup d'état in Moore's opinion). That it's unfathomable is the point: these successions of outrages, whilst shocking, do not in isolation feel like a crisis point to anyone other than those hapless few affected. Combined, though, they serve to steadily erode matters of far-reaching significance like voter confidence and trust in the three branches of government. The takeaway is, if it can happen in a town like Flint with the world watching on and still nobody does anything, then it can happen in your town, too. And then your state. And then your country. But back to the whole Hitler thing. Ordinarily, thanks to Godwin's Law, you'd assume it's at that precise moment when Moore's point, however salient, loses all credibility. Instead, courtesy of some unsettlingly frank interviews with experts like Yale History Professor Timothy Snyder, we realise Moore isn't saying Trump is Hitler 2.0. Rather, he's showing that the current apathy and perhaps even amusement with which everyone from the experts to the press to the voting public dismisses or downplays each of Trump's outrageous comments and racist, bigoted, sexist or protectionist policies, is precisely what happened in Weimar Germany. It's just puffery until it's not. Just a weather balloon until it's not. Just a joke, until there's nothing funny about it at all. And that's the same for Fahrenheit 11/9. It starts out quite amusing, but by its conclusion there are no more cheeky edits from Moore, nor any sniggers from the audience. It's a straight-up slap in the face, softened only by buying into Moore's unbridled enthusiasm for the activist youth movement in America (led by the likes of the survivors of the Parkland school shooting) and the surge of independent candidates and representatives poised to shake the foundations of the DNC. There are still some unnecessary stunts from Moore, along with some broader-than-usual bows drawn, but they're fleeting enough to have no impact on his broader message. The Flint section alone makes Fahrenheit 11/9 a film worthy of your time, but it's the whole that makes it so affecting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZeLvaflLLc
After introducing strict new rules surrounding social-distancing on Monday night, the NSW Police has today revealed those restrictions will be in place for 90 days. At a press conference this morning, NSW Police Commissioner Michael Fuller announced it's likely they'll be lifted after this three-month period, saying "I certainly won't be seeking an extension, hopefully people will have gotten the message by then." The new rules, introduced on Monday in a bid to contain COVID-19, stipulate that Australians should only be leaving their homes for one of four reasons: obtaining food or other goods and services, travelling for the purposes of work or education if the person cannot do it at home, exercise and medical or caring reasons. The NSW Government has also outlined another 16 reasonable excuses for leaving your home. A nationwide two-person limit on public gatherings also began on Monday, March 30 with exceptions for being in the company of with those in your household, and for weddings and funerals, which have limits of five and ten people respectively. In NSW, if you disobey either of these social-distancing and public-gathering rules, you can be hit with a $1000 on-the-spot fine, with the maximum penalty being a $11,000 fine and six months in jail. In the past 24 hours, the NSW police has fined three people for not complying with the new isolation rules, including a man who was drinking alcohol in a park with three of his friends. The NSW Police said while three of the men left when asked, the fourth refused and was fined. The Police Commissioner also reiterated that the NSW Police are using discretion when issuing these fines, but ensuring "the safety of the community" was of utmost priority. "The safest place is at home in isolation," he said. As of 8am on Thursday, April 2, NSW had 2298 confirmed cases of COVID-19, out of 4863 cases Australia-wide. The NSW Government's new rules on public gatherings and social-distancing are available to read here.
Meredith is a festival where you're guaranteed to have a good time, no matter what. But whatever your reasons for heading to the three-day December festival in central Victoria, you won't be disappointed with the acts Aunty Meredith has just announced for this year's lineup. They're absolutely spiffing awesome. Superwoman and curator of all things wacky, Peaches, will be headlining the bill, bringing her extravagant live show to The Sup. Kelela will be coming all the way from Washington to kick off the after-dark vibbes on Friday night, and Geelong boys King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard will be providing that dose of psych rock every weekend at Meredith needs. BADBADNOTGOOD will be fusing jazz and electro, while Angel Olsen will be bringing all them feels and The Triffids will be there for a shot of nostalgia. And that's not even a half of it. Aunty has really covered all bases here. You're wondering how you can get tickets to this aren't you? Meredith tickets are only available by entering the ballot. You can still do so at aunty.mmf.com. Fingers crossed that we can all hang out in The Sup on December 9, 10 and 11. But we know what you're really here for. We'll cut to the chase. Here's the full lineup MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP Peaches Sheila E King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard BadBadNotGood Angel Olsen The Triffids Kelela Ben UFO Japandroids The Congos Baroness Archie Roach Jagwar Ma Mount Liberation Unlimited Fred & Toody Cole Chiara Kickdrum Cass McCombs The Goon Sax Ross Wilson CC: Disco! Cable Ties Wilson Tanner Silence Wedge The Sugarcanes Terry Judith Lucy Sheer Mag Dungen Meredith Music Festival will return to Meredith on Friday 9, Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December, 2016. Onsite camping will once again be available from Friday. To put your name in the ballot to win tickets, go to aunty.mmf.com.
When Vivid Sydney took place in 2016, wearing pyjamas was acceptable. As Max Richter performed Sleep at the Sydney Opera House, the composer did so while attendees slumbered, which is what the eight-hour performance is specifically designed for. Did anyone taking a kip to the music dream up a future idea for a Vivid event? Audiences might find out when the festival returns in 2025 for its 15th year across Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14. It's save-the-date time, with Vivid locking in its next winter return, aka when it'll next take over the Harbour City with its showcase of tunes, luminous sights, culinary events and conversation. Also revealed: 2025's theme, which is where dreaming comes in again. "Dreaming is something we all do. It's as old as time and as universal as life itself. Dreams don't discriminate — they are borderless, ageless and endless. They can be personal or public. When shared, our dreams can become a movement. They can inspire, motivate, spark excitement and connection," explains Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini about the event's next focus. "The whole world dreams, it is something we have in common, something that unites us. Our human story is embedded in dreams, they help explain our existence and our past," Minervini continued, also opening the call for expressions of interest to take part in 2025's Vivid. "We want the very best in homegrown talent to be part of our vibrant Vivid Sydney event program, with a unique opportunity to foster community connection, spark imagination and showcase the multitude of ways creativity can enrich our lives." "Each year, Vivid Sydney aims to deliver unparalleled artistic brilliance, and we look forward to welcoming the inspirations within our community that will help shape Vivid Sydney 2025 into a show-stopping cultural phenomenon." Vivid's lineup won't be announced until 2025, but you can lock in one venue: Taronga Zoo. Whatever pops up at the iconic spot can link into light, music, ideas and food, the four pillars that Vivid has at its core. If you're excited about which events will follow in past years' footsteps — 2024's lineup included Amy Poehler, Air, Budjerah, Yasiin Bey, Tekno Train by Paul Mac, a fan of light from Sydney Tower, artwork by Archibald Prize winner Julia Gutman on the Sydney Opera House's sails and plenty more, all ruminating on the theme 'humanity' — then mark your diaries accordingly. If you have a dream-inspired idea that you'd love to see come to life at Vivid 2025, no matter whether you're an artist, musician, chef, speaker or something else, then head to the fest's website to go through the expression of interest process. Vivid Sydney will run from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14, 2025 at various locations around Sydney. We'll update you when the program is announced next year — head to the festival website for further details in the interim. Images: Destination NSW.
When the French city of Toulouse gets its first skyscraper in 2022, it won't just see 40 floors of of shining glass, concrete and steel join its skyline. It'll also gain its tallest garden — and one of the world's as well. A "continuous vertical landscape" will spiral around the outside of the building like a ribbon of greenery, lined with trees and reaching all of the way up to the top level. Called the Occitanie Tower after the administrative region of France that Toulouse falls within, the structure will measure 150 metres in height and boast 11,000 square metres of offices, as well as a Hilton hotel, up to 120 apartments, plus space for retail and hospitality outlets. The latter will feature a restaurant with panoramic views, including towards the Pyrenees mountain range less than 100 kilometres away; however there's no mistaking it's eye-catching vertical garden that'll be the centre of attention. Designed by the New York and Zurich-based Studio Liebskind — aka the folks behind everything from Berlin's zigzag-shaped Jewish Museum to the World Trade Centre Master Plan development to a Swarovski chess set modelled after iconic buildings — the Occitanie Tower is slated to start construction in 2018. While it'll certainly give the area a new landmark, and weave in nicely with the vertical garden trend that just keeps growing, it won't be quite as tall as Australia's addition to the lofty fold. That'd be 166-metre-high, 250-species-filled One Central Park in Sydney's Chippendale. Via dezeen. Images via Morph / Luxigon.
It was announced this week that the City of Sydney would be continuing their efforts to grow Sydney's nighttime economy. The council said they would be committing funds and support to the State Government, local businesses, artists and performers in order to facilitate more live music and performance in town. The argument could be made, however, that it's not red tape and lack of funds that's the major contributor to the slow decline of live music after dark, and the culprit is really the state government's lockout laws that have forced many major music venues to shut down. It would appear that the City of Sydney is aware of this, as their Live Music and Performance February 2017 status report would illuminate. The report covers all the initiatives in the City's June 2014 Live Music and Performance Action Plan — which identified that live music, unsurprisingly, brings significant cashflow to the local economy (we're talking $353 million in 2016 alone) — and details on their progress. February marked the halfway point of the plan, and the report states that 82 percent of projects are either already underway or completed. One of the more interesting aspects of the report is its repeated emphasis on "working collaboratively with the NSW Government". While this is to be expected, the report also makes reference to the recent extension of trading hours for venues, saying "this measure, while an incremental and symbolic move in the right direction, is not at all sufficient and we will continue to advocate for more to be done". The report also makes mention of the impact the laws have had on "city reputation and audience motivation", and how these impacts have "required more focus on this work [than] originally anticipated". Research conducted by the City shows that they valued the contribution made to Sydney's economy by live music at $353 million in 2016 alone, and the February Status Report would, we think, show that the lockout laws are stopping that figure from being substantially higher. One of the 29 actions that have already been implemented, and is mentioned in the status report, is a "pilot research study into alcohol consumption in live music venues", which is currently being finalised — results of this study are sure to have an impact on the State Government's stance on the lockout laws, as this study by Dr Anne Fox, published in 2015. It shows that live music in venues tends to lower alcohol-related incidents (although, it must be noted that the research was initiated by Lion, which owns alcohol brands like Hahn and Little Creatures). Or, as Kerri Glasscock, festival director and CEO of Sydney Fringe, told The Sydney Morning Herald in February last year, "people come in and have a drink, then bar sales drop while the band is performing". Glasscock also said in this week's announcement that venues around Sydney would be "feeling the pressure ease" with the City of Sydney's Action Plan. The real strain of state legislation might not be lifted overnight, but the next action item in the February status report is to deliver regulatory reform around devlopment and noise that will "help improve trading conditions for venues", which is another step in a positive direction. You can read the full action plan here and the status update here.
Following the decline of Trumps Tavern and Noble Canteen, hospitality wizard Justin Hemmes is next in line to have a crack at 50 King Street in the CBD. And, for a while at least, his Merivale group are putting the focus on art. The company recently acquired the space and is working on long-term plans for a refit. In the meantime, however, we're to be treated to a pop-up bar, opening May 2. Rather than the usual drinks and dinner, the temporary space will be home to a constantly changing art studio. The project, knowingly called A Work In Progress, will be the progressive work of two stalwarts of the Australian art community. Curated by Glenn Barkley, formerly of the MCA, it will play host to the pop art stylings of Darwin-based Franck Gohier. It will be up to the two of them to transform the former bar into an evolving and interactive art space. It wouldn’t be a Merivale establishment, though, without a little something to eat and a lot of something to drink. Joining the experiment are ex-Sailor's Thai chef Air Jantrakool and group bar manager Paul Mant, cooking up traditional Thai street food paired with a rotating menu of cocktails, both with a focus on local produce. Apart from the potential disaster of spilling a plate of pad thai on a developing (and potentially valuable) canvas, the combination of art and boozing is a promising new turn from Merivale. A Work in Progress is open for a limited (and unspecified) time from May 2.
Friends, the time has come. Summer has, at last, arrived. La Niña has given us in Sydney a break from the endless barrage of rain, so it's time to dust off the sandals and cossies and enjoy the sun. There are activities galore to explore this summer season now that we can finally live large the way we've been aching to. When the weather for a banging beach day comes around, you might be looking for something free from a crowd. Don't worry, together with Sheridan — the expert purveyor of luxe beach towels — we've got you covered with a shortlist of only the finest swim spots in and around Sydney. [caption id="attachment_880577" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Lance BB (Flickr)[/caption] SOMERSBY FALLS, SOMERSBY If you fancy a drive up to the Cenny Coast, Somersby Falls is a local summer favourite. Somehow it's secluded, while only being a quick hour up the freeway and turnoff from the Pacific Motorway. You'll find an all-day carpark (which requires a small fee) and a short (but steep) journey down rocky stairs of all shapes and sizes. Only 100 metres into your journey, you'll reach the larger of two pools, with the second waiting for you at the bottom — delightfully, both are great spots to cool off. Like all waterfalls, they're best after a bit of rain, just be careful not to slip. Ideal for a day trip, the journey in and out will take 20 minutes all up. [caption id="attachment_880563" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tim Patch (Unsplash)[/caption] AUSTINMER OCEAN POOLS, AUSTINMER Down south, approximately 90 minutes drive from Sydney, is the village of Austinmer. Easily reached by car, cityslickers can also jump on the South Coast train line to get straight to the seaside destination. It has two of the best ocean pools in the greater Sydney region, sometimes overlooked due to the legendary ocean drive to the north and The Gong's easy-breezy hub to the south. Famous as an entry-level ocean swimming spot, Austinmer's twin beach-pool design means strong swell can roll over the walls during high tide and create a natural wave pool. And when calm, it's as flat as a pancake. The southernmost pool is shallow and popular with kiddos, so if you're looking for some quiet laps, head for the longer pool. [caption id="attachment_860442" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Andrew Harvey (Flickr)[/caption] UPPER GLEDHILL FALLS, KU-RING-GAI CHASE NATIONAL PARK If you've ever driven along McCarrs Creek Road on a drive up to the West Head Lookout or an intimate lunch at Cottage Point, you've passed within a stone's throw of this Northern Sydney favourite — Upper Gledhill Falls sits just below the road. You can park on the roadside near the bridge and make the short-but-tricky walk over – but fair warning, there are a few rocky outcroppings and big boulders to clamber over. The falls collect into a picture-perfect swimming pool — about 10 metres from end to end – that pulls in a crowd on most sunny days. It's perfect for cooling off after a long hike. A short stretch of sand offers a less-rocky alternative to sunbathing spots, and if you're in an adventurous mood, there's even a rope that swings out over the water. Just be careful to aim for the water and not any spectators. [caption id="attachment_880448" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Phillip Terry Graham[/caption] KARLOO POOLS, ROYAL NATIONAL PARK Tucked away in the massive Royal National Park, the green realm that separates Sydney and Wollongong, Karloo Pools is one of the largest swimming pools in the greater Sydney region. It's either a 50-minute drive from the CBD or a similarly long train ride to Heathcote station, followed by a brief walk to the Karloo Track. It's a long journey, but one that's not that difficult and more than worth it. The bushy journey is accessible for all ages and most experience levels, but it's unpaved and sometimes overgrown in places. The track — which is a six-kilometre return trip — takes you directly to the pools. The largest is the most popular and, with a rim of shallow rock ledges, is easy to dip in and out of. Be warned: the hike out is uphill, so save some strength. [caption id="attachment_755788" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Andrew Gregory[/caption] WHALE BEACH, NORTHERN BEACHES In the other direction, far into Sydney's locally dubbed 'insular peninsula', there's a beach often ignored by visiting swimmers. Whale Beach is sandwiched between Palm Beach and Avalon Headland, and can be easily passed if you're breezing up Barrenjoey Road searching for a dip. So, go there with intent or directions, otherwise you'll probably miss it. The beach is 600-metres long and feels quite secluded despite its location, which is no surprise considering it only became a residential suburb in the 1950s. If you fancy a surf, you may have heard of 'the Wedge', a famous break on the north side of the beach. But if you forgot the board, no stress. There's plenty of sand and a 25-metre rock pool at the other end (if you prefer your oceanic exposure to be cool and calm). [caption id="attachment_880568" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brian Waldron (Flickr)[/caption] VICTORIA CREEK CASCADES, BLUE MOUNTAINS In the magical splendour of the Blue Mountains, there are more than a few famous walking tracks that'll take you to creeks, cascades, falls and pools. But our pick of the lot is Victoria Creek Cascades, where a creek turns into falls and falls into a swimming pool. Plus, it's just under two hours out of Sydney. Be warned, this is a Blue Mountains track: it's going to be steep and mostly dirt. From the carpark, it's a one-hour walk to the pool at the base of the falls, which is the perfect place to soak your tired bones. The water stays cool even on hotter days, and it's mostly shallow and sandy, so your toes will remain unstubbed. Once you find your new favourite swim spot, elevate your summer game even further with a Sheridan beach towel. To make your pick, head to the website. Top image: Karloo Pools by Aiden Casey via Flickr
If this is the first time you've seen a story about Harvest Rock on Concrete Playground, you're either a first-time reader or you need to pay attention, because we're quite excited. It's the delight of South Australians and visiting festivalgoers alike, and we're here to run you through it one last time — tickets are still available but going fast, so read on quickly to find your ideal package before someone beats you to it. HARVEST ROCK 101 Firstly, some context, in case you haven't been keeping up with the news. Harvest Rock isn't quite a festival mainstay. It's actually a newcomer in the game — this year's festival is only the second iteration. After seeing 15,000 guests per day in 2022, the Festival is returning to Murlawirrapurka, also known as Rymill Park, and Ityamai-Itpina, also called King Rodney Park, Adelaide. Both sites are inner city parks, so this isn't a festival that requires extra travel beyond your flight. When it comes to the lineup, it's all hit and no miss. Starring acts include Jamiroquai, who will be performing their first Aussie show in over a decade, Beck will bring a full band to belt out 90s Californian anthems alongside new hits (both Jamiroquai and Beck are coming to Australia exclusively for Harvest Rock), musical satire and comedy specialists Sparks will draw from 50+ years of repertoire and many more. Expect to be wowed by legends since Harvest Rock is a project of Secret Sounds, one of Australia's leading festival organisers. BUDGET-FRIENDLY Where else to start but good old fashioned general admission tickets? Available in either one-day or weekend options, this is the basic go-to ticket for any first-time or financially-conscious visitor. Single-day tickets for either Saturday, October 28 or Sunday, October 29, are $239.48 for 18+ guests or $169.13 for guests aged 13-17. Two-day passes grant entry for the full festival at $412.79 for 18+ or $290.45. To make the experience even more memorable, you can upgrade to a collector's ticket for an extra $15.29 on either age group ticket fee and get some exclusive Harvest Rock II merchandise — perfect if you're a big fan of Harvest Rock. General admission, of course, grants you entry to the festival precinct and all the activities within, from catching tunes from the 30+ acts, enjoying a celebrity chef experience at the HELLO CHEF stage, accessing food from top-notch South Australian restauranteurs and imbibing in bespoke drinks from SA cellar doors. To unwind between activities, head to The Grape Escape wellness centre, where you'll find hot drinks, tarot readings, massages and more. TREAT YOURSELF There's nothing wrong with a little bit of self-love, as living without an occasional treat is pointless. Treating yourself at Harvest Rock II means booking your experience via the VIP Village or Harvest Lounge tickets. These two tiers offer the same basic VIP experience, with a few minor upgrades on the Harvest Lounge end. Being a VIP at Harvest Rock means you have access to the following: An express entry lane, an elevated viewpoint of the main stage, a concierge, fancy toilets, a cocktail bar, premium food, shading and seating and a complimentary drink daily. That's the VIP Village, comfortable, elevated, worthy of a treat yourself moment. The Harvest Lounge offers all of the above, plus a private lounge bar, an exclusive lawn area by the main stage, exclusive drinks at the VIP cocktail bar, and perhaps most importantly — complimentary phone charging. VIP tickets are only available to guests aged 18 and older. VIP Village tickets start at $341.43, and Harvest Lounge tickets start at $514.74. FEELING LUXURIOUS If treating yourself isn't enough, if you must go absolutely all out for your Harvest Rock II experience, then you've come to the right place. We've arrived at the most luxe and exclusive ticket options. The highest-end packages start with Platinum tickets, perfect to hit Harvest Rock like a rockstar. Platinum tickets include full access to the VIP Village and Harvest Lounge plus a whole range of extra goodies: front row or elevated seats to the main stage, an air-conditioned private bar, complimentary food and drinks, the Wildwood Restaurant dining experience, wine tasting, an exclusive entrance, private parking, lockers and phone chargers. And then, there are the suites. These are luxurious but also quite exclusive tickets — available only to groups of 30 to 50 people. If you have a large group of fellow festivalgoers, this is the ticket for you. Each suite includes elevated views of the main stage, shaded lounge seating and a viewing deck, a private bar, screens and speakers connected to the stages and options for food and drink packages to add on. Both Platinum and Suites are enquiry only, as price varies on the number of guests per booking. For more information on Harvest Rock 2023, including the lineup, how to get there or to book your tickets, visit the website.
Icon alert: in a year that's already bringing everyone from Kraftwerk, Devo and Paul McCartney to Sparks, Ms Lauryn Hill and Christina Aguilera Australia's way, Chaka Khan is also heading Down Under. The American singer and ten-time Grammy-winner will headline the 2023 Melbourne International Jazz Festival, putting on a one-night-only Aussie-exclusive show at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. And joining her onstage? Nile Rodgers & Chic while they're in the country for Harvest Rock. That evening of tunes will be all about icons teaming up with icons, clearly. Khan — aka the Queen of Funk — will celebrate five decades in the music industry with talents that've been around just as long. Among the Chicago-born singer's hits: 'I'm Every Woman', which was later covered by Whitney Houston; the Prince-penned 'I Feel for You'; and 'Ain't Nobody' with her funk band Rufus. Rodgers and Chic will bust out 'Le Freak' and 'Good Times', and also revel in their own hefty history. And, there's also the former's prowess as a guitarist to relish — which has seen him pop up on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, including single 'Get Lucky'. As a writer and producer, too, he's had a hand in everything from David Bowie's Let's Dance album to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin'. Khan, Rodgers and Chic will be supported by Kaiit and Horns of Leroy at their six-hour opening-weekend show, which will help launch MIFJ's 26th festival. Running from Friday, October 20–Sunday, October 29 at venues around Melbourne, the rest of the fest's lineup spans more than 100 events, with 11 world premieres and ten Australian-exclusive performances on that list. Lisa Simone, daughter of Nina Simone, will take to Hamer Hall's stage to sing her mother's songs, while the Hot 8 Brass Band will host and lead the Second Line Street Party, a New Orleans jazz parade along the Yarra, Southbank and into Fed Square. The fest's international contingent is bringing Cécile McLorin Salvant, Makaya McCraven, GoGo Penguin and SFJAZZCollective to Melbourne as well, alongside trumpeters Marquis Hill and Ingrid Jensen. Also on offer: Raw Denshi, with the Australian Art Orchestra teaming up with Japanese hip hop's Kojoe and Hikaru Tanaka — and a collaboration featuring William Barton's didgeridoo sounds and Nduduzo Makhathini's jazz stylings. Or, jazz fans can hit up Federation Square to see Bumpy Thndo and Rita Satch play for free, then get their toes tapping to Afrobeat at Beasts of No Nation, where 87-year-old Ghanaian guitarist Ebo Taylor will make his Australian debut. Throw in Australian names such as Elixir and Paul Grabowsky AO, Chapel Off Chapel hosting five days of jazz, JazzLab in Brunswick welcoming late-night jams, and outdoor dining and tunes at Grazeland, and this hefty program keeps throwing up more and more reasons to attend. The 2023 Melbourne International Jazz Festival runs from Friday, October 20–Sunday, October 29 at venues around Melbourne. Head to the festival's website for further details, and for tickets from 8am on Tuesday, August 29.
Awarded Unearthed Artist of the Year at the 10th annual J Awards last night, Meg Mac — or Megan McInerney to her folks — is the Melbourne-based soul-pop artist making a serious name for herself in the indie music scene. The 23-year-old singer songwriter has come a long way from recording lyrics on her phone while still in high school. If her fast-growing fan-base, sell-out performances and distinctive, soulful sound are anything to go by, McInerney is definitely one to watch. Here are the top five things you should know about her. She's no one-hit wonder Though you may have already heard her powerful first single 'Known Better' played on triple j in the lead-up to the J Awards, don't overlook McInerney's more recent tracks. These songs showcase her bold, rich vocals – think 'Roll Up Your Sleeves' – as well as her talent for raw, personal lyrics — check out 'Every Lie'. 'Turning' also highlights the soul-meets-electronica sound she's developing, a unique style that has already captivated audiences. She takes cues from Motown, Irish folk and French chansons McInerney recently admitted to triple j Unearthed that, when she was nine, "I could not get enough of Vanessa Amorosi… please don't judge me. 'Absolutely Everybody' was my favourite." Lucky, then, that her dad introduced her to soul, primarily Motown, while her mum would sing her Irish folk ballads from an early age. It wasn't until she was 17 that she started writing her own songs and working on a personal style, inspired by her love of "big voices and a bit of that drama — [artists who] sing because they have to or they would die sort of thing, like Edith Piaf". She also counts Ray Charles and Sam Cooke among her primary influences, and more recently, James Blake and Frank Ocean. She's going from strength to strength It's an understatement to say 2014 has been a big year for the up-and-coming artist. In September she released her first EP, the self-titled MEGMAC, featuring four original tracks plus an impressive cover of a classic Bill Wither's song, 'Grandma's Hands'. The EP launch kicked off a national tour, with Melbourne and Sydney shows selling out in days, and Brisbane and Perth following soon after. Later nominated as Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year, McInerney opened the Australian Indie Music Awards in October. #dogswearinghats A photo posted by MEGMAC (@megmacmusic) on Oct 10, 2014 at 12:11am PDT Her second favourite thing to do is dress up animals in human clothing When she isn't performing or making music, McInerney likes nothing better than to play dress ups with her dog. She told Music Feeds that she and her sister sent a photo of their pet to the Facebook page Dogs Wearing Hats, where "she got more Facebook likes than my whole music page in one hour." Following her knock-out live performances, its safe to say this is about to change. . @megmacmusic @kcrw So very welcome — Jason Kramer (KCRW) (@kcrwkramer) August 13, 2014 An international career is on the horizon While McInerney is gaining a serious fan base here, she's also making waves internationally, with 'Roll Up Your Sleeves' recently played on independent US radio station KCRW. The singer is already considering a trip to the US, where, she told Music Feeds, she'll "catch up with some label type people [who] want to meet me. It is exciting to think I can reach people away from my home." You can catch her at Falls Festival for NYE But before she jets off, McInerney will be taking on her first major festival as winner of the Falls Festival competition. Next to the likes of John Butler Trio, La Roux, Vance Joy and Empire of the Sun, she'll be performing some newly written songs with her sister as backing vocalist. Expect more bold piano sounds, big vocals and electronic elements from this promising young artist with a big future ahead of her.
Whalebridge sits in Circular Quay the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge offering up French cuisine and specialising in seafood. The venue comes from The Sydney Collective, the team behind the Watsons Bay Hotel, The Farm in Byron Bay and The Imperial. It boasts a prestigious head chef, ultra-luxurious menu and unbeatable harbour views. Open in the former Circular Quay digs of longstanding seafood restaurant Sydney Cove Oyster Bar, the harbourfront venue is headed up by Executive Chef Will Elliot who has previously worked across London's St John, Melbourne's Cumulus Inc. and fellow Sydney CBD French bistro, the beloved Restaurant Hubert. "What's exciting about Whalebridge is the opportunity to prepare and plate a menu which is entirely new to Sydney," says Elliot. "These are produce-driven dishes rooted in traditional French technique and the articulation of those flavours." On the menu, you'll find house specialities that celebrate French cooking and fresh local seafood including duck confit ($38) and lobster thermidor (market price). An array of charcuterie and an expansive selection of caviar ($80-320) are on offer to start you off, as are mains like steak or mussel frites ($45-55). There's also an entire range of canned goods reminiscent of popular Sydney eatery Continental Deli. Enhance your meal with a selection of tinned tuna belly, scallops, or white asparagus and leek barigoule to your meal ($10-38). Accompanying the dishes will be a 150-strong wine list pulling from renowned regions in both France and Australia. "I love good produce treated simply, that's why I love French cooking. It has very humble origins, but it's been refined over so many years to bring out the best in something, without masking what made it good in the first place," Elliot continues. Most striking at Whalebridge is the view, with an uninterrupted view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the outdoor seating that's calling out to be enjoyed with a glass of French wine and a spread of oysters, scallops and kingfish.
Are you ready, Sydney? Madame Truffles is opening her pop-up shop for the fourth truffle season running, bringing city folk black truffles sourced from Tasmania, Victoria, NSW and Western Australia. These 'gourmet mushrooms' will be available from June 14 until September 2 at the Madame's pop-up shop — which is setting up at a new location at 28 Kensington Street, Chippendale. As well as straight-up truffles, the shop has an array of truffle-infused goods for you to fill your pantry with, this year using French black truffles. The 2018 store will be stocked with both ravioli of both the truffle and potato and truffle and porcini mushroom kinds, plus truffle salt, truffle ice cream, truffle butter and truffle honey. This is made with extra grade black truffle and pure Australian honey from Victoria that's good enough to eat straight out of the jar. If you live in a sharehouse, you might want to hide this from your housemates. Truffles sold in-store are harvested fresh each week, so you know you'll get that fresh truffle smell when you pull them out at dinner (or breakfast, for that matter). The Madame Truffles pop-up shop will open from 9am–5pm Thursday and Friday, and 9am–4pm Saturday and Sunday.
There may be a lot of prospects for high speed travel, like Elon Musk's Hyperloop, but when we can travel between continents without the agony long haul flights, that's when we'll know the future is well and truly here. And while we wait for teleportation to make it to the molecular mainstream, we'll have to settle for second best: high speed supersonic air travel. Looking to bring back supersonic travel to the people, Sir Richard Branson is set to make high speed transatlantic passenger flights (relatively) affordable and accessible. Working with a Colorado aviation startup called Boom, Branson — under The Spaceship Company (an arm of Virgin Galactic) — wants to create a new plane that can fly at supersonic speeds of up to 2335 kilometres per hour. That would see the flight from NYC to London take a mere three and a half hours (rather than the seven hours it takes now). That's essentially a Sydney peak hour commute. Supersonic air travel has already been achieved by the passenger plane the Concorde, which provided flights between London and Paris to New York, Washington and Barbados between 1969 and 2003. It was decommissioned due to the $20,000 per trip price tag; by comparison, the Boom is set cost only $5000 USD. According to Boom founder and chief executive Blake Scholl, this new plane will be more cost effective by having have less seats and being more fuel efficient. Scholl also told The Guardian that, aside from the London to NYC route, they would also be concentrating on getting up trips from San Fran to Tokyo and LA to Sydney. It's all very ambitious, but the first Boom plane is expected to be tested by the end of 2017. Via The Guardian. Image: Boom.
Flying interstate can be frustrating at the best of times — especially during peak periods — but you can expect more than a few cancellations and delays this weekend as some Jetstar employees prepare to strike over three days, on Friday, December 13 until Sunday, December 15. Last week, both the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) and the Transport Workers' Union (TWU) voted to proceed with industrial action in response to ongoing failed negotiations with the airline. The TWU has announced that it will hold a series of two-hour work stoppages on the Friday, while the AFAP will hold two four-hour stoppages — one on Saturday, and one on Sunday. In a statement released today, Jetstar Group CEO Gareth Evans said that, because of the action, Jetstar will cancel 44 flights on Saturday and another 46 on Sunday — which is 90 of an estimated 740 across the weekend. If you're flying with Jetstar on these days and your flight is affected, you've probably been sent your new flight details. Jetstar has re-timed flights and transferred some passengers to Qantas flights to avoid too much chaos, but there's likely to be delays to across Sydney, Melbourne, Avalon, Brisbane, Cairns and Adelaide airports. https://twitter.com/YourAFAP/status/1204269727264034816 The TWU is at loggerheads with Jetstar after failed negotiations with the airline that sought to secure a number of demands for employees – like more rest breaks, annual wage increases of four percent and a guaranteed 30 hours of work a week. TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said that "disappointingly, Jetstar have rejected the vast majority of the workers' demands outright". Jetstar, however, says the impact of the TWU action is likely to be "minimal" as it would involve "less than half" of its regular ground staff. In a statement released last week, Evans said that the airline has offered a three percent annual wage increase to the union. The AFAP strikes are set to be more disruptive — as they will leave aircraft without anyone to actually fly them. However, despite earlier reports that the action could impact flights over the upcoming busy Christmas period, the union has said that it won't strike between Saturday, December 21 and Friday, January 3. The strikes will take place this weekend, December 13–15. If your flight has been cancelled or changed, Jetstar will contact you directly. For any further flight status updates, check the Jetstar website.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Wotif.com. Writer Benjamin Law recently performed a glorious piece of erotic fan fiction about his two culinary idols, Stephanie Alexander and Maggie Beer. We'll spare you the gory details, but the story involves a fair bit of verjuice and self-saucing pudding. The two food goddesses both call South Australia home, because, basically, that's where the good food and wine is. Restaurateurs in Adelaide respect the exceptional produce and wine at their doorstep. Here are ten who are doing it very nicely indeed. BISTRO DOM South African born chef Duncan Welgemoed brings the best of his training under Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal to Bistro Dom on Waymouth Street in the CBD, where he’s serving up French-inspired cuisine such as steak tartare ($19.90) and duck with boudin noir, apple and cinnamon ($39.90). While Welgemoed has a keen interest in the science of cooking, you’ll see no clouds or foams here; his focus is on showing off the produce, unadorned and simple. Bistro Dom boasts a truly varied wine list of French, German and boutique local wines. Make sure you have a crack at the Alpha Box and Dice ‘Tarot’ from McLaren Vale — an elegant blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Tempranillo. 24 Waymouth Street, Adelaide Street ADL and Orana A two-part venture from chef Jock Zonfrillo, together Street ADL and Orana span two levels, offering two unique dining experiences within the one venue. Downstairs is Street ADL; it's informal, casual and accessible, offering up ‘Australian street food’ such as pulled kangaroo sangas, cheeseburgers, Goolwa pipis and lamingtons. Venture upstairs, however, and it's a whole different story. Orana is delicate, intimate (it only seats 25 guests) and very much a fine dining experience. The food continues to tread the line of Australiana, with Zonfrillo paying homage to rich flavours of the land. 285 Rundle Street, Adelaide RUBY RED FLAMINGO Ruby Red Flamingo has an ever changing menu of Italian share plates and a blackboard wine list with Italian wines including Nero D’Avola. Snuggle down in front of their open fireplace with a comforting favourite like macaroni with eggplant and smoked mozzarella or osso bucco risotto. 142 Tynte Street, North Adelaide Peel Street Tucked away on Peel Street (go figure) this restaurant may not look like it's got a lot going on, but once you step in, see the food slapped on the concrete bench, let the smell of freshly baked goods hit your nostrils and take a seat, there'll be no desire to ever leave. Open from 7.30am on weekdays and serving up dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, Peel Street has quickly become a favourite amongst city dwellers — particularly those who frequent the small bar scene in the adjoining streets. If you like what you see on the counter, order 'from the concrete', or otherwise order something bigger 'from the blackboard'. Whatever you go for, you won't be disappointed. And you will be taking a muffin, pie or cupcake on your way out. 9 Peel Street, Adelaide Gin Long Canteen Gin Long has been open for little over six months, but already it's a favourite. You might be hard off getting a seat on a Friday or Saturday night; don't let that deter you because this is possibly the closest Adelaide comes to modern Asian. As well as rice paper rolls and betel leaf cigars, expect to chow down on gin long wings, nom nom barramundi, spicy caramel chicken and sticky braised pork belly. The cocktail list makes it extra fun, and the whole space is spot on — worth the wait, if you ask us. 42 O'Connell Street, North Adelaide MAGILL ESTATE RESTAURANT Magill Estate is the showcase restaurant for Penfolds wines just out of the city in the Adelaide foothills. Head chefs Scott Huggins and Emma McCaskill deliver an ever changing degustation menu designed to show off the Penfolds range (and not just the '51 Grange) starting off with calamari, chlorophyll and preserved lemon and finishing with South Australian Mayura wagyu with radishes and mustard. 78 Penfolds Road, Magill PRESS FOOD AND WINE Press Food and Wine is a new addition to the Adelaide dining scene, and a very welcome one. The two-level restaurant on Waymouth Street is at once homely and elegant. Head chef Andrew Davies prides himself on in-house pickling and curing and their custom-made chargrill. A la carte and degustation menus are on offer, with sophisticated starters such as king fish and pickled radish ($21) and heartier mains such as house-made pappardelle with blue swimmer crab ($29). 40 Waymouth Street, Adelaide EROS OUZERI Eros Ouzeri is a bit of an Adelaide institution. The grand daddy of Rundle Street, its cafe is home to the best damn kataiffi in town and the restaurant proper will sort you out with classic Greek mezze fare such as grilled haloumi, octopus and gyros as well as heartier mains such as lamb shoulder ($29.90) or a charred Angus fillet with mustard skordalia ($35). All this deliciousness is accompanied, of course, by a robust, SA-faithful wine list. Head in for a lunch banquet ($45) and let the famously hospitable Eros staff welcome you to the fold. 277 Rundle Street, Adelaide The Grace Establishment Located on The Parade — which is generally busy with shoppers and alfresco diners, but don't let that put you off — The Grace Establishment is a nice option for a sit-down lunch without breaking the bank. Relatively new and still very shiny, it's part bar, restaurant and beer garden, meaning you can sit indoors or out for a charcuterie board, plate of Kinkawoona mussels or a hearty SA sirloin. 127 The Parade, Norwood GOLDEN BOY RESTAURANT Golden Boy Restaurant popped up last year to feed the hungry punters at the Botanic Bar at the East End of the city and it has quickly become a destination in its own right, serving honest, home-style Thai food in a relaxed setting. Open till midnight, Golden Boy offers the perfect late-night fix of spicy chicken wings and pork belly — you can lick your fingers in style. 309 North Terrace, Adelaide Words by Lauren Vadnjal and Jessica Keath. Peel Street image courtesy of Kristina Dryža via Facebook.
Surrounded by water on three shores, The Entrance is nearly an island. It's an ideal place to spend a winter weekender staring into endless blue, especially when you've been desperately longing to forget all about work, traffic and the general chaos of life. And it's just a 90 minutes' drive north of Sydney. On one side lies tranquil Tuggerah Lake, and on the other, the mighty Tasman Sea. Further north are the tiny settlements of Magenta and Norah Head, where you'll come across friendly cafes, rugged lookouts and white-sand beaches backdropped by national park. Set up home base at the Pullman Magenta Shores Resort and follow our guide to fending off the winter blues with a sneaky getaway. EAT All great weekenders start with ace coffee. Get yours at the Burrow Coffee House. This cosy spot offers nice brews and beautifully composed brekkies, including a bacon and egg roll with avocado, haloumi and balsamic. When you're ready for your next brew, head a couple of kilometres south to Long Jetty. Here you'll find The Glass Onion Society, a fun, art and music-loving cafe that does Sonoma baked goods, vegan doughnuts and 'Soul Soup', among other eats sure to warm up even the frostiest morn. When lunchtime arrives, explore a bit of history in the best way possible: while eating cake. Do so by booking high tea at The Entrance Lake House, an airy, elegant cafe that's been licensed since 1905 but underwent a reno in 2012. If you happen to be around Norah Head when hunger hits, then swing by The Ark Cafe, which serves Campos coffee and gourmet bites, such as a poppyseed bagel loaded with heirloom tomatoes, haloumi, spinach, avo and pine nut pesto. This place isn't just an eatery but a social enterprise, too. A percentage of profits goes to The Welcome to Paradise Foundation, which supports aid workers in South Sudan and a food program in Nepal, among other worthy causes. There's also a quirky retail space, where you can invest in a hand-shaped surfboard created by local Christian M. Laing and peruse a bunch of ethically produced clothing and homewares. Been saving up your pennies for a posh feast or looking to impress your date? Reserve a table for dinner at Ocean, a fancy restaurant whose floor-to-ceiling windows let you gaze straight out over the Tasman. You'll get premium seafood transformed into cracking dishes, such as ocean trout with lemon mayonnaise, beetroot, asparagus, peas and potato, or mussel and shellfish chowder. A more affordable option is The Shallows Bar where you can build your own charcuterie board or grab a few wood-fired pizzas. Or head to Bistro Jinja to sample dishes from all over Asia. Tuck into Shanghai braised pork belly, Chiang Mai chicken curry and dark chocolate tart with honeycomb and sticky fig ice cream, while seeing the sunset over Lake Tuggerah. DO One of the best things about visiting The Entrance during winter is that you get all the beaches but none of the crowds. Soldiers Beach, just south of Norah Head, has the whitest sand on the Central Coast and backs onto the lush greenery of Wyrrabong National Park. While you're there, keep an eye out for whales, which pass by from May until August. An even better vantage point is Pelican Beach Road Lookout, from where you can walk the 3.4-kilometre Red Gum Trail through towering red gum forest and the 3.5-kilometre Lillypilly Loop through rainforest, cabbage palms and burrawangs. Whales aren't the only creatures worth watching around here, either. The Entrance is famous for its pelicans. It's been named the 'Pelican capital of Australia', in fact. These kooky and characterful birds make great subject matter for photos, particularly if you stop by the waterfront at 3.30pm, their daily feeding time. It's not purely about feeding either — it's a chance for volunteers to make sure none of the little guys are tangled up in hooks, lines or other debris. Make your next stop spectacular Norah Head, whose lighthouse has been operating since 1903. In fact, this became the very last lighthouse in New South Wales to lose its lighthouse keeper when it became fully automated in 1995. Half-hour tours, which take you up the building's 96 stairs for epic 360-degree views are available every day for just $6 per person. Keen to travel further? Continue another 15 kilometres north to reach Munmorah State Conservation Area, a coastal wonderland of empty beaches, lookouts and walking trails. SLEEP To sleep with still water on one side and roaring surf on the other, check into Pullman Magenta Shores Resort. This beautifully designed luxe five-star resort is ten minutes' drive north of The Entrance, on the southern edge of Wyrrabalong National Park. The resort offers apartment-style accommodation options, complete with views overlooking the landscaped gardens. Recreation is the name of the game here, so don't even think about complaining of boredom. You've got the exclusive Magenta Shores Golf Course and Country Club, a day spa, tennis courts and three swimming areas: a 2o metre indoor heated lap pool, rock pools and the Lagoon with a swim-up pool bar, all at your fingertips. Go to the AccorHotels website to book your stay in The Entrance, and to discover more of regional NSW, check out Visit NSW.
A dinner party filled with AI versions of famous figures? Or a meal enhanced by virtual reality? Restrictive diets that focus on fasting over feasting? Eating dishes purely because they'll help you sleep? Over the next 12 months, all of the above might come to fruition. Also on the 2018 hit list: African cuisines, creative genetic modification in food and beer, and getting paid to have strangers over for dinner. At least, they're the trends that culinary artists Bompas & Parr are predicting for the year ahead, with Sam Bompas and Harry Parr releasing their first-ever foodie forecast. After ten years in the business, evolving from making jelly to catering to a food-focused experience design agency, their report draws upon their own experience, as well as the psychology behind human behaviour. If technologically enhancements pique your interest, Bompas & Barr expect bots based on celebrities to become the next dinning partners, and mixed reality dining to adorn diners with wearable technology to create a more immersive eating experience — including "embedded microelectronics in crockery and glassware, projection technologies, responsive sound environments and more broadly digital content that's coupled to the taste and aroma of the food and drink on the table". For those keen on making a buck from making dinner for folks you don't know, think Airbnb and Uber, but for the simple act of hosting a meal. That's how you share food in 2018's sharing economy. Elsewhere, watching what you eat might be taken to a fasting extreme, though its hardly new — and it comes with health repercussions. African cooking styles are expected to rise in popularity, exploring the cuisines of the continent's 54 countries. So is food that'll help you get a good night's rest (and no, a nightcap doesn't count), plus biological tinkering with edible substances. You can peruse the full report for further details, and if you're wondering why you should, Bompas & Parr's past culinary exploits should provide all the convincing you need. They've made bespoke cocktails catered to each drinker's DNA, hosted anatomical whisky tastings where spirits were sipped from actual people, served a beating pig's heart as a starter and made London diners kill their next meal. In addition, they've made edible fireworks, a molten lava barbecue and held a 200-course dinner party. Expect them to play with their seven outlined trends next, as part of their continued and creative interrogation of our eating and drinking habits. Via Dezeen. Image: Bompas & Parr.
Pull out your loose change stash and check under the couch, because one of the best food deals we've seen in a while will hit The Rocks next week. For one day only, The Argyle is slinging dumplings for just ten cents a piece. Head on in from 11am on Tuesday, April 23 and bring your appetite — and all the silver coins you can find. Expect a dim sum feast of gyoza, har gow and shumai on offer, with prawn, vegetable and pork varieties up for grabs. There is one catch — punters must purchase a full-price drink to access the ten-cent dumpling extravaganza. The deal is available all day and bookings are recommended — so head here before all the tables for next week are snatched up. If you miss out this round, you can still nab $1 dumplings (and $5 Asahi) at the venue every Tuesday — though the deal isn't nearly as appealing once you've considered the ten-cent version.
If any Sydney neighbourhood was going to change the perception of something from unattainable to accessible, it would be Oxford Street. It's where you'll find Izy.Aki, a far cry from the dimly lit, luxe restaurants you might first think of when you hear the word omakase. Visible for passerbys, its bright lights, exposed brick walls, open kitchen and 18-seat marble countertop paint a welcoming picture. While this is still an upscale destination, it's homely. Izy.Aki is what's called a kappo omakase. Kappo is a culinary experience defined by an intimate space and chef-diner interaction, while omakase is a dining experience where the menu is left up to the chef. The final result? A relaxed, informal take on your typical omakase experience, packed full of honest interactions with the chef as they take you through your meal. The guides on this journey will make you feel right at home. Chefs Darren Templeman (Atelier, O Bar and Dining) and Bonnie Yu, alongside bartender, host and sommelier Aurelian Jeffredo, work hard to create an experience that feels more like being welcomed into a friend's home than a booking at a high-end restaurant. Every dish and drink is explained when served, and Jeffredo is more than happy to recommend drinks for each guest to accompany the dishes and match your preferences. The food here is set — it is omakase after all — so each booking is either a six-course or ten-course meal, decided by the chefs and your dietary requirements. As such, what you could be dining on is often in flux, but there are some house specialties. Chief among them is The Egg: a hen egg filled with white onion puree, foie gras, smoked eel and a topping of trout roe. You'll also find a wide range of grilled offerings, including yakiniku-style meats and 9+ Australian wagyu. The drinks menu stars cocktails, alongside Japanese spirits, beers and plenty of sake to keep the thirst at bay as the courses flow.
We can't yet zipline around the entire world, though it does sound like something Elon Musk might dream up. We can, however, come up with an increasingly impressive holiday itinerary by touring the globe's scenic zipline spots. From this week, the Grand Canyon joins the list. Zooming along tightly stretched cables is already a reality at the world's longest zipline opening at Jebel Jais in the United Arab Emirates and across Dubai's skyline. London recently had one, currently letting locals and visitors fly across the city, as did Sydney did, stretching between two skyscrapers 75 metres above Circular Quay. Seeing the Grand Canyon from such lofty heights is now on offer at Grand Canyon West, at the Hualapai Ranch in Arizona, reaching 300 metres above the floor of the rock formation. Capable of accommodating 350,000 visitors each year, two ziplines have been strung across the natural wonder, one measuring 335 metres and the other spanning 640 metres while traversing a steeper run. Each consists of four steel cables running side-by-side, which means that groups can enjoy the experience together. Riders will reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour. For those planning a high-adrenaline sight-seeing stint as part of their next US trip, tickets cost AU$115, with the zipline operating from Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 4pm. The ziplines join the resort's helicopter tours and 1.2-kilometre-high skywalk among its sky-high attractions. Via PR Newswire.
Kumiko (Rinko Kikuchi) is a superfan. Joel and Ethan Coen's Fargo is the object of her excessive attention, and she doesn't just fixate over it, she believes it. In particular, she believes there's a briefcase filled with money buried in the Minnesota snow. To understand why she's so intent on thinking the movie is more than fiction is to understand her largely solitary existence in Tokyo. Kumiko is 29 years old and still working as an office lady, a position her boss thinks she should've well and truly outgrown. Her mother only calls to scold her about her dismal personal life, and her only friend is her pet rabbit, Bunzo. So when she happens across a VHS copy of Fargo, embracing its tall tale as truth adds purpose to her days, and trekking across America to find the stack of cash it tells of becomes her destiny. Filmmakers David and Nathan Zellner delve into an urban legend that sprang up around the death of a Japanese woman in the US, first chronicled in 2003 documentary This Is a True Story. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter makes its own fable out of diving into the strangeness that can stem from both truth and fiction, as well as the tenuous relationship between the two. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter is in select cinemas on April 29, and thanks to Palace Films, we have 15 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us with your name and address. Read our full Kumiko review here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
