Avoid the chaos of the CBD come December 31 and celebrate the new decade at a party by the beach. Better yet, make it a mini bar crawl without the hassle of having to trek between venues. This New Year's Eve, Coogee Bay Hotel is hosting two big parties to farewell 2019. You can start the night off with three hours of bottomless drinks (the usual suspects — beer, wine and bubbles are on the menu) plus canapes to line your stomach at a VIP pre-party on the balcony. That means exclusive views of the ocean and Coogee's 9pm fireworks. The party runs from 7pm–10pm and tickets are $149 or $169 for access to the hotel's countdown shenanigans. Alternatively, Coogee Bay Hotel's massive live music space, Selina's, will be a neon haven of tunes and good times from 8pm all the way through to 3am. If you're skipping the balcony and heading straight in for a boogie, first release tickets are $40, so snap them up quick. The music lineup for Selina's countdown party is huge, so get ready for synth harmonies and hip-hop beats from Tassie's Close Counters as well as the techno house jams of Motorik Vibe Council. Then get wild with Gold Coast surfer dudes Cut Snake, before grooving well into the night with tunes by DJ duo The Aston Shuffle. Coogee Bay Hotel's VIP balcony pre-party runs from 7pm–10pm, with tickets available here. The countdown party at in-house venue Selina's goes from 8pm–3am, with tickets available here.
When the news dropped earlier this year that Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck was coming to Melbourne, every local foodie quite rightly lost their mind. Packing up a three-Michelin starred restaurant and transporting it to the other side of the world for six months is no small feat. And, while Melbourne is treated to a great spectrum of culinary talent, the food wizardry of this sound-cooking, bacon ice cream-making legend really is next level. But, the question remained: how to secure a seat? After the announcement came in March this year, Crown received upwards of 40,000 requests to book a table. We'll give you a minute to let that number sink in. With a proposed service of 50 diners per night, and the space in operation for a mere six months, The Fat Duck would only be able to accommodate a third of those that enquired nearly a full year in advance. That's huge. "We were totally overwhelmed with the response, it's been unbelievable ... [it shows] just the complete, utter food obsession that has happened over here," Blumenthal said in a press conference this morning. Now, to cope with the astronomical interest (and to save the receptionists at Crown a world of trouble), a booking system has been decided. To eat at The Fat Duck, you will have to enter a ballot. Open from October 8 until October 26, the ballot will be run in a similar way to Meredith Music Festival (though we really can't say it will have the same no dickheads policy). Punters can register their ravenous interest, an independent third party will randomly select the successful diners, then both confirmations and rejections will be sent out on November 10. It's not yet clear whether you can pick the date and time of your reservation. Honestly, it seems unlikely. Unsurprisingly, the seat also won't come cheap. Dinner will be served as a set menu of 12–15 courses and will set you back a cool $525 (before drinks). This may well be the only lottery where the prize is a huge bill, but when we think about that bacon ice cream we can't help but feel it's worth it. The Fat Duck opens on February 3, 2015, but more importantly the ballot opens on October 8 at 9am. Via Good Food.
If you managed to nab a ticket to Paul Kelly's Making Gravy tour last year, then you were one of the lucky ones. If you weren't and have been lamenting ever since, you can stop. The songwriting legend has just announced that he'll be performing the show all over again this December, in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane (on Gravy Day itself, December 21). Like the song, the tour — now in its third year — is becoming a bit of an Aussie Christmas tradition. Time to start thinking about getting the tinsel and ugly jumpers out of storage. As in 2018, you can expect to hear a stack of songs from Kelly's four-decade long career. Listen out for all the hits, from 'Dumb Things', from the album Live, May 1992, to 'Love Never Runs On Time' from Wanted Man (1994). The Christmas classic 'How To Make Gravy', first released in 1996 on an eponymous EP, is on the menu, too. The tour will coincide with the release of Kelly's new greatest hits album Songs From The South (1985–2019), his collaborative avian-inspired album 13 Ways To Look At Birds and a book of poetry he's curated, called Love Is Strong As Death. Kelly won't be hitting the road alone, either — he's inviting a bunch of special guests. He'll be joined by ARIA Award-winning rocker Courtney Barnett, Aussie Eurovison finalist Kate Miller-Heidke, NZ singer Marlon Williams and Gamilaraay songstress Thelma Plum (in Sydney only). [caption id="attachment_737416" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mia Mala McDonald[/caption] MAKING GRAVY DATES 2019 Perth — Optus Stadium, Saturday, December 7 Melbourne — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Thursday, December 12 Sydney — The Domain, Saturday, December 14 Brisbane — Riverstage, Saturday, December 21 Paul Kelly Making Gravy pre-sale tickets will be available from midday on Tuesday, August 20 with general sales from midday on Friday, August 23. Perth, Sydney and Brisbane tickets will be available via Ticketmaster with Melbourne's via Ticketek. Top image: Cybele Malinowski
You have to hear Noisy Jelly to believe it. This science project-esque game, imagined by Raphaël Pluvinage and Marianne Cauvard, allows you to create your own musical instrument out of jelly. Using water, agar agar powder and a set series of molds (contained in Noisy Jelly's mini chemistry lab) players can create their own set of jellies. The jellies are then placed on the included game board, where they may be touched and manipulated to create sound. If you don't quite get the jelly-to-music correlation either, Noisy Jelly includes a scientific diagram to explain what is actually happening. The game board functions as a capacitative sensor, and the final sound it produces all depends upon the shape and salt concentration of the jelly. The distance and strength of the finger-to-jelly contact can create different sounds, as well.
Both in Australia's nationwide lockdown between March and June and since New South Wales slowly started returning to normality, the state's hospitality businesses have been doing it tough. Temporary closures, pivoting to takeaway and delivery, stocking sought-after grocery items, enforcing social distancing, operating at limited capacity, using QR codes — these have all been on the cards to help stem the spread of COVID-19, and they've all had a sizeable impact on restaurants and cafes. The situation is the similar in NSW's entertainment industry, too — so, as part of the just-announced State Budget for 2020–21, the government is starting a new scheme to help both sectors. Called 'Out & About', the program is designed to encourage folks to head out of the house, have a meal, and see a movie or show. And, to do so on multiple occasions. When Out & About comes into effect from late January 2021 — with the exact date yet to be revealed — every NSW resident over the age of 18 will be eligible to receive $100 in vouchers. You'll score four $25 vouchers, in fact, with two available to use at restaurants, cafes, clubs and other food venues, and the other two specifically for cultural institutions, performing arts, cinemas and amusement parks. There are a few caveats, understandably. You won't be able to use your vouchers on tobacco, alcohol or gambling, for starters. And, you can only use each voucher once, including if your transaction totals less than $25. You'll also need to use your vouchers separately, because the idea is to get NSW folks heading out several times to several different places. [caption id="attachment_786742" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] To access the vouchers, you'll also need a MyServiceNSW account — and the corresponding app, so you can use the vouchers digitally. You'll only be able to redeem them at participating and COVID-safe registered businesses, however, with further details about where you can use them set to be revealed in the coming weeks. In total, the program will cost the NSW Government $500 million. A pilot scheme will be run first, before launching Out & About statewide. Obviously, NSW's social distancing requirements and other COVID-19 hygiene practises still apply to anyone venturing out of their house for something to eat, a night at the flicks or some time mashing buttons. And if it all sounds a bit familiar, that's because the UK implemented something similar earlier in 2020, offering up half-price meals to encourage folks to eat out — although it has been suggested that the British scheme might've contributed to a rise in coronavirus cases. For information about the 'Out & About' scheme, visit the NSW Government's website. Top image: Cassandra Hannagan
If you've found yourself hankering for an Italian beef sandwich after watching The Bear or been inspired to devour a damn-fine slice cherry pie thanks to Twin Peaks, then you'll know that TV shows and movies can influence your culinary choices. You mightn't have expected Yellowjackets to be on that list, however. When a series follows a group of teenage girls stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash, then forced to get creative — and cannibalistic — to survive, then IRL menu options don't normally jump out. Trust Sydney's NEL to challenge that perception with its latest imaginative 11-course degustation. The Harbour City fine-diner has taken inspiration from pop culture before, including via its popular Disney-inspired feasts and its Moulin Rouge!-themed spread. Among the restaurant's other limited-time degustation menus as well — KFC-inspired dinners, Christmas meals, heroing native Australian ingredients and more — taking cues from Yellowjackets certainly stands out, though. On offer: dishes that dig into the wild and primal reality that the hit show's characters find themselves in. The fact that NEL has dubbed the four-day-only pop-up menu 'Eat Your Heart Out' says plenty. [caption id="attachment_991129" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kailey Schwerman, Paramount+[/caption] "To be approached to create a Yellowjackets-inspired menu just felt like the perfect next venture for NEL Restaurant," said Chef Nelly Robinson about whipping up an inventive feast that aims to plunge diners' senses into Yellowjackets' world — not just via sights and sounds, but also via tastes. "For anyone that knows us, they understand we are about pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and getting to ask the questions of 'how do we make an ear appetising?' or 'how can we get someone to dig into a brain?' was a very exciting quest. The answer is obviously in the flavours, and while it might not be visually 'conventionally appetising', the flavours and aesthetics will most definitely leave you speechless." Across a three-hour experience that'll be on offer between Tuesday, March 4–Friday, March 7, 2025, think: digging for truffles, then tucking into the aptly named Salmon over River Misty (a moss- and salmon-heavy dish) and also seeing how NEL comes up with its own take on the show's darker survivalist scenario. Some dishes will nod to the diet consumed in the series, whether via heart-shaped servings, working in liver or plating up "something a little more ear-y". If you're feeling adventurous enough, you will need to try your luck not only in terms of testing your tastebuds, but to score a seat. Sittings are only available via entering for a chance to win on the NEL website between now and 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. So, attending is free — but only if your name is selected. If you're not located in Sydney, travelling there is at your own expense, but the Yellowjackets dinner at NEL will be on the house. For those who haven't dived into the series so far or need a refresher, Yellowjackets instantly proved one of the best new shows of 2021 when it debuted courtesy not just due to its killer setup — but it does tell a tale that fascinates from the outset. The thriller hops between the 90s and 25 years later. Across two seasons until now, life and friendship have proven complex for Yellowjackets' core quartet of Shauna (The Tattooist of Auschwitz's Melanie Lynskey as an adult, and also No Return's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager), Natalie (I'm a Virgo's Juliette Lewis, plus Companion's Sophie Thatcher), Taissa (Law & Order's Tawny Cypress, and also Scream VI's Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Misty (Wednesday's Christina Ricci, and also Atlas' Samantha Hanratty). The trailers for season three also put it this way: "once upon a time, a bunch of teenage girls got stranded in the wilderness ... and they went completely nuts." The full setup: back in 1996, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private aircraft, Shauna, Natalie, Taissa, Misty and the rest of their teammates entered Lost territory. The accident saw everyone who walked away stuck in the forest — and those who then made it through that ordeal stuck out there for 19 months, living their worst Alive-meets-Lord of the Flies lives. Season three starts streaming in Australia via Paramount+ on Friday, February 14, 2025. Check out the trailer below: NEL's Eat Your Heart Out degustation will be available from Tuesday, March 4–Friday, March 7, 2025 at 75 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney. For more information or to go in the running for a seat — which is only available to competition winners, with entries open till 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 — head to the NEL website. Yellowjackets season three starts streaming in Australia via Paramount+ on Friday, February 14, 2025.
Self-care means different things to each of us but, as Sydneysiders, it's hard to beat a trip to the beach for a stroll, an ocean swim or to just chill out on the sand. Combining your beach visit with a luxurious spa treatment can, therefore, be considered the ultimate one-two punch of self-care. Endota Spa Cronulla on Gerrale Street is just a few minutes' walk from South Cronulla beach. Part of the largest spa network in Australia, which first began in 2000 on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, this welcoming space has six treatment rooms, plus two double treatment rooms if you're visiting with a friend or partner. The range of treatments includes massages (remedial, hot stone and pregnancy), organic and LED facials, microdermabrasion, body wraps and scrubs. Want to keep enjoying the effects of your experience long after you leave? Add a mani, pedi, wax or spray tan to your package, too.
New Zealand's far north is rich in history and beauty. Just a three-hour drive, or a 50-minute flight, from Auckland is the Bay of Islands, a breathtaking destination where the British first settled and the nation's founding document was signed. A journey off the beaten path will give access to sleepy towns that roll on to crystal clear inlets and more than 144 undeveloped islands up for exploration. In the colder months you may struggle to pass another soul on the streets but the region still boasts mild temperatures that welcome outdoor adventures and even a dip with some wildlife — there's a reason why they call it the winterless north. In anticipation of your next weekend getaway, this is our guide to New Zealand's Bay of Islands. SEE AND DO It's called the Bay of Islands for good reason; there are 144 islands that make up the region. A good way to cover the region is by going off-land for a water cruise. Explore Group's Hole in the Rock tour journeys out to the Bay's most iconic geological formation. But before even approaching, and potentially sailing through the giant opening, you'll be treated to a display of wildlife in the area. Dolphins are abundant. So much so that the company promises a 90 percent hit rate of spotting the ocean mammals. Elsewhere, you can expect to spot the smallest penguins in the world, large schools of mullet and blue maomao and the New Zealand fur seal. On the way back the trip stops off at the secluded Otehi Bay on Urupukapuka Island for lunch. Afterwards, you can venture out for a swim, go for a walk and catch sweeping views across the Bay. Boasting kilometres of white sand coastline, kayaking is great way to explore the area without forking out on boat hire. Coastal Kayaks hosts tours out of Paihia and Waitangi, covering the stunning Haruru Falls and historic lagoon which is abundant with native birdlife. One particular excursion with the company involves a five-kilometre walk through native bush and mangrove forests to the falls, with a three-kilometre guided kayak return through the country's first river port. In large groups it's all about fun and owner Chad heightens the experience with interactive games, onboard water pistols and lighthearted yet informative banter. On the other side of the one-way bridge lies the official birthplace of New Zealand, Waitangi. In 1840, British representatives and a number of high ranked Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi to share ownership of the land — albeit only the English version was signed, leaving little in favour for the land's original inhabitants — you'll learn more in the onsite museum. Guided tours of the historical Waitangi Treaty Grounds give insight into Māori culture, the arrival of the British and subsequent Treaty signing. You'll also discover a traditional Māori waka (or canoe) that gets its yearly outing on Waitangi Day and the restored cottage of the former governor. For further interest, there's the option to book the interactive Māori cultural show showcasing traditional music, weapons and games and sample the goods from a hāngi — a traditional Māori earth oven. FOOD AND DRINK It's all about local, seasonal produce in the Bay which opens up a whole world of fresh meal options. A good place to start is at The Old Packhouse Market. Found in Kerikeri (in an old packhouse, no less) the weekly vendor gathering is the perfect spot to load up on supplies before hitting the road. Expect to pick up everything from homemade pies to raw milk, deep-fried oyster po' boys and fruit and vegetables from literally just around the corner. Enjoy your finds while listening to live music, receiving a palm reading or getting a reflexology massage. Across the road is another must-visit attraction. As soon as you enter the Makana Confections giftshop the smell from the adjoining factory will be tugging on your heartstrings. The best part is that free samples are handed out upon arrival so you can try before you buy — you'll also see staff crafting the exact same thing through the window, so you know it's fresh. The cafe offers a selection of gelato, chocolate truffles, cakes and slices. While in Kerikeri head to The Rusty Tractor for a modern interpretations of breakfast classics and a four-shot bucket of coffee, Cafe Jerusalem for authentic Israeli cuisine, and La Taza Del Diablo for portions of Mexican cuisine that not even the ravenous could get close to finishing. Not many would relate the far north to wineries but there are plenty worth stopping into. At Kerikeri's Marsden Estate you can enjoy an educational wine tasting before settling on your preferred varietal and sampling a platter under the vines in the courtyard. Found just outside of Russell, Paroa Bay Winery is a family-owned property set against the rolling hills. Stay for a flight and try the Mediterranean-inspired menu at newly opened restaurant, Sage. Elsewhere is Russell, The Crusty Crab is the place to order piping hot fish 'n' chips to enjoy on the beach; in the warmer months Hone's Garden offers wood-fired pizza, fresh beer and friendly community vibes; Hell Hole is a great option to start your day with loaded bagels and fresh coffee; and Gables offers both bistro fare and a history lesson as the oldest licensed restaurant in the country. Check out our full guide to eating and drinking in the Bay of Islands here. STAY Thirty minutes from Kerikeri, well off the beaten path down a gravel road, you'll find Takou River Lodge. Once owned by a pair of bachelors, the 150 acre site is now the pride and joy of environmental scientist Anna and engineer Ian O'Reilly. Nestled in the surrounds of certified organic beef farm and regenerating native bush are five luxury cabins for all different price points and occasions. The pick of the crop is the aptly titled Magic Cottage. Set on the edge of the Takou River, the property ticks all the boxes for a romantic escape, including an open-air bath and early morning birdsong. Along with the accomodation, guests can explore the native forest, use supplied kayaks for an adventure to the beach and book the riverside hot tub, which after-dark is the perfect place to spot glowworms. Unless you plan to make the trek back into Kerikeri, you'll need to bring your own supplies. A dinner option can be provided by the highly regarded Food at Wharepuke by chef Colin Ashton who presents a blend of modern European and Thai-inspired cuisine. With the ocean practically lapping into its foyer, The Duke of Marlborough is a pristine destination to unwind in four star accommodation or simply stop by for a bite to eat in an award-winning restaurant. The property was erected in 1827, originally operating as an unlicensed grog shop by an ex-convict. It later became the first licensed hotel in New Zealand. The property still retains its vintage appeal; the rooms are grand with high ceilings, the walls are covered with marine memorabilia and the solid furniture certainly has a story to tell. The restaurant is all about showcasing local seasonal produce and modern interpretations of classic favourites. You can expect to sample local oysters or oven roasted fish that was caught directly in front of the hotel. The beverage list is extensive with over 100 wines and 30 beers from the region and further abroad. The wine tasting rack is a good option for indecisive diners, offering three generous samples to sip back as the sun drops over the inlet. GETTING THERE Kerikeri Airport is the region's main port of call. From Auckland Airport it's a breezy 50-minute flight to the sleepy terminal. Alternatively, it will take you just over three hours to drive from Auckland to Paihia and Russell. Feature image: The Duke of Marlborough.
Keanu Reeves is one of cinema's treasures, and should never be far away from our screens. Since the mid-1980s, across a career that's spanned everything from the Bill & Ted movies and stone-cold masterpiece Point Break through to The Neon Demon and Always Be My Maybe, he thankfully rarely has been. And, seeing him in lean, slick, no-nonsense action-star mode, dispensing with whatever troubles and struggles come his way via impressively choreographed displays, is one of the biggest movie-watching pleasures there is. But only two film franchises have served up just that again and again: The Matrix and John Wick. In the film saga where Keanu knows kung fu, viewers have already been treated to four instalments. In the movies where he plays the hitman that other hitmen fear, the fourth flick is on its way. During San Diego Comic-Con, John Wick: Chapter 4 just dropped its first trailer, in fact. Yes, we're thinking that the assassin is back — again. As all John Wick movies have so far — the first in 2014, John Wick: Chapter 2 in 2017 and John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum all included — this one will follow the formidable killer as he takes on his ever-growing list of adversaries. There's still a huge bounty on his head, and plenty of foes want to collect. That hasn't stopped Wick yet, though, after he got dragged back into the assassin life when a past batch of enemies messed with his dog. If you're thinking that Wick's luck might run out at some point, the new film — which is set to hit cinemas Down Under in March 2023 — understands. "No one, not even you, can kill everyone," Wick is told. But proving that wrong has always been at the heart of this stunt-filled saga. Well, that and increasingly upping the ante on all those action scenes, with Reeves' former stunt double-turned-filmmaker Chad Stahelski at the helm. In the first sneak peek at John Wick: Chapter 4, both Reeves and Stahelski keep doing what they do best, and spectacularly so. That includes hopping around the globe, with Wick seen walking through Paris in winter with the Eiffel Tower looming large, and also getting into sword fights in Japan — and the film also heading to New York and Berlin. On-screen, Reeves is joined by a roster of returning and new John Wick faces. Fellow franchise mainstays Ian McShane (American Gods) and Lance Reddick (Godzilla vs Kong) are back, and so is Reeves' The Matrix co-star Laurence Fishburne after appearing in the past two movies. And, Donnie Yen (Mulan), Bill Skarsgård (Eternals), Hiroyuki Sanada (Mortal Kombat), Shamier Anderson (Son of the South), Rina Sawayama (Turn Up Charlie) and Scott Adkins (Triple Threat) are all set to feature as well. In also excellent news, a fifth John Wick movie is already in the works, because more ass-kicking Keanu is always a great thing. Check out the first trailer for John Wick: Chapter 4 below: John Wick: Chapter 4 will release Down Under on March 23, 2023.
Before the pandemic, compiling a travel bucket list was limited only to your imagination. Now, after years of international border closures, and also the shutting down of overseas travel into and out of many countries, it's also guided by COVID-19 rules, requirements, restrictions and entry procedures. But if you've been keen to add Bali to your itinerary, the Indonesian island has good news: it's now open to double-vaccinated Australian and New Zealand tourist without quarantine. Back in February, Bali started welcoming back select tourists — including folks from Down Under — but with a shortened isolation period, requiring arrivals to quarantine for five days once they hit the island. Now, since Monday, March 7, that rule has been scrapped. There's still mandatory testing, as well as a few other procedures to abide by, but you no longer have to factor in a lengthy stint confined to your hotel before your getaway genuinely kicks into gear. Firstly, the new rules only apply to travellers who have had at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine — and, in the 48 hours before you get to Bali, you also need to get a PCR test (and, obviously, it needs to return a negative result). Then, thanks to Bali's newly implemented Visa on Arrival program, you'll fill out the paperwork and pay the fee (around AU$50) when you hop off the plane, and also take another PCR test. You will need to isolate until you get a negative result from that one, but that's clearly better than spending five days in quarantine. Upon arrival, you'll also need to show proof of a paid hotel booking for four days/three nights, as well as health insurance that covers COVID-19 up to at least US$25,000. And, you'll have to download the Bali COVID app as well. Then, three days after you get there, you're required to take another PCR test as well — but there's no isolation requirement attached. Countries covered under Bali's Visa on Arrival program since Monday, March 7 include Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Qatar, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Italy, Turkey and UEA, with the scheme expanding to 42 nations on Monday, March 21. Indonesia has also just dropped its quarantine requirement nationwide, effective from the same date. That yearning you now feel? It's the need to pull out your dusty suitcase, get packing and book yourself a beachy Bali holiday. For more information about the requirements for travelling to Bali, head to the Indonesian Government's website.
No matter where you are in Australia, you've probably spent the majority of the year in your own state (if not the majority of the year in your own bedroom), with many states and territories keeping their borders firmly closed. But, the last of the interstate restrictions are starting to ease. With the exceptions of WA (which has flagged easing its hard border restrictions from tomorrow), Sydneysiders not being able to visit Queensland and Victorians being restricted to intrastate travel for the moment (but interstate travel to NSW and Tasmania is set to be allowed later this month), Australians can pretty much visit anywhere in the country without quarantining. To celebrate, Virgin Australia is selling over half-a-million fares to destinations around the country, starting from just $75 a pop. Hang on, Virgin? Yes. The same airline that, just months ago, entered voluntary administration. It has since been sold to US private investment firm Bain Capital, launched a comeback sale in early July and its voluntary administration is set to officially end on Tuesday, November 17. The domestic flight sale kicks off at 8.30am today and runs until midnight on Friday, November 20, or sold out. In the sale, you'll find cheap flights on more than 52 routes to destinations across the country, with travel dates between December 1 and June 23, 2021. If you've been waiting to book Christmas flights home — or a summer getaway — now might be the time. Discounted flights are economy and include seat selection and a 23-kilogram baggage allowance. Some of the routes on offer include Sydney to Ballina from $75, Melbourne to Launceston from $79, Brisbane to Hobart from $139, Adelaide to Sydney from $119, and Melbourne to Perth from $169. [caption id="attachment_743607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whitsunday Beach by Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] The discounted flights are part of Virgin's new travel campaign, 'You Can't Keep a Good Thing Down' celebrating both the company's return and the country's reopening. As we are still in the middle of a pandemic, flying is little different to normal. Virgin has introduced a range of safety measures, including hand sanitisation stations, contactless check-in and face masks provided to all passengers (but wearing them is not mandatory). Virgin is also waiving change fees and allowed unlimited booking changes between now and January 31, 2020. You can read more about its new flexible options over here. Virgin's 'Go You Good Thing' domestic sale runs from Friday, November 13 until 11.59pm AEDT Friday, November 20, or until sold out. Find out more about current interstate border restrictions over here.
Whether you're looking for an excuse to visit this year's Ramadan Night markets, or are simply seeking out the best of the best to build your itinerary before you go, you've come to the correct place. Running from Saturday, March 9-April 8, Lakemba's vibrant celebration of food and culture has returned, open from 6pm to 3am every Thursday to Sunday. These month-long markets take over Haldon Street to honour the Islamic month of Ramadan, providing sustenance and a sense of community for participants while they break their daily fast (something to keep in mind when visiting), as well as providing the rest of the community with platefuls of reasons to head along. Solidifying itself as an annual institution within the community, the markets breathe life into the local haunts of the suburb with food that you'll be craving all year round. If you are looking to test the waters with different cuisines, this is the perfect place to do so. Each stall features a particular cuisine, with the selection ranging from familiar crowd-pleasers like Lebanese and Indian dishes to lesser known gems like the Pakistani, Syrian and Burmese options on offer. As a local, I've collated a range of helpful tips — as well as a selection of the top stalls to add to your hit list — to ensure a successful haul of top-tier dishes. Our recommendation: dive in headfirst and you'll be pleasantly surprised. The Headliners To start the night with a bang, hit up the stars of the show. These must-visit stalls range from mains to snacks and desserts to local sips. Looking for dessert and a show? Secure a slice of knafeh from Yummy Yummy Knafeh or Al Fayhaa Nablous Knafeh. The delicious Middle Eastern dessert is a must-try, with cheese as the main ingredient — so you are guaranteed to enjoy the perfect cheese pull — combined with a topping of pistachios and a dousing of rose water sugar syrup. For a creamy dessert, Syrian ice cream from Bakdash Ice Cream is a cold treat that'll sit lighter in the stomach. Or you can opt for decadent strawberry chocolate pots from Sugar House Waffles. For heftier dishes, sink your teeth into a freshly-made burger from Broaster Chicken, the Chicken Tikka burger from Adda Kebab & Spicy Chicken (a personal favourite of mine), or opt for the Ramadan-special camel burger if you're feeling adventurous. Unfortunately, the two limited edition burgs are only available annually — so make the most of this rare treat. If you are not on the burger train just yet, head over to Deccan Flavours or Desi Hub for a Chicken Tikka box fresh off the grill. Each box includes naan, juicy chicken pieces fresh off the grill, creamy mint sauce to accompany and a side of salad. Then there's Shahi Dastarkhwan where the chicken curry wraps are the main event. Packed full of flavour and encased in light, pillowy bread, these wraps are also an annual go-to. At the stall, you'll find four flavours of curries to try, including the Hariyali chicken covered in a minty marinade (green), chicken cooked in coconut cream (white), 'Majestic chicken' — a blend of turmeric and other spices (yellow), and the classic Chicken 65 (red). For a palate cleanser, try the refreshing lemonade from a small lemonade stand with a humble setup called Fresh Lemonade (situated next to the Commonwealth Bank). There is an expansive array of flavours on offer here, including the crowd-favourite classic lemonade, strawberry lemonade and mint lemonade — all of which contain fresh fruit. You'll also find a new-and-improved set of offerings, from Turkish lavashak and Italian cannoli to camel milk hot chocolate. The Culture Vulture For those seeking to fully immerse themselves in the culture of the night markets, opt for a coffee hit with a shot of Arabic coffee. This is also available at the Yummy Yummy Knafeh stand, so you can pair it with a slice of knafeh for the full experience. This intense blend is reminiscent of a long black — and is not for the weak — so we highly recommend sipping. Keen to avoid coffee after hours? Head to The Nawabz or Adda Kebab & Spicy Chicken for the rose-flavoured Kashmiri Chai (dubbed the 'pink drink') and stay for a snack. The Nawabz stall also offers gol guppas (thin, round shells filled with curried chickpeas), which are a bite-sized delight accompanied by a tangy liquid spice mixture to dip the balls into — a treat that you'll also be able to find at the Desi Paikari Bazar stall. For a creamier drink comparable to a thick white hot chocolate, opt for the Sahlab next to the King Crepe stand. Much like a warm milk pudding, this Middle-Eastern drink is the perfect selection to warm you up on a cooler night. Comfort Classics If You Don't Intend to Venture Too Far For visitors who don't want to venture too far outside their usual takeaway favourites, you can grab chicken fajitas from Fajita King; dutch pancakes, chocolate-covered dessert sticks and crepes from King Crepe; chips on a stick — the best being from Al Fayhaa Chicken; and manoush (Lebanese pizza) from Traboulsi Bakery and Al Fayhaa Bakery. Tips and Tricks to Keep You Ahead of the Game Hankering for some extra insight? I'm going to share some insider tips with you. First and foremost, be sure to take cash. Many businesses only accept cash, while the majority have a preference for it. Peak times tend to be from 7pm-10pm if you're looking to avoid the crowds but keep in mind that you run the risk of stalls not being fully set up if you arrive earlier. Of course, the risk of visiting later in the night means items could be sold out completely — disastrous! Hitting up the markets in groups or with reusable bags is also highly recommended. There are plenty of stalls to explore and you'll need your hands to either hold your loot or post those money shots on social media — many businesses are happy to put on a show for you if you do. Searching for parking is a difficult feat, so public transport will be your best bet. There are shuttle buses available from Roselands and Campsie from 6:30pm to 12:30am for those in the neighbouring suburbs. Plus, Lakemba's train station is less than a minute from all of the action. Finally, many of the businesses are now also available on UberEats for those residing nearby. Keep in mind, though, that many of the popular dishes are stall specials and are only available at the markets. The 2024 Ramadan Night Markets will take over Lakemba from 6pm-3am every Thursday to Sunday from Saturday, March 9 until Monday, April 8. To stay up-to-date or for additional information, head to the event's page on the CBCity website.
Prepare for your summer to get a whole lot chiller: Merivale and Corona have just announced a slew of A+ Sunday afternoon shows at amazing waterside venues. And the best part? A huge chunk of them are free. Bless 'em. Corona must have a lot of cash to splash, just to make you guys happy. No complaints here. The Sunday Sundown sessions will be held over 12 Sundays from January 3 to March 20. They'll be going down at Coogee Pavillion rooftop, the ivy Pool Club and The Newport. While Coogee Pavillion has never before hosted music events — which is absolutely cray considering what a beautiful place it is — that's all about to change. Kicking off with a free acoustic set by The Preatures on January 3, the Pavillion will host SAFIA, Dustin Tebbutt and Nicky Night Time with support acts Tyler Touché, JOY., E^ST and Cassian over the coming months. The Newport which is set to open next month, will also put on a series of free Sunday shows including Gypsy and the Cat, Saskwatch, Asta, Ben Lee and Mansionair, supported variously by Gordi, YesYou, Elizabeth Rose and World Champion. And if you want to splash out a lil, the ivy Pool Club is selling tickets for $20 to Tkay Maidza, KLP, HolyGhost and L D R U. Just remember to bring your togs. Phew, that's a lot of info to take in. The TL;DR message is this: free/cheap shows, sick lineup, great venues. Summer looking fierce.
The debate around pill testing has stirred months of back and forth between advocates and those — including the NSW Government — who remain firmly opposed to the idea of introducing the harm reduction tactic at music festivals. In a push to get the State Government to reconsider, four Sydney advocacy groups have teamed up to host another big protest, set to take to the streets of Sydney on Saturday, November 23, ahead of Australia's festival-packed summer season. Kicking off at 2pm from Sydney Town Hall, the Dance In Defiance protest is being hosted by Reclaim The Streets, Keep Sydney Open, Unharm and Students For Sensible Drug Policy — the same alliance that organised a similar 2000-person rally back in January. Once again, the groups will be showing their support for pill testing, but, this time, they're also calling for the Government to significantly cut back its use of sniffer dogs and strip-searches, both which have been copping growing amounts of criticism. As reported by The Guardian, the NSW Police watchdog has investigated multiple allegations of police misusing their strip-search powers. The protest also comes after Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame delivered her findings from a coronial inquest investigating 2018's spate of drug-related festival deaths. In a report released earlier this month, Grahame recommended implementing pill testing, scrapping the use of sniffer dogs at festivals and even decriminalising personal drug use. Despite the findings, the NSW Government has reiterated its anti-pill testing stance, with Premier Gladys Berejiklian telling the ABC that pill testing gave festivalgoers a "false sense of security". [caption id="attachment_560794" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Keep Sydney Open rally 2016 by Kimberley Low[/caption] The State Government's response doesn't come as too much of a surprise, given its unwavering stance against pill testing, even in the face of strong supporting evidence from an array of international and local trials and studies. After two young people died of suspected drug overdoses at Defqon 1 in 2018, the Premier assembled an expert panel to offer advice on music festival safety. Since then, another three festivalgoers have died. The panel's recommendations ignored pill testing and instead inspired harsh new festival licensing, which was introduced earlier this year. The legislation required 14 'high risk' festivals to apply for new liquor licences, and follow strict and expensive safety management plans, and has been slammed by many in the music and festival industries for its shortsightedness. At least two NSW festivals were forced to cancel as a result of costs associated with the new legislation. The State Government has, thankfully, agreed to establish a music industry roundtable, with members from both the festival sector and relevant government departments, to consult on festival safety and legislation. The first roundtable will meet on December 4, but, at this stage, it seems unlikely that it'll change the State Government's strong anti-pill testing stance. "With the evidence piling up, the Liberals' refusal to introduce pill testing reveals the disturbing truth: They'd rather see more kids die than admit their war on drugs is a disaster," said Reclaim the Streets spokesperson Kieran Adair in a statement. "That's why we're taking to the streets again to dance in defiance." The multi-stage mobile protest will include a heap of local musicians, including Dunk, Breakneck, Church of Screamin' Electro and 1800Bike Rave, with more to be announced in the lead up. Dance In Defiance will kick off at 2pm at Sydney Town Hall on Saturday, November 23. Top image: Kimberley Low.
Dragging yourself off the couch on a Sunday isn't always easy, but you'll feel a little more inspired with Since I Left You's Slow Sundays. Having launched earlier this year, the dog-friendly event series celebrates the simple joys of a lazy Sunday. Expect hands-on workshops, market stalls, rejuvenating food and drinks, and an ambient soundtrack to lift your end of the week. You might not have guessed that a CBD bar would be the perfect space for an event like this, but the team at SILY is all about making the most of their picturesque courtyard. With a towering mural, twinkly lights and a regular program of live music, the space makes for an ideal hidey-hole to escape the buzz of the city. Coming up on Sunday, March 30 at 1pm, the second edition of Slow Sundays is all about the simple joy of crafting. Thanks to the crafting expertise of Handy with Scissors, you'll be able to get hands-on with collage and card-making, watercolour painting, embroidery, tin embossing, basic leatherwork and more. It wouldn't be a booking at SILY without a dose of live music, so your crafternoon adventure will be soundtracked by a setlist of appropriately lazy Sunday-themed tunes by Closed Circuits DJs. And, perhaps most importantly, your ticket includes a complimentary welcome margarita, which ought to help get your creative juices flowing if nothing else. No matter if you're a DIY newbie or a total craftaholic, you're welcome to come along and explore your artistic side at your own pace.
We've all been there. You've just finished off a delicious meal at a restaurant or bar and the waiter asks if you can be tempted by dessert or a digestif. But why not have both? We're big believers in treating ourselves guilt-free, which is why Glenmorangie's latest collaboration with Smoke caught our attention. The scotch label has partnered with Barangaroo House rooftop bar to celebrate the launch of its new cake-inspired whisky, A Tale of Cake. Designed by Glenmorangie's Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, A Tale of Cake is aged in dessert wine casks, which gives it a distinct, candy-like flavour. To prove how well this new tipple would pair with a dessert, Glenmorangie had world-famous pastry chef Dominique Ansel (creator of the legendary cronut) design a special dessert to be enjoyed with A Tale of Cake cocktails, dubbed a Caketail. Now, to launch the spirit Down Under, Glenmorangie has done the same here, by teaming up with Smoke Bar to create its very own Caketail. The cocktail, designed by Smoke's bartender Pauric Kennedy, pairs the whisky with sweet vermouth, chocolate bitters and orgeat syrup for a rich cocktail with notes of marzipan and spice. The dessert, created by Chef Tom Haynes, explores those flavours, too. It consists of a hard chocolate shell filled with a chocolate almond mousse that's been spiked with coffee and marzipan liquor, and it's served with hazelnut ice cream (infused with Tale of Cake) and a nut crumble. The end result is an extremely decadent cocktail and cake pairing that's perfect for the festive season. Smoke's Caketail cocktail and dessert pairing is available from Monday, November 23 to Monday, December 21. To make a booking, head this way. Images: Kimberley Low
If you're on the hunt for a spot to watch the big game among other fans with the commentary coming through loud and clear, Sydney's got some top spots (see: our list of the best pubs and bars to watch sport). But the new pint-sized Inner West bar The Magpie has just thrown its hat in the ring, pairing viewings of The Matildas, The Eels, The Swans and the UFC with a retro fit-out and a crowd-pleasing roster of beers. Sporting a name that acts as both a piece of the Australiana tinge that permeates through the bar and a nod to the Western Suburbs Magpies rugby league team, The Magpie comes to Enmore from the team behind Earl's Juke Joint and Jacoby Tiki Bar. It's opened right next to The Trocadero Room, the intimate new 150-person live music venue that arrived late last year from the same team. Together, the two venues have taken over the space formerly occupied by HiWay Enmore, bolstering the bustling road's sizeable roster of small bars. The Magpie is designed to be a "local's local" — a place where you to drop in for a quick catch-up over a beer or a reliable spot that you know will be playing your favourite footy team's clash with their cross-town rivals. When there's no sport to be shown, you'll find a roster of classic films playing on the mounted televisions. The team has curated a slate of flicks that will transport you back to the days of walking through the aisles at your local Video Ezy (RIP). On tap, you'll find a few of your favourite Inner West breweries pouring, including a special Magpie Old brew that Grifter has whipped up, plus Guinness for good measure. Part sports bar, part small bar with a pub-like feel, The Magpie has opened its doors just in time for both the NRL and AFL seasons, as well as the upcoming Paris Olympics, set to kick off in July. Next door, The Trocadero Room offers a new stage where bands can cut their teeth and artistic communities can come together — plus a fun throwback drinks list featuring cosmos, Midori illusions and spicy margs. Since opening in November, it's already hosted Sydney favourites like Straight Arrows, exciting new up-and-comers like DoloRRes, and every kind of gig imaginable, from comedy nights and evenings dedicated to reggae, to scuzzy punk lineups and all sorts of dance parties. Both The Trocadero Room and The Magpie are located at 156 Enmore Road, Enmore. Head over to Instagram to find this week's gigs and which matches you can catch.
The ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come are set to descend upon Australia — just as things are getting merry, of course. After haunting Ebenezer Scrooge on the page since 1843, and sparking the miserly Charles Dickens-penned character's change of attitude on stages for almost as long, they'll work their magic Down Under courtesy of The Old Vic's version of A Christmas Carol, which is heading our way for the first time. While A Christmas Carol itself has been delighting theatre audiences for close to two centuries — the first stage production reportedly debuted in the UK mere weeks after Dickens' novella was published — this new take on the tale initially premiered in London back in 2017. It has proven a huge smash since, including picking up five Tony Awards for its Broadway run. Next stop: Melbourne from November. Just in time for festive season, A Christmas Carol will enjoy its first Aussie season at the Comedy Theatre, kicking off on Saturday, November 12 and playing till Saturday, December 24 (of course). Whether it'll also hit up other Australian cities yet hasn't been revealed — but tickets to see it in Melbourne would make a mighty fine early Christmas present. This version hails from two Tony-winners, too: director Matthew Warchus (Matilda the Musical) and playwright Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child). The list of impressive talent involved also includes Aussie actor David Wenham, with the Lord of the Rings, Seachange, Goldstone, Lion, Top of the Lake and Elvis star playing Scrooge. "A Christmas Carol is a ripping yarn, this production is as compelling as it is surprising. I'm counting the days to get back on the stage in the role of Scrooge. It's a story of hope, redemption and community. I guarantee the audience will leave the theatre feeling better about themselves and the world at the end of the show. A perfect story to be told at Christmas time," said Wenham, announcing the show's Australian debut. The rest of the local cast is yet to be revealed — and, story-wise, the production obviously still focuses on its selfish and greedy central character that's become synonymous with curmudgeonly behaviour, his Christmas-hating ways, and his journey of compassion and redemption with help from the spirits of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come. Not only does the play work through that beloved story, but it also incorporates 12 Christmas carols, including 'Joy to the World' and 'Silent Night'. The words you aren't looking for: "bah humbug!", unless you truly do despise Christmas — and haven't yet been given your own ghostly reasons to rethink your stance. A Christmas Carol will host its Australian premiere season in Melbourne, playing the Comedy Theatre, 240 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, from Saturday, November 12–Saturday, December 24, 2022. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday, September 16 — for more information, or to join the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website.
The pinnacle of Christmas lunch is the delicious dessert, so Work-Shop and Maria Mayhew of Black Star Pastry are giving Sydneysiders the chance to make the perfect pudding this festive season. This particular sweet treat can be tricky and fiddly to get just right, so the workshop covers everything from prepping the calico to serving suggestions. It's everything you need to know to create a family of happy Christmas campers. Mayhew discovered her passion for pastry later in life, and has made a name for herself with unique twists on classic cakes, including vegan beetroot and marmalade cake, and pumpkin loaf. She completed her apprenticeship at Black Star Pastry in Newtown, one of Sydney's best patisseries. For owner-operator Christopher Thé, baking is all about creating the perfect edible moment to share with others, and their famous Christmas pudding is the perfect example of this. Work-Shop are all about proving fun and affordable short courses in everything arts, crafts and life skills. The class in Christmas cheer will go down at their Chippendale base on Wednesday, December 11, at 6.30pm, so buy up tickets at Eventbrite to learn how to cook up the ultimate pudding on the ultimate holiday.
Those changes to licensing for small bars have certainly been shaking things up around here. In fact, so many have popped up of late, you'd be forgiven for feeling a tad overwhelmed. Luckily for your sake, Concrete Playground have put together this guide to the best small bars in Sydney. Your only problem now is fitting them all in. 1. CorridorWhere: 153A King Street, Newtown This aptly-named small bar is brimming with more than its fair share of goodness. Surprisingly, it's not just one busy room, but is cleverly composed of an assortment of nooks. A private table at the front, stools along the wall, hidden under the stairs, the upstairs 'lounge' room or in the upstairs courtyard: take your pick. The menus are similarly overwhelming, but I suspect it would be hard to go wrong with these cocktails (all $16). I taste test the Blood and Sand: a '20s-style, Rudolf Valentino-inspired combination of scotch whisky, cherry brandy, sweet vermouth and orange juice. All cocktails change seasonally but never fear: the menu is extensive, and the bar staff attentive. For review and details, click here. 2. Darlie Laundromatic Where: 304 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst Step behind the unassuming facade of Darlie Laundromatic, and you'll discover a slice of the inner-west right in the heart of Darlinghurst. This bar has been a long time coming. Luckily, Darlie still has its feet firmly on Darlo soil. The signs and taps of the laundry previously here still stand, while a washing line of tea towels across the room pays ode to the site's prior purpose. Aside from this, the bar is decorated à la Eathouse, though with a more clearly 'Australian suburbia' bent: lamps and ferns, prints and oil paintings, green plastic high school chairs, and an assortment of Sylvac-style salt and pepper shakers on every table. This bar even possesses its own back yard. For review and details, click here. 3. Love, Tilly Devine Where: 91 Crown Lane, Darlinghurst A few years ago an idiotic politician declared that Sydney simply didn't want small bars like Melbourne's, where people could quietly read a book while drinking a glass of chardonnay in a black skivvy. That comment has been proven false again and again, and now Sydney is graced by establishments like Love, Tilly Devine, the perfect small bar to sit and read a book over some chardonnay. In a skivvy, if you want. The people at Love, Tilly Devine are excited. They're excited about their wine, about the future of their neighbourhood, and about their food. The name of the bar is an ode to East Sydney's past and a tribute to an obscure 1930s brothel madam, who, while her husband was getting prostitutes hooked on cocaine and beating her to a pulp, performed acts of local charity. For review and details, click here. 4. Grandma's Where: Basement 275 Clarence Street, Sydney There's no place like home. Except Grandma's. Grandma gives you a big hug, sits you down in her best, chintz-covered chair and gives you a treat. And the eponymously titled bar, the latest addition to an innocuous little office building off Clarence Street, will do all that and more. Grandma's, the self-described "retro-sexual haven of cosmopolitan kitsch and faded granny glamour", is truly one of the most delightful bars that Sydney can now call its own. Muddling about on the footpath outside trying to find the damn place, a heavy-set giant of a security guard approached me and gruffly asked "hey, you looking for Grandma's?" and then burst into giggles. And you know you're in for a good night when you're giving a giggling security guard a hug. Inside you'll find knitting baskets, ottomans, and ubiquitous teacups and saucers. The place is small and can get loud, but the relaxed atmosphere and lovely people make it somewhere you want to stick around. A word of warning, though — get there early. We only left when a friend called from outside, telling us there was a line outside because the place had reached capacity. For review and details, click here. 5. Timbah Where: 375 Glebe Point Road, Glebe There's something I'm desperately trying to introduce into my social circle, and that is the Sunday afternoon drink. If you're trying not to think about Monday, but know you should probably hold off on finishing a case of beer before you go back to work, then a nice leisurely Sunday afternoon drink is the thing you need. And Timbah is the place to have it. Nestled down the pretty end of Glebe Point Rd (and slightly down Forysthe st), we popped in one cold, grey Sunday and found a cosy table by the door. With a huge and diverse wine list, you might feel like you could get bogged down for choice. However, Timbah have introduced an interesting new concept. The first six people to order wine on any night choose the six bottles that will be served by the glass for that night, taking that horrible 'oh dear which wine shall I choose' feeling out of the equation. When those six run out, another lot are chosen. For a non-wine aficionado, it's a comforting system. For review and details, click here. 6. Mr Fox Where: 557 Crown Street, Surry Hills Mr Fox is not the first blink-and-you'll-miss-it small bar to enter the Surry Hills scene, but it's perhaps one of the best. Walls that double as chalk boards, fairy lights tacked up behind the bar and menus offered up in illustrated children's books detailing myths and legends make this, if not the most original, definitely one of the most fun options around. But then, what else should we expect from a bar named for a Wes Anderson film? It's a very DIY feeling space, and you'll find yourself settling into your new home almost straight away. While there's a reasonable range of beers and wines on offer, it's all about the cocktails ($12-$17). To grow some venue appropriate hairs on your chest, try the Old Fashioned ($15): bourbon with sugar and a dash of bitters. For a sweeter option, perhaps the Summer Sour ($14), with strawberry, passionfruit, cranberry, Chambord, Alizé and vodka. If you're starting to feel hungry, there's no reason at all to venture out into busy Crown Street, with grazing plates - like Polenta Cubes with Coriander Mayonaise or Slow-Cooked Sticky Chicken Wings - for $14 each. For review and details, click here. 7. The Owl House Where: 97 Crown Street, Darlinghurst Say what you will about glorious fit outs, what makes or breaks the vibe of a bar is the barmen. These souls of hospitality, the embodiments of all the best parts of alcohol, have the power to charm, ease, surprise and delight. A case in point: the latest small bar to pop up in Darlinghurst, the Owl House. Our man of the hour was Amir. As we took our seats at the intimate (read: tiny) bar, it was only moments before he had collected our orders and was shaking away in front of us. Over the course of the next half hour, he had taken complete responsibility for our tastebuds, put us at ease with every other patron in the place and begun discussing our favourite novels in surprising detail. Soon after that, he was lighting the bar on fire in front of us. Now that's what I call an exceptional barman. For review and details, click here. 8. BloodwoodWhere: 416 King Street, Newtown Hidden down ‘that other half’ of King Street, Bloodwood is handy before an Enmore gig, and easy from the station. We are told there are no bookings for tables at the Newtown eatery – the Good Food Guide’s 2011 Best Bar with Food – but once we settle in a spot we are told we will have to leave at 8pm, someone a little more persuasive than us wants their seat at that time. We sit in the upper level of the establishment. Bare light bulbs hang both precariously and artistically from the ceiling. It is hip but not intimidatingly so. Although Asian influences filter through the menu, we have selected those with flavours from France and the Middle East. For review and details, click here. 9. Low302Where: 302 Crown Street, Darlinghurst Aim high. Go low. That’s the fitting credo of this cocktail bar-slash-eatery-slash-live music venue. And I can tell you, they don’t miss the mark. Darlo bar hoppers may not be starved for their pick of small bars, but Low’s got a little something the others don’t. For one, this place is sexy. Dark leather lounges are set against draping red curtains, with a grand piano tucked in the corner - an open invitation for musos to hammer out a good tune, and for hammered rockers looking for extra stage room. Throw in some low lighting, incense, intimate side rooms and an outdoor sitting that opens out onto Crown Street, and you’ve got your night off to a very good start. For review and details, click here. 10. Different Drummer Where: 185 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe Before the rise of the small bar, cocktail bars were the only place to be rewarded when one had a thirst for both tasty and trendy. The Different Drummer was an oasis in a desert of old-man pubs and soulless bars. Now overshadowed by these Surry Hills newcomers, the Different Drummer in Glebe still has a special place in the heart of the Inner West. Since ages past the Drummer has been serving scintillating cocktails with a happy-go-lucky list of patrons who don't hesitate to share their thoughts on why the Agwacello (agwa coco leaf liquor, limoncello & cloudy apple) is the best cocktail on the menu. Settle in downstairs amongst the bordello-like luxury for your birthday or girls-night, or take a date up to the roof for a breeze and a good view. For review and details, click here.
Since first opening its doors back in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has played host to a wealth of performances, spanning far further in genre than just the art form that gives the venue its name. But it was only during Vivid Live 2016 that the iconic locale serenaded visitors into an evening-long slumber, all as part of Max Richter's live recital of his eight-and-a-half hour work Sleep. Across 31 tracks comprised of 204 movements, the German-born British composer's concept album unfurls music based on the neuroscience of getting some shuteye. In its intonation, the ambitious yet soothing piece favours the range that can be heard in the womb for much of its duration. When performed for an audience, it is played overnight, with beds set up — and doing as the work's title suggests is highly encouraged. Attendees recline, listen and let Richter's blend of strings, synthesisers and soprano vocals lull them into the land of nod. If they'd prefer to stay awake, that's fine as well, but soaking in Sleep's ambient sounds while you're snatching 40 winks is all very much part of the experience. In its live version, Sleep has echoed through spaces in London, Berlin and Paris, too; however, it's the first openair performance in Los Angeles' Grand Park in 2018 that takes pride of place in the documentary Max Richter's Sleep. A filmmaker was always bound to be so fascinated with the concept that they'd turn their lens Richter's way, and that director is Natalie Johns (an Emmy nominee for Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live in Concert), who endeavours to capture the experience for those who haven't had the pleasure themselves. The resulting film doesn't run for more than eight hours, or anywhere close — but those watching and listening will quickly wish that it did. As a feature, Max Richter's Sleep isn't designed to advertise its namesake. Rather, it documents, explores and tries to understand it. Still, the movie so easily draws viewers into the music, and so deeply, that making its audience want to snooze in public while Richter and his band plays is a guaranteed side effect. In its observational footage, Max Richter's Sleep wanders and peers as Angelenos arrive, settle in, turn their attention to the stage, get comfortable and drift off. It keeps gazing their way as they slumber, as Richter and his fellow musicians keep playing, and, later, as a change in pitch in the music and the dawning sunrise both eventually herald the morning. Johns and editors Michael Carter (Dayveon), Matt Cronin (the Arctic Monkeys' 'Four Out of Five' video) and Dom Whitworth (Lily Allen and Friends) weave in footage from other concerts, too, including Sydney. The film also flits between interviews with Richter and Yulia Mahr, his partner and an artist and filmmaker, plus other collaborators. And, it speaks to ordinary folks who've signed up for a night of music — some knowing exactly what they were in for, others not quite as aware — and been moved by the experience, As a concert film, Max Richter's Sleep is entrancing; again, viewers won't want those segments of the documentary to end. And if the feature had simply played the Los Angeles concert in its entirety, or as an abridged glimpse, it would've conveyed many of its points without further explanation. So much of the music's power — and the live performance's as well — is evident without words. An eight-plus-hour album that's engineered to be listened to in a sleeping state is a clear anomaly in popular culture, and in our non-stop world. Every artwork demands an investment of time, whether it's a song that plays for just a few minutes, a movie with a two-hour duration or a painting that requires more than a moment to soak in its beauty, but when something takes up a third of one's day, it forces a shift in engagement. Mindfulness, meditation, slowing down, switching off — all of these words and phrases apply to Sleep, both as a record and as a gig, and that always comes through in Max Richter's Sleep's concert footage. When Richter speaks about Sleep, he mirrors these aforementioned ideas, and stresses how much he wants his listeners to disengage from the regular hustle and bustle while they're taking in his music. First released in early September 2015 and initially played live later that month, the album was obviously ahead of its time. The documentary is too, after premiering in November 2019, then playing Sundance in January 2020. Viewed now in the middle of a pandemic, it feels like a calming balm for the soul — as it was clearly always supposed to, even long before the world dissolved into its current status quo. The interviews in Max Richter's Sleep aren't superfluous, of course, and neither are the film's dives into Mahr's Super 8mm-filled personal archive. Hearing not only about the immense amount of work that went into Sleep, but the ways in which Richter had to alter his own thinking to even compose it, ensures that viewers appreciate the magnum opus for its artistry and effort, and not just its effect and prescience. The tales that flesh out these chats, including Richter and Mahr's frank admissions about struggling to make a living as artists, and to afford to raise their family, help put the massive quest to bring Sleep to fruition into context. Also known for scoring films and television shows, Richter has everything from Waltz with Bashir, Perfect Sense, Lore and Wadjda to The Leftovers, an episode of Black Mirror, Mary, Queen of Scots and Ad Astra on his resume, but Sleep is undeniably a labour of love. This tranquil cinematic examination of his lengthy lullaby makes that plain, and plunges its audience into the album's dreamlike state. The ethereal and insightful movie's soundtrack is a highlight as well, naturally. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb9PBr7Qhec Top image: Stefan Hoederath.
Australia is just getting accustomed to life without single-use plastic bags; however Europe is set to go one step further, backing a directive to ban a number of single-use plastic items within the European Union. The European parliament's plan was drawn up to specifically combat the growing amount of plastic that's clogging up the world's oceans, specifically targeting plastic cutlery, plates, stirrers and straws, as well as cotton buds and balloon sticks. And the target date for phasing out these products is soon: 2021. The EU's highlighted items rank among the top ten products found in the sea, the directive states, with reducing the consumption of food containers and beverage cups also on the agenda. By 2025, all EU members will also be required to collect 90 percent of single-use plastic beverage bottles for recycling, while awareness campaigns will ramp up for the likes of general plastic packets and wrappings, sanitary items such as wet wipes and sanitary towels, and cigarette butts. The draft legislation received overwhelming support, passing 571 votes to 53, although it's not yet law. It is, however, the latest recognition that the war on waste is one that needs serious attention. The British parliament announced plans to go plastic-free earlier in the year, France has banned plastic plates, cups and cutlery from 2020, while the Australian government has pledged to ensure that 100 percent of the country's packaging is recyclable, compostable or reusable in the next seven years. And that's on top of the flurry of supermarkets, big name brands, well-known food chains and furniture behemoths making their own commitments to reduce, recycle or eradicate single-use plastics from their operations.
If the insanely beautiful Field of Light installation had you ready to blow two months' wages on flights to Alice Springs, the latest addition of light-focused cultural events in the outback might just nudge you over the line. For the first time, Parrtyeme - a Festival in Light will illuminate Alice Springs for ten nights this September. Announced by the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory Adam Giles this week, Parrtyeme — which comes from the Arrernte word parrtma meaning 'light up' or 'lighting up' — will be the first Indigenous festival of its kind. Featuring both contemporary and traditional indigenous artworks, the festival will also be Australia's biggest light installation, covering 2.5 kilometres of the MacDonnell Ranges. Among the works, you can expect to see a series of large illuminated 1950s-style circle skirts based on the watercolour artwork of Lenie Namatjira, who's the granddaughter of artist Albert Namatjira. Vivid eat your heart out. The festival will run for ten nights later this year in the Alice Springs Desert Park (about a ten minute drive from the centre of Alice Springs), from September 23 till October 2. It's a collaboration between the NT Government, AGB Events (who are known for their work on Vivid) and local Aboriginal artists. And if all goes well, they hope that the Parrtyeme will become an annual event. Parrtyeme will take place from September 23 until October 2, 2016. To register your attendance, visit parrtyemeaustralia.com.au.
It doesn't matter how good your cast is if you don't give them a compelling story to tell. That's the lesson of My Old Lady, the motion picture debut of playwright Israel Horovitz. An obvious stage-to-screen adaptation that shows little consideration to the differences between the two, it's a film so stuffy and slow-moving that it makes its geriatric headliner look positively spritely by comparison. The great Maggie Smith plays the old dame in the title, a 92-year-old British expatriate named Mathilde Gerard, who lives in a spacious Parisian apartment thanks to a peculiar French real-estate law called a viager. Under the arrangement, Madame Gerard receives regular cash instalments from a buyer, who will eventually gain full ownership of the property when the old lady finally dies. It's a fantastic deal for her, but a right pain in the arse for Matthias Gold (Kevin Kline), a deadbeat New Yorker who inherits the building in his estranged father's will. So Matthias skulks around Paris, trying to figure out a way to sell his newfound property while contending with his stubborn new tenant and her hostile adult daughter, Chloe (Kristen Scott Thomas). But soon the comic setup gives way to something much more serious. Information comes to light regarding the relationship between Matthias' father and Gerard, unscrewing the lid on a can of Daddy Issues in the process. It's interesting subject matter, to be sure. The problem is that Horovitz doesn't know how to translate his material to the screen. A vast majority of the truly relevant action takes place inside Gerard's apartment — and no number of aimless shots of Paris can disguise the film's origins on the stage. The dialogue itself feels better suited to the theatre as well, with a number of theatrical monologues in the movies' second half running unnecessarily long. At least it goes without saying that all three of the film's main actors are fantastic. Frankly, it's hard to think of a single bad performance across their entire combined body of work. In truth though, none of their characters are particularly easy to like, each one of them consumed by a mixture of blind entitlement and self-pity. That's the other lesson to be learned from My Old Lady. When a film's central conflict comes down to bickering over a $9 million deed, it's difficult to feel much sympathy for anyone involved.
Cycle-fashion: most people consider the term an oxymoron, bringing to mind images of brightly coloured lycra, or even worse, cycling shorts worn so thin that they’ve become transparent. If you’ve been afraid of joining the cycling revolution for fear of committing a crime against fashion, then allow British fashion designer Paul Smith to put you at ease. His new collaboration with cycle clothing brand Rapha brings some style to the two-wheeled set. Their new spring/summer range blends Smith’s fashion sense with Rapha’s cycling nous to create cycle-wear with a stylish look, but maintaining the technical and functional elements needed to stay comfortable on a bike. Unfortunately, style comes at a price, so the hip pockets of hipster cyclists will be a little light if they’re sporting these threads. And of course, compulsory helmet laws in Australia mean you can’t legally look as cool as these models. [via Hypebeast]
If your idea of a perfect summer involves drinking spritzes, spritzes and more spritzes, then you've probably spent many a sunny day sipping every variety imaginable. And, you might just think you've tried them all — but Fratelli Fresh wants to put that idea to the test. In the lead up to Christmas, starting on Wednesday, December 2, the chain is celebrating 25 Flavours of Spritzmas. Unsurprisingly, that involves pouring 25 different flavours of spritzes both by the glass ($14) and the jug ($29). They'll all be available at Fratelli Fresh's Crows Nest, Darling Harbour, Entertainment Quarter, Manly, Miranda and Westfield Sydney stores, so you'll have multiple options in several different ways. Choose between mandarin and thyme, green apple, peach and rosemary, and lychee. Obviously, they're just some of the varieties available. You can also gather the gang, settle in for a couple of hours and enjoy the three-course Fratelli Fresh Fiesta for $79. It pairs a two-hour drinks package featuring Aperol spritz, espresso martini, house wine and craft beers with an antipasti board, a pizza, a choice of two pastas, salad, and two scoops of house-made gelato. Images: Michael Gribbin.
Sydney Festival Director Olivia Ansell knows what it takes to present a world-class program — even in less-than-ideal conditions. When it was announced in 2020 that she would be taking the reins of New South Wales' flagship arts event from her predecessor Wesley Enoch, the world was gripped by pandemic lockdowns. Unable to travel internationally in search of exciting new works for her debut program in 2022, Ansell did what many resourceful creatives did to meet this unprecedented moment: she pivoted. "That time, in 2020, was an uncertain time to come into any role," she reflects. "But without [international productions] the focus then became: how can we help the creative sector recover here in Australia? How can we work with the sector and restore livelihoods and make sure that artists are getting back to doing what they absolutely should be doing, which is writing new Australian stories, commissioning new work and seeing that work fly around the country. We worked really closely with our city and state stakeholders, our partners, and our supporters to make sure that artists could practise their art, could perform, could write these stories and dream." [caption id="attachment_979110" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Olivia Ansell, Wenndle Theodoro[/caption] Even after the end of lockdowns and the eventual reopening of international borders, Ansell has had to contend with torrential drenchings from a persistent La Niña washing-out al fresco performances and, most recently, the economic headwinds of the cost-of-living crisis. But much as she did in 2020, innovating past these problems has helped her shape a festival that fits with the times. As such, affordability has been a chief concern in the development of 2025's program, which will be Ansell's final offering as Sydney Festival Director. To mark the fest's 49th year, some of the very best seats at headline productions are up for grabs for just $49, if purchased before December 2. Alongside these discounted early bird bargains, there are also plenty of free events, so Sydneysiders truly have no excuse to miss out on the creative bonanza that will sweep the city, January 4–26. For Ansell, making the festival financially accessible to all is the best way to celebrate its (almost) half-century milestone. "We've always been a festival deeply rooted in communities, that celebrates Sydney in summer and brings people together to experience compelling, groundbreaking new Australian stories, as well as international artists from all across the globe. It's our job to present work that challenges and inspires, and that invites people who have maybe never been to an arts event or a theatre production before. Making sure anyone who wants to can access a ticket or a free event is essential — whoever you are, wherever you're from, we can absolutely offer you a summer festival experience." Here are just a few of Sydney Festival 2025's best shows with early bird tickets for just $49, discounted until December 2.
From tomorrow, Monday, August 3, the NSW Government is strongly recommending Sydneysiders wear face masks as the state is at "high risk" with increased community transmission and the high number of cases in bordering Victoria. At a press conference today, Sunday, August 2, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said masks should be worn in four key situations: if you're in an enclosed space and can't social distance, such as at a supermarket or on public transport; if you're working a customer-facing job, such as hospitality or retail; if you're attending a place of worship; and if you're in an area where there is high levels of community transmission. "I want to stress it is not compulsory, but it is a strong recommendation from health, given where we are in the pandemic, given the risk posed from Victoria and given the rate of community transmission in New South Wales," the Premier said. The Premier also said that wearing a mask does not replace other hygiene and social distancing measures, but is a "fourth line of defence". "The first line of defence is that if you even have the slightest symptoms, or you have been asked to get tested, get tested and stay isolated for 14 days," the Premier said. "Secondly, you have to socially distance, whatever you are — 1.5 metres — no exceptions for anybody... [and] you have to keep up your hand hygiene." The announcement comes as NSW records 12 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours leading up to 8pm on Saturday, August 1, with one of those a returned traveller in hotel quarantine. A number of COVID-19 clusters have been recorded in suburbs across Sydney, with 98 cases linked to Thai Rock in Wetherill Park, 57 with Casula's Crossroads Hotel and 24 to Potts Point, as of Saturday, August 1. NSW Health is continuing to update a list of venues linked to positive cases here and its map of cases by postcode over here. Woolworths and Bunnings have already strongly recommended its NSW customers wear face masks, with Bunnings requiring its staff at stores within the state to wear them from tomorrow. If you don't have a mask, Victoria's Department of Health has put together a handy step-by-step guide for how you can make your own — or you can order custom one with your pet's face on it. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
Based just south of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie is often a thoroughfare on coastal road trips to and from Sydney. Yet the city, which is home to the largest saltwater lake in the southern hemisphere, has every right to be a destination in itself — thanks in no small part to its burgeoning culinary scene. The lakeside city is home to buzzy cafes, breezy waterside restaurants and farm-to-table establishments that celebrate the region's excellent local produce. Throw in picturesque lakeside towns and plenty of ways to enjoy the great outdoors, and you've got every reason to make your next visit to Lake Macquarie more than just a pitstop. In partnership with Lake Macquarie Tourism, we've handpicked nine must-try dining destinations in the city. If you want to level things up even more, visit before June 27, snap a picture of your meal at any eatery in the area, upload it to Instagram with the hashtag #LakeMacFoodie and follow @visitlakemac. In doing so, you'll enter the running to win a Sunday brunch on a luxury yacht for six people, thanks to Silver Sun Sailing. Emerson's on the Lake Sweeping lake views and beautifully executed contemporary Australian cuisine have made Emerson Rodriguez's eponymous restaurant an essential stop for any foodie visiting the Hunter region. Set in Toronto's welcoming Royal Motor Yacht Club, the airy restaurant and event space is a sure spot for any kind of occasion, be it a casual lunch, elegant date night or special celebration. Make the most of the unobstructed lake views by taking a seat by the floor-to-ceiling windows or on the expansive outdoor terrace to soak up the sunshine. On the menu, you'll find appetisers such as chargrilled Bermagui octopus with tzatziki and Emerson's signature duck pâté with baby cornichons, figs and toasted sourdough, as well as mains like pan-roasted Port Stephens snapper served with school prawn-flecked colcannon potatoes and chive beurre blanc. 8 at Trinity The expansive and oh-so-stylish 8 at Trinity is perched on the edge of the lake at Trinity Point Marina and features a 350-seat dining area, a large terrace, a sprawling lawn and an eye-catching marquee. The menu is inspired by owner Natalie Johnson's global travels but features a host of locally grown produce. Highlights include roasted watermelon with burrata and 30-year-old aged balsamic vinegar; sea scallops paired with celeriac, pine nuts and blackcurrants; and a 1.2-kilogram Hong Kong-style whole lobster accompanied by egg noodles and a buttery ginger sauce. If you're really indulging, don't go past the spectacular seafood platter piled high with Sydney Rock Oysters, Moreton Bay bugs, kingfish ceviche and more. [caption id="attachment_960424" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Leigh Griffiths[/caption] TINTA With the Pacific Ocean on one side and the idyllic Lake Macquarie on the other, TINTA is just as good for a relaxed seafood lunch as it is for some low-key sundowners. Tuck into a selection from the seafood-focused menu featuring starters such as Sydney rock oysters with a cucumber mignonette and a picture-perfect lobster and prawn roll. Then there are mains that include orecchiette tossed in vodka sauce and finished with house-smoked salmon and grilled market fish with Greek-style lemon potatoes and green beans — pair the latter with a serve from the six-strong margarita menu for a breezy feast in the sun. Good One This charming Belmont cafe is all about service with a smile — and you'd have every reason to smile thanks to its location alone right across from Lake Macquarie. Swing by for short-order brunch plates and loaded toasties like The Vego, packed with chargrilled zucchini and capsicum, sundried tomatoes, swiss cheese, basil pesto and rocket, as well as excellent coffee starring beans from Wyong-based roaster Glee Coffee Roasters. Mama P Wholefoods The clue is in the name at this Charlestown spot — Mama P is all about crafting food with real (read: unprocessed) ingredients. The family-run cafe started life over a decade ago when husband and wife James and Kylie Pheils wanted to provide healthy but delicious treats for their two young sons. Fast forward to today, and the cafe is now slinging some of the best brunches in the region. One section of the menu is dedicated to its famous warm toasted vegan waffles — opt for them topped with berries and coconut ice cream, fresh seasonal fruit or bacon, fried egg and maple syrup. Almost everything is made from scratch with plenty of meat-, gluten-, dairy- and refined sugar-free options making Mama P a surefire crowd-pleaser. Mr Sister Coffee Speers Point or Stanmore? You'd be mistaken for thinking you're in an Inner West haunt when you step into this sleek coffee shop at the tip of Lake Macquarie, but there's a definite coastal sensibility about this whole affair — think whitewashed interiors elevated with light wood elements and an impressive tiled counter that frames the space. The focus here is on the excellent coffee — with beans by Coffee Supreme — but there's also a tidy selection of fresh pastries, cakes and other baked goods, as well as quiche, focaccia or toasties if you're after something more substantial. If you like the bread, swing by early to pick up a loaf of oven-fresh sourdough from the well-stocked pantry. Martha Drink and Dine A proud new addition to the historic Belmont 16s Sailing Club, Martha is an elegant restaurant and bar that's quickly become a must-visit for locals and visitors alike. It becomes pretty clear why from the moment you step inside the first-floor venue with its stylish design, attentive service, well-crafted cocktails and Mediterranean-influenced food menu. But the real showstopper is the views, which are so close to the waterfront, you might as well be on the lake. While dinner here is an excellent choice for an elegant date night or catch-up, you'd have just as good a time stopping by for drinks, with a roster that pays tribute to Hunter Valley wineries, breweries and distilleries. Caves Coastal Fact: Lake Macquarie is twice the size of Sydney Harbour. As such, there is a heap of relatively undiscovered — but no less picturesque — spots that can fly a little under the radar. You get the feeling that's exactly how the locals of Caves Beach like it. Named for, yes, the spectacular caves that dot its coastline, this little locale is full of charm and, in the case of Caves Coastal Bar and Bungalows, proper, old-school hospitality. This restaurant, bar and boutique hotel is set more or less on top of the beach and is an ideal spot for a sundowner thanks to its summer-ready cocktail list and considered wine menu, with most pours available by the glass. Pair your serve with some of the best views on the coastline, and even a night in one of the beautifully appointed on-site bungalows or villas, and you'll think twice before seeing this part of the world as just a thoroughfare. To win a luxury Sunday brunch for you and five guests, dine at any venue in Lake Macquarie during the competition entry period and share a photo of your experience on Instagram using the hashtag #LakeMacFoodie. Entries open 25 May and close 22 June 2024. The winner will be announced on 27 June on the @visitlakemac's Instagram page. For more top-notch dining destinations in and around Lake Macquarie, visit the Lake Macquarie Tourism website.
Away from the hustle and bustle of Chatswood's main shopping strip, this little tea nirvana is trying to teach people about the lost art of relaxation. The owners source all their Chinese herbal teas from two family-owned plantations in China, and offer tea appreciation classes on Wednesday evenings. Stop by for a cuppa in-store and staff will try to match you to a blend that not only tastes good, but has medicinal benefits matched to your needs. Still not enough? Try one of the tea-scented snacks on offer — the rose and black tea chiffon cake is incredible.
It's impossible to think about Christmas without also thinking about ornament-adorned trees; however, the traditional towering variety isn't always practical. Perhaps you don't have space in your apartment. Maybe you're keen on the real thing, but just can't make it to market, farm or nursery to get one. Or, you could have a four-legged friend (or several) that's fond of scaling anything that reaches up into the sky. Even if you've found a place for the same old plastic tree that you trot out every year, you're probably still wishing that you could gaze up at the real thing — which is where Floraly comes in. The Australian plant delivery service focuses on sustainable blooms and even offers monthly subscriptions, and it introduced a Christmas offering in 2019. Because it's that time already, it's getting festive again in 2020, too. The big drawcard: living trees. If you're happy with a pint-sized version, then this tiny plant is about to make your festive dreams come true. 'Tis the season to order a 60-centimetre-tall tiny tree that comes with decorations and a pop-up pot, wait for it to be delivered, then feel mighty jolly. Sourced from farms in Victoria and New South Wales, and able to be sent Australia-wide, Floraly's trees also arrive with soil, fairy lights, baubles and a tree-topper — so they really do look like miniature versions of your ideal Christmas centrepiece. There are two versions available, so you can opt for red baubles and a gold star for the top, or go with white decorations and a silver star In line with Floraly's eco-conscious mindset, its trees still have their root system intact. That means that once Christmas is over, you can replant them, keep them for some year-round merriment and then enjoy their splendour next year. The trees also come in fully recyclable packaging, further reducing their environmental impact. If you're keen, you can order a small bundle of greenery from the Floraly website for $79. Fancy sending a tiny tree as a gift? You can do that too, including as part of packs with T2 tea, Gelato Messina spreads, Endota body care products, and champagne and chocolate. Floraly's tiny Christmas trees are available to order now by visiting the service's website. Images: Floraly
If your Easter routine usually involves a seafood feast, you don't need to alter your plans in 2020. While heading to the shops looks a bit different in these COVID-19 times — and going out for a meal is on hold indefinitely — Betty's Burgers is serving up plenty of prawns for the occasion. Combining four juicy fried prawns, the chain's special garlic mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato, Betty's new prawn roll is available for takeaway from its restaurants spotted across Australia. If your stomach is already rumbling, you can tuck into one for $15 — or order a meal for you and your housemate and get two rolls and two serves of fries for $35. You'll need to get in quickly, though, with the prawn roll only available for a week from Thursday, April 9–Thursday, April 16. And, if it's anything like the chain's lobster roll, expect it to sell-out — fast. Known for its Shake Shack-style burgs and frozen custard desserts (called concretes), Betty's foray into prawns is also a celebration of its beachy roots. While you can now grab a Betty's burger at over 20 locations across Australia, including six Sydney outlets, four Melbourne spots, four Brisbane outposts, one Toowoomba eatery and one location in Adelaide, the company first began in Noosa, and then expanded to the Gold Coast. Over the Easter long weekend, Betty's Burgers stores are open from 11.30am–9pm daily, with the following stores temporarily closed: Coomera and Pacific Fair in Queensland, Central Station and Market Street in NSW, and The Glen and Exhibition Street in Victoria. The rest of the chain's stores are open for takeaway and most of them offer delivery via UberEats and Deliveroo. To check what options your local has, head to the Betty's Burgers' website or download the app for iOS or Google Play. Betty's Burgers' prawn roll is available at all Australian stores — except Coomera and Pacific Fair in Queensland, Central Station and Market Street in NSW, and The Glen and Exhibition Street — for takeaway for a limited time. To order, download the Betty's Burgers app for iOS or Google Play. If you choose to pick up these burgers, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
Romance. Kidnapping. A farm girl called Buttercup. A scheming prince. A swashbuckling saviour. A giant. When William Goldman threw them all together, The Princess Bride was the end result — first in his 1973 novel, and then in the 1987 film that the late, great writer also penned. For three and a half decades, viewers have watched Fred Savage (The Afterparty) hear the world's best bedtime story, Robin Wright (Land) and Cary Elwes (Black Christmas) frolic in fields, and Andre the Giant tower over everyone around, with The Princess Bride one of those beloved 80s flicks that never gets old. That said, if you've ever found yourself enjoying all of the above and dreaming that its soundtrack could fill the room around you while being played live by an orchestra, then you're about to be in luck. Despite what outlaw boss Vizzini (Wallace Shawn, The Good Fight) might exclaim, The Princess Bride in Concert definitely isn't inconceivable. Instead, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Opera House are channelling another famous The Princess Bride line: as you wish. This delightful movie-and-music combo will hit the famed venue's Concert Hall on Friday, March 24–Saturday, March 25, playing three shows across the two dates (at 7pm on both days, and 2pm on the Saturday as well). General ticket sales start at 10am on Monday, November 14 — and if you need a refresher on all things The Princess Bride, the comedy-romance-adventure flick follows farmhand Westley (Elwes) on a rescue mission to save his true love Princess Buttercup (Wright) — and also features Mandy Patinkin (Wonder), Billy Crystal (Here Today) and Christopher Guest (Mascots). SSO will perform the entire score live, as written by Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler and adapted for a full orchestra by Mark Graham, with Nicholas Buc as by guest conductor.
If last week's drastic drop in temperature has you dreading the blustery days ahead, Merivale is giving Sydneysiders a reason to push forward into winter. This June, the Sydney hospitality monolith is launching Bottoms Up, Sydney, a daily happy hour that offers 49 perfect off all the booze at a whopping 37 of its venues. No joke. From 5–7pm every day in the month, its bars, restaurants and pubs will be slinging all cocktails, mixed drinks, spirits, beer, wine and even Champagne (up to $200) at nearly half price. That's precisely $8.67 packaged Japanese cocktails at Ms. G's, $9.95 thyme Campari tonics at Charlie Parker's and $7.65 margaritas at El Loco, plus cheap wines by the glass at The Newport and Fred's and even cheaper craft beers at the Queens Hotel and The Paddington. Punters can also expect additional partner events and offers on throughout the month, so keep an eye on this space. And organise knock-off happy hour drinks ASAP. Bottoms Up, Sydney will run every day from June 1–30 from 5–7pm. You can find the full list of venues here.
When it comes to enjoying great views, this Rose Bay diner takes prime position. It's not just located by the water, but in fact located right on it. Situated right on Rose Bay's marina, Empire Lounge is the departure lounge for Sydney Seaplanes. Diners don't have to be flying to enjoy watching seaplanes touch down on the waterfront, while dining in for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Seafood is the star here, with oysters sourced from the NSW coastline, fresh sashimi, kingfish crudo, tiger prawns and barramundi curry. Images 4 & 5: Anna Kucera
In 2011, The Cure took to the Sydney Opera House stage to perform their 180-minute programme Reflections as part of Vivid Live. Now, the post-punk luminaries are returning to the iconic venue to headline the festival once again — this time, however, they'll be performing their 1989 album Disintegration. The Sydney show will be a world premiere and an Australian exclusive, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the landmark album. The gothic rock-style record contains hits such as 'Lovesong' and 'Pictures of You', and, while it won't be a three-hour music marathon, it's expected to be equally impressive. Robert Smith — teased hair, lipstick, eyeliner and all — will take to the stage alongside the band's four other members across four nights in May. The Cure made some of the most critically acclaimed music of the 80s, including Disintegration, and has been credited with influencing many contemporary musicians such as Lorde and Interpol. [caption id="attachment_708546" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Smith by Andy Vella.[/caption] Headline acts of the huge annual festival of music and light over the past seven years have included Solange, Morrisey and Kraftwerk with the ballots for all three selling out. To get your hands on tickets for the 2019 show, you'll also need to enter a ticket ballot. To do so, head to the Sydney Opera House's website between now (Tuesday, February 19) and midnight on Sunday, February 24 and register. Successful applicants will be notified on Thursday, February 28. No other live music acts have yet been announced for Vivid Live 2019 — with the rest of the lineup expected to be announced in the upcoming weeks — but if it continues anything like it has started, this year is going to be a banger. The Cure will perform four shows at Vivid Live 2019 at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall between Friday, May 24 and Tuesday, May 28. Registrations for the ticket ballot are now open. Images: Andy Vella.
The latest cure for festival FOMO is here: for the first time ever, two of Glastonbury's headline performances are being livestreamed around the globe for everyone to watch. Won't be in the UK during the fest? Always wanted to see big names take to the event's famed Pyramid Stage? A fan of Dua Lipa and/or Coldplay? Thanks to the BBC, you're now in luck. When Coachella rolls around each year, it's not just an exciting time for folks fortunate enough to be on the ground in California, but for audiences worldwide via the fest's arrangement with YouTube. Glastonbury and the BBC might only be streaming two sets across the planet and not the majority of the British event, but it's still a welcome development. [caption id="attachment_926976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Lee[/caption] Your destination: the BBC's Glastonbury website, where you can catch Dua Lipa's set on the morning of Saturday, June 29, then Coldplay's — before the Chris Martin-fronted group returns to Australia and New Zealand later in 2024 — on the morning of Sunday, June 30. Dua Lipa's stint in the high-profile slot also marks her first-ever time on the Pyramid Stage. As for Coldplay, they're headlining the fest for the fifth time, albeit in their first visit since 2016. [caption id="attachment_963580" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Raph_PH[/caption] "The Glastonbury Festival is an icon of British culture, and this livestream will give fans around the globe a front row seat to headline performances like never before. This is just the latest example of our focus on bringing more cultural-defining moments like Glastonbury to fans on our platforms outside the UK so users can experience the best of British culture wherever they may be," said BBC Studios' Chief Commercial Officer Tara Maitra, announcing the global livestreams. "From this exciting live music experience from two of the biggest names in music, to the BBC News channel livestream that is coming soon in Australia, our digital platforms offer immediate, unrestricted and tailored access for all audiences," added BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand General Manager Fiona Lang. Also on the Glastonbury 2024 bill across Wednesday, June 26–Sunday, June 30 UK time but not being beamed to the world, sadly: SZA, LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Cyndi Lauper, Janelle Monae, Shania Twain, Disclosure, The Streets, Camilla Cabello, Bloc Party, The National, Avril Lavigne, Jessie Ware, Sugababes, Jamie XX, Kim Gordon, James Blake, Sleafod Mods, Orbital, The Breeders, Peggy Gou, The Cat Empire, Eric Prydz and a whole heap more. Glastonbury 2024 Livestream: Saturday, June 29 — Dua Lipa, 7–8.45am AEST / 6.30–8.15am ACST / 5–6.45am AWST / 9–10.45am NZST Sunday, June 30 — Coldplay, 6.45–8.45am AEST / 6.15–8.15am ACST / 4.45–6.45am AWST / 8.45–19.45am NZST [caption id="attachment_963582" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Raph_PH[/caption] [caption id="attachment_926978" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Lee[/caption] Glastonbury's 2024 livestream will broadcast Dua Lipa's set globally on the morning of Saturday, June 29 Down Under, and Coldplay's show on the morning of Sunday, June 30 — head to the BBC's Glastonbury website to watch. Dua Lipa images: Raph_PH via Flickr.
Sports have been bringing people together for hundreds of thousands of years now, and for a new country, Australia does its best to catch up — and pretty damn well at that. We've got our fingers in numerous pies like AFL, NRL, the cricket and soccer, plus we have women's leagues across the country in most of these (about time, right?) If you're a diehard Collingwood supporter, live and breathe Brisbane Roar or want to see some serious boss lady power on the field, chances are you'll want a little pre-game session to get you pumped before the match. We've got you. In partnership with Hahn, we've cross-checked top pre-drink venues with some of the biggest sporting venues to bring you our list of convenient pre-game watering holes. There's also nothing wrong with visiting these spots for a cheeky post-game drink, either. SYDNEY: THE LIGHT BRIGADE HOTEL FOR THE SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND Pre-game into your best self before a thumper of a match at Sydney Cricket Ground. The Light Brigade in Paddington is a pub drenched in history, full of art deco charm and it's only about a kilometre away from the SCG. There's a bunch of levels to accommodate your pre-drinks vibe with a restaurant on level one, cocktail bar on level two and a rooftop terrace bonanza up the top. By the time you've hit all three, it'll be time to move on to the game — though we'd suggest just grabbing a beer and heading straight to the rooftop for that view. MELBOURNE: THE CORNER HOTEL FOR THE MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND Tried and true, there'll be something at The Corner Hotel in Richmond for everyone. If it isn't a crowded gig on a Thursday night, perhaps it's trivia on Wednesdays, lunch in the rooftop beer garden or you've missed the last train and you just want to have a drown-your-sorrows pint. During the AFL season, The Corner is on to a very good, meaty thing, bringing fans of every team together with $10 barbecue hotdogs before every game. Have a couple of bevs, smash down a dog then cruise along with the rest of the crowd to the MCG to catch a solid showdown. [caption id="attachment_636204" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Facebook / The Paddo.[/caption] BRISBANE: THE PADDINGTON TAVERN FOR SUNCORP STADIUM Brisbane Roar is Brissie's offering to A-League soccer, so when Roar fans ready themselves for a big season, it's also a big season of pre-drinking. The Paddington Tavern (aka The Paddo) is your go-to for a big plate of pub grub that'll keep you going through both halves of the game. It also does late night dining for a post-match feed, and — most importantly for your pre-drinking needs — the pub holds three different bars to get your round of drinks sorted. SYDNEY: THE GREENS FOR NORTH SYDNEY OVAL The Greens in North Sydney is full of bowls club charm, with live music and a pretty outlook. There are also quirky weekend additions like a petting zoo on Sundays, and it expands its sporting pedigree with yoga classes on Monday mornings. Consider hitting up The Greens before you run off to catch a match at the neighbouring North Sydney Oval. Play a game of bowls if you need to get yourself in the bowling mood pre-game, or just enjoy some drinks in the sun in their vast beer garden. BRISBANE: THE PINEAPPLE HOTEL FOR THE GABBA For your pre-match drinks within a few blocks from the Gabba, The Pineapple Hotel is your go-to. They're known for their steaks — tuck into an eye fillet, a wagyu rump or a T-bone with some ace sides for a good dose of protein — the pub features an extensive, ever-changing beer list, and its aptly named Park Bar offers up outdoor seating with views overlooking the neighbouring Raymond Park. Before the game, give yourself some time to work your way down the steak menu and sideways along the fifteen beer taps. [caption id="attachment_636203" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Instagram / Royal Saxon.[/caption] MELBOURNE: ROYAL SAXON FOR AAMI PARK For any big game at AAMI Park, we'd suggest kicking back in preparation for the match. If you start things off in Richmond, it'll just be a short stroll down to the big game (or a $5 Uber). The Royal Saxon on Church Street does hearty Italian grub to line your tums and give you enough energy to yell about onside and offside all day. They also have a comprehensive wine list, a whole slew of bottled and draught beers and their negroni is pretty great, too. Mark your calendars for when your team is playing, and plan to head out for a pre-game Hahn or two.
By now, the folks behind Beyond Cinema are real pros at throwing a fine film-themed shindig. They've thrown an extravagant Great Gatsby party at a mansion in northern Sydney, held a Mad Hatter-style tea party in the Royal Botanic Garden and recreated Titanic on Sydney Harbour — and this November, Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! is getting the immersive theatre treatment. This time around, guests will be carried away to a cabaret club in 1899 Paris. At Harold Zidler's world-famous house of risqué entertainment, you can expect dancing, singing and absinthe drinking. These events generally don't focus on the actual film screening, but usually there's the option to purchase a film ticket at an additional cost if you want to relive the whole heartbreaking whirlwind of Satine and Christian. The exact details of the event are still scarce, but if you've seen the film 608 times, you'll know what to expect. Fancy dress is, of course, a must. The exact date and location has not yet been revealed, but you can sign up to be the first to get these details — along with pre-sale tickets — over here. Or, if you're keen to book similar tickets right now, another Beyond Cinema is already set to transport you to 19th century France with an immersive singalong screening of Les Miserables this December. Beyond Cinema's Moulin Rouge! event will be held sometime in November at yet-to-be-revealed Sydney location. You can sign up for more info here.
Folks can't stop talking about Christy Tania. Not only is the renowned dessert chef set to bend minds with her 'Floating Ice Cream' creation on tonight's episode of MasterChef, she's also preparing to launch her own permanent dessert shop, Glacé, in Melbourne's Windsor this August. And, as a teaser for the sweetness to come, Tania's treating both Sydney and Melbourne to a sneak peek, hosting dessert pop-ups in each city, from May 25–28. Across four days, sweet tooths will be able to get their hands on two variations of that magical Floating Ice Cream number — one vanilla and cherry cognac, the other chocolate and cherry cognac — when Tania takes over the Omega and Neil Perry Kitchen at the Prahran Market. The chef first popped up in 2013, after famously steering Melbourne dessert bar Om Nom into its first chef's hat within just two months of heading up the kitchen. Since then, her inspired sweet treats have continued to dazzle and astound, both out of the Om Nom kitchen and during a host of MasterChef guest judge appearances, making jealous messes of audiences across the country. As Tania's first permanent solo venture, Glacé promises to be every bit as impressive as the rest of her artisan treats, the contemporary space set to offer a hefty range of frozen desserts and innovative ice cream flavours, crafted with local ingredients. Make a date with Tania's trademark ice cream push pops, with their layers of cake sponge and ice cream. Find Christy Tania's Glacé pop-up from May 25 until May 28, at the Omega & Neil Perry Kitchen, within The Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra. The Floating Ice Cream will be available each day, from 11am until sold out. Sydney details are yet to be confirmed.
Sometimes the ideas just ain't flowin'. You want the paragraphs to flow freely. You'd like that band to start itself. You'd appreciate if your inner Iron Chef would just come out already. Sometimes it takes a little inspiration to get the creative juices flowing, but you've got to know where to start the quest. Teaming up with our buds at Kirin — who've just unleashed a whole ton of creative collaboration with their newest line of inspired cider — we've trawled through Sydney's alleyways, secret music venues and fresh food markets to find the best spots in the city to get inspired. After a tour through these babies you'll have enough inspiration to found All The Labels, write All The Plays and master All The Sous Vide. Get amongst it. For Street Artists: Mays Lane Street artists with a slight writer's block should scoot over to Mays Lane in Petersham. The legal graffiti thoroughfare is somewhat of a Mecca for Sydney graf crews. Take design cues, find your own spot of wall and get painting — knowing the po-po won't shut you down. For Art Enthusiasts: Alaska Projects Budding artists and curators, if you're lacking for inspiration in the art department the team at Alaska Projects will make you rethink Everything. Turning curatorial endeavours on their head and finding a regular exhibition space in the Kings Cross carpark, AP specialise in installation projects, performances, talks and straight-up gallery hangs that make you revisualise possibility. Plus, they throw killer openings — solid frosting. For Design Addicts: Koskela Feeling uninspired by your less-than-stylin' apartment? Learn how to make your abode look like one o' dem glossy magazines at Koskela. The Roseberry-based furniture and homewares company not only sells the slickest home-wants in the business, they also run baller workshops. Take Gemma Patford's rope basket workshop, or dye your hand at the Shibori indigo dyeing workshop. You'll be holding your own crafternoons in no time. For DIY Go-getters: Work-Shop Holding your little paw while you step outside your comfort zone, Work-Shop is your gateway to inspiration for all those projects you've either put off or haven't even thought of yet. With 89 artists teaching 103 programs, Work-Shop can teach you everything from how to make kickass kimchi to making your own bottle lamp. Want to do public speaking like a boss? Always yearned to make origami jewellery? Feeling like you're the next big street artist? There's a class for that. Peruse The Makery to check out the pure genius you could be. For Fashion Fiends: Somedays Feeling the need for a creative impetus on more levels than one? Fusing fashion and art in a nifty retail/exhibition loft space, the Somedays crew know what's up when it comes to the designers, photography, collections, art and cider-fuelled launches you should know about. Whether it be reams of jeans in store or entire exhibitions of live music photography, Somedays will leave you wanting to seize creativity by the haunches and make your own mark. For Culinary Wizards: Gastro Park In case you haven’t heard by now, Gastro Park is as inspiring as food gets. Food lovers around Sydney are fixated on how bad the name is and how incredible the food is.The slogan rings true: Gastro Park is indeed 'a fairground of deliciousness'. They'll take a spot of snapper and craft it into a modernist delight. They'll construct an entire dinner themed around Game of Thrones, with edible candles and handwritten letters to boot. If this place doesn't inspire you to get innovative with your own culinary masterpieces, you haven't ordered enough calamari crackling. For Unstoppable Gardeners: Wendy's Secret Garden Perfect for finding perspective and gaining some creative inspiration from one of the greats, Wendy's Secret Garden is a small testament to heartbreak hidden amongst the skyscrapers that line the city's foreshore. The garden was created by Wendy Whiteley, the wife of one of Australia's most celebrated artists, Brett Whiteley. After Brett's death of a heroin-overdose in 1992, Wendy got hold of the derelict land adjacent to their house and restored the grounds, transforming it into a beautiful, secluded space laced by winding paths, fig trees, antiques and esoterica all against the backdrop of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Hard not to get a little inspired here. For Budding Twangers: Hibernian House Are you a solo guitar-touting musician with not a songwriting idea in your little ol' dome? Head along to a gig at Hibernian House and you'll be scrawling and twanging in no time. Home to reams of lit candles, intimate 'stage' space, actual residents and all the lounge roomy vibes, the not-so-secret-anymore Hibernian House has long been a staple of the unconventional, always rewarding gig roster. For Architecture Tragics: Rose Seidler House Architectural inspiration comes from the most unlikely of places, but why not force the point and wander through the modernist hallways of the iconic Rose Seidler House in Wahroonga. Open on Sundays for a small $8 entry fee, you can check out designs by iconic mid 20th-century designers Charles Eames, Eero Saarinen and Ferrari-Hardoy, and Harry Seidler himself — then run around the garden for a spell, crack open a cider and redesign your own dream house when you get home. For Pantry Raiders: Bondi Farmers Market If you're keen to get creative with the possibilities of pickling, the potential of pastry art or just creating something different for dinner, Bondi Farmers Market is your inspiring produce hub. A super chilled Saturday venture for many a Bondi local, the markets take over Bondi Beach Public School (including the canteen) with seasonal produce, organic meats, homemade jams and honey, baked goods, cheeses, olive oils, fresh flowers, street food and live music, with some vintage fashion and countless local pups thrown in for good measure. You'll be unleashing creative fury on your pantry in no time. For Crate Diggers: Title Sick of your Spotify playlists? Want to get in to some real crate digging? Crown Street's Title store is full of inspiring and unexpected little gems that are as niche as they come. Run by Fuse Music upstairs, Title has all your restorations, reissues and limited editions to reinvigorate your love for tunes. Justin Vernon buys his records here when he's in Sydney, so if it's good enough for Bon Iver it's good enough for us. For Antique Aficionados: Doug Up on Bourke Antiquing has never been so fly. Boasting one of the largest collections of rustic antiques and hardcore collectables in Sydney today, Waterloo's Doug Up on Bourke is a bonafide treasure trove of everything you never knew you needed. Find inspiration for your latest interior design project, or just brighten up your drab old lounge room with some vintage bowling pins, wooden hot dog stands or antique merry-go-round horses. For Multi-Hat Wearers: 107 Projects Redfern's most versatile creative space is simply made for inspiring. One of Sydney's best spots for new, innovative theatre, book launches, exhibitions, food pop-ups, performances and general creative collaboration, 107 Projects ticks many a potential-realising box. Now you're sufficiently inspired, reward yourself with a crispy beverage — check out Kirin's range of Japanese-inspired ciders over here. Top image: sexyninjamonkey via photopin cc.
What's better than one new Edgar Wright movie in a year? Two new flicks by the Scott Pilgrim vs the World, The World's End and Baby Driver filmmaker, of course. And, that's exactly what 2021 is delivering. Neither of the British director's latest movies fits his usual type, either — as phenomenal documentary The Sparks Brothers has already demonstrated, and the trailers for Last Night in Soho keep showing as well. Wright does indeed have a comfort zone, as his fans well and truly know. He first caught the film world's attention with zom-rom-com Shaun of the Dead, after all, and also toyed with both horror and comedy in Hot Fuzz. But he hasn't ever dived headfirst into mind-bending psychological thriller territory before, which is where Last Night in Soho dwells. No one is set to kill the undead to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' here. That said, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit) does play a singer in 60s-era London who appears to be a ghost. In the movie's initial teaser trailer, her character Sandie pops up when aspiring fashion designer Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie, Old) manages to venture back in time. Mysteriously travelling six decades into the past, Eloise looks in the mirror and sees Sandy's reflection, rather than her own. Both that initial sneak peek and the just-dropped new full trailer are filled with neon hues and an all-round trippy mood. In a feature that seems to take plenty of cues from horror and thriller flicks from the time it is set, things appear to get even more lurid as well. Impeccable period-appropriate set and costume design, vibrant pink lighting aplenty and an all-round dreamy feel also feature in the trailers so far, as Eloise finds herself coming face to face with her idol while plunged into a ghost story. Similarly playing a pivotal part: The Crown and Doctor Who's Matt Smith, who pops up alongside Taylor-Joy in the film's eerie 60s-set scenes. Whether following small-town cops in Hot Fuzz or jumping into the heist genre with Baby Driver — or directing late 90s/early 00s sitcom Spaced, too — Wright's work always stands out visually, and Last Night in Soho clearly promises to continue the trend. And, because the director loves his standout soundtracks, this one looks set to continue the trend. Expect glorious 60s-era tunes, obviously. Check out the full trailer for Last Night in Soho below: Last Night in Soho is slated to release in Australian cinemas on November 18. Images: Parisa Taghizadeh / Focus Features.
Beyond the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the attacks of September 11 set in motion a third, different kind of battle. One fought on the home front; a quiet, uncomfortable and unspoken war of words and sidelong glances directed towards anyone who suddenly came to look 'different', 'foreign', 'un-American'. The inadequacies of American security were undeniable; however, the indignity of the racial profiling that became rampant in their wake remains — to this day — an irredeemable blight on the United States' history. It's within this framework that author Mohsin Hamid set his bestselling 2007 novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, now a film by director Mira Nair. It tells the story of Changez (Riz Ahmed), a prodigious Pakistani-born Princeton graduate who's headhunted by Jim (Kiefer Sutherland) to work in New York's top consultancy firm. With the company placing him on the fast-track to partnership and the chairman's daughter (Kate Hudson) quickly besotted, Changez's pursuit of the American dream seems assured. But then the Twin Towers come crashing down, and so too his perceived security. Colleagues view him differently, arrests and random searches become commonplace and despicable bigotry bubbles to the surface. At first Changez ignores, then endures, the prejudice, but eventually the feeling of victimisation and the loss of his identity become untenable and he returns to Pakistan. The film flicks back and forth between Changez's time in America and his present-day life as a 'radical academic' suspected of kidnapping an American colleague, and it's those latter scenes that engage most directly. Played out as an interview with US journalist Bobby (Liev Schreiber), they've a distinctly Cold War-era feel to them in the vein of the recent Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Schreiber puts in a great performance as the journo with his own secrets, and Sutherland shines as a Gordon Gecko-esque corporate cutthroat; however, it's Ahmed who steals the show. At times the rhetoric is handled a touch clumsily and the 'fundamentals of business'/'fundamentals of Islam' motif is, like the book, not especially subtle, but The Reluctant Fundamentalist remains a compelling and confronting examination of one of the war on terror's less publicised dimensions.
Editors fictional and real may disagree — The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun's Arthur Howitzer Jr (Bill Murray, On the Rocks) among them — but it's easy to use Wes Anderson's name as both an adjective and a verb. In a sentence that'd never get printed in his latest film's titular tome (and mightn't in The New Yorker, its inspiration, either), The French Dispatch is the most Wes Anderson movie Wes Anderson has ever Wes Andersoned. The immaculate symmetry that makes each frame a piece of art is present, naturally, as are gloriously offbeat performances. The equally dreamy and precise pastel- and jewel-hued colour palette, the who's who of a familiar cast list, the miniatures and animated interludes and split screens, the knack for physical comedy, and the mix of high artifice, heartfelt nostalgia and dripping whimsy, too. The writer/director knows what he loves, and also what he loves to splash across his films, and it's all accounted for in his tenth release. In The French Dispatch, he also adores stories that say as much about their authors as the world, the places that gift them to the masses, and the space needed to let creativity and insight breathe. He loves celebrating all of this, and heartily, using his usual bag of tricks. It's disingenuous to say that Anderson just wheels out the same flourishes in any movie he helms, though, despite each one — from The Royal Tenenbaums onwards, especially — looking like part of a set. As he's spent his career showing but conveys with extra gusto here, Anderson adores the craftsmanship of filmmaking. He likes pictures that look as if someone has doted on them and fashioned them with their hands, and is just as infatuated with the emotional possibilities that spring from such loving and meticulous work. Indeed, each of his features expresses that pivotal personality detail so clearly that it may as well be cross-stitched into the centre of the frame using Anderson's hair. It's still accurate to call The French Dispatch an ode to magazines, their heyday and their rockstar writers; the film draws four of its five chapters from its eponymous publication, even badging them with page numbers. But this is also a tribute to everything Anderson holds The New Yorker to stand for, and holds dear — to everything he's obsessed over, internalised and absorbed into the signature filmmaking style that's given such an exuberant workout once again. One scene, in the first of its three longer segments, crystallises this so magnificently that it's among the best things Anderson has ever put on-screen. It involves two versions of murderer-turned-artist Moses Rosenthaler, both sharing the boxed-in frame. The young (Tony Revolori, The Grand Budapest Hotel) greets the old (Benicio Del Toro, No Sudden Move), the pair swapping places and handing over lanyards, and it feels as if Anderson is doing the same with his long-held passions. Before Moses' instalment, entitled The Concrete Masterpiece, the picture's bookending story steps into Howitzer's offices in the fictional French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé. Since 1925, he's called it home, as well as the base for a sophisticated literary periodical that started as a travel insert in his father's paper back in Kansas. Because Anderson loves melancholy, too, news of Howitzer's death begins the film courtesy of an obituary. What follows via travelogue The Cycling Reporter, the aforementioned incarcerated art lark, student revolution report Revisions to a Manifesto and police cuisine-turned-kidnapping story The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner is The French Dispatch's final issue turned into a movie — and an outlet for both Howitzer's and the director's abundant Francophilia. Watching travel correspondent Herbsaint Sazerac (Owen Wilson, Loki) wheel around Ennui — a place that isn't quite Paris, just as The French Dispatch isn't quite The New Yorker — comes complete with choirboy gangs rumbling seniors, rat-filled tunnels and bodies fished out of rivers. Anderson's love of quaint and quirky details initially shimmers before that, in Howitzer's workspace beneath his comical "no crying" sign, but doesn't stop gleaming for a second. It's there in Moses' success, as aided by his muse/prison guard Simone (Léa Seydoux, No Time to Die), fellow inmate/art dealer Cadazio (Adrien Brody, Succession), and journalist JKL Berensen (Tilda Swinton, Memoria), who relays the specifics. And, it's clear in the chronicle by political writer Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand, Nomadland) about a student uprising led by the suitably moody Zeffirelli (Timothée Chalamet, Dune) over accessing girls' dormitory rooms. Regardless of their amusingly monikered setting, there's nary a trace of boredom or indifference in any of these chapters, all of which ape real New Yorker stories and scribes. So too does Howitzer, as well as Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright, No Time to Die), author of the film's third major segment. The French Dispatch layers in themes and ideas as potently and deeply as its visual gems, tortured genius myths and "the touching narcissism of the young" (as the movie itself describes it) all included; however, its Roebuck-focused thread is exquisitely intelligent and affecting. On a TV set, the journalist relays his attempt to write about Nescaffier (Steve Park, Warrior), chef to the local police commissaire (Mathieu Amalric, Sound of Metal), which was derailed by a hostage situation involving the latter's son — and his piece also becomes an outsider's lament. Whether going monochrome in homage to the French New Wave, pulling off a bravura late-film long shot, or finding roles for Elisabeth Moss (The Invisible Man), Saoirse Ronan (Ammonite), Edward Norton (Motherless Brooklyn) and Willem Dafoe (The Card Counter) — plus Jason Schwartzman (Fargo), who also nabs a story credit with the director, Roman Coppola (Isle of Dogs) and Hugo Guinness (The Grand Budapest Hotel) — Anderson does his utmost at every turn. While aided by sublime work by his eight-time cinematographer Robert D Yeoman, regular production designer Adam Stockhausen and frequent composer Alexandre Desplat, the result feels like slipping not only into Anderson's head but his heart, and more so than any other feature he's made. The French Dispatch is a treasure chest for Anderson, his devotees, and lovers of words, France and inventive cinema alike, although it holds zero chance of converting his naysayers. "Just try to make it sound like you wrote it that way on purpose," is Howitzer's wise advice to his writers, but there's no doubting that every minuscule choice made in this remarkable delight is utterly and marvellously intentional.
Paying a monthly subscription fee to ride public transport, order Ubers and catch taxis will be the way of the future in Sydney — well, according to NSW Minister for Transport Andrew Constance anyway. Today — Friday, December 20 — Constance unveiled his Netflix-like vision for Sydney's public and private transport networks and announced its first step: digital Opal cards. Over the past two years, Transport for NSW rolled out contactless card payment across the entire public transport network, which allows you to pay for trams, ferries, buses and the light rail with your physical debit, credit or Amex card or via the digital wallet on your smartphone. Come 2020, you'll be able to add a digital Opal card to this Apple or Android wallet as part of a trial. If you've already ditched your physical Opal and are thinking "why would I want its digital cousin?", bear with us — there are benefits. You'll get all of the same travel perks as you do currently using an adult Opal — including off-peak fares and the Weekly Travel Reward — and you'll able to use the card to pay for taxis and Ubers as well. While exactly how that'll work (as Ubers currently need to be linked to a debit or credit card) and what travel benefits will surround private services haven't yet been broken down, the digital Opal will be linked up to something called Opal Connect. Billed as TfNSW's new "single-mobility payment account", it's basically somewhere that you'll be able to pay for and track all of your travel. For next year's digital Opal trial, Opal Connect will have both 'pay as you go' or 'pre-paid' options, but, in the "not too distant future", it'll also have a subscription service option. When that happens, Constance says you'll be able to "pay a nominal fee each week or month for unlimited access to all public and private public transport providers". We'll be interested to see how much a subscription would cost. For now, the digital Opal card trial is set to kick off later next year and will be available to "thousands of transport customers". A travel "companion app" will also be launched — but only adult Opal card will be part of the trial with no concession cards as yet.
Whether you're the kind of fan who has a lightsaber on your shelf and a Jedi robe in your cupboard, or you prefer simply watching and rewatching every last second of the space-themed science fiction franchise, it has never been easier to indulge your love for Star Wars. We've just seen five new films hit big screens over the latter half of the past decade, The Mandalorian keeps bringing new tales to streaming and, pre-pandemic, an event devoted to the series was never too far away no matter where Down Under you reside. When 2021 rolls around, though, you'll be able to live, breathe and sleep the saga by staying not only in a themed hotel, but onboard a Star Wars spaceship. Yes, in the very near future, in this very galaxy, you can set your sights on Walt Disney World's immersive 360 vacation concept in Orlando. Disney first announced this addition to its growing theme park realm back in 2017, and dropped specific details for all those wannabe Jedis clamouring for a unique holiday back in 2019 — but now it has released a sneak peek of what its new hotel, called Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, will look like. When you're getting some shuteye, expect grey and orange tones combined with white surfaces, and an industrial look and feel as well. Fancy climbing up a ladder to kick back in a space built into an alcove — yes, as seen in oh-so-many space-set flicks? Well, based on the initial mockup imagery, that's in store. To answer the obvious question: no, you won't actually be going into space (although that idea isn't as out-of-this-world as it may sound). You will have a blast pretending that you're headed to a galaxy far, far, away, though. We're happy to report that the resort is taking the immersive part very seriously, with Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser allowing patrons to embark upon a two-day, two-night adventure on the starcruiser Halycon. First step: leave your real life at the door. Upon check-in, guests become a citizen of the galaxy — which means that, every minute of every day of your stay, you're a part of the Star Wars story happening around you. You'll hang out in the Atrium, where crew and passengers gather; operate the Halycon's navigation and defence systems, with plenty of guidance; and learn how to use a lightsaber, because an interactive Star Wars-themed stay wouldn't be complete without wielding a glowing weapon. You'll also sleep in the aforementioned spaceship cabins, drink in the passenger lounge and try to sneak into the crew-only engineering rooms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOGH5fpqStE&feature=emb_logo Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will form part of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Walt Disney World's new sprawling zone dedicated to the space-set franchise — which opened at the Orlando site, and at Disneyland in California as well, in 2019. For now, the hotel doesn't have an exact 2021 opening date given the current state of the world at the moment; however, you can sign up to register your interest. If you're keen to give it a whirl once it opens (and once international travel gets back to normal, too), you'll have to be committed to the experience. The "every minute of every day" comment may well include sleeping hours — the dark side never sleeps, after all. For more information about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, which is due to open sometime in 2021, head to Walt Disney World's website. Image: Disney/Lucasfilm via Disney Parks Blog.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, you can't go on a holiday (locally or overseas). But, you can start dreaming. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. Among all of the dream jobs that everyone wishes they had, picking the globe's top stretches of sun, surf and sand sits up there with taste-testing new gins and trying out every bar and eatery in Tokyo. That particularly proves true whenever a new list of the world's best beaches is revealed — although, Australians can always pretend by heading to one of the high-ranking spots on our own shores. In FlightNetwork's just-announced 2018 lineup of the planet's best beaches, which ranks 50 idyllic locations, six Aussie spots made the cut. And, in news that will come as no surprise to anyone, the Whitsundays' Whitehaven Beach came in at number two. It's the latest accolade for the picturesque Queensland favourite, which also came in second last year. Blinky Beach on Lord Howe Island also made the list, coming in at number 30, while Hyams Beach in New South Wales' Jervis Bay placed at number 33. Western Australia was responsible for two more of the country's top spots — with Lucky Bay at 35th and Cable Beach at 34th — and Tasmania's Wine Glass Bay rounded out the Aussie offerings at 44. If you're wondering which coastal oasis beat them all to first place, that'd be Shipwreck Beach on Zakynthos. On a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, the picturesque spot has a shipwrecked boat on its sands, crystal clear waters and sunny weather approximately 275 days of the year. Alongside the World's Best Beaches, FlightNetwork released a list of the World's Top 50 Untouched Beaches — featuring Tasmania's Wine Glass Bay at fourth and Binalong Bay at 19th — and the World's Top 50 City Beaches, where Sydney's Bondi Beach got top gong, Surfers Paradise Beach came in at 11 and NSW's Manly Beach at 12. The picks were made by more than 1200 travel journalists, editors, bloggers and agencies, aka folks who work in the travel and beach trade, and therefore know their stuff. Thinking about taking your own trip to Whitehaven Beach? Check out our Outside Guide to the Whitsundays. Image: Damien Dempsey via Wikicommons.
If the idea of health-conscious eating conjures up images of boiled vegetables, soggy tofu or a cut-everything-that-actually-tastes-good-out diet, you're doing it all wrong. In a city like Sydney, where a slew of restaurants are dishing up wholesome food in innovative, delicious ways, healthy eating is honestly as easy as (gluten-free) pie. That's good news for those among us who want to treat our bodies right without having to go through the hell of detoxes or cleanses. Yes, our bodies are our temples, but that doesn't have to mean days of exclusively ingesting kale smoothies. To help get you started, we've teamed up with American Express to pick out the best spots to go when you want a healthy feed with zero compromises on flavour. Whether you're looking for a new vegan spot or a place more suited to the healthy carnivore, we've got the place for you. From premier farm-to-table eating to some of Sydney's best sushi, these eateries make grabbing a healthy meal a total breeze. Grab your Amex and kiss that cleanse goodbye. Got yourself in another dining situation and need some guidance? Whatever it is, we know a place. Visit The Shortlist and we'll sort you out.
Whether you're a Marshmallow or just a soul naturally curious about one of the most high-profile Kickstarter success stories around, you'll be happy to learn that the new Veronica Mars movie will be made available to rent or buy online on March 14 — the same day it hits cinemas in the US. Usually, there's at least a 90-day window between theatrical and DVD or VOD releases, but Warner Bros. is in a position to bypass it this time around, since they don't have a standard distribution deal and are instead renting the theatres that will screen the movie. They see a big market in couch-dwelling non-cinemagoers for this TV-to-film crossover, and they're tapping it. It's just one more way Veronica Mars is doing things differently. After becoming the most widely supported Kickstarter campaign in history with more than 91,000 backers, it has kept fans involved in the process throughout and will make its world premiere at SXSW on March 8. The Australian digital release date has not yet been confirmed, but it seems possible it'll be March 14 here too, and Moviehole is reporting it as so. You can preorder the movie on iTunes, or wait for a definite date before you plan your downloading strategy. As for whether anyone else is listening to consumer requests for timely, legal, convenient access to content, it's not looking so good. https://youtube.com/watch?v=wq1R93UMqlk
