Melbourne's bubble tea franchise Gotcha Fresh Tea is rapidly expanding. Having not only opened its fifth Melbourne store earlier this year, but adding a sixth one too and planning at least five more, the chain now has its sights set on Sydney — with plans to launch three new stores here, and soon. Its first NSW store will open on China Town's Dixon Street on Monday, May 20, with a second store at World Square launching on Friday, May 24. They'll be closely followed by a third near Broadway's UTS campus at a yet-to-be disclosed date. While no more NSW spots are confirmed just yet, take a peek at the website and you'll see that stores for Town Hall, Martin Place, Macquarie Centre, Burwood, Chatswood, Parramatta and Strathfield could also be on the cards. Gotcha stands out from the pack thanks to its teas, which are all exclusively grown and hand-picked on the Gotcha plantation in Taiwan — the country where bubble tea originated, mind you. The extensive menu goes deeper than your average bubble tea shop, too. Milk teas come in red bean, bamboo charcoal, taro and durian flavours. Fruit teas come with sliced fresh fruit, including lychee, passionfruit, cumquat and mango. They all range from $5.20–18. There are also teas available with cheese, salted egg or tiramisu foams; a range of 'healthy' collagen teas in bamboo, aloe vera and mulberry flavours; and a menu of macchiatos, lattes, health teas and smoothies to choose from. Of course, you can add pearls and jelly to any and all flavour combinations. Gotcha's expansion is no where near slowing, either, with over 15 stores slated to open in 2019. Five additional stores across Victoria are currently in the works, as well as many more around the country. Images: Gotcha Tea, Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
Last year's The Old Man and the Gun and Clint Eastwood's new film The Mule share three things in common. First, they both star Hollywood octogenarian greats Robert Redford (82) and Eastwood (88). Second, they're both based on real life stories of unlikely elderly criminals and the men who pursued them. Thirdly, they share a pronounced nostalgia for civility; a yearning for a bygone era where nothing, not even law-breaking, should come at the cost of common decency. But where Redford's film maintained a light and tender tone throughout, Eastwood's latest lacks consistency, veering from awkward cynicism to thin familial sentimentality. As a vehicle for Eastwood's first on-screen role in six years, The Mule seems perfect. Written by Nick Schenk, who previously worked alongside Eastwood on Gran Torino, the film tells the fascinating true tale of Leo Sharp (named Earl Stone here), a 90 year-old WWII veteran and award-winning horticulturalist who became a big-time drug runner for a Mexican cartel after his own business ran into financial trouble. Stone is grizzled, bitter, grumpy and a little bit racist. In short, Eastwood embodies the look and feel of the man immediately. When Stone agrees to run a package across the country, no questions asked, he reveals himself to be the perfect mule for Andy Garcia's cartel, and as his illicit load increases with each new run, so too does his reward. Accompanied throughout by cartel minders, the setup is perfect for a black comedy. But whilst there are a few terrific moments (a carpool karaoke version of 'Ain't That A Kick In The Head' being the best), too much of the film falls flat, lacking the full lighthearted touch but at the same time failing to follow the darker path it also could have taken. In supporting roles, Eastwood brings back some of his recent regulars, including Bradley Cooper and Michael Pêna as the DEA agents charged with tracking Stone down and bringing him to justice. As with The Old Man and the Gun, it takes some time to dawn on the authorities that they're pursuing a man in his 80s – which of course was precisely why the Cartel went that direction in the beginning. Eastwood has always been impressive in his embracing of ageing, even tabling Unforgiven for over a decade until he felt he was old enough to do the role justice. Here in The Mule, though, the age card offers so many tantalising possibilities for the story, yet is used far too sparingly and too easily, resorting to mostly tired tropes like technological dyslexia (wait, how do you text again?). Moreover, while Stone is a remorseful man insofar as his troubled family history goes, he shows none for his part in supporting a violent and brutal cartel (at least not until the film's final stages). The end result is a film that looks great (it's Eastwood in the chair, after all), but feels like a middle child of genre; funny but not a comedy, dark but not a thriller, on the road but not a road movie and moving but not fully a drama. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_QksSzK7sI
As a five-year-old in India in 1986, Saroo Brierley didn't expect to be whisked nearly 1,500 kilometres away from his family, and not be able to find his way back. Then, after being adopted by an Australian couple, he definitely didn't expect that he'd have a date with Google Earth as an adult, trying to locate the place that sparked so many memories. This stranger-than-fiction tale inspired a book, and now a movie too. And while a big screen adaptation of his life story might be the latest thing the real-life Saroo didn't anticipate, it's audiences that are in for the biggest surprise. If you didn't know that Lion was based on actual events, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it was simply a feel-good fantasy. First-time film director Garth Davis (TV's Top of the Lake) and writer Luke Davies (Life) recount Saroo's story faithfully, including its well-publicised ending. Yet despite the twists and turns having played out in the media, the Australian duo still manage to deliver a thoughtful, sensitive and emotional viewing experience. Yes, you'll know that tears are coming. But they'll still feel well and truly earned. Aerial shots of the Indian landscape immediately set audiences on a journey, with a charming little boy (newcomer Sunny Pawar) their guide. Tagging along as his older brother Guddu (Abhishek Bharate) seeks work to help their mother (Priyanka Bose) with the family finances, Saroo falls asleep on a train. By the time he awakens, events have been set in motion that will see him fending for himself on the streets of Calcutta, before eventually being adopted by Tasmanians Sue (Nicole Kidman) and John Brierley (David Wenham). It's two decades later, as an adult (now played by Dev Patel), that Saroo turns on his computer and begins his search for home. Sometimes, it's the simplest things that have the strongest impact: a child's warm, cheeky smile; the pain of a lost past lingering in a man's eyes; haunting visions of familiar places embedding themselves in the mind. Saroo's quest owes a lot to a certain search engine, but that's neither the most interesting thing to watch nor the most important part of the narrative. Crafting a highly personal story that conveys universal themes, Davis and Davies ensure that Lion doesn't forget this fact. Even as it balances several competing elements — the two countries Saroo calls his own throughout his life, his feelings for his two families, and the push and pull between old-fashioned human connection and the influence of modern technology — the film never loses its footing Indeed, the key to the movie is people. Or, to be specific, one person and two shining performances. Pawar and Patel each possess the naturalistic spark that keeps viewers along for the ride — one innocent and endearing, the other oozing inner conflict and yearning. As a result, Lion does exactly what it needs to make hearts soar and tears swell. It might do so in a standard fashion, but, boy does it do it well.
Not a company to stick strictly to the confines of the theatre, Urban Theatre Projects has launched a new immersive arts event that takes you on an adventure through Blacktown. Dubbed Right Here. Right Now., the unique experience is set to run from 6pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from November 1 to 17, delivering a smorgasbord of art, performance, film, music and food in the spirit of sharing contemporary Australian stories. The 'show' goes for 3.5 hours and will take you on a roving showcase of this dynamic pocket of Sydney, enjoying various local works and performances displayed across restaurants, arcades and public spaces throughout Blacktown's colourful Main Street. As part of the experience, you'll sit down to a communal feast, enjoyed side by side with a table full of strangers — or new friends, depending how you look at it — at some of the strip's best-loved eateries. Persian restaurant Dark Blue plates up a parade of Irani favourites, Abyssina Ethiopian Restaurant promises to impress with its authentic coffee ceremony, and Pameer Afghan Restaurant and Bakery delivers signature Afghani dishes against a backdrop of classic Afghani art. Tickets are $59 and include both show and dinner.
Liveworks is returning in 2023 with an amplified program dubbed 'OF THE TIME'. Carriageworks has been the home of Liveworks since its inception in 2015 and this year it's back at the expansive venue with yet another line-up of free and ticketed ground-breaking new art and performance to discover from 19–29 October. Across ten days, Liveworks will feature more than 60 artists presenting live performances, dance, visual art, installation, screen events, conversation and music by influential artists including new works by Rainbow Chan 陳雋然, Brooke Stamp, Latai Taumoepeau and Rosanna Raymond. Liveworks 2023 will include a major blast to Performance Space's past in honour of this significant anniversary. The legendary cLUB bENT, the OG queer club night that had everyone talking from '95 to '98, is making a fierce comeback. Get ready for one night of unadulterated fun, a glorious celebration of the queer community, and a showcase of talents that'll blow your mind. The original stars are teaming up with fresh faces, all ready to bring down the house in a spectacular fusion of nostalgia and new beginnings. [caption id="attachment_915736" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steve Sar, Liveworks. Credit: Joseph Meyers.[/caption] Other returning programs are reimagined for the present, such as Antistatic reborn as Antistatic Redux which features a suite of works – new and from the archives. Nighttime Righttime reimagines Nighttime with new and legendary work from iconic artists The Fondue Set, Post, Julie-Anne Long, Kaz Therese, Tei Kim Pok, Wart and Tina Havelock Stevens. Liveworks 2023 Opening Night on Thursday, October 19 is a free event that will feature a DJ set by Stereogamous as well as some nibbles and tipples. After the festivities, visitors can explore the rest of Carriageworks for the first round of Liveworks performances and installations. The full program for Liveworks will be announced in the coming weeks. The full program and artist lineup are available on the Performance Space website. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, August 31, at 12pm, AEDT. Top Image: The Bridal Lament by Rainbow Chan. Photograph by Capsule48.
The slam-dunkers in Sydney's arts, music, food and culture realms are about to get a shiny assembly award for their awesomeness — FBi Radio have announced their nominees for the 2015 SMAC Awards. Celebrating the top tier of Sydney Music Art and Culture (SMAC), the awards have been running since 2008 and have given ups to young whippersnappers like Flume, Seeake, The Preatures, Hermitude, artists Beastman and Tony Albert and more, who've obviously gone on to be bigwigs. This year, the SMACs have a new bunch of go-getters on the table, all vying for the shiny SMAC in January. Across 11 categories, Sydney artists, restaurants, bars, musicians, performers, event planners and producers have been handpicked by the FBi team and their industry mates. Public voting opens today (November 10) and runs until 5pm December 18. Winners will be announced at a schwanko ceremony on January 12, broadcast broadcast live on FBi 94.5FM — and remember, you can celebrate the history of the SMACs at the giant festival FBi are putting together for Sydney Festival on January 10. Enough chatskies, here's the nominees. FBi RADIO 2015 SMAC AWARD NOMINEES: RECORD OF THE YEAR Hermitude - Dark Night Sweet Light Little May - For The Company Sampa The Great - The Great Mixtape Royal Headache - High Tuka - Life Death Time Eternal Gang of Youths - The Positions NEXT BIG THING B Wise Gordi Sampa The Great Vallis Alps World Champion REMIX THE CITY Bankstown Live Lovebombs Motion Pictures Perfect Match Raising the Bar Sydney BEST ON STAGE The Battle of Waterloo - Sydney Theatre Company The Bleeding Tree - Griffin Theatre Nothing to Lose - Force Majeure The Wizard of Oz - Belvoir Tangi Wai - Performance Space BEST LIVE ACT – presented by Coopers Alex Cameron Flowertruck George Maple Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders Royal Headache FBi CLICK BEST PRODUCER – presented by V MoVement Alba Cassius Select Corin Moonbase Commander Wave Racer BEST MUSIC EVENT FCX: 10 Years of Future Classic House of Mince Mates Repressed Records at Vivid LIVE Volumes 2015 BEST SONG – presented by APRA AMCOS Angie - Down For The Count Shining Bird - River Mouth Gordi - Taken Blame Cosmo’s Midnight ft Kucka - Walk With Me Big White - You Know I Love You BEST ARTS PROGRAM 48HR Incident Little Baghdad Marina Ambramovic: In Residence Underbelly Arts 2015 Yellamundie BEST ARTIST – presented by the Keir Foundation Abdul Abdullah Bhenji Ra Haines and Hinterding Latai Taumpoepeau Rosie Deacon BEST EATS – presented by Cake Wines ACME Andy Bowdy Pastry Automata Dead Ringer Scout’s Honour Vote at FBi Radio's website. Image: Andy Bowdy.
Ever since Sex and the City wormed its way into our collective subconscious, brunch has been synonymous with getting boozy. And Luke Mangan of MOJO knows it. This year, Brunch of Fun is back and sweeter than ever. On Saturday, April 30, Mangan is bringing together some huge foodie names for a brunch that would even make Samantha blush, including MasterChef runner up Reynold Pernomo, Insta-famous baker Alicia Henderson and the ballers from N2 Gelato and Black Star Pastry. On the menu (for between $10-15 a pop) you'll find brunch delicacies aplenty to line your stomach such as the MOJO brekkie burger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, fried egg and kimchi mayo, and bagels with smoked salmon, zucchini fritters, a poached egg, corn, avocado and horseradish salsa. You'll be able to wash it down with temptingly priced bevs ($5 beers, $10 wines and $15 champagne cocktails). Those of you who really, really love brunch can even join Luke Mangan at an intimate, ticketed degustation beforehand (tickets are $75) featuring endless free-flowing champagne. Trade Weetbix for champers? Fabulous. And if you dig what you see at MOJO, you might want to enter Mangan's CEO search — it's like MasterChef for switched on foodie bloggers, artisan food supplies and DIY home cooks. Brunch of Fun coincides with the last day to enter.
There's something special about escaping to the country for the weekend. We're talking fresh air, a slow pace and loads of delicious local produce to sample. This year, however, it's been a bit trickier to achieve the booze and food-fuelled weekend of our dreams. So if you, like us, are craving a weekend getaway, we've got just the thing to fill the mini break-shaped hole in your heart. This spring, the high country is coming to your home thanks to our pals at Reed & Co Distillery — a family-owned gin distillery based in the Victorian Alpine region town of Bright. Across two Thursdays in September, you and your mates could experience the interactive at-home gin tasting class High Spirits with head distiller and owner of Reed & Co Distillery, Hamish Nugent. Throughout the class, Nugent will guide you through a gin tasting session, teach you how to make the perfect gin and tonic and even take you on a virtual tour of where the magic happens in the distillery. Sound like something you want to sign up to? You can. Just make sure you register at least a week before the session date so the tasting kit will get to you in time. There's nothing sadder than a gin tasting session without gin. Inside the kit you'll find five 100ml spirits, 200ml of Fever-Tree tonic water, a gorgeous garnish pack, creative recipe cards and helpful tasting notes. High Spirits by Reed & Co Distillery will kick off at 7pm on Thursday, September 9 and Thursday, September 16. To get yourself all set for a big night in sampling gin and to book, visit the website.
As the weather gets chillier, one of the nicest night time options is to settle yourself in a cosy bar with some loved ones and simply relax over a glass of wine. Since Sydney's small bar revolution began, we've seen a wave of establishments open which are perfect for the once-maligned activities of chardonnay-sipping in intimate and relaxed surrounds. Now, not only do we have some of the loveliest wine bars around, but we also have a wealth of options. We've whittled down a list of what we think are the best places to grab a glass of wine in this fine city. From the most seasoned connoisseurs to first-time wine drinkers, there is something for everybody, and the onset of winter is the perfect time to get to know all of these cosy establishments. 1. Love, Tilly Devine Address: 91 Crown St, Darlinghurst The people at Love, Tilly Devine are excited about their wine, about the future of their neighbourhood, and about their food. The bar is tucked away in a Darlinghurst alley, with open windows and exposed brick walls, cosy and endlessly welcoming. Don't come to Love, Tilly Devine if you want to get drunk. There are other places to do that. The staff are happy to help out if you feel a bit befuddled by the seemingly limitless selection (the wine list currently sits at just under 300 varieties), and suggest the perfect seasonal food to accompany your drinks. For review and details click here 2. The Wine Library Address: 18 Oxford St, Woollahra Tucked in between the boutiques at the Woollahra end of Oxford Street, The Wine Library melds a high end bar at the front with a trim courtyard in the middle and nookish intimacy out the back. At 7pm you'd be hard pressed to swing a kitten - there's a queue that snakes out the door as locals and blow-ins from across the bridge cram in for their share of prosecco and a board of prosciutto. At lunch they get it just right. There's plenty of room to breathe and time to ponder the clipboarded menu which takes a jolly tour around some of the best of Europe. All of the food is matched up impeccably with the wine list, because after all that's what The Wine Library is all about. For review and details click here 3. 10 William Street Address: 10 William St, Paddington From the people that brought Sydney Fratelli Paradiso, 10 William Street sits inside a converted storefront in the most boutique of boutique shopping strips in Paddington. Given that Paddington has declined since its hey-day back in the '90s as Sydney's groundbreaking dining and drinking scene, 10 William Street is proof that there's still life in Paddington yet, and gives you a very welcome reason to pay a visit. Stripped back and simple, 10 William Street is blessedly free of pretention - there are white walls, naked lightbulbs, a wooden counter and a big chalkboard advertising the entire wine list. While the selection of drinks is vast enough to satisfy the most seasoned connoisseurs, those who feel at a loss when it comes to swilling and sniffing bouquets will also be at home in this comfortable bar. For review and details click here 4. 121Bc Address: 4/50 Holt St, Surry Hills (enter via Gladstone St) With a focus on regional Italian flavours, 121BC's wine list changes monthly, and is complemented by the menu of fresh, seasonal food which is uniformly delicious. If you have trouble picking precisely what it is you want to drink from the prolific wine list, the staff are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and happy to help you out and explain the ins and outs of your drink like an over-zealous chemistry teacher. The long bar around which stools are clustered makes the most of the slick, narrow inner-city space, seating about twenty five people in the sultry, intimate room. The seating arrangement means 121BC works best if there's just the two of you, as you'll be seated beside one another at optimum footsy-playing distance. For review and details click here 5. Timbah Address: 375 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe For a relaxed atmosphere, a guy on the piano in the corner, and a feeling of being very sophisticated for a Sunday afternoon without having to hoof it to the Eastern Suburbs, Timbah is well worth visiting Timbah has 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 review and details click here 6. Shop & Wine Bar Address: 78 Curlewis St, Bondi Beach A cafe by day, the Shop & Wine Bar transforms Cinderella-style into one of the best wine bars in town come sundown. The Shop & Wine Bar has nailed the kind of relaxed, Melbourne-esque local wine bar schtick to the ground. Catering to the people of Bondi since 2004, The Shop & Wine Bar is one of the best places to go to if you want a cool, casual place to simply chill with a glass of wine and a few close friends. The wine is the focus here, with a good but carefully curated selection hovering around the $30 mark, mostly sold by the bottle rather than by the glass. You can also get the odd sharing plate if you want something to line your stomach with. For review and details click here 7. Bentley Bar Address: 320 Crown St, Surry Hills While Bentley is an award-winning restaurant, nothing stops you from stopping in just to experience their extraordinary wine bar. With a makeover from Melbourne architect Pascale Gomes-McNabb, the space has been transformed in recent years from the seedy pub of the '90s to a chic, understated dining and drinking space. The Bentley has one of the most comprehensive wine lists in Australia, with over 600 local and overseas bottles on their ever-evolving wine list, curated by award-winning sommelier and Bentley co-owner Nick Hildebrandt. For review and details click here 8. Berkelouw Wine Bar Address: Level 1, 70 Norton St, Leichhardt Wine has to feature pretty heavily on everyone’s winter craving list, when a cosy chair and a glass of red seem to be all that can shake the winter blues. So if you want all that, and to be surrounded by the comforting smell of bound paper, Norton Street’s Berkelouw Wine Bar is your place. Not for the rollicking weekend crowds that inhabit other pubs nearby, this is more the place you could visit for an afternoon aperitif after browsing through the bookstore below. It turns out the grand piano taking pride of place in the centre of the room isn't just for show. Small ensembles, pianists and singers will croon away your troubles as you sit looking down on to busy Norton Street below. For review and details click here 9. Vini Address: 3/118 Devonshire St, Surry Hills If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Italy for the food but haven’t had the chance, Vini brings an authentic taste of regional Italy direct to Sydney. Yet Vini is not just a place for foodies. As the name suggests, wine lovers are well catered for. After a few glasses, however, you might find your memory of the meal becomes a little hazy. The intimate, cosy atmosphere of Vini makes you feel as if you're dropping into your local. With consistently good service and food that satisfies all your senses, a wait in the pub is well worthwhile. For review and details click here 10. The Passage Address: 231a Victoria St, Darlinghurst There's something a little ol' timey about The Passage. It's intimate without being cute, antique without being themed. This long, slim space - decked out with brown leather, marble tables, and crisp black and white artworks by local designers Babëkuhl - is a truly unique offering on the Sydney scene. While their tailor made cocktail menu shines in and of itself, The Passage has an enviable hand picked wine list which alone is worth the visit. Serving mostly by the bottle, their small and curated wine list is predominantly Australian and offers several biodynamic and organic options alongside the more traditional choices. For review and details click here
The seventh season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is currently dropping new episodes weekly via SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand — which means you're either eagerly catching each fresh instalment every Friday, or you've got some catch-up binging to do. Either way, if you've been watching and rewatching the hit cop sitcom since it first premiered back in 2013, then you also have something else to pop in your calendar: Isolation Trivia's upcoming B99-themed online quiz evening. How long did Charles Boyle spend dreaming of Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago's wedding? What did Rosa Diaz do before she was a cop? Who keeps swooping in and taking the Nine-Nine crew's cases? Which one is Scully and which is Hitchcock? And which one of the latter duo has a twin? If you can answer all of the above — and name Captain Holt's dog, Terry's kids, Gina's dance troupe and Jake's favourite movie — then you're set for this trivia night. And, because these fictional TV cops wouldn't want you breaking Australia's current social-distancing guidelines, it's all taking place virtually. Live-streaming from 6.30pm AEST (7.30pm AEDT) on Thursday, April 2, this online trivia contest is completely devoted to the show that was cancelled and then resurrected in the space of 36 hours, then was renewed for an eighth season before its seventh one even aired, and features more Die Hard references than you'd think possible in one sitcom. We'd keep asking Brooklyn Nine-Nine questions and dropping tidbits, but we'll save some for the big night. If you're as keen to take part as Terry is about a tub of yoghurt, you just need to head to the Isolation Trivia Facebook page, click 'get reminder' and clear out your Thursday night. That'll be your time to shine (and that can also be the title of your sex tape if you'd like). Images: SBS
Yum cha might literally mean "drink tea" in Cantonese, but that doesn't mean you can't add a little liquor to the mix. With this in mind, Chin Chin Sydney is reviving an old favourite for this April only, as Boozy Yum Cha returns for a limited series of weekend lunches from Saturday, April 5–Sunday, April 27. Held across Saturday and Sunday sessions from 12pm, the menu is decked out with shareable fried and steamed goodies, from prawn wontons and barbecue pork buns to drunken Hokkien noodles. Meanwhile, optional extras like Sichuan-style chicken stir-fry and bacon and egg fried rice will satisfy even the biggest hunger. As for the booze, expect free-flowing drinks throughout, with plenty of stellar choices on the menu. Think Young Henrys Newtowner and Alpino Prosecco alongside Chin Chin's strawberry- and yuzu-infused Jasmine Dream cocktail. Plus, a rotating list of wines will help keep you satiated. All that's left to do is get the crew together and choose between a 90-minute or an extended two-hour session that gives you more time for sumptuous bites and sips. Whichever you choose, bookings and walk-ins are welcome.
A spooky murder mystery is one thing, but take it to the high seas, make it interactive and you've got a whole new level of bone-chilling fun. So, we're betting you'll want some pretty strong nerves to tackle the Australian National Maritime Museum's upcoming Murder Mystery at Sea experience. Launching Friday, January 18 for a limited six-date run, this one's an immersive 'whodunnit' adventure, unfolding creepily aboard the aptly named Navy Destroyer HMAS Vampire. At night. Audiences will find themselves transported back to the Cold War era, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, deciphering spooky SOS messages and cracking a series of clues to solve the mysterious murder of their ship's crew and captain. Thankfully, everyone gets a welcome drink on arrival to help calm those frazzled nerves.
Melbourne is back in lockdown, so Melbourne's Sea Life Aquarium is back live-streaming playtime and feeding time with some of its cutest and scariest sea critters. At 5pm AEST on Friday, June 4, you can get up close and personal with the gentoo and king penguins as they slide around their icy home and gobble many fish. From there, the streams will return daily at the same time, running until Friday, June 11. Also on the bill: sneaking a peek at the aquarium's swarms of jellyfish, so you can learn the ins and outs of their luminous lives. As for which other critters will turn up, being surprised each day is part of the fun. To tune in, head head to Sea Life Melbourne's Facebook page. And, because this isn't the aquarium's only dive into digital content, you can also check out soothing watery sights aplenty via its mindfulness and slow TV hub.
Looking for a new spot to practice your downward dog? This month, Luxe Yoga + Fitness is making the end of your working week more enriching with 6.15am sunrise yoga sessions held amid the scenic surrounds of Queenscliffs' Freshwater Beach. With the sun on your skin and the sand between your toes, feeling at one with your body and achieving mindful clarity will become just a little easier. Then, once you've finished stretching out, a refreshing dip in the ocean as the sun comes up will not go amiss. It's a good time to get involved, too. As February 22 marks World Yoga Day, the team will be hosting a special Saturday session at 6.45am to celebrate the occasion. So, whether you're keen to join the global movement or just want to add some good-natured exercise to your regime, getting down for these early morning classes is a wise decision.
UPDATE, May 21, 2021: Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles is available to stream via Docplay, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Marie Antoinette didn't actually say "let them eat cake", no matter how often the statement is misattributed to the 18th-century royal before her date with the guillotine. But New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art was surely hoping she would've approved of its hedonistic June 2018 food gala, which tied into the venue's Visitors to Versailles exhibition in the same year — and, in line with the place and period under the grill, put decadence on the menu. Overseeing the spread of desserts fit for a queen: renowned Israeli English chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi. He didn't make the Feast of Versailles' lavish cakes himself; instead, he trawled Instagram to source and select five pâtissiers known for delicious, innovative and aesthetically appealing wares. He found them, too, enlisting Dominique Ansel, the NYC-based French pastry chef who invented the cronut; Sam Bompas and Harry Parr, the London food artists known for their striking jellies and unique food events; architecturally trained Ukrainian Dinara Kasko, who approaches her desserts with the same design principles; Ghaya Oliveira, an award-winner and veteran at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Daniel; and Singapore's Janice Wong, who aims to turn chocolate into edible art. The exacting theme that approaches art and history through an untraditional lens, the melding of varying creative arenas, the roll call of significant names in their field, the theatricality on display, the iconic setting — if it all sounds a bit like a culinary version of The Met Gala, that was undoubtedly the intention, too. Celebrities didn't attend, paparazzi weren't on hand to snap photos, fundraising wasn't the name of the game and no one broke the internet, but this was no ordinary serving of sugar. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that, as the venue's fashion-focused event did before it, Feast of Versailles has also earned the documentary treatment. Where The First Monday in May chronicled the preparations for 2015's Met Gala, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles does the same with the quest to recreate the Palace of Versailles' gardens with chocolate and multi-coloured fondant, whip up a tiered mousse cake that resembles the French castle's sculptured detail, and pair them all with swan-topped pastries, wobbling palace-shaped jellies and a cocktail-filled whirlpool fountain. Viewers of cooking-focused reality television will know what's in store. That may not be the comparison one expects with a doco about a Met event, but it fits. Documentarian Laura Gabbert (City of Gold) deploys the personable Ottolenghi as her guide, and gets him to chat through the task at opportune moments. Her film also spends time first introducing Ansel, Bombas and Parr, Kasko, Oliveira and Wong, then watching them work towards the big gala evenings. Periodically, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles has Ottolenghi chat with Met staff about logistics as well, and to historical experts. The former reveal their horror at having liquid anywhere near the gallery's exhibits, and the awareness that events with a live component are so much trickier to control than inanimate displays; the latter discusses 18th-century Versailles in general, the culinary excesses of the royal courts, the fact that chocolate was used for drinking long before it was eaten and, only briefly, the fate that befell Versailles' most famous figures in the French Revolution. Combine all of the above ingredients in a 75-minute documentary, and it's as formulaic as it sounds — even if the gala itself, the chefs behind it and their dazzling desserts could never earn that description. The First Monday in May was helmed by a different director to Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles; however, both films struggle to bring their concepts to life. As a mere record of occasions that happened, they do a fine job of showing what goes into staging these types of extravagant events. They also capture the tension and drama beforehand, and the indulgence and luxury when everything comes to fruition. But it seems that docos about Met galas are fated to take a superficial and straightforward approach, despite striving for more, and attempting to mimic the layers and textures of the venue's exhibitions and festivities. In Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles' case, the NYC institution clearly didn't hold a lavish Versailles-themed feast without intending to get everyone involved and in attendance thinking about the vast disparities between the haves and have nots — aka the whole reason that the "let them eat cake" misquote exists. Alas, Gabbert's film is mostly content to depict rather than interrogate this idea. A few very late shots, including of Trump Tower's garish gold interior, endeavour to stress modern-day parallels between Versailles and today's one-percent, but hardly delve deep. Accordingly, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles is glossy, gleaming eye candy for those with a sweet tooth. It never feels like a full meal, though. That may be apt given that it's about dessert, but there's more substance in the tables piled high with cake and confection seen within the movie's frames than in the documentary's examination of its subject — and of the topic driving Feast of Versailles, and therefore sparking the film in the first place. While interesting tidbits pop up frequently, relating to food and history alike, they're akin to an entree. Viewers keep expecting something heartier, only to be left intellectually hungry. The audience is left physically ravenous, of course, because roving over all those spectacular dishes is a sure-fire way to whip up an appetite for a treat. This pleasant, palatable but slight movie obviously can't leave stomachs satisfied either, but it will make mouths water. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uan6MDxf3wU
UPDATE, April 9, 2021: Ready or Not is available to stream via Disney+, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. "In-laws". It's such an ordinary, everyday term, and yet it's usually uttered with such exasperation. Embodying the flipside of deciding to spend your life with someone, it's a reminder that even the happiest of romances always come with considerable baggage. It also sums up Ready or Not perfectly. At its most basic, this twisty and gory horror flick rests on one simple idea: having in-laws is hell. Of course, there's the minor annoyance that arises when your parents-in-law have too many opinions, or your siblings-in-law are obnoxious, or your uncle-in-law gets embarrassingly drunk at Christmas — and then there's discovering that your new family is plotting to kill you on your wedding night. First seen dressed for her big day, smoking a cigarette and pondering taking the plunge, Grace (Samara Weaving) is initially worried that her soon-to-be husband's family won't accept her. Alex Le Domas (Mark O'Brien) been estranged from his parents for years, but the couple is getting married on their sprawling estate anyway — it's tradition — and unease lingers in the air. While matriarch Becky (Andie MacDowell) is welcoming, she's more concerned about bringing Alex back into the fold. Grace's new brother-in-law Daniel (Adam Brody) seems like he's joking when he says she doesn't belong; however his tone has a clear edge. Other relatives, such as Alex's dad Tony (Henry Czerny), are barely polite. As for eccentric Aunt Helene (Nicky Guadagni), her permanent scowl says everything. So far, so standard. That's how tales of regular folks marrying into obscenely rich dynasties often go. But, as an ex-foster kid who's never had much of a family, Grace is determined to win over the Le Domas brood. Accordingly, when she's told they all have to play a game at midnight, she goes along with it. The family made their money in board games, so it's another tradition. It's not what most couples do after they've just gotten hitched, but there are worse ways to spend an evening than playing hide and seek in a lavish mansion — unless weapons, murder and devilish secrets are involved. Arrows start flying, guns keep firing and avoiding the dumbwaiter is plain common sense, with Grace forced to battle for her life while still wearing her wedding dress. Working with a witty script by Guy Busick (Stan Against Evil) and Ryan Murphy, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Devil's Due) ramp up the chaos and layer in plenty of commentary — and, yes, Ready or Not has much to say. As steeped as the movie is in oh-so-relatable family stresses, it also finds a wealth of subversive and perceptive material in gender roles and class warfare. When Grace's willingness to please and desire to belong sees her treated like prey, the film revels in her transformation from eager and accommodating to plucky and fearsome. And while there's no missing the many digs at the well-off, privileged and entitled, they're no less astute or accurate just because they're obvious. The result: a horror-comedy with bumps, jumps, laughs and vicious satire all in one gleefully manic slash 'n' stalk package. The concept of hunting humans is hardly new (see: The Most Dangerous Game, Turkey Shoot, Series 7 and Bacurau), and neither are family dysfunction nor just-married jitters (see: too many pictures to mention), but it makes a smart and amusing combination. Ready or Not's setting helps immensely, with the film trading on the mystery and intrigue that bubbles in all whodunnits and horror flicks in a stately home — and making ample use of secret corridors and endless rooms as well. Also assisting nicely is the playful You're Next-style vibe and Heathers-esque attitude; if can't have some ferocious fun with this premise, when can you? While Ready or Not holds nearly a full deck of winning cards, two other elements stand out. As the cast flings axes and slings snappy dialogue, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett always ensure that Grace's actions and choices feel realistic, rather than convenient, exaggerated or implausible; she's trying to fight, flee and survive, after all, and the situation is over-the-top enough as it is. Led by Australian talent Weaving, the film's cast is also excellent in general. MacDowell rarely dallies with her dark side, and she's a delight to watch in villainous mode. Brody, when he toys with his usual nice-guy image, is in sparkling form too. Naturally, though, Ready or Not belongs to its fierce bride and the actor behind her. After working her way from Home and Away to Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri to this, Weaving is a formidable and engaging presence — and, as this savagely entertaining flick demands, she's also one hell of a horror movie hero. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYTwUxhAoI
If you're touring around the Central Coast in search of tasty treats, Burnt Honey Bakery is a must. You'll find it directly opposite Copacabana Beach, so you can enjoy your coffee and croissant with a side of spectacular coastal views.Burnt Honey has some of the best handmade pastries in the area, with wife duo Hayley Thorncraft and Joanna Fairall (both Black Star Pastry) behind it. It's got a strong community feel to it, with milk crates out the front for those who want to scoff their snacks there. The bakery uses local suppliers wherever possible and follows an eco-conscious ethos, too. You'll want to grab a couple of custard tarts (flavoured with cassia bark and lemon zest), a peach and vanilla danish and some of the shop's signature biscuits — burnt honey, salted almond and creamy milk choc chips — as well as a loaf of freshly baked sourdough and flaky croissants. Images: Jacs Powell
UPDATE, May 5, 2021: Willy's Wonderland is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. If you've ever wondered how Nicolas Cage might've fared during cinema's silent era, Willy's Wonderland has the answer. A horror film about killer animatronic restaurant mascots, it's firmly a 2021 feature. It wasn't made a century ago, before synchronised sound forever changed the movie business, so it's definitely a talkie as well. Cage doesn't do any chattering, however. He groans and growls, and often, but doesn't utter a single word. The actor's many devotees already know that he's a talent with presence; whether he's cavorting in the streets under the delusion that he's a bloodsucker in Vampire's Kiss, grinning with his locks flowing in the wind in Con Air, dousing himself with vodka and grunting in Mandy or staring at a vibrant light in Color Out of Space, he repeatedly makes an imprint without dialogue. So, the inimitable star needn't speak to command attention — which is exactly the notion that Willy's Wonderland filmmaker Kevin Lewis (The Third Nail) put to the test. First, the great and obvious news: Cage doesn't seem to put in much effort, but he's a joy to watch. Playing a man simply known as The Janitor, he glowers like he couldn't care less that furry robots are trying to kill him. He swaggers around while cleaning the titular long-abandoned Chuck E Cheese-esque establishment, dances while hitting the pinball machine on his breaks, swigs soft drink as if it's the only beverage in the world and proves mighty handy with a mop handle when it comes to dispensing with his supernaturally demonic foes. Somehow, though, he's never as OTT as he could be. Cage plays a character who doesn't deem it necessary to convey his emotions, and that results in more restraint on his part than the film demonstrates with its undeniably silly premise. Accordingly, cue the bad news: as entertaining as Cage's wordless performance is — even without completely going for broke as only he can — Willy's Wonderland is often a ridiculous yet routine slog. The Janitor finds himself locked in Willy's Wonderland in the sleepy Nevada town of Hayesville courtesy of an inconveniently placed spike strip. Driving over the device trashes his tyres, which local mechanic Jed Love (Chris Warner, Machete) can replace, but The Janitor doesn't have cash, credit isn't accepted and there's no working ATM within a handy distance. So, he's offered a deal. If he spends the night cleaning the shuttered children's eatery for owner Tex Macadoo (Ric Reitz, Finding Steve McQueen), Jed will fix his car. The Janitor agrees and gets a-scrubbing, but animatronics Willy Weasel, Arty Alligator, Cammy Chameleon, Tito Turtle, Knighty Knight, Gus Gorilla, Siren Sara and Ozzie Ostrich (no, not Ossie Ostrich from Hey Hey It's Saturday) have him in their sights. Willy's Wonderland could've opted for a stripped-back, action-heavy approach, solely focusing on Cage's clash with the critters after the movie's obligatory setup scenes. The film clearly only exists because he's in it, after all. And, the idea of seeing Cage in a John Wick-style flick that's built upon relentless fights for survival is a concept made in cinematic heaven — if Charlize Theron (in Atomic Blonde) and Bob Odenkirk (in Nobody) can do it, he can as well. But first-time screenwriter GO Parsons opts for a different template. The horror genre's fondness for offing meddling teens comes into play, and Willy's Wonderland is a worse movie for it. Hayesville high schoolers Liv (Emily Tosta, Party of Five), Chris (Kai Kadlec, Dropouts), Kathy (Caylee Cowan, Incision), Aaron (Christian Delgrosso, School Spirits), Bob (Terayle Hill, Judas and the Black Messiah) and Dan (Jonathan Mercedes, Cobra Kai) know that something isn't right at Willy's. They're aware that folks have gone missing there before, too. And, after the rest of the group helps Liv escape the handcuffs her guardian and local sheriff Eloise Lund (Beth Grant, Words on Bathroom Walls) uses to try to keep her safe, they all head to the condemned building to stop The Janitor from becoming its next victim. When it wallows in by-the-numbers slasher territory, just with homicidal puppets and not maniacal humans picking off pesky teens, Willy's Wonderland delivers the least-engaging version of its premise. That's when it resembles the video game Five Nights at Freddy's mixed with terrible sequels to 80s fare like Friday the 13th, and blandly so. Lewis and Parsons might intend to wink and nod at the decades-old pictures that started their chosen subgenre, rather than lazily ape them — as the retro animatronic designs appear to indicate — but when their film happily embraces every cliche it can, it's neither fun or funny. The flick's disposable adolescents make the usual range of stupid choices, including having sex in the doomed space, and whenever they open their mouths, they rarely do the movie any favours. Indeed, the dialogue is so thin, clunky and unconvincing that you can be forgiven for desperately wishing that, like Cage's unnamed drifter, no one in the feature spoke. It isn't hard to squander Cage's talents in a lacklustre-at-best movie, though. Lewis can take solace in the fact that plenty of directors have, and their star has let them. Of late, the actor's resume overflows with films that've only garnered attention because he's in them — see also: the tedious Jiu Jitsu and Primal in just the past two years — and Willy's Wonderland easily joins them. He's nowhere near his best here, but he's still the best thing about the picture. Jittery editing, oversaturated visuals and oh-so-much formula can't dampen his noiseless performance, although, conversely, he can't help Willy's Wonderland overcome its many struggles. 2021 has already let Cage completists see him drip profanity and wax lyrical about the origins of curse words in History of Swear Words, so perhaps this dialogue-free affair is just his way of retaining a sense of cosmic Cage balance. It's never anywhere near as goofy, wacky or out-there as it seems to think, however, and it's positively dull whenever its leading man is out of sight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE5-hkHIZF4
UPDATE, March 19, 2021: Children of the Sea is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. It's not the first animated film to attempt the feat — or achieve it — but Children of the Sea turns the delights of the ocean's depths into a dazzling spectacle. Where everything from The Little Mermaid and SpongeBob SquarePants to Ponyo and Song of the Sea first swam, this gorgeous Japanese movie follows, although comparing this striking animation to its great underwater predecessors doesn't paint the whole picture. Directed by Ayumu Watanabe and adapted from Daisuke Igarashi's manga of the same name by the author, Children of the Sea also paddles in 2001: A Space Odyssey and Akira's slipstreams. If that sounds like a wild ride, then strap yourself in for more to come. An eco-conscious tale about a lonely 14-year-old girl and two boys raised by dugongs that makes a connection between the ocean's vibrance and outer space's infinite expanse, this is an ambitious movie to say the very least. Ruka (voiced by Mana Ashida) is Children of the Sea's aforementioned teen outcast. School is out for the summer but, after a violent incident gets her shunned by her peers in her coastal town, she's at a loose end. Only her mother's (Yu Aoi) day-drinking awaits at home, so Ruka ventures to the local aquarium where her marine biologist father (Goro Inagaki) works. It's here that she not only re-ignites an affinity for the water that she's felt since she saw something glimmering in the tank as a small child, but where she also meets kindred spirits Umi (Hiiro Ishibashi) and Sora (Seishū Uragami). Her new pals have a definite advantage over Ruka in the sea-worshipping stakes, though; until they came to live at the aquarium, where they're taken care of by scientists, the siblings dwelled among the ocean's marine life — and they have exceptional underwater abilities to prove it. Ruka connects with the cheeky, impish Umi and the pale, ethereal Sora just as a series of environmental anomalies start gaining attention — including whale sightings near Manhattan, a meteor crash in the water, and an otherworldly song that's drawing the sea's creatures to one specific spot for a once-in-a-lifetime gathering. Also pertinent: the fact that Umi and Sora seem to be fading, perhaps even dying, thanks to their new life on land; and the possibility that Ruka's link to the duo just might be stronger than anyone imagines. Children of the Sea could've combined the above components into a somewhat straightforward story — awkward teens, the natural world and supernatural elements have been doing big business in Japan's animated fare of late, including Your Name, Weathering with You and Ride Your Wave — but that's not what Watanabe and Igarashi have in store. They're thinking big, bold and existential, as filtered through the experiences of Ruka and her friends. And, in pondering how everyone has a responsibility to the planet, while also recognising that each individual is a speck in a world far vaster than any one of us will ever encounter, the film's creative talents aren't afraid to dive into seemingly conflicting notions. Marrying the ecological with the cosmic, Children of the Sea's wide-ranging aims do occasionally threaten to exceed its reach (that Igarashi's manga was published in five volumes between 2007–12 won't come as a surprise). Accordingly, anyone hoping for a linear and logical progression through the feature's narrative, rather than many a flight of fantasy and a last-act burst of mind-bending imagery, is watching the wrong movie. But through its vivid visuals, this eye-catching, heart-swelling gem always conveys a sense of of awe and wonder — and a feeling that, no matter what a certain big entertainment studio keeps telling us, animation has its unique charms. This film could never be remade as live-action, or be used as template for a version with photo-realistic animals. Indeed, all the special effects in the world can't replicate Children of the Sea's intricate watercolour renderings of the ocean, which look complex, glorious and larger than life. The same applies to the movie's kaleidoscopic array of pictures and hues, the energy and liveliness of its marine ecosystem, and even its detailed human characters, who are clearly animated but never resemble cartoons. Plus, matching its audio to its imagery, Children of the Sea boasts quite the finishing touch. A score by Studio Ghibli veteran Joe Hisaishi (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle — the list goes on) layers the movie with suitably swirling emotion, and the end result easily sweeps audiences away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ymJvqelwXE&feature=emb_logo
UPDATE, March 19, 2021: Assassins is available to stream via Docplay. If a Hollywood screenwriter had cooked up the story at the centre of Assassins, they would've been told that it's too far-fetched. The plot likely wouldn't have even made it into the many direct-to-streaming action flicks that wear their over-the-top narratives as a badge of honour, and probably only would've reached screens in an Armando Iannucci-style satire. Indeed, this is the type of tale that can only be true. Not that the world needs any additional reminders, but it's yet more proof that real life really is far stranger than fiction. And, while this exceptional documentary from filmmaker Ryan White (The Keepers) won't be the only movie to bring the story to the big screen — dramatised versions are guaranteed to follow, and other flicks are certain to mine its minutiae as well — it'll always remain one of the best. On February 13, 2017, at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, a man was assassinated in broad daylight. While standing by the self check-in kiosks at around 9am, he was approached from behind by two women. After they each rubbed their hands across his face, he was dead within the hour. For a plethora of reasons, the attack garnered global news headlines. Such a brazen murder, carried out not only in public but also in full view of the Malaysian airport's security cameras, was always going to receive worldwide attention. The use of extremely deadly chemical weapon VX obviously demanded scrutiny — and so did the fact that the victim was Kim Jong-nam, the estranged elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. But, despite the onslaught of newsprint, pixels and airtime devoted to the incident when it happened, the full details behind it took time to unfurl. As Assassins explores, those facts are fascinating, gripping and distressing in equal measure. Across 104 minutes, White asks the question that was on everyone's lips four years ago: why? That query has many layers. It starts with wondering why two women in their 20s — one from Indonesia, the other from Vietnam — with no clear political affiliations would kill an exiled North Korean who was once expected to lead his nation. From there, it expands to contemplate why Malaysian law enforcement officers and prosecutors were so content to believe that culprits Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong acted without any involvement from North Korea, and why a number of the latter country's citizens were interviewed, but then released and allowed to return home without facing any legal repercussions. Aisyah and Huong certainly weren't afforded the same treatment. Charged with Kim Jong-nam's murder, they were put through a long trial, and faced the death penalty if convicted. The pair, who didn't know each other beforehand, pled their innocence from the outset. Both women were adamant that they had each been hired to make prank videos for a YouTube show and, as far as they knew, their efforts in Kuala Lumpur were part of their latest production. For those who haven't followed the case in the media, Assassins meticulously steps through the ins and outs. Even if you are familiar with the specifics, the film provides an exhaustive summary. Via interviews with Aisyah and Huong's attorneys shot as the trial was unfolding, it offers an evolving perspective on the two women's situation. For additional detail, it checks in with local Bloomberg reporter Hadi Azmi as he's covering the case. In chats that look back rather than happened as the legal proceedings occurred, it gets the Washington Post's former Beijing bureau chief Anna Fifield to fill in the gaps, including about North Korea's political history, how Kim Jong-nam came to be the black sheep of his family and the hopes some had that he could one day be installed as an alternate leader. Assassins also features discussions with Aisyah and Huong's friends and families, the prank show clips that were central to the duo's defence and audio from their time in court. Returning again and again to CCTV footage of the attack, it turns two well-worn true-crime doco staples — security vision and animated re-enactments — into must-see viewing. From its opening moments, the documentary couldn't be more methodical; however, its tone is just as important as its wealth of material. Assassins tells an unmistakably and inescapably wild tale. As the film works through the attack and its aftermath, White knows that he's in prime thriller territory, too. But, even though this story has more genuine twists, turns and conspiracies than the best works of fiction, it's compiled in an edge-of-the-seat yet never sensationalistic fashion. That's essential not only to accurately survey all the relevant details, but to treat Aisyah and Huong with empathy — and, as the movie explains, no other approach would be suitable. In fact, as remarkable a job as Assassins does in examining the incident in its spotlight, it's even more exceptional at showing how disturbingly easy it was to lay the blame upon a single mother and a cocktail waitress. Accordingly, what starts as a jaw-dropping murder tale becomes a globe-hopping account of exploitation, manipulation and gaslighting — and an equally chilling and infuriating one in the process. Assassins doesn't shout its sense of outrage, but the film is both thorough and incensed, as it needs to be. Given the troubling overall picture that it convincingly paints, nothing else would've sufficed. After all, this is a documentary about a world where a country's agents might've gotten away with murder, all because too many people were willing to buy a flimsy cover story that pointed the finger at two vulnerable women. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNkmnVd9wHM
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. FIRE OF LOVE Spewing fire is so hot right now, and literally always — and dragons aren't the only ones doing it. House of the Dragon and Blaze can have their flame-breathing creatures, and Fire of Love can have something that also seems fantastical but is one of the earth's raging wonders. The mix of awe, astonishment, adoration, fear, fascination and unflinching existential terror that volcanoes inspire is this documentary's playground. It was Katia and Maurice Krafft's daily mood, including before they met, became red beanie-wearing volcanologists, built a life chasing eruptions — The Life Volcanic, you could dub it — and devoted themselves to studying lava-spurting ruptures in the planet's crust. Any great doco on a topic such as this, and with subjects like these, should make viewers experience the same thrills, spills, joys and worries, and that's a radiant feat this Sundance award-winner easily achieves. What a delight it would be to trawl through the Kraffts' archives, sift through every video featuring the French duo and their work, and witness them doing their highly risky jobs against spectacular surroundings for hours, days and more. That's the task filmmaker Sara Dosa (The Seer and the Unseen) took up to make this superb film. This isn't the only such doco — legendary German director Werner Herzog has made his own, called The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft, after featuring the couple in 2016's Into the Inferno — but Fire of Love is a glorious, sensitive, entrancing and affecting ode to two remarkable people and their love, passion and impact. While history already dictates how the pair's tale ends, together and exactly as it seemed fated to, retracing their steps and celebrating their importance will never stop sparking new pleasures. For newcomers to the Kraffts, their lives comprised quite the adventure — one with two volcano-obsessed souls who instantly felt like they were destined to meet, bonded over a mutual love of Mount Etna, then dedicated their days afterwards to understanding the natural geological formations that filled their dreams. Early in their time together, the couple gravitated to what they called 'red volcanoes', with their enticing scarlet-hued lava flows. What a phenomenon to explore when romance beats in the air, and when geochemist Katia and geologist Maurice are beginning their life together. From there, however, they moved to analysing what they named 'grey volcanoes'. Those don't visually encapsulate the pair's relationship; they're the craggy peaks that produce masses of ash when they erupt — Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull, for instance — and often a body count. As narrated by actor and Kajillionaire filmmaker Miranda July, Fire of Love starts with blazing infatuation and devotion — between the Kraffts for each other, and for their field of interest — then establishes their legacy. Both aspects could fuel their own movies, and both linger and haunt in their own ways. And, as magnificent as this incredibly thoughtful, informative and stirring documentary is, it makes you wonder what a sci-fi flick made from the same footage would look like. The 16-millimetre imagery captured during the Kraffts' research trips around the globe, whittled down here from 200 hours to fill just 98 minutes, puts even the most state-of-the-art special effects in a different realm. Pixels can be used to paint gorgeous sights, and cinema has no shortage of movies that shimmer with that exact truth, but there really is no substitute for reality. Read our full review. BEAST Idris Elba fights a lion. That's it, that's Beast, as far as film pitches go at least. This South Africa-set thriller's one-sentence summary is up there with 'Jason Statham battles a giant shark' and 'Liam Neeson stares down wolves' — straightforward and irresistible, obviously, in enticing audiences into cinemas. That said, the latest addition to the animals-attack genre isn't as ridiculous as The Meg, and isn't a resonant existential musing like The Grey. What this creature feature wants to be, and is, is a lean, edge-of-your-seat, humanity-versus-nature nerve-shredder. Director Baltasar Kormákur (Adrift) knows that a famous face, a relentless critter as a foe, and life-or-death terror aplenty can be the stuff that cinema dreams and hits are made of. His movie isn't completely the former, but it does do exactly what it promises. If it proves a box office success, it'll be because it dangles an easy drawcard and delivers it. There is slightly more to Beast than Idris Elba brawling with the king of the jungle, of course — or running from it, trying to hide from it in a jeep, attempting to outsmart it and praying it'll tire of seeing him as prey. But this tussle with an apex predator is firmly at its best when it really is that simple, that primal and, with no qualms about gore and jump scares, that visceral. Elba (The Harder They Fall) plays recently widowed American doctor Nate Samuels, who is meant to be relaxing, reconnecting with his teenage daughters Mare (Iyana Halley, Licorice Pizza) and Norah (Leah Jeffries, Rel), and finding solace in a pilgrimage to his wife's homeland. But Beast wouldn't be called Beast if the Samuels crew's time with old family friend Martin (Sharlto Copley, Russian Doll), a wildlife biologist who oversees the nature reserve, was all placid safaris and sunsets. Kormákur doesn't even pretend that bliss is an option, or that the stalking, scares and big man/big cat showdown aren't coming. Ramping up the tension from the outset, his feature begins with the reason that its main maned (and unnamed) creature wants to slash his way through Nate and company: poachers hunting, with the culprits sneaking in at night to elude human eyes and snuff the light out of every feline in a targeted pride, which leaves one particularly large animal, the patriarch, angry and vengeful. Arriving unknowingly in the aftermath, the Samuels family have just chosen the wrong time to visit. Their first encounter with another pride, which Martin helped raise, leaves them awestruck instead of frightened; then they spy Beast's killer beast's handiwork at a nearby village, and surviving becomes their only aim. Swap out Elba from the 'Idris Elba fights a lion' equation and Kormákur would've had a far lesser film on his hands. His premise, wonderfully concise as it is, wouldn't work with any old actor. His entire movie wouldn't, and Beast works on the level it's prowling on — mostly. Screenwriter Ryan Engle (Rampage), using a story by Jaime Primak Sullivan (Breaking In), gives Nate grief and guilt over his past mistakes to grapple with as well as that persistent lion. Yes, the script is that cliched, because action heroes almost always seem to be wooing, worrying about or mourning a woman while they're endeavouring to save something, be it the world, their families or themselves. Elba dances the bereaved absent father dance well, though, with the Beast's depths springing from him rather than the material and its deceased spouse/regretful dad/seize-the-day tropes. Read our full review. BLAZE In the name of its protagonist, and the pain and fury that threatens to parch her 12-year-old existence, Del Kathryn Barton's first feature scorches and sears. It burns in its own moniker, too, and in the blistering alarm it sounds against an appalling status quo: that experiencing, witnessing and living with the aftermath of violence against women is all too common, heartbreakingly so, including in Australia where one woman a week on average is killed by her current or former partner. Blaze has a perfect title, with the two-time Archibald Prize-winning artist behind it crafting a movie that's alight with anger, that flares with sorrow, and that's so astutely and empathetically observed, styled and acted that it chars. Indeed, it's frequently hard to pick which aspect of the film singes more: the story about surviving what should be unknown horrors for a girl who isn't even yet a teen, the wondrously tactile and immersive way in which Blaze brings its namesake's inner world to the screen, or the stunning performance by young actor Julia Savage (Mr Inbetween) in its central part. Savage also has a fitting moniker, impeccably capturing how ferociously she takes on her starring role. Blaze, the Sydney schoolgirl that she plays, isn't always fierce. She's curious and imaginative, happy dwelling in her own dreamy universe long before she flees there after witnessing a rape and murder, and then frightened and fraying while also fuming. In how she's portrayed by Savage, and penned by Barton with co-screenwriter Huna Amweero (also a feature first-timer), she's intricately fleshed out, too, with every reaction she has to the assault proving instantly relatable — especially to anyone whose life has been touched by trauma. We don't all see dragons made out of fabric, felt, feathers, papier-mâché and glitter, helping us through times good and bad, but everyone can understand the feelings behind that dragon, which swelter like the creature's fiery breath. Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, Blaze isn't — although Jake (Josh Lawson, Mortal Kombat), who Blaze spots in an alleyway with Hannah (Yael Stone, Blacklight), has his lawyer (Heather Mitchell, Bosch & Rockit) claim that his accuser knows nothing. With the attack occurring mere minutes into the movie, Barton dedicates the feature's bulk to how her lead character copes, or doesn't. Being questioned about what she saw in court is just one way that the world tries to reduce her to ashes, but the embers of her hurt and determination don't and won't die. Blaze's father Luke (Simon Baker, High Ground), a single parent, understandably worries about the impact of everything blasting his daughter's way. As she retreats then acts out, cycling between both and bobbing in-between, those fears are well-founded. Blaze is a coming-age-film — a robbing-of-innocence movie as well — but it's also a firm message that there's no easy or ideal response to something as awful as its titular figure observes. The pivotal sequence, lensed by cinematographer Jeremy Rouse (The Turning) and spliced together by editor Dany Cooper (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) to be as jarring and unflinching for Blaze's audience as it is for Blaze, is nightmarish. Avoiding agony and anguish isn't Barton's way — and it can't be with this subject matter. While never as harrowing in the same manner again, Blaze is styled by its artist-turned-writer/director in the same expressive, impressionistic way from start to finish, so that watching its frames flicker feels like diving inside its lead character's heart and mind. That internal realm is a place where a pre-trial proceeding erupts into flames spat from Blaze herself, via a tiny white dragon figurine she places between her teeth. Unsurprisingly, that's a spectacular and gloriously cathartic sight. Barton isn't afraid of symbolism, but she's also allergic to emptiness; not a single image in her kaleidoscopic trip through her protagonist's imaginings is ever wasted. Read our full review. HIT THE ROAD How fitting it is that a film about family — about the ties that bind, and when those links are threatened not by choice but via unwanted circumstances — hails from an impressive lineage itself. How apt it is that Hit the Road explores the extent that ordinary Iranians find themselves going to escape the nation's oppressive authorities, too, and doesn't shy away from its political subtext. The reason that both feel ideal stems from the feature's filmmaker Panah Panahi. This isn't a wonderful movie solely due to its many echoes, resonating through the bonds of blood, and also via what's conveyed on-screen and reality around it, though. It's a gorgeously shot, superbly acted, astutely written and deeply felt feature all in its own right, and it cements its director — who debuts as both a helmer and a screenwriter — as an emerging talent to watch. But it's also a film that's inseparable from its context, because it simply wouldn't exist without the man behind it and his well-known background. Panah's surname will be familiar because he's the son of acclaimed auteur Jafar Panahi, one of Iranian cinema's best-known figures for more than two decades now. And Jafar's run-ins with the country's regime will be familiar as well, because the heat he's felt at home for his social commentary-laden work has been well-documented for just as long. The elder Panahi, director of This Is Not a Film, Closed Curtain and more, has been both imprisoned and banned from making movies over the years. In July 2022, he was detained again merely for enquiring about the legal situation surrounding There Is No Evil helmer Mohammad Rasoulof and Poosteh director Mostafa Aleahmad. None of the above directly comes through in Hit the Road's story, not for a moment, but the younger Panahi's characteristically defiant movie is firmly made with a clear shadow lingering over it. When filmmaking becomes a family business, the spectre of the parent can loom over the child, of course — by choice sometimes, and also purely thanks to their shared name. In the first category, Jason Reitman picked up his father Ivan's franchise with Ghostbusters: Afterlife, for instance; Gorō Miyazaki has helmed animated movies for his dad Hayao's Studio Ghibli, such as Tales From Earthsea, From Up on Poppy Hill and Earwig and the Witch; and Brandon Cronenberg's Antiviral and Possessor are chips off The Fly and Videodrome great David Cronenberg's body-horror block. Panahi's Hit the Road also feels like it has been handed down, including in the way it spends the bulk of its time in a car as Jafar's Tehran Taxi and 3 Faces did. That said, it feels as much like the intuitive Panah is taking up the same mission as Jafar as someone purely taking after his dad. Hit the Road's narrative is simple and also devastatingly layered; in its frames, two starkly different views of life in Iran are apparent. A mother (Pantea Panahiha, Rhino), a father (Mohammad Hassan Madjooni, Pig), their adult son (first-timer Amin Simiar) and their six-year-old boy (scene-stealer Rayan Sarlak, Gol be khodi), all unnamed, have indeed done as the movie's moniker suggests — and in a borrowed car. When the film opens, there's no doubting that the kid among them sees the world, and everything in general, as only a kid can. The mood with the child's mum, dad and sibling is far more grim, however, even though they say they're en route to take the brood's eldest to get married. Their time on the road is tense and uncertain, and also tinged with the tenor of not-so-fond farewells — and with nary a glimmer of a celebratory vibe about impending nuptials. Read our full review. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26; June 2, June 9, June 16, June 23 and June 30; and July 7, July 14, July 21 and July 28; and August 4, August 11 and August 18. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True, The Innocents, Top Gun: Maverick, The Bob's Burgers Movie, Ablaze, Hatching, Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero, Benediction, Lightyear, Men, Elvis, Lost Illusions, Nude Tuesday, Ali & Ava, Thor: Love and Thunder, Compartment No. 6, Sundown, The Gray Man, The Phantom of the Open, The Black Phone, Where the Crawdads Sing, Official Competition, The Forgiven, Full Time, Murder Party, Bullet Train, Nope, The Princess, 6 Festivals, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Crimes of the Future and Bosch & Rockit.
At the heart of any great gig is the feeling that you're "in the moment". Generally this is not a feeling that can be replicated by sitting in front of a screen watching an event that has already transpired, but Don't Think is not your average music video. Shot in 2011 at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, where British electronica legends The Chemical Brothers played a headline set in front of 50,000 fans, Don't Think aims to capture the experience in an unconventional manner. Here that means some clowns, some exploding teapots, some dancers in bolt hats and a frenetic barrage of sound, film and light, all caught on 21 cameras by the band's long-time collaborator Adam Smith. Replicating the delirium of a live gig through film actually makes perfect sense for these Superstar DJs, famous for their audiovisual shows and for pioneering a style of music (later termed "big beat") that avoided losing energy as it moved from the dance floor to the radio. The Chemical Brothers unique fusion of dance, rock and rap fosters not so much collections of songs but transformative journeys, uniting a multifarious legion of fans bearing anything from Ecstasy pills to blinged out knuckle dusters. Join them on Wednesday for an exclusive digital screening, plus the rare chance to chat with Smith. https://youtube.com/watch?v=21UItm9UCr0
“Lecture” must be one of dullest words ever. It’s worse than words like “turgid” or “ullage”, which, though they also sound like giant pendulums moving in slow motion, don’t make you think of falling asleep on your desk at uni or getting reprimanded for drawing Crayola dinosaurs on your bedroom walls. The word “performance lecture”, however, sounds very interesting indeed. In 2012, Serial Space will present a rolling series of these unique orations to explore the relationship between the structure and the guts of a lecture, how the performer assumes authority and what the audience takes away from it. First off the bat will be Nick Key’s Becoming Otherwise Occupied, going down in Martin Place where him and his mates were occupied by a bottle of whisky only a few months earlier. Art collective Soda Jerk's The Carousel is next in line, with other topics ranging from capitalism and the ghosts of cinema to giant earthworms, Facebook robots and the Garden of Eden. Keep a close eye on the line-up, because if you miss one due to a hangover, they won’t be posted online for you to download later and deface with highlighters. Image by Max Braun.
Big, brash, boozy, beautiful — Sydney is many things, but it’s mainly its beauty that the Damien Minton Gallery is seeking to highlight in Five Bells. Using a passage from Kenneth Slessor's poem of the same name as a starting reference, this group exhibition hopes to raise discussion by visually exploring the elements that make up our harbour city. Along with the photos, sketches and paintings there will be a range of readings and talks given by prominent local authors. To Gail Jones Sydney is a brilliant summer’s day around the on the iconic tourist hub of Circular Quay, which provides the introduction to her character-driven meditation on the city Five Bells. To Martin Edmond (Dark Night: Walking with McCahon) it’s the starting point of artist Colin McMahon’s mysterious midnight pilgrimage through the Sydney Botanic Gardens, and to Fiona McGregor the contrast between the affluent suburb of Mossman and a gritty Kings Cross tattoo parlour. Whether it's blooming jacarandas or Oxford Street eccentrics, you'll rediscover something to add your own impressions of the city.
This year, one of the biggest events on the Sydney calendar is a joint birthday party for an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old. Homebake has announced their 2013 lineup, and while there's plenty of bands to get excited about, the biggest changes are to the festival itself: to celebrate their 18th birthday, the festival's been expanded to three days instead of one, and the location's moved from The Domain to the forecourt of the Opera House, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary around the same time. As usual, the lineup celebrates the best of Australian music, both past and present. The 2013 lineup includes The Presets, Paul Kelly, Eskimo Joe, Beasts of Bourbon, Gurrumul, Architecture in Helsinki, Birds of Tokyo, Bernard Fanning and The Rubens. Tickets go on sale at 9am Wednesday, 26 September (so prepare to set your alarm for 8.50am and press F5 repeatedly until you see that 'Buy Tickets' link), and they're expected to go fast. While the smaller space will definitely make for a more intimate festival experience, it does mean that tickets for each day will be strictly limited due to capacity. You can check out the full lineup here.
Beware, child. Beyond the village walls lies the Forest of the Strange. Its weaving paths pass tree roots and the shadows sing queer tunes, the whispers of which will bewitch the ordinary and whisk poor fools away. This is the eternal home of the Bohemian Masquerade Ball. In a society saturated with spectacle, to the point where we have no option but to be a voyeur everyday, the fey children of the BMB offer a vision with some soul. Blending burlesque, gypsy, circus, jazz and trip-hop — amongst many other varied forms — the mad travellers from Bohemia bring disparate cultures together to find a unity in the moment of performance. Now touring in its third year, the BMB is more than a sumptuous excuse to revel in debauchery; it is a lifestyle choice. The members of the company embrace certain practices, from environmental sustainability to a fervent humanism buoyed by a quest for the spiritual. Any guest to their Ball, therefore, will have the opportunity to step beyond the everyday and into the in-between, the place of dreams and memories from before the womb. Wear a mask. Become someone else. Dance to great music. Make love with every sense. And then bring a slice of the bizarre back to your village, to cherish forevermore. Video by Being Films. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rYz570m2o_Q
When Sydney's first Harry Potter-themed boozy brunches were announced, the city couldn't say "accio butterbeer" fast enough, with the first two stints selling out quickly. Due to massive muggle demand, a third round of feasts is now occurring on July 21 and 22 — across four sessions, spanning both brunch and dinner. Sydney Uni's MacLaurin Hall is the location that'll be turned into the Great Hall for the occasion, complete with an enchanted meal (Pixie Puffs, please), bottomless butterbeer (obviously), 'magic' potions (aka cocktails, we're assuming) and other wizard-themed beverages. There'll also be quidditch, a couple of sorting ceremonies and wand lessons — and Harry Potter characters mingling with attendees, if that's your idea of some perfect HP fun. Tickets are currently on sale, but they're not likely to stay that way for long, even though you'll need a bag full of galleons to head along. At $231 per head, you'd be hoping for a Yule Ball-type experience.
Something you've probably figured out about us at Concrete Playground is that we love to eat. And, when it comes to Sydney Lunar Festival, we really are spoilt for choice when it comes to incredible dining options. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly endless excellent options for eating and drinking around town, we're here to help. Loads of restaurants and bars will serving up special Lunar New Year-themed dishes and drinks to ring in the upcoming Year of the Tiger. So, to make things easier for you, we've scoured many menus to bring you our top picks. Thankfully, the festival runs from Friday, January 29–Sunday, February 13, so you've got plenty of time to eat your way through this list.
Watch this video. A young woman is walking through a park, purposefully. Slowing down, she sees a white note tagged on a sandstone monument. She pauses to detach the card, and peers down carefully at it. Her back slumps a little, she laughs to herself. She turns around suddenly, looking for the prankster responsible for the card. She continues turning then strides toward a man sitting on a bench nearby and introduces herself as Batman. Had she picked up a different card, she might have spoken in a robot voice or started the conversation with a line from a movie. It's the old game of Truth or Dare. The new incarnation started in New York City as a way to break down the barriers between people in public places. Those opting for the 'truth' side of the card these days tweet their responses using the appropriate hashtag. Now Truth or Dare is coming to Sydney, holding its first game at Jurassic Lounge, the nights that transform the Australian Museum into a grown-up playground of live music, drinks, games, comedy and performance. It's a great concept and an experiment in courage and goofiness. Here's hoping enough people have the guts to hug a stranger or quack loudly for 10 seconds or work the lyrics of Rick Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up' into their next conversation.
Second-hand shopping can be a total pain in the glutes sometimes, especially if you’re searching for designer gold. It’s a process – you have to size up the kilometres of clothing racks or, if you’re not so lucky, dive into mountains of material, 99.99% of which is overpriced crapola. It makes finding that rusted, falling apart Yves Saint Laurent belt buckle feel like the biggest triumph in the world, but hey - it’s going to fall apart within a couple of hours, which is only half the time it took you to find it in the first place. Wow, I’m bitter. But really, is there no hope…? Wait, what? There is light at the end of the tunnel? Yes, there is hope/light, and it comes in the form of The Diva’s Wardrobe. It’s a genius concept really – a one-day sale where ALL of the clothing, shoes and accessories on sale are sourced by Brisbane’s top fashion insiders – this means stylists, boutique owners and the like will be pelting their vintage and designer wares on the day. Actual vintage, actual designer! There’s an entry fee, but I think ten bucks is a light price to pay for a day of shopping that doesn’t involve you getting in a fight with the clothing rack.
If you haven't heard, Manly's Wharf Bar got a fresh facelift just in time for summer. Better yet, in January it's joined forces with seltzer giant White Claw for a lineup of events packed with live music and the go-to drink of summer. You deserve a bit of VIP treatment after the past year, so we've got a plan for you. We're inviting you and five mates to the White Claw Weekend x Manly Wharf Bar party on Sunday, January 30. For starters, you'll make your way to the event in style. A 28-foot Italian-style timber charter boat will pick your crew up at Circular Quay for a two-hour cruise around the harbour, before dropping you to the Wharf Bar's front door. On board, you can expect a luxe vibe with cosy cushions, a White Claw-themed playlist, a cheese platter and buckets of White Claw. Once you arrive at Wharf Bar, the afternoon will be soundtracked by local electronic music producer Poolclvb, who'll be playing silky beats as you kick back by the water. We'll cover the cost of a water taxi back to Circular Quay once the shindig things wrap up at Wharf Bar, too. Keen to kick it with your crew this summer? Enter details below to go in the running. [competition]836848[/competition] Top image: Katje Ford
Inspired by the theme "what matters", the 2020 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is promising more than colourful, queer and fearless events and a slew of international artists running across 17 days. In addition to the signatures — including the Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday, February 29 — there's a bunch of new happenings this time round. One of the most anticipated is the return of the Kaftan Party to be held at the Ivy on Wednesday, February 19. Don your favourite kaftan or hottest moo-moo and spend the day kicking back to the Sugar Fed Leopards and various DJs. There'll be prizes for Best Kaftan, Best Cabana Lounging Ensemble and Most Outrageous Summer Accessory. Meanwhile, the Sissy Ball is back for another round, after selling out last year. Taking over Enmore Theatre on Saturday, February 22, this NYC ballroom-inspired event centres around vogue battles in the categories of dance, movement, fashion and air. In between watching acts of unabashed self-expression, you'll be kicking back to live music and DJs. [caption id="attachment_758453" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeffrey Feng[/caption] Luna Park will transform into a rainbow wonderland for Family Fun Day and the AGNSW will once again host its free Queer Art After Hours session, while Newtown's Seymour Centre will host the festival hub. Head down there to catch theatre, music, dance, circus, cabaret, burlesque shows and late-night parties from Thursday–Sunday. Among the headliners is the world premiere of Fuck Fabulous — "an unforgettable night of debauchery" — and Hot Brown Honey: a genre-defying show about colour, culture and controversy. Expect a big injection of Eurovision talent, too, especially when 2014 winner Conchita Wurst joins Aussie cabaret star Trevor Ashley for Conchita Wurst and Trevor Ashley in Concert. The pair will play the State Theatre with a full orchestra in tow to deliver a night dedicated to their greatest hits. [caption id="attachment_758451" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Smith[/caption] And the chuckles will be flowing freely when Laugh Out Proud pulls together a sparkling lineup of homegrown and international acts into one side-splitting variety comedy event. Hosted by Nath Valvo, this one features appearances from the likes of Rhys Nicholson, Cassie Workman, Zoe Coombs Marr, Geraldine Hickey and Myra DuBois. You can look forward, too, to the return of longstanding favourites, including Fair Day at Victoria Park on Sunday, February 16; Pool Party at the Ivy on Monday, February 24; and Laneway – the Parade's official recovery party – on Sunday, March 3 at The Beresford in Surry Hills. And, of course, the Mardi Gras Party on Saturday, February 29 at Hordern Pavilion, which this year has a host of special guests: Dua Lipa, Kesha, Pabllo Vittar and Sam Smith. You'll be 'Dancing With a Stranger' to 'New Rules' and 'Tik Tok'ing the night away. Top image: Jeffrey Feng
If you're a vegetarian, keen home cook or worshipper of eggplant, chances are Yotam Ottolenghi has had some impact on your life. Now, it's time to meet him in the flesh. On January 29, the cult Israeli chef will appear at the Sydney Opera House for a long chat about food. Happening as part of the Opera House's Talks and Ideas programme, the date marks the release of Ottolenghi's latest book Simple filled with 130 easy-to-make yet super-tasty dishes. But, he'll be talking about much more than that. Firstly, there are all his other books, like the Middle Eastern-inspired Jerusalem, the vegetarian-friendly Plenty and the dessert bible Sweet, a collaboration with Melbourne pastry chef Helen Goh. Then, there are his documentaries and his regular writing gigs: a weekly column in Feast magazine and a monthly column in The New York Times. Before becoming a world-famous chef, Ottolenghi worked as a journo in Amsterdam. On deciding to delve into food, he trained at the Cordon Bleu, as well as a bunch of Michelin-starred restaurants in London, before taking on the role of Head Pastry Chef at Baker and Spice, where he befriended Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi. The two teamed up to found the Ottolenghi deli in Notting Hill — the first of many, many projects. An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi pre-sale tickets are available from 9am on Wednesday, December 19, with general tickets on sale from 9am Friday, December 21. Image: Prudence Upton
Parramatta will be stuffed full of the finest food and drink this October at the annual Parramatta Lanes festival — and, boy, do they know how to throw a party out west. The award-winning festival will take place across 12 themed laneways and squares around Parramatta, with over 50 food stalls and five bars. You'll be kept entertained by numerous live music stages (including a set by only Western Sydney DJs), lashings of sweet and savoury treats, roving theatrical performances and plenty of scattered art installations. Food-wise, we can't list everything here — we'd end up writing out a novel of so many good eats — but we will say that you can expect talent from Surry Hills sneaker/fried chicken dispensary Butter, Neil Perry's immensely popular Burger Project, wood-fired pizzas thanks to Happy as Larry, those tasty Middle Eastern street eats from Thievery and many other dishes from Jamie's Italian + Bar, PappaRich and about 40 to 50 others. For dessert, KOI Dessert Bar (run by former Masterchef favourite, Reynold Poernomo) will be dishing out sweets beside other local businesses such as Adora Handmade Chocolates, StroopBros, Sweethawk (from the team behind Nighthawk Diner), Paleteria ice cream and many more. Gin masters Archie Rose will showcase their tipples, in addition to local bar Uncle Kurt's, who will be doing a collaboration with Darcy Street Project to create boutique espresso martinis and gourmet, double smoked, NY-style hotdogs for the opening night. And of course, there will be a food truck depot.
We're almost only a month out from Christmas, so it's time to start feeling the holiday cheer and get a head start on that gift list. Cambridge Markets are kicking off the season with a range of festive events across Sydney, with the Double Bay Christmas Festival popping up in the eastern suburbs at the end of November. From 11am–8pm on Saturday, November 30, head to waterside Steyne Park for family-friendly activities galore. Ditch the generic presents for something artisanal and locally crafted this year with 100-plus stalls selling everything from homewares and plants to sweet treats and snacks, candles, jewellery and art. There'll also be live entertainment while you shop and a raffle with prizes from neighbourhood businesses. When you need a break from browsing, grab a bite from the food stalls and keep the little ones entertained with carnival attractions, face painting, pony rides and photos with Santa himself. From 6.30pm, there'll be a concert featuring artists Hugh Sheridan, Paulini and Chris Sebastian, supported by a carols band and performers from Kambala School. Finish off the evening with a bang, as fireworks light up the sky. Find out more about the Double Bay Christmas Festival at the website.
The vibey restaurant meets vinyl bar Rekōdo arrived at Solotel and Matt Moran's Barangaroo House in September 2022 and since then the spot has earned a name for itself with its melding of inventive Japanese-inspired dishes and vinyl DJs spinning records in the centre of the room — a nod to Japanese 'listening rooms'. The crew have levelled up its offering with the newly-launched Jukebox Bottomless, a regular weekend special that pairs bottomless drinks with beats for party-ready patrons. Upon arrival at your booking, the sonic sommelier that is your host will present a selection of tunes for you to choose from, with the likes of Whitney Houston and ABBA on offer — so you know it's a pro classic bangers atmosphere. Pair those tasty tunes with some tasty brews. The bottomless drinks menu includes both cocktails and bubbles. Indulge with a seasonal spritz, watermelon margarita or glass of prosecco while you vibe out to the classic bangers. If your booking is for 10 people or more, head chef Tara Chua will serve a menu of omakase-style dining in either nine or 12 courses. Smaller group? No worries. Simply spend $50 per person on food and you can add the two hours of bottomless drinks to your booking. Everyone deserves a chance to enjoy the vibes. Jukebox Bottomless is available from 12-4pm on Saturdays and 12-2pm on Sundays, from $75 per person. For more information, visit the website.
Get set for a day of tunes and poolside fun at this brand new Mardi Gras event at the Ivy Pool Club. Kick back in your comfiest kaftan, muumuu or most stylish poolside fashion, sip on some retro cocktails and enjoy tunes from New Zealand comedy music duo Topp Twins and various DJs. Plus, you can enjoy the sunset while watching the debut of water ballet troupe the Fabulous Drowning Flamingos. Not to mention that there'll be prizes for Best Kaftan, Best Cabana Lounging Ensemble and Most Outrageous Summer Accessory up for grabs. Tickets start from $52.20, and you can jump in from 4pm till late. And if you're feeling peckish you can get stuck into an Italian two-course dinner for an extra $15, with two seatings running at 6pm and 8pm.
Sydneysiders, get ready for mud crab mayhem at Kingsleys Woolloomooloo. The waterside restaurant is celebrating mud crab season with $69 Queensland muddies for the whole month of April. Mud crabs are usually sold at market price — which can push $100 a kilogram — so this deal is one not to be missed. The hefty crustaceans come served one of three ways: piled high with Singapore chilli; steamed with salt and szechuan pepper; or chilled with cocktail sauce. If you want to go really crab crazy, Kingsleys is also offering a special crab-themed set menu for $120 per person. The six-course meal begins with crab croquettes, Alaskan king crab rolls and pickled Queensland mud crab crostini with truffle oil, avocado and orange cream topped with black caviar. Next up, there's gnocchi with mud crab, sage butter and porcini before you move on to the main event — digging into half a mud crab with your choice of sauce. This decadent feast finishes with a dark chocolate mousse and, to really sweeten the deal, it also includes two hours of bottomless Cape Mentelle wines Between bites and shell-cracking, you can sip the sauvignon blanc semillon or the Trinders cabernet merlot — or opt for the chardonnay or the Wallcliffe cabernet sauvignon cabernet franc for an additional $10. With plenty of (sea)foodies expected to take advantage of this crab extravaganza, booking is highly recommended. Muddy Mania will run from Monday, April 1 to Sunday, April 31. Head to the Kingsleys website to book a table.
No one wants to live in a world where Parasite, the best movie of 2019, doesn't exist. But if it didn't for some reason, it's highly likely that Corpus Christi would've been this year's Best International Feature Film Oscar-winner, rather than just a nominee. This Polish drama also focuses on people pretending to be something they're not. As directed by Warsaw 44 and The Hater's Jan Komasa, and written by the latter's screenwriter Mateusz Pacewicz, it casts a wry eye over much about life in their homeland today, too. And it isn't afraid to call out hypocrisy, societal divisions and greed, either — literally in the latter case, via its protagonist's speech at the local sawmill. There are few other similarities between Corpus Christi and the movie it lost to, but perhaps the only one that really matters is how potently, blisteringly and rousingly it unfurls its on-screen gifts. Well that, and how striking every second of the film looks, pairing its ashen, almost-hazy aesthetics with its complicated account of an ex-juvenile delinquent who poses as a small-town priest. The imposter's name is Daniel and, as played with soulful intensity by star-in-the-making Bartosz Bielenia, he's a complex figure. First seen serving the final days of his reform school sentence, he has made a fan out of the facility's head priest, Father Tomasz (Lukasz Simlat). In fact, if Daniel's criminal record didn't preclude it, he'd desperately love to follow in the elder man's footsteps and join the seminary. While the correctional centre's hierarchy means that he has to take on look-out duties when his fellow inmates brutally rough up one of their own — lest he be on the receiving end instead — the look in the 20-year-old's eyes whenever he's reminded that his past choices have stripped away his preferred future is haunting. There's much about Bielenia's exceptional performance that sears itself into memory, but that firm, mournful gaze that adorns his face again and again is unshakeably powerful and poignant. When Daniel is released to work at the aforementioned sawmill in rural Poland, it's better than incarceration. Of course, it's hardly what he has dreamed about. Call it fate, call it divine intervention, or call it either good or dumb luck, but he's soon given the chance to pursue his calling. Through a series of events that never feels convenient or strained, Daniel claims that he's a priest — and that contention largely goes unquestioned. In a close-knit community of devout but struggling souls, with the area rocked by a recent tragedy that still lingers, locals eagerly welcome him as their new spiritual advisor. Daniel's devotion to the task helps to mask his youthful years. With those around his age, he's particularly at ease. He also genuinely has faith and believes in the job, so the jump from jailhouse scraps and drug-addled post-release parties to assisting his surprise congregation is both easy and natural. Corpus Christi is loosely inspired by real-life details, but even though this is a movie about an unconventional priest, it isn't the type of religious true tale that might instantly spring to mind. It couldn't be further from the dutifully pious standard, which remains the case even as it gifts its young protagonist with an unexpected second chance — an unlikely opportunity to follow his heart and make a difference to an insular yet divided town, too — and demonstrates that he's not the only one within the movie's frames with a troubled past to overcome. Whether he's attempting to convince the locals that an old grief-fuelled grudge reflects badly upon their character or getting closer to parishioner Marta (Eliza Rycembel) to an ungodly degree, Daniel is a wiry and magnetic bag of contradictions. Much the same can be said of his potential absolution, too. His motives are sincere, but his shot at vindication springs through subterfuge — well-meaning subterfuge that's purely a result of grasping an opportunity, rather than any misdeeds or maliciousness, but subterfuge all the same. Crafting a film that starts with grey hues, grim visuals and a mood to match, and never buffers out or prays away the grit in its aesthetics, Komasa uses Daniel's situation to veer down an important path. Benevolence and redemption are key tenets of Catholicism, and of many faiths, but there's a difference between speaking of them and putting them into action — which Corpus Christi explores in every reaction that comes its central figure's way. The film doesn't deify its protagonist, nor shy away from his mistakes and woes, but it clearly sees and accepts his desire to aid others. And, in the process, it asks what might be considered a sacrilegious question to some: if people can find the solace, warmth and comfort they yearn for in biblical characters who teach compassion and charity, why can't they in a tattooed, scarred, street-smart ex-criminal standing in front of them, getting to know them, willingly dedicating his time to helping them, and driven by the same kind intentions and aspirations? If that train of thought sounds thorny, tricky and even anxiety-inducing, that's Corpus Christi. When he's lost in prayer, Bielenia's face may look angelic; however, nothing else about this movie is ever so blissful or simple. As a film about a rehabilitated crim-turned-masquerading cleric, tension and foreboding unsurprisingly seethes through every second. First, Daniel wonders how he'll ever be seen as anything other than "scum", as he's called. Next, he worries about maintaining his deception and keeping the position he treasures. As it bubbles and broods, Corpus Christi doesn't ever offer simple answers — to audiences or to its lead character. That's to be expected; this is a feature that spends its entire time rallying against easy solutions, after all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU-Z90SEqGQ&t=20s
Often atonal and frequently frightening, the Jandek aesthetic lies somewhere between being a monstrous bastard of the Delta blues tradition, a forlorn, cacophonous No Wave homage (a one-man Birthday Party on libidinal control medication?), and perhaps Tim Buckley’s Lorca album, if it had been recorded in the Catacombs of Odessa with absolutely nothing around for stimulation bar some cheap opiates, a handful of barely legible letters by a long-since departed lover, and some early Swans LPs. His chthonic lyricism and performance approach absent of any poise, self-consciousness or engagement with concurrent musical trends has cultivated a small yet fanatical group of followers and spawned sixty-something albums over the past three decades. But before this article inadvertently illustrates Kurt Cobain’s suspicion that ‘Jandek's not pretentious, but only pretentious people like his music,’ let us discuss the few facts known about Jandek: He had never appeared in public before 2006. Many believe him to be Sterling Smith, a white-collar resident of Houston, though this has been confirmed by neither the artist nor the mysterious Corwood Industries firm that controls his discography. He has only ever given two interviews. His brushes with public light have been slim to say the least, though he did feature alongside the Shaggs, Daniel Johnston and Joe Meek in Irwin Chusid’s Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious World of Outsider Music. This will be Jandek's maiden tour of Australia, and who knows if or when he will come out of hiding again. So if you like the sound of a middle-aged man howling existential poetry over dissonant and minimalist free-jazz — and let’s face it, that’s all of us — this event will be once-in-a-lifetime material.
Surry Hills cafe Meet Mica is turning two this week, and it's celebrating with free coffee for all. This isn't your 'one-and-done' type offer, either — you can order three complimentary coffees at a time, and come back as many times as you'd like. It's all going down this Wednesday, July 17, from 7am–3pm. While pour overs aren't included, all other caffeinated and hot drinks are up for grabs — including any sizes, milks and add-ons. Flat white with macadamia milk? You got it. Double macchiato with mocha? Absolutely. Ginger latte or hot chocolate with soy? Those too. To keep the line moving, each person can order three at a time, but multiple visits and orders are allowed throughout the day. The freebie applies for dine-in, takeaway and advanced orders on the Heyyou app, too. And the coffee is courtesy of another Surry Hills favourite, Reuben Hills, so you know you're getting top-notch cuppas to boot. Whether you need to earn some brownie points at the office or its your shout with the mates, you've really lucked out this week.
When Harvest Rock announced that it was making a comeback for 2025, it locked in a big return for a music festival that's boasted killer lineups on its two past spins: for its debut in 2022 and its second spin in 2023. This year's roster of acts for the two-day Adelaide music festival is again a list to get excited about. There's no "someday" about when The Strokes will next be in Australia: headlining Harvest Rock and doing an Aussie-exclusive show, they're the main event on Saturday, October 25. Also taking to the stage on the fest's first 2025 day are The War on Drugs, also doing an Australian-exclusive gig. Vance Joy, M.I.A., Lime Cordiale and Genesis Owusu will be wowing Saturday crowds as well, as will The Presets, The Jungle Giants, Cloud Control, Bag Raiders and more. If you're a fan of Wolfmother's self-titled debut album, you're also in luck: the Australian band will play it in full. Harvest Rock's Sunday, October 26 lineup boasts Jelly Roll as its headliner, followed by Royel Otis, Groove Armada doing a DJ set, Shaboozey, PNAU, Lauren Spencer Smith, Ruel and Sneaky Sound System — and others. The fest's second day is also scoring the Ministry of Sound Classical treatment, aka dance music hits played live by an orchestra. The venue: Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina. When the event was first born, hailing from the Secret Sounds crew — who were also behind Splendour in the Grass — it not only aimed to get everyone dancing in a park in Adelaide each spring, but also delivered a weekend-long blend of music, food and wine. That's once more the setup. Accordingly, the festival also spans Adelaide's top restaurants and eateries serving up dishes, a culinary-focused stage and wine tastings. In 2025, the Amuse-Bouche Stage is part of the lineup, for instance, bringing together culinary figures, podcasters and comedians — with Ben Harvey and Belle Jackson, Nat's What I Reckon, the Marmalade trio and folks from the music bill also featuring. For a bite and a sip, Wildwoods & Cellar Door by Duncan Welgemoed & Nick Stock, Denny Bradden's Dirty Doris Diner, Regent Thai, Africola Canteen, Anchovy Bandit and Gang Gang are among your options. And, label-wise from the vino selection, so are Ochota Barrels, Yangarra, Basket Range Wines, Murdoch Hill, Grant Nash, Sherrah, S.C.Pannell / Protero, Shaw + Smith / Other Wine Co, Henschke, Les Fruits / Parley, Bloomfield, Stoke Wines, Worlds Apart, Koerner, First Drop, Torbreck, Adelina and Champagne Taittinger. Harvest Rock 2025 Lineup Saturday, October 25: The Strokes The War on Drugs Vance Joy M.I.A. Lime Cordiale Wolfmother The Presets Skream & Benga Genesis Owusu The Jungle Giants Cloud Control Vacations Bag Raiders (live) Teenage Joans Divebar Youth Sunsick Daisy Oscar The Wild Any Young Mechanic
For its latest special event, Restaurant Hubert is whisking patrons off to Italy — or, given everyone will still stay nestled in Sydney, doing the next best thing. A collaboration with Giorgio De Maria, Magnums & Movies will screen an Italian cinema classic, accompanied by plenty of wine (in magnums, of course) plus the restaurant's interpretation of Italian theatre and film snacks. And, it'll all take place in Hubert's 120-seat Theatre Royale, to really ramp up the film-meets-cabaret-meets-dinner vibe. To assist, there'll also be a cabaret performance featuring Ashley from Two Metre Tall and Tom from Shobbrook Wines. They'll be picking the tipples as well. Tickets don't come cheap, at $135 per head — but it's the kind of decadent evening out you don't get to enjoy everyday. To head along, contact the restaurant to make a booking. Images: Daniel Boud.
Sydney fried chicken legends Butter are celebrating the Year of the Tiger with a series of limited-time menu and merch items at their Sydney stores and a pop-up food stall at The Rock's Lunar New Year markets. On offer throughout February, specials include an impossible beef noodle soup, a beer and soup combo, socks and t-shirts. The Chinese hot and numbing Impossible beef noodle soup has been created by Butter Executive Chef Julia Cincotta and incorporates a vegetarian beef and broth that will satisfy both meat-eaters and vegos alike. "I love Chinese noodle soups — in my humble opinion they are some of the tastiest in the world," Cincotta says. "We have always played with vegetarian broth each year for our ramens, however since we have started using Impossible Foods Beef, I have wanted to make a very special soup using this great plant-based product." The soup is available on its own for $20 or with a Tiger beer for an extra $8. When it comes to the merch, Butter has teamed up with all-female designers of colour Smile and Wave for a line of Year of the Tiger range of socks and t-shirts including a parody of the legendary hip-hop album Liquid Swords' album art. You can find purchase the collection from the Smile and Wave website from Thursday, February 3. The Year of the Tiger menu items will be available from the butter pop-up until Sunday, February 13 or in-store at the restaurant's Surry Hills, Chatswood and Parramatta outposts until the end of the month.
When Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi invited the world to experience the vampire sharehouse mockumentary genre, one of the best comedies of the decade wasn't the only result. Every film seems to spawn sequels, remakes, spinoffs and the like these days, but no one's complaining about spending more time in the What We Do in the Shadows universe. A follow-up, We're Wolves, is in the works, focusing on the undead bloodsuckers' Rhys Darby-led lycanthrope enemies. And six-episode television spinoff Wellington Paranormal, following the movie's cops (Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary) as they keep investigating the supernatural, is now streaming on SBS On Demand. Add a US TV remake of the original flick to the pile as well, but withhold any "do we really need a remake?" judgement. First revealed by Waititi last year, given a pilot order earlier in 2018 and now officially moving ahead with a ten-episode first season, the American version will be written by Clement and directed by Waititi, The Hollywood Reporter notes — and will see a documentary crew follow three vampire flatmates living in New York City, according to Variety. The series will star Toast of London's Matt Berry, Four Lions' Kayvan Novak, British stand-up comedian Natasia Demetriou and The Magicians' Harvey Guillen. It's unknown whether Clement and Waititi will reprise their on-screen roles in a guest capacity, but you can watch the first two (very brief) teasers here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLdeHQ_0nts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0idSAp9HRk With What We Do in the Shadows actually starting its life as a short back in 2005, the concept of flatting members of the undead arguing about bloody dishes has taken quite the journey since those early beginnings. If any idea was going to come back in multiple guises, it's this one. Of course, so have Clement and Waititi. Clement has a new Flight of the Conchords TV special airing on HBO this month, while Waititi two post-Thor: Ragnarok flicks in the works — a stop-motion animated effort called Bubbles, about Michael Jackson's chimp, and another by the name of Jojo Rabbit, set during World War II and starring Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell. The US remake isn't set to air in America until early-to-mid 2019. Via The Hollywood Reporter / Variety. Image: Kane Skennar.
Maybe you love a bowl piled high with ice cream after a long day. Perhaps doughnuts make any moment better. Or, you could love sweet dishes in general. Whichever fits, you might've been treating yo'self a little more often than usual during Sydney's lockdown — especially if you live in one of the Local Government Areas that were dubbed LGAs of concern and put under stricter rules for much of the ongoing stay-at-home period. Thankfully, all parts of Sydney are now under the same restrictions. Still, the past few months have been particularly hard if you reside in a former hotspot LGA. Free dessert won't change that, of course, but it's still nice. And, it's what Uber Eats will be dishing up to one specific area. If your stomach is now rumbling, here's how it works. Firstly, the giveaway is only open to those ex-LGAs of concern — so Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield and Penrith. Secondly, it'll only come into effect in whichever of those LGAs hits the 80-percent fully vaccinated mark first. Yes, this vax incentive combines multiple pandemic trends: getting food delivered, getting jabbed, encouraging vaccinations, watching those vax rates climb up and giving yourself something sweet because we all deserve it at the moment. Whenever that 80-percent mark is reached in one of those aforementioned LGAs, Uber Eats will give everyone in the relevant suburbs up to $20 off an order from their favourite dessert store for three days — from Friday–Sunday across the weekend after that target is hit. The discount won't include fees, so you will still have to pay something. Obviously, you'll need to order via Uber Eats to score the deal. But, it'll really just be as easy as using the platform's app, finding a participating store under the 'Desserts' category, ordering, and entering the the promo code VAXXED4SNACKS. Exactly when this discount will kick in obviously depends on vaccination numbers in the former hotspot LGAs. Keen to keep an eye on vax rates? We've rounded up the websites helping you do just that, and the New South Wales Government has a handy map that tracks vaccinations by postcode, too. If you like free fries as well, fellow delivery service Deliveroo is going to give everyone across NSW a free large serve of fries with their orders from Hungry Jack's and other participating restaurants when the state hits the 60-percent double-vaxxed mark. Get jabbed, get free food — that's today's world. Uber Eats will give $20 discounts on dessert orders for three days to everyone in one of Sydney's ex-LGAs of concern when the first of former hotspot LGA hits 80-percent fully vaxxed. For further details, head to the Uber Eats website.
Strolls around the city have been much brighter in recent weeks, all thanks to the addition of some unexpected blooms. The CBD's grey, concrete streets have had a makeover as a part of the City of Sydney's twice-yearly 'Living Colour' floral display project, taking over Martin Place, Green Square, Town Hall, Alfred Street and the forecourt outside St Mary’s cathedral. But as the plants have been blooming since September, these flowers need a new home. Want some more snapdragons, celosia, golden marjoram and bromeliads in your life? On Sunday, November 8 from 8am, St Mary's Cathedral will be the spot to snag some cut-price botanical beauties. For just a gold coin donation, you'll be able to take home everything from petunias to curly parsley. Best of all, all funds raised will be heading directly to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. Add some colour to your own space and feel good about it too. Who could resist adopting these little blooms that've seen it all?
While some bars are slowly opening in Sydney and Brisbane, many of us are still stirring and shaking our cocktails at home. To help brighten up our time inside — and our DIY cocktails — Adelaide Hills gin distillery Applewood has just released a new pink gin. Dubbed Coral, its name pulls inspiration from two sources. Firstly, the colour — the gin itself is pink, but the bottles have also been hand-sealed with one-of-a-kind pearlescent pink wax. Secondly, the gin has been inspired by the Great Barrier Reef and a portion of sales from the pretty-in-pink drink will go to a charity dedicated to the reef's restoration. The world's largest coral reef system has suffered regular mass coral bleaching, a phenomenon caused by climate change, which kills the reef's algae and starves the coral — but, thankfully, there are charities out there working to regrow and regenerate the damaged coral. Coral gin is made, in true Applewood fashion, using native Australian botanicals: salty karkalla (a succulent found on many Aussie beaches), spicy riberries and sweet strawberry gum. You can serve it as a G&T — garnished with pink peppercorns, if that's something you can get your hands on — or, you can whip up a Coral gin fizz. You'll find that recipe down the bottom. For now, only 800 bottles are available, but the gin is expected to stick around as part of the company's core range in the long term. Coral gin is on sale now for $70 via the Applewood Distillery website, with Australia-wide shipping available. [caption id="attachment_771056" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Coral gin fizz[/caption] CORAL GIN FIZZ 60 millilitres Coral gin 30 millilitres pineapple juice 30 millilitres cream Barspoon of molasses (about 1/2 a teaspoon) Three drops vanilla extract Three drops of Wonderfoam Soda Add all ingredients except soda with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake, then remove ice and shake again (called a dry shake). Double strain into a tall glass and let settle. Top with soda and ice.
Long considered Australia's go-to whale-watching spot, Queensland's Hervey Bay is now the world's first whale heritage site, too. Located a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Brisbane, the Fraser Coast city was bestowed the prestigious honours at this year's World Whale Conference, which was held in coastal locale over the past week — receiving the accreditation not only due to its considerable whale population across the second half of each year, but thanks to its respectful and responsible embrace of the animals throughout the community. Established by the World Cetacean Alliance, the Whale Heritage Site scheme aims to recognise places that "preserve cetacean species and their habitats". More broadly, the initiative is designed to promote the globe's most responsible whale and dolphin-watching destinations; help protect marine habitats by supporting local communities, especially when it comes to sustainable practices; and assist the development of spots that depend on the sea, particularly by encouraging folks to appreciate the significance of whales in the area. If you've ever headed north to spy the majestic creatures — or even just for a holiday — it's impossible to spend time in Hervey Bay without being reminded of its whale-focused eco-tourism industry. From July to November each year, humpback whales head up from Antarctica, using the site to rest and socialise on the way to their breeding grounds in the Whitsundays. Then, towards the end of the season, they pass by again on the 5000-kilometre journey back down south — which is when whale-watchers can see mother whales spending time teaching their young calves in the local waters. Naturally, there's no shortage of whale-watching tours in the area. Visitors can also head to the Fraser Coast Discovery Sphere, which, as well as featuring a 12-metre-high whale sculpture and a full-sized reproduction of a whale skeleton, explores and celebrates humpback whales and their place in the region. And, each July and August, the city also hosts the annual Hervey Bay Whale Festival. Already quite the tourist drawcard, the new WHS accreditation is expected to attract more visitors, unsurprisingly. Nearly 60,000 people went whale-watching in the region last year, Fraser Coast Tourism general manager Martin Simons told the ABC. While Hervey Bay earned the first whale heritage site slot, it's not the only spot to receive the nod, with The Bluff in Durban in South Africa named the second WHS site. Other locations under consideration include Vancouver Island North in Canada, Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand, Mosaic Jurubatiba in Brazil and Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. Images: Mark Seabury via Visit Fraser Coast.
The last known Tasmanian Tiger (or thylacine) died almost exactly 80 years ago — on September 7, 1936 — at Hobart Zoo. Although many Aussie species have been driven to extinction since then, none has lingered in our collective imagination with quite as much power. A new play from Human Animal Exchange takes this phenomenon as its dramatic starting point. Titled They Saw A Thylacine and showing at Q Theatre on April 23, the two-woman work stars Sarah Hamilton and Justine Hamilton. Taking on the roles of a thylacine tracker and a zookeeper's daughter, the two conjure up the Tasmanian Tiger's ghost out of death and darkness. Along the way, they reimagine the creature's vanished history, explore the meanings and ramifications of extinction, and reflect on humanity's survival. Following a highly successful run at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre, They Saw A Thylacine is the first production in this year's Brave New Work, an annual season of new and innovative Australian theatre, presented at The Joan, Penrith. Image: Pia Johnson.
