Grocery shopping with Grandma just got real serious. It has just been announced that infrared shopping trolleys will be introduced at IGA stores in Brisbane in February, following successful trials over the past few months. These trolleys feature LCD screens which can locate items within the store, notify you of current specials, and scan your items so you can keep within your budget. If that wasn't enough, trackers in the supermarket ceilings can locate your trolley and let you know which aisle you're in. Keep your fingers crossed for these super-intelligent trolleys to appear at a store near you. Handling one of these four-wheelers means that choosing your cereal won't be a chore, it will soon become a hobby. [via Gizmodo]
Australia's premier contemporary art support program, Artbank is launching an impressive new exhibition with some award-winning artists. From Where We Stand opens on Thursday, May 17, at the company's art-filled headquarters in Waterloo, and will explore the inseparable relationship between perspective and experience. If all that's a bit too much of a mouthful of art-jargon for you, here's what to expect: a series of classical landscape paintings from Artbank's extensive collection, plus intimate works inspired by personal experiences from six of Australia's most exciting contemporary artists. Among the six artists exhibiting is the just-announced winner of the 2018 Archibald Prize, Yvette Coppersmith. Coppersmith, whose Self-portrait, after George Lambert won the award, will be exhibiting portraits alongside works from artists Ricky Emmerton, Anna McMahon, Sean Meilak, Rusty Peters and Lisa Sammut. The remaining five artist's practices vary greatly. Some of the artworks you'll encounter on the night include Anna McMahon's exploration of a queer narrative through sculpture and video; Sean Meilak's architecturally-inspired geometric sculptures; and Rusty Peters' — Gija community elder — Indigenous artworks, which are inspired by the land and stories of the Kimberley. With such a wide array of works on site, this is an exhibition not to be missed. Get down to the opening, grab yourself some bubbly and get your art on – you won't regret it. The From Where We Stand Exhibition Opening will run from 6–8pm on Thursday, May 17. Entry is free, but you can register here. The exhibition will run until Friday, August 17. Images in order: Simon Shiff, Yvette Coppersmith, Rusty Peters and Lisa Sammut.
Coronavirus restrictions are beginning to ease and you're allowed to have more visitors in your home, which is very welcome news as we move into the season of festive catch-ups, backyard barbecues, pool hangs and picnics. We're sure seeing your family and friends in the flesh is exciting enough. But if you want to put a worthy spin on your next catch-up, you can also use it to raise money for Movember. While the charity is best known for encouraging blokes to grow silly mos throughout the month of November to raise money for men's health, it also has an option to host an in-person or virtual event. And this weekend will be the perfect opportunity to get involved with its Shit Shirt Saturday party. This Saturday, November 28, Movember is encouraging you to invite your mates around to your place (or to your local park). Everyone will need to pay $20 entry (for charity, obvs) and wear the best worst shirt for a bit of fun. Movember is providing the entertainment with a lineup of 45-minute DJ sets to stream throughout the afternoon and evening. The tunes will kick off at 3pm with Eric Sidey, followed by Matt Jones, Nick Kennedy and Spacey Space. At 6pm, Airwolf will perform and Torren Foot will wrap things up at 6.45pm. To get involved, sign up to be a host at Movember's website and then, on the day, head here for the live-stream. Just remember to keep your shit shirt socially distanced from others.
Jason Schwartzman as a private detective. That's it — that's the show. In Bored to Death, the Wes Anderson favourite plays Jonathan Ames, a Brooklyn-based writer who moonlights as a sleuth, pals around with a comic book artist played by Zach Galifianakis and sees a literary magazine editor played by Ted Danson as his surrogate father figure. Adding another layer of eccentricity: the fact that Bored to Death was created and written by an author also called Jonathan Ames, who later wrote the novella that excellent hitman thriller You Were Never Really Here was based on. But even without that nifty trivia tidbit, this is a delightfully offbeat three-season gumshoe series that deservedly amassed quite the cult following when it initially aired from 2009–11. Also, everyone from Jenny Slate and Kristen Wiig to Patton Oswalt and Isla Fisher co-star.
UPDATE Monday, September 27: Guns N' Roses Australian and New Zealand tour has been postponed to November and December 2022. You can find all the details at the Guns N' Roses website. "Stadium rock is back!" pronounces the tour poster for the newly announced Guns N' Roses tour of Australia and New Zealand. The tour, scheduled for November 2021, is the first international stadium tour announcement since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The eight-stop tour will hit Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth, as well as Wellington and Dunedin, between Saturday, November 6, 2021 and Wednesday, November 24, 2021. The idea of stadium shows doesn't feel too far fetched after the latest State of Origin match was played in front of a full crowd following the rolling back of event restrictions in Queensland. New Zealand stadiums are also back to full capacity and Sydney is hosting a pair COVID-safe stadium gigs on Saturday, November 28 and Saturday, December 5. The biggest challenge to the tour going ahead will be Australian borders, which remain shut with no clear indication of when they may reopen. It's been a while between drinks for Guns N' Roses fans, with the rock band last touring Australia in 2017 on the Not in This Lifetime tour, the first tour to see founding members Axel Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan all take the stage together in over a decade. Following the tour, the band left fans hanging with Slash tweeting that the band would be back Down Under soon. Three years on and fans are waiting for a November Rain singalong in a packed stadium. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbUC-UaAxE GUNS N' ROSES AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES 2021 Gold Coast – Saturday, November 6, Metricon Stadium Adelaide – Tuesday, November 9, Adelaide Oval Melbourne – Thursday, November 11, Melbourne Cricket Ground Sydney – Sunday, November 14, ANZ Stadium Wellington – Friday, November 19, Sky Stadium Dunedin – Sunday, November 21, Forsyth Barr Stadium Perth – Wednesday, November 24, Optus Stadium Members of Guns N' Roses Nightrain Club will have access to pre-sale tickets on Monday, November 23 from gunsnroses.com. General public tickets are on sale on Thursday, November 26 from Ticketek Australia and New Zealand. Image: Raph_PH via Flickr
Saving water is one of those things that your parents drilled into you as a young kid as you recklessly allowed the tap to run a little longer than you're supposed to. And while water supply has not been under the same scrutiny as global warming of late, it remains a top environmental concern beaten only by climate change and the issue of finding alternative sources of energy. Luckily saving water can be as simple as capturing rainwater in some sort of dispenser to be stored, treated and reused. The Rainbarrel Man Co. builds wood clad, steel banded rain barrels from repurposed material; they use western red cedar wood purchased from local saw mills (usually salvaged lumber). The result is an attractive rain harvesting system that can be paired with a drip irrigation kit or a storm water manager. While the storm water manager allows you to direct the collected water to your bioswale or rain garden, the drip irrigation kit can be used to water your plants at the roots. An added bonus to this is that collecting rain water and reusing it prevents the polluted storm water (which carry pesticides and animal waste) from entering our drains and contaminating natural surroundings. Once your Rainbarrel is installed, you'll need to add a pump system that distributes your stored water around your garden year round. RainPerfect is easy to install, costs just US$139 and converts the sun's rays into sustainable energy. And if you want to take your environmentally habits indoors, Pensar Development's Indulgence concept shower learns your individual shower habits and routines to reduce water usage in the home. Cycles consist of a low-flow initial rinse, followed by warming mist jets before finishing with a second low-flow rinse.
Every Saturday morning at 10, FBi show All the Best tells a collection of real and fictional Sydney stories. Its weekly themes run from 'ritual', to 'silence', to an exploration of Sydney's compass points north, south, east and west. After a successful late night live recording at Surry Hills Library, it's getting ready for another go. A live version of the show with a Power Trip theme will join faces to its words at the Sydney Writers' Festival this Thursday evening. As part of its lust for power, the show will combine documentary short stories with readings from Festival authors along a similarly forceful vein. Journalist Wendy Bacon will help document her turbulent days editing Tharunka, alongside pieces on modern-day magic and the cost of war. Peppered among them, Mandy Sayer will read from her fiery World War II novel Love in the Year of Lunacy, sharing a stage with show regular Vanessa Berry and fellow Festival guests, investigative reporter Anna Krien and Iranian/Australian writer Sara Haghdoosti. Singer songwriter Fergus Brown will make live music, and push into the action with occasional live score. Image by Wendy Bacon, from an original 70s edition of Tharunka . Click through for full image. Warning: contains one extremely rude word.
This global pandemic might have us cooped up at home, but it sure hasn't dulled our penchant for online shopping. Without the bottomless brunches, bar hopping adventures and retail therapy sessions of regular life, many of us have a little extra in the savings fund and a whole lot more time for scrolling. And of course, those package deliveries are all the more thrilling when your social life is taking an enforced hiatus. An offshoot of Bendigo and Adelaide Banks that's built for the digital world, Up is one of the new kids on the banking block. Its focus is on offering a primo mobile banking experience — the kind that fits into your real life with minimal hassle, leaving you more time to worry about the important stuff (like which of the 19 items in your basket will be making it to the checkout). As an online shopping companion, Up's ticking plenty of boxes, thanks to a suite of features designed to keep things simple. For example, it'll show actual business names, locations and company logos in your spending history, so you're not left doing mental gymnastics trying to guess the story behind that $45.50 you dropped at 3am last Saturday. It's also got an automatic transaction categorisation function, to help keep your balances and budgeting in tip-top shape, without too much effort. https://www.instagram.com/p/Btw0EVqn2fE/ Shopping on international sites can normally be a bit fraught, what with the extra charges and conversion dramas. But Up is being a mate and passing on zero fees on all overseas purchases, both online and IRL. It displays both the local and foreign currency on your receipt and app, and will even send you an immediate purchase notification in Aussie dollars. Throw in a bunch of nifty savings functions — like the ability to instantly round up your spare cents — plus upcoming bill predictions and a 1.85-percent interest rate, and you've got yourself one nice, breezy banking situation. For more information about Up and to sign up for an account, jump over to the Up website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. General advice only. Please consider your personal circumstances before making a decision to join Up. Conditions https://up.com.au/hook_up_a_mate/. Product issuer Bendigo & Adelaide Bank.
What do you do with a slab of unused space in the middle of the CBD? You plant a barley crop and open a brewery, of course. As part of Street Works, a landscape design competition hosted by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), the Beerline project will see Quay Street transformed into Haymarket's very own self-sustained brewery. Following its installation amongst traffic lights and tram tracks, the public harvesting of the barley crop last week marked the first step in the three-month process that takes the crop from barley to bottle. Throughout December, the barley will undergo the process of malting, brewing, and fermenting, ready to be bottled and served to the public in the January Beer Festival. Brewing will take place on site from start to finish, aiming to promote awareness and appreciation of the value of our food, more than just a 'vacuum sealed container on a supermarket shelf'. But the social initiative doesn't stop there. The crop will produce around 500 beers, all available for online 'adoption' through a pledged donation to Oz Harvest. Once you've adopted a beer, you can attend regular brewing events to keep an eye on your little tike as it grows up from grass, to make its social debut as an icy cold bevvy. The visionaries behind Beerline are a pair of bright young architects who go by the name of the Bean Factory. The Beerline is the first in a series of small ideas they intend to release into our city, in the hope that they grow (quite literally, in this case) into something bigger. The four other projects featured in the Street Works initiative will grace our city streets until the end of January. Check them out at www.streetworks.org.au
With international borders reopening, it's time to start dreaming of your next overseas getaway. If you're looking for some next-level inspiration for a place to stay, Airbnb's Instagram has it in spades. Showcasing some of the most picturesque stays you can book through the platform, Airbnb's Instagram feed is full of awe-inspiring accommodation that'll see you checking out flights to the other side of the globe. If you don't have time to scroll through the account's thousands of posts, Airbnb has put together a list of the most liked images from its Instagram from 2021. Coming in at number one is a blissful wooden A-frame cabin smack-bang in the middle of the Zion National Park in Utah. The US accommodation boasts stunning views of the Zion Mountains, however it seems to be booked out for the foreseeable future. Plenty of other homes on the list have dates open if you're looking to head overseas for a trip that'll make all your friends envious. Coming in as the second most-liked post of last year, the Raven Rock Treehouse is perched high up on a 40-acre wilderness preserve in Fletcher, North Carolina. The idyllic treehouse stay is also reasonably priced, with one night setting you back $179. Further south in Mexico you'll find the Villa Amalfi. This five-bedroom spot can house up to ten people for a luxurious trip to Tulum. For $986 a night, you can enjoy this villa's unique outdoor pool, solar-powered in-room jacuzzi, garden swing and gourmet kitchen. And, over in Serbia you'll find the Mariner Boathouse, a floating home docked at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers in the country's capital Belgrade. You can check out the full list over at Airbnb's website, and if you're not ready to book a trip out of Australia just yet, Airbnb has plenty of places to stay in Australia's backyard. If you're looking for the most beautiful and interesting homes you can rent in Australia, browse through our bucket list of hundreds of lush getaways, from secluded cabins oozing with romance to enchanting stays scattered around Tasmania. [caption id="attachment_840722" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mariner Boathouse[/caption] All images courtesy of Airbnb. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
This Saturday, October 29, what will you be doing? If the answer isn't celebrating Mexico's Day of the Dead holiday, then you might have to re-evaluate your plans, as Espolón Tequila is holding not one, but two parties on the last Saturday of October. The traditional Day of the Dead holiday actually runs over two separate days on November 1 and 2, when it's believed that the souls of those who have passed to the underworld can come back to visit. Families in Mexico and Latin America (and around the world) come together to welcome their loved ones back with their favourite food, drinks, candles, flowers and incense and celebrate the meaningful holiday together. The two Espolón Tequila celebrations will run at the same time on Saturday night — at the Manly Wharf Hotel and Taylor's Rooftop in the CBD. The former kicks off at 8pm with a complimentary Espolón margarita on arrival; after that, they're $10 all night. Taylor's will be mixing up margaritas as well — a whole menu of them, in fact. Espolón tequila is handcrafted and distilled by artisans in the Los Altos region of Mexico, which makes it the perfect drink to celebrate the Day of the Dead with. Both events are free to attend, and there will be face painters on hand to help you out with an authentic costume.
Prepare to see some very fashionable pups strolling the streets of Australia, because instantly recognisable fashion label Gorman has launched its latest line of limited edition dog coats. What's more — as part of a second collaboration with Guide Dogs Australia — those new threads will have their wearers looking good for a very good cause. All profits will go towards providing extra support and boost awareness for the life-changing organisation. The quilted dog jackets are available in three different exclusive Gorman prints — named Emoji, River of Love, and Camo — and four sizes, ensuring pups big and small can look the goods. Each features a polyester shell, cotton lining and adjustable velcro straps for the perfect fit. And in excellent news for humans who want a piece of the action, the line also includes matching water-resistant raincoats for the lesser species. Just imagine how many looks you and your fluffball will get down at the dog park. Gorman's latest Guide Dogs Australia range is available online and at Gorman stores nationwide. Prices start at $39. Image: @spencerthechow and @frankiethelilsausage via Instagram.
Mother nature wants us to stop using plastic bags. They aren't good for the environment, particularly when disposed of incorrectly and become fatal turtle food due to their uncanny jellyfish-like appearance in the ocean. Consequently, she has teamed up with Mother Nature, a fellow attendee of her weekly mother's club, to create a brand-new range of uncarriable carrier bags that will tempt us into changing our plastic bag usage and recycling habits. Building on their first series of uncarriable carrier bags in 2005 that featured bags emblazoned with 'sperm clinic drop in centre' and 'Phil Collins unofficial fan club', the creative company has released four new yellow bags with overlaid x-ray machine like designs that suggest you are carrying items that you would not want your closest friends to uncover, let alone the wider general public. The designs include drug paraphernalia, sex toys and weapons and beg the question of how desperate your plastic bag need is if you are willing to be seen carrying these items. Showing that reverse psychology works a treat though, they may prove to be on everyone's want list as they are so covetable and novelty. But even then, that should slow plastic bag consumption, as these can carry all of your shopping and other plastic bag needs. Just don't take them on a plane, except maybe the sex toys one; that one probably won't get you stopped, just stared at a lot. Via It's Nice That
Sydney is finally stepping up its technology game, announcing it's looking to roll out free public Wi-Fi access in key areas across the inner city. The plans are part of the City of Sydney's draft digital strategy, as it aims to boost Sydney's digital future, promote it as a 'smart' city and meet technological expectations. The City of Sydney includes the CBD, Darlinghurst and Surry Hills, Pyrmont and Annandale right down to Erskineville and Rosebery. "The digital strategy commits the City to investigating the rollout of a free and accessible WiFi network," a City of Sydney spokesperson told us. "The City of Sydney is currently preparing an expression of interest for the rollout of free public Wi-Fi across our local area that will be released to the market in the coming months." While free Wi-Fi is available at libraries and community centres across the city, a larger-scale public network for the CBD has been flagged as a must — especially as the Inner West, Waverley and Parramatta councils are among those who have already implemented free access. Melbourne rolled out free Wi-Fi last year and Perth has had citywide access since 2013. As the CoS's strategy states, the infrastructure will ensure visitors and people on low incomes have online access and improve people's general experience of the city, making it safer and easier to get around and "help Sydney to market itself as a networked community and leading global city". The CoS will release an expression of interest for implementation soon in the hope that the Wi-Fi system will be rolled out this year.
As authorities and aid organisations scramble to provide relief to the more than eight million people affected by the Nepalese earthquake, two good-hearted Sydney pubs have announced they’ll donate a portion of their Friday and Saturday takings to Oxfam. On Friday, May 1, Keg & Brew in Surry Hills will set aside all the proceeds from one keg of Murray’s Angry Man and one keg of Stone & Wood Pacific Ale. Then on Saturday, parent venue Dove & Olive will follow suit, contributing the money made from kegs of Holgate and Young Henrys. Both venues will have visiting brewers on hand, like Simon ‘Wombat’ Kraegan from Young Henrys, to chat to punters about what they’re drinking — and presumably try and spruik sales for a damn good cause. The fundraiser is inspired by head chefs Devendra Sherchan at Keg & Brew and Nirajan Khadji at Dove & Olive, both of whom are originally from Nepal. In additional to the beer, they’ll also be serving one-off Nepalese dishes starting early next week, with that money going directly to Oxfam as well. So, if you’re looking to have a few beers this weekend, consider heading up to Surry Hills. You’ll never feel less guilty about drinking more than you should. For more information about Keg & Brew and Dove & Olive, visit their websites here and here. To donate directly to Oxfam’s Nepalese Earthquake Appeal, head to www.oxfam.org.au.
First, Greece announced that it would restart its tourism industry by allowing residents from a selection of other countries — including Australia and New Zealand — to visit. Now, the entire European Union is set to follow suit. If dreaming about a far-flung getaway has been getting you through COVID-19 lockdowns over the past three months, that means you're one step closer to making overseas holiday plans. As announced on Tuesday, June 30, European time, the Council of the EU has adopted a recommendation to start slowly easing travel restrictions — specifically, to reopen its borders to non-essential travel into Europe. In the first stage, the Council supports reopening to tourists from 14 nations, spanning not only folks from Australia and New Zealand, but those from Algeria, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay. It also recommends including a 15th country, China, but only subject to China also agreeing to a reciprocal arrangement to let EU residents visit, too. The Council's decision — and its selection of countries — is based on three criteria, focusing on the epidemiological situation in each nation. They include new COVID-19 case numbers either close to or below the EU average, as seen over the 14 days up until June 15, and measured per 100,000 inhabitants; a stable or decreasing trend of new cases compared to the prior 14 days; and the country's overall response to the pandemic, such as testing, surveillance, contact tracing, containment, treatment and reporting. The EU's list will be reviewed and potentially updated every two weeks. New places may possibly added, and existing countries on the list could be removed if their COVID-19 situation worsens. [caption id="attachment_648685" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Nice, France.[/caption] A recommendation from the Council to allow tourists from the aforementioned nations is only the first step, however. All 27 member states of the EU — Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden — must implement the recommendation individually, so don't go packing your bags just yet. Of course, Australians and New Zealanders still can't leave their respective countries anyway — but you can add Europe to your holiday list when local travel restrictions are lifted. In Australia, a travel ban is still in place, with Aussies unable to depart the nation unless they seek an exemption from Home Affairs. Indeed, the government doesn't expect international travel to and from Australia to resume until next year, and Qantas doesn't anticipate putting on overseas flights until at least mid-2021 either. And in New Zealand, the government still currently advises that all New Zealanders do not travel overseas at present. For further details about the European Union's eased tourism recommendation, visit the Council of the EU's website.
In the face of the increasing cynicism and self-self-self-referentialness of art, thank god for the Italians. They still like romance in their films the way they insist on full fat milk in their coffee. Now in its 14th season, the Italian FIlm Festival promises to return "like the lingering embrace of a cherished lover". Twenty-seven films will deliver stories in which uncontrolled passions run high. Highlights include A Five Star Life (Viaggio Sola), the tale of a jetsetting hotel critic who knows her five stars from her four but whose analytical faculties let her down when it comes to her own life; A Perfect Family (Una famiglia perfetta), a comedy about a rich but lonely man who 'rents' a family for Christmas and even writes a script for each member; and Ali Blue Eyes, a Romeo and Juliet-esque drama driven by a taboo love affair and a stabbing. Both opening and closing nights will feature films that'll make you want to go to Rome: Paolo Sorrentino's The Great Beauty, starring Toni Servillo as a renowned journalist and ladies man who once dreamed of becoming a novelist, and Fellini's 1972 classic Roma. Young European star Clara Ponsot will be making guest appearances in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane, presenting her new film, Cosimo and Nicole. The Lavazza Italian Film Festival is on during October in Sydney (9 October to 3 November), Melbourne (2-27 October) and Brisbane (3-22 October). Thanks to the Italian Film Festival, we have ten double passes to give away in each city (valid for two complimentary tickets to one festival session of choice). To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. Image: The Great Beauty
Winter is coming and like Game of Thrones' Nights Watch, Sydney's cultural scene is doing all it can to avoid its inhabitants being consumed by the cold. Vivid has come and gone in a flash of (many mesmeric) lights and now the city is welcoming the newest addition to its chill-fighting arsenal — the Light My Fire Festival. The ivy-sponsored season will run until August 31 and the highlight will be the evening of July 10, when Palings Kitchen & Bar will showcase the culinary magnificence of a host of ivy's best food and drink establishments. Guests can delight in gastronomic treats from Felix, Uccello, Ash St Cellar as well as Palings itself before washing it all down with a mulled wine, cider, cocktail or expert-selected red or white. If that wasn't tempting enough, you can even meet your favourite ivy chefs and tell them how delicious your feast was. The Light My Fire Festival also features a range of other events, including the wine-fuelled Around the World with Eighty Reds, as well as a host of restaurant deals to keep your taste buds warm. The Light My Fire Festival will be at Palings Kitchen & Bar on July 10 and we have two double passes valued at $80 to give away, courtesy of ivy. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Australia's most popular short film festival wants to test your filmmaking abilities in an even tighter time frame for a new competition. #Tropvine asks you to use the Vine app and create a film that's six seconds long, the maximum running time for a Vine video. #Tropvine invites entrants all over the world to submit a Vine that includes this year’s Tropfest signature item: 'mirror'. Like Tropfest, anyone can enter, no experience necessary — you just need to be creative with a smartphone. It's as close to an even playing field as you'll find, since the likelihood of anyone getting major grant funding for their Vine seems slim. That said, a contingent of very clever filmmakers have already built impressive oeuvres on the platform, so expect a fierce competition. To enter, just tweet your Vine using the competition hashtags #tropvine and #mirror and tag @Tropfest. You’ll also need to follow Tropfest on Twitter so they can contact you if your film is shortlisted. Once it’s live, it’s up to you to share it with the world, bug your friends and get as much support as possible. The 20 most popular Vines, as voted by the public, will be judged by the Tropfest Jury of industry leading lights, who'll choose the overall winner. So what’s in it for you, other than being a master short storyteller? All eligible entries will go in the running to win a VIP trip to Tropfest Australia 2014. This includes Qantas flights for you and a friend to Sydney, luxury accommodation at QT Sydney, VIP tickets to Tropfest Australia, Nikon camera gear and lunch with Twitter Australia.
The combination of historic architecture, stunning views, great watering holes and a variety of shops means The Rocks has long been one of Sydney's most popular destinations. In fact, over 15 million people visit this part of the CBD every single year — and 2022 at The Rocks promises to be better than ever. There are a range of events to kick off the year in style, giving you all sorts of ways to experience one of Sydney's most fascinating precincts. We've hand-picked a sweet half-dozen to get you started. HAVE ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST WITH MESSINA'S ALL-DAY BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS Perhaps the only issue with gelato is that apparently it's not deemed an appropriate breakfast food. However, for five days only at the start of January, Gelato Messina is doing its best to change all that, with a special breakfast-themed selection available at First Fleet Park. There are four flavours to choose from, including Cinnie French Toast (French toast, cinnamon butter, milk gelato and vanilla cheesecake glaze) and Breakfast in Canberra (milk gelato with milk jam and Milo). There'll also be live music and outdoor furniture so you can soak in the atmosphere of an incredible Messina experience. Find out more about Messina's all-day breakfast ice-cream here. [caption id="attachment_838508" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] KICK OFF THE WEEKEND AT A SWEET SUMMER STREET PARTY Every Friday night in January, The Rocks will be hosting a sweet summer street party. Star guest Anna Polyviou, one of Australia's most celebrated pastry chefs, has created an exclusive flavour of cookie dough for the occasion and will also be hosting cookie-making workshops every week. If that's not enough, there will be a range of stalls where you can pick up quality fare from the likes of Salt Meats Cheese, where you can pick up hand-stretched pizza and antipasto boards, and Butter, which has teamed up with Ramblin Rascal to shake up a selection of exclusive Hennessy and Belvedere cocktails. Dancers and drummers from Junkyard Beats plus guest DJs (including sets from Polyviou herself) will ensure the energy levels stay high as you party your summer away. Find out more about the Sweet Summer Street Party here. [caption id="attachment_838510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] BROWSE ARTISANAL WARES AND GOURMET TREATS AT THE ROCKS MARKETS Openair markets at The Rocks are a bona fide Sydney institution — and there's not much that's better than wandering some of the city's most picturesque and historic streets on a summer's day. Every Saturday and Sunday throughout January (except January 1 and 2), the streets of The Rocks will be abuzz with artisans selling their wares, more snack choices than you could ever wish for and an excellent range of entertainment options. You can curate your own day and never run out of things to see and do – perhaps start your day with a free outdoor yoga class before you browse hand-crafted jewellery and snack on a creamy pastel de nata. Or maybe watch glassblowing, buy a freshly squeezed juice and then take in some live music. With so much on offer, every visit to the markets this summer is guaranteed to be different. Find out more about The Rocks Markets here. [caption id="attachment_838511" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] CATCH A CLASSIC FLICK UNDER THE STARS — FOR FREE Outdoor cinema has been one of the entertainment success stories in Sydney over the past few years, with an evening under the stars chilling on a beanbag watching the big screen proving a popular pastime. Friday nights in January at Atherden Street in The Rocks will give you another chance to jump on the outdoor cinema train — and the best part is that these screenings are completely free. You already know there are plenty of great food options in and around The Rocks, meaning you can pay a visit to the likes of Caminetto to pick up a hot pizza and cheeky drink before settling in for a classic movie. Find out more about Laneway Cinemas here. [caption id="attachment_838512" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] EAT YOUR WAY AROUND THE WORLD AT AN ALL-DAY STREET PARTY While overseas travel may be off the cards for a little while yet, the next best thing is taking your tastebuds around the world. On January 26, The Rocks will be hosting an all-day international food fair, offering everything from Middle Eastern classics by Tayim to The Orient's Nepalese-inspired nosh. There's also roving entertainment, street games and even chill-out zones if you need a break from the crowds. Once you're re-energised, you'll want to head to the stage for a great selection of free live music. It's a line-up specifically chosen to keep the party going, including Old School Funk Band and traditional street-style brass collective Hot Potato Band. Find out more about the all-day fest here. CATCH A FREE LIVE GIG BY A TOP AUSSIE ACT We've all missed festivals and live music over the past two years, and this January there are a series of gigs taking place in First Fleet Park featuring some of the biggest names in Australian music. From riotous girl gang Haiku Hands to the lyrical dexterity of Kwame (pictured above) and high-energy sister act CLEWS, there's a headliner for all tastes, each supported by a cast of exciting up-and-coming acts. A pop-up bar, barbecues, loaded hot dogs, falafels and ice-cold drinks are available to keep you fuelled, and – best of all – entry to the event is completely free. Find out more — and check out the full lineup — here. For more info on what to discover at The Rocks this summer, head to the website.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your text trip. In this instalment, we take you to Queensland's very own Mount Cotton, where Sanctuary by Sirromet have set up a series of accommodations right by their own vineyard. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Stay at a rural winery in your own glamping 'tent' surrounded by Australian wildlife. You'll spend your days exploring the area with a full glass of wine in hand. THE ROOMS Sanctuary by Sirromet has a few accommodation options – with the tented pavilions being some of their best. Each of the pavilions looks over the large lagoon surrounded in gum trees, with wild wallabies roaming its banks. It's a proper Australiana paradise. The rooms are all open plan, where the bedroom and lounge lead onto a private deck. Grab a few bottles from the winery and really relax up here. Bathrooms are also more hotel than tent with proper tiled walls and modern plumbing that is nothing like the campsite drop toilets you might have encountered on previous adventures. You won't be roughing it here. You're connected to nature (helped with large windows on all sides of the pavilion) without losing any of your creature comforts. FOOD AND DRINK You're also spoilt for choice when it comes to food and drink options. First off, you're on a winery – so you'll have to do a cheeky wine tasting or two. And be sure to add a behind-the-scenes tour to see how the Sirromet Winery team creates their award-winning Granite Belt wines. There are also three separate restaurants at Sanctuary by Sirromet. The Cellar Door is your casual light lunch spot and Lurleen's opens for special events (weddings and big birthday bashes). Thirdly, the Tuscan Terrace restaurant is something altogether flashier. Spend a long afternoon on the 75-metre timber deck or under the shade of the fig trees, eating great Italian dishes paired with emerging Italian wines as the Moreton Bay sea breeze rushes through the property. But that ain't all. These guys even make up special picnic hampers for those wanting to find their own hidden paradise on the grounds — we highly recommend the lavender-covered paddock . Just watch out for the wallabies! THE LOCAL AREA When staying here, you'll feel as if you're in the middle of nowhere – but you're actually not far from Brisbane. Either head into Brisbane to experience everything this northern Australian city has to offer or run away to even more remote parts of the area. Take a chopper or ferry over to Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island, the second and third largest sand islands in the world – where you can even feed wild dolphins. The stunning beaches, snorkelling spots and native wildlife all make these destinations two of Australia's best islands to visit. Don't miss them while you're in the region. [caption id="attachment_869501" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Australia[/caption] THE EXTRAS This winery offers over 10 different wine tasting experiences. Just pick your fave and let the wine experts do the rest. You can take an in-depth tour and learn a little about their wine making process or just spend the whole day trying different varieties of local and imported wines, while snacking on cheese and charcuterie boards. You can even schedule your trip around one of their live music events. They host a series of large and small gigs on their grounds throughout the year. If you are super keen to get away and ready to book a winery getaway now, we have worked with Sanctuary by Sirromet to create the ultimate glamping experience (including a few nights stay, sunset dinner and bottles on bottles of complimentary wine). Feeling inspired to book a getaway unlike anything else out there? Only through Concrete Playground Trips, our new travel booking platform, can you now purchase holidays specially curated by our writers and editors. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips at destinations all over the world.
While Bondi is synonymous with sand and sunshine, it's also home to a throng of excellent independent shops, restaurants and creative spaces. When you're ready to explore the neighbourhood beyond the beach, these spots are waiting to deck you out with handmade jewellery, feed you an excellent meal, decorate your home and so much more. With some help from American Express, we've selected a bunch of venues you should make a beeline to when you're next in Bondi. From a jewellery mecca and a culinary institution to a colourful flower shop and an excellent bottle shop, these places will help you find what you're looking for, no matter the occasion.
It's time to get schwifty, Rick and Morty fans — again. Last year, everyone's favourite interdimensional adventurers finally returned for their fourth season, with a certain eccentric scientist and his anxious grandson causing plenty of chaos throughout the multiverse across five characteristically anarchic episodes. To the delight of R&M fans everywhere, however, there's more where that came from. In fact, 2019's batch of episodes only covered half of the animated sitcom's fourth season — and the second set of five episodes is heading to the small screen this year. It'll start airing week-to-week in the US from early May, and hopefully Netflix Down Under will follow suit shortly afterwards. Of course, even if Australian and New Zealand viewers have to wait a few extra weeks, it'll be a much shorter delay than the gap between the show's third season in 2017 and its fourth in 2019. In the just-dropped trailer for the new episodes, Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith (both voiced by show co-creator Justin Roiland) are still doing what they do best: not just aping a concept straight out of Back to the Future (aka a lab coat-wearing old man, his teenage sidekick, and their time- and space-jumping antics), but wreaking havoc in as many universes as they can stumble across. Also back are Morty's mother Beth (Sarah Chalke), father Jerry (Chris Parnell) and sister Summer (Spencer Grammer). Watch the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPDqQDTnJKE As always, the new episodes will rejoin the smartest Rick and Morty-est Morty in the universe — and, behind the scenes, feature the smart comic writing of Roiland and Community's Dan Harmon. And, while five new episodes mightn't seem like much, there's still even more to come, with the show renewed for a huge 70 episodes by US network Adult Swim in 2018 (which is more than double the 31 that the comedy aired before season four started). If you're more excited about new R&M than Mr Meeseeks and Mr Poopybutthole are about just being themselves, then there's more good news, with Adult Swim also dropping a five-minute-long online mini-episode to tide fans over until the next full episodes hit. Prepare to meet Rick WTM-72 and Shogun Morty in Samurai & Shogun. Wubba lubba dub dub indeed. Check out Samurai & Shogun below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=BSF5yoD-vC4&feature=emb_logo The final five episodes of Rick and Morty's fourth season will start airing weekly from May 3 in the US. Down Under, the show airs on Netflix — and we'll update you with a release date for the new episodes when one is announced.
Carjakkr will see a bunch of electronic artists perform from cars, to people in cars, in a parking lot. Sounds like a scene from an '80s film, right? Wrong. Carjakkr is taking place on Sunday, February 16, 2014, thanks to artist-run Alaska Projects. So far, Horse Macgyver, Chris Petro, Short Future and Holden Hands have joined the bill, with readings from Jack Mannix. And with the help of a Kickstarter appeal, Brisbane performer X in O is also hoping to join Carjakkr (for which you can donate here). The drive-in event will take place at Alaska Projects on Elizabeth Bay Road, Kings Cross. All you'll need to BYO is your car and some shrapnel for the parking spot.
Road trips are an idealised summertime activity. If you do it right, you come away with good friends and esoteric stories which will never be understood properly by people who weren't there. But it's equally possible for road trips to turn hellish and monotonous. That's not what you want - that's not what anybody wants. So Concrete Playground has compiled a list of tips to help you on your way and make sure you have the kind of road trip which will remind you of the wind and sunshine in your hair, shared memories and in-jokes. Some of it might seem like common sense, but common sense can sometimes be what first deserts you when somebody suggests driving ten hours across the country to go to a music festival or a particularly nice beach. 1. WheelsSo this seems a superfluous point, but if you're going to go on a road trip you need a car, and if you don't have one then you've got yourself a problem. Once you've got the car, make sure it's one that everybody knows how to drive. Nobody likes being the only manual driver in a car full of stricken automatic-only drivers. You should also do all the practical things like get the oil, tyres and water checked before you leave, and make sure you've got back-ups in case of emergency, especially if you're trying to look like you know your stuff about cars. Bigger cars are better for road trips, especially if you've got friends with ample hips or ridiculously long legs. And for the love of God make sure the car has air con. Otherwise everybody is going to be sweaty, sunburnt and have a mouth full of insects every time you drive through a field. 2. A Worthwhile DestinationJumping in a car and heading nowhere might sound very Kerouac-esque for an hour or so, but in the end you're going to want to be heading somewhere. Holiday houses and camping grounds are all good, although there's a high likelihood a music festival might be your destination this summer. If that's the case, be patient and anticipate that you will have to wait in a queue for six hours on a backed up country road and be forced to pee in the bushes in direct view of many headlights. However, the best destination of all is a beach, one of the pristine and near unpopulated ones which grace our fair coast. 3. MapsGetting lost is not half the fun. The person who claims this needs to be ejected immediately from the vehicle. You probably have a GPS, but bear in mind that the GPS is not infallible. Let me present you with an example: on a road trip last year, we in the car got bored with the standard GPS and, just outside the Gold Coast, switched our guide to a New Zealander named Paul. All was going well until Paul started sabotaging our trip with his crafty non-instructions and we ended up taking a two hour detour through peak-hour Brisbane. Paul was not our friend after that and shameful slurs against New Zealand ensued. In these situations you need a map. A map in this instance is defined as a proper map you purchase from anywhere good maps are sold, not a scrawled set of lines copied from Google Maps your barely literate friend drew on the back of phone bill. 4. CrewBe wise and consider precisely which of your friends and loved ones you're going to enjoy being in a cramped confined space with for potentially several days. There's nothing more tedious and depressing than realising you can't stand the people you're friends with. It's also a good idea to make sure there's not going to be anybody overly-familiar with their sense of personal space, particularly if they have personal hygiene issues. Once you've got that down, make sure that there's not going to be any major conflict before you start, because there's nothing more awkward than finding yourself on a road trip with a couple who have recently broken up and still have unresolved issues. Solve all those problems, and you're cool. 5. ConversationOnce you've exhausted your witty high school stories, politics, childhood traumas and the ever-fascinating subject of who's having sex with whom, complex philosophical questions are always a good bet. Questions such as 'which of your legs could you do without' and 'would you rather punch Kyle Sandilands or Miranda Devine in the face' are good starting points. For those who are not on driving duty and decide the time has come to pilfer beers from the esky, be aware that the designated driver will soberly wish for your death if you do anything crazy-drunk like throw up, sing repetitively for more than ten minutes or attempt to give a ride to a stranger with no shoes. 6. MoneyMoney is a general necessity in all areas of life, but when we say 'money' here we mean the multi-coloured pieces of paper marked with numbers the ATM is wont to dispense. This is crucial because ATMs can be scarce on the ground in the bush, and on a road trip sharing is of the utmost importance. Assign the most organised member of your group the job of keeping an account of how much petrol and food everybody is paying for, and bear in mind that if you haven't chipped in for all the Tim Tams then you do not deserve to eat all the Tim Tams and then subsequently complain about a sore stomach. 7. SnacksIt's a given that everyone is obliged to bring a lot of sugar on a road trip. Minties, Snakes and all things that once delighted you in children's birthday party bags are right and necessary when on the road. Hop chips with tomato sauce sold by old ladies with facial hair in country towns are also awesome. Eating options on the highway tend to be a choice between Maccas or Maccas, so if that's going to bother you, pre-make some delicious healthy things which won't spill too badly and stop every hour or so to picnic. Otherwise, it's uncanny how the shops saying 'Best Pies in Grafton' actually do sell the best pies in Grafton. Moreover, if you're going a long distance you're going to be in dire need of caffeine. Somebody could be really organised and bring instant coffee, a saucepan, a makeshift stove and water, or you could just take a thermos. 8. MusicIf you've got one of those whatsits that plug your iPod into the car's stereo system, you're sweet. If you don't have one of those, however, you're going to want a couple of good mixtapes, or, more accurately, mix CDs. The person in charge of making mixtapes should keep in mind what everyone else will like, what is easiest to sing along to, and attempt not to impress others with their obscure tastes because it never works out as well as you'd hope. Sixties pop songs, eighties power ballads and nineties rap should all be considered in the choice of music. Most importantly, don't make too many tapes. Fifteen hours worth of music is just tiring. You want to have songs that are going to remind you of the trip for years to come, an underlying theme for your future reminiscing, if you will. Anything more and you may as well just put the radio on. 9. Ridiculous ApparelQuestionable fashion choices are a mandatory on the road. Nothing makes you feel more alive than climbing out of the car at a truckstop wearing something outrageously fluoro and swaggering inside to get yourself a rainbow Paddlepop. Furthermore, there is no more appropriate occasion for a man to sport short shorts. Stupid sunglasses and hats are fun, but bear in mind they might enrage Mick Taylor-types on the roads. And remember that while no shoes are alright in the car, you don't want anything on the floors of country rest stops and bathrooms touching your bare skin. 10. SunscreeenOften overlooked when in the relative shelter of a moving car, sunscreen is necessary for anybody with an arm in close proximity to a window. You don't want to get sunburnt, and unevenly sunburnt at that, while sitting in the car. More to the point, nothing will ruin your holiday more than being so sunburnt you have to wear shapeless kaftans with long sleeves and not being able to sleep at night because it hurts so bad.
Film lovers, you'll be off to see the witches, the powerful witches of Oz, when Wicked soars from the page and the stage to the screen in 2024. The famous and beloved theatre musical adapts a book that takes inspiration from The Wizard of Oz, and has been a show-going favourite for more than two decades thanks to composer Stephen Schwartz and playwright Winnie Holzman. Now, it's heading to cinemas as a two-part movie. The first instalment, aka Wicked: Part One, arrives in November with Ariana Grande (Don't Look Up) as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo (Pinocchio) as Elphaba — and with director Jon M Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians) behind the lens. Grande dons pink and Erivo sports the requisite green in the debut trailer for the movie, which arrived amid the annual Super Bowl sneak-peek frenzy (see also: Deadpool & Wolverine). Haven't caught the stage show on its current Australian run, including in Sydney since 2023 and in Melbourne from March 2024? Defy gravity in your local picture palace before the year is out instead. In the first trailer for the film, Glinda tells Elphaba "don't be afraid". "I'm not afraid," is the fellow witch's response. "It's the Wizard who should be afraid of me." Wicked follows the Land of Oz's witches, with telling their untold tale the musical's whole angle. On the stage, the show has notched up more awards than you can fit in a hefty cauldron over the years. That includes three Tonys from ten nominations, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and six Drama Desk Awards. Joining Grande and Erivo in bringing Wicked to the cinemas is quite the who's who-style cast. Michelle Yeoh (A Haunting in Venice), Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), Ethan Slater (The Marvellous Mrs Maisel) and Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) also feature. And who else could play the Wizard of Oz but Jeff Goldblum (Asteroid City)? As for when Wicked: Part Two will also get flickering, it's due in November 2025. Check out the first trailer for Wicked: Part One below: Wicked: Part One releases in cinemas Down Under on November 28, 2024.
In early December 2020, NSW began to return to a state of relative normality with dance floors returning to venues and gatherings of 50 people allowed in households with outdoor areas. That was until the northern beaches COVID-19 cluster saw the state return to lockdowns and strict restrictions. As the state begins to leave the fallout from that cluster and daily case numbers remain low, many Sydneysiders may be wondering when restrictions will begin to be eased. On Tuesday, January 19, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian gave the city hope, stating if case number remained low the state would be able to return "as close to pre-Avalon conditions as possible next week". The Premier has now added a caveat to this promise, adding that restrictions will not be eased before Tuesday, January 26's public holiday. Talking to Jim Wilson on 2GB, Berejiklian expressed concerns that Tuesday's public holiday could act as a "super-seeding" event if restrictions were eased beforehand. Despite these concerns, Premier Berejiklian remained confident that the rolling back on restrictions could be announced "late next week". NSW recorded no locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, January 21, marking the states fourth day in a row without a local acquired case. While case numbers are currently low, NSW Health continues to urge Sydney residents to be tested if they show even the mildest of symptoms. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1352044112883531776 Currently, Greater Sydney has strict limits on gatherings, with just five visitors allowed in homes and public outdoor gatherings capped at 30. If you are looking for something to do on Tuesday, January 26, consider attending Sydney Festival's The Vigil, a COVID-safe overnight reflection on the impact of colonisation on Australia's First Nations people. The event will feature talks and performances from First Nations artists and community members and will run from dusk on Monday, January 25 through to dawn on Tuesday. The event is free, but registration is essential. For more information about COVID-19 in NSW and current restrictions, head to NSW Health.
When you lick a scoop of gelato, do you take a moment to let the flavour settle onto your tastebuds? Do you stop to contemplate the creaminess, try to pick out all of the different ingredients and, in the process, ponder how it feels on your tongue? Perhaps you spend too long thinking not only about how your dessert tastes, but how it smells. Or, maybe you're obsessed with how it looks, because a good ice cream is a truly glorious sight. If we've just described your usual thought processes every time you step inside a gelato joint, then you might want to throw your name in the ring for this Gelatissimo gig. As the dessert chain first did back in 2019, it has put out a call for a dream job — but only for a single four-hour shift. For one morning — from 9am–1pm on the morning of Tuesday, May 10, to be exact — the dessert chain will pay one ice cream-loving person $500 to taste-test its newest gelato flavours. That's it, that's the gig. Go on, try to find a more delicious way to spend four hours. Over the past few years, Gelatissimo has been responsible for frosé sorbet, ginger beer gelato and even a gelato for dogs, so you won't be licking your way through plain ol' vanilla or the usual mint choc-chip combination (not that there's anything wrong with those two stone-cold classics). Other special varieties that it has come up with in the past include Weet-Bix, fairy bread, hot cross bun, cinnamon scroll and chocolate fudge, Biscoff, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey's Kisses, gingerbread cookie dough, Caramilk and bubble tea. Yes, you should be getting a sugar rush just thinking about it. Just what flavours the lucky taste-tester will be munching on hasn't yet been revealed, but whoever gets the gig will play a crucial part in evaluating them. As well as being mouth-wateringly appetising, this is serious business, requiring the utmost focus on the task at hand. That means first assessing the gelato's appearance, then enjoying a couple of scoops to get a feel for the flavour and texture. Then, after cleansing your palate with water, you'll do it all over again (and then again). If you're keen, as most people with tastebuds will be, just head to the Gelatissimo website to explain why you're the ideal candidate for the job. While the competition is open nationally, the winner will be required to get themselves to Gelatissimo's Sydney office in Rydalmere on Tuesday, May 10. If that still suits you, you have until midnight AEST on Friday, April 22 to enter. And, if you need any extra incentive, you'll also get to fill your freezer with gelato for your troubles. For more information, or to apply for the Gelatissimo gelato-tasting gig, visit the dessert chain's website.
If you feel like the general cost of living is on an endless journey upwards, well, you'd be right on the money (or lack thereof). In news that's surprising to pretty much no one, Sydney and Melbourne have again outdone themselves, both trumping their earlier positions on an index of the world's most expensive cities. The list, which is one of many that index cost of living, is put together by the world's biggest price aggregation website Numbeo. This year sees Sydney shoot to number 32, soaring past last year's ranking of 41, and Melbourne also surged ahead, moving from last year's 77th position to become the world's 64th most expensive city in 2018. The Gold Coast was the least expensive local city in the index, ranking at 180. To create the Cost of Living Index, Numbeo looked at a range of factors, surrounding things like food, lifestyle, housing, salaries and taxation. Hamilton in Bermuda topped the list, followed closely by five different Swiss cities. In the breakdown, Sydney's hefty rental prices were named the 16th highest in the world, with a one-bedroom city apartment averaging $2619 a month. If that makes you cringe, spare a thought for London (ranked 10th on the rent index) where the same sort of pad costs $2876 a month, or the top-ranking city of San Francisco, where you'd be forking out $4113. Meanwhile, Hobart was named Australia's most expensive city for dining out and 26th in the world, with a two-person feed at a mid-range restaurant averaging about $100. In this lineup, Perth ranked 46, while Melbourne and Sydney clocked in at numbers 79 and 80 respectively. When it comes to the average cost of a new set of wheels, Sydney ranked 188th in the world, with Perth edging in at number 202. Canberrans have it better than any other Aussie city in this department, taking out 226th ranking. To check out the full list, visit numbeo.com.
If you're searching for something a wee bit different to do on a Thursday night that's not your regular old takeaway and TV binge, consider harking back to decades gone and trumpets blown and getting a bit of jazz into you at The Swinging Cat. Every Thursday for the next three months the jazz club is hosting A Night With The Nail, presented by Drambuie. The event will feature a signature cocktail, The Rusty Nail. It's whisky and Drambuie liqueur with a lemon twist, steeped in 1960s history and drunk by the Rat Pack era in New York. Whack on that winged eyeliner and tight man pants and go listen to something that isn't the Stranger Things opening theme. To set the scene further and help out with flashbacks to Rat Pack era times, Herb Armstrong — that's Louis Armstrong's grandson — will be the opening night act. The venue will also resemble a 1960s New York, prohibition style bar. A Night With The Nail starts at 6.30pm on September 8 and runs every Thursday for three months.
Remember show and tell in primary school? The Maker Faire is a bit like a grown-up version of that, except it’s less about Disneyland vacation photos and more about science experiments and arts and crafts. Founded by the US-based Make magazine, the Maker movement is all about celebrating the DIY ethic, resourcefulness, innovation and imagination, and it’s coming to Australia in the form of the Mini Maker Faire. The first Australian event was held at the Powerhouse Museum in 2013, and it will return this year. The first Maker Faire was held eight years ago in San Mateo, California. Since then, the Maker movement has spread all over the world, with events in Detroit, New York, Newcastle (UK), Rome and Tokyo, and over 200,000 attendees worldwide. Whether you’re a scientist, artist or foodie, there’ll be something for you.
When it comes to experiencing the natural world and all its animals, what could be better than going on safari? Well, not much — except perhaps going on safari and then coming back to a luxury camp at the end of the day. That seems to be the thinking behind Kenya's new Loisaba Tented Camp, anyway. Not only do they want you to explore the wonders of the East African wilderness, but they want you to get a bit of infinity pool action at the same time. The camp comes from African accommodation company Elewana, who have a collection of luxury camps and lodges in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Located in the in Laikipia region of Kenya just north of Nairobi, it sits on a small, elevated part of the 56,000-acre Loisaba Conservancy, which affords some absolutely killer views across the Laikipia Plains to Mount Kenya. Just look at the view from the infinity pool. While you're enjoying this 360-degree eye candy, you'll be reclining in total comfort. The camp has six double luxury 'tents' (if you can call them that), as well as three family tents and a private residence that boasts its own private infinity pool and bar. Everyone staying at the secluded camp can access the other infinity pool though, as well as the on-site restaurant. They even have 'Starbeds', which can be rolled outdoors so you can sleep under the stars. But you won't just be relegated to your tent all day — there's many an activity to do. Loisaba offers all guests the opportunity to partake in bushwalks, mountain biking, camel riding, lion tracking, horse riding, fishing and local village excursions, among other activities. And if your next question is (rightly) about the camp's impact on the environment and its wildlife, you don't need to worry. The camp was set up with the support of The Nature Conservancy, and aims to use tourism to further protect the Loisaba Conservancy, its wildlife and communities. As well as being a sanctuary for over 700 elephants, the area also provides refuge for one of Kenya's most stable lion populations and helps protect species like Grevy's zebra, wild dogs, leopards and cheetahs. If you're already picturing yourself in that infinity pool, you'll want to know how must this thing costs. It's not cheap — prices start from $670 AUD per person per night — but that includes accommodation, transfers, taxes, booze and all activities. For more information about Elewana's Loisaba Tented Camp, visit their website.
If you're a seasoned traveller, you've almost certainly run into an e-scooter. The speedy, convenient transportation option has overtaken streets in the US, Europe and, closer to home, in Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra. Here in Sydney, however, the electric scooter sightings are few and far between. The reason? Under current NSW road rules, electric scooters are prohibited — but that could be about to change. The NSW Government has slowly been trialling the use of e-scooters since December 2022 when they were rolled out in Lake Macquarie. Now Sydney has now received its first test location. As of Wednesday, January 10, a small section of Kogarah has been permitted to host a fleet of the two-wheelers to see how they fare. This inaugural Sydney trial has seen 60 Beam e-scooters be introduced across a small section of south Sydney. The map for the trail shows that the scooters are permitted in a few blocks on the eastern side of the train station, as well as Railway Parade stretching up past Carlton Station and Allawah Station. The trial area includes the town centre, St George Hospital and Jubilee Stadium, meaning sports fans will be able to catch the train to Kogarah Station and zip over to a game, saving themselves the 20-minute walk. "E-scooters are the way of the future," said Georges River Council Mayor Sam Elmir at the launch of the program. "We look forward to the benefits it will bring to our local residents, our local economy and our local town centre." [caption id="attachment_820165" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Beam e-scooters in Brisbane.[/caption] There are a few stipulations. Right now, only the designated Beam scooters are permitted to be used in the trial; all privately owned electric scooters are still illegal in the area. Riders must also be 16 years or older, they must wear a helmet, and can only ride on roads, bike lanes and shared footpaths. The scooters will be limited to 10 kilometres per hour on shared paths, or 20 kilometres per hour on the road. Trialling e-scooters in NSW has been in the works for years, but all previous trials have been shot down. This includes the 2021 proposal that was eventually scrapped by the Berejiklian government. At the time, the proposal was heavily opposed by NSW Minister for Transport and Roads, Andrew Constance, who expressed his concerns to parliament: "People getting killed, e-scooters being left up trees, e-scooters littering parks and footpaths, people falling over them. I can send you a bunch of pictures if you want." The trials are currently underway in Lake Macquarie, Wollongong, Forster-Tuncurry, Albury and Kogarah. Watch this space for updates. For more information on e-scooter trials in NSW, head to the Transport for NSW website.
Since first launching its end-of-year festival fun in Lorne back in 1993, Falls Festival has become an end-of-year staple not only on the Great Ocean Road, but in Byron, Marion Bay and Fremantle. But, one day into its 2019 event, the festival has had to cancel the remaining days of its Lorne bash due to the extreme and hazardous weather predicted for tomorrow, Monday, December 30. In a Facebook post this morning, a Falls Festival spokesperson said the decision had been made after "consultation with local and regional fire authorities and other emergency stakeholders". "Forecasted conditions have gotten significantly worse in the past 12 hours, with information coming to light that has not been available to us before the event kicked off on December 28th," the statement says. "It is clear that we have no other option." While there are no out of control bushfires in the area at the time of writing, temperatures are expected to reach a top of 43 degrees on the Surf Coast tomorrow. That, coupled with strong 90–100-kilometre northwesterly winds, has prompted organisers to make the decision to "move everyone offsite safely and in good time". A total fire ban in place across the whole state tomorrow. The festival officially started yesterday, and there are already 9000 people on site. While festivalgoers got to catch the likes of Vera Blue, Parcels and John Farnham on day one, today there will be no music or bars — but food outlets, toilets and medical facilities will be open until 9am tomorrow, when the gates to the festival will close. Festival organisers are urging punters to return home as the surrounding towns on the Great Ocean Road — like Lorne, Apollo Bay and Anglesea — will already be at capacity due to the holiday period. Thousands more were expected to arrive at the festival site today. This fire season has already been a catastrophic one, with fires continuing to burn in the East Gippsland region and NSW, where over three million hectares has been burnt so far. NSW's New Year's Eve festival Lost Paradise was cancelled due to bushfire threat earlier in the month. Falls Festival was set to run from December 28–January 1, with Halsey, Vampire Weekend, Disclosure and Peking Duk some of the artists scheduled to perform across four stages. The festivals in Marion Bay, Byron and Fremantle will go ahead as scheduled. Everyone with a ticket will be refunded next week. Top image: Boaz Nothham
It's a pretty sensational time to be a Sydneysider. Over the last few years, we've had the privilege of unearthing some brilliant new underground bars, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, festivals, exhibitions and street art. While many of these developments have grown out of a fresh entrepreneurial spirit, we've got to give mad props to our local councils for providing cultural pioneers with opportunities to pursue their dreams (e.g. through the introduction of new licensing laws). Now, just weeks after Leichhardt mayor Darcy Byrne announced an ambitious proposal to reinvigorate Parramatta Road, the folks at City of Sydney Council are looking to open up a fresh conversation on Sydney's creative future. They're calling for cultural direction from every man, woman and child within reasonable distance of the Harbour Bridge, and kicking off the conversation with a forum around the topic 'What creative life do you want for Sydney?'. A free event running at the State Theatre on Wednesday, April 10, the forum will feature input from US 'community transformer' Carol Coletta as well as a panel featuring the who's who of Australia's cultural development sector. If you're invested in this city's creative future, or if you're just keen to see what Lord Mayor Clover Moore actually looks like in person, then head over here to grab your tickets right now.
Summertime in the Garden of Eden began as a piece of scratch theatre, whipped up in three weeks and playing to packed out audiences in a suburban Melbourne shed. Its makers, the Sisters Grimm (Ash Flanders and Declan Greene), have since ridden a massive wave of recognition, which sees the show coming to Sydney's Griffin Theatre as part of the Independent Season, just months after their hilarious Little Mercy played at the Sydney Theatre Company. The Sisters' work leaves gender roles exploded in their wake, shattering familiar tropes of stage and screen. In Summertime, the cotton fields of the American South provide rich pickings for their brand of melodrama, drag, and obscenity — undercut at all times by a keen, subversive edge. Thanks to Griffin Theatre, we have two double passes to the first preview performance of Summertime in the Garden of Eden on November 20 to give away. For your chance to win, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), and email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Sydney's resurgence of all things bike-related (including a new fashion trend) has translated into a thriving Sydney cycle culture, with shops, websites and clubs popping up wherever you like. One such club that has piqued our interest is the Cycle Re-Cycle Club, or the The Nunnery Bike Workshop. This club is made up of a conglomerate of bike-enthusiasts that want to spread the love far and wide. They meet twice a week (Monday and Wednesday from 5-9pm) at a car park in Waterloo,where they help you make a working bike or repair/modify the one you've got, thanks to donations from the community of pre-loved or abandoned bikes and parts. Volunteers teach others the basics of how to maintain their vehicles, free of charge - all they ask is for you to share your knowledge of what you've learnt. Who knows, maybe one day Sydney will be just like Amsterdam (where your bike is pretty much like another body part, not owning one is like not having a left arm), without the canals to throw an unlocked bike into.
It has been more than two decades since James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet recreated one of the deadliest ship disasters in modern history. You know the one. Titanic also launched a lifetime of folks standing at the bow of boats and exclaiming "I'm the king of the world!", and made the world endure a Celine Dion song that, as the lyrics promised, would go on. As well as snagging a huge bag of Oscars and big, big bucks at the box office, the film did something else: reignite public fascination with the 1912 sinking. If you've ever watched and wondered what it'd be like to see the real thing, then wonder no more — because you can become a 'citizen scientist' on a new series of underwater expeditions to the famed wreck. Commencing in 2021, underwater exploration company Ocean Gate Expeditions will be taking fascinated seafarers down to the famous ship on ten-day journeys. They'll dive almost four kilometres deep into the North Atlantic Ocean in a titanium and carbon fibre submersible — accompanied by experts, naturally — to peer through the vessel that went down on its maiden voyage, taking more than 1500 people with it. This isn't a tourist trip, however. Ocean Gate is planning six missions as part of an overall Titanic survey expedition, and anyone who'd like to go along will need to apply. If you're successful, you'll be trained a mission specialist — and you'll be asked to help document the current state of the sunken passenger liner, including via laser scans and 4K video that will be combined with high-resolution images to make a 3D virtual model of the ship. Primarily departing from the coast of Newfoundland in Canada from May–July 2021, with more missions planned in 2022 as well, these undersea trips don't come cheap — even though they're motivated by scientific and record-keeping aims. You'll need a cool US$125,000 per person to make the voyage, which includes one submersible dive to the ship. Of course, it's hardly surprising that plunging deep into both the ocean's depths to visit a famed wreck costs a massive stack of cash and then some. This isn't the first time tours have been offered — indeed, presumably using some of the loot his romantic drama pulled in, James Cameron has made the journey multiple times — but only a small number of people have seen site in person since it was first discovered in 1984. "More people summit Everest in a day than have ever seen the Titanic," says Ocean Gate Expeditions president Stockton Rush. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH_9Q3Z_xok Top image: NOAA/Institute for Exploration/University of Rhode Island via Wikimedia Commons.
First, it was a popular 80s comedy starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Then, it became a five-season television sitcom led by Parton's real-life younger sister. In 2009, 9 to 5 made the leap to the stage too, because you just can't stop a good story about female empowerment in the workplace. Revived in the West End earlier this year, it's still a huge hit — and now the latest version of the production is coming to Sydney. Just by reading the show's title, we know that you already have Parton's catchy song of the same name stuck in your head. Pour yourself a cup of ambition, because that tune isn't going away anytime soon. Indeed, you'd best get ready to exclaim "what a way to make a living" more than once when 9 to 5 The Musical plays its Australian premiere season, with its local run playing the the Sydney Lyric Theatre from April 21, 2020. Ahead of its time when it first reached cinemas, this tale of three women who take on their sexist, egotistical and all-round despicable male boss is obviously still highly relevant today. Before #TimesUp and #MeToo, workmates Doralee, Violet and Judy decided to turn the tables by kidnapping their supervisor and reforming their office. Expect the same story in 9 to 5 The Musical, as penned by the original film's screenwriter Patricia Resnick, just with more songs. With Parton herself writing the score — and earning Tony and Grammy nominations for her efforts — expect plenty of feel-good music as well. Although she doesn't appear on stage, the famous country star is still involved with the show, and with bringing it to Australia. While the show will premiere in Sydney, it's possible it'll head to other cities around the country after — cross your fingers and we'll let you know if more dates and locations are announced. While you're still singing 9 to 5 to yourself, check out Parton's announcement video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eLfds3BNk8 9 to 5 The Musical will hit Sydney Lyric Theatre at The Star from April 21, 2020, with tickets on sale from 4pm on Friday, September 13. For more information, or to join the ticket waitlist, visit the musical's website.
Want to get the most out of Vivid? Here’s a tip. Try, not only watching the lights from afar, but getting among them, too. And I don’t mean attempting to climb the Opera House sails. Cruise Bar, on Level 3 of the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay, has taken on the Vivid mantle with the installation of an illuminated pop-up bar. Created in conjunction with Belvedere Vodka and named Belvedere BEAT, it’s situated on the Cruise rooftop, affording panoramic views of the Opera House, city skyline and Harbour. Each night, from May 21 to June 9, you’ll be able to sip on Belvedere-spiked concoctions while surrounded by light installations designed to complement the show outside — from the Opera House’s ever-shifting display to the glittering, multicoloured ferries darting around the Harbour — and listening to soulful local grooves. Entry is free. If you’re looking to match your Vivid experience with a meal, make a booking at the Cruise Restaurant on level two. Contemporary Australian fare with an emphasis on fresh, local, seasonal produce is on the menu. Think Sydney rock oysters, crispy skin smoked salmon and Gippsland lamb rump. Star of the dessert menu is whisky lemon cake (mandarin curd, whisky jelly, ginger ice cream and lavender meringue). And down on level one, there’s the Cruise Bar, where you can either sit inside or enjoy a beverage in the Heineken outdoor bar in the courtyard, set up for Vivid’s duration. Our bet is that Cruise is going to be an incredibly popular spot over the next couple of weeks. So if you’re planning a visit, make a reservation. You can do so by calling (02) 9251 1188 or emailing info@cruisebar.com.au.
Instagram, the photo-sharing iPhone app, has allowed users to export their Instagram photos to other social networking sites from the start. Until now, however, users weren't able to import photos to Instagram. Thanks to a new partnership with Hipstamatic, all that has changed. The two iPhone photo apps are pairing up to allow photos taken on either app to easily upload to Instagram's network. Both Instagram and Hipstamatic seek to marry the romance of old-fashioned photography with the iPhone camera. Instagram enables users to snap a photo on their iPhone and to transform the look and feel of it with their choice of filter. The edited photo may then be uploaded to the Instagram site, as well as to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, all for free. Last week, Instagram reached 27 million users, making it one of the most popular photo-sharing services, as well as one of the fastest-growing social networks. In a similar vein, Hipstamatic allows users to choose the lens, flash, and film they want to use to take their photo, creating an old-fashioned image. The initial app costs $1.99 in Apple's app store, and additional lenses and films are available for in-app purchase. "When we launched, it was all about Facebook and Flickr and Twitter, and now we're seeing a huge shift in our user base toward Instagram," Hipstamatic co-founder and CEO, Lucas Buick, told Fast Company. "We've never been a social networking company, but we clearly benefit from social networks. So this will be the first app outside of Instagram that lets you into their network. That's pretty cool for us." Each Hipstamatic photo pushed into Instagram will be tagged with an attribution to Hipstamatic. "It's a step in the direction that we're testing out," says Instagram CEO and cofounder Kevin Systrom. "We've been very careful about making sure that Instagram photos are about what's happening right now in your life, and we want to allow for more of those photos to end up on Instagram regardless of where they're taken." The partnership is set to be unveiled today, so get to snapping photos happy hipsters. [via Fast Company]
It's been half a century since The Rocky Horror Show first brought its musical blend of sci-fi, horror and comedy to the stage, and the cult hit itself has the perfect phrase to describe those quickly passing years. Yes, time is fleeting when you're singing about a college-aged couple getting a flat tyre, wandering over to an old castle to ask for help, and finding an extra-terrestrial mad scientist from the galaxy of Transylvania — plus his staff and his Frankenstein-style experiments — awaiting. Yes, the show itself is astounding, too. To celebrate this big anniversary, a new Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show is currently touring the country, starting in Sydney then moving to Adelaide and Melbourne. And, for one night only, the Sydney season is beaming one of its shows into cinemas as well — live as it's all happening at the Theatre Royal Sydney. Movie-goers can do the 'Time Warp' in the cinema aisles on Thursday, March 30, which is when the Richard O'Brien-created production will be broadcast from the stage to the screen. In the process, The Rocky Horror Show will notch up a first. For Trafalgar Releasing, who is behind a heap of event cinema-style sessions like this, this is the first time that it has presented a live event from an Aussie venue to cinemas across the nation. "We're delighted to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Show with a live broadcast from Theatre Royal Sydney to cinemas across Australia," said Trafalgar Releasing CEO Marc Allenby. "This is our first live broadcast from an Australian venue and it's fantastic to be working with the team at the theatre and our partners within the Trafalgar Entertainment Group to bring one of the world's favourite musicals to cinema audiences across the continent for the first time." Folks hitting up big screens around the country will want to listen closely, and watch, as Jason Donovan as Frank N Furter puts his hands on his hips, then brings his knees in tight. The glorious madness will take its toll with help not only from Donovan — fresh from popping back up in Ramsay Street to farewell Neighbours before it was renewed again — but also from Spicks and Specks' Myf Warhurst as The Narrator. Also featuring: Ellis Dolan (School of Rock) as Eddie/Dr Scott, Darcey Eagle (Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical) as Columbia, Ethan Jones (9 to 5 The Musical) as Brad, Deirdre Khoo (Once) as Janet, Loredo Malcolm (Hamilton) as Rocky and Henry Rollo (Jagged Little Pill the Musical) as Riff Raff. Of course, this tale is no stranger to cinemas thanks to 1975's iconic big-screen release The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Since first premiering in London in June 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has played in more than 30 countries, with over 30 million people seeing songs like 'Science Fiction/Double Feature', 'Dammit, Janet!', 'Sweet Transvestite', 'Over at the Frankenstein Place' and 'Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me'. If you haven't been before and can't make it to the current theatre tour, this is your turn to join in. The Rocky Horror Show will broadcast live in cinemas on Thursday, March 30, with tickets on sale from Wednesday, March 1. The Rocky Horror Show's 2023 Australian tour is currently playing Sydney then moves to Adelaide and Melbourne. For more information and to buy tickets, head to the production's website. Images: Daniel Boud.
In The Guest Edit we hand the reins over to some of Sydney's most interesting, tasteful and (or) entertaining people. For this instalment, Susan Armstrong and Michelle Grey, the culture aficionados, experience curators and conversation enablers behind Arts-Matter. Trust them, they know what they're talking about. SUSAN AND MICHELLE: After another seemingly never ending lockdown, and what felt like a cultural dearth for the second year running, we're ready to swap our sweat pants for party frocks and get out there and experience the physical world once again. While the pandemic has been tough for everyone, its legacy has left us with a tonne of artistic innovation and we're excited to reap the benefits. Lucky for us, over the next couple of months there's a bevy of art exhibitions, performances and creative happenings going on across greater Sydney and regional NSW. Here's our list of the top things to help satiate your cultural appetite… [caption id="attachment_829780" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Doug Aitken, Underwater Pavilions (installation) 2017. Image credit: Dan Boud[/caption] DOUG AITKEN, THE MCA Plunge into the world of internationally recognised American artist Doug Aitken this summer at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Aitken's works lead us into a world where time, space, and memory are fluid concepts (a perfectly fitting post-pandemic theme). The exhibition incorporates objects, installations, photographs and vast, multi-screen environments that will envelop you within a kaleidoscope of moving imagery and sound. Using light, reflection and multiplication, Aitken is sure to mesmerise even the most jaded group of museum goers. When: Until 6 February 2022 Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St, The Rocks How: Buy tickets for $28 for adults, $22 concession, $12 for 13-18 years, free for kids 12 and under [caption id="attachment_830558" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sydney Dance Company[/caption] SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY'S NEW BREED, CARRIAGEWORKS While we've all been moving and grooving in our athleisure outfits for four months running, it's time to get out and see how the professionals get down. Sydney Dance Company, in partnership with Carriageworks and The Balnaves Foundation, returns to the stage with the eighth edition of New Breed, continuing a collective commitment to emerging choreographers. Four talented choreographers will create new works featuring a rich diversity of choreographic ideas to be performed by Sydney Dance Company's company dancers. When: 25 November until 11 December Where: Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh How: Buy tickets for $35-$45 [caption id="attachment_830585" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tamara Dean[/caption] TAMARA DEAN, NGUNUNGGULA GALLERY Now that we're allowed to travel beyond our local bodega, we highly recommend a countryside jaunt to the beautiful Southern Highlands. Newly opened Ngununggula (which means "belonging" in the traditional language of the Gundungurra First Nations people) is the Southern Highlands' first regional art gallery. The Gallery will open with two inaugural exhibitions by celebrated Australian artists Tamara Dean (with the terrifically titled show 'Hijinks in the Hydrangeas') and Megan Cope. When: Until 17 December, 2021 Where: Ngununggula, 1 Art Gallery Lane, Bowral NSW How: Free [caption id="attachment_830570" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Abdullah M.I. Syed portrait, 2018[/caption] ABDULLAH M.I. SYED, PENRITH REGIONAL GALLERY Pakistani-born Australian artist, Abdullah M.I. Syed, has undertaken a short residency to research the influence of the Bauhaus School on Australian Modernism, specifically through the artistic practice of Margo Lewers, who built the property that is now the Penrith Regional Gallery. Lewers' works will be on show alongside Syed's response that also draws on Islamic geometric design, the use of reflection and transparency, positive and negative space, as well the relationship between art and faith. When: 25 October 2021 – 9 January 2022 Where: Penrith Regional Gallery, Home of The Lewers Bequest, 86 River Road, Emu Plains, NSW How: Free [caption id="attachment_830572" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Future Is Here, Dennis Golding[/caption] THE FUTURE IS HERE BY DENNIS GOLDING, CARRIAGEWORKS After a year plus of fighting COVID 19, we're all in need of some superhero powers. Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding, along with a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, worked together on creating a collection of 100 brightly coloured capes. Students designed their capes with iconography informed by their lived experiences and cultural identity. The project continues Golding's exploration of using superhero symbolism to empower contemporary Aboriginal culture to free it from colonial narratives. As superheroes, Golding and his young collaborators are empowered and reminded of the strength of their culture in forming their identity and connection to Country. When: 3-28 November 2021 Where: Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh How: Free GIANT BADGES BY ADAM NORTON, SYDNEY CBD Take a stroll beyond your five kilometre radius and check out Sydney-based artist Adam Norton's Giant Badges come to life on Barrack Street, as part of the City of Sydney's temporary laneway art program. Influenced by apocalyptic sci-fi films, pop and counterculture, the badges have an immediate sense of nostalgia to them while speaking directly to today's most important social issues including the climate and public health emergencies - giving a nod to the notion that our current reality feels stranger than science fiction. When: Until Thursday 31 March 2022 Where: Barrack St (between George and York Streets), Sydney How: Free [caption id="attachment_830561" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Megan Bottari, Post-Modern Tokenism III 2007-2013 (detail) lost wax cast crystal.[/caption] YOU CAN'T SEE WHITE IF YOU DON'T SEE BLACK, WAGGA WAGGA ART GALLERY Having just emerged from one of the darkest moments in many of our lives, we're all ready to see some light. Curated from the National Art Glass Collection, You can't see White, if you won't see Black seeks to comment on the coexistence and unity of opposites as well as duality in politics, spirituality and morality. Day, light, and good are often linked together, in opposition to night, darkness, and evil. These contrasting metaphors represented as White and Black go back in human history, and across cultures. This exhibition seeks to communicate spiritual purity and intensity of feeling - bringing together the oneness of the universe. When: Until Sunday 27 November 2021 Where: Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, corner of Baylis and Morrow Streets, Wagga Wagga NSW How: Free [caption id="attachment_830584" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grass Labyrinth © 1979 Films Du Jeudi-Toel[/caption] JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL, PALACE CINEMAS The Japanese Film Festival makes a grand return to the cinema for its 25th year with a national tour in Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Screening at the new venue of Palace Cinemas in each city, the 2021 Festival program will feature an expertly curated selection of films, from the hottest newly-released feature titles alongside action, anime, drama, documentaries and much more. We can't wait to see Junk Head and The Deer King, and don't miss the free tribute series of films by Shuji Terayama, one of Japan's most influential avant-garde film directors. When: 25 November – 5 December 2021 Where: Palace Cinemas Nationally How: Buy tickets starting from $16 [caption id="attachment_830577" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sky Queenz[/caption] FLING FESTIVAL, DARLINGHURST THEATRE COMPANY The beloved Darlinghurst Theatre is encouraging its patrons to break up with lockdown and join them for a no-strings-attached fling — and we couldn't support this more! The Fling Festival will transform Darlo into a vibrant cultural hub featuring one-off events and performances in the theatre's cabaret lounge and auditorium. Fling Festival is your go-to for all things cabaret, comedy, music, good vibes and more. Don't miss Sydney's favourite LGBTQIA+ performers bring cult cinema classics to the stage with a queer twist, or Sky Queenz, an immersive cabaret experience infusing drag, music, burlesque and comedy. When: 28 October - 11 December 2021 Where: Darlinghurst Theatre, 39 Burton Street, Darlinghurst How: Buy tickets at the Darlinghurst Theatre website
Lets face it, almost all of us are attached to our phones. We text, tweet, share, play and occasionally call at all hours of the day from all locations. That is the modern technological world for you where we are connected all the time, everywhere, even the theatre thanks to Blindscape, an innovative new piece of theatre presented by PACT that combines circus, performance and app technology. Whilst most theatre shows would give you the greasiest of glares for even looking at your phone, Blindscape is only possible to participate in by using a provided iPhone, pre-loaded with the specially designed Blindscape app. This app provides the primary illumination for the show, permitting the performers to infiltrate the virtual world this light source creates. It offers the audience fleeting fragments of circus which ultimately question our relationship with our personal technologies via exploitation of that affiliation. This first of its kind circus show can only house thirty a performance so bookings are pretty essential for this one.
Summer is that excellent time of year when there's plenty to do but there doesn't seem to be as much pressure as the other months. With Christmas out of the way and the stress of work not piling on too strong just yet (hopefully), now is the perfect time to try to get a little more arts and culture into your daily life. We've teamed up with Patrón to put together a handy guide to some unexpected ways you can get in touch with your artsy side in your city. Read on for some hot tips on adding some arts and culture to your after-work agenda — and how to snag a few deals along the way, too. HEAD TO A GALLERY OR MUSEUM AFTER HOURS Galleries and museums are an obvious port of call, but it can be a little tricky to get to one when you work nine to five (and don't want to schlep it back into the city on the weekend). Luckily, plenty of our favourites keep their doors open into the night. In Melbourne, be sure to check out Melbourne Museums monthly after-hours series Nocturnal, and the National Gallery of Victoria's Friday Nights program. Meanwhile, Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art stays open until 9pm on Wednesdays so you can pop in after work and explore the Cornelia Parker retrospective exhibition. Plus, the museum is hosting a pop-up bar with Patrón, which is celebrating the craftsmanship of its tequilas, over the summer. It's open until 10pm on weekdays (plus 9pm on Saturdays and 8pm on Sundays) until February 16. After you wander around the space, you can head to the bar to witness more expressions of art — think interactive performances and VR experiences — and enjoy a Parker-inspired cocktail and some Mexican snacks. Plus, Patrón has teamed up with other bars around Circular Quay, including Bar Patrón, Quay Bar and The Argyle, to create The Art of Patrón precinct, so you can transition your night out into a summery bar crawl very easily. [caption id="attachment_719550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Murphy[/caption] SNAG A LAST-MINUTE TICKET TO A THEATRE SHOW These days, all the big theatre companies and venues are slinging cheap tickets to make it easier than ever to dive into the potentially unknown theatrical world — you've just got to know how to get your hands on them. Across both Sydney and Melbourne, Opera Australia runs an access program for $20 tickets through a ballot. Also in Sydney, every Monday at midday Griffin Theatre releases $20 tickets for that evening's performance, and Sydney Theatre Company's Thirties releases a selection of $30 tickets for all its shows every Thursday at 9am. Meanwhile, the Arts Centre Melbourne's Tix at Six sells $30 tickets from the box office at 6pm every day, and The Friday Forty is a lottery to score $40 tickets to the blockbuster play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at Melbourne's Princess Theatre. Also, keep an eye out on LastTix, TodayTix and HalfTix for more deals. [caption id="attachment_652785" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY AT A SHORT COURSE Taking in all that art can leave you feeling pretty inspired, or like you really need to learn a new skill to feel better about yourself. Whatever the motivation, our cities are crawling with talented creatives willing to share their skills for a small fee. In Melbourne, creative art, craft and design hub The Windsor Workshop runs a bunch of different classes, including haute couture beading, watercolour painting, acrylic palette knife art and ceramics workshops. And in Sydney, Redfern's Work-Shop offers a similarly broad range of classes, like Japanese bookbinding, paper making and jewellery art, while The Pottery Shed will have you throwing clay in its Surry Hills warehouse. CATCH SOME ARTSY FILMS Next up, you can be inspired by films on the big screen and remember that there's more to life than blockbuster franchises. Get yourself a membership to your local cinema to make the most of the available deals. Palace Cinemas has venues all over Australia and movie club members get great discounts and exclusive events — and keep your eye out for cheap tickets there, too, usually on Mondays or Tuesdays. Sydneysiders have plenty of options, with free weekly screenings at the Art Gallery of NSW, $7.50 tickets all the time at Dumaresq Street Cinema in Campbelltown, and $6 tickets for students on Mondays at the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace. [caption id="attachment_653436" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jackson Grant[/caption] MAKE THE MOST OF THE SEASON'S CULTURAL FESTIVALS Of course, festival season is upon us, and that doesn't just mean the big camping and music extravaganzas. Every event at the MPavilion in Melbourne's Queen Victoria Gardens is free, so you can enjoy live music, a life drawing class, morning yoga sessions, Indigenous design forums and dance performances right up until March 22. You can also check out Melbourne's leading LGBTQI+ arts and culture event Midsumma Festival from January 19 until February 9, while those in NSW should be sure to make the most of Sydney Festival's stacked 2020 program, running from January 8–26. The Patrón Pop-up will run from Thursday, October 31 through February 16 (excluding public holidays). It is open every Wednesday through Sunday from 4–10pm. Visit Patron's website for more details.
Not once, not twice, but three times during the 21st century, movie-goers have watched Peter Parker get bitten by a radioactive spider. We've witnessed the aftermath more times than that, too, thanks to three different Spider-Man franchises, all with multiple entries, starring three different actors as the web-slinger. But whether you prefer Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield or Tom Holland's version of the character, every single live-action Spidey film pales in comparison to 2018's dazzling animated effort Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The Oscar-winner is the movie that gave us a spider-woman, spider-robot and spider-pig, as well as Nicolas Cage as a 30s-era spider-vigilante, so it was always going to be a delight — and it's getting a sequel. Even better: it's getting two follow-ups, because Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will hit cinemas as two films — starting with Part One in October 2022. Once again filled with multiple Spideys, the first part has just dropped its initial trailer alongside that multi-flick announcement. And yes, the animation still looks spectacular. While Holland's take on Parker, and Spider-Man, is about to dabble with multiverse madness in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the Shameik Moore (Let It Snow)-voiced Miles Morales already went there in Into the Spider-Verse. So, in the sequel to the latter, Morales is spinning back into familiar territory — although, based on the first sneak peek, he's heading into other Spidey realms rather than welcoming different web-slingers into his. Also returning in Across the Spider-Verse: Hailee Steinfeld (Hawkeye) as Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman, as seen in the trailer, and Oscar Isaac (The Card Counter) as Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099. If you're wondering about Isaac's character, he first turned up in the post-credits section of Into the Spider-Verse, and he's an alternate version of Spidey from a specific Marvel Comics imprint. Across the Spider-Verse will see Morales, Stacy and other Spider-People join forces to deal with a powerful villain — so some standard Spidey stuff, but with more Spideys and, again, those eye-popping visuals. Here's hoping it also keeps the sense of humour and playfulness that made Into the Spider-Verse such a treat, and keeps doing what only this animated Spidey franchise can. Check out the first Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) trailer below: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) will release in cinemas Down Under in October 2022 — we'll update you when an exact date is announced.
The trailer for the fourth instalment of George Miller’s Mad Max franchise was released at Comic-Con in San Diego this weekend, and it's a total, jaw-dropping attention hog. Mad Max: Fury Road sees Tom Hardy take the reigns as 'Mad' Max Rockatansky, with appearances from Charlize Theron, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Zoe Kravitz, Megan Gale, Abbey Lee Kershaw and Nicholas Hoult thrown into the high-speed mix. From what we can gather the film revolves around a huge car chase sequence set in an unmerciful desert, complete with all the trimmings of daredevil motorbike jumps, rolling car crashes and explosions. Lots of explosions. There's some captivating end-of-days imagery going on, showing this classic Australian franchise has not been left to idle in the '80s. The fourth Mad Max has had film fans on tenterhooks for decades. It has a potted production history, having spent 25 years in what is known as "development hell". Most recently, filming was moved from Broken Hill to Namibia, after unexpected heavy rains turned the necessary desert landscape into inappropriate lush wildflowers. It's looking formidable from the trailer, so let's hope the movie — due for release on May 15, 2015 — delivers on the impact promised.
Envisioning yourself rather anchorless after spending the Easter break at home on the couch, noncommittally watching Australia's Got Talent and gormandising leftover chocolate eggs? Well, idle no longer, because the Sydney Comedy Festival is giving you myriad comedy nights to attend. Between April 24 and May 12, there are 97 shows comprising 1200 hours of delicious, belly-rupturing hilarity — from top-billed comedians to outrageous musical comedies. Internet sensation The Axis of Awesome will perform their Tour of 2006. Apparently they've had 40 million hits on YouTube — probably from people checking out that rather deft 'Four Chord Song' number. Now the Time Out Sydney Best Show 2010/2011 award winners return with new songs, classic manhandled hits and brand-new jokes about Benny's height. Dingalingdingding. Well-established UK Acts Akmal and Jimeoin will also feature. For the first time in history, Akmal will be appearing in "high definition 3D" (glasses not provided). Meanwhile, Jimeoin is offering pure, simple, good old craic — nothing too gimmicky for the comedy classicists out there. Sketch comedy stars of Edinburgh and Montreal Idiots of Ants (2010 Chortle Award Winners and 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominees), are coming to Sydney for the first time to deliver a glorious marriage of rock 'n' roll hysteria with sharply brilliant comedy. Daniel Kitson returns with his particular brand of morose-comedic, oddball storytelling. His new show, Where Once Was Wonder, contains three stories, each relating to "the impossible". Jim Breuer, auspiciously featuring in Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time, is known for his four-year run on Saturday Night Live and starring role in the cult classic movie Half Baked alongside Dave Chappelle. Expect superstardom. Musical comedy gets a significant run throughout the festival with the launch of The Riot House, where comedy stars are flung together on stage, and Alzheimer's the Musical. Sold out shows up north promise to make this an authentic Edinburgh Experience. And don't miss Hot Dub Time Machine if you're at all inclined to attend the world's first time-travelling dance party. If it's all a little too overwhelming, there is always the comforting pad thai of the comedy world, with the show that kicks it all off — Cracker Night. The ultimate tried-and-true event of the festival's finest and brightest has become much loved, much anticipated and surely not to be missed. A vast improvement on Australia's Got Talent and an excess of eggs. Image: Smart Casual.
Holidays in Western Australia are back on the agenda — and if you live in WA, getaways somewhere other than your home state are, too. After revealing back in November that WA's borders wouldn't reopen until the state hit the 90-percent double-vaccinated mark, Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has now announced a firm date for that to happen: Saturday, February 5. It isn't quite the new year's gift you might've been hoping for if you're keen to head west ASAP — or to leave the state over the holiday period and return home without any hassle — but it is indeed when Western Australia will ditch the hard border policy that it's had in place throughout the pandemic. WA will instead adopt a safe transition plan that'll allow folks from other states and overseas destinations to visit again. Yes, the reopening will apply to both WA's domestic and international borders. There'll be different rules in place depending on where you're entering from; however, you'll need to be double-vaccinated to enter, and also to get a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of departing. At first, there'll be tests within 48 hours of arrival as well, and again on day six afterwards, but they'll eventually be phased out. Today I can announce that at 12:01am Saturday, 5 February, Western Australia will ease its hard border restrictions for vaccinated travellers. This will be a major step forward for our State in how we manage the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/SVPvoWMYPw — Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) December 13, 2021 For those making the journey from an international location, there'll be no quarantine for double-vaxxed arrivals — and the same testing requirements will be in place for both domestic and overseas travellers. If you haven't had two jabs, you'll still need to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days. The two variations to the standard rules: if you're visiting WA from interstate for five days or less, you only need to get tested before you arrive; and if you're a WA resident heading out of the state for five days or less, you only need to get tested within 48 hours of getting back. Western Australia will also bring in other health measures, such as wearing face masks in high-risk settings — covering public transport, taxis, ride shares, airports, flights, hospitals and aged care — and requiring proof of vaccination at large events with more than 1000 people, stadiums and nightclubs. While the new rules are designed to come into effect statewide, any at-risk regional communities that don't reach 80-percent double jabs by the reopening date will be put under extra requirements. In those spots, proof of double vaccination will be required at pubs, bars, dine-in cafés and restaurants, bottle shops, indoor entertainment venues, gyms and fitness centres; masks will be required at all indoor public venues that don't have a proof of vax requirement, such as supermarkets and takeaway eateries; and you'll have to enter the region by air only. Announcing the reopening plan, the Premier said that the "transition date is locked in — and is based on our expert public health advice." McGowan continued: "since the start of the pandemic, Western Australians have come together to protect themselves and each other. Being cautious, patient and listening to the health advice has enabled Western Australia to reach a high level of vaccination, which will provide a soft landing when the virus arrives here." To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Western Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub.
